As to the times and the seasons, my dear people, you have no need to have anything written to you. For you yourselves know that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. When people say, "There is peace and security," then sudden destruction will come on them as labor pangs upon a woman with child, and there will be no escape. But you are not in darkness, my dear people, for that day to surprise you like a thief. For you are all children of light and children of the day; we are not of the night or darkness. So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. For those who sleep sleep at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night. But, since we belong to the day, let us be sober, and put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we wake or sleep we might live with him. Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.
--1 Thessalonians 5: 1-11
I'll put this here since the post on Revelation that this references is buried by more recent additions. I've been reading The Responsible Self by Richard Niebuhr as an extra text I hope will serve me for my final paper in Christian Ethics. I read the past, and not twenty minutes later came across this:
ReplyDeleteGod whose rule is hidden and whose rule will become manifest is ruling now, despite all hiddenness. Realized eschatology is realized theology.
I'm finding this helpful post-election and as Advent approaches. I'm looking forward to your Advent posts. I had been tempted to write some short Advent reflections but work, seminary, family and life have me thoroughly overwhelmed, so it won't be happening.