Back to the Future
by Laurence Windham

You and I, my friends, are immersed in the Now. Daily the zeitgeists of the culture strive to enter Mansoul for the purpose of conforming us to the image of the natural man. Vanity Fair is no longer a geographic location that pilgrims pass through but a force that targets the masses with marketing strategies that prey on insecurities, manipulate guilt, and promote pride. The goal is to trap us in a perpetual today, like some hamster that keeps running, but never gets anywhere. Yesterday is best forgotten, and tomorrow is out of reach, so let's all carpe deim like brave little soldiers. Even pagans criticize the trend machine yet all the while succumbing to the siren song sound track by racking up debt to keep up with the joneses, um, I mean, Brian J.

This carnival city is not passive but proactive in its nature. From the moment of our conception it seeks to baptize and disciple us in its worldview- a worldview that has no place or regard for the Creator. And yet, our faith is what frees us from this madness. We do not live and move and have our being in the matrix of the present, but in Christ. We have stepped out of time by being justified before the foundation of the world. This past act of God links us with He who is timeless and therefore to the truth, that is not time bound, that He gives us to live by. This allows us the ability to live unto Him within the protective realm of His grace. The present can be dealt with because of our election. Before history began our salvation was ordained. The day is not only ours seize, for this is the day that the Lord has made. We must rejoice and be glad in it. He planned it, He ordained it, He brought it to pass, and He controls it, all because it is a step between eternity past, and eternity future. Now we have the ability to withstand the allurements of the present because of our link to the past. This frees us from the draw of the vortex. If...we so desire. But do we?

I am afraid not. Christianity today is too often reduced to just another slice of the pie. When that happens the joy and zeal that should mark the life of the believer disappears. There is a telling lack of sanctification in the church. We seem to be enjoying our quiet compromise with the world. We endeavor to work out our salvation but subconsciously with an earth-boundedness. Don't you ever wonder what it is that seems to be missing from the modern Christian life? We have more resources and information than any other time in the church's history. And yet we have lost our edge. Monday morning's reflection on the past Lord's Day worship can be likened to a sports fan's post-celebration thoughts of last night's victory. Sure 'his' team won but in his heart he knows that he was not a participant, that none of the players, coaches or management know him and that the only connection he has with the organization is a bumper sticker on his car, an over-priced logo t-shirt, and a weekly hot-wing communion service with like-minded ex jocks.

The missing element is an understanding and appreciation for glorification. By glorification I meant the fact that we will one day be practically what we are positionally. Our justification in the past points to our coming glorification. Does anyone look forward to this anymore? Could it be that the lack of this desire causes sanctification to be weak and tied too directly to our covetous lives? What we lack is a desire for out history that is already written.

Scripture is replete with references regarding the coming day of the Lord, the parousia, the return, the end of time. These verses serve to remind us why we are here, who we are, and what our motivation should be. We are on the winning side. Our future is secure. We have been given eternal life! So why does the average Christian look and behave as if they belong in the book of Ecclesiastes instead of the book of Acts? Could it be that their past (justification) and their present (sanctification) are not linked to their future (glorification)? Without this focus the goal becomes less heavenly and more earthly. Our striving to be good stewards causes us to legally give the ten percent without considering how the other ninety percent is being used for the glory of God. Our morality stays just slightly to the right of our pagan neighbors. A "quiet time' takes the place of all day com- munion with God. We think more about our aging and health, making longevity our goal for life rather than our lives meaning something significant for the kingdom.

Fortunately this can all be turned around. If we begin to consider our future, if all our efforts include seeking first the Kingdom of God and joyfully expecting the return of our King, then we will live differently. Our sanctification will be less self-centered and more focused on becoming more like what we will be. The Present will lose a great deal of its draw because we have no desire for this time. Our hearts belong to tomorrow not to today. Whatever our occupation or station in life there would be a different way of thinking about them. Even problems that we have would be handled with a different attitude. Imagine if you knew that one year from now you were going to meet God. How would that change your daily routine? Your giving? Your focus? How much more if you eagerly expected that meeting out of love for He who first loved us rather than fear alone. If the Church of the New Millennium desires to write a significant chapter in the annals of history it will be accomplished only by getting back to the future.