the Great Departing

Everywhere in America it's as if the Church of Jesus Christ is "on the outside looking in," so to speak, desperately wanting to be a part of society's institutions and programs, not only because that oftentimes seems desirable, but because that appears needful in order to survive.  As a matter of fact, submission to a crushing burden of laws and regulations is imperative, if one intends not to suffer the cruelties of this wicked American society.

As recently as a few generations ago in America, any self-motivated individual could earn his or her living by supplying whatever kinds of goods and/or services that others were willing to purchase, essentially without interference from anyone.  Abraham Lincoln, for example, was a self-taught lawyer who rose to the pinnacle of American law and government.  Prior to the year 1900, anyone in America could practice medicine without a license.  Although a wide variety of apprenticeships and specialized schools existed ever since the earliest days in American history, yet, until the past 100 years or so, no one was then required to have specialized education or training ~ much less any government-issued license ~ in order to have engaged in the trade or profession of his or her own choosing.  Such economic arrangement and social order was then called "freedom."  Today, that way of life is disparagingly referred to as an out-dated and unworkable system of laissez-faire economics.  But it was just that kind of society (prior to 1900) which, in less than three centuries from its Founding, made America by far the most wealthy and powerful nation on earth.

As recently as 1986, it was moreover possible in America (in the State of Alaska) to acquire a sizable parcel of land (scores of acres) by means of a homestead claim (a claim to ownership of land, established by usage instead of by purchase).  But what is the current situation in America?

• Today, there literally is not one square inch of ground anywhere in the U.S. that is not "owned" by someone; a huge percentage (more than one-third) of which land is "owned" and strictly controlled by U.S. federal or state governments (see map, here).
• In Tennessee it is illegal to shampoo someone else's hair, for a fee, without a license ~ which to obtain requires 300 hours of training! (see article, here).
• In Ohio a Master Electrician may not even change a lightbulb, for a fee, without a State contractor's license; which to obtain requires that individual to do over, again, an eight-year Electrical apprenticeship and training program.
• A Physician Assistant who graduated with a 4.0 GPA from a four-year medical school, may not so much as apply a bandaid, for a fee ~ without going to school for an additional two years in order to be "re-certified."
• A fifteen-minute visit to an Emergency Room resulted in a $2,000.00 charge from the hospital; yet, there was virtually no exam, no tests, no medication, and no treatment provided to the "patient."

I know, because I was that patient.  And I am that Master Electrician, and that Physician Assistant.  And I know that my experience and my story is by no means uncommon.

In the past handful of years, popular sentiment toward Christians has drastically changed in America.  Until about thirty years ago, Christians were generally respected.  But as the culture has rapidly and radically been secularized, especially throughout the past thirty to forty years, popular respect toward Christians steadily degenerated to an attitude of smug tolerance, then to one of disrespect and intolerance and, lately, to more and more open hostility.  It is now the case that oppression of Christians in the workplace is commonplace.  Unbelievably, the Chief Justice of the Alabama State Supreme Court was recently "suspended" from the bench, because of his stand against same-sex marriage, and his efforts to uphold and defend the Constitutions of both the United States as well as that of the State of Alabama.  Yet, such an extreme example of persecution of a Christian high official has been largely downplayed in the mainstream media.

It is high time for a change!

But who's going to make the wide-ranging and dramatic changes which are essential to the well being of Christians and their families ~ if not Christians themselves?  In 1976, Francis Schaeffer published his monumentally important book titled "How Should We Then Live?" in which he described the centuries-long decline of Western Civilization and the process of degeneration which brought formerly Christian nations to their present state of social disintegration and immorality.  Schaeffer asked, but he did not answer, the all-important question which became the title of his book.

How should we then live?  That is the question.  There is an answer, although, it is not an easy one.  And the reason it is not easy is because of the apostate condition of the professing Church.  Take, for example, old brother Noah.  He was 500 years old when God first told him to build the Ark.  Does anyone suppose that Noah lived 500 years in the world and, yet, at no time during five centuries did he make any personal friends?  But if he did once have friends, he evidently lost every one of them: not in the Flood, but in the course of building the Ark, in anticipation of the Flood.  Doubtless Noah seemed to them a "gloom-and-doomer," and none of them believed what Noah believed about what was coming in their own day.  Therefore, Noah and his family labored and suffered alone in the world.  The Apostate Church deceives multitudes to believe that being a Christian means being a part of the (Apostate) Church; and, that it is socially unacceptable (politically incorrect) to be overly zealous, with respect to one's personal religious beliefs.  Therefore, those who truly are led by the Spirit of God largely labor and suffer alone in the world.

I used to wonder, when thinking about the Rapture, how it could be that, when I shall suddenly be called out of this world, I will not then be greatly tempted to "look back," as it were, to all that I will then suddenly be leaving behind.  (I believe that the story of Lot's wife, who turned to a pillar of salt when she looked back to view the destruction of Sodom, is in the Bible for a reason: that is, it is a warning to us who shall be delivered from the wrath of God.)  How may it be possible to leave virtually everything and everyone behind, in the "twinkling of an eye," and not look back?

Now, I understand how it shall be possible.  The answer to that question is exactly the same as the answer to the question, "How should we then live?", viz.:  We should, already, consciously be leaving this evil world behind.  And not merely in some theoretical nor ideological sense, but in reality.  Yet when I draw out, in my mind, the implications of living in this  present evil world albeit as a faithful servant of Jesus Christ ~ and, thus, I understand the austere separation and isolation which that implies; I am tempted (tempted, I say, but not persuaded) to draw back from that path.  For, in the substantial measure which I have thus far traveled that path which leads further and further apart from any entanglement with this world, I have found that "austere separation and isolation" to be very real.

I personally know a number of professing Christians, for whose souls' sake I am deeply concerned for their salvation.  For, I do not believe that everyone who professes to be a Christian and who may even be a faithful churchgoer, is going to be delivered, by means of the Rapture, from the soon-coming wrath of God.  They are to me as Noah's friends must have been to him.  That is to say, I believe that most of my "Christian" acquaintances do not prefer my company, because they see the many ways that my lifestyle reflects the seriousness with which I am preparing for the coming of the Lord.  To them, I am a "gloom-and-doomer," and they do not believe what I believe about what is very soon coming upon the world.  Therefore, they do not see any virtue (much less any advantage) in separating themselves from the world, in any sense or measure as I believe is necessary.

But do not misunderstand me.  I do not mean that I am buying land in the Ozark mountains and preparing to survive Armageddon.  No!  For, as long as we remain in the world, we are here for the purpose to be ambassadors of Jesus Christ.  We are not here to "survive," but we are here to live; or, rather, we are here so that Christ may live in and through us.  So, while Christians should be the most engaged, where it concerns interacting with people, for the Gospel's sake; yet, at the same time, Christians should be the least engaged with the world system, as that may be possible.

Let me put it another way.  We should even now be earnestly preparing ourselves and our respective families for the Rapture, in every possible way.  There should already be a "great departing" happening!  Christ is coming not for a people who believe that he is coming "some day," but for those who truly are ready and looking for for his coming To-day.  It is shocking to think that most professing Christians are actually offended by such a statement!

There are very practical things we can do as Christians, to facilitate our separation from the world system.  But it shall require that we must begin to function as a true "Body" of Christ.  I do not advocate that communal living arrangements are necessary; though neither do I oppose that as an option.  But I do mean that Christians who live reasonably close together, geographically, ought to come together to create a network of personal relationships, whereby in every way to help and to encourage one another, materially and spiritually.  That has been God's express will and purpose for local Christian communities, from the beginning.  THAT is what is meant, in Scripture, by the concept of local churches.  And God has never changed his mind about that.

In a Christian community of, let's say, 100 adults (an exceedingly small proportion of even small cities), is there not likely to be a mechanic, a barber or hair stylist, a plumber, an electrician, a carpenter, a handyman, a cook, a babysitter, a helper of some kind?  There may even be a dentist, a physician, or a lawyer.  And whatever services may not be available within one Christian "community," may be obtained in association with some nearby Christian community.  Moreover, the multi-million dollar facilities called "churches" are an abomination.  With very few exceptions, those facilities are largely unused during most of any given week.  And the monies which are used to build and maintain those facilities and to enrich a handful of paid staff, would far better be used to help those, members of that Christian community, who are in need; and, then, to advance the Kingdom of God within the environs of that local Body of believers.  (This is a topic which needs to be addressed in a book-length work; one which I am seriously contemplating.)

I hope it may be true, that the true Body of Christ (I am speaking of the condition in America) may be in a transitional state between coming out of the apostate churches, on the one hand, and on the other hand, coming together to form what A.W. Tozer called "a new Ark, to ride out the storm."  Although, I don't yet see much in the way of substantive activity along those lines.  Except, I do perceive that the Holy Ghost is opening my own eyes, as well as those of a few of my Christian companions, in extraordinary measure.  We do know that Christ is preparing us for some exceptional manifestation of God's Spirit.  Is it the Rapture?  Quite possibly so.  Or, is it a very short season of soul-harvest, in the midst of catastrophe?  Maybe.  But either way, it requires that we must be wholly separated ~ from the world and unto the Lord, for his service; as I have been urging in this essay.
  
I feel that I must, before I conclude, expose and refute one of the enemy's more effectual lies, which he uses to blind many to the truth and to the urgency of the message I am herein expounding.  Namely, the suggestion that no one can know anything with certainty, regarding the time of the Rapture.  I have dealt with innumerable professing Christians who object (many of them aggressively) to the idea that we can and should know the (rapidly approaching) time of the Rapture. "No one knows the day nor the hour," is their typical ~ and their only ~ defense, as they suppose.

But does the Bible say, or even suggest, that Christians cannot know ~ and therefore should not seek to know ~ what time the Rapture shall occur?  The answer is: No, the Bible does not say, nor does it imply, any such thing.  In fact, just the opposite is true.  The Bible not only identifies the specific generation in which the Rapture is to occur.  Moreover, Scripture reveals that the Holy Ghost shall instruct and guide every true disciple of Jesus Christ, concerning the precise time ~ to the very day and the very hour ~ of Christ's return for them.  We shall know.  Indeed, we do know that the Rapture even now is at the door.

How should we then live?  We should live as the Bible plainly teaches us to live: as "strangers and pilgrims" in the earth; as being in the world but in no way a part of it; as a Body of Christ, loving one another with "a pure heart fervently;" as those, faithful stewards of Christ, who are earnestly looking for the return and the appearing of our Master.

The presence of the true Church in the world has been the outpouring of God's mercy to the world.  The removal of the Church, at the Rapture, will be the beginning of the outpouring of God's wrath upon the world which has rejected his mercy.

The trumpet has been sounded and the warning is going out:

the Great Departing is already underway.