There are two potential mistakes that can be made when we view every day based on the present. First, we can mistakenly think that the present is the key to understanding the past. This error leads to the erroneous philosophy of uniformitarianism, which denies God’s catastrophic judgment of the world through the worldwide flood. The uniformitarianist thinks every day in the past was just like today as they proclaim, “all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation” (2 Peter 3:4b).
Those who hold to uniformitarianism are also guilty of the second mistake, that the present is the key to understanding the future – “All things continue as they were.” But sometimes even believers can be guilty of buying into that philosophy when we live as if all things continue as they are. Consider the following truths from the Scriptures that teach us not only that all things will not continue as they are, but these future events ought to impact our lives today:
First, things will not continue as they are for us personally. There is coming a day when we will depart from this earth. We don’t know when, but the Scriptures clearly teach that our lives are “a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away” (James 4:14b). Only the Lord knows the number of our days and therefore we ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that” (James 4:15). Furthermore the Scriptures tell us that “It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment”(Hebrews 9:27). All things will not continue as they are for us personally! Are you ready to stand before the Lord? I’m thankful that the Scriptures not only tell us what to be prepared for in the future, but also how to be prepared. The Scriptures are able to make us wise unto salvation through faith in Jesus Christ (2 Timothy 3:15). The only way to be prepared for the judgment is to believe on Jesus Christ who died on the cross for our sins and rose victoriously from the dead. Salvation from judgment is found by faith alone in Christ alone! Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ today and you will be prepared for that coming day!
Second, things will not continue as they are for the church of Jesus Christ. There is coming a day when the trumpet will sound and Jesus Christ will come and receive His bride to Himself (John 14:1-3). There is coming a day when those who are dead in Christ will rise and those in Christ who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. (1 Thess. 4:13-18). That coming day will be completely different than any other day in human history! Believers ought to live in anticipation of this future day known as the rapture. We don’t know the day or the hour, but we do know that He will come again. All things will not continue as they are! Again this truth has ramifications for our lives today: “But we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him (Christ) purifies himself, just as He is pure” (1 John 3:2b-3).
Finally, things will not continue as they are for the nations of this world. After the church of Jesus Christ is caught up to be with the Lord, the nations of the world will be deceived (Rev. 18:23). They will form a one-world government under the control of the anti-Christ, not allowing people to buy or sell unless they worship the anti-Christ and receive his mark (Rev. 13). The nations will say, “Peace and safety,” yet sudden destruction will come upon them (1 Thess. 5:3). They will experience the day of the Lord’s wrath and judgment which will culminate in the Great Tribulation. All things will certainly not continue as they are, as Jesus speaks concerning this future day with these words, “Then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be” (Matthew 24:21). This future judgment of the nations ought to cause all unbelievers to repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ! It ought to cause every believer to warn people to flee from the wrath to come! All things will not continue as they are! This could be the year!