2. Jahrgang MARTIN MBS TEXTE 56 BUCER 2005 SEMINAR Thomas Schirrmacher Do We Need a Special Ethics for the Last Days? BUCER IN S T E M R A I N M A R 2 1 : E P 4 H EthicsErgänzungen zur Ethik TableInhaltsverzeichnis of Contents In hard times we recognize the urgency of God’s unchanging will ...................................... 3 God can repeal or at least postpone the proclaimed judgment if people repent ................................ 5 Examples for the repeal of a proclaimed judgment ................... 6 The Church has hope in the face of judgment .......................... 8 Iniquity may be full, but the Church can delay the judgment ............................................... 8 The Parable of the Wheat and the Tares (Matt. 13:24-30 and 36-43) ................................... 10 Annotation ............................................................................. 12 The Author ............................................................................ 12 Impressum ............................................................................. 13 1. Aufl. 2005 Do we need a special ethics for the Last Days? Do We Need a Special Ethics for the Last Days? Thomas Schirrmacher In hard times we God‘s will, as revealed in Scripture, recognize the urgency always applies, whether the situation is of God‘s unchanging will worsening or improving. Isn‘t it really contradictory for Chris- Churches, evangelists and even poli- tians to claim to adhere to the Bible ticians love to base their imperatives while calculating a program for the on the argument that we are living in Return of Christ, even though Scrip- the Last Days. Is that biblical? Must ture and the Lord Jesus Christ Himself we really know that whether God is very clearly insist that no one except intending to inflict judgment or bestow God the Father knows the time or the grace, when we develop evangelistic hour (Acts 1:7; Matt 24:36.43.44.50; strategies? No! On the contrary, we Mark 13:32; Luke 12:39.40.46)! If we must continue to proclaim the Gospel believe in the principle of using Scrip- as we have always done in order to pre- ture to interpret Scripture, we should vent judgement! The Bible preaches no apply Christ‘s warning to every escha- special eschatological ethics. tological text. Still, let us participate in To express it in other words: the spe- the discussion: what would be the con- cific ethics for the Last Days are the very sequences for our ethics, if we did know same ethics of the Kingdom of God that the world were to end soon? which commenced with the Coming The apostle Paul gives one of the most of Christ (Luke 10:9.11.; 21:31–32). In dramatic descriptions of the ‚perilous view of the approaching judgement and times‘ of the last days (2 Tim 3:1–4:8). the return of Christ (Acts 17:31; 1Thess We could ask why Paul would require 5:1–3), this ethical system has applied Timothy to act in a concrete manner in for centuries and will not suddenly difficult times that lay in a far distant change in the twenty-first century. future, but let us ignore that problem Do we really need a new ethical and assume that this text indeed refers system for the Last Days? Must we to the end of human history. Men will locate our epoch on a prophetic time become selfish, slanderers, seducers line in order to do God‘s will? No, for „ever learning, and never able to come ERGÄNZUNGEN ZUR ETHIK Thomas Schirrmacher to the knowledge of the truth“ (vs. and its norms „that the man of God 7), clinging to a powerless superficial may be perfect, thoroughly furnished Christianity (vs. 5). Persecution will be unto all good works,“ (2 Tim 3:17). In an everyday affair (3,11–12), and things the Great Commandment, Jesus admo- will continue to get worse (vs. 13): „For nishes the disciples to work: „Teaching the time will come when they will not them to observe all things whatsoever endure sound doctrine; but after their I have commanded you: and, lo, I am own lusts shall they heap to themselves with you alway, even unto the end of teachers, having itching ears. And they the world,“ (Matt 28:20). Jesus‘ ethics shall turn away their ears from the suffice – from the Crucifixion until his truth, and shall be turned unto fables“ return. (2 Tim 4:3–4). The principles described here for What conclusion does Paul draw evangelization apply equally for the rest from these predictions? Rather than of Biblical-Christian ethics. Whether developing a special ethical system, he we are living in the Last Days or not, confirms the fundamental principles the commandment to love and the of the Christian lifestyle which have Ten Commandments are other central always applied and continue to apply in ethical principles such those defined the future: „Preach the word; be instant in Romans 12:1–2 or 2 Tim. 3:16–17 in season, out of season; reprove, remain untouched. God‘s assistance rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and directions for our lives apply and doctrine. ... But watch thou in all whether we live in the best of times or things, endure afflictions, do the work the worst, and whether judgement or of an evangelist, make full proof of thy revival are pending. ministry.“ (2 Tim 4:2.5). In 1 Thessalonians 5:1–11, Paul dis- Speaking specifically of ethical cusses the lives of the believer facing the norms for difficult times, Paul admo- „Day of the Lord“ (vs. 2), a completely nishes Timothy: „But continue thou unexpected time which will come like in the things which thou hast learned a thief in the night. The Christian can and hast been assured of, knowing of only watch rather than sleep. Paul‘s whom thou hast learned them,“ (2 Tim ethical system for the Return of Christ 3:14), i. e. Timothy is to live according consists in being sober, in watching, in to Scripture. The basic significance of admonishing and deifying one another Scripture, which was inspired by God (vs. 11), in putting on the breastplate through his Spirit, for salvation, doc- of faith and love and the helmet of the trine and ethics (2 Tim 3:14–17), is hope of salvation (vs. 8). No one who emphasized in the context of future dif- lives this way will be unprepared for ficulties and judgment. Timothy does the Day, and nothing indicates that we not need any special knowledge of the require any sort of special eschatologi- future, only familiarity with the Bible cal ethics. MBS TEXTE 56 Do we need a special ethics for the Last Days? In his sermons on the Last Days, best known example. The prophet pre- Jesus exhorts the disciples to watch ached that Nineveh would be destro- (Matt 24:32–35–25:13). he uses the yed in forty days (Jonah 3:4), but the metaphor of the unexpected thief in Assyrians‘ repentance reverted God‘s the night (Mat 24:43.50), whose time judgment. Jonah, angry as he was, had is unknown to the master of the house already known how God would act: „I (Matt 24:44.50; 25:13). The only pre- knew that thou art a gracious God, and ventive is to wake and not become lazy. merciful, slow to anger, and of great Jesus expects his disciples only to live kindness, and repentest thee of the watchfully, whether in the first century evil,“ (Jonah 4:2). Jonah would have or the twenty-first. Nothing indicates preferred God to judge Nineveh, just as that he preached any sort of rules for many modern Christians prefer to pre- the Last Days other than those he proc- ach judgment and devastation rather laimed to his first century audience. than the Gospel. The Church Father Similar texts which associate the Last Chystostomos, speaking of Jonah in Days with basic exhortations applicable his ‚Homily on Repentance‘, empha- to all believers appear frequently in the sizes that Christian proclamation often New Testament. seems to devastate hope, but never truly disintegrates it, for the Gospel points to the true hope which lies only in God. God can repeal or at least post- Prophetic announcements which pone the proclaimed judgment God had not confirmed by oath could if people repent always be reverted or changed. Only when he had sworn to destroy, was the Is the promise given in 2 Chroni- judgment irreversible. When he swears cles 7:14 no longer valid for the Last to punish Eli‘s family, then the High Days? „If my people, which are called Priest‘s family is lost: „I said indeed that by my name, shall humble themselves, thy house, and the house of thy father, and pray, and seek my face, and turn should walk before me for ever: but now from their wicked ways; then will I hear the LORD saith, Be it far from me; for from heaven, and will forgive their sin, them that honour me I will honour, and will heal their land.“ Of course it and they that despise me shall be lightly is always valid, even when a nation or esteemed“ (2 Sam 2:30). The original even the whole world is ripe for judg- promise depended on conditions, but ment (The judgment is described in the oath formula „Be it far from me“ verse 13). makes his pronouncement irrevocable. The Old Testament gives us many examples of judgments announced by In Jonah 1:2, God commands the pro- prophets but postponed due to repen- phet to preach the message in Nineveh. tance. The Book of Jonah provides the The command is repeated after Jonah ERGÄNZUNGEN ZUR ETHIK 5 Thomas Schirrmacher is liberated from the whale‘s belly (3:2) generation, and shall condemn it: for and carried out with the classical missi- they repented at the preaching of Jonas; onary methods: Jonah preaches and the and, behold, a greater than Jonas is citizens of the city believe.