The motivators - Part 2

Gary Webster

In Part 1, we noticed the first of "The motivators" was the love of Christ. Now for the second of "The motivators," found in 2 Corinthians 5.

The great longing of Paul's life was to be with Jesus, who had forever altered the direction of his life: "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain" and "I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings," for "when Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory" (Philippians 1:21; 3:10; Colossians 3:4*).

Thus Paul sought to order and live his life to please Christ, his forever friend, for he was keenly aware that there was a day coming when he, and every follower of Jesus, must stand before Christ's judgment seat to receive the reward of what they have done, whether good or bad (see 2 Corinthians 5:9, 10). No way did he want to miss out on being with Jesus forever! But more than that-recognising that it was a fearful thing to stand before the judgment seat of Christ-compelled by the love of Christ, he sought to persuade men and women, boys and girls for Christ (see 2 Corinthians 5:11, 14).

Of all Christians, Seventh-day Adventists should know what time it is! We are living on the knife-edge of eternity, because we are living while the first phase of God's end-time judgment is in session (see Revelation 14:6-14; Daniel 8:14; 9:24-27). This is, of course, good news for the friends of God.

Down through the ages they have waited, longing for God's judgment-for justice, vindication and deliverance by God (see Psalms 13:2; 94:3; Revelation 6:10).

In Daniel 7, God's people are being trounced by the oppressive anti-Christian Little Horn but relief comes when, prior to the end, "the judgment is set and the books are opened" (see Daniel 7:9-12, 22, 26). The long-awaited judgment delivers God's people and grants them the eternal kingdom (see Daniel 7:26, 27). They receive it because their great advocate-"The Son of Man," Jesus Himself-goes into the judgment on their behalf, receives the kingdom and shares it with them (see Daniel 7:13, 14, 27).

There is no need for the friends of God to fear the judgment, for "there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1). They have absolute confidence in the day of judgment, because in Him they are considered as righteous as Him (see 1 John 4:17).

But while the judgment is good news for those of us who are in Christ, it is not good news for those outside of Christ. Soon, the intercessory ministry of Jesus will cease and those outside of Christ will be lost forever.

"If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment. . . . It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God" (Hebrews 10:26, 27, 31).

Anyone embracing and clinging to known sin is not covered by the blood of Christ. They have only a fearful expectation of judgment and wrath.

It was this thought that also motivated Paul to persuade people everywhere to be reconciled to Christ (see 2 Corinthians 5:11, 20). If the judgment "to come" also motivated Paul to reach out to lost people, how much more should the judgment that "has begun" motivate Adventists to seek and save the lost?

The great danger for Adventism today is that we forget what time it is and our responsibility in that time! It is judgment day and time is running out for the lost to become the forever friends of Jesus! To discard the belief in a pre-Advent judgment since 1844, or to relegate it to the back seat, is to lose our sense of the urgency of the times, and the casualty is God's mission to seek and save the lost. Could it be that a loss of certainty by some Adventists in the belief that the judgment is now taking place in heaven is contributing to making us less concerned about-and less effective in-reaching people for Christ than in previous years?

God Himself has commissioned the proclamation of the gospel of His love to the entire world in the context of the pre-Advent judgment (see Revelation 14:6, 7). As this phase of God's final judgment comes to an end, all heaven is astir.

Angels are seen holding back the winds of strife, while another angel seals God's servants (see Revelation 7:1-3). Others prepare themselves to pour out the seven last plagues, while yet another lights the entire earth with the light of the everlasting gospel (see Revelation 15; 18:1-3). Finally, God Himself makes a personal appeal for His people to flee from Babylon and sin (see Revelation 18:4).

With all heaven moved by the plight of the human race, how can we continue to be so casual, so pedestrian with our message and mission? We must keep in step with God, letting Him decide what is the best context in which to proclaim His love for a world that is fast nearing the end. If the plight and danger of lost people does not move us into action, can we really claim to be Christians?

It is thrilling to see examples of our Adventist young people catching the passion of God, understanding the times in which we live and becoming involved in God's end-time mission. The Spirit is surely at work among us. Let us keep in step with the Spirit. Every day brings us closer to the day when mercy's door will be shut forever. The time demands giving God our best energies and the resources He has placed in our hands. Being reconciled to God, He now calls you and me to be His ambassadors of reconciling love (see 2 Corinthians 5:19, 20). Won't you respond to His call? The harvest is waiting!

*All Bible quotations are from the New International Version.

This is the second of a two part series. Read the first part.

Gary Webster is secretary of the ministerial association of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the South Pacific, based in Wahroonga, New South Wales.

This has been a feature from Record, May 30, 2009

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