But this I say, brethren, the time has been shortened, so that from now on those who have wives should be as though they had none; and those who weep, as though they did not weep; and those who rejoice, as though they did not rejoice; and those who buy, as though they did not possess; and those who use the world, as though they did not make full use of it; for the form of this world is passing away. (1 Corinthians 7:29-31)

There was a terrible plane crash in Washington D.C. this past week; I’m sure you heard of it. A commercial jet and a military helicopter collided killing everyone on both aircraft. Visibility was compromised because it was a night landing with the airplane approaching the runway over the Potomac River. The aircraft were only 4 or 5 hundred feet off the ground at the time. I was familiar with that flight path because last year I had flown into Washington for a sightseeing holiday, and our approach allowed me to see the river and the city close up as we landed. As was to be expected the news reporting initially focused on the cause of the accident, providing details regarding the circumstances that led to the crash. Once the initial shock subsided a little emphasis was given to the people who had been on board. They were mostly Americans, but there were also people from other parts of the world, and an attempt was made to provide details about who these people were. The ages, occupations and immediate circumstances of all the passengers were presented and reflected upon in the wake of this tragedy. Not only was the loss of life given focus, the potential for those lives were also considered. Who were these people? Why were they coming to this city? What goals did they have? These were some of the questions that were considered in an effort to appreciate the full impact of what had happened. The result is that for a brief moment we were confronted with the prospect of losing our own lives. I followed a similar route that those folks did, but my flight landed safely. Why? Is that fair? These were just regular people, some with exceptional talents, but as far as I know there were no people on board that “deserved” to die. What are we to make of that?

The tendency is to wonder about that for a little while perhaps, then consider how such a catastrophe can be avoided in the future. But I also think that lurking behind our eyes is recognition that we’re destined for an end to our lives one way or another. It might be immediate as it was in this incident, or it might be a gradual process whose conclusion is decades away. But the reality is that our lives are temporary. For Christians that may not be such a bad thing. We know someone who actually rose from the dead so we can take comfort in the hope we’ve been given through our Lord Jesus Christ! The question is what are we going to do in the meantime? We have to make a living, put food on the table; maybe get married…have some children. Then, to make things more interesting maybe we’ll do a little traveling ourselves, make that trip to see firsthand what people are like over there, wherever that is. We’ll go to church and insure one another that we’ll all end up where we want to be…right? Maybe do some service in the community and spread the good news that there’s hope in the future for those who recognize it and believe it. In many respects American Christians have it made. There’s a lot of benefit for those who live in this country. People who beg on the street are probably better off than half the people on the planet; that’s why everybody wants to get in here! However, it’s also true that when we die we’ll be held to account for our lives by the Lord. Just saying that gives me pause! What I hope to hear is the Lord saying “well done thou good and faithful servant.” (Matthew 25:21)

In our American circumstances the culture gears us toward getting the most out of life; we’re presented with a full menu of possibilities for doing life here and now. And, along with that, Christians affirm the truth that our Lord has made a way for us to withstand death and gain entrance into a new reality; one in which God will preside and His light and truth will prevail: the Kingdom of God! In the meantime we pursue other things. Many of the people on the doomed aircraft were involved in competitive ice skating; an interesting and, for most of us an unusual occupation. But there are many other interests that people can focus on in our circumstances. Sports of all kinds do get a lot of attention. We think about them, watch them; learn to participate in them, bet on them. They’re a pastime or, for some, a goal for making a living. We focus on food; some just trying to get enough, but for many, food is a kind of pastime as well. Where’s the good restaurant? Who makes the best pizza? How do you make great muffins? We’ve also got Disney World and state fairs, music, clothes and gizmos. Gizmos of all kinds: drones, four wheelers, microwave ovens, and, of course phones. Hand-held devices that place so much at our fingertips: music, movies, weather reports, stock prices, a plethora of ideas expressed by seemingly everyone who has a thought. And we’ve also got the means and opportunity to engage in the ever present pastime of movement: Go to work, go to school. Go get something to eat. Go meet some friends, go on vacation, Go! Go! Go! Thousands and thousands of miles of roads at our disposal; let’s go! The time is short; let’s get all we can out of this life! You never know when your time will be up!

That’s what the introductory text seems to be suggesting isn’t it? It says the “time has been shortened,” but instead of prompting us to get the most out of life it warns us that “the form of this world is passing away.” The problem for us is that it hasn’t happened…yet. We’re two thousand years past the death and resurrection of the Messiah and the world’s still turning. So in the meantime we’re encouraged to get the most out of life. We affirm the truth regarding the return of the Christ, but we’re swept along in the currents of the present as well! And in that sense we’re mourning the tragic loss of life on those aircraft along with everybody else. All of those people with their hopes and dreams lost. They won’t get to do all the wonderful things that we spend our lives doing. Is that right? I’m asking myself that question along with all of you. Is it right that people die for no good reason, while others continue on their quest for abundance and fulfillment? Answering that question depends on what we’re focusing on? And that prompts me to point to the title of this post: “as though.”

The Apostle Paul was clearly promoting a posture that we should take as we live our lives from day to day. But the problem is that even Paul may have hoped that the end was a lot nearer than it’s turned out to be. And in those early days the extension of time prompted mockers to challenge the expectations of the Apostles prompting Peter to respond with full confidence saying:

But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:8-9)

Two thousand years later we too are presented with the fact that the end of time hasn’t happened yet, and the impact of that can tend to dilute the urgency of the Apostle’s admonition! Which begs the question: How you gonna act? And this gets us back to Paul’s insistence that we should act “as though” etc. etc.

How do we do that? How do we act as if we didn’t own all our “stuff,” as if we didn’t have the opportunities for owning, doing, and acquiring all that is available to us? It’s a conundrum.  There were those in the early Christian era who chose to divorce themselves from the world around them, determining that they would own only the barest of necessities and not participate in the usual endeavors to insure their own wellbeing. Monks and monasteries became part of the culture in a Christianized world, and some people continue to live out their lives in such environments today. But for most of us, the Lord isn’t asking us to make such a choice as that. I think He’s asking us to develop and maintain a posture that reflects the central expectation of the end of the world as we know it, and the full realization of His Kingdom. We’re to maintain that posture and let that expectation inform our perceptions of what we’re presented with; and to provide a foundation for dealing with this strange existence of modern America. This gets us back to the fundamentals being promoted by this blog. The disciplines that inform our Christian faith can act to promote the posture that’s being called for by the Apostles. However, the manner in which we engage those disciplines is significant. If we’re just trying to fulfill our obligations when we pray, read the Bible and go to church, then we’re missing the point. We’re just trying to fit the Lord into our schedule; He’s just one of several things to which we give focus. (As I’m writing this I’m getting convicted—I must be doing something right!) Instead, everything we do should be informed by our knowledge of the Lord, and our submission to His oversight. Such a posture isn’t as burdensome as it might appear because the Lord understands us and wants us to flourish under His supervision. Remember the admonition of Jesus when He declared that His “yoke is easy and [His] burden is light.” (Matthew 11:30) Whatever the Lord has called us to do; whatever lifestyle He has provided for us; it is the case that He provides the means to engage that life in a manner that will continue to recognize Him for who He is and bring glory to His name.

What we have to do is get to know the Lord. Instead of just fulfilling our obligations toward Him, we need to develop a “posture of fellowship” with our God that informs all that we do. Such a partnership doesn’t exclude our use of what’s provided by the culture; what it does do is inform us concerning what we make use of and how we use it. Such a posture will keep us balanced, preventing us from getting carried away by the currents of our culture, and helping us to stay focused on what’s really important. We engage the culture in the light of its inevitable demise. We acquire and do “as though” we did not. The world’s coming to an end and the Kingdom of God will be fully realized.

Bear it in mind! Count on it! Halleluiah!