Tag Archives: Christians

The End

The End

When we read a bedtime storybook to our children, they tend to enjoy the final two words: The End. And we enjoy those two words, too, if we are truly honest with ourselves. We can go to sleep ourselves at that point or move on with the rest of our evening then. What is it about reaching the end of something that can be so satisfying? Maybe it is the feeling that a job has been accomplished, a period of difficulty is over or a time of waiting is done.

As we say The End to the year 2022, some or all of these reasons for satisfaction may apply. But probably for most of us, coming to the end of a year is hard because it means that time is moving on and our age is increasing.

If we take a step back as Christians, it is important for us to remember that the end of a year is only a foreshadowing of the end of time when Christ will come on the Last Day to take all believers to heaven with him. He will take us to a place where there will be no end. There will only be peace, love and joy forevermore. Come, Lord Jesus, come, and bring an end to every sin and suffering and strife. How satisfying that will be. Amen.

Adiaphora

carpetingI have lately been contemplating the concept of adiaphora. Not only because it is fun to say, but because many of the things we spend a lot of our time thinking about in the Church oftentimes fall into the category of adiaphora.

In general for Christians, adiaphora means “matters not regarded as essential to faith, but nevertheless permissible or allowed in the church.”

Things like discussions of the floor covering in the sanctuary or the color of the paint on the walls of the fellowship hall, for example, are not essential to faith, but do constitute a large part of our time sometimes. Adiaphora.

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