I was speaking with a fellow pastor about “eschatology” when he said, “Of course, I would never use that word from the pulpit.” “Oh, oh… I use that word all the time!” I thought to myself. Should we help God’s people to understand and use biblical and theological vocabulary? I think we should. The world has taught us the vocabulary of therapy. We should teach God’s people the vocabulary of theology.
Our exposure to new things requires us to learn new vocabulary. The onslaught of the new communications technology has expanded our vocabulary. It used to be that “back up” was something you did with your car; that “bandwidth” had something to do with the half-time show at the football game; that a “cookie” was something you ate; that a “hacker” was someone with a bad cough; that a “lap-top” was, well… whatever you placed on top of your lap; and “texting” wasn’t even a verb. Learning new words to speak of new things is something we do all the time. “Eschatology” might be a new word, but it is very useful in helping us speak about being new creations in Christ [2 Corinthians 5:17].
In a day when people are “self-identifying” even contrary to nature, we can appreciate the foundational and indispensable necessity “self-identifying” according to the gospel. Paul, having written over five chapters informing us about our salvation, finally tells us to do something: define yourself. Romans 6:11, Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus. This is the first command that we encounter in Romans. We must first define ourselves as those who are united to Jesus, specifically joined to Him in His death and His resurrection. We are to then present [ourselves] to God as those alive from the dead [Rom 6:13]. Paul picks up this command to present ourselves again in Romans 12:1ff, which introduces us to chapters 12-16 which concern how we are to live as those alive from the dead.
We are the people of the resurrection and resurrection is of the essence of eschatology. Eschatology concerns more than the events surrounding the Second Coming of Christ. Our salvation is eschatological because we already participate in the life of our risen and exalted Lord Jesus. We are to define ourselves “in Christ,” and then live as a people who have died in Christ and are already, alive in Christ with resurrection life. We are, by definition, an eschatological people.
Kevin Vanhoozer urges pastors to press this biblical identity on the people of God and to help believers to live according to the reality of their new life in Christ.
“Insofar as the theologian helps God’s people to live into the reality of the resurrection, the new creation in Christ, the theologian helps people to get real… Public theology is the setting forth in propositions and, more importantly, in persons the reality of new life in Christ. The church, the company of those who have been raised with Christ, is the vanguard of the new created order.” [Kevin J. Vanhoozer, “In the Evangelical Mood: The Purpose of the Pastor-Theologian,” in The Pastor as Public Theologian: Reclaiming a Lost Vision (ed. Kevin J. Vanhoozer and Owen Strachan; Grand Rapids, MI.: Baker Academic, 2015), 109.]
“Paul views his pastoral task as nothing less than cultivating a new humanity in Christ… the church is the harbinger of the new heaven and the new earth. It is the privilege and responsibility of the pastor-theologian to oversee and encourage the church’s understanding of and participation in these first-fruits of the new reality ‘in Christ.’” [Kevin J. Vanhoozer, “Artisans in the House of God: The Practices of the Pastor-Theologian,” in The Pastor as Public Theologian: Reclaiming a Lost Vision (ed. Kevin J. Vanhoozer and Owen Strachan; Grand Rapids, MI.: Baker Academic, 2015), 151, 152.]
So, I confess. I use the word “eschatology,” even in public! I’m wondering if I should encourage my fellow-believers to become “eschatologists?” An eschatologist is “someone who specializes in eschatology.” Now, I have yet to start using that word, but people who present themselves to God as those alive from the dead are specialists in eschatology! Should I tell the congregation that they are “eschatologists?”
As believers, and especially as churches, we are given the privilege and challenge to bring the life of the age to come forward into this present age; to permeate this present created order with the life and power of the new creation; by faith, to imbue the good blessings of common grace with special grace and glorify Christ even in the most basic things, like eating or drinking [1 Corinthians 10:31]. As we await the resurrection of our bodies, we live with a renewed inner man [2 Corinthians 4:16], communing with our risen and exalted King, implementing His Kingdom/Gospel agenda into every aspect of life lived in this age. We endeavor to take the mundane and transform it into that which glorifies Christ and obtains eternal significance.
It was once said that a Christian was liable to be “so heavenly minded, that he was no earthly good.” The precise opposite is true. Paul urges us,
if you have died with Christ… and, if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory [Col 2:20a; 3:1-4].
Paul wants us to live out our union with Christ in His death and resurrection. He wants us to live with our hearts already in heaven even before our bodies get there! This means we will have to obey Romans 6:11a and consider [ourselves] to be dead to sin.
Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry [Col 3:5].
It also means that we will have to obey Romans 6:11b and consider ourselves to be alive to God in Christ Jesus
and put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him… put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience;
bearing with one another, and forgiving each other whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. Beyond all these things, put on love… [Col 3:10, 12-14a].
Paul is elaborating on what it means to present [ourselves] to God as those alive from the dead [Rom 6:13]. It looks to me like there is a lot of “earthly good” being done by such “heavenly minded” Christians! As we live a life of gospel-defined love, we give each other foretastes of eschatological, resurrection life and give lasting value to the things of this age.
I think Paul wants us to live eschatological lives as biblical eschatologists! Still, I also think my pastor friend is probably wise. It is not likely that we will start “self-identifying” as “eschatologists.” On the other hand, it would be a good conversation starter next time you’re talking to someone on an airplane.
“So, where are you from and what do you do?”
“I’m from New Jersey and I’m into eschatology. I’m an eschatologist.”
“Really? What is an eschatologist? Are there other eschatologists in New Jersey?”
“Oh yeah. There are eschatologists all over the world, even in New Jersey!”