John 16:33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
Matthew 16:17-18 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.
Philippians 2:9-11
9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
We know how the story ends, right? These three verses are but a few of those that proclaim where the true power in this universe lies and that set forth that at the end of history the victory of God will be total and complete. So, why aren't Christians the most perpetually and undisturbedly optimistic people you could ever meet? Honestly, I've met a few that bubble over with that joy, but they're the minority.
We are the ones who believe that Jesus Christ rose in victory over sin and death, right?
We are the ones who believe that he will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead establishing a kingdom that will have no end, right?
And yet, what we often see from Christians is fear and anxiety, something that is as unfortunate as it is unnecessary. Jesus told us to not let our hearts be troubled, that while this world would indeed continue to be full of evil until the Last Judgment, the ultimate victory has already been secured.
This truth leads us to several conclusions about life here and now, among them:
(1) Whatever victories Evil has in this world, they will be transitory, whatever defeats Good has in this world, they will be temporary. Our task is to continue to serve in the time and place where God has placed us. We don't know when the End will come, but we know that when it arrives Good will triumph completely and Evil will be no more.
(2) The people, institutions, and causes which truly serve God have nothing to fear from spiritual evil. While the martyrs have demonstrated that they may imprison or kill the body, and persecution has shown they may burn or bomb buildings, both the souls of those who are in Christ and the ongoing life transforming power of the Gospel are forever beyond the power of evil to corrupt in any way.
(3) Because Christ achieved his victory through self-sacrifice we are called to do the same. Our weapons are not made of metal, they don't fire bullets, we don't need political, cultural, or economic power in this world. The true power of God at work in us is service, kindness, mercy, forgiveness, love, and ultimately self-sacrifice.
So let us embrace the certainty of the faith that has been given us, set aside worry and fear, and go forth in love.
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