The Response to Corrupted Culture #2

Jude 21

"...keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life."

Yesterday we looked at how we ought to respond my corrupted culture by building ourselves up and praying. Today, we are going to look at what it looks like when we respond to corrupted culture by waiting for Christ's mercy. In other words, this phrase is to say that we ought to anticipate and look forward to the second coming of Christ. Although Christ's mercy has certainly already come to us in our present salvation, we ought to look forward to the full fulfillment of his mercy when we are glorified in him in the second coming (the already not yet factor of salvation). We have already received his mercy, but there is more mercy to be given to us in the second coming as Christ will rescue us from our sinful flesh and bring us in to dwell in his presence forever.

But what does it look like to "wait" for this mercy? Let's look at it this way: if I am waiting for someone to meet me before I leave to do something, what does that look like? It looks like greatly anticipating his arrival so that I may move on to the next part of my agenda. It looks like eagerly and intentionally longing for that person for arrive that I may step forward to the next step in my life. And so it ought to be with Christ's second coming. We must be waiting in eager expectation with intentionality and deep longing that He may come soon. This is our response to a corrupted culture--though the world may seem dim, we may hold to the promise of a coming Savior.

So, what about you? Do you wait for the mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ? Do you eagerly anticipate him, while at the same time being patient knowing that he will come in his sovereignly appointed time? Do you "set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ?" (1 Peter 1:13-16)?

***Note: Devotions walking through the book of Romans will start on Thursday. Sorry for the miscommunication.