Gulimlim, Renz Domenique B.

Theology 3

Dr. George Capaque

Reflection #5

I think the topic of eschatology (last days) has been very controversial, especially this

past few years wherein a lot about it has to do with vaccines and all that stuff to which many in

the Christian circle, both in the Evangelical and Pentecostal tradition, think that this is somewhat

the marking of the "beast" or that the pandemic we´re dealing with is a sure sign that the second

coming of Jesus is just around the corner.

What´s striking to me about the articles I´ve read is that it shows that the Apostle Paul

himself does not have a clear or precise apocalyptic picture of the end, his words and language

came out inconsistently from external resources. And this tells me that as a believer, one should

be very careful especially when we talk about last things, not hastily committing to a definite,

precise and detailed narrative of the end. For as what was explained in the article, that Paul´s

apocalyptic message of the last things are neither inerrant nor an honest guess. We should view

them as "transposition into the key of the hereafter" of that sure knowledge of God. As modern

readers, we ought to discover the basic truths behind Paul´s symbolic narratives and translate

them into contemporary terms. But despite of these seemingly vague symbolisms or expressions,

we can definitely hold on to fact that there will be a future where God´s purposes will ultimately

come to pass. Christ will return, this is constant in Paul´s end times statements, we may not have

the exact day of this event, but it is going to happen. So until then our task as Christians is to

follow the way of Jesus, be like him, until the day of his return we continue to pursue
Christlikeness. Instead of allowing ourselves to be drenched in fear, we should be focusing on

the task/commission that was left unto us and continue to do it till the Master returns.