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There are two current thinking trends that contradict with our Christian faith in the Lord Jesus and in His Return. One is that life is meant to be centred on self – pursuing pleasure and avoiding pain. Life is to be lived in guilt-free pleasures, living for the here and now to the fullest for self-satisfaction. Such thinking also focuses on charity – that all actions taken are to be aimed at achieving the greatest amount of happiness for the greatest number of people. It is easy to see how such thinking have crept in and influenced our decisions on life choices. Little by little, prayer life shrinks from seeking God’s leading in all aspects of life. Complaining over trials rather than see them as cultivating Christian faith and a sneaking impatience about reward in eternity for service and suffering on earth. Is there a scoffer lurking in our thoughts?

Another current thinking that is persuasive is the emphasis that moral values are to be seen as relative and will vary according to situations. This view rejects the existence of God and the supernatural. Alongside this, is the emphasis on critical thinking based on evidence. Because it is easy to adopt such a widely accepted viewpoint, it is equally easy to see how less and less yielded we become towards God and the Bible. Are we growing to be like the Lord Jesus who sought always to do what His Father is doing? What do we do differently that proves that we are bringing glory to God? What do we do that proves we are daily thinking in terms of eternity?

2 Peter 3:17, 18 sum up the theme of Apostle Peter’s second letter written to the early Churches in Asia Minor. Those who are drawn toward such wrong thinking will move away from their own steadfastness in the Christian faith. How are we to maintain stability in the Christian life at such times? Reading, studying, meditating and applying the Bible in our living helps us discern the difference in thinking that does not glorify God. Using the Bible faithfully, clarifying difficult teachings, will stabilise the foundations of our Christian faith. Jesus’ imminent Return calls for us to live lives that are accountable to Him – we must not be static. We must be diligent, steadfast and grow like Champions “in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ”.