LCN Article
Do You Have A Sense of Urgency?

November / December 1999

Douglas S. Winnail

When it comes to preparing for the Kingdom of God, growing in faith and overcoming, doing the work of preaching the Gospel and warning the world—do you feel a sense of urgency? Or is your focus primarily on yourself and your own concerns—your job, your family, amusing yourself, doing your own thing by soaking up all that this world has to offer? Do real Christians need to have a sense of urgency? What does the Bible indicate?

Warnings for Us!

Today it is common to view the Scriptures as a soothing source of comfort—a place to retreat for solace when life gets difficult—and there obviously are verses for that purpose. However, the Word of God is also designed to provide instruction, correction and exhortation regarding attitudes God wants to see in future members of His family (2 Timothy 4:2). This is why biblical authors were not writing just for people who lived long ago. The Apostle Paul makes what may seem like a surprising statement about the Old Testament scriptures, “Now all these things happened to them as examples, and were written for our admonition [for our benefit as a warning], on whom the ends of the ages have come” (1 Corinthians 10:11). The Bible plainly states that even the examples in the Old Testament were recorded as a warning for us today.

One striking example is the attitude that Lot and his family exhibited as God was about to destroy the wicked city of Sodom (Genesis 19). In spite of direct warnings from God of Sodom’s imminent destruction, Lot’s sons-in-law laughed at the warnings. Even Lot and his wife were reluctant to leave the city. They felt no sense of urgency to get out of a rapidly deteriorating situation. Lot’s earlier decision (Genesis 13:10–13) to dwell in Sodom, a city infected with wicked and perverted values, apparently tainted his judgment and his attitude. He and his family had learned to tolerate evil because it was so common. They saw no urgent reason to leave even though they were specifically warned. When Lot’s wife looked back, contrary to God’s instructions—apparently wishing to remain, she was turned into a pillar of salt. This sobering story is recorded for our admonition today!

The Scriptures provide numerous urgent warnings about the need to come out of this world and its ways, and those warnings apply to God’s people today. Peter exhorted potential converts on the day of Pentecost to “repent, and…be baptized…be saved from this perverse [corrupt, misguided] generation” (Acts 2:40). Paul urged the church at Corinth, “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers… Come out from among them and be separate” (2 Corinthians 6:14–18). The Apostle John warned those living in the last days to “come out of her [a world system modeled after the Roman Empire, dominated by a false prophet and a war-making beast], my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues” (Revelation 18:4). Do we grasp the urgency in these commands, or have we developed the same toleration of evil and complacency that infected Lot and his family?

The book of Revelation states very plainly that the last era of the Church (Laodicea) will be characterized by a similar attitude of complacency (Revelation 3:14–22). The prevailing attitude even among believers will be neither cold nor hot, just lukewarm. People will be content with the truth they possess, but without the zeal to fulfill the Great Commission given to the Church by Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:19–20, Mark 16:15–18). This is in stark contrast to the attitude of Philadelphian Christians who, though small in number and limited in resources, possess a real sense of urgency to preach the Gospel of the coming Kingdom of God and warn the world of the dangerous time that will precede that glorious event (Revelation 3:7–13). The Scriptures indicate that God finds this sense of determination and urgency commendable and worthy of reward. Although both Philadelphia and Laodicea believe basically the same truth, their attitudes differ significantly—as do their rewards (see Revelation 12:14–17). Those lacking a sense of urgency will not be spared from the rigors of the Tribulation. But is developing a sense of urgency really that important?

The Mind of Christ

The Apostle Paul urged the church in Philippi to develop the mind of Christ (Philippians 2:5). We see that mind reflected in statements Jesus made about his mission in life. When urged by His disciples to take a break from His ministry, Jesus responded His primary concern was to “do the will of Him who sent Me, and finish His work” because the fields were white with harvest (John 4:34–35). We see this same sense of urgency in a later response when Jesus stated, “I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work” (John 9:4).

Jesus knew what He had to do. He knew that He had a limited “window” of opportunity—about three and one-half years—to get the job done. His time frame was short, thus His sense of urgency. Jesus was focused, but He was not unbalanced. He urged the disciples on another occasion to rest from their busy routine (Mark 6:30–31). Jesus knew the benefits of a short change of pace. However, because of His focus on His mission and His sense of urgency, Jesus was able to say to His Father at the end of His three and one half-year ministry, “I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do” (John 17:4).

In developing and exhibiting this attitude of mind—this sense of urgency to get the job done—Jesus was merely following the Scriptures He had studied from childhood. Solomon had been inspired to write a thousand years earlier, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might” (Ecclesiastes 9:10). He also wrote, “He who deals with a slack [lazy] hand becomes poor, but the hand of the diligent [eager] makes one rich” (Proverbs 10:4; see also Proverbs 12:24). The Bible states that a person who is diligent (quick, skilled, excels) in his work will stand before kings (Proverbs 22:29). Since the ultimate reward of Christians is to become kings and priests (leaders in the coming kingdom of God—Revelation 5:10) it is important to develop a sense of urgency to get a job done—as an example to those you will lead.

The sense of urgency that Jesus Christ exhibited is simply a manifestation of God’s mind. When the disciples asked Jesus to show them the Father He replied, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father” (John 14:9). Jesus told a crowd of Jewish critics that both He and His Father had a job to do (John 5:17). The Bible indicates that God is working out a plan and purpose on this earth and that God’s plan has certain time constraints. The Apostle Paul reveals that God “will finish the work and cut it short in righteousness, because the Lord will make a short work upon the earth” (Romans 9:28). Jesus indicated that God will cut short the Tribulation before man utterly destroys himself (Matthew 24:22). God the Father and Jesus Christ have a sense of urgency ingrained in their character—it is how they think and operate. This is also a quality that we need to develop as Christians—if we hope to become members of the God family.

Apostolic Admonitions

Jesus urged His disciples who would live at the end of the age “to take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name…and will deceive many” (Matthew 24:4–5). The same Scriptures also urge us to watch for the appearance of specific prophesied events because “the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not expect Him” (Matthew 24:44).

In a letter to the church at Rome, Paul admonishes “it is high time to awake out of sleep… the night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly… not in revelry and drunkenness, not in licentiousness and lewdness, not in strife and envy. But put on Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts” (Romans 13:11–14). Paul urged the Ephesians to “awake, you who sleep… walk circumspectly, not as fools, redeeming [using wisely] the time, because the days are evil… understand what the will of the Lord is” (Ephesians 5:14–17). He urged and exhorted the Thessalonians to avoid sexual immorality and other lusts, to be alert and be sober, to respect their leaders and be at peace with one another (1 Thessalonians 4 & 5). Paul’s writings ring with urgency!

In a pastoral epistle, Paul urges Timothy to “charge them before the Lord not to strive about words to no profit…be diligent to present yourself to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane and vain babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness” (2 Timothy 2:14–16). He further advises Timothy to “Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all long-suffering and teaching” (2 Timothy 4:2), especially as the end of the age approaches with its prevailing sense of complacency and divisive doctrinal heresies (vv. 3–5). Paul is quite urgent in his admonitions—and these apply to our time today!

The writings of the Apostle Peter contain this same sense of urgency. Peter exhorts elders to shepherd their flocks eagerly with love and not with force or for dishonest gain if they hope to get a reward (1 Peter 5:1–5). To encourage fellow Christians to grow spiritually, Peter admonishes, “giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue [strength, courage], to virtue knowledge… self control… perseverance… godliness and brotherly kindness” in order “to make your calling and election sure” (2 Peter 1:5–10). Peter’s sense of urgency in these passages is unmistakable.

Perhaps the most sobering reason for developing a real sense of urgency about growing, overcoming and doing the work is that our adversary, Satan the devil, will also be increasing his deceptive, divisive and obstructive activities as the end of the age approaches. John left this serious prophetic warning, “…For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time” (Revelation 12:12). Peter cautions, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world” (1 Peter 5:8–9). To effectively counter these supernatural attacks, Paul links his urgent appeals to “wake up” with the necessity to “put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles [schemes, strategy, deceits] of the devil” (Ephesians 6:4).

The armor of God Paul refers to includes holding onto the truth, living a righteous life [according to the commandments of God], believing the true Gospel, exercising real faith, trusting in the promise of salvation, using the sword of the Holy Spirit, praying, watching, and persevering through trials (Ephesians 6:14–18). Being armed before facing an enemy is an urgent necessity. As Christians we cannot afford to lackadaisically have one foot in the world and one foot in the church. We cannot afford to let personal ideas about doctrine and petty differences about administrative procedures divide and distract us from the main focus of our calling—growing in faith, overcoming, preaching the gospel of the coming Kingdom of God and warning this world of the dangers ahead. These activities require a sense of urgency. Are you developing this important quality? Why not make it a personal goal for the coming year? Pray with urgency! Study with a purpose! Live for a mission! God promises a reward if you do!