Renowned New Testament scholar, D. A. Carson, makes a good point in today’s reading based on James 5. So, first the relevant portion from James 5, then the quote from Carson.
Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door. As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.
(James 5:7-11 ESV)
Now here’s the bit from Carson’s blog:
IT IS ONE THING TO WAIT for the Lord’s coming; it is another to wait well.
One may honestly and self-consciously wait for the Lord’s coming, not only acknowledging that the Second Advent is a necessary part of our creed but even after a fashion looking forward to the Parousia, and hoping it will occur in our lifetime—only to find, on reflection, that the way we live has been affected very little by this perspective. In fact, this waiting for the return of the Lord may be nothing more than a hobbyhorse in our reading or teaching, a well-handled map of the future that divides us from other believers, rather than a fixed point in our worldview that decisively shapes how we conduct ourselves.
Continue reading from Carson’s blog here: "For the Love of God"
I love the way he puts that: for many of us who have an interest in the study of Bible prophecy, our theology of the end-times (our “eschatology”), “may be nothing more than a hobbyhorse in our reading or teaching, a well-handled map of the future that divides us from other believers”. The pride in my heart was quick, when I read this, to say, “Carson’s talking about Dispensationalists”. And yes, they might be primarily who he has in mind. But in my self-justification, it is easy to deflect this challenge and miss his point: My eschatology is useless, however accurate, if it does not function in my life as “a fixed point in our worldview that decisively shapes how we conduct ourselves.”