End-Times Teachings and the Purpose of the Church

Below is an adaptation of a paper I wrote in seminary about millennial teachings of the end-times and how they may have impacted the rise of Christian Nationalism in the US.

Where Does Our Help Come From?: 
Recovering a Faithful Telos for a Socio-Politically Divided Church

Introduction

The desire to maintain a particular lifestyle has shifted emphasis from the soon-coming Kingdom to what political party can best help achieve one’s desired goals, along with some fundamental religious freedoms and convictions. As a result, it can be stated the priority of many Western Christians, especially in the United States, has shifted from living as a resident alien in the world to living as a full-fledged citizen and what comes with being a citizen. In some respects, it is understandable because the Christian is very much affected by what happens in this life and needs to meet the certain demands of this life, such as food, shelter, clothing, etc. These necessities are multiplied when family becomes a factor. Politics, of course, prey on these realities, assuring that only one candidate or party can fulfill these needs more than the other. On the other hand, holy Scripture communicates a God that provides and that the Church is a signpost that transcends earthly politics and points to God’s consummated reign. Simply stated, the body of believers that make up the Church have a divinely given telos, one that points to an eternity that renews all of creation and wipes away the deficiencies of this one. Therefore, the church lives in a tension between the now and the not-yet. This paper will explore the historical teachings of eschatology in the Christian Church while also recovering a telos of the Church that highlights its eschatological imperative. In doing so, it will be shown that the Church can have a practical grasp of its telos to reorient its eschatological mission in preparation for the second advent of Christ. 

Political Chaos in a Christian Nation

On January 6th, 2021, in Washington D.C., what was supposed to be a protest by supporters of then-President Donald Trump, who contested the presidential election, turned into an outright insurrection by far-Right supporters. Many of these so-called protesters stormed the Capitol building and began looting from congressional offices, and even invaded the senate floor, which had only just been evacuated. Even more troubling is how much Christian symbolism was mixed into those events. For example, onlookers of the demonstrations could see many Christian flags, cardboard signs saying “Jesus Saves” accompanied by structures that looked like hanging gallows, and even signs promoting white supremacy.  In a video captured by a journalist working for the New Yorker, a protestor attempting to storm the Capitol building held up a Bible. When those who conducted the siege occupied the Senate floor, a man known as the “QAnon Shaman,” dressed in a costume with a horned headpiece, led a prayer thanking God for allowing them to storm the building.  It should also be noted that the “shaman” was chanting in a mock war cry and shouting obscenities only moments before.  

The Telos of the Church

The point of highlighting this dark event is not to suggest anything nefarious of the Trump administration. It shows the dangers of intertwining Christianity to politics to such a degree that it loses focus of its core beliefs and becomes dangerously close, if not achieving status as a civil religion. If Christianity as a civil religion creates such a highly volatile atmosphere, it should be pretty clear that what it means for public life and spiritual life has become heavily misconstrued over the years. If said confusion is a reality, it signals that portions of the Church have lost their teleological foundation or are not aware of their telos, purpose, or goal. 

Admittedly, the word Greek word telos is somewhat of a loaded term because of its intimate connection to philosophy and how it is used within philosophy even to this day. For example, it is the root for the field of philosophy called teleology, which is, of course, concerned with final causes.  Humans engage in this philosophy when they determine that the purpose of an acorn is to grow into an Oak tree and how it cannot grow into some other tree.  However, the study of final causes is always an attempt to answer the question of why something is the way it is or why something happens the way it happens.  The question of why can be applied to the Church and its telos too. Why does the Church have its goal, and what are the significant issues that make up its goal that needs to be drawn out? The following sections will explore those issues to spell out the seriousness of the whys the church needs to understand.

The Glory of God

In his thick tome that provides a systematic theology for the Christian Church, theologian Stanley Grenz, somewhat effortlessly, gives the purpose of the Church. Simply, the purpose of the Church is to glorify the Triune God.  For certain, the glory of God is on the mind of biblical writers across both Testaments. For example, the Apostle Paul in Ephesians writes that “we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory (Eph 1:12).” Paul then says that even our redemption in this in-between state of the now and not-yet is to pledge our inheritance toward redemption as God’s people “to the praise of his glory (v. 14).” Additionally, in the Old Testament, the prophets, such as Jeremiah, call God’s people to give God glory (Jer 13:16), and the Psalmist says that God is both the Glory of humankind and creation (Ps 62:7, 19:1). With this line of thinking, it would seem that the point of all of salvation history is to point to God’s glory. However, the focus on God’s glory is a very Reformed view of the Church’s telos, and Grenz readily admits this fact.  Again, the teleological whys come into the picture. Is it enough to say that only God’s glory matters? Or is it better to say that it is how the Church glorifies God that also matters? If the body of Christ only believes the former, then it is likely that any possible means to glorify God is justifiable and that glorifying God becomes only lip service. Indeed, history and Scripture have demonstrated that fact.  

A Salvific and Sanctified Telos

It cannot be overstated how significant the loss or confusion telos can be for the Church. Although it is often translated to mean “end” in Scripture, New Testament writers such as the Apostle Paul also explicitly tied the notion of maturation and completion.  Here in this one word, there are two mandates for the body of Christ within; one of sanctification and one of perseverance, and yet they are intertwined. The Church cannot persevere to the end if it does not grow in sanctification. It cannot reach completion if it does not seek to mature. The purpose of maturing, as Paul states, is “with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another (2 Cor 3:18, NRSV),” a sentiment that humanity can participate in the divine life of God.  Since there is a time of maturation between the inaugurated Kingdom and the consummation of God’s Kingdom, and since the Church’s telos is directly related to Christ’s return, perhaps it is what has been taught about Christ’s return that has confused how Christians in the United States and other democratized countries are to mature in Christ until being perfected in the eschaton. 

The Millennium

When it comes to eschatological teaching within most of Christian orthodoxy and the Great Tradition, one of the most critical points of discussion is framed around the millennial reign of Christ. Unlike some questionable theological doctrines rooted in one verse, the millennia is a consistently divisive subject fixed in the substantial passage of Revelation 20:1-6. The passage talks about Satan being bound for one thousand years, the righteous dead being raised, and where they reign with Christ for the one thousand years after Satan is bound. Like, however, most points of disagreement result in how this passage is interpreted. It is generally known in Christian theology that differing interpretations have considerable impacts on how the believing body practices their faith and how they view their interactions with the rest of the world. There have been a few unfortunate instances in history where particular views on the millennium were viewed as dangerous at some points and heretical at others.  Just because a doctrine is divisive based on multiple interpretations does not mean it should be glossed over or dismissed, though. A glossing over of complex topics plays a substantial role in misunderstanding the telos of the Church. This paper is concerned with teaching and developing a practical comprehension of the Church’s telos for the laity. It is absolutely pertinent that the traditional understandings of the millennium be surveyed and examined for their strengths and weaknesses.

 

Premillennialism

One of the earliest known interpretations of the millennial reign of Christ seems to be premillennialism but in the form of what the early Church called chiliasm. The core eschatological belief in chiliasm is that Christ returns to the earth and inaugurates a one-thousand-year reign of righteousness. The devil is chained for that time and let loose at the end for one last battle, where he is defeated and thrown into the lake of fire.  As Moltmann identifies, premillennialism can be understood as an apocalyptic eschatology, which distinguishes the quality of life of the eschatological age from the present age.  One of the better hallmarks of premillennialism is its emphasis on the imminent return of Christ. Imminence makes evangelizing and the missional nature of the Church a priority, ensuring that all ethnicities are counted among God’s people. It’s also in line with some of the writers of the New Testament’s belief that Christ would be returning soon. Therefore it would be better for the Church to be ready sooner than later.

On the other hand, the stress on the imminent coming of God has led those who hold to premillennialism to try and determine the exact appearance of the Lord, which results not only in disappointment but ridicule as well.  Premillennialists also have a disposition towards pessimism. One of the critical signs of Christ’s imminent return is that the Church will fall out of favor bringing about a fatalistic attitude toward the future of humanity that is borderline dystopian.  Additionally, while one of the strengths of premillennialism may be the imminent return of Christ, therefore highlighting the need for evangelism and encouraging repentance, it does not seem to leave much room for sanctification and the working out of faith, which reduces the definition of overall repentance.  

Lastly, some rightly point out that an egocentric attitude abounds in premillennialism.  A  weaponization of eschatology turns the defeat of sin and darkness for eternity, and the establishment of a righteous kingdom, into a defeat over people instead. This results in a kingdom that smacks of elitism or self-righteousness. The attitude is made particularly true with the adoption of dispensationalism into premillennialism. The dispensationalist teaching that God dealt (and deals) with humanity in seven successive ages brings the pessimism to the fore in that in each era, humankind did not obediently respond to the revealed will of God, and thereby the dispensation failed, so God’s people were judged, and a new dispensation begins again.  It is elitist in that it also holds the Church will be raptured away from this world so that the Church can be in heaven while the rest of the world goes through cataclysmic events; even Israel is left behind. Dispensational premillennialism only allows for a strict literalist reading of Scripture based on the common sense realism that Christian fundamentalism relies upon.  There is no other room for typology or a theological and allegorical interpretation of Scripture; only a dispensationalist interpretation rightly divides the Bible.  Unfortunately, because dispensationalism was heavily influential in the evangelical churches in the U.S., who were influential themselves, dispensationalist premillennialism was the predominant eschatological teaching and still holds considerable sway. Therefore although premillennialism in many ways enjoys an orthodox history, its greatest weakness is being tightly bound to a grid of history developed in the nineteenth century, which denies all other orthodox interpretations of the past. 

Postmillennialism

Postmillennialism is another interpretation that has broadly been accepted and taught from time to time, even if the laity is unaware of it. Whereas premillennialists view the one-thousand-year kingdom as a visible reign of Christ, this strain holds that the Kingdom is being progressively realized throughout history, eventually leading to a Christianized world.  Even though this view did not become popular until the era of Constantine, it supposedly grounds its theology in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, who continues to empower the Church as it spreads the Gospel throughout the globe. At the same time, Satan is progressively bound as the Kingdom grows.  When all of the world has heard the Gospel, it is that point that will usher in the second coming of Christ. From this standpoint, postmillennialism has an optimistic view of the future. Rather than the gloom and doom of premillennialism, those who hold a postmillennial interpretation of the Kingdom believe justice and peace can be obtained to some degree even though it should not be confused with being the fully realized Kingdom of God.  

Even with its optimistic outlook, postmillennial eschatology is not immune to shortfalls and critics. Though theologians and leaders in the Church believed that the millennium reign of the Kingdom was not visible, many still thought it was part of history, and therefore tried to determine when it took place. Moltmann’s substantive book on Christian eschatology, The Coming of God, spends much time explaining the issue. He determines that the legalizing and adoption of Christianity by the Roman emperor Constantine caused early Christian leaders to believe that the millennial reign of God’s Kingdom began with his rule and would subsequently end one thousand years later.  This piece of history is important to highlight because the millenarism that was held then established the rule of God’s authority through the Church and is often referred to as “Christian imperialism.”  Moltmann remarks that Christian imperialism does not begin with the cross from Golgotha but with a cross that conquers. All those who oppose the empire thereby oppose God.  Postmillennialism has been susceptible to the temptation to become the nation’s politics today, often seen in the supposed ongoing “culture wars” that many conservative evangelical Christians in the United States are concerned about.

Another criticism that postmillennialism often faces is that it can be quickly secularized. That concern no doubt has to do with its optimistic view of the future in that humanity will only progress until the second coming of Christ. What helped this secularization occur was the advancements in science and industry and the reduction of the supernatural aspects of Christianity in Enlightenment philosophy.  Especially in industrialized Western Europe, people creating vast amounts of wealth because of new technology and scientific advancement saw a corollary between their success and the postmillennial views of some of the Christian Church. This optimism died out, especially in Europe with the advent of World War One,  but definitely after the genocidal madness of World War II. In recent years postmillennialism has made a comeback, especially in the network of charismatic churches in the United States where a fervor of prophetic ministries announced that it was/is Christianity’s duty to bring the Kingdom to all aspects of life, which would usher in prosperity.  These networks, referred to as the New Apostolic Reformation, have been linked to a kind of prophetic hysteria around the re-election and highly contested loss of Donald Trump. Having said this, even though postmillennialism should be admired for its positive outlook on the future, it has not done well for itself historically in terms of trying to set the standards of earthly politics. It has even mirrored the ethics of said politics. 

Amillennialism

Closing out the orthodox views of the millennium is amillennialism. The word means “no millennium,” and rather than concentrating on the visible reign of Christ, it prefers a symbolic interpretation.  Some interpret amillennialism to mean the reign of Christ began at the resurrection and with the outpouring of the Spirit at Pentecost.  Others, however, are more nuanced, suggesting the interpretation to mean either a time when Christ held influence in the Church, or that it is symbolic of the departed saints reigning in heaven, or that it is just a symbol of the eternal reign of God.  Amillennialists also believe they have the most straightforward views because they have more of a realist outlook. For example, Stanley Grenz states that the realism of amillennialism stems from being drawn to the ethos of the other models yet seeks to blend them into a “non-millenarian outlook.”  Amillennialists believe the wearisome gloom of premillennialists and the almost unchecked optimism of postmillennialism are unrealistic when confronted with the world’s condition.  This eschatological view wisely, at least with Grenz’s thrust, upholds the Kingdom of God as transcendent in which no earthly kingdom could ever claim to be.  Amillennialism seeks to be the rational middle ground in the polarizing realm of end-times theologies. 

Does amillennialism have any weaknesses? After all, it does not have the historical disappointments of premillennialism, nor does it have an overly optimistic view of humanity and the progression of the future. Furthermore, it has enjoyed support from significant leaders in the historical Church such as Aquinas, Luther, Calvin down to Karl Barth.  One argument that might be able to be made is that it is the most lasseiz-faire out of the main three. There seems to be no emphasis on an imminent return, which may signal a lesser priority on evangelizing, and missional work.

    Additionally, there does not seem to be an emphasis on influencing culture outside the Church. What does that mean for social justice given the mandates of Scripture? Are these topics addressed in the churches that teach amillennialism, or is amillennialism just for professional theologians? It has a solid intellectual flair with significant backing by key theologians, but how is it speaking to the people in the pews with their day-to-day struggles? The physical one thousand year kingdom plays out as sweet relief for the down-trodden and the persecuted. The openness of the future relieves the burden for those who wish to be innovative and creative and rescues them from the hellfire and brimstone of popular apocalyptic understandings. The transcendent Kingdom, though, is lofty and far off; how does it speak to people who want God to be near? Ironically, these are the practical realities that amillennialism has difficulty addressing. 

The Forgotten Point of Christian Millenarianism

All three of these theologies have something unique to say about the Christian faith. They all have something important to discuss concerning the character of God’s Kingdom. They speak to Christians’ diversity and even creativity in the interpretation of Scripture. On the other hand, the vast majority of the past eighteen hundred years concerning the millennium have been spent arguing over how Christ’s Kingdom comes into the world. The point about the millennium is that it is not about the millennium; it is about Christ and being with Christ. The millennium itself, the number, represents completeness and the vastness of the Kingdom because of Christ.  With the way Christ is decentered in the discussion of the millennium over the minutia of other details, it is no wonder the Church in the United States in this day is confused about its telos. 

The Alpha and Omega

The Telos of the Church is tied to the eschatological Kingdom because the eschatological Kingdom is about Christ and who Christ is. The book of Revelation affirms this when it reveals Jesus saying, “I am the Alpha and Omega (Rev 1:8, 22:13) “because it is through him that God enabled humanity to share in the divine life of God.  Therefore, the Church must get its teleological commitments from Christ. The temptation for these teleological understandings is to immediately look to the Jesus of the second advent (not that Jesus is different in character at any other time). But it must be remembered that the narrative of the gospels challenges the idea of a far-off Creator by exclaiming God came into this word incarnate as Jesus. The Gospel of Luke tells readers that moments after his birth, Christ was placed in a feeding trough called a manger (Lk 2:7). This means there was likely livestock nearby, and where animals are, so is their odor. While he was in this manger, he was then visited by shepherds, who were also odorous because of their job and considered people of ill repute.  During his ministry, Christ walked the dusty roads of Israel, working up perspiration along with his twelve disciples who traveled with him. Then, of course, Christ was crucified in a place where Jerusalem was littered with dead bodies.  So, God has been in the stink with humanity in both a physical and symbolic way. He knows what it is like to be bloodstained, stinking, and dirty; to be human.

The Why of The Church’s Telos

So, how does the Church, made up of imperfect humans, glorify God in terms that can be grasped until his glory fills eternity? To understand this, one may need to look to the very work of Christ. After all, Christ did do the work his Father gave him so that the Father may be glorified (Jn 17:4). Yet, Christ also expects his followers to carry on his work and offers specific mandates to accomplish the work. Another part of the teleological trail for the Church that needs to be identified: why does Christ expect these mandates to be followed? Why does Christ not fulfill them himself for the Church since all authority on heaven and earth has been given to him? The final cause exists in two parts. The first answer is that after the resurrection and a few remaining days among his disciples, Jesus ascended to heaven to be at the right hand of the Father (Luke 24:51, Mark 16:19). So, the Church must continue to carry out the work of Christ in his absence. The follow-up question reveals the second part of the final cause: why does Jesus ascend to heaven? Scripture again reveals the answer; Christ ascends to heaven to prepare a place for the Church (Jn 14:3). Furthermore, the purpose of the Church exists in direct relation to the coming of Christ. When the glory of the Triune God is fully revealed, the Church who has been glorifying him will be truly home.

A Christocentric Informed Telos

New Creations

One of the primary messages of the New Testament writers is that coming to faith in Christ is transformative. This transformation was not in the physical sense, of course, but it takes a person from one state of being to another, from being a servant to the self into being a servant of God, or from being bound by sin to being redeemed by the blood of Christ. The Apostle Paul was particularly fond of this message, and in light of these truths, he communicated it to his listeners as being a new creation (2 Cor 5:17). Paul’s explanation of new creation means that a believer in Christ does not judge by the same set of standards as the world does, but by the criteria given to them by their “friendship with God.”  It is in the state of being a new creation that allows followers of Jesus to carry out their mission, aided by the paraclete Spirit with his sanctifying power. For Paul and the other writers of the New Testament, this transformation, holy living, and working in love was not some lofty ideal to live up to; it was a present reality made possible by the reconciling power of Christ (2 Cor 5:18, 21).

The Eschatology of Jesus

Above it was mentioned that Christ expects his followers to continue his work, which directly relates to him leaving to prepare a place for those who believe in him. Therefore, the church’s work continues in the main teleological focus in preparation for the eschaton. While all of the gospels are replete with eschatological emphases, the gospel of Matthew is perhaps the most pointed. The Great Commission stands out as the most prominent and most practical eschatological command that Christ gives. Jesus requires his followers to “go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (Matt 28:19).” Other than the Trinitarian nature of this verse, the imperative that needs attention is the inclusive nature of the discipleship process.  In this case, the scene recalls or looks forward to John’s vision of a great multitude from every nation, robed in white standing before the Lamb on the throne (Rev. 7:9). 

However, the character of discipleship and even the segment of teaching what Jesus taught often gets left out. In the fast-paced evangelistic zeal of premillennialism, especially the dispensational strain, and in the postmillennial idea of Christendom, the character of a disciple often gets overlooked in an attempt to remain faithful to Christ’s command. However, in the gospel of John, Jesus very much wants his followers to know the true mark of discipleship.  After the narrative of Jesus telling Judas to go, Jesus speaks to his disciples of how to interact with one another and how the world will know they are followers of him, by their love. This love will be crucial for disciples during the physical absence of Jesus. Still, it is Christ’s gift of his resurrection and impartation of the Holy Spirit on his followers that allows them to love as he loved his disciples and those he ministered to, having the power to “clear the barricades.”  Christ’s impartation of divine love to the Church will lead to glorifying God.

Jesus’ life is full of examples of divine love, namely the cross above all, and just before Jesus gave them this new commandment, he had just finished cleaning their feet, even the feet of the one who betrayed him. The love exemplified by Jesus, ὰγάπη, is defined by some commentators as a dutiful love that is given despite rejection and disappointment.  Since Christ understood that and experienced it himself, the church must realize that it will experience rejection and disappointment in its teleological mission but must keep loving despite the fact. 

The Bride in Jesus’ Eschatology

Following Matthew twenty-four, which begins with an open eye to the eschaton, chapter twenty-five, perhaps, has some of the most practical examples. At the same time, chapter twenty-five is the most challenging and is concerned with the telos of the eschatological Church. The chapter starts with a parable with the familiar “the kingdom of heaven will be like” that is meant to emphasize the centrality of the coming Kingdom in Jesus’ ministry.  In the parable of the ten bridesmaids, Jesus positions himself as a groom who exalts the bridesmaid who prepares herself for his arrival. The bridesmaids who prepare by bringing oil with the lamps and keeping the flame lit are rewarded with being able to go with the bridegroom to the wedding banquet, while the bridesmaids who did not prepare are locked out (Matt 25:4-7, 10-12). So, the Church is then depicted as the ready bride, an important eschatological image that plays out in Revelation. Jesus, though, does not illuminate what it means to be prepared. The Pharisees that Jesus confronted thought this preparedness was to believe and say the right things, and that is also the temptation for those who have an eye towards a global Christendom. But the Pharisees had those beliefs flipped on their heads in their interactions with Christ. In the case of Jesus’ disciples, it may have meant that their ministry would be tested for their commitment as they waited for the Lord to return.  The disciples who kept their flame bright, despite the delay, would be rewarded by being with the Lord again during the consummation of the Kingdom.  

To underscore the eschatological image of the Church as the bride, it is also a significant image in the closing chapters of John’s Apocalypse. As with the Parable of the Ten Bridesmaids, the first portion of Revelation 19 is concerned with a celebration resembling a marriage feast because the bride (the Church) has made herself ready (Rev. 19:7). The image of the bride symbolizes the covenant between the Church and Christ, which has been sealed by his self-sacrificial love that was given for her redemption and sanctification.  The bride stands in contrast to the harlot of Babylon, who falls into destruction because of wickedness characterized by unfaithfulness to God.  However, in Revelation’s closing chapters, the bride, along with the Spirit, can summon her groom because of her faithfulness (Rev 22:17). Such is the reward for all those who make faithful preparations.

The following parable, the Parable of the Talents (vv. 14-30), proves challenging as well. Still, the reader begins to see the pattern emerging as the context of the last parable regarding the Kingdom has not ended. Those entrusted with the Kingdom are also charged with growing the Kingdom. The faithful servant grows the Kingdom in response to who the master is, so it is done out of obedience and love because they know the master as good and kind, alluding to Jeremiah (9:23-26).  The one who did not produce anything is the one who does not inherit the Kingdom; who is cast out. Even though that servant was entrusted with the Kingdom, they did not know the king and mischaracterized him, which made them make excuses and not do anything. The king, or the master in this parable, did not give a burdensome load to his servants but showed them exactly what they were capable of doing.  Therefore, the wicked servant’s lack of faith in his master’s character cost him living in the eternal joy his master had in store for him.

Christ’s Kingdom is Tangible

If anyone of Jesus’ listeners felt confident in their skills and knowledge of what it would take up to this point, his final discourse in chapter twenty-five might have brought them back down to earth and perhaps dashed their hope. After one small parable about sheep and goats, labeling which one was righteous and who would spend eternity with God (vv. 31-34), Jesus stops being evasive. What does it mean to be ready for the bridegroom? What does it mean to be entrusted to multiply the Kingdom of God? Jesus’ answers “for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me (vv. 35-36).” Jesus also eliminates questions of how this happened by stating that what was done for the lowest was done to him (v. 40). Whoever has not shown such radical hospitality has not served Christ. Therefore, preparedness for the Kingdom is two-fold. It means going out and converting others, but it also depends on making disciples who have a servant’s heart and who minister to the physical and spiritual needs. If the servant/disciple is found doing that upon the Lord’s return, they are the ready bride who enters the eternal joy of their bridegroom/master, Jesus. It is a telos characterized by love.

Wesley’s Practical Telos

The examination of Matthew twenty-five has shown the telos of the Church is wrapped up in preparation for Christ’s second advent. This preparation; however, is itself wrapped up in the practical outworking of love towards Christ because of his love for those who have found salvation in him. John Wesley affirmed this “teleological ethic of love patterned after Christ Jesus.”  The 18th pastor and theologian passionately believed in relational holiness, which meant that as one loves God and continues to grow in the love of God, which also causes one to grow in holiness, leads believers in Christ to increasingly love their neighbors and live in service to the churched and unchurched.  For Wesley, justification was not the fullness of salvation. Salvation opened the door for the future Kingdom to be experienced in certain ways in the present.  Like with Matthew’s eschatological concerns, it was love that characterized both the telos of the Church that spurred the outworking of salvation. In the process, the Church prepares for its eventual union with Christ.  

This outworking seems a bit lofty and perhaps somewhat optimistic once again, even if it is patterned after Christ. One, however, needs to remember that the love of Christ is centered on agape, which is the love that is given despite merit in the face of disappointment and rejection; it is a dutiful love. In light of the eschatological purpose of the Church, soteriology had serious ethical demands for Wesley,  just as with the eschatology laid out in Matthew twenty-five. Wesley’s social life commonly referred to as his “practices,” often included: 

Feeding, clothing, housing the poor; preparing the unemployed for work and finding them employment; visiting the poor sick and prisoners; devising new forms of health care education and delivery for the indigent; distributing books to the needy; and raising structural questions about an economy that produced poverty. 

These practices were not to look pious either. Wesley thought that serving the poor meant “doing life”  with the poor as an incarnational witness to those who needed it the most.  The waiting for the Kingdom is not static; God’s Kingdom is not static. God, Wesley states, appoints his children to wait for his Kingdom in the process of the working out of mercy which sanctifies the believer who is completed when Christ returns.  Such an example is the bride preparing for her betrothed, glorifying God in these practical works of mercy laid out by Wesley.

The example of Wesley signifies that the teleological imperatives of God’s people given by Jesus are within their grasp. Wesley’s Methodists, and the later Wesleyan-holiness movements, who followed these ethical dimensions of their faith, are historical examples that the Kingdom of God is not made up of people who only claim Christ as their savior. They understand the character of their groom and respond to him in love that also flows out to others and multiplies the Kingdom. This preparation and steadfast love glorifies God because it reflects the character of his Son, Jesus, who exemplified this in his life, death, and resurrection.

Which Kingdom is it Anyway?

As shown, the basis of the teleological work of the Church does not rest on the shoulders of the government, or the economy, it rests on the person and the authority of Jesus. There is no doubt that those two institutions can certainly make things easier for the Church, but they only serve as means from time to time. The confusion, or loss, of telos for the body of Christ happens when it fails to make that distinction. The uncomfortable truth about the political and economic spectrum is that they are ultimately an image of Babylon regardless of their core philosophical foundations. This is because they stem from humanity trying to create order out of the rebellion they created.  The human project of order then is tainted by sin, and even though some political and economic leaders have sensed some image of God’s Kingdom in their efforts, the results still remain tarnished. It is not to say that Christians should not become involved in politics. Where Christians have an opportunity, they often have a duty, and every place is a mission field. 

Yet, so long as humanity is tainted by sin, the realm of politics will be tainted by sin, resulting in the power being corrupted by sin. This remains true even for Christians who insist on using politics to assert Christian values as national law. The more the Christian identity gets directly entangled in the affairs of earthly governments, the more it aligns with Babylon. Instead, the Church, being the bride of Christ, stands in protest to Babylon and who, being considered weak and foolish at times, is used to shame the strong and reduce the world’s strongholds to nothing (1 Cor 1:27-28). Christian identity does not rely on who is in power politically. The New Testament writers expect/ed believers to do the work of the Kingdom in and out of season. For the Apostles, the Kingdom of God was/is already inaugurated through the power of Christ and the Spirit. So, members of the Church in the United States must decide if they genuinely believe in ten names of Jehovah proclamations they pass around on social media or if only a strong conservative Christian governmental leadership can sustain the Kingdom of God. If the latter is the case, then Christianity is only a civil religion, and the glory of God is easily containable to fit within a white house. If that is the case, the Church’s telos no longer serves Christ but the wealth of a nation. 

Conclusion

In review, we discussed how the political turmoil in the United States has also been gripping large segments of the Church due to a loss or confusion of our proper telos and teleological mission. To address this issue, we defined telos and the importance of the philosophical questions that lie behind having one, the “whys” of things. It was partially determined that the telos of the Church is to glorify God and how the Church glorified God was of importance. That led to a discussion that the Church’s purpose was to grow in the glory of God by maturing until Christ’s return brings completion. 

To try and pinpoint the source of the confusion, we looked at historical eschatological interpretations of God’s Kingdom, often referred to as the “millennium” from Revelation 20:1-6. We found that premillennialism stresses the imminence of Christ’s second advent while pessimistically offering a view of humanity, culminating in a cataclysmic end for creation. Said view provided a distinct alternative of what the Kingdom would be versus the state of humanity and rewarded the saints for their devotion to Christ. Then postmillennialism was discussed, showing it had a more positive view on the state of creation before Christ due to the idea that the millennium had already happened. It posited that God would return to a Christianized world. Still, the reality is that it tended to lead to Christian imperialism trying to exercise the authority of God on earth. It also became secularized and resulted in unchecked optimism that led to great disappointment. Then amillennialism was finally discussed as somewhat of a reprieve from two polarizing options. It spiritualized the millennium and offered a realistic outlook on the state of the world before the second advent of Christ. Yet, overall, it was seen to be very lofty and did not seem to be very in touch with the struggles of everyday believers like the other two options. We saw there was no consistent teaching in the Church because of these three interpretations. The millennial teachings all held some blame for the confusion and loss of telos. We determined much of their focus resided on how the millennium happens and not the point of the millennium; being united with the physical presence of Christ.

To reorient the telos of the Church, we established that its purpose is directly tied to the second coming of Christ. Therefore, it is Christ that should be the framework for defining the telos of the Church. To do this in a manner that can practically speak to the everyday Church-goer, we highlighted the significance of the incarnation of Christ and how that anchors us to him. Next, we looked at the specific “whys” of the Church’s telos, which revealed that it was divinely given to us by Christ, which happens in carrying out his ministry through discipleship that is characterized by the love of Christ. Then, we looked at how the eschatology in Matthew furthers the aspects of discipleship and how the bride imagery relates to that. We then saw that the teleological work of the Church is holistic in that it emphasizes evangelism and being Christ to those in need. This theological examination was supported by the historical example of John Wesley and his practices of mercy, which lent itself to the practical outworking of love towards one’s neighbor.

To cap the whole discussion off, we looked at the truth of politics in relation to the world’s fallen powers, stating that it is an image of Babylon because it is stained by rebellion and sin. The Church was confronted with the fact that it is in danger from aligning more with Babylon the more it entangles itself into earthly politics, causing a loss of its telos. A challenge was then given for Christians to come to terms with their identity as resident aliens with a heavenly citizenship. Is God’s glory confined to a nation’s Capitol, or does it span creation? 

Overall, the teleological work of the Church is hopeful and speaks to the glorious union with Christ and reveals to true splendor and glory of the Triune God. There is no need to spiritualize it; the Kingdom of God is over and above any manufactured conception of politics and economics. The writers of Scripture display that those who are a part of the body of Christ have a duty, albeit one informed by Christ, to remain faithful and loving in the outworking of the multifaceted ministry he has given us. Let us be a faithful bride so that we can enter the eternal joy and love of our groom, which is Christ.

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