The Great Challenge

And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith.

 And shall not God avenge His own elect,

 which cry day and night unto Him,

 though He bear long with them?

 I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. 

Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh,

 shall He find faith on the earth?

Luke 18:6-8 

     The world at large is opposed to God, to Christians, especially Authentic Christians who have Authentic Christian Faith. The opposition to Christianity has several elements and one being that they ask the question as to why it is taking so long for Jesus to return. Another element in opposition to Christianity is that Christians, even Authentic Christians do not always maintain their faith and do things that the Bible condemns, so why are they to receive special attention and forgiveness. Jesus gives us this answer to the opposers: God will avenge them speedily and the Greek word used here τάχει a dative singular, along with the participle ἐν, gives a greater meaning so that there is not misunderstanding of the English translation "speedily". Time with the participle do not belong to its tense, but to the sense of the context. Time with the participle is purely relative. The significance of tense in the participle, as to kind of action, is the same as in the finite moods. The use of this participle is antecedent action relative to the main verb and expresses contemporaneous or subsequent action. So the word "speedily" means that God will act with swiftness when He acts and when that will occur is when the Son of man returns. Time not the essence of the action, it is not expresses as a particular time other than when He acts it is quickly and will not take time to accomplish. The question for people is: will the Son of man find faith on earth? That is, will He find faith in you? 

     A challenge to all Authentic Christians is are they aware of this challenge, a challenge to focus and be diligent, to be faithful ensuring that they do not miss out on all that God has planned for them: yes, God has a plan for you! God will not force you to execute His plan for you, you must execute this plan, their spiritual duties. It is not that Authentic Christians are working for God, this is not what Authentic Christians do, no, they work with God. Yes, we all know that to be an Authentic Christian is a journey of faith and will not be easy. Yes, the Adversary with his vast army of demons, those fallen angels will attempt in every way to oppose your efforts to remain faithful. Authentic Christians expect this opposition and know of the difficulties this path and exercise of faith will bring upon them, but all Authentic Christians know that the end of this journey will be a time of great joy. 

     The question remains: When the Son of man comes will He find faith on earth, will He find true faith in you?

Teach me thy way, O LORD, 

     and lead me in a plain path,

because of mine enemies. 

    Deliver me not over unto the 

will of mine enemies: for false

    witnesses are risen up against me,

and such as breathe out cruelty.

   I had fainted, unless I had beleived

to see the goodness of the LORD in

   the land of the living. Wait on the

LORD: be of good courage, and He

   shall strengthen thine heart and 

let thy heart take courage: wait,

   I say, on the LORD.

                 Psalm 27:11-14 

Meet the challenge!

Richard L. Crumb