Some contemporary Christians who are conscious of a long - and lengthening - period church history rather tan of their days being numbered may feel that the framework of Paul's theology with its stress on the future coming of the Lord and above all on the sense of its nearness, with all the implications that this has for Christian living, is unrealistic. Yet Christian today may too easily assume the permanence and independence of their own collective existence in a secure universe and fail to realize tat at every moment they depend upon the Lord's mercy and live in the light of his coming. if God shattered the time-space framework of the universe by coming into it in the person of his incarnate Son, surely he can and will bring human history to a consummation by a future intervention to establish his everlasting reign in justice, peace and love. Paul also makes it plain that Christians are not meant to spend their time doing nothing and waiting for the Lord to come. Rather, they must prepare for his coming by showing the qualities of Christian living, faith, love and hope.