"WHY I BELIEVE"
In The Second Coming
INTRODUCTION
- Another fundamental doctrine of the Christian faith is the second
coming of Christ...
- That Jesus will literally one day return
- To usher in a series of events that will transform our existence
- This "second coming" is not to be confused with other "comings" of
the Lord...
- The Scriptures speak of more than one "coming" or "day" of the
Lord
- In the OT, God came in judgment against various nations
- Jesus also spoke of more than one "day" - cf. Lk 17:22
- One such "day" was His coming in judgment on Jerusalem in 70 A.D.,
as foretold in His Olivet Discourse - cf. Mt 24, Mk 13, Lk 21
- This "second coming" will be...
- At the "last day"
- At the end of time as we know it
- The beginning of a totally new existence that will last for
eternity
[Why do I believe in the second coming of Christ? First, there is...]
- THE PROMISE OF HIS COMING
- BY JESUS HIMSELF...
- At the last supper, before His arrest and crucifixion - Jn 14:1-3
- Comforting His disciples with the promise of His return
- BY HIS ANGELS...
- When Jesus ascended into heaven - Ac 1:9-11
- The "two men...in white apparel"
- Who said, "This same Jesus, who was taken up from into heaven,
will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven."
- BY HIS APOSTLES...
- Peter, in his second recorded sermon - Ac 3:19-21
- Paul, in writing to...
- The Corinthians - 1 Co 11:26; 15:22-23
- The Thessalonians - 1 Th 1:9-10; 2:19; 3:13
- The young evangelist, Timothy - 2 Ti 4:1
- The writer to the Hebrews - He 9:27-28
[As I believe in Jesus and His apostles, I believe in their promises.
Besides the promise of His coming, there is also...]
- THE PURPOSE OF HIS COMING
- TO RAISE THE DEAD...
- Both the righteous and wicked dead - Jn 5:28-29
- Note there is but one resurrection, including both good and
evil, that will occur at one time ("the hour")
- As Paul said, "there will be a resurrection of the dead,
both of the just and the unjust" - Ac 24:15
- Those who are alive at the Lord's coming...
- Will be changed in the twinkling of an eye, clothed with
immortality and incorruption - 1 Co 15:50-54
- Then "caught up...to meet the Lord in the air." - 1 Th 4:16-18
- TO DELIVER THE KINGDOM TO GOD...
- When all are made alive at His coming - 1 Co 15:22-24
- Contrary to the view that Jesus has yet to establish His
kingdom on earth, He has been ruling over His kingdom since He
first ascended to heaven!
- In fulfillment of the prophecy that God would raise up the
Christ to sit on the throne of David, Jesus was raised from
the dead and made "Lord" - Ac 2:30-36
- All authority has been given unto Him - Mt 28:18; Ep 1:20-22; 1 Pe 3:22
- Christians are said to be "in" His kingdom - Co 1:13; Re 1:9
- Christ will continue to reign "till He has put all enemies
under His feet" - 1 Co 15:25
- Note that His reign will be concurrent with the fact
enemies are still present
- As prophesied by the Psalmist: "Rule in the midst of
Your enemies!" - Psa 110:1-2
- Thus Christ is now "the blessed and only Potentate, the King
of kings and Lord of Lords" - 1 Ti 6:15; cf. Re 19:16
- And He will reign "till He has put all enemies under His
feet" - 1 Co 15:25
- The last enemy that will be destroyed is death itself
- cf. 1 Co 15:26
- Which we have seen will be destroyed at the coming of the
Lord when He will raise the dead - 1 Co 15:51-54
- So when He comes, it will not be to "set up", but to "deliver
up" His kingdom!
- As Paul clearly told the Corinthians - 1 Co 15:23-26
- As taught by Jesus in His Parable of the Tares - Mt 13:36-43
- His kingdom will last until "the end of this age"
- After which "the righteous will shine forth as the sun in
the kingdom of their Father" (i.e., the heavenly kingdom)
- TO JUDGE THE WORLD AND PUNISH EVIL...
- God has appointed "a day" in which He will judge the world
- 2 Pe 3:7
- The one appointed to be the Judge is Jesus Christ - Ac
17:31; 2 Co 5:10
- The standard by which He will judge will be the words He has
spoken - Jn 12:48
- It will be a day of perdition (utter destruction) of ungodly
men - 2 Pe 3:7
- Those who know not God and have not obeyed the gospel will
be punished with "everlasting destruction" - 2 Th 1:7-10
- Those whose names are not in the "Book of Life" will be cast
into the "lake of fire" - Re 20:11-15
- TO USHER IN THE "NEW HEAVENS AND NEW EARTH"...
- As taught by Peter - 2 Pe 3:10-14
- This will follow the "passing away" of the present heavens
and earth
- In fulfillment of God's promise - cf. Isa 65:17-19; 66:22-23
- Something we are to "look for"
- It will be a realm where righteousness dwells, therefore the
need for us to be found "in peace, without spot and
blameless" when Christ returns
- As taught by John - Re 21:1-22:5
- It will follow after the first heaven and first earth have
"passed away" - cf. Re 20:11
- It will be the place where the "New Jerusalem" will abide
when it "comes down out of heaven" - cf. Re 3:10c; 21:10
- God will dwell with us in this "New Jerusalem" that has
"come down out of heaven"
CONCLUSION
- If there will not be a second coming, then there will not be...
- A resurrection of the dead
- A transfer of Christ's kingdom to the heavenly kingdom
- A judgment of the world and subsequent punishment of evil
- A new heavens and new earth, in which righteousness dwells
- If there will not be a second coming, then Christians are to be
pitied...
- For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen - 1 Co 15:16
- And if Christ is not risen, our faith is futile and we are still
in our sins - 1 Co 15:17
- Those who have died in Christ have perished - 1 Co 15:18
- If in this life only we have hope, we are of all men the most
pitiable - 1 Co 15:19
- But we can have confidence in the second coming of Christ...
- If we believe there is a God
- If we believe the Bible is the Word of God
- If we believe Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God
That Jesus has not yet come is only an indication of God's
long-suffering (2 Pe 3:8-9). But rest assured, as promised that "day"
will come!
In the meantime, what should be our attitude be toward the coming of our
Lord?
- One of prayerful preparation - Lk 21:34-36; 2 Pe 3:14
- One of joyful expectation - Php 3:20-21
- One of patient endurance - He 10:35-39
Is that your attitude...?