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JESUS, HIS SECOND COMING & JUDGEMENT One day He will be Lord over EVERYONE in judgment,
2nd Ths. 1:7-10 The moral effect of the Bible teaching about
Christ's second coming is both alarming and welcomed. For the business man making investments,
his tax file and return is welcomed because eventually he will get a rebate,
but for the business man not making investments and not keeping his records
accounted and up-top-date, he hates the very thought of the inland revenue
service. Which side of the law are you
on? God is much better than a government tax system! "Unbelievers
are without this hope, Ephesians 2:12,
1Thessalonians 4:13. Christ is the actual object of the
believer’s hope, because it is in his character and second coming that the
hope of glory is being fulfilled 1st Timothy 1:1, Colossians 1:27, 2nd
Timothy 2:13. 1. In view of this fact, Christians
ought to be comforted when in sorrow, and always stimulated to duty. Php 3:20, Col 3:4,5,
Jas 5:7, 1Jo 3:2,3.
a. We also have a duty to love,
watch, wait for, and hasten to, the coming of our Lord. Lu 12:35-37, 1Co 1:7,8,
1Th 1:9,10, 2Ti 4:8, 2Pe 3:12, Re 22:20.
b. But unbelievers should be filled with fearful apprehension, and
should come to immediate
repentance. Mr 13:35,37, 2Pe 3:9,10, Jude 1:14,15.
c. We have a comforting promise to those who trust & obey...Joh
14:18 "I will not leave
you orphaned; I am coming to you. John
14:23 Jesus said, "Those who love
me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and
make our home with them”. Spiritually he can come now! Physically he will
come again! In Revelation, Jesus is the Lamb in the midst of the throne
issuing the river of Life, He speaks of His coming again, SOON! But is this coming, individually upon the
death of each Christian, or is it a global one time event to come on God’s
time-scale and definition of “soon” Rev. 22:20? After a person, goes beyond
death, time itself is removed. Therefore the one-time great event prophesied
by Peter, could well be seen and experienced beyond our consciousness. Then within our time, God will bring Jesus
back to Judge the living and the dead. 2nd
Peter 3:4-13. 2.
The several terms referring to this last great event are: His
"revelation". 1Cor 1:7, His
"Presence,"or
"coming." Mt 24:3,27,37,39 1Cor 15:23. His "Appearing,"or "manifestation",2Th 2:8, 1Tim
6:14. "The day of the
Lord," or a similar expression, Joh 6:39-54. Christ is called "the
coming One", Mt 21:9. 3. The exact time is declared to be
unknown, Mt. 24:36. BE
READY! Remember the story of the ten
waiting bridesmaids. Waiting means
being prepared and staying prepared, which takes a trusting action, on our part every day. Mt. 25:1-13. Prayer Pointer for this week: pray
that our love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all
discernment, that we may approve of things that are excellent, that we may be
sincere and without offence till the day of Christ being filled with the fruits
of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God,
Php. 1:9-11. |