The Second Coming
Pastor Dave Monreal, Lead Pastor
And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”
Acts 1:10-11 ESV
| Over the last 30 years I have read dozens of books and hundreds of articles on the Second Coming of Christ. There are a lot of different opinions regarding the details of the return of Christ. (Historicist, Idealist, Preterist, Futurist, Premillennial, Amillennial, Postmillennial, Pretribulation, Mid-tribulation, Post-tribulation, Historic Premillennialist, Dispensational Premillennialist) Some of you may have just had your eyes glaze over at all of the 50 cent theological words. With every viewpoint there are assumptions and presuppositions that shape and guide their viewpoint. Some of you who are steeped in eschatology (study of the end times) are chomping at the bit to discuss this with me now and wonder what my detailed position is. I enjoy talking about these subjects, but I am not looking for a debate. I remember all of the college debates when we were so dogmatic of things we knew so little about. Now that I’m older I am willing to let people have their convictions on this topic and agree to disagree. I don’t believe a person’s viewpoint on this issue is central to their salvation or that someone who has a different view from me is a heretic. This is a secondary issue where good people have differing opinions. Some day when COVID-19 is a thing of the past I’d love to have a class and explore the different views and discuss why there is so much difference of opinion. But regardless of your position, the Bible is clear, JESUS IS COMING BACK! Is the thought of this something you think about often? Maybe you have heard so many predictions over the years that you have begun to be skeptical. Perhaps you don’t know enough to really understand all of the implications of this. But the return of Christ has practical implications in your life. Personal holiness – “…but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure. (1 John 3:2-3, cf. 2 Peter 3:8-13) Encouragement in life and death – “or the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18) Time of Judgment and Rewards – “We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, who is and who was, for you have taken your great power and begun to reign. The nations raged, but your wrath came, and the time for the dead to be judged, and for rewarding your servants, the prophets and saints, and those who fear your name, both small and great, and for destroying the destroyers of the earth.” (Revelation 11:17-18 emphasis added) Both believers (2 Corinthians 5:10) and unbelievers (Revelation 20:11-15) will have a day of judgment. For the believers it is a judgment of commendation (to receive rewards) and for unbelievers it is for judgment of condemnation (to be judged for the things they have done and punished accordingly). We should have the attitude like the Apostle John found at the end of the book of Revelation, “He who testifies to these things says, ‘Surely I am coming soon.’ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!” (Revelation 22:20) |
cacadmin
