[Biblemat] A) CHRIST'S SECOND COMING

[J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com]

Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here.  A very good Wednesday
morning to each and everyone.  May God bless you and yours.
Here is an article from my recent files:

CHRIST'S SECOND COMING

     In Acts 1:10,11, when the eleven apostles (Judas having
hanged himself) stood aghast, gazing into the heavens after
their precious Teacher ascended and was received by a cloud
out of their sight, the Scriptures state that two men in white
apparel stood by them and said: "Men of Galilee, why do you
stand gazing up into heaven?  This same Jesus, who was tak-
en up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as
you saw Him go into heaven."  The Scriptures are absolutely
clear about the certainty of Christ's return.  Acts 1:11 teach-
es that Christ will appear again in person, coming in the clou-
ds in the same way that He ascended.  These words are echo-
ed in Rev. 1:7, when the apostle John states, "Behold, He is
coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him" -- 
a bold declaration with no hint of doubt
or apprehension.  The apostle Paul in Ti. 2:13 states that part
of the motivation for a Christian's denial of ungodliness in 
order to live soberly in righteousness during this temporary
life is that children of God look forward to the "glorious appearing of our 
great God and Savior Jesus Christ."  This 
blessed hope abides in the infallible assurance God gives in
His Word that Jesus Christ will come again.  Even the memor-
ial feast that the church observes on the first day of every
week is observed, in part, to proclaim the Lord's death "until
He comes" (1 Cor. 11:26).  The second coming is certain -- a
fact that all Christians must understand and be ready to demonstrate from the 
Scriptures.

     But why is Jesus coming again?  Having previously suffer-
ed the trials and temptations of this life, even after being tort-
ured and crucified on the cross, why would Jesus come even
as close to the earth as the sky in the clouds?  The Bible ans-
wers these questions, giving the reasons for Christ's second
coming by declaring both the things He will do, as well as
some things He will NOT do upon His return.  In Heb. 9:26-28, 
the inspired writer teaches that Jesus is NOT coming to once
again offer Himself as a sacrifice.  When He died on the cross
nearly 2000 years ago He did so once and for all.  At His sec-
ond appearance, Jesus Christ will come as a Judge instead
of the sacrificial Lamb (cf. 2 Cor. 5:10).  Secondly, when Christ comes 
again, He will NOT do so in order to give the
wicked a second chance at acquiring salvation.  This fact is
apparent in the story of the rich man and Lazarus taught by
Jesus in Lk. 16:19-31.  There are two eternal paths that one's
soul can take after death, either eternal torment or eternal
paradise, and the choice is made in this life, here and now, by
the individual's decisions, behavior, and obedience (or lack
thereof) to the Words of Christ (cf. Jno. 12:48; 2 Thes. 1:7ff).
Furthermore, Christ will NOT come to establish His kingdom.
In fact, as Paul teaches in 1 Cor. 15:24, Christ will deliver the
kingdom to God the Father immediately after His second com-
ing, the kingdom having already been established and thriv-
ing as the church since that first Pentecost after Christ's asc-
ension (cf. Acts 2:22-36,47; Col. 1:2, 13-18; Rev. 1:9).

     However, the Bible assures that Jesus Christ WILL come
againn to raise the dead.  In Jno. 5:28f, Jesus teaches that all
who are in the grave will come forth at the sound of His voice,
"those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and 
those who have done evil, to the resurrection of death."  The
dead who were faithful to God and Christ during life will rise
first, followed by the faithful Christians presently alive who 
will join them with Jesus in the air (1 Thes. 4:16ff).  Secondly,
as is implied in the previously cited verses in Jno. 5, Jesus Christ WILL 
come again to judge the world, the Day of Judg-
ment being a day of sentencing, not a day of trial and debate.
The wicked, whose names are not written in the Book of Life,
will be cast into the lake of fire after Satan and his angels 
(Rev. 20:14f).  And Jesus WILL come again in the clouds to
destroy the earth and the wicked works that are in it, with 
fervent heat melting the very elements, to bring to nothing
the dominion and sway of the devil (2 Pet. 3:9-13; cf. 1 Jno.
5;19).   ------ Daniel Bailey via Gospel Power, Vol. 14, No. 34,
August 26, 2007.   </HTML>
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