Through the years, there have been many who were ready to prophesy the end of the world. Although it is true that the world may end tomorrow, you need not be misled. No man knows when the end of time will come. Those who predict the date must be regarded as false prophets of whom Jesus warned the disciples to beware.
Time of Christ's Coming
The coming of Christ is sure. It is backed by the promise of Christ (John 14:3) and is guaranteed by His resurrection (Acts 17:30-31). But to declare the time, is pure speculation. Jesus taught, "But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but My Father only" (Matthew 24:36). The world in general will be going on in the pursuit of earthly interests, feeling a sense of security and satisfaction. Then, as a, "thief in the night" or as the pangs of a woman with child, Christ shall return and sinners shall be faced with the doom of judgment day (1 Thessalonians 5:1-3). We should be alert and thoughtful concerning our duty to the Lord and then, regardless of when He comes, we will be ready.
Purpose of His Coming
By the call of Jesus, the dead shall be brought out of their graves. Jesus said, "Marvel not at this; for the hour is coming in which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice and come forth. They that have done good, unto the resurrection of life and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation" (John 5:28-29). At His coming, Jesus will raise all the dead. The resurrection of the dead will not depend upon character or conduct, for the whole human family that has died will come forth. After the dead in Christ have been raised incorruptible (1 Corinthians 15:52) and those living in Christ have been changed, then all will ascend in one group to meet the Lord in the air and so shall we ever be with the Lord (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).
Christ will come to judge the world. He will be the sole judge of the human family (Acts 17:31). No human being will escape the judgment but all men of all ages great and small will stand before the judgment seat of Christ. "The Son of man shall come in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then shall He sit upon the throne of His glory; and before Him shall be gathered all nations and He shall separate them one from another as a shepherd divides His sheep from the goats" (Matthew 25:31-32). The people will be divided into only two groups, for all human creatures will belong to one or the other. Man's future state will be everlasting punishment or eternal life. Eternal life will never end. Neither will the punishment of the unsaved (Matthew 25:41,46).
When Jesus comes again, He will come to reward or punish. The lot of both the just and the unjust will have been decided at that time and Christ will come to bestow the reward according to that decision. There will be change either for the better or worse with anyone. The unjust and filthy will always be so and the righteous and holy likewise will remain so (Revelation 22:11-12). Those who have done the Lord's commandments will, "have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city" (Revelation 22:14). Those who know not God and have not obeyed the gospel of Christ will be, "punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power" (2 Thessalonians 1:8-9). Their right to eternal happiness will be taken away, as they are driven from God's presence and the separation will be eternal. Man's greatest obligation is to prepare to meet God. The wages of sin is death and destruction but never annihilation (Romans 6:23).
No Reign on Earth
The word of God makes no provision for a reign of Christ on earth. When Jesus comes again it will not be for the purpose of setting up a reign of earth. Our Savior taught that His, "kingdom was not of this world" (John 18:36). He never intended to establish a kingdom of a secular nature. The principles of truth were to rule His kingdom. The citizens of the kingdom would be those who would accept and obey the truth. Paul, in speaking of the second coming of Christ, said, "Then cometh the end, when He shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when He shall have put down all rule and authority and power. For He must reign, till He hath put all enemies under His feet" (1 Corinthians 15:24-25). Paul thus declared that the kingdom of Christ would be in existence before the second coming, that He would deliver it to God and put down all rule and authority and power. Christ has all authority now (Matthew 28:18). When raised from the dead, He was placed, "far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only the world but also in that which is to come" (Ephesians 1:21-22).
Let us seek to restore New Testament Christianity and persuade men to become citizens in that kingdom that cannot be moved (Hebrews 12:28). Every eye shall see the Lord when He returns. This event will not be restricted to His faithful followers but all classes will see Him (Revelation 1:7). Let us knot be disturbed by those who, "cry out lo here and lo there but watch and be ready for His coming."
No comments:
Post a Comment