Essentials of the Second Coming

It is an undeniable, indisputable fact that Jesus Christ is coming again. Neither your belief in that fact nor your unbelief in that fact will alter it in the least. Jesus Christ is coming again. He is coming for His church, His people who have been washed in the blood of the Lamb of God, slain from the foundation of the world.

When it comes to the prophecy regarding the end of time, there are differences of opinion concerning various aspects. I do not expect everyone to agree with me on every prophetic detail. There are sound, solid ministers of the gospel who differ with my opinions as to the details of prophecy. When it comes to defining the beast, identifying the false prophet, the details of the tribulation period, and other discussions within the prophetic realm, it is certain that we will not all agree on each of these subjects.

BUT…There are some aspects of Christ’s second coming upon which we must agree. As to these aspects, to disagree is to preach absolute falsehood. Let me briefly discuss these aspects.

Christ Will Return Literally

When Jesus Christ returns for His church, it will be literal. Look with me at I Thessalonians 4:16-18 –

“For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.”

The apostle plainly says, “The Lord Himself shall descend.” The coming of the Lord for His church is NOT the death of a believer. When a believer dies, He goes to be with the Lord. When Christ returns, He comes to gather His saints. Paul is talking plainly about Christ Himself descending to this literal earth to literally gather together the saints of God to ever be with Him. This is a literal event that we call the rapture. Yes, it is true that the word “rapture” is not in the Bible. But its meaning is found in the above verses – “we which are alive and remain shall be CAUGHT UP…” This is rapture – it is the literal descent of the Son of God, followed by the literal resurrection of those who are dead in Christ, followed then by the living saints being “caught up” to meet the Lord in the air. If you do not preach that Christ is coming literally for His church, you are not preaching the Bible.

Christ Will Return Bodily

After Christ rose from the dead, He rose with a body. He had flesh and blood. He could be touched and handled. Notice what Christ spoke after He resurrected from the dead in Luke 24:39 –

“Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.”

After He arose, Christ was not a “spirit body” as the so-called Jehovah’s Witnesses teach. Christ plainly stated, after His resurrection, “A spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.” Jesus was resurrected with a literal body, and will return the same way He ascended to heaven – with a literal body! Notice –

Acts 1:11 – “Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.”

Christ is coming as He departed – with a literal body!

Date-Setting is Against Biblical Teaching

In this present day, many attempts have been made to set dates for the Lord’s return. I have already pointed out that the Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that Christ resurrected from the dead with a “spirit body” as opposed to a literal body. They believe this for a good reason.

Twice in the 1800s, the Jehovah’s Witnesses set a date for the Lord’s return. Both predictions were wrong. Then, a third prediction was made. The Lord was to return to earth in 1914. That was wrong also. To compensate for their false teaching, the Witnesses claim that Christ DID return in 1914 – He returned invisibly, in “spirit.” Christ is not returning for His church in “spirit;” but literally, and the church will LITERALLY rise to meet Him in the air.

Date-setting has been attempted many times by many people throughout the years. Since this fact is undeniable, and has been wrong 100% of the time, many people have been turned off by the preaching of the second coming of Jesus Christ. Know this – every individual who has ever set a date for the coming of Jesus Christ is doing so IN OPPOSITION TO Biblical teaching. Look with me at Christ’s words in Mark 13:32 –

“But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.”

Christ plainly taught that the day and hour of His return are known to no man, no angel, not even the Son of God, but the Father only. If a man tells you that he knows when the return of Christ will occur, he is a bold-faced liar.

Harold Camping has predicted that the end of the world will begin on Judgment Day, which will occur on May 21, 2011. His advertisements have been on billboards throughout the United States. Know this – the man has made predictions concerning the end of the world before – and was dead wrong.

If you are proclaiming a date for the Lord’s return, you are not preaching the Bible.

The Bible Admonishes the Church to Be Ready for the Lord’s Coming

The last point I will make is a simple one, but the most important one. What you teach concerning the coming of the Lord should cause people to be ready for the Lord’s coming.

As I previously stated, Christians may disagree on various aspects of His return. But here is a point that we must all stress – “Be ready for His coming.”

Not once in the New Testament is the church ever admonished to “be ready for the tribulation,” “watch for the coming of the antichrist,” “wait for the wrath of God,” or “look for the man of sin.” We are, however, many times commanded to “wait for,” “watch for,” “look for,” and “be ready for” the coming of our Lord. If your doctrine has people stirred about the coming of anything or anyone other than Jesus Christ, you need to re-examine your doctrine. Look at the following verses, none of which need comment –

Matthew 24:42 – “Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.”

Matthew 24:44 – “Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.”

Matthew 24:46 – “Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.”

Matthew 24:50 – “The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of.”

Matthew 25:13 – “Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.”

Mark 13:33 – “Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.”

Mark 13:35-37 – “Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.

Luke 12:35-37 – “Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately. Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them.”

Luke 12:39, 40 – “And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through. Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.”

Luke 12:43 – “Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.”

I Corinthians 1:4-7 – “I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ; That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge; Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Philippians 3:20 – “For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.”

I Thessalonians 1:9, 10 – “For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.”

Titus 2:13 – “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.”

Hebrews 9:28 – “So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and to them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.”

Hebrews 10:37 – “For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.”

James 5:8, 9 – “Be ye also patient, stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door.”

I Peter 4:7 – “But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.”

II Peter 3:12 – “Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heaven being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with a fervent heat.”

Are you “looking for,” “waiting for,” “watching for,” and “ready for” the Lord’s coming? Or are you anticipating the coming of something or someone else? May every lost reader pray today for the Lord to save him; and may every Christian pray with honesty and earnestness – “Even so, come Lord Jesus!”

The Second Coming - How To Be Ready

Christ is sure to return to earth again to take His own unto Himself, that we may ever be with the Lord. He promised this, and will certainly perform it.

John 14:3 – “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”

Many preachers with whom I associate emphasize that one must be ready to meet Jesus when He comes, but they very seldom explain how to be ready. The Bible is not silent on this. You can know that you are ready to meet Jesus Christ at His coming.

Sinners – Be Saved!

James 4:8 states, “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.”

Before all else, you need to be saved by placing ALL of your faith in Jesus Christ. Salvation is by faith (Ephesians 2:8, 9), and it is by faith IN HIS BLOOD (Romans 3:25). This means that you have called upon the name of Jesus Christ (Romans 10:13), trusting only in His finished work upon the cross. It means that you are not trusting in baptism to save you; you are not relying on “standards” to keep you; you are not leaning upon sacraments to rescue you; but you have rather turned loose of every sorry attempt to save yourself, and you have fallen solely upon Christ, putting all of your weight upon Him, trusting Him fully to save you. This is what the Bible calls “believing,” and at that very moment, Christ saves you! “Whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Let me ask you – in what are you trusting to save you? If the Lord were to come at this very moment, would be taken, or would you be left? It will happen just like that! Notice,

Matthew 24:40, 41 – “Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.”

Christ, when He comes for His church, is coming as a thief in the night. What does a thief do? He comes to take something! A thief breaks in suddenly, at an unannounced and unexpected time, and takes that which is not his! Christ will come AS a thief. Now, listen carefully. Christ is not a thief! The thief takes what does not belong to him. However, when Christ comes for His church, He will not take one thing that is not His! If you do not belong to Jesus Christ, He will not take you with Him when He comes. You will be left! Christ is coming to take only what belongs to Him. How can you know if you belong to Him? Note the scripture –

John 1:12 – “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.”

As I have stated in previous blog posts, this verse shows clearly that you are a son – that is, you belong to Him – by believing on His name! When you ask Him to save you, “believing on” Him, or trusting only in Him to save you, He does so at that instant, and you belong to Him! You immediately become a son!

If you are lost and without Christ today, you WILL be saved by trusting solely in Him to do so, or else you will be lost forever when He comes!

Those Who Are Saved Need to Prepare!

Now, what about those who are saved? The reader may say, “I’ve already been saved. There’s nothing else for me to do to prepare for His coming!” I say, “No, you are dead wrong.” If you are saved, and you are love the Lord, and you are striving to please Him by living by the Bible, there is still preparation you need to make!

I would like to draw your attention to a verse in I John –

I John 2:28 – “And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.”

Now, in this verse, He is not making reference to those who are lost when He comes. Notice – “…that, when He shall appear, we  may have confidence, and not be ashamed before Him at his coming.”

The first thing you should note is the phrase, “We may have confidence.” John includes himself in this group. I believe in the verbal inspiration of the Bible. No word in scripture is wasted. In the past, referring to only myself, I have stood behind the pulpit, and said, “WE are so glad to be here.” But, there was no “we.” I traveled alone. Sometimes, I use the word, “we” referring to just myself.

In the Bible, however, when it says “we,” it means “we.” John included himself in the “we” in this verse. John says, “I am intending to be taken when He comes, and I don’t want to be ashamed at that time!”

Notice another phrase – “…and not be ashamed before Him at His coming.” Who is going to be “before Him?” Not the lost. They will be left. The ones who are taken will be “before Him.” Notice:

Luke 21:36 – “Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.”

In this verse, Christ admonished His disciples to pray that they might escape the things coming upon the earth, and to stand before the Son of man. The ones who will be before Him at His coming are those who are saved – the ones who will be taken with Him – not the lost.

So, going back to our verse, I John 2:28 – “…that, when He shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before Him at His coming,” we see that there will some who will be taken in the rapture, who will be ashamed when they see the face of Jesus! I want to be ready – I do not just want to be taken; I want to be able to look Him in the eye with no shame!

Understanding this, I want to look at a couple of things that will make a Christian ashamed when Christ comes for His church.

PAST IMPURITIES WILL MAKE SOME ASHAMED

Notice the scriptures in the third chapter of I John –

I John 3:2, 3 – “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.”

When we look for His appearing, this passage shows us that we will purify ourselves, even as He is pure. Looking for the glorious appearing of Jesus Christ will cause one to live in a holy, pure manner. When Christ comes, and we see the scars in His hands and feet, I think every Christian present will experience at least some shame, for it was our sins that placed those scars upon the Saviour. I will see those scars, and I will admit – I did that! I put those there! Even since I have been saved, I have sinned and had to ask the Lord to forgive me. There’ll be some shame when I think of that at the moment of His coming. I want to live pure and holy for my Lord. Even if, after I sin, I become genuinely sorry, and obtain forgiveness from the Lord, I still do not want to sin – I do not wish to be ashamed before Him when He comes.

THE FAILURE OF CHRISTIANS TO LABOR WILL MAKE SOME ASHAMED

Notice Christ’s words regarding His servants at His coming –

Luke 12:42, 43 – “And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find SO DOING.”

When Christ returns, He wants to see His servants SO DOING. This means He wants to see His servants WORKING. Now, please listen carefully. I am not mad at anyone. But our churches are full of people who shout and speak in tongues, yet have not lifted a finger to get a soul saved. I’m talking about people who have been saved, and supposedly “Holy Ghost filled” for years, and are not responsible for the first soul being saved. Days, weeks, and months go by before some Christians get the slightest burden for anyone’s condition other than their own.

Now, I am not saying that if that is your case, that you are not saved. If you are washed in the blood of Jesus when He comes, you will surely meet Him in the air! There will be those who will meet Jesus in the air, who have been washed in the blood of Jesus. They have striven to live to please God. They have been separated from the world. But they have done so little for the kingdom of God. I do not write this as though I am the prime example of a man building the kingdom of God. Know this – I will be first to say that I need to do more for the cause of soul-winning, and building the church of Jesus Christ. I do not want to be ashamed when I stand before Him at His coming. When I look at the scars upon His hands where, at the cross, He put His hands in the fires of hell to pull men out, then I will look at my own hands. How will my hands look? Scarred from reaching for souls? Bloody from being ashamed to warn the lost? So many will hang their heads in shame when they see the glorified Son of God who gave His all for the lost, and yet we give so little.

Yes, those of us who are saved need to be ready for His coming. We need to be prepared so that we are not ashamed when He comes!

Christmas Journeys

To you who are familiar with the blessed account of the birth of Christ I propose a question. Has it ever occurred to you how many journeys surround the story of our Lord’s birth? We are familiar with the journey that the wise men made to worship the Christ child, and we are familiar with the journey that the shepherds made to see the King of kings. But did you know that there are at least seven journeys connected with the narrative of the Saviour’s birth? I will give you each of these journeys along with a lesson we can learn from each one.

1. In Luke 1:11-20, the angel Gabriel journeyed from heaven to the temple in Jerusalem. He had a message to give to Zacharias the priest. This journey took place more than a year prior to Christ’s birth. Zacharias was told that he and his wife Elisabeth would bear a son and that his name would be John. Zacharias and his wife were old, well past child bearing age. Nevertheless, she conceived in her old age, bringing forth John the Baptist. The lesson learned from this journey is that of doubt, for Zacharias doubted the word of God. For this he struck dumb until he believed what God said.
2. In Luke 1:26-38, the angel Gabriel makes yet another journey. This time, he journeys from heaven to Nazareth to give a message to a virgin whose name was Mary. He told Mary that she would bring forth a son and that her son would be called the Son of the Highest. Mary, though a virgin, conceived and brought forth her firstborn son. Contrary to Gabriel’s journey to Zacharias, the lesson learned from Gabriel’s journey to the virgin Mary is the lesson of faith. Where Zacharias could not believe, Mary certainly believed. Though, like Zacharias, she questioned Gabriel, it must be told that she also affirmed Gabriel’s word, saying, “Be it unto me according to thy word.”
3. In Luke 1:39-56, Mary journeyed from Nazareth to the house of Zacharias and Elisabeth in the hill country of Judæa. Mary stayed with her cousin Elisabeth for three months. The lesson learned from this journey is the lesson of joy. Mary and Elisabeth rejoiced in the promise of God. God promised both Mary and Elisabeth a child. Elisabeth was seemingly too old to have a child, yet God miraculously gave her a son. Mary was seemingly too young to have a child, being a virgin. Yet when the promise of God came to them, they rejoiced together. This Christmas and every day, the saint of God has much about which to rejoice. Notice that Mary and Elisabeth did not wait until they held their babies in their arms to rejoice and praise God. They praised God at the promise alone. Just the word of God alone is sufficient for every Christian to rejoice.
4. In Luke 2:1-7, Mary and Joseph make a journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem. The lesson in this journey is the message regarding the sovereignty of God. It is written in the Old Testament, in Micah 5:2, that Christ was to be born in Bethlehem. Mary and Joseph may or may not have known this. Mary and Joseph, lived in the Galilean city of Nazareth. As the time draws near for Christ to be born, the Bible reader may wonder how Jesus is going to be born in Bethlehem if Mary and Joseph abide yet in Nazareth. Have no fear; God is sovereign! God is in control! If God said it, it will happen precisely as God said! Prophecy that God writes is more accurate than history that man writes! Cæsar Augustus, under the influence of the God of heaven, issued a decree that the whole world was to be taxed. I am convinced that God put it in his heart to decree such a taxation. As the result of this decree of taxation, the whole world was traveling from one place to another. Why all the hustle and bustle? The average person of that day would have responded that the hustle and bustle was for the purpose of taxation. From the standpoint of heaven, however, the world was on the move so that one baby boy could be born in Bethlehem! Never forget that God is in control.
5. In Luke 2:8-20, shepherds were in the field, keeping watch over their sheep by night. Suddenly, a heavenly host appeared to them, bringing them good tidings of great joy – that a Saviour had been born in Bethlehem. The angels told them that they would find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. So, in reply the angelic declaration, the shepherds departed for a journey to Bethlehem. The lesson learned in this journey was comfort. “Fear not,” the angel said to the shepherds. There is much to fear outside of Christ, but with Christ, and in Christ, there is nothing for the believer to fear.
6. In Matthew 2:1-12, wise men journeyed from the east to worship the Christ child. Of course, the lesson learned here is the lesson of worship. We do not know how many wise men there were. Many assume that there were three wise men because they brought three gifts. But the Bible does not say. Also, the wise men, though they did make it to Bethlehem, they did not make it to the manger. Matthew 2:11 tells us that they were “come into the house.” Evidently, by the time the wise men arrived, Mary, Joseph, and Jesus were lodging in a house. The wise men expressed their worship to Christ in two ways. First, they worshipped by going; second, they worshipped by giving. Worship that is convenient is not really worship. Worship that costs nothing is worship that is worth nothing. If we are to truly worship, it must come from a heart that shows how much we love Him by going to the lost, and by giving to the needs of others.
7. The final journey of the Christmas story is the most important journey of all. This journey is the reason for all the other journeys that surround the Christmas story. The Saviour of the world, forsaking the ivory palaces of heaven, journeyed to this cold, dark, wicked world. Had Christ been born in a palace, He would have taken an incredible step down to do so. But He went further down than that! He was despised, rejected, and poor in this world that you and I might be rich in Him. At Christ's first coming, there were many journeys taken by men and angels. Now, Christ's second coming is near, and there is a journey that accompanies it. Only the saved by grace – the washed in the blood – the redeemed of the earth – the sanctified throng – are going. Everyone else will be left to face the wrath of God. Be ready to meet Jesus!

Merry Christmas!

Preaching a Forgotten Doctrine

If we were to appraise the doctrines of the Bible by their frequency of mention, then the doctrine of the second coming of Christ would be at the top of the list.

An instructor in Bible college rightfully stated that every major doctrine of the Bible has a chapter devoted to it. To name a few, I Corinthians 13 expounds on love; I Corinthians 15 on the resurrection; Romans 4 on justification by faith; Romans 10 on salvation; Hebrews 9 on the blood of Christ; and Hebrews 11 on faith.

When we examine the doctrine of Christ’s second coming, however, we do not notice that a single chapter is devoted to its exposition; rather, we see that many chapters are set aside to declare the truths regarding that precious doctrine. What chapters come to mind when you think of the doctrine of the second coming? I think immediately of Matthew chapters 24 and 25. Then, I think of Mark’s version of the Olivet Discourse, found in Mark 13. One’s study of the second coming would be incomplete if he has not studied Luke 17 and Luke 21. The Old Testament gives many prophecies regarding the second coming of Christ. Isaiah 11 and Zechariah 14 are such chapters.

Not only are many Bible chapters devoted to this Bible doctrine, there is an entire book of the Bible which reveals to the church the coming Christ, and that is the book of Revelation. So, not only is there a chapter devoted to this great subject; there are MANY chapters devoted to it. In addition to the many chapters that deal with this subject, there is an entire New Testament book that expounds upon this subject.

In addition to these truths, nearly all of the Old Testament writers prophesy regarding the second coming of Christ, either in word or in allegory; and every New Testament writer, without exception, explicitly states the fact of our Lord’s return, many of them doing so repeatedly.

So, it is clear that if we ministers do not preach the second coming of Christ, we are neglecting a major doctrine of the word of God. You cannot preach the “whole counsel of God” while neglecting to declare the truth of Christ’s return to this earth.

Why This Major Doctrine is Often Neglected

Let me, from the beginning, state that although I do not find it justifiable, I do understand why this great teaching of Christ’s second coming is neglected by the good, well-meaning ministers of our day.

First, the doctrine of Christ’s second coming is neglected by some because they do not understand much of the doctrine. Most ministers understand that Christ is coming, but there is so much included in that doctrine. To illustrate the point, when one studies the second coming of Christ, he cannot do so without studying the antichrist, the Great Tribulation, Israel, the church, the last days, and other subjects. This fact overwhelms some ministers to the point of negligence.

Second, this precious doctrine is often neglected because, in some areas, it is a controversial subject. It is difficult to either study or teach this doctrine without delving into the controversy regarding the relation of the church to the Great Tribulation. To avoid this debate, some merely dismiss the subject altogether.

Third, some fail to preach the second coming of Christ because it has been abused through the years. The Millerites in the middle of the nineteenth century predicted that Christ would return on a certain day in 1844. The Jehovah’s Witnesses have repeatedly set a date for Christ’s coming, as have the Seventh-Day Adventists. In recent years, nearly every reader will recall the Harold Camping hoax, when Judgment Day was predicted for May 11, 2011, then again in October 2011. Also in 2011, it went around in some circles that Joe Biden was soon to be the antichrist because something was going to happen to President Barack Obama in his first term that he would no longer be the U.S. President. These are all gross and pathetic abuses of the precious doctrine of Christ’s second coming. Because some have abused the doctrine of Christ’s second coming, some shy away from it altogether.

Preach the Second Coming Anyway!

In spite of these understandable facts, we ministers should declare with boldness that Christ is coming to this world to judge the quick and the dead! The skeptics will mock, but they always have. Paul gives us the formula for dealing with skeptics in Romans 3:3-4, where he said, “For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar.” Not believing in the second coming won’t keep Him from coming. Not believing in hell won’t put out the flames! Not believing in God won’t cause Him to cease to be! It is in your power to believe what you wish; but it is not in your power to cause your beliefs to change the truth!

If you are a minister who likes to keep it simple and perhaps it wears you out to think of studying all the aspects of Christ’s coming, then preach His coming and leave it at that! Preach that He is coming again, and try to win souls until He does! If you are a minister who doesn’t care for controversy, then let me be frank with you. Get over it! Controversy is part of preaching the gospel! In Acts 17:17, Paul disputed with the Jews in their own synagogues! The doctrine of the second coming of Christ is a controversial one, but we ministers must get over that! No matter how you preach the second coming, someone won’t like it! So, the best thing to do is to preach the second coming of Christ, and enjoy the controversy that is sure to follow! Perhaps you neglect to preach this great doctrine because it has been abused through the years. To you, let me say that this is a prime reason to preach the second coming! The world has heard all kinds of unscriptural teaching regarding the second coming. It is time that they hear the truth of the matter that Christ is coming literally and bodily to judge the quick and the dead!

The Day of Redemption

Ephesians 4:30 – “And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.”

Having looked at the subject of redemption, we saw that “redeem” means “to purchase back.” It is true that we have been redeemed by being purchased by the blood of Christ. But it is equally as true that there is coming a day when we will be redeemed. There is a day of redemption coming for every child of God, though we have already been redeemed.

One such verse that shows this clearly is found in Paul’s writings.

Ephesians 1:14 – “Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.”

“Until the redemption of the purchased possession.” We have already become the purchased possession, for the Lord bought us with His own blood! But there is a day coming when those who have been purchased will be redeemed.

How Can This Be?

How can it be that we who have been redeemed in the past will be redeemed in the future? It must be first understood that there is more than one definition of the word “redeem.” We looked the definition of redeem, “to purchase back,” in my previous post. But “redeem” has another definition. I think when we understand this, any confusion will be cleared up.

The word “redeem” can also mean, according to Noah Webster, “to perform what has been promised; to make good by performance.” Notice the word “promised.” The word “redeem,” in this definition, carries with it a sense of “trading.”

Suppose I have a McDonald’s coupon for a free beverage. McDonald’s promises that, upon use of that coupon, I can have a free beverage. I can keep the coupon until it expires, and I shall not enjoy the beverage. The only way to enjoy the free beverage is to redeem the coupon. By redeeming it, I actually trade the coupon for a beverage. I give them the coupon, and they, in turn, give me a free beverage, making good what they promised.

God has made promises to the believer, and they will be fulfilled on the day of redemption.

Our Final Salvation is Promised

Philippians 1:6 – “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.”

This “day of Jesus Christ” is the day of redemption, where God fulfils His promise! On the day of redemption, God will, in every believer, finish the great work He has begun.

A New Body is Promised

It is true that I have been saved (past tense). This is justification. I’m not trying to be saved; I am saved! God saved me! It is equally true that I am being saved (present tense). This is sanctification. It is just as true that one day I will be saved (future tense). This is glorification.

It can also be stated in this fashion: My soul has been saved (past tense); my spirit is being saved (present tense); and my body will be saved (future tense).

I would do no harm in stating the same truth this way: I have been saved from the penalty of sin; I am being saved from the power of sin; I will be saved from the very presence of sin.

The day of redemption is a day when my promised final salvation will be a reality. I will, on that day, be saved from the very presence of sin, never to be tempted again. On that day, God will redeem my old body by changing it to a new one! My old body will be resurrected, but it will be changed.

Let me give a note concerning this. Some teach that, when we are resurrected, our old bodies will not be raised from the dead; that we will just receive a new body. That we will receive a new body is true enough; but we will receive it by having our old body changed (I Corinthians 15:51-52)! When Christ came out of the grave, He came out with the same body that was crucified (Luke 24:39; John 20:27). However, that body was changed into a glorious body (Philippians 3:21), never to die again. This is the manner in which you and I will redeem our old bodies for a new! Our old bodies will be redeemed by one of two ways. Either our old bodies will be raised from the dead, and will be immediately changed; or, if we are alive at the rapture, our bodies will be immediately changed into a glorious body. Either way, our present earthly bodies will be changed into a heavenly body! We will trade this body for a new one!

A new body! What a thought! Our bodies, in so many ways, hinder us in this life. This truth becomes more real the older we get. But be it known, there is a day coming, a day of redemption, in which we will trade this old body for a new one!

God’s promise in giving us a new body is sure! Look at Paul’s words to the Corinthians:

II Corinthians 5:1 – “For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.”

“We have a building of God!” That is what Paul said! He does not say, “I’m trying to get a building of God;” he says rather, “I have a building of God!” This building is our new body! It is reserved in heaven for me! It is mine! It is waiting for me! We are trying to earn a new body; we HAVE a new body! God will one day make good His promise, and this old body will be changed into the body that is reserved for us!

We are waiting for that glorious day, at the rapture, when our current bodies will be redeemed, or traded, for a new one!

Romans 8:23 – “And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.”

If Christ Be Not Risen...

I Corinthians 15:14 – “And if Christ be not risen…”

It has been rightfully stated that every major doctrine of the Bible has a chapter devoted to it. As for the resurrection, I Corinthians 15 is the chapter given to this great subject. All Bible students, as well as the vast majority of atheists, agnostics, and skeptics, know for a fact of Christ’s resurrection from the dead. Paul the apostle, in the aforementioned chapter, sets out, not to prove that Christ has risen from the dead; but rather to show to Christians and the rest of the world the awful circumstances that would be true had Christ not risen from the dead. Oh, how dreadful the picture if Jesus Christ is dead! How hopeless the estate of every reader! With the resurrection of Jesus Christ, we who are saved have an endless hope; without it, we have a hopeless end! Let us look now at where we would be apart from the resurrection of Jesus Christ. If Christ be not risen, then

Our Preaching is Vain

I Corinthians 15:14 – “And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain.”

All preaching is vain if Christ is yet dead. Now, listen carefully. We who believe the Bible know for a fact that all of the Mormons’ preaching is vain. It is useless because it is a lie. There is no so-called “other testament” of Jesus Christ. The God of the Bible was not once a man who elevated to a state of deity. All who preach the message of the “Watchtower” are preaching lies. All of that preaching is vain, or useless.

But Paul is not speaking of the preaching of false prophets when says “If Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain.” The preaching of false teachers is vain, useless, and worthless whether Christ is risen from the dead or not. Paul says, “If Christ be not risen, then is OUR preaching vain!” Paul considered his own preaching useless and worthless if Christ is yet dead. Paul preached justification by faith, which is right. We are declared righteous because Christ paid off the penalty of our sins when He died, and because He rose from the dead. The resurrection of Christ proves that our sins really are paid for, and that we do not have to die in our sins. Death occurs because of sin. Jesus did not die because of His sins, for He had no sins. Notice:

II Corinthians 5:21 – “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”

Hebrews 4:15 – “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.”

Hebrews 7:26 – “For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens.”

I John 3:5 – “And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.”

Christ could die for OUR sins because He had no sins of His own for which to die. Should Christ have had sins of His own, He would have died because of His own sins, because the wages of sin is death, according to Romans 6:23. But, since Christ had no sins of His own, He could rightfully pay the penalty of sin for you and me. In addition to paying the penalty of sin for us, death could not hold our Lord in the grave! It is impossible for One who is absolutely untainted by sin to remain in a grave and rot! This is why the Old Testament prophesied that God would not allow the flesh of Jesus Christ to see corruption. Christ could not remain in a grave because His flesh was not defiled by sin. By raising His Son from the dead, the Father shows the world that Christ in no way died for His own sins; He died for ours. And when the Father raised the Son from the dead, He show us all that Christ’s payment of the penalty of sin was accepted. Those who trust Christ’s work on the cross can be justified, or declared innocent, because Christ arose!

Romans 4:24, 25 – “But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.”

“Justification by faith” is the message that Paul preached, and this message is completely false if Christ is dead. Paul readily admits that his message does not work if Christ’s body had rotted.

Your Faith is Also Vain

I Corinthians 15:14 – “…your faith is also vain.”

Paul first states that if Christ is dead, our preaching is vain. Then, he brings out the next point, which is somewhat obvious. If our preaching is vain, then, we have no message in which to place our faith! Faith is non-existent if there is nothing in which to place it! When a person is saved, he is saved by placing faith in the gospel message. Well, if our preaching is vain, then we have nothing in which to place our faith, making our faith vain also. In addition to this, if Christ be not risen, then

We are Found False Witnesses of God

I Corinthians 15:15 – “Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.”

In the first part of this chapter, Paul lists several witnesses who claimed to see Jesus Christ alive AFTER His crucifixion. He names Peter and James. He states then Christ appeared to “the twelve,” meaning the whole group of apostles. He states that Christ was seen by more than five hundred eyewitnesses at one time, most of which were alive at the time of this writing. Finally, Paul states that he himself had seen the resurrection Christ with his own eyes. I stated in the previous post how that ALL of the apostles had suffered physically because they claimed that they had seen the resurrected Saviour. All of them, excepting John the beloved, gave their lives (according to history; not the Bible) for the gospel; that is, the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

In spite of this undeniable fact that the apostles of our Lord suffered because they preached that they had been eyewitnesses of the resurrected Christ, Paul readily admits that if Christ is dead, then all of these witnesses, including himself, are liars. Here, Paul puts his own integrity at stake. If Christ is dead, Paul is a liar; John is a liar; Peter is a liar; and our Bible is therefore a lie. The witnesses of Christ’s resurrection are not liars, and have proven it with their own lives. They died for the truth of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Furthermore, if Christ is dead, then

Ye Are Yet in Your Sins

I Corinthians 15:17 – “And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.”

What an awful statement! There is no such thing as salvation if Christ did not rise from the dead! The fiery hell declared in holy Writ is the unalterable destination of every reader, if Christ is indeed in the grave! Paul has already told us that if Christ is dead, then our message is gone. He goes on to tell us that, if our message is gone, then our faith is consequently gone, for we have nothing in which to place our faith. Now, he continues that thought. If we have nothing in which to place our faith, we must be in our sins and on our way to hell, for salvation is by grace, THROUGH FAITH!

Ephesians 2:8 – “For by grace are ye saved, through faith…”

If Christ is dead, the very thought of salvation is a hoax. We are not saved; rather, we are in our sins if Christ has not risen from the dead. But that is not all. If Christ is yet dead, then

They Also which are Fallen Asleep in Christ are Perished

I Corinthians 15:18 – “Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.”

Christ’s resurrection guarantees that everyone, saved or lost, will come out of their graves. But, if Christ is dead, then those who died as Christians will never live again. But Paul shows in the latter part of this chapter, how that those who belong to Christ will indeed rise again when Christ comes again. That precious saint of God whom we lowered into the ground will come out of that grave, with a body like Christ’s glorious body.

Philippians 3:21 – “Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.”

Finally, if Christ is yet in the tomb, then

We are of All Men Most Miserable

I Corinthians 15:19 – “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.”

Paul has already established that, if Christ is not risen from the dead, then those who died as Christians are dead forever. If that were the case, we would have hope “in this life only.” Now, Paul tells us that “if in this life only we have hope, we are of all men most miserable.” There is no better conclusion of our condition had Christ not risen from the dead – we are “most miserable.” We have no gospel in which to place our faith; we have no hope of seeing our loved ones who died as Christians; we have no assurance of any salvation whatsoever. If Christ were dead, then we are lost, on our way to hell, and helpless with no way to amend the situation.

But thanks be to God! I am not miserable! I am not in my sins! I am not in complete despair concerning my Christian brothers and sisters who have gone to be with Christ! My faith is neither useless nor worthless, for there is a valid gospel message in which I have placed it! Knowing that all these things are true, I have complete assurance that Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God, is alive! He is risen from the dead!

Christ hath risen! Hallelujah!

Blessed morn of life and light;

Lo, the grave is rent asunder,

Death is conquered through His might.

Christ is risen! Hallelujah!

Gladness fills the world today;
From the tomb that could not hold Him,

See, the stone is rolled away.*

*Fanny J. Crosby

Preserved Forever

Psalms 37:28 – “For the LORD loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.”

“Preserved” – a Definition

Noah Webster, in his 1828 Dictionary of American English, defines the transitive verb “preserve” this way – “To save from decay; to keep or defend from corruption.” As long as a fruit is preserved, it cannot perish, spoil, decay, or corrupt.

A Look at the Text

The above text, Psalms 37:28, is not the only instance in scripture where the saints are described as being “preserved,” but it is one of the plainest. As stated previously, the word, “preserve” is a transitive verb. It is an “action word,” and because it is transitive, it has an object. Whenever the word “preserve” is used, there are two parties involved. Someone has to be doing the preserving, and someone or something has to be preserved.

Looking at our text, let us begin by asking the question, “Who or what is being preserved?” The text plainly states, “THEY are preserved for ever.” The word “they” is a pronoun. Can we find in the text the antecedent to which the word “they” refers? Sure we can. The word “they” is clearly defined by looking at the two words immediately preceding it – “His saints.” His saints – that is, the people of God – are preserved forever! The saints are the ones being preserved.

Now, who is doing the preserving? The answer is found in the first part of the verse – “THE LORD loveth judgment, and forsaketh not His saints!” It is the Lord that loves judgment, forsakes not His saints, and preserves those saints forever! It would be a blessing to many Christians if they would realize that it is God who does the preserving of one’s soul. How often the most pious Christians forget that salvation is of the Lord!

Psalms 3:8 – “Salvation belongeth unto the Lord.”

Psalms 37:39 – “But the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord.”

Jonah 2:9 – “Salvation is of the Lord.”

Salvation is the work of God! He does the saving; He does the keeping; He does the preserving! Dear reader, if you would realize that the God who is your salvation is also your keeper, then you would be able to rest in the promise of God. Peter calls upon us to commit the keeping of our souls to HIM (I Peter 4:19). Paul reminds us that whatever we commit to Him, He will most certainly keep it (II Timothy 1:12). Whether or not you believe it, it is true that if you have been kept saved, it has been God’s grip on your hand (not your grip on His) that has kept you. He is One that is doing the preserving; we are the ones being preserved.

Psalms 97:10 – “Ye that love the LORD, hate evil: He preserveth the souls of his saints; he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked.”

As we continue to look at our text, Psalms 37:28, let us examine another question. How long will we, the saints of God, be preserved? The words of our text are plain. “They are preserved FOR EVER.” This may seem to contradict II Timothy 4:18:

II Timothy 4:18 – “And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me UNTO HIS HEAVENLY KINGDOM: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”

When Paul speaks here of the “heavenly kingdom” in mind, he no doubt has the millennial kingdom in mind. Paul is speaking of the time when Christ comes the second time to set up His kingdom on this present earth. So, which is it? Are we, the saints of God, preserved until the heavenly kingdom (as stated in II Timothy 4:18), or are we preserved forever (as stated in Psalms 37:28)?

The truth is simple. There is no contradiction. BOTH STATEMENTS ARE TRUE. One statement is no more true than the other. You see, it is a matter of fact that, if the Lord tarries, we will all die. “It is appointed unto men once to die.” It matters not HOW I die, or where I am buried, or the manner of my burial. When Jesus comes for His church, I WILL BE RESURRECTED. My present body will be preserved until that time. At that time, I will receive a new, glorified body; a body like Christ’s. Once I receive my new body, there will be no need to preserve this body any longer. There will be no need to preserve my soul and spirit, as I will be delivered from the presence of sin. So, the body I presently have will be preserved UNTO HIS HEAVENLY KINGDOM, just as Paul stated.

When I receive my new body, it will not be capable of sin, death, decay, or corruption! It will be incorruptible.

I Corinthians 15:53 – “For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.”

Because my new body will not be capable of corruption, it is by definition PRESERVED! Whatever is preserved is incapable of decay or corruption. How long will my new body be preserved? David answers the question clearly – “They are preserved FOR EVER!” So, it is clear. My body, soul, and spirit will be preserved until the coming of the Lord (I Thessalonians 5:23-24). Then, my new body will be preserved FOREVER, as it will be incorruptible (I Corinthians 15:53).

Pictures of Preservation

Concerning the saints, our text declares, “They are preserved for ever.” Having made a feeble attempt to define the word “preserved,” I wish I could paint a picture that illustrates this word. In the scriptures, we have several pictures given to us to describe this tremendous doctrine.

GOD’S WORD IS PRESERVED

Note carefully with me a passage in the book of Psalms, regarding the pure words of God:

Psalms 12:6-7 – “The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.”

Concerning the words of God, the Psalmist sings to the Lord, “Thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.” Every word of God is preserved. Heaven and earth will pass away, but not one word shall perish that proceeds from the mouth of God! Every word of God is for ever settled in heaven! You may refuse to believe it; you may shred its pages from its binding; you may fight its authenticity; you may hate its teaching; you may abhor its truths. But one thing is certain – you’ll never destroy one word of God’s precious book – those words are preserved by God Himself. You will meet the words of God in the Day of Judgment!

Governments have banned the Bible, burned the Bible, banished the Bible, and barred the Bible – but all to no avail. The words of God are not capable of perishing, decaying, or corrupting – “Every word of God is pure!”

Now, I must the reader a question. Do you believe that the words of God are preserved? Or do you believe that it is possible that perhaps God’s word will not last until the Day of Judgment? Do you believe that God Almighty has kept His word from decay or corruption? Yes or no, dear reader – Are God’s word preserved so that they are unable to perish, as Psalms 12:7 clearly states? Every sincere, born-again believer has no choice but to answer with an affirmative.

To every reader that has answered with a resounding “YES” – you should be informed that the Bible uses the same word – “preserved” – to describe those who have been saved by the grace of God. “They are preserved for ever!”

Furthermore, if you have been born again, then you have been born of an INCORRUPTIBLE SEED, according to I Peter 1:23. What is that incorruptible seed that is sown in the heart of every believer? It is none other than the word of God! Listen, dear reader. If you are saved by God’s grace, then you have been born again by a seed that is preserved; by a seed that is not capable of dying. Read it for yourself:

I Peter 1:23 – “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.”

What rejoicing there should be in the fact that we who are saved are preserved, just as the words of God are preserved. Those very words of God – those preserved words – are the very words that have been planted in our inner man, resulting in our new birth.

THE JEW

Have you ever read about a man named Goliath? Goliath was a Philistine. Who are Philistines? The Philistines, in the Old Testament, were enemies of Israel, God’s chosen people. Today, however, there is no Philistine nation. It is extinct. Gone. Vanished.

The Jews, on the other hand, suffered far more than the Philistines ever dreamed of suffering. Yet, the Jews cannot be destroyed. I’ve got news for Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad – Israel will never be wiped off the map. Never. It is an absolute impossibility. How can I be so sure of this? The nation of Israel is preserved by God Almighty Himself:

Isaiah 31:5 – “As birds flying, so will the LORD of hosts defend Jerusalem; defending also he will deliver it; and passing over he will preserve it.”

There are three facts in this verse regarding Jerusalem – 1) God will defend it; 2) God will deliver it; and 3) God will preserve it. And there is no argument about the preservation of Israel! Israel has been preserved from the time God spoke to Abraham (about 2,700 years ago) until now! They have been the object of persecution, murder, genocide, imprisonment, and death many times over. But they cannot and will not be destroyed, for they are preserved!

Every Bible-believing reader believes that Jerusalem is preserved by God. The same word used to describe the scriptures and the nation of Israel – “preserved” – is the same word used to describe those of us who have been made holy by the blood of Christ – “They are preserved for ever!”

My soul is as “preserved” as the nation of Israel. I am as preserved as the incorruptible word of God. There is no question as to whether or not the Bible teaches this; the only question is whether or not you believe it.

The Church and the Great Tribulation - Part 2

Will the Church Go Through the Great Tribulation? -Continued

The Church IS APPOINTED to Tribulation

So far, we have examined two truths from the book of I Thessalonians; first, that the church is not appointed to suffer the wrath of God; and second, that the church has already been delivered from the wrath to come. In the same book (I Thessalonians), the same author (Paul the apostle) tells us that the church, though not appointed to wrath and delivered from wrath, IS APPOINTED to tribulation:

I Thessalonians 3:3-4 – “That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto. For verily, when we were with you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulation; even as it came to pass, and ye know.”

No statement could be clearer. The church is subject to tribulations and afflictions in this life. This truth is reiterated throughout the New Testament.

Luke 21:12 – “But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and PERSECUTE you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name’s sake.”

John 16:33 – “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have TRIBULATION: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”

Acts 14:22 – “Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much TRIBULATION enter into the kingdom of God.”

Romans 5:3 – “And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that TRIBULATION worketh patience.”

Romans 8:35 – “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall TRIBULATION, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?”

II Corinthians 7:4 – “Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my glorying of you: I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our TRIBULATION.”

Revelation 1:9 – “I John, who also am your brother, and companion in TRIBULATION…”

Revelation 2:9 – “I know thy works, and TRIBULATION, and poverty,”

Revelation 2:10 – “Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have TRIBULATION ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.”

The Church is Delivered from Tribulation

Here is what we know thus far from scripture: first, that the church is not appointed to suffer any of the wrath of God; second, that the church is delivered from the wrath of God; third, that the church, although delivered from wrath, is appointed to suffer tribulation.

Now, I present to the reader a fourth point. The church is delivered from tribulation. You say, “Wait a minute! You just said the church would have to suffer tribulation, and now you’re saying that the church is delivered from tribulation!” Yes, that’s what the Bible teaches. There are tribulations I will have to endure, and there are tribulations that will come upon the world that I will never have to go through. Look with me:

Romans 2:5-11 – “But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; Who will render to every man according to his deeds: To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, TRIBULATION AND ANGUISH, UPON EVERY SOUL OF MAN THAT DOETH EVIL, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: For there is no respect of persons with God.”

There is tribulation and anguish reserved, on the day of wrath, for every soul of man that doeth evil. This is tribulation that is directly related to coming of the day of wrath. During this time, there is tribulation and anguish that no part of the church of Jesus Christ will go through; it is reserved entirely for EVERY SOUL OF MAN THAT DOETH EVIL. The “tribulation and anguish” in these verses cannot be the general afflictions and tribulations that are appointed to the church. It must, then, speak of the Great Tribulation, which is reserved, not for the church, but for every soul that doeth evil. Although the church is appointed to suffer tribulations, these verses make it plain that there is tribulation and anguish that is reserved only for evildoers, and not for the church. This tribulation that is reserved for evildoers, and not for the church, is the time period known as the Great Tribulation! We see clearly that there is a difference between the tribulations to which the church is appointed, and the tribulation and anguish reserved for evildoers, the Great Tribulation. When you read a verse that uses the word, “tribulation,” the context of the verse will easily allow you to determine whether he is speaking of the tribulations of this life to which the church is appointed, or the Great Tribulation, which is reserved for evildoers.

There are those who teach that the church will go through, either some or all, of the time period known as the Great Tribulation. Among this crowd, I am often accused of teaching that the church will not suffer. The truth is this – the church of Jesus Christ was born in suffering. The first centuries of the church were stained with blood. In recent years, there has been much persecution against the church today. Muslim countries hate freedom, hate Christians, hate Christ, and hate the church. Christians, on a regular basis in many of these countries, are beheaded for their faith. The Bible teaches plainly that Christian will suffer, and for two millenniums, Christians HAVE SUFFERED.

But although Christians have been suffering for two millenniums, NO CHRISTIAN HAS EVER SUFFERED IN THE TIME PERIOD KNOWN AS THE GREAT TRIBULATION. Paul was beheaded for the gospel. He suffered tribulation. But did Paul suffer in the time period known as the Great Tribulation? No, for that time is yet future. Peter was crucified upside down. He suffered for Christ. But did Peter suffer in the time period known as the Great Tribulation? No, for that time is not yet here. My point is this – the church has suffered for two thousand years, but the church has not gone through the Great Tribulation, for the Great Tribulation has not yet occurred. When a person pulls out the verses that promise tribulation to the church, these verses do not prove that the church will endure the Great Tribulation. This is proven by the fact that saints through the ages have suffered for their faith, as those verses promised, but none of those saints have passed through the Great Tribulation. It is possible to suffer tribulation without suffering during the time period known as the GREAT TRIBULATION! The church does not have to go through the Great Tribulation in order to suffer!

Repentance Delivers from Great Tribulation

We have already seen that the church, though appointed to tribulation, is delivered from the tribulation and anguish that is reserved for evildoers, the Great Tribulation. Now let us examine another verse that promises that repentance delivers from great tribulation:

Revelation 2:20-22 – “Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not. Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds.”

In these verses, Jesus is speaking to the church in Thyatira. Evidently, there was a woman with a spirit like Jezebel, the rebellious woman in the Old Testament. Jesus clearly states that if Jezebel would repent, as well as those who committed adultery with her, they would be delivered from great tribulation. We have already seen that if a person repents and follows Christ, they WILL SUFFER tribulation. But here, we are told that these that committed adultery would be cast into great tribulation, EXCEPT THEY REPENT! Repentance will keep you from the tribulation mentioned in these verses. If you repent, turning to Jesus Christ for salvation, you are appointed to suffer. You will suffer tribulation. But there is a tribulation mentioned here that you will NEVER SUFFER. It can only be the Great Tribulation that is coming upon the whole world.

The Great Tribulation is the Judgment of God

II Thessalonians 1:6 – “Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to RECOMPENSE TRIBULATION to them that trouble you.”

Here, we see that there is a tribulation reserved for those who afflicted the saints. Yes, the saints will suffer the afflictions and tribulations of life. But this verse speaks of a tribulation that is recompense, or reimbursement, to those who afflicted the people of God. It is a tribulation reserved for those who afflicted the saints; it is not a tribulation for the saints. It can only be speaking of the Great Tribulation from which we are delivered.

The Great Tribulation is a Time of Wrath

We have already seen clearly that the church is delivered from the wrath of God in its entirety. Jesus referred to the Great Tribulation as “days of vengeance” and “much wrath upon this people”:

Luke 21:20-23 – “And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh. Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto. For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people.”

Jesus here speaks of “the desolation.” In Matthew 24, verses 15 and 21, Jesus places the abomination of desolation as being brought about in a time of great tribulation. In the verses above, Jesus states that the days of the desolation, an event taking place in the Great Tribulation, are days of vengeance, and “wrath upon this people.” The days of Great Tribulation are days of wrath, and the church has been delivered by the cross of Christ from the wrath to come.

Concluding Verses

Revelation 3:10 – “Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.”

Luke 21:36 – “Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.”

The Church and the Great Tribulation - Part 1

Will the Church Go Through the Great Tribulation?

Before us we have a much disputed question in our day, a question that sparks interest in some and initiates division in others. Sadly, in spite of the complexity of the doctrine of the second coming of Christ, this one question seems to dominate the entire study of prophecy for some. Some preachers have the idea that studying the subject of prophecy means studying whether or not the church will go through the Great Tribulation. There is so much more in the study of prophecy than simply this question. But this question is legitimate, and I will answer it with scripture.

To understand the question more clearly, one must understand that in the end time, there is a time period known as the Great Tribulation:

Matthew 24:21 – “For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.”

This time period has not yet happened. It is reserved for the end of time as we know it. It will occur when the Antichrist, the last world dictator, will be revealed. There is another event that will happen in the end of time. It is called the rapture of the church, a time when the true church of Jesus Christ will be raptured, or caught up to meet the Lord in the air:

I Thessalonians 4:16-18 – “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.”

The great question here is this – I know there is a time period coming known as the Great Tribulation. I know there is an event coming called the rapture of the church. But will the rapture of the church happen BEFORE the Great Tribulation (we refer to this teaching as “Pre-tribulation” or “Pre-trib”), IN THE MIDDLE of the Great Tribulation (we refer to this teaching as “Mid-tribulation” or “Mid-trib”), or AFTER the Great Tribulation (we refer to this teaching as “Post-tribulation” or “Post-trib”)? That is the question.

The Church is not Appointed to Wrath

I touched on this very briefly in my recent posts on the day of the Lord, but I will hit it again as it is necessary. This is the foundational point in answering the question at hand. To see whether or not the church will go through the Great Tribulation, one must understand, first and foremost, that the church of Jesus Christ WILL NOT and MUST NOT suffer the wrath of God.

I Thessalonians 5:9 – “For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ.”

There can be no misunderstanding here – the church is not appointed to suffer the wrath of God. Concerning this truth, it appears to me that we have much unity in the body of Christ. It seems that all Bible students agree on this one point. I know of no one anywhere who teaches that the church will suffer the wrath of God. Regardless of whether a person believes that the church will depart from this world before, during, or after the Great Tribulation, everyone agrees that the church will not be here for the wrath of God. I know of some who define their position as PRE-WRATH, meaning the church will leave before the wrath of God is poured out. It seems that everyone agrees with this point – the point that the church is not appointed to suffer the wrath of God.

The Church is Delivered from the Wrath to Come

I heard a man tell this story once. He said that in a certain town many years ago there was a tornado that went through, devastating the entire area. There was a church there. The church, like many other buildings in town, was destroyed. People died, including some of the church people. The pastor of the church, who was said to have been a man of God, said that he felt like the tornado was sent by God as wrath and judgment upon that town. The wrath of God that was demonstrated in the tornado, the preacher said, was not APPOINTED for the church in that town, but it was rather appointed for the wicked. But even though the church in that town was not appointed to the wrath of the tornado, the church still suffered some of it. The preacher then used I Thessalonians 5:9, which states that the church is not appointed to wrath, to say that even though the church is NOT APPOINTED to wrath, the church still may have to suffer some of it.

NOT SO! Not only is the church of Jesus Christ not appointed to wrath, but in the finished work of Jesus Christ upon the cross of Calvary, we are already delivered from wrath!

I Thessalonians 1:10 – “And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.”

Just as sure as the church has been delivered from the pit of hell, not to suffer a single flame of it, the church has also been delivered from the wrath of God, not to suffer a single bit of it.

TO BE CONTINUED...

The Man of Sin - Part 6

Who is Keeping the Antichrist from Being Revealed?

In defining the restrainer, it is important to understand a few principles beforehand. First, the Bible calls this restrainer a “he” in II Thessalonians 2:7. Second, it makes logical sense that He who restrains the Antichrist must be stronger than both the Antichrist and the dragon (Satan) that gives him his power.

Greater is He that is in You

Do we have an individual in scripture who is stronger than the coming Antichrist and the devil who is already in the world? Yes we do!

I John 4:4 – “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.”

John said, “Greater is he that is in you!” This provokes the question, “Who is in us?” To answer this, let us begin with John’s gospel:

John 1:12 – “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.”

According to the above verse, John 1:12, who becomes a son of God? Those who RECEIVE HIM by BELIEVING on His name. You do not become a child of God by baptism; you do not become a child of God by speaking in tongues; you do not become a child of God by submitting to a dress code; you do not become a child of God by faithful church attendance. It is solely and completely by trusting Jesus Christ, believing on Him alone for salvation. At that moment, the sinner becomes a child of God!

The very moment one believes on Jesus Christ for salvation, not only does he become a child of God, but something else happens.

Galatians 4:6 – “And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.”

Because a person is a son of God, God sends the Spirit of His Son, the Holy Ghost into his heart. Let’s get this straight! A person does not receive the Holy Ghost because he tarried; a person does not receive the Holy Ghost because he has been faithful; a person does not receive the Holy Ghost because he spoke in tongues. The Holy Ghost lives within a person because that person is a child of God!

The Holy Ghost, the Spirit of God, lives within you and me who are saved by the grace of God. John was speaking of the Holy Ghost when he said “Greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world.” This definitely qualifies the Holy Ghost to be the restrainer. He is greater than the devil, and is therefore greater than the Antichrist who receives his authority from the devil.

Another Look at Judas

In part 3 of this series, I discussed Judas Iscariot – the Antichrist in Christ’s day. It would benefit the reader to read part 3 of this series if you have not already. Judas hanged himself at the time that Christ was on trial. Judas was gone before the Holy Ghost descended on the day of Pentecost. It had to be that way! The Holy Ghost’s arrival itself would hinder the Antichrist from remaining on the scene.

Didn’t the Holy Ghost Exist Before Pentecost?

Critics of my opinion may point out that the Holy Ghost existed before Pentecost. True! David declares the Holy Spirit’s omnipresence:

Psalm 139:7-8 – “Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.”

Yes, the Holy Ghost most certainly existed before Pentecost. In addition to this, the Holy Ghost also worked prior to Pentecost. The Holy Ghost came upon men so that they prophesied in the Old Testament. The Holy Ghost departed from men in the Old Testament.

But still yet, Jesus Himself promised TO SEND the Holy Ghost after He ascended to heaven. I did not say that; Christ said that!

John 16:7 – “Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.”

What was special about the Spirit’s descent on the day of Pentecost? If the Holy Ghost was already omnipresent, then what is so exceptional about the day that Christ sent Him on the day of Pentecost?

The answer is simple. Just as the Son received a body in a little town called Bethlehem, the Holy Ghost received a body on the day of Pentecost in Jerusalem. The body in which the Holy Ghost lives is called the church. In this manner, the Comforter CAME. I hear preachers say, “We need another Pentecost.” Nothing could be further from the truth. We do not need another Pentecost any more than we need another Bethlehem. We do not need another Pentecost any more than we need another Calvary. The Holy Ghost descended on the day of Pentecost to dwell in a body called the church, and He will never depart from the church.

John 14:16 – “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you FOR EVER.”

It is true that Jesus Christ came to this earth as a babe in Bethlehem. After His death, burial, and resurrection, He ascended into heaven, departing from this earth. In the same manner, the Holy Ghost descended from heaven on the day of Pentecost to live in a body called the church. And, just as sure as Jesus departed, ascending to heaven, the Holy Ghost will one day depart from this earth. You say, “I thought the Holy Ghost would never leave the church.” I say, “You’re right. The church is going with Him.” When the Holy Ghost leaves this world, taking the church with Him, then and only then can the man of sin be revealed.

How Can People be Saved after the Holy Ghost is Gone?

Here is a question often brought up by the critics. In their mind, the Holy Ghost cannot be the restrainer because salvation would not be possible if the Holy Ghost is absent. The Holy Ghost, though He will ascend from this earth with the church, will not cease to exist after the church is gone. I am not teaching that, when the Holy Ghost is taken out of the way, that He will be non-existent. Just as the Holy Ghost existed and worked BEFORE his DESCENSION on the day of Pentecost, He will exist and work AFTER his ASCENSION with the church in the rapture. Just as Abraham believed God and was counted righteous before the Holy Ghost DESCENDED, others will believe God and be counted righteous after the Holy Ghost ASCENDS with the church. There was salvation BEFORE the Holy Ghost came in Acts 2, and there will be salvation AFTER the Holy Ghost leaves in the rapture.

The Job Description of the Holy Ghost

Another reason I believe the restrainer is the Holy Ghost is found in His very job description:

John 16:8 – “And when he [the Comforter] is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment.”

The One who is restraining the MAN OF SIN is the same One who was sent to reprove the WORLD OF SIN.

The Holy Ghost will one day be removed from the scene, taking the church with Him. But until then, His voice is still crying out:

Revelation 22:17 – “And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.”