The Second Coming Of Christ

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< > Chapter Two The importance of the doctrine of Christ's second coming The Scriptures place great emphasis upon the second coming of Christ. It has been said, “There is more Scriptural authority for Christ's second coming than for all the other doctrines of the Bible put together.” This statement soundly condemns the lack of interest shown by far too many of God's people today towards this vital subject. The silence of most preachers on the theme of this blessed hope of the Church gives cause for great alarm, particularly when the signs of the times indicate that the coming of Christ is near. What we believe regarding this subject will matter a great deal in the not so distant future. The lack of interest in Christ's second coming is a sure sign of a loss of first love for Jesus, and a spiritual apathy and lethargy among the people of God. Someone who noted the longing for Christ's coming and the zeal for this truth in the first part of Church history, wrote, “It would have been deemed a kind of apostasy not to have sighed after the day of the Lord.” Those who have neglected the subject of our Lord's second coming should repent and meditate afresh upon this blessed hope that purifies. 1Jn.3v3. The Scriptures warn us to take the subject of His Second coming very seriously. God warns us that judgement will fall upon those who misinterpret the book of Revelation and add to, or take away, its prophecies. Rev.22v18,19. An added secret rapture means an added judgement upon those who teach it. The subject of prophecy demands a teachable spirit, diligent study and trembling at the Word of God. 1Tim.4v14-16. 2Tim.2v15. Is.66v2. God has already executed preachers for wrong doctrine on the Second Coming of Christ. In 1Tim.1v19,20., we read that Paul delivered Hymenaeus and Alexander to Satan that they might learn not to blaspheme. We learn from 2Tim.2v16-18., that Paul did this because they had overthrown the faith of some Christians, by saying that the resurrection and the second coming of Christ had already taken place. Paul said their wrong doctrine ate like a canker and gangrene, and they died for their dangerous heresy, executed by the operation of God's judgement gifts through Paul; just as Peter had executed Ananias and Sapphira with those same gifts. Acts.5v1-11. Note in Acts.5v11., how “great fear fell upon all the Church, and upon as many as heard these things.” The deaths of Hymenaeus, Philetus, and Alexander, show how serious and dangerous it is to misinterpret prophecy. In Mt.24v48-51., Jesus warns us that if Christians believe that His second coming and the rapture take place before the great tribulation; then, when it does not happen, their faith will be overthrown, and they will say, “My Lord delays His coming;” and as a result go and live bad lives. Will the Lord Jesus feel any more tolerant of such faith destroying teachers and teaching, than He did of Hymenaeus and his false doctrine? Our Lord reveals the striking fact that these people will blame God for a delay, rather than examine and question their own doctrine. Let us be very careful what we teach about our Lord's second coming. We can always find the truth if we really want to. The Bible is not so badly written that we cannot find the truth; if that were so we should rename the Bible, “Man's Word,” instead of “God's Word,” and give up the doctrine of the inspiration of the Scriptures. We can absolutely rely on the Holy Scriptures, for God has made the cardinal truths of the Gospel perfectly clear for the sincere seeking heart. Unfortunately, however, the glorious truths connected with the second coming of Christ, like many other truths, have suffered at the hands of teachers, who for a variety of reasons have held down the truth. Truth has been perverted by pride, laziness, mercenary motives, false reverence for the traditions of men, and seeking the praise of men rather than the praise of God. Fear of suffering for the truth, or being thought unorthodox has blinded the minds of many to the truth. The sin of being a teacher that tickles people's ears. 2Tim.4v1-4. James.3v1. The false prophets of Israel and Judah painted a rosy picture when God said the future was very black. If we tickle people’s ears with the things they want to hear; we will have to answer to God for such expediency. Those who preach wrong doctrine on the second coming of Christ are numbered amongst the false prophets by the Lord. Mt.24v21-27. The penalties imposed by God will be proportionate to the effect of the false doctrine on Christians. In 1Cor.3v9-15., Paul warns us that Christian leaders, workers, and preachers can have all their works burned up, and be saved so as by fire. Let us prayerfully examine ourselves to see if there is any wicked way in us. Mt.7v15-23. 24v45-48. Mk.7v7-13. Jn9v34. Acts.20v30. 2Pet.2v3. 1Cor.4v1-5. 2Cor.2v17. Gal.1v10. 2v2. Eph.4v14. Phil.2v19-22. 1Tim.6v3-5. 2Tim.4v3,4. Titus.1v11. Heb.5v10-14. 1Pet.5v2. Jer.28v1-17. The above Scriptures show us the great spiritual danger we are in if we think that we can treat the Word of God lightly. The mind has to be disciplined like the body; there is no place for intellectual laziness among Christian leaders. We are to worship God with all of our mind, as well as our heart, soul, and strength. Heb.5v11-14. Acts.17v10-12. 2Tim.2v14-26. N.B. v15,24. We need to wait upon God for the light that He alone can give. Gal.1v11,12. 1Cor.2v7-16. We should work out our sermons with fear and trembling as well as our salvation. Phil.2v12,13. Many who have repented of their sins, need to repent of their sermons. The Lord has not only a complete record of our actions, thoughts and words; He also records the intents of heart behind our actions, thoughts and words; and one day we will have to give an account of the thoughts and intents of our hearts, as well as every idle and untrue word. Mt.12v34-37. Heb.4v12. 2Cor.5v10. We need to keep our minds malleable and open to receive truth from wheresoever and whosoever it comes. Let us think before we speak and realise fully the words, “My brethren, be not many teachers, knowing that we shall receive heavier judgement.” James.3v1. God does not expect babes in Christ to investigate and interpret truth without mature Christian aid. God has set in the Church ministries whose work is to bring us to the same mind on all points of doctrine, that is, “the mind of Christ.” 1Cor.1v10. 2v6,14-16. 3v1-4. Eph.4v7-16. A carnal mind and slothfulness will result in us remaining in permanent spiritual babyhood, when we should be mature teachers of truth. 1Cor.3v1-4. Heb.5v10 to 6v12. False teachers who try to mislead God’s people on important doctrines render the work of teaching and training God’s babes more difficult. 2Pet.2v1. Bible teachers should not insist on people accepting their own brand of theology, they should rather enable their hearers to understand the Scriptures for themselves. In the day of battle, the only truth that we can fight effectively with, is the truth that we have made our own, and is a part of our soul and experience. < >
The Disastrous Effects Of The Doctrine Of Original Sin \| By His Stripes We Are Healed \| The Book Of Revelation \| The Second Coming Of Christ \| The Baptism And Gifts Of The Holy Spirit \| The Comforter Is Come

Chapter Two

The importance of the doctrine of Christ's second coming

The Scriptures place great emphasis upon the second coming of Christ.
It has been said, “There is more Scriptural authority for Christ's second coming than for all the other doctrines of the Bible put together.” This statement soundly condemns the lack of interest shown by far too many of God's people today towards this vital subject. The silence of most preachers on the theme of this blessed hope of the Church gives cause for great alarm, particularly when the signs of the times indicate that the coming of Christ is near. What we believe regarding this subject will matter a great deal in the not so distant future. The lack of interest in Christ's second coming is a sure sign of a loss of first love for Jesus, and a spiritual apathy and lethargy among the people of God. Someone who noted the longing for Christ's coming and the zeal for this truth in the first part of Church history, wrote, “It would have been deemed a kind of apostasy not to have sighed after the day of the Lord.” Those who have neglected the subject of our Lord's second coming should repent and meditate afresh upon this blessed hope that purifies. 1Jn.3v3.

The Scriptures warn us to take the subject of His Second coming very seriously.
God warns us that judgement will fall upon those who misinterpret the book of Revelation and add to, or take away, its prophecies. Rev.22v18,19. An added secret rapture means an added judgement upon those who teach it. The subject of prophecy demands a teachable spirit, diligent study and trembling at the Word of God. 1Tim.4v14-16. 2Tim.2v15. Is.66v2.

God has already executed preachers for wrong doctrine on the Second Coming of Christ.
In 1Tim.1v19,20., we read that Paul delivered Hymenaeus and Alexander to Satan that they might learn not to blaspheme. We learn from 2Tim.2v16-18., that Paul did this because they had overthrown the faith of some Christians, by saying that the resurrection and the second coming of Christ had already taken place. Paul said their wrong doctrine ate like a canker and gangrene, and they died for their dangerous heresy, executed by the operation of God's judgement gifts through Paul; just as Peter had executed Ananias and Sapphira with those same gifts. Acts.5v1-11. Note in Acts.5v11., how “great fear fell upon all the Church, and upon as many as heard these things.” The deaths of Hymenaeus, Philetus, and Alexander, show how serious and dangerous it is to misinterpret prophecy.

In Mt.24v48-51., Jesus warns us that if Christians believe that His second coming and the rapture take place before the great tribulation; then, when it does not happen, their faith will be overthrown, and they will say, “My Lord delays His coming;” and as a result go and live bad lives. Will the Lord Jesus feel any more tolerant of such faith destroying teachers and teaching, than He did of Hymenaeus and his false doctrine? Our Lord reveals the striking fact that these people will blame God for a delay, rather than examine and question their own doctrine. Let us be very careful what we teach about our Lord's second coming.

We can always find the truth if we really want to.
The Bible is not so badly written that we cannot find the truth; if that were so we should rename the Bible, “Man's Word,” instead of “God's Word,” and give up the doctrine of the inspiration of the Scriptures. We can absolutely rely on the Holy Scriptures, for God has made the cardinal truths of the Gospel perfectly clear for the sincere seeking heart. Unfortunately, however, the glorious truths connected with the second coming of Christ, like many other truths, have suffered at the hands of teachers, who for a variety of reasons have held down the truth. Truth has been perverted by pride, laziness, mercenary motives, false reverence for the traditions of men, and seeking the praise of men rather than the praise of God. Fear of suffering for the truth, or being thought unorthodox has blinded the minds of many to the truth.

The sin of being a teacher that tickles people's ears. 2Tim.4v1-4. James.3v1.
The false prophets of Israel and Judah painted a rosy picture when God said the future was very black. If we tickle people’s ears with the things they want to hear; we will have to answer to God for such expediency. Those who preach wrong doctrine on the second coming of Christ are numbered amongst the false prophets by the Lord. Mt.24v21-27. The penalties imposed by God will be proportionate to the effect of the false doctrine on Christians. In 1Cor.3v9-15., Paul warns us that Christian leaders, workers, and preachers can have all their works burned up, and be saved so as by fire. Let us prayerfully examine ourselves to see if there is any wicked way in us. Mt.7v15-23. 24v45-48. Mk.7v7-13. Jn9v34. Acts.20v30. 2Pet.2v3. 1Cor.4v1-5. 2Cor.2v17. Gal.1v10. 2v2. Eph.4v14. Phil.2v19-22. 1Tim.6v3-5. 2Tim.4v3,4. Titus.1v11. Heb.5v10-14. 1Pet.5v2. Jer.28v1-17.

The above Scriptures show us the great spiritual danger we are in if we think that we can treat the Word of God lightly. The mind has to be disciplined like the body; there is no place for intellectual laziness among Christian leaders. We are to worship God with all of our mind, as well as our heart, soul, and strength. Heb.5v11-14. Acts.17v10-12. 2Tim.2v14-26. N.B. v15,24. We need to wait upon God for the light that He alone can give. Gal.1v11,12. 1Cor.2v7-16. We should work out our sermons with fear and trembling as well as our salvation. Phil.2v12,13. Many who have repented of their sins, need to repent of their sermons. The Lord has not only a complete record of our actions, thoughts and words; He also records the intents of heart behind our actions, thoughts and words; and one day we will have to give an account of the thoughts and intents of our hearts, as well as every idle and untrue word. Mt.12v34-37. Heb.4v12. 2Cor.5v10. We need to keep our minds malleable and open to receive truth from wheresoever and whosoever it comes. Let us think before we speak and realise fully the words, “My brethren, be not many teachers, knowing that we shall receive heavier judgement.” James.3v1.

God does not expect babes in Christ to investigate and interpret truth without mature Christian aid.
God has set in the Church ministries whose work is to bring us to the same mind on all points of doctrine, that is, “the mind of Christ.” 1Cor.1v10. 2v6,14-16. 3v1-4. Eph.4v7-16. A carnal mind and slothfulness will result in us remaining in permanent spiritual babyhood, when we should be mature teachers of truth. 1Cor.3v1-4. Heb.5v10 to 6v12. False teachers who try to mislead God’s people on important doctrines render the work of teaching and training God’s babes more difficult. 2Pet.2v1. Bible teachers should not insist on people accepting their own brand of theology, they should rather enable their hearers to understand the Scriptures for themselves. In the day of battle, the only truth that we can fight effectively with, is the truth that we have made our own, and is a part of our soul and experience.

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