What wonderful promise
did Jesus make concerning His Second Advent?
"Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in Me.
In My Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told
you, I go to prepare a place for you. 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." John 14:1-3.
What will follow the
signs of Christ's coming?
"And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power
and great glory." Luke 21:27.
At His ascension, how was
Christ's return promised?
"And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold,
two men stood by them in white apparel; 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."
Acts 1:10, 11.
With what words does Paul
express the blessed hope of Christ's Second Advent for His people?
"Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great
God and our Saviour Jesus Christ." Titus 2:13.
What does Peter say about
this awaited event?
"We have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto
you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eye-witnesses of His
majesty." 2 Peter 1:16.
When He returns, will
most of the inhabitants of earth be prepared to meet Him?
"Then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven: and then
shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of Man
coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory." Matthew 24:30.
"Behold, He cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see Him, and they also
which pierced Him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of
Him." Revelation 1:7.
Why will many not be
prepared for this important event?
"But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My Lord
delayeth His coming," and shall begin to smite his fellow servants, and
to eat and drink with the drunken; 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, and shall
cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be
weeping and gnashing of teeth." Matthew 24:48-51.
What will the world be
doing when Christ returns in the clouds of heaven for His own?
"But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of
man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and
drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered
into the ark, and knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so
shall also the coming of the Son of Man be." Verses 37-39. "Likewise
also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought,
they sold, they planted, they builded," but the same day that Lot went
out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.
Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed." Luke
17:28-30.
Who is it that blinds men
to the message about salvation through Jesus Christ?
"In whom the god of this world [Satan] hath blinded the minds of
them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is
the image of God, should shine unto them." 2 Corinthians 4:4.
How important is it that
we now prepare our lives to meet Christ when He returns?
"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." 1 John 3:2.
Will the return of Christ
be a time of reward?
"For the Son of man shall come in the glory of His Father with His
angels; and then He shall reward every man according, to his
works." Matthew 16:27. "And, behold, I come quickly; and My
reward is with Me, to give every man according as his work shall be."
Rev. 22:12.
Who will receive the
promised salvation when Christ returns?
"So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them
that look for Him shall He appear the second time without sin unto
salvation." Heb. 9:28.
What strong motivation
should His return have on our lives right now?
"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." 1 John 3:2, 3.
To whom are these crowns
of life promised?
"For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at
hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the
faith: henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the
Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto
all them also that love His appearing." 2 Tim. 4:6-8.
What will the waiting
ones say when Jesus comes the second time?
"And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited
for Him, and He will save us: this is the Lord; we have waited for Him, we will
be glad and rejoice in His salvation." Isa. 25:9.
Has the exact time of
Christ's coming been revealed?
"But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of
heaven, but My Father only." Matt. 24:36.
In view of this fact, how
does Christ tell us to prepare for that glorious event?
'Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come." Verse
42.
What warning has Christ
given that we might not be taken by surprise when He returns?
"And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be
overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so
that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that
dwell on the face of the whole earth. 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." Luke 21:34-36.
What special attribute
should the waiting ones develop?
"Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord.
Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath
long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient;
stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh." James
5:7, 8.
What has been the
attitude of too many Christians toward the Second Advent of Christ?
The belief of the Christian Church in the second coming of Christ appears in
Christian literature from the origin of the so called Apostles' Creed down
through to very recent times.