When Jesus Comes Again
By Given O. Blakely
By Given O. Blakely
" . . . at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints." (1 Thess 3:13)
There is an appointed time when the necessity of holiness will be fully known. The aim of the Apostle is to prepare the saints for that predetermined day. There is a sense in which nothing else matters but this. To be unprepared to stand before the Father on this appointed day is to be condemned. Here is the reason for our lives and our labors in Christ Jesus.
AT THE COMING. There are few doctrines so marred with the opinions of men as that of the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. As if that were not bad enough, there are also few doctrines that are as rarely proclaimed with power as this one. Yet, this is one of the most pivotal teachings of the Scriptures. Upon it, the hope of the saints is suspended. There are at least 250 references to Christ's return in the New Testament Scriptures. Every Gospel contains numerous references to Christ's coming. The Epistles contain nearly sixty references to Jesus' return, and all of them are foundational and central.
Before He was betrayed, Jesus declared to His disciples, "I will come again" (John 14:3). Following His ascension into heaven, two heavenly messengers arrayed in white said to His disciples, "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 1:11). The resurrection of the dead will occur "at His coming" (1 Cor 15:23). That is when believers will be a crown of rejoicing to those who ministered to them (1 Thess 2:19). The great despot who will work in the power of Satan will be destroyed at that coming (2 Thess 2:8). This is the "coming" for which the saints are waiting (1 Cor 1:7). The keeping and perfecting power of God is to be performed until "the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Thess 5:23). Powerful pleadings and beseechments are made on the basis of this coming (2 Thess 2:1). Perseverance and endurance are maintained in view of this coming (James 5:7).
This is the day to which faith looks, and toward which it hastens, speeding its coming (2 Pet 3:12). This is "the day of the Lord" (1 Thess 5:2), "the day of our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Cor 1:8), and "the day of redemption" (Eph 4:30). The Divine agenda is progressing toward this day. Everything about salvation is readying believers for this day. A people who do not speak often of this day are a weak people. Preachers who do not proclaim this day are guilty preachers. Hearts that do not yearn for it are faulty hearts. Those who have no interest in this day have only confirmed the Lord is not perfecting them. They stand on the precipice of eternal disaster, regardless of their profession. If our religion does not focus on the return of Jesus and make us ready for that glorious event, it is vain and useless. As it is written, "If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable" (1 Cor 15:19).
The aim is to be "blameless in holiness before God . . . at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." The only place in which such preparations can be made is this world, and the only time they can be made is now. Salvation is the environment in which the objective will be realized, and faith and love are the experiences through which it will be accomplished.
It is not possible to overemphasize the coming of the Lord. Of this day it is written, "He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed" (Acts 17:31). Nothing can thwart or delay the coming of that day. It is drawing closer, being "nearer than when we believed" (Rom 13:11).
WITH ALL HIS SAINTS. When our Lord returns, He will bring all of the faithful who have departed this life. Later, in an extended proclamation of this fact, Paul writes, "For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him" (1 Thess 4:14). These are the ones who are "absent from the body" and "present with the Lord" (2 Cor 5:6,8). They will be presented blameless in holiness before the Father. It only needs to be established whether those who "are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord" will be included in the spotless number (1 Thess 4:15).
The desire Paul is expressing in this passage is that the Thessalonians will be among those who will be gathered by the reaping angels (Matt 13:39). That is the ultimate test of whether we are the Lord's or not. Faith unites us now with this vast body of redeemed souls, "the spirits of just men made perfect" (Heb 12:23). That unity is not to be taken for granted, as though everything from that point on is automatic. There remains much work to be done in the strongest believer, and only the Lord can perform it. He will not do it without the prayers of discerning ones. Nor, indeed, will it be accomplished apart from an increasing and abounding love. The objective of the work is to be blameless in holiness when He returns. We should expect, therefore, a marked increase in holiness here and now.
PRAYER POINT: Father, in the name of Jesus, I thank You for the blessed hope of Christ's return. --Given Blakely
AT THE COMING. There are few doctrines so marred with the opinions of men as that of the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. As if that were not bad enough, there are also few doctrines that are as rarely proclaimed with power as this one. Yet, this is one of the most pivotal teachings of the Scriptures. Upon it, the hope of the saints is suspended. There are at least 250 references to Christ's return in the New Testament Scriptures. Every Gospel contains numerous references to Christ's coming. The Epistles contain nearly sixty references to Jesus' return, and all of them are foundational and central.
Before He was betrayed, Jesus declared to His disciples, "I will come again" (John 14:3). Following His ascension into heaven, two heavenly messengers arrayed in white said to His disciples, "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 1:11). The resurrection of the dead will occur "at His coming" (1 Cor 15:23). That is when believers will be a crown of rejoicing to those who ministered to them (1 Thess 2:19). The great despot who will work in the power of Satan will be destroyed at that coming (2 Thess 2:8). This is the "coming" for which the saints are waiting (1 Cor 1:7). The keeping and perfecting power of God is to be performed until "the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Thess 5:23). Powerful pleadings and beseechments are made on the basis of this coming (2 Thess 2:1). Perseverance and endurance are maintained in view of this coming (James 5:7).
This is the day to which faith looks, and toward which it hastens, speeding its coming (2 Pet 3:12). This is "the day of the Lord" (1 Thess 5:2), "the day of our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Cor 1:8), and "the day of redemption" (Eph 4:30). The Divine agenda is progressing toward this day. Everything about salvation is readying believers for this day. A people who do not speak often of this day are a weak people. Preachers who do not proclaim this day are guilty preachers. Hearts that do not yearn for it are faulty hearts. Those who have no interest in this day have only confirmed the Lord is not perfecting them. They stand on the precipice of eternal disaster, regardless of their profession. If our religion does not focus on the return of Jesus and make us ready for that glorious event, it is vain and useless. As it is written, "If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable" (1 Cor 15:19).
The aim is to be "blameless in holiness before God . . . at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." The only place in which such preparations can be made is this world, and the only time they can be made is now. Salvation is the environment in which the objective will be realized, and faith and love are the experiences through which it will be accomplished.
It is not possible to overemphasize the coming of the Lord. Of this day it is written, "He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed" (Acts 17:31). Nothing can thwart or delay the coming of that day. It is drawing closer, being "nearer than when we believed" (Rom 13:11).
WITH ALL HIS SAINTS. When our Lord returns, He will bring all of the faithful who have departed this life. Later, in an extended proclamation of this fact, Paul writes, "For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him" (1 Thess 4:14). These are the ones who are "absent from the body" and "present with the Lord" (2 Cor 5:6,8). They will be presented blameless in holiness before the Father. It only needs to be established whether those who "are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord" will be included in the spotless number (1 Thess 4:15).
The desire Paul is expressing in this passage is that the Thessalonians will be among those who will be gathered by the reaping angels (Matt 13:39). That is the ultimate test of whether we are the Lord's or not. Faith unites us now with this vast body of redeemed souls, "the spirits of just men made perfect" (Heb 12:23). That unity is not to be taken for granted, as though everything from that point on is automatic. There remains much work to be done in the strongest believer, and only the Lord can perform it. He will not do it without the prayers of discerning ones. Nor, indeed, will it be accomplished apart from an increasing and abounding love. The objective of the work is to be blameless in holiness when He returns. We should expect, therefore, a marked increase in holiness here and now.
PRAYER POINT: Father, in the name of Jesus, I thank You for the blessed hope of Christ's return. --Given Blakely
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