at the judgment seat of Christ re ceiving their rewards for faithful Christian service (II Cor. 5:10). Meanwhile, here on the earth will be in awesome time of Tribulation (Matt. 24:21). Seven years after the Church goes home to be with the Lord, the second phase of Christ’s return will take place. The second aspect of Christ’s coming will bring back with Him Christians to the earth again, as He sets up His king? dom rule over this earth. This will be a bodily, visible event. “Every eye shall see Him” (Rev. 1 :7 ). The kingdom of His righteousness will be established for 1,000 years. After the millennium there will be the eternal kingdom of God (I Cor. 15:24). Yes, what great days are ahead. Let’s be listening for the sounds of His com ing (I Thess. 4:16). As Christians let’s five as if Christ were coming today. There’s no hin drance to the Rapture right now. All the necessary Scripture for this first phase of His coming has already been fulfilled. As a Christian would you meet Him with joy? Have you been a soul-winner? Have you been zealous, busy for Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit? Or will you meet Him in shame because you’ve not been obedient and doing His will? Are there things in your life of which you know He wouldn’t approve? When Christ comes for the believ er in the air we’ll be caught up to meet Him. We’ll receive the rewards given out to those who have been faithful (I Cor. 3 ). May we hear those blessed words, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant!” Dr. Anderson is the Biola Hour B ible Teacher and Pastor o f Bethany Bap tist Church in West Covina, Calif.
The more you think about it, the more you realize these convictions are quite plausible. Since Hiroshima, far more terrifying weapons of de struction have been developed. World leaders are fearful thinking what the future holds. The nuclear threat isn’t the only problem puz zling our generation. The growing crime rate, sagging moral standards, and exploding population leaves on ly question marks as to what might happen in the days ahead. Helpless pessimism is not unusual. But the Christian has quite a different out look. These are perilous days as the Word of God predicted they would be before Christ’s return ( I I Tim. 3:1-5). With faith in Christ we need not be shaken in mind or be troubled in heart. We know the One who holds the future. Were living in a scientific age when men are seeking after facts. There is a tendency to put every thing into a test tube in order to prove its reality and worth. Yet, that which comes from the laboratory is still only theory. The Scriptures have been proven to be absolutely trust worthy throughout all of the ages of human time. No one has been able to disprove the Bible. There’s no reason to not trust its message using it as our authority for faith and practice. We needn’t guess about the future when we consult the Word of God. The certainty of the second com ing of Christ rests on the certainty of the death and resurrection of the Lord (I Thess. 4 :14). It’s interesting to notice that out of 260 chapters in the New Testament there are 318 references concerning Christ’s re turn. This is an average of one verse in twenty-five. The Rapture of the Church will be the beginning of a series of momentous events, all in cluded in the phrase, “the day of the Lord” ( I Thess. 5 :2 ). Being raised from the dead, caught up to be with the Lord, believers will then appear Page 32
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