The Coming of Christ 307 The time of the return of the Lord will be, furthermore, the time of the reward, of His servants. The Son of Man is likened to a nobleman who has gone “into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return.” He has en trusted various talents to his servants with the command to use them wisely, until his return. When he has “come back again, having received the kingdom,” then he “maketh a reckoning with them.” I t is popularly said, and in a sense it is true, that when our loved ones go to be with Christ “they have gone to their reward” ; but more strictly speaking, the full reward of the blessed awaits the coming of Christ. Whatever may be meant by being “set over many things,” or having “authority over ten cities,” the complete recompense of the faithful is “at the resurrection of the just.” (Matt. 25:14-23; Luke 19: 11-27; Luke 14:14.) That the real coronation day of the Christian is not at death but at “the appearing of Christ” was strikingly suggested by Paul when, realizing that he was to die before the Lord returned, he gave to Timothy his triumphant farewell: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give to me at that day: and not to me only, but also to all them that have loved His appearing” (2 Tim. 4 :7 , 8). So Peter encourages pastors to be faithful, by the familiar prom ise: “And when the chief Shepherd shall he manifested, ye shall receive the crown of glory that fadeth not away” (1 Peter 5:1-4). In large measure this reward will consist in being changed into a moral likeness to Christ. This is far more marvelous than the transfiguration of our bodies, but no less real. “Beloved, now are we the children of God, and it is not yet made manifest what we shall be. We know that if He shall be manifested, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him even as He is” (1 John 3:1-3). The reward which awaits the followers of Christ further includes the fulfillment
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