SECOND COMING (cont.) possibility of being called into His presence. I John 3:3 declares that “ ev ery man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.” When an honored guest is expected a good housekeeper will want every room to be immaculate. No effort is too great in cleaning every nook and corner. One day, and perhaps soon, each of us will be ushered into the presence of God, and yet we are often very careless about readying our lives for this oc casion. Also the anticipation of this experi ence should lead us to spend our time in a way that will count for eternity. After Paul has just told of the day when Christ comes to raise the dead and transform the living, he concludes in I Cor. 15:58 with a challenge to “be . . . stedfast, unmovable, a l w a y s abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your la bour is not in vain in the Lord.” The Lord warned us, too, of the sub tle influences which would tend to cool our anticipation of this blessed event. He described the day of Lot as a time when “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). Note that the people had become so involved in the ordi nary pursuits of life: eating, buying, selling, planting, and building that they gave no attention to the warning of impending doom. Christ declared that it will be this way before He re turns. As Paul approached the end of his ministry the anticipation of the com ing of Christ was still prominent in his thoughts. In II Tim. 4:8 he spoke of the crown of righteousnes which he was to receive, and declared that “ them also who love his appearing” would be entitled to this crown. There are many who do not look forward to the coming because they
do not understand it, but the sad truth is that many Christians who do un derstand it, are not anticipating it be cause their love for Christ, has grown cold. Selfish goals and attaining ma terial things have become so time- consuming that little thought is given to the return of Christ. Peter warns about becoming attached to that which is temporary, urging that we set our affections on the permanent values which will be received at the coming of Christ. “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the ele ments shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness. Looking for and hasting unto the com ing of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fer vent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for a new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness” (II Peter 3:10-13). When asked what practical value the doctrine of the second coming was to him, one Christian replied, “ I keep my feet untangled.” We should always remember that the material things on which we often place so much value, are to pass away and are worth noth ing in the light of that which we will receive at His coming — a new body in a new home, living forever, with the Lord always present to meet our needs. The warning of Christ is still ap propriate today. “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). 34
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