Why the Second Coming? An earnest and heart-warming defense of the "Blessed Hope.” Reverend J . B. Marchbanks
T HE QUESTION is often asked, sometimes by Christians: "Why emphasize the Second Coming of Christ? After all, does It matter so much?” We shall answer that question by the infallible Word of God itself. References to the fact of Christ’s Second Coming are found everywhere on the pages of the Word of God. The first Messianic prophecy of the Bible speaks of it. In the early dawn of human history, when the first man and woman yielded to the lie of Satan, and disobeyed God, the Lord God gave unto them the promise of the coming Redeemer. That promise is found in Genesis 3:15, where God spoke to Satan through the serpent: “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel." This is the first promise of the coming of Christ. He came the first time, and on the Cross of Calvary He bruised the head of Satan with a deathblow. Satan is now defeated. Yet as a usurper, he continues as the god of this world, and his complete dethronement will be accomplished at the Second Coming of Christ. The Second Coming of Christ is mentioned about 300 times in the New Testament, approximately one verse in each twenty-five. In the face of this, is it not amaz ing that men who stand in the pulpits of our churches ignore this subject, and in many instances say: "We don’t know enough about it” ? There are many details of which we must profess ignorance, but there are too many plain and unmistakable statements for any Chris tian to claim lack of knowledge. There are scores of Scriptures a» plain as Acts 1:11, where the angelic mes sengers are reported as saying to the upward-looking 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.” Of course, when we speak of the Second Coming of Christ, we use that term in the general sense. Those who study the Word know that there are two distinct phases of the Second Coming: the Rapture, the coming of Christ in the air for His people; and the Revelation, when He comes to earth with His saints, to set up His Kingdom. We would mention, first, the redemption of our bodies. Christians are still in the same kind of unre deemed, cursed bodies, in which sinners dwell. But we wait for something better: “And not only they [the crea tion], but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body” (Rom. 8:23). For this event we are "waiting,” and it shall not take place until the Lord comes. "For our conversation [citizenship] is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working where by he is able even to subdue all things unto himself” (Phil. 3:20,21). Those who minimize the importance of the Second Coming seem to think that when the believer dies, he enters at once into his perfected state. To be sure, it is better, "to be absent from the body, and to be present MARCH, 1947
with the Lord” (2 Cor. 5:8), but the very statement, “absent from the body,” indicates that this is not the final, perfect condition. Our Lord is in Heaven in a literal body of flesh and bones, and “every one that is perfect shall be as his master” (Luke 6:40). But only when He comes, shall we be like Him bodily. "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 ap pear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2). The Old Testament saints, from Adam down, while in the presence of the Lord, and in a state of perfect spir itual bliss, are still waiting for their redeemed bodies, until Christ returns. Then all of the dead in Christ will be raised. The living believers, the one generation which will not pass through death, will be transformed. "Be hold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed” (1 Cor. 15:51). The saints will not receive their rewards until the Lord comes. We who have believed in Christ will never be judged for our sins, for they were laid upon Him at Calvary. However, we shall be judged for our works as Christians, and shall receive rewards or suffer loss, as the case may be. “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad” (2 Cor. 5:10). The details of this judgment are given in First Corinthians 3:12-15. Two kinds of works are mentioned, one symbolized by gold, silver, and precious stones; the other by wood, hay, and stubble. We read: "Every man’s work shall be made manifest . . . of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide . . . he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved.” May God enable us to walk in the light of that coming event. But the rewards will not be given until the coming of the Lord. "Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God” (1 Cor. 4:5). Moses, 3500 years ago, exchanged the pleasures of sin and the treasures in Egypt for the affliction of the people of God and the reproach of Christ, “for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward” (Heb. 11:25, 26), but today he is stUl waiting for that reward in the presence of God. So are all the saints of the Old Testa ment, and the New. Paul looked forward to the Second Coming and the judgment seat of Christ, and said: “Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of right eousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but to all them also that love his appearing” (2 Tim. 4:8). Beloved, let us labor on in faith and love, for the reward is sure. Glory will come for the Church when the Lord comes again. The Church had its beginning on the Day of Pentecost. Ten days before, on the day of His ascen sion, the Lord had promised: "Ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence” (Acts 1:5). This was fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost. “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have PAGE NINE
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