What
wonderful promise did Jesus make concerning His Second Advent?
"Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe
in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it
were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And
if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive
you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." John
14:1-3.
What will
follow the signs of Christ's coming?
"And then shall they see the Son of man
coming in a cloud with power and great glory." Luke 21:27.
At His
ascension, how was Christ's return promised?
"And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up,
behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, 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 1:10,11.
With what
words does Paul express the blessed hope of Christ's Second Advent for His
people?
"Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the
great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ." Titus 2:13.
What does
Peter say about this awaited event?
"For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made
known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were
eyewitnesses of his majesty." 2 Peter 1:16.
When He
returns, will most of the inhabitants of earth be prepared to meet Him?
"And then shall appear the sign of the Son
of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn,
and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with
power and great glory." Matthew 24:30.
"Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they
also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail
because of him. Even so, Amen." Revelation 1:7.
Why will
many not be prepared for this important event?
"But and if that evil servant shall say in
his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; And shall begin to smite
his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; And shall begin
to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; And
shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites:
there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Matthew
24:48-51.
What will
the world be doing when Christ returns in the clouds of heaven for His
own?
"But as the days of Noe were, so shall also
the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the
flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage,
until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood
came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man
be." Matthew 24:37-39.
"Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; 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.
Who is it
that blinds men to the message about salvation through Jesus Christ?
"In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of
them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ,
who is the image of God, should shine unto them." 2 Corinthians 4:4.
How
important is it that we now prepare our lives to meet Christ when He
returns?
"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 appear, we shall be
like him; for we shall see him as he is." 1 John 3:2.
Will the
return of Christ be a time of reward?
"For the Son of man shall come in the glory
of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man
according to his works." Matthew 16:27.
"And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward
is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be." Revelation
22:12.
Who will
receive the promised salvation when Christ returns?
"So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto
them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin
unto salvation." Hebrews 9:28.
What
strong motivation should His return have on our lives right now?
"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 appear, we shall be like
him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope
in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure." 1 John 3:2,3.
To whom
are these crowns of life promised?
"For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure
is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have
kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of
righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that
day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his
appearing." 2 Timothy 4:6-8.
What will
the waiting ones say when Jesus comes the second time?
"And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have
waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for
him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation." Isaiah 25:9.
Has the
exact time of Christ's coming been revealed?
"But of that day and hour knoweth no
man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only." Matthew
24:36.
In view of
this fact, how does Christ tell us to prepare for that glorious event?
"Watch therefore: for ye know not what
hour your Lord doth come." Matthew 24:42.
What
warning has Christ given that we might not be taken by surprise when He
returns?
"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.
What
special attribute should the waiting ones develop?
"Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the
Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth,
and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.
Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the
Lord draweth nigh." James 5:7,8.
What has
been the attitude of too many Christians toward the Second Advent of
Christ?
The belief of the Christian Church in the second coming of Christ
appears in Christian literature from the origin of the so called Apostles'
Creed down through to very recent times.