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The Second Coming of Jesus Christ and Related Events |
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By Jason Johnson, Youth Pastor Cynthiana First Church of God Cynthiana, Kentucky
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Introduction When I set out to write the first draft of this paper I found that there were several factors at play both in my mind and in my heart that helped to lead me to what I have written.
Probably the most influential of these factors was the knowledge that not every minister that is ordained in the church of God adheres to the same theological understanding of eschatology.
In general, I think that probably most church of God ministers believe in the primary doctrinal principals of eschatology as set down by the church of God, but I know that not all church of God ministers hold to every facet of the church of God’s stance on eschatology. If you had an opportunity to speak to those ministers on how they came to their particular viewpoint on end time theology, they would undoubtedly be able to provide you with a scriptural
basis for what they believe. For some, this can lead to the idea that end times theology is merely speculative and is dependent upon how one approaches it or chooses not to approach it.
The problem with this range of contrasting beliefs is that there is the potential for disunity and confusion within the body. I believe that this is why many people tend to avoid discussions that revolve around the topic of eschatology. Because more often than not these “discussions” are less about open theological dialogue between believers and look more like heated political debates than anything else.
While I do not agree with how many discussions on the doctrine of eschatology are approached, I do believe that God does give us eschatological truths through the revelation of His Word. I think that it is also important to point out that while we may have a general understanding of eschatological events we do not understand the full enormity of everything that God has planned for us. I believe that our understanding of eschatological things is really the foundation and framework on which the total structure of end times theology will be built. This reinforces the truth that it is only through the lens of scripture that we can gain an accurate understanding of the doctrine of the end times.
The Kingdom of God I believe that the Kingdom of God is an essential part of our overall under-standing of the end times. To under-stand the Kingdom of God is to understand a quintessential aspect of eschatological theology. The Kingdom of God is not only an essential part of end-times theology, but it is also part of our greater salvation narrative. The Kingdom is what has been promised to those who have believed in Him Who has saved us. This is not to say that the Kingdom of God is a physical geographical location, but rather the Kingdom of God should be thought of in terms of the spiritual. The Kingdom of God is more specifically wherever God dwells, which is why Jesus said, “The Kingdom of God does not come visibly, nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the Kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:20-21 NIV).
It must have been really confusing for the disciples as they sought to understand this spiritual kingdom that Jesus was talking about. Most of them probably thought, in common with the rest of their Jewish brethren, that when the Messiah came, He would establish an earthly kingdom. In time, they would come to understand that the Kingdom of God is not physical but spiritual, and because it is spiritual it is also eternal.
The Second Coming It is my belief that Christ will return one day to judge both the just and the unjust alike. I do not believe that there will be separate judgments for those who are redeemed and those who have not received salvation. Paul stresses this point in Acts 17:31 when he says, “For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead” (Acts 17:31NIV). I believe that because God is righteous and just, He will judge all of us by the same standard, and those who have repented and believed will be looked upon as joint heirs with Christ himself. Christ remains the only way by which we can escape the eternal judgment that is waiting for those who have not been redeemed.
Another important aspect of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ is that none of us knows when Christ will return. Not even Christ Himself knows when the time or hour will be; only God the Father knows for sure: “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father” (Matthew 24:36 NIV). I believe that Christ will return when we least expect Him to do so.
Paul likens that day to a thief in the night saying, “Now, brothers and sisters, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, ‘Peace and safety,’ destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape” (1 Thessalonians 5:1-3 NIV).
We see here and in other passages that there is earnestness that the author is trying to convey to his readers as to the closeness of Christ’s coming. This is important to recognize because it may happen any day, and many of us do not live our lives as though that day is at hand.
Our Place in the End Times Narrative I like to think of the end times as a narrative and we are players in that narrative. Sometimes we talk about eschatology as though we are somehow removed from it all. Or maybe we are just waiting for a signal that it is time to take our place in that narrative. I believe that in order to understand eschatology, it is essential to under-stand what role we play in it all. I also don’t believe that we have to wait for this narrative to start because I believe that it is already upon us. All you need to do is simply turn on the news and there you will witness firsthand the “labor pains” that Paul talks about in 1 Thessalonians 5:3. Civil unrest is commonplace in many parts of the world today, and a great deal of blood has been spilt in the name of religion.
As much as some don’t want to admit it, much of what Jesus speaks about in Matthew 24 has already begun to come to pass, “You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains” (Matthew 24:6-8 NIV). While it may be frightening to think that the end times are upon us, the reality is that we already know what the end of this narrative looks like. Only God knows how the details between here and then will ultimately play out.
The End of Time The Second Coming of Jesus Christ will bring the end of linear time as we know it. Linear time has its place in the world today because it marks the beginning and end of this mortal existence. When our mortal bodies die and we are given a new body we will have no need for linear time because our souls are immortal. It is at the end of the age that the world as we know it will be destroyed. Peter briefly explains this in 2 Peter 3:7 when he says, “By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the un-godly” (NIV). There are many who would speculate as to when these things will take place. Others assume that the end of time is still a long way off, so they live in such a way as to entertain the comforts of this world, and still God is patient with them. Peter warns against both of these types of mindsets when he says, “But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some under-stand slowness. Instead He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare” (2 Peter 3:8-10 NIV).
While we should not allow ourselves to be consumed by things concerning the end times, we should also not allow ourselves to become complacent in our faith. He will return as He has promised, but the question is, Will we be ready when He does?
The Harvest One thing that makes me upset is Christians who claim that we are in the last days yet they make no concerted effort to evangelize. If we are really in the last days, as some claim they believe, then why are we not out there trying to win as many people to Christ as we can before Christ comes back? I find it very ironic that every time I hear someone tell me they think that Christ’s coming is near, they seem content with “the harvest” as it currently is. If Christ’s second coming is so near, then as Christians we should not be comfortable with the number of people who still are not saved. As believers we need to be focused on what is in front of us. Many people get ahead of themselves and focus so much on future events that they neglect the needs of the present. There is so much more work that needs to be done before the Master returns, and I am sure that if some of us were asked what we have done with the “talents” entrusted to us, we would be hard pressed to give an answer.
Bibliography
Byrum, Russell R. Christian Theology: A Systematic Statement of Christian Doctrine for the Use of Theological Students. Anderson: Warner Press, Inc. 1982.
Holy Bible. New International Version. International Bible Society. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2005.
Smith, F. G. What the Bible Teaches: A Systematic Presentation of the Fundamental Principles of Biblical Truth. Anderson: Warner Press, 1945.
Smith, John W. V. I Will Build My Church: Biblical Insights on Distinguishing Doctrines of the Church of God. Anderson: Warner Press, Inc. 1985.
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Would you flee from sin and serve the Lord? --D.O. Teasley |