What's This Idea about a Second Coming of Christ?
6/13/24
That's a very good question. But let's try to clarify it a little bit. Why would we ask a question about Jesus returning again? After all, he came once to teach, heal, and say he was giving eternal life and forgiveness to all who believe. So why would he return again? It seems unnecessary.
In fact, a lot of things Jesus does seem a little unusual, so that shouldn't bother us too much. He is the one who is the Lord of all, so he can do it the way it pleases him. He calls the shots. If he wants to return again, he can do that.
The comment in the first paragraph is entirely correct, but maybe not complete. We have eternal life and forgiveness by believing that Jesus is the loving and forgiving Lord. However, there may be something else that he plans to accomplish. Again, he's the one who gets to define how it all works.
Many places in the Bible describe a time when the Messiah comes to restore all things and usher in the very end. Sin and evil will be put to an end. This hasn't happened yet, but the New Testament describes a return of Jesus to usher in his final judgment. That's when sin is completely destroyed forever. Maybe we can compare this to a flood which comes to your neighborhood. It's messy and destructive. Yet when it passes, it's over, right? Actually, it's not over just because the flood waters have gone down. There's a whole lot more to be done. When Jesus came the first time, he made the flood waters of sin go down. He then promised to work with his people, enabling them to carry on until the end of the age. At some time he's going to return so as to put all the final things into order, better than it was before the flood.
A lot of people are afraid of the coming of Christ. But it's not something a Christian should fear. Teachings which would plant such a fear always have some sort of a chronological problem. We can explore that some other time. It's an intricate bit of theology. For now, don't worry about when Jesus might come. Instead, look eagerly to his return with the living hope that he will put everything in order and bring this world's sufferings to an end forever.
Where do we go to study this more? As I said, it's an intricate bit of theology, and that's partly because the concept is scattered throughout the entire Bible. The prophet Isaiah is used a lot in the New Testament to show Jesus' first coming. However, there are some elements of the work of the Messiah which remain unfinished. Some scholars call this "temporal folding." The things the prophets see may be all coming, but maybe not all at the same time or in the sequence the prophet described. However, looking especially at Isaiah chapters 11-12, 25-26, 35, 40-44, and 49-52 should be very helpful. In the New Testament, there's a fairly lengthy description of the end of time in Matthew chapters 24-25. Paul's first letter to the Thessalonians (1 Thessalonians) 4:13-5:11 is very helpful, as is the 15th chapter of his first letter to the Corinthians.
The end of the world is coming, and it's good news!
6/13/24
That's a very good question. But let's try to clarify it a little bit. Why would we ask a question about Jesus returning again? After all, he came once to teach, heal, and say he was giving eternal life and forgiveness to all who believe. So why would he return again? It seems unnecessary.
In fact, a lot of things Jesus does seem a little unusual, so that shouldn't bother us too much. He is the one who is the Lord of all, so he can do it the way it pleases him. He calls the shots. If he wants to return again, he can do that.
The comment in the first paragraph is entirely correct, but maybe not complete. We have eternal life and forgiveness by believing that Jesus is the loving and forgiving Lord. However, there may be something else that he plans to accomplish. Again, he's the one who gets to define how it all works.
Many places in the Bible describe a time when the Messiah comes to restore all things and usher in the very end. Sin and evil will be put to an end. This hasn't happened yet, but the New Testament describes a return of Jesus to usher in his final judgment. That's when sin is completely destroyed forever. Maybe we can compare this to a flood which comes to your neighborhood. It's messy and destructive. Yet when it passes, it's over, right? Actually, it's not over just because the flood waters have gone down. There's a whole lot more to be done. When Jesus came the first time, he made the flood waters of sin go down. He then promised to work with his people, enabling them to carry on until the end of the age. At some time he's going to return so as to put all the final things into order, better than it was before the flood.
A lot of people are afraid of the coming of Christ. But it's not something a Christian should fear. Teachings which would plant such a fear always have some sort of a chronological problem. We can explore that some other time. It's an intricate bit of theology. For now, don't worry about when Jesus might come. Instead, look eagerly to his return with the living hope that he will put everything in order and bring this world's sufferings to an end forever.
Where do we go to study this more? As I said, it's an intricate bit of theology, and that's partly because the concept is scattered throughout the entire Bible. The prophet Isaiah is used a lot in the New Testament to show Jesus' first coming. However, there are some elements of the work of the Messiah which remain unfinished. Some scholars call this "temporal folding." The things the prophets see may be all coming, but maybe not all at the same time or in the sequence the prophet described. However, looking especially at Isaiah chapters 11-12, 25-26, 35, 40-44, and 49-52 should be very helpful. In the New Testament, there's a fairly lengthy description of the end of time in Matthew chapters 24-25. Paul's first letter to the Thessalonians (1 Thessalonians) 4:13-5:11 is very helpful, as is the 15th chapter of his first letter to the Corinthians.
The end of the world is coming, and it's good news!
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