No. 2.
WE are writing specially for those to whom this truth is more or less unknown. For, strange as it may appear, though the Scriptures from one end to the other abound with references thereto, the teachers of Christendom have allowed it to drop out almost entirely from their testimony. So much is this the case that when allusion is made to the subject, the strangest misconceptions are found to exist as to what is implied by the words “the coming of the Lord.”
What it is not.
Some imagine that the words are to be taken as referring to death. Let this thought be banished from our readers’ minds. The Scriptures speak in numberless passages of the coming of the Lord, in the various aspects of this great event that will, God willing, pass under our notice in these pages. But in none of these is death the subject.
No, the coming of the Lord and death are two totally different things. True, they may either of them take place at any moment. Before the writer has time to lay down his pen, before the reader has time to turn over the page, death might overtake the one or the other. But besides this, before even death has time to overtake us, the coming of the Lord might take place; if saved, we should then be caught up into heaven without dying (1 Thess. 4); if unsaved, left behind for the awful judgment that will fall upon the living at the appearing of the Lord Jesus Christ in flaming fire (2 Thess. 1). But these two things, death and the coming of the Lord, are totally distinct, though either might take place at any moment.
Again, there are others who imagine that by the coming of the Lord is meant the end of the world. This is not so at all. After the Lord has come and taken His people home to glory, the world will continue its course, evil will increase and apostasy become complete. The Lord will then appear to execute judgment; after that will take place the millennial reign of Christ, so that the end of the world as it is now physically constituted cannot take place until more than a thousand years after the coming of the Lord for His people.
Every Christian ought to be waiting for Christ.
Many seem to think that the coming of the Lord is the special doctrine of only a few peculiar Christians. So far from this, we affirm that it is the bounden duty as well as the holy privilege of every Christian to be waiting for Christ. Three things are said about it in the Scriptures.
1. The coming of the Lord is a comforting hope to the child of God (1 Thess. 4:1818Wherefore comfort one another with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:18)). In a world where death is constantly at work the Christian’s circle is often broken; loved Christian friends are removed. But the sorrow that overwhelms the world when death rudely snaps the bond of human friendship should never take possession of the Christian’s heart, for he has the comforting hope that before he has time to lay the precious dust in the grave, the Lord may home, and in a moment saints whom death has parted for a time shall be reunited in eternal bliss.
2. The coming of the Lord is a blessed hope. In a scene where ungodliness and worldly lusts abound, where the Christian himself is called upon to be ever on the watch lest the spirit of that world overtake him and swamp him so far as his happiness, his usefulness, and his testimony are concerned; here where prayerful energy needs always to be in exercise that he might “live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world,” what encouragement is derived from that blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ! Soon the battle will be over, and we shall see Him “who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people” (or a people of His own possession), “zealous of good works” (Titus 2:11-1511For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; 13Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; 14Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. 15These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee. (Titus 2:11‑15)).
3.The coming of the Lord is a purifying hope. Believers are already the children of God. The world knows them not, for it knew not their Master. He was misunderstood, so are they; He was despised, so are they; He was hated, so oftentimes are they. Very far indeed is our measure of all this from His. But presently we shall be perfectly like Him. When He shall appear in glory we shall be like Him — perfectly like Him — for we shall see Him as He is. Having this hope then in Him, we purify ourselves, even as He is pure (1 John 3:1-41Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. 2Beloved, 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. 3And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. 4Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. (1 John 3:1‑4)).
The coming of the Lord is a comforting hope, a blessed hope, and a purifying hope. Every Christian, then, ought to be waiting for Christ.