Still, whether writing to an assembly or to an individual saint, with the apostle it is the great practical truth. In fact, it is just as opposite to modern thoughts of men as possible. With men, the appearing of Christ is the least practical – their most distant thought. With the apostle, it is the great practical truth – the ever-present theme of hope. He says to his son Timothy, after telling him of the sad departure and iniquity of the professing church in the last days, his concern for him was, “That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ,” (1 Tim. 6:14-16). And again, though misjudged and forsaken, and fully aware of the terrible character of these last days, yet what was the stay of his heart – “Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that clay: and not unto me only, but unto all them that love His appearing” (2 Tim. 4:8).
And again, writing to Titus, he says, “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men.” Ah! this is very precious. God does not expect to find anything, except sin and misery, in a poor sinner. But grace bringeth.
Christ has died. Salvation is all of grace: that gives all and asks for nothing. Then the effect of this grace is to teach us holiness of life in every way, “Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13). Men now look for death: and so “it is appointed unto men once to die and after death the judgment.” But how blessed the contrast, “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” (Heb. 9:27-28). Have you, my reader, this unspeakable consolation, that Christ has once borne your sins on the cross, and consequently, that He having borne the full judgment due to you once, there can be no more condemnation to you? And that He has made full atonement is proved, in that God hath raised Him from the dead. Then you are justified in Him, the risen Christ, from all things; yea, so justified that God says He will remember your sins and iniquities no more. Then how can you be judged for your sins again! Impossible, unless Christ has died in vain. O, what blessed, settled ‘peace this gives to the long-perplexed soul!
But you ask, Shall we not all stand before the judgment-seat of Christ? We shall do so. Yes, it is most happy for us who lived in a world where the nearer a man lives to God the more is he misjudged and hated. Yes, I say, it is most blessed that we shall soon stand before the Beemah or seat of Him who will reward every man according to his works. Yes, while the whole question of sin, and judgment due to sin, has been eternally settled by the blood of the Lamb, yet He who gave His blood for us, has promised that the gift of a cup of cold water shall not lose its reward. ‘To them that look for Him shall He appear the second time, without sin” – no question of sin then, but – “unto salvation.” What encouragement to confidence and patience this gives. “For yet a little while and He that shall come will come and will not tarry” (Heb. 10:37).
Indeed nothing gives the soul more quiet patience, in the midst of sore trial and temptation, than this blessed hope, “Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Be ye also patient; stablish your heart; for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh” (James 5:7-8). “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise, and honor, and glory, at the appearing of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:7). “Wherefore, gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:13). “And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away” (1 Peter 5:4).
Now, is it not strange that, with Scripture so full of this precious subject, men should say it is a dark, mysterions, bewildering subject and that those do well who never look into it? What God says is this, “We have a more sure word of prophecy, whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts.” Men would say our reasoning on the future is light. God says it is all darkness. Men say prophecy is all darkness. God says it is a light. But alas! men will even go so far as to say, “Where is the promise of His coming?” (2 Peter 3:1-15). In this chapter we have a glorious view of the whole future in a general way, right onward to the creation of new heavens and a new earth – more in reference to the world than the church.
One thing is very manifest in all these words of the Spirit of God – the coming of the Lord is not looked at as a mere doctrine. It is either a blessed hope – that is, Jesus Himself is presented as the object of the heart’s utmost desire; or a terrible fact, fast approaching to a doomed world. Of the former, we have a sweet example in the next words before us, “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). Ah! it is not he that believeth this doctrine – our precious Lord claims the heart. O! is this the one desire and hope of my reader’s heart to be like Him, to see Him as He is? Then sure it is sweet “to abide in Him; that, when He shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before Him at His coming” (1 John 2:28). Surely nothing can have a more purifying effect upon the believer, than his constant looking, longing, desiring, the coming of his precious Lord.
And as to the fact of judgment on an ungodly world, even Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousand of His saints, to execute judgment upon all,” Jude 14). And how solemn are those words, “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” (Rev. 1:2).
(Continued from page 223).
(To be continued).