Why His Coming Is Not a Comfort

 •  3 min. read  •  grade level: 6
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Many there are who seem to be disturbed, rather than comforted, by thoughts of the Lord's return. What accounts for this? Three things. A defective apprehension of what He accomplished at His first coming; confused ideas of His second coming; and friendship with the world that rejected Him.
1. Numbers who believe that Christ died for their sins, are perplexed about indwelling sin. Thinking they have to judge of their acceptance before God by what they see in themselves, they regard sin's presence as a serious defect in their fitness. But if this were so, no saint on earth would have fitness. To deny we have sin in us is to deceive ourselves (1 John 1:88If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. (1 John 1:8)). To deny the necessity for its condemnation is to belittle God's righteousness. But in Christ's death, indwelling sin has already had its deserved judgment.
GOD "hath made him to be sin for us" (2 Cor. 5:2121For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. (2 Corinthians 5:21)) and in Him "condemned sin in the flesh" (Rom. 8:33For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: (Romans 8:3)). Our acceptance does not consist in what we can make ourselves. God says what He has made us in Christ; and faith agrees with Him. GOD "hath made us accepted in the beloved" (Eph. 1:66To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. (Ephesians 1:6)). We can only admire what we find in Christ, and take sides with God in condemning the evil we find in ourselves. But it is only in the light of God's condemnation of sin that we can really read our deliverance; and only in what God finds in Christ we can rightly see our acceptance. "Ye are complete in HIM" (Col. 2:1010And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: (Colossians 2:10)). In our "changed" or resurrection bodies we shall have no indwelling sin. We shall have bodies like His; and there is no sin in Him! Sin's absence will mark us then; its presence, with its condemnation, now.
2. Some confound His coming to take His saints to heaven (John 14:33And 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 14:3)) with His appearing with His saints from heaven, to judge the world and reign in righteousness.
The very mention of saints coming out of heaven seems to amaze many. Yet how plainly it is spoken of in Scripture (Jude 14,1514And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, 15To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him. (Jude 14‑15) Col. 3:44When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. (Colossians 3:4); 1 John 3:22Beloved, 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); 1 Peter 5:44And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away. (1 Peter 5:4)). The Savior's work and merit are our only title for going in; but that which will materially affect our position in coming out is our work. We should bear both in mind. If I speak of only expecting a place just inside heaven, I cannot be thinking of His merits or how far inside they took Him. I must rather be taking some account of my own. If by way of excusing myself for some unscriptural course, I say, 'Oh, it will not be asked what I belong to,' I am forgetting what He will do before He brings us out again (2 Cor. 5:1010For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. (2 Corinthians 5:10)). At His judgment-seat our whole course, as believers, will be thoroughly gone into; and this in view of being manifested with Him in the eyes of the world. Each one will occupy his own position in the kingdom; and this will be awarded by "the righteous judge" for faithful service during His absence. (See Luke 19:11-1311And as they heard these things, he added and spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear. 12He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. 13And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come. (Luke 19:11‑13); 1 Cor. 3:8-15;4:58Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labor. 9For we are laborers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building. 10According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. 11For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 13Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. 14If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. 15If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. (1 Corinthians 3:8‑15)
5Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God. (1 Corinthians 4:5); 2 Tim. 4:7,87I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: 8Henceforth 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 4:7‑8); Rev. 19:8-108And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. 9And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God. 10And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. (Revelation 19:8‑10).)
FOR FITNESS TO GO IN, NO ACT OF SERVICE WILL COUNT. FOR REWARD, IN COMING OUT, EVERY ACT OF TRUE SERVICE WILL COUNT.
3. If His love has reached my heart, how could friendship with the world that hated and murdered Him be a fitting response to it? How could His coming be a comfort to one who is in close alliance with a world doing its best to get on merrily without Him?
If you have tasted His love, dear reader, be true to it. If you have not, be true to yourself, and come to Him. It is for your soul that the god of this world is bidding; and temporal gain his best price for it!
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