SIMPLE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST

SIMPLE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST

1. Does the Old Testament teach that our Lord will return from heaven in judgment?

"Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad . . . before the Lord: FOR HE COMETH, for He cometh

to judge the earth: He shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with His truth"—Psa. 96: 11-13.

(Ps.. 98:5-9, Isa. 40:9-11, Dan. 7:13-14, Zech. 14:3-46)

2. Did Christ Himself teach that He would come again?

"And 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.

(Matt. 18:27, 26:83-64, Mark 2:32, Luke 21:27, Rev. 8:11)

3. Do the New Testament writers teach that Christ will come again from heaven?

"For our citizenship is in heaven; whence also we wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ"—Phil. 3:20 ARV

(Col. 3:4, Jas. 5:7, 1 Pet. 5:4, 1 John 3:2, Jude 14)

4. What did the angels declare about the second coming of Christ?

"This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, SHALL SO COME IN LIKE MANNER as ye have seen Him go into heaven"—Acts 1:11.

5. How will Christ come at His second coming?

"And then shall they see the Son of Man coming in the clouds WITH GREAT POWER AND GLORY" ­Mark 13:26.

(Rev. 1:7, Matt. 25:31, 24:27; Contrast His first coming, Isa. 53:1-7)

6. Does anyone know the time of Christ's second coming?

"But of that day and hour KNOWETH NO MAN, no, not the angels of heaven, but My Father only"—Matt. 24:36.

(Mark 13:32, Luke 12:40, Acts 1:7)

7. Should we look for Christ's coming at any moment?

"WATCH YE THEREFORE: for ye know not when the Master of the house cometh, at even, or at mid­night, or at the cock-crowing, or in the morning . . . And what I say unto you I say unto all, WATCH"—Mark 13:35, 37.

(Matt. 24:42.51, Phil. 3:20, 1 Thess. 1:10, Tit. 2:12-13)

8. Will there be any signs which show that our Lord's coming is near at hand?

"And THERE SHALL BE SIGNS . . . And then shall they see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory"—Luke 21:25, 27.

(Dan. 12:4, Matt. 24:24, Luke 17:28-30, 21: 24.27, 1 Tim. 4:1-3, 2 Tim. 3:1-6, Jas. 5:1-7, 2 Pet. 3:1.4)

9. What will happen to Christ's people as He descends from heaven? "For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall BE CAUGHT up together with them in the clouds, TO MEET THE LORD IN THE AIR; and so shall we EVER BE WITH THE LORD"-1 Thess. 4:16-17.

(John 14:2-3)

10. Will any true Christians be left be­hind on earth?

"WE SHALL ALL BE CHANGED, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump; for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed"-1 Cor. 15:51-52.

(The above words were written to "all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord," 1 Cor. 1:1-2)

11. What judgments will fall upon the world after Christ's people are taken up?

"Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indig­nation be overpast. For, behold, the Lord cometh out of His place TO PUNISH THE INHABITANTS OF THE EARTH FOR THEIR INIQ­UITY; the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain"—Isa. 26:20-21.

(Isa. 2:12-21, 24:1-6, 17-21, Matt. 24:21-22, Rev. 6:12-17. All the great Judgments of Rev­elation, chapters 6 to 18, belong to this period of about seven years)

12. How will Christ come down to earth with His people after these terri­ble judgments?

"And I saw heaven opened, and be­hold a white horse; and He that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He doth judge and make war . . . And THE ARMIES WHICH WERE IN HEAVEN FOLLOWED HIM upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean"—Rev. 19:11, 14.

(Col. 3:4, 1 Thess. 3:13, 2 Thess. 1:7-10)

13. What kind of a Kingdom will be given to our Lord when He comes to earth with His people?

"And, behold, one like the Son of Man came with the clouds of heaven, . . . And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and lan­guages, should serve Him: His do­minion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom that which shall not be destroyed"—Dan. 7:13-14.

(Dan. 7:27)

14. Since our Lord may come for us at any moment, how should we live?

"We should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking for that Blessed Hope, and the glorious appearing of the Great God and our Savior Jesus Christ"—Tit. 2:12-13.

15. What shall be the reward for all who love Christ's coming?

"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 Tim. 4:8.

16. If we really watch and hope for Christ's coming, how will our lives be made better?

"And every man that hath this hope in Him PURIFIETH himself, even as He is pure"-1 John 3:3.