PRACTICAL VALUE OF THE DOCTRINE OF THE SECOND COMING
- We live in a pragmatic age. - The question is - Does it work?
- Eschatology criticized as impractical. - It is just our everyday philosophy projected into larger lines
- Doctrine of second coming perhaps most practical truth in Bible.
2 Thess. 2:1 -- good text on this point. "Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,"
This verse is looking forward to the day of the Lord at the consummation of the present age to the parousia or the presence of Christ and especially to the apocalypse aspect of it in which the Man of Sin having also been revealed should be slain. Here he speaks of the parousia or the gathering together to Him.
- MOTIVE FOR CHRISTIAN WORSHIP
Heb. 10:25 Church attendance - so much the more as ye see the day approaching. "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching."
1 Cor. 11:26 "Ye do show the Lord's death till he come."
Mark 13:33 "Watch and pray, for ye know not when the time is."
- MOTIVE FOR CHRISTIAN HOLINESS
Col. 3:4-5 "When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry."
Phil. 3:18-21 Separation from earthly walk. "(For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.) For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself."
Titus 2:12-13 Righteous and godly living. "Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, 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."
1 John 3:2-3 Purity of life. "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 purifies himself, even as he is pure."
2 Peter 3:11-12 Holy living. "Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?"
- MOTIVE FOR CHRISTIAN DUTY
1 Thess. 3:12-13 - Mutual love "And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you: To the end he may establish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints."
1 Cor. 4:4-5 -Keep us from judging one another. "For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judges me is the Lord. Therefore 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 Cor. 6:1-2 - Disputes should not be taken before pagan courts. "Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints? Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?"
Luke 21:34 - Not to be engrossed with the cares of this life. "And the cares of this life . . . so that day come upon you unawares."
1 Pet. 1:13 - Sober and thoughtful. "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."
Rev. 22:7 - Keeping the word of God. "Behold I come quickly: Blessed is he that keeps the sayings."
Luke 9:26 - Not to be ashamed of the Lord. "Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the son of man be ashamed."
Rev. 22:12 - Careful about our works. "Behold, I come quickly, and my reward is with me to reward every man according to his works."
2 Pet. 3:14 - Be at peace. "Seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that . . . ye be found in peace."
- MOTIVE FOR CHRISTIAN MINISTRY
2 Tim. 4:1-3 - Preach and teach the word. "I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears."
1 Thess. 2:19 - Winning souls "For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?"
Acts 15:14-17 - Greater missionary effort "Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name. And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written, After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up: That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things."
1 Pet. 5:2-4 - Stimulation of Pastoral fidelity "Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fades not away."
2 Tim. 4:7-8 - Keeping the faith "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth 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."
1 Cor. 15:50-58 - Labor is not in vain "Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but 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. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord."
- MOTIVE FOR CHRISTIAN ENDURANCE
1 John 2:28 - Abide in Christ "And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming."
Rev. 3:11 - Holding fast "Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown."
1 Pet. 1:6-7 - Enduring temptation "Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perishes, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ."
James 5:7-8 - Patience under persecution "Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient; establish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draws nigh."
1 Pet. 4:13 - Rejoicing in suffering "But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy."
John 14:1- - Guard us against fear "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me."
Phil. 4:5-6 - Keep us from too much worry. "Lord is at hand" - may mean the Lord is always at our right hand.
- PROVIDES FOR CHRISTIAN CONSOLATION
Luke 21:25-28 Encouragement in the hour of distress. "And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draws nigh."
Romans 8:22-24 Strength in the hour of weakness. "For we know that the whole creation groans and travails in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?"
1 Cor. 15:51 Hope in the hour of death. "Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed."
1 Thess. 4:18 Consolation in the hour of bereavement. "Wherefore comfort one another with these words."
No comments:
Post a Comment