STUDY No. 44 - THE PARADOXES OF HIS COMING

A suggested prayer:
Help me now Lord to study to show myself approved unto Thee.
Help me to hold fast the faithful word where it is clear and fundamental.
Help me to show charity where it is not so clear - and I could cause unnecessary divisions. Help me, Lord to remember there are more these days who sow discord than those who seek to build up others in Thy truth, Amen.

We come now to study aspects of the Second Coming of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
The key words to consider are:

COMING 
TRIBULATION
JUDGEMENTS
MILLENNIUM
SIGNS
ETERNITY
There are not only diverse opinions as to what each of these involves, but different opinions as to the order in which some take place.

The dictionary defines a paradox as a situation or action exhibiting inexplicable or contradictory aspects.

Try answering questions such as these from the scriptures listed below:

In a similar way, compare these scriptures:
 
 Revelation 22:16
with
  Malachi 4:2
 1 Corinthians 15:52
with
  Revelation 1:7
 2 Timothy 3:1-9
with
  Matthew 24
1 Thessalonians 1:10
with
  2 Thessalonians 2:2, 3

You will have noticed the paradoxes such as:

 He comes visibly  He comes as a thief
 After certain signs  Unexpectedly
 Comes for His saints  Comes with His saints
 Comes to judge  Comes to reign

Some have emphasised a double coming of Christ, rather than a call for Christ and a single coming. This has led many to confusion, and controversy between those who look for His call and those who look for His coming or appearing.

Those who have studied the subject for 30 or 40 years, carefully comparing scripture with scripture, tend to see it more clearly. We find however that there are others who have studied it for 30 or 40 years and see it as clearly but different in details.

BEHOLD I SHOW YOU A MYSTERY

It is because of these inexplicable and apparent contradictory aspects that some believe what amounts to a double coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Taking 1 Corinthians 15:51 as if Paul is explaining these contradictions, Vine, a respected Greek scholar, defines the word 'mystery' not as mysterious but as by 'divine revelation' (Colossians. 1:26).

He comes to the AIR to call away His Church.
This is commonly known as the RAPTURE

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
2 Thessalonians 2:1
1 Corinthians 15:51, 52
He comes to the EARTH to set up His Kingdom.
This is called by some the REVELATION
1 Corinthians 1:7
2 Thessalonians 1:7-9
Matthew 24:30
PREDICTED EFFECTS
What happens to the Christians who have died in Christ? - 1 Corinthians 15:44, 51-53
What happens to the Christians who are alive?  -  l Thessalonians 4:16, 17

PRESENT EFFECTS
The apparent confusion concerning the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ should not cause us to ignore this important doctrine. It should motivate us to holiness of living and zeal in service for the Lord.

1 John 2:28 -  What sort of people should we be?

1 Thessalonians 4:13, 14, 18  -  What sort of comfort did Paul hold out?

2 Timothy 4:1, 2  -  What sort of activity did Paul encourage?

A WORD TO THE WISE

If you wish to become a faithful upholder of God's truth (and I hope you do), then stay among the great fundamentals of the Christian faith and avoid those secondary matters based upon isolated texts with disputed meanings.

The Second Coming of Jesus Christ is a major doctrine of course, but dogmatic assertions as to details are not necessary and inevitably lead to confusion and division among the Lord's people.

The various teachers of eschatology have been causing more division than they realise and I have reason to believe some of these could be displeasing the Lord. See Proverbs 6:14-19.

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