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The Church and Christ Second Coming
Stats: 3,591 words / Reading Time: 17.96 mins

Published: Friday, 11th June 2021

By: Obayomi Abiola Benjamin

The Church and Christ Second Coming is read 3.0K times on CentreNDL.org 3.0K
  

THE CHURCH AND CHRIST SECOND COMING

Discover What You Must Know at Such a Time as This


Listen To Podcast: The Church And Christ Second Coming

In this piece, we are going to be meditating together in the word of God on one area that we don’t often talk about in the body of Christ. Although we talk about it, but not as often as we talk about other matters that we talk about. And the reason we don’t often talk about it is simple: it is either we are no longer expectant or we are simply tired of waiting. Something definitely is responsible for it. Some will even say: since my great grandfather had been born, they have been saying “Christ will come again and up till now, He has not come. How long are we continue to wait?” That is why the Bible says that in the latter days, the love of many shall wax cold (Matthew 24:12), the Bible also said somewhere that many shall depart from the faith (1 Timothy 4:1), but we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul (Hebrews 10:39).

So, we are going to be meditating together on what has been titled: The Church and Christ Second Coming. And our text shall be taken from the book of 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. The Bible says: But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep…” The Biblical way to say a believer is dead is: they are asleep because literally, the believers’ spirit doesn’t die. If you check the dictionary meaning of the word ‘dead/death’ and ‘asleep’, you will discover that they absolutely connote two different things. To be dead simply means: to no longer have life or living. Death also means: the end of life or the ending of a particular person’s life. The word ‘asleep’ means: to take the posture of sleeping. That means there is still life in such a person, however, at the moment, the person is sleeping.

So, apostle Paul wrote to the people of Thessalonica by saying: But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. Maybe at the time, the Thessalonians were wondering and asking about what the fate of those who had died before Christ second coming would be at the end of the day. Why did he say we should not behave like people without hope? He gave us the answer in 2 Corinthians 5:1-9. The Bible says:

For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven, 3 if indeed, having been clothed, we shall not be found naked. 4 For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life. 5 Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee [A guarantee of what? A guarantee of eternal presence with God when we are absent from this body]. 6 So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord. 7 For we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. 9 Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him.

So, that tells us that a believer who is asleep in this physical realm is present with the Lord. Even though we can no longer see them in the flesh because their tents [what houses their spirit] has been destroyed, however their spirit is present with the Lord.

Let us go back to our text and read further from verse 14: For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.” That means as many people who have died in Christ Jesus are not dead in vain. 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus, we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.”

 

The Difference Between ‘Rapture’ and Christ Second Coming

Now, many believers tend to confuse rapture to mean the second coming of Christ. However, the two events are not the same. The rapture talks about a time when Christ appears in the cloud after the sound of the trumpet to take to be with him every believer that is still on this earth, and resurrects all of those who have died in Christ and takes them to heaven with him before the great tribulation. 1 Thessalonians 4:17 says: Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus, we shall always be with the Lord. Notice it says: we shall be caught up to meet them in the cloud, meaning that Christ will not set foot on the earth.

Apart from this writing to the Thessalonians, Paul also wrote to the Corinthians concerning the event of rapture in 1 Corinthians 15:51-54. The Bible says:

Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on in-corruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible has put on in-corruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”

 

Why The Rapture?

The rapture would occur before the time of great tribulation. The great tribulation talks about: the period of time when God would pour out His wrath upon the children of disobedience and those who did not come to terms with the sacrifices that Christ made on the cross. Sometimes we ask ourselves: would the evil and wickedness that has continued to go unabated continue? Would there not be an end to this wickedness of the children of men? Of course, there would be an end to this wickedness. By the time the rapture takes place, that means God’s wait is over and what follows would be the great tribulation.

But before this time, God would have endured that the unbelievers repent and come to terms with Christ’s finished works on the cross. But when the wait is over, the rapture would take place before this tribulation. Revelation 3:10, 1 Thessalonians 5:9-10 and Romans 9:22-24. The Bible says:

Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.

For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.

What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, 23 and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory, 24 even us whom He called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?

 

What Happens During This Great Tribulation?

The Antichrist would be fully revealed. Although the antichrist is already in the world, the reason he has not been revealed is because the believers are still here on earth. There is nothing the antichrist can do right now because the church is still active and increasing to the glory of God. But the moment the rapture takes place, the antichrist will now be revealed. In 2 Thessalonians 2:1-8, the Bible says:

Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, 2 not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. 3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. 5 Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? 6 And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way.

 

Christ Second Coming!

Christ Second Coming would mark the end of the great tribulation and put an end finally to the activities of the antichrist. At this time, Christ would appear physically on the earth alongside with the saints to establish His kingdom. At this time, the second part of the prophecy of prophet Isaiah would be fulfilled: And the government will be upon His shoulder (Isaiah 9:6) and Christ would set foot on the earth once again. In Zechariah 14:4, he prophesied where Christ would descend:

And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives,
Which faces Jerusalem on the east.
And the Mount of Olives shall be split in two,
From east to west,
Making a very large valley;
Half of the mountain shall move toward the north
And half of it toward the south.

So, Christ Second coming would be a physical coming to the earth and it is different from the rapture.

 

How the Church should Get ready for Christ’s Second Coming?

#1. We must stay ready all the time. Why is it important that we stay ready? Because the Bible says no one knows the hour or the day that the trumpet would sound. Assuming the father had revealed that secret to us, I believe many of us would have postponed the day of our salvation to sometimes in the future and be enjoying the largesse that this world has to offer. Matthew 24:36-39 says:

“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. 37 But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 38 For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, 39 and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.

#2. We must remain Spotless. Why is it important that we stay spotless? Because everything in this world has been designed to make believers lose their faith in Christ. And if care is not taken, you are drifting into the world and you are not even aware. The Bible says Christ is coming for a church without spot nor wrinkle. Ephesians 5:25-27

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, 26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, 27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.

#3. Let us be sober and encourage one another! 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 says:

But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. 2 For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. 3 For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. 4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. 5 You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. 6 Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. 8 But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. 9 For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him. 11 Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.

I believe you have been blessed!


Thanks for the gift of your time, We are Obayomi Abiola Benjamin and Lara Gboyega Adedeji!

Feel free to share your thoughts or testimony in the comment box below. I promise to respond to them as soon as possible!

Word of Confession: (Optional)

Lord Jesus, I confess to you that I have sinned against the LORD God - in the rebellion of my heart, I have disappointed your expectations on my life. I have fallen from Your grace and followed wrong influences around me. Today, I retrace my steps back to you - and I ask that in your mercy you accept me as your son and give to me (again) the promise of the Father - the Holy Spirit. Lord Jesus, please, come and make my heart your home, and from there rule in the affairs of all men. In Jesus Name I have prayed.






Tags:     

Body of Christ Christ Second Coming Rapture Great Tribulation Death SleepJune


The true identity of the church is Spiritual, you must become one with Him in order to connect with your true identity. So, you don’t become part of the church by registration, you become part of the church by being born of God. And if you are born of God, you will be led by God.


Published: Apeh Francis Abah | Friday 10th February 2023


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The true identity of the church is Spiritual, you must
  The true identity of the church is Spiritual, you must
  The true identity of the church is Spiritual, you must
  The true identity of the church is Spiritual, you must
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Obayomi Abiola Benjamin


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I am Abiola Benjamin Obayomi, a disciple of Jesus Christ, with a drive to mentor young believers into spiritual maturity. I am a student of God's word and a teacher as well, with passion in the areas of relationship & spiritual development. I am a worshipper, an ardent lover and follower of the Lord Christ.


Lara Gboyega Adedeji


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I am a Spiritual Identity Mentor. I speak and write about my convictions. I serve as the Executive Director of Flickers of Hope Foundation, Abuja-Nigeria!



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