What does it mean to say, "Christ is coming soon"?

08/03/2019

“But concerning that day and hour, no one knows not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.” -Matthew 24:36. 

“Where is the promise of His coming?” they will ask. “Ever since the fathers fell asleep, everything continues as it has from the beginning of creation.” - 2 Peter 3:4.  So why then do I keep talking about Christ coming soon? 

Soon: “in or after a short time.” Jesus’ ascension into heaven marked the beginning of the end, and we now await the end of the end. This period is considered soon because it is according to God’s timing (“a day is like a thousand years and a thousand years like a day to the Lord” - Read Psalm 90:4, 2 Peter 3:8) and not ours. God’s concept of time and his execution of it is beyond our concepts of time and our experience of it. God sees the whole timeline because he created it, stands outside of it and is not constrained by it. The second coming is already underway which is why these times mark the last days. This is why there is urgency! There’s an end to the very end and that could happen any time from now. It is, for this reason, we are reminded constantly (in the word, through the gospel of Christ, by His Spirit) to be ready and prepared as though the return of the Lord would be today. We are to live each day in expectancy! 

Why does God wait? God is not slack concerning His promises as some people think. We are reminded in 2 Peter 3:9 that God is longsuffering (tolerant, patient, forbearing) towards us because He doesn’t want anyone to perish (spiritual death which is eternal and permanent) but instead wants all to come into repentance (sincere regret of one’s wrongdoing against the Creator’s standard and a change as a result) and the truth of salvation (redemption from the very-deserved consequences of our wrongdoing; protection in Christ from the consequences of our past lawlessness). Simply put, God wants all to just run into Him for shelter! Doing otherwise asserts that one can save themselves of which we know is impossible. Only faith and obedience in Christ saves us. God is giving us the time now to come to know him in absolute sincerity and reverence! 

Even so, if Christ doesn’t return in our lifetime, we will die and meet him for judgment. Are you prepared to meet your maker? What would you do in the face of absolute goodness, frightening yet perfect justice? What could you possibly do then when you realize you cannot escape the terror for which the gift of salvation through belief in Christ was intended to save you from? What would you do in His sight when all your sins play before you because you never learned to stop sinning? Because you didn't learn to love Him? But you can do something while it is still today!

So what do we do now? Unbelievers are encouraged to learn more about Christ which will allow one to see their need for Christ, and thus,  believe in Christ. Some of the first steps include turning away from what you know/have learned/practice--turning away from sin and realizing that Christianity (following Christ) is not just a religion or mere philosophy. It is a transformative and complete identity. It is a history of our universe as we know it in science; a deeper understanding of the very being and force that governs and informs our physical laws. It is the history of creation and people -- a personal relationship with the mastermind and architect of life, time, matter, space, morality and law, sexuality, logic, etc. It is the lifestyle of advocates and activists who operate in the perfect righteousness and justice of God instead of the biased, prejudiced, and perverted morality mere people adopt. It is the absolute and unadulterated truth. It is the foundation for society as it should be: a strengthened family structure, love and respect for one another through admonishing against corrupt and selfish practices and applauding uplifting behaviors, and above all it is obedience to, deep love and reverence for God by which all people would be united on all fronts. From the big to the small, on all levels, God is in everything and we have such a privilege to know him personally--to be friends with absolute truth and perfection! Pursuing God through Christ is our very being and life! It is the culmination of all truth; knowledge of good and evil, divine and mortal, heaven and earth, people and God! Unity for ALL people - in Christ! And those who search for this will find it!

All believers must share the good news of redemption and unity, are to live in expectancy, to serve others with the gifts and talents we’ve been given. We must endure and occupy till Christ returns and we must work tirelessly to point people towards absolute truth! We must be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. We should live in Christ’s love by encouraging people and correcting them when they err in the universal laws of righteousness given by God. We also must be mindful of our conduct and take heed to correction from our fellow brothers and sisters in the faith. We must continue in our responsibilities here on earth, working as for God and not for people. We must be about the Father's business (especially of redemption and intercession). We must abide in Christ always and Him in us. For apart from him we can do nothing!

Ultimately, we don’t get a do-over after death or after the return of Christ. The gift of salvation in Christ is marvelous! It is the only way to come into all knowledge of God! To be given such an undeserved gift that connects us to our Creator, that makes provision for us in this temporal life and our eternal one, and teaches us what the actual truth of our reality is! What a privilege! It is silly to deny this gift and then complain about the consequences of rejecting the gift.

Be Steadfast

"But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; " - 2 Peter 3:10-14

“Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into.  “Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” -Matthew 24:42-44. 

Stay awake!