THE TWO-PART SECOND COMING OF CHRIST

Christ's First Advent on Earth

Jesus has already been here!  He came as the Messiah of Israel, only to be rejected by them (Jn. 1:11).  His Crucifixion:  He came and experienced death on our behalf (Rom. 5:8).  His Burial:  He was buried (1 Cor. 15:3).  His Resurrection:  God raised His Son from the grave (Acts 2:32).  His Ascension:  He was taken up to heaven in the clouds (Acts 1:9).

 

Christ Established His Church on Earth

While Jesus was here, He revealed the mystery that is the Church (Mt. 16:18; Eph. 5:32).  The Church, the Body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:27), was birthed on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-47).  Jesus revealed to His Church, that He would come again to receive us, both living and dead, up unto Himself (Jn. 14:1-3; 1 Th. 4:16-17), before the wrath of God is poured out over those who remain upon the earth (Rom. 5:9; 1 Th. 1:10; 5:9).  He has revealed to His Church that His return for them will be swift:

*   "Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent" (Rev. 2:5).
*   "Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth" (Rev. 2:16).
*   "Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown" (Rev. 3:11).
*   "Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book" (Rev. 22:7).
*   "And, behold, I come quickly; and My reward is with Me, to give every man according as his work shall be" (Rev. 22:12).
*   "He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly.  Amen.  Even so, come, Lord Jesus" (Rev. 22:20).

Christ's Second Advent on Earth

 

Then, following the removal of His Church, those who rejected Jesus as their Lord and Savior will experience the out-pouring of God's wrath.  Noah went up in the ark; Lot went up into the mountain; and the Church will go up into heaven, before God's wrath was and is poured out below!  For when Christ returns, He will come as Conqueror (Rev. 19:11-21).  God's wrath, meant to produce repentance (Rev. 9:20-21; 16:9-11; etc.), ends with Jesus establishing His 1000 year Kingdom (Rev. 20:1-6)!

 

 

These things encourage God's children; they terrify those who reject Him!