The Certainty of the Second Coming of Christ
How can we be sure that Christ is coming? What does the Bible say and what should we know today
Introduction
7 Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen.
8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”
His Imminent Return
11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, 13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,
8 Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.
44 Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
His Personal Return
He lays the beams of his chambers on the waters;
he makes the clouds his chariot;
he rides on the wings of the wind
He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” 9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”
His Absolute Return
“And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child
27 For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
An important implication of this teaching is that when Christ returns, there will be no further opportunity for salvation, since his coming involves the immediate resurrection and final judgment of all persons (Matt. 25:31–32; 1 Thess. 4:16). Those who rejected Jesus in this age will be forced to see how wrong they were as his sovereign glory is displayed to all.