Christian Hope

The Christian's "blessed hope" is referred to in Titus 2:13: it is the imminent, personal and, I believe, pre-Millenial return of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. The ord “hope” in the New Testament does not imply uncertainty, as when we say, “I hope so!” The Greek word means “a joyful and confident expectation”, and this hope is joyful and confident because it is based upon the promise of our Lord Himself, John 14:3. All the signs of the times point to the fact that the coming of the Lord is imminent; the scriptures very clearly predict that His coming will be pre-Millennial, that is, that He must come before there can be any Millenium.

This is a thrilling subject, yet sadly enough there are many Christians who, through ignorance of the scriptures or prejudice or some other reason, are not expecting and looking for the return of the Lord. Let us consider some reasons why every Christian should be familiar with, and should rejoice in, the “blessed hope” of the coming again of our Lord Jesus Christ.

1. First, because this subject so intimately concerns the Lord Jesus Himself.

It is most important to beware of the danger of becoming more occupied with the event than with the Person who is coming. Scattered throughout the Word of God there are scores of thrilling details concerning the time, manner and place of His return, but the most thrilling aspect of this whole subject is that HE is coming, our Lord Jesus Himself! Three N.T. scriptures especially emphasize that it is our Lord Himself who is coming:

(1) The Saviour's Declaration, John 14:2, “I . . .”

(2) The Angel's Confirmation, Acts 1:9-11, “This same Jesus…”

(3) The Apostle's Testimony, 1 Thess. 4:16-18, “the Lord Himself…”

Yes, the Lord Himself is coming, and therefore we as His followers should not only be familiar with this fact but we should also be on the lookout for Him.

2. Second, because this subject so definitely relates to every believer.

Think of it this way: Every Christian is going to Heaven, but how are we to get there? The “spirits” of the “dead in Christ” are, of course, already with Christ, “which is far better”, Phil. 1:23; but we are not going to spend eternity as disembodied spirits, 2 Cor. 5:3; one day we shall have a new body like His own. But how and when will this take place? The answer is, at His coming again! 1 Thess. 4:16-17 makes it clear that the resurrection of “the dead in Christ” and the transformation and translation of all living believers depends upon and awaits the Second Advent. This subject definitely and intimately relates to every believer!

3. Third, because this subject so completely dominates biblical revelation.

Do you realize what a large proportion of the prophecies of the Old Testament are taken up with the final triumph of Christ and of His reign? They were not fulfilled at His first advent, when He came as a babe in weakness and when He suffered and died for us; they await fulfillment at His second advent. Also, there are many more prophecies in the Old Testament relating to the Second Coming of Christ than there are relating to His first coming. How true it is, then, to say that the subject of the second coming of Christ dominates biblical revelation! If we acknowledge the authority of the Bible we must be convinced about the glorious fact of His return, and when we come to the New Testament, we find, as one great Bible teacher has stated, that the Second Advent is mentioned 318 times, or approximately once in every twenty-five verses!

4. Fourth, because this subject powerfully affects Christian character and conduct.

If we really believe that the Lord Jesus is coming again we shall be different in what we are and what we do. There is no greater incentive to holy living than to be convinced that at any moment the Lord Jesus may return. Those who hold the doctrine of the Second Advent find their belief to be:

(1) An incentive to PURITY, 1 John 3:2-3.

(2) An incentive to SEPARATION, Tit. 2:11-14.

(3) An incentive to PATIENCE, James 1:3-4.

(4) An incentive to CHARITY, 1 Cor. 4:5.

(5) An incentive to ABIDING, 1 John 2:28.

How much more carefully we would live, and how faithfully we would labor, if we lived and labored in the light of His coming!

5. Fifth, because this subject so radically influences Christian service.

Some have said that to believe in the Second Coming of Christ would take away the zest for service and would, in fact, kill evangelistic endeavor, but the truth of the Second Coming of Christ spurs us on to faithfulness and colors all our service with a deep sense of urgency; and, moreover, it safeguards us against a wrong objective in Christian service. If we do not believe Christ is coming, or if we believe His coming is post-Millennial, our objective will be the conversion of the world, which is not God's plan at all in this Dispensation. But if, on the other hand, we believe Christ is coming soon we shall pray and work for the evangelization of the world and the completion of the church, Acts 15:14-18, which is God's plan for this Dispensation.

6. Sixth, because this subject so obviously relates to worldwide happenings.

The only solution to the problems and perplexities of our collapsing civilization is the coming again of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. No man, politician, government or scientist can solve the present situation, but God has a solution. His Man, “the man Christ Jesus”, will step down from the throne of Glory before long and will set up His reign and rule of righteousness, and all the signs of the times, religious, political, industrial, commercial...point to the fact that His coming is very near.

7. Seventh, because this subject so perfectly cures the troubled heart.

It is very significant that our Lord's promise to come again is set within the context of His promise of Heaven and of His desire that His own should have untroubled hearts, John 14:1-3. How we need to understand and apply this cure for troubled hearts! Many of us are anxious, fearful and are often lonely and sad. Is there any more comforting truth than His assured and near return? Look up 1 Thess. 4:18.

The “blessed hope” of the Christian is the imminent,personal and pre-Millenial return of our Lord Jesus Christ. To each one of us who loves Him He says, “Surely I come quickly”, to which our hearts respond, “Even so, come, Lord Jesus!”, Rev. 22:20.