The Returning Jesus

Introduction

Do you live as though this world, as it is, is soon to pass away?

Whose judgment do you care and think most about everyday? Your spouse? Your boss? Your friends? Your accountant? Your favorite (or your least favorite) politicians?

It’s been a couple of months since the last time we were looking together at the Apostles’ Creed, and today we are considering the meaning and the biblical implications of the stanza which reads, “From there [i.e., from the right hand of God the Father Almighty] He [i.e., the risen Lord Jesus Christ] shall come to judge the living and the dead.”

This is one of the most profound and one of the most sobering affirmations of this early record and summary of Christian belief. I pray that the Lord will help us to believe it more meaningfully today, and I pray that the Lord will help us to live everyday like it could happen any minute.

Scripture Reading

Revelation 19:11–16 (ESV)

11 Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war.

12 His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. 13 He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God.

14 And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses.

15 From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty.

16 On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.

Main Idea: The risen Lord Jesus Christ shall physically come again to this world and pronounce His definitive and righteous judgement upon every person from all time and space.

Sermon

1. Christ Shall Physically Return

A. Christ’s first advent (Latin – adventus, “arrival”)

1. Revealed the mystery

a. So much of what Jesus did during His earthly ministry was in “fulfillment” of “what the Lord had spoken by the prophet” (Matt. 1:22)… to “fulfill all righteousness” (Matt. 3:15)… and so that “the Scriptures… might be fulfilled” (Matt. 26:56).

b. This is all in reference to the shadows, types, and prophecies of the OT, which were pointing toward the person and work of Christ… but these were not fully understood until Jesus actually came.

c. Therefore, the Apostles spoke of the gospel as the “mystery” of God that had become revealed by and through Jesus.

i. The gospel is a “revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages” (Rom. 16:25).

ii. The Apostles counted themselves as “stewards of the mysteries of God” (1 Cor. 4:1).

iii. Paul himself described the gospel as “the mystery of [God’s] will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time…” (Eph. 1:9-10).

d. When Jesus came the first time, He revealed the mystery of the gospel, which God had already promised and which He had been unfolding throughout the ages!

2. Inaugurated the kingdom

a. Jesus’s message from the beginning of His earthly ministry was, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matt. 4:17).

b. During His earthly ministry, Jesus sent out disciples to preach the same message, “The kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matt. 10:7).

c. And throughout the book of Acts the message remained the same:

i. In Samaria, Philip “preached the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ,” and those who believed “were baptized, both men and women” (Acts 8:12).

ii. In Ephesus, Paul “entered the synagogue and for three months spoke boldly, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God” (Acts 19:8).

iii. And, finally, in Rome, “From morning till evening he expounded to them, testifying to the kingdom of God and trying to convince them about Jesus both from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets” (Acts 28:23).

d. Just before Jesus ascended to the right hand of the Father, He said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me” (Matt. 28:18)… In other words, “I am the KING!”

i. Then He said, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations [Notice that Jesus’s authority transcends all national boundaries], baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commandedyou [Notice that all disciples bear the name of their King and live according to their King’s commands]. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matt. 28:19-20).

B. Christ’s present reign

1. Christ reigns through or by His Spirit

a. Jesus said that when He went back to the Father, He would “send” His “Spirit,” and the “Spirit of truth” or “the Helper” would “guide” Christ’s people and “glorify” Christ (Jn. 16:7-15).

b. This, of course, is exactly what Jesus did!

c. On the day of Pentecost, all of Christ’s disciples were “filled with the Holy Spirit,” and they were empowered to testify boldly that Jesus was and is “both Lord and Christ” (Acts 2:4, 36).

2. Christ reigns among His people

a. Visible, local churches

i. Question: In what context did Jesus promise to be “with” His people to the end of the age?

· Answer: In the “baptizing” and “teaching” of disciples (Matt. 28:19-20)… in the context of local churches.

ii. Jesus promised “where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am among them” (Matt. 18:20), and this promise was made in the context of Jesus’s teaching on bringing new disciples into the local church and removing unrepentant sinners from the local church (Matt. 16:13-20, 18:15-20).

iii. In other words, Jesus’s present rule as King of kings is particularly visible in the world right now among the various outposts or embassies of His kingdom – local churches.

· And this also has a huge impact of the role or mission of churches and Christians in the world…

· We (as citizens of Christ’s kingdom, as ambassadors who carry Christ’s message, and as priest-kings who collectively bear Christ’s authority) must preach the gospel, call sinners to repent and believe, make judgments about who’s in and who’s out, and encourage one another toward perseverance until Christ returns… to make His kingdom come in full.

C. Christ’s physical return (or second advent)

1. The risen Lord shall physically come again!

a. After His ascension, angels appeared and said, “This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11).

b. During His earthly ministry Jesus promised, “you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven” (Matt. 26:64).

c. And the Apostles taught the early Christians to “wait for [God’s] Son from heaven, whom [God] raised from the dead, [this] Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come” (1 Thess. 1:10).

i. Brothers and sisters, this is our blessed hope!

· The gospel of Jesus Christ is not a message of escapism, where we merely hope to leave this world behind… No, the gospel promises that those who repent and believe shall see Jesus Christ face-to-face when He returns to renew this present world so that sin and sorrow and death itself will be no more! But the gospel is not only a message of blessing…

2. Christ Shall Return to Judge

The risen Lord Jesus Christ shall physically come again to this world, but when He comes the second time, He will pronounce His definitive and righteous judgement upon every person from all time and space. And in our main passage this morning there is a clear distinction between those who are “following” Jesus and those who suffer His “wrath.”

A. Judgment = Rendering a Verdict

1. John’s Revelation

a. The book of Revelation repeats at least a few major themes:

i. One, Christ is the present and absolute sovereign over all.

ii. Two, Satan and the post-Genesis-3 world are joined together (consciously or otherwise) in open rebellion against God, His Messiah, and His people.

iii. Three, though it may seem that Jesus and His Church are losing at times, He calls His people to persevere in faith and in righteousness… and Christ Himself promises to vindicate the righteous as well as punish the wicked.

b. In Revelation 19, it does not seem very productive for me to ask, “When do the people of God become the armies of heaven and join Christ in His final triumph over evil?”

c. Rather, in Revelation 19, it seems more productive to observe that there is a clear distinction being made here between what Christ does in relationship to those who are with Himand those who are with or of the world.

d. With this in mind, I’d like you to consider with me that judgment is a legal term that is neither positive or negative on its own… It is the act of rendering a verdict, and Christ shall ultimately decide (on the basis of His word) whether people are “righteous” or “condemned.”

B. Positively, He shall judge some as “righteous”

1. The positive judgment is not explicit in our main passage, but it’s implied in the description of those with Jesus (or “following” Him) at the time of judgment (v14).

a. They are “arrayed in fine linen, white and pure” (v14).

b. This is the same exact description of the “Bride” of Christ just a few verses earlier… “it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure” (Rev. 19:8). And the verse continues, “the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints” (Rev. 19:8).

i. This rich imagery brings several biblical concepts into one beautiful picture. The idea conveyed here is that glorified saints will display the righteousness that is granted to them in Christ as well as the righteous deeds that they themselves practice as Christians on earth.[1]

c. The point is that those who are with Jesus in our passage are wearing Christ’s judgment concerning them… They are righteous; they are “pure” and counted among “heaven’s armies” (v14).

2. Repenting and believing ones

a. Of course, all of Scripture testifies that sinners are made pure (that is, they receive the righteousness of God), only by repenting and believing the gospel (1 Cor. 1:30; 2 Cor. 5:21; Gal. 3:11; Phil. 3:9).

C. Negatively, He shall judge some as “condemned”

1. The negative judgment is what is emphasized in our main passage.

a. When Christ returns it will be to “judge and make war” (v11).

b. The imagery is again striking:

i. “His eyes are like a flame of fire” (v12), indicating His piercing gaze and the fury behind it.

ii. His “robe” looks as though it has been “dipped in blood” (v13), which may point to Christ’s own death and resurrection, or it may also point to the fact that Christ is no passive king… He is a warrior-King who slays His own enemies and theirblood upon His clothing is a result.

iii. “From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations…” and “He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty” (v15).

· This image of the “winepress” of the “wrath of God” is one of the clearest in all of Revelation. It is repeated in chapters 14 and 19, and in both passages, it clearly refers to the experience of those who face God’s condemnation and who are outside of God’s covenantal blessing.[2]

c. This is the natural, default setting for all children of Adam.

i. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish [i.e., suffer the winepress of God’s wrath] but have eternal life.”

ii. And John 3:18 says, “Whoever believes in him [i.e., the Son of God who came into the world] is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already…”

· Friends, we are all guilty under God’s law, and our crimes are cosmic treason… This is true of every one of us, unless or until we turn from our sin and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ who suffered in the place of guilty sinners.

· If we do not repent and believe, then we remain in our sin… and Christ Himself shall one day come to render His verdict for all to hear and tremble – “condemned.”

3. Christ Shall Judge Everything

When Christ comes to judge, it will not only be on the basis of whether or not people repented and believed… Of course, repenting and believing is the way to escape Christ’s verdict of condemnation… But what will Christ condemn sinners for? The short answer is “sin.” But let’s take a moment to consider what that means. Christ will condemn sinners, and He will condemn them for their sinful deeds, sinful words, and even sinful thoughts.

A. Christ will judge our deeds

1. Scripture says that God “judges impartially according to each one’s deeds” (1 Peter 1:17).

2. Elsewhere, Scripture says that God “will render to each on according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury” (Rom. 2:6-8).

3. Both of the main Protestant catechisms of the 17thcentury asked and answered the question about sin in the same way.[3]

a. Q: What is sin?

b. A: Sin is any want of conformity unto, or transgression of, the law of God.

i. Friends, the Bible says that we are all born with a natural sense of what is right and wrong (Rom. 1:18-32), and we are all responsible to do right and to avoid doing wrong… and Christ will render His judgment against every sinful deed:

· Those we ought to have done, but didn’t…

· And those we ought not to have done, but did anyway.

B. Christ will judge our words

1. Jesus said, “I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give an account for every careless word they speak” (Matt. 12:36).

2. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus showed us that God’s law against murder (i.e., in the 10 Commandments) includes everything from unjust anger to degrading speech (Matt. 5:21-22).

3. I could pile on here… the Bible commands us to speak with honesty (Matt. 5:33-37; 2 Cor. 8:7), with humility (Matt. 7:1-5; Col. 4:6), and with the fear of God (Titus 2:8; 1 Peter 1:17, 2:7).

a. Friends, Christ hears every word we speak, just as He sees every deed we do, and He will render His judgment on the last day.

C. Christ will judge our thoughts

1. One of the clearest teachings on this is when Jesus said that “lustful” thoughts are from the same sinful origin as “adultery” (Matt. 5:27-28).

2. In fact, Jesus taught that all defiling sin originates in one’s affectionsand thoughts… in the heart and the mind. Jesus said, “from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder… coveting, wickedness, deceit… envy, slander, pride, [and] foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person [i.e., make them unclean or impure before God]” (Matt. 7:21-23; cf. Rom. 2:15-16).

a. Of course, some sins have heavier penalties, and some are more heinous than others, but all sin is under God’s condemnation… And Christ will one day render His judgment against every sin.

4. Christ Shall Judge Everyone

When we get this deep into the Bible’s teaching on Christ’s final judgment, the question may arise in our minds, “But what about believers? Will Christians have their thoughts, words, and deeds exposed for all to see… just as non-Christians?” My short answer is, I don’t know. I’m inclined to think that Christians will experience the same sort of exposure as non-Christians on the last day – such that all our thoughts, words, and deeds will be laid bare – because of what I read in places like Romans 2:13-16; Ephesians 2:1-10; 1 Peter 1:13-2:12; and the several verses in Revelation which speak of the “deeds” or “works” of the saints receiving their just reward (2:2, 2:5, 2:19, 2:23-26, 14:13, 19:8).

However, Christians will most definitely not experience the same condemnation as non-Christians on the last day. For the Christian, all of God’s wrath against his/her sin has already been poured out in full upon Jesus Christ! He, the supremely gracious Savior, has drunk to the dregs the cup of God’s wrath so that there is now “no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 8:1). If I must endure the complete exposure of my horrific sin, and if every one of my unrighteous thoughts, words, and deeds must be displayed for all to see, but I can know that at the end of it Christ Himself will say “Paid in full!” then sign me up!

With this point 4, though, I’m talking about that judgment which Christ shall make regarding every person’s guilt or innocence… condemnation or forgiveness.

Christ shall vindicate God’s own justice on the last day by rendering a verdict of condemnation or forgiveness for every person who has ever existed.

A. For the Righteous, Forgiveness

1. They will be judged according to the gospel, which is all of grace.

a. The gospel is the message of Jesus’s person and work, which He left for us to know, to believe, and to tell it to others… and it’s a message which promises present realities that will only become manifest in full on the last day.

i. In one sense, the gospel has already happened – Christ has come, He has lived righteously, He has died in the place of sinners, He has risen from the dead, and He has ascended to the right hand of the Father…

ii. But in another sense, the gospel story is yet to be complete – Christ will come again, He will judge all people everywhere, and he will finally and ultimately reunite God and humanity.

2. We anticipate Christ’s final judgment in the life of the church today.

a. In church membership

i. When we welcome a new Christian into membership by baptism, we are (as a church, an embassy of the Lord Jesus Christ on earth) collectively saying, “You’re forgiven of sin!”

ii. When we observe the Lord’s Supper together, we are (as a church) collectively saying to one another, “Because of what these elements represent, we all have forgiveness of sin!”

b. In our public prayers and Scripture reading

i. We pray prayers of confession, so that we all may acknowledge our continued failure and our need for grace.

ii. And then we read a passage from Scripture which reminds us of God’s promise to forgive.

· David Logan read for us Romans 5:1 – “since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God [i.e., forgiveness of sin]through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

* One day, brothers and sisters, we won’t have to read such words from a page anymore… We shall hear them from Christ’s own mouth.

B. For the Wicked, Condemnation

1. They will be judged according to the law, which is perfectly just.

a. All conscious people are culpable [i.e., responsible] for obedience.

i. God’s “20 invisible attributes… his eternal power and divine nature… have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they [all people everywhere] are without excuse… 32 Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice [unrighteousness] deserve to die, they not only do [such things] but give approval to [others] who practice them” (Rom. 1:20, 32).

· In other words, there is no conscious person in the world who does not know what he/she ought to do. Our problem is not that we don’t know… It’s that we don’t want to obey.

2. Unbelief is one sin, but it’s not the only one Christ will judge.

a. Ignorance of the gospel doesn’t send anyone to hell.

i. “What about the innocent natives in…fill in the blank?”

· Innocent natives go straight to heaven! Innocent people have no need of a Savior, and they bear no guilt before God… but the Bible says there is exactly one of those who has ever lived, and His name is Jesus!

b. Conscious and unrepentant sin will send every person to hell who does not both hear the gospel and believe it.

i. Friends, this reality has motivated Christian missions for centuries… and out of love for others, we ought to share the gospel with those who are on their way toward condemnation.

5. This is Basic Christian Doctrine

A. The Apostles’ Creed

1. The creed is the earliest recorded summary of core Christian belief

a. To my knowledge, there has never been a serious Christian alternative to the doctrine of Christ’s coming in judgment.

i. There are always strange teachings from strange teachers, and all the more with the invention of the internet, but this is one of those doctrines that has universal Christian acceptance from the earliest days of Christianity.

b. Roman Catholics and Protestants divided over the meaning the word “catholic” in the 16th century, but no one – not Roman Catholics, not Protestants, not even Eastern Orthodox – no one under the banner of “Christianity” in the world expected that Christ’s second coming would arrive without judgment.

B. Vindicating God’s Justice

1. A righteous or good judge is one that delivers justice

a. The Bible never asks, “Why did God judge or punish that sinner?”

i. God destroyed families, nations, and even every living thing on earth during the flood of Noah’s day, and without exception, the Bible sees these judgments as right and good.

b. The Bible does ask, “Why does God let the wicked live?”

i. Psalm 73 says, “1 Truly God is good… 2 But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled, my steps had nearly slipped. 3 For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. 4 For they have no pangs until death… 5 They are not in trouble as others are… 8 They scoff and speak with malice… 9 They set their mouths against the heavens… 11 And they say, ‘How can God know?’ …12 Behold, these are the wicked; always at ease… [And I think to myself] 13 All in vain have I kept my heart clean and washed my hands in innocence… 16 But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task, 17 until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I discerned their end” (Psalm 73:1-17).

· Here the psalmist is grappling with the reality that he sees the wicked live and even prosper in the world right now… But then he considers God’s holiness and justice, and he remembers that God will not be mocked… He will vindicate His justice on the last day.

c. Friends, this doctrine may be difficult, but it is one of the clearest in Scripture… And the clear things are the main or core things.

6. Christ Shall Return Soon

A. In the 1st Century, Jesus was saying, “soon!”

1. The book of Revelation

a. Whether you date Revelation early or late, we know it was written to 1st century Christians… and it is clear that Jesus wanted them to live and to believe that He was coming soon.

i. Jesus said, “Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near” (Rev. 1:3).

ii. The Apostle John wrote, “These words are trustworthy and true. And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place. And behold, I am coming soon.” (Rev. 22:6-7).

iii. Jesus said, “Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done” (Rev. 22:12).

iv. And finally, Jesus said again, “Surely I am coming soon… [to which the Apostle John replied] Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!” (Rev. 22:20).

B. The 1st Century Christians expected the return in their lifetime

1. Paul

a. “Salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. The night if far gone; the day is at hand…” (Rom. 13:11-12).

2. James

a. “the coming of the Lord is at hand… the Judge is standing at the door…” (James 5:8-9).

3. John

a. “Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour” (1 Jn. 2:18).

4. Peter

a. “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar” (2 Pet. 3:9-10).

5. Friends, if Christians 2,000 years ago thought they were the last generation, and if every Christian generation since has thought the same, then how much more should we be expecting Christ’s soon return?

7. What Sort of People Ought We Be?

The risen Lord Jesus Christ shall physically come again (and very soon) to this world and pronounce His definitive and righteous judgement upon every person from all time and space. So, the question we must deal with now is, “So, what?” or as the Apostle Peter phrases it in the letter I just cited, “What sort of people ought we be?” Let’s turn together to 2 Peter 3, and let’s consider a couple of the exhortations we find there for our application of this doctrine today.

A. Be diligent

1. v14 “Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him [i.e., by Christ when He comes] without spot or blemish, and at peace.”

a. In other words, be diligent in believing the gospel (that message through which we find peace and forgiveness) and diligent in repenting or turning from sin (striving to be people without spot or blemish).

B. Be stable

1. v17 “You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand [i.e., that “ignorant” or unlearned people twist the words of Scripture], take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability… 18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

a. In other words, listen to biblically faithful teachers (not those who preach a message of error and/or lawlessness), and grow in your knowledge of Christ, so that you will be stable in your faith… so that you will persevere.

b. Brothers and sisters, one of the main reasons Christ has given us the local church is so that we will persevere!

i. Godly pastors pray for, teach, and correct the error of those members Christ Himself has placed under their care… so that they will persevere in the faith (1 Pet. 5:1-4; Heb. 13:17; cf. Col. 1:28-29).

ii. Godly church members pray for, minister to, encourage, and confront their fellow church members… so that we will all persevere in the faith (Eph. 4:11-16; Col. 3:1-17).

· Friends, in one sense, our salvation is personal and punctiliar – individually and immediately, God saves us by the preaching of the gospel and by the power of His Spirit.

· But, in another sense, our salvation is communal and life-long – as a body of believers and over the course of our whole lives, God saves us by the ministry we can only give and receive in the context of a local church… as God’s Spirit works in and through all of us to bring about the completion of that good work which He has begun.

The risen Lord Jesus Christ shall physically come again to this world and pronounce His definitive and righteous judgement upon every person from all time and space. May God help us all to live in light of this reality every day… and may God help us to live as those who are making good use of the time He’s given us to live well in this world, even as He prepares us for the world to come.

Endnotes

[1] To read a biblical text that sets both of these ideas (gifted righteousness and doing good works), read Ephesians 2:1-10. See how v10 specifically describes “good works” as that which God intends those He saves by His sheer grace to perform. [2]See this idea especially conveyed in the “winepress… trodden outside the city” in Revelation 14:20. The “temple” and “city” imagery is beginning to build at this point in Revelation (these culminate at the end), and the obvious indication is that those who are “harvested” from the earth for the “winepress” will suffer God’s final condemnation or covenantal curse. [3]The Westminster Shorter and Longer Catechisms, both based on the Westminster Confession of Faith, as well as the catechism known as Keach’s Catechism, based on the Second London Confession of Faith, reflect incredible harmony within major Protestant traditions. The WSC represents historic Presbyterian doctrine, and the Second London represents historic Baptist doctrine. Each streams continue to have significant influence in their respective denominational traditions today.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Holcomb, Justin S. Know the Creeds and Councils. Know Series. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2014.

Mohler Jr., R. Albert. The Apostles’ Creed: Discovering Authentic Christianity in an Age of Counterfeits. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2019.

Packer, J. I. Affirming the Apostles’ Creed. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 2008.

Sproul, R. C., ed. The Reformation Study Bible: English Standard Version. 2015 Edition. Orlando, FL: Reformation Trust, 2015.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016.

Witsius, Herman, and Donald Fraser. Sacred Dissertations, on What Is Commonly Called the Apostles’ Creed. Vol. 2. London: Khull, Blackie & Co., 1823.