Last week I dealt with the timing of the Lord’s Return. The bottom line is we cannot know the time of the Lord’s Return.
In the 1980's I attended a Bible prophecy conference that had somewhere between 2500 and 3000 people in attendance. The speakers focused on speculations about the mark of the beast, the identity of the antichrist, the dangers of the Common Market, etc.
Some of the speculation was very interesting, but I don’t remember anyone speaking about how our current lives should be impacted because of our belief in the Second Coming. While some of the prophecy related to the Second Coming is cryptic, the Bible is absolutely clear on how our lives should be impacted by the Return of Christ.
I will briefly cover four appropriate responses.
|
We are to eagerly await His return. “But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ Phil 3:20."
This deals with our attitude toward the coming of the Lord. Christians are to have an upward focus looking forward to the Lord’s Return.
We are to devote ourselves to His service. “We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed................... Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. 1 Cor. 15:51-58.”
This covers our actions. We are not to sit on our hands doing nothing waiting for the Lord to Return. Instead, we are to keep busy serving the Lord where He has placed and with the abilities He has given us.
We are also are to encourage each other as we look forward to the Lord’s Return. “For the Lord himself will come down from heaven........... Therefore encourage each other with these words.
|
1 Thes. 4:16-18.” This speaks of our relationship with other people. We are to encourage each other in the speaking of the soon Return of the Lord Jesus. That is an uplifting thing to think about and look forward to and discuss with other Christians.
Belief in the Second coming of the Lord should also motivate us to live a more godly life in the present. “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say “NO” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we await for the blessed hope-the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, Titus 2:11-13."
While speculations about the Second Coming are interesting, they are of minor importance.
What is truly important is how we are daily living our Christian life in light of the soon Return of the Lord. A godly life is the most important response to the Second Coming.
|
