General Resurrection, Judgment at 2nd Coming

Introduction: The Problem of Ignorance vs. Knowing but Not Applying

0:02 Let us turn once again to 1 Thessalonians chapter 5, as we will this morning, as last Lord's Day morning, introduce our study by consideration of a very obvious fact as set forth in the 5th chapter, particularly verse 4.

0:30 This section of Paul's letter to the Thessalonians, chapters 4 and 5, deals with the general theme of how to walk so as to please God, and more particularly, how to abound in such a walk. And as the apostle deals with one subject after another, it's obvious that to abound in pleasing the Lord, one must know certain basic doctrines, and one must make proper use of those doctrines. And nowhere is this more obvious than in the section with which we are present. We are presently dealing, beginning with chapter 4 and verse 13, and continuing to chapter 5 and verse 11.

1:16 In the section bounded by the end of chapter 4, the basic problem is ignorance, ignorance which resulted in an unchristian reaction in the face of death. And so the apostle who wants the people of God to please God, even in their emotional reactions to death, says, I would not have you ignorant. And he gives. However, when he comes to chapter 5, he is not addressing himself to an area of ignorance, for he begins by saying in verse 2, you know perfectly.

1:50 Here's something you know. But if you're to please the Lord, what you know has got to so grip you that it changes how you live.

1:59 And so many times, the basic problem of the Christian life is either a problem of ignorance, not knowing what we must know in order to please the Lord, or of not. Not putting to good use what we do know. And the apostle gives us this beautiful display of how we need both of these factors. We need to grasp the doctrine if we are to live pleasing to the Lord.

2:26 But a grasp of the doctrine alone is not enough. It must grasp us until we feel its molding, shaping influence. And that is, of course, the general theme of this section in chapter 5. What they have.

The Day of the Lord: One Event, Not Multiple Phases

2:41 What they have in common, of course, is the great theme of the return of the Lord Jesus, called in chapter 5, the day of the Lord. Now, for the benefit of those visiting with us, what we have done in the past couple of weeks is try to understand what this phrase means, the day of the Lord. And we've come to the conclusion that it is the climactic manifestation of God's judgment and mercy at the return of Jesus Christ. Christ in power and in great glory.

3:15 Now, as we went on in the chapter, we came to verse 3, which indicates that this day of the Lord, which will be the day of glorious rapture to the saints living and dead, will be a terrible day of destruction upon the ungodly. Not another day, but the same day. For when they shall say, peace and safety, sudden destruction comes upon them as travail upon a woman with child, and they shall not escape. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness that that day, the day of the Lord, the day of his coming, the day that will be destruction to the ungodly, you're not in darkness that that day should overtake you as a thief, but that day will overtake you.

3:58 And so the clear implication of verse 4 is that there is one day of the Lord, the children of God will be present at that day, and the same day that is their glorious day of final salvation. Salvation will be the day of final destruction upon the ungodly. But as we considered last week, this creates a problem, for there's been a teaching popular in evangelical circles for the past hundred years, that those are two different days, separated by at least seven years, and possibly seven years plus a thousand plus a little time. So in most cases, those days have been separated by a thousand seven plus years.

4:40 One AC. A secret event. The other a visible and powerful event. And we've asked the question, is this a scriptural teaching?

4:51 That's what we're trying to answer in our studies these few weeks. We looked last week at the basic relevant passages on the second coming, and we saw that according to those passages, the one before us, the one in 2 Thessalonians 1, 2 Peter 3, Matthew 24. That scripture seems to teach that there is but one return of Jesus Christ in the second, or what we call his second advent. And to say that that return is in two phases, or in two or three stages, is an unwarranted assumption and affirmation not based upon any clear teaching of Holy Scripture. Now, the second line of biblical evidence. We'll consider this morning, and it is this. The Bible teaches a general resurrection and judgment at the return of Christ.

Prophetic Interpretation: Mountains and History

5:52 Having established that the relevant passages teach one return of Christ in glory and in power, hope to destroy the ungodly and to glorify the saints, we come to the second area of consideration. That scripture seems to teach a general resurrection. A general resurrection and judgment at the return of Christ. Now, in dealing with the whole subject of prophecy, we face a problem.

6:19 And I have some prophecy charts this morning. You never thought you'd see the day when I would have prophecy charts. But they're not the kind that perhaps you've seen in the past. And if I had my blackboard, I'd use it, but I don't, so I scratch these off.

6:31 Now, this fellow here is the prophet. And those three things, that's not psychedelic art. Now, those are three mountains. The Red Mountain, one.

6:41 The Yellow Mountain, two. The Green Mountain, three. At all times when the prophet was caught up in prophetic vision, he would see these mountains standing one behind the other so that in reality they almost looked like one mountain. And the prophet would describe events in one paragraph that related to the Red Mountain, the Yellow Mountain, and the Green one.

7:04 So that as you read the words of the prophet, it would seem that all of these events were bunched together the same way mountains. Looked like they are together the same way my hands will look like they're together. If you'll squint one eye and look up in this direction, it would look like the one hand was laid against the other. But in the unfolding of the purpose of God, oft times it's more like this.

7:28 As the event begins to come to pass, it becomes obvious that there was some space between mountain peak one and two, and a period of time between. A space between mountains. Mountain peak two and three, and a period of time. However, that only becomes clear when the event comes to pass.

7:50 And the only infallible interpreter of prophecy is history.

7:57 Now never forget that. The purpose of God in prophecy is not to give us an inspired crystal ball.

8:07 It's to give us a broad line with reference to God's redemption purposes of what he's going to do in history. And the focal point of prophecy is to give us a broad line with reference to God's redemption. The focal point of prophecy is not secular history as such, so that the Bible becomes an inspired Gene Dixon. And I don't mean the Gene Dixon in our assembly.

8:29 I mean the one who writes in the paper and who claims to have a gift of prophecy. But rather, it's to encourage and strengthen the faith of the church, and then when it comes to pass, to confirm the authority and validity of the prophetic utterance. And so, with the first coming of Christ, every godly Israelite knew a Messiah was coming. Longed for his coming.

8:55 The details of his coming, they weren't too clear about. The place of his birth, they knew that. Certain other factors. But after he came, and after history confirmed prophecy, then the New Testament writers write that it might be fulfilled.

9:12 That it might be fulfilled. That it might be fulfilled. Then opened he their understanding. Then opened he their understanding.

9:16 Then opened he their understanding. Then opened he their understanding. Then opened he their understanding. Then opened he their understanding.

9:17 Then opened he their understanding to understand the scriptures. And we have that particular perspective. Now when we come to this whole subject of the return of Christ, it could well be that there may be certain events that we will not understand clearly until they come to pass. But the issue we're dealing with is this.

9:39 Does scripture give us any warrant, this side of the fulfillment, to stick at least 7 years Capturing the saints, judging the ungodly, and a thousand years between that and the final judgment when the devil will be let loose for a while and cause havoc in the thing, in the whole business. Does scripture warrant us to put seven years in here, or three and a half years, and another thousand years here? Stating infallibly that there will be no time periods in any of these events. I am asking the question, does scripture warrant us to teach that there will be? Last night, a nationally known evangelist preached, I wasn't here to hear it, but my wife told me, that this is it. Christ will come and take his own out of the world, and then the tribulation will come, and then he'll come, and in some kind of a judgment, and then there'll still be people left around here to enter a millennium, and after that will be a final judgment. And to teach that as though it's...

10:51 What we're clearly taught in scripture, is that warranted? I submit to you that it is not warranted because, reason number one, the relevant passages of the second coming don't teach a second coming in two or three phases. Reason number two, and this is our focus this morning, the Bible teaches a general resurrection and judgment identified with the second coming of Christ. Now, what are the passages?

Evidence for General Resurrection and Judgment: Apostolic Preaching

11:19 Consider with me. And I'm moving. Moving from the least convincing to the most convincing, the statements found in the preaching of the apostles. In the book of the Acts, we have a record of some of the sermons of the apostles, not many, but we do have a record of some of them.

11:38 Now, as they preached, when they mentioned the subject of judgment, what is the general mood of their pronouncements on judgment? Well, you look first of all in Acts chapter 10. The part of the sermon of Peter at the household of Cornelius. Acts chapter 10, 42.

12:07 Peter is preaching to this gathered body of people in Cornelius' house. Breaking in in the midst of his sermon and working an unusual work of grace in their lives. He says, And he commanded us, that is, the Lord Jesus. He commanded us to preach unto the people.

12:38 And to test. And to testify that it is he which was ordained of God of the living and the dead. He preached Christ as a judge, but notice, in very vague, universal terms. We are to preach that Christ is the judge of living and dead, that is, of all.

13:03 Now, just keep that phrase in mind as we move to Acts 17. And catch a phrase from the preaching of the apostle Paul. To a group. To a group of pagan philosophers on Mars Hill.

13:17 Acts chapter 17. And bringing his sermon to a conclusion, he says in verse 30 and in verse 31. The times of this ignorance God winked at. But now, commandeth all men everywhere to repent.

13:34 Because he hath appointed a day in the which he will judge the world in righteousness. By that man whom he hath ordained, whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he raised him from the dead. Notice again that his note of emphasis in preaching a coming judgment is that a day is coming that will involve the world in judgment. Now, those are very general terms.

14:06 And the only way we can make any more specific aspects is if other clear scriptures. Warrant us to do so. Sometimes the Bible speaks in general. Other passages speak more clearly that fill in the details.

14:22 Here Peter. Here Paul. Are speaking in the context of a general judgment upon all men. Acts chapter 24.

14:32 The apostle speaking, not before a crowd. But this time before a heathen magistrate. Giving his testimony. He says in Acts 24 verses 15.

14:44 16.

14:46 And I have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there will be a realm of the just and unjust. There's going to be erection. Not resurrections, plural.

15:06 Which will involve the just and the unjust. Now he says in the light of this. I exercise myself to have a conscience void of offense to God and man. Judgment is coming.

15:20 Involving the. Just and the unjust in the light of it. I want to so live that I'll send before him with an unblemished conscience in that day. Now these three references, which as far as I know, are the only references to judgment in the recorded preaching of the apostles.

15:40 Are what we would call general resurrection and judgment passages. Now in and of themselves they would conclusively prove nothing. However. If the more specific passages that go into greater detail confirm the general mood of those passages.

16:02 Then they are two full witness that cannot be gained safe. The resurrection of the apostles was not marked by making a distinction between the resurrection of believers and then another resurrection years later. This is no integral part of the gospel. And.

16:26 There must never be made a touchstone of faith. I have good friends who hold that position. I regard them as my brethren and I labor with them in the gospel. I preached in the church of one just this past week for two nights.

16:43 But so often those who hold that view will make it a test of fellowship. And if you will not embrace that view, they feel it's a basis of cutting you off from fellowship. A dear friend of mine who was brought to love and embrace. The doctrines of grace in the past couple of years.

17:02 Candidated for a mission church out in Michigan and they had no problems with his basic doctrinal perspective or his gifts to preach or his passion to see a work established for God. But when they found out that he was questioning the idea there would be separate resurrections and he said, frankly, I'm beginning to see in scripture a concept of general resurrection. They cut that brother off and said, sorry, want nothing to do with it. And I could.

17:30 I go on to be a sordid story of how many fellowships have been rent. The conservative Baptist Association was split, not right down the middle. It was a smaller segment, but had a nationwide rumble over this issue because some people felt if you don't believe in separate resurrections and the thousand year period and the church out before the tribulation, that's tantamount to denying the faith. I submit to you that anything that fits within the framework of apostolic preaching is within.

18:00 The framework of the faith once we're all delivered to the saints and the apostolic preaching has the mood and flavor of a general resurrection and a general judgment. Now, let us move in the second place to the statements of our Lord himself. Now, all we're trying to establish is general resurrection and judgment. Later on, we want to establish that that judgment and resurrection is connected with the second coming.

Evidence for General Resurrection and Judgment: The Words of Christ

18:29 All we're trying to. Discover now is, is there a doctrine of general resurrection and judgment? We've looked at three passages in the preaching of the apostles. Now, let us look at three passages in the ministry of our Lord.

18:42 The first one is John chapter five, the fifth chapter of the gospel of John.

18:53 The express subject of this particular portion is the subject of judgment. For the Lord has said in John five and verse twenty two, the father judge. It no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the son. Now, he says in the light of this, men should honor the son, even as they honor the father.

19:19 Now, in that context of speaking of the authority given to him by the father to be judge, listen to his words as found in verses twenty eight and twenty nine. Marvel at this for the hour is coming. Now, granted, the word hour sometime is used indefinitely, doesn't mean sixty minutes made up of sixty seconds, but just keep the word hour in mind. I think you find it very difficult to show anywhere in scripture where an hour can be stretched into a thousand seven plus years.

19:58 The burden of proof rests upon someone to demonstrate that the word is ever used that way. The hour is coming in the way that are in the grave. You hear his voice. And shall come forth they that have done good to the resurrection of life and they that have done evil to the resurrection of damnation.

20:22 Now, let me ask in scripture, is the resurrection ever depicted as a process which is selling your bill of goods or is it when you're at least not? Now, notice what Christ said, which will involve whom it will be a resurrection of damnation statements of the apostles and even gets more specific. But rather than. Contradict or supplement with new material.

21:17 It turns the apostolic state and perhaps the apostles themselves had in mind these very words of Christ when they spoke a second passage in the ministry of our Lord, the 13th of Matthew. And I might say is in passing that our Lord seems to have a reference here to the words in Daniel, Daniel 12 to that many that sleep in the dust of the earth shall await some to everlasting life. Some to everlasting. Some to shame and everlasting contempt.

21:48 What a waking from the dust. Two destinies. All right. Matthew chapter 13.

21:58 Matthew 13 verses 40 through 43 and then 49 and 50. Matthew 13 40 a 39 to 43. Our Lord is interpreting the parable of the tears. The enemy that sold them.

22:16 That is, the tears is the devil. The time. Harvest is the end of the world, the end of the age, the end of the present order, and the reapers are the angels as therefore the tears are gathered and burned in the fire. So shall it be in the end of what a millennial age or this age?

22:41 What's it say? It'll be the end gathered and burned on of man's and forth his angels and gather out of his kingdom. All things that do offend in them. Which do iniquity and cast them into the furnace of fire.

23:09 There shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth years before and years before. Then nine forth is the sun in the kingdom of their father. Now, dear ones, if the Lord gave these words to interpret a parable, he certainly didn't give them to confuses and his word on the surface. Their most obvious, simple, natural meaning is that this present order of things will continue.

23:40 Continue. Continue until the end of this age, which will mean a general judgment, a separating of the tears from the wheat. The tears going into not a temporary period of tribulation, but shall be cast into the furnace of fire and the righteous shall enter not a temporary kingdom, but the eternal kingdom of our and of his dear son. Verses 49 and 50.

24:12 The parable of the net that was cast. Into the sea. Different kind of different kind of fish gathered. Verse 49.

24:23 So shall it be at the end of the world. The angel shall come forth and sever the wicked from among the just and shall cast them. That is the wicked into the furnace of fire. There should be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

24:37 The wicked and the just together until the sending forth of the severing angels. Then separation. One other passage in the words of our Lord. Luke chapter 11.

24:52 I remind you all we're seeking to do is to discover if the teaching of a general resurrection in judgment is the overriding emphasis of Holy Scripture. Luke chapter 11 verses 30 to 32. This was a sign unto the Ninevites. So shall also the son of man be to this generation.

25:18 The queen of the south. That is the queen. Sheba who came you remember in the days of Solomon to behold his wisdom shall rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them. For she came from the utmost parts of the earth to behold the wisdom of Solomon and behold a greater than Solomon is here.

25:39 The men of Nineveh shall rise up in the judgment with this generation and shall condemn it for they repented at the preaching of Jonas and behold the greater than Jonas is here. What seems to be the obvious natural interpretation of our Lord's words? That a day of judgment is coming in which the righteous and the just will be involved and the righteous shall according to the words of Christ condemn the unrighteous in that day. Do we see any supplementing that would change the general impression of the apostolic preaching?

26:21 No. I think rather. We see a complement. And affirming and confirming.

Evidence for General Resurrection and Judgment: Apostolic Writings

26:27 We've looked at the statements in the preaching of the apostles. Some statements in the ministry of our Lord. Now let's look to three statements in the writings of the apostles and inspired pen. We're going now to the epistles.

26:42 The first one is Romans chapter 3. And if you will notice I'm trying to select passages which have as their theme the future judgment. In other words. We're not looking at a passage is talking about loving your brethren that may have a little reference to judgment.

27:01 But we're looking at passages whose subject is judgment. This is the subject of Romans chapter 2. For he says in verse 2. But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things.

27:21 And think is thou this old man that judges them which do such things and do is the same. That thou shall escape the judgment of God. The theme is the judgment of God. Or despises thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance.

27:39 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasures up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath. And revelation of the righteous judgment of God. Now I think it's clear to everyone that the theme of the passage is the coming judgment of God. Are we agreed?

27:55 Now what will that judgment do? Notice. Who will render to every man according to his deeds. When?

28:05 At the revelation of his righteous judgment. That day of wrath and revelation. Now what will happen when he does that? Verse 7.

28:14 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honor and immortality eternal life. In that judgment those who have been regenerated by the spirit. Washed in the blood of Christ. And the evidence of that transformation will be that they have persevered in holiness.

28:40 Be ushered into eternal life. But unto them that are contentious and obey not the truth but obey unrighteousness. Indignation and wrath tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that doeth evil of the Jew first and also to the Greek. But glory.

28:59 Honor and peace to every man that worketh good to the Jew first and also to the Gentile for there is no respect of persons with God. I submit to you that the clear teaching of this passage is that there is a day of judgment coming. Which will find some ushered into life and some ushered into tribulation and anguish and all the horrors of hell. Now turn please to two passages in the book of the revelation.

29:30 May I say please don't close your mind to everything just waiting to say well what about revelation 21 to 7. Sometimes when I've been discussing things with people I can see they're just sitting there. They're not hearing a thing I'm saying. All they're doing is waiting to get their lick in as it were.

29:51 Now please don't do that. I have deliberately taken passages which have as their context judgment. That come not from prophetic passages where there is vision. And where there is apocalyptic vision.

30:06 But taken from what we call clear passages speaking in the normal means of communication. Now in the 11th chapter of the book of the revelation. Beginning with verse 16 we read the following. And the 4 and 20 elders representatives of the entire church of Jesus Christ.

30:32 Which sat before God on their seats. Now on their faces in worship God say. We give thee thanks oh Lord. God almighty which art and wast and art to come.

30:46 Because thou hast taken to thee thy great power and hast reigned. And the nations were angry and thy wrath is come. Now notice. And the time of the dead that they should be judged.

31:01 And that thou should give reward unto thy servants the prophets and to the saints. And to them that fear thy name small and great. And should destroy them that destroy the earth. You see they tie together these events.

31:20 The time the dead that they should be judged. Rewarding the servants of God. And destroy. Again I say.

31:37 One of these things. Where these events are looked at as simultaneous. When in reality there is some space between. But until the event comes to pass.

31:50 We have no right to put great periods. Teaching in scripture to warrant any other meaning from these words. Than that this time is come the time of wrath. Which will mean the judgment of all men.

32:12 The resurrection of all men. The rewarding of the saints of God. The punishing of the evil. And the destruction of the earth.

32:23 And then in Revelation chapter 20. Another passage. Which on the surface. Seems to teach.

32:33 A general resurrection and judgment. Beginning with verse 11. And I saw a great white throne in him that sat on it. From whose face the earth and heaven fled away.

32:47 And there was no place for them. And I saw the dead. It doesn't say the wicked dead. And I submit that it's a mishandling of scripture.

32:59 When people read this assuming that it says. I saw the wicked dead. It says I saw the dead. Small and great before God.

33:08 And the books were opened. And another book was opened. Which is the book of life. And the dead were judged out of those things.

33:17 Which were written in the books according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead that were in it. And death and hell delivered up the dead that were in them. They were judged every man according to their works.

33:29 Death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life. Was cast into the lake of fire.

33:40 The clear implication being that there were some. Whose names were found written in that book. And they didn't enter the lake of fire. It doesn't say it.

33:47 But it's the implication. But I won't read the implication. But I will say that this passage seems again to teach. A general resurrection when all the dead shall stand before God.

34:01 And shall be judged. According to their works. Now in the light of the statements of the apostle. The ministry of our Lord.

34:10 The statements of our Lord. The writings of the apostles. I believe we are warranted to say that the concept of a general resurrection. And a general judgment is a biblical concept.

Identifying General Resurrection and Judgment with Christ's Return

34:20 Now the second thing I want to establish this morning is this. That the general resurrection and judgment. Are identified with the return of Christ. Got another prophetic chart.

34:35 See if I can get the right one. Here we are. We've looked at the passages that teach a general resurrection. Joined to a general judgment.

34:45 Now scripture teaches that this resurrection and judgment. Are identified with the second coming. Then one of the things we learn. I do remember something from my math courses.

34:58 Things equal to the same thing are equal to each other. If we find general resurrection equal to general judgment. Second coming equal to both. Then these are all.

35:10 All involved in one and the same event. That event called by the apostle. The great day of the Lord. Well does scripture identify the return of Christ then.

35:23 With judgment and resurrection. It very clearly does. I must be selective. I will very quickly mention four passages.

35:32 Second Thessalonians 1 verses 7 and 8. Second Thessalonians 1 verses 7 and 8. Nothing else. At least your Bible will get a little bit of a look about it.

35:49 That it's been used after we finish this study. I don't know when we've done so much jumping from passage to passage. But I hope this is not tedious for you. Second Thessalonians chapter 1.

36:03 The saints of God are suffering. Paul is going to encourage them. And so he says in verse 7. And to you who are troubled rest with us.

36:13 When the Lord Jesus shall be revealed. From heaven with his mighty angels. Now what's that? Revealed from heaven with his mighty angels.

36:23 You say that's his second coming. Precisely. And what will it be? It will be a coming not only to bring rest to the saints.

36:30 But notice. In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God. And that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Who shall be punished with seven years of tribulation.

36:50 From the presence of the Lord. And the glory of his power. When? When he shall come to be glorified in his saints.

36:58 That identifies the time. So you put this together. Scripture teaches general resurrection. General judgment.

37:05 At the second coming of Christ. There will be judgment for the ungodly. Glory for the saint. Then we have no warrant to stretch these things.

37:14 And separate them. Unless scripture clearly forces that upon us. Then you have in the second place. Those passages which identify.

37:25 The return of Christ. With the giving of his rewards. Matthew 16 and verse 27. Matthew 16 and verse 27.

37:37 For the son of man shall come in the glory of his father with his angels. And then shall he reward the saints according to. And then seven years later. Or a thousand seven plus a little time.

37:53 The rest of man time. He reward judgment. That essentially the same words in Revelation 22 12. Behold I come quickly.

38:15 And my reward is with me. In other words. I will accomplish my work of judgment. At my return.

38:24 But now to me the classic passage. Upon which I would rest the whole case. And if the rest of the Bible. Were utterly silent in this issue.

38:32 This passage alone would be sufficient. To show the general resurrection. And judgment. And the return.

38:39 Of Christ are linked together. Matthew 25. Beginning with verse 31. Matthew 25.

38:48 Beginning with verse 31. When the son of man shall come in his glory. And all the holy angels with him. Then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory.

39:05 If there is but one second coming of Christ. And it is a glorious coming. Then this coming. Is identified with the throne of his judgment.

39:16 Verse 32. And before him shall be gathered all nations. He shall separate them one from another. As a shepherd divides the sheep from the goats.

39:26 Then he begins to deal with them. I'm not going to expound the passage in detail. But I want you to notice. What is the result of this judgment?

39:38 46. Those on the left hand the goats. Shall go away into everlasting punishment. But the righteous into a thousand years of earthly bliss.

39:51 No. Into eternal life. Now when does this severance come? Now notice.

39:59 When the son of man comes in his glory. The result will be eternal punishment. Eternal life. God ties together the return of Christ.

40:12 A general resurrection. Gathering all the nations. A general judgment. The sheep and goats.

40:18 The eternal state to follow. Everlasting punishment. Everlasting life. Now these are the passages which over the years.

Historical Confirmation: The Historic Faith of the Church

40:32 Have been doing their work in my own mind and heart. As I wrestled with this thing. And never been forced to grapple with it. Because I didn't happen to preach.

40:40 Through a book that made me grapple. Now that we've come to it. I am convinced in my own mind. Not that there will not be.

40:48 Other events that we don't know about. No, no. We're not. On the side looking at those mountain peaks.

40:56 But with our Bibles before us. As we anticipate the future. What do we have a right to expect? A secret coming.

41:04 And sometime later another. No, no. One glorious coming of the Lord Jesus. That will mean the end of all hope for sinners.

41:14 That will mean the culmination of all the hopes. Of the righteous. And the ushering in of the eternal day. Now is this some peculiar discovery that I have come to?

41:27 No, no. This is the historic faith of the people of God. The oldest expression of Christian belief. Is what is commonly called the Apostles' Creed.

41:40 What does it say about the second coming? Listen as I read from it. It's found right in our hymnals. Roman numeral number 12.

41:49 The last part of the first paragraph. It speaks of Christ ascending into heaven. And sitting on the right hand of God the Father almighty. From thence he shall come.

42:01 To do what? To judge the living and the dead. The ancient faith of the church. Is the concept of one coming of Christ.

42:12 In judgment and in glory upon all men. And as I've done some checking into the creeds. Those attempts of Christians. To put in their own language.

42:23 What they believe. And you don't know something or really understand. Until you can put in your own language. So creeds are a very natural outworking of people.

42:33 Who want to be sure that they know what they believe. And tell the world what they believe. One searches in vain for the creeds. To give any other indication.

42:43 Than that there is a general resurrection. And a general judgment at the return of Christ. Let me quote. A few lines from some of these creeds.

42:54 Very briefly. The first one. Is from a creed. That was drawn up in the 1580s.

43:01 By a group of persecuted Mennonites. And as they thought of expressing to the world. Their faith. This is what they said in their section.

43:10 On Christ's return. The resurrection of the dead. And of the last judgment. They put it in one paragraph.

43:17 Lastly. We believe that Jesus Christ. Our glorious King and Lord. Visibly just as he ascended.

43:24 Will return from heaven. With power and great glory. And with him all the holy angels. There is a scripture reference after each of these phrases.

43:33 That he may be glorified in his saints. And may be admired by all believers. And will manifest himself as the judge of the living and the dead. At that time.

43:45 At his return. All men. Just and unjust. Who have lived upon the earth.

43:50 And have died. Will rise from the dead. And live again. The soul.

43:55 Their souls being united with their bodies. And then he goes on. I'll cut out some of this. That each one then will be judged.

44:04 Then Jesus will separate the sheep from the goats. As a shepherd separates his sheep from the goats. Will place the sheep on his right hand. The goats on the left.

44:13 The Matthew 25 passage. The just who have lived here wholly. And exercised the works of charity and mercy. As the husband.

44:21 Of that Christian multitude. He will take to himself. They will enter with him into eternal life. Then he goes on to say.

44:28 That the wicked will be cast into hell. This was what they saw in scripture. As they studied this subject. Later on.

44:37 A confession drawn up. By a John Smith. Who was a persecuted Puritan. Who went over to Europe.

44:49 He drew up a confession of the belief. Of those who rallied around him. In their desire. To establish free assemblies.

44:55 Without a state church. Imposing its will upon them. Item 20. That after the resurrection.

45:02 All will be born to the tribunal of Christ the judge. To be judged according to their works. The righteous after sentence of absolution. Will enjoy eternal life in heaven.

45:14 The wicked condemned will be punished. With eternal torments in hell. In the interest of time. I won't read the other quotes.

45:21 I had about six or seven. You read the quote in our own west. In the Westminster confession of faith. Or in the London confession of faith.

45:28 In all the great confessions. This is the confession of the church. One second coming. General judgment.

Practical Application: Deterrent from Sin and Consolation for the Godly

45:37 Following a general resurrection. Issuing in the eternal state. Now you say pastor. You got all worked up.

45:45 What's the reason for all that? Like every other truth of scripture. If God's revealed it. It cannot help.

45:53 But have a practical bearing. Whether we acknowledge it or not. Although it's not difficult to acknowledge. The practical bearing of this.

46:01 And I read now from the last paragraph. In the Westminster confession. Page 689 in our hymnals. If you want to follow.

46:08 The section on the last judgment. Here's the practical importance. As Christ would have us to be certainly persuaded. That there shall be a day of judgment.

46:21 Both to deter all men from sin. And for the greater consolation. Of the godly in their adversity. So will we have that day unknown to men.

46:31 That they may shake off all carnal security. And be always watchful. Because they know not at what hour the Lord will come. And may be ever prepared to say.

46:43 Come Lord Jesus. Come quickly amen. For those of you strangers to the grace of God. The effect this should have upon you.

46:53 Is to deter you from sin. The worst sin of all. The sin of unbelief and impenitence. There's only one thing I can tell you for certain.

47:04 That the future holds. That is that there will be the return of Jesus Christ in judgment. And the door of mercy shall be forever shut. You've entertained some hope that he'll sneak his saints out.

47:17 And even though things will be pretty rough. The door of mercy will still be open. I submit to you that's a delusion. Not based upon scripture.

47:26 When Christ comes. The day. Of salvation becomes the day of his wrath. I plead with you.

47:35 Flee that wrath to come. You will not call upon God for mercy now. You will call upon the rocks and hills to fall upon you. In that awful day.

47:53 Great God what do I see in here. The end of things created. You see that's what the hymn writer was expressing. May God grant that it shall have its practical effect upon you.

48:06 And dear child of God what does it say to you and me. Oh it says something by way of consolation. It's the day when we shall come into our full inheritance. It's the day when we'll be joined again with loved ones who've gone before.

48:22 But above all the day. We shall be taken by our heavenly bridegroom. As his bride to be with him forever. But it also has a sobering note for us.

48:35 For child of God. You and I. Will give account of the deeds done in the body. As Paul as a Christian said in 2nd Corinthians 5 10.

48:42 We must all be made manifest before the judgment seat of Christ. And in the light of that day. What are you engaging in now that would be embarrassing if that day broke upon you. In the next hour.

48:57 For what are you spending your energies. That would seem so stupid in that day. What are you pursuing now. That would cause grief.

49:11 In that day. One of the old writers. Wrote something that is stuck in my mind. He spoke about bringing near the day of judgment.

49:24 He prayed. Oh God bring near that day. Help me to live in the light of it. Are you living in the light.

49:37 Must have an awful low view of that day. Some of you. Your energies and time and interest are dissipated. Over such a broad field of mingled earthly and heavenly interest.

49:51 That there's no focused thrust in your witness. And it's people who can say with Paul knowing that there'll be such a day. I exercise myself to have an unblemished conscience before God and men. And if the world spits upon me and cast me out is off scowling.

50:14 If I can know in the light of that day an unblemished conscience always well. Nothing else matters. Is that true of you? What matters?

50:26 More than that. If anything. You need to do some readjusting. The whole focus of your life.

50:33 In the light of this coming day. God willing next week. I shall seek to demonstrate from scripture. The word of God indicates that the second coming of Christ.

50:44 Will usher in. Eternity. And with that threefold witness. The relevant passages teaching one return of Christ.

50:53 The passages that teach a general resurrection and judgment. Is coming and the clear teaching of three pivotal passages. That the second coming of Christ ushers in eternity. I trust that if we have held in any way any view of future things.

51:10 That is made periods of time or Millenniums or anything else. An integral part of our faith. We will see that they are not though. You are free to hold those things.

51:21 If you see them taught in Scripture, I trust that we will have sufficient. Knowledge of Scripture that never again will we equate them. As something that's part and parcel of the faith once for all delivered. To the sense.

51:35 And in concluding that study. I will seek to give an exposition of Revelation 21 to 7. That I trust. Will be honest to the word of God and in keeping.

51:46 With these broad areas of the statements. Of Holy Scripture. Let us unite in prayer.