Second Coming Ushers in Eternity

Introduction to the Study of Christ's Second Coming in 1 Thessalonians

0:02 For the benefit of those who are visiting with us and are not aware of what the regular trend of our study is, these Sunday mornings we have for several years now been conducting a verse-by-verse study of 1 Thessalonians. And in the course of that study we have come to chapter 5, and in particular to verse 4, which is one statement couched in a whole context dealing with the theme of the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ,

0:39 a theme which begins in chapter 4 and verse 13 and continues down through chapter 5 and verse 11. Now when we came to chapter 5 and verse 4 we confronted these words, but ye brethren, obviously addressed to believers, are not in darkness that that day should overtake you as a thief. And that day, of course, refers to the day spoken of in verse 3, a day in which the unconverted shall be suddenly destroyed at the return of Christ,

1:22 the same day called in verse 2 the day of the Lord, which is the same event described in chapter 4, verse 13, verses 15 to 17, that time when the Lord Jesus will come to take his own. And this immediately, of course, creates a problem for many of us, for during the past 100 years there has been a system of interpretation concerning last things. Whenever you hear the word eschatology, that simply is taking the Greek word eschatos for last and using it to describe, that area of biblical study. The doctrine of last things.

2:06 There has been a system of interpreting the doctrine of last things that has said very unequivocally that no, Christians will not be here at the day of the Lord. That day will not overtake them, period. They will have been caught out of the scene at least three and a half to seven years prior to this. And so, for the first time in seven years of ministry, with you, I have been forced to face this doctrine head on.

2:37 Let me say, for those of you who may have been coming just the past couple of weeks, and this is all you've heard, this is not a hobby. I've had many people ask me, why don't you preach more on the second coming? I say, well, it hasn't been in the books or segments of books or psalms or Old Testament portions or new that I've preached through. When it's there, I'll preach on it.

2:56 If it isn't there, I'm not going to put it there. So now that we're there, I'm going to preach on it. But sure as shooting, somebody will say, oh, they ride off that church. I've been there for four weeks, and all I've heard is the second coming.

3:08 Just like some people happened to come when I was bringing a series of 15 messages on the sovereignty of God, and they came during those few weeks. That's all you hear, sovereignty of God. Someone else happened to be here during my preaching through Psalm 51, and the comment was made to me, all you get at that church is repentance. That's all you get is repentance, repentance, repentance.

3:29 Well, I hope we're more mature than that. Frankly, I don't understand how that kind of immaturity, can exist in an adult mind, but it does. For these were not children who made these comments, but supposedly mature adults. And so this is not a hobby, dear ones.

The Unity of Christ's Second Coming and General Judgment

3:44 It's part of my responsibility to teach the whole counsel of God, and when we face an aspect of that counsel, that perhaps is controversial, we must not skirt it, for I handle this not in the interest of promoting controversy, but in the interest of establishing truth. And when I do that, wherever you're seeking to establish truth, there will be controversy, but controversy can be truth's servant, as long as you continue to look for light, and you don't let heat get in and blur out light. Now you see, the problem with controversy is when you let so much heat come, that you no longer can see light. You just see red, and then you don't get light.

4:27 But if we can keep our spirits calm and objective, and by discussion, and by conversation, and by comparison, and evaluation, we can then be discoverers of the truth of God as found in Holy Scripture. This teaching, is it true that there are two phases of the coming of Christ? A coming with His, for His saints, and a coming with? Is there a difference between the day of Christ and the day of the Lord?

4:57 Are we warranted to say that the second advent is the second and the third advent, or the second advent in two stages? And it has been my contention, that in the light of a verse like verse four, we are not warranted to divide what God has joined. For Paul says that the same day that will be destruction to the ungodly, will be the day of final and glorious deliverance for the godly. And though that day will overtake believers, it will not overtake them with unwanted suddenness.

5:32 The whole context then goes on to show that believers are watchful and prepared, that when that day comes, it finds them ready and watching. Now I've tried to follow several lines of scriptural teaching, in order to establish that the teaching which would separate the return of Christ by these two phases is not scriptural. We spent one morning considering those passages which clearly teach that there is one second coming of Christ. 1 Thessalonians 4.17

6:07 through 5.11, this very passage where it's all treated as one. 2 Thessalonians 1.7-10, where Paul says believers will rest when the Lord Jesus is revealed taking vengeance on his enemy.

6:21 2 Peter 3 and Matthew 24 passages are not symbolic. They are not passages with obscure meaning in prophetic revelation. They are clear didactic passages in which the writer or the speaker is saying something about the return of Christ and indicates that there is one glorious second coming of Jesus Christ. Last week we looked into the scriptures which seem to teach that there will be a general resurrection and judgment at the coming of Christ.

6:58 Scriptures that bring together these events as we looked in the little chart at the second coming of Christ, these events of resurrection and judgment are tied together and though history may prove that those mountain peaks of prophecy are separated, we are not warranted to say they are unless scripture clearly teaches that they are. And so we looked at three passages in the preaching of the Apostles, three in the teaching of our Lord, and three in the epistles which have as their general theme a general resurrection and a general judgment.

7:36 There is a wonderful statement on this matter in Hodge's commentary on Corinthians that I think expresses most lucidly my own thoughts. It is clearly taught in the gospels and epistles that the resurrection of the righteous and of the wicked is to be contemporaneous. At least that is the mode in which the subject is always presented. The element of time may indeed in these representations be omitted, as is so often the case.

8:07 In the prophecies of the Old Testament, we may not see the valleys between the mountains. Granted, the author says, but unless it can be proved from other sources that events which are foretold as being together or as following one another are in fact separated by indefinite periods of time, no such separation may be assumed. In the evangelists and epistles, the resurrection of the righteous and that of the wicked is spoken of as contemporaneous. And since their separation in time is nowhere else revealed, the only proper inference is that they are to occur together.

8:48 Now, he says, we say this with diffidence and submission. It may prove to be otherwise. History may prove otherwise. The predictions of the Old Testament produced the universal impression that the first coming of Christ was to be attended at once by events, which we learn from the New Testament, require ages to come to pass.

9:10 Still, we are bound to take the Scriptures as they stand, and events which are described as being together are assumed to be so until the event proves to the contrary. We may be perfectly sure that the Scriptures will prove infallibly true. The predictions of the Old Testament, although in some points misinterpreted, or rather interpreted too far, by the ancient church were fully vindicated and explained by the coming of Christ. Do you get his argument?

9:44 Saying that my interpretation of these passages is infallible and final. What I'm seeking to say is, does Scripture warrant us to talk about Christ coming secretly in the air for His own, and seven years later coming in power and glory to bring judgment after a sort that won't issue in eternity? And my contention is that Scripture does not warrant this. And the burden of proof rests upon those who assume this position to handle all of these passages which speak of a general resurrection and a general judgment.

The Second Coming Ushers in Eternity: Matthew 25

10:26 So much, then, for our review. Now, this morning, the third line of argument is this. The second coming and the events that immediately join with it usher in eternity. Let me teach clearly that the second coming of Christ and the events immediately surrounding it will usher in eternity.

10:57 Last week, one of the charts we used was this. The general resurrection, the general judgment at the second coming. Now, I've just added a little bar here. Scripture seems to teach that when these events come to pass at the return of Christ, eternity will be ushered in.

11:14 There are three. There are three clear passages in this subject. Each one, again, has as its theme the second coming. I know what some of you are still thinking.

11:24 But what about Revelation 20? Now, may I encourage you, whatever Revelation 20 says, remember, it's a symbolic passage, full of symbolism. I've deliberately steered clear of it to establish anything that I've tried to give to you, except two references last week that are so obvious and upon which all are agreed. We want to look at passages which clearly state that the subject is the second coming of Christ and the events surrounding that coming and what happens after those events.

11:58 Will you turn, please, to Matthew 25? What are we trying to see? Well, our focusing upon the issue, what follows the second coming of Christ and the events immediately connected with it? Another period of time, be it seven years or seven years plus a thousand plus a little time, or does Scripture teach that the second coming of Christ ushers in eternity?

12:28 Matthew chapter 25. Now, what is the general subject matter of this chapter? Well, anyone who's familiar with these two chapters of Matthew knows that the subject matter is the second coming of Christ. Chapter 24 and verse 36, But of the day and hour knoweth no man but the angels of heaven.

12:47 As the days of Noah, so shall the coming of the Son of Man be. Our Lord starts in verse 42, gives an exhortation to watchfulness. You know not what hour your Lord doth come. Verse 50, the Lord of that servant shall come.

13:04 Chapter 25 begins with the parable of the virgins, some who are ready when the bridegroom comes, some who are not ready when the bridegroom comes. So he concludes with verse 13, Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of Man cometh. Then in beginning with verse 14, he tells a parable of the talents and how when the master comes back again, he will reckon with his servants. The whole context of the passage we're going to look at is the return of Jesus Christ.

13:40 No question. Alright, now what will happen at that return? Notice carefully verse 31. When the Son of Man shall come in his glory and all holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory, and before him shall be gathered all nations, and he shall separate them one from another as the shepherd divided his sheep from the goats, and he shall set the sheep on his right hand and the goats on his left.

14:13 Now, looking up from your Bibles, get the picture. Our Lord says when he comes, one event that will be attendant upon his coming is the gathering of the nations to judgment. Now, the question is, what is the issue at stake in this judgment? Those who say that Christ will come secretly for his own, seven years later he'll come in glory and in power and will set up an earthly kingdom, teach that at the end of that thousand years, then he will judge the wicked.

14:51 Well, what are they going to do with this judgment? Because you've got righteous here. This is the judgment of the living nations. When Christ comes back, he will judge the living nations, and some then will be privileged to enter into the millennium, at the end of which time they'll join the devil in revolt and then be destroyed by the Lord at the end of this period.

15:12 Now, this is not a caricature. I'm reading now from one of the classic books that takes this approach from eternity to eternity by Eric Sauer, and as he deals with this passage he says, the place of this judgment of the nations, Matthew 25, 31 and 32, will be the valley of Jehoshaphat, the point to be decided which will be, which of those will find entrance into the visible kingdom of God. Then he goes on to say, those who pass this judgment will enter the millennium for a thousand years, but now listen what will happen. At the end of this period, the devil will be loosed, and what will be the result?

15:56 After enjoying for a thousand years the blessing of the visible rule of God, man decides for the devil. To this there can be but one answer from God, fire falls from heaven and consumes these God-hating men. Now get the picture. He judges the living nations.

16:14 The people that pass that judgment enter the millennium, at the end of the millennium they join the devil in his revolt, and these God-hating men, are consumed with fire from heaven. Now will you look at the passage and see if this at all can be warranted from the statements of our Lord? What is the issue at stake in this judgment? It's obvious it's a judgment that takes place when Christ comes again.

16:39 When the Son of Man shall come, He'll sit upon His throne, the nations gathered. Alright, what's the issue? Is it entering into a millennium, at the end of which all who've gone through this revolt and end up in hell? Notice verse 34.

16:56 Then shall the king say to them on his right hand, Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. They're going to enter a kingdom that has the stamp of God upon it from eternity. Now what happens to those on the other hand? Verse 41.

17:19 Depart from me ye cursed, into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels. Then you have this summary statement in verse 46. Notice. And these, those on the left hand, shall go away into everlasting punishment.

17:36 Righteous, those on the right hand, shall go away into what? Life eternal. Yet our issue that will be settled at the second coming of Christ when He judges men is an eternal issue. An everlasting punishment.

18:14 What do we have in the Matthew 25 passage? We have the time, the second coming, the event, the judgment of all men, the issue or result, the eternal state of men is fixed. Now, dear ones, I don't mean to be argumentative, but where the issue of God's truth is at stake, how dare anyone handle this passage in such a way as to say, well, the issue is really not the eternal state of men. It's just a temporary state.

18:55 The whole issue will change. Does this passage warrant that? I ask every thinking person who's followed me. Does it warrant it?

19:02 Now, I'm not asking have you believed it that way. I'm asking, does the passage warrant it? I think every candid observer will say absolutely not. Just by way of personal testimony, back when I was taught this other view and had problems with it, I remember asking preachers, I'd say, what about this passage in Matthew 25?

19:22 I'd say, this bothers me. I'd say, it seems to teach that when Jesus comes, He's going to judge all men, and that judgment has the ushering in of eternity. And they'd say, oh, but that's the judgment of the living nations. It's the judgment of the living nations.

19:36 Oh, that's right, they're going to be judged on how they treated the Jews in the tribulation. Oh, they'd say, Jesus says, my brethren, and who are Christ's brethren? The Jews. What a terrible position to take.

19:48 Christ repudiated that position while He was here on earth. They said, thy mother and thy brethren are without. He said, who are my brethren? Those who what?

19:57 Hear the word of God and keep it. Who are His brethren? His elect, His children, His sheep. And I was finally forced in my study of this passage to say, it will not allow me to do what I've been told I must do with it.

20:18 To somehow stretch apart His dealings with the sheep and the goats, and put a thousand years between those things, and then say that the issue determined is not eternal, but temporal. No, no, beloved. A great day of judgment is coming at the return of Christ, and the issue involved is heaven and hell for eternity. Bless God, a new heavens and a new earth, but in eternal state.

The Second Coming Ushers in Eternity: 2 Peter 3

20:44 So I suggest that this passage teaches that the return of Christ and His judgment will usher in eternity. We return to a second passage which has, again, as its very obvious theme, the return of Christ. 2 Peter chapter 3. No symbolism, no figures that are difficult to understand.

21:12 The subject matter very clearly announced at the very outset of the chapter. 2 Peter chapter 3. He wants them to be mindful of the words spoken by the prophets and the apostles of the Lord and Savior. Verse 3. Knowing this, that there shall come in the last days

21:33 scoffers walking after their own lusts and saying, Where is the promise of His coming? Since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation. He said, I want you to be aware of the fact that as the age in which we now exist draws to its climax, as it draws nearer the time of the fulfillment of the promise of the Lord's return, there will be an increasing climate of skepticism. People will throw this into the teeth of the people of God.

22:07 Where is the promise of His coming? Our fathers talked about it. Everything is just the same. So the theme, then, is the return of Christ and the attitude of skepticism amongst the ungodly with reference to that return.

22:22 Now Peter goes on to say, verse 5, But they are willingly ignorant of a certain fact, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished. Just as there was a judgment of God upon a past generation, the world of another day came under the judgment of God in a flood. So he says now, verse 7, The heavens and the earth which are now, the heavens and earth that we know, by the same word are kept in store, reserved against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodliness.

23:05 Ungodly men. God has reserved this world for a second great judgment, a day in which, in fiery judgment, God will deal with the world of ungodly men. Well, why doesn't He do it? Well, He tells us, verse 8, But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing.

23:28 God doesn't reckon time as we do. One day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years is one day, and furthermore, the Lord has purposes of mercy. He's not slack concerning His promise, and some men count slackness but as longsuffering to us. We're not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

23:48 Sure, He's promised He will come, and with His coming, He will execute the judgment that He's promised. Now, notice the context is the second coming of Christ, and He says until that event, God has stamped on the world, reserved for judgment, but, though He delays His coming, verse 10, the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, and what will happen? The heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat. The earth and the works that are therein shall be burned up, seeing that all these things shall be dissolved.

24:27 What manner of persons ought we to be in all holy manner of living in godliness, looking for and hastening unto the coming of the day of God? Wherein the heavens, being on fire, shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless, we, according to His promise, look for a new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent, that ye may be found of Him in peace, without spot and blameless, and account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation.

25:03 Now, can we pull the main thoughts together? ...offered saviour, and coming...

25:14 ...continue as it has since the fathers told us the same story.

25:21 ...because they're ignorant of something, willfully ignorant, just as surely as He came in judgment upon the old world in the days of Noah, so He's promised He will come in judgment upon the existing world.

25:35 Why doesn't He come? He has purposes of mercy, and until those purposes of mercy are accomplished, He is longsuffering. He doesn't reckon time as we do, but He will come, and when He comes, that promise of judgment will be fulfilled. The world and the works in it shall be burned up, and the ungodly shall be judged, and child of God then will be ushered in, your longing new heavens and new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

26:11 Now, is that new heavens and new earth a temporal state or is it an eternal state? We must let Scripture interpret Scripture, and Revelation 21 begins with the vision of John saying, and I saw a new heavens and a new earth, and he goes on to describe the eternal state of the people of God. Now, what does Peter set before his readers? He sets before them this same principle that our Lord does in Matthew 25, that at the return of Christ, there will be a judgment of the ungodly, there will be the ushering of the children of God into their full inheritance,

26:51 there will be the unfolding of eternity and the closing out of time. I ask you to candidly observe Peter's drift found in this third chapter and see if in any way he sets before the children of God as part of their hope that there shall be an interim period when they'll be dwelling with unconverted people who are simply submitting externally to God and at the end will rebel and cast over the reign of Christ. Or does he set before them as their hope a new earth wherein righteousness dwells? And according to Revelation 21,

The Second Coming Ushers in Eternity: 1 Corinthians 15

27:36 a righteousness is not external alone, but that flows from the very redemption of the hearts and souls of the people of God. Now another passage, 1 Corinthians chapter 15. I hope this isn't tedious for you, I'd rather avoid it. We must come to grips with the teaching of Scripture on this vital issue.

28:03 1 Corinthians chapter 15. The subject matter of this chapter is the resurrection of believers to immortality in a true body. Some people at Corinth were denying the doctrine of the resurrection. All of you were acquainted with that, I'm sure.

28:22 So Paul in this chapter, the resurrection chapter, the chapter which perhaps more than any other in the epistles will be read next Sunday in churches all around the world, deals with the glorious hope that because Christ was raised from the dead, we, his people, shall be raised with glorious, immortal bodies, light unto his. Now when will that event occur?

28:49 The believer is going to get his new body.

28:53 Anybody know? At the second coming, right? We studied that. We studied that in 1 Corinthians, 1 Thessalonians chapter 4.

29:01 The Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout. The dead in Christ shall rise first. We which are alive and remain shall be caught up. Meet the Lord in the air.

29:10 Now will you notice very carefully then in the context of this teaching of the believer getting a new body, what Paul says about the events that will surround that giving of a new body and what will follow after the new body is given to the people of God. Verse 20. But now is Christ risen from the dead and become the firstfruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came the resurrection of the dead.

29:42 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order is the firstfruits. He has already risen. Afterwards, they that are Christ at his coming, his own, then come at the end when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father, when he shall have put down all rule and authority and power, for he must reign till he hath put all enemies under his feet.

30:15 Last enemy that shall be destroyed is death, for he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is accepted which did put all things under him. And when all things shall be subdued unto him, that is Christ, then shall the Son also himself be subject to him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all. Now, looking up from our Bibles, catch the main trend of the Jesus Christ must reign as head of his mediatorial kingdom until every last enemy is put under his foot.

30:53 Now, what is the last enemy that would be put under the foot of Christ, according to Paul in this passage? What is the last thing when it is put under the feet of Christ will be the last enemy, then the Lord Jesus will give up to the Father the mediatorial kingdom, having fully accomplished that redemptive work which was entrusted to him. The believer now receiving the full expression of his redemption, his resurrection body, then this mediatorial kingdom is given up to the Father, as we read in verse 28. Now, the question is, when will that last enemy be destroyed?

31:34 Eternity ushered in as the Lord Jesus gives up the mediatorial kingdom to the Father. Read verse 50 with me and following, and we'll see when this happens. Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, neither does corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I will show you a mystery.

32:00 We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet, for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall all be changed. Now, when does that happen? Since the first Thessalonians, isn't it?

32:25 The trump shall sound, the dead shall be raised, we shall all be changed at the return of Christ. Now, notice, he goes on to say, corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when? That's an adverb of time.

32:44 When this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, death is swallowed up in victory. When is the last enemy destroyed? When believers get their new body. And when do they get their new body?

33:03 When Christ comes back, the enemy is death, and death is destroyed at the second coming of Christ. I don't know where these other enemies are going to come from that he's supposed to deal with years hence, unless other scriptures clearly reveal, unequivocally, that there are some other enemies. The last enemy is destroyed when Jesus comes again, and his own are given their resurrection bodies, and then they enter a kingdom into which flesh and blood can't enter. Notice, verse 50, flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, neither can corruption inherit incorruption.

33:46 So with the coming of Christ, the corruptible gives place to the incorruptible, the temporal gives place to the eternal. And I submit then that scripture teaches that the second coming of Christ and the events surrounding it will usher in eternity

34:08 to the child of God and all of the horror of all others.

Confirmation from 2 Thessalonians 1 and the Question of Tribulation

34:18 I want to look at a key passage. There are many other supporting passages and individual texts that I could quote, but I don't want to confuse with a multiplicity, and we wouldn't have time to check the context. But 2 Thessalonians chapter 1, another chapter, it has as its subject matter where we're reading the second coming of Christ. No question about it, no symbolism, no apocalyptic visions, no room for any latitude of interpretation on what event is talked about here.

34:53 Verse 6 of 2 Thessalonians 1, Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you, and to you who are troubled, rest with us. This is going to be the time of entering into full rest, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels 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 everlasting destruction. This is no temporal destruction.

35:33 But those who know not God and those who do not obey the gospel shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and the glory of his power, when? When he shall come to be glorified in his saints and to be admired in all them that believe. And so if the ungodly are judged at his return, and the saint enters into his full and final rest at his return, I submit that the drift of scriptural teaching is that the return of Christ and the glorification of the saint in the judgment of the ungodly ushers in eternity.

36:14 A reminder of the words of Mr. Hodge, the event may prove that other things come between, and anything God does will make me happy. But my question is, am I warranted from Scripture to say that other events will come between? Do you get the thing that I'm continually hammering at?

36:33 And if Scripture does not warrant it, then we have no grounds to hold. Now, some of you have been doing some thinking, I'm sure, at least I hope, and you're saying, ah, but if that's so, that there is but one second coming of Christ, and at his coming the wicked are judged and the dead are raised incorruptible and eternity is ushered in, I know enough about my Bible to know that prior to his coming there will be an unusual manifestation of satanic opposition to the church of Christ. And a period of great upheaval and conflict and tribulation. You mean to say that the church is going to go through the tribulation?

37:17 Someone just yesterday, as we were discussing this matter, the answer is to the people of God prior to the second advent, all the people of God that are here when it comes to pass will go through it. Scripture records that it's a privilege and is given to the people of God to suffer for his name.

38:01 We soft, affluent, American Christians should grow white at the thought that we might have to let out our blood for the sake of Christ. And in the early days of the history of the church, believers had to be restrained from running to the lion pits. They counted it such a privilege in Christ with their life's blood. What a different perspective.

38:36 Don't trouble me anymore, I bear in my body the marks of Christ. He boasted in the marks received. I heard a man speaking one time who went to a place in the Orient that has been through some deep persecutions. He went to China.

38:54 Christians who've been through the Boxer uprising when they had seen the wrath of hell let loose upon the church. And he began to teach this theory that the church will be caught out before things get too hot and won't go through the tribulation. And they said, what tribulation are you talking about? We've been through two or three of them in our lifetime.

39:14 Which one are we going to be spared? You're talking like an American. An American Christian who's been sitting on his easy chair for the past 50 years. We've seen our relatives lay down their lives before our eyes for the sake of Christ.

39:34 The psychological predisposition for this idea that when things get hot, the Lord will take us out. But is it warranted by scripture? That's the issue. That's the question, beloved, that we must continually press.

Application: A Call to Diligent Study of Scripture

39:49 And I think it's a terrible thing to rob Christ of the glory of his triumph, that his return when he shall crush his enemies. And glorify his saints simply in some attempt to preserve our own skin. May I say by way of application in closing this morning, first of all, a word to God's people who listened to our study this morning. This study, I hope, will be a call to renew the diligent study of the scriptures.

40:24 That the second coming of Christ would be in two stages. Will you say that's what I was taught? Yes, granted. But have you searched the scriptures?

40:33 Taken your concordance? Looked up all the references to the coming of Christ to see if this be so? Mr. Clark, who's not with us this morning, he's not well, was telling me what happened to a young, heard of a young man who had been in a background where they taught this.

40:48 And he said, look, I want to get to the place where I know what scripture teaches. So he took a big sheet of paper and he laid it out on the table and he wrote down everything he could find in scripture about the coming of Christ. Everything about the second coming, all the different terms that are used, the day of the Lord, the day of Christ. His coming, his appearance, his manifestation.

41:07 Then he began to see if there was any connection between these. And he drew some lines between the different words, how the different terms were used interchangeably. But the term, his appearance and his coming, his epiphany, his parousia, the day of the Lord, the day of Christ. All these things were used interchangeably in one setting.

41:26 Paul would use one word in another, use another, obviously using them as synonyms. And when it was all done, he was satisfied that he'd come to the conclusion that there was one glorious second coming of Christ in power to judge his enemies and in grace and glory to rapture his saints. And he called in an older brother and he said, brother, look what I've discovered in my study of the word of God. The man came in and looked over it.

41:50 And when he saw that the conclusions didn't fit his own theory, he said, young man, from the picture, a young Christian got earnest enough to know if these things were so and started scouring the scriptures. May God grant that that will never be true in this assembly. And if, as you search these things out, brothers or sisters, God gives you some light that he hadn't given me, you're obligated to come and share that light with me. It means I've got to re-preach this series with further light God gives.

42:31 I'm perfectly willing to do so.

42:36 To every one of us who renewed diligence in our independent study of the word of God, the Bereans of whom we hear so often, but I fear imitate so little. They were not professional theologians. They didn't have concordances. They didn't have Bible dictionaries, but it says they search the scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.

Application: Understanding God's Longsuffering as Salvation

42:58 Then the second thing it is to us, not only a call to diligent study of the word on our own, but it's a call to understand why time, if you can understand why God lets the mess we're in get worse, it'll give you a different attitude as you're in the middle of it. Peter says, account that the long suffering of our God is salvation. The Lord delay his coming. He let the Madeleine Murray's trump through the land like Goliaths.

43:37 Don't you wonder sometimes why didn't God come and smash his enemies? You ever feel that way? Lord, how? You ever have that feeling of vexation? Lord, how long?

43:51 Can you see abounding evil and know that? There it is.

44:02 If you can remember, he's not slack concerning his promise. He's going to come and he'll come as a thief. When they are saying peace and safety, he'll come with suddenness and destruction. But until that hour, what he's saying to you as his people is the doors of mercy are still open.

44:23 He'll have those that I purpose to bring to myself. And so, child of God, you can throw yourself a locked stock and barrel into the purpose of God to save men living to his praise, witnessing fervently and consistently. Let wickedness abound. Let the hordes of hell be let loose.

44:45 But until the heavens burst with the sight of the returning Lord, he's still saying, now is the day of salvation. The door of mercy is open. And child of God, if you know that, you won't get sour. You won't get angry at the mess.

45:02 I'm disturbed when I see Christians getting angry at the mess the world's in. We ought to be angry when we see the devil deceiving men and be vexed in our spirits. But we shouldn't be angry with poor, duped, blinded sinners. Thank God that he's opened our eyes.

45:22 And as Peter says, account that the long suffering of God is salvation.

45:31 Their teaching is that when he comes, the door of salvation is shut. The idea of some salvation, some second chance for Jew or Gentile after the return of Christ is contrary to the whole drift of the teaching of Scripture. That the day of salvation comes right up to the hour of the Lord's return, but then it's destruction upon all them that obey not the gospel, Jew or Gentile.

Application: A Call to Renewed Holiness of Life

46:02 And then there is a word to God's people, not only a call to diligent study in these matters, a call to understanding. Understanding why the Lord delays his coming. But there is a clarion call to renewed inness of life. Peter says, seeing these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness, looking for and hastening unto the coming of the day of God?

46:40 For what are you living that would be an embarrassment were he to come today? My little children, John says, let us abide in him, that when he shall be manifest, we may not be ashamed before him at his coming. Last word to you who are strangers to God's grace. In the light of this coming day, when eternity will be ushered in upon the heels of the Lord's return, and you are being summoned to judgment, repent and flee to Christ,

Application: A Word to Strangers to God's Grace

47:23 you may wonder what world you get so excited about. But if you are here this morning, a stranger to God's grace, and you believed that the Lord Jesus Christ is coming, and you believed that the Lord Jesus Christ is coming, and you believed that the Lord Jesus Christ is coming, when he comes, he will take vengeance on all his enemies, those who know not God, those who obey not the gospel. My friend, you wouldn't dare pillow your head tonight on a bed anywhere, unless you knew that all was well between you and your God. And I want to close our study this morning on that note of urgency, that note pleading with you to flee the wrath to come.

48:05 For if you'll not believe because God declares it in his word, God will force you to believe when he passes these scenes before your eyes, and you stand with those in the left hand who hear those terrible words, depart from me, ye cursed, you everlasting fire. As far as I am concerned, they are the most terrible words that human ears could possibly hear. Depart from me.

48:35 What terrible words can human ears hear the most? Can you think of any?

48:41 If we were to go home today and turn on our radios and hear the signal that ballistic missiles were already on their way from Russia and that inside of 30 minutes, 40 or 50 or 70 million Americans would be blown to pieces, those words would strike horror to us, wouldn't they? But I submit those words are kid stuff.

49:04 The words that Jesus will utter from that throne of judgment, depart from me, ye cursed. For Jesus said, fear not those which kill the body. Ballistic missiles may kill the body, but he said, fear him which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell. Yea, I say unto you, fear him.

49:24 May God grant you will fear him and find refuge in the Lord. Jesus is coming because he is long suffering. He does not delight in judgment, but in mercy. And as today is the day of salvation, may it find you calling upon him while he's near finding that his promises of mercy are sure.