Are you ready for Christ’s return?

We demonstrated earlier in chapters five & six¹ that the return of Jesus to fulfil the promises made to the fathers by setting up the Kingdom of God was a central theme of original Christian teaching. But over the long ages since, although it is accepted in theory, it has receded into the background, so that it has no practical effect on the lives and expectations of many individual Christians or the church as a whole.

Yet the teaching of Jesus is crystal clear. He will come back – taking the world by surprise, and we need to be ready for it. It will be as sudden as on past occasions of divine intervention:

For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.²

To use another analogy, his return to earth will be as unexpected as the intrusion of a burglar: For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night.³ Hence, Jesus gives this advice:

Watch therefore… But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.⁴

Can you fit this aspect of Christ’s teaching into your daily life? Is this thought continually in the back of your mind: Jesus may come today?

Jesus the judge

When Jesus returns it will not be as the benign and gentle Jesus of the children’s hymn. He is coming initially as a judge – of individuals and then of the world at large. Jesus said that at his return, when the resurrection has taken place and when he sits on the throne of his glory, he will divide people into two classes on the basis of the life they have lived. The faithful will be directed to the right of his throne and will hear his words of approval: Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world, and be given eternal life.⁵

This tribunal and the need for Christians to be prepared for it is repeatedly emphasised in the New Testament. The Apostle Paul often refers to it. For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ,⁶ is just one example.

And what will be the basis for acceptance at this tribunal? If you love me keep my commands, said Jesus.⁷ In his so-called Sermon on the Mount Jesus gives details of how he expects his followers to behave. He ends his discourse by saying that those who hear and do what he says will be like a house impregnable to flood and disaster, whilst the house of those who disregard his commands will perish.⁸ A very sobering thought.

So there is no doubt that what the Christian does in this life will determine the result of that tribunal. Many other passages of Scripture clearly teach this:

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.⁹

The final message of Jesus to his followers reaffirms this:

And behold, I am coming quickly, and my reward is with me, to give to every one according to his work.¹⁰

And the work of each one has been recorded in a figurative book that will form the basis of the verdict:

And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.¹¹

What are the works that will enable our judge to accept us? Without entering into the works versus faith controversy that has beset theologians over many years, we can bring some Bible teaching to bear. Faith in what Jesus achieved is itself a work. In answer to a question: What shall we do, that we may work the works of God? Jesus answered and said to them, This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.¹²

Paul commended the Thessalonians for three things: their work of faith, labour of love, and patience of hope.¹³ The Christian’s work also includes helping others: For God is not unjust to forget your work and labour of love… in that you have ministered to the saints.¹⁴ Jesus is depicted as saying at his judgement seat to those who will go into eternal life: Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.¹⁵ In that same chapter Jesus praises the diligent servant who had used the talents (abilities) his master had given him, and promises a reward as a result: His lord said to him, Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord. Whereas the lazy servant was cast into… outer darkness.¹⁶

It seems, therefore, that both faith and action will determine the Christian’s outcome. But overriding all will be the love and forgiveness of our judge and his earnest desire to bring his true followers into his Kingdom:

Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.¹⁷

Complete forgiveness will be willingly given to those who have striven to be faithful.

Judgements on an evil world

But for the world at large there are ominous Bible predictions about the return of Jesus that few Christians seem to take into consideration. Earlier we quoted from Daniel chapter 2, which describes the changeover on earth from the kingdom of men (the systems in place today) to the Kingdom of God.¹⁸ The kingdom of men is depicted by a huge statue, which came tumbling down in pieces when a stone struck it on its feet. Then all those fallen pieces were: crushed together, and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors; the wind carried them away so that no trace of them was found. And the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.¹⁹ In symbol this stone is Jesus returning to earth, and the violent grinding and complete removal of the pieces graphically indicates the terrible devastation that will occur at the time. This is when the:

God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.²⁰

The New Testament confirms the violent end of human domination at the hand of the returned Jesus. Those who regard Jesus as the epitome of love and kindness see only one side of his character. The other side, shown at his return to a godless earth, is mentioned by the Apostle Paul:

You who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ… And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming.²¹

Similarly, the Book of Revelation chapter 19 describes the great and final Battle of Armageddon at which Jesus in symbol is seated on a white horse and: out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it he should strike the nations. And he himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.²²

As a result, all the wicked in the world will be removed, and Christ’s reign of righteousness will spread throughout the earth, ruling over a purified and God-honouring population. This will be the Kingdom that Jesus bids us pray for.

Is your view of Christianity able to accept the full import of such passages as these?