“And now, dear children, remain in fellowship with Christ so that when He returns.” 1 John 2:28 NLT
“When He returns” in Greek is literally, “if He appears.” But the uncertainty is not about the fact of His coming but rather about the timing of it. The fact that He is coming again bodily is either true or the Bible is false. But we do not know when He will return. James Boice writes in The Epistles of John (Zondervan, p. 96) that in the New Testament, “. . . one verse in twenty-five deals with the Lord’s return. It is mentioned 318 times in the 260 chapters of the New Testament. It is mentioned in every one of the New Testament books, with the exception of Galatians, which deals with a particular doctrinal problem, and the very short books such as 2 and 3 John and Philemon.” Jesus repeatedly mentioned His own return. When the disciples watched the risen Jesus ascend bodily into heaven, two angels appeared and said, “Men of Galilee, why are you standing here staring into heaven? Jesus has been taken from you into heaven, but someday he will return from heaven in the same way you saw him go!” (Acts 1:11). He will come bodily. Believers disagree about the details of prophecy such as the millennium and the rapture. There are obviously good reasons for each view. But there is one thing every true believer, no matter what his prophetic views, holds as absolutely true: Jesus Christ is coming back bodily as the conquering Judge and King. Are we ready for Him?
PRAYER THOUGHT
Lord Jesus, thank You for the absolute certainty that You are returning.
PRAYER FOR TODAY
Lord Jesus, there is one thing we all believe, no matter what prophetic views we hold, You are coming back bodily as the conquering Judge and King. We choose to be ready for You! AMEN
I.B.R.A. Readings
Mark 8:31-38
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