1 Thessalonians 3:6-4:18

The Coming of the Lord

I have discovered that not every doctrine I was taught growing up is beyond question. There are a few things which for believers are beyond question. The deity of Jesus Christ is beyond question. The atoning death of Christ on the cross is beyond question. The literal physical resurrection of Jesus Christ is beyond question. Pretty much everything else has serious defenders within the true brotherhood of the faith. 

Clearly some things are more important than others. Pardon my saying so but it isn’t particularly important whether or not it is a sin for a man to have long hair. This is especially true in light of the fact that we have no direction whatsoever from the Bible to actually define for us what constitutes long hair. On the other hand adultery is very clearly defined and while it may or may not send you to hell it certainly isn’t God’s plan for your life. 

The return of Christ is an area about which there is no clear consensus in the Church. That He will return seems beyond question, but there is much disagreement over both when He will return and what is to be taken literally and what is symbolic in Scripture. I was always taught that His return would be literal and was imminent. And while I now have different views on some of the doctrines of my youth the literalness and imminency of Christ’s return is just as settled now in my mind and heart as it has ever been.

The Lord Himself will come down from heaven. That seems pretty clear. There just doesn’t seem to be any room for metaphor or imagery there. Those believers who are alive at the time will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air and will discover that those who died in Christ are waiting for them as well. Again, there isn’t a lot of room to read anything in to that. When will it happen? We don’t know. It certainly seems that Paul thought it might happen in his lifetime. Therefore, I see no reason why we shouldn’t think it might happen in our lifetimes. In fact, it’s pretty clear that the Bible intends for believers to have that very expectancy. 

What a difference this doctrine of the literal and imminent return of christ makes. Every day becomes one full of expectancy and hope. At worst you go into the next life having lived this one with a bedrock hope for each and every day. That is what I call a no lose doctrine.