An Article of Faith

Do you long for the Second Coming of Christ and to be made like Him? This is the sixth question in John’s 10 Question Quiz concerning eternal life.

“See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us,” writes John, “that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears [i.e., at His Second Coming], we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure” (1 John 3:1-3).

True or False – Do you long for the Second Coming of Christ and to be made like Him?

A genuine Christian can hardly wait for Jesus to fulfill His promise to return for His people (see Matthew 24) and we often sigh, “I wish He would come today!”

Trying to visualize the glorious place where he will spend eternity, the believer sometimes daydreams about heaven as he reflects on John’s words in Revelation 21:1-4, “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, ‘Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.’” Like a bride in anticipation of her wedding day, so believers eagerly await the Bridegroom at His return.

Part of this expectancy comes from the promise of being transformed: “We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure” (1 John 3:2b-3). At that moment, when Christ returns: “... we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, ‘Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?’ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:51b-57).

A direct result of this eager anticipation of Christ’s return motivates believers to purify themselves, “just as He is pure” (1 John 3:3b). A good friend of mine once told me, “Live life now as you will have wished you had lived it when Jesus returns.” Sound wisdom (see Proverbs 1:7).

Do you sometimes look at the clouds and imagine Jesus coming in power and great glory?

True or False – Do you long for the Second Coming of Christ and to be made like Him? “He who testifies to these things says, ‘Yes, I am coming quickly.’ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus” (Revelation 22:20).

(Jessie J. Charpentier Sr. is pastor of Jenkins Memorial Baptist Church in St. Martinville.)