By Steven J. Hogan
~ A Saturday Morning Post #280 ~
When it comes to the truths about Christ’s 2nd coming, many Christians don’t know them, or are confused, or have a simplistic view, or just don’t believe them. Some aren’t even interested in what God has clearly told us in His word about the return of our Lord. This should not be! Christ Himself repeatedly told us that He’s coming back to earth, along with many other things that need to happen before and after His return. Luke 21:27
Luke 18:8 addresses this issue of knowing and believing these truths with a question: “When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?” This word “faith” is a noun. And a person who knows and believes the truths of God’s word has faith, has convictions, is convinced that what God says is true. Hebrews 11:1
God’s word is filled with truths that we must believe. Most doctrinal statements list a set of foundational truths, ones about God, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, man, salvation, the word, the church, and hope (Eph. 4:4-6). In Luke 18:8, Christ emphasizes the need for us to have faith when He comes, the need to believe these basic truths. Having a complete, comprehensive faith is essential if we are to be mature Christians, if we are to live strongly and effectively for God in the final, most difficult years of the end-times.
Since the faith spoken of in Luke 18:8 is in the context of Christ’s coming, then it must include the truths about our hope. On this blog site we’ve talked extensively about this hope: Christ is coming back, there will be true justice, we will be given new bodies, we will be in heaven with Christ and fellow believers, we will receive rewards, we will reign with Christ over this earth, a large remnant of Jews will be saved and ruling with Christ from Jerusalem, etc.
So how about you? Will you have a solid faith when Christ returns? Do you know and believe all these basic truths, including hope? If you do, then you will be excitedly loving Christ, living for Christ, and looking forward to seeing Him. You won’t be worldly, you will be living a holy, godly life, you will “put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.” Romans 13:12-14
Do you also know what will be happening before Christ comes back? Do you know about the birth pains, the false Christs, Daniel’s 70th week, the Antichrist, great tribulation, and the signs in the heavens? Do you know that they precede Christ’s coming and the rapture of the church? The faith of a good Christian soldier must include these timely truths. It’s vital that you learn all God’s word, including eschatology – God’s truths, plans, and promises about the last years of this earth. How can you successfully keep going for God if you don’t realize we are in the end-times, if you are scarcely schooled in these truths about the future, if you don’t understand what will be taking place in the years ahead?
A problem for many Christians is that they’re not in a good, end-times’ teaching church, they’re not being taught by a hope-full pastor, one who is teaching the word in view of Christ’s appearing and kingdom (2 Tim. 4:1-2). A pastor’s preaching must be centered on the gospel of Christ and in light of the fact that Christ is returning to rapture the church and establish His kingdom on earth. Bible preaching has more power and relevance when it’s done in view of Christ’s 1st coming and 2nd coming. Hebrews 9:27-28
I can’t overstate the importance of being in a solid, big-picture, hope-preaching church. But it’s not just the teaching – it’s relationships, it’s having good fellowship, it’s “encouraging one another and all the more as you see the day drawing near” (Heb. 10:25). It’s also working together, making disciples with Jesus’ promise in mind – “Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:20
Some Christians say they are not premillennial, that they don’t believe Christ is coming back to set up His 1000-year kingdom on earth. They say they’re amillennial, and that what I’m saying is wrong. If you believe this way, I encourage you to read my articles that address this error of amillennialism. It’s titled, “Replacement Theology: It’s Not True – Part One”, and there’s Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, and Part 5.
Faith has been the primary subject of these past three posts – faith that prays for justice, faith that trusts God, and today, faith that believes the foundational truths of God, including the truths about, about the glorious future God has for you. I cannot stress enough your need for a strong, vibrant faith, a key ingredient in your Christian life, now and until the end. Remember what Paul said before he died – “I have fought the good fight, I have kept the faith, and I have finished the course.” 2 Timothy 4:7
Hear what Jesus told us in Matthew 24 – “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away” (Matt. 24:35). Do you see what Jesus said? He’s strongly and unequivocally stating the enduring, eternal authority of God’s word. He’s reminding us of its critical importance, for it’s the basis of our faith. Do you also see that He purposely placed this verse in the middle of what I believe is the most important end-times’ chapter in the Bible? Why? Because He wants you to know that all truth is extremely important, including the truth about our hope. God knew that many people would be doubters and deniers when it comes to the truth about end-times’ prophecy. So He gave us Matt. 24:35, a huge exclamation point warning us to wake up, to take heed, to study and believe these truths about Christ’s coming and the rapture of the church. To emphasize this even further, two other eschatological chapters contain the exact same verse – “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.” Luke 21:33, Mark 13:31
Now’s the time to learn what God wants you to know about the future. Why wait? I encourage you to study Dan. 7, Dan. 9:24-27, Matt. 24, Mark 13, Luke 17:22-37, Luke 21:5-36, 1 Thess. 4:13 – 5:11, 2 Thess. 1:5-10, 2 Thess. 2:1-12, 2 Peter 3:3-13, and Revelation. Because we live in the end-times, this truth is no longer a secondary doctrine – it’s a primary doctrine. I can’t overstate the significance of God’s prophetic word at this time in history. Finally, hear Jesus’ admonition – “Take heed; behold, I have told you everything in advance” (Mark 13:23). Do you want to know everything Christ wants you to know about the end-times, His coming, the rapture, and the 1000-year kingdom age? I pray that you say yes!
P.S. Whether you physically die before Christ’s return or are raptured, God wants you to have faith. Jesus commands us, “Have faith in God” (Mark 11:22). Here are two articles that also talk about the kind of Christian God wants you to be: “Your Spiritual Service: a Member of the Special Forces”, and “The Excellent End-Times’ Worker.”