The Hope Part VII

The Return and Resurrections

For believers looking forward to the first coming of Jesus Christ, this hope included a number of tremendous realities for them:

Being part of the resurrection of the just, along with "recompense" (or repayment): Luke 14:12-14, John 5:25-29.
Eternal life: John 3:16, John 8:51.
Paradise (which is on earth): Luke 24:23.
New Jerusalem, the Holy City: Revelation 21:1-8, 23

These are but a few. For several thousands of years the believers were somehow able to keep the hope of the redeemer, Jesus Christ, alive in their hearts from generation to generation. They survived evil kings, captivity, being forcefully relocated, and every imaginable situation. Yet the believers kept that hope alive in their hearts! These believers (prior to the day of Pentecost in Acts chapter 2) will be part of the resurrection of the just.

For those of us today who believe, confessing Romans 10:9, 10, we look forward to the return of Christ. However, the believers during the Age of Grace (the period from Acts chapter 2 until the return of Jesus Christ for his saints) will be gathered together rather than be part of the resurrection of the just or unjust.

The second coming of Jesus Christ has several parts to it, just as his first coming did.

A few highlights of his first coming:

Conceived by Holy Spirit
Born
Circumcised
Lived and began his ministry in Nazareth
Fulfilled his ministry
Died on the cross
Raised from the dead
Ascended into Heaven

The second coming has two major sections, the first is when Christ comes for the saints (the born-again believers), and the second is when he returns with the saints.

Romans 5:9

Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

The book of Revelation (and others) detail events regarding the end times, the destruction of sin, death, and the devil. During this time there will be many unpleasant events as men of great evil will rule. The believers of the Age of Grace will not be present on earth during this "wrath", since we will have been either raised from the dead (if we are dead at the time of the return) and given incorruptible bodies, or if we are alive at the return we will be changed and given immortal bodies. We shall then be gathered together to meet our Lord in the air.

I Corinthians 15:49-54

And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.

Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.

Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

I Thessalonians 4:13-18

But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep [believers who have died], that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.

For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

This is not the resurrection of the just or unjust, which applies to believers and others before or after the Age of Grace. This is the gathering together.

What has the new birth cost us? Believers in the Old Testament continued to hope, century after century, yet never lived to see the first coming of Jesus Christ, and never had the privilege to become born again and have Christ in them the "hope of glory".

Yet here we are today, and because God gave His all and His son Jesus Christ gave his all, the new birth is a gift by grace that we can just walk up and claim. To think why we should be alive to partake of such goodness and love that even the mighty Old Testament believers could not receive (because it was not available until Acts 2:4) can be very humbling.

But God wants us to walk up to the truths and realities He has given us, put them on in our minds, then believe and step forth with the power and boldness to live a blessed life, telling others.

Because we have the hope of Christ's return we need to understand and think of it often, as it gives us endurance and boldness to live godly and abundantly.

Part VI

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