52. What comfort is it to you that Christ "shall come to judge the living and the dead"?

That in all my sorrows and persecutions I, with uplifted head, look for the very One who offered Himself for me to the judgment of God, and removed all curse from me, to come as Judge from heaven,1) who shall cast all His and my enemies into everlasting condemnation,2) but shall take me with all His chosen ones to Himself into heavenly joy and glory. 3)

1) And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh. Luke 21:28.

And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope for what a man seeth why doth he yet

For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ: who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself: Phil. 3:20,21.

Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ. Titus 2:13.

2) Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you . . . When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day. 2 Thess. 1:6,10.

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 he with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words. I Thess. 4:16-18.

Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand. Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire. prepared For the devil and his angels. Matt. 25:1 1 .

* And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; which also said, ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. Acts 1:10,l l.

* So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. Heb. 9:28.

BACK