Are You Ready For His Coming?
By Pastor E. L. Bynum
Read Matthew 24:44-25:13“Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.” —Matthew 24:44
There are many Scriptures that teach us that Jesus Christ is coming again. Many Christians say that they are looking for His coming, however the majority of them are not really ready for His coming. It is our prayer that this message will cause those who read it, to seek to be ready for His coming.
I. THE PROMISES OF HIS COMING.
While there are many promises of the Second Coming of Christ, we shall mention only a few.
1. Jesus promised that He would come again. John 14:1-3, Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
How can anyone deny the Second Coming of Christ, without calling Jesus a liar? He plainly said, I will come again.
2. The angelic messengers promised that He would come again. When our Lord went back to the Heavenly Father, after His death and resurrection, two men stood by in white apparel. They had a wonderful message for the disciples. Acts 1:9-11,And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked stedfastly 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.
3. Paul promised that Jesus would come again. The beloved Apostle had much to say about the Second Coming of Christ. He mentions this event in every chapter of 1st and 2nd Thessalonians. I Thess. 4:13-18, But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, 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.
The above passage of Scriptures clearly reveals to us what is going to take place when Jesus comes for His own. Please note that no mention of the lost is made in this passage. This describes the dead in Christ, and the living Christians, who will be changed and go up to meet the Lord in the air. The unsaved dead will remain in their graves for more than 1,000 years, before they will be resurrected. The unsaved living will enter the 7-year tribulation, and be under the reign of Antichrist.
This is why we believe in the premillennial, pretribulation Second Coming of the Lord. Many false teachers are making an all out effort to destroy this doctrine, but they shall not succeed. It is taught in the Word of God, and therefore it will stand forever.
II. THE PORTENTS (Signs) OF HIS COMING.
When we speak of the signs of His Coming, we do not mean that we can set a date for this event. We simply mean that certain events that are prophesied to take place in the last days are beginning to come to pass.
1. A falling away will happen before His coming. II Thess. 2:3, Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition. Surely no one can deny that we are in the midst of a great apostasy today. Multitudes are falling away from the truth of God's Word. Religious leaders are denying the fundamental truths of the Bible. Many examples of this could be given.
2. A departure from the faith...before His coming. I Tim. 4:1, Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils. One cannot depart from the faith, without first professing the faith which was first delivered to the saints. Almost daily we hear of men who once proclaimed the truth, who now deny what they once preached.
3. A time when they will not endure sound doctrine, before His coming. II Tim. 4:3-4, For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. Cults, Charismatics and other promoters of false doctrine are often growing by leaps and bounds. Cults offer error, and very little truth, but multitudes are flocking to them.
The Charismatic movement (generic pentecostalism), is one of the religious phenomenons of our generation. It has nothing to offer but a mixture of psychology and emotionalism, but they are drawing large crowds across America. They dominate the religious television broadcasting industry. They largely control the Promise Keepers movement, which is drawing huge numbers of men from all denominations. Many who are leaving the dead modernistic denominations, are now flocking to the Charismatics. They have excitement and emotionalism, but they have little more truth than they had in the liberal Protestant churches. These people will not endure sound doctrine. They literally turn away their ears from the truth. They are beingturned unto fables.
The Christian psychology movement is being used to turn many away from the truth. Christian (?) psychology is deeply imbedded in the teaching of John McArthur, Bill Gothard, Robert Schuller, Bill Hybels, Lee Strobel, Chuck Swindoll, and many, many others. Yet, they attract large crowds, and some of them have large radio and TV ministries. People are turning away from the truth, and are being led into fables. John McArthur's teaching on the blood of Christ is nothing short of pure heresy, but multitudes follow him. Unfortunately the doctrines of these men are now being brought into Independent Fundamental Baptist churches. It is pure poison, but many are drinking it as if it was the water of life.
Billy Graham continues to attract large crowds in his crusades. He has done more to break down the barriers between truth and error, than any man in the 20th Century. He consorts with the Pope and Catholic leaders. He sends so-called converts back to the Roman Catholic Church. He allows Catholic nuns to counsel those who come forward in his meetings. Yet, many evangelicals and fundamentalists still support his meetings. Truly men are unwilling to endure sound doctrine.
Full article at: http://www.jesus-is-savior.com/BTP/Dr_Bynum/ready.htm
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