Christ will come the hour you think not

The second advent of our Lord Jesus Christ will be greeted with checkered reactions of rejoicing for success and fulfillment, and lamentations arising from unexpected failure and disappointments. There will be regrets too, because it will be impossible to change one’s group or to repent. At that time, the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ must have reached the nooks and crannies of the earth, and preached to different group of people.

The people who refused to adhere to the Biblical instructions, the reprobate minds and careless Christians will be taken unawares. The diligent believers who continuously worked out their salvation with fear and trembling will surely jubilate.

The Bible warns in Matthew 24:42-44: “Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. 43: But know this, that if the good man of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. 44: Therefore, be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.” The second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ has been concluded with God and no one can alter it, except God Himself. God is not an author of confusion and would not say a thing and fails to fulfill it. Jesus Christ is coming the second time to rapture the saints. Christians need to prepare for the event, so, they would not be taken unawares.

It does not matter whether one is dead or alive at the time of His second coming as both the dead and the living will be raptured provided they are in Christ. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 states: “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. 14: For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.15: 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. 16: 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. 17: 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. 18: Wherefore comforts one another with these words.”

It is important to note that both the living and the dead will rise to meet the Lord with the dead in Christ rising first to join the living in Christ in the air. The saints being caught in the air as the blessed hope of the Christians marks a number of things, namely: (a) reassurance (b) revelation, setting forth the return of Christ, the rapture of the church, and the reunion of all believers, and (c) comfort of all.

In reference to the lead scripture, the dead in Christ will be raised incorruptibly. There will be two sets of resurrections, which include all that are in the graves (John 5:28). This is distinguished with the resurrection of the saints or resurrection into life. The resurrection of the saints into life will take place first and after 1000 years another resurrection of all that are in graves will follow. At this time, it will be for judgment and for the second death.

The first resurrection will be at the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (1Corinthians 15:23), when all the saints in the graves or the believers of the Church age, old testament believers will meet Christ in the air (1Thessalonians 4:16-17). This will also include all the martyrs of the tribulation period that will be raised at the close of tribulation when Christ will return to establish the millennium reign. The tribulation saints will not meet Christ in the air because they have not been made then; also, their salvation is by their own blood.

The resurrection body will be incorruptible, glorious, powerful, and spiritual (1 Corinthians 15:42-44, 49) while the living bodies will instantaneously be changed (1 Corinthians 15:50-53, Philippians 3:20-21). This change of the body of the living and the resurrection of the dead in Christ is called the redemption of our body (Romans 8:23). After another 1000 years, the resurrection into judgment will occur (John 5:29). The dead on resurrection will face the white throne judgment according to their works and eventually be thrown into hell fire. You should be strong in the Lord to work out your salvation now you are alive.

The essence of bringing these facts into the front burner is to create awareness about the coming event and for believers to prepare for it. As a Christian, do not be taken by surprise; properly prepare for it. All these must come to pass; it will come when we least expected. 1Timothy 6:7 says: “For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.” Christ is coming to take the saints; the judgment of God is also coming to apportion punishment of hell fire to the wicked. We should, therefore, amend our ways to live our life according to the will of God. Being engrossed with the pursuit of wealth will not give us glory before God, but righteous life will. We should prepare for the second coming, be ready at all times, so that, we will not be taken by surprise when the trumpet sounds.