| Most
Christians believe that the second coming is very close. This
belief is now so universal that it is hardly ever questioned.
However, Christians in every age have believed that the second
coming is near, but they all proved to be wrong. We need to be
careful that we do not make the same mistake. The second coming of Jesus is
not necessarily as close as most bible teachers claim.
The most important event in the near
future is the calling of the Jews (see times and
seasons). This
is an event that is getting close, and it is an event that will
have a tremendous impact on the world. The calling of the Jews
will happen during a time of distress and bring in a new stage of history; a time of blessing greater
than the world has ever known. Christians should be working and
praying for the conversion of the Jews, rather than waiting for
the return of Christ. In this way they will speed the coming of
the Kingdom.
The Kingdom will be established
through the proclamation of the gospel and the outpouring of the
Holy Spirit. Christians already have the power and the authority
that they need to establish the kingdom of God. We do not have to
wait for the return of Christ to see it become a reality. Instead
we should be going out in the power of the Spirit, to win the
world for Jesus, now. We
should remember that many sincere Christians throughout history
have thought that the second coming was close. They were all
wrong. We should always be ready for the return of Jesus,
but we should not simply assume that it will occur in our time.
Once the Kingdom of God is established by the church, it may
continue for thousands of year. Therefore, the second coming
of Jesus may be a very long way away. |