The Coming of Christ
Dearly beloved of God, there are two parts to the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ: his coming for the Church of the Grace of God to gather us up to him in the air, and his coming to the earth in the Lord’s Day.
I Corinthians 15:51-54 and I Thessalonians 4:15-18 describe Christ’s coming for the Church. Both the dead in Christ and those who are living will be gathered together up to meet the Lord in the air.
Those who are corrupting in the grave will be raised incorruptible, and the mortal ones will put on immortality.
Philippians 3:20 and 21
For our conversation [citizenship] is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, 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.
The Lord Jesus Christ has given us the victory over sin and death. He is the first born from the dead, and he dies no more. At his coming to gather us together up to meet him in the air we will receive our victory over death.
Christ is the head of the Church, and we are members of the Church, which is the body of Christ. As joint heirs with Christ, the Father freely gives us all things with His Son. When Christ returns for us we will be glorified with him; we will obtain the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The gathering together up to meet the Lord in the air will be the first event in the ages to come, and it will take the coming ages for God our Father to show us the exceeding riches of His grace in kindness to us in Christ.
Jesus Christ taught that to enter the Kingdom of God one must be born again of the spirit from God. The entrance into the kingdom is by the new birth, and our physical entrance will come with the gathering together up to meet the Lord in the air.
After the gathering together, the events pertaining to the Day of the Lord will begin to unfold on the earth. The Day of the Lord is a period of wrath, judgment, and war. It is described from the prophets through the book of Revelation.
I Thessalonians 4: 15-18 describes Christ’s coming for the Church, then chapter 5 describes how the Day of the Lord will begin. Pay close attention to the pronouns used verse 1-10.
I Thessalonians 5:1and 2
But of the times and the seasons, brethren, you [the Church] have no need that I write unto you.
For yourselves know perfectly [accurately] that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
Thieves do not announce their arrival; they sneak in quietly. The next verse describes how the Day of the Lord will begin.
Verses 3 and 4
For when they [the ungodly] shall say, “Peace and safety;” then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they [the ungodly] shall not escape.
But you, brethren, [the Church] are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
The Day of the Lord will begin with peace and safety, but sudden destruction will come upon them and they will not escape. Verses 4-8 continue to contrast the Church, who are “the children of light, and the children of the day,” with those who are of the night, and are of darkness.
Verses 9-11
For God hath not appointed us [the Church] to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.
Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also you do.
We must be clear when we speak about the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ; there are two parts to his coming.
The first part will take place in the air, and concerns the Church of the Grace of God. The second part of his coming is the Day of the Lord, or Lord’s Day. He will come as King of kings, and Lord of lords. His coming to the earth will be in wrath, judgment, and to make war.
Thank God for His great grace, for our salvation in Christ Jesus, and the glory that is reserved for us in heaven. He is coming!