The Resurrection and the Judgment (3)

Introduction

Once again, I do want to express my appreciation for the opportunity to be here this evening. I’ve had a wonderful day being with you. Appreciate so much the chance to get to meet many of you for the first time, seeing some of you again, uh getting to meet some of the families of a couple of the students that I have over at the college right now, and uh some that I worship with in Tampa have really appreciated being a part of this family. Uh it’s good to see a family of God’s people that functions the way that it’s supposed to. And I know it’s difficult to make a judgment from just spending a little bit of time with a group of people, uh, but I do appreciate what I’ve seen in you and and your uh sincerity, your love for one another.

Um it’s always touching. Uh I did not grow up uh with a Christian family, uh came to learn the truth a little bit later and uh became a part of the family of God, and it’s always encouraging to see brothers and sisters acting the way that we are supposed to be acting. And I appreciate your interest today in this series of lessons that we’ve been looking at involving the topic of realized eschatology. I know this morning we had way too much information. We couldn’t get it all in in the time that we had at the end of the class period. I was rushing through slides. We had the morning worship service, and that went over a little bit as well. Um maybe tonight will be a little bit shorter, but I’m not promising anything.

Uh we are talking about the end, and at some point we’ll reach the end tonight, and that will be the end of the series. I can promise you that. But when we’ve talked about the concept of realized eschatology and talked about the idea of the second coming of Jesus Christ, I want to continue those thoughts tonight, and I want to remind us of a couple of things before we really get into the study. Uh, as I mentioned this morning, I am attempting to present these concepts, these ideas in a fair fashion. I’m not trying to call into question anybody’s motives, anyone’s sincerity that might hold to these positions. What is known as realized eschatology, and we’ll go over that again in just a second as to what that means.

But I do believe that they undermine some of the basic teachings of Christianity. I do not believe that those concepts can be supported by Scripture, even though there are some difficult ideas and concepts that are conveyed in the Bible when it comes to the topic of eschatology. Realized eschatology, as it was defined again, is the belief that the second coming of Jesus and all of those things associated with the second coming of Jesus were already fulfilled in 70 A.D. when Jerusalem was destroyed. Max King in 1973 referred to it in this way. He said that the Holy Scriptures teach that the second coming of Christ, including the establishment of the eternal kingdom, the day of judgment, the end of the world, and the resurrection of the dead occurred with the fall of Jerusalem in A.D.

70. That is what realized eschatology promotes. That is what it teaches, that everything involved with the second coming of Jesus, which includes the day of judgment, the end of the world, the resurrection of the dead, that all happened in 70 AD. And we talked this morning to some degree about the idea of the second coming of Jesus. How I believe the scriptures teach that to be a future event. And we’re going to talk tonight as well about the day of judgment and the resurrection and the end of the world, and those being future events. But I also want to admit and recognize that the destruction of Jerusalem was a very significant event in 70 AD. There is a sense in which it was a day of the Lord.

There is a sense in which it was a judgment day, divine retribution against the city of Jerusalem for having crucified the Son of God. But I would suggest to you that it is not the judgment day. That it is not the resurrection day, that that was not the second coming of Christ. And I’ve had several conversations today with individual members of the congregation, sometimes asking, well, how do you make that point? Well, quite frankly, I think what we need to do is look at how these events were described in the scripture and see whether or not that event that took place in 70 AD could be the fulfillment of all of those things. That’s a biblical principle. Jesus, in talking about various matters, he would kind of refer to some of the passages of the Old Testament and prophecies and ask in what way could they be fulfilled?

Who is the Christ? Whose son is he? He’s the son of David, they said. Well, then why does David call him Lord? That doesn’t make much sense, does it? When we talked this morning briefly about 2 Samuel chapter 7, there is a prophecy that David’s son would be the one who builds a house for the Lord. David’s son would be established by God, God would build a house for him, would establish his throne forever. Who’s the fulfillment of that? Well, it’s not completely Solomon because Solomon didn’t reign forever. And so we had to look for another fulfillment in Jesus Christ. And even the Apostle Peter in Acts chapter 2, when he preaches about Jesus being raised up from the dead, he quotes from a Psalm of David, and he said, David couldn’t be speaking about himself here because he’s dead and he’s buried and his tomb’s still here.

1. Was AD 70 the Resurrection?

We have to look for another fulfillment. Look at what the prophecy said. Look at the events that you’re considering that might be the fulfillment of those, and then see whether or not they fit. The same thing’s true when we come to the idea of the resurrection and the final judgment. In A.D. 70, Jerusalem was destroyed. It was a significant event. But was it the resurrection that those are talking about? The AD 70 resurrection, these individuals argue that certainly that is what occurred in 70 AD. When Jerusalem was destroyed, they interpret that as the resurrection from the dead. Now, how is that possible? Well, the only way that the AD 70 advocate, the realized eschatology advocate, can suggest that is by making this highly symbolic. They have to find some way to have a figurative or a spiritualized interpretation of the resurrection.

And I mention again this morning in class, just quickly, that I’ve really heard two different interpretations for this. One interpretation for the resurrection having occurred in 70 AD suggests that the idea of the body did not refer to individuals, but that the body was the church. And that what was being spoken of in the New Testament as a bodily resurrection was not about individual people coming back to life. What you would typically think of as the resurrection, but was instead speaking in a symbolic way of the body of Christ, the church, being brought back to life. Now, according to that view, the church was in some way dead or buried underneath the oppression of Judaism for approximately 40 years, from around 30 to 33 A.D. when Christ established the church until 70 A.D.

when Jerusalem was destroyed. But when the Romans destroyed Jerusalem, the church was raised, or it was freed from that oppression. It became a glorious body because the Jewish persecution was lifted. That’s one interpretation I’ve heard for the bodily resurrection. Now I would challenge that on a number of different levels, including the question of whether Jewish persecution of the church ended when Jerusalem was destroyed. I don’t think you could prove that. Whether the Roman persecution, which came later in the first century, wasn’t worse than the Jewish persecution that came before 70 AD. Not to mention the idea of the church being dead or buried, which seems a little bit strange to me during that time period in which the apostles were preaching the gospel everywhere, and they were turning the world upside down, and huge numbers of people were being converted to Christianity.

The persecution brought against the church in no way hindered the growth of Christianity. We realize that, don’t we? It in fact promoted it. The persecution that arose against the Christians in Jerusalem caused the disciples to be scattered everywhere. And they went everywhere and they took the gospel with them. It doesn’t seem like it was a huge hindrance to the cause of Christ. Instead, it increased people’s devotion to the Lord. And yet that’s one interpretation that those who hold to a realized eschatology position suggest for the bodily resurrection. The other one is that it appears to individuals, not the church, but they take it again in a symbolic way or a spiritualized way, that the soul was changed. It wasn’t a bodily resurrection. But they argue that somehow the soul was changed at this moment in 70 AD.

And not necessarily directly connected to the destruction of Jerusalem, but at the simultaneous moment. When Jerusalem was destroyed, God changed something inside of man. They’ll argue that at that point, those who were already dead individuals who had gone to the Hadean realm, who were in Abraham’s bosom, or who were in a place of torment, that they were transported into their eternal home. They got to go to heaven or they went to hell. And it took place at that moment. Those who were still alive had a change take place within them. Where their soul became eternal in some sense so that at whatever point they finally die, they go directly to heaven or they go to hell. They don’t go to some waiting place. There isn’t some place that the departed souls go to awaiting the final judgment when then they will enter into heaven or hell.

2. The Bible Teaches a Bodily Resurrection

That took place in 70 AD. And that’s how Russell explained it. We quoted from him this morning his work, The Parousia. He says that somehow something happened at that moment. Would the individual feel it? No. Would they recognize anything different about themselves? No. How do we know it happened because Jerusalem was destroyed? And that’s some outward sign that something else has taken place internally. That’s the resurrection as it’s described by realized eschatology. But what does the Bible say when it comes to this? Does it fit the passages that we look at where the Bible teaches about the resurrection? Does the Bible teach a bodily resurrection? Or does it just teach a changed soul? I believe it teaches the former. It teaches a bodily resurrection. And by the way, that’s an area where I think Christians have gotten off for quite a while in their teaching and understanding of that.

The pagans, many of the pagans believed that there was a soul or some part of man that went on living after the body had died. The Greeks held to that type of philosophy. What was unique about Christianity was that it taught that the actual body would be brought back. The body would be resurrected. And that’s something that we were introduced to pretty early in the biblical accounts. It really goes back all the way to the Old Testament. In fact, we even have two occasions where individuals were caught up into heaven, body and soul. Enoch in Genesis chapter 5 and Elijah in 2 Kings chapter 2 and verse 11. At least two individuals who were taken up in bodily form to be with God. And I think those examples suggested that God had a plan to one day redeem not only man’s spirit or soul, but to redeem his body as well.

And there are other Old Testament illustrations that point to the same concept. In Hebrews the 11th chapter, I know Hebrews is not in the Old Testament, it’s in the new, but referencing an Old Testament event, we read in Hebrews the 11th chapter and in verse 19 concerning Abraham’s offering of Isaac, that he considered that God is able to raise men even from the dead, from which he also received him back as a type. A typological fulfillment of this in Abraham getting ready to offer up Isaac. In his mind, Isaac was dead already because God said to sacrifice him. They’d gone for three days. A lot of Christological imagery here as well. But here in this case, we’re told he considered that God was able to raise men from the dead.

Abraham had an insight into this. That is valid, even though in this case it didn’t actually physically take place, but that he thought God could do this. In Daniel the 12th chapter, and in verse 2, and many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake. These to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt. Daniel chapter 12 and verse 2. Those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake. Those passages talk about the part of man that dies. Or the part of man that lies in the dust. And I would suggest to you that that is the body, not the soul. The soul doesn’t lie in the dust. The soul didn’t die if his son is sacrificed. The body does, and they suggested that God could bring that body back.

The part of man that dies is what God will resurrect. The body. This doctrine really begins to take shape. Jesus often confronted the Sadducees. The Sadducees did not believe in a bodily resurrection. I believe there’s some spirit or soul that goes on, but not the actual resurrection. They thought that was foolishness to them. They didn’t believe in it, and they tried to trap Jesus on certain occasions, even asking him about the woman that was married to the seven different brothers. If there is a resurrection, whose wife would she be? Who would she belong to? Jesus condemned them in Matthew 22 and verse 29. And he said, Jesus answered and said to them, You are mistaken, not understanding the scriptures or the power of God. You don’t understand what the Bible says about the resurrection.

And you don’t understand the power of God. If you’re questioning the ability of God to raise the dead, then you simply don’t understand how powerful our God is. That’s what Jesus said to them. There is a resurrection. God is able to do that. And the Bible teaches that there is. In a few other passages, again, it starts to take light. In John the fifth chapter, verse 28 and 29, do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming in which all who are in the tombs shall hear his voice and shall come forth. Those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment. Again we read about this resurrection that occurs. All who are in the tombs, and they come forth out of the tombs.

In John the sixth chapter and in verse 40, for this is the will of my Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in him, may have eternal life, and I myself will raise him up on the last day. I will raise him up. That’s what Jesus promised. In the book of Acts, chapter 17 and verse 18. And also some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers were conversing with him. And some were saying, What would this idle babbler wish to say? Others, he seems to be a proclaimer of strange deities, because he was preaching Jesus and the resurrection. He was preaching Jesus and the resurrection. That’s what stood out to them when Paul began to reason with philosophers and with other individuals about their beliefs.

In Acts the 17th chapter, and in verse 30 and 31. Therefore, having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all everywhere should repent, because he has fixed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness, through a man whom he has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising him from the dead. The proof to all men is in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. And God then has appointed a day in which he will judge the world. In verse 32 of the same chapter, it says, Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some began to sneer. But others said, We shall hear you again concerning this. The resurrection of the dead was what some of them just did really couldn’t understand.

And they really couldn’t come to terms with. And the idea that Paul would be preaching this idea that the body would come back to life is something that many of the Greeks would scoff at and would not accept. The same Paul preached in Acts chapter 26 and verse 8. Why is it considered incredible among you people if God does raise the dead? Why would that be so shocking and so surprising to you? These references to the dead coming back to life. We need to ask, does it seem reasonable that Paul was here describing the raising up of the church from Jewish persecution? Does it seem reasonable that he’s talking about a church that was dead or buried? Or is he just talking about a change that will occur to the souls of these dead ones?

3. What 1 Corinthians 15 Says About the Resurrection

That their souls change in some way and they move from one place to another place in the spiritual realm? Or is he teaching something more fundamental than that? That there would be a bodily resurrection from the dead. Ultimately, we have to consider what 1 Corinthians 15 says regarding this. Because this chapter contains the most exhaustive treatment of the resurrection found anywhere in Scripture. And it’s worth noting in 1 Corinthians 15 that this chapter is here because of a problem. In 1 Corinthians 15 and verse 12, now if Christ is preached that he has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? Why is this chapter written? Because there were some. There were some among the Corinthians who were challenging this concept of the resurrection of the dead.

Now, were they challenging the concept of a heaven and a hell, of an eternal reward or eternal punishment? We’re not told that. Many of those who hold to different doctrines, they’ll say, you know, I’m not challenging the idea of heaven or hell, and this really doesn’t matter all that much. I’m just saying this physical body doesn’t go on. This physical body ceases to exist. It becomes dust. You know, what about those who’ve been blown up? What about those who’ve been thrown overboard at sea, and the fish have eaten their body? How is God going to bring them back? What’s God going to do about that? Well, that’s the same type of question that was being, I think, challenged in Corinthians, among the Corinthians at the city of Corinth.

And it’s the same problem that we’re dealing with. Is it an actual resurrection from the dead or is it not? Paul addresses that in four stages. He talks throughout this chapter, and the first 11 verses, he talks about Jesus himself being raised from the dead. Eyewitness testimony to the historical fact that Jesus was raised from the dead and that Jesus was raised bodily. What part of Jesus was brought back? The part that died. You can look at the holes in my hands. See the hole in my side. Touch them if you need to. It was his body that was brought back. They go back to the grave and they enter the tomb, and there’s no body there anymore. And he’s standing up and he’s moving around.

It wasn’t just the changing of a soul in some way. It was the resurrection of the body. And Paul goes through eleven verses establishing that. We saw him. We’ve preached him. People touched him. They beheld him. There’s this idea that Jesus was clearly brought back bodily from the dead. And if he was brought back bodily, then we shall be as well. In verses 12 through 34, we have Paul’s argument that Christ’s resurrection is our guarantee that we will be raised. That we’ll be raised in the same way he was. If his body was raised, then our body will be raised. In verses 35 through 49, he enters into a discussion about the resurrection body. How will it be raised? And what kind of a body will it be?

And it’s a little bit confusing in some of these areas. He says it’s going to be a spiritual body, but it’s still going to be a body. There’ll be some changes made to that, but you notice the changes that are made here are changes made to the body. Not changes made to the spirit or the soul. A spiritual body being fashioned for us. It’s sown a natural body, it’s raised up a spiritual body, because flesh and blood cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven, but our spiritual body will. And we don’t long to be unclothed. We want to be clothed. We don’t want to be naked, a soul without a body. We want to have a body. But it’s going to be a resurrection body, a spiritual body, and this is what will lead to the ultimate victory over death.

In verses 50 through 58, the ultimate conquest of death that will occur at the end of time, that was accomplished through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Death will be defeated. No one will die anymore. All those who have died will be brought back. That will be ended in that way. Now we’ve got to determine which interpretation of this passage makes the most sense. The realized eschatology position that says this is the church or this is the changing of a soul, or the idea of a bodily resurrection in the future. By the way, we mentioned this morning in passing as well that realize eschatology has to do something unusual with Jesus handing the kingdom over to the Father. We’re told that’s what happens at the end as well, when death is defeated and the kingdom is handed over to God, and they say that occurred in 70 AD, when the Jews as a people were handed over to God for judgment.

4. The Consequences of Denying the Bodily Resurrection

A different kind of kingdom. They say death has already been defeated. It was destroyed. The change has already been made. Do we see that in what they would describe in 70 AD? But before we go any further with that, I also want you to note the consequences of denying the bodily resurrection. Because according to Paul, he makes a strong argument in 1 Corinthians chapter 15 that if we deny the resurrection, then we’re denying Christ’s resurrection as well. If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. If you’re going to say that we’re not going to be raised, then Jesus couldn’t have been raised. In verse 16, for if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. You can’t say he was raised bodily, and we won’t be.

Paul says they rest together. If we won’t be raised bodily, then he wasn’t raised bodily. And we understand the consequences of that, I hope. In 1 Corinthians 15, 14, if that’s the case, if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain. Your faith also is vain. And in 1 Corinthians 15, 17, and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless, you are still in your sins. If there is no bodily resurrection, then Christians who have fallen asleep have perished, and we are in a pitiable state. In verse 18 and 19 of 1 Corinthians 15, those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied.

He doesn’t allow for another option to say it’s okay, they’re souls alright. If there’s no resurrection, then none of this matters. That’s where Paul places the emphasis. And he also says that this encourages faithlessness. If from human motives I fought with wild beasts at Ephesus, what does it profit me? If the dead are not raised, let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die. Do not be deceived. Bad company corrupt good morals, become sober-minded as you ought, and stop sinning. For some have no knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame. If there is no resurrection, then we enter into sin. And so therefore it’s a serious matter. And the Bible presents the idea that there is a resurrection. The Bible also presents the idea that there is a final judgment, and there is the end of the world.

5. The Judgment Day

I know it may feel like we’re beating a dead horse here, but that horse just doesn’t seem to die. We keep coming back and revisiting these things, and people continue to promote different doctrines and different ideas. And yet the question that we have to ask tonight is do expressions like the judgment day. And the end of the world, as used in the scriptures, referred to the final day of human history, and the end of this material universe, or do they have reference to what happened when the Roman armies destroyed Jerusalem in 70 AD. Realized eschatology says that this is what happened in 70 AD. The judgment day was the day upon which God exercised his wrath against the Jewish people for their rejection and murder of his son.

And that certainly was a judgment day. But they say the end of the world is a reference to the end of the Jewish age or dispensation. The end of the Jewish nation and covenant. They teach that there will be no universal judgment day upon which all will appear before God to give account for their lives. People, as they die just go to heaven or hell, and that’s the end of it. There will be no future universal judgment day. But is that what the Bible says? Does the Bible support that idea? It’s true that the Bible sometimes spoke of God’s punishment on nations as a judgment. Throughout the pages of Scripture, it’s true that what happened to Jerusalem was a judgment. But is that the judgment? Is that what all of this was about?

They have to say that it is. In trying to be consistent as a preterist with the past fulfillment of all of these things, that has to be what all of these passages are about. It’s tough to interpret them that way. In Ecclesiastes, the 11th chapter, and in verse 9, rejoice, young man, during your childhood. Let your heart be pleasant during the days of young manhood and follow the impulses of your heart and the desires of your eyes, yet know that God will bring you to judgment for all these things. Is that the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD? Is that the judgment that’s being spoken of there? Because if it’s not, then we can argue there’s at least two different judgments that are spoken of in the Bible.

Ecclesiastes 12, 13, and 14. The conclusion when all has been heard is fear God and keep his commandments, because this applies to every person, for God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil. A judgment that will come. Compare that with 2 Corinthians 5 and verse 10. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body according to what he has done, whether good or bad. We all must appear before the judgment seat of Christ. Every one of us. That’s what Paul wrote. Every one of us. In Matthew, the twelfth chapter, and in verse 36. And I say to you that every careless word that men shall speak, they will shall render account for it in the day of judgment.

Matthew 11, verses 21 through 24. Woe to you, Corazine, woe to you, Beth Seda, for if the miracles had occurred in Tyre and Sidon, which occurred in you, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashless. Nevertheless, I say to you, it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you. And you, Capernaum, will not be exalted to heaven, will you? You shall descend to Hades. For if the miracles had occurred in Sodom, which occurred in you, it would have remained to this day. Nevertheless, I say to you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you. Acts the seventeenth chapter, verse 30 and 31. Therefore, having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all everywhere should repent, because he has fixed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness through a man whom he has appointed.

Having furnished proof to all men by raising him from the dead. Paul tells that to the men of Athens. Romans 14th chapter, verse 10 through 12. But you, why do you judge your brother? You again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of God. For it is written, As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall give praise to God. So then each one of us shall give account of himself to God. Hebrews the ninth chapter, verse 27. And as much as appointed for men to die once, and after this comes judgment. 2 Peter 2 and verse 4. For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness reserved for judgment.

Then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptation and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment. And he ordered us to preach to the people and solemnly to testify that this is the one who’s been appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead. 2 Timothy 4 and in verse 1. I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom. We consider those passages read quickly in your hearing. Which interpretation seems more reasonable? That it was the destruction of Jerusalem. In what way were the dead judged when Jerusalem was destroyed? How did the judgment follow death? How does it have anything to do with the punishment of angels?

6. The End of the World

How did it affect anybody except for those living in Jerusalem? It’s more tolerable for these other cities than for you, Capernaum. What happened to Capernaum in that day? How did this affect everyone? Every single person must appear before the judgment seat of Christ. And the final judgment, all will give account for what they’ve done. And then will come the end of the world. I find no evidence to support the idea that what the New Testament describes when it discusses the end of the world is the collapse of the Jewish system. I can’t find that Judaism collapsed when Jerusalem was destroyed in 70 AD. Instead, the end of the world is the end of the world. It’s the destruction of those things that currently exist. Hebrews chapter 1, verses 10 through 12, and you, Lord, in the beginning, laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the works of your hands.

They will perish, but you remain. And they all will become old like a garment, and like a mantle you will roll them up like a garment, they will also be changed. But you are the same, and your years will not come to an end. What is it that he talks about coming to an end here? The Jewish system or the foundation of the earth, the heavens, the works of the hands that were there in the beginning. In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. In the beginning, they were the works of his hands. And those are the things that will pass away. Those are the things that God will bring to an end in 2 Peter chapter 3. The destruction that’s described there, the most exhaustive description of the end of the world found anywhere in Scripture.

We might notice that in that passage we’re told that there would be mockers. The last days mockers will come in their mocking, following after their lust, saying, Where is the promise of his coming? Ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation. Enough time goes by in 2 Peter 3 that there come along the mockers who say Jesus is never going to come back again. Everything’s been going on ever since the same way it’s ever been since the fathers passed away. That to me doesn’t sound like that would happen in the period between 33 and 70 A.D., but it certainly happens today. We certainly have those who question the return of Christ, even those who claim to be a part of his body.

Question the return of Christ. Why is it that so much time has gone by and Jesus didn’t come back? He’s not coming back, is what they suggest. The rest of the chapter reminds us with the comparison to the flood and some of these time frames. That time doesn’t matter in God’s eyes. The present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men. But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, a thousand years like one day. The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some count slowness, but patient towards you, not wishing for any to perish, but all to come to repentance.

God’s being patient. That’s why it hasn’t happened yet. But it will. And don’t misunderstand that. It will come. Don’t let this one fact escape your notice. With the Lord, a day’s like a thousand years. There’s been a couple thousand years go by. It’s not a big deal to him. It’s not a big deal to wait that long and to give some more time for people to repent, but the day of the Lord will come like a thief, when the heavens will pass away with the roar. The elements will be destroyed. That’s going to happen. Why the reference to the day like a thousand years, a thousand years like a day? If we’re talking about a 40 year time span here. It makes more sense when we’re talking about the end of the world, the way that we would naturally understand this.

And that we need to be careful how we live, which is what he says, and that we need to look for and hasten the coming of the day of the Lord, the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning and the elements will melt with intense heat. Because we look for these things, be diligent, be found by him in peace, spotless and blameless. Notice what’s said in 2 Peter 3 15. And regard the patience of our Lord as salvation. Just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, so also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and the unstable distort as they do the rest of the scriptures to their own destruction.

You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own steadfastness. I know you’ve read that passage before, but you notice the context in which it was given. God is not slow about the second coming of the Lord. He’s not slow about the destruction and the judgment and those things. And it’s not that he doesn’t understand time. He’s being patient. Regard the patience of God as salvation. Paul wrote about that a lot, didn’t he? 1 Corinthians 15. 2 Thessalonians. 1 Thessalonians. The coming of the Lord. And you know what Peter says. There’s some things in there that are hard to understand. Yeah, I know. It’s hard to get the time frame on all of these things.

It’s hard to put together the man of lawlessness and the falling away and all of these apostasies and what’s going to happen. But don’t let somebody twist that and therefore upset your faith. Make you think in some way it’s already happened. Jesus already came back. The resurrection already occurred. The judgment is over. It’s not what he was talking about before. Know that they’re going to do that. And don’t fall for it. We’re told that in 2 Peter 3. The end of the chapter reminds us. Don’t be carried away by these unprincipled individuals who just have distorted the scriptures. By the way, we also have the warning that was given in 2 Timothy chapter 2, verse 16 through 18. But avoid worldly and empty chatter, for it will lead to further ungodliness, and their talk will spread like gangrene.

Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, men who have gone astray from the truth, saying that the resurrection has already taken place, and thus they upset the faith of some. Isn’t that amazing? Don’t let somebody convince you that the patience of the Lord somehow means that that second coming’s already occurred. Don’t let somebody convince you that the resurrection has already taken place. That upsets the faith. They’re mentioned by name. Doctrines that are spoken of. That’s at the very heart of this position. Resurrection occurred. Second coming took place. Judgment already happened. The destruction occurred. We’re living past that. Why do we live there? It upsets the faith of individuals. Don’t let that happen. The return of Jesus Christ is the essence of what Christianity is all about. And we talked about that this morning.

Conclusion

I’m going to wrap up now. But because of this, we hope. We are comforted. We are watchful and we are prepared. The removal of this causes the disruption of faith. 2 Thessalonians, the second chapter, verses 1 and 2. We request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together to him that you not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. You’ll know when it comes. You’ll be gathered together to him. You’ll go to meet him. If you’ve died, you’ll be raised from the dead. And you’ll get to join him. If you’re still living when that happens, you’ll be changed and you’ll meet him in the air and you’ll be with him forever.

That’s clearly understood. Don’t let that be changed in your mind. Jesus is coming again. We sang about it tonight. We partake of the Lord’s Supper, proclaiming the Lord’s death until He comes. And may we all have the attitude of Lord, come quickly. Lord, we’re waiting for you. That day is coming. Will we be prepared for it? Again, that’s the call of Christianity. That’s the point of this time that’s coming. God has fixed a day in which he will judge all of us. We will each stand before the judgment seat of Christ. What will our answer be then? Will we be in a right relationship with God? Will we have the forgiveness of our sins? Will we be in Christ and be welcomed into that home that Jesus prepared for us?

He’s gone to prepare a place for us. He’ll come back and get us again. If you’re not ready for that, we encourage you to make changes tonight. If you want to become a Christian, if you need to repent of your sins, if you need prayers of the congregation, if there’s something more that you need to study, if there’s some way that we can help you spiritually, please come forward and let us know what can be done while together we stand and sing.