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“So always be ready, alert, and prepared, because at an hour when you’re not expecting him, the Son of Man will come.”
“YOU KNOW HOW LATE IT IS; time is running out. Wake up, for the coming of the Lord is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is far gone, the day of his return will soon be here. …” (Rom. 13:11–12 Living Bible)
If the believers who lived during the time of the apostles were taught that the day of Christ’s return was already near, how much nearer then is that day to us who live in these last days? Since we do not know the exact day and hour of His return, our Lord Jesus Christ teaches:
“So always be ready, alert, and prepared, because at an hour when you’re not expecting him, the Son of Man will come.” (Matt. 24:44 The Passion Translation)
So, dear friends, are we ready?
One of the teachings of the Bible is that the Lord Jesus Christ will return:
“My Father’s house has room to spare. If that weren’t the case, would I have told you that I’m going to prepare a place for you? When I go to prepare a place for you, I will return and take you to be with me so that where I am you will be too.” (John 14:2–3 Common English Bible)
Before the Lord Jesus Christ ascended to heaven, He told His followers that He would prepare a place for them in His Father’s house. Christ also promised, “I will return.” On the day when He returns, He will take His followers to be with Him, so that they will be where He is too.
Not only will Christ return but also that it is so near. This is because the events He Himself specified that would signify that His return is near have been fulfilled and continue being fulfilled. His disciples asked about those signs as can be read in Matthew 24:3 and 33:
“‘When will this happen?’ the disciples asked him later, as he sat on the slopes of the Mount of Olives. ‘What events will signal your return and the end of the world?’ … ‘Just so, when you see all these things beginning to happen, you can know that my return is near, even at the doors’.” (lb)
In Matthew 24:6−8, the Lord Jesus Christ told them what those things are that would signal that His return is near:
“You will hear about wars and reports of wars. Don’t be alarmed. These things must happen, but this isn’t the end yet. Nations and kingdoms will fight against each other, and there will be famines and earthquakes in all sorts of places. But all these things are just the beginning
of the sufferings associated with the end.” (ceb)
When did these signs given by our Lord Jesus Christ begin to be fulfilled? They started with the outbreak of World War I in 1914. This is concurred by the translators of The Last Days Bible as can be read in the footnote for chapter 24 of Matthew, on page 54:
“Jesus now tells His followers how they could discern when the world was actually entering into the beginning of the birth pangs … The approach of the end of the age would see several phenomena on the earth occurring at the same time. Those phenomena, would be: 1. Many nations rising up against many other nations 2. Kingdoms rising against kingdoms 3. Famines 4. Disease epidemics 5. Earthquakes in various places. In Mark 13 the word troubles is used by our Lord instead of disease epidemics. … Wars between nations, or even between kingdoms, is and has been a common occurrence. History has recorded famines at various times. There have been times of great disease epidemics. There have been earthquakes in the past, but increasingly so in the present day. Jesus tells His disciples, however, to be awaiting a specific time during which all of these phenomena would be in evidence at the same time. The first such time in world history occurred during the years of World War I (1914−1918) …”
Since all these signs given by Christ have already been fulfilled, His return is truly very near. It will be in a very little while and will not delay (Heb. 10:37 International Standard Version). It will not be long now.
Though we know that Christ’s return is very near, yet we do not know its exact day and hour. The angels of heaven do not have that knowledge, and neither does our Lord Jesus Christ Himself. The only One Who knows is the Father in heaven (Matt. 24:36, 44).
Apostle Peter described Judgment Day, when the Lord Jesus Christ returns from heaven:
“But the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat. The earth also and the works that are in it will be burned up. … But by the same word, the heavens and the earth that now exist are being reserved for fire, kept for the Day of Judgment and destruction of the ungodly.” (II Pet. 3:10, 7 Modern English Version)
Though fiery destruction is coming to the earth on the day that our Lord Jesus Christ returns, yet He will bring with Him His reward to people based on their own actions in life. In Revelation 22:12, He says:
“Look! I’m coming soon. My reward is with me, to repay all people as their actions deserve.” (ceb)
Therefore, while waiting for the Lord Jesus Christ to return, what people should focus on is doing what will result in their being granted the reward, and avoiding what will result in their destruction on that day.
The reward that Christ brings with Him on His return is salvation (Heb. 9:28) from the fiery destruction on the Day of Judgment. Along with salvation, the blessed ones will receive the crown of righteousness (II Tim. 4:8). The crown of righteousness is also the crown of life, that is, the eternal life (Rev. 2:10) that will be enjoyed by those who will enter the new heaven and new earth, the Holy City.
A lot of people are waiting for the day of Christ’s return, for they are hoping to be counted among those whom Christ will reward with salvation and eternal life. It is good to hope for that blessing, but not everyone who is hoping for it will actually receive it. In fact, our Lord Jesus Christ teaches that though many call Him “Lord” and render services in His name, they will be driven away on Judgment Day:
“On the Judgment Day, many people will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name and expel demons in your name and do lots of miracles in your name?’ Then I’ll tell them, ‘I’ve never known you. Get away from me, you people who do wrong’.” (Matt. 7:22–23 ceb)
This proves that it is not enough to say that Jesus is Lord and to perform services or even wondrous works in His name to enter God’s kingdom.
The ones who are waiting for the day of Christ’s return who will not be disappointed are the ones whom Apostle Peter referred to as being at peace with God (II Pet. 3:14). They are those who are in the one body of Christ:
“And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.” (Col. 3:15 New King James Version)
The one body of Christ is the Church (Col. 1:18), the name of which is “church of Christ” (Acts 20:28 Lamsa Translation).
Therefore, to get ready for the nearing return of Christ is to be a member of His Church, faithfully obeying His commands. The faithful members of the Church Of Christ are the ones waiting for Christ’s return who will not be disappointed. They will be blessed with salvation and eternal life, and will be able to enter the Holy City where they will dwell forever.
So, dear readers, time is running out; it is time to get ready! If you want to be ready, if you want to have the reward of salvation when Christ returns, be a member of His Church—the Church Of Christ. ❑
