11 June, 2023

WAITING AND LOOKING FOR THE BLESSED HOPE

(Christian Living 28)

The New testament mentions about the “Blessed Hope” that born again Christians should be looking and waiting eagerly for that blessed moment. That Hope is the appearing of Christ from Heaven to take us to be with Him. That will take place at the Rapture, when the last trumpet will sound and we will be taken up like Enoch – without seeing death. (I Thess.4:16-17; 1 Cor.15:51-53). Christ’s Ascension into Heaven is a NT type of the Rapture (Acts 1:9-11).

The Apostle Paul mentions that he was looking forward to the reward he would receive from Christ when he sees Him. Then he said that all faithful disciples like him who have “fought the good fight, finished the race well and kept the faith” should love or look forward to His Appearing (2 Tim.4:6-8). When Christ appears, we will be changed into the kind of glorious body He had when He rose the dead and was taken up into Heaven (Phil.3:20-21).

The Apostle John tells us what that means: “Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when He appears, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as he is” (1 John 3:2).

While we are wating and looking forward to this glorious event, we should also prepare ourselves by living a holy life. John exhorts us: “Everyone who has this Hope in Him, purifies himself as He is pure” (1 John 3:3). In Titus we are told that we are to “say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions and live self-controlled, upright and godly lives while we wait for the Blessed Hope – the Appearing of the Glory of our Great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ” (Tit.2:13). Why is this so? Because we are warned: “Without holiness no one shall see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14). Let take serious heed of this warning!

That “Day” of the Blessed Hope will come “suddenly, like a thief in the night”, and our Lord warns us that no one knows the day or the hour He will appear. So He warns us: “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come” (Matthew 24:42).

Waiting and watching does not mean that we sit idle and do nothing. The best and safest way is to be serving the Lord besides living a godly life. Christ tells several Parables about preparing for His Appearing. He says that we should be good and faithful stewards to give “food” to His servants and treat them well. (Matt.24:45-51). This may imply feeding and caring for the poor or feeding His Flock with the Word of God. In another Parable, Christ also teaches that we are to “do business till I return” (Luke 19:13). The “business” implies serving Him in “laying up treasures in Heaven”. The only “treasure” we can lay up in Heaven is souls.

The great American Evangelist, D.L. Moddy, said, “The Christian has only one business in this world- and that is to win souls”. Wise Solomon said, “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; the one who wins souls is wise” (Prov.11:30). We must live wisely by “redeeming the time and making the most of every opportunity for the days are evil” (Eph. 5:15) 

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