Article 5-10: Sin to Holiness

Articles 15-16: The End Times 15. The Second Coming of Christ 16. Resurrection, Judgment and Destiny

Second Coming of Christ

XV. Second Coming of Christ We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ will come again; that we who are alive at His coming shall not precede them that are asleep in Christ Jesus; but that, if we are abiding in Him, we shall be caught up with the risen saints to meet the Lord in the air, so that we shall ever be with the Lord. (Matthew 25:31-46; John 14:1-3; Acts 1:9-11; Philippians 3:20-21; 1Thessalonians 4:13-18; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 9:26-28; 2 Peter 3:3-15; Revelation 1:7-8; 22:7-20)

3 Questions 1.When will this happen? 2.What will be the sign of your coming? 3.And of the end of the age? the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” Matthew 24:3

Answers Matthew 24:4-8 Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains.

Countries at War in the World In Africa 24 countries are at war In Asia 14 Countries are at war In Europe 8 Countries are at war In the Middle East 8 Countries at war In the Americas 5 countries are at war Number of countries involved in war 57 Number of countries in the world 196

Food Shortages

The Day of the Lord For the day is near, the day of the LORD is near— a day of clouds, a time of doom for the nations. Ezekiel 30:3 The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD. Joel 2:31 See, the day of the LORD is coming —a cruel day, with wrath and fierce anger— to make the land desolate and destroy the sinners within it. Isaiah 13:9

The Day of the Lord Now, brothers and sisters, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, 2 for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 1 Thessalonians 5:1-2 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare. 2 Peter 3:10

Matthew 25- Parable of 10 Virgins “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish and five were wise. 3 The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. 4 The wise, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. 5 The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. 6 “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ 7 “Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. 8 The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’

Matthew 25- Ten Virgins 9 “‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’ 10 “But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. 11 “Later the others also came. ‘Sir! Sir!’ they said. ‘Open the door for us!’ 12 “But he replied, ‘I tell you the truth, I don’t know you.’ 13 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.

His Return Will Jesus Come while you are living? Will you be living righteous when He appears? How should the promise of His return affect your daily life? How do you become worthy of His return? If you are not found worthy at his appearing then what?

5 Things we are to do while we live & wait for His return 1. We are to watch 2. We are to pray to be worthy 3. We are to purify ourselves 4. We are to abide in Him 5. We are to look for His Coming

1. We are to Watch “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. Mark 13: 32-33

2. Pray to be worthy 34 “Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you suddenly like a trap. 35 For it will come on all those who live on the face of the whole earth. 36 Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.” Luke 21:34-36

3. Purify Ourselves 2 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. 3 Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure. 1 John 3: 2-3

4. Abide in Him And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming. 1 John 2:28

5. Look for His Coming So Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him. Hebrews 9:28

Classes of eternal Souls 10 And he said to me, “Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand. 11 He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him be righteous still; he who is holy, let him be holy still.” Revelation 22:10-11

Hebrews 9: Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, 28 so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.

Revelation 1:7-8 7 “Look, he is coming with the clouds,” and “every eye will see him, even those who pierced him”; and all peoples on earth “will mourn because of him.” So shall it be! Amen.