Thoughts on the Second Coming of Christ

A Layman's Thoughts...

On the Second Coming of Christ

Number 1 4-December-2001

On a recent Sunday we heard the view that the second coming of Christ is “Christ being reborn in our hearts.” Coming, as I do, from a Wesleyan background this statement shocked me. Indeed I thought that I must have misheard or misunderstood it. Upon inquiring whether the Pastor meant to say that he did not believe in the physical coming again of Jesus Christ, I was assured that indeed he meant just that.

The United Methodist Church includes in Part II of The Book of Discipline the statement, “While it is true that United Methodists are fixed upon certain religious affirmations, grounded in the gospel and confirmed in their experience, they also recognize the right of Christians to disagree on matters such as forms of worship, structures of church government, modes of Baptism, or theological explorations.”

I respectfully disagree with the proposition that Christ’s second coming will be something other than physical. In fact a large measure of my hope in Christ is centered around His returning to take me to heaven, there to live with Him forever.

The purpose of this letter therefore is to set forth Scriptural and traditional evidence for the view that Christ will come again—physically and with power—to judge the world, inaugurate His kingdom, and bring temporal history to a close. Along the way I will endeavor to present some of the ramifications of rejecting this view. It is my intention to provide a basis from which the sincere seeker may prayerfully consider what the Truth of God may be in this matter and thus equip readers with the necessary background to test the matter to see whether it is of God, (I John 4:1) hold fast what is good (I Thess 5:21), and avoid unwitting acceptance of heretical (unorthodox, contrary to accepted views) views.

Please note:

	All emphasis (italics, bold, etc.) in this document is mine and was not in the original text.
	Quotations are from:

- The Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church (2000)

- QuickVerse by Parson’s Technology, which owns or has licensed any copyrighted material therein
(Scripture passages, The Creeds, and their introductions)

	Scripture references are from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible
	For full text of the Creeds, please see the Appendix at the end of this letter.

Acts 1:9b-11 …as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

I tend to take God at His word as I read. I assume that being infinite, perfect, and all-powerful, God is able to communicate with me directly and in a manner that I can easily understand. That is not to say that I believe that the entire text of the Bible is literal. Clearly there are passages that are poetic or otherwise not to be understood literally. The New Testament is rife with parables, for one simple example. Still, my approach to understanding the Word of God is to interpret what is being said literally unless there is a clear reason not to do so. Scripture was written for all people and it makes no sense to me that one should be required to become a scholar to obtain its value for one’s life. There are those, however, who do not share my views on Bible interpretation.

To my mind one needs read no further than this passage from Acts when looking for conclusive Scriptural evidence that Jesus Christ will return in the flesh, so to speak. It is important, however that one does not base one’s understanding of a subject of significant importance on a single Scripture passage. Danger exists that the passage might be taken out of context or that the weight of the remaining Scriptures might make clear that another meaning should be understood.

In keeping with the Wesleyan (and United Methodist) tradition of basing one’s practical faith upon Scripture, tradition, experience, and reason, let me expand upon the topic.

The Views of The United Methodist Church

From The Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church (2000):

“With other Christians we recognize that the reign of God is both a present and future reality. The church is called to be that place where the first signs of the reign of God are identified and acknowledged in the world. Wherever persons are being made new creatures in Christ, wherever the insights and resources of the gospel are brought to bear on the life of the world, God’s reign is already effective in its healing and renewing power.”

“We also look to the end time in which God’s work will be fulfilled. This prospect gives us hope in our present actions as individuals and as the Church. This expectation saves us from resignation and motivates our continuing witness and service.” [End of quotation]

Christ Himself gave this hope to His disciples. In John 14:3 we read: “And when I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.” Clearly because God is infinite He is everywhere. Why then did Christ make this statement? I believe this passage illuminates the passage in Acts. Jesus was taken up bodily and the “men in white robes” told the disciples that He would return in the same way they had seen Him go. I believe that Jesus was speaking from this frame of reference when He said “where I am you may be also.” It is certainly clear that He went somewhere and that He plans to come again.

From The Articles of Religion in The Book of Discipline:

Article III—Of the Resurrection of Christ

“Christ did truly rise again from the dead, and took again his body, with all things appertaining to the perfection of man’s nature, wherewith he ascended into heaven, and there sitteth until he return to judge all men at the last day.”

If there was a bodily birth, a bodily resurrection, and a bodily ascension, why should we believe that His return will be anything other than bodily?

Article II—Jesus Christ

“We believe in Jesus Christ, truly God and truly man, in whom the divine and human natures are perfectly and inseparably united. He is the eternal Word made flesh, the only begotten Son of the Father, born of the Virgin Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit. As ministering Servant he lived, suffered and died on the cross. He was buried, rose from the dead and ascended into heaven to be with the Father, from whence he shall return. He is eternal Savior and Mediator, who intercedes for us, and by him all men will be judged.”

Jesus is already our Savior and Mediator. What need is there the for Him to return by being reborn in our hearts? His return is linked to His judgment of all persons. This also does not square well with the idea of that return having to do with something in our hearts alone.

Traditional Views

The Early Creeds of the Church were created to summarize the foundational beliefs of traditional Christianity and to clarify those beliefs in opposition to various heretical ideas put forth over the centuries. The creeds are generally accepted by the ecumenical Christian community and are generally accepted as summarizing the core of Christian doctrine and belief.

Several of these creeds, touch upon the topic of this letter; namely the issue of Christ’s second coming.

The Nicene Creed reads in part as follows:

Who, for us men and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary, and was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate; He suffered and was buried; and the third day He rose again, according to the Scriptures; and ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of the Father; and He shall come again, with glory, to judge the living and the dead, whose kingdom shall have no end.

Rebirth in our hearts hardly seems to meet this expectation of the Church catholic (the greater Church as opposed to any particular denomination or group) through the ages. If we are to be held accountable and be judged, surely it is important that we understand fully what is occurring and that we have some frame of reference by which to do so. If the judgment is to occur in our hearts only (because Christ’s return is such) how are we to understand it properly.? God does not debase people. He loves them with perfect and everlasting love. Such a God would not subject those He loves to a judgment they were incapable of understanding.

The Apostles’ Creed, was not written by the Apostles, but rather to summarize their teachings. It sets forth their doctrine, as has been well said, “in sublime simplicity, in unsurpassable brevity, in beautiful order, and with liturgical solemnity.” In its present form it is of no later date than the fourth century. More than any other creed of Christendom, it may justly be called an ecumenical symbol of faith.

The Apostles’ Creed (which as it is brief is included here in full) reads as follows:

I believe in God the Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, His only begotten Son, our Lord;
Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary;
Suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, dead, and buried; He descended into hell;
The third day He rose again from the dead;
He ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty;
From thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit.
I believe a holy catholic Church, the communion of saints;
The forgiveness of sins;
The resurrection of the body;
And the life everlasting. Amen.

As early as the fourth century, our forebears believed in Christ’s return. It is untenable to believe that the final judgment of which so much is made in Scripture is merely the conviction of sin in the hearts of believers. If this were the case, what place is there for belief in the end of temporal existence, in heaven, or in hell? Letting the others alone, if there is no real heaven and no new body with which to enjoy it, to what do we have to look forward?

The Athanasian Creed takes these thoughts further. Here we read of the bodily resurrection of all people. It seems incomprehensible that Christ was born, lived, died, was raised, and ascended bodily and that we are to be raised bodily, but that His return will not conform to this pattern.

The Athanasian Creed reads in part as follows:

For as the reasonable soul and flesh is one man, so God and man is one Christ; Who suffered for our salvation, descended into hell, rose again the third day from the dead; He ascended into heaven, He sitteth on the right hand of the Father, God Almighty; From thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. At whose coming all men shall rise again with their bodies; And shall give account of their own works. And they that have done good shall go into life everlasting, and they that have done evil into everlasting fire.

This is the catholic faith, which except a man believe faithfully, he cannot be saved.

Likewise, the Westminster Confession, the entire text of which I will not subject you to either here or in the Appendix, discusses the issue in Chapter Eight as follows:

8:4 This office the Lord Jesus did most willingly undertake (Psa 40:7, 8; John 10:18; Phil 2:8; Heb 10:5-10); which that He might discharge, He was made under the law (Gal 4:4), and did perfectly fulfill it (Matt 3:15; 5:17), endured most grievous torments immediately in His soul (Matt 26:37, 38; 27:46; Luke 22:44), and most painful sufferings in His body (Matt 26:1-27:66); was crucified, and died (Phil 2:8); was buried, and remained under the power of death; yet saw no corruption (Acts 2:23, 24, 27; 13:37; Rom 6:9). On the third day He arose from the dead (1 Cor 15:3, 4), with the same body in which He suffered (John 20:25, 27), with which also He ascended into heaven, and there sitteth at the right hand of His Father (Mark 16:19), making intercession (Rom 8:34; Heb 7:25; 9:24), and shall return to judge men and angels at the end of the world (Matt 13:40-42; Acts 1:11; 10:42; Rom 14:9, 10; 2 Pet 2:4; Jude 6).

Later in Chapter 33, the Confession goes on to discuss the Judgement:

33:3 As Christ would have us to be certainly persuaded that there shall be a day of judgment, both to deter all men from sin; and for the greater consolation of the godly in their adversity (Luke 21:27, 28; Rom 8:23-25; 2 Cor 5:10, 11; 2 Thes 1:5-7; 2 Pet 3:11, 14); so will He have that day unknown to men, that they may shake off all carnal security, and be always watchful, because they know not at what hour the Lord will come; and may be ever prepared to say, Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly (Matt 24:36, 42-44; Mark 13:35-37; Luke 12:35, 36; Rev 22:20). Amen.

Such is the belief of the Church throughout history as set forth by scholars and persons of faith. Clearly the Church holds the view that Christ will return and that He will judge all people. However, lest we blindly follow the mere words of fallible human persons, we need to examine the Word of God on this matter. Scripture passages are from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible.

Matthew 24

¹Jesus left the temple and was going away, when his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple. ²But he answered them, “You see all these, do you not? Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another, that will not be thrown down.”

³As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the close of the age?”

[Clearly the disciples thought that Christ would return, although in this passage they had not yet been empowered by the Holy Spirit so one might be tempted to argue that they did not understand Jesus’ statement. We will see later, however, that Jesus Himself was quite clear on the subject. Surely He was not confused.]

⁴And Jesus answered them, “Take heed that no one leads you astray. ⁵For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray. ⁶And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars; see that you are not alarmed; for this must take place, but the end is not yet. ⁷For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places: ⁸all this is but the beginning of the birth-pangs.

⁹“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation, and put you to death; and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. ¹⁰And then many will fall away, and betray one another, and hate one another. ¹¹And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. ¹²And because wickedness is multiplied, most men’s love will grow cold. ¹³But he who endures to the end will be saved. ¹⁴And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, as a testimony to all nations; and then the end will come.

¹⁵“So when you see the desolating sacrilege spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), ¹⁶then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains; ¹⁷let him who is on the housetop not go down to take what is in his house; ¹⁸and let him who is in the field not turn back to take his mantle. ¹⁹And alas for those who are with child and for those who give suck in those days! ²⁰Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a sabbath. ²¹For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. ²²And if those days had not been shortened, no human being would be saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened. ²³Then if any one says to you, ‘Lo, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. ²⁴For false Christs and false prophets will arise and show great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. ²⁵Lo, I have told you beforehand. ²⁶So, if they say to you, ‘Lo, he is in the wilderness,’ do not go out; if they say, ‘Lo, he is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. ²⁷For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of man.

[How does the lightning come? Certainly not in one’s heart or mind or imagination. Lightning is real, physical stuff. This clear statement by Jesus Himself equates more easily to a physical event that splits the eastern sky than to a supposed rebirth in one’s heart.]

²⁸Wherever the body is, there the eagles will be gathered together.

²⁹“Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken; ³⁰then will appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory;

[Here Jesus Himself speaks plainly about the end times and His return. What possible need could there be for a sign to appear and frighten everyone if it foreshadowed Christ’s rebirth in one’s heart? Rebirth in our hearts hardly squares with the idea of “coming on the clouds with power and great glory.” Jesus calls Himself “the Son of man.” This construction refers to His humanity, His temporal nature. We understand that Jesus is fully God and fully human. His ascension was physical according to Acts 1:9. How then should His return be different, especially in light of the body of evidence to the contrary?]

³¹and he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

³²“From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. ³³So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates. ³⁴Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away till all these things take place. ³⁵Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

³⁶“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. ³⁷As were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of man. ³⁸For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, ³⁹and they did not know until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of man. ⁴⁰Then two men will be in the field; one is taken and one is left. ⁴¹Two women will be grinding at the mill; one is taken and one is left. ⁴²Watch therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. ⁴³But know this, that if the householder had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have watched and would not have let his house be broken into. ⁴⁴Therefore you also must be ready; for the Son of man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

[It is implausible to think that we are called with such clarity to be ready for a rebirth of Christ in our hearts. Our own spiritual experience of rebirth is certainly evidence that Christ has already come into our hearts, yet none of us has been taken while some around us are left. If this occupation of our hearts by Christ is to equate with His coming again, how can we understand this passage? In such a scenario what exactly is it for which we are enjoined to be ready?]

⁴⁵“Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? ⁴⁶Blessed is that servant whom his master when he comes will find so doing. ⁴⁷Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. ⁴⁸But if that wicked servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed,’ ⁴⁹and begins to beat his fellow servants, and eats and drinks with the drunken, ⁵⁰the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, ⁵¹and will punish him, and put him with the hypocrites; there men will weep and gnash their teeth.

Mark 13

¹And as he came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher, what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!” ²And Jesus said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? There will not be left here one stone upon another, that will not be thrown down.”

³And as he sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately, ⁴“Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign when these things are all to be accomplished?” ⁵And Jesus began to say to them, “Take heed that no one leads you astray. ⁶Many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he!’ and they will lead many astray. ⁷And when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed; this must take place, but the end is not yet. ⁸For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places, there will be famines; this is but the beginning of the birth-pangs.

⁹“But take heed to yourselves; for they will deliver you up to councils; and you will be beaten in synagogues; and you will stand before governors and kings for my sake, to bear testimony before them. ¹⁰And the gospel must first be preached to all nations. ¹¹And when they bring you to trial and deliver you up, do not be anxious beforehand what you are to say; but say whatever is given you in that hour, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. ¹²And brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death; ¹³and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved.

¹⁴“But when you see the desolating sacrilege set up where it ought not to be (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains; ¹⁵let him who is on the housetop not go down, nor enter his house, to take anything away; ¹⁶and let him who is in the field not turn back to take his mantle. ¹⁷And alas for those who are with child and for those who give suck in those days! ¹⁸Pray that it may not happen in winter. ¹⁹For in those days there will be such tribulation as has not been from the beginning of the creation which God created until now, and never will be. ²⁰And if the Lord had not shortened the days, no human being would be saved; but for the sake of the elect, whom he chose, he shortened the days. ²¹And then if any one says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘Look, there he is!’ do not believe it. ²²False Christs and false prophets will arise and show signs and wonders, to lead astray, if possible, the elect. ²³But take heed; I have told you all things beforehand.

²⁴“But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, ²⁵and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. ²⁶And then they will see the Son of man coming in clouds with great power and glory.

[Mark agrees with Matthew in relating what Christ said about Himself. Moreover, the vivid talk of tribulation and shortening of days is wholly incompatible with a rebirth of Christ in our hearts. The Son of man will come in the clouds with great power and glory. The concept is reiterated to the point that it virtually reverberates through the New Testament. Revelation picks up the theme with vigor and clarity. This can only be a physical return!]

²⁷And then he will send out the angels, and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.

²⁸“From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. ²⁹So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. ³⁰Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away before all these things take place. ³¹Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

³²“But of that day or that hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. ³³Take heed, watch; for you do not know when the time will come. ³⁴It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch. ³⁵Watch therefore—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or in the morning—³⁶lest he come suddenly and find you asleep. ³⁷And what I say to you I say to all: Watch.”

Verse 35 breaks away from the parable Jesus has been telling and directly instructs the hearers. He may come in the evening, at midnight, at dawn, or in the morning. He may come suddenly and find us asleep. Over and over we are instructed to watch. Watching for something implies that it can be seen. We see only the temporal, only the physical.

Luke 12:35-48

³⁵“Let your loins be girded and your lamps burning, ³⁶and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the marriage feast, so that they may open to him at once when he comes and knocks. ³⁷Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes; truly, I say to you, he will gird himself and have them sit at table, and he will come and serve them. ³⁸If he comes in the second watch, or in the third, and finds them so, blessed are those servants! ³⁹But know this, that if the householder had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have left his house to be broken into. ⁴⁰You also must be ready; for the Son of man is coming at an unexpected hour.”

⁴¹Peter said, “Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for all?” ⁴²And the Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and wise steward, whom his master will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the proper time? ⁴³Blessed is that servant whom his master when he comes will find so doing. ⁴⁴Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. ⁴⁵But if that servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and begins to beat the menservants and the maidservants, and to eat and drink and get drunk, ⁴⁶the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will punish him, and put him with the unfaithful. ⁴⁷And that servant who knew his master’s will, but did not make ready or act according to his will, shall receive a severe beating. ⁴⁸But he who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, shall receive a light beating. Every one to whom much is given, of him will much be required; and of him to whom men commit much they will demand the more.

Acts 1:6-11

⁶So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” ⁷He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has fixed by his own authority. ⁸But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth.” ⁹And when he had said this, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. ¹⁰And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, ¹¹and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

Revelation 22

¹Then he showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb ²through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. ³There shall no more be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and his servants shall worship him; ⁴they shall see his face, and his name shall be on their foreheads. ⁵And night shall be no more; they need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they shall reign for ever and ever.

⁶And he said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place. ⁷And behold, I am coming soon.”

Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.

⁸I John am he who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me; ⁹but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brethren the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.”

¹⁰And he said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. ¹¹Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy.”

¹²“Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense, to repay every one for what he has done. ¹³I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”

¹⁴Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. ¹⁵Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and fornicators and murderers and idolaters, and every one who loves and practices falsehood.

¹⁶“I Jesus have sent my angel to you with this testimony for the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, the bright morning star.”

¹⁷The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let him who hears say, “Come.”

[The root and offspring of David is none other than the very human Jesus Christ of history. The Bride is the Church catholic, which with the Holy Spirit entreats Jesus to come. It is an important belief of the orthodox Christian faith that Jesus did not cease to be both very God and very Man when He ascended into heaven. It is to underscore this point that the Scriptures clearly show that Christ was taken up bodily. Now in Revelation, at the close of Scripture, we are reminded that the offspring of David is the great I AM, the first and last, the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. Still a single God-in-three-persons the Father, the Holy Spirit, and the Son Jesus Christ, a person with two natures, a person who will return.]

And let him who is thirsty come, let him who desires take the water of life without price.

¹⁸I warn every one who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if any one adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, ¹⁹and if any one takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.

²⁰He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!

²¹The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all the saints. Amen.

Additional Comments

It is important that we understand clearly when we should hear something with which we disagree and let it go in the interest of peace and harmony in the church and when we should speak out in defense of the Truth.

Christians disagree every day on all sorts of issues. One might believe that no work or business should be conducted on Sunday. Another might believe that Saturday is the Sabbath and therefore should be a day of rest. A third might believe that such distinctions are inconsequential. Such things need not inspire anger or indignation. Paul teaches us how we ought to behave in such situations in Romans 14:19 “Let us then pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.”

It is equally important to recognize that not all things are to be tolerated. Jesus tolerated sinful people, a doubting disciple, a betrayer, the insults of the people at His trial, and many other ignominious treatments and situations. He did not, however, tolerate the defiling of His temple by moneychangers. On some issues it is important to take a stand.

The United Methodist Book of Discipline in its section on Our Doctrinal Heritage has this to say:

“While it is true that United Methodists are fixed upon certain religious affirmations, grounded in the gospel and confirmed in their experience, they also recognize the right of Christians to disagree on matters such as forms of worship, structures of church government, modes of Baptism, or theological explorations. They believe such differences do not break the bond of fellowship that ties Christians together in Jesus Christ. Wesley’s familiar dictum was, "As to all opinions which do not strike at the root of Christianity, we think and let think."

But, even as they were fully committed to the principles of religious toleration and theological diversity, they were equally confident that there is a "marrow" of Christian truth that can be identified and that must be conserved. This living core, as they believed, stands revealed in Scripture, illumined by tradition, vivified in personal and corporate experience, and confirmed by reason. They were very much aware, of course, that God’s eternal Word never has been, nor can be, exhaustively expressed in any single form of words.

They were also prepared, as a matter of course, to reaffirm the ancient creeds and confessions as valid summaries of Christian truth. But they were careful not to set them apart as absolute standards for doctrinal truth and error.”

This letter has called upon the ancient creeds and upon Scripture and it has appealed to reason. The issue of Christ’s physical return is a central concept upon which much of our understanding of our place in the world and our hope for the future necessarily rests.

It is important not to sit back and let it pass when such beliefs are called into question or denied.

If Christ will not return in the end, if He will not split the sky and arrive in clouds with power and great glory (a very physical thing indeed) one is forced to question the veracity of Scripture as a whole. If the clear statements we have seen presented above are untrue; at what point does God stop lying and when can we rely upon His word? This question itself smacks of sacrilege. Since we believe that God does not and cannot lie, we must agree that His word is true.

The United Methodist Church holds that the Holy Scriptures are sufficient for salvation. The Articles of Religion read in part: “The Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to salvation; so that whatsoever is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not to be required of any man that it should be believed as an article of faith, or be thought requisite or necessary to salvation.”

Such a statement makes it clear that the church believes that Scripture is true.

If one argues that Scripture is true, but not to be interpreted literally whenever possible, then the question is raised of how Scripture can be understood at all. It is incredible to think that the Holy Spirit inspired such common people as Peter, Paul, and Mark to write Scripture that was not meant to be grasped by common people such as us. Surely Almighty God would communicate in a way understandable to those He loves enough to reconcile to Himself through the death of His Son.

The issue of Christ’s return including the manner of that return is central to the belief systems of millions of Christians and, I believe, a tenet of faith for the United Methodist Church. As such it is important that each of us prayerfully consider what we should believe in this matter and how that belief squares with the Truth of Scripture and the living out of our faith in a practical way.

Larry Eiss

Appendix

The Nicene Creed, also called the Nicaeno-Constantinopolitan Creed, is a statement of the orthodox faith of the early Christian Church, in opposition to certain heresies, especially Arianism. These heresies disturbed the Church during the fourth century, and concerned the doctrine of the Trinity and of the person of Christ. Both the Greek, or Eastern, and the Latin, or Western, Church held this Creed in honor, though with one important difference. The Western Church insisted on the inclusion of the phrase and the Son (known as the Filioque) in the article on the procession of the Holy Spirit, which phrase to this day is repudiated by the Eastern Church. Though in its present form this Creed does not go back to the Council of Nicea (325 A.D.), nor to the Council of Constantinople (381 A.D.), as was erroneously held until recent times, it is in substance an accurate and majestic formulation of the Nicene faith.

The Nicene Creed

I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.

And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds; God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God; begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made.

Who, for us men and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary, and was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate; He suffered and was buried; and the third day He rose again, according to the Scriptures; and ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of the Father; and He shall come again, with glory, to judge the living and the dead, whose kingdom shall have no end.

And I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of life; who proceedeth from the Father and the Son; who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; who spake by the prophets.

And I believe one holy catholic and apostolic Church. I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins; and I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

The Athanasian Creed is named after Athanasius (293-373 A.D.), the champion of orthodoxy over against Arian attacks upon the doctrine of the Trinity. Although Athanasius did not write this Creed and it is improperly named after him, the name persists because until the seventeenth century it was commonly ascribed to him. Another name for it is the Symbol Quicunque, this being its opening word in the Latin original. Its author is unknown, but in its present form it probably does not date back farther than the sixth century. It is not from Greek Eastern, but from Latin Western origin, and is not recognized by the Greek Church today. Apart from the opening and closing sentences, this symbol consists of two parts, the first setting forth the orthodox doctrine of the Trinity (3-28), and the second dealing chiefly with the incarnation and the two natures doctrine (29-43). This Creed, though more explicit and advanced theologically than the Apostles’ and the Nicene Creeds, cannot be said to possess the simplicity, spontaneity, and majesty of these. For centuries it has been the custom of the Roman and Anglican Churches to chant this Creed in public worship on certain solemn occasions.

The Athanasian Creed

Whosoever will be saved, before all things it is necessary that he hold the catholic faith; Which faith except every one do keep whole and undefiled, without doubt he shall perish everlastingly.

And the catholic faith is this: That we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity; Neither confounding the persons, nor dividing the substance. For there is one person of the Father, another of the Son, and another of the Holy Spirit. But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit is all one, the glory equal, the majesty co-eternal. Such as the Father is, such is the Son, and such is the Holy Spirit. The Father uncreate, the Son uncreate, and the Holy Spirit uncreate. The Father incomprehensible, the Son incomprehensible, the Holy Spirit incomprehensible. The Father eternal, the Son eternal, and the Holy Spirit eternal. And yet they are not three eternals, but one uncreated and one incomprehensible. So likewise the Father is almighty, the Son almighty, and the Holy Spirit almighty; And yet they are not three almighties, but one almighty. So the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God; And yet they are not three Gods, but one God. So likewise the Father is Lord, the Son Lord, and the Holy Spirit Lord; So are we forbidden by the catholic religion to say: There are three Gods or three Lords. The Father is made of none, neither created nor begotten. The Holy Spirit is of the Father and of the Son; neither made, nor created, nor begotten, but proceeding. So there is one Father, not three Fathers; one Son, not three Sons; one Holy Spirit, not three Holy Spirits. And in this Trinity none is afore, or after another; none is greater, or less than another. But the whole three persons are co-eternal, and co-equal. So that in all things, as aforesaid, the Unity in Trinity and the Trinity in Unity is to be worshipped. He therefore that will be saved must thus think of the Trinity.

Furthermore is it necessary to everlasting salvation than he also believe rightly the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ. For the right faith is that we believe and confess that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is God and man. God of the substance of the Father, begotten before the worlds; and man of the substance of His mother, born in the world. Perfect God and perfect man, of a reasonable soul and human flesh subsisting. Equal to the Father as touching His Godhead, and inferior to the Father as touching His manhood. Who, although He is God and man, yet He is not two, but one Christ. One, not by conversion of the Godhead into flesh, but by taking of the manhood into God. One altogether, not by confusion of substance, but by unity of person. For as the reasonable soul and flesh is one man, so God and man is one Christ; Who suffered for our salvation, descended into hell, rose again the third day from the dead; He ascended into heaven, He sitteth on the right hand of the Father, God Almighty; From thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. At whose coming all men shall rise again with their bodies; And shall give account of their own works. And they that have done good shall go into life everlasting, and they that have done evil into everlasting fire.

This is the catholic faith, which except a man believe faithfully, he cannot be saved.