“When Christ, Who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory.” (Colossians 3:4)
Jesus is our life because He is life. “Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:” (John 11:25). We understand that sin is death. Before Jesus we were in sin. Jesus died to forgive us of our sins, and He did it more than two thousand years ago. And although our sins were forgiven, we were still in our sinful nature. The price of death for all of our sins was paid for, but we had not accepted the gift of forgiveness. When someone gives us a gift, we have to take possession of it. Before we believed and accepted God’s gift of salvation, we had not taken possession of the forgiveness and the life of Jesus in us. Like our Christmas gifts, we might not even have known there were gifts. In the same manner, the gifts of forgiveness, salvation and eternal life were hidden from us until we believed in Jesus and accepted Him as our Savior, until we began a relationship with Him. And immediately, His gift of salvation, His gift of forgiveness and His gift of life were manifest in us and for us. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)
Jesus is returning to earth. He will appear to all who live on the earth. “For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” (Matthew 24:27) This is not the rapture. The rapture is when Jesus calls His disciples, His brethren up to Him in the heavens. Our bodies, if we’re alive at the time will be changed. If we’re not, our dead bodies will be resurrected. “Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” (1Corinthians 15:51-55) And to the Thessalonians, Paul writes, “For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” (1Thessalonians 4:16-17)
Jesus will return and appear to all to end the Great Tribulation. This is known as His Second Coming. He will set His feet again on this earth on the Mount of Olives to be exact (Zechariah 14:3,4) to end the Great Tribulation and to establish His reign for a thousand years, known at the Millenium Reign of Christ. Satan, the scourge of earth will be bound then loosed after the Millenium. “Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” (Matthew 24:29-30)
When Jesus returns, He returns with all the saints. “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and He that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns; and He had a name written, that no man knew, but He Himself. And He was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed Him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.” (Revelation 19:11-14) Many believe that His armies are angels, but two things tells us different. Angels don’t need to ride horses and angels although in illustrations wear white robes, the words “fine linen, white and clean” robes refer to the saints. Another Scripture also confirms this. “To the end He may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.” (1Thessalonians 3:13) When Jesus returns, He will not be alone. It’s Christ’s one-thousand-year reign. And we inherit with Him. “And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together.” (Romans 8:17)
All these events that are prophesied will come to pass just as Jesus fulfilled every prophecy about Himself. After the resurrection Jesus appeared to His disciples. “And He said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning Me.” (Luke 24:44) And all the prophecy about His church will also be fulfilled.
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