First Stage of Christ's Second Advent -- Part 3

Paul’s message to the Thessalonians concerning the first phase of Christ’s second advent was restricted to Christians because Christians alone can understand spiritual things (I Cor. 2:1-16). Pagans’ noble utterances on the subject of immortality must be rejected. The grief of non-believers is a wail of despair, whether mild—based on the wrong concept of immortality—or severe—without any concept of immortality.

The major premise on which the following propositions depend is bathed in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ: “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus” (I Thess. 4:14 NASB). There are two divisions in this verse: (1) The hope of Christ’s coming is based on His death and resurrection. (2) The purpose of His coming is revealed: “…God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus.”

The certainty of faith is emphasized in the statement “For if we believe.” According to the context, there is no doubt that “if” is a first class condition that affirms reality. Since Paul used it in the context of I Thessalonians 1:1-4:12, he was not speaking of an obligation but a fact. The first class condition speaks of the connection between the protasis (the clause expressing the condition in a conditional sentence) and the apodosis (the clause expressing the consequence in a conditional sentence). Therefore, the translation can be “For since we believe.” When one considers the first class condition connected with the reality of the present active indicative (the mood of reality) verb pisteuo, he does not question the reality of God-given faith.

A climate of easy believism causes the Christian to carefully examine even the faith that increases in some knowledge of the Scriptures. The thing to look for at this point is how the word of God is being appropriated. Christ said, “If any man is willing to do His will, he shall know of the teaching, whether it is of God, or whether I speak from Myself” (John 7:17 NASB). Men know of this world only because they are born into it and live in it. No one can see the world of faith and understand it until his eyes are opened by the grace of God. As the material world has its own law and is measured by its own standard, the spiritual world has its own law and is measured by its own standard. As Christians have certainty about this world because it is a matter of experience, they have certainty about God-given faith because it becomes a matter of experience. The Biblical formula (a formal statement of Christian doctrine) can be stated in a few words. God who requires faith in the elect works faith in them when they are regenerated. Saving faith is not only the ability to see Jesus Christ in conversion deliverance, but it is also the ability to appropriate the eternal Son of God. Saving faith produces acts of grace, but not the principle of grace.

No one can receive that which is spiritual until he has been given the disposition to receive it. The Bible gives God credit for what Arminians credit to man’s so-called free will. Through faith the regenerated person receives Jesus Christ into his consciousness. Faith is the operation of God’s grace that was legally given to each chosen person from eternity (II Tim. 1:9).

Since saving (converting) faith is the reaction to God’s act of Divine quickening, converting faith is not a human contribution to being made alive in Christ. Regeneration changes the soil of the heart before the revelation of Jesus Christ in the gospel finds lodgement. Only then can one understand that “…it [the gospel] is the power of God for salvation…” (Rom. 1:16 NASB). By the word of God, one who has been Divinely quickened has an experiential consciousness of life. As the knowledge of natural things is necessary to bring natural faith into exercise, knowledge of spiritual things is required to bring spiritual faith into exercise. The error of the free offer of the gospel is from ignorance of Scripture concerning Paul’s mission work. When Paul desired to go to Achaia, Luke wrote, “…the brethren encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him; and when he had arrived, he helped [aorist middle indicative of sumballo, to help or assist] greatly those who had believed [perfect active participle of pisteuo, the ones who have believed] through [dia, ablative of means—usually in the instrumental case—rarely in the ablative, which means separation or source case] grace [noun, ablative feminine singular]; for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, demonstrating by the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ” (Acts 18:27, 28 NASB).

Christ’s earthly name “Jesus” was used in I Thessalonians 4:14 because His human nature died and was raised. God absolutely considered can neither die nor be raised. Jesus Christ is the unique Person. He is equal with the Father but different because He possesses the human nature. Furthermore, He is equal with man (from man’s perspective) but different because He possesses a Divine nature. During Christ’s earthly ministry, He spoke of God as “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30 NASB); as Man He said, “I am thirsty” (John 19:28 NASB); and as the God-Man, He said, “Come to Me…I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28 NASB). Therefore, Jesus Christ is the only Mediator between God and men (I Tim. 2:5). He is the surety (guarantee) of a better covenant, the eternal covenant of grace: “so much the more also Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant. And the former priests, on the one hand, existed in greater numbers, because they were prevented by death from continuing, but He, on the other hand, because He abides forever, holds His priesthood permanently. Hence, also, He is able to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them” (Heb. 7:22-25 NASB). “Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen” (Heb. 13:20, 21 NASB).

The legal side of suretyship is stronger when the Surety becomes the substitute for the debtor by having the debt charged to the Surety and the debtor released. Scripture gives a good example in Onesimus. He was legally released before the debt was actually paid to the creditor. Paul made this possible by assuming the debt (Philem. 10, 18, 19). In this way only could the Old Testament saints be forgiven before the death of the Testator: “And this is clearer still, if another priest arises according to the likeness of Melchizedek, who has become such not on the basis of a law of physical requirement, but according to the power of an indestructible life. For it is witnessed of Him, THOU ART A PRIEST FOREVER ACCORDING TO THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK” (Heb. 7:15-17 NASB). “Being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus” (Rom 3:24-26 NASB).

This brings in the purpose for the first phase of Christ’s second advent, “…even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus” (I Thess. 4:14 NASB). Surely every Christian wants to know what is meant by this statement. Some say it refers to disembodied spirits that descend with Jesus Christ who will raise their bodies in which they go forth to meet Christ in the air. Others think Christ is the connecting link (dia) between those that sleep (aorist passive participle of koimao) and their resurrection. Others teach that Christ is the instrument through whom God brings to pass the resurrection.

Moses and Elijah were in their glorified bodies when they appeared on the Mount of Transfiguration (Matt. 17:1-13). They represent not only the Law and the prophets, but also the saints who die and those who will be raptured. The statement “God will bring [ago] with Him” (I Thess. 4:14) implies that all the deceased saints will come with Jesus Christ when He comes for the living saints. An understanding of the way the verb ago is used in the Scriptures will help to interpret the statement “…even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus” (I Thess. 4:14 NASB). The verb ago, which means to bring, is not used when speaking of the resurrection. The verb egeiro, which means to cause to rise or to awake from sleep, is used when the resurrection is considered. Therefore, the resurrection itself does not fit the statement. However, it does fit that which follows the resurrection. Those who were falling asleep in Jesus were the concern of the saints in Thessalonica.

The only feasible interpretation of the two stages of Christ’s second advent is that the Lord gave Paul a special revelation on the distinction between the resurrection and translation (change to another form). Christ’s valedictory discourse revealed His purpose to return for His own (John 14:1-3). Enoch and Elijah exemplify the truth of the rapture (Heb. 11:5; II Kings 2:1, 11). Since the word of God is the basis for all instruction, who can question that Paul was inspired to give information on eschatology?

Paul, who had the care of all the assemblies, was inspired to give information that has kept God’s people on track for two thousand years. Hence, the true assemblies have not lost confidence in the Lord’s coming. This expectancy has increased the longing, brightened the hope, and clarified the promise (Rom. 8). An understanding of II Corinthians 5:1-10 refutes purgatory, soul sleep, disembodiment, and a temporary body between death and resurrection. (Study I Cor. 15:50-58.)