The "Imminent Return" of Jesus Christ

      Three times in the last chapter of the last book of our Bible, Jesus reminds those who would hear that “I am coming soon”.  Numerous other New Testament teachings, such as His admonition to “be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect” in Matthew 24, or “Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come" in Mark 13:33, or His words recorded by Luke warning believers to be “dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, and be like men who are waiting for their master to come^”, all support the Biblical admonition to expect the Lord’s “imminent return”.

The imminent return of Christ is a doctrine that since the time of Christ’s resurrection, every church age that has been alive and zealous has embraced.  Encouraging the faithful today to actively embrace this admonition are two very authorative influences.  The first, as we have only just begun to establish in the verses quoted above, is the authority of the many biblical passages that admonish readiness and preparedness. Peter, Paul, and Jesus all describe the return of the Lord as coming “like a thief in the night”. This emphasizes the need to be ready because we “know not at what hour the thief will come”.  Because of this, believers are admonished to “be alert” (1 Co. 16:13, 1 Pe.5:8). Scriptures admonishing this readiness are many (Jn. 8:4, Mt. 25:4, Jms. 5:7-9, 1 Pe.4:7). 

The second influence that should also promote this readiness is more relational than doctrinal. That would be the sincere longing the Spirit of God places in the hearts of those who call Jesus Lord to experience His return. In his second letter written to Timothy, Paul writes “there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing” (2 Tim. 4:8).  Sincere love for Christ will always produce a sincere longing and expectation for His return.  

Paul instructs the Corinthians, “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves” (2 Co. 13:5). One thing you can certainly discern your sincerity of faith by is your longing for and expectation of His “imminent return”.  Jesus even said that it is “the wicked servant who says the master is not coming soon” (Mt.24:28).    

       To the sincere believer, both the testimony of the scriptures and the testimony of the Spirit within their hearts bear witness to Jesus’ promise that “I am coming soon”. Those testimonies cause the promise of the “imminent return” of Jesus Christ to be a truth that is both believed and desired.   Do you live a life that bears witness to the imminence of His return?  Do you set your heart and mind on it each day? Are you living as if He could appear at any moment? As Paul wrote in his letter to Timothy, it is those who “love His coming” that can expect to receive the “crown of righteousness” that belongs to the redeemed and the redeemed alone!  Jesus is coming back for a church that both expects and longs for His return, a church that prays as Jesus taught us to saying “even so, come Lord Jesus come”!