Second Coming

The Second Coming or Second Advent of Jesus Christ is seen as a yet future event by Christians. Jesus Christ's first coming, about 2,000 years ago, was to deal with sin. Before He ascended to heaven, He said, "if I go away, I will come back"; and His Spirit is given as a "guarantee" of His return and of our salvation in Him,^[1]^ to sustain the Church until His return.^[2]^ His return or Second Coming is sometimes called the Parousia (Greek: coming presence, arrival)^[3]^ and will be for the judgment of his enemies and the salvation of those who await his return.^[4]^ The many denominations of Christianity vary widely regarding the details surrounding Christ's return in relationship to the Great Tribulation and the Millennium. Because of the many false prophecies of man regarding His return, over the past 2,000 years, few dare to claim complete and authoritative interpretation of the many related prophetic biblical passages. However, it is commonly accepted that:

  • Jesus Christ died on the cross.
  • He was resurrected bodily.
  • He ascended into heaven.
  • He will return to earth, judge the world and establish his kingdom,
  • No one knows the day or hour of Christ's return.

Daniel, the Gospel of Matthew and the Revelation are considered to be the most fruitful sources of study, although many parts of the Bible are sprinkled with references to the "last day(s)" and the "second coming" of Christ. A specific reference to it is contained in the early ecumenical creeds.

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Testimony of the early creeds

The second coming (or return) of Christ is contained as an article of faith in all the ancient creeds:

  • "He ascended into heaven. From thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead" Apostles' Creed.
  • "He shall come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead" Nicene Creed.
  • "From thence he shall come to judge the living and the dead, at whose coming all men must rise with their bodies and are to render an account of their deeds" Athanasian Creed.

Notes

  1. ↑ Ephesians 1:13-14
  2. ↑ John 14:16-18
  3. ↑ 1 Corinthians 15:23; 1 Thessalonians 2:19; 3:13; 5:23; James 5:8; 1 John 2:28
  4. ↑ Hebrews 9:27-18

See also

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