Crittenden record-press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1909-191?, 1916-09-21

Xl ny uWtil upoh "
~ M such an extent as
this, unless II be
the fundamental one OF our redemp
ton through the cross.
What Does II Mean?
The second coming OF Christ means
a personal, in the sense Of visitor
reappearing Of one Lord on this earth.
Such seems TO be the teaching Of his
own words when, In the presence Of
the high priest he said: Hereafter
shall ye see the son Of man sitting on
the right hand Of power and coming
In the clouds Of heaven" This is re-
corded In the Goth of Matthew at the
9th verse. The angels taught the
same truth TO the disciples on the
Mount Of Olives when they said, "Ye
men Of Galllee, why stand ye here gazr
ing up into heaven? This same Jesus
which is taken up from you into heaven
shall SO come In like manner as ye
have seen him go into heaven" This
is recorded In Acts III. And finally
In the last book OF the Bible, we nnd
John eIclaiming Behold, he cometh
with clouds; and every eye shall sec
him. and they also which pierced him:
And all kindreds OF the earth shall
wall because Of him. Even so, amen"
When VIII II Take Placer
This doctrine has been brought into
disrepute because many have assumed
to fix dates for the coming OF our
Lord, notwithstanding that the Bible
warns against II. Jesus himself said
TO his disciples: watch. therefore,
for ye know not what hour your Lord
doth come" There are some who
think that a millennium Of peace and
prosperity will be experienced on the
earth before the Lord comes.
There Is also one other fact that
seems to preclude the expectation Of Q
millennium before Jesus comes; that
Is, what the New Testament teaches
as to the moral and spiritual condi-
lions In the world at the end OF this
age. We are all familiar with the
teaching Of Paul In his second eplstle
10 Timothy at the third chapter. where
he says that 'in the last days peril
49, .s.es shsli ec..e," Aa la. 2o~s
- - defns wnst ~ means By thsl
adding that men shall be levers Of
self, lovers OF money, boastful,
naughty, rnilers. dlsobedlent to parents,
unthankful. unholy, without natural az
fection. truce-breakers, slnnderers,
without self-control. fierce. no lovers
OF good, traitors. high-strung. high
minded, lovers Of pleasure rather than
lovers Of God; having a form ~ godli-
ness bu' denying the power thereof"
All hls does not look like a mlllen-
mum, and yet how much II looks like
the times In which we are now llylngi
Can II be therefore that the coming
OF the Lord may be nearer than mosi
Of us expect,
Results Of His Coming.
In the light Of the second comma
there are three classes Of men 10 be
considered. which are defined In First
Corinthians at the 10th chapter-as
the Jew. the Gentle. and the church
~ God. To begin with the last.named,
the coming OF Christ will mean the
translation Of the church to meet him
In the air. according to First Thes-
salonlans 4:1Sls. II would seem to
he after this translation that Christ
comes with his saints and his holy
angels to the earth. as Indicated In
the Scriptures previously referred to.
This coming Is for judgment on tho
Gentle nations which "know not God
and obey not the gospel Of our LORI
Jesus Christ"
Bringing the Truth Home.
This hope Of the second coming Of
Christ Is the great motive FOR holy
living. Where II really takes hold Of
/ the hearts ~ Christian believers II
Restraints them from known sin AZ
nothing else hoes.
II Is also the great comfort In lis
oppolotmcntSand trial, for our Lord
said that when he came again In tho
glory ~ his father he would brins his
reward with him. Hence what slim
Mus to holy endeavor In the face Of
difficulties and dlscouragements, for
No word he hath spoken
/ Was ever yet broken.