The 2nd Coming of Christ. Pt. 6 New homes, new bodies, new hearts
Good afternoon to all of our Readers. Tomorrow I have my left total knee replacement. I check in @ 5:30 AM Eastern Standard time and the surgery will probably be around 6:30 AM. I would appreciate your prayers that the Lord will guide the mind and skills of my surgeon and that He will carry my through the operation.
This is our last post on the 2nd coming of Christ. Certainly much more could be written about but I hope that what I have shared is sufficient for each of us to better understand the topic.
Many mansions and a sure reception
John 14:1-3 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
Our Lord Jesus spent time teaching His disciples about His return to His heavenly Father. In this passage Jesus revealed to them that there are many mansions in His Father's house. When Christ finished His work on the cross He returned to the Father after His resurrection.
He had some specific things that He was going to do and he told His disciples about His work. There are multitudes of mansions, or dwelling places like a home that are being prepared in heaven. Jesus Christ is preparing them, making them finished and ready to live in.
Who are these homes for? The heavenly dwelling places are for "you" the disciples, and all who died trusting God's provision in the Old Testament and all New Testament believers.
Notice what Jesus said. "I will come again." He said He would come again specifically to receive all the born again children of God to Himself. This is referred to as the rapture. His kingdom is not being set up on earth at that time. Christ will set that up at the end of the tribulation period when He crushes all His enemies.
Jesus said He would receive us unto Himself so that we might live with Christ. Remember, this is a tremendous blessing for all the saved who are "in Christ." The word "receive" means Christ is accepting us as His precious possession purchased with His own blood. He will claim us as His own in an intimate association with each believer.
Looking for our Savior and anticipating a new body
Philippians 3:20-21 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: 21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.
Paul brings some more teaching about the rapture of the believer in Christ and what we should be doing until He returns for us. Paul uses the word "conversation" and this is an interesting word that we use mostly as a verb that means we are talking with someone.
However, in the Bible the word "conversation" is used as a noun that means our behavior, our moral choices and how we live our life as Christians seeking to live according to the gospel.
Our conversation or the way that we choose to live is to be heaven centered not earthbound. Next, Paul tells us that we should be looking for our Savior Jesus Christ to return. The word "Look" means diligently waiting and watching with earnestness and consistency.
This fits well with what Christ meant when He taught us to be waiting, watching, working and witnessing for Christ until He arrives. This type of looking is anticipatory in that we are expecting something to be done in us when Christ returns.
Paul tells us something about the changes that we will experience. Jesus is going to change our "vile body" so that it is like His glorious body. It will be a display of resurrection power. Our old body will be transformed. The word vile refers to the fact that in our flesh dwells no good thing. It is a body of sin but Jesus will change it into something brand new.
The word "fashioned" means that our old body will be immediately changed into a body like Christ's resurrection body. It means our body will be conformed to a body like His. It will be good by God's standard and it will be changed into its most glorious state as God intended back in the Garden.
Paul reminds us that we can have the utmost confidence because Jesus will use the same power that created all things as subdues all things to Himself.
Romans 8:18-19 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
We can joyfully wait for the return of Christ at the rapture because of the glory that awaits the born again believer. This glory is going to be revealed in us as Christ transforms our bodies and makes them fit for living in heaven.
Romans 8:22-23 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. 23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
The world and all living things are groaning from the bondage of a sin cursed world. It is like the travail of a woman delivering a child. So we wait for that final adoption of where our bodies will be rid of the sinful flesh and we will truly be able to live for the glory of God for eternity.
Titus 2:11-13 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; 13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
This is our last post on the 2nd coming of Christ. Certainly much more could be written about but I hope that what I have shared is sufficient for each of us to better understand the topic.
Many mansions and a sure reception
John 14:1-3 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
Our Lord Jesus spent time teaching His disciples about His return to His heavenly Father. In this passage Jesus revealed to them that there are many mansions in His Father's house. When Christ finished His work on the cross He returned to the Father after His resurrection.
He had some specific things that He was going to do and he told His disciples about His work. There are multitudes of mansions, or dwelling places like a home that are being prepared in heaven. Jesus Christ is preparing them, making them finished and ready to live in.
Who are these homes for? The heavenly dwelling places are for "you" the disciples, and all who died trusting God's provision in the Old Testament and all New Testament believers.
Notice what Jesus said. "I will come again." He said He would come again specifically to receive all the born again children of God to Himself. This is referred to as the rapture. His kingdom is not being set up on earth at that time. Christ will set that up at the end of the tribulation period when He crushes all His enemies.
Jesus said He would receive us unto Himself so that we might live with Christ. Remember, this is a tremendous blessing for all the saved who are "in Christ." The word "receive" means Christ is accepting us as His precious possession purchased with His own blood. He will claim us as His own in an intimate association with each believer.
Looking for our Savior and anticipating a new body
Philippians 3:20-21 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: 21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.
Paul brings some more teaching about the rapture of the believer in Christ and what we should be doing until He returns for us. Paul uses the word "conversation" and this is an interesting word that we use mostly as a verb that means we are talking with someone.
However, in the Bible the word "conversation" is used as a noun that means our behavior, our moral choices and how we live our life as Christians seeking to live according to the gospel.
Our conversation or the way that we choose to live is to be heaven centered not earthbound. Next, Paul tells us that we should be looking for our Savior Jesus Christ to return. The word "Look" means diligently waiting and watching with earnestness and consistency.
This fits well with what Christ meant when He taught us to be waiting, watching, working and witnessing for Christ until He arrives. This type of looking is anticipatory in that we are expecting something to be done in us when Christ returns.
Paul tells us something about the changes that we will experience. Jesus is going to change our "vile body" so that it is like His glorious body. It will be a display of resurrection power. Our old body will be transformed. The word vile refers to the fact that in our flesh dwells no good thing. It is a body of sin but Jesus will change it into something brand new.
The word "fashioned" means that our old body will be immediately changed into a body like Christ's resurrection body. It means our body will be conformed to a body like His. It will be good by God's standard and it will be changed into its most glorious state as God intended back in the Garden.
Paul reminds us that we can have the utmost confidence because Jesus will use the same power that created all things as subdues all things to Himself.
Romans 8:18-19 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
We can joyfully wait for the return of Christ at the rapture because of the glory that awaits the born again believer. This glory is going to be revealed in us as Christ transforms our bodies and makes them fit for living in heaven.
Romans 8:22-23 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. 23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
The world and all living things are groaning from the bondage of a sin cursed world. It is like the travail of a woman delivering a child. So we wait for that final adoption of where our bodies will be rid of the sinful flesh and we will truly be able to live for the glory of God for eternity.
Titus 2:11-13 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; 13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
Paul wraps all this up for us. We are to live reflective of the grace of God and salvation that God has given to us. He teaches us to deny lust and ungodliness in our own lives by choosing to live soberly and righteously because we are looking for that realization of our blessed hope. We are to be looking for the glorious appearing of Christ.
Points to Ponder....
- Jesus Christ is preparing new homes for us that are in heaven.
- Jesus Christ promised to return and receive all born again believers unto Himself.
- Jesus Christ is going to transform us by removing the sin nature and giving us a body like His resurrected body.
- Because all this is true we need to live in eager anticipation of Christ's return.
Wow, what wonderful truth we have considered about the return of Christ to gather His church at the rapture. We have so much to look forward to, ranging from seeing our blessed Savior face to face to finally getting rid of the old sin nature.
I pray that the Lord will give us each a fresh perspective about these things and that He will change how we live, act and think in this world. May He grant us a heavenly perspective and may we seek to put off earthly pleasures as we look for heavenly treasure.
Bob
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