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The "Coming" of Jesus Christ
By Mahlon Wickey February, 2012
As we all know, our modern churches believe and teach in what is known as the "return" or the "second coming" of Jesus Christ, and this is a major doctrine of our modern Christian faith. It is generally believed that Jesus Christ will sometime in the future literally and visibly return to this earth in bodily form to restore righteousness to a sinful deceived world.
Yes, it is very true that Jesus Christ is the REAL answer to this sinful deceived world, and He indeed is the source of true lasting peace that this sinful deceived world desperately needs! But the problem is, this sinful deceived world is in spiritual blindness and is totally UNAWARE of this real spiritual source of TRUE lasting peace. This spiritual blindness is a necessary part of the overall PLAN of God to fulfill this present evil world/age (Galatians 1:4). Please understand; this present evil world/age MUST experience all kinds of wickedness, evil, and deception BEFORE it will accept and BELIEVE in this spiritual source of TRUE lasting peace and TRUE lasting righteousness.
Because of this spiritual blindness there is a divine reason why nations are COMPELLED to RESIST logic and common sense to solve their problems, and they will elect leaders in government that are COMPELLED to repeat the same failed policies they promised to correct! There is a divine reason why our nation is so brainwashed that it was compelled to elect Obama as our president that has a "mysterious unknown" background that wants to be a dictator, and will openly ignore the laws and principles that founded and built this great nation! There is a divine reason why our government with "good intentions" is compelled to spend much more money than it "takes in", but the irony is that there seems to be an "endless" supply of money.
There is a DIVINE reason why our liberal biased "informed" news media is COMPELLED to report only the symptoms and NOT the CAUSES of our rising prices, our weak economy, our mounting debt "crisis", and also other symptoms (NOT the causes) of our troubled and deceived nation. There is a DIVINE reason why the "heads" of nations are COMPELLED to put their "heads together" in the sense of being as a "one world government" in finding the solutions to this tormented, chaotic, confused, and mad mad world.
First of all, I want to say that I truly DO believe in the "coming" of Jesus Christ, but I DO NOT believe in the "coming" of Jesus Christ as taught by most modern churches. As we shall see, it is possible that the apostles were expecting a spiritual (not literal) "coming" of Jesus Christ in the hearts of believing saints. But this TYPE of the "coming" of Jesus Christ is generally IGNORED by most modern churches, and it is this TYPE of the "coming" of Christ I want to address in this article.
I truly believe that the TRUE understanding of the "coming" of Jesus Christ is found by studying and believing the inspired meanings in the Greek manuscripts translated as the English word "coming". My point is; this TRUE understanding is NOT found in how most modern churches interpret this "coming" of Christ! How will Christ "come" to this evil world to RESTORE it to the righteousness of God, and in what FORM and in what WAY will Christ "come" to bring TRUE lasting peace and TRUE lasting righteousness to this evil deceived world? Will Christ come bodily down out of heaven to seat himself on a throne in a temple in Jerusalem, and will Christ literally "take over" ALL human governments and ENFORCE His rule of righteousness over all people? That is generally the theological viewpoint that is believed and taught in our modern "Christian" environment about the "return" or the "second coming" of Jesus Christ.
Some believe that Jesus Christ will literally declare WAR on this evil rebellious world, and there will be executions and many will be put in prison in order to put a STOP to rebellion, crime, and lawlessness. As we all know, these are generally the "fear tactics" used by human governments against criminals and lawbreakers. But the TRUE CAUSE of the wickedness and troubles of this evil world is traced to the "hardness of heart" of the carnal mind, and these "fear tactics" might get obedience, but they do NOT truly CHANGE the heart of the carnal mind!
It is the heart that MUST be changed, and I do NOT believe it is changed by an EXTERNAL "enforced" rule of a "returned" Jesus Christ. Christ has ALREADY declared a spiritual WAR on the carnal mind that is in enmity (hatred) against God with flesh members that WAR against the law of our minds (Romans 7:23, 8:7). Yes, there is a REAL war going on NOW in our flesh members, but it is Christ that HAS to wage and fight this war, simply because the carnal mind CANNOT win this spiritual war!
I truly believe that the ONLY way this WAR on the carnal mind can be fought and WON is by an INTERNAL (NOT external) "coming" of Jesus Christ that is FELT in the heart of TRUE believers. The ONLY method that confronts the problem of the carnal mind is a "change of heart" that is CAUSED by the spiritual discernment of the TRUE gospel message and the POWER of the grace of God. The Spirit of God inspires this spiritual discernment; which conditions the heart with the PROPER faith for the INTERNAL "coming" of Jesus Christ in the hearts of TRUE believers! I believe the Spirit of God and ALSO the "coming" of Jesus Christ MUST take place in TRUE believers to prepare them for the resurrection to GLORY.
What is known as the judgments of God is what will prepare our hearts for this GLORIOUS resurrection, and this is what the INTERNAL (NOT external) "coming" of Jesus Christ is all about! But believers MUST respond to these judgments to receive the "coming" of Jesus Christ. King David (a man after God’s own heart) wrote many Psalms PRAISING God for His judgments, and David believed in a JUST and merciful God and he linked God’s tender MERCIES with His judgments that would QUICKEN him….
Psalms 119:156 KJV Great are thy tender mercies, O LORD: quicken me according to thy judgments.
To "quicken" (H2421) simply means "to live" or to "give life"; which is spiritual LIFE, and this spiritual life is a GIFT designed to INSPIRE the hearts of TRUE believers NOW during the present evil world/age. But the GLORY of this spiritual life will be manifested in a FUTURE resurrection, as we shall see.
Solomon (a very wise man) advised us to get wisdom and understanding with all our "getting" (Proverbs 4:5-7). Yes, in order to GET understanding "with all our getting" about the "coming" of Jesus Christ we are to use wisdom by studying and believing the meanings of the original New Testament words found in the INSPIRED Greek manuscripts. But the problem is, we all normally do NOT SPEAK the words of the Greek language. But to get wisdom and understanding we are to study and believe the MEANINGS of the original Greek words, and that is HOW we are to get understanding "with all our getting"! The things of the Spirit of God MUST be discerned spiritually; they CANNOT be discerned and understood by the "normal" thinking of the carnal "natural man". Notice what 1Corinthians 2:14 says about the "natural man"….
KJV But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
This very important biblical principle is that the THINKING of the carnal "natural man" does NOT receive the things of the Spirit of God simply because they are foolishness to him, so therefore he CANNOT know (discern and understand) spiritual things. Yes, the understanding the "coming" of Jesus Christ MUST be discerned SPIRITUALLY; which means a SPIRITUAL "coming" of Jesus Christ in the hearts of TRUE believers!
As we all know, there are many examples of the English word "coming" in the New Testament, and it is used in several ways with different Greek meanings. The words G2064 (erchomai) and G3952 (parousia) are generally the two Greek words used for the "coming" of Jesus Christ. G2064 was translated well over six hundred times into various English words that were used ONLY in the present and imperfect tenses. G3952 was used twenty four times and means in the sense of "being near", and was translated twice simply as "presence". G3952 was taken from G3918, which also means "to be near" or "at hand" and was translated MOST times simply as "present".
The very important point is that these two INSPIRED Greek words mean in a present or current sense, and NOT necessarily in a FUTURE sense. Please understand; the words "present" and "presence" mean is the sense of NOW! But of course, this type of "presence" could occur in a FUTURE sense determined by TIME from our carnal "natural" viewpoint. But from the viewpoint of spiritual discernment the "coming" and "presence" of Christ happens as Christ determines; which is NOT determined by the physical realm of "time", as we know it.
Some believers will say, but cannot a "presence" and a "coming" of Jesus Christ STILL mean ONE future event? Sure, a "coming" of Jesus Christ can be ONE future event that could be determined by TIME, but that is NOT the correct biblical viewpoint, and that is NOT what these two Greek words mean! Based on these two INSPIRED meanings, the TRUE spiritual discernment of the "coming" of Jesus Christ could be a PRESENT reality at any time as determined by Jesus Christ! But the "christian" spirit of the "natural man" is compelled to think in terms of a certain FUTURE TIME of the "coming and presence" of Jesus Christ. Are we to get understanding "with all our getting" from the "christian" spirit of the "natural man", or are we to use wisdom given by the SPIRIT of God to get the TRUE understanding about the "coming" of Jesus Christ?
I believe the true premise of discerning the "coming" of Jesus Christ is to understand WHERE Christ is NOW, and WHAT is He doing NOW, and WHERE did He go at His ascension to "heaven" as recorded in the book of Acts?....
Acts 1:9-11 (KJV) And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; 11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing 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.
Notice that the two men asked why (yes, WHY) the men of Galilee were gazing up into heaven? Could it be that they were NOT to gaze up into heaven to see Christ "come" again? The major point is that the biblical phrase "in like manner" does NOT necessarily mean in the EXACT manner! This phrase is found in other scriptures, and in the correct context it would NOT be correct to say in the "EXACT manner". As an example, in Matt 6:9 Christ instructed us to pray "after this manner" (or in like manner). Did Christ mean that we are to repeat the EXACT words as written, or are we to pray in a certain MANNER (G3779) (in this WAY) that is BASED on the seven points of prayer that Christ mentioned? We all can understand that IF we speak the EXACT words of the "Lord’s prayer", then our prayers would be repetitious and would NOT be sincere.
When Christ ascended in a "cloud" He vanished out of their sight (Acts 1:9). This "cloud" is the same cloud that Christ was transfigured in, and was SEEN by the apostles, and they also HEARD the voice of God (Matt 17:5-6). I believe this was the same visible cloud at Mt Sinai where God symbolically dwelled, and was also the same cloud that God used to LEAD Israel on the way to the "promised land". Christ vanished into this VISIBLE cloud used to represent where His Father symbolically dwelled, and "in like manner" Christ was coming again IN SPIRIT (out of sight) in the hearts of the apostles.
Jesus Christ said in John 14:16-18 and 26-28 that He was the "Comforter" which was the Holy Spirit, and He said "I go away, and come again unto you" (the apostles). Yes, Jesus Christ did "come" (along with the Holy Spirit) to the apostles on the day of Pentecost since this was the "promise of the Father" that the apostles were to wait for in Jerusalem (Acts 1:4). Some believers say that JUST the Holy Spirit (NOT a "coming" of Christ) was promised on Pentecost. No, Jesus Christ WAS the promised "Comforter" that was to "come" in the hearts of the apostles, and His "presence" was confirmed (yes, CONFIRMED) by many miracles done by the apostles! Keep in mind, the "presence" of Jesus Christ is NOT based on the physical realm of TIME, or on ONE single event such 70AD. The apostles did NOT have to wait until 70AD (as some believe) to receive the POWER and GLORY of Jesus Christ to be IN THEM.
Again I ask, WHERE did Jesus Christ go when He disappeared in a visible cloud? Our KJ Bible says in Heb 4:14 that "Jesus the Son of God passed into the heavens", but the word "into" should NOT have been used! It is the Greek word (G1330) that means to "traverse", which is linked to the word "through", and Heb 4:14 is correctly translated as "passed through the heavens" by the Concordant Literal Version, and also other translations….
Hebrews 4:14 CLV Having, then, a great Chief Priest, Who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, we may be holding to the avowal."
This is just another small example WHY we should be very careful with our beloved KJ Bibles, and to get understanding with "all our getting" the English word "into" must be discerned spiritually, and NOT discerned by the "normal" thinking of the carnal "natural man"!
So WHERE did Jesus Christ go when He passed "through" the heavens? Of course, there are many examples of the word "through" that we could use; such as where do we go when we pass "through" a city, or where do students go when they pass "through" a college? It simply means we do NOT STAY in a city, and students do NOT STAY in a college! I could be wrong, but if this premise is correct it could be said that when Jesus Christ passed through the heavens He came out on "the other side", so to speak.
This means that Jesus Christ is very able to "come" FROM the heavens BACK to the earth and spiritually dwell in the FLESH of TRUE believers! The apostle John wrote in three scriptures that Jesus Christ "IS COME IN THE FLESH" (1John 4:2-3, 2John 1:7). "Is come" of course means in the present tense, and therefore the "coming" and "presence" of Jesus Christ "in the flesh" ALREADY was a REALITY in the hearts of TRUE believers of John’s day! The very important point is that Jesus Christ "coming in the flesh" is ALSO a present reality during this "present" day and age! This is WHY I believe the apostles were fully expecting the "coming" of Jesus Christ in their day. Notice what James writes….
James 5:8 KJV Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.
James fully expected the "coming of the Lord" DURING his day, simply because he warned the believers OF HIS DAY to establish their hearts to PREPARE for the "coming of the Lord". The major point is this; IF the "coming of the Lord" was possible at THAT TIME, then it is ALSO possible for the "coming of the Lord" for ALL believers IN THEIR DAY (even today). But they are to establish their hearts to PREPARE for the "coming of the Lord" that ALWAYS "draweth nigh" (near). But IF the early believers already had God’s Spirit, then WHY were they ALSO to prepare their hearts for the "coming of the Lord"? Obviously it is possible to have God’s Spirit, but NOT YET having the heart established in the CORRECT faith for the "coming of the Lord".
Some pastors today have the audacity and the nerve to teach that the apostles were WRONG in their TIMING of about two thousand years as to WHEN Christ would "return" again to this earth. No, the apostles were NOT WRONG by believing that the "coming of the Lord" was NEAR at ANY time, and they knew that the "coming" and the "presence" of Jesus Christ could be a PRESENT REALITY to believers of their day. Jesus Christ and His Father are always "near" at ANY time since they are "not far" IN SPIRIT from anyone of us (Acts 17:27).
The apostles obviously knew that the "coming of the Lord" was a spiritual event that was NOT determined by the physical realm of past or future TIME. Those of the "preterist camp" believe that the "coming" of Jesus Christ and the "end of the world" (age) was fulfilled in the year 70AD with the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple. Of course, the destruction of the temple was the END of the "world/age" of temple service and of the old covenant, and I believe that is ALL it was!
The "preterist" people IGNORE that 70AD happened many years AFTER the Pentecost "coming" of Jesus Christ, and they also IGNORE that the "coming" of Jesus Christ IN THE FLESH was a continued reality AFTER 70AD, even to this present day and age! The preterist belief on the "coming" of Jesus Christ is based on the physical realm of TIME that is PAST; which is NOT the correct spiritual discernment about a SPIRITUAL "coming" of Jesus Christ!
Again, I am compelled to make the point that the "coming" and the "presence" of Jesus Christ is NOT based on FUTURE time, or on time that is PAST such as 70AD, but it is ALSO NOT based on human eyesight. Jesus Christ said that the kingdom of God does NOT "come" by observation (human eyesight), but is WITHIN all of us (Luke 17:20-21). Jesus Christ is the RULER and biblically connected with His kingdom; which means that the "coming" of Christ ALSO does not come by "observation", so therefore the "coming" of the kingdom and the "coming" of Jesus Christ CANNOT be seen by human eyesight. But please understand this very important biblical principle; the potential rule of the kingdom and the potential "coming" and "presence" of Jesus Christ is ALREADY within ALL of us!
Notice HOW Christ describes His "coming"….
Matthew 24:27-30 (KJV) For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 28 For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together. 29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: 30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
The "preterist" people believe that the "tribulation of those days" refers to the "days" of 70AD. They believe in a "coming" of Jesus Christ that was LIMITED to just ONE single event in history, therefore they believe that the "coming" of Jesus Christ was a PAST event. They fail to see the BIG PICTURE of Matt 24 that eventually will affect the WHOLE world!
Keep in mind, the apostles were NOT converted men, and could only discern the words of Jesus Christ with the thinking of the carnal "natural man". Therefore Matt 24 had to be highly symbolic language, and at times Christ used physical types that pointed to the TRUE spiritual realities. If we believe that the sun and the moon will literally be "darkened", and the stars will literally fall out of the sky (verse 29), then we will believe other statements of Christ as LITERAL meanings. Yes, we should be very careful on HOW we interpret Matt 24, and HOW we should "get understanding with all our getting" on what Matt 24 is symbolically saying!
I want to discuss just one event of Matt 24 in which Christ specifically explained HOW the "coming of the son of man" will spiritually affect ALL the tribes of the earth (verse 30). Christ said His "coming" would be as "the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west" (verse 27). This CANNOT be taken as literal lightning simply because lightning shines in ALL directions; not ONLY out of the east toward the west. Could it be that the direction of east symbolically points to the pagan religions of the "EAST", and why are they called today as EASTERN pagan religions? Cain dwelled "east" of Eden, and when Adam was driven out of Eden God placed Cherubims "east" of Eden (Genesis 3:24, 4:16). Could it be that these symbolic Cherubims were to keep and guard the way of the tree of life FROM the false gods of the EAST?
The "shining" of lightning symbolically shows the LIGHT of discernment and understanding. This is WHY I believe the spiritual "coming" of Jesus Christ will "shine" to EXPOSE the deception of the EASTERN religions to all (yes, ALL) the tribes of the earth to draw them BACK westward TOWARD symbolic Eden. But notice that all the tribes will MOURN when they "see" the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory (verse 30). This is the SAME event when ALL kindreds of the earth will wail (mourn)….
Revelation 1:7 (KJV) Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they [also] which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.
The "natural man" reads that EVERY eye shall "see" Christ coming with clouds so he "naturally" assumes that the "coming" of Christ is EXTERNAL, and will be seen by human eyesight. I believe "every eye" (does it say EVERY eye?) is the "eye" of the MIND that will NOW spiritually DISCERN the "coming" of Christ. I believe this spiritual discernment of the "coming" of Christ by every "eye" (yes, EVERY "eye" of the mind) of ALL tribes and ALL kindreds will be CAUSED by the "manifestation of the sons of God", as we shall see.
But WHY all this wailing and mourning when ALL tribes and ALL kindreds "see" the "coming" of Jesus Christ? This wailing and mourning could be when they NOW know they must face the judgments of God. But God is a JUST and merciful God who IS called by the term, LOVE (1John 4:8), so therefore these judgments are for their GOOD so that they will LEARN righteousness….
Isaiah 26:9 KJV With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.
This wailing and mourning could also be sorrow and remorse because ALL tribes and ALL kindreds NOW KNOW they had a part in Christ’s death since they are INCLUDED with those that pierced Christ. Rev 1:7 most certainly is NOT talking about the ONE Roman solder that was inspired to take a spear to pierce the flesh body of Christ. I do NOT believe that "every eye" of Rev 1:7 is talking about the "single eye" that Jesus Christ mentioned in Matthew 6:22….
(KJV) The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.
It is interesting that the word "single" (G573) means "folded together", and I believe that when TRUE spiritual discernment is "folded together" the single eye "sees" with ONE spiritual VISION that causes the whole body to be "full of light". There is a natural body and there is a spiritual body (1Cor 15:44), and the natural body is NOT equipped to handle this type of "light", but the spiritual body with ONE SPIRITUAL VISION will be "full of light". I believe that when the spiritual body is "full of light" it is simply in a spiritual condition for the divine purpose so that it is prepared to be resurrected to GLORY. Romans 8:23 explains that this glorious resurrection is a FUTURE event that is called the "redemption of our body" (our spiritual body) that ALL saints groan and are WAITING for….
KJV 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 exact term, "second coming" is NOT found in the Bible! This exact term was invented by "christian" men that assumed that Jesus Christ will come back to earth known as a "second coming". But the term "second time" (NOT "second coming") is found in Hebrews 9:28….
KJV So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.
The question is, when did Christ appear the FIRST time, and WHERE did He appear? Jesus Christ offered himself ONCE (the first time) to bear our sins, and this ultimate sacrifice was ACCEPTED when He appeared before God in the heavenly most Holy Place. Jesus Christ’s sacrifice was compared to the sacrificial priesthood of Aaron, and Aaron appeared before God in the symbolic most Holy Place only ONCE every year (NOT a "second time" year after year), and he could never appear before God WITHOUT the blood of bulls and goats that were sacrificed as sin-offerings for Israel. But more important, Aaron could never appear before God for the salvation of Israel.
Only the TRUE priesthood of Jesus Christ could appear before God in the heavenly most Holy Place the SECOND time "without sin" (or having to deal with sin) for the salvation of those that "look" for Christ. Young’s Literal Translation actually calls "without sin" as being "apart from a sin-offering"….
Heb 9:28 so also the Christ, once having been offered to bear the sins of many, a second time, apart from a sin-offering, shall appear, to those waiting for him--to salvation!
It was Christ (NOT Aaron) that could appear before God a second time without a sin-offering. Please understand, Jesus Christ appears before God in HEAVEN; NOT as a so-called "second coming" to this earth! So who is looking for Christ to appear a "second time" in the heavenly most Holy Place for their salvation? ALL tribes and ALL kindreds most certainly are NOT looking and waiting for Jesus Christ DURING this present evil world/age of deception. But when ALL tribes and ALL kindreds of the earth shall "see" (discern) the "coming" of Jesus Christ that is WHEN they will "look and wait" for their salvation.
Christ vanished out of sight in ONE cloud (Acts 1:9), but He NOW comes with clouds (plural), as explained in Matt 24:30 and Rev 1:7. I believe the "sons of God" are the symbolic "clouds" that Jesus Christ "comes" with….
Romans 8:19 (KJV) For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
Why didn’t Paul say that the creation was earnestly expecting and waiting for the "coming" of Jesus Christ? That is a very good question! You see, this question goes at the heart and core of the TRUE spiritual discernment of the "coming" of Jesus Christ! Could it be that Paul knew that the "coming" and the "presence" of Jesus Christ was ALREADY a reality during his day? In Rom 8:21 Paul goes on to explain that the sons of God will deliver (make free) a creation from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
We were all born into and experience this earthy life of corruption and bondage, and we simply are not yet ABLE to experience this "glorious liberty" (FREEDOM from corruption and bondage). This word "glorious" (G1391) is the same word used when our bodies will be fashioned like the glorious body of Christ (Phil 3:21). I believe this is when our spiritual body will be delivered (made free) OUT of this earthy corruption and bondage! This is the promised salvation; which is done by the POWER of the manifested (revealed) sons of God!
TRUE believers that are LED by the Spirit of God ARE the "sons of God" (Rom 8:14). TRUE believers are LED on a spiritual journey that LEADS toward the GOAL of perfect spiritual discernment and spiritual maturity. But it is NOT possible to REACH this goal while "in the flesh", but TRUE believers must STAY on this journey (the key word is "stay"), and be WILLING to be LED by the Spirit of God. They MUST stay on this journey to learn to be blameless, harmless, and without rebuke in an evil perverse nation (Phil 2:15).
TRUE believers must be LED to have the mind of Christ and to have a forgiving nature as Christ has, and they must KNOW that those that speak evil words and do evil deeds "know NOT what they do" (Luke 23:34). They must know HOW to judge ALL people, ALL races, ALL tribes, and ALL kindreds with a perfect LOVE that is balanced with a perfect hatred….
Psalms 139:22 KJV I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.
But this divine balance of love and hatred is NOT "natural" so they must be spiritually LED and INSPIRED in the heart to have this balance IN THEM. The major point is that the sons of God must be qualified to rule and judge all nations!
In Rom 8:19 the word "manifestation" (G602) is the same word used for the "revelation" of Jesus Christ (Rev 1:1). When the sons of God are REVEALED to a deceived world we can only speculate how their MESSAGE will be received. We could say what happened in Acts was just a very small "foretaste" of what will happen when the manifestation (revelation) of the sons of God is revealed (to be seen and witnessed) by the WHOLE world! In Acts the POWER of the "coming" of Jesus Christ was ACTIVE, and many REAL miracles were "commonplace", and the TRUE gospel message became "contagious" and "infected" thousands of people, as we all know.
When the sons of God strategically perform REAL miracles to be very effective millions of people no doubt will "see the light" of the TRUE gospel message! This message will become "contagious" and eventually ALL nations will be "infected" by this message, and it will AGAIN (as in Acts 17:6) turn the world "upside down"; only this time the WHOLE world will be "turned upside down".
Jesus Christ has been active in the hearts of all believers during this evil world/age of deception, and is separating a select few believers to COME OUT of ALL belief systems of this world. Christ is training and choosing a very few believers that were ONCE a part of ALL theological deceptions, ALL languages, ALL societies, All tribes, and ALL kindreds. Since they will be familiar with ALL the belief systems of this deceived world they will then be QUALIFIED to teach ALL people on HOW to honor the TRUE God; which will LEAD to the salvation of ALL people during the coming "ages of the ages"!
It is only "natural" for believers to look for the EXTERNAL bodily "return" and "second coming" of Jesus Christ. Of course, Christ could reveal His body that He had BEFORE He vanished into heaven, but what would be the point? Christ has to "come" to us IN SPIRIT (not bodily) in order to change the carnal heart….
2Thessalonians 1:10 KJV When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.
The word "IN" is used; meaning that Christ will be glorified IN the sons of God when they are revealed. Christ will be IN the glorified sons of God when they are manifested, and when the world sees the glorified sons of God it will "see" (discern) that Christ is IN THEM! Yes, Jesus Christ will be seen by EVERY "eye" (of discernment) when the revelation of the sons of God will be witnessed by ALL tribes and ALL kindreds of this world.
The "presence" of Jesus Christ is in our SPIRIT, and we are NOT aware that our spiritual body is "full of light" to be in a condition to be instantly changed to GLORY in the "twinkling of an eye" at the seventh and last "trumpet" (1Cor 15:52). But we ARE aware that we "see" through one spiritual VISION that affects the thoughts of our heart to be expressed by the soul and body in TRAINING us in various Godly ways.
"I come quickly" is mentioned four times in Revelation, and it could simply mean that Christ will NOT DELAY his "coming" IN US. Jesus Christ did indeed speak a parable of a servant that did NOT know (even of the HOUR) when his Lord would "come" so he gave up waiting and he said in his heart, "My Lord delayeth His coming". Read Luke 12:45-47.
ALL believers also do NOT know when their Lord will "come", but they must NOT give up waiting, and this is WHY Jesus Christ repeatedly warned us to "watch" (stay spiritually focused with the "single eye") to establish our hearts correctly to always be "ready" for the "presence" of Christ in our spirit. The "coming" of Jesus Christ is always NEAR and is a MAJOR spiritual event IN US, and when Jesus Christ determines that we are "ready" He will NOT DELAY in putting HIS GLORY in our spiritual body that is waiting and groaning for a FUTURE glorious change!
In conclusion, if (I repeat, IF) this article is generally correct then we should be willing to be LED by the Spirit of God to go on a spiritual journey AWAY from the false and deceptive ways of this evil world/age, and TOWARD the goal of the perfection of Jesus Christ. If (I repeat, IF) we can establish our hearts in the CORRECT faith we could then qualify as sons of God that will be manifested to a corrupt deceived world to RESTORE it to TRUE lasting peace and TRUE lasting righteousness!
By Mahlon Wickey February, 2012
Questions or comments?... Email: mrwickey7@gmail.com