Jesus' Return and Paul's Teachings
CHRISTIANARCHYTODAY
Show 10 – Jesus has already Returned – Part IV
January 2nd 2018
“If you think you understand Christianity you are probably wrong.”
Steven!
Understanding Christianity's Timeline
So, our principle claim here on CHRISTIANARCHYTODAY is, “If you think you understand Christianity you are probably wrong.” And for the last few weeks, we have focused on the FACT that Jesus and His apostles taught and therefore believed that the second comingChrist’s return, fulfilled in 70 A.D., ending the old covenant—not the world. was going to happen within forty years of Jesus' ascension into heaven. This is a fact. So were they right or were they wrong? We say they were right – therefore all the talk today is wrong. Simple as that.
Let’s continue on with last week reading more of what Paul taught about the coming of Christ. In Philippians 3 (20-21) Paul is talking about the Lord’s coming. Then in chapter four he uses the phrase we have already discussed, and says:
Philippians 4:5 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.
This was not written to us, friends. It was written to people that Paul was personally leading and guiding and protecting.
Paul's Assertions in His Letters
In 1st Timothy 4:8 Paul writes:
“For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.”
Again the phrase, “which is to come” in the Greek is “which is about to come!”
In 1st Timothy 6:13-14 Paul is giving Timothy instructions, and says:
“I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession; that thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
It is more than apparent that Paul believed that Timothy would be around when Jesus returned. It is also believed that Paul wrote this epistle around 64 AD and the signs of His coming were not only evident but the forty years Jesus said His return would occur in were close to being fulfilled.
If Paul thought that the Lord’s coming was going to be way out in the future, he would have said to Timothy “to keep these commandments” without spot “until the end of your life,” or “until you die!” But Paul doesn’t write this to Timothy, does he? He writes, “keep these commandments until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Why? You know why. Or I hope you do.
In Titus 2:13 Paul writes:
“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ.”
Taking the “W”s into account this is really a wonderful and encouraging passage of scripture to the early Saints, isn’t it? Again, Paul says to them that they ought to be –
“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ.”
Reading it today, 2000 years later, and thinking it is still lingering out there can produce faithlessness, and disappointment, and disillusionment. But to read it as historical fact, and in context we are uplifted by the stories, just like Jewish children have been uplifted by the stories of David and Goliath today – stories that occurred many years ago, but contain great spiritual lessons to all who consider them now.
Resurrection and the Second Coming
In Paul’s infamous chapter on the resurrection – 1st Corinthians 15 – many people challenge the thing contained therein but almost all agree that Paul was writing about the Second Coming of Jesus when the “saints who sleep” (are dead) will be resurrected to incorruptibility and the saints who are alive at that time will be “changed” in the “twinkling of an eye.”
That is all in there, right? Paul was writing to the Christians at Corinth about resurrection and how it was tied to the coming of the Lord. The book was written around 56-57 AD. There were questions about what was the process and Paul says to them – TO THEM – the believers there at Corinth:
1st Corinthians 15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; “We shall not all sleep, (most agree this means die) _We will not all die before the Lord’s return.”
He promises this to them! He was literally reassuring them that some of them would be living when Jesus returned! Should they have believed him? Of course. Because he was right. Notice he wrote, “We” so he included himself in this. In other words, he…
Interpretation of Paul's Writings on Christ's Return
Believed it possible that he might be around for His return. Then he uses or refers to the “we” twice in these passages, and says:
“Behold I show you a mystery: we shall not all die (was he correct?), but we (those of us who do not) shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”
If all of the Corinthian Saints died before Jesus came Paul was a fraud, and his promises to them were utterly deceitful!
But he wasn’t. He was correct. And all the other men since who have promoted and promised Christ’s return were wrong. And are wrong.
It’s done, folks. He reigns – spiritually – on high, over his kingdom.
Mystery of Resurrection in Corinthians
We learn something else from this passage in 1st Corinthians 15. Listen closely to it again:
“Behold I show you a mystery: WE shall NOT all die, but WE (those of us who do not) shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, (when?) at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”
When does Paul say the resurrection of the dead will occur in this passage? He actually says that some of those saints at Corinth would live to hear the last trump and would see Jesus come. But the order is that before they would be changed the dead would be raised incorruptible. This places the resurrection right there in the first century too. Can you see that?
“Does this mean we won’t be resurrected?”
Of course not. It just means the resurrection promised in scripture, and tied to Jesus coming, is done. All people now die and are immediately resurrected – probably in the twinkling of an eye – and prior to entering heaven.
Teachings on the Second Coming in Thessalonians
Okay, into Thessalonians. Lots to discuss because Paul provides large chunks of information on the subject of the Second Coming in his writings here. Let’s read the first big chunk – 1st Thessalonians 4:13-18:
“But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.”
Apparently, the saints at Thessalonica were under the impression that the Lord’s return was eminent and some of them, it appears, were upset or concerned because some of their brothers and sisters were dying before it happened. Maybe their deaths were due to persecution. It seems they believed that these dead believers were going to miss out on everything the apostolic church was expecting would happen when He came back (in other words they would miss out on the Glory that was about to be revealed as both Paul and Peter have described).
I would suggest that Paul was trying to comfort these believers here in the face of these concerns. What he tells them here is essentially the same thing he told the believers at Corinth (which we read in part in 1st Corinthians 15) saying:
“We will not all sleep (die) but some will be changed in the twinkling of an eye after the dead were raised.”
Here Paul is promising the church at Thessalonica the same thing and he says:
Some of them would be alive and remain until the coming of the Lord and then regarding those who had died, he said,
“The dead in Christ will rise first and then (like he said in 1st Corinthians) those who are living would be changed after.”
Understanding Paul's Perspective
It's really important to remember the context. If we do, we will understand what Paul is saying far more clearly than if we just read and assume he is speaking to us today. Paul made these promises 2000 years ago! Then in verse 15 he says something interesting. He says:
15 For this we say unto you “by the word of the Lord,” that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
Notice first there are no “if, ands or buts here” used by Paul. He doesn’t say “And we that might be here,” or “we are could be alive,” or “and if some of us are alive then.” He says:
“We which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord,” clearly indicating that he believed the second coming was…coming.
Paul's Source of the Word
Additionally, Paul says in verse 15: “For this we say unto you “by the word of the Lord,”
Now, to Paul the Word of the Lord could mean one, two, or three things. First, it could mean the Old Testament – not in this case. The Old Testament did not give Paul these insights. Or, the Word of the Lord Paul mentions could mean direct revelation he received either by the Spirit OR when he was tutored by Christ Himself in the Arabian desert. That’s possible.
But I think the fact lies in the third option – that it is by the Lord’s very words He spoke when He was on earth.
In other words, if you read Matthew 24 you will discover that Paul echoes 10 statements of the LORD in His writings to the believers of Thessalonica. Due to time I’ll let you make the comparisons. They are not overwhelming but clearly show that “the word of the Lord” Paul was citing were the Lord’s very words spoken in Matthew 24.
Encouragement to Believers
In these next passages listen to what Paul writes: (remember the W’s” of sound interpretation of scripture – who, where, when, what and why?)
1st Thessalonians 5:1 But of the times and the seasons brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. (in other words, Paul says to them, I don’t need to detail to you the signs of the times – you are aware of them – and he adds)
2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. (And then at verse four)
4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.”
These are reassuring passages given by Paul to these believers reiterating to them that they were not ignorant but were alive and awake and informed of His return. If the LORD was not coming for thousands of years later, why did he write like this to them? I mean why did the early church need to be reminded of these things if He wasn’t going to return for thousands of years later? The evidence is beyond clear – the Apostles believed He was on His way and taught it. If wrong, why do we trust the rest of the things they write? If right, why are still looking for His return today?
