“And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming.”
that when He appears,
The word “that” expresses purpose. An important belief for every believer is to be ready for the coming of Christ.
We can translate the word “when” as whenever. There is no doubt that He is coming back. His coming is certain.
PRINCIPLE:
A great motivation for spirituality is standing on the tiptoe of expectancy for Christ’s return.
APPLICATION:
Christians should stand on the tiptoe of expectancy for Christ’s coming. We should live in such close fellowship with the Lord that His coming is just a continuation of our current fellowship with Him.
The Rapture should cultivate an immediate spirituality. If we expect Him to come at any moment, we will be ready when He comes. The prospect of His Coming is a great motivation for Christian living.
There is a great day ahead for every believer. We will come face-to-face with Jesus, the Lord. Oh, what a day!! This is the most often mentioned truth in the New Testament, so it carries great weight. Amazingly, many Christians today negate prophecy, while the Bible emphasizes it. The Rapture is the believer’s “blessed hope.”
1 Th 4:16-18, 16 “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.”
The Rapture affords great hope to despairing situations. There is hope beyond the bleak, black terminus of all existence – the grave. There is nothing like the hope of the coming of Christ in a situation in bleak circumstances.
2 Ti 4:8, “Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.”
When Jesus steps into time again, it will be to come for each believer. That event could occur today. No prophetic event that needs fulfillment before it happens. It could be today!
1 Jn 3:1-3, 1 “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. 2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. 3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.”
The anticipation of the Rapture purifies our hearts. It keeps us in a state of expectancy.
