The Return of Christ: What Do People Really Believe?

The vast majority of people on the planet do not believe Christ is who and what the bible says He is. Therefore, they do not believe He is coming again. So for the vast majority talk of Christ's second coming is irrelevant.

Christianity is the largest religion on the planet but most people who call them self Christians do not believe that Christ is coming again to establish the rule of God on earth. The majority view is that Christ's reign is exercised from heaven and millennium is a spiritual analogy. That outlook is labeled a-millennialism [no millennium].  Another view is that the millennium is the conversion and transformation [Christianized] of the present world into a Christian mo ld... either through the efforts of the visible church... or social/political progress initiated and supported by Christian individuals. That outlook is labeled post-millennial [Christ reigns now from heaven but returns to earth after the world becomes Christian].

Comparing what UCG teaches the largest swath of people who call them self Christians is mostly about whether biblical statements about the return and reign of Christ followed by a 1,000 year period of rule should be understood literally or figuratively. I would like to table that idea for a later date.

Today, I will focus on the remaining subset of people who believe in a literal return [and reign] of Christ... look at the differences among them... and figure out where UCG/COG fits in. I hope to limit the message to the return rather than the reign.

All flavors of Christianity that teach a literal return of Christ do so as part of a larger understanding that His return marks that beginning of a 1,000 year period when the rule of God. or kingdom of God comes to earth. IE. that Christ returns before the millennium. The label attached to them is pre-millennial.

Although UCG/COG teachings as a package are unique we do fit into this category. We would qualify as pre-millennialist. Note: of the three types of millenialism I've introduced; premillenialism is the teaching that is most easily traced back to the second and third generation of the early Church [amillenialism, and postmillenialism came along much later]. For example, Irenaus, [100-170 AD.] supposedly a direct student of Polycarp, who was in turn a direct student of John the apostle]... Irenaus comes across as a premillenialist. Other early Church writers could also be included [Justin Martyr, Tertullian].

I wouldn't say such people were the earliest traces of the COG... [because of some the other things they say I personally think they were not]. But they were closer in time to the original apostles... and the original teaching of the early Church... because Christian teaching changed over the centuries... these earliest writers can be thought of as perhaps begin closer to the original understanding and teachings. However, it is important to remember, doctrine and teaching is not established by the tradition of such writers but by going back to the original scriptures.

Differences in how various premillennialist groups believe and teach about the return of Christ comes from how they understand the biblical statements about a time of tribulation that at the end of this present age. There are 4 key sections of scripture on this:

Matthew 24:15-44 // 2 Thessalonians 4:13-5:3 // 1 Corinthians 15:50-53 // Revelation chapters 6-19

Premillennialists agree that there is a literal time of tribulation, that there is a gathering of the saints to meet Jesus in the air, and that He appears in a way that is seen by all the earth. But, they/we do not agree on the timing, or sequence, of these events. Although there are plenty of variations, I think two main viewpoints are discernible;

Although UCG/COG teachings as a package are unique we do fit into the Post-tribulation category. The pre-tribulation category I've mentioned here has a variety of different labels based on specific variations in their teaching but a possible label that would apply to them would be the rapture theory.

The reasons for the different views and teachings on the timing and sequence are based on two questions:

So, the rapture theory is based on some legitimate, and rational, biblically oriented questions. We don't believe the rapture theory is the answer, but we also shouldn't merely laugh at it, or the people who believe and teach it.

UCG/COG believes and teaches that the gathering of the saints and the visible return of Christ happen at the same time. Others believe they are separate. I mentioned the logic behind this view now lets look at some of the scriptures.

To back up a separation of the gathering of the believers from the return that is visible to all the following scriptures are used: John 14:1-4, 1 Corinthians 15:51-58, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. In these cases only the gathering is mentioned, not the coming of Christ as judge of the nations etc. So the line of reasoning goes, the gathering can/should be thought of as something separate and distinct from the revealing.

Answer: although the gathering and the revealing are different aspects of Christ return they are not separate events:

2 Thessalonians 2:1-2 again we have warnings about false teachings of a secret return of Christ

Verse 8 the saints are not gathered together until actions of the beast power and Christs appearance to do battle with it take place.

Separating the gathering from the visible return of Christ is not a good solution to the questions of how the Church is delivered from wrath, and how the return of Christ might come with no warning or signs.

God's word does speak of  deliverance from wrath for the church; 1 Thessalonians 1:10 // Revelation 3:10. If we cannot say the gathering takes place before the days of tribulation how can we say the Church is delivered from all that terrible stuff that happens?

We get a lot of vivid prophetic information about the tribulation in Revelation chapters 6-19. Some people say there is no mention of the Church in the midst of all this. But, right in the middle [chapter 12] we do hear about the Church. There is a dragon [Satan], there is a woman [the Church/Israel of God]. The dragon is filled with wrath which He takes out on the Church. Revelation 12:13-16 God protects [delivers] the Church from Satan's wrath for the 1260 days of the tribulation.

Answer: the wrath from which the Church is delivered is the wrath of Satan. The wrath of God comes at the end of the tribulation, it rolls out with the blowing the 7th and final trumpet. Which if you have been paying attention is also the "last trumpet" that announces the gathering of the saints, and the revealing of Christ in full power and heavenly glory, king of kings and judge of the nations.

So, Revelation 12 also indicates the Church is delivered from the wrath to come not by being gathered into the air to be with Christ [IE. a secret rapture 1260 days before His visible return]. The Church is delivered when God provides it a place of safety during the 1260 days... a place that is clearly on earth.

A few scriptures introduce the idea that some of the Church are gathered and others are not; Matthew 24:45-51 [parable of the wicked servant caught unawares], and Matthew 25:1-13 [parable of the 10 sleepy virgins], 1 Thessalonians 5:6.

This is where the popular rapture based book series "Left Behind" gets some of its oomph, the idea that some might think they are followers of Christ but are not included in the rapture… not protected from the wrath to come.

The pre-tribulation folks say being left behind is proof they never really were true believers, they have missed out. Others say such people are believers who need to be made complete through suffering. Believers who are with the program being gathered before the tribulation... others suffer during the tribulation and somehow get right with Jesus... and come out all right in the end...

The popular book series actually says the people who get right with Jesus during the suffering of the tribulation are then resurrected when Christ returns at the end of the 1260 days. The book makes the rapture something different than what the resurrection is. Its not what theologians, scholars, or churches teach... but its a popular happy ending [its an action novel].

Answer: There is no gathering, waiting in the heavens for 3.5 years, then an actual resurrection. The bible is very clear that the gathering of the saints IS the resurrection [the first, the better]. The saints come to life and receive their spiritual body at the sounding of the final trumpet when Christ returns... at the end of the 1260 day tribulation. We've already looked at those scriptures.

But are there different paths for true believers during the 1260 days?

Revelation 12:17 after the Church is given a place of safety [verses 14-16], Satan filled with wrath goes after "the rest of the Church". So, some believers might miss out... not on the gathering, but on the safety God provides. There are some who might be refined by fiery trial... and participate in the first resurrection.

You do not need a teaching about a secret coming of Christ to answer the question of ho believers can be protected  from the wrath to come

How can the return of Christ be said to come unexpectedly [as a thief in the night] if there are all sorts of unmistakable signs? Luke 21:29-31 Jesus said there will be discernible signs that it is near!

We’ve already looked at the scriptures. Some are taken by surprise and do not receive protection from the wrath to come. Furthermore, its also clear from scripture that signs can be right in front of people [like during the first coming of Jesus] but because of spiritual blindness they cannot see them and/or do not act on them.

If you think you know Christ is about to return and it motivates you to repent and turn your life around… then Christ doesn’t come…. you simply die of old age… have you lost out? NO!

Some might say “what a foolish person” but you didn’t lose out on anything. Maybe you missed a few parties, some other fleeting pleasures. But you probably also improved the quality of your short mortal life… and when the end came you were ready [modified version of Pascal’s wager].

Therefore, watch and pray always that you be counted worthy to escape…