Our Response to His Return
Yes, dear friends, we are already God's children, and we can't even imagine what we will be like when Christ returns. But we do know that when he comes we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is. —1 John 3:2
It's worth noting that whenever the subject of the Lord's return comes up in Scripture, it is usually connected to an exhortation or admonition to take action as a result.
For instance, 2 Peter 3:10 tells us, "But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and everything in them will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be exposed to judgment."
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We might ask, "So what? What does that mean to me?" Peter continues, "Since everything around us is going to melt away, what holy, godly lives you should be living!" (verse 11). You see, it should affect us.
But nowhere in the Bible are we told to quit our jobs and sit on a rooftop or hide out in the mountains as we wait for the Lord's return. Rather, the Bible constantly exhorts believers to live godly lives. We read in 1 Thessalonians 5, "But you aren't in the dark about these things, dear brothers and sisters, and you won't be surprised when the day of the Lord comes like a thief. . . . So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be sober" (verses 4, 6).
In speaking of Christ's return, John tells us in his epistle, "And all who believe this will keep themselves pure, just as Christ is pure." Yes, Jesus is coming. And if we believe that, it should impact the way we live.
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