WHERE IS THE PROMISE OF HIS COMING?

For there must be also heresies among you,
that they which are approved may be made
manifest among you. 1Co 11:19

The night is far spent, the day is at hand:
let us therefore cast off the works of darkness,
and let us put on the armour of light. Rom 13:11 -12

The hour is indeed late, as all of creation waits for the expected Return of the Savior. The redeemed of the Lord say so, with exuberance and joy, knowing this -- that their salvation is nearer than when they first believed.

We are now living in THAT day which the apostle Peter spoke of:

And saying, Where is the promise of his coming?
for since the fathers fell asleep, all
things continue as they were
from the beginning of the creation. 2Pe 3:4

This prophecy is being fulfilled among professing Christians, who say, the Lord has ALREADY returned. Is this not the same as saying, “Where is the promise of His coming?”

We deny God when we deny His Word. When we argue with God, changing His doctrine, altering His commands, disagreeing with prophecy, we do deny Him, and thus, He will deny us.

If we suffer, we shall also reign with him:

if we deny him, he also will deny us: 2Ti 2:12

As the apostle Peter warns us -- followers of these damnable heresies are ensured “swift destruction.” Peter warns us that those trapped in this heresy mock the literal return of Jesus Christ, despite the fact that His return is promised throughout the scriptures. The Word of God is clear. In Acts 1:10-11, the two men (two witnesses, Deut 17:6) testify that Christ will return in like manner.

Followers of this false teaching will claim that we must understand the ‘spirit’ of the Word, and glean through ‘revelation,’ what the Word is ‘really’ saying. They will search for hidden meanings or mysterious findings to the point of discounting the literal interpretation of the Word.
One may wonder if this type of condition is the delusion our Lord speaks of in 2nd Thes 2:11. It is a fearful place to be when one cannot differentiate between that which is learned through the Spirit and the Word of God, (absolute truth) and the enmity of God, the carnal mind. (…“he was a liar from the beginning and the truth is not in him“). They will hold fast to their reasoning, despite the numerous proof texts which reveal the glorious appearing of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Tit 2:13 Looking for that blessed hope,

and the glorious appearing

of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

2Ti 2:17 And their word will eat as doth a canker:

of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus;
2Ti 2:18 Who concerning the truth have erred,

saying that the resurrection is past already;

and overthrow the faith of some.

There are varying suppositions in this heresy, including, but not limited to, the resurrection has already occurred; Christ has returned at Pentecost; Christ has returned in 70 ad (preterism), or Christ returns when He indwells individual believers. Jehovah Witnesses claimed that Jesus returned in 1914 and set up His Kingdom in the heavens. After William Miller’s prophesy concerning the 2nd coming failed three times, 1843, and 1844 twice, the emerging Seventh Day Adventists claimed that he got the date right but the event wrong. They claim that the temple in heaven was then cleansed, and that Jesus moved into a different apartment in heaven, and is now going through the books judging who is and who is not saved.

The apostle Peter WARNS us throughout his 2nd letter of false teachers and to hold fast to our SURE word of prophecy, not cunningly devised fables. Scripture teaches that no prophecy is of any private interpretation. Just because we think something is true, doesn't make it so.

1Ti 6:3 If any man teach otherwise,

and consent not to wholesome words,

even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ,

and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;
1Ti 6:4 He is proud, knowing nothing,

but doting about questions and strifes of words,

whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,
1Ti 6:5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds,

and destitute of the truth,

supposing that gain is godliness:

from such withdraw thyself.
1Ti 6:6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.

When we exalt our own opinions over and above what God has revealed through His Word, the spirit of antichrist is given dominion and the temple of God is defiled.

2Co 10:4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal,

but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
2Co 10:5 Casting down imaginations,

and every high thing that exalteth itself

against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity

every thought to the obedience of Christ;

We are further instructed to “add to your faith…knowledge” so that we are not unfruitful in our knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Disciples receive the Comforter, which leads and guides us into all truth. We can be like the well watered, sunlit fed mustard seed, which was planted in fertile soil, watered with the Word of God and prayer, illuminated by the Father of Lights, and grow into a tree that can support other life. Matthew 13:31-32.

Is faith exclusive to a simple belief, or to obedience? If Jesus Christ told us that we have one Master, Lord and Rabbi, should we accept any other spiritual leader to reveal the scriptures to us? I would suggest that to embrace another format of learning is saying to our King of Kings, that His gift is insufficient.

2Pe 3:2 That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour:
2Pe 3:3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,
2Pe 3:4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.

Act 1:10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;
Act 1:11 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.

Rev 1:7 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.

1Th 4:15 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.
1Th 4:16 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:
1Th 4:17 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.

1Jo 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
1Jo 2:28 And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.

1Th 1:10 And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.

1Co 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
1Co 15:23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.

2Th 1:7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,
2Th 1:8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
2Th 1:9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;
2Th 1:10 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.

2Pe 3:12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
2Pe 1:16 For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.


Jam 5:8 Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.

2Pe 3:12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

2Th 2:1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,
2Th 2:2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
2Th 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

1Th 5:23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

1Th 3:13 To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.

1Th 2:19 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?

Luk 21:27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

Mat 24:30 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.

Mar 14:62 And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.

Joh 1:51 And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.

Joh 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

Dan 7:13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.
Dan 7:14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.

Patti White
Morning Manna
May 7, 2008