There are two tests that will show with certainty to what extent our
belief about Christ’s coming is a vital heart belief such as the
Apostles had. The first test concerns more definitely our personal
relation to his coming. Is the hope of his coming a real hope for you
that makes it the incentive to be ready and makes it a real event to
watch for with expectation, as for the return of a loved one?
The second test relates to the whole sweep of God’s purposes of
redemption and the part that Christ’s Second Coming plays in them. A
right understanding at this point will determine the general plan of
activities of the Church of Christ and of the individual Christian in
this present day of Grace. How essential then to know God’s thought
on this subject, and how idle to suggest that this truth is not of
practical bearing on present service. Both the spirit of service
and the scope of service are involved, and these two tests show how
intensely practical and necessary is the right view of his coming.
The first test has already been considered, and it is seen that the
Victorious Life truth is vitally linked with the hope of his coming.
The second test of our belief regarding his coming is even more
fundamental, and again it will be seen to be closely tied up with the
heart secret of the Victorious Life, and with the truth of regeneration
as well.
It is a common thing to speak of the doctrine of Christ’s Second Coming
as of greater or less relative importance than certain other doctrines;
thus, it is pointed out that the Second Coming is mentioned more
often in the New Testament than any other doctrine except that of the
atonement. It leads to confusion thus to speak of the teachings of the
Word as though they could be divided. While it is convenient to study
the doctrines separately we miss a great truth if we fail to remember
that all these teachings brought to us by the Word of God are connected
one with the other and together form a complete unity.