0926. Those Who Veil His Coming
Those Who Veil His Coming
"In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ, Who is the image of God, should shine unto them" (2Co_4:4)
1. The Gospel of the glory of Christ, certainly includes, yea, emphasizes the Second Coming of Christ.
We would not rob the Cross of Christ, of one whit of its glory, but we would keep in mind that the Lord's Supper, with its broken body and shed Blood remembers the Cross till He comes again. The Cross is a telescope with which we scan the distance and view the glory of the Lord's Return.
Notice certain expressions in chapters 4 and 5 of Second Corinthians, and we will understand the better, the meaning of the expression "the glorious Gospel," or, the "Gospel of the glory" of Christ.
Mat_4:11-15–We are raised up by Jesus and shall be presented (comp. Jdg_1:24).
2Co_4:17-18–While we look at the things not seen, God is working out for us a "far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory."
2Co_5:1-6–We long for our house from Heaven, our immortality, of which we now have the earnest of the Spirit (comp. Php_3:20-21).
2Co_5:10–We must all appear before the Bema of Christ (comp. 2Ti_4:8).
By the verses above we get some idea of how the Gospel of the glory of Christ is linked up with the Lord's Return.
2. Satan's effort is to blind minds against the manifestation of this Gospel of the glory.
(1) In order to do this, he puts forth men who handle the Word of God deceitfully (see chap. 2Ti_4:2). With what cunning craftiness, with what process of human reasonings and spiritualization do men twist and turn the plainest and simplest statements of God's Word!
Men, tutored of the devil, and often in total ignorance of their error, seek to unsay every precious promise that God has said concerning the Lord's Return.
The Book says: "This same Jesus shall so come," etc. Men say, "These words are fulfilled in the march of Christianity," or, "in the conquests of science." Some have even said that every time a new college is opened up, or a new skyscraper is builded, or a new war is fought that it is the Second Coming of Christ.
The Bible gives to Israel many precious promises of her restoration under Christ as King. The critic transfers them all over to this dispensation, and teaches that they are fulfilled in the Church.
(2) In order to do this satan magnifies the present age, and turns the attention of men to making this a better world.
No marvel that satan's ministers have become the ministers of world-righteousness. No wonder that the whole world, including the worldly church, and the worldly club; the carnal saint and the "spiritual" sinner, have joined hands in a most stupendous effort, by ethical preaching and by social propaganda, to establish a reign of peace without the Prince of Peace, a rule of righteousness without the Christ, our Righteousness.
Satan offsets the Gospel of the coming glory by the Gospel of present good. The greatest foe of the Heavenly City is the earthly city; the greatest obstacle of pressing toward the prize of the upward calling, is the press of the earthward calling.
Men today have lost their upward and their onward look. They are turning their faces toward Sodom. "Remember Lot's wife."
Saints today have lost their stranger and pilgrim attitude toward this age; they are not traveling toward another country, they are making sure and safe their stay in this country.
Moses refused the riches of Egypt, her pleasures and her treasures. Satan is playing his old trick of "worship God in this land," and he has ensnared the professing church into beautifying Egypt.
No wonder satan and his clan hate the Second Coming of Christ, no wonder they labor together to blind the eyes of the unbelieving to the coming glory.
Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR