For the apostle Paul, the subject of the return of Christ was very important. Thirteen times he mentions baptism, but fifty times he speaks of the Return. Strictly speaking, every thirtieth verse in the New Testament refers to the second coming or return of Jesus Christ.

It is an important, central subject in Scripture. Just as the hope of the believing Israelites was the coming of the Messiah, and is now again, so the hope of the believers of the nations is the return of Jesus Christ. "And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure." (1 John 3:3). As has been preached and written many times before: The return of Christ will be the greatest event at the end of the time of grace! All the details associated with it and what will happen in the process are described in detail in the Word.

When the heavenly Bridegroom returns and takes His earthly bride up to the wedding feast of the Lamb, Matthew 25:1-10 will be literally fulfilled: Half of the virgins who come to the Bridegroom are truly ready and will enter into the wedding feast. It is the "readiness" that counts, as it is written: "...and his wife hath made herself ready" (Revelation 19:7). In various biblical passages, the election that will then be revealed is made clear to us: two will lie on a bed, two will grind on a mill, two will be in the field, and so on; one will be accepted, the other stays behind.

At the return of Jesus Christ, all Bible passages related to it will find their literal fulfillment, including what is written in the letter of the Apostle Paul to the church in Corinth: "Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed..." (1 Corinthians 15:51). Paul wrote down the mystery revealed to him; he has clearly stated how it will happen, namely, that at the appointed time of Christ's return, those living in Christ will not die, but will be immediately transformed. He explains this concept further in 2 Corinthians 5, where he himself did not want to be unclothed by death, but clothed upon by the transformation.

What is very important about this subject is that the return of Jesus Christ will not take place over years, weeks or days, nor will it take place in different stages, but as the Lord Jesus himself said: "For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be" (Matthew 24:27).

Paul agrees exactly with the words of the Lord and describes how it will happen: "... In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed." (1 Corinthians 15:52). The apostle refers to this trumpet in 1 Thessalonians 4, when he writes, "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout [wake-up call], with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 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." (vv. 16-17).

Paul did not speak in uncertainty, but had the absolute of God's Word. That is why he could also write: "For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord..." (1 Thessalonians 4:14-15a). It cannot be said more clearly, more concisely and in every detail than as it is stated in the Holy Scriptures. We believe as the Scripture says. He who teaches that the Lord Jesus has already come has forsaken the word and lost his mind; his mind is corrupt and he is basically under an antichrist influence, which denies the bodily return of Jesus Christ and spiritualizes it. The teaching that Christ's "parousia" has already taken place has no biblical basis. The word "parousia" means "bodily presence".

All accurate Bible translations render the two important passages, namely 1 John 4:2 and 2 John 7, in different tenses. The first relates to the coming of Jesus Christ at the time when the Word became flesh and reads: "Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist ..." The apostle goes on to write: "We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error."

The beloved disciple of Jesus clearly elaborates on the origin of the true children of God until the end of the fifth chapter. He speaks of the begotten from God and emphasizes: "And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness…" (v. 19).

In the second passage, namely 2 John, verse 7, the apostle refers to the return of Jesus Christ, in other words to His second coming, and writes: "For many false teachers have gone out into the world, that do not confess Jesus Christ comes in the flesh. This is the false teacher and the antichrist." (Zurich translation.) This biblical passage is actually found in the future tense in the thorough translations, such as the translation by Dr. Hermann Menge, the Greek Interlinear Translation, the Hebrew "Bethel Edition", the Zurich Bible and others. Whoever denies the Lord's bodily return and spiritualizes His coming is therefore deceived and has disqualified himself from the first resurrection, transformation and rapture!

Jesus suffered in His fleshly body, died and was buried, and rose from the dead on the third day. HE Himself said after His resurrection, "Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself [really me]: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have" (Luke 24:39). Thomas would and could not believe until he had seen the prints in the hands and side of the resurrected Saviour (John 20:24-29). We preach Christ, the Crucified and Risen One and the One who ascended to heaven. According to Acts 1:11, the same Jesus who was lifted up bodily into heaven before the eyes of His disciples (Luke 24) will return in the same way.

According to the divine plan of Salvation, the wounds of redemption remain with our Lord until the completion of the congregation from the nations and the chosen ones from Israel. When Israel repents, they will look upon the Crucified One, upon Him whom they have pierced (Zechariah  12:10); yes, before all the world our Lord will reveal Himself as the Crucified One with great power and glory before the establishment of the kingdom: "... 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!" (Revelation 1:7). Every knee will then bow before Him, and every tongue will confess that the One despised by all the world, crucified for the salvation of His own, is the Lord Himself.

At His return it will be fulfilled that "Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself." (Philippians 3:21).

John admonishes us: "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 ... but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is." (1 John 2:28+3:2b). This is then perfect redemption according to soul, spirit and body. The Lord of glory, in whose image we were created, has become like us in this body of flesh in which we have sinned, and was delivered over to death, died in our place so that our trespasses and sin might be forgiven, to make perfect atonement, to overcome death and the devil, even to the transformation of our bodies to be like Him. Just as we all bear the image of Adam on earth, so we shall bear the image of Christ (1 Corinthians 15:45-49).

Finally, on this subject, which was dealt with in detail by the apostles, let us also mention what Peter writes in connection with the return of Jesus Christ: "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." (2 Peter 1:16). At the return of Jesus Christ, the power of God, the resurrection power, the power of transformation will be revealed. In this context, the Apostle Peter writes the words: "We have also a more sure word of prophecy ..." (v. 19).

I may and we all may say the same thing also. We have both: the prophetic and the apostolic word. We believe as the Scripture says. But it must also be fulfilled that people say: "Christ is here! Christ is there!" The Lord warned us: "Believe it not!" (Matthew 24:23). Christ will not come upon a mountain nor into a valley, neither in the desert nor in a chamber. We will, as it is written, be caught up and meet Him in the air. This is Thus saith the Lord. He who has been born again from the seed of the Word by the Spirit of God has the connection to the Word through the Spirit and can only believe, as the Scriptures say. From the time of Pentecost until the end of the world, Jesus Christ has always been with and in His own in the Spirit, will return in the flesh; then our corruptible and mortal bodies will put on incorruption and immortality, and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

For the apostle Paul, the subject of the return of Christ was very important. Thirteen times he mentions baptism, but fifty times he speaks of the Return. Strictly speaking, every thirtieth verse in the New Testament refers to the second coming or return of Jesus Christ.

It is an important, central subject in Scripture. Just as the hope of the believing Israelites was the coming of the Messiah, and is now again, so the hope of the believers of the nations is the return of Jesus Christ. "And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure." (1 John 3:3). As has been preached and written many times before: The return of Christ will be the greatest event at the end of the time of grace! All the details associated with it and what will happen in the process are described in detail in the Word.

When the heavenly Bridegroom returns and takes His earthly bride up to the wedding feast of the Lamb, Matthew 25:1-10 will be literally fulfilled: Half of the virgins who come to the Bridegroom are truly ready and will enter into the wedding feast. It is the "readiness" that counts, as it is written: "...and his wife hath made herself ready" (Revelation 19:7). In various biblical passages, the election that will then be revealed is made clear to us: two will lie on a bed, two will grind on a mill, two will be in the field, and so on; one will be accepted, the other stays behind.

At the return of Jesus Christ, all Bible passages related to it will find their literal fulfillment, including what is written in the letter of the Apostle Paul to the church in Corinth: "Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed..." (1 Corinthians 15:51). Paul wrote down the mystery revealed to him; he has clearly stated how it will happen, namely, that at the appointed time of Christ's return, those living in Christ will not die, but will be immediately transformed. He explains this concept further in 2 Corinthians 5, where he himself did not want to be unclothed by death, but clothed upon by the transformation.

What is very important about this subject is that the return of Jesus Christ will not take place over years, weeks or days, nor will it take place in different stages, but as the Lord Jesus himself said: "For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be" (Matthew 24:27).

Paul agrees exactly with the words of the Lord and describes how it will happen: "... In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed." (1 Corinthians 15:52). The apostle refers to this trumpet in 1 Thessalonians 4, when he writes, "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout [wake-up call], with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 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." (vv. 16-17).

Paul did not speak in uncertainty, but had the absolute of God's Word. That is why he could also write: "For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord..." (1 Thessalonians 4:14-15a). It cannot be said more clearly, more concisely and in every detail than as it is stated in the Holy Scriptures. We believe as the Scripture says. He who teaches that the Lord Jesus has already come has forsaken the word and lost his mind; his mind is corrupt and he is basically under an antichrist influence, which denies the bodily return of Jesus Christ and spiritualizes it. The teaching that Christ's "parousia" has already taken place has no biblical basis. The word "parousia" means "bodily presence".

All accurate Bible translations render the two important passages, namely 1 John 4:2 and 2 John 7, in different tenses. The first relates to the coming of Jesus Christ at the time when the Word became flesh and reads: "Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist ..." The apostle goes on to write: "We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error."

The beloved disciple of Jesus clearly elaborates on the origin of the true children of God until the end of the fifth chapter. He speaks of the begotten from God and emphasizes: "And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness…" (v. 19).

In the second passage, namely 2 John, verse 7, the apostle refers to the return of Jesus Christ, in other words to His second coming, and writes: "For many false teachers have gone out into the world, that do not confess Jesus Christ comes in the flesh. This is the false teacher and the antichrist." (Zurich translation.) This biblical passage is actually found in the future tense in the thorough translations, such as the translation by Dr. Hermann Menge, the Greek Interlinear Translation, the Hebrew "Bethel Edition", the Zurich Bible and others. Whoever denies the Lord's bodily return and spiritualizes His coming is therefore deceived and has disqualified himself from the first resurrection, transformation and rapture!

Jesus suffered in His fleshly body, died and was buried, and rose from the dead on the third day. HE Himself said after His resurrection, "Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself [really me]: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have" (Luke 24:39). Thomas would and could not believe until he had seen the prints in the hands and side of the resurrected Saviour (John 20:24-29). We preach Christ, the Crucified and Risen One and the One who ascended to heaven. According to Acts 1:11, the same Jesus who was lifted up bodily into heaven before the eyes of His disciples (Luke 24) will return in the same way.

According to the divine plan of Salvation, the wounds of redemption remain with our Lord until the completion of the congregation from the nations and the chosen ones from Israel. When Israel repents, they will look upon the Crucified One, upon Him whom they have pierced (Zechariah  12:10); yes, before all the world our Lord will reveal Himself as the Crucified One with great power and glory before the establishment of the kingdom: "... 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!" (Revelation 1:7). Every knee will then bow before Him, and every tongue will confess that the One despised by all the world, crucified for the salvation of His own, is the Lord Himself.

At His return it will be fulfilled that "Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself." (Philippians 3:21).

John admonishes us: "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 ... but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is." (1 John 2:28+3:2b). This is then perfect redemption according to soul, spirit and body. The Lord of glory, in whose image we were created, has become like us in this body of flesh in which we have sinned, and was delivered over to death, died in our place so that our trespasses and sin might be forgiven, to make perfect atonement, to overcome death and the devil, even to the transformation of our bodies to be like Him. Just as we all bear the image of Adam on earth, so we shall bear the image of Christ (1 Corinthians 15:45-49).

Finally, on this subject, which was dealt with in detail by the apostles, let us also mention what Peter writes in connection with the return of Jesus Christ: "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." (2 Peter 1:16). At the return of Jesus Christ, the power of God, the resurrection power, the power of transformation will be revealed. In this context, the Apostle Peter writes the words: "We have also a more sure word of prophecy ..." (v. 19).

I may and we all may say the same thing also. We have both: the prophetic and the apostolic word. We believe as the Scripture says. But it must also be fulfilled that people say: "Christ is here! Christ is there!" The Lord warned us: "Believe it not!" (Matthew 24:23). Christ will not come upon a mountain nor into a valley, neither in the desert nor in a chamber. We will, as it is written, be caught up and meet Him in the air. This is Thus saith the Lord. He who has been born again from the seed of the Word by the Spirit of God has the connection to the Word through the Spirit and can only believe, as the Scriptures say. From the time of Pentecost until the end of the world, Jesus Christ has always been with and in His own in the Spirit, will return in the flesh; then our corruptible and mortal bodies will put on incorruption and immortality, and so shall we ever be with the Lord.