The Second Coming of Jesus Christ
Justice is elusive in this life. Pedophiles escape arrest because so often highly traumatized children do not tell anyone for decades. The woman who molested me as a little boy never was prosecuted. So often adult sexual assault and rape go unreported or unprosecuted because it is often one person’s word against another. In the “Christian” deep south for decades some innocent African Americans were unjustly convicted of crimes they did not commit. In some countries today, radical Muslims persecute and kill Christians and are protected by their governments.
There are many reasons justice is thwarted in this life. But Christians have a hope for ultimate justice. The apostle Paul writes to a persecuted church, “God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might.” (2 Thessalonians 1:6-9).
This passage gives us a confident hope that justice is coming. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards Justice.” Now throughout history God has occasionally and dramatically intervened and punished wickedness. God judged Cain who killed Abel. He destroyed almost all of a depraved humanity with a worldwide flood. He destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah for their wickedness. He punished rebellious Israel by allowing or sending conquering armies at various times. But most of the time, God does not act dramatically. Often He lets a person exercise their free will in a way that is wicked and for a time they get away with it. Sometimes it appears that individuals do escape justice completely. The abortion industry makes massive profits killing innocent babies. The porn industry traps women and men in immorality, both the actors and the audience. We just passed another anniversary of the vicious 9/11 attacks on the US where the terrorists killed thousands and, in their minds, earned a place in Islamic heaven. But the Bible teaches us that God is just. All will answer for their actions. It may appear that a person has gotten away with great evil, but the Bible assures us that they have not. They will stand before God and experience judgement. They will be “shut out from the presence of the Lord and the glory of his might” (2 Thessalonians 1:9). God will deal with the wicked. And while we do not understand the details of hell, the metaphors are terrifying: expulsion from the presence of God, punishment, destruction, darkness, weeping and gnashing of teeth, fire, and torment. We are assured that the mass shooter who takes their own life at the end of the shooting spree did not escape punishment. He will be shocked at what awaits him in eternity.
I realize this is not easy reading, but our broken, sinful, rebellious culture needs to be
reminded that all will stand before God someday. At the end of time everyone will bow the knee to Jesus Christ. Some out of love and respect, some in terror; but all will bow. “’As surely as I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God.”’ Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God. (Romans 14:11, 12). The first coming of Jesus revealed him as the suffering servant who sacrificed himself to save repentant sinners. The second coming of Jesus will reveal Jesus as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
The Good News is that all of us sinners have the opportunity to repent, turn to Jesus, accept his free gift of forgiveness and let him change us from the inside out! It will only be too late when Jesus returns! The first time he came to offer his own blood to turn enemies into friends – to offer forgiveness to each of us. The second time He comes to spill the blood of his enemies, and there are no second chances. The first time he came with sweet compassion in his hands; next time his hand holds a sword. It would be wise to be repentant and ready for the return of Jesus Christ.
Pastor Derek Dickinson
Journey Christian Church
There are many reasons justice is thwarted in this life. But Christians have a hope for ultimate justice. The apostle Paul writes to a persecuted church, “God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might.” (2 Thessalonians 1:6-9).
This passage gives us a confident hope that justice is coming. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards Justice.” Now throughout history God has occasionally and dramatically intervened and punished wickedness. God judged Cain who killed Abel. He destroyed almost all of a depraved humanity with a worldwide flood. He destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah for their wickedness. He punished rebellious Israel by allowing or sending conquering armies at various times. But most of the time, God does not act dramatically. Often He lets a person exercise their free will in a way that is wicked and for a time they get away with it. Sometimes it appears that individuals do escape justice completely. The abortion industry makes massive profits killing innocent babies. The porn industry traps women and men in immorality, both the actors and the audience. We just passed another anniversary of the vicious 9/11 attacks on the US where the terrorists killed thousands and, in their minds, earned a place in Islamic heaven. But the Bible teaches us that God is just. All will answer for their actions. It may appear that a person has gotten away with great evil, but the Bible assures us that they have not. They will stand before God and experience judgement. They will be “shut out from the presence of the Lord and the glory of his might” (2 Thessalonians 1:9). God will deal with the wicked. And while we do not understand the details of hell, the metaphors are terrifying: expulsion from the presence of God, punishment, destruction, darkness, weeping and gnashing of teeth, fire, and torment. We are assured that the mass shooter who takes their own life at the end of the shooting spree did not escape punishment. He will be shocked at what awaits him in eternity.
I realize this is not easy reading, but our broken, sinful, rebellious culture needs to be
reminded that all will stand before God someday. At the end of time everyone will bow the knee to Jesus Christ. Some out of love and respect, some in terror; but all will bow. “’As surely as I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God.”’ Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God. (Romans 14:11, 12). The first coming of Jesus revealed him as the suffering servant who sacrificed himself to save repentant sinners. The second coming of Jesus will reveal Jesus as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
The Good News is that all of us sinners have the opportunity to repent, turn to Jesus, accept his free gift of forgiveness and let him change us from the inside out! It will only be too late when Jesus returns! The first time he came to offer his own blood to turn enemies into friends – to offer forgiveness to each of us. The second time He comes to spill the blood of his enemies, and there are no second chances. The first time he came with sweet compassion in his hands; next time his hand holds a sword. It would be wise to be repentant and ready for the return of Jesus Christ.
Pastor Derek Dickinson
Journey Christian Church
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