A Sure View of Christ's Return
One of the more hotly debated topics in theology among Christians surrounds the study of last times and things, or eschatology. These heated discussions typically address the event of the rapture and the timetable of the millennium, whether we are living in it now or if it is to come. For those who seem so sure of their eschatological view, uncertainty arises when all sides seem to use Scripture to make their arguments. They all agree on the second coming of Christ, but they differ on what it will be like and when it will happen. Yet, one aspect of Christ’s return is sure: who it will involve. When Christ returns, people from all nations will gather together to worship Christ, who alone is worthy of glory!
A Sure Salvation
This one sure view of Christ’s return is spoken by Christ Himself when He describes signs pointing to the end of the age, “And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come” (Matthew 24:14). One of Jesus’s disciples, John, records the fulfillment of this prophecy in Revelation 7:9–10 where he witnesses the heavenly vision,
After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”
Have you ever wondered why this vision of a heavenly worship service involves people from all tribes, tongues, and nations? It is because those are the people who Jesus died to save. Listen to the Apostle John speak of worshipping Christ two chapters earlier in Revelation 5:9–10,
And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.”
Salvation belongs to God. Worthy alone is Jesus Christ. People saved from every tribe, tongue, and nation.
A Clear Command
If this reality is a sure view of Christ’s return, what does this mean for us as followers of Christ? First, we must recognize Christ’s command to His disciples in Matthew 28:18 is not a call to make disciples in general but to make disciples of all nations. Yes, we are to make disciples wherever we are, but we must also be aware and be involved in supporting and sending fellow brothers and sisters in Christ out to the ends of the earth for gospel ministry.
The Apostle Paul knew this and lived his life for this mission. He knew the only way sinners could call on the name of the Lord and be saved was through hearing and believing the message of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ (see Romans 10:9–15). It is with this mindset he writes to the Romans and says, “I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else’s foundation” (Romans 15:20).
A Great Need
You may say in response to Paul’s words, “That was nearly 2,000 years ago! Are there really still places and people who have not heard of Christ?” The sobering truth is “Yes!” The reality is hundreds of people groups have little to no Christian presence and they need reached. In India alone, 495,000 villages have no Christian presence among them. Without hearing the name of Jesus, they cannot call upon the name of Jesus. Without calling upon the name of Jesus, they will remain in their sins and face an eternity in hell.
This heavenly vision in Revelation reveals this salvation is sure. The Scriptures show the command is clear. The lost world evidences the need is great. The hills we die on in eschatology should not be on the secondary specific details of Christ’s return (though we should and must study the details), but on the souls Christ has died to save. May our lives be lived on mission toward this vision.
This post first appeared on the Entrusted By God blog.
Theron St. John is the Assistant to the President at Indianapolis Theological Seminary and blogs at www.entrustedbygod.org.