Holiness in Light of His Coming

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 3:13 (KJV)

“To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.”

Personal Reflection

The Second Coming was never intended merely to satisfy our curiosity about future events. Scripture repeatedly connects Christ's return with present holiness.

Paul prayed that believers would have hearts established “unblameable in holiness” at Christ's coming.

That changes how we approach prophecy.

The proper question is not merely, “When will Christ return?” The more searching question is, “How should I live because Christ is returning?”

If studying prophecy fills our notebooks but does not purify our lives, we have missed its purpose.

The return of Christ confronts secret sin.

It challenges bitterness we refuse to surrender.

It exposes worldly ambitions that consume our attention.

It calls us away from spiritual laziness.

Imagine standing before Jesus Christ.

The opinions of others will suddenly seem very small. Possessions will lose their importance. Earthly applause will be meaningless. What will matter is whether we faithfully loved and obeyed the One standing before us.

Holiness is not how we earn acceptance with Christ. We are justified solely through His righteousness. But the Christ who justifies His people also sanctifies them.

Those who truly long to see Him increasingly desire to resemble Him.

Therefore, anticipation of Christ's return should produce purification rather than speculation.

Do not merely study His coming.

Prepare for His coming.

Let the expectation of seeing Christ affect what you watch, how you speak, how you treat others, what you pursue, and what sins you tolerate.

The King is coming.

Let us be found walking in holiness when He appears.

Contemplation

What would I immediately change if I truly believed I might stand before Christ today?

Puritan Quote

John Owen wrote:

“Be killing sin, or it will be killing you.”

Prayer

Lord, establish my heart in holiness. Reveal every compromise and prepare me to stand before Christ with joy rather than shame. Amen.

Application

Identify one area of compromise and ask: “Would I want Christ to find me doing this when He returns?” Then act accordingly.

 

Waiting for His Son from Heaven

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 1:10 (KJV)

“And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.”

Personal Reflection

The Christian life is a waiting life.

Paul described the Thessalonian believers as people who had turned from idols to serve the living God and to wait for His Son from heaven. Their conversion changed both whom they served and what they expected.

Biblical waiting, however, is not inactivity.

A servant awaiting his master's return does not sit idly staring through the window. He works faithfully because the master may arrive at any moment.

So it is with us.

We worship because Christ is coming.

We pursue holiness because Christ is coming.

We evangelize because Christ is coming.

We forgive because Christ is coming.

We endure suffering because Christ is coming.

The world lives as though history will continue indefinitely. Christians know otherwise. History is moving toward an appointed conclusion under the sovereign hand of God.

Notice also Paul's comforting description of Jesus: He “delivered us from the wrath to come.”

For the believer, the return of Christ is not primarily a threat. The judgment we deserved has already fallen upon our Substitute. Christ bore our condemnation at Calvary.

Therefore, we wait not merely for an event but for a Person.

His Son from heaven.

We are waiting for Jesus.

The One who loved us.

The One who died for us.

The One who rose for us.

The One who intercedes for us.

And the One who will return for His people.

Christian hope is therefore intensely personal. We are not simply waiting for prophecy to be fulfilled.

We are waiting to see our Savior.

Contemplation

Does the way I presently live demonstrate that I am actually waiting for Christ?

Puritan Quote

Thomas Watson wrote:

“Faith makes us living; hope makes us lively.”

Prayer

Lord Jesus, teach me to wait faithfully for You. Keep me serving, watching, praying, and living with eternity before my eyes. Amen.

Application

Approach every major decision today with one question: “Would I make this choice if I expected to meet Christ today?”

 

He Is Coming Again

Scripture: Hebrews 9:28 (KJV)

“So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.”

Personal Reflection

The Second Coming of Jesus Christ is not speculation, symbolism, or religious wishful thinking. It is a divine promise. The same Christ who came the first time in humility will appear again in glory.

His first coming centered upon redemption. He came as the Lamb of God, bore the sins of His people, shed His blood, conquered death, rose from the grave, and ascended to the Father.

But the story is not finished.

He is coming again.

Scripture repeatedly connects this truth with Christian readiness. Christ's return will be sudden and unexpected to a world absorbed with earthly concerns. For the unbelieving and unprepared, that day will bring judgment. But for those who belong to Christ, His appearing is the fulfillment of a long-awaited promise.

This raises a deeply personal question: Am I looking for Him?

It is possible to believe doctrinally in Christ's return while living practically as though He will never come. Our plans, possessions, ambitions, and worries can become so consuming that eternity disappears from view.

But the Christian life should be lived with eyes lifted toward heaven.

Every morning brings us one day closer to seeing Christ.

Every trial reminds us that this world is temporary.

Every act of obedience prepares us to meet our King.

The believer does not merely believe that Christ will return. He longs for that return.

Our prayer should increasingly become the final prayer of Scripture:

“Even so, come, Lord Jesus.”

Contemplation

If I knew Christ would return today, what would suddenly become important—and what would suddenly become insignificant?

Puritan Quote

Richard Baxter wrote:

“O what a blessed day will that be, when I shall see my Lord!”

Prayer

Lord Jesus, keep the reality of Your return before my heart. Loosen my attachment to this present world and teach me to watch, pray, obey, and long for Your appearing. Amen.

Application

Begin and end today by praying Revelation 22:20: “Even so, come, Lord Jesus.”

 

Blood and Power

Scripture: Romans 1:16 (KJV)

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth...”

Personal Reflection

True salvation can be summarized in two magnificent words: blood and power.

We need the blood because we are guilty.

We need power because we are captive.

Christ provides both.

His blood answers the demands of God's justice. The penalty for sin is paid. The guilty sinner who trusts in Christ is pardoned and justified.

His power answers our bondage. The sinner who once lived under the dominion of darkness is delivered into the kingdom of God's Son.

This is why salvation cannot be reduced to repeating a prayer, walking an aisle, being baptized, joining a church, or remembering a decision made years ago. Those things cannot cleanse guilt or break spiritual chains.

Only Christ can save.

True salvation therefore produces both reliance upon Christ's finished work and evidence of Christ's transforming power. We are not saved because our lives have changed; our changed lives testify that the Christ who justifies also sanctifies.

This calls for honest examination.

Has Christ's blood become my only hope before God?

Has Christ's power changed my relationship with sin?

Do I know merely the facts of Christianity, or have I experienced the transforming grace those truths proclaim?

The Christian's answer is never, “Look what I accomplished.”

It is always, “Look what Christ has done.”

He found us guilty and provided cleansing.

He found us bound and provided freedom.

He found us dead and gave us life.

Therefore, our confidence rests entirely in Him.

Washed by blood.

Delivered by power.

Saved by grace.

All glory belongs to Christ.

Contemplation

Is my assurance resting in a past religious decision, or in the living Christ whose blood cleanses and whose power transforms?

Puritan Quote

John Newton wrote:

“I am a great sinner, and Christ is a great Saviour.”

Prayer

Lord Jesus, keep me from every false confidence. Let Your blood be my only plea and Your transforming power be increasingly evident in my life. Keep me steadfast in the true gospel. Amen.

Application

Read John 8:31–36 and Romans 1:16. Then write two sentences of testimony: “By His blood, Christ has...” and “By His power, Christ has...”

 

Free Indeed

Scripture: John 8:36 (KJV)

“If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.”

Personal Reflection

The world speaks constantly about freedom, but Jesus reveals that true freedom can only be found in Him.

Apart from grace, humanity lives in a kingdom of darkness. The heart is darkened, the mind blinded, the will enslaved, and the sinner spiritually impoverished. He may insist that he is free while remaining governed by desires he cannot conquer.

Then Christ enters.

The gospel announces two glorious dimensions of freedom: salvation by blood and salvation by power.

By His blood, Christ removes our guilt before God.

By His power, Christ breaks the dominion of sin and Satan.

The same Savior who died to pay the penalty of sin rose triumphantly and now sends His Word and Spirit to awaken sinners, grant repentance and faith, and bring captives into liberty.

This does not mean the Christian never struggles with sin again. We are not yet perfect. Sanctification continues throughout our earthly pilgrimage.

But we are no longer at home in sin.

That distinction is crucial.

A Christian may fall into sin, but he cannot peacefully surrender himself to sin as his rightful master. The Spirit convicts. The conscience grieves. Repentance follows. The believer longs again for fellowship with Christ.

That is freedom—not freedom to sin without consequence, but freedom from sin's dominion so that we may serve God.

Christ does not merely forgive prisoners while leaving them behind bars.

He opens the door.

He breaks the chains.

He leads His people out.

And when the Son makes you free, you are free indeed.

Contemplation

Do I understand Christian freedom primarily as freedom from guilt and bondage so that I may joyfully serve Christ?

Puritan Quote

Samuel Rutherford wrote:

“Christ is more to be loved than any other thing.”

Prayer

Lord Jesus, thank You for cleansing my guilt and breaking my chains. Teach me to use the liberty You have given me to pursue holiness and serve You faithfully. Amen.

Application

Consider one area where Christ has changed your life. Share that testimony of His delivering grace with someone this week.

 

Loving the Chains

Scripture: John 3:19 (KJV)

“And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.”

Personal Reflection

Perhaps the most frightening truth about man's bondage to sin is that the sinner loves his chains.

The problem is not merely that people cannot find the light. Scripture says they love darkness rather than light. Sin has captured not only the mind and will but also the affections.

This explains why simply presenting Christianity as a better lifestyle cannot save anyone. The sinner's deepest need is not improved circumstances but a changed heart.

By nature, we choose sin over Christ, self over submission, and the world over the Word. Sin promises freedom while tightening its chains. It promises pleasure but ultimately pays its wages in misery, ruin, and death.

Yet this is precisely where sovereign grace appears so magnificent.

God does not merely drag unwilling sinners into heaven while they continue loving darkness. In regeneration, He changes the heart. What we once loved begins to grieve us. The Christ we once ignored becomes precious. Holiness, once burdensome, becomes desirable.

The converted person does not become sinless, but his relationship with sin fundamentally changes.

Before grace, sin was home.

After grace, sin becomes enemy territory.

The Christian may stumble there, but he cannot settle comfortably there. The Spirit produces an increasing desire to return to Christ, confess sin, and pursue holiness.

Do you grieve over sins you once defended? Do you hunger for holiness you once considered foolish?

Thank God.

Those changed affections are evidence of His transforming grace.

Contemplation

Do my deepest affections increasingly reveal love for Christ and hatred for the sin that once enslaved me?

Puritan Quote

Thomas Watson wrote:

“Till sin be bitter, Christ will not be sweet.”

Prayer

Lord, change my affections. Make sin increasingly bitter and Christ increasingly precious. Teach my heart to love what You love and hate what dishonors You. Amen.

Application

Identify one sinful desire you once excused but now recognize as bondage. Thank God for changing your attitude toward it.

 

The Captivity of the Mind

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 2:14 (KJV)

“But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him...”

Personal Reflection

Sin does more than influence our behavior. It affects the mind itself.

Scripture says that the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God. His problem is deeper than insufficient education. His spiritual understanding is darkened, and Satan blinds the minds of those who believe not.

This explains why intelligence alone cannot bring anyone to Christ.

A person may possess advanced degrees, understand philosophy, master science, and demonstrate extraordinary reasoning ability while remaining spiritually blind to the glory of Christ. Conversely, someone with little formal education may possess profound spiritual wisdom because God has opened his eyes.

Sin also produces false lights. False religion tells us we can earn God’s favor. Self-righteousness tells us we are better than others. False spirituality substitutes experiences for truth. The blinded mind can mistake darkness for light.

That is why salvation requires revelation from God through His Word and Spirit.

When God saves, He does not ask the spiritually blind sinner simply to look harder. He gives sight.

Suddenly Scripture begins to make sense. Sin appears hideous. Christ becomes precious. The cross, once foolishness, becomes the wisdom and power of God.

This should make us profoundly humble.

If you see Christ today, you did not discover Him because you were intellectually superior to others. God graciously opened your eyes.

Therefore, never boast in your understanding.

Instead, pray for those who remain blind.

The God who commanded light to shine out of darkness can still shine into the darkest heart.

Contemplation

Do I recognize my spiritual understanding as a gift of grace, or have I become proud of what I know?

Puritan Quote

John Owen wrote:

“Spiritual wisdom consists in the knowledge of God in Christ.”

Prayer

Father, thank You for opening my eyes to Your truth. Protect me from spiritual pride and shine the light of the gospel into the hearts of those who remain blind. Amen.

Application

Pray by name for one unbeliever, asking God specifically to open that person’s spiritual understanding to the glory of Christ.