The Mystery of Our Lord’s Two Advents
By J. O. Corliss
ABOUT nineteen hundred years ago there lay in one of Bethlehem’s mangers a mysterious Infant. He possessed no comeliness of form to attract attention, nor beauty of countenance for human admiration. Yet He had been begotten by “the power of the Highest,” and was therefore, in very truth, the “Son of God.” This mysterious Stranger had, however, a wondrous mission among men. Having been conceived in fleshly mold, and thereby united with humanity, the connection of earth’s sin-clad family with spotless divinity became a fixed possibility. Through this mysterious manifestation of God in the flesh, the “Babe of Bethlehem” became Emmanuel, which is “God with us.” There was no other way for immaculate purity to touch the needs of a sin-cursed existence. But what a condescension on the part of the Holy One to risk connection with such depraved and forsaken associates! How humiliating must have been the descent! But here mystery again enters to obstruct human reasoning. One is told that love for the fallen was the incentive that led to this wonderful union; but that does not make clear the solution of the problem, because love has unknown limits. Mystery is defined to be something known only to the initiated; but the poor sin-darkened human mind, having never been initiated in the depths of infinite love, is positively not capable of fathoming its mystery. All that one can do under the circumstances is to admit the premise, in the simple faith that God declares it, and thank Him for so wondrous a plan by which earth and heaven, once so widely separated, can now be fully united in the divine purpose. But how is this to be accomplished? Simply by sinful creatures’ becoming children of God through the same “overshadowing” of the Holy Spirit which gave Christ to the human race for its redemption. That is to say, the sinner must be “born again” by the mystic soul reception of the life of Christ, which is bestowed as the “unsearchable riches” of infinite love. The “new birth” received, the sinner has become a son of God, and joint heir with Jesus Christ, to be glorified together with Him. Rom. 8: 17. The grand glorification of Christ will be complete when He comes the second time to perfect the honor of His saints. 2 Thess. 1: 10. This will be accomplished by sharing His own glory with all who were made His heirs by loyalty to His precepts. Thus they become entirely and absolutely like Him. 1 John 3: 2. But how can this be done? Most of the faithful will then have moldered to dust in the long sleep of death; while some will be alive, and carrying the stamp of humanity. The apostle answers: “Behold, I show you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 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 Cor. 15: 51, 52. This is indeed a mystery, as profound as any on record. What differs it from the act of creation, or the visible embodiment of God in the flesh? Let us think. Imagine the resonant call of the trump of God penetrating the age-chambers of sleeping dust, and assembling it in bodily forms of brightest glory, even like the glorious body of the blessed Lord (Phil. 3: 21), and this in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye. 1 Cor. 15: 52. Also fancy the same sound transforming living humans after the same fashion. Is it within common reason? Great indeed is the mystery, not only of godliness itself, but the loving plan of saving grace as well, which reaches from creation’s birth to the salvation of the lost. As a part of this great mystery was revealed to the great apostle (Eph. 3: 2-6), so in due time the entire fulness of it will be made known to all whose lives have been hidden in Christ. This will be when He comes to earth in His own glory, and the glory of the Father, accompanied by all the holy angels in their glory. That— “He comes not an infant in Bethlehem born;
He comes not to lie in a manger;
He comes not again to be treated with scorn;
He comes not a shelterless stranger;
He comes not to Gethsemane,
To weep and sweat blood in the garden;
He comes not to die on the tree,
To purchase, for rebels a pardon.
O, no! Glory,
Bright glory environs Him now.”