“UNTO THEM THAT LOOK FOR HIM SHALL HE APPEAR THE SECOND TIME.”
By Cyrus Simmons
CYRUS SIMMONS. (Knoxville, Tenn.) Righteous Abel and wicked Cain mark the genesis of the two classes of people which will continue on the earth until the close of time. The one is “the sons of God” (Gen. 6 : 2; 1 John 3 : 1); the other, the children of men: the one, “the children of light;” the other, the children of darkness (1 Thess. 5 : 4, 5); the one, “strangers and pilgrims on the earth” (Heb. 11 : 13); the other, dwellers. Luke 21 : 35. The different manner of Christ’s first and second coming to the two classes is written so plainly “that he may run that readeth it.” The manifestation of the Son of God in the flesh, or his first coming to the earth, condemns all who do not believe in him. It is not God’s will that any should be condemned: “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” John 3 : 17. The result, however, of unbelief “in the name of the only begotten Son of God” is condemnation. “And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light.” Verse 19. The condemnation comes not from the choice of God, but from the choice of men,—they “loved darkness rather than light.” On the contrary, it is God’s will that the world should be saved. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Verse 16. The sacrifice that God made when he gave his only begotten Son was the most precious gift that heaven could bestow. The Father could do no more for fallen man. All who reject this gift love darkness rather than light. But to believe “in him” is to believe “in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” Verse 18. The name of God represents his character, his attributes, his power. The angel of the annunciation said, “Thou shalt call his name Jesus [“Saviour,” Hebrew]; for he shall save his people from their sins.” Matt. 1 : 21. To believe in Jesus is to believe in his name; to believe in his name is to believe in the power of his salvation,—“that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3 : 16. To obtain everlasting, or eternal, life we must have the Son. “God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life.” 1 John 5 : 11, 12. Faith (Eph. 2 : 8), salvation (Ps. 18 : 35), eternal life (Rom. 6 : 23), and the “only begotten Son of God” are all gifts of God. It is our blessed privilege to choose. If we choose the Son, we have all the rest, and he will come unto us and abide with us (John 14 : 23), and in us. Verse 17. To believe that nearly nineteen hundred years ago Christ came to the world,—the only way, condemnatory though it is, in which he can come to the unbeliever,—will not save us from our sins. He must come unto us, and live in us, that we may have freedom from sin, and have eternal life. “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” Phil. 2 : 13. When Christ is in us, we have the power to will and to execute; we have “the power of God unto salvation;” we are translated “into the kingdom of his dear Son.” Col. 1 : 13. This is the coming that saves,—the first salvable advent to the individual. He must be a personal Saviour first to all who will be looking, and watching, and waiting for his second coming. His first coming results differently52to the two classes. His righteous life condemns the unbelieving class, while the same righteous life in the believing class saves them. His first coming is also seen differently by the two classes. The one simply see the historical record of a man called the Son of God, crucified on Calvary; the other have “the power of God unto salvation” revealed to them, in them, and are crucified with him. “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. . . . How is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?”—By coming. John 14 : 21, 22. “If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.” Verse 23. “Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God [1 John 4 : 2],” “because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.” 1 John 4 : 4. “Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?” 2 Cor. 13 : 5. The manner of Christ’s second coming will likewise be different to the two classes. To the children of darkness he will come “as a thief in the night.” 1 Thess. 5 : 2, 3. Though that time is now so near that we are told we can hear the footsteps of the approaching Saviour; though almost every kindred, nation, tongue, and people are now being warned of the soon coming of “the great and the terrible day of the Lord;” yet it is a lamentable fact, foretold by the “sure word of prophecy,” that the world will be as unprepared to receive their God, as were the antediluvians or those of Sodom and Gomorrah; “for as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.” Luke 21 : 35. Christ tells all to watch (Mark 13 : 37); but many quote the Lord’s coming “as a thief in the night” as an apology for not being aware of that approaching event, while the Lord uses that same expression in condemnation of their willful ignorance. To “the children of light” his coming will not be “as a thief in the night.” “But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.” 1 Thess. 5 : 4. Instead of being surprised, they will be waiting for him. “And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him.” Isa. 25 : 9. If waiting, they will have to be looking for him too. They looked for him when he came the first time unto them to dwell in them to save them from their sins. How natural will it be for the living righteous to be looking for him when he comes the second time to save them as saints! “And unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.” Heb. 9 : 28. Observe the manner of his appearing,—“without sin unto salvation.” He came the first time “without sin unto salvation” when he came unto them, and lived in them, and revealed “the power of God unto salvation.” He can come the second time “without sin unto salvation” only unto those who are able to exclaim, with Paul: “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me.” Gal. 2 : 20. The righteous will not only be looking for him, but they will “love his appearing” (2 Tim. 4 : 8); they “will be glad and rejoice.” Isa. 25 : 9. Let us read the text in full: “And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the Lord; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.” He saves his people twice; else he could not appear “the second time without sin unto salvation.” The spiritual first coming to the individual is “the earnest of our inheritance” (Eph. 1 : 14), the earnest of the real, literal, and visible second coming of Christ to the earth, when “every eye shall see him” (Rev. 1 : 7), and every ear shall hear “the voice of the archangel” and “the trump of God” (1 Thess. 4 : 16), when the Son of man shall come “in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory” (Matt. 24 : 30), and “all the holy angels with him.” Matt. 25 : 31.