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When" and "Then

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Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · Sep 4, 1879

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 5, No. 34.

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"When" and "Then."

By G. H. Lillard

"WHEN Christ who is our life shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory."
The adverbs "when" and "then" announce and declare the epoch of the saints' glorification. The time of being glorified with Christ is here set at "His appearing and his kingdom." We learn from the words quoted that they whose lives are hid with Christ in God will not be with their King and Saviour in a glorified state previous to the period here designated. We interpret this to be the same era in the future to which David alludes or refers when he declares that he shall behold his Maker's "face in righteousness," when he shall "awake in His likeness." No man in the flesh can behold "His face and live"—the flesh is corruption "because of sin;" "the spirit is life because of righteousness"—the righteousness of God—the holy nature given us of God in regeneration. The "seed that remains in us," like God, is holy, and being of God is possessed of God's righteousness, or the "righteousness which is of God." But we who possess this "treasure in earthen vessels," have the "first fruits of the spirit" "groan within ourselves," "waiting for the adoption, to wit: the redemption of the body." Paul expresses the same thought thus: "Waiting for his Son from heaven"—"waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." We do not desire so much "to be unclothed" as "clothed upon with our house which is from heaven," "that mortality might be swallowed up of life." We are now "partakers of the divine nature;" this nature is "holy as He is holy, righteous as He is righteous." When He shall change our vile bodies that they may be fashioned like unto His glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto Himself, we then "will be like him," righteous every whit, entirely righteous, completely righteous, clothed in His righteousness, thus we will "behold his face;" then we "will be satisfied," fully so—not before; then we will appear with Him in glory—not before. But the "Lord is at hand;" the "glorious offering" is near. Hasten, Lord, the glorious time.—G. H. Lillard, in Evangel.