CHRIST'S SECOND COMING by J. McLellan

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Dec 18, 1855

CHRIST'S SECOND COMING.

By J. McLellan

Will it be Spiritual or Literal?

THAT Christ would come again has been gospel doctrine for over 1800 years; and as I believe that we are fast approaching this great event the question comes up with thrilling interest, In what manner will he come? Will it be spiritual or literal? is the great question.

Spiritualists say that the Spirit of Christ is come, together with a host of other spirits to instruct mankind, and this is all the second advent there will be. Others say that he came on the day of pentecost when the Holy Ghost was poured on the apostles; and others of a later date say that he comes at death. When an individual dies, if a christian, he goes to Christ, or where he is, and that is the same as his coming. According to this view we have a great many SECOND advents. And last of all comes the "peace and safety" cry of Babylon: "I sit a queen and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow." A glorious temporal millennium is coming. Christ is going to pour out his Spirit on the churches, and the whole world is to be converted to Christ.

The above views are held and believed by a great portion of almost every denomination in the land at the present day. What a confusion of sentiments; and this too, upon one of the plainest subjects in the Bible. And well, has the Revelator named them Babylon.

Spiritualists say that the works of the spirits will spread through the whole earth; the spirits teach it themselves and say that all will eventually be converted and brought to believe in Spiritualism: they will all be gathered together in a band of brotherhood. John speaks of this gathering together in Rev. xvi, 14, that these spirits are to go forth unto the kings of the earth, and of the whole world to gather them (in a band of brotherhood? No, but) to the "battle of the great day of God Almighty." We see that the gathering here brought to view is quite different from what is generally expected; and instead of its being the Spirit of Christ it is the spirits of devils that gathers them; not for peace, but for war. These same spirits are now fast filling the churches. Rev. xviii, 2, 3. "And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit and the cage of every unclean and hateful bird."

By this description of transpiring events we can see that instead of the Spirit of Christ filling the churches to bring about a temporal millennium and gather the people together in bonds of love and peace, the spirits of devils gather the people together, not for peace, but for war; not to receive a blessing, but to receive the curse and wrath of God, when the Lord will plead with them with "a devouring fire and great hailstones," and will dash them to pieces like a potter's vessel. It does not look much like a temporal millennium to have "evil men and seducers waxing worse and worse," instead of better and better. 2 Tim. iii, 13.

We can readily see by this that the doctrine of Christ's second coming spiritually is "a cunningly devised fable;" to draw the minds of people away from the truth. "Search the Scriptures." "They are they which testify of me." John v, 39. Let us proceed to search the Scriptures and see if they testify anything in regard to his second coming, and if they do, what that testimony is; whether it testifies that he is to come spiritually or literally; for we have seen that there are so many views published both from the press and pulpit, at the present day in regard to the nature of the second advent of the Messiah that it is impossible to arrive at the truth of this subject without an appeal to the Bible. "To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them." Isa. viii, 20.

Let us examine first the promise that Christ made to his followers. He was going to leave them and go away, and he well knew that their hearts would be sorrowful; therefore he comforts them with these words: "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you I will come again and receive you to myself, (not your spirit to my spirit,) that where I am there ye may be also." John xiv, 1-3.

Here the Son of God says he will come again, and that literally. Now let us turn to the book of Acts. "And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold two men (angels) stood by them in white apparel, which also said, Ye men of Galilee, Why stand ye here gazing up into heaven? this SAME JESUS which is taken up from you into heaven, SHALL SO COME IN LIKE MANNER as ye have seen him go into heaven." Acts i, 9-11. How did he go to heaven? He went in the sight of men, bodily. "And this was the same Jesus that was crucified and was buried and rose from the dead and walked about and ate [Luke xxiv, 43] and was handled [John xx, 26-28] and said he was not a spirit [Luke xxiv, 39] because he had flesh and bones; for spirits have not flesh and bones."

Let us read the account of this. "But they were terrified and affrighted (when Jesus stood in their midst) and supposed that they had seen a spirit. And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled, and why do thoughts arise in your hearts. Behold my hands and my feet (in them were the marks of the nails) that it is I MYSELF. Handle me and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me have." Luke xxiv, 37-40. "And when he had thus spoken he showed them his hands and his feet."

This same Jesus that thus manifested himself and proved unto his disciples by "many infallible proofs" that he was not a spirit, but a tangible person, having a real body like themselves, will so come in like manner as he ascended. This agrees with what Jesus told them in John xiv.

But this is not all the proof to show that his coming will not be spiritual; for did he come in this sense, he would doubtless manifest himself by his Spirit unto a few individuals and then they would go and teach the world that Christ had come; but says Jesus, Beware of false christs and false prophets. "For as the lightning cometh out of the east and shineth even unto the west, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be." Is not this a very good reason why we should not believe that his coming will be spiritual? "Behold he cometh with clouds and every eye shall see him and they also which pierced him." Jesus told the Jews [Matt. xxvi, 64,] "I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power and coming in the clouds of heaven." "And all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him." Rev. i, 7. When he went to heaven he went in the sight of men; therefore men, will see him when he comes.

Dear reader, "be no longer faithless but believing;" for we are fast approaching this great event. Some will receive him with shouts of joy whilst others will mourn there bitterly. Dear friends, permit me ask you, Are you prepared to receive him? Are you lingering, and loth to part with some cherished idol? If you are, Repent or else I will come unto thee quickly, says Christ, and will fight against you with the sword of my mouth. Rev. ii, 16. Are you on the watch-tower, watching? If not, "I will come on thee as a thief and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee." Rev. iii, 3. Are you in a lukewarm state? If you are, rouse up and throw off this dull stupidity. Wake up; for it is the spell of Satan. Here the awful words of the Judge of all the earth: "I would thou wert cold or hot; so then because thou art lukewarm and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth." Rev. iii, 15, 16. Have you tasted of the joys of the world to come? If you have, O give not up your hope, cast not away your confidence which hath great recompense of reward. Hold fast, let no one take thy crown. Behold I come quickly, and my reward is with me to give unto every one as his work shall be. Have you come out from the world and the polluted temples of Babylon? If you have, seek not to be again united with them. Cast not one lingering look behind, for here is the awful warning of the Son of God: REMEMBER LOT'S WIFE. Luke xvii, 32.