The Mystery of Christ’s Second Coming

Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. He will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 1:7-8

Throughout history, numerous groups have predicted the second coming of Christ—only to be proven wrong when the date passed by without incident. Such predictions began early among Christians: three theologians long ago predicted it would be 500 A.D. Currently, some are saying Jesus will return on April 8, 2024, the day of a solar eclipse scheduled to darken much of North America. We’ll see.

When will Jesus return? Perhaps a better question is, “Is this the big question of the Bible?” It is not. Jesus has already told us that no one will ever know. Sure, we can read the “signs of the times” and conclude, “It has to be soon!” But then again, Christians of every age have said that.

St. Paul never obsessed over the date of Jesus’ return. Rather, Paul lived and worked as if Jesus were coming back today, and by the Holy Spirit he encouraged both the Corinthians and us to trust in Christ and live according to God’s will, eagerly looking for Jesus’ return.

Like Paul, we need not trouble ourselves with the mystery of Jesus’ second coming. Why not? Because of another wonderful mystery: how Jesus already comes to us to make us ready to meet him.

He comes quietly through the simple waters of baptism to forgive our sins and give us his Holy Spirit. He comes quietly through bread and wine to increase our faith, hope, and love. He comes by his Spirit through his Word, the Bible, where he teaches us to put our trust in him. At the same time the Spirit gives God’s people spiritual gifts so we can live in a sin-sick world, serving everyone we know and meet in genuine Christian love.

In the quiet confidence of Christian faith, we know that our powerful and merciful God “will keep [us] firm to the end, so that [we] will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Jesus is coming soon, that’s for sure. But he also comes to us today, to make us ready to meet him, whenever that may be.

Dear Lord Jesus, your saints are waiting patiently! Come, Mighty Judge, and set us free from every evil. Amen.

Dr. Keith Wessel serves Martin Luther College
as a professor of Latin and Greek.