Articles
"He Will Appear A Second Time"
“And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him” (Heb.9:27-28)
These two verses found in the ninth chapter of Hebrews teach you and me some valuable lessons:
First, we all have an appointment with death and judgment. When Joshua was dying, he descried death as ‘the way of all the earth” (Joshua 23:14). After death comes judgment. The sixteenth chapter of Luke records the story of the rich man and Lazarus. It is obvious that both were judged after death for the rich man was placed in torment while Lazarus went into Abraham’s bosom (Luke 16:22-23).
Second, we learn that Jesus only had to die one time in order to take care of the problem of sin. All of the sacrifices of the Old Testament could not take care of sin (Heb.10:4). “He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this one for all when he offered up himself” (Heb.7:27).
Finally, when Christ returns it will not be to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him. We show that we are eagerly waiting the Lord’s return when we serve and obey him. Are you living in such a way that you can look forward to the return of Christ? If not, why not begin to serve him and obey him.
