What Jesus Will Not Do When He Returns
By Joe R. Price

Jesus Christ died, was buried, and rose from the dead (1 Cor. 15:3-4). He ascended into heaven with an angelic assurance of His return: “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11). Jesus is coming back.

From the first century until the present there have been many unfounded speculations about when Jesus will return and what will happen when He does. False doctrines about “the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him” will not trouble or deceive those who believe the word of God (2 Thess. 2:1-2). God’s word is clear that:

(1) Jesus will not return to the earth. There is not a single passage in the Scriptures that teaches Jesus will ever again stand on the earth. His return is certain, but He will not set his foot upon terra firma. Scripture assures us when the Lord descends, the saints (whether dead or alive) will “meet the Lord in the air” and, in this manner, “always be with the Lord” (1 Thess. 4:16-17). Upon His return, the heavens and earth will “pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up” (2 Pet. 3:10). There will be no earth to stand upon when Jesus returns.

(2) Jesus will not return to establish His kingdom and reign from Jerusalem for 1,000 years. Since the earth will be destroyed when He returns, the Lord will not establish an earthly kingdom. Scripture says, “at His coming” Jesus will “deliver the kingdom to God the Father” (1 Cor. 15:23-24). The kingdom of Christ is “not of this world” (John 18:36). It is a spiritual kingdom composed of Christians, the church of Christ, established on the Pentecost following His ascension into heaven (Acts 2:41; Matt. 16:18-19; Luke 17:20-21; Col. 1:13). A thousand-year reign of Christ on the earth is the fanciful false doctrine of those who refuse to accept the church (and not an earthly kingdom) as God’s eternal purpose (Eph. 3:10-11). King Jesus reigns today (Ps. 2:6-7; Acts 13:32-34).

(3) Jesus will not return to gather the nation of Israel to its homeland. Yes, God promised the descendants of Abraham the land of Canaan (Gen. 12:7). God kept His promise: “So the Lord gave to Israel all the land of which He had sworn to give to their fathers, and they took possession of it and dwelt in it” (Josh. 21:43). It is a false hope to expect God to do what He has already done.

Those who do not obey the gospel of Christ will suffer eternal punishment when Jesus returns (2 Thess. 1:7-9). At the same time, the righteous will receive eternal rest and glorify His name (2 Thess. 1:7, 10). Let us “be ready” because we do not know when Jesus will return. Yet, we know He will return. When He does, He will usher in eternity (Matt. 24:44; 1 Thess. 5:1-11). 

 It Takes Both
By John Edwards

Your attention is being directed to some areas of a spiritual nature in which It Takes Both.

BELIEF AND BAPTISM. The Lord proclaimed, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned” (Mk. 16:16). Faith, without baptism, is no better than baptism without faith. Upon whatever basis you eliminate baptism from being essential to salvation, upon that same basis, you eliminate faith from being essential as well; for Jesus said it takes both!

SPIRIT AND TRUTH. The conversation of Jesus with the woman of Samaria records, “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth” (Jn. 4:24). To worship with the right attitude but not according to the word of God (Jn. 17:17), or to worship in truth but not in spirit, is to worship in vain (Mt. 15:8-9). It takes both!

ZEAL AND KNOWLEDGE. The record of Paul concerning Israel was, “that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge” (Rom. 10:2). The same problem exists today. Some have zeal, but no knowledge. Others have knowledge, but no zeal. Jesus said, “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (Jn. 8:32). There’s knowledge. In Titus 2:14 we read, “zealous of good works.” There’s zeal. It takes both!

GRACE AND FAITH. Some would have us believe that we are saved by grace alone or by faith alone. The Bible teaches it takes both. “For by grace are ye saved through faith…” (Eph. 2:8). When you learn that grace saves (Titus 2:11) and faith saves (Jn. 8:24), you will learn it takes both. Otherwise, you have a man saved without something the Lord said saves. Imagine that!

REPENTANCE AND BAPTISM. As it takes both belief and baptism to save in Mark 16:16, it takes both repentance and baptism to receive remission of sins in Acts 2:38. Peter said, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins….” In Acts 3:19, a parallel passage, Peter said, “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out….” One could have the remission of sins without being baptized, no more than he could have his sins blotted out without being converted!

FAITH AND WORKS. Some may try to separate faith and works, but the Bible puts them together. “Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone” (Jas. 2:17). “But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?” (Jas. 2:20). “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also” (Jas. 2:26). A man can be alive spiritually by faith alone without works no more than a man can live physically with the body alone apart from the spirit!

Have you learned It Takes Both? 

 Read The Bible
By Jerry Falk

If you’re not reading the Bible regularly, you need to change that, because every day you are marinating in anti-Christian sewage.

Much of the world’s information, including the news and entertainment media, can shape your mind in a way that is opposed to God. You need to have an influence in your life to overcome that.

You shouldn’t be eating just physical food every day; Jesus said that you should be feeding YOUR SPIRIT with “…every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matt. 4:4).

Treat the Bible like food. You need it that regularly! You need it that much!