The Second Coming of Jesus is an important event that will affect the Church and mankind.  The difference between the first and Second Coming of Jesus is the purpose each event fulfilled for humanity.  Christ’s first coming ushered in salvation and the means necessary for mankind to be redeemed to the Father.  In the case of the second coming, this will usher in judgment to once and for all bring justice to this world.

Jesus spoke about the end days and His second coming.  In the Book of Revelation, John the Apostle wrote that Christ will return to judge the world and establish His Kingdom on earth.  There are variations between the different churches regarding views on eschatology (the theological doctrine of the end of the world).

It is based on three different ideologies, premillennialism, amillennialism and postmillennialism.  For instance Catholics believe in amillennialism which states that the Church of Christ (universal church-body of Christ) is already in the millennium and Christ will return to judge the world when the Church era ends.  The premillennialists for instance believe in a 7 year tribulation period which will be an unbearable time of suffering and God’s wrath will pour on to mankind.  This view asserts the notion that this period of time is not for the bride of Christ (Church) to experience.  Therefore, the Church will be caught up in the air, in a place where they will be sheltered from God’s wrath.  Furthermore, this view states that both Jesus and the Church will return to earth and establish Christ’s millennial reign.  Within this view there are two variations; those that believe the Church will be caught up prior to the tribulation and those that believe that the Church will be caught up 3.5 years into the tribulation.

As far as postmillennialism is concerned, this view upholds the notion that Christ will return once believers have established an almost perfect world where the Kingdom will be established on earth by believers, not Jesus.  They don’t believe in a literal 1000 years, and they don’t have a literal translation of prophesy.   This view seems the be the most unlikely from a Bible prophecy stand point as the Book of Revelation has a more dire outlook of what awaits mankind, rather than a gradual positive transformation of mankind.  For example, believers are experiencing persecution which maybe at an unprecedented level after the experience of the early Church.  According to The Center for Studies on New Religions (CESNUR) has reported that Christians are persecuted every 6 minutes.  There are three links provided and one that is from the United Nations.[1] [2] [3]

In any case, no matter what you believe in, two things are for sure, Christ will return and there will be a final judgment.  It’s important to us at Illuminating Faith that Christians focus on the essentials of the faith rather than the non-essentials such as when Christ will be coming.  The key is that He will be returning.

[1]http://webtv.un.org/watch/the-persecution-of-christians-globally-a-threat-to-international-peace-and-security/4181653940001

[2]https://www.rt.com/news/372184-christians-killed-faith-study/

[3] http://www.wnd.com/2017/01/christian-martyred-every-6-minutes/