5/25/14- Second Coming

And then, we firmly believe, the time of refreshing and restitution of all things shall come, so that those who from the beginning have suffered violence, injury, and wrong, for righteousness' sake, shall inherit that blessed immortality promised them from the beginning. But, on the other hand, the stubborn, disobedient, cruel persecutors, filthy persons, idolaters, and all sorts of the unbelieving, shall be cast into the dungeon of utter darkness, where their worm shall not die, nor their fire be quenched. The remembrance of that day, and of the Judgment to be executed in it, is not only a bridle by which our carnal lusts are restrained but also such inestimable comfort that neither the threatening of worldly princes, nor the fear of present danger or of temporal death, may move us to renounce and forsake that blessed society which we, the members, have with our Head and only Mediator, Christ Jesus: whom we confess and avow to be the promised Messiah, the only Head of his Kirk, our just Lawgiver, our only High Priest, Advocate, and Mediator. To which honors and offices, if man or angel presume to intrude themselves, we utterly detest and abhor them, as blasphemous to our sovereign and supreme Governor, Christ Jesus. (Scots Confession 11b)

For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person--such a person is an idolater--has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. (Ephesians 5:5)

5He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”

6He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life.7Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children. 8But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” (Revelation 21:5-8)

17The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.

20He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.”

Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

Thoughts: History is held accountable by God.  Human history does not go on irresponsibly as if no one holds it to account in a steady yet decaying state.  Someone asked, "Why doesn't God do something about all the evil in the world?"  One day God will.  But God's holding us to account is not to be feared by those who long for His appearing.  But those who think they do not need to seek holiness, or seek to be pure or seek to follow God in their behavior and words are setting themselves up as false self-gods.  We cannot honor God with our lips and have our hearts and behavior far from Him.  When those who love darkness wish to snuff out the lights of Christ- we look for the Great Light to come and expose the darkness for what it is.  But those who reflect the light of Christ long for The Light to come back in full array and glory.

Prayer: Come Lord Jesus.  Come and set us straight.  Come and fulfill the hope of all who wait on you.  Come and fulfill the faithfulness to the martyrs.  Come soon so that we will see what is truly important.  Come in your full mercy and grace- but come also with your full holiness and truth.