Dr Paul Allen

When Christians encounter Jesus at his second coming , on the day of judgment , they will be accepted by him as they have been his followers, having persevered in their loyalty to him despite opposition and persecution. They will receive life in God ’s eternal presence on a new earth in the New Jerusalem . Believers are spared the eternal punishment of unrepentant sinners because they have been rescued from God’s wrath through Jesus’ death and resurrection. On the day of Jesus’ second coming, believers will enter the kingdom of heaven because they live under God’s reign. More than that, they receive kingship, the authority to participate in God’s rule over the new earth. Believers will take part in the banquet of the Messiah , enjoying the fullness of blessings in the company of all the saints. And believers will receive a greater responsibility: while this is not specified, it certainly means the enjoyment of participating in God’s rule over the new, perfect creation. Schnabel, ...

The time of Jesus ’ return and of the end of the age is unknown. Only God the Father knows the date, and he has revealed it neither to Jesus nor to the angels, nor will he reveal it to Jesus’ followers. The consequences of this fact are obvious: Christians must be ready for Jesus’ return, which will happen suddenly and unexpectedly. It can happen any time, after the signs that Jesus described in Matthew 24:4 –28 are being observed. Since the one specific event that Jesus prophesied —the siege and destruction of Jerusalem (Matt. 24:15–22)—took place in A.D. 70, and since the other signs of the end that Jesus listed could be observed even before A.D. 70, Jesus could return any time after A.D. 70. Because the day of Jesus’ return is (and will remain) unknown to his followers, speculations are not only fruitless and irrelevant but positively rebellious. The biggest mistake of some end-time “specialists” is the production of (ever new) prophecies of the date of Jesus’ return. Follo...