Question:
Did the Apostles Believe Christ Was Coming in Their Day?
Answer:
The writers of the New Testament frequently discuss the second coming of Christ. It is presented as our only hope, the day of reward, the revelation of God’s glory, and the blessed hope that is close at hand, as if it is right at the door. They write about the solemnity of this event and emphasize the necessity of being prepared.
Did they believe it was imminent in their time? While some did, but the apostles and chosen servants of God did not. Let Paul articulate their perspective:
“Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;” (2 Thessalonians 2:1-3).
The “man of sin” and “son of perdition” represent the Roman papacy. Not till after the great apostasy and the long period of the reign of the “man of sin,” could we look for the advent of our Lord. This his same truth is taught by our Lord in Matthew 24, Mark 13, Luke 21, and throughout the prophecies of Revelation. The apostles wrote not only for their time but also for our time, at the end of the world. When the time comes for Christ’s soon coming, God will ensure that His servants provide the necessary guidance in accordance with the prophetic Word. (See Matthew 24:45-47; 2 Peter 1:19).
