[b]The Second Coming –Incentive To Holy Living[/b]
[i]by J. Townsend, Ireland. From Life Indeed[/i]

Scripture associates the second coming of Christ with sanctification in seven aspects:

1. Repentance

"Ye turned to God, from idols, to serve the living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven" (1 Thes. 1:9-10).

2. Hope

"For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming?" (1 Thes. 2:19).

3. Blamelessness

"To the end that He may stablish your hearts unblamable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, with all His saints" (1 Thes. 3:13).

4. Comfort

"Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord, wherefore comfort one another with these words" (1 Thes. 4:17-18).

5. Sanctification

"And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly, and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Thes. 5:23).

6. Stability

"Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto Him, that you be not soon shaken in mind" (2 Thes. 2:1-2).

7. Patience

"And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ" (2 Thes. 3:5).

The study of the foregoing passages goes far to show that the apostle Paul regarded the attitude of watchful waiting for the second coming of Christ as a practical sanctifying power – no foolish dream, but a real everyday power and incentive to a holy life.

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SI Moderator - Greg Gordon