Preparing for Christ’s return

Philip Arthur writes that once the end of all things is upon us, then it will be too late for those who are not prepared. They will not escape the inevitable outcome. Well, realizing then that once the day of the Lord has appeared, it will be too late to get ready brings us back to the anxiety of the Thessalonians. They were concerned to be ready for Christ’s coming, and so they were wondering about the times and seasons of this great event. And Paul answered that the way to be prepared for Christ’s coming is not by knowing the date, because you cannot know the date. The only way to be prepared when it comes is to have readied yourself in advance. So, you have prepared yourself by making use of the provision that God himself has offered, giving us salvation through faith in his own Son, Jesus Christ, who came to this world once before and died for the sins of all who trust in him.

I think that one of the most unfortunate features of a great deal of end times teaching today is the notion that Christians must prepare themselves in some special way that involves more than simply trusting in the gospel. How many times have shock therapy sermons been given to Christian youths, suggesting that if they are caught in some sinful act when Christ returns, well, then they will be swept away? Despite all their faith, despite all that they have trusted in, if they were not acting rightly at that moment, they will lose it all in the judgment. Yet the biblical call to readiness is not a call for a special intensity beyond that of simple, saving Christian faith. What does the Lord Jesus say in his promises? He assures us that readiness for the day of the Lord may be achieved right now. We may be certain that we are ready for him to come, that we have nothing to fear when he comes. How? Simply, by turning to him now for forgiveness and eternal life in simple saving faith.¹

Richard D. Phillips