Addressing the Fear Factor
There is a dark side to the coming of Jesus. Jesus Himself said it will be a time of distress for the nations: "At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn" (Matt. 24:30, NIV). He compares the event to the judgments of the Flood and of Sodom (Matt. 24:37-39; compare Luke 17:26-30); He speaks of the phenomenon of final separation, using the illustration of two women grinding at the mill, with one taken, the other left (Matt. 24:40, 41). And when He speaks of remaining watchful, His warning could not be stronger (see vss. 43-51). Peter, one of those present the day Jesus spoke about His coming in Matthew 24, refers to "the day of the Lord" as one of fire and terror (2 Pet. 3:10-12). When John sees the event in vision, he says that "all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of him" (Rev. 1:7, NIV); and Revelation 6:15, 16 portrays people from every walk of life at the Advent appealing to the rocks and mountains to fall on them and "hide [them] from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! (NIV)."
What do the following texts say about the Second Coming?
There are those who torture and abuse others, those who murder and exploit, who plunder and pillage, and who rob the coffers of their governments, leaving millions to suffer in degradation and poverty. And then there are the good people who arrogantly turn their backs on God and His gracious offer of mercy and pardon. It would be the height of irresponsibility to give them the impression that the Second Coming holds anything for them but bad news, unless they change. With people's eternal destiny hanging on these issues, it would be criminal on our part to sugarcoat the reality of the situation.
In what ways might a little fear do us all some good (Phil. 2:12)? Maybe some of us need a little more fear than others . .
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