Change at Second Coming

Christ's second coming will make an immense change to all members of Christ's Church, both good and bad.

I draw that from the concluding portion of the parable, from the discovery of the foolish virgins, that their lamps were gone out, from their anxious address to the wise, "Give us some of your oil," from their vain knocking at the door when shut, crying, "Lord, Lord, open to us," from the happy admission of the wise who were ready to the marriage supper, in company with the bridegroom. All these points are food for thought. But I have no time to dwell on them particularly. I can only take one single broad view of all. To all who have been baptized in the name of Christ—converted or unconverted, believer or unbeliever, holy or unholy, godly or ungodly, wise or foolish, gracious or graceless—to all, the second coming of Christ shall be an immense change.

It shall be an immense change to the UNGODLY, to the mere nominal Christian.

They will see the value of real heart-religion if they never saw it before;, "Give us some of your oil," they will cry to the godly, "for our lamps have gone out."

Who does not know that spiritual religion never brings a man the world's praise? It never has done, and it never does. It entails the world's condemnation, the world's persecution, the world's ridicule, the world's sneers. The world will let a man go to hell quietly, and never try to stop him. The world will never let a man go to heaven quietly—they will do all they can to turn him back. Who has not heard of nicknames in plenty bestowed on all who faithfully follow Christ?—Pietist, Methodist, saint, fanatic, enthusiast, righteous zealot, and many more? Who does not know the petty family persecution which often goes on in private society in our own day. Let a young person go to every ball and theater and race-course, and utterly neglect his soul, and no one interferes; no one says "Spare yourself," no one says "Be moderate—remember your soul."

But let him begin to read his Bible and be diligent in prayers, let him decline worldly amusement and be particular in his employment of time, let him seek an evangelical ministry and live as if he had an immortal soul—let him do this, and the probability is all his relations and friends will be up in arms. "You are going too far!" "You need not be so very holy!" "You are taking up extreme lines!"—this is the least that he will hear. Alas that it should be so—but so it is.

These are ancient things. As it was in the days of Cain and Abel, as it was in the days of Isaac and Ishmael—even so it is now. Those who are born after the flesh will persecute those who are born after the Spirit. The cross of Christ will always bring reproach with it. If a man will become a decided evangelical Christian, he must make up his mind to lose the world's favours; he must be content to be thought by many a total fool.

But, brethren, all this will be at an end when Christ returns. The light of that day will show everything in its true colours; the scales will fall from the poor worldling's eyes. The value of the soul will flash on his astonished mind; the utter uselessness of a mere nominal Christianity will burst upon him like a thunderstorm. The blessedness of regeneration and faith in Christ and a holy walk, will shine before him in reality. The veil will fall from his face; he will discover that the godly have been the wise, and that he has played the fool exceedingly; and just as Saul wanted Samuel when it was too late, and Belshazzar sent for Daniel when the kingdom was departing from him—so will the ungodly turn to the very men they once mocked and despised, and cry, "Give us some of your oil, for our lamps have gone out!"

But again: the ungodly will seek salvation earnestly when Christ returns—but not find it. They will find that opportunities once let slip shall never be regained. They will seek the oil of grace, they will knock at the door for admission, they will cry, "Lord, Lord, open to us," but all in vain.

Who does not know that thousands are urged to pray now, who never attempt it? They mean to do so one day, perhaps; they imagine it will never be too late to seek the Lord.

But there is a time coming when prayer shall be heard no longer. There is a time when the door by which Saul of Tarsus and Magdalen entered in, shall be shut forever. There is a time when men shall know the folly of sin—but, like Judas, too late for repentance; when they shall desire to enter into the promised land—but, like Israel at Kadesh, not be able; when they shall see the value of God's favour and covenant blessing—but like Esau, when they can no longer procure it; when they shall believe every jot and tittle of God's revealed word—but, like the miserable devils, only to tremble!

Yes! beloved brethren, many will come to this in the day of Christ's reappearing. They will ask and not receive, they will seek and not find, they will knock and the door shall not be opened to them. Alas, indeed, that it should be so! Woe to the man who puts off seeking his manna until the Lord's day of return! Like Israel of old, he will find none. Woe to the man who goes to buy oil when he ought to be burning it! Like the foolish virgins, he will find himself shut out from the marriage supper of the Lamb.

But as Christ's coming will be a mighty change to the ungodly, so also will it be a mighty change to the GODLY.

They shall be placed in a position of perfect safety. "The door shall be shut." They shall no longer be vexed by temptations, persecuted by the world, warred against by the devil. Their conflicts shall all be over. Their strife with the flesh shall forever cease. They shall be where there is no Satan, no world, and no sin. Ah! brethren, the second Eden shall be better far than the first. In the first Eden the door was not shut—but in the second the Lord shall shut us in.

Furthermore the godly shall be placed in a position of perfect blessedness. They shall go in with the Bridegroom to the marriage; they shall be with Christ. Faith shall be swallowed up in sight, hope shall become certainty, knowledge shall at length be perfect, prayer shall be turned into praise, desires shall receive their full accomplishment, fears and doubtings shall not rise to mar their comforts, the thought of parting shall not spoil the pleasure of meeting; the company of saints shall be enjoyed without hurry and distraction, and weariness shall be all unknown. Thus shall they understand the meaning of the text, "In Your presence is fullness of joy, and at Your right hand are pleasures for evermore!"