words."

Why then should such a comforting and helpful doctrine as this be
spoken against? Many reasons may be suggested: the unreadiness of
the church; preconceived views (2 Pet. 3:4); extravagant predictions
as to time; lack of knowledge of the Scriptures. May not the guilt
on our part for rejecting the second coming of Christ be as great
if not greater than that of the Jews for rejecting His first coming?

II. WHAT IS MEANT BY THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST.

1. A PERSONAL AND VISIBLE COMING.

Acts 1:11--"Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven?
This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so
come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven." 1 Thess.
4:16, 17--"For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven." Rev.
1:7. From these scriptures we learn that by the second coming of
Christ is meant the bodily, personal, and visible coming of our
Lord Jesus Christ to this earth with His saints to reign.

2. ERRONEOUS VIEWS CONCERNING THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST.

a) That the Second Coming Means Christ's Coming at Death.

This cannot be the meaning, because--

Death is not attended by the events narrated in 1 Thessalonians 4:16,
17. Indeed the second coming is here set forth as the opposite of
death for "the dead in Christ shall rise" from the dead when Christ