The second coming of Jesus Christ, also known as the “return of Christ” or the “parousia,” is an important belief in the Christian faith. According to Christian theology, Jesus will one day return to earth to establish his kingdom, judge the living and the dead, and usher in the end times. This belief is based on several passages in the Bible, particularly in the New Testament, which speaks of the second coming of Jesus.
One of the key passages that speak of the second coming is found in the New Testament book of Acts, where the apostle Paul states that Jesus “will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11). This passage emphasizes the physical and visible nature of Jesus’ return, as opposed to a purely spiritual or symbolic event.
Another important passage that speaks of the second coming is found in the New Testament book of Revelation, which describes a vision of Jesus’ return in glory, accompanied by the angels and the saints, to defeat the forces of evil and establish his kingdom on earth.
The second coming is also linked to the end times and the end of the world, the Bible teaches that before the second coming there will be signs of the end times such as natural disasters, wars, and social turmoil. However, the Bible also teaches that the time of the second coming is unknown and that only God knows when it will happen. This is expressed in the verse in Mark 13:32 “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.”
Christians believe that the second coming will mark the end of the present age and the beginning of a new and eternal age, where Jesus will reign as king, and all will be judged according to their deeds. Those who have accepted Jesus as their savior will spend eternity in heaven, while those who have rejected him will be sent to hell.
It’s worth noting that there are different views among Christians on the timing, nature, and events of the second coming and the end times, some believe that the second coming has already happened whilst most believe that it will happen in the future.