The Orthodox understanding of the Second Coming of
Christ is clear: the Lord Jesus Christ truly will return. His second advent is
not a myth, nor an empty promise, nor is it a metaphor. In fact, each time
the Divine Liturgy is celebrated, the priest makes a proclamation to
the Father which reveals how the Church responds not only to the Second Coming
of Christ, but to all of His work.
"Remembering this saving commandment [Jesus'
command to eat His flesh and drink His blood] and all that has been done for us
-- the Cross, the Tomb, the Resurrection on the third day, the Ascension into
Heaven, the sitting at the right hand and the Second and glorious Coming -- we
offer You Your own, from what is Your own, on behalf of all and for all."
Orthodox Christians also believe the New Testament
revelation of the Second Coming of Christ is meant to stimulate our preparation
for it, not our speculation about it. This explains the relative simplicity
with which the Nicene Creed, the most. universal confession of faith in
all of Christendom, addresses Christ's return:
"He... will come again, with glory, to judge the
living and the dead, whose Kingdom shall have no end," The emphasis of
historic Orthodoxy is that Jesus will come again, not when He will come again.
Thus, St. Paul writes, "denying ungodliness
and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the
present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great
God and Saviour Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us
from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous
for good works" (Titus 2:12-14).
There are signs of Christ's coming, to be sure. Jesus
prophesied many events that would take place in the world prior to His return
(Matt. 24; Luke 21:7-36). But even here the teachings of Jesus in these gospels
close with His exhortation to virtue, righteousness, and preparation for the
Judgment. Christ and His apostles issue severe warnings, implicit and explicit,
against second-guessing the time of His coming (Matt. 24:3 -- 8, 36, 43, 44,
50; Luke 21:7-9, 34; Acts 1:7; 1 Thess. 5:1-3; 2 Pet. 3:8 -- 10). Much of
modern Christendom has succumbed to divisive speculation regarding Christ's
return. We are divided into pre-millennial, post-millennial, and a-millennial
camps. Breaking it down even further, there are pre-tribulation,
mid-tribulation, and post-tribulation adherents. Christians part ways and new
denominations spring up around interpretations of events which have not yet
even come to pass!
Throughout history the Orthodox Church has steadfastly
insisted on the reality of the Second Coming of Christ as a settled belief, but
granted liberty on the question of when it will occur. In the last chapter of
Revelation, Jesus speaks the words, "I am coming quickly" three
different times (Rev, 2:21:7, 12, 20). His coming will occur on a day, at an
hour when it is not expected. The Apostle John, the author of Revelation,
concludes his book with a warning:
"For I testify to everyone who hears the words of
the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him
the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words
of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of
Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this
book" (Rev. 22.18, 19).
To confess the return of Christ is to stand squarely
within the apostolic tradition, To add "when" to the promise of His
coming is warned against in the Scriptures. As members of the Bride of Christ,
let us attend instead to being ready.
Source: http://www.orthodoxchristian.info/pages/Parousia.htm
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