The Second Coming of Christ is a pivotal event in Christian eschatology, marking the return of Jesus Christ to earth. This event is anticipated with great hope and expectation by believers, as it signifies the fulfillment of God's promises and the ultimate redemption of His people. One of the profound aspects of the Second Coming is the transformation of believers, who shall be made like Christ at His return.

Biblical Foundation

The promise that believers will be made like Christ at His Second Coming is rooted in several key scriptural passages. In 1 John 3:2 , the apostle John writes, "Beloved, we are now children of God, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when Christ appears, we will be like Him, for we will see Him as He is." This verse encapsulates the hope of transformation and glorification that awaits believers. The transformation is not merely physical but encompasses the entirety of the believer's being, aligning them with the holiness and righteousness of Christ.

Transformation and Glorification

The transformation that occurs at the Second Coming is often referred to as glorification. This is the final step in the process of salvation, following justification and sanctification. In Philippians 3:20-21 , the apostle Paul elaborates on this transformation: "But our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables Him to subject all things to Himself, will transform our lowly bodies to be like His glorious body." This passage highlights the physical aspect of the transformation, where believers will receive glorified bodies, free from the limitations and sufferings of the present world.

Conformity to Christ's Image

The transformation at the Second Coming is also a fulfillment of God's purpose to conform believers to the image of His Son. Romans 8:29 states, "For those God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers." This conformity is both a present reality and a future hope, culminating in the complete likeness to Christ at His return.

The Hope of the Church

The anticipation of being made like Christ is a source of hope and motivation for the Church. It encourages believers to live in purity and holiness, as expressed in 1 John 3:3 : "And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure." The certainty of this future transformation inspires a life of faithfulness and devotion, as believers await the glorious return of their Savior.

Eschatological Significance

The Second Coming and the transformation of believers hold significant eschatological implications. It marks the consummation of God's redemptive plan and the establishment of His eternal kingdom. The transformation into Christ's likeness is not only a personal hope but also a cosmic event that signals the renewal of all creation. As stated in 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 , "Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed—in an instant, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed."

In summary, the Second Coming of Christ is a momentous event that promises the complete transformation of believers into the likeness of their Savior. This transformation is a fulfillment of God's eternal purpose and a source of profound hope for the Church, as it eagerly awaits the return of Christ and the realization of His kingdom.Philippians 3:21
Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like to his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things to himself.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

1 John 3:2
Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it does not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Our Hope is not Death.
... is passing strange that Bible teachers should have confounded Death with the Second
Coming of Christ. ... At the Return of our Lord we shall be made like Him (1 ...
//christianbookshelf.org/pink/the redeemers return/3 our hope is not.htm

The Apostles Referred to the Redeemer's Return in the Language of ...
... closing moments of this "last hour" that the Antichrist shall be revealed ... saints
must not conclude from this that the Second Coming of Christ was necessarily ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/pink/the redeemers return/2 the apostles referred to.htm

Those who were Righteous Before and under the Law Shall be Saved ...
... may be contemned, and for ever quit, at the second coming of the Christ Himself,
those who ... into judgment and condemnation of fire; but others shall exist in ...
/.../chapter xlv those who were righteous.htm

If Christ's Power be Now So Great, How Much Greater at the Second ...
... Chapter XXXI."If Christ's power be now so great, how much greater at the second
advent ... of the night, and, behold, one like the Son of man coming with the ...
/.../chapter xxxi if christs power be.htm

"But if the Spirit of Him that Raised up Jesus from the Dead Dwell ...
... stock, and by virtue and sap coming from Christ's ... pledge and pawn of the second
resurrection, that ... wonderful communication between them, that Christ did nothing ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/sermon xxxi but if the.htm

The Redeemer's Return is Necessitated by the Ratification of the ...
... of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming?" (1:Thess.2 ... To the Hebrews he wrote, "So
Christ was once offered to ... look for Him shall He appear the second time without ...
/.../pink/the redeemers return/iii the redeemers return is.htm

The Desire of all Nations
... the day in which the kingdoms shall belong unto Christ. ... glory manifestly will lie
in the second coming of that ... waiting for and hasting unto the coming of the ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 61 1915/the desire of all nations.htm

The Millennium in Relation to the Church.
... it is at the first stage of Christ's second coming that the ... Redeemer's descent from
Heaven, the Church, like Enoch and ... Lord in the air and evermore shall it be ...
/.../pink/the redeemers return/3 the millennium in relation.htm

Prophecy Sets Forth Two Different Conditions of Christ, one Lowly ...
... demonstrated by the prophets to belong to Christ, so these ... of degradation quite suit
His first coming, just as ... tokens of His majesty do His second advent, when ...
/.../the five books against marcion/chapter vii prophecy sets forth two.htm

Assurance of Salvation.
... than we do; but we read in Job 19:25: "I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that
He shall stand in ... It is used in regard to the second coming of Christ, or to ...
/.../moody/the way to god and how to find it/chapter vii assurance of salvation.htm

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