Day of Christ

Jesus will arrive on the Day of the Lord at which time the dead will be raised, the wicked judged, and death will cease.

Paul discusses aspects of Christ’s future arrival in his letters to the Corinthians, including the “Day of the Lord,” the consummation of God’s Kingdom, the resurrection of the dead, the bodily transformation of saints still alive when Jesus comes, the judgment of the wicked, and the end of death itself.

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He begins his first letter by thanking God for His grace, and Paul puts the proper perspective on spiritual gifts by invoking Christ’s expected return.

• (1 Corinthians 1:4-9) - “I am giving thanks to my God at all times concerning you… That you come short in no gift of grace, ardently awaiting the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who will also confirm you unto the end, unimpeachable in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is God through whom you have been called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Rather than overvalue spiritual gifts, believers must remember they are still waiting for the much fuller glories to be received at Christ’s “revelation” on the “Day of our Lord Jesus Christ.” The Greek term translated as “revelation” is the noun ‘apokalupsis’, meaning “revelation, disclosure, unveiling” - (2 Thessalonians 1:7-10, Luke 17:30, 1 Peter 1:13, 1 Peter 4:13).

The English word “unimpeachable” translates the Greek legal term for someone against whom legal charges could no longer be leveled (‘anegklétos’, Strong’s Concordance, #G410). On the “Day of Christ,” no one will bring charges against believers in God’s court.

The “Day of our Lord Jesus Christ” is now synonymous with the “Day of the Lord” in the Hebrew Bible when Yahweh would deliver His people and judge His enemies. By adding “Jesus Christ” to the phrase, Paul centers this ancient hope in the Son of God - (Amos 5:18-20, Joel 2:31, Philippians 1:6, 2:16, 1 Thessalonians 5:2, 2 Peter 3:10).

In Chapter 3 of 1 Corinthians, Paul describes the coming day when each man’s work will be examined to see whether it is built on the proper foundation. Again, that judgment will occur on the “Day of the Lord” - (1 Corinthians 3:13-15).

The Apostle deals with inappropriate attitudes in Chapter 4. Some members of the congregation were questioning his teachings and apostolic authority. In response, he uses the image of household servants. As a faithful “steward,” Paul has been entrusted with the “mysteries” of God, but he is accountable only to the Master of the Household. His examination and assessment by the Corinthians are of no consequence. Only the judgment of Jesus will matter when he arrives- (1 Corinthians 4:3-5).

In Chapter 5, Paul deals with a shameful incident that brought the congregation into disrepute. A member was having sexual relations with his stepmother. While fornication and adultery were common in Greco-Roman society, engaging in sex with one’s stepmother was beyond the pale even for pagans. Rather than boast of their spirituality, he commands the Corinthians to “mourn” that such an egregious sinner is in their midst - (1 Corinthians 5:4-5).

He admonished the Assembly to expel this man so that his “spirit may be saved on the Day of the Lord.” The “destruction of the flesh” would become part of his remedial process. The result Paul hoped for was the offender’s repentance and salvation on the “Day of the Lord.”

Paul next mentioned the “coming” of Jesus in his discussion on proper behavior during the Lord’s Supper in consideration of his impending arrival. He combined the commemoration of Christ’s death with the promise of his return. By eating the bread and drinking the wine, the congregation proclaimed his death “until he comes,” linking the two events - (1 Corinthians 11:24-26).

AT HIS COMING

Paul responded to men who denied the future resurrection by pointing to the past resurrection of Jesus.  If there is no future resurrection, then “not even Christ has been raised, and if Christ has not been raised, void is our proclamation, void also our faith” - (1 Corinthians 15:22-28).

In Chapter 15, he presents the general order of final events leading up to Christ’s return. He was the “first fruits of those who have fallen asleep” – the first participant in the larger resurrection. Therefore, his past resurrection was foundational to our future resurrection.

Since death came into existence through a man, Adam, so “through a man,” Christ, came the raising of the dead. Just as “in Adam, all died,” so in Jesus, all will be made alive - (1 Thessalonians 1: 2:19, 3:13, 4:15, 5:23, 2 Thessalonians 2:1, 2:8).

The resurrection will occur at the “arrival” or ‘Parousia’ of Jesus. Not only so, but the raising of the dead will mean nothing less than “the end” of death itself. All this will occur after Jesus “delivers up the kingdom to his God and Father, whenever he brings to nothing all rule and all authority and power,” including the “last enemy” – Death.

In his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul refers several times to the “Day of the Lord Jesus.” He expects only one future coming of Jesus, and his “arrival” will occur on the “Day of the Lord.” It will include the examination of the righteous and the subjugation of all his enemies. Christ’s coming is to include the bodily resurrection of the righteous dead and the cessation of death. Moreover, our resurrection is based on the past Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

All this will occur on the coming “Day of our Lord Jesus Christ” at the end of the present age when he is “revealed” from Heaven.

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SEE ALSO:

• Disinformation - (Rumors about the Day of the Lord caused alarm and confusion in the Thessalonian congregation – 2 Thessalonians 2:1-2)

• Final Events - (In explaining the future resurrection, Paul lists key events that will precede or coincide with the arrival of Jesus at the end of the age)

• The Death of Death - (The arrival of Jesus at the end of the age will mean the end of the Last Enemy, namely, Death - 1 Corinthians 15:24-28)

• Événements Finaux - (En expliquant la résurrection, Paul énumère les événements clés qui précéderont ou coïncideront avec l'arrivée du Christ à la fin des temps)