Jesus will arrive on the Day of the Lord when the dead are raised, the wicked are judged, and death will cease forevermore. The coming of Jesus is not a major topic in Paul's letters to the Corinthians. But he does touch on several aspects of it, including its identification with the “Day of the Lord,” the consummation of God’s kingdom, the resurrection, the judgment, and the cessation of death.
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| [By eberhard grossgasteiger on Unsplash] |
He begins his first
letter by thanking God for His grace to the Corinthians, and he puts the proper
perspective on spiritual gifts by referring to the expectation of Christ’s
return.
- (1 Corinthians 1:4-9) - “I give thanks unto 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 that they are still waiting for
the much fuller glories that will be dispensed at his “revelation” on
the “day of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
DAY OF JESUS CHRIST
The term rendered
“revelation” translates the Greek noun apokalupsis, and it means “revelation,
disclosure, unveiling” - (2 Thessalonians 1:7-10, Luke 17:30, 1 Peter 1:13, 1
Peter 4:13).
“Unimpeachable”
translates a legal term applied to someone against whom legal charges can no
longer be leveled (anegklétos, Strong’s - #G410). Thus, on the “Day
of Christ,” no one will bring charges against Christians in God’s court because
He has “confirmed” them.
In Paul’s
writings, the “day of our Lord Jesus Christ” is synonymous with the “Day of the Lord” in the Hebrew Bible, the day when Yahweh delivers his people
and judges His enemies. By adding “Jesus Christ” to the phrase, Paul focuses
this ancient hope on him - (Amos 5:18-20, Joel 2:31, Philippians 1:6, 2:16, 1
Thessalonians 5:2, 2 Peter 3:10).
UNTIL THE LORD COMES
Paul deals with
inappropriate attitudes in the Corinthian church. Some members are beginning to
reject his teachings and apostolic authority. He responds by employing the
image of household servants or stewards. As a faithful “steward,” Paul is
entrusted with the “mysteries” of God - (1 Corinthians 4:3-5).
And he is a servant
of Christ who belongs to the Corinthians. But he is accountable only to the
Master of the household, and therefore, their evaluation of him is of no real consequence.
Only the judgment
of Jesus matters and his valuation will become evident when he arrives at the
end of the age. Christians ought not to judge anyone before the proper time - “when
the Lord comes.”
A few verses earlier,
Paul speaks of the coming day of evaluation when each Christian’s work will be
examined to see whether it was built on the proper foundation. Again, that will
occur when Jesus comes on the “Day of the Lord” - (1 Corinthians 3:13-15).
DAY OF THE LORD
Paul must deal with
a shameful incident that has brought the church into disrepute. A member is
having sexual relations with his stepmother. While fornication is common enough
in Greco-Roman society, engaging in sex with one’s stepmother is beyond the
pale even for pagans.
Rather than boast
of their spirituality, he exhorts the Corinthians to “mourn” that such an
egregious sinner was in their midst - (1 Corinthians 5:4-5).
The Apostle admonishes
the church to expel this man so that his “spirit may be saved on the Day of the Lord.” The “destruction
of the flesh” will become part of his remedial process. And he means the destruction of what is
carnal in the man as he is buffeted by the satanic forces that operate outside
the believing community.
The result hoped
for is the man’s repentance and salvation on the “Day of the Lord.” Once
again, Paul associates the “Day of the Lord” with judgment, including
that of believers. Final salvation and judgment are only realized on that day.
Paul next mentions
the “coming” of Jesus in his discussion on proper behavior during the
Lord’s Supper, especially in consideration of his impending arrival in glory - (1
Corinthians 11:24-26).
In his explanation, Paul combines the commemoration of Christ’s death with the promise of his return.
By eating the
bread and drinking the wine, the church proclaims his death “until he comes,”
linking the two events, and both are essential to his gospel message.
AT HIS COMING
Paul also responds to men who are denying the
future resurrection, and he argues for it from 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).
And he presents the general order of events leading
up to the day when Jesus “arrives.” He is the “first fruit of those
who have fallen asleep” – the first participant in the larger resurrection,
and therefore, his past resurrection is inextricably linked with the future resurrection
of believers.
Since death came into existence through a
man, Adam, so “through a man,” Christ, comes the raising of the dead. Just
as “in Adam, all die,” so in Christ, all will be made alive. His
followers are waiting to be raised at his arrival on the “Day of
Christ” - (1 Thessalonians 1: 2:19, 3:13, 4:15, 5:23, 2 Thessalonians 2:1,
2:8).
Paul provides the key to when the resurrection
will occur. First, he correlates it with the “arrival” or parousia
of Jesus. Second, he specifies that it will mean nothing less than the end of death.
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.
Paul’s purpose in this chapter is not to provide
all the details relating to the coming of Jesus, but to substantiate his
argument for the future resurrection of believers. At issue is not the return
of Jesus, but the bodily resurrection of believers.
Thus, in his
Corinthian correspondence, Paul refers several times to the “day of the Lord
Jesus,” whereas, the Old Testament speaks of the “Day of Yahweh,” the
time of deliverance for the people of God, and the day of destruction for His
enemies – (1 Corinthians 1:8, 5:5, Philippians 1:6, 1:10, 2:16, 1 Thessalonians
5:2, 2 Thessalonians 2:1).
And he describes key
aspects of that event. First, he expects only one future coming of Jesus.
Second, his “arrival” will occur on the “day of our Lord Jesus Christ,”
the “Day of the Lord.” Third, it will include the examination and
judgment of the righteous. Fourth, he will “arrive” after he subjugates
all God’s enemies. And fifth, his coming will include the bodily resurrection
of the dead and the cessation of death itself, the “last enemy.” All this will occur
on the “day of our Lord Jesus Christ.”