Finding Jesus in the Bible…So We Can Follow Him in Life
Bible Reading Plans
- Plan One: New Testament Only
- Plan Two: New Testament + Psalms
- Plan Three: New Testament + History
- Plan Four: The Entire Bible – Year 1 of 3, Year 2 of 3, Year 3 of 3
Don’t know which plan? Go to A Christ-Centered Bible Reading Plan: Quick Start.
Extras
Verse of the Day, Audio Capsule, and Video Minute
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(Today’s Reading)
The Biblical Case for the Second Coming as Accomplished Fact
(Book Installment 47)
Part Three – The Nature of the Second Coming
Chapter 7 – How the Bible Describes Truth
Signs to See (continued)
The righteous are given signs that the unrighteous simply cannot recognize. This dynamic is actually very easy to understand. For example, Jesus could tell His disciples that their persecution and the destruction of the temple were signs that things were moving on schedule toward the great day and that they would be delivered. The Pharisees (the unbelieving ones, that is) could never see these signs because they could never interpret these events from that point of reference. The Pharisees would not “see” the apostles as the godly being persecuted. Rather, the Pharisees would see the apostles as blasphemers and heretics in rebellion against (what was in their minds) the God-ordained authority of the Pharisees. And the destruction of the temple, from the point of view of the Pharisees, would not be a sign, but rather would be a fate to be prevented at all costs, for the temple was the expression of God’s glory. If they saw Jerusalem surrounded by armies they could never dishonor God (as they saw it) by the cowardice of flight! And so it goes. Things just don’t look the same from the faithless, and thus disobedient, side of the fence. It’s not so much that God is treating believers differently from unbelievers, but rather that belief itself is the ability to see things that unbelievers have no ability to see.
Paul speaks of the phenomenon of signs for the righteous in this passage in which he exhorts the believers in Philippi to walk in a manner worthy of Christ:
in no way alarmed by your opponents–which is a sign of destruction for them, but of salvation for you… Philippians 1:28
When you are persecuted, it is a sign to you that you are on the right track (because “all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” 2 Timothy 3:12) and that you will eventually be delivered (because “many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all” Psalm 34:19) while the persecutor will eventually be destroyed (because “Then He will speak to them in His anger” Psalm 2:5). Paul makes known to these Philippians the kindness of God. Therefore, the opposition that they would otherwise find alarming is actually a comforting sign to them of God’s presence in them, and surrounding protection of them. We see then that God’s signs could have no meaning for the unrighteous. They could not even see them, for the unjust would not “bear up under suffering while suffering unjustly” (1 Peter 2:19). Moreover, the unjust would never see themselves as opposing the righteous, for those who inflict religious persecution always see themselves as the righteous.
God does indeed have signs to give, but they are signs for those who have, by faith, chosen to be players on the field…and not mere observers in the stands. This is why Jesus was clear with the Pharisees that His kingdom was not coming with signs to be observed: “nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or, ‘There it is!’” The kingdom of God is not a spectator sport. The signs can only be observed if you are personally engaged in the action on the field.
(This concludes the section and the chapter of which it is a part.)
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