The cross gives meaning to the hope of Christ’s second coming. When the Lord hung on the tree, the cry of one of the thieves was the cry of every believer: “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom” (Luke 23:42). The answer to this cry is the “blessed hope” of everyone who has believed in Christ as his Savior (Titus 2:13).
The Second Advent is intimately linked with the first coming of Christ. If Christ had not come the first time and had not achieved a decisive victory over sin (Colossians 2:15), we would have no reason to believe that He will return to finish His redemptive work.
Christ’s return dominated the apostles’ minds, sustained their hope, and inspired their behavior (Hebrews 9:28). They believed that all the prophecies and promises of the Scriptures would be fulfilled at His second coming (2 Peter 3:13; compare with Isaiah 65:17), for this hope is the target of the Christian pilgrimage. All who love Jesus look forward to the day they will be able to see Him face to face.
Today, as never before in history, we feel deep inside the ever-increasing pulse of this blessed hope. If your heart trembles from pain in this time of uncertainty and crisis, read in this magazine what God has to say about the second coming of His Son. Your heart will find comfort and peace (John 14:27).
All Scripture references in English taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The author is the editor of El Centinela magazine.
