Torch, Spring 1995

to the crucified, resurrected Savior, but they also looked up for His imminent appearing (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18). They knew that He could come in their lifetime, so they were busy serving their God. They modeled the truth to other believers, and they trumpeted the gospel to the lost (1 Thessalonians 1:7-8). Their faith was active, evangelistic, and living. Paul also revealed the truth of the rapture of the church to the Corinthian believers. He informed them that some Christians would get an immortal, incorruptible body through resurrection and that those who were alive at Christ's return would get a new body through translation (1 Corinthians 15:51 -57). Such dramatic changes could occur "in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump" (1 Corinthians 15:52). Paul believed that both he and the Corinthian believers could be among the living when the rapture would occur. (Note his assertion "and we shall be changed" 1 Corinthians 15:52.) Such conviction of heart should produce excellence in life and work. The apostle encouraged them: "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord" (1 Corinthians 15:58). When we were converted, we became co-workers with God and with other believers in the divine creative-redemptive purpose for this age. In this dispensation, Jesus Christ is building His church, a spiritual organism made up of believing Jews and saved Gentiles (Matthew 16:18). We should glorify God in whatever we do (1 Corinthians 10:31). We should be faithful stewards of God's redemptive purpose as we work for Him through our personal lives, our homes, our vocations, and our churches. Some of the Thessalonian believers wrongly applied the truth of the imminent return of Christ to their daily lives (1 Thessalonians 4:9-12, 2 Thessalonians 3:6-15). They stopped doing income-producing work, thus becoming a bothersome burden to their diligent brethren. They rationalized that secular work was neither important nor necessary since Christ was going to return soon. They were mistaken about both concepts . When Christ taught about His second coming in the parables, He admonished His followers to work until He returned. He once told about the ten servants who were responsible to increase what the master invested in them: "Do business till I come" (Luke 19:13). Those who worked hard and produced were rewarded, and those who did nothing were judged (Luke 19: 11 -27) . To a child of God, all work must be seen as sacred service. To serve as a missionary or a pastor is not more important than to serve as a doctor, teacher, or factory worker. In all of those vocations, God can be served and believers can be actively waiting for Christ to come. Since we do not know when Christ will return, we must be faithful in serving the needs of our families (1 Timothy 5:8), of the less fortunate (Ephesians 4:28), and of the ministry (1 Corinthians 9:13- 14). Waiting for Christ and serving Him complement each other. Second, we wait when we grow in Christlikeness. The apostle John wrote: "Beloved, now we are childen of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure" (1 John 3:2-3). If we really believed that we could see Jesus Christ at any moment, that conviction would change our attitudes and actions. Would we secretly be involved in sin if we knew that Christ would suddenly burst into our privacy? Certainly not! That possibility caused John to admonish his readers : "And now, little children, abide in Hirn, that when He appears, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before Him at His coming" (1 John 2:28) . True waiting results in a righteous life (2:29) . Paul gave a similar charge to the Roman believers: " ...now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the work of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light" (Romans 13:11 -12). At His coming, Christ finalizes our salvation when He liberates our bodies from the effects of sin and our very persons from the presence of the sin nature. Since that future event can take place at any moment, we should be morally alert and sensitive to the corruption around us. The grace of God which saved us also teaches us to deny sin and to grow in holiness (Titus 2:11 -12). Our godliness should mature as we are "looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ" (Titus 2:13). Waiting for Christ is more than mental assent to the doctrinal statement of Christ's imminent return. True waiting for Him issues in a moral affirmation of Christlikeness. If we are going to be Torch 7