The Second Coming of Jesus

New York Times NY, New York Jan. 4, 2015 Dear Editors, Second Coming of Jesus Jesus promised His disciples He would come again. It's in the Bible, John 14:1-3: "Let not your heart be troubled. You are trusting God, now trust in Me. There are many homes up there where my Father lives, and I am going to prepare them for your coming. When everything is ready, then I will come and get you, so that you can always be with Me where I am. If this weren't so, I would tell you plainly. And you know where I am going and how to get there." The return of Jesus will be literal and real. It's in the Bible, Acts 1:10-11: "It was not long afterwards that He rose into the sky and disappeared into a cloud, leaving them staring after Him. As they were straining their eyes for another glimpse, suddenly two white-robed men were standing there among them, and said, 'Men of Galilee, why are you standing here staring at the sky? Jesus has gone away to heaven, and some day, just as He went, He will return!'" How will Jesus come again? It's in the Bible, Luke 21:27: "At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory." How many will see Him when He comes? It's in the Bible, Revelation 1:7: "Look, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of Him." What will we see and hear when He comes? It's in the Bible, 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17: "For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever." How visible is His coming to be? It's in the Bible, Matthew 24:27: "For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man." Christ's coming will be unexpected and dramatic. It's in the BIble, 2 Peter 3:10: " But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up." What warning has Jesus given so we won't be fooled about the second coming? It's in the Bible, Matthew 24:23-26: "At that time if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is Jesus!' or 'There He is!' do not believe it. For false Jesus and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect—if that were possible. See, I have told you ahead of time. So if anyone tells you, 'There He is, out in the desert,' do not go out; or, 'Here He is, in the inner rooms,' do not believe it." Does anyone know the exact time of Jesus coming? It's in the Bible, Matthew 24:36: "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father." Knowing how human it is to procrastinate, what does Jesus tell us to do? It's in the Bible, Matthew 24:42: "Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming." What warning has Jesus given that we might not be taken by surprise by this great event? It's in the Bible, Luke 21:34-36: " But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthyto escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man." Why is Jesus second coming taking so long? It's in the Bible, II Peter 3:8-9: "But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." While we wait for Jesus, how should we live? It's in the Bible, Titus 2:11-14: " For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works." What will the world be like when Jesus comes? It's in the Bible, Matthew 24:37-39: "As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man." Will the Jesus coming be a time of reward? It's in the Bible, Matthew 16:27 and Revelation 22:12: "For the Son of Man is going to come in His Father's glory with His angels, and then He will reward each person according to what he has done." "Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with Me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done." Why is Jesus coming back? It's in the Bible, Hebrews 9:28: "So also Christ died only once as an offering for the sins of many people; and He will come again, but not to deal again with our sins. This time He will come bringing salvation to all those who are eagerly and patiently waiting for Him." With Jesus and His second coming, we will fully experience the reality of our salvation. It's in the Bible, 1 Corinthians 1:7-8: "Now you have every grace and blessing; every spiritual gift and power for doing His will are yours during this time of waiting for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. And He guarantees right up to the end that you will be counted free from all sin and guilt on that day when He returns." What is the last promise Jesus gives us in the Bible? It's in the Bible, Revelation 22:20: "He who testifies to these things says, 'Surely I am coming quickly.' Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus" For us Filipino heretics, freethinkers, and unbelievers of the faith - this is all great and wonderful. What, however, is sad, painful, and regrettable is to see tens of millions of Filipino Catholics all thrilled and excited anticipating not the coming of Jesus from heaven, but the arrival of Pope Francis, the Vicar of Jesus, ( Jan. 15-19, 2015 ) in the Philippines - the poorest and most backward and the only Catholic country in Asia today!! Sincerely, Poch Suzara Pasay City, Philippines pochsuzara@yahoo.com