The Second Coming Versus
The Appearing - 3




However, when Israel was set aside God ushered in a new dispensation (Acts 28:28) and with it the Apostle Paul learned that the new outcalling's destiny was that of being received up into Glory. Connected with that new calling is "the appearing'. Search the Scriptures written after Acts 28:28 and you will find no mention of the return of the Lord.  When describing the hope of the Church which is His body Paul does not choose to use the words "come" or "coming". Rather he chooses, under the inspiration of God, to use the words "appear" and "appearing."

If words that the Holy Ghost uses to teach by mean anything then there is much we can learn.  We learn that the believer in the dispensation of the grace of God (Eph. 3:2) looks for something other than the COMING OF THE LORD.  The believer's hope is now tied in with the "appearing of the Lord" in Glory.

   Col 3:3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
   Col 3:4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall
               ye also appear with him in glory.

That is, when the Lord Jesus Christ appears in the heavenly places we will appear with Him there.  He is presently hid in God in the heavenlies. But when He is manifested in the highest glory then will the Church of the One Body be manifested with Him in that sphere. Not in the lower atmosphere, or in the clouds but "far above all" (Eph.1:21), "far above all heavens"(Eph.4:10)

  "That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukable, until the appearing (not His coming) of our Lord Jesus Christ" (1Tim. 6:14)
  "I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, Who shall judge the quick and the dead at His appearing (not His coming) and his kingdom" (2Tim.4:1)
  "Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing (not His coming)" (2Tim. 4:8)
   "Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;" (Titus 2:13).

It should be clearly apparent that there is indeed a differrence in the words "come", "coming" and "appear", "appearing". The first two sentences of the Lord Jesus Christ leaving a place, namely the heavenlies, and going to another, namely the lower atmosphere. There some saints will meet Him and will accompany Him back to earth, namely the Mount of Olives. While the other set of words do not intimate any movement on the part of Christ, but rather simply a manifestation (i.e. appearing visibly to the heavenly creatures from whom He is now veiled off). When He "appears" to those creatures in heavenly places (i.e.in Glory) the Church of this dispensation will "appear with Him" in that sphere "far above all heavens." For His Church of the One Body has been demonstrating to those creatures the Lord's manifold wisdom(Eph.3:10).

We are instructed to "rightly divide" and to "approve things that are excellent." The two hopes must then be rightly divided. One belongs to the Pentecostal church, the other to the Church, the Body of Christ. The two hopes must be distinquished in order to approve the things more excellent (Phil 1:10, Rom. 2:8). Only the Church which is His Body has the promise of enjoying heavenly places. No other company of God's redeemed has such a glorious privilege, for heavenly places is not just a place of splendor and magnificence. God is the Father of the place of Glory (Eph.1:17). It can truly be said that Glory will be the future dwelling place of the Church of the One Body. The distinctions are clearly drawn in the Word of God between the "coming" and the "appearing." May the Father of Glory give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation and enlightened eyes to see what is the hope of the calling of the Church over which Christ Jesus is the Head.

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Related Studies:

The Appearing Chart        The Hope of Paul's Acts Epistles