The Signs of the Times, vol. 10

July 24, 1884

“Object of Christ’s Coming” The Signs of the Times, 10, 28.

E. J. Waggoner

We have now established two points beyond controversy. First, that Christ will come again (John 14:1-3; Hebrews 9:28); and second, that his second coming will be as literal as the first (Acts 1:9-11; Revelation 1:7), the only point of difference being that it will be more glorious (Matthew 24:27; 25:31). We say that these points have been established beyond controversy, because we have read them directly from the Bible, in words so plain that a child could not misunderstand them. They need no interpretation to make them plainer. SITI July 24, 1884, page 441.1

But if the Lord is indeed coming again, it must be for some purpose; he must have some object in view. And if he was so particular to tell us of his coming, and to urge us to prepare for that great event, it must be that he has not left us in ignorance as to its object. We shall find that the Scriptures are very clear upon this point also. SITI July 24, 1884, page 441.2

The words of Christ himself demand our first attention. We have quoted the promise of Christ’s coming found in John 14:1-3. That promise also contains the reason: “If I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am there ye may be also.” He is coming, then, to take all his followers to himself. Those who mourned at the thought of having him apart from them, will then once more enjoy his presence. SITI July 24, 1884, page 441.3

Besides this, there is something else. Paul comforted the Thessalonian brethren in their tribulation with the thought that God himself could give them rest, and this rest he said they would receive “when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, and flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 2 Thessalonians 1:7, 8. With those two texts agree the words of Christ: “For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.” Matthew 16:27; and these: “And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me to give every man according as his work shall be.” Revelation 22:12. SITI July 24, 1884, page 441.4

These texts show plainly enough the object of Christ’s second coming. It is to take his people to himself, and to take vengeance on the wicked. This latter part we will pass by for the present, and consider the promise to the disciples. From the words of Christ we would naturally conclude that there is no other way for his people to be with him except by his coming. “I will come again, and receive you unto myself, that where I am, there ye may be also.” The conjunction ‘that” denotes purpose, and is equivalent to “in order that.” When we read, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16), we understand that belief in Christ is the only way by which we can avoid perishing. And so when we read the promise of Christ to his disciples, we understand that if Christ were not to come, his disciples could not be with him. Indeed, if it were otherwise,-if the disciples could be with Christ without his coming for them,-what force or comfort would there be in his promise? For the only words of comfort that he had for them were that he would come to take them to himself. Moreover, we cannot imagine Jesus making an unnecessary promise; but if the disciples could be with him without his coming, he, of course, knew it, and therefore made a promise which was entirely useless. From this text, then, we must conclude that Christ’s disciples are not yet with him, for his coming is still in the future. We call the reader’s attention to other texts which confirm this conclusion. SITI July 24, 1884, page 441.5

Paul exhorts us to set our affection on things above and says: “When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.” Colossians 3:4. Note the adverb “then.” It specifies the time when the saints will appear in glory; it is when Christ appears. SITI July 24, 1884, page 441.6

The apostle Peter gives instructions to the elders of the churches, exhorting them to labor faithfully, and says for their encouragement: “And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.” 1 Peter 5:4. The report is sure, but they are not expected before Christ comes. SITI July 24, 1884, page 441.7

Again he says: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” 1 Peter 1:3-5. The saints are kept by the power of God unto salvation; but the salvation is not to be given until the last time. Or, as Peter expresses it still more plainly in the 13th verse of the same chapter: “Be sober, and hope to the hand for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” SITI July 24, 1884, page 441.8

In the third chapter of his second epistle to Timothy, the apostle Paul speaks of the prevailing degeneracy of the last days, and recommends the Bible as the only thing that will thoroughly furnished man to good works. He then continues: “I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.” 2 Timothy 4:1, 2. Here, then, we find when the Judgment is to take place; in connection with the coming of Christ. But if the dead are not judged until Christ comes, it necessarily follows that they do not receive any reward until that time. And this is exactly what the Saviour said, as quoted from Matthew 16:27; Revelation 22:12. SITI July 24, 1884, page 441.9

The apostle continues his exhortation to Timothy, and says, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith; 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.” 2 Timothy 4:7, 8. The Judge is to give crowns at that day, says Paul. At what day? Why, at the day when he judges the living and dead, “at his appearing and his kingdom.” Peter told the elders that they should receive their crown at the appearing of the chief Shepherd, and Paul says that all who love his appearing shall receive their crowns at the same time. SITI July 24, 1884, page 441.10

Paul says, “Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness.” He had reached the close of his life, and was about to be “offered” as a sacrifice to the truth. He felt that his life-work had been faithfully done. Did he therefore expect to immediately enter upon his reward? No; he was sure of a crown, but he knew that it would not be given until the appearing of Christ. SITI July 24, 1884, page 441.11

We have seen that when Christ comes he will be accompanied by all the holy angels. Matthew 25:31. The work which the angels have to do is described in Matthew 24:31: “And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” And this agrees with the words of the psalmist: “He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that he may judge his people. Gather my saints together unto me; those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice.” Psalm 50:4, 5. By what means the saints are gathered to be with Christ, will be considered in another article. E. J. W. SITI July 24, 1884, page 441.12

“Christ the End of the Law” The Signs of the Times, 10, 28.

E. J. Waggoner

“For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.” Romans 10:4. This is supposed by antinomians to teach the abolition of the law. The text is not usually quoted in full, the objector contenting himself with the statement that “Christ is the end of the law,” meaning that Christ abolished the law. This text is so generally quoted in favor of the abolition of the law, that before we consider its real application, we will briefly show the absurdity of the popular interpretation. SITI July 24, 1884, page 442.1

1. If Christ abolished the law, then there can be no sin now, for “sin is the transgression of the law,” 1 John 3:4, and “is not imputed when there is no law.” Romans 5:13. And if there is no sin, there can be no punishment impending, and all men will be saved. Those texts, therefore, which speak of the “wrath of God,” and the “indignation,” “torment,” and “destruction,” to be visited upon sinners, are made of no effect. There is no one so much of a Universalist as he who claims that the law of God is abolished. SITI July 24, 1884, page 442.2

2. The text says that Christ is the end of the law “to every one that believeth.” The necessary inference is that he is not the end of the law to unbelievers. Those, therefore, who claim that the apostle by the expression “end of the law” means abolition of the law, must teach that the law is abolished only for Christians; that is that the law binds worldlings, but that Christians are under no obligation to it. And so it would follow that while an act performed by an unbeliever might be in violation of the law, and therefore a sin, the same act performed by a believer would be perfectly justifiable. We trust that there is no one who would hold to so monstrous a theory as this, yet that is a legitimate deduction from antinomian claims. SITI July 24, 1884, page 442.3

3. If Paul, in Romans 10:4 means that the law is abolished for believers, it would follow that it has been abolished as many times as there are Christians, being done away every time a man is converted; and further, that whenever any believer falls away, and loses his faith, the law is for him re-enacted! The absurdity of this just conclusion must convince every one of the absurdity of the premise. SITI July 24, 1884, page 442.4

4. Again: From the parables of the wheat and the tares (Matthew 13), we learn that both righteous and wicked are to remain together on the earth until the end of the world. We know also that both classes have existed since the fall. It follows, therefore, from antinomian interpretation of Romans 10:4, that the law of God always has been, and will be until the end of time, both abolished and in full force at the same time! This is the climax of absurdity, and shows conclusively that whatever may be the meaning of Romans 10:4, it certainly does not teach that any part of God’s Law is, or ever will be, abolished, either for Christians or unbelievers. SITI July 24, 1884, page 442.5

And now as to what the text really does mean. The word “end” is often used in the sense of “object” or design. Thus in James 5:11 we read, “Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord.” No one supposes that this means the end of the Lord’s existence, but the object of the Lord in allowing Job to suffer affliction. In like manner we understand Romans 10:4 to teach that Christ meets the design of the law to those who believe. In order to understand how he does this, we must consider the end or design of the law. SITI July 24, 1884, page 442.6

In Romans 7:10 the apostle says that the commandment (meaning the whole law) “was ordained to life.” That is, if man had never violated the law, it would insure his eternal life. This is what the Saviour said to the young man in Matthew 19:17, as previously noticed. In the next verse to the one under consideration (Romans 10:5) we read the same thing: “For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, that the man which doeth those things shall live by them.” But while this is true, the fact presents itself that no man has kept the law (Romans 3:9, 19, 23), and that in his natural condition no man can keep the law, because “the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” Romans 8:7. How, then, can any one obtain eternal life, which the law was designed to bestow? The answer is, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16. “The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23. The law was “ordained to life;” Christ is our life (Colossians 3:4), and is therefore the end of the law. SITI July 24, 1884, page 442.7

But this is only the result. It might be asked, “Does Christ accomplish this result for us, by freeing us from obligation to keep the law?” We answer, No; for since only those who do the commandments shall live by them (Matthew 19:17; Romans 10:7), it follows that no one can receive eternal life if he continues to violate them. Therefore since the object of the law was to give life, it must follow that it was also the design that it must be kept. So we read in 1 Timothy 1:5 that “the end of the commandment is charity,” etc. “Charity” is but another name for “love,” and this rendering is given in the Revised Version. But “love is the fulfilling of the law” (Romans 13:10), or, as John says, “This is the love of God, that we keep his commandments.” 1 John 5:3. We might therefore paraphrase 1 Timothy 1:5 thus: “Now the object or design of the commandment [or law, see verse 9] is that it should be fulfilled, or scrupulously kept.” This is self-evident; for whenever any law is given, it is certainly the design of the maker that it shall be kept. SITI July 24, 1884, page 442.8

We have already seen that no man has attained this end. “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” From past sins we are “justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” Romans 3:21. But being justified through faith in Christ, we are still dependent on him, for without him we can do nothing.” John 15:4, 5. It is only by abiding in him that we are able to bear fruit. And this is why the apostle says of the Jews that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. “For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.” Romans 10:3. The righteousness of God is his law (Isaiah 51:6, 7), and the apostle means that the Jews, being zealous toward God, and desiring to serve him by keeping his commandments, had sought to do so in their own strength, and had failed. Their zeal was good, but their knowledge was deficient, in that they did not perceive that only in Christ could they hope to attain perfection. SITI July 24, 1884, page 442.9

To all believers, Christ is made “wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption.” 1 Corinthians 1:30. Not by freeing them from obligation to keep the law, for then he would be to them, not righteousness, but unrighteousness, or, in other words, would become the minister of sin. Without him our best efforts are failures; with him to strengthen us, we can do all things; and when at last we stand before God holy and without blemish, “not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing,” it will be because we have been made “complete in him.” SITI July 24, 1884, page 442.10

We think it must be evident to all that Romans 10:4 can be pressed into antinomian service only by mutilating to the extent of leaving out the statement that Christ is the end of the law to believers only, and to them for nothing except righteousness, or obedience to it. This subject will be considered still further in the light of other scriptures, in another article. E. J. W. SITI July 24, 1884, page 442.11