Hebrews 9:28 "unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation
Acts 3:19 "That your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; and he shall send Jesus Christ.. whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.
Dear Christian Brothers and Sisters,
There is a question raised about salvation not needing the second coming of Christ to be fulfilled in Christ's people. This is a common misconception that points straight at the Futurist resurrection problem - failure to see A.D.70 as the end of the world of the Old Covenant.
The Old Covenant had not yet been abolished, at the time of the writing of the New Testament. So long as the temple still stood, and the sacrifices were continually offered, the Old Covenant still stood. (Note: The shaking of the one is the shaking of the other - Heb 12:25-29)
The Bible teaches that the plan of redemption was to be fulfilled in the "parousia" return of Christ (I Cor. 15:22-23).
Christians were still waiting for eternal salvation after the Cross and Pentecost. The earnest expectation of the believers in the "last days" of the Old Covenant "age" had not yet been realized. They had not yet been "further clothed" with the redemption for which they were waiting (II Cor. 5:2-4).
This earnest expectation was, as Paul wrote, that "not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our bodies." (Rom. 8:23). Many try to teach that this is in reference to a purely physical redemption (i.e. redemption of their bodies), but this is an error. Scripture teaches the grand redemption to refer to salvation in Christ:
Acts 3:19 "That your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; and he shall send Jesus Christ.. whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began."
I Thess. 5:8-10 "But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him."
I Peter 1:9-10 "receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you."
In other words, the believers (whether alive or "asleep") were waiting to be redeemed from spiritual death (cf. Gen 2:17) and the grave, which victory was not yet given at the cross, or at Pentecost (cf. I Cor. 15:54-57) - and that it was going to be given only at the return of Christ.
This point is evident throughout the New Testament. Numerous verses relative to the believers "enduring to the end to be saved", and the like (Matt. 10:22; Heb 6:4-6; Heb 10:26-31, II Peter 2:20- 22, etc.), punctuate the fact that no man prior to the parousia was ever redeemed from death or the grave- they were waiting for the great judgment day, when the "dead in Christ would rise," and Christ would declare, "Come, ye blessed of my father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world."
Those who point to a physical resurrection in a spiritual body also miss the greater significance of "the body" in Scripture. Consider, for instance, that we are part of "the body of Christ." We members of His body, flesh and bones -- all very germaine to the study of which "body" is being raised.
But not even going that direction (yet), we can see that the "creature" referred to, as earnestly expecting redemption, is simply that to which Paul referred in Romans 6, as being the "old man," or the "man of sin". Conversely, in Galatians 6:15, Paul declares that those who are redeemed are "a new creature." This conversion, however, would not find its completion or fulness until the return of Christ. I Corinthians 15:22,23 directly says as much:
"For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at His coming."
1) Resurrection in this passage is "being made alive" (redemption)
2) Being made alive does not happen until His coming
An important point: Using the example of Hebrews 11:39,40, is that the Old Testament saints were not given the promised inheritance of everlasting life, at the time of the Cross:
"And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise, God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect."
This is consistent with a number of verses (some of which we are about to see), which declare that the inheritance was still earnestly expected AFTER the cross, and Pentecost. This is consistent with the Old Testament shadow of the high priest entering the holy of holies, and then coming out again, for to declare the sufficiency of the offering, and the atoning of the people. Our high priest presented himself before the Father, and returned to bring salvation with Him. For those who say this was accomplished at the resurrection, they are contradicting the clear statement of Scripture, in the book of Hebrews:
"Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens..
"For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us..
So as Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation." - Hebrews 8:1; 9:24,28
One immediate ramification of this position is the effect that it has in establishing the long-debated doctrine of the perserverance of the saints. The number of verses that seem to teach that one can lose their salvation must be considered in light of the time-frame in which they were written (i.e. pre A.D. 70). Nobody had yet been redeemed; therefore, one did not lose their salvation in that day, they just never received it, when redemption was brought with Christ from heaven at His second coming.
This is a very important point, as this leaves today's Christians with only two possible considerations: 1) That the same endurance is necessary for maintaining salvation today, or 2) That the redemption, for which they were earnestly waiting, has already occurred!
The elect of the Old Testamentary times were also awaiting of reception of the promises. This is of the utmost significance, as it is assumed that they, of all people, received the entrance into the kingdom at the time of the cross.
Hebrews 11:16 "But now they (the fathers) desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city." (cf. vv. 39-40)
Here are some more passages pointing to the futurity after the cross:
Luke 21:19 "In your patience, posses ye your souls."
Luke 21:28 "When these things begin to come to pass, lift up your heads, for your redemption draweth nigh."
Acts 3:19 "That your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; and he shall send Jesus Christ.. whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things (cf. Luke 21:22,32), which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began (cf. Rev. 10:7).
Romans 8:17-18 "And if children, then.. joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be (mello - about to be) revealed in us."
I Cor. 15:53-54 "For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory ."
II Cor. 5:2-5 "For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven.. For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but further clothes upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.
Galatians 5:5 "For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith."
Ephesians 1:14 "ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest (down payment) of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession"
Philippians 1:19 "For I (Paul) know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ."
Philippians 2:12 "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling."
I Thess. 5:8-10 "But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him."
Titus 1:2 "In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began."
Hebrews 9:28 "unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation
I Peter 1:4,5 "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 (just as in the OT) unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time."
I Peter 1:9-10 "receiving the end of you faith, even the salvation of your souls. Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you."
I Peter 1:13 "Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ."
Summation: The grand drama of the plan of redemption in the first century extended beyond the initial working of Christ's death, burial and resurrection. That was the basis for what was coming next! The believers were awaiting His return in their generation to supply salvation long-awaited, as well as to supply judgment upon those who refused Christ. In A.D.70, the nation of Israel was destroyed, fulfilling both. We now live in the presence of the Father as in the Garden -- seeing Him face to face.
Thanks!