Correction of Mistaken End-times Expectations (1)

The Apostle Paul sought to correct errant thinking in the church regarding the second coming of Jesus Christ. Some had wrongly believed that the Lord’s return was imminent. Paul taught them that two events must occur before Christ’s second coming will take place. Now most evangelicals today believe that the second coming of Jesus Christ will occur in two stages, the rapture of the church that will come first at the beginning of a future 7 year tribulation period. The second stage of the second coming will be at the end of the 7 year tribulation. This is a fairly recent innovation in the understanding of biblical prophecy, its popularity dating at the end of the 19th century. Our notes set forth the historic Protestant, or reformed view, of one second coming at the end of the age. We will also begin to consider the historic reformed view that the antichrist was the papacy of the Roman Catholic Church. We will address this more fully next Lord’s Day, Lord willing.