That’s an important and insightful topic in apologetics. So I can best assist you with understanding the tension of Christ’s return, what are you primarily hoping to do in our discussion today? For example, are you looking for me to provide a detailed explanation of something, explore how a particular Christian truth is defended, or perhaps help you refine arguments related to it?
I would like you to teach me about it.
Understood. This is a crucial and fascinating area of eschatology that has practical implications for every believer. I will now proceed to teach on the tension between Christ’s imminent return and the concept of delay, addressing the points you outlined.
To begin, let’s establish the biblical foundation for both aspects.
First, regarding Christ’s imminent return, the New Testament frequently portrays His coming as something that could happen at any moment, calling believers to a constant state of readiness.
For example, in Matthew, Jesus Himself states:
“Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.” (Matthew 24:34 ESV)
This verse, nested within Jesus’ Olivet Discourse, speaks to the certainty and perceived nearness of His return. While interpretations vary regarding “this generation,” the primary thrust within the broader context of Matthew 24 is to underscore that the signs given are harbingers of an event that will decisively and certainly occur. It imbues a sense of immediacy and calls for watchfulness, as the culmination of God’s redemptive plan is sure and forthcoming.
Similarly, Paul exhorts believers to live in light of Christ’s soon return:
“Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.” (Romans 13:11-12 ESV)
Here, Paul emphasizes the urgency of their salvation’s consummation (“salvation is nearer”) and the imminent arrival of “the day.” This isn’t a call for speculation about the timing, but a strong motivation for ethical living and spiritual wakefulness, driven by the understanding that the Lord’s return is perpetually “at hand.” It frames the Christian life as living in the dawn of a new age, compelling believers to shed the old ways of darkness.
And James likewise warns and encourages:
“You also, be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.” (James 5:8 ESV)
James highlights patience not as an endorsement of delay, but as a virtue required precisely because the Lord’s coming is “at hand.” This phrase, also used by Paul, reinforces the near-at-hand expectation of Christ’s advent. The encouragement to “strengthen your hearts” suggests that this imminence should produce steadfastness and hope, not anxiety or a cessation of normal life, but an orientation of eager expectation.
These passages collectively paint a picture of a Christ who will return, and whose return should be anticipated as potentially immediate, shaping the life and outlook of every believer. This understanding of imminence is crucial for grasping one side of the tension.
Do these initial explanations of biblical imminence make sense, and would you like me to elaborate on any of these passages before we move to the concept of “delay”?