Ⅲ
If the Lord’s second coming is precious to us, we will love His appearing — 2 Tim. 4:8:
Ａ
Loving the Lord’s appearing and loving the Lord Himself are inseparable — 1 Cor. 2:9; 2 Tim. 4:8.
Ｂ
If we are waiting for the Lord to come, we should be those who love His appearing — 1 Thes. 1:10; 2 Tim. 4:8.
Ｃ
The Lord’s appearing, His coming back, is a warning, an encouragement, and an incentive to us — vv. 1, 18:
１
We should love the Lord’s appearing and look forward to it with earnest expectation and joy — Rev. 22:20.
２
We should have a living that loves the Lord’s appearing; this causes us not to be discouraged but to remain faithful to the end — 2 Tim. 4:8; Rev. 17:14.
Ｄ
Loving the Lord’s appearing is in contrast to loving the present age — 2 Tim. 4:8, 10:
１
An age is a part, a section, or an aspect of the world system of Satan, which is used by him to usurp and occupy people and keep them away from God and His purpose — 1 John 5:19; 2:15.
２
In 2 Timothy 4:10 the present age refers to the world that surrounds, attracts, and tempts us; we cannot contact the world unless we contact the present age of the world.
３
Demas loved the present age; due to the attraction of the present age, he forsook the apostle Paul — v. 10.
４
In Romans 12:2 Paul exhorts us to not be fashioned according to this age but to be transformed by the renewing of the mind:
ａ
This age in verse 2 denotes the present, practical part of the world, which stands in opposition to the Body life and replaces the Body life — vv. 4-5.
ｂ
To be fashioned according to this age means to adopt the modern fashions of the present age; to be transformed is to allow an organic element to be wrought into our being, thus producing an inward metabolic change — v. 2; 2 Cor. 3:18.
ｃ
Because the present age opposes the church, which is God’s will, we must not be fashioned according to it — Rom. 12:2.
ｄ
If we are to live in the Body of Christ, we should not follow the present age or be fashioned according to this age or conformed to it — vv. 4-5.
５
If we love the present age, we will take sides with the world; if we love the Lord’s appearing, we will take sides with Him and fight with Him for His interests — 2 Tim. 4:1-2, 4-8, 10.
Ｅ
Those who love the Lord, wait for His coming, and love His appearing will overcome — 1 Cor. 2:9; 2 Tim. 4:8; Rev. 22:20; 17:14.
Ｆ
Loving the Lord’s appearing is a proof that we love the Lord and live for Him today; hence, it also becomes a condition for us to receive His reward — 2 Tim. 4:8, 18.
Ｇ
To love the Lord’s appearing does not mean that we should not live a normal life; rather, the more we love His appearing, the more we need to live a normal life today — Matt. 24:40-42; 2 Thes. 1:10; 3:6-12; 1 Tim. 5:8.
Ｈ
As those who love the Lord Jesus, take Him as our life, live Him, and magnify Him, we should await His coming and love His appearing; this should be our heart’s desire and our living as those who hope to enter into His joy, be saved into the Lord’s heavenly kingdom, and receive the crown of righteousness — 2 Tim. 4:8, 18.
Morning Nourishment
2 Tim. 4:1 I solemnly charge you before God and Christ Jesus...and by His appearing and His kingdom.8 …There is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, with which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will recompense me in that day, and not only me but also all those who have loved His appearing.
18 The Lord...will save me into His heavenly kingdom, to whom be the glory forever and ever...
To love the Lord’s appearing and to love the Lord Himself are inseparable. If we truly love the Lord, we will love His appearing. All those who love the Lord and forsake everything for Him love also His appearing, that they may receive His reward; those who do not love the Lord, but love the world or love sin, are afraid of the Lord’s coming. Therefore, loving the Lord’s appearing is a proof that we love the Lord and live for Him today; hence, it also becomes a condition for us to receive His reward. (Truth Lessons—Level Two, vol. 1, p. 157)
Today’s Reading
The crown is a symbol of glory given as a prize, in addition to the Lord’s salvation, to the triumphant runner of the race (1 Cor. 9:25). This prize is neither of grace nor by faith as salvation is (Eph. 2:5, 8-9), but of righteousness through works (Matt. 16:27; Rev. 22:12; 2 Cor. 5:10)…. Hence, it is the crown of righteousness. The One who awards it is the Lord as the righteous Judge, not as the merciful God or the gracious Redeemer. Paul was assured that such a prize was reserved, laid up, for him and would be awarded to him at the day of the Lord’s second appearing.Paul says that such an award will be given to all who love the Lord’s appearing. The Lord’s appearing, His coming back, is a warning, an encouragement, and an incentive to us. We should love it and look forward to it with earnest expectation and joy. By it, the apostle charged Timothy to fulfill his ministry (2 Tim. 4:1-2, 5).
The crown of righteousness of which Paul was assured is the incentive to the inoculator. If we are faithful to the healthy word of the truth and if we are faithful inoculators to dispense the ingredients of the divine inoculation [against the decline of the church] into Christians today that they may return to the full knowledge of the truth, this reward will be given to us at the time of the Lord’s appearing. This means that if we are faithful to the Lord’s ministry, we shall receive the crown of righteousness as our reward.
There is a great deal of talk among Christians today concerning the Lord’s second coming. But not many believers realize that when the Lord Jesus comes back, He will not come as the merciful God or as the gracious Savior, but as the righteous Judge. Christians should be warned and encouraged to prepare themselves to stand before this Judge. I hope that many among us will take up the burden in this dark age to bring such a solemn charge to the Lord’s people. We all need to receive this charge before God and before the Lord Jesus, the One who will judge the living and the dead. We must declare the fact that when the Lord comes back, He will be the Judge of all, both believers and unbelievers. According to Matthew 25, all of the Lord’s servants will have to give an account to Him. The Lord will either say, “Well done, good and faithful slave” (v. 21), or, “Evil and slothful slave” (v. 26). In His righteousness the Lord will decide whether or not we receive a reward.
We should not think that the Lord’s appearing will merely be a time of rapture and excitement. It will also be a time of great solemnity for every believer in Christ. This was the reason Paul charged Timothy by the Lord’s appearing and His kingdom. May we all give heed to this solemn warning. (Life-study of 2 Timothy, pp. 62-63)
Further Reading: CWWL, 1990, vol. 3, “The Vision of the Divine Dispensing and Guidelines for the Practice of the New Way,” ch. 4; Truth Lessons—Level Two, vol. 1, lsn. 12