Come, Lord Jesus
How should the return of Christ compel Christians today? In Come, Lord Jesus, John Piper presents meditations on the second coming of Christ.
Glory and Love
Piper begins his book by showcasing the glory of the second coming of Christ. He ties it to our hearts and how we are to love his appearing (2 Timothy 4:6-8). This is a careful and worshipful work.
I was most thrilled to read in Chapter 5 about the grace that will be brought to us at the revelation of Christ. When Christ comes, it will be terrifying. He brings condemnation for those who have rebelled against him. But for those who are his, he brings grace. His heart disposition towards us is love. After I read this, I couldn’t help but worship, and I was inspired to work harder for the Kingdom as we wait for his return.
Physical and Spiritual Perfection
I was most moved to read in Chapter 7, where Piper speaks on how we will be perfected at Christ’s second coming. While I tend to stress the physical aspects of being perfected, Piper helped me anticipate the spiritual aspects of perfection. “Both physical resurrection and spiritual transformation are essential for God’s ultimate purposes to be fulfilled. His people must undergo both bodily and moral perfecting.”
As always, I appreciate Piper for tackling difficult questions. In Chapter 11, he answers how we can rejoice in the hope of our diverse rewards at the appearing of Christ: (1) We will have no condemnation, (2) every good will be rewarded, (3) no faithful suffering will go unrewarded, (4) we will be able to experience loss sinlessly, (5) your greater reward will be part of my joy, and (6) we will have increased capacity for joy in God. Piper thinks through the issues thoroughly, biblically, and critically.
Timing and Implications
Piper also answers the question of the timing of Christ's return. He proves that Jesus did not teach that he would return within one generation, and he goes on to show that it is safe to say that the second coming is potentially near. Piper reveals why he believes there is a second coming of Christ, and that “the pretribulational position cannot offer compelling support for the view that the New Testament teaches an any-moment return of Jesus.” According to 2 Thess. 2:3, the man of lawlessness must come before Christ’s appearing.
The last section of the book is intensely practical, with applications to the fact that Christ commands us to watch, be awake, be alert, be ready, and take heed. I was most challenged to see that we must continue doing our earthly work faithfully, and that it becomes increasingly more important for Christians to meet together and go to church as we see the day drawing near. We continue to pray for missions and for Christ to come as a consummation of his Kingdom.
Enter Into Joy
Personal fellowship with our Savior is something we can all anticipate. It will be joyous like a wedding feast. We will enter into the joy of our master. I can’t help but love and long for his appearing.
I received a media copy of Come, Lord Jesus and this is my honest review. Find more of my book reviews and follow Dive In, Dig Deep on Instagram - my account dedicated to Bibles and books to see the beauty of the Bible and the role of reading in the Christian life. To read all of my book reviews and to receive all of the free eBooks I find on the web, subscribe to my free newsletter.