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828 RELIGIOUS ENCYCLOPEDIA Second Advent
Those that surrender themselves to him he includes in his unseen fellowship, so that, although they live in the flesh, they no longer essentially belong to the present world (Gal. i. 4). They are, by virtue of their membership in the body of the living Christ, though in the world not of the world, but translated into eternity (John xvii. 11, 14 sqq.; Eph. ii. 2, 5 sqq.). Such expressions as these are not meant figuratively in the New Testament, but serve to describe an unseen reality which is future in so far as it has not yet entered the domain of tangible appearance, but is present in so far as it exists behind the visible world and is accessible to faith. The only thing yet looked for is the episode transforming the mystical fellowship of the Head and members into the actual. This will result in Christ's return designated as parousia (Matt. xxiv. 3, 37, 39); or erchetai, "he cometh" (Mark xiii. 26; Rev. i. 7, xxii. 7, 20); but, from an earthly viewpoint better expressed as a "revelation," "coming," or "appearance" (Luke xvii. 30; I Cor. i. 7).
As evidence how inseparably associated with New-Testament faith the expectation that Christ must, from his focus of the redemption of souls, carry it out to its utmost consequences, stands the fact that in all the varying doctrinal
5. Com- types of the New Testament, the pounded in blessing of salvation is everywhere the flew described as present and future. The Testament. "salvation" of the primitive apostolic mode of expression is to be realized at the return of Christ, but for the "saved" (Acts ii. 47) it is a reality dominating present life, since it is guaranteed by the Spirit and by personal relation to the exalted Christ (ii. 38; I Pet. iii. 21). The Johannine "eternal life" is certainly a present possession, but instead of being conceived as im manent it is to await its perfection and reduction to form in the future (John xvii. 3, vi. 40). As cer tainly as Paul's experience of justification forms the present and actual basis of the Christian life of faith so certainly is it adapted to eschatological concep tion. "Justification" is awaited as an acquittal in the final judgment (Gal. v. 5; Rom. viii. 30). It is a "giving of life" (Gal. iii. 21), the operative as surance of the favorable outcome of the final judg ment. Salvation is by hope (Rom. viii. 24); so also adoption is partly a future reality (Gal. iv. 5; Rom. viii. 15). The eschatological element comes for ward no less in the thoughts of Jesus on the king dom. However, he who accepts it in the present is received within its secure protection (Mark x. 15). The perfected kingdom is identical with the future world; it is a "kingdom of heaven." As the future world, according to the apocalyptic view, opens with the appearance of the Messiah, so also the kingdom of God on earth is at hand when the Messiah ap pears; the King is the kingdom. The force of Luke xvii. 20 is to rebuke the manner of judging by signs and seasons, and does not negate the main point of receiving the present revelation of the kingdom in order to gain admission to its complete future devel opment. Already evidences appear. The power of Jesus over demons demonstrates that he has wrested the dominion of the world absolutely from Satan (Matt. xii. 28-29). His own are now con-cealed in the community of the kingdom (Col. i. 13); its complete realization is only a matter of time. The reign of God which shall come with power, contrasted with its first weak appearing (Mark ix. 1), is only its unfolding, just as Christ who as the Son of God was established with power seems, but was not, a contradiction of the Christ crucified (Rom. i. 4).
The significance of the parousia consists in finally bringing about this transformation; the surviving tension between center and circumference is re moved. A complete termination of earthly history is expected. The Son of Man unrecognized on earth shall appear again unmistakably in 6. The a glory that shall bring terror to his Parousia. enemies and perfect redemption to his faithful (Matt. xxiv. 27, 30). The offenses shall be removed from his kingdom, and the chosen shall be gathered and reunited into an eternal community of glory (Matt. xiii. 31, 40, 49 sqq.). History, however, must first be fulfilled to the extent that the Gospel shall be preached to all nations (Matt. xxiv. 14). The preaching of the Gospel serves only as a testi mony; the final deliverance will appear no more as developing out of humanity than the first, but as an act of God entering from without. The coming of the Son of Man is cataclysmic. The human race of all periods of history shall be sum moned for judgment. The belief in a general resurrection of the dead is implied with this expec tation (John v. 29; Rev. xx. 11 sqq.). The ap pearance of Christ as judge of the world is a step beyond Jewish apocalyptic literature. In the New Testament he has become the representative of God on earth, not in an incidental matter but to actualize in history and person God's revelation of grace. Apart from all metaphysical statements, the "power" of Jesus is adequate to forgive sins, to establish the basis for the coming judgment (Mark ii. 10). Standing at the center of humanity whence access to God is only through him, the fate of every individual rests on him. Its consummation is postponed to the end of the world in agreement with the history of Christian faith, inseparable as it is from transcendence. If Jesus is the expression of the purpose of God in the history of revelation, then his personality as Savior and Judge must also stand at the goal of this history (Matt. xi. 27, xxvi. 64). The day of Yahweh becomes the day of Jesus Christ (I Cor. i. 8, v. 5), and Christ's seat of judg ment is that of God (II Cor. v. 10; Rom. xiv. 10).For believers the significance of the parousia lies in the consummation of that which they already possess within themselves; after the salvation of the soul comes the complete salvation of the body (I Cor. xv. 43 sqq.). Even impersonal creation, as the scene of redeemed humanity, shares in the transformation. A new heaven and a new earth in which all contradiction between inner and outer is overcome appears in place of the old (Rev. xxi. 1). Not a nebulous ideal world is pictured, but the new Jerusalem coming down from heaven has all the characteristics of reality, though without the elements of the earthy (xxi. 2).
Whether these thoughts on the second advent necessarily fit together harmoniously from the given