NICHOLSON MISSION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22100, 2 November 1933, Page 11

NICHOLSON MISSION

“We are here to-night to hear about the second coming of Christ, not His first coming to earth, but His return,’’ said the Rev. W. P. Nicholson in his address before a very large audience in the Town Hall last night. The Scripture reading was from Daniel 2. Mr Nicholson chose as <his text Hebrews 0: 27-28, “As it appointed unto men once to die, and after this the judgment, so Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many, and unto them that look for Him shall He appear the second time without sin unto salvation.”

“There are in the world to-day people who say, 'where is the promise of His coming? ’ but despite human failure to solve the problem God’s Word remains true. The evidences given by the prophets of the Old Testament were very definite upon the fact that He would come and set up His Kingdom on earth. The Jews denied that Jesus Christ was the Son of God, but they look for the coming of the Messiah. Christ Himself said, ‘lf Igo away, I will come again,’ and He could not fail to honour His own promise. The evidence of angelic beings predicted that Christ would come in the flesh, and this has happened. They also said at Christ’s ascension, 'that this same Jesus Whom ye have seen go into Heaven, will so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into Heaven.’ The apostles in their writings leave 400 references to Christ’s return for His saints. “It is incredible to think,” said Mr Nicholson, “that this prominence would be given to Christ’s return if it were not imminent and real. All the early Christians believed in the pre-millenial return of Christ, and all the creeds of the churches to-day acknowledged it. If there are those present to-night,” said the missioner, “who have not heard of the coming of Christ, the five-fold evidence just stated should be sufficient assurance to enable them to believe it. Pre-millenial-ism stands for the infallibility of the Bible, the absolutely Diety of Christ, and His substitutionary death for salvation. I am glad I am a pre-millenialist because it acknowledges man’s total depravity and the salvation Christ alone can give to fallen men. Governments to-day are on the downward trend from theocracy, to autocracy, to democracy and dictatorship and there will be no peace or good government until Christ comes again.” It was significant to note that no nation had the dove as its national emblem as they realised how hard it was to preserve peace. God was concerned with the minutest details of everybody’s life and looked for response amongst His creatures to Christ. Some had contended that the descent of the Holy Spirit was the return of Christ, but this theory had to be discounted when it was recounted that the . Gospels were written after the Holy Spirit 'had come, and in these the coming was spoken of as still a future event separate from Pentecost, None of the predicted happenings had occurred yet in history. Again some held that conversion was the second coming, but conversion was a sinner coming to Christ not Christ coming for the sinner. Again the Scripture was definite, saying, “ The Lord Himself shall descend from Heaven and receive ug to Himself.” Others contended that when a Christian died that was Christ’s return, but Stephen saw Christ standing at the Throne of God. not coming for him. Substituting the word “ death ” in the place of Christ’s return would show that argument was untrue. Death was an enemy to all, but the coming of Christ could not be said to be an enemy. Then the destruction of Jerusalem had been thought to be the second coming. This theory had arisen from the text where the disciples had questioned Christ about His return, but they had asked three separate questions and He had given them three distinct answers. The Book of Revelation was written long after the destruction of Jerusalem, and still spoke of the coming again of Christ as a future happening. The diffusion of Christianity and the spread of the Gospel could not be mixed with the return of Christ._ “The coming of Christ is a crisis, and civilisation is a process, the coming of Christ is sudden and civilisation is a progression, and Christ’s first coming means salvation. His return will be for justice on all who have refused Him,” said the speaker. There were those also who believed in a post-millenial coming—-a kingdom without a king. Christ’s coming would not usher the world into millenial blessedness, but there would first be a period of terrible wickedness before His reign in perfect sovereignty on earth. “As it was in days of Noah, so shall it be in the days of

the coming of Christ,” was a scripture which showed the state of the earth at the prophesied return. There was nothing to support the belief that the nations of the earth would be all converted in this age. Christ said “Watch, for in such an hour as you think not, I will come again.” The business of every minister of God was to preach the Gospel of Christ in order that ncople might be converted and ready for Christ when He came. There was no guarantee ns to how soon Christ would be, but- He said, “ If I go away I will come again.” The missioner’s appeal was, “ The signs everywhere are of His imminent return. Are we ready? ” The meeting to-night will be held in the Concert Chamber, the subject being “Judas Iscariot,”