The Second Coming of Christ
As taught in the Lutheran tradition
The visible return of Jesus Christ in glory to judge the living and the dead.
In the Lutheran tradition, the doctrine of the Second Coming—the Parousia—is not merely a final chapter in a chronological timeline of world events; it is the culmination of the Gospel itself. To ask what the Second Coming answers is to ask how God finally vindicates His Promise made in the Garden, ratified in the blood of Christ on Calvary, and delivered through Word and Sacrament in the life of the Church. Within the Lutheran framework, eschatology is strictly Christocentric. It is the "Blessed Hope" (Titus 2:13) that stands in stark contrast to the speculative "end-times" charts often found in modern evangelicalism.
By the end of this lesson
- **Identify** the distinctively Christocentric nature of Lutheran eschatology, moving away from speculative chronologies toward a focus on the person and work of Jesus Christ.
- **Distinguish** between the "already/not yet" tension of the Christian life, explaining how the Second Coming resolves the current hiddenness of the Kingdom of God.
- **Explain** the Lutheran rejection of Chiliasm (Millennialism) as articulated in the Augsburg Confession, Article XVII.
- **Articulate** the significance of the "like manner" return of Christ from Acts 1:11, defending the physical and visible nature of the Second Coming.
- **Trace** the relationship between the Second Coming and the General Resurrection, showing how the return of Christ is the catalyst for the restoration of the body.
- **Defend** the use of the Nicene and Apostles' Creeds as the historical boundaries for a faithful understanding of the Last Things.
- **Apply** the doctrine of the Second Coming to the liturgical and devotional life of the believer, specifically regarding the "Advent" posture of the Church.
- **Compare** the Lutheran "Amillennial" (or Realised Millennial) position with Dispensational Premillennialism, highlighting why the latter is considered a distraction from the Gospel.
Scripture
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