[270]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – THE HOPE OF THE CHURCH
The coming of the Lord Jesus for His people and His Church is called “the blessed hope” in the AV and is translated this way in the NASB – {{Titus 2:13 “looking for THE BLESSED HOPE and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Saviour, Christ Jesus.”}}.
The coming of the Lord for His Bride will be the greatest blessing bestowed on the Church which He purchased for Himself in the joy that was set before Him. Hebrews 12:2.
The hope of the Church is for her final salvation when all the redeemed are in the Lord’s presence, and she is saved from the very presence of sin forever.
I am firmly convinced of the Rapture for the Church and have written a lot on that subject. The Rapture is almost here as all the signs needing to be set in place are there in place. Israel is the greatest hand on the time clock of God’s program. The Rapture is followed by the Tribulation that ends at the Second Coming. It is the Rapture that is the hope for the Church.
This world is not a pleasant place even though some in it might live in idyllic conditions, but enlarge your vision and look at the suffering and chaos in the world. Don’t you want to see that end? It ends at the Second Coming but gets worse until then.
Even so, come Lord Jesus.
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THE HOPE OF THE CHURCH
The radiant Church one day will be
Removed from earth to glory on high;
Raptured from out of this sinful scene;
Never to hear persecution’s cry.
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Jesus our Lord is coming again;
Coming to rapture His ransomed Bride.
That is the glorious hope we seek
To be with our Lord, close to His side.
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He loved the Church, and for it, He died.
Redeeming love was the depth He showed.
The Lamb of God paid for our release
That day He walked the Calvary road.
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The wonders of heaven are supreme
And transcend all earth’s limitations.
The joy and peace and tranquillity
Will then be ours, free from temptations.
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Evil will proceed from bad to worse,
But the Church possesses heaven’ly hope
For we are citizens of the Light,
Not of this darkness, wherein men grope.
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Our gracious Lord will remove us from
The great Tribulation that proceeds
Once the Church and Holy Spirit leave,
And the world to Antichrist secedes.
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Through faith, hope is anchored in the One
Who has recreated us anew.
The glorious Church will honour Christ –
He, the mighty Lord, will bring us through!
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Ronald E Ferguson 25 January 2022 Metre = 9 throughout ABCB