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Basic Discipleship
Written by Dr. Lester Hutson

This material is copyrighted c2002 and may not be copied or reproduced without the express written permission of the Berean Baptist Church.

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PHASE 3             CHURCH ORIENTATION AND EDIFICATION

SESSION 17

OUR BLESSED HOPE

        This is the last session in Phase 3 of this Basic discipleship training course.  With this session, your disciple will have taken a more than passive look at several of the most fundamental, anchor truths of true Bible Christianity.  This particular study is the final look at 10 key doctrinal issues, although this whole study is doctrinal by its very nature.  The great apostle Paul wrote to Titus concerning a vocational minister that he hold, “fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers” (Titus 1:9).  The idea here is to ground those who take this course in “sound doctrine.”  As you have doubtless observed by now, we are doing it by constant exposure of each disciple to scriptures.  In these studies he must go there and see the truth for himself.  He is not being told what to think; he is being sent to God’s word to hear it straight from the Lord.  Do not underestimate the power of God’s word.  Hebrews 4:12 declares of it, “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

        Never forget, dear Discipleship Minister, that your assignment is to help your disciple get hold of these precious truths and make them his very own.  You want him to learn and be able to stand alone.  He must become less and less dependent on you (or any mortal).  He must learn to stand alone and how to lean directly on the Lord.  Until these truths become his very own, that will not happen.

        You should point out to your disciple at this point that he is, with this assignment, completing Phase 3 of his discipleship training.  This is a big mile-stone and a significant accomplishment.  He has stayed focused and faithful and is to be commended.  By now you should see substantial growth in your disciple and you should tell him so.  Be an encourager.  Everyone needs encouragement.  You should point out to your disciple that after this assignment the emphasis of the studies will be more and more on application.  Doctrinal truth is of little consequence unless it finds daily practical application in the lives of God’s people.  After this session, your disciple enters Phase 4 (the final phase) of this training and there are only 13 more sessions.

        It is my hope that you are feeling a good sense of accomplishment at this point.   You should.  You are a part of something of lasting, eternal consequences.  Realization of that fact and observance of the change for the
better that is occurring in your disciple should thrill your soul.  Discipleship Minister, I am personally thankful to God for you!

        This is a good time for a serious time of thanksgiving and rejoicing with your disciple.  Pray with him and thank God for his progress.  He needs to hear it from you as you talk to God on his behalf.

                With this study you complete Phase 3 of this Basic Discipleship training course. You are aware that for several weeks we have been looking at the doctrine of your church. We have not covered all of it and you won't in your lifetime. We have looked at some of the most fundamental doctrinal positions taught in the Bible. This tenth doctrinal study is one of the most thrilling and exciting of all. Our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who died, was buried and raised again for us ascended into heaven where "he ever liveth to make intercession" for us (Hebrews 7:25). One of these days, He is coming back to take us where He is. When He does life for us will dramatically improve beyond description. His return is called "that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ" (Titus 2:13). As good as things will be for believers, they will be equally bad for unbelievers.

THE RETURN OF JESUS CHRIST

                With great anticipation and joy, the return of Jesus Christ is mentioned repeatedly in the New Testament. Some of those passages are listed below. 

                Match the correct passage with the quote or idea in the first column. This is only a sampling of the many verses. 

  1.   "This same Jesus ... shall so come in like  manner as ye have seen him go into heaven"  (4) Mat. 26:64   

  2.   "If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again"        (3) Titus 2:13

  3.   "Looking for that blessed hope... the glorious appearing of ... our Saviour Jesus Christ"        (1) Acts 1:11 

  4.   "Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man... coming in the clouds of heaven"        (6) Mat. 24:27,36 

  5.   "Unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation"        (2) John 14:1-3

  6.   No man knows the exact moment when Jesus Christ shall return        (9) James 5:8 

  7.   "Behold, I come as a thief"        (7) Rev. 16:15

  8.   "For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry"        (11) Col. 3:4 

  9.   "Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts:   for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh"        (5) Heb. 9:28 

10.   "For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour"        (14) 2 Thes. 1:7-8 

11.   "When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory"        (8) Heb. 10:37 

12.   "When the chief Shepherd shall appear,  ye shall receive a crown of glory"        (10) Phil. 3:20 

13.   "We know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him"        (12) 1 Pet. 5:4 

14.   Christ's second coming will be a terror to unbelievers        (13) 1 John 3:2

A CHRONOLOGICAL LOOK AT THINGS TO COME

                To give yourself a somewhat chronological walk through the major events that are ahead, look up these scripture passages, then answer the multiple choice questions. 

  1.   2 Timothy 3:1-13.        Before the return of Jesus:

        A.    The world will gradually get better until it turns to a paradise on earth.

        B.    Ungodly men and general ungodliness will progressively worsen.

        C.    There will come a time of general and lasting peace.

        D.    Things will not return to a paradise on earth, but they will definitely improve. 

  2.   1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.      One of these answers is false. Please identify.

        A.    At some point toward the end, Christ shall return to catch His saints up to be with Him. This event is called The rapture of the saints.

        B.    Dead saints will be raised and given new bodies.

        C.    Living saints will be transformed into spiritual bodies & united with all other saints.

        D.    The event described in this passage will be a slowly developing event that will probably take many years to complete.

  3.   1 Corinthians 15:41-58   One of these answers is false. Please identify.

        A.    The saints of God will be changed from mortal to immortal.

        B.    By the power of God, the saints of God shall be instantly changed.

        C.    Mortal death has been conquered by the resurrected Christ.

        D.    People are merely animals like cattle and they have no hope beyond the grave. 

  4.   Matthew 24:3-29.        One of these answers is false. Please identify.

        A.    Just before the return of Christ, world conditions will worsen on many fronts.

        B.    Most of the people on earth will realize what is happening and be fully expecting the return of Christ.

        C.    At the end the world will enter into a time of "great tribulation."

        D.    The world has never seen miserable conditions to compare to those of the great tribulation. 

  5.   Daniel 9:24-27.        Daniel prophesied concerning the tribulation. Which of these answers regarding his prediction is incorrect?

        A.    The tribulation period would be a time of indeterminate length.

        B.    Based on the part of the "seventy weeks" that has already been fulfilled, the tribulation will be seven years in length.

        C.    The first sixty nine weeks of this prophecy extended literally from the commandment to restore and build Jerusalem to the death of Jesus Christ.

        D.    Daniel's abomination of desolation referred to by Jesus Christ in Matthew 24:15 will occur in the middle of Daniel's 70th week or three and one-half years into the tribulation. 

  6.   1 Corinthians 3:12-15.        At some future point, believers must account to God for their stewardship while on earth. One of the following answers regarding that accounting is incorrect. Which one is it?

        A.    At this Judgment Seat of Christ there will be a general judgment of believers and unbelievers.

        B.    Many people believe this judgment will be occurring in heaven at the same time that the tribulation is occurring on earth.

        C.    At this Judgment Seat of Christ only the saints of God will be the subjects of judgment.

        D.    At this Judgment Seat of Christ the works of the saints will be judged in view of rewards. 

  7.   1 Thessalonians 5:1-8.        Which of the following answers is false?

        A.    The return of the Lord should be a great surprise for believers.

        B.    The return of the Lord should not be a great surprise for believers.

        C.    The return of the Lord will occur at a time when men are speaking of "peace and safety."

        D.    The prospect of the return of Christ should stimulate every believer to holy living and fruitful service. 

  8.   2 Thessalonians 2:1-10.        Which of the following answers is false?

        A.    During the seven year tribulation period, a very wicked individual shall rise to world power.

        B.    This wicked individual shall exalt himself above all that is called God and demand that earth's populace worship him.

        C.    This wicked individual will have miracle-working powers and he will deceive a great many of the earth's populace into following him.

        D.    This wicked individual will be very tolerant of those who oppose him. 

  9.   1 John 2:18.         The wicked world dictator who shall emerge during the tribulation is called:

        A.    Antichrist.

        B.    That man of sin.

        C.    That Wicked.

        D.    The son of perdition. 

10.   Revelation 13:1-18.        Which of the following answers is false?

        A.    The Antichrist will be a very kind individual.

        B.    The Antichrist will force the people of the earth to take a mark in their foreheads or in the palms of their hands. If they refuse, they will be beheaded.

        C.    Without this mark of the beast no one will be able to buy nor sell.

        D.    The tribulation will truly be a reign of unparalleled terror on earth. 

11.   Revelation 16:16.  The seven year tribulation will end with the mother of all battles. It is called:

        A.    The battle of Gog and Magog.

        B.    World War III.

        C.    The battle of Armageddon.

        D.    The final Star Wars. 

12.   Revelation 14:9-20.        Which of the following answers is false?

        A.    During the battle of Armageddon in a large area near Jerusalem, blood will flow in depth "to the horses bridles."

        B.    The world will know chaos and terror beyond anything it has ever experienced.

        C.    Those who worship the beast and his image and who receive the mark of the beast will be tormented forever.

        D.    The Jehovah's Witnesses will see their dream of 144,000 come true. 

13.   Revelation 19:11-21.  The seven year tribulation period will also end:

        A.    With the personal return of Jesus Christ in great power and glory.

        B.    The total defeat of the Antichrist and all who follow him.

        C.    The exaltation of Jesus Christ.

        D.    Victory for the saints of God. 

14.   Revelation 20:1-6.        Which of the following answers is false?

        A.    The battle of Armageddon will be immediately followed by a personal 1,000 year reign on earth by Jesus Christ.

        B.    A general judgment of the entire human race including saved people and lost people.

        C.    During the 1,000 year reign of Christ, Satan will be bound in the bottomless pit.

        D.    During the 1,000 year reign of Christ, the saints of God shall reign with Him. 

15.   Revelation 20:7-15.        Which of the following answers is false?

        A.    At the end of the 1,000 year reign of Christ, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison.

        B.    Once Satan is loosed, he will go forth in the earth to deceive the nations.

        C.    During his 1,000 incarceration in the bottomless pit Satan will learn his lesson and come forth a repentant and changed being who will submit himself to the service of God.

        D.    At some point after Satan has gone forth for "a little season" the unsaved will all appear before God at the great white throne judgment for final sentencing and eternal banishment into the lake of fire. 

16.   Revelation 21-22.        Which of the following answers is false?

        A.    After the great white throne judgment God will usher in a new heaven and a new earth.

        B.    All of the miseries and problems that came with sin and the great curse of Genesis 3 will be reversed.

        C.    All of the saved will spend eternity with God in the indescribably wonderful place which He has prepared for them.

        D.    People are cosmic accidents, the product of random selectivity (evolution) and all of this talk about a tribulation, a battle of Armageddon, a millennium and heaven is mere religious superstition. 

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

                Please keep in mind that this brief trip through the scriptures concerning the second coming of Christ and other future events has been very incomplete and sketchy. The time and space of a study such as this does not allow it to be comprehensive. It is intended to establish a general understanding. 

1.   Considering what you have seen here in light of worsening world conditions, meditate on why the scriptures call the second coming of Christ our "blessed hope."

2.    In view of what's coming how do you feel about your friends and loved ones who are unsaved?

3.    These and other scriptures do not give every detail concerning future events. Consider some of the dangers and pitfalls over-zealous people encounter when they attempt to deduct and project from the scripture more than they actually reveal.

4.    What response should these prophetic prospects provoke in you?

"It Does Make a Difference What You Believe"