“Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you saw Him go into heaven.” — Acts 1:11 (BSB)
“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a loud command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will be the first to rise. After that, we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will always be with the Lord.” — 1 Thessalonians 4:16–17 (BSB)
“But the Day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar, the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and its works will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to conduct yourselves in holiness and godliness as you anticipate and hasten the coming of the day of God.” — 2 Peter 3:10–12 (BSB)
“Behold, I am coming soon, and My reward is with Me, to give to each one according to what he has done.” — Revelation 22:12 (BSB)
The Scriptures make it clear that no one knows the exact time of His return—“not even the angels, nor the Son, but only the Father” (Matthew 24:36). Therefore, Christians are not called to speculate but to remain watchful, prepared, and faithful. The Book of Common Prayer reflects this vigilance in the Advent collects: “Give us grace that we may cast away the works of darkness… and put upon us the armor of light.” The Christian life is to be lived in hopeful anticipation of Christ’s return.
At His return, Jesus will raise the dead, judge all people, and establish a new heavens and new earth. The faithful will enjoy eternal communion with Him, while the unrepentant will face eternal separation. The hope of Christ’s return is not just about the end of history but the fulfillment of God’s promises, the vindication of His people, and the completion of redemption. As 1 Thessalonians 4 proclaims, “we will always be with the Lord.”
This promise of return shapes Christian mission and ethics. Knowing that Christ is coming again calls believers to live holy and godly lives, bearing witness to the truth of the Gospel. As the Thirty-Nine Articles affirm in Article IV, Christ “ascended into Heaven, and there sitteth, until He return to judge all Men at the last day.” Conservative Anglican voices like Bishop J.C. Ryle emphasize the practical nature of this doctrine: “Uncertainty about the date of the Lord’s return is calculated to keep believers always awake, always watching, and always ready.”
The Church today lives in the “already and not yet” of Christ’s Kingdom—knowing that He reigns now, but that His final and glorious reign is yet to come. The Church’s task is to proclaim His Gospel faithfully and await His coming with joy. As the final words of Scripture remind us, “Behold, I am coming soon” (Revelation 22:12). The faithful response remains, “Even so, come, Lord Jesus.”
Clement emphasized the unknown time of Christ’s return and the need for vigilant faith.
St. Justin Martyr (c. 100–165 AD) proclaimed: “He shall come again from the heavens in glory with His angelic host, when He shall raise all the flesh of mankind and clothe the just with immortality, and send the wicked, covered with eternal fire, into punishment.” — Dialogue with Trypho, 52
Justin underscored the bodily, visible return of Christ and the final judgment.
St. Irenaeus of Lyons (c. 130–202 AD) wrote: “When in the end the Church shall be suddenly caught up from this, it is said, ‘There shall be tribulation such as has not been since the beginning, neither shall be.’ For this is the last contest of the righteous.” — Against Heresies, 5.29.1
Irenaeus saw the Second Coming as the culmination of the Church’s struggle and final vindication.
St. Cyril of Jerusalem (c. 313–386 AD) taught: “We preach not one coming only of Christ, but a second also, far more glorious than the former. The former was a manifestation of suffering; the latter brings the diadem of a divine kingdom.” — Catechetical Lecture 15.1
Cyril affirmed that Christ’s first coming was in humility, but His second will be in majesty and glory.
St. Augustine of Hippo (354–430 AD) wrote: “He who came in humility will come in glory. He who came to be judged will return to judge. He who stood before a human tribunal will summon the whole world before His own tribunal.” — Sermon 18
Augustine powerfully contrasts Christ’s first coming with His second, stressing the universality of His future judgment.
An Anglican Catechism (Expanded) offers over 350+ Scripture-based answers to the core truths of the Christian faith. Each entry includes biblical texts, theological insight, and reflections from historic and contemporary Anglican voices. Rooted in the classical tradition, it is designed for teaching, discipleship, and spiritual formation.
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