Jesus Will Appear a Second Time

Have you ever had a passage in Scripture confound you?  What I mean by this is that no matter how many times you read the passage, or ask others to explain it, it still does not make sense.

For me, one of those passages used to be Hebrews 9:28.  Here are three different translations:

So Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him. (NIV)

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. (KJV)

So also, after Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many,  to those who eagerly await him he will appear a second time, not to bear sin  but to bring salvation. (NET)

There is no doubt from these translations that Christ Jesus will return a second time (hallelujah!).  It is also clear that He is not coming to bear the sin of the world, which He already did for us so lovingly on the cross at Calgary.

We can also exposit from this passage that there is a salvation that He will bring to those who look for His second appearing.  This salvation must be different from the salvation that we receive when we believe in Jesus Christ, which assures us of eternal life and is something that can never be taken away.

Context is everything when studying Scripture, and I believe the verse that appears before Hebrews 9:28 sheds light on the writer’s meaning.

Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, (NIV)

The writer is referring to the judgment seat of Christ.  We read in
2 Corinthians 5:10:

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

It appears that the salvation that the writer of Hebrews is referring to is a future salvation — salvation of the soul.  Salvation of the spirit is a free gift that is not based on our works (lest we should boast) and assures us of eternal life.  I believe this future salvation that Jesus brings without sin refers to the rewards that believers who look for His second appearing will (or will not) receive when they stand before Him at the judgment seat (see Revelation 2:10, 1 Peter 5:2-4, 1 Thessalonians 2:19-20, 2 Timothy 4:8, and 1 Corinthians 9:25-27).  I also believe this future salvation determines whether we will rule and reign with Christ during His Millennial Kingdom (see Romans 8:17, 2 Peter 3:8, Revelation 20:4).

Peter’s words refer to salvation of the soul being future in 1 Peter 1:3-9:

³ Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, ⁴ and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, ⁵ who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. ⁶ In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. ⁷ These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. ⁸ Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, ⁹ for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls. (NIV, emphasis added)