Full Question
What will Christ do first when he returns?
Answer
He will assemble all those who are responsible to judgment, living or dead. The dead he will bring from their graves; the living, he will gather by his angels. They must all appear before his judgment seat, that they may receive through the body according to what they have done in this present life.
Proof:
“ Jesus Christ shall judge the living and the dead at his appearing.” (2 Tim 4-1.) “ Many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake.” (Dan. 12-2) “ And shall come forth, they that have done good to the resurrection of life and they that have done evil to the resurrection of condemnation.” (John. 5-29). “W e shall not all sleep . . . We who are alive and remain shall be caught away together with him in the clouds.” (1 Cor. 15-50; 1 Thess. 4-17). “W e must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ that everyone may receive the things in body according to that he hath done, whether good or bad.” (2 Cor. 5-10.) “ We shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.” “ Every one of us must give account of himself unto God.” (Rom. 14:10-12).
The foregoing is from The Instructor, (pages 50-53.) It was first published in August 1886 by Robert Roberts. See The Christadelphian, 1886, p. 374. It is “sound speech which cannot be condemned,” and is commended to the notice of those who have gone out from us alleging change of doctrine on our part, and their own adherence to what they call “the old basis.”
(Taken from the Christadelphian of 1910, pages 507-508.)
There is also another question in our Instructor concerning the end of the thousand years reign of Christ, (page 58, question 149) which I think we will all be interested in.
“The Valley of the Shadow”