The verses in this article form the basis of this Spiritual Second Coming teaching.
Before beginning this study, I would like to draw attention to the fact that Jesus said “It is Finished”, as His torture was being completed.
With that in mind, recognize that there is only one portion of scripture that mentions Jesus coming to us for salvation (Heb 9:28) after His crucifixion. That portion of scripture is Acts 3:19-21.
Additional occurrences of the “Coming of the Lord” are for disciplinary purposes or judgment.
When Jesus was in the Body that was prepared for Him He was connected to the Father through the Holy Spirit.
Joh 10:30 I and my Father are one.
Joh 17:21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
Believers now have in this life the ability to be connected with the Father just as Jesus was while He was on earth.
Joh 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
Heb 10:5 shows that Jesus did not have a body until He needed one to accomplish His ministry on earth.
Hebrews 10:5 KJV — Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:
At the end of His physical earthly ministry, He prayed that He could again be united the Father as He had been united with Him before He came to earth, Jn 17:5.
John 17:5 KJV — And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.
He did not have a body before He came to earth. Then in John 17:5 He asked the Father to bring about His pre-incarnate relationship, which was one in which He had no physical body.
The Father is omnipresent or present everywhere, and Jesus asks for glorification with the Father in John 17:5.
Ephesians 4:10 KJV — He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.
This is how Jesus “fills all things”: He unites with the Father who has always been omnipresent.
Jesus asked to be clothed with or put on the Father when He said “glorify me with thyself”.
Similarly, we are to put on Christ or put on “immortality” while in this physical/mortal body, 1 Cor 15:53.
2 Corinthians 5:6 KJV — Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:
Jesus is now in in His pre-incarnate/Glorified form with the Father. When we are with Him in the Body we are connected to the Father just as He was while on earth, which was through the Holy Spirit.
We will be present with Jesus when we leave this body, as Jesus was on Mount of Transfiguration, where Luke tells us that Jesus was in Glory, Lk 9:32.
Lu 9:32 But Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep: and when they were awake, they saw his glory, and the two men that stood with him.
1 Corinthians 15:53 KJV — For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
A study of the word “Spirit” from 2 Cor 3 will also confirm this concept.
2Co 3:3 and you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.
2Co 3:6 ¶ who has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant, not in a written code but in the Spirit; for the written code kills, but the Spirit gives life.
2Co 3:8 will not the dispensation of the Spirit be attended with greater splendor?
2Co 3:17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
2Co 3:18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being changed into his likeness from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.
(RSV)
Jesus is now Spirit as the Father is Spirit.
The following paragraphs illustrate related topics –
Re 1:7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.
Revelation 1:7 tells us that “Every eye will see His Coming”, but Hebrews 9:28 tells us that Jesus comes only to those who love His appearing.
Heb 9:28 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.
This means that when the Bible says “every eye will see Him” it is not referring to Jesus Coming for their salvation.
Just as Jesus is called the “Everlasting Father” in Isaiah 9:6, He is also called the “Spirit” in 2 Cor 3:17. Not that they are all the same person, but that each is part of the whole. Daniel 2:45 and John 14:28 illustrate the relationship between the members of the trinity.
Dan 2:45 Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure
Jn 14:28 Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.
2Co 3:17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
2Co 3:18 (RSV) And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being changed into his likeness from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. Ro 8:29; 1Co 13:12; 15:49; 2Co 4:4,6; Col 3:10; 1Ti 1:11
This is what Paul referred to when He said “henceforth” or in the future, there is a crown of righteousness laid up for him. The Glory of God appears to be His goodness, Ex 33:18-19.
Ex 33:18 And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory.
Ex 33:19 And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.
In the future, Paul could look forward to being able to do what God considers to be the right thing, and deny ungodliness.
Although when He wrote Romans 7:17-24 He was not able to deny ungodliness and do what God thinks is right. He was looking forward to a time when He would be enabled to deny “sin” through looking at the glory or goodness (Ex 33:18-19) of Jesus.
Ex 33:18 And he (Moses) said, I beseech thee (Lord), shew me thy glory. 19 And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.
This “enabling” is a process of progressing from glory to glory as we look at Jesus, 2 Cor 3:18.
2Ti 4:8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
Christians are to look for His appearing, Titus 2:13. His appearing is only seen by Christians, and He appears to us for the first time at His Second Coming mentioned in Acts 3:20. As we keep our eyes focused on Jesus we progress from glory to glory.
Ac 3:20 And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you:
Christians are to continue to look for His appearing even after the initial Second coming mentioned in Acts 3:20. This illustrates that His appearing within His people grows as they put on Christ.
Rm 8:18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
This is the transformation mentioned in 1 Cor 15:52.
1Co 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling/casting of an eye, at the last trump (this refers to continued attention towards Jesus, who is the Last trumpet): for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.