The Three Appearings of Christ - All The LORD is near Daily Devotionals for 2024

To those who eagerly wait for [Christ] He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.
Hebrews 9:28 NKJV

The Three Appearings of Christ
There are three appearings of Christ associated with the full aspect of salvation found in Hebrews 9:24-28. These three appearings have a past, a present, and a future bearing.

1. "He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself" (Heb. 9:26). This happened in the past. It is an objective, historical work outside of ourselves which was done on our behalf by Christ. He was born to this end; "He appeared," and He finished that work by the sacrifice of Himself on the cross and all which it entails.

2. Christ has entered "into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us" (v. 24). Christ was not a priest on earth with an earthly tabernacle made with hands, which was only a "copy" of the true. He entered into heaven itself. And, blessed be His name, it was "for us." He was our Substitute on earth, but now He is our Representative in heaven.

3. In the future, Christ "will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation" (v. 28). Our verse today shows the culmination of Christ's work of salvation for the believer. We often think of salvation as the time when we first confessed Christ. Indeed the moment we believe in Christ we are justified and receive the gift of eternal life. But the Scriptures clearly show that our full salvation will not occur until He comes for us and transforms our bodies. We are still waiting for this aspect of salvation (Rom. 13:11; Eph. 1:14). Christ's coming for us will be apart from any question of sin; He has already dealt with that. For the unsaved, however, there is death, and then the judgment (Heb. 9:27). He appeared to die for us, He now appears to live for us, and He will appear again to fetch us.

-- Brian Reynolds