While God’s judgment awaits his people, this judgment is not unto condemnation, but unto vindication in Christ (Deuteronomy 32:36; Psalm 50:4; 135:14; Romans 8:1; Hebrews 10:30). Beloved, we have been justified in Christ by his blood, more so, we shall be saved from the impending wrath of God on sinners (Romans 5:9-10; 1 Corinthians 1:18). However, it is not only the redeemed ones that are longing for redemption, but the whole creation itself is also longing to be renewed.

Niyi Osundare’s famous poem teaches that much wisdom lies in living today in anticipation of tomorrow. To ensure “tomorrow,” Osundare says, “it is meet to live on herbs and grains today.” Unfortunately, health and wealth gospel preachers stand as the “prodigals” portrayed in Osundare’s poem, whose belly is their god. They have led many to falsely believe that the gospel primarily attends to material benefits, rather than the restoration of holy communion with God that endures the various hardships and suffering of this present age. They exhort their people to get as much as they can now, instead of anticipating God’s glorious consummation of all things. 

The Bible teaches that this age is headed towards Jesus Christ’s second coming. But what are we to anticipate when Christ returns? How does it give hope today? In this article, I give a cursory view of three things that the Bible teaches concerning Christ’s return to consummate history. First, Christ will bring retribution against sinners. Second, he’ll redeem his people. Lastly, Christ will renew all things.

1. Christ Brings Retribution on Sinners

In the Apostles’ Creed, we confess that after Jesus Christ rose from the dead “he ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty, from there he shall come to judge the living and the dead” (see 2 Timothy 4:1). By his substitutionary atonement, Christ dealt with sin and death once for all (Hebrews 9:26b; 1 Peter 3:18). However, he is coming back in the fullness of his glory to judge unrepentant sinners. This judgment is righteous, true, just, impartial, and inscrutable (Psalm 7:11-12; 50:6; 96:10; Isaiah 33:22; Ecclesiastes 3:17; Matthew 25:31; John 5:30; 7:24; 2 Thessalonians 1:5; 2 Timothy 4:8; Revelation 16:7; 19:2).

Many arguments have been made concerning the nature of Christ’s thousand-year reign of judgment and the timing of Christ’s return (Revelation 20). It is, however, beyond doubt that God hates unrepentant sinners. And when Christ returns, they will experience the wrath of God in its fullness (Psalm 5:4-6; 11:4-7). And the clearest form of Christ’s retribution is casting them into the lake of fire (Isaiah 66:15-16; Matthew 25:41; 2 Thessalonians 1:7b-10; Revelation 20:15; 21:8). 

God is “holy, holy, holy” (Isaiah 6:3). The unrighteous will not escape God’s fire of fury at Christ’s second coming, for they are storing up wrath for themselves on the day of wrath by their unrepentant lifestyle (Psalm 1:5; Ecclesiastes 12:14; Romans 2:5). Therefore, believers must not envy the ungodly, because their supposed flourishing is short-lived, and Christ’s retribution awaits them at his appearing (Psalm 37; Proverbs 24:1-2, 19-20). But what hope is there on the day of retribution for us sinners who have sought refuge in Christ? Redemption!

2. Christ Will Redeem His People

The doctrine of the consummation can be understood in terms of ‘the already, not yet.’ The ‘already’ points to God’s redemptive work, accomplished in redeeming sinners through the suffering, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

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