THE COMING OF CHRIST: A DEBATE EASILY WON (published 10-5-2019)

Addendum on Resurrection Sunday, 4/5/2026: For a fuller commentary on the AD 70 doctrine (or preterist view) please see also the later article, The AD 70 Doctrine Debunked (published 5-7-2025; article #524).

Introduction

Earlier today, the Appalachian Irishman very bravely made a rare venture into his social media (“Farcebook”) account. I wasted time ignoring the reposts of posts, strange third-party reposts, advertisements, marketplace advertisements, and “friend” recommendations.

I, however, happened to see a post by a man, with whom I had attended Tennessee Bible College (fall of 1983 to spring of 1984). This article is about what I found.

The Upcoming Debate

This man will debate another man on 10/11-12/2019 regarding whether “the second and final coming of Christ took place in the fall of Jerusalem in 70 AD” or “is yet [to be] future.” I was interested.

My “Intrusion” into the Debate

This article serves as my “intrusion” into the upcoming debate. Let me see. I just reread, for who knows how many times, 1 Corinthians, chapter 15.

Certainly, several other texts prove that Christ's second coming is in the future, but this chapter is sufficient. The inspired apostle Paul stated as a part of his eloquence in that chapter:

For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority, and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. (1 Corinthians 15:22-26, NIV)

Do you see how easily I won?

The second coming of Christ is future, unless anyone has seen:
– that death has been destroyed (from the above quote),
– the visible return of Christ in the clouds (see Rev. 1:7),
– the resurrection of all the dead (see 1 Cor. 15:51-53; 1 Thess. 4:16-17),
– and the “twinkling of an eye” transformation of all still alive at his return “at the last trumpet” (1 Cor. 15:52)!


By the way, aren’t people still unfortunately dying every day?

Conclusion

Let’s see. The physical remains of my parents, both sets of my grandparents, my uncle Bobby (who died in infancy), all my aunts and uncles, my mother-in-law, and many, many others remain in their graves.

I’m still standing here. I ain’t breathing hard. Furthermore, I have not been transformed “in the twinkling of an eye.” I certainly would enjoy that transformation, since my “bionic” joints (surgically reconstructed left shoulder, right knee, and right foot) are “talking to me” today!

Do you see, therefore, how easily I have won this upcoming debate with this brief intrusion? Isn't time supposed to end at Christ’s second coming? What time is it now?