Advent Testimony Address
Thursday Afternoon, December 13th, 1917
Letter from the Rev. A. C. Dixon, D.D.
METROPOLITAN TABERNACLE,
Newington Butts, S.E.1.
December 10, 1917.
Dear Dr. Meyer,
I very much regret that an engagement of long standing, which takes me to Cardiff, prevents me from being present at this “Advent Testimony” Meeting, for I would like to call attention to what seem to me, as I study the Scriptures, to be “Twelve certainties concerning the return of our Lord.”
- It is certain that He will return, for He said, “I will come again,” and He surely meant what He said.
- It is certain that no one but God knows when He will return, though the present world crisis points to its near approach.
- It is certain that He will return in His resurrection body, for the two men in white apparel said to the disciples, as they saw Him ascend: “This same Jesus shall so come in like manner, as ye have seen Him go into Heaven.”
- It is certain that He will return suddenly and unexpectedly, for “as the lightning cometh out of the East and shineth even unto the West: so shall the coming of the Son of Man be.” "Behold, I come as a thief.” “In such an hour as ye think not the Son of Man cometh.”
- It is certain that He will return gloriously. “The Son of Man shall come in His glory and all the holy angels with Him.”
- It is certain that, when He returns, He shall find the world going on in its usual course of pleasure-seeking, business, and sin. “For as in the days that were before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah; entered into the ark, and knew not until the flood came and took them all away. So shall also the coming of the Son of Man be.” “Likewise also, as it was in the days of Lot: they did eat, they drank, the bought, they sold, the planted they builded. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of Man shall be revealed.”
- It is certain that He will return for His people, for the dead in Christ shall rise first then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.”
- It is certain that He will return with His people, for “Behold, He cometh with ten thousand of his saints.” Then will He establish His Kingdom on earth, and begin His Millennial reign.
- It is certain that between His coming for His people and His coming with His people some great world events will take place, as predicted in the Scriptures.
- It is certain, therefore, that we ought to be expecting His return for His people at any moment.
- It is certain that this “Blessed Hope” of the Lord’s return for us at any moment makes us, not mystical dreamers, but faithful servants, for we turned to God from idols to serve the Living and True God, and to wait for His Son from Heaven. The true Christian is one who serves while he waits.
- It is certain that the hope of Christ's return constrains us to purity of life, for “we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is: and every one that hath this hope in Him purifeth himself, even as He is pure.” In the joyful hope that the Lord may return for us at any moment,
l am, very cordially yours,
(Signed) A.C. DIXON.