There are many perceptions regarding the return of Jesus Christ. Some are expecting an antichrist to appear and make life worse before Jesus can return. Many are anticipating Jesus will come in a future time as a visible person, to force God’s will on everyone and institute a utopian reign of God.
Yet, many people sense they are experiencing the presence of Jesus daily, as the enabling presence of God that is with us, among us, and in our midst. So, is Jesus already here or is He yet to come?
God’s Abiding Presence
When the natural realm began, God spoke and His expressive word created our ever expanding universe with its “heavens and earth.” (a) [See endnotes for Scriptures, NASB] Then millennia’s latter, two thousand years ago, God spoke and His expressive word came and impregnated Mary. This began forming the baby Jesus, who became known as “Immanuel, which means “God with us.” (b) During His three years of ministry, Jesus was seen and known as God’s Christ (anointed one).
In those days John the Baptist called people to repent and display their decision by being baptized in water. The Greek word translated ‘baptize’ means ‘immerse’. John proclaimed Jesus is “the one who baptizes (immerses) in/with the Holy Spirit.” (c) Jesus immerses us in God’s Presence!
Jesus even told followers “After a little while the world will behold me no more; but you will behold me.” (d) How would this be? Jesus was to return as the abiding presence of God’s Spirit! After the death and resurrection, perceptions of Jesus began to change. He was more than God’s anointed one, in flesh; Jesus was now appearing as the presence of God’s Spirit.
Nearly forty days after the resurrection, Jesus ascended out of natural sight to again function; “with the glory which I had with You (Father) before the world was,” (e) as God’s spoken expression, His word. Angels even proclaimed “He…will come in just the same way as you have watched him go,” as a presence of Spirit. (f)
He said, “I will never desert you, nor…forsake you.” (g) A few days later, Jesus returned as the baptizing presence of “the Father and the Son,” (h) to be with us as Holy Spirit. He even promised to be with them and us as the abiding presence of the Father and Son: “My Father will love…and We will come…and make our abode…as the helper, the Holy Spirit.” (i) And while God cannot be seen with the natural eye, our spiritual senses can see, hear, and feel His expressions.
Jesus immerses us in God’s Presence!
Understanding Presence
Peter explained to observers on that Day of Pentecost that they were witnessing what the prophet Joel prophesied: “God says…I will pour forth of My Spirit upon all mankind…I will in those days pour forth of My Spirit.” (j) That very day, as a notable and very visible illustration, Jesus immersed over 3,000 people in God’s Spirit. (k) What a delight to know the spoken word of God, that became the visible Jesus, returns to us as the Spirit of God that immerses us in the Eternal One’s presence.
Since that Day of Pentecost, Jesus has been with and among us as God’s expressive Voice, which we recognize as God’s Holy Spirit! Saul, who became Paul, persecuted followers of Jesus until a great light appeared and he heard a Voice say; “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.” (l) Jesus came to Paul as the Voice of God, to change his perception of God and His ways. (m)
Paul later declared: “We have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know him thus (in this way) no longer.” (n) Paul’s declaration was not just for that day, it was for all time.
It is easier to grasp this when 
we realize the Greek parousia is a combination of para which means ‘near, with’ and eimi which means ‘to be’. Parousia means “to be near, with” as a presence. Along with several Greek words, it has been translated as “coming.” However, the KJV had to translate it accurately twice. Once of Paul, “his bodily presence is weak, and his speech is contemptible” (o) and once by Paul, “not in my presence only, but now much more in my absence.” (p)
Affirming clarity appears when the Greek parousia is translated in verses as “presence.”
“Strengthen your hearts, for the presence of the Lord is at hand.” (q)
“He who is present ‘will come’ (Greek heko, has come).” (r)
“We made (make) known to you the power and presence of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (s)
“That lawless one will be (is) revealed…by the appearance of His presence.” (t)
“What will be (is) the sign of your presence, and of the end of the age (these times)?” (u)
“In the presence (Greek – in front) of our Lord Jesus at his presence.” (v)
Jesus came to Paul as the Voice of God, to change his perception of God and His ways.
The Revelation of Jesus
In those early days, the revelation that Jesus was now appearing as the anointing and enlightening presence of God’s Spirit was difficult to receive. The multitudes who saw Jesus as the anointed one complicated their ability to see Jesus as the presence of God’s expressive Spirit that ‘is’ with us.
Jesus said God’s Kingdom reign is not something the natural eye is able to see. However, some believers in New Testament times, like today, looked for a physical return of Jesus to forcefully establish a natural style kingdom reign in the earth. They asked “Where is the promise of His presence (parousia) for…all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation?” (w)
As John began writing his book of Revelation, he addressed the misconception with “The revelation of Jesus Christ.” John acknowledged the angel who spoke with him was “Jesus Christ…the firstborn from the dead.” (x) John also reported the Voice was “The Lord God, who is and was and is ‘to come’ (Greek – erchomai, coming).” (y) John’s book finishes with “Yes, I ‘am coming’ (erchomai) quickly.” (z) The coming of Jesus as the presence of God is not delayed, He comes!
We should also note, the word ‘second’ is linked only once in Scripture to the return of Jesus: “So Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, shall appear a second time for salvation, without reference to sin, to those who ‘eagerly await’ (Greek – look for) him.” (aa) This should inspire us to “look for” Jesus to come to us as God’s abiding presence.
Instead of waiting for Jesus to come, we want to realize how fully Jesus, as God-in-Christ, is with us today. He abides with us, among us, and in our midst as the presence of the Holy Spirit. As the Spoken expression of God, Jesus wants to “write His Laws in our minds and on our hearts.” (bb)
As the presence of God, Jesus heals our sickness, feeds our hunger, satisfies our thirst, strengthens our weakness, embraces our unloveliness, and delivers us from enslavement. He is with us to assist our transformation into better images and likenesses of His character, attitude, and personality.
God is one and His three expressive personalities are from the Eternal One. God is not limited by our perceptions or put off by our approach to Him as our Father, as Jesus, as Holy Spirit, or any other visual we may have. He listens to the intent of our heart, as we call on Him.
May this reality encourage and empower each of us to arise and be all God desires us to be!
Instead of waiting for Jesus to come, we want to realize how fully Jesus is with us today.
a) John 1:1-4; 2 Corinthians 4:6; Genesis 1:1-3; b) Mathew 1:18-22; John 1:14; Like 1:30, 35; Matthew 1:20-21; c) John 1:33; Mark 1:8; d) John 14:19; e) John 17:5;John 1:1-4, 14; f) Acts 1:11; g) Hebrews 13:5; h) Acts 2:1-7, 32-33; John 14:9-11; i) John 14:23-26; j) Acts 2:17-18; k) Acts 2:33, 41; l) Acts 9:3-7, 17-18; 26:14-15; m) Galatians 1:11-18; n) 2 Corinthians 5:16; o) 2 Corinthians 10:10 KJV; p) Philippians 2:12 KJV; q) James 5:8; r) Hebrews 10:37; Matthew 11:3; s) 2 Peter 1:16; t) 2 Thessalonians 2:8; u) Matthew 24:3; v) 1 Thessalonians 2:19; w) 2 Peter 3:4; x) Revelations 1:2-6; y) Revelations 1:8; z) Revelations 22:20; aa) Hebrews 9:28; bb) Hebrews 8:10, 13; 10:16;
Keith Carroll, “The Relationship Guy”
Relational Gospel Founder
Created To Relate author