There are many perceptions regarding the return of Jesus Christ. Some people expect Jesus to come as a visible person in a future time, instituting a utopian type of reign, forcing God’s will on the world. This is similar to the expectations when the physical Messiah came 2000 years ago.
Some expect an antichrist to come and make life much worse before Jesus arrives. Many people actually feel they are experiencing the presence of Jesus as the presence of God that is with us, among us, and in our midst. So we ask, is Jesus here or yet to come?
A Spiritual Presence
In the beginning of natural time, God’s spoken Word (Greek logos) created the material universe with its elevated heavens and earth. (a) (see endnote scriptures)
After many millennia, just two thousand plus years ago, God’s spoken expression (logos) impregnated the womb of a woman. This action began to form the baby Jesus, who was to be called Immanuel, which means “God with us.” (b)
Before Jesus was anointed for ministry at the age of 30, John the Baptist called people to repent and change their ways. Their decision was publicly displayed by being baptized in the Jordan River. When John saw Jesus, he declared this is “the one who baptizes (Greek-immerses) in/with the Holy Spirit.” (c)
During three years of ministry Jesus was known as the Christ (anointed one), for God was clearly with him! As his physical ministry came to an end, Jesus said, “after a little while the world will behold me no more; but you will behold me.” (d) How would this be?
After his death and resurrection, Jesus began appearing to his followers as a spiritual presence. Perceptions of Jesus began to change. He was more than the anointed man they had known. Forty days after the resurrection, the visual presence of Jesus ascended out of natural sight.
Angels proclaimed that “he will come in just the same way as you have watched him go,” (e) as a presence of spirit. The spoken expression (logos) of God that lived as a man returned to the Father, to function “with the glory which I had with You (Father) before the world was,” (f) is the spoken expression of God.
Jesus had said “I will never desert you, nor…forsake you.” (g) He also proclaimed “If anyone loves me…My Father will love him, and ‘We’ will come…and make ‘Our’ abode with him…the helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name…will teach you.” (h)
The spoken expression of God, that became Jesus Christ, left physical sight and returned a few days later to dwell with us as Holy Spirit, the presence of the Father and the Son. (i) Jesus had also said “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him.” (j)
Now we see and come to know the Father by viewing the personage of Jesus Christ. The Spirit of our heavenly Father and of His expression Jesus Christ comes to be with us as the Holy Spirit. Jesus is with us as a spiritual presence!
The Spirit of our heavenly Father and of His expression Jesus Christ comes to be with us as the Holy Spirit.
A Saving Presence
Peter explained to observers that they were witnessing what God promised through Joel. “God says…‘that I will pour forth of My Spirit upon all mankind…I will in those days pour forth of My Spirit.’” (k)
As a very visible illustration in Jerusalem of the Spirit of God being poured forth, just as John had foretold, Jesus immersed over 3,000 souls in the Holy Spirit. (l) God’s Word (expression) that became the personage of Jesus returns to dwell with us as the immersing and abiding presence of God’s Spirit.
The highly educated Saul persecuted followers of the appearing Jesus until a great light appeared and he heard a Voice say “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.” (m) The voice of Jesus spoke as the Voice of God and changed Saul’s perception of God and of His ways. (n)
Saul became the Apostle Paul who later 
declared “We have known Christ (the anointing) according to the flesh (Jesus), yet now we know him thus (as a physical man) no longer.” (o) Paul’s declaration was not just for that day, it was for all time.
It is easier to grasp this reality by noticing the Greek parousia is a combination of para which means “near, with” and eimi which means “to be.” Parousia means “to be near.” It is mistranslated in our Bible as “coming,” and allows the impression that Jesus is not here but will come.
The Hebrew is translated correctly twice. Once of Paul “his personal presence is unimpressive and his speech contemptible.” (p) Once by Paul “not in my presence only, but now much more in my absence.” (q)
Affirming clarity appears when parousia is translated correctly as “presence” instead of coming.
Strengthen your hearts, for the presence of the Lord is at hand. (r)
He who is present will come (Greek heko – has come). (s)
We made (make) known to you the power and presence of our Lord Jesus Christ. (t)
That lawless one will be (Greek – is) revealed…by the appearance of His presence. (u)
What will be (is) the sign of your presence, and of the end of the age (these times)? (v)
Our Bible links the word “second” to the return of Jesus only once. “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.” (w) He appears to us now as a saving presence!
Jesus has returned and abides with us as a presence of God’s Spirit. The Holy Spirit represents our unseen Father and His visible Son. God-in-Christ assists our transformations into more mature expressions of God. As promised, Jesus is always with us as God’s abiding, gifting, anointing, and healing presence.
Jesus has returned and abides with us as a presence of God’s Spirit.
A Reigning Presence
In those early days, it was difficult for many to perceive that Jesus was now functioning as the enlightening and anointing presence of “Immanuel…God with us.” It was hard for some that had observed Jesus as the “anointed man” to accept Jesus as God’s guiding and anointing Spirit.
Jesus even stated that the Kingdom reign of God in the earth is not coming with signs to be observed with natural eyes. (x) Never-the-less, some New Testament believers still looked for a physical Messiah to forcefully free them from the captivating Romans and establish a natural style kingdom in the earth. They were asking “where is the promise of His presence (parousia)?” (y)
The Apostle John addressed the issue in his book of Revelation by beginning his book with “the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (z) John declared the Voice that spoke to him was “the Lord God, who is and was and is to come (Greek – erchomai, is coming)”. (aa)
John finishes his book with “Behold, I am coming (erchomai) quickly…I, Jesus, have sent my angel (messenger) to testify to you…Yes, I am coming (erchomai) quickly.” (bb) Without any historical delay or perceived future age, the presence of God-in-Christ Jesus continually comes quickly to us. Jesus even said “For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.” (cc)
The Kingdom rule and reign of Jesus is a present reality. We accept Jesus into our life so He can “write His Laws in our minds and on our hearts.” (dd) Jesus is in our midst as the baptizer who immerses us in God’s presence. Instead of waiting for Jesus to come, we want to realize how realistically Jesus is already with us.
God-in-Christ Jesus is here, as the presence of God that helps us improve our lives. The Kingdom reign of God-in-Christ Jesus is functioning regardless of our cloudy perceptions. As we call on Jesus, God hears the intent of our heart and comes, again and again! Jesus is “Immanuel – God with us.”
It is the presence of God-in-Christ that embraces our unloveliness, heals our sickness, delivers us from our enslavements, feeds our hunger, satisfies our thirst, and strengthens our weakness. He assists our transformations into more mature images and likenesses of His character, attitude, and personality (CAP).
May this encourage and empower each of us to arise and mature into all that God desires us to be!
God-in-Christ Jesus is here, as the presence of God that helps us improve our lives.
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) Mark 1:8; John 1:33; d) John 14:19; e) Acts 1:11; f) John 17:5; John 1:1-4, 14; 16:28; g) Hebrews 13:5; h) John 14:23-26; i) Acts 2:1-7, 32-33; John 14:9-11; j) John 14:7-15; k) Acts 2:17-18; l) Acts 2:33, 41; m) Acts 9:3-7, 17-18; 26:14-15; n) Galatians 1:11-18; o) 2 Corinthians 5:16; p) 2 Corinthians 10:10; q) Philippians 2:12; r) James 5:8; s) Hebrews 10:37; Matthew 11:3; t) 2 Peter 1:16; u) 2 Thessalonians 2:8; v) Matthew 24:3; w) Hebrews 9:28; x) Luke 17:20; y) 2 Peter 3:4; z) Revelations 1:1; aa) Revelations 1:8; bb) Revelations 22:16, 20; cc) Mathew 18:20; dd) Hebrews 8:10, 13; 10:16
Keith Carroll, “The Relationship Guy”
Relational Gospel Founder
Created To Relate author