Jesus warned his followers, “Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect” (Matthew 24:44, NKJV).
A characteristic of the bride of Christ is an expectancy of his soon return. Jesus’s bride is to live in continual, joyful expectation of his imminent return because he may come at any moment.
Jesus warned, however, that in the last days evil ministers will infiltrate the church in an effort to put the bride to sleep. They will attempt to take away her heart of love for her bridegroom by claiming, “My master is delaying his coming” (Matthew 24:48). This gospel is preached by those who do not want to pay the price of obeying Christ’s commands. They really do not want Jesus to come back because they have sinful habits and lead double lives; in fact, they have concocted a doctrine to justify their continuing in sin. What is the result of this false teaching? First, it ends in worldliness because those who believe it want to enjoy worldly success and prosperity.
Beloved, do not give in to this doctrine of delay! If you are a part of Jesus’s bride, you will be so lovesick for your Lord you will not be able to buy into it. Instead, you will cry out, “My Lord said I am to be ready at any moment for his return. I know he is near; I can sense it. My heart cries out within me, ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming!’”
The early church was wide awake, heeding Jesus’s words. Their lamps were trimmed and burning, and they had a good supply of oil. Peter summed up the spirit of the early church. “Looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God…nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth” (2 Peter 3:12-13).
Finally, Paul said, “…you were enriched in everything by him in all utterance and all knowledge, even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you, so that you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 1:5-7).