Some will have the believer to believe that Christians should not have ANY immediate expectation of Christ's return. Instead of looking forward to HIS coming(as we are told to) they would have us looking forward to the seven-year tribulation period, the fulfillment of judgments and signs, the rise of the antichrist, etc. They speak of the future as being dreadful and disasterous for GODs Church. Considering the blessed hope of HIS promise (rev3:10) ...the promise will not be fulfilled until AFTER the Church goes through the Great Tribulation. From the early days of the LORDS Church the believers had a rightful expectation and hope that CHRIST would suddenly return to gather HIS Church.....James made it clear that the LORDS imminent coming was a reality in james 5:7-9......"Be patient, brethren, until the coming of the LORD. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the LORD is at hand. Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemmned. BEHOLD, the judge is standing at the door."........Peter said almost the same thing in 1 peter 4:7 "The end of all things is at hand..therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers." He who wrote the Hebrews proclaimed the imminent return of our LORD is the reason to remain faithful. "yet a little while, and HE who is coming will come and will not tarry." Heb 10:24,25.....It was John who proclaimed "Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour" 1 john 2:18...John in the book of revelation said that these things"must shortly take place." 1:1Each one of these scriptures is an example of how the early Church expected the imminent return of our LORD. As a matter of fact the whole New Testament is full of claims that CHRIST could return at any time(even right now).When Paul spoke of the coming of the LORD , it is NO surprise that he used personal pronouns. Paul was clearly convinced that he himself could be one of those caught up to the LORD(alive). "We who are alive and remain until the coming of the LORD...we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the LORD in the air."1 thess 4:15 I must tell you this verse comes to mind each time someone on this site pokes fun at the believer for the hope they have of meeting the LORD in the air. It is a shameful practice to ridicule the word of GOD. Paul looked for Christ to return in his lifetime. He made it obvious that a hopeful expectancy about Christ Second coming is one of the Godly attitudes that divine grace teaches all BELIEVERS. "looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great GOD and Savior Jesus Christ." titus 2:11-13Nothing in the New Testament EVER claims or supports that we should forsake our expectation of Christ appearing until preliminary events occur. The clear teaching of the New Teatament is that Christians should be looking for the IMMINENT coming of Christ for HIS Church...............Pop