For Salvation

So Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation. 

Hebrews 9:28 

In what sense is the second coming of Christ, ‘for salvation?’ Redemption involves the whole of creation. The original sin affected Adam, Eve, all their descendants, and the physical world. Sin has had a negative effect on everyone and everything. The work of redemption which God has begun has yet to be entirely completed. This is true for us in a personal way. Paul refers to this and connects it to the return of Christ when He says, ‘being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.’ In that sense the return of Christ is ‘for salvation,’ because He will complete His work of sanctifying us entirely at that time. John refers to this by saying, ‘Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.’ Beyond that, Christ will redeem the whole of creation. This is, admittedly, a secondary reference, but we should include it in the idea of salvation in reference to the creation. Paul connects the two by saying, ‘because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.’ When Christ returns He will tie up many loose ends, not the least of which will be the restoration of creation to being a new heaven and a new earth. He will return ‘for salvation,’ with all that entails. 

Great God of Wonders, 
we rejoice that You are a Whole God, 
Who will accomplish a complete redemption.  
We praise You that Christ will come 
to fulfill all Your Word.  

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning