Yet Jehovah’s day will come as a thief.”​—2 Peter 3:8-10.

Nevertheless, divine patience will not be shown indefinitely. Unexpectedly, as when a thief comes, the Lord Jesus Christ will be revealed “in a flaming fire” as he begins his work of executing the ungodly.​—2 Thessalonians 1:7-9.

55. What should we be doing in view of the certainty of Christ’s coming to execute judgment, and what can this mean for us?

⁵⁵ Because such revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ can come at any time, we need to think seriously about our standing before God and Christ. We do not have endless time to build up a record of fine works that will result in our being viewed as approved by them. The Bible clearly shows that our Master’s day for judging will overtake those not watchful. If we are negligent about our Christian responsibilities, then, as a thief, such an event could catch us in an unprepared state.