When Jesus comes here again, it's not a second chance for us - so be prepared!
There are many references in the Bible showing that Jesus will come to Earth again. But this is not a second chance for us. He is not here to teach us and to conquer sin - he already completed that the first time around.
Even though those alive today were not here at the time he came to teach, we have all his teachings available to us! These are written in the Bible. So we have access to all of that. Do not make the mistake of thinking that when he comes again, it will be for another chance. That already happened the first time he came. When he comes next, it will be to gather those who are waiting for him.
so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.
Hebrews 9:28
This is why the end of days has not already happened - God is delaying in order to give us time to decide if we will follow Jesus. Indeed, Jesus himself told his disciples that the end of days would come after the good news of Jesus had been told throughout the world:
And this good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the world, as a testimony to all the nations; and then the end will come.
Matthew 23: 14
Note that this does not mean the end of days will come after everyone believes. No. There will always be people who reject this news that they have heard, even until their death. The end of days will come after the good news has been proclaimed throughout the world - that is, until everyone has at least had a chance to hear about it.
You can learn much more about the end of days and the events leading up to it in the Bible. There are many references to the events that will happen, not just in Matthew but also in the books of Daniel and Revelation.
Once Jesus comes here again, it's for a gathering-up of those who believe. It's not a second chance.
In the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, this is made clear. A rich man who refused to help a beggar wound up going to Hades (hell). Across a great chasm, the rich man pleads with Abraham in heaven to tell his brothers of this place and warn them:
He said, ‘Then, father, I beg you to send him to my father’s house— for I have five brothers—that he may warn them, so that they will not also come into this place of torment.’ Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; they should listen to them.’ He said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”
Luke 16: 27-31
This passage states clearly that people have the teachings available to them, and if they do not listen to these teachings then neither will they be convinced if someone rises from the dead. By the way, the part about rising from the dead is thought to refer to Jesus's resurrection, which remember had not yet happened at the point of the above passage - He was still teaching his disciples and hadn't yet been crucified. So Jesus made it clear that even the Old Testament itself was sufficient to generate faith - and we today have the massive advantage of having the entirety of the New Testament available to us also.
The take-home message here is that when Jesus comes again at the end of
days, it's too late to make our choices. It won't be a choice at that
point. Only those who believe will be saved. When Jesus comes here
again, it's not for a second chance for us. Instead it's a gathering-up
of those who believe, of those who follow Him. It is not that Jesus is
being mean - it's that we were already given a first chance and we
already have access to all of the teachings from that first time via the
Bible.
So make use of those teachings! Get a Bible if you don't already have one, or if that's out of your budget, read it for free online. Read a little bit every day. If you don't know where to start, start with the New Testament and work your way through that, then do a bit from the Old Testament and a bit from the New Testament each day.
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