In other words, the same mistakes that were made in failing to recognize Christ at His First Coming may easily be made at His Second Coming. Indeed, unless we learn from the errors in judgment, the presumption, and claims to omniscience that prevented people from recognizing Jesus as the Christ, won't we surely fail to recognize Him at His Second Coming, and for similar reasons? (19:1)

In order to prevent the consequences of such a terrible misjudgment, we should reflect, deeply reflect, on that which separated those who believed, from those who did not believe, that Jesus was the Christ (19:2)

Remember, people in the first century had no stars in their scriptures to designate the prophetic references, nor any sure guide by which to interpret them. Why did some believe and others reject the Christ? This we will need to understand and ponder (19:3)

What Was the Determining Factor?-
From the evidence in the New Testament, what do we find was the determining factor that separated those who believed, from those who didn't? Was it knowledge of the prophecies? Did those who had knowledge of the prophecies accept Him, and those who didn't have knowledge reject Him? No. Was it knowledge of the sacred scripture as a whole? Did the religious doctors of His age accept him, while the unlearned rejected Him? No. Was it adhering to the laws of the Old Testament? Did those who observed strictly their sacred laws follow Him, while others rejected Him? No. Was it seeing Him? Was it hearing His words? Was it witnessing Him perform miracles? No (19:4)

The determining factor was this: Those who manifested humility and purity of heart, accepted Him; those who didn't, rejected Him. At the time of Christ, knowledge of the prophecies was beside the point, so to speak. Salvation was gained through humble acceptance of the will of God as manifested through the words and actions of Christ, and not through knowledge of the prophecies (19:5)

Through Christ's coming, the people were tested. The humble and pure in heart were separated from the proud and hypocritical even as the "wheat" is separated from the "tares" . People were not separated according to their knowledge, their religious practices, their rank in life, or the particular circumstances in which they happened to be. They were separated according to the condition of their hearts (19:6)

If God had wanted us to know how the Christ would come in order that we could have easily recognize Him, He could have given us, in simple language, the year, the place, His name, a description of His life with all the details that would distinguish Him from others, and then stated that this prophecy was to be taken literally (19:7)

Obviously, it was not ours to know these things (19:8)

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