Our Hope and Destiny
Beloved, have you thought about what heaven is like as our future destiny? In your attempts to preach the gospel to others, similar questions might prompt up such as: “If the people in heaven have no lust and desire, are they living like monks? If there are no money, no hunger, no material needs, what then will be their satisfaction?” Do you have an answer for them?
For a genuine seeker of ETERNITY, we should praise them for their sincerity in their quest for human beings’ ultimate destiny. Obviously, there are NO simple answers to the above questions. However, we could take the chance to reflect on the promises in the Bible and to share our honest belief and hope with them. Most of such questions have two foci, namely,
(1) What is "heaven" in the Christian sense? and
(2) How is the life in the heavens like?
The biblical answers for (1) are available in Isaiah 65:17 which points out that the Lord will create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. Isaiah 66:22 assures that the new heavens and the new earth shall remain before God. II Peter (3:13) states that righteousness will dwell in the new heavens and the new earth. Hence, the Righteousness of God will replace the unrighteousness and depravity (including the transient good things) of the current cosmos we are in. In fact, chapters 21 & 22 of Revelation describe the new heavens and earth as an absolute purity. They are also free from the wrath and curse of God.
As for (2), I Corinthian (2:7,9) says, “But we (i.e. Paul & his coworkers) impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glorification.… But, as it is written, 'What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him'.” The important clue in these verses is that it is beyond our imagination and physical senses concerning the actual livelihood or events which will take place in the new heavens and earth.
Thus, we have a good reason to believe that our eternal destiny is really good and promising. It is guaranteed by God's grace given through our faith. It is the true gift of God not because of our works; lest any man should boast and might find a reason to argue that one may become dull of such eternal destiny.
Beloved, have you thought about what heaven is like as our future destiny? In your attempts to preach the gospel to others, similar questions might prompt up such as: “If the people in heaven have no lust and desire, are they living like monks? If there are no money, no hunger, no material needs, what then will be their satisfaction?” Do you have an answer for them?
For a genuine seeker of ETERNITY, we should praise them for their sincerity in their quest for human beings’ ultimate destiny. Obviously, there are NO simple answers to the above questions. However, we could take the chance to reflect on the promises in the Bible and to share our honest belief and hope with them. Most of such questions have two foci, namely,
(1) What is "heaven" in the Christian sense? and
(2) How is the life in the heavens like?
The biblical answers for (1) are available in Isaiah 65:17 which points out that the Lord will create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. Isaiah 66:22 assures that the new heavens and the new earth shall remain before God. II Peter (3:13) states that righteousness will dwell in the new heavens and the new earth. Hence, the Righteousness of God will replace the unrighteousness and depravity (including the transient good things) of the current cosmos we are in. In fact, chapters 21 & 22 of Revelation describe the new heavens and earth as an absolute purity. They are also free from the wrath and curse of God.
As for (2), I Corinthian (2:7,9) says, “But we (i.e. Paul & his coworkers) impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glorification.… But, as it is written, 'What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him'.” The important clue in these verses is that it is beyond our imagination and physical senses concerning the actual livelihood or events which will take place in the new heavens and earth.
Thus, we have a good reason to believe that our eternal destiny is really good and promising. It is guaranteed by God's grace given through our faith. It is the true gift of God not because of our works; lest any man should boast and might find a reason to argue that one may become dull of such eternal destiny.
No comments:
Post a Comment