38: Eternal Destiny

What happens when you die?

If several years ago you had asked me what happens when you die. I would have given you a pathetic answer.

I would have told you that when you die your soul goes to sleep until the Lord returns. At the return of the Lord, the universe explodes and ceases to exit, your soul is resurrected and judged and you are either consigned to Hell or allowed to enter Heaven.

My conception of Heaven was that of a spirit world where the saved spend eternity as disembodied spirits, floating around on clouds, playing harps.

A Mistaken View

Needless to say, I couldn't get very excited about all that. I sure didn't like the idea of being unconscious in a grave for eons of time. The idea of the universe ending in a big bang scared me to death. Nor could I develop any enthusiasm for the prospect of being a disembodied spirit with no particular identity or personality.

And the idea of playing a harp for all eternity was downright scandalous, for I had been taught that instrumental music in worship was an abomination!

You can imagine, therefore, the sense of shock I felt when I started studying Bible prophecy and discovered that all these ideas of mine about life after death were foreign to God's Word. But my shock quickly gave way to exhilaration when I discovered what the Lord really has in store for me.

The Biblical View

I learned from God's Word that when those of us who are Christians die, our spirits never lose their consciousness. Instead, our fully conscious spirits are immediately ushered into the presence of Jesus by His holy angels.

We receive an intermediate spirit body and remain in the Lord's presence until He appears for His Church in the Rapture. At that time, He brings our spirits with Him, resurrects our bodies, reunites our spirits with our bodies and then glorifies our bodies, perfecting them and rendering them eternal.

We return with Him to Heaven in our glorified bodies where we are judged for our works to determine our degrees of rewards. When this judgment is completed, we participate in a glorious wedding feast to celebrate the union of Jesus and His Bride, the Church.

Witnesses of Glory

At the conclusion of the feast, we burst from the heavens with Jesus, returning with Him to the earth in glory. We witness His victory at Armageddon, we shout "Hallelujah!" as He is crowned King of kings and Lord of lords, and we revel in His glory as He begins to reign over all the earth from Mt. Zion in Jerusalem.

For a thousand years we participate in that reign, assisting Him with the instruction, administration, and enforcement of His perfect laws. We see the earth regenerated and nature reconciled. We see holiness abound and the earth flooded with peace, righteousness, and justice.

At the end of the Millennium, we witness the release of Satan to deceive the nations. We see the truly despicable nature of the heart of Man as millions rally to Satan in his attempt to overthrow the throne of Jesus. But we will shout "Hallelujah!" again when we witness God's supernatural destruction of Satan's armies and see Satan himself cast into Hell where he will be tormented forever.

We will next witness the Great White Throne Judgment when the unrighteous are resurrected to stand before God. We will see perfect holiness and justice in action as God pronounces His terrible judgment upon this congregation of the damned who have rejected His gift of love and mercy in Jesus Christ.

Jesus will be fully vindicated as every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that He is Lord. Then the unrighteous will receive their just reward as they are cast into Hell.

Witnesses of a New Creation

We will then witness the most spectacular fireworks display in all of history.

We will be taken to the New Jerusalem, the eternal mansion prepared by Jesus for His Bride, and from there we will watch as God renovates this earth with fire, burning away all the filth and pollution left by Satan's last battle.

Just as the angels rejoiced when God created the universe, we will rejoice as we watch God superheat this earth and reshape it like a hot ball of wax into the New Earth, the eternal earth, the paradise where we will live forever in the presence of God.

What a glorious moment it will be when, in our new bodies, we are lowered to the New Earth inside the fabulous New Jerusalem. God will come down from Heaven to dwell with us. He will proclaim: “Behold, I make all things new." We will see God face to face. He will wipe away all our tears. Death will be no more. We will be given new names and we will exist as individual personalities encased in perfect bodies. And we will grow eternally in knowledge and love of our infinite Creator, honoring Him with our talents and gifts (Revelation 21:1-7 and 22:1-5).

Now, I can get excited about that!

The Word vs. Tradition

Isn't it amazing how far we can drift away from the Word of God when we stop reading His Word and start mouthing the traditions of men?

As I kept making one discovery after another in God's Prophetic Word that ran contrary to what I had been taught, I began to wonder about the origin of the doctrines I had learned. It didn't take me long to discover that the source was Greek philosophy.

The first attempt to mix the concepts of Greek philosophy with the teachings of God's Word came very early in the history of the Church. The attempt was called Gnosticism. The Gnostic heresy arose among the first Gentile converts because they tried to Hellenize the Scriptures; that is, they tried to make the Scriptures conform to the basic tenets of Greek philosophy.

The Greeks believed that the material universe, including the human body, was evil. This negative view of the creation was diametrically opposed to Hebrew thought, as revealed in the Bible. To the Hebrew mind, the world was created good (Genesis 1:31). And even though the goodness of the creation was corrupted by the sin of Man (Isaiah 24:5-6), the creation still reflects to some degree the glory of God (Psalms 19:1). Most important, the creation will someday be redeemed by God (Romans 8:18-23).

The Gnostic Heresy

When the first Gentiles were converted to the Gospel, their Greek mindset immediately collided with some of the fundamental teachings of Christianity. For example, they wondered, "How could Jesus have come in the flesh if He was God? God is holy. How can He who is holy be encased in a material body which is inherently evil?"

In short, because they viewed the material universe as evil, they could not accept the Bible's teaching that God became incarnate in the flesh. Their response was to develop the Gnostic heresy that Jesus was a spirit being or phantom who never took on the flesh and therefore never experienced physical death.

This heresy is denounced strongly in Scripture. In 1 John 4:1-2 we are told to test those who seek our spiritual fellowship by asking them to confess "that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh."

The Augustinian Corruption

About 400 AD a remarkable theologian by the name of St. Augustine attempted to Hellenize what the Scriptures taught about end-time events and life after death. Augustine was very successful in his attempt. His views were endorsed by the Council of Ephesus in 431 AD and have remained Catholic dogma to this day.

The influence of Greek philosophy would not allow Augustine to accept what the Bible taught about life after death.

For example, the Bible says the saints will spend eternity in glorified bodies on a New Earth (Revelation 21:1-7). Such a concept was anathema to the Greek mind of Augustine. If the material world is evil, then he reasoned that the material world must cease to exist when the Lord returns. Augustine solved the problem by spiritualizing what the Bible said. He did this by arguing that the "new earth” of Revelation 21 is just symbolic

language for Heaven.

Augustine's views are held by most professing Christians today, both Catholic and Protestant. That means that most of Christianity today teaches Greek philosophy rather than the Word of God when it comes to the realm of end-time prophecy and life after death.

The Fallacy of Soul Sleep

When I started seriously studying what the Bible says about life after death, one of the first discoveries I made concerned "soul sleep." I found out that it is an unbiblical concept. It is true that when we die, our bodies "sleep” metaphorically, because at the time of the resurrection, they will be awakened. But the spirits of the dead never lose their consciousness.

Jesus clearly taught this in His story about the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31). When they died, their spirits went to Hades. The rich man's spirit went to a compartment in Hades called “Torments." The spirit of Lazarus went to a compartment named “Abraham's bosom." On the Cross, Jesus referred to Abraham's bosom as “Paradise" (Luke 23:43). The two compartments were separated by a "great chasm" which could not be crossed.

In Jesus' story both men are pictured as fully conscious. They even carry on a conversation with each other. Their souls are not asleep.

Further evidence of consciousness after death can be found in Revelation 7. John is taken up to Heaven and is given a tour of the throne room of God. He sees "a great multitude . . . from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues," standing before the throne of God “clothed in white robes" and waving palm branches in worship (Revelation 7:9), They are fully conscious as they sing, "Salvation to our God who sits on the throne and to the Lamb” (Revelation 7:10).

John wants to know the identity of these people. He is told that they are martyrs for Christ coming out of the "great tribulation" (Revelation 7:14).

Here are two scenes in Scripture of people after death who are fully conscious. But note that there is one very important difference in the two scenes. In Jesus' story, the saved are in Hades in a compartment called “Abraham's bosom" or “Paradise." In John's vision the saved are in Heaven. Why the two different locations?

Hades and Heaven

The answer is that before the Cross, the souls of the saved did not go directly to Heaven. They could not go there because their sins were not forgiven. Their sins were only covered by their faith, not forgiven. There can be no forgiveness of sins without the shedding of blood (Leviticus 17:11 and Hebrews 9:22). Forgiveness for those who died in faith before the Cross had to await the shedding of the blood of the Messiah.

That's the reason Jesus descended into Hades after His death on the Cross (1 Peter 3:19-20). He went there to proclaim the shedding of His blood for the sins of Mankind.

There must have been great shouts of rejoicing by the Old Testament saints who had been waiting for this good news. Now their sins were not only covered by their faith, they were forgiven by the blood of Jesus. That made them candidates to be ushered into the presence of the Father in Heaven.

And that's exactly what happened when Jesus later ascended into Heaven. He took with Him "a host of captives" (Ephesians 4:8), referring to the saved who had been retained in Hades, awaiting the shed blood of the Messiah.

Hades and Hell

A lot of misunderstanding about all this has existed throughout the history of Christianity because translators confused Hades with Hell. The two are not the same. Hades (called Sheol in the Old Testament) is a temporary holding place of the spirits of the dead. Hell is the ultimate destiny of the unsaved.

No one is in Hell today. The first to go to Hell will be the Antichrist and his False Prophet (Revelation 19:20). They will be joined by Satan at the end of the Millennium when he will be thrown into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:10).

The unsaved are currently in Hades in the compartment called Torments. At the end of the Lord's millennial reign, they will be resurrected, judged, condemned, and consigned to the “lake of fire," which is Hell (Revelation 20:11-15). Notice that in Revelation 20:14 the text specifically says that both “death and Hades" will be thrown into the lake of fire. This means both the body (death) and the soul (Hades) will be assigned to Hell.

Paul's Affirmations

Since the Cross, the spirits of the saved have been ushered immediately into the Lord's presence in Heaven by His holy angels. Paul affirms that Paradise was moved from Hades to Heaven. In 2 Corinthians 12:2-4 he states that he was taken up to the "third heaven," which he identifies as "Paradise." The first heaven is the atmosphere of this planet. The second heaven is outer space. The third heaven is where God resides

Paul also affirms consciousness after death. In 2 Corinthians 5:8 he wrote that he would prefer to be “absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord." He repeated this sentiment in his Philippian letter where he wrote, “to live is Christ, and to die is gain" (Philippians 1:21). He elaborated on the meaning of this statement by adding that his desire was “to depart and be with Christ" (Philippians 1:23).

The Intermediate State

My second discovery was that we are not destined to an ethereal existence as disembodied spirits. Immediately after death both the saved and the lost receive a body that I am going to call an “intermediate spirit body." I have given it that name because it is a body that is intermediate between our current fleshly body and the ultimate, glorified body that saints will receive at the time of their resurrection.

The Bible does not tell us much about this body except that it is tangible and recognizable. An example of it is found in 1 Samuel 28 where we are told that King Saul, in his rebellion against God, sought the counsel of a witch. He asked her to bring up the prophet Samuel from the dead. She, in turn, expected a familiar demon spirit. Instead, the Lord sent Samuel, to her astonishment. The moment Samuel appeared, both the witch and Saul recognized him. Samuel proceeded to pronounce judgment upon Saul, telling him that his kingdom would be given to David and that the next day, "you and your sons will be with me" (1 Samuel 28:8-19). The next day Saul and his three sons, including Jonathan, were killed by the Philistines (1 Samuel 31:1-6).

Another example of the intermediate spirit body can be found in Matthew 17 where the story is told of Jesus' transfiguration. This was when His disciples were given a glimpse of His coming glory. As they witnessed this marvelous event, suddenly two men appeared and began talking with them. The two were Moses and Elijah (Matthew 17:1-5).

In Revelation 7, we are given another glimpse of saints existing in intermediate spirit bodies. The Apostle John is touring Heaven when he sees "a great multitude" of people standing before God's throne in white robes. He is told that these are martyrs who have come out of the "great tribulation" (Revelation 7:9-14). He is also told that they serve God day and night" (Revelation 7:15).

Glorification

When Jesus returns, the Bible says He will bring with Him the spirits of the saved (1 Thessalonians 4:13-14). He will resurrect their bodies in a great miracle of re-creation (whether their bodies are preserved, rotted, cremated, or dissolved in the ocean). In the twinkling of an eye, He will reunite their spirits with their resurrected bodies and will then glorify their bodies (1 Thessalonians 4:15-16). Then, those saints who are alive will be caught up (raptured) to meet the Lord in the sky, and they will be transformed from mortal to immortal on the way up (1 Thessalonians 4:17).

All my life I have heard people say, "There are two things in life that no one can avoid: death and taxes." That statement is wrong. The only thing we cannot avoid is taxes and more taxes. A whole generation of believers will avoid death – the generation living when the Lord returns for His Church. It's no wonder that Paul concluded this great passage in 1 Thessalonians by saying, "Therefore, comfort one another with these words” (1 Thessalonians 4:18).

A Third Discovery

My first discovery was that there is no such thing as “soul sleep.” We remain conscious after death. My second discovery was that we are not destined to be disembodied spirits. We continue to have a body, first, an intermediate spirit body, and then a glorified body. My third discovery was that we are not going to be bored stiff playing harps for eternity. We are going to be engaged in some meaningful activities.

If you are a believer and you die before the Lord returns, you will go to Heaven where you will be involved in worship (Revelation 7:9- 14) and service (Revelation 7:15). Admittedly, the Bible does not get specific about our worship and service, but we can be assured that we will find both to be fulfilling and edifying. It could also be that this will be a time of rest, preparing us for the time of vigorous service that will follow, when the Lord returns to earth.

During the Lord's reign, the Redeemed are going to be doing anything but floating around on clouds playing harps. We are going to reign with Jesus over those who are allowed to enter the Millennium in the flesh (which will be those believers who are converted during the Tribulation and are still alive at the end of it). Jesus will reign over all the earth from Jerusalem (Isaiah 2:1-4) as King of kings and Lord of lords (Revelation 19:16). David, in his glorified body, will reign as king of Israel (Ezekiel 37:24). Those of us who will be glorified saints will be scattered all over the earth to assist with Jesus’ reign (2 Timothy 2:12).

Think of it, every person on earth who is in a position of governing authority will be a glorified saint. Some of us will be in administrative positions, sharing in Jesus' reign as presidents, governors, or mayors (Luke 19:11-27). Others will serve as judges (1 Corinthians 6:3). Most of us will serve as "shepherds," or teachers, trying to bring those who are born during the Millennium to faith in Jesus (Isaiah 66:18-21 and Jeremiah 3:15).

None of us will serve as legislators because the law will be given by Jesus Himself, and it will be perfect (Isaiah 2:1-4). There will be no abomination known as the Texas Legislature or the United States Congress. Nor will there be any lobbyists or political parties.

The Lord will rule with "a rod of iron" (Psalm 2:9 and Revelation 2:27). The government of the world will be a theocracy, with Jesus serving as both the spiritual and political leader. "He will be a priest on His throne, and the counsel of peace will be between the two offices" (Zechariah 6:13).

We will be given the blessing of seeing this old sin-sick world flooded with peace, righteousness, and justice, "as the waters cover the sea" (Isaiah 11:9). There will be no homeless people or hungry people (Isaiah 65:21-22 and Micah 4:4), Peace will envelope the earth (Isaiah 2:4). The Lords reign will be characterized by righteousness, fairness, and faithfulness (Isaiah 11:4-5). "The whole earth will acknowledge the Lord and return to Him. People from every nation will bow down before Him" (Psalm 22:27).

The Eternal State

When the Millennium ends and we move into the Eternal State, the Bible does not go into detail as to what our activities will be. It tells us only three things: we will see the face of God (Revelation 22:4), we will serve the Lord (Revelation 22:3) and we will reign with Him forever (Revelation 22:5).

Seeing the face of God is an exciting prospect, for the Bible says that no one has ever seen His face (Exodus 33:20 and1 Timothy 6: 16). I believe the promise of seeing God's face means we are going to enjoy intimacy with Him forever. Much of that, undoubtedly will be in the form of worship. I think it also means we will grow in our knowledge of the Lord forever. He is infinite, and no matter how much we come to know Him, there will be just that much more for us to experience. I feel certain that one aspect of this will be the eternal study of His Word. I get excited over all this as I think of singing the Psalms with David and studying the book of Romans with Paul.

As for service, I would imagine, for one thing, our gifts and talents will be magnified and that we will use them to glorify the Lord. Thus, a singer will be able to sing with a perfection and range never before achieved, and a painter will be able to paint with a glory never imagined.

Reigning with the Lord forever implies that we will be reigning over someone. Who that will be, I do not know. Perhaps it will be the mysterious "nations" referred to in Revelation that seem to inhabit the New Earth, living outside the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:24- 27 and 22:2).

My Final Discovery

This brings me to the final discovery I made when the Holy Spirit led me into an in-depth study of Bible prophecy. I discovered that the Redeemed are not going to live eternally in an ethereal world called Heaven. I learned, instead, that our eternal home is going to be on a New Earth. Most Christians are amazed by this truth, which shows how little Bible prophecy is taught in the Church today.

Since the Bible teaches that the current earth is eternal (Psalm 78:69 and Psalm 148:6), I have concluded that the "New Earth" will be the current earth renovated by fire. It is true that Peter said that the current earth will be "destroyed" by fire (2 Peter 3:10,12), but in the context, it is clear that he is referring to a radical transformation of the current earth and not its annihilation.

Earlier in the same passage he referred to the original earth as having been “destroyed" by water, speaking of the Noahic flood. The earth of Noah's day did not cease to exist, but the flood "destroyed" it in the sense that it radically changed the nature of the earth, tilting it on it axis, splitting the continents apart, laying down the fossil record, depositing the marine organisms that would become petroleum deposits and creating the ocean depths and the mountain heights.

At the end of the Millennium, fire will be used by God to burn away the pollution of Satan's last revolt (2 Peter 3:12). In the midst of that fiery inferno, God will reshape the earth like a hot ball of wax. He will refresh it and restore it to its original perfection (Acts 3:21). He will then lower the New Jerusalem down to the New Earth, with the Redeemed inside (Revelation 21:1-2). Then, He Himself will come to earth to live in our presence eternally! “The tabernacle of God is among men, and He shall dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be among them” (Revelation 21:3).

Heaven is where God resides. When the New Earth is supplied, Heaven will descend to earth as God takes up residence on this New Earth. So, it is true that the Redeemed will live eternally in Heaven. but Heaven will be on earth.

The Redemption of All Creation

God loves His creation, and He intends to redeem it, all of it, and not destroy it with some mystical "big bang." Jesus died on the Cross not only to redeem Mankind but also to redeem the creation. That's the reason the High Priest in Old Testament times sprinkled the blood not only on the mercy seat of the Ark, but also on the ground in front of the Ark (Leviticus 16:15).

The blood on the mercy seat of the Ark was a symbolic prophecy pointing to the fact that the blood of the Messiah would cover the law of God (the tablets inside the Ark) with the mercy and grace of God. The blood on the ground was a reminder that the sacrifice of the Messiah would make it possible for the curse to be lifted and for the animal and plant kingdoms to be returned to their original perfection (Isaiah 11:6-9 and Romans 8:18-23).

An Unjustified Fear

Many people are afraid of Bible prophecy. They say it is full of “doom and gloom." That is true for those who have rejected the Lord. But for those who know Him and love Him, there is only good news.

The Old Testament ends with an example of what I'm talking about. It says, "For behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace; and all the arrogant and every evildoer will be chaff; and the day that is coming will set them ablaze” (Malachi 4:1). That is bad news.

But the very next verse contains incredibly good news for believers: "But for you who fear My name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings: and you will go forth and skip about like calves released from the stall" (Malachi 4:2).

Bible prophecy is full of glorious promises that are designed to give God's people a strong sense of hope as they live as strangers and pilgrims in the midst of an increasingly evil, God-rejecting world. When you read these wonderful promises, you can understand why Paul wrote these words in 1 Corinthians 2:9 -

No eye has seen,

No ear has heard,

Nor has the mind of man conceived,

What God has prepared for those who love Him.

A God of Hope

As this verse indicates, we cannot even begin to imagine the marvelous blessings God has in store for the Redeemed. But the very next verse says that the Holy Spirit has revealed those blessings to us in God's Word (1 Corinthians 2:10).

The sad thing is that most Christians are ignorant of those promises and therefore have no idea what Paul meant when he wrote: “for I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Romans 8:18).

39: Resurrections and Judgments

How many will occur and when?

My boyhood church always taught that there would be one resurrection and one judgment. Everyone who had ever lived would be resurrected at one time, and all of us, the just and the unjust would be judged at the same time. The sheep would be separated from the goats at the Great White Throne Judgment pictured in Revelation 20:11-15.

But this concept is all wrong. The Bible reveals that there will be more than one resurrection and more than one judgment.

Multiple Resurrections

Concerning resurrection, Jesus clearly taught that there would be more than one resurrection. In John 5:29 He refers to a “resurrection of life" and a “resurrection of judgment."

The Apostle Paul confirmed this concept in his defense before Felix when he stated that he believed the teaching of the prophets "that there shall certainly be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked" (Acts 24:15).

Of course, it could be argued that the two resurrections referred to in these scriptures will occur at the same time. Thus, because they will happen simultaneously, there is, in effect, only one resurrection. However, the Scriptures establish the fact that the resurrection of the righteous will occur in stages.

In other words, the Bible does not teach one resurrection or even two resurrections in number. Rather, it teaches that there will be two resurrections in type which will be conducted in stages, resulting in several resurrections at least four, to be specific.

The Resurrection of the Just

That the resurrection of the righteous will occur in stages is clearly taught in 1 Corinthians 15:20-24. In fact, the first stage of the resurrection of the righteous has already happened, for verse 20 says that "Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep."

Verses 22 and 23 go on to explain that all who have died in Christ shall be made alive, "but each in his own order: Christ, the first fruits, after that those who are Christ's at His coming."

The imagery of the harvest that is used in these verses is a key to understanding the first resurrection, the resurrection of the righteous.

The Harvest Imagery

In Bible times the harvest was conducted in three stages. It began with the gathering of the first fruits which were offered as a sacrifice of thanksgiving to God.

It proceeded with the general harvest. But not all was taken in this harvest. Some of the crop was left in the field to be gathered by the poor and the needy. This was called the gleanings (Leviticus 19:9- 10).

Using this imagery, the Bible presents the resurrection of Jesus as the “first fruits" of the resurrection of the righteous. The gathering of the Church Age saints, living and dead, at the appearing of the Lord (the Rapture) is thus the general harvest stage of the resurrection of the righteous (John 14:1-3 and 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18),

But there is a third and final stage to this resurrection of the righteous. It is the gleanings, and it occurs at the end of the Tribulation when the Lord's Second Coming takes place. At that time two final groups of the righteous will be resurrected: the Tribulation martyrs (Revelation 20:4), and the Old Testament saints (Daniel 12:2).

Some people are startled by the thought that the Old Testament saints will not be resurrected until the end of the Tribulation. But keep in mind that the Rapture is a promise to the Church, and the Church only. Also, the book of Daniel makes it clear that the Old Testament saints will be resurrected at the end of the "time of distress" (Daniel 12:1-2).

So the first resurrection, the resurrection of the righteous, occurs in three stages, beginning with Christ, continuing with the Church at the Rapture and culminating with the Tribulation martyrs and the Old Testament saints at the return of Jesus.

The Resurrection of the Unjust

The second type of resurrection, “the resurrection of the wicked" (Acts 24:15), will take place all at one time at the end of the millennial reign of Jesus. This is at the time of the Great White Throne Judgment, the judgment of the damned (Revelation 20:11-15).

Every person who ever failed to relate to God in faith will be resurrected at this time, regardless of when he or she may have lived and died, whether before or after the Cross. This resurrection will also include the unjust who died during the Tribulation and the Millennium.

There will be no need for an additional resurrection of the righteous at the end of the Millennium, because all those born during that time who accept Jesus as their Savior will live to the end of the Lord's reign (Isaiah 65:19-20). “As the lifetime of a tree, so shall be the days of My people,’ . . . says the Lord" (Isaiah 65:22, 25). In other words, life spans during the Millennium will be returned to what they were at the beginning of time, before the flood.

The Certainty of Judgment

Resurrection will be followed by judgment. Solomon wrote, "Fear God and keep His commandments . . . for God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil" (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14).

The Apostle Paul emphasized the certainty of judgment. In Romans 2:16, he wrote, “God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus." And in Romans 14:10,12, he stated, “We shall all stand before the judgment seat of God . . . So then each one of us shall give account of himself to God." The writer to the Hebrews summed it up succinctly: "It is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment" (Hebrews 9:27).

The Completed Judgment

Not all people are going to be judged at the same time. Just as there are going to be several resurrections, there are also going to be several judgments.

One judgment has already taken place. It is the judgment of believers for their sins.

This comes as a surprise to most Christians. Some find it hard to believe. I'll never forget when I realized it from my study of Scripture. I became filled with so much joy that I felt like jumping pews all day!

Let me put it to you in another way. If you are truly born again, then you will never stand before the Lord and be judged of your sins. That's because the judgment for your sins took place at the Cross.

You see, all your sins, and mine, were placed upon Jesus as He hung upon the Cross, and the wrath we deserve was poured out upon Him (2 Corinthians 5:21). He became our substitute. He took our judgment for sin (Romans 8:3 and Galatians 3:13).

If you have appropriated the blood of Jesus to your life by accepting Him as your Lord and Savior, then your sins have been forgiven. They have also been forgotten in the sense that God will never remember them against you again (Isaiah 43:25 and Hebrews 8:12).

Think of it, forgiven and forgotten! That is grace!

The Judgment of the Just

If the Redeemed will never be judged of their sins, then what will they be judged of, and when will the judgment take place?

The Bible teaches that the Redeemed will be judged of their works, not to determine their eternal destiny, but to determine their degrees of reward. Christians do not work to be saved; they work because they are saved. In fact, the Bible says they are saved to do good works (Ephesians 2:10 and Titus 2:14). Such good works, if properly done, will be done in the power of the Holy Spirit (1 Peter 4:11) and for the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31).

The Significance of Spiritual Gifts

Paul says in 1 Corinthians 12 that every person who is born again receives at least one supernatural spiritual gift from the Holy Spirit. A person may receive more than one gift. And, if you are a good steward of the gifts you receive, then you may receive additional gifts as you develop spiritually (Luke 19:26).

God expects us to use our spiritual gifts to advance His kingdom. This is what the judgment of works will be all about. Each of us who are redeemed will stand before the Lord Jesus and give an accounting of how we used our gifts to advance the kingdom of God on earth.

We will be judged as to the quantity of our works (Luke 19:11-27 and Romans 2:6-7). We will be judged as to the quality of our works (1 Corinthians 3:10-14). Finally, we will be judged as to the motivation of our works (1 Corinthians 4:5).

I can imagine some famous evangelist being brought before the Lord for judgment.

"How did you use your spiritual gifts to advance my kingdom?" asks the Lord.

“I used my gifts as a teacher and evangelist to preach the Gospel millions," replies the preacher.

“Yes," says the Lord, "you certainly did that. But, I know your heart, and thus I know your motivation. You preached not because you loved Me but because you wanted to become famous. You wanted to have your picture published on the cover of Time magazine, and you accomplished that. Here's a copy of that magazine cover. That's all the reward I have for you!"

And then I can imagine the Lord calling up a little old lady that no one has ever heard of.

"Dear, on the day you accepted Me as your Lord and Savior, I gave you one gift, the gift of mercy. And every time someone was ill, you were the first to offer comfort and encouragement. You were the one who organized the prayer chain. Every time someone went to the hospital, you were the first to visit them. Every time someone died, you were the one who organized the meals. And you did all of these things simply because you loved me.”

The Lord will give her a crown full of so many jewels that she will have a neck ache for eternity!

Seriously, there will be degrees of rewards. They will be manifested in the crowns we receive (2 Timothy 4:7-8), the robes we wear (Revelation 19:8) and the degrees of ruling authority which we exercise with the Lord (Luke 19:11-27).

The Timing of the Judgments

When and where will the judgment of the Redeemed take place? The Bible indicates the judgment of believers who have lived and died during the Church Age will occur in Heaven before the judgment seat of Jesus, immediately following the Rapture of the Church (2 Corinthians 5:10 and Revelation 19:6-9).

Those who are saved and martyred during the Tribulation will be judged at the end of that period when they are resurrected at the Second Coming of Christ (Revelation 20:4). The Tribulation saints who live to the end of that terrible period are another group that will be judged at the Second Coming of Jesus in "the sheep and goat judgment” portrayed in Matthew 25:31-46. The Old Testament saints will also be judged at the time of the Second Coming (Ezekiel 20:34-38).

All the unrighteous who have ever lived will be resurrected and judged at the end of the millennial reign of Jesus.

The Judgment of the Unjust

The terrible judgment of the unrighteous is pictured in Revelation 20:11-15. It is called the “Great White Throne" judgment.

We are told that the wicked also will be judged of their works. But their judgment will be radically different from the judgment of the Redeemed. Whereas the Redeemed are judged of their works to determine their degrees of reward, the lost are judged of their works to determine their eternal destiny.

And since no one can be justified before God by their works (Isaiah 64:6 and Ephesians 2:8-10), all will be condemned to Hell. That's why I call this judgment "the judgment of the damned."

The unjust are also judged for another reason. There are going to be degrees of punishment (Luke 12:35-48 and 20:45-47). There is a popular myth in Christendom that says, “AII sin is equal in the eyes of God." That is not true. The only way in which all sin is equal is that any sin, whether a white lie or murder, condemns us before God and necessitates a Savior.

But all sin is not equal in the eyes of God. For example, Proverbs 6:16-19 lists seven sins that the Lord particularly hates, including "hands that shed innocent blood." And the Bible makes it very clear that idolatry is a sin that is especially heinous in the eyes of God (Exodus 20:3-5).

Because God considers some sins worse than others, there will be degrees of punishment (Revelation 22:12), and these degrees will be specified at the Great White Throne judgment.

A Call to Repentance

Where do you stand with respect to the inevitable judgment which you will face before the Lord?

If you are a Christian, do you know what spiritual gifts you have been given? Are you using them to advance the Lord's kingdom? Is your motivation a love of the Lord?

If you have never confessed Jesus as your Lord and Savior, do you really want to participate in the judgment of the damned? Do you realize that the Bible says, "Every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord"? That means Hitler and every vile person like him who has ever lived will one day make the confession of Jesus' lordship. You will too.

I urge you to make that confession now so that you can participate in the resurrection and judgment of the righteous. As you consider your decision, think about the following words from the book of Hebrews: “Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, shall appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him" (Hebrews 9:28).

Notice carefully that this verse promises that for those who are ready for Him, Jesus will come "without reference to sin." That is a wonderful promise.

40: Rewards

What rewards can believers look forward to?

19) Do not lay up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.

20) But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal;

21) for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Matthew 6:19-21

What does this passage mean when it speaks of “treasures in heaven”? Certainly it is referring to promises that God has made to all believers. But in addition, I believe it refers to special rewards that we are earning right now as a result of our good works.

The Significance of Good Works

Now don't panic! I'm not saying that we earn our salvation. Nor am I saying that we are saved by good works. We are not.

The Bible clearly teaches that we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus as our Lord and Savior, and not by our own works (Ephesians 2:8-9). Salvation is a "gift of God" (Ephesians 2:8).

But we often stress this truth to the point that we forget that the Bible also teaches that we are saved to do good works: "We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2: 10).

The Apostle Paul stressed this important point in his letter to Titus. He wrote that Jesus has redeemed us in order to "purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds” (Titus 2:14). Paul proceeded to emphasize that "He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy . . . being justified by His grace" (Titus 3:5,7). But then he added that those who have believed must “be careful to engage in good deeds" (Titus 3:8).

To summarize, we do not work to be saved; we work because we are saved. Our good works are a manifestation of our salvation. That's what James, the brother of Jesus, meant when he wrote, "What use is it, my brethren, if a man says he has faith, but he has no works?" He then added that "faith without works is useless" (James 2:20).

Besides manifesting our salvation, our good works bring honor and glory to God: "Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). That's why it is important to perform good deeds in the name of Jesus: "And whatever you do in word or deed. do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father" (Colossians 3:17).

The Judgment of Good Works

Our good works are so important that God is keeping a record of them because one day all believers are going to stand before Jesus and be judged of their works to determine their degrees of reward. Speaking of believers, Paul wrote, "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad" (2 Corinthians 5:10).

There is both good news and bad news about this judgment. The good news is so incredible that many Christians find it hard to believe. It is the fact that believers will not be judged of their sins to determine their eternal destiny. The reason is that they have already been judged of their sins! That judgment took place at the Cross where every sin we have ever committed and ever will commit was placed upon Jesus, and He received the wrath of God that we deserve (2 Corinthians 5:21 and 2 Peter 2:24).

Because of the work that Jesus did on the Cross, the sins of those who have placed their faith in Him have been forgiven and forgotten:

“For I will be merciful to their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more" (Hebrews 8:12). Our sins have been forgotten in the sense that God will never hold them against us again. Thus, the book of Hebrews says, "So Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, shall appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him" (Hebrews 9:28).

What a gracious God! When we place our faith in His Son, He forgets our evil deeds, but He remembers all our good works: "For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints" (Hebrews 6:10).

The Criteria of Judgment

So, the good news is that believers will not be judged of their sins to determine their eternal destiny. The bad news is that they will be judged of their works to determine their degrees of reward.

Let's consider how our works will be judged. First of all, they are going to be judged in relation to our spiritual gifts. Every person receives one or more spiritual gifts when he or she places their faith in Jesus and are born again (1 Corinthians 12:4-11 and 1 Peter 4:10-11). We are expected to use those gifts to advance the Lord's kingdom. That's why it is so important for all believers to study the spiritual gifts and determine which ones they have received.

To those to whom much is given, much will be expected (Luke 12:48). But we will not be judged solely on the quantity of our works. We will also be judged as to quality (1 Corinthians 3:13) and motive (1 Corinthians 4:5).

When this judgment is completed, some will be laden with rewards, but others will be stripped naked. The Apostle Paul described it in this manner in 1 Corinthians 3:

13) Each man's work will become evident; for the day will show it, because it is to be revealed with fire: and the fire itself will test the quality of each man's work.

14) If any man's work which he has built upon it [the foundation of Jesus Christ] remains, he shall receive a reward.

15) If any man's work is burned up, he shall suffer loss; but he himself shall be saved so as through fire.

What an image verse 15 presents of a person saved with his tail feathers smoking! This passage makes it clear that some who are saved will receive no special rewards whatsoever. In short, some believers will experience embarrassment at the judgment seat of Jesus.

Take a look at the heavenly scene portrayed in Revelation 4. The 24 Elders, representative of the Church, cast their golden crowns at the feet of Jesus and then bow before Him in worship (Revelation 4:4-11). What a tragedy it will be for those who have no special rewards to offer back to Jesus in honor of Him.

Degrees of Reward

Some people have difficulty with the concept that there will be degrees of reward, but this principle is clearly taught in the Scriptures. Consider the following promises:

Whatever a person gives up for the Lord, he will receive back one hundred times over (Mark 10:29-30).

Those who are hated and persecuted for Christ will receive a great reward in Heaven (Matthew 5:11-12).

Those who show kindness to the poor, the maimed, the lame and the blind will be rewarded at the resurrection of the Righteous (Luke 14:12-14).

Types of Rewards

There are two types of rewards that believers will receive. The first category consists of the general rewards all believers will receive because they are associated with their salvation. These include such things as resurrection, glorification, and eternal life in the presence of God on a New Earth.

The special rewards will be related to believers' utilization of their spiritual gifts to advance the kingdom. These will include such things as customized robes and crowns, as well as differing degrees of ruling authority during the Millennium.

Let's take a look at both general and special rewards in the chronological order in which they will be distributed.

Rewards at the Rapture

The Rapture itself is referred to in the Scriptures as a reward for believers: "I [Paul] press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Jesus Christ" (Philippians 3:14).

Both the living and dead in Christ will receive deliverance from death (John 11:25-26). Our bodies will be glorified (1 Corinthians 15:35-53), and our souls will be conformed to the image of Jesus (Romans 8:29-30).

Glorified Bodies

What will it mean to receive a glorified body? Paul wrote a whole chapter about the topic in 1 Corinthians 15. According to him, our glorified bodies will be imperishable, gloriously pure, powerful, and spiritual (1 Corinthians 15:42-44).

Paul further states that the glorified body will be immortal, and as such will no longer be subject to death (1 Corinthians 15:53-55). This is an important point. Many in Christendom believe in the immortality of the soul. That is not a biblical concept. It comes from the writings of Plato, a Greek philosopher. The Bible says that God alone possesses immortality (1 Timothy 6:16). We do not receive immortality until we are given our glorified bodies. Immortality is a gift of grace to the Redeemed.

The Nature of the Glorified Body

Paul made a statement in his letter to the Philippians that I think provides us with the best framework for understanding what our glorified bodies will be like. He wrote that when Jesus returns, He “will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself" (Philippians 3:20-21).

In other words, our glorified bodies are going to be like Jesus' resurrection body.

Now, think about that for a moment. After His resurrection, Jesus had a tangible body that could be touched and recognized (Luke 24:41-43 and John 20:27-28). People had difficulty recognizing Him at first, but that is understandable. If you buried your best friend one day, and he knocked on your door the next, would you recognize him? Wouldn't you assume he was someone who looked like your friend? Once the disciples realized that Jesus had truly been resurrected, they had no more difficulty recognizing Him, even at a distance (John 21:1-7).

So, Jesus had a body similar to the ones we have now. It was tangible and recognizable. It was also a body that ate food. Jesus is pictured eating with His disciples several times, including a meal of fish on the shore of the Sea of Galilee (Luke 24:30-31,41-42, and John 21:10-13). I must admit that I get excited when I read these accounts of Jesus eating, and also when I read about our eating with Him in Heaven at the "marriage supper of the Lamb” (Revelation 19:7-9). I have this fantasy that we will be able to eat all we want in our glorified bodies and not have to worry about gaining weight! (That should be sufficient to prompt many of you to shout, "Maranatha!")

A Different Dimension

The resurrected body of Jesus was similar to ours in many respects, but there were also some differences. Jesus' body seemed to have a different dimension to it, for He could pass through a wall into a locked room (John 20:26), and He could move from one place to another almost instantly (Luke 24:30-36). One moment He was on the road to Emmaus, the next He was in Jerusalem, and then He would appear in the Galilee area.

His disciples were so startled and frightened by His ability to vanish and reappear suddenly at another place that they thought they were seeing a spirit. But Jesus countered that idea immediately by telling them, “Touch Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have" (Luke 24:39). When the Word says that our glorified bodies will be “spiritual" in nature (1 Corinthians 15:44), it does not mean we will be ethereal spirits. It says our natural body will be raised a spiritual body, not a spirit. We will still have a body, but it will no longer be controlled by the old sin nature, the flesh. Rather, it will be a body yielded completely to the control of the Holy Spirit.

There is one other thing the Bible reveals about the glorified body that should be a source of great comfort. The glorified body will be a perfected body. That means the blind will see, the deaf will hear, the lame will walk, and the mute will speak. Those who are mentally impaired will have their minds healed (Isaiah 29:18-19, 32:3-4 and 35:5-6). There will no longer be any pain or death (Revelation 21:4). God will "wipe away every tear,” and “there shall no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain" (Revelation 21:4)

The Throne of God in Heaven

The first event for believers after the Rapture will be their presentation to God the Father before His throne in Heaven (Jude 24).

They will appear without blemish and with rejoicing (Jude 24). Jesus will confess each one before His Father and the angels (Revelation 3:5), and each one will be honored by the Father by being perfected, confirmed, strengthened and established (John 12:26 and 1 Peter 5:10). It is at this point that the Redeemed will be formally adopted as children of God (Romans 8:23).

Comfort will be granted to the those who mourned (Matthew 5:4), Those who hungered for righteousness will experience satisfaction (Matthew 5:6). The merciful will receive mercy (Matthew 5:7). A great reward of praise, honor and glory will be given to those who were persecuted for Christ's sake (Matthew 5:10-12).

Those who were sacrificial will receive back a hundred times more than what they surrendered (Matthew 19:29). Those who were humble will be exalted (Matthew 18:4). Special blessings will be given to those who rendered special services to the Church (2 Timothy 1:16-18).

The Judgment Seat of Christ

Following their welcome to Heaven, the Redeemed will appear before the judgment seat of Christ to be judged of their works to determine their degrees of rewards (2 Corinthians 5:10). Among the rewards that will be given are the following:

An imperishable wreath for those who exercised self-control (1 Corinthians 9:24-27).

A crown of exaltation for those who were soul winners Thessalonians 2:19-20).

A crown of righteousness for those who lived with the love of the Lord's appearing in their hearts (2 Timothy 4:8).

A crown of life for those who endured trials (James 1:12).

An unfading crown of glory for those who served as elders (1 Peter 5:1-4).

The Marriage Feast of the Lamb

After all the rewards have been handed out, each redeemed person will receive an invitation to attend the greatest feast in the history of the cosmos, what the Bible calls “the marriage feast of the Lamb" (Revelation 19:7). It will be held in Heaven at the end of the Tribulation on earth.

This will be the joyous occasion when Jesus, the Bridegroom, will celebrate His union with His bride, the Church. The Redeemed will be given special robes of fine linen, clean and bright (Revelation 3:5 and 19:8). The robes will be decorated in a manner that will reflect the righteous deeds of each person.

The Second Coming

When the great marriage feast celebration ends, Jesus will return to earth to reign. The Redeemed will return with Him (Revelation 19:8) and will inherit the earth (Matthew 5:5) and the kingdom (James 2:5). They will reign with Jesus over the world (2 Timothy 2:12 and Revelation 2:26-27), exercising various degrees of ruling power (Luke 19:1-27). And during this time, the Redeemed will receive honor and glory, along with Jesus (Matthew 13:43 and Romans 8:17).

We will be blessed to see the whole world flooded with peace, righteousness, and justice, as the waters cover the seas (Isaiah 11:1-9).

Rewards Beyond Comprehension

What I have catalogued here is by no means all the rewards promised to believers. But it will give you an idea of the wonderful blessings that lie in store for us.

It will also help you to understand what the Apostle Paul meant when he wrote: "I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us" (Romans 8:18). That's a mouthful! Paul reaffirms it in 1 Corinthian 2:9 (RSV):

No eye has seen,

No ear has heard,

Nor has the mind of Man conceived,

What God has prepared

For those who love Him.

A Crucial Question

Do you have an invitation to the "marriage feast of the Lamb"? If not, then you will be at the "supper of God" described in Revelation 19:17-18).

What a contrast the Bible presents between these two feasts! The "marriage feast of the Lamb" will occur in Heaven at the end of the Tribulation, right before the return of Jesus to earth. It will be a celebration of great joy, as the Redeemed are united with their Savior and express their thanks to Him for the salvation He provided on the Cross.

The "supper of God," in contrast, will occur on earth after the Second Coming of Jesus. All those who have rejected Jesus will be gathered, consigned to death, and fed to the vultures (Luke 17:34-37 and Revelation 19:18).

Those invited to the "marriage feast of the Lamb" will be honored guests. Those invited to the "supper of God" will serve as the meal!

The invitation to the "marriage feast of the Lamb" is free of charge. To secure an invitation, all you have to do is repent of your sins and accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior (Romans 10:8-11).

If you have never done that, then pray this simple prayer:

Heavenly Father, I confess to You that I am a sinner and that my sins have separated me from You. I desire to be reconciled to You by accepting Your Son, Jesus, as my Lord and Savior. I believe that He died on the Cross for my sins and rose from the dead. Give me the gift of your Holy Spirit that I might be born again and sealed for redemption. Thank You, Lord. In Jesus' name, Amen.

If you prayed that prayer, please seek out a Bible believing church where Jesus is honored as Lord and Savior. Make a public confession of your faith and manifest your faith in water baptism.

Then, with the help of fellow Christians, start studying God's Word and growing in the image of Jesus.

41: Lifestyle

Are you living with an eternal perspective?

One of the greatest public servants in the history of England was William Gladstone (1809-1898) who served as Prime Minister four times during the latter half of the 19th Century.

Gladstone was a committed Christian who always attended church. Gladstone also taught a Sunday School class throughout his adult life. In fact, his aim early in his life was to become an Anglican clergyman, but after his graduation from Oxford, his strong-willed father insisted that he enter politics.

Shortly before he died, Gladstone gave a speech in which he told about being visited by an ambitious young man who sought his advice about life. The lad told the elder statesman that he admired him more than anyone living and wanted to seek his advice regarding his career.

A Remarkable Interview

“What do you hope to do when you graduate from college?" Gladstone asked.

The young man replied, "I hope to attend law school, sir, just as you did.”

“That's a noble goal," said Gladstone, “Then what?"

“I hope to practice law and make a good name for myself defending the poor and the outcasts of society, just as you did."

“That's a noble purpose," replied Gladstone. “Then what?"

“Well, sir, I hope one day to stand for Parliament and become a servant of the people, even as you did."

"That too is a noble hope. What then?" asked Gladstone.

“I would hope to be able to serve in the Parliament with great distinction, evidencing integrity and a concern for justice, even as you did."

"What then?" asked Gladstone.

“I would hope to serve the government as Prime Minister with the same vigor, dedication, vision and integrity as you did."

"And what then?"

"I would hope to retire with honors and write my memoirs, even as you are presently doing, so that others could learn from my mistakes and triumphs."

"All of that is very noble," said Gladstone, "and then what?"

The young man thought for a moment. "Well, sir, I suppose I will then die."

"That's correct," said Gladstone. “And then what?"

The young man looked puzzled. "Well, sir," he answered hesitantly, "I've never given that any thought."

"Young man," Gladstone responded, "the only advice I have for you is for you to go home, read your Bible and think about eternity."

Good Advice

Think about eternity! What good advice. Life goes by so quickly. It is like a vapor that is here one moment and evaporates the next. We are preparing for eternity. Are you ready?

Or, are you living like you expect to live forever? Are you focused on this life, determined to accumulate all the money, power and fame you possibly can? Are you like the young man who visited Gladstone, are you a person who has never given eternity a thought? If so, the Word of God has a stern warning for you (James 4:13-15 - The Message):

13) And now I have a word for you who brashly announce, "Today - at the latest, tomorrow - we're off to such and such a city for the year. We're going to start a business and make a lot of money."

14) You don't know the first thing about tomorrow. You're nothing but a wisp of fog, catching a brief bit of sun before disappearing.

15) Instead, make it a habit to say, "If the Master wills it and we're still alive, we'll do this or that."

The Fleeting Nature of Life

This passage always reminds me of an incident that occurred in my life several years ago. A dear friend of mine whom I had taught with in a Texas college called me one day and told me he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer.

"The doctor has given me only six months to live," he reported.

I told him I was very sorry to hear the news, and I promised to pray for him and his family. Then, I added, “But keep in mind, I may be dead before you."

“Oh? Do you have cancer too?" he asked.

“No," I responded, "it's just that I do not have the promise of even one day of life, much less six months."

We all tend to live like we are going to live forever, when the fact is that we are all mortal and can die at any moment from a thousand different causes, natural or accidental. Ironically, the Bible tells us that we are to live like we are going to live forever, but not on this earth. We are to live in preparation for eternity, hopefully an eternity with God.

A Constant Battle

Most likely you are a born again believer who has given serious thought to eternity, but who finds it difficult to maintain an eternal perspective. You repeatedly find yourself caught up with the problems of life, and the result is stress, anxiety and even depression.

Living with an eternal perspective is one of the keys to living as an overcomer. It is a virtue that is going to become increasingly important as society continues to disintegrate and Christians come under increasing attack.

What is the secret to maintaining an eternal perspective? Much of the answer lies in your attitude about this world.

Your Attitude Toward the World

Stop for a moment and think. What is your attitude about this world? Are you enthusiastic about it? Or do you feel uncomfortable with it? Do you love the world? Or do you often feel alienated from it? Are you at home in this world? Or do you feel like a stranger?

There's an old Negro Spiritual that always challenges me to examine my attitude toward the world. The first verse goes as follows:

This world is not my home,

I'm just a passing through.

My treasures are laid up

Somewhere beyond the blue.

The angels beckon me

From heaven's open door,

And I can't feel at home

In this world anymore.

Do those words express your feeling about this world? What word would you use to summarize your feeling? Zealous? Anxious? Enamored? Estranged? Are you comfortable or do you feel ill-at-ease?

My Attitude

Let me ask your indulgence for a moment as I share my personal feeling about this world. The word I would use is "hate," Yes. I hate this world. I hate it with a passion so strong and so intense that I find it difficult to express in words.

Now, let me hasten to clarify my feeling by stating that I do not hate God's beautiful and marvelous creation. I have been privileged to marvel over the majesty of the Alps. I have been awed by the rugged beauty of Alaska. I never cease to be amazed by the creative wonders of God in the great American Southwest. I have been blessed to see the incredible beauty of Cape Town, South Africa. And I have been overwhelmed time and time again by the stark and almost mystical bareness of the Judean wilderness in Israel.

When I say that I "hate" this world, I'm not speaking of God's creation. I'm speaking, instead, of the evil world system that we live in. Let me give you some examples of what I'm talking about:

I hate a world where thousands of babies are murdered every day in their mother's wombs.

I hate a world where young people in the prime of life have their lives destroyed by illicit drugs.

I hate a world that coddles criminals and makes a mockery of justice.

I hate a world that glorifies crime in its movies and television programs.

I hate a world that applauds indecent and vulgar performers like Madonna and Lady Gaga.

I hate a world where government tries to convert gambling from a vice to a virtue.

I hate a world in which professional athletes are paid millions of dollars a year while hundreds of thousands sleep homeless in the streets every night.

I hate a world where people judge and condemn one another on the basis of skin color.

I hate a world that calls evil good by demanding that homosexuality be recognized as a legitimate, alternative lifestyle.

I hate a world in which mothers are forced to work while their children grow up in impersonal day care centers.

I hate a world in which people die agonizing deaths from diseases like cancer and AIDS.

I hate a world where families are torn apart by alcohol abuse.

I hate a world where every night I see reports on the television news of child abuse, muggings, kidnappings, murders, terrorism, wars, and rumors of wars.

I hate a world that uses the name of my God, Jesus, as a curse word.

I hope you understand now what I mean when I say, "I hate this world!"

Jesus’ Viewpoint

But how I personally feel about this world is not important. The crucial point for you to consider is the biblical view. Let's look at it, and as we do so, compare the biblical view with your own.

Let's begin with the viewpoint that Jesus told us we should have. It is recorded in John 12:25, “He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world shall keep it to life eternal."

Those are strong words. They are the kind that cause us to wince and think. "Surely He didn't mean what He said." But the context indicates that Jesus meant exactly what He said. So, what about it? Do you hate your life in this world or do you love it?

The Viewpoint of the Apostles

The Apostle Paul gave a very strong warning about getting comfortable with the world. In Romans 12:2 he wrote: "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." How do you measure up to this exhortation?

Are you conformed to the world? Have you adopted the world's way of dress? What about the world's way of speech or the world's love of money? Are your goals the goals of the world - power, success, fame, and riches?

The brother of Jesus expressed the matter in very pointed language. He said, "Do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore, whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God" (James 4:4).

Are you a friend of the world? Are you comfortable with what the world has to offer in music, movies, television programs and best selling books? Friendship with the world is hostility toward God!

In fact, James puts it even stronger than that, for at the beginning of the passage I previously quoted (James 4:4), he says that those who are friendly with the world are spiritual adulterers.

The Apostle John makes the same point just as strongly in First John chapter 2:

15) Do not love the world, nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

16) For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh. and the lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.

There is no way to escape the sobering reality of these words. Do you love the world? If so, the love of the Father is not in you!

The Focus of Your Mind

Paul tells us how to guard against becoming comfortable with the world. In Colossians 3:2 he says, "Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth." In Philippians 4:8 he expresses the same admonition in these words:

Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things.

As these verses indicate, one of the keys to living a triumphant life in Christ, to living a joyous and victorious life in the midst of a world wallowing in despair, is to live with a conscious eternal perspective.

What does that mean? In the words of Peter, that means living as "aliens and strangers" in this world (1 Peter 2:11). Similarly, in the words of the writer of Hebrews, it means living as "strangers and exiles." (Hebrews 11:13). Paul put it this way: "Do not set your minds on earthly things. for our citizenship is in heaven" (Philippians 3:19-20).

The great Christian writer, C. S. Lewis, explained that to live with an eternal perspective means "living as commandos operating behind the enemy lines, preparing the way for the coming of the Commander-in-Chief."

Another Test of Attitude

Let me give you one last test for determining whether or not you are living with an eternal perspective: How do you feel about the Lord's return? This is an acid test that will determine whether you are in love with the world or the Lord.

The attitude of the person who is in love with the world can best be expressed in these words: “I want the Lord to return, but . . . “There is always a “but."

“I want the Lord to return, but I want Him to come after I have made a million dollars."

"I want the Lord to come, but I want Him to come after I've written a great novel."

"I want the Lord to come, but I want Him to come after I've made the cover of Time magazine."

"I want the Lord to come, but I want Him to come after I've built a great church."

"I want the Lord to come, but I want Him to come after I'm 85 years old and have experienced all that life has to offer."

What these people are really saying is, "I want Jesus to come, but I don't want Him messing up my life!" They are in love with the World.

An Evidence of True Love

You see, when you are in love with someone, you want to be with them. That's a fact of life. Watch people who have just fallen in love. They want to be with each other all the time. When they are apart, they are constantly on the phone talking about when they will be together again!

The same is true of the Lord. If you truly love Jesus, you will want to be with Him. You will talk with Him in prayer. You will fellowship with Him in His Word and in worship. But these forms of communication will never satisfy your longing to be in His presence, to have personal, intimate fellowship with Him, face to face.

The Biblical Attitude

You will be like Paul, willing to stay on in this world serving the Lord, but yearning for the day when you will be united with Him, either through death or His return (2 Corinthians 5:8 and Philippians 1:23-24).

A sense of yearning is characteristic of those who live with an eternal perspective. It can be found expressed throughout the Bible:

The patriarch Job stated that he looked forward to the day when his Redeemer would stand upon the earth because he knew that when that happened, he, Job, would receive a new body and would see the Lord. He added that the very thought was enough to cause him to faint! (Job 19:25-27)

Abraham "lived as an alien in the land of promise" because he yearned for “the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God" (Hebrews 11:9-10).

Moses thought it was better to be ill-treated for the promised Messiah's sake than to own all the riches of Egypt because he was looking forward to his heavenly reward (Hebrews 11:26).

David relished the promise of God that one day He will send His Son to terrify the nations with His wrath and reign as King on Mt. Zion (Psalm 2:5-6).

Isaiah's heart was so filled with desire to be with the Lord that he cried out, “Oh, that You would rend the heavens and come on down to make Your name known to Your adversaries, that the nations may tremble at Your presence!" (Isaiah 64:1-2).

Jeremiah dreamed of when the Lord would "roar from on high, and utter His voice from His holy habitation” (Jeremiah 25:30).

Ezekiel spent nine chapters (40-48) describing in detail the glorious Millennial Temple of the Lord, obviously yearning for the day it would be built. He concluded the description with the reason for his yearning. He revealed that the city will have a new name: "Yahweh Shammah." which means. The Lord is there (Ezekiel 48:35).

Daniel had visions about the Lord returning to reign over all the earth, together with His saints (Daniel 7:13-14, 18,27).

Micah cried out for the day when the Lord will dwell once again in Jerusalem and will “teach us about His ways" and “we will walk in His paths" (Micah 4:2).

The Old Testament ends with Malachi looking forward to the day when the "sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings." He says his response will be to "go forth and skip about" like a calf released from a stall! (Malachi 4:2).

This yearning to be with the Lord continues throughout the New Testament. Peter exhorted us to live with our hope fixed confidently on the return of Jesus (1 Peter 1:13-16).

Paul urged us to live with the love of the Lord's appearing in our hearts (2 Timothy 4:8). He also told the Church to pray, "Maranatha!" meaning, "Our Lord come!" (1 Corinthians 16:22).

The New Testament ends with the words of John crying out, "Amen. Come Lord Jesus!" (Revelation 22:20).

Are You Yearning or Yawning?

From beginning of the Bible to its end, we find people who are in love with God and who are expressing that love by yearning to be with Him. In contrast, we find the Church of the 21^st Century yawning about the Lord's return

The Church of today is the church of Laodicea: penetrated by the world, rich and in need of nothing, not even the Lord who stands at the door knocking, asking to be let in (Revelation 3:14-17). Like that church, we are “neither cold nor hot." We are lukewarm. And the result is that we are apathetic and worldly. We desperately need to have our eternal perspective restored.

In July of 1988, I was given the blessing of meeting a great man of God named Leonard Ravenhill, a prophetic preacher from England. After our meeting, we corresponded briefly. Right before he died, in the last letter he sent me, he enclosed a small card containing a brief, one sentence message. He urged me to memorize the message and live it daily. The message was simple but profound: "Lord, keep me eternity conscious. "

42: Attitude

Are you yearning or yawning about the Lord's return?

Many scholars believe that one of the earliest prayers of the Church was “Maranatha!" (1 Corinthians 16:22).

That word is actually an Aramaic phrase that means “Our Lord come!" This prayer expresses a fact that is confirmed by many other scriptures, namely, that the First Century Church had an ardent desire for the soon return of Jesus.

The Yawning of the Church

The 21st Century Church seems to have lost that desire. The average Christian today does not pray “Maranatha!" Most Christians do not yearn for the return of the Lord.

Instead of yearning, they are yawning. Christendom at large is caught up in apathy regarding the return of Jesus. And that is sad, for the Word says that the return of the Lord is our “Blessed Hope" (Titus 2:13).

Also, we are constantly admonished in the Scriptures to watch for the Lord's coming and to be ready. As Jesus Himself put it, "Be dressed in readiness, and keep your lamps alight" (Luke 12: 35).

Reasons for Yearning

There are at least six reasons why every Christian should earnestly desire the soon return of Jesus:

1) Glory for Jesus - When Jesus returns He will get what He deserves - honor, glory and power. He was humiliated in history, and He will be vindicated and glorified in history. He will be coronated the King of kings and Lord of lords, and He will reign over all the world from Mt. Zion in Jerusalem (Isaiah 24:21-23).

2) Defeat for Satan – When Jesus returns, Satan will receive what he deserves - defeat, dishonor, and humiliation. The fate of Satan was sealed by the Cross, but his nefarious activities will not cease until the Lord returns. At that time, he will be crushed (Romans 16:20 and Revelation 20:1-3).

3) Refreshment for the Earth – When Jesus returns, the Creation will receive what it has been promised - restoration. The earth will be renovated by earthquakes and supernatural phenomena in the heavens. The result will be a beautified earth. The destructive forces of nature will be curtailed. Deserts will bloom. The plant and animal kingdoms will be restored to their original perfection. Poisonous plants and animals will cease to be poisonous. Carnivorous animals will become herbivorous. All of nature will cease to strive against itself. Instead, it will work together harmoniously to the benefit of Mankind and the glory of God. (See Isaiah 11:6-9, Isaiah 35:1-10, Isaiah 65:17-25, Acts 3:19-21 and Romans 8:18-23.)

4) Peace for the Nations – When Jesus returns, the nations will receive what they have been promised - peace, righteousness, and justice. (See Isaiah 9:6-7, 11:3-5 and Micah 4:1-7.)

5) Primacy for the Jews - When Jesus returns, the Jews will receive what they have been promised - salvation and primacy. At the end of the Tribulation, a remnant of the Jews will accept Jesus as their Messiah. This remnant will be gathered and established in Israel as the prime nation of the world. (See Hosea 2:14-20, Isaiah 60-62 and Romans 9-11.)

6) Blessings for the Church – When Jesus returns, the saints will receive what they have been promised - glorified bodies, a redeemed earth, ruling power over the nations and reunification with loved ones who are already with the Lord. (See Philippians 3:20-21, Matthew 5:5, Revelation 2:26-27 and 1 Thessalonians 4:14.)

These six reasons make it clear that every Christian should be earnestly desiring the return of the Lord. Yet apathy prevails. Why?

Reasons for Apathy

I have found four reasons for the apathy and indifference that characterize the Christian community concerning the return of Jesus.

1)  Unbelief - Many professing Christians simply do not believe that Jesus will ever return. Most of these are people with a liberal view of Scripture. They have spiritualized away the meaning of the Second Coming, just as they have spiritualized the virgin birth of Jesus and His miracles.

2)  Ignorance – Probably most Christians are just ignorant about what will happen when the Lord returns. As a result, they cannot get excited about an event they know nothing about. I was in this category for 30 years. Although I attended church faithfully, my church ignored the teaching and preaching of the Prophetic Word.

3)  Fear - Some Christians fear the return of Jesus, and so they try to repress the thought that He might break from the heavens at any moment. They fear He might return on one of their “bad" days or when they have an “unconfessed sin" on their conscience. These people are caught up in works salvation. They do not understand that they are saved by grace and that “there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1).

4)  Carnality - Finally, there are many carnal Christians who cannot get excited about the coming of the Lord because they are in love with the world. They are walking with one foot in the Church and one foot in the country club. They want the Lord to come, but they want Him to come when they are 85 years old and have experienced all that this world has to offer. In other words, they want Him to come, but they don't want Him to mess up their lives.

Implications of the Message

The message that Jesus is coming soon is like a two edged sword. It speaks to both believers and unbelievers.

The message to unbelievers is “flee from the wrath that is to come" (Matthew 3:7) by fleeing into the loving arms of Jesus now (Matthew 11:28-30).

The message to believers is to stop playing church and get serious about their Christian commitment by dedicating their lives to holiness (1 Peter 1:13-16).

The Challenge to Unbelievers

If you are an unbeliever who is still struggling with God, I urge you to carefully contemplate the evidence of fulfilled prophecy that has been presented in this book. Consider how it validates the Bible as the Word of God and confirms Jesus as the Son of God.

God loves you (John 3:16). He wants you to become an heir of the promises contained in His master plan (2 Peter 3:9). I appeal to you to reach out in faith to Him (Hebrews 11:6). Humble yourself before Him (2 Peter 5:6-7), Confess your sins (Romans 10:9). Ask Him to forgive you and save you (Acts 2:21). Receive His Son, Jesus, as your Lord and Savior (John 14:6).

And then seek out a fellowship of believers where you can manifest your faith in public confession and baptism and begin to grow in the Lord through the study of His Word (2 Timothy 3:16).

Receiving Jesus into your life is not just a way of preparing for His soon return. It will have an impact upon your life here and now. He will give you the gift of His Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5), and the Spirit will begin to empower and strengthen you for victorious living as an “overcomer" (1 John 5:1-5).

The Challenge to Believers

If you are a believer, you are going to have to face the fact that after reading this book you can no longer plead ignorance regarding the marvelous promises of God that will be fulfilled when Jesus returns. You now know God's plan for the ages.

Hopefully, this book has also dispelled any fear that you might have had about the certainty of your salvation. I have repeatedly emphasized the amazing grace of God. You need to trust in the Lord's faithfulness.

So, let me ask you: Are you still apathetic? If so, why? If it's not due to fear or ignorance, is it then due to unbelief or carnality?

I challenge you to allow the spotlight of the Holy Spirit to shine upon your heart and reveal to you the reason for any apathy you may still have regarding the soon return of Jesus.

If your problem is unbelief regarding Bible prophecy, then I challenge you to accept in faith the validity of all God's Word and not just the truth of the gospel message (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Consider the fact that when you call into question any of God's Word, you challenge the validity of all of it. We are not free to pick and choose what we want to believe in God's Word. We are called to accept all of it in faith (Habakkuk 2:4 and Romans 1:17).

If your problem is carnality because you have compromised with the world, then I challenge you to commit your life to holiness by making Jesus the Lord of every aspect of your being (Romans 13:12- 14). Take an inventory of your life and ask: Is Jesus the Lord of your movies? Is He the Lord of your TV? What about your music and your reading material? Is He the Lord of your job? Your marriage? Your recreation? Is He the Lord of anything in your life?

I can think of one other concern about the return of Jesus that may be prompting an apathetic attitude on your part. Perhaps you are saying to yourself, "I want the Lord to come, but I want to see certain family members or friends give their lives to Jesus first."

If that is your attitude, please don't feel bad about it. It is a spiritually legitimate attitude. You should be concerned about the eternal destiny of your family members and friends.

Just keep in mind that the Lord's timing for His return will be perfect, so turn your concern for family and friends over to the Lord and let Him deal with it. He wants your heart to be filled with unqualified anticipation for His soon return (2 Timothy 4:7-8).

Something Personal

I have presented many reasons why every Christian should earnestly desire the soon return of Jesus.

In addition to those reasons, I want to add a personal one. I want Jesus to come back because:

I want to be with Him.

I want to bask in the presence of His love and holiness.

I want to see the glory of God in His face.

I want to kiss His nail-scarred hands and say “Thank You"

for dying for me,

for forgiving me,

for changing me,

for guiding me,

for comforting me,

for giving my life meaning and purpose.

And I want to join the Saints and the Heavenly Host in singing: "Worthy is the Lamb."

MARANATHA!