EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!
THURSDAY APRIL 18, 2024.
SUBJECT: LIFE IN ETERNITY!
Memory verse: "But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God had prepared for those who love Him.” (First Corinthians 2 vs 9.)
READ: Revelation 21 vs 1 - 4:
21:1: Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea.
21:2: Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
21:3: And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them, and be their God.
21:4:And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.
INTIMATION:
The earth as we know it will not last forever, but after God’s great judgment, He will create a new earth (see Romans 8 vs 18 - 21; Second Peter 3 vs 7 - 13). God had also promised Isaiah that He would create a new and eternal earth (Isaiah 65 vs 17; 66 vs 22). We don’t know how the new earth will look or where it will be, but God and His followers—those whose names are written in the Book of life—will be united to live there forever.
How do we get eternal life? Jesus tells us clearly here—by knowing God the Father Himself through His Son, Jesus Christ. Eternal life requires entering into a personal relationship with God in Jesus Christ. When we admit our sin and turn away from it, Christ’s love lives in us by the Holy Spirit.
The gate to eternal life is called “narrow” (John 10 vs 7 - 9). This doesn’t mean that it’s difficult to become a Christian but that there is only one way to eternal life with God and that only a few decide to walk that road. Believing in Jesus is the only way to heaven because He alone died for our sins and made us right before God. Living His way may not be popular, but it is true and right. Thank God there is one way!
Have you ever wondered what eternity will be like? The “holy city, New Jerusalem” (Rev 21 vs 2) is described as the place where God will “wipe away every tear.” Forevermore, there will be no death, sorrow, crying, or pain. What a wonderful truth! No matter what you are going through, it’s not the last word—God has written the final chapter, and it is about true fulfillment and eternal joy for those who love Him. We do not know as much as we would like, but it is enough to know that eternity with God will be more wonderful than we could ever imagine.
What we know about eternity.
- A place prepared for the believers in Christ, (John 14 vs 2 - 3).
- It’s unlimited by physical properties (First Corinthians 15 vs 35 - 49).
- We will be like Jesus (First John 3 vs 2).
- We will have knew bodies (First Corinthians 15).
- A wonderful experience (First Corinthians 2 vs 9):
- A new environment (Revelation 21 vs 3)
- A new experience of God’s presence (Revelation 21 vs 3).
- New emotions (Revelation 21 vs 4)
- No more death (Revelation 21 vs 4).
The Bible devotes much less space to describing eternity than it does to convincing people that eternal life is available as a free gift from God. Most of the brief descriptions of eternity would be more accurately called hints, since they use terms and ideas from present experience to describe what we cannot fully grasp until we are there ourselves. These references hint at aspects of what our future will be like if we have accepted Christ’s gift of eternal life.
Christ promises future honor and eternal life to those who stand firm in their faith. They will be set apart and made pure—“clothed in white” (Revelation 3 vs 5). The names of all believers are registered in the Book of Life. This Book symbolizes God’s knowledge of who belongs to Him. All such people are guaranteed a listing in the Book of Life and are introduced to the hosts of heaven as belonging to Christ (see Luke 13 vs 8 - 9).
Whoever believes in God’s Son has eternal life (First John 5 vs 12). He is all you need. You don’t need to wait for eternal life because it begins the moment you believe. You don’t need to work for it because it is already yours. You don’t need to worry about it because you have been given eternal life by God Himself—and it is guaranteed.
God is faithful to His children. Although we may suffer great hardships here, God promised that someday we will live eternally with Him. What will this involve? It means believers will live in Christ’s kingdom and that we will share in the administration of that kingdom. Just as God finished the work of creation (Genesis 2 vs 1 - 3), and Jesus finished the work of redemption (John 19 vs 30), so the Trinity will finish the entire plan of salvation by inviting the redeemed into a new creation.
Those who patiently and persistently do God’s Will find eternal life. It is not contradicting the fact that salvation comes by faith alone. We are not saved by good deeds, but when we commit our life fully to God, we want to please Him and do His Will. As such, our good deeds are a grateful response to what God has done, not a prerequisite to earning His favor.
Prayer: Abba Father, Your faithfulness endures forever, and I thank You, most gracious Lord, for Your plan to live with the redeemed in eternity. Strengthen me to patiently and persistently do Your Will at all times, abounding in good deeds as a graceful response to what You have done for me, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.
PRAISE THE LORD!
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