Fear of punishment is often used in scripture to motivate sinners to obedience and faith. However, fear is only an effective motivation for those lacking or weak in faith. Fear cannot move anyone to deep devotion or spiritual maturity. To achieve those deeper levels of spiritual development we need to draw upon the deeper motivation of our eternal rewards.
Visualizing Heaven
I'm convinced Christians need to think of the glories of heaven on a regular basis. Rather than present my reasons I'd just like to describe what scripture has to say about heaven.
Consider,
Visualizing Heaven
I'm convinced Christians need to think of the glories of heaven on a regular basis. Rather than present my reasons I'd just like to describe what scripture has to say about heaven.
Consider,
For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For indeed in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our dwelling-place out of Heaven; if indeed in being clothed, we shall not be found naked. For we who are in this tabernacle groan, being burdened; inasmuch as we do not wish to be unclothed, but to be clothed, so that the mortal might be swallowed up by the life.2 Corinthians 5:1-5
But someone will say, How are the dead raised up, and with what body do they come? So also the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. Behold, I speak a mystery to you; we shall not all fall asleep, but we shall all be changed; in a moment, in a glance of an eye, at the last trumpet. For a trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall all be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.Imagine having a resurrected, eternal body. Imagine a body free of pain and disease. You'll never have aches or pains; never another stiff neck or another knot in your back. Imagine having a glorious and beautiful body. Your body will never grow old or deteriorate. You'll never sag, wrinkle or put on weight. Imagine having a body that is completely free from the infirmities and limitations of the flesh.
1 Corinthians 15:35,42-44,51-53
Consider,
And I saw a new heaven and a new earth. For the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. And the sea no longer is. And I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of Heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her Husband. And I heard a great voice out of Heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away all tears from their eyes. And there will be no more death, nor mourning, nor crying out, nor will there be any more pain; for the first things passed away. And He sitting on the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And He said to me, Write, for these words are true and faithful. And He said to me, It is done. I am the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who thirsts I will give of the fountain of the Water of Life freely. He who overcomes will inherit all things, and I will be his God, and he will be My son.Imagine a place of unimaginable and eternal beauty. Imagine a place where there is no pain or suffering, no death or sorrow, no sin or cruelty. Imagine a place where this is no gossip, no pettiness, no back-biting, no envy, no malice, no hatred, and no strife.
Revelation 21:1-7
Imagine being surrounded by individuals who are filled with the qualities you most admire -- individuals who are kind, humble, faithful, harmless, unselfish, and of uncompromising integrity. Everywhere you look you see people who are diligent workers, who love the truth, who love people, and who love the Lord. Imagine that these individuals not only possess these qualities, but they are filled with them to an amazing extent. Not only that, but you are one of these people. You are among them, having these qualities yourself, being freed from the weaknesses, limitations and lusts of your mortal body. At last, you are free to live and serve God completely without sin!
Imagine dwelling among all the faithful saints throughout the ages. Imagine meeting and talking with Abraham, Elijah, Moses, Noah and the prophets of the Old Testament. Imagine spending time with Peter, Paul and the Christians of the first century. Imagine being reunited with faithful family and friends who have departed this life. And even as you consider the great honor you have to be in their presence, imagine the wonder you experience as you come to realize that you are not just a spectator. You belong among them. Just as they, you have been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. You have lived faithfully unto death.
Finally and most significantly, imagine standing in the presence of God. Imagine the wonder and awe of seeing God face to face, yet without fear. Imagine standing in His presence and feeling His welcome and approval. Imagine hearing Him say, “Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your Lord.” Imagine experiencing the greatest joy or thrill you’ve ever experienced, only far greater still. And, instead of getting old and fading, the thrill and the joy and the wonder only grow deeper and stronger the longer you spend in God’s presence. Heaven is not heaven because of the “streets of gold”. Heaven is heaven because God is there!
I’m sure that heaven is all these things and much, much more. Now, who wants to go there?
There is only one way to get there. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except by me” (John 14:6). Peter said, “Neither is there any other name by which we may be saved” (Acts 4:12). The only way to get to heaven is by placing your obedient faith in Christ Jesus and striving to live each day as a citizen of heaven here on earth.
-PG
Great article, Patrick!
ReplyDeleteHey Pat,
ReplyDeleteStopping by to say 'hi'. Thanks for your prayers- we will definitely need them during our time doing seminary studies. In the bits and pieces of spare time I have, I've been reading your blog. I like the articles, and they address important issues!
Scripture talks so much about heaven, and a right understanding of our future home affects how we live today. How much reward and responsibility we are given in Heaven is directly related to whether we are wise and faithful from God's perspective. Adding some additional thoughts to what you've already said....
In the parable of the minas, 10 servants are given 10 minas and the master tells them to 'Engage in business until I come'. The master is Christ, and we are those servants. The footnote in my Bible says that a mina is worth 3 months wages, which would be the equivalent of $13,000 (if we say that the median income in the US is about $50,000). A mina doesn't seem like a huge amount, but it is a big deal from God's viewpoint; plus, if we look at what God entrusts to us, we must realize that we have much more (in a sense).
Like those servants, we are stewards- what we have doesn't belong to us, but are things God entrusts to our care. When the master returns, two servants are rewarded for their stewardship:
"The first came before him, saying, 'Lord, your mina has made 10 minas more. And he said to him, 'Well done, good servant! Because you have been faithful in a very little, you shall have authority over 10 cities.' And the second came, saying, 'Lord, your mina has made 5 minas.' And he said to him, 'And you are to be over 5 cities'." (Lk 19:16-19)
I'm not sure what being over 10 or 5 cities means exactly, but the parable shows some kind of correlation between earthly faithfulness and heavenly responsibility (I think). In short, we will never be bored in heaven, but we will rule and reign with Christ: "They will need no light of lamp or sun for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever." (Rev 22:5)
Imagine the joy of being God's son in Christ and being given authority as a son to rule in the new heavens and new earth. But what kind of rule and what we are entrusted with comes directly from our level of faithfulness here on earth. Everything we do on earth demonstrates whether we are a faithful servant of Christ or an untrustworthy servant. And our actions have eternal impact, eternal value that cannot change after we die. The things of this life are temporary and therefore have very little value- in fact no eternal value in themselves. But, our faithfulness in using them for God's kingdom will be rewarded with eternal riches that can and will remain ours forever:
"One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? And if you have not been faithful in that which is another's, who will give you that which is your own?" (Luke 16:10-12).
Continuing the comment as there is a 4096 character limit =)
ReplyDeleteHowever, the other servant mentioned in the parable of the minas did not receive a commendation from the master. In fact, his faithlessness in his stewardship was condemned as wickedness:
"You wicked servant! You knew that I was a severe man, taking what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow? Why then did you not put my money in the bank, and at my coming I might have collected it with interest?....'Take the mina from him, and give it to the one who has 10 minas" (Lk 19:22-24)
The condemned servant is a sobering reminder that as stewards, we will be held responsible for what we did with the master's property. If we realize that heaven, not earth, is our final destination, that will help give us the right perspective on all of life.
Keeping heaven in full view will give us the motivation to labor faithfully here on earth, even if we don't see results right away. We know that ultimately God will reward us:
"And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up." (Gal 6:9).
That due season is in heaven!
Great comments, Alex. Good to hear from you.
ReplyDeleteBrad and Alex,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the encouragement. I need to write more regularly and your comments help me to do that.