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The Best Is Yet To Be
"If, in this life only, we have hope in Christ, we are of all men
most miserable!" Paul's soaring defense of the resurrection of
Christ, and our own future resurrection, is summed up in these words
of 1 Corinthians 15:18. It would be difficult to read that piece of
inspired writing without understanding that there is something more
than this life especially for those in Christ. But viewed from the
standpoint of even a partial list of the blessings promised here, in
this life, to the Christian, these words fairly crackle with
meaning.
Consider that we are promised all the necessary things of this life
if we seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness (Matthew
6:33). Remember also the promise of peace that surpasses
understanding (Philippians 4:6, 7), and consider the promise that
God makes all things work together for the good of those that love
Him and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). And these
are only some of the high points. Yet if it is in this life only
that we expect blessings from being in Christ, "we are of all men
most miserable." What a statement! And the only way to understand it
is to compare, if we can, the blessings of this life with the life
to come. We must remember that we may also expect with these
promises persecutions (Mark 10:30) and chastening (Hebrews 12:5-11).
Here we must always be vigilant against temptations and sin and the
true disciple of Christ will always feel the tension between himself
and the temptations of the world. We are warned not to love the
world or the things in it (1 John 2:15-17), that we should set our
affections on things which are above, the yet invisible, the yet
future glory, not on things of this world or of this life, for all
these things will pass away. But after these things....!!
The Lord said, "I am come that they might have life and that they
might have it more abundantly" (John 10:10). Despite the disgusting
and amazingly short sighted doctrine of some that this is a promise
of worldly riches, the Lord refers here to the eternal salvation and
life which He offers to those who obey Him (Hebrews 5:9). How can we
read about Christ who was God, and became man, about the life He
lived here, and the purpose to that life, without seeing in these
things a demonstration of the fact that this life is only temporary,
not something to be clung to, but something to be used to glorify
our Maker and prepare to abide with Him in eternity? Jesus said that
anyone who comes to Him and doesn't "hate" even the most precious
things of this life, including this life itself, cannot be his
disciple (Luke 14:26). When equipped with the knowledge of the life
yet to come, after the resurrection, the Christian will, in
comparison to the desire for the yet future life, "hate" or hold in
much less regard, this life.
What is amazing about this is that it goes so completely against the
grain of all that we experience in the world. We have within us an
overwhelming urge to live, to cling to this life at all costs. The
natural tendency is to cling to the bright and shiny things of this
world, and to the comfortable ties of family. But some, albeit few
in number, will catch a glimpse of another, more glorious life and
family, and will be willing to sacrifice all to obtain it. For
those, Paul's words of 1 Corinthians 2:9 and 10 have explicit
meaning; "But, as it is written, 'Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard,
nor have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath
prepared for them that love Him. But God hath revealed them unto us
by His Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep
things of God." And once these deep things concerning what God has
prepared for those that love Him have been received into a good and
honest heart, they become the hope which makes us persevere all the
way to the end. The power of that hope works within us to help us
toward salvation (Romans 8:24). Living our lives with that fiery
hope within us, we take our places among the faithful of all time
who "look for a city whose builder and maker is God" (Hebrews
11:10).
So what is it that we are waiting for? What do we expect to gain
later that is so much greater than any blessings we can receive in
this life? What can possibly make us, in comparison, "hate" this
life and this world? With all the beauty and wonder of this
creation, with all the good and pleasure that this world can offer
even in its cursed state, this that we wait for must be unspeakably
glorious and wonderful in comparison, and this is exactly what we
find as we search those deep things revealed to us through the word
of God.
For starters, consider a world in which there is no sin. Can we
imagine such a thing? But, if we read the description of the world
which the Christian will inherit after the resurrection there will
be no sin there, nothing that defiles (Revelation 21:27). And if we
are there, then we too must be without sin, not by our own
righteousness, but by the grace of God in Christ. Baptism for the
remission of sins and confession of subsequent sins to God gain for
us the benefits of the blood of Christ, forgiveness and cleansing.
And, as we live this life we are helped to remember not to
transgress again by the chastening of God the Father with the aim
that we can partake of His holiness (Hebrews 12:10). Without that
holiness, we will not "see" the Lord, meaning we will not be able to
spend eternity with Him.
The obvious conclusion then is that those who obtain the
resurrection of life will be holy, blameless, spotless, for all
eternity! What a relief and what peace that will be! The lust of the
flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life will pass away
with this world, and we can live in safety and security. The Bible
calls it entering into a rest (Hebrews 4:1ff). That in itself should
be enough to make us desire that world and that city more than all
the goods and pleasures of this present world.
But there is even more. One of the questions which naturally arose
when the Corinthian Christians were doubting the resurrection was,
"if we are to be raised, what kind of body will we have?" Paul's
inspired answer was that we cannot tell yet what kind of body we
will have after the resurrection. He then points to the everyday
occurrence of a seed growing into something that looks completely
different from itself A wheat seed doesn't resemble a stalk of wheat
in any recognizable way. Neither does an acorn give us a hint of the
giant oak it contains. But this fleshly body is like a seed as Paul
describes the resurrection. It is buried in the earth as something
that will rot, or corrupt, yet containing within itself the kernel
of that which is to be. That "kernel" is the spirit of God which
dwells in the Christian (Romans 8:11). And, since flesh and blood
cannot inherit the kingdom of heaven, what arises from that "seed
body" is something much different and much more glorious just as the
oak tree is very different and much more glorious than the lowly
acorn.
But, Paul stops short of describing that body. It is sufficient for
us to know that it will be a spiritual body, something thoroughly
equipped for eternal life in heaven. In that body those who obtain
the resurrection of life and glory will live and enjoy all the
pleasures of that new world in the presence and influence of God for
all eternity! Does this whet our appetites for that future world?
But, let's look a little further into this existence in the world to
come. Suppose someone told you that you could be made of the same
stuff God is made of? Would you believe him? Consider this passage,
"For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the
Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ; who shall change our vile body, that
it may be likened unto His glorious body, according to the working
whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself'
(Philippians 3:20, 21). Did you catch that? Our vile, fleshly,
corruptible bodies are going to be changed into the likeness of the
Lord's own glorified body when He comes again! What a stupendous
thought. Who can fathom such a gift!?
Do we need to be reminded that this is exactly what was promised by
the inspired Peter? He also talks of the Spirit of God revealing
unto us all that we need for life and godliness, and adds, "Whereby
(that is by revelation through the Spirit of God) are given unto us
exceeding great and precious promises; that by these (these
promises) ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped
the corruption that is in the world through lust" (2 Peter 1:4). Did
you notice that? The Spirit has revealed some wonderful promises,
and these promises result in our being partakers (taking part) of
the divine nature (the nature of God)! What other kind of nature
would equip us for the joys of heaven, where there is no more pain,
no death, no tears, no fear, where uncountable riches are ours for
ever?
Those who know the Bible see that this is only a limited list of the
glories that await those who are Christ's own at His coming. But it
is enough, more than enough, for any right minded person to desire
with all his heart to hear those words of the Lord on that day,
"Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you
from the foundation of the world" (Matthew 25:34). The Christian
will be willing to give his all toward that hope. "Behold, what
manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we might be
called the sons of God. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it
doth not yet appear what we shall be: but, we know that, when he
shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as
he is pure" (1 John 3:1-3). ~
Written by Roger Lindsey—Published originally in Guardian of Truth
magazine in 1995. |
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The Practice of
Meditation
By
Frank Walton
"Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be
acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my rock and my Redeemer" (Psa.
19:14).
The Bible commends the practice of daily meditation on God's
transforming truth (Ps. 119:97, Phil. 4:8). We get out of Scripture
in direct proportion to what we mentally put into it. "I opened my
mouth wide and panted, for I longed for Your commandments" (Psa.
119:131).
Christ’s Word should dwell "richly" or abundantly in our heart (Col.
3:16). How precious it is that we can read the Bible and think the
thoughts of God, treasuring them up in our mind. The Bible alone is
food for the soul (Jer. 15:16), and light to live by (Psa. 119:105).
Concentrated thought on divine revelation releases the power of
Scripture in our lives. "And do not be conformed to this world, but
be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove
what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and
perfect" (Romans 12:2). We change and direction of our lives when we
change the direction of our thoughts.
If you are a professional "worry wart," I have some good news for
you! Fretful worrying is where we mentally dwell on, over and over
again, our problems. So, congratulations, you have a talent for
concentrated thought! Why don’t you shift the focus of your mind and
begin to mentally dwell on the promises, precepts and power of
Scripture (Phil 4:6-9)?!
Replace worrisome thoughts with the practice of meditation on God’s
Word. Compile a list of your favorite verses (cf. Psa. 94:19). Set a
goal of meditating on a different verse each day. Copy of list of
meaningful verses, putting them in the back of your Bible, and then
review them regularly. "Let my meditation be pleasing to Him; as for
me, I shall be glad in the LORD" (Psa. 104:34).
"Bible meditation is simply prolonged thought directed to a single
object of truth. Your mental chambers where thoughts abide are the
secret workshop of an unseen Sculptor, chiseling living forms for a
deathless future. Personality and influence are molded here" (A.T.
Pierson). ~
W. Frank Walton
wfwalton@juno.com
From Focal Point |