Saturday, April 26, 2014

THE HOPE OF THE COMING OF CHRIST: WHAT GOD WILL BE FOR US

“I will be his God and he shall be My son.” (Revelation 21:7) 

Our future hope is rooted in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

If we have such a relationship GOD WILL BE OUR FATHER.  This is the promise of sonship (Rev.21:3,7).  The question may be asked, “Aren’t we already God’s children, when we trust in Jesus?”  Of course—but there is more to come!  Look at this:  Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.”  (1 John 3:2)   It is the difference between a little child and an adult child coming into his inheritance.  At salvation, we are born into God’s family, and then in sanctification we grow to look like our Father, until in glorification we become heirs with our Elder Brother, Jesus (Heb.2:11)!

This relationship with Christ also means GOD WILL BE OUR COMFORT. This is the promise of solace.  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.” (Rev.21:4)    The key phrase is, “no more,” as in never again! 

·        No more tears.  Even Jesus wept.  But after His resurrection He asked Mary, “Why are you weeping?”   God will reach over and dry our eyes in that joyful place called Heaven!

·        No more tombstones.   Cemeteries are against zoning ordinances in heaven!

·        No more trials.  All sorrow and suffering will be forever over.

·        No temptation.  We won’t even have the capacity to sin.  Imagine, never grieving God again!

Furthermore our relationship with Christ means GOD WILL BE OUR FOUNTAIN.  This is the promise of satisfaction.  And He said to me, ‘It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts.’” (Rev.21:6)  Jesus identifies Himself as the Alpha and Omega—first and last letters of Greek alphabet—the A-Z and everything in between!  God will be our all in all—the satisfaction of the thirst of our soul!  Augustine noted, “Our hearts are restless, until they can find rest in you.”

Each of us will spend eternity somewhere.  If you are not going to abide in heaven, you will dwell in hell.  Here are surely the most grievous words of Scripture:

Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them.  And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.   The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works.  Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.  And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.

Is your name written in the Book of Life?  If not, I beg you to trust in Jesus today!

 

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