04/20/2021
As Christians we are meant to believe in the absolute perfection of Christ’s redemption of our sins. We see his blood, and life being drained from Him, hear his final words, and exhale in our sorrow as He breathes out His dying breath, but we also must grasp hold of His resurrection and ascension... His eternal and forgiving nature. So why is it that so many of us fall back again into sin, remaining in the clutches of Adam’s imperfection? Why don’t we claim the eternity that awaits us in the risen Christ? Is it because the concept of eternity has become foreign to us?
“For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.”
Romans 5:17 ESV
Life and eternity - in the time of Jesus men believed that they would live eternally through their belief in God. Their temples and other grand buildings weren’t built with short lives in mind, they were constructed of stone, made to be ornate and glorious, and meant to last forever. Today we build everything with a predetermined life expectancy, and we put our effort into them according to how long we believe they will actually last. We anticipate their coming death from the moment we begin to develop a design, and carry this forward into its final construction. We just can’t seem to aspire to, or grasp hold of, the concept of eternity... not in our buildings, and certainly not in our lives. The eternal nature that men once saw in God is being overshadowed by modern man’s belief that they will die forever. This is a sad state, a lie told to us by Satan, and totally in opposition to God’s Word, and promise.
“And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.”
1 John 5:11-12 ESV
When we believe that everything has a set number of years to live it extends far beyond how we view our own lives, and the physical world that surrounds us; it alters our perception of God, Jesus Christ, and our spirituality. As modern people we tend to look upon God’s Word as philosophy, a nice story, transient, and ever changing, something to be modified and adapted to serve our worldly lives, and to explain away our deaths. We have lost sight of the eternal nature of God, and the truth in His Word. We have ceased to see ourselves as being constructed by an eternal God who desires us to be eternal as He is. Instead we view God as being continuously made in our image... bound by a beginning, an end, and our own ever changing desires. This is contrary to the beliefs of our forefathers, and what is written in God’s Word; listen...
“The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.”
Isaiah 40:8 ESV
“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.”
Matthew 24:35 ESV
So why do we say we believe in God, and Jesus Christ, then fall back into sin? Is it because we only believe in the present moment? Do we see a beginning and an end, while having lost sight of God’s very real eternity. Do we ignore the fact that if our faith, and God’s Word don’t lead us to eternity with Him then we will certainly face a very different eternity... eternal punishment?
“And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.””
Matthew 25:46 ESV
God’s Word is not meant to be the harbinger of our eternal doom and punishment as some claim it to be, but is the account of our forgiveness through Jesus, and the revelation of God’s eternal grace. His Word is everlasting truth, and is meant to be our guide to eternal hope, and the steadfast promise of living an eternal life of peace, and joy with Him. So when we cease to see our faith as being eternal then it is hard for us to hold tight to God’s promises, and lean on them as everlasting truth... everything becomes about us, our frailty, and all of God’s Word becomes negotiable.
Our choice should not simply be whether we will sin or not sin today, but between wanting to remain here, abiding in Christ, or to die, and live with Jesus for all eternity. Listen to how the Apostle Paul said it, and then set the course of your life through the narrow straights of righteousness towards eternity...
“as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.”
Philippians 1:20-23 ESV
Prayer:
Father, thank you for your Holy Word that is your steadfast truth, and our guide to a joyous eternity with you through your Son Jesus. Thank you for keeping our eyes fixed upon you Lord, and not letting us become misled by the lies of the dark one who tells us that your Word is not eternal, and that we were not meant to live forever in your presence. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you our God who desires us to be with you forevermore. Praised be your name for every promise you have made, because we know you are faithful to your Word, and we can trust in them, and lean mightily upon them. Great are you whose Son had redeemed us, and whose Holy Spirit guides us along the true way of righteousness. Wash us clean of all sin with the blood of Jesus, and through our vision of the eternal reward that awaits us, help us to sin no more. Hear our prayers as we call out to you for help, and send your angels to give us strength during our journey of faith. Lead us to judgement where you will find us worthy, and see only the perfection of Christ in us. Then welcome us eternally into your house where we can worship you forevermore.
Rich Forbes