February 14, 2018 THE AGES TO COME
Ephesians 2:5-7 “even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus, in order that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”
In Christian circles today, the major emphasis of the teaching and preaching, and the common thought among believers is how the message of the gospel affects our daily life. Certainly, the gospel has great, or should have, a great impact on our daily lives and the way we live our life should reflect our heavenly Father. However, as you read the New Testament, you will discover that there are many references to the blessings that will be ours in the ages to come, when in God’s timing, He calls His bride, the church, to be with Him in heaven. The early believers understood and believed that great blessings awaited them once they departed this life. Believing that Jesus was preparing a home for them in heaven and that they had an inheritance in Christ waiting for then, was a source of great power that enabled them to endure persecution and suffering. Many in our culture are focused on whatever makes us ‘happy’ at the moment and live as though this life is everything. The scriptures do give instruction for daily living and how we are to live godly in this present age, but the clear message of Jesus and the writers of the New Testament was that this earthly life is temporary and that as believers, we have been made eternal beings who are awaiting our full redemption and inheritance-that of being with our Father in heaven. 1 Peter 2:11 reminds us that this world is not our home: “Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lust which wage war against the soul.” And John, in vs 17:16, referring to believers, Jesus says “They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.” In light of the truth that we are not of the world, and that we are destined to receive our inheritance when we depart this life, let us not be distracted by what is taking place in this world, but let us also be His a people reflecting the very nature of God and as let us pray ‘that His will be done on earth as it is in heaven.’ Let us hold to both truths-the gospel is for the here and now, but it also has the promise of great rewards when we take our place in heaven and forever be with the Lord.
Colossians 3:2-3: “Set your mind on things above, not on things that are on the earth. When Christ, who is your life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.”
1 Peter 3-4: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you.”
Blessings,
Buddy
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