And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. 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.
Revelation 21:3-4
What We Are Looking Forward To
As Christians, the image painted in this passage of Scripture is what we look forward to. A time when old things become new and a new heaven and a new earth are brought in. An era in which God rules upon the death forever and we, His saints, reign with him; a time where there truly will be peace throughout the whole world; no more war or suffering or death.
It’s a magnificent world to look forward to. Just the thought of it is enough to fill even the babiest of Christians with inexplicable joy, excitement and anticipation.
But if you’re anything like me, sometimes the thought of this grand and wonderful future can be tainted by questions that slither in and leave me wondering “But…could this be? Can this be? Will it be? Or am I hoping in vain?”
These are quite startling questions to be faced with. But God without a doubt knew that you and me would have such questions. So, ever faithful, He has provided us with answers to them. He has given us assurance so that we can continue to have faith in what comes after.
Christ Is Risen
The Gospel tells us that when Jesus Christ returns, the dead will rise and be judged and rewarded for their works, whether good or bad. (John 5:28-29) Only after this has happened will God do away with death and bring in a new heaven and a new earth.
But there were some believers amongst the church in first century Corinth, who believed that the dead do not rise and that there was no resurrection. In response to their claims, Apostle Paul wrote that “…if there is no resurrection of the dead then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen then our preaching is empty and your faith is empty.”
If what these people believed was true, it would mean that even our own faith is “empty” and “futile”. It would mean that everything we suffer for the sake of Christ, the trials and tribulations, are for nothing. And it would be better for us to live by the motto “Let us eat and drink for tomorrow we die.”
But Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, confidently assures the Corinthians and in turn, us Christians today, that that is not the case. And why is that? Because “Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Corinthians 15:20) (Emphasis mine)
Christ is Our Hope
Therefore our hope is not futile. Neither is our faith in rising to eternal life and a future where there is eternal peace. Jesus has risen from the dead and because this is true, so is our faith.
It is in Christ that we rest our hope of that marvellous and grand future. Because He has risen, we too shall rise. That is, those of us who fall asleep before he arrives. (1 Corinthians 15:22-23)
But for those of us who are awake, just as those who rise, our bodies shall be changed. We who are found in Christ at His coming will exchange mortality for immortality. This corruptible flesh for incorruptible. Weakness for power and dishonour for glory. (1 Corinthians 15:43-43) And yes, death will be defeated. (1 Corinthians 15:54)
The Spirit is Our Guarantee
We Christians can also stand firm in the hope of eternal life and a new heaven and a new earth because we have been given a guarantee – the Holy Spirit.
It says in Ephesians 1:13 “…you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession.” (Emphasis mine)
What Paul is speaking of here is the redemption of our bodies. Our souls and spirits were redeemed when we accepted Christ but our bodies are yet to be. They are yet to pass from natural bodies to spiritual ones. Paul speaks of that time in this way in 2 Corinthians 5:4 “For we who are in this ten groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothes, that mortality may be swallowed up by life.”
He then goes on to say in verse 5 that “He who has prepared us for this very thing [That is, immortality] is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.” (Emphasis mine)
It is the Holy Spirit, the Helper who comes to dwell within us (John 14:16-17), to guide us into all truth, (John 16:13) teach us all things (John 14:26) and reveal what is to come, (John 16:13) who is the promise, the assurance and the guarantee of the future that is to come.
A future in which we no longer yearn or groan for immortality but are clothed by it. A future in which we become spiritual beings who dwell in a new heaven and a new earth, forever in the presence of God.
We Can Believe Because God Does Not Lie
So you see? The Lord has given us two unshakeable truths on which we can rest out faith concerning the life that is coming after. But if even after all this, questions still rise in your mind. You can rest on this most powerful truth told in Titus 1:2: In hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began. (Emphasis mine)
God cannot lie. It is impossible for Him too. His words do not return void, they accomplish their purpose. (Isaiah 55:11) What He speaks He will bring to pass and what He has purposed He will do. (Isaiah 46:11) That is how faithful, honest and truthful He is. And He has promised us this wonderful future and so He will bring it to pass.
Remain Steadfast
So keep hoping and believing, keep having faith because you do none of these things in vain.
As God has promised us in Christ and guaranteed through the Holy Spirit, eternal life is certain. That wonderful, magnificent and glorious future in a new heaven and earth is coming. There is life after this, so we must remain steadfast and be ready for it.
Scripture for Further Study:
1 Corinthians 15; 2 Corinthians 5, 2 Corinthians 4:16
