Our Bright Future

Lately I've been considering the world that existed before the flood, even when Adam and Eve lived in the Garden of Eden.  I have found it difficult to imagine a world different from what we experience today, an existence completely without the curse of sin that brought death and multiplied sorrow exponentially.  Life outside of Eden must have been a difficult adjustment for Adam and Eve, and it must have been difficult for Noah and his household as well to exit the ark into a world that hardly resembled what they previously knew.  Their relationship to animals changed as well, for the LORD put the fear of man upon living creatures.

One thing that is easier to comprehend (also ironic because it is unfathomable) is the ease of transition it will be for people who depart this world in physical death and will be received into eternal glory by God in heaven.  As our lives on earth will someday end, so the heavens and earth we see and experience now will also be brought to an end.  Revelation 21:1-4 says, "Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. ² Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. ³ 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. ⁴ 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."

It is hard to imagine a new heaven and new earth where God will dwell with His people free of the effects of sin's curse.  It is not hard to imagine how wonderful it will be to live with our glorious Saviour in a new world where death, sorrow, crying and pain have passed away and will be gone without a trace.  After his resurrection Jesus presented His hands marked by nails and His side pierced with a spear, yet there was not recollection of the pain He experienced, no tender scar tissue, no lamenting over His suffering or those who rejected the offer of salvation.  Our perfect God will make the eternal state perfect without flaw, leaving nothing to be desired, and all of our needs completely met in Him.

Since God has made this world that even soiled with sin man is loathe to leave and wants to preserve his fond memories forever, how much more lovely will it be in the place where only righteousness dwells?  In the eternal state our minds will never linger on the good that once was that seems presently absent, for it will always be good presently without respite.  The heavenly honeymoon stage will always be in the exciting present without weariness, boredom or thinking, "What's next?"  Praise God for the plans He has for us and the place Jesus is preparing for us.  These things we only see dimly pale in comparison to the knowledge of the God we know Who will Himself be with us forever. :)

All to the Glory of God

"Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."

1 Corinthians 10:31

Paul exhorted people of the church in Corinth to be sensitive to the perspectives of others in their eating and drinking.  For people whose background was steeped in idolatry, some were careful not to eat meat offered to idols because it was a return to their heathen ways.  It was lawful to eat the meat found in the local shops, but it was not edifying to some.  Thus Paul implored believers, whether they chose to eat or drink or abstain, they were to do all to the glory of God.  They could eat and glorify God for His provision, or they could choose not to eat and glorify God through showing love to their sensitive brother.

This exhortation to do all to the glory of God is not limited to eating or drinking.  It can be extended to the reasons why we wear particular clothes, being sensitive to acceptable styles of dress in a culture or to show modesty.  The implication is whatever we do can be done all to the glory of God.  This doctrine might challenge many assumptions we may ascribe to and work to purify our motives for the things we do and choose not to do.  The other day my brothers at church and I had a laugh about rescheduling a Bible study to watch a game.  On the surface it may seem obvious a Bible study is of far greater spiritual value than a game of rugby.  Is it even possible for God to get glory from people playing a game and watching it?  Why not?  Another question to consider is, do all Bible studies and people leading or attending in themselves give glory to God?

It is entirely possible people can preach, lead worship or a Bible study with a proud, boastful or self-absorbed heart.  It is also possible for people to attend a service or study out of duty, in an attempt to "score points" with God or man, or for the opportunity to meet other singles.  The strangest reason one person freely volunteered to me they came to church was for the air conditioning!  Playing or watching a game of sport in itself gives no glory to God, but for the believer it is possible to do so.  A Christian player can be a godly witness to their fellow players in practice and on game day, conducting themselves in love with teammates and the opposition.  Glory can be given to God by their words, how they use them and by what they refuse to say because they are in fellowship with God.  With a clear conscience I could reschedule a Bible study if it provides opportunity to show love and consider one another,  a chance to give and provide for each others needs, to include each other and seek to pray with one another.  Our Bible studies also should provide such opportunity.  God is able to be in the middle of our work, play, eating, drinking, dress, hobbies and families.

The reality is, however, we can play or watch a game without a thought of God; we can dress ourselves and eat even without a prayer.  We can read the scriptures and go to Bible studies without giving glory to God by thanking or obeying Him.  If we are eating and drinking all for the glory of God, it will not justify gluttony or drunkenness.  Since our eating, drinking and whatever we do can be done all for the glory of God, let us make that our aim--not just to bring God into our ordinary activities--but that we would seek God how to obey and honour Him in the things we do and choose not to do.  And who knows?  When we begin to live for the glory of God, our activities and appetites will likely change.  Our reasons why we do or do not do something will be guided by the Holy Spirit continually, and those who submit to Christ give glory to God.

God Brings About Good

"Joseph said to them, "Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God? ²⁰ But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive."

Genesis 50:19-20

With eyes of faith in the God of his fathers, Joseph perceived God's redemptive power and purposes in evil he endured.  His brothers had done terrible evil to him, yet at the same time God meant it for good.  It can be difficult--impossible even--to see good in the bad we have suffered.  Our sense of pain, betrayal and loss can prevent us from looking to God who is always gracious and good.

It is one thing for us to exercise faith Paul's confidence God is able and will work all things together for good who love God in Romans 8:28:  "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose."  By placing faith in the God Paul knew, he had strong confidence God worked all things he suffered for good even when he could not see it.  It is another thing to believe the evil things we are guilty of could also be redeemed for good by God, and this is the position Joseph's brothers and perhaps you find yourself in.

Joseph was sold to Midianite traders by his brothers at 17 years of age, and he was reunited with them about 20 years later.  Joseph wept when he heard them talking among each other and expressing regret they had sinned against Joseph and were being made to answer for his blood.  They believed Joseph was dead and felt guilty over all they had done, and even after Joseph revealed himself to them they still were afraid of retribution 17 years later after Jacob died in Egypt.  Some 37 years after they ripped off Joseph's colourful tunic, sold him and lied to his father about what happened, they were still wracked with guilt and fear over their past.  Genesis 50:16-17 tells us, "So they sent messengers to Joseph, saying, "Before your father died he commanded, saying, ¹⁷ 'Thus you shall say to Joseph: "I beg you, please forgive the trespass of your brothers and their sin; for they did evil to you." ' Now, please, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of your father." And Joseph wept when they spoke to him."

Joseph had forgiven his brothers long ago, yet they were burdened with guilt, remorse and fear because they had not received it.  Joseph accepted God meant the evil that happened to him for good, and it was his brother's turn to believe evil they had done was also intended and redeemed by God for good.  There was no question what they did was sin, nor does God's grace and goodness excuse our wickedness--imagining we are free to do evil so good might come.  The point, is there are many God-fearing people who have repented of sin that continues to weigh heavily upon them with shame, guilt and fear for decades or even the rest of their lives.  As many times we have been in Joseph's sandals because of wrongs done to us, when we find ourselves in the position of his guilty brothers we can rest assured God will forgive our sins when we repent and miraculously bring good from evil we have done.

We might never be able to perceive all or some of the good God does through evil in the world, yet when we look to our LORD in faith we focus on Him Who only is good.  If we are preoccupied with our own pain, shame, the trouble we have caused, lamenting what could have been, wishing we could go back in time and do things differently, we can lose sight on the God who is with us and leads us in righteousness and faith moving forward.  While sin always has negative consequences, living in fear, regret and guilt is not God's intention for the repentant, humble believer who has received forgiveness purchased at the price of Christ's shed blood.  Those who are guilty of grave sin can be brought to a place of rejoicing in God who saves, forgives, redeems, heals and sets captives free.

Godly Sorrow

"Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing. ¹⁰ For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death."

2 Corinthians 7:9-10

Paul previously wrote a letter that identified and rebuked sin the Corinthian church, and it resulted in godly sorrow that lead them to repent of their sin, an eagerness to clear themselves of all wrongdoing, longing for reconciliation before God and man, and swift readiness to do justly.  From Paul's words it follows there is a sorrow that falls short of repentance, a worldly sorrow that produces death.  We see this sort of worldly sorrow in Judas after he betrayed Jesus.

During the Passover feast in Jerusalem, Judas secretly met with priests and covenanted to deliver Jesus into their hand at a convenient time and was paid 30 pieces of silver.  As promised, Judas brought the religious rulers with temple guards to Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane where He was arrested.  It seems Judas was not fully aware of the murderous scheme of the Pharisees and priests to deliver Jesus to the Romans who sentenced Him to be crucified.  Matthew 27:3-5 reads, "Then Judas, His betrayer, seeing that He had been condemned, was remorseful and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, ⁴ saying, "I have sinned by betraying innocent blood." And they said, "What is that to us? You see to it!" ⁵ Then he threw down the pieces of silver in the temple and departed, and went and hanged himself."  Judas experienced sorrowful pangs of guilt and acknowledged he had sinned.  Yet we do not see him repent at all for his greed, deceit and hypocrisy:  he imagined if he admitted he was wrong and returned the silver, he could off his guilt.

When the religious rulers refused to receive the silver from his hand, Judas threw it into the temple and went and hung himself--a physical demonstration of a spiritual reality.  Admitting he had sinned, his attempt to return the silver, and the experience deep sorrow did not lead to repentance because Judas did not sorrow in a godly manner.  To commit sin is to make a covenant with death we cannot escape or ignore; nothing we do can undo the evil we have done.  Because Judas only sorrowed in a worldly fashion--without faith in the goodness, grace, redemption and forgiveness freely offered by the living God--his focus was on himself, his wrongs, awful feelings and the bad situation he helped create.  Judas showed admission of sin can stop short of humbling self before God and then he played God by choosing to end his life.  When he could have fallen down before God broken for his sin with tears, he likely wept over his sorrow as he strung himself up.

Judas nursed great regret he could not escape by admitting his sin or trying to set things right by returning the silver.  It was not suicide that prevented him from entering into eternal life (for God forgives murderers who repent and trust in Him) but his refusal to humble himself by faith in repentance before God when he sorrowed for sin.  Sorrowing for sin in a godly manner that leads to repentance is something to rejoice over, for there is hope in God who imputes righteousness to humble sinners who repent.  We cannot right our wrongs by depth of sorrow, admitting our guilt or returning the proceeds of our crimes:  it is by casting our pride, sorrows and ourselves at the feet of our Saviour Jesus Christ in repentance, trusting He will forgive all by the power of the Gospel of grace.  Praise the LORD for the assurance God gives to believers in 1 John 1:9:  "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."