Everything that we read about in T 1.5 Tradition in Original Christianity, Part 5, The Apostles Taught Eternal Rewards (Heavenly Treasures) is part of the Christian’s great hope.
having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope of his calling, and what are the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, (Eph 1:18 WEB)
Paul writes early in the beloved book of Ephesians about the “hope of his calling” and “the riches of his inheritance in the saints”.
I’m writing this on the week before Easter, the week of his passion, his literal life and death struggle, whereby our precious Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ, endured what he did for everyone. And he did it so that we might have hope!
The context of the above verse are these words:
For this cause I also, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which is among you, and the love which you have toward all the saints, don’t cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him; having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope of his calling, and what are the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to that working of the strength of his might which he worked in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and made him to sit at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule, and authority, and power, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in that which is to come. He put all things in subjection under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things for the assembly, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all. (Eph 1:15-23 WEB)
Wow, Paul prays that we should have a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him! He prays that we should know what the riches of the glory of his inheritance among the saints (here’s where the previous article, 1.5 Tradition in Original Christianity, Part 5, The Apostles Taught Eternal Rewards (Heavenly Treasures) really comes in).
having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope of his calling, and what are the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, (Eph 1:18 WEB)
We deserved death, yet we gain life!
For while we were yet weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will hardly die for a righteous man. Yet perhaps for a righteous person someone would even dare to die. But God commends his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we will be saved from God’s wrath through him. (Rom 5:6-9 WEB)
Wrath, everlasting destruction (being destroyed forever, the end of all existence) is the fate of the ungodly.
But we have a different fate:
so that you come behind in no gift; waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ; who will also confirm you until the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. (1Co 1:7-8 WEB)
The Lord is coming back for us! The ungodly are facing an unknown day of destruction, but we face the day of the Lord that works in our favor.
But concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need that anything be written to you. For you yourselves know well that the day of the Lord comes like a thief in the night. For when they are saying, “Peace and safety,” then sudden destruction will come on them, like birth pains on a pregnant woman; and they will in no way escape. But you, brothers, aren’t in darkness, that the day should overtake you like a thief. You are all children of light, and children of the day. (1Th 5:1-5a WEB)
But since we are saved, we need to stand faithful.
We don’t belong to the night, nor to darkness, so then let’s not sleep, as the rest do, but let’s watch and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep in the night; and those who are drunk are drunk in the night. But let’s, since we belong to the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and, for a helmet, the hope of salvation. For God didn’t appoint us to wrath, but to the obtaining of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. Therefore exhort one another, and build each other up, even as you also do. (1Th 5:5b-11 WEB)
“For God didn’t appoint us to wrath, but to the obtaining of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ” is part and parcel of this section. If anything should drive us it’s that!
But we don’t want you to be ignorant, brothers, concerning those who have fallen asleep, so that you don’t grieve like the rest, who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. For this we tell you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will in no way precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with God’s trumpet. The dead in Christ will rise first, then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air. So we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore comfort one another with these words. (1Th 4:13-18 WEB)
We have this great hope, that whether we be dead or alive, we shall meet him in the air when he comes. The dead shall rise like he did. And we shall be with him forever! And ever! And we shall reap eternal rewards, riches and crowns, together with him.
Then is when we shall know as we are known.
For we know in part, and we prophesy in part; but when that which is complete has come, then that which is partial will be done away with. When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I felt as a child, I thought as a child. Now that I have become a man, I have put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully, even as I was also fully known. (1Co 13:9-12 WEB)
This is when we will see him face to face! We will know fully; we will know as we are known. We won’t need prophecy then or any of the manifestations then be our knowledge will no longer just be pieces, we will know the whole story. We will no longer peer into the darkness of the world seeing dimly, the light will be fully on.
I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth have passed away, and the sea is no more. I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband. I heard a loud voice out of heaven saying, “Behold, God’s dwelling is with people, and he will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; neither will there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain, any more. The first things have passed away.” (Rev 21:1-4 WEB)
God will wipe away every tear! There will be no more mourning, crying, or pain. God is dwelling with his people! Hallelujah!
Happy Resurrection on Resurrection Sunday and every day!