Trout
October 3rd 2008, 11:08 PM
Temporary Vs. Eternal
One of the great contrasts we make in Christianity is that while we realize we live in a fallen world, that that will change. This world is not meant to be around forever as it is. My eschatological position is that God will restore this world to a beauty and grandeur that far surpasses Eden. Even if you don’t hold a view exactly as mine, which is the right view by the way, (winks) we all believe in some heavenly afterlife (Although I prefer to call it after-death) that will be far better than this.
The problem is that we often lose sight of that. Granted that being a Christian is not about going to Heaven, but it is part of the package. What brought this to my mind most recently was an event that started probably around a year ago. A friend contacted me worried about their friendship with another mutual friend of ours and thinking “We’ve really messed it up! It’s just not going to last!”
I gave some words of comfort at the time that I do not recall, but several months later started pondering about temporary vs. eternal. I contacted this friend again and just said out of the blue “How are things going between you and X?”
“Fine. Why?”
Then I reminded this friend of what had happened months earlier and how it turned out to be nothing. This friend had seen a circumstance and for the moment, that seemed to eclipse all of reality. It had stepped out of being a “now” event to being an “all-time” event.
Some might think I’m chiding my friend or looking down on them. I’m not. If there’s one point that needs to be stated clearly about my relationship to this article, it is the old adage of “Those who can’t do, teach.” I am not the best at practicing what I teach, but I believe many in the Christian community in teaching would say the same.
Paul was one who realized the truth about looking at the temporary with a mindset of the eternal. (By eternal often here, I mean the heavenly worldview. We do not live an eternity, as we have a beginning, but we do live forever.) In 2 Cor. 4:17-18, we read these words of his:
17For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
Notice that term that he uses here. “Light and momentary troubles.” What kind of troubles did Paul have? He tells us in 2 Cor.
23Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. 24Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. 25Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, 26I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. 27I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. 28Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. 29Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn?
Many of us live in the Western world and don’t have to face these kinds of persecutions. We are more abundantly blessed than most Christians alive and most Christians have been throughout history. While realizing that though, we should not deny that life can be tough for us at times. We go through many forms of suffering and there are times when atheists rail about the problem of evil that we can understand.
What if we did try though to consider events from the perspective of eternity? I’d like to go through a list and see how a more eternally-minded worldview could change our outlook.
Ourselves:
Let’s start with what’s closest to us. When we look at ourselves, do we tend to only see warts and blemishes, or do we try to keep in mind what is said in Romans 8, that we will be conformed to the likeness of the Son? Of course, we don’t deny problems and sins in our lives that we can deal with, but we don’t overstate them as if this is the way it will be forever. We look forward to the day when we shall be like him.
Other people: C.S. Lewis remarked at the end of his “The Weight of Glory” sermon, that we never meet ordinary people. He said that every person we meet will in the world to come be a creature we would be tempted to bow down and worship if we saw it, or one that would only be seen in our worst nightmares. What if we saw each person from that perspective and realized that how we treat them is pushing them towards one of those goals? This person we’re interacting with in some way is an image-bearer. Are we to treat them accordingly?
Friends: Naturally, there are some people we like better than others and get along with better. Do we have friends we want to spend eternity with? If so, we need to be showing them the truth now. Do we have friends we are going to spend an eternity with? If so, then we might as well get used to enjoying their company here and being thankful for them. Learn to delight in your friends. You will be doing it for a long time.
Family: Family are often the people in your life you love because you have to. If our family was not our family, chances are many of us would not care for them. Do we honor our family as we should? If you come from a bad family, are you praying for them? If you come from a good family, are you celebrating that relationship?
Marriage: And of course, the marital relationship will have to be included. I believe strongly that Christians are to date and marry Christians. I believe that in some way, the marriage relationship does extend into the afterlife. Heaven does not destroy the good things of Earth. Heaven perfects them. Whatever your relationship is like now with your spouse, consider that that person is one you will spend eternity with and you will love them deeply in eternity. Why not start loving them deeply now?
Work: For many of us, work is a necessary evil. However, it was a divine command given by God in the garden. Work and pleasure were co-related. (Remember guys, it was his command to go forth and multiply.) Work can be seen as taking part in the stewardship of the creation. In eternity, what great tasks could God have prepared for us as we explore his new creation?
Education: All truth is God’s truth. This is one I do focus on as there are many nights I go to bed and think about learning something new the next day. The journey of truth becomes exciting from the perspective of eternity as we realize that we will spend all eternity learning more and more about the God we serve. All truth we learn here I believe can somehow be used in eternity. Perchance we will be teaching others the fascinating things we’ve learned here.
Giving: A seminary students knows what it means to have a tight budget. As one though, I also try to remember that my Father is exceedingly wealthy. We are told to lay up treasures in Heaven (Matthew 6:20). When I see a situation of need, I try to keep in mind that God is capable of opening up the storehouses of Heaven. This isn’t prosperity gospel of course. This isn’t giving to get. This is giving with a reminder of who you serve.
Missionary work: Missionary work is from the eternal perspective going out into the world and reclaiming it for Christ. It is reaching new people and thereby spreading the good news of the kingdom. Rev. 7 tells us of a countless multitude no man can number from every tribe, language, and nation. Wouldn’t it be great to have your part in that?
Play: There is sadly very little said about play amongst Christians. We can speak about holiness and service and virtue, but do we speak about pleasure? Pleasure though is greater than work. God is intrinsically having pleasure within the Trinity, but not intrinsically working. One works so they can play. One doesn’t play so they can work. Taking pleasure in our lives is preparation for our taking pleasure in eternity of the joy of God and the creation.
Prayer: Prayer is a struggle for many of us, but consider it from eternity. Prayer is communication with God about how wonderful and awesome he is. Petition is only one part of it. It is an act of worship and since we will be doing such for eternity, why not get used to it now? We can view all worship the same way. Since we are to spend eternity in the worship of God, we should get used to such a lifestyle now.
Suffering: Ah yes. This is where most of us want some information. It has been said that viewed from eternity, the worst day here will seem like a minor head cold. Remember what Paul said at the beginning of this article. The way the Problem of Evil can kill us is if we see the evil overpowering eternity instead of eternity overpowering the evil. Think back in your own life. How many situations have you come through that you thought were the “end of the world” when they took place?
Now imagine being in the presence of God and seeing those same situations. They don’t seem as bad do they?
Now realize this point. You can boldly come to the throne of grace. You can be aware in any situation that God is there. This doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll feel a presence, but in your mind, you should be aware that you are not alone. No suffering, aside from dying without Christ is eternal and God redeems all of our wounds. Whatever pain you go through here will be made up for in eternity.
We are in the world, but we are not of the world. We are citizens of a heavenly city. We are to look forward to it. We are to run the race set before us. Runners who win races do so by looking at the goal and not at the distractions along the way. Let us be what we are meant to be. Let us view life from the perspective of eternity. We serve the God of all truth. It is time we believed him.
One of the great contrasts we make in Christianity is that while we realize we live in a fallen world, that that will change. This world is not meant to be around forever as it is. My eschatological position is that God will restore this world to a beauty and grandeur that far surpasses Eden. Even if you don’t hold a view exactly as mine, which is the right view by the way, (winks) we all believe in some heavenly afterlife (Although I prefer to call it after-death) that will be far better than this.
The problem is that we often lose sight of that. Granted that being a Christian is not about going to Heaven, but it is part of the package. What brought this to my mind most recently was an event that started probably around a year ago. A friend contacted me worried about their friendship with another mutual friend of ours and thinking “We’ve really messed it up! It’s just not going to last!”
I gave some words of comfort at the time that I do not recall, but several months later started pondering about temporary vs. eternal. I contacted this friend again and just said out of the blue “How are things going between you and X?”
“Fine. Why?”
Then I reminded this friend of what had happened months earlier and how it turned out to be nothing. This friend had seen a circumstance and for the moment, that seemed to eclipse all of reality. It had stepped out of being a “now” event to being an “all-time” event.
Some might think I’m chiding my friend or looking down on them. I’m not. If there’s one point that needs to be stated clearly about my relationship to this article, it is the old adage of “Those who can’t do, teach.” I am not the best at practicing what I teach, but I believe many in the Christian community in teaching would say the same.
Paul was one who realized the truth about looking at the temporary with a mindset of the eternal. (By eternal often here, I mean the heavenly worldview. We do not live an eternity, as we have a beginning, but we do live forever.) In 2 Cor. 4:17-18, we read these words of his:
17For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
Notice that term that he uses here. “Light and momentary troubles.” What kind of troubles did Paul have? He tells us in 2 Cor.
23Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. 24Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. 25Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, 26I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. 27I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. 28Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. 29Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn?
Many of us live in the Western world and don’t have to face these kinds of persecutions. We are more abundantly blessed than most Christians alive and most Christians have been throughout history. While realizing that though, we should not deny that life can be tough for us at times. We go through many forms of suffering and there are times when atheists rail about the problem of evil that we can understand.
What if we did try though to consider events from the perspective of eternity? I’d like to go through a list and see how a more eternally-minded worldview could change our outlook.
Ourselves:
Let’s start with what’s closest to us. When we look at ourselves, do we tend to only see warts and blemishes, or do we try to keep in mind what is said in Romans 8, that we will be conformed to the likeness of the Son? Of course, we don’t deny problems and sins in our lives that we can deal with, but we don’t overstate them as if this is the way it will be forever. We look forward to the day when we shall be like him.
Other people: C.S. Lewis remarked at the end of his “The Weight of Glory” sermon, that we never meet ordinary people. He said that every person we meet will in the world to come be a creature we would be tempted to bow down and worship if we saw it, or one that would only be seen in our worst nightmares. What if we saw each person from that perspective and realized that how we treat them is pushing them towards one of those goals? This person we’re interacting with in some way is an image-bearer. Are we to treat them accordingly?
Friends: Naturally, there are some people we like better than others and get along with better. Do we have friends we want to spend eternity with? If so, we need to be showing them the truth now. Do we have friends we are going to spend an eternity with? If so, then we might as well get used to enjoying their company here and being thankful for them. Learn to delight in your friends. You will be doing it for a long time.
Family: Family are often the people in your life you love because you have to. If our family was not our family, chances are many of us would not care for them. Do we honor our family as we should? If you come from a bad family, are you praying for them? If you come from a good family, are you celebrating that relationship?
Marriage: And of course, the marital relationship will have to be included. I believe strongly that Christians are to date and marry Christians. I believe that in some way, the marriage relationship does extend into the afterlife. Heaven does not destroy the good things of Earth. Heaven perfects them. Whatever your relationship is like now with your spouse, consider that that person is one you will spend eternity with and you will love them deeply in eternity. Why not start loving them deeply now?
Work: For many of us, work is a necessary evil. However, it was a divine command given by God in the garden. Work and pleasure were co-related. (Remember guys, it was his command to go forth and multiply.) Work can be seen as taking part in the stewardship of the creation. In eternity, what great tasks could God have prepared for us as we explore his new creation?
Education: All truth is God’s truth. This is one I do focus on as there are many nights I go to bed and think about learning something new the next day. The journey of truth becomes exciting from the perspective of eternity as we realize that we will spend all eternity learning more and more about the God we serve. All truth we learn here I believe can somehow be used in eternity. Perchance we will be teaching others the fascinating things we’ve learned here.
Giving: A seminary students knows what it means to have a tight budget. As one though, I also try to remember that my Father is exceedingly wealthy. We are told to lay up treasures in Heaven (Matthew 6:20). When I see a situation of need, I try to keep in mind that God is capable of opening up the storehouses of Heaven. This isn’t prosperity gospel of course. This isn’t giving to get. This is giving with a reminder of who you serve.
Missionary work: Missionary work is from the eternal perspective going out into the world and reclaiming it for Christ. It is reaching new people and thereby spreading the good news of the kingdom. Rev. 7 tells us of a countless multitude no man can number from every tribe, language, and nation. Wouldn’t it be great to have your part in that?
Play: There is sadly very little said about play amongst Christians. We can speak about holiness and service and virtue, but do we speak about pleasure? Pleasure though is greater than work. God is intrinsically having pleasure within the Trinity, but not intrinsically working. One works so they can play. One doesn’t play so they can work. Taking pleasure in our lives is preparation for our taking pleasure in eternity of the joy of God and the creation.
Prayer: Prayer is a struggle for many of us, but consider it from eternity. Prayer is communication with God about how wonderful and awesome he is. Petition is only one part of it. It is an act of worship and since we will be doing such for eternity, why not get used to it now? We can view all worship the same way. Since we are to spend eternity in the worship of God, we should get used to such a lifestyle now.
Suffering: Ah yes. This is where most of us want some information. It has been said that viewed from eternity, the worst day here will seem like a minor head cold. Remember what Paul said at the beginning of this article. The way the Problem of Evil can kill us is if we see the evil overpowering eternity instead of eternity overpowering the evil. Think back in your own life. How many situations have you come through that you thought were the “end of the world” when they took place?
Now imagine being in the presence of God and seeing those same situations. They don’t seem as bad do they?
Now realize this point. You can boldly come to the throne of grace. You can be aware in any situation that God is there. This doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll feel a presence, but in your mind, you should be aware that you are not alone. No suffering, aside from dying without Christ is eternal and God redeems all of our wounds. Whatever pain you go through here will be made up for in eternity.
We are in the world, but we are not of the world. We are citizens of a heavenly city. We are to look forward to it. We are to run the race set before us. Runners who win races do so by looking at the goal and not at the distractions along the way. Let us be what we are meant to be. Let us view life from the perspective of eternity. We serve the God of all truth. It is time we believed him.