OUR FEATURED MEMBER ARTICLE: Closer to Eternity by ApologiaNick

[Editor]

Closer to Eternity

by ApologiaNick.

By my watch, it’s 11:29 PM. The date is September 19th, 2005 as I write. I have spent today celebrating my 25th birthday. Think about that. A whole quarter of a century I have been alive on this planet. If you’re older, you can probably look back in remembrance. Our younger readers wonder where they will be at that age.

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.

The seconds go by. Each second is a second that cannot be reclaimed. Each second is also like the other in that each part of space is like the other. Each part of space can only contain so much material. An area of my room can only contain so many books and no more. It’s what I put in that space that determines everything.

I think of being on the job some also. Surely you’ve been there. How many times have you checked your watch to see when the day will end? You watch and you start counting down the hours. Then, you count down the minutes. You might even count down the seconds.

Such times seem restless. When does the time come when I can finally get off the clock? And yet, what do we do with that time also? It seems like we just use it waiting for the next moment to come that will be special. We wait to go to bed or for our TV show to come on or for a date that evening.

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.

It seems that we also complain that we don’t have enough time. I wish I had more time to read some and more time to find all the secrets on that game and to surf Theology Web and to be with my friends and to find Mrs. Right and to make money on the job, etc.

And what about our futures? What are we hoping for? Maybe you want to get that big promotion at work in time. Maybe you’re planning on having children in time. Maybe you want to get married. Maybe you want an education. Maybe you want to retire.

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.

Have we ever considered time as our friend though? Think about this. Each moment of time is getting you one step closer to eternity. How long will it before you’re on the streets of Heaven. Well it’ll be one less minute than it was a minute ago. It’s the same for any earthly dreams of yours that you long for. They’re getting closer and closer!

If those don’t come, and they might not, the heavenly one definitely will. You’re getting closer to it minute by minute! There’s no need to fear your age! Your age means you’re closer to Heaven today than you were yesterday. You are building up treasures in Heaven.

C.S. Lewis spoke about Aslan, the lion, being put to death by the white witch. She uses her dark magic and turns him to stone. As time passes though, Aslan soon comes to life again and the stone shatters. What’s the reason? Someone innocent has died on behalf of another. Time itself will start working in reverse.

Time is not our enemy. We have every reason to celebrate. It’s the one who denies God who doesn’t. The one who denies God realizes that at the end of their life, in their view, they’re worm food. That’s why so many of us try to leave our mark on the world in some way. We want to leave behind a trace of immortality.

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.

Why does the skeptic complain about evil more than the Christian? It is because the skeptic is truly a pessimist. They have something to be sad about no doubt. If I thought this life was all there was and then it’s worm food, I would be truly depressed as well.

If anyone should ever be an optimist, it is the Christian. The Christian has eternity to look forward to. Each minute that we spend gets us closer to our great homecoming. Ever wanted to meet your long-lost loved ones? It’s closer now! Ever wanted to meet some friends here on Theology Web? It’s closer now!

More importantly, ever wanted to see the face of Jesus? It’s closer now! Just think about that. Every minute, you are closer and closer to seeing the face of Jesus! Whatever your view may be of Heaven, it seems all views agree that seeing Jesus is the main joy.

So go and live your life. Pursue your dreams down here. Work hard and be happy. Enjoy your life for God gives all things richly for our enjoyment. (1 Tim. 6:17.) Don’t fear death. Death is no longer the enemy because of Christ. Death is actually a gate now that takes us closer to Jesus. “O Death, where is your victory? O Death, where is your sting?” (1 Cor. 55)

When a honeybee stings someone, the stinger remains and the bee dies. It can no longer sting anyone else. On the cross, Christ himself took the sting of death. You no longer have to face it. It can only hit one of us, and Jesus took it on our behalf.

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.

And why am I going to enjoy my life then? I’m getting in practice! The next life I have, I am going to be living it up with Jesus Christ and spending eternity taking in the glory of the triune God. How incredible can such a thing be! If we would all realize this, it would revolutionize us!
As I wrap up this article, it is 11:56 PM. Twenty-seven minutes have passed.

Those are twenty-seven minutes that I am one step closer to eternity. I am looking forward to it.

How about you?

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.

Other writings of mine can be found on my blog here on TWeb and on my own website, http://greasytheologian.tripod.com

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[Minnesota]

Why does the skeptic complain about evil more than the Christian?

By what evidence did you come by this odd conclusion?

It is because the skeptic is truly a pessimist.

Similarly, where on Earth did you uncover this "fact?"

They have something to be sad about no doubt.

"Sad"? Hardly. At least from what I've seen, not any more so than your average Bible believer.

If I thought this life was all there was and then it’s worm food, I would be truly depressed as well.

I guess that's where strength of character comes in. The non-believer accepts the consequence of his fate and refuses to be drawn into the comfort of myth.

If anyone should ever be an optimist, it is the Christian. The Christian has eternity to look forward to.

But it's never HIM that ends up spending that eternity in Hell. It's always the other guy.

Good luck with your heaven thing, by the way.

[Sparko]

Nice article nick. I look forward to part II at age 50.

Time seems to pass faster as you get older, Nick. For you, 10 years is almost half of your life and seems like a long time. To me 10 years is only a short time. So the closer we get to the Lord the faster we seem to be heading towards him.

It really is like you are rolling down a hill, gathering speed as you go. For me, I think it is a blessing, because I want to see my Lord. What looked like a far way off before, is now coming closer and closer, faster and faster.

Those who don't believe in God will see their doom coming faster and faster, and their life passing away quicker and quicker. To them, fear increases as they face their mortality.

A lot of people like to say Jesus is coming back soon. Whether that is true or he waits another 2000 years, I know that I am going to him soon. So are we all.

:clap: