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Is Our Hope In Heaven Or On Earth?

by Micky Galloway

The religion of a Christian is one of hope. References to our hope in the N.T. are many (Titus 2:11-13; Ephesians 4:14). Hope is defined as: "Desire with expectation of obtaining what is desired." Desire alone is not hope. Expectation alone is not hope. However, where there is desire and expectation there is hope and the Christian's hope burns brightly within us and this is necessary to live the life God expects us to live (Romans 8:24-25). It is possible to have no hope (Ephesians 2:12; I Thessalonians 4:13). It is possible to have a false hope (Cf Matthew 7:21-27). It is also possible to be moved away from our hope (Colossians 1:23).

What is the Christian's hope? Is this hope heavenly or earthly? We must know what our hope is and be able to give reasons why we have such hope (I Peter 3:15). The statement of John, "it is not yet made manifest what we shall be" (I John 3:2), suggests that there are many things regarding the future that are not clear to us now. However, many things regarding our hope are taught clearly.

The Scriptures clearly teach that: (1) We are to look for the appearing of the glory of Christ (Titus 2:13; Acts 1:11; I Thessalonians 4:16). (2) We will be raised by the power of Christ (I Thessalonians 4:16; John 5:28). (3) We will be united with the person of Christ (I Thessalonians 4:17; Philippians 1:23). (4) We will be conformed to the image of Christ (I John 3:2; I Corinthians 15:49; Philippians 3:21). (5) We will be in the presence of Christ for eternity (I Thessalonians 4:17; John 14:3).

IS THIS HOPE HEAVENLY OR EARTHLY? Some believe this hope is earthly. The Jehovah’s Witness position is stated in their book FROM PARADISE LOST TO PARADISE REGAINED:

“Instead, the ‘resurrection of judgment’ is for those persons whose hearts may have been wanting to do right, but who died without ever having had an opportunity to hear of God’s purposes or to learn what he expects of men. Many of these may have been decent people. They may have been sincere in their belief. But still they ‘practiced vile things.’ They had no opportunity to learn of righteousness from God. So they will get that opportunity. They will get it in the ‘resurrection of judgment.’ These people will be brought back into the paradise earth. They will be taught the truth. They will be shown what is right. Then they will be judged according to what they do about it. If they obey God’s commands they will get life. If they do not obey God’s commands they will go into everlasting death, just as Adam did after he deliberately disobeyed God” (page 229).

However, the Bible teaches that the hope involving our inheritance is in heaven! READ I Peter 1:3-5 and note the character of our inheritance. It is described as: Incorruptible –Immortal, imperishable, undying, enduring. Very much unlike earthly possessions – regardless of how precious and satisfying – they are corruptible (I Peter 1:18). Undefiled – Unstained, unsoiled, without spot, pure, chaste. The same word is used to describe Christ, our High Priest (Hebrews 7:26). That fadeth not away.” This is translated from “amorantos”, that which does not fade or wither. The Amaranth was a fabled flower whose bloom was perpetual and whose loveliness never faded. The "foundation of the water of life" will be just as refreshing after one billion years (cf. Revelation 21:6). The fruit from "the tree of life" will be just as desirable and satisfying after one billion years (Revelation 22:2). Reserved in heaven for you.” "Reserved" means to keep in store for future or special use, watchful custody. The reward of God's people is in heaven (Matthew 5:11-12; cf. II Corinthians 5:1ff; Colossians 1:5).

What about the new heaven and new earth of II Peter 3:9-13? Where will it be located? What will it be like? Some teach that the present earth will be cleansed of all sin and the saved ones will live here forever. This has a strong appeal to people who already have strong ties to the present world and would like to live here forever in peace, without sin, etc. Others teach that Christ is coming to set up his kingdom on earth and reign for a thousand years and the redeemed ones will live with him. The new heaven and earth will follow the destruction of the present heavens and earth. The earth that will then be is not this one. There is no hint of a reign of Christ on the earth which Peter describes. Christ will have terminated his reign and delivered the kingdom to the Father before the events are accomplished which the apostle here details (I Corinthians 15:23ff.). The words "heaven and earth" are not intended to embrace all of God's material universe, but only the portion where his people dwell – "Wherein dwelleth righteousness." In the antitype, this limitation must be understood and the words "new heavens and earth" must then be regarded as a designation of where his people dwell, and not a detailed description of the future abode. Heaven is the final abode of the people of God. Therefore, the phrase "new heavens and earth" must be understood as a designation for heaven (cf. Revelation 21:1ff). Many mistakenly assume that the physical world is eternal. Yet, the apostle Paul said, “…the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal” (II Corinthians 4:18). It was never the Creator's intention for his creation to be eternal. The earth is limited. "While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease" (cf. Genesis 8:22; cf. Matthew 5:18). The earth and its elements are to be destroyed. “Earth” is from the Greek, "ge" and is defined as "… soil, by extension a region, or the solid part or the whole of the terrine globe (including the occupants in each application: country, earth (-ly), ground, land, world." “Elements” are "the rudimental portions of the earth system, the minute parts which comprise the whole." “Dissolved” - ie to "loosen (literally or figuratively), break (up), destroy, dissolve, (un-) loose, melt, put off." (Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright (c) 1994, Biblesoft and International Bible Translators, Inc.)

What about the 144,000 of Revelation 14:1-4? Again, much of the difficulty could be resolved by reading the text. Compare Revelation 7:1-4 and note that this 144,000 are all Jews They are all males and they are all virgins. The number 144,000 is a figurative number standing for all of God's redeemed people on the earth. Many misuse figurative and literal language. The sum 144,000 does not designate a literal numerical quantity, but is a symbolic figure. The most reasonable view is that twelve, the religious number multiplied by itself and then by one thousand, indicates fullness and completeness. One does not have to be a member of a select group of literally 144,000 to go to heaven, but there is a select group that we must be a member of and that is the church that Christ built (Matthew 16:18). The church is that to which saved people were added in Acts 2:47. It is the kingdom into which we are translated (Colossians 1:13). This is the body of Christ (Ephesians 1:23) of which He is the Savior (Ephesians 5:23).

God's purpose for all who are obedient to him is the "inheritance reserved in heaven for you." God has given man "one hope" (Ephesians 4:4). It is a "living hope" (I Peter 1:3) through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. The "hope" of living on this earth for 1,000 years or throughout eternity is a false hope. The Scriptures do not teach this kind of hope for any man.


God Never Promised

by Chris Simmons

The scriptures are clear, “For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises…” (II Peter 1:4). We certainly have been granted many “precious” promises yet it is increasingly apparent that many have a misunderstanding regarding what they have been promised as a follower of Christ. We need to be clear in our understanding of what Jesus HAS and HAS NOT promised us.

It is important to remember: promises are not subject to the interpretation of the one to whom they have been promised. Children do not get to apply their interpretation of promises made by their parents. Neither do we as God’s creation have the right to put our “spin” on promises made by God. Promises are not negotiated agreements but rather unilateral decisions regarding the matter to be fulfilled. W.E. Vine says regarding the Greek word “epangelia” which is translated “promise,” “It frequently stands for the thing promised, and so signifies a gift graciously bestowed, not a pledge secured by negotiation.” When God promised to Abraham that He would give him a land, in Genesis chapter 12, that “land” was not subject to Abraham’s interpretation nor was it open to negotiation. Rather, God said the land would be, “…the land which I will show you” (Genesis 12:1).

It is also of importance to remember that promises are not to be divorced from the ideas of faithfulness and obedience. Promises often carry with them certain conditions or provisions that must be met. Conditions or provisions which do NOT mean that we have earned the promise but that simply make us capable of receiving the promise. Consider David’s words to his son Solomon as he linked Solomon’s need for obedience and faithfulness with God’s promise for a king. In I Kings 2:3-4 we read, “And keep the charge of the LORD your God, to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His ordinances, and His testimonies, according to what is written in the law of Moses, that you may succeed in all that you do and wherever you turn, so that the LORD may carry out His promise which He spoke concerning me, saying, 'If your sons are careful of their way, to walk before Me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.'” Many of man’s misunderstandings about God’s promises have to do with our failure to understand the conditions associated with them. We need to know what God has and has not promised.

God never promised a physical, earthly kingdom but he did promise an eternal, spiritual kingdom that would never be destroyed. Great numbers of people have and continue to hold to beliefs that God has promised to restore a physical, earthly kingdom. They do so in great ignorance of the scriptures. There is no argument that God promised to establish a kingdom which would never be destroyed as we read in Daniel 2:44, “And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed…” Yet, would that kingdom be of the some nature as the kingdoms it was referenced with in Daniel 2 (i.e., the Romans, Greeks, Medo-Persians or Babylonians)? Jesus clearly addresses this matter in John 18:36 where He says, “Jesus answered, ‘My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting, that I might not be delivered up to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm.’” Paul said that the final destination of this kingdom was to be with God in heaven, and not on this earth, when Christ delivers it up to Him (I Corinthians 15:24). Peter’s inspired words refute the idea that this eternal kingdom would reside upon this physical earth when he writes in II Peter 3:10, “But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.” Yes, God has promised an eternal kingdom but He never promised that it would exist in physical form upon this earth. That is why it was Paul’s earnest desire to be brought safely home to “…His heavenly kingdom.” That is the promise we must be looking for.

God has made many precious and magnificent promises and it is incumbent upon us to know what these promises are and are NOT and what is required of us to receive such promises. Lord willing, future articles will address what He has and has not promised.

Jesus never promised we would live in a physical mansion or estate but He did promise an eternal spiritual home far beyond all comparison.

Jesus never promised that God would hear and listen to any type of communication that any person who lives any type of life might offer. But He did promise to hear the fervent prayer offered by the one who does His will and is offered according to God’s will.

Jesus never promised all the luxuries that we might want but He did promise to take care of what we need in this life if we put Him first.

Jesus never promised a life free from trials and tribulations but He did promise a reward worthy of all we endure and an eternal rest from all our labors.

Jesus never promised that we would never face controversy but He did provide us with a standard of authority that we can understand, so that we can know where to stand.

Jesus never promised that He would heal all physical infirmities but He did provide for the healing of our souls.

Jesus never promised to save by “faith only” but by a faith that “works through love” (Galatians 5:6).

Jesus never promised “once saved, always saved,” but did promise the “crown of life” unto those who are “faithful unto death” (Revelation 2:10).

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