Rewards of the Saved
What assurance do we have that our departed loved ones have gone to heaven? What authority have we believed that we shall go to heaven if we’re saved? This may be a bit shocking, but all our loved ones are still in the grave. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Paul, John, Noah, Moses, David, all are asleep in the grave waiting resurrection! The Bible speaks of this resurrection of the dead; the dead in Christ will rise first when Christ returns! No one has ascended into Heaven except Christ, the Son of God. All are waiting for Judgment Day to be rewarded.
The Christian is not yet a possessor of his reward, he is an heir, and what he shall inherit, if saved, is the promise made to Abraham. If one is converted, whether Jew or Gentile, regardless of race, or sex and has accepted Jesus Christ, then he becomes one of Abraham’s children, a Spiritual Israelite, and an heir of the promise made to Abraham. All mankind will be rewarded, some to Eternal Life, others to damnation, once again it is our choice to make.
The seed of Abraham would be a blessing to all nations. From the beginning God anticipated an outreach to the Gentile world. The achievement was to make the Gentiles believers of the Gospel and heir to the promise given to Abraham. If you have received justification through the blood of Christ, then ye are Abraham’s seed: “And if ye are Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, heirs according to promise,” you are that real, spiritual posterity of Abraham, (Galatians 3:16, 29).
Abraham obeyed and went out from his own country having no prospect of any good or success but it was his deep faith in God that gave him the courage; “By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed to go out unto a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing whither he went,” (Hebrews 11:8). “And without faith it is impossible to be well-pleasing unto him; for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that seek after him” (Hebrews 11:6).
The reward of the saved will spend eternity with Christ; this is a definite promise of God. But the promise was made to Abraham, so when we except Christ as our Savior, we then become one of Abraham’s children and become an heir (Galatians 3:29).
Yea, from the time of old they have not heard, they have not hearkened to; an eye hath not seen what God hath prepared for him (Isaiah 64:4). God shall change the state of the atmosphere and render the earth more fruitful (Isaiah 65:17).
The inheritance, which God has prepared for you, cannot even be conceived by the natural mind of man (1 Corinthian 2:9-10). We cannot imagine what Eternity will be like, we have only known this life, this world, chaos and sin. He will even remove the old thoughts of this life as we know it. These are promises from God!
But the meek, the afflicted, the poor shall inherit the earth given by God himself as an inheritance to their father, and to all future generations forever (Psalm 37:11). In the testimony of a good conscience, for, without this suffering has nothing but misery in it be exceeding glad, leap for joy because “for great is your reward in heaven” (Matthew 5:12).
These rewards are not yet dispensed. They are reserved and protected by Jesus who is in heaven. Rewards are not given out until the return of Jesus Christ, then, He says He will reward those accordingly. Then those who are given eternal life will then inherit the earth (Matthew 5:5), not the Heavens, after the world is cleansed. The earth will then be filled with men and women who exemplify His spirit in their lives, the saved.
Jesus says the reward, authority; an office of power in the Kingdom of God is being reserved in heaven for you because that is where Jesus is; “and to an inheritance kept in heaven for you that can't be destroyed, corrupted, or changed” (1 Peter 1:4). But it will be brought to earth, where Jesus will reward His saints (Revelation 22:12), in the Kingdom of God, with position over the nations. And with this Kingdom, like no other, there will be no end (Luke 1:33).
Here He summarized and described the events during which the saints received the gift of eternal life and the rewards of responsibilities in the Kingdom of God (Mathew 25:31-34). Notice the time and location. The time element begins with Christ’s second coming in Glory. Christ is pictured as bestowing eternal life and an inheritance in the Kingdom of God (Revelation 21:7).
Immediately at the return of Christ the dead in Christ will be resurrected with Spiritual bodies to life immortal, and the saints that are alive will be changed to Spiritual “in the twinkling of an eye” (1 Corinthians 15:52,53). Both groups will ascend together as high as the clouds while Christ descends from His present heavenly location (Matthew 24:30).
From this moment all the resurrected saints are to be wherever Christ is to be. We see that when Christ comes from Heaven the dead in Christ rise up first, all those that have been dead for thousands of years now receive their reward. The Angels who will be with him will sound the trumpet and the dead in Christ will awake (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). Christ will descend in like manner as He was seen by His disciples as when He was taken up into heaven (Acts 1:11). What a glorious sight! He will rule this world with the saints and to execute judgment upon the ungodly (Jude 14-15).
We labor to walk so as to please Him, because we know that we shall have to give an account of ourselves before the judgment seat of Christ. That every one may receive the things, that each may receive to himself into his own hand, his own reward and his own wages (2 Corinthians 5:10). For thou shall render to every man according to his works (Psalm 62:12).
These scriptures indicate that the Rapture will be at the end of the age, after the great tribulation, at the last day, at the last trump, not before! John in (Revelation 11:15-18) says that the sounding of the seventh trumpet, the last trumpet will be “the time of the dead” to be resurrected. God will then “give reward unto the saints” (Revelation 22:12). Where, then, is there any room for the idea that before any of these trumpets sound the saints will have already been raptured to Heaven to be rewarded? Jesus made it clear that there will be no “Secret” coming before His coming in glory and with the Holy angels. It is agreed that the coming of Christ in glory with the Holy Angels is at the end of the age, (Mark 8:38).
The Kingdom of God is to rule the world (Revelation 11:15). It is not yet established, it is yet to come, but we are much closer than we think. What a glorious promise! If a man goes to his reward or punishment immediately at death, there would be no purpose in a resurrection, and who will rise first if all have risen already? We have seen at the sound of the trump those that lived for Christ will raise in the first resurrection! The kingdoms of this world will then be the Kingdom of our Lord (Revelation 11:15). No man hath ascended up to heaven, but He that came down (John 3:13). Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended (Ephesians 4:10)? “He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above.” The Son of man, Jesus Christ is come down from heaven to reveal the Divine will of God. The manifestation of Christ is represented under the notion of His coming down from Heaven to dwell upon the earth.
Christ is the only one who has ascended up into heaven from the dead (John 3:13). When Jesus has returned to this earth as King of Kings, Ruler of all nations on earth, then He will say to the saved: “Come, ye blessed, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” (Matthew 25:34). Christ said “Where I go, ye cannot come” (John 8:22). No one has ascended into heaven but Christ; He had to be the first to be resurrected.
Here we see the Bible says David is not ascended into the heavens (Acts 2:34). Not only David but also no man has ascended up to heaven. But David is waiting for that glorious day of the return of Christ. But they saw the ascension of Jesus Christ. He, Christ, not David, is now sitting at the right hand of God (Romans 8:34) waiting for the day to call His saints out of the graves to be with Him for eternity!
When a Gentile accepts Christ, he is grafted in, and becomes partaker of the root of the olive tree, or promises made to Abraham (Romans 11:16-24). They become children of Abraham through Christ. “If ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heir according to the promise” (Galatians 3:29). Circumcision was a sign of righteousness and of the faith Abraham had, (Colossians 2:11-13). Today circumcision is of the heart, both Jews and Gentiles become children of God and children of Abraham, Gentiles being spiritual Jews (Romans 2:29) and heirs according to the promise (Galatians 3:26-29). The outward sign is not needful in the New Testament, but it must be of the heart for both Jews and Gentiles (Romans 2:29). “For we are circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh” (Philippians 3:3).
We believe in the rewards of good and evil. But according to scriptures the rewards will not begin until Christ returns with the sound of the trumpets with His Angels, (1 Corinthians 15:52-53). We believe in a Heaven so sacred that no one has ascended into Heaven except our Savior Jesus Christ. We believe in a Hell so hot, it does not just burn or scorch, but burns man into ashes, (Malachi 4:1-3). Heaven is promised for the saved; but Hell is promised for the sinners (Daniel 12:2).
“And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain; for former things are passed away” (Revelation 21:4). This is a promise; the time of the Second coming of Christ is near, are you ready?
Knowing Jesus as our Savior ought to be part of a faith that convinces us to repent and follow Him. His Spirit is the promised result (Acts 2:38). With that mind of God in us, we can proclaim the good news that He is coming again and that people should prepare by learning to observe whatever He commanded us to do (Matthew 28:19-20).
Jesus Christ will create a world of piece and blessing beyond what most cannot imagine. Christ and the resurrected saints will have their job of teaching the way of peace and happiness. Nations will need to learn the Biblical way to lasting happiness and radiant health. The Millennium will be a Sabbath of rest for the nation. When that age comes and the Messiah is ruling then war will cease.
Man must first be brought from everywhere to accept their King. These blessing won’t happen in all nations all at once. At some future time, the house of God will be exalted. People from all over the world will be attracted to learn the teaching of God. God’s sovereign rule will be acknowledged. The result will be universal peace.
The prophet Isaiah describes this new kind of education: “For out of Zion shall go forth the law and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He shall judge between nations, and shall rebuke many people; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore” (Isaiah 2:3-4). Implement of war will be turned into implements of agriculture. War will be neither learned nor practiced anymore. “We, according to His promise, look for a new heaven and new earth” (2 Peter 3:13). But such a world is not possible under human government. But “with God all things all-possible” (Mark 10:27) and He will perform an even greater miracle than changing animal nature. All of creation will benefit from His peaceful reign.
His purpose is to change human nature! He will make a truly marvelous change in man’s hostile mind. God is going to give lions a peaceful nature. Also, “the wolves, leopards, lambs, goats, calves, bears, and cows shall graze together, and the lion shall eat straw like an ox (Isaiah 11:6-9). So safe would they be that “A nursing child shall play by a cobra hole, and the weaned child shall put his hand in the viper’s den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My Holy Mountain (God’s Kingdom), the wild animals are not destroyed, but their nature is changed” (Isaiah 65:27). Man is not a creature apart from animal; he belongs to the creation and so do animals, both wild and tame. Here in this beautiful creation we have a serious effort to show that in the Messianic age there will not merely be man who is redeemed but the whole creation. This same concept carries over beautiful into the New Testament (Romans 8:19-22). The reason for this peaceful transformation is that the knowledge of God would cover the earth as water fills the sea. Isaiah continues to give us the good news in this chapter of the transformation of the earth into the Garden of Eden. Here is a chapter full of joy, and gladness of hope in the realization of redemption beyond compare with the finest and fairest portions of Palestine. “The thirsty land with springs of water: and the desert shall blossom as the rose.” Today wasteland will become fertile land in the Millennium, and will not have to depend on dying soil. The earth will be cultivatable! He will reduce the bare, snow swept and rugged mountains, raise up the deep, and the dry desert valley with parched ground shall become a pool, its thirsty land will become springs of living water, and He will change the world’s weather patterns.
He will make all these deserts green and fertile (Isaiah 35:1-2; 7). “And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the Lord God: “The Lord will open to you His Treasures of the heaven, to give the rain to your land in its season” (Deuteronomy 28:2, 12). Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to Him in well doing, as unto a faithful creator” (1 Peter 4:10). “For I reckon that the suffering of this present time is not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed” (Romans 8:18).
“Lo, I am about to create a new heaven and a new earth where men of righteousness will live; there will be no more of an infant dying at birth. And the life span will be one hundred years; they will have large vineyards crops: many houses will be built. The streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in its streets. Many will be ruler over five or ten cities; some will be priest and kings” (Isaiah 65:20-22).
We get a glimpse of the wonderful world of tomorrow, “the voice of joy and the voice of gladness of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the voice of those who will say: Praise the Lord of host, for His mercy endures forever” (Jeremiah 33:11).
“And it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). In the view of all the foregoing, there seems to be only two alternatives. Either accept Jesus fully as the Messiah, or deliberately reject Him. Either accept the teachings of God’s word or accept the consequences that awaits for them that reject Him as there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. After all it’s your choice.
Today if you will hear His voice, harden not your hearts. Today is the day of salvation. Somewhere this very day someone will yield his heart to Christ and accept Him as their Savior and Lord. So “Come unto Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls, for my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30). Could this be you who are willing to except Jesus Christ today? Somewhere, someone else will read this and will reject Him for what might be the last time, and he will forever be lost. But if you are the one that will accept Jesus as your Savior, then pray for strength and understanding and guidance for you and others you associate with.
What assurance do we have that our departed loved ones have gone to heaven? What authority have we believed that we shall go to heaven if we’re saved? This may be a bit shocking, but all our loved ones are still in the grave. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Paul, John, Noah, Moses, David, all are asleep in the grave waiting resurrection! The Bible speaks of this resurrection of the dead; the dead in Christ will rise first when Christ returns! No one has ascended into Heaven except Christ, the Son of God. All are waiting for Judgment Day to be rewarded.
The Christian is not yet a possessor of his reward, he is an heir, and what he shall inherit, if saved, is the promise made to Abraham. If one is converted, whether Jew or Gentile, regardless of race, or sex and has accepted Jesus Christ, then he becomes one of Abraham’s children, a Spiritual Israelite, and an heir of the promise made to Abraham. All mankind will be rewarded, some to Eternal Life, others to damnation, once again it is our choice to make.
The seed of Abraham would be a blessing to all nations. From the beginning God anticipated an outreach to the Gentile world. The achievement was to make the Gentiles believers of the Gospel and heir to the promise given to Abraham. If you have received justification through the blood of Christ, then ye are Abraham’s seed: “And if ye are Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, heirs according to promise,” you are that real, spiritual posterity of Abraham, (Galatians 3:16, 29).
Abraham obeyed and went out from his own country having no prospect of any good or success but it was his deep faith in God that gave him the courage; “By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed to go out unto a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing whither he went,” (Hebrews 11:8). “And without faith it is impossible to be well-pleasing unto him; for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that seek after him” (Hebrews 11:6).
The reward of the saved will spend eternity with Christ; this is a definite promise of God. But the promise was made to Abraham, so when we except Christ as our Savior, we then become one of Abraham’s children and become an heir (Galatians 3:29).
Yea, from the time of old they have not heard, they have not hearkened to; an eye hath not seen what God hath prepared for him (Isaiah 64:4). God shall change the state of the atmosphere and render the earth more fruitful (Isaiah 65:17).
The inheritance, which God has prepared for you, cannot even be conceived by the natural mind of man (1 Corinthian 2:9-10). We cannot imagine what Eternity will be like, we have only known this life, this world, chaos and sin. He will even remove the old thoughts of this life as we know it. These are promises from God!
But the meek, the afflicted, the poor shall inherit the earth given by God himself as an inheritance to their father, and to all future generations forever (Psalm 37:11). In the testimony of a good conscience, for, without this suffering has nothing but misery in it be exceeding glad, leap for joy because “for great is your reward in heaven” (Matthew 5:12).
These rewards are not yet dispensed. They are reserved and protected by Jesus who is in heaven. Rewards are not given out until the return of Jesus Christ, then, He says He will reward those accordingly. Then those who are given eternal life will then inherit the earth (Matthew 5:5), not the Heavens, after the world is cleansed. The earth will then be filled with men and women who exemplify His spirit in their lives, the saved.
Jesus says the reward, authority; an office of power in the Kingdom of God is being reserved in heaven for you because that is where Jesus is; “and to an inheritance kept in heaven for you that can't be destroyed, corrupted, or changed” (1 Peter 1:4). But it will be brought to earth, where Jesus will reward His saints (Revelation 22:12), in the Kingdom of God, with position over the nations. And with this Kingdom, like no other, there will be no end (Luke 1:33).
Here He summarized and described the events during which the saints received the gift of eternal life and the rewards of responsibilities in the Kingdom of God (Mathew 25:31-34). Notice the time and location. The time element begins with Christ’s second coming in Glory. Christ is pictured as bestowing eternal life and an inheritance in the Kingdom of God (Revelation 21:7).
Immediately at the return of Christ the dead in Christ will be resurrected with Spiritual bodies to life immortal, and the saints that are alive will be changed to Spiritual “in the twinkling of an eye” (1 Corinthians 15:52,53). Both groups will ascend together as high as the clouds while Christ descends from His present heavenly location (Matthew 24:30).
From this moment all the resurrected saints are to be wherever Christ is to be. We see that when Christ comes from Heaven the dead in Christ rise up first, all those that have been dead for thousands of years now receive their reward. The Angels who will be with him will sound the trumpet and the dead in Christ will awake (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). Christ will descend in like manner as He was seen by His disciples as when He was taken up into heaven (Acts 1:11). What a glorious sight! He will rule this world with the saints and to execute judgment upon the ungodly (Jude 14-15).
We labor to walk so as to please Him, because we know that we shall have to give an account of ourselves before the judgment seat of Christ. That every one may receive the things, that each may receive to himself into his own hand, his own reward and his own wages (2 Corinthians 5:10). For thou shall render to every man according to his works (Psalm 62:12).
These scriptures indicate that the Rapture will be at the end of the age, after the great tribulation, at the last day, at the last trump, not before! John in (Revelation 11:15-18) says that the sounding of the seventh trumpet, the last trumpet will be “the time of the dead” to be resurrected. God will then “give reward unto the saints” (Revelation 22:12). Where, then, is there any room for the idea that before any of these trumpets sound the saints will have already been raptured to Heaven to be rewarded? Jesus made it clear that there will be no “Secret” coming before His coming in glory and with the Holy angels. It is agreed that the coming of Christ in glory with the Holy Angels is at the end of the age, (Mark 8:38).
The Kingdom of God is to rule the world (Revelation 11:15). It is not yet established, it is yet to come, but we are much closer than we think. What a glorious promise! If a man goes to his reward or punishment immediately at death, there would be no purpose in a resurrection, and who will rise first if all have risen already? We have seen at the sound of the trump those that lived for Christ will raise in the first resurrection! The kingdoms of this world will then be the Kingdom of our Lord (Revelation 11:15). No man hath ascended up to heaven, but He that came down (John 3:13). Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended (Ephesians 4:10)? “He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above.” The Son of man, Jesus Christ is come down from heaven to reveal the Divine will of God. The manifestation of Christ is represented under the notion of His coming down from Heaven to dwell upon the earth.
Christ is the only one who has ascended up into heaven from the dead (John 3:13). When Jesus has returned to this earth as King of Kings, Ruler of all nations on earth, then He will say to the saved: “Come, ye blessed, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” (Matthew 25:34). Christ said “Where I go, ye cannot come” (John 8:22). No one has ascended into heaven but Christ; He had to be the first to be resurrected.
Here we see the Bible says David is not ascended into the heavens (Acts 2:34). Not only David but also no man has ascended up to heaven. But David is waiting for that glorious day of the return of Christ. But they saw the ascension of Jesus Christ. He, Christ, not David, is now sitting at the right hand of God (Romans 8:34) waiting for the day to call His saints out of the graves to be with Him for eternity!
When a Gentile accepts Christ, he is grafted in, and becomes partaker of the root of the olive tree, or promises made to Abraham (Romans 11:16-24). They become children of Abraham through Christ. “If ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heir according to the promise” (Galatians 3:29). Circumcision was a sign of righteousness and of the faith Abraham had, (Colossians 2:11-13). Today circumcision is of the heart, both Jews and Gentiles become children of God and children of Abraham, Gentiles being spiritual Jews (Romans 2:29) and heirs according to the promise (Galatians 3:26-29). The outward sign is not needful in the New Testament, but it must be of the heart for both Jews and Gentiles (Romans 2:29). “For we are circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh” (Philippians 3:3).
We believe in the rewards of good and evil. But according to scriptures the rewards will not begin until Christ returns with the sound of the trumpets with His Angels, (1 Corinthians 15:52-53). We believe in a Heaven so sacred that no one has ascended into Heaven except our Savior Jesus Christ. We believe in a Hell so hot, it does not just burn or scorch, but burns man into ashes, (Malachi 4:1-3). Heaven is promised for the saved; but Hell is promised for the sinners (Daniel 12:2).
“And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain; for former things are passed away” (Revelation 21:4). This is a promise; the time of the Second coming of Christ is near, are you ready?
Knowing Jesus as our Savior ought to be part of a faith that convinces us to repent and follow Him. His Spirit is the promised result (Acts 2:38). With that mind of God in us, we can proclaim the good news that He is coming again and that people should prepare by learning to observe whatever He commanded us to do (Matthew 28:19-20).
Jesus Christ will create a world of piece and blessing beyond what most cannot imagine. Christ and the resurrected saints will have their job of teaching the way of peace and happiness. Nations will need to learn the Biblical way to lasting happiness and radiant health. The Millennium will be a Sabbath of rest for the nation. When that age comes and the Messiah is ruling then war will cease.
Man must first be brought from everywhere to accept their King. These blessing won’t happen in all nations all at once. At some future time, the house of God will be exalted. People from all over the world will be attracted to learn the teaching of God. God’s sovereign rule will be acknowledged. The result will be universal peace.
The prophet Isaiah describes this new kind of education: “For out of Zion shall go forth the law and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He shall judge between nations, and shall rebuke many people; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore” (Isaiah 2:3-4). Implement of war will be turned into implements of agriculture. War will be neither learned nor practiced anymore. “We, according to His promise, look for a new heaven and new earth” (2 Peter 3:13). But such a world is not possible under human government. But “with God all things all-possible” (Mark 10:27) and He will perform an even greater miracle than changing animal nature. All of creation will benefit from His peaceful reign.
His purpose is to change human nature! He will make a truly marvelous change in man’s hostile mind. God is going to give lions a peaceful nature. Also, “the wolves, leopards, lambs, goats, calves, bears, and cows shall graze together, and the lion shall eat straw like an ox (Isaiah 11:6-9). So safe would they be that “A nursing child shall play by a cobra hole, and the weaned child shall put his hand in the viper’s den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My Holy Mountain (God’s Kingdom), the wild animals are not destroyed, but their nature is changed” (Isaiah 65:27). Man is not a creature apart from animal; he belongs to the creation and so do animals, both wild and tame. Here in this beautiful creation we have a serious effort to show that in the Messianic age there will not merely be man who is redeemed but the whole creation. This same concept carries over beautiful into the New Testament (Romans 8:19-22). The reason for this peaceful transformation is that the knowledge of God would cover the earth as water fills the sea. Isaiah continues to give us the good news in this chapter of the transformation of the earth into the Garden of Eden. Here is a chapter full of joy, and gladness of hope in the realization of redemption beyond compare with the finest and fairest portions of Palestine. “The thirsty land with springs of water: and the desert shall blossom as the rose.” Today wasteland will become fertile land in the Millennium, and will not have to depend on dying soil. The earth will be cultivatable! He will reduce the bare, snow swept and rugged mountains, raise up the deep, and the dry desert valley with parched ground shall become a pool, its thirsty land will become springs of living water, and He will change the world’s weather patterns.
He will make all these deserts green and fertile (Isaiah 35:1-2; 7). “And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the Lord God: “The Lord will open to you His Treasures of the heaven, to give the rain to your land in its season” (Deuteronomy 28:2, 12). Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to Him in well doing, as unto a faithful creator” (1 Peter 4:10). “For I reckon that the suffering of this present time is not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed” (Romans 8:18).
“Lo, I am about to create a new heaven and a new earth where men of righteousness will live; there will be no more of an infant dying at birth. And the life span will be one hundred years; they will have large vineyards crops: many houses will be built. The streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in its streets. Many will be ruler over five or ten cities; some will be priest and kings” (Isaiah 65:20-22).
We get a glimpse of the wonderful world of tomorrow, “the voice of joy and the voice of gladness of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the voice of those who will say: Praise the Lord of host, for His mercy endures forever” (Jeremiah 33:11).
“And it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). In the view of all the foregoing, there seems to be only two alternatives. Either accept Jesus fully as the Messiah, or deliberately reject Him. Either accept the teachings of God’s word or accept the consequences that awaits for them that reject Him as there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. After all it’s your choice.
Today if you will hear His voice, harden not your hearts. Today is the day of salvation. Somewhere this very day someone will yield his heart to Christ and accept Him as their Savior and Lord. So “Come unto Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls, for my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30). Could this be you who are willing to except Jesus Christ today? Somewhere, someone else will read this and will reject Him for what might be the last time, and he will forever be lost. But if you are the one that will accept Jesus as your Savior, then pray for strength and understanding and guidance for you and others you associate with.