Last night I had a talk with my amazing house Mom... in part of our conversation we were talking about how Islam is growing so rapidly in our nation and how Christianity is not really growing at all. And about how Muslims will lay down their lives, even taking their own lives for the sake of their beleifs... we definitely don't see that in Western Christianity....I started thinking about why that is...
It surely can't be because Islam is easier to understand or easier to follow. In fact, it is not about grace at all and there are so many rules to follow.
It could be because of fear... but fear will only motivate to a certain extent. And if fear is the motive, fear would ultimately have it's way in the human heart, ultimately causing their hearts to fail them in the day of sacrifice.
I have studied a bit on Islam and other religions... I find this common theme. There is a strong strong beleif in the reward of the afterlife and the reward or punishment they will recieve upon death...
Interesting...
In Western Christianity, I feel there is a strong delusion that heaven is a mystical realm, a sort of mirage and that God is a cloud, this mythical character who sort of radiates light....
Biblically this is a wrong concept from verse one of the Scripture.
Genesis 1:1
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth...
God created heaven. Just as He created the earth. I don't know where God lived before that, the Bible doesn't give us that insight. But it is clear. God made heaven. It's a real place.
God is not a cloud....
Many, many times in Scripture author's talk of the right hand of the Lord. He has hands.
He showed Moses his back, which indicates that He has a front.
He has a voice that thunders.
Now no one has seen God at any time, but we can tell from Scripture that He is very real. He is substance.
He created us in His image.
Also, we know that Jesus is still a man, in a glorified body who actually sits, physically, at the right hand of God the Father in Heaven.
Colosians 1 tells us that Jesus is the firstborn from the dead. He is the first man to be raised up in His glorified body. We know that we too will have glorfied bodies one day.
He has an appearance. A head, feet, a chest, thighs, hands....he even has hair... (read the book of Revelation, chapter 1 and others for reference).
The book of Revelation also speaks alot about what Heaven looks like.... what the New Jerusalem will be like. It's a real city that will be on the earth.
Revelation 21
1Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."
It has measurements, gates, streets, a way for it to be lit...
15The angel who talked with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city, its gates and its walls. 16The city was laid out like a square, as long as it was wide. He measured the city with the rod and found it to be 12,000 stadia in length, and as wide and high as it is long. 17He measured its wall and it was 144 cubits by man's measurement, which the angel was using. 18The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass. 19The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, 20the fifth sardonyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst.21The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of pure gold, like transparent glass.
22I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.23The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. 24The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. 25On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. 26The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it. 27Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life.
In Hebrews we find that Abraham understood this concept well.
Hebrews 11:10
He was looking for a city with foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
We also find a little later that we are to do the same...
Hebrews 13:14
For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city which is to come.
Heaven is real. It is real substance. There will be a new Heaven and a new earth and will will rule and reign with Him there.
Also, I think that the concept of eternal reward escapes us as well.
There is a real day of reckoning with the Lord. Scripture talks again and again about the Day of the Lord. It is a real day, great and terrible.
Jesus told parables about a master who went away and left his servants money (resources) to see what they would do with it... and He returned to judge each one for his use of it.
Matthew 25:14 and Luke 19:11...
Jesus also told us that the meek would inherit the earth.... obviously in this carnal life that is not always the case. Could it be Jesus is referring to an age that is yet to come??
I want to understand this and know it well in my heart. God is real, Jesus is still a man forever, real, fully God, fully glorified man.... and Heaven is a real place with a real throne of Judgement, with real reward.
I think that if this reality burned in my heart, I would feel the eternal weight of Glory... and I might live my life differently.
I think if we in the West can get ahold of this concept, we might have revival.... we might lay down our temporary lives for the sake of a glory we cannot begin to comprehend.
Paul said it best in 2 Timothy 4....
1In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: 2Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 3For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. 5But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.
6For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure.7I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.
Oh Lord may we have wisdom, revelation, and understanding to live our lives poured out. To love Your appearing. To be anchored in the reality of the Day of the Lord... to Love your appearing.
Awesome
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