It's easy to live for today for ourselves in survival mode. Sometimes we just want to 'head for the back of the cave'. This is called surviving but it isn't living. The spirit of a person is designed to motivate us to live - not just for ourselves but for others and for the God in whose image we are made. When the spirit is enlivened through re birth (being born again - John 3:3), we begin a journey of inward renewal that affects our thinking, our core values, our behaviours and our relationships. Beyond this progressive renewal however there is another transformation that will impact all Christians, including those who have died! The Bible speaks of a hope that is expressed through the expectation of "redemption through our body" (Rom.8:23-25)
The apostle Paul encouraged the church in Thessalonica to keep on loving one another and to go harder in their community even in the face of persecution and trouble. He encouraged them to remind one another that Jesus Himself would return for them and that they would be "caught up together with them (the dead in Christ) in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. and thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words." (1Thess.4:17-18).That which had perished (the dead in Christ) will suddenly become imperishable. "And as we have borne the earthly man, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly man." (1Cor. 15:49). Even the physical body will be regenerated for eternity!This is commonly called the rapture or the "blessed hope". It is the "blessed hope" because the church of Jesus Christ will be with the Lord forever.
Our present times are to be encased with eternity. Struggles and even persecution can be viewed in the light of His return for His church. There will be a future time when He will return with His church to reign with Him on earth.
The impending rapture is motivation to live in the present for Him. After the rapture there will also be a time when believers will experience a reward ceremony at the Judgement Seat of Christ. This judgement seat for believers is not about the judgement of sin. Jesus has already paid the penalty for the sins of the world, though this is only activated when an individual both believes and receives the offer of total forgiveness of sins. Every person who believes on Him will receive everlasting life with Him! This judgement for believers is about what we did with the grace of God this side of heaven. Paul spoke of his hunger to receive 'crowns'. His goal was to attain the 'prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus' (Phil.3:14). Paul encouraged believers to run life this side of heaven in a way that would leave a heavenly mark. For example, every time a Christian obeys the promptings of the Holy Spirit, he is 'running the race'. The issue is not about the size of tasks that we do so much as it is about our obedience given the opportunities that we before us everyday. Jesus said "whoever gives one of these little ones a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward." (Mat.10:42) At the Judgement Seat of Christ, every work that we ever did will be tested by fire (1Cor.3:11-15) This is not a reference to salvation per se but it is a reference to the endurance of a work that is derived by "faith which works by love" (Gal.5:6)
The apostle Paul was stirred by two eternal facts. Firstly the fact that Jesus would return for His church and secondly by the fact that Jesus wants to present a full reward to those who seek after Him and who are stirred to live as unto Him this side of heaven. Our obedience this side of heaven affects the nature of the rewards that will be given on that day. Why settle for anything less when we have the whole of eternity with Him ahead as our motivation today!
This blog is based on a message given by both Diane & Ross Smith at The Vine Church, Springwood, Logan City, Queensland, Australia on 12'07/15 called "Live Today Like Its Tomorrow". The full message can be accessed by podcast from www.thevine.org.au/teaching
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