Faith Baptist Church
4258 Botetourt Road
Fincastle, Virginia 24090
(540) 473-2325
As we go further into life in the eternal state we start to see the satisfaction God has with his new creation.
21:5 God, setting upon his throne is heard and he will say, “Behold I make all things new.”
We note here that the voice speaks directly to John. It is no longer an angel speaking to John. It is the same one first mentioned in Rev.1:8.
Who is this one who makes all things new? It is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. This is the Lord Jesus Christ talking to John. He will make all things new. No amount of millions of years of evolution will be necessary to recycle the earth to a perfect state, no more than it was necessary for God as he spoke into existence, instantaneously, the earth in the beginning. Only the command of the Lord will be necessary to create the new heaven and earth, just as it was in the beginning.
When it comes to making us a new creation as seen in II Cor.5:17, it too is by His power that we become that new creation, it is not by something we do, and it is not by some process of works or religious activity that we evolve into that new creation. Both the creation of the new birth and the creation of the new earth are by the grace of God.
As John writes this chapter the terrible wrath to befall the unrepentant sinner is now done. The complete redemption of mankind is seen in its fruition as scores of saints from the beginning through the end of time now joyfully surround the throne of God. All sin has been judged. When our sins were fully poured out on Jesus Christ on the cross he said, “it is finished”, Jn.19:30. All human sin was judged on that day. Now the issue is, what think ye of Christ? All that we can do is witness and pray for the lost sinner; praying that they will not wait too long and then die without Christ, because then the truth will be, “it is too late,” Heb.9:27.
Once the cursed earth has been restored to its greatest glory and God abides with mankind, he will say, “It is done.” He has finished what he started long ago. What He and we will do in the eternal state is a mystery to all of us because the Bible does not say very much.
Those who have thirsted for righteousness, who have seen themselves as lost sinners and have repented to God in Christ Jesus, have the water that eternally satisfies. The parched souls of men who have entered into a relationship with God through Jesus Christ are no longer parched by sin. The water of life continues to satisfy the desire of the soul to walk in unity with God. This satisfaction will never end because the Water of life will never run dry, John 4:14.
Isa.55:1 “Ho, [listen], every one that thirsteth, come to the waters...” The Bible still stands true as it says whosoever will call on the name of the Lord shall be saved, Rom.10:13.
This world is full of spiritually parched souls, but most do not want the water of life that comes from Jesus Christ, and why? Because most men and women do not want to admit they are sinners and are unworthy of heaven. Most do not want to believe in a God who would send their souls to hell. Most do not believe in a real hell, but they do believe in a real heaven. Most want a relationship with God but on their own terms. They are not thirsty for the fountain of the water of life. They think the fulfillment that will make them happy comes from possessions or the fountain of good works where praise is forthcoming; or from religion where they suppose God is impressed with their extravagant liturgy.
v.7 However, “He that overcometh shall inherit all things,” This refers only to believers who are in Christ. John 16:33 Jesus Christ said he has overcome all things. Since we are in Christ we also are overcomers. Through Christ we have overcome sin, death, the grave and eternal judgment.
This word, overcome comes from the Greek word, nike. It means to get the victory, or to subdue. The aforementioned items listed have been subdued for us by Christ and they are ours positionally so now while we are still alive we should claim these victories for the Lord each day in Christian practice, even by having confidence on the day of our death. The greatest of all anxieties, the sting of death, has been removed for us. Faith in this victory secured by Christ should remove all fear of death. Certainly with all the pressures we face daily, Christ can also deliver us from these as well, can’t he?
The greatest functional victory won by Christ for us, which we should be claiming each day, is victory over the presence and influence of sin in our lives. However, this is impossible apart from establishing and maintaining a growing edification complex of resident doctrinal truth in the heart, Eph.4:12-15.
The participle overcometh is a present tense participle denoting a pattern of life marked by regularly getting the victory in our practice of being Christians. If this were referring simply to all believers becoming functional overcomers due to salvation this participle would be in another tense such as the aorist or even the perfect. Bowing our will to God, not just in salvation, but in spiritual sanctification is worship. We don’t just worship God on Sunday by showing up here at the building where this local church meets; we worship God seven days a week by being submissive to the word of God.
God said “he that overcomes shall inherit all things...”
Shall inherit, is a [3 pers.sing.fut.active indicative verb from the Greek word kleronomos]
We have taught on several occasions regarding the believer’s eternal inheritance; that positionally we all can receive great heavenly inheritance. But this position does not qualify us for personal reward, it merely positions us for those rewards; that being faithful to the Lord is shown to be greatly rewarded in heaven, but to be unfaithful now means loss of reward in heaven, I Cor.3:9-15. I did not say loss of salvation as this is secured by God for the believer. Salvation is by grace and nothing more, but rewards are based on faithfulness. We are to be faithful in every aspect of our lives. This faithfulness in all things is worship. Too many Christians are satisfied just to be positioned in Christ, but they, for whatever inexcusable reason, are disobedient in being faithful to God’s purpose for their lives, and for this reason they will loose reward. This purpose is to conform us to the image of Christ, Rom.8:29 and this requires a maximum amount of Bible doctrine learned in the local church under the teaching ministry of ones pastor-teacher, Eph.4:12-16.
From Isa.53:12; Rom.8:17; 8:28-29; II Tim.2:12 it is noted that the spoils of Christ’s victory at the cross are inherited by those willing to be faithful in all things.
These are called more than just children, teknon, of God; they are called, huios, adult sons; spiritually mature children.
Do I worship God with my mind, my motivations, my time, my tithe, my spiritual gifts and talents? After all, if I expect to reap a reward, I must not sow sparingly.
We know all born again believers will go to heaven because they have received eternal life and forgiveness of sins in Christ, but only those who allow God to conform them to the image of Christ through the changing of the life will qualify to be called the adult sons of God.
A music ministry and a program oriented ministry may add flavor and spice to your life, but if you are not getting Bible doctrine to conform you to the image of Christ you will not be changed and you will not qualify for the exceeding riches of Christ in time, or in eternity.
Having a nice personality with wonderful emotional effervescence and demonstrating marvelous talent does not quality the believer for reward as there are unsaved people who have these traits and talents. Many of God’s people have been duped by religious crackpots and charlatans who had a nice personality and great talent, and many unsaved people have been turned off from Christianity because of the bad experiences they have had with such alleged saints of God.
Jesus Christ said in John 4:23 that the Father seeks out those who will worship him in Spirit and in truth, not those who will worship him in the flesh and emotion. God is too wonderful and heaven is too glorious for the pastor or his people to waste time feeding on the things that will not translate into eternal glory.