What is the eternal state of the believer?

Let any one consider, with the fifteenth chapter of the first epistle to the Corinthians, and the fourth of the first of Thessalonians, before his eyes, the order and connection of what is detailed there, and he will see how clearly and satisfactorily Scripture deals with this question. When "the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout," not yet visible to men, as we shall see directly, "first the dead in Christ shall rise." They rise "in power," "in incorruption," "in glory," "in the image of the Heavenly" — of Christ Himself. Could there be a question of trying for their life these perfected and glorious saints? They have been already, for a longer or shorter time, every one of them absent from the body, and present with the Lord. Can it be now a question of whether they had title to the blessed place they have been in? Assuredly it can never be: the case has been abundantly settled before this. And can it be other for those who, remaining alive, without dying change their mortality for immortality, and are caught up with the risen saints in one glorious company, "to meet the Lord in the air," and "be forever with the Lord"?

Most true it is, then, dear christian reader, that heaven is our hope; and, that if the Lord should tarry, and we should fall asleep ere He return, we shall be happy with Him in heaven until the resurrection. But it is not this state of separate spirits which is placed before us in Scripture as our hope, but the return of Jesus, to raise the sleeping saints, and to change those who are alive and remain, that both being caught up to meet Him in the air, we may thus, in bodies like to His glorious body, be "forever with the Lord." This is the hope set before us as individual believers. Some passages which state this have been already quoted. Let us now turn to a number of others, which plainly declare and irrefragably prove it.

But we have named another truth which has no place in Mr. Sen's system - the resurrection; and now I speak only of believers though all will be finally raised. There man appears in a wholly new state, out of the whole state and condition of this world and mortality - no sin - all his sins gone for ever in the Cross - he is for ever past death, past the sphere of Satan's power, actually suited for God's presence, not merely spiritually enjoying as the believer does here, but body and all rendered fit for the habitation of glory - what is called by Christ His "Father's house." There He is already entered as Man, glorified with the glory He had with the Father before the world was.

Now our blessed Lord was not raised from the dead with an ethereal, airy body. His was a real human body of flesh and bones. He ate in the presence of His disciples; He was able to take food, though He needed none. He was capable of passing through closed doors and was in nowise limited by earthly conditions, such as space. And even so will be the spiritual body of the risen believers. Not a spirit phantom, but a spiritual body in its adaptation to the spirit. As we have now a natural body which is suited for an earth-life, so the believer shall have a body suited for a glory-life. We shall be like Him to be with Him in eternal glory and in these wonderful bodies we shall rule and reign with Him.

Eternal life is a most blessed present possession, but it has to say to the future also. Those that believe in the only begotten Son of God shall not perish, death cannot rob them of eternal life. Their destiny is eternal glory with Christ. "When Christ, who is our life shall appear, then shall we appear with Him in glory" (Col. 3:3). "It doth not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when He shall appear, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is" (1 John 3:2-3). He said, "In My Father's house are many mansions, if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, ye may be also" (John 14:2). When these glorious words are fulfilled, all the ransomed hosts shall have everlasting life in its full and unhindered power, and will be in the home and sphere of it.

Then He, the Son, will hand over the kingdom to God that "God may be all in all." The great end has been reached — a realm of glory in which everything shall be in absolute accord with the mind and affections of the blessed God. Although as we have noticed, scripture is not profuse in its references to the eternal state, it has revealed in some detail the things which will not then obtain — 'God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain; for the former things are passed away. And He that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new" (Rev. 21). Man's failures, ambitions and pretensions, creation's groans, Satan's malice and deceit, will have disappeared for ever. Righteousness, which reigned in the "day of Christ" will now dwell in absolute complacency in a scene where the nature and love of God will be supreme, and everything contrary completely eliminated for ever. The saints themselves will be manifestly marked by the very nature of God Himself — 'the holy city' — and God will have reached the original desire of His eternal heart of love — "the tabernacle of God is with men."

Nor will the relationship be ever changed. As Christ is our life now, so will He be throughout eternity. Evermore we shall be able to say, With Thee is the fountain of life; in Thy light we shall see light. Then all tears will have been wiped away, and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things will have passed away (Rev. 21:4). For death, the last enemy, will ere this have beer. destroyed; and hence there will be for every saint of God the constant, perpetual, unhindered enjoyment of the power of that life "more abundantly," which he receives through Him who has died, risen again, and is now alive for evermore. What a contrast to our present circumstances! Death is upon the whole scene; and we have to bear always about the dying of Jesus. It is death, therefore, upon ourselves as well as upon all around. Then it will be life, and nothing but life, and life for evermore!

Such is the efficacy of the work of Christ that each believer today stands before God as holy and without blame, and is in the embrace of that divine love from which nothing can separate him. This we have seen in Romans 8. The full and ultimate application of these words in verse 4 must however, be carried on into a future eternity. It has been remarked that very little is said in the Bible in the way of a description of heaven; yet these words are practically just that. When the Spirit's work in us has reached its completion, including the quickening of our mortal bodies at the first resurrection, we shall be landed in heaven. We shall then be marked by perfect holiness of nature, and perfect freedom from all blame as to conduct. We shall be for ever in the presence of the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ in an atmosphere of perfect love. That will be heaven indeed. Thus verse 4 begins in a past eternity and ends in a future eternity.

What says the Scripture? It is our only court of appeal. If it be silent as to these questions, our wisdom is to be silent also. But it is not silent. It speaks about all these matters with no uncertain voice. It says, “Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness” (2 Peter 3:13). The present heavens and the earth are defiled by sin, but their day of purification is coming, and when that day comes their nation will be thorough and complete; not a trace of sin will be left remaining in that scene where God shall be all in all. It is described by the prophet who, in the vision of God, says. “I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, … their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And He that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new” (Rev. 21). What a glorious prospect! What seasons of infinite felicity, boundless satisfaction, and unspeakable gladness of heart shall come to light in those regions where righteousness, and truth, and holiness, and peace, and divine love have their eternal home! What shouts of exultation, what songs of victory shall break forth from that countless host of blood-washed overcomers, who will then have reached the crown and summit of every desire, which had at any time been begotten in their souls by the Holy Spirit of God! What glory to the Lamb shall roll like thunder throughout the vast realm of the blessed God! What praise, what worship shall be there poured forth into the Father’s ear from every heart overflowing with infinite and supreme delight! How one longs to mingle in that throng; to breathe the atmosphere of that goodly land; to contemplate that glorious company of sons of God; to gaze with rapture upon Him who brought them in the might of His eternal love through all the wilderness journey safe to glory; to hear that heavenly melody which shall issue like the sound of many waters from every redeemed heart; to join in it to the praise of Him who loved us, and gave Himself for us that He might make us all His own! What a sphere of supreme blessedness—the best that the wisdom, and might, and love of God could invent! To see the creature in circumstances the best that God could provide, to contemplate him dressed in the very richest raiment that He could supply, to view him seated at the most sumptuous feast that the creation of God could furnish, and to have the ear regaled with music from the most wonderful instruments that could be conceived even by the Creator Himself, and to know that every soul shall rest there, for ever safe from the invasion of evil—hasten, O Lord, that glorious day!

How blessed it is to contemplate the Lord in these three characters. He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. By His blood our consciences have been purged and our hearts' affections won, and we have been freed from the dominion of sin. We see not yet creation freed from the presence of sin, but the Lamb of God will accomplish this also, and a new heaven and a new earth wherein dwells righteousness will crown all His labours for the glory of God. And we know Him who will do this work; it will be Jesus, who loved us and gave Himself for us. He is the One who created all things in the first instance, and when all things in the heavens and the earth became defiled by sin, He is the One to cleanse away the defilement. The old creation was His handiwork, but the new creation will be the work of His heart. "Behold, I make all things new." Not merely renewed, but new. In that new creation there will be no spot or stain of sin. There will be no curse, no death, no sorrow, no crying. Everything will be according to God. The Father's love will pervade the whole redeemed creation. It is the portion of our hearts now, but then we will be in the home of love. How blessed and encouraging it is, in the turmoil and bustle of this selfish world, to turn the eye of faith to that heavenly land where Jesus is with the Father, and to feel that our home is there, and that we are only waiting for Him to come and bring us there, that we may be with Him for ever in His own dwelling-place.