Eternal Blessings In Heaven Begin On Earth
When one becomes a "child of God" by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and the spiritual new birth, that one has the care and blessings of God here and for eternity. Here in this life God says to believers: "I will never leave thee nor forsake thee". Thus, we may say: "The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me" (Heb.13:5 & 6). That is a most precious promise. A child of God may need to have trials and troubles along the pilgrim path to learn some lessons, but God will preserve the believer and give help (Psa.46:1). If that one is then called home to heaven it becomes joy and eternal blessing. Believers are blessed in Christ forever.
Faithful saints of God are ever ready and glad to serve the Lord as we pass through this scene. It is a privilege to witness to others about salvation, and a privilege to keep God's Word, worship, and walk in His ways for His glory. It is of great importance that believers honor the Name of the Lord in all their manner and conversation. It has been said that the world judges God's testimony more by our deportment than what we preach. We need to "lay up treasures in heaven" by faithfulness on earth, lest we forfeit much (see Matt.6:19-21).
If people do not know if they are saved for heaven, they ought to settle the matter of their soul's salvation today by coming to Christ, while the door of hope is yet open. This world is blessed in a measure by Christ whether they know it or not---even by the restraining power against evil by the Holy Spirit in the church, and God thus shows mercies to many people who honor Him, but salvation of the soul is a gift to be received. Honor to God is believing and being thankful, but the Word of God makes it clear that if souls reject or neglect receiving the Lord Jesus Christ in a personal way, they will die in their sins and will not be in Heaven, and will only find the suffering of Hell forever (note John 3:35-36). All men need to repent now and believe for eternal blessing.
There seems to be two kinds of eternal blessings for true Christians after death, or after the translation (rapture) of the church. One is salvation of the soul to dwell in Heaven, and the other is rewards or crowns in Heaven (not considering here the joy of being with our precious Savior face to face forever, which is the supreme blessing of dwelling in Heaven).
Heavenly blessing is not speaking of the earthly scene after the tribulation and millennial times, where God will bring forth eternal blessing to a remnant preserved on earth in a future day. We are speaking here of Heaven above this scene and those who go to the Lord before that time. It could be today, for all things are now ready. That ought to thrill our hearts and make us a thankful people.
True believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, should know that their confession of Christ came not from their own goodness or great wisdom, but by true repentance and the blessing of grace (Titus 3:5). They yielded by faith to the work of God in them through Christ, and the Spirit sealed them as "a child of God". Some professors of Christianity are like disciples (followers) who are interested, but have not yet confessed their sins, yielded, and received the Lord Jesus into their hearts for salvation.
Some believers have not understood that they are "bought with a price" and are not their own person to do as they please (I Cor.6:19-20; II Pet.2:1). We see many of these going on just as the world in dishonor to the Lord, and they will suffer loss of rewards in Heaven (I Cor. 3:13-17).
We should not try to hide our self-indulgence by saying that there is only blessing and no unhappiness in Heaven. It is true all saints will be loved and very happy to be there, but the forfeiture of blessing now will bring awareness then that we could have laid up treasures (Matt.6:19-21), and been so much more faithful in the little while we walked down here. All believers will stand before the "judgment seat of Christ" (Rom.14:10). We need to see that God is speaking to believers, not the world, when He says that every man's work shall be tried; and "he is not crowned, except he strive lawfully"---i.e. according to the right way (II Tim. 2:4-5). - RLD
BLESSINGS BEGIN BY BELIEVING
What is blessing? Comparing the concordance with the dictionary, we find blessing with more than one meaning, but related: favor or favorable; adore or adorable; benefit; thanksgiving; praiseworthy; and from Greek - eulogeo: as to speak or think well of; thank; praise. The word was translated in the KJV by Old English - bledsian: of blood, as the means for good ---sacrifice for favor and good thoughts, and later pronounced as bless. Surely God's kind thoughts to man, favor, and adoration should evoke man's praise and adoration also to God. - R. DeWitt, 2003 When one becomes a "child of God" by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and the spiritual new birth, that one has the care and blessings of God here and for eternity. Here in this life God says to believers: "I will never leave thee nor forsake thee". Thus, we may say: "The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me" (Heb.13:5 & 6). That is a most precious promise. A child of God may need to have trials and troubles along the pilgrim path to learn some lessons, but God will preserve the believer and give help (Psa.46:1). If that one is then called home to heaven it becomes joy and eternal blessing. Believers are blessed in Christ forever.
Faithful saints of God are ever ready and glad to serve the Lord as we pass through this scene. It is a privilege to witness to others about salvation, and a privilege to keep God's Word, worship, and walk in His ways for His glory. It is of great importance that believers honor the Name of the Lord in all their manner and conversation. It has been said that the world judges God's testimony more by our deportment than what we preach. We need to "lay up treasures in heaven" by faithfulness on earth, lest we forfeit much (see Matt.6:19-21).
If people do not know if they are saved for heaven, they ought to settle the matter of their soul's salvation today by coming to Christ, while the door of hope is yet open. This world is blessed in a measure by Christ whether they know it or not---even by the restraining power against evil by the Holy Spirit in the church, and God thus shows mercies to many people who honor Him, but salvation of the soul is a gift to be received. Honor to God is believing and being thankful, but the Word of God makes it clear that if souls reject or neglect receiving the Lord Jesus Christ in a personal way, they will die in their sins and will not be in Heaven, and will only find the suffering of Hell forever (note John 3:35-36). All men need to repent now and believe for eternal blessing.
There seems to be two kinds of eternal blessings for true Christians after death, or after the translation (rapture) of the church. One is salvation of the soul to dwell in Heaven, and the other is rewards or crowns in Heaven (not considering here the joy of being with our precious Savior face to face forever, which is the supreme blessing of dwelling in Heaven).
Heavenly blessing is not speaking of the earthly scene after the tribulation and millennial times, where God will bring forth eternal blessing to a remnant preserved on earth in a future day. We are speaking here of Heaven above this scene and those who go to the Lord before that time. It could be today, for all things are now ready. That ought to thrill our hearts and make us a thankful people.
True believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, should know that their confession of Christ came not from their own goodness or great wisdom, but by true repentance and the blessing of grace (Titus 3:5). They yielded by faith to the work of God in them through Christ, and the Spirit sealed them as "a child of God". Some professors of Christianity are like disciples (followers) who are interested, but have not yet confessed their sins, yielded, and received the Lord Jesus into their hearts for salvation.
Some believers have not understood that they are "bought with a price" and are not their own person to do as they please (I Cor.6:19-20; II Pet.2:1). We see many of these going on just as the world in dishonor to the Lord, and they will suffer loss of rewards in Heaven (I Cor. 3:13-17).
We should not try to hide our self-indulgence by saying that there is only blessing and no unhappiness in Heaven. It is true all saints will be loved and very happy to be there, but the forfeiture of blessing now will bring awareness then that we could have laid up treasures (Matt.6:19-21), and been so much more faithful in the little while we walked down here. All believers will stand before the "judgment seat of Christ" (Rom.14:10). We need to see that God is speaking to believers, not the world, when He says that every man's work shall be tried; and "he is not crowned, except he strive lawfully"---i.e. according to the right way (II Tim. 2:4-5). - RLD
