August 1, 2001
-
#8 What We Will Do
![bloomingrose[1]](http://x53.xanga.com/b87077737363084633083/z3898.gif)
What We Will Do, Part 1
In preparing to preach about heaven, I read several books, various journal articles, and a file that I have collected through the years with comments on heaven. It's interesting to discover what people think heaven is like and what they think we will do there. Some suggest what you have seen depicted in cartoons--that we'll sit on the edge of a cloud and play a harp. Others suggest that we'll do things like polish the foundation stones of the New Jerusalem. Some have suggested that we won't do anything at all. Early twentieth- century English writer Rudyard Kipling must have had that concept in mind in his verse "When Earth's Last Picture Is Painted":
When earth's last picture is painted
And the tubes are twisted and dried,When the oldest colours have faded,
And the youngest critic has died,We shall rest, and faith, we shall need it--
Lie down for an aeon or two,Till the Master of All Good Workmen
Shall put us to work anew.He mentions work eventually, but the "aeon or two" of doing absolutely nothing bothers me. I find it difficult to do nothing for thirty minutes, much less eternity! Kipling's is almost a Rip Van Winkle view of heaven. Will we sleep in heaven? Will we merely loiter around heaven, strolling and strumming forever? Or will we have something to do--something to plan for, some responsibility, some goal that will demand all our powers to effect?
A. Negatively - Part of understanding what we will do in heaven is understanding what we will not do. We will not sin. So we will never need to confess it, or struggle with it. We'll never have to apologize to anyone. We'll never experience guilt. We'll never need to write a letter to correct something we said or did. We won't have to straighten out something that got confused because nothing will ever be confused. We won't have to repair or replace anything because nothing will ever malfunction or wear out. We won't have to help anyone because no one will ever need help. We'll never have to battle Satan or demons. We'll never have to deal with sinners. We won't have to defend ourselves against attack because we won't ever be attacked.
We'll never be sad or lonely. We'll never be hurt emotionally or physically. We'll never need to be cured, counseled, coddled, or entertained. We'll never experience anything but absolute joy. We'll never grieve because we won't lose anyone or miss anyone. We won't have to be careful because we will never make a mistake. We won't ever have to plan for emergencies or avoid danger because we won't encounter either.
B. Positively - The essence of heaven is experiencing unmixed and unending joy, having a perfect body and soul, and dwelling with the Lamb and the Father in intimate fellowship forever. But what will we do? Although the Bible doesn't specify what our individual responsibilities will be, it does provide a general description of our roles.
1. Worship
a) Explained - Heaven will be a place of eternal, loving, adoring worship throughout eternity. Without interruption we will continually praise God. Our worship won't be related to a particular place because all heaven will be a temple. In fact, God's purpose in salvation, as clearly delineated in Scripture, was to create an eternal group of worshipers. Speaking to the Samaritan woman, Christ said, "Such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers" (John 4:24). Philippians 3:3 describes Christians as those who "worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh." In heaven we will have a fuller knowledge of who God is and what He has done than we have now. That deep knowledge of His attributes, deeds, and presence will burst forth in unending praise.
What thrills me most about our heavenly praise is that it will be perfect. There are many times when with all my heart I want to praise God, but other thoughts crowd in and clutter my mind. Have you ever been praising God and had some evil or trivial thought enter your mind or some nonsensical notion interrupt your praise? How discouraging to realize how earthbound we really are! In heaven our praise will always come out of pure hearts with pure motives and no distractions.
b) Illustrated - A quick survey of the book of Revelation will help us to grasp the importance of praise in heaven. In Revelation 14:6-7 John says, "I saw another angel flying in midheaven, having an eternal gospel to preach to those who live on the earth, and to every nation and tribe and tongue and people; and he said with a loud voice, 'Fear God, and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made the heaven and the earth and sea and springs of water.'" The angel is proclaiming the eternal gospel, the everlasting good news. It is basically a call to reverence, glorify, and worship God. That is what God calls all men to do: The gospel is a mandate to praise God.
Revelation 4:10-11, which speaks of events occurring in heaven, says, "The twenty-four elders will fall down before Him who sits on the throne, and will worship Him who lives forever and ever, and will cast their crowns before the throne, saying, 'Worthy art Thou, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for Thou didst create all things, and because of Thy will they existed and were created.'"
In chapter 5 the scene remains in heaven: "When [the Lamb] had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, having each one a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song, saying, 'Worthy art Thou to take the book, and to break its seals; for Thou wast slain, and didst purchase for God with Thy blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. And Thou hadst made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth.' And I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was myriads of myriads [i.e. limitless numbers], and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, 'Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing.' And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, 'To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.' And the four living creatures kept saying, 'Amen.' And the elders fell down and worshiped" (vv. 8-14).
Revelation 7 says, "After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands; and they cry out with a loud voice, saying, 'Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.' And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures; and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying, 'Amen, blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might, be to our God forever and ever, Amen'" (vv. 9-12).
Revelation 11 says, "The seventh angel sounded; and there arose loud voices in heaven, saying, 'The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever.' And the twenty-four elders, who sit on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying, 'We give Thee thanks, O Lord God, the Almighty, who art and who wast, because Thou hast taken Thy great power and hast begun to reign'" (vv. 15-17).
Revelation 15 says, "I saw, as it were, a sea of glass mixed with fire, and those who had come off victorious from the beast and from his image and from the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, holding harps of God. And they sang the song of Moses the bondservant of God and the song of the Lamb, saying, 'Great and marvelous are Thy works, O Lord God, the Almighty; righteous and true are Thy ways, Thou King of the nations. Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify Thy name? For Thou alone art holy; for all the nations will come and worship before Thee, for Thy righteous acts have been revealed'" (vv. 1-4). Verse 1 refers to such praise as a "sign in heaven."
Revelation 19 begins, "After these things I heard, as it were, a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, 'Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God; because His judgments are true and righteous; for He has judged the great harlot who was corrupting the earth with her immorality, and He has avenged the blood of His bond-servants on her.' And a second time they said, 'Hallelujah! Her smoke rises up forever and ever'" (vv. 1- 3). We will praise God eternally not only for His grace but also for His justice. Verse 4 continues, "The twenty-four elders, the four living creatures fell down, worshiped God who sits on the throne saying, 'Amen. Hallelujah!' And a voice came from the throne, saying, 'Give praise to our God, all you His bond-servants, you who fear Him, the small and the great.' And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude and as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty peals of thunder, saying, 'Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns'" (vv. 4-6). In heaven we will be preoccupied with praise! That's a strong reason for being preoccupied with it now.
Perfect praise will be the highest, noblest expression of our perfected being. We will recognize the splendor of God. We will see clearly His majesty. We will see His glory and perfection. And gazing on God's perfections eternally will compel us to offer uninterrupted, unrestrained, adoring, loving worship--it will be our delight!
In The City of God Saint Augustine wrote, "How great will be that felicity [joy], where there will be no evil, where no good will be withheld, when there will be leisure for the praises of God, who will be all in all! What other occupation could there be, in a state where there will be no inactivity of idleness, and yet no toil constrained by want? I can think of none" ([Baltimore: Penguin, 1972], p. 1087). We will spend eternity doing what we most desire to do-- praising God.
Professor E.L. Maskell wrote, "The sole justification for praising God is that God is praiseworthy. We do not praise God because it does us good, though no doubt it does. Nor do we praise Him because it does Him good, for in fact it does not. Praise is thus strictly ecstatic in the sense that it takes us wholly out of ourselves; it is purely and solely directed upon God ... Praise is entirely directed upon God. It takes our attention entirely off ourself and concentrates it entirely upon Him" (Grace and Glory [N.Y.: Morehouse-Barlow, 1961], pp. 68-69). That is the value of praise. Our praise will then rise out of a pure motive: perfected love.
Early twentieth-century hymnologist Charles Gabriel wrote in his hymn "O That Will Be Glory,"
When all my labors and trials are o'er
And I am safe on that beautiful shore,Just to be near the dear Lord I adore
Will through the ages be glory for me.He was right except in the last line--it will be glory for God. In fact, our greatest joy will be giving glory to God.
We will adore God forever with all our creative energies-- through our thoughts, words, and song. We will express ourselves in praise through collective means and through very intimate and personal means. We will praise God every way that's possible for perfect bodies and souls.
2. Reign - In addition to worship I believe Scripture clearly teaches that we will reign with Christ, having oversight in the operation of the eternal state.
a) A delegated reign - In this life every Christian has been given certain responsibilities within the church. Each one of us has received a spiritual gift from God that is to be used for the common good (1 Cor. 12; Rom. 12; Eph. 4). God will operate His Kingdom in heaven much the same way He operated His Kingdom here: delegating its operation to His people. There will forever be a sphere of responsibility and authority.
b) A perfect reign - In heaven we will never fail to meet our responsibilities. In contrast Peter--who was continually given responsibilities--continually failed. He finally wanted to leave the ministry, partly because he couldn't stand his own failure. He was told to wait for the resurrected Christ in Galilee, but he decided to go fishing instead (John 21:3). I believe Peter was returning to his old trade, tired of being unable to accomplish what the Lord had delegated to him. Happily things soon turned around for him. But in heaven, we will never have to face failure.
I live with self-imposed pressure and God-imposed pressure. Although I experience false guilt for not measuring up to my self-imposed pressure, I also experience real guilt because I don't measure up to what God expects. I often have the lingering feeling that I'm wasting time and energy regardless of how much I do. Being called to serve Christ in this world is a precious opportunity I want to make the most of, so I chasten myself when I don't make the best use of my time. So I look forward to the day when I will do everything the Lord gives me to do perfectly!
c) A promised reign - First Peter 1:3-4 says, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you." We have an inheritance in heaven right now. It's reserved for us and will never fade away. It's imperishable. And it's ours!
An inheritance is something you receive from someone else. In the Jewish context it a sphere of responsibility or rule that a father bequeaths to his children. As we have seen in our previous studies, our inheritance includes eternal life, heaven, holiness, joy, peace, and the presence of God. In addition, Romans 8:17 says that we are "fellowheirs with Christ." However Christ wasn't an heir to eternal life--He already had eternal life. Similarly, He already had joy, peace, and holiness. The essence of Christ's inheritance is that He is heir to this world--a sphere of rule. In Psalm 2:8 the Father tells the Son, "Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Thine inheritance." Christ's inheritance is a sphere of authority over nations, demons, and the holy angels. So the phrase "fellowheirs with Christ" emphasizes that we share Christ's rule over the earth.
In Revelation 5:1-3 John says, "I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a book written inside and on the back, sealed up with seven seals. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, 'Who is worthy to open the book and to break its seals?' And no one in heaven, or on the earth, or under the earth, was able to open the book, or to look into it." That book is the title deed to the earth. When someone wrote a will in New Testament times, often he would roll it up seven times, putting a seal after each turn. To read the will you had to break all seven seals.
In Revelation 5:4-5 John continues, "I began to weep greatly, because no one was found worthy to open the [scroll], or to look into it; and one of the elders said to me, 'Stop weeping; behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals.'"
Christ alone has the right to break all seven seals. The unfolding judgments that follow picture Christ's progressive unfolding of the title deed to the earth. We will reign with Christ over the earth. I don't know what each of our specific duties will be, but we will have authority. Speaking about those who will be in heaven, Revelation 22:5 says, "They shall not have need of the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, because the Lord God shall illumine them; and they shall reign forever and ever."
First Corinthians 6:3 adds that "we shall judge angels." We will have authority and responsibility over angels. In Matthew 19:28 Jesus says, "Truly I say to you, that you who have followed Me, in the regeneration [the rebirth of the Kingdom] when the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." Christ tells the apostles that they will reign over the twelve tribes of Israel--they already have their duty specified. He tells the rest of us that we have an inheritance, a sphere where we will co-reign with Christ forever and ever.
d) A proportionate reign - Beginning in Matthew 25:14, Christ tells the familiar parable about a man who went on a journey and left five talents to one servant, two to another, and one to the last. When the master returned, he found that the slave with five talents had made five more talents, the slave with two had made two more, and the slave with one had hidden his, so he only had the one talent to return. To the one with ten talents he said, "Well done, good and faithful slave; you were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things, enter into the joy of your master" (v. 21). I believe that is a picture of heaven for the faithful person who made the most of his spiritual gifts by serving others. The more faithful you are in this life, the more responsibility you will be given in the life to come. Somehow our rule in heaven is proportionate to our faithfulness in this life.
Some may wonder why there should be any distinction between the one who received five and the one who received two--they both doubled what they had been given. God is equitable and just, but He is also sovereign. And in this life He has chosen to give gifts to some that will allow them to minister to more people than others. In eternity God will exercise His sovereign purpose in the same way. We will have differing responsibilities. But no one will be jealous, boastful, or envious because we'll all be perfect. We have unequal opportunity here. Some people heard the gospel when they were young and walked with Christ for years. Others came to Christ a week before they died. Someone could ask, "Was God fair to let that person live his whole life in sin and corruption before saving him? But God is sovereign and has the right to do what He chooses. The potter does what He wants, and the clay has no right to ask questions.
None of us will rule over a tribe of Israel, but the apostles will. It isn't a question of better or worse; it's a question of God's design for us. We all have different capacities, and God will use those capacities according to His predetermined plan. In heaven you will be the fulfillment of everything God intended for you. The U.S. Army advertises, "Be all that you can be." But the army can't do that. Only God can make you all that you can be-- and He will someday in heaven.
I believe the parable of the talents pictures heaven because when the Lord confronts the slave with one talent, He says, "Cast out the worthless slave into the outer darkness" (v. 30)--a picture of hell. The contrast is that one slave is in hell and the other two are in heaven. Our Lord portrays heaven as a place of sharing His joy and reigning with Him.
In Luke 19 Christ says, "A certain nobleman went to a distant country ... and he called ten of his slaves and gave them ten minas" (v. 12). Verses 15-16 say, "It came about that when he returned, after receiving the kingdom, he ordered that these slaves, to whom he had given the money, be called to him in order that he might know what business they had done. And the first appeared, saying, 'Master, your mina has made ten minas more.'" That slave responded to God's call and made the most of his spiritual opportunities.
The master said to him, "'Well done, good slave, because you have been faithful in a very little thing, be in authority over ten cities.' And the second came, saying, 'Your mina has made five minas.' And he said to him also, 'And you are to be over five cities'" (vv. 17-19). We will have authority in heaven.
In Revelation 3:20-21 Christ tells the Laodicean church, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him, and will dine with him, and he with Me. He who overcomes [i.e. a believer; 1 John 5:4-5], I will grant to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne." So the Bible stresses our ruling in heaven.
CONCLUSION
In heaven you will not spend most of your time sitting on the edge of a cloud and playing a harp, strolling golden streets, or picking flowers in a massive celestial garden. We will be busier than we have ever been, yet will do perfect work and never grow tired. Forever you will fulfill the inheritance God has given you yet rest at the same time. People sometimes tell me that I need rest. But when I rest, I don't want to do nothing; I want to do something different. God has built into human nature a drive to accomplish a goal and objective. One of life's greatest pleasures is satisfaction over a job well done. In heaven you'll be able to smile in the presence of God, knowing that each task in the sphere of your delegated authority will be executed perfectly. That will be a small part of the praise you offer to God.
The measure of our responsibility there will be related to the measure and use of our giftedness here. How you live right now dictates how you will serve then. Be sure to make the most of your spiritual privileges, and reap the benefits both now and later.
Pondering the Principles
1. Although the Bible doesn't tell us everything about heaven, what it does tell us should elicit unending praise. When we consider what we were apart from Christ and what we will enjoy in heaven because of Him, our lives should be one mighty chorus of praise. Take time now to express to God how thankful and full of praise you are because of the place He is preparing for you. Ask Him for a greater awareness of the fleeting value of this world and the surpassing value of the world to come. Begin now what we will do perfectly in heaven: praising God.
2. It is sobering to realize that our opportunities in heaven are related to our faithfulness here. Every Christian has the duty to minister to his family, fellow believers, needy people, and unbelieving friends and acquaintances. How faithful have you been in fulfilling each of those responsibilities? Have you allowed trivial things to preoccupy your mind, time, and energies? If you have remained faithful, why? Is it your love for God and an awareness of His love that compels you or is it something else? Set aside some time today to reflect on your service for Christ and earnestly ask Him that you might make the best use of your time on earth.
What We Will Do, Part 2
C. Serve
1) Heavenly service depicted
a) The imagery of priestly service - We will have duties to perform. In Revelation 1:6 John says, "He hath made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father." What do priests do? They serve God. Hannah dedicated her child, Samuel, to the Lord by taking him to the high priest and leaving him to serve at the house of God. The keynote of the priesthood was intimate service.
In the Old Testament we read that the priest had a unique relationship to God. In fact, no common Israelite could go near anything that symbolized the presence of God. Only the descendants of Levi could serve at the Tabernacle, and out of them only the descendants of Aaron could serve as priests. Numbers 16 shows how serious this exclusionary service was. Korah, Dathan, and Abiram were Levites. They were not descendants of Aaron, but they nevertheless insisted on being priests, defying Moses. They and their families experienced terrible judgment as a result. The priesthood was indeed exclusive. Only the high priest could enter the Holy of Holies--and then only once a year.
When Jesus Christ died on the cross, the veil of the Temple was rent from top to bottom; the Holy of Holies was exposed to everyone (Matt. 27:51). By graphic illustration God was saying that all who believe in Christ could enter His presence. So in the New Covenant every believer is a priest--we all have access to God. Peter calls us a royal priesthood (1 Pet. 2:9) because we are kings and priests.
First Peter 2:9 adds that we have been called "out of darkness into His marvelous light." To the Jewish reader that pictured walking into the Shekinah, the consuming presence of God. But now since Christ has made our way open, we can enter God's marvelous light. That's because we are "a people for God's own possession" (1 Pet. 2:9). So under the New Covenant every believer enjoys intimacy and access to God. That's why the writer of Hebrews says, "Let us therefore draw near with confidence to the throne of grace" (Heb. 4:16). We boldly enter God's presence to commune with Him, and out of that intimate communion we serve Him. There's no priesthood, no human intermediary between us and God. Paul said, "There is one God, and one mediator also between God and men ... Christ Jesus" (1 Tim. 2:5).
In heaven we will serve as perfect priests, approaching not only the throne of grace, but also the throne of glory. Now we can go no farther than the throne of grace. If we approached the throne of glory, we would be consumed because of our sin. Revelation 21:3 says that in heaven God will dwell among us and we will be His people. We won't ever need to cleanse ourselves by washing at a laver. We won't need to offer sacrifices. All that was completed in the past.
Isaiah 58:13-14 says, "If because of the sabbath, you turn your foot from doing your own pleasure on My holy day, and call the sabbath a delight, the holy day of the Lord honorable, and shall honor it, desisting from your own ways, from seeking your own pleasure, and speaking your own word, then you will take delight in the Lord, and I will make you ride on the heights of the earth; and I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken." God has always wanted those who represent Him to delight in serving Him. And that's exactly what will happen in heaven. We will turn completely from our own pleasure and will call the sabbath rest of eternity a delight. Therefore He will make us to ride the heights. The Sabbath of heaven is indeed a rest, but it's not a rest of idleness: it's unwearied, unweakened, undistracted service of God.
b) The illustrations of priestly service - In Revelation 7 John says, "Behold, a great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands; and they cry out with a loud voice, saying, 'Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.' And all the angels were standing around the throne, and around the elders and the four living creatures; and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying, 'Amen, blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might, be to our God forever and ever, Amen.' And one of the elders answered, saying to me, 'These who are clothed in the white robes, who are they, and from where have they come?' And I said to him, 'My lord, you know.' And he said to me, 'These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb'" (vv. 9-14). Those are the ones redeemed during the tribulation period, the seven-year period of judgment on the earth after the rapture of the church. The text continues, "For this reason, they are before the throne of God. And they serve Him day and night in His temple; and He who sits on the throne shall spread His tabernacle [tent] over them. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; neither shall the sun beat down on them, nor any heat; for the Lamb in the center of the throne shall be their shepherd, and shall guide them to springs of the water of life; and God shall wipe every tear from their eyes" (vv. 15-17). There will be no tears, exhaustion, heat, hunger, or thirst in heaven. We will be in the presence of the Lamb, who is our shepherd and our guide, serving as intimate priests. God will spread his tabernacle over us--we never be out of His presence. And the Lamb is at the center of everything. The Greek word translated "serve" (latreu[ma]o) speaks of the service a priest renders to God.
In heaven we will not serve each other; we will serve God. We won't need to strengthen each other's weaknesses because we will all be perfect and like Christ. Revelation 22 says, "He showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb, in the middle of its street. And on either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall no longer be any curse; and the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His bond-servants shall serve Him; and they shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. And there shall no longer be any night; and they shall not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God shall illumine them; and they shall reign forever and ever" (vv. 1-5). We will reign forever. We will serve as priests forever.
Although we don't know the specifics, we will serve God in some way. That suits our nature because God has built into man a creative drive to accomplish something productive. We derive pleasure from a job well done and knowing that others are pleased with our service. How wonderful to serve God in a way that pleases Him! Forever we will have the challenge of accomplishing something--and accomplishing it perfectly. And God won't make it automatically perfect; you'll do it yourself.
2) Earthly service rewarded
a) Summarized - I believe that our service here on earth determines the nature of our service in heaven. The service you will render then is directly proportional to how well you apply yourself here. That's your reward. Believers' rewards aren't something you wear on your head like a crown, stripes on your white robe, more rooms in your mansion, or a bigger and faster chariot to drive. Your reward in heaven will be your capacity of service. The greater your commitment to service here, the greater will be your capacity for service there. First Corinthians 4:5 says, "Do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men's hearts; and then each man's praise will come to him from God." When the Lord returns, each man will receive praise from God--and from God alone. To Paul no person's judgment of him mattered, not even his own (v. 3), because even if he wasn't aware of any guilt, that didn't mean he was innocent. He knew the day would come when God will judge his motives and service and would reward Him. Likewise, God plans to reward every believer. Notice that Paul says, "Each man's praise will come to him" (v. 5). Every believer will receive a reward.
First Corinthians 3:12 says, "If any man builds upon the foundation [of Christ] with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each man's work will become evident." We will all be rewarded, but rewarded differently based on the value of our service. Some works will be the value of gold, silver, and precious stones. Others will be more on the level of wood, hay, and straw. Now wood, hay, and straw aren't evil; they just aren't as valuable or durable. So our reward will be the capacity with which we will be allowed to serve God in glory.
b) Specified - Scripture has much to say about rewards. Daniel 12:3 says, "Those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever." Daniel is saying that the basis of our reward is our faithfulness in proclaiming righteousness. And the wisdom we manifest in this life will determine how we shine in eternity.
In 1 Thessalonians 2:19-20 Paul says, "Who is our hope or joy or crown of exaltation? Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming? For you are our glory and joy." Part of our reward in heaven will be the joy of seeing those who are there because of our faithfulness.
In 1 Corinthians 9:25 Paul says, "Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable." Our reward will never diminish in value or die. In 2 Timothy 4:8 Paul writes, "In the future there is laid up 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 loved His appearing." The "crown of righteousness" is eternal righteousness. The "crown of life" is eternal life. The "crown of joy" is eternal joy. So heaven's crowns aren't something we will wear; they are what we will experience: eternal life, eternal joy, eternal service, and eternal blessedness.
First Peter 5:2-4 says, "Shepherd the flock of God among you, not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness; nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory." Just as the crown of life is eternal life, and the crown of rejoicing is eternal rejoicing, the crown of glory is eternal glory.
In Revelation 22:12 our Lord says, "Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done." Your capacity for eternal joy, eternal glory, eternal service is related to what you are doing right now. Are you building with gold, silver, and precious stones or wood, hay, and straw?
That ought to motivate our hearts. Sometimes people who mean well tell me to slow down and do less. But we really ought to spend ourselves here so we can have the greatest possible capacity throughout eternity to glorify God.
D. Rest - We will rest in heaven. Hebrews 4:1 speaks of "entering His rest." Verse 9 declares, "There remains therefore a Sabbath rest for the people of God." Jesus said, "Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you shall rest for your souls" (Matt. 11:29). One of the promises the Lord gives those who believe in His Son is that we will know rest from our labors. However from what we've already studied, we know that doesn't refer to an absence of service or duty in heaven. Similarly, Luke 13:29 says we will recline at a banquet table in the kingdom of God, but that doesn't mean we'll just sit around all the time. When Hebrews 3-4 speaks of rest for the people of God, it means we will never be weary, weak, unfulfilled, or interrupted. It's a unique kind of rest.
Revelation 14:11, speaking of those who were judged in the tribulation, says, "The smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever; and they have no rest day and night." Contrast that with verse 12: "Here is the perseverance of the saints who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus. And I heard a voice from heaven, saying, 'Write, "Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on!" "Yes," says the Spirit, "that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow with them."'" Second Thessalonians 1:7 calls it relief.
That rest means the more we serve, the more refreshed we will be. The law of entropy, which causes everything to break down, will have ceased. There will be no debilitating forces. The more we fulfill our purpose, the more we will be refreshed. You will never expend any energy, be out of breath, or slow your step.
Puritan Richard Baxter wrote an entire book on this subject, entitled The Saints' Everlasting Rest (London: Epworth, 1962 reprint). He said, "Rest, how sweet a word is this to mine ears. Me thinks the sound doth turn to substance and having entered at the ear doth possess my brain and thence decendeth down to my very heart. Me thinks I feel it stir and work and that through all my parts and powers but with a various work on my various parts. To my wearied senses and languid spirits, it seems a quieting powerful opiate. To my dulled powers it is spirit and life. To my dark eyes it is both eye salve and a prospective. To my taste it is sweetness. To mine ears it is melody. To my hands and feet it is strength and nimbleness. Me thinks I feel it digest as it proceeds and increase my native heat and moisture and lying as a reviving cordial at my heart from thence doth send forth lively spirits which beat through all the pulses of my soul.
"Rest, not as the stone that rests on the earth, nor as these clods of flesh shall rest in the grave so our beasts must rest as well as we. Nor is it the satisfying of our fleshly lusts, nor such rest as the carnal world desireth. No, no, we have another kind of rest than these, rest we shall from all our labors which were but the way and means to rest, but yet that is the smallest part. O blessed rest, where we shall never rest day or night crying holy, holy, holy Lord God of sabbaths, when we shall rest from sin but not from worship, from suffering and sorrow but not from comfort. O blessed day when I shall rest with God, when I shall rest in knowing, loving, rejoicing and praising, when my perfect soul and body together shall in these perfect things perfectly enjoy the most perfect God when God also who is love itself shall perfectly love me, and yea, and rest in His love to me as I shall rest in my love to Him and rejoice over me with joy and singing as I shall rejoice in Him." (Moody: Can't find this quote. Have sent up to John's office for help. Is this OK as is at least for now?)
E. Be Served - In Luke 12:35-37 Christ says, "Be dressed in readiness, and keep your lamps alight. And be like men who are waiting for their master when he returns from the wedding feast, so that they may immediately open the door to him when he comes and knocks. Blessed are those slaves whom the master shall find on the alert when he comes; truly I say to you, that he will gird himself to serve, and have them recline at table, and will come up and wait on them." There's one other thing we will experience in heaven: being served by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.
Jesus used the imagery of a great lord returning to his palace where His slaves are waiting. Everything is prepared. They have been faithful to their lord. When he arrives, he calls them together. Rather than resting after his long journey or retiring for the night, the lord tells the slaves to sit down and allow him to serve them because of his gratitude for their service and readiness for his coming. He makes his slaves kings and prepares a feast for them. Then, astoundingly, he doesn't order other servants to serve them--he serves them himself!
We won't serve each other in heaven--the Lord Himself will serve us. When He returns and finds that we have been faithful, He will serve us forever. How could heaven have a greater reward than that? It is wonderful to think of worshiping Him forever, of reigning with Him forever, of serving Him forever, and of resting forever. Yet most incredible of all is to realize that He will serve us forever. But it shouldn't surprise us too much. After all, He washed the disciples' feet because He loved them (John 13).
CONCLUSION
Puritan Thomas Watson said in his Body of Divinity that a true saint every day takes a turn in heaven--his thoughts and desires are like cherubim flying up to paradise. When we understand what the Bible teaches about heaven, it becomes sensible to look toward heaven and set our affections on it.
There are several benefits of looking toward heaven:
A. Looking toward heaven is evidence of genuine salvation. A preoccupation with heaven is a good indication that you're saved. Is heaven where your heart is? Do you long to be in the heavenlies? Do you long to commune with God? Do you invest as much of your treasures there as possible? Are your affections set on things above, not on earthly things? A heart set on heaven is a heart set on God. And a heart set on God is a heart God has changed. The truest evidence of saving grace may well be a heavenly attitude.
B. Looking toward heaven produces Christian character. Nothing compels us to be what God wants us to be more strongly than the truths about heaven. If you understand your inheritance and the rewards, glories, joys, and privileges of heaven, and you understand that Christ Himself will serve you forever out of gratitude for what you have done, that will compel you to excellence of character. Communing with the Lord of heaven through prayer, meditation, and devotion purges the heart and produces obedience.
C. Looking toward heaven is the truest path to joy. If you want to be miserable, focus on this world. If you want to be joyful, focus on heaven. David said that the light of God's face gladdens the heart (Ps. 21:6). Paul said that the eternal weight of glory is far beyond anything we suffer now (2 Cor. 4:17).
D. Looking toward heaven protects us from temptation and sin. One of Satan's main temptations is to get us to focus on earthly matters. But a believer whose mind is on heaven, who longs for full righteousness and the presence of God, is not easy prey for Satan.
E. Looking toward heaven maintains the vigor of our spiritual service. If you run slowly in the Christian race, contributing little in terms of Christian service and financial giving, you obviously have little regard for the promised prize. If you properly valued the heavenly prize, it would compel you to give of yourself and your resources. Fervency springs from a vision of heaven's reward.
F. Looking toward heaven honors God before all. When your heart is set on heaven, you demonstrate your love for God. Your faithful service gives the people who see you a high view of God--they see God not only as all demanding, but as all worthy. Dwell on the heavenlies and you will honor God. Dwell on the earthly things and you will dishonor God by implying they are more valuable than He is.
G. Looking toward heaven repays God. God always sets His heart on us. Therefore it's only fair that we set our hearts on Him! There's certainly nothing in this world worthy of such attention. David said, "I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness" (Ps. 17:15, KJV). Will anything less than that satisfy you?
Pondering on the Principles
1. Under Old Testament law only the high priest had direct access into the place that represented God's presence. The people were kept from it by a veil, symbolizing that God had not yet opened the way into His presence (cf. Heb. 9:7-8). But when Christ died, God ripped that veil from top to bottom, demonstrating that the way to His presence is available to all. Do you take your access to God's presence for granted? Have you grown accustomed to that privilege? Read and meditate on the truths of Hebrews 10:19-25, and thank God for the access to Him that you enjoy.
2. Take time now to reread the benefits of looking toward heaven on pages 8-10. How many of those benefits were present in your life before you began this study? If several weren't, perhaps your heavenly perspective had become clouded. How many of those benefits are present in your life now? Did you progress? If not, perhaps you have merely accumulated more academic knowledge about heaven and have failed to apply it. Ask God to make His Word live in you. Determine for the reality of God's Word to permeate every aspect of your life
