I'd like to honor my leaders,
The father, Son and Holy Spirit
אביב
"barley ripening"
Luke 8:18
Pay attention, therefore, to how you listen. Whoever has will be given more, but whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has will be taken away from him."
Romans 11:20
That is correct: They were broken off because of unbelief, but you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but be afraid.
Colossians 2:8
See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, which are based on human tradition and the spiritual forces of the world rather than on Christ.
2 Peter 3:17
Therefore, beloved, since you already know these things, be on your guard so that you will not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure standing.
1 Corinthians 4:6-8
And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of menabove that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another…
1 Corinthians 8:2
And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know.
Proverbs 16:18
Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.
The Lord's Approved Workman
Remind the believers of these things,
charging them before God to avoid quarreling over words,
which succeeds only in leading the listeners to ruin.
Make every effort
to present yourself approved to God,
an unashamed workman
who accurately handles the
WORD of TRUTH
But avoid
irreverent, empty gossip chatter,
which will only lead to
more ungodliness,…
Ephesians 1:13
And in Him, having heard and believed the word of truth--the gospel of your salvation--you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,
James 1:12
Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him.
James 1:18
He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we would be a kind of firstfruits of His creation.
Hebrews 4:11
Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.
2 Peter 1:10,15
Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: …
2 Peter 3:14
Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.
Acts 2:22
Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:
Romans 14:18
For he that in these things serveth Christ isacceptable to God, and approved of men.
Romans 16:10
Salute Apelles approved in Christ. Salute them which are of Aristobulus' household.
Matthew 13:52
Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old.
2 Corinthians 3:6
Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
2 Corinthians 6:3,4
Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed: …
rightly.
Matthew 13:52
Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old.
Mark 4:33
And with many such parables spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear it.
Luke 12:42
And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season?
The Glory of God
is the
beauty of His spirit
It is not an aesthetic beauty or a material beauty, but the beauty that emanates from His character, from all that He is. The glory of man—human dignity and honor—fades (1 Peter 1:24). But the glory of God, which is manifested in all His attributes together, never passes away. It is eternal.
Moses requested of God, “Now show me your glory” (Exodus 33:18). In His response, God equates His glory with “all my goodness” (verse 19). “But,” God said, “you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live” (verse 20). So, God hid Moses in “a cleft in the rock” to protect him from the fulness of God’s glory as it passed by (verses 21–23). No mortal can view God’s excelling splendor without being utterly overwhelmed. The glory of God puts the pride of man to shame: “Enter into the rock, and hide in the dust, From the terror of the Lord And the glory of His majesty. The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, The haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, And the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day” (Isaiah 2:10–11, NKJV).
Often, in the Old Testament, the manifestation of God’s glory was accompanied by supernatural fire, thick clouds, and a great quaking of the earth. We see these phenomena when God gave the law to Moses:
“Mount Sinai
was covered with smoke, because the
Lord
descended on it in fire
The smoke billowed up from
it like
smoke from a furnace,
and the
whole mountain trembled violently”
(Exodus 19:18; see also Deuteronomy 5:24–25; 1 Kings 8:10–11; and Isaiah 6:1–4).
The prophet Ezekiel’s vision of the glory of God was full of fire and lightning and tumultuous sounds, after which he saw “what looked like a throne of lapis lazuli, and high above on the throne was a figure like that of a man. I saw that from what appeared to be his
waist up he looked like glowing metal,
as if full of fire,
and that from there down he looked
like fire;
and brilliant light surrounded him.
Like the appearance of a
rainbow in the clouds on
a rainy day,
so was the radiance around him.
This was the appearance of
the likeness
of the glory of the Lord”
(Ezekiel 1:26–28)
In the New Testament,
the glory of God
is revealed
in His Son, Jesus Christ:
“The Word became flesh and made
his dwelling among us.
We have seen his glory,
the glory of the one and
only Son,
who came from the Father,
full of grace and TRUTH”
(John 1:14).
Jesus came as
"a light for revelation
to the Gentiles,
and the glory of [God’s] people Israel”
(Luke 2:32).
The miracles that Jesus did were “signs through which he revealed his glory” (John 2:11). In Christ, the glory of God is meekly veiled, approachable, and knowable. He promises to return some day “on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory” (Matthew 24:30).
Isaiah 43:7 says that God saved Israel for His glory—in the redeemed will be seen the distillation of God’s grace and power and faithfulness. The natural world also exhibits God’s glory, revealed to all men, no matter their race, heritage, or location. As Psalm 19:1–4 says, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.”
Psalm 73:24 calls heaven itself “glory.” Sometimes Christians speak of death as being “received unto glory,” a phrase borrowed from this psalm. When the Christian dies, he or she will be taken into God’s presence and surrounded by God’s glory and majesty. In that place, His glory will be seen clearly: “For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face” (1 Corinthians 13:12). In the future New Jerusalem, the glory of God will be manifest: “The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp” (Revelation 21:23).
God will not
give
His glory to another
(Isaiah 42:8; cf. Exodus 34:14). Yet this is the very thing that people try to steal. Scripture indicts all idolaters: “Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles” (Romans 1:22–23). Only God is eternal, and His perfect and eternal attributes of holiness, majesty, goodness, love, etc., are not to be exchanged for the imperfections and corruption of anything in this world.
“But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit” (2 Corinthians 3:18, NASB).
With those few words—“from glory to glory”—Paul sums up our entire Christian life, from redemption and sanctification on earth, to our glorious eternal welcome into heaven. There is a great deal of content packed into those few words. It’s all so important that Paul labors at great length, from 2 Corinthians 2:14 through the end of chapter 5, to open his readers’ eyes to a great truth. Let’s see why that truth matters so much.
The same Greek word for “glory” is used twice in the phrase from glory to glory, yet each usage refers to something different. The first “glory” is that of the Old Covenant—the Law of Moses—while the second is that of the New Covenant, the gospel of Jesus Christ. Both have astonishing splendor.
The Old Covenant was given to Moses directly from God, written by God’s own finger (Exodus 31:18). That root of our Christian faith is glorious indeed; it’s the glory we’re coming “from.” Yet the New Covenant, the glory we’re going “to,” far surpasses that of the Old.
The transformation
is from
the glory of the Law
Like the stone it was written on, the Law was inflexible and absolute, applying to all Israelites without much regard for individual circumstances (Hebrews 10:28). Though holy, good, and righteous in itself (Romans 7:12), the Law was, for us sinners, the letter that kills us (2 Corinthians 3:6). The Law was an external force to control behavior. In addition, stone, despite its strength, is earthly and will eventually wear away. The Law was merely a temporary guardian (Galatians 3:23–25)
until something better came along
The transformation
is to the glory
of the New Covenant,
which far surpasses
the Old in every way.
It forgives us of our sin and gives us sinners life (John 6:63).
It is written
on believers’ hearts
by
the Holy Spirit
(Jeremiah 31:33; 2 Corinthians 3:3),
so our obedience to God springs up from within us by God-given desires rather than by threats of legal punishment. In place of a cold set of writings as a guide for pleasing God, we now have Father, Son and Holy Spirit making their home with us, fellowshipping in loving intimacy, teaching us everything we must know and do (John 14:23; 16:13). That position in Christ is as permanent, eternal, and spiritual as God Himself, rather than temporary and earthly.
Paul is intent on directing Christians to focus on the spiritual glory of the New Covenant rather than physical glory of the Old, as many Jews in his day refused to do. He compared the two types of glory by recalling how Moses absorbed and reflected God’s glory for a time after being in his presence (2 Corinthians 3:7–11, 13; cf. Exodus 34:29–35). Though Moses’ glow had a spiritual cause, there was nothing spiritual about the effect—any person, regardless of his relationship with God, could see the glow on Moses’ face, which he covered with a veil.
Not so the glory of the New Covenant. That can be seen only with a believer’s spiritual eyes—what Paul is doing his best to open, so that we discern the gospel’s glory. So he writes, “For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6).
But, as we move from glory to glory, there’s something even more important about the glory of the New Covenant that Christians must understand: its supernatural power to transform us. And that brings us to God’s ultimate purpose and destination for every believer, to transform us into the image of his own beloved Son (2 Corinthians 3:18; Romans 8:28–30; Philippians 3:20–21).
Before he finishes with the topic of being transformed from glory to glory, Paul presents yet one more astonishing claim:
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ,
he is a new creation;
the old has gone, the new has come!”
(2 Corinthians 5:17).
This is the invitation the Lord makes to all Christians, to have our lives radically transformed here and now, by opening our eyes to see the glorious journey He is taking us on “from glory to glory.”
The Bible mentions rewards in heaven multiple times (Matthew 5:12; Luke 6:23, 35; 1 Corinthians 3:14; 9:18). But why are rewards necessary? Won’t being in heaven with God be enough? Experiencing Him, His glory, and the joys of heaven will be so wonderful, it’s hard to understand why extra rewards would be needed. Also, since our faith rests in Christ’s righteousness instead of our own (Romans 3:21–26), it seems strange that our works would merit reward.
God will give rewards in heaven at the bema, or the judgment seat of Christ, based on our faithfulness in service to Him (2 Corinthians 5:10). The rewards will show the reality of our sonship (Galatians 4:7) and the justice of God (Hebrews 6:10). God will give rewards in heaven in order to fulfill the law of sowing and reaping (Galatians 6:7–9) and make good on His promise that our labor in the Lord is not in vain (1 Corinthians 15:58).
One reason for the rewards in heaven is the fact that Jesus shares His reward with us. Paul said, “I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20). Our lives are “hidden” with Christ, who is seated at the right hand of God (Colossians 3:1–4). We die with Him and we live with Him and we share in His joy (Romans 6:8; Matthew 25:21). In heaven we will dwell with Him (John 14:1–3). Our lives are inextricably linked with Christ’s. The reward He receives is shared with all of us: “If we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory” (Romans 8:17).
Our rewards in heaven depend on the goodness and power of God. Through Christ’s resurrection we gain an inheritance in heaven; on earth our faith is tested and results in praise and glory and honor when Christ is revealed (1 Peter 1:3–9). The things we do in this life are only permanent (that is, carried with us into heaven) if they are built on the foundation, which is Christ (1 Corinthians 3:11–15).
The rewards we gain in heaven are not like the rewards we earn here on earth. We tend to think in material terms—mansions, jewels, etc. But these things are only representations of the true rewards we will gain in heaven. A child who wins a spelling bee treasures the trophy he receives not for the sake of the trophy itself but for what that trophy means. Likewise, any rewards or honor we gain in heaven will be precious to us because they carry the weight and meaning of our relationship with God—and because they remind us of what He did through us on earth.
In this way, rewards in heaven glorify God and provide us with joy, peace, and wonder as we consider God’s work in us and through us. The closer we were to God during this life, the more centered on Him and aware of Him, the more dependent on Him, the more desperate for His mercy, the more there will be to celebrate. We are like characters in a story who suffer doubt, loss, and fear, wondering if we will ever really have our heart’s desire. When the happy ending comes and desire is fulfilled, there comes a completion. The story would not be satisfying without that completion. Rewards in heaven are the completion of our earthly story, and those rewards will be eternally satisfying (Psalm 16:11).
Before this faith came, we were held prisoners by the law, locked up until faith should be revealed. So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. Galatians 3:23-24 (NIV)
The primary purpose of the law is to lead you to Christ. When you see the impossibility of the life that God is calling you to live, then you will see your need of a Savior.
The law was put in charge to lead you to Christ. This is true not only on the day you came to faith, but all throughout the Christian life.
Some Christians today have fallen into the error of the Galatians. They see their own initial need of Jesus to forgive their sins. But after that, they feel that they are able to live a life that is pleasing to God—perhaps with the help of some forgiveness now and again.
Do you think God looks down from heaven and is “wowed” by your Christian life? The best efforts of your Christian life are at best a small beginning. Augustine said, “I do not commend the works of my hands for fear that you will find in them more sins than merits.”
The law will do one of two things for you—it will convince you that you are a sinner or make you a Pharisee. It will humble you or make you an unbearable snob. The world often sees Christians as self-righteous snobs, who call others to be as righteous as we think we are.
If we think that we are successful in keeping the commandments of God, then we deserve to be dismissed like this. The intent of God’s law is to lead you to Christ, but it led the Galatians away from Him. They started out well, seeing their need of Christ and the forgiveness He brings, but then they felt that they could handle the Christian life on their own. That is not Christianity. Christ is the beginning, the middle, and the end of the Christian life.
The Gospel of John
is the only Gospel which mentions
“the disciple whom Jesus loved.”
John 13:23 tells us,
“One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved,
was reclining next to Him.”
John 19:26 declares,
“When Jesus saw His mother there, and the disciple whom
He loved standing nearby,
He said to His mother,
'Dear woman, here is your son.'“
John 21:7 says, “Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, ‘It is the Lord!’” This disciple is never specifically identified, but the identity of the disciple whom Jesus loved is clear. The disciple whom Jesus loved self-identifies as the author of the gospel (John 21:24), whom most scholars believe to be the apostle John, the son of Zebedee and brother of James.
First, only the
Gospel of John
mentions the “disciple whom Jesus loved.” Second, John 21:2 lets us know who was fishing with Peter: “Simon Peter, Thomas (called Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together...” The apostle John was a son of Zebedee (Matthew 4:21). Third, there were three disciples who were especially close to Jesus: Peter, James, and John (Matthew 17:1; Mark 5:37; 14:33; Luke 8:51). The “disciple whom Jesus loved” could not be Peter, as Peter asks Jesus a question in regards to this disciple (John 21:20-21). That leaves us with James or John. Jesus made a statement about the possible “longevity” of the life of the disciple whom He loved in John 21:22. James was the first of the apostles to die (Acts 12:2). While Jesus did not promise the disciple whom He loved long life, it would be highly unusual for Jesus to say, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?” if the disciple whom He loved was going to be the first disciple to die.
Church history tells us that the apostle John lived into the A.D. 90s and was the last surviving apostle. Early church tradition was unanimous in identifying John as the disciple whom Jesus loved. It seems that John had a closer relationship with Jesus than any of the other disciples. Jesus and John were essentially “best friends.” Jesus entrusted John with the care of His mother, gave John the vision of the transfiguration, allowed John to witness His most amazing miracles, and later gave John the Book of Revelation.
As Jesus talked with Nicodemus,
He said, “‘I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.’ ‘How can a man be born when he is old?’ Nicodemus asked. ‘Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!’
Jesus answered,
‘I tell you the truth, no one can enter the
kingdom of God
unless he is born of water and the Spirit.
Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the
Spirit gives birth to spirit.
You should not be surprised at my saying,
"You must be born again”’”
(John 3:3–7).
The phrase translated “born again” can also be translated as “born from above.” Nicodemus had a real need. He needed a change of his heart—a spiritual transformation that could only come from above. New birth, being born again, is an act of God whereby eternal life is imparted to the person who believes (2 Corinthians 5:17; Titus 3:5; 1 Peter 1:3; 1 John 2:29; 3:9; 4:7; 5:1–4, 18). John 1:12–13indicates that being “born again” also carries the idea of becoming “children of God” through trust in the name of Jesus Christ.
The question logically comes,
“Why does a person need to be born again?”
The apostle Paul in Ephesians 2:1 says, “And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins” (NKJV). To the Romans he wrote, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Sinners are spiritually “dead”; when they receive spiritual life through faith in Christ, the Bible likens it to a rebirth. Only those who are born again have their sins forgiven and have a relationship with God.
Twice in His conversation with Nicodemus,
Jesus stressed the
TRUTH
that one must be born again
to enter the kingdom of God
(John 3:3, 5).
Being born once makes us children of Adam, and we share Adam’s corruption. We need a second birth—a spiritual birth—to make us children of God. We must be born again.
How does the new birth come to be? Ephesians 2:8–9 states,
“For it is by grace you have been saved,
through faith—and this not from yourselves,
it is the gift of God--
not by works, so that no one can boast.”
When one is saved, he has been born again, spiritually renewed, and is now a child of God by right of that new birth. Faith in Jesus Christ, the One who paid the penalty of sin when He died on the cross, is the means by which one is born again. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation: the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17).
“Yet to all who received him, to
those who
believed in his NAME,
he gave the right to become children of God--
children born not of natural descent,
nor of human decision
or a husband’s will,
but born of God”
(John 1:12–13).
In 2 Corinthians 4:17, the apostle Paul presents a beautiful and emphatic contrast between present afflictions and future glory:
"For this light momentary affliction
is preparing for us
an eternal weight of glory
beyond all comparison”
Before analyzing the
meaning of “eternal weight of glory,”
it is essential to understand the broader context of the epistle.
In 2 Corinthians, Paul addresses the challenges faced by the Corinthians and defends his apostolic ministry against accusations and opposition. In 2 Corinthians 4, Paul emphasizes the grace and mercy of God, which sustained Paul and his fellow-laborers during times of toil, weariness, scorn, danger, and constant exposure to death (see 2 Corinthians 4:7–10; cf. 2 Corinthians 11:23–27). Their suffering was not in vain: “So death is at work in us, but life in you” (2 Corinthians 4:12).
Despite these hardships, which continued for the duration of his life, Paul characterizes his trials and tribulations as “light” and “momentary.” The word light denotes something that is easy to bear or of little weight (cf. Matthew 11:30 and 2 Corinthians 1:17). Paul’s use of this term conveys the relative insignificance of present afflictions when juxtaposed with the eternal weight of glory.
Furthermore, the term momentary emphasizes
the brevity and
fleeting nature of present afflictions
(cf. James 4:14)
. Paul contrasts the temporary nature of suffering with the eternal nature of the glory that awaits believers (see Romans 8:29–30). Even if we were to suffer for the rest of our lives, our afflictions are still momentary because this life will come to an end (2 Corinthians 4:16). And when it does, we will be glorified with Christ (Romans 8:17).
Next, Paul juxtaposes the light and momentary
affliction with
an “eternal weight
of glory
beyond all comparison.”
The word weight
signifies the substantiality,
significance,
and overwhelming nature
of the future glory
that believers experience
(cf. 1 Corinthians 2:9, 13:12; 1 John 3:2). Hence, it conveys a
sense of immeasurable value and magnitude.
This “eternal weight of glory” stands in stark contrast to the fleeting and transitory nature of present afflictions. The word eternalsignifies the everlasting and unending nature of the glory that believers will inherit. It also highlights the incomparable duration and permanence of our future glory.
In Romans 8:18, Paul expresses a similar idea, declaring that the “sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (ESV). This passage reinforces the idea that present afflictions, though seemingly significant, pale in comparison to the future glory that believers will partake in.
In 1 Peter 1:6–7, the apostle notes that suffering has a redemptive purpose: “In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (ESV). This passage aligns with the theme of present afflictions preparing believers for an eternal weight of glory, as mentioned in 2 Corinthians 4:17.
Second Corinthians 4:17 reminds us that present afflictions, though at times severe, are light and momentary when contrasted with the immeasurable weight of glory that awaits believers. This provides immense comfort to those enduring trials, assuring them their suffering is purposeful and temporary, while their future glory is eternal and incomparable.
The context of Jesus’ statement is His interrogation by Pontius Pilate during one of His trials. Pilate had summoned Jesus into the palace and, in trying to ascertain the charges against Him, basically asked Jesus to incriminate Himself. The conversation went like this:
Pilate asked, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
Jesus responded with a question of His own: “Is that your own idea, or did others talk to you about me?”
“Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “Your own people and chief priests handed you over to me. What is it you have done?”
Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.”
“You are a king, then!” said Pilate.
Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me” (John 18:33–37).
When Pilate asked Jesus if He was a king, Pilate was thinking of a political position and that Jesus was possibly guilty of sedition against Caesar. In saying that His kingdom is “not of this world,” Jesus denied that He was a king in that sense—and His words were proved by the lack of any subjects fighting to release Him (John 18:36).
But Jesus does not deny His kingship wholly; He has a kingdom, but it is “from another place” (John 18:36). He says He had “come into the world” (John 18:37), with the clear implication that He was from some place other than this world (cf. John 3:3). His kingdom is heavenly and extends over the hearts and minds of His subjects. It does not originate in this world: “His royal power and state are not furnished by earthly force, or fleshly ordinances, or physical energies, or material wealth, or imperial armies” (The Pulpit Commentary, Vol. 17, Hendrickson Pub., 1985).
As His followers, Christians are members of His kingdom, which is “not of this world.” We know that “our citizenship is in heaven” (Philippians 3:20). As a result, we “put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light” (Romans 13:12). We wage spiritual battle, but “the weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world” (2 Corinthians 10:4).
We “seek first his kingdom and his righteousness”
(Matthew 6:33).
And we rest in the knowledge that our King gives us eternal life: “The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever”
(1 John 2:17).
We are on earth for now, but our earthly lives are nothing but a vapor in comparison to eternity (James 4:14). “This world in its present form is passing away” (1 Corinthians 7:31). The sufferings and trials of this world are part of life. But, in remembering that we are “not of this world,” we know that such things are just for a little while (1 Peter 5:10). The knowledge that we are not of this world gives Christians hope even in the darkest times (1 Peter 1:6 –9). This broken place is not where we ultimately belong, and it is not where we will stay (Hebrews 13:14). “We are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken” (Hebrews 12:28).
Christians,
as part of Jesus’ kingdom,
are not of this world
We have been adopted as heirs of heaven
by God Himself,
and that is where our citizenship is (Titus 3:7).
Until our King returns, we wait (Titus 2:13),
and we hope (Romans 5:5),
and we do what we can to bring others
into the
“not of this world”
relationship with Jesus Christ