WE SHARE CHRIST'S BELONGINGS - PART 3

FRIDAY 25 AUGUST 2023

Those who genuinely accept Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord here on earth, and then live according to God's truth and His standard of righteousness - will surely miss hell. That's how to be personally assured in yourself that you are really going to share in all that belongs to Christ at the end of age.

Reference: Hebrews 3:14 New Living Translation (NLT) "For if we are faithful to the end, trusting God just as firmly as when we first believed, we will share in all that belongs to Christ."

Being faithful is the willingness to honour, love, and serve the Lord Jesus, as we live according to His Word, and when that exists, it is produced by our personal relationship with the Holy Spirit.

Let's visualise a faithful ending: Spiritual and eternal rest and glory with Christ in heaven. After our due and diligent service to God here on earth, a sweet eternity with God and satisfying divine inheritance await us. To that effect, John says:

"And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Look! God's dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 'He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death' or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true." He said to me: "It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children" (Revelation 21:3-7 NIV).

If we remain victorious to the end, we shall fully inherit the Kingdom of God and He will be our God forever as we dwell with Him. Beloved, our faithfulness in serving God now, will make our rest more glorious when the end comes. Therefore, let us quicken one another in Christ- to be diligent in doing what is right, honouring God with our lives. The Holy Scriptures are the Word of God given to us to chart the course of our Christian faith till the end of time. When we cogitate on it, digest it by the Spirit and keep acting on it, we become progressively and deeply rooted in Christ, which will reflect in our lifestyles.

Also, we shall receive crowns of divine royalty such as: Imperishable crown (1 Corinthians 9:24-25); Crown of rejoicing (1 Thessalonians 2:19); Crown of righteousness (2 Timothy 4:8); Crown of Glory (1 Peter 5:4) and Crown of life (James 1:12; Revelation 2:10). In addition, Jesus Himself said, "Those who are victorious will sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat with my Father on his throne" (Revelation 3:21 NLT). This is Christ placing us in the highest position of dignity, by exalting us to sit with Him on His very throne, because of the nature of our union with Him, which is inextricable. So we will also share His throne with Him as a result of being faithful to the end. Shalom!

Scripture Reading - Matthew 24:13; Mark 13:13; Hebrews 12:1-2; James 1:12.

Guided Prayer: Dear Father in heaven, I thank you for the eternal life you've given me in Christ at the expense of His shed blood of great worth - on the cross. I trust you today and always because I'm firmly convinced that you've called and qualified me to share in all that belongs to Christ. Therefore, I grow in harmony with the precious Holy Spirit and I function according to His excellent guidance, which comes with peaceful assurance of sharing in your future glory, in Jesus' Name, Amen!