The Heaton File

For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. (2 Corinthians 5:1)

A Better House

The joy of moving into a new house is tempered by the exhaustion of relocating all the earthly possessions accumulated over the years. The fact remains that if it takes more than fifteen minutes to pack, there is more stuff than needed. Of course, few people can gather everything together in less than a few weeks with the task of packing, moving, unpacking, and finding a place for the abundance of things believed necessary to carry on life. Humans are a funny lot of creatures that spend their lives accumulating, protecting, insuring, fixing, and guarding temporary and never-lasting things. The smart mover will reduce the amount of clutter with each move. Still, when the end of the day comes, the stuff is nothing more than stuff and, there is a lot of that stuff. Sadly, when life is spent amassing possessions of this world, it is all left behind in death. What remains is for others to sort through and, by and large, get rid of. What was a precious trinket for the one becomes of little importance for the heirs. And the cycle continues through each generation.

God never intended for man to dwell on the earth gathering possessions, and yet it seems the primary purpose of life is about the stuff here and now. People work seven days a week all their lives and then die with nothing to show for their work. Billions of dollars are spent each year to redesign a failing machine destined to die. Man desires to live longer and fuller lives, so the focus is to extend the body’s life if possible. This is futile. The lesson from Methuselah is that he lived 969 years, and he died. No man can live beyond what God has established as his habitation, and only a few reach the centennial mark and beyond. The earthly house is destined for destruction. All that a man gathers in a lifetime of hoarding is destroyed or forgotten. Life’s cycle is absolute in its design. The body dies, and the possessions of life decay. What becomes life’s irony is why so much effort is spent trying to give life to a body that will die and why so much energy is expended to amass worldly goods that are not received in the grave?

The joy of Paul’s message to the Corinthians is to refocus the aims of life to realize the joy of a better house. There is a house provided by God that will not die and will not decay. When the human body dies, the Christian has the assurance of a new body given by the Father’s grace and love. This is not a building made by the hands of men but eternal in the heavens without end. It will never need medicine to keep its youthfulness. This better house will never move, relocate, or require maintenance. There will be no exhaustion, weariness, pain, sorrow, or tears in this better house. A house in heaven awaits the faithful who live to see the face of God. It will be a place that needs no sun, for the Father will be that light. The weakness of human flesh will be removed as God wipes away all the toils of life. Dwelling in the eternal city of Heaven, the child of God will dwell and abide with the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, and the hosts of righteousness. And the best part is there will never come a moving day.

Hear a just cause, O Lord, attend to my cry; give ear to my prayer which is not from deceitful lips. Let my vindication come from Your presence; let Your eyes look on the things that are upright. You have tested my heart; You have visited me in the night; You have tried me and have found nothing; I have purposed that my mouth shall not transgress. (A psalm of David; Psalm 17:1-3)

A Purposed Life

Life without purpose is an empty life. Many people try to find happiness in the things of the world, enjoyment of the flesh, and self-contained wisdom and never find fulfillment. A purposed life is trying to find some direction to model one’s life. There is a need to find the true meaning of what man is doing on this planet. The age-old question of self-worth must be answered in the context of divine truth. Whether a man believes in God or not, the question of identity remains the focus of life. Trying to answer why a man exists can only come from the One who formed, designed, and purposed man’s creation. In the beginning, God said, “Let us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness.” That is the purpose of man.

David was a man after God’s own heart because he was willing to invite the Lord to test his heart. It was not that the Lord did not have the power to know the hearts of all men, but David desired the Lord to examine his life. David was a man of prayer. His heart was open to allow the searching eye of God to look closely at his words, his thoughts, and his actions. He asked the Lord to declare him innocent without the pretense of being perfect but the prayer of being blameless. David longed for God to test his heart for righteousness. The omniscience of the Divine peered into the night and saw every part of David’s life. Admitting the knowledge of God about his life, David declared his innocence as he purposed to live a loving life before the Lord. His mouth did not speak guile. The heart of David fully rested in the word of the Lord. His prayer was to invite the Lord to examine him and find him innocent. God did what David asked and found him to be a righteous man.

Purpose-driven people are those who open their hearts to the examination of the Lord. They live each day with the recognition that everything about their life is open to the knowledge of the Almighty – and they find security in that knowledge. A purposed driven life is reliant upon the eye of God seeing everything they do and the ear of the Lord hearing everything they say. This is where purpose comes to fruition. There is no fear of condemnation. David was seeking to align his life with the will of the Father, and although a sinful man, he begged the Lord’s mercy to see his righteous character as he walked before the Lord. The prayer of David sought the presence of God in his life without reservation.

If you want to live a life of purpose, have a purpose in your life. Seeking the things of the world will not give you purpose. Heartache is all that is found in the trappings of the world. Have the courage to ask God to test your heart, examine your life, and hear your prayers. Then you will have a divine purpose that will help you in this life and bless you in the life to come. Purpose in your heart that you will not sin in what you say, what you do, and how you act. God bless your life to be purposed in Jesus Christ.

But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the Day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this day should overtake you as a thief. You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. (1 Thessalonians 5:1-6)

Watching With Clarity

The world is coming to an end. There is no doubt the clock is ticking on the earth’s longevity with a day coming when disaster comes in the form of God’s wrath. As sure as the promise of God to destroy the world by a flood in the days of Noah, so the certainty of the end of the world will come by the will of the Father. There are many today who believe that something man will do impacts the existence of the world. Global warming is being publicized as the springboard of global destruction in the next few decades. This will never happen because the Lord Creator will never allow the man to destroy what He has reserved for judgment. The Day of the Lord belongs to the Lord. It is a time reserved in the mind of the Father that only He knows. When the will of the Lord is accomplished, and He determines man’s existence has reached finality, the Son of God will come with His mighty angels, and the universe will come to a sudden end.

There will be no warning when the Day of the Lord comes. Weather patterns will often give signs of approaching danger. Volcanic eruptions can sometimes be known in advance, even with a minimal time before the explosion. When the end of the world comes, there is no hint, no advance notice, and not even the animals will be aware of impending doom. There is found in animals a sense of danger when something terrible is about to happen. They are alerted in their natural reasons to flee to higher ground or find protection soon. The Day of the Lord comes with no warning, notice, or determination by man to know of its day. Pundits of the end of time have tried for many a millennium to determine when the Lord will come. They have all failed and will continue to fail. If a man tells you he knows when the Lord will return, be assured he is a liar. Jesus said He did not know.

The end of the world will come as a thief who comes in the night. He does not give a warning coming when a person least expects it. Sudden destruction will be the nature of the last day. It will be swift, and it will be a total and complete destruction. Like the labor pains of a pregnant woman, the end of the world will come when least expected. No one will escape. There will be no mountains to run to or caves to hide in. Every eye will see the glory of the Lord. In an instant like the blinking of an eye, the universe will explode with incredible fury and be torn asunder. All souls will be ushered before the presence of the Almighty God. Time is destroyed. Death and Hades are destroyed. Satan and his minions are cast into Hell. Judgment comes. Verdicts read. Sentences carried out. Eternity becomes real.

Every child of God knows the Day of the Lord is coming, yet many do not live as if the day could come at any moment. Nonbelievers have no concern for the Day of the Lord. A Christian knows and believes the Lord will send His angels to destroy the world. No child of God should be caught unaware of the day when it comes. As people of light, walking in the light, and living in the light, the reality of the end is clear. The day of destruction should not overtake the righteous. Those who walk in darkness cannot see the light of truth. The people of God are watching with clarity the moment when the Lord comes, and they do so with great anticipation. Watching suggests a constant awareness that today could be the day. Sobriety means being clearheaded about the reality of the coming of the Lord and the knowledge of the sudden appearance of the Lord. These two factors are paramount in the heart of the Christian. Everything they do is preparing for the coming of Jesus. Living a sober life is preparing the soul for the judgment of the Lord. We may not know when the Lord is coming, but it will not matter because we are watching and living sober lives that will find their promise in the hope of eternal life. Pray each day: Lord, come today.

And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. Then he cried and said, “Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.” But Abraham said, “Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted, and you are tormented.” (Luke 16:23-25)

But Now

The news of his death shocked the community. He had been a great leader in the business world and a benevolent philanthropist for many worthwhile causes. His peers heralded his insights as remarkable. The impact of his influence was felt around the nation. Hearing of his death, the community came together to eulogize and bestow honors on a man who helped change the world’s landscape. In another part of the world, a lone soldier is fighting against an assault by armed insurgents seeking to destroy his unit. Two men lay dead, and while his comrades seek shelter from the relentless firepower, the brave warrior throws himself into the heat of the battle, advancing against all odds to destroy the enemy nest. He destroys the first target but is mortally wounded. Collapsing in the enemy bunker, the soldier regains a measure of strength to fight to protect his men and kill as many insurgents as possible. His unit is saved because of his heroic actions, but a fatal blow comes with a bullet to the heart. Death is quick and sudden. Years later, he is awarded posthumous honors of the highest rank and his name engraved on marble as a great warrior.

Few men could have as much influence as the man who filled the world with his deep faith in God. He was a man of religion that spread the Bible’s message across the globe in almost every corner of the world. Thousands flocked to hear him and see his love for the Lord. For many decades, he preached the message of Jesus and salvation by faith only, and untold numbers of people flocked to find salvation in his soothing words. As with all men, time and tide march against him, and age brought him to his final destiny. Buried with great honors and long eulogies of praise for his faith and devotion to God, he finds his place among the tombstones of the myriads that have gone before him. Now only a marker with his name and dates reveals who he is. A few years earlier, a great war hero and successful politician faces his death. His life is remembered for bravery, dedication, honor, and as a part of the political world that changed the scope of government for years to come. Books and magazines are dedicated to his life story, which was quite remarkable. His peers revere his name as one of great historical meaning.

Few men can attain a special remembrance of history and then enter the halls of historical significance. The rarified air of fame is fleeting, and while honors are bestowed on those who gain notoriety for their courage, faith, and influence, there is a reality that is seldom seen and understood. When the man who changed the world as a philanthropist and community leader died, so did all his honors. At the moment of death for the brave soldier, he lost all the accolades of bravery and courage. The religious leader who filled his life with bringing others to what he believed to be salvation finally understood the reality of divine truth. As the great war hero’s life passed out his body, he knew everything he accomplished in life was useless. What all these men have in common is the realization that death has brought them face to face with God.

Death is the great equalizer, and death is a grand reality. The failing of human wisdom is to believe that life is about the importance of what is now without preparing for what is to come. Jesus tells the story of two men who are parables of contrast. The one man is a dejected, abused, and tormented man, while the other is an influential, wealthy, and prosperous community leader. Death comes to both men regardless of their station in life. What makes a difference in the final outcome is where they find themselves. One man finds peace and joy. One man finds horror and eternal torment. Abraham’s two words that draw the rich man’s attention to listen are the words, “But now.” Lazarus lived a horrible life dying without notoriety and fanfare in contrast to the great mourning for the rich man by his five brothers. Death was the wake-up call for the rich man that changed everything.

The news is filled with the rich and famous dying and the brave and the courageous giving their lives for what they believe in. There is great honor to be given to noble men and women who die and contribute to the world’s betterment. But sadly, none of this matters if a man is not a child of God. It will not matter how high the ladder of fame a man climbs or how history will frame his life for years to come. A man’s bravery will not matter if he is not a child of God. Even those who profess love and devotion to God who refuses to teach the pure gospel of truth found in Jesus Christ will hear those terrible words, “Depart from me, you who practice lawlessness.” Life will not save you. Doing the will of the Father is what will save you. If you die and are not a child of God, there will be a dark and horrible eternal fate that awaits you. Do not live to hear the words, “But now.”

And he went into the synagogue and spoke boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading concerning the things of the kingdom of God. But when some were hardened and did not believe, but spoke evil of the Way before the multitude, he departed from them and withdrew the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus. And this continued for two years, so that all who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews, and Greeks. (Acts 19:8-10)

Preaching Is Persuasive Arguing

Preachers come in different shapes, sizes, and dispositions. The Old Testament prophets were a mixture of personalities ranging from Isaiah and Daniel’s stately presence to the rough and harsh world of Amos. Jesus selected twelve men who could not have been more different from one another and in stark contrast to the teachers of their day. The style of the apostle Paul was not like Philip or Peter and especially not as the orator, Apollos. One of the essential commonalities of the New Testament preachers is found in the preaching they engaged. By his own admission, Paul was not a man of stellar presence when it came to his preaching. His focus was on preaching Christ and Him crucified. Nothing else mattered to Paul, and he devoted his life to preaching the risen Christ. What distinguished his preaching was the manner of his presentation.

When Paul went into the synagogues of the Jews, he preached a bold message. He was not there to preach the words of men or try to impress others with his style. The synagogue was a hostile place to preach the message of the Messiah who died on a Roman cross. The word of God fortified Paul’s boldness. His style was to reason and persuade his hearers to understand the gospel of Christ. In fact, the preaching of Paul was persuasive arguing. Like Peter on the day of Pentecost, he did not hesitate to show Jesus of Nazareth as the promised Messiah. The kingdom of God was preached before all those who would hear him without reservation. It was not a time to tell stories, engage the audience with banter, or impress the crowds with entertainment and fanfare. Paul came to preach. He came to argue in a manner that would convict men to repent and turn to God.

Preaching is about discussing the word of the Lord and engaging in conversations designed to change the heart. So much of preaching today is more about the “feel good, health and wealth” philosophies of men allowing the audience to enjoy a moment of spiritual euphoria with little or no lasting impact on life. Faith comes from hearing the word of God. Deep faith is built upon a foundation of sound doctrinal teaching that storms the soul with the ‘dunamis’ or power of God. The message must argue against vain doctrines and teachings of men. Preaching must convict, reprove and move the heart to action. Paul reasoned and daily discussed the merits of divine grace in the school of Tyrannus because the gospel was about finding the pearl of great price. Knowledge comes from digging for the truth.

The character of preaching is three-fold. There must be a message and someone to hear the message, and the transmission of that message must be clear. Preaching is not hard. When a man preaches God’s word, he does not have to find knowledge because that knowledge has been once delivered to all the world to understand. He should never hesitate to preach the whole counsel of God. Preaching anything less is not preaching. Paul spoke boldly; he reasoned and persuaded and daily argued the word as the word of God and not men. All who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus because the preacher they listened to preached the word.

But that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father gave Me commandment, so I do. Arise, let us go from here. (John 14:31)

The Pivotal Moment In The Life Of Jesus

He knew He came to die for the sins of all mankind. As God, He did not consider it robbery to be equal with God but willingly offered His body as the Lamb of God for a bloody sacrifice. His journey began when he was thirty years of age, and in less than three years, He would die on a Roman cross as a common criminal. Throughout His ministry, Jesus spoke of the day when He would go to Jerusalem, where He would be treated with hatred by the people and die on the cross. Afterward, He would rise from the dead, but this would not happen without the journey to Golgotha. The scheme of redemption was planned in the eternal halls of God’s grace. Jesus knew when His hour would come.

On a quiet evening in an upper room, the Lord shared the solemn meal of Passover with the twelve apostles as He had done the past few years. His hour had come, and He knew His death was drawing near. First, He knelt before the twelve men and washed their feet. They did not understand the significance of His humility until Jesus explained the nature of servitude. His example would set the scene for the coming crucifixion. Judas would excuse himself from the gathering leaving Jesus with the eleven disciples telling them what He was about to do. And then came that pivotal moment when Jesus tells the eleven it was time to leave. Rising, He tells the disciples they must leave the upper room.

Going down the steps into the city, Jesus and His disciples begin walking toward Gethsemane. As the Lord walks along, He continues to tell the eleven about the ministry they will embark upon in the coming days, months, and years. They are unaware of how clear these words will ring to them as they recount this journey outside Jerusalem. At the same time, Judas has found the leaders who seek the death of Jesus. Soldiers have been secured, the Jewish leaders have gathered a mob together, and following Judas’ instructions, they make their way to a specific place in the garden of Gethsemane where Jesus often went. It is unclear if Judas first went to the upper room and, not finding Jesus, took the mob to the garden. As Jesus arrives in the garden, he takes Peter, James, and John a short distance away and begins to pray. Shortly after He prays a third time, Judas arrives, and Jesus is arrested. Early the next day, the Son of God is condemned to death, taken to Golgotha, and crucified. Hours later, Jesus dies.

It is difficult to describe the suffering of Jesus. He knew He would die a horrible death. His love for the apostles was overwhelming, and His love for Judas was found in a bowl of water and the hands of the Lord washing His betrayer’s feet. Everyone knew the precursor to crucifixion was the savage beating called scourging. Each man would then be compelled to carry his own cross to the place of crucifixion and thrown to the ground where he was nailed to a cross. He was then lifted up to suffer the most excruciating, humiliating, and painful death known to man. Death would be desired but fleeting. Mercifully, Jesus would last only a few hours before succumbing to the horror of Roman execution. Armed with this knowledge, Jesus made a fateful decision in the upper room when He said to His disciples, “Arise, let us go from here.”

When Jesus told the eleven they must leave the upper room, Jesus had fully committed Himself to the plan of His Father. His leaving the upper room proved two things. First, it proved His love for the Father. The world would know that Jesus loved His Father because He arose and went to Golgotha. Second, His leaving the upper room shows the world that He was obedient to His Father’s commandment. Before time began, God gave Jesus a command, and now Jesus was fulfilling that command. None of this could be done until Jesus left the upper room. It was a decisive moment in the life of Jesus, but more than anything, it was a crucial moment in every person’s life on earth. Had Jesus not left the upper room, there would be no joy and no peace. Thank God Jesus said, “Arise and let us go from here” so that all men can die with the words on their lips, “Arise and let us go to the Father.”

Finally then, brethren, we urge and exhort in the Lord Jesus that you should abound more and more, just as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God. (1 Thessalonians 4:1)

Never Satisfied

There is never a time when a child is not growing. Growth is a sign of a healthy child as the body is designed to change over time, becoming more stable and mature for life’s challenges. Without the process of growth, the child would die or be deficient in many ways. It is vital to experience change to grow taller, learn to walk and talk, increase knowledge, and strengthen the immune system against disease. What is necessary for the physical body is of paramount importance for the spiritual man. The nature of humanity is made up of the mortal body and the eternal spirit. In time, the mortal body will decay and die. The eternal spirit, which is the true nature of man, will never cease to exist. Growth of the eternal spirit is a continual journey or abounding more and more in the process of spiritual growth.

Jesus told Nicodemus that to enter the kingdom of God, one must be born again. The illusion of birth is the beginning point of the Christian journey. Peter would encourage his readers to desire the sincere milk of the word to grow thereby. The Hebrew writer chastised the Jewish Christians for not maturing to a spiritual level of understanding and remaining as needing milk instead of solid food. There are many examples of the need to grow in Christ, mature in the faith, and solidify trust in the Lord given throughout scripture. Paul’s admonition to the church at Thessalonica was to exhort them to not only grow but to abound more and more. He wanted to see more growth in their lives. They should not be satisfied with where they were spiritually. He urged them and exhorted them to excel more and more in all things.

One of the amazing things about the word of God is how one can read, study, examine and unlock so many mysteries contained on its pages and, at the end of the day, realize that only the surface has been opened. Men who have studied scriptures all their lives will be amazed at a new teaching or learning as if it were on the page for the first time. As well versed as some can be of the Bible, no man possesses all the knowledge of truth. A discovery awaits each time the book is opened. This should make every Christian realize the potential for growth and the need never to be satisfied with where they are in their relationship with God. Abounding more and more expresses the deep desire that at no time in life will there be a time to be satisfied. Each new day is a new horizon to understand a little more about the divine grace of the Lord.

Paul outlines an essential lesson for the Christians at Thessalonica to abound more and more so they can face the temptations and trials of life. The will of God is for His people to be sanctified or set apart from the world. A Christian should not engage in fornication or uncleanness and to walk properly toward those who are not Christians. This can only be done by a diligent effort never to be satisfied with where the heart is on the spectrum of God’s knowledge. Abounding more and more is a cure for what ails the human spirit – sin. If a person is too busy growing in Christ, they will not have time to wallow in sin. Abounding more and more is never to be satisfied. Do not stop, slow down or give up. The more you grow, the healthier you become. Holiness comes from excelling in Christ. Never be satisfied.

The burden of the word of the Lord to Israel by Malachi. (Malachi 1:1)

The Weight Of The Word

The burden of the Lord is a manner which the prophets used to describe the message they preached to the people of God. It was a term generally used of a weighty, threatening prophecy and considered an oracle from the Lord. The preaching of the prophets was during a time of great upheaval in the nation of Israel. Isaiah used the burden of the Lord often in his prophecy of Israel and the degradation it had become as a nation with impending destruction. He referred to the burden against the nations around Israel with God’s wrath coming upon them for their evil deeds. Nahum wrote of the burden against Nineveh and Habakkuk of the burden which he was compelled to write. Zechariah brought the message of God to Israel as the burden of the word of the Lord. The final scroll in the ancient canon begins with the burden of the Lord’s word to Israel by Malachi.

Truth has never been convenient and popular. Like a millstone or heavy weight, the word of the Lord hangs heavy on the hearts of those who cannot abide in its doctrine. Jeremiah spoke of the impact of the word of God upon the hearts of unbelievers like the chaff blown away by the wind. Truth was like wheat falling to the ground possessed of substance and value. The word of the Lord is the chaff to those who are unwilling to accept divine truth but nourishment like golden wheat for hearts that are open and receptive to the manna of God. There is no difference in the word of the Lord as it remains the same. It is in the reception that a man accepts or rejects the nature of God’s truth. For one, it becomes a burden hard to bear. They are unwilling to accept the word of God. Their hearts are filled with the carnality of human wisdom, allowing no room for the seed of the Lord to grow in their hearts. For many desperate souls, the word of God was a reproach that found themselves so offended by the message they were unable to bear it. The truth remains the word of God is written to comfort the afflicted and to afflict the comfortable. Following Jesus requires a burden, but it is light and easy to bear. There has never been a time God has required anything of man to hard and impossible to reach.

The reaction to the word of God has been the deciding factor for those lost and saved. When a young man came to Jesus seeking eternal life, he was unwilling to carry the burden of truth. Jesus told him to sell all he had, give to the poor and follow Him. He refused. The Jews of Jesus’ day would not acknowledge Him as the Son of God even in the face of the miracles and teachings of the Son of God. They killed Him on a cross. While many obeyed the gospel in the early days of the church, many more rejected and refused to believe Jesus was the Son of God because the word was a burden they could not bear. Obeying the gospel is a heavy burden. Jesus described it as a cross to bear. When a man is unwilling to pay the price for salvation, there can be no hope. If he views service to God as too high a price to pay, he will refuse and be lost. Like in the days of Malachi and the prophets, the word of the Lord is a burden.

Religious groups today treat the word of God disrespectfully when they refuse to follow its teachings. God’s word is written in a manner a man can read and understand the Father’s will. The word of God can become a burden too heavy to bear, and a man refuses to obey; or it can become a burden that releases the guilt of sin from a downtrodden heart with joy in eternal life. Malachi’s message was a stern message to preach and harder to accept. Those who changed their lives because of his message learned to value the burden of the Lord. The people who were offended by his message refusing to change their hearts learned the lesson of God’s wrath. God’s word: is it a burden you want or one you refuse?

Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 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, there you may be also. (John 14:1-3)

A Really Big House

There have been billions upon billions of people that have lived on the earth since the beginning of time. Only God knows the number of souls that are born and died. When the world is destroyed, that number will be known to the Lord as all humanity stands before Him in judgment. Out of the untold numbers of people standing before God on the final day, only a small percentage will enjoy the pleasure of eternal glory and rest. Jesus startled the multitudes with the knowledge that few are saved. Most souls will be cast into the lake of fire. With the small amount of saved among the incredible number of people who have walked on the face of the earth, the number is staggering. Is there a place where all these unknown numbers of people will be in eternity? Can there be an abode large enough to house the righteous? On the night of His betrayal and arrest, Jesus comforts His disciples by assuring them God has a place fully capable of caring for the faithful.

The cross is only hours away as Jesus spends His final time on earth. He knows there will be many questions and uncertainty from the eleven as they realize the purpose of Jesus’ death and resurrection. The gospel is to be preached to a world lost in darkness, and souls will be added to the register of the saved. A little over a month later, three thousand devout Jews become the first members of the church of Christ as they obey the will of the Father. Multitudes will be added in the years to come. Over the next centuries, many more will find the grace of God and put on Christ in baptism. Before time ends and the judgment of God comes, untold multitudes will accept the message of salvation found only in Christ Jesus. Regardless of the number of the saved, God has a house large enough to house them all.

Square footage is an essential part of a house. The size of the house is necessary to know if there is enough room to live. When Jesus described the preparations made to house the righteous in eternal glory, He speaks of His Father’s house filled with many abiding places. There will be no lacking for all the righteous from the beginning of time until the last and final day. Imagine the size of the house of God. When John describes the new city in the Revelation, it becomes a city 1500 miles long, 1500 miles wide, and 1500 miles high. This is figurative language to describe the immensity of the dwelling place of God. There are no limitations. Everyone who names the name of the Lord will find the house of God fully capable of housing them. Again, these are terms to describe an eternal reality with earthy visuals.

The house of God is prepared to receive every soul that seeks the gift of God. There will be no overcrowding because everyone will find joy in the presence of the Lord. The way of salvation is what Jesus prepared at the cross. Before time began, the house of God was ready to receive the faithful. Regardless of how large that number might be, God has all the room necessary. Jesus opened the door to the house of God. Eternal life will be granted to those who have obeyed the voice of the One who is the door of the sheep. There is nothing to worry about. The house of God is big enough for everyone with room to spare. There is room for one more – you.

And we declare to you glad tidings—that promise which was made to the fathers. God has fulfilled this for us their children, in that He has raised up Jesus. As it is also written in the second Psalm: “You are my son, today I have begotten you.” And that He raised Him from the dead, no more to return to corruption, He has spoken thus: “I will give you the sure mercies of David.” Therefore He also says in another Psalm: “You will not allow Your Holy One to see corruption.” (Acts 13:32-35)

Corruption Is The Penalty Of Sin

Billions of dollars are spent every year developing, marketing, and purchasing products that attempt to prolong youth and extend life. It is a profitable business because the reality is that nothing man can do will inhibit aging and death. These are certainties in life that no cream, medical procedure, or scientific breakthrough will change. The Egyptians tried to find eternal life and failed. All the marketing ploys of modern advertising will not give years back or turn back the time clock. Attempting to look younger is a waste of money and time. Antiaging products fly in the face of reality. Try as they might, people grow older every day, and their bodies reflect the aging process.

Before the advent of modern medical forensics, it was understood that when a death occurred, the body would not show signs of corruption until the fourth day. Often the bodies would be taken by the family, and a wake would be held to honor the dead and to mourn their passing. Before the fourth day, the body would be entombed. Any time after this and visible signs of decomposition would become apparent. This was the case, especially in the time of Jesus, as the Jews held strict compliance with burial before the fourth day. When Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, the people were astonished because the dead man would have had an obnoxious odor. The miracle’s power was that He raised him on the fourth day, and He came forth alive without the stench of death.

The body’s corruption can be explained to the atomic level of medical science, but God explained the decay process in the Bible. When the Lord placed Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden, He commanded them to eat of every tree but the tree of knowledge of good and evil. The penalty for disobedience was death. Satan deceived Eve, and Adam also took of the fruit in disobedience to the word of God. They did not die immediately – at least physically. God had told them they would die, and He referred to the relationship between man and God. It was not until Adam and Eve were expelled from the garden and access to the tree of life denied the full penalty of their disobedience became clear. No longer able to eat of the tree of life, Adam and Eve would die. Adam lived for 930 years, and he died. He was buried somewhere, and his body began to decay. In a short time, everything that was the physical body of Adam disappeared. Abel was the first recorded death in the Bible by the hand of his brother, Cain. Abel’s body began to decompose and suffer corruption. Every person who has lived on the face of the earth has suffered the corruption of the grave—all but Jesus.

Jesus died on the cross Friday afternoon. Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus took the body of Jesus and placed it in a sealed and impenetrable tomb the same day. Early on the morning of the first day of the week, Jesus rose from the dead. It was not a coincidence that He rose on the third day. David wrote in Psalm 16 the Holy One would not be allowed to suffer corruption. The body corrupts physically because of the penalty of sin. It is a gruesome, horrid, and sickening process to witness the body’s physical decay. On the fourth day, the evidence of this process becomes abundantly clear, and in a short time, the putridity of decay impacts all the senses.

Jesus’ body did not experience this corruption because Jesus did not experience sin. The penalty of sin is corruption, but He did not sin, and the Father would not allow His body to experience the physical body’s corruption. God promised to raise the Holy One from the dead, and the resurrection would not endure the corruption of the flesh. Jesus was raised from the dead, no more to return to corruption. David saw corruption when he died, as do all men. Jesus did not. The resurrection happened on the third day according to the will of God to show that while the curse of sin is upon all men because all men sin, Jesus rose from the dead without corruption and sin. This was the same message preached by Peter on Pentecost to prove to the Jews that Jesus was the Holy One. Jesus was alive, but He was more than alive. He did not suffer corruption so that all who call on His name could experience the incorruptible glory of a new body in the final resurrection. Where there is no sin, there will be no corruption. Praise be to God for the promised body that fades not away, eternal in the heavens.