Transcript: Walking Towards Eternity: Living in the Light of Christ

The Akening early this morning from a sound sleep, I heard in my spirit the words, Walking towards eternity. I knew the Lord was speaking something that he wanted me to research in the scripture and bring in simple truth of understanding and encourage and exhort our listeners around the world on internet radio and many other platforms and ways that Shining Light 7 Ministries shares the gospel of truth of our Lord Jesus Christ. Many times we think the word exhortation means bringing a correction of some kind, but the Bible dictionary defines the word exhortation to mean encourage, make appeal, urge, consolation, or to give a stirring speech. Well, as well, exhortation means to give a call, to summon, invite, request, and comfort. The word exhortation is a big word with so many meanings, but best of all, this word is full of the love of God, the Almighty One, who longs for all of His human creation to come to Him so He can show them His love. Well, nevertheless, realizing like so many times, hearing the word walking towards eternity became a new quest to bring light into another subject area in our journey of faith as we progress onward towards our eternal home, away from home as we know it in our earthly dwelling place here on the earth. Possibly the best description of pressing on towards our eternal goal in our journey of faith is best described by Apostle Paul's epistle found in Philippians 3, verses 10-14. Verse 10. But one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, reaching forward to the things which are ahead, I press on towards the goal for the prize of the upward call in Jesus Christ. In verse 14, Paul uses a visual language when he gives reference to athletes running a race. Paul says, I press on for the goal, for the prize, which we know is eternal life. Understand, please, we are all individually and personally in this race or walk towards eternity. This is not about herd mentality. This means you personally are solely responsible for your goal of eternal life through the help of precious Holy Spirit in your life. As a former runner in my younger years, I knew that a quick exit from the starting blocks was a major advantage. After that, the runners in the race learned that keeping their eyes fixed on the finish line, but mostly on the lines in their lane, because otherwise they would be eliminated from the race because they had unlawfully transgressed the rules of the race, even though they may have reached the finish line or the goal, they were not rewarded with the winner's crown. Paul again, in 2 Timothy 4, verse 7 and 8, gives great insight to the believer regarding the necessity of holding fast to faith and to the promises in this journey of life, which sometimes can throw up a sudden curve in the road at us when we least expect it. He says in verse 7, I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith. And finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that day, and not only to me, but also to all who have loved his appearing. This good fight, Paul talks about, is the illusion of the hard struggles such as the persecutions, the beatings, and hard times that Paul had encountered and overcame for the most noble and honorable cause that he fought so hard for. Keeping the faith is saying that all the laws of the game must be habitually and diligently observed and kept and personally lived. Keeping the faith means that we will steadfastly and habitually maintain the faith of the gospel truth and a life of loyalty and devotion to our Master and Redeemer Jesus Christ, in spite of every trial and every obstacle and painful situation that eyes. Pondering the walk and the privilege we as Christians have in this progressive effort to prepare for the future life as a child of God, I felt the fitting title for this word today should be called, Are You Walking or Drifting Towards Eternity? What we have already talked about in Paul's figurative analogy of pressing on towards our eternal goal, or I have fought the good fight, or I've kept the faith, are all declarations and examples of an outstanding individual who had maintained and lived a life of allegiance and devotion to his Master Jesus Christ. Paul lived a seriously devoted life, who faithfully served his Lord, and because of his diligence in his quest to please his master in every matter, and his outright denial of letting anything sinful in to defile his life, he says in verse 8, As to what remains henceforth, there is laid up for me the victor's crown of righteousness for being right with God and doing right, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me and recompense me on that great day, and not only to me, but also to all those who have loved and yearned for and welcomed his appearing, his return. When the apostle wrote this letter to Timothy, he was in prison. Paul attributes our Lord Jesus Christ as the only righteous judge, who always judges correctly, fairly, and honestly. The judges in Rome, whom Paul faced, were not righteous. Sound familiar in our modern day, too? Yeah, it really does, doesn't it? If Paul judges in his day were honest and upright, they would have released him. He was tried in one court after another, yet now in his letter to Timothy, he tells us that he would face his last judge, his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. When we are ready to face the Lord, we need not fear the judgment of mankind, but only the one true judge who can kill both the body and the soul. The crown of righteousness is God's reward for a faithful and righteous life lived in his Son. This promised reward is our incentive for a life lived in faithfulness and holiness. Because Paul looked forward to the Lord's appearing, he lived righteously and served Jesus faithfully. And this is even why Paul used the return of Jesus Christ as a basis for his admonition in the beginning verses in 2 Timothy chapter 4. Let look at this in 2 Timothy chapter 4 verses 1 through 4 Paul is giving his spiritual son Timothy the mandate here and the exhortation to make serious effort in his personal life to keep a sense of urgency and to take his calling serious. 2 Timothy 4, verse 1. I charge you in the presence of God and of Jesus Christ, who is to judge the living and the dead. And by, in the light of His coming and His kingdom, herald and preach the word. Keep your sense of urgency. Stand by. Be at hand and ready. Whether the opportunity seems to be favorable or unfavorable, whether it is convenient or inconvenient, whether it is welcome or unwelcome, you, as a preacher of the word, are to show people in what way their lives are wrong and convince them, rebuking and correcting, warning and urging, and encouraging them, and being unflagging and inexhaustible in patience and teaching. Verse 3. For the time is coming when people will not tolerate, endure, sound, and wholesome instruction, but having ears itching for something pleasing and gratifying, they will gather to themselves one teacher after another to a considerable number, chosen to satisfy their own liking and to foster the heirs they hold, and will turn aside from hearing the truth and wander off to myths and man-made fictions. Apostle Paul was Timothy's spiritual father. In essence, Paul was urging Timothy not to compromise or let down his work as a believer, but to be an outstanding example and model as a child of God. Even though Paul's call was a whole lot different from ours, we too, just like Timothy, have first been given the mandate to grow up in maturity and do then the work Jesus has given us to do. If we are faithful, we too will receive a crown of righteousness just as our great apostle had received. And we can see by reading these last scriptures, Paul's urgency to Timothy was due to the imminent return of Jesus Christ. The imminent return of Jesus for believers could be in an instant when he suddenly calls them home, or it could be at the sound of the trumpet when the King of Kings appears at his second coming in all of his glory. Hallelujah! But nevertheless, this is why Paul used the return of Jesus Christ as a basis for his admonition and exhortation in 2 Timothy chapter 4. He wanted the people to take their Christian life serious in their walk or journey towards eternity, and not just drift or be half-hearted or half-baked about so great a salvation. When we look at what the word drifting means, it says this in the Webster's Dictionary. Meandering, strolling, ambling, fugitive, nomadic, roaming, vagabond. All of these synonyms appear to a character trait that represents a lazy, apathetic person who shows little or no interest or concern personally for their salvation. There was someone who once wrote a scenario called drifting. It starts out by saying, The book of Hebrews, Hebrews 2.1, declares that we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. Another way of translating this final phrase of this verse is, Lest we drift away. The writer continued to say, Nothing in the world is easier than drifting. No person drifts upstream, only downstream. It is so easy. All you do is sit back and relax and let the boat go. You are soon lulled away into a lazy stupor, not caring where you go. You may not even be aware that you are drifting until it is too late and the boat is on the rocks. Satan is very wise. He seldom urges a Christian to leave the church or to give up his faith in the Lord. Instead, he causes us to relax, rest on the oars, and drift along in the Christian life. All around us, Christians who have drifted into a state of coldness and indifference, they have stopped caring about others who need to hear the message of God's saving grace. The author finishes by asking, are you drifting? Wake up now. Grab the oars and pull. Your act of concern is needed as we seek to lead others to find Christ and his will for their lives. well this is a wonderful word of exhortation and encouragement and a call or a stirring appeal to wake up and take one's Christian walk serious it is also so wonderful in the word of God that in Hebrews chapter 12 verses 1 and 2 Apostle Paul describes our race of faith and gives us the remedy for laziness or apathetic attitude towards this so great a salvation. Verse 1. Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. These words of Paul are powerful exhortations and yet filled with comfort and encouragement. The huge crowd of witnesses should assure us that we're not alone in our struggles of faith that come with trials that spring up suddenly on our path. There are many commentators who say that the cloud of witnesses is just an illusion of words which depict the days of the Roman games when a great crowd of spectators occupied the circular seats in the great amphitheater from which they could easily see the activity of the day. Personally, I don't believe that, because there aren't any meaningless words or phrases in God's word. I know that many words are symbolic and figurative, And yet I know that Apostle Paul was shown great and mighty things when he was taken up into the heavens, things so great and magnificent that he could not even share them with us. And to say something is just an illusion of words and negate the possibility that in the unseen realm, not seen by the naked eye, that the creator of the universe cannot literally have a cloud of witnesses cheering us on, could stand on the edge of heresy. Personal opinion can be very deadly in the end because it might adulterate and degrade and misrepresent the truth of God's word. Sometimes commentators and teachers of the gospel make God as big as their personal understanding and their imaginations and negate the fact that the almighty creator is absolute. He is unrestricted, free from limitations, perfect, free from imperfections. He is an absolute monarchy. Our supreme creator says to his creation in Isaiah 45 verse 9, Woe to him who strives with his maker. A worthless piece of broken pottery among other pieces equally worthless and yet presuming to strive with his maker. Shall the clay say to him who fashions it, What do you think you are making, or your work has no handles? Verse 12 I made the earth, and created man upon it. I, with my hands, stretched out the heavens, and I commanded all of their hosts. Have not these people any fear for their great creator For some I think not They live in the carnal or natural realm And the power of the supreme divine words of Holy Scripture has not permeated their spiritual eyes and ears to bring the supernatural understanding of truth that opens up another world, not of this earth. And this is called walking in the Spirit. Moreover, walking in the Holy Spirit. This is not an earthy walk. Walking in the Spirit brings holy fear and reverence and understanding for the things of God. This is the renewed heart that treasures God's righteousness and longs for his will to govern their lives. Heresy is a false doctrine or false teaching or opinion which denies foundational beliefs which limit the almightiness of God. When Elijah thought he was alone, God told him he had a crowd of 7,000 witnesses. 1 Kings 19, verse 8, God speaks to the prophet saying, Yet I have reserved 7,000 in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed to Baal and every mouth that has not kissed him. We have here an insight into the feelings of the prophet after Elijah had miraculously called down fire destroyed the lying prophet in 1 Kings chapter he then ran to the hills and found a cave to hide him because Jezebel threatened to kill him. And if we had not had this account in scripture we would not see the feelings of fear and discouragement of this mighty man of God, showing that he was as human as any of us. In Romans 11, verses 2-5, Paul gives us great insight into God's total involvement in the lives of his faithful people. Verse 2 No, God has not rejected and disowned his people, whose destiny he had marked out and appointed and foreknown from the beginning. Do you not know what the scripture says of Elijah? How he pleaded with God against Israel? Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altar, and I alone am left, and they seek my life. But what is God's reply to him? I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal. So too at the present time there is a remnant, a small believing majority, selected, chosen by God's grace, unmerited favor and graciousness. So we see all knees that have not bowed to Baal or to the worldly lusts and pleasures of life have kept their eyes fixed on Jesus, who is the author and finisher of their faith, continue their walk towards eternity with all diligence of righteousness and purity of art. Paul reached back in time into this account of 1 Kings to show that God has always had a faithful remnant even in times of great trouble and uncertainty, even in any generation of time where unbelief was rampant and at its all times high. It is very impressive to think about the fact that God preserved this precious blessed remnant and used them for his glory in prospering his kingdom. He preserved them because they loved him with all of their hearts. Prophet Isaiah in chapter 1 verse 9 declares, Except the Lord of hosts had left us a very small remnant of survivors, we should have been like Sodom and we should have been like Gomorrah. Romans chapter 9 verse 29 tells us that it is as Isaiah predicted, if the Lord of hosts had not left us a seed from which to propagate descendants, we Israel would have fared like Sodom and it would have been made like Gomorrah. So unfortunately, it is a basic understanding and teaching in the word of God that the majority of people fall from the faith in God and his son and cannot be brought back or renewed, so God takes his faithful remnant and begins over again. This faithful remnant throughout the ages have kept a steady pace towards eternity and always kept their pace in tune to the promises which awarded them, namely, the crown of life. we could say that the baton was passed on in every generation. God never has forsaken his people. He never will, because he is a God who does not lie. Running the race or a steady walk towards eternity means that we will always look unto our leader, Jesus Christ. At all times, we must keep our eyes focused on Jesus. We have so many wonderful examples of faith-filled people in Scripture which should inspire us immensely. The most supreme and superb illustration of our faith and best example of faithful endurance is found in our Lord Jesus Christ alone. Paul, in his epistle in Romans 11, gives warning to the careless hearers in the churches. It is indeed a very grave warning, to say the least. And one of the great dangers of our time is indifference. Indifference leads to drifting away from the promises of eternal life. Many people who regularly attend church dutifully every week do so as a matter of habit or as an insurance policy thinking that this alone will save them. They sit in pews in the church, hear the word of God, but it does not have any power on or in their hearts. The word does not have any influence upon their life to change them into the image of Christ. They have no real love for Jesus Christ. It is not in their hearts. In Romans chapter 11, verses 7 through 10, Paul tells us the fate of Israel when God rejected her for her indifference. Verse 7. What then shall we conclude? Israel failed to obtain what it sought, God's favor for obedience to the law. Only the elect, those chosen few, obtained it, while the rest of them became callously indifferent, blinded, hardened, and made insensible to it. Verse 8, as it is written, God gave them a spirit and an attitude of stupor. Their eyes should not see and their ears should not hear. That it is continued down to this day. And David says, let their table, their feasting banquet, become a snare and a trap, a pitfall, and a just retribution rebounding like a boomerang upon them. And let their eyes be darkened so they cannot see, and make them bend their backs, stooping beneath their burden forever. You see, indifference is a deadly half-heartedness that leads to drifting into destruction and ruin. It is a blatant disregard for the things of God. These kinds of people believe they are marching into eternity, but they are so blinded by the hardening of their hearts towards God and his well-defined truths. And if we do not use our God-given privileges as a child of God, these privileges will one day be taken from us. Considering what John the Beloved said in his Gospel of 1 John 3, verses 1 and 3. See what an incredible quality of the love the Father has given, shown, bestowed on us, that we should be permitted to be named and called and counted the children of God? And so we are. The reason that the world does not know and recognize us is that it does not know and recognize and acknowledge Him. Beloved, we are even here and now God's children. It is not yet disclosed and made clear what we should be hereafter but we know that when he comes and is manifested we Verse 3 And everyone who has this hope resting on him cleanses and purifies himself, just as he is pure, chaste, undefiled, and guiltless. just think about that permitted to be named and called and counted the children of God this is truly a privilege and an honor we have now and also that which we shall live in even as we walk into eternity dear ones we dare not grow weary and become negligent in our spiritual lives and harden to the gospel to where it has no real effect on our lives in transforming us into Christ's image. There is no more convenient season of time that we must be sowing God's word in our hearts. The time is now, lest we become habitual drifters and lose out on our royal and rich inheritance which awaits us in heaven in eternity. This earth has nothing to offer in comparison to what awaits us. Only a person growing in maturity and a heart full of love for their Savior knows this as a fact. According to God's word from the beginning to the end of the Bible, we see that drifters cease to think seriously about their soul's condition and their eternal destination. They cease to have any desire for the gift of salvation that came with a cost for the one who died for them. The spirit of slumber comes covertly upon the drifters. The ruinous sleep of spiritual indifference causes their eyes to be darkened, and they cannot see how fast they are rapidly rushing to their own destruction. The word of the Lord in Proverbs 14, verses 9-12 is, Fools make a mock of sin, and sin mocks the fools who are its victims. A sin offering made by them only mocks them, bringing them disappointment and disfavor. But among the upright there is the favor of God. The heart knows its own bitterness, and no stranger shares its joy. Verse 11. The house of the wicked shall be overthrown, but the tent of the righteous shall flourish. There is a way which seems right to a man and appears straight before him, but at the end of it is the way of death. There is a fitting testimony about there is no such thing as a part-time commitment. The author goes on to say, there is no such thing as partial commitment. When the pilot of a giant airliner is speeding down the runway, there is a certain point he cannot decide to remain on the ground. And when he crosses that line, he is committed to the air, or the plane crashes disastrously. That pilot cannot change his mind when the plane is two-thirds of the way down the runway. The author of this testimony finishes by saying, Unfortunately, our churches are filled with members, who have never left the ground. They are sitting there for many years and many years gunning their engines. You see, this account is so very true. The evidence of so many people in churches who have never left the ground to seek their precious Savior is all too apparent in our day to day. Anything goes. You name it. that whatever is in the world is also in the church. They have a watered-down belief system that anything goes with God. As we have seen in the Word today, Apostle Paul especially warns us in thought against growing weary, because weariness leads to indifference, and indifference causes one to drift into destruction. I've always liked Prophet Hosea's admonition. in Hosea 10.12. Sow for yourselves according to righteousness, upright and standing with God. Reap according to mercy and lovingkindness. Break up your uncultivated ground, for it is time to seek the Lord, to inquire for and of him, to require his favor till he comes and teaches you righteousness and rains his righteous gift of salvation upon you. You see, God waits for us to sow the truth of his word in our hearts. He waits to see the seed sprout, and that being evidence of being kind in action, word, and deed, which resembles the Lord Jesus Christ. These all define spiritual maturity. This is called righteousness, and brings us into right standing with our Heavenly Father. Many people grow weary of well-doing in this lifelong process. They grow faint, and their harvest does not follow on their seed time. The admonition here for us is to watch for weariness and indifference to drifting away completely. God works slowly, but his work is sure and hidden most of the time for our own good. Results do not appear all at once. We cannot allow ourselves to be in a hurry. We must walk and not faint. The assurance that we have in due season is that we shall see the fruit of our increase. God declares in Leviticus chapter 26, verse 3, If you walk in my statutes and keep my commands and do them, I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield or increase and the trees of the field will yield their fruit. This is a promise. We shall definitely reap one day after our walk into eternity is finished. We have that promise. I has not seen what God has in store for those who love him. And I finish with an encouraging testimony told by a man who heard this story. it begins like this. The snow covered the ground, and three young boys were playing in it. A man said to them, Would you like to try to race with the promise of a prize for the winner? The boys agreed, and the man told them that his race was to be different. I will go to the other side of the field, he said, and when I give you the signal, you will start to run, and the one whose footsteps are the straightest in the snow will be the winner. As the race commenced, the first boy began looking at his feet to see that his steps were straight. The second lad just kept looking at his companion to see what they were doing. The third boy ran on ahead with his eyes fixed on the man on the other side of the field. The third boy was the winner, for his footsteps were straight in the snow. He kept his eyes fixed on the goal ahead of him. A long time ago, another man using similar words taught the same principle, and it was Paul. Forgetting what is behind and straining forward what is ahead, I press on towards the goal to win the prize for which Jesus Christ has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. You see, this is our walk. This is our final goal. We must always press on to take a hold of our prize. Jesus Christ is awaiting us with open arms. Let's always keep our eyes fixed on him. He is the Alpha. He is the Omega. He is our beginning and our end. As we continually walk on towards eternity, we are continually being reshaped into Christ's image by the Holy Spirit dwelling within us if we are faithful to the end. Faithful to the end. Thank you.