CCC #6 - Eternal Life #3 - The Final Resurrection
The Corrupt Christian Concepts Series
(All scripture quotes are from the BSB unless otherwise noted.)
This third and final manifestation of eternal life is the least corrupt and most well known, but still important.
The most corrupt thing about it is that it often substitutes in our mindset for the eternal life we already have. Yet, in scripture, the future is not directly referenced by the term “eternal life”, even though it is the final fulfillment of it.
I, and the epistolic authors, greatly value this promise that not only will the new physical body gain freedom from the ravages of sin, but the heavens and the earth will too.
Paul eloquently describes this in Romans 8:
“18-I consider that our present sufferings are not comparable to the glory that will be revealed in us. 19-The creation waits in eager expectation for the revelation of the sons of God. 20-For the creation was subjected to futility, not by its own will, but because of the One who subjected it, in hope 21-that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.
22-We know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until the present time. 23-Not only that, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24-For in this hope we were saved; but hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he can already see? 25-But if we hope for what we do not yet see, we wait for it patiently.”
Even though Paul doesn't use the word 'life', this is a good introduction, because we have an example of him describing two different manifestations - eternal life now and in the future - in verse 23.
Paul just finished describing how all who are led by the Spirit are children of God; we are co-heirs with Christ; and the Spirit testifies that we are God's children. His point is we have been joined in union with Christ in our spirit and are one spirit with Him (1 Cor. 6:17). Thus, existing in this fallen world involves suffering. You cannot be a child of God and be at peace with the evil in the world.
I don't mean that you are in some constant state of awareness. Paul is not giving some law where we must always be actively disturbed by the fallen world - that is certainly not fruit of the Spirit - that is not joy and peace. Yet, there is an existential conflict in our spirit where we recognize we are aliens in this world.
I think in modern western society, we look at the suffering of Paul's direct Roman audience and think, compared to them, we don't really suffer. I contend that this is because we don't truly consider the ravages of sin. Just because it is not resulting in someone else physically persecuting us, doesn't mean it isn't there.
Because we are now pure in heart, as we begin to recognize the truth of our own holiness, we will more and more see how the corruption of this fallen world and the power of sin wage war against us. We are children of light…thus the darkness of this world will always cause us suffering, whether we always realize it or not.
For Paul's audience this corruption of sin was truly in their face. It was not something they could easily ignore. Paul is giving them comfort in looking forward to this final manifestation of eternal life where sin is fully removed.
However, the corruption by the power of sin we face in this world, and even infecting our own bodies and brains, means we need to utilize the power of Christ's eternal life within us even more now! Do not focus on the future manifestation to the detriment of faith in the life we now have inside us.
Verse 18 - Our Glory
The main thing I want to point out in 18 is that Paul says the glory will be revealed “in us”. Notice that the glory is already there - in us. If he was referring to the future glory, it would not be within us now. Paul says this is a “treasure in jars of clay” in 2 Corinthians 4:7.
It is important to know that within the eternal life we have here on earth we already possess all the glory of Christ. As He prayed in John 17, He has given it to us now. This glory is the new creation. It is now, not only in the future.
Yet, what does Paul say - it will be fully revealed! The word translated “will be” is complicated. It does mean “what is meant to be”. Yet, it is a “present participle active” adverb. This means that it is something currently happening that will culminate in the action verb - the revealing. Do not read this as if nothing is revealed until the end. That is not what Paul means.
What he is actually saying is that the glory Christ has given us is being revealed now, but the culmination of that revelation will be in the final kingdom. But…he is not implying that we must wait until then to enjoy the glory. It is a complete gift that has already been given to us, yet, we are not fully able to see it for what it is.
In the 'love' chapter, Paul says in 1 Corinthians 13:12 -
“Now we see but a dim reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.”
Notice that we are already “fully known”. How amazing is that!
But, Paul is portraying the same thing as Romans 8. Christ has fully given us all His glory, but until the smoke screen of the world, the power of sin, and our fallen brain and body are removed, we cannot fully comprehend what that glory is or what it means. It has not been fully revealed.
Yet, we cannot let that discourage us from faith in our glory now! That is how we grow and bear fruit. When the glory Christ has given us, the new creation, shines through, and we bear the fruit of the Spirit, we get a glimpse of the full revelation that is coming. The gradual revelation of Christ's glory in us IS growth. As we grow in understanding of the glory we possess, it begins to shine through the fallen world fog as fruit of the Spirit.
Of course, the full revelation will be amazing! But make sure we live where we are - enjoy being partakers of the divine nature now - and show the glory we have been given as much as possible.
Verses 19-21- We Have Freedom the Creation is Waiting On
Verse 19 is fascinating. The fallen world is waiting for the full revelation of the children of God before it will be renewed! And in verse 21, how this happens is revealed.
“…brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.” The freedom is written as something we already have! Eventually the creation will be part of it, but we have it now. It is the freedom that is inherent with being a new creation - a child of God. It is freedom from the Law - which enables freedom from sin.
It is this 'freedom' that is eventually transformational even for the extended creation. Clearly in context of Romans 6 and his description of the “bondage to decay” here, Paul is referring to freedom from sin. We are no longer slaves of sin, we are already free. Yet, the rest of creation is not yet.
I know I address this ad nauseam, but this is such a crucial truth for believers. At our core, in our spirit, we are free from sin. Yes, we are trapped in a physical body that is not free from sin, but we are more than our body.
From the moment we become a new creation, at salvation, we are completely free from sin. We are not free from stupidity, but we are free from sin. We can always say no to sin. Being free from it doesn't force us to not choose it, and as believers, we can still choose it, but we no longer have to.
Even in the midst of describing the future manifestation of eternal life, Paul is still emphasizing our current freedom from sin due to having life now. Let's do a review of the death of every believer, it is so important.
While this may seem like a rabbit trail from the future manifestation of eternal life, it is not. Because the future manifestation of eternal life is used to water down the truth of the new creation now, we must be secure in our faith in this truth before we even consider the future. Let's review!
Christ Died TO Sin
In Christian circles, we often say Christ died “for our sin” - which is true. Yet, I have rarely heard it said that Christ died “to sin”. In the great exposition of our freedom from sin in Romans 6, Paul says just this:
“10-The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.
11-In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.” (NIV)
Notice that Christ died to sin. Why did He have to do that? He never sinned. The mechanism within redemption is certainly a mystery at times. But Paul is getting at a crucial truth.
Earlier in the chapter he says in many ways that our old self died with Christ - we were buried with Him through baptism (not water, spiritual) into his death, and then raised with Him, so we could walk (here on earth) in newness of life. Water baptism is a physical celebration picturing this spiritual truth.
Thus, in verse 10, Paul describes how Christ died to sin and now lives (as fully God and fully human) for God. And Christ did this once for all. Only once. He is our prototype for the new creation.
Thus, in verse 11, Paul brings us into the picture. The NIV actually gets it best by saying “in the same way”. Here is how Discovery Bible Copyright 2021 puts it:
3779 hoútō (an adverb, derived from the demonstrative pronoun, 3778 /hoútos, "this") – like this . . .; in this manner, in this way (fashion), in accordance with this description (i.e. corresponding to what follows); in keeping with; along this line, in the manner spoken.
When Paul switches to describing a believer, he uses that word ‘hoútō’ to say that just as he has described Christ, so also we should view ourselves. Do you view your spiritual state as being the same as Christ's? Thinking this way is crucial to walking well.
Your spiritual state is just as pure and holy as Christ's. Your good works did not give you this state of being, and your bad works don't impact it either. It was a gift. Faith in your new state of being - like Christ's - enables you to walk from that place.
Your Death to Sin is as True as God's Very Words
The word ’logizomai’ or 'count', also translated ‘consider’ or ‘reckon’, is a powerful word. At it's root is the word 'logos' which represents the very creative word of God. When John calls Christ the Word, he uses this word 'logos'. It is stronger than just thinking a certain way!
It is portraying that in the same way the physical creation was originally spoken into existence, so our new creation was caused by God. The new creation is just as real as the physical creation.
Paul uses this word many times in Romans 4 when describing how God accounts righteousness by faith; and also in 4:8 where he quotes David saying “blessed is the man to whom God does not account sin”.
Thus, we see Paul's powerful argument. As deeply as God Himself has made us righteous, in a way as powerful as God Himself, in this same way we must have faith we are dead to sin and alive to God. We are just as dead to sin and alive to God as Christ is. And this is now, not only in the future. We must consider this truth to be as true as God's very existence and creative power.
Dying to Self 'Daily' is Fleshly
I will do a future CCC on “dying daily to self”, but notice that Christ died to sin once, and in the exact same way, we died to sin once. Our old self died and then we were born again; re-created; a new creation.
This happened once. Just like Christ, we will never die again. We are now the new self, and the new self is the mechanism through which our union with Christ empowers our life and walk. If we try to die to the new self, then we are dying to the power that gives us victory over sin. I realize those who teach this may be sincere, but by their unscriptural verbiage, it leads to rejecting the very power we have within.
Often this idea leads to trying to stop sinning using the flesh, which is just another form of sin! Welcome to the trap that the enemy has tricked so many teachers - and hence believers - into. By twisting scripture, we are led into believing a concept that ends up sending us into a fleshly way of thinking.
Yes, we die to the old self - but only once. We then become the new self. So dying to self is a scriptural concept, but only once. Don't spin your wheels trying to die to self when you are new. Reject the flesh when it tempts you with lies, but you are no longer “in the flesh”, so these temptations are not coming from your core - they are of the enemy and to be rejected. Know which team you are on - the new self is on God's team.
Reject lies and stupid thinking - not your new self. Learning the difference is crucial. Scripture never calls on you to reject the new self. Only by embracing the new creation will you ever be able to genuinely reject the flesh and sin. Don't let this subtle enemy lie trip you up! No matter how many teachers teach it.
All That Matters is the New Creation
The power of the new creation is how we live and walk well. And when your faith is pointed at your own new self - Christ's work, of course - but still you, then you have a powerful place from which to live and walk: newness of life. Baptism is an amazing picture of this: raised to walk in newness of life.
I want to be clear - even this is twisted in the world. The idea of “trust your heart” is in the common vernacular. However, only once Christ has re-created you as a new creation should we begin to trust our new self. For an unbeliever, trusting their heart is the worst advice. But Christ has massively changed a believer, so we truly can learn to trust our new heart.
2 Corinthians 5:17 - “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come!”
Are you saved? Then you are “in Christ”. There is much scripture that indicates these are synonymous. You cannot be saved unless you are in Christ. Thus, Paul says you are a new creation now. The old you is gone, the new has come. You are not waiting for the new to come - it has!
This is always what is referred to when the phrase “new creation” is used in scripture. Obviously, when the new world is re-created you can call it a “new creation”, but that is not how scripture uses the phrase. It always references human believers.
You are not progressively becoming a new creation as you study scripture or go to church, etc. You are one now. The only purpose for all of these activities is to help you (and others) understand and put faith in the new creation.
As Paul continues to portray, we are ambassadors for this message of reconciliation with God through which we become a new creation. That is our purpose. To walk as new creations and thus be ambassadors for our new family. It's that simple - no hoops. We are secure. And from that place of security, we can be genuine ambassadors for our new family.
Galatians 6:15b - “…the only thing that matters is a new creation!”
Why is this so Seldom Taught?
Perhaps my nearly 50 years in church and Christian culture is unique. I don't want to disparage all teachers. However, until I found this new creation truth myself, and thus deliberately sought out teachers who taught it, I never heard this message. At least not in the way Paul portrays it.
Is that not sad? Something that Paul says is of utmost importance - the only truth that really matters! Yet, it is seldom emphasized or if it is, it becomes something primarily in the future. The enemy has truly distracted us from what is important.
There could be many reasons why, but as I meditated on this, what comes to mind is that a proper understanding of the new creation refuses to feed the flesh. The fleshly mindsets that are often engrained in our brains are opposed by the new creation concept.
What do I mean by this? Consider that as a new creation, there is truly nothing left to do existentially. All the lists of rules to self-improve are utterly useless. We are not becoming a “newer or better creation” by following rules. There is literally nothing left for us to do that will improve ourselves spiritually.
All these Christian rituals or disciplines that many put so much faith into to give value and meaning are thus abject failures at what we think they are accomplishing. The flesh hates this.
The flesh always wants to take action to make us feel better about ourselves. It wants us to find value through our own production. The flesh not only wants us doing bad looking stuff, it also wants us doing seemingly good things for the wrong reasons.
Religious Flesh is Still the Flesh
Often “religious flesh” is touted as the way to be in God's will or please Him! Wow! This mindset is so backwards. You can always tell this fleshly teaching because it follows the “carrot and stick” template. We become the donkey motivated to “work for God” by promises of blessings or threats of punishment.
For believers, this is often trying to achieve things that we already have because we are new creations - closeness to God, holiness, forgiveness, etc. But, we are not a donkey to be driven by reward or pain.
Don't misunderstand. I am not saying these spiritual activities have no value. What I am saying is that their value, as a new creation, is totally disconnected from what mainstream Christian thinking portrays. We are not achieving anything new spiritually by these activities.
We are not being perfected by these things - they are simply helping us grow in knowledge of the perfection we have already been given as a gift - the new creation. We are not becoming newer - but we are gradually recognizing we are new and all the immense implications of that fact.
This is why teaching that does not have the new creation at its core is quite simply a waste of time. It sends believers off on wild goose chases, trying to become something they already are. It causes them to try and create by works something they have already been gifted by grace.
We don't need to try and become something else, we are already new! It is Christ's work! All that is needed is to more and more release that “treasure in an earthen vessel”. Let the “new you” shine! That is our purpose in life.
Don't try to improve the treasure - the new creation. Christ already made you a new creation - and He did a perfect job - you cannot make it better. But do learn about who you are in Christ and point your faith at that work. Or, how have you learned Christ?
The New Creation Removes the Need for Tribalism
In this vein, the new creation removes the necessity of religious tribalism. There are only two 'tribes': those who are new creations and those who are not. Thus, the hidden flesh motivation many of us have to be more right than the other tribe goes away.
As new creations, we are existentially safe from being wrong. Being right or wrong does not impact our “eternal life”. The most ignorant new creation is by default in a better place than the most theologically informed unbeliever. Even the demons believe in God and tremble! But they can never be new creations.
Yet again, don't misunderstand me. Scripture is full of the idea that believing truth is important - even for believers. My entire purpose in writing is to help believers recognize subtle lies and come to a better understanding of the truth. I'm not saying it is good for believers to be idiots - only that it doesn't change your new creation status.
When properly understood, the good news or gospel, through which we become new creations, gives us the freedom to be wrong! We are safe in Christ from the requirements of trying to perfect ourselves. Take a sigh of relief - Christ has given us all the perfection we need - it is no longer our responsibility!
Thus, as new creations, we can relax! The learning is a journey, but Christ has done the hard part - we are in the family, we are righteous, we have peace with God. There is nothing left to do except give thanks and bask in and be motivated by His love and grace as shown through the new creation.
As I covered in one of my first CCC articles, repentance is a “change of mind”. The new creation enables repentance. We are free to have wrong beliefs, and thus repent, and change our minds about them. Wrong beliefs are no longer the threat they once were. We are free to grow in grace and knowledge of Christ. The new creation obliterates the idolatry of beliefs.
Just as you cannot undo your new creation status by sin, you also can't by having wrong beliefs. Don't give into the enemy mindset of condemnation where your value and worth is determined by always being right.
New Creation: A Rejected Truth
For many, this message of the new creation is not welcome. It is certainly not welcome among religious unbelievers, but even for believers, it is often not welcome.
Perhaps this is due to the enemy subduing the message or making it into misinformation. Perhaps many would welcome the freedom of the new creation truth if they understood it. I have certainly experienced and seen this.
However, for others, it is simply not welcome. It challenges their pre-conceived notions. They get offended that all their activities are not bringing them “closer to God”. Rather than seeing the genuine self-worth inherent in being a new creation, they see it as demeaning since their own view of their value is tied up in their spiritual productivity.
Others perhaps are fearful of this new creation truth. They are afraid of “falling into sin” if they abandon their spiritual work based traditions. Like the Pharisees, they see rules as guard rails to keep them in God's good graces. They fear condemnation if they don't have these guard rails. They simply cannot overcome these fears and trust in what God has made them - a new creation.
Yet others walk by sight and not faith. They are physical realists. They recognize that they still submit their members to sin, perhaps on a regular basis. They focus on their addictions and sin, not their Savior.
Thus, they 'see' their own issues, and the enemy has convinced them they are inevitable and they are trapped. They struggle to believe in the scriptural concept of the new creation. How can they be new when they struggle so much?
These are all self-fulfilling beliefs. The lack of faith in the new creation creates the conditions for failure. Then the failure continues to feed the lack of faith. And the answer is to stop having more faith in failures than in Christ's work - the gospel - manifested within us as a new creation.
It is certainly not a coincidence that I will be covering 'faith' next (thanks to a reader for the suggestion). This is a vital concept in order to set our minds on these truth and allow the Holy Spirit to work through our new creation to impact and empower our life and walk.
New Creation Conclusion
The new creation is the silver thread through everything I believe and write. It is truly that important. It is everything that the gospel is all about.
Without the new creation, the gospel, and much of scripture, makes little sense. It is like the cypher that gives meaning to the rest. Paul could not have put it better: “…all that matters is the new creation.”
The new creation is the spiritual package through which we receive all of the new covenant promises of God accomplished by the finished work of Christ. As Peter puts it, we are partakers of the divine nature because of His exceeding great and precious promises.
The new creation is the spiritual embodiment of these promises within every believer. Here is but a sample of the promises fulfilled in the new creation:
Forgiveness - yes, Christ has to take away the sins of the world in order to enable the new creation, but your ongoing forgiveness is tied up in being a new creation. As John says in 1 John 4:17, we do not fear judgment, because in this world we are just like Christ. That is the new creation. Christ never needs to forgive Himself, thus we are as safe as Him as new creations.
Justification - in the same way, yes justification paved the way for the new creation, but being a new creation is what maintains your justified status through eternity. Justification is not simply God's heavenly bookkeeping, it is something He has actually done to us - the new creation. Once you become a new creation, even God cannot change His mind and punish you since he cannot punish Himself.
Sanctification and holiness - as a new creation, you have been set apart and made holy. The new creation is already sanctified and holy. We don't always reflect that truth by “set apart” or holy attitudes and actions, but that doesn't change the fact we are new creations. Any truly sanctified behavior must flow from your new creation heart - or it is not sanctified behavior - “Whatever is not of faith is sin”.
Redemption - the new creation is the manifestation of redemption - the purpose. Redemption and the new creation are two sides of the same coin. The new creation is the result of redemption, and we are redeemed because we are new creations. We are only waiting on the redemption of our bodies. We will get there in Romans 8.
Salvation - unless you are a new creation, you are not saved. Period. It is why we consider ourselves 'saved'. The new creation is pure, holy, and heaven ready. We are God's child because we were birthed as a new creation. Pure and simple, salvation equals being a new creation. You are either a new creation or you are not saved.
Eternal Life - the new creation is caused by God giving us His life and thus making us alive. Our living heart within our living spirit is the core of being a new creation. It is the manifestation of eternal life within us here and now. They go hand in hand.
I could go on, but every concept we associate with Christianity has its fulfilment in the new creation. Yes, there is a final kingdom where the full radiance and implication of the new creation will be released. And that is a wondrous hope!
But don't let the enemy use that to lessen the impact of the new creation now. Scripture is clear: anyone who is in Christ is a new creation. We should be focused on figuring out what that means rather than wasting time trying to pull ourselves up by our own spiritual bootstraps.
A new creation is raised and seated with Christ. There is no more pulling up to do. We can't 'backslide' since we are not climbing a pole to God anyway! We are already there. Our only job is to stop ignoring what Christ has done. Embrace and wallow in it. It is quite an awesome thing.
Back to Romans 8:19-22 - The Rest of Creation is Waiting for the Full Revelation of our Current New Creation
Romans 8:19 indicates that the created world is waiting for the final kingdom revelation of our own new creation. That is incredible to consider!
In verse 20, once again, I struggle with translators adding words to scripture unnecessarily. This pertains to either the implication or direct translation that God Himself subjected the creation to futility, thus creation has lost its purpose and meaning.
I'm not going to get into the truth or not of this concept now. That is not my point. My point is that the translators believe God subjected it, so they add to the Greek when translating into English to make it say what they believe.
However, the Greek only has the word 'the' as modifying ‘subjecting’. Scripture never says who does the subjection. Again, not going there today. I will simply say that the wages of sin is death, even for the non-human creation.
And that is Paul's point here. Because of the power of sin in this world, all creation has become a subject of sin - ruled by it. It has corrupted the creation that God called good. And yet, through our own new creation, through the redemption arc of the finished work of Christ, ultimately all of creation will be redeemed.
Whoever was responsible for subjecting creation to sin - (hint: maybe it was the humans put in charge of managing the creation) - the fact remains that it has been subjected to sin. Notice that creation did not choose this - sadly, only humans would do that!
This subjection is what Paul is emphasizing in verses 21 and 22. I will get to 'hope' in a bit, but it does not mean what it usually does in English. It is not something that might not happen.
Paul is saying that despite the futility, the bondage to decay, and the pain and groanings like a mother birthing, God's plan is for the creation itself to be brought into the glorious freedom we already have as new creations. Yet, that freedom is still yet to be fully revealed.
Verses 23-25 - The Full Revelation of us as New Creations
Paul then compares the groaning of all creation with the conflict believers have with the fallen world. The new creation within is in a full frontal battle with the forces of darkness and the power of sin, which infects the world and our own bodies and brains.
Paul calls us the firstfruits of the Spirit. This is yet another reference to the new creation. Again, the Spirit has birthed us into a new creation, connected to the Trinity. Christ, speaking of believers, says in John 14:23b -
“We will come to him and make Our home with him.”
Paul then makes a curious statement - “we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons”.
Note: at this time in history, it is a historical fact that males took precedence over females in society. In scripture, God demonstrates, especially through the gospel, His true view of the sexes as equal yet different.
However, He used human authors, in their own societal context, to write His truth. As He did throughout history, (particularly in the old testament), He did not try to disavow the authors of every misunderstanding they may have had.
Not considering this is a common error made by both the detractors and the rabid defenders of scripture. If you do not consider this, and further if you do not consider the progressive revelation of scripture, then you will be prone to all sorts of errors.
You must view scripture as a gospel narrative. It is not a science textbook (though it has science), it is not a history book (though it has a lot of history), and most importantly, it is not a rule book (though it does have some rules). The purpose of all of it’s context and narrative is ultimately the gospel, and specifically Christ. This should be the main interpretive lens we use as we read scripture.
Back to adoption. It is clear that Paul is including females. But, he makes this 'adoption' seem future. It is something we are eagerly awaiting. But Paul, haven't you already said we are adopted? I mean only 6 verses before in Romans 8:15 -
“For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” (ESV)
So, what gives? Are we children of God or not? Well, as usual, Paul answers his own dilemma: “the redemption of our bodies.”
To Appreciate Heaven, you Must Appreciate the New Creation
I hope you can see why I started with this passage. While Paul spends more words writing about the new creation now, he never ignores the final completion of the redemption process. I don't want to either.
Paul speaks of this longing for completion as “inward groaning”. The reason I wrote about the new creation is because you cannot truly appreciate what is to come until you have faith in what is now.
The new creation, the treasure within us, longs to be released from the captivity of this body and world. How can it not? It is beauty, goodness, and light - it is purity and holiness. The darkness of this world, and even the power of sin tempting us with dark things in our mind, is repressive and causes suffering.
Again, to appreciate what is to come, you must know who you are now. It is kind of an oxymoron - the more you understand your own new creation - the more successfully you submit to it here on earth - the more light you shine.
Yet, subsequently, you also begin to realize how suppressive this fallen world is. How much more you could be expressing righteousness without the hindrances. As you recognize the light within you, the darkness seems ever more darker. You begin to see it for what it truly is. And the more you long for what is to come.
Lies We Believe
Perhaps you have believed the enemy lie that you have a wicked, deceitful heart as a believer. This is a common twisting of old covenant scripture. The tragedy of this mindset is that it leads you to think you have more in common with the darkness than the light. If many believers were honest, they feel like they belong on the enemy team, not God's. This is because of this destructive twisting of scripture.
You are then tricked into useless rituals, “dead works” as Hebrews 6 calls them, in order to try and reach the light somehow. To get closer to God; to keep yourself in fellowship with Him; to prevent backsliding; to not be living 'in' sin - or whatever other useless pursuit.
Whatever the faithless phrase, they represent the many ways scripture is abused to produce this mindset. They all flow from this same lie:
You are not new, you are a wicked person who God is letting into heaven because - you asked Him to?
God is overlooking your true self, and putting blinders on - He has not really made you new.
This mindset emphasizes mercy over grace. It is a mindset that aschews the new creation. It leads to thinking that despite this world not being your home, you actually have more in common with it than your real family!
Thus, when the worldly thoughts come, you more easily give in, because psychologically you have been conditioned that they fit your identity better. The bad idea is: “You really want to sin, but you better not, 'cause God is gonna getcha.’” This could not be further from the truth. You don't really want to sin, and there is no condemnation if you do.
Heaven is not a “Church Service in the Sky”
Perhaps, you have bought the lie that the final kingdom will be a stuffy religious place - an eternal “church service in the sky”. This is the other side of the same coin. A legitimate concept of the new creation teaches us that every activity can be holy and set apart to God. There are no special activities that please God - what pleases God is that every activity is empowered by the new creation.
Thus, the activities in the final kingdom that we enjoy may not change much! A believing artist will still enjoy art and beauty in the final kingdom, but what they have been searching for on this earth will be fully revealed. There will be no hindrances to mar their expression of goodness and beauty. And no more arthritic hands to deal with!
A musician will never have a sore throat. A carpenter will never have aches and pains, or knots in the wood (unless they are beautiful). Resources will be plentiful, no concern over depletion. The list could go on and on.
Does this sound like a “church service in the sky?” We will simply exist in a continuous state of connection with God, unmasked by the fog of sin. Everything we do will be worship. Absolutely, there will be learning and singing as part of this worship, but there is far more than just that.
It will be Eden without the threat of sin. Christ has dealt with the threat, once for all, for all time. Yet, enemy mindsets have crept in to dilute our concept of both the new creation now and the final kingdom. We become trapped - if we are honest, we feel more at home in the world, and heaven feels rather boring. This also could not be further from the truth.
Spiritual Peer Pressure
I actually want to emphasize this point, because I have had to face it in my past. I realize I cannot speak for anyone else, but I'm also not sure that many of our spiritual communities foster an environment where honesty can thrive - if it goes against their particular narrative. Perhaps your experience is different, I truly hope so!
But for many, much like humanity in general, there is 'spiritual' peer pressure to conform. It is certainly not of the Spirit, but the pressure exists to never truly question things too deeply lest you seem less godly. Faith is confused with mass adherence to ideas whether they make sense or truly fit scripture or not. The implication is you should conform or you are not trusting God in some way.
Is this my natural cynicism coming out? Consider the concept of heaven as the “eternal church service of the sky”. I am not speaking abstractly. Those who's teaching would lead to this mentality would also say or imply that if this idea is somehow naturally repugnant to you, then you are not spiritual enough or maybe not even saved! I have experienced this first person.
So, let's be honest. Many of us, myself included in the past, have forced ourselves to smile and go along with many notions lest we be considered less spiritual. Perhaps we even eventually think we are good with it. In this case, pushing down the 'worldly' notion that heaven is actually going to be enjoyable (doing things we actually enjoy).
This is not Paul's vision of reality. His vision of a creation liberated from sin is truly living at its best. It is fun. It is not stodgy religious drudgery where we have to fake enjoyment to seem 'spiritual'. Thank God! Since guilt always flows from the enemy camp, we will actually be able to enjoy every aspect of our life without feeling a mental nagging that because we are enjoying it, it must somehow be worldly!
The world, as an enemy, will no longer have influence - thus nothing we will do will ever be ‘worldly’ again. We will finally be able to fully relax and realize that everything we are doing is actually godly. We will no longer have the influence of legalists who thrive on making us feel guilty by defining normal human joys as “worldly”. Even they will be having fun in heaven!
Back to Romans 8 - HOPE
In 8:24, Paul makes an interesting statement: “in this hope you were saved”. Again, he is emphasizing that they are clearly already 'saved' - they have eternal life now. But, again, there is more to come. And Paul says this future hope is a part of our salvation.
Discovery Bible Copyright 2021 says this about hope:
1680 elpís (from elpō, "to anticipate, welcome") – properly, expectation of what is sure (certain); hope.
Unlike English where there is an uncertainty with the word hope, in the Greek, it is “anticipation based on a confident expectation” because it is based on God's promises. Even though it hasn't happened yet, we know it will.
What Paul is saying is that we can have a confident expectation that just like the 1st and 2nd manifestation of eternal life has happened, the 3rd final manifestation will also happen.
Eternal life, or Christ's life joined to ours, simply exists. When it takes effect, it makes our spirit and heart alive. That is the 1st manifestation. Though trapped within this fallen body and brain, it continues helping us to learn and grow and live as being ‘alive’. That is the 2nd manifestation.
And finally, there is the confident expectation that the 3rd manifestation will also happen when we get new bodies and the rest of creation is renewed. Eternal life will have completed it's work and we will enjoy it unfettered for eternity.
Paul is encouraging his audience that despite the suffering a “new creation” experiences living in a corrupted creation, we can have a confident expectation that God's ultimate eternal life promises will happen.
The cool thing is that confidence in Heaven builds your confidence in your eternal life now! It helps you realize that only living people, infused with Christ's life, can ever get into Heaven. Unlike the enemy's twisting of this idea - trying to make believers think victory over sin is only in the future - it helps us have confidence in eternal life now.
Without further ado, let's take a look at the few 3rd manifestation of 'life' verses.
We are a Fragrance of Life to Life
2 Corinthians 2:15-16a - “15-For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, 16-to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life.” (ESV)
I won't belabor this passage, but I want to point out a couple things. First, Paul says believers are an aroma of Christ to others. We are children of light, thus we shine a light. We can choose to dim that light, but we cannot put it out. We can choose to mask the aroma, but it flows from all true believers anyway.
My main point is that Paul's uses the phrase “from life to life” when discussing how we influence other believers. This is a curious phrase. There is not a lot of context - Paul is speaking of him and his fellow travelers who teach and live Christ and the gospel.
This reminds me of the next chapter where Paul speaks of how the ministry of the Law and the ministry of the Spirit are in violent conflict. He speaks of those under the ministry of the Spirit in a certain way:
2 Corinthians 3:15-27 - “15-But to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their hearts; 16-but whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17-Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18-But we all, with unveiled faces, looking as in a mirror at the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.” (NASB)
Much like Paul speaks of “life to life” in chapter 2, now he speaks of “glory to glory” in chapter 3. What could he mean?
We know for sure we have eternal life now. Our spirit and heart, though trapped in this fallen body, are alive. And as Christ prayed in John 17, we have God's glory now because we are joined and fused to the Trinity. Paul speaks of those “in Christ” as new creations now, we are not waiting. Thus, we have life and glory now.
Paul speaks of our life and glory now leading to more life and glory! Thus, Paul is speaking of the 2nd and 3rd manifestations of eternal life. We are alive now, but there is more to come once sin no longer fogs up the mirror. As Paul uses a mirror analogy above, we have the full mirror of the Spirit now. We are new creations. Yet, the influence of sin and the flesh can cloud that mirror.
There is a transforming process because we are alive - this is called growth. The Trinity now influences our souls through our spirit that is alive. Our souls are an influence chamber - we can be influenced by sin and the flesh or by God through our own alive spirit. But as we grow, we learn to allow the Godly influence to reign more and more. As believers, we can now choose what influences us.
However…at the same time…see that Paul says this 'tranformation' is from life to life and glory to glory. Do Not Miss This! Though this growth process is described as 'transformation' it is not changing anyone's state of being. You are not becoming more alive - you are not getting more glory. You do not get more of Christ! Period!!
This is the gravest mistaken mindset we can have. We can lose hope and faith in our current life and glory because of the obstacles of sin and the flesh. We can think “victory over sin” is only in the future, perhaps when we get more mature or only in heaven.
THIS IS NOT TRUE!! Do not diminish the life and glory you have now by comparing to what is to come. Do not fall for the enemy lie that victory is always just around the corner. Believe 2 Peter 1 which promises that you have “everything you need for life and godliness”. Do not let the hope and excitement for what is to come damage your faith in what is now.
If you have been a Christian for 5 minutes or 50 years, you are a new creation. You have all of the Spirit - all of the promises of God through the finished work of Christ apply to you. You may not know them all, but when sin comes calling, you don't need more knowledge to say no. Victory is literally living within you. Victory is Christ - Christ in you.
Yes, we should have a confident expectation of seeing the life and glory we have now clearly with no obstacles in the future…but we are free of the obstacles now by faith. Let's live now from our life and glory while still looking forward to when it will be easier! Do not let the future promises diminish the power of the current promises you can experience now.
The Hope of Eternal Life
As I studied this topic, I was surprised to find that life or eternal life is even more rarely used to describe this final kingdom than I thought. We obviously know from other descriptions that this 3rd manifestation of eternal life is true. 1 Corinthians 15 is the go to place describing the final resurrection.
But, the phrase eternal life is rarely used to describe this. Certainly, the very term ‘eternal’ means it continues forever. And Paul emphasizes many places that there is more to come, as I have shown.
As Paul defined in Romans 8, 'hope' means something that is not seen, yet has been promised by God. He uses this term to describe eternal life in only one place that I can find.
Titus 3:6-7 - “6-This is the Spirit He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7-so that, having been justified by His grace, we would become heirs with the hope of eternal life.”
Elsewhere, Paul describes the Spirit we now have as a deposit guaranteeing what is to come. This passage is similar.
The Fun Aorist Tense
Even though he uses the word hope, I still see this passage describing our current eternal life. All of the verbs in verse 7 are aorist tense.
Scholars are all over the place with aorist tense, and I admit, it is hard to interpret. You can sign up for a free viewing of the following article if you want detail of the controversies.
http://www.jstor.org/stable/3263206
The general idea with aorist tense is a past action that has ongoing action into the future. There is no specific time period used for this tense. It indicates a past action, but it is not an action that ends in the past.
In other words, this is the way I have been describing eternal life. We receive it at a single time, which if we are a believer, happened in the past. Yet, it is not as if we receive it and then it is over and done. It is a past action by Christ within us that continues to work forever into the future.
Greek has a past, present, and future tense just like English. But Aorist is unique. So, past tense would be like I gave you the gift of a cup of coffee and you drank it - in the past. Aorist would describe me giving you a gift of a coffee subscription into eternity. You received the gift of the subscription once in the past but it keeps on giving. Perhaps a poor analogy, but I hope you get what I am saying.
Back to Titus 3:6-7
So, given the aorist tense, what Paul is saying in this passage is because we have been given the Spirit (which makes us a new creation), we have been justified by faith. This justification made us heirs with Christ, with a confident expectation of the eternal life within us (though we can't see it).
Yes, that eternal life means we will end up in the new heaven and earth, but even in this verse, the emphasis is still on the eternal life we have now. Paul is describing the entirety of of our salvation experience, not just a future event.
Future Manifestation of Eternal Life - Conclusion
I have to admit being somewhat surprised that there is little direct reference to the future manifestation of eternal life in scripture. I mean we know this is true, and it is referenced in other ways, as I covered in Romans 8. Paul often speaks of this manifestation.
His famous phrase “For me to live is Christ and to die is gain” directly references both the present and future manifestations of eternal life! His life now is impacted by Christ's eternal life within, yet he is still looking forward to the experience of that same life without the hindrances of the fallen world.
Thus, obviously, we should never ignore this future impact of our eternal life.
Yet, it is quite the shame that many believers see this term as only future, to the detriment of living in dependence on their eternal life now.
Certainly, until the fog of sin is lifted from the fallen world, we will struggle to understand and utilize this amazing gift. But having a mindset that all or most of the benefits are in the future will greatly hinder our lives now! The enemy is greatly pleased with this.
So, I implore you, my dear believing reader, yes, have a confident expectation of this future time without the fog of sin. It is truly something to look forward to. There is no pleasure or fulfillment you have now that will not be exponentially multiplied then!
But, please recognize that you will not be getting more of Christ's life then - you already have all of it now. This gives you everything you need for life and godliness. You can get through the fog now by faith and let eternal life impact you in miraculous and wondrous ways.
This is a perfect place to emphasize and end with my point for this entire series. We have Christ's perfect and powerful life within us - we are connected to this power at our core. Don't ignore this truth! We can absolutely ignore it and squash it by not understanding or believing it.
I implore you, choose to learn and grow in the eternal life you possess as a gift. It is a gift package that includes the fruit of the Spirit. As this fruit makes us way from in to out, it impacts everything in your life. And you will begin to enjoy life in a way you may have never experienced before - not based on your circumstances, but based in a confident expectation that you are a new creation.
All of this is powered by faith. Thus, I am greatly looking forward to my next study: faith. Stay tuned!