Yes! There Is Good News! 4.14.22

God in all of His wisdom has not only created a world where life can exist and prosper and grow (the earth), but has given to us the reality (if we will accept it) of an eternal life where His creation (that’s us) may fully engage with Him as we fully come to know Him.

The prayer Jesus offered up to the Father at the end of His final Passover meal is found in John 17. The entirety of the chapter contains this prayer that He gave for His apostles, His disciples and for “those who will believe in Him through their message” (John 17:20).

He begins that prayer with this: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. For you granted to Him authority over all people that He might give eternal life to all those you have given Him. Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” (John 17:1-3)

It has been said that the Gospel of John is one where we find many definitions of spiritual ideas. In the above quote, Jesus gives us (through the pen of John) an interesting definition of eternal life: ‘That we may know God and His Son.’ I guess when I read that, I come to understand just how incredibly complex and how awesome our God is!!

Today, in this fleshly body, our small minds can, in no way, comprehend the nature and the abilities of an eternal God. But in that day (the day of eternity), all mysteries will be made known. Paul puts it this way in his first letter to the Corinthians in 2:9, “It is written that no eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him.” Paul is here quoting from Isaiah 64:4 but he goes on to make this statement, “But God has revealed it to us by His Spirit.”

Those who have God’s Holy Spirit dwelling in them today, have a head start in coming to know God. Later in that same letter, Paul tells us that “Now we see but through a glass darkly, (kind of like a poor reflection in a mirror) but then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully.” (1 Cor. 13:12) What an awesome thought to hang our hope onto; face to face with God our Father. And remember what we talked about in our previous article “The hope that God intends for us is an assurance of what He has promised based on His word of truth. And God’s words are pure, holy and true.”

Paul tells us about this resurrection from the dead in this same letter to the Corinthians. In Chapter 15 Paul elaborates on the topic. Paul makes these comments, “If for this life only we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.” (verse 19) “If the dead are not raised, let us eat and drink for tomorrow we die.” (verse 32) If all we have is this life – well, really what’s the use?

Paul does spend some time in this chapter 15 giving proof to all who have eyes to see that there is a resurrection from the dead. Perhaps we’ll consider more of his words in our next article.