CENTRAL THOUGHT
Believers should know that they are pilgrims on earth; heaven is our destination.
TEXT: HEB. 11:8-16; 12: 18-29
INTRODUCTION:
The first step that must be taken by anyone who wishes to partake in eternity with God is to accept Jesus Christ as his Lord and personal Savior. Such a one must be born again (John 3:3, 5). After this great experience of new life in Christ, the believer must live his life on earth daily as a pilgrim on a journey seeking a city which has foundation, whose builder and maker is God (Heb. 11:10). This then calls for a lifestyle which depicts those who have eternity in view. Some believers live their lives today according to the dictates of the world, as if all about them ends in this world.
If our hope ends in this world we are of all men most miserable (1 Cor. 15:19).
Since we are on a journey to eternity, we must therefore live our lives to please Him who has called us, by passing the time of our sojourning here in fear (1 Pet.1:7). God is a holy God and if we must spend eternity with Him, we must be holy also in all areas of our lives (1 Pet.1:15-16).
In this first part of the study, we shall be looking at what living and eternity in view entails and examples of some people in the scriptures who lived with eternity in view.
LESSON OBJECTIVES
- To know what eternity means.
- Understand what it means to live with eternity in view.
- Appreciate why a believer must live with eternity in view.
- Know the common features of a life that is lived without eternity in view;
and - Discuss how some people in the scriptures lived with eternity in view.
BIBLE TRUTH:
QUESTION 1) WHAT DOES ETERNITY MEAN?
Eternity has been defined as time without end, world without end. From this, one point is clearly seen, and it is that eternity has no end. Thus, eternity has to do with those things that are eternal which will last beyond our lives here on earth.
Every believer therefore should be conscious of the fact that there is an eternity. We should all prepare for eternity. Believers who run the race successfully to the end will
spend eternity with God while the unbelievers will spend eternity with Satan and his angels in hell. The opportunity to choose to spend eternity with God is still available to us now that we still have breath.
QUESTION 2) WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO “LIVE WITH ETERNITY IN VIEW”?
Jesus has promised all believers that He is going to prepare a place for them and would come again to take them so that where He is there they will be also (John 14:1-3). Anyone
expecting to be with Christ forever must live a life that is pleasing and acceptable in His sight. Such a person must seek those things which are above and also set his affections on things above not on things on the earth (Col.3:1-3).
In pursuance of this, we must daily present our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God which is our reasonable service. We must not be conformed to this
world but must be transformed daily by renewing our minds. By so doing we will be able to prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God (Rom.12:2).
We must live in this world bearing on mind that we are strangers and pilgrims on our way to heaven.
QUESTION 3) WHY MUST A BELIEVER LIVE WITH ETERNITY IN VIEW?
An old song goes thus “this world is not my own I’m just passing through”. It is imperative that we should realize that all genuine believers have their citizenship in heaven.
Jesus stated it clearly that we believers are not of this world (John 17:14). We are looking forward to a city whose builder and maker is God (Heb.11:10). If we must therefore
partake in this, we must then live lives that will take us there. The consciousness of these realities should greatly motivate us to live with eternity in view.
We do not know when we will leave this world to meet our God neither do we know when the trumpet will sound for the rapture. This calls for living in preparedness to meet the
Lord whenever He calls us to be with Him.
QUESTION 4) WHAT ARE SOME OF THE FEATURES OF A LIFE THAT IS LIVED WITHOUT
ETERNITY IN VIEW?
There are some features that clearly show that one is not living with eternity in view. A few of these are briefly discussed below:
a. Friendship with the world (James 4:4).
Friendship with the world is enmity with God. Anyone
living by the dictates of the world is not living with eternity in view. The love for the world and things in the world should not take the place of the love for the things of God in our lives (1 John 2:15-17). We must be careful therefore not to be carried away by the cares of this world (Matt.13:22) or try to gain the world at the expense of our souls (Matt.16:26).
b. Unholy Living
Our God is a holy God and cannot behold iniquity (Hab.1:13a). Anyone living an unholy life will not spend eternity with God: for God abhors sin. Such an individual will have his part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstones (Rev.21:8).
c. Trusting in riches (Prov.11:28; Mk.10:17-25; Luke 12:16-20).
Those who put their trust in riches can never live with eternity in view. Such people will have no room for God in their lives as they will pursue riches at all costs. Some people trust in uncertain riches rather than the living God.
Some, for the love of money have erred from the faith and have pierced themselves through with many sorrows (1 Tim.6:10).
QUESTION 5) HOW DID THE FOLLOWING LIVE THEIR LIVES WITH ETERNITY IN VIEW?
(a). Abraham (Heb.11:8-16) God called Abraham to leave his place of nativity and go into a place which he had no idea of what it would look like and he obeyed. He lived in tents as a sojourner because he
looked for a city whose builder and maker is God. Even his wealth and affluence did not tie him down to any particular location (Heb.13:14). He lived by the instructions that God
gave him and obeyed them to the letter.
(b). Moses (Heb.11:24-27).
Moses, a Hebrew child adopted by Pharoah’s daughter had great prospects as a young prince in Egypt. When he came of age, he left the treasures and pleasures of Egypt and
chose to suffer affliction with the people of God. He was more willing to live and please the God of the Hebrews, who is the eternal and most high God than becoming popular among the Egyptians.
(c). Joseph (Gen.39:1-9; 45:1-8)
Joseph was one of the twelve sons of Jacob. His brothers hated him for his dreams and sold him into slavery in Egypt. Despite his sojourn in a strange land, he maintained a close walk with God, a life of integrity, holiness and uprightness. Even when he was being lured by his master’s wife he ran for his dear life. He did not want to commit wickedness and sin against God. His heart and mind were focused on God, and he made sure that God was pleased in all he did. Even when his brothers came to Egypt, he showed love to them and received them well, not minding how they had treated them earlier.
(d) Paul (Phil.1:21-24; 3:4-8, 13-14, 20-21).
To Paul all that mattered most was to continually be in Christ and live for Him at all times and in all situations. All his achievements, qualifications etc., he counted them all loss for Christ and for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus. Knowing Christ and pressing towards the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus was Paul’s utmost desire. He looked forward to having his vile body changed like unto Christ’s glorious body.
DAILY LIVING APPLICATION:
Every true believer must live in this world with eternity in view. Therefore, we should be conscious of the fact that we are pilgrims on a journey. Our lives should be lived in such
a way that there will be evidence that we are not of this world rather we are looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ. (Titus 2:13). Let us daily examine our lives to be sure that we conform to the requirements of our calling as pilgrims that we are. For every man that hath this hope in
him purifieth himself even as He (Christ) is pure (1 John.3:3).
MEMORY VERSE:
PHILIPPIANS 4:5
“Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand”.
DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE
Mon: Eternity in view, be ye holy. 1Pet.1:15-16.
Tue: Seek those things above. Matt.6:33; Col.3:1-3.
Wed: Abraham lived with eternity in view. Heb.11:8-16.
Thu: Moses lived with eternity in view. Heb.11:24-27.
Fri: Joseph closely walked with God. Gen.39:1-9.
Sat: Paul pressed towards the mark, with eternity in view.
Phil.1:21-24; 3:4-8, 13-14, 20-21.