Heavenly Father,
we know that no eye has seen,
no ear has heard
what you have planned
for those who love you
and yet you've given us
such a rich treasure trove
of information
and just an access to your will
through your word.
We pray that you'd give us
humble hearts to accept
the things that are said in here,
that you just open our eyes
so that we could behold
wondrous things from your word, Lord.
We pray all this in Jesus' name.
Amen.
So like I said,
the topic today is human destiny
and I just thought I'd open
with a very famous quote.
So according to the
Westminster Shorter Catechism,
the first question, in fact,
it begins with,
what is the chief end of man?
And the answer that they give
is that the chief end of man
is to glorify God
and to enjoy him forever.
Now, this speaks of the purpose
for which mankind was created.
And that denotes kind of the importance
of the progress of the study here, right?
So we talked about the synthetic nature
of systematic theology.
We have to talk about creation,
sin, Christ, and redemption
in order to understand our broader topic,
which is the image of God in mankind.
And now we're going to be treating
of glorification
and communion with God.
Now, just a reminder,
our broader thesis has been
that humanity was created
actually in God's image
as God's very image itself.
That is, it pertains to the whole person,
both soul and body.
You know, remember from Genesis 2-7
that Adam was formed from the ground
and then God breathed into him
the breath of life.
That's all-inclusive.
It's holistic.
And that means it includes
every moral, relational, corporate,
spiritual, somatic,
as well as intellectual faculty.
And that we also talked about
last week a bit more
how that means sin
is also totally pervasive.
And it's affected the entire human race.
That we're, as it were, born sinners.
We talked about that a little bit
from Romans 5, 12-21.
Sin entered in and despoiled
the creation's relationship with God.
In fact, you'll recall
Genesis 3-8,
remember God shows up in the garden
walking to find Adam and Eve
and have communion with them
and what did they do?
They hid.
This violated that covenant
that God had created with them
in Genesis 2-16-17.
And that meant that there needed
to be a renewal of this image.
A renewal that only Jesus Christ,
who Colossians 1-15 says
is the image of the invisible God,
only he could affect.
Thus, Christians by the Holy Spirit,
according to Colossians 3-10,
have put on the new self
who is being renewed to a true knowledge
according to the image
of the one who created him.
And that's a pledge that we have
from Christ of restoration
of both body and soul.
In 1 Corinthians 15-49,
it says,
Just as we have borne the image
of the earthy,
we will also bear the image
of the heavenly.
Or Philippians 3, 20-21,
For our citizenship is in heaven,
from which we also eagerly await
for a Savior,
the Lord Jesus Christ,
who will transform the body
of our humble estate
into conformity
with the body of his earthly glory,
by the exertion of the power
that he has even to subject
all things to himself.
Now, this leaves us
with the subject
of the future state of humanity.
And at this point,
our study diverges
between two paths.
You'll recall last week
we quoted Romans 6-23.
It says,
For the wages of sin is death,
but the free gift of God
is eternal life
in Christ Jesus our Lord.
And that's going to form
a broad outline
of our entire study
for this morning.
We're going to,
on the one hand,
talk about death
and what it means
to be dead,
both in every possible
and conceivable category,
theologically speaking.
And then we're going
to be talking about life,
on the other hand,
and what true,
eternal life means.
But, of course,
both of those have to do
with one destiny,
one human destiny,
which is to glorify God.
Romans 11-36
says,
For from him
and through him
and to him
are all things to him
be the glory
forever and ever.
Amen.
The only question is,
how?
And once again,
this takes us back
to the garden.
In Genesis 2-16-17,
that covenant
I mentioned earlier,
it says,
The Lord God
commanded the man,
saying,
From any tree of the garden
you may freely eat,
but from the tree
of the knowledge
of good and evil
you shall not eat,
for in the day
that you eat from it
you will surely die.
And you'll recall
that we talked,
that spoke of Adam
as our representative.
He did eat,
and in fact,
even though it didn't
look like it,
he did die.
And that brings up
the question,
what is death?
Death can be defined,
biblically speaking,
as a separation
of something
that has been
constituted by God
to be held in unity.
And this is written
about going quite a bit
back into church history
by Augustine,
and before him
a church father
named Lactantius.
And they talked about
these different categories
of death.
And this particular category
is spiritual death.
This is a spiritual death
that Adam separates
immediately upon sin.
As a separation
of the soul from God.
Genesis 3.8
said that
they heard the sound
of the Lord God
walking in the garden
in the cool of the day.
And the man and his wife
hid himself
from the presence
of the Lord God
among the trees
of the garden.
That was a break
in the spiritual relationship.
You know,
the word there,
to walk,
that implies actually
more of a presence
and a communion
with God
that was broken
when they hid from him.
as 1 Corinthians 15.22
says,
in Adam
all die.
And note
that that's
not just
a spiritual death,
but that that
has also
affected
a physical death.
The curse
of Genesis 3.19
says,
by the sweat
of your face
you will eat bread
till you return
to the ground
because from it
you were taken.
For you are dust
and to dust
you shall return.
Note that
of course
God should have
killed them
physically,
spiritually,
and as we're going
to see eternally
at that very moment.
This is judicial
language here.
And he had
a legal right
as the supreme judge
to kill them.
However,
he also had
within the right
of the judge
what's called
a temporal judicial
relaxation.
He had the right
to relax the law
to effect
a greater purpose.
Of course,
the law was going
to be fulfilled
and this is pointed
ahead to
by this
animal skin
sacrifice
as we see
in Genesis 3.21
where God kills
the animal
to clothe Adam
and Eve.
And that speaks
of the greater
purpose that God
had in view.
A promised provision
in the seat
of the woman
from Genesis
that he promised
in Genesis 3.15.
As Romans 5.12
said,
however,
death spread
to all men
because all
sinned
in Adam's
one transgression.
And that's
demonstrable
in that litany
of repetition
in Genesis 5
that says
and he died
in that genealogy.
That speaks
of the separation
of the body
from the soul.
And that's
most empirically
demonstrable fact.
All human beings
die.
Therefore,
we're all sinners.
By the way,
this eminence
to the body
and the idea
that the body
itself is a part
of the image
of God
that's affected
by sin,
affected by death,
that's why
we give eminence
as Christians
to the human body
after death.
Augustine,
Calvin,
Bavink,
and lately
Al Mohler
actually have all
talked about this.
Al Mohler in particular
in relation
to this idea
of the incineration
of the body
of the king
of Thailand
it was a couple
weeks ago
to free his soul
from his body.
He noted the difference
between that worldview
and the Christian worldview,
noting the peculiarity
of the dignity
given to the human body
after death.
It's still in God's image
and that's why
Christian tradition
has treated the body
with a dignity
after death.
Note also
Ecclesiastes 12.7
it says this,
Then the dust
will return
to the earth
as it was
and the spirit
will return
to the God
who gave it.
And that speaks
more so
of the presence
of the soul
in the afterlife
either in torture
in hell
or life in heaven
which we'll talk about.
But that brings up
the subject
of the intermediary state.
Luke 16.19-31
as well as
1 Corinthians 5.1-8
talk about
the fact
that the soul
continues to exist
in the afterlife
in one of these states
or another.
In fact,
it seems to even bear
some sort of
body-like form
and that gets back
to the idea
of the essential nature
of the body.
You'll recall
in Matthew 17.3
as well as
depictions of the future
in Revelation 6.9-11
that there seem
to be humans
walking around
with some
recognizable
physical form.
We don't exactly
know what that's
going to look like.
It seems to be
a kind of
temporary
provisional body
that's been given
to us
that isn't the same
as our bodies
here on earth.
But after our bodies
have been separated
from our souls
after our death,
it seems as though
we're going to be able
to interact
with the environment
in some sort of
way like this
and that we'll be
in a way
like the angels
and how they're able
to take on
some sort of
corporeal manifestation
that's accidental.
It's only temporary.
Either way,
it's unavoidable
that we're going to
at some point
face death
physically
as well as eternally.
Hebrews 10.21
says,
it is appointed
for men to die once
then comes judgment.
That brings up
that third
and final category
of death
which is eternal death
or it's also known
as the second death
which brings us
straight to the
great white throne judgment.
So turn with me
to Revelation
Revelation 20.
I'm going to be reading
Revelation 20
verses 11 to 15.
Then I saw
a great white throne
and him who sat
on it
from his presence
earth and heaven
fled away
and no place
was found for them.
And I saw the dead
the great
and the small
standing before
the throne
and books were open
and another book
was open
which is the book
of life
and the dead
were judged
from the things
which were written
in the books
according to their deeds
and the sea
gave up the dead
which were in it
and death
and Hades
gave up the dead
which were in them
and they were judged
every one of them
according to their deeds.
Then death
and Hades
were thrown
into the lake
of fire.
This is the second death
the lake of fire
and if anyone's name
was not found
written in the book
of life
he was thrown
into the lake
of fire.
Now note here
in this text
which of course
we can't get into
in great detail
but it's speaking
of the resurrection
not only of believers
which is I think
what we generally
think about
but also
non-believers as well
of everyone
everyone in humanity
as a psychosomatic
a unity
made in the image
of God.
That is
when it talks
furthermore
about death
in this passage
it's talking
about the second death
as a great separation
not just of the soul
from God
but of both body
and soul
from God
forever.
1 Thessalonians 1
9 says
these will pay
the penalty
of eternal destruction
away from the presence
of the Lord
and from the glory
of his power.
And there's a
chilling reality here
in the
what's called
damnation
eternal damnation
separation
of body
and soul
from God
it's speaking
of the
continuation
of the image
of God
even in hell
and that's important.
Bruce DeMarist
who's a famous
theologian
today
contemporary
says this
hell represents
sinners ultimate
separation
from the life
of God.
Hell's ultimate
agony
is that
image bearers
should have missed
the lofty purpose
for which they were created.
in fact
it's Francis
Turretin
who has this
chilling quote
they are said
to live forever
that they may
die forever.
It's a living
death
and
in Romans
9 22
in fact
it says
that
in this state
in the ultimate
state here
within God's
destiny and purposes
people are going
to be augmented
and fitted
in their final
bodily forms
as vessels
of wrath
prepared
for destruction.
They're in a way
glorifying God
and receiving wrath
which is a difficult
theological truth
and it's
in fact
a terrifying reality
a fully sensible
experience
both body
and soul
Isaiah 66
24
for their worm
will not die
and their fire
will not be quenched
and they will be
in abhorrence
to all mankind.
In fact
it was Lactantius
who wrote about this
and he says this
quote
because they have
committed sins
with their bodies
they will again
be clothed
with flesh
so that they may
bear the sin
suffering
in their bodies.
That speaks
of a
retributive justice
of direct
equity
between
what people
have committed
in this life
as sins
and
the eternal
punishment
they're going
to be perfectly
fitted to receive
in all eternity.
In fact
it was Augustine
who talked about
the agony
of the soul
and the body
and this eternal
kind of inability
to function
properly
when reunited
it's a disharmony
that they can
never ever
get back
that they'll
always strive for
and never make
progress.
Luke 16
23 says
rich man
in
Hades
it says this
in Hades
he lifted up
his eyes
being in
torment
and saw
Abraham
far away
and Lazarus
in his bosom
and that speaks
of the sight
of the blessedness
of the saints
the idea
that they can
actually possibly
even see
into heaven
see into
the glories
of heaven
that they're
missing out
on
but they'll
have an
eternal
inability
to reach
it
that is to
say in
summary
this eternal
state of the
second death
the eternal death
speaks of
the fact that
we're going to
be resurrected
in body and
soul
those who
are damned
and they're
going to have
the image of
God
fitted perfectly
to receive
not communion
with God
but his wrath
and eternal
separation
from him
forever
now
that was
the first
point
speaking of
the three
states of
death
spiritual
death
physical
death
and then
eternal
death
and so
we're going
to turn
to the
second
point
which provides
much more
of a
contrast
which is
eternal
life
in Christ
eternal
life
in Christ
and that
speaks by
the way
of a
quality
not
necessarily
of duration
John
17
3
says this
this is
eternal
life
that they
may know
you
the only
true
God
and Jesus
Christ
whom you
have sent
or in the
words of
1 Corinthians
15
49
which we
looked at
last week
will be
bearing the
image of
the heavenly
in fact
later on
in that
passage
it says
in verse
52
that in
a moment
in the
twinkling
of an
eye
at the
last
trumpet
the trumpet
will sound
and the
dead
will be
raised
imperishable
and we
will be
changed
so there's
a quality
that's
imparted
there
that is
in that
passage
where it
speaks of
us being
changed
and we're
going to
be changed
into conformity
with Christ
1 John
3
2
we will
be like
him
for we
shall
see him
as he
is
or again
as I
quoted
earlier
Philippians
3
20
to 21
for our
citizenship
is in
heaven
from which
we also
eagerly
await for
a savior
the Lord
Jesus
Christ
who will
transform
the body
of our
humble estate
into conformity
of the body
of his glory
by the exertion
of his power
that he has
even to
subject all
things to
himself
so you know
I think it's
helpful sometimes
to just stop
and ask
why does
the Bible
focus so
much on
the physical
resurrected
body of
Christ
according to
Luke 22
39
he's
speaking to
the disciples
he says
see my
hands and
feet
that it
is I
myself
touch me
and see
for a
spirit does
not have
flesh and
bones
as you
see that
I
have
that is
to say
he's
saying there
that it's
the very
same
body
that he
died
in
when Calvin
speaks of
Christ's
resurrection
as the
pledge of
our coming
resurrection
in this
mirror the
living image
of resurrection
is visible
to us
that is to
say when we
see Jesus
Christ
when he's
walking around
with his
body and
he's saying
I have
those piercings
through my
body
that that's
a vouchsafe
for the
very bodies
that you're
going to
have in
resurrection
and that
you can
have confidence
that as
Job says
that I
will see
God with
my eyes
and not
another
Job 19
27
these are
newly
resurrected
bodies
they're pure
without
corruption
of sin
that's why
the passage
we read
earlier refers
to them as
heavenly
or spiritual
and here
I have to
commend the
work of
Francis
Turids
who I
quoted
earlier
who just
has this
beautifully
beatific
vision
of the
heavenly
state
and I
appreciate
with him
he's very
biblical
in his
approaches
he never
makes a
statement
without
first saying
what's
the biblical
passage
that's going
to furnish
this text
for us
he says
this
all defects
will be removed
from the
bodies to
which they
have been
exposed
in this
mortality
but their
essence
will not
be
good
that is
to say
there's a
renewed
image of
God
a platform
for communication
with God
immediately
in his
presence
forever
and in fact
that speaks
furthermore
to the
idea that
there's a
spiritual
sight that
we'll have
of God
that somehow
will be
transformed
and have
an imparted
ability
to directly
see God
revelation
21
22
to 23
I saw
no temple
in it
that's the
new heavens
and new
earth
for the
Lord
God
the
almighty
and the
lamb
are
its
temple
and the
city
has no
need
of the
sun
or moon
to shine
on it
for the
glory
of God
has
illuminated
it
and the
lamp
is the
lamb
that's a
stunning
passage
and speaking
of the
immediate
what's
called
the
immediate
beatific
vision
of God
that we'll
have
and in
that
passage
church
speaks
later
of its
implications
to
participation
of the
very
divine
nature
of God
himself
writing
this
from this
will afterwards
flow a
perfect
likeness
of the
saints
to God
the
fulfillment
of their
desires
and of
their
perfect
happiness
to which
it
tends
and in
which
is
consecrated
this
is
nothing
else
than
a
certain
fusion
and
emanation
of the
deity
upon
the
souls
of the
saints
communicating
to them
the image
of all
his
perfections
as much
as they
can belong
unto a
creature
wow
but what's
he saying
well
there's
several other
classical theological
categories
so
whereas Adam
was what they
call he was
able not
to sin
yet he did
choose to
sin
and so he
died
afterwards
as sinners
we're
not able
not to
sin
so
from our
hearts
being corrupted
in Adam
there is
no good
deed
that we're
able to
do
that can't
result
in sin
even our
righteous deeds
according to
Isaiah
are filthy
garments
before
God's
sight
however
in this
future state
what the
bible is
speaking of
here
with the
illumination
and the
filling of
the glory
of God
and what
Turretin is
speaking of
here
he's talking
about the
fact that
we will
not be
able to
sin
in the
future
and I'm
speaking of
moral necessity
we'll always
be present
with the
direct
revealed
glory
of God
you'll
recall
in fact
that idea
back in
the garden
of God
wanting to
walk
to be
in direct
communion
with Adam
and before
then was
when he
falls
right
so we
see in
fact
in
revelation
a
perfect
restoration
of the
Edenic
state
made
more
permanent
than had
been in
that first
state
again
I know
I've quoted
him a lot
already
but Turretin
says this
the saints
will find
in God
whatever is
necessary
for them
for as
he is
infinite
and the
inexhaustible
fountain
of all
blessings
he also
has
that
with which
he can
satisfy
the
necessities
and desires
of all
the same
one who
illuminates
feeds
heals
protects
enriches
and works
all things
in all
or in the
words of
scripture
itself
revelation
22
1-5
then he
showed me
a river
of the
water
of life
here is
crystal
coming from
the throne
of God
and of
the lamb
in the
middle
of its
street
on either
side of
the river
was the
tree
of life
bearing
12 kinds
of fruit
yielding
its fruit
every month
and the
leaves
of the
tree
were for
the healing
of the
nations
there will
be no
longer
any curse
and the
throne
of God
and of
the lamb
will be
in it
and his
slaves
will serve
him
they will
see his
face
and his
name will
be on
their foreheads
and there
will no
longer
be any
night
and they
will not
have
need of
the light
of the
lamp
nor the
light
of the
sun
because
the
Lord
God
will
illumine
them
and they
will reign
forever
this is to say
this is a real
a very real
platform upon which
we can worship
God forever
into eternity
and note in particular
is another thing
Turretin wants to devote
a lot of time to
Edwards devotes a
considerable amount
of time to
in his writings as well
this isn't just a
static state
I think sometimes
we envision the
heavenly state
because of pop
culture and
whatever other
influences out
there as we're
just kind of
sitting on clouds
strumming harps
forever
you know you'll
see that imagery
Ironic Turretin
says well the
heavenly state is
going to be great
we're going to be
doing a lot of
things like
strumming harps
that's the opposite
of what I think
when I think that
we're doing a lot
of really great
things in heaven
forever and
ever and ever
but his point
was that we're
going to have
culture even in
heaven we're
going to have
development of
life we're
going to have
an exciting
rejuvenated
experience
there's a
dynamic and
eternal growth
in heaven
there's going to
be culture
fellowship
work
and we're
even going to
enjoy food and
drink that
passage that I
just read I
think most
probably that
speaking of the
fact that if
we take that
literally that
speaking of
actual fruit that
we're going to
have on this
tree and that
we're going to
be able to in
some way eat
in a way that
doesn't reflect
corruption which
is a fascinating
concept in fact
you even see
cities here one
of my former
professors talked
about the fact
that creation
begins in the
garden and then
we have this
cultural mandate
from God to
grow and
multiply and
expand and
be stewards of
the earth right
and we look at
the end of
creation we look
at the new
heavens and the
new earth and
it's a city
a city that
is made with
these magnificent
walls and in
fact a new
Jerusalem
even more so
however than
that there is a
perpetual growth
a perpetual
spiritual growth
that comes with
being in
communion with
God forever
that is to say
in a sense we'll
be doing theology
forever which
I understand for
some might be a
tedious concept
but in this
sense it's a
enlivening concept
an invigorating
concept as I
quoted earlier
John 17 3
where Christ
says this is
eternal life
that they may
know you the
only true God
and Jesus Christ
whom you have
sent and later
in that high
priestly prayer
he says this
which I quoted
last week he's
praying on our
behalf and he's
asking the father
saying this
the glory you
have given me
I have given
to them that
they may be
one just as
we are one
I in them
and you in me
that they may
be perfected
in unity
what's he saying
here what he's
saying the
finite restored
image of God
is the very
condition for our
eternal participation
in the divine
glory
yeah we'll get
we'll get to
that in a moment
won't we
let me just
quote Jonathan
Edwards on
this
Jonathan
Edwards says
speaking of
what he calls
an increasing
union and
conformity
through eternity
he cites
these verses
and then he
notes the
following
the image
is more and
more perfect
and so
the good
that is
in the
creature
comes forever
nearer and
nearer
to an
identity
with that
of God
and the
view therefore
of God
who has a
comprehensive
prospect
of the
increasing
unity
and conformity
through eternity
it must
be an
infinitely
strict
and perfect
nearness
conformity
and oneness
for it will
forever come
nearer and
nearer to that
strictness and
perfection of
union
which there is
between the
father and
the son
wow
that's a
glorious truth
I think what
he's trying to
say there is
that with our
renewed faculties
in the image
of God
with our
renewed platform
for being able
to partake
of the divine
nature
to be able
to commune
with God
to enjoy
his presence
that we're
actually going
to in some
way in the
eternal state
forever and
ever enter
into the
trinitarian
communion that
there is between
father and
son and in
fact because
we're finite
beings right
that's going
to be an
unending
exploration
and that's
wonderful
some people
really throw
around the
difficulty of
well we're
finite and
God's eternal
how is this
really going to
work in
eternity you
know well
it's because
we're finite
it's because
God created
us and
created us
with these
amazing faculties
that we'll
be able to
never exhaust
that communion
with him
forever and
ever and
ever
there's a
unending
growth that
is in
nearness to
and resemblance
of God
that will
never be
reached and
praise God
for that
as Paul
writes in
Romans 9
23 will
truly be
vessels of
mercy which
he prepared
beforehand for
glory or
in the words
of Ephesians
1 6 we'll
be able to
praise quote
to the praise
of the glory
of his
grace for
all eternity
so it's
that realm
of grace
that realm
of participation
in the
Lord that
constitutes
eternal life
and it's
as I said
it's a
quality
it's not
something that
is just
duration
but it's
because of
who we
will be
remade
into the
image of
God
that enables
us to
partake in
that heavenly
glory forever
and ever
as his
creatures
now I
thought I'd
give some
points of
application
I've been
doing that
at the
end of
these
sessions
and I
think the
most direct
one is to
simply praise
God
right
this is a
glorious
truth
and it's
humbling to
realize that
even though we
were dead in
our trespasses
and sins
that he
in his
grace
decided to
make us
partakers
of that
grace
through
Jesus
Christ
and that's
something
that we
can do
now
in fact
we can
actually
enter into
the same
praise that
we'll have
in the
eternal state
when we
praise God
and we
thank him
and we
live
thankful
and holy
lives
before him
and in
fact that
brings us
to a
second point
that Peter
will actually
bring up
in 2
Peter
11
where he
says
what sort
of people
ought you
to be
in holiness
of conduct
and godliness
and he's
speaking there
in light of
the future
state
in light of
eschatology
and he's
saying
that considering
we have that
weight before us
of Christ's
imminence
and his return
and his coming
back
and we have
all eternity
before us
that should
impress upon us
the need
to want to be
holy
to want to be
like him
to want to
conduct ourselves
in resemblance
of him
and a third
point that I
would like
to bring
is that this
has a very
direct call
to repentance
I wasn't
simply giving
all that
talk about
what death
means just
for the sake
of being
morbid
that there
really is a
very valuable
ability that
we have to
call people
to repentance
as this
text here in
Revelation 22
says right
it ends
with that
call the
spirit and
the bride
say come
there's an
open invitation
to partake in
God's glory
forever and
ever to
repent and
to place your
hope and faith
in Jesus
Christ alone
for in him
alone comes
the knowledge
of God
and eternal
life
so let me
close in prayer
and then we'll
have some
questions and
answers
heavenly father
again
this is a
difficult
subject to
entreat
upon
this is
the very
threshold of
your glory
that we're
talking about
this is the
eternal state
and we know
that you're
limited
and we'll
never be able
to on earth
because of our
limitations
both sinful
and created
as we are
now we'll
never be able
to fully
comprehend that
but we're
thankful
Lord that
you've
enabled
through your
grace that we
can contemplate
that forever
and ever
and that we'll
be freed and
liberated in our
hearts and minds
to be able to
explore you
Lord
humble us before
you give us
renewed vigor
so that we can
live lives that
are exactly
this amazing
calling you've
given us
I'm sure you
don't have any
questions at all
about the
eternal state
or what any
of that
meant
I know
that it
was a
lot
go ahead
if you just
have any
questions
shoot a
hand up
Tyler I
see
why don't
you go
ahead
you can
have some
questions
first
yeah so we
were talking
about the
ability that
we will have
as creatures
to be able
to participate
in God's
glory to be
able to love
him
right so God
is a perfect
creature right
and he's able
to it's hard
for us to talk
to him it's hard
for us to be in
communion with him
to love him
rightly
everyone makes
mistakes
right only God
makes mistakes
and so only we
make mistakes
sorry only God
doesn't make
mistakes that's
what we call
bad theology
but right
so only we
make mistakes
but what
we're talking
about here is
that God has
created us so
that someday
we can love
him better
and we won't
make mistakes
and that's a
wonderful
truth that he's
promised us
in his word
so in 1st
Corinthians when
it says you
know we will
behold him
and we will
be transformed
from his life
one group
glory into
another
it says
something about
the beautiful
glory
and the
glory
and the
glory
and the
glory
I was
wondering
when we
have final
statement
we see him
face to face
ultimately
changed
between the
night
and have
you know
transformed
to the
glorious
state
how does
that work
when we
see something
become like
it
I've always
wondered
how does
that
underlaying
that passage
there's
several things
going on
there
it's probably
speaking
not just right
of a physical
sight
it's a
spiritual
beholding
that we'll
have
and there's
the idea
that
God's
glory
is so
effectual
in fact
it's talked
about in
1 Corinthians
3
you kind of
see it a little
bit there
if any man
builds on the
foundation
gold,
silver,
precious,
stone,
wood,
hay,
straw
each man's
work will
become evident
the day
will show
itself
because it
will be
revealed
with fire
the fire
will test
the quality
of each
man's
work
if each
man's
work
which he
is built
on it
remains
he will
receive a
reward
if any
man's
work is
burned up
he will
suffer
lost
but he
himself
will
be
saved
so
as
through
fire
and talked
about the
dwelling
of God
in people's
bodies
as the
holy
with the
holy
spirit
so it's
almost the
idea that
God's
glory
is so
powerful
and effectual
that when
it shows
up
and you
see it
immediately
everything
that isn't
pure and
holy before
him is
purged
away
it's done
away from
his presence
and all
that remains
is anything
that's in
likeness
with
himself
and it's
so theologians
throw around
exactly how
this works
they'll get
into the
really detailed
metaphysics of
it and I
would encourage
you to go
ahead and try
and find a
copy of
Turretin
I think he's
more biblical
about it and he
talks about it
in depth
in a very
scholastic form
but he gets
really into the
details of it
if you want to
really search
out what does
that mean
I think he's
written quite a
bit about it
that I found
somewhat helpful
yeah
I could be
explain
yeah
you've talked
about it
being
essentially
this
psychosomatic
union
yes
right
I suppose
the question
is something
about
how
how do we
end up
the same
beings
after the
resurrection
as before
death
yeah
because it
seems
like
we spend
at least
some time
in the
intermediate
state
not being
the same
psychosomatic
union
right
oh I thought
you were going
to bring up
the cannibal
question
something I
wanted to
call the
cannibal
question
that's a
good one
yeah so
there is
the idea
that there's
some sort
of and again
well I'll
refer you to
John Cooper
he's written
a bit about
the intermediate
state and
the idea of
the holistic
psychosomatic
unity
and he has
a whole section
on the
intermediate
state that
he finds
fascinating
and he's
the one that
throws around
that God's
going to
give us
a provisional
body
but he
ends the
discussion by
saying
there's
something about
this state
that I
am not
sure
exactly how
this works
because
you know
the biblical
teaching
clearly says
our great
hope is that
we're going
to be
resurrected
in body
and soul
and we're
going to
be reunited
then
and it's
this amazing
renewal
but that also
Paul says
to be absent
from the body
is to be
present from
the Lord
and he
talks about
it as
this wonderful
state
where if
I die
I'm going
to be
in God's
presence
that's
wonderful
but then
you might
reply to
Paul
but we
don't have
our bodies
so how
can we
be experiencing
any of that
so I guess
I'm kind of
punting on that
one aren't I
because the
answer is
there's something
about that
glorified state
that we don't
quite know
yet
but we do
seem to
have a kind
of some
sort of
provisional
body I guess
that's what
I'll say
so that we
can at least
interact in
some way
yeah
if I'm
if what I
am
is this
particular
psychosomatic
then I am
not
the psychosomatic
being told by
my soul
in a different
body
yeah
but
if I'm just
my soul
the body
seems a whole
lot less
important
yeah
I mean
that's
something that
you'd have
to I guess
you'll just
have to ask
God when you
get to the
eternal state
how he works
that out
because the
idea is that
you're in
communion with
God and
you're held
by his
power somehow
and that's
that's the
only way that
I have to
answer that
that question
yeah
sorry Ben
I know that's
not intellectually
satisfying
but it's
it's
it's what
we've got
yeah
I'll be honest
about it
yeah
yes in the
back
we pray
oftentimes
so that
we can be
close to
God
to be
in the
earth
and to
basically
I guess
to be
in a
familiar place
with God
but I also
hear people
say that
the place
of the
gospel
will be
in them
is there
a difference
and is it
a danger
to have
pray for
one to be
close to
God
versus
to be
part of
you
yeah
I mean I
think underlying
that if I'm
understanding you
correctly
is the
understanding
when we pray
we're not
necessarily
calling God
down from
heaven
that when we
pray it's
more like
he's
it's us
humbling
ourselves
before him
and lifting
ourselves
up to him
so there's
not necessarily
a break
between
us
making
God do
something
different
when we
pray
but it's
more like
we're being
conformed
to him
greater
did that
answer the
question
or
to a certain
extent
okay
I think
sometimes
fast
like
God
has to
and
say
oh
yes
there's
a
thing
there's
I can see somebody saying, you know, God is part of me now.
Oh, yes.
And all of a sudden, there's a, you know, I'm inspired.
I am part of God now.
And you're served as a God, not part of God.
Right, yeah.
So that goes back to a very basic distinction of the creator versus creature,
which is so fundamental to impress upon people.
Because people will assume that, won't they?
They'll assume, they'll think, you know, God can be part of me.
He can be part of who I want, who I wish, who I desire, you know.
Whereas that's in a way you could almost respond when people say that, right,
with Paul in Romans 1 when he says people have exchanged the image of God
for the image of themselves.
And in that way, they're almost kind of putting God in,
putting themselves in the place of God when they're saying something like that.
Whereas we're able to actually give a pretty good rebuff to that and say, you know,
well, the point, the goal of eternal life and blessedness is actually, like,
humble submission before him and loving him in who we are without ourselves becoming God
or not becoming God.
But we're able to love him and adore him and worship him forever,
which is a whole lot better because he's a whole lot more than we are.
Well, it's 9.45, so I think it's a good time to dismiss and matriculate upstairs.
Thank you so much for coming out to the Sunday School.