FINAL STATE
After the 1,000-year reign (millennium) of Christ on earth, God will create a new earth. “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea” (Revelation 21:1). All we see in this world will someday be destroyed, so why live for this world? “Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless” (2 Peter 3:11–14). “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away” (Revelation 21:4).
The final state will have no sin, no bills, no taxes, no thorns, no curse (Revelation 22:3), no medicine, no doctors, no hospitals, no cemeteries, no devil, no temptation, and no memory of the present earth: “For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create” (Isaiah 65:17–18). Anything that could possibly make one sad will not be allowed in heaven. There will be no pollutants, the sky will be bluer, and the grass will be greener (Revelation 22:1). There will also be a new heavenly Jerusalem, which will be made by God, not man: “And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven” (Revelation 21:2). No lost person will be there (Revelation 21:27). We will be as the angels of heaven (Matthew 22:30). It will last forever: “They shall reign for ever and ever” (Revelation 22:5). And we will see Jesus: “And they shall see his face” (Revelation 22:4).
FINANCES
God is concerned about a Christian’s finances, and how one spends his money is tied to what things God will entrust him with. “He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?” (Luke 16:10–11).
Christ told a rich man to sell all that he had and give it to the poor (Mark 10:17–25). This man had asked Christ how to be saved (v. 17), and from the text we see that though he was a good man, he had “trust in riches” (v. 24). His riches kept him from trusting Christ.
But a person is not evil because he is rich. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, King David, and Solomon were all very rich. But God has given instruction to the rich on what to do with their wealth: “Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate” (1 Timothy 6:17–18). Money is not evil, but “the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows” (1 Timothy 6:10). If one lives for money, then it will control him, and many decisions will be made that are contrary to God’s will. “But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition” (1 Timothy 6:9). Give up to God any known, or possibly secret, desire to be rich and then trust Him to take care of you.
Besides giving our tithes to the local church (see TITHE) and paying our taxes (Jesus paid taxes—Matthew 17:24–25), we have an obligation to take care of the needs of our family. “But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel” (1 Timothy 5:8). I have heard people say, “You cannot outgive God.” But this would be based upon spending money according to how God says, including taking care of your family. One should not think if he gives all his money to the church that then God is obligated to take care of his family. A large portion of the money one receives from his salary was given to him to take care of his wife and children. Paying bills and providing decent clothes and shelter for one’s family is a command of God.
A couple of traps that Christians fall into are (1) Cosigning for another. Do not do it even for a relative unless you are willing (and able) to pay it all. When asked to do this, tell the person that God has commanded you in the Bible not to do this (see Proverbs 17:18 and 6:1–5). (2) Going into debt. Buy-now, pay-later schemes put us in financial bondage: “The borrower is servant to the lender” (Proverbs 22:7).
After the 1,000-year reign (millennium) of Christ on earth, God will create a new earth. “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea” (Revelation 21:1). All we see in this world will someday be destroyed, so why live for this world? “Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless” (2 Peter 3:11–14). “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away” (Revelation 21:4).
The final state will have no sin, no bills, no taxes, no thorns, no curse (Revelation 22:3), no medicine, no doctors, no hospitals, no cemeteries, no devil, no temptation, and no memory of the present earth: “For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create” (Isaiah 65:17–18). Anything that could possibly make one sad will not be allowed in heaven. There will be no pollutants, the sky will be bluer, and the grass will be greener (Revelation 22:1). There will also be a new heavenly Jerusalem, which will be made by God, not man: “And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven” (Revelation 21:2). No lost person will be there (Revelation 21:27). We will be as the angels of heaven (Matthew 22:30). It will last forever: “They shall reign for ever and ever” (Revelation 22:5). And we will see Jesus: “And they shall see his face” (Revelation 22:4).
FINANCES
God is concerned about a Christian’s finances, and how one spends his money is tied to what things God will entrust him with. “He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?” (Luke 16:10–11).
Christ told a rich man to sell all that he had and give it to the poor (Mark 10:17–25). This man had asked Christ how to be saved (v. 17), and from the text we see that though he was a good man, he had “trust in riches” (v. 24). His riches kept him from trusting Christ.
But a person is not evil because he is rich. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, King David, and Solomon were all very rich. But God has given instruction to the rich on what to do with their wealth: “Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate” (1 Timothy 6:17–18). Money is not evil, but “the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows” (1 Timothy 6:10). If one lives for money, then it will control him, and many decisions will be made that are contrary to God’s will. “But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition” (1 Timothy 6:9). Give up to God any known, or possibly secret, desire to be rich and then trust Him to take care of you.
Besides giving our tithes to the local church (see TITHE) and paying our taxes (Jesus paid taxes—Matthew 17:24–25), we have an obligation to take care of the needs of our family. “But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel” (1 Timothy 5:8). I have heard people say, “You cannot outgive God.” But this would be based upon spending money according to how God says, including taking care of your family. One should not think if he gives all his money to the church that then God is obligated to take care of his family. A large portion of the money one receives from his salary was given to him to take care of his wife and children. Paying bills and providing decent clothes and shelter for one’s family is a command of God.
A couple of traps that Christians fall into are (1) Cosigning for another. Do not do it even for a relative unless you are willing (and able) to pay it all. When asked to do this, tell the person that God has commanded you in the Bible not to do this (see Proverbs 17:18 and 6:1–5). (2) Going into debt. Buy-now, pay-later schemes put us in financial bondage: “The borrower is servant to the lender” (Proverbs 22:7).
