Length VS. Depth of Eternal Life

It has occurred to me recently that what the Bible calls eternal life is not about existing forever.  The Gospel and epistles of John include a lot of teaching regarding life and eternal life and it does not appear to be about length of existence.

The book or Revelation describes those who enter eternity allied with the beast rather than in Christ describes them in this way:  “And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night” (Rev 14:11).  Even though this is eternal existence, the Bible never refers to this type of existence as eternal life.

Jesus gives a completely different dimension regarding eternal life in his prayer.  Jesus stated, “And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent” (John 17:3).  This indicates that eternal life is not about eternal existence but is about knowing God.  

What does it mean to know God?  It is much more than just knowing some facts about God, but involves living in faithfulness to him.  Throughout 1 John, John teaches that in addition to accepting the Son and the Father and keeping God’s commands, one must love as God loved.  He wrote, “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love” (1 Jn 4:7-8). 

If one knows every fact about God, but does not love, then one does not know God.  Love is central to God’s character and therefore central to our relationship with God.  This is why Jesus identified love for God and love for neighbor as the central and foundational commands of God (Mt 22:36-40).  This also is why Jesus quoted Hosea 6:6, “For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings,” in Matthew 12:7.  Steadfast love (hesed), which does not have an exact equivalent in Greek or English, is translated as mercy in Matthew because it fits with the context.  In effect, Jesus is making steadfast love, expressed as mercy/compassion, an interpretive principle of God’s law.  If we correctly understand love as central to God’s character, then we will better understand how to apply God’s law.  Our motivation for obedience, faithfulness and service must be from love.  In fact, Paul states that all kinds of religious service without love is nothing (1 Cor 13:1-3).  Truly love is the greatest thing.  

Here is what is interesting.  In 1 John chapter 3, John connects this love with eternal life: “We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death.  Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers” (1 Jn 3:14-16).

This means that eternal life is about knowing God, which is about loving as he loved, which is one of the indications that we have eternal life abiding in us.  This seems to suggest that eternal life is not about length, but about depth. It is about knowing God, which includes loving as God loves.  Remember this the next time you state that you have eternal life.  Your compassion, benevolence, and service in the name of Christ is a demonstration of eternal life in you.

Our Tent

One of my memories growing up was staying in a tent.  My father used to take us on road trips.  Instead of staying in a motel, we always stayed in a tent.  My Dad had purchased a large canvass Coleman tent.  Sometimes we traveled for the purpose of camping.  At other times, we traveled to get from point A to point B.  Regardless of the reason, we stayed in a tent.  I can remember waking up to frigid mornings as well has hot and humid ones.  I also remember meals coming from either a grill or campfire.  After we were finished, we literally pulled up stakes and packed everything back up in the trunk of the old, blue, beat up '69 Chevy Bell Air that served as our family car.  That tent served us for several years.  However, like so many other things, it became old and worn out.  Eventually, the tent was no longer serviceable and had to be discarded.  

Even though we had fond memories of trips with the tent, we would not have wanted to live in a tent.  A tent is not intended to be a permanent home.  It is portable and temporary.  It is quite different than a house built on a foundation.  When we lived in Vermont, we went shopping for a home.  I was struck by the age of some of the houses we looked at.  I used to think that a house built in the1920's or 1930s was old, but there were houses for sale that were built in the 1800's or even older.  They were older than myself, my Dad, and even my grandfather.  They were still very solid homes despite their age.

A passage of scripture I have been reading brought back memories of the tents and old dwellings of the past.  In John 1, after stating that the Word was with God and was God and created all things, it states, "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth."

There is more than one word that can translate to "dwell, remain, abide, etc." from Greek.  This particular word, skēnoō, means to pitch a tent, or dwell in a tent.  This is an interesting word choice to describe what Jesus did when he left Heaven and came to earth to live among us.  It is a remember of what God did when he made a covenant with Israel at Sinai.  He gave instructions to Israel to build him a tent as his sanctuary.  After construction of the tabernacle, his glory came and dwelt in the tent, which was pitched in the midst of the camp.  God had come down to dwell among his people.  The reason it was in a tabernacle was so that it could be portable.  God and his people moved from one place to another together at temporary lodging places until they arrived at their permanent home. The same is true for Jesus.  He pitched a tent for a time and lived among us.  This was not his permanent home.  After his death and resurrection, he ascended back to the Father.  

2 Corinthians 5 tells us that we also are living in a tent.  Even though the tent will wear out, we have a permanent home built by God in Heaven.  The tent that this text is referring to is our body.  Our bodies, like any other tent, wears out over time.  The text says that while we are living in this tent, we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling.  This becomes more apparent as the years go by and the tent continues to wear out.  Our stay in this tent is only temporary.  Like Abraham in Hebrews 11:10, we are looking for a home with foundations.  Our Lord has gone to prepare this home for us.  This tent is not our home, we are just passing through.  

A Storm is Coming. Am I Ready?

They say a storm is coming. One of the largest companies in town actually will be closed tomorrow because of the coming storm. I looked outside my window. The sky is blue, the sun is out, and it is a great day for January. I went outside and took a picture of the sky. What a beautiful day it is.

If one did not hear the weather report, he might not have any idea of the snow, ice, and freezing temperatures headed our way. Some might even scoff at the idea when looking at how beautiful it is outside. However, the warning has been issued. There is a storm headed this way. Some reports have said there would be nearly two feet of snow. Those that have taken heed of the warnings have stocked up on supplies for home.

I am reminded of biblical warnings of coming storms. The ultimate storm in the Old Testament was not a snowstorm, but a worldwide flood. No one survived except Noah and his family because they were faithful to God and therefore found favor with God. They obeyed God's instruction to prepare for the storm by building an Ark and were saved.

The ultimate storm in the New Testament will be a storm of fire and brimstone. This storm will destroy the entire world. It may not seem like it. Life is beautiful, the skies are clear, and the warning was given in scripture so long ago. It seems like a fairy tale to some people.

This reminds me of the passage in 2 Peter 3.

"Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, and saying, 'Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation.' For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water, through which the world at that time was destroyed, being flooded with water. But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men" (2 Pet 3:3-7).

The next worldwide storm will not be a flood as in the day of Noah, but will be a storm of fire and brimstone. The flood will seem like a light sprinkle compared to the coming tempest of fire.

However, God has provided a way to prepare for this coming storm. As God saved Noah because he was faithful and obedient to Him, so we also can be saved if we are faithful and obedient to God. I am reminded of the passage in 1 Peter 3

"For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; in which also He went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison, who once were disobedient, when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through the water. Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you--not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience--through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him" (1 Pet 3:18-22).

God has provided a way to be rescued. As God saved Noah through the water in his faithful obedience to God, God saves us through baptism by the death and resurrection of Christ in our faithful obedience. Through Christ, God has provided a way to be rescued from the coming storm.

There may be those who may deny that there will be a storm just as they likely did in the days of Noah. One may be offended at the warnings and ignore them. One may discount the warnings and say that no storm is coming at all. No matter how vehemently someone may wish to ignore and discount the warnings, it does not change the reality of what is coming.

God loves us, therefore he has given us instructions on how to be ready for the storm when it comes. This will not be a snow storm, nor will it be a flood. It will be a storm of fire and brimstone. 2 Peter 3:10 says that the earth and everything in it will be destroyed. Through Christ, God will rescue those who are faithful and obedient to him. Only Christ can be our lifeboat that can survive the fire.

When I look up and see the blue sky, I need to be reminded that a storm is coming that will burn away even that blue sky. I need to be prepared for it by being faithful to God and obedient to his instructions just as Noah was. Our Lord is preparing a new heaven and new earth that has a beauty, magnificence, and glory that does not even compare with this.

Memorial for our Mongee

For the Telgren family, 2006 is a year we do not want to repeat. In my wife's own words, it has been the year from Hell. We just lost her mother, whom we all affectionately referred to as "Mongee," to a battle with complications related to a stroke she had back in April. The memorial celebration was earlier this week, and it is now sinking in that we will no longer be able to just pick up the phone and talk to her, or drive down to see her.

Her memorial service was "different." She had told us that she didn't want anything that looked like a funeral or felt like a funeral. She wanted us to come in what she was used to seeing us in, even if that meant shorts and t-shirt. We shed tears of both sorrow and joy as we shared stories and memories of Mongee. From water balloon baseball and other numerous games such as Charades, Taboo, and Trivial Pursuit, there was always fun in the house. I remember watching the family dance around together in the kitchen to the tune of "Yakity Yak." I remember listening to her funny stories about family and other people she had known over the years. I remember how she threw herself into the holidays for both the kids and later the grandkids. It didn't matter whether it was Halloween, Thanksgiving, Easter, Valentines or Christmas, anything that had anything to do with the kids was a huge deal. I remember stories about her fierce devotion to her kids, especially when she felt any of them had been unjustly treated. For such a small lady, she sure was a spit fire! The office staff at the school would see here coming and they would scatter. You just didn't mess with any of her kids. If you did anything to jeopardize her family, you had better watch out! Family was of utmost importance to her, which is why she adopted her oldest sister's four children when she and her husband both died. That adoption ran the kid count in their family up to 10! I remember when I was dating my wife going over to her house and it feeling like summer camp because there were so many kids there! For a long time, I couldn't keep straight who belonged there and who the visitors were. There were always a lot of the kid's friends there and they were always welcome. I heard a couple of the kids honestly say that they were really bad kids and that Mongee still put up with them and still loved them and looked out for them. I heard the stories and can only imagine the range of emotions that she must have went through in caring for all those kids. Only someone with a lot of true love in their heart could do such a thing.

I heard several people remark after the service that they had wished they could have known her better. As I reflect on this wish, it occurs to me that there was nothing keeping anyone from this. Distance was not a real issue. I knew my grandmother real well even though we lived four hours away. The reason? My Dad was devoted to driving us out on an average of once a month to spend the weekend with grandma. Time wasn't an issue. We all make time for what we value in life. The issue is that we did not realize the nature of time. Time is the one thing we cannot set aside for later. Once it is gone, it is gone. Mongee was only 55 years old when she died last week. Just a year ago, we buried Papaw, but we never dreamed that a year later we would be saying good bye to Mongee as well. I don't know how much time I have. How will I use my time for what is really important? Time is perhaps the most precious resource that God has given. However, I do not know how much of this resource I will have. Will I maximize my time by investing in what is really important in life, or will I bury it in the ground? God has granted me health, the ability to walk, work, and talk. He has given me wealth, and has blessed me with people who love me. Will I maximize those blessings or will I bury it in career, possessions, work, and things of this nature? Will I be able to enter into the joy of my master by investing in what is truly important, or will I be in the outer darkness with weeping and gnashing of teeth? What is truly important in life, and what do my actions say is truly important?

After the memorial service, several family members came up to me and asked me if I would do their funeral service when the time came. I didn't ask them why they wanted me to do it, but I think it may have had something to do with the fact that this "unusual" memorial was so light hearted, different, fun, and personal. I have to be honest. In a way, it was both sorrowful AND fun doing this memorial because of who Mongee was. I guess the question for me is, who am I going to choose to be? Will the blessing of God shine through me to my kids, their friends, and all who know us, or will I be another guy who has a job and pays the bills? Oh how empty and self centered it would be if I were focused on these things rather than what is really important.

I still have time. I don't know how much, but I still have it. Therefore, it is not too late. I don't have to lament that I didn't get to know someone or someone didn't get to know me. I don't have to lament that I was not able to be more of a blessing or someone was not able to be more of a blessing to me. I don't have to have any of the regrets of wasted time. I can maximize it as the blessing that God intended. I can use it so that my kids and their friends can have fond memories of the Telgrens and how they loved their kids and loved people. It is not too late.

I love you Mongee and I will miss you. Thank you for taking the Proffitt kids and raising them, especially Stacey. She has been my partner, my lover and my best friend along this journey. Who she is says something about you.