A GLORIOUS ETERNITY

"We know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens." —II Corinthians 5:1 [KJV]

It is the grand device of that arch-deceiver, Satan, to represent the religion of Jesus as tending to melancholy, gloom, and sadness; but daily experience proves the reverse; for under a sense of a crazy, disordered body, from views of its approaching dissolution, with thoughts of its being shortly committed to the silent grave, who can put on an air of composure, joy, and delight, except the Christian? Who such cause for continual felicity, as he who knows his lease is well nigh expired of his present house, that shortly it is to be pulled down; but yet, through the kindness and love of his heavenly Father, a free grant of his eternal inheritance is given him, "of a house not made with hands?" 

What comfort must it yield to him to KNOW the nature of the purchase, the certainty of its being obtained, the price fully paid, the deeds signed and sealed, the conveyance legally made, his trustee, Jesus, actually being in possession; yea and "the earnest of his inheritance in his heart, by the Holy Ghost given unto him:" O, the inexpressible joy of this knowledge! All this we assuredly know by faith. Come, my brother mortal, is thy house like mine, ruined, crazy, and just ready to fall? O, let us daily be looking by faith, from Pisgah's top to the promised inheritance. Let us daily consider our approaching dissolution, that our hearts may more and more love and live with our dear Saviour, who has told us, "I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again to receive you to Myself: where I am, there shall you be also." —John 14:2, 3. 

Vain and trifling is all this perishing world has to offer, compared with the glory which shall shortly be revealed in us; yea, not to be set in competition with the grace that is NOW upon us. And what can deprive such an heir of his inheritance? Shall sin? No; that is fully atoned by the blood of Jesus. Shall the world? No; he hath victory over that, by the faith of Jesus. Shall Satan? No; the "God of peace will bruise Satan under his feet shortly." —Romans 16:20. Shall the corruptions of his nature and the workings of unbelief? These may distress and make him groan; may deject with doubts; but shall not disinherit. For unbelief also is included in that precious promise, "Sin shall not have dominion over you, for ye are under grace."—Romans 6:14. And all such are "kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation."  

There is a house not made with hands, 

Eternal, and on high, 

And here my spirit waiting stands 

Till God shall bid it fly.

Shortly this prison of my clay 

Must be dissolv'd and fall; 

Then, O my soul, with joy obey 

Thy heav'nly Father's call.

 

-preacher William Mason (1724-1797 A.D.)