In two previous articles, one on our website and the other as a guest writer, I pointed out the urgency of pursuing Christ here. I also hinted at how being with Christ forever should fuel our pursuit of him here. In this article, I will offer some diagnostic questions to help determine whether your pursuit of Christ is based on the prize of being with him forever.
Do You Consider It Better To Be With Christ?
Another way to phrase this question is: Do you consider this your best life? A famous preacher wrote a book entitled Your Best Life Now, seeking to encourage readers to live life to their fullest potential here. While it sounds good on paper, the reality is that it couldn’t be further from the truth the Bible makes plain. If you consider this your best life, you should dread the life to come. However, if you look forward to eternity, you will realise this life has nothing to offer compared to what eternity promises. As Romans 8:23 shows us, children of God don’t consider this their best life. Instead, just like creation, they are groaning eagerly, awaiting their revealing as God’s children as well as the redemption of their bodies. They yearn for the Day when their lowly bodies will be made like his (Philippians 3:20-21).
In short, a fervent pursuit of Christ can only be fueled if we wholeheartedly desire to be with him forever (Matthew 6:19-21). Not only that, but also we must consider it better to be with him than anything we have or can do here (Philippians 1:21-23). The desire to be with him forever will fuel our pursuit to the point that we can consider everything as loss to attain the resurrection from the dead (Philippians 3:11). With that in mind, can you wholeheartedly say that your desire to be him forever is what fuels your pursuit (Philippians 3:12-14)?
Do You Consider Being Known By Him To Be Better Than Anything You Do For Him?
To quote one of our blogs, “The basis for any God-exalting, Christ-honoring service is a relationship with the Son of God.“ In the same way it applies to that blog, it also applies here. For you to eagerly look forward to eternity, your relationship with Christ matters more than what you do for him. Luke 10:17-20 explains this very well. I won’t rehash it since I already wrote a blog addressing this subject. However, as the text shows us, our greatest joy should never be in what we think we can accomplish but in being known by God. It is why it was necessary for us to be saved by grace through faith. We see this in Ephesians 2:9 where Paul says we are saved by grace so that we may not boast in what is a gift from God. He reiterated this in Romans 4:1-8 using Abraham’s example and quoted David from Psalm 32:1-2.
Therefore, dear saint, do you consider all your accomplishments to be moot so that you can know Christ, as highlighted in Matthew 7:21-23? Yes, this portion of scripture was addressing the legalistic Pharisees, but isn’t it our tendency to boast about what we have done for Christ rather than the fact he knows us? This scripture repudiates anyone who rejoices more in their accomplishments than in being known by Christ. As the text shows us, clinging to powerful exploits in ministry at the expense of being known by Christ will ultimately prove futile if we continue down that path.
Do You Rejoice in Your Sufferings?
One of the best ways to know if you are looking forward to eternity is whether you rejoice when facing suffering. By no means do I expect you to regard the suffering as painless. However, in the face of it, do you still set your hope on God and find joy in Him despite your suffering? Doing so means your eyes are set on the prize ahead. Let’s look at a few examples from Scripture that illustrate this way of life.
In Romans 5:3-5, Paul exhorted the Romans to rejoice in their sufferings. In Romans 5:2, Paul wrote that we are to rejoice in the hope of God’s glory because of the access by faith to the peace of God through Christ. In Romans 5:3-5, he expounds to show that even when we are suffering, especially when we are, the same should be true. Why? Paul answers this question as he concludes Romans 5:5 by saying that the hope that we have won’t put us to shame because of God’s love through the Spirit. The Holy Spirit here is essential because, as we are told in Ephesians 1:13-14, he guarantees the inheritance we will receive from God. An inheritance that, as Peter wrote, is imperishable, undefiled, unfading and kept in heaven for us (1 Peter 1:4).
The truth here makes us rejoice when we go through trials and are tested by fire, for the outcome of all of these is the salvation of souls (1 Peter 1:6-9). Dear saint, you may not be rejoicing in your sufferings because you’re not fixing your eyes on eternity. Thus, look forward to the Day your tears will be wiped away (Revelation 21:4). Rest on the fact that your afflictions are momentary and will only lead to glory (2 Corinthians 4:17-18).
As for my non-Christian friends, you are incapable of rejoicing in your suffering because you have no hope at all. Peter wrote that only one who has set their hope in Christ shouldn’t be ashamed when they suffer for his sake (1 Peter 4:12-16). Therefore, I urge you to fix your gaze on Christ before time runs out.
Are You Content With What You Have?
Are you willing to lose all you have for the hope set before you (Hebrews 12:1-3)? Are you willing to say with Paul that you are content with the little or much that God gives you (Philippians 4:11-13)? Could you possibly give up the world, for Christ’s sake (Matthew 16:24-28)? If your answer is no to the questions above, chances are you aren’t looking forward to eternity. Consider Hebrews 11, where the men and women of faith are commended for looking beyond life’s hardships and toward eternity. As it says, they desired a better country heavenly in nature (Hebrews 11:16). They trusted that the God who commanded them to seek him first would see to their needs (Matthew 6:33).
In Daniel’s case, he could have readily acquiesced to Babylonian culture, which was luxurious. However, he chose to be content with what he had, and as we know, that proved to be the better choice. We are told that they were better in appearance and fatter in flesh than the others (Daniel 1:15). We are also told in Daniel 1:21 that Daniel lasted till the reign of King Cyrus. This is a crucial verse to note, as you’d think Daniel would be cast away due to his uncompromising nature regarding his faith in God. Instead, the inverse was true, for God’s hand was on him. In Daniel, we see a clear example of godliness with contentment bringing great gain (1 Timothy 6:6). Only when we look beyond ourselves and to the kingdom to come can we be content with what we have.
Are You Seeking The Good of Christ’s Body?
The reminder in 1 Corinthians 12:12-26 is that as the church, we are one body with many members. This means that in the same way that the body functions as one, we are also to do so. How does this have eternal ramifications? According to Hebrews 3:12-13 and 10:23-25, one of the primary duties of the church is to ensure that we make it safely home. We will hold fast to the end through fellowship with fellow saints. We do this by being the vessels God’s word uses to teach, reprove, correct, train and exhort (2 Timothy 3:16-17; Hebrews 3:12). Another way we do this is by modelling the early church in caring for the needs of others (Acts 2:42-47; 4:32-37).
We must do this because the Day is ever drawing near (Hebrews 10:25); the Day that those who held fast will become eternally part of the unshakable Kingdom (Hebrews 12:25-29).
Do You Live For Him?
If you say you’re looking forward to eternity, the last question you’ll need to answer is whether you wholeheartedly live for Christ. Can you say with Paul that it is no longer you who lives but Christ in you (Galatians 2:20)? Can you say with Paul that you don’t account your life of any value or precious to yourself so that you may proclaim the gospel (Acts 20:24)? Finally can you still say with him whether it be through life or death as long as Christ is honoured you will rejoice (Philippians 1:20)? Before you answer those questions ponder on these as well. Would you say that because the Lord is on your side, you don’t fear what man can do to you (Psalm 118:6, cf; Hebrews 13:6)? Are you willing to contend for the faith (Jude 1:3)? Are you willing to stand your ground obeying God rather than please man (Acts 5:29)?
If your answer is yes, please do not grow weary but, as your Savior did, look ahead to the joy set before you (Hebrews 12:1-3). However, if your answer is no, I urge you to quickly turn your gaze back to the prize (Philippians 3:12-14). Take heed lest you fall because of the deceitfulness of sin (1 Corinthians 10:12). Remember Judas and Demas? It is because they took their eye from eternity that they chose to love the world. Therefore, dear saint, may your yearning for eternity spur you to pursue Christ for his glory and your good.
