All Things New, Pt. 3
We’ve moved quickly through this survey about what the Bible tells us of the New Creation we’ll one day inhabit. There have been many questions that spurred on the conversation and more that accumulated over the past few weeks. This week were addressing as many as we can. This is NOT about Pastor' Nate’s options and ideas, rather, the principle guiding us is the proper interpretation of the Scriptures. There are three basic categories of answers we can arrive at when it comes to the New Creation.
See what they are below!
When we ask questions about big subjects like the New Creation, the Bible simply doesn’t tell us all the answers. What it does say can be divided into three categories:
What we can KNOW. From careful interpretation of Bible passages in their context and with special regard to what it meant to the original audience and what it means to us today. This can be from direct statements such as the bible saying “X will happen” or we can know things from logical deductions (i.e. If X is true then Y must also be true”
This is what I like to call “Informed Imagination.” The Bible sometimes stops short of giving us the whole picture, but we are invited to imagine what the rest of the picture looks like. I.e. We will have our bodies back, but they will be different- just how? We have some clues.
This is basically speculation. We have no direct evidence, we have very few hints, and we just wonder these things. We can guess, but don’t put much stock in your ideas. God didn’t think we needed to know X right now.
Questions to Ponder:
We’ve been pondering questions already - instead take some time to pray about the future. Pray for those who have not shown any signs of softening their hearts to Jesus. Pray for those who are peaceful to the good news but haven’t embraced it.
Pray for those who are in a dark place of doubt or distress in their faith.
Let your own anxieties and fears be taken by Christ and let him fill you with peace about whatever worries you.
Pray for the Kingdom of God to grow here and now - for people to pledge their faith to Jesus. For people to do kingdom work. For Christians’ love of GOd to be pure and devoted.
Meditate on your own motivations and love of God. Have you been open with Him? Have you been receptive to his promptings? Is your heart hard?
Pray for the joy and confidence of knowing King Jesus now and in the age to come.