Mankind is "of the earth: EARTHY."  (I Corinthians 15:47)  This is so much the fact that when people try to visualize heaven -- the realm of spirit beings -- they automatically and habitually import things there from the earth.  We cannot help ourselves!  It is the way our organisms think.  Man was MEANT to be resident on this planet.  (Acts 17:26; Isaiah 45:18)  The things we see and know, the things we build with, the things we cherish, are all constructed from wood, stone, plants, and water -- and, of course, we could add a few other items like metal and the "intangibles" like aroma, taste, and color.  These are things of this earth.  They were wonderfully created for the benefit of the human race.

 

The Gospel, of course, points out clearly that there are TWO SALVATIONS.  Some, a very few of humanity, who have been faithful disciples of Jesus will be granted a very special resurrection as Divine beings -- the very nature of God and of the glorified Jesus.   (Hebrews 1:3)  These are the promised "Abraham's Seed" (Galatians 4:28) who will bless "all the families OF THE EARTH" -- the billions of humanity whose resurrection will not be as spirit beings, but as perfected humans.  When THAT happens, the Lord's prayer (Matthew 6:10) will have its answer.  God's Will will then be "done IN EARTH as it is     in heaven."

 

We can only rejoice in the prospects for restored humanity!  They will be a perfect, happy race of creative individuals living forever on an earth designed just for them.  (Isaiah 14:7)

 

While some have speculated that humanity will travel or even migrate to other planets, it is not likely so -- as indicated by the Acts 17:26 text.  Face it!  Man was made for earth; and earth was made for man -- as the Isaiah 45:18 text mentions.  And we LOVE IT!  We love the wood, the stone, the metals, the plants, the animals, the water, the scents, the tastes, and the colors!

 

But for any among us who will find the Lord granting a change of nature so that our eternity will be as spirit beings, these things that men love will not be the things that glorified men will love.  The Lord will have for these an environment made for the delights of their new kinds of bodies -- spirit bodies.  And just because we cannot even imagine what that will be (because our human capabilities for imagination are not that large or inclusive), we can BE CERTAIN that the same God who designed such perfect circumstances for earthly creatures is no less capable and desirous of designing delights for His spirit beings.

 

But there is no use TRYING to speculate about it!  It is beyond us.  But it IS worthwhile to have the kind of faith to know that, whatever our future bodies and environment will be, it simply CANNOT be less delightful than the magnificence of this earth we know and love so well.  

 

And we NEED TO BE comfortable with that faith.  If we are deemed faithful to be a  part of the "Body of Christ," we will LOSE the environment that we have loved so well because we were MADE FOR IT.  But our God is so wise and loving that his REWARD  to His saints will be just that -- A REWARD.  It will be something we will value far and above anything we have appreciated while we have been human.

 

 

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