THE TRUTH IN PRINT
November 2003, Vol. 9: Issue 10
A Publication of the Valley church of Christ,
2375 W. 8th Street, Yuma, AZ 85364
Office: (928) 539-7089

A SAFE DEPOSIT FOR MY TREASURES

By Bob W. Lovelace

As the forest fires ravished and destroyed our neighbor to the west (California) we often heard the words, “It’s a living Hell!” Beyond all doubt there was among our citizens much emotional distress, weeping, looses concerning homes and personal treasures - sifting through ashes to simply find one precious token of remembrance from the past. Many a house fell. How quickly the things of the present can become things of the past! From Job chapter one we read where the sequential events of just one day left Job without his sons and daughters, many servants, and large herds of livestock of various kinds. Do you recall what Job did that day? He fell to the earth and worshipped God saying: “Naked I came from mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” Of course Job did not know that it was Satan who had done this to him. At times in the Bible it is God who takes what man possessed. “I blew it away!” God said in Haggai 1:9. Why? Because they through covetousness had failed to do what Proverbs 3:9-10 demands. “Honor the Lord with your possessions,” Solomon said. “ Above these, there is yet a more tragic “taking away” recorded in the Bible. “What is that?” you ask. It is when God takes away ones part from the book of life (Rev. 22:17). Perhaps we should meditate more on that tragedy, rather than upon physical set backs which are temporary in nature and not eternal.

Friend, concerning “eternal setbacks” consider these words of Jesus: “Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: [25] And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. [26] And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: [27] And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it. [28] And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine: [29] For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes” (Matthew 7:24-29).

Concerning the events of the recent fires no one dared say, “Heaven is here on earth.” I wonder why? As stated earlier the opposite of Heaven's reward was often used to describe the inferno as well as the suffering. Moreover from time to time you would hear the word “our citizens,” thus giving emphasis to the value of one’s citizenship. Yes, those who suffered are citizens of an earthly nation. Moreover, it is certainly true that their citizenship has retained certain values in spite of their losses. Some had the fortitude to say, “We’ll go on for there is nothing else we can do.” And there is, perhaps, no better place to have to “go on” than in our country.

Hearing their tales and observing citizens coming here to Yuma to temporarily escape the inferno made the news! Some locals having driven through stricken areas as they sought to get back home to Yuma from Ca. said things like, “The news is not showing you what it is really like; the personal suffering is untold as people are simply camping out in tents, etc. at intersections along the high way with no where to go.” At least that is what I was told by friends who came through certain areas as they drove back to Yuma. Others joyfully related that their cabins and homes were saved. One couple related how they’d sold theirs last year only to find that it destroyed! They felt sorrow, they said, for those who bought it. Many exclaimed, What will they do? Where will they go for they have nothing left? And these along with, Do you suppose California will ever recover its losses?

Dear reader in contrast to this horrid picture Jesus taught there is a safe deposit for man's treasures, Heaven. Think now about the importance of this admonition: “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: [20] But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: [21] For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. [22] The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. [23] But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!” (Matthew 6:19-23).

Dear reader, in all truthfulness the “eye” is evil for the vast majority of those enjoying material wealth in our great nation. Why? Because they despise the riches of Christ’s kingdom! They possess the “evil eye” through not having enjoined upon themselves the duty of learning about the heavenly citizenship provided for us in Christ Jesus the Lord. Concerning citizenship in heaven Paul said: “For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself” ( Philip. 3:20-21; note: “conversation” is translated “citizenship” in the NASB). One learns about the hope of heaven in the gospel or the New Testament, the will of Christ for all of mankind (Rom. 1:16). Heaven is the one hope we find in Ephesians 4:4; Col. 1:5, 23. Regardless of material losses here the christian has a glorious inheritance reserved in Heaven. Peter said, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, [4] To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, [5] Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” (I Peter 1:3-5). Moreover, this inheritance is certain or sure provided one remains faithful to the Lord (Titus 1:2; Col. 1:23). To go to heaven you must obey Christ and keep His commandments (Mk. 16:15-16; Acts 2:38; Heb. 5:9; Rev. 22:14).

In order that mortals might understand the beauties of heaven Christ explained its rewards (our inheritance) by telling us what it will not and cannot be like. "Heaven, what will it be like?" one asks. It won't be like California, on fire! Heaven is not part of this creation or any part of the physical universe (read Heb. 9:11, 24). The day is coming when the material, physical universe, will be no more (Heb. 1:10-12; 2 Pet. 3:10-13). Thus one concludes that the beauty of heaven (and life therein) as described in physical terms is that one might gain a better overall appreciation of the glory that will be found there (read Rev. 21:10-21). We are told plainly that “flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God” (I Cor. 15:50). The saved will have a spiritual body that is not like the physical body (I Cor. 15:44). Additionally the scriptures describe heaven by using some important “no mores.” Consider what John wrote on heaven: “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away” (Rev. 21:4).

Friend, here is a list of those important “no mores” for your careful consideration:

No More

1. Sea - Re 21:1

2. Death - Re 21:4

3. Sorrow - Re 21:4

4. Crying - Re 21:4

5. Pain - 21:4

6. Curse - 22:3

7. Night - 22:5 (Just eternal day: Rev 21:25 ~ 22:5 )

Dear reader the ungodly and wicked will not be in heaven. Their eternal dwelling place is stated as being the lake of fire, Hell. You may read a list of deeds they do and continue in at Rev. 21:8, 27, 22:15. This nixes the popular idea that one will get to do wicked things there in heaven and it will be Ok!

Question: Do you really want to go to heaven? If you sincerely desire to go there then you must be honest with the truth of the Gospel. Heaven, it is often said, is a prepared place for a prepared people. Earlier in this article I stated that Jesus is the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him (Heb. 5:9; Rev. 22:14). One must obey the Gospel in order to be with Christ in Heaven (2 Thes. 1:8; Rom. 6:17-18, 3-4). Hear Jesus, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned” (Mark 16:16 )

Interested reader, to learn more about obeying Christ in repentance and baptism that you might be saved from the lake of fire go to our website, then from the Article Index choose “Fundamental Lessons on the Church, Lesson Three” or Click Here.

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