An Eternal Weight of Glory

For we know 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)

Here we see our two bodies in contrast. Our present physical body is liable, as was Paul’s, to dissolution. Paul was in danger of his life on many occasions, the most recent instance having occurred "in Asia" (II Corinthians 1:8).

None of us knows when his body may succumb to sickness or to an accident. But we have also a "building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens." That house cannot be dissolved. The "weight" of our house from Heaven is created by our "light affliction." Our present body will be glorified by being clothed with the eternal body.

For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from Heaven: (II Corinthians 5:2)

When we state the "weight" of our house from Heaven is created by our "light affliction" we are explaining that our response to our afflictions and tests, as we are brought down to death and raised again by the Life of Jesus, is creating the body from Heaven with which we shall be clothed in the Day of the Lord.

Now—today—we are weaving our eternal robe, our house from Heaven. As we sow, so shall we reap. If we do everything in our power to escape the tests and prisons the Lord would have us endure we will be clothed with corruption in the Day of the Lord. If we faithfully endure the tests and remain in the prisons assigned by the Lord we will be clothed with a body of eternal life.

For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. (Galatians 6:8)

The above verse was written to Christians. It applies only to Christians. A non-Christian does not have the choice of sowing to the Spirit.

If a believer continues to live in the flesh he will slay his own resurrection. Today’s overemphasis on grace, which is a perversion of the true doctrine of Divine grace, has destroyed the truth of Galatians 6:8. If we would be clothed with a body of glory like the body of the Lord Jesus, then we must come to know the power of His resurrection and we must share His sufferings. Those who do so will attain the first resurrection from the dead. Those who do not will be judged by the Lord.

From Paul’s writings we know he was pressing toward the "mark" of being clothed with the house from Heaven. As soon as we move past Pentecost in our Christian experience, the Holy Spirit begins to create in our heart the fervent desire to attain the body of resurrection life.

We always are more than willing to escape this present wilderness, whether by death, by translation, or by any other means. But such a desire is to be expected when one compares the life of bliss that God’s creatures enjoy in Paradise with our daily problems in the world. Who wouldn’t want to go to Heaven? Yet, there are loved ones in the world, and these ties of love temper our desire to go home to be with the Lord Jesus.

But being clothed with the body of life—this is something else again! This is no sorrowful leaving of loved ones on the earth so we can go to Paradise. Rather, the clothing of life is the triumphant overcoming of the last enemy. Here is victory! Here is joy! Here is reunion!

On that Day there will be no breaking hearts (among those who have served the Lord faithfully), no tears of anguish then. This is the Year of Jubilee when the slaves go free and everyone returns to his inheritance in the Lord. May God hasten the day when the sons of God are revealed.

The Spirit of Christ in Isaiah portrays the wonderful joy and glory of the saint at the moment of being clothed with eternal life.

I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels. (Isaiah 61:10)

We already have the first installment (earnest; pledge) of the Holy Spirit. But if we serve Christ faithfully until He returns, or until we go home to be with the Lord, whichever comes first, then we can look forward to the Day when our mortal body is made alive by His Spirit who dwells in us (Romans 8:11). The same Spirit who raised Christ from the dead will set our body free by His eternal power and glory.

If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. (II Corinthians 5:3)

It appears from the Scriptures that some Christians will be saved apart from any reward. They will be saved in the Day of the Lord but will be found naked as far as any spiritual accomplishment is concerned.

If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. (I Corinthians 3:15)

People will be saved who have not laid up for themselves an eternal weight of glory. They will not be destroyed in the day of God’s wrath, but they will be found "naked."

Paul emphasizes the desire of the saint for immortality:

For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed up, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. (II Corinthians 5:4)

We who are in the body of flesh do groan because we are burdened. But we are not groaning "that we would be unclothed" (leave the body and go to Heaven). Rather, we are groaning that we might be clothed with resurrection life. We are groaning that "mortality might be swallowed up of life."`

Paul asks, "O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" (Romans 7:24).

God’s answer to Paul is, "The Lord Jesus is coming with a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. The Holy Spirit who now dwells in you will make alive your mortal body and you will be free from sin and death just as your Lord Jesus Christ is free from sin and death."

Resurrection life will swallow up mortality, as portrayed by the covering of the acacia wood of the Ark of the Covenant with gold (Exodus 25:10,11).

Acacia wood, symbolizing mortality, was always present in the Ark, but the wood was never seen because it was completely covered with gold, which typifies Divinity. Our original body will be our dwelling place throughout the ages to come. But it will never be seen as it is now because it will be "swallowed up of life."

Jesus still has the same body. He still has the nail prints in His hands, we believe. But He is in a greatly glorified state. After we stand in the Presence of God Almighty for a few billion years, steadfastly beholding His Face, we shall be so glorified that every atom of our being will be changed into the Divine Nature. However, our original form will be there, just as the outline of the leaf can be traced in the rock after eons have passed.

We are not groaning that we might leave our body and go to Paradise, although that is a blessed prospect. Rather, we are longing for and pressing toward the putting on of the "far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory," our "house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens."

Our hearts are overcome with joy as we consider the greatness of the inheritance that is to be ours at the return of the Lord. We yet shall possess the righteousness and peace for which we are fighting. We are laboring to enter the rest of God. God’s rest will be ours if we do not give up but continue on as one faithful to Him whose name is "Faithful" (Revelation 19:11).

God is preparing us for the putting on of the house from Heaven.

Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest [pledge] of the Spirit. (II Corinthians 5:5)

God has created us for the purpose of conforming us to the image of His Son, Christ, that He may be the firstborn among many brothers. We must be changed into His image in our spirit, in our soul, and in our body.

It is God’s great joy and good pleasure that we inherit His fullness. No greater joy can be brought to the heart of God than that which comes from beholding His sons fight their way by faith into the fullness of all He has prepared for them.

Israel displeased God by not maintaining the courageous faith required for the full possession of the land of promise. Let us not be like faithless Israel. Let us rather go on until death itself, the last enemy of our Lord Jesus Christ, has been crushed under our feet by the God of peace (Romans 16:20).

We have the Holy Spirit as an "earnest," a guarantee, a pledge, a first installment on the greater glory that is yet to come. The greater glory will include, among other blessings, the clothing of our body with a house fashioned from eternal life. Let us never lose sight of that goal, for it is the fullness of salvation. The pursuit of the fullness of God is His will for us now. We need faith and patience if we are to lay hold on our entire inheritance in Christ.

We always are willing to leave this fleshly body and go home to be present with our wonderful Lord Jesus. As long as we are at home in the body we are absent from Him. We continue in the pursuit of righteousness in order that we may be accepted of Him, whether we are present with Him or still in a mortal body.

We have the sure knowledge that we possess an eternal house in the heavens and that we shall be clothed with it if we steadfastly keep our gaze on Christ. For we must yet appear before the judgment seat of Christ that we may receive the consequences of the manner in which we have answered His call on our life.

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. (II Corinthians 5:10)

The body of resurrection life is a reward for faithfully serving Christ no matter what the inconvenience or pain may be. From the context of the above verse we understand Paul was thinking about the reward that will come to the Christian who has labored in Christ in order that the will of God may come to pass in the earth. Paul was considering the "far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory" that is to be his at the appearing of the righteous Judge.

After having accepted the freely given salvation in Christ a person may or may not go on to the gaining of a reward.

If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. (I Corinthians 3:14,15)

Every one of us will stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ. We may hear Him say, "Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter the desires of your heart, the righteousness, love, joy, peace, and gladness that have been prepared for you from the creation of the world."

Or, He may have cause to say, "It became necessary for me to remove those things that hindered you, but you remained faithful throughout your fiery trial. Welcome to My kingdom." Christ then will wipe away our tears and we will be saved from the wrath of God.

There are some believers who will hear neither of these comments. Rather, they will face an angry Christ who will command that they be thrown into outer darkness (Matthew 25:30).

There appear to be some misconceptions concerning the giving of rewards under the new covenant. Consider, if you will, the following two seemingly inconsistent statements:

Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. (Romans 4:4)

And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. (Revelation 22:12)

In Romans, Chapter Four Paul seems to be saying if we do nothing except believe in Christ, God will reward us because of our belief. If we do anything about our salvation, God then owes us something and this interferes with His grace.

In Revelation, Chapter 22, however, John informs us that Christ shall reward men according to their works. The two passages appear to be in opposition. Romans seems to state righteous works interfere with the grace of God while Revelation maintains there is a reward for righteous works.

The seeming clash between Paul and John is caused by the fact that they are referring to two different aspects of salvation. In Romans, Chapter Four Paul is declaring works of the Law of Moses are not the way to obtain the righteousness of God.

Paul presents Christ as the answer to our need for right standing with God. If a man "works," if he attempts to gain God’s favor by keeping the laws and ordinances of the old covenant, he is avoiding the cross of Christ.

Through keeping the Law of Moses he hopes to earn the reward of God’s approval on his life. Therefore, a righteousness that comes by faith in God’s Lamb is not necessary. He has gained the reward by blameless observance of the Law and the Levitical ordinances. God owes salvation to the observant individual because he has earned it by his efforts.

God no longer will accept this approach!

We cannot earn salvation by performing righteous works. But true salvation always produces righteous works. Where righteousness is not being developed, where moral transformation is not taking place, no Divine redemption is occurring.

Revelation 22:12 is not referring to the strict observance of the Levitical statutes and ordinances as the work that earns the reward from Christ. Rather, the "work" of Revelation is referring to the type of Christian faithfulness of which Christ speaks so highly in Revelation, Chapters Two and Three.

For example: "I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first" (Revelation 2:19). The works mentioned here have nothing to do with the observance of the Levitical statutes—that to which Paul was referring in Romans 4:4. Paul is speaking of our reward, in II Corinthians, Chapter Five—a surpassingly marvelous reward at that! Our mortal body will be clothed with a body of resurrection life. We shall reign with Christ from His throne at the right hand of the Almighty (Revelation 3:21) We shall inherit the "all things" of Revelation 21:7.

For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works. (Matthew 16:27)

If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereon, he shall receive a reward. (I Corinthians 3:14)

And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. (Colossians 3:23,24)

Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward. (II John 1:8)

The house from Heaven is a reward for uncompromising faithfulness to the Lord Jesus Christ. It is the crown of incorruptible righteousness, glory, and life.

And every man that striveth for mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. (I Corinthians 9:25)

Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but to all them also that love his appearing. (II Timothy 4:8)

Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. (James 1:12)

And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away. (I Peter 5:4)

Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. (Revelation 2:10)

Paul’s life was pointed straight as an arrow on a fully drawn bow. Paul’s target was the full knowledge of Christ—arrival at the resurrection from among the dead. Paul exhorts us to march along with him and not break rank. "Follow me," he cries, "as I follow Christ."

Paul already had been saved. Now he was seeking the full attainment of life! of righteousness! of glory! of fruitfulness! of authority and power!

Who will follow Paul as he follows Christ? Will you?

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