LIVING FOR ETERNITY: Treasures Corruptible

 

You can read up some earlier posts on this series Nature of earthly things and Understanding Eternity  

Today,  we shall go a step further to examine the nature of earthly things and earthly glory. The Bible is clear on one thing: all these things are passing away (1John 2:17). In Mathew 6:19-20 we see a summary given by the lord Jesus himself. He says "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon the earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt and where thieves break through and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt and where thieves do not break through nor steal".

Every treasure built and laid up on earth has been laid up for rust, moths and thieves. Even money itself is decaying everyday all over the world. They call it inflation but it is the modern terminology for decay. It does not carry the weight it used to carry. The world is passing away both in quality and its functionality. Old things are generally stronger than whatever new things are being made today. The world system makes whatsoever you have presently insufficient so that you may run for more of it. 

The glory and treasures of this world is deceptive, remedial, competitive, comparative and corruptible. It is ordinary ash made to look flashy.  The flashiness blinds the eyes of men and makes the glory of heaven and eternity obscure. It is by the reason of its enticing nature that the devil uses it to imprison men in empty sophistication. So there is this conflict in the hearts of servants of God who have not really understood the nature of earthly treasures. They keep contemplating whether to bow down or not. And this causes rising and falling in the hearts of such people. They want to go to heaven, yet they want to have a taste of the earthly glory. What they fail to understand is that the whole earth with all its glory is but mere footstool for God. 

I John 2:15-17 rightly warns "Love not the world, neither all that is in the world. If any man loves the world, the love of the father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life is not of God. And the world passes away and every lust therein but he that does the will of God will abides forever".

The heavenly glory with the treasures therein does not depend on the currencies of the world. Grace is better and more glorious. 

When Satan confronted Jesus with all the glory of the kingdoms of the world, Jesus wasn't bugged. He said to him "get thee behind me Satan!". Satan demanded that Jesus should fall down and worship him for him to receive the glory of the world. This should teach us a lesson. There is a principle of the world system that some children of God do not understand. For you to receive anything from Satan, you must have to fall down and bow to him. This will mean bowing and bending from your upright position of righteous standing with God. Beloved, you must make a stand today. Where exactly do you want to belong? With Satan or with God? Do you want earthly ephemeral glory that does not last or the lasting glory of the heavens reserved to all who will stand till the end. Satan does not have any free gift. Every blessing of God makes rich and adds no sorrow. But every gift of Satan is a poisonous bait well hidden to choke out the very life in its recipient.

PRAYER: father in your mercy keep us focused. We love you and wish to serve you here on earth and reign with your son Jesus eternally. Grant us the grace we need to live a victorious Christian life in union with your son Jesus,  over and above whatever Satan can offer. Amen!