In Perfect Condition

Man, in Perfect Condition

This is almost too much to hope for, there is nothing in history after the Garden of Eden with which to compare the final and eternal state that God has prepared for His people. There are many and varied versions throughout the history of mankind of a Utopia; some very fanciful, others quite low, even coarse. Most all of them have some elevated version of some earthly condition or desire. There is a logical reason for this, and even the Biblical account of the final state, condition and environment of renewed man has the same element.

Borrowing a phrase from the Apostle Paul (I Corinthians 2:9), "Eye has not seen nor ear heard,... the things which God has prepared for them that love Him."

We have not climbed the heights and peered over the wall of that future estate, but God has revealed some things, but then that which is told us must be expressed in language that we might have at least a glimmer of what that eternal state is like.

We need to be reminded here that each of these conditions of man that we have only briefly described begun with a radical act or change.

A radical change took place in the Garden when our first parents departed from the revealed will of God their Maker. Both themselves and their environment were terribly afflicted in judgment. (Review man in his ruined condition.)

A radical change took/takes place when a man, dead in trespasses and sin, cut off from the fellowship of his God, without hope in and of himself is quickened, made alive and restored to communion with his God. This is not some nice little religious act, this is momentous, this is a radical change in this man’s nature, disposition and thus his desires and actions.

When man’s life on/in this time line of history comes to the God appointed end it will be a radical event for all mankind and all of the physical creation. It is not a good event for un-renewed man. But, oh, what glory beyond measure and words is this beginning of a perfect condition and environment for renewed man.

This may happen in one of two ways. Both of which we must describe in terms that are, and always will be considered so very drastic and beyond what we can begin to comprehend, even though we may intellectually grasp the terms used.

The first being what we call PHYSICAL DEATH. Every graveyard, every funeral attests this fact and drastic change to our minds. The Scripture bears abundant testimony of this fact. The following is a sampling only:

	Hebrews 9:27 And as Psalm 89:48 What man (is he that) lives, and shall not see death?
	Romans 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.

Every saint that has lived in centuries past has gone down to the grave, but not to judicial punishment, but through that radical change he was ushered into the very presence of His God. Paul in II Corinthians 5:8 spoke of being absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. The last vestiges of sin however is yet to be overcome and will be so accomplished when the very remains of the body in the grave will be changed. Certainly something radical happens.

That brings us to the second way by which some men enter into that perfect and final state of existence. That is the way of a translation, called "a change" in I Corinthians 15, and of "being caught up" in I Thessalonians 4. This certainly falls under the heading of A RADICAL CHANGE.

We have here reached the end of our TIME LINE that we spoke of in our MODEL. History is over, time has come to an end and the eternal state of the future has begun. It is utterly mind boggling, but we do see a glimmer of what this means. A DAY is coming when this radical event is actually going to

come to pass. Read carefully the clear word of Jesus Himself in John 5:28,29:

"Marvel not at this: for the HOUR is coming, in the which ALL that are in the graves shall hear His voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation." The Apostle Paul in II Thessalonians 1 was writing to give that early church both some encouragement and hope, writes describing that final day, that radical change that will affect all mankind. Note what is to happen on that final day:

	1. Lord Jesus will be revealed (appears, is manifested).
	2. He shall come with His angels taking vengeance.
	3. Final banishment of His and church’s enemies.
	4. When? When He shall come to be glorified in His saints.

(See also I Corinthians 15:22-58; I Thessalonians 4:13 go on through 5:7; II Peter 3:10-15)

(Parables describing that final day: Matthew 13:36-43; 47-52; 24:37-39; 25:1-46)

That DAY, that harvest,that translation is the day of RADICAL change and those changes will be in place forever. That DAY all will be "harvested" in, but there will be two different destinations. Our topic here is Renewed man entering into that Perfect Condition. We are not here considering the destination of unrenewed man other than to say it is FEARFUL and one from which we should seek diligently that to escape that terrible fate.

INDEED, WHAT A RADICAL CHANGE!

TO BE WITH THE LORD FOREVER!

WHERE I AM, THERE YOU SHALL BE ALSO!

"Father, I will that they also, whom Thou hast given Me, be with Me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which Thou hast given Me..." (Prayer of our High Priest for His own. John 17)

That grand work which was planned in eternity, purchased and executed in time is now a complete success and so manifested in Revelation 21,22. Renewed man now radically changed and translated into an environment that is pictured to us in terms that are analogical in form. An analogy is a an attempt to picture to us in terms that we may see a similarity. That eternal scene "is like"... It is far greater than the glimmer of "likeness" that we can now see. Thus the Lord Jesus is described as One Who "is like" the sun. The richness, the beauty, the whole scene is described in the most beautiful, the most satisfying descriptive terms that we can know in this present existence.

But now in this perfect environment, "All that existed before is passed away, behold all things are become new."

PERFECT:

	No more sorrow, pain, tears.
	No more death, sin, sickness.
	No more enemies to fear and torment.

PERFECT:

	Nothing but light and no darkness.
	Perfect communion with the Lord.
	Perfect satisfaction (as typified in water and all manner of fruit.)

IT IS PERFECT, IT IS CALLED HEAVEN, BECAUSE IT IS WHERE OUR LORD IS. THE TRUE CHILD OF GOD WANTS HIM!

God’s plan from eternity is a complete success, He declares Himself to be the Alpha (the beginning) and the Omega (the end). This applies to the overall creation down to each individual sinner, purchased by Christ, sought out by the Holy Spirit and "kept by the power of God until that final day."

Isaiah wrote (24-27) "...For the Lord of hosts has purposed (determined), and who shall disannul (defeat, defeat, frustrate) it.

"If He has begun a good work He will complete it."

TO GOD BE THE GLORY, GREAT THINGS HE HAS DONE!

Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created...Blessing, and honor, and glory and power be unto Him that sits upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. Amen (Revelation 5)

Please Follow The Path to God's Mediator!

Suggested Reading: SCRIPTURE RESEMBLES A FLOWER, by William Hendrickson

Please e-mail Dr. John C. Shafer for answers to any questions you may have, or requests for study materials.