Online Bible Study - The Promise Is to You

THE QUESTION:
How will the trials of this life end for the Christian?

WE BELIEVE:
God promises us a wonderful life in His new heaven and new earth.

A STORY:
Once there was a rich man who dressed in fancy clothes and lived in luxury every day. On the street in front of his house was a poor man, covered with wounds. He longed to just eat what fell from the rich man's table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. When the poor man died, the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also died. He was in torment in hell. He looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. He called to him, "Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire." But Abraham said, "Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things. But now he is comforted here and you are in agony." (based on Luke 16:19-25)

Life can bring many surprises. A poor man becomes rich; a rich man becomes impoverished. Our story shows the reversals aren't all over in this life. In the life to come, those who live happily in their sin will know punishment; those who suffer for Christ's sake will be glorified.

Like sin, suffering had no place in God's original plan for creation. Now, however, God uses suffering for his own purposes. The greatest example of this is that He saved the world through the suffering and death of His Son on the cross. Christ's suffering was at an end when He rose from the grave on Easter morning. His resurrection shows the way that His followers will go after him. Even nature itself will be transformed through the power of Christ's rising. The prophet Isaiah spoke in picture language to describe the peace to come:

GOD SPEAKS:
"The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea." Isaiah 11:7-9

Harassed by the devil, persecuted by the world, distraught over his own sinfulness, the Christian endures many sufferings in this world. Yet we can always comfort and encourage ourselves with the knowledge that God does not abandon us when we suffer. It is an opportunity for us to draw near to Christ and learn to trust in Him more. We are also assured that suffering is never the final word in God's plan. Through suffering, He will lead us to glory. When we reach that point, much that is perplexing and distressing about the misery of this world will be clear.

GOD SPEAKS:
"We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies." Romans 8:22-23

THIS PART OF OUR LESSON ASKS:
How does it help you endure sorrows now by thinking of the glory God promises to all who believe in Christ Jesus?

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