Christian Hope

Eternal life, the new earth and reunion with loved ones - The glorious future God has prepared

We have reached the final lesson of our study on death. After examining truths that may seem dark — the reality of death, the unconsciousness of the dead, Satan’s deceptions — we arrive at the most glorious part: Christian hope! This is a hope that does not disappoint, founded on God’s infallible promises.

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth. For the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.” — Revelation 21:1

The Promise of Jesus

What did Jesus promise to His disciples before departing?

That He would send their souls to heaven immediately after death That He would come again and take them to be with Him That they would remain on earth forever That they would reincarnate until reaching perfection

Christian hope is not “going to heaven when we die”, but Jesus’s return! He said: “I will come back and take you to be with me.” This is a personal promise from the Savior Himself. He will come to get us, not send a message or a representative: He Himself will come!

“The coming of the Lord has been in all ages the hope of His true followers.” — Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, p. 302

The Glorious Reunion

What will happen when the dead in Christ are resurrected?

They will go immediately to judgment They will wander across the earth They will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air They will remain in the tombs awaiting instructions

Imagine the scene: Jesus appears in the clouds of heaven with thousands of angels. The tombs open, and the righteous of all ages are resurrected with glorified bodies. Together with the righteous living, they will be caught up to meet Jesus in the air. What a glorious reunion!

After meeting Jesus in the air, where will the saved go?

They will return to earth immediately They will remain floating in space They will go to the place Jesus prepared — the heavenly mansions They will go to another planet

Life in the New Earth

What is God preparing for the saved?

An existence as spirits in the clouds A new heaven and a new earth A return to the original Garden of Eden Reincarnation in better bodies

Christian hope is not floating in the clouds for all eternity! God will create a new earth — real, physical, tangible — where we will live forever. It will be Eden restored, even more glorious than the original.

What will NOT exist anymore on the new earth?

Work and activities Death, mourning, crying and pain Relationships and friendships Nature and animals

Everything that causes us suffering now will be eliminated. Death — the last enemy — will be completely destroyed. There will be no more hospitals, cemeteries, tears of farewell. Sin and its consequences will be gone forever.

Eternal Life in Detail

The Bible gives us wonderful glimpses of life on the new earth:

What will the saved do on the new earth?

They will only contemplate God, doing nothing They will sleep eternally in peace They will build houses, plant vineyards and enjoy the work of their hands They will serve as angels in heaven

Eternal life will be an active and full existence! It will not be tedious or monotonous. We will have houses to build, gardens to cultivate, skills to develop, places to explore, and all of eternity to learn and grow.

How will be the relationship between humans and animals on the new earth?

There will be no animals on the new earth The wolf will dwell with the lamb — there will be total peace Animals will serve humans as slaves Humans and animals will live separately

The Presence of God

What will be the greatest blessing of the new earth?

The absence of problems Physical immortality God will dwell with men and will be their God The beauty of restored nature

The greatest joy of eternity will be being in God’s presence! We will see His face, hear His voice, walk with Him as Adam did in Eden. All of God’s love, all His wisdom, all His goodness will be accessible to us forever.

“There the redeemed will know as they are known. And the feelings of love and sympathy which God Himself has planted in the soul will there find their sweetest exercise.” — Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, p. 677

What will the saved do every Sabbath on the new earth?

They will rest in their homes The Sabbath will no longer exist They will come to worship before the Lord They will work as on any other day

Reunion With Loved Ones

What did Paul say to console those who lost loved ones?

That we should not feel any sadness That we will see them again when Jesus comes That they are already well in heaven That we should forget the dead

One of the greatest consolations of Christian hope is the reunion with our loved ones who died in Christ. It is not a vague hope of “they are in a better place”, but a concrete certainty: we will see them again! We will embrace our parents, children, friends — and never be separated again.

“Families so long separated by death will then be reunited, to be separated no more, and with songs of rejoicing will ascend together to the city of God.” — Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, p. 645

Eternity With Christ

For how long will the saved live with Christ?

One thousand years Until the next cycle of creation Forever and ever (eternally) Until God decides to create a new universe

Eternal life is exactly that: eternal. There is no expiration date, no end, no uncertainty. Forever and ever — throughout all eternity — we will be with our Savior, exploring the wonders of His creation, growing in knowledge and love.

And Now?

Christian hope changes how we live today:

We do not fear death: It is only a brief sleep before the glorious awakening.
We comfort one another: With the certainty of reunion, not like those who have no hope.
We live with purpose: Each day is an opportunity to prepare for eternity.
We share the hope: Others need to know these good news!
We wait with joy: Jesus’s return is not cause for fear, but for joyful expectation.

“The great work of redemption was accomplished… The vacancies made by the fall of Satan and his angels will be filled by the redeemed of the Lord, and the heavenly host will sing, ‘Amen! Alleluia!’” — Ellen G. White, Story of Redemption, p. 432

I accept the Christian hope of resurrection and eternal life. I eagerly await Jesus’s return and reunion with my loved ones who died in faith. I desire to be ready for that glorious day, living each day in communion with Christ. Maranatha — Come, Lord Jesus!

6) Christian Hope