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AN ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE
A. Introduction: For several weeks we’ve been talking about the fact that God promises peace of mind and
heart to His people (or freedom from disquieting thoughts and emotions). Isa 26:3—You (God) will keep in
perfect peace all who trust in you, whose thoughts are fixed on you (NLT).
1. Peace of mind and heart is not automatic. It is conditional. It comes to those who keep their thoughts
on God. I realize that sincere Christians struggle with what it means to keep our thoughts fixed on God,
especially since all of us have to live in this world and attend to the tasks of life.
a. To keep your thoughts on God and experience the peace of mind and heart that God offers you must
have the right perspective. You must have an eternal perspective.
1. An eternal perspective realizes that because of what Jesus has done for us, we have a future and
a hope that goes beyond this life, and recognized that the greater and better part of life is ahead
of us in the life after this life.
2. An eternal perspective lives with the awareness that not only is there is more to life than just this
life, all will ultimately be made right, if not in this life, in the life to come.
b. The peace that God promises is a peace that passes understanding because it is based on the certainty
that, no matter what happens, no matter or what circumstances you face, all will eventually be well.
2. It’s not what you see that gives you peace of mind and heart. It’s how you see what you see. Your
perspective directs and dominates your thoughts and affects the amount of peace or anxiety you do or
don’t have. We have more to say about your perspective and your thoughts in this lesson.
B. To develop an eternal perspective that gives you peace of mind in this life, you must understand that you are
part of a plan that, although it affects this life, it is much bigger than this life.
1. In eternity past Almighty God devised a plan to have a family of holy and righteous sons and daughters
with whom He can live forever in loving relationship in the home He created for us—this earth.
a. However, neither humankind nor the family home (this planet) is the way it’s supposed to be, the
way God created or intended it to be because of sin, beginning with Adam, the first man.
1. When Adam sinned, both humanity and the earth were permeated with a curse of corruption and
death. Because of this, human beings are born with a bent toward selfishness and all choose
independence from God through sin, which disqualifies them for God’s family. The earth
produces thorns and thistles, killer earthquakes, and storms, non-living things rust and wear out,
and every living thing grows old and dies. Gen 2:17; Gen 3:17-19; Rom 5:12-14; Matt 6:19; etc.
2. All the suffering, heartache, pain, and loss present in this world is ultimately traceable back to
sin—not necessarily your sin, but Adam’s sin. As a result, there is no such thing as a problem
free, pain free life in this broken world. You can do everything right and bad things still occur
because that’s life in a sin damaged world (many lessons for another day).
b. God knew that this would happen before He created the world and motivated by love, He devised a
plan to deliver His creation from this condition and recover His family and the family home through
Jesus. This plan is called redemption. To redeem means to buy back, to get or win back.
1. Eph 1:4-5—Long ago, even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to
be holy and without fault in his eyes. His unchanging plan has always been to adopt us into his
own family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ. And this gave him great pleasure
(NLT),
2. II Tim 1:9-10—It is God who saved us and chose us to live a holy life. He did this not because
we deserved it, but because that was his plan long before the world began—to show his love
and kindness to us through Christ Jesus. And now he has made all of this plain to us by the
coming of Christ Jesus, our Savior, who broke the power of death and showed us the way to
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everlasting life through the Good News (NLT).
2. Salvation includes much more that not going to Hell when we die. Salvation is the complete restoration
and transformation of all that has been damaged by sin, through the power of the Holy Spirit, on the basis
of Jesus’ sacrificial death. Jesus came to provide full salvation for all who believe in Him.
a. Note this passage of Scripture: Heb 9:26-28—(Jesus) has once for all at the consummation and
close of the ages appeared to put away and abolish sin by His sacrifice [of Himself]…(He) will
appear a second time, not carrying any burden of sin nor to deal with sin, but to bring to full
salvation those who are (eagerly, constantly and patiently) waiting for and expecting Him (Amp).
1. Jesus is God Incarnate, God become fully man without ceasing to be fully God. He came into
this world to die as a sacrifice for sin and open the way for men and women to be delivered from
the guilt and power of sin and restored to their created purpose as God’s sons and daughters
through faith in Him. John 1:12-13
2. Jesus will come a second time to cleanse the earth of every trace of sin, corruption, and death,
and renew and restore the world into what the Bible calls the new heavens and earth. God and
His family of redeemed sons and daughters will then live here forever. Rev 21-22
b. Full salvation includes God’s sons and daughters being reunited with their bodies raised from the
dead (resurrection of the dead) and made immortal and incorruptible.
1. We’ve said in previous lessons that at physical death, no one ceases to exist. At death our
body and our inward, immaterial part separate. The body returns to dust and we pass into
another dimension (Heaven or Hell) depending on how we responded to Jesus in this life.
2. God didn’t create us to die or to be separated from our bodies. This condition will be rectified
in connection with Jesus’ second coming. We will be reunited with our bodies raised from the
grave so we can live on earth again once it is renewed—this time, forever. I Cor 15:12-58
c. For a Christian, life after this life means going to God’s home (the present invisible Heaven) when
our body dies. And it means returning to the renewed and restored earth with Jesus to live with the
Lord forever in the family home—Heaven on earth. That is full salvation.
C. The first Christians lived with the awareness that they were only passing through this world in its present
form, and this perspective helped them deal with the hardships of life.
1. Peter, in his first public sermon preached after Jesus returned to Heaven, told the crowd: (Jesus) must
remain in heaven until the time for the final restoration of all things, as God promised long ago through
his prophets (Acts 3:21, NLT); from the most ancient time in the memory of man (Acts 3:21, Amp).
a. First century Jews understood from the Old Testament prophets that God isn’t going to destroy this
world. He’s going to cleanse and restore it by rooting out all corruption and death.
b. As soon as Adam sinned God began to reveal His plan to undo the damage done through the coming
Seed of the woman (Gen 3:15). Jesus is the Seed and Mary is the woman. Through the centuries
God revealed increasing aspects of His unfolding plan of redemption through His prophets.
1. Seven hundred years before Jesus came into this world the prophet Isaiah was given an amazing
prophecy about Jesus’ crucifixion. It is recorded in the fifty-third chapter of Isaiah’s book.
2. Two weeks ago we quoted another prophecy. God revealed to Isaiah that there is coming a day
when the Lord “will remove the shadow of death that hangs over the earth. He will swallow up
death forever. The Sovereign Lord will wipe away all tears” (Isa 25:7-8, NLT).
3. Isaiah also wrote that “Those who belong to God will live; their bodies will rise again! Those
who sleep in the earth will rise up and sing for joy” (Isa 26:19 (NLT).
c. Back to Peter the apostle. He later wrote that these various prophets “had many questions as to
what it could all mean. They wondered what the (Lord) was talking about when he told them in
advance of Christ’s suffering and his great glory afterward…They were told that these things would
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not happen during their lifetime, but many years later during yours…It is all so wonderful that even
the angels are watching these things happen” (I Pet 1:10-12, NLT).
2. Paul the apostle wrote to a group of Jewish believers in Jesus to encourage them to stay faithful to Jesus
when they were facing increasing pressure to deny Him.
a. Paul reminded them that their ancestors (such as Abraham and David and countless others) “agreed
that they were no more than foreigners and nomads here on earth…they were looking for a better
place, a heavenly homeland” (Heb 11:13-16, NLT). Then Paul wrote:
1. Heb 11:39-40—All of these people we have mentioned received God’s approval because of
their faith, yet none of them received all that God had promised. For God had far better things
in mind for us that would also benefit them, for they can’t receive the prize at the end of the race
until we finish the race (NLT).
2. Paul went on to say: Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses
(these Old Testament saints)… let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us.
We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus (Heb 12:1-2, NLT).
b. What did Paul mean by better things? Paul was writing to the generation that saw the better things,
—the first coming of the Promised Seed (Jesus) who offered Himself as a sacrifice for our sin, paid
for our sin on the Cross, and redeemed us to God.
1. In doing so, Jesus activated God’s plan to restore the family and the family home. He opened
the way for sinful men and women to become sons and daughters of God through faith in Him.
2. When Jesus returned to Heaven forty days after rising from the dead, His first message to His
followers was a promise to return and complete the plan of redemption. Acts 1:9-11
3. None of this was academic information for Paul. It helped him live life. Although he regularly faced
death for his faith in Jesus, he had an eternal perspective that enabled him to deal with not only the
threat of death, but the hardships he endured as he travelled the Roman world preaching the gospel.
a. In the context of facing physical death Paul wrote: We never give up. Our bodies are gradually
dying, but we ourselves are made stronger every day (by God who gives me inward strength).
These little troubles are getting us ready for an eternal glory that will make all our troubles seem like
nothing. Things that are seen don’t last forever, but things that are not seen are eternal. That’s
why we keep our minds on things that cannot be seen (II Cor 4:16-18, CEV).
1. There are two kinds of unseen things: things that are invisible, but real (God, His holy angels,
the present Heaven) and the realities aren’t yet here in the life ahead (the new earth).
2. Note that Paul was able to call the very real hardships and dangers he faced momentary and
light when compared to what is ahead in the life after this life. This eternal perspective
lightened the load of the hardships and dangers he faced, as he kept his mind on unseen things.
A. Paul understood that “this world in its present form is passing away” (I Cor 7:31, NIV), but
what is ahead far outshines the hardships and troubles of this life.
B. He wrote: In my opinion whatever we may have to go through now is less than nothing
when compared with the magnificent future God has in store for us (Rom 8:18, J. B.
Phillips). Everything God created looks forward to the time when his children will appear
in their full and final glory (Rom 8:19, NIRV).
b. Paul knew the present invisible Heaven is wonderful because he visited it many years before he died
(II Cor 12:1-4). Later, in prison facing possible execution, he wrote: For me to live is Christ and
to die is gain…My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better (Phil 1:21-23, ESV).
1. When he was recounting a recent brush with death Paul wrote: These tents we now live in (our
bodies) are like a heavy burden, and we groan. But we don’t do this just because we want to
leave these bodies that will die. It is because we want to change them for bodies that will never
die. God is the one who makes all this possible (II Cor 5:4-5, CEV).
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2. He also wrote this while facing possible death: But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord
Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. He will take
these weak mortal bodies of ours and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the
same mighty power that he will use to conquer everything, everywhere (Phil 3:20-21, NLT).
4. Notice something else that Paul said about his perspective on this life and its hardships: II Cor 4:17—
For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison
(NASB); these little troubles (which are really so transitory) are winning for us a permanent, glorious
and solid reward out of all proportion to our pain (J.B. Phillips). We’ll talk more about this in upcoming
lessons, but consider this point.
a. Paul knew that God is able to use the hardships and pain of life in a sin cursed earth and bring good
out of them by causing them to serve His ultimate purpose for a family.
1. Paul is the one who wrote: And we know that God causes everything to work together for the
good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them (Rom 8:28, NLT).
2. Paul made this statement in the context of God’s plan to us His sons and daughters through
Jesus’ sacrifice, men and women who are Christ-like. That’s His purpose for us. Rom 8:29-30
b. Paul knew that Almighty God can take the hardships and sufferings of life and use them for good—
some of the good we see in this life, but much of it will not be shown until the life to come. This
perspective gave Paul peace of mind that, no matter how things look now, all will one day be well.
D. Conclusion: The night before Jesus was crucified, He told His apostles that they (and we, His followers) can
have peace of mind in the midst of life’s hardships because He has overcome the world.
1. I have told you these things so that in Me you may have perfect peace and confidence. In the world you
have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer—take courage, be confident,
certain, undaunted—for I have overcome the world.—I have deprived it of power to harm, have
conquered it [for you] (John 16:33, Amp).
a. Jesus did not mean that He was going to stop all the tribulation and hardships in the world now. He
meant that through His sacrifice on the Cross He was going to deprive this broken world of power to
permanently harm us by opening the way to everlasting life with Him after this life.
b. Through His death and resurrection Jesus demonstrated that even death (mankind’s greatest enemy)
can’t stop God’s plan for a family on this earth, renewed and restored, from being completed.
1. Realizing and living with the awareness that there is more to life than just this life helps us keep
this life in perspective, makes the hardships easier to deal with, and gives us peace of mind.
2. Everything we see is temporary and subject to change by God’s power either in this life or the
life to come. And, what lies ahead far outshines the best of this life.
2. Possibly you are thinking: Yes, but I need real help now. By help you may mean: I need God to fix
my circumstances. But the reality is that in this life not everything turns out the way we want it to.
a. But God will get you through until He gets you out. Remember the unseen things, God with you
and for you. God is perfectly present with us—our refuge and strength…a very present and well-
proved help in trouble (Ps 46:1, Amp). He is with you and He will help you.
b. God’s greatest gift to us is peace of mind and heart in the midst of a broken world—peace that
comes from knowing all of this is temporary and God will cause it all to serve His good purposes.
c. Things can kill you, but they can’t conquer or defeat you or stop God’s ultimate plan for you.
There is no such thing as an impossible or irreversible situation in the hands of God because He has
overcome death in all its forms. All will be made right—some in this life. But the ultimate
reversal of life’s hardships and restoration of that has been lost is in the life to come.
3. And when this eternal perspective becomes your view of reality, it is much easier to keep your thoughts
on God, keep your eyes on Jesus, and experience the peace that passes understanding. More next week!
