Romans 6:22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end everlasting life. More than 1200 years ago, when Bishop Paulinus came to Edwin, king of Deira, and asked permission to preach the good news to his people, that monarch gathered his nobles and wise men to take counsel together. Then one of the thanes arose and said, "Truly the life of a man in this world, compared with the life we wet not, is on this wise: It is as when thou, O king, art sitting at supper with thy aldermen and thanes in the time of winter, when the hearth is lighted in the midst and the hall is warm, but without the rains and the snow are falling, and the winds are howling; then cometh a sparrow and flieth through the house, she cometh in by one door and goeth out by another. While she is in the house, she feeleth not the storm of winter, but yet when a little moment of rest is past she flieth again into the storm and passeth from our eyes. So is it with the life of man; it is but for a moment; what goeth afore it, and what cometh after it, wot we not at all. Wherefore if these strangers can tell us aught, that we may know whence man cometh and whither he goeth, let us hearken to them and follow their law." This beautiful parable is a witness to us both of the darkness of man without Christ, and also of the greatness of the gift which God has given us through His Son. God has not made us for Himself, redeemed us through Christ, given us His Spirit to dwell in and sanctify us, to cast us into the abyss of death. The whole revelation of the gospel, as admirably summed up in the Apostles' Creed, is a pledge that our end is everlasting life. Note by way of introduction that this life will be — 1. A continuation of a present personal life. 2. A fully developed and perfected spiritual life, of which we have the pledge and foretaste here. Hence our Lord speaks of both in the same terms (Matthew 25:46; John 3:36; John 5:24; 1 John 3:14, 15). From what we know, therefore, of the spiritual life here, we may gather what it will be by and by. Everlasting life will be — I. THE COMPLETE AND FINAL EMANCIPATION FROM SIN. Here we have victory over its dominion, but it never ceases to harass us. Here we may go to the fountain for cleansing, but the defilement which necessitates this is a sore trial. But yonder there will be no tempter, no predisposition to evil, no bad examples, no world to allure, no flesh to weaken and ensnare. II. THE IMMEDIATE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD. We have that here too (John 17:3), but how fragmentary is it! We know but in part, and see only through a glass darkly. We know Him, yet we know Him not. We hear but a whisper of God's ways and see but the skirt of His robe. But we shall then see Him as He is, and know even as we are known — know His character, attributes, work, ways, and have in that knowledge fully, as we have it now in a measure, everlasting life. III. A LIFE OF ACTION. True, heaven is described as a perpetual Sabbath; and compared with this feverish state the life to come will be a life of rest — rest from sorrow, suffering, conflict, doubt, weariness, and, above all, from sin. But rest without action is monotonous, and more irksome than toil; and it cannot be that the whole condition of our existence will be changed, and our very nature unmade, when we enter the heavenly rest. 1. What is the rest of the heavenly host? They indeed cry "Holy, holy, holy," as they veil their faces, but they have wings and feet as servants ever ready to do the will of Him that sitteth on the throne. And we read that they are "ministering spirits" (Hebrews 1), and surely if we are to be "like the angels" we shall be like them in this. As for the service, I do not imagine that the glorified will have reached such perfection as to need no instruction or aid. There will be no sin and no infirmities, but there will still be diversities of character and attainment. And then who knows what opportunities of service will be afforded in the distant provinces of God's kingdom, and on what errands of mercy and hope we may be employed. 2. God "worketh hitherto." His rest has been a rest of action. And if we are to be like Him our life will be one of ceaseless beneficence. IV. A LIFE IN THE IMMEDIATE, UNVEILED PRESENCE OF CHRIST. One element, of course, will be reunion with those we have loved on earth; but eternal communion with Christ will be its perfection, in that will be comprehended all that the heart can desire. Paul had dear friends, yet when he looked forward to his heavenly rest, everlasting union with Christ was the burden of his hope. Yet that was because to him to live was Christ. Here we enjoy Christ's presence by faith; but our communion is interrupted, and He is unseen. But in the life to come we shall see Him as He is, behold His glory, inherit the kingdom He has prepared for us, and share His throne for evermore. (Bp. Perowne.) Parallel Verses KJV: But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. |
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