在现今西方世界的基督徒中间，出现了一种让人感到意外的情况。我们有许多人习惯地思考和行事，仿佛永恒不存在，又或是好像我们在这今世所做的与永恒无关。
今天的趋势是不再专注我们永恒的未来（谁会在乎那美好的将来呢？）而是我们当下的处境，仿佛这个世界就是我们的居所。可是圣经说，我们应该用永恒的未来引导并决定我们今生的品格，落实到我们所说的话语和所采取的行动上（雅各书 2:12；彼得后书 3:11-12）。
让我们务必地在今天——以及每一天——都提醒自己“那真实的事”。以下是我们要记住的六大永恒真理：
1. 人永恒的归宿只有两个——天堂或地狱——而我和我所认识的每个人都会去到其中一处。
你们要进窄门。因为引到灭亡，那门是宽的，路是大的，进去的人也多；引到永生，那门是窄的，路是小的，找着的人也少（马太福音 7:13-14）。
天堂和地狱都与地球相联系，这是通往其中一处的中间世界。地上最美好的生活让我们稍微预尝天堂的味道，而最糟糕的生活也使我们瞥见地狱的样子。对基督徒而言，今生是他们离地狱最近的时刻；对不信的人而言，这里也是他们距离天堂最近的时候。
今生摆在我们面前的现实选择既美好又可怕。有鉴于我们这两个可能的必然归宿，难道每个人不都当竭力付出代价避免下地狱，而努力进入天堂吗？只是这个代价已经有人付出了。“因为你们是重价买来的”（哥林多前书 6:20）。那付上的重价——就是神儿子耶稣基督的宝血。
思想这事的奇妙，神定意代表我们下地狱，也不愿天堂里没有我们。他是如此强烈要我们不去地狱，以至于在十字架上付上可怕的代价，使我们不必去经历那一切。
并不是所有的道路都通往天堂，唯有借着耶稣基督才可能。他说：“若不借着我，没有人能到父那里去”（约翰福音 14:6）。所有其他的道路都通向地狱。地狱的真实性应该让我们心碎，使我们屈膝，走到那些还没有基督的人的门前。
2. 这个世界（现在的样子）并不是我的居所，其中一切都将被焚烧，唯有永恒的得以存留。
但主的日子要像贼来到一样。那日，天必大有响声废去，有形质的都要被烈火销化，地和其上的物都要烧尽了。这一切既然都要如此销化，你们为人该当怎样圣洁，怎样敬虔，切切仰望神的日子来到！在那日，天被火烧就销化了，有形质的都要被烈火焚烧（彼得后书 3:10-12）。
这地已经被我们的罪所败坏（创世记 3:17）。因此，现今（在咒诅之下）的世界并不是我们的居所。唯有那曾经和将临的世界才是我们的居所。我们在今生都是天路客，不是因为我们永恒的居所完全不在这地上，只是因为我们永恒的居所不是现在的地球。它在过去是，将来会是，但现在不是。
神说现今的世界都要被烈火销化（彼得后书 3:10）。保罗说神圣洁的火会吞灭我们草，木，禾秸的工程。然而，他也告诉我们，有一些能在火中存留，并进入新天新地——也就是用金，银和宝石所做的（哥林多前书 3:12）。
永远长存的是什么？不是你的车，房，学位，奖杯或事业。永远长存的，是每次你对有需之人的服侍，每次你为叫饥饿者肚腹得饱的钱财奉献，每一杯给口渴之人的凉水，每一次对宣教的投资，每一次为有需要之人的代祷，每一次在宣教中所付出的努力，以及每一次对宝贵的孩子的关爱——哄他们入睡，给他们换尿布。圣经说，我们今生所种的，要在永生里收取（加拉太书 6:7-8）。
3. 我今生的选择和行为会直接影响到世界和即将到来的生命。
看哪，我必快来！赏罚在我，要照各人所行的报应他（启示录 22:12）。
我们在今生所做的事都具有永恒的重要性。你我将不再有下个机会来通过祷告摇动神的手，医治受伤的灵魂，向能脱离地狱的人分享基督，照顾病人，为饥饿的人提供食物，安慰生命垂危之刃，拯救未出生的婴儿，翻译圣经，把福音传给未得之民，扩展神的国，敞开我们的家门，或与贫困及有需要的人分享我们的衣食。
当我们用长远的明天来审视今天，那些微小的选择都会变得极为重要。无论我今天是否读经，祷告，去教会，分享我的信仰以及奉献我的金钱——这些行为都不是出于我的肉体，而是靠着神的灵——这些都具有永恒的意义，不单是为着别人的灵魂，也为着我自己。
4. 我的生命为神所鉴察，他是那唯一的观众，也唯有他的赞赏是我生命中最为重要的事。
这样看来，我们各人必要将自己的事在神面前说明（罗马书 14:12）。
扪心自问，你活着是为了得到这个文化的认可，还是为了讨耶稣的喜悦？然后，你也问问自己：“我最终会站在谁的审判台前？”我们应该在唯一的那位观众面前活出自己的一生。他的认可才是最重要的。如果我们的目标是想听到人说：“做得好”，那我们就不会去做那些能够让我们听见他这样说而必须做的事。
我们应该提醒自己圣经说为基督作为愚拙的是什么意思（哥林多前书 1:18-31；4:8-13）。问题并不在于我们是否看来愚拙——这倒是肯定的——而是我们在什么时候被什么人看为是愚拙的。宁可现在被别人的视作愚拙——包括别的基督徒——也不要在唯一那位观众眼中被视为永远的愚拙。
5. 神大有主权，我可以信靠他在叫一切的事情——包括那些最困难的事情——互相效力，使我得益处。
我们晓得万事都互相效力，叫爱神的人得益处，就是按他旨意被召的人（罗马书 8:28）。
在这个一切受造之物都因为苦难和邪恶叹息的世界里，神最关注的是让他的儿女变得有基督的样式。他也在我们生命艰难的处境中动工，培养我们内在的生命越来越有基督的形象。我们可以确信，无论他让怎么样的困难临到我们的生命都是经过父神的允许，藉由他智慧和慈爱的双手。
或许作为基督追随者的我们来说，能否相信罗马书 8:28真理最大试炼就是，找出那些发生在我们身上最糟糕的事，然后问问自己是否相信神的旨意最终会让这些事情使我们得益处。圣经明确地表示他必如此行。我们没有理由认为，他在这件事的作为会比他的任何其他应许更不可信。让我们凭着信心在今天就相信，当我们在永恒回顾过去时，会看见罗马书 8:28是何等的真实！
6. 新天新地会将成为我最终的居所，在那里我将看到神，享受他的同在，并在复活之人的社会中以新造之人的身份侍奉他。
但我们照他的应许，盼望新天新地，有义居在其中（彼得后书 3:13）。
你是否每天都渴望和期盼，与复活的基督以及他复活之民在复活之人的世界那种复活的生命？这是否也是你与别人分享福音的内容？保罗说，死人的复活是我们得救的盼望。这是神从我们重生之时所开始的救赎之工的荣耀顶点，标志着那使我们与神隔绝的所有及一切罪的终结。复活使我们脱离罪及其一切的后果，使我们自由地与神同在，注目他，并享受与他永不断续的相交，再没有什么能让我们和他隔绝。
Six Eternal Truths to Remember Each Day
A startling thing has happened among modern Christians in the western world. Many of us habitually think and act as if there is no eternity—or, as if what we do in this present life has no bearing on eternity.
The trend today is to focus not on our eternal future (who cares about the “sweet bye and bye”?) but our present circumstances, as if this world were our home. Yet Scripture states the reality of our eternal future should dominate and determine the character of our present life, right down to the words we speak and the actions we take (James 2:12; 2 Peter 3:11–12).
Let’s be sure to remind ourselves today—and every day—of “the real thing.” Here are six eternal truths to remember:
1. There are only two eternal destinations—Heaven or Hell—and I and every person I know will go to one or the other.
Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it (Matthew 7:13–14).
Both Heaven and Hell touch Earth—an in-between world leading directly into one or the other. The best of life on Earth is a glimpse of Heaven; the worst of life is a glimpse of Hell. For Christians, this present life is the closest they will come to Hell. For unbelievers, it is the closest they will come to Heaven.
The reality of the choice that lies before us in this life is both wonderful and awful. Given the certainty of our two possible destinations, shouldn’t every person be willing to pay any price to avoid Hell and go to Heaven? And yet, the price has already been paid. “You were bought at a price” (1 Corinthians 6:20). The price paid was exorbitant—the shed blood of God’s Son, Jesus Christ.
Consider the wonder of it: God determined that He would rather go to Hell on our behalf than live in Heaven without us. He so much wants us not to go to Hell that He paid a horrible price on the cross so that we wouldn’t have to.
All roads do not lead to Heaven. Only one does: Jesus Christ. He said, “No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). All other roads lead to Hell. The reality of Hell should break our hearts and take us to our knees and to the doors of those without Christ.
2. This world (as it is now) is not my home and everything in it will burn, leaving behind only what’s eternal.
The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming (2 Peter 3:10–12).
Earth has been damaged by our sin (Genesis 3:17). Therefore, the earth as it is now (under the Curse) is not our home. The world as it was, and as it will be, is our home. We are pilgrims in this life, not because our home will never be on Earth, but because our eternal home is not currently on Earth. It was and it will be, but it’s not now.
God says this present earth will be consumed by fire (2 Peter 3:10). Paul says the fire of God’s holiness will consume whatever we’ve done that amounts to wood, hay, and straw. But he tells us there’s something that will survive the fire and go right into the new heavens and new earth—works of gold, silver, and precious stones (1 Corinthians 3:12).
What will last for eternity? Not your car, house, degrees, trophies, or business. What will last for eternity is every service to the needy, every dollar donated to feed the hungry, every cup of cold water given to the thirsty, every investment in missions, every prayer for the needy, every effort spent in evangelism, and every moment caring for precious children—including rocking them to sleep and changing their diapers. The Bible says we’ll reap in eternity what we’ve planted in this life (Galatians 6:7–8).
3. My choices and actions in this life have a direct influence on the world and the life to come.
Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay everyone for what he has done (Revelation 22:12).
What we do in this life is of eternal importance. You and I will never have another chance to move the hand of God through prayer to heal a hurting soul, share Christ with one who can be saved from hell, care for the sick, serve a meal to the starving, comfort the dying, rescue the unborn, translate the Scriptures, bring the gospel to an unreached people group, further God’s kingdom, open our homes, or share our clothes and food with the poor and needy.
When we view today in light of the long tomorrow, the little choices become tremendously important. Whether I read my Bible today, pray, go to church, share my faith, and give my money—actions graciously empowered not by my flesh but by His Spirit—is of eternal consequence, not only for other souls, but for mine.
4. My life is being examined by God, the Audience of One, and the only appraisal of my life that will ultimately matter is His.
So then each of us will give an account of himself to God (Romans 14:12).
Ask yourself whether you are living for the approval of this culture, or for the approval of Jesus. Then ask yourself, “In the end whose judgment seat will I stand before?” We are to live out our lives before the Audience of One. His approval is the one that matters. If our goal is to hear others say, “Well done,” we won’t do what we need to do to hear Him say it.
We should remind ourselves of what the Bible says about being fools for Christ (1 Corinthians 1:18–31; 4:8-13). The question is not whether we will be seen as fools—that part is certain—but when and to whom we will be seen as fools. Better to be seen as fools now in the eyes of other people—including other Christians—than to be seen as fools forever in the eyes of the Audience of One.
5. God is sovereign, and I can trust that He is working all things—including the most difficult things—in my life together for good.
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28).
In the midst of a world that groans under suffering and evil, God’s main concern is conforming His children to the image of Christ. And He works through the challenging circumstances of our lives to help develop that Christlikeness in us. We can be assured that whatever difficulty He has allowed in our lives has been Father-filtered, through His fingers of wisdom and love.
Perhaps the greatest test of whether we who are Christ’s followers believe the truth of Romans 8:28 is to identify the very worst things that have ever happened to us, then to ask whether we believe God will in the end somehow use those things for our good. The Bible is emphatic that He will. We have no reason to think He’ll be any less trustworthy concerning this than with any other promise He has made. By faith let’s trust Him today that in eternity we’ll look back and see, in retrospect, how Romans 8:28 was absolutely true!
6. My ultimate home will be the New Earth, where I will see and enjoy God and serve Him as a resurrected being in a resurrected human society.
But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells (2 Peter 3:13).
Is resurrected living in a resurrected world with the resurrected Christ and his resurrected people your daily longing and hope? Is it part of the gospel you share with others? Paul says that the resurrection of the dead is the hope in which we were saved. It will be the glorious climax of God’s saving work that began at our regeneration. It will mark the final end of any and all sin that separates us from God. In liberating us from sin and all its consequences, the resurrection will free us to live with God, gaze on Him, and enjoy His uninterrupted fellowship forever, with no threat that anything will ever again come between us and Him.
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