Imeandikwa na Randy Alcorn
Jambo la kushangaza limetokea miongoni mwa Wakristo wa kisasa katika ulimwengu wa Magharibi. Wengi wetu huwa na mazoea ya kufikiria na kutenda kana kwamba hakuna umilele—au, kana kwamba yale tunayofanya katika maisha ya sasa hayana uhusiano wowote na umilele.
Mtindo wa siku hizi ni ule wa kutozingatia mustakabali wetu wa milele na badala yake tunazingatia hali zetu za sasa, kana kwamba ulimwengu huu ndio makao yetu. Hata hivyo Maandiko yanasema kwamba uhalisia wa mustakabali wetu wa milele unapaswa kupewa kipaumbele na kuamua tabia yetu katika maisha yetu ya sasa, ikijumuisha maneno tunayosema na matendo tunayotenda (Yakobo 2:12; 2 Petro 3:11-12).
Tuhakikishe kwamba tunajikumbusha leo—na kila siku— “kile kilicho halisi.” Hapa kuna kweli sita za kukumbuka kuhusu umilele:
1. Kuna hatima mbili tu za milele—Mbinguni au Jehanamu— na mimi na kila mtu ninayemjua tutaenda katika mojawapo ya hatima hizo mbili.
Ingieni kupitia mlango mwembamba, kwa maana lango ni pana na njia ni pana ielekeayo upotevu, nao ni wengi waingiao kwa kupitia lango hilo (Mathayo 7:13-14).
Mbingu na Jehanamu zote mbili zinagusa dunia—ambayo ni ulimwengu wa mpito unaoelekeza moja kwa moja katika Jehanamu au Mbinguni. Maisha bora zaidi Duniani ni dhihirisho la awali la Mbinguni: maisha mabaya zaidi Duniani ni dhihirisho la awali la Jehanamu. Kwa Wakristo, maisha haya ya sasa ndio yanayofanya wawe na uwezekano mkubwa zaidi wa kwenda Jehanamu. Kwa wasioamini, maisha haya ya sasa ndio yanayofanywa wawe na uwezekano mkubwa zaidi wa kwenda Mbinguni.
Uhalisia wa chaguo lililo mbele yetu katika maisha haya ni mzuri sana na pia ni mbaya sana. Ikizingatiwa kwamba ni lazima mtu aende Jehanamu au Mbinguni, kwa nini kila mtu asiwe tayari kulipa gharama yoyote ili kuepuka Jehanamu na badala yake aende Mbinguni? Na gharama tayari imelipwa. “Mmenunuliwa kwa gharama” (1 Wakorintho 6:20). Gharama ambayo ililipwa ilikuwa kubwa sana— damu iliyomwagika ya Yesu Kristo Mwana wa Mungu.
Fikiria jinsi jambo hilo ni la ajabu: Mungu aliamua kwamba angependelea kwenda Jehanamu kwa niaba yetu kuliko kuishi Mbinguni bila sisi. Anataka sana tusiende Jehanamu kiasi kwamba alilipa gharama ya kuogofya sana msalabani ili isitubidi tulipe gharama hiyo.
Si njia zote zinaelekea Mbinguni. Ni moja tu ndio inayoelekea Mbinguni: Yesu Kristo. Alisema, “Mtu hawezi kuja kwa Baba isipokuwa kwa kupitia kwangu” (Yohana 14:6). Njia zingine zote zinaelekea Jehanamu. Uhalisia wa Jehanamu unapaswa kunyenyekeza mioyo yetu na kutufanya tupige magoti na kwenda katika milango ya wale ambao hawajampokea Kristo.
2. Ulimwengu huu (jinsi ulivyo sasa) si makao yangu na kila kitu ndani yake kitateketea, na kitakachobakia ni kile ambacho ni cha milele pekee.
Ndipo mbingu zitatoweka kwa kishindo kikuu; navyo vitu via asili vitateketezwa kwa moto, nayo dunia na kila kitu kilichomo ndani yake kitaunguzwa. Kwa kuwa vitu vote vitaharibiwa namna hit, je, ninyi imewapasa kuwa watu wa namna gani? inawapasa kuishi maisha matakatifu na ya kumcha Mungu, mkingojea na kuhimiza kuja kwa hiyo siku (2 Petro 3:10-12).
Dunia imeharibiwa na dhambi zetu (Mwanzo 3:17). Kwa hiyo, dunia jinsi ilivyo sasa (chini ya Laana) si makao yetu. Dunia jinsi ilivyokuwa, na jinsi itakavyokuwa ndio makao yetu. Sisi ni wasafiri katika maisha haya, si kwa sababu makao yetu hayatawahi kuwa duniani, bali kwa sababu makao yetu ya milele hayapo duniani kwa sasa. Yaliwahi kuwa duniani hapo awali, na yatakuwa duniani katika siku za baadaye, lakini hayako duniani kwa sasa.
Mungu anasema kwamba dunia ya sasa itateketezwa kwa moto (2 Petro 3:10). Paulo anasema kuwa moto wa utakatifu wa Mungu utateketeza chochote ambacho tumefanya ambacho ni kama kuni, nyasi, na majani. Lakini anatuambia kuna kitu kitakachostahimili moto na kuingia katika mbingu mpya na dunia mpya —kazi za dhahabu, fedha na mawe ya thamani (1 Wakorintho 3:12).
Ni nini kitakachodumu milele? Si gari, nyumba, shaada, mataji, au biashara. Kitakachodumu milele ni kila huduma iliyofanywa kwa ajili ya kila mtu aliye na hitaji, kila shilingi iliyotolewa ili kuwalisha wenye njaa, kila kikombe cha maj baridi kilichopewa kwa wenye kiu, kila uwekezaji katika misheni, kila ombi kwa ajili ya walio na hitaji, kila juhudi iliyowekwa katika uinjilist, na kila dakika iliyotumiwa kuwatunza watoto wenye thamani—ikiwa ni pamoja na kuwabembeleza ili walale na kubadilisha daipa zao. Biblia inasema tutavuna katika umilele kile tulichopanda katika maisha haya (Wagalatia 6:7-8).
3. Machaguo na matendo yangu katika maisha haya yana matokeo ya moja kwa moja katika ulimwengu na maisha ya baadaye.
Tazama, naja upesi! Thawabu yangu i mkononi mwangu, nami nitampa kila mtu sawasawa na alivyotenda (Ufunuo 22:12).
Kile tunachofanya katika maisha haya kina umuhimu katika umilele. Mimi na wewe hatatakuwa na nafasi nyingine ya kumfanya Mungu anyooshe mkono wake kwa sababu ya maombi ili kuponya nafsi yenye maumivu, kushiriki Kristo na mtu anayeweza kuokolewa kutokana na Jehanamu, kuwahudumia wagonjwa, kuwapa wenye njaa chakula, kuwafariji wanaokufa, kuwaokoa watoto ambao hawajazaliwa, kutafsiri Maandiko, kupeleka injili kwa jamii ya watu ambao hawajafikiwa na injili, kuendeleza ufalme wa Mungu, kukaribisha watu katika nyumba zetu, au kushiriki nguo zetu na chakula chetu na maskini na walio na mahitaji.
Tunapoitazama siku ya leo kwa mtazamo wa kesho itakayodumu milele, maamuzi madogo yanakuwa muhimu sana. Iwe ninasoma Bibla yangu leo, kuomba, kwenda kanisani, kushiriki imani yangu, na kutoa pesa zangu— matendo yanyowezeshwa kwa neema ya Roho wa Mungu wala si kwa uwezo wangu wa kimwili —yote hayo yana matokeo ya milele, si tu kwa nafsi za wengine, bali kwa nafsi yangu pia.
4. Maisha yangu yanachunguzwa na Mungu, Hadhira ya Mmoja, na tathmini pekee ya maisha yangu ambayo hatimaye itakuwa muhimu ni Yake.
Hivyo basi kila mmoja wetu atatoa habari zake mwenyewe kwa Mungu (Warumi 14:12).
Jiulize ikiwa unaishi kwa ajili ya kuidhinishwa na utamaduni wa dunia ya sasa, au kwa ajili ya kupata kibali cha Yesu. Kisha jiulize, “Mwishowe nitasimama mbele ya kiti cha hukumu cha nani?” Tunapaswa kuishi maisha yetu mbele ya Hadhira ya Mmoja. Idhini yake ndio muhimu. Ikiwa lengo letu ni kusikia wengine wakisema, “umefanya vyema,” hatutafanya kile tunachohitaji kufanya ili kumsikia Mungu akituambia hivyo.
Tunapaswa kujikumbusha kuhusu kile ambacho Biblia inasema kuhusu kuwa wapumbavu kwa ajili ya Kristo (1 Wakorintho 1:18-31; 4:8-13). Swali si iwapo tutaonekana wapumbavu—hakika tutaonekana wapumbavu—lakini ni wakati gani tutaonekana wapumbavu na ni akina nani watatuona wapumbavu. Afadhali kuonekana wapumbavu sasa machoni pa watu wengine— wakiwemo Wakristo wengine—kuliko kuonekana wapumbavu milele machoni pa Hadhira ya Mmoja.
5. Mungu ni mkuu, na ninaweza kuamini kwamba anafanya mambo yote—yakiwemo mambo magumu zaidi—katika maisha yangu pamoja kwa ajili ya wema.
Nasi tunajua ya kuwa katika mambo yote Mungu hutenda kazi pamoja na wote wampendao, katika kuwapatia mema, yaani, wale walioitwa kwa kusudi lake (Warumi 8:28).
Katikati ya ulimwengu unaougua chini ya mateso na uovu, haja kuu la Mungu ni kuwafanya watoto wake wafanane na Kristo. Na anafanya kazi kupitia hali ngumu za maisha yetu ili kusaidia kukuza huko kufanana na Kristo ndani yetu. Tunaweza kuwa na uhakika kwamba hali zozote ngumu alizoruhusu katika maisha yetu zimechujwa na Baba, kupitia vidole vyake vyenye hekima na upendo.
Labda jaribu kuu zaidi la kama sisi ambao ni wafuasi wa Kristo tunaamini ukweli wa Warumi 8:28 ni kutambua mambo mabaya zaidi ambayo yamewahi kutupata, kisha kuuliza ikiwa tunaamini kwamba mwishowe Mungu atatumia mambo hayo kwa njia fulani kwa ajili ya wema wetu. Biblia inasisitiza kwamba Mungu atafanya hivyo. Hatuna sababu ya kufikiria kwamba uaminifu wake katika jambo hilo hautakuwa sawa na uaminifu wake katika ahadi nyingine yoyote ambayo ametoa. Tumtumainie kwa imani leo kwamba katika umilele tutatazama nyuma na kuona jinsi Warumi 8:28 ilivyokuwa kweli kabisa!
6. Makao yangu ya mwisho yatakuwa katika Dunia Mpya, ambapo nitamwona na kumfurahia Mungu na kumtumikia kama kiumbe aliyefufuliwa katika jamii ya wanadamu waliofufuliwa.
Laikini kufuatana na ahadi yake, sisi tunatazamia mbingu mpya na dunia mpya, ambayo haki hukaa ndani yake (2 Petro 3:13).
Je, kuishi katika ulimwengu uliofufuliwa pamoja na Kristo aliyefufuliwa na watu wake waliofufuliwa ni tamanio na tumaini lako la kila siku? Je, tumaini hilo ni sehemu ya injili unayoshiriki na wengine? Paulo anasema kwamba tumeokolewa kwa msingi wa tumaini la ufufuo wa wafu. Ufufuo wa wafu utakuwa kilele chenye utukufu cha kazi ya Mungu ya wokovu ambayo ilianza wakati wa kuzaliwa kwetu upya. Tukio hilo litaashiria mwisho wa dhambi zozote zinazotutenganisha na Mungu. Katika kutukomboa kutoka katika dhambi na matokeo yake yote, ufufuo utatuweka huru ili tuweze kuishi pamoja na Mungu, kumtazama, na kufurahia ushirika wake usiokatizwa milele, bila tishio lolote kwamba kitu chochote kitaweza kuja tena kati yetu na yeye.
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.
Photo: Unsplash
