My Revelation about the Afterlife
Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: Ephesians 1:9-10
The other day a colleague requested that I write a blog on the afterlife. Because of this request, I redirected my attention to the Sunday School lesson from Ephesians chapter one. When Paul writes this epistle, he is in a secluded prison, and he has much time to ponder about life. Here, he penned an amazing relevant concept two thousand years later. Paul indicated that true believers are individuals who God predestined before the foundation of the world. What a profound concept! Just think about it, if believers are predestined before their date of origin, then life never ends for believers.
Remember, as believers, we must understand why a sovereign God created us. In others words, God chose us instead of us choosing God. So, God must have chosen us for a unique purpose. What is this purpose? The answer is noted when the Apostle Peter wrote his first epistle. Peter enlightened his readers about eternal glory with this unique enlightenment:
But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. 1 Peter 5:10 KJV
As believers, we often find ourselves in unfortunate situations that inflict suffering. Financial crises, excessive job stress, unforeseen accidents, untreatable illnesses, and even the death of loved ones inflict suffering with pain and grief. In spite of this, the Apostle Peter indicated that such a condition would persist for a while, but the results will lead to becoming perfect, stable, strong, and settled. Just think, if God chose you before the foundation of the world, then He wants to prepare you for something bigger than your earthy involvement. So, when Apostle Paul reflected on his life in a prison cell, he penned this explanation to the Ephesians:
And through the revelation of the Anointed One, he unveiled his secret desires to us—the hidden mystery of his long-range plan, which he was delighted to implement from the very beginning of time. And because of God's unfailing purpose, this detailed plan will reign supreme through every period of time until the fulfillment of all the ages finally reaches its climax—when God makes all things new in all of heaven and earth through Jesus Christ. Ephesians 1:9-10 TPT
I believe the afterlife is simply a climax of our existence, reflecting God's glory throughout heaven and earth. Since time encompasses a sinful existence, the afterlife (eternity) will comprise a sinless existence. Humanity's sole purpose is God's glory, but a hindrance occurs in magnifying God's glory from our present state. Because of sin, we tend to descend toward the privileged mindset of individuality, culminating with self-gratification leading to sinful choices. However, the more we ascend toward our sole purpose of glorifying God, the easier we can achieve this purpose. The point is this if you don't glorify God in your earthly achievements, none of them will matter in the afterlife.
The glory of God on earth is the result of God's favor from heaven, and the glory of God in the afterlife is the same result of God's favor. So, the present life and the afterlife simultaneously center around God's glory, nothing more and nothing less. As believers realize this pattern, they can give God the glory He deserves.