Many people use the New Year to motivate life change they otherwise would never do. For most, however, the change doesn’t stick. It takes more than the flip of a calendar to flip a life.
The end of one year immediately marks the beginning of another. The change occurs in one literal second. A similar transition will occur at the end of time.
The Bible begins with God placing the tree of life alongside the tree of the forbidden fruit (Revelation 22:1-5). Thus, the created earth became the stage upon which mankind could fulfill their purpose to rule under God for His glory.
But we blew it, of course. The good news? You get a do over.
Your Problem and Solution
The fall of Adam into sin cursed not only mankind but also all creation. The Old Testament ends not far from its beginning, clutching a hope of redemption from the original curse:
Look, I am sending you the prophet Elijah before the great and dreadful day of the LORD arrives. . . . Otherwise I will come and strike the land with a curse. —Malachi 4:5-6
The coming of Christ revealed the dignity of humanity. How? God took on human flesh. While on Earth, Jesus fulfilled man’s original purpose of demonstrating God’s glory by living an obedient life—obedient even to death on a cross. Through His atoning sacrifice, Jesus removed the curse, providing all mankind with the opportunity to “eat the fruit from the tree of life” (Rev. 22:14, NLT).
What’s more, Jesus will rule the world as man under God.
Your Do Over
When Shakespeare wrote, “All the world’s a stage,” his words were more profound than he realized. From the first chapter of the Bible to the last, God used the physical earth as the stage for man’s spiritual life. The new heaven and earth will reproduce the same intention as the originals. They will provide a platform for man to rule under God.
(Photo courtesy of Unsplash.com)
By God’s grace, Adam literally gets to rule again. Those who came after him also get to rule the earth. That’s you. And me. It’s anyone who believes in Jesus Christ. It’s better than a New Year.
It’s a new you.
Until that great transition, let us glorify God this year as if it was the last year before His coming.
In fact, it may be.
Tell me what you think: What do you look forward to most in that day? To leave a comment, just click here.