A Foretaste Of Heaven: An Abiding Christ In The Soul

We have a foretaste of Heaven as we fully believe that we are God’s by adoption. 

Thus with strong confidence we can call God our Father.

Moreover, we need Jesus abiding in our hearts.

Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord: his going forth is prepared as the morning. Hosea 6:3.

In realizing His presence by faith, we have a foretaste of the joy of Heaven.

God has given humans the Light and Majesty of Heaven, and with Christ all of Heaven's rich treasures. 

He is waiting to bestow upon them His love which He gives to His only begotten Son.

Even in this life He would have us enjoy everything that will ennoble, elevate, and expand our characters.

For it is His design to fit us for the heavenly courts above.

From eternity it has been God’s purpose to imbue believers with wisdom in His Word, that they may be raised to sit with Him in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.

Christ longs to bestow upon His chosen people in this world a foretaste of the glory in which His faithful ones are to share.

Furthermore, it is the:

• faithfulness

• loyalty

• loving service rendered,

that brings the divine benediction:

Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, 

I will make thee ruler over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. Matthew 25:23.

This reward of joy does not wait until our entrance into the City of God, but the faithful servant has a foretaste of it even in this life.

Heaven begins in the soul

We respond to Christ’s invitation and in this coming we begin the life eternal. 

Heaven is a ceaseless approach to God through Christ.

He is more appreciated as heavenly-mindedness increases. 

Finally He becomes the Chiefest among ten thousand, the One altogether lovely. Song of Solomon 5:10, 16.

Thus, the longer we are in the Heaven of bliss, more:

• glory will be opened to us

• intense will be our happiness.

As we walk with Jesus in this life, we may be filled with His love and satisfied with His presence. 

We may receive here all that humans can bear.

For we realize our need of Christ and with complete trust will rest in Him. 

Heavenly inspiration will have a part in our Christian experience as drinking of the divine water of life.

Thus we will grow unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the foulness of Christ. Ephesians 4:13.

The Lord appeared of old time to Abraham and said: 

I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward. Genesis 15:1.

This is the reward of all who follow Christ, in whom

• are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, Colossians 2:3

• dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. Colossians 2:9.

Furthermore, to comprehend more what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 

and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:18, 19.

This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of Me, saith the Lord. Isaiah 54:17.

Contemplate the Majesty of Heaven

For our sake the Majesty of Heaven became poor, that through His merits we might be entitled to imperishable riches. 

He submitted to humiliation that we might have hope.

The Son of God through suffering came in contact with suffering humanity. 

Moreover, He came to reach the lost humankind where they were plunged in sin and degradation.

Though He shrouded His glory in the form of a child, lowly born and humbly circumstanced, angels bowed in adoration before the Babe of Bethlehem, without marrying their allegiance to the Deity.

Furthermore, Christ became a Man of sorrows, that we might be made partakers of everlasting joy.

He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: 

the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. Isaiah 53:5.

God permitted His beloved Son, full of grace and truth to:

• come from a world of indescribable glory to a world marred and blighted with sin and death

• leave the bosom of His love and the adoration of the angels to suffer shame, insult, humiliation, hatred, and death.

Jesus bore all this, that we might be changed to His divine image and become the sons and daughters of God.

Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us. 1 John 3:1.

Is there not a response of gratitude in your heart? 

Are you not lost in wonder and adoration as you contemplate the theme of redemption?

Jesus has promised His aid

In His prayer He said:

I pray not that thou shouldst take them out of the world, but that thou shouldst keep them from the evil. John 17:15.

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. 

In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. John 16:33.

Christ taught His disciples precious lessons in regard to the necessity of trusting in God. 

They have come down to our time full of instruction and comfort.

The Savior pointed His followers to the birds of the air and the flowers of the field.

Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; 

yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Mathew 6:26.

Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin; 

Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, 

shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Mathew 6:28, 30.

Will not the One who formed us in His own divine image provide for our necessities if we trust in Him? 

The trial will not exceed the strength that will be given us to bear.

Every step in life may bring us closer to Jesus and give us a deeper experience of His love. 

Moreover, it may bring us one step nearer to the blessed home of peace.

Our title to Heaven

The proud heart strives to earn salvation. 

Nevertheless, both our title to Heaven and our fitness for it are found in the righteousness of Christ.

If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 

And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. 1 John 2:1, 2.

The Lord can do nothing toward the recovery of humans until, convinced of their own weakness, and stripped of all self-sufficiency, they yield themselves to the control of God.

Then they can receive the gift that God is waiting to bestow. 

Furthermore, they have unrestricted access to Him in whom all fullness dwells. Colossians 2:9.

For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; 

I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, 

to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. Isaiah 57:15.

Christ bids them seek first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness. Matthew 6:33.

Conversely, Satan offers to mankind the kingdom of this world on condition that they will acknowledge his supremacy. 

He insists that in order to make a success in this world they must serve him.

The devil sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; 

And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Matthew 4:8, 9.

In other words, I can give you riches, pleasures, honor, and happiness.

Thus multitudes are deceived. They consent to live for the service of self by which Satan is satisfied. 

Therefore, he gains dominion over their souls.

Admitting God's children through the gates of Heaven

Do you long to hear the voice of the King of Glory?

Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. Matthew 25:34.

The redeemed will be welcomed to the home that Jesus is preparing for them. 

They are those who through divine grace have formed perfect characters.

Every imperfection has been removed by the blood of Christ. Furthermore, the excellence and brightness of His glory is imparted to them.

In view of the glorious inheritance that may be theirs - what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? Matthew 16:26.

Those who here acknowledge God as their ruler by obeying the laws of His government, will be accounted worthy of a place in his family in heaven.

For they have proved that they will reverence and obey God's will in the future life. 

When the final hour of trial comes, He will send his angels to guard them.

Moreover, they will see Him as He is, 1 John 3:2, escaping those things that are coming upon the earth, and will stand within the heavenly courts.

For Christ has promised:

Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. Revelation 22:14.

An entrance into the kingdom of glory

Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Matthew 5:8.

For three hundred years Enoch had been seeking purity of soul, that he might be in harmony with Heaven. 

He had walked with God daily, longing for a closer union until God took Him to Himself.

And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him. Genesis 5:24.

Thus he passed through the gates of the Holy City - the first from among men to enter there.

On the other hand, there was no arbitrary choice on the part of God by which Esau was shut out from the blessings of salvation.

The gifts of God's grace through Christ are free to all. There is no election but one's own by which any may perish.

God has set forth in His word the conditions upon which every soul will be elected to eternal life - obedience to His commandments through faith in Christ.

He has elected a character in harmony with His law. 

Thus anyone who will reach the standard of His requirement will have an entrance into the kingdom of glory.

Christ said:

1. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life. John 3:36.

2. Not everyone that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; 

but he that doeth the will of My Father which is in heaven. Matthew 7:21.

3. Blessed are they that do His commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, 

and may enter in through the gates into the city. Revelation 22:14.

This is the only election in the Word of God concerning human's final salvation.

No other law than the law of heaven

But the day is coming when the battle will have been fought, the victory won. 

The will of God is to be done on earth as it is done in heaven.

God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself. 2 Corinthians 5:19.

Only as we contemplate the great plan of redemption we can have a just appreciation of the character of God.

The work of creation was a manifestation of His love. 

Furthermore, the gift of God to save the guilty and ruined race, alone reveals the infinite depths of divine tenderness and compassion.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, 

that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16.

While the law of God is maintained, and its justice vindicated, the sinner can be pardoned.

The dearest gift that heaven itself had to bestow has been poured out that God might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. Romans 3:26.

By that gift humans are uplifted from the ruin and degradation of sin to become children of God.

Ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. Romans 8:15.

Then:

• the nations of the saved will know no other law than the law of heaven

• all will be a happy and united family, clothed with the garments of praise and thanksgiving - the robe of Christ's righteousness

• nature will offer to God a tribute of praise and adoration - the light of the moon will be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun will be seven-fold greater than it is now

• the world will be bathed in the light of heaven

• the years will move on in gladness.

Conclusion

We have a foretaste of the joy of the heavenly world in:

• contemplating the matchless charms of Jesus

• realizing the light of His presence by faith.

The one who follows on to know the Lord will know that their goings forth are prepared as the morning. Hosea 6:3.

We need Jesus - the constant, living well-spring abiding in our hearts. 

Then the streams flowing from the Living fountain will be pure, sweet, and heavenly.

Will it not be wise for us to contemplate heavenly realities?

Will it not work us good to comprehend the fact that: 

• Heaven exists as really as does the earth

• the angels of Heaven are commissioned to minister to all who will be heirs of salvation.

References

1. DA 300; BE, Jan 1894; RH, Nov 1893; ST, Jan 1893; 5T 578; BE, Dec 1892; RH, Feb 1888; HS 198, 234; MH 505; RH, Jul 1893 - The Ellen G. White Estate

2. The Bible, King James Version (KJV