"I make all things new".

The title for this post is taken from the New Testament Book of the Revelation of Jesus the Christ, given to the apostle John while he was in exile on the island of Patmos. It's found in the 21st chapter, and the 5th verse where we read « And He Who sat upon the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new." ».

The words are spoken by Almighty God, Himself. That, to me, makes them very important. But what do these words mean? I believe that the most important word in the statement is the word "all". It has been playing in my mind for many months. What is excluded from "all"? The answer, obviously, is "Nothing!". What then is included? The equally obvious answer is "Everything"!

Doubtless, I shall (DV), at some point, preach on that statement. However, for this post, I want to suggest just three things that will be "made new" in the new heaven and the new earth.

The first of these is a new body. « Lo! » writes Paul, « I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. » (I Cor 15:51-52). This is a reference to that event - that I believe to be much closer than some are willing to admit! - that disciples of Jesus call "the rapture" (see I Thess.4:13-17). This even will, as Paul makes clear, take place in a flash - less than a nanosecond, to utilise modern terminology! However, the more important thing is not the speed at which it will happen, but the change that will take place. My mortal body - whether I be physically alive at the time, or already physically dead - will be instantaneously changed to an immortal body. Paul has already made reference to this earlier in that chapter (and see, also, Phil. 3:20-21). The physical body that I currently use will be of no use to me in the new heaven and the new earth. It is a body that is tainted with sin - and there will be no sin there! I need a "resurrection body" that is fit for the new environment in which I shall be living. Oh, and note - it will be a "physical" body, just as was the resurrection body of the Lord Jesus. He could be touched; He could eat and drink; yet He could suddenly appear in a locked room! I have my own theory as to how that might have happened - but it would take too much space in this post to explain! Suffice it to say that it has to do with molecular structure!

The second of the "all things" that I want to consider here is a new mind. I never even try to suggest that I am a perfect man - and if I ever did, a few minutes chatting to my wife, my children, other family members, and numerous friends, would quickly set the record straight! I freely acknowledge that I am a sinner. I am, it is true, a sinner who has been saved by the grace of God - but for as long as I live in this mortal body, I share the experience of Paul: « ... I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inmost self, but I see in my members another law at war with the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin which dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death ? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! » (Rom 7:21-25). However, I would claim that most of my sin is "mind-based". Not that that makes it any less sin! The Lord Jesus, Himself, made clear that, while the thought is not as bad as the deed, it is every bit as much sin! (cf. Matt.5:21ff). So, just as I need a new body to replace this body of sin and death, I need a new mind - one that has not been filled with sinful thoughts.

The third thing that I wish to mention is new relationships. When I was much younger, I thought as many still do, that when I got to heaven I would be meeting with those who had arrived there before me! Now, in my later life, I have come to the conclusion that that will not be the case! I won't be asking Paul for his personal exposition of his letter to the believers in ancient Rome. I won't be telling David, and Peter, what a great comfort each of them was to me. I won't be running around looking for my parents; my wife; my children. So what led me to that conclusion? Simply the words in the Revelation that state: « ... I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, the dwelling of God is with men. He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be with them; He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain any more, for the former things have passed away." » (Rev 21:3-4; emphases added).

Now, if I were to be in the new heaven and the new earth, and knew that some of my most-loved ones were not there, I believe that I would be saddened beyond words. Therefore, I have concluded that I will not have that knowledge. I will be aware of others who are there, and who may well become my new friends. However, these will be new relationships at a level of which I am, currently, unable to perceive! Effectively, I will even have new memories!

These thoughts, of course, are my own. I have quoted God's written Word - but the ideas are not spelled out specifically. However, while I am not setting myself up beside Paul, I would dare to use his words (written in a totally different context) and: « ... give my opinion as one who by the Lord's mercy is trustworthy. » (I Cor 7:25).

Of course, all of the above is purely academic if one is not in a right relationship with Father God, through new life in the Spirit, because of the atoning sacrifice of the Lord Jesus at Calvary. If that is you, then there are links on the sidebar of the blog that may help and, of course, if I may be of any assistance, please feel free to contact me at the e-mail address at the top of the blog.