The Bible says in Daniel 12:2-3, And many of
them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life,
and some to shame and everlasting contempt.[3] And they that be wise shall
shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to
righteousness as the stars for ever and ever. According to Daniel
12:2, there are just two eternal destinies. One is everlasting life, and
one is shame and everlasting contempt. Everyone should give serious thought to the subject of
his or her own eternal destiny. There are only two places: heaven and hell. The
Bible teaches that very clearly. Jesus taught it very clearly. Jesus said in
Matthew 7:13-14, Enter ye in at the strait
gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction,
and many there be which go in thereat:[14] Because strait is the gate,
and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
In Daniel 12:2 the phrase And many of
them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake refers to
resurrection. Life does not end with death. There is something else after this
life, both for those who go to heaven and for those who go to hell. There is
the resurrection of the just and the resurrection of the damned. The
resurrection of those who are justified through faith in Christ is spoken about
in First Corinthians 15:35-44, But some man will say, How are the
dead raised up? and with what body do they come?[36] Thou fool, that
which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die:[37] And that which
thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may
chance of wheat, or of some other grain:[38] But God giveth it a body as
it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body.[39] All flesh is
not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of
beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds.[40] There are also
celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is
one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.[41] There is one glory
of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for
one star differeth from another star in glory.[42] So also is the
resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in
incorruption:[43] It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is
sown in weakness; it is raised in power:[44] It is sown a natural body;
it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual
body.
The resurrection of the unjust is
spoken of concerning the final judgment
of the unjust in Revelation 20:11-15, And I saw a great white throne, and
him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and
there was found no place for them.[12] And I saw the dead, small and
great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was
opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things
which were written in the books, according to their works.[13] And the
sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead
which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.[14]
And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.[15]
And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake
of fire.
There is absolutely no doubt that the
Bible teaches clearly that every human being will either spend eternity in
Heaven or in hell. This does not mean that everyone in hell will have the same
punishments or that everyone in heaven will have the same blessings or rewards.
As a matter of fact it is very clear that because the unjust are judged
according to their works, it means that they will be punished according to
their works. Not everyone in hell will have the same degree of punishments that
Adolf Hitler or Mao Tse Dung will have. There may be an atheist who is
relatively honest and treats other people with respect, but who resists God his
whole life. That atheist will go to hell because he rejects Jesus Christ, but
that atheist will not have the degree of sufferings that will be given to
Hitler or Stalin or Castro.
The same is true concerning going to
heaven. Just because you go to heaven does not mean that you will have the same
honors and authority and rewards as everyone else who goes to heaven. Getting
into heaven is based upon faith in Christ and faith alone, but rewards will be
granted or taken away depending upon what you do after you are saved. The
statement in Daniel 12:3 speaks of those rewards when it says, And they
that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn
many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever. Some of the
believers in heaven will shine more brightly than others. Why: because of
rewards for good works. It says in First Corinthians 3:11-15, For other
foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.[12]
Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood,
hay, stubble;[13] Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day
shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try
every man's work of what sort it is.[14] If any man's work abide which
he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.[15] If any man's
work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet
so as by fire. If anyone thinks that once you are saved that you do not
have to be concerned about your good works, then you are wrong. The Apostle
Paul was concerned about his good works, not for salvation but for rewards.
Paul wrote in First Corinthians 9:25-27, And
every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do
it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.[26] I
therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the
air:[27] But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest
that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a
castaway. The word that is translated
castaway means literally disapproved. It does not refer to losing ones
salvation, but it refers to being disapproved in regards to good works at the
judgment of Christians, and thus losing a crown. At the end of his life Paul
finally breathed a sigh of relief knowing that he had kept the faith and thus
had won a crown as part of his rewards from Christ. Just before he died a
martyrs death, Paul looked back at his Christian life and said in Second
Timothy 4:6-8, For I am now ready to be
offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.[7] I have fought a
good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:[8]
Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the
righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all
them also that love his appearing.
Daniel 12:3 gives two reasons that
believers will be rewarded. First it says, they that be wise shall shine
as the brightness of the firmament. Of course, this is talking about
spiritual wisdom. People can gain practical wisdom simply by living and
observing what really takes place in life. But spiritual wisdom only comes from
God and from being rightly related to God through the Lord Jesus Christ. People
only gain spiritual wisdom when they desire it and when they seek it from the
Lord. It says in James 1:5, If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God,
that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. There is a
great difference between the wisdom that comes from this world and the wisdom
that comes from God. The difference is spelled out very clearly in First
Corinthians 1:18-30, For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish
foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.[19] For
it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to
nothing the understanding of the prudent.[20] Where is the wise? where
is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish
the wisdom of this world?[21] For after that in the wisdom of God the
world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of
preaching to save them that believe.[22] For the Jews require a sign,
and the Greeks seek after wisdom:[23] But we preach Christ crucified,
unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;[24]
But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of
God, and the wisdom of God.[25] Because the foolishness of God is
wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.[26] For ye
see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not
many mighty, not many noble, are called:[27] But God hath chosen the
foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the
weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;[28]
And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen,
yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:[29]
That no flesh should glory in his presence.[30] But of him are ye in
Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and
sanctification, and redemption.
A second reason that Christians will
be rewarded when they stand before Jesus the Savior is found in Daniel 12:3, and they
that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever. If you live
faithfully for the Lord Jesus Christ, stay in fellowship with Him, and learn to
love others then your life will be used to help spread the gospel of Christ.
The spread of the gospel of Christ is Gods number one priority, and therefore,
of course, believers will be greatly rewarded who become a part of that work.
Jesus said in Luke 19:10, For the Son of man is come to seek and to save
that which was lost.
Since it is very important to earn
rewards when we enter into heaven and not lose them, and since according to
Daniel one of the primary ways to earn rewards is to turn many to
righteousness, it is important to know how to turn others to righteousness. If
you want to influence others towards righteousness, then you must lead a
righteous life. To be a testimony for Jesus, we must have a faithful and
consistent life. Jesus said in Matthew 5:10-16, Blessed are they which are
persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.[11]
Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all
manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.[12] Rejoice, and be
exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the
prophets which were before you.[13] Ye are the salt of the earth: but if
the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth
good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.[14]
Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.[15]
Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick;
and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.[16] Let your light
so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father
which is in heaven. It will do more harm than good if you tell people about
Jesus, but do not have a faithful life that backs up what you say. Sadly, there
are many communities in
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Copyright; 2014 by Charles
F. (Rick) Creech
All Rights Reserved