Articles
Paradise People
The apostle Paul told the Philippians to not allow the frustrations and concerns of this life to rob them of their joy. He wrote of circumstances, people, fleshly pursuits and plain old fashioned worry – things of this life that can disappoint us when we put our hope in them.
We were made for paradise, and initially that’s exactly where God placed mankind. Because of sin, paradise was lost to us. Yet, even though men may not know of how to obtain it – or even of what it consists, the grand consensus is that this world is not paradise and we all groan for something better.
Paul Earnart wrote concerning the beatitudes in Jesus’ sermon on the mount,
“The whole world, then as now, was in earnest pursuit of happiness and had just as little conception as men today of how to obtain it. There was no surprise in the announcement that there was true blessedness in the kingdom. The shock came in the kind of people who were destined to obtain it.
The beatitudes speak exclusively of spiritual qualities. The historic concerns of men—material wealth, social status and worldly wisdom—do not simply receive little attention, they receive none at all. Jesus is clearly outlining a kingdom not of this world (John 18:36), a kingdom whose borders pass not through lands and cities but through human hearts (Luke 17:20–24). This altogether unlikely kingdom arrived as announced in the first century (Mark 9:1; Colossians 1:13; Revelation 1:9) but most were unprepared to recognize and receive it—even as they are now.” (Earnhart, P. (1984). Mining the Scriptures: Practical Expositions: The Sermon on the Mount. Christianity Magazine, 1(2), 27.)
There is a simple yet profound reason why the things of this world cannot bring lasting joy, and the key is found in Romans 8:20-21. “The creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.”
Therefore, next time you are faced with a frustration, remember that is the way God set up life in the fallen world, and he did it precisely so that you would seek something better. Then consider Paul’s words of hope: “Our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body. (Philippians 3:20-21)” That ache, that groan, shall be satisfied when we again walk with our Lord in the garden. Oh, what magnificent joys are reserved for us!
We are Paradise People!
