An author and former pastor suggested Christians often neglect the doctrine of heaven to their detriment.
“Jesus said the religious leaders of His day believed the lies of Satan, and John in Revelation said the beast slandered God and those who dwell in heaven,” Edwin Jenkins, former pastor of First Baptist Church Athens, told a group at the Encourage Senior Adult Evangelism Conference. “Satan knows that a proper understanding of heaven will motivate us to serve the Lord with determination before we get to heaven.”
SIGN UP for our weekly Highlights emails.
Jenkins was one of two speakers at the May 4 event held at First Baptist Church Prattville, sponsored by the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions.
Jenkins published “Heaven Bound: What You Need to Know About the Journey of Your Lifetime” last year and shared some of the ideas he expounds in his book.
He said he takes issue with the old adage of “being too earthly minded to be of heavenly good (or too heavenly minded to be of earthly good).”
“I don’t think we can be too heavenly minded,” Jenkins asserted. “Jesus promised to prepare a place for us and to return for us, and He exhorted us to be faithful until He comes.”
Heaven also is a reminder of the brevity of life, Jenkins added.
“James said that our lives are like a vapor and death is certain; and knowing this prepares us for the certainty of judgment. Scripture says we’ll all give account to God.”
Jenkins also suggested that a proper understanding of heaven is motivational to live pure lives.
“One day we’ll stand before Him and we want to hear Him say, ‘Well done.’”
Proper perspective
Finally, Jenkins said a proper understanding of heaven puts suffering in proper perspective.
“Paul exhorted us that the present suffering of life is nothing in comparison to the glory of heaven,” Jenkins said. “In fact, he called it our ‘light affliction.’
“We all know suffering in life, but God uses this to shape our lives and to encourage us about a better place He’s prepared for us.”
‘Watch, pray and work’
The morning concluded with a message from Jim Henry, retired pastor of First Baptist Church Orlando, who encouraged the 400 seniors to continue to use their gifts in the service of Christ.
“His disciples asked Jesus about the end of the age in the latter part of Matthew,” Henry said, “and His response was three imperatives: watch, pray and work. We see this clearly in the parable of the talents in Matthew 25.”
Henry noted that the three men in Jesus’ story were called “servants.”
“Many in the Roman empire were servants, and this was degrading,” he related. “But it’s a privilege to be a servant to Christ. Paul many times called himself a ‘slave’ of Christ. And remember that Jesus became a servant in obedience to His Father, so service is the heart of Jesus.”
Christians serve Christ by discovering and using their spiritual gifts, Henry added.
“Scripture specifically mentions 19 gifts, but I believe there are probably a few more,” Henry said. “I think we often belittle our giftedness when we compare ourselves with the more visible gifts. But this kind of judgment is wrong. For example, which is most important, the ear or the big toe? Most of us would say the ear, but our big toe supports 40% of our weight. Every part of the body is important, and every part of the Body of Christ is important as well.”
Henry noted that the two faithful servants who gained for the master were given greater work.
“We can’t out give God in time or treasure,” Henry declared. “We honor Him and He blesses us. The phrase, ‘Enter into the joy of the Lord,’ actually means we complete a task to perfection. Then we can know the Master’s joy.”
Share with others: