Simple Logic
5 min read
3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” 5 He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
Revelation 21:3-5
Verse 3 expresses God’s purpose from the very beginning; verse 4 is the benefit of God’s ultimate purpose being fulfilled. But this inheritance is reserved only for “[those] who are victorious” (verse 7). And this revelation was given so that we might believe and be counted among the victorious.
We have been given this heavenly perspective, this divine vision, of life. Where would we be without that revelation? We would be left to wander aimlessly without any compass of truth to guide us. And that is exactly what we see with everyone who is not in Christ.
In a way, the next closest thing to Christian truth is atheism. The brightest atheists understand that without any compass of truth—without God—every life is meaningless. And every other religion and philosophy of life is really just a smokescreen that hides the truth.
Either there is nothing, or there is God. Everything in between doesn’t really add up to make any kind of logical sense. If there is a god that is unknowable, well, that’s the same as there being no God. Or if there is a god who has not yet revealed the true “ultimate truth,” well, what kind of a cruel god is that? That god may as well be the devil.
The words that have been revealed here, though—they’re not cryptic or mysterious at all in the message that they communicate.
If anyone can accept the revelation given above, then the implications for our lives becomes crystal clear. The goal of every believer is to be counted among the victorious. And that goal of victory has theological, moral, and vocational dimensions.
Theologically, we are to trust God—which means to trust in His word, which requires understanding His word. Morally, we are to love God and love one another as we love ourselves. Vocationally, we are called to fill the earth with the glory of God in Jesus’s name through God-fearing, God-honoring, God-worshiping, God-loving communities and families, the church.
Every other goal in life (if it interferes with the divine goal) does not lead to victory, but idolatry.
Father, Thank You for the revelation You have given to us. Where would we be without it? But I pray that You would guide us with Your mighty hand onto the path of faith and victory. Let us rejoice in Your truth so that You may be glorified in us. In Jesus’s name. Amen.
