Question #1
Can we say that in Heaven and on the New Earth God will give the born again Christian every good thing we have desired and enjoy, that is on Earth, and, good things that we do not yet know of, as the verse says "eye hath not seen" etc? As long as something is not sinful, and as long as we desire it, and it is in God's will, God will allow us to have it there?
Answer #1 - by Mark DeNio
The whole idea of gifts as asked in that question is to the Jews. I will try to explain.
In Moses' sermon to the Israelites before they cross the Jordan into Canaan, he says "And thou shall take no gift: for the gift blindeth the wise, and perverteth the words of the righteous." (Exodus 23:8)
In modern terms that sounds like Paul's admonition to us: "Let us not judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way. I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean. But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died. Let not your good be evil spoken of. For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men." (Romans 14:13-18)
Paul is saying that the kingdom of God is not in material things. It's in "righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." We are also to be an example to others in our living. If someone sees us lusting after "every good thing we have desired and enjoy" then they think they can do that now and will be misled. We are not walking charitably. Earlier in Romans Paul says "But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof." The question the person asked is fulfiling the lusts thereof. It is not in God's will so the entire question is moot. "For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also the meanwhile accusing or else excusing one another;)" (Romans 2:14-15) Verse 15 actually sums it up. By asking the question, the questioner is offering excuses and following the law which DOES NOT APPLY TO THEM as they are a GENTILE!!!
If you want to go back to the Gospels you can go to Matthew 6:19-20. Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: So if someone mistakenly puts their faith in the Gospels, Jesus explicitly tells the questioner to not hope that they will get what they desired on earth. Desiring on earth is where their heart is and that means their heart is NOT on God.
Now we can address "born again". We come to my favorite verses. 2 Corinthians 5:17: "Therefore if any man be in Christ he is a new creature, old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." We are new creatures. What we desired on Earth is one of the old things that passed away. If people still lust after something and hope they'll get it in Heaven they are following the dead and buried old things.
Galatians 2:20: "I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth within me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." Running around hoping what you desire on earth will be given in Heaven shows you are not crucified with Christ and Christ does not live within you. Being crucified means you CANNOT be born again. You are DEAD!!!!!
Continuing into Galatians 3, "Are you so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect in the flesh?" Lusting after earthly things shows you feel the flesh would continue to make you whole.
Lastly (for now anyway), the question says "As long as something is not sinful, and as long as we desire it, and it is in God's will, God will allow us to have it there?" First, since the law has been abolished there is nothing "sinful", just unprofitable.
Possibly to be continued:
Final thought: The order within question #1 is "me, me, God". That is the worldview in a nutshell. If you are truly walking in Christ, God comes first. Otherwise you're lusting.
In Moses' sermon to the Israelites before they cross the Jordan into Canaan, he says "And thou shall take no gift: for the gift blindeth the wise, and perverteth the words of the righteous." (Exodus 23:8)
In modern terms that sounds like Paul's admonition to us: "Let us not judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way. I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean. But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died. Let not your good be evil spoken of. For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men." (Romans 14:13-18)
Paul is saying that the kingdom of God is not in material things. It's in "righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." We are also to be an example to others in our living. If someone sees us lusting after "every good thing we have desired and enjoy" then they think they can do that now and will be misled. We are not walking charitably. Earlier in Romans Paul says "But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof." The question the person asked is fulfiling the lusts thereof. It is not in God's will so the entire question is moot. "For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also the meanwhile accusing or else excusing one another;)" (Romans 2:14-15) Verse 15 actually sums it up. By asking the question, the questioner is offering excuses and following the law which DOES NOT APPLY TO THEM as they are a GENTILE!!!
If you want to go back to the Gospels you can go to Matthew 6:19-20. Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: So if someone mistakenly puts their faith in the Gospels, Jesus explicitly tells the questioner to not hope that they will get what they desired on earth. Desiring on earth is where their heart is and that means their heart is NOT on God.
Now we can address "born again". We come to my favorite verses. 2 Corinthians 5:17: "Therefore if any man be in Christ he is a new creature, old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." We are new creatures. What we desired on Earth is one of the old things that passed away. If people still lust after something and hope they'll get it in Heaven they are following the dead and buried old things.
Galatians 2:20: "I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth within me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." Running around hoping what you desire on earth will be given in Heaven shows you are not crucified with Christ and Christ does not live within you. Being crucified means you CANNOT be born again. You are DEAD!!!!!
Continuing into Galatians 3, "Are you so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect in the flesh?" Lusting after earthly things shows you feel the flesh would continue to make you whole.
Lastly (for now anyway), the question says "As long as something is not sinful, and as long as we desire it, and it is in God's will, God will allow us to have it there?" First, since the law has been abolished there is nothing "sinful", just unprofitable.
Possibly to be continued:
Final thought: The order within question #1 is "me, me, God". That is the worldview in a nutshell. If you are truly walking in Christ, God comes first. Otherwise you're lusting.
Answer # 1 - by Hugh Floyd
1. No