博客

When I read an interview in Business Insider last year with Elon Musk, I thought I was reading the plot of a science fiction novel, not a real conversation about the future of business. Musk, the tech and clean-energy entrepreneur, stated that he now believes it’s possible that in the coming years, people will be able to upload their brains into a series of Optimus robots he is creating. 

Using his Neuralink brain technology, his robot invention, and a bunch of scientific and technical jargon I’ll never come close to understanding, Musk is positioning this endeavor as a way for people to remain here on earth—through their consciousness, their memories, and their data—even after their bodies die and decay. 

This is just one part of a global initiative—which now costs several billion dollars a year—to prevent people from dying. Another billionaire who created a medical company designed to investigate how to prolong people’s lifespans said in an interview, “Death makes me very angry. It doesn’t make any sense.” 

Isn’t it ironic that so many people would rather spend their time and resources trying to prolong life here on earth, rather than trust in Jesus and prepare for an eternal life of unimaginable glory with our Savior? Then again, if I knew I was risking an eternity of judgment by denying the gospel of Christ, I might spend some money trying to postpone that for as long as possible! 

God’s Word is clear: “It is appointed unto man once to die and after that the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). There is no amount of money that can buy eternal life on this earth, but we all will live eternally, either in the new heaven and earth, or in hell. 

Paul has taught the church at Philippi, and us, how to move past our past; he also, in some ways, wants us to move past our present in light of the future. 

Paul has illustrated the believer’s focus with the analogy of running a race. To effectively run a race, we can’t get distracted and look back. Running to victory, we can’t be satisfied with where we are in the moment. The race involves pursuing something that is ahead of us—in the future. 

Past pleasures can be a distraction, and previous failings can be a discouragement, but equally dangerous for the Christian is a spirit of complacency in the present. Too much satisfaction, too much comfort can cause us to be satisfied with life here on earth. For many Christians, heaven would be anticlimactic if they were given everything they wanted now. And certainly, present comforts can distract us from our Great Commission. 

Here’s what Paul has to say on the matter: “Our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. … Therefore, … stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved” (Philippians 3:30, 4:1). 

We’ve devoted more than one Heart to Heart magazine to describing heaven and reveling in the glories that will be ours one day. But for now, as “kingdom citizens,” Paul is concerned with how we live in light of the future. 

LIVING IN LIGHT OF THE FUTURE REWRITES OUR LIST OF PRIORITIES IN THE PRESENT. 

The present culture asks, “How much money do you make?” The kingdom citizen asks, “How much can I give for the expansion of the gospel?” 

Society says, “You have to pursue the life you want.” The kingdom citizen says, “The life God wants for me is what I want.” 

Our secular world says, “It’s okay if you are a Christian, but just keep it to yourself and don’t bother us with it.” But the kingdom citizen responds, “Nothing on earth matters more than your soul, so I must warn you of your future, even if it bothers you.” 

Let me suggest an exercise for you to consider. For one week, log your time. Log how many hours you spend at work, watching television, golfing, fishing, at the gym, in the carpool line, sleeping, reading—everything. 

Then, sit down and tally up your total time spent in each activity. Do you spend much time reading God’s Word and praying? Was there any time spent having a gospel conversation with an unsaved coworker or neighbor? Did you spend the national average of television viewing: 4.5 hours a day? 

Beloved, if we’re going to be serious about our kingdom citizenship, let’s make sure that we don’t hold TV remotes and golf clubs more than Bibles; let’s make sure our conversations are as much about God’s work as they are about today’s weather. 

LIVING IN LIGHT OF THE FUTURE MAKES PRESENT SUFFERING MORE BEARABLE. 

Whether it’s the specific persecution many around the world face for their faith in Christ, or the normal struggles and sorrows that come with living here on earth, kingdom citizens endure suffering with the perspective of eternity. 

A natural disaster, the death of a loved one, a terminal illness are all serious challenges that will involve tears, sadness, and desperate prayers. But ultimately, we remember that one day, there will be no sorrowful prayers, no sad tears. And one day, we won’t talk to an invisible God we cannot see, but we will worship the Lord, in whose presence we stand. 

So, let’s move past our past and live in the present with our future in mind, as we await our blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ (Titus 2:13).