What does the future hold for us? From time immemorial, people have pondered what awaits us. Although people throughout time have held many different views, what can the Christian expect concerning the future? How does the future relate to God’s Covenant? And why is it important for every Christian to have some level of insight and understanding concerning this topic?
Many great minds, like Plato, contemplated future immortality through love with another. The Epicureans believed that the good life lay in the pursuit of pleasure in the present. While others think the future is doomed, like Nostradamus, a Frenchman, who claimed prophetic visions concerning the end of the world. However, how should the Christian understand what God has covenanted to his people?
We believe that we are heirs to the future blessings of the Covenant according to the Word of God (Gal 4-6). In Christ, the Eternal Covenanting God has purposed us to receive certain future blessings that we experience spiritually in the present (Eph 1:3-14). During this series ‘Heirs of the Covenant’, we desire to know more deeply that these promises have been realised, and where we still await their final fulfilment. Under the new covenant of the Gospel, there are several important reasons why we need to become familiar with the Future aspects of the Covenant for God’s people.
Our future blessings are eternally secure by grace and not conditional upon our human efforts (Eph 2:6-8). Our future blessings are to inherit immortality, being a spiritual and real physical body (1 Cor 15:35-58). Our future blessings are to inherit back our restored humanity in unity and peace, including within our church family (1 Pet 3:8-13 cf 1 Thes 4:13-18). Our future blessings are to inherit the earth on which we currently reside, yet it will be fully renewed to its pristine and Eternal glory (Mt 5:5 cf Rev 21-22).
The Future covenant blessings concern every Christian and should form a significant part of their perspective and view of the world. The benefit of these truths is the fact they speak to our current circumstances of uncertainty and the fading nature of life (Ps 90). The Everlasting God covenants both blessings and curses; however, for his elect people his Covenant promises will not be thwarted or changed by the will of people, for the gifts and calling of God are irrevocable, says the Apostle Paul (Rm 11:29). Therefore, for this reason, the Christian can have confidence and rest secure in the revelation of God’s plan.
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未來對我們而言將會如何？自古以來，人們一直在思索未來究竟有甚麼在等待著我們。雖然歷世歷代的人對未來持有各種不同的看法，但對基督徒而言，我們對未來可以有甚麼期待呢？未來又如何與神的聖約有關？為甚麼每位基督徒都應該對這個主題有某程度的認識與理解呢？
許多偉大的思想家，例如柏拉圖，都曾透過與他人的愛來思考未來的永生。伊壁鳩魯學派則認為，美好的人生在於追求當下的享樂。另一些人則認為未來注定走向毀滅，例如法國人諾查丹瑪斯，自稱看見了關於世界末日的預言異象。然而，基督徒應當如何理解神向祂子民所立的約呢？
我們相信，按照神的話語（加4-6章），我們是承受聖約未來福分的後嗣。在基督裡，這位立永約的神已定意使我們承受某些未來的福分，而這些福分如今我們已在屬靈上經歷（弗1:3-14）。在這個「聖約的後嗣」系列中，我們盼望更深認識這些應許如何已經實現，以及哪些仍在等待最終的成全。在福音的新約之下，我們需要熟悉神子民聖約中有關未來層面的幾個重要原因。
我們未來的福分因著恩典而永遠穩固，並不取決於人的努力（弗2:6-8）。我們未來的福分包括承受不朽的生命，得著屬靈且真實的身體（林前15:35-58）。我們未來的福分包括承受被恢復的人性，在合一與和平中生活，包括在教會家庭之內（彼前3:8-13參閱帖前4:13-18）。我們未來的福分也包括承受我們現今所居住的土地，只是那時它將被完全更新，恢復起初純潔且永恆的榮耀（太5:5參閱啟21-22）。
聖約未來的福分關乎每一位基督徒，並應成為他們世界觀與人生觀的重要部分。這些真理的益處在於，它們能對我們當前充滿不確定性以及生命短暫易逝的處境說話（詩90篇）。永恆的神既立下祝福，也立下咒詛；然而，對於祂所揀選的子民而言，祂的聖約應許不會因人的意志而受阻或改變，因為使徒保羅說：「神的恩賜和選召是沒有後悔的。」（羅11:29）因此，基督徒可以對神計劃的啟示存著信心，並安然穩妥。
Rev. Adam Breasley
