Covenant Presbyterian Church

Sunday morning Foundations Classes
God's Positioning System (GPS)

Lesson #12

(Last Lesson in Series)

--the most current lesson is always on top
followed by earlier lessons posted below in descending order-- 

Point of information, you can magnify a slide by clicking on it.
And close it by clicking on the X in the upper right corner

God created a perfect earth. He created man (Gen. 1:26-27) and gave him dominion over the earth (Gen. 1:26). 

Placing man in the Garden of Eden (Gen. 1:26-27) God gave him dominion over the earth and all its creatures in the sea, on the earth and in the air (Gen. 1:26). Adam was to tend and keep the Garden (Gen. 2:15). Located in its center were two special trees: The Tree of Life, and the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil (Gen. 2:9). 

In a world of abundance, God gave Adam and Eve one simple command, not to eat fruit from a particular tree (Gen. 2:17), which they violated, changing everything, bringing decay and death to the entire world and everything within it. 

Adam was perfect and sinless, yet he believed Satan’s lie that if he ate the forbidden fruit, he would be like God (Gen. 3:5). How then can imperfect people, born with Adam’s fallen nature, chose God over self, unless God draws them to Himself. Why doesn’t He draw everyone? It is the Holy Spirit who draws us. His reasons are mysterious, nevertheless we were chosen even before the foundation of the world was laid (Eph. 1:4-5). Everyone else has the freedom to chose God but reject Him by their own choice (Rom. 3:10-12a). 

We won’t have a physical body in heaven, but will we have “form and substance”? We won’t have a physical body until the final resurrection, but we will be recognizable and we will be able to recognize loved ones. How do we know? Luke 16:19-31, Jesus portrays both Abraham and the beggar in recognizable form; also the rich man who died and was in hell. In Luke 9:30-31: ”Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus”—both were recognizable. 

Scripture doesn’t tell us if or when the 3rd heaven that Paul visited in 2 Cor.12:2 was created. Did God create it for the angels as He created earth for man? Nevertheless it’s where Christians go at death, which isn’t the end of life, only a transition to something better. 

Heaven isn’t our permanent home. There’s more to come after Christ returns. A lot more and better. God isn’t finished with us just yet.

Jesus will return to gather His people (Rev. 1:7; 1 Cor. 15:20-26). Body and soul will be united (1 Thess. 4:16-17), but not just an ordinary body, but a glorified one perfect in every detail.

Both those who have died and those still alive will rise “to meet Christ in the air”, our soul being united with our resurrected, glorified body (John 5:24-29; 1 Thess. 4:16). 

“The Great White Throne Judgment” in Revelation 20:11-15, is where those who did not accept Jesus as Savior will come before the Lord and be judged. Each one will realize just how hollow their excuses for sin really were. No one who wanted to accept Jesus was denied the opportunity to do so. With 24/7 broadcasting each had numerous opportunities, which they rejected of their own free will. How do we know? God is perfect justice, without a hint of undeserved discrimination (Psalm 98:9; Psalm 9:8-9; John 3:16). 

Every sin is revealed and judged with perfect justice. When we are “born again”, our sins are forgiven and blotted out. The Great White Throne Judgment will reveal God’s Perfect Mercy through Jesus’ death and atoning grace; where the penalty for unrepentant sinners will match each sin with perfect justice. Just as Adam and Eve had a choice to follow God, everyone has a choice, even Satan. The problem is man serves self, not God, so God draws some to Him rather than let all perish. How and why He chose some and not others, is a mystery, but God is not unfair in doing so. 

Rather than question why God chooses some and not others, we can be certain that He does so with perfect justice and mercy. Just be grateful and humble that you were chosen. Putting it in human terms, we detest a judge who is too lenient or one who is too strict. There is no substitute for true justice where the punishment fits the crime perfectly and precisely.

No unrepentant sinner can enter heaven. Only God can decide what constitutes the perfect balance between His mercy and His justice. 

No one who seeks after God goes to hell, or because God ignored them. If only the chosen go to heaven, why doesn’t God choose everyone? If He did He would have to choose Hitler and every evil tyrant who ever lived, even Satan. Even though condemned and facing eternal separation from God, they like Satan, neither repent or seek forgiveness. How do we know? Satan continues his rebellion with an intense hatred. Satan was in heaven when he rebelled, so what would change? Absolutely nothing.

Slide shows the main aspect of the Great White Throne Judgment (click on the slide to enlarge it).

Romans 8:18-21 and Isaiah 65:17 tells us the old will be replaced with the New.

I think it’s safe to presume that the New Earth will be as beautiful as the original Garden of Eden, maybe even more beautiful, being raised to yet another glorified level by being united with the New Jerusalem (Rev. 21:2). So what lies ahead for us and this world? (Rom. 8:18-21)

There are several opinions regarding who the “sons of God” are in v.19. Some believe it may be the resurrected saints, which sounds reasonable. All the tragedies and chaos inflicted on the world aren’t comparable to the glory that God will bestow on the new earth and us, His people.  

Sin has inflicted decay and death on this earth. V.20-21 is a reminder that though we live in a fallen world, it will be liberated and brought into a glorious state—a new and regenerated earth. (Isaiah 65:17; Rev. 21:1) 

A glimpse of what it was like in the Garden of Eden, with all the same animals—none of which were predators. All were vegetarians, each and everyone, including Adam and Eve. 

In light of what Isaiah says, will we forget everything that happened on this earth? What will be wiped away are the times of sadness and pain because everything will be made right and perfect, like an open wound that heals—do we ever think about it again? No! Because it healed and there’s no need to reflect further on it. 

A New Jerusalem will descend from heaven upon the earth, most likely where the current Jerusalem now exist. A mosque now sit on the site of the Jerusalem temple that will taken away and the site purged and restored.  

This single slide explains why God created earth and man; it is also the reason, God Himself, in the Second Person, became man, to fellowship and reside with His people in this last and final version of creation. 

The Apostle John describes his vision of the new Jerusalem descending out of heaven to the new earth. 

We saw who we are and where we’re going. Our study took us to the Garden of Eden, Adam’s Fall and its consequences, and our final destination, the New Heaven and New Earth—completing our study. 

END OF STUDY