Of Meditating on the Future Life
CHAPTER IV.
OF MEDITATING ON THE FUTURE LIFE.
Chapter Summary
I. The Primary Purpose of the Cross
The cross serves as a means to cultivate contempt for the present and ignite our aspirations towards the future life. (Section 1, 2)
II. Embracing the Future Life
While withdrawing from the present life, we should neither avoid nor despise it. Instead, we should eagerly desire the future life and willingly depart from the present at the command of our sovereign Master. (Section 3, 4)
III. Overcoming the Fear of Death
Our natural inclination to fear death is discussed, along with the correction and remedy to alleviate this fear. (Section 6
1. WHATEVER be the kind of tribulation with which we are afflicted, we should always consider the end of it to be, that we may be trained to despise the present, and thereby stimulated to aspire to the future life. For in the wisdom of God, He knows the strong inclination of our hearts to cling to this world with a slavish love. To prevent us from being ensnared and attached to it, He graciously employs the most fitting means to awaken us from our spiritual slumber. Although we may claim to have a desire for heavenly immortality, our thoughts, desires, and actions often reveal our earthly preoccupations. Our minds are captivated by the allure of wealth, power, and honors, blinding us to the true purpose of our existence. Our hearts become entangled in the snares of avarice, ambition, and lust, preventing us from soaring above these worldly enticements. Our souls, captivated by the pleasures of the flesh, seek fulfillment and happiness solely on this earth. To cure us of this malady, the Lord, in His wisdom, exposes the vanity of this present life through the constant reminder of its miseries. He allows us to be assailed by conflicts, turmoil, and injustice, revealing the fleeting nature of worldly peace. He strips us of excessive wealth or restricts us to modest means, reminding us that earthly riches are transient and unsatisfying. He brings about periods of exile, scarcity, or calamity, teaching us the fragility of temporal blessings. He permits us to experience marital difficulties, the misconduct of our loved ones, or the anguish of loss, humbling us and redirecting our focus to eternal realities. And if in His mercy, He withholds these afflictions, He reminds us of our mortality and the brevity of earthly joys through diseases and dangers. It is through the discipline of the cross that we find true wisdom when we acknowledge that this life, when examined in itself, is restless, troubled, and filled with countless sorrows, devoid of genuine happiness. Its supposed blessings are but fleeting illusions, tainted by a mixture of evanescent joys and persistent evils. Hence, we understand that our purpose here is not to seek comfort or security but to engage in a spiritual contest, fixating our gaze upon the heavenly crown. Only when we have learned to despise the fleeting pleasures of this world can our hearts sincerely desire and aspire to the eternal joys of the future.
2. For there is no middle ground between these two choices: either we must consider the earth as worthless, or we will remain enslaved by an intemperate love for it. Therefore, if our gaze is fixed on eternity, we must diligently strive to free ourselves from the chains that bind us. Furthermore, since the present life entices us with its allurements and presents an illusion of delight, grace, and sweetness, it is of utmost importance that we are occasionally awakened from its seductive embrace. What would become of us if we were to enjoy an uninterrupted flow of honor and felicity in this earthly existence?
Even the constant prodding of affliction often fails to stir us to a proper awareness of our own wretchedness. The transitory nature of human life, like smoke or a passing shadow, is not a hidden truth known only to the learned; it is a proverb deeply rooted in the common consciousness. Though we acknowledge this fact, we rarely contemplate it or keep it in our memory. Instead, we make our plans as if our immortality were firmly grounded on this earth. It is true that when we encounter a funeral or walk among graves, the image of death confronts us, and we may philosophize eloquently about the vanity of life. However, such moments of reflection are often fleeting and hold little lasting impact. They vanish as soon as we turn away, leaving no trace of remembrance. In essence, they pass by like the applause in a theater after a pleasant spectacle. Forgetful not only of death itself but also of our own mortality, as if we have never heard a whisper of it, we indulge in complacent security, expecting an earthly immortality. Even if someone interjects with the proverb that "man is a creature of a day," we may acknowledge its truth, but it fails to truly penetrate our consciousness, for the concept of perpetuity still clings to our minds. Who can deny, then, the profound significance of being not merely reminded through words but thoroughly convinced through firsthand experience of the wretched condition of our earthly existence? Even when we are convinced, we often continue to gaze upon it with vicious and foolish admiration, as if it contained the sum of all that is good. But if God deems it necessary to train us in this manner, it is our solemn duty to heed His call and allow Him to shake us from our slumber, so that we may hasten to despise the world and wholeheartedly aspire to the life that is to come.
3. Yet the contempt that believers should cultivate towards the present life must not give rise to hatred or ingratitude towards God. Despite its abundance of wretchedness, this life is counted among the divine blessings that are not to be disregarded. Therefore, if we fail to recognize the kindness of God in it, we are guilty of ingratitude towards Him. To believers, in particular, it should serve as evidence of divine benevolence, as it is wholly intended to promote their salvation. Before openly revealing the inheritance of eternal glory, God graciously reveals Himself to us as a Father through lesser proofs, namely, the daily blessings He bestows upon us. Therefore, while this life acquaints us with the goodness of God, shall we disdain it as if it contained no goodness at all? We ought to feel and regard it in such a way that we place it among those gifts of divine goodness that are not to be despised. Even without the abundance of clear evidence in Scripture—which indeed exists—nature itself urges us to offer thanks to God for bringing us into existence, granting us the use of life, and providing us with all the means necessary for its preservation. Moreover, there is an even higher reason when we consider that here on earth we are being prepared for the glory of the heavenly kingdom. For the Lord has ordained that those who will ultimately be crowned in heaven must first engage in a battle on earth, overcoming its challenges and obtaining victory before they can triumph. Another reason is that here, in various ways, we begin to taste the divine goodness, arousing our hope and desire for its complete manifestation. Once we recognize that our earthly life is a gift of divine mercy, for which we are duty-bound to be grateful, we can then properly reflect on its most wretched condition and escape the excessive attachment to it that we naturally tend towards.
4. As our improper love for this earthly life diminishes, our longing for a better and eternal life should increase. I must admit that there is wisdom in the opinion of those who believed that it was better not to be born, and the next best thing was to die early. For those who lacked the light of God and true faith, what could they see in this world but dire omens and evil? It was not unreasonable for them to mourn and shed tears at birth and rejoice at death. However, they did so without profit because, lacking the true doctrine of faith, they failed to see how this life, in itself neither happy nor desirable, can turn to the advantage of the righteous. Their opinion led them into despair. But as believers, when we assess this mortal life and recognize its inherent misery, let us strive with greater zeal and less hindrance to reach for the future and eternal life. When we compare the two, the former not only becomes insignificant, but in comparison to the latter, it is to be despised and scorned. If heaven is our true homeland, what can the earth be but a place of exile? If departing from this world is entering into life, then the world is but a tomb, and residing in it is being immersed in death. If being freed from the body is gaining true freedom, then the body itself is a prison. If the ultimate happiness lies in the presence of God, then how miserable is life without it? Yet, while we are still in this earthly body, we are absent from the Lord. Therefore, when we compare the earthly life to the heavenly life, it can be truly despised and trampled underfoot. However, we should never hate it except insofar as it keeps us enslaved to sin. And even in this hatred, we should not direct it towards life itself. Nevertheless, we should approach it with weariness or disdain, longing for its end and being ready to continue in it according to the will of the Lord, keeping far from murmuring and impatience. It is as if the Lord has assigned us a post, which we must faithfully maintain until He calls us back. Paul, in his lament, acknowledges his condition of still being bound to the body and earnestly yearns for redemption. Yet, he declared his readiness to obey God's command, prepared for either life or death, recognizing it as his duty to glorify God's name whether through life or through death, while leaving it to God to determine what is most conducive to His glory. Therefore, if it is our purpose to live and die for the Lord, let us surrender the length of our life and the timing of our death to His disposal. Let us eagerly long for death, meditate upon it constantly, and despise this life in comparison to the future immortality. Let us long to renounce it because of the bondage of sin, whenever it pleases the Lord to do so.
5. But it is truly remarkable that many who claim to be Christians, instead of longing for death, are filled with fear and dread at the mere mention of it. It is not surprising that our natural inclinations are somewhat unsettled by the thought of our own dissolution. However, it is utterly unacceptable that the light of piety should not shine so brightly in the hearts of Christians as to overcome and suppress that fear with greater consolation. When we reflect upon the transient, defective, corruptible, fading, withering, and decaying nature of our earthly bodies, knowing that they will be dissolved only to be renewed in a sure, perfect, incorruptible, and heavenly glory, shouldn't our faith compel us to eagerly desire what nature fears? When we contemplate that death is our return from exile to our true homeland, a heavenly country, shouldn't this bring us comfort? After all, everything yearns for lasting existence. I acknowledge this, and therefore argue that we ought to fix our gaze on future immortality, where we may attain the permanence that eludes us in this earthly realm. The apostle Paul rightly urges believers to eagerly embrace death, not because they wish to be unclothed, but because they long to be clothed with the heavenly garments of resurrection (2 Corinthians 5:2). Shall the lower animals, and even inanimate creatures like wood and stone, who are conscious of their present vanity, eagerly anticipate the final resurrection and liberation from vanity alongside the sons of God (Romans 8:19)? And shall we, endowed with the light of intellect, and more than intellect, enlightened by the Spirit of God, when our very essence is at stake, fail to rise above the corruption of this earth? However, this is not the time or place for me to argue against this great perversity. From the outset, I declared that I did not intend to engage in an extensive discussion of common topics. My advice to those whose hearts are filled with such timidity is to read the short treatise of Cyprian, "On Mortality," unless they are more deserving of being sent to the philosophers, that by examining their teachings on the contempt of death, they may begin to blush. Let us firmly hold this truth, however, that no one has truly advanced in the school of Christ unless they look forward with joy to the day of death and the final resurrection (2 Timothy 4:18; Titus 2:13). For Paul distinguishes all believers by this mark, and the consistent message of Scripture directs us to that glorious hope whenever it seeks to stir us up to genuine and abounding joy. "Look up," says our Lord, "and lift up your heads, for your redemption draws near" (Luke 21:28). Is it reasonable, I ask, that what He intended to have a powerful effect in stirring us up to alacrity and exultation should only produce sadness and consternation? If that were the case, why do we still boast of Him as our Master? Therefore, let us regain a sound mind, and no matter how much the blind and foolish longings of the flesh may resist, let us not hesitate to earnestly desire the advent of the Lord, not only in wish but also with fervent sighs, as the most favorable and blessed of all events. He will come as our Redeemer, delivering us from the immense abyss of evil and misery, and leading us to the blessed inheritance of His eternal life and glory.
6. Indeed, it is true. The entire body of believers, as long as they dwell on this earth, must be like sheep led to the slaughter, conforming themselves to Christ, their head (Romans 8:36). Their situation would be most lamentable if they did not, by lifting their hearts to heaven, rise above all that is of this world and transcend the current state of affairs (1 Corinthians 15:19). On the other hand, once they have lifted their gaze above earthly matters, even if they witness the wicked flourishing in wealth and honor, enjoying deep peace, indulging in luxury and splendor, and reveling in all sorts of pleasures, even if they themselves are wickedly attacked, insulted by pride, robbed by greed, or assailed by any other passion, they will bear these afflictions with ease. Their eyes will turn to that day (Isaiah 25:8; Revelation 7:17) when the Lord will welcome His faithful servants, wiping away all tears from their eyes, clothing them in garments of glory and joy, satisfying them with the ineffable sweetness of His pleasures, exalting them to share in His greatness, and ultimately granting them a share in His eternal happiness. As for the wicked who may have prospered on earth, they will be cast out in extreme ignominy. Their delights will be transformed into torments, their laughter and joy into wailing and gnashing of teeth, their peace into the torment of conscience, and their luxury into unquenchable fire. The Lord will humble them beneath the feet of the godly, whom they had mistreated and tested. As Paul declares, "it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven" (2 Thessalonians 1:6-7). This, indeed, is our only consolation. Without it, we would either succumb to despair or seek our ruin in the empty solace of the world. The Psalmist confesses, "My feet had almost stumbled; my steps had nearly slipped. For I was envious of the boastful when I saw the prosperity of the wicked" (Psalm 73:3-4). He found no refuge until he entered the sanctuary and considered the ultimate fate of the righteous and the wicked. In summary, the triumph of the cross of Christ over the devil, the flesh, sin, and sinners occurs in the hearts of believers only when their eyes are fixed on the power of His resurrection.