The Christian’s Hope: The Anchor of the Soul

What the Bible really says about Death, Judgment, Rewards, Heaven, and the Future Life on a Restored Earth.

God originally planned for mankind to live on earth, and His plan, though postponed by sin, will not be thwarted – it will come to pass in the future when a new earth is created.

God describes this future earth in hundreds of verses, and Christ spoke of it in his first recorded sermon, so surely it is important that we understand it properly. Christianity needs to replace the vague ideas about heaven with the concrete and vivid images of the future life that are so abundantly portrayed in Scripture. Only then Christians will become grounded in biblical certainties about the world to come.

Very importantly, The Christian’s Hope shows from Scripture that each Christian will be rewarded in the coming world in direct proportion to the quality of how he lives for God in this world. If the believer’s vision of the future is clear and certain, he has a much greater possibility of standing like a rock and working faithfully in service to the Lord, despite the pressures and pleasures of this world.

Our Hope of a better place is to be the anchors of our souls. The Christian’s Hope will become a treasured part of any believer’s library, and its contents an important source of comfort, peace, and strength.

Table of Contents:

Acknowledgements

Prayer

Introduction

Chapter 1 – Our Valuable Anchor

A Biblical Look at Hope
The Anchor of the Soul
The Psychological Value of Hope

Chapter 2 – The Hope of Israel

Everlasting Life for Israel on a Recreated Earth with a Land of Their Own
Up From the Grave and Back to the Land
Prophecies of Restoration

Chapter 3 – The Christian’s Hope

The Rapture and Seven Years in Heaven—A Major Distinction Between Israel and the Christian Church
Israel Is Not Raptured
The Church’s Final Destination: Earth

Chapter 4 – The two Future Kingdoms on Earth

The Millennial and Everlasting Kingdoms
Attributes of the Millennial Kingdom—the 1,000-year Reign of Christ
The Millennial Kingdom will be populated by three “categories” of people
Biblical Names of the Millennial Kingdom
The Wonderful Qualities of Life Promised in the Millennial Kingdom
Summary Remarks about the Millennial Kingdom
The End of the Millennial Kingdom
Between the Millennial Kingdom and the Everlasting Kingdom
The Everlasting Kingdom
Attributes of the Everlasting Kingdom
Comparing the Millennial and Everlasting Kingdoms

Chapter 5 – The New Body: Looking Good and Feeling Fine

Out With the Old and in With the New
Similarities and Differences Between the Old and the New

Chapter 6 – Rewards in the Future Kingdoms

Salvation: The First Step
Receiving What Is Due
The Fear of the Lord
The Crowns: God’s “Extra Credit” Program
Working in the Future Kingdom
When Will Believers Receive Their Rewards?
Is It Necessary to be Motivated by Rewards?

Chapter 7 – The Origin of Orthodoxy

Where Did the Idea Originate that Believers Would Live Forever in Heaven?
The Church Reinforces the Doctrine about Heaven

Chapter 8 – Rebuilding the Hope

The Sermon on the Mount
The Beauty of the Beatitudes

Chapter 9 – Sin, Forgiveness, and Holiness

Sin and Forgiveness
The Call to Holiness
Fighting Fear, Discouragement, and Condemnation

Chapter 10 – Valuing this Life

How We Picture the Next Life Affects What We Think About This One
Don’t Retreat—Relish!

Chapter 11 – Concentrate on the Here and Now

Don’t Watch the Anchor—There is Work to Do on Board
On Being a “Do-Gooder”

Chapter 12 – From Paradise to Paradise

Appendix A – Chart of Events Important to Understanding the Hope

Appendix B – Verses Sometimes Used to Support the Idea That Our Everlasting Future is in Heaven

Appendix C – The Permanence of Christian Salvation

Appendix D – A Comparison of the Land Areas Given to Israel in the Books of Joshua and Ezekiel.

Appendix E – The Prophetic Perfect

Appendix F – Understanding Difficult Proverbs

Appendix G – Does the Lord Judge Now or at the Judgment?

Appendix H – “You Must Be Born Again”

Bibliography

Scripture Index