The Paradise of God

"I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name's sake, and you have not grown weary ... To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God." (Revelation 2:3,7)

I exist for the sake of God. He has formed me with His own image, given me the gift of existence for His own benefit. As a Christian, there is something profoundly deeper I must know, that I have been re-created for the sake of His name. How deep is this glory, I must grow in the knowledge, experience and taste of this Name that conquered sin and death in my place. Now, I must conquer in response with the strength and hope that only comes from the true Conqueror - Jesus Christ.

What must we conquer? The "god of this world" and all of his temptations to love anything God has created more than our precious Lord Jesus.

To what extent must we conquer?

"Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you a crown of life ... The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death." (Revelation 2:10)

We must conquer through the first death, "as it is appointed for man to die once, then comes judgement." (Hebrews 9:26) This momentary life is not the end. There is a second death, which is the wrath of God. The only escape from this judgement is to trust in the substitutionary atonement of Jesus Christ. Which means that the cross was sufficient to absorb all of the wrath of God against my sin.

I trust Him because He ransomed me. He paid my debt. Oh how I long to eat of the tree of life in the paradise of God forever!