Pondering Eternity

By Eferovo Igho

This is a book on eternity. It treats the subject matter of creation with eternity with God as purpose; the fall of man through sin and the subsequent defeat of that purpose which also now translates to man’s eternity with Satan in damnable fire of hell; both the ‘pricelessness’ and eternity of the soul; the meaning, tone and indeed nature of eternity; characteristics or description of the two eternal abode or environments of the two divides or ends that humanity is forever split into; the Love of God, the Cross of Jesus and His vicarious sacrifice for humanity that stems the tide of God’s wrath on sinners preventing them from going to the eternally sorry side of eternity; the utmost need of getting reconciled to God and living here with eternity in view so that we can make blissful eternity with God eventually and finally achieve the purpose of our creation in the first place. Other areas germane to this question of eternity and helpful to pondering it more properly it visits.

Eternity, eternity, eternity; that’s the thread that runs through the work! After all: How we can make eternity with God is the only reason why we are here. So, what is eternity? What takes place in the great beyond? What is the nature of the two contrasting ends of eternity? How about the God that inhabits eternity? What is the relationship between creation and eternity? What does it mean when Scriptures say God set or planted eternity in the human heart, and what is the implication? How about the eternity and ‘pricelessness’ of the soul (one soul) compared with the whole world put together? These and more: Probing and telling posers leading to informed directions!

The work also elects to provide various angles and streams from where we can look at the subject matter of eternity to the end that we can anchor safely with the God that inhabits eternity. It delves into critical matters, makes many revealing statements, asks many questions, provides issues to ponder about, and many there are; and threw light virtually on all of them. It reaches many serious conclusions just as it points constantly at how to go. In all it is a book that presents astonishing truths yet representing inviting paths.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Eferovo Igho
• Release date: Apr 2, 2014
• ISBN: 9781310343971

Eferovo Igho

Eferovo Igho is a Christian writer, poet and hymnist; he has been widely published and had a Christian column stint with the National Mirror (a Nigerian newspaper). He is into secular writing as well and has also been extensively published by leading Nigerian dailies including the old Daily Times, The Guardian, Vanguard, Daily Independent and had an op-ed column stint with Daily Independent at a time the paper won the Best Nigerian Newspaper Award back-to-back. Igho is member and contributing author to great international media websites. Most of his works have been highly syndicated. For instance, his “Bible, Science, Creation, Evolution/Atheism, Civilization and Eternity”, a research work in science, astronomy, space science (with Bible illuminating the way) has been syndicated by leading science groups such as NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center (in Science), Scientist of the Year, Telescope, Galaxy Science/Magazine Back Issues Online Now, Sacred Earth Institute.org (in Exploration Science) and many others. He is the author of the Science cum Christian book: The World: Bible and True Science versus Evolution; and four other Christian books: Pondering Eternity; Creation Earnest Expectation, Manifestation of God’s Sons & the Rapture; Defining Christianity & Christ Call Biblically Again; and Prosperity, Eternity: Why receive, why give!

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PONDERING ETERNITY

By Eferovo Igho

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Published by:

Eferovo Igho at Smashwords

© 2018 by Eferovo Igho

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction

1. Doctrine of Satan, Sin and Eternal Soul

2. Jesus: Lover of our Souls

3. When the Hustling is over!

4. Faith-Step to Eternity with God

5. Eternity: What Lies Ahead!

6. Jesus Twin-Question and Eternity

7. Two Eternal Seeds God planted here!

8. What Manner of catching away!

9. The Great White Throne Judgment

10. The Great Separation and Eternity

11. Two Sides of a Wide Gulf

12. The Afterlife in God’s Heaven

13. Eternity with God Lost, Regained!

14. Now, Eternity with God Calling

15. Getting Ready for Eternity

16. Indescribably Exquisite Heaven of God

17. The Making of God’s Eternal Worshipers (A Poem)

18. Saintly Counsels on making it at Last

19. Generational walkers with God: Our Models (A Poem)

20. Steadfastness and Heavenly Vision (A Poem)

21. Behold, Christ Comes for His Own! (A Poem)

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

God, the Source and Strength of this work, gets my total and unqualified gratitude.

My dad, Viemudu Igho, had tremendous influence in my writing career and his huge interest and encouragement was indescribable steer; and my mum, Christiana TitiJesu Igho (formerly Christiana Tigari Igho, nee Kpeji), also paid invaluable price leading to and in my writing career. Both parents cannot be thanked enough.

Benjamin Tialobi and Gabriel Igbru were briefly there for me at the start of my writing career. Kate Aroghene Oyibo (Nee Igho), Mercy Rienrhi Livinus (Nee Igho), Lucky Akpata, Isaac Oghenerhoro, David Etakeheri and Sunday Okojie, played roles indirectly or unawares at various points that helped the work. I am grateful to them all.

The teachings of Finis Jennings Dake both encouraged and gave me some impetus in few aspects of this book. Few of Charles Spurgeon’s meditations from Spurgeon’s Daily Devotional are used. Two works of Thomas à Kempis and one each of Charles Wesley, John Bunyan, Watchman Nee and an anonymous writer are used. In addition to hymns by self, I included related classic spiritual hymns of old by several Christian hymnists. I remain indebted to all these men of God.

Eferovo Igho

DEDICATION

To the saints facing persecution or who have hazarded their lives in various ‘swellings of Jordan’ for the Gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ!

INTRODUCTION

This is a book on eternity. It treats the subject matter of creation with eternity with God as purpose; the fall of man through sin and the subsequent defeat of that purpose which also now translates to man’s eternity with Satan in damnable fire of hell; both the ‘pricelessness’ and eternity of the soul; the meaning, tone and indeed nature of eternity; characteristics or description of the two eternal abode or environments of the two divides or ends that humanity is forever split into; the Love of God, the Cross of Jesus and His vicarious sacrifice for humanity that stems the tide of God’s wrath on sinners preventing them from going to the eternally sorry side of eternity; the utmost need of getting reconciled to God and living here with eternity in view so that we can make blissful eternity with God eventually and finally achieve the purpose of our creation in the first place. Other areas germane to this question of eternity and helpful to pondering it more properly I try to visit.

Eternity, eternity, eternity; that’s the thread that runs through the work! After all: How we can make eternity with God is the only reason why we are here. So, what is eternity? What takes place in the great beyond? What is the nature of the two contrasting ends of eternity? How about the God that inhabits eternity? What is the relationship between creation and eternity? What does it mean when Scriptures say God set or planted eternity in the human heart, and what is the implication? How about eternity and ‘pricelessness’ of the soul (one soul) compared with the whole world put together? These and more: Probing and telling posers leading to informed directives!

The work also elects to provide various angles and streams from where we can look at the subject matter of eternity to the end that we can anchor safely with the God that inhabits eternity. It delves into critical matters, makes many revealing statements, asks many questions, provides issues to ponder about, and many there are; and threw light virtually on all of them. It reaches many serious conclusions just as it points constantly at how to go. In all it is a book that presents astonishing truths yet representing inviting paths.

It is time to ponder eternity. May you ponder along! The pages ahead are just for that, and gainfully so. Yes, it is time to ponder eternity: And, really, may men everywhere ponder eternity! Eternity with God: Nothing can be more rewarding; nothing is more priceless!

Section 1:

Sin, Faith and Eternity

Chapter One

DOCTRINE OF SATAN, SIN AND ETERNAL SOUL

There is priceless information that touches on a far more serious matter than any other subject matter you can imagine. We will endeavor to visit it here. And so, we would desire a ready and open mind and total earnestness presently. It has to do with your ownership now, and in all of eternity. When we say ‘you’, we mean your soul, for that is the real you.

Indeed, whosoever owns you now, and that between God and Satan, may well own you eternally unless you make speed to settle now on the side of God. This is because tomorrow is guaranteed nowhere since man can die anytime. That is even why the Scriptures said: … now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation – 2 Corinthians 6: 2. The subject of man’s soul and ownership is understandably a wide one. The purpose here is to highlight such aspects that seem to tie it all together and to answer the very crucial and inevitable question before us today which is: Son of man, whose are you? And as we proceed in this chapter, take this as its alternative caption.

SATAN, SIN AND HUMANITY

Sin may well have predated man (Adam). Sin was what made Lucifer Satan. Sin being invented by Satan, is the only thing traceable to him that he ‘manufactured’. We read in God’s Word: Thou was perfect in thy ways from the day that thou were created, till iniquity was found in thee – Ezekiel 28: 15. That is Satan represented as King of Tyrus (see all of Ezekiel 28: 12-19 for better understanding). And what that means is, Lucifer became sin, so that we could say there became no difference between him and sin.

We may want to remind ourselves for instance that God is Love, and Love is God. God does not have Love, He is Love. Satan does not just have sin, not even as his mere essence; rather, he is sin. Sin is not just his characteristic but his being, whole being. That which was found in him (that is, in the very centre of his being) simply overwhelmed and transformed him to the chief of devils and demons that he instantly became.

But sin like a body has parts, members, branches, expressions, features, departments or characteristics such as pride (Satan’s first recorded expression of his corrupt being, and that towards God which thing also became his downfall and ruin, and of the same ‘pride’ God resists among men); deception (which was the second recorded revelation of his corrupt being, and this towards man, that is Adam and Eve); lie or falsehood, deception’s close associate (of which the Lord expressly says Satan is the father); idolatry, occultism, cultism, mysticism, witchcraft, sorcery and several other direct mode of Satan and demon worship (which he designed after his fall to get worship from men as their pseudo god with the fall, now, of Adam); fornication, adultery, filthiness and stuffs like that (which is his department that he employs to cause men to sin against their own body); and the departments are as many as can be imagined and these are all targeted at the soul of man.

Sin, again, is the image of Satan. That is, ‘whenever he (Satan) sees his reflection’ he sees sin. Remember that man was created originally in God’s image. Man had the breath of life and became a living soul. But when Satan came or polluted man with his image (sin), man became a dead soul. Indeed, the Scriptures say man, the sinner, is dead while living. That is to say, when by deception Satan beguiled the first family, Adam instantly fell short of the glory (nature-image) of God and all humanity with him, and in its place came the pollution (represented by sin, that is, nature-image) of Satan. Man’s soul was the target and victim of Satan’s deception and extension of his nature-image.

SADDEST FACT OF LIFE

And so … all have sinned and come short of the glory of God – Romans 3: 23. Indeed, apart from inheriting this new nature-image of Adam in their souls, men are, minute by minute, living out this nature. Really, they cannot now do otherwise. And yet, which is even more pathetic, sin cannot go unpunished and that in the Hand of the Creator Whose law has been spurned by man and Whose purpose of creating the soul has not been met by man; God’s judgment being, actually, the soul’s own invitation.

And … the soul that sins it shall die – Ezekiel 18: 4; and this refers to the soul’s eternal separation from God, its Creator and Owner. That is separation from God’s ETERNAL PRESENCE (with its indescribably consuming glory, glow, beauty, excellence, majesty, wonders, marvels etc); separation from God’s ETERNAL NATURE AND QUALITIES (love, peace, joy, godliness, goodness, compassion, kindness, benevolence etc); and separation from His ETERNAL WORSHIP AND ADORATION (actually the purpose for creating the soul in the first place).

Yes, condemnation means eternal separation from all that and more. And yet, that is only one side of an extremely sad story! Condemnation also entails the soul’s eternal union with Satan, sin and all the wrath, torment, anguish et cetera that were originally only Satan’s portion forever, but now to be shared with as many as will follow him to his destination: The Lake of Fire and Brimstone.

Actually, whilst Adam remained the image of God he was the son of God and the moment he lost that image for Satan’s image; he became the son of Satan, for ‘nature begets’. This is another way of saying (and the Holy Scripture said precisely that when it states) that we all became children of Satan and so, children of wrath. You can be very assured that all the spiritual genetic information to that effect could be gleaned from or found in your ‘spiritual chromosomes/DNA’, for as Morris Cerrulo once said: All truth is parallel. There is ‘spiritual DNA’ that tells who owns you or who is your father. Satan knows those still having his nature, that is, his sons and daughters of whom he is their god. The Scriptures also said that the Lord God knows those that are His. In fact, to some people Jesus said: You are of your father, the devil!

So, who own you? And the question is directed at your soul and spirit: the real you, your real man! WHOSE ARE YOU? Your eternal destination depends only on this! It will interest you to know however, that whilst all of us were children of Satan and therefore children of wrath, some are no more. You surely can be among these.

Ordinarily, there is no man that can free himself of this evil grip of Satan, empty himself of this cursed nature or escape the sentence of damnation that this gross affront to God has attracted. God’s decree is: The soul that sins it shall die. This is the decree. It is divine and immutable. We are supposed to be lost forever and that, to say it again, in the burning of eternal fire and brimstone with a forever torment, anguish and gnashing of teeth. Who can really describe hell enough! Yet, that is the sad, sorry and final destination of the soul that sins.

However, we now have escape in The Savior. Yes, Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God and The Lamb of God came down to this cursed place to rescue cursed souls, and He did that when He Paid the Supreme Price. He atoned for our sins when He bore them on the Cross of Calvary and also shed His Blood on the Cross, died and was buried but on the third day resurrected after defeating sin, death, hell and Satan with his entire host. Jesus is the Great Sacrifice. Indeed, ‘Jesus Paid it All’, to borrow from Elvina Mabel Hall (1820-1889) author of the classic hymn that goes by that title. Jesus came down with grace to and for sons of men.

GRACE, GOD’S GRACE

We shall tell it (God’s grace) in this inspired hymn by Julia Harriette Johnston (1849-1919):

1. Marvelous grace of our loving Lord,

Grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt,

Yonder on Calvary’s mount outpoured,

There where the Blood of the Lamb was spilt.

Grace, grace, God’s grace,

Grace that will pardon and cleanse within;

Grace, grace, God’s grace,

Grace that is greater than all our sin.

2. Sin and despair like the sea waves’ cold,

Threaten the soul with infinite loss;

Grace that is greater, yes, grace untold,

Point to the Refuge, the Mighty Cross.

3. Dark is the stain that we cannot hide,

What can avail to wash it away?

Look! There is flowing a crimson tide;

Whiter than snow you may be today.

4. Marvelous, infinite, matchless grace,

Freely bestowed on all who believe;

You that are longing to see His face,

Will you this moment His grace receive?

Go to Him today. Do it even right now and you will be surprisingly glad what becomes of your soul (washed, redeemed and righteousness- imputed); you will be surprisingly glad Who becomes its Owner (the Creator and Eternal God); and you will be surprisingly glad what becomes your eternal destiny (the New Heaven and New Earth of God and of The Lamb, and home of the pure, blessed and free). AND HOW BEAUTIFUL HEAVEN MUST BE!

Chapter Two

JESUS: LOVER OF OUR SOULS

The Holy Bible, the only Word of God to man, says that we