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Eternal rewards is a hot topic in the evangelical community, partly because some people think it is anti-grace and leads to works-righteousness to earn salvation. Nothing could be further from the truth, but that’s the perception.  

So in Genesis 1, the idea is clearly that man somehow represents something of or about God, including His presence in the world and His authority. Since we know from other passages that it is not that God has arms, hands, or other bodily parts, the resemblance must be less concrete and more “essential.” None of the other creations of God (whether animal or angel) are in God’s image. We resemble His attributes as much as the material can emulate the perfect Immaterial.

God no more gives up on the Earth than He gives up on us. He is no more done with the Earth than He is done with us. God promises He will reverse the curse:

The Bible in its entirety is clear on sexuality. Words have meaning in context. 

If the New Earth is all the best of the old earth and more, then we should expect it to contain animals.

Whether or not Heaven operates outside the scope of earth’s time sequence, clearly the inhabitants of Heaven track with events happening in time (Rev. 2-3).

In Heaven there will be one marriage, not many. That marriage will be what earthly marriage symbolized and pointed to, the marriage of Christ to his bride. So we will all be married—but to Christ.

So, depending on the response to Deception (because I’ll find out whether readers like Ollie), Lord willing, there may well be one or more other Ollie stories to come.

I believe that the Bible has greater authority than nature. Creation is “general” revelation only. The Bible is special, much more specific, revelation.

The current Heaven is in the angelic realm, distinctly separate from earth (though likely having more earthly qualities than we often assume). But the future Heaven will be in the human realm, on earth.

Returning to the prefall-Adamic state is not our destiny. The glorification we'll experience in the resurrected state will entail the righteousness of Christ which is far beyond the innocence known by Adam and Eve. But the Curse placed on the Earth because of the fall will be removed and the natural world will have an Eden-like quality, as we see from Revelation where the Tree of Life that was in Eden will be on the New Earth.

As a father who loves his children goes out of his way to help them, God promises that he will always give of himself for us. Why? Because he loves us and wants to show forever his appreciation for our loyalty and service to him in this life. Does that mean we deserve God’s grace? Of course not. By definition, God’s grace is something we don’t deserve. If we deserved it, it wouldn’t be grace!

In Colombia, South America, a missionary couple was driving along a rugged mountain road known for occasional attacks by bandits, when suddenly their car was blocked by thieves brandishing assault rifles.

This was just my imagination. I actually said “If God wishes, He may create new beings for us to rule.”