Abstract ▼ AI-Helper

The aim of the thesis is to emphasize for the sake of today's believers that the essence of faith is to put our hope in the new heavens and the new earth not on the world, by studying concretely and systematically how the glorification of saints takes place. The final goal of Christianity is to comp...

The aim of the thesis is to emphasize for the sake of today's believers that the essence of faith is to put our hope in the new heavens and the new earth not on the world, by studying concretely and systematically how the glorification of saints takes place. The final goal of Christianity is to complete human salvation. The completion of human salvation is completed by resurrection after human death followed by the second coming of Christ. Man can be saved only by the imputation of Jesus Christ's righteousness. According to Ordo Salutis, completion of human salvation is realized by work of God, the Trinity. Then, through what process is the glorification completed? It is accomplished only through the bodily resurrection of saints. When Christ comes again, the living will stand changed and the dead resurrected before the judgment seat of Christ. The resurrection of the righteous, which is based on and guaranteed by Christ's resurrection, is to let them enjoy the glorification for ever in the new heavens and the new earth. In contrast, the resurrection of the wicked is to be judged. Their bodies and spirits will be united to be punished. We should understand the resurrection of the wicked as the result of the work of God's justice to verify the power and righteousness of Jesus Christ. The bodily resurrection of the saints does not mean that the resurrection body is identical with the one they had before resurrection as Scholar philosophy had argued. The resurrection body is identical in the essence. The resurrection body will be the perfect one in God's image just as Christ's resurrection body, which is immortal, imperishable, spiritual, and glorified. The saints who have the resurrection body are in perfect holiness and can have fellowship with the Trinity God. The fellowship means that the saints worship God perfectly and participate in God's reign by having blessed fellowship with Christ as the citizens of God's kingdom. Christians who have sure hope in glorification, which is the completion of salvation, are not bound to the life on earth as the hope for the blessed future life after resurrection does not allow us to put our hope in the earthly life. Nevertheless, the hope for the future gives great hope and vision for the earthly life because the source of the hope starts from Jesus Christ and the earthly life now, which is the prelude of the life we will enjoy in the kingdom of heaven. The saints who hope for glorification will see God as God of love not as God of justice. And they will follow Jesus forever because our salvation is completed by Christ's complete work of atonement. The saved saints obey the great commandment by Jesus Christ bearing the holy burden for the lost souls. This burden demands us to live a biblical life. The saints who hope for the new heavens and the new earth will gain an insight into the great plan of the Lord, with infinite hope despite in the world full of despair and frustration. The realization of the heavenly hope will arouse infinite hope in the present suffering and make us go forward to the new dimension of life, awakened to eternal meaning revealed through the present life.

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