Some time ago I had an impression of a new world. I cannot remember whether it was in a dream; I do not remember it being a ‘vision’ in any remarkable sense. In some way, it came into my mind.
In this impression, I stood as it were at the beginning of history – a new history. A world undefiled, unmarked by the schemes and strivings of men, untouched. It was a natural world; I saw no sign of the presence of men. It felt empty of man and his ways; it felt good.
I stood on the threshold of this world, free to set forth in it, without any pressures from other persons, or any goals or objectives, or even the pressure of time itself. I was alone but not lonely. My soul was at rest, but I felt a beckoning anticipation, and above all, a great sense of peace.
I described the place in my impression to a friend as a ‘wasteland’. It had that feel to it, but not in any degraded or unpleasant way. I suppose perhaps it had a sense of being abandoned; but it was all the more peaceful for it. And I felt a great liberty to set forth in it to do whatever I wished, or to simply be in it, for any amount of time. And it was a place I felt very happy to be.
My friend was somewhat appalled that I might have a vision of a new world – perhaps the new world, or the new Earth of scripture – as a ‘wasteland’. Perhaps it was in some ways an appalling idea, but it didn’t feel that way to me.
Some time later I read the novel by Thomas Hardy, ‘The Return of the Native’, published apparently in 1878. In the very first chapter, Hardy writes of ‘the glory of the Egdon waste’.
Hardy’s description of Egdon Heath captures much of what I imagined in the impression I had. I do not say I have had a vision of the world to come; I had an impression of something. And I was rather astonished and I suppose a bit gratified that another person had imagined and written about something similar, a land referred to as a ‘waste’, and had even called it glorious. And, reading the first chapter of that novel, it is easy for me even apart from any impressions I myself have had, to see how that place could be called ‘glorious’ while also a ‘waste’. I recommend to read the chapter (these old works are freely available online; the chapter is called ‘A Face on Which Time Makes but Little Impression’).
One morning recently I had another impression, and this one was in a dream. I was redeemed, and stood at the outset of my redeemed life. A literal door was in front of me, and I stepped forwards to open it. The moment brought to my dreaming mind the impression I had had of a new world, a place untouched and without pressure – the ‘wasteland’ I had once imagined. As I opened the door, that is what I expected to see. I felt satisfied and looking forward to the moment.
In my dream I opened the door, and I did not see the ‘wasteland’ of my imagination. Instead, there was a great crowd of cheering people – and they were cheering for me. They had gathered for my entry, and were cheering my appearance. It was a surprise party! For me. Somehow these people felt great joy and gratitude towards me, and saw the mortal life I had lived – a life now ended, with my everlasting life begun, thanks be to God and our Lord Jesus Christ – as something greatly to be celebrated. And for which they were thankful.
I woke up.
My dream puzzled me. My life, so far as I know, is celebrated by very few people, if any (other than I hope, our Lord, who is gracious beyond measure and may find in the crumbs of our lives a feast to celebrate). I would imagine that any friends I have who may celebrate my life now could be numbered on my fingers, likely of one hand; family members likewise.
Moreover, while I sometimes comfort myself with the thought that my life could have been a great deal worse in terms of my effect on others and on our world than it seems it has been (not to say I have done no harm) – and we look to Jesus our Lord for our justification, not any performance of our own – yet in simple, natural terms, I would struggle to see anything noteworthy about my life in terms of anything I have achieved. Except, as said, that disasters I have caused are fewer than they could easily have been, but for the grace of God. But little to inspire a cheering crowd, and I cannot say I honestly expect the remainder of my life to be profoundly different in appearance than what has already been.
In the above vein, these essays, and other writings I may do, are an attempt by me to achieve something while I yet live. But while I have found writing to be a source of encouragement and satisfaction, it has also raised the prospect that very few people may be interested in anything I find to write. Though success is not founded on numbers. But I cannot deny it is possible, others may not need my writing. After all, I have found the only written work I myself have an absolute need for is the Bible; so it would be unsurprising if the same was true for others. Nonetheless, I write.
How then, if there was any truth or reflection of reality in my dream, could my life be a subject of cheering and celebration? I put this question to God. Because if my life can be a cause for celebration, I would certainly like it to be so.
The answer I feel I have, is that the fruits of our life are not things we must achieve, and quite likely are not things we will even see so long as our mortal life proceeds.
‘And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together. And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth. I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.’ (John 4:36-38)
‘And let us not be weary in well doing; for in due course we shall reap, if we faint not.’ (Galatians 6:9)
‘But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.’ (1 Corinthians 15:57-58)
God gives us the victory. Our success is not dependent on how things go, or how cleverly we do things, or how determined we are. God appoints fruit to our labours as he pleases. And what pleases God, we know, is faith, expressed in our love and obedience to him.
‘But without faith, it is impossible to please him:’ (Hebrews 11:6)
Faith expressed though acts of love, kindness, reverence for God and for his word, perseverance (as seen above in Galatians 6:9) – these are the works of faith. God then appoints fruit to our acts of faith, as he pleases. God appoints fruit not where we see it, but wherever it pleases him to appoint it (as above in John 4:36-38).
We pray for our friend to be healed, and God appoints healing; but not necessarily the healing of our friend for whom we prayed, or not at the time we prayed. God answers prayer when and where he pleases. For God alone knows what is best, and that is always, without fail, what he does. But the kingdom of God is founded upon the benefits of one being given to another, as our Lord Jesus Christ has done for us.
And when the blessings of our life come seemingly undeserved (because another laboured for them, not ourselves) then we have unambiguous gratitude towards God. But if the fruits of our labours are always seen, then we begin to think it is our work, and not as it is in truth, the grace of God.
So then, we see in our lives the fruits of others’ work unknown to us (and through all, the work of our Lord) and the fruits of our own work often we do not see. Except occasionally, as tokens for our encouragement. But there is no limitation with God to appoint so much fruit as he should wish; he gives so much as he chooses, where and when he chooses, and none can prevent him, nor limit what fruit he appoints.
A man preaches the gospel in a godless place and none pays heed to him. Rather, he is rejected and persecuted. But the souls saved by his preaching are no less than if there had been a veritable ‘revival’. Indeed, his preaching is so much more fruitful because, being without any apparent effect, it is purely an act of faith. ‘Successful’ preaching is work for which reward is seen, whereas faith is for what is not seen. And so, the souls saved are those appointed to be saved where and when our God chooses, rewarding the faith of the preacher. But not dependent on such; for God appoints whatever works are necessary, and those to accomplish them, according to his will. He even creates the instruments of his purpose.
Consider the earthly life of our Lord Jesus himself. An obscure man with an immigrant past, then recently of Nazareth in Galilee, a city of poor reputation in what was apparently a ‘B-grade’ district of Israel. Not Jerusalem of the prophets. His followers: twelve. Just locals from the fishing towns around, and an assortment of others, one a traitor in the making. Others tagged along too, the women who ministered to the needs of the group, etc.
His mission – Jesus himself testified, ‘I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of Israel.’ (Matthew 15:24)
That was Jesus’ mission – to save Israel. So, how did that seem to go?
Israel was the nation who rejected Jesus and contrived to have him crucified. They cheered his entry to Jerusalem before his death, but within days were chanting to the heathen authorities, ‘Crucify him!’ which they duly did. Even Jesus’ own twelve left him to suffer his fate, running off into the night.
And what of Jesus’ teaching?
So far as I understand, nothing Jesus said was even written down in his day, at least not with his knowledge or at his direction. Jesus’ own disciples didn’t understand him; others marvelled over his words at times, but seemed little moved to abide by them. The official view was that Jesus’ teaching was false.
‘And there was much murmuring among the people concerning him: for some said, He is a good man: others said, Nay; but he deceiveth the people.’ (John 7:12)
‘Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only?’ (Mark 2:7)
‘Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy.’ (Matthew 26:65)
More generally, Jesus described the effect of his ministry as follows.
‘Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not. ‘Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I say unto you, it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgement, than for you.
And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.’ (Matthew 11:20-24)
And at his entry to Jerusalem, before his crucifixion:
‘And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it. Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes. For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children with thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.’ (Luke 19:41-44)
So in his own estimation, notwithstanding Jesus had friends and some received him, by and large he did not see the success of his mission to Israel, that would have brought their salvation. Because Jesus lamented, weeping that they did not receive him, and it seems from his sorrowful foretelling that in his mind, it could have worked out better. It could have been better for Israel, his people, than it was. Notwithstanding we see in the light of scripture since that day the hand of God through all, including Jesus’ rejection by Israel, it seems to me that in Jesus’ mind then, Israel could have, and should have been saved at that time by his ministry, and they were not.
Yet we can say (so far as ChatGPT is to be trusted – if you want better numbers I advise to research these matters which I have not done) the number of Christians in the world today may be as many as forty times the entire world population at the time of Christ. That is not to say success is numbers, or that Jesus’ word is necessarily widely honoured today among those called the Church, but it certainly was an outcome unseen to Jesus in his earthly ministry, other than by the Spirit (and I believe he did see, and believed). Even to secular eyes, the birth and growth of the Church bearing Jesus’ name to the extent which has occurred would have been more or less unimaginable at the time of Jesus’ earthly life and death. But the true fruits of Jesus’ labour and sacrifice I believe are infinitely greater in quantity and quality even than what is seen today, now called the Church, and its works.
I thank God that the world does not depend on my success, or the success of any other than the Lord Jesus himself, and that indeed, Jesus has succeeded! And I do not think that was inevitable (though foreseen by the Father) but that Jesus laboured, and persevered in his earthly life, free to choose good or evil, to obey or disobey at any time, and that under immense pressure he remained entirely faithful throughout. Hallelujah!
Jesus’ success only is essential to the life of the world and to all good things, and he has succeeded! And in Jesus’ success is the success of each one of us, and of us all. Amen.
And with regard to Jesus’ mission mentioned above, to the nation of Israel, we have the word of Paul:
‘And so all Israel shall be saved:’ (Romans 11:26)
Amen!
But regarding our own mission:
‘Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.’ (John 20:21)
The manner of Jesus’ mission, the form it took and the fruits (or lack thereof) it apparently bore at that time – these are a pattern of what we may expect if we receive his word and are sent in the way Jesus’ describes, ‘as my Father hath sent me’.
Therefore, I cannot know directly what the fruits of my life may be, because being the fruits of faith they are largely unseen. But we can be confident that if our life is a life of faith, lived in obedience to our Lord, then it will bear much fruit. But if we live an ungodly life in disobedience and unbelief, the fruit will be less. Or even, the fruits may be evil (though all things ultimately serve our Lord, but that is no credit to us if we disobey).
Success, therefore, is to remain faithful to our calling and to our Lord.
‘And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.’ (2 Peter 1:5-8)
They ‘make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful’. A person who has received in themselves these qualities from the Lord cannot be unfruitful. This is not dependent on circumstance, or good fortune, or cleverly devised programmes, goals or methods. Though no doubt the above qualities in us would affect everything we do and the way in which we do it.
How many evaluations of church programmes for works of charity or ‘outreach’, I wonder, begin with an assessment against the above qualities? And how these are expressed among the doers of the work? Because according to scripture, that is the guarantee of fruit; of unstoppable success.
I suspect many evaluations, where they occur, might be concerned with metrics – measurements of families supported, persons ‘coming to faith’ and/or baptized, the value of donations received and goods distributed etc. Planning is likely concerned with budgets, logistics, staffing (which may well consider the godly qualities of such persons) and timeframes. From my own study in ‘Development Studies’ I discovered that evaluation of development (or mission) works is a discipline in itself, concerned with ‘indicators’ and their means of assessment.
Yet faith demands that, like Jesus, we labour largely for what we do not see.
‘But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.’ (Romans 8:25)
And so we see that the fruitfulness of our lives is constrained by no one and nothing other than the Lord himself, who desires our abundant fruitfulness, and by our willingness to receive and embody his word and Spirit. These things none can effectively oppose any more than our Lord himself could be defeated, though to all the world it seemed he had been.
May it be we can say truthfully like Paul, as he awaited his execution:
‘I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.’ (2 Timothy 4:7-8)
Paul had certainly been in a fight.
‘Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned [on this occasion Acts 14:19 tells us Paul, having been stoned, was dragged out of the city, thought to be dead], thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not? (2 Corinthians 11:24-29)
Yet far from counting himself worthy of some reward for all these things, we see above in 2 Timothy 4:7-8 Paul says the very same crown as he stood to receive was that which awaits ‘all them that love his appearing’ i.e. the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ. Paul did not resent that; he rejoiced that others, with or without the labours and sufferings he had known, would know the same, gracious love and blessing of our Lord, beyond all we could ask or think. For so our Lord desires.
That is success: a heart of longing and love towards our Lord Jesus, longing for his appearing. And that I believe, is the work of the Holy Spirit in our hearts. Otherwise, any great deeds or achievements, even those done for the name of our Lord, may be counted as nought.
Be it an empty, beckoning world, or a cheering crowd, let us rejoice in whatever God has appointed to us, our astonishingly gracious and generous God, knowing that our faith in him cannot but bear fruit, our success is in his success and so, though yet we see it not, it is already complete.
Amen and amen.
wilderness99 