You Can Know You Have Eternal Life
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692 – Man's Search for Inner Peace (106)
The New Jerusalem and Heaven (1)
by Jim Mettenbrink

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     We looked closely at the “
New Jerusalem” which is mentioned only two times and alluded to once as the “holy Jerusalem” in the Bible, but only in Revelation, which was written in apocalyptic style common in the Jewish community for several hundred years before and after the first century AD.  Although the popular understanding of the New Jerusalem is heaven, that is contrary to Revelation.

     The opening of Revelation is with letters to the seven churches of Asia, five of which were condemned for unfaithfulness.  The Lord acknowledged the other two as faithful.  In Jesus’ letter to the church at Philadelphia, He stated, “
I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God” (Revelation 3:12; cf 21:10).  At first glance this might be thought to be heaven.  But notice the city comes down out of heaven.  The conclusion of Revelation (Revelation 21-22), reveals the New Jerusalem is in heaven, but not heaven itself.

     “N
ow the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb” (Revelation 21:14).  The foundation of the New Jerusalem consists of the apostles.  The apostle Paul summarized, “Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit” (Ephesians 2:19-22).

     When the apostles were on trial (for preaching the gospel of Jesus) before the Jewish high priest and supreme court, Peter said, “
let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole.  This is the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’ Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:10-12).
     Jesus is the cornerstone of the building.  Of any building, the foundation must line up with the cornerstone.  It is the standard of reference to insure the building will be square.
     Jesus is the standard of salvation.  He sets the terms.  The 12 apostles (v14) refer to the establishment of the Church of Christ which He said He would build (Matthew 16:18,19).  The apostle Paul set forth, “
...God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers,....” (1 Corinthians 12:28; cf Ephesians 4:11).
     The New Jerusalem and the Church of Christ, His church, have the same foundation of the apostles.  They are one and the same.

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      © Jim Mettenbrink; used by permission. rev.170113
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