What Do You Treasure?

 

Tutankhamun Treasure

When it comes to treasures, we think of gold and jewels. What better representation than an item from King Tut's tomb that laid up for his afterlife - andd we get to see in splendor. Unfortunately for King Tut, he saw none of these items after his death.

What did he see? That all depends on his relationship with God. We really can't speak about that except in generalities. There are a couple of Bible verses I turn to when I wonder "What about people who had not heard about the one true God and His Son?"

And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. (John 10:16)

I can think of a couple of religions that have taken this verse as theirs and built on it. But, what of this one:

For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law; (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;) (Romans 2:12-15)

I believe there will be souls in heaven who lived by the two laws Jesus described as being first and second:

Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. (Matthew 22:35-40)

I believe God is just. That His judgment is perfect. I believe he keeps promises:

Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:6-9)

Jesus looked upon heaven as a treasure:

Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. (Matthew 6:19-21)

I firmly believe that my personal treasure is the creator of this existence. I use the masculine pronoun due to language and past usage - but Jesus also explained the male/female concept will not be the same in heaven:

Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven. (Matthew 22:29-30)

Now we've reached the first question - what do you treasure? That's what you will work toward in life, to achieve whatever it is that you treasure. If all you have is a dream here on earth, how will you ever achieve it? We look at celebrities who have achieved a certain pinnacle in their chosen profession - then we read of their death from an accidental overdose. The public translate that into knowledge that their lives were incomplete without the drugs. Which is their treasure? Life, the goal, the drug combination?

The goal of a Christian is to follow Jesus example. He died to fulfill His goal - in fact, that death was the reason He was born. It was planned before creation and will survive after anyone reading this dies. Then why do we want to follow this example? Because He told us in so many ways that the treasure is living with God eternally - and here are the "I am come" truths:

Mat_5:17        Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

Mat_10:34      Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.

Mat_10:35      For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.

Luk_12:49      I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled?

Luk_12:51      Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division:

Jhn_5:43a       I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: 

Jhn_9:39         And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.

Jhn_10:10      The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

Jhn_12:46      I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.

I'll work for that abunfant life, thank you very much. I believe heaven itself is a treasure because God is there. His ways are not open to us except as He made them available. While I believe there is much more prophecy to be fulfilled, I'll patiently discuss my beliefs with anyone who has time to listen/read, and not be concerned about God's timing. I've seen how perfectly His timing can be. My treasure is safely in His hands, not any mirror image of what God has offered. 

What do you treasure, and where is it?