10 Things You Should Know about the New Heavens and the New Earth

The Gospel for Life

Ian K. Smith is the principal of Christ College, Sydney, where he also teaches Greek and New Testament. He has also served in parish ministry and as a missionary in the Pacific island nation of Vanuatu. He speaks regularly at churches, conferences, and other venues.
Jesus’s proclamation about the kingdom of God is concerned with this world.
When Jesus claimed “my kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36), he was not referring to the domain over which he rules. Hopefully the kingdom of God makes an impact in this world! The Gospels clearly identify two kingdoms, but the division is not between sacred and secular; the division is between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan (Luke 11:14–22). The ministry of Jesus disarms and defeats the kingdom of this world over which Satan rules. The day will come when heaven will declare that “the kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ” (Rev. 11:15).

In the meantime, the division is not between a sacred kingdom and a secular kingdom. The effects of sin can be just as sorely felt in the church as in the workplace. Similarly, the effects of the kingdom of God can be lived out on Mondays as well as on Sundays. Jesus is Lord over all. He is committed to his creation.

The renewal of the earth means we are committed to the things of the earth.
Creation and new creation are the bookends of the Bible. God is concerned for the renewal of this earth. Christian ministry is not just about telling people how to get into heaven when they die, essential though that is. It is also concerned for what happens in this world. Telling people the way of salvation is of foundational importance. Without repentance of sins and submission to the Lordship of Jesus, nothing else makes sense. But that is not the end of the story. If we acknowledge that the Christian’s hope is the renewal of all things, it gives meaning to life. Christian communities are commended for the way they bless the places where they live (Phil. 2:15; Col. 4:5–6; 1 Thess. 4:11–12; Tit. 2:9–10). If our lives are transformed by the power of the gospel, our workplaces, families, marriages, friendships, and world will be impacted. God is concerned for this physical world. A good question for every church to ask is, If our church were to close down, would anyone in our neighborhood notice the difference?

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