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Sorin Sabou


Letter to the Romans, Nicomachean Ethics, and more

Christ about the future in John

Christ's mind about the future, as this is seen in the Gospel of John, is found in three main types of texts: chapters 14, 6, and 3. In these texts we find the majors affirmations on this subject.
The future is about the place which Christ prepares for those who belong to him. When that place is ready he will come to take us to be with him. The way toward that place is Christ himself.
His going to the Father to prepare for us a place in his Father's house helps us to understand the essential things about the future. There is only one way to that place, Christ himself, because, as this is seen in the whole Gospel, there are enemies who hinder people to get there: the Devil, death and sin. These enemies were conquered only by Christ, the Son of God. This being so only through him somebody can reach that place.
The other type of language is that of eternal life. This way of speaking about salvation begins when somebody believes in Christ and continues for eternity. For explaining this fact Jesus echoes two events from the history of Israel: the bronze snake made by Moses in the wilderness and the feeding of the whole people with manna in the wilderness. The deadly snakes attacked the people because of their disobedience, and the salvation from death was given to those who looked at the bronze serpent lifted up by Moses. The spiritual meaning is clear: everyone is saved from the deadly poison of the old serpent by believing in the Son of God. From the second event somebody is able to survive in the wilderness only if he is fed with the bread which come down from heaven: Jesus Christ.
The last type of language is that of entering or seeing the kingdom of God. This is in chapter 3. This entering is happening now, by the regenerating work of the Spirit, and will be completed at the resurrection from the dead. The work of the Spirit is a must for everyone who wants to see or enter into the kingdom of God. This radical new beginning from above opens the door of the kingdom.
It can be seen that we begin to experience now the essential things or events from the future and we will experience them fully after the resurrection from the dead. We are headed toward the place Christ is preparing for us walking on the way which is Christ himself, we are having the eternal life now by believing and obeying the words of Christ and by the work of the Spirit we are born from above/again to be able to see and enter into the kingdom of God.
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