Why Are We Still Here?
Why are we not transported to heaven instantly when we choose to become part of God’s Kingdom through Jesus Christ? Why are we still here to live out our days on this still-broken earth?
I'm feeling emotionally heavy lately, with the devastating earthquake in Türkiye and Syria killing more than 40,000+ people. More close to home, I'm also feeling deep sorrow for two mothers I know who lost their children recently.
I walked my normal path in the chilly outdoors recently, watching dark storm clouds gather on the Arizona horizon in normally cobalt blue skies, and with tears, I whispered, How long, Lord? How long before you come back a second time to make everything right?
If you read my most recent blog, Why Are We Here? I explored why God made us in the first place.
But why are we still here, with all the pain and loss that comes with living on this still-broken earth?
Since the Garden of Eden didn't turn out so well—and Jesus gave us a way to be with him forever through his death and resurrection—then why are we not transported to heaven instantly when we choose to become part of God’s Kingdom through Jesus Christ? Why are we still here?
Many of us don’t know what the main goal is, why we’re still here to live out our days on this earth. If we did, it might change our lives, so that we could change others lives. It doesn’t erase the pain and loss of living on a still-broken earth. But it gives our everyday life meaning, purpose, perspective, and yes, joy in the living out of our days here on earth.
First, let’s acknowledge that this question isn’t a new one. The apostle Paul wrestles with this when he bemoans the fact that he must live in a falling-apart body (and a falling-part world) while he waits to get all the Jesus promised in the next life (no more tears or pain or heartache, experiencing the world as God meant it to be),
“For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house (for our bodies) in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands. We grow weary in our present bodies, and we long to put on our heavenly bodies like new clothing.”
He goes on to say whether we’re here on earth or there in heaven, our goal is to please God. We’re going to stand before Christ one day and receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we’ve done in this earthly body and “because we understand our fearful responsibility to the Lord we work hard to persuade others.” (1 Corinthians 5:9-11a)
Persuade others to do what?
You’ll just have to read this whole passage for yourself. Don’t skip it. Read every word!
”And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ. (1 Corinthians 5:18-21).
So why are we still here? Because we still have a job to do here on earth.
God entrusted us with the delightful purpose of becoming an ambassador, a champion, a living example, for the good news that we can be reconciled back to God, with a friendship with our Creator—and a clean slate—and beautiful, pain-free future—just like in the Garden of Eden.
Even though Adam and Eve didn’t listen to the Lord God, and wanted to do things their own way, God still chooses to use us human beings to expand his glory and his Kingdom on this earth. He gave us direction throughout the Bible of his ultimate plan to see his Kingdom spread to all corners of the earth—which still included a lot of expansion, multiplying, and spreading out.
First, we’re to expand God’s glory. The Lord God told the prophet Habbakuk that he intended for his glory to spread throughout the earth, “For as the waters fill the sea, the earth will be filled with an awareness of the glory of the LORD.” (Habbukuk 12:2) God left us on this earth so that all his glory, his presence, the honor of his name would be recognized by everyone, everywhere on earth. “Be still and know that I am God…” do you know the end of that verse? “…I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.” (Psalm 46:10).
Second, we’re still on this earth to bless all the families (the original word implies all the ethnicities, all the nations) on earth. The Lord God told Abraham, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to all the families (ethnicities, nations) on earth.” (Genesis 12:1-2)
It seems prudent to recognize the strategic places we choose to live, in order to bless all the ethnicities of the earth. The Lord God told the prophet Ezekiel one of his strategies for his people to reach the world, “This is Jerusalem, which I have set in the center of the nations, with countries all around her.” (Ezekiel 5:5b). So, as world changers, recognize where God has placed us (or where we could place ourselves), open our eyes, and actively pursue blessing others with the good news God has entrusted to us.
Third, we are still on this earth because people still need to hear and experience the good news that a present and eternal Kingdom is available for them to join, with a King that loves them, and wants them to live with him forever in a kingdom he prepared for them since the beginning of time (Matthew 25).
Jesus told his disciples, “And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations (all ethnicities, all people groups) will hear it; and then the end will come.” (Matthew 24:14). I’m not sure this is an apocalyptic verse we want to build our entire end-times philosophy on. But it does give us a blueprint and a map. Get this good news to all the ethnicities, because Jesus isn’t coming back to make all things right until this happens.
We’re still here because we’re supposed to expand the Kingdom of God on earth, by demonstrating it, and inviting people into it. Jesus’ main message was “Repent, turn from your own ways because the Kingdom of God is at hand (which means now available, accessible, enter-able)” (Matthew 3:2). Jesus talked about the Kingdom of God (or the Kingdom of Heaven) more than one hundred times in the Gospels, more than any other subject.
Jesus came to earth to demonstrate the characteristics of his Kingdom, and he wants us to do that too. When these things happen on this broken earth, the values of heaven break through and the edges of darkness disappear. The Kingdom expands.
Jesus healed the sick. He dealt with demonic oppression and possession. He made lame people walk, blind people see, and deaf people hear. He empowered the poor, welcomed the foreigner, protected the vulnerable. He spoke up against evil, turned over tables, and publicly chastised hypocrites. He loved unloveable people, invited himself to the wrong side of the tracks, and blessed interrupting children. He resisted temptation, forgave people, spoke truth from Scripture, and prayed alone a lot. He chose people, anointed people, prophesied over people, and called them blessed, beloved, daughter, and disciple.
We too, are to demonstrate Kingdom principles, healing, wholeness, justice, love, and light in places where the Prince of Darkness now rules. We are to spread the good stuff of the Kingdom that we’ve experienced, that we’ve been given, to all the peoples, all the nations, all the ethnicities on the whole earth.
Fourth, we are still here on this earth because Jesus wants more followers, more disciples of his, and he wants some from all the nations (ethnicities, people groups). Jesus told his own band of followers before he disappeared into the clouds and left them standing there, wide-eyed, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” So, we’re still here because Jesus wants more disciples, and he wants us to make more of them.
He also often says, follow me, with some fairly challenging second parts to the follow me, that we often ignore.
“Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” (Matthew 4:19)
“If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.” (Matthew 6:24-25)
“Follow me and be my disciple,” (Matthew 9:9, Mark 2:14, Luke 5:27)
“Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me. (Mark 10:21)
We’re still here because we’re tasked with spreading and expanding God’s glory to all the earth, blessing every family and ethnicity, expanding God’s Kingdom on earth by demonstrating its values and inviting as many people as possible into it, and making more followers of Jesus, who do what he did, loved how he loved, and lived how he lived.
We’re supposed to change the world—and invite as many people as possible to change the world with us—before it’s too late.
Because someday, it will be too late. The time is now.
Have you learned out to invite people into the Kingdom of God well? Check out The Neighbors & Nations Course!
