We have seen how God accomplished His eternal plan in the past. Let us now consider the present and future of God’s eternal plan!

God’s Plan Today

It has been almost two thousand years since the events in the New Testament took place. The Apostles and all the early Christians have long passed on.

Nevertheless, we have the testimony of the Apostles and their associates regarding the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ and how to live in God’s Kingdom revealed in the New Testament. Through that message we can learn about Jesus and His Kingdom just like the early Christians did in the first century.

The New Testament indicates that Jesus is still Lord, and His Kingdom remains and is growing on the earth in the form of the church (Matthew 28:18, Colossians 1:13, 18). We can learn everything we need to know about Jesus Christ and how to serve Him within the Bible (John 20:30-31, 2 Timothy 3:16-17).

We have faith that if we learn the message of Jesus Christ and serve Him just as the Christians of the first century did, we can share in the same faith, the same hope, and the same promises (Romans 8). God’s plan, promoted within the church, is just as active today as it has ever been (Ephesians 3:10-11)!

God’s Plan: The Final Phase

We have seen throughout the past six lessons how God has been faithful in fulfilling His promises and His plan. Since God has been faithful and remains faithful, we have every reason to believe that God will be faithful in accomplishing His final promises to mankind.

The Bible reveals that Jesus will return to earth in the same way that He left it (Acts 1:11). While we may not understand precisely how everything will take place in the end, the Scriptures provide us with a good idea of how it will occur.

On the final day, Jesus will return to earth. At that point, everyone will be resurrected from the dead and transformed for eternity. Jesus will then judge everyone on the basis of what they have done: those who did not believe in God and/or who disobeyed Him will be condemned to hell, while those who believed in God and obeyed Him will remain with God and Christ forever.

Jesus will restore the Kingdom back to His Father, and the present heavens and earth will be destroyed. God will then establish a new heavens and earth, full of righteousness and unimaginable glory, and the faithful will dwell there with God forever, suffering no more misery, pain, or evil.

God’s plan has been fully made known, and God’s revelation to man ends as it began. Man will again enjoy an unbroken relationship with God, just as Adam and Eve did in the Garden of Eden. The faithful will enjoy an eternity of glory with God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ. May that day come quickly!

Bible passages: Matthew 24:36-25:41, Acts 17:30-31, Romans 2:5-10, Romans 8:17-23, 1 Corinthians 15:1-58, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:10, 2 Thessalonians 1:6-9, 2 Peter 3:1-12, Revelation 20:11-22:6.

We hope that you have been encouraged by our study of God’s eternal plan!