Mere Missions

C onclusion • 201

to the death against all would-be-gods; and the complete triumph of the Christian faith over all its enemies (Rev. 19.15) The object of all of God’s dealings with human beings is “the world to come” (Heb. 2.5). The Day of the Lord that is drawing near. Christ “will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him” (Heb. 9.28). We will receive the promised salvation (Heb. 10.36), the rest that remains (Heb. 4.9), the promised homeland (Heb. 11.14), a better country (Heb. 11.16) at His second coming. “For yet a little while and the coming one shall come and shall not tarry” (Heb. 10.37). This age will end with a cosmic catastrophe by which the present world order will be shaken (1.11-12; 13.26) and the true eternal Kingdom of God, now invisible, will become visible. We must hold fast our confidence and pride in our hope (Heb. 10.35). Again, I quote C. S. Lewis in his book, Mere Christianity . In his short but powerful section on hope he says, “I must keep alive in myself the desire for my true country, which I shall not find till after death; I must never let it get snowed under or turned aside; I must make it the main object of life to press on to that other country and to help others to do the same.” Fundamentally as Christians we “must keep alive,” “must never turn aside,” and “must make it the main object of life to press on.” We must endure. We must keep moving forward and help others to do the same. And if we endure, we will reach the goal of our redemption. When Christ’s redeeming mission is completed, the greatest of all blessings will be bestowed upon us. We will see God’s face (Rev. 22.4). We will live “happily ever after” in God’s Kingdom of righteousness, peace and joy with God dwelling in the midst of his people. This is the goal of the long course of redemptive history. Soli Deo Gloria . I conclude my booklet from a short scene from the movie (and book) by J. R. R. Tolkien. Tolkien was an English writer, poet,