A Christian's belief in eternal life fundamentally transforms their worldly decisions, shifting their focus from the temporary present to the enduring "world to come." This eternal perspective is cultivated through three key views:

A right view of God is paramount. Deeply knowing God, through meditating on His Word, provides greater confidence in one's identity, more courage knowing He controls all, and a willingness to risk more because ultimate security is found in Him. This knowledge compels believers to speak about God and prioritize the spread of His glory, influencing career and life choices towards missions and evangelism, making worldly ambitions "strangely dim."

A right view of scars redefines suffering. Christians view earthly troubles, no matter how real or hard, as "light and momentary afflictions" that are "preparing for us an eternal weight of glory." This allows them to endure pain, seeing hardships—physical, emotional, or financial—as "marks of honor" to show Christ. It challenges the societal aversion to pain, encouraging costly sacrifices for the gospel's sake, knowing such experiences will result in "wonderful beautiful scars."

A right view of heaven establishes it as the ultimate homeland. This vision provides energy and motivation, acting as "wind in their sails," enabling Christians to see past this world's dangers and endure, even facing death like John Paton, who saw no difference between being eaten by cannibals or worms because of his hope in a resurrected body. Earthly hardships are understood to make the experience of heaven "taste sweeter" and "markedly more beautiful," encouraging a life of sacrifice that profoundly impacts one's reception in their eternal home.

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