One of my favorite songs in our songbooks is titled “No Tears in Heaven”. It’s an encouraging hymn about how in eternity there will be no more sadness. It is based, in part, on scriptures from the book of Revelation like Revelation 7:17 which tells us For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; ‘he will lead them to springs of living water.’ ‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’ And Revelation 21:4 which says He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.
If you read a few verses further into Revelation 21, specifically verse 8, you become aware of some other things, specifically certain types of people, who will not be in heaven. But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” Now, we all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23) and what Revelation 21:8 is referring to are those who are characterized by these types of behaviors; they refuse to submit to Christ and allow His spirit to transform them away from these behaviors. Each type of person listed can be a sermon in itself but this Sunday we will focus on the first type, the coward.
There is no place for cowards in God’s kingdom. This Sunday we will look closer at Revelation 21:6-8 and specifically what defines the cowardly as listed in Revelation 21:8. Praying everyone is staying safe, sane, and healthy and that everyone has a blessed week.
In Christ,
Gary T.