People speak of the "cost" of discipleship, of serving God. In one sense there is no cost. Eternal life is given to us freely.

The reason there appears to be a cost is that it is not possible for us to receive the new heaven and earth until the old heaven and earth pass away.

We cannot receive Divine love while we are clinging to lust, to relationships that are not in God's order, to hatred, or to a spirit of revenge. We cannot receive truth while retaining lies. We cannot receive holiness while abiding in filthiness. We cannot receive peace while engaging in violence and passionate outbursts. We cannot receive release while grasping our bondages.

God desires to give us a new heaven and a new earth, a new spiritual nature and a glorified body—and all of this in the most wonderful of surroundings. If only we would learn to trust the Lord completely!

In order to give life to us, God requires that we allow Him to remove what is obstructing our receiving His Presence. It is not that we pay a price, it is that we make room for the blessing.

If we open the door of a prisoner he must walk out of his prison if he would enter freedom. It would be foolish of him to speak of the "cost" to him of leaving his prison. It is foolishness for us to speak of the "price" of discipleship. When we take up our cross and follow Jesus we are walking out of the prison of self-will. God then asks us to give Him the aspects of our personality and behavior that are keeping us in bondage and death. Do we regard surrendering our misery to God as being a "price" we are paying? Can we be so blind as not to see that God is healing us?

It can be extremely difficult to surrender to God our most fervent desires, to believe that God always will give us what is meant for us, what will bring us joy. But to obtain something that is not meant for us or that God understands can never bring us peace and joy is not in our best interest. Even with this understanding, the restraint and trust God requires can be difficult to maintain.

If we weep too long about how it hurts us to give up Satan, or if we beg God to give us something before the appropriate hour arrives, perhaps we may persuade God to permit us to remain in confusion and pain. We must trust God and always look to Him in faith and patience in every detail of life.

The first heaven and first earth must pass away before we can be given a new heaven and a new earth.

We have stated previously that the last two chapters of Revelation are to be interpreted spiritually, and also literally to a certain extent.

As far as the physical oceans and seas of earth are concerned, they are useful for separating nations, for transportation, and as a source of food. Perhaps there will be no need in the new world for a separation of the nations, for transportation, or for food from the sea.

To be continued.