Question:
Why are we here if God already knows what will happen to us, and who will be saved?
Answer:
Each one who has trusted in Christ has “eternal life” (John 5:24), so he is as good as in heaven right now. But one reason God has left us here is to tell His good news of salvation through Christ to others so they can be saved. He has chosen to use, not angels, but His redeemed people to spread His marvelous message that He loves all mankind and desires all to be saved from their sins by faith in Christ. Jesus “said unto them [disciples], Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15).
The Christians’ “Conversation [citizenship] is in heaven” (Philippians 3:20, see note in Mr. Darby’s translation). As ambassadors we are left in this world to represent heaven, as Paul said: “Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God” (2 Corinthians 5:20). Though God knows who will be saved, He keeps sending out the message of salvation through His people to “whosoever believeth” (John 3:16), because He “is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9).
Another reason believers are left in this world is to teach us more of our wonderful Saviour and Lord, so we will praise Him (Revelation 4:11). He has also left us here to learn to trust Him for every step of our pathway here. We are told four times in the Scriptures: “The just shall live by his faith.” This is first mentioned in the Old Testament in Habakkuk 2:4. It is also quoted in Romans 1:17, where the word “just” is emphasized. In Galatians 3:11 the word “live” is emphasized, and in Hebrews 10:38 the word “faith” is emphasized. It is true that we receive eternal life by faith in Christ, but this verse tells us that God is determined to teach us that if we are made righteous or “just” by the blood of Christ, we will learn to “live” our lives in this scene by “faith” in Him and in His Word.
Romans 8:28, 29 tells us another reason that Christians are left in this scene for awhile before He takes them to heaven. These verses tell us that everything in the life of those who “love God” works together for the “good” of conforming us into “the image of His Son.” In other words, each event (each thing that happens to us) is designed to make us more like Jesus!
How this comes about is by not being “conformed to this world:but [by being] transformed by the renewing of [our] minds, that [we] may prove [experience] what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Romans 12:2). It is only as our minds are renewed by the Scriptures that we will experience the kind of life God has for us here on earth. And just think of it! He wants nothing less than that we experience the very ”will of God” in our lives, and His will is “good, and acceptable, and perfect.” Let us not miss experiencing His will that He has for us, for His will is the very best, and we merely need to keep our minds renewed by His Word to experience it! How wonderful He is!!