JehovahsWitness wrote:
I apologise if you already said but...in the new heavens and the new earth..
who or what will you be ruling (smal r) over? And how does that rulership differ from what preceded during the millenium? In short how will the
function and position (and responsibilities) in this future consummated kingdom in Christ differ from those during the millennium?
Those are actually really good questions, JW. We can look to Adam before the fall for some kind of a hint of what's to come, but we can't know yet fully. That's what's happening, you know; God is restoring the Garden of Eden, at least figuratively speaking. The best I can do is to say:
- We will exercise authority perfectly over all we have and are entrusted with... basically, our own personal domains, including our households and our possessions and such... and from our positions in our families, our occupations (yes, there will work to be done in the new order, but there's no way to know what that will really look like)... All this will be a reality because there will be no more sin.
In a way, I think you're right in that there will be no huge difference from the way it is (or at least should be) now. Practically speaking, that may be more true that seems possible. But for now, we are kept from doing the above (and more) anywhere close to perfectly by sin -- our own and that of others. In that way, at least, there's a night and day difference between now and what it will be like then.
Sorry to be vague if you see it that way, but these things we cannot know in this life. It's just impossible. For now we see in a mirror dimly (1 Corinthians 13:12). All we can say is that however it will really be, it will be absolutely, totally, awesome... far greater than we can possibly imagine..
Grace and peace to you, JW.
