Dystopia or utopia
Rev 22:3 “… there shall be no more curse: but the
throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him.”
Frequently, Christians and non-Christians alike have a
misconception about the nature of a perceived life in heaven. I do not see us merely
“going to heaven” and sit around in some
semblance of holy laziness.
2 Peter 3:13 But
according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in
which righteousness dwells.
I.
a new earth and new heavens
While the exact nature of this new earth and heavens are not
fully revealed -- we will be given jobs to do!
Just what those jobs may be, or what they may require, is
not specifically revealed to us, but it is abundantly clear that the kind of
job, or the degree of responsibility, will be a privilege based on what we do
here on this earth now.
We do know that righteousness dwells there – I take that to
mean that everyone allowed to go will do things correctly and godly. Believers
are to be “practicing” [Phil 4:9] these things NOW in preparation for
the “new earth”. Imagine this earth without the
compounded ravages of sin since the fall. What would this earth be like? That seems
to me the closest image I can envision for what’s coming. We’re in training
now. [Heb 5:12-14; 1Jn 3:2; 1Cor 15:50-55]
II.
according to one’s labor here
In the parable of the pounds (Lk 19:11-27), Jesus illustrates judgment
based on productivity. The same amount of money was given to each of the
servants, and only one general instruction was issued: “Occupy till I come” (v. 13). The reward that
each servant received was in direct proportion to how much profit he had earned
on the nobleman’s money.
In the parable of the
talents (Mt 25:14-30), the nobleman gave
differing amounts to each of his servants, “to every
man according to his several ability” (v. 15).
The reward was based on efficient use of abilities, not on amount of profit
produced.
Both of these parables have a common thread: The rewards (analogous to our rewards when the Lord returns), based on their productivity or their
effectiveness, were rewards of responsibility. To those servants who had
proven themselves capable of leadership, the Lord delegated “authority over cities” and rulership “over many things,” indicating that there will be
some sort of social order in the age to come. Imagine the “woke” among us learning that God’s order is not
based on gender, race, or convenience.
Likewise believer, in our present service for the Lord, we are
now given the opportunity to earn both God’s commendation and His future
greater stewardship. It would seem that God created productivity to be part of
the human personality and those who won’t work won’t eat [2Thes 3:10-13]. The law was not made for the
righteous man but for the unrighteous [1Tim 1:9],
the lazy, the proud, the busybody, and anyone else who would see their personal
agenda as greater than God’s purpose.
And God’s “equity” is based on one’s ability not some artificial
standard where everyone lives as Bill Gates or Jeff Bezos. We need to be
content and happy at what our hand finds to do and do it well. From the very
beginning every human being was gifted toward a unique function within the body
of Christ [Rom 12:4-21].
1 Peter 1:17 If
you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one’s
work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on earth:
NASU
III.
What is Dystopia and Where Do We See it in Real
Life?
Contrast this with the “utopian” idea of a perfect society as
envisioned by man. The communists, socialists, and elitists have and are trying
to move society toward that end. Look at any large city with the myriad of
problems created by their social policies of “equality” and “equity”.
Here are some excerpts from an article I found regarding
what secular writers are calling “dystopian” regarding the present direction of
our world.
A dystopia is an imagined state or society in which the
conditions of life are extremely bad, as from deprivation, oppression, or
terror.
We see dystopias in books and movies all the time. But where
do we see them in reality? There are many examples of dystopian societies
throughout history, fiction, and even right in front of our eyes today.
1.
Dystopian Societies in Fiction
There are many examples of dystopian societies in fiction. A
few examples include The Hunger Games, 1984, and Brave New World. In each of
these stories, the society is controlled by a powerful government or dictator
who restricts freedom and imposes strict rules on the citizens. These societies
are often characterized by poverty, oppression, and inequality.
The Hunger Games is
a dystopia because the citizens are forced to fight each other to the death in
an arena for entertainment.
1984 is dystopic
because people are constantly being watched by “Big Brother” and their freedom
of speech, thought, and expression is restricted.
Brave New World portrays
a dystopia where people have no freedom or individualism; they exist only as
part of society’s collective consciousness.
Fahrenheit 451 is
dystopic because the government has banned books and reading. People are forced
to live in a society where they cannot be educated or learn about anything new.
V for Vendetta: The
government controls every aspect of people’s lives and oppresses them through
fear and violence.
2.
Dystopias in History
There are many examples of dystopian societies throughout
history.
The Soviet Union under Stalin; Nazi Germany; China during
the Cultural Revolution. All of these societies have one thing in common – they
are repressive, totalitarian regimes where the government controls all aspects
of people’s lives. People are not free to speak their minds or criticize the
government. They are often poor and oppressed and live in fear of the
authorities; they are constantly monitored for compliance and all levels of
public communication are censored and filtered. Under such a regime, atrocities
can take place under the noses of its citizens with very little protest. Consider
the governments mentioned above. They are still among us and are manifesting
everywhere.
3.
Dystopian Societies Today
A dystopia, by definition, is a society that is characterized
by the absence of individual freedom and happiness. In other words, it’s a
society in which the citizens are not able to live a happy and fulfilling life.
While we’ve seen that such dystopian societies can be found
in books, movies, and TV shows, they can also be seen in our world today.
a)
For example, the dystopian society that we see
in North Korea.
In North Korea, the citizens are not allowed to have any
freedom of expression or freedom of movement. They are also not allowed to own
anything, and they are constantly watched by the government.
b)
Another example of a dystopian society is China.
In China, the government monitors all internet activity, and
there is a great deal of censorship. Additionally, the citizens are not allowed
to protest or speak out against the government.
In such a society life is extremely bad or oppressive due to
deprivation, oppression, or terror. With the growing wealth gap, poverty level
players in first world economies are progressively asserting that they too live
in a dystopic world. One where a wealthy few control the masses.
In summary: A dystopia is a society that is
characterized by its negative aspects. It can be defined as a society where the
conditions of life are extremely bad, often due to poverty, war, or political
repression. A dystopia can also be seen as a society that is in decay or
decline. It’s important to remember that dystopias are not just fictional
worlds; they exist all around us.
Matthew 24:12-13 “Because
lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold. 13 “But the one
who endures to the end, he will be saved. NASU
