What Will Remain When Everything Else Passes Away?
I want to share something wonderful that happened at church today.
Pastor Michael Phillips was preaching from Genesis 3:1–6, walking us through the account of the serpent tempting Eve and the entrance of sin into the human story.
As the sermon continued, we eventually found ourselves in 1 John 2:15–17.
And while we were there, I felt a strong conviction to go back and read verse 17 again.
So I did.
And suddenly, something beautiful came together in my mind.
“And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”
1 John 2:17 (KJV)
I sat there thinking about those words.
The world passeth away.
And then my mind went straight to the book of Ecclesiastes.
If you’ve ever spent time reading Ecclesiastes, you know how much of the book deals with the things we spend our lives chasing.
Work. Wealth. Pleasure. Wisdom. Accomplishments. Possessions. The things we build and the things we leave behind.
Solomon examines life under the sun and repeatedly comes back to the same troubling reality.
Everything is fleeting.
Generations come and go. Wealth changes hands. The things we work so hard to accomplish may eventually be forgotten. Even the pleasures we enjoy today cannot last forever.
And yet we spend so much of our lives pursuing these things as though they are all that matters.
Then John says it so plainly.
The world passeth away.
There it was.
A single verse that seemed to bring the message of Ecclesiastes into focus for me.
Not because Ecclesiastes has nothing else to teach us, but because John reminded me of the very thing Solomon ultimately wanted us to understand.
Everything this world offers is temporary.
But our relationship with God and our obedience to Him carry eternal significance.
Ecclesiastes ends with these words:
“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.”
Ecclesiastes 12:13 (KJV)
And John writes:
“But he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”
1 John 2:17 (KJV)
Do you see the connection?
Solomon tells us to fear God and keep His commandments.
John tells us that the one who does God’s will abides forever.
Two passages, written centuries apart, directing our attention away from the temporary things of this world and toward the eternal God.
And as I sat there in church, the thought that came to my heart was simple:
Do all things for the Lord, because everything this world offers will eventually pass away.
That doesn’t mean our work is worthless.
It doesn’t mean we shouldn’t enjoy the blessings God gives us, love our families, build things, or appreciate the beauty of His creation.
Ecclesiastes itself teaches us to receive life’s good things as gifts from God.
But those things should never become our ultimate purpose.
The problem begins when we live for the gift and forget the Giver.
When we spend our lives building something temporary while neglecting what God has called us to do.
When we pursue the approval of the world more eagerly than obedience to the Lord.
And that brings me back to Genesis 3.
The serpent directed Eve’s attention toward something desirable, while calling God’s Word into question.
She saw something that appeared good and desirable, but the temptation involved turning away from what God had commanded.
How often do we still face that same kind of decision?
Do I pursue what looks desirable to me, even when it conflicts with God’s Word?
Or do I trust the One who knows what is right?
The world is full of things that look beautiful, promising, and satisfying.
But John reminds us that the world and its desires are passing away.
And Ecclesiastes reminds us that our lives find their proper direction when we fear God and keep His commandments.
I left church today grateful for that connection.
One verse brought an entire book back to my mind and reminded me of something I don’t want to forget.
Don’t spend your entire life chasing what you cannot keep while neglecting the One who gives eternal life.
Jesus Christ is our Saviour. Eternal life is God’s gift through Him, not something we earn through our accomplishments or obedience. And because we belong to Him, our lives should be lived for His glory.
So tomorrow morning, when I get up and go about my day, I want to remember what I learned in church.
Work for the Lord.
Serve for the Lord.
Love others for the Lord.
Whatever I do, let it be done with a heart that desires to honor Him.
Because someday, everything I’ve accumulated in this world will be left behind.
But God’s Word will remain true.
And those who belong to Jesus Christ have a hope that this passing world cannot take away.
Here’s the question I’m carrying home today:
Am I spending my life pursuing things that will pass away, or am I living for the Lord who abides forever?
Until the rain falls again…
Grace and peace,
A Porch Believer
