Revelation 21: 1-7 (NIV)
A New Heaven and a New Earth
Then I saw “a new Heaven and a new earth,” for the first Heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of Heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and He will dwell with them. They will be His people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
5 He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
6 He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. 7 Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (NIV)
19 Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.
Your outer being is a reflection of your inner being
Revelation chapter 21 talks about God’s people marrying the Lamb—Christ our Savior—at the time of the Second Coming. And it says that the believers are like a beautiful bride dressed for her husband. People really “dress to impress” on their big day: the bride and the groom look their finest, and the guests are also quite decked out. Why is it that the newlyweds look especially beautiful on their wedding day? It’s because they are glowing from the inside out. Since they feel happy and joyful in their hearts and thoughts, that happiness also shows on their faces.
Happy people tend to look brighter and younger; hence they look more beautiful. If you are full of worries, anxieties, and concerns in life, then how you feel on the inside will be reflected on your face and body too. You will look darker, gloomier, and 10 years older.
Be adorned both physically and spiritually
While we should manage ourselves physically (e.g., exercise to maintain good health and a good physique, dress nicely, apply cosmetics/skincare products, etc.), we should also not neglect our mental or spiritual health and beauty. Our hearts, minds, thoughts, characters, actions, and spirits also need to be adorned. We should beautify ourselves according to our individualities. This is the most basic and fundamental adornment that needs to be done together with God.
The Bible says that our bodies are the temples of God, and that God really wants to live forever with us in love. Therefore, in order for God who is pure, Holy, and beautiful to want to dwell in us and stay with us, we also need to keep our body temples clean, holy, and beautiful. If we have dirty and rotten thoughts or actions, then our body temples will also become dirty and rotten, and our faces and beauty will not blossom either. Ultimately, we will grow distant from God.
We should listen to the Word of the times and become purified through the Word. When our spirits are clean and shiny, we will naturally also become more physically radiant and beautiful. Furthermore, we’ll be able to stand confidently before God who is our eternal counterpart of love.
