“Glory in Heaven.”

Daniel 12:3, “And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament;
And they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.”

According to the scriptures, what is wisdom? And who is a wise person?

“And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.” Job 28:28  A person who fears the Lord, and is trusting in the Lord for the salvation of their soul, has wisdom. 

God looks at the heart. Our motives, our character, our personal righteousness (or sanctification), and our walk with the Lord will determine the glory, or rewards, we will have in eternity. In the scriptures, we see a contrast between various people who were wise in salvation and wise in sanctification. 

Contrast in Salvation

The fool trusts in his own heart, merits, works, religious ceremonies, wealth, influence, and other foolish things for the eternal salvation of his soul. The rich man in hell was a fool and Lazarus was the wise person in

Contrast after Salvation

After salvation, a wise person is one who decides to forsake the pleasures, comforts, ideology, philosophy, and the striving for wealth, fame or other worldly pursuits, in order to please the Lord in heaven. Lot was wise in salvation but not in his personal walk with with the Lord. Abraham was wise in salvation and in his walk with the Lord. 

Lot was righteous in the heart but not in his character.

Abraham was righteous in his heart, character, and beliefs.

“And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament”

Winning souls is wise and will be rewarded in eternity. Proverbs 11:30, “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.”

When an individual tells another person, whether by word of mouth, testimony, preaching, a tract, or the manner of his life, and the person witnessed to turns to the Lord in salvation, then that person who witnessed is wise and in eternity will 'shine as the brightness of the firmament.' 

As the glory of one star is different from the glory of another star, so are our rewards in eternity.

Sanctification – Holiness – Right Living

Righteousness in our life, or Sanctification, or Holiness, is wise and will be rewarded in eternity. 1 Thessalonians 4:4 and 7, “For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour; … For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.”  

In a direct reference to the shameful living of the Corinthian believers (who were righteous in soul but not in daily living), Paul the apostle wrote, “I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? No, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren?” 1 Corinthians 6:5. Please take careful note. The lives of the Corinthian saints were 'shameful' even though they were wise in salvation, Paul clearly said they were not wise in judging; i. e., they could not discern spiritual things.

Lot is an example of this type of saint. They are unrighteous, unholy, and not sanctified, in their life. 1 Corinthians 6:  8 & 9. They allow the world, the pleasures of the world, the deceitfulness of riches, to destroy their testimony. Therefore, they do not win souls by either word of mouth nor testimony and their glory in eternity will not be so bright.

In eternity, those saints who lived in the flesh and taught false doctrine will be ashamed.

A wise Christian is one who is righteous in his daily walk with Christ. Abraham was a man righteous in  his heart for salvation and righteous in his heart in his walk with the Lord. Abraham was holy and sanctified  in his life. Since the scriptures have been written down the personal testimony of Abraham has caused the salvation of many throughout the ages and in many lands. 

Therefore, in eternity, the glory of the rewards given to Abraham will cause him to shine as the stars for eternity.

Righteous in Belief

A heart belief, before salvation, in an incorrect, or unrighteous, doctrine cannot save the soul. 1 Timothy 4:16, “Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.” The saint who walks with the Lord will take heed about every doctrine he believes.

A heart belief in Buddhism, Taoism, baptismal regeneration, salvation by works, and other erroneous methods of salvation will cause a person to spend eternity in hell. As Timothy preached salvation by grace, through a sincere, and repentant, heart belief in the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour; Timothy could win those people to Christ. 

Timothy could lead many to righteousness through correct doctrinal salvation preaching. In eternity, Timothy, and many other sound gospel preachers, will shine as the stars in heaven.

A heart belief in an incorrect, or unrighteous, doctrine, after salvation, will cause the believer to be deceived. The false teachers (some are saved, but teach erroneous beliefs), that are teaching in the churches (or an Internet theologian), is causing confusion among the saints by using deceptive doctrines and bibles. 

After salvation, a belief in incorrect, or unsound, or corrupted doctrines, will cause many saints to lose their rewards in eternity. At the Judgment Seat of Christ, they will be ashamed of their erroneous doctrinal beliefs.

“And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully.” 2 Timothy 2:5  If a man that is in the ministry, or a teacher of the scriptures in any capacity, teaches unsound doctrine, then he is not striving lawfully (according to the scriptures), and is not leading people to sound doctrine, or, a belief in right doctrine.

Unsound doctrine would include, but not limited to,  corrupted bibles (any modern version starting from the RV of 1881 is a corrupted bible), heresies like the Charismatic Tongue Movement, The Gap Theory, any form of a non-belief in the creation of the world in six days, Calvinism, CCM music, Ecumenicalism, and any perversion of the Second Coming of Christ (Preterist, A-millennialism or Post-millennialism).

“Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was. ” 2 Timothy 3:8 & 9 Saints, who resist the truth of the scriptures, are in error.

Paul the Apostle will be rewarded, and shine as the firmament in heaven, for eternity. But, the saved teachers of false doctrines in the churches will be openly shamed at the Judgment Seat of Christ.

Concluding thoughts

If a person is not a Christian, the wisest decision they will ever make it to trust in the Lord Jesus as their Saviour. 

If a Christian is to be wise in their relationship with the Lord Jesus, our lives, and the lips of our mouths, should be a testimony of the saving grace of the Lord Jesus and His work in our lives.

If a Christian is wise, sanctified, and is striving lawfully, according to the correct doctrines in the scriptures,  he will be able to lead other saints to a sanctified life. In eternity, the wise saint will shine as the stars in the heavens.

“The Galactic Bulge – A field of White Dwarf Stars”
Note: A White Dwarf is actually bluish white.
Courtesy of NASA – the Hubble Space Telescope
“Sagittarius Window Eclipsing Extrasolar Planet Search (SWEEPS)

“And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament:
and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.” Daniel 12:3

“… for one star differ from another star in glory.” 1 Corinthians 15:41