Previously I noted that we, as Christians, need to be serious about explaining the reality of sin and its consequences to people. Today, I would like to look at the flip side of that, the reality of heaven, and the amazing grace and love of God. Paul says that Christ died for our sins, and on the third day he was raised from the dead. There is an amazing shorthand going on in that statement, that Christ was raised from the dead, that Paul explains more thoroughly in Ephesians and Romans. Christ has risen, and he has not just risen in the since of physically coming back to life, but he has risen in taking authority over death, so that in him we have life.
Salvation entails two aspects: you have been saved from something, and you have been saved to something. Take, for example, any of the great myths. The hero saves the day, he slays the monster, and he rescues the land. But, what is the outcome? It is not just that someone is saved from the monster, but they are saved to peace, life, and happiness. So also in Christianity, we are saved from our sins, but that means we are saved to being righteous and holy before God. (2 Corinthians 5:21, Ephesians 4:24, Philippians 1:11)
Because we have been saved to righteousness, we now have an expectation of heaven, as opposed to our previous expectation of hell. And just as it is important to point out the reality of hell, so also it is essential that we talk about the reality of heaven. While we often talk about God's love, and we talk about the idea of being in heaven, we do not talk about the reality of heaven. What I mean is, that if you asked the average person what heaven would be like, most people would tell you wonderful dreamy ideas of clouds, and comfort, and being with friends, but they would not be able to describe for you the image that Scripture paints for us of heaven.
If we miss what Scripture says heaven will be like, then we honestly do not know what we are supposed to living for. Our reward in heaven is described for us so that we might know that heaven is not just an ephemeral idea, it is a very real place. So, for instance, in 1 Corinthians 15:1-8 , Paul notes that Christ appeared to Cephas, to the 12, to James, to all the apostles, and then lastly to Paul himself. Paul gives us these details so we would be reminded that the resurrection of Christ is not just a good thought, it is not just some grand idea, it is reality itself.
What then is the reality of heaven? The first reality is that it includes our bodies. We will rise again from the dead, just as Christ rose from the dead. We will have bodies, just as Christ has a body. What our bodies will look like, what they will be like, may be a mystery, but the fact that we will rise and we will have bodies is not a mystery, it is a promise. (Job 19:25-27, 1 Corinthians 15:12-49)
Not only will we have bodies, but we will live on the earth. Revelation states that there will be a new heaven and new earth, and men shall dwell there, and God will dwell in our midst. Thus there will be heaven on earth in a literal sense, as God will dwell fully among men with no separation any more. So our hope is not just for bodies, but for a new earth, a land in which we shall live. (Revelation 21:1-4)
Heaven is real, and it is our goal. Heaven is not simply being with friends and family, it is not seeing our favorite pet or playing our favorite sport for all eternity. Heaven is the worship of God. When we remember the reality of heaven we are encouraged to continue struggling and rejoicing on earth.
When we remember heaven there is one more thing we should be encouraged with, and that is living among the saints today. If heaven is the goal, and in heaven we will worship and rejoice with all those who are called by the name of Christ, then why aren't we doing that now? Some who claim to be Christians neglect worship, they do not want to spend time with those today who they are supposed to want to spend time with eternally. When we are reminded that heaven is a very real place, we are challenged to worship God now in light of the promise that is to come, and there is no better way to worship God than to do it as a family, amongst his people. Live like you believe in heaven: rejoice over what God has done in your life, share your hope and your faith with others, and hold to your brothers and sisters in Christ, for this is what our eternity will be, shouldn't we begin getting prepared for it now?
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