The communion in glory with Christ, which the members of the invisible Church enjoy immediately after death, is, in that their souls are then made perfect in holiness, and received into the highest heavens, where they behold the face of God in light and glory, waiting for the full redemption of their bodies, which even in death continue united to Christ, and rest in their graves as in their beds, till at the last day they be again united to their souls.
(Westminster Confession of Faith, Larger Catechism Question 86)
Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. Revelation 21:3-4
As the old blues song goes, “Everyone wants to go to heaven, but no one wants to die.” But as we have learned, for the Christian Christ’s sacrifice and the free offer of eternal life has taken the sting and the fear out of death. Death is now a divine appointment that we can all look forward to.
What will eternity in heaven be like?
We saw in the last chapter that when the people of Israel stood before God at Mt. Sinai they were in great fear, so much so that they fled a great distance away from the mountain and begged Moses to speak to them so that would not have to hear God’s awesome and terrible voice. They feared that if they heard God’s voice they would die.
The book of Hebrews revisits Exodus 19 and 20 to explain to Christians what they can expect in heaven.
You have not come to a mountain that cannot be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm; to a trumpet blast or to such a voice speaking words that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them, because they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death.” The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.” But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a New Covenant…
Hebrews 12:18-24
Do you see the difference that Christ’s sacrifice makes?
Starting with Adam, and extending throughout the course of the Old Covenant, an unblemished lamb was sacrificed to temporarily atone or cover for the sins of the people. This sacrifice was a picture of the Promise of Christ, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, Jesus Christ. John 1:29 In the New Covenant, instead of the temporary sacrifice of the lamb, day after day every priest stands and offers the same sacrifices which can never take away sins, Hebrews 10:11, Jesus Christ was the once and for all time sacrifice for sin. Hebrews 10:12
In the Old Covenant even Moses said, “I am trembling in fear.” But through Christ we have not come to a mountain that cannot be touched like in the Old Covenant.
Rather, in the New Covenant, we have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a New Covenant.
First, we have come to the city of the living God.
Today we are seeing the infrastructure of many of our cites beginning to crumble. We are also experiencing epidemics of crime, drug addiction, and homelessness, while corrupt politicians line their pockets with our tax revenue.
However, because of Christ, we can now look forward to a better country, a heavenly country, the city of God. Hebrews 11:16, a city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. Hebrews 11:10 Christ invites us into God’s perfect city, designed and built by God.
It is the wandering destiny of Adam in search of the City that is the real subject matter of the Bible. Genesis begins with the othering of the coinherence, by the creation of matter and of man in the image of God; and Revelation ends with the flowering of that image in the descent of the New Jerusalem…
(Robert Farrar Capon, Bed & Board, Simon & Schuster)
The Holy City…shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like jasper, clear as crystal. It had a great, high wall with twelve gates…The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone…The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is the lamp.
Revelation 21:10-12, 19, 23
The angel showed me a river with the water of life, clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb. It flowed down the center of the main street. On each side of the river grew a tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit.
Revelation 22:1-2
Second, what do we see in this city, the heavenly Jerusalem?
We see thousand upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly.
Why are the angels joyful?
As a result of Adam’s rebellion against God the creation was subjected to frustration. Since the time of Adam’s sin the whole creation has been groaning. Romans 8:19&22
By pursuing sin, man declared war on God. Mankind was at war with God; the most devastating and costly war in the history of the world. Romans 8:7 After mankind become the enemies of God all of the angels wanted to know how God was going to deal with Adam’s fallen sinful race. Would God rescue mankind, and if so, how would God rescue those made in his image; those who turned away from him? The Apostle tells us that even the angels longed to look into these things. 1 Peter 1:12
But with the birth of Christ the angels were instructed to announce: Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests. Luke 2:14
The angels rejoiced that peace would now be possible between God and man. How was peace possible? How were hostilities able to cease?
Comfort, yes, comfort my people! Says your God. Speak comfort to Jerusalem, and cry out to her, that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned… Isaiah 40:1-2
We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 5:1 Warfare [has] ended. Further, God announced this peace plan to all of creation. The manifold wisdom of God [has been] made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. Ephesians 3:10
So now, according to Christ, whenever a rebel lays down his/her weapons, leaving the kingdom of darkness, and becoming a believer in him, there is rejoicing among the angels of God in heaven over one sinner who repents. Luke 15:10
The Church has been designed by God to be like a divine stage on earth where the glory of God’s grace is put on display for all of heaven to see. He is using the Church to be a living illustration of the glory of his grace…This is where the cosmic mission of the Church comes into full view, as the glory of God connects to the grace of God. From the divine perspective, God has chosen to create human beings, knowing that we would sin against him, and that in order to forgive us of our sins, he would send his Son to die on the cross, and therefore glorify himself by showing us grace…Through that plan, the Church becomes like an angelic academy where God demonstrates and teaches the hierarchy of angels in heaven that he is an infinitely gracious God. (Kevin Hay, The Church’s Cosmic Mission)
You will arrive in heaven to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly! There will be a grand party in heaven to the glory of God, celebrating your homecoming.
Third, God announces you as a member of the church of the firstborn.
In the Old Covenant a father was obligated to acknowledge his firstborn son as his heir and grant him a double portion of the inheritance. Deuteronomy 21:15-17 If you were not a firstborn son the remainder of the inheritance was distributed to you and the rest of your siblings.
But in heaven, everyone is counted as firstborn. In heaven you receive a full inheritance, the double portion!
Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. Romans 8:17
I assure you…everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters, or father, or mother, or children, or property, for my sake, will receive a hundred times as much in return and will inherit eternal life. Matthew 19:28-29
All of those that are justified, God vouchsafe, in and for his only Son Jesus Christ, to make partakers of the grace of adoption: by which they are taken into the number, and enjoy the liberties and privileges of the children of God; have his name put upon them, receive the Spirit of adoption; have access to the throne of grace with boldness; are enabled to cry, Abba Father; are pitied, protected, provided for, and chastened by him as by a father; yet never cast off, but sealed to the day of redemption, and inherit the Promise, as heirs of everlasting salvation. (Westminster Confession of Faith, Of Adoption)
Fourth, as a guarantee of your inheritance your name is written in heaven. In the Apostle John’s vision he sees names written in the book of life. Revelation 20:15
When God writes your name in the book of life he is saying you belong to him. It’s official. God has written you into his book of life. You have eternal life in heaven.
After Christ told the disciples about his coming death he explained to them that he was going away. Wanting clarification Peter asked, “Lord, where are you going?” John 13:36
In answer to Peter’s question Jesus revealed even more information about heaven, saying:
Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know. John 14:1-4
First, in taking the opportunity to speak directly about heaven, notice that Christ began by urging the disciples to trust in him. Whatever the future of heaven held they were to not [be] troubled. Christ looks after and takes care of those who trust in him.
Second, after offering them assurance to calm their troubled hearts, Christ explains that heaven is God the Father’s house. Heaven is where God is and where we will be with our Creator. This is our Father who has loved us with an everlasting love, Jeremiah 31:3, our Father who removes all of our disgrace, Isaiah 25:8, our Father who has collected all of our tears in his bottle, Psalm 56:8, our Father who rejoices over us with singing, Zephaniah 3:17, our Father who has invited us to dwell in the house of the Lord forever! Psalm 23:6
Third, heaven is also our Savior’s house. Christ came from heaven to earth. Christ left eternity and entered into time to save us.
He made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. Philippians 2:7 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich” 2 Corinthians 8:9
After completing his divine mission, Christ ascended into heaven to:
Prepare a place for [us]. God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:9-11
Fourth, heaven is also spacious and grand. There is room for all of God’s children: many mansions. We have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 Corinthians 5:1 Thinking back to the beauty and divine goodness of the original creation as described in Psalm 104 we see a picture of the majesty of the original creation. We can begin to imagine the glory of the mansions and gardens in heaven that Christ has prepared for us.
Fifth, Christ concluded his discourse on heaven by telling his disciples that they know the way to heaven.
Do you know the way?
Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6
If you know Jesus you know the way.
Having been shownthe way, the Bible instructs us to:
Set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. Colossians 3:1-2
What should we be setting our desires, our affections, our hearts, and our thoughts on?
Rather than speculating about heaven we are told to:
Set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. Colossians 3:1-2
In other words we are to never get discouraged. Never fear. Never believe that the world is getting more and more out of control. Christ is seated above, reigning over all the nations at the right hand of God. Instead, we should, above all else in life, desire to bring honor and glory to Christ. We are not to seek the praise and acceptance of the world. Rather, as Christ taught, we are to lay up treasures in heaven. Matthew 6:20 And we do that, we lay up treasures in heaven, by endeavoring to extend, throughout the earth, the knowledge of the kingdom of God and his righteousness. Matthew 6:33
True treasure is not found in the accumulation of material goods here on earth. True treasure is found in living a life of love as defined by God’s Law. We are to honor and glorify the Name of God. Like our Savior, we are to love our neighbors by living out acts of kindness, and caring for those in need. Like our Savior, we are to freely offer forgiveness when sinned against. That includes refusing to hold grudges and telling the truth, God’s truth, as revealed in the Scriptures.
Satan, the serpent, the dragon, is a liar. John 8:44 Satan hates God and all of his creatures. His goal is to steal, kill, and destroy, John 10:10, everything, every part of God’s creation. The weapon that utterly and always defeats Satan’s lies and hate is love. Christ has commissioned us as his ambassadors and, as counterintuitive as it may sound, our weapon is God’s love.
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:21
Do you pray that God will transform you into his image? 2 Corinthians 3:18
Do you pray that God will confuse, confound, and destroy evil? Psalm 7:14-15
Are you a faithful ambassador or are you ashamed of Christ? 2 Corinthians 5:20
Are you willing to tell others about the free gift of salvation? 2 Corinthians 5:11
Like the Samaritan, are you seeking ways to love your neighbor? Luke 10:25-37
Are you as excited about people turning to Christ as the angels in heaven are? Luke 15:7
Do you love your neighbor enough to warn him about the coming judgment of God? Psalm 2:10-12
As the Apostle Peter explained:
For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.
Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
2 Peter 1:5-10
Christianity is much more than saying a prayer and then just drifting along with the flow of the culture. Hebrews 2:1 We have been rescued from darkness and are to grow into the light. Because we are adopted into God’s family we will exhibit, in increasing measure, our new family traits.
Peter says, “Make every effort to add to [our new] faith. Follow along with Peter’s progression:
With effort, faith should produce goodness.
With effort, goodness is interested in growing in knowledge.
The more we know about God’s way the more we will have self-control over old habits.
Self-control will help us to persevere when experiencing trials and hardship.
Perseverance will produce in us godly character traits.
Godliness will help us to have affection for one another.
Affection will lead us to more deeply love God and love our neighbors.
As we possess these qualities in increasing measure we will become effective ambassadors.
Darkness wants to overcome the light. We are to live in a way that allows the light of truth shine.
The Fruits of the Spirit, love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, Galatians 5:22-23… are planted in the lives wherein the Holy Spirit works. He works within us. Though our best works remain tainted by sin, nevertheless a real change is wrought within us. In salvation we gain cure as well as pardon…These are the virtues our Lord wants us to cultivate.
(R.C. Sproul, The Mystery of the Holy Spirit)
They who are effectually called and regenerated, having a new heart and a new spirit created in them, are farther sanctified really and personally, through the virtue of Christ’s death and resurrection, by his word and Spirit dwelling in them; the dominion of the whole body of sin is destroyed, and the several lusts thereof are more and more weakened and mortified, and they are more and more quickened and strengthened in all saving graces, to the practice of true holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord… And so the saints grow in grace, perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord.
(Westminster Confession of Faith, Of Sanctification)
Peter says that the final result of this process is that we will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
There is no need to be troubled.In Christ we have been transferred from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light. Our names are forever written in the book of life. We receive the inheritance of firstborn sons. We will receive a joyful welcome when we reach heaven, our eternal home, where we will find that Christ has prepared a place for us, a place where we will live with our Savior.
For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Philippians 3:20
Naturally, many people are curious and want more details as to what heaven is like. Today there is a great interest in near- death experiences. There have been several best-selling books as well as movies in which people describe things they saw and heard as they approached death. But we must keep in mind that Scripture expressly forbids us from speculating beyond what is written, 1 Corinthians 4:6, because as Christ taught, No one has ascended into heaven except he who has descended from heaven; the Son of Man. John 3:13
When you hear of near-death experiences ask yourself;
Do the reports of near-death experiences comport with what the Scriptures reveal?
If they do not they are to be utterly rejected.
I recently heard several pastors reporting on their near-death experiences. One pastor stated that he was told by God, he was being sent back to earth because he had not done enough for God. This seems clearly to contradict the teaching of Scripture:
For by grace you are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves. It is a gift of God, lest anyone should boast. Ephesians 2:8-9
Another pastor, reportedly finding himself in heaven, asked Christ, “Which religion is the best religion Christ replied that all that mattered was love. That sounds more like the Beatles, “All you need is love”, than Paul’s answer to the jailer’s question, “What must I do to be saved?”… Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved. Acts 16:30-31
In a third interview a pastor recounted how he was told by God that when he got back to earth the most important thing he could do was listen to the Holy Spirit. However, Scripture teaches that the role of the Spirit is to illuminate Christ. Just like a spotlight illuminates a beautiful cathedral the Spirit’s role is to draw attention to Christ. “[The Spirit] will convict the world of sin…because they do not believe in me.” John 16:8-11
We should be aware that the Scriptures warn, Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. 2 Corinthians 11:14 Satan would love nothing more than to deceive people and their loved ones into thinking that they were assured of heaven. And, sure enough, in the above examples there is just enough truth to make these experiences seem legitimate.
In the first example, none of us has done enough to earn heaven, nor can we: that is why Christ died on our behalf and offers the free gift of life.
In the second, God’s love is the most powerful force in all of creation and we are to emulate it. But even our acts of love are tainted and can never atone for our sins.
Finally, of course we are to listen to the Spirit. John 14:26 But the Spirit is our comforter and our teacher directing us to and illuminating Christ. The most important thing that a Christian can do is to listen to and be obedient to Christ.
So, when you hear or read reports from survivors of near-death experiences that “all religions lead to God,” or that “love is all you need,” or that “everyone will enter paradise,” or that “souls in heaven can choose to be reincarnated,” be aware that things are not aligning with the words of Christ who clearly taught, “No one comes to the Father but through me.” John 14:6
That is why the Apostle John warned, Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God. 1 John 4:1
We must always be careful to remember:
The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever. Deuteronomy 29:29
The Bible records at least five visions of heaven, Isaiah 6:1-4; Ezekiel 1,10; Daniel 7:9-14; John in Revelation 4–6; and Paul, 2 Corinthians 12:1-7. None of these were near death experiences. They were all, except for Paul, visions. We must always be cautious when engaging in further speculation beyond what God has revealed.
The Apostle Paul warns us:
No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him. 1 Corinthians 2:9
Heaven is, by God’s command and for the most part, beyond our imagining. We must not allow our imaginations to cross beyond the boundary of God’s revelation. While Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, and John had marvelous and fearful visions of heaven, the Apostle Paul was actually taken into heaven itself where he was allowed to get a glimpse of heaven.
What did Paul reveal to us about his visit to heaven?
Paul says that when he was caught up to paradise [he] heard inexpressible things, things that no one is permitted to tell. 2 Corinthians 12:4
Paul, the one man who actually saw heaven, was not permitted to tell us what he saw and experienced. This should serve as a caution to us when we hear near death experiences described. And this should cause us to refrain from speculation beyond God’s revelation.
It’s a little heaven below, to imagine sweet things. But never think that imagination can picture heaven. When it is most sublime, when it is freest from the dust of earth, when it is carried up by the greatest knowledge, and kept steady by the most extreme caution, imagination cannot picture heaven. ‘It hath not entered the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.’ Imagination is good, but not to picture to us heaven. Your imaginary heaven you will find by-and-by to be all a mistake; though you may have piled up fine castles, you will find them to be castles in the air, and they will vanish like thin clouds before the gale. For imagination cannot make a heaven. ‘Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered the heart of man to conceive it.’
(C.H. Spurgeon, New Park Street Pulpit)