As a Matter of Fact

WHAT IS HEAVEN?

At times Christianity can be confusing. When you start to read the Bible, there can be names of people and places you have never heard before, words that have little to no meaning outside of the world of faith, and recognizable things that have a more profound meaning than you’d ever imagine. Like Heaven, what’s it all about anyway?

There are many preconceived notions about Heaven, varying from an eternal entrapment of monotonous boredom to an elusive self-grandeur of superficial appeasement. Everyone and their brother has an opinion on the place. Many think it’s a catchall for moral people. Others think it’s a rewards program for people who ticked off all the right boxes during their life on earth. Still, others think it’s a place where everyone who dies goes. Many more think it’s just an old myth. So what is true? Nothing is more reliable, tried and true, legitimate, and trustworthy than the source Himself – Jesus.¹ So, let’s go to Scripture.

Heaven is real

In simple terms, Heaven is a real, tangible place where those who love God will go after they die and live with Him for all of eternity.² Now, you may have heard there will be streets of gold and endless beauty and joy beyond our wildest dreams. And while that is all true, it’s an incomplete view of Heaven. God, who created us, intended to be with us from the get-go. In the garden of Eden, He walked with Adam and Eve. After our sin ruined everything, He dwelled in the Ark of the Covenant, the Tabernacle, and the Temple before He sent His Son, Jesus, to walk with us again on Earth. Today, He extends the offer of a genuine, life-giving relationship directly through Jesus and the Holy Spirit. In Heaven, He intends the relationship to continue!³ It’s been part of God’s redemption plan since the beginning. So, will Jesus kick your butt at some chess? Will you guys go for a walk and talk for hours? Maybe. Regardless, because of Jesus, in Heaven, Christians will not have to fight a sinful nature anymore but will have a perfect relationship with God. 

The Grand Tour of Sorts 

While the Bible doesn’t have a complete blueprint, it does give us some awesome sneak peeks that leave you excitedly wondering about the life to come. Take a look at Revelation 21, and you’ll see the place will be visually stunning. Everything will display His glory and be a constant reminder of God’s blessing, favor, provision, and love. It will be perfect. Now take a look at Revelation 21:4. Breathtaking. Can you imagine a world with no death, sorrow, crying, or pain? Christians will get to run into the comfort and safety of the Father’s arms. Heaven will scream with every fiber of its being that God is good. Christians will worship God for all of eternity because of an overwhelming desire from the outflow of our fully satisfied hearts.

“Can you imagine a world with no death, sorrow, crying, or pain?”

Brand New 

According to Revelation 21, God is going to “make all things new.” Heaven won’t just be a fixer-upper of Earth or an unrecognizable reality, but one that will somehow preserve its identity as Earth, only infinitely perfected. Now, if the most beautiful and best things on this Earth are wrecked by sin (Job 15:15), think how amazing Heaven will be. This reality is a foreign concept to this busted and broken world we live in today. But it is a promise that God has told us all along.⁵ It’s a reality that every bit of all of God’s creation eagerly waits for.⁶ 

Heaven isn’t some weird, miserable get-out-of-free-Hell card. It is a kingdom that is not only yet to come, but it is here as we eagerly wait for it. It’s a citizenship that’s sealed upon salvation on this side of eternity for Christians who are now new creatures.⁷ Life today is to be lived in light of this new reality: living with God now with the promise of a perfect eternity to come tomorrow.⁸