"Next Stop: Heaven!"
Have you ever really been homesick?
For those who come from wonderful homes, the old saying, “There is no place like home,” rings true. On the other hand, those from miserable homes sometimes enjoy their time away. Regardless, there is one home waiting for us that we all should desperately miss—heaven!
Eternity in Our Hearts
The Bible says, “He has also set eternity in the hearts of men . . .” (Ecclesiastes 3:11). For this reason, we will never really be fully satisfied in this life. Nothing will ever quite measure up.
We have all experienced those moments when everything seemed to be just perfect . . . that perfect sunset, that star-filled night, that special moment with someone you love. At those times you think, I always want it to be this way. But it doesn’t last. In a sense, you have had a glimpse of eternity—a taste of the bliss you will experience one day in glory.
Some try to fill this homesickness for heaven by trying to have a perfect life. They don’t feel that special feeling any more with their husband or wife, so they go looking for someone else. Their work is not as gratifying as it once was, so they pursue another career. Their home no longer satisfies them, so they buy one that is bigger and better. Yet, true fulfillment eludes them.
One could look back on life and come to the same conclusion that Benjamin Disraeli, the former prime minister of England, came to. Reviewing his life, he said, “Youth is a mistake, manhood a struggle, old age a regret.”
Why is life—in and of itself—so dissatisfying? Because there is something in which earth can never satisfy. It is a hunger for God. Unfortunately, Mr. Disraeli seemed to miss this point. God placed this built-in homing instinct for heaven in our hearts to draw us to Himself.
The Reality of Heaven
While the Bible frequently talks about heaven, and we are given clear instructions as to what we must do to get there. Still, many do not take the existence of this eternal home seriously.
A recent Time cover article addressed this very topic (March 24, 1997). The article, “Does Heaven exist?” reports:
“It used to be that hereafter was virtually palpable, but American religion now seems almost allergic to imagining it. Is Paradise lost? It [Heaven] is an end to death’s sting; it is the eternal, ongoing, ever-growing experience of God. It is the ecstatic dream of St. John: “Holy, holy, holy.” And yet in a curious way, Heaven is AWOL. This is not to say that Americans think death ends everything or even that they doubt heaven’s existence. People still believe in it: it’s just that their concept of exactly what is has grown foggier, and they hear about it much less frequently from their pastors. The silence is such that it sometimes seems heaven might not as well be there.”
The article went on to report several polls they had taken:
Question: Do you believe in the existence of heaven?
Response: 81% Yes; 13% No
Question: Do you believe in hell, where people are punished forever after they die?
Response: 63% Yes; 30% No
Question: Do you believe people get into heaven based mostly on the good things they do, or in their faith in God, or both?
Response: 6% Good things they do; 34% Faith in God; 57% Both
Let’s compare these popular opinions with the biblical facts about heaven:
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The existence of heaven is 100% real.
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The existence of hell is 100% real.
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We can be 100% sure of going to heaven when we have been born again by faith in Christ (not by the good things we do).
Heaven is a place prepared for those who are prepared for it.
What Happens after the Rapture?
Two significant events will take place in heaven after the rapture of believers:
These two events will precede our return to earth with the Lord in the Second Coming of Christ. If you are a believer, you will be present at both.
After the Lord descends from heaven with a shout, and we are caught up to meet our departed, believing loved ones in the air, what happens next?
#1. We will receive a new, resurrection body.
We will need new bodies for a new place: heaven. Our earthly bodies are suited for this earthly environment. Our resurrection bodies will be suited for the heavenly environment. Paul explains this unique transformation: “Our earthly bodies, which die and decay, will be different when they are resurrected, for they will never die. Our bodies now disappoint us, but when they are raised, they will be full of glory. They are weak now, but when they are raised, they will be full of power” (1 Corinthians 15:42-43 NLT).
#2. If we have been faithful, we will be rewarded.
Many of us have acquired the great awards this world has to offer over the years—trophies, blue ribbons, plaques, etc. In heaven, however, people will be rewarded for their faithfulness to God over the years. Even the smallest and most insignificant gesture done on behalf of God’s Kingdom will not be overlooked by our Heavenly Father. Jesus promises, “Your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly” (Matthew 6:4, 6, 18).
This reward will be given to you as we stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ. Read 2 Corinthians 5:1-10
You might say, I thought that only non-believers would be judged. They will be, but that occurs at the Great White Throne Judgment (Revelation 20). That is the final judgment, and it takes place to show the non-believer why they are rejected from God’s presence in heaven (they rejected God’s offer of forgiveness).
Yet the Bible teaches there is a Judgment for Christians as well. The Judgment Seat of Christ is different. It is not about whether or not you get to heaven. (You are in heaven when it happens.) It is about the rewards you will receive:
“Then at the resurrection of the godly, God will reward you for inviting those who could not repay you” (Luke 14:14 NLT, see also Revelation 22:12).
a) “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ . . . ” (v. 10).
The word “appear” could be translated “to be made manifest.” This suggests that the purpose of the Judgment Seat of Christ is the public manifestation and demonstration of the essential character and motives of the individual. We will not be judged en masse but individually.
b) “ . . . that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad” (v. 10).
This verse explains exactly what will be judged. The word used for “bad” in this text is not speaking of something that is ethically or morally evil. Instead, it means “evil of another kind,” “good for nothingness” or “worthlessness.” In other words, it means the wasting of one’s time, energy and life in general.
At the Judgment Seat of Christ, each of us will have to give an account of what we did with the life, gifts and calling that God gave to us. Speaking again of the Judgment Seat for Christians, Paul writes:
“For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If any man build on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames” (1 Corinthians 3:11-15 NIV).
This wood, hay or straw Paul speaks of refers not so much to gross sin,but to one’s placing greater importance on the passing things of this life rather than the things of God. You might be putting all of your energies into your career, some sport or hobby, or even watching TV—but all of these things will pass.
Paul says, “If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward.” We may expect that only the great men and women of faith will get all the awards. But we may be surprised by the award sweep of relatively unknown believers—those Christians who prayed behind the scenes, served others without expecting recognition, or anonymously gave of their resources, quietly doing what the Lord had called them to do.
Don’t worry about what God has called someone else to do. Concentrate on what He has called you to do. What may not seem very valuable or important now will be worth a lot more in heaven.
What rewards will we receive?
The Bible describes many crowns we will receive at this event. Let’s examine them now.
1) The Crown of Rejoicing (or a Soul Winner’s Crown)
“For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming?” (1 Thessalonians 2:19).
To obtain this reward, you must seek to win others to Christ.
The “crown of rejoicing” appears to be the ability to see all the people that you had a part in bringing to the Lord. These people may actually be gathered around us. That thought could be very exciting or quite depressing—depending upon how faithful you as an individual are to fulfilling the Great Commission.
We must remember that we—in and of ourselves—have never converted anyone. Yet, we can play a part in that process. In fact, we may not even be aware of those that we have influenced to come to Jesus. As Paul writes, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase” (1 Corinthians 3:6; see also Daniel 12:3).
2) The Crown of Life
“Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him” (James 1:12).
To obtain this reward, you must love the Lord and persevere under trial.
Perhaps you feel as though you have given up many things to follow Jesus Christ. You’ve resisted temptations and endured hardships because of your faith. God promises you this special reward in heaven!
3) The Crown of Righteousness
“. . . [T]he time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that Day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for His appearing.” (2 Timothy 4:6b-8).
To obtain this great reward, you must finish your course and love His appearing.
You were created to know God and to go to heaven. You may have lost your way, but don’t lose your address. Don’t deny the spiritual hunger in your soul. As believers, we have hope beyond the grave.
Don’t become overly concerned with the things of this life. Otherwise, you will have a saved soul but a lost life. Instead, remember your eternal rewards. And keep your eyes on Jesus, "the author and finisher of [your] faith" (Hebrews 12:2).
Sabbath in the New Covenant
When Jesus came, however, a new covenant was established: “There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his” (Hebrews 4:9-10; see also Matthew 11:28).
Those who are struggling for God’s approval and trying to be righteous in their own strength need to rest in the finished work of Christ, realizing that God loves them unconditionally. Therefore, to keep the Sabbath day in modern times is to trust not in what we do for God, but in what He has done for us by sending Jesus to die on the cross in our place.
That does not mean that we should neglect setting aside time to remember God and to thank Him for all that He has done. In our modern society, where we work so hard for success, many just don’t have time in their busy schedules for spiritual things—until a crisis hits. A time of spiritual refreshing and renewal with the Lord should be a priority, not an occasional event.
As we have looked at these first four commandments, how is your vertical relationship with God today? Is He the sole object of your worship? Or is some other god taking His place? Come to the living God and watch what He can do for you!
Part III
