16th June: Heaven

Speaker: Chris Laws

Answering questions about the Intermediate state, Heaven and the resurrection. “If Heaven is there, why do we live as if it weren’t?”


Eccles 3.11 “He has set eternity in their heart.”
Many people want a material heaven here. But all their possessions, learning, skills are fleeting.
For the believer 1 Cor 3.21 “all things are yours...things present, or things to come; all are yours.”
Col 3.2 “Set your affections on things above.”
Future truths are a mighty power for good.
Three doctrines for foundation.

1. INTERMEDIATE STATE
“To die is gain” (Phil 1.21). At death we enter the intermediate state: body to grave, soul to paradise. Separation.
“This day shalt thou be with me in paradise” (Luke 23.43). Where is paradise? Where Christ is – Heaven.
Soul to heaven without a body. Not till Christ’s return will we have bodies again.
Watson: “We shall see glorified saints in their souls.”
Body to grave: Watson – our ‘bodies quietly sleep in Christ’.

Soul doesn’t sleep. The martyrs (souls under the altar) in Rev 6.10 are awake. They ask “How long?” and are told “they should rest yet for a little season.” Rest from toil, sin, temptation, troubles.

Heaven is a wonderful spiritual domain, but also a place. “I go to prepare a place for you” (John 14.2).
Christ rose and ascended with a body, will return in His body. He is in Heaven with that body; eternally different.
Yet occupied by angels (spirits), and disembodied souls of men.

2. RESURRECTION
At the return of Christ our bodies are raised. Fundamental article of faith: Heb 6.2 “resurrection of the dead.”
“I will raise him up at the last day” (John 6.44).
“Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus, shall raise up us also by Jesus” (2 Cor 4.14).
At death we bid farewell to the body, but at the resurrection it is raised. Our souls were made to be in a body.
Same body, not a new one, but renewed: “this corruptible [body] must put on incorruption” (1 Cor 15.53).

BCF 31.2 “The dead shall be raised up up with their own, same bodies and none other.”
Mysteriously adapted for the eternal kingdom. No decay, aging.
1. (1 Cor 15.43) “It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory.” No disfigurement, disability.
2. “It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power”. No weakness, handicap, illness.
3. (1 Cor 15.53) “This mortal shall put on immortality”. No death.
“Who shall change our vile [lowly] body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body” (Phil 3.21).
Like Christ’s resurrection body.

BCF 31.3 “The bodies of the just shall, by the Spirit, be raised to honour, and made conformable (similar) to His own glorious body.

Puritan: ‘Dear body! I will enter into thee again, and be eternally married to thee.’
The bodies of the wicked. ”There shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust” (Acts 24.15).

3. NEW HEAVENS AND EARTH
At the Fall of man “by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin” (Rom 5.12).
All Nature is sentenced with us. The principle of death is built into it. A dying planet.
Amazing creation, bears marks of Creator, but cursed. Death rules.
Christ will re-create the Earth. Creation without death.
“The elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works therein shall be burned up”… we...look for new heavens and a new earth” (2 Pet 3.10, 13).
“And I saw a new heaven and a new earth” (Rev 21.1).
We inherit both Heaven and the new Earth.

DEATH
At death unbelievers lose everything – the world, Heaven, careers, wealth, pleasures, souls, honour, hope.
Believers gain a new world, Heaven, pleasures, souls eternally safe, new honours, new learning, eternal hope.
All earthly honour shall lie in the dust, but the saints shall reign as kings.

QUESTIONS ABOUT HEAVEN
1. Will we know each other in Heaven? Yes – our knowledge will increase, not decrease.
In the transfiguration, Peter knew Moses and Elias, never having met.
Even in the intermediate state: the rich man recognised Lazarus and Abraham though a bodiless soul.
Watson: “souls have eyes”. We will see Christ! Ears which hear the praise of Heaven.

2. Will we remember the past? The souls under the altar (Rev 10) remember the past.
The rich man remembered his brothers.
Yes, but what about our sins? God will erase from His memory, and ours – and its consequences.
“For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former things shall not be remembered, nor come into mind” (Isaiah 65.17).

3. Won’t we be sad when we think of relatives not in Heaven?
No, amazingly, “God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes” (Rev 7.17).
In Heaven, all ties with unbelievers will lose their meaning. That is already happening on earth.

4. Will Heaven just be rest? Not idleness; many would dislike that.
The saved “serve him day and night in his temple” (Rev 7.15). Work but no weariness.
Rest – from sin, illness, troubles.

5. Will we know all things? “For now we see in a glass, darkly; but then face to face” (1 Cor 13.12).
No longer obscurity, minds opened. But there will be amazing discoveries to be made for eternity.
Never wearied of Him for He is infinite, always new and fresh insights.
Always anticipation of new things – hope will abide forever. “Now abideth faith, hope, charity” (1 Cor 13.13).

5. Will there be time in Heaven? Yes, the souls under the altar told to wait a little season.
But a different time scale? “A little season” is already 2000 years.
But the angel said that “there should be time no longer” (Rev 10.6). Here time = delay. Time up!

6. Can souls in Heaven see us? “Seeing we also are surrounded with so great a cloud of witnesses” (Heb 12.1)
No. “Witnesses” or martyrs. The great crowd of examples, not spectators.

7. What are the “many mansions” Christ spoke of?
Literally dwelling places. “A house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens” (2 Cor 5.1).
Whatever they are, they are prepared by Christ. “I go to prepare a place for you” (John 14.2).
Watson: Believers shall gain a celestial palace, a “house not made with hands” (2 Cor 5.1).
If we could see our “mansion” – we would exclaim, I am the owner, that’s my home.

8. What activities are there in Heaven?
Praise, singing = music + words. The new song. Exploration, fellowship, Christ.
More: “I will make thee ruler over many things” (Matt 25.21).

9. Are there rewards in Heaven? Yes, Matt 5.12 “great is your reward in heaven.”
Calvin: ‘if we consider how spoiled and faulty are the good works that come from the best of us, we shall never find anything that deserves God’s reward.’
Rewards of grace. Undeserved.
Watson: trade with your talents for God’s glory. “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matt 25.21).
The reward of glory far exceeds our feeble service.

DESCRIPTIONS OF HEAVEN
The daybreak of eternal brightness.
1. Enjoy Christ’s love. “Father, I will that they also…be with me where I am” (John 17.24).
We will be with our Father, our Saviour and the Holy Spirit.

2. The society of glorified saints. Perfect love.
We will speak with saints from other ages as Peter with Moses and Elijah on the mount of transfiguration.

3. Perfect holiness. “The spirits of just men made perfect.” White robes. Sin cannot exist in Heaven.
Heb 12.23 “A glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle...but that it should be holy and without blemish.”

4. A royal feast. “Blessed are they which are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb.”
“They shall hunger no more” (Rev 7.16)

5. Honour and dignity – receive crowns. “When the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory” (1 Pet 5.4).

6. Eternal “The things which are not seen are eternal” (2 Cor 4.18).  Who can take in eternity?

7. Population can no man number.

8. Entry only possible because Christ paid the admission price – infinite cost.

Only the pure may enter. We may not enter until we have been cleansed by Christ.
‘Eternal light, eternal light, How pure the soul must be.’

BEYOND OUR GRASP
We shall see Him. “It doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3.2). 
David: “When I awake, I shall be satisfied with thy likeness” (Ps 17.15).

If Heaven is there, why do we live as if it weren’t?

 

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