June 5th: Heaven

Speaker: Chris Laws

Combining three doctrines creates a ‘canvas’ on which a sketch of the world-to-come may be drawn in outline, producing motivation for service and holiness.

THE CHRISTIAN’S FUTURE
Col 3.2 “Set your affections on things above.” Future truths are a mighty power for good.
1 Cor 3.21 “For all things are yours...things present, or things to come; all are yours.”
How much do we know about things to come? Glimpses.
Watson: ‘I shall lead you to the top of Mount Pisgah and give you a glimpse of the Holy Land.’

1. Intermediate state
2 deaths every second in the world. Separation of body and soul.
At death we enter the intermediate state: body to grave, soul to Paradise.
Soul: Immediate passage from death to glory. “This day shalt thou be with me in paradise” (Luke 23.43).
Soul to heaven, but without a body. Not till Christ’s return will we have bodies again.
Body: 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.”
Heaven is a wonderful spiritual domain, also a place.
Christ rose and ascended with a body, and will return in His body. He is in Heaven with that body; eternally different.
Yet occupied by angels (spirits), 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).
Mysteriously adapted for the eternal kingdom.

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.
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).
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.’ (BCF 31.2)

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 – thorns and thistles. The principle of death is built into it. Predators.
Paul calls it the reign of death: “by one man's offence death reigned” (Rom 5.17).
     Earth's tragedy. Whole planet blighted.
Creation is like a slave. (Rom 8.21) “Bondage” is slave term.
(8.21) Slave to whom? To slave master “Corruption” – decay. Gk to shrivel, wither, spoil, ruin.
     Nature is now ruled by decay and death. Waves of life begin, and die out.
All a slave’s efforts are for his master – no pay packet.
     Animals ceaseless work. Death swallows up all they do.
     Life after life is expended to no avail. “One generation passeth away, and another.”
A dying planet. Amazing creation, bears marks of Creator, but cursed. Death rules.
Christ will re-create the Earth. Creation without death.
We inherit both. A future in both!

“Nevertheless we...look for new heavens and a new earth” (2 Pet 3.13).
“And I saw a new heaven and a new earth” (Rev 21.1).

QUESTIONS ABOUT HEAVEN

1.   Will we know each other in Heaven? Yes.
The rich man recognised Lazarus and Abraham though only a bodiless soul.
     “Oh, then what raptured greetings, On Canaan’s happy shore.”

2.   Will we remember the past? Conversion, grace. Yes, but God will erase our sins from His memory, and ours - and its consequences.
     “For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former [afflictions] 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? No! Rest from enemies, sin, harassment.
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 fighting; temptation; illness; troubles.

5. Will we know all things? “Now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known (1 Cor 13.12).”
No, 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 13.12).

5.  Will there be time in Heaven?
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 could 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).

8.  What activities are there in Heaven?
Praise, singing, music + words combined. The new song. Exploration, fellowship, Christ.

DESCRIPTIONS OF HEAVEN
The daybreak of eternal brightness. The reward of glory far exceeds our faith.

1.  Enjoy Christ’s love. “Father, I will that they also…be with me where I am.”
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 – 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 are not ready for it 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).

“To die is gain” (Phil 1.21)