Heaven By Default?

The question from the title is, is Heaven the place where people are set to go when the time comes and only “bad” people work themselves into Hell? My answer is, NO! It is actually the other way. We are defaulted to Hell.

“²³for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” — Romans 3:23 (ESV)

Looking at the above verse, the key phrase to back up the defaulted destination is Hell would be the underlined, “all have sinned”. Not, some have sinned or a few have sinned, but “all have sinned”. This was due to events that occurred in the beginning with Adam and Eve and their encounter with Satan and the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. God had given man and woman only one restriction in the garden and Satan went right after it and enticed the first sin against God. From that point on, all that were and come after them are sinners.

In short, thanks to our ancestors, we are what we are, sinners in the eyes of God. That does not mean He does not love and want more for us though. And to get that more, just like with everything, there is a cost. The interesting thing is that the cost was paid by Jesus for us.

“⁸but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” – Romans 5:8 (ESV)

So, we are all sinners and our default destination is Hell. We needed a way out and God provided that in Jesus and His death in our place. The immediate thought is that well, I am good then, Jesus paid the debt and now my destination has been changed. Well, not exactly. Yes the way to get to Heaven has been provided, but we still have to travel that road to get to the destination. And that road is small.

“¹⁴For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” – Matthew 7:14 (ESV)

One might think well, I will just get on that narrow road and get to Heaven. Yes, that is the idea, but see that it is narrow and only a few find the road. There is only one way onto the road that leads to Heaven and that is through Jesus.

“⁶Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’” – John 14:6 (ESV)

So, NO, Heaven is not the default destination for us all. We are defaulted to Hell and all of the anguish, punishment, and darkness that is there. But, we have a way to get to Heaven and that is through the loving sacrifice of Jesus Christ. He died so I did not have to. He endured the anguish, punishment, and darkness so that could avoid it. He provided the only way for me, a sinner, to change my final destination to Heaven.

What is your thought about your destination? So you believe that you are headed to Heaven by default? What if you were to realize that the default for all us sinners is Hell and that to get to Heaven we have to take the narrow road provided by Jesus Christ?

How Big a Deal is Heaven, Can We Know?

Heaven, the destination of Christians. But can we really imagine Heaven?

Baseball was a passion of mine as I was growing up. I had dreams of playing ball in college and then professionally (either of which did not work out). I was given the analogy that Heaven was the place where all dreams come true and to imagine it to be where there were baseball fields as far as the eye could see and a game was always on. Of course, at the time this was an amazing visual, and helped me to understand the beauty of Heaven, but that was all it was, just a visual for the young mind.

Where do we go to find a more accurate description for the adult mind, Scripture. God’s Word tells us what to expect when we arrive. Randy Alcorn points out a few verses to get us started: Hebrews 11:16, Revelation 19:9, 21:2, and 22:1-2. These are of course just a few to get us started and “see” what Heaven will be like and according to these, Heaven will be cities and kingdoms and gardens and countrysides, and celebrations.

I remember going to the Baseball Hall of Fame and was somewhat underwhelmed as to what I saw. I am not sure what I expected, but it was not what I experienced, and the same can be said for our trip to the Basketball Hall of Fame. I knew it was a collection of memorabilia from the past, related to the sport, but for me, it just did not hit the spot. I need help to understand that which I cannot see. I should have done more research on my destinations of the Halls of Fame, and maybe the experience would have been more in line with my expectation.

God’s Word gives that help. In Scripture, we are shown what Heaven to be like and we should take the time to study and visualize what others have seen when they got a glimpse. John, Isaiah, and Ezekiel were there and wrote about what they saw and experienced.

Not all who have seen Heaven describe what they saw, Paul for instance says,

“³And I know that this man was caught up into paradise—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows— ⁴and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter.” – 2 Corinthians 12:3-4 (ESV)

He had been there, and even as it was “paradise”, he was not permitted to tell of what he saw. But the others were permitted and boy did they tell us.

So the question is, can we know just how big a deal Heaven is? YES we can!!! In order to know, we have to do our research in God’s Word. Look to all the accounts of what was seen. Look to all the different translations. Find what works for you to put it all together. Know that heaven may not be baseball fields as far as the eye can see, but it is an amazing place for us to spend eternity.

What is your vision of Heaven? Are you able to imagine what it will be like? What if you did not have to imagine, but took the eye witness accounts found in scripture to put you there as they were?

Look Forward to Heaven

This morning I am starting a new study on Heaven. The writer, Randy Alcorn, points out that it is the place that we should be looking to to keep us going when things get tough in this life.

The day one lesson asks, “Are You Looking Forward to Heaven?” Well, are you?

I know that for me I do get drawn in to the things of this world, whether the work, the fun, the experience, or simply the existence. Am I looking forward to what comes after, and if I am, where are my eyes fixed? It does matter and I am here to tell you that I guess I do not really thought about the looking forward part, even as I know and write about the joys that lay there. I am thankful for this study to draw me to placing my gaze on the LORD and what comes next as opposed to what is here in this world.

“¹¹Your splendor has been brought down to Sheol,

along with the music of your harps.

Maggots are spread out under you,

and worms cover you.”

¹²Shining morning star, a

how you have fallen from the heavens!

You destroyer of nations,

you have been cut down to the ground.

— Isaiah 14:11-12 (CSB)

Let’s start with why we might think of Heaven as an existence of doing the same thing over an over. Well it is the Devil. He was kicked out of Heaven and now has sour grapes over the place that he once called home. The Devil is miserable and wants nothing more than for everyone to join him. He purposely points to Heaven as a place of drudgery and that this world is where the fun is. This world is where the excitement is. This world is where all can experience pleasure. The reality is that, as Randy Alcorn says, “Satan hates us”.

“²¹For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. ²²If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. ²³I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. ²⁴But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account.” – Philippians 1:21-24 (ESV)

Now, Heaven and what a wonder it is to look forward to. Paul wrote the above to the church at Phippi. He was explaining that he is not giving in to death, for the sake of those who are in need of the gospel and encouragement. He is, however keeping his eyes on that reward in Heaven, for that is what is keeping him going in this world to ensure that we are cared for and led to the LORD and the glory that comes. Paul understands that there is work to do here in this world, yet the reward does not come here, it is in that place, Heaven, where things will be glorious beyond what we can imagine. To finish the statement from Randy Alcorn that I mentioned earlier, “Satan hates us, he’s determined to rob us of the joy we’d have if we believed what God tells us about the magnificent world to come.”

I choose to look forward to Heaven as opposed to dwelling in this world. I know that I have work to do as assigned by God. My reward is not here, but in Heaven with the Father and this world is just along the journey to get there.

What is your thought on Heaven? Is it a place you are looking forward to as drudgery? What if you were to look forward as it is, the place far better than this and this world is only the place to do the work assigned by God as we wait on arrival there?

The Wicked Will Not Be There

Will not be where? In heaven. I know there is a lot to unpack with regard to who will be in heaven and who are the wicked that will not be there. There are a lot of items to discuss and a lot of questions to answer. Where I do believe that the answers are found in God’s Word, I am going to only address the wicked, and will only scratch the surface for those with lots of questions.

“⁵Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,

nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;

⁶for the Lord knows the way of the righteous,

but the way of the wicked will perish.”

— Psalm 1:5-6 (ESV)

First thing here is that we find the wicked, well they will not be in heaven. They will be somewhere, but their time has come and they reap what they sow, wickedness. They are not granted life everlasting in heaven with Christ. So, just who are the wicked. That is a great question.

“Wicked – 1: morally very bad: EVIL” – Merriam-Webster Online

So, they are the very bad, or evil individuals. But what does that mean. Well, again, there is a lot to it, but what I believe to be the thing is that there is a conscious effort of them to inflict harm, whether physical or emotional or social or cultural or in any other sense to others. In short, as the definition above notes, morally very bad people. These are those who are only “happy” when others are experiencing hardship and likely that hardship is the doing of the wicked person.

But what about the second part of verse 5 above you ask. “Sinners” will not be there either. Aren’t we all sinners all the time? Well, yes we are sinners and do not deserve the gift of eternal life in heaven. But, we have been saved by grace through our acceptance of the gift of salvation. We are sinners, Just that we are working to not be active. Think of alcoholics. They are always alcoholics, but when they have gotten “on the wagon” they are not active are are identified as a recovering alcoholic, but an alcoholic none the less. We are recovering sinners but sinners none the less. The sinners that are referenced in verse 5 above are not recovering and have not accepted the gift of salvation through Christ Jesus.

All wicked are sinners, but not all sinners are wicked. The thing is that sinners are still separated from God and will be dealt with in the same fashion as the wicked. Both will be eternally separated from God as they will not be in heaven with those who have accepted the gift of salvation through Christ Jesus.

What is your view of the wicked and sinners? Are your thoughts that they will just go through a different more harshly regulated gate to heaven? What if you were to reconcile that they had every opportunity to accept the gift of salvation through Christ Jesus and will not be there at all?

“To Die is Gain”

Yep, it is true, I will gain more in death that I will here in life. In death, as Paul indicates in verse 23, it is far better for me as I will now be with Christ. I will be without affliction and will be in glory for the rest of eternity. I will be celebrating the glory of God and will no longer be a slave to that which is of this world.

Now, I want to be clear, that I am not by any means advocating for death as the alternative to suffering in this world. My suffering is for the LORD and not for myself. As Paul indicates as well in verse 22 and in verse 24 (not listed), it is good for me to stay here in this world and do the work for Christ for myself and for the advancement of the gospel in this world. So, I have to stay here and continue the work that God has for me.

It is however hard not to think of what is to come. It is in anticipation of the glory of heaven that I must continue in the work here and look forward to the gain I will receive once my time here is done. I know that I will gain more in death than I will experience here in life, yet it is in this life that I am able to continue the work.

My work here as I study and write is important to Christ. I am advancing His Word each morning as I continue to study His Word and learn for myself. I am living for Christ. I am fruitful in my labor. I am taking righteous actions and when my time in this world is done, I gain in death.

What is your view of life and death? Are you gaining more in life or in death? What if you know that in death you gain far more, yet also know that your work in this life is not done and that you still have the advancement of the gospel and the work assigned by God to complete?

I Gain from the Dead Raised

My faith is based on Christ taking on my sin and paying for it as He was crucified on the cross. And then He was raised from death on the third day to demonstrate His glory and authority over all things, including death. But where would I be if He had not died and been raised from the dead.

“³²What do I gain if, humanly speaking, I fought with beasts at Ephesus? If the dead are not raised, ‘Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.’” – 1 Corinthians 15:32 (ESV)

If Christ had not died and rose again, then all that I do in this world is futile and I should just continue on with it as when I die, I die.

You see, I believe that thanks to the death and resurrection of Christ, I will be rise again after my death in this world. No, not to walk again among man, but to walk with Christ in the heavenly kingdom promised to me as heir to the throne of grace. I was promised the heavenly kingdom thanks to the grace of salvation I accepted when offered by God. He gave His son as a sacrifice for my sin and allowed Him to die for that sin even as He had no sin Himself. But God did to keep Jesus as dead, He raised Him from the dead to show the way for me after my life is done in this world.

The death and resurrection of Christ is the example given for me to live by in this world. I have given myself to Christ in thanks for taking on my sin and death so that I would not have to. And, He in return gave me life eternal. Not in this world, but in heaven. And to get there, I have to be raised again from this world and on to heaven. If Christ had not been raised, then there would be no example to believe and follow. So, I gain from the dead being raised as Christ rose again for me.

What is your view of death? Is your life just over? What if you were to believe in Christ, His death, and resurrection and that you gain the heavenly reward?

Steadfast and Faithful, Evidence of Righteousness

“⁴Therefore we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions that you are enduring. ⁵This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering” – 2 Thessalonians 1:4-5 (ESV)

The people of the church of the Thessalonians were sticking to the LORD. These people were under persecution for their following of Christ and Paul was fast to recognize it. He wanted them to know that they were not unnoticed. They were recognized to be righteous in their actions and their faith.

I know, I am reading into things a bit here as the righteous reference was to the judgment of God. I will not claim to know that the people were righteous. I simply see that their acts of faith and steadfastness are evidence of righteousness. They held to the LORD under all sorts of persecution and affliction and suffering. And, as you read on further in the passage, they are rewarded for it with the destruction of those persecuting them. Yet, they do not follow the LORD for their persecutors to be destroyed, they follow Him for the reward of heaven and communion with Him.

I have to let this be a lesson to me. I have to love the LORD and do His work, not for what I would receive here in this world, but it is what I am to do thanks to the grace He afforded me through His death. I have to give evidence to the LORD for his declaration of righteousness. I have to be steadfast and faithful through all, the good times and the persecution. The LORD will see my dedication to Him and ensure that I am given relief. He will judge my actions according to my heart. I will be rewarded with glory in heaven.

What evidence do you present of your dedication to the LORD? Are you hoping that you have taken a few actions to show it? What if you were steadfast and faithful always as your evidence of righteousness to the LORD?