Heaven

Articles

Derek Long
09/29/19 - Heaven

Heaven

By Derek Long

Christians possess a hope of one day being in heaven.
Colossians 1:5 says, “because of the hope which is laid up for
you in heaven, of which you heard before in the word of the
truth of the gospel.” 1 Peter 1:4 describes our living hope as
being, “to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that
does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you.” It is clear the
one hope all Christians should share in common is a hope of
spending eternity in heaven (Ephesians 4:4). Why is heaven
something worthy of looking forward to?
Heaven will be a place free from the consequences of
sin. Death entered the world as a result of sin. As a
consequence of sin entering into the world, all men die
(Hebrews 9:27). Heaven is a place where death exists no
longer (Revelation 21:4). Revelation 22:3 says, “And there
shall be no more curse.” God placed a curse upon man and

woman after sin entered the world and in heaven we will not be
living under this curse.
Heaven will be a place free from wickedness. In this
world, we are constantly surrounded by wickedness in the lives
of those around us. The wicked conduct of others should cause
us to be oppressed and tormented as Lot was in Sodom (2 Peter
2:7-8). Heaven will be a place free from the wickedness we
must live around in this world. Revelation 21:27 says, “But
there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes
an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the
Lamb’s Book of Life.” Revelation 22:14-15 says, “Blessed are
those who do His commandments, that they may have the right
to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city.
But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and
murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie.”
Heaven will be free from the defilement brought into the world
by sin (1 Peter 1:4).
Heaven will be a place we can be eternally. Heaven is
a place we never have to leave. 1 Thessalonians 4:17 says,
“Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together
with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus
we shall always be with the Lord.” Heaven is not going to be a
place we enjoy for a little while and then have to leave for
somewhere else. Hebrews 13:14 says, “For here we have no
continuing city but we seek the one to come.” It is easy to
forget everything in this life is temporary even those things
which we might think we will enjoy for many years. God’s
word teaches us to remember everything here is temporary and
heaven is a place which is eternal. The fact heaven is eternal

shows why it is important for us to lay up treasure in heaven
instead of on earth (Matthew 6:19-21).
Heaven will be a place where we will see God as He
is. John writes about the future state of the righteous and says,
“Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not been
revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is
revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.”
To see God as He is truly has to be one of the greatest things
about heaven. Revelation 22:4 says, “They shall see His face,
and His name shall be on their foreheads.”
Heaven will be surely worth whatever sacrifices we
must make to get there because of these points and other things
God’s word tells us about it. Romans 8:18 says, “For I consider
that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be
compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.”