What are You Looking Forward To?

January, 2004

by: Jeff Jones

It seems to me that most Christians are looking forward to “going to heaven” someday. When the story of Jesus is presented to children, or junior highers, or even adults for that matter, it is commonly taught that Jesus is the only way to heaven. I believe that Jesus is the only way to heaven wholeheartedly, but I sometimes wonder if we have a correct idea of what heaven is or will be. I would contend that most Christians (or at least a lot) think of heaven as something detached from earth and/or from the space–time continuum where the saints will kind of float around in a disembodied state after death. The Bible, however, does not present heaven this way (though if you want to get theological on me, perhaps what is called the intermediate state could be thought of in the previously described way). Ultimately, the place Christians will end up is not a place detached from earth, but the earth itself … albeit a re–made one.

I hope you don't have to think too hard about the truth of what I just asserted. (1) Revelation ends with the passing away of the old creation and the coming of the new. The people of God will live in an actual city on a remade physical earth. (2) 1 Corinthians 15, which lays out the importance of the resurrection, argues that since Jesus rose again physically, so believers can now hope to be resurrected, physically, themselves, whereby they will live in God's new earth in their new bodies. (3) Also, Romans 8 speaks of the longing of creation to be set free from its corruption, waiting eagerly for the revealing of the sons (and daughters) of God.

This is just a small sampling of verses on what the future entails. But I hope that this small article will help you have a correct perspective on where you will live for all eternity: Earth! That is, you will live in the