Why Would I Want To Go To Heaven?

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

We love him, because he first loved us.

                                                                                   (1 John 13:18-19 KJV)

"Why would I want to go to heaven?" That question was asked me by one of my confirmation youth. Prior to that, I had  never been asked that question and I haven't been asked since, either. But, I wonder what we might be actually teaching and preaching about heaven?

Are young people (and old) being taught out of a theology of fear? Are we evangelizing by attempting to steer others to the promise of heaven out of fear that they might end up with the alternative: ending up in hell? If we say we are saved out of fear of hell; then those words are probably pretty empty. The promise of eternal life in the Kingdom of God; in heaven, is for those who believe and those who believe, love God. We know what he has done out of his great love for us so that we might be reconciled to him. We love Jesus because he first loved us.

Are we evangelizing by promising others that they will get to be reunited with their loved ones after death? I know more than a few people who desire to see their loved ones take a whole higher precedence than their desire to live in the presence of the Lord. Is that the promise that they are clinging to?

We can see from St. Paul's letter to the Philippians that his primary hope was to be reunited with Christ in the heavenly kingdom. St. Paul wrote: "But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not. For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you." (Phil 1:22-24) His desire was to be with Christ. But, he was willing to live here in this world, as long as the Lord desired, so that others too might know the hope of being reconciled to God in the Kingdom of God.

Indeed, why do we want to go to heaven? What motivates those who profess to be Christian? Is it the love of God or is it the fear of death and the other alternative that we have been taught? 

"And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.

And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled

In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:"

                                                                                (Col 1:20-22)

Our Father's intention was that we might live in his presence. Because of sin, the gate to that kingdom was closed. In short... we were kicked out of heaven. But; in Christ, by his blood that was shed on the cross for us, we have been reconciled to our Father. He made peace with the Father for us by giving himself for us. Because of this act of love, through faith, we are able to live in the Kingdom of God, in his presence, not just after death; but, even today. To live in our Father's presence, in his kingdom, in his love is the ultimate hope.

The desire to live in the love of the Father, in His presence is the ultimate desire.  Fear will not motivate us to be truly reconciled to God our Father through Christ Jesus. Only love will do that. We love because he first loved us.

I just don't see any sense in desiring to end up in the Kingdom of God, if one doesn't desire to actually live in Christ, in our Father's presence. I don't see any sense in desiring to inherit eternal life in heaven if the only thing that motivates us is the fear of death and hell.

Fear can cause us to do a lot of things. Most of those things are not good. Love can motivate us to do even greater things. Just think about the great thing that was done on the cross for us because of Jesus' great love for us!

God's Peace - Pr. J