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

Live Life Freely; By God's Grace

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.

Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.

                                                                                                                  (Galatians 5:1-6 NIV)

Abandon your life to the grace of God! There are so many laws and traditions, I find it virtually impossible to keep to the traditions and letters of the law that are set forth by humankind. Can anyone possibly know them all? Can anyone abide by them all? 

The church on earth, in Paul's time, spent a lot of time worrying about the law of circumcision; whether gentiles should be circumcised or not. Paul said no. Others said yes. Paul insisted that keeping this law would not justify one person. His claim was that if we are trying to be justified by the law then we are alienating ourselves from Christ. The only justification that we have is Jesus the Christ. He died on that cross so that we might be justified in our Father's eyes. The law had to be satisfied. We could not do it by anything that we did or did not do. Jesus satisfied the law for us. We have been saved by grace through faith in the Word of God, who is Jesus the Christ!

Mistakes will be made; sins will be compounded, laws will be broken. Much time will be spent worrying about it and trying to justify our own actions. If we continue to attempt to be justified by our own good works in keeping the law (which none of us ever have) we have fallen away from grace. We must abandon our lives to God's mercy and grace! We must trust Him! Our help is found only in Him. Give thanks and praise that your sins are forgiven for "the Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him;  we have not obeyed the Lord our God or kept the laws he gave us through his servants the prophets."  (Dan 9:9-10)

God's Peace - Pr. J