When do we actually go to Heaven?

I have read the Bible front to back more times than I can remember and this is the one concept that I am still unclear about. 

Heaven, and more specifically when do we go there?

The normal perception is that when we die, boom, instantaneously we are with Jesus in Heaven.  Why do we think that?  Well for one thing, many a preacher has said so in funeral sermons.  But is that really the way it works? 

The reason I ask is Revelation 20.

Revelation 20:1-15(NKJV)

Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 

He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; 

and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while.

And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 

But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 

Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.

Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison 

and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea. 

They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. 

The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. 

And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. 

The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. 

Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 

And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.

So do we go to Heaven right away or do we lay there in the ground waiting until after the 1000 year reign of Christ on earth?  Or do we go to Heaven right away and then our dead bodies catch up to us after the 1000 year reign? 

Seems confusing.  I am wrapping up Revelation and then I will be starting the NT all over again.  Two things I am going to focus on the next time through.  What Jesus said was necessary to be saved vs. what Paul and the other apostles said.  The other thing is all that the NT says about Heaven. 

Can't wait!

Did Jesus have a tattoo? :)

Kind of frivolous I know.  It just struck me as funny.  :)

Revelation 19:16(NKJV)

And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

I know there are some out there who think that tattoos are bad.  Dishonoring the temple of the body and all that.  Personally I don't think God is so petty that He would concern Himself with stuff like that.  But that is just my opinion.  :)

"The Lord is a man of war"

Hmm.  That's got to be a shocker to all of the people who insist Jesus is a pacifist doesn't it?  Scripture tells us that God and Jesus are in agreement. (That whole house divided against itself thing)  Therefore if God is a man of war Jesus can't be a pacifist. 

Take a look at the verse and then I'll explain why I think this is an important point.

Exodus 15:2-3(NKJV)

    The Lord is my strength and song,     And He has become my salvation;     He is my God, and I will praise Him;     My father’s God, and I will exalt Him.

    The Lord is a man of war;     The Lord is His name.

So why is this important?  I think it helps bring the view of Jesus back to the middle.  He is a man of peace but not a pacifist.  In other words He doesn't just roll over and keep taking abuse no matter what.  There is a point where Jesus says enough is enough and the "man of war" will be coming out. 

In fact here is what Revelation says about Jesus.

Revelation 19:11(NKJV)

Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. 

Now let me remind you of another one of my Bible study principals.  I look for confirmation in both the Old Testament and the New Testament.  And we have it in this case don’t we?  The OT says "the Lord is a man of war" and the NT confirms that Jesus will make war in the end times. 

Hmm, making war sure seems like a funny thing for a pacifist to do.  :)

But there is a more important point here in regards to salvation.  Those who think Jesus is a pacifist also think that ultimately Jesus is too nice of a guy to actually send anybody to hell.  I believe the Scripture above shows just how wrong they will be. 

So what about you?  Are you ready if Jesus does indeed say enough is enough?  Have you asked Jesus to lead you in life?  Because in the end that will be the difference between basking in Jesus' love or living eternally in his wrath. 

Why not take care of the issue right now?  Have a conversation with Jesus.  Let Him know where you are at and what you need.  He'll take it from there.  "Dear Jesus…."

God is…Eternal

This one was easier than some of the others so far because the meaning of eternal is pretty straight forward.  It's not like some of the other words where there were many verses that didn't apply.

So just to make sure we are all on the same page let's start with a definition of eternal.  There was one part of the definition that I didn't know so let's take a look.

eternal

1. without beginning or end; lasting forever; always existing (opposed to temporal):

eternal life.

2. perpetual; ceaseless; endless:

eternal quarreling; eternal chatter.

3. enduring; immutable:

eternal principles.

4. Metaphysics. existing outside all relations of time; not subject to change.

From <http://www.dictionary.com/browse/eternal?s=t>

I get that eternal means forever and ever with no end in sight.  What I had never considered as part of the definition of eternal is that it was without beginning as well.  That added a little twist to it.

As you read through the verses using eternal we see several things that are listed as eternal

God is eternal.  God has always been there and will always be there.  We aren't subject to the changing whims and policies of leaders like in an election.  God is eternal, we can count on Him and the policies don't change.

Eternal life-those who believe in Jesus have eternal life.  Or life doesn't end when we die.  We go to Heaven to live out eternal life.

Eternal judgement.  I had never thought of hell in those words before but it makes sense.  If we don't chose eternal life then what are we left with?  Eternal judgement.  If one side of the decision equation results in eternal something then the other side it would seem to me would have to result in something eternal as well.  Otherwise you would have an out of balance system.  It wouldn't make much sense for example to have Eternal Life on one side and 2 days of judgement on the other would it?  :)

Deuteronomy 33:27(NKJV)

    The eternal God is your refuge,     And underneath are the everlasting arms;     He will thrust out the enemy from before you,     And will say, ‘Destroy!’

John 3:14-17(NKJV)

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 

that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 

For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

John 17:3(NKJV)

And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. 

Hebrews 6:1-2(NKJV)

Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, 

of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. 

1 John 5:11-12(NKJV)

And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 

He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. 

Eternal judgement-never thought of it like that before!

I am currently doing a word study on the word Eternal.  The most common usage in the Bible is eternal life which we also refer to as salvation.  We know that those who don't choose eternal life through belief in Jesus choose instead to go to hell. 

For some reason though I had never that of hell in the context that it was the exact opposite of eternal life.  Eternal judgement.  Hmm.

Hebrews 6:1-2(NKJV)

Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, 

of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. 

Wealthy Christians-immoral?

Wealthy Christians-immoral?

Tuesday, February 28, 2017

10:02 AM

I always find it interesting when people, especially other Christians, criticize Christians for doing well financially.   I see a lot of stories like that on Yahoo News.  Things like "this pastors net worth is disgusting", etc. 

I think to myself, really?  Why?  Now I realize that those who aren't Christian don't know Scripture but I would expect Christians to know better.  Scripture is very clear that if we go all in for God we will be rewarded.   

Most people get that.  However many people think that reward will only come once we get to Heaven.  That is simply not Scriptural.  What people miss is that Scripture is very clear that we will be rewarded with exponentially more than what we gave to begin with and we will be rewarded here and now as well as when we get to Heaven.  Take a look.

Malachi 3:8-10(NKJV)

    “Will a man rob God?      Yet you have robbed Me!     But you say,     ‘In what way have we robbed You?’     In tithes and offerings.

    You are cursed with a curse,     For you have robbed Me,     Even this whole nation.

    Bring all the tithes into the storehouse,     That there may be food in My house,     And try Me now in this,”     Says the Lord of hosts,     “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven     And pour out for you such blessing     That there will not be room enough to receive it.

Here we have God telling us about how it works.  If you do things God's way, God will reward you with overflowing goodness.

Matthew 19:28-30(NKJV)

So Jesus said to them, “Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 

And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life. 

But many who are first will be last, and the last first.

Jesus explaining the concept of receiving "100 fold" of what we gave up, plus we get eternal life too!  This 100 fold increase apples across the board.  Give up some time to serve God and he multiplies your time back to you.  Give some of your effort and energy to serve God and he multiplies that energy and effort back to you for use on your other goals.  And yes, use your financial resources in the service of God's plan and He will multiple that gift back to you as well!

Mark 10:29-31(NKJV)

So Jesus answered and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel’s, 

who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time—houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions—and in the age to come, eternal life. 

But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”

Here we have Jesus saying essentially the same thing as the verses in Matthew while at the same time clarifying the time frame.  As you can see highlighted in green, we get 100 fold of the things we gave up "now in this time" and then Jesus goes on to clarify that we get eternal life "in the age to come". 

Luke 18:29-30(NKJV)

So He said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, 

who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life.”

Here we have St. Luke confirming what Jesus said as reported in St Mark's Gospel.  We will be rewarded many times over for what we commit to God's plan…in this present time and then we get eternal life in the age to come.

So why do so many Christians struggle financially?  I'm sure there are many reasons but I think one of the main reasons is failing to stand on the promises of God.  

God said that he will reward His workers here and now as well as in eternity.  That is one of the ways God blesses His people.  Now when you have Christians going around saying that those financial blessings are disgusting, what they are really doing is calling one of God's blessings evil. 

I think God looks at that and thinks to Himself, "If this person thinks my blessings are evil then I sure wouldn't want to give something they don't want!".  :)  Yes I do think God has a sense of humor like that! 


 

Why does the Holy Spirit get this special distinction, even over Jesus?

I know I have written about this verse before but it is one that puzzles me just a little.  Not a big deal type of puzzles me but more of just a curiosity. 

Mark 3:28-30(NKJV)

“Assuredly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they may utter; 

but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is subject to eternal condemnation”—

because they said, “He has an unclean spirit.”

So you can bad mouth God and if you ask for forgiveness, it will be forgiven.  You can bad mouth Jesus and if you ask for forgiveness, it will be forgiven.  But you bad mouth the Holy Spirit and you are toast.  No do over.  No second chance.  Toast!!!!

I'm just curious why the Holy Spirit gets that distinction even over Jesus.   Of the Trinity is the Holy Spirit like the little brother?  Baby of the family so to speak?  Parents are many times accused, at least by older siblings, of babying the youngest.  And of course, big brothers (Jesus?) always give protection to their younger siblings.  :)

Or is there a more spiritual reason?  I really don't know.  I just find it curious.  Just another one of those things I will keep an eye out for in further studies.  Part of why I love studying Scripture!