The Wrong Question (Part 2 of 2)

Last week, I began by sharing why I believe the question, “Will I go to heaven when I die?” is the wrong question for us to ask. The question primarily conveys an attitude of works – have I done enough to warrant a place in heaven. As I wrote last week, that question does not reflect the Bible’s teachings. We should serve because we are saved, but we cannot work to be saved (Ephesians 2.8-10). This week, I will continue that thought by focusing on three words most Christians, and a large number of people have said – “Thy Kingdom come.”

The real reason that the question above is wrong is that it puts the focus on a place rather than God. A similar understanding is found among most Christians with relation to the church. When the word church is spoken a place comes to mind. For instance, churchgoers often say, “I am going to church.” That expression is meant that I am going to a place, but the church is not a place, it is a people. The same words could be spoken and have a meaning of, “I am going to be with the fellowship of believers,” but it doesn’t. The word “churchgoers” used just above, could likewise mean that the church (the people) are going out on mission, rather than going to a building. But again, the word has come to mean a group of people who go to a place.

Most everyone uses the word “church” to denote a place. Don’t we do the same with a phrase such as “God’s Kingdom?” But God’s Kingdom is not a physical space, or at least not a confined (nor contiguous) space. God’s Kingdom is where God is king; that is, wherever God rules. If we are serious about being with God in a place, then why should we wait until we die? We can be with Him in our current space just as easily as we can be in a future space.

If we tie this thought back to the original question, we may rightly consider that heaven is a place where God rules, so we want to go to heaven. But Jesus said that the Kingdom of God is at hand (Mark 1.15). Jesus came, in part, to bring God’s Kingdom to earth which is evident in the three words from His prayer, “Thy Kingdom come.” The idea is about God’s dominion spreading throughout the earth “as it is in heaven.” In one sense, God is fully in control of all that happens on the earth, but we certainly do not follow His will as perfectly as the celestial beings serving Him in heaven. Thus, our praying the prayer is a statement of our willingness to submit to God’s will here just as we will do in eternity.

Ultimately, “Thy Kingdom come” is not about a spatial relationship, it is about a personal one. Christians often talk about having a “personal relationship with Jesus” but sometimes act as if they are more interested in having a spatial relationship with heaven. Remember, heaven was a part of creation, so God is obviously greater. Thus, a better question might be: If Jesus was not in heaven, would you rather be in heaven or with Jesus? Personally, I will choose Jesus! If He made heaven, and doesn’t want to be there, imagine how much better wherever He might chose must be! (This scenario is hypothetical as Revelation 21 and 22 indicate that Jesus will be present in the new heaven and new earth.)

But while that question may be better, a simplified version of that question is what counts: Do I want to be with Jesus when I die?

If the answer is yes, why wait until you die? Start your life with Him today!

If you need more information on becoming a Christian, you can find many great websites on the web including this one.

The Wrong Question (Part 1 of 2)

As a pastor, I have been asked many questions. One question that is pervasive, although it takes various forms, could be simply stated as, “Will I go to heaven when I die?” As the title of this post suggests, I believe that is the absolute wrong question and I will explain why momentarily. However, to provide an answer to the question above, all I can truly admit to anyone is that I cannot know that answer for anyone but myself. 1 John 5.13 states that we can know that we have eternal life, but I cannot necessarily know about you nor can you know about me. We might suspect the answer, but God searches (and knows) the heart. You and I can only see the outside evidence. Certainly, the fruit of faith is important, but just as the fruit we eat can look deceptively good (or bad) it is the inside that truly matters.

But let me turn towards the primary reason for this post. In fact, 1 John 5.13 provides evidence for my statement about going to heaven being the wrong answer. You might not see it at first, and if so, it is because of a definition that many have entrenched in their minds. The verse says, “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life.” Do you see the answer now? If not, let me clarify.

Eternal life does not begin when we die – it begins when we “believe in the name of the Son of God.” Now that doesn’t mean we know the name Jesus, it means we have faith in the name and all that He represents. But the point here is that we have life when that faith begins, not when we die. Thus, when we ask, “Will I go to heaven when I die?” we are really saying, in some fashion, “Will I get to enjoy all God has promised once I die?” (More specifically, many people are asking “Have I done enough to get to heaven?” but that is a worse question, in my opinion, and deserves another post altogether.)

The reason that the earlier question is the wrong one is that Jesus has promised to be with His people always (Matthew 28.20), and sent the Spirit to guide us throughout our lives as Christians (John 14.16-17; 15.7). Furthermore, those who follow Jesus are children of God (1 John 3.1-2), and that benefit begins on earth...we need not wait for heaven.

I realize of course that this earth is not what heaven will be. Problems we face while living on this side of eternity will disappear completely on the other side. But that fact is true of eternity, not of heaven. Heaven is a place and may represent our concept of eternity, but heaven was created, just as was the earth. Thus, we need not focus on “going to heaven” we need to keep our focus on God, not a place we might idolize by our desiring to be there.

Ultimately, we must ask ourselves if our goal is to be in heaven or to be with Jesus. The two need not be mutually exclusive, but, I fear, for too many people heaven is the greater goal. For me, I do not care if I ever go to heaven and long as I am with Jesus. Eternity for me is about being with a Person, not being in a place. In Part 2 of this two-part series (next week), I will elaborate on this idea further.

U - Unite (Part 1), Dogma, Doctrine, Belief

The next function necessary for Kingdom living is fellowship. In the model of JOURNEY, this represents the U - unity. As disciples (obedient - O), we are to be united in Christ and united for Christ. Many believers will agree with this statement, but how we live it out is another matter. Of course, not everyone has the same understanding of biblical teachings. This goes back to the idea of dogma, doctrine, and belief.

Very briefly, dogma represents the essentials of understanding, in this case, for Christianity. Jesus being born of a virgin, dying physically, and being physically raised from the dead are a few essentials of what it means to be a Christian. Apart from these, and others one cannot truly claim to be Christian.

Doctrine, on the other hand, represents an understanding of Scripture that separates many believers into certain classifications that are deemed very important by most (e.g.  denominations), yet do not diminish the authenticity of someone's faith in, and through, Christ. Examples might include baptism, Spiritual gifts, etc.

Belief, is also important, just not as important, from a Kingdom perspective. While dogma separates Christian thought from non-Christian thought, and doctrine often separates believers by denomination, varying beliefs are commonly held by many in a single congregation, let alone denomination. Understanding the event, or the timing of, the rapture and Second Coming would be an example of this definition of belief.

Beliefs are important, and the idea that we use the word "believe" to express our thoughts on dogmatic issues, doctrinal issues, and issues of understanding of select topics (e.g. Second Coming) confuse the issues. But it should not keep us from being united in the realm of the Kingdom. Christians are not (should not be) enemies of other Christians. Unfortunately, this happens all too often.

We must take care to be united in our faith (dogma), while reflecting on our differences. We may not all agree on this side of eternity. But I would guess on the other side, we will find out some things we thought were especially important, were not very important at all in God's eyes.

Remember, United, we DO stand. Divided, we will fall.