Question 1

Is heaven real?

Accepted Answer

John 14:2“There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?”2 Corinthians 5:1We know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands.Not only is a heaven real, but Jesus is making preparations for our arrival. Heaven is described most often in terms of being our eternal home. It is not a paradise that we will simply visit on vacation but an eternal dwelling place where we will live in joyful fellowship with our heavenly Father and the rest of his people.Ecclesiastes 3:11God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end.God created us with an instinct for heaven, an inner longing to live forever. This is not wishful thinking; it reflects God’s intended purpose for us.1 Corinthians 15:20But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died.Jesus’ resurrection gives us the promise and assurance of our own resurrection to eternal life.Genesis 1:1, 9, 11, 20, 24, 27, 31In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. . . . Then God said, “Let the waters beneath the sky flow together into one place, so dry ground may appear.” And that is what happened. . . . Then God said, “Let the land sprout with vegetation—every sort of seed-bearing plant, and trees that grow seed-bearing fruit. These seeds will then produce the kinds of plants and trees from which they came.” And that is what happened. . . . Then God said, “Let the waters swarm with fish and other life. Let the skies be filled with birds of every kind.” . . . Then God said, “Let the earth produce every sort of animal, each producing offspring of the same kind—livestock, small animals that scurry along the ground, and wild animals.” And that is what happened. . . . So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. . . . Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good! And evening passed and morning came, marking the sixth day.2 Peter 3:13We are looking forward to the new heavens and new earth he has promised, a world filled with God’s righteousness.Revelation 21:1Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone.Not only is heaven real, but God will restore its relationship with the earth and make earth perfect and heavenly once more. Eternity will not be a featureless, abstract, “spiritual” experience. It will be an even more vivid and tangible life than the one we live now.Revelation 21:3-4I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”The promise of Scripture is that God will remove all the sin and struggles of this fallen world and create a new heaven and new earth. The best this world has to offer can’t even compare with the glory to come!

Question 2

What is heaven like?

Accepted Answer

Isaiah 65:17“Look! I am creating new heavens and a new earth, and no one will even think about the old ones anymore.”Philippians 3:21He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control.James 1:17Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.Revelation 21:3-4I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”Revelation 22:5There will be no night there—no need for lamps or sun—for the Lord God will shine on them. And they will reign forever and ever.Heaven is far beyond anything we can imagine. In heaven we will live forever with God. Heaven will have no sadness, pain, evil, or death. Everything will be perfect and glorious. God will give us new bodies and we will be able to talk face to face with the Lord himself.1 John 3:2Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is.Revelation 21:4“He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”We will one day be like Christ. We will not be equal to him in power and authority, but we will be like him in character and perfection because those who are welcomed into heaven will have no sin. In heaven we will never cry, have pain, or experience sorrow. Evil and brokenness will be gone forever.

Question 3

Who will get into heaven?

Accepted Answer

Matthew 5:3“God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.”Matthew 19:14Jesus said, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.”John 3:16“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”Those who have a relationship with Jesus Christ and accept him as Savior and Lord will live with him forever. Sin is the only barrier that keeps us from God. When we know Jesus, repent of our sins, and believe and accept that only Jesus’ perfect sacrifice for our sins can save us, we are guaranteed entrance into heaven.

Question 4

How can I be sure that I will go to heaven?

Accepted Answer

John 3:16“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”If we believe Jesus died to take the punishment for our sins, recognize that only he can forgive us, and commit ourselves by faith to him, the Bible promises that we will go to heaven. We cannot earn our way to heaven my being good. Eternal life is God’s gift to those who give their allegiance to Jesus.1 Corinthians 15:17, 20If Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sins. . . . . But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died.Hebrews 2:14-15Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying.Sin is rooted in selfishness, pride, and hatred, and it deserves eternal judgment. Also, we know that everyone has sinned (Romans 3:23). Thus, hell is the default destination for everyone who dies without Christ. But God offers hope to everyone. God sent his Son, Jesus, to die—to take the punishment for sin that we deserve. If he had only died, that wouldn’t be enough. But he rose from the dead, proving that he alone has power over death. The only one who has ever defied death promises this same everlasting life to all who follow him.Acts 2:38-39Peter replied, "Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. This promise is to you, to your children, and to those far away-all who have been called by the Lord our God."1 Corinthians 15:42It is the same way with the resurrection of the dead. Our earthly bodies are planted in the ground when we die, but they will be raised to live forever.Faith in Jesus is meaningless if this life is all there is. Jesus’ resurrection was the essential aspect of God’s plan to allow us to spend eternity with him. Because Jesus was raised from the dead with a new body, we can be assured that he has the power over death and that we, too, will be resurrected with a new body and live forever with him.Romans 8:35-39I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.God’s love is stronger than any person, supernatural foe, or circumstance that may threaten us. No matter what comes our way, nothing can separate us from God’s love when we trust in Jesus Christ.

Question 5

How should knowing about heaven affect my life now?

Accepted Answer

2 Corinthians 4:17Our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!As heaven-bound followers of Jesus, we can put heaven and earth in perspective. Here, most will live for less than a hundred years. In heaven, 100 million years will be just the beginning. Yet amazingly, how we live during our short time on earth should prepares us for heaven. This gives purpose to life, perspective on our troubles, and anticipation for the unique roles God has planned for us in eternity.Matthew 6:19-20“Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal.”Knowing we will spend eternity in heaven should lead to prioritizing things that have eternal value. Our relationship with God and our relationships with others will be our greatest treasures in eternity.Philippians 1:6I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.The key to perseverance on earth is having a clear view of heaven. When we see clearly where we are going, we can endure the hardships along the road.

Question 6

Does the Bible really claim only one way to heaven is available?

Accepted Answer

John 14:6Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.”Acts 4:12“There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.”Jesus clearly stated that he is the only way to heaven. Some may think that they can buy their way in, work their way in, think their way in, or meditate their way in, but the Bible is clear—Jesus Christ provides the only way in. Believing this and gratefully accepting it is the only way to get to life’s most important destination.Luke 14:16-18Jesus replied with this story: “A man prepared a great feast and sent out many invitations. When the banquet was ready, he sent his servant to tell the guests, ‘Come, the banquet is ready.’ But they all began making excuses.’”Revelation 19:6-9Then I heard again what sounded like the shout of a vast crowd or the roar of mighty ocean waves or the crash of loud thunder: “Praise the Lord! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns. Let us be glad and rejoice, and let us give honor to him. For the time has come for the wedding feast of the Lamb, and his bride has prepared herself. She has been given the finest of pure white linen to wear.” For the fine linen represents the good deeds of God’s holy people. And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding feast of the Lamb.” And he added, “These are true words that come from God.”In the parable of the wedding feast, we hear God’s invitation to everyone to join in the heavenly celebration. Sadly, many reject the invitation. They had other priorities and simply didn’t care enough about God to desire to join him. Attempting to get to heaven without loving and accepting Christ is like wanting to enjoy the wedding cake and the dancing without having to celebrate the bride and groom. It completely misses the point.