The Mystery of Heaven (part 4)

Everyone who believes in some sort of afterlife has contemplated what heaven must be like, including myself. I come from a Christian perspective, so I accept that no person will be there, who refused God’s means of mercy in Christ Jesus. Some see this perspective as self-righteous, and that Christians must think they are superior to the rest of humanity; the irony of this position is two-fold: First, Christians believe that it is by God’s righteousness in Christ that we are healed and forgiven of our sins because we are in and of ourselves, unrighteous. Second, it is likely that those who make such claims against Christians are relying on their own sufficient goodness before God to get them into heaven (sounds like self-righteousness).

Christians are sinners that have recognized their sinful state before the Holy God. We trust in Christ not only to forgive us of our sins, but to renew us to a sinless state. We are in affect, being saved from sinning. What does all this have to do with heaven? If everyone makes it to heaven on their own sufficient goodness, what difference would exist between heaven, and earth? “A difference that makes no difference is no difference at all” (Bob Passantino). One might object and reply that only murderers, rapist, child abusers, and other such ilk will be excluded, but why? The Law of Moses condemns adulterers, the envious, those who dishonor parents, lie, steal, and serve false gods. This would seem to remove a significant portion of humanity from the hope of heaven (possibly everyone one). Consider heaven with drunks, drug users, the hot tempered curser, the lazy, the ungrateful, the constant complainer, and the list may be endless. If we do not significantly alter our sinful disposition, logically, heaven may not be such a blissful destination. (I will continue on next post).

TOTT