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Heaven! The home of the soul, and the place every normal soul who knows about it wants to
go when life is over. But to reach heaven one must conform his life to the teachings of
Jesus Christ, and most people will not do this.
Jesus said, "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: because strait is the gate and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it" (Matt. 7:13-14). Few saved, many lost is the teaching of our Lord. Don't let Satan deceive you into believing that it will be otherwise. But what is heaven? "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also" (Jn. 14:1-3). Since heaven is a prepared place, only those who are prepared for it will go there. That means that one's nature and character must be assimilated into the divine nature to live in heaven. That's the exact teaching of Peter and Jesus' in his conversation with Nicodemus. "Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust" (1 Pet. 1:4). "Ye must be born again" (Jn. 3:3). One's spirit must be quickened, regenerated, and become a partaker of God's nature before he can live in heaven and associate with divine society. There is nothing on this earth that is secure. All matter — including man's body — is subject to corruption and decay and death. Everything on this earth perishes. Neither are our possessions secure. Many banks have closed against savings of life, crops have been washed away or dried up for lack of water, houses are destroyed by fire and storms, and thieves are busy robbing pockets or breaking into homes. Nothing in this old world is secure. But not so with heaven. There, all is safe and sound for eternity. "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon the earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through and steal" (Matt. 6:19-20). Yes, heaven is a place of security because none will be there but the redeemed. Children inherit their parents' estates. God's children will inherit heaven. Paul says we are "heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ," (Rom. 8:17), and that means that whatever belongs to Christ, also belongs to us who are the people of God. As joint-heirs, we are joint partakers with Him and will share his blessings and glory in heaven. That thought is deep and glorious, but true! "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance/incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you" (1 Pet. 1:3-4). This is what makes the soul long for a home better than this present world. Everything here is corruptible, defiled, and smeared with sin. But not so with heaven! We call this country in which we live the best on earth — and to us it is. Here we have religious freedom which is the greatest treasure that a government can vouchsafe to its citizens. Here we are protected, in a great measure, from evil-doers and every man is free to express his opinion without fear of shackles being placed on either feet, hands or brain. Yes, this is a most wonderful country, but there is a better one — heaven. It was said of Abraham and his seed that as they journeyed to the land of Canaan, "if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city" (Heb. 11:15-16). Yes, heaven is called "a better country" — far better than this one, or any country on earth. Think of the tears, sorrow and pain that we have all experienced down through the ages and that we currently experience. All these are caused by sin. But in heaven there will be no sin, and all sorrow and tears will be left behind. In heaven there will be nothing but joy and happiness through the eternal ages. Do you want to go there? If so, you must do the following:
If these things you will do, you will become a new creature in Christ Jesus and start on that road that leads to heaven. Then faithfully continue on that road until death, and heaven will be yours on that glorious resurrection day. |