Eternal Life In Heaven

The world’s population is aging. The Wall Street Journal recently reported that almost 17 percent of the U.S. population is 65 or over, but the U.S. ranks only 34th globally in the number of aging people. When natural causes of death among the elderly are combined with all those dying from sickness, disasters, wars, accidents, or intentional causes like suicide, it all adds up to a very large percentage of people passing from this earth. Yet with all of this, very little thought is given to what happens after death. Where do people go? Is there a better place?

Now, on to a more positive aspect. I began writing this article on Easter Sunday, the day that Christians celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, an event recorded in history, whether people choose to believe it or not. Jesus conquered death because he was and is God in human flesh! What does this all mean for all those who have died, or will die? There are many beliefs about life after death based upon religious teachings or human philosophies. However, about 61 percent of people in the U.S. believe there is a heaven. There can be life after this world in the presence of God – a life far better than what is experienced here. I say “can” because there is a condition attached! More about that at the end of this article.

Author Steve Berger writes, “From the beginning of time, God said there was a day coming when all things hurting, all broken things, and all things that are wrong would be restored. Spiritual and moral brokenness would be restored by heaven’s holiness(2 Peter 3:13), captive and oppressed things would be restored by heaven’s freedom(Luke 4:18), poor and impoverished things would be restored by heaven’s riches and rewards(Matthew 5:12), and sick and hurting things would be restored by heaven’s healing(Revelation 21:4).” (Between Heaven and Earth, 2014, Bethany House Publishers, page 111).

Revelation 21:4 says that God “will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore,  for the former things have passed away.” Not only this, but people will have glorified bodies like Jesus! Philippians 3:20-21 adds, “But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body…”

Who would not want to go to a place like this after passing from this earthly existence? Many like to assume that heaven is where people go after this life is over, but can one have confident assurance of that? It is all based on the resurrection of Jesus. Without this, I Corinthians 15:14 says that a person’s “faith in is vain,” and “we have hope in this life only…”(15:19). Without the resurrection there is no hope beyond this present life! John 11:25, Jesus says, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this? Jesus has provided a way to life eternal with all of the amenities of heaven.

The condition, however, of having confident assurance of going to heaven, is expressed in Romans 10:9. “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Many people throughout all the ages of history have gone to heaven, and many more will, based on the resurrection. Will you be one of them?