I’m just contemplating today
those things that will not be in Heaven that we face daily
on earth. What I
write will be of no surprise, at least to those who long for our eternal home.
Obviously, I could never mention everything that will be absent in Heaven, so
I’ll just jot down a few things that come to mind.
The greatest tragedy though is
all the billions of people who will not be in Heaven because they did not take
the “narrow road” of life, the road that identifies Jesus Christ as the only
way to the Father.
“Enter through the narrow
gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and
many enter through it. But small is the
gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”
(Matthew 7:13-14 NIV)
First of all, we won’t have
to worry about ourselves and those we love being afflicted with any kind of
disease or illness. Everything from bad colds to cancer will not exist. There
will be no broken bones, bruises and cuts. There will be no failing eyesight
and hearing. There will be no wheel chairs, prosthetics, and canes. There will
be no ambulances, hospitals, or nursing homes. There will be no cemeteries
since no one will die.
There will be no police
force, courts and prisons since there will be no crime. No Cain will rise up to
murder his brother. There will be no locks since no one will covet and steal.
There will be no lies and deception, no scams from ‘snake oil salesmen.’
Broken homes, hunger and
loneliness will not inhabit our eternal state. There will be no drug-induced
children, alcoholic mothers or abusive fathers. There will be no shortage of
love; love from our God, and Godly love among all His children. There will be
no jealousy, bitterness, or boasting, unless it is boasting in Christ. There
will be no reprobate minds, egotism, or pride.
There will be no trash on the
highway, graffiti on the wall, deadly cold of the Artic or blistering heat of
the desert. There will be no junkyards, weeds or smelly swamps. There will be
no burned forests, flooded coastal lands or damage from winds.
The Bible even pinpoints a
non-inclusive list of those things that will not be in Heaven.
“Or do you not know that the unrighteous
will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators,
nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals,
nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers,
nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.” (1 Corinthians 6:9-10
NASB) (emphasis mine)
It is important that I pause
here and emphasize verse eleven of this same passage.
“Such WERE (emphasis
mine) some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were
justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.”
(1 Corinthians 6:11 NASB)
One or more of these sins may
be attributable to someone now, but they can be permanently removed by the
blood of Jesus Christ by simply calling upon Him to be saved. Put your trust in
Him, and He will wash you, sanctify (consecrate) you, and justify (render
righteous) you in His name and Spirit. They can, through the power of Jesus, no
longer be a part of your life if you are willing to trust Him and allow Him to
live in you.
Moving on, there will be no
Satan and none of his demonic followers. There will be no temptation and no
sin. There will be nothing unholy or unclean. There will be no false prophets,
no tears, and no anxieties. There will be no one breaking any of God’s
commands. We will all …
“…Love the Lord your God with
all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind…Love your neighbor
as yourself.” (Matthew 22:37, 39 NIV)
Because of Jesus placing His
cloak of righteousness upon us, we will be able to live in truth and
righteousness with sin no longer impeding our walk with Him.
“At that day ye shall know
that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.” (John 14:20)
“Abide in me, and I in you.
As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more
can ye, except ye abide in me. (John 15:4)
By Him living in us, we can
live for Him as we were meant to in the beginning, not as robots, but as free
agents.
I have only listed a few
things that come to mind of the things that will not be in Heaven. Read the
Word and think on these thinks and you will see many more. For the Christian,
Heaven is our true home, but what really makes it a ‘home’ is because we will
be with our Creator, God, Savior and Lord, fellowshipping with Him, enjoying
His love in worship and praise.
Grant Phillips
Email: grantphillips@windstream.net