Pages

Tuesday, April 11, 2017

Absent From Heaven



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