Lest We Forget About Heaven
Most all of the New Testament writers wrote to brethren who were in danger of allowing questions, strife, persecutions, and trials to cause them to apostatizes. Thus the endearing terms are not by accident nor the strong appeals for naught. Paul devoted an entire chapter (1 Corinthians 15) to remind the troubled brethren at Corinth that the resurrection was not past or done away with as some false brethren taught, but that they should confidently look forward to a universal resurrection and for the Christian, a glorious resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:22-23). He assures them that God's promise of heaven through His Son will come and all things will be "subdued unto Him", no matter what or how the devil and his servants may do to cause Christians to forget about heaven.
Each time departures from the faith are pressed by wicked or unlearned men, some souls fall by the wayside. Then when trials of sickness, loss of friends or loved ones, or changes of many kinds occur, some are also prone to forget about heaven. Our hearts are liable to become troubled, therefore, the danger is mentioned many times concerning self-deception. Our loving Savior reminds us, "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" (John 14:1-3).
For every journey that we anticipate and make, great preparation is made. The many acts of faith on the part of Abraham were in preparation and hope for the heavenly city. The "bottom line" of his trust in the fidelity and love of God is expressed by the words, "For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God'" (Hebrews 11:10). Nothing could cause Abraham's faith to be shaken because he kept his eye on the goal!
The promise of our Lord is repeated many times and in varied ways by the apostles: "And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life" (1 John 2:25); "For we know that if the earthly house of our tabernacle be dissolved, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal, in the heavens" (2 Corinthians 5:1); "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 6:23). These blessings and promises are multiplied many times over!
Have you, dear friend, set your eye toward heaven? Preparation is made by obeying the Gospel, through hearing and believing God's word, repenting of past sins and confessing the name of Christ, and being buried with Christ in the liquid grave. We arise from baptism to "walk" in newness of life, which simply means we are to live within the Lord's teaching delivered by the Holy Spirit. Jesus himself said, "...Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life" (Revelation 2:10).
From Our Archives, 1987
By Gary Colley