Note: the following (to the <<< >>>) is the reaction, reflection, etc. from a reader (who happens to be a friend). I felt his words should be shared so I asked him and he agreed. His name is Keith D. Govier and we’ve known each other for over 30 years so I’ve learned to trust that what he says is what he believes. He is relating his reaction to the previous post I wrote (“I wonder…”)
“Was pondering on similar lines myself this morning. What if I were planning a trip? We are all facing a journey into eternity. I have planned my own trips and I have used travel agents. I ponder if people depend on their pastor or priest as their travel agent into heaven. I ponder if people make their own plans, what is their perception of the hereafter? Do they think they will be earning angel’s wings? Not! Is their image of heaven based on scripture? Scripture has a lot to say about the kingdom of heaven and how to enter in.
Personally I know I could never become what God wants me to be on my own, or qualify myself for eternity, however I am day by day becoming what he wants me to be through his grace and mercy! I am reminded that scripture has made the promise that through Jesus I am already in! Praise God!”
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Do you know how you would respond? Typically I would respond with new questions based on Keith’s. And this, friends and neighbors, is how we grow, how we understand, and how we can dialogue. But I also don’t want to blur the message Keith was saying. (I also don’t want to put words in his mouth or assume his definitions.) I’m responding based on what he said resounded for me.
Let me start by saying… if your perception is based on what you think your pastor believes, is he/she your travel agent? If so, has the pastor ever preached a sermon on heaven – all the who/what/where/when/why questions that emerge and all the scriptures that respond to those questions? If I were a betting person I would bet that 9 our of 10 have never heard a sermon on heaven. They may preach on eternal life as the promise but never what this means.
And when you give your testimony, your who you believe in, your why do you talk about our destination? It’s much to be preferred over the other option, but … Again, as Christians we have a destination, a promise but how is this expressed?
Heaven is not something that’s earned nor can we purchase it. It too is a gift from God. Gift. But, for me, this means that it is the Love of Jesus and the Father that makes it possible for me to know that one day I will have the privilege to spend eternity (another concept that is difficult to explain) with the Triune God and all those who have accepted Jesus as the only way. It isn’t our motivation for becoming all that we can be. It isn’t a law, rule, command. It truly is a gift that we will never fully understand until we are face-to-face with the three in one.
If you are interested in a good (my view) study then:
https://www.crossway.org/articles/10-key-bible-verses-about-heaven/
is a good source and while the article does give their interpretation/understanding, it is based in scripture – not just opinion.
