Gospel Prism

Most people I know have a deep aversion to talk about hell. But you want to know the real shocker? Most people I know also have a deep aversion to talk about heaven as well. Now I am not talking about heaven in some sort of ethereal, almost comical way where angels float around with harps and people are walking on clouds. Many singers have sung about heaven. When I was in grade school, Belinda Carlisle had a popluar song called, “Heaven Is a Place on Earth.” The lyrics go like this:

Ooh, baby, do you know what that’s worth ?
Ooh heaven is a place on earth
They say in heaven love comes first
We’ll make heaven a place on earth
Ooh heaven is a place on earth

Rock Star Bryan Adam’s song about heaven went this way:

Baby you’re all that I want
When you’re lyin’ here in my arms
I’m findin’ it hard to believe
We’re in heaven
And love is all that I need
And I found it there in your heart
It isn’t too hard to see
We’re in heaven

If this is what heaven is about, I guess heaven only lasts so long as “your lyin here in my arms.” By the way, who is the “they” in “they say in heaven love comes first”? Is this the love of 1 John 4:7ff.? I have a feeling Belinda is quoting Scripture here.

That’s not the heaven I am talking about here. We can think of heaven this way because we want to materialize the abstract. No, I am talking about the reality of heaven. Because you see, to talk about heaven also means to talk about death, to talk about life after and that is a subject people do not like broaching.

For the Christian also, I would venture to guess that even you do not like talking about heaven and its implications, not really. Because there is a fear out there that to talk about heaven means to be overly concerned with other-worldly things, to be in space somewhere not living this real life. But I do not think we need not fret over an over-emphasis on heaven, not in our day and in our culture.

Bryan Chapell, president of Covenant Theological Seminary, tells of an African student in an elementary seminary preaching class chose a text that spoke of heaven and Christ’s return. (The Wonder of It All, p. 189). He began his message like this: “I have been in the United States for several months now. I have seen the great wealth that is here—the fine homes and cars and clothes. I have listened to many sermons in churches here, too. But I have yet to hear on sermon about heaven. Because everyone has so much in this country, no one preaches about heaven. People here do not seem to need it. In my country most people have very little, so we need to preach on heaven all the time. We know how much we need it.� Perhaps the saddest point of his statement is the last line and its implications. Because in Africa they have so little, they need and long for heaven so much. The converse could be that because we have so much here, we have so little need and therefore care less about heaven.

We do not like thinking about heaven because we are so afraid that it can rob us of joys here and now. But nothing could be further from the truth. Thinking and living in light of heaven and all of its glory and promises helps us to live with all our might here on earth. This past week, Ted Engstrom, former president of Christian relief organization World Vision died at the age of 90 years old. I was listening to an interview with him with James Dobson and Dr. Dobson asked him this question: “Ted are you looking forward to heaven? “ Ted answered, “Am I ever? Oh my goodness yes!… I could hardly wait. I can’t imagine what heaven has for me. I’m terribly excited about it.â€? And he added, “But while I’m here, I’m equally excited about serving the Lord.â€?

To hear someone like Ted Engstrom face death ( at the time of the interview he was blind and had a very difficult time moving due to disease) and look forward so eagerly to heaven is not only inspirational, but it is exactly how Christians should view heaven and life. To long for heaven is not contradictory to a life lived to the fullest and with passion here on earth, as Ted so wonderfully speaks about. Strangely enough, however, too many Christians live as though to think and dream of heaven is wrongheaded or far too ‘otherworldly.’ We don’t like to be labeled as such because it seems dreamy, nutty, spacey. But how terrible it is to think of heaven in such a way. For the Christian, heaven is our cherished home. And the being that instigates our lessening of a view of heaven is Satan Himself. He hates heaven because he is no longer there and no longer able to enjoy heaven himself. So Revelation 13:6 says: “It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God, blaspheming his name and his dwelling, that is, those who dwell in heaven.� Satan will do everything he can to convince people not to look forward to heaven, but instead to enjoy the here and now, so he blasphemes not only God, not only those who trust in God, but also in God’s dwelling place, heaven!