Heaven1

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The entire King James Bible is written FOR us, but it is not all written TO us!
We learn from the "For" and study Paul's writings to apply the 'TO!"
Sermon Notes
April 6, 2008

Heaven

Introduction

The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men,
to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God.
Psalm 14:2

So much available and yet we know so little truthfully about Heaven!

We know it is God's home but just maybe He doesn't want us to know so much about it?
The bible has a lot of references to the word, "heaven."
What does it mean when we say, "We will die and go to heaven?"
Is it a land of eternal harping - clouds - nothing much else to do for eternity?
Is there a difference between Heaven and New Jerusalem?
Are there ever tears in heaven?
What is the new heaven and a new earth that is mentioned in Revelation 21?

Is that God's home that will be changed?

What do you really know about heaven?

Heaven vs Hell

They both are real places!
One is oh so great and one is oh so horrible!
Both are places anyone can go!
Both are places from where no one can leave!

And the horrible one is only a step to the final and eternal destination - the lake of fire.

One is a place to be avoided and one is a place to seek the way to the entrance!

Heaven's names

Heavens
The heaven
The heavenlies
Third heaven
Paradise
The highest
The Father's house

Most (religious) people believe they will go to heaven when they die.

They believe they are basically good people - haven't killed anyone, etc. - God is love, there can't be a hell, etc. etc. etc.
Some do deny that heaven exists!

However, to be consistent, those who deny hell's existence must also deny that heaven exists.

What a mess education & religion has done to the truth of heaven!

There are so many general conclusions based on many variations of 'heavenly' descriptions.

These can be clarified by looking at the KJB directly instead of all the myriad of books on heaven in the bookstores, etc.
There is 'a ton' of information in the Bible on heaven as well as many many sermons about heaven.

Romans 15:4 - For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

There are lots of mixed up books and writings in bookstore$$$.

There is a lot of baloney fed to our children through TV, videos, games, and just plain false teachings in their bible programs and videos.

II Timothy 3:7 - Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

They teach such good works and walking in Jesus footsteps, self-esteem, pride, righteousness, Vegetales and all after... etc.

Ephesians 2:8,9 - For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Five samples of false but very common teaching about Heaven:

1. There is ultimate purity; nothing vile or offensive will be there (Revelation 21:27; 22:14,15).

Truly, it is difficult for the human mind to comprehend such a place as God’s book describes.

2. Heaven is a place where anyone can go.

Because "God is love" (1 John 4:8), He ”is longsuffering to usward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9)

But the "any" includes only righteous people -- those who believe and obey the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Brethren who persist in apathy, ignorance, stubbornness and rebellion, immorality, compromising truth, and such like, cannot expect to go to heaven (cf. 1 Corinthians 6:9,10; Galatians 5:16-21; Colossians 3:1-7; 2 Thessalonians 2:7,8; 1 Peter 4:17-18).

God will permit only the righteous to be there. Jesus taught, "...strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." (Matthew 7:14).

3. Heaven is a place we can forfeit or gain. If you forfeit heaven, you gain hell.
4. The obedient will be there:

Those who obeyed God during the Patriarchal and Mosaic dispensations (Hebrews 9:15; 11:1-12; 12:1).
Those who believed and obeyed, without question or compromise, the gospel of Jesus Christ (Acts 10:35; Romans 1:16; 10:11-17; 1 Corinthians 4:15,16; 1 Peter 4:16-18; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10; Hebrews 5:9).

5. Good people go to heaven and bad people go to Hell!

There is so much 'folly' being manifested these days about heaven.

II Timothy 3:9 - But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was.
It is hurting the trust and joy of heaven as well as of God Himself.

Causes people to stumble!
Causes people to depart the faith!
Causes people to follow false teachings and religion!
Causes people to follow their 'itching' ears about what they want 'their' heaven to be.

"the great golf course in the sky..."
"the great hunting / fishing ground in the sky..."
"gone on to a better place..."

Three meanings for 'heaven.'

It refers to the atmosphere surrounding the earth.

Genesis 1:6-8 - And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so. And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.

It refers to the area of the sun, moon, and stars.

Genesis 1:14-19

Psalm 19:1 - The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.

It refers to where God has His throne.

Psalm 80:14 - Return, we beseech thee, O God of hosts: look down from heaven, and behold, and visit this vine;
Isaiah 66:1 - Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest?
Matthew 5:16 - Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
Matthew 5:45 - That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
Matthew 5:48 - Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

It is this Heaven from which Jesus came to earth (John 3:13) and to which He returned after His resurrection (Acts 1:11). From this Heaven, Christ will return to earth in the future. (Matthew 24:30; Romans 8:34; Philippians 3:18-20; I Thessalonians 4:16).

Paul

We can learn from the whole Bible about heaven - but still, we must concentrate on what Paul says to us about heaven.
The apostle Paul visited this heaven and called it paradise (II Corinthians 12:1-4; Acts 14:19,20; Galatians 1:12).
We must watch for those angels from heaven who teach another gospel other than Paul's! (Galatians 1:8; II Corinthians 11:1-4)

Does rightly dividing affect our understanding of heaven today?
Keep in mind, there will be some serious changes eventually. Revelation 21