Heaven

Wednesday Night Bible

StudyPalm Beach

Lakes church of Christ

Lesson 1

Introduction

Two main goals: 1. To lead us to a greater desire to be in

heaven with our God.

2. To gain a true, Biblical understanding of

heaven.

First Point

There is only one expert on

the topic of heaven, and that

is God.

Second Point

The only true perception ofheaven is what God reveals to

usthrough His Holy word.

Second Point

Let’s stay away from the “I thinks”…..And the “yea, buts”…….

Definition of Heaven

“The place where God livesand where good people go afterthey die according to some religions.” (merriam- webster.com)

A Look At Ancient CulturesAncient Egypt- Paradise , or a place of

splendor. Tuat was a place of darkness and

torment (jou.ufl.edu)

Babylonians - A dead person survived in the underworld in a form of a ghost. (Gidim)

(British Museum of the Ancient Near East)

A Look At Ancient CulturesAmerican Indians- Some kind of after life.

Dead would be buried with personal materials.

“Happy Hunting Grounds” ( theosofy.org)

Mayans & Aztecs - Xibalba. One of the three realms. A person that led a good life would go to Xibalba.

(Thinkquest Education Foundation)

A Look At Ancient CulturesHindu- The Bhagavad- Gita. Two paths a

soul would follow. One path, the soul would go to the Sun and never return. The other path follows the path to the Moon. Where the ancestors are. On this path is where the soul is reincarnated.

(hinduwebsite.com)

A Look At Ancient CulturesIslam- “Janna, The Garden”, “ Firdaws, Paradise” Muslims are waiting for The Judgment Day. The faithful will go to Janna, the rest will go to

Hell Two exceptions to “The Judgment”.1. Warriors who died fighting for the cause of Allah.2. “Enemies to Islam” are sentenced immediately to

Hell. For more information , see “Islam, The Quran, and

Christianity” by David Miller, Apologetics Press

A Look At Ancient CulturesThe Nordic Tribes , Vikings – Those that lived a

good, positive life would go to Asgard, the home of the gods

Heroes who died in battle would go to Vanhalla and live with the god Odin, king of the gods.

(vikingship.org)

A Look At Ancient CulturesThe Greeks ( pre-Christian) - The dead were

brought to the underworld, where they crossed the River Styxconducted by the boatman, Charon. On the other

side ofthe river, they were judged by a court. The guilty

weresent to a dark place, Tartarus, which was a place forpunishment. The pious were sent to Elysian Field,

placewhere all is bright and beautiful.

A Look At Ancient CulturesIt is as if humans have a natural

desire toseek eternity and live with their

creator.

Ecclesiastes 3: 9- 11

Modern Views of HeavenPostmodernist- No distinct view of heaven

because all views are correct. Postmodernism preaches tolerance as

the highest virtue. Therefore there is no one objective way to go to heaven. (studyjesus.com)

Modern Views of Heaven Postmodernism- Truth is manufactured , not revealed.- Denies the reality of absolute truth.- Delights in the seed of doubt.- Loves the “cultural argument”- All truths are relative and subjective. No truth

can claim to superior or exclusive.- Christianity is viewed as an enemy.- The only real sin is being controlling, exclusive, or judgmental.

Modern Views of Heaven Postmodernism Christianity claims to be exclusive. John 14:6, Acts

4:12 There is a broad and narrow way. Matt. 7: 13-14 Wise and foolish man. Matt. 7:24- 27 Belief in Jesus as the Messiah. John 8:24 Repentance and perishing Luke 13: 3, Acts 17:30 One true Gospel. Galatians 1: 6-9 The exclusive statements from Ephesians 4: 4-6 ( Phil Sanders – Affirming The Faith. Feb. 23, 2008)

Look At The Heart Of David Psalm 119: 140- 176David uses these terms:Testimonies, commandments, word,statutes, judgments and precepts.

Notice David’s attitude toward God’sword.

Modern Views of HeavenAtheist - There is no heavenThere is no hellThere are no gods positiveatheism.org

Modern Views of HeavenUnitarian Church-Unitarian Universalism considersheaven and hell to be a state of mind,created by individuals and expressed bytheir actions. (christinaity.about.com)

Modern Views of HeavenBaptist- “Baptist believe Heaven to be a real place

existing in this reality or another reality. It is where God resides. It is where those that have trusted in in their Savior will go when they die. The belief in the absolute reality of this place is much of the motivation for Baptist.”

(christianbaptist.com)

Modern Views of HeavenPentecostals- Most Pentecostals believe that thedescriptions given in the Bible aboutheaven should be taken literallyincluding streets of gold, and mansionsprepared for believers. (people.opposingviews.com)

Modern Views of HeavenJehovah’s Witnesses “No soul remains after death. Soon Jesus Christ willcome to resurrect the dead, restoring soul andbody. Those judged righteous will be giveneverlasting paradise on Earth. Those judgedunrighteous will not be tormented, but will dieand cease to exist. “ “144,000 will be chosen to go to heaven. Most JW’s do notconsider themselves a member of the 144,000 but believe

theyare a part of the Great Crowd.” (beliefnet.com , jwfacts.com)

Modern Views of HeavenMethodist-“ We believe all persons stand under

the righteous judgment of Jesus Christ, both now and in the last day. We believe in the resurrection of the dead; the righteous to life eternal, and the wicked to endless condemnation”

(Article XII The Confession of Faith , The book of Discipline)

Modern Views of HeavenPresbyterians - Westminster confession:“the bodies of men, after death, return todust, and see corruption; but their souls(which neither die nor sleep), having animmortal subsistence, return

immediatelyto God” ( presbyterianmission.com)

Modern Views of HeavenMormons- Sometime after death, the spirit and thebody will be reunited.- never to be separatedagain. This is called the resurrection.Mormons consider eternal life to be aprogression and development as we learnto become more and more like our Father inHeaven. (mormontopics.org)

Modern Views of HeavenCatholics- Purgatory- The Catholic Catechism

defines purgatory as purification as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven, which is experienced by those who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified.

Modern Views of HeavenChristian Scientist-Heaven and hell exist not as places or asparts of the afterlife, but states of mind.Mary Baker Eddy taught that sinners maketheir own hell by doing evil, and saints maketheir own heaven by doing right. (christianity.about.com)

Modern Views of HeavenVery Large Community church- “ We believe Jesus is preparing a place

for us and that He will literally come back again. We believe Heaven and Hell are real places. We believe those in Christ will live with Him forever and those who reject Christ as savior will be separated from Him forever.”

Heaven in the Light of Our Faith

Poll of a congregation in the Bible belt.“If you died, would you go to heaven?”9% said absolutely not.50% said the are not sure.40% said they would go to heaven.

60% knew they were lost, or did not know if they

were saved.

Heaven in the Light of Our Faith

1991 poll published by US News & World Report

78% of Americans believed they were going

to heaven. Eric Lyons, Apologetics Press, 2001

Heaven in the Light of Our Faith

2013 Poll from Debate.org38% I deserve to go to heaven.62% I don’t deserve to go to heaven.

1944 Poll from Gallup More than 90% believed there is a heaven.

What Children Say About Heaven

-Mom, God’s so neat, and heaven’s suppose to be

so great. Could me and Gloria go there Saturday

for a sleep-over? - My three year old granddaughter ,

Morgan, came over one day and looked around the room and asked, “Where’s Grandpa?” I answered, “He’s in heaven” Surprised, she looked at me and said, “Still?”

What Children Say About Heaven

- Our six-year-old , Rachel, prayed, “God, they keep telling us You love us kids. But I’m wondering; If you know my older bother, do You think he will ever go to heaven?”

What Children Say About Heaven

When Jenny was four, she asked, “Does heaven

have a floor?” I said, “Well, Jenny, what do you

think heaven is like?” She looked up at the sky

and clouds and replied, “Well, I can’t see any

floor, so I guess people are just up there on coat

hangers!”

What Children Say About Heaven

I told my nine-year–old Heather that someday

we would have glorified bodies. She asked, “Do

you think we’ll look like Barbie?”