WILL LIVING IN HEAVEN FOREVER BE BORING?
by Shawn Brasseaux
No, not at all!
Religious tradition causes us to see life in Heaven forever as monotonous—the same old mindless, daily routine (like religion itself!). Perhaps the most prevailing idea of existence in Heaven is someone floating on a cloud, strumming a harp, and singing endless praises to God. Of course, after a few years (let alone eternity), that would become pretty dull!
Growing up, this author heard the claim that the Bible never really tells us what we will be doing in Heaven. In reality, however, this is not true. If we study the Scriptures—what most people simply refuse to do—we will see existence in Heaven as something that grows better and better with the passing of the decades, centuries, and millennia. Heaven is a place of intense activity. There is certainly time in Heaven, as the absence of time is motionlessness. Time as related to eternity is endless, stretching forever and ever. Doubtless, our limited minds struggle to comprehend anything that is limitless (do we not live in a world of the temporary?). Whether we understand it or not, the fact remains that eternity future will never stop!
Brethren, it is no secret that life on Earth is fraught with distractions and weaknesses. We do not use our brains to their full potential either. There will be no such restrictions for us in the ages to come. Eternity in Heaven will be a time of tremendous learning, the likes of which we will not know until we actually get there. We will not have the limitations that hinder us now: there will be no false teaching to trouble and confuse us, no petty denominational arguments to sidetrack and divide us, and no fleshly inclinations to afflict and distress us. Such peace and serenity will never become intolerable or “boring!”
We will now read and briefly discuss several Bible passages that aid us in understanding what our life in Heaven will be like.
Let us start in Ephesians chapter 2: “[1] And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; [2] Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: [3] Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.” Saints, before we came to faith in Jesus Christ, this was our lot in life. We were under Satan’s control, dead in our trespasses and sins, and on our merry way to Hell! Then, something drastic occurred….
“[4] But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, [5] Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved; ) [6] And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: [7] That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. [8] For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: [9] Not of works, lest any man should boast. [10] For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”
Why did God save us from our lost estate (verses 1-3)? Why did He not let us go on to Hell forever? Why did He intervene—sending Christ to die for our sins, to let us trust Him as our personal Saviour, thereby allowing us to escape that horrible fate we deserved? The answer lies here: “[6] And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: [7] That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.” Father God’s purpose in saving us from our sins and Hell’s flames is that He has a mission for us to undertake in the heavenly places. We, as saints, are now qualified to participate in His Son Jesus Christ’s reign and glorification in Heaven!
Notice verse 7: our heavenly assignment spans “the ages to come!” Dear brethren, here are the endless eons of eternity. Eternity is actually a set of uninterrupted and successive ages, each one building upon the previous. “Same old, same old” is absolutely not the case in eternity in Heaven! With each subsequent era, Almighty God will reveal to a greater (and even greater!) extent “the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus!”
Indeed, we on Earth study the Scriptures to better understand God’s grace… but the riches of that grace have yet to be grasped. Even though we can spend our whole earthly life searching and memorizing the Scriptures, we will never fully comprehend every last detail of the message of grace (let alone the rest of the Bible)! It would help if we said it like this: once we get to Heaven, God will declare, “Look, do you see this marvelous truth here? I have something more profound and thrilling to show you now! Did you see that doctrine there? Now, let me present this to you—something even better than what I just showed you!” This cycle repeats without end. The riches of God’s grace are so deep that they are actually never exhausted; therefore, our learning about that grace never ceases either.
As ages upon ages upon ages roll by in Heaven, we are growing in the Scriptures, gaining a greater awareness of exactly what Father God had in mind so long ago when He rescued us from Satan’s evil world system. We see His work in the heavenly places, and as we labor with Him up there, we better grasp His purpose and plan for glorifying His Son Jesus Christ through us functioning in those heavenly places. The details of that plan are so plentiful and so intricate that our education in them cannot stop. Here, dear friends, we plumb the immeasurable depths of God’s wisdom!
Ephesians chapter 3 concludes with a doxology, the Apostle Paul praising God as he closes his prayer for us the Body of Christ: “[20] Now unto him [Father God] that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, [21] Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.” The “world without end” refers to the permanent arrangement of us in the heavenly places. Here is life forever in Heaven, an expansion of the truths presented in chapter 2—the Church the Body of Christ living by Christ Jesus in order to glorify Father God. How exciting! Yet, brethren, there is more!
Colossians and Ephesians are companion, or sister, epistles. Therefore, we should compare them. Let us consider what Colossians chapter 1 declares: “[16] For by him [the Lord Jesus Christ] were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: [17] And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. [18] And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. [19] For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; [20] And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.”
The governmental offices that the Lord Jesus Christ created in heaven and earth have been corrupted. Sinful man and fallen angels have perverted these positions of power. Therefore, these offices must be purged of evil and restored to God. The nation Israel is God’s people who will return Earth unto Him. The Church the Body of Christ is God’s people who will return Heaven unto Him. In other words, we will reign in Heaven with Jesus Christ for His glory, that Father God ultimately be glorified.
We will turn now to Philippians chapter 3: “[20] For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: [21] Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.” These “things” are those we already read about in Colossians chapter 1—offices of government (particularly those in Heaven). Our glorified bodies are the means whereby we are equipped to function in the heavenly places (see 1 Corinthians 15:35-58 and Romans 8:18-26).
Finally, read 2 Timothy chapter 2: “[10] Therefore I endure all things for the elect’s sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. [11] It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: [12] If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us: [13] If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.” Our time in Heaven will be spent administrating God’s work throughout the universe. It will be like Earth’s governments are managed today—just without sin! There are more stars in the sky than there are grains of sand on all of Earth’s beaches! Such celestial bodies are so numerous that it will take an eternity to visit them all. Here is our domain, brethren, the eternal destiny of us the Church the Body of Christ. We will “judge angels” (1 Corinthians 6:3): “reigning with [Christ],” we rule over even the angelic beings, a massive host of millions upon millions, teaching them all the Word of God as we ourselves continue learning it!
Also see:
» What is the “fire” at the Judgment Seat of Christ?
» Will we know if a loved one is not there in heaven with us?
» What happens after death?
