I was recently counseling a couple that had lost a
loved one and as I was talking with them about the memorial service it became
apparent that their view of Heaven was not Biblical.
There had been some Jehovah’s Witnesses (JW) influence in
the family, which was unfortunate.
Unfortunate for this couple was now a little unsure about the Biblical
teaching of Heaven. This JW religion that they had been exposed to is one of the
more harmful cults competing with Biblical christianity. Jehovah's Witnesses appear and even claim to be Christian but are
spiritually bankrupt. In many ways they
are the poster child for 2 Timothy 3:5, “having a form of godliness but denying
its power”. Paul finishes this verse in
his letter to Timothy with good advice with respect to our dealings with those
that adhere to Jehovah’s Witnesses teaching, “Have nothing to do with them!”
I believe that our belief in and about heaven has an
impact in and how we live our life on earth.
For example, how are we to deal with trials and
suffering? The
Apostle Paul said, "For momentary, light affliction is producing in us an
eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison" (2 Cor. 4:17).
In essence the Apostle tells us that the knowledge of the
glory of heaven provides a remedy to the trials of life. Rather than grieving like the unbeliever
over loss of property, relationships and life itself, we are to encourage one
another. We are to believe and act on the belief that there will be a time when the Lord Himself will bring in a grand
finale that will usher in a time of being together with the Lord and our loved
ones and those that have gone on before us.
Finally and in direct contrast to the teachings of the
JWs, when we leave our bodies, when we die, we are immediately present with the Lord. Paul was torn between two realities. If he died, he would be with Christ
(immediately, not after some undetermined time of soul sleep) which would be
“better by far” (Phil. 1:23) or he could remain in his body and be of good use
to those in his flock.
Understanding the reality of heaven and a faith and
forever being with the Lord will change both our attitude about and our
appetite for the things of this world.
