Why Study Heaven?

This is Part 1 of a series by Paul Dowling  on the subject of Heaven.

Why Study Heaven?

Rev 22:1-6  

Glory, Paradise, or Heaven..  we are not studying the atmosphere, the universe or space, but God's dwelling place.  Why study heaven?  Because life in this world distracts us and blots out thoughts of heaven.  Things closer to us are seen to be bigger than eternity but they are not.  

Another reason is that through misunderstanding heaven it doesn't appeal to as many people as it should.  You may say "How could heaven not be appealing"?  Some may find it boring, they suppose it to be like a church service that goes on and on, while sitting on a marble seat.  Such a view has limited appeal and is childish.  Some are apathetic about heaven, clumsy at understanding its beauty.   But that is not the biblical view and that is another reason why believers should study heaven from the bible and look at the true biblical portrait.

Another reason is because we can know about it.  1 Corin 2:9 "But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him"  Some people use this text to say we don't know about heaven, you can't picture it, you can't hear it, you can't imagine it so why consider it.  But they need to read the next verse, 10 .  "But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God."   Natural man can't imagine the things that God has prepared, but God has revealed them to believers by his Spirit through his word, the bible.  That is the limit that God has told us about heaven and we can know what he wants us to know.   We are duty bound to study heaven because God has revealed it and whatever God has revealed, we are to study.  

We should study heaven because it is a powerful evangelistic weapon.  Look at the world around you, there is a dis-satisfaction with materialism.  Look at people's faces, are they happy?  They are not happy at all, most of them.  There is no joy in materialism, it does not bring happiness or contentedness.  If this life is it, and all we have and we live and then we die and it is over, that is depressing.   How appealing in that situation is heaven..  time is just a vapor but your soul lives forever and can live forever with God securely in heaven, satisfied in a place of indescribable beauty.  A new Paradise where every lie, deceit and wrong has been purged.  What a powerful evangelistic weapon therefore, heaven is.  God offers sinful human beings an eternity of happiness, what a glorious possibility. 

Broad Easy Conversion

In this day of compromise, multiple bible versions and "praise" songs in today's churches,  it is important for me to share this message

Broad Easy Conversion

Matthew 7:13-29

What has led to so many false professing Christians?  Shallow evangelism, followed by a man-made unbiblical tradition called the "altar call" is replacing biblical signs of conversion with man-made physical actions that anyone can perform.  This has led to many false conversions, and therefore many false professing Christians.  "Raise your hand, come to the front, repeat these words after me"  you can do all these things and go to hell just as quickly as the person you are sitting beside because these things do not save.  They have no saving merit at all.  They are unbiblical. 

To be truly saved, you need to be convicted of your sin by the Holy Spirit, repent of your sin, that means turn from it, and trust in Jesus as your Saviour.  Then afterwards you have a life of gospel holiness as a natural consequence of your conversion.  Philippians 3:17-20 "Brethren be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an example.  (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:  whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)  For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ."

The false Christian's slip is always showing.  They are hostile to a holy life and governed by self-will or they are proud of their sin.  They are consumed with a worldly mind-set.  These are signs of a mere profession.

What is Christ's teaching concerning the symptoms of the false professing Christian?  Matthew 7, the sermon on the mount.  It is right here that the Lord gives very plain teaching on the subject.  This sermon is about the kingdom of heaven and the citizens of that kingdom.  It is not a moral code for everybody to follow, that is impossible, it is not that.  The sermon on the mount is a description of the citizens of God's kingdom, true Christians and what they characterize in their life.  He describes the blessedness of the citizens of the kingdom of God, what they are to be - salt and light, he describes their lifestyle, what God demands of them, the spiritual depths of the ten commandments.  Christ tells us of the drastic sanctification or holiness of the citizens of the kingdom.  The sermon tells us how they are to pray and give, their other worldliness in their character, they are not materialistic.  Christians have respect for other people.  

True or False Christians

True or False Christians

Matthew 7:13-27 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves,.Ye shall know them by their fruits.  Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.  A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.  Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.  Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.  Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast  out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? and then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.  Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.  And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.  And it came to pass when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

Those that say they are Christians when they are not, those who think they are Christians when they are not..  the false professing Christian is a very common condition.  Most of the Puritan works deal with this subject.  This subject and how to identify the false professing Christian is a common theme in scripture.  This is not a popular theme.  Very few people even like to define what a Christian is anymore, now it is vague and broad.  Now they say that Jesus died for our mistakes.  He did not die for our mistakes, he died for our sin.  Now it is "lets not define it too closely"..  If preachers are becoming like that no wonder there are so many false professing Christians.  "easy believism converts"  You recognize them in these areas:  they are hostile to a holy life, they are governed by self will. They are proud of their sin, they glory in their shame, they are consumed with a worldly mind-set. Philippians 3:17-20 "Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an example.  (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)  For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.”

The true Christian is truly converted.  Conversion is entering into new life through a narrow gate.  The true Christian life proceeds onto a narrow path where you watch your step every where you go.  False conversion is shown by Christ to be characterized by a wide gate, "my conversion is so easy" (they say)  you don't have to leave much behind, its effortless, it proceeds onto a wide path where you don't have to watch how you walk and you can live as you please.  The life of a hypocrite.  The false Christian is characterized by a conversion where sin was not left behind and an unholy life where care is not taken to follow God's will.  No repentance from sin and an unholy life of disobedience to the bible.