Austin's Blog

1-Heaven is where people go to dwell with God forever.

Myth: Heaven is the final stop.

Truth: Heaven, or the intermediate state, is temporary.

Heaven, or where those who belong to Christ are located, is properly called the intermediate state in theology. The Bible teaches that when we die, our spirit/soul goes immediately into the presence of God (Luke 23:43; Rev. 6:9-11; 2 Cor. 5:8; Phil 1:21-26) and our bodies are placed in the grave, where we await the resurrection at the end of the ages. Creation is moving towards a cosmic marriage where Heaven and Earth wed, never to be split again. John writes in Revelation 21:1-3, “Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away…” Pastor John MacArthur notes, “God will renovate the heavens and the earth, merging His heaven with a new universe for a perfect dwelling-place that will be our home forever. In other words, heaven, the realm where God dwells, will expand to encompass the entire universe of creation, which will be fashioned into a perfect and glorious domain fit for the glory of heaven. The apostle Peter described this as the hope of every redeemed person: ‘We, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness’ (2 Pet. 3:13).”

What this means is the current state of believers is temporary. Heaven is great but it is not the end of the world. Theologian Bruce Ware writes, “As wonderful as the intermediate state is for believers – we are with the Lord – it still falls short of the fullness God has for us when we are given glorified bodies and restored fully into the image of the risen Christ to live with Him forever. So, our real hope is the blessed coming of the Lord when the resurrection takes place. The intermediate state is simply a step in that direction, but not the fullness of what God has for us.” Christians have used the language of the intermediate state and the final Heaven interchangeably because the intermediate state is viewed as the beginning of the process of the future, eternal state, which the resurrection begins. Our beloved dead are in a better place but not the best place yet. God intends to do to our bodies and the whole universe what He did on the third day. Resurrection is ultimate, not the current disembodied state of our Christian dead.

2-Everyone automatically goes to Heaven after they die.

Myth: Universalism is true.

Truth: Only those who accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior go to Heaven in the End.

As uncomfortable as it may seem, only those who have rested in Christ and received His free offer of salvation go to Heaven in the End. The Bible clearly teaches that Jesus is the only source of salvation for the world (John 3:14-16, 14:6; Acts 4:11-12). He is the Father’s chosen means of bringing redemption, as affirmed in passages like Matthew 17:5 and John 3:33-34. Rejecting Jesus is equated with rejecting the Father (John 5:23, 12:48-50), and such rejection results in judgment and wrath, whereas belief in Him rescues from condemnation (John 3:18, 36; 2 Thess. 1:7-9). Furthermore, Jesus alone provides forgiveness of sins (Luke 5:24-25; John 1:29), and though many false teachers may claim to offer alternative ways of salvation (Matt. 7:13-14; Gal. 1:8-9). Scripture is clear that no other path exists (John 18:37; Gal. 2:21).

The gospel message is meant for all nations (Matt. 28:18-19; Luke 24:47), and ultimately, Jesus Himself will be the judge on the final day (John 5:22-23; Acts 17:30-31). No mere human can redeem another, for only Christ, being both truly God and truly man, has the power to save (Phil. 2:6-11; Col. 1:15-20). This central truth of Scripture underscores the necessity of faith in Jesus as the only way to eternal life. For those who reject Jesus and want nothing of Him in life, He gives that to them and they live apart from Him for all eternity. None of the arguments for universalism are convincing enough to make us modify or lay aside what Jesus expressly taught.

3-The Bible tells us everything about Heaven.

Myth: We know everything that can be known about Heaven.

Truth: We know only what we need to know now.

We actually have very little information regarding the present experience of believers in Heaven right now. We know believers are with Christ in a disembodied state, we know that it is better to be with Him than in this sin-soaked world, and we know the best is yet to come. While we long to know more about Heaven, Scripture reminds us that our understanding is limited. Paul writes, “For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known” (1 Cor. 13:12). Our knowledge is partial, like looking through a dim mirror, but one day, all will be clear. Similarly, 1 Corinthians 2:9 assures us, “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived—the things God has prepared for those who love him.” Though we may long for more details, we can trust that what awaits us is beyond our imagination and infinitely good. We are told what we need to know, not what we wish we knew.