Austin's Blog

1-We will be perpetually singing and sitting on clouds in an eternal choir meeting.

Myth: Heaven is just one big praise concert.

Truth: Heaven will feel very earthy in a lot of ways.

A lot of people attack the idea of Heaven as a boring, eternal choir meeting. The majority of us don’t enjoy long choir meetings on this side of Heaven so why would we enjoy an eternal one? Though we will obviously sing in Heaven, the portrait of the New Heavens and the New Earth is one of activity, industry, and wonder. Joni Eareckson Tada writes, “Heavenly fellowship with friends won’t be some ethereal do-nothingness where we yawn, sit around on clouds, and ogle at angels. Because heaven is the home of redeemed humans, it will be thoroughly “human” in its structure and activities.” For those who use what God gives them well, the Lord will say, “Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master. (Matt 25:23)” Revelation 21:26 says, “They [the redeemed] will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations.” We will rule and reign alongside our King over the whole cosmos.

2-Heaven is static and unchanging.

Myth: Heaven is perfect and we will know everything upon arrival.

Truth: We will continue to grow, learn, and love more deeply for all eternity.

Under the influence of Greek thought, some have argued that Heaven will be static and unchanging. Once you arrive, you have fully arrived and there’s no change that could happen. You have what God has and there’s no need for more improvement. In one sense, Heaven is static. Philosopher Paul Helm notes, “Heaven is static to the extent that the moral character of believers in heaven can never decay. There will be growth and movement in heaven, no doubt, because there cannot be bodies without change, but there will be no decay.” Our righteousness will be as strong as steel beams for all eternity. However, Heaven will not be static. We will continue to grow, mature, deepen, and conform more and more to the glory, goodness, and grace of God.

Paul says in 1 Corinthians 13:13, “For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.” There’s no indication this happens all at once. He says elsewhere in Ephesians 2:7 that we are seated in the heavenly places, “…so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” We will continue to marvel and perceive greater depths to God and His work through His Son. Pastor theologian Sam Storms says, “Our experience of God will never reach its consummation. We will never finally arrive, as if upon reaching a peak we discover there is nothing beyond. Our experience of God will never become stale. It will deepen and develop, intensify and amplify, unfold and increase, broaden and balloon. Our relishing and rejoicing in God will sharpen and spread and extend and progress and mature and flower and blossom and widen and stretch and swell and snowball and inflate and lengthen and augment and advance and proliferate and accumulate and accelerate and multiply and heighten and reach a crescendo that will even then be only the beginning of an eternity of new and fresh insights into the majesty of who God is!”

3-Everyone will have the same rewards in Heaven.

Myth: Everyone will be the same and have the same rewards.

Truth: Depending on the life lived to the Lord, our rewards will be different in Heaven.

J. Hampton Keathley writes, “The basic principle of the biblical teaching of rewards is that the way we live today will determine the rewards we will receive tomorrow (1 Cor. 3:12-15; 2 Cor. 5:10; Rom. 14:10-12).” As individualistic, democratic Westerners, we might feel unease at the idea that there are different degrees of rewards in the End. Yet, this is a biblical teaching. Believers will have their lives, ministries, and faithfulness judged for the basis of determining rewards. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 4:5, “Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God.” He echoes this idea throughout his writings (Rom. 14:10-12; 2 Cor. 5:10; 1 Cor. 3:12-15, 9:24-25; Rom. 2:6-11) as well as other writers (Matt. 5:12, 46, 6:1-4, 10:41-42, 16:27; Luke 19:16-19; Rev. 22:12).

What are these rewards? This is where we don’t actually have clear answers. Some have suggested varying degrees of authority, different capacities for joy, more physical crowns or things, etc. Who knows? Looking at the seven churches of Revelation 2-3, the rewards are all over the place and are likely biblical and cultural metaphors for eternal life:

• Ephesus (Rev. 2:7) The right to eat from the tree of life in the paradise of God.
• Smyrna (Rev. 2:11) – Will not be hurt by the second death.
• Pergamum (Rev. 2:17) – Given hidden manna, a white stone with a new name written on it.
• Thyatira (Rev. 2:26-28) – Authority over the nations, will rule with a rod of iron, and receive the morning star.
• Sardis (Rev. 3:5) – Clothed in white garments, name will not be blotted out of the Book of Life, and Jesus will confess their name before the Father and angels.
• Philadelphia (Rev. 3:12) – Made a pillar in the temple of God, will never leave, given the name of God, the name of the city of God (New Jerusalem), and Jesus’ new name.
• Laodicea (Rev. 3:21) – Granted the right to sit with Jesus on His throne.

How can I be happy in Heaven if there are different degrees of rewards and I have less? Theologian Wayne A. Grudem writes, “Even though there will be degrees of reward in heaven, the joy of each person will be full and complete for eternity. If we ask how this can be when there are different degrees of reward, it simply shows that our perception of happiness is based on the assumption that happiness depends on what we possess or the status or power that we have. In actuality, however, our true happiness consists in delighting in God and rejoicing in the status and recognition that he has given us.” Why do we struggle with others having more than us now? Sin. But, there won’t be any sin in Heaven. We will rejoice over those who have more than us, which will expand our own experience of joy and delight. Seek to run the race to win the prize.