Heaven is a glorious reality for those who turn from their sin and trust in Jesus as their Savior and Lord. Although we deserve God’s punishment for our sin, the good news of the gospel is that God has taken that punishment on himself in the person of his Son, Jesus Christ. Christ’s death on the cross and his victory over death in his resurrection grant believers forgiveness of sins and the hope of eternal life. Christians can say with Paul, “our citizenship is in heaven” (Philippians 3:20). So let’s consider three different aspects of heaven.
Heaven is a Place of Full Reconciliation
Being with and enjoying a relationship with God is the consummation of the biblical story: “The dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will dwell with Him: (Revelation 21:3). The Bible begins by telling us about Adam and Eve’s experience of dwelling with God in the garden of Eden (Genesis 1–2). This relationship was ruined by sin (Genesis 3), and only God’s redemption in Christ could rescue man from sin’s consequences (Romans 3:21–26). At the consummation of God’s redeeming work, God’s dwelling with man will be fully restored (Revelation 21–22).
The imagery Scripture gives of being with God in heaven is brilliant: we will be like priests living in the temple (Revelation 7:15); like a bride joined with her husband (Revelation 21:2); like children united with their Father (1 John 3:1–2); like heirs of a King enjoying their inheritance (Matthew 25:34); like participants in the banquet of all banquets (Revelation 19:9). These analogies help us understand the joy and privilege of dwelling in God’s presence, being fully reconciled to him.
Heaven is a Place of Complete Restoration
The Bible also tells us that heaven is a place of complete restoration. Spiritually speaking, we will be completely free from sin, no longer even touched by temptation. Sin will be unthinkable and undesirable in heaven, and we will be utterly free to obey God in every way.
Heaven is a glorious reality for those who turn from their sin and trust in Jesus as their Savior and Lord.
Yet the reality of spiritual restoration should not make us think of heaven as some ethereal land of disembodied spirits. Heaven is also a place of physical restoration. The place of our ultimate reward is described as a “new heavens and new earth” (2 Peter 3:13). We will eat and drink and work and play and explore and discover new things—and all this after we have received glorified, resurrected bodies in an entirely new creation in the presence of God (1 Corinthians 15:50–55).
Our restoration will also have mental and emotional aspects, as well. Mentally, our knowledge of God will be absolutely accurate. Emotionally, our deepest desires will be completely satisfied and our wants will be totally trustworthy. There will be no conflict between what we want to do and what we should do.
Heaven is a Place of Ultimate Reunion
Finally, in addition to being a place of full reconciliation and complete restoration, heaven will be a place of ultimate reunion. In other words, heaven is not simply a reward for isolated individual Christians. Paul says “our citizenship is in heaven” (Philippians 3:20). This corporate aspect of heaven is captured by the author of Hebrews:
But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect . . . .
(Hebrews 12:22–23)
Heaven is a place where God’s people will recognize and love one another as a family before their heavenly Father. It will be a reunion of people from every nation and from every generation. We will reunite with those we have known and loved, as well as with brothers and sisters in Christ whom we have yet to meet, and the joy will be unending.
This is heaven, the sure hope for all who turn from sin and self and put their trust in Jesus Christ.
- This article is an adapted excerpt from David Platt, Gospel Threads: Weaving Good News into Everyday Life, 70–73.
David Platt serves as a Lead Pastor for McLean Bible Church. He is also the Founder and Chairman of Radical, an organization that helps people follow Jesus and make him known in their neighborhood and all nations.
David received his B.A. from the University of Georgia and M.Div., Th.M., and Ph.D. from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Some of his published works include Radical, Radical Together, Follow Me, Counter Culture, Something Needs to Change, and Don’t Hold Back.
He lives in the Washington, D.C. metro area with his wife and children.
