Dr. Charles Stanley wants you to know about heaven. Dr. Stanley, Pastor Emeritus of First Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia, laments the fact that many Christians never hear much about the specifics of heaven. More importantly, he’s concerned for people who have no conviction about heaven nor do they have any understanding of what the Bible teaches about heaven. In his sermon titled “Your Convictions About Heaven,” Dr. Stanley offers his list of “insights that motivate us to live for our eternal destiny rather than this earthly existence.”
The nine reasons heaven is desirable and should motivate us to live lives worthy of heaven: heaven is a prepared place where God and Jesus live; heaven is where our citizenship, treasure and inheritance are waiting for us; spiritually believers are already in heaven and our names are already recorded there; and our saved family and friends will be there with us throughout eternity.
What’s Next?
There are times in our lives when we’re reminded of the tenuous nature of our lives. All around us we see lives cut short due to accidents, illness or criminality. We read articles and books or watch videos or films relaying the tragedies that play out all around us. Sometimes it happens to someone close to us. And sometimes it happens to us, out of the blue. It’s never planned. For the rest of us, we live an average of 70-80 years until our bodies wear out. And when we see it happening all around us, we’re forced to look at ourselves to consider what happens next? Is there a next? Is there something beyond this brief existence on planet Earth?
For Christians, there is a belief in “Next.” We focus on what’s “Next.” We have hope in “Next” — the “Next” life after our physical, earthly existence comes to an end. For Christians, the physical aspect of our existence is brief, but the soul continues to exist in spiritual form for eternity and will reunite with our glorified body at some future time. And there are only two options for our spiritual destination: heaven or hell.
This article only focuses on heaven, and why all of us should commit our lives to what happens next. A commitment that has eternal consequences.
For believers in Jesus Christ, there is much to hope for and depend on. There is the fulfillment of God’s promises that we can learn and understand and depend on by studying His word.
Following are nine of those promises God has made to all believers who choose heaven and, as Dr. Stanley claims, “to live for our eternal destiny rather than this earthly existence.”
Our Heavenly Father is There
Although the Bible states that God is everywhere, it also states specifically that God resides in heaven. We may not know exactly where heaven is located, but we know God lives there.
“Instead of speculating on where heaven is, we can simply say that it is wherever God is,” said Dr. Stanley.
The following verses specifically state where God lives.
Matthew 23:9 And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. Matthew 5:16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in Heaven. Matthew 7:21 Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
Our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ is There
Yes, God lives in heaven, and we know Jesus lives there too. According to Dr. Stanley, “Jesus ascended into the clouds in Acts 1:11.” Two angels explain to the disciples what they saw and what will occur in the future:,
Acts 1:11 "Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”
Another verse that proclaims where Christ is:
Colossians 3:1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
And not only is Christ in heaven, as the following verse states, He’s there interceding for us with God the father.
Romans 8:34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.
Heaven is a Prepared Place
Heaven is real. It’s a real place, prepared for us by Jesus Christ. “It’s not some ethereal fog in which we float around, but a place specially prepared for God’s children,” Dr. Stanley said.
John 14:2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?
Not only is heaven prepared for us, it’s a holy place for all who are righteous.
Revelation 21:27 Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
Our Citizenship is in Heaven
Christians realize that earth is a temporary home. We’re only here approximately 80 years. But our citizenship is in heaven. The Apostle Paul explains:
Philippians 3:20-21 20 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.
According to Dr. Stanley, “These bodies are going to be transformed to conform to the body of His glory. That is, God is going to change these bodies of ours to fit heaven. We have bodies fit for Earth. In order to live in heaven, we’re gonna have a body that’s fit for that.”
In addition, Dr. Stanley said, “The names of the saved are already recorded there.”
In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus sent his disciples to minister to others with the power to heal and perform other miracles in the name of Jesus Christ. And when they returned they praised Jesus for the power He had given them. They were awed by it.
Luke 10:17 The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.”
But Jesus responded that they should be more joyful that their citizenship is in heaven. Something more important than performing miracles.
Luke 10:20 However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.
Spiritually, Believers are Already in Heaven
According to Stanley, “In the mind of God, He has a place for us. In the mind of God, it’s as if we were seated with him in the heavenly places.”
Ephesians 2:4-9 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.
The bottom line is, according to Dr. Stanley, “Once you trust in Jesus Christ as Savior your eternal security is settled! No one’s ever been saved and lost.”
Ephesians 1:13-14 13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.
Heaven is Where Our Treasures Are
“You may think your treasure is in your property, in the bank, your gold, your silver, all these things,” Dr. Stanley said. “But listen to what Jesus said in the sixth chapter of Matthew. ‘Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, not on earth, where neither moth nor rust destroy, where thieves do not break in or steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.’
“Where’s your treasure? You hoarding this and hoarding that, hoarding the other? Do you think your security is based on how much money you have? How much property you have or gold or silver?
“Our treasure is our relationship to Him.”
Matthew 6:20-21 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Our Inheritance and Rewards are in Heaven
Matthew 5:12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Our rewards are not based on what good we’ve done in our lifetimes. Dr. Stanley believes that doing good will not get you to heaven. God’s grace gets you to heaven. Works is a result of God’s grace. We should want to do good things.
“Your inheritance is in heaven, not here,” Dr. Stanley said. “I think about people who are really striving … someone is really working at being good enough to get to heaven. It’s an endless, futile attempt, because that is not what God said. ‘For by grace you have been saved.’ That’s the forgiving love of God based on the death of Jesus Christ His son by grace.”
1 Peter 1:4 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you.
Our Saved Loved Ones and Friends are There
According to Dr. Stanley, “The last thing I would say is our saved loved ones and friends are there.”
1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 13 Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. 14 For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 15 According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.
When believers die, they go immediately into the presence of the Lord. But some day in the future, Jesus will return for His church, and accompanying Him will be all of those believers from the past who died in Christ. This includes our ancestors, friends and family. This group will be resurrected first, meaning those who have died will be joined by their bodies, resurrected bodies, glorified bodies. Then, all of us who are believers and still living on Earth “will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.”
Summary
We’ve learned through Dr. Stanley’s sermon that heaven is desirable. He helps us understand this with nine insights that include: heaven is a prepared place where God and Jesus live; heaven is where our citizenship, treasure and inheritance are waiting for us; spiritually believers are already in heaven and our names are already recorded there; and our saved family and friends will be there with us throughout eternity.
Thanks for joining us here at Telegrams From Heaven. We hope this summary of Dr. Stanley’s sermon about heaven has encouraged and enlightened you. If you’d like to view his sermon, you can watch and listen here.