| | What, for goodness sake, is Heaven? |    |
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design219
Monk
Age : 47
Joined : 18 May 2008
Posts : 78
Location : In the back of the closet in a small green box.
 |  Subject: What, for goodness sake, is Heaven?  Wed May 28, 2008 9:30 pm | |
| What do you all think it is?
One thing that bothers me is that we are supposed to be pure in heaven. Like, not married to our spouses anymore, but on perfect terms with everyone. Wouldn't that mean we lose our personalities?
My grandfather was a lifelong pastor and my grandmother a deeply religious woman. But like many people of her generation, she had a bit of a racial bias that was strongly ingrained. If she is in heaven, does she not think like that anymore? If not, it's like her personality is not her anymore.
Any what will people in heaven do all day? Jobs? Play all day? Meditate?
Belief's, questions and speculations please.
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If I were God, I too would have used evolution. |
|  | | maflynn
Hieromonk
Joined : 20 May 2008
Posts : 154
| | Subject: Re: What, for goodness sake, is Heaven? Thu May 29, 2008 6:37 am | |
| | design219 wrote: | What do you all think it is?
One thing that bothers me is that we are supposed to be pure in heaven. Like, not married to our spouses anymore, but on perfect terms with everyone. Wouldn't that mean we lose our personalities?
My grandfather was a lifelong pastor and my grandmother a deeply religious woman. But like many people of her generation, she had a bit of a racial bias that was strongly ingrained. If she is in heaven, does she not think like that anymore? If not, it's like her personality is not her anymore.
Any what will people in heaven do all day? Jobs? Play all day? Meditate?
Belief's, questions and speculations please. |
What is heaven, well the easy answer is that its God's home and it will be the home of Christians.
As for your grandmother, we have a sin nature, that is a proclivity to sin, like steal, lie, or have racial bias. When we go to heaven we will have a new nature so to answer one of your questions. Your grandmother will not harbor any of those ideals. Think of it this way, do you think the thief on the cross with Jesus who is now in Paradise (Luke 23:39 - 43) is going to steal?
39 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: "Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!"
40 But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don't you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence?
41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong."
42 Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.[f]"
43 Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise."
As for what we do in heaven, well we worship and sing praises to God. That is why were created to worship and have fellowship with him. Admittedly its difficult to fathom what eternity is. Consider this simile, Its like one fish trying to describe what dry land is to another fish. Neither one of them has been there. We only have the Bible and even then we're looking through sinful eyes that are constrained by the temporeal universe |
| | | | Nathan
Xenophile
Joined : 09 May 2008
Posts : 147
| | Subject: Re: What, for goodness sake, is Heaven? Thu May 29, 2008 6:52 am | |
| I hope there are lots of books to read, plenty of fishing to do, and a never ending barbecue. Hmm, there are probably a few other things, but that would hold me over for a good bit.
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\_ My blog: Discipulus Scripturae |
| | | | rogermugs
theologer
Joined : 09 May 2008
Posts : 355
Location : east yo
| | Subject: Re: What, for goodness sake, is Heaven? Thu May 29, 2008 12:12 pm | |
| i think its going to mirror earth quite a bit. after-all God's initial intention with this creation was a paradise... and vocation existed before the fall... see the quote by nancy pearcy
i think there will be sports, and TV, and iphones, and wine, and hopefully we can fly... but we dont know much except there wont be pain or death.
i imagine it will be like eternally being able to sit around and smoke a pipe and drink beer and watch superbowls..
also there will be HUGE snow castles and we'll get to have some serious snowball fights...
I've heard there's some good books out there on this subject because so few people understand heaven. tons of christians dont even look forward to it because they think it will be boring as dirt as we sit around in white and play harps all day...
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"sometimes a little more than you think you want is still a little less than you actually need"
"brilliance seems too often masked by stupid people" |
| | | | design219
Monk
Age : 47
Joined : 18 May 2008
Posts : 78
Location : In the back of the closet in a small green box.
| | Subject: Re: What, for goodness sake, is Heaven? Thu May 29, 2008 2:06 pm | |
| How about sex?
_________________
If I were God, I too would have used evolution. |
| | | | Nathan
Xenophile
Joined : 09 May 2008
Posts : 147
| | Subject: Re: What, for goodness sake, is Heaven? Thu May 29, 2008 3:20 pm | |
| I am using my real name around here so 'no comment.' Roger?
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\_ My blog: Discipulus Scripturae |
| | | | rogermugs
theologer
Joined : 09 May 2008
Posts : 355
Location : east yo
| | | | | maflynn
Hieromonk
Joined : 20 May 2008
Posts : 154
| | Subject: Re: What, for goodness sake, is Heaven? Thu May 29, 2008 6:51 pm | |
| | design219 wrote: | | How about sex? |
Is that an offer - I hardly know you
Well on a serious note,
here's what Matthew 22:29-30 says
29Jesus replied, "You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God. 30At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven.
So Jesus states that there will be no marriage or married people in Heaven and since God forbids sex outside of the marriage it seems pretty clear to me that there will be no sex in heaven. |
| | | | design219
Monk
Age : 47
Joined : 18 May 2008
Posts : 78
Location : In the back of the closet in a small green box.
| | Subject: Re: What, for goodness sake, is Heaven? Thu May 29, 2008 10:06 pm | |
| | Nathan wrote: | | I am using my real name around here so 'no comment.' Roger? |
First rule of theology forum... No real names.
_________________
If I were God, I too would have used evolution. |
| | | | Martin
Novice
Joined : 13 May 2008
Posts : 48
Location : North Carolina
| | Subject: Re: What, for goodness sake, is Heaven? Fri May 30, 2008 2:05 pm | |
| | design219 wrote: | | One thing that bothers me is that we are supposed to be pure in heaven. Like, not married to our spouses anymore, but on perfect terms with everyone. Wouldn't that mean we lose our personalities? |
==Not at all. Marriage is an institution for this life and will not carry over into eternity. Our personality will remain the same, yet it will be totally sanctified (perfect, like Christ).
| design219 wrote: | | My grandfather was a lifelong pastor and my grandmother a deeply religious woman. But like many people of her generation, she had a bit of a racial bias that was strongly ingrained. If she is in heaven, does she not think like that anymore? If not, it's like her personality is not her anymore. |
==She will no longer hold those type of beliefs. Its not that her personality has "changed", rather it is that she now no longer holds to sinful beliefs/attitudes. Her personality is only better.
| design219 wrote: | | Any what will people in heaven do all day? Jobs? Play all day? Meditate? |
==Serve God (Rev 22:3, etc). Ie...WORK!!
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Martin.
The Scroll |
| | | | rogermugs
theologer
Joined : 09 May 2008
Posts : 355
Location : east yo
| | Subject: Re: What, for goodness sake, is Heaven? Fri May 30, 2008 4:49 pm | |
| | design219 wrote: | What do you all think it is?
One thing that bothers me is that we are supposed to be pure in heaven. Like, not married to our spouses anymore, but on perfect terms with everyone. |
yea, the whole not being married thing sorta bums me out... i like being married to my wife... but i suppose best friends is still possible...
whatever the situation, I'm sure its better than we can fathom.
i imagine its because we're not lonely anymore, like adam was and why the Lord created marriage.
but, we'll see wont we?
_________________
"sometimes a little more than you think you want is still a little less than you actually need"
"brilliance seems too often masked by stupid people" |
| | | | tc
Immoderator
Joined : 09 May 2008
Posts : 43
Location : CA
| | Subject: Re: What, for goodness sake, is Heaven? Fri May 30, 2008 5:20 pm | |
| | design219 wrote: | What do you all think it is?
One thing that bothers me is that we are supposed to be pure in heaven. Like, not married to our spouses anymore, but on perfect terms with everyone. Wouldn't that mean we lose our personalities?
My grandfather was a lifelong pastor and my grandmother a deeply religious woman. But like many people of her generation, she had a bit of a racial bias that was strongly ingrained. If she is in heaven, does she not think like that anymore? If not, it's like her personality is not her anymore.
Any what will people in heaven do all day? Jobs? Play all day? Meditate?
Belief's, questions and speculations please. |
I personally don't believe heaven is our final frontier. We'll be returning to a redeemed and renewed earth (Rom 8; 2 Pet 3; Rev 21-22).
On my blog I gave NT Wright's take on Heaven, if you interested. |
| | | | design219
Monk
Age : 47
Joined : 18 May 2008
Posts : 78
Location : In the back of the closet in a small green box.
| | Subject: Re: What, for goodness sake, is Heaven? Fri May 30, 2008 7:52 pm | |
| | tc wrote: | | On my blog I gave NT Wright's take on Heaven, if you interested. |
'Heaven, in the Bible, is not future destiny but the other, hidden, dimension of our ordinary life-God's dimension—NT Wright"
Wow, that is interesting! I'm afraid I'm not familiar with NT Wright.
_________________
If I were God, I too would have used evolution. |
| | | | ebuddy
Postulant
Joined : 21 May 2008
Posts : 15
| | Subject: Re: What, for goodness sake, is Heaven? Sun Jun 01, 2008 6:30 am | |
| There are several passages in Scripture that would lead one to believe that we (some of us) will rule and reign with God. For example; 2 Timothy 2:11-13; It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us: If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.
I've always fancied myself in charge and creative control of one of those billions of planets out there.
One other point, many of us are lamenting the loss of our desires here on earth; i.e. sex, fishing, marriage, etc..., but it may not matter. Heaven could be a place where dimensions are more "blurry". We may taste sound, feel colors, smell sight. "Living waters" may literally sing songs of hope and love to us. A "babbling brook" may literally babble. Not unlike giving a young boy a rubber ball. He is at first fascinated by it and entertained by it for some time 'til you hand him a slinky. What happens? He immediately drops the ball and plays with the slinky until... |
| | | | rogermugs
theologer
Joined : 09 May 2008
Posts : 355
Location : east yo
| | | | | | What, for goodness sake, is Heaven? | |
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