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How is life going to be once you get to Heaven?

ie: What activities are you going to perform every day, for all eternity?

I am interested in responses that are backed up by verses from the Bible, of course.

(question inspired by this video: Why Would Anyone Want To Go To Heaven?)

3 Answers3

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I'm reminded of the story of two twins inside a mother's womb. They are discussing what things might be like on the other side of "birth". One wonders if there really is a "Mom". Neither can conceive of what life will be like, though, since neither has ever been there. They've heard that it's a painful trip, but that there's a wonderful world of adventure and excitement beyond their wildest dreams just waiting for them. After birth, they find that what they were told was, indeed, true.

There are parallels as we discuss what things could be like after "death". We know it may be a painful trip, and we read of wonderful things on the other side. Some may wonder if there really is a "God". However, none of us can really perceive what heaven will be like.

Still, we are told a few things in the Scriptures.

  • We will reign with Christ (2 Timothy 2:12)
  • We will have eternal pleasures (Psalm 16:11)
  • We will have eternal possessions (Matthew 6:19-21)
  • We will live in perfect communion and relationship with God, no longer separated (1 Thessalonians 4:17)

To be sure, the effects of the Fall will be destroyed as well.

  • No more death (1 Corinthians 15:26)
  • No more tears (Revelation 21:4)
  • No more shame (2 Corinthians 5:1-4)

So, eternal pleasures (beauty and joy), possessions (joint heirs with Christ), prominence (a kingdom of priests, sons and daughters of the King).

Finally, "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him." 1 Corinthians 2:9

Narnian
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  • how about those people who had visited Heaven? like the one who wrote Heaven is so Real. – Sufendy Apr 06 '12 at 08:47
  • Lewis Carroll gave an example like your twin story when his characters talk about whether we would be bored in Heaven after countless ages, in chapter 16 of Sylvie and Bruno Concluded — as a toddler playing with his toys can't understand the interests of an adult's life, likewise we in this world may not yet be able to understand the pastimes of Heaven. – Muke Tever Apr 06 '12 at 13:35
  • A quote from G.K.Chesterton's Orthodoxy comes to mind: 'Because children have abounding vitality, because they are in spirit fierce and free, therefore they want things repeated and unchanged. They always say, "Do it again"; and the grown-up person does it again until he is nearly dead. For grown-up people are not strong enough to exult in monotony. But perhaps God is strong enough to exult in monotony.' While non-Biblical and concerning God, such "vitality" would seem to be a part of immortality. –  May 06 '13 at 19:40
  • @PaulA.Clayton Jesus did answer, "Be like this child" when asked how to enter the kingdom of heaven. I took that as be like a child in spirit - always curious, always learning and never bored of repeated knowledge etc. Idk. – Zoe Jul 29 '14 at 09:25
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There are a lot of different visions of what Heaven will be like, but here we're not even beginning to disambiguate between 'The Bosom of Abraham', 'Paradise' and 'Heaven' -- In lieu of the ambiguity of many of these terms, I prefer to use the term in the creed: 'The Life to Come'.

  • Death is no more (all are immortal)
  • No more sorrow, pain, disease for the faithful
  • Physical light is no longer needed to see and the sun may be gone
  • There will be a glorious city for the faithful to dwell in
  • There will be no more temples or religion - God will be fully present to all
  • Both the heavens (the invisible creation) and the earth (the visible creation) will be renewed; this means that they will be preserved in what remains that was good in them
  • Worship of God will be constant, but what this means is that all activities done will be done in perfect accordance with God's desire, and thus be true worship. Everything will become an endless Liturgy (common work of the people).
  • The weary will finally get some rest (believe it!)
  • The faithful will continually be growing in their shared divinity and perfection towards God
  • All contradiction will be overcome/transcended ('the Lion shall lay down with the Lamb')
  • People's faithfulness will not waver any longer, since they will have seen God.

To quote Maximus the Confessor:

All shall have eternal being, but not all shall have eternal well-being.

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We will be in a choir singing praises to God 24 hours per day, 7 days a week, for eternity.

Sound a little boring? Better get used to it.

(To "Buck up and source [my] claims", I point to Don Piper and his book 90 Minutes in Heaven. Don's been there and back so I have a direct, first-hand, eye-witness source.)

KorvinStarmast
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robert bristow-johnson
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