Heaven is Not About Us, But About God
I recently read an article that communicated that “Hell is not ultimately about fire, but about God.” It was an interesting take on the specific topic, and my mention here of the article is neither an indictment nor an endorsement of the author’s theology in regard to Hell. That being said, it did make me think about the Church and our theology in regard to Heaven. Something that you think would need far less correction. The evangelical church has mostly abandoned teaching on Hell from the pulpit and has leaned into teaching what is comfortable, not only for the preacher, but for the congregation. This, in part, has allowed for a large demographic of the Christian community to have a harmful understanding, not only of Heaven, but most importantly the Gospel.
You see, I was scrolling down my news feed on Facebook and saw a post that forced me to think about what most Christians believe Heaven is, and why they genuinely desire it. Maybe you’ve seen it, it was a painting, referred to as “First Moments in Heaven.” The painting depicts many families and children being reunited with loved ones who have been in Heaven. Certainly, we all have people that we miss and cannot wait to see again, in Heaven. Yet, something about this painting really seems to miss the point. Clearly, entering Heaven is one of, if not the most climactic moment in a believer’s eternal life, but why?
Jesus or Just Us?
The author’s main point in the article about Hell, stands in contrast to the belief that Hell is about the individual person, or the pain and suffering they will endure. He corrects the idea that the focus of Hell will be on one’s self; quite frankly a selfish understanding of what Hell is. If God takes glory in all things, including Hell, then certainly He will be acknowledged in Hell as the Supreme Judge, who is fully righteous and just. Our desire to avoid Hell should not primarily be rooted in avoiding pain and suffering for our own comfort but should be driven by our desire to know God as Father and not as Judge, because that is what God says is best for us.
That understanding of Hell is focused on self, yet if we listen to what our own church members are saying, we may find that this type of self-serving idea does not only creep into our understanding of Hell, but also our understanding of Heaven.
It should feel uncomfortable to stare at a painting that depicts our first moments in Heaven, and the focus is on the reuniting of families, not Jesus. In fact, there is no depiction of our Savior in the painting at all. This idea is not just a painting, but a belief that plagues our culture and has influenced our churches. The problem is that too many Christians believe its all about them, and to be fair, they believe this in the most humble way possible.
These Christians acknowledge that it is indeed the Grace of God, to have sent Jesus, to give humanity the gift of salvation through Him. Yet a majority of Christians still hold onto this entitlement of prosperity, comfort, and happiness. In many cases, the church doesn’t even need to teach this heresy, but just ignore it, for many of their congregants to hold this belief.
This type of understanding of the Christian life leads to a desire to be reunited with loved ones, more than the desire to not only be in the presence of, but to worship a Holy, Perfect God, who has given life and sustains it, and who loves His children infinitely. Worshiping God is our ultimate purpose — bringing glory to Him. Any benefit or blessing that we do receive is merely a remnant from His goodness. The focus should not be what we receive from God, but rather what He deserves as the infinitely good God, and that is our whole selves. It should become so much about Him, that we pour ourselves out, and with ourselves goes our desires, passions, and comforts.
If you expect your first moments in Heaven will not be spent in the arms of Jesus or at His feet weeping with great joy, then I encourage you to spend more time with Him as your friend, get to know Him personally. You will become so infatuated with Jesus that your first moments in Heaven will be more like the “First Day in Heaven,” a painting that depicts a woman jumping into the arms of Jesus with pure joy and excitement. There is nothing and no one else, but Him who sustains me, Him who loves me, and Him who desires me.
Our loved ones who have passed on into eternal life are sustained by the Creator, they do not long for anything more than God Himself; and for them it is God receiving the worship He is due that brings them their greatest joy. Their focus is on Him, not on what they left behind. So when we focus on those who have gone to Heaven, we are focusing on one who is currently worshiping at throne of God. Yet, if we shift our eyes just slightly to the One on the throne, we will find ourselves next to our loved ones in the throne room of God worshiping together.