Afterlife: Live For Eternity!

Afterlife 3

Live For Eternity!

by Jeremy Sanchez

written by Larisse Millora

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There is an afterlife to face after our lives on earth.

The Bible is clear about it. Even cultures and generations, from cavemen drawings to tomb markings, from papyrus to pad paper, people know in their hearts that there is such a thing as an afterlife. It says in Ecclesiastes 3:11 that God has planted eternity in the human heart. We learned last week that there are only two places the human soul can go: heaven or hell. There’s no in between. 

Sadly, because of our sin, hell is the consequences of our actions. But thank God, because of His grace, He has provided the way for us to be with Him in heaven forever through Jesus. And so knowing this, as a child of God, we should be preparing ourselves for heaven.

Everyone wants to go to heaven but if asked the question if you want to go to heaven now, you'd refuse. You still want to experience life! Like earning your first million or billion, to have your dream car, to have your first dream house, to have your dream vacation and of course dream relationship.

It's normal! We’re humans, we have finite minds and desires, but you see when we have the right perspective of heaven and what it is going be like when we’re with God, we can say, “Yeah, I’d love these things to happen in my life, but if they don’t, it’s okay because heaven is much more better that these things.” A wrong view of Heaven will make us live for the temporary, but a proper way view of Heaven prepare us for eternity.

So, don’t live for the temporary, LIVE FOR ETERNITY.

According to the Bible, heaven has three meanings: sky, universe, and God’s home. We’re talking about the third. Many of you are thinking of heaven as all white, always singing, full of white smoke – in other words: boring. That’s the common misconception of heaven. But there’s more to it:

“There is more than enough room in my father’s home. If this were not so, would have I told you that I’m going to prepare a place for you?”

John 14:2 

Jesus said that in heaven, there are rooms/places for His people. There will be places for us to live in. And last week, we learned that heaven is a beautiful place with streets of gold, beautiful stones, pearl gates and many more. The Bible says, in the end, there will be a new heaven and a new earth.

“Look! I am creating new heavens and a new earth, and no one will think of the old ones anymore…”

Isaiah 65:17

The Bible also talks about an event called the rapture, which is also followed by the millennial reign, Armageddon. Ideas like these are discussed in Eschatology, the study of the end times.  

God’s initial intention was really to live with His creation but it was broken because of sin.In the new heaven and Earth, things will be perfect again, and that’s permanent. Theologians say when we Christians die, we’re taken up to an 'initial heaven' in God's presence. But when everything has taken place, God will create a new heaven and earth where we will live. No more sin, no more tears.

You see, there are things to do, relationships to cherish, and a life to live in Heaven.

This is something we should be excited about. The Bible tells us to be excited for this day to come!

 “For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed”

Romans 8:19

Have you ever experienced being so relaxed and feeling an overflow of joy? That’s what it’s going be like there and that is for eternity. That is God’s design. No more pain, no more heartbreaks and tears, No more calamities, tsunamis, No more murders, rape, and corruption. No more evil. Who wants that?

Why prepare for eternity?

Heaven is our real home.

“But we are citizens of heaven, where The Lord Jesus Christ lives.”

Philippians 3:20 

The Bible says that the earth is our only temporary home; our real home is in heaven. We are foreigners/aliens in this world.  Knowing that it is our home, a great motivating factor is that there are rewards waiting for us in heaven.  God has prepared rewards and riches for us in Heaven.

 “Look, I am coming soon, bringing my reward with me to repay all people according to their deeds…”

Revelation 22:12 

Knowing these, Jesus tells us to store riches in heaven and not here on earth, because we can’t bring our riches here on earth to the afterlife.He says in Matthew 6:19-21 “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.”

Wherever we place our time on shows the true desire of our hearts. So store treasures in heaven.

“Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.”

Colossians 3:1-2

So the Bible tells us to think of things of heaven, to prepare for heaven and not to spend all our energy for the things of this earth that will pass away. And so how do we do this?

“So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. So prepare your minds for action and exercise self-control. Put all your hope in the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world.”

1 Peter 1:13-14 

Peter was writing to the Christians who were being persecuted.  He was telling them to set their eyes on heaven, of what was to come. Despite the persecutions, there will be something better after it all – and that is heaven. The early Christians were excited about heaven and what was to come that’s why they persevered. And so he’s saying to the Christians, persevere knowing of the reward in the end. He says, as you persevere, these are the things we should do:

“…but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior…”

1 Peter 1:15  

We should be different. Holy means set apart – different from the world. As believers of Jesus, the question is:  “Are we living our lives in a way that pleases God and is preparing for eternity, or are we just living for the temporary?” If you don’t have a proper view of heaven and a right thinking of who God is, we will not be eager for the future, thus living our lives the way we do now – we don’t strive to be like Christ; we harbor sins we know we should turn away from. 

So, how do we do this? We should repent our sins and do the opposite.

“So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. So prepare your mind and self for action and exercise self-control. Put all your hope in the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world.”

1 Peter 1:13-14 

Live our lives as God’s obedient children. Let’s read His word so we know what He wants us to do. And don’t slip back to our old ways. Start living for eternity now; don’t wait when things are going well with your life.

“Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog — it’s here a little while, then it’s gone.”

James 4:13-14

Start living for eternity now. Don’t wait. Start obeying now. When you fall, repent from it, God is willing to forgive and restore the relationship tarnished by the sins you committed.

HEAVEN is a proof that God desires to be with His people.