What the Bible Actually Says about. . . Heaven
By Don Raines
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And I intreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with others my fellow laborers whose names are in the book of life.
The writer of Hebrews says that the names of the general assembly and church of the first born, are written in heaven (Hebrews 12: 23). Those, who are obedient to the Lord’s commandments will go to heaven (Matthew 7: 21-27). What does he command us to do?
- Believe (Hebrew 11:6);
- Repent, (Acts 2: 38; 17:30);
- Confess our faith in him; (Matthew 10: 32-33; Romans 10:10);
- Be Baptized, because those who have been born again will go to heaven (John 3: 3-5). This new birth is baptism. Therefore, those who have been baptized in water for the remission of sins will go to heaven, (Mark 16:15-16; Acts 2:38; 22:16; 1 Peter 3: 20-21).
One of the reasons people are so curious about heaven is that they want to know if they will be able to recognize one another there. Will they continue their relationships that they had on earth? Well, we know that we will have a new body in heaven, though we do not know what it will be like (2 Corinthians 5: 1-8). However, this new body does not necessarily preclude our recognizing one another in the spiritual realm. According to Luke 16: 19-31, the rich man recognized Abraham and Lazarus although they never saw one another in life. As far as continuing in the relationship we had on earth, one thing will change… marriage. There will be no marriage in heaven Luke 20: 27-36. This is not to say that we will not have knowledge of what our relationships once were, but we will have no need of marriage. Marriage is a relationship that is peculiar to this life.