What Heaven Really Is According to the Bible

We spend our whole lives preparing for something we know almost nothing about.

I'm talking about heaven.

We've got movies, we've got songs, we've got Sunday school images burned into our brain since we were kids.

You know those images?

Harps riding on clouds, sitting around, doing.

I'm not sure exactly, maybe singing forever.

But here's what kills me.

Most of us have never actually opened scripture to see what heaven is supposed to be like.

We've borrowed someone else's picture.

And that picture is so vague, it's so ethereal, it's so disconnected from reality that it makes heaven sound kind of boring to me.

But what if the Bible paints a completely different picture?

What if heaven isn't some disembodied, floating existence?

What if it's actually more real, more physical, more tangible than life we're living right now?

That's the conversation we're having on today's show.

Hello and welcome to Truth Unveil with Ralph.

I'm Ralph, and I am so happy you've decided to join me today.

I've spent years working with people terrified about the afterlife.

And it's not because they weren't Christians.

It's because for them and for me, to be blunt, heaven sounded like a waiting room, not hope.

And I came to a core realization.

We can't love what we don't understand.

So today we're going to go right to Scripture and we're going to talk about exactly what the Bible says about heaven.

This isn't movies or culture, not some assumptions that all of us carry with us from when we were kids, just scripture.

And what we find there is so much better than the pictures we've been holding onto.

So before we get into it, I want you to hear the text we're building from.

This comes from Revelations, chapter 21, verses 1 to 4.

And I want you to pay attention to where God goes.

This is what it says.

It says, then I saw a new heaven and a new earth for the first heaven.

And the first earth had passed away and the sea was no more.

And I saw the Holy City, that new Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, see, the home of God is among mortals.

He will dwell with them as their God.

They will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them.

He will wipe every tear from their eyes.

Death will be no more.

Mourning and crying and pain will be no more.

For the first things have passed away.

I don't know about you.

When I read that, it gives me goosebumps.

No pain, no mourning, no sadness.

But let's talk about the problem, because we've been told about heaven, some things that aren't correct.

And I want you to, right now, close your eyes for a second, and I want you to picture heaven right now.

What are you seeing in your mind?

For most people, like I said earlier, maybe you think in clouds.

You're gonna be up there riding on clouds, and there's people playing harps and the angels are singing and maybe disembodied spiritual realm of some sort.

Now, for most of us, I would think it's peaceful, it's bright, but it's disconnected from where we are.

It doesn't feel like life does.

Actually feels like the opposite of life.

But let's talk about where that image came from, because it wasn't an accident.

These images come from centuries of buildup.

Medieval paintings showed heaven as this magical place on the clouds.

Hollywood's done the same thing.

Hollywood shown heaven as being this disembodied place where we're all going to end up like we're in this eternal waiting room.

And then all of a sudden, bam, we're there.

And theology said it bold, says the body, bad spirit, and it makes it good.

So heaven became shed the body and exist as some pure spirit.

But let's talk about why that picture is a problem.

And this is what I really want to dig into today.

It makes heaven sound like punishment with goodness.

Now, you might be saying, wait a minute, Ralph.

You just said two words that don't usually go together, punishment and goodness.

But are you going to be eternally bored?

Are you going to be separated from everything that made life feel like living?

Like, one of the things that I love to do, I like to get out on my motorcycle.

To me, that's living.

I get the winds coming in my face.

The air is all around me.

I listen to some music.

But you can't do that if you're living on top of some cloud.

And for a lot of people, maybe it's outdoor stuff.

You like fishing or you like camping, or you like spending time with family.

But the thing we've been sold shows something different.

Relationships, work, creativity, physicality, any purpose.

It's all gone.

And to me, it's no wonder people aren't excited about heaven, because we're not excited as people about boring.

But there's even a deeper lie.

It's not just the image that we have in our minds.

It's the theology underneath of It.

The real lie is that heaven is somewhere else entirely, completely disconnected from this world.

It's almost like God's plan is some salvage operation, rescuing us out of creation entirely.

And when we buy into that lie, it tells us how we live now.

Because if heaven is disconnected, as I said earlier, the world just becomes this waiting room.

We're just waiting for what comes next to be in some disconnected place.

If that be the case, then our work here doesn't matter.

Relationships, those things that we spend so much time building with the people we love and care about, they don't matter.

We're just counting down the days.

It's almost like you're standing at the counter and you got a number, and you're just waiting for them to call your number.

And when we think about heaven like that, we make church passive.

We're apathetic about suffering, and we're checked out from the very world God has called us to care about.

Because we're just saying, well, I just got to get through this so I can get to the other side.

How many times have you heard that?

I just got to get through this.

Because heaven's going to be so much better than where we are now.

And I'm not saying it's not.

But the worst part of all that, that's not what scripture says.

So let's talk about what scripture actually says about heaven, because we got to ground this in reality.

Let's go look at Revelation 21 again.

What is John telling us?

That's the author of Revelation.

He says, a new heaven and a new earth.

Not heaven instead of earth, a new heaven and a new earth.

And this is the key line.

This is the beauty of the whole passage.

The home of God is among mortals, not away from us, not away from mortals, among us, among them.

God is not rescuing us out of creation.

He's actually renewing creation.

Hear me on this.

Heaven isn't some plan B.

It's actually God saying, I made this.

It got broken, but I'm fixing it.

Let's look at what Paul writes.

He says this First Corinthians, chapter 15.

Specifically chapter 15, verses 42 to 44.

So it will be with the resurrection of the dead.

The body that is sown is perishable.

It is raised imperishable.

It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory.

It is sown in weakness.

It is raised in power.

It is sown a natural body.

It is raised as a spiritual body.

If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.

And People asked Paul, this is why he got to this point in this letter.

How are the dead raised?

People were asking this question, what kind of body are we going to have?

And if you think about what Paul was saying, his answer was radical.

Our bodies are going to be raised, too.

And I don't know about where you're at right now, but I'm thinking, wait a second.

Those old bones, the things that I don't love about myself, they're going to be raised, but it's not going to be the same as now.

But it's going to be real.

It's going to be physical.

It'll be transformed, but it'll be physical.

It's not going to be some laying on the cloud, some spiritualness of just floating all around.

Listen, you're going to have a body in heaven.

You are going to have a physical body.

The scripture speaks directly to that.

It's going to be continuity with who you are right now.

The you that exists today is going to exist forever.

Those relationships, the work that you do, the things that you find valuable.

Heaven isn't going to be where you shed your physical existence.

It's where it's going to be perfected.

Just think about that perfection.

Let's talk about what that actually means.

You're not floating, as I love this word, disembodied consciousness.

You know, you've heard people say it.

When you die, you could be laying on the gurney, laying in the hospital, and all of a sudden the spirit just lifts up out of your body.

And we bought into that.

But in my personal view, and I think scripture backs this up, that's not what heaven looks like.

We're going to be standing on solid ground.

He said it.

A new earth.

You're going to be standing on solid ground in heaven.

You're going to be eating, you're going to be walking, you're going to be working, you're going to be creating.

And those relationships, those relationships that you think are amazing now, they are going to be so much deeper and so much richer than anything now because they are going to be unmarred by sin.

Let's go look at First John, chapter three, verse two.

It says, beloved, we are God's children.

Now.

What will be has not yet been revealed.

But we know that when it is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is.

And let's just stop there for a second because think about how bold that statement is.

We're going to see God as he is, not through some glass darkly, not through scripture anymore, not through just prayers or some spiritual existence.

You are going to live face to face with the Lord, our Creator.

It's going to be completely unhindered, direct communion with the source of all of life, all of joy, and all of meaning.

Heaven isn't some escapism.

It's not some retreat from reality.

It's actually reality restored.

Go right to Scripture.

It says, the city of God descending and settling among his people.

God's basically saying, I'm going to live with you.

I'm going to personally wipe away every tear from your eye.

Just think about how beautiful that is.

Death is finished.

Pain is finished.

That brokenness that so many of us live with every day is gone.

We're not going to be floating on clouds.

It's going to be a renewed earth where God dwells with his people, where there's no more suffering, where that work that you do for the Lord is glorified, where that creativity flows.

And yes, relationships are perfected and we finally see God face to face.

I don't know about you, but I can't wait for that.

And when we accept the true belief of what heaven is in scripture, just think about how that changes everything.

What does that mean to how you live right now?

To me, it means everything finally connects.

And I'm going to get real specific here.

Let's talk about the body.

In heaven, your body matters not because it floats on clouds, because it's going to be resurrected.

That's what the scripture says.

It is going to literally come back up out of the ground.

So those choices that you make with your body, they matter eternally.

This is probably going to be one of those scripture, one of those shows you never heard before.

But I truly believe this.

The Holy Spirit has said to me, me, today, you got to preach this today, Ralph.

It matters to your body because your physical health matters right now, how you take care of your body.

I've been on a personal journey of taking better care of myself.

I've lost almost 200 pounds.

I exercise every day because I recognize something in scripture.

I need to perfect this body.

Now.

It'll never be perfect this side of heaven, but I got to do my best with that.

Physical health is so important.

Our sexuality is important.

Our hands are important, our voice is important, and yes, our energy.

We don't need to run away from these things and say, well, you know, once I die, I'm going to have that perfect body.

Don't run away from these things.

Run towards getting them perfected now, because that's the work you can do on this side of heaven.

So your body matters.

Guess what else matters?

Your work matters.

Think about it like this.

If heaven is a renewed earth where work happens, what you do now has eternal significance.

The work that you're doing right now has eternal significance.

It's going to matter.

Don't ever think, well, my job doesn't matter when I get to heaven.

It does.

The job of a parent, the job of a teacher, even the job of a carpenter or a nurse or an artist.

These aren't temporary placeholders.

These, in my position, are previews of what you'll be doing forever.

Forever.

Now, as the human mind, I don't know about you, but I can't even contemplate forever.

But think about all the joy that you have in that job or in that career that you have.

Imagine being able to reach people, do the things that make you who you are.

Maybe you're a great artist.

Just think about all the beauty that you're going to do in heaven.

Maybe you're a teacher and you love reaching people and giving them information.

Just think about doing that forever.

But it doesn't stop there.

Your relationships matter as well.

You're going to know the people you love in heaven.

They're not going to be some fuzzy memories.

These are going to be the actual people they are.

I don't know about you, but I can't wait to see some of my loved ones in heaven.

Some of my most important relationship here on earth.

They're going to be restored.

And to me, that is so much hope in that.

But the even better part is you're going to know them better because sin will be out of the way.

There won't be any sin anymore.

He's already told us this right now.

Personally, the people who I love, who've already gone, I used to think, well, you know, maybe I'll never see them again.

I'll have those memories.

But that's not true.

Scripture speaks to this.

I'm going to stand.

You're going to stand with those people that you've loved, with them on a renewed earth.

You're going to look them eye to eye and you're going to know them more fully than you've ever known them before.

Again, that's not escapism, that's hope that transforms how you live today.

Let's talk about why this world matters.

A lot of people just check out and say, well, you know, this world is broken.

It's corrupted.

You know what it is.

But you don't have to check out from creation because creation is going to be redeemed.

The Bible says it.

It's going to be restored.

Suffering, pain, injustice, brokenness.

That's the reality of what we live in today in this world.

And those things break God's heart, and they should break our hearts as well.

So right now, instead of just saying, you know what?

This world is done, there's nothing I can do about it.

The Bible says it's going to pass away.

You can work right now to alleviate suffering.

The things that you can help with, you can work to pursue justice.

You can love your neighbor, you can steward creation because it doesn't disappear, it gets renewed.

And that creation becomes part of the eternal kingdom.

Friend, you're not waiting for some holy escape pod.

You're waiting for a restoration.

And that changes everything about how you show up right now.

That's why I want to do this message today.

Because if you think heaven is just something you're going to get to down the road, it's here right now, and you've got to be preparing for it.

So here's what I want to ask you to sit with as well.

What pictures of heaven are you carrying that aren't from scripture?

I asked you at the beginning, when you close your eyes, what do you envision?

Where do you get that vision for your view of the afterlife?

I know this isn't easy.

Ask yourself, is it rooted in God's word or is it borrowed from somewhere else?

Is it that movie that plays back in your head?

Because as a kid, you saw those pictures, you saw those medieval paintings, you heard people talking about, we're going to be up on clouds playing harps, and everything's going to be beautiful.

Be kind of spirits floating around.

But deeper than that, has that picture, that escape been keeping you from investing in this life?

Because that's the whole point of today's message.

Has it made you passive?

Has it made you check out from your relationships?

Has it made you check out from your work?

Has it made you check out from your body?

Has it made you check out from your creativity?

If it has, I want to encourage you right now, grieve that.

Grieve it.

Honestly, grieve that.

But don't stay there.

You gotta let it go and grab onto what scripture actually says.

Heaven is not an escape, it's a restoration.

It's God making all things new you in your body on a renewed earth in the presence of God forever.

You're not gonna be less yourself in heaven.

You're gonna be more yourself than you've ever been.

And that means that you being formed right now, right as you listen to this, right as you watch this, that you that's being formed right now, your character, your relationships, your work, the things that you love, that's training for eternity.

And that's what lasts.

The question needs to change from how do I escape this world to.

To how do I live in this world in a way that reflects the heaven that's coming?

Because, friend, it's coming.

And here's the core truth we're talking about, the core truth we got to take with us today.

Again, heaven is an escape from creation.

It's the restoration of creation.

God is making all things new.

A renewed earth where he dwells with his people, where suffering ends, where our bodies are raised, and where we see him face to face.

And that changes everything about how we live today.

But here's the thing about heaven.

You can't get there by being good enough.

You can't earn it.

You can't get it as an award.

The only way to experience that renewed creation is through Jesus Christ.

The brokenness between us and God, that's sin.

Sin is a boundary that we can't cross on our own.

As much as we'd like to try.

We're separated from the presence of God.

We are destined for judgment.

We're not destined for the things I've talked about today.

We're not destined for that paradise.

But I do have good news.

Today.

Jesus came to fix that.

He lived a perfect life.

He died on the cross to take the penalty for my sin and your sin.

He rose from the dead.

Three days later, he conquered death.

Death itself.

And now, right now, at this very moment, if you turn from your sin and you put your faith in Jesus, if you surrender your life to him, you're made right with God and instantly your sin is forgiven.

That's what the Bible tells us.

You're invited into that renewed creation that is going to come.

And not because you deserve it, none of us deserve it, but because of grace.

So if you've never turned to Jesus or if you're realizing you need to turn to him again because you've gotten a little bit off track, I want to encourage you to stop what you're doing right now and pray something just along this.

Listen, I don't have magic words, but just pray along with me if you feel that the spirit is moving you.

God, I've been living far from you.

I've sinned.

And yes, I deserve judgment.

But I do believe Jesus died for me.

And I Do believe he rose again.

And I'm turning right now from my sin and I'm putting faith in him right now.

So right where I am broken, in pain, battered, worn, I want you to be the Lord of my life.

I want you to forgive me.

I want you to transform me and I want you to make me new so that someday I will live in that renewed heaven and earth and I will dwell with God forever.

Amen.

Listen, if you prayed that, I want to be very clear with you.

Something amazing just happened.

You have been transformed from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light.

Now, you might not have this out of body experience, but let me tell you right now, if you meant what you said, if you prayed that and you meant it, your sin has been forgiven and you've been adopted into God's family.

And I just want to welcome you to our home.

You now have eternal life.

You are home again.

And if you've made that decision, I would love to hear from you.

You can reach out to me by going to our website.

That's truthunveiledwithralph.com decision.

We'll put a link to that in the show notes.

But again, I would love to hear from you.

I just want to pray for you.

I want to encourage you.

I want to tell you that this is not an easy walk, but you took the first step and I want to encourage you, go to truthunveiledwithralph.com decision.

So this week, I want you to carry this with you.

If you hear nothing else I say today, hear me on this.

Heaven isn't plan B.

It's not some backup where everything falls apart, friend.

It's the goal.

It's what all of creation is moving towards.

What you're doing right now and the things that might seem mundane, the things that might seem trivial, the things that might seem like they're not making an impact, those things matter.

Those things last and they're being knit into eternity.

I just want to encourage you, don't check out from this world.

There are so many people that have completely checked out.

I want to encourage you to check in, engage in this world.

Create love people, pursue justice, steward what God has given you.

Because you're not training for some great escape.

You're training for a restoration.

You're training to reign with Christ on a renewed earth in the presence of God himself.

I want to return to Revelation 21, 3 and 4 because I want to just land here.

See the home of God is among more.

He will dwell with them as their God.

They will be his peoples.

And God himself will be with them.

He will wipe every tear from their eyes.

Death will be no more.

Mourning and crying and pain will be no more.

For the first things have passed away.

How about we pray together as we close?

Father God, I want to pray for the people listening right now.

For those people who have been tired by this false picture of heaven.

I just want you to renew your vision in their hearts.

Sow those seeds right now.

Help them to see that heaven is good.

Help them to see that heaven is a real place and it's connected to the life they're living right now.

And for those who feel like they're failing and they're wondering if God could ever restore them, let them know that if they've trusted Christ, they've already been restored in your eyes.

They've already been made new.

They've already got their ticket.

They're already invited into that eternal kingdom.

And for those who are grieving, for those who have lost people they love, whose today's message might feel a little bit uncomfortable to them, I just ask that you would right now bring comfort with that hope of that reunion.

Let them see their loved ones right in front of them.

They're going to see them face to face, Lord, and we're just so grateful for that.

Help them to trust that this isn't the last goodbye.

And for those who feel disconnected from purpose, Lord, show them that the very work they're doing, the love they're extending now, the character they're building, it all matters.

It's eternal and it lasts.

And, Father, for those who have turned to Jesus, just draw them in even closer.

Open up their eyes, Lord, and help them to see that he's the One only.

Only bridge available between this broken world and that restored one that's to come.

And give them the courage to just say yes.

And I ask this in the name of Jesus, who died and rose again, and who is there preparing a place for us.

Amen.

Friend.

If this episode landed, I want to encourage you to do something.

I would love for you to share it.

Share it with 10 people.

Send it to someone who's given up on the world, somebody who's checked out.

Send it to someone bored by this false picture of heaven.

Send it to someone who needs to know God is making all things new.

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I want to close with this.

Your life is not a waiting room.

It's a preview of eternity.

And you got to live like it is.

I'm Ralph Eastepp.

Junior And I just want to thank you so much for joining me today.

God bless you, and I'll see you next time.

Stand firm Though the culture shifts like sand Your truth, oh, Lord, is where I choose to stand.

Truth, unveil.

Truth, unveil.