NM 25: Kingdom of God

What Others Say

nm1042 >> Is there a heaven? In many churches members look upon going to heaven as going above the clouds and beholding God always while being in a state of heavenly bliss. Not too much detail is given, except it is a much better place to be than hell. According to many, if you go to hell, you are in a fire suffering forever (Last Judgment). But if you go to heaven you are blessed forever and you will live in one of the heavenly mansions in cities paved with gold. If you get to heaven there will be no work, no suffering, no day, no night. Everyone eats from the tree of life and worships God forever enjoying the beatific vision.

nm1043 >> In the Koran, one description of heaven for the males is having a continuous supply of virgin "companions," with alcoholic drink and delicate food to eat - a continuous orgy and feast (Sura 56:4-41ff). This belief is not particular to the Koran, for many others also believe that the pleasures forbidden them on earth will be their permissible pleasure in heaven. But are the sinful "pleasures" denied on earth, the rewards of heaven? Or does this have more to do with the other-mind's pleasures being projected into mankind's physical mind in this age? (See "Other Mind" paper [NM 21])

What the Bible Says

But what does the Bible say about the "reward" for Christians? Do they go to heaven?

nm1044 >> Go to Heaven? Now since the word "heaven" or "heavenly" is used interchangeably with "spirit" or "spiritual" (1Cor 15:44-49; see Duality Paper), then at Christ's coming, when we are infused into the spiritual dimension, we will, so to speak, go to heaven or go to the spiritual dimension. But at Christ's coming is also the end of the Beast of Revelation's rule ("Beast-System Paper" [PR2]), and the beginning of God's rule through his Christ and his saints (Dan 7:11-14, 24-27; Rev 19:20-20:4; 2Thes 1:7, 10). At Christ's coming there will be clouds in the sky (Dan 7:13; Mat 24:30; Rev 1:7; Ezek 32:7; Isa 13:10; Joel 2:31; 3:15; Amos 8:9; Rev 6:12-13; Zech 14:7) from the effects of the Last War [PR5], the two witnesses will be resurrected and ascend into heaven in a cloud (Rev 11:12), the other Christians also will ascend into heaven at that same time to meet Christ in the air (1Thes 4:13-17; 2Thes 2:1; 1Cor 15:23, 51-55) to be with Christ always, and because at that time Christ will come down to earth to rule, the Christians will bring Christ down (Rom 10:6) to rule on earth for the 1000 years (Rev 20:4; 5:10; 11:15), for Christ's kingdom will rule on the earth (Rev 5:10 Greek text; Psalm 37:29, 9; Mat 5:5). Thus, "heaven" as commonly thought of, is not the "reward" Christians receive, per se. Remember here that any "reward" Christians receive is not earned; we receive all from God as a gift (See NM 8-11).

nm1045 >> In this book we have given you, here and there, some aspects of the heavenly "rewards." Let's review and put the facts together, so in one place we can see what these "rewards" will be:

• Aeonian Life: This is life in the 1000 year period. This is explained in the "Reward for Christians" paper. [NM 11] This is different from the immortal life.
• Immortality: This is explained also in the "Reward for Christians" paper and in the "Does All Mean All?" paper [NM11; NM 14]. Immortal life is life in an immortal physical body as a New Soul. It is different from the aeonian life, which is life with Christ in the 1000 year period during which others of the old age are in judgment (Last Judgment).
• Life in the Kingdom of God: There are three orders of going into the Kingdom (1Cor 15:20-24). The first was Christ the man. The second "order" occurs at the return of Christ. The third order occurs after the 1000 year period. Life in the Kingdom of God is life under the rulership of God in peace and harmony. What the Kingdom of God will be like in the present universe is outlined in NM26.
• Life Forever in the New Heaven and Earth or New Universe: Most fully this New Universe will start after the small age of 100 years which comes after the 1000 years of the Kingdom of God under Christ (NM 26 #18). It may be as impossible to understand this as it would for a child in the womb to understand how it will be after he/she is born. Our lives up to the time of the creation of the New Universe are in preparation for life in the New Universe.
• Pleasure in the New Life: We will have great pleasure in the New Life only because we have had great suffering in the old life. Pleasure and pain are comparative qualities: both need each other for either to exist (See "Reason Why" [NM 20], and GP 7 of the God Papers). Our very bodies, our New Souls, will be in and of themselves pleasurable (See "New Body" in GP6). We will live both in the physical dimension and the spiritual dimension (GP 6). We will not need to travel by foot, or by car, or by plane, or by space ship, but by and through the spiritual dimension if we so choose ("New Body" in GP6).
• Happiness Forever in the New Life: Because of the very law of knowledge, we will be happy in the New Life ("Reason Why" NM19). Happiness is a comparative quality. You cannot be happy, if you have never known unhappiness. Happiness and unhappiness are comparative qualities: both need each other for either to exist (See "Reason Why" [NM 20]).
• Love and Freedom in the New Life: God will be all in all (1Cor 15:28). "God is love. Whoever lives in love, lives in God, and God in him" (1John 4:16). "God lives in us and his love is made complete in us" (1John 4:12). We will all live in the Freedom and Harmony of the System of Love (See "Freedom and Law" [NM 17]).

 

Jesus Christ: "You are my friends if you do what I command... My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you" (John 15:12, 14). "Yes, I am coming soon" (Rev 22:20).

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