Like most Christians, when I made the decision to believe in Jesus Christ, I was taught that I would spend eternity with Christ in Heaven and that by my faith, I was saved from an eternity in hell. This was also the message that Christians proclaim to non-believers by asking them to choose: Heaven or Hell?
The problem is, this is not exactly what the Bible teaches.
There is no doubt that through faith in Jesus Christ, we believe that He sacrificed Himself for our sins on the cross, resurrected from the dead, that we are saved from eternal condemnation in the Lake of Fire. The Bible proves this:
“He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned” – Mark 16:16
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” – John 3:16
“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” – John 1:12-13
“And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.” – 1 John 2:2
Through faith we receive eternal life and are saved from eternal condemnation as the verses above show, but the common Christian belief is that this salvation is for us to dwell in Heaven.
What DOES the Bible actually say?
The Bible says that God’s goal is to bring His Heavenly Kingdom down to this earth and for us to rule in His Kingdom together with Jesus Christ, the King of Kings. He will completely eliminate all earthly governments and kingdoms and set up His everlasting, righteous, holy, and heavenly Kingdom. Jesus Christ did not save us for us to live in heaven, but for us to be KINGS and PRIESTS in His Kingdom right here on earth!
“In this manner, therefore, pray:Our Father in heaven,Hallowed be Your name.Your KINGDOM COME.Your will be doneON EARTH as it is in heaven” – Matt 6:9-10
“..To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us KINGS and PRIESTS to His God and Father..” – Rev 1:5b-6
“..For You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and have made us KINGS and PRIESTS to our God; And WE SHALL REIGN ON THE EARTH.” – Rev 5:9b-10
“Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming DOWN OUT OF HEAVEN from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, ‘Behold the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people.’” – Rev 21:2-3
“Then the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdoms UNDER THE WHOLE HEAVEN, shall be given TO THE PEOPLE, the SAINTS OF THE MOST HIGH. His Kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey Him.” – Dan 7:27
“..’The KINGDOMS OF THIS WORLD have become the kingdoms of the Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!” – Rev 11:15
God’s goal and purpose is to retake the earth from Satan and He wants to do this with mankind! Satan knows this so he’s deceived Christians into thinking we’re going to heaven while the real fight is over this earth!
Humans were always meant to live on earth, not in heaven! If we were meant to live in heaven, then God would have created Adam in heaven, but instead, Genesis 1:26 and 28 say:
“Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
Humans were created on the earth to rule over the earth but fell into sin and death. Jesus Christ came to save us from sin and death and restore mankind’s original purpose!
May the Spirit open our inner eyes to see the truth!
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