In response to the Atheistic Article:
10 Burning Questions I Have About Heaven by Godless Mom
@godless_mom (Twitter)
- Are Good Place residents aware of the Bad Place?
The primary purpose for our lives constrained by Time is to prepare for Eternity. As I explain here, mankind constrained by Time on Earth is actively participating in a cosmic struggle between good v. evil, Yeshua v. Lucifer, a cosmic struggle that was initiated before the creation of Time, the Universe, humanity, Hell. In summation of the Scriptures, one must conclude that our experiences while constrained by Time are most relevant in preparation for servitude in Eternity concerning those who choose to trust in Messiah-Yeshua as Lord for the forgiveness of sin thereby allowing their spirit access to God’s Kingdom subsequent to death of the human body (2 Corinthians 5:8).
It is during our stay, our experiences, on this Earth that we are made aware of the ramifications of compromise with sin e.g. aberrant lust, violent hate, murder, hopelessness, lying, deceit, covetousness. It is history that defines the unconscionable horrors of mankind’s disobedience to God’s edicts, those edicts having been instituted for our edification, our knowledge, our warning, our hope, our health, our sustainability, in the goodness of God’s Law.
It is for this reason I believe we will carry our memories of sin’s hopelessness into the Kingdom of God as a remembrance of God’s goodness through His Law and that a sustainable life with joy and peace is ONLY possible through obedience to our Lord. Yes, I do believe that we will be aware of Hell and the recompense for disobedience by those who rejected the righteousness of Yeshua and pursued the unrighteousness of Lucifer.
This remembrance will NOT stymie “free will” or volitional love for our Creator because the redeemed will have full-knowledge of why God has done what He has done and the consensus of the Redeemed for God’s wrath toward sin will reflect complete agreement. Our remembrances of the horrors of sin combined with a resurrected body free from the sin-nature of Adam and an environment of intimate fellowship with the faithful throughout the history of the World will ensure that free will can manifest in God’s Kingdom and be secured by complete knowledge of the horrors of sin and rebellion and hopelessness in compromising one’s relationship with our Lord through disobedience. In other words, it is the remembrance of sin’s horror and the ramifications of same that will act as a stalwart against rebellion in God’s Kingdom and this stalwart will be internalized by full-knowledge that God’s way is the ONLY way to a sustainable life with purpose, joy and peace.
- Will my dog be in Heaven with me?
The Scriptures do not respond to this question but our Creator has promised to give the faithful the desires of their heart; therefore, it is certainly possible that the love of our pets could be found in Eternity. It’s important to remember that animals are not created with a spirit that transcends Time but this will be no problem for our omnipotent Creator as He seeks to express His eternal love for those who have trusted in Him as Lord.
“Delight yourself in the LORD; And He will give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37:4 (NASB)
but just as it is written, “THINGS WHICH EYE HAS NOT SEEN AND EAR HAS NOT HEARD, AND which HAVE NOT ENTERED THE HEART OF MAN, ALL THAT GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM.” 1 Corinthians 2:9 (NASB)
- If there are cats in Heaven, do they still knock things over?
The Scriptures do not suggest that Earthly/Time relevant physics will be restricted in the Eternal Kingdom but that physics will actually be irrelevant in many instances; therefore, the playful nature of our pets, if they are present in the Kingdom, will not be deterred.
- Is there free will in Heaven?
Yes, there is free will in Heaven. Free will is currently practiced by the Angels in Heaven and this Angelic “free will” is evidenced by Lucifer’s rebellion and the unfaithful angels that followed Lucifer in that rebellion. The supreme ethic given mankind by our Creator is “love” and love cannot exist in purity and authenticity void volition or free will i.e. the ability to “choose.” If one cannot choose to hate, they cannot truly love; therefore, in order for our relationship with our Creator to manifest in purity and authenticity, one must possess free will. Some see free will in Heaven as a problem; therefore, I refer you back to my response to question #1 and also to my article “In the Beginning God – Why?”
- Can we play Zelda games in Heaven?
The Redeemed/Faithful in Heaven will be so busy serving our God that I seriously doubt Zelda games will be an issue…but the Scriptures do not discuss this point.
- How can we know what’s good in Heaven if there is nothing to compare it to?
Those who dwell in God’s presence in the Eternal Kingdom are not constrained by the cognitive limitations manifest as a result of mankind’s corrupted genome; therefore, the Redeemed in Heaven will have full knowledge of goodness and joy and peace as opposed to the hopelessness of a life lived in the futility of sin. Again, this life in Time is nothing more than preparation for Eternity; therefore, we will not leave behind the knowledge of good v. evil and righteousness v. death in sin when we shed this body of sin in our death relevant to Time.
- Can we fornicate in Heaven?
No, sin will not be permitted to manifest in God’s Kingdom and the redeemed will not seek fornication because the sin-nature that lends itself to rebellion will not be present in the resurrected body that is fashioned after the glorious body of our resurrected Lord.
- Is Heaven where masturbation is suddenly okay in the eyes of the lord?
See #7.
- What if we see someone in Heaven who we didn’t like in life?
Love, not discord, will be the prevalent theme in Heaven and fellowship among the brethren will manifest in God’s Love. Discord is the resultant of jealousy, self-righteousness, selfish-judgment; therefore, these impediments to love and fellowship will be absent and a desire to honor others with respect due them will be paramount.
10. Is there bacon in Heaven and if so, how does Heaven really feel all that great to a vegan?
God will give to each according to his needs and desires. There will be no personal judgment against a brother for food or drink but each to his own in respect for God’s gift of provision without lack in the Kingdom. Satisfaction and contentment in God’s love and provision will reign true among the Redeemed in God’s Kingdom.
Also see”
In the Beginning God – Why: https://rickeyholtsclaw.com/2017/09/27/in-the-beginning-god-why/
Thanks,
Rickey D. Holtsclaw @RickeyDale07 (Twitter) – until the anti-Christian Twitter gods delete the account.
Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews; this man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.” Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
Nicodemus said to Him, “How can these things be?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and do not understand these things? Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know and testify of what we have seen, and you do not accept our testimony. If I told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven, but He who descended from heaven: the Son of Man. As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life.
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.” The Gospel of John 3: 1-21 (NASB)
"RickeyD" Holtsclaw 