By Robert A. Lewis
Most main-stream Christian Churches teach their adherents that the saved will go up to heaven when they die, and give little or no idea as to what they will actually be doing throughout all of eternity, once they’re there.
“Going to heaven” at death is the belief of most professing Christians, and the followers of many of this world’s other religions also believe in some form of afterlife – or some form of “reward” such as an afterlife of bliss following death. But what in fact does the Bible very clearly tell us is the reward of the saved?
In Scripture we find neither Jesus nor the Apostles taught that the reward of the righteous will be to go up to the third heaven where God abides, when they die. Rather, we find in the very last message recorded in the Bible, Jesus promised to bring His reward with Him at the time He returns to establish His kingdom reign on the Earth, to reward to every man according as his work shall be (Revelation 22:12).
The first century Church of God which Jesus Christ and the Apostles established never taught that the saved would go up to heaven upon their death, but would be asleep in their graves until Christ’s return. Then to be instantly raised with new “born again” spirit bodies to reign with and under Him over the nations on earth for a thousand years, prior to the time of the final resurrection known as the White Throne Judgment.
Jesus clearly explained to His disciples: “No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man” (John 3:13). And, Peter the Apostle said that King David, a man after God’s own heart (Acts 13:22), “is both dead and buried, and his sepulcher is with us unto this day… For David is not ascended into the heavens” (Acts 2:29, 34).
King David is still dead and in his grave, as is every other righteous person who has died! All are awaiting the time of the last trump and resurrection from the dead, when they will receive their new incorruptible spirit bodies that will never die (1 Corinthians 15:50-53; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).
The gift of God is eternal life (Romans 6:23), given to Spirit-begotten Christians, but what is the actual “reward” that Jesus promised He will bring with Him when He returns to this earth?
Jesus said that when He returns in the glory of His Father with His angels, He will “reward every man according to his works” (Matthew 16:27).
The redeemed saints of God will not be idly strumming on harps up in heaven for all eternity. The Bible reveals that the “reward of the saved” will be an exciting and glorious future ruling over the nations on the earth with Jesus Christ after He returns (Revelation 2:26; 5:10). The resurrected saints under the leadership of Jesus Christ will have the honour of teaching the nations God’s way of living for a thousand years (Revelation 20:4-6), bringing lasting peace, prosperity and joy to all mankind.
After God’s great Master Plan of salvation for mankind is complete, the surface of the earth will be purified by fire (2 Peter 3:10-12) and a new earth and new heavens will emerge (2 Peter 3:13; Revelation 21:1) and the new capital of the earth – the “New Jerusalem” – will descend from heaven (Revelation 21:2, 10; 3:12). God the Father will then descend to the earth and make the New Jerusalem the location of His throne (Revelation 21:3, 22-23; 22:3-5), from where God and His immortal saints will rule the entire universe for all eternity!
For more about this marvelous and exciting plan that God has in store for His faithful saints, please read the booklet “Your Ultimate Destiny” in our Book Library. The surprising truth revealed in scripture is that “heaven” is coming to the earth, from where the God Family will rule the universe forever!
