Heaven is Not Imaginary

Every few months I have someone ask me about the book “Heaven Is For Real.” No doubt, the title is true. But is the content within true? Is it helpful? These are important questions. Truth and helpfulness go together. Consider Prof. Jeff Gibbs take:

As N. T. Wright, the great New Testament scholar has quipped, “I’m not against heaven; but it’s not the end of the world!”  It is the Easter season.  Christ did not rise from the dead so that when we die, our souls could go to be in heaven.  No.  Christ died and rose, ascended and will come again, in order to renew the creation, and “on the Last Day He will raise up me and all the dead, and give unto me and all believers in Christ eternal life.  This is most certainly true.”  There is not one crumb, not one word in Heaven is For Real that God’s full plan of salvation in Christ means eternal life now, and on the last day, full bodily holiness and immortality for all believers and for the whole cosmos.  There is no appreciation for the importance of our bodies, and of God’s promise in Christ to redeem them and raise us to everlasting life.  In brief, the best response to this book might be simply to confess the words of the Nicene Creed:  “I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world Greek, “age” to come.”

via Concordia Theology » Heaven Is For Real.

Also, if you are so inclined, listen to this interview with Pr. Tom Messer:

We ought to be critical of what we read and not take everything at its word. Truth requires verification. Truth is helpful and good.