The last creation just may be the original creation, it may not be a place but a condition! Ephesians 1:4 When Jesus went to become King of Kings and Lord of Lords and was presented His kingdom, dominion, and power, Daniel 7:44, when He was raised “to set on David’s throne,” did He return to a place or a circumstance? Heaven is a place, situation, circumstance; the context must decide. When one speaks of Heaven, most often speak of a “place” where God sets on His throne, they speak of a place, not a circumstance or situation. If one speaks of a place, they talk about where God IS, and one must ask themselves a question, just where is it that God is not? Since He is everywhere (even with us when we do not want Him to be), where would one GO to be with God? How about to worship services!! If we do not GO somewhere and God is everywhere, when what has stopped constant and continual existence with God means we can SPIRITUALLY exist in His presence being in the same place as He, where do we GO to be in that presence?? Would it not be that where we can GO where we can meet Him once a week is not considered? The saved who do not take of business here, lose!!
Once the problem of sin was resolved by the death of Christ, spiritual fellowship with God was remedied, yet we could not continually be in His presence, WHY? The Bible tells us the answer to this question. “Flesh and blood cannot enter the kingdom of Heaven.” 1 Corinthians 15:50 “For the flesh lust against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other” Galatians 5:17 The putting off of this fleshly body removes this war in this arena and one who had never put off this body of flesh could never expect to enter into a totally spiritual place. “For we that are in this tabernacle groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon that mortality (the ability for this body to not continue) might be swallowed up on life.” 2 Corinthians 5:4 Knowing that the physical body cannot last forever, we would never think that with a deteriorating tabernacle one would ever think of entering into an eternal, never-ending realm UNTIL we have prepared ourselves for that JOY!! We have never appreciated one of the benefits of the death of the physical body!! When we leave this body, when we have said our last good-byes, grieving is really out of place-it is not death for us to die!! We will never be “stripped of covering” as brother Paul writes: “If so being clothed we shall not be found naked.” 2 Corinthians 5:3 Once, the problem of the body is resolved in the resurrection, the thing that stopped our existence in the presence of an eternal Being has been resolved IF we have “labored to be pleasing to God.” 2 Corinthians 5:5-9
The “going to Heaven” is verbiage not found in the new Testament that I have found. Where this originated and why is open to guess, but the fact that it is an improper truth. Being “invited through the gates into the city” is another phrase that has found common usage which also cannot be found to relate to Heaven, as a separated place. The “city” mentioned here is the Church of Christ. This “city” has twelve gates, nor temple, light, or sin but it is not true that the Book tells us we are “invited into the gates of Heaven” that I can find!! If we obey the gospel and are “added” to this “city,” we are said to be in the “midst of the street of IT where no curse (of death-separation from God) shall be! Revelation 21-22. The It is the Church of Christ, not Heaven. If we cannot be separated from God, Matthew 16:18, when in the Church of Christ (if we walk in the Light, 1 John 1:1-9), how can we not understand that “where He is, there we are, also?” If we are in fellowship with Deity when we are added to the Body of Christ, the IT, all that awaits our being in His presence is the removing of that barrier that separates us from THEM!! When Paul gave the Revelation to John, Paul, by the Holy Spirit described the “Lamb’s Bride,” called her the IT, and told us we had a RIGHT to the “tree of life,” that is limited to one day because we “have entered in through the gates into the city.” Revelation 22:14 This is not a description of anything but the Lord’s Supper!! It (she) is that which invites, and all “whosoever is athirst may come and take of the water of life (the message of the Spirit, John 7:39), freely.” Conclusion: to be “in Christ,” in the “Church of Christ,” is to be in Heaven, on earth! All that awaits our being in the continuous presence of Deity is the resurrection!! That remedies this separation just like the blood of Christ did the separation because of sin!! Imagine having Heaven: you were in IT, were added to IT, and you gave IT up!! and for what??, the body, that goes back to dust??
