In May, The Late Show host Stephen Colbert interviewed Ringo Starr as the former Beatle approached his 81st birthday.
In the segment called “The Colbert Questionert,” he asked Starr a series of mundane and trivial questions designed to evoke deep and thoughtful answers. Of course, the whole thing was for comedic effect, so the questions were things like “Best sandwich?,” What is the scariest animal?,” “Most used app on your phone?,” and “What number am I thinking of?”
And stuck right in middle was this: “What happens when you die?”
Starr replied, “I think we go to heaven.” Colbert was visibly surprised. He adjusted himself and asked Starr, “What’s heaven like?”
Starr replied, “Heaven’s great, but you don’t stay there very long; you just gotta get yourself together again and come deal with all that [stuff] you didn’t deal with last time you were here.”
That’s not heaven
I’m not sure which is worse–that Colbert packaged a question about heaven with so many superficial and trivial questions, or that Starr’s answer was so frivolous and inaccurate.
Starr believes in a fluffy version of reincarnation. But bouncing back because you gotta “deal with stuff you didn’t deal with the last time you were here” isn’t comforting. It’s exhausting and frightening. Why? Because each time you live, you make more mistakes that, once again, you must return and strive to correct until you get it right. But you never do. You just keep trying. That doesn’t sound like heaven to me.
So, what’s heaven really like?
How Jesus describes heaven
Jesus refers to heaven a lot. And he refers to hell a lot, too. But as far as I know, Jesus describes heaven only once. So, when given the chance to describe the afterlife for Christians, what did Jesus say?
In John 14:1-6, Jesus said, “’Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many rooms; if that were not so, I would have told you, because I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I am coming again and will take you to Myself, so that where I am, there you also will be. And you know the way where I am going.’ Thomas said to Him, ‘Lord, we do not know where You are going; how do we know the way?’ Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me.’”
Clearly, for Jesus, heaven is a real place. The Bible takes this for granted. You simply cannot read the biblical depictions of the afterlife and come up with the notion that heaven is some kind metaphor or state of being.
Also, Jesus raises the subject of heaven for a specific reason. When things stink on earth, remember that you are not home yet. Not even close. So, don’t be “troubled,” He says. Instead, live this life in light of your eternal destination.
When we think of heaven, we tend to focus on the outward perfection of it. You know–pearly gates and the streets of gold, images we get from Rev. 21:21.
But when Jesus talks about heaven, what does He consider most important about the afterlife for Christians? When this life is chaotic, frightening, or even tragic, what does Jesus want you to remember about the next life?
- Heaven is personal for Christians
The first, most compelling feature of Jesus’ description is the relational nature of heaven. “My Father’s house.” “I go and prepare and place for you.” “I am coming again and will take you to Myself, so that where I am, there you also will be.” You see it?
I, My, Me, Myself, you. The whole thing sounds very, very personal for Jesus, doesn’t it? He doesn’t talk about heaven in generalities or describe cold concrete or even glittering gold. No, when Jesus describes heaven, He portrays ideal relationships (Luke 23:43).
Think of it this way. You’ll often hear it said or see it written that heaven for us is being with Jesus. That’s true. But never forget that when Jesus thinks about heaven, He thinks about being with you.
- Heaven is prepared for Christians
Jesus describes the heaven-side of this preparation. “I go and prepare a place for you,” He says, and that place is in His Father’s house.
But preparation for your arrival begins before your death. It begins with you. It begins when you are forgiven of your sin by trusting Christ, and then He gives you new life (2 Cor. 5:17, John 3:3, Rev. 21:5). You might conclude this life with regrets, because we all do, but you don’t carry those with you to the afterlife (Rev. 21:4), nor do you have to return and keep trying to make things right. In fact, you can’t. What’s done is done, and what’s forgiven stays forgiven (Heb. 11:16).
And your arrival will be immediate. “I will come again and take you to myself.” No in-between time. No time spent on-deck. No sleeping in the grave until it’s your turn. Jesus has spent all this time preparing a place for you. Why would He delay the celebration of your homecoming? (Luke 23:43, 2 Cor. 5:6-8, Heb. 11:16).
- Heaven is permanent for Christians
Jesus’ portrays heaven as the home you always wanted, the place with God that you never need to leave. For the Christian, it’s the final and absolute rest. Otherwise, the image of Him “preparing a place” for you is absurd. Why would He do that if it was not permanent?
So, this life is the time to make your decisions. Accept Christ or reject Christ. But once this life is done, eternity awaits (Heb. 9:27).
No do-overs, but also no need to dwell on what you might regret or what you cannot fix. And why would God create a scenario in which you and I just keep coming back and making even more of a mess of things? He wouldn’t. Because no matter the mess you have made of things, God’s grace is big enough to handle all of that (John 10:28).
- Heaven is promised to Christians
Jesus does not equivocate, even if people find it offensive. Heaven is reserved for those who follow Christ. “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” Can’t get much more exclusive than that.
But that’s why heaven is so personal for Jesus, and for you and me. Heaven is God’s promise to those who trust Christ for forgiveness and eternal life (Rom. 10:9). And God always keeps His promises (2 Tim. 2:13).
The whole point of Jesus’ teaching on heaven is to remind us to trust Him. Have confidence in Him.
Because no matter how bad life gets in this world, you are not home yet (1 Cor. 2:9).
For we know that if our earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal dwelling in the heavens, not made with hands.
2 Cor. 5:1