Course: BMLS-1

Section: BMLS1-04
Subject: CFVE1 | Christian Foundation and Values Education 1
Instructor: Marcelino, Mike Joseph
Group Members:
 Bangaoil, Abby Lyanne
 Gonzales, Mikaella
 Panida, Xyreene Allyson
 Duclayan, Jeane Brylle D.

Guide Questions:
What is Heaven?
A. The renewed heaven, earth and creation.
B. The undeniable glory of god.

WHAT IS HEAVEN?
Heaven is a real place where the people of God will live one day. In fact, heaven is where God and the
angels live.
John 14:1-3 even says that Jesus is in heaven preparing a place for us to live. In heaven, those saved by
God will have new bodies without the curse of sin. Although Jesus builds houses in heaven, the Bible also
says that those saved will also build their own houses and inhabit them as well as plant and eat from
vineyards (Isaiah 65:21). Most importantly, God will be in heaven and He wants to be your friend. He wants
to dwell with you and wipe away all your tears (Revelation 21:1-4).

Three meanings of "HEAVEN"

 The word "heaven" can mean God’s dwelling place. The Bible says: "The LORD has established
His throne in heaven, and His kingdom rules over all" (Psalm 103:19). God’s throne is also
mentioned in connection with the mountain of God (Ezekiel 28:16).
 Heaven may also refer to the endless planets, stars, and galaxies of the universe. The Bible says:
"When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have
ordained" (Psalm 8:3).
 The Bible also speaks of the atmosphere that surrounds the earth as heaven or heavens (Genesis
1: 7, 8).

What is heaven like?

 All things are new,
"Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also,
there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from
God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband" (Revelation 21:1, 2).
 No tears or pain,
"And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying.
There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away" (Revelation 21:4).
 Perfect peace,
"'The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, the lion shall eat straw like the ox, and dust [shall be] the
serpent’s food. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain,' says the LORD" (Isaiah 65:25).
Is Heaven real?
 Heaven has solid real estate
Popular myths picture heaven as a fanciful place where spirits sit on clouds playing harps or float around in
nebulous space.
 Perfect unselfish love governs all relationships in heaven
The Bible says: "He who does not love does not know God, for God is love" (1 John 4:8). Those who love
God keep His commandments (John 14:15). The inhabitants of heaven obey God’s commandments of love
(Psalm 103:19-21).
 The New Earth as heaven
Real earth, real houses, gardens, hobbies, loved ones, are all part of the perfect future life in store for those
who are faithful to God’s Word.

How do you get to Heaven?

Contrary to popular belief, the Bible says we do not go to heaven or hell when we die. The entrance to
heaven is not automatic for people who have simply tried to be good. The Bible says: "But there shall by no
means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the
Lamb’s Book of Life" (Revelation 21:27).

A. THE RENEWED HEAVEN, EARTH AND CREATION

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and
the sea was no more” (v. 1).
As we think on the new creation that will come at the return of Jesus, we must note that anyone
who dies in Christ goes immediately to be with the Lord in heaven (2 Cor. 5:6–8). Theologians typically
refer to this existence in heaven before the second advent of Jesus as an intermediate state because it
comes between our life on earth and the new creation. Scripture has little to say explicitly about the
intermediate state, although we are certainly not far off the mark to say it approximates the bliss of the new
heaven and earth. Perhaps the most significant difference between the new heaven and earth and the
intermediate state is that we do not get resurrected, physical bodies until Jesus returns, and our spirits
alone live in God’s presence until then (Dan. 12:2; Rev. 20).
When the new heaven and earth arrive, the world as we know it will end, as will the present
separation between the physical and the spiritual. God will dwell permanently with His people in the temple
of His creation. Redemption will reach its consummation in the renewal of the physical order, and the
effects of sin’s curse will be absent from our resurrected existence (Rev. 21:1).
In the new heaven and the new earth, God Himself will wipe away all our tears. There will be no
death and no reason to mourn, for all that causes sadness will have passed away (vv. 2–4). The New
Jerusalem, a city of immense size and beauty, will be our dwelling place (vv. 9–21).
Finally, and most wonderful of all, we will dwell in the brightest light imaginable — the light of God’s
glory — in this renewed creation. The triune God will be our lamp, and we shall rejoice in His radiance
forever, never having to fear His purity, for we will be holy just as He is holy (vv. 22–27; see 1 John 3:1–3).
B. THE UNDENIABLE GLORY OF GOD
The Glory of God
Exodus 16:10
It is impossible to talk about God and not talk about His glory. The Glory of God is the proof of His
presence.

We think of Moses and the finger of God writing the Ten Commandments on tablets of stone, we think of
Moses on the mountain with God and as he descends Mt Sinai his face is shining with the glory of God, we
think of Abraham and how the angel of the Lord intervened at the right time and he didn't have to sacrifice
his son Isaac. We think of Jesus and the Holy Spirit descending upon Him like a dove and the voice of God
the Father coming out of heaven saying ''This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. We think of
the miracles He performed, we think of His transfiguration on the mount, we see the blind seeing, and the
deaf hearing, the demon-possessed being set free and the dead being raised to life. We see transformed
lives, and people that choose to follow Him and are willing to lay down their very lives for the gospel. We
see the ordinary become the extraordinary. We see the natural become the supernatural.

In Scripture, the first manifestation of the glory of God was in Genesis when God spoke and His creation
came into being, but the word ''glory'' was not revealed in Scripture until Exodus chapter 16 when God
appeared to His people in the wilderness in a cloud.

Exodus 16:10 Now it came to pass, as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the children of Israel, that
they looked toward the wilderness, and behold, the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud.

A Renewed Creation,
“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and
the sea was no more” (v. 1).
As we think on the new creation that will come at the return of Jesus, we must note that anyone
who dies in Christ goes immediately to be with the Lord in heaven (2 Cor. 5:6–8). Theologians typically
refer to this existence in heaven before the second advent of Jesus as an intermediate state because it
comes between our life on earth and the new creation. Scripture has little to say explicitly about the
intermediate state, although we are certainly not far off the mark to say it approximates the bliss of the new
heaven and earth. Perhaps the most significant difference between the new heaven and earth and the
intermediate state is that we do not get resurrected, physical bodies until Jesus returns, and our spirits
alone live in God’s presence until then (Dan. 12:2; Rev. 20).
When the new heaven and earth arrive, the world as we know it will end, as will the present
separation between the physical and the spiritual. God will dwell permanently with His people in the temple
of His creation. Redemption will reach its consummation in the renewal of the physical order, and the
effects of sin’s curse will be absent from our resurrected existence (Rev. 21:1).
In the new heaven and the new earth, God Himself will wipe away all our tears. There will be no
death and no reason to mourn, for all that causes sadness will have passed away (vv. 2–4). The New
Jerusalem, a city of immense size and beauty, will be our dwelling place (vv. 9–21).
Finally, and most wonderful of all, we will dwell in the brightest light imaginable — the light of God’s
glory — in this renewed creation. The triune God will be our lamp, and we shall rejoice in His radiance
forever, never having to fear His purity, for we will be holy just as He is holy (vv. 22–27; see 1 John 3:1–3).
8 Common Things You Should Know about the New Heavens and the New Earth
1. Jesus was raised to earth.
Jesus was raised to earth, not to heaven. We should not confuse the resurrection and the ascension.
2. The Bible begins at Genesis 1, not at Genesis 3.
The Bible does not begin with the problem of sin; it begins with the beauty of the earth. Through all the
twists and turns of the biblical story, God remains committed to his creation. In the light of this, it is
surprising that so many Christians view the earth as transient at best and something to be forsaken at
worst. The opening chapters of Genesis explode this misconception.
3. God did not hold back his best when he created the earth.
The earth that God created is not a functional, monochrome, utilitarian machine. It is full of beauty, color,
and creativity. God declared it to be “very good” (Gen. 1:31). God did not hold back when he created this
world by keeping the best for heaven.
4. God has entered into an eternal covenant with creation.
It sounds strange in English to enter into a covenant with creation. How do animals, trees, and rocks
respond? God declares: “And I will make for them a covenant on that day with the beasts of the field, the
birds of the heavens and the creeping things of the ground” (Hos. 2:18).
5. The destruction of the earth does not mean its obliteration.
The Bible talks of the total destruction of the earth twice: once in the flood in the days of Noah and the other
in the final destruction of the earth by fire. Both of these events are mentioned in 2 Peter 3 and 2 Peter 3:10
states
6. The Holy Land expands to be a Holy Earth.
God’s intentions for one land, Israel, have ramifications for the future of the whole earth. Within an
understanding of God’s ownership of the entire earth, God elected one nation, Israel, to be his chosen
people.
7. Jesus’s proclamation about the kingdom of God is concerned with this world.
When Jesus claimed “my kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36), he was not referring to the domain
over which he rules. Hopefully the kingdom of God makes an impact in this world! The Gospels clearly
identify two kingdoms, but the division is not between sacred and secular; the division is between the
kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan (Luke 11:14–22).
8. The renewal of the earth means we are committed to the things of the earth.
Creation and new creation are the bookends of the Bible. God is concerned for the renewal of this earth.
Christian ministry is not just about telling people how to get into heaven when they die, essential though
that is. It is also concerned for what happens in this world.

The Undeniable Working of God Through His People

Summary: God does not only make miracles, but He also displays His miraculous working through His
people. The all-powerfulness of God is beyond the boundaries of man’s extreme imaginations. His strength
and wisdom are incomparable and immeasurable. He made the heavens and the earth and all the things
therein. In Psalm 86:8-10, it is written, Among the gods there is none like unto thee, O Lord; neither are
there any works like unto thy works. All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee,
O Lord; and shall glorify thy name. The works of God are awe-inspiring. Though He is not visible to the
eyes of men, His Word and works are undeniable proofs of His eternal power and existence. Considering
all the wonderful creations of the Almighty God, many people still don’t believe His existence and the
impressive works of His hands because they themselves are victims of their own deceitful beliefs and
reasoning.

Sources
 https://www.bibleinfo.com/en/questions/where-is-heaven
 https://www.ligonier.org/learn/devotionals/a-renewed-creation/
 https://www.ikoyibaptistchurch.org/pf/the-undeniable-glory/
 https://www.bibleinfo.com/en/questions/where-is-heaven?
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