Of Heaven, Hell and Angels

“…for they are equal to the angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.”  Luke 20:36

Where do I expect to be in twenty, thirty years; if not tomorrow? My answer: In heaven; equal to the angels and enjoying God’s presence as an adopted son. Now I say that, not as a death wish. I enjoy breathing. Breathing is all I’ve known since I was born, and as you know, it is an involuntary function. It remains, of course, involuntary until the day comes that it involuntarily stops; when light vanishes from the eyes that we have to see the present world and we awaken to peer into the spiritual realm of the next. As for where we awaken, that is also involuntary; even though the Bible tells us we must decide about that while we’re breathing. You see, there is another breath, and that of life, that we may or may not know and experience unless the Holy Spirit quickens us. Whether that happens I am persuaded by the attributes of God; particularly His sovereignty that God made that choice for us a long, long time ago; before the foundation of the earth was laid. While most people believe they have the freedom of choice in the matter of their eternal resting place; which often involves choosing neither heaven nor hell, their choice will have little bearing on what happens after they draw their final breath.

As for those who believe in Jesus, I agree that man does make a choice per se, but man decides in response to God’s grace, which illumines the heart, mind and soul to the redemptive power of God inwardly. (Eph. 2:8,9) Man does not have ‘freewill.’ Adam, as our Federal or representative head, lost that for us when he sinned. As Jonathan Edwards opined, one’s belief is based on the fact that men tend to do what they are inclined to do, and that is part of the human decision-making process. Dead men, which all were before and unless later quickened by God, could only choose to do what dead men do: that is, to continue to live in sin under the darkness of this world. (Eph. 2:1-3) Dead men are not inclined to believe, in fact, we are told that no one seeks God. (Rom. 3:11) Those whom God effectually called (men who truly realized the nature of their sin and repented) were inclined to do what righteous men do: believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved. As for what is an ‘effectual call,’ it is the difference between those who only heard the Gospel of Christ compared to those who heard and obeyed the Gospel; in keeping with our Lord’s statements, ‘for many are called by few are chosen.’ (Mat. 22:14), and “If ye love me, keep my Commandments.” (John 14:15)

When I opened this blog and asked whom I would be like once I die, it was not to gloat. As God takes no pleasure in the death of the sinner (Eze. 18:32), neither do I. I was called to love my neighbor as myself, and there is no love in a gloat. I have family members; neighbors who are not presently persuaded, but they may be. I don’t know my readers, but I still hope that God is merciful, even unto their last breath. I pray that it is a quickened pant after God and not a sinner’s breath that is gasped when the truth and the horror of one’s error are revealed. Another reason we should pray for the sinner is because they too are equal to the angels; not of those who encircle the throne of God, but of those fallen; eternally damned as a consequence of their sin and rebellion. As Lucifer wanted to be equal to God in heaven, he enticed men to think of themselves as God’s equal on earth, but that will never be for either the Devil or the sinner. For those in Christ, we will be equal to the angels; created beings and as adopted children. For the unrepentant sinner, as children, they will follow their father to that place of residence that is reserved for him. They will see him as he is and themselves as they are. They will live eternally as Dives (Luke 16), realizing their error and wickedness; wanting their family and friends warned, and finding no pleasure in trying to remember what their life and the attraction that brought them to refuse the Gospel message in exchange for that dreadful place.

No, I didn’t write this to gloat but to warn. Eternity is no small matter, and how we could spend it is well worth a moment’s read.