Answer
Heaven is indeed a real place. The Bible tells us that heaven is God’s throne (Isaiah 66:1; Acts 7:48–49; Matthew 5:34–35). After Jesus’ resurrection and appearance on earth to His disciples, He was taken up into heaven and sat at the right hand of God (Acts 1:9–11). “Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence” (Hebrews 9:24). Jesus not only went before us, entering heaven on our behalf, but He has a present ministry in heaven, serving as our high priest in the true tabernacle made by God (Hebrews 6:19–20; 8:1–2).
Jesus Himself said that there are many rooms in God’s house and that He has gone before us to prepare a place for us. We have the assurance of His promise that He will one day come back to earth and take us to where He is in heaven (John 14:1–4). Our belief in an eternal home in heaven is based on an explicit promise of Jesus. Heaven is most definitely a real place.
When people deny the existence of heaven, they deny not only the written Word of God, but they also deny the innermost longings of their own hearts. Paul addressed this in his letter to the Corinthians, encouraging them to cling to the hope of heaven so that they would not lose heart. Although we “groan and sigh” in our earthly state (2 Corinthians 5:4, NLT), we have the hope of heaven always before us and are eager to get there. Paul urged the Corinthians to look forward to their eternal home in heaven, a perspective that would enable them to endure hardships and disappointments. “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:17–18).
Just as God has put in men’s hearts the knowledge that He exists (Romans 1:19–20), so are we “programmed” to desire heaven. Heaven is the theme of countless books, songs, and works of art. Unfortunately, our sin has barred the way to heaven. Since heaven is the abode of a holy and perfect God, sin has no place there. Fortunately, God has provided for us the key to open the doors of heaven—salvation in Jesus Christ (John 14:6). All who believe in Him and seek forgiveness for sin will find the doors of heaven swung wide open for them.
May the future glory of our eternal home motivate us all to serve God faithfully and wholeheartedly: “My dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:58).
