Heaven by Institute Of Biblical Discipleship

Heaven: the Eternal Home of the LORD’s People Institute of Biblical Discipleship Bible Study #37 by Nolan McFadden A Text: John 14:1-7 According to the Holy Bible, what is Heaven? Which is the correct answer? A. A fictional idea B. A place of unconscious eternal rest (the nirvana of eastern religion) C. A literal place of conscious enjoyment with the LORD’s people for all eternity According to the Scriptures, the correct answer is _____. Why? According to our LORD JESUS, Heaven is a literal place prepared for the LORD’s people (John 14:23). To become a child of God you must be born again of the Holy Spirit (John 1:1213; 3:3-7; 5:24, I Peter 1:22-25). To be born again you must personally receive the LORD JESUS and believe His biblical message of salvation in your heart (John 1:12-13, Acts 8:36-37, Romans 10:9-10). Of all the places to be, Heaven is the most beautiful and glorious. What does the Holy Bible teach us about Heaven? I. Heaven will be a place of perfect purity (Isaiah 6:1-5, Habakkuk 1:12-13, Revelation 22:3, 11-15). A. The inhabitants of Heaven will have no sin nature (Isaiah 11:1-10, Revelation 22:3). We will see and hear perfect purity. Heaven is a place of no sin (I Corinthians 6:9-10, Revelation 21:27; 22:15). B. Those who love sin would never enjoy Heaven (Revelation 22:15). Those who do not want to live for God, pray, praise the LORD, attend church services and study the Bible would not enjoy Heaven (II Thessalonians 2:10-12, Revelation 22:14-15). C. What will not be found in the New Jerusalem according to Revelation 22:3? ________ ____________________________________________________________________ D. As revealed in Revelation 22:3, what will be seen in the New Jerusalem? __________ ____________________________________________________________________ E. “For without are ___________ , and __________________, and _______________________, and ___________________, and _________________, and whosoever _______________ and maketh a _________.” Revelation 22:15 F. Without biblical salvation, what kind of people will not be found in the New Jerusalem as set forth in Revelation 22:15? List them. _________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ G. What are two characteristics of the unsaved as set forth in II Thessalonians 2:12? ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ II. Heaven will be a place of no darkness (Revelation 1:16; 21:23; 22:4-5). A. Who will be “the light” of the New Jerusalem according to Revelation 21:23? ____________________________________________________________________ B. Who is identified as “the Lamb of God” in John 1:29? ________________________ C. What happened to the face of Jesus at His transfiguration in Matthew 17:2? ____________________________________________________________________

D. How did the apostle John describe what he saw in Revelation 20:11? Explain. ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ E. According to Acts 17:30-31, who will be sitting on the throne of judgement that John saw in his vision? ______________________________________________________ III. Heaven will be a place of no sickness (Philippians 3:20-21, Revelation 21:4). A. “Who shall change our vile _______________, that it may be ___________________ Like unto his glorious _______________, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue _________ things unto himself.” (Philippians 3:21) B. For believers in CHRIST JESUS, what will be changed as mentioned in Philippians 3:21? _______________________________________________________________ IV. Heaven will be a place of no sorrow, death or pain (Isaiah 11:9, Revelation 21:4). A. “And God shall wipe away all _______________ from their ______________; and there shall be no more ________________, neither _______________, nor crying, neither shall there be any more _____________: for the former things are __________________ away.” Revelation 21:4 B. What is not found in the New Jerusalem as described in Revelation 21:4? ____________________________________________________________________ V. Heaven will be a place of perfect song and praise (Revelation 5:9; 19:1-7). A. About whom were those at the throne in Heaven singing in Revelation 5:8-9? ______________________________________________________________________ C. According to Revelation 5:12, the “new song” of Revelation 5:9 will be in praise of “…the _________________ that was slain…” VI. Heaven will be a place of perfect service to Jehovah God (Revelation 7:15; 22:3). A. In Heaven we will serve Jehovah in perfect spirit, unity and strength. We will be without our sin nature and in our new glorified bodies (Revelation 7:15; 22:3). B. What will God’s servants do in the New Jerusalem as mentioned in Revelation 22:3? ____________________________________________________________________ VII. Heaven will be a place of fullness of joy (Psalm 16:11). A. We will be reunited with departed loved ones. We will be able to recognize our departed loved ones in Heaven. As demonstrated in the Scriptures of truth, there will be conscious existence in Heaven (Matthew 8:11; 17:1-6). As believers, we will have new, eternal, glorified bodies “like” the glorified body of our LORD JESUS (I Corinthians 15:50-57, Philippians 3:20-21). B. In Matthew 8:11 Jesus taught that “many” will sit with which three people “in the kingdom of heaven?” _________________________________________________ C. According to Matthew 17:3, the disciples saw Moses and Elijah, “t ___________” with JESUS. Because Moses and Elijah were able to talk and be recognized after having died (physically) centuries before, we know that there is conscious, joyful existence in Heaven after the death of a believer.

D. Faithful Christians will receive rewards in Heaven (Matthew 6:19-21; 25:21, Philippians 4:17, II Timothy 4:8). E. What is promised to those who love the second coming of our LORD JESUS CHRIST in II Timothy 4:8? _____________________________________________ F. Which two commands of CHRIST JESUS are found in Matthew 6:19-20? List them. ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ G. According to the teaching of JESUS in Matthew 6:21, why is it so important to obey these two commands? Explain. ____________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ H. JESUS said, “His lord said unto him, Well done, thou ____________ and ____________________ servant: thou hast been ____________________ over a few things, I will make thee _______________ over many things: enter thou into the ___________ of thy lord.” Matthew 25:21 VIII. Heaven is a literal place where God the Father, Jesus the Son, the Holy Spirit, God’s angels and the LORD’s people live forever. A. What is JESUS preparing for His followers as declared in John 14:3? ____________________________________________________________________ B. We will be able to recognize our loved ones in Heaven (Matthew 8:11; 17:1-6). C. The unsaved will not be in Heaven (Matthew 25:41-46, John 3:36, I Corinthians 6:911, Revelation 14:9-11; 20:15). D. In Heaven’s books, Jehovah God keeps perfect records. We will give an account for all of our words, thoughts and deeds in the presence of our LORD. (Matthew 12:36, John 12:48, II Corinthians 5:10, Revelation 20:12). E. As born again followers of Jesus, where is our eternal inheritance reserved as revealed in I Peter 1:4? ________________________________________________ F. As revealed in I John 5:13, can you know for certain that you “have” (present tense) “eternal life?” YES / NO G. Our LORD JESUS promised, “LET not your h___________ be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in ______. In my Father’s house are many m______________: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a p___________ for y______. And if I go and prepare a p___________ for you, I will c____________ again, and r_____________ you unto myself; that w____________ I am, there ye may be a_________. And whither I go ye know, and the w________ ye know. Thomas saith unto him, L____________, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? Jesus saith unto him, I am the w________, the t____________, and the l__________: no man cometh unto the Father, but by _______.” John 14:1-6 The good news is that this same LORD JESUS, who has gone before to prepare “a place” for His followers in “my Father’s house,” loves you also. In John 3:16 JESUS said, “For God so loved the world (including you), that he gave his only begotten Son (Jesus), that whosoever (including you) believeth in him should not perish, but have (present tense) everlasting life.” JESUS wants you to spend eternity with Him also in this most beautiful place called “Heaven.” CHRIST JESUS has made it

possible for you to go to Heaven after this life if you will repent, believe and receive Him and His one time, eternal sacrifice for your sins. JESUS died to pay the penalty of your sins, was buried and rose again from the dead for you (I Corinthians 15:1-4). Do you believe this good news message in your heart? YES / NO In prayer, have you repented of your sins and personally invited JESUS CHRIST to come live in your heart as your LORD and SAVIOR? YES / NO Did you know that you can be 100% certain in this life that when you die you will have eternal life in Heaven? In I John 5:13, the apostle John wrote, “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.” How can you be saved (born again) and know it? 1. Recognize that you are a sinner and guilty as charged before God. Romans 3:23 declares, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” You may have sinned more or less than others. However, it only takes one sin to separate you from God for all eternity (Romans 6:23, James 2:10). 2. Repent and believe the gospel. In Mark 1:15 Jesus said, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.” To repent means changing your mind about your sins and need of salvation. It is turning from your sins to God (Luke 18:13; 19:8-10, Acts 26:20). (12) To believe in Jesus Christ means to put your full trust in Him and His sinless, one time, eternal sacrifice on the cross for your salvation. The gospel is defined in I Corinthians 15:3-4: “..Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:” Therefore, the gospel is that Christ Jesus died to pay the penalty of your sins, was buried and rose again from the dead for your salvation. 3. Call on the name of the Lord Jesus in prayer and personally receive Him as your Lord and Savior. “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord (Jesus) shall be saved.” Romans 10:13 “But as many as received him, to them gave he the power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:” John 1:12 4. Confess Jesus before others. “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” (Romans 10:9) “Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew 10:32-33)

By faith, you can make the eternal decision to be saved now. If it is your desire to be saved, pray this prayer of faith out loud: Dear Heavenly Father, I come to you in the name of Jesus. I believe in my heart that Jesus Christ died to pay the penalty for my sins, was buried and rose again from the dead for me. I repent of my sins. Lord Jesus, please forgive my sins and come live in my heart forever. Please save my soul and make me a child of God by your Holy Spirit. Thank you my Lord for the gift of salvation. Amen. Write the date that you made this salvation decision in your Bible. Please let us know if you have personally received Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord today so that we may rejoice with you. Confess Jesus before others. Be baptized by immersion, worship, attend and serve with other Christians in a church where the Holy Bible is the final authority.

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ď&#x192;Ł 1997, revised 2015 Nolan McFadden