Meditation on Heaven and Hell

In prayer this morning, an intriguing and, I believe, rather insightful eschatological thought occurred to me.

Revelation 21:27 informs us that "nothing unclean shall enter" the Kingdom of Heaven. This is so basic it's easy to overlook it or to overcomplicate it. It doesn't say "most" unclean things --- it says nothing unclean. To most of us as we read this, it can appear like a standard that is utterly impossible to achieve.

And here's the point --- IT IS. Once we really start to understand that it isn't something to be achieved at all but rather accepted, submitted to, yoked to Christ the PERSON, it all starts to become clearer and clearer.

I think it might be helpful to perform a little thought experiment. Think of Heaven (and Hell, for that matter) as adjectives modifying the nouns that we are, not so much physical places to which we will one day arrive. We don't so much "go to Heaven". Time and death will hopefully reveal that by God's grace and our cooperation we have really become a heavenly creature who is actually capable of bearing eternal truth, goodness, and beauty. Or --- please God this doesn't happen --- they will reveal that we have squandered that grace, ignored the call to holiness, and spent our birthright on earthly stew.

Anyone who consistently and unrepentantly chooses this latter path will first fade in his or her capacity, then later the ability to be unselfish, open to grace, and capable of forgiving anyone. This sort would thus have chosen to become literally incapable of being forgiven, nor would they even have the desire for forgiveness anymore. After all, a sick person who refuses to admit they are ill and to accept the remedy cannot be healed. Jesus said, "Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners” (Mark 2:17). A sinner who wants to be saved can be saved. One who obstinately refuses to even admit they are a sinner cannot.

That first kind of person, when he or she passes from this life, has truly become selfless, loving, communal, redeemed, saved, and thus HEAVENLY.

The second has truly become self-centered, self-consuming, self-isolated, self-enslaved, self-righteous, and thus HELLISH.

Which one describes YOU more accurately right now?