BROTHER BOB PELLIEN: A lot of people wonder what it will be like in heaven. Will that city called New Jerusalem in the Bible really have streets of gold? We all want to get there. But what does heaven look like?

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The Bible: the basis of our faith in the Church Of Christ, which answers questions about proper worship, the right relationship with God, and most importantly, salvation. That’s in the Bible.

BROTHER BOB PELLIEN: I’m Bob Pellien and welcome to the program That’s in the Bible. Today, we’re discussing heaven. We receive many questions about heaven. Well, for example, here’s one from Arjay. He asks, “What does heaven look like?” And Connor wrote in and asked, “What’s it like in heaven?” And from Sheina in San Jose, California, she wrote, “So if we can’t see God now, will we be able to actually see him when we go to heaven?”

Dear friends, those are wonderful questions and we will, as always, turn to the Holy Bible to receive the needed answer to these questions. However, you know, even if we know the details of all of that, well, but don’t know how to make sure we get there to ensure we experience all the wonders God our Father in heaven has in store for His people the knowledge of what it looks like and what life is like there, well, it wouldn’t be advantageous to anyone. In short, it doesn’t matter what heaven looks like if you don’t make it there, right? So to help us in our discussion, let’s break it down and pose these questions together today. 

1. What is heaven? 
2. What does heaven look like? And,
3. What would our life be like in heaven?
4. And will we see God in heaven? 
5. And dear friends, most importantly, we ask, what must one do to enter heaven? 

All right. Let’s begin, dear friends, with this: What is heaven? What is this place set aside for us in the future? As promised, we turn to the Holy Bible. And we do so in Hebrews 11:16, and it reads: 

But they were looking forward to a better home in heaven. That’s why God wasn’t ashamed for them to call him their God. He even built a city for them.

Hebrews 11:16 Contemporary English Version 

BROTHER BOB PELLIEN: So you have to understand, dear friends. There’s a city that God has intended to be the permanent home for His people, and it is one that will last forever. We know that our circumstances here in this life are fleeting, or let’s say, temporary.

But you know, God has promised us a permanent city. We should do everything that we can right, to ensure we dwell there. And why is that so important? What is unique about this city? This time we turn to the words of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He said the following, as was recorded in John 14:2-3 it says: 

“In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.

John 14:2-3 New King James Version 

BROTHER BOB PELLIEN: It’s described as a place with many mansions. And they’re prepared for God’s people specifically. And we know it’s permanent. So if it’s a city with dwellings, dear friends, how does the Bible differentiate that place from this world that we now live in? Let’s ask it this way:

How does the Bible describe the glory of the Holy City built by God for his people? What’s heaven look like? We continue in the Holy Scriptures, turning this time to Revelation chapter 21. We’re going to read here verse 18 first it says:

The construction of its wall was of jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass.

Revelation 21:18 New King James Version

BROTHER BOB PELLIEN: Imagine, dear friends, the Bible describes the walls of the city to be made out of jasper and describes a magnificent place worthy of our efforts to get there, right? Jasper is a precious stone that comes in beautiful colors and imagine, the splendor of a gold so pure it’s described in the Bible it’s as if it appeared clear. And how else is that city described?

Let’s continue reading the next verses 19 through 21. It says:

The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with all kinds of precious stones: the first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, the fifth sardonyx, the sixth sardius, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. The twelve gates were twelve pearls: each individual gate was of one pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass. 

Revelation 21: 19-21 New King James Version

BROTHER BOB PELLIEN: So dear friends, what else is unique about the Holy City? Here the Apostle John said the city is, it’s constructed with beautiful jewels and the 12 gates are 12 pearls. And the streets of the city are pure gold. You know, there are many astounding places on earth, but nothing created compares to this description of the Holy City.

So dear friends, let’s all strive to be included among those that dwell in that holy and beautiful city. Such a magnificent and incomparable place. It’s the Holy City that God has created for His people. So what will our life, though, be like in that Holy City? That was also asked, will it be similar to the life of sorrow encountered here in this world?

You know, the Bible also answers that and gives the description of life there like this, in Revelation 21, verses two, three, and four: 

Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. 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 21:2-4 New King James Version

BROTHER BOB PELLIEN: Thus dear friends, whatever sufferings we endure at present, and no matter how severe they may be, all those things will be replaced by the true rest there in the Holy City. Our life in that city will be very, very different from what is experienced here in this life. A new life waits for God’s people. The city without grief or sorrow of any kind. 

Someone asked, “Will we see God in heaven? Will we see Him there?” And you know, as we just read there, that was also answered, right? It said, “God Himself will be with them and be their God.” And the Bible also said that God would wipe away every tear from their eyes. We will be in the very presence of God. Besides God dwelling in the same city as us, how else will we experience Him? In Revelation chapter 22, verse five, the Bible says this:

There shall be no more night, and they will not need lamps or sunlight, because the Lord God will be their light, and they will rule as kings forever and ever.

Revelation 22:5 Good News Translation

BROTHER BOB PELLIEN: God will be our light there. So much so that there will be no need for sunlight even. It’s a concept that might be hard for our human minds to conjure. But if you, too, wondered if we’d see God in heaven, friends, isn’t making sure we get there, what we should all the more aspire for or attempt to acquire most of all? Why? What’s going to happen to this world and in fact, very soon? What we’ve learned from other studies here on this program, 2nd Peter chapter three, verse ten, verses seven and ten, in fact, tell us what’s going to happen. It’s: this world is reserved for fire till the day of judgment, when both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.

So, dear friends, we have to ask ourselves more importantly, why put our hope then, our trust in things that God has already decreed to be destroyed by fire on the upcoming Day of Judgment? This world we now see will all be burned up. It’s clear that this world we live in, then, is only temporary. So it’s unreasonable that we put all our hope in this world and the things that are in it.

What then, are we to do? Dear friends, what shall we do to make sure that we get to that holy city created by God for his people? What must one do to enter heaven? That’s the most important question of all, right. And we turn to the Holy Bible once again. This time, Matthew 11:29 records the answer in these terms:

Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me. For I am meek and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 

Matthew 11:29 Modern English Version

BROTHER BOB PELLIEN: So, dear friends, learn from Jesus. Learn from Jesus. Didn’t our Lord Jesus Christ teach about the truth and how people can receive salvation? What did he teach so that people could be saved? Well, we’ve also studied this together on this program, and in fact, plenty of our other programs here in the Church Of Christ. He said in John chapter ten, verses seven and nine He said,

In very truth I tell you, I am the door … anyone who comes into the fold through Me will be safe

John 10:7 & 9 Revised English Bible

BROTHER BOB PELLIEN:  And we’ve also learned from our past studies that that fold that they are instructed to enter into so that they will be safe, that fold or flock being referred to is none other than the Iglesia Ni Cristo or the Church Of Christ. As we have learned from the Book of Acts, chapter 20, verse 28. 

All right. So let’s review what we have just studied together from the Holy Bible. Let’s review the five questions that we began with. And let’s see what’s been revealed to us about heaven. 

1. First we asked, what is heaven? We learned heaven is a permanent home and city that God created for His people.
2. And then the question was, well, what does heaven look like? Well, the Bible answered that by describing it as a beautiful city with streets paved in gold, gates of grand pearls and walls of beautiful jasper. 
3. And we asked also, what would our life be like in heaven? The Bible described a life there without pain, without sorrow, without grief, without sadness, or any other kinds of pain. Our life will be very different there than what we all encounter in this world, here. 
4. Another asked, “Will we see God in heaven?” Well, the Bible answered by saying, the Bible says He will dwell there with us and even be the One who will wipe away the tears from our eyes. 
5. And then the most important, and what must one do to enter heaven? To enter that holy city, one must learn from Jesus and learn the truth He taught about entering in through Hhim into the fold or flock, which is the Church Of Christ, and remain faithful therein until the end. 

Dear friends, are you willing to do that? You’ve heard how beautiful it is and how our life will be there. Are you willing to do what it takes to get there? Do you want to enter that holy kingdom? Then join with us here in the Church Of Christ, Iglesia Ni Cristo. 

We’d like you to continue, however, learning more about the teachings of the Bible taught here inside the Iglesia Ni Cristo, the Church Of Christ. To do so, please visit us online and browse the different topics or set up a very important appointment to meet with a minister of the gospel. And if you have any questions about the Bible or salvation, please email them to us. 

I’m Bob Pellien. Thanks for watching. See you next time on That’s in the Bible.