What is the reformed view of heaven and where can I read more about it? Or if someone could sum it up with scriptural references, that would help, too.

I recently heard a sermon on heaven, and the view presented was very different from what I've heard in the past.

Here are some of the questions I have:

What does the Bible really teach about eternity? Will we live in heaven? Will we live on the earth? Will heaven and earth be combined together?

Will we spend eternity around God's throne worshipping?

Will we be ruling the earth?

Will we have jobs to do?

Heaven is a very important topic to me these days, and I would really like to have a better understanding of what we have to look forward.

One thing I do know--We will be with Jesus and that will make anything we do worthwhile.

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J Baldwin
Keowee Presbyterian Church, PCA
Pickens, SC
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” Luke 10:27

Check Out My Blog: http://reflectjoy.blogspot.com/

I believe that Jonathan Edwards wrote extensively on the subjecy, being lazy I have listend to quite a few Sam Storm cd's that touch on this subject and it is really thought provoking if slightly speculative.

Enjoying God Ministries > Joys Eternal Increase Jonathan Edwards On The Beauty Of Heaven

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Mike
London City Presbyterian Church
London
England

"Surely, we wish to be orthodox, but we must first learn what real orthodoxy is. Surely, we wish to be progressive, but we must first have a basis to progress from."

On a similar note, does anyone here have any experience with Randy Alcorn's work? I have read one of his novels and he sounded almost reformed. I have been very impressed with his stuff, but then again I haven't seen all that much. Does anyone else know more?

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Ben Franks

I attend: Ketoctin Covenant Presbyterian Church (OPC)
in Purcellville, Virginia
I'm a member of: Heartland Community Church (PCA)
in Wichita, Kansas
I blog here (along with my Dad): http://rrfranks.blogspot.com/
And I'm a student here: www.phc.edu

"Remember the speeches we have spoken so often over our mead, when we raised boast on the bench, heroes in the hall, about hard fighting. Now may the man who is bold prove that he is."-Aelfwine at the Battle of Maldon

My wife has been reading Randy Alcorn's Heaven. According to her, it has some good stuff, but he does tend to take some liberties with texts and make some leaps in logic.

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Wes Bredenhof
Pastor, Providence Canadian Reformed Church
Hamilton, Ontario
www.bredenhof.ca
Gospel Talk Radio Program

I saw Alcorn's work at the Book Nook and got the heebie jeebies reading the front-cover cover.

"Other than the Bible-itself, this may be the single most life-changing book you'll ever read."

OOOOOk. Thank you. Sounds too much like the Shack's over the top recommendations.


Any book that has us working like Adam, ruling with Jesus, with a New Heaven and Earth, talks about new sinless, non-illness-bearing bodies and no death can't be far off. But we simply can't know too much because Paul compares it to a seed and a tree. It's a whole different dimension of reality so analogies fail. Edward's work sound like it would life my spirits.

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Bryan Wiley
Layman
Reformed Baptist Church
Louisville, Kentucky

"Seek the Kingdom of God first."

I skimmed through Alcorn's "Heaven" and can't say I find anything edifying in it at all... but then maybe that's because I don't think Heaven will be all about me getting to do things like step up to the plate against Rollie Fingers and golf with Bobby Jones.

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Todd K. Pedlar
member, First Congregational Church, (CCCC) Cresco, IA
http://inprincipiodeus.solideogloria.com
http://puritanwisdom.blogspot.com

"As God did not at first choose you because you were high, He will not now forsake you because you are low."
John Flavel in Keeping the Heart



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So does he suggest that those things will happen in heaven??? I haven't read the book.

I'm looking forward to being sin free and not sinned against, it will be cool beans. When we aren't beholding God's glory it would be nice to pet a lion since it won't be inclined to rip me up any longer.

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:detective:
Travis Speegle
Redeemer Presbyterian, PCA (Waco, Tx)
Pacific Cross Roads, PCA (Los Angeles, CA)


"When it comes to trustworthy theologians one can usually honor the rule of thumb that the deader the better."-Dr. John Hannah, DTS (of all places)

renewed creation and a renewed planet earth. Bavinck's 4th volume Holy Spirit, Church, and New Creation is exceptional on this subject.

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J. B. Atken
John Knox PCA
Layman, M.A. student at Louisiana College

I'm late to this but have a further question. I see what has been said about the new earth. But what about until then? If we die before Christ returns, our souls will still be with the Lord in a spiritual sense, right? Do the new bodies come when the new earth is created?

Good question, J! Honestly, I haven't heard much teaching on this subject.

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Janis
Christ Church ARP, NC
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved." Eph. 1:3-6 ESV

I've recently written a short paper on the new earth. If you'd like to read it, shoot me a PM with your e-mail. If I find the time, I may put it on my blog so it's more accessible.

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Casey, Chicagoland, OPC

I think it works like this (and is in the Westminster Confession this way):

When we die, Christians go directly into the presence of our Lord (our spirits only). When He returns at the Second Coming as Judge of all mankind, living and dead, there will be a resurrection of all bodies, and we, in Christ, will receive new, glorified bodies then.

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Scott
PCA
North Carolina


"Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised)"
Hebrews 10:23

Maybe there's something here that fits what you're looking for. If you scroll down, you'll find some of Edwards' writings on the subject of heaven.

Edwards' Miscellaneous Writings

Also, the little book I have by John Gerstner regarding Jonathan Edwards' thoughts on heaven and hell is available here...you might find it cheaper somewhere else though.

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Charles Plauger
Member/Grace Reformed Church
Oakland, MD

My family and I attended Good Shepherd Community Church for a number of years, and Randy was (is) a member there. You would be hard pressed to find a better Christian brother. He is well grounded, and has been a strong influence upon that congregation (which is pretty much a conservative version of Willow Creek), and has dedicated much of his life to building up the Pregnancy Resource Centers, and other Christian organizations, in this part of the country. His theology is nothing at all like that of William Young, author of The Shack, and I think that if you take the time read them together you will be able to see clear differences in the space of a single chapter.

It must be understood that authors do not usually get to decide what to put on their book jackets. I really couldn't ever see Randy sitting around at his desk on a given afternoon thinking "Oh yeah! That will really hook 'em!". He is much more of a sincere and self-effacing man than that.

-----Added 2/11/2009 at 05:54:15 EST-----

To be fair, I think that it should be pointed out that there is a bit more to the book than those several illustrations which you have taken care to point out for us. Along with yourself, Randy does not think that heaven will be "all about" those things either, which I am sure that you know, having read the book.

We should we be encouraged when our brothers take care to point out the joys of Christian fellowship that will exist in heaven. It is the only hope for enjoying that experience which some of our dear brothers and sisters will ever hold, having existed for decades in their Christian life as a part of congregations full of chronic critics and nay-sayers

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Adam J. Myer
Slated for the Jan. 10th Chaplains Basic Officer Leadership Course
Estacada Christian Church
Sandy, Oregon

Soli Deo Gloria

Thanks for ruining my dreams...

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Benjamin P. Glaser, M. Div, Licentiate, Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church
Member Fairmount ARP Church
Pittsburgh, PA

Deo Vindice

Thanks for the clarification Adam! So with your experience do you know if Alcorn claims to be reformed?