If This Isn't Heaven, I Don't Know What Is

Biblical Reasons Why We Should
And Practical Suggestions on How We Can
Create Heaven on Earth

Here are some things children don't think about:

• Should I paint the house or get vinyl siding?
• Do the slow drains indicate a need for this old house to be completely re-piped?
• Is getting a new roof the only way to fix those leaks?
• Would my child's asthma improve if I got rid of the old carpeting and laid down new hardwood floors?

Children are blissfully ignorant of these issues. Only a mature homeowner considers the big problems and makes decisions. The homeowner wants his house to be safely inhabitable not only during his lifetime, but even during the lifetime of his children. It is only as an adult that you sense the long-term obligations and responsibilities of ownership.

God owns this planet:

Psalm 24:1  The earth is the LORD'S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.

But God has made man a steward of the earth, responsible for its upkeep:

Genesis 1:26 And God said, Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
27 So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them.
28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

Psalm 115:16 The heaven, even the heavens, are the Lord's: but the earth hath he given to the children of men.

Isaiah 45:18 God formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited:

When it comes to taking care of planet earth, Christians today are like blissfully ignorant children. They don't think about the long-term. Our culture generally doesn't build houses that can last for generations. After all, we're "The Terminal Generation." Christians in 2005 are not asking the same questions Christians in 1774 were asking. Those Christians were asking how to replace the "Divine Right of Kings" with a new Republic, a "novus ordo seclorum," a new order for the ages. Christians today are asking when the Rapture will be.

The Bible is filled with exhortations to GROW UP!

1 Corinthians 13:11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

1 Corinthians 14:20 Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men.

1 Corinthians 3:1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.

Eph 4:14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into Him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

Heb 5:12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.

2 Pet 3:18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

And the Bible tells us to grow up so that we can discharge our responsibilities as stewards of God's Creation.

The doctrine of the "premillennial rapture" is probably one of the most destructive doctrines in all of human history, a doctrine seemingly calculated to nurture childishness and irresponsibility. Nearly half a billion people have been murdered since the doctrine was invented in the mid-1800's. In the face of monstrous evil (lowering, as it were, the property values of the planet), rapture-oriented Christians say nothing. The commands of their Master to "exercise dominion over the earth" (Genesis 1:26-28) and make all nations Christian (Matthew 28:18-20) are ignored. Millions of Christians are waiting, not working.

The Founder of Princeton University, Gilbert Tennent, rightly condemned this attitude back in the early 1700's. His story is told in a book entitled The Log College:

When the late Rev. George Whitefield was last in this country, Mr. Tennent paid him a visit as he was passing through New Jersey. Mr. Whitefield and a number of other clergymen, among whom was Mr. Tennent, were invited to dinner by a gentleman in the neighbourhood where the late Mr. William Livingston, since governor of New Jersey resided, and who, with several other lay gentlemen, was among the guests. After dinner, in the course of an easy and pleasant conversation, Mr. Whitefield adverted to the difficulties attending the gospel ministry arising from the small success with which their labours were crowned. He greatly lamented that all their zeal-activity and fervour availed but little; said that he was weary with the burdens and fatigues of the day; declared his great consolation was that in a short time his work would be done, when he should depart and be with Christ; that the prospect of a speedy deliverance had supported his spirits, or that he should before now have sunk under his labour. He then appealed to the ministers around him, if it were not their great comfort that they should soon go to rest. They generally assented, excepting Mr. Tennent, who sat next to Mr. Whitefield in silence; and by his countenance [revealed] but little pleasure in the conversation. On which Mr. Whitefield, turning to him and tapping him on the knee, said, "Well! brother Tennent, you are the oldest man amongst us, do you not rejoice to think that your time is so near at hand, when you will be called home and freed from all the difficulties attending this chequered scene?" Mr. T. bluntly answered, "I have no wish about it." Mr. W pressed him again; and Mr. T. again answered, "No, sir, it is no pleasure to me at all, and if you knew your duty it would be none to you. I have nothing to do with death; my business is to live as long as I can --as well as I can -- and to serve my Lord and Master as faithfully as I can, until He shall think proper to call me home." Mr. W still urged for an explicit answer to his question, in case the time of death were left to his own choice. Mr. Tennent, replied, "I have no choice about it; I am God's servant, and have engaged to do his business as long as he pleases to continue me therein. But now, brother, let me ask you a question. What do you think I would say if I was to send my man Tom into the field to plough, and if at noon I should go to the field and find him lounging under a tree, and complaining, 'Master, the sun is very hot, and the ploughing hard and difficult; I am tired and weary of the work you have appointed me, and am overdone with the heat and burden of the day; do, master, let me return home and be discharged from this hard service ?' What would I say? Why, that he was an idle, lazy fellow; that it was his business to do the work that I had appointed him, until I, the proper judge, should think fit to call him home. Or suppose you had hired a man to serve you faithfully for a given time in a particular service, and he should, without any reason on your part, and before he had performed half his service, become weary of it, and upon every occasion be expressing a wish to be discharged or placed in other circumstances. Would you not call him a wicked and slothful servant, and unworthy of the privileges of your employ?" The mild, pleasant, and Christian-like manner in which this reproof was administered, rather increased the social harmony and edifying conversation of the company, who became satisfied that it was very possible to err, even in desiring with undue earnestness "to depart and be with Christ," which in itself is "far better", than to remain in this imperfect state; and that it is the duty of the Christian in this respect to say, "All the days of my appointed time will I wait till my change come."

Today's Christians don't even have to wait for death to escape the responsibilities of maturity and ownership. They are hoping for a rapture "at any moment."

I've had Luke 12:32 given to me:  "Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom."

The emphasis in this verse is placed on the word GIVE. Then the question/argument: “If the Kingdom has come," they ask, "Why is there still war in the world?” The implication here is strong: when the Kingdom really does come, world peace, prosperity, wholeness, long lifespans, and ecological transformation will all be set in our laps on a silver platter. Even though we spent our pre-Kingdom lives voting for war, polluting the world, and doing nothing to "bring about the Kingdom," when Jesus comes He is going to give all the promised blessings to us, fully matured, spectacular in their breadth and depth, covering the whole earth, and we won't have to have worked or sacrificed in any way to earn or warrant this global kingdom of peace and prosperity. We can be completely childish and inactive during this life, and expect a mature and adult Kingdom in the next.

I believe everything about this outlook is unBiblical. To be sure, we have to have a child-like faith in some respects.

(1 Peter 1:14) As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:

(Hebrews 12:5) And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:

(Ephesians 5:1) Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;

(1 Corinthians 14:20) Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men.

(Luke 18:17) Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein.

(Psalms 131:1-2) A Song of degrees of David. LORD, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty: neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me. {2} Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, as a child that is weaned of his mother: my soul is even as a weaned child.

(Matthew 11:25) At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.

(Matthew 18:3-6) And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. {4} Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. {5} And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me. {6} But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.

(1 Peter 2:2) As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

But as the verses above indicate, we are also to be men, adults, and grow up, taking on the responsibilities of faith.

(1 Corinthians 3:1-2) And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. {2} I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.

(Hebrews 5:12-14) For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. {13} For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. {14} But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

(1 Corinthians 13:11) When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

(1 Corinthians 14:20) Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men.

(Ephesians 4:14-15) That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; {15} But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

Ephesians 4 is important, because it speaks not just of individuals but of the entire Body of Christ, which is to grow into adulthood. This growth process is something we are commanded to undertake; it is not handed to us on a silver platter.

Keeping Luke 12 in mind, consider the following verses:

(Genesis 12:7)  And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land

(Genesis 13:15)  For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.

(Genesis 13:17)  Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee.

(Genesis 15:7)  And he said unto him, I am the LORD that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee this land to inherit it.

(Genesis 26:3)  Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these countries, and I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father;

(Genesis 28:13-14)  And, behold, the LORD stood above it, and said, I am the LORD God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed; {14} And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.

(Genesis 35:12)  And the land which I gave Abraham and Isaac, to thee I will give it, and to thy seed after thee will I give the land.

(Genesis 48:4)  And said unto me, Behold, I will make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, and I will make of thee a multitude of people; and will give this land to thy seed after thee for an everlasting possession.

(Exodus 6:4)  And I have also established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, wherein they were strangers.

(Exodus 12:25)  And it shall come to pass, when ye be come to the land which the LORD will give you, according as he hath promised, that ye shall keep this service.

But the verses above are lies, inconsistent with the promise of Luke 12, because the land was never “given” to the children of Israel, they had to fight tooth and nail to get it.

But could it be that the covenant with Abraham was not without conditions? Could it be that the land would not belong to Israel unless they were obedient, keeping their side of the covenant, and remaining faithful once in the land lest they be dispossessed? Consider these verses:

(Genesis 17:8-10)  And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God. {9} And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations. {10} This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee;

(Genesis 26:4-5)  And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; {5} Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.

(Exodus 13:10-12)  Thou shalt therefore keep this ordinance in his season from year to year. {11} And it shall be when the LORD shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanites, as he sware unto thee and to thy fathers, and shall give it thee, {12} That thou shalt set apart unto the LORD all that openeth the matrix, and every firstling that cometh of a beast which thou hast; the males shall be the LORD'S.

(Leviticus 20:22)  Ye shall therefore keep all my statutes, and all my judgments, and do them: that the land, whither I bring you to dwell therein, spue you not out.

Premillennialism is childish.