There are a number of questions that I would like to ask of God concerning the ascended life, in the final Heaven that trancends this world and the created Cosmos. This discussion is necessarily speculative, however, since only a revelation from the Holy Spirit could begin to answer them. And I do mean "begin" because I might not be able to fully understand if She did deign to answer. But, nonetheless, let me venture forth:
1. What kind of "glorified" body are we going to have in Heaven? We don't enter into the spiritual realm in our earthly bodies. They must be transformed into Spirit.
B. It can be as ephemeral and insubstantial as Spirit, since Jesus could pass through a locked door.
C. It needs to be possible to manifest as an objectively solid being, because the risen Christ could be touched.
D. The embodied person will be capable to perform everything that we here can do, since Jesus could walk, talk, cook and eat.
E. Our body will not be easily contaminated by substances, nor infected by diseases.
F. We will feel intimately interconnected with our peers, the community of believers.
G. We will be able to speak to God, and unambiguously hear & understand his reply.
H. We will have no need for concern about sustaining the health and continuity of our bodies, since we were promised eternity.
Of couse these ideas already have their own biblical descriptions:
i. Corporeal
ii. Apparently human
iii. Luminous
iv. Incorruptible & imperishable
v. A spiritual (pneumatic) body (I Cor. 15:45)
vi. Lacking any evil inclination
vii. Transformed from humiliation
viii. Conformed to Christ's glory (Philip. 3:21)
In short, We become a particular human kind of elohim and members of the heavenly host.
2. Eternity is a really long time. How can we be sure that we won't get bored sometimes?
B. There are so many things for us to learn, not just about material creation, but also about the transcendent level of being.
C. We can "hang out" with Jesus, for discussion, and to listen to him tell stories.
D. We can go to find and visit our friends and families, old ones and new ones.
E. Maybe we will be given the opportunity to colonize space, and explore our galaxy.
F. We can pick an occupation or trade for work to support a community.
G. We can do something artistic, to develop our own capacity for creativity.
H. We can gather at the Temple to adore God, and praise his wonders and wisdom.
3. I wonder how we will be trained for our personal character to be so highly disciplined that we can discern and choose right from wrong without fail.
B. We can take lessons in logic, analogy and metaphor from the Master Himself.
C. History lessons can be used to give examples of precedents, both right to follow, and wrong to avoid.
D. We can always check in with Jesus, to ask for clarification and advice.
E. We would not be sent on truly dangerous missions without adequate aid and backup.
F. God would not put us in an impossible no-win situation, or He would grant us mercy and compassion.
G. It is certain that a rescue mission could be sent, to bring back a "casualty."
H. While it remains possible that we could choose to do something wrong, there isn't really a plausible scenario when we would deliberately defy God.
4. What kind of community will we live in? A community is held together by justice and economics. We can assume that our local village relationships will be held together by friendship, and God will be our final arbiter for Justice when a situation is too difficult for us. But, will the Kingdom in Heaven have a new kind of economics, and how will we value work and productivity? If we have been promised a life of abundance, what does that mean?
B. Each person will have a job, or several that fit with his/her skills and interests, like an amateur with a useful hobby.
C. We will be as productive as the requests for our goods or services from our friends and neighborhood village first, and then for the interests expressed from town.
E. There will be no need for reserving or stockpiling goods, but we can be as frugal and free of possessions as we may like.
F. Many kinds of goods will probably be owned by the village, to be borrowed and shared by whomever needs to use them.
G. Our work and services will be transferable to other towns if we are called to move, or wish for a change of scenery.
H. There is no compelling need to consider how we must care for ourselves, and thus no reason to take unfair advantage of others.
5. What shall we find to be of real value in Heaven? Surely, we will not be spending our efforts on accumulating wealth. Nor will we be fighting each other for political power and ascendancy. There won't be any shortage of land, water or resources. When the Lord leads us to green pastures and still waters, what then shall we want?
B. Relationships with family and friends
C. Harmony with living ecosystems
D. Healthy foods in variety and plenty
E. Teamwork and companionship
F. Meaning in life and purpose for work
G. Adventure and challenge
H. Loving and working for, and with God.
The way we understand these will likely be measured by the customs of our home communities, as well as being tailored to fit our individual needs. Our spiritual aspirations and interests may even be unique, as we each come alone before God, who sees us as special individuals, and desires to embrace us within the mystery of his Trinity. For that, He may propose particular tasks for us, to teach our hearts how deeply faith, trust and love go toward building community and accepting unity.
Our daily activities may seem mundane at first, but they subtly teach us a deeper meaning and appreciation for eternal life. A balanced and harmonious routine, rewarding in its simplicity and focused on service to people we care about and who care about us in turn, can be a source of unending bliss. And of course, God knows when we begin to long for challenge, novelty and a mission that widens our perspective.
6. Will there be anyone in Heaven who is not a "Church Christian"? Of course, there must have been some Jews accounted as worthy because they really wanted and tried to do as they were commanded. But, isn't it possible to find a right relationship with God, without knowing what Jesus did among the Jews, Greeks and Romans 2,000 years ago? How would He respond to another kind of longing for God, from someone whose heart was in the right place, who was trying to be kind and unselfish? Can a human being find God by human means? It is surely possible to deduce the idea of a God who created the Cosmos. Wouldn't God grant the grace to encourage prayer? And if so, what would Jesus say to that person to instruct him for a right approach to relationship with God?
I must assume that Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life, and the primary, if not only, Gateway to Heaven, but what of wandering sheep who long for the Good Shepherd? Wouldn't He go out of his way to find them? God found some people to speak to even before Jesus' time, and those who listened with faith were accounted as righteous in those days. If faith and trust was enough before, would it not be enough for anyone who would want to hear? But all I have for my curiosity are these questions. I, too, can only believe and trust.
Still, there are a few hints of Jesus calling others mentioned in the Bible. His descent into Hades, between the crucifixion and the resurrection, was a call for any of the dead who would believe to follow Him. And there may be others, if God chose them. It would not matter what their religion was, if they would respond with faith when reached with the good news. He would cherish any of his own people who heard, believed and tried to obey because they loved Him. That's all He has ever asked, even long before Jesus came to save us.
As a final note, let me say, I hope that God would be magnanimous enough to accept anyone who truly desired to know the truth about Him, and was willing to listen and obey for the sake of his honor and love. Whatever degree of understanding they might have reached, I hope it would be enough, so that God in his mercy would be willing to claim them as his own.
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