stephen R Harrison

(Read Philippians 3:11)

What will heaven be like? My first thought of heaven was at my aunt’s funeral when I was about five. She was a Christian. My mom said, “My sister is now with Jesus in a perfect body and heaven.” I wondered how this worked. I couldn’t wrap my mind around it.  My simple faith believed it could happen through Jesus, but I couldn’t figure out how. My mom also said that one day I would die, but Jesus would take me to heaven. While that was very comforting yet confusing, I wanted to live for Jesus and one day die and go to be with Him forever.

In Philippians 3:11, Paul said he wanted to “somehow attain the resurrection of the dead.”  Christ’s triumph over the grave gives us two-fold power: in this life since being justified and in eternal life in being glorified.  Knowing Christ (v. 10) was in this life and the life to come.  Only Christ could have saved Paul – justifying him and making him righteous.  Only Christ could grow him – sanctifying him daily into His image and will.  Only Christ could take him to heaven – glorifying him eternally.  

Knowing Christ and His resurrection power means identifying with Him in His death by sharing and participating in His sufferings (v. 10). Paul was baptized into his sufferings (Romans 6:1-11).  Imprisonment, torture, and eventually martyrdom would all be part of Paul’s life of knowing Christ while on earth. When this life was over, Paul desired to enjoy a complete transformation with no sin and a new body in the perfect location of heaven, eternally with his Lord. 

Jesus’ resurrection from the dead also included His ascension to heaven with God.  “Somehow,” Paul desired the same. Paul wasn’t guessing how this might happen. He knew it was only through Christ. His word “somehow” indicates his continual amazement of God’s grace towards his life to help him in this temporal life and the eternal one to come. Apart from Christ, Paul knew he would never be glorified. His faith in Christ believed “He would complete what He began” (1:6). 

Questions for the Head (Think)

• How often do you think about heaven?

Reflection for the Heart (Worship)

• In between justification and glorification is sanctification.  One day Jesus will call us home to heaven.  Until then, we grow in Christ. Take time to thank God for heaven and ask Him to grow you spiritually until that day. 

Action for the Hands (Do)

• Do a Bible study on heaven.  What does the Bible say it will be like? How does this affect your sanctification now? How does this affect your desire to see others justified in Christ?