How We Will Relate to Others in Heaven

When we get to heaven where going to be made like Jesus Christ doesn't say, the angels sit on the throne and it's fair to conclude that is the angels have been servants of God on behalf of those who have salvation in this life.

They will throughout eternal glory serve us in some glorious way. We have been lifted. Take our place with it to heaven, you know, just mentioning that title brings to mind Eliza Hewitt's famous him by that same name.

You may know the chorus when we all get to heaven.

What day of rejoicing that will be when we all see Jesus will sing and shout the victory. The tragic thing is many people aren't living their lives focused on that great moment of victory. Maybe it's even you.

Perhaps you rarely think about the glorious future that awaits you. So what can you do to increase your desire for your eternal home.

How can you make sure your hope is in heaven and not on the things of this earth. John MacArthur tackles those issues today as he looks specifically at how believers will relate to each other in heaven. And with that, here's John.

There seems to be a significant amount of indifference toward the glory of our future. There is minimal interest in what God has prepared for them that love him and a whole lot of preoccupation with how Jesus is most affects life here and make it idyllic that is really not what the Bible promises us at all. Our great hope is ahead of us in the glory of heaven. We've been talking about the doctrine of glorification.

We've been talking about the future for believers, science comes out of the dissecting room scalpel and hand to report its failure to find anything in the human organism that bears the mark of immortality. No surgeon has sliced anybody opened and found the immortal soul the eternal spirit that immortal spirit that true person, no scalpel has ever laid bare, nor will it no microscope has ever seen. It has no material components, yet it exists and it is sovereign and it conducts itself sovereignly over all matter that spirit thinks that spirit reasons that spirit plans it wills it loves it hates it. Here's what sees it, enjoys it feels. It suffers and it has the ability to reach into the realm of matter and subdue it to all of those purposes. It is the spirit that uses the mechanism of the body to think and to feel and to speak and to act is the spirit of the man that uses the brain and uses the senses and uses the muscles and uses the limbs and uses the faculty is that spirit in which the brain has no real part, for it will die in which the senses have no real part, for they will disappear in which the muscles in the limbs and the faculties of the body have no part is that living spirit that is forever immaterial undesirable invisible and real part of what it means to be created in the image of God, who is that eternal spirit. It would be as ridiculous to say that God does not exist because he cannot be seen, as it is to say that you do not exist because that which is your true self is in visible every living person is an eternal soul.

Every living person is an eternal spirit. The operative word there is eternal every one who has ever lived will always live no one goes out of existence. Everyone whom God has created is eternal. We are all designed to live forever, and will indeed it is God. Zachariah said chapter 12 verse one who forms the spirit of man within him, and that spirit of man is an everlasting spirit everlastingly self-conscious, everlastingly able to reason and think and feel and understand everlastingly alive. It is the spirit of the man Job 32 eight says it is in the spirit of the man that the breath of the Almighty has given understanding. This is self-consciousness.

This is understanding to be a human being is to have self-consciousness. It is to exist and know you exist. It is to think and know you think it is the reason I know your reason why your reasoning to what your reason is to feel and know you feel it is to love and know you love it is to hate know you hate. That's what self-consciousness means and that will never change. None of us will ever go into an unconscious state. None of us will ever go into some kind of condition of soul sleep in which we feel nothing think nothing.

Reason nothing, have no idea about what is reality around us in first Corinthians chapter 2 in verse 11, Paul says, who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him we are self-conscious. It is the spirit of a man that knows what's in the man it is that immaterial part of you that is not matter that is not visible that cannot be seen that is conscious of its very existence and conscious as well of its opportunity to use the physical faculty to express itself. We are eternal spirits.

Every one of us will live consciously forever. When Job asked the question in Job 1414 if a man dies, shall he live again. The answer is, of course, yes, a resounding yes you will live forever.

Everyone will live forever.

There have been through the years philosophers who spoke and wrote on this remember reading one of the earlier presidents of Yale University, who had the idea that there had to be an afterlife because there was the tug of the afterlife in the human spirit and he described it as if it were a blind boy flying a kite, and though the blind boy couldn't see the kind he could feel the tug of the string in his hand as the wind pulled against the kite and he said every mortal being. Feels the tug of immortality else. How can you explain why the Egyptians made solar boat so people could float across the Mystic River into the next life, or why Indians buried their braves with their ponies so they could ride to the happy hunting ground, or why the Greeks put a silver coin in the mouth of someone who died so they could pay their fair across the river of death into the land of life. There is the sense of immortality that tugs at the sole. But there's more than that, there's the testimony of the word of the living God.

And this is absolute. This is not something that is some kind of indefinable tug.

This is fact is articulated by God himself in John chapter 5 is a good place to look at this very familiar verse. Do not marvel at this an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs shall hear his voice, and shall come forth. Everybody who's ever died, and whose body has now disintegrated in into whatever location be an earth or sea. Everybody will hear the voice of the son of God, the son of man in this text and come forth some to a resurrection of life, others to a resurrection of judgment.

But in both cases it is a resurrection so that we already's spoken of this. Not only is the soul eternal but that soul will be accommodated in its eternal existence by resurrection body, there will be in the future at the return of Christ at the time of resurrection of the body joining the sole of all the redeemed the spirits of just men made perfect, as Hebrews 12 says now in heaven will receive at that time a body to go with that already perfected spirit in which they will then serve the Lord forever in eternal state. Same with the unredeemed they will receive a body fitted for the eternal lake of fire which is the final form of hell into which they will be cast at that time in the future we will live forever. We will all live forever. We will all live forever, consciously, self-consciously aware of our surroundings and aware of our response to those surroundings and we will all live forever with a body suited for our surroundings.

In the case of those who were raised to life. There will be a body like the resurrection body of Jesus Christ that can absorb all the glories of eternity and manifest our eternal spirit through that glorified body in praise and in service and in communion with God and all the redeemed to those who are given a body fit for hell. It will be a body suited to feel the agonies of that eternal judgment here we are in earth, and Randy Alcorn said this earth is an in between world touch by both heaven and hell. Earth leads directly into heaven or directly into hell affording a choice between the two. The best of life on earth is a glimpse of heaven. The worst of life is a glimpse of hell for Christians. This present life is the closest they will come to hell for unbelievers. It is the closest they will come to heaven so we will live forever. We will also talk about reprobation. We will talk about what awaits those who do not know God. What awaits those who will be punished for their own sins forever, but we're talking in this study about glorification were talking about the future for those who are saved, who have been justified are being sanctified and will be glorified in the last couple of discussions about our future salvation.

We have been kind of launched from first Peter chapter 1.

This little phrase fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ live your life fixed on the future of the way of saying that is Colossians 3. Set your affections on things above and not on things on the earth.

Another way of saying that the words of the apostle Paul, very wonderful words which really summed up his whole approach to life. This one thing I do. I love it when people can reduce it to one forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. I live with a view to being called up face-to-face with the Lord Jesus. I live with a heavenly perspective. That's what we're to do, where to live with a fixed hope were to live in the light of hope.

Let the things that happen in this world fall where they will. They are not worthy to be compared with that glory which awaits us the sufferings of this life are trivial.

They are meager, they are insignificant compared to the weight of glory.

And we talked about all that which God has for us in his presence. Now that brings us to the remaining issue of what's going to be like, what will heaven be like, and I don't have any inside scoop on this folks.

All I know is what the Bible says but there's a lot more there than maybe you thought on the surface. Let's assess what will be our relation to other occupants of heaven. What will be our relation to other occupants of heaven. What about angels what's going to be our relationship to angels. When we get there. Look at Hebrews chapter 12 and we're going to do a little bit a bit of a Bible study here. Not gonna linger long on any text because I have about 100 of them here and that would be too long but if you will remember.

Hebrews chapter 12, which we read in our Scripture reading this morning you will remember that when we come to the city of the living God. Verse 22. When we come to the heavenly Jerusalem. We come to myriads of angels as well as the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven. Spirits of just men made perfect, when we come to heaven we come to the dwelling place of the holy angels. The elect angels as Scripture calls them. We will then first of all fellowship with angels. They are eternal spirits. They do not have bodies in heaven.

They are given bodies on occasion on earth for certain functions of interfacing with people when God needed to give angels bodies. He gave them bodies so that they could be seen or could carry out their responsibilities in some fashion in a body so that there are times when angels have appeared and men have not known at Hebrews 13 says they appear unawares but in heaven they will be what they originally were created to be. They will be spirits and yet there will be fellowship that we enjoy with them. We will come to Murray and tons of angels.

That's simply saying multiple thousands of angels the whole of the heavenly host will be there joining with us in the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, the new Jerusalem the capital city of the eternal state.

We will also go back to Luke 15 for just a moment.

We will also find there that we will participate with them in shared joy. This fellowship is defined at this point is defined as joy.

You remember verse seven. After Jesus told the story about the shepherd and went and found the lost sheep.

He says in verse seven I tell you in the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 righteous persons who need no repentance. The joy of heaven is related to the salvation of sinners, the one in heaven who launches that joy is none other than God himself. But notice in verse 10, I tell you there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents and so we are going to be in heaven joining with the Angels and the celebration of joy over our own salvation. The Angels are already celebrating at the Angels are already rejoicing in the presence of God along with God. God is the source of this joy is the joy as we learn in the story of the tale of two sons.

That is the joy of the father in the recovery of the sinner is the father's joy that sets the party in motion. It is a celebration to join with the father in his joy in heaven the angels will join in the joy of the father as they do now and we will also join in the joy of the father and our own joy over the grace that has brought us there and remember what we said in first Peter 113.

Fix your hope on the grace to be revealed. Heaven is an eternal grace. We will never be worthy of it. Not then, not now, not ever. It will be then a grace and we will celebrate with joy. This eternal grace and the angels will celebrate with us sharing the very joy of a loving father in rescuing sinners turn to Revelation chapter 4. And you see something more of the communion which we will enjoy with angels. It will be a fellowship. It will be a fellowship of joy and it will be a fellowship of praise.

Very magnificent language here that is familiar to us. Chapter 4 is a scene of the throne of God in heaven, a magnificent scene 24 elders are there representatives of the redeemed sitting in their white garments having been crowned.

I I see this as you know is the redeemed church and then you see the throne of God and the glory coming from it.

But there are four living creatures who appear these are obviously angelic creatures. They are magnificent creatures. They in verse nine give glory and honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne to him who lives forever and ever. They surround the throne of God with mighty praise. The 24 elders also fall down before him who sits on the throne and will worship him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne and say worthy art thou our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power there doing the same thing. The Angels are doing for that is created all things, because of thy will they existed and were created.

So here we will join with the angels in this great pay on of praise. Drop down into chapter 5 and again you see a picture of praise verse eight, the four living creatures to represent the Angels a 24 elders representing the redeemed. They all fall down before the Lamb, the new song is sung by the redeemed worthy art thou, speaking of Christ to take the book and break it seals for that was slain to purchase for God with thy blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation endows made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God and reign upon the earth. This is the saints of celebrating the glory of God for their salvation. And then in verse 11. John and his visions as I looked and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders and the number of them was 10,000×10,000, and thousands of thousands, innumerable angels, all of them along with the redeemed saying with a loud voice, worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing at every created thing which is in heaven and on earth and under the earth, on the sea, and all things in them.

I heard saying to him who sits on the throne and the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.

And the four living creatures kept saying amen and the elders fell down and worship. This is comp posit glorious eternal praise shared fellowship shared joy shared praise. Everything seems to be a shared joy in heaven between the redeemed and the Angels. However, it is interesting for us to take a look at one passage of Scripture first Corinthians chapter 6, first Corinthians chapter 6, which says in verse three that we shall judge angels, we shall judge angels. Paul is wondering why it is that believers would take their disputes to unregenerate law courts when the Saints someday will judge the world that's talking about the millennial kingdom. And if the world is one day to be judged by you, are you not competent to constitute the smallest law court catch. Take care your own deal.

If you're going to be the one to judge the world and you're going to judge angels. He doesn't describe what exactly that means they're certainly not going to be any rendering of negative judgment on holy angels, but in some way, perhaps in the millennial glory to come. We're going to render divine verdicts on behalf of the judge of all the earth, and the one to whom judgment has been committed.

Jesus Christ on those angels who have fallen and corrupted the heavens and the earth, but that's the fallen angels.

What about the holy angels well in Hebrews chapter 1 in the last verse says that the angels are ministering spirits sent out to render service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation, we are we are even now being served by angels. Exhibit will we be served by angels when we get to heaven will when we get to heaven where going to be made like Jesus Christ is that not true. Were going to sit on the throne with Christ. The doesn't say the angels sit on a throne and never says the angels are crowned with anything and it's fair to conclude that easy angels have been servants of God on behalf of those who have salvation in this life. They will throughout eternal glory serve us in some glorious way when we have been, as it were lifted to take our place on the throne of God with Christ. He was during his incarnation for a little time made lower than the angels, but now he is exalted far above them and we have been exalted to sit in his throne with him.

So what is that exactly mean I will be going to be telling them to do with what we will be telling them to do is that which they are created to do which they long to do, which they love to do which they rejoice to do and which will perfectly serve the divine purposes of God through us. This is grace to you with John MacArthur. Thanks for being with us along with teaching each day on radio. John also serves as pastor of Grace Community Church and he's Chancellor of the Masters University in seminary is titled our current study when we all get to heaven will today. John talked about the relationship. Believers will have with each other in heaven. But John, here's a question that comes up all the time.

What sort of relationship to believers in heaven have with people on earth right now. I mean, how much do people in heaven know about what's going on on earth. Nothing I didn't know anything about what's going on on earth.

That's actually a comfort will, of course, it is a heaven wouldn't be heaven if you knew what was going on down here that the heaven is heaven in part because you don't know what's going on down here because what's going down because what's going on down here is completely engulfed with sin. There's lack of any recollection of that. How much recollection of persons people family going to have in heaven. The Bible wouldn't give us any indication of that. The Bible does indicate that we will know each other in heaven, but it doesn't talk about relationships on earth except to say there is no marriage in heaven, so that whatever your human relationships were on earth they don't get carried into heaven so it's it's a completely different set of relationships that transcends any earthly relationships, good bad or indifferent.

That is a joyful thing to think about the people that you love who know Christ you will fellowship with forever in the perfection of the presence of Christ himself, but you will not carry to heaven with you the disappointments that you experienced on earth and if you carry into heaven people on earth who want their that in itself would be an ongoing disappointment.

So I think you're freed from all the bondage of a fallen world to fully embrace enjoy the world of glory, which is the Saints in the angels and the Lord himself. Now I want to tell you about the book just mentioned it again the glory of heaven, it's a book about heaven. I've included in the book everything the Bible says about heaven. If you're headed there you read this book so you'll know what is waiting for you. It's a hardcover book available today from Grace to you.

We hope to order one, what will heaven be like, what will you be like in heaven for clear biblical answers and to find out how the truth about heaven should transform your life today pick up John's book called the glory of heaven. When you contact us, call toll-free 855 grace or visit our website Jide TY.org the glory of heaven is available in hardcover for 1250 and shipping is free again to order, call 855 grace for shop online@jidety.org and we visit Jide TY.org that's our website take advantage of how easy it is to listen to verse by verse teaching you can download more than 3500 sermons, all free of charge in MP3 or transcript format. You can search by topic date or book of the Bible.

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How will you relate to your Christian family members in heaven. John MacArthur examines that issue tomorrow as he continues his series when we all get to heaven another 30 minutes of unleashing God's one verse at a time on grace to you