Face To Face

“And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.”

John 17:3



One of the many reasons I enjoy studying the book of Romans is that I am reminded over and over that the whole purpose of our salvation is so that we can enjoy a relationship with God that was lost at the fall of Adam an Eve in the Garden of Eden. The reason God saves us is so that we can enjoy a relationship with Him. It’s no wonder then that we are referred to as the “bride of Christ” and not “articles” or “items.” It’s why Jesus calls His disciples friends because life with God is all about a relationship.

When you read the book of Revelation carefully you come away understanding that what makes heaven, heaven, is Jesus Christ. Without Jesus Christ, there is no such thing as heaven. Let me put it this way, Heaven is heaven because Jesus is there and hell is hell because Jesus is not there. Yes, loved one, Jesus Christ is what makes heaven, heaven. If you get that it only makes sense why Jesus says in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth and the life, and no man comes to the Father except by Me.”

If you still don’t get it try thinking of it like this. A house isn’t a birthday party; a house is simply the location where the party is being held. The reason for going to the party is to celebrate a person. In the same way a church isn’t a wedding, but weddings are held in churches. What’s funny about to me about that analogy is many an atheist will grace the doors of the church when a wedding takes place because they see the church as it really is, just a building. Even an atheist knows going to a church doesn’t make you a Christian any more than going to a donut shop makes you a police officer. The bible teaches that the church isn’t a building, but rather, the church is made up of the people of God who gather there to worship Jesus Christ as the risen Savior and living Lord. You don’t even need a building to worship Jesus!

When I began to understand that heaven isn’t a destination to be achieved but that Christianity is a relationship to be enjoyed it changed my life, and my prayer for you is that it changes yours too! Instead of trying to earn points as it were to get to heaven one day, I now see my life being lived for the One who loved me and gave His life for me. As the book of Romans makes clear, we are saved by God’s grace and not by our own works, free to do good works for God’s glory and for the benefit of others. In other words, we no longer are driven to do good works with the hope that one day we will have done enough to make merit heaven. Now we set to do good works because of God’s amazing grace that saves sinners like you and me. Worship is the “thank you” that can’t be silenced.

Have you ever longed to see someone? If so, you didn’t worry so much about the location where you would meet, what mattered most was that you would be seeing each other face-to-face. That’s how it is with Jesus. Heaven isnt so much about a location as much as it is about seeing Jesus face to face, being reunited with the One who loved you and gave Himself for you. Yes, beloved of God, heaven is Jesus Christ, not a destination to be achieved, but rather a relationship to be enjoyed, enjoy Jesus today as you meet with Him in His word and in prayer, face to face!  

“And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: “ Blessing and honor and glory and power Be to Him who sits on the throne, And to the Lamb, forever and ever!”

Revelation 5:13

I LOVE YOU