Heaven, A Holy Place
Jesus said, "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in Me. In My Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with Me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going... I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." (John 14:1-4, 6)
The Holy Scriptures teach clearly that heaven is a real place, a permanent place and a personal place. It is also a holy place. The writer of the book of Hebrews tells us this powerful truth about the character of those who will be in heaven, "Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord." (Hebrews 12:14) The Holy Spirit moved the apostle Peter to write, "...just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: Be holy, because I am holy." (1 Peter 1:16)
Holiness embraces purity and moral integrity. Those called to be God's children are to be like Christ. Peter used the word "called" (Greek kaleo) meaning a divine calling to partake of the blessings of redemption. Theologians tell us that the word "called" as used by the apostle Peter is a Divine Grace that is sure to produce. The blood of Christ is not a cover of sin but a purifying source that will cleanse all sin from those who come to Jesus in repentance and receive Him as Savior and Lord.
In the New Testament the apostle Peter wrote powerfully and boldly about holiness because it is the attribute of God. The Old Testament also contains many Scriptures that speak directly about what God says about Himself, "Be holy, because I, the Lord your God, am holy." (Leviticus 19:2)
Holiness means total separation from that which is profane or wicked in God's sight. God--Father, Son and Spirit--is the depiction of righteousness, purity and sinlessness. He is also the embodiment of absolute perfection, completeness and fulfillment. Jesus Christ is the perfect picture of total separation, unaffected by this world's philosophies. He lived a victorious life over the flesh and defeated Satan's temptations with the Word of God. Jesus is in heaven and the blessing of being in heaven means to be where He is. There is no sin in heaven, thus, there are no consequences of sin. The blessing of being in heaven is enjoying perfection and absolute separation unto God and Christ Jesus.
On earth we are often exposed to the lures of sin and must live with consequences of it. Down here the apostle Paul says we see but a poor reflection and we know only in part. In heaven we will know perfection and completeness. Here we are always looking for fulfillment in some way. In heaven we will know true and everlasting fulfillment.
The simplest understanding of holiness is that of loving conformity to God's commands and to His Son. Heaven is where God is who is holy; and the people who are there with Him are those who long in their hearts and lives for the holiness of God. The ones who are in heaven know the truths of 1 John 1:9, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." They have offered their bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God. (Romans 12:1-2)
Will you join the multitude who have chosen Christ and the holiness of God? Heaven awaits all who have.