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Heaven
What is Heaven really going to be like? What will we look like? What will we do? Won't Heaven get boring after a while?
We all have questions about what Heaven will be like, and after 25 years of extensive research, Dr. Randy Alcorn has the answers.
In the most comprehensive and definitive book on Heaven to date, Randy invites you to picture Heaven the way Scripture describes it-- a bright, vibrant, and physical New Earth, free from sin, suffering, and death, and brimming with Christ's presence, wondrous natural beauty, and the richness of human culture as God intended it.
God has put eternity in our hearts. Now, Randy Alcorn brings eternity to light in a way that will surprise you, spark your imagination, and change how you live life today.
If you've always thought of Heaven as a realm of disembodied spirits, clouds, and eternal harp strumming, you're in for a wonderful surprise.
This is a book about real people with real bodies enjoying close relationships with God and each other, eating, drinking, working, playing, traveling, worshiping, and discovering on a New Earth. Earth as God created it. Earth as he intended it to be.
And the next time you hear someone say, "We cant begin to imagine what Heaven will be like," you'll be able to tell them, "I can."
We all have questions about what Heaven will be like, and after 25 years of extensive research, Dr. Randy Alcorn has the answers.
In the most comprehensive and definitive book on Heaven to date, Randy invites you to picture Heaven the way Scripture describes it-- a bright, vibrant, and physical New Earth, free from sin, suffering, and death, and brimming with Christ's presence, wondrous natural beauty, and the richness of human culture as God intended it.
God has put eternity in our hearts. Now, Randy Alcorn brings eternity to light in a way that will surprise you, spark your imagination, and change how you live life today.
If you've always thought of Heaven as a realm of disembodied spirits, clouds, and eternal harp strumming, you're in for a wonderful surprise.
This is a book about real people with real bodies enjoying close relationships with God and each other, eating, drinking, working, playing, traveling, worshiping, and discovering on a New Earth. Earth as God created it. Earth as he intended it to be.
And the next time you hear someone say, "We cant begin to imagine what Heaven will be like," you'll be able to tell them, "I can."
533 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2011
4,024 people are currently reading
14.4k people want to read
About the author
Randy Alcorn
231books1,520followersRandy Alcorn is the founder of Eternal Perspective Ministries (EPM), a nonprofit organization dedicated to teaching biblical truth and drawing attention to the needy and how to help them. EPM exists to meet the needs of the unreached, unfed, unborn, uneducated, unreconciled and unsupported people around the world.
"My ministry focus is communicating the strategic importance of using our earthly time, money, possessions and opportunities to invest in need-meeting ministries that count for eternity," Alcorn says. "I do that by trying to analyze, teach and apply the implications of Christian truth."
Before starting EPM in 1990, Alcorn co-pastored for thirteen years Good Shepherd Community Church outside Gresham, Oregon. He has ministered in many countries, including China, and is a popular teacher and conference speaker. Randy has taught on the part-time faculties of Western Seminary and Multnomah University, both in Portland, Oregon.
Randy is a best-selling author of 50 books including Heaven, The Treasure Principle and the 2002 Gold Medallion winner, Safely Home. He has written numerous articles for magazines such as Discipleship Journal, Moody, Leadership, New Man, and The Christian Reader. He produces the quarterly issues-oriented magazine Eternal Perspectives, and has been a guest on more than 650 radio and television programs including Focus on the Family, Family Life Today, The Bible Answer Man, Revive Our Hearts, Truths that Transform and Faith Under Fire.
Alcorn resides in Gresham, Oregon with his wife, Nanci. The Alcorns have two married daughters, Karina and Angela.
Randy and Nanci are the proud grandparents of five grandsons. Randy enjoys hanging out with his family, biking, tennis, research and reading.
Taken from the Eternal Perspective Ministries website,
"My ministry focus is communicating the strategic importance of using our earthly time, money, possessions and opportunities to invest in need-meeting ministries that count for eternity," Alcorn says. "I do that by trying to analyze, teach and apply the implications of Christian truth."
Before starting EPM in 1990, Alcorn co-pastored for thirteen years Good Shepherd Community Church outside Gresham, Oregon. He has ministered in many countries, including China, and is a popular teacher and conference speaker. Randy has taught on the part-time faculties of Western Seminary and Multnomah University, both in Portland, Oregon.
Randy is a best-selling author of 50 books including Heaven, The Treasure Principle and the 2002 Gold Medallion winner, Safely Home. He has written numerous articles for magazines such as Discipleship Journal, Moody, Leadership, New Man, and The Christian Reader. He produces the quarterly issues-oriented magazine Eternal Perspectives, and has been a guest on more than 650 radio and television programs including Focus on the Family, Family Life Today, The Bible Answer Man, Revive Our Hearts, Truths that Transform and Faith Under Fire.
Alcorn resides in Gresham, Oregon with his wife, Nanci. The Alcorns have two married daughters, Karina and Angela.
Randy and Nanci are the proud grandparents of five grandsons. Randy enjoys hanging out with his family, biking, tennis, research and reading.
Taken from the Eternal Perspective Ministries website,
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,175 reviews
August 19, 2007
This is my #1 book. After justification/finished-atonement-at-the cross, this is the most wonderful, joyful topic to know, discover and just ponder. The saints will reign with Christ on this very Earth, made perfect at the resurrection. Every Christian brother/sister I will always see again and am never saying goodbye for the last time. The biblical doctrine of Heaven (the New Earth) is very under-taught, under-preached, and under-grasped by modern western Christianity but is a treasure chest full of un-ending gold for the soul. I recommend it with my entire reputation.
January 5, 2021
This book makes me want to go to heaven as soon as right now!!! I love how beautifully and true to the HOLY WRIT this book is written. Its explosively beautiful. Every page of it written brings to light what we have always thought the SCRIPTURES kept hid. The lie of the devil that heaven is boring is the greatest lie among many and I want to ignore that lie every day of my life by following JESUS and taking up my cross daily and following HIM.
Kill sin, get ready for heaven.
Kill sin, get ready for heaven.
March 26, 2024
Finished in tears. If you’re in Christ, death is a doorway.
I can’t wait for Him to make all things new.
This should be required reading for all believers.
I can’t wait for Him to make all things new.
This should be required reading for all believers.
August 8, 2017
I love this book! Even more now that my husband has been diagnosed with a dreaded cancer, incurable but treatable.
I've had this book for a few years but always skimmed a chapter or two until now. Randy Alcorn writes so wonderfully about Heaven and what it will be like for the believer.
A true inspiration for those of us who belong to Christ.
I've had this book for a few years but always skimmed a chapter or two until now. Randy Alcorn writes so wonderfully about Heaven and what it will be like for the believer.
A true inspiration for those of us who belong to Christ.
March 10, 2010
Have to say this book was largely a 476-page exercise in begging-the-question. Alcorn begins by assuming that the New Jerusalem of Revelation and the New Heavens/New Earth of Isaiah describe the final state of heaven and then deduces virtually everything about heaven from those axioms. If he’s wrong about those passages, then the book could only be about twenty pages long.
The problem is that Isaiah’s description of the New Earth still includes death: “No more shall an infant from there live but a few days, Nor an old man who has not fulfilled his days; For the child shall die one hundred years old, But the sinner being one hundred years old shall be accursed� (Is. 65:20). Though Alcorn cites the latter chapters of Isaiah to prove the final state of heaven over fifty times, he avoids this verse, except for one parenthetical dismissal of it (323). But if there’s death in “heaven� then it’s not the final state; it’s something else.
In the same way, if Isaiah wasn’t speaking of the final state, then, we shouldn’t assume that John was speaking of heaven when he invoked Isaiah’s language at the end of Revelation. Alcorn repeatedly insists on literalism to make his case, but he doesn’t live up to it. John describes the New Jerusalem as a city and a bride. John sees “the bride, the Lamb’s wife� (Rev. 21:9). But Alcorn has to ignore that literalism to only embrace the literalism of a city. In addition, notice death and sin lurk outside the New Jerusalem: “they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it. But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie� (Rev. 21:26,27). If this were the final state of heaven, how could there be any fear that sin and abominations could enter it?
I certainly don’t object to Alcorn’s take on heaven because of any “Christoplatonism� � i.e., the view that denigrates the resurrection and makes heaven purely spiritual, with no eating, drinking, dwelling, working, playing, etc. I believe we will do all those things in heaven in true bodies, and, like Alcorn, I believe the final state of heaven will be on a restored earth. So what’s the beef?
The beef is that forcing all these texts which are really about the church on earth into the final state alone distorts the whole calling of the gospel, distorts the calling of the church. The church is supposed to be heaven on earth. We’re not supposed to wait for Christ to fix it all in the final state. He gave that job to us: that’s the Sermon on the Mount. We are the ones who pray “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.� Jesus brought the “kingdom of heaven� to earth. That’s the whole point of His mission. The cross and resurrection initiated the new world promised in Isaiah. The Holy Spirit came at Pentecost and started New Heavens and New Earth then. Jesus said the church was that “city on a hill� to the world. And when Christ and the Spirit have created that kind of just church community pictured in Isaiah, then we will face the final judgment, when that church that has followed the OT and Jesus� path in caring for the weak and marginal will enter into greater glory (Matthew 25:31ff), the final state.
But notice if you sequester all the church’s glorious duties off into the future state alone, then the church here and now becomes an irrelevant, intellectual club, like most conservative evangelical churches today. We firmly believe our job is only to get individual bodies into heaven, and we read most of the NT, especially Romans, as instructions about how to get into heaven, when in fact the NT message is much richer and more challenging than that (to get a fun shock try reading Romans as if it isn’t about heaven but more like Habakkuk and Isaiah). If we’re just an intellectual club then we’re reduced to cheap grace. And Alcorn gives us that cheap grace that prevails in conservative evangelical churches. How does Alcorn assure us that we’ll make it into heaven? His answer is purely intellectual: “Make the conscious decision to accept Christ’s sacrificial death on your behalf� (36) Isn’t it at all strange that Jesus doesn’t talk this way? And, as expected, Alcorn has to warn us against works: “Those who assume their religious activities alone will get them into Heaven will have a terrible surprise ahead� (36) � as if the promoters of cheap grace won’t be even more shocked.
Bonhoeffer was on to simple NT truth: “Cheap grace is the deadly enemy of our Church. We are fighting today for costly grace....Cheap grace means grace as a doctrine, a principle, a system....An intellectual assent to that idea is held to be of itself sufficient to secure remission of sins....Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross.�
The problem is that Isaiah’s description of the New Earth still includes death: “No more shall an infant from there live but a few days, Nor an old man who has not fulfilled his days; For the child shall die one hundred years old, But the sinner being one hundred years old shall be accursed� (Is. 65:20). Though Alcorn cites the latter chapters of Isaiah to prove the final state of heaven over fifty times, he avoids this verse, except for one parenthetical dismissal of it (323). But if there’s death in “heaven� then it’s not the final state; it’s something else.
In the same way, if Isaiah wasn’t speaking of the final state, then, we shouldn’t assume that John was speaking of heaven when he invoked Isaiah’s language at the end of Revelation. Alcorn repeatedly insists on literalism to make his case, but he doesn’t live up to it. John describes the New Jerusalem as a city and a bride. John sees “the bride, the Lamb’s wife� (Rev. 21:9). But Alcorn has to ignore that literalism to only embrace the literalism of a city. In addition, notice death and sin lurk outside the New Jerusalem: “they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it. But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie� (Rev. 21:26,27). If this were the final state of heaven, how could there be any fear that sin and abominations could enter it?
I certainly don’t object to Alcorn’s take on heaven because of any “Christoplatonism� � i.e., the view that denigrates the resurrection and makes heaven purely spiritual, with no eating, drinking, dwelling, working, playing, etc. I believe we will do all those things in heaven in true bodies, and, like Alcorn, I believe the final state of heaven will be on a restored earth. So what’s the beef?
The beef is that forcing all these texts which are really about the church on earth into the final state alone distorts the whole calling of the gospel, distorts the calling of the church. The church is supposed to be heaven on earth. We’re not supposed to wait for Christ to fix it all in the final state. He gave that job to us: that’s the Sermon on the Mount. We are the ones who pray “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.� Jesus brought the “kingdom of heaven� to earth. That’s the whole point of His mission. The cross and resurrection initiated the new world promised in Isaiah. The Holy Spirit came at Pentecost and started New Heavens and New Earth then. Jesus said the church was that “city on a hill� to the world. And when Christ and the Spirit have created that kind of just church community pictured in Isaiah, then we will face the final judgment, when that church that has followed the OT and Jesus� path in caring for the weak and marginal will enter into greater glory (Matthew 25:31ff), the final state.
But notice if you sequester all the church’s glorious duties off into the future state alone, then the church here and now becomes an irrelevant, intellectual club, like most conservative evangelical churches today. We firmly believe our job is only to get individual bodies into heaven, and we read most of the NT, especially Romans, as instructions about how to get into heaven, when in fact the NT message is much richer and more challenging than that (to get a fun shock try reading Romans as if it isn’t about heaven but more like Habakkuk and Isaiah). If we’re just an intellectual club then we’re reduced to cheap grace. And Alcorn gives us that cheap grace that prevails in conservative evangelical churches. How does Alcorn assure us that we’ll make it into heaven? His answer is purely intellectual: “Make the conscious decision to accept Christ’s sacrificial death on your behalf� (36) Isn’t it at all strange that Jesus doesn’t talk this way? And, as expected, Alcorn has to warn us against works: “Those who assume their religious activities alone will get them into Heaven will have a terrible surprise ahead� (36) � as if the promoters of cheap grace won’t be even more shocked.
Bonhoeffer was on to simple NT truth: “Cheap grace is the deadly enemy of our Church. We are fighting today for costly grace....Cheap grace means grace as a doctrine, a principle, a system....An intellectual assent to that idea is held to be of itself sufficient to secure remission of sins....Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross.�
October 30, 2009
This is unquestionably the best book (other than the Bible, of course!) that I’ve ever read! At a whopping 500+ pages, it may appear daunting, but it is broken down into short, easy-to-manage chapters. I could almost feel myself being blessed each morning as I read from it, and I wouldn’t be surprised if I read it again someday (once everyone else in my family finishes reading it, since I’ve told them all that they absolutely must!). Mr. Alcorn shatters the preconceived conception that most people today have of heaven � including myself. Instead he presents what he believes to be a more biblical picture � based on 25 years of study on the topic, and a dose of biblically-inspired imagination. He particularly dispels the notion that heaven is an ethereal world where we, as disembodied spirits, will spend eternity floating on clouds and playing harps � an image that causes many people to claim indifference as to whether they are going to heaven when they die or not. He places a lot of emphasis on the God’s promise to create a new heavens and a new earth. I was particularly enlightened by the explanation that God’s plan for redemption includes not just the souls of men, but the whole of creation. His ultimate plan is to redeem the entire world and return it to a state of complete perfection � devoid of sin, pain, and death. And that’s where we will dwell for all of eternity, in our humanity, but free of corruption. There is so much more that I could say, but you really should just read the book for yourself!
February 18, 2009
For many Christians this book represents an "outside-of-the-box" approach to thinking about and envisioning Heaven. The common theme is "What if?" and "Why not?" when it comes to the realities of our future Home. The author lays the groundwork for his claims with specific scriptures on the topic that have been undertaught and/or passed off as figurative. This is a refreshing look at Heaven that has given me a renewed anticipation of my ultimate reward!
November 4, 2017
I've cried buckets of tears while reading this book. It gives me such a longing for what God has prepared for those who love Him. Sometimes I wonder what I will do when I meet Jesus for the first time. Will I dance for joy, fall down and worship Him, or give Him a huge hug? I do know I will be delighted and thrilled!
I can't wait to see the home that He has prepared for me. I can imagine that one of the first things I will be doing will be dancing with the pure joy of living. One idea that thrills me is all the animals that I hope to be there. We will all be able to live in peace and harmony the way God originally intended.
I am excited by the fact that there will be no pain or sorrow, death and sad farewells. We can be with our friends for all of eternity without sin to mar our relationships. We will be able to become acquainted with those who have gone before us and people from other lands. We will know and understand their stories.
I can't wait to attend the universities there where I will be able to learn the complete truth without fear of deception. I believe that many of my dreams will be fulfilled. No doubt I will be able to travel around the world. Who knows? Maybe I will even travel to outer space!
Whatever Heaven will be like it will be much grander than we can ever imagine. I want to make every effort to get there and I hope to meet you all there!
I can't wait to see the home that He has prepared for me. I can imagine that one of the first things I will be doing will be dancing with the pure joy of living. One idea that thrills me is all the animals that I hope to be there. We will all be able to live in peace and harmony the way God originally intended.
I am excited by the fact that there will be no pain or sorrow, death and sad farewells. We can be with our friends for all of eternity without sin to mar our relationships. We will be able to become acquainted with those who have gone before us and people from other lands. We will know and understand their stories.
I can't wait to attend the universities there where I will be able to learn the complete truth without fear of deception. I believe that many of my dreams will be fulfilled. No doubt I will be able to travel around the world. Who knows? Maybe I will even travel to outer space!
Whatever Heaven will be like it will be much grander than we can ever imagine. I want to make every effort to get there and I hope to meet you all there!
December 28, 2024
I went into this book pretty cynical; expecting a lot of speculation, overwrought conclusions, and wishful, feel-good theology. There was certainly some of that; a few of the conclusions on animals come to mind. But the vast majority of the book was steeped in biblical theology. I would recommend this book for two reasons:
1. It is an incredibly effective apologetic against the heresy of Christo-Platonism. It destroys the assumptions that have crept into how we think about Heaven. It’s not floaty, or echoey. It’s more real than our current existence.
2. Meditating on Heaven prepares us for it, and puts our lives in the proper, eternal perspective. As he writes in the last chapter: “If my wedding date is on the calendar, and I’m thinking of the person I’m going to marry, I shouldn’t be an easy target for seduction.�
Really, really appreciated this book. As wonderful as our eternal home is described in its pages, I know it will be even better.
1. It is an incredibly effective apologetic against the heresy of Christo-Platonism. It destroys the assumptions that have crept into how we think about Heaven. It’s not floaty, or echoey. It’s more real than our current existence.
2. Meditating on Heaven prepares us for it, and puts our lives in the proper, eternal perspective. As he writes in the last chapter: “If my wedding date is on the calendar, and I’m thinking of the person I’m going to marry, I shouldn’t be an easy target for seduction.�
Really, really appreciated this book. As wonderful as our eternal home is described in its pages, I know it will be even better.
December 27, 2010
I didn't finish this book....got about 3/4 of the way through it and it became so repetitive and so much conjecture that I just didn't see the point. I will say that the first several hundred pages are devoted to the actual theology of Heaven and Alcorn does a great job of documenting his claims Biblically, and I enjoyed this part very much. I also want to give him credit for not being dogmatic about his eschatological view, and for (repeatedly) stating that his vision of what the New Creation will actually be like is "his" idea and not necessarily scriptural.
The man has a great imagination. The good thing is, IMHO, that the reality will be even greater than what he has imagined!
I would recommend this book just for the theology part. The rest of it was interesting to a point and if you want to dream and wonder about the wonder of it all then go for it!
The man has a great imagination. The good thing is, IMHO, that the reality will be even greater than what he has imagined!
I would recommend this book just for the theology part. The rest of it was interesting to a point and if you want to dream and wonder about the wonder of it all then go for it!
November 18, 2019
It was okay, but it should have been much better. The subject deserves better, and Alcorn is capable of better.
For openers, he crowded two or three hundred pages of essentials into almost six hundred. He hid his serious arguments in idle speculation and self-quotations (yes, he cites his own fictional works). Believers in the literal inerrancy of the Bible may even have trouble with some of his convoluted logic, but most of it is so buttressed with footnotes (see above) and Biblical citations that the average reader will not bother. No, the average reader will not finish the book. (My wife managed less than fifty pages.)
His thesis, that Heaven is real, may seem an oxymoron to Christians, but he'd quickly add, "No, really real. And there are two of them . . . no, three. From a certain point of view."
Acorn's tome is almost saved by the wonderful sidebars which litter the text, but what it really needs was a good editing.
If you read the Bible every morning, I suggest putting Heaven on your night stand. If you can't get to sleep. Don't count sheep; read Heaven. It'll put you out.
For openers, he crowded two or three hundred pages of essentials into almost six hundred. He hid his serious arguments in idle speculation and self-quotations (yes, he cites his own fictional works). Believers in the literal inerrancy of the Bible may even have trouble with some of his convoluted logic, but most of it is so buttressed with footnotes (see above) and Biblical citations that the average reader will not bother. No, the average reader will not finish the book. (My wife managed less than fifty pages.)
His thesis, that Heaven is real, may seem an oxymoron to Christians, but he'd quickly add, "No, really real. And there are two of them . . . no, three. From a certain point of view."
Acorn's tome is almost saved by the wonderful sidebars which litter the text, but what it really needs was a good editing.
If you read the Bible every morning, I suggest putting Heaven on your night stand. If you can't get to sleep. Don't count sheep; read Heaven. It'll put you out.
Read
January 23, 2025people believe that we can elect the president or Prime Minister that's going to bring in a utopian
It's a nice word picture of altruism. I'd say more people got to see
I am, my own self a thought
Je suis m'io du Pense
Anyway I think it's a strangely neglected truth that parents get blamed for everything from children. An oedipus complex of data getting muddled in from bad advertising using your 📈 data
Sometimes we're so heavily minded we're no earthly good
relax most of us are
so earthly good that we're no heavenly minded I can't understand how the majority vote can disenfranchise so many people in a population and think that they are the people's party not a populous....
A demagogue
-Antonin Scalia
I quote Scalia cause he wrote some interesting work on ego and who is Folwer in Aesop's fables.
Lord open his eyes so he might see -1 kings 17
Elijah
The servant of these angelic chariots and horses can be .....
It may be invisible realms and ideas so they can be transferable to other universes between universes and in universes.
Unplaced or he placed might not be placed cause god needs no accommodation and the spirit realms is good and earthly realms are evil. This view is called Christian platoism....
Since the righteous will be held accountable for far more than we're able to remember, we'll expect our memory will become improved by this heavenly encounter.
Lol
God help us....
I'm a bit stressed by the inauguration
As o l'm reading a book on heaven that I read when Baruch Obama got elected. Reading a book ...again. It's a book l've read a few times.... I liked Barack after he got in and his personality showed.
Although I understand why Biden said take it easy on this president trump.... He is sensitive... and his awareness of what transpires in America 🇺🇸
I realize Barack Obama Obama presidency is no where near the contextually of Trumps presidency
As textually heaven before us, as history shows it’s not even in the same conversation, discussions or information textually.
And I am but a textual Steward of a heaven belonging in our own world as that of
Women being reason and men being self
Cause reading definitely damages ignorance�.🙄
Belonging in the next�.
As access to information is our problem,.. i doubt it. It’s intelligents that’s our problem.
It’s influence�. Sadly influence that holds all intelligences�.
And when after virtue we say where does virtue come from it comes from morals and where do morals come from boundaries. How do we get boundaries living on older person experienced regret, and publicly acquiescing to tentatively have your flaws and errors walked over for others success. When only outliners success is 1% the rest have seen income mobility loss to the majority of where money goes.
It’s not doing it’s purpose raison du être
Currency 💵 is not moving between people or classes as it should.
To improve institutions�
Don’t laugh at institutions they take longer than most to see where the average person’s success is.
In other words boundaries come from virtue�
As is after virtue.
20% done �
reading this book 📕 on good reads but hopefully 🙏 it settles my brain 🧠 on hopelessness’s.
20 % done it all from a morning read it’s about a 12 hour long book 📕 and I’m 1/5 done � need a break from it today.
—ĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔ�
That our resurrected body’s 50% don’t think will have body’s.
Yeah
End time revival�.
End times revival post modern absolutes.
It’s a good 😊 video
What has happened to the USA 🇺🇸. Video above 👆
Most defining absolute�. Is playing God or trying to be God�.
Fifty percent don’t think we will have resurrected body’s�. Je suis m’io du Pense
the headless of my Oedipus complex for mamma mia
“Just you'd get a kick out of this because it's a scene from Mama Mia�
Quotes my friend since I watch mamma Mia twice a year once on winter solstice and once on summer solstice
The spot where Aphrodite was cast into the sea
🌊
i choose to what i listen to not to who i listen to..... life to to short, all work is short....anything has a canopy of life living on older person experience regret. im but a nudist of my own thought je suis.... m'io du pense.
es o si que es
How we must be fooled that sin and evil is not radically evil and irretrievable good 😊 as long as our resurrected body’s Jesus body is not
The first, not only to reconcile our good for his body and his leading is supreme to pieces and broken are of his death.
32%
—ĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔ�-—ĔĔĔĔĔĔ�-
It sounds like you're diving deep into some complex themes around politics, morality, and spirituality, all while reflecting on personal beliefs and experiences. Your thoughts seem to intertwine ideas from various sources, merging philosophical insights with contemporary issues. It’s clear that the political climate and leadership transitions can stir up a lot of emotions and contemplations about society, personal roles, and the nature of good and evil.
Randy Alcorn’s book on heaven, along with the references to figures like Obama and Trump, suggest that you're considering how political leadership intersects with larger moral and existential questions. You also touch on the challenges presented by societal structures and institutions, particularly regarding wealth distribution and personal accountability.
As you continue your reading and reflections, it might be interesting to explore how these themes of virtue, influence, and communal responsibility play out in both personal and societal contexts. How does your understanding of heaven and moral boundaries inform your view on current events?
If you need any specific insights or discussions about the themes in Alcorn's book or other related topics, feel free to share!
The prophetic message that’s gets quoted is a new earth new world order.
Is new earth or old universe destroyed or regenerated.
It all seems regurgitated and rumination of the surface on the ground and the present earth and preset universe passes away.
The concepts of "new earth" and "new world order" often evoke deep philosophical and theological discussions. The idea of a "new earth" typically refers to a renewed creation, a transformation of the existing world rather than its total destruction. In many religious contexts, particularly in Christian eschatology, this notion suggests a restoration to an ideal state where peace, justice, and harmony prevail.
The phrase "new world order" can signify various things depending on the context, from geopolitical shifts to cultural and social changes aimed at fostering unity and cooperation. However, it can also be associated with conspiracy theories that suggest secretive forces are manipulating global events to create a dystopian society.
Your use of terms like "regurgitated" and "rumination" implies a sense of frustration with cyclical patterns of thought and action that may seem superficial or ineffectual regarding meaningful change. This perspective emphasizes the need for deeper understanding and substantial, transformative action rather than merely recycling old ideas or systems.
In contemplating whether the "old universe" is destroyed or regenerated, it’s important to consider:
1. **Destruction vs. Renewal**: Many religious and philosophical perspectives suggest that the world may undergo a process of refinement rather than outright destruction. This reflects a belief in growth and evolution over time.
2. **Surface vs. Depth**: Your thoughts suggest a craving for deeper engagement with these concepts. Rather than accepting surface-level interpretations of societal changes, there may be a desire for a more profound understanding of moral, ethical, and spiritual implications.
3. **Resilience and Cycles**: Nature often demonstrates cycles of destruction and renewal, such as in ecosystems where fire can lead to new growth. This could serve as a metaphor for societal evolution.
In essence, contemplating the future of the earth and humanity within a framework of spiritual and social renewal might lead to more meaningful actions and beliefs. It can also inspire proactive engagement in building a world that aligns more closely with these envisioned ideals. If you want to explore specific aspects of this further, like theological interpretations or philosophical implications, feel free to share!
Mount Helen blew up in volcanic ash and it was said would take decades to come back but with in a few years greenery came back.
The cleanliness of fire will clean more than water�.
I got to say the book 📕 is�..
Often a world view that Denys the constitutional authority of the continuity between both point de fuite and ligne de fuite�..
But of postmodern humor there.
Your reference to Mount St. Helens is a powerful analogy for regeneration and resilience. Volcanic eruptions can initially seem catastrophic, laying waste to the surrounding environment, yet nature often demonstrates an incredible ability to rebound. The rapid return of greenery after such destruction underscores a theme of renewal that mirrors many philosophical and spiritual ideas about transformation.
The idea that "the cleanliness of fire will clean more than water" resonates with various symbolic interpretations. Fire can represent both destruction and purification; it removes the old to make way for the new. This concept of fire as a transformative force speaks to a broader theme in philosophy and theology regarding the cyclical nature of life, death, and rebirth.
When you mention a worldview that “denies the constitutional authority of the continuity between both point de fuite and ligne de fuite,� it seems you’re delving into concepts related to postmodernism. The contrast between fixed points (points de fuite) and lines of flight (lignes de fuite) can be understood in terms of stability versus fluidity in thought and experience. The idea that traditional structures and meanings can be challenged aligns with postmodern perspectives, which often embrace ambiguity and diversity of interpretation.
Your mention of "postmodern humor" suggests that this complexity can also be seen through a lens of irony or playfulness, highlighting the absurdity that sometimes accompanies the human experience in navigating these philosophical terrains.
Overall, it seems you are exploring complex interactions between destruction, renewal, authority, and meaning-making in contemporary thought. If you’re finding the book engaging, it might be interesting to consider how these themes relate to your own experiences or societal observations. Would you like to delve deeper into any particular aspect of these ideas?
Subordinate to all creation All events leading our thought to be of a process Leading to the re-introduction of the original creation, the new creation dominating Christian theology Cause the new creation is a purpose of God
Of his redempt plan
Your reflection speaks to a profound theological concept found in Christianity: the idea of new creation as part of God's redemptive plan. This theme can encompass various dimensions, including the restoration of humanity, the renewal of the world, and the ultimate fulfillment of divine purpose.
1. **Subordination to Creation**: The notion that all creation is interconnected and that events lead our thoughts toward a greater understanding of this process aligns with many biblical narratives. In many interpretations, creation is not simply a one-time event but an ongoing process in which God is actively involved. This connects to Romans 8:19-21, where Paul writes about creation eagerly awaiting its redemption.
2. **Redemptive Plan**: The "new creation" is central to Christian theology, particularly in the writings of Paul. In 2 Corinthians 5:17, Paul states, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!" This idea emphasizes transformation and the potential for renewal that comes through faith and the work of Christ. It suggests that God's purpose is to restore and heal not just individuals but all of creation.
3. **Dominance of New Creation**: Viewing the new creation as dominating Christian theology indicates that it is not merely an appendage to traditional beliefs but rather a core tenet of faith. The Kingdom of God, as understood in many Christian teachings, reflects this new reality where God's will is realized on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10).
4. **Process of Restoration**: You mention a "process leading to the re-introduction of the original creation." This can reflect an understanding of eschatology—how God's ultimate plan unfolds through history. This perspective often emphasizes that while humanity may have fallen from grace, God's continual redemptive work is aimed at restoring creation to its intended glory.
By framing these ideas within the context of God's purpose, you highlight a divine narrative that transcends mere events and situates them within the larger story of redemption. It offers a lens through which to understand suffering, change, and hope in the world.
🌎 This book 📕 has great dialogue between AI and my conversations of the book with AI author ✍️
It's a nice word picture of altruism. I'd say more people got to see
I am, my own self a thought
Je suis m'io du Pense
Anyway I think it's a strangely neglected truth that parents get blamed for everything from children. An oedipus complex of data getting muddled in from bad advertising using your 📈 data
Sometimes we're so heavily minded we're no earthly good
relax most of us are
so earthly good that we're no heavenly minded I can't understand how the majority vote can disenfranchise so many people in a population and think that they are the people's party not a populous....
A demagogue
-Antonin Scalia
I quote Scalia cause he wrote some interesting work on ego and who is Folwer in Aesop's fables.
Lord open his eyes so he might see -1 kings 17
Elijah
The servant of these angelic chariots and horses can be .....
It may be invisible realms and ideas so they can be transferable to other universes between universes and in universes.
Unplaced or he placed might not be placed cause god needs no accommodation and the spirit realms is good and earthly realms are evil. This view is called Christian platoism....
Since the righteous will be held accountable for far more than we're able to remember, we'll expect our memory will become improved by this heavenly encounter.
Lol
God help us....
I'm a bit stressed by the inauguration
As o l'm reading a book on heaven that I read when Baruch Obama got elected. Reading a book ...again. It's a book l've read a few times.... I liked Barack after he got in and his personality showed.
Although I understand why Biden said take it easy on this president trump.... He is sensitive... and his awareness of what transpires in America 🇺🇸
I realize Barack Obama Obama presidency is no where near the contextually of Trumps presidency
As textually heaven before us, as history shows it’s not even in the same conversation, discussions or information textually.
And I am but a textual Steward of a heaven belonging in our own world as that of
Women being reason and men being self
Cause reading definitely damages ignorance�.🙄
Belonging in the next�.
As access to information is our problem,.. i doubt it. It’s intelligents that’s our problem.
It’s influence�. Sadly influence that holds all intelligences�.
And when after virtue we say where does virtue come from it comes from morals and where do morals come from boundaries. How do we get boundaries living on older person experienced regret, and publicly acquiescing to tentatively have your flaws and errors walked over for others success. When only outliners success is 1% the rest have seen income mobility loss to the majority of where money goes.
It’s not doing it’s purpose raison du être
Currency 💵 is not moving between people or classes as it should.
To improve institutions�
Don’t laugh at institutions they take longer than most to see where the average person’s success is.
In other words boundaries come from virtue�
As is after virtue.
20% done �
reading this book 📕 on good reads but hopefully 🙏 it settles my brain 🧠 on hopelessness’s.
20 % done it all from a morning read it’s about a 12 hour long book 📕 and I’m 1/5 done � need a break from it today.
—ĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔ�
That our resurrected body’s 50% don’t think will have body’s.
Yeah
End time revival�.
End times revival post modern absolutes.
It’s a good 😊 video
What has happened to the USA 🇺🇸. Video above 👆
Most defining absolute�. Is playing God or trying to be God�.
Fifty percent don’t think we will have resurrected body’s�. Je suis m’io du Pense
the headless of my Oedipus complex for mamma mia
“Just you'd get a kick out of this because it's a scene from Mama Mia�
Quotes my friend since I watch mamma Mia twice a year once on winter solstice and once on summer solstice
The spot where Aphrodite was cast into the sea
🌊
i choose to what i listen to not to who i listen to..... life to to short, all work is short....anything has a canopy of life living on older person experience regret. im but a nudist of my own thought je suis.... m'io du pense.
es o si que es
How we must be fooled that sin and evil is not radically evil and irretrievable good 😊 as long as our resurrected body’s Jesus body is not
The first, not only to reconcile our good for his body and his leading is supreme to pieces and broken are of his death.
32%
—ĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔ�-—ĔĔĔĔĔĔ�-
It sounds like you're diving deep into some complex themes around politics, morality, and spirituality, all while reflecting on personal beliefs and experiences. Your thoughts seem to intertwine ideas from various sources, merging philosophical insights with contemporary issues. It’s clear that the political climate and leadership transitions can stir up a lot of emotions and contemplations about society, personal roles, and the nature of good and evil.
Randy Alcorn’s book on heaven, along with the references to figures like Obama and Trump, suggest that you're considering how political leadership intersects with larger moral and existential questions. You also touch on the challenges presented by societal structures and institutions, particularly regarding wealth distribution and personal accountability.
As you continue your reading and reflections, it might be interesting to explore how these themes of virtue, influence, and communal responsibility play out in both personal and societal contexts. How does your understanding of heaven and moral boundaries inform your view on current events?
If you need any specific insights or discussions about the themes in Alcorn's book or other related topics, feel free to share!
The prophetic message that’s gets quoted is a new earth new world order.
Is new earth or old universe destroyed or regenerated.
It all seems regurgitated and rumination of the surface on the ground and the present earth and preset universe passes away.
The concepts of "new earth" and "new world order" often evoke deep philosophical and theological discussions. The idea of a "new earth" typically refers to a renewed creation, a transformation of the existing world rather than its total destruction. In many religious contexts, particularly in Christian eschatology, this notion suggests a restoration to an ideal state where peace, justice, and harmony prevail.
The phrase "new world order" can signify various things depending on the context, from geopolitical shifts to cultural and social changes aimed at fostering unity and cooperation. However, it can also be associated with conspiracy theories that suggest secretive forces are manipulating global events to create a dystopian society.
Your use of terms like "regurgitated" and "rumination" implies a sense of frustration with cyclical patterns of thought and action that may seem superficial or ineffectual regarding meaningful change. This perspective emphasizes the need for deeper understanding and substantial, transformative action rather than merely recycling old ideas or systems.
In contemplating whether the "old universe" is destroyed or regenerated, it’s important to consider:
1. **Destruction vs. Renewal**: Many religious and philosophical perspectives suggest that the world may undergo a process of refinement rather than outright destruction. This reflects a belief in growth and evolution over time.
2. **Surface vs. Depth**: Your thoughts suggest a craving for deeper engagement with these concepts. Rather than accepting surface-level interpretations of societal changes, there may be a desire for a more profound understanding of moral, ethical, and spiritual implications.
3. **Resilience and Cycles**: Nature often demonstrates cycles of destruction and renewal, such as in ecosystems where fire can lead to new growth. This could serve as a metaphor for societal evolution.
In essence, contemplating the future of the earth and humanity within a framework of spiritual and social renewal might lead to more meaningful actions and beliefs. It can also inspire proactive engagement in building a world that aligns more closely with these envisioned ideals. If you want to explore specific aspects of this further, like theological interpretations or philosophical implications, feel free to share!
Mount Helen blew up in volcanic ash and it was said would take decades to come back but with in a few years greenery came back.
The cleanliness of fire will clean more than water�.
I got to say the book 📕 is�..
Often a world view that Denys the constitutional authority of the continuity between both point de fuite and ligne de fuite�..
But of postmodern humor there.
Your reference to Mount St. Helens is a powerful analogy for regeneration and resilience. Volcanic eruptions can initially seem catastrophic, laying waste to the surrounding environment, yet nature often demonstrates an incredible ability to rebound. The rapid return of greenery after such destruction underscores a theme of renewal that mirrors many philosophical and spiritual ideas about transformation.
The idea that "the cleanliness of fire will clean more than water" resonates with various symbolic interpretations. Fire can represent both destruction and purification; it removes the old to make way for the new. This concept of fire as a transformative force speaks to a broader theme in philosophy and theology regarding the cyclical nature of life, death, and rebirth.
When you mention a worldview that “denies the constitutional authority of the continuity between both point de fuite and ligne de fuite,� it seems you’re delving into concepts related to postmodernism. The contrast between fixed points (points de fuite) and lines of flight (lignes de fuite) can be understood in terms of stability versus fluidity in thought and experience. The idea that traditional structures and meanings can be challenged aligns with postmodern perspectives, which often embrace ambiguity and diversity of interpretation.
Your mention of "postmodern humor" suggests that this complexity can also be seen through a lens of irony or playfulness, highlighting the absurdity that sometimes accompanies the human experience in navigating these philosophical terrains.
Overall, it seems you are exploring complex interactions between destruction, renewal, authority, and meaning-making in contemporary thought. If you’re finding the book engaging, it might be interesting to consider how these themes relate to your own experiences or societal observations. Would you like to delve deeper into any particular aspect of these ideas?
Subordinate to all creation All events leading our thought to be of a process Leading to the re-introduction of the original creation, the new creation dominating Christian theology Cause the new creation is a purpose of God
Of his redempt plan
Your reflection speaks to a profound theological concept found in Christianity: the idea of new creation as part of God's redemptive plan. This theme can encompass various dimensions, including the restoration of humanity, the renewal of the world, and the ultimate fulfillment of divine purpose.
1. **Subordination to Creation**: The notion that all creation is interconnected and that events lead our thoughts toward a greater understanding of this process aligns with many biblical narratives. In many interpretations, creation is not simply a one-time event but an ongoing process in which God is actively involved. This connects to Romans 8:19-21, where Paul writes about creation eagerly awaiting its redemption.
2. **Redemptive Plan**: The "new creation" is central to Christian theology, particularly in the writings of Paul. In 2 Corinthians 5:17, Paul states, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!" This idea emphasizes transformation and the potential for renewal that comes through faith and the work of Christ. It suggests that God's purpose is to restore and heal not just individuals but all of creation.
3. **Dominance of New Creation**: Viewing the new creation as dominating Christian theology indicates that it is not merely an appendage to traditional beliefs but rather a core tenet of faith. The Kingdom of God, as understood in many Christian teachings, reflects this new reality where God's will is realized on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10).
4. **Process of Restoration**: You mention a "process leading to the re-introduction of the original creation." This can reflect an understanding of eschatology—how God's ultimate plan unfolds through history. This perspective often emphasizes that while humanity may have fallen from grace, God's continual redemptive work is aimed at restoring creation to its intended glory.
By framing these ideas within the context of God's purpose, you highlight a divine narrative that transcends mere events and situates them within the larger story of redemption. It offers a lens through which to understand suffering, change, and hope in the world.
🌎 This book 📕 has great dialogue between AI and my conversations of the book with AI author ✍️
November 20, 2023
I don't think any other book has awakened so much joy in me, and love for our heavenly Father, Who created us for eternal, joyful, purposeful, worshipful life with Him.
Alcorn does not take any word for granted when studying the scriptures that speak of heaven. His meticulous detailed research combined with a sense of curiosity reveal truths hidden in plain sight. There are answers to the questions we have about heaven if we only take the Bible at its word.
But he also steps back from the minute details of each word's meaning and examines the big picture, God's overall plan and purpose for creation. All the puzzle pieces of the details fall into place when you see the whole picture.
Part one was my favorite part, and part three was a wonderful closing exhortation. Part two was a little too speculative for me, although it did get me thinking and pondering and imagining about things I never took the time to consider. I don't think anyone can answer some of those questions with any certainty but there's nothing wrong with pondering them and considering what we do know to be true.
I encourage everyone to read this book. It's long but it's not pedantic or academic at all. It's written in a very approachable style, very readable.
Alcorn does not take any word for granted when studying the scriptures that speak of heaven. His meticulous detailed research combined with a sense of curiosity reveal truths hidden in plain sight. There are answers to the questions we have about heaven if we only take the Bible at its word.
But he also steps back from the minute details of each word's meaning and examines the big picture, God's overall plan and purpose for creation. All the puzzle pieces of the details fall into place when you see the whole picture.
Part one was my favorite part, and part three was a wonderful closing exhortation. Part two was a little too speculative for me, although it did get me thinking and pondering and imagining about things I never took the time to consider. I don't think anyone can answer some of those questions with any certainty but there's nothing wrong with pondering them and considering what we do know to be true.
I encourage everyone to read this book. It's long but it's not pedantic or academic at all. It's written in a very approachable style, very readable.
May 16, 2020
Rating: 5 stars
An amazing book that will make you rethink assumptions about heaven and all you thought it was or was not. I was floored and look forward to experiencing all the possibilities. Whether you are a believer or not, this is an amazing book that will open your mind to possibilities beyond your wildest imagination.
An amazing book that will make you rethink assumptions about heaven and all you thought it was or was not. I was floored and look forward to experiencing all the possibilities. Whether you are a believer or not, this is an amazing book that will open your mind to possibilities beyond your wildest imagination.
December 21, 2009
Over all, much better than I expected.
May 29, 2022
I think every Christian should read this book. It’s been a huge encouragement to me over the 3 months it took me to read it, and blew most of my pre-conceived notions out of the water. The way I look at life now, even the everyday moments, is so different knowing that it not only matters for eternity but carries over into eternity. The unfulfilled longings in my life make me excited now knowing they are there for a reason and being with Jesus and all He has prepared will meet all of them and more. Alcorn’s writing style in this book is fairly repetitive, which gets a little old by the end of 473 pages. :) But the content is so worth the read, every chapter.
December 28, 2008
This book completely changed my view of heaven. It made me realize some things that I had believed but never really realized what I believed. This is packed full of scripture references - so it isn't just his opinion.
This has helped me look forward to heaven as well as see how my life here on earth right now ties in with my life that I will live in heaven....I realized that I used to think that you lived here, then you died and then everyone started out on the same playing field again (so to speak). This helped me see that we will continue to learn in heaven, and the things that I learn here and the skills that I develop here, I'll take with me in heaven....so it adds eternal purpose to what I do now.
This has helped me look forward to heaven as well as see how my life here on earth right now ties in with my life that I will live in heaven....I realized that I used to think that you lived here, then you died and then everyone started out on the same playing field again (so to speak). This helped me see that we will continue to learn in heaven, and the things that I learn here and the skills that I develop here, I'll take with me in heaven....so it adds eternal purpose to what I do now.
October 17, 2014
If American Evangelicals suffer from any areas of spiritual poverty, they're the areas of the Holy Spirit and the theology of heaven. If you find that your ideas of the eternal state are vague and insubstantial, I strongly suggest this book as a good place to start. I like the clear biblical basis for Alcorn's major points, and I like that when he's speculating, he says so. Best of all, even his speculations are not mere speculations: they're rooted in overarching principles observable in Scripture. Recommended.
July 19, 2011
I loved this book. This definitely goes into my favorites category. This book took away some of the fear of dying. I believe the author is right on the mark, theologically, and expounds with logic in area's that are not in black and white in God's Word. Below are a couple of my favorite quotes:
"As long as God keeps you here on Earth, it’s exactly where he wants you. He’s preparing you for another world. He knows precisely what he’s doing. Through your suffering, difficulty, and depression, he’s expanding your capacity for eternal joy. Our lives on Earth are a training camp to ready us for Heaven."
and
"Science fiction is the result of mankind’s God-given sense of adventure, wonder, creativity, and imagination. It emerges from being made in God’s image. Like everything else undertaken by sinful humans, science fiction is often riddled with false philosophies and assumptions that glorify mankind and ignore God. But this shouldn’t cause us to dismiss its glimpses of what an infinitely creative God might fashion across the broad expanse of the new heavens and the New Earth. Is God’s imagination less than that of his image-bearers? Or is the height of human imagination at its best a reflection of the infinite creativity of the divine mind?"
"As long as God keeps you here on Earth, it’s exactly where he wants you. He’s preparing you for another world. He knows precisely what he’s doing. Through your suffering, difficulty, and depression, he’s expanding your capacity for eternal joy. Our lives on Earth are a training camp to ready us for Heaven."
and
"Science fiction is the result of mankind’s God-given sense of adventure, wonder, creativity, and imagination. It emerges from being made in God’s image. Like everything else undertaken by sinful humans, science fiction is often riddled with false philosophies and assumptions that glorify mankind and ignore God. But this shouldn’t cause us to dismiss its glimpses of what an infinitely creative God might fashion across the broad expanse of the new heavens and the New Earth. Is God’s imagination less than that of his image-bearers? Or is the height of human imagination at its best a reflection of the infinite creativity of the divine mind?"
August 2, 2007
Great biblical insight about what heaven and the new earth will be like - and how incredible (and not boring) both will be.
Reminds the reader that God is accomplishing everything for His name's sake - for His own glory it shall all be accomplished. And the already accomplished work of Christ - his life, death, and resurrection - are not only the means by which individuals are saved from their sins against God, but also the means by which the whole earth (all of creation) shall be redeemed.
This book has a jazzing affect on Christian readers - not only concerning the new earth - but also in their desire to share the good news of Jesus with those that do not yet believe. They are reminded that God is sovereignly at work using them as clay vessels to share with others His plan of redemption for this world.
Reminds the reader that God is accomplishing everything for His name's sake - for His own glory it shall all be accomplished. And the already accomplished work of Christ - his life, death, and resurrection - are not only the means by which individuals are saved from their sins against God, but also the means by which the whole earth (all of creation) shall be redeemed.
This book has a jazzing affect on Christian readers - not only concerning the new earth - but also in their desire to share the good news of Jesus with those that do not yet believe. They are reminded that God is sovereignly at work using them as clay vessels to share with others His plan of redemption for this world.
January 3, 2020
After my mother passed on into eternity, I was drawn to this book, wanting to learn about the place where she now lives. It’s a lengthy book (492 pages) and at times, overly wordy, but I loved that Alcorn took our often pre-conceived ideas of what heaven is like or could be like and turned them upside down. Although there is a lot of speculation and imaginative elements to the book, I found that his picture of heaven and the new earth opened up for me a longing for and anticipation of my future home - a place filled with the presence of God and endless possibilities of how that will impact us for all eternity. I lingered over this book for months and continue to read passages - it has been a huge help in my grieving process. Well worth reading and discussing!
Currently reading
August 22, 2016A hardback borrowed from my Mum. Fascinating! Here is the best reason to read it, quoting from the book: "Satan need not convince us that Heaven doesn't exist. He need only convince us that Heaven is a place of boring, unearthly existence. If we believe that lie, we'll be robbed of our joy and anticipation, we'll set our minds on this life and not the next, and we won't be motivated to share our faith. Why should we share the 'good news' that people can spend eternity in a boring, ghostly place that even WE'RE not looking forward to?"
Indeed.
Indeed.
June 10, 2023
Adding this to my "Every Christian should read this at least once in their life" stack. I was about halfway through this when we unexpectedly lost my stepsister, and it took on a whole new level of emotion, urgency, beauty, and meaningfulness.
Highly recommend - especially for those who have lost someone close to them who was a believer in Christ.
"But for me to live is Christ, to die is gain... I am hard pressed between the two. Yet my desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better."
- Philippians 1:22-23
Highly recommend - especially for those who have lost someone close to them who was a believer in Christ.
"But for me to live is Christ, to die is gain... I am hard pressed between the two. Yet my desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better."
- Philippians 1:22-23
March 18, 2019
One of the Sunday morning Bible classes at our did a study based on this book. I didn't agree with everything in it, but I enjoyed it overall. One of the main takeaways was the idea of continuity from this life to the next: we won't be disembodied spirits, creation is still good and meant to be cultivated, etc. Some other thoughts .
April 13, 2020
Great book! It only took me two years, but I learned a ton. I think it could be shortened a bit, but maybe I just feel that way because it’s the longest book I’ve ever read. 😅😂
May 4, 2024
I was intrigued by his emphasis of the physical realities of the New Heaven and the New Earth. The subsequent implications stirred my longing for the reality of the resurrection to take place in my life.
However, in the appendixes, he claims that much of Paul’s writings on the resurrection were written in reaction to the Platonic tradition of his time. In this misinformed rejection of christoplatonism, Alcorn replaces the Being of Christ with the Biblical texts as God’s primary means of revelation. He fails to realize that the fundamentals of Plato’s metaphysics lay the groundwork for a Trinitarian understanding. Christoplatonism as I understand it is not merely a dichotomy between a figurative and literal interpretation of the Bible, but the assertion that the concept of forms and particulars is the rational basis for the Trinity and thereby gives credence to the ontological Deity of Christ within in the monotheistic God of the Israelites. I don’t think it was a coincidence that Christ came in the midst of a Greek culture. In fact, I’m convinced this was an aspect of the “fullness of time.�
So, laying aside the fact that he (unintentionally I’m sure) pried at one of the rationales informing my faith in the Deity of Christ and secondary authority of Scripture, his reminder to keep my “head out of the clouds� and consider the embodied and earthy nature of God’s work was a refreshment to my faith. In Christ, life is verily worth living.
However, in the appendixes, he claims that much of Paul’s writings on the resurrection were written in reaction to the Platonic tradition of his time. In this misinformed rejection of christoplatonism, Alcorn replaces the Being of Christ with the Biblical texts as God’s primary means of revelation. He fails to realize that the fundamentals of Plato’s metaphysics lay the groundwork for a Trinitarian understanding. Christoplatonism as I understand it is not merely a dichotomy between a figurative and literal interpretation of the Bible, but the assertion that the concept of forms and particulars is the rational basis for the Trinity and thereby gives credence to the ontological Deity of Christ within in the monotheistic God of the Israelites. I don’t think it was a coincidence that Christ came in the midst of a Greek culture. In fact, I’m convinced this was an aspect of the “fullness of time.�
So, laying aside the fact that he (unintentionally I’m sure) pried at one of the rationales informing my faith in the Deity of Christ and secondary authority of Scripture, his reminder to keep my “head out of the clouds� and consider the embodied and earthy nature of God’s work was a refreshment to my faith. In Christ, life is verily worth living.
December 21, 2023
I really read the short version, but I can’t find that on goodreads. So here I am getting credit for a 500 page book instead of a 70 page book.
July 20, 2022
I recommend this book to every believer. ❤️
November 23, 2022
This beast of a book is probably our best resource about Heaven besides the Bible.
I definitely think it's a must-read for any Christ-follower, as it orients your heart and mind about the goodness coming for us after our passing and/or when Jesus returns, which will change everything about the lives we're living right now.
Be ready to grind nearly 500 pages of a theology of Heaven!🙌🏼
I definitely think it's a must-read for any Christ-follower, as it orients your heart and mind about the goodness coming for us after our passing and/or when Jesus returns, which will change everything about the lives we're living right now.
Be ready to grind nearly 500 pages of a theology of Heaven!🙌🏼
March 5, 2021
When I first read this back in 2007, it was the first book I read on the topic of Heaven, and as such I found it extremely interesting and thought-provoking. This time around I was less impressed, and had to downgrade the rating from 4 to 3 stars.
Randy Alcorn does forth a lot of interesting theories, but while there were a few I hadn't thought of before (like the idea of an intermediate Heaven where believers go between the time they die and the bodily resurrection to the New Earth), most I either felt were obvious (to me, at least), or I felt he drew broader conclusions than the Scripture allows. I'm still glad I've read it, and it did make me long for Heaven, but I'd no longer recommend it unreservedly, and am very unlikely to reread it a second time.
Randy Alcorn does forth a lot of interesting theories, but while there were a few I hadn't thought of before (like the idea of an intermediate Heaven where believers go between the time they die and the bodily resurrection to the New Earth), most I either felt were obvious (to me, at least), or I felt he drew broader conclusions than the Scripture allows. I'm still glad I've read it, and it did make me long for Heaven, but I'd no longer recommend it unreservedly, and am very unlikely to reread it a second time.
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