Desire to go to heaven?
2010/12/25 36 Comments
It would seem that every pastor loves to see in every person a desire to spend eternity with God. But in some specific cases the opposite may be true. Don’t believe it? Here you are — true story.
One Sabbath pastor Supaki preached a sermon. After he realised that he finished before time, he immediately jumped at the opportunity and sidetracked from the main topic. This is what he said:
Then, what else should I say? What if you were taken to heaven today? Would you like to go? [some people raise their hands] Take your hands down. You know why? Because I don’t think we will feel comfortable in heaven right now. I actually think we would feel miserable. Can you slow down? I mean your time schedule. You know there will be no watches in heaven. No waking up at 6 o’clock in the morning and rushing to that work, work yourself to death, coming home and try to catch up with life. How about… Just think for a second about your priorities. You think you would fit into heavenly schedule? Not me. I am a go-go guy. Sometimes even my wife has problems with me. Then how about music? Skip that one. You think that the heavenly music will fit your ears? How about food? What kind of food we will have in heaven? Are you able to leave all eternity on pawpaw and mango? Huh? No McDonald’s by the way. I’m just kidding here, you know that I am joking, but I want you to think seriously. And then environment. No violence. No Hollywood proclaiming illicit sex, violence, and lies, etc.. You still want to go to heaven today? I want to encourage you to be ready for Jesus coming. But you really want to follow Him through the sanctuary. Because wherever … Jesus is, that’s where your salvation is. He was your sacrifice, check, done. He was your intercessor, check, done. He was your judge, check, done. And He is your coming king. Get in tune with your Jesus. So, change your mind. Become more heaven-like. And forget about these earthly things because Jesus is coming. Are you ready? I want you to listen carefully to the following song. And while listening to that song I want you to make a decision: wherever You go, my Jesus, I will follow you, for there is no more night. Thank you.
A few days later I sent pastor Supaki an email and asked several questions. In a fortnight he replied, and in his responses he:
- tried to explain what he meant while he asked the questions in his sermon,
- avoided to deal directly with my questions,
- made impressions that his elaborations were the answers to my questions,
- and used other tricks.
Next I sent him another email asking to:
- explain his complex answers,
- answer unanswered questions,
- answer new questions based on his previous answers.
Below I present my conversation with pastor Supaki organized into threads (please disregard the dates of comments; they have been created 2 months after the actual conversation).
Closer to the Truth 
In reference to your words: “Then, what else should I say? What if you were taken to heaven today? Would you like to go? [some people raise their hands] Take your hands down.”
Question:
How do you know that none of the people who raised their hands wish to go to heaven?
The desire might exist in the hearts of those who did raise their hands but they are not ready for it. We are still cut in our way of life so much so that we have de desire but no strength to change anything about it.
1.
How do you know that people who raised their hands are not ready for it?
2.
If the desire was in the hearts of those who did raise their hands, than their raising of hands was true to their hearts. Why did you ask them to take their hands down? Should your answer mean that you ask people about their desire to go to heaven, and then tell them to take their hands down because you are convinced that they have no strength to change anything about their lives? In other words, you ask people about one thing (desire), and judge their response on the criteria that they are not even aware of (achievements)?
3.
How do you know that those who have the desire, “have no strength to change anything”? How many people feel let down because they believe Jesus made great changes in their lives, yet you proclaim that they have no desire to go to heaven.
4.
Do you see any difference between having a desire and achieve anything?
5.
There are a few people in our congregation that may die any moment now. Is your message to them that they have achieved nothing (or nothing except the desire to be in heaven)? What would you preach at their graves?
In reference to your words: “Then, what else should I say? What if you were taken to heaven today? Would you like to go? [some people raise their hands] Take your hands down.”
Question:
Is it possible for people to desire to go to heaven before they are ready to go there? I believe it is, the criminal on the cross did not learn to love heavenly songs, yet Jesus promised him to take him to heaven. Therefore the people who raised their hands should not be lectured to put their hands down. Why did you ask people to put their hands down?
I believe so. Desire always goes before achievement. I was not talking about fulfilling required man made forms and rituals. My point was that we live in ignorance. While we should be focusing on developing and maintaining relationship with Jesus, we are still in some kind of self-satisfying mode where we think that God understands that the main focus of our life will be self existence and self prevalence (moneymaking and career) while in reality that is not true. 1John 2:2-4 tells us that we should not claim to know God till we developed a real relationship with him.
1.
If you believe that it is possible to have a desire to go to heaven before one is ready to go to heaven, than why did you ask the people to put their hands down after they raised their hands to your question about their desire, not their readiness?
2.
How do you know that everyone in church was in self-satisfying mode and none in the congregation has developed a real relationship with God?
In reference to your words: “You know why? Because I don’t think we will feel comfortable in heaven right now. I actually think we would feel miserable.”
Question:
If nobody is ready (comfortable) now, has anybody ever been ready to go to heaven?
1. My point was to make God your priority while it is still possible. Our selfish approach to life is disabling us to make that happen.
2. Yes, the Bible is testifying and telling us that through the ages there were always people who had real relationship with God.
1.
If “there were always people who had real relationship with God,” why do you assume that there was none such person is our congregation while you were preaching? or
2.
How do you know that at present there were no such people in our church?
In reference to your words: “You know why? Because I don’t think we will feel comfortable in heaven right now. I actually think we would feel miserable.”
Question:
If nobody is ready now, will anybody be ever ready in the future?
God is constantly working on the hearts of people in this world anxiously trying to save them. That’s why we had the reformation and many revivals throughout our history proving and showing us that they are people who respond to God’s call.
How do you know that at present there is nobody in our church who made God their priority number 1? And if there are no such people in our church (as you argue), what is the chance that any such people will exist in our church in the future?
In reference to your words: “Can you slow down? I mean your time schedule. You know there will be no watches in heaven. No waking up at 6 o’clock in the morning and rushing to that work, work yourself to death, coming home and try to catch up with life.”
Question:
No waking up at 6am? That’s great, cannot wait for it. I am ready for that one since my early youth. Millions of people who go on holidays are also ready. Why would I feel miserable in heaven?
1. The question itself shows that you did not spent much time on figuring out what is heaven alike.
2. For the same reason while a smoker feels bad in non smoking facility. He can’t continue with his habits and suffers because of the addiction. We are addicted to this world and lifestyle. We don’t know better except that Jesus came to show us that there is better. Learning to love God and do His will, should be our main focus of existence (Phil.1:21; 3:7-8)
My question asks about not having to wake up at 6am and rushing to a workplace. In your answer you talk about people with addiction, which is not what I ask, therefore I consider your answer irrelevant to my question. Could you please tell me why there should be any problem with not having to wake up at 6am and not rushing to work?
In reference to your words: “How about… Just think for a second about your priorities. You think you would fit into heavenly schedule? Not me.”
Question:
If you could not fit into heavenly schedule now, when and what do you plan to do (as a go-go guy) to fit into the heavenly schedule in the future? What will the heavenly schedule look like?
Christ cantered. We will work to live instead of live to work. Our mindset need to change, we worry too much. Worry disables our reliance on God and kills our faith. Selfishness driven nature we have is very self cantered. The first thing we need to learn that it’s not about us but it’s about God.
1.
My question is about what you do (and by implication, what should other people do) to become fit into the heavenly schedule, yet your answer focuses on what the majority of people do and what they should do to become fit for heaven. Therefore I will rephrase my question and ask again: how do you know that you could not fit into heavenly schedule at the time of preaching your sermon?
2.
How do you know that none in our congregation learnt that “it’s not about us but it’s about God”?
3.
If you died while leaving the church on 7 Aug, in agreement with your words you would not fit into heavenly schedule. Would you still be saved?
In reference to your words: “Then how about music? Skip that one. You think that the heavenly music will fit your ears?”
Question:
What kind of music should people learn to like before they are ready to go to heaven? Do you know what kind of music is performed in heaven? Do you have any samples so that I may learn to love this music?
One of the great things we know about God is harmony. Everything around him is in harmony. Heavenly music is also in harmony with our attempt of giving glory to God…there you can be creative much as you want long as you glorify God on His way.
My question is not what I regard as heavenly music but about the heavenly music that is supposed to fit my ears. Why do you suggest that the heavenly music would not fit my ears now?
Question:
What other things should people learn to like before they are ready to go to heaven? Do you have any samples of each?
The walk with God is personal. You should develop your own. My samples might not be tasty to you. We are all unique so be free to find out what does God want you to do. Feel free to worship Him as He desires.
If I am free to find out what I believe is the right way for me to worship God, how do you know that (1) what I do now is not already the right way for me, and (2) that I am not ready to fit into heavenly schedule?
In reference to your words: “How about food? What kind of food we will have in heaven? Are you able to leave all eternity on paw-paw and mango? Huh? No McDonald’s by the way.”
Question:
Pawpaw and mango? Do you think there will be anything else or that we will eat anything at all? How do you suggest one should prepare for that one? Do you think we have a chance to learn to like heavenly food?
The spirit of prophecy tells us that there will be food in heaven but served rather for the taste and recognition of God being able to create wonderful things. We all know that this carbon based world can’t exist for ever. The transformation described by Paul in (2Cor 3:18) will be into a brand new form of life. Corruptible must become uncorrupted… Duch prorocy mówi nam że w niebie będzie pokarm, ale będzie dawany raczej dla smaku i docenieniu faktu że Bóg jest w stanie stworzyć wspaniałe rzeczy. Wszyscy wiemy że ten świat bazowany na węglu [mowa o pierwiastku] nie może istnieć na zawsze. Przemienienie opisane przez Pawła (2 Koryntian 3:18) odbędzie się w inną formę życia. Zniszczalne musi się stać niezniszczalnym…
If we will have a “brand new form of life” in heaven, why do you ask whether we will be “able to leave all eternity on pawpaw and mango” and how does it relate to our being not ready to fit into heavenly schedule?
In reference to your words: “I’m just kidding here, you know that I am joking, but I want you to think seriously. And then environment. No violence. No Hollywood proclaiming illicit sex, violence, and lies, etc.. You still want to go to heaven today?”
Question:
Do you see any danger in people wanting to go to heaven? My friend has an advanced cancer, he will die in a few days, and he has no chance to learn to love heavenly music and heavenly food etc.. Is anything wrong with him just because he would like to go to heaven now?
Heaven is not our choice. It’s God’s gift. It is very wrong for ministers and other religious workers to teach people to focus on heaven while they neglect to share with the world that the solution of our problems is Jesus. Salvation is about relationship with God. His gift is eternal life we receive from His as a gift. Once we develop a real relationship with God and love him for who he is, and what he has done for us, eternal life and heaven will be added as his gift to those who love him (Jas.1:12 and 2:5)
1.
Your original statement my question refers to is “You still want to go to heaven today?”. You said that heaven is not our choice, that it will be added… but you did not answer my question, therefore I will ask it again. Is anything wrong with a person who wants to go to heaven today?
2.
Should we not want to go to heaven?
In reference to your words: “I want to encourage you to be ready for Jesus coming. But you really want to follow Him through the sanctuary. Because wherever … Jesus is, that’s where your salvation is. He was your sacrifice, check, done. He was your intercessor, check, done. He was your judge, check, done. And He is your coming king. Get in tune with your Jesus. So, change your mind. Become more heaven-like. And forget about these earthly things because Jesus is coming. Are you ready? I want you to listen carefully to the following song. And while listening to that song I want you to make a decision: wherever You go, my Jesus, I will follow you, for there is no more night. Thank you.”
Question:
After I make a decision while listening to a song, does it advance my position on the way to heaven? What if I have died after making such a decision? What if I have made this decision weeks ago, would it have changed anything?
You would be too self centred and maybe you are thinking that the world spins around you. God came and died for you, payed for your sins, forgave you etc. Actually the who plan of salvation is about vindicating God’s name on the first place. Sin started without us being involved in heaven. It is sad that we got cought in it latter by joining sides with evil and decided to rebel against God. Jesus came and he has vindicated God’s name on the cross. He will come again and will destroy sin forever. You make shore that there is no sin in you when he comes. You will be destroyed with it. (Jas.4:8-10)
My question is about making the decision that you advise to do during listening to the song. When I ask what this action would do, you answer that I “would be too self centred.” Am I missing something, or your advice would lead me to become self centred? Otherwise, I do not see how your answer relates to my question, please explain.
Question:
How can I become more heaven-like? Has anybody ever attained the heaven-like criteria?
It’s not about doing it but it’s rather about being. (Matt 5:48) Christ likeness is the holiness we should achieve as those who are saved rather than those who want to be saved by doing it.
You advise to “change your mind. Become more heaven-like,” but when I ask how to become more heaven-like, you explain that it is about being, but you do not explain how to become more heaven-like. Even when I assume that become more heaven-like is the same as Christ likeness, you do not explain how to achieve it, and your expression ‘as those who are saved rather…’ does not tell how these people achieve it. I believe that I am one of those who are saved and therefore want to achieve heaven-likeness, but still do not know how to become more heaven-like. Could you please explain how can one “become more heaven-like”?