Creation and Redemption-V

Preacher: Albert Sinyigaya | Series: Creation and Redemption

This teaching is the fifth in a series on creation and redemption series. It follows the fourth in these series and looks at those in the New Testament who saw heaven without dying, even though they did eventually die. The difference with the previous one is that while in the OT we saw Enoch and Elijah being the exception to dying, in the NT we see that we may be able to see heaven, inspite of the death appointed to all men.   These series are a comprehensive teaching on the fall, sin, redemption, and glory.

GOING INTO HEAVEN

1.       Today we will continue our creation and redemption studies. We have seen that God created the world good but 'sin entered the world' and God had said man would die. Thankfully, Jesus brought immortality to light. 
2.       Even though God had declared that man would die and this rule has largely been applicable to "everyone" as "death reigned "-Romans 5:14 before Christ brought resurrection and yet there are 2 men Enoch and Elijah who were exceptions to this rule and were translated to heaven.
3.       Today, we will examine whether it is possible to experience what Enoch and Elijah experienced and go to heaven and if such a thing would be a permanent translation or a temporary visit. In other words, can we enjoy the same measures of fellowship with God like Enoch did
4.       It is important to start by pointing out that actually -theoretically, in the New Testament, we are supposed to be under a better covenant, and such fellowship should be exceeded because "For Christ...entered heaven itself to appear for us" -Hebrews 9:24.
5.       Through Christ's atonement on the cross, the curtain in the temple in Jerusalem that separated the holy place from the holy of holies was torn into 2 allowing regular people to see beyond the curtain, something only the high priest could do before the cross of Jesus.
6.       Since God works through a spiritual legal system, such atonement made by a sinless Lamb of God satisfies heaven's laws for people to be able to approach the throne of God in ways that only people under the Old Testament could dream of. Even Grace had to satisfy God's laws.  
7.       Now, it is one thing to say that you are legally entitled to something, it is quite another to actually enjoy that. This is why the experiences of Enoch and Elijah are not widespread. In the New Testament we only have 3 situations we will refer to directly related to our study.
8.       The first one is the experience of apostle Paul we read in 2 Corinthian 12:2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know-God knows.  
9.       In this experience, Paul can't tell it was physical. We also know that Paul did not stay there because as of writing the letter to the Corinthians he is talking about an experience that happened 14 years earlier and he was on earth when he wrote, obviously. He also didn't go to heaven by translation, but he died in 1st century.
10.   But there are many clues from Paul's epistles that show us the kind of person Apostle Paul was and therefore can help us understand why the fellowship with Jesus that he longed for so much may have been satisfied in a way close to what Enoch may have experienced by translation.
11.   It is also clear that such transportation into heaven's glory- even if it doesn't result in permanent translation, it has a huge impact on a saint's life. Look at the revelations of the kingdom of God that Paul had-and he even says that there were even more things he couldn't say.
12.   No wonder Paul had reached a point he could say "For me to live is Christ and to die is gain "- Philippians 1: 21. He literary couldn't differentiate what was better. There are many wonderful Christians who do not necessarily speak of death in such glowing terms.
13.   The second person is Apostle John. When Jesus brings the delivery of the book of Revelation, John is on the island of Patmos. He describes his encounter with the risen Christ and a vision of the 7 churches unfolds, but later, he is caught into heaven and sees the throne and elders.
14.   Thanks to Apostle John's intimate relationship with Jesus and the book of Revelation he received, we know a whole lot more about the end times and the goal of all of that was so that the said would be "blessed"- Revelation 1:3. Fear wasn't the goal, blessing was the goal.
15.   Finally, Scriptures declare "Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed--in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed."-1 Corinthian 15:51-52.
16.   So while Christians have largely died with the promise of resurrection since the 1st century up to now- Paul and Jesus have been emphatic that there's a generation of Christians who are going to be "raptured" and translated into heaven without dying. That may well be us.

17.   Since Scriptures declare that Jesus is preparing the church for that day and He will present to Himself "a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish "-Ephesians 5: 27, the standard of our love is indeed high.

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