Heaven contrasts with the earthly realm. However, it is crucial to define heaven clearly, so we discuss what we understand rather than speculate. Although Jesus is not present to offer physical guidance, the Holy Scriptures provide direction. The concept of the three heavens, as described by the Apostle Paul, assists in comprehending the heaven Christians seek to attain.
“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. And I know that this man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows—was caught up to paradise and heard inexpressible things, things that no one is permitted to tell” (2 Corinthians 12:2-4 NIV)
From our earthly perspective, the first heaven is often thought of as the sky where birds fly, visible in our immediate surroundings. The second heaven is considered the expanse where the stars dwell. The third heaven is seen as the dwelling place of God, often depicted by Trinitarian advocates as beyond the reach of ordinary humanity. This is indeed the case; hence, ordinary humans cannot understand God’s mysteries.
However, Paul, being human, claimed to have been taken up to this third heaven about fourteen years earlier. He was referring to the time of his conversion to Christianity. Previously a persecutor of Christians, Paul’s profound conversion occurred on his way to Damascus, where he intended to continue his persecution. It is this moment he was describing to the Corinthians when he spoke of being caught up to the third heaven.
As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do” (Acts 9:3-6 NIV).
The concept of the third heaven is not exclusive to the Apostle Paul; it remains accessible to other apostles and believers. Being caught up in the third heaven is an experience not unique to Paul, and he should not be viewed as different from any other person. This profound experience is one that true Christians may share, affecting their behaviour in ways that are distinct from the norm. Christianity is not a complicated religion, as long as willing to be guided by the Scriptures.
The initial group of Christians to encounter the third heaven included the eleven apostles and others during the Day of Pentecost, as described in Acts 2. Jesus had previously assured these Christians of being taken up into the third heaven. While Paul was taken into the third heaven on his journey to Damascus, his fellow apostles had this experience on the Day of Pentecost.
“I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them” (John 14:18-21 NIV).
The referenced Scriptural passage may not align with the views of Trinity proponents. It challenges the notion of the Trinity, as Jesus promises His disciples that they will join Him in paradise, possibly within their own lifetimes. This aligns with Jesus’ statement that those who adhere to His teachings will not experience death (John 8:51). In Jesus’ perspective, the departure from the physical body does not constitute death.
A common challenge for humans is grasping the significance of death. Within the Christian narrative, the gradual processes leading to the creation of humankind are evident. At the core is the earth, from which all life springs. Consequently, plants are alive due to their bond with the earth. Fish thrive in their aquatic environment. Likewise, many creatures survive in the atmosphere, reliant on their link to oxygen, which in turn depends on the earthly products.
No terrestrial being can prosper without a bond to its surroundings. Uproot a plant from the soil, and it will wither; extract a fish from the water, and it will perish. Likewise, Adam, formed from the dust, cannot survive without oxygen. He required nourishment from food produced by the earth. God ordained that Adam would return to the dust from which he came. However, a being fashioned from the earth is distinct from a divine creation. This distinction is often where human bewilderment arises.
Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them (Genesis 1:26:27 NIV).
The discussed passage is crucial for understanding the Bible in its entirety. The importance of creating humanity in God’s image extends beyond our physical bodies, which are formed from the dust of the earth. It implies a transformation into entities capable of moulding the earth and its inhabitants. Adam, as a symbol of flawed humanity, fails to embody the perfect ideal of God’s image. Grasping this concept is essential before moving forward.
Adam’s death occurred at the moment he ate the forbidden fruit. God had declared that Adam would die upon consuming the fruit. This indicates that, in God’s view, Adam’s death coincided with the act of eating the fruit, neither preceding nor following it. Being a divine creation, Adam had been in Paradise with God, which sustained his life. However, consuming the forbidden fruit led to Adam’s death, signifying a separation from God, an event that would impact all his descendants.
Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, to know good and evil. And now, lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever”—therefore the Lord God sent him out of the garden of Eden to till the ground from which he was taken. So He drove out the man, and He placed cherubim at the east of the Garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life (Genesis 3:22-24 NKJV).
The banishment from the Garden of Eden symbolizes a departure from divine joy. It’s crucial to understand that the story of Adam and Eve is symbolic, a terrestrial narrative designed to communicate our comprehension of the heavenly disconnection from God. Similar to other biblical stories, the Book of Genesis depicts the exposure of humanity to Satan as a means of character development.
The concept of the divine image encompasses attributes of sovereignty beyond mere compliance with laws. Training is regarded as a fundamental prerequisite for qualification. Life’s journey is sculpted by formidable challenges. Receiving not what you wish for, but what you need, marks the most invaluable of experiences. It is these experiences that have driven human evolution over the centuries. Jesus addressed the demise of humanity within the framework of the definition provided in the Book of Genesis.
Then He said to another, “Follow Me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:59-60 NKJV)
The statement mentioned could be perceived as deeply offensive to those who adhere to worldly customs. The act of burying one’s father is held in high esteem, aligning with the fifth commandment. The individual to whom Jesus spoke these words might have felt insulted. However, Jesus was speaking from a perspective of enlightenment, rather than from a stance respecting human traditions.
When a person becomes a child of God, they transcend their earthly parentage. “Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven” (Matthew 23:9). Jesus recognized that humanity was spiritually lifeless without adherence to divine principles. He provided solutions to humanity’s estranged state. Human life was not meant to be defined by earthly ties. Becoming a child of God signifies a restoration to the once-forfeited paradise.
This is the same paradise that Paul says was caught up in. True Christians are in that paradise, even though perceived as ordinary humans in this world. The moment a person achieves the status of being God’s child He can never experience death, because He would be in paradise with God. The world cannot appreciate that, as Jesus said. Declaring to be in paradise to those of this world might invite them to suggest putting you in a mental hospital.
Jesus’ encounter with the Jews was solely on His constant declaration that He and His Father were inseparable. This was the major reason for Jesus’ murder. This was not based on knowledge but on the assumption of knowing, when the opposite was true. Even before the day of crucifixion, Jesus had to escape being stoned by those Jews.
Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him. Jesus answered them, “Many good works I have shown you from My Father. For which of those works do you stone Me?”
The Jews answered Him, saying, “For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, make Yourself God.”
Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, “You are gods” ’? If He called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken), do you say of Him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’?” (John 10:31-36 NKJV).
From my perspective as a Christian, I have observed that individuals with limited knowledge tend to display intense emotions. They often interrupt others and form opinions without pursuing the truth. The Scriptures illustrate the challenges Jesus faced with the Jews, who mistook their own beliefs for the divine wisdom that Jesus exhibited—a wisdom granted to him by God. Insufficient factual knowledge may result in emotional reactions.
The root cause of becoming emotional often lies in the revelation of one’s ignorance, which deflates the ego. Humanity’s most damaging sins are rooted in pride. Those who are ignorant may prefer to concoct outrageous lies, solely to defame those who possess accurate information. They believe that by humiliating the truthful individual, their honour is reclaimed. This mindset contributed to the perpetuation of Jesus’ crucifixion. However, Jesus’ resurrection ultimately revealed their deceit.
Jesus stated that He and His Father are one, a concept that extends to those who become children of God. This notion may seem incredible to non-believers, which is why they are termed as such. The ideas presented here are directly derived from the Bible, to which they profess adherence. Grasping the truth of God is straightforward, yet it demands humility and a willingness to learn from God. Unfortunately, some individuals may cling to their own mistaken beliefs about the nature of God.
In Christianity, Jesus is the sole standard, and each individual is accountable to God independently of others. Yet, this concept may seem implausible to many who are accustomed to venerating their peers. The conventional frameworks within Christian groups are often cited as the cause of misguidance. Nonetheless, understanding Jesus’ teachings brings clarity to these issues.
“But you, do not be called ‘Rabbi’; for One is your Teacher, the Christ, and you are all brethren. Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. And do not be called teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Christ. But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Matthew 23:8-12 NKJV).
A superficial examination of human behaviour reveals that the desire to dominate others is rooted in pride. People are often judged as inferior or superior based on societal standards. Yet, a truly humble individual would never classify people by their status or background. In Christianity, every believer is a child of God, irrespective of gender or social standing, as Paul affirms in Galatians 3:26-29.
The children of God serve different functions, akin to the various purposes of human limbs. It would be absurd to rank limbs by their importance, just as it would be to categorize God’s children. Instead of speculating that God’s kingdom is located within the physical cosmos, one should look within oneself, provided one has genuinely embraced faith. God’s Household cannot be defamed by evil characters.
“Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord” (Ephesians 2:19-21 NKJV).
The Scripture mentioned above depicts God’s paradise, which contrasts with the belief of being transported to a distant corner of the universe. Being in paradise means having God dwell within one. This state is not necessarily achieved at death but at baptism, when one is baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. From that moment, the individual is no longer of this world but becomes a child of God.
Andrew Masuku is the author of Dimensions of a New Civilization, laying down standards for uplifting Zimbabwe from the current state of economic depression into a model for other nations worldwide. A decaying tree provides an opportunity for a blossoming sprout. Written from a Christian perspective, the book is a product of inspiration, bringing relief to those having witnessed the strings of unworkable solutions––leading to the current economic and social decay. Most Zimbabweans should find the book as a long-awaited providential oasis of hope, in a simple conversational tone.
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