Heaven Bound or Not

[Lonewolf]

Que Paso everyone., How's that wonderful Christian Life treating you?

I got a question or two that I would like to ask for some opinions and feedback on regarding the expectation of Christians for a reward in the afterlife, case en point "heaven / paradise."

Do you as a Christian feel the need to have such a reward waiting for you in order to serve Christ?

Would you serve the Lord if there was no such promise or expectation of heaven for you?

[1over137]

Hi Lonewolf.

Welcome to the forum.

I am Christian not because of the reward. In fact, when I was an atheist I was wondering whether people believe because of getting the reward in Heaven. I am Christian because God is true, because he saved me, because I love him. And I am looking forward to being with him in heaven which may seem as a kind of reward.

I would serve him even if I would not expect going to heaven. He is the Lord, he is the Truth and I would not want to go against the truth.

[neo-x]

very well said hana

[SeekingSanctuary]

Salvation is a gift freely given if you accept it. This is the most common belief on here. Life long commitment isn't needed, so it logically can't be the reason we follow Him.

[B. W.]

Que Paso everyone., How's that wonderful Christian Life treating you?

I got a question or two that I would like to ask for some opinions and feedback on regarding the expectation of Christians for a reward in the afterlife, case en point "heaven / paradise."

Do you as a Christian feel the need to have such a reward waiting for you in order to serve Christ?

Would you serve the Lord if there was no such promise or expectation of heaven for you?

I think your question is more directed toward how you would answer rather than to us. So how would you answer?
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[B. W.]

2 Co 4:8-18 from the NIrV: "We are pushed hard from all sides. But we are not beaten down. We are bewildered. But that doesn't make us lose hope. 9 Others make us suffer. But God does not desert us. We are knocked down. But we are not knocked out. 10 We always carry around the death of Jesus in our bodies. In that way, the life of Jesus can be shown in our bodies. 11 We who are alive are always in danger of death because we are serving Jesus. So his life can be shown in our earthly bodies. 12 Death is at work in us. But life is at work in you.13 It is written, "I believed, and so I have spoken." (Psalm 116:10) With that same spirit of faith we also believe. And we also speak.

14 We know that God raised the Lord Jesus from the dead. And he will also raise us up with Jesus. He will bring us with you to God in heaven. 15 All of that is for your benefit. God's grace is reaching more and more people. So they will become more and more thankful. They will give glory to God.

16 We don't give up. Our bodies are becoming weaker and weaker. But our spirits are being renewed day by day. 17 Our troubles are small. They last only for a short time. But they are earning for us a glory that will last forever. It is greater than all our troubles. 18 So we don't spend all our time looking at what we can see. Instead, we look at what we can't see. What can be seen lasts only a short time. But what can't be seen will last forever."
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[Jac3510]

Heaven is not a reward in the first place. It is not some place we go because we serve Jesus. As such, no believer serves Jesus because of a promise of heaven. There are, of course, those who hold to a works based salvation who we might accuse of serving to get to heaven, but even in those theologies, the service (if meritorious) is rooted in a love for Christ.

As far as why I do serve Jesus, same as any other Christian: because I love Him, out of gratitude for what He has done for me, to glorify Him, to honor Him, etc. See Hana's comments on that above.

[Lonewolf]

Thank you all for your replies., I much appreciate the Love given through your words of wisdom and heartfelt.

The reason I asked the question is because so many times I have ran into people who accuse Christians of merely serving the Lord on the hope of being saved from this world and being rewarded with a heavenly paradise to come., I however, even though I am the worst offender to God (or so I feel so many times), I serve the Lord even when I sin, and I serve Him no matter what., I have been, and I am well blessed, and I trust that I will each and every moment of my breathing life be blessed enormously, day in and night out., every day is a blessing, no matter how hard the day may go, and every night is a blessing, no matter how restless it may be., every struggle is a blessing, no matter how tough it may be to pass through, and every time I experience the peace that He offers is refreshing and comforting, so much that it doesn't really matter to me whether there is a life after my numbered days are done and over with, for I have experienced God here and now in the Life He has Breathed in me., this is my daily reward., I don't try and preach to anyone a Life to come (although blessed be the Lord for the Life to come), I say the Life is now, and the Kingdom of God is at hand., Here and Now!

[1over137]

I serve the Lord even when I sin

May I ask how so?

[Domenic]

I was created as a servant to care for the earth, not go to Heaven, and have the father serve me.


Who of you is there that has a slave plowing or mending the flock will say to him when he comes in from the field, “Come here at once, and recline at the table?” Rather, will he not say to him, “ Get something ready for me to have my evening meal, and put on an apron and minister to me until I am through eating, and drinking, and afterward you can eat and drink?” Luke 17:7

[Lonewolf]

I serve the Lord even when I sin

May I ask how so?

Romans 7:24
Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? 25Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin.

Romans 7:18
For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.

Romans 7:21
So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me.

Romans 7:23
but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me.