Is there a Heaven

Answer 1

Many authorities, many religions, beside the Lord Jesus Christ and the intent of the entire Bible maintain that there is a Heaven. According to the Hebrew-Christian Scriptures, there are three heavens: the atmospheric heaven, in which you can see clouds, birds flying, etc; the galactic heaven, in which we see our solar system, stars, galaxies, etc.; and the eternal heaven, called the third heaven, which is invisible to our eyes. This third heaven is that to which the Question refers.

The revelation given to the Apostle John: "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea." Revelation 21:1. These are visible objects.

The Apostle Peter said: "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name (than Jesus Christ) under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." Acts 4:12. Again: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 1Peter 1:5. While we can't see this Heaven, obviously the Scriptures refer to it as truly existing.

God the Father spoke: "And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." Matthew 3:17.

Jesus Christ speaking: "Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 5:3. Again: "Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven..." Matthew 5:12. And: "Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven." Matthew 6:10. And: "Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me." Luke 18:22. And: "For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me." John 5:38. There are a vast number of further references in the four Gospels where Jesus referred to heaven as a real place.

The angels who instructed the apostles when Jesus ascended up to heaven: "Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven." Acts 1:11. This is both the physically seen heaven, and the eternal Heaven.

Paul refers to himself going to heaven briefly when he died, but was revived: "I knew a man in Christ (Paul uses third person) above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such a one caught up to the third heaven." 2Corinthians 12:2. Again, he says: "For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel..." Colossians 1:5.

Innumerable passages in the entire Bible from cover to cover refer to heaven directly or indirectly, such as John 14:6: " Jesus saith unto him (Thomas), I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father (in Heaven), but by me."

Another answer

It is written in Job 19:25-27: "For I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth; and though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me." The prophet Job was saying that he would be resurrected one day to see his Redeemer, which portrays his faith in heaven. Likewise, in Genesis 11, we find early nomadic mankind settling in the land of Shinar, where they erroneously thought that they could "build a tower, whose top may reach to heaven..." v.4. This demonstrates that, before Abraham, there was this early belief in heaven. The people were only wrong in how to get there. The Jews considered going to Abraham's bosom was to go to Heaven or Paradise. See Luke 16:22.

The Bible is consistent in presenting punishment in Hell for those who refuse to believe in God and the reward of Heaven for those who trust God for His forgiveness and eternal life. Christ repeatedly and often taught on this subject and always supported all that the Old Testament said about it.

Another answer

Regardless of what people believe or don't believe about the existence or non-existence of heaven makes no difference to the existence or non-existence of the place which the Bible calls heaven.

Personally I believe there is a heaven (just as much as I believe there is also a hell). In fact if there was no hell and everyone went to heaven, this place would constitute hell for those who hate and reject the living and one and only loving God of the Bible. So, logically apart from what the Bible teaches there is also likely to be a hell for those who wish to go there just as much as there is indeed a heaven.

In any case, I personally cannot alter the reality of the existence of heaven any more than I can make the sun rise or make it stop raining.

Heaven exists because the one true God of the Bible says it does. This God has said that He cannot lie. I know also from personal experience that this is a true statement as well as the fact that it is His word and so it must be true, regardless of what I think or experience.

Another answer

"Heaven" "Paradise" "the Kingdom" -these terms deal with metaphysical concepts so you will never have a yes or no answer because those answers rely on physical proof. I suggest you research these three terms in the Bible and in other religions and think on their meaning. Here are the conclusions I have come to: "Heaven" is generally used as the place where God lives. "Paradise" is a concept associated with things like "pearly gates" and lots of virgins. This concept has roots in pagan religions. Yeshua (Jesus is a Greek name) according to the teachings recorded in the New Testament, taught about mostly about the "Kingdom" and he spoke of it in the present tense. He was teaching about "living with God" starting immediately, as soon as you are "born again" and start putting God first in your life. This is not going to correlate 100% with the words in any religious book because the words were translated and may not completely convey the ideas of the original speaker or writer, but still, you will generally find these three words used in different ways. (see link) Don't believe this because I say so, you must do your own study, prayer and meditation because it's about getting to the point that you understand, not about what words you use to describe your beliefs.

Another answer

Of Course there is Heaven! Heaven is behind the pearly gates! The Bible isn't just a book that could or could not be true. It claims for itself and is considered by many to be the infallible Word of God. It isn't just another story. It is a true history book! It is told by the people that were there and experienced it.

Another answer

I have never seen one piece of evidence that heaven is real. That doesn't mean it isn't so, but those who believe do so as a matter of faith. Who or what are you willing to believe? The answer will point you to the truth about heaven.

Another answer

I believe that there is such a thing as heaven, but instead of referring to a place, like most people do, I think of it as a certain situation, or mindset. If you follow God's and Jesus's teachings, which is usually linked to heaven, you can, of course, achieve this mindset. By leading a simple life based on helping others and everyone's happiness, you yourself will be happy. A life of happiness would be heaven, and Jesus's teachings show the way to that. People need to be nice to each other, and not care about material things, and they will be happier: without stress, the joy of helping others, etc.

Another answer:

No one has ever been to heaven and come back, so there is no proof that there is a heaven. Therefore the answer you receive to a question about whether there really is a heaven depends on who you ask. Those who believe there is a heaven will say yes, while those who believe there is no heaven will say no.

Of course, the concept of heaven has changed in modern times. It was once a physical place just above the clouds, so that Elijah and then Jesus could travel upwards to this physical heaven, and so that Saint Stephen could see heaven open and look at Jesus on the right hand of God. It is now more ambiguously called a place or state of grace.

Another answer

Some say heaven does not exist, others that it is only a figment of Man's imagination, or is on a new earth, or is just the space around the Earth, or is another dimension, or is where God dwells, or spiritualize it all away. Regardlesss, there really is a heaven, and there really is a Hell, and it's the opposite of Heaven. It doesn't matter what 'heaven' is called: Heaven, Nirvana, Paradise, Elysium, or Valhalla - all the Goodies go there, while all the Baddies 'Go to Hell, go directly to Hell, Do Not Pass 'Go', and Do Not Collect Anything" [APOLOGIES To MONOPOLY! :-) ]

Although some do not believe in a literal heaven at all, or spiritualize it away if they do, you can avoid paying taxes, but everyone has to die. Most cultures believe in a Heaven and a Hell, and it is safe to say that all major religions except Bhuddism believe in a literal Hell of some kind. Just about everyone wants to go to heaven when they die, but no-one wants to go to hell!.

I am a Christian and Jesus Christ said there is a Heaven, so Heaven exists. Jesus Christ is God, and you either believe God or not. It's as simple as that.Some people believe there is a heaven, some don't.

Answer 2

Prior to the Babylonian Exile in the sixth century BCE, Jewish people believed in an afterlife state called 'sheol', with no punishment of sins or reward for good works or faith, just a spiritual state similar to semiconsciousness. So heaven is a relatively recent innovation in Judaism. And such a recent innovation is unlikely to be real.
And Ecclesiastes 9:5: "For the living know that they shall die; but the dead know not anything, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten." Either the Preacher is affirming belief in sheol, or this is biblically inerrant evidence that there is no heaven.