Andy Sochor March 11, 2009

Hope of Heaven

Text: 1 Corinthians 15:19

This World is Not Our Home – Philippians 3:20; 2 Corinthians 5:1-4

Why We Should Look Forward to Heaven

No more pain & suffering (Revelation 21:4)
No more sin & its consequences (Revelation 21:8,27)
Place of rest (Revelation 14:13)
Eternal life (John 3:16; 2 Corinthians 5:1)
In the company of saints (Revelation 21:27; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17)
In the presence of God (Revelation 22:3-5)

The Frightening Alternative: Hell

Pain & suffering (Revelation 14:11)
Punishment for sin (Romans 6:23; Revelation 21:8)
No rest (Revelation 14:11)
In the company of the wicked (Revelation 21:8; 22:15)
Away from the presence of God (2 Thessalonians 1:8-9)
The only thing Heaven & Hell have in common are their duration – eternity (Matthew 25:46)

The Basis for Our Hope – Colossians 1:27; Hebrews 6:18-20

What We Must Do to Obtain Our Hope – 1 Peter 1:3; Hebrews 5:9; 10:23

Filed Under: afterlife, heaven, New Testament Tagged With: eternal life, heaven, hell, hope, judgment, obedience, punishment, rest, reward

Jesus Christ came to set us free from the bondage of sin (Romans 6:3-6; John 8:34-36). Yet many Christians are content to remain enslaved to it. They have been convinced that we can never defeat sin; therefore, they have resigned themselves to the belief that they will always struggle with it.

Yet the Bible does not present the removal of sin from one’s life as an unattainable ideal but as a realistic goal. Paul said there is a way of escape for every temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13). Peter spoke of what one needs to do so that he will never stumble (2 Peter 1:10). John wrote so that we may not sin (1 John 2:1). Jesus told the woman allegedly caught in adultery, “Go. From now on sin no more” (John 8:11).

But how can we successfully remove sin from our lives? We first need to understand the reasons why we sin so we can learn how to find the way of escape. This material has been written to help each one of us overcome sin, rather than struggling with it perpetually.

The second edition also contains questions at the end of each chapter to aid in personal and group Bible studies. There is also an appendix at the end with additional articles related to sin and temptation. This book is available in paperback and digital formats.

Click here for more information and to download a sample of the book.