(SB) - “When you die, are you going to Heaven..or not?” intones the message produced by Global Media Outreach in television ads that occur at all times of the day. Because we are moving into the Easter season, perhaps this question resonates louder at this time of year when many are thinking of the Crucifixion and the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. According to its website, Global Media Outreach has had a single message—"leveraging technology to invite all people to know Jesus Christ as Savior and grow in a personal relationship with Him.” Their global website is available in more than 20 languages, using “Online Missionaries” to safely communicate with people as they take the next step in their spiritual journey. Global Media Outreach shares the Gospel more than six times each second. Of course, this ministry costs money and the intent of the web source is to solicit money to grow its work.
How does someone know that they will go to Heaven after they die? The Bible contains many verses telling of what is needed to enter Heaven. One of the best is John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whomsoever believeth in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.” So the path is simple enough—believe in Jesus and you will find a place in Heaven. Many faiths also add the addendum that in order to go to Heaven, you have to do “good works,” leading many believers to think that in order to find a place in Heaven that you must spend your time doing things that are “good”, leading to the assumption that you must be able to present your good works at the gate of Heaven where, perhaps, the Angel Peter will weigh the good that you have done against the bad. This is not a true, but the assumption is that if you believe in Jesus, you will want to act like Jesus, not to measure up to Heaven, but simply to reflect that you are a believer.
One of my favorite poems about Heaven is by Emily Dickinson, Poem 79 which was given the title, “Going to Heaven,” printed posthumously.
“Going to Heaven!
I don’t know when—
Pray do not ask my how!
Indeed I’m too astonished
To think of answering you!
Going to Heaven!
How dim it sounds!
And yet it will be done
As sure as flocks go home at night
Unto the Shepherd’s arm!
Perhaps you’re going too!
Who knows?
If you get there first
Save a little space for me
Close to the two I lost—
The smallest ‘Robe’ will fit me
And just a bit of ‘Crown’—
For you know we do not mind our dress
When we are going home—
I don’t believe it
For it would stop my breath—
Whom I have never found
Since the mighty Autumn afternoon
I left them in the ground.”
Remember that Jesus was not “left in the ground.” Happy Easter!
