Library
|
DEFENDING THE BRIDE
|
Many Mansions in Heaven
Some people claim that everyone in heaven will have the same place and get the same reward. They will point out that God is impartial. However, this teaching is dangerous because people are led to believe that their works and their life here on earth do not really matter as long as he or she makes it into heaven.
And so, these individuals are more inclined to let their spiritual life slide into mediocre way of living, as long as they are of the opinion that they are among those going to heaven. This spiritual stupor can have disastrous consequences as a person may not strive to improve their spiritual life and become unprepared for the trails that await them in the future.
On the contrary, Christ invites us to be the best that we can be because it does make a difference now and then at the end of time.
There are different rewards in heaven.
Some places in heaven will be greater than others
Matthew 5:19
“Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and
teaches others to do so will be called
least in the kingdom of
heaven. But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will
be called greatest in the kingdom of
heaven.
Matthew 18:4
“Whoever humbles himself like this child, he is the
greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”
Revelation
4:4-11
“Surrounding the throne I saw twenty-four
other thrones on which twenty-four elders sat, dressed in white
garments and with gold crowns on their heads. … 6 In front of the throne was
something that resembled a sea of glass like crystal. In the center and around
the throne, there were four living creatures
… Day and night they do not stop exclaiming:
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God almighty,
who was, and who is, and who is to come.”
… the twenty-four elders fall down before the one who sits on the throne and
worship him, who lives forever and ever. They throw down their crowns before the
throne, exclaiming:
11 “Worthy are you, Lord our God,
… for you created all things”
Revelation 14:1
“They
were singing (what seemed to be) a new hymn before the throne, before the
four living creatures and the elders. No one could
learn this hymn except the hundred and forty-four thousand who had been ransomed
from the earth.
4 These are they who were not defiled with women; they are virgins and these
are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They have been ransomed as
the firstfruits of the human race for God and the Lamb.
5 On their lips no deceit has been found; they are unblemished.”
The 24 elders and the four living creatures (the authors of the four Gospels?) seem to have a place distinguished from the rest.
Jesus says that our reward in heaven will vary depending on what we do here on earth.
Matthew
16:27
“For the
Son of Man will come with his angels
in his Father’s glory, and then he will
repay everyone according to his conduct.”
Matthew
19:27-30
“Then Peter said in reply, “Lo, we have left everything and followed you.
What then shall we have?” 28 Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, in the
new world, when the Son of man shall sit on his glorious throne, you who have
followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging
the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And every one
who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or
mother or children or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold,
and inherit eternal life. 30 But many that are
first will be last, and the last first.”
Revelation
22:12
“Behold, I am coming soon. I bring with me the recompense
I will give to each
according to his deeds.”
Romans 2:6
“For
he (God) will render to every man according to his works”
1 Peter
1:17
“Now if you invoke as Father him
who judges impartially according to
each one’s works,
conduct yourselves with reverence during the time of your
sojourning …”
Mark 4:24-25
“He also told them, ‘Take care what you hear. The
measure with which you measure will
be measured out to you, and still more will be given to
you. To the one who has, more will be given; from the one who has not, even
what he has will be taken away.’ ”
1 Corinthians
15:41-42
“There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and
another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory.
So is it with the resurrection of the dead.”
1 Corinthians
3:6-15
“I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. 7 So neither he who
plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. 8 He
who plants and he who waters are equal,
and each shall receive his wages according to his labor. … 12 Now if any
one builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay,
straw— 13 each man’s work will become
manifest; for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed with fire,
and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. 14 If the work which
any man has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. 15
If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will
be saved, but only as through
fire.”
2 Corinthians
9:6
“The point is this: he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he
who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.”
Jesus implies that role or privilege of sitting at His right and at His left is reserved to some, but not to others.
Matthew
20:23
“He said to them, ‘You will drink my cup, but to
sit at my right hand and at my left
is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it
has been prepared by my Father.’ ” Cf.
Mark 10:40
Heaven will have many different mansions
John 14:2
“In my Father’s house there are many
dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that
I am going to prepare a place for you?”
John 14:2
“In
my Father’s house are many mansions:
if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a
place for you.” KJV
Parable of the Talents
God is not partial, but that does not mean that we all attain the same place in heaven. Some people will open themselves up to receive more of His grace than others. Jesus revealed in the parable of the Talents that those who grow in His grace will also grow in the capacity to grow even holier still.
Matthew
25:1, 28-29
“Then the kingdom of heaven will be like … (parables) …
Now then! Take the talent from him and give it to the one with ten. For to
everyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich; but from the one
who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”
With the help of His grace we can all become saints. We only have to will it, that is, we need to receive and fully co-operate with His grace.
Mary is the Queen of Heaven. Her role as queen points to her Son’s role. It was prefigured in the Old Testament where the mother of the king was seated on a throne as queen mother. Jesus is the Son of David, the King of Kings.
1 Kings 2:19
“Then Bathsheba went to King Solomon … Then he sat down upon his throne, and
a throne was provided for the king’s
mother, who sat at his right.”
Revelation 12:1
“… a woman clothed with the sun … and on her head
a crown of twelve stars.”
Cf. Revelation 12:5 “She gave birth to a son, a male child,
destined to rule all the nations with an iron rod.”
See Articles at