I use to ask what Heaven would be like, what will it be, but I didn't think of where would it be? It points back to my funny thoughts of the cloudy land with the pearly white gates with Peter acting as the Bouncer again. Where could it be really, then I found something that might suggest its not a physical place that we go to once we die. Not a place? What do you mean, its the Kingdom of God, Heaven right? Oh my goodness freak out now or hold on and listen to this.
I have never liked the idea of us disappearing and turning up in Heaven in the clouds. I mean why would God even create Earth then as wonderful as it is just to run us through some tests? Genesis is something that will tie into this idea, since God created everything and ended by saying "that it is good." Why would he want to destroy his creation? It adds even another point that it depresses me a little to be talking with a Christian friend and they talk about how they already want to be swept of this planet and go to heaven with Jesus. Why can't they appreciate the creation that God put us on to begin with or even why would Jesus even bother returning to Earth if we are to just be swept up into Heaven? Its one of the parts of me that I don't really mention to them since I know the arguments that could follow.
Romans 8:20-23 "For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.
We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies."
I've read this passage over and never really understood it, reading over it without really looking inward to how it affected me. Pastor Nate, John Stott (The Radical Disciple) N.T. Wright (Jesus is Coming- Plant a Tree!) gave more insight to these verse as to not take all the credit.
The creation is not this living deity to be clear about that but I think it talks in a poetic thought as to personify the creation to display a point(maybe I am wrong but I will personify it as to make it easier to explain). The question now is who subjected the creation? First, we know God made the creation as Psalm 24:1 states "The earth is the Lord's" and second we know God left it in our care for "the earth he has given to humankind (Psalm 115:16)." After the fall, humankind become subjected to sin and thus all things under him would be effected by it, and in this example the earth was left in our care and begins in suffering from our infliction too. The creation waits in groaning also as "groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies." The earth would greatly benefit from us trying to treat it better now, also as our bodies have redemption. I think tis showing the belief that our body is going to be transformed and might even suggest the earth will go through this transformation in the "adoption"
Sounds like God has some plans for earth, and since its not some deity or person it can not act of its own accord to fix itself but that as it was left in our care it is our duty to make it better just as we try to improve ourselves through Christ. I like this idea more than the "Why bother with this world, if we go to Heaven," Maybe next time I will give a small retort, "Why bother being 'Good', since I am saved by Grace?" My last word will be from the Lord's prayer, that does not affirm that I am right but to give you something to pray about and reflect upon. For in the Lord's Prayer it says "Your Kingdom Come, Your will be done, as on earth as it is in heaven," should help us see that something we do in this world will affect the Kingdom of God, whether heaven is coming to earth or if heaven is some place we are swept of too.
