This world offers much reason for us to despair, and according to the Bible, chaos is only going to increase as we approach the second coming of Christ. But those of us who are in Christ do not need to place our hope in the ever-changing state of this world; rather, our hope is placed on Christ alone and the promise that we will someday spend eternity with Him. We are only passing through this earthly life. Since this is the case, let us live with a hopeful expectancy that excites us about our heavenly future! We can start by learning what Jesus says about our heavenly home. We can also be encouraged by reading heaven quotes to remind us of what our forever home will be like when we—as well as our saved loved ones—pass from this life and into the next.
What Did Jesus Say about Heaven?
Our view of eternity needs to be rooted and grounded in Scripture. Fortunately, Jesus provides us with just enough details about heaven that we need to prepare for our eternal destiny.
Based on what Christ says in Scripture, we know that He goes before us, to the “Father’s house,” to prepare our heavenly home (see John 14:2). However, He also tells us that “no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again” (John 3:3). So if we hope to enter God’s kingdom, we must be “born of water and the Spirit” (John 3:5). This means that we need to accept Christ as our Savior, believe that He was crucified on our behalf and for our sins, and that He rose again.
We know that heaven will not be temporary; rather, we will abide forever in eternal life:
“And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life” Matthew 25:46.
“I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand. The Father and I are one” John 10:28-30
Jesus also gives us plenty of parables and illustrations about heaven and how we can enter God’s kingdom. Matthew 7:13-15 says, “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”
To the world’s eyes, our lifestyle as believers may seem like bondage because of the narrow path we must walk. But they do not see that this narrow path is the only one that will lead to eternal life. The temporary pleasures this world offers through entering the “broad gate” will never be worth the eternal life we inherit in Christ.
In Matthew 13:44-46, Jesus uses a parable to illustrate the immense value of eternal treasures compared to earthly treasures. “‘The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.’”
Our values as Christians are inherently different from those who are only living for the here-and-now. We know that “heaven” does not refer to a perfect state of circumstances in this life; instead, it refers to our eternal destiny for those who accept Christ. Therefore, we strive daily to build treasures for that life rather than this temporary one.
Will heaven truly be a place of perfect bliss? A paradise of sorts?
Let’s go back to when Jesus was being crucified. One of the criminals who was being crucified next to His cross asked Jesus to remember him when He enters God’s Kingdom. Jesus responds by saying, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43). From this, we know that heaven will be an eternal ecstasy in which we will spend forever free from death, sorrow, and suffering (Revelation 21:4)—a paradise in which we will spend forever worshipping God in the presence of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Beautiful Heaven Quotes
“Heaven gives us hope and makes our present burdens easier to bear.” Billy Graham
“To go to heaven, fully to enjoy God, is infinitely better than the most pleasant accommodations here.” Jonathan Edwards
“He whose head is in heaven need not fear to put his feet into the grave.” Matthew Henry
“There are no crown-wearers in heaven who were not cross-bearers here below.” Charles Spurgeon
“I would not give one moment of heaven for all the joy and riches of the world, even if it lasted for thousands and thousands of years.” Martin Luther
“I have all that I need here and heaven hereafter! How much richer could anybody want to be?” Lester Roloff
“He who lays up treasures on earth spends his life backing away from his treasures. To him, death is loss. He who lays up treasures in heaven looks forward to eternity; he’s moving daily toward his treasures. To him, death is gain. He who spends his life moving toward his treasures has reason to rejoice. Are you despairing or rejoicing?” Randy Alcorn
“The way you store up treasure in Heaven is by investing in getting people there.” Rick Warren
“God never said that the journey would be easy, but He did say that the arrival would be worthwhile.” Max Lucado
“Those who know where the treasure lies joyfully abandon everything else to secure it.” D. A. Carson
My home is in Heaven. I'm just traveling through this world.” Billy Graham
“One of the most staggering truths of the Scriptures is to understand that we do not earn our way to heaven. ...works have a place--but as a demonstration of having received God’s forgiveness, not as a badge of merit of having earned it.” Ravi Zacharias
“O my Lord Jesus Christ, if I could be in heaven without Thee, it would be hell; and if I could be in hell, and have Thee still, it would be heaven to me, for Thou are all the heaven I want.” Samuel Rutherford
“A continual looking forward to the eternal world is not a form of escapism or wishful thinking, but one of the things a Christian is meant to do.” C.S. Lewis
“Depend on it, my hearer, you never will go to heaven unless you are prepared to worship Jesus Christ as God.” Charles Spurgeon
“Many Christians dread the thought of leaving this world. Why? Because so many have stored up their treasures on earth, not in heaven. Each day brings us closer to death. If your treasures are on earth, that means each day brings you closer to losing your treasures.” Randy Alcorn
Heaven Quotes for Someone Who Has Passed Away
“Tears are a tribute to our deceased friends. When the body is sown, it must be watered. But we must not sorrow as those that have no hope; for we have a good hope through grace both concerning them and concerning ourselves.” Matthew Henry
“How sweet is rest after fatigue! How sweet will heaven be when our journey is ended.” George Whitefield
“Depend upon it, your dying hour will be the best hour you have ever known! Your last moment will be your richest moment, better than the day of your birth will be the day of your death. It shall be the beginning of heaven, the rising of a sun that shall go no more down forever!” C.H. Spurgeon
“Think of how powerless death actually is! Rather than rid us of our health, it introduces us to ‘riches eternal.’ In exchange for poor health, death gives us a right to the Tree of Life that is for ‘the healing of the nations’ (Revelation 22:2). Death might temporarily take our friends from us, but only to introduce us to that land in which there are no good-byes.” Erwin Lutzer
“For the child of God, death is not the end but merely the door into a higher and more exalted life of intimate contact with Christ. Death is but the dark valley opening out into an eternity of delight with God. It is not something to fear, but an experience through which one passes on the path to a more perfect life.” Phillip Keller
“Earth recedes. Heaven opens before me. If this is death, it is sweet! There is no valley here. God is calling me, and I must go.” D.L. Moody
“Weep not for me, but for yourselves. I go to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will through the mediation of His blessed son receive me though a sinner; there we shall meet to sing the new song and remain everlasting happy, world without end.” John Bunyan
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Tessa Emily Hall is an award-winning author who wrote her debut novel when she was sixteen. She is now a multi-published author of fiction and non-fiction inspirational yet authentic books for teens, including her latest release, LOVE YOUR SELFIE (October 2020, Ellie Claire). Tessa's passion for shedding light on clean entertainment and media for teens led her to a career as a Literary Agent at Cyle Young Literary Elite, YA Acquisitions Editor for Illuminate YA (LPC Imprint), and Founder/Editor of PursueMagazine.net. She is guilty of making way too many lattes and never finishing her to-read list. When her fingers aren’t flying 128 WPM across the keyboard, she can speak to teens, teach at writing conferences, and act in Christian films. Her favorite way to procrastinate is to connect with readers on her mailing list, social media (@tessaemilyhall), and website: www.tessaemilyhall.com.