News Health: Are We Ourselves in Heaven?

Happy Sunday,

“In your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”

Psalm 16:11

NOTE: This is the last week of dismantling my misconceptions of Heaven, then it’s back to regularly-scheduled programming.

Misconception 3: We won’t be ourselves.
When I die and go to Heaven, I will retain my identity. I will have the same history and memories, and I will still be human (not an angel). If I lose those things… then I didn’t go to Heaven.

The idea that we somehow have our identity reset in Heaven, like a cosmic Men in Black memory wipe, is more common than I realized. Versions of it filled my inbox when I asked to hear people’s views of Heaven, and it’s repeatedly addressed in books about Heaven. The most common fears were that we won’t remember loved ones or that we’ll become mindless members in an endless choir, little more than God’s iPod. Many of these fears seem to be rooted in the faulty belief that if we remember our history—specifically our sins, or the sins committed against us—that Heaven will be ruined. 

But the joy of Heaven doesn’t come from ignorance; it comes from redemption. 

God is not planning to destroy earth, blot out its memory, and start over in hopes of getting it right the second time… He has promised to do something much more impressive: to masterfully redeem, renew, and restore the things in His current creation that sin has broken. Nothing is beyond His ability to make good and whole again, and understanding our history of sin and separation from God will only make us love Him and appreciate His presence more! 

This is great news for those of us in Christ! It means that you—the you reading this newsletter right now—will one day experience life drenched in God’s perfect love and peace. YOU will get to experience beauty with no corruption, work with no addictions, love with no shame, and joy with no insecurity.

What would change for you if you lived like this were true?

What do you think?
Jason Woodruff

Recommended: I frequently advocate for simply spending more time with Jesus, focusing on quantity time (quality will follow). One way I do that is with Dwell, the best audio Bible app I've found.

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