Welcome to the heaven question of the day. Today’s question is: “When you go to heaven, can you take anything with you?”
This question reminds me of a joke. A guy dies and goes to heaven. When says to the angel at the gate “I brought some of my most valuable things from earth with me, can I take them into heaven?” The angel isn’t very impressed with the question, but out of curiosity decides to allow the man to bring his bag of stuff into heaven. Once the man walks through the gate the angel says to him “So, what did you bring?” The man opens up the sack and shows the angel that it is full of coins made of the most brilliant, most beautiful pure gold. The angel begins to laugh almost uncontrollably and the man asks “What’s so funny?” After calming himself down, the angel looks at the man and says “You brought pavement?!”
Whether you laughed or groaned at that joke, it points to something that is very biblical. There is nothing on this earth that we could bring to heaven that would really be of any value to us. I know that it might be difficult to imagine heaven being a truly happy place without your music, your favorite books, your dog Rufus, or your X-box. Hopefully though, looking at what Scripture really says about heaven will set your mind at ease. First of all, no material things from this earth will make it into heaven. God’s Word teaches that treasures of this world do not last for eternity (check out Luke 12:13-21 & Luke 12:32-34). Second Peter 3 makes it real clear and says, “The heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire,” and “the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.” Because Jesus knows all this, and knows that nothing here on Earth will last he tells his followers to, “lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven…” (Matthew 6:19-21).When you look at these passages, it is pretty clear that the “things” of this world are not going to be a part of the new heavens and new earth that will make up our eternal home.
The fact that the things in this world won’t make it to heaven doesn’t necessarily mean that the things of this world are bad. I believe it is because the things that we enjoy here (like Rufus & X-box) will no longer serve any purpose once this life is over, because all of our needs will be met in ways that we can’t even imagine right now. We won’t need to take clothes, food, or entertainment. We won’t need money, pets or possessions to make us happy. Everything we need will be provided for perfectly by God in heaven. We will experience life and joy in a way so far beyond anything we have ever experienced here on earth that the best, most exciting things here will be totally boring and dull in comparison. The old saying “you can’t take it with you” is right on, but if you are following Christ what awaits you in heaven is better by far anyway.
