Is heaven a real place or just a state of mind? What will I see when I arrive there?

Share this article

Answer: Heaven is real! 

And Jesus even called it “Paradise.” The dictionary defines the word as bliss, happiness, and delight. The Bible confirms this description is not only true, but it’s even better than that! You don’t want to miss out on heaven, and how you can make sure you’ll be there is coming up.

As Jesus hung on a cross, He told the man next to Him that the two of them would arrive in Paradise that very day: “One of the criminals who hung [on the cross] heaped abuse on Him. ‘Are You not the Christ?’ he said. ‘Save Yourself and us!’ But the other one rebuked him, saying, ‘Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same judgment? We are punished justly, for we are receiving what our actions deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.’ Then he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom!’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Truly I tell you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.’ ” Luke 23:39-43

The youngest disciple, John, wrote the final book of the Bible about the glimpse of heaven Jesus gave him. The scriptures relate that others, too, saw part of heaven and its glory while they lived on earth. Among those were Enoch, Jacob, Elijah, Elisha, Ezekiel, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Stephen, and Paul. The apostle Paul wrote that God has prepared a future full of wonders for those who have put their trust in Jesus Christ, and that includes the rewards of heaven:  “But, as it is written, ‘What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love Him.’ ” I Corinthians 2:9

Also from Paul:   “… I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord.  I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of it I do not know, but God knows.  And I know that this man—whether in the body or out of it I do not know, but God knows— was caught up to Paradise. The things he heard were too sacred for words, things that man is not permitted to tell.”  2 Corinthians 12:1-4

The Biblical record reveals a good bit about heaven, and the Holy Spirit, the author of the scriptures, decided it is enough information for us right now! The following are just a few highlights.

Our Arrival in Heaven

You will be escorted into heaven by angels and welcomed! You will see people you knew from your life and many you will get to know for the first time. The account Jesus shared in Luke 16 of a beggar, Lazarus, reveals much (see Luke 16:19-31 ).

“And you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” 

 2 Peter 1:11

An intriguing account of the murder of a godly man named Stephen is included in Acts 7:54-59 . Before he died, Stephen saw heaven opening and the glory of God, with Jesus Himself standing to the right of God’s throne to welcome him into Paradise. 

Who and what will we see in heaven?

The Bible documents that Jesus spoke seventy times about heaven in the book of Matthew alone. Our Christian loved ones and friends who are residing there now will be relocated to earth when Jesus returns one day in the future. The Bible in Revelation, chapter 21, says He will rule on earth for one thousand years and then bring the New Jerusalem, a breathtakingly beautiful city, down from heaven, with many delights to behold – light radiating from God, sparkling jewels, golden pathways, and crystal-clear water. Even before that chapter’s description, Revelation 4 includes some details: 

“I saw a throne in heaven and someone sitting on it. The one sitting on the throne was as brilliant as gemstones – like jasper and carnelian. And the glow of an emerald circled His throne like a rainbow. Twenty-four thrones surrounded Him, and twenty-four elders sat on them. They were all clothed in white and had gold crowns on their heads. From the throne came flashes of lightning and the rumble of thunder…” Revelation 4:2-5

“The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp.” – Revelation 21:23

“For the Lamb at the center of the throne [Jesus] will be their shepherd; He will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” – Revelation 7:17

God is there, and so is Jesus! We will see and experience things we have never encountered before, such as creatures, unlike any we have ever seen, who continually worship God. 

” Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal. In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle.  Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying,

Holy, holy, holy

is the Lord God Almighty,

who was, and is, and is to come.”  Revelation 4:6-8

What will we do in heaven?

We will live among God’s people who are joyous and are enjoying fellowship. During our present lives, fun fellowship with others usually includes good food! So, just in case you thought about whether we will be able to eat, here are several examples:

“I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.” Revelation 2:7

“On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month.” Revelation 22:2

Will I have a place in heaven to live?

We can be assured and comforted that Jesus has a place ready for us when we get to heaven.  In John 14:1-31, Jesus’ own words are recorded:   “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going.” 

False beliefs about heaven

Since fifty-four of the sixty-six books of scripture mention heaven, there are plenty of descriptions of it to read and enjoy. You have most likely heard of some of the misconceptions we should recognize as untrue and formed from human imagination. The Bible affirms that…

Everyone does NOT go to heaven when he or she dies. But all people will die and be ushered into one of two permanent destinations – heaven or hell. There is no in-between and no waiting or holding area. 

People are NOT sent back to the earth to watch or help people. Those are assignments God gives to  angels. And speaking of angels…

People do NOT become angels after they die. God created the angelic beings as unique and are tasked to serve Him and the people He created. 

Heaven is NOT boring or monotonous. God will assign services and work to be done, and it will all glorify Him! We will have plenty of opportunities to rest, thank God, and express our honor and worship. 

Now, this is the most important question of all which YOU must answer:

How can I be absolutely sure I will go to heaven when I die, and not hell?

This is not hard. You don’t have to earn God’s favor by working to become worthy so He will accept you. All you need to understand is you have a crucial choice to make that determines where you will spend  eternity. The Bible promises you CAN know for sure when you put your trust in the Savior Jesus Christ, whom God sent to us. 

“God loved the world so much that He sent His only begotten Son so that whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life.”  Jesus in John 3:16

“I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father [God] except through Me.”  Jesus in John 14:6

Don’t put this off!

You may not have another chance to make certain you are right with God. Once you die, it is too late to change your mind. If you would like to tell God that you want to be with Him in heaven, say something like this:

God, I know that I have sinned against you and other people during my life. I am very sorry for all of this. I have lived with this guilt for long enough, and today I am admitting to you that I need you in my life. Please forgive me. I know that Jesus is your Son who died on the cross to take the punishment that I deserve. Thank you for raising Him back to life so I can see the wonderful future I can also have by putting my trust in you. I am asking you to take control of my mind, my heart, and my life and show me, every moment, that you are with me and guiding me. I will follow your lead from now on! Thank you for wiping my record clean and allowing me to begin again as a new person!

“…if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart, one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, ‘Everyone who believes in Him will not be put to shame.’  For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing His riches on all who call on Him. For ‘everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ ”

Romans 10: 9-13

“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!”  2 Corinthians 5:17

< Older Post

 Newer Post >

Recent Posts

There are so many hateful and violent words publicly exchanged by people these days. Can Christians do anything to stop this?

October 1, 2025
Answer: We can only control what we ourselves talk about and post publicly, such as on social media. Even where hostility already is expressed, we can set the better tone, or a good example of respectful, fair, and kind dialogue. Remember what parents have repeated to their children for generations - If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all. God inspired more about this to be recorded in His scriptures. Not only does He mean for us not to hurt others with our words but to select them to encourage and grow others to understand His great love for them! “A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit.” Proverbs 15:4 “There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.” Proverbs 12:18 Most important of all is whether our words – which spring from deep in our souls – are pleasing to God. Regardless of the public image we would like for others to see, Jesus said that words reveal a great deal about our true thoughts and how we live whenever we open our mouths to speak: “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” Matthew 12:34, Luke 6:45 “…the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these things defile a man…out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander.” Matthew 15:19 Next, what is important to God is the way we treat others. When people know we are Christians, will they be drawn to God and His love we share among ourselves, or will they be repelled by our insincerity? We are His ambassadors and represent Him to a dying world. Tragically, a person’s bad impression of hypocritical followers of Jesus may never be undone, which means the heart of an observer may become hardened to the truths about God so that he or she misses out on salvation. What a sobering responsibility we have! “If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless.” James 1:26 If we lose our honorable reputation, we lose a great deal – in our church, community, and family! Trust collapses and doors close. If we respond badly in anger and malice, no one will take our claims of faith in God seriously anymore. The Bible states that having “ a good name ” should be more desirable than monetary riches. (Proverbs 22:1) When people can see that we act on what we say we believe, then they trust us and are willing to open their own hearts and minds to hear the message of Jesus Christ. When Jesus was asked what was the most important commandment, He responded to love God with all our hearts, souls, and minds, and to love our neighbors as much as we love ourselves. (Matthew 22:35-40, Mark 12:28-34, Luke 10:27) Our speech demonstrates love for God and others, or, sadly, a lack of it. “…neither filthiness, not foolish talking, not coarse joking, which are not appropriate, but rather giving thanks.” Ephesians 5:4 “Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit.” I Peter 3:10 “But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, hate, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth.” Colossians 3:8 The scriptures have much more to advise as warnings about the influence of our words in the lives of people around us. With our comments, we can make or break others. That’s a lot of power. We can build peace, or we can set the world on fire! When we start a fire, we often suffer along with our victims. Have you ever hurt someone deeply with a criticism or opinion? That person may always suffer from that painful, unhealed wound. “Likewise, the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small spark. The tongue is also a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. All kinds of animals have been tamed by mankind, but no human can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. My brothers and sisters, this should not be so.“ James 3:5-10 “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.” Proverbs 18:21 God has given us life to serve Him and use our mouths to help one another by building up others – not by tearing them down. Each day, be sure to offer a good word to cheer someone’s heart, and watch and see how God blesses your life immensely, too! When we show love, people experience what God’s love feel like, possibly for the first time. “Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, but a good word makes it glad.” Proverbs 12:25 “Let no corrupt word come out of your mouth, but what s good for necessary encouragement, that it may give favor to the hearers.” Ephesians 4:29 “Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.” Proverbs 16:24 “Let your conversations be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” Colossians 4:6 Has God’s Holy Spirit brought forward thoughts of someone you have hurt with your words? Here’s a good place to start in making this right: Lord, thank you for bringing this broken relationship to my mind. You know who I need to apologize to and how I might better rebuild that relationship. Please help me to do this in your perfect timing and with a very humble heart. Would you prepare that person’s heart to hear my words and heal our relationship? Please transform me and rid me of my tendency to be speak hastily and harshly. I look to you for guidance, dear Father in heaven. Thank you!  “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.” Psalm 19:14

Are people born into this world good, or are they naturally evil?

By ncqlwjsp-ca • August 25, 2025
Answer: God created us in His own image (Genesis 1:27) and allows us what is called “free will,” which means that we can choose to do right or wrong. The Bible details many people who did what was right in God’s eyes, but it reveals many who did evil. Even the main author of the […]

I used to go to church, and I still believe in Jesus and that I am a Christian.  But I have drifted into doing some things that I know I should not be doing.  How can I keep from messing up my life...

By ncqlwjsp-ca • February 2, 2025
Question:  I used to go to church, and I still believe in Jesus and that I am a Christian.  But I have drifted into doing some things that I know I should not be doing.  How can I keep from messing up my life all the time? Answer:  You mentioned that you believe in Jesus.  […]

What exactly does the Bible commandment mean not to take God’s name “in vain”? 

By ncqlwjsp-ca • January 12, 2025
Question: What exactly does the Bible commandment mean not to take God’s name “in vain”?  Answer: The third commandment that God gave to Moses to teach others was: “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.”  […]

Should parents take children to church or just allow them to make the decision to attend when they are older?

By ncqlwjsp-ca • August 22, 2024
Question: Should parents take children to church or just allow them to make the decision to attend when they are older? Answer: Attention, parents! The Bible warns that God holds parents fully accountable for their children’s spiritual instruction and guidance. For many families, most of this happens at church. Parents who neglect this do so […]

Is Jesus just one of the paths to get to heaven?

By ncqlwjsp-ca • August 20, 2024
Question: Is Jesus just one of the paths to get to heaven?  Answer: The people of the many religions of the world are hoping that their earthly worship of other men, women, animals, and objects will earn for them a heavenly future. The Bible warns that, sadly, those beliefs are false. Jesus Christ is the […]

I don’t feel as confident as other people seem to be about whether God will allow me into heaven when I die. Is it possible to be sure that I am a Christian?

By ncqlwjsp-ca • August 7, 2024
Question: I don’t feel as confident as other people seem to be about whether God will allow me into heaven when I die. Is it possible to be sure that I am a Christian? Answer: Absolutely, you can be sure! A Christian is a Christ-believer and follower of Jesus Christ. Think about when you first […]

I am very comfortable with watching church services from home. Do I have to attend church in person to remain a Christian?

By ncqlwjsp • June 27, 2024
Answer: First, understand something extremely important. When you asked Jesus Christ into your life to be your Savior, you will ALWAYS be a Christian! FOREVER. After that lifechanging choice of yours, there is nothing extra you are required to do to maintain your position as a follower of Jesus. The Bible says God performed a […]

Won’t people from any religion go to heaven after death if they have been sincere in their own beliefs on earth?

September 27, 2023
Question: Won’t people from any religion go to heaven after death if they have been sincere in their own beliefs on earth? Answer: The idea that all people will wind up in heaven when they die regardless of what they believed is called universal salvation. Even though that idea makes us happy that they won’t […]

My family is traumatized because of the sudden deaths of several relatives, and now my parents are getting a divorce. Why does God allow all of this to happen in a Christian family?

September 20, 2023
Question: My family is traumatized because of the sudden deaths of several relatives, and now my parents are getting a divorce. Why does God allow all of this to happen in a Christian family? Answer:  We often try to understand the reasons God didn’t intervene to block some events that He knew would cause us […]
Show More