Are You Entitled? Are You Seeking?

This post follows my two previous posts regarding heaven. It is a quick summary of what Jonathan Edwards says in order to tell us about the characteristics of those who are entitled to heaven and direction on how to seek it.

Who is entitled to Heaven?

• Those who have had the principle or seed of the same love that reigns in heaven implanted in their hearts, in this world, in the work of regeneration.
• Those who can freely choose the happiness that flows from the exercise and enjoyment of such love as is in heaven, above all other conceivable happiness.
• Those who, from the love that is in them, are, in heart and life, in principle and practice, struggling after holiness.
  

How to seek Heaven:

• Let not your heart go after the things of this world, as your chief good.
• In your meditations, and holy exercises, be much engaged in conversing with heavenly persons, and objects, and enjoyments.
• Be content to pass through all difficulties in the way to heaven… That glorious city of light and love is, as it were, on the top of a high hill or mountain, and there is no way to it but by upward and arduous steps.
• In all your way let your eye be fixed on Jesus, who has gone to heaven as your forerunner.
• If you would be in the way to the world of love, see that you live a life of love—of love to God, and love to men.
  

Contention Darkens the Evidence of our Title to Heaven

The following excerpt is a direct quote from the writings of Jonathan Edwards on the topic of "Heaven, a World of Love". These words immediately follow his descriptions of the perfect and pure love in heaven as I have summarized in my previous post. They are convicting, and like many of the Puritan's messages, they cut to the bone and leave us squirming in our seats. After all that squirming, I hope we can be moved to flee our sinfulness and seek love and peace while we are yet on earth. For every one of us has prayed: "Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."

If heaven be such a world as has been described, then we may see a reason why contention and strife tend to darken our evidence of fitness for its possession.

Experience teaches that this is the effect of contention. When principles of malignity and ill-will prevail among God's people, as they sometimes do through the remaining corruption of their hearts, and they get into a contentious spirit, or are engaged in any strife whether public or private, and their spirits are filled with opposition to their neighbors in any matter whatever, their former evidences for heaven seem to become dim, or die away, and they are in darkness about their spiritual state, and do not find that comfortable and satisfying hope that they used to enjoy.

And so, when converted persons get into ill frames in their families, the consequence commonly, if not universally, is, that they live without much of a comfortable sense of heavenly things, or any lively hope of heaven. They do not enjoy much of that spiritual calm and sweetness that those do who live in love and peace. They have not that help from God, and that communion with him, and that near intercourse with heaven in prayer, that others have. The apostle seems to speak of contention in families as having this influence. His language is (1 Pet. 3:7), "Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them" (your wives) "according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel; and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers be not hindered." Here he intimates that discord in families tends to hinder Christians in their prayers. And what Christian that has made the sad experiment, has not done it to his sorrow, and in his own experience does not bear witness to the truth of the apostle's intimation?

Why it is so, that contention has this effect of hindering spiritual exercises and comforts and hopes, and of destroying the sweet hope of that which is heavenly, we may learn from the doctrine we have considered. For heaven being a world of love, it follows that, when we have the least exercise of love, and the most of a contrary spirit, then we have the least of heaven, and are farthest from it in the frame of our mind. Then we have the least of the exercise of that wherein consists a conformity to heaven, and a preparation for it, and what tends to it; and so, necessarily, we must have least evidence of our title to heaven, and be farthest from the comfort which such evidence affords.

Heaven, A World of Love

The following outline is summary statements taken from the writings of Jonathan Edwards. This particular writing is called "Heaven, a World of Love" and was a part of his sermon series on 1 Corinthians 13, otherwise known as the "Love" chapter in the Bible. These writings can also be found as the last chapter in a book called "Charity and its Fruits" by Jonathan Edwards. I found it to be an encouraging, hopeful and convicting read. I would highly recommend it to anyone thinking about heaven, or aspiring to be more heavenly minded. In my research, I also was able to find a website that actually has the whole chapter online. Click here to read it for yourself.

1. God and His Love fills Heaven. The very light that shines in and fills that world, is the light of love, for it is the shining of the glory of the Lamb of God, that most wonderful influence of lamb-like meekness and love that fills the heavenly Jerusalem with light.
2. Everything in Heaven is Lovely… There shall in no wise enter into it anything that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination –Rev. 21:27.
3. Everything in Heaven is Perfect… Often there is in good men on earth some defect of temper, or character, or conduct, that mars the excellence of what otherwise would seem most amiable; and even the very best of men, are, on earth, imperfect. But it is not so in heaven. No moral or natural defect shall ever enter there; and there nothing will be seen that is sinful or weak or foolish; nothing, the nature or aspect of which is coarse or displeasing, or that can offend the most refined taste or the most delicate eye.
4. There dwells the longed-for delights of the Saints on earth…The things which were so dear to them that they were ready for the sake of them to undergo the severest sufferings, and to forsake even father, and mother, and kindred, and friends, and wife, and children, and life itself… Every gem which death rudely tears away from us here is a glorious jewel for ever shining there; every Christian friend that goes before us from this world, is a ransomed spirit waiting to welcome us in heaven.
5. Everyone that lives there is full of love… The heart of God is the original seat or subject of love… and from God, love flows out toward all the inhabitants of heaven. In the first place, toward his only-begotten Son… an infinite and eternal mutual, holy, energy between the Father the Son… And the saints and angels are secondarily the subjects of holy love, not as those in whom it is as in an original seat, as light is in the sun, but as it is in the planets, that shine only by reflected light… and the light of their love is reflected in the first place, and chiefly, back to its great source; and in the second place to each other.
6. This love is pure and perfect. [the rest of the points flow from this point-I had trouble formatting]
   
7. The Saints that are highest in glory will be the lowest in humbleness of mind, for their superior humility is part of their superior holiness.
8. No inhabitants of that blessed world will ever be grieved with the thought that they are slighted by those that they love, or that their love is not fully and fondly returned.
9. They shall have no fear that the declarations and professions of love are hypocritical; but shall be perfectly satisfied of the sincerity and strength of each other’s affections, as much as if there were a window in every breast, so that everything in the heart could be seen.
10. The saints in heaven shall have no difficulty from the dullness and heaviness that our lives trapped in these earthly bodies now have in expressing all of their love.
11. There shall be no indecent or unwise or harsh speeches or actions—no foolish and sentimental fondness—no needless overbearing—no low or sinful propensities of passion—and no such thing as affections clouding or deluding reason, or going before or against it.
12. There shall be no disunion between the saints through difference of temper, or manners, or circumstances, or from various opinions, or interests, or feelings, or alliances; but all shall be united in the same interests, and all alike allied to the same Savior, and all employed in the same business, serving and glorifying the same God.
13. The inhabitants will all be related to each other as brethren.
14. All shall have property and ownership in each other.
15. On earth, those that love each other become, by their very love, sharers in each other’s afflictions, so that each has not only his own trials to bear, but those also of his afflicted friends. But there shall be no adversity in heaven… rather they shall enjoy one another’s love in the greatest prosperity, and in glorious riches and comfort, and in the highest honor and dignity, reigning together in the heavenly kingdom—inheriting all things, sitting on thrones, all wearing crowns of life, and being made kings and priests unto God for ever.
16. There shall be none there to tempt any to dislike or hatred; no busybodies, or malicious adversaries, to make misrepresentations, or create misunderstanding, or spread abroad any evil reports, but every being and every thing shall conspire to promote love, and the full enjoyment of love.
17. We shall never be weary of the exercises or expressions of love, never be bogged down by its enjoyments. The beloved objects will never grow old or disagreeable, so that their love shall at last die away. All in heaven shall flourish in immortal youth and freshness. Age will not there diminish any one’s beauty or vigor; and there love shall abide in every one's heart… as a flame that never dies away.
18. None shall ever come short, or turn aside from the way of holiness in the least degree, but every feeling and action shall be perfect in itself and in all its circumstances.
19. This holy and humble Christian love will banish all disturbance, and sweetly compose and bring rest to our spirits, and make all divinely calm and sweet and happy.
    

Store Up Your Treasures in Heaven

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matt. 6:19-21)

We are to think of heaven when facing:

trials

suffering and affliction

persecution

death

the death of a loved one

temptation

disappointments about life on earth

opportunities to show love to others

opportunities for ministry

directives from our spiritual leaders

being influenced by doctrinal error

discouragement in our Christian walk

increased affluence

spiritual apathy (opposite of diligence)

arrogant thoughts about our past accomplishments

self-exalting desires and circumstances

If you value eternal things (if you are more concerned about storing up heavenly treasures than earthly ones), it will be a relatively simple thing for you to overcome your struggle with being a people-pleaser. Not that it will be easy. It will still require much effort, considerable amounts of time, and restructuring your thoughts as you depend on the Holy Spirit for His enabling grace. (Priolo, 236)

But to the degree that you have a temporal value system (to the extent that you are more focused on enjoying earthly pleasures than heavenly ones), you will find the teachings and reproofs of this book very hard to swallow, and the practical guidelines for correction and training in righteousness very tedious indeed. If you find yourself in this latter category, let me urge you to begin your journey by confessing your sin of worldliness to God. Then ask Him to give you the grace to love Christ "with all of your heart, soul, mind, and strength" (you will not be able to love God's approval more than man's approval if you don't love Him as you should), and to "set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth" (Col. 3:2). And be patient--God will probably not wean you of your love of the world overnight. It will take time, effort, and thought to refocus your spiritual eyes, but in the end it will be worth it. (Priolo, 236)

Lou Priolo, Pleasing People: How Not To Be An Approval Junkie (Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing, 2007) 217-236.