Book Review/Summary - The Five Love Languages (Gary Chapman)

1. Words of Affirmation - Being told nice things, that they are appreciated, or did a good job.
2. Quality Time - Being with someone.
3. Receiving Gifts - getting something from someone
4. Acts of Service - Having someone do something for them
5. Physical Touch - being in contact physically with someone

Chapman claims that these are exhaustive and that a person should give another the love language that the loved ones can received, not the ones they themselves as the giver of the love like most. He also claims everyone needs all of these, although to varying degrees. Lastly, he claims that most problems between loved ones stem from not receiving the love in the language they can receive.

Sin in Heaven?

Some erroneously claim that people will be able to sin in heaven. The only argument I have heard that even comes close to referencing a Bible verse for this claim is that sin is a possibility in heaven because Satan sinned in heaven. This is usually just an argument to appeal that we will have free will in heaven. I have previously discussed free will in general here and free will in heaven here. Sin cannot be in God's presence, which is why he made hell. Hell is just being away from God. There is no sin in heaven, because it is the place where the sinless God dwells. Since sin separates us from God, being reunited with God gets rid of our sin.

Those who have been cleansed in the blood of the Lamb have been cleansed forever. There is no more death in heaven, the result of sin. We die once and then the judgment. Our death ends sin, the Scripture says. Just as the good angels are fixed in their sinless state now, so also we shall be. We will serve God forever willingly, but it will be impossible for us to will to sin as did our first parents. In heaven it will not be like in the beginning of our human history. Old things have passed away, the new has come (Revelation 21:4). There will be only life, eternal life, and where there is eternal life there is eternal sinlessness. Rest your soul on that and praise God for His great goodness in giving us a sinless Savior. Also, it is important to remember that we will not be in heaven forever, but living bodily in the new creation, in which there will also not be sin for all of the same reasons.

Degrees of Glory

From the LCMS:
The unmerited grace of God in Christ alone, not the believer's works or even faith itself, is the cause of eternal life (Eph. 2:8-9). Only those who in this life believe in Christ and His saving work become the recipients and possessors of the gift of life. All forms of work righteousness must be declared contrary to the Scriptural Gospel of God's unmerited grace. What the Scriptures reveal concerning eternal life is intended to serve as an incentive to people to believe in the Gospel (John 20:31), as well as to persevere in the faith in the midst of trials and persecution (Matt. 5:12; Rom. 8:37-39; 13:11-14; 2 Tim. 1:12; Heb. 13:13-16; 1 Pet. 1:6 9; 2 Pet 3:13-14; Rev. 2:10). The church is also moved to carry out the Great Commission in earnest (Matt. 28:18-20). The Christian doctrine of eschatology should always be taught and emphasized in the church with this practical concern in mind. 

In "body and soul," and in everlasting joy, believers will see God as He is--which is the essence of eternal life (1 John 3:2). To be sure, the believer already "has eternal life" (John 3:36) and thus is in a right relationship with God through faith in Christ. Yet in this life the believer knows God only through His Word, that is, mediately. When Christ returns, then God will be known perfectly and seen face to face (1 Cor. 13:8-12; 1 John 3:2; Rev. 22:4). The hope of eternal life springs from faith in the Gospel of the God of hope (Rom. 15:13). Eternal life is pictured in the Scriptures as a state of never-ending "blessedness." This means, on the one hand, that Christians will live forever in perfect freedom from sin, death, and every evil (Is. 25:8; 49:10; 1 Cor. 15:26, 55-57; Rev. 2:7, 11; 20:14; 21:4). At the same time, they will experience the unending joy of being with God in the new heavens and new earth (e.g., Revelation 21-22; Ps. 16:11). Forever eliminated is the possibility of falling away from God. This blessedness will bring with it the joy of being in eternal communion with fellow believers, whom we have reason to believe we shall recognize (cf. Matt. 17:3). And, there will be no limitations or degrees attached to the enjoyment of the happiness to be experienced, though there will be degrees of glory corresponding to differences of work and fidelity here on earth, producing praise to God but no envy (see 2 Cor. 9:6; Matt. 20:23). 

There is a difference between degrees of heavenly bliss and heavenly glory. There are no degrees of heavenly bliss, since all the saints of Christ shall see God and so will be completely blessed. However, scripture teaches that there are degrees of glory, commensurate with the faithfulness and sufferings of Christian believers in this life. There are "higher" and "lower" positions at the feast table of God.  In terms of heavenly bliss, all believers are at that table.  In terms of glory, however, some will have places of higher honor than others, such as Lazarus, who was called home to heaven and seated at the high and honorable position of Abraham's bosom. However, this is a teaching that is not discussed often. It is almost considered taboo, because the fear is if people think too much about it, then good works will be tainted even more by our motivation for higher glory, making teaching it counterproductive to its message. I am not sure I buy that argument though, because "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching..." (2 Timothy 3:16)

Conversely, there will also be degrees of torment and punishment for the unbeliever. Indescribable torment will be experienced consciously, the degree determined by the nature of the sins to be punished (Matthew 11:20-24; 23:15; Luke 12:47-48).

Fire and Ice

• Our hope is in the world to come, not in just heaven, as explained in both the Old and the New Testaments:

For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind. -Isaiah 65:17

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. -Revelation 21:1

• A common open question is how the world will end, in fire or ice and if the new creation will be new substance, or a renewal of the old substance.  This question always reminds me of one of my favorite poems by Robert Frost:

Fire and Ice

Some say the world will end in fire,

Some say in ice.

From what I’ve tasted of desire

I hold with those who favor fire.

But if it had to perish twice,

I think I know enough of hate

To say that for destruction ice

Is also great

And would suffice.

• However, the Bible is clear that it will be fire.

But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then 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. Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. -2 Peter 3:10-13

• This would seem to indicate that the world will be a new creation as the current elements will be melted, but in the Apocrypha, the Jews saw it very differently.

The Similitudes of Enoch describe how God will “transform the earth and make it a blessing” (1 En. 45:5).  Both 4 Ezra (7:75) and 2 Baruch (32:6) state that God will “renew creation.” In Jubilees we hear about “the day of the new creation when the heaven and earth and all of their creatures shall be renewed according to the powers of heaven and according to the whole nature of earth, until the sanctuary of the Lord is created in Jerusalem on Mount Zion” (1:29).  These texts are important, because they illustrate the expectation that was common in Jewish apocalyptic eschatology – the same background shared by the New Testament.


In Romans 8:18-23, Paul says that although creation has been subjected to futility and the slavery of corruption, it eagerly awaits the revelation of the sons of God (8:19).  Paul adds in 8:22 that “the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.” Creation longs for this future event because, as Paul has already said in 8:21: “creation itself, also will be set free from its slavery of corruption into the freedom of the children of God.”

Annihilationism, Purgatory, and Universalism

I described previously what happens after death. Basically, in both "body and soul" unbelievers will suffer eternal separation and condemnation in hell (Matthew 18:8; 25:46; Mark 9:43; John 3:36; 2 Thessalonians 1:9; Jude 13; Revelation 14:11), where indescribable torment will be experienced consciously, (Matthew 11:20-24; 23:15; Luke 12:47-48).

Annihilationism
The belief that apart from salvation, the final punishment for humans is their total destruction, rather than everlasting torment. Believed by 7th day Adventists and Jehova's Witness.

Purgatory
The belief that the intermediate state is one of limbo for most people, where they can undergo purification to achieve the holiness needed to enter God's presence in heaven. Believed by Roman Catholics and some Anglicans.

Universalism
The belief that all people will ultimately be reconciled to God because of his divine love and mercy.

Amillennialism

An eschatology which (correctly) does not teach a literal thousand-year earthly reign of Christ may be called "amillennialist" (sometimes called "realized millennialism" because the period spoken of in Revelation 20 is now in the process of realization). Although the detailed exegesis of the pertinent texts may vary somewhat among amillennialist Christians, those who adhere to this position agree that the "thousand-year" reference in Revelation 20 is a figurative expression for the present reign of Christ which began upon His ascension into heaven and will be fully manifested at His second coming. Christ's second coming will be one event at which time He will, in the words of Martin Luther, "raise up me and all the dead, and give unto me and all believers in Christ eternal life" (Explanation to Third Article of the Apostles' Creed). The eschatology presented in The Lutheran Confessions is clearly amillennialist (AC XVII). 

Postmillennialism

The less common postmillennial view places Christ's second advent after (post) the millennium. Only then will the rapture, the general resurrection, the general judgment, and the eternal states occur. The millennium is not understood to involve a visible reign of Christ in the form of an earthly monarchy, nor is the millennial period to be taken literally as necessarily 1000 years long. In these respects  postmillennialism corresponds closely to the amillennialist position. But the postmillennial view does posit a recognizable millennial period, a golden age of prosperity and peace among all at the end of which Christ will return. The millennium will arrive gradually under the increasing influence of Christianity, leading to the pervasive reduction of evil and to greatly improved conditions in the social, economic, political and cultural spheres. In fact, the entire world will eventually be Christianized to the point that the Christian belief and value system will become the accepted norm for all nations. Matthew 28:18-20 will become a reality. 

Historic Premillennialism

In contrast to dispensational premillennialism, those who hold the historic premillennialist view argue that Christ's second advent will be a one-stage event after the tribulation. Either at this time or before, the vast majority of Jews will be converted. Believers who have died will be raised, those alive will be transformed, and all believers will meet Christ in the air and then descend with Him to earth. Christ will then slay the Antichrist, bind Satan, and set up His millennial kingdom on earth. Christ and His redeemed, both Jews and Gentiles as one people of God, will reign visibly over the unbelieving nations still on earth. People in resurrected bodies and natural bodies will live together on the earth. Sin and death will still exist, but external evil will be restrained. The 1000 years of the millennial kingdom will be a time of social, political, and economic justice and great prosperity. After these 1000 years, Satan will be loosed in order to deceive the unbelieving nations into making a final assault against the redeemed. Satan will be destroyed, and the resurrection of the dead unbelievers will occur. Then will come the judgment of all, both believers and unbelievers, and eternity.

Dispensational Premillennialism

Dispensational premillennialism was first taught in Ireland the early 19th century as a reaction against the Church of England's view of Postmillennialim. Dispensationalists usually divide God's dealings with humanity into seven distinct "dispensations", or periods of time during which man's obedience is tested: 

1. Innocence (Gen. 1:28-3:6)
2. Conscience or Moral Responsibility (Gen.4:1-8:14)
3. Human Government (Gen. 8:15-11:32)
4. Promise (Gen. 12:1-Ex. 18:27)
5. The Law (Ex. 19:3-Acts 1:26)
6. The Church (Acts 2:1-Revelation 19)
7. The Millennial Kingdom (Revelation 20)

It is said that God promised the Jews an earthly kingdom ruled by the Messiah. When Christ came, He offered this kingdom to the Jews, but they rejected him, so it was postponed. The current age will end with the will end with the "rapture" when all believers will go to heaven to celebrate with Christ "the marriage feast of the Lamb" for seven years. Then God's promised purpose for Israel resumes. During this seven-year period, a number of events will occur on earth (Revelation 6-19):

1. The "tribulation" begins, the latter half of which is called the "great tribulation."
2. The Antichrist begins his cruel reign and in the midst of the seven years he proscribes Jewish worship at the temple.
3. Terrible judgments fall on the earth.
4. A remnant of Israel (the 144,000 of Revelation 7) believes in Jesus as the
5. Messiah and preaches the "Gospel of the Kingdom."
6. Through their witness a multitude of Gentiles is saved (Rev. 7:9).
7. Toward the end, a number of military battles take place leading up to the Battle of Armageddon.

At the end of this seven-year period, dispensationalists teach, Christ (together with the church) returns in glory and destroys His enemies. The vast majority of Jews will be converted. Satan will be bound for 1000 years. Believers who die during the tribulation and Old Testament saints will be raised and join the church in heaven. Christ will judge the living Gentiles (Matt. 25:31-46). The "goats" will be cast into hell. The "sheep": and the believing Jews still living will enter the millennium in their natural bodies. They will marry, reproduce, and die. (The resurrected believers will live in the heavenly Jerusalem hovering above the earthly Jerusalem.) 

The millennium will be a golden age, a time of prosperity and peace, with worship centering around the rebuilt temple. Though at the beginning of the millennium only believers will live on earth, some of their children and grandchildren will not believe in Christ. These unbelievers Satan will gather in one last revolt (Rev. 20:7-9). Toward the end, all believers who die during the millennium will be raised. After Satan's "little season," all the unbelieving dead will then be raised and judged (Rev. 20:11-15). The final stage will now be ushered in, during which period there will remain a distinction between Jews and Gentiles.