Connecting Point: Faith in Heaven, Our Foundation

Both my grandfather and grandmother were fond of saying, “Oh for heaven’s sake.” Lately, in SW Montana, I have not heard the expression. A poll of Americans finalized in November of 2021 by the Pew Research Center revealed that approximately 75% said they believed in heaven, while of those who categorized themselves as “religiously unaffiliated” only 37% claimed to believe in heaven. The subject of heaven brings up many important questions. Funerals continue to be one of the largest gatherings of people, following the death of a loved one or friend. Most wonder what’s on the other side.

The Bible overwhelmingly teaches that following death, people live forever in heaven or hell. Author and former atheist Lee Stroble examined the evidence for heaven with an investigative mind; he too had many questions. Today Lee is a prominent Christian voice and in the Case for Heaven, he makes three valid points confirming evidence for heaven.

One, neuroscience provides strong evidence for the afterlife because we are both body and soul. Our soul or spirit is the “seat of our consciousness”. Electrical activity is easily monitored in our brains but there is no form to monitor the activity in our mind/soul. Clearly, our consciousness is

separate from our physical body. Even though death can occur, our soul lives on.

Second, certain near-death experiences confirm the soul living beyond death. Personally, I don’t buy into every single account that makes waves regarding out-of-body experiences. There are some imposters with dubious motives. However, numerous medical studies have been conducted in which brain-dead patients describe great details of surgical procedures and settings, and the operating professionals are dumbfounded by their accuracy. Jeffery Loy said, “Near-death experiences provide such powerful scientific evidence that it is reasonable to accept the existence of an afterlife.”

Third, the very eyewitness account of Jesus Christ confirms life after death. This is foundational to the Christian theological framework. Without the life, death, and resurrection of Christ, we have no basis for our faith. Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life,” (John 5:24).

If heaven and hell are real then the implications are paramount for each of us. Upon our death, our spirit lives on as the Bible attests. For heaven’s sake, it is in good wisdom that we make certain our soul is ready to stand accountable before God our creator. Through Jesus, we can be brought from “death to life” in the eternal sense. “Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. In death he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God,” (Romans 6:8-10). Jesus is our only assurance to experience eternity in heaven. Won’t you trust him?