Why I Believe There's A Heaven.

Today I read a touching testimonial from Dr. Tony Evans, about his wife Lois who recently passed away from cancer. He wrote about how Mrs. Evans saw glimpses of Heaven before she passed. She claimed to see her mother sitting by a fireplace. She appeared to converse with the spirits of the righteous on the other side, regarding the right song to play at her memorial. 

As heart-warming as this testimonial was, this is not why I believe in heaven. I believe in Heaven because Jesus Christ did. 

Christ said He came from Heaven, prior to His own birth (John 6:41). Matthew, Mark, and Luke all testified that Christ conversed with Moses and Elijah on the mount where His glory was revealed (Matthew 17:3, Mark 9:4, Luke 9:30). The apostle Peter later testified that the mountain incident was true (2 Peter 1:16-18).

If all we had was Mrs. Evans' words, it could be just as possible that she was hallucinating, as her cancer progressed. We have no way to prove or disprove what she said she saw, or with whom she said she spoke. But we have authoritative words of eye-witness truth of Scripture, from the teachings and experiences of the Son of God and those who traveled with Him.

This is also why I believe there is a Hell. Pro-quarterback Aaron Rodgers recently declared himself an apostate from Christianity because he rejects the idea of Hell. But to do that, he must also reject Jesus Himself, who taught that Hell exists.

To believe in heaven and Hell requires belief in Jesus Christ as the infallible Son of God, and in the eye-witness testimonials which recorded His words and deeds.

"The Bible stands like a rock undaunted
'Mid the raging storms of time;
Its pages burn with the truth eternal, 
And they glow with a light sublime.

The Bible stands tho' the hills may tumble,
It will firmly stand when the earth shall crumble;
I will plant my feet on its firm foundation, 
For the Bible stands. "

-- Haldor Lillenas, 1920.