9 Reasons to Get Excited About Eternity

Many years ago a missionary came to my door to preach the gospel. I don’t recall what denomination she was from, but I do remember that she was concerned for my eternity and pleaded with me to listen. Sadly, at the time I was very much in the world and deceived by New Age ideas, and so all she got from me was my sarcastic response: “Sorry, I’m too busy living in the now to worry about an afterlife.”

I laugh today, and I also cringe, at this response. I really was so deceived, but this is the state of our humanity, of our sin and of the world. The bible says the cross is foolishness to those who are dying (1 Corinthians 1:18) and certainly I can testify that this great irony was true in my case. I was far too busy chasing and trying to hang on to a dying present moment to care about living forever with the Creator.

Fast forward to relatively recently and I was talking to a friend of mine about some of these things. The topic of eternity came up, and I was marveling at the idea that we will have literally forever as believers to get to know God and discover His works. My friend’s response was, “I guess I never really thought about it that much.”

Despite being a Christian, this friend of mine had never given that much thought to the unavoidable, ultimate destination all of this is leading up to. Many believers are in the same boat and I believe there are two main reasons why this is the case. The first is that the modern world we live in has done a great job of distracting us from the reality of the Genesis curse by way of comforts and technology. This is by design, because the more enveloped we are in the embrace of the world the less we feel the need to put our hopes in escaping from it.

The second reason is also related to the world and it is simply that we are all entrenched to our obligations. Today more than ever our minds are bombarded with more useless information than at any other time in history. This also is by design, because if the enemy can keep us busy with meaningless things or entertainment, it means less time reading the bible, less time meditating on God or His works and less time to realize that we’re dying in a matrix designed to eternally separate us from God.

Yet both Jesus and the Apostles placed great emphasis on the hope of the future, namely the resurrection and the redemption of our bodies and of creation as a whole. In a letter to Titus, Paul calls the return of Christ the “blessed hope” of every Christian (Titus 2:13), and in Romans 8:20–23 he writes of creation groaning to be redeemed, as well as the groanings of our own bodies who yearn to be freed from the corruption of sin and death. In the last chapter of Revelation, Christ says that He is coming soon and will bring His reward with Him, to which John echoes eager words of anticipation and joy for all Christians in the ensuing generations: “Come, Lord Jesus!” (Revelation 22:20–21)

Even throughout the Old Testament from Abraham, to David and the various prophets, the Israelites all longed for the day when creation would be restored. They trusted in God’s promise that He would raise them from the dead and that, one day, the Genesis curse would be lifted and mankind would see a return to paradise. In fact many have painted the journey of the bible as a circle, starting and ending in paradise — from the Garden of Eden to a renewed creation and a New Jerusalem.

These things are important to meditate on because they are rich food for our souls. Eternity is the central pillar for the hope that Christianity offers and the resurrection and renewal of creation is central to Christian teaching. If the gospel only taught you of God’s love without the promise of eternal life then it would be powerless. Paul says that if this was the case Christians would be the “most pitiable of all people.” (1 Corinthians 15:19) But thank God that this is not the case, because the gospel is an extension of who God is and God is eternal.

It’s power is so much more than simply dealing with the slings and arrows of this life but rather exists in the promise of discovering increasingly new levels of joy in an eternal life with the One who made us.

Despite all of this though, eternity is not something too many people think about today. Even genuine Christians usually do not meditate on the nature of this unavoidable, certain event that is on the horizon — or at least meditate on it in detail. Today I want to help change that by giving you 9 biblical reasons to be excited at the mind-blowing reality that we will live forever with the Creator in a renewed creation — just as the bible reminds us over and over again — because it truly is a source of profound joy and hope in a world that is ruled by death.

It is also the peace beyond all understanding that solidifies us in the face of suffering and it is what makes Christianity, Christianity. The gospel’s promise of a resurrection and a renewed creation is the power of God, both in the spiritual sense to renew the heart of the unbeliever in the present world and to renew his or her body in the world to come so that they can live forever with Him. What an incomprehensible thought, yet this is the truth that gives us the strength to endure and the hope that the world will never understand.

In no particular order, the 9 reasons are as follows:

#1: A Renewed Creation, A Renewed Body

In 1 Corinthians 15:51–52, Paul writes that those alive when Christ returns will be transformed and join those being raised from the dead to meet Christ in the air. This isn’t talking about a rapture, but rather one of the many supernatural events that will take place when Jesus will return to the Earth in glory.

The idea of a worldwide resurrection is taught throughout both the Old and New Testaments, and what it means is that we will have bodies that will never die in a perfect world free of the Genesis curse. This is important, because some people think that we will live in heaven like the angels, yet the bible says that the Earth was made to be inhabited (Jeremiah 45:18) and the Hebrews all believed in a bodily resurrection, not a spiritual afterlife.

But what does all of this mean to you? Have you ever thought about it, like in detail? I have, and here are some things that have crossed my mind.

First, living forever means we will be able to learn as much as we want to learn about anything without any pressure. One of the saddest things in life is that our elders, who are full of life experience and wisdom, die and take that wisdom with them. The wiser we get, the more our bones ache and it is an unavoidable trade-off.

But if you could live forever, imagine how many things you could learn — music, crafts, science, cooking, art and so many other things. You could become a master biologist for 200 years studying a specific fungi in the rainforest and then decide to take a vacation for 50 years, learn the violin and become a virtuoso, then switch gears and become an author for several decades publishing countless books. When you’re done with that you could spend yet another 200 years becoming a master pastry chef and you would still be as young an spritely as when you first started hundreds of years prior.

There are literally endless things to master and explore in the world, and without a dying and corruptible body we will be able to discover uncountable joys in God’s creation through exploration, practice and mastery.

A renewed creation also means you will be able to explore the Earth safely without fear of natural disasters, deadly diseases, terrorism, crime or accidents. God’s restraining and harmonizing presence on the Earth will not only lift the decaying curse He put on it in the beginning, it will also act as a guarantee of our safety and joy in experiencing creation without any fear. One biblical precedent for this are the many battles the Israelites had against their pagan neighbors, where often times thousands upon thousands of enemies would fall yet not a single Israelite man would come to harm. Why? Because God’s presence was in their midst.

I will tell you that despite not doing much of either these days, I actually love exploring and I also love traveling. Sadly, the truth is that the world is a crazy place. Creation is still groaning, and man is still as sinful as ever. Traveling can be dangerous, especially if you like exotic places, and with the way things are going it is only getting more and more unpredictable because we are reaching the end.

But now just imagine what it will be like in a totally renewed creation. You could live in and explore a town for 50 years, having an entire lifetime of experience and memories, and then move to another place. You could do this over and over and over again hundreds of times because you will not age nor will you get injured nor will nature or the world act unpredictably (in a bad way, at least). The Earth is massive, and by the time you saw it all it would most likely take you thousands of years. By then, you would return to your first hometown and it would be completely different. Who knows to what degree in an eternal world, but the thought is still fascinating nonetheless.

#2: We Will Still Enjoy Food

Jesus was known for associating and breaking bread with average people, and He loved to eat and enjoy quality time. We know this because in Matthew 11:18–19 some spitefully accused Him of being a glutton and a drunkard. What is also important is that even after being resurrected from the dead, Jesus still broke bread and enjoyed food with others. We see this in Luke 24, where He breaks bread, eats fish and explains the scriptures to various disciples.

All of this is actually really important for our understanding of eternity. God made things to be enjoyed with thanksgiving and gratitude, and part of that creation is delicious food. Christ enjoying food with others after the resurrection just as He had done before His death is a great reminder that our future is a real, physical, tangible and tasty one. Because Jesus enjoyed food in His glorious body that means we will be able to enjoy it as well, and why wouldn’t we?

Breaking bread with one another in fellowship and enjoying the fruits of the Earth is perhaps one of the foundational experiences throughout the bible. God would not get rid of that in our eternal inheritance, and Christ’s final moments before His ascension prove that food is definitely still on the menu — and thank God because I love to eat.

#3: We Will Have Perfect Relationships

Perhaps one of the most difficult things in this life is the constant friction we have with others. Whether they are loved ones or strangers, interpersonal conflict is one of the most exhausting and frustrating aspects of this existence. Yet all of it comes down to a single thing: sin.

The reason we have conflict with others is because this is still the devil’s world. It is the kingdom of sin, the kingdom of darkness. It is difficult to see in darkness and that is because there is great deception. A great example is simply looking at the last few years since 2020, and how many interpersonal differences you have experienced with those around you.

All of these situations are the way they are because each of us have different levels of awareness and different types of trauma. We get triggered, we get insecure, we get frustrated and we get impatient. We have also been lied to about practically everything, and the devil is actively working to polarize the world constantly into dualities and dialectics that serve his agenda.

Yet when Christ returns all of this will change, forever. The devil will be destroyed and thrown into the lake of fire along with all of the principalities and people who followed him. Just imagine for a moment what the world would be like with no evil people, no secret societies, no crime, no corrupt politicians, no corrupt corporations, no demons, no devil, nothing. It’s almost impossible to imagine, yet the more we can use our imagination here the more excited we can become because this is exactly what is on the horizon.

Without the influence of evil there will be no more deception. Everyone will know the truth about things, about God, about reality and about themselves. We will also receive incorruptible bodies that are conformed to the image of Christ and which will not know sin anymore. This means no more senseless interpersonal conflict but rather the opposite: a profound level of interpersonal joy.

To come to terms with this is truly difficult, because nobody lives their life today with profound interpersonal joy in all their relationships all the time. Even the best relationships succumb to drama, infighting, arguments, misunderstandings and miscommunication. This is just the inescapable nature of the world we live in and the bodies we have, but all of this will change when Christ returns and it is an amazing thing to look forward to because we truly will all be brothers and sisters.

#4: We Will See and Interact With God

The book of Revelation says that God will come down to be with man and that we will see His face (Revelation 22:4). This means that Jesus will reign physically on Earth and the entire triune Godhead will exist in His bodily form (1 Corinthians 15:28). What it also means for us is that we will actually see God physically manifest on Earth. Just imagine what that’s going to be like for a moment.

The eternal, uncreated, all-powerful and omniscient God will exist with man on Earth in a physical, tangible, touchable form that anyone can see. We will be able to look God into the eyes and experience Him looking into ours. The thought of it gives me profound joy and sends shivers through my body, yet this is the mind-blowing truth revealed in the good news.

To see God and live is part of the promise of eternity, and perhaps at the core of it. Being in God’s presence is the ultimate experience possible, but it is only possible because of Christ’s atoning work on the cross. Nevertheless, when Moses talked with God on Mount Sinai for 40 days, he needed neither water nor food and glowed with light afterwards. (Exodus 34:28) We do not have a way to compare such an experience to anything in our regular lives, but I imagine that it is the most peaceful, euphoric, captivating and profound experience we could ever have. Even if we have to set appointments to meet the King, and those appointments will take 1,000 or even 5,000 years to get to, I am absolutely sure they will be more than worth the wait.

#5: We Will Have Our Own Place

In Isaiah 65:21 we are given an Old Testament picture of the eternal state, that God’s people will have their own vineyards and enjoy the fruit of the land. We know that creation will be renewed, and we also know that Adam and Eve were placed as stewards to take care of it and to enjoy it. We also know that everyone will be resurrected physically and live on the Earth, because God is coming to us and not the other way around.

What this all adds up to is that we will need places to live, and so the idea that everyone will have their own little home then is not far-fetched. Just imagine now being able to have your own vineyard or house for eternity, customized exactly how you’d want it and being able to work on, improve and enjoy it for hundreds and hundreds of years. An image of the shire from The Hobit comes to my mind, but whatever comes to yours the truth is that God will provide richly for us in eternity and that is an amazing thought.

#6: We Will Be Reunited with Our Loved Ones

One of the greatest hopes attached to a worldwide resurrection is the promise of being reunited with our loved ones. Faithful family members who died when we were too young, or even before we were born, will be raised from the dead and live forever. Faithful family or friends that we got separated from in this life and didn’t get much of a chance to be with will also be there — giving us a chance to get to know them and appreciate them in ways we can’t even begin to fathom in this life because eternity is a very long time.

Even with existing family and friends, we will have the opportunity to truly get to know one another on the other side. Life is so short, and in this age we also do not have any guarantee we will wake up the next morning. Yet in eternity and with the presence of God on Earth we will have all the time in the world which is an amazing thought. What it be like to see our grandparents, or even people in our family tree that we never even knew, and have fellowship with them and get to know them on a profoundly intimate level?

#7: We Will Meet Bible Heroes

In Matthew 8:11, Jesus prophesies that many will come to break bread with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, which is an obvious reference to the resurrection and the eternal state. This will be a phenomenal experience for believers of all time periods, because despite existing in vastly different cultures and eras — God will unify everyone in one present moment for eternity in fellowship.

Just imagine what that will be like, to see Moses, David, Abraham, Job, the Apostles, the early Christian martyrs and church fathers, the Reformers, even devout laymen like Bach or C.S. Lewis. We will even meet Adam and Eve, the first humans who ever existed. Imagine talking to Adam about his 900 year life on Earth and what he saw, and then telling him about how you used to use Facebook and Amazon Prime. It’s such a wild thought, and yet this is exactly what awaits us when Jesus returns. I believe the first couple centuries will just be spent getting to know everybody and hearing their stories, which is a fascinating thing to look forward to and glorify God for.

#8: A Life of Endless Growth and Purpose

I touched on this previously, but living forever is a very long time to do, well, everything. Anything and everything you can imagine, you will have time to do. God created so many things to enjoy and explore, to master and delight in, and there is no limit on what you will be able to learn and do in eternity.

Think of the biggest master in any art or profession you know, and now think of another. Do this about ten times, and you will still be at just a hair of time in terms of what you and I will be able to do with all of eternity as God reveals the riches of His grace and glory. It is a fascinating thought, and one that makes us realize the importance of spreading the gospel today more than anything.

In the personal growth mentality that saturates our culture, life is all about “leaving a legacy.” Yet this mentality is actually pointless because we die. We take comfort in a purpose that we can’t achieve because it gives us something to chase, imparting a vague sense of nobility by doing something great for those who will come after us. Yet if you aren’t alive to enjoy any of those fruits it truly is pointless, and that’s why the modern-day notion of leaving a legacy and chasing material outcomes in a dying world is truly a waste of time unless those things are supported and driven by the truth of the gospel.

We must channel our efforts into letting others know of these exciting and profound truths and into bringing hope to the hopeless. Then we will indeed have a legacy, one that we will live forever to enjoy because God used us to touch the lives of others and we will be able to break bread with them over that fact forever and ever.

#9: A Life of Complete Peace

I also touched on this last point previously but it is worth discussing further. God’s presence on the Earth and the removal of the Genesis curse means we will have complete and total peace. Nobody will have accidents, nobody will get hurt, there will be no crime, there will be no natural disasters, the animals will be our friends and there will be no mosquitos (maybe, hopefully). Nevertheless, we will have free reign to explore and enjoy the world and every moment will be productive. It will be an outpouring of life and love, and that is because the source of all things, God, will be among us forever.

I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take courage; I have overcome the world!” (John 16:33)

When Christ spoke these words they were to encourage believers for all generations to endure persecution and suffering. Truly because Jesus overcame death and promised us the same, we have the peace beyond all understanding. It is a peace the world can never provide because the world is ruled by death, and yet this peace finds its ultimate fulfillment in the resurrection and eternal state when Jesus will be with us forever on Earth.

Our peace will be totally complete. You can make a list of 100 things that you worry about today and it is guaranteed that all of them can be crossed off when thinking about eternity. This is truly profound, and it is why all of our tears will be wiped away just as Revelation 21:4 tells us. There will be no more reason to panic, worry, fear, despair or stress — and to someone like me who is a worrier by nature this is indeed very good news.

Conclusion

For the Christian there are only two days, this day and “that” day. Today we live and we live for Christ and because of Christ. If you woke up then God has given you another day to experience His glory, His grace and His plan for you. We make plans but in the end we do so with the important reminder that God is sovereign over all things and we are just participating in what He has in store for us.

And when “that” day eventually comes, everything will be fulfilled and our real lives will begin. This blessed hope is the renewal of all things and the promise of eternal life with the Creator. It is what gives us strength and it is what pulls us forward, because we know it is as certain as the rising of the sun. Indeed Christianity is a faith built on solid hope, a hope that the world can never provide or even come close to providing, and this hope is the good news that Christ is risen and through Him we will be too by faith. Until then, may we remember and meditate on these things daily so that our joy may grow and that “that” day may give us strength to deal with this one.

“But, as it is written, ‘What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the human heart conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him’” (1 Corinthians 2:9)

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