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What impact does the concept of heaven have on the way we live our lives on earth?
It isnt so much about heaven as it is heaven on earth. God calls me as a Disciple to do our best at whatever we do (Colosians 3:23). For example, the Bible teaches disciple to be excellent employees- to be honest, eager, productive and hard-working. Family life is another top priority. Husbans and wives are called to build the best marriages possible with God at the center, whether or not their spouses are disciples. Parents should rear their children in am atmostphere of love,teaching them to love God, to love life, and to set great examples in their efforts n the classroom and in other school community activities. I have more on my Church but onto your next question... Is heaven an incentive? If Salvation is not by works but by grace, is everyone saved? Hebrews 2:9- Who did Jesus die for? and in 1 Timothy 2:3-5 - How many does God want saved? 2 Thesessalonians 1: 6-10 - Are all people going to be saved? If Jesus died for all and wants to give grace to all but not all are going to be saved, what does that tell us? We must accept his offer. We must recieve the pardon. We must say "Yes, I want the relationship with God that comes by grace." (A pardon that is not accepted does not become a pardon.) I have more on that as well Sue.Is heaven and an afterlife the same thing or is there more to heaven than that? I think that the afterlife which we all pass through by God's Judgment call may be more? it may not?? Depends on where your heart is for Him to make the kind of call you want. Heaven or Hell there is no in between. Frankly i see both worlds here on earth. Its all in the way you conduct your living here that counts up there where He is.How fundamental is the concept of heaven to the Christian faith? In Acts 20:32 " Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sactified. I have not coveted anyones silver or gold or clothing. You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions. In Everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more blessed to give than to recieve.'"
Sue the questions you have asked have been deserve more answeres to them, i just hope you can understand my concepts of what God wants from us. I hope it helped a little??
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