Eternity
We will live forever in the New Heaven(Rev. 22:3-5). Eternity is a big concept that’s difficult for us to grasp. We have this romance with living forever, yet we also dread the idea. We are fearful it will somehow be boring after a while or think it will be like this life. What will an eternity with God be like?
Time does not mean the same to God as it does to us. To the Lord, a day is like a thousand years and a thousand years is like a day(2 Pet. 3:8), and a thousand years in God’s sight goes by like a day(Psa. 90:4). God invented time and exists outside it. He was around before time existed in the eternal past(Psa. 93:1-2).
What will the sin-free life be like?
We have a very narrow perspective now, an Earthly one. Our time on Earth is brief(Psa. 39:4-5), and we are mere mortals whose days are like a fleeting shadow(Psa. 144:3-4). We are finite and live within time.
In Heaven we will have a much broader perspective(1 Cor. 13:12). The present suffering pales in comparison to our future glory(Rom. 8:18). All of creation groans in the captivity of this world and yearns for freedom with God(Rom. 8:19-23). This means not only us but everything on Earth was subject to the curse and will be different in eternity.
This won’t be anything like life on Earth now as there will be no sin or curse(Rev. 22:3). This means no murder, magic arts, sexual immorality or lies just to name a few(Rev. 22:15). When we dread the thought of eternal life, we do so because we think of sin and the curse. This kind of life is the only one we have ever known.
Will there be marriage in eternity? This passage from Matthew tells many there won’t be
For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven (Matt. 22:30 KJV)
However, there will be marriage – we just won’t be married to each other but rather will be married to God. Notice we do not become angels but will be like angels.
We will also have access to the tree of life(Rev. 22:14). This is the tree from the Garden of Eden that would have allowed Adam and Eve to live forever. What an amazing thought that we will see the tree.
How will we pass the time?
To get an idea of what we could be doing, let’s look at the closest situation in the Bible: Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. God gave humans dominion over Earth and animals(Gen. 1:28). Adam was a zoologist and named the animals(Gen. 2:19-20) and farmed the land(Gen. 2:15). We likely will be doing some of this in eternity.
In eternity the kings of the earth will bring treasures to the city of New Jerusalem(Rev. 21:24), and the glory and honor of nations will be brought into the city(Rev. 21:26). This same verse also says the nations will walk by New Jerusalem’s light. Though there will surely be other cities on New Earth, New Jerusalem will be the capital.
Some activities we will do in eternity are mentioned on this site. The biggest ones are worshipping God and seeing God. Other activities are similar to what we do on Earth, including eating and exploring the new universe.
Yes, we will do work. Work right now is hard. When Adam and Eve disobeyed God in the Garden of Eden, God placed a curse on them. Gen. 3:17-19 talks about how Adam will have to endure “painful toil” to eat from the ground by the “sweat of his brow”. The chapter also mentions “thorns and thistles” from the ground. However, in eternity work will be rewarding(Isa. 65:22-23).
Will we ever be bored?
God is eternal and infinite, living everlasting to everlasting(Psa. 41:13). We’ll spend an eternity getting to know God. What more could you ask for?
Eternal life is knowing the one and true God(John 17:3). We will see Christ for who He truly is(1 John 3:2). Although that might be hard to comprehend now, there’s no way we’ll be bored with that.