I recently watched this video clip, and a thought from it jumped off the screen and leaped into my heart. This thought jolted me and made me stop and reflect deeply. That thought is found in the title, “Do I want God, or do I want heaven?” Or it can be phrased another way: “Do I want God, or do I just not want to go to Hell?” Whichever way you look at it, I believe we should all ask ourselves this question to see where our desires and motivation truly lie. I earnestly ask you to ponder this:
Do we genuinely want a relationship with God, or are we more interested in the benefits that come from having a relationship with Him?
Before you give a final answer, let me present this analogy, and let’s discuss it further.
Imagine having a very close friend, someone you love dearly, someone who has been there for you through thick and thin. This person has demonstrated unwavering love, kindness, and patience toward you. This friend is also extremely wealthy and generous and has promised to give you a chunk of their wealth before they die. However, somewhere along the way, you did something that deeply hurt this person, and the relationship broke.
Now, you decide to return and apologize. You tell your friend how sorry you are, how deeply you regret what you did, and how desperately you want things to be right again.
Let me ask you this. What was the real reason for making up quickly? Are you apologizing because you genuinely miss your friend and want to restore the relationship, or because you don’t want to lose access to their wealth? Which of the two reasons is motivating you to apologize the fastest?
The same analogy applies to friendship and even family. How would you feel if your child treated you well only because of your wealth or the inheritance you promised them? Imagine you are like God, able to see the hearts of men as they come before Him. We would feel deeply hurt if we saw the people we care about keep coming to apologize not because of us, but because of what we can provide. I don’t know about you, but this would hurt me to my core and make me feel used! But isn’t this what we do to God many times?
Let’s consider this in light of our relationship with God and ask ourselves the same question when we sin and fall short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23): Do we seek forgiveness because we miss the relationship, or because we fear losing the reward? Do we want heaven because God is there, or because eternity is there? Does our restoration focus on the gift and overshadow the gift-giver?
I hope these questions put us in a reflective posture, because I think they are essential to answer. It’s about asking ourselves whether we love God for His Instrumental Value (valuing something for what it provides) or for His Intrinsic Value (valuing something for what it is).
Now let us dive into the Word of God to reestablish some truths about the structure and dynamics of this relationship.
First, I want to establish that we do not receive eternal life only when we reach heaven. Please dispel the idea that it is a gift we receive only at death. The Word of God teaches that eternal life comes when you BELIEVE (John 6:40) and when you BUILD a relationship with God (“And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” – John 17:3).
Eternal life is about knowing God, not merely going to heaven for all eternity. If you interpret going to heaven for all eternity as the ultimate gift, then think again. You already have eternal life once you know God and His Son, Jesus Christ. How do you know someone? You know someone by learning about them and building a relationship with them; that is the prize.
In John 17, Jesus does not define eternal life as a destination, a duration, or even an escape from death. Instead, He defines it as knowing God. The Greek word for “knowing” is “ginosko,” which means knowing intimately rather than merely knowing facts. Getting to heaven is not simply knowing about God; it is about knowing Him personally. This tells me that once you know Him personally, you already have heaven, because the relationship is the starting point and heaven is the endpoint. This is why when we mess up, we have to go back to the starting point.
Don’t get me wrong. Desiring heaven is good because God promised it, and we should look forward to all of God’s promises. But let’s not put the cart before the horse. Let us not confuse or mix up eternal life with a dwelling place (Revelation 21-22)
Do you know why David was a man after God’s own heart? Because he would have said things like this, “Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.” – Psalm 73:25. David knew that in this dimension and the next, the most important thing was knowing God and having a relationship with Him.
It’s about having eternal life on earth and having eternal life in heaven; all that changes is the dwelling place. Therefore, let’s not sin and lose eternal life by breaking our relationship with God, then rush back to regain access to a dwelling place out of fear of being disqualified. I want to remind us all that Heaven is a by-product, and the greatest blessing is God himself.
So, let’s stop treating this as a transactional relationship where we ask, “What can I get from you?” and start treating it like a loving relationship where we ask, “How can I love you more deeply and give myself to you?”. Let’s move away from the benefits and focus more on the benefactor.
I don’t want to be one-sided here. Sometimes reward, fear, suffering, or desperation are the very circumstances that lead us to want more of God. Yet surely our relationship with God must grow beyond these reasons. A child may first obey their father because they fear punishment or seek a reward. However, as they mature, they should increasingly obey because they love and respect their father, appreciate his wisdom, and want to please him.
Shouldn’t our spiritual development follow a similar path?
My dear friends, I hope I have given you much to ponder today as we realign our hearts’ posture and thinking regarding our salvation. Let’s stop focusing on dwelling in heaven and start focusing more on God dwelling in our hearts, with the full realization that the latter makes the former possible.
I close by sharing one of my personal takeaways from this blog.:
“It is not about living forever; that’s a selfish pursuit. It’s about knowing God (ginosko) and being with Him forever, both on earth and in heaven”.
Note to the Reader: I welcome your thoughts on this blog in the comments section below.
PS: Dane Miller was last seen in a reflective mood because he often desired the gift more than the gift-giver.
Your Brother in the Lord,
Dane Miller – “God is the Author, I am the Pen”
Authored Book – What is the Woman Saying – Lessons from Biblical Women.
