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Why Will Heaven Be Safe?

Why Will Heaven Be Safe?

Have you ever considered what heaven will be like? What life on the New Earth will be like?

Surely, it will be a safe place, a place where a child can walk alone without any fear of assault—but what will make it a safe place?

Will it be safe because God will have angels with flaming swords on every corner?

Will it be safe because God has a better surveillance system than the CIA or NSA?

Will it be safe because God can immediately send lightning bolts down to destroy any wrongdoer on the spot?

Or will it be safe because it will be populated only by people who are safe to live next door to, that the only people in heaven are the ones in whom all sin and selfishness have been removed and within whom God’s law of love has been restored? Because the people who live upon the Earth made new are people who love God and others more than self and would rather die than hurt another?

If this is what makes heaven safe, then how is it that self-centered sinners become such good and trustworthy neighbors? Can God achieve such healing of hearts and minds through the use of physical might and intimidation? Can God make it happen by inserting Himself into their minds and choosing for them? Will people in heaven be mere robots controlled by God and that is why it will be safe? Or will people be free—and every single person there chooses to live trustworthy lives of love?

 

Making Heaven Safe

But how does such love get restored into our hearts and minds? It cannot be legally declared; it cannot be forced into an unwilling heart; it cannot be obtained through hard work or creative discovery. So then how?

It is through faith, through having our fear of God removed and being won to genuine trust in Him by the revelation of Jesus Christ. It is the kindness of God that leads us to repentance (Romans 2:4). It is not by might, nor by power, but by how the Spirit works (Zechariah 4:6)—and the Spirit works by truth and love.

The truth of who God is, His character and methods of love as revealed by Jesus, destroys the lies of Satan and wins us to trust. And when we surrender to Him, the Spirit enters our hearts with the power of truth and love that cleanses, renews, and transforms. Guilt and shame are taken away, and new motives and desires are instilled. And when we respond to the gentle movements of the Spirit by choosing the truth, acting in love, and refusing the wrong, we are transformed by a living, active faith and grow in godliness with new hearts and right spirits—hearts that love and trust.

The plan of salvation has always been God’s plan to remove sinfulness from human beings and restore His living law, His character, and methods of love into our hearts and minds as the motive for all action and, thereby, heal us and make us safe people to populate heaven.

It is a law that we become like the God we admire and worship. If we worship God in the truth that Jesus revealed, we become more like Jesus. But if we present God as a legal magistrate who makes up rules and inflicts punishment for rule-breaking, we don’t grow to be safe neighbors; instead, we become intolerant critics and judgmental religionists who will condemn and coerce others.

It is only by experiencing God’s grace and then living out that grace in how we treat others that we are transformed, but also, in so doing, we simultaneously spread the grace of God to others.

 

From Saul to Paul

Saul of Tarsus worshiped the dictator god and thought it right to use force of arms to evangelize, to turn back from heresy all who were following Jesus. But what impact do such methods have, not just on those who use them, but also on the converts gained by such methods? A person “converted” by threat, by fear of punishment, is not responding to love and truth but to fear and how best to survive. The law of God is not restored in them; instead, the law of sin and death, the survival drives, are merely reinforced, and all such converts become like their controlling and punishing god via the law of worship (by beholding we become changed) and by the law of exertion when the methods and motives of fear and selfishness are the basis of the conversion.

It is only the grace of God, the truth and love of God, that truly frees us from sin. So, when Saul met Jesus on the road to Damascus and was convicted of how wrong he had been, he did not experience the judgmental punishing god he had been advancing, but he met Jesus and experienced instead His grace. And he left as Paul, a changed man. From that moment on, he evangelized with a new heart using new methods; he presented the truth in love while leaving others free. He advanced the gospel of grace, graciously, and not only did Paul grow in grace, but the true kingdom of God spread.

We can never advance God’s kingdom using Satan’s methods, and one of the traps in many religious circles is to evangelize through fear that appeals to selfishness, to advance a dogma, doctrinal list, or creed, legally, from an authoritarian god that will punish rule-breaking, which usually means some ritual or dogma unique to the one evangelizing. But even if the summary doctrinal point is technically correct—e.g., “Jesus died to save us from sin”—if the picture of God is authoritarian and the methods employed are not gracious, then the kingdom advanced is not God’s but His enemy’s. If we evangelize through fear, appealing not to God’s grace, to God’s love and character, but appeal instead to the motives of selfishness, we may very well hear Jesus say to us, like He did to Jewish leaders two thousand years ago, “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are” (Matthew 23:15 NIV84).

Such legal-based evangelism as the Jews did two thousand years ago did not free hearts and minds from sin, and such converts were not made into safe neighbors for heaven.

I long for heaven, for the Earth made new. I know that it will be safe, but not because of God enforcing a list of rules. No, it will be safe because the only people who live there are like Jesus, because every single person there would give their life so that others may live. I pray that Jesus will finish His work in me and make me ready to live in that place. And I pray that I might graciously represent His gospel of grace.

 

 

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Testimony 11

I would love to have a copy of “Healing the Mind” DVDs to have in my therapy office. I enjoy having clients check out materials to enhance their therapy experience. I have sat under Dr. Jennings’ teaching at an American Association of Christian Counselors convention and respect his work greatly.

K.B., LA, USA

 

Testimony 39

[This ministry is the] biggest blessing I have ever received! Your DVDs and lessons could not have come at a better time in my life. I have experienced in the past year many difficulties that, if it wasn’t for this wonderful view of God that I have discovered through this ministry, I would not have been able to respond in love and forgiveness. My heart is being transformed everyday by the Calvary-looking God you teach. Hallelujah!! I have tears in my eyes as I write, because my life has taken a complete turn from where I was heading.

I am from Central America. Most of my family is scattered in different parts of the world and all have the same view of God that I had growing up; a distant, exacting, and ready-to-punish-us-with-tragedy type of God. So, I have been translating lessons for my family and, to my surprise, they have also been sharing them with others! I can already see the difference. My brother has often said, “Thank you for sharing, I have never heard it this way!” My other family members are taking an amazing turn from a message of “repent or burn” towards a loving God, pleading to us that we won’t reject him because he loves us eternally.

Bless you for all you do.

Sofia S., Ashfield, MA, USA

 

Testimony 15

I have been sharing Come And Reason Ministries Bible study lessons with several folk. You have such a beautiful view of the plan of salvation. If we had this message preached when I was young, my generation would still all be in church.

H. R., New Zealand

Testimony 44

We were given a gift of the DVD set, “God and Your Brain,” and we just finished watching it. The truths in this are so powerful and truly an answer to a prayer. We’re seeing hope where once we thought God wasn’t answering our prayers to be free of certain mindsets. He answered with these DVDs and we are hungry for more. Thank you!

Daniel T., Easley, SC, USA

 

Testimony 61

I grew up in a prominent protestant church and had what I like to call religious anxiety. I’ve always had questions about God and Salvation that no one could seem to answer.  I didn’t know how to find resolution. During 2020, at the height of my anxiety, I fell to my knees and begged God to show me truth and light and to give me the hope that I’ve been longing for. Days later, I stumbled upon your online videos and it was like a veil was lifted and EVERYTHING made sense! For the first time in my almost 39 years of life, my religious/spiritual anxiety has lessened. I feel a sense of freedom and peace I’ve NEVER had before… and it’s all because my view of God has changed. Thank you!

Ashleighn C.

 

Testimony 46

Over the past couple of years God has been expanding my view of Himself and His character. Along my approximately 40-year journey, I have often had questions, but was hesitant to voice these and step outside the traditionally accepted thinking, for fear of admitting that I may in fact be eternally lost. In the recesses of my thinking has been the thought – if one blindly accepts (which is widely regarded as “real faith”) and does not question, is this really ‘truth?’ I often find it challenging to grapple with very theological ‘speak,’ but Dr. Jennings has a real gift of explaining spiritual concepts with clear practical examples. The weekly discussions are growing my Christian experience and slowly changing my view of how to live as a child of God in today’s complex world. Finally the whole Old Testament sanctuary teaching moved in my mind from fantasy to reality!

Beverly S., South Africa

 

Testimony 60

Just watched watched lesson 10 in the 1st quarter 2021 bible study classs on Isaiah. I want to thank you for your intellectual spirituality; it’s not an oxymoron! From the point of view of a teacher I also enjoy seeing how much personal pleasure you clearly take in not just tasting, but feasting on God’s word – it reminds me of Jeremiah not being able to hold it in! It makes me smile that your cup is so full and overflowing that you make it to Tuesday’s lesson (on a good day). It just goes to show the richness of God’s Word.

God bless the Come and Reason Team from our church here in Great Britain.

Andrew H., Great Britain

 

Testimony 38

Since November 2015, when I started studying Gods word from this God Is Love point of view, my life has been transformed. My troubled marriage of 15 years has been healed and my husband and I are truly happy for the first time in 15 years. Now When I read the word of God I understand it so much better and I can’t help but see Gods love radiating through the pages to humanity. Gods word is living and active and I am blessed beyond measure to be having this amazing experience. God has given me a beautiful understanding of Jn 3:16 that amazes me more and more each day. Thank you again for your ministry.

Helen D., London, England

 

Testimony 56

I cannot thank you enough for opening my understanding to the beautiful truth of God’s Law of Love and how it applies to everything. I have been a Christian for over forty years, but I feel like I am only now seeing with my eyes open. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!

Tammy Cinzio, Australia

 

Testimony 19

I truly believe that to know who God really is the first step to understand ourselves in a balanced and kind way, so the healing can take place. Your approach really makes sense – Thank you for your ministry!

A.M., Pittsburg, PA, USA

Testimony 48

I just want to tell you how blessed I have been reading “The Remedy!” It has become a daily part of my devotional relationship with God. In it I have found a God of love and a God that loves me! The bible has come alive for me! It is the first time that I can say that I have felt hope fill my heart as I have read God’s word. This is good news I can share! Thank you, Dr Jennings! Thank you for your heart for others. I can’t put into words how this has set me free! It has strengthened my trust and love for God.

Jason H.

 

Testimony 37

Hearing Dr. Jennings’ presentations in person came at a pivotal moment in my spiritual journey that began about nine months ago, when the fault lines inherent in my belief system began to crack under questions that most reasonable people end up asking about God and His nature. These were questions I couldn’t find answers to, and they shook my faith. I was unable let it go any longer and be satisfied. My Christian experience became distant. I was afraid; the fear in me rose like thorns, pushing me away from Jesus. And then someone heard my questions and introduced me to this ministry, and my life has totally changed.

I can tell you that this new, “present truth” message is far grander and life-changing than when I shifted from being an agnostic and then a nominal Christian. It has radically altered my worldview, because it reveals a God that makes sense. It is a revolution. I believe that Dr. Jennings’ message is the final message that must go to the world. If any message could be called “righteousness by faith,” as abused as that term is by the right and the left, this is that message, because Jennings’ biblical message identifies a God who is different, whose character isn’t an impossible contradiction.

I walk this path now without fear. I see people differently, and the Holy Spirit burns in my heart. Many call Dr. Jennings’ message false and compromising, but it isn’t false, because I’ve seen the fruits within my mind and body. It is not compromising, because in this message is the only road to holiness that makes any sense. No longer do I behold a pagan god who is always angry and suspicious. Instead, I behold a God who is freeing and loving, always working for our good, and giving me every reason to love my enemy even to my own death, just as Jesus pleads with us. God is good.

Anthony L., CA, USA

 

Testimony 65

I have been tuning into your weekly study classes for a while now and wanted express my appreciation for the teachings that ha been a huge blessing in opening up the true message of the word. Viewing scripture under an imposed law theory always, without fail, raised more questions, concerns, and conflicting scripture interpretations that were discouraging at the very least. Looking at scripture through the design law lens has brought more truth to light for me personally and an understanding of our Heavenly Father that places Him “above all others,” where I am now more than thrilled to witness and serve Him.  I “stumbled” across this ministry a year or so ago and would only watch a few minutes at a time. But the more I listened and the longer I paid attention, the more my spiritual eyes were opened to the ever present truths of scripture. The comprehension of the great controversy and it’s origin by the lies perpetrated and perpetuated throughout the Bible on the attack of God’s character and government is truly priceless. Keep up the Good Work! Your servanthood is desperately needed in such a time as this!

Jeff D., Reading, MA, USA

 

Testimony 55

I was born [into the church], then I left it for many years. 10 years ago, I came back, but I could not take the hypocrisy and the lack of answers to the missing pieces. I struggled, but I did not abandon my commitment to know the truth. God is leading me to the simple understanding of his relevance and I am relearning what the church taught me as a youth… that he loves me, that he has led me to a knowledge of him such as I have never known. He is using Dr. Jennings to connect the dots that are now so apparent and hiding in plain sight!

Dean P., Arlington, TX, USA

 

Testimony 70

I have been watching you for many years and have learned to love God with all my heart. I was raised by a loving Christian mother that had been lied to about who God really was, so our religious upbringing was hell fire and damnation. As soon as I was old enough and moved out, I not only left the church, I ran as fast as I could to get away from it. Sad to say, it wasn’t until the past couple of years that I learned and understand who my Father really is and how much He loves me. I understand God’s Design Laws (which make sense) and when I’m teaching my church Bible study class, I’m able to really put to use the things I’ve been learning and Holy Spirit is leading. Thank you for introducing me to my Father of true, pure love. Everyday with Him is new and exciting. One thing that breaks my heart is that I didn’t know Him sooner. God Bless you and your ministry!

Judy Phelps, Reno, NV, USA