Living towards a Christ-less Heaven

John Piper is an author I really enjoy reading because most of his books are worth reading more than once.  In his book, God is the Gospel, Piper asks a very pointed question aimed at the heart of the Christian regarding a Christ-less heaven.

The critical question for our generation — and for every generation — is this: If you could have heaven, with no sickness, and with all the friends you ever hand on earth, and all the food you ever liked, and all the leisure activities you ever enjoyed, and all the natural beauties you ever saw, all the physical pleasures you ever tasted, and no human conflict or any natural disasters, could you be satisfied with heaven, if Christ was not there?

Piper transitions from asking to applying:

Can we really say that our people are being prepared for heave where Christ himself, not his gifts, will be the supreme pleasure?  And if our people are unfit for that, will they even go there?  Is not the faith that takes us to heaven the foretast of the feast of Christ?

Nothing fits a person to be more useful on earth than to be more ready for heaven.  This is true because readiness for heaven means taking pleasure in beholding the Lord Jesus, and beholding the glory of the Lord means being changed into his likeness (2Cor 3:18).  Nothing would bless this world more than more people who are more like Christ.  For in likeness to Christ the world might see Christ.

God is the Gospel, pg 15-16

Piper’s question is so indicting because it exposes my greater desire for the gift of heaven instead of desiring for the God of heaven. 

Is this true?  Is it wrong to seek for heaven’s gifts?  Looking through Scriptures the answer is a clear no.  Seeking the treasures of heaven is not bad but in fact commanded by the apostle Paul who encouraged us to long for the prize and crown (1Cor 3:14,1Cor 9:25, 2Tim 4:8).  However seeking for the gifts of heaven had great implications on how we live this life.  In every one of the verses mentioned above how one lives this life was the point.  As Christians:

• Our labor for the Lord rests on the foundation of what Christ has done.  Our labor will be evaluated by “what sort of work each one has done”, the motives, the intentions, the faithfulness — all will be tested by God (1Cor 3:14).
• The imperishable wreath (1Cor 9:25) awarded in heaven is incentive to have disciplined use our body here on earth.
• Life is like a long marathon race and Paul mentions that in heaven “there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day.”  This crown is a reward for our perseverance.

Piper parallels this idea of longing for heaven and its present life implications but replaces the treasures of heaven with Christ.  Instead of having us long for the treasures of heaven he asks that by longing for the Christ of heaven, we will become more like Christ himself.  The idea is the same yet Piper places the goal not on the reward but on the one who redeemed us.  Through the process of longing to see Christ we will become more like Christ for as we “behold Christ we become like Christ.”