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Nov 11
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Do All Roads Really Lead to Heaven?

By Cross, Eternity, Heaven, Salvation No Comments

One of the most popular religious assumptions of our day is that all roads eventually lead to heaven. Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, or some combination of spiritual traditions are commonly presented as equally valid paths to the same destination. As long as we are sincere, many insist, what we believe matters far less than how deeply we believe it.

But is that true? Do all religions basically make the same points in different ways? Do all of us worship the same God, no matter what we call Him or say about Him? Despite the temptation to affirm these sentiments in the name of tolerance and inclusion, doing so requires ignoring the fundamentally different claims varying religions make about God, humanity, sin, and salvation.

More importantly, these ecumenical assumptions directly contradict the teachings of Jesus Christ. On the night before His crucifixion, after informing His disciples that He would soon depart to prepare a place for them, the Savior promised that they would eventually join Him (John 14:1-3). Confused by these announcements, Thomas asked how they could possibly know the way to their heavenly destination.

Jesus responded in no uncertain terms, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me” (John 14:6). Think about the audacity of these words. Jesus did not merely claim to know the way to heaven. He declared Himself to be the way. He did not simply promise to teach truth. Instead, He insisted that He is the truth. Neither did He flippantly offer to improve our lives. Jesus identified Himself as the very source of life.

Because of claims like these, C.S. Lewis famously remarked that Jesus was either a liar, a lunatic, or Lord. His observation underscores the unavoidable implications of Christ’s claims. Either Jesus was deliberately deceiving His disciples, or He was telling the truth. Either Jesus was tragically mistaken, or He knew exactly what He was saying. Either Jesus’ claims are false, or He really is the promised Savior of the world. A straightforward affirmation of Christ’s words leads to at least three exclusive conclusions.

First, Jesus is the only way to God. Our greatest problem is not economic inequality, political instability, or even physical suffering. The most devastating reality we face is our sinfulness, which relationally separates us from God, bringing certain death (Isa. 59:2). No one is exempt from the corruption of a wicked heart and its actions (Rom. 3:23).

Consequently, no amount of good behavior can erase our guilt. Religious ceremonies cannot remove our transgressions. Acts of kindness cannot compensate for our rebellion. Becoming a better person will never reconcile us to God (Eph. 2:8-9; Titus 3:5). Thus, Jesus came to do for us what we could not do for ourselves.

On the cross, He bore the judgment sinners deserve (1 Pet. 3:18). Through His resurrection, He conquered our fallen nature and the death it brings (1 Cor. 15:54-57). Stated differently, Jesus did not come to point the way home to God; He came to be our way home.

Second, Jesus is the definitive revelation of truth. When Christ claims to be the truth, He is asserting far more than personal honesty or intellectual reliability. Contextually, He is revealing Himself as the perfect revelation of God the Father (see also John 1:14, 18). Want to know what God is like? Look at Jesus. Want to understand God’s character? Study Jesus. Want to see the holiness, compassion, righteousness, and love of God? Examine Jesus (John 14:9; Col. 1:15).

Sadly, we live in a culture that increasingly treats truth as a matter of personal preference. We speak of “your truth” and “my truth” as though reality changes according to individual desires. The error of such logic is that truth does not become false because we choose to reject it, nor does falsehood become true because we elect to embrace it.

Because Jesus is truth, we must not redefine God according to our preferences, rewrite Scripture to accommodate our desires, or reinvent the Son of God with hopes of making Him more culturally acceptable (2 Tim. 4:3-4). Too many people want Christ’s compassion without His commands, His blessings without His authority, His promises without His demands, and His salvation without His lordship (Luke 6:46).

Third, Jesus is the only source of eternal life. Not surprisingly, Scripture describes those who do not know Christ as spiritually dead in their trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1). Jesus did not come merely to improve the life we already possess; He came to call us from death to life (Eph. 2:4-5).

Eternal life begins the moment we are born again through faith in Christ (John 5:24; 17:3). We can experience joy in our relationship with God, strength to resist temptation, hope during difficult days, and peace in the midst of trials (Rom. 5:1-2; 1 Cor. 10:13). The life Jesus offers is not merely a future promise; it is a present possession that transforms how we live today. If that weren’t enough, Jesus is also preparing a home for us in heaven, where we will live with Him forever (John 14:2-3).

Admittedly, the exclusivity of Jesus’ claims makes some uncomfortable. Yet, His words leave no room for misunderstanding (Acts 4:12). The Savior insists that He is the only way to heaven. Think about it. If we could be good enough to earn heaven, why did Jesus choose to die? If every religion can reconcile sinners to God, why was the cross necessary? If sincerity alone can save us, why would Christ sacrifice Himself?

The answer is that no other way could accomplish our redemption (1 Tim. 2:5-6). Despite the exclusivity of the cross, however, the invitation for salvation remains universal. Regardless of your past and your failures, whosoever will call on the name of the Lord can be saved (Rom. 10:13). There is only one way to God, but that way is open to anyone who will come through Jesus Christ.

Adam B. Dooley
November 11, 2026

Nov 04
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Death Is Not the End—for Anyone

By Eternity, Hope, Resurrection, Salvation No Comments

Technology entrepreneur Bryan Johnson is spending millions of dollars in an ambitious effort to overcome aging and extend his life. His elaborate regimen includes strict dietary restrictions, rigorous exercise, extensive medical monitoring, and experimental treatments. His Don’t Die movement even boasts, “We might be the first generation that doesn’t die.”

Despite numerous extraordinary advances in medicine, technology, and science, however, humanity has yet to discover a way to eliminate death. We can postpone it, predict its arrival, and mourn its consequences, but we are unable to escape its inevitability. Death is the one appointment no human being can avoid.

Thankfully, Jesus came to conquer the one problem we cannot overcome. One of the Bible’s most astonishing claims is that death will not have the final word for anyone. Every person who has ever lived will one day rise from the grave. The question is not whether we will live again, but what kind of eternity awaits us.

The story of Lazarus’ resurrection after four days is breathtaking (John 11). With just a word from Jesus, the dead man, already decaying, walked out of the grave very much alive (John 11:43-44). The one death had swallowed was now standing in victory! What we sometimes miss, though, is that the miracle that brought Lazarus out of the grave sets into motion the events that will put Jesus in one (John 11:53). And that is exactly the point.

Jesus declared that He is the resurrection and the life because He intended to restore the eternal life that was lost in the Garden of Eden (Gen. 3:1-6). And how would He do it? After His sacrificial death on the cross, Jesus rose from the grave with a glorified body that, unlike Lazarus’, would never die again. Our Savior’s resurrection was not merely a temporary reversal of death, but a permanent victory that He offers to share with us.

Thus, the Apostle Paul refers to Christ as “the first fruits” of the resurrection (1 Cor. 15:20). In other words, because He was raised from the dead there are two resurrections that will follow in the future. First, all Christians will soon rise from the grave as well. Those who belong to Christ can rest easy knowing that we will live again even if we die (John 11:25).

Believers still get sick, grow old, and suffer. Faith in Christ does not exempt us from the painful realities of a fallen world, nor does He offer an avenue to sidestep the grim reaper. Yet, Jesus promises that through Him we can overcome death with greater profundity than even Lazarus knew. These bodies of ours, like seeds, are sown perishable but raised imperishable; sown in dishonor but raised in glory; sown in weakness but raised in power (1 Cor. 15:42-44).

Think about the glorious implications. The godly parent you long to see again will one day rise. The believer whose body deteriorated from disease will be whole again. The child of God whose life ended abruptly will gain a new lease on life. Christians who have been dead for centuries will hear the voice of Jesus and leave their burial clothes behind for good.

Whether we wait four days like Lazarus or thousands of years, the passing of time cannot weaken the promises of God or diminish the power of the ONE who is the resurrection and the life. Because Jesus lives, we will also.

Yet, the resurrection is not exclusively a promise of hope; for those who reject Christ, it is also a warning of judgment. Non-Christians will also rise from the dead to live forever somewhere. Jesus Himself explained this nuance by insisting that believers will experience a resurrection of life while unbelievers will face a resurrection of judgment (John 5:28-29). Specifically, this is a reference to the Great White Throne Judgment.

The Apostle John described the terrible scene: “I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne . . . and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. . . . And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire” (Rev. 20:12-15). Those outside of Christ will answer to God for their sins.

The ramifications are sobering. You cannot escape God by dying. The grave offers no refuge from divine judgment. There will be no eternal party in hell among friends who also rejected Christ and ignored His commands. Every person will one day be raised from the dead, but not everyone will be raised to enjoy eternal life with God.

The biblical doctrine of resurrection is not only a comforting promise for grieving Christians, but it is also a solemn admonition to those who remain outside of Christ. One day, every grave will surrender its occupant. All people will stand before the God who created them. The only hope of escaping eternal judgment is the Savior who conquered death through His own resurrection. Everyone will live again. The question is where, and with whom, you will spend eternity.

Adam B. Dooley
November 4, 2026

Sep 23
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The God Who Is

By Attributes of God, Eternity, Faith No Comments

Nothing remains the same.

Many of life’s changes can be exciting, while others are heartbreaking. Though we are not caught off guard intellectually, our progressing existence often creates personal strain. Children grow up and move away. Parents grow old and eventually say goodbye. Friendships grow cold and give way to new relationships. Careers grow stagnant and mundane despite our best efforts. Our bodies grow weak as time steals our youth and vitality.

Merely looking at an old photo of yourself from twenty years ago illustrates the sheer force of the changes we cannot avoid. If we ever dare to make the statement, “I am _____,” it would not be true for long. Despite our best intentions, who we are evolves, making who we become unpredictable. Our world is not constant, and neither are we.

And yet, God remains the same (Mal. 3:6).

So much so that through a burning bush the Lord identified Himself to Moses as I AM WHO I AM (Ex. 3:14). The verb here means to exist or to be. Simply put, God is. He always was, He always is, and He always will be. This powerful description reveals the self-sufficiency, eternality, and immutability of Yahweh.

As the self-sufficient I AM, God exists entirely within Himself without need of anyone or anything. We say, “By the grace of God, I am what I am,” but God declares, “By myself, I am what I am.” He has no needs, deficiencies, or co-dependencies.

Everything we know and experience depends upon something or someone else. A phone needs a battery. A lamp needs electricity. Our bodies need oxygen. Our lives depended upon parents before we ever took our first breath.

But God needs nothing.

No one creates Him, sustains Him, or replenishes His strength. Human hands cannot serve the One who gives life and breath to all people because He has no shortage of anything (Acts 17:24-25). God does not need our money, our talents, or our worship. He is not fortunate to have us on His team. Contrary to popular belief, if He had a refrigerator, your picture would not be on it! If He was lacking in any way (and He is not), He would not ask us for help because He owns everything (Psalm 50:10-12).

Because of these truths, we can trust God completely. Your enemies do not diminish Him; your trials do not intimidate Him; your demands do not bankrupt Him. Whatever exhausts you does not faze Him. Whatever overwhelms you does not burden Him. You don’t have to be enough when you serve the God who is. Remarkably, He chooses to love us though He needs nothing from us (1 John 4:8).

As the eternal I AM, there has never been a time when God was not, nor will there ever be a moment when He will not be. He is God from everlasting to everlasting (Psalm 90:2), the One who is and who was and who is to come (Rev. 1:8). So much so that over 400 years after the deaths of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, Yahweh insists that HE IS still their God (Ex. 3:6; Matt. 22:32).

We witness history like a movie, experiencing it one frame at a time. We remember yesterday, experience today, and wonder about tomorrow. Our infinite God has no such limitations. He captures your entire life in a single glance. He sees your birth and your burial simultaneously. He knows your beginning and your end because He has neither.  Because He is eternally present, you can rest knowing that God will never cease to be.

As the immutable I AM, the Lord is not only infinitely present, He is also entirely unchangeable. The Creator who fashioned the heavens and the earth, both of which will one day wear out like a garment, will remain the same (Psalm 102:25-27). Circumstances change. Families change. Friendships change. Finances change. Emotions change. Health comes and goes. People we think will always be there eventually aren’t. But every change occurs in the presence of the unchanging God. He is the same, yesterday, today, and forever (Heb. 13:8).

I AM WHO I AM. The Lord chose to reveal Himself to Moses this way because of the enormity of the task He put before His leader. After seeing their suffering and hearing their cries, God determined to come down in order to deliver the nation of Israel out of Egypt (Ex. 3:7-8). Yet, a plot much bigger than the Exodus was also unfolding. God was working to save His people, but not just the people of Israel.

Simply broadening the lens of redemptive history reveals that God was establishing a nation through whom a Savior would come into the world. Centuries later, the same I AM deliberately came down again. This time, however, He did not reveal His glory through a burning bush, but within a baby lying in a manger instead. Lest we miss the connection to the past, Jesus would later explicitly declare, “before Abraham was, I AM” (John 8:58).

Jesus Christ is God in the flesh and His sacrificial death on the cross was the plan all along. From the Exodus through the Law, sacrifices, and prophets, Jesus was and is the Great I AM. While everything around us will continue to change, God will not.

Dr. Adam B. Dooley
September 23, 2026

Jun 18
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Narrow Faith in a Broad World

By Christian Living, Eternity, Evil, Heaven, Judgment, Obedience, Priorities, Repentance, Righteousness, Salvation, Sin, Surrender No Comments

Nearly every area of life depends upon narrowness and exclusivity. None of us are eager to be a surgeon’s guinea pig on an operating table, preferring instead a physician who understands the single most effective method for heart surgery. After we board a flight, we trust that the pilot understands the right and wrong way to land the plane. Need a prescription filled? You will not seek out a pharmacist who is comfortable throwing whatever pills are available into your medicine bottle. When making a deposit at our local bank we settle for nothing less than a teller who transfers our funds into a specific account, without changing even one digit in the account number.

Instances like these powerfully demonstrate that narrowness and exclusivity are not only kind, but also the keys to avoiding calamity and heartache. Yet, when it comes to spiritual matters, many strangely conclude just the opposite. Ours is a world that often views moral truth claims as harsh, and their messengers as hateful and bigoted. In this climate, insisting that Jesus is the only way to heaven is out of bounds. Articulating biblical morality falls into the category of hate speech. Speaking with confidence or certainty emboldens critics to chide your hubris and hypocrisy.

But how do we explain this?

Why do so many resist the straightforward claims of Scripture?

Simply put, the path of the majority is broad and deceiving. Jesus explained, “The gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it” (Matt. 7:13). Though we should take no pleasure in it, the popular course of the masses leads to damnation and destruction. Inclusivism and tolerance are buzz words on the broad road. With no boundaries or restrictions, those on this path are free to live however they choose.

We could rightly call it “Just Be Yourself Boulevard.” Live your truth is the theme, and following your dreams is the primary ambition. Rightly, Jesus contrasted this enticing road to hell with the narrowness of the heavenly highway. “The gate is small,” our Lord insisted, “and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Matt. 7:14).

The implications here are as necessary as they are sobering. First, hell is real and eternal. Gehenna (Matt. 10:28, 18:9) was the most common word Jesus used to describe a place of weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matt. 13:41-42). With fire that is unquenchable, the torment of hell is everlasting due to the imposing glory of God (2 Thess.1:9). Unfortunately, our discussions of these realities demonstrate that we have no idea what we are talking about. We tell people to go to hell. People talk about partying in hell. We speak so flippantly about God’s final judgment that there is little to no fear of its coming.

Yet, according to Jesus, the majority of people, those whom we know and love, are on a devastating path that secures their future condemnation. Populating the broad path are the likely suspects. The fornicator is there. The adulterer is there. The homosexual is there. The liar, thief, agnostic, atheist, and humanist are all there. But there are also scores of religious people who blindly walk along this expansive route. Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians, and denominations of all stripes are there, all of which have a form of godliness but deny the power thereof (2 Tim. 3:5).

That preacher who reduces salvation to earthly prosperity and gain? He’s on the broad road. That minister draped in a rainbow flag as she openly celebrates sin and encourages others to do the same? She’s on the broad road. Those denominations that brazenly ordain homosexuals to lead their congregations? They are on the broad road. The networks of churches across denominational lines that jettison biblical truth for worldly wisdom and philosophy? All of them are on the broad road.

So much of what passes for Christianity here on this earth is far from it in the eyes of God. It may sound harsh to point out the obvious, but isn’t warning those in danger really the most loving thing to do? The Bible repeatedly warns us to stay alert against falsehoods like these. “Certain persons,” lamented Jude, “have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ”(Jude 4).

So, what are we to do? Walking through the narrow gate of salvation requires leaving everything behind in order to follow Jesus. None of our worldly achievement, ambition, or affluence earns our right to eternal paradise. The narrow path is a vivid picture of how we live our lives, reminding us that God’s grace saves andsanctifies (Eph. 2:8-10). The Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus shared these words, is a record of the life changes that accompany a genuine walk with God. Obedience to Christ does not save, but it serves as powerful evidence that we are born again.

Thus, entering the kingdom of God begins with the realization that we are sinners deserving of death (Rom. 3:23, 6:23). Next, we are to repent of our sins in order to turn toward Christ (Acts 20:21). We respond to the gospel by confessing Jesus as our Lord in light of His resurrection from the dead (Rom. 10:9). Because these steps are the beginning rather than the end of our journey on the narrow road, we should repeatedly examine ourselves, looking for the signs of internal and external change, as the markers that our faith is real (2 Cor. 13:5).

If these claims were untrue, all talk of the narrow road would indeed be an insult. But, if Jesus was telling the truth, and He was, the most loving, compassionate act is to warn people of the deception and danger along the broad path. So which road are you traveling? All who are willing are welcome on the narrow road, but it requires total surrender. Choose wisely. Your eternity depends on it.

Adam B. Dooley
June 18, 2026

Nov 12
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Is it Really Possible to Live Forever?

By Aging, Eternity, Resurrection No Comments

“Can Science Cure Death? It Sure Looks Like It.”

“Can Google Solve Death?”

“With Brain Preservation, Nobody Has To Die.”

These are just a few of the headlines that caught my attention recently while preparing for a message on the future resurrection of saints. One author claimed that microscopic robots repairing our bodies on the cellular level will be the key to overcoming the Grim Reaper. Another proposed cryopreservation as the means of conserving our brain identity and structure, making it possible to create a new, digital existence simply by uploading the content of our gray matter. The common denominator of each article, though, is that giving science a bit more time is the key to our achieving biological immortality.

While reading, my mind continually returned to the book of Hebrews, which plainly states every person has an appointment with death, followed by the judgment (Heb. 9:27). Scripture unapologetically and indiscriminately insists human mortality is a reality for all due to our inherited sin nature (Rom. 5:12). Avoiding our end is impossible despite the marvels of modern medicine or the advancements of contemporary technology.

I understand the ambition to dodge death, but our only real hope is to defeat it entirely. Therein lies the pastoral heart of the Apostle Paul as he writes to the Corinthian church seeking to explain the various reasons we should anticipate our future resurrection, why we need it, and how we should respond in the meantime.

Because Christ’s bodily resurrection from the dead serves as the foundational cornerstone of Christianity (1 Cor. 15:3-4), its inextricable link to our coming victory over death is no surprise. Simply put, if we are not raised from the dead there is no reason to believe that Jesus ever was (1 Cor. 15:13, 16). Inversely, if Jesus indeed rose on the third day, we should never doubt our ultimate victory over the grave (1 Cor. 15:20).

But how is it possible for a corpse to live again (1 Cor. 15:35)? To answer, Scripture points us to the principles of cultivation and the process of creation. Just as a seed sown in the ground is fundamentally different from beautiful plant that emerges, so, too, these bodies of ours will lay down in destruction only to rise demonstrably better than what we buried (1 Cor. 15:36-38). In both instances, death gives way to life anew.

Furthermore, because our God clothed human beings, beasts, birds, and fish with a physical dwelling from the very beginning, giving us a new body in the resurrection poses no particular problem. If the sun, moon, and stars, along with all other heavenly bodies, were covered with glory, why do we worry about what is ahead for us (1 Cor. 15:40-41)? The sovereign Creator of heaven and earth has unlimited creativity and unparalleled beauty in His heart, which means only His divine imagination can limit our immortal state.

But why is the resurrection essential? Why not avoid death altogether? Since the Garden of Eden, sin’s curse hangs over all of humanity, ultimately ending in our demise apart from God’s intervention (Rom. 5:18-19). Thus, these bodies of ours are perishable, dishonorable, and weak (1 Cor. 15:42-44). Simply put, our biological clocks will wind down one day. The wrinkles around our eyes, the thinning of our hair, the soreness in our joints, and dimness of our vision betrays us. So, through a monumental act of grace, God promises to raise us in immortality, glory, and power.

Our glorified bodies will be recognizable, just as Jesus was after the cross (John 20:24-29; 21:1-14). Life that was previously impossible will soon be available as we live free from temptation, sickness, and sadness (Rev. 21:4). Finally, with death swallowed up in victory (1 Cor. 15:53-54), we will bear God’s image perfectly, living according to His original intent as stewards of His new heaven and earth (Gen. 1:26-28).

So how should we respond to these glorious truths? Three simple concepts capture the practical urgency of our forthcoming immortality (1 Cor. 15:58). Be steadfast. Keep trusting. Keep believing. Keep living by faith. Immovable. Stand firmly upon the gospel. Resist the wisdom of men. Do not bend to the winds of relativism. Abound in the work of the Lord. Keep serving faithfully. Keep giving sacrificially. Keep loving relentlessly. Keep suffering joyfully. Keep enduring until the very end! Remember, you will reap if you do not grow weary (Gal. 6:9).

The hope of resurrection was never meant to be put on a shelf, only to come down for theological discourse or debate. Instead, every day we live while perishing should anchor our hearts to the imperishable life that awaits. When death finally knocks on your door, only what you have done for Jesus will last. When you open your eyes in eternity, all that will matter is who you are in Jesus. When your loved ones gather around your grave, all that will remain is the hope you have in Jesus.

Adam B. Dooley
November 12, 2025

Oct 07
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Unexpected Birthday Blessings

By Aging, Birthdays, Christian Living, Eternity, Salvation No Comments

The older I get, the faster birthdays seem to come around. Admittedly, celebrations look much different as an adult than they did during my childhood, yet every trip around the sun is a gift worth commemorating. My life is full of people that I love, colleagues that I appreciate, a calling that invigorates me, and blessings borne out of walking with the Lord from an early age. Truly, God’s lines for me have fallen in pleasant places and His mercies overwhelm me (Ps. 16:6).

Though aging can bring with it some less appealing changes (Ecc. 12:1-8), the fruit of longevity also ushers numerous treasures that are typically foreign to youth. While I do not consider myself to be an old man, serving as a middle-aged pastor certainly feels different than when I began in my early twenties. With each passing birthday, God seems to drop new joys into my life.

For instance, the longer we live, the more wisdom we tend to acquire. Obviously, there are exceptions to this principle, but generally, the more mileage we have in the rearview mirror, the more equipped we are to judge our surroundings with insight and discernment (Job 20:29.) While young men tend to glory in their strength, and rightly so, gray hair is just as honorable later in life because of the wisdom that so frequently accompanies it (Prov. 20:29).

Biblical exhortations reinforce these expectations. God commands older men and women to model godly behavior for those who are younger precisely because aging helps Christ followers to mature (Titus 2:1-8). Good deeds, sound doctrine, reverence, dignity, and sensibility are the outcomes of Christian maturity. No wonder Scripture insists that we respect those who are older even when they stumble in the faith (1 Tim. 5:1-2). Granted, adding years does not guarantee spiritual growth (1 Cor. 3:1-3), but it should at least compel us to evaluate our progress in the Lord.

In addition, advancing in age should increase our awareness of and our need for God’s daily provisions and care (Ps. 71:9), furthering our opportunities to praise Him (Ps. 71:18). The promises surrounding eternity also become more precious as our conversation and thoughts turn toward our forever home (Phil. 3:20-21).

These contemplations are not morbid, though, because they bring with them a renewed awareness of each day’s value. By numbering our days, we learn wisdom and godliness with greater urgency (Ps. 90:12). Tucked away in the book of James we discover what I believe is the key to maximizing every day that God gives us. “You do not know what your life will be like tomorrow,” insists James. “You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away (James 4:14).” In other words, the only certainties in life are its unpredictability and its brevity.

The blindness of life gives us needed perspective. Living into old age helps us to realize how little we can control. Much of our daily reality is the opposite of what we anticipated in previous years. Our lives are full of many good days, for which we are thankful, but also many difficult days. We anticipate having children, but not miscarriages. We expect golden anniversaries, but not divorces. We look forward to milestones and accomplishments, but we never daydream about funerals. We hope for laughter, but we don’t foresee all the tears. But the blindness of life is valuable because it compels us to live each day to the fullest. Our ignorance about the future helps us to be more intentional about the present.

The brevity of life gives us clear priorities. Scripture compares our time on earth to a vapor that appears for just brief time. We are like the morning dew that is gone by noon. Like steam from a stove that disappears in an instant. One day you’re young; the next day you’re old. One day you start your first job; the next day you’re retiring. No matter how much we try, we cannot slow time down. If we aren’t careful, our best plans will slip away from us and never materialize.

Most of us fall victim to the lie that we have all the time in the world to turn our good intentions into reality. Thus, James 4:16 adds, “As it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil.” Regarding our relationship with God, these deceptions can be devastating. We often comfort ourselves with time that we may not have.

So, what is the greatest birthday lesson of them all?

The time to know God, love God, and serve God is NOW. Any priorities we are putting off until later need to move up on our to-do list. Every single birthday is a gift that cannot be covered by wrapping paper or topped with candles. We should learn from the past without living in the past (Ecc. 7:10). We should devote each day to the Lord (James 4:15). And we should trust our unknown future to our eternal Savior (Job 23:13-14).

I am thankful for another year of life and all the lessons that arrived with it.

Adam B. Dooley
October 7, 2025l

Jun 12
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When Faith Becomes Sight?

By Eternity, Future, Heaven No Comments

To the world, she was Francis, but to us she was Nanny. I first met her when my wife and I were dating. After eating at her table for the first time I knew this was a family I wanted to be part of. Even better, though, was the example set by her and her husband. The two were married for 64 years, providing an inspirational path to a young couple trying to find their way. As my wife’s grandmother on her mother’s side, she passed on her gentleness and warmth to the woman I love. She quickly became like another grandparent to me.

A few days ago, Nanny stepped into eternity to meet the Savior she loved. Even in our sadness as a family, the thoughts of her faith becoming sight give us great joy. Though we grieve today, we do not do so as those who have no hope (1 Thess. 4:13). Both my wife and I live with the assurance that we will see her again.

But what will it be like when we do?

For some, discussions about eternity are no more than wishful thinking. Others imagine our forever abode as unappealing and boring. Mark Twain illustrated our hesitation through his fictional character Huck Finn, who thought heaven was a place where a person would “go around all day long with a harp and sing, forever and ever.”  No wonder one skeptic remarked, “I’d rather be in hell with my friends than in heaven with all the church people.”

But are these characterizations fair? Is eternity just a never-ending church service? Should we really look forward to life after grave? Thankfully, the caricatures of heaven found in popular culture do not align with the biblical vision of eternal life. So, what can we expect in the land beyond the blue?

Heaven is a physical place. The Bible refers to heaven as both a country and a city. The description is appropriate because Romans 8:19-23 indicates that the created cosmos will one day be redeemed along with born again believers. The Apostle John describes the heavenly Jerusalem descending from heaven in order to function as the capital city of God’s kingdom (Rev. 21:2). The dimensions of this central municipality reveal its massive presence. With a length, width, and height of 1500 miles, a city this size would stretch from Canada all the way to Mexico, having the potential for over 600,000 stories rising into the air. Descriptions of heaven’s foundation, streets, and gates also underscore its physicality.

We will have physical bodies in heaven. Since Jesus is preparing a material home for our dwelling (John 14:1-6), it is no surprise that Scripture also teaches that we will have physical bodies once we arrive there. Just as God gives bodies to beasts, planets, the sun, moon, and stars (1 Cor. 15:39-41), we, too, can expect eternal bodies that will never die in the place called heaven (1 Cor. 15:42-44).

Still not convinced? The Apostle Paul maintains an inextricable link between the past resurrection of Christ and the future resurrection of saints (1 Cor. 15:12). Stated, differently, if there is no future resurrection of the dead, we have no assurance whatsoever that Jesus Christ was physically raised from the dead either (1 Cor. 15:13-17). Praise God that death is swallowed up in victory (1 Cor. 15:54)!

Continuity exists between this life and the next. Perhaps the greatest insight into our eternal paradise is the Garden of Eden. Though Adam and Eve chose to disobey God, His plan for them was eternal life where they would oversee and care for all of creation (Gen. 1:28). After the Fall, God drove them out of the Garden, but the rest of the Bible depicts His efforts to reclaim and restore all that was lost due to sin. Like a bookend to the story, the concluding chapters of the Bible (Rev. 21-22) celebrate the victorious redemption God will provide. But can you imagine the kind of world Adam and Eve could have built had they never died? Or if sin never hindered them?

Despite humanity’s fallenness, we currently enjoy technological and sociological advancements. Food, laughter, joy, and entertainment are blessings to our world even though we are not experiencing God’s original design for our existence. If these pleasures are still available now, can you even imagine all that God has planned for eternity? Think of heaven as thriving society where we continue to enjoy parks, theatres, museums, restaurants, concerts, parades, libraries, etc.

Seem far-fetched? Just ask yourself what kind of world Adam and Eve could have built had they never died? What contributions will we be able to make to the progress of history if the grim reaper never knocks on our door? How much music could Beethoven create? How many plays could Shakespeare write? How many inventions could Edison create? What if the greatest athletes never retired? What if history’s greatest performers could entertain us forever? What if you never had to say goodbye to your loved ones? What if our Nanny could still prepare a feast every Sunday afternoon? Simply put, what could we all accomplish if we lived forever?

The greatest reality of heaven, though, is that God will be there. Just as God walked with Adam and Even in the Garden of Eden (Gen. 3:8), He will be among us again in our eternal home (Rev. 21:3). We will see His face (Rev. 22:3-4) and the glory of Christ will illuminate that city. Once again, we will know eternal life and we will enjoy our God forever.

Adam B. Dooley
June 12, 2025

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