New Heavens and New Earth

For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. - Romans 8:20-22

Paul is continuing and connecting his argument about the children of God being not just children but heirs because they are in Christ (chapter 6) therefore, a part of the solution. This solution is not just true for the children of God in and of themselves but the Spirit is given as a deposit (8:1-11) to what will be fully done for the whole of creation (8:18-25).

There is an idea that fills the church and even those that are looking at the church that salvation is an escape to heaven to live forever in the presence of God and that the only people that will enjoy this eternal bliss mansions of gold and pearls and floating along on clouds while they play their little harps and stroke their new tiny wings are Christians (those that have accepted Christ, more often than not in a short prayer that has little if any impact on the way they live). Their presentation of what they believe is the gospel (where would you go if you died today?) is that who wouldn't want this kind of eternal bliss? This concept of salvation is foreign to a fair reading of the Scriptures and to the Apostle Paul himself.

God is a God that makes "good" things (Genesis 1 and 2). The fall (Genesis 3) included man, woman, and creation (the serpent). The curse was put upon Adam (The Hebrew word for man or mankind) and Adamah (The Hebrew word for earth). Because of this God began a plan to work through man to set right the curse on both man and on the creation (the rest of the Bible).

So what does that mean for us? Well that means that the gospel is much more than a little prayer then a lifetime of doing nothing. It means that those who are in Christ have a part in bringing justice to this earth. They have a responsibility to share the message of what God will do for the creation with others. This also means that those that accept this plan to make things right (the Church) will commit themselves to begin to be identified with Christ here and now (the Body of Christ). There will be a resurrection of the body (1 Thessalonians 4) and a recreation of the earth (Revelation 21-22). 

Heaven then is a place where we wait and long for the day when heaven comes to earth (Genesis 1-2 and Revelation 21-22), when things are made right, and when we wage a war on evil and cast it from the earth. In this way "all things work together for good to those that love God and are called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28, in its proper context).

People need to know the mission of God to make things right!

They need to be challenged to be a part of the making of things right!

This is the Gospel; we have been saved, we are being saved, and we will be saved one day! (1 Corinthians 15:1-2)