Reservations in Heaven

You can walk into most any restaurant in town and get served. But, to get into a highly-rated restaurant you must call ahead of time and reserve a table for your party. These are the restaurants that are, more than likely, expensive places to eat. So, when I stumbled across a quote from a popular Hollywood actor, who was talking about Heaven, I was surprised at what I read.

"I'll be going to Heaven because I already put in my reservation."

Okay, that is a pretty cute statement to make. Intrigued, I read the short interview with this actor to see if he elaborated on this statement. Unfortunately, he didn't go into much detail, but, when asked, "Will you be going to Heaven or Hell?" he added the following to the above comment:

"As expensive as it (Heaven) was, I really hope they don't revoke it when I get there."

I would like to know how much it costs for an individual to make a reservation in Heaven? It seems like to the average individual they are falsely taught they have to earn their way to Heaven through slavish devotion and dedication to religion. But, I guess for the wealthy, as this actor most certainly is, they can just buy their way into Heaven. After all, money talks. Therefore, I guess they believe God needs and accepts their money. But, the last time I checked, God wasn't accepting any money for entrance into Heaven.

"When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money and said, "Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit." Peter answered: "May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God. Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord. Perhaps he will forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin." Acts 8: 18-23

If Heaven were only open to the wealthy, it would be a lonely place. Simon the sorcerer attempted to gain the "gift of God" by purchasing it and was severely rebuked for doing so. However, one thing is missing in all of this, you can't purchase a gift. A gift can only be received because it is the product of someone elses love for the receiver. In fact, if you have ever given a gift to someone and they attempted to pay you for it, or do something for you in exchange for your kindness, you would be insulted and perhaps take the gift back. But, somehow there is this idea that God is impressed by someone making "reservations" in Heaven like God is running a high-class, Heavenly restaurant. Scripture is full of descriptions contrasting God and money.

"No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money." Matthew 6:24

"Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth." Matthew 19: 21-22

"It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." Mark 10:25

These are just a few of the examples given in scripture about how money doesn't gain you favor in the eyes of God. And if someone is saying they made expensive reservations to allow themselves entrance into Heaven, it tells me they are serving two masters and don't stand a "camel's" chance of getting into Heaven. Although, we must be clear, the price it took for mankind to have the chance to go to heaven, was far more expensive than the balance available in the bank account of a Hollywood actor. In fact, not only can't his money purchase him a spot in Heaven, his very life is not worthy enough to do it. Nobody has a life to give that would satisfy God's requirement for us to enter heaven. The wages of sin is death and there is no man alive who has a life worth giving. The gift of God is free to us to accept, but it cost Jesus Christ His life!

"Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross!" Ephesians 2: 5-8

It should be both inspirational and humbling to realize that God became a man to do for us what we could not do for ourselves. But, at the same time we should take note that becoming a human, as God did, is compared to making Himself "nothing." That should stop any self-righteous individual in their tracks to think something they have is worthy enough for God to accept. If we are nothing, what does that say about our money and material possessions? God doesn't want our money, He wants us! Heaven is not a restaurant only accessible to the wealthiest among us who can "afford" to make reservations. Heaven is more like a soup kitchen open to any, and all, who come to it for a free meal. It is these individuals who have been stripped of all their human resources and pride to the point they are willing to accept a gift they know they could not pay for otherwise. Now, this is not a condemnation of the wealthy, but a warning to those who think that God's gift, Jesus Christ, can be purchased with money. VISA may be accepted anywhere you want to be, but they don't take credit in Heaven.

"You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the spirit he caused to live in us envies intensely?But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." James 4: 4-6

There is nothing humble about believing you can purchase a reservation in Heaven. As stated previously, that belief seems to come from a proud heart who wants to continue to be friends with the world and when life is over just redeem their ticket to get into Heaven. The whole attitude is all about me, me, me. That is why God opposes the proud and gives grace to the humble. The proud are selfish, only concerned with what they can get, regardless of who they step over on their way to it. When your heart is set on the riches offered by the world, it can't be set on the things of God. Why? Because a heart changed by an encounter with God, through Jesus Christ, is concerned more about sharing with others that which they have freely be given by God. When you are motivated by money, and what you feel it can do for you, God takes a back seat. However, if you have money when you come to faith in Christ, you realize that your wealth can be used to advance the Gospel message. You understand that your wealth had nothing to do with you coming to a saving faith in Jesus Christ. If anything, something you did to earn your wealth, or something that happened when you lost it all, is what finally broke you down enough to humble yourself before the Lord. It is pride that says not Your will, but mine be done. It is humilidity that says not my will, but Yours be done. Pride says to God, "Take my money to reserve my spot in Heaven." Humilidity says, "I have nothing to give for, and can't do anything to earn, my spot in Heaven. Only what Jesus Christ has done for each individual is what counts." Faith in anything else will only result in your supposed reservation being revoked when you arrive.