I wrote this book so that you would be filled with gratitude, joy, and optimism.

I also wrote this book so that you would learn more about the Bible, come to love it more, and become like the "Bereans," who "searched the Scriptures" daily.

Do these seem like reasonable, Godly goals?

And yet this will be the most controversial Christian book ever written, because we have all been raised to oppose gratitude, joy and optimism. We say we are in favor of gratitude, joy and optimism (who would dare to come out against gratitude?), but when someone challenges us to pursue gratitude, joy and optimism with passion and consistency, we become defensive, and jump on the soapbox of pessimism and resentment. "Things will only get worse before Christ comes."

We feel like we've been short-changed here on earth; God better make it up to us with a heaven that's more fulfilling of our desires, where we can enjoy all the things we never had on earth, or once had and lost. We've been told that God has predestined us to scarcity, conflict, sadness, and defeat here on earth. We claim that those who seek the things that bring us joy are acting contrary to God's program. Woe unto us, until Christ comes again -- and it better be soon.

I've been searching the Scriptures for many years, and I've come to the conclusion that God's purpose for human beings on this planet is to create heaven on earth.

That's why this book will be the most controversial Christian book ever written. Too many Christians are dedicated to creating hell on earth, and this book has the unmitigated gall to defend the idea of heaven on earth.

Some will say, "Oh no, I believe in heaven on earth. I believe Christ is coming soon to establish His Kingdom, and we will be raised and seated with Him in His Kingdom to rule the earth."

That sounds good, except that it also carries with it the promise of poverty, war, tribulation, and defeat in this life, before Jesus comes again. And if you read the fine print, this view also carries with it the idea that even Jesus Himself fails at the task of Kingdom-building; that at the end of Christ's 1,000-year reign, Satan is loosed for "a little season," fomenting a massive violent revolution against Christ and a global conflict which can only be resolved by destroying the entire planet and ending this big experiment in human life on earth.

When God created life on earth He said it was all "very good,"

but it turns out in the end to be very bad,

                      a cosmic mistake.

The whole idea of a race of human beings "exercising dominion over the earth"

was a bad bet and a failure,

 

and we all end up in heaven, playing harps and bouncing on clouds for all eternity (except those who end up in hell, tortured for eternity).

Earthly failure is the heart and soul of modern Christianity. Our highest achievement -- or as the ancient Latin theologians would speak of it, our summum bonum -- is to "get saved" so we go to heaven when we die. Once saved, our highest goal should be to get others saved so that they will go to heaven when they die. What really counts is getting people "saved" (though most of us don't quit our day jobs). "Saved" means ready to wait. Failure and death is our earthly lot. "I'm going to heaven when I die" is the essence of Christianity. You know you're a Christian when you have "assurance" that you're going to heaven when you die.

Until then, war, pollution, poverty, ignorance, disease, conflict, and finally -- to our relief -- death. Or maybe "the Rapture." Should we devise a blueprint for the Christianization of the world over the next few centuries? Should we build a Christian hospital, a Christian university, a Christian laboratory to cure cancer, a Christian media conglomerate to create movies, TV, CD's and interactive media to cover the earth with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea? NO! All of these efforts are completely misguided. Things are only going to get worse before Christ comes. Our great task is to get people "saved." The idea of human beings turning the Garden of Eden into the City of God is a complete failure.

Isn't there anything we can do to prevent this failure?

No. It's all predestined. The world is going to get worse and worse before God finally sets fire to the whole thing and obliterates the entire planet.

God invites us to play football, but when the game doesn't go His way, He takes His football and goes home.

A few Christians go home with Him, sticking their tongues out at those that get "left behind."

Some have said in response that I am not a Christian. I think I am. But assume for a moment that I am not, and ask yourself, "Have I ever benefitted from reading a book by a non-Christian?" I'm sure you have. If you would like to learn more about me, click here (short version) or here (shorter and longer versions). My sincere intention is to make you a better Christian, to help the Bible come alive for you, to cultivate gratitude to God, joy, and optimism in your life. I'm going to make you read a lot of Bible verses you never hear on television. I'm going to make you ask yourself a lot of questions you don't get asked in Sunday School. My goal is for you to be a stronger Christian, more excited about God's Word, the Bible, and ignited with passion to create heaven on earth.

I'm calling this book

If This Isn't Heaven, I Don't Know What Is

Biblical Reasons Why We Should
And Practical Suggestions on How We Can
Create Heaven on Earth

First let me tell you how I got the idea for this title. Please click here.

This is the first draft, posted 17 June 2004.
Your comments would be greatly appreciated.
heaven@KevinCraig.us