The Religion of Heaven

In case you prefer to listen.

Many Christians claim that when they die God takes them into his presence, where they bask for all eternity in blissful repose and nothing more is expected of them.  

The spirits that I have devoted much of my career to their study tell a very different story. There are moments of repose, yes, but activity is the norm. The “Communion of Saints” that forms part of the Christian creed promises loving companionship with family, friends, and innumerable others. But more is expected of those who desire to rise to a fuller, more divine life and higher joy—a life undreamed of in most of earth’s theologies. That life is best suggested by the word service. Service: the wise see its beauty and grandeur, even its necessity. 

Heaven isn’t unbroken bliss.  Heaven is the world where spirits who practice the religion of service live.  Revealing its nature and its attraction—not only to spirits but to many of you—is the purpose of this blog. 

First let’s see what heaven is not.  Imperator, one of the many spirits I will cite here, tells Christians their afterlife is “no sensuous ease in a heaven of eternal rest; no fabled psalm-singing around the great white throne, whereon sits the God; no listless, dreamy idleness, cheaply gained by cries for pity, or by fancied faith; none of these . . .”   

Another spirit was greatly surprised when he learned this. He tells us that (quote) “when a year or so had passed of your time, we began to look together at the question of what I was to do. You can see my difficulty: I was not prepared for work or effort, and had incorrectly thought that eternity was a place of endless rest, but this is certainly not the case; there is work to be done in our life which is as important as what is done in yours, and we are given a choice as far as possible.”

Let us look more deeply into this. Charles Drayton Thomas puts it concisely:  “The ruling principle is service to others, and sharing happiness.”  AD Mattson tells us that “God still gives us the opportunity and responsibility in the spiritual world to serve.”  Frances Banks tells us that she desires to advance “to a sphere for which my whole soul yearns” and that the key to progress is “continued service.”  Serving, doing something useful, benefiting others—heaven vibrates to this kind of music. 

But service, after all, can be a joyless grind.  The kind of service described in practically all spirit sources, however, is rewarding, even when it isn’t well received, even when its rejection brings pain to the one serving.  That’s because the service is lit up by love.  And love always carries joy in its wake.

Imperator says, “We have our work still to do; and in doing it we find our delight.” 

“Everywhere we go,” says W. T. Stead, “we are conscious of the general love for one another.  It is much more evident than on earth, and that great affection is the direct cause of the general brightness and radiance of this world.”  But this love doesn’t just shine outward to other residents of heaven; it shines downward.  Silver Birch tells us, “Remember, I am not only a teacher, seeking to teach eternal truths and reveal the powers of the spirit: I am also the friend of you, for I love you dearly and strive always to help you with all the strength and power that I possess.”  There it is, service lit up by love, but this time love for us.  

Nowhere is the primacy of love brought out more forcefully than in the following instruction given by Aphraar, an advanced spirit:  “Love!  This life in all its phases, its multiform developments, its heights and depths, is but a grand commentary on that one word.  Love is the only study we pursue—the food we eat, the life we live.”

But love doesn’t come easily to heaven’s residents.  It must be worked at, mastered.  Advancement depends on such mastery. And mastery requires dedicated service. 

On of the many ways that spirts grow in the afterlife is by taking on the responsibility of a spirit guide. Each of us, we are told, has one or more. Working, lovingly, on our behalf can be rewarding or frustrating, depending on how we respond. 

We’ll look at spirit guides in my next blog. I’m Staford Betty, afterlife researcher, retired professor of religious studies, and author of many books on the afterlife. Hope to see you next time. Good evening.

Stafford Betty, Professor of Religious Studies, CSUB, (ret) is the author of When Did You Ever Become Less by Dying?  and Heaven and Hell Unveiled. His latest novel, Guardians of the Afterworld is published by White Crow Books.
Stafford can be found at staffordbetty.com.