Contrary to popular opinion, heaven is not the goal. Heaven is the beginning.

John 3 vs 16 “…whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

The Bible did not say, will have. It says, have. That means everlasting life is received immediately we believe. Therefore, you become a candidate of heaven the minute you believe. So, if heaven is the goal and the goal is achieved at salvation then what goal is left for a believer to achieve? Why are we still here?

Ephesians 2 vs 6 says we’re seated together in heavenly places in Christ. So every believer in Christ has achieved the goal of heaven. Our mortal bodies are here on earth but our spirits are one with Christ who’s seated at the right hand of God in heaven. Simply put, we’re already in heaven.

What then is the goal if heaven isn’t? Ephesians 4 vs 13 is the goal. That’s the purpose of the believer here on earth. The goal is for Christ to be fully formed in us. The goal is for us “all to come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.”

The goal is Matthew 5 vs 16. The goal is 1st Peter 2 vs 9. That Christ is formed in us. That we bring glory to God through the intentional expression of the new life we have. These are the goals and no, it doesn’t end here. There’s more. Haven’t you heard? That God is limitless and inexhaustible. Lol. Ephesians 4 vs 13 itself is just the goal for now. Remember that we only see in part. Lol. In Christ, the goals have goals. There are goals in goals, goals after goals and goals for goals but the summary of everything is: Jesus.

There’s no heavenly race anywhere. Salvation is not the olympics. There’s no warmup. There’s no queue. There’s no audition. There’s no waiting. Immediately you come, you collect. Believe and receive. Afterwards, focus on Christ. He is the goal. Amennnnnn? Amen. Glorayyyyyy.