As Christians, our lives in this world can end in two ways. Either we die and go to heaven or else we’ll be around when Jesus comes back and takes all his people to be with himself.
Here the apostle Paul anticipates his death:
Phil 1:21-24
21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22 If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! 23 I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; 24 but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.
And here he anticipates the return of Christ:
1 Thess 4:16
16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.
Interestingly, if you die before he returns, you’ll be involved in both scenarios. Your spirit will go to be with Christ, but then, in the future, your body will rise. You might wonder why you’d want your body back if you’re happy with Christ as a spirit. It’s all very complicated, but clearly, a time will come when we will all be with Christ together, and we’ll have a new heaven and a new earth. Though we might argue about the specifics, Christians are encouraged to look forward to heaven. Many hymns have been written on the future hope. Here, I’ll list 10.
When the Roll is Called Up Yonder
When the trumpet of the Lord shall sound and time shall be no more
And the morning breaks eternal bright and fair
When the saved diverse shall gather over on the other shore
And the roll is called up yonder, I'll be there---
Yet Not I But Christ In Me
To this I hold, my hope is only Jesus
All the glory evermore to Him
When the race is complete, still my lips shall repeat
"Yet not I, but through Christ in me"
Come and See the Shining Hope
Amen, he comes! to bring his own reward!
Amen, praise God! for justice now restored;
kingdoms of the world become the kingdom of the Lord:
Love has the victory for ever!
There’s a Place
No more pain no more sadness
No more sufferng no more tears
No more sin no more sickness
No injustice no more death
Because of You because of you
Because of your love Because of your blood
There’s a Sound on the Wind
Come on heaven’s children,
The city is in sight.
There will be no sadness
On the other side.
Unto Him Who Hath Loved Us
All these once were sinners, defiled in his sight,
Now arrayed in pure garments in praise they unite:
Unto him who hath loved us and washed us from sin,
Unto him be the glory for ever. Amen.
When All My Labours and Trials are O’er
O that will be glory for me,
Glory for me, glory for me;
When by His grace I shall look at His face,
That will be glory, be glory for me.
I Am Waiting for the Dawning
I am waiting for the coming
Of the Lord who died for me;
Oh, His words have thrilled my spirit,
"I will come again for thee."
Faith can almost hear Christ's footfall
On the threshold of the door,
And my heart, my heart is longing
To be with Him evermore.
Lo He Comes With Clouds Descending
Lo! he comes with clouds descending,
Once for favored sinners slain!
Thousand, thousand saints attending,
Swell the triumph of his train.
Hail to the Lord’s Annointed
Hail to the Lord's anointed, great David's greater Son!
Hail in the time appointed, His reign on earth begun!
Then, there are various pop, country, jazz, and soul songs about heaven:
Soon and Very Soon
No more crying there
We are going to see the King
Hallelujah, hallelujah
We're going to see the King
Swing Low Sweet Chariot
Well, if you get there before I do
Comin' for to carry me home
Well, you tell all my friends that I'm comin' there too
Coming for to carry me home
The Holy City
No need of moon or stars by night,
Or sun to shine by day;
It was the new Jerusalem
That would not pass away,
It was the new Jerusalem
That would not pass away.
The Sweet By and By
There's a land that is fairer than day,
And by faith we can see it afar,
For the Father waits over the way
To prepare us a dwelling place there.
In the sweet by and by,
We shall meet on that beautiful shore;
O When the Saints Go Marching In
1 O when the saints go marching in,
O when the saints go marching in,
O Lord, I want to be in that number
when the saints go marching in.
For the theology of the future, Wayne Grudem has a few lectures at the end of this list: Systematic Theology. I find him very helpful on the subject. A very popular view nowadays is that Jesus will reign 1,000 years on earth before the New Heaven and New Earth comes about (See Revelation 20). Wayne Grudem holds to this view, but he does cover other outlooks. Some see the 1,000 years as purely symbolic. Many Christians don’t worry unduly about the details. The main thing is that Christ shall reign forever, which reminds me of two songs I almost forgot about 😀.
I see another long list on the Gospel Coalition site.
Hibernia Gospel 