What eternity will be like is very interesting to me. Which isn’t saying much. What Christian would find that topic irritating? However I have developed a specific theory of how it will work. It will not be a continuation of life as we know it here. But that idea is also nothing surprising. The Bible tells us that eye has not seen nor ear heard the things that God has prepared for those who love him.  

So what can we know about it? 

First we can know that God will be the center of everything. We will be continually praising Him. So we can know that it will be full of peace, joy, and love. Because the most joyful, peace, loving times are filled with praise.

 And that is because of all the things we will be freed from. Yes,  a huge change in eternity will the stuff we think are life that wouldn’t be there.

Most  modern lives are spent getting up hurrying to get ready to head off to work, for a day full of tiredness, busyness, and often feelings of failure, coming home to chores and then time with a favorite escape before bed.  Most of our time is spent either in dread and drudgery or getting away into some other story or reality provided by TV, movies, and video games. Occasionally we do manage to fully engage in life with joy, contentment and love.

Instead, eternity will be the embodiment of the simplicity, financial independence, minimalism, sustainability, real food,  furniture-free, and Christian unschooling movements that are promoted by idealists. Our lives will be filled with activity and health, creativity and curiosity, and most of all helping, sharing, and community.

First, I believe in eternity we will be free from the trap of indoor living. Adam and Eve lived in a garden and Jesus actually only promised rooms in the Father’s house. In eternity the climate will be restored to a constantly comfortable state, so we won’t need to be inside to avoid bugs, heat and cold, wind and rain. Also, when you think about it large homes require lots of maintenance. Who would consider it paradise to spend their days managing such extravagance?

Next, we will have freedom from what employs most of us. Hospitals, law enforcement, and militaries will be a vague memory. Government bureaucracy and the financial sector in all forms will have vanished.  There will be no huge farms, mines, factories, warehouses, grocery and department stores.

I believe all that we need in daily life will be supplied in a gift and sharing economy. Creativity will not be stifled, as we have the desire to create more than we need, we will give to those who need what we create. Even bartering could be dispensed with in an open-handed, satisfied world. We will need and want things far less in eternity. Our belongings will not mold and rust and otherwise decay over time. We will not be breaking and damaging things because of hurry and mistakes we thought we could get away with. Also much of what we have we use only at intervals dictated by their purpose. Those things not in constant use would be free to be shared by the community, how many of them would be decided by how commonly they are needed. I envision community cooking areas, workshops, and large play areas. While we will have our own homes to relax alone with our household or in small gatherings, we can be in the larger community as often as we desire. 

So factories, and all forms of finance will be virtually eliminated. Also we will have access to God’s better transportation methods removing our planet altering mess. With a perfect environment we will have no need to create solutions for foul weather and similar issues. Utility and energy companies will be unneeded. With robes of light, the fashion industry will have vanished. In eternity, our mental capacity and wisdom will be constantly expanding. Greater memory combined with limitless travel for visiting and exploring will vastly reduce the desire for written or audio-visual media and communication. Oral society will thrive. Modern technology with be obsolete. 

In eternity, we will be free from caring for clothing, managing clutter, and most scrubbing and dusting, sweeping and mopping. Food will constantly be growing though it will be according to season. It will not be necessary to preserve food but perhaps we may choose to. No longer being mortal, children will not be pressured to learn at a certain pace, but will learn as necessary for helping, creativity and curiosity.

But the greatest difference will be in ourselves. We will not destroy paradise again  with all our selfishness.  We will not be coveting what others have, but enjoying the chance to experience their pleasantries with them. We will not be comparing our situation with others either positively or negatively. We will not be seeking to control others. We will not be angry or offended at seeming slights, large or small. We will be confident of others good intentions, and seek God’s wisdom in communicating well when dealing with such misunderstandings. We will be self-disciplined, not pleasure-seeking ninnys. We will be content, noble and wise, more concerned with others than ourselves. We will be completely restored to the image of God. Amen