I recently read a Christian author who categorically states people won’t own anything in heaven, which will assure our equality.
But what about the different “dwelling places” believers will have in heaven (Luke 16:4,9)? What about the treasures Christ commanded us to store up “for ourselves” in heaven (Matthew 6:20)? What about the different crowns and rewards God will hand out according to our works (2 Corinthians 5:10)? What about the fact that we have an “inheritance” that will be given us in heaven (Colossians 3:24)? Doesn’t the word “inheritance” mean something tangible that will belong to us?
Will your crown be as much mine as yours? Of course not. What about the white stone God promises to give to overcomers, with our new name written on it, a name no one else will know (Revelation 2:17)? Will you and I have equal possession of those stones or names? No. The one God gives you will be yours, not mine. The one he gives me—if I’m an overcomer—will be mine, not yours. Is this ownership wrong or selfish? Of course not. Ownership is never wrong when it’s God distributing to us possessions he wants us to own.
Heaven is not a socialist utopia in which private ownership is evil. Materialism, greed, envy, and selfishness are sins—ownership is not.
Our different personalities, rewards, positions and names in heaven not only speak of our individuality, but of how God, who loves us all, finds unique reasons to love us. I love my wife and daughters, but I love different things about each.
We are like unique instruments, played by an orchestra of individual musicians performing as one. We will play together in a perfect unity, but each of us will play our own part in bringing glory to God. We will all bring something different, something singular and vital, to the concert of praise. Perhaps each of us will uniquely draw attention to one of God’s attributes. And he will take delight in each uniqueness, for he is not a God of sameness, but diversity.
For more information on the subject of Heaven, see Randy Alcorn’s book Heaven.
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