Article by Richard Stephens III

HEAVEN OUR HOME (PART 1)

“In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you, I go to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto my; that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:2-3).

In My Father’s House

There is a view which believes the Father’s house is the church and the mansions are the dwelling places within the church where the people of God now reside because 1 Timothy 3:15 says, “…the house of God, which is the church of the living God…” But although the family of God is presently located in both heaven and earth (Eph.3:14-15), our spiritual citizenship is still in heaven (Phil.3:20). Furthermore, the Father’s house could not be the church since the church did not begin until after Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection when the gospel of Christ was first preached in Acts chapter two. However, when Jesus spoke of the Father’s house in John 14:2 he said there “are” in existence, already at that time, mansions/dwelling places in his Father’s house. Moreover he said, “if it were not so, I would have told you.” 

This proves unequivocally that the dwelling places in the Father’s house were in existence well before the church came. So the only logical explanation for the location of the Father’s house would be in heaven. Jesus said his Father was in heaven (Matt.5:16,45,48; 6:1,9; 7:11,21; 10:32-33; 12:50, etc.). “These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said Father…” (John 17:1). When the Father communicated with Jesus and with others it was from heaven (Matt.3:17; 17:5). Jesus said, “Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again” (John 12:28). 

See, it makes perfect sense that the Father’s house, “his dwelling place,” is in heaven where he is (1 Kg.8:39,43). In addition, Jesus spoke of what he knew was in the Father’s house. But Jesus came from heaven (John 3:13; 6:38; 8:23), and went back to heaven (Acts 1:11; 2:32-33; 7:56; Heb.8:1; 1Pet.3:22). Therefore, the Father’s house again must be in heaven. “The Lord looketh from heaven; he beholdeth all the sons of men. From the place of his habitation he looketh upon all the inhabitants of the earth” (Ps.33:13-14).

Richard Stevens III