Can anyone know what Heaven is like?

Whether you are a believer or a skeptic, we all have a curiosity about Heaven and what happens when we die. In his book A Place Called Heaven, Dr. Robert Jeffress explores 10 common questions about the afterlife.

The questions are:

• Is heaven a real place or is it a state of mind?

• Who will be in heaven?

• Have some people already visited heaven?

• What will we do in heaven?

• Will we know one another in heaven?

• What difference does a future heaven make in my life today?

• Do Christians immediately go to heaven when they die?

• Do people in heaven know what is happening on earth?

• Will heaven be the same for everyone?

Jeffress uses scripture, supplemented by the writing of biblical scholars, to give plausible, thought-provoking answers, no matter what your beliefs.

Here's an excerpt of one of his answers:

"Is Heaven a real place or is it a state of mind?"

Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. (John 14: 1-3)

When Jesus told the disciples about the "Father's house," He didn't speak of a place that "exists" in the fantasyland of our minds..."Place" (topos) is used three times in John 14: 1-3. This Greek word serves as the root for our word topography--the act of detailing the actual, physical features of land on a map. When used in the New Testament, topos almost always indicates a locatable and inhabited space...But it's more than just the word topos that tells us that Heaven is real. Jesus also said "In my Father's house are many dwelling places". (v.2) The Greek word for "dwelling" is mone and can also be translated as "habitat," "lodging," or "domicile." Each of these words describes something that is real and physical.

Skeptics and even believers may find it challenging to accept Jeffress' interpretations. After all, no one knows what awaits us after we die. Still, Jeffress gives Christians pause to think about how they can better follow Christ in this world, in preparation for the next. Those with different beliefs will find his writings on eternity worth exploring.

I like that Jeffress gives both groups much to consider. He seeks to make us think about eternal consequences and rewards. Also, he doesn't offer his conclusions as absolute but as a "pencil sketch" of Heaven and what it may be like. Of course, the book is written primarily for Christians, but spiritual seekers are offered a well-referenced look at the afterlife.

Ultimately, the book is a solid resource that encourages readers to think deeply about eternity while living purposefully today. I give the book five stars.