This is the gate of the LORD;
the righteous shall enter through it. Psalm 118:20 RSV
From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Matthew 4:17 RSV
BE
I am reminded of:
Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, "Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it. And he was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven!” (Genesis 28:16-17)
And:
"Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. (Matthew 7:13-14)
And:
Then Jesus said to them again, "Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door {gate} of the sheep. " (John 10:7)
I think people differ in their opinions of what heaven is.
Some people speak of “heaven on earth.” If heaven is a place, then how can there be heaven on earth?
But Matthew 4:17 suggests to me that heaven on earth exists (“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”)
I hear you. I too have thought about the location of “Heaven” extensively.
I think I have come to accept and understand that there IS a real location of Heaven, but it may be more of a metaphysical location, i.e. not like any location you and I have visited (so far). More real, more permanent, more reliable, etc. I do read in The Scriptures of Heaven’s many similarities to our current physical locations, but without the decay and destruction we constantly feel. I think like this because I believe we are created to both have a location and to reside in a location forever. I believe we are created in our Creators “image”; i.e. we are created to reflect our creator, but we are not created to ever be exactly equal, or entirely the same as our Creator. Our creator has no location, but I suspect we always will. I further expect our eternal home will look and feel very much like our current earthly home, more like Eden, but unstained by the possibility of sin, unthreatened by looming death, without any burden of sorrow, and not subject to decay; where neither moth nor rust destroy and where thieves do not break in and steal. (Matt. 6:20)
I do not see “Heaven”, and “The Kingdom of Heaven” to be synonymous however. To me, Heaven is the eventual residence of being fully in the presence of God, unseparated, not estranged, completely free of any vestages of the old man for ever more. There we commune with Jesus and with each other as God and Adam did in the garden; “For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.” (1 Corinthians 13:12)
The “Kingdom of Heaven” to me is more of a political construct, one where Undefinable God The Father is “On the Throne”, Jesus is King, and The Holy spirit respected as LORD unifier of the The Sons of God (I’m sure vision of the eternal Kingdom is far too infantile). I believe I am as fully in the Kingdom of God as I will ever be. When I was born from above (John 3:3) I became, and I remain a full citizen of that holy eternal kingdom. I will never lose my citizenship; I will never emigrate. When Jesus said “The Kingdom of God is at hand” He was saying "I am right here, and I am about to die, and by virtue of my death and resurrection I will forever be King of all creation. The evil prince of the power of the air, along with his greatest weapon of death will be conquered once and-for-all. "
My meager thoughts, for what their worth.
KP
I might ask, “What good is heaven if we don’t have peace of mind”? I might follow that up with, “Are heaven and peace of mind the same thing?”
I might theorize that to attain peace of mind, we must repent of our sin. And that leads us to Matthew 4:17: “Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Certainly there is a place we will go when we die, which most people call heaven. Technically, maybe “The Resurrection” would be a more accurate term.
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Bob
This may sound a little strange, (it usually does when I bring it up with others), but try this on:
“Nobody actually changes situation when their temporal body ceases to function; The living go on living, and the dead remain dead.”
Of course much will be different for both the living and the dead at that moment; many new experiences for both to be sure. But the one thing that does not change is life. Jesus said “I AM the… life”. All who are In Christ are “alive” now, and will remain alive forever more. To be “in Christ” is to be “In the place of the living”. I think of myself as being IN Christ; a citizen IN the Kingdom of Heaven, “seated in heavenly places” (Ephesians 2:4-6). I also see myself as an ambasador of Jesus, on temproary assignment to NW Ohio.
“Peace of mind” as you mentioned speaks of an absence of mental conflict. All conflict ceases in Jesus for those that are in Him; He is the prince of Peace, . For a little while we will have tribulation, but we can be of good cheer, (have peace of mind) because Jesus has overcome the world (John 16:33)
Peace (shalom)
KP
I would theorize conflict is the result of sin. If we repent of our sin, we remove the conflict. In other words, if I can repent of my sin, I will remove my conflict.