If you were to ask, do you want to go to heaven? The vast majority of people will answer yes. For many that answer might spring from the reason that they do not want the alternative. But if the wicked were to be admitted into heaven would they enjoy being there? Would they be happy? God is in heaven. Would they be happy with God? What is God’s character like?

God is love

A father and son. Source: Dianna M on Flickr.

He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love (1 John 4:8). 

If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also (1 John 4:20-21).  

If someone holds grudges and has a spirit of hatred they would find heaven an unsuitable place to harbor their feelings.

God is pure

Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him (Proverbs 30:5).

But speaking about the wicked the Bible says this:

They have corrupted themselves…they are a perverse and crooked generation (Deuteronomy 32:5).   

He that walketh in his uprightness feareth the LORD: but he that is perverse in his ways despiseth him (Proverbs 14:2).

If people hate God’s purity it would be torture for them to be in God’s presence.

God is truth

He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he (Deuteronomy 32:4).   

And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved (2 Thessalonians 2:10).

In order to be happy in heaven we must love truth.

God is holy

Exalt the LORD our God, and worship at his holy hill; for the LORD our God is holy (Psalm 99:9).

The wicked would be extremely uncomfortable in a holy place:

For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God (2 Timothy 3:2-4).

God is righteous

…for the LORD our God is righteous in all his works which he doeth (Daniel 9:14).

Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9-10).

And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved (John 3:19-20).

God would be a constant rebuke to those who do not posses His character.

So, would everyone be happy in heaven?

 It is evident that the atmosphere of heaven would be torturous to the wicked because their character is in complete opposition to God’s. God respects the choice of those who would retain their sinful nature and does not force them to live in a place where they would be miserable.

The only ones who would truly be happy in heaven are they that love God and everything about Him. They have allowed God to take away their carnal nature and tendency toward evil and have been born again with Jesus character to take the place of their own.

Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you (Romans 8:7-9).

And for them who have chosen this new life this has been promised:

Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him (1 Corinthians 2:9).

We choose whether or not we go into heaven. It isn’t really up to God at all. We call Him the great Judge, and we talk about going before Him to determine where we are going, but in reality, in the judgment He will only finalize the decision we have already made.

Are you preparing to be happy in heaven? Are you developing a taste for God’s presence?

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