The ultimate destiny towards which all of God’s purposes are moving is ‘a new heaven and a new earth’, Isa 65:17; 66:22; 2 Pet 3:13. Here, we can only know and understand in part, 1 Cor 13:12. However, some things are clear.

The life to come will be:-

1. An embodied life. Just as the new earth will be different from the old, 1 Cor 7:31, so the new body will be different also. Still, our future life will be experienced by the whole person, not by some disembodied spirit, Rom 8:19-25. Our bodies will rise from the dust, 1 Cor 15:35-37.

2. A social life. The Bible’s pictures of life in heaven are all corporate. It is a heavenly city, Heb 13:14; a victorious kingdom, Heb 12:28; a holy temple, Ezek 40-48; a wedding feast, Rev 19:7. The Christian journey is not some lonely pilgrimage, and its destination will be marked by greater, not diminished social ties and relationships.

3. A responsible life. We will still have the character of servants towards God, Rev 22:3. Paul speaks of the saints judging the world and the angels, 1 Cor 6:2f.

4. A perfect life. In the life to come we shall achieve our full potential, the true purpose for which we were created. We shall be in a perfect relationship with God, with our neighbour, with our environment, and with ourself. We shall find complete fulfilment in serving and glorifying our Maker, Gen 1:28 Ps 8:4-6.

5. An endless life. We are quite unable to grasp the notion of time without end, of eternity. But we can rest in the knowledge that our heavenly existence will be one of bliss without end or interruption.

6. A God-centred life. This is the greatest thing. God himself will be manifest to our eyes, in ways that we cannot scarcely begin to conceive. God himself is the centre and supreme object of worship and contemplation, Rev 21:22. Scripture speaks of ‘seeing God’, Rev 22:4; (cf Mt 5:8) 1 Jn 3:2. See also Ps 16:11. ‘We may be confident that the crowning wonder of our experience in the heavenly realm will be the endless exploration of that unutterable beauty, majesty, love, holiness, power, joy and grace which is God himself.’

See Milne, Know The Truth, 276-278.