Category Archives: heaven

VOS ON THE NEW HEAVENS AND NEW EARTH

PMW 2026-070 by Geerhardus Vos

Gentry note: This material is taken from Geerhardus Vos, Reformed Dogmatics: A System of Christian Theology, trans. by Richard B. Gaffin Jr (Bellingham, Wash.: Lexham, 2020 [original handwritten Dutch version, 1896; first printing, 1910]), 1152–53. It is an important counter to the modern neo-Gnosticism controlling hyper-preterism. I highly recommend securing a copy of Gaffin’s translation of Vos’ Reformed Dogmatics at: https://www.amazon.com/Reformed-Dogmatics-Single-Christian-Theology/dp/1683594193

The following is Vos’ work:

The New World

35. What will precede the consummate salvation of the children of God? Continue reading →

HEAVENLY JOY DESPITE EARTHLY LOSS

Headon collisionPMW 2025-031 by Peter Kreeft

Gentry note:
As I am researching my book on the Two Ages of redemptive history, I am reading a lot of material — some useful for my work, some not (at least directly) useful. This is an interesting clip from Zondervan’s Four Views of Heaven book by Roman Catholic philosopher Peter Kreeft. This is from pp. 172–74 in the Zondervan “Views” book. Surprisingly, it should be insightful and encouraging to Reformed believers. This book (with all its footnotes that I have left out!) is available from Amazon.

Peter Kreeft: “Will we remember tragic events of this life?”

8. Will We Remember Tragic Events of This Life? And Will We Remember and Regret the Absence of the Loved Ones Who Are Not with Us in Heaven because They Are in Hell?

These are two quite different questions. Let’s answer the last and hardest one first.

The question is a trilemma. If we will not regret their absence because we will not remember them, then our happiness would depend on our ignorance of the truth that they are in hell. If we will remember them but not regret their absence, then our happiness would depend on our lovelessness. But truth and love are the two divine and heavenly absolutes. And if we will remember them and regret their absence, then a third heavenly absolute would be sacrificed, namely, joy. Continue reading →