I’m sure you’ve heard it said that Jesus is in heaven building you a mansion. What an image. The great King and carpenter working away on our behalf. How utterly vain. Who do we think we are? Let’s take a look at what this is really about.
John Chapter 14
1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.
5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?
6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.
8 Philip saith unto him, Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us.
9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father?
10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.
11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake.
12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
16And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
19 Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.
20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.
21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
22 Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?
23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
24 He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me.
25 These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you.
26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
28 Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.
29 And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye might believe.
30 Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.
31 But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence.
This is not about Jesus in heaven building us a mansion. This is about the promise of the Holy Spirit by whom we now have greater communion with God. Those who are sincere in the faith seek to keep the commandments of Jesus. We do not fall for the false teachings that bind us to sin. We keep the word of God, not twist it to keep our high houses full of happily complacent donors. This teaching that Jesus is building us a mansion is one of many examples of our vanity, entitlement, and the fact that many of us are being deceived by traditions that do not understand the nature of heaven or even the gospel. The entire meaning and power of the message is lost in this vain, disgusting idea.
Going to school to become a pastor does not fill you with the Holy Spirit, only deceit and an incredible ability to misquote the Bible. I recently heard such a sermon. Makes me sad for people because they really do not know any better. I even sympathize with preachers. Yet, one has to wonder why someone would want to be in such a high position. Sure some are wanting to serve, but most are more like what you read about in Matthew Chapter 23.
This is why I do not go to church. It is corrupted, especially in the Western world. The teachings we hear today are not how it was always taught. The United States is not that old, and Lady Liberty is a whore. Not “the great whore,” but a mother of her for sure.
Even so, Jesus is merciful, so there are many who are caught up. Many who are sincere and love the Lord and want to keep his ways, even if they are confused by bad teaching and corrupted or half-truthed gospels. God is so good. Who can wrap their mind around His mercy and righteous judgment? There will come a day when we are called out of these corrupted systems. There will come a time to “come out of her my people that you partake not of her sins and receive not of her plagues.” I choose now.
I will love anyone who says they are a brother or sister in Christ, regardless of your denomination or how strongly you might oppose me. I will love those who do not believe in Jesus at all. I will love all because I love Jesus, and I am commanded to love. I love the commandments of the Lord. I have faith in His will, perfect timing, and judgment. Hate me if you want to. I will love you and keep trying to make the truth loud and clear as the Lord wills it.
KindlingTruth 
I agree with your interpretation of this passage. I’m a little concerned to hear you’re not attending church, however. I’m not like some, I don’t think it’s the end-all-be-all of Christian Life. It is important, though.
Hebrews 10:24-25 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
Consider that Israel was apostate for generations before God sent them into exile. This wasn’t because God didn’t know what was going on. Instead, listen to what God told Elisha at the height of the apostasy:
1 Kings 19:18 Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.
There are far worse things than thinking you’re going to spend eternity on a cloud with a harp. In Matthew 7:21-23 we learn that there are those with correct teachings whom Christ will cast out, and in Matthew 25:37-40 we learn that there will be those who thought wrongly about Christ and salvation but will be saved in the end. Maybe some slack on the details of how things play out after we’re dead and buried is profitable for all.
LikeLike
Thanks for the comment, and I’m glad you bring this up. I do not forsake the gathering together. I gather together with like mined Christians in my home and in their home often. I discuss the things of God with believers often. I tried to go to church. I haven’t been to every one within a reasonable distance, but enough that I realized that it is not good for me. It does not help me keep a healthy mindset regarding the corruption. I get eaten alive with my own zeal, and this can be a bad thing at times.
I do not think listening to an exalted man preach lies and half-truths based on cherry-picked scriptures and traditional ways of “preaching” as a healthy gathering. Sing a song. Listen to terrible preaching, hurry up and get out of there so we can get on with our life. Maybe have a pot luck and sit around talking about our worldly pleasures. This is not keeping of the Sabbath and this is not the kind of Gathering Jesus and his disciples had in mind.
I would go to a church and put up with much traditional teaching, but the twisting of grace and the fact that none seem to know how to deal with the sin problem in the right way is not acceptable. They either harp on sin hatefully and hypocritically, or they lay down a bunch of laws for outward righteousness, or they make light of sin all together. I have yet to find a church that preaches healing of heart and freedom from sin by the power of the Spirit. It is all legalism or abuse of liberty, and I cannot take that.
If others benefit from it, I do not begrudge them that. For some people it is better to go to church than not to go. That is not the case for me.
LikeLike