Luk 15:7 I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.
Luk 15:10 Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.
In both of these passages, the Lord speaks of joy in Heaven – everyone in Heaven celebrating the one sinner who repents or gets saved.
Think about that.
There is an identifiable mentality in Heaven. Heaven’s attention is also focused on the Earth. Heaven is filled with joy about spiritual successes on the Earth, and everyone is caught up in that joy.
Who is “everyone in heaven”? It’s not defined, but at the time the Lord spoke those words, I’d say it was the Godhead and all the angels. But now that we’re in the age of grace, wouldn’t all the members of the Body of Christ who are currently in Heaven also be caught up in this mentality of joy and celebration that already existed?
The occupants of Heaven aren’t sitting up there all smug and passively satisfied when someone gets saved or tries to clean up their lives. There is immense joy.
The Greek word for joy (χαρά – chara) signifies a deep, profound, and celebratory delight. It’s the kind of joy that would cause a shepherd to call his friends and neighbors and say, “rejoice with me” (Luke 15:6). The very heights of joy are celebrated over spiritual victories on the Earth.
There is an identifiable mentality of Heaven – heights of joy and celebration over spiritual victories on Earth. This is a shared, overflowing, reaction to seeing repentance on Earth (which is to change one’s mind). Those in Heaven are seeing the will of the Father in action. They are seeing results on the Earth. They are thrilled people have come to God by faith. They are thrilled about people shaping their lives to be in the image of His Son. And there is celebration and praise to the Father for all of that success here on Earth.
Do we not think that this is a timeless principle? Does not Heaven celebrate today every soul that gets saved? Is not the mentality in Heaven right now one of active celebration and delight in the will of the Father finding success on Earth and seeing souls saved and saints edified?
Heaven is a place where all the emotions of all its occupants are perfectly aligned with God’s own emotions, and they all collectively rejoice in the lost who are getting saved. The prevailing mindset in heaven is one that celebrates spiritual transformation and individual restoration. They are deeply invested in the spiritual well-being of all of us humans, and the act of a person’s genuine repentance is seen as a great victory for the Father and cause for celebration.
Because the game right now is all about conversion and restoring believers who have gone astray.
We have in Luke 15:7 and 10 vibrant portraits of a Heaven that’s alive, focused on the Earth, and filled with joy. The mentality of Heaven is characterized by everyone in Heaven being in perfect alignment with God’s heart and there is passion and joy about redemption found on Earth.
God’s priorities are Heaven’s priorities. They share with the Father in His deep concerns for the lost. There is also infinite value placed upon every individual soul. Each sinner who repents causes an immense, shared joy. There is no soul who is too insignificant.
Plus, this joy in Heaven over a person’s conversion also stems from who God is. Everyone is reflecting His nature, which has immense love, grace, and mercy. The mentality of everyone in heaven is one of active, jubilant, and compassionate engagement over the salvation of souls, culminating in this outpouring of joy over every soul brought into the family of God.
SUPPLY OF GRACE 