What are the characteristics of the heavenly Church?

It is one, new (Rev. 21:1–8), holy (Rev. 21:9–11), catholic, and apostolic (Rev. 21:9–11) Church. St. John says, “I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the new earth had passed away” (Rev. 21:1). The Lord Jesus taught that new wine cannot be put into old skins, but only in new skins [Matt. 9:17]. Likewise, we are the wine of His kingdom — we take off the corruptible body and put on the incorruptible, we take off this mortal body and put on the immortal. We rise in glory and power with spiritual bodies (1 Cor. 15:42–44).

As children of the new kingdom, we ought not to turn back to this earth. Our Lord Jesus insisted that “heaven and earth will pass away” [Mark 13:31]. The apostle Peter also assures us that when the Day of the Lord comes, “the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat. Nevertheless, we according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:12–13).

Perhaps the words “A new heaven and a new earth” have a different meaning too: that, when all that now exists ceases to be, we will return to a new heaven where we meet the “Lord, God of heaven” and the inhabitants of heaven and enter into in a new, inspired fellowship in perfection and fullness. We will also meet our brothers and sisters who were with us on this earth in “the new earth” in a relationship that is a new kind of love in utter and perfect unity in the person of our Lord Jesus. Therefore, he says, “Also, there was no more sea” (Rev. 21:1). There is no place for the sea, for the sea refers to divisions that divide countries, cities, or continents; but the Church in heaven has nothing to divide her members from each other. The sea also symbolizes agitation and unrest (Isa. 57:20), but in the heavenly Church, no evil person can hide. Rather, through the perfection of unity, inner and outer peace will prevail.