No I didn't accidently write one too many life afters. We've all heard/thought/talked about life after death. We've all had loved ones whom we cherish die. The comfort has typically laid with the concept of heaven and what that entails. But what is the Christian biblical idea of heaven? Is it somewhere we I will live eternally with Jesus? Is it somewhere I look forward to and thus strive to enter? Is it somewhere where everyone goes after we die as long as we're good? Or is there something else? Is there life after life after death?
I would say yes. Heaven is a grand place but it is also not the final destination for the follower of Christ. The new heavens and new earth shall be our final home. Heaven is sort of like a waiting room until the final ressurection. So some might say why all the heaven talk within Church? I never hear much about the new heavens and earth.
Well, unfortunately, that is a main problem with evangelical churches here in America. We don't know our biblical theology. Check out the end of Revelation. Specifically, chapters 21-22. What does it say? Especially notice the fact of the new Jerusalem coming down from heaven. There is an idea we don't hear all the time. But isn't it so true? Isn't one of the main, if not the main, concepts in the Bible? The amazing truth of the Triune God is his entrance to earth from heaven. The heavens are always coming down to us here on earth, not vice versa. The Triune God is always making his presence known with us here in his created worldly order. We currently live on earth, one half of creation, while God lives in heaven. In the end, the Triune God will live in cohabitation with us on earth. The veil will be lifted and we will live in the full presence of the Trinity.
The incredible thing is that God has always been redeeming us and bringing us back into fellowship with him. Ever since the fall (Genesis 3) God has been making the movements of redemption towards us. Jesus' death and resurrection are the crux of history, which initiated the beginning of the new creation. Again, notice, he came to us; he didn't bring us to him. From Jesus' resurrection forward, the kingdom of God has been making inroads into the evil that pervades our world. The eschaton will bring God's kingdom to full fruition by way of God's presence being brought to earth.
The point of all this is my concern for the overwhelming assumption by many Christians about heaven. This is by no means a sufficient of complete thought concerning heaven and the new earth but hopefully it gets people thinking. We must be aware of the truth found in Scripture and how it effects our lives. More to come in the future.
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3 comments:
Thanks for sharing your thougts. Have you read many books on the subject of Life after Death?
Yeah I've read a few here and there. My undergrad is in Biblical Studies and my masters will be/is in Theological Studies. So I guess I've done my fair share of study surrounding life after death. I feel like I've merely scratched the surface so I'm still learning.
Thank you, thank you! Do you once remember in our 13 years of education at FHS hearing about redeemed community as a new heaven and a new earth? I sure don't, but I remember a lot of "heaven is our eternal destination" talk. Don't get me wrong, I am glad for our Christian education, however, theologically it lacked severely. I am guessing by your post that you finished surprised by hope? :)
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