Basic Teachings: Heaven and Hell

Eternity: Heaven and Hell

Heaven 

The idea of heaven has been widely misunderstood for so long we do not think about heaven as an essential doctrine. However, upon closer examination we will see our idea of heaven and life after death is not very scriptural. First let’s focus on the idea of “we go to heaven when we die”. For many of us, when we die we think our body stays in the ground and our soul goes on to heaven to be with God in heaven. This gives the idea that we will be in some sort of disembodied state in a spiritual place we cannot yet comprehend. However, that is not what the Bible teaches. The Bible teaches that heaven is actually going to come down to earth and the two will combine into one blissful state of eternity. Look at Revelation 21-22 for this example. John sees a vision of the heavenly city, Jerusalem coming down and uniting with earth. There is no need for a temple because God’s presence permeates this new creation. This is what the biblical authors looked to, a reunion and renewal of all creation (Isaiah 66, Romans 8). So when we die, we do not go on to heaven in some spiritual sense we cannot understand. When Jesus comes, he is going to initiate this renewal and all will be made right and perfect. We will be with God in a new earth, not floating on the clouds in the sky. 

We often hear, sing, or even pray about escaping this world so we can be with God forever and leave this world behind. This is the opposite of what Scripture teaches. The Bible teaches us that we should not want to leave this world for the sake of being spared the evil in this world but rather we should be transformed to change the world and bring heaven down. This is why Jesus prayed, “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven”. We should pray for the kingdom to come down here and we can live out that purpose while we’re living. This is why Paul struggled as he knew he was nearing death, “I am torn between the two. I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better indeed. But it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body”. If our goal was to leave this world as quickly as possible and escape it, Paul would not have had this struggle. But he knew his work here on earth meant something and so he was torn but knowing to be with Christ was a better option for him but staying and carrying on the work for fellow believers was important for their benefit. 

The order of the end is quite simple: those who die as believers are with Christ until he comes back. When Jesus comes back, the dead in Christ are resurrected into glorified bodies and Jesus ushers in the new creation and the renewal of all things. The dead who are not in Christ are resurrected, judged, and eternally separated from God. Those believers who are alive at that time and have not died will be transformed and meet with the other believers and live in the blessed state of new creation with glorified resurrected bodies. 

Now the question remains, what happens immediately after we die? 1 Thessalonians 4 tells us that when Christ comes, the dead in Christ will rise first. What happens to the dead as we await the return of Christ? Well Paul says that they will be raised to life at the coming of Jesus. So no one will be resurrected to new life until that time. So where are the dead now? This is where the idea of paradise comes in. 

Paradise

The idea of there being a Paradise is Scriptural. Jesus told the thief on the cross, “Today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43). When we die, believers go to be with the Lord Jesus just as this thief did when he died (2 Corinthians 5:8). Paradise is clearly a state of consciousness where there is comfort and peace until the Lord’s coming but it is not “heaven” and not “eternal life”. 

Hell

When we think of hell, we think of a fiery torture chamber where souls are punished forever. However, this view is not in Scripture. Jesus uses the word Gehenna referring to a valley used to depict God’s judgment. God would judge everyone, even the religious leaders for rejecting the Messiah. This is what hell is: a rejection of God’s grace and love. It is not a torture chamber, but total separation from God forever and this is the punishment. When fire is involved in depictions, it has its roots in prophetic warnings of judgment, not a picture of what hell is actually like. Those that have been rescued by Jesus will live eternally in the new creation. Those who reject God’s rescue have chosen to be separated from God, a choice with an eternal consequence.