I think that pretty well sums up the basic concept of modern-day Christianity. Now, I have since come to a much deeper understanding of what the Bible teaches about our salvation. But for this article, I want to focus on the orthodox Christian view of "going to heaven" when we die because I think we have been misguided on this subject.
As I reflect on my past, it's difficult for me to pinpoint any one sermon, Bible class, book, recording, or article that actually supported, with solid Scriptural evidence, the common Christian teaching that we go to a place called heaven when we die. Yet, it was taught as matter of fact and the concept is so pervasive in our culture that it is accepted without question as Bible truth.
Reading through my Bible, however, I find that Jesus teaches often about the kingdom of God ; the first Christians, as recorded in the book of Acts, preached and taught about the kingdom of God and the Name of Jesus; and we find the kingdom mentioned often in Paul's epistles as well. However, "going to heaven" seems to be curiously missing! Is it possible that heaven is synonymous with the kingdom of God, or kingdom of heaven?
In my recent studies on the subject I have discovered that, in fact, the Bible nowhere promises a place called heaven as the final home of the Christian believer! The idea that souls go to heaven at the time of death is apparently more of an inference resulting from the misinterpretation of certain scriptures, rather than a true Biblical teaching.
Recently I had to attend the funeral of my father-in-law. He was a good man and will be greatly missed. But as a believer, the family is comforted in knowing that his eternal home is fixed and secure in Christ. However, my family, like many other typical Christian families, believe that he was ushered directly into the presence of Jesus, in heaven. Now, don't misunderstand me... I don't have a problem with the idea of going to heaven to be with Jesus when I die. The issue for me is: is that what the Bible teaches? If it is, I gladly accept it; but if not, I want to know the truth!
Shortly after my father-in-laws death, while the family was still at the hospital, one of the family members, in an effort to say something comforting to the others, began to relate something she had read recently in a book. I will not mention the book or the author, since I have not read it for myself, but as she told it, the author was writing about death from the perspective of those who are already in heaven. This author imagined that when the death of a saint was announced, all of heaven gathered together to welcome the new soul into heaven as though they were witnessing a birth, and as the new soul poked itself through heaven's portal, the angels announced, "It's a boy!!"
Well, that may be an amusing and lighthearted way of looking at death, and perhaps even helps to bring comfort to some at a time when the reality of death can be so heavy. But is it really advisable for Christians to be comforted by something other than truth? Should we not rather comfort ourselves with what God says? I think we should... I think it's what God expects of us!
The following quote from the Zondervan Study Bible regarding the topics of heaven and hell is quite telling.
"Most Christians have definite, though hazy, notions about heaven and hell. We are confident of our resurrection. We are sure that just and unjust alike are ever-living persons. Saved and unsaved will exist forever as self-conscious, aware individuals. Usually we speak of "heaven" as the place where believers go at death, and "hell" as the place where unbelievers go. But when we explore the use of these words in the OT and NT, we discover how little is said about heaven and hell as we usually understand them!"
Notice that is says: “we are confident of our resurrection” and “we are sure that just and unjust alike are ever-living persons.” These two statements are in direct opposition to each other! If we are ever-living persons, of what value is a resurrection? Yet, there can be no doubt about this mindset among most Christians today. Even more surprising though, is the last sentence in the quote above which states that an exploration of the Bible on the subject reveals “how little is said about heaven and hell as we usually understand them!”
Many dictionaries, such as Easton's Bible Dictionary and Smith's Bible Dictionary include the phrase “home of the children of God” in their descriptions of heaven; however, there does not seem to be any basis for this idea from Scripture. It is simply recorded as a “given” without citing reasonable, specific, Scripture references! Consider the following...
Nelson's New Christian Dictionary reads:
heaven 1. Eternal abode of God, the uncreated spiritual realm inhabited by God as well as his angels. 2. Source of everything that is good and changeless and proceeds from God. Thus, in Matthew the question is asked, “Whence was it from? From heaven or from men?” (Matt. 21:25). Jesus and his work are from “heaven” and from “above” (John 3:13, 31, 35). Accordingly, “every good gift and every perfect gift is from above” (James 1:7), and the Lord’s Prayer is that God’s will be done “on earth, as it is in heaven” (Matt. 6:10). 3. Believer’s hope and eternal home which “eye has not seen, nor ear heard” (1 Cor. 2:9). It is a place of love (1 Cor. 13:13; Eph. 3:19), rest (Heb. 4:9), joy (Luke 15:7), knowledge (1 Cor. 13:12), and perfect harmony (Rom. 8:17; Rev. 22:3).
Kurian, G. T. (2001). Nelson's new Christian dictionary : The authoritative resource on the Christian world. Nashville, Tenn.: Thomas Nelson Pubs.
The above source does very well until it comes to point #3. Notice that heaven is given as the “Believer’s hope and eternal home...” But even a brief look at the Scripture references cited on that point, leaves much to be desired in actual support of the statement!
The following is copied exactly from Nelson's Bible Dictionary. I have chosen to use this information in it's entirety because it seems to be quite accurate. The only problem lies in the fact that what the articles below describe is thought to be experienced upon the believers death, when his soul departs the body and goes to heaven. I do not believe this happens. I believe we sleep in death until the return of Christ at which time we will be resurrected. But, read and judge for yourself.
HEAVEN — a word that expresses several distinct concepts in the Bible:
1. As used in a physical sense, heaven is the expanse over the earth (Gen. 1:8). The tower of Babel reached upward to heaven (Gen. 11:4). God is the possessor of heaven (Gen. 14:19). Heaven is the location of the stars (Gen. 1:14; 26:4) as well as the source of dew (Gen. 27:28).
2. Heaven is also the dwelling place of God (Gen. 28:17; Rev. 12:7–8). It is the source of the new Jerusalem (Rev. 21:2, 10). Because of the work of Christ on the Cross, heaven is, in part, present with believers on earth as they obey God’s commands (John 14:2, 23).
3. The word “heaven” is also used as a substitute for the name of God (Luke 15:18, 21; John 3:27). The kingdom of God and the kingdom of heaven are often spoken of interchangeably (Matt. 4:17; Mark 1:15). At the end of time a new heaven will be created to surround the new earth. This new heaven will be the place of God’s perfect presence (Is. 65:17; 66:22; Rev. 21:1). Then there will be a literal fulfillment of heaven on earth.
HEAVENLY CITY, THE — the city prepared and built by God for those who are faithful to Him (Heb. 11:10, 16). Known as the heavenly Jerusalem (Heb. 12:22), this is the city that is to come (Heb. 13:14). These references in Hebrews find their fulfillment in Revelation 21–22. The New Jerusalem is illuminated by the glory of God. It serves as the dwelling place of God among His redeemed forever.
HEAVENS, NEW — a term that, when used with “new earth,” refers to the perfected state of the created universe and the final dwelling place of the righteous. The phrase is found in Isaiah 66:22, 2 Peter 3:13, and in a slightly modified form in Revelation 21:1.
Rooted deep in Jewish thought was the dream of a new heaven and a new earth, a re-creation of the universe that would occur following the Day of the Lord (Is. 13:10–13; Joel 2:1–2, 30–31). The concept of a re-created universe is closely related to the biblical account of the Creation and the Fall and the sin of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 1–3). Because of their sin, “the creation was subjected to futility . . . [and] the bondage of corruption” (Rom. 8:19, 21). The need for a new heaven and a new earth arises from human sin and God’s judgment, not from some deficiency or evil in the universe (Gen. 3:17).
The apostle Paul referred to the Old Testament doctrine of the Day of the Lord and applied it to the events that will occur at the Second Coming of Christ (2 Pet. 3:10, 13). When Christ returns, this present evil age will give way to the age to come. The universe will be purified and cleansed by the power of God. This will be reminiscent of the purging of the earth in the days of Noah, but on a universal scale.
Youngblood, R. F., Bruce, F. F., Harrison, R. K., & Thomas Nelson Publishers. (1995). Nelson's new illustrated Bible dictionary. Rev. ed. of: Nelson's illustrated Bible dictionary.; Includes index. Nashville: T. Nelson.
I believe the above article faithfully describes the Biblical teaching about heaven; but as you can see for yourself, heaven is not depicted as as a place, apart from this earth, where souls go after death to pass await bodily resurrection. Rather, the heavens that have anything to do with people are “new heavens” and are associated with the “new earth”. And the heavenly city, where the righteous will also dwell, will come down from heaven and rest over the earth! But what must be understood here is that the new heavens and the heavenly city do not currently exist as destinations for the righteous dead. Instead, they are promised as part of the age to come - the coming kingdom of God, which will be established at the second coming of Christ!
So then, if the information above faithfully represents what the Bible says about heaven, where did the idea come from that righteous souls go to heaven when they die? I will reserve the answer for another article. But if this topic is intriguing to you, I highly recommend that you read some of Anthony Buzzard's writings on the subject. Click here to go to his website articles page..
Keith
