Life After Life

There is no need to be worried by facetious people who try to make the Christian hope of “Heaven” ridiculous by saying they do not want “to spend eternity playing harps.” The answer to such people is that if they cannot understand books written for grown-ups, they should not talk about them. All the scriptural imagery (harps, crowns, gold, etc.) is, of course, a merely symbolic attempt to express the inexpressible. Musical instruments are mentioned because for many people (not all) music is the thing known in the present life which most strongly suggests ecstasy and infinity. Crowns are mentioned to suggest the fact that those who are united with God in eternity share His splendour and power and joy. Gold is mentioned to suggest the timelessness of Heaven (gold does not rust) and the preciousness of it. People who take these symbols literally might as well think that when Christ told us to be like doves, He means that we were to lay eggs. (C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity)

Life after Death

For those in Christ, when you die you are instantly with the Lord in Heaven.

We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.

2 Corinthians 5:8 (NIV)

Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

Luke 23:43 (NIV). See also, Luke 20:38, Matthew 17:3, 2 Corinthians 5:8, Philippians 1:23

Heaven is an actual ‘place’…

Jesus: “My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?”

John 14:2 (NIV)

… although it doesn’t share our space/time continuum. Scripture suggests heaven and earth occupy different kinds of space (and matter? And time?)

It is described at places as being a city, sometimes called ‘The New Jerusalem’

For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

Hebrews 11:10 (NIV)

I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem,

Revelation 3:12 (NIV)

Life after death will be a living, conscious existence … but it is not the final existence.

The word ‘paradise’ (Luke 23:43) derives from a Persian word meaning a pleasant outer garden area to wait in.

Heaven (as we normally think about it) is an intermediate state. Most of scripture, however, teaches us about the final state …

NOT Life After Death

But Life After Life After Death

The final destiny of everyone in Christ will be the ‘new heaven and the new earth’.

This is a hope found both in the Old Testament and the New Testament”

“See, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind.”

Isaiah 65:17 (NIV)

Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away …

Revelation 21:1 (NIV)

But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.

2 Peter 3:13 (NIV)

The new earth could possibly be a brand new creation, but more likely is a transformation (renovation?!) of our current creation.

For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.

Romans 8:19–21 (NIV)

The ultimate reality will be merging of heaven and renewed creation into something completely new – called, ‘The new heaven and the new earth’.

Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.

Revelation 21:1–2 (NIV)

… He made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.

Ephesians 1:8–10 (NIV)

The final state is a heaven that descends to earth and an earth that receives the heavens, so that both heaven and earth are transformed into something other than what they were before. Heaven and earth are changed into the new creation. Heaven does not swallow up earth and earth does not simply absorb heaven. The earth is transfigured and transformed into a heavenly plane of existence, and the dividing line between heaven and earth is obliterated. Heaven becomes earthly and earth becomes heavenly. Though heaven is life after death, the new creation is life after life after death.

- Michael Bird

What will it… and we… be like?

A physical place, even if the physicality is different from what we know now.

It is described in terms of trees, buildings, rivers, food, colours etc. (e.g., Revelation 22)

In inhabiting this place, we too will be embodied (not disembodied spirits) in new resurrection bodies which are modelled after the resurrection body of Christ.

“The new world will be more real, more physically solid, than the present one . . . We speak of people being ‘shadows of their former selves’; if 2 Corinthians 5.1–10 is correct, we should think of ourselves as being shadows of our future selves in God’s purpose.”

- N.T. Wright

Our new resurrection bodies will be both like and different to the bodies we have now.

They will be capable of wonderful things, most wonderfully, the ability to survive in the very presence of God (Revelation 22:4)

But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

1 Corinthians 15:20 (NIV)

So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable;

1 Corinthians 15:42 (NIV)

And just as we have borne the image of the earthly man, so shall we bear the image of the heavenly man.

1 Corinthians 15:49 (NIV)

The New Heavens and the New Earth will be not just our home, but the dwelling place of God!

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

Revelation 21:3–4 (NIV)

A physical sun and moon will not be required for light since God’s glory will shine everywhere. The radiant glory of God (seen in small doses in our history – e.g., Exodus 34:29; Luke 9:28-36; Acts 9:1-9) will be the light we live in.

The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp.

Revelation 21:23 (NIV)

In a hint of what the new reality would one day be like, the Jewish High Priest would wear a garment (ephod) with 12 different precious stones symbolising the 12 tribes (Exodus 28:15-21). He would carry these with him into God’s presence. In the New Jerusalem, these same 12 stones adorn the walls of the city – symbolising God’s perfected people living continuously in his presence (Revelation 21:19-20)

The size of the city is enormous! (2200 km wide, long and high) and the walls of the city are over 60 metres thick! – a symbol of absolute security.

Will time exist in the new creation? Possibly, since scripture describes a sequence of events. But it will be ’redeemed’ time without the time markers we are familiar with (sun, moon, night).

Will we age? Possibly, but aging will involve growth, development, adventure, accomplishment, not deterioration and decay. “From one degree of glory to another” (2 Corinthians 3:18) may not stop in the new creation!

IN LIGHT OF ETERNITY

How do we live NOW?

Too heavenly-minded that we are no earthly good?

And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1–2 (NIV)