Searching for a Robust Theology of Heaven– Part 3

In part 1 (Post 1) I expressed my concerns about the lack of a solid theology of Heaven in Christian circles. There is a robust theology of Hell— even if many of the teachings are drawn from traditional images of Hell rather than what the Bible actually teaches. In part 2 I listed a few visions of Heaven that I feel are particularly problematic.

For part 3, I decided NOT to try to develop this ‘robust theology.’ Partly, this is because I am a missiologist, not a Biblical scholar or systematic theologian. Partly, it is because there is another topic I want to get working on… Christian missions in the late 19th century. Therefore, I want to give a few characteristics of a good theology of heaven.

#1. It is a restoration of paradise earth, rather than a replacement for it. Our final state is Heaven on Earth, not Heaven away from Earth. Because of this, we should probably look at the eternal state as more in line with Genesis 2 rather than Revelation 7.

#2. It is what we are created for. As such, Heaven will not be about making us something we are not… but maturing us to what we always, in some sense, wanted to (and were meant to) be.

#3. Heaven will be in some ways countercultural. It will challenge our understanding of what it means to be a saint in heaven. Perhaps, as noted in the previous post, we will accept in people characteristics that we today would consider flaws. We likely exhibit a full range of emotions in Heaven, since God exhibits a full range of emotions in Heaven. This is not a flaw to overcome. Our variety and range are part of what it means to be human— created uniquely by God.

#4. Heaven will be purpose-focused. Jesus on a number of occasions speaks of the Kingdom of God or Kingdom of Heaven (in which the eternal state is its full consummation) in terms of responsibility, purpose, and service. Heaven is not a place of being lazy and ‘blissed-out.’ Rather, it is a place of living and doing what we are created to live and do passionately.

#5. Heaven is a place of harmony and relationships. Heaven is not a place of individuals enjoying their ‘golden ticket.’ We were created to live in community, and dwell in full harmony— God, Man, and Creation.

#6. Heaven cannot be adequately described or imagined. I Corinthians 2:9 makes it clear that is beyond what we witness, beyond what we can explain, and beyond what we can imagine. As such, any detailed description of heaven must be taken as highly doubtful. In fact, it probably should be looked at as heresy.

When I was young, I had a dream of Heaven. It was a nice dream. I did not write any books on that dream. I did not preach on it. Why? First of all, it is probably a dream of my own imaginings. This would be fine, no problem with it. But even if it was from God, it is for me alone. Even if I could explain it (and I cannot), It is NOT what Heaven is like. At most, it is what God wanted me to envision about Heaven when I was that age. Heaven is far more and different than anything I could dream.

Let’s comfort ourselves with this.