by Robin Martens
The Afterlife (1): Is it Believable?
It’s a logical thing and a package deal. The first advent of Jesus began salvation and the second consummates it. Moreover, the return of Jesus not only completes the salvation of his people, but with that, inaugurate the new creation.
Now, even though goes by many names and aliases (afterlife, life after death, the next life/world, the renewal of all things, etc.), what is this that is called the “new creation”? It will be many things to many religions and spiritualities, but for the purposes of this message the Christian use is sought.
Hence, a definition:
Christian Doctrine: The “afterlife,” which is more appropriately called the “new creation (next life/world),” is one of the results of the work of Jesus Christ. His death and resurrection not only secures salvation for believers but also a new creation that is forever rid of evil, suffering, and death. God will renew his entire creation, our physical bodies included, completely removing his curse and fully giving his blessing. Hence, this present life in which we all live (the old order of things) is not all there is. There is a new life to come at the closure of this present life, the new life being the reward of those who trust in and follow Jesus. God and his glory will forever be the center of every person, people, tongue, and nation, and that nothing contrary to God and his ways shall exist in it. Even though it has begun in the hearts and lives of his people by the Holy Spirit, the next life comes into full effect when Jesus returns. (Matthew 25:34, John 14:1-3, Acts 1:1-11, Romans 8:18-23, 2 Corinthians 1:2-22, Ephesians 1:11-14, 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18, 1 Peter 1:3, 2 Peter 3:10-12, 13, and Revelation 21:1-8, 22:1-6.)
But there is an objection to this Christian doctrine:
Skeptic Objection: Notions like heaven and hell are not future states that will eternally replace our current reality. Rather, they are a state and condition of existence that we make of this present world. Hence, while we often make life hell on earth we are to work together to pursue heaven on earth (like a utopia), nothing more and nothing less. Thus, at best the Christian view of the afterlife is a fairytale, a crutch for the weak, and at worst, it is counterproductive, even fatal, to the needed effort to make the present world a better place. The bottom line is that the Christian claim of an afterlife seems totally disconnected with current reality, and is therefore utterly unproductive where it counts the most, in the here and now. (Adapted from “An Atheist Manifesto” as quoted in the Christian Research Journal.)
What shall we say to this? Have Christians crossed the line, gone too far, with this notion of an afterlife? Is the pie in the sky, by and by, secure or in jeopardy?