We don’t talk too much about heaven at CLC; what happens when we die, and what is heaven like?
[There is a second question on heaven below.]
This is a great question, and, to be honest, it convicts me as a pastor.
1) Sometimes, we don’t talk about heaven because of excesses in the past.
In many of the religious revival movements in American history, heaven became the sole focus of preaching and evangelism. The message was accept Jesus and you’ll go to heaven. Now, that’s true, but it’s a pretty limited view of salvation. This focus caused some Christians to overlook the oppression and suffering of others. The pendulum then swung the other direction in movements that ignored heaven in favor of dealing solely with earthly problems. Balance is certainly needed. I believe we can be heavenly minded and earthly good at the same time. Therefore, as Christians, we see that the Gospel promises new life both in the hereafter (in heaven) and TODAY (in this life).
2) Heaven is where (or the realm in which) God dwells and those closest to him
Sometimes, the word "heaven(s)" just means sky in the Bible, but other times the Bible is clearly speaking of the place where God dwells. “Thus says the Lord: ‘Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool,’” (Isa 66:1). In the book of Revelation, John receives glimpses of heaven and sees again and again the throne of God. Note the difficulties of speaking about heaven since its greatness is a mystery; it is more than just some people sitting on clouds strumming harps.
3) As Christians, when we die, we meet Jesus in Heaven.
When we die, our soul (the immaterial, spiritual part of our being) is separated from our body (the material, earthly part of our being). Our soul goes to heaven immediately to be with Jesus while our body goes in the ground. We know this from the Scriptures: Jesus tells the thief on the cross, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise” (Lk 23:43). Also, see Phil 1:23-24; Acts 7:59. At the final judgment, our soul will be brought together with our resurrected bodies (Jn 5:28-29; Jn 11:24; Job 19:26; cf. 1 Cor 15) and those who died with faith in Christ will enter into a new heaven and a new earth where God will dwell perfectly with us forever (cf. Rev 4; Rev 21). Thus, “the view of heaven in the Bible is essentially a redeemed creation, free of sin, death, and the curse, where we live together with Jesus in our physical bodies in God’s physical creation” (Driscoll, Vintage Jesus 151).
4) Heaven will not be boring.
Friedrich Nietzche wrote, “In heaven all the interesting people are missing.” There is a popular misconception that heaven will be boring (check out the clip from the Simpsons where they contrast Protestant and Catholic Heaven; very funny, but hard to find for copyright reasons). Fun is not prohibited; the only thing that won’t be in heaven is sin, sickness, evil, and death. Though I know that we will get to worship God for all eternity (and not to some old, grey-haired pastor’s wife banging out a boring hymn on an out-of-tune organ at 60 beats per minute), there is plenty that is a mystery about heaven.
Can you still believe in God but not be sure about “heaven?”
From your question, it seems you do believe in God but aren’t sure about heaven, so it is certainly possible. In fact, it’s not illogical either (that’s my nice way of saying, “Don’t worry; you’re not crazy”). I would figure that you have had experiences of God during your life that have made God very real to you. You can point to particular events, prayers, thoughts, experiences and can see God at work. In this way, believing in God isn’t a broad leap of faith; you know in some deep fashion that he is real and that he loves you. Heaven seems far more distant. You’ve never seen heaven. You have no empirical experience of heaven, and so it seems less real. Now, I could be way off, but that’s where I think you might be coming from. Here’s my encouragement for you as you struggle with this doubt:
1) Think about Jesus’ resurrection and the lives it transformed. Would you be willing to be martyred if this was all there is?
2) Think of our common longing for perfection and eternity. When we watch the news, we know something isn’t right with the world and we know of the impermanence of the world. Our God loves us so much that he will restore and redeem everything.
3) Meditate on the promises of Jesus concerning heaven and the testimony of the New Testament.
4) Think of how many people have had near-death experiences. For me, and you’re welcome to disagree, it is such a prevalent experience that I doubt that it can all be traced back to the random firing of neurons as the body is dying.
5) Meditate and pray about the reality that God loves you and came to earth to die and be raised from the dead so that he can spend eternity with you.
I don’t pretend that these suggestions are a magic pill that will erase doubt, but, honestly, they are some of the first places I turn when I have doubts about heaven and an afterlife. I hope this is of help; if I have missed the point, or you would like more clarity please let me know.
Stoops
Friday, May 29, 2009
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Question #1 - The Bible
Do I have to take EVERYTHING in the Bible as completely literal? I find certain parts hard to believe but can usually find a valuable figurative message in all of it.
[Disclaimer: I want to dignify all of your questions with a full answer. I know that they may be a little lengthy, but if you are like me, I’ve grown tired of simple, one-word answers for questions that are very complex. For all of the questions I will approach, I believe that I have come to rational and biblical conclusions, but I encourage you to examine them for yourself and test them in prayer and in the reading of Scripture. Also, these answers are not necessarily the views of Community Lutheran Church, Las Vegas.]
This is a great question that centers on how we should interpret the Bible. For some conservative groups, if you don’t read the Bible “literally” then you are a hippie, relativist who doesn’t believe in truth. For some liberal groups, if you read the Bible “literally” then you are considered a close-minded, bigoted fundamentalist. Battle lines have been drawn around this issue of Biblical interpretation. I hope to move between the extremes to articulate some thoughts on biblical interpretation. I will state a basic belief, give some explanation as to its bearing on our question of interpretation, and then state the main point I’m trying to make.
1) The Bible is a diverse “book.”
The Bible is a collection of 66 books, written in three languages, over 1,500 years by various authors to various audiences. Almost every genre of literature is covered in the pages of Scripture: narrative (Genesis, Exodus, 1 & 2 Samuel, the Gospels, Acts, etc.), short story (Ruth, Esther), legal document (Leviticus), lyrical poetry (Psalms, Lamentations), erotic love poetry (The Song of Songs), letters (Romans, etc.), apocalyptic prophesy (Revelation), and many more. Think back to English class…did you interpret a poem the same way you interpreted a short story? No, understanding the genre of writing is key to understanding what the author is trying to tell us. After all, how does one read poetry “literally” when it is filled with metaphor and simile? Likewise, Genesis 3:8 says that God walked in the garden, but we know that God is spirit (John 4:24) and hence could not be literally walking. The author is using a human analogy of walking to tell us that God was present in the garden. On the other hand, the narrative text of the Gospels tells us that Jesus literally rose from the dead. He had his disciples touch his literally resurrected body (Luke 24: 40). I would interpret this as historically accurate and hence read this “literally.”
The Point: The Bible contains a variety of genres that must be interpreted within their own context. This means that some times you will read something literally and sometimes you will not.
2) The Bible is inspired and is to be taken seriously, even if not literally.
Before I ever read the Bible, I thought it was a bunch of man-made myths, and I really could not read more than a page of the Bible without falling asleep. Then, when God gave me a new heart with new desires for him, I had a desire to read the Scriptures. I now believe, as 2 Timothy 3:16 states, that “all Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.” I believe the Bible to be inspired not only because it testifies to it, but also because I find it improbable that human beings came up with it out of thin air. I would have come up with salvation through eating chicken wings and drinking beer, rather than salvation through a crucified and risen Messiah because of the separation from God caused by my sin. The Bible is inspired; therefore, we should take it seriously, even when we don’t read it “literally.” The classic example for me is Matthew 5:29-30 where Jesus teaches that if our hand causes us to sin then we should cut it off. When I teach this passage, people always respond, “Well, obviously no one can follow this literally” and then move on to the next passage. Yes, Jesus doesn’t want you to literally cut off your hand, but what he does want is to convey the seriousness of sin and the grace possible in repentance.
The Point: Just because the passage cannot be taken literally, does not mean that it should not be taken seriously.
3) Historically, church fathers have read the Bible in literal and non-literal ways.
Irenaeus (130-200) read certain passages literally, but read others like “treasure hidden in a field” (Matthew 13:44). Clement of Alexandria (150-215) and Origen (185-254) both read many passages allegorically. Augustine (354-430) used mainly literal interpretations, but also utilized allegorical ones. In the Middle Ages, interpreters developed a fourfold approach to reading the Bible: 1) literal – showing what God did; 2) allegorical – showing what at surface level God hid; 3) moral – revealing what believers should do; 4) mystical – showing the future heavenly life. Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) and the Protestant Reformers placed more emphasis on the literal interpretations.
The Point: A bunch of people smarter than me have read the Scriptures in a variety of ways. There is some freedom in how we interpret as long as our interpretations are based on the text.
4) The hard to believe parts are sometimes to be taken literally and sometimes not.
There are many instances in the Scriptures that are hard to believe. For instance, the Bible teaches that God came to earth, born of a virgin, and lived a sinless life to rise from the dead. That’s tough to believe, but the Bible presents it in literal terms, and I believe it in literal terms. Jesus was a historical person who is literally God (not metaphorically, not just a divine teacher, etc.). Now, other parts that are hard to believe do not necessarily have to be taken literally. One can comprehend the meaning of the grace of God as it is portrayed in the book of Jonah without believing Jonah was literally swallowed by a fish. This is not to say Jonah was not swallowed by a fish, but rather that this is relatively unimportant for us to grasp the overall thrust of this short story. Likewise, the Bible invites us through analogy, metaphor, and simile to take non-literal approaches when they are warranted.
The Point: No, you do not have to take EVERYTHING in the Bible as completely literal. We read, pray, and discuss to interpret the hard to believe parts to know whether or not it is essential to read them literally.
Personally, I read the Bible...
1) Contextually – Every verse of Scripture appears in a particular context. We often get in trouble when we read verses out of context. What is the literary context, the historical context, and the context of the passage in terms of the entire book? Also, I allow Scripture to interpret Scripture; thus, I interpret difficult passages in light of clearer passages.
2) Christologically – The Bible is a story centered around Jesus Christ. The Old Testament prophesies and anticipates Jesus (Luke 24:27) and the New Testament testifies to the revelation of Jesus as the Messiah and his life, death, and resurrection. Thus, I read the Bible as a unified meta-narrative about God’s rescue mission in Jesus for a fallen humanity to save us and shower his love and grace upon us.
3) Communally – As we interpret Scripture, it is advantageous to be discussing it in community with other Christians. This can be a check against way-out-there interpretations and also helps clarify the real life application of a biblical text. Additionally, we can be in conversation with the community of all the saints throughout the generations. How did Jerome, Augustine, Luther, Calvin, and Stoops read this passage?
For another framework for reading the Bible, pick up Dr. Mark Wickstrom’s book The Gospel of Grace either on Amazon or in the Community Lutheran Church bookstore.
I hope and pray that as we read the Scriptures together, God will reveal Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit to each one of us.
Stoops
[Disclaimer: I want to dignify all of your questions with a full answer. I know that they may be a little lengthy, but if you are like me, I’ve grown tired of simple, one-word answers for questions that are very complex. For all of the questions I will approach, I believe that I have come to rational and biblical conclusions, but I encourage you to examine them for yourself and test them in prayer and in the reading of Scripture. Also, these answers are not necessarily the views of Community Lutheran Church, Las Vegas.]
This is a great question that centers on how we should interpret the Bible. For some conservative groups, if you don’t read the Bible “literally” then you are a hippie, relativist who doesn’t believe in truth. For some liberal groups, if you read the Bible “literally” then you are considered a close-minded, bigoted fundamentalist. Battle lines have been drawn around this issue of Biblical interpretation. I hope to move between the extremes to articulate some thoughts on biblical interpretation. I will state a basic belief, give some explanation as to its bearing on our question of interpretation, and then state the main point I’m trying to make.
1) The Bible is a diverse “book.”
The Bible is a collection of 66 books, written in three languages, over 1,500 years by various authors to various audiences. Almost every genre of literature is covered in the pages of Scripture: narrative (Genesis, Exodus, 1 & 2 Samuel, the Gospels, Acts, etc.), short story (Ruth, Esther), legal document (Leviticus), lyrical poetry (Psalms, Lamentations), erotic love poetry (The Song of Songs), letters (Romans, etc.), apocalyptic prophesy (Revelation), and many more. Think back to English class…did you interpret a poem the same way you interpreted a short story? No, understanding the genre of writing is key to understanding what the author is trying to tell us. After all, how does one read poetry “literally” when it is filled with metaphor and simile? Likewise, Genesis 3:8 says that God walked in the garden, but we know that God is spirit (John 4:24) and hence could not be literally walking. The author is using a human analogy of walking to tell us that God was present in the garden. On the other hand, the narrative text of the Gospels tells us that Jesus literally rose from the dead. He had his disciples touch his literally resurrected body (Luke 24: 40). I would interpret this as historically accurate and hence read this “literally.”
The Point: The Bible contains a variety of genres that must be interpreted within their own context. This means that some times you will read something literally and sometimes you will not.
2) The Bible is inspired and is to be taken seriously, even if not literally.
Before I ever read the Bible, I thought it was a bunch of man-made myths, and I really could not read more than a page of the Bible without falling asleep. Then, when God gave me a new heart with new desires for him, I had a desire to read the Scriptures. I now believe, as 2 Timothy 3:16 states, that “all Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.” I believe the Bible to be inspired not only because it testifies to it, but also because I find it improbable that human beings came up with it out of thin air. I would have come up with salvation through eating chicken wings and drinking beer, rather than salvation through a crucified and risen Messiah because of the separation from God caused by my sin. The Bible is inspired; therefore, we should take it seriously, even when we don’t read it “literally.” The classic example for me is Matthew 5:29-30 where Jesus teaches that if our hand causes us to sin then we should cut it off. When I teach this passage, people always respond, “Well, obviously no one can follow this literally” and then move on to the next passage. Yes, Jesus doesn’t want you to literally cut off your hand, but what he does want is to convey the seriousness of sin and the grace possible in repentance.
The Point: Just because the passage cannot be taken literally, does not mean that it should not be taken seriously.
3) Historically, church fathers have read the Bible in literal and non-literal ways.
Irenaeus (130-200) read certain passages literally, but read others like “treasure hidden in a field” (Matthew 13:44). Clement of Alexandria (150-215) and Origen (185-254) both read many passages allegorically. Augustine (354-430) used mainly literal interpretations, but also utilized allegorical ones. In the Middle Ages, interpreters developed a fourfold approach to reading the Bible: 1) literal – showing what God did; 2) allegorical – showing what at surface level God hid; 3) moral – revealing what believers should do; 4) mystical – showing the future heavenly life. Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) and the Protestant Reformers placed more emphasis on the literal interpretations.
The Point: A bunch of people smarter than me have read the Scriptures in a variety of ways. There is some freedom in how we interpret as long as our interpretations are based on the text.
4) The hard to believe parts are sometimes to be taken literally and sometimes not.
There are many instances in the Scriptures that are hard to believe. For instance, the Bible teaches that God came to earth, born of a virgin, and lived a sinless life to rise from the dead. That’s tough to believe, but the Bible presents it in literal terms, and I believe it in literal terms. Jesus was a historical person who is literally God (not metaphorically, not just a divine teacher, etc.). Now, other parts that are hard to believe do not necessarily have to be taken literally. One can comprehend the meaning of the grace of God as it is portrayed in the book of Jonah without believing Jonah was literally swallowed by a fish. This is not to say Jonah was not swallowed by a fish, but rather that this is relatively unimportant for us to grasp the overall thrust of this short story. Likewise, the Bible invites us through analogy, metaphor, and simile to take non-literal approaches when they are warranted.
The Point: No, you do not have to take EVERYTHING in the Bible as completely literal. We read, pray, and discuss to interpret the hard to believe parts to know whether or not it is essential to read them literally.
Personally, I read the Bible...
1) Contextually – Every verse of Scripture appears in a particular context. We often get in trouble when we read verses out of context. What is the literary context, the historical context, and the context of the passage in terms of the entire book? Also, I allow Scripture to interpret Scripture; thus, I interpret difficult passages in light of clearer passages.
2) Christologically – The Bible is a story centered around Jesus Christ. The Old Testament prophesies and anticipates Jesus (Luke 24:27) and the New Testament testifies to the revelation of Jesus as the Messiah and his life, death, and resurrection. Thus, I read the Bible as a unified meta-narrative about God’s rescue mission in Jesus for a fallen humanity to save us and shower his love and grace upon us.
3) Communally – As we interpret Scripture, it is advantageous to be discussing it in community with other Christians. This can be a check against way-out-there interpretations and also helps clarify the real life application of a biblical text. Additionally, we can be in conversation with the community of all the saints throughout the generations. How did Jerome, Augustine, Luther, Calvin, and Stoops read this passage?
For another framework for reading the Bible, pick up Dr. Mark Wickstrom’s book The Gospel of Grace either on Amazon or in the Community Lutheran Church bookstore.
I hope and pray that as we read the Scriptures together, God will reveal Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit to each one of us.
Stoops
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