Can You Be A Christian Without Believing In Heaven?
TLDR - Maybe, but you have to ignore a lot of teaching from the Apostles, Disciples, Early Church Fathers and Jesus.
Jesus’ teachings on the afterlife are central to the message of Christianity - at least in the current sense of Christian theology. That said, there are those who are skeptical of Heaven as such, or perhaps just the formulation of Heaven as an eternal place of rest for the faithful. Of those I have spoken with, the emphasis of Jesus’ teachings of reconciliation and love are how we can make the Kingdom of God here and now.
A strain of this idea coalesced in the 12th century. I lack the scholarship to do more than point at thinkers like Joachim of Fiore who interpreted the story of God to be in three ages, the age of Father, Son and Spirit, the latter age being one of bliss as humanity yields to the Holy Spirit.
Scripture details many places of conscious existence that are distinct from the earth we know. There is The Grave, Heaven, Hell, The Bosom of Abraham, Paradise - all of these are implicitly or explicitly (depending on how you weigh them in your thinking) separate places where conscious souls dwell, but are not on temporal earth where we currently live and exist. For what it is worth, most of these references are found the New Testament.
Early church fathers also spoke to heaven as distinct from the earthly realm we all experience. Polycarp, Tertullian, Clement, Augustine of Hippo taught of the duality of place, the latter explicitly referring to the City of God versus the City of Man. Augustine’s influence on Christendom is that while Christians are citizens of the City of God, we ought still work for justice, peace, and kindness in the earthly city as a reflection of our heavenly citizenship.
Catholic tradition addresses an overemphasis on Heaven at the expense of life. One could see how a belief in Eternal Bliss would make death welcome - perhaps by one’s own hand. There is a connection between this notion and the tradition Catholic doctrine of suicide being a mortal sin.
The Apostle Paul hammers at idleness, though I am cautious to connect this to believers sitting around expecting the imminent return of Christ. That connection is an inference to my mind. Psalms and Proverbs as well as the writings of Paul and James that the Christian ought to be about the work of God on earth even as we hope for Heaven.
As I understand, God is the highest ideal of righteousness, of love, of justice, of mercy. God the Father is, however, also highly abstract what with the wheels and wings and eyes and throne with all those cherubs (see Ezekiel).
By contrast, Jesus was very concrete. He fed the poor, advocated for the widows, healed the sick and by so doing showed God’s concern for the temporal needs. At the same time Jesus taught about the eternal kingdom, the resurrection and the hope of Heaven.
I believe the acts of mercy, the healings and supernatural provision and the ultimate miracle of His resurrection supported His claims of an afterlife in God’s presence. I think the Christian’s directive from The Boss are for the same purpose. Kindness, mercy and love are virtues in and of themselves inasmuch as they point to the ultimate source of that which is good and the virtue of surrendering to God in repentance.
I do not think we can do much more for this current corrupt existence than demonstrate that God’s love is real. We can find joy in any circumstance, but I do not believe the renewed existence promised in scripture can be ushered in if only enough Christians would be sufficiently obedient to Christ’s teachings on love, kindness and mercy. That wonderful world will be initiated by Jesus himself.
I used Chat GPT to help research the scripture and historical references. Here’s an outline of the key points Jesus made about the afterlife:
1. Heaven and the Father’s House
Many Rooms: In John 14:2, Jesus speaks of "His Father's house" with "many rooms." This phrase is often interpreted as an assurance that there is ample space in heaven for all believers and a personal place prepared for each one.
Promise of Eternal Union: Jesus promises that He will return to take His followers to be with Him, emphasizing reunion and eternal presence with God (John 14:3).
2. Eternal Life through Belief
Faith and Eternal Life: One of Jesus’ key messages is that faith in Him leads to eternal life. John 3:16 is central, stating that “whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” This introduces the concept that salvation and eternal life come through belief in Jesus.
Resurrection and Life: In John 11:25, Jesus declares, “I am the resurrection and the life,” assuring that those who believe in Him will live even after physical death.
3. Judgment and the Afterlife
The Sheep and the Goats (Matthew 25:31-46): Jesus tells a parable about judgment, describing how people will be separated into two groups based on their actions—"sheep" on His right hand who cared for the needy and "goats" on His left who did not. This parable emphasizes that compassionate actions towards others are a key part of the final judgment.
Eternal Reward and Punishment: In the parable, the "sheep" inherit eternal life in God's Kingdom, while the "goats" face "eternal fire," suggesting an afterlife that includes both reward and punishment.
4. Paradise and Peace
The Thief on the Cross (Luke 23:43): In His final moments, Jesus tells a repentant criminal crucified beside Him, "Today you will be with me in paradise." This implies a peaceful, immediate afterlife presence with Jesus for those who trust in Him.
Comfort in the Kingdom of God: Jesus describes a future reunion in the Kingdom of God where believers will be comforted, contrasting it with suffering for those who reject God (Luke 16:19-31, the story of Lazarus and the rich man).
5. Resurrection of the Dead
The Resurrection at the Last Day: Jesus speaks of a future resurrection in passages such as John 6:39-40, where He promises to "raise up" believers on the last day. This idea suggests that physical death is not the end, but believers will be raised to eternal life.
The Living and the Dead: In John 5:28-29, Jesus describes a time when "all who are in their graves" will hear His voice and be raised to life, some to eternal life and others to judgment.
6. The Kingdom of God as an Eternal Home
Eternal Celebration: In several parables (e.g., the wedding feast in Matthew 22:1-14 and the banquet in Luke 14:15-24), Jesus compares heaven to a grand celebration where believers will share in eternal joy and communion with God.
Reunion and Restoration: Jesus speaks of an afterlife where there is no more pain or suffering, where everything is renewed and perfected in God’s Kingdom (implied in Matthew 19:28 and Revelation 21:4).
7. Warnings and Calls to Repentance
The Narrow Path: Jesus teaches that the path to eternal life is narrow, while the path to destruction is broad (Matthew 7:13-14). This teaching suggests that not all will enter the Kingdom of God and serves as a call to repentance and faithful living.
Preparation for the Afterlife: Jesus encourages readiness for the afterlife, using parables like the wise and foolish virgins (Matthew 25:1-13) to illustrate the importance of being spiritually prepared.
8. Transformation of the Physical Body
The Glorified Body: Although not fully detailed in the Gospels, Jesus’ resurrection provides a glimpse into the nature of the glorified body. His resurrected body is both physical and transcendent, suggesting that believers may expect a similar transformation in the afterlife (Luke 24:36-43, John 20:19-29).
9. Final Victory over Death
Overcoming Death: Jesus’ resurrection is seen as a victory over death, pointing to the ultimate defeat of death for believers. As Paul later elaborates, Jesus’ resurrection is the “firstfruits” of the resurrection of all believers (1 Corinthians 15:20-23), affirming that death is not final for those in Christ.