teaching and preaching on the afterlife how hard can it be?

TEACHING AND TEACHING AND PREACHING ON THE PREACHING ON THE

AFTERLIFEAFTERLIFE

How hard can it be?How hard can it be?

TEACHING AND PREACHING ON TEACHING AND PREACHING ON THE AFTERLIFETHE AFTERLIFE

The first thing to stress is that this is a The first thing to stress is that this is a delicate matter– especially when you delicate matter– especially when you are addressing older persons, and are addressing older persons, and even more so those who are facing even more so those who are facing death imminentlydeath imminently

You learn a lot about what people think You learn a lot about what people think about this matter from listening to how about this matter from listening to how they talk– about ‘lost loved ones’ or they talk– about ‘lost loved ones’ or those who have ‘gone on to glory’those who have ‘gone on to glory’


Unfortunately while most people have Unfortunately while most people have convictions about the afterlife, usually they convictions about the afterlife, usually they are not well informed about what the Bible are not well informed about what the Bible actually says about such thingsactually says about such things

This is the difficulty of living in a Biblically This is the difficulty of living in a Biblically illiterate culture, where even in the church illiterate culture, where even in the church there is widespread Biblical illiteracythere is widespread Biblical illiteracy

Moral to the story--- assume they do NOTMoral to the story--- assume they do NOTknow what the Bible says on this matterknow what the Bible says on this matter


It is probably best to start where people It is probably best to start where people actually are– not where you would like actually are– not where you would like them to be.them to be.

This means you had best start by talking This means you had best start by talking about heaven, and what the Bible says about heaven, and what the Bible says about heavenabout heaven

This will require gently deconstructing This will require gently deconstructing certain myths (e.g. everyone goes to certain myths (e.g. everyone goes to heaven no matter their beliefs or behavior)heaven no matter their beliefs or behavior)


Since there is so little on heaven in the OT, Since there is so little on heaven in the OT, you will probably need to focus on the few you will probably need to focus on the few NT passages of relevance, like 2 Cor. 5NT passages of relevance, like 2 Cor. 5

Beware of over-interpreting apocalyptic Beware of over-interpreting apocalyptic visions in Revelation (e.g. Rev. 3-4)visions in Revelation (e.g. Rev. 3-4)

The main thing to get across about heaven The main thing to get across about heaven is that it is a way station on the way to the is that it is a way station on the way to the final destination, not one’s eternal homefinal destination, not one’s eternal home


Funerals are indeed a teaching moment, Funerals are indeed a teaching moment, but it is a delicate matter– no time to try but it is a delicate matter– no time to try out new theories or ride private hobby out new theories or ride private hobby horses– ‘stick to the basic Biblical truths’horses– ‘stick to the basic Biblical truths’

Funerals are not occasions to preach a Funerals are not occasions to preach a person into either heaven or hell. person into either heaven or hell. Funerals are primarily for the living, to Funerals are primarily for the living, to help them get closure in regard to the help them get closure in regard to the deceaseddeceased


There is a good reason for emphasis There is a good reason for emphasis on resurrection in the funeral liturgy. on resurrection in the funeral liturgy. This is the ultimate hope– seeing the This is the ultimate hope– seeing the loved one again in the flesh, and fully loved one again in the flesh, and fully conformed to the image of Jesus.conformed to the image of Jesus.

This of course means that one needs This of course means that one needs to teach the big subject of to teach the big subject of ESCHATOLOGY to your peopleESCHATOLOGY to your people


Unfortunately teaching on eschatology Unfortunately teaching on eschatology has been high-jacked by modern has been high-jacked by modern Dispensationalism in large parts of the Dispensationalism in large parts of the conservative churchconservative church

This means that one had best stick to This means that one had best stick to the basics– the return of Christ, the last the basics– the return of Christ, the last judgment, the resurrection, the life judgment, the resurrection, the life everlasting in the new heaven/new everlasting in the new heaven/new earth, and of course hell for those who earth, and of course hell for those who reject the Gospelreject the Gospel


If one is able to take some of the audience If one is able to take some of the audience to a second level of discussion then there to a second level of discussion then there will be time and opportunity to talk about will be time and opportunity to talk about modern notions like ‘the rapture’ which modern notions like ‘the rapture’ which the early church (and the Biblical writers) the early church (and the Biblical writers) did not believe indid not believe in

Sometimes, you have to deconstruct non-Sometimes, you have to deconstruct non-Biblical ideas (e.g the interpretation of key Biblical ideas (e.g the interpretation of key rapture texts– 1 Thess. 4 etc.). You will rapture texts– 1 Thess. 4 etc.). You will also need to deal with the issue of ‘eternal also need to deal with the issue of ‘eternal security concepts’ based on mistaken security concepts’ based on mistaken notions of what happens at conversionnotions of what happens at conversion

teaching and preaching on the afterlife how hard can it be?

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