u/Mazquerade__

Disclaimer: this is not a bash against Protestantism. I am a protestant, and I have dealt with this issue as a protestant. This is simply my perspective, born from years of questions without answers. Maybe you have a different experience, a different view, I would welcome that. But please, don’t see this as an argument, see this as a dilemma that we all need to sit with and consider.

The way I see it, Protestantism inevitably leads to theological relativism.

Simply put, we lack an infallible interpreter. Numerous theological perspectives have entirely valid points and are backed by scripture. Calvinism has its verses that it highlights and its verses that it ignores, same with Arminianism. Complementarianism treats some verses seriously and neglects others, as does Egalitarianism. Atonement theories highlight a specific explanation of the atonement while neglecting others. Beliefs about modesty, what is and is not sex, and what marriage is are more based in reason, tradition and logic than in scripture alone. Not to mention numerous different perspectives on all sorts of issues (especially when it comes to what we do in response to salvation) seem to require an interpreting of scripture through the lens of a few specific scriptures when those few specific scriptures could just as easily be interpreted through the lens of a different set of a few specific scriptures. And, we have no way of saying which is right and which is wrong. Hermeneutics, even good hermeneutics, leads to many different perspectives.

What about the Holy Spirit? Where does He come in? Scripture says He guides us, so why are we divided on everything? One could say that this is due to people ignoring the Holy Spirit, but let’s be honest with ourselves, that’s not a conclusion we want to go to. Why? Because it’s either prideful or universally damning. The only conclusions then are that either you are perfectly in line with the Holy Spirit and everyone else is wrong, which is obviously not true, or you are wrong as well and thus we are all lost and not following the Holy Spirit. One might say that the Holy Spirit guides the Church as a whole, but we this still leads to the question of “why do we disagree on so much?” This would mean anyone who has a view other than this transcendent and imperceivable truth is not being guided by the Holy Spirit and is therefore not a Christian, or at the very least, very far from being a good Christian. One may say the Holy Spirit guides their church specifically, (as in, “the southern Baptist convention is guided by the Holy Spirit” or, “The Anglican Church is guided by the Holy Spirit” there is two problems with this: First, there are theological differences within all denominations. Second, this is essentially the claim of the Catholic Church. It is a claim to infallibility, which we gave up since we adhere to the doctrine of sola scriptura. Thus, it does not seem to me that we as protestants have a valid explanation of how the Holy Spirit guides us.

The framework of Protestantism seems to lead to theological lawlessness.

What’s the solution? I have no idea. I’m not yet ready to convert to an apostolic church, but at least they have an answer to this lawlessness. At least they have a basis for saying what is right and what is wrong. I don’t think we as protestants do have that basis!

Common objections and their answers:

How do you know an infallible interpreter is right?

I don't, which is precisely why I am not apostolic.

The Holy Spirit guides us though

I address this in my post, and I must stress this, saying this doesn't help.

We don't need unity in theology to be united

This is historically untrue in both scripture (time and time again we read that if anyone teaches differently than the apostles that they are false teachers) and in history (ecumenical councils excommunicated those who disagreed with them, heretic literally means something along the lines of "one who chooses.") and so this claim is simply not supported by scripture or historical teaching.

Where do you want to spend eternity, heaven or hell?

A go-to question for evangelism, right? Yet one must ask, is this proper theology?

Across denominations, philosophical outlooks, and theological beliefs, there seems to be a commonly held understanding of the "afterlife" that, to me, seems largely incorrect.

This understanding is that heaven is our final destination, that "where we go when we die" is where we'll be for eternity. Yet, this doesn't seem to be the picture that scripture paints.

When we look to Revelation 20, we see 2 resurrections. The first is the resurrection of the Martyrs during the thousand years of Christ reign. The second resurrection is not labeled as such, but we see after the judgement of Satan, that all the dead stand before the throne of God, and indeed that death and hades give up their dead to be judged. Furthermore, Acts 24:15 confesses that all, righteous and unrighteous alike, will be resurrected.

Thus, those saints who dwell in heaven- the very ones we witness earlier in Revelation, have been resurrected. They do not remain in heaven. They remain upon the earth, and the very next chapter describes how the New Jerusalem descends from the heavens and how God dwells among humanity for all eternity. Not in heaven, but in Jerusalem, on the reborn earth. So it is clear that our eternal destination is not the heavens, but is rather the earth. And, just as we are made new in Christ, so too is the earth made new in Christ.

Why does this matter? Well, I believe that the notion of "going to heaven" breaks one of the essential themes of the Bible as a whole, for rather coming to *us,* it shows us going to God. And yet, one of the core truths of our nature is that we cannot seek God on our own. Time and time again, it is God who chooses to contact a mortal, beginning with Adam, and ultimately leading to the incarnation. Indeed, the incarnation is the penultimate image of God coming to us, superseded only by the second coming of Christ. For, in the incarnation, God descends upon the earth and is made mortal, and He dies a mortal death and is raised again for our salvation. Of course, I am not saying that we lack agency, far from it! We must still seek God, but God is always the initiator, He is always the one who comes to our level so that we can see Him.

So no, heaven is not our eternal dwelling place. God descends to us and dwells with us in His perfected creation.

Where do you want to spend eternity, heaven or hell?

A go-to question for evangelism, right? Yet one must ask, is this proper theology?

Across denominations, philosophical outlooks, and theological beliefs, there seems to be a commonly held understanding of the "afterlife" that, to me, seems largely incorrect.

This understanding is that heaven is our final destination, that "where we go when we die" is where we'll be for eternity. Yet, this doesn't seem to be the picture that scripture paints.

When we look to Revelation 20, we see 2 resurrections. The first is the resurrection of the Martyrs during the thousand years of Christ reign. The second resurrection is not labeled as such, but we see after the judgement of Satan, that all the dead stand before the throne of God, and indeed that death and hades give up their dead to be judged. Furthermore, Acts 24:15 confesses that all, righteous and unrighteous alike, will be resurrected.

Thus, those saints who dwell in heaven- the very ones we witness earlier in Revelation, have been resurrected. They do not remain in heaven. They remain upon the earth, and the very next chapter describes how the New Jerusalem descends from the heavens and how God dwells among humanity for all eternity. Not in heaven, but in Jerusalem, on the reborn earth. So it is clear that our eternal destination is not the heavens, but is rather the earth. And, just as we are made new in Christ, so too is the earth made new in Christ.

Why does this matter? Well, I believe that the notion of "going to heaven" breaks one of the essential themes of the Bible as a whole, for rather coming to *us,* it shows us going to God. And yet, one of the core truths of our nature is that we cannot seek God on our own. Time and time again, it is God who chooses to contact a mortal, beginning with Adam, and ultimately leading to the incarnation. Indeed, the incarnation is the penultimate image of God coming to us, superseded only by the second coming of Christ. For, in the incarnation, God descends upon the earth and is made mortal, and He dies a mortal death and is raised again for our salvation. Of course, I am not saying that we lack agency, far from it! We must still seek God, but God is always the initiator, He is always the one who comes to our level so that we can see Him.

So no, heaven is not our eternal dwelling place. God descends to us and dwells with us in His perfected creation.