The Destination: Living with Hope in View of God’s Future

We continue to explore what it means to become a people of hope. So far we have discovered that biblical hope is very different from the uncertain hope we often speak about in everyday life. Christian hope is an unshakable certainty, grounded in the historical, physical resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Jesus’ resurrection was not simply a remarkable event in history; it was the decisive turning point in God’s grand story of redemption. Through His victory over death, Jesus opened the way to an eternal future where death no longer casts its shadow of fear over humanity. Yet, as in the Garden of Eden, each person is still invited to choose whether they will participate in God’s restored creation.

But important questions remain. If death has been conquered, why do we still experience suffering, pain and death? How does the resurrection make a practical difference to our lives today?

Tim Keller offers a helpful illustration. Imagine two people doing the exact same difficult job for a year under unpleasant conditions. One is promised $15,000 at the end of the year; the other is promised $15 million. Their circumstances are identical, but their experience of them is dramatically different because of what they know about their “destinations”!

In the same way, understanding our ultimate destination transforms how we live in the present.

Many people think the goal of the Christian life is simply “going to heaven when we die.” Yet Scripture presents a much richer and more beautiful picture. While Jesus ascended to be with the Father, the Bible consistently points towards His return and the renewal of all creation.

Jesus promised His disciples that He would come back for them (John 14:1-3). The angels reminded the disciples of this promise at His ascension (Acts 1:10-11). His return will not simply be about escaping earth, but about restoring relationships, renewing creation and bringing God’s kingdom fully to earth.

God’s original purpose has never changed. In Genesis, humanity was created to partner with God, filling the earth and enabling it to flourish as heaven and earth overlapped. Though humanity repeatedly failed in this calling, God did not abandon His plan. Through Jesus’ death and resurrection, and through the gift of the Holy Spirit, we are once again invited to participate in His kingdom work.

The early church was transformed because ordinary people accepted that invitation and allowed God to shape them. The Christian life remains a process of spiritual formation. Pain, sorrow and mistakes are still part of that journey, but the destination is secure.

What about those who have already died before Christ’s return? Scripture doesn’t answer every question, and theologians refer to this mystery as the “intermediate state.” While details remain unclear, we can be certain that those who belong to Christ are safe in His presence (2 Cor 5:8) for nothing can separate us from the love of God (Romans 8:38-39).

Finally, Revelation 21 gives us a breathtaking picture of our ultimate destination. The Bible does not describe believers leaving earth to go up to heaven. Instead, the Holy City, the New Jerusalem, comes down from heaven. God’s dwelling place is once again with humanity. The broken relationship is restored, creation is renewed, and God’s people will flourish in perfect partnership with Him.

The story that began in a garden in Genesis reaches its fulfilment in a glorious city where heaven and earth are united.

As N. T. Wright reminds us, our ultimate hope is not “going to heaven when we die,” but being bodily raised into the transformed and glorious likeness of Jesus Christ.

This is the certain future that shapes how we live today and the hope we are called to share with others.