When Did Heaven And Hell Become The Focus Of Salvation?

A friend recently asked me the question, “When did salvation come to be understood in terms of going to heaven or hell?” The immediate response in my mind was, “it has always been about heaven or hell.” But before I could get the words out of my mouth, I paused to consider the question from a historical perspective. Quickly my mind processed the overarching focus of salvation in the New Testament and I had to admit that the New Testament believers were not consumed with escaping hell and getting into heaven. They were focused on salvation and the work of the cross as it affected their daily lives.

Yes, the New Testament clearly teaches that heaven is real and hell is real. If you don’t believe it, just ask the rich man and Lazarus. And the New Testament clearly teaches that those who do not believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that he died and rose from the grave will go to hell. Yes, going to heaven is involved in being saved and going to hell is the fate of those who reject God’s offer of salvation that is found only in Jesus.

But I think that the church is missing the full picture of what salvation really means. Heaven is just a part of salvation—a wonderful part but, nevertheless, only a part. Salvation is far more than escaping the fires of hell and going to heaven one day.

When Christianity became the official religion of the dying Roman Empire, the masses either converted to Christianity because they were forced to do so or because it was professionally or financially convenient. The result is that the church was suddenly filled with people who had no genuine walk with the Lord. In order to control an unconverted church membership, the clergy began to threaten the people with the fires of hell and to offer them the bliss of heaven. As this theology became entrenched in the minds of the people, they remained faithful to the church and obedient to the clergy because that was the only way to escape the torment of hell that was constantly held over their heads. For the next several centuries the people lived in terror of the God who would send them to hell and they lived in subjection to the church that could offer them salvation or escape from this dreaded fate.

When Martin Luther received the revelation that the just shall live by faith, he was released from the bondage of religion and entered into a level of freedom that had been largely unknown for centuries. What is known as the Protestant Reformation was thus launched and the world was changed.

I submit that the time has come for another Reformation. Luther’s emphasis and that of theology until today only focused on grace through faith as the way to salvation. The goal of salvation was still on escaping hell and going to heaven. It is time to reform our thinking and recover the true and full meaning of salvation. It is time for another reformation.