Is So-And-So in Heaven?

Is So-And-So in Heaven?

Recently I came across a Youtube video consisting of a discussion among conservative evangelical influencers about whether “so-and-so” (name left out here) is in heaven. The so-and-so in question died recently and was for years a very well-known evangelical Christian influencer, apologist, popular speaker. After he died several people came forward to tattle on him, saying that he lived an immoral life. Which means, of course, that he did some things they consider immoral. Is there proof? I don’t know. But I wonder why people tattle on others after they die and can’t defend themselves.

Is it any of our business to judge who is in heaven and who is not? I don’t think so. Surely Jesus meant that by “Judge not.” He certainly couldn’t have meant “Don’t critique anyone” or “Don’t hold anyone accountable.” He judged many people in those ways, especially the Pharisees and Scribes of his day.

But let’s say all the participants in the discussion agreed (they didn’t) that the man in question IS in heaven. Would that make it right to judge him? I don’t think so. It would be presumptuous. Let God be God, the only judge, the only one who decides and knows who is in heaven and who is not.

Besides, it’s theologically sloppy to talk about “heaven” in that way. Yes, yes, I know the Bible’s language about the “after-life locations” is not precise. But, for the most part, “heaven” is God’s dwelling place and the future “new creation.” Where are believers, people who die in the grace of God, immediately after death, before the return of Christ and the resurrection? Both Jesus and Paul called it “paradise.” And the Bible tells us very little about it.

So, is so-and-so in paradise? Would be the right way to ask it. But, even then, who knows for sure? Certainly we can guess, especially about people we knew well. But to hold a kind of symposium or forum of experts to decide whether a public person was saved or not is presumptuous. My advice to them and anyone who is tempted to do such is “Leave it alone.”

My theology professor often said that we will be surprised at who we see in heaven/paradise. I tend to agree.

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