Many Christians seem to think that God’s ultimate plan is to obliterate Earth like a Death Star and transport bodiless souls into an immaterial, heavenly realm.

They think that Bible passages like 2 Peter 3:10 means that God will nuke our universe and start from scratch.

But that’s not what the Bible says.

God’s mission is for the Kingdom of Heaven to fully embrace and renew Earth. As theologian N. T Wright points out:

“Rather than rescuing people from the earth in order to reach heaven, the creator God would finally bring heaven and earth together in a great act of new creation, completing the original creative purpose by healing the entire cosmos of its ancient ills.”

The core ideas of Christianity are 1) the incarnation, which means that spirit and matter should unite, not be apart; and 2) the resurrection, which means that the afterlife will be bodily and physical.

2 Peter 3:10 isn’t about God deleting creation but restoring it to its original, sinless state. As Paul says:

“For the creation was subjected to futility, not by its own will, but because of the One who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.” (Rom 8:20-21)

Then we will enjoy eternal, joyful life with him in the New Universe, with endless worship, adventure, and love.