New Heavens and New Earth
God will renew creation.
This doctrine defines Christian orthodoxy. Denial places one outside the historic faith.
Who binds this (creedal)
Every affiliated congregation inherits its denomination's position. Follow a chip to see the confession's language.
Key scriptures
- 2Pet 3:13 — Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
- Col 1:20 — And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.
- Eph 1:10 — That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:
- Heb 12:26 — Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.
- Isa 11:6 — The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.
- Isa 25:6 — And in this mountain shall the LORD of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined.
- Isa 65:17 — For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.
- Isa 66:22 — For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain.
- Matt 19:28 — And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
- Rev 21:1 — And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
- Rev 21:4 — And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
- Rev 21:5 — And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.
- Rev 22:1 — And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.
- Rev 22:3 — And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:
- Rom 8:21 — Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
What the confessions say
Articles of the historic confessions that address this doctrine.
- Reformed Westminster Confession of Faith 4.2 — Of Creation
- Reformed Baptist 1689 London Baptist Confession 31.1 — Of the State of Man after Death and of the Resurrection of the Dead
- Reformed Baptist 1689 London Baptist Confession 32.2 — Of the Last Judgment
- Reformed Heidelberg Catechism Q90 — What is the coming to life of the new nature?
- Reformed Belgic Confession Art12 — The Creation of All Things
- Lutheran Augsburg Confession Article 17 — Of Christ's Return to Judgment
The Church Fathers
The earliest Fathers who commented on the Scriptures above.
The elders who saw John, the disciple of the Lord, related that they had heard from him how the Lord used to teach in regard to these times, and say: The days will come, in which vines shall grow, each having ten thousand branches, and in each branch ten thousand twigs, and in each true twig ten thousand shoots, and in each one of the…
The predicted blessing, therefore, belongs unquestionably to the times of the kingdom, when the righteous shall bear rule upon their rising from the dead; when also the creation, having been renovated and set free, shall fructify with an abundance of all kinds of food, from the dew of heaven, and from the fertility of the earth: as the…
For how is He before all, if He is not before all things? How, again, is He before all things, if He is not "the first-born of every creature"-if He is not the Word of the Creator? Now how will he be proved to have been before all things, who appeared after all things? Who can tell whether he had a prior existence, when he has found no…
The God of all things therefore became truly, according to the Scriptures, without conversion, sinless man, and that in a manner known to Himself alone, as He is the natural Artificer of things which are above our comprehension. And by that same saving act of the incarnation He introduced into the flesh the activity of His proper…
In gift giving it is not the gift itself that God praises and approves but the will and sincerity of the giver. He excuses and holds more acceptable the one who gave less but gave it with more perfect sincerity than the one who gave more from a fuller store but with less pure affection. Thus, from what is written about the gifts of the…
The river of life sets forth that the grace of spiritual doctrine flowed through the minds of the faithful, and that manifold flourishing forms of odours germinated therein. The tree of life on either bank sets forth the Advent of Christ, according to the flesh, who satisfied the peoples wasted with famine, that received life from One…