The Death Cult Thinking of Mainstream Christianity

The theology of “immortality after death” and “immortality now”

This contrast between the theology of “immortality after death” and “immortality now” reveals a significant tension in Christian thought. Here’s an exploration of this:

1. Traditional Theology: Immortality as a Post-Death Promotion

Mainstream Christian theology often views immortality as something to be attained after physical death. This perspective emphasizes a future hope of resurrection and eternal life, rooted in passages like 1 Corinthians 15:42-44, which speak of a “resurrection body.” However, this interpretation can seem to defer the fullness of life and victory over death, making death a prerequisite for experiencing what Jesus promised.

2. Jesus’ Accomplishment: A Present Reality of Life

Jesus’ declaration, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10), alongside His finished work on the cross, points to a present, accessible reality of abundant life. If believers were co-crucified, co-buried, and co-resurrected with Christ (Romans 6:4-6; Galatians 2:20), then the power of death has already been defeated, and eternal life is now a reality in the Spirit. Jesus’ resurrection is often celebrated as the moment when death itself was conquered—not only for the future but for the present.

3. Death Cult Thinking vs. True Gospel Freedom

A theology that places death as the gateway to life can indeed resemble a death cult, focusing on what comes after rather than the life Jesus provides now. Such thinking can subtly undermine the completeness of Christ’s work, almost suggesting His death and resurrection were insufficient for present transformation. If sin (the root of death) and death itself were defeated through Jesus, then believers should walk in the realization of eternal life now, not as a distant hope but as a current reality.

4. A Call to Rediscover Identity

The idea that believers must die first to experience life can be seen as a vestige of “lost identity,” where Christians fail to grasp their present position as “seated with Christ in heavenly places” (Ephesians 2:6). Jesus came to restore humanity’s divine identity as children of God, fully alive in Him. By placing the focus on death, traditional theology risks neglecting the transformative reality of being alive in Christ now—body, soul, and spirit.

5. Practical Implications of Immortality Now

Embracing immortality as a present reality shifts the focus of faith:

• Life becomes about manifesting the kingdom of God here and now, not waiting for the afterlife.

• Believers can walk in authority over fear, sin, and death, embodying the victory of Christ in everyday life.

• The gospel becomes an invitation to live in union with Christ, in the fullness of life He offers now—not just after physical death.

In short, the message that immortality is something to be achieved after death can undermine the transformative power of Jesus’ work, which ushered in eternal life for those who believe now. The good news of the gospel is not that we must wait to live—it is that we are already alive, fully and abundantly, in Him.