N. T. Wright writes against this way of thinking about the Christian life-after-death, or rather life after 'life-after-death':
'Heaven' for Paul, here as elsewhere, is not so much where people go after they die - he remains remarkably silent on that, with the possible exception of Colossians 3:3-4 - but the place where the divinely intended future for the world is kept safely in store, against the day when, like new props being brought out from the wings and onto the stage, it will come to birth in the renewed world, 'on earth as in heaven'. If I assure my guests that there is champagne for them in the fridge I am not suggesting that we all need to get into the fridge if we are to have the party. The future body, the non-corruptible (and hence 'eternal') 'house' is at present 'in the heavens' as opposed to 'on earth'... but it will not stay there. For us to put it on on top of our present 'house' (clothes, bodies, houses, temples and tents; why mix two metaphors if four or five will do?) will require that it be brought from heaven (5:2).
Resurrection of the Son of God, p. 368
