All through my growing up years as a Christian, I often heard Sunday school teachers, pastors, preachers and guest speakers talking nonchalantly about heaven and hell. Many a times, some would even preached at the wake of Christians who had passed on to bring comfort to those who are mourning that the deceased had 'gone to heaven to enjoy life forevermore'. But a careful study of Scripture will show that it teaches no such thing. So what is the truth of the destiny of all those who had died throughout the millennia since our distant ancestors walked the earth? Let's go through Scripture to find out.
The concept of the dead who had believed in Christ going to heaven and those who had not, going to hell is to believe that human beings have immortal soul. But Ezekiel 18:4 & 20 state, 'the soul that sinneth, it shall die' , and since 'all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God' - Romans 3:23, all human beings died and those who had died remained dead, they do NOT have eternal life somewhere else (whether in heaven or hell) as no human being has an immortal soul. All humans are souls and when they die, the souls died as well.To believe that the 'lost' are all 'burning in hell fire' after death is to imply that the wages of sin is 'eternal life in hell'.
Such man-made theology is pagan in origin and was popularised by a novelist named Dante Aligeirli who wrote the novel Divine Comedy in the thriteenth century. Dante was influenced by Greek philosophers like Plato, Aristotle and other earlier writers to pen the novel about heaven and hell. Subsequent preachers and evangelists had made use of such concept to great drama and effect in reaching out to unbelieving audience to 'frighten them into trusting Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour'.
When a person dies, his or her spirit returns to God but it is not conscious and has no life of its own (Eccl: 3:21). The dead has no consciousness of existence and the passage of time (Psalm 6:5, 115:17, 146:4; Eccl 3:20, 9:5). 'My soul cleaveth unto the dust: quicken thou me according to thy word' - Ps 119:25. The Psalmist knew that when he died, he will be 'sleeping in the dust' awaiting the (First) Resurrection when Christ returns to claim the kingdom of God as the ruling King of all the earth. David knew full well his eternal destiny when he will be resurrected (First Resurrection) from death to become immortal spirit God being (born again) like Jesus Christ - 'I shall be satisfied, when I awake with thy likeness' - Psalm 17:15.
Interestingly, Jesus Christ told Nicodemus, a Pharisee, which was recorded in John 3:13 thus, 'And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.' Even after the ascension of Christ up to heaven, the Apostle Peter declared that 'David is both dead and buried...For David is not ascended into the heavens.' - Acts 2:29, 34. If David who is a man after God's own heart (1 Samuel 13:14) is not in heaven, even after the resurrection and ascension of Christ, then how is anyone going to get into heaven!
Jesus Christ taught in the Sermon on the Mount that 'the meek shall inherit the earth' - Matt 5:5. John recorded in Revelation 5:10 which should be correctly translated as 'And has made them (the saints) unto our God kings and priests, and they (the saints) shall reign on the earth.' Similarly, it was recorded in Revelation 2:26 - ' And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations.' Man-made theology would have you believe that heaven is an eternal playground for believers to roll and idle around forever with nothing better to do. But such teaching is contrary to the Gospel message which Christ and all His Apostles taught!
The prophet Daniel also recorded in chapter 7:14,18,22 &27 about Christ being officially given the rulership of the kingdom of God by the Heavenly Father and the saints of God were given the task to rule and reign with Christ on planet earth - hence the title of Christ as King of kings (saints) and Lord of lords (humans on earth). Towards the end, the prophet Daniel was told by Archangel Michael to rest (die) till the time of resurrection at the end of days (end of church age) - Daniel 12:13.
Some sceptics may weigh in Christ's promise to the thief in Luke 23:43 of granting him safe passage to heaven. But this is purely a mistranslation. Since in the original Greek manuscript which was inspired, there is no punctuation, the coma was incorrectly placed. It should rightly be translated as, 'Verily I say unto thee today (that is, right now), shalt thou be with me in paradise.' If Christ had promised the thief that today he shall be with Him in paradise, the Lord is contradicting Himself. For He was three days and three nights in the grave and when Mary Magdalene saw Him on the fourth day, Christ told her, 'Touch me not, for I am not yet ascended to my Father (in heaven).' - John 20: 17.
Besides, He would be contradicting Himself on His statement in John 3:13. That is why He told His hearers that 'Where I go (heaven), you cannot come' - John 8:21,22; John 13:33. The thief will not be in the first resurrection as he was not baptised and had no time to develop the righteous character required to become sons of God. Since he repented of his sins, Christ will not condemn him and he will be in the second resurrection towards the end of the Millennium Age. By then, earth would have been a paradise. Jesus Christ is coming to earth and NOT the saints going to heaven - Rev 22:12. All who died in faith, including Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are still 'sleeping in the grave' awaiting the First Resurrection - Hebrews 11: 13. Christians are heirs in this lifetime and to become inheritors when Christ returns. If the dead in Christ had gone on to heaven, why is there a need for resurrection (see 1 Cor chapter 15)? - it simply makes no sense!
The concept of the dead who had believed in Christ going to heaven and those who had not, going to hell is to believe that human beings have immortal soul. But Ezekiel 18:4 & 20 state, 'the soul that sinneth, it shall die' , and since 'all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God' - Romans 3:23, all human beings died and those who had died remained dead, they do NOT have eternal life somewhere else (whether in heaven or hell) as no human being has an immortal soul. All humans are souls and when they die, the souls died as well.To believe that the 'lost' are all 'burning in hell fire' after death is to imply that the wages of sin is 'eternal life in hell'.
Such man-made theology is pagan in origin and was popularised by a novelist named Dante Aligeirli who wrote the novel Divine Comedy in the thriteenth century. Dante was influenced by Greek philosophers like Plato, Aristotle and other earlier writers to pen the novel about heaven and hell. Subsequent preachers and evangelists had made use of such concept to great drama and effect in reaching out to unbelieving audience to 'frighten them into trusting Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour'.
When a person dies, his or her spirit returns to God but it is not conscious and has no life of its own (Eccl: 3:21). The dead has no consciousness of existence and the passage of time (Psalm 6:5, 115:17, 146:4; Eccl 3:20, 9:5). 'My soul cleaveth unto the dust: quicken thou me according to thy word' - Ps 119:25. The Psalmist knew that when he died, he will be 'sleeping in the dust' awaiting the (First) Resurrection when Christ returns to claim the kingdom of God as the ruling King of all the earth. David knew full well his eternal destiny when he will be resurrected (First Resurrection) from death to become immortal spirit God being (born again) like Jesus Christ - 'I shall be satisfied, when I awake with thy likeness' - Psalm 17:15.
Interestingly, Jesus Christ told Nicodemus, a Pharisee, which was recorded in John 3:13 thus, 'And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.' Even after the ascension of Christ up to heaven, the Apostle Peter declared that 'David is both dead and buried...For David is not ascended into the heavens.' - Acts 2:29, 34. If David who is a man after God's own heart (1 Samuel 13:14) is not in heaven, even after the resurrection and ascension of Christ, then how is anyone going to get into heaven!
Jesus Christ taught in the Sermon on the Mount that 'the meek shall inherit the earth' - Matt 5:5. John recorded in Revelation 5:10 which should be correctly translated as 'And has made them (the saints) unto our God kings and priests, and they (the saints) shall reign on the earth.' Similarly, it was recorded in Revelation 2:26 - ' And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations.' Man-made theology would have you believe that heaven is an eternal playground for believers to roll and idle around forever with nothing better to do. But such teaching is contrary to the Gospel message which Christ and all His Apostles taught!
The prophet Daniel also recorded in chapter 7:14,18,22 &27 about Christ being officially given the rulership of the kingdom of God by the Heavenly Father and the saints of God were given the task to rule and reign with Christ on planet earth - hence the title of Christ as King of kings (saints) and Lord of lords (humans on earth). Towards the end, the prophet Daniel was told by Archangel Michael to rest (die) till the time of resurrection at the end of days (end of church age) - Daniel 12:13.
Some sceptics may weigh in Christ's promise to the thief in Luke 23:43 of granting him safe passage to heaven. But this is purely a mistranslation. Since in the original Greek manuscript which was inspired, there is no punctuation, the coma was incorrectly placed. It should rightly be translated as, 'Verily I say unto thee today (that is, right now), shalt thou be with me in paradise.' If Christ had promised the thief that today he shall be with Him in paradise, the Lord is contradicting Himself. For He was three days and three nights in the grave and when Mary Magdalene saw Him on the fourth day, Christ told her, 'Touch me not, for I am not yet ascended to my Father (in heaven).' - John 20: 17.
Besides, He would be contradicting Himself on His statement in John 3:13. That is why He told His hearers that 'Where I go (heaven), you cannot come' - John 8:21,22; John 13:33. The thief will not be in the first resurrection as he was not baptised and had no time to develop the righteous character required to become sons of God. Since he repented of his sins, Christ will not condemn him and he will be in the second resurrection towards the end of the Millennium Age. By then, earth would have been a paradise. Jesus Christ is coming to earth and NOT the saints going to heaven - Rev 22:12. All who died in faith, including Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are still 'sleeping in the grave' awaiting the First Resurrection - Hebrews 11: 13. Christians are heirs in this lifetime and to become inheritors when Christ returns. If the dead in Christ had gone on to heaven, why is there a need for resurrection (see 1 Cor chapter 15)? - it simply makes no sense!
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