Results 1 - 2 of 2
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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | How are pre-Christians made perfect? | Heb 11:40 | bstudent | 114716 | ||
Concerning Jesus relating the account of Lazarus and the rich man, I wanted to share some of my reasonings based on the Scriptures. 1) This is a parable, not to be taken as literal. The preceding account at Luke 16:1-8 begins very similarly to the subject account. Also notice verses 14 and 15. I think the Pharisees knew that Jesus was using the "rich man" to represent their position and privilege, but that 'The kingdom of God shall be taken away from them, and shall be given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof,' common Jews who were despised by the Pharisees but repented and became Jesus' followers, represented by Lazarus (which means "God Has Helped.") (See Matthew 21:31,32,43) 2) Since Adam, the "wages of sin is death." That is death only! To tell Adam he would die, when in actuality he would continue living only to be tormented eternally strikes me as incredible implausible given God's nature. (1 John 4:8; Deuteronomy 32:4) I could not worship a God that would be less righteous than one of his creatures, creatures that are abhorred by fellow humans that would torture another human even for a few moments, even when such are guilty of dispicably inhuman acts themselves. Interestingly, when the Israelites had sunk to the degraded practice of their pagan neighbors, that of sacrificing their children, God had the following to say: "And they have built the high places of Topheth, which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire; which I commanded not, neither came it into my mind." (Jeremiah 7:31) Satan is the father of the lie and god of this system, and as such, he attempts to use false religious teachings to bring reproach on the true God. It was the privilege of Jesus and is the privilege of his disciples to help others know the Father that "loved the world so much that he gave his only begotton son." Jesus taught us to pray: "Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name" (or, "may your name be sanctified", made holy.) Proverbs 27:11 states: "My son, be wise, and make my heart glad, That I may answer him that reproacheth me." I hope that this information helps you to furnish such a reply to Satan. |
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2 | How are pre-Christians made perfect? | Heb 11:40 | kalos | 114726 | ||
"If hell fire is false and if self-awareness after death is also false, then Jesus is using false doctrines to teach a truth. Parables illustrate truth." ____________________ If anyone reading this is a Jehovah's Witness, please understand that I am not against you as an individual. 'Luke 16:19-31, Lazarus and the Rich Man ' In Luke 16:19-31 is the story of Lazarus and the rich man. Basically, Lazarus is a poor man who suffers during life. The rich man is, of course, rich. They both die. The rich man goes to Hades. Lazarus goes to Abraham's bosom, another term for paradise. In Hades, the rich man lifts up his eyes and sees Lazarus far off. He cries out to Abraham and asks for mercy because he is in agony in flame. Abraham says no. Then the rich man asks if someone from the dead were to rise and go tell his brothers not to come to this terrible place. Abraham teaches him that that will not be done either. ' Some say that this is a parable. However, if it is, it is unique because no other parable actually names a person. It isn't a story. It is history. It really happened. But many who believe in no consciousness after death will say it is still a parable. The question then is, if it is? What is it teaching? If hell fire is false and if self-awareness after death is also false, then Jesus is using false doctrines to teach a truth. Parables illustrate truth. If it is a parable what does the consciousness after death symbolize? Also, what does the agony in flame symbolize? Are they not real? Of course they are. 'The words associated with Hell 'Gehenna ' In the OT, the word for hell is 'ge-hinnom' meaning "Valley of Hinnom." It was a place to the southwest of Jerusalem. This place was once "called 'Topheth' and derived from an Aramaic word meaning 'fireplace.' It was here that some pagan kings practiced human sacrifice by fire (2 Chron. 28:3; 33:6; Jer. 7:31; 32:25)(1). This is probably why in the NT the word came to be associated with destruction by fire. The word 'gehenna' is found in the NT 12 times and every instance is spoken of by Jesus. In the NT, "gehenna" is used of a condition and never of a place. 'Hades ' This word only occurs in the NT, ten times, and corresponds to the OT word "sheol." Jesus uses the word four times: Matt. 11:23; 16:18; Luke 10:15; 16:23. The other six occur in Acts 2:27,31; Rev. 1:18; 6:8; 20:13,14. ' It was probably the "subterranean abode of all the dead until the judgment. It was divided into two departments, paradise or Abraham's bosom for the good, and Gehenna or hell for the bad."(2) In particular, in the account of Lazarus and the Rich man of (Luke 16:19-31), it is the place of the conscious dead who are wicked. 'Sheol ' "The Hebrew word Sheol is probably derived from a root "to make hollow," and was seen as the common receptacle of the dead and in the great many places the word appears in the OT, it is referring to the grave.(3) It is a place and is mentioned in Gen. 37:35; Num. 16:30,33; Psalm 16:10, etc. Sheol has many meanings in scripture: the grave, the underworld, the state of the dead. It was supposed to be below the surface of the earth (Ezek. 31:15,17; Psalm 86:13). (...) 'Conclusion ' Hell is a real place. It is not mere unconsciousness. It is not temporal. It is eternal torment. Perhaps that is why Jesus spoke more of hell than heaven and spent so much time warning people not to go there. After all, if people just stopped existing, why warn them? If it was temporal, they'd get out in a while. But if it were eternal and conscious, then the warning is strong. 'Jesus said, "And if your right eye makes you stumble, tear it out, and throw it from you; for it is better for you that one of the parts of your body perish, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30"And if your right hand makes you stumble, cut it off, and throw it from you; for it is better for you that one of the parts of your body perish, than for your whole body to go into hell," (Matt. 5:29-30).' ____________________ (www.carm.org/doctrine/hell.htm) |
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