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NASB | John 14:3 "If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | John 14:3 "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and I will take you to Myself, so that where I am you may be also. |
Bible Question:
Now I'm not sure if there can be a proven fact for this question, but it would be cool to see some of the answers to it. Is there really a Heaven or Hell like most people think that there is? The only thing that we know about Heaven that I am aware of is that it is a big city, but how could that be if the Bible calls it the New Jerusalem. But then you have the new world but that isnt even given the name or implication of Heaven. Also the Bible never says that we will live in Heaven but rather the new world. Now as for Hell. If the wages of sin is death and in Rev. we find that the lake of fire(Hell) is the second death then why do some people say that if you go to Hell you will be in torment for eternity? Some say that your body consists of an immortal soul but why then would Paul say in Thessalonians that when Jesus returns that this mortal shall put on immortality. Therefore stating that if we go to Hell we do not have an immortal soul to suffer toment for eternity but rather do we just become annihalated from existence? Now I'm not saying that there is no Heaven or Hell dont get me wrong, but what I am saying is could the Heaven and Hell that we thought about for so long actually different in reality? Could it be that maybe Heaven is a demention and Hell is complete annihilation? |
Bible Answer: Hamesterulz: I believe human language is inadequate to describe heaven and hell. The verse I quoted from John 14:3 is a promise of the Lord Jesus that he was going to prepare a place for us that we might be with him forever. He did not call it heaven, but rather he refers to his personal presence with his people. I think that is where the words come from "where Jesus is, tis heaven there." You mentioned 1 Thess. 4: 13-18 regarding the coming of the Lord for those who sleep in Jesus. In other words those who have died who have trusted Christ for salvation. This terminology is never used to describe those who have died without Christ. In fact in Rev. 20 they are referred to as "the dead small and great" According to 2 Cor. 5:8 when the believer dies "They are absent from the body and present with the Lord" Again you have mentioned "this mortal puts on mortality" this is found in 1 Cor.15:51-57 where we are told that believers will not all die, but we will be changed when Christ comes. It is at this time that our mortal bodies will be translated into immortal bodies forever. I have often said that words which would describe heaven are inadequate to decribe the glories. Likewise, human words can never describe what it will be for those who make the choice to be lost and separate from God forever. Hell has several meanings in scripture. In many cases it simply describes the place of departed spirits. Thus, we have the statement that at the Great White throne judgement of Rev. 20 for the dead, that "death and hell gave up the dead which where in them" Rev. 20:13 Is hell eternal? Is heaven eternal? We read in Rev. 14:11 concerning those who have rejected Christ "And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name." It is interesting that Jesus spoke more of hell than he did of heaven and warned people that they there on the broadway which leads to destruction. I do not read of annilation in the Bible. We are born living souls and as such we will live forever either in heaven with Christ or in hell to be separated from him forever. Rev. 20 makes it clear that all lost souls will stand before God. I realize that there are many today who would teach otherwise. I think however, when considering these solumn issues,that what we think does not change the truth. Robert |