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NASB | 1 John 3:2 Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | 1 John 3:2 Beloved, we are [even here and] now children of God, and it is not yet made clear what we will be [after His coming]. We know that when He comes and is revealed, we will [as His children] be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is [in all His glory]. |
Subject: Actual bodies in heaven? |
Bible Note: John, I have to admit that I am a bit stupefied as to why you would ask this question. I'm struggling to understand it. "our mobility for Earth to Heaven..."? "gates of Heaven will be closed..."? I am not sure what you’re really even asking. I'll still try to sum up, but forgive me if I am not answering what you are asking. Rev. 21 is a good place to start, although the teaching in Rev. 21 runs through the Bible. God's dwelling will be with mankind. If by Heaven you mean some place "up" in the sky, then no, people will not be there in the End Times (or the World to Come.) We were created to live on Earth (or if you will, a New Earth.) God comes down to dwell with us here. If by Heaven you mean the "holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God" (Rev 21:10) where "its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb." (Rev 21:22) Then yes, the gates of that city will be open to all who are "written in the Lamb's book of life." (Rev 21:27) But again, I am not sure if I am interpreting your question correctly. I know that many of the other religions and particularly the Greek religions of the 1st-3rd century believed that after death, peoples’ spirits would travel to the heavens with the gods, but they also didn’t believe in the resurrection of the dead. They did believed the body to be the jail house of the soul. Once the soul was released, it would never wish to be confined to the flesh again. That is contrary to everything in Scriptures which teaches a physical resurrection of the body and a reuniting of the body and soul. I know that many Christians adopt this sort of “pagan” view of living in heaven as an Angel or spirit for eternity, but that’s because they lack any good teaching. Plus pastors are always using phrases such as “living with God in heaven for eternity” which given the general publics understanding of what heaven is, a place out in space somewhere, it propagates a misunderstanding and even a false idea. We will not live in that idea of heaven for eternity. We will live in a physical body on a physical Earth. Gravity still holds us in place…no floating around with harps on clouds. I’m not trying to be condescending. I must be reading you wrong because based on your posts here; I would not expect a question like this from you. MJH |