Tag Archives: life after death

Personal Journey With Jesus

A Praying Woman is Powerful

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My mom, younger brother, and I lived with my grandmother from the time I was five years old until I started the 5th grade at ten years old.  As my two cousins will testify, “Mamaw” knew The Lord in a very special way.

My sweet Grandmother had a habit of kneeling beside the bed at night and praying to her Savior. She often prayed softly but loud enough so that I heard my name being presented to the throne room of Heaven. There were times I felt if I opened my eyes, I would see Jesus and her having a cup of tea while they talked.

Her prayers affect me to this day even though she died Christmas Eve 1976. This was only four months after my conversion from atheism to a follower of Christ. My first wife, who had just given her life to the Lord, challenged me to study her notes and prove her wrong.  After months of study, I proved myself wrong and gave myself to the work of the Lord Jesus.

As my dear grandmother lay in the hospital bed that silent night, I asked The Lord to let her sleep so she would not be in pain and the confusion of Parkinson’s disease.  I got news of her death after I left the hospital and arrived at home, where my wife and 2-month-old daughter waited for me.

That exact prayer for God’s mercy would be repeated years later for my saintly mother, who died from a lung infection.  My prayer was, “Lord, let her sleep to escape the pain of death.”  The doctors asked the family to say our goodbyes.  When it came to my turn, I trembled.  My mother had been praying for ten years for my return to the Lord.  After eighteen years of service and following Jesus, I asked God to go away.  I had lost faith due to tragedies in my life in 1994. 

Mom often asked me when I was going to come back to the faith I once knew.  Lately, I had begun to feel that familiar pull of the Holy Spirit to repent of my sins and receive forgiveness.

 The Lord was knocking hard on the door of my heart. A lump the size of my fist was stuck in my throat as I approached this beautiful woman who had given me life.  Like my Grandmother, my Mom knew the Lord and was close to HIm.    Icema Pappas was the sweetest, non-obtrusive woman I had ever known. She was only moments away from the penalty passed upon all….death.  We would be separated, perhaps forever.

Years earlier, after my conversion, she and I had studied the Bible about the resurrection and the coming of Jesus.  It was in this study we saw the plan for those who die in Christ.  The clearest verse is found in 1 Thessalonians 4: 16-18 (GW)

The Lord will come from heaven with a command, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the dead who believed in Christ will come back to life.  Then, together with them, we who are still alive will be taken up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. In this way, we will always be with the Lord.  So then, comfort each other with these words!

When I leaned in close to my Mom, who seemed to be at peace but under the influence of the drugs to help soften the sting of death, I said these words through wet tears dripping on her hand. I held her soft, sweet hands close to my face.

 “Mom, I will see you resurrection morning.”

Immediately, I felt a squeeze of her hand! Twice! That tightening of her hand had strength despite the drugs and impending death.  It communicated the unspoken words,

“You better be there.”

Even in death, her humor and concern for me came through loud and clear through that grip!

Like those who see their life pass before their eyes when they think they are about to die, I recounted my fall from grace.  My fall had been dramatic, just like my conversion.  When converted, I was compelled to teach others about what I had learned.  I became a Bible teacher with a very large class.  I got involved in prison ministry and a world-wide magazine did a story on my ministry.  A Christian brother (Charlie) and I began a radio ministry called Answers from Scripture.  When Billy Graham came to town, I participated in training to become a counselor.  For several nights, I had the incredible experience of working next to Jesus and the Graham team to help people start their “Jesus Journey.”

Jesus did things through me I never dreamed possible or likely.

But, a series of events in 1994 had me shaking my fist at God.  I felt He had forsaken me.  I turned back to the world and began to drink for the first time in my life.   After several years,  I became an alcoholic after feeling the deep pain of a sick child with a rare disease, a surprise divorce, losing my job unexpectedly, and the death of my father in a car wreck. Looking back, I should have pleaded with God, but I took the self-pity route.

I was so low that I could not feel God’s presence any longer, but He was there protecting me and hearing the prayers of these two powerful women in my life….not to mention many others in my church and my family.

This experience with my dying mother would only make that “still small voice.” louder.    Later that year, I would return to the Lord like the prodigal son…dirty, broke, and doubtful.  That is a story unto itself.  My God had not forsaken me!  He allowed me to waste my inheritance for the salvation of my soul.

My experience with my Creator is now stronger than ever before….in Christ, but I know that the prayers of these two beautiful women (and my ex-wife) interceded for me and stood in the gap by praying in my stead when I could not or would not do so.

(For my three-part conversion story, click here:)

A Clean Pig Returns to the Mud-Part 1

A Clean Pig Returns to the Mud-Part 2

A Pig Washed A Second Time-Conclusion

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Last night (New Year’s Eve 2015), I had the same feeling of hearing my name being presented to The Lord just like I heard from my grandmother and my mother years before.

My beautiful wife of almost two years (Judy) has a tradition of praying at midnight each new year. (What a contrast to the parties and drinking that I once indulged.)  I tried to stay up till midnight, but we both fell asleep.

I was awakened by a soft touch on my arm and the sound of my beloved wife praying for me at midnight. She said The Lord woke her at 11:55 PM to pray.

There is nothing more powerful than a praying and believing woman! During Christ’s time on earth, it was the women who were closer and more loyal than the fearful men.  These women dared the enemy of man and his agents by standing at the foot of the cross to comfort the dying Savior.  Except for John, the disciples had all fled.

I am blessed by the prayers of four women in my life:  My Grandmother, Mother, first wife (Mother of my children), and now my wife of two years, who encourages me along in my “Jesus Journey.” Also, those two female cousins I mentioned at the start also pray for me as I do for them!

Thank you, Judy, for carrying the prayer torch into another year and for praying for me…and my children.  May I come to know the Lord like the women in my life!

Yes, I am blessed by the women who love me.  But I bet you are, too!


“The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous (woman) avails much.”

James 5:16

Death and Resurrection, What to Do With Doubt

WHAT TO DO WITH DOUBT-(RESURRECTION)

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 And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace to you!” Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.”

John 20: 26, 27

The resurrection is not preached and taught enough. It is mostly mentioned at Easter services once a year. So sad! Jesus overcoming death and rising from death was the hope of the Apostles’ letters, preaching, and teaching, especially Paul’s. We should contemplate what that means to us as followers of Christ. There is more here than you might not have considered. Paul said,

“…that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.

Philippians 3: 10, 11

Jesus’ resurrection is not only proof of His divinity, but it also gives us hope of the same when He returns as it did all the disciples. But, If Jesus was not resurrected, our faith is in vain. I didn’t say this; Paul did!

Have you ever thought about the claims of Jesus when he said,  

“I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.”

John 11:25

For every person, there is death, but we shall all live when our resurrections occur. How important is the resurrection of Jesus? Was it a real event or did Jesus’ disciples just dream it up?  What will our bodies be like when we are resurrected?  What happens before then?

Doubt is demolished when a person comes to truly believe that Jesus was resurrected and He has the same plan for us when He returns.

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This account is from Thomas, who separated himself from the other disciples after the crucifixion and did not see them again for about eight days after Jesus appeared to them (John 20:24-26).  

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Greetings.  I am Thomas, one of his original 12 disciples.  Jesus commissioned me to do mighty works for the kingdom of God, but I am confused and skeptical, just as you may be.  Let me tell you what I know and the timelines.  I have not seen the other disciples since the last supper, which was the day before the Preparation Day.  You will call it Thursday.  Most of us were scattered when He went to trial and was crucified.  I think I saw Peter on the other side of the hill weeping on that day.

First of all, I know that Jesus is dead!  I saw him beaten, scourged, and eventually nailed to that cruel Roman Cross. He died on the afternoon of the Preparation Day.  This is the day you Gentiles call Friday.  It is the day us Jews and the converts prepare for the Sabbath, a day of rest and worship.  I have always enjoyed the Sabbath, especially with Jesus, but this Sabbath was different.  We all retreated to a secret spot to literally rest from the events of the previous 24 hours, but our souls were not at rest.  The women had seen the body of Jesus and were resting according to the Sabbath commandment.  Their plan was to go to the tomb of Jesus at the rising of the sun on the First Day of the week to prepare his body. (John 20:19 and Luke 23:56)

The Scribes and Pharisees wanted Jesus dead because they said He claimed to be God and that he could tear down the temple and build it again in three days.  Often Jesus would say things like this that made little sense to me. But, later, he would explain it to His followers, and we could see its true meaning.

Since the religious leaders didn’t want Jesus and the two thieves hanging on the cross during the Sabbath, they broke the legs of the thieves to hurry the death process.  You see, a man hanging on the cross with broken legs is unable to push up against the nails in his feet to get a breath with their legs broken.  The diaphragm will collapse in such a way that they smother to death.  Such a disgusting and uncomfortable slow death, but since the Sabbath was only a few hours from the beginning, they were fortunate and did not have to suffer for days as have many others.  The Romans are so cruel! But, I don’t put all the blame on them.  Our own religious leaders pushed and pushed until they finally got what they wanted…the scourging and death of Jesus.

But, when the soldiers came to Jesus, they supposed he was already dead and did not break his legs but rather took a sword and pierced his side just to make sure (John 19: 31-37).  Blood and water came forth.  I saw it even though I watched from a distance to protect myself from the same fate.   It was horrible!  It took the air out of me (so to speak) and made me wonder why I followed Jesus in the first place.  So, I know Jesus to be dead!  Even the women knew He was dead and went to His tomb that Friday afternoon to look at his body and to prepare spices to anoint him early on Sunday morning.

Mary Magdalene, who Jesus had cast out seven demons, said that she had seen Jesus at the tomb with two angels.  But I don’t know about her.  She did have demons, didn’t she?  Jesus cast out several demons out of her, but maybe one was leftover, making her mad.  The whole city must be mad because it is reported that many people who were dead were resurrected and appeared to many! (Matthew 27:53)  I have not seen any, but I must admit I have not been going out much lately. I feel lost and with no purpose or direction.  I just want to rest.

Then I heard that about eight days ago, on the day you Gentiles call Sunday, Cleopas and his friend were on their way to Emmaus and had an encounter with a spirit or something. It was reported to me by the other disciples that a stranger spent a good three hours giving a comparative study of the writings of the Tanakh or the Old Testament as you call it.

As they walked down the dusty road towards Emmaus, the stranger told them about how Jesus could be found all through scripture.  As they began to understand from the Tanakh about Jesus, they could see why He had to die on the cross. They said it made their “hearts burn within them.”  I remember Jesus saying something about dying and being resurrected, but it was so far from my thinking that I put it out of my mind.

Cleopas reported that they begged him to stay when they reached their destination and tell them more of what he knew.  But, the stranger turned out to be Jesus himself!  They apparently recognized him as He broke bread, and then He disappeared.  Can you imagine that?  He just disappeared!

They then raced back to Jerusalem with the news of what had just happened.   But the disciples were skeptical as I am. Now the other disciples are claiming Jesus showed up at their meeting and that he also gave them a comparative study from the Tanakh about himself.  He then asked for something to eat, and he ate some fish. Does a spirit eat food? Quite unusual.

So that is what I know so far.  It is all only rumor and wishful thinking as far as I am concerned.  Tragic events like this can lead you to think weird things.  So I think I will walk over and see how my friends are doing. The last time I saw them, they were fearful and unbelieving as I am, but something has come over them the last week.  They swear they have seen Jesus.

As I walk in, I notice the doors are not shut, and there is a certain confidence and happiness in the countenance of each one.  Peter rushes over to me and says,

“We have seen the Lord!”

My response is quick and to the point,

“Unless I see, in His hands, the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”

John 20:25

I am serious too.  His death has been difficult to both understand and accept.  My mind begins to fall back to those final moments before he died.  He said,

“Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.”

Luke 23:34

What did He mean by this?  Is there more to this than forgiveness?

As I am thinking about this, I look up, and right there in front of me is Jesus!  But….Jesus…you….are… Do I see a spirit?  I don’t believe in ghosts!  Then I hear His voice and His words:

Thomas…. “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.” John 20:27

I take my trembling finger and place it on the place where the nails were…both hands!  It is strange to feel a scar where I saw nails piercing his skin only a week or so ago.   I reach out and put my hand inside His robe and feel the warmth of His skin and the scar where the sword had been.  I then look up at His eyes. I see the kindness and royalty of a wise and gentle king and savior.  He IS alive!  I fall at his feet and say in remorse and acknowledgment.

“My Lord and my God!”

John 20:28

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“…we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body.”

Philippians 3: 20, 21

How Important is the Resurrection in your life?

How important is it in your experience and understanding of the Second Coming? Why is this so important?  Can’t we just believe that he existed and that be enough?

Jesus told Thomas these important words:

“Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

John 20: 29

We will never have the experience that Thomas had when he touched the risen and glorified body of Jesus, but we can still find evidence that will result in faith to believe that Jesus is alive and is preparing a place for those who believe and love Him.  You see, faith is based on substance and evidence.

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

Hebrews 11:1

If Christ was not raised, then the disciples are liars. We have no hope. We are not saved from anything.  Those who have “fallen asleep” in Christ have perished.  And when we sleep in Christ, there is no resurrection for us.  If we only have a Christ that died and did not come back to life, He is just like every other person who claims to be God.  Follow the logic of Paul’s argument in the following portion of scripture:

“Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty, and your faith is also empty. Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up—if, in fact, the dead do not rise. For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! Then also, those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.  If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.”  

1 Corinthians 15:  12-19

Here is the logic:

1.) If Resurrection is not possible, nor important, then Jesus has not been raised.

2.) If Jesus has not been raised, then preaching and teaching is in vain.

3.) If Preaching and teaching are in vain then faith is empty (It has no substance-nor basis).

4.) If faith is empty, then the disciples are false witnesses because they said they saw him alive.

4.) If the Disciples are false witnesses, then Christ has not risen.

5.) If Christ has not risen, then our faith in Christ is futile. All those who have died have perished.

6.) Since there is no hope of a resurrection, we are of men, most pitiable.

Paul told us that he did not want us to be ignorant about the resurrection and those who have fallen asleep (died).  If we are ignorant about it, we will sorrow like everyone else that does not have hope.  But, the fact that Jesus died and was resurrected gives us the hope of one day coming back to life through the resurrection.

Our hope is that Jesus is all that He claimed to be.  He claims to have the keys to the grave and death (Revelation 1:8). He claims to be the resurrection and the life and

“even though we die, we will live again.”

John 11:25

“ But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep (died), lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, God will bring (resurrect) with Him those who sleep in Jesus.”

1 Thessalonians 4:13, 14

Paul goes so far as to provide us with the clearest passage in the Bible about the day when all who have died in Christ will be resurrected.  It will happen this way: The Lord will descend from heaven.  It will be loud because there is a shout and a loud trumpet.  Also, the sky will be lit up with the angels and the glory of Jesus and the Father.

Those in the grave will hear his voice and will meet with those who are alive at the 2nd coming and meet them in the air.  This is the start of eternity with Jesus.  This picture described by Paul is the comfort for us who are to be resurrected. One day we will all be reunited with those alive at His coming.  Not at any other time, but at His second coming:

“For this, we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord, Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus, we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.”

 I Thessalonians 4:15-18

For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels, and then he shall reward every man according to his works.  (Note: our reward is when he comes)

Matthew 16:27 

Then the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory. 

Matthew 25:31

So how important is the resurrection?  It is critical to our salvation:

 “… if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” 

Romans 10:9

Why is the resurrection not discussed more?  It is the bedrock of the faith we follow regarding Jesus.

Many of the writers of the Bible believed in and put their hope in the resurrection.  Here is but a few:

Job:

“For I know that my Redeemer lives,

And He shall stand at last on the earth;

And after my skin is destroyed, this I know,

That in my flesh I shall see God,

Whom I shall see for myself,

And my eyes shall behold, and not another.

How my heart yearns within me! Job 19:25-27

Isaiah:

Your dead shall live;

Together with my dead body, they shall arise.

Awake and sing, you who dwell in dust;

For your dew is like the dew of herbs,

And the earth shall cast out the dead. Isaiah 26:19

Daniel:

And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.” Daniel 12:2

David:

 “As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness” Psalm 17:15

Abraham:

Of whom it was said, that in Isaac shall thy seed be called: Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead Hebrews 11:18

There is no precedence for the resurrection except for Jesus. No other person has raised themselves from the dead. Jesus said this about the resurrection:

Jesus said,

“I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.” 

John 11:25

And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.” 

John 6:40

Until the Lord returns, the dead sleep and wait for the last day when Jesus will raise them up.  What a day that will be!

“But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there (heaven), the Lord Jesus Christ,  who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.”

Philippians 3: 20-21

Look again at the resurrection of Jesus and His body.  Here you will see what our bodies shall look like.  As the verse above, and many others, tell us:  We “wait” for that glorious day when He returns and changes us.  It is not until that day that we can say,

 “Oh death, where is thy sting?  Oh grave, where is thy victory?”

1 Corinthians 15:55

We cannot say this at a funeral.  The context tells us, these words cannot be said until our risen Savior returns and changes our bodies like to his risen body:

 “Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 

 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

1 Corinthians 15: 51-55

In conclusion, let us not be a doubting Thomas but believe.  We are promised a blessing if we believe that Jesus was raised from the dead and that He can do the same for us!  He has promised to do that very thing when he returns.  Oh, what a day that will be!  The great “getting up morning”!

“In that great gettin’ up mornin’ fare the well, fare the well.”

Truth About the Deceased

The Loss of a Loved One…and Comforting Words…

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Sympathy Bible Verses for Funerals and Condolences | LoveToKnow

How do you deal with the death of a loved one?  Where does your comfort come from?  If you are an unbeliever of Jesus and the Bible, your comfort is likely to come from within yourself, earthly philosophies, prescribed medication, empathy from close friends and family, or self-medication (illegal drugs or alcohol). Your worldview is likely: you die, return to dust, and that is the end forever.  So the lifestyle motto is, “Eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we die.” 1 Corinthians 15:32


However, if you are a follower of Christ and a student of the Bible, you will not “grieve as do others who have no hope.” 1 Thessalonians 4:13.  Did you know the Bible is extremely clear on where we are to find our comfort? In fact, regarding death, Paul tells us in 1 Thessalonians 4: 18 we are “to comfort one another with these words.” What words?  Words like: “They are in a better place.” “They are finally reunited with their spouse.”  “They are with Jesus and the angels now.” ”That they are in heaven hunting with their favorite dog.” 


No! Those words are not to be given as comfort and should never be used.  They are not Biblical!  These are words made up by the imagination only. They are false words of comfort.  As someone once said, “The Bible may make you uncomfortable with the truth, but it will never comfort you with lies.”
Here are the words from the Bible that tells the follower of Jesus how they are to obtain peace of mind and comfort for someone close who has died “in Christ”: 


“For the Lord, himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. WHEREFORE COMFORT ONE ANOTHER WITH THESE WORDS!”

Did you catch that?  Our comfort comes from knowing and believing two things:
1.) When the Lord returns (“descend(s) from heaven”), it will be a loud event (“Trumpet of God” and the “voice from the archangel”)

2.) When the Lord returns, there will be a lot of activity on earth, particularly at graveyards or wherever the followers of Christ were buried/cremated.  Those that “died in Christ” will be resurrected.  And if we are alive to escape death, we will all meet up in the air to meet Jesus and eternity will begin (“so shall we ever be with the Lord.”)
These are the words that are to bring comfort: not our imaginations or made up stories of the dead “looking down on us.” 
Over and over, God’s word points us to the return of Christ and the resurrection, not the death bed as the point where we meet Jesus.


Here is a well-known verse.  Jesus’ own words:  


“Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also”. John 14: 1-3


Please note:  Our comfort is in the fact that when He comes again, He will then receive us and we will go to “where He is now”. We will be there with Him! Where is Jesus now? He is with the Father! “…I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.”  John 20:17  


What joy!  Christ can resurrect a body that has turned to dust.  He will then breathe into the newly formed nostrils and create a living, immortal soul. Then the “dead in Christ” along with those alive in Christ will return with Him to the Father in heaven! Even Job understood this.  Listen to the hope of Job about his own death:


“\For I know that my Redeemer lives, And He shall stand at last on the earth; And after my skin is destroyed, this I know, That in my flesh I shall see God, Job 19: 25-26

Job had the confidence that his Redeemer lives and even though his skin will be destroyed, he will see God when He stands on the earth!  How clear is that? Does he see God at death? No!  When the Redeemer comes to the earth!


Daniel also understood the same thing!


“And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, Some to everlasting life, Some to shame and everlasting contempt. Daniel 12:2


Did you know that the Bible never says we have an immortal soul?  But, we receive immortality when we are changed at Christ’s return.  Hear the words of Paul who wants to clear up the mystery about death:


“Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this Mortal must put on IMMORTALITY.So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this MORTAL shall have put on IMMORTALITY, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? 1 Corinthians 15: 51-55


When the Lord returns, some will not sleep (die). They are alive in Christ. Both the alive in Christ and those who “died in Christ,” will be “changed” immediately (“twinkling of an eye”) at the sound of “the last loud trumpet”.  It is then, and only then, that “the mortal will put on immortality.”  It is at the return of Christ we become immortal, not at death!


Note the last question in 1 Corinthians 15: 55.

Please read in the context. This rhetorical question cannot be asked until the Lord returns.

Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? 

I have heard it asked at funerals about the deceased without mention of the second coming.  To do so is to take it out of its beautiful context of Jesus’ return.


All of these clear passages plus many more are overruled and explained away by a few unclear and out of context verses like:“Absent from the body and present from the Lord.”


How beautiful is God’s words about the death of those who die! “He gives His beloved, sleep.” Psalm 127:2  It is like a sweet, dreamless, unconscious sleep where a long time is reduced to a microsecond.  The Christian falls asleep like they would in surgery where the passage of time is not felt.  They awake to the sights and sounds of the return of Jesus with all the holy angels.  They come from the graves with new bodies and are made immortal.  The families of the earth are reunited in the air and then taken to heaven by Jesus and the multitude of angels. Jesus then takes us to where he is now…the home of the Father…New Jerusalem.


One day (after 1,000 years), the New Jerusalem comes back to earth with the redeemed.  God will make a new heaven and a new earth where righteousness dwells and where there is no more pain or death!  All tears will be wiped away!   Earth will be the home of the redeemed where we will enjoy the works of our hands by building houses and planting vineyards.  “From one Sabbath to another and from one new moon to another we shall come to worship.”

See: Revelation 21:2, 2 Peter 3:13, Revelation 21:4, Revelation 7:17, Isaiah 65:21, Isaiah 66:23.

These are the words that give me comfort! They are Biblical and make sense to those who know Jesus. God’s own words are much better than our imagination!

Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.

1 Corinthians 2:9

Hell, The Truth About The Fate of The Lost, What is God Like?

Lord Teach Me About Hell-Conclusion-Personal Experience

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God’s Character Maligned

Since my conversion to Christ over 40 years ago I have learned through God’s word (and practical experience) that our beliefs about God’s character affect our relationship with Him and our salvation.  I know people who turned away from God when a loved-one died either suddenly or slowly over time.  Maybe you do too. Some have stopped associating with Christians, praying, or reading their Bible because they feel God allowed (or caused) something in their life to make them sick, uncomfortable, unhappy or inconvenienced them.

If we believe God is angry and looks for reasons to keep us from peace or repays evil for evil we are sure to rebel.  Lucifer’s original rebellion in heaven included the charge that God’s character and actions were harsh, secretive and selfish.  Listen closely to the lies and charges of Satan in the garden as he worked to convince Eve about a false picture of God’s personality.

Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die.  For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

Genesis 3: 4-5

To paraphrase:  “Eve, forget this idea of dying….You are going to live forever.  God is someone who is not telling you all the truth.  He knows your eyes are going to be open when you eat this fruit and you will be like God Himself!  He’s holding back!  He is not as good as you think!”  Sadly, these are often the general thoughts of people who do not know God personally.

It is important that we know God’s character and His word, especially in the context of His temperament and our troubles.

Understanding and knowing God the Father and Jesus is vital to our salvation.

And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.”

John 17:3

Jesus Clears up the Wrong Ideas About God

To have a false conception of God is dangerous and will lead to death.   It is Satan’s desire to give the world a wrong impression of the only true God and Jesus. By doing so, the enemy turns people away from the source of peace and happiness.  If the storms of life come to the professed Christian and there is no trust (faith) in the goodness and mercy of God, apostasy is sure to come.

To “know” someone means you have an understanding of who they are.  After spending time with them, you learn to either trust them or not.  You know their heart; their emotions; and how they feel about you as a person.  Knowing someone takes time and events.  That is often why people wait about marrying.  They want to know the person and how they will respond to things like their family.

Let’s consider another question:

Is Jesus different from the God of the Old Testament? The answer is a resounding, “No!”

By the time Jesus arrived on the scene, the professional teachers and leaders had made God out to be something He wasn’t.  The life of Jesus was a demonstration of what God is like….in the flesh!  His actions showed us the will and the character of the Father.  God loved us and wanted us to know Him, so He sent Jesus on a mission of salvation that included the opportunity to know the Creator.

Jesus’ coming as a babe, a youth, a young man and an adult demonstrates how important it is to know the true God and Jesus Christ whom He sent.

Yes! Jesus came to this earth to show to people the true nature of God.  He said, to his disciples, if you have seen me, you have seen the Father:

Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?

John 14:9

“By coming to dwell with us, Jesus was to reveal God both to men and to angels. He was the Word of God,—God’s thought made audible. In His prayer for His disciples He says, “I have declared unto them Thy name,”—“merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth,”—“that the love wherewith Thou hast loved Me may be in them, and I in them.” (John 17:26)

Desire of Ages p. 19

God desires for his Creation to know him.  Knowledge of God is both power and peace.  We are invited by Jesus to learn of him. When we take up the invitation, we will know more about God the Father.

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Matthew 11:28-30

Did you know Jesus was this kind of God? He wants us to learn from Him and about Him. Jesus is the perfect reflection of what God the Father is like!

Jesus offers us rest for our souls if, by faith, we come to Him. He is gentle and lowly in heart!  His burden is light and His yoke easy! How many Christians think the opposite?  Sadly, so many, even those who claim to be His followers, fail to go to Jesus when trouble comes…instead, they go to pieces!

Unending Torture in Hell Teaching Makes Unbelievers

 Someone once said that the concept of unending torture has turned more people into atheists than most anything else.  I don’t know if this is true, but it certainly must have a negative effect on a true understanding of God.

When I was young, I could see the gentle Jesus in the experience of my grandmother, but something would change all that and I would begin to see an angry God, with arms crossed, frowning at me for being such a terrible person. In my mind, He was looking for ways to make sure I was left out of heaven and burned at the stake.  As I got older, I went into total unbelief.  The Bible and God became a fairy tale created by men to keep society in line and have power over people. I hope the following will show how wrong I was and encourage you to search out God for yourself.  Here is how it started.

When I was about 8 years old, my saintly grandmother sent me to Vacation Bible School.  I recall loving everything about it except for the last day.

I liked the teachers and the programs.  The cookies, milk, and rest time in the church were enjoyable.  Of particular joy to me was the arts and crafts where I was making a jewelry box for my beautiful mother. She was a single mom (My Dad left when I was 6 years old) and pleasing her was something I cherished. The jewelry box, made from a King Edwards cigar box, was carefully painted with a dark color and little small shells and decals carefully attached to it.  To this day, I can still smell the fresh paint on it!

On Friday, the parents were going to join us for cookies and milk and they would get to see what we had created.  I was so excited, but something would happen that would change my view of God for a very long time.  It would eventually turn me to unbelief and to embrace atheism.

As we prepared for our parents, the teachers told us that we were all going to gather in a room and listen to one of the elders of the church talk about God.  We sat around him on the floor with our legs crossed and our eyes bright with anticipation.

I can still recall his name.  It was Mr. Hale.  Mr. Hale wanted to know how many of us knew about God and how to have eternal life?  Only a couple of hands went up.  I was not sure, but I knew my grandmother would know.  She knows the Bible better than anybody! Maybe I should ask her tonight, I thought.

Mr. Hale then begin to tell us that we could have salvation and be free from the “horrors of hell” if we accepted Jesus as our Savior.  We should acknowledge it by responding to the preacher’s altar call on Sunday.  Then we should be baptized.  If we did, we would escape the “horrors of hell.”

Next, he began to describe hell as the place where “our flesh would almost melt, but it would keep burning.”  Our blood “would boil like hot water.  We would scream for mercy and find none.  This will go on forever and forever.”

I was scared.  This did not seem like the same God my grandmother was always describing in her stories.  Many of the kids began to sob.  Mr. Hale wanted us to raise our hands if we wanted to “go forward” when the preacher had the altar call on Sunday.  We all raised our hands!

As promised all of us kids went forward that next Sunday when the preacher made the altar call.  There were many “Amens!” and “Praise The Lords”  throughout the congregation.

After church, my grandmother seemed troubled instead of excited about my decision to be baptized and escape the “horrors of hell.” When we got home, she looked at me with those kind and understanding eyes and said these words, which many may think to be wrong, but looking back I think it was the wise counsel of a Godly woman who knew her Father well.

“Eddie, you are too young to know why you need to give yourself to God.  You don’t understand sin, repentance, and confession. When God brings conviction on you, you will know it.”

I was not baptized.

The description of hell by Mr. Hale was reinforced many Sundays afterward.  It may not have been described in such detail, but all the teachers and preachers said my soul was immortal and that it would spend eternity in one of two places:  Heaven with Jesus or Hell with the devil.

As I contemplated it, I began to see God as an angry old man waiting for me to make a big mistake so He could send me to the flames forever.  This was the God I knew for a long time as I tried to be good and earn God’s love.

After a while, the contradiction of my grandmother’s God and the God of Mr. Hale and the preachers led me to believe there is no God and perhaps the Atheists were right.  God is an invention of mankind to keep everyone in line and as a tool for power over the people.

Is God like Mr. Hale’s description or that of my Grandmother’s?  Is He like Jesus or like the strict destroying God of the Old Testament?  How do we reconcile the two?

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How Unending Torture Maligns God’s Character

We have seen in this series that Jesus did not teach more about hell than heaven (Did Jesus Really Teach More About Hell Than Heaven?) This is a false statement meant to insinuate the “horrors of hell” are so bad that you should want to come to Jesus on the basis of fear.

As we studied verses that seem to indicate an everlasting fire, we discovered that context is important in understanding everlasting fire….It is everlasting punishment, not everlasting punishing.  The fire is everlasting in its effect, not its duration. Lord Teach Me About Hell-Part 2-Difficult Verses

We also saw that “hell” is a word used by the Hebrews and Greeks to signify the grave.  But, it is also the ultimate destruction of the sin problem at the end of time. This hell is hotter than any because it burns up the earth and all its elements.  Lord Teach Me About Hell-Part 3 Eternal Death Not Torture.

Now that we have sufficient proof about the ultimate fate of the lost, let’s consider the character of God further and why it makes no sense for our Creator to burn people without mercy or rest for all of eternity.

Some may think “torture” sounds like too strong of a word especially in the context of a Holy omnipotent God and Creator.  They will try to separate hell from God, but hell as described Mr. Hale cannot exist without an omnipotent God allowing it to.  Wouldn’t you agree?

What would you call it if you were burning constantly and no one was there to put out the flames or give you relief?  That is the highest form of torture someone could think up.  Imagine if our prison system used flames that kept the person alive while burning their tender skin as a form of punishment?  Would that be called torture?  Would it be justice?  What is its purpose other than cruel torture?

Let’s think this through.

The unsaved could be someone like uncle  Harry who never went to church with his wife and children because he was an unbeliever and life kept him busy and with different priorities.  By society’s standards he was a good man; never arrested nor did he break the law. He visited a few prostitutes when he was young private in the army.  At one time when he was younger, he secretly looked at pornography, but as he got older, he lost interest.  He pays His taxes.  He is faithful to his wife and loves his kids and grandkids, but he never professed Christ.  He just enjoyed life and saw it as a few good years then he would turn to dust.

One day uncle Harry dies of a heart attack from years of not taking care of himself. He enjoyed food so much that he could be described as a glutton.  In many cases, the preacher will talk about Harry as if he is in heaven enjoying his gardening with the Lord, but in the sermon at church the next Sunday, this same preacher will talk about salvation in Christ alone, which is true.   The preacher would never describe Harry as being lost and in eternal flames even though the congregation could put two and two together to come to some simple conclusions.

According to most preachers, Uncle Harry is lost and will be tortured without end for his bad decisions and sin.

This seems to be the philosophy of many who live on this planet.

Jesus said,

Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

Matthew 7:13-14

Did you notice that Jesus talks about a way that leads to destruction? This would have been the perfect time for Jesus to say that the broad way leads to hell that would burn forever, but no…it is destruction.  Uncle Harry got his desire of enjoying his short time of life on earth, but then it will be over.  He does not have an immortal soul.

The soul who sins shall die

Ezekiel 18:20

Jesus said that the lost soul would be destroyed

But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Matthew 10:28

The hell here is the grave, but even if you wanted to think of it as the place of burning, the soul is destroyed!

Without a doubt, there are more on the path to “destruction” than those who are not.

Here is the first hint of the fate of the lost, the continued use of the word “destruction.”  “Destruction” and “Perish” are the favorite words used by Christ, Peter, and Paul to describe the fate of the lost (Collectively used 42 times).  This happens by fire, but there is no eternal life for the lost in flames.

True, only God can determine who is ultimately lost and who is saved, but Jesus gives us plenty of reasons to know the character and life of the saved compared the character and life of the lost.  Not all have death-bed conversion.  They are probably the minority.

“Wherefore by their fruits, ye shall know them. Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.  Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘ I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

Matthew 7: 21-23

Notice, that even those who claim to “know” the Lord and done incredible works in the name of the Lord missed out because they practiced lawlessness.  These might be called hypocrites and religious. Their habits of sin showed they did not “know” the Lord.

At the other end of the spectrum are guys like Hitler and child molesters, and those who cursed and mocked God believing there was no accountability for their blasphemy.

If all are tortured if hot flames for eternity according to the Mr. Hale’s of the world.  Harry and Hitler (although hugely different in their lives) have the same fate and will live with no rest from the flames.  Every day is the same.  There are no lunch breaks, no sleeping, no vacations. no water.  No medications to help endure the pain.  Only intense, torturous non-stop pain and unending weeping.

Many teachers will try to minimize this by saying, “God does not send them to hell, they send themselves.”  But, even if it was so, it takes a miracle of God to keep them all alive so they can burn more.  It would take a miracle to keep the flesh from consuming.

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God’s Character is Longsuffering and Merciful

“I take no delight in the death of the wicked.”

Ezekiel 33:11

God does not want anyone to die or perish.

The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

2 Peter 3:9

There’s that word again, “perish.”  God’s longsuffering with us means He desires more people to have life and not “perish.”

Our God does not torture.  He wants people to come to repentance so that they will not have to experience eternal death (non-existence).  Their fate (death, perish, destruction) is horrible enough. But to root out the seed of sin, God performs his “strange act” of eternal destruction.

Do you know God?  Your eternal life depends on it! We are invited to learn about Jesus.  This takes a personal experience.  It is His loving kindness and its demonstration on the cross that draw us to Him.

Lord, thank you for your word and the life of Jesus that teaches us about who you are.  May we each have an experience with you that will lead us to trust you more. Amen.

 

Hell, The Truth About The Fate of The Lost, What is God Like?

Did Jesus Really Teach More About Hell Than Heaven?

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Introduction

Have you ever heard someone say:

“Jesus taught more about hell than heaven.”

Here in the southern United States, I hear it often.  I have always wondered if it was true or not.

Did Jesus teach more about hell than Heaven?  The implication by those who make this statement is:  Jesus considered “hell” a more important topic than Heaven or the Kingdom of God.

But, let’s consider the truthfulness of the statement regarding the number of times Jesus taught on Heaven compared to “hell.”

Resources Used in My Research

Shouldn’t we be like the noble Christians from Berea who searched the scriptures to see if what Paul and Barnabas were telling them was true or not?

These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.”  

Acts 17:11

I put the often-used statement to the test. In today’s computer world, it is relatively easy for anyone to determine if this assertion is true or not.

All that is needed are a few simple search tools to help with this topic or any topic in the Bible for that matter.  Of course, you need a Bible.   Bibles are plentiful in today’s world.  They are in many different translations and paraphrases, not to mention the many other languages.

For this study, I stayed with the translation of King James and New King James. Translations are generally more accurate with the original languages and the precept being communicated by the writer.

If you want to do it the hard way,  you can use paper Lexicons and exhaustive concordances.

There are good exhaustive concordances, which contain every word of the Bible.  They will be thick and intimidating until you learn how to use them.  I prefer either Strong’s or Young’s Analytical Concordance.   You could go to a Christian Book store and purchase a copy.  But, they can be expensive.  A better choice is to find them and use them online for free!  Anyway, automation makes the process of research much easier.   One of my favorite tools is called the Blue Bible.

http://www.blueletterbible.org/search.cfm

Please think of how far we have come since the days of the reformers.  Men like Martin Luther (part of the 15th and 16th centuries) were forced to go to a Latin Bible chained to a monastery wall to read God’s word! Those reformers who lived before and after Luther, such as Jerome, Huss, Wycliffe, Calvin, Knox, Zwingli, and many others, spent years struggling under the threat of death from a mighty and corrupt political church to translate, print, and distribute God’s word to the ordinary person. They would never have dreamed of a day when the common non-cleric person would be able to slice and dice every sentence of God’s word in multiple languages and various translations from their own home. With some elementary instructions, anyone can easily look up the original Hebrew or Greek word from a Lexicon that is included with Strong’s, Young’s, and Blue Bible Search concordances online for free!

For this  “little” project, I used a handy and simple website called Bible Gateway (www.biblegateway.com)and Strong’s Hebrew and Greek Lexicon online (www.eliyah.com/lexicon.html.)

Bible Gateway is like having a computerized Bible and allows me to search the scripture quickly based on a phrase, passage, or even a word or two.  For example, I might want to find the phrase, “Jesus wept.”  I simply type in the words and press “Enter.”  This phrase is quickly found in John 11:35

To start, I went to  www.biblegateway.com and simply typed in the English word “hell” and limited the search to the gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) since this is where Jesus’ teachings are recorded. I did the same with “Heaven” and used the King James Version for each word. I kept up with my findings on an Excel Spreadsheet.  I soon learned that the English word “hell” is also expressed using “Fire” in some places. Here are a few examples:

“And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.”

Matthew 3:10 KJV

“As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.”

Matthew 13:40 “But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.”

Luke 17:29, 30

These verses are obviously an indirect reference to the fate of the lost and a description of “hell” with its fire. So I used that word in my search as well.

On the other hand, there are many more references to the simple word of “Heaven,” but as with the English word “hell,” there are indirect references to terms like “Kingdom of God,” “Kingdom of Heaven,” or simply “Kingdom” Here are a few examples:

 “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

Matthew 5:3

 “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

John 3:3

“That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”

Luke 22:30

Following are the unfiltered results:

Unfiltered Conclusion: In the gospels, Heaven/Kingdom is used about seven times more than hell/Fire.

Let’s Get Technical

To be fair, I had to start trimming the count (notably Heaven) because sometimes gospel writers write about the same teaching, so you have duplication. Also, the word “Heaven” is often used to refer to the “sky” (atmosphere) where the birds fly or (outer space) where the sun, the moon, and stars reside.  Further, the word “Heaven” may be used by someone other than Jesus, so technically, He is not teaching about it. Those references are also pulled out. So, let’s filter a bit before we move on.

Filtered Results:

Elimination Summary:

  • Mark has three (3) “hell” verses that repeat what Matthew had already described.
    • The verses regarding “Heaven” had many repeats among all the gospel writers. Matthew is the most prolific in writing about “Heaven,” particularly the kingdom of “Heaven.” Forty-five verses had to be pulled out.
  • It is interesting that John (Gospel) does not show any usage of the word “hell.”

Following are the revised results:

Revised Results Conclusion:

Jesus taught 5.39 times more about Heaven/Kingdom than hell/Fire.

The same consideration was given for indirect references to hell, i.e., “Fire.” Example:

“And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.”

Matthew 3:10

Interesting Notes: Only Mathew uses the term “Kingdom of Heaven.” But the other gospel writers (Mostly Luke) use the word “Kingdom of God” to refer to the same thing.
Note: John The Baptist’s message was

“Repent ye for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.”

Matthew 3:2

After Jesus was baptized, his primary message was the same thing!

“And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.”

Mark 1:15.

See how Matthew and Mark use Kingdom of Heaven or Kingdom of God, respectively?

Conclusion:

Jesus teaches more about Heaven than hell!!!

It is the opposite of what we have been told!

From my study, it seems Jesus especially liked to teach “The Kingdom of Heaven” or “Kingdom of God.” He speaks about the Kingdom of Heaven 35 times in Matthew alone! The other gospel writers recorded 54 verses of His teachings about the “Kingdom of God” (basically the same precept.) This is 89 times in the Gospels just on these two phrases (2.78 times more than hell)!

Overall, Jesus taught on Heaven or some form of it at least 167 times compared to 32 times for hell. This is a significant variance. What is the implication? There is much more Jesus wants us to know about His Kingdom, the Kingdom of Heaven/God.  His warnings have more to do with losing life or the Kingdom than going to hell.

There is one beautiful verse spoken by Jesus that we all know. He never uses the word “Heaven,” but we know He is talking about it because it is in the context of His 2nd Coming:

“In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.” 

John 14:22

Whatever Jesus uses words to describe Heaven (e.g.. Heaven, Kingdom of Heaven, Kingdom of God, Father’s house, or simply the Kingdom.), it is obvious Jesus wants us to know more about it than the other place. This was a large part of his preaching and teaching. Could it be we don’t know enough about this vital topic?

I learned so much by simply reading the 250-plus verses. What exactly does God want us to know about the Kingdom? More importantly,  how does it affect our knowledge of God and his character?  Do we come to him because we fear hell or because we are drawn by what He has done for us on the cross and what He does for us every day? Here is a hint:

“And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.”

John 12:32

When the sacrifice of the cross is understood, it will draw people to Jesus.

“Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace,that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

Hebrews 4:16

 Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.

Jeremiah 31:3

The way to salvation is not through horror but the drawing power of the love of God and the cross.  It is the work of the Holy Spirit to bring conviction of sin so that a person will repent and turn, in faith, to Jesus.

I have heard preachers say that if I don’t have a hot hell to preach, people will not come to Jesus.  How wrong! Do people make friends by scaring you or loving you and doing things for you?

What I Learned About Hell

Many preachers use our English word for “hell” in only one way, i.e., the place of eternal torment, but among the Greek and Hebrew words, hell can mean different things, such as the grave.  In the following writing, I will share what I have found.

I discovered there is a “hell” with fire.  But it is hotter than anyone imagined before.  Its work is eternal, but its duration is but for a moment.  It is not a place of torture but a place that does the job of cleansing the universe of sin and its effects.

Of this, I am sure:   God is merciful and longsuffering.  He is not willing that any should “perish” but that all would come to repentance.  Repentance is essential in the response of the lost. Repentance is the work of the Holy Spirit upon the heart bringing conviction of sin and a view of Jesus paying for those sins.  It is a critical step toward Jesus and away from death.  This is why He waits regarding the 2nd coming.  This part of God’s character helps us understand the doctrine concerning the fate of the lost and the home of the saved.

“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”  

2 Peter 3:9

Notice Peter did not say he is not willing that any should live in hell forever.  He used the word “perish.” The second coming of Christ is both a liberating and a destructive event, as we will see in future studies.

The most famous verse of all time warns that unbelief results in “perishing.”  It tells us that eternal life is reserved only for believers.  The lost perish.

“ For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

John 3:16

“He that hath the Son hath life, and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.”

1 John 5:12

Eternal life is reserved only for the saved, not the lost.

Next time, we will study more about God’s plan to bring an end to the last enemy called death.  Let’s ask God to teach us about hell.  Click here for the following study on hell:

Lord Teach Me About Hell-Part 1-Rich Man and Lazarus

This topic affects how we view the great Creator and His claim to love so much that He gives rather than tortures.

Until then, may the Lord bless you and your family as you consider the truth of the Bible and not the word of man.

What says the Bible?

The Blessed Bible

This my only question be.

Men’s teachings so often mislead us.

What says the Bible to me?

What is God Like?

Life and Death Confusion-Part 1

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Elements of Confusion

The things we see and do every day incorporates our God-given ability to be logical.  He made us logical beings. But, what we see in movies and hear from some people is often not logical.  It is entertainment and may even have an agenda to express beliefs of the writer.  But, it is  God who invites us to “reason” with Him.

“’Come now, and let us reason together,’ Says the Lord”

Isaiah 1:18

Logic and good reason will come to those who seek it.  On the other hand, things like church tradition can overtake reason and dismiss plain scripture on the truths God wants to reveal.  Our great Creator brings light to things requiring deeper thought through the many writers of the Bible and His apostles and prophets.

“When you read this, you’ll see that I understand the mystery about Christ.  In the past, this mystery was not known by people as it is now. The Spirit has now revealed it to his holy apostles and prophets.”

Ephesians 3: 4-5 (GW)

 Things such as church tradition about death, founded on something other than the word of God, has led many away from a true knowledge of God’s character.  It has hurt the ability of believers to present a true picture of the plan of God for those who may be seeking truth.

We might ask ourselves: “How do we present the story of sin and the solution as found in Jesus to a world so that they are drawn to him on their own free will?”

The short answer and the one that is the bed rock for the ideas set forth here is  beautifully summarized below:

“And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”

John 12:32 (New International Version)

The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.

Jeremiah 31:3 (King James Version)

It is the story of a giving  Creator God who greatly loved that He gave His Son to this world  condemned to die because of the law He initiated and cannot be changed i.e., “The wages of sin is  death.”  God demonstrated His great grace and compassion by paying the penalty of sin so that we would not perish.

Look carefully at John 3:16 and you will see something you might have missed.  It is the word perish.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

John 3:16

What is the reward of the believer?  It is eternal life or  “not perish(ing).” So if this is true, the unbeliever perishes.  Notice it does not say the unbeliever has eternal life in hell or anywhere else.  It says the reason God gave His only begotten son is that we might escape dying (perishing) forever.  Death passed upon everyone, but God made an escape through the death of His son His power to resurrect people.  When Jesus was around on earth, no one died in his presence.  He IS Life and Resurrection!  Eternal death (Perish) is escaped through Jesus only!  True, you may die once as a believer, but you will be resurrected at the end of time to live forever.  The unbeliever’s reward is here on earth.  There is no life for them…only eternal death.

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When Jesus died for us, he could not see through the “portals of the tomb.” (Desire of Ages, P. 753)  He believed He was dying this eternal death.  When the depth of the message about the death of Jesus comes clear in the mind of the sinner, it draws that person to Jesus and a decision.    Paul understood the power of the cross when he said.

“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”

1 Corinthians 1:18 (New King James Version)

There is that word again (perishing).  The unbelievers or those who think the cross is foolishness will perish (die) forever.  It does not say they will live forever in hell.

Why is the message of the cross power to one and foolishness to another?

The answer may come in the choice of a person to study the message and respond. It is foolishness to the one who will not use his/her God-given gift of intelligence and scriptural logic. Those who are serious about finding truth and power will go forward looking for the “pearl of great price.” Matthew 13:46

And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.

Jeremiah 29:13

Once truth is found, the journey does not end.  There is more! Jesus gave to the disciples just enough truth for them to bear at that point in their relationship.  He said to them,

“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.“

John 16:12 (NKJ)

Did you catch that?  Jesus purposely did not tell them some things because they were not able to “bear it” or as some versions suggest, “not ready to receive it.“

Paul repeated this idea when he said,

I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.

1 Corinthians 3:2 (KJV)

Only those who come to Jesus like children; wanting to learn and follow Him will understand and move from truth to truth.

There is an passage in Isaiah that illustrates this beautifully.  This truth is revealed in a question and an immediate answer:

“Whom will he teach knowledge? And whom will he make to understand the message? Those just weaned from milk? Those just drawn from the breasts?

Isaiah 28:9

Children grow on a simple diet of  on milk, but as they get older, they must be drawn away from the milk to more substantial food or they will cease to grow.  A child would never grow if fed on milk all their lives.  While it was important to the baby at the start, it is the solid food that will lead to growth and maturity.

It is the food (God’s word) and the willingness to do what is taught that will set the stage for God to reveal even more truth.

Those who want to follow the will of God will know if what I teach is from God or if I teach my own thoughts.

John 7:17

Has your experience with church, with Jesus, and with God become routine?  Are you content with what you know?  Is your faith in Jesus not producing any type of peace?  Is your experience lukewarm? What can you do with your doubts?

If you are still searching and are having difficulty believing Jesus was all He and the prophets claimed Him to be, I invite you to learn more about Him as we study this topic of life and death.  For this is what the whole story is about.  Eternal life versus eternal death.

“Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. “For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Matthew 11:29

It is understanding the truth about the experience of death, as the Bible teaches it, that will help us deal with the doubts  and provide “rest for (our) souls.”

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Life and Death Confusion

Probably the number one reason people (including Christians) become discouraged and doubt God is the death of a loved one.  Some even come to hate God because of the death of a mother, father, son or daughter.  Doubters and Atheists have always asked this question,

“If there is a God, then why is there death and suffering?”  

As I write this, I have learned ISIS has beheaded 21 Coptic Christians. There are 21 families grieving in an intense way right now.  But there are many more who die every day.  Almost 7.2 million people died  in 2015. A dramatic clock showing  the population growth and the number of people who die can be found at this link:

World Population Growth and Decline

Why doesn’t God stop all the death and dying?   My prayer is that we will find some answers about death you may have not considered.  I believe that knowing the truth about death will bring more comfort than any made-up scene described by  well-meaning people.

Truth is always better!

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I have been to many funerals.  The last one was the funeral of a young man, 21 years old college student,  who was killed saving his girlfriend from a wall about to fall on her during a tornado.  I know his mother and step-father well.  A few weeks earlier I attended another funeral.  Again, a 21 year-old who died suddenly from aneurysm.  He was the son of my cousin.

When I went to the  funeral of my cousin’s son,  this grieving father laid his head on my chest like a little child.  I wept with him.  His pain was strong and deep.  The same with the mother of the brave young man who laid her head on my chest and wept.  Much later, in a meeting where I work, she came up to me and laid her head on my chest, again, in a room of stuffy executives.  I knew she was still hurting a year after the event and will continue to hurt, until they meet again.

I personally experienced the sting of death when my own father died in a car wreck on the day he retired.  We had just started to connect with each other.  My pain was almost too much to bear!

Oh Lord, why!

It is OK to ask why, but it is not OK to not search for answers and begin to hate God.

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At almost every funeral I hear things that contradict the simple word of God.  Tradition and well-meaning people who desire to comfort family and friends will of often say things like this:

“He has gone to a better place.  He is up there enjoying the streets of gold.”

or

“My daughter is looking down on us and watching over me.”

or

“My brother is up there teaching Peter how to play golf.”

or

“God called Him home.  He wanted Him more” (The man had died of a massive heart attack)

Recently, I heard a pastor say this,

“Old Bob is up there drinking his favorite whisky and listening to his favorite country music.”

Is this how the scripture describes death and the life hereafter?  Some say that the soul is immortal and it never dies. Is this what scripture teaches?

I don’t know about you, but I want to know what God’s inspired writers know about death. I want to know what Jesus knows about death.  I want to know how I can have real comfort when a loved one dies.

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History of Death

When did death start?  According to Genesis, death passed upon all men when Adam sinned by disobedience.

“Sin came into the world through one man, and his sin brought death with it. As a result, death has spread to the whole human race because everyone has sinned.”

Romans 5:12

Adam and Eve were meant to live forever.  But the serpent (Satan) told them the first lie recorded in the Bible and it is about death.  Satan contradicted the plain words of God:

And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’”

Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

Genesis 3:2-5

Many today, even Christians, believe that no one ever really dies.  They live in either heaven or hell.

God says you will die, Satan says you won’t.  Adam and Eve did not die that very day, but they were banned from the Tree of Life which evidently helped perpetuate eternal life.  Eventually, they DID die.

“They must not be allowed to take fruit from the tree that gives life, eat it, and live forever.”

Genesis 3:22

The Tree of life is lost in the first book of the Bible (Genesis), but regained in the last book of the Bible (Revelation)

And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.On each side of the river was the tree of life, which bears fruit twelve times a year, once each month; and its leaves are for the healing of the nations.

Revelation 22:2

Here we get a sneak peak of heaven where the throne of God and Jesus (lamb) are located.  Could it be that God uses a very natural way to perpetuate eternal life and it is found in a steady diet of the tree of life and the water of life?  Could this be the place Jesus went away to prepare for us?

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The sin of Adam and Eve was not believing nor trusting the plain words from their Creator.  Although they sinned first, they were not the first to die.  The first death was Abel.  His brother (Cain) slew him because of uncontrollable anger and jealousy.

“Then the Lord asked Cain, “Why are you angry, and why do you look disappointed?  If you do well, won’t you be accepted? But if you don’t do well, sin is lying outside your door ready to attack. It wants to control you, but you must master it.”

 Cain talked to his brother Abel. Later, when they were in the fields, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.

Genesis 4:6-8 (GW)

How sad Adam and Eve must have felt knowing that it was their sin that led to the death of their son.  How much regret they must have had as they watched death begin to pop up all around them, even the death of plants and animals.

As a side note,  the Lord did not warn Adam and Eve, nor Cain that the cost of sin was living in hell.  If there was a place of eternal torment waiting for sinners, surely God would have warned them at the beginning.  His warning was about dying if they disobeyed His command. The wages of sin is death and always has been and the gift from God is eternal life where sin no longer raises its head a second time:

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Romans 6:23

Again, this verse does not say, the wages of sin is eternal life in hell.

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What is death? The answer can be found in understanding what is life as described in Genesis when God first made man:

“And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.”

Here is God’s simple formula for what makes up life:

Dust (Elements of the earth) + Breath of Life  (life giving element from God) = Living soul.

Notice that God did not breath into man a soul, but rather the breath of life.  Man does not have a soul, rather man IS a soul. (Another topic for another time.)

Whatever the “breath of life” is, we know that when combined with the elements of the earth, we are formed into a soul or a living being.  This is where life started  in the beginning and then God gave Man and woman the ability to “procreate.”  This breath of life is passed from generation to generation through “procreation.”  When it is taken away, death results and all knowledge and activity stops for that person:

“Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going.”

Ecclesiastes 9:10

 So if life is found in the Biblical formula of Living Soul = Dust + Breath of Life = living soul.  Then the formula for death should be the opposite.  We find it in this verse:

Then the dust will return to the earth as it was,
And the spirit will return to God who gave it.

Ecclesiastes 12:7

So now we see the Biblical formula for death:

Dead Soul = Dust -(minus) Breath of Life (aka spirit)

Now all this seems scary, but the Lord Jesus described death as a sleep that passes by very quickly,.  In fact the experience of death will pass like a flash for those who have died in Christ.  They will rise to see Jesus and all those they loved when they died. Here is where the comfort comes.  We are told to get our comfort from this thought, not the fanciful stories of well-meaning people.

“The Lord will come from heaven with a command, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the dead who believed in Christ will come back to life. Then, together with them, we who are still alive will be taken in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. In this way we will always be with the Lord. So then, comfort each other with these words!“

1 Thessalonians 4:16-18

What a reunion day that will be!  Those two young sons who were followers of Christ will meet their fathers, mothers, and friends who believe in the air before going to the place Jesus has prepared for those who believed Jesus when he said,

 “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me will live, even though they die;

John 11:25

Isn’t that comforting to know that the sleep of the saved is but for a second.

I remember being put to sleep when having surgery.  The two hours that passed were but a flash.  I was told to take a deep breath, then instantly I was asked to wake up.  So it will be for those who die in the Lord regardless of how long they have been dead.

But what about the lost?  Is God a cruel terrorist who will punish those who rejected Jesus to a life of non-stop frying?  Next time we will look at the topic of Heaven and the destiny of the lost.  How does the Bible describe the home of the saved and how He deals with those who have rebelled against Him?

Blessings and comfort as you consider God’s plan for life eternal.