1 Jan 2002

4 short questions about heaven and hell

Submitted by theshovel
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I have eternal life now this means I'm in Christ and He is in me right?

Yes, having eternal life means having Christ, who IS eternal life. So, He is in you and you are in Him.

So my sins are forgiven now and when I die here I will continue on in him for eternity is this correct?

Yes, your sins have been forgiven for all time. There is no end to Christ ... there is no end to you! :)

It seems like ever thing I have been raised to believe is being shaking lately Is there a hell and who is it for?

As far as "hell" goes we have come to assume an awful lot. We have had centuries of religious teachings and pictures of devils and fire and brimstone, etc. etc. If you read your Bible you will find some mentions of hell here and there, but most of what we have heard is a compilation of various references all crammed together that have been fit into pagan concepts stolen from the Greeks and Romans. For example, Paul doesn't mention hell in his whole dissertation of the gospel in the letter to the Romans. But he does deal with condemnation and how Christ has taken it out of the way. Those who have not passed from death into life through Christ are still living in condemnation. There are a lot of passages that I am still considering regarding this, so don't think I have it altogether! :) haha

Also what is Heaven?

Our concepts of heaven are intertwined with mythology. We have come to view it as the "good place" for those who have done "good" or the perfect place of eternal bliss. So, why do we still try to retain the place of that concept? In the letter to the Ephesians, Paul writes about "the heavenly places" ... better translated "the heavenlies" ... simply stated, the realm of God. Try as we may, we can't seem to be able to picture a "place" that contains the reality of new life in Christ. I don't think it is very important ... and actually has proven to be against the truth of grace for we talk about the size and position of our "mansions" based on our performance. So, what I'm saying is that "heaven" as we know it is a lie and a myth. Being IN Christ which makes us partakers of the divine life (the heavenlies) both now and forever is far superior to any version of an improved existence as we know it.

I hope this is some help to you.

Love, Jim

Comments

Hey Jim
You may have already said this but i will say it any way.
I always thought it was funny how men could make up such a far out doctrine like eternal hell when in the old testament just one bible verse can tell us it is not possible.
Jeremiah 7:31 And they have built the high places of Topheth,which is in the valley of Hinnom
to burn thier sons and daughters in the fire,which I commanded not,neither came it into my mind.
Now i may not be a scholar but even i can figure out that the God who changes not did not at the last minute think up something by taking a thought from men who are doing something He never asked them to do. In fact He tells them this was there idea wholly and it would seem that carnal men havent changed thinking some how that God is pleased by putting people in a real fire. The reason it never came to His mind is because love thinks no evil if we still have the thought we would like to see people burn for ever in some kinda eternel fire we might want to put on the mind of Christ instead of the mind of fallen man.

Dave.L
theshovel's picture

Dave, I really appreciate your insight here. It never came into his mind to do this!! :) Yes, the mind of fallen man has projected its own ugliness upon God. Thanks so much for these words!

Jim

I’m grateful God has been faithful through you to speak against this very destructive teaching. It is being removed from minds, one person at a time yet it is quite astounding to me that a myth so obvious, once you see the truth, can be so well-accepted as truth. I once accepted it and preached it until the Holy Spirit opened my eyes. www.isleofexile.blogspot.com

Jim, tonight I had the shocking revelation that THIS IS THE RESURRECTION; that God has little-to-nothing to do with an afterlife and everything to do with RIGHT NOW. “Heaven as we know it is a lie and a myth” - and thank God! Justin

Hey Justin Just happen to be up this morning and seen this. Right in the middle of your answer is the true revelation by just adding one word Christ. He is the resurrection He is our life and He is right now. Kind of like scripture the message is always right there we just need to look a little closer. And boda Bing it pops right out. Or in this case just add Christ stir and there the truth is.
Dave.L

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