IS THERE A HEAVEN AND A HELL???

 Is there a Heaven and a Hell?  This question has been discussed many times over the years.  I think we all agree that heaven truly exists.  What some may not know, there are actually three heavens. God's is the highest one.  No man has ascended into God's heaven.  The only one who went back to heaven where God is, was his Son Jesus Christ, who came down from heaven to the earth and became human.

Another question that has been discussed many times is, "When we die, do we immediately go to heaven or hell?  I do not agree with that theory, as many do.  I believe when you die, your body is put in the grave and return to dust.  The saved ones will rise from their graves at Christ's second coming. The wicked will remain in their graves as dust, until God comes to the earth for his judgement.  He will raise those left in the graves up and they will stand before God for judgement. If you believe that you go to your judgement when you die, what is the use of a resurrection and judgement at the end of this old world?  Only one group of people are promised eternal life, and that are those who have been saved and follow Christ.  God will cast  Satan and his followers into the bottomless pit and they will go to hell, where their bodies will burn up and be consumed and never live again. The wicked are punished to damnation and death.  If they are cast into hell and burn continually and never are consumed, that would be a terrible eternal life.  God is a merciful God to everyone.   

During Christ's 1,000 year reign, Satan will be bound and there will be no tempter then. Those that live through Christ's reign will not be bothered by Satan.  I don't know how long after the 1,000 year reign Satan will be loosed from his bondage and tempt the people again. The bible doesn't say.  The first judgement will be when Christ returns to earth and the dead in Christ will rise first the dead out of their graves, and those still alive will be changed.  The scriptures say that when Christ conquers all the enemies and puts them under his feet, God will come to earth for the second Judgement.  God will judge those still alive and those from their graves that didn't rise at the first resurrection, and they will come before his throne and be judged. He will divide the sheep from the goats.  Righteous, lambs, on the right and the goats, wicked, on the left.  He will say to those on his left, depart from me I never knew you. 

I am looking forward to that day when Christ returns.  We may not agree on what happens at your death and where you are when Christ returns.  Some of us may never know, until God comes to the earth. Many things are not laid out in black and white in God's word.  People learn at a different pace.  Some faster than others.  Some are blinded for a time by God.  When it is time for them to understand, he will open their eyes to the truth.

I believe that when anyone dies, you are buried and put in a grave.  Your breath, which God breathed into your nostrils and made you a living soul, will return to God. The skin worms will destroy the body and the body will decay and return to dust. Your thoughts cease, you no longer feel, see, your brain dies. You remain in the grave.  At the first resurrection, which is Christ's second coming, the saved will raise from their graves and those still alive their bodies will be changed. Both groups of people will meet Christ in the air.  The bible does not say we will meet him in the air and then go to heaven.

I was discussing this with a cousin, in law, of mine and I asked her if she believed that when you die you go to heaven or hell.  Her church believes there is a heaven and there is a hell today.  Some believe you go immediately to heaven, when you die and some believe you stay in your grave until the second resurrection. She said what she really appreciates about her church, is the people can believe either way and there will not be any repercussions, arguments or ill feeling toward each other.  They just pray for each other.  God is not the author of confusion, and the bible says to seek out your own salvation with fear and trembling.  God can show people the truth when they are ready to receive it. 

I have been struggling with the question about does Hell exist today? or will it exist later? In the Bible it talks about hell and hades, which in those instances the Bible is talking about the grave.  I was taught when you die you are put in the ground. God will raise you from your grave to be judged by him.  All those who are still living and the ones raised from their graves will be judged. You that are saved will live forever if you are faithful to God. If you are wicked, you will be cast down to hell and the body will burn up and turn to ashes.  Some believe the ones in hell will burn continually and never die.  If that is the case, they have eternal life, but a very terrible one.  The only ones promised eternal life are those who are saved.

Please study this for yourselves, even if you have studied it before. Always pray first for God's guidance to the truth.

written by Connie J.
04/01/2022


*STARLIGHT*


  

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

WHEN WAS THE MESSIAH BORN?

It is only natural for a person to adhere to conducts and beliefs that are biblically defensible.    Be ready always to give an answer to every man  that  asks you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear."   (1 Peter 3:15).                                 Christmas celebrations are generally observed to honor the supposed date of the birth of the Messiah.  But the facts are that Christ was not born on December 25.        " Christmas . . . was, according to many authorities, not cele-brated in the first centuries of the Christian church, as the Christian usage in general was to celebrate the death of remarkable persons, rather than the birth of Christ. ("Christmas",  Encyclopedia Americana).  How then, did the Romish Church fix on December 25th as Christmas-day?  Why, thus: long before the fourth century, a...
Read more

THE BOOK OF REVELATION

Many people stay away from the Book of Revelation because they find the symbolism frightening or confusing, or both!  But the Book of Revelation was meant to be a book of comfort to those caught up in the persecution at the end of the first century, says Ms Frances Taylor.  Christians in "Rome" had been blamed by Nero I for destroying much of the city.  They were often called "cannibals" because of their Eucharistic celebrations where they shared the "body and blood of Christ."  (they symbolically used bread and fruit of the vine for the body and blood.)   Domitian was another Emperor who persecuted the Christians at the end of the century; he was most likely the emperor who earned the designation "666".  The number 7 is very often mentioned in this book, which is the number that symbolizes completion and when in threes, God.  Domitian was considered the Satan, who clamed to be God, and fell short for the Christian, the greater danger was the los...
Read more

THE LIFE OF SAUL/PAUL

            Paul was born a Jew of the tribe of Benjamin.  He was also a Roman Citizen.  He was born in the Roman City of Tarsus.  In those days people had dual names.  Before he was known as apostle Paul, he was known as Saul of Tarsus.  Saul was his Hebrew name, Paul was his Roman name.  As Saul before his conversion he sought out the believers in Jesus.  He would hunt them down, bind them up and take them to Jerusalem to be killed.  Jesus did not change his name at his conversion.            Saul went to the high priest asking for letters to allow him entry into the synagogues at Damascus, so he could hunt down men and women that professed to be believers in Jesus. As he began his journey, he traveled down the road to Damascus.  As he drew near to the city, suddenly a light from heaven shone around him.  He fell to the ground and he heard a voice saying, "Saul, Saul why are t...
Read more