Quit Using the Word “Heaven”!

No. The body of Christ did not begin until after the cross and is made up of Jew and Gentiles who believe the gospel (1 Corinthians 15:1-4, Romans 1:16, 1 Corinthians 12:13). Israel as a nation was set aside after they rejected Jesus in the Gospels and the working of the Holy Spirit in the book of Acts. Some time after the body of Christ is taken away, Daniel’s 70th week (7 year tribulation period) will occur and Jesus will return at the end of the tribulation and rescue the remnant of Israel and institute the kingdom promised to them.

LOL. Dispensationalism…a failed eschatology
Thank you Michael for a solid article!

An article with no sound scriptural basis.

I agree that ethnic Israel has a future. But isn’t that to be assumed into the Olive Tree (Rom 11). So basically, we are inheritors of the Abrahamic Covenant, but Israel is too. So they need the Tribulation (70th week) to get them primed for the grafting back in. So, I am a modified Progressive Dispensationalist. Although, that is another term the is Laden with development and problematic misrepresentation. So I call myself a progressive covenentalist.

The Abrahamic covenant was to Israel.

Genesis 12
2 And I will make of THEE A GREAT NATION, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and IN THEE SHALL ALL FAMILIES OF THE EARTH BE BLESSED.
Genesis 13
14. And the Lord said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward:
15. For ALL THE LAND which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.
Genesis 15
4. And, behold, the word of the Lord came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir.
5. And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.
6. And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness.
18. In the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, UNTO THY SEED HAVE I GIVEN THIS LAND, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates:
Genesis 17
1. And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.
2. And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.
3. And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying,
4. As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations.
5. Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee. (compare with Genesis 25:1-5)
6. And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee. (compare with Genesis 25:1-5)
7. And I WILL ESTABLISH MY COVENANT BETWEEN ME AND THEE AND THY SEED AFTER THEE IN THEIR GENERATIONS FOR AN EVERLASTING COVENANT, TO BE A GOD UNTO THEE, AND TO THEY SEED AFTER THEE.
8. And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, THE LAND wherein thou art a stranger, ALL THE LAND OF CANAAN, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.
9. And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations.
10. This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised.
Genesis 18
17. And the Lord said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do;
18. Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty NATION, and all the NATIONS of the earth shall be blessed in him?
Genesis 26
1. And there was a famine in the land, beside the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines unto Gerar.
2. And the Lord appeared unto him, and said, Go not down into Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of:
3 Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these countries, and I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father;
Genesis 28
1. And Isaac called Jacob, and blessed him, and charged him, and said unto him, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan.
2. Arise, go to Padanaram, to the house of Bethuel thy mother’s father; and take thee a wife from thence of the daughers of Laban thy mother’s brother.
3. And God Almighty bless thee, and make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, that thou mayest be a multitude of people;
4. And give thee the blessing of Abraham, to thee, and to thy seed with thee; that thou mayest inherit THE LAND wherein thou art a stranger, which God gave unto Abraham.
13. And, behold, the Lord stood above it, and said, I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed;
Genesis 35
9. And God appeared unto Jacob again, when he came out of Padanaram, and blessed him.
10. And God said unto him, Thy name is Jacob: thy name shall not be called any more Jacob, but ISRAEL shall be thy name: and he called his name ISRAEL.
11. And God said unto him, I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins;
12. And THE LAND which I gave Abraham and Isaac, to thee I will give it, and to thy seed after thee will I give LAND.
Genesis 50
24. And Joseph said unto his brethren, I die: and God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land unto THE LAND which he sware to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.
Exodus 2
23. And it came to pass in process of time, that the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage.
24. And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.
25. And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God had respect unto them.
Exodus 3
4 And when the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I.
5 And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.
6 Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.
14 And God said unto Moses, I Am That I Am: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I Am hath sent me unto you.
15 And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, the Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.
16 Go, and gather the elders of Israel together, and say unto them, The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared unto me, saying, I have surely visited you, and seen that which is done to you in Egypt:
17 And I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt unto THE LAND of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, unto a land flowing with milk and honey.
Exodus 6
2. And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the Lord:
3. And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name Jehovah was I not known to them.
4. And I have also established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, wherein they were strangers.
5. And I have also heard the groaning of the children of Israel, whom the Egyptians keep in bondage; and I have remembered my covenant.
6. Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments:
7. And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I am the Lord your God, which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.
8. And I will bring you in unto the land, concerning the which I did swear to give it to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; and I will give it you for an heritage: I am the Lord.
Joshua 24
1. And Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and called for the elders of Israel, and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers; and they presented themselves before God.
2 And Joshua said unto all the people, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the flood in old time, even Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of Nachor: and they served other gods.
3 And I took your father Abraham from the other side of the flood, and led him throughout all the land of Canaan, and multiplied his seed, and gave him Isaac.
4 And I gave unto Isaac Jacob and Esau: and I gave unto Esau mount Seir, to possess it; but Jacob and his children went down into Egypt.
2 Chronicles 20
6. And said, O Lord God of our fathers, art not thou God in heaven? and rulest not thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen? and in thine hand is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee?
7. Art not thou our God, who didst drive out the inhabitants of THIS LAND land before thy people Israel, and gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend for ever?
Psalm 105
5. Remember his marvellous works that he hath done; his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth;
6. O ye seed of Abraham his servant, ye children of Jacob his chosen
7. He is the Lord our God: his judgments are in all the earth.
8. He hath remembered his covenant for ever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations.
9. Which covenant he made with Abraham, and his oath unto Isaac;
10. And confirmed the same unto Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant:
11. Saying, Unto thee will I give THE LAND of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance:
Matthew 19
27. Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?
28. And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
Matthew 24
29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

*******************************
To Abraham
Genesis 12
1. Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee:
2. And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
Genesis 13
14. And the Lord said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward:
15. For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.
16. And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered.
17. Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee.
Genesis 15
18. In the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates:
Genesis 17
7. And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.
8. And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.
Genesis 22
17. That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;
18. And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.
Genesis 24
7 The Lord God of heaven, which took me from my father’s house, and from the land of my kindred, and which spake unto me, and that sware unto me, saying, Unto thy seed will I give this land;
To Isaac
Genesis 26
1. And there was a famine in the land, beside the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines unto Gerar.
2. And the Lord appeared unto him, and said, Go not down into Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of:
3. Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these countries, and I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father;
4. And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;
24. And the Lord appeared unto him the same night, and said, I am the God of Abraham thy father: fear not, for I am with thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for my servant Abraham’s sake.
To Jacob
Genesis 28
13 And, behold, the Lord stood above it, and said, I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed;
14 And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.
Genesis 48
3. And Jacob said unto Joseph, God Almighty appeared unto me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and blessed me,
4. And said unto me, Behold, I will make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, and I will make of thee a multitude of people; and will give this land to thy seed after thee for an everlasting possession.
Genesis 50
24. And Joseph said unto his brethren, I die: and God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land unto the land which he sware to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.

You could have just posted the whole Bible! Just say, “See this reference: Bible”.

However, I agree that it was made to Israel, and that ethnic Israel has not yet assumed the promises. Therefore, there is a future that is awaiting. However, the great blessing is that the Abraham at covenant assumed the to Israel, and that ethnic Israel has not yet assumed the promises. Therefore, there is a future that is awaiting. However, the great blessing is that the Abraham at covenant assumed the church Gentiles. All those who trusted in Christ were part of the Abrahamic covenant at that point. Ironically, the last one who has yet to be grafted in, is ethnic Israel. Therefore, there is a distinct future for ethnic Israel. Then all of those who belong in the Abrahamic covenant, ethnic Israel and Gentiles, will rule with Christ in the millennium. Have you ever checked out progressive dispensationalism? You seem to be arguing for classic dispensationalism. That is fine, there still are some classic dispensational list, but dispensationalism, light covenant theology, like all other theological systems that get introduced, we’re introduced in seed form, and have grown quite a bit since then.

We are blessed through Abraham in that Jesus the Son of God, God manifest in the flesh who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification was made of the seed of David according to the flesh. David was from the tribe of Judah who was a son of Jacob who was grandson of Abraham. Abraham was the physical and spiritual father of the circumcision, the promised nation of Israel, who would inherit the world (Rom 4:13).
By Genesis 15:6 he is also the father of all that believe for righteousness though they be not part of Israel or its promises of earthly dominion. God told us to put our faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ for our offenses and justification, not Abraham’s covenants of promise. If we be Christ’s by faith, then we are blessed with faithful Abraham in his seed and we receive the promise of the Spirit through faith (Gal 3:9; Gal 3:14).
“And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” – Gal 3:29
We are not heirs because we are Israel or because we are now children of the covenants and the prophets. We receive inheritance not according to the law, circumcision, or Israel, but according to the promise which is by faith. Many fail to realize that Paul is not denying the promises God will fulfill with the nation Israel (Rom 11:26-29). Neither is he saying that the church is Israel by putting them into Abraham’s earthly promises. He is simply explaining how God’s blessings can be received by Gentiles apart from the law, circumcision, and Israel. The only way God can bless Gentiles apart from these three things was the same way he blessed Abram without the law, circumcision, and Israel… by faith.

My wife showed me a T-shirt the other day, with print on the front that read:
“I can do all things through a verse taken out of context”.

Let me know if y’all want to place orders…

This blog post and the ensuing squabble amongst yourselves displays how easy it is to instrumentalize the Bible for personal needs, accommodating it to suit one’s private opinions and validate confirmation bias, exemplifying enslaving Sacred Scriptures to subjectivism, and is a case-in-point as to why Protestants need to consider abandoning the divisive principle of Sola Scriptura that was invented in the 16th Century and which gave rise to denominationalism and sectarianism. No offence intended, but to be frank: Sola Scriptura is just a way for Protestantism to legitimate the existence of multiple miniature popes, none of whom have any apostolic authority – nor any valid and consistent means – to interpret the Bible.

That said, there are a variety of theologies possible, and no one theology claims to be the final word on relating revelation to human beings: hence the need for an authority with the power to control and guide theology in accordance with the received faith (when Paul wrote, “I delivered to you that which I also received”, he was talking about faith, not a portion of text). It is just plain ridiculous to think that the Bible, by itself, is sufficient to function in such a role. The Bible does not interpret the Bible, simply because it cannot do so and was never intended for that purpose. It is not a theology “text book”. And even if it was that – it would still need to be interpreted! Preferably by a competent authority commissioned to do so, and which recognises the Sacred Tradition and the sensus fidelium of the Christian community as it has encountered and engaged with every culture throughout the ages.

There is a reason why Jesus Christ established a Church, and not a publishing company. Christians are members of a body, and not “people of the book” – we are not Islamists.

You are right. I should have said, Get behind me Satan instead. But, in the Waterboy, what an idiot! I’ve never heard of anything more absurd than what this article states.

With all my love!!

Ed Chapman

All of your love accepted, my friend.

I could have gone the way of saying BEWARE OF FALSE TEACHER’S, too. But I believe that a sharp rebuke was in order. Remember, how polite was Paul regarding Peter reading with gentiles, but scared to do it in front of Jews. Or John calling Pharisees vipers, and Jesus, etc. Or two teachers telling people that the resurrection has already taken place, throwing off the faith of some… and I’m sure they taught it nicely, too!

How do you define “false teacher”? The article above is not denying the resurrection. It is challenging you to rethink your assumptions about what Scripture describes as the new heavens and new earth. The meek shall inherit the earth. I encourage you to aspire toward meekness, and to consider that the Lord has revealed his plan for the earth to be renewed and inherited by his people in the eternal kingdom.

Even if I didn’t agree with the article, I would still push back on your rhetoric. Calling someone an idiot over and over indicates immaturity and insecurity in your own views. If you have a case, make it. This article wasn’t trying to lay out every Scripture that points towards a renewed earth eschatology, but there is an abundance of Scriptural support for the view. If you want to convince someone that your view is more biblical, make your case and let others engage. Consider the possibility that you might have something to learn.

I completely disagree with your analysis of my approach. He should know the scriptures, because of his position of who he is. He just showed his ignorance.

I would not be speaking in like manner to a baby Christian.

It’s always good to STUDY the scriptures before making assumptions, and off the wall conclusions as a teacher without backing up your claims with scripture.

Everything a teacher proclaims must be backed up. Then one can have an academic adult mature polite debate.

Otherwise…

Ed Chapman

I assume he has studied, and that his study led him to his view of Scripture. It is a view that is prevalent across church history, by the way. Perhaps it is worth a little more respectful consideration than “IDIOT idiot IDIOT!”. I get the feeling your assumption is that everyone (at least every teacher) is an ignorant idiot except for those who hold the same views as you. If you’re really interested, I’d be happy to point you to some well-thought out resources that show a great respect for Scripture in making a case for renewed earth eschatology (something that the article above does not attempt to do, nor should it be expected to accomplish given the scope/length).

I like to make movie clichés. One from A Few Good Men!

I could have said “Should we, or should we not follow the advice of the galactically stupid”.

But I’ll do this, instead:

“IT DOESN’T MATTER WHAT I BELIEVE, IT ONLY MATTETS WHAT I CAN PROVE!”

Like I said…if church history believes something, prove it, FLAT EARTH people.

Back it up with scripture.

God’s Word uses the word heaven, and this guy wants us to ignore God’s Word.

Now, you tell me what kind of a guy says that? Galactically stupid, or an idiot?

Haha. That was good. Loved few good men. Don’t like that I’m galactically stupid though. 😉

I’m glad you have a sense of humor about all this. I’m a USN Vet. I had broken up with my girlfriend one day before a 6 month deployment. So, I went to the movies, by myself. It was opening night of A Few Good Men. One of my favorites to this day.

Let me give you an example.

In your article, you go on and on about what YOUR version of Gnosticism is. And based on YOUR version, you don’t like it very much. But here is what the Bible states:

Matthew 6:19-21
Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

So what does this say about heaven?

No rust, no moth. No one will steal.

And where your treasure is, THERE IS WHERE YOUR HEART IS.

Your HEART is in heaven. Gnostic?

1 John 2:15
Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

John 14:2
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.

Matthew 5:12
Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

Mark 10:21
Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.

I’ll take your version of gnosticism any day of the week, and twice on Sunday!

Besides, Jesus spoke of the KINGDOM OF HEAVEN…not the kingdom of earth!

Heaven is God’s Throne. And since God’s throne will be among men on earth, then earth will be heaven.

There will be NO SUN, because God is light. No night time. No sleeping. No work.

No SEX! Better get them blue pills while ya can, C Micael Patton! There won’t be any of those pills in the KINGDOM OF HEAVEN!

Restored, huh? LOLOLOLOL!

Ed Chapman

Ed, it’s all good. I’m not trying to talk you into what I have said. Sometimes we just have to disagree. So, have a great day and thanks for commenting.

I can insist the earth is flat using Scripture (“four corners”), but that doesn’t make it true or “proven”. If you read the article, he admitted plainly that heaven is a biblical word, and that he only wishes it wasn’t so often used in a less than biblical way. I wouldn’t say “this guy wants us to ignore God’s Word.” Be fair. I’ll be done responding. Just wanted to voice the distaste that I’m sure many feel toward your tone (even those who agree with your position).

Eating, not reading. Doing the finger swipe on phone.

Ewan,

As I keep saying, DEFINE heaven!

Isaiah 66:1
Thus saith the Lord, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest?

Heaven is defined as God’s THRONE.

So, where ever God’s Throne is, THAT is heaven.

Before all of this is OVER AND DONE WITH, there is a one thousand year reign, where Christ’s THRONE will be on the earth…this earth.

But AFTER THAT…

Isaiah 65:17
For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.

It ain’t gonna be THIS earth!

1 John 2:15
Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

Matthew 6:19
Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

Matthew 6:20
But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

Hebrews 11:16
But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

Hebrews 12:22
But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,

Did Jesus speak of the Kingdom of Heaven, or the Kingdom of Earth?

Matthew 5:20
For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 7:21
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

Matthew 8:11
And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.

Luke 23:43
43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.

Was this “paradise” on the earth?

Where did Elijah and Enoch disappear to? They are the ONLY TWO people who NEVER DIED. I know that some say that they did die, that they just couldn’t find their bodies. But that is not the general consensus. Most of us believe that they come back as the 2 witnesses later in Revelation, who do end up dying…for it is appointed unto man once to die…

Several things, regarding both spirit and soul, and body, and ” ‘designed’ to live on earth which will last forever”

No, I’m not a Mormon. Yes, we are spirits, dressed in a body, and we have a soul.

By WHAT MEANS do you LEAVE your body at death, if you are not a spirit? Spirit is just another word for GHOST, like when Jesus “gave up the ghost”.

Jesus DID EXIST while dead, ya know. He went to hell to take punishment for our sins. It is appointed unto man first to die, and then the judgment. He wasn’t judged on the cross, but after he died. He took our sins upon himself, and those sins needed to be judged.

James 2:26
For as the body without the spirit is dead…

The body is dead without you (spirit) in it, meaning that you are dead. But you, spirit/ghost still exist.

Paul had, what is known as a Near Death Experience. It appears that he is not talking about himself in the following…but he is.

2 Corinthians 12:2
I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven.

So…whether Paul was talking about himself or not is irrelevent. But what is relevent is HOW DID THIS PERSON GET TO THE THIRD HEAVEN if he is not a spirit first, and foremost? What part of him got to the third heaven? What is “OUT OF THE BODY”?

BODY:

Your body is nothing more than a SHELL of the real you. It is known as many things, such as TEMPLE, TABERNACLE, TENT, FLESH, etc.

2 Peter 1:14
Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me.

2 Peter 1:13
Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance;

2 Corinthians 5:1
For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

2 Corinthians 5:4
For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.

When Jesus rose from the dead, the disciples thought that they were seeing a ghost. Ghosts CAN be seen, IF God allows it. But Jesus said that ghosts don’t have bodies as you see him have.

2 Corinthians 4:18
While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Your body is TEMPORARY, your spirit is eternal.

SPIRIT “AND” SOUL “AND” BODY

1 Thessalonians 5:23
And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Spirits “WERE” CREATED, bodies are FORMED.

Spirit:

First, we are created in the image of God…right?

John 4:24
God is a Spirit:

If God is a spirit, so are we. That’s just common sense stuff.

Ecclesiastes 3:21
Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?

Romans 8:16
The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

1 Corinthians 2:11
For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.

1 Corinthians 5:5
To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

1 Corinthians 14:14
For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.

1 Corinthians 14:15
What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.

Hebrews 12:9
Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?

The REAL YOU is your spirit.

Now, regarding the word SOUL. Or Nephesh in the Hebrew. The definition that I see is “A Living Breathing Creature”. But that definition is so INCOMPLETE.

The Greek word for soul is PSUCKE. Transliterate that Greek word to Latin, and we get, “PSYCHE”.

What does PSYCHE mean to you?

I like to say “THINKER”.

Genesis 2:7
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.

YOU are that “breath of life” that God breathed into your DEAD body (James 2:26 body is dead without the spirit). And once he did, Adam became a LIVING THINKER.

But here is the problem between YOUR spirit, and YOUR soul. BOTH are INTELLECTS within you.

But BOTH are NOT in SYNC. Your soul thinks EARTHLY thoughts, while your SPIRIT thinks SPIRITUAL thoughts. Paul distinguishes this in 1 Corinthians 14, with the topic of speaking in tongues:

1 Corinthians 14:14
For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.

With THAT in mind…I believe that Jesus is GOD…alone.

Having said that, I believe that the Father is God, I believe that the Son is God, and I believe that the Holy Spirit is God.

But, NO, I do not believe in the 3 PEOPLE playing the role of ONE GOD.

This is how I classify God, with all three:

John 4:24
God, THE FATHER, is a spirit.
Jesus, THE SON, is the BODY of the Spirit
The Holy Spirit is the MIND OF CHRIST (soul).

And remember that I said that the soul and the spirit is NOT in sync? That should show the difference between Jesus, the man, aka SON of God, vs. THE FATHER. The Father RESIDED in two places at the same time…”IN” Jesus…remember when Jesus said Tear Down This Temple, and I will rebuild it in 3 Days? Who lived in THAT TEMPLE? The Father did.

WHo lives in us? The Holy Spirit, right? We are the BODY of Christ. That Holy Spirit IS Jesus.

Romans 8:9 (HOLY SPIRIT)
…the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

Romans 8:10 (JESUS…THE SON)
And if Christ be in you…

Romans 8:11 (THE FATHER)
But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

2 Corinthians 13:5
Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

Imagine that…Jesus in two places at the same time…In Heaven, and In you!

I’m NOT Pentecostal, either, but I still believe that Jesus is the Father is the Holy Spirit. ONE PERSON, not 3 people.

I spent years studying the Bible regarding two words…SPIRIT AND SOUL.

Spirit is another way of saying SEED (spirit). Plant a seed (spirit) in dirt (body), and Adam became a living thinker.

Spirit is eternal, body is temporary.

Regarding HUMANS going to heaven…WHERE DID Elijah go, and Enoch? They were the ONLY TWO that went to Heaven. No one else could go until Jesus paid the price for sins. Hence, Abraham’s Bosom. And no, Abraham’s bosom is NOT a parable!

After Jesus died…

Ephesians 4:8
Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.

Captivity…the souls of the RIGHTEOUS dead…WHERE were they before Jesus died?

To me, you sound like a Jehovah’s Witness if you think that they did not exist after they died, using your Ecclesiastes 9:5…right?

If you see a dead man on the street, if you speak to him…he will not answer. Why? Ecclesiastes 9:5. He’s not in his body. The dead CORPS knows nothing.

Now, in regards to your Ecclesiastes 1:4…

Genesis 8:22
While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.

Revelation 7:16
They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat.

Revelation 21:23
And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.

Revelation 22:5
And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.

Jeremiah 4:23
I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light

25 I beheld, and, lo, there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens were fled.

And finally, I gotta ask you…as I would to anyone…WHEN WERE “YOU” CREATED?

Most get that one wrong, because they think that they were CREATED in the womb. No…they were FORMED in the womb. Seed (spirit) comes first. The body is DIRT, and the earth was created on DAY 1.

Man was created on Day 6.

God rested on Day 7.

Hebrews 4:3-10 (GOD IS STILL RESTING)
3 For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.

4 For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works.

5 And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest.

6 Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief:

7 Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

8 For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.

9 There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.

10 For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.

Everyone was created at the same time…day 6. God has been out of the creating business for quite some time, and he took a day off, and that day hasn’t ended yet. It’s still the 7th Day. We must enter into that rest.

You were CREATED to EXIST eternally (spirit), in God’s image (John 4:24). But you were formed with a body made of DIRT, which is TEMPORAL.

It’s funny that I get accused of being a Mormon, when this stuff is EASY to study in the bible.

1 John 2:15
Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

1 John 2:17
And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

The UNIVERSE:

Isaiah 51:6
Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath: for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner: but my salvation shall be for ever, and my righteousness shall not be abolished.

2 Peter 3:10
But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

2 Peter 3:12
Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

Job 14:12
So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep.

Isaiah 34:4
And all the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll: and all their host shall fall down, as the leaf falleth off from the vine, and as a falling fig from the fig tree.

Colossians 3:2
Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

If God is GOING TO create a new earth, WHY are you consentrating on THIS earth?

The author of this article seem to EQUATE the word CREATE with the word RESTORE. That’s not what I see.

Ed Chapman