Questions about the topic of the afterlife?

[GRadmin]

Post your questions here..

[Mortal]

How are you so sure that Hell is a finite period of time, rather than forever?

[wandererinthewoods]

I always enjoyed the description at the end of Revelation of the new Jerusalem and use to wonder if what is described there is in fact identical up in heaven.

What do you think Anthony?

[Margie]

Eons, eon it the longest segment of time known in the Scriptures. Tony said ari on nos sp? Means for a period of time, there is no time in Heaven. It's for a specific length depending on the severity of the "sin" I suppose.
But I know God changes His mind, He has feelings, He is our Father, he does what is best for us All..so..I don't believe it's forever unless he said it is forever! That my interpretation so far, and it make sense as a father or mother would do for their children's sake with LOVE give due punishment.
That is my understanding up to now...
Margie

[GRadmin]

Yes, I think it is of God's perception. In the afterlife, often in NDE's, they talk as if time is sort of relative. Where a day can feel like an hour and such. So, it may not be entirely quantifiable as we see time here on Earth.

With eon (aionios) it merely means a time frame that has a beginning and an end.. From cradle to grave.. a life span of whatever might be spoken of..

New Jerusalem.. Yes, I think he is being more literal in his description of what he saw of the city.. I do think its going to be very beautiful.

[zero_fly]

I personally believe that when we die we cease to exist until God resurrects us. I don't believe humans beings possess an immortal soul or spirit. The doctrine of the immortality of the soul or spirit comes from Greek and Egyptian culture. If you study the bible it doesn't teach that when you die you goto some other dimension in spirit form. It teaches that when you die you are dead until God the Father resurrects you. The majority Christians believe that when you die if you are saved you goto heaven to be with Jesus, but if you are not saved you goto hell. This is wrong, and is nowhere taught in the bible. This idea comes from pagan cultures who came up with this idea. The reason it is wrong is that most Christians don't understand what the word hell actually means. The word hell has nothing to do with a place, but with perception. The word hell is derived from the anglo saxon language and it has to do with a covering, unseen, or hole in the ground. In middle ages people would hell their corn or cover their stuff in a hell. When you say to someone "go to hell" what you are saying to the person is get out of my sight. The idea the hell was a place of fiery damnation comes from norse mythology and stuff like dantes inferno.

Here are some articles that prove that the bible doesn't teach the immortality of the soul or spirit:

http://www.askelm.com/doctrine/d140701.pdf

http://www.askelm.com/doctrine/d030601.htm

http://www.askelm.com/doctrine/d060101.htm

[PianoMan123]

zero_fly,
When a christian dies he goes to be with God in heaven:

2 Corinthians 5:6-8
"Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord."

Philippians 1:21-23
" For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not. For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:"

Luke 23:42-43
"And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise."


If what you believe is true, then being uncouncious is the same as being in paradise with God?

[Outlaw32]

I have a question about the 3rd heaven. In 2 Corinthians 12 it's Paul talking about a guy being caught up to the third heaven. I am confused about who the man may be. Do you have any speculations about who it may be?

[GodDoesn'tTorture]

I sent this to the Godrules YouTube channel also:

I currently hold to annilationism (formerly eternal torment, like most), anyway, I wish I could believe in Universal Restorationism, but I need to raise a few points:

-Ecclesiastes 9:10 says "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.", suggesting that the intermediate state is an unconscious state, if the intermediate state is an unconscious state, repentance in the intermediate state would not be possible, please explain?

-1 Corinthians 3:11-15 talks about being saved by fire (the word fire is the same greek word used in the lake of fire; puros
), but could it possibly be referring to Zechariah 13:8-9 where it says "8: And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the LORD, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein. 9: And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God.", if two thirds are cut off, then universal salvation is not possible.

-Malachi 4:3 says "And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the LORD of hosts.", at least some need to be annihilated in order to be ashes.

-Revelation 20:14 talks about the Lake of Fire being the second death, not hint of being any sort of refining fire, but rather a fire that consumes. It's interesting that the prhase 'tormented day and night for ever and ever.' (even if it's mistranslated) only describes the fate of the devil, the beast (is this the antichrist, I always thought so but I have heard a viewpoint the beast refers to a system), and the false prophet

I'm not attacking your view, I wish I could hold to it, I ask these questions because I encountered a person online today who couldn't accept Christianity due to the afterlife not allowing a second chance, as an annihilationist, I couldn't help him, but I knew that the views of Universal Restorationism could have helped him and potentially allowed him to accept the gospel and be saved, I do pray both me and him (and all for that matter) come to the right understanding of the truth.

zero_fly,
When a christian dies he goes to be with God in heaven:

2 Corinthians 5:6-8
"Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord."

Philippians 1:21-23
" For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not. For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:"

Luke 23:42-43
"And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise."


If what you believe is true, then being uncouncious is the same as being in paradise with God?

I have heard claims that the original Greek did not have punctuation like we do today, so Luke 23:42-43 could be saying this:

And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee today, shalt thou be with me in paradise.

As for 2 Corinthians 5:6-8 and Philippians 1:21-23, I don't know for sure but I can offer a possible interpretation, being in a long distance relationship, I could say the following:

"I am willing to be absent from Austraila and present with my Fiancee", however, there is a long airplane trip (good thing I enjoy flying) between us, that airplane trip could compare to the unconscious intermediate state, once again, I don't now for sure, but verses like Ecclesiastes 9:10 suggest and unconscious intermediate state.


God Bless
Christ be with you all