Sunday, February 13, 2011

Heaven, Death, Dying

  I have read so many things in the past five years on death, dying, Heaven and Hell. I usually read Christian doctrine and since I consider myself a Christian that stands to reason. Every now and then though I go off the beaten path to see what a few others think, but only briefly and not enough for a comment. I guess that is part of being secure in one's faith. Still, with all the different versions of what is said one gets quickly confused. I can see why people run and even hate people sometimes when the word Christian is brought up. Oh, all sides are passionate of their beliefs, and I do mean all sides. I'm not sure what is going on but I do know that God didn't write Footnotes.

   There are those that quite convincing show you quotes from the Bible, funny how the NIV is being pushed and pushed hard, to show you you die completely when you die. Then on the other hand there are those who do just the same except they tell you that you will be in Heaven. Then one I heard the first time is that you have two judgments? What is that? That should be pretty important I would think, far more important than to warrant just one passage of a few that are cited like Corinthians 3:11-15.What does it actually say? There are no need for door prizes in for being with God if one makes it there. Maybe God will reward us accordingly to our deeds. I have no idea other than reward can come by making it there. I do believe that there are different rewards or positions such as was given on the Sermon on the Mount, but no second judgment. God isn't using the grading curve or adding stars in someone's crown for only He wears the crown.

  So I've often wondered what would the next step have been if had my NDE not have ended this way. In truth, I do not know, but I'm reading now. Would I have went back to sleep, IE: the grave? Would I have went on to Heaven? Could I have looked back down here at my loved ones? I am only certain of a few things. 1- I could not express or rather make contact with Denise or anybody else that night. 2- That even while I had the good emotions like love, I could not relate to anybody on any level other than Love. So while I knew she was sad and afraid, I could not relate to why or any of the negative feelings. Does that hold true for everybody? I have no idea. That is one reason I don't, or at least try not to, judge another NDE. Though I have called out a fake one or two occasionally, which finally did admit to or was proven was a faker.

    I know however what I experienced that night. So, I look once again for something that backs my experience up as many preachers say that you Rest there until the Final Judgment. Since I didn't see Heaven, I never even got out of the room. So, I research and here is one of what I have found. Rather than just the one verse, I have the whole perspective added. 

John 5:
 23That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.
 24Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
 25Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.

Apparently Jesus was misunderstood back then too:

John 8:
50And I seek not mine own glory: there is one that seeketh and judgeth.  51Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death.
 52Then said the Jews unto him, Now we know that thou hast a devil. Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and thou sayest, If a man keep my saying, he shall never taste of death.

1 Peter
 17For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.
 18For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
 19By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;

1 John
13Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.  14We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.
 15Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.

And always remember Enoch, which many had not even heard of him. Why?

Hebrews 11:
13Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.  14We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.
 15Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.

Genesis 6:
23And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years:  24And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.
 25And Methuselah lived an hundred eighty and seven years, and begat Lamech.

  As a matter of fact, Enoch is mentioned 11 times in the standard Bible. 

I'll write more on this later, but I do believe that you go on.



2 comments:

  1. Hi Anthony,
    Again, another great post!
    Glad you are getting some things done, but sorry about your bridge and feet. Mike lost another bit of tooth the other day. So it's to the dentist when he returns. :o)
    Take care, Lori

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  2. Thanks Lori. Tell Mike I empathize with him and hope he does good. I'm terrified of Dentists even though I have a good one. My plastic temporary bridge is holding so far. Go Gorilla Glue, lol.

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