♥ Views from Heaven ♥

[Thiscrosshurts]

If we can currently treat our enemies with the Geneva convention, how much better will we treat them in the afterlife? How much better then us will God treat them? We can currently visit the worst of the worst in prisons and take them some fresh fruit. Consider the Norwegian mass murderer claiming that no company is torture Anders Breivik's 'torture' claims over outdated Playstation 2 rejected. God does not torture.

Thank you for sticking up for our Father,I think some have a very distorted view of love and goodness.
A choice between bliss and torture is really no choice at all,it is extortion at best.
If we serve God to avoid torture is that love?

 

[KingJ]

Thank you for sticking up for our Father,I think some have a very distorted view of love and goodness.

True.

I wonder what part of ''God is love'' 1 John 4:8 is confusing. Or the '''at all'', in 'there is no darkness in Him...at all' 1 John 1:5.

Then I don't think many grasp the significance of 1 Pet 4:18 ''If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?"

Namely, do we 'seriously' envision eternal bliss vs eternal suffering for those that 'barely' made it vs those that 'barely' did not make it? Of course God does not make mistakes. He knows who are His. He is able to draw a fine line on heart and minds true intentions. We just need to grasp that many are on the fence. Not all that go to hell are as sold out to evil as others may be.

 

[Thiscrosshurts]

Namely, do we 'seriously' envision eternal bliss vs eternal suffering for those that 'barely' made it vs those that 'barely' did not make it? Of course God does not make mistakes. He knows who are His. He is able to draw a fine line on heart and minds true intentions. We just need to grasp that many are on the fence. Not all that go to hell are as sold out to evil as others may be.

Your post caused me to ponder about degrees and relativity.
I thought about Lazarus who's existence here was misery and that just being released from the pain of his experience on this would feel like bliss.
Like the relief we experience after having an abscess tooth and taking antibiotics and pain killer..Ahh,normal is so good.
I also know people who suffer if they can't get a cup of Starbucks before work.Torment for a rich man might be bliss to a poor man.

The fact that any goodness at all appears in this world of rebellion against God shows his love and mercy can't altogether be avoided.
It seems to me even nature teaches that darkness could only snatch away 12 out of 24 hours of the day.
Love does not demand its own way so like the prodigal son our demand to rebel against God got us an inheritance of half.
It's not that God won't give us the other half it's just that love grows faster than it can give itself away so the well spring of life can't be devoured.

God still pays the bills so the air does not retreat from us when we need to inhale.
The new Jerusalem has no night at all because it is lit by the lamb.
In the mind of Christ there is no knowledge of evil or darkness at all because it is the new Jerusalem.
We don't have to die or wait for a future event to live in this mind because it is timeless.

John 5:25 Timeless truth I speak to you: The hour is coming, it is even now, when the dead shall hear the voice of The Son of God, and they who hear shall live
There seems to be an option of a "now" resurrection or waiting for a certain hour.
So if the option of life exists now what does that imply about where we seem to be "now"?
That's just something to ponder so no need to answer.

Psalm 139:7 Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?
Psalm 139:8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.
Psalm 139:9 If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;
Psalm 139:10 Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.
Psalm 139:11 If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,"
Psalm 139:12 Even the darkness is not dark to You, And the night is as bright as the day. Darkness and light are alike to You.

 

[B-A-C]

There seems to be an option of a "now" resurrection or waiting for a certain hour.
So if the option of life exists now what does that imply about where we seem to be "now"?
That's just something to ponder so no need to answer.

There are many who believe in something called "soul sleep".
They believe when you die, you don't immediately go to heaven.
But you lie in the ground until the resurrection.
Arguments against this are "to be absent from the body is to be present with Lord".
But soul sleepers would say... you aren't absent from the body, you are simply asleep in it.

Others believe the soul goes to heaven immediately when you die.
But of course the physical body does not.
The resurrection is only the body, not the soul. Arguments against this include
that we get a new spiritual body "from heaven", therefore there is no need for the old physical body to be resurrected.

 

[Thiscrosshurts]

There are many who believe in something called "soul sleep".
They believe when you die, you don't immediately go to heaven.
But you lie in the ground until the resurrection.
Arguments against this are "to be absent from the body is to be present with Lord".
But soul sleepers would say... you aren't absent from the body, you are simply asleep in it.

Others believe the soul goes to heaven immediately when you die.
But of course the physical body does not.
The resurrection is only the body, not the soul. Arguments against this include
that we get a new spiritual body "from heaven", therefore there is no need for the old physical body to be resurrected.

Those do seem like possibilities but as you point out they don't fully explain things and I end up with more questions.
I am more interested in the "now is" part.

 

[B-A-C]

I think the "now" is for everyone who doesn't believe in soul sleep.
In other words, if I died today... my soul would be resurrected, but not my body.

 

[Chopper]

Your post caused me to ponder about degrees and relativity.
I thought about Lazarus who's existence here was misery and that just being released from the pain of his experience on this would feel like bliss.
Like the relief we experience after having an abscess tooth and taking antibiotics and pain killer..Ahh,normal is so good.
I also know people who suffer if they can't get a cup of Starbucks before work.Torment for a rich man might be bliss to a poor man.

The fact that any goodness at all appears in this world of rebellion against God shows his love and mercy can't altogether be avoided.
It seems to me even nature teaches that darkness could only snatch away 12 out of 24 hours of the day.
Love does not demand its own way so like the prodigal son our demand to rebel against God got us an inheritance of half.
It's not that God won't give us the other half it's just that love grows faster than it can give itself away so the well spring of life can't be devoured.

God still pays the bills so the air does not retreat from us when we need to inhale.
The new Jerusalem has no night at all because it is lit by the lamb.
In the mind of Christ there is no knowledge of evil or darkness at all because it is the new Jerusalem.
We don't have to die or wait for a future event to live in this mind because it is timeless.

John 5:25 Timeless truth I speak to you: The hour is coming, it is even now, when the dead shall hear the voice of The Son of God, and they who hear shall live
There seems to be an option of a "now" resurrection or waiting for a certain hour.
So if the option of life exists now what does that imply about where we seem to be "now"?
That's just something to ponder so no need to answer.

Psalm 139:7 Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?
Psalm 139:8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.
Psalm 139:9 If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;
Psalm 139:10 Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.
Psalm 139:11 If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,"
Psalm 139:12 Even the darkness is not dark to You, And the night is as bright as the day. Darkness and light are alike to You.

Wow Thiscrosshurts. Your post put a praise the Lord into my heart. You have a wonderful heart exposed to us here in TJ. Very touching to say the least. I loved every word that you wrote, bless you my friend. Please share with us more of your heart's knowledge of God's Love and Grace In the time that we live now, the world is a mess. The news of each day has little to rejoice in, but along comes Thecrosshurts and blasts a grand view of the heart of YHWH. He is Love and you just blessed us with His arms around us with a spirituall hug. Bravo, Bravo!!

 

[Curtis]

I for one do believe that the saints that have died know what going on this earth. Why not since they are in Christ just like we to are in Christ. The body of Christ is not made up of just those living in physical bodies here on earth, but are made up of all believers. Paul said he was not with a certain group of people physically in the flesh, but he was with them in the spirit watching and enjoying their steadfastness, and order!!! John wrote in 1 John.

1Jn 1:3.. That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.

John said we could have fellowship with us!!! Us who? the Body of Christ!!! How? "By walking in the light as he is in the light, we will have fellowship with one another...."

Jesus had fellowship with Moses, and Elijah on the mount of transfiguration. Yeah, but he was the Son of God!!! We are the sons' of God.