Christians are "saved". You hear this all the time. Saved? What does that mean? Saved from what? Saved for what?
It's amazing how many different views there are on this. The word "saved" appears over 50 times in the New Testament.
The Bible makes it clear that people who do not accept Jesus and His teachings will end up in Hell/Hades and eventually the lake of Fire. ( Rev 21:8;
Rev 20:15; )
This is what Jesus does for us. He "saves" us from eternal damnation and the lake of fire. If no one goes to hell or the lake of fire
then Jesus didn't really save us from anything. This is the good news... this is the gospel. We don't have to go to hell.
Eternal life... this seems pretty straight forward. Eternal = non-ending, non-ceasing, forever, without end.
In a sense.. everyone lives forever. Even after we die, our soul lives forever. Some of us will eventually get new bodies.
But in the new Testament sense... Christians die once... then we live with God/Jesus in either heaven, the New Jerusalem, or on the Earth.
Non Christians "die" twice. They will eventually die a physical death, just like Christians. The difference is, they will face "the second death".
(which is the lake of fire). But eternal life is living with God/Jesus eternally... forever.
Believe it or not some "Christians" do not believe this. "Eternal life" to them simply means with Jesus while they are alive.
I'm not sure how they can construe this from any scripture of any context of the meaning of eternal life.
This is another thing Jesus does for us. He gives us eternal "life", as opposed to "eternal death". We are called "joint heirs" with Jesus
and we can go "to His Father's house" where there are many dwelling places (King James says "mansions"). There is no more pain, suffering
or sorrow there.
The judgment. Some churches teach Christians won't face any judgment. I see just the opposite in the Bible. At least 5 scriptures say we
will be judged. Many parables teach we will be judged. But perhaps we won't face something called "the Great White Throne Judgment".
All men will be judged. The Bible says the angels will be judged also. Everyone ends up in one of two conditions, in the lake of fire or
with Jesus and God in the second life. There really aren't any verses that say we go to heaven, but we go where Jesus is... the New Testament says
this will be the New Jerusalem. (which comes down OUT of heaven).
The resurrection... there is a lot of controversy about this. How and when it happens. Even exactly what it is.
Some believe it is the rising of the soul. Many believe in something called "soul sleep" and everyone will rise when Jesus calls their names.
1 Thes 4:16; John 5:28-29; John 11:24; etc.. but many believe the soul immediately goes to heaven ( 2 Cor 5:6-8; )
and the "body" is resurrected later "on the last day" whenever that is. This is a little misleading because the old flesh body doesn't get
resurrected, but we are given a new glorified body.
... but either way... we will be resurrected one day. We will never die.
John 11:26; and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?"
Rom 6:8; Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him,
Rom 6:9; knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him.
It's amazing how many different views there are on this. The word "saved" appears over 50 times in the New Testament.
The Bible makes it clear that people who do not accept Jesus and His teachings will end up in Hell/Hades and eventually the lake of Fire. ( Rev 21:8;
Rev 20:15; )
This is what Jesus does for us. He "saves" us from eternal damnation and the lake of fire. If no one goes to hell or the lake of fire
then Jesus didn't really save us from anything. This is the good news... this is the gospel. We don't have to go to hell.
Eternal life... this seems pretty straight forward. Eternal = non-ending, non-ceasing, forever, without end.
In a sense.. everyone lives forever. Even after we die, our soul lives forever. Some of us will eventually get new bodies.
But in the new Testament sense... Christians die once... then we live with God/Jesus in either heaven, the New Jerusalem, or on the Earth.
Non Christians "die" twice. They will eventually die a physical death, just like Christians. The difference is, they will face "the second death".
(which is the lake of fire). But eternal life is living with God/Jesus eternally... forever.
Believe it or not some "Christians" do not believe this. "Eternal life" to them simply means with Jesus while they are alive.
I'm not sure how they can construe this from any scripture of any context of the meaning of eternal life.
This is another thing Jesus does for us. He gives us eternal "life", as opposed to "eternal death". We are called "joint heirs" with Jesus
and we can go "to His Father's house" where there are many dwelling places (King James says "mansions"). There is no more pain, suffering
or sorrow there.
The judgment. Some churches teach Christians won't face any judgment. I see just the opposite in the Bible. At least 5 scriptures say we
will be judged. Many parables teach we will be judged. But perhaps we won't face something called "the Great White Throne Judgment".
All men will be judged. The Bible says the angels will be judged also. Everyone ends up in one of two conditions, in the lake of fire or
with Jesus and God in the second life. There really aren't any verses that say we go to heaven, but we go where Jesus is... the New Testament says
this will be the New Jerusalem. (which comes down OUT of heaven).
The resurrection... there is a lot of controversy about this. How and when it happens. Even exactly what it is.
Some believe it is the rising of the soul. Many believe in something called "soul sleep" and everyone will rise when Jesus calls their names.
1 Thes 4:16; John 5:28-29; John 11:24; etc.. but many believe the soul immediately goes to heaven ( 2 Cor 5:6-8; )
and the "body" is resurrected later "on the last day" whenever that is. This is a little misleading because the old flesh body doesn't get
resurrected, but we are given a new glorified body.
... but either way... we will be resurrected one day. We will never die.
John 11:26; and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?"
Rom 6:8; Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him,
Rom 6:9; knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him.