Although similar to a previous post... this one is after more studying of the scriptures... and is more accurate. Is it possible that people outside your own faith will get to heaven? If your answer is “No”… well, think of it this way… will a fair God condemn someone that is loving and compassionate, generous and seldom selfish, to an eternity of “some lesser place” simply because (even though they let the love of God move through them) they were either in denial of God’s truth or just didn’t get to hear God’s truth while on earth? Speaking from a biblical standpoint that you may not have heard before… I am going to tell you how God’s plan covers EVERY soul… not just those of any given faith. John 5:25 says, “Verily, 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.” John 5:28-29, “Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.” What does this mean? 1. Everyone will hear the voice of Christ… and 2. ALL will get to hear the gospel, because that’s Jesus’ favorite topic. Now, Jesus would not share the gospel with those that would never be able to accept it. That would be like showing a glass of ice-water to someone dying of thirst… and never offering it. Jesus is not that cruel—and so this means that 3. Jesus is in fact offering the gospel to those people… and 4. ALL will either accept it or deny it. Then, to those that accept it… the purpose of heaven grows—and for those that deny it… they will still, “…come forth (be judged and resurrected); they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.” So, 5. …if you’ve done good (even if you deny the gospel) you will be resurrected unto life—go to heaven. BUT, this raises a very big question—“Why then, if we all go to the same place, does it even matter if we accept the gospel? Why can’t we just live good lives and love our neighbors? It matters because we don’t all go to the same place. 2Corinthians 12:2 says, “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.” And, in verses 3-4 Paul goes on to differentiate between the heaven(s) and a place called “paradise.” And, it was in paradise that Paul “…heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.” So, what does this hint toward? Possibly that there is a place (paradise) where we will hear more than is to be told hear on earth… and what we do with those things we hear (accept them or deny them) will tell God what “heaven” we are deserving to go to (IF we are worthy of the “resurrection of life.” So, there are at least three heavens, and another place where “unspeakable” words are heard. Whether we are good people is one test… whether we are still willing to learn of God’s truth is another test—and those that fail the first will go to what some call “hell”… while those that pass the first, but fail the second, will go to the lowest heaven… and those that pass both will go to the highest heaven. Two of these heavens are named in 1Corinthians 15. Paul is using this entire chapter to talk about the resurrection… and where those people will go—more specifically, the different degrees of glory those resurrected bodies may attain (indicative of the heaven they will go to). 1Cor. 15:40-41, “There are also celestial (the highest heaven) bodies, and bodies terrestrial (the second highest heaven): but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.” There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory.” –and even though only two heavens are named, we know that there are three because they are compared to the glory of the sun, moon, and stars. So, knowing that there are three heavens is EXCITING because… suddenly there’s room for all good people to go to heaven (even non-believers)… and, there’s room for those that come to accept a “fuller” gospel to go to a heaven where even more truth is taught. And, their acceptance proves they are still teachable. And learning is the purpose of the highest heaven, making “teachableness” a pre-requisite. There is a way by which God teaches us things. We learn (Isaiah 28:10 “…precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, there a little…” This being said, is it so hard to believe that God has allowed us to have something that would teach us to rely upon His Holy Spirit in order for us to learn to become teachable? The very scripture we have been left with is purposed as a tool and a pre-test. For those that will pass the test it serves as a tool in learning to rely upon the Holy Spirit to gain an even deeper knowledge of God’s as He intended. For those that rely on their own understanding the scriptures are a well-needed pre-test… and when they learn to rely on the Holy Ghost instead of words, and the understanding of men… they will have learned a valuable precept. So… the test. Do you believe that all of God’s words have purpose? If they do, then when we are WARNED not to add to or take away from the scriptures… that would mean that God knows it is possible for us to mess them up. This means we need to start reading them differently. We need to sincerely ask that God would help us come to understand His truth… the way He wants us to. When we do this God will help us in un-hardening our hearts (becoming teachable). This precept is the seed that must take root before we will allow ourselves any further learning of the truth as God knows it. The precept is that we… in our ignorance of the truth (as God knows it)… are in a weakened state… And if we go to God, acknowledging our weakness, and ask Him for the truth we lack… God will make our weakness become strength. And this applies to more than learning… but where learning is concerned… learning to learn the right way… is what God wants for us before He gives us more. Please let me know if this rings true to you. Your Brother, Jason
Posted on: Wed, 31 Jul 2013 00:44:21 +0000
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