Hell is more complicated than you might think

When people ask me about hell, I ask them back, "which one?" If you get buried in the ground, that is referred to as Sheol or the grave translated as Hell so all of us will be in hell sometime. The Christian will not be saved from going into the grave (hell) unless Jesus returns... but we will be saved from the grave (hell) if we die before His return. Another hell is Hades. It is temporal... not eternal as it is tossed into the Lake of Fire (another hell of sorts). This is the Greek realm of the dead mentioned in the NT. 

Then there is Abraham's Bosom which is the abode of the righteous and also Paradise that is said to be those in Abraham's bosom rose with Jesus. Hell is also Tartarus... where Peter writes the fallen angles are kept in chains. This is also part of Greek mythology of where Zeus kept prisoners. Hell is not straight forward as many Christians believe. It is more complicated than just I get to go to Heaven and not go to hell... As I stated, that is even wrong. 

There is also Gehenna where the garbage was burned outside of Jerusalem. Jesus passed through Gehenna on His way to be executed. This is also were prisoners were buried. This is the closest “hell” there is to the Lake of Fire. Now, theologians debate whether the Lake of Fire is to purify annihilate or to punish. It may be a matter of perspective. Yet, even that is stated to be eternal punishment however the word in Greek to mean “eternal” could mean “ages” or “a very long time” or “generations”. 

N.T. Wright Series on Hell and other questions.

These are great. Listen to the whole series.

The Kingdom of Heaven/God is…

Kingdom of Heaven/God is…



Ephesians 1: 3.Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.
4. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5. he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will-- 6. to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace 8. that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. 9. And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10. to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment--to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ. 11. In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12. in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.
13. And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14. who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession--to the praise of his glory.

The word “Logos” used in John 1:1 which is often interpreted as “Word”. We use it today in the word “logic” which has part of the meaning as when God created all things it was out of a chaos that existed. Both Genesis 1 and John 1 start with “in the beginning”. This should show us that we exist outside of the eternal and in a different dimension called time. The word “logos” is very much misunderstood and is really watered down in our English translations and understanding. God spoke “let there be…” and though it was not it was. Yet, we see in Ephesians, that there was a mystery that was before all things began. In the eternals (if there be a way to grasp this idea outside of Plato’s dualism) we see that we were chosen to be in Christ before creation. That means that before God created he had a plan that was that all things dwell in Christ.

Logos lost some of its meaning in our translations and understandings as we grasp that John was playing a trick on the Gnostics. John uses the Platonic concept to show that this is even greater than Plato’s ideas of dualism. In a simplified understanding it means a conversation. In a fuller meaning it is an ongoing conversation that started in the Godhead with the Father and Son and their unity or the Holy Spirit. Now I do believe the Holy Spirit is a Person, so don’t get me wrong on that. Yet this eternal conversation was of a Kingdom in the form of a Person being Jesus.

Jesus is not only the savior of me and my kingdom, which in the end is that of death; rather he is also the King of all Creation. I see that just as David desired the Temple to be built; it was his son Solomon who finished the Temple in which God filled with His Glory. This is the idea that God the Father desired for us in His Son Jesus. Instead of temples made by man, we are now the Temples of God in which He dwells and also we dwell in Christ Jesus for he is the New Jerusalem.

The Kingdom is not just a future event. It is in some sense as I see that it is still filling the earth with the Glory, yet as we still have death God has yet to fulfill this promise. God is making earth His dwelling, yet is preparing it for a time. I see in the narrative this tearing down of walls and divisions between first God and man in the Person of Christ that will also tear down walls and division between humanity. Yet, this Kingdom is not just some place to go after we die. It is not our dream that we hope for someday, for the Blessed Hope is of the return of Christ in all His glory and the Glory of God filling the earth as it is in Heaven. N. T. Wright speaks of the intertwining of heaven and earth and a restoration of both.

Understand that though God ruled the heavens it to was tarnished by the rebellion. I see in the book of Job a sense of many theaters. We have God and Satan in one theater and then we focus on Job and Satan. Then we focus on Job and his troubles on earth… Job and his friends until we come to a point were a person name Elihu appears and refocuses on God. God then reminds all that he is God and does as He wills and owes no man any reasons for His actions. Humorously, God does by letting us in on the story of Job. There are many kingdoms in play in Job.

1. God in his glory,
2. Satan in his glory,
3. The restoration of the focus on God in his Glory.
4. The restoration of man in His Glory

God shows a picture of what is and is to come.

Now Jesus sits at the right hand of God in Glory. Jesus rules, yet in deference to my preterist friends, I still see that there is a time when Jesus returns in fullness of Glory. I see that just as Jesus lives, he will return in all his glory to restore all things and to bring all things into himself. I see that Jesus will abolish death and the grave. I suggest for a matter of perspective to take a walk through a grave yard and notice few graves have burst forth. I suggest that you notice also those who are dying in cancer wards. Death is still here and so is the grave. These have yet to be tossed into the Lake of Fire. Until then I see that we are now in two kingdoms. One that is coming down being the Kingdom of God, and another that is being driven out being the kingdom of darkness. I see that at points we can see the intertwining that N. T. Wright speaks of. That we can now grasp the Kingdom of God in its fullness as it is not a part of this creation but of a new thing God is doing. I see that that some things to us are yet in the future they are also now.

I am not suggesting dualism by stating that there are two Kingdoms as there is only one that is in Christ. It is that until the Light shines in all man as we find life not in our blood but in this Life of Christ we begin a journey in a New Kingdom that seems so far away yet is within us and all around us. Though it is about us in a small sense, it is also about a judging of Israel and in a greater sense a judging of all things that are in rebellion against God. (Matt 19; 1 Cor 6:3) We are now in that age. Then He who has final judgment will judge both the living and the dead.

Now we have to look at all this in a greater narrative than “God saved me”. We need to see that there is a narrative from before creation that is carrying on into a New Creation that will open with judgment then the restoration of all things being brought first into Christ then back into the Father. We are free from the sting of death, yet also will one day be free of death itself. All this is in a Kingdom… all this is in a Person… Jesus.

In this Person, being Jesus we see God bringing all things back to Himself. God’s plan even before creation was Jesus. There is no other plan. Heaven is where Jesus rules and as Jesus lives in us, and us in Him, Heaven is within us. Jesus is to be “all in all” as God eternal plan has always been. As the passage in Ephesians shows, we were included when we came to faith. The mystery is Christ Jesus who now rules in Heaven, our hearts and will soon place all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy is Death.

1 Cor 15: 19. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men. 20. But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. 22. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. 23. But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. 24. Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. 25. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 27. For he "has put everything under his feet." Now when it says that "everything" has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ. 28. When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all.

Death and the Grave will one day be cast into the Lake of Fire. Until the day we are clothed in the imperishable just as we are now clothed in Christ Jesus, we need spread the message of the Kingdom of God. (1 Cor 15:42)

Jack Chick... now in animation

I was a huge Jack Chick fan years ago, but as I grew I did not see things quite like Jack. This was pointed out by a new friend Michael Krahn. I found it compelling on many different levels. Watch it, read the write up on it then let's talk!

Talk points.

1. Do you think the polarization of the opposing men is fair?
2. Is the Fatherhood of God brotherhood of man not in the Bible as claimed?
3. Could the presentation have been more balanced?
4. When they are in hell, what do you think of Jack Chick stating it is only "temporary?"
5. Is "judgment" only bad?


Be blessed,
iggy

More Thoughts on Heaven...

I was testing the children in my Sunday school class to see if they understood the concept of getting to heaven. I asked them, 'If I sold my house and my car, had a big garage sale and gave all my money to the church, would that get me into Heaven?'

'NO!' the children answered.

'If I cleaned the church every day, mowed the yard, and kept everything neat and tidy, would that get me into Heaven?'

Again, the answer was, 'NO!'

By now I was starting to smile.

Hey, this was fun! 'Well, then, if I was kind to animals and gave candy to all the children, and loved my husband, would that get me into Heaven?'

I asked them again.

Again, they all answered, 'NO!'

I was just bursting with pride for them.'Well,' I continued, 'then how can I get into Heaven?'

A five-year-old boy shouted out....

'YOU GOTTA BE DEAD.'

Great Quotes: N. T. Wright

"Our culture is very interested in life after death, but the New Testament is much more interested in what I've called the life after life after death — in the ultimate resurrection into the new heavens and the new Earth. Jesus' resurrection marks the beginning of a restoration that he will complete upon his return. Part of this will be the resurrection of all the dead, who will "awake," be embodied and participate in the renewal." ~ N. T. Wright

N.T Wright on Heaven

I have been heavily influenced by N. T. Wright. Now, saying that I may not agree on all points. Yet, one point I see that he is great at is getting to the point of some things most just take for granted... and often being so granted are just plain wrong.

The debate on "Hell" will go on, though I think that if one can wrap their mind around the proper teaching of the bible on Heaven, they will begin to grasp why the common idea of Hell needs to be looked at.

Bob Hyatt pointed to an interview with N. T. Wright that I think will help many start to understand why "BIBLICAL" understanding is important.

Be blessed,

iggy

Brian McLaren and Tony Campolo speak about... HELL

Here is a great article which Brian McLaren and Tony Campolo speak on hell.

Some interesting points.

Brian, in your book, The Last Word and the Word After That, you focus heavily on “deconstructing” the evangelical view of hell. Some critics think your deconstruction has moved to the point of your embracing a “universalist” position. Are you a Universalist?

McLaren: No, I am not embracing a traditional universalist position, but I am trying to raise the question, When God created the universe, did he have two purposes in mind—one being to create some people who would forever enjoy blessing and mercy, and another to create a group who would forever suffer torment, torture, and punishment? What is our view of God? A God who plans torture? A God who has an essential, eternal quality of hatred? Is God love, or is God love and hate?

Tony Campolo: ....There’s no sense of justice found in universalism. If everybody ends up in the same place no matter what they choose, there is no justice. On the other hand, grace says we don’t get justice in the end. So we’ve got both of those truths in tension.

be blessed,
iggy

Repost:My Values and Beliefs

This is a repost as some have been asking what I believe. It was first posted 9/30/06.

My Values and Beliefs

I believe...in one God, Creator of all things, eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and that these three are co-eternal and are equal. Colossians 1:16

I believe...Jesus Christ is the Son of God. That He is the Creator and that all things were created through Him. He is coequal with the Father. Jesus lived a sinless human life and offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all men by dying on a cross. He rose from the dead after three days to demonstrate His power over sin and death. He ascended to Heaven's glory and will return again to earth to reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Matthew 1:22, 23; Isaiah 9:6; John 1:1-5, 14:10-30; Hebrews 4:14,15; l Corinthians 15:3,4; Roman 1:3,4; Acts 1:9-11; I Timothy 6:14,15; Titus 2:13
I believe...that the Bible is the verbally inspired Word of God and without mistakes as originally written. It is the complete revelation of His will for salvation and the only unfailing rule of faith and practice for the Christian life. It is God’s revelation of Who He is. ll Timothy 3:16; ll Peter 1:20,21; ll Timothy 1:13; Psalm 119:105, 160
I believe...that man was created by and for God; that by man's disobeying God, every person incurred spiritual death, which is separation from God, and physical death as a consequence; and that all people are sinners by nature and practice. Genesis 1:27; Psalm 8:3-6; Isaiah 53:6a, Romans 3:23; Isaiah 59:1, 2
I believe...in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit indwelling all believers and thus enabling and empowering the life and ministry of the believer. II Corinthians 3:17; John 16:7-13, 4:16,17; Acts 1:8; I Corinthians 2:12, 3:16; Ephesians 1:13; Galatians 5:25; Ephesians 5:1
I believe...In the Old Testament it was understood that the way to God was through a priest. People went to the temple to give their sacrifice and had access to God through the priest. In the New Testament we are taught that Jesus Christ is our access to the Father and none of us needs to go through anyone - not a priest, a rabbi or a pastor - to reach God. John 14:6; I Timothy 2:5
I believe...Because God gives man eternal life through, Jesus Christ; the believer is secure in salvation for eternity. Salvation is maintained by the grace and power of God, not by the self effort of the Christian. It is the grace and keeping power of God that gives this security. John 10:29; II Timothy 1:12; Hebrews 7:25, 10:10, 14; I Peter 1:3-5
I believe... God is sovereign ruler of the universe, and He is owner of all things. He has made us stewards of His possessions, and therefore man is accountable to God for that which God has entrusted to him. We are called to give ourselves as believers living sacrifices. That means all our resources are to go to God's glory. Giving can be in many forms, from ones time to money. Leviticus 27:30; Malachi 3:10; Exodus 34:26; I Corinthians 16:2 Romans 12:1
I believe... God has redeemed and is giving man dominion through Jesus Christ over the earth making all things on earth as it is in heaven. John 17:4; Matthew 6:10

My Values are…
To be Missional… (from Friend of Missional one of the best sites I have seen on being missional)
Description of a Missional Church

• A missional church is one where people are exploring and rediscovering what it means to be Jesus' sent people as their identity and vocation.






• A missional church will be made up of individuals willing and ready to be Christ's people in their own situation and place.






• A missional church knows that they must be a cross-cultural missionary (contextual) people in their own community.






• A missional church will be engaged with the culture (in the world) without being absorbed by the culture (not of the world). They will become intentionally indigenous.






• A missional church understands that God is already present in the culture where it finds itself. Therefore, a missional church doesn't view its purpose as bringing God into the culture or taking individuals out of the culture to a sacred space.






• A missional church is about more than just being contextual; it is also about the nature of the church and how it relates to God.






• A missional church will seek to plant all types of missional communities to extend the Kingdom of God.






• A missional church faithfully proclaims the gospel through word and deed; how the gospel is embodied in our community and service is as important as what we say.






• A missional church will align all their activities around the missio dei -- the mission of God.






• A missional church seeks to put the good of their neighbor over their own.






• A missional church will give integrity, morality, good character and conduct, compassion, love and a resurrection life filled with hope preeminence to give credence to their reasoned verbal witness.






• A missional church practices hospitality by welcoming the stranger into the midst of the community.






• A missional church will see themselves as a community or family on a mission together. There are no "Lone Ranger" Christians in a missional church.






• A missional church will see themselves as representatives of Jesus and will do nothing to dishonor his name.






• A missional church will be totally reliant on God in all it does. It will move beyond superficial faith to a life of supernatural living.






• A missional church will be desperately dependent on prayer.






• A missional church gathered will be for the purpose of worship, encouragement, supplemental teaching, training, and to seek God's presence and to be realigned with God's missionary purpose.


• A missional church is orthodox in its view of the gospel and scripture, but culturally relevant in its methods and practice so that it can engage the worldview of the hearers.






• A missional church will feed deeply on the scriptures throughout the week.






• A missional church will be a community where all members are involved in learning to be disciples of Jesus. Growth is an expectation.






• A missional church will help people discover and develop their spiritual gifts and will rely on gifted people for ministry instead of talented people.






• A missional church is a healing community where people carry each other's burdens and help restore gently.

Blessings,
iggy

A Different Perspective

A Different Perspective has some great thoughts from N.T. Wright... Alan Hartung is at Soularize and shared his thoughts on N.T.Wright.

Check out Soularize via FeedLive.

Be Blessed,
iggy

Do we live by "Christianity" or by Jesus.

I have to wonder at some of critics that are out there.

I have seen these things.

1. A person write against Erwin McManus' "the Barbarian Way" as he took the side of the civilized religionist... proudly!
2. A person add to statements so that they fit their critic...
3. People who lift up foul mouthed reformers like Martin Luther then attack Mark Driscoll. (Martin Luther like to use colorful scatological language.)
4. People who when challenged for their teaching as being biblical quote Spurgeon to prove it is!
5. People who condemn me for "playing down heaven and hell" and that the Gospel is all about "me"... I have to laugh as it is them who say "I got saved so I will not go to Hell and I get to go to Heaven"... I state that God came through Jesus to preach the Kingdom of God and that I am privileged to be called and enter into His Kingdom. Heaven is a by product of the big picture God is doing... and so is my salvation... so I am wondering... were is this all about me. Yet, it seems that many do accuse myself and others, then turn around and preach a "me-driven" gospel themselves! The focus of Christianity is not me, but Jesus Christ.

Now, here is the big difference that I see and it is summed up it this quote by Chris P.

"I believe that Mike’s point is that the majority of those claiming christianity, which is a religion btw, are not necessarily true saints."

Notice that "Christianity is a religion to Chris and if you look at the other examples that seems to be the consensus of this group! It is not a relationship with God through the death, burial and resurrection of His Son Jesus and then being filled with the Holy Spirit! Nope, it is a religion that is civilized and controllable and that can be understood by mere human reasoning.

They worship a controlled God of their own vain imaginations!

Then they accuse others of being me-based, when their whole religion is the same as the Pharisees who thought they could get God to move by their strict obedience to the Law.

God is sovereign and in no way impressed with man's religion. He is impressed only with His Son and those who depend totally on Jesus for salvation.

Be Blessed,
iggy

A bit of my testimony...

I wanted to share a bit of my testimony.


I for one was never afraid of hell… I welcomed it before I was saved… It was the Love of God and His Kindness that won me over. Hell was to be the “party place” where one could do as they willed.

I also believed my father who had died when I was very young to be in hell, so desired to meet him there.

Again, Hell never has been a motivating factor other than when God was in pursuit of me and I began hear His call, Satan kept showing me my insignificance… to me heaven was not an option… I was damned when I was born… why did I believe that? Satan told me so… He showed me hell and the mixture of men’s souls who were too weak to accept Satan’s offer, they got there thinking they were good enough for heaven, but we who knew we were not were to reign with Satan.

Now, I did not consider myself a Satanist… but one who had knowledge. I did not worship Satan in some formal way… as they were not truly pure in their self sacrifice…
I was very young when Satan told me this…

12 maybe…

God revealed His love for me through a youth pastor who told me of the Cross… he told me of hell and I told him I was not afraid of it and welcomed it. He was shocked. He kept telling me about how Jesus gave His life for me… and invited me to a rock concert at his church… I listened to the man and talked about “if you have troubles with drugs, alcohol, sex, whatever, give it to Jesus… I thought about my life and that I had not really known love… so I prayed, “If you can keep me sober tonight, I will see what I can do for you.” At that moment a heavy load lifted form me and I was sober. Now that got my attention.

There is much more, but suffice it to say that each step I took with God was because of love and kindness and not out of fear of hell… even now I have little to no fear of hell, and I know Satan for who he is… a liar, and thief and a destroyer of people.

I realize at times I may speak out harshly to some that believe that they must push Hell as a point to get one to convert. It seems I may have been wired from the start to see God's Grace and Mercy and to reach out to those that can hear, with God's kindness.

I know I have a low tolerance for "religious" people... yet, for a time I was one of those also. For me, God's grace is sufficient for me... and for anyone else that turns to Him. Fear can motivate some I suppose, but if that fear is all one stays in, they cannot be perfected in Love. We are to fear God Who can toss one into the Lake of Fire... so I do not see that we are called to fear hell.

Oh, about my father... One of the greatest gift God gives is hope. I have a suitcase of hope for my father... literally! He spent some time in Texas with a family of Charismatic believers. In that suit case are many prayers and scriptures to and for my father. I gives me hope that maybe in spite of other things I know of him, he by God's Grace is with Jesus now.

Be Blessed,
iggy

Oh Hell! (No I am not swearing)

Hell No! (No I am not swearing)

There is a question as to whether those some of us believe in Hell… I would say even the most liberal actually do. The issue is not whether there is a Hell, rather it is that the Hell we teach in Sunday school and our churches is truly Hell… Often it is hellish… but not biblical.

We must first define the terms.

The Bible uses various words for hell

It can mean:

Sheol The Grave
Hades The abode for the dead
Abraham’s Bosom The abode of the Righteous dead
Tartarus The place the fallen Angels are held
Gehenna The place of rubbish, the garbage dump
The Lake of Fire The second death


Most people just assume that those who die go to heaven or to hell… in a sense that is correct. Yet, the problem is they miss define which heaven and which hell people are going to. In the OT it is most often spoke of as Sheol. Rabbis would talk of Gehenna, but not in the sense most Christians use it. In fact, it is more liken to purgatory with a time limitation of about 12 months of suffering… (That is what the rabbis taught!) I believe this is where Roman Catholics have come to teach purgatory.

In the passage Jesus speaks of Gehenna (Mark 9:43) I have heard some teach that Jesus was saying that it is better lose your hand than be tossed to the garbage pile. Gehenna was the dump outside of the city of Jerusalem… it burn continuously. I tend to think that this is more akin to the idea of “tossed to Hades” the abode of the unrighteous that will be eventually tossed into the Lake of Fire, though I do give some credence to the idea that it is not the final place of Judgment.

There is a parable in which Jesus describes Hades and in it is Abraham’s bosom… in it has a gulf between the rich man and Lazarus. In fact it is said that Lazarus is in Abraham’s bosom… I take that to be that since Abraham is the father of our faith, this man was a man of faith. He was in a beloved place separate from the rest (or unrest) of Hades as a whole. Later Jesus states to the thief on the cross next to Him that the thief will be with Him in Paradise… I think this is another reference to Abraham’s bosom… and later after the resurrection, after Jesus lead the captives free, Abraham’s bosom, or paradise was taken into Heaven.

Many think that when they die they will go to Heaven… and yes that is true of those of the faith of Abraham… yet that is not our final resting place. That is the main issue that is become problematic as this teaching of “going to heaven” or getting “your ticket to heaven” implies that that is it… there is nothing else. But that is not what Scripture teaches.

There is more.

There is a passage in the Book of Revelation… it is in chapter 20 we read of the Great White Throne Judgment. Each person will be raised from the dead and those alive will be taken and stand before Jesus… this is when every knee will bow and tongues confess Jesus is Lord. Jesus then will judge all by their works… that is what it says.

Rev 20: 12 -15. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. (NIV)

There is some question as to that some have gone to great lengths to avoid that the righteous are here being judged also. Much of the “rapture” theology goes out of its way to avoid what is clearly written. But here is the thing… it is of the Righteous, that they are judged by their works and that their name is in the Book of Life. What that means is that they have lived the Life of Christ… or rather Christ has Lived His Life in and through them and thus made them righteous. The sad thing is that some will be judged on their own merit... And will be found wanting. They will receive their wages… and that is death.

So, no, eternity will not be spent in Hell, it will be spent in the Lake of Fire… I tend to see that Gehenna may be this same idea. All in all hell or the Lake of Fire is most probably worse that one can imagine... so for that reason I cry our Hell no! Say no to hell... boycott hell.

Here is the tricky thing though. Just before this the devil and his followers are judged and cast into the Lake of Sulfur… or Lake of Fire. Even more trick is that in verse 14 that Death and Hades will be tossed into the Lake of Fire also… that is death and hell… so if one is spending eternity in hell, then it is either compounded by being thrown into the Lake of Fire… or as they are all resurrected and judged, this is the last and bitter end.

So, no, eternity will not be spent in Hell, it will be spent in the Lake of Fire… I tend to see that Gehenna may be this same idea.

There is good news and it is not about saving money at Geiko!

Chapter 21 is about our rewards… it is when we are also presented to Christ as His Bride and He presents us to the Father as pure and Holy. We are then living as people of the Faith of Abraham, living in total trust in Jesus as Messiah, now in the New Creation fulfilled. That is where I hope to see you.

Blessings,
iggy

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