What condition did Paul NOT hope for?
(Luke 16:19-31; 23:43; John 20:17; Phil. 1:21-24; 1 Pet. 3:13-20; Rev. 6:9-11) Blog Nov. 20-26, 2022
Prepared by Richard A. Marin: Present Truth PO Box 700, Fallbrook CA 92088-0700 USA
REVIEW: Adan chose death for the human race, but Jesus died to give humanity another chance at immortality. When he rose again the third day, immortality was assured to all who believe in him The hope of immortality has encouraged God’s people throughout history and a right understanding of death and immortality is crucial for maintaining a proper Christian experience. Some Bible passages seem to suggest that all humans are immortal by nature. We will consider these here:
The Rich Man & Lazarus
1. How do we know that the story of the rich man and Lazarus is a parable and not a true story of events that took place? How would anyone know what took place after death unless they had been there & observed others & then returned to tell the story? This makes obvious that the story is just a parable meant to teach an important lesson (Luke 16:19-31).
2. What is the important lesson Jesus meant to teach in the parable of the rich man and Lazarus? Jesus’ main point is that the Bible gives sufficient evidence for faith & holy living (Luke 16:27-31; Rom. 1:16).
3. What Scriptures clearly tells us that the dead do not remember events of this life? Psalm 146:4 tells us that when a person dies their “thoughts perish.” And Ecclesiastes 9:5-6 tell us that “the dead know not anything.” (Psa. 146:4; Eccl. 9:5-6).
4. What common tradition do we use today in a way similar to Jesus’ use of common Jewish thinking in his day? In order to illustrate a point about entrance into God’s kingdom we speak of Peter checking peoples’ credentials for entering the pearly gates (for which there is no Biblical basis).
“Today… with me in Paradise”
5. When Jesus told the thief on the cross, “To day shalt thou be with me in paradise,” what did he mean? Jesus was telling the thief that his name was entered into the book of life & that he was accepted as a child of God (Luke 23:39-43; Rom. 10:9).
6. If the adverb “today” is connected to the verb “I say,” how might we understand what Jesus was saying to the thief? That connection would correspond to the idea that Jesus was saying that day that someday they would be together in heaven, for neither of them entered heaven that day (Luke 23:43; John 20:17).
7. If the adverb “today” is connected to the verb “shall be,” how might we understand that the thief entered paradise that day? Since the thief didn’t physically enter heaven that day, it can’t refer to his living soul but could refer to his name being written in heaven, which Jesus highly regards (Luke 10:20).
8. On what basis was the thief given eternal life? Like everyone else who is given eternal life, the thief received it on the basis of perfect obedience, which was accounted his when he believed in Jesus (Matt. 19:17; Rom. 2:13; 4:24).
“To depart, and to be with Christ”
9. How did Paul view his earthly body? Paul viewed his body as a house in which he lived (2 Cor. 5:1).
10. What kind of body did Paul hope one day to have? Paul desired one day to have an eternal, immortal body from heaven (2 Cor. 56:1-4).
11. What condition did Paul NOT hope for? Paul did not desire to be “naked” or “unclothed” by which he was referring to the bodyless, intermediate state between death & immortality (2 Cor. 5:3-4).
12. When did Paul expect to have a heavenly, immortal body? Paul expected to have a heavenly, immortal body at the second coming of Christ when the dead in Christ are raised & given immortality (1 Cor. 15:23, 51-54; 1 Thes. 4:13-17; 2 Tim. 4:8).
13. How are we to understand Paul’s expression, “to depart, and to be with Christ”? Paul wrote the Philippians that to depart & to be with Christ was better for him than to remain in his earthly body, but remaining was more needful for them. He did not equate “departing” with “being with Christ” (notice the phrase “and to”). Since a heavenly body is necessary to be with Christ, his desire was to be translated as Enoch & Elijah were, or like he experienced in vision (2 Cor. 12:1-7; Phil. 1:21-26).
Preaching to the spirits in prison
14. If the dead know nothing and there is no forgiveness for fallen angels, is there any reason to preach to them? There is NO reason to preach to dead people, for they neither hear, nor think, nor have another chance at salvation, nor do fallen angels for they are cast out of heaven & reserved unto judgment (Psa. 146:4; Eccl. 9:5; Heb. 9:27; Jude 1:6; Rev. 12:9).
15. Who does Peter say brought Jesus back to life after his crucifixion and was also the medium he used to preach “unto the spirits in prison”? It was the Holy Spirit that cooperated in Jesus’ resurrection & in preaching to “the spirits in prison” (1 Pet. 3:18-19).
16. Who are the “spirits in prison” to whom the Holy Spirit preached? The “spirits in prison” are antediluvians who were buried in the flood (1 Pet. 3:20).
17. When did the Holy Spirit speak to “the spirits in prison”? The Holy Spirit spoke to “the spirits in prison” during the 120 years that Noah preached to them when they were alive before the flood (Gen. 6:3; 1 Pet. 3:20; 2 Pet. 2:5).
Souls under the altar
18. At the beginning of Revelation what method of instruction was John told that would be used in his vision? John was told that the angel would use symbols (signs) as the means of instruction & Jesus illustrated that at the end of the first chapter (Rev. 1:1, 20).
19. Which Old Testament altar is used as a symbol in Revelation 6:9? The altar of burnt offerings in the outer court of the sanctuary (& not the altar of incense in the Holy Place) is the altar referred to in Revelation 6:9, for it is there that animals were slain (like martyrs) & blood was shed. Just like the blood of Abel that cried from the ground, so, symbolically, these martyrs cry for God to judge (Gen. 4:10; Heb. 11:4; Rev. 6:9-10).
20. Of what is the outer court a symbol and who rest there? The outer court of the earthly sanctuary is a symbol of this earth where all who have died in Jesus, rest from their labors (Psa. 99:5; Isa 66:1; Lam. 5:1; Eze. 10:5; Matt. 5:35; Rev. 6:11; 14:13).
21. Who are the souls under the altar mentioned in Revelation 6? The souls under the altar are the martyrs for Jesus that sleep in their graves on earth while they symbolically cry for God to avenge their blood (Rev. 6:9-11).