WHAT JESUS SAID ABOUT DEATH
Jesus Christ spoke about the condition of the dead. He did so with regard to Lazarus, a man whom he knew well and who had died. Jesus told his disciples: “Lazarus our friend has gone to rest.” The disciples thought that Jesus meant that Lazarus was resting in sleep, recovering from an illness. They were wrong. Jesus explained: “Lazarus has died.” (John 11:11-14) Notice that Jesus compared death to rest and sleep. Lazarus was neither in heaven nor in a burning hell. He was not meeting angels or ancestors. Lazarus was not being reborn as another human. He was at rest in death, as though in a deep sleep without dreams. Other scriptures also compare death to sleep. For example, when the disciple Stephen was stoned to death, the Bible says that he “fell asleep.” (Acts 7:60) Similarly, the apostle Paul wrote about some in his day who had “fallen asleep” in death.—1 Corinthians 15:6.
The Bible teaches that the dead “are conscious of nothing at all.” They are not alive and have no conscious existence anywhere. The account of Lazarus confirms this. Upon returning to life, did Lazarus thrill people with descriptions of heaven? Or did he terrify them with horrible tales about a burning hell? No. The Bible contains no such words from Lazarus. During the four days that he was dead, he had been “conscious of nothing at all.” (Ecclesiastes 9:5) Lazarus had simply been sleeping in death.—John 11:11.
The account of Lazarus also teaches us that the resurrection is a reality, not a mere myth. Jesus raised Lazarus in front of a crowd of eyewitnesses. Even the religious leaders, who hated Jesus, did not deny this miracle.
Think about this too: If Lazarus had been in heaven for those four days, would he not have said something about it?— And if he had been in heaven, would Jesus have made him come back to earth from that wonderful place?— Of course not!
Yet, many people say that we have a soul, and they say that the soul lives on after the body dies. They say that Lazarus’ soul was alive somewhere. But the Bible does not say that. It says that God made the first man Adam “a living soul.” Gen. 2:7, Adam was a soul. The Bible also says that when Adam sinned, he died. He became a “dead soul,” and he returned to the dust from which he had been made. The Bible also says that all Adam’s offspring inherited sin and death too.
The Scriptural teaching of the resurrection, however, is not compatible with the doctrine of the immortality of the soul. If an immortal soul survived death, no one would need to be resurrected, or brought back to life. Indeed, Martha expressed no thought about an immortal soul that was living on elsewhere after death. She did not believe that Lazarus had already gone to some spirit realm to continue his existence. On the contrary, she showed her faith in God’s purpose to reverse the effects of death. She said: “I know he will rise in the resurrection on the last day.” (John 11:23, 24) Likewise, Lazarus himself related no experiences of some afterlife. There was nothing to report.
Clearly, according to the Bible, the soul dies and the remedy for death is the resurrection.
2006-07-02 15:19:11
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answer #1
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answered by BJ 7
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Only you can decide that for yourself. Different religions say different things. Some religions don't even believe in heaven. It is what you believe and how you act that determines how you will spend your "time" after you die, killed by the hand of another or not.
2006-07-02 12:31:32
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answer #2
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answered by Ping898 3
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Going to Heaven is a misled idea!
ROM.10:6 = "BUT THE RIGHTEOUSNESS WHICH IS OF FAITH SPEAKETH ON THIS WISE, SAY NOT IN THINE HEART, WHO SHALL ASCEND INTO HEAVEN? (THAT IS, TO BRING CHRIST DOWN FROM ABOVE).
Actually when people die; they're asleep in the grave. Death is called a sleep (Matt.9:24; John 11:11; 1Cor.15:51; 1Thess.5:10).
The spirit goes back to God that gave it!(Eccles.12:7; Psalm 146:4)
The Bible describes three hells.
SHEOL OR HADES, THE FIRST HELL
The first term in Greek and Hebrew means the grave. It's the grave where the dead await the resurrection.
GENESIS 37:35---I SHALL GO DOWN INTO THE GRAVE.
PROVERBS 15:11--HELL & DESTRUCTION ARE BEFORE THE LORD.
ECCLES.9:10---NO WORK...OR KNOWLEDGE...IN THE GRAVE,
MATT.11:23---WILL BE BROUGHT DOWN TO HADES
1COR.15:55---O HADES, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY
GEHENNA, THE SECOND HELL
The second term in New Testament means the place of fiery destruction of the wicked.
MATT.5:22--...BE IN DANGER OF HELL FIRE
MATT.10:28--TO DESTROY BOTH BODY AND SOUL IN HELL
TARTAROO, THE THIRD HELL
This third term is only used once and refers to the place of restraint where the demon spirits were placed following the rebellion against God.
2PETER 2:4---BUT CAST THEM DOWN TO HELL.
There's 3 heavens.
First Heaven = This is also called the firmament or expanse of heaven. It is the heaven where the birds fly and where the clouds give rain. (Gen.1:26; 2:20; 8:2 & 1Kings 18:45)
Second Heaven = This refers to outerspace where the sun, moon and stars can be found. (Gen.22:17 & Exodus 32:13 & Joshua 10:13)
Third Heaven = The Apostle Paul tells us that the heaven of God's abode is the "third heaven." In the Old Testament this is often designated by the phrase "the heaven of heavens." (Joshua 2:11 & Psalms 11:4 & 2Corinthians 12:2 equated with v.4 = paradise)
THERE ARE TWO KINGDOMS: ONE ON EARTH AND THE OTHER ONE COMING DOWN FROM HEAVEN.
Many(Matt.7:13) won't be in the kingdom of God because of SIN; they haven't did God's Will. (Matt.7:21-23)
The 1st Kingdom of Heaven =
DAN.7:27 = "AND THE KINGDOM AND DOMINION, AND THE GREATNESS OF THE KINGDOM UNDER THE WHOLE HEAVEN, SHALL BE GIVEN TO THE PEOPLE OF THE SAINTS OF THE MOST HIGH, WHOSE KINGDOM IS AN EVERLASTING KINGDOM, AND ALL DOMINION SHALL SERVE AND OBEY HIM."
REV.5:10 = "AND HAST MADE US UNTO OUR GOD KINGS AND PRIESTS: AND WE SHALL REIGN ON THE EARTH."
The 2nd kingdom of Heaven =
AFTER 1,000 YEARS = A NEW HEAVEN AND NEW EARTH-HOLY CITY COMING DOWN FROM HEAVEN = REV.21:1-4; ISAIAH 65:17-25; 66:1,22 AND ETC.
SO HERE'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO---
ISAIAH 66:21; ZECH.14:9-11 = "BUILD HOUSES, PLANT VINEYARDS, EAT VINEYARDS"
ISAIAH 66:23; ZECH.14:16-19 = "WORSHIP FROM ONE NEW MOON TO ANOTHER AS ONE SABBATH TO ANOTHER"
JESUS WILL BE GIVING CITIES TO THE SAINTS INWHICH THEY WILL BE TEACHING OTHERS THE TRUE MESSAGE OF THE BIBLE = MATT.25:14-23; EZEKIEL 36:10,33; LUKE 13:26; ISAIAH 61:4
WE WON'T MARRY OR BE GIVEN UNTO MARRIAGE = MATT.22:30
BOYS AND GIRLS WILL BE PLAYING IN THE STREETS = ZECHARIAH 8:4-5,8
MEEK SHALL INHERIT THE EARTH = PSALM 37:9-11; MATT.5:5; REV.5:10
2006-07-02 13:47:14
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answer #3
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answered by KNOWBIBLE 5
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Nooo and it does NOT depend on if you're a good person either. It depends on if you have accepted Jesus Christ into your heart. And lived your life for him to the best of your ability. I really don't like getting all spiritual online, but hey, you asked, and now you know. Take it, or leave it. I pray to God you take it though. Cause getting murdered is not your ticket to Heaven. Jesus Christ is.
2006-07-02 12:30:37
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answer #4
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answered by Why Not 3
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Not in Western Christian beliefs. You may be thinking of Moslem's who believe if they die in the service of Allah, they are a martyr and automatically get into heaven.
2006-07-02 12:29:53
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answer #5
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answered by cathcoug 3
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going to heaven is something that depends on if u have excepted Jesus Christ into your heart. it doesn't matter how good or bad of person you are. if you believe in your heart that Jesus is savior, you'll go to heaven. if u believe that and are killed, you'll obvious
sly go to heaven. though even if u are killed and you dint believe in god, you wont go to heaven. so make your choice now, don't wait to long
2006-07-02 12:33:52
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answer #6
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answered by mike 2
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No this is not true. You have to be saved to go to heaven. If you are killed while you are not saved then you will go to hell.
2006-07-02 13:09:56
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answer #7
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answered by hazelskin 1
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Nope. Only if you're a born-again Christian [or a child who hasn't yet reached the age of responsibility] do you go to Heaven when you die. Doesn't matter how you die.
2006-07-02 12:33:05
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answer #8
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answered by Wayne A 5
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No, that is not true. It depends on your relationship with Christ. This is why one has to make the decision today to accept the Lord, because no one knows what tomorrow may bring. One minute you are here and the other you are gone. While we are making our plans, God has other plans for us.
Luke 12:16-20
16 And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:
17 And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?
18 And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.
19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.
20 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?
2006-07-02 12:39:20
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answer #9
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answered by JESUS IS LOVE 5
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NO! so you better be sure of where you are headed before someone kills you!
Jesus says, " I am the way the truth and the life, NOONE comes to the father except through me!"
2006-07-02 12:37:39
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answer #10
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answered by kara724 1
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