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There are a number of references to the kingdom promised to the righteous. It is called the kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of God. I believe the righteous will inherit and one day inhabit it. On this, the Christians of today and I have agreement.

Obviously, right now, it is in heaven. Anyone reading this word right now is on earth. There is a separation which has to be overcome. Where I diverge with most modern day Christians is when and how the righteous will get their kingdom.

I also believe that heaven was never promised to the righteous as a reward. The earth was promised as the place for the righteous in the future. As of now, both the wicked and righteous are here. After the judgment described before, only the righteous will be left. The righteous don’t have to leave the earth to find their place. It will be cleared out for them by the judgment.

Genesis 13:14-17 And the Lord said unto Abraham, after that Lot was separated from him, “Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed forever. And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered. Arise; walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee.”

God wanted Abraham to look all around horizontally. This was the promise of what he would receive. He didn’t tell him to look vertically up into heaven so that heaven would be the promise. God promised him the earth.

Verse 15 makes it clear that this is a future promise. As of that time, Abraham already had the land. That went without saying. God said “to thee will I give it, and to thy seed forever.” The words “will” and “forever” make this a future promise. Notice also that this promise was to Abraham’s seed. This seed would eventually be a huge and nigh uncountable number.

The Acts 7:4, 5 (speaking of Abraham) Then came he out of the land of the Chalaeans, and dwelt in Charran: and from thence, when his father was dead, He removed him into this land, wherein ye now dwell. And He gave him none inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on: yet He promised that He would give it to him for a possession and to his seed after him, when he as yet had no child.

You could look at this partly as a physical promise as through Isaac and Jacob or Israel many were physically born to Abraham who lived in the land. However, this temporary dwelling place couldn’t be all. He wasn’t counted as receiving the inheritance in his carnal life (see also Hebrews 11). Also, Abraham’s seed are more than the nation of Israel.

Romans 4:13, 16 For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith… Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all.

Galatians 3:28, 29 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Galatians 4:28 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.

All the children of promise are counted as Abraham’s seed. This includes the part of the nation of Israel who was faithful to God during the time of the law plus all of the church who are a mixture of Israel and the gentiles who accept Christ. As his seed they are heirs to the promise God made to him. This promise could only be the earth as an everlasting inheritance. Unless you want to say we are all promised to have seed innumerable in some kind of incalculable and unbelievably large pyramid scheme of people to come. Those that are saved are part of Abraham’s seed and promise. There is no promise for all that are saved to be called their seed as well. Again, the promise of the land eternal is the promise we receive through Abraham.

This was the origin of what man was promised. If you say the earth was promised to God’s chosen; you can trace it all the way back to Genesis. There are other verses which also establish this.

Psalms 25:12, 13 What man is he that feareth the Lord? Him shall He teach in the way that He shall choose. His soul shall dwell; and his seed shall inherit the earth.

Psalms 37:9, 11, 22, 29, 34 For evildoers shall be cut off: But those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth. …But the meek shall inherit the earth; for such as be blessed of Him shall inherit the earth; and they that be cursed of Him shall be cut off. The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever. Wait on the Lord, and keep His way, And He shall exalt thee to inherit the land: When the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it.

Matthew 5:5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

It just doesn’t make sense to make these verses a temporary or carnal promise taking place in the world now. Plenty of wicked own land: Some own quite a lot and are quite rich. They pass it on to possibly even more wicked offspring. While being rich is not a sin, Christ does talk of the difficulties of the rich entering into the kingdom. Also, I’m sure there are righteous people over the years who probably didn’t own much of anything.

This is a future promise which will happen in God’s time. The righteous will get to inherit and inhabit the land forever. They will see the wicked cut off from it by death in the lake of fire. This takes us to yet another verse.

Proverbs 10:30 The righteous shall never be removed: But the wicked shall not inhabit the earth.

In the common belief in the world, all the righteous are removed to go to their heavenly paradise. This is a great story but quite inconsistent with this passage. All the righteous removed to heaven and the righteous never being removed are incongruent. The great promise to the righteous is that they get to stay on the earth and not go to heaven. I simply defy you to find where that is promised to anyone or where anyone (save for Christ) went to heaven at their death as some kind of reward in the bible. I can trace my belief all the way back to Genesis. It is well established in scripture.

In the common belief in the world, all the wicked go to some ungodly place to be tortured. Neither in these verses or anywhere else do I read of them going anywhere special. These verses show that their punishment is to be cut off. This clearly hasn’t happened yet as there are plenty of wicked left all around the world.

All of this begins to prove a larger point. The common assumption made by Christians is that they get to go to Christ, God, and the kingdom. This is how they bridge the gap to their reward from where they are now. This is inconsistent with the idea of the earth being their permanent place. The consistent belief would be for Christ, God, and the kingdom to come to the earth. Let’s explore this idea further through scripture.

John 7:33, 34 Then said Jesus unto them, “Yet a little while am I with you, and then I go unto Him that sent Me. Ye shall seek Me, and shall not find Me: and where I am, thither ye cannot come.”

This quote brings up a number of issues. First, going back to an earlier point, if only his spirit rose the people would have known that he was in his grave. They could have at least found his body.

Isn’t it interesting also that the one who went to heaven clearly knew and prophesied this prior to actually going. Why does it never say that those that are Christ’s will go to God, Christ, or the kingdom? The coming of Christ is consistently talked about throughout the scriptures. It is made quite clear that he will come to us. How can he do so if those that are his have already gone to him?

Finally, I know that this is first speaking of that time but why can’t those that are his go to where Christ will be. Some apostles and disciples died very soon after Christ’s death. Was he just speaking of the seconds after his death or something? God made a promise to Abraham that he still hasn’t received thousands of years later. Can’t those that are Christ’s go where he is right at their death? If the righteous were to go to Christ: it should say so; here or somewhere else but it just doesn’t.

So if believers can’t go to where Christ and the kingdom are, how do they get it? Do you know the Lord’s Prayer? It is amazing how many people know it verbatim but have given no thought to a key phrase contained within.

It says “Thy kingdom come” (Matthew 6:10). This was something for believers from that time up to the present to recite. How can the kingdom come to believers if they have already gone to it. Sure, people can probably come and go once in but this is a general quote. The kingdom will come to where believers are as Christ will.

Why doesn’t it say something about going to the kingdom if that is the promise to the righteous? It is amazing how many times people use the phrase “go to heaven.” It is also amazing how this isn’t promised anywhere. Shouldn’t it say something like “the meek shall inherit heaven” or “the righteous shall go to heaven” somewhere? The fact that it is not in the bible just doesn’t stop people but repetition of something false can’t make it any truer.

My contention is that the kingdom will come down from God to the righteous after the final judgment. This brings us back to the end of the book of Revelation. Feel free to turn to chapter 21.

Verse 1 shows that we are still dealing with the earth, albeit a transformed new earth. Verse 2 describes the kingdom coming down from God out of heaven. Similar to 19:7, this verse uses the picture of the coming together of husband and wife. The kingdom is prepared for the righteous. If the righteous had already gone, why prepare and adorn now? This wording is symbolic to me of a first meeting. At no point before this is a meeting ever talked about for anyone. I know that no one wants to wait for the kingdom to come but please look for yourself for anyone going into the kingdom before this.

Verse 3 continues to establish this idea. A great voice triumphantly announces that the kingdom is with men. What possible significance would this have if the righteous had already been in it for thousands of years?

God is also said to dwell with the righteous in two future tense quotes. They are “He will dwell with them” and “God Himself shall be with them.” I just don’t see why such emphasis would be put on God being with the righteous if they had been with him for thousands of years prior to this. Again, try for yourself to find where the righteous dwell with him before this. Just saying they already went to heaven to be with Christ and God isn’t good enough. Please try to find it in the scriptures anywhere.

Verse 8 makes a point that I will go to for the last time through scripture. Those who don’t belong to God will be thrown in the lake of fire. This is not for never-ending pain. The purpose as defined here is for the second death to happen to them.

I know that people want “hell” to be forever and they want those in it to never die. However, these are flesh and blood people being thrown in. These are the ones raised from their graves in 20:13. People don’t get some mystical representative of themselves thrown into fire. Real live bodies are thrown in here. Not only will they not last forever; they probably won’t last very long at all. This is a swift and just execution. God is not a torture monger like Sodom Insane or someone.

Verse 10 again describes the kingdom coming down to the earth. In this vision, John sees it happen from a “great and high mountain.” This again shows that after the thousand year reign the saints are still on earth and God and his kingdom will come down from heaven.

While this kingdom will surely be an amazing sight to see; it is quite a real physical place. Precious stones can be seen with the human eye. This is not an invisible or imaginary place being described. It is not a cloudy oasis. It is a building which will rest on earth for God and all that are his.

Verse 23 again solidifies that this is happening on earth. The sun and the moon are what man relies on to bring light to earth’s surface. At this time, these will no longer be needed. The idea of time brings us to the last verses.

Only the righteous will be on the earth at this time and onward. This is how the promise of inheriting the earth is made meaningful. In our present demon days on earth, there are all kinds of wicked and wickedness here. However, after the kingdom comes, there will only be righteous and righteousness on earth.

So again the outcome of judgment is a question of when and not where. The common belief in the world has the righteous go to heaven and the wicked go to hell. According to these chapters all the judgment, punishment, and reward happen on earth in the future. In the future, the righteous get the privilege of living forever on earth with God. The wicked will be burnt into nothingness in the lake of fire and face the second death. Neither group goes anywhere special.

Verse 27 again refers to the book of life. This again directly shows what the righteous receive. The final chapter again refers to this book as well as “water of life” and “the tree of life.” Life and death are the ultimate endpoints for the righteous and wicked. Only the righteous get to partake of all this since all the wicked will be dead.

Verse 6 of the final chapter breaks away from the line of prophecy which started in chapter 19. Verse 12 again shows when and how reward comes to the believer. When Christ comes he will raise those who are his to a spiritual body and everlasting life. This is the reward that comes with him. The day of the lord will also bring death and fire on many wicked people. Both groups will receive a just recompense based on their works at this time.

I have come to the end of using scripture to make my point. I feel like an attorney who just laid his last piece of evidence before the jury (you, the reader). It seems like a trial where I had a ton of physical and circumstantial evidence. I used ballistics, DNA, eye witnesses, blood splatter analysis, and all manner of prints at the scene. Gill Grissom was my CSI. I have shown pattern, forethought, and motive. My arguments all work together to form a big picture. They are consistent from start to end and in between.

Let’s now hear some of the zany and inconsistent defense arguments. They are similar to the defense lawyer of a man who is as guilty as sin. They are desperate spin. In most trials both sides can point to evidence but theirs is weak. They try to stitch a full wardrobe from a scant piece of fabric. They rely on a comma, a single word, or a phrase taken out of context. They love to magnify one verse into a theme since they have no other verses to validate it. They rely heavily on their own words and not the scripture. They love and count on the power of assumption and a Mount Everest of slippery slope.

Let’s now look at some verses they try to use to get you to disregard the real mountain of evidence and verses I just used. They love to throw these out in passing without taking a deep look at what the verse is really saying. Upon further scrutiny, these verses will crumble in terms of meaning what they want so desperately for them to mean.

2 Kings 2:11, 12 And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. And Elisha saw it, and he cried, “My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof.” And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, and rent them into pieces.

Please tell me from anywhere in this story where it says Elijah died here. I don’t see for the life of me how someone can seriously use this as proof of what happens when you die since there is no record of anyone dying here. Only the power of assumption can make that a part of this story.

Second, this does not support someone’s invisible presence leaving without a trace. A chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared here. Elisha saw Elijah. If people’s spirit can just float away; why did Elijah need assistance here? This story just isn’t consistent with the going to heaven story people love to tell at someone’s death. Elijah didn’t leave a body behind. They wanted to look for him in verse 16.

Third, nowhere does it say that Elijah went inside the kingdom or met with God face to face. It simply says he “went up by a whirlwind into heaven.” Heaven is just everything above the earth’s surface.

There are any number of verses referring to the fowls of heaven (Genesis 7:23, Job 35:11, Psalms 79:2, Ezekiel 29:5, 31/ 31:6, 13, Daniel 2:38, Hos 2:18, Zeph 1:3). Does this mean that birds can fly into the kingdom? Joshua 8:20 and Judges 20:40 describe smoke ascending into heaven. Deuteronomy 11:11, 17 and 28:12 describe rain coming down from heaven. Isaiah 55:10 describes rain and snow falling from heaven. Rain clouds just don’t form above the atmosphere.

The fact that Elijah went out of sight doesn’t prove anything either. Should we just assume and presume that Phillip died and went to God when he disappeared from the eunuch in The Acts 8:39? In our modern times can we just believe someone is dying and going off to God if we watch the plane they are on disappear into the heavens? There is a huge separation between going into heaven and being rewarded in the kingdom of God and being where He dwells. Like hell: heaven has taken a life of its own with people.

Matthew 17:1-9 the vision of Christ transfigured with Moses and Elijah

The purpose of this vision was actually foretold in 16:28. Christ would show some there what he would look like in the future. Note the wording in 17:3. It says “And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with Him.” It does not say that Moses and Elijah were there. They “appeared” to be there.

To remove all doubt Christ says in verse 9 “Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead.” This is a prophetic vision and no more. Had these men actually been standing there, changed, this wouldn’t have qualified as a “vision.” Saying something is a vision which is happening right in front of your eyes would be like having faith in something straight in front of your face (no faith or representation would be required). Those who make it to the kingdom age won’t see a vision of the kingdom or the saints. Visions are something used to point forward for our edification now.

Even truly miraculous things were not visions. The sea parting, the walls of Jericho falling, the staff of Moses turning into a snake, walking on water, and so on weren’t visions but reality. Did Christ tell anyone to tell the vision to no man after they saw something amazing but real? No, because real life isn’t a vision.

This is similar to 2nd Corinthians 12 where Paul clearly defines what he came across as a vision or revelation in 12:1. Remember also what was shown to John in Revelation 20-22. Was this actually happening for him to see it as he records in 20:1 and 21:1; saying “And I saw” both times? To try and quote this to show Moses and Elijah are already changed is quite telling. To try and mold and craft a vision into instant reality is really a desperate tactic. I guess when you don’t have the story told in any real way in scripture this is the kind of thing you lean on hard. This brings us to more desperation.

Luke 16:19-31 Lazarus and the rich man

From the start to the end it is quite clear that this story is parable and nothing more. “There was a certain rich man” to start the story is a classic tell. Christ starts another parable about a rich man and his steward with the exact same words at the beginning of this chapter. Should we conclude that Christ was talking about the real story of an actual living rich guy and his real person steward?

Parables were simply stories meant to shadow a larger point. The details of the story were unimportant compared to the overall analogy. Christ wasn’t trying to instruct people in business or loan collection in the first parable. He also wasn’t trying to explain what happens at death or in the kingdom in the parable of Lazarus.

To further show that this is a parable, look at verses 21-25. Lazarus got only the rich man’s crumbs in there physical life. A drop of water off the tip of someone’s finger is equivalent to a crumb off of food. This is symbolic and ironic imagery used to make a point. It is consistent with the theme that the last shall be first and the first shall be last. God is not a respecter of persons and many rich will not enter into his kingdom. These two men have their situation exactly reversed here to prove this point. The rich man becomes the beggar of crumbs and the poor man becomes rich.

The dogs licking sores could also symbolize minimizing affliction as a drop of water could be used only symbolically to help alleviate the pain and heat of burning. To say that this is a literal situation is kind of preposterous and laughable to me. If you were burning from head to toe in pure torture what possible purpose could a drop of water serve to you?

Notice also that he wants water dipped on his tongue. To take this literally opens another impractical door. I thought people’s spirit was supposed to be immaterial. If it can go right through the ceiling why does water stop on it. Along with your physical tongue do you also have a spiritual tongue that can stop water but goes right through solid objects?

Verse 26 shows that once your fait is sealed; there is no way to change it. The last verses show that the words of the prophets should be heeded on their own merits. If this isn’t enough; even someone coming back from the dead wouldn’t be enough to change someone. This was also a call to the Pharisees Christ was talking to at the time. This brings us to another key point.

1 Corinthians 9:19-22 For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more. And to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; To them that are without law, as without law, (Being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law. To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men that I might by all means save some.

I have summoned these verses into this discussion because I believe Christ did what Paul was talking about in 1 Corinthians. He was talking to Pharisees as identified in verse 14. The Pharisees taught you could go to three places:

1. Abraham’s bosom

2. Under the throne of glory

3. In the Garden of Eden

Christ told a parable in terms they could understand. He didn’t want to verify everything the Pharisees believed but wanted to make a point to them. He used a story they could identify with.

If I spoke to a Star Wars fanatic, I might say that Anakin Skywalker’s desire to marry and save his wife overwhelmed his will to do things in accordance with the rules of the Jedi and this ultimately lead to his fall. There could be a sermon there about submission and putting your own will second for the greater good. You could even get into how following faith leads to better results than following irrational fears. However, my point wouldn’t be that Han Solo is really out there somewhere blasting storm troopers and that the movies are real and a part of scripture. I would just be trying to make a point in a way that would help someone through their eyes and have meaning to them in particular and individually.

It is also funny to me how Christians will cherry pick this story as they desperately try to confirm their views with scriptures. The Pharisees did not believe in the heaven and hell modern day Christians do. If you want to try to make this parable literal, you should believe as the Pharisees and not try to morph their belief into proving yours.

And to people who do believe as the Pharisees, I have this question for you. How many other times in scripture does it refer to Abraham’s bosom? This belief is so important and right that the answer is exactly zero. I can and have shown how the promise of the earth was made to Abraham and his posterity starting in Genesis. If you have only the middle of a parable to confirm your views you are desperate at best.

Luke 23:42, 43 And he said unto Jesus, “Lord, remember me when thou comest into Thy kingdom.” And Jesus said unto him, “Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with Me in paradise.

I am not one who likes to make a lot of translation arguments. With a few exceptions, I take the James version for what it says. However, commas were purely at the discretion of translators and can drastically transform a sentence. I will quote from George R. Berry, editor of the Interlinear Literal Translation and Anthony Buzzard’s “What happens when we die.”

“There is no authority anywhere in the Greek text for punctuation.” The Greek adverb here rendered “today” appears in the LXX and the New Testament 221 times. In 170 of these occurrences the adverb follows the verb it modifies, and often accompanies statements of great solemnity: Thus in the Old Testament we have: “I say unto you today”; “I testify to you today.” Examples may be found in Deuteronomy 6:6; 8:11; 10:13; 11:8, 17, 23; 13:8; 19:9; 27:4; 31:2. It is not unnatural, therefore, that we should punctuate Luke 23:43 as follows: “Truly I say unto you today, you will be with me in paradise.” Paul uses a similar turn of phrase in Acts 20:26: “I testify to you this day, that I am innocent of the blood of all men.” A few reasonably early manuscripts do place the comma in Luke 23:43 as we suggest.

If you change the comma in Paul’s statement; you could make it sound like he is innocent of all men’s blood only on that day. This would call every other day of Paul’s life into question. When you place the comma before today in Luke it does sound like something which would support the popular view. However, 170 out of 221 is quite a majority (about 77%) and drastically changes the meaning of the sentence. I like having 77% on my side.

To go ahead and rely on this phrase as people like to is to count on something unsure as proof of something greater. This is the ultimate in trusting a foundation of sand. I don’t rely on chance lower than a coin flip as proof of anything. You may as well go to Vegas and prove you are going to beat the house by betting repeatedly.

Beyond translation and chance, there are a couple other reasons why this verse would make no sense if rendered and used as people love to. First, Christ is answering a request by the thief in the 42nd verse. Would it make sense that Christ would have to try and remember this guy later that day? It makes a lot more sense to me for Christ to be promising in that day that he will remember him at a later time. This is a future promise.

Second, don’t let the facts get in the way but I already covered how Christ himself didn’t ascend to heaven right at his death. He is clearly talking about a time when they will both be in paradise. That couldn’t be the day of the crucifixion. Let’s look at some verses in which Christ addresses his location immediately after his death.

Matthew 12:40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

How does being in paradise on the day of crucifixion jive with being in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights? Was Christ lying in one of these verses? Was there a secret other partial Christ that secretly met with another version of the thief in some secret other paradise nowhere discussed in any of the gospels? If you wish to believe that as not to let go of your death grip on the punctuation of this one verse: Go right ahead. You must also answer to another verse.

John 20:17 Jesus saith unto her, “Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to My Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, ‘I ascend unto My Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.”

This was on the first day of the week. It was after the day of his crucifixion. Christ had not yet ascended to his father but wanted to tell his brethren that he would go. I know it’s fun to make up another Christ and another story but at some point you have to take what Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John are saying and not rely on your own story which you make up for consistency with a faulty start point.

In these verses Christ was quite clear about where he was (in the earth) and where he wasn’t (with God in heaven) just after his death. If you want to say he was really somewhere else instead you open up a difficult and possibly never ending can of worms. If you want to make up the idea that he wasn’t really in his grave why not say he wasn’t really on the cross either. You could just make up the idea that God didn’t really want him to suffer and just go from there making up that Christ went to God before he died. There is as much of a record in the scriptures of this as there is saying that he went to God on the day of his crucifixion right after his death (namely no record at all). Maybe he went before he was ever beaten or even chided by the Pharisees if you want to just make things up. How about we just stick to where he actually said he was and not cater to preconceived notions.

2 Corinthians 5:1-10 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: If so be that we shall not be found naked. For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. Now He that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, Who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit. Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (For we walk by faith, not by sight :) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. Wherefore we labor, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

People who advocate the immortality of the soul love to skip to verses 6 and 8. The first word from verse 6 is “therefore.” This shows that Paul is building on the first five verses as well as the end of chapter 4. I included verses 1-10 to provide the context that Paul is speaking in here.

The end of chapter 4 makes the point that you shouldn’t look to the temporary and vain things around you for ultimate purpose and satisfaction. The first verse of chapter 5 identifies the eternal thing you should be seeking with all your heart. It is the kingdom of God which was made without hands.

Entering the kingdom will only happen after “our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved.” Notice the wording here. The plural “our” followed by the singular “house” can only refer to a group of individuals seen as one collectively or having one common possession or identity. If he were talking about a group of people as individuals it would have been “houses” plural.

Beyond the singular verses plural arguments look at the words here. The house represents the church in these other verses (1 Timothy 3:15, Hebrews 3:1-6/ 10:21, 1 Peter 2:5/ 4:17). You can look at the house as the church building or the collective gathering of people. The tabernacle was the tent akin to a church building that Israel carried through the wilderness. God’s glory visited Israel in this tabernacle. It was a holy place (Leviticus 6:16, 26). It was a gathering place (Leviticus 8:3, 4). It was also a centerpiece for pitching around (Numbers 2 and 3).

The house and the tabernacle were used to represent a collective place here and not one individual church member’s body. The tabernacle is already a thing of the past. Once the church age ends, the only building left for Israel and the church will be the kingdom of God. It will replace these physical representatives as the grand gathering place of God’s elect.

Verses two and three only further this idea. To look at these verses as representing our individual bodies is absurd. This is not talking about running around naked and showing your stuff physically. This is talking about a huge group as the sand of the sea being inside or clothed upon by a huge building being the kingdom of God. The dimensions of this building are given in the book of revelation. In our present state we are not literally covered by this building but have only temporary representations of it.

Verse four follows this up by talking about this as the time when “mortality might be swallowed up of life.” Can’t you see how this is completely consistent with what I say the gospel is and how it actually supports my argument? People aren’t going to the kingdom and living forever when they die individually. The whole thing is contingent on the house of the church dissolving and the body being clothed upon together by the kingdom. The kingdom and immortality have a time for all the saints to get them.

Again, verse six is building on these verses. You can see that the church is talked about as one body in these verses ( Acts 4:32, Romans 12:4, 5, 1 Corinthians 10:17/ 12:12-27, Ephesians 1:23/ 2:19-22/ 3:6/ 4:4, 16/ 5:23, 29-31, Colossians 1:18, 3:15). This reference is quite common and is completely consistent with verses 1-5 seeing a large group forming one entity or body. This body has clothes it will one day put on.

To just jump in at this point of Paul’s discussion and say “the body” is talking about your physical shell body, that people have just conjured up anyway, is unsubstantiated and completely out of the context and flow of what Paul was talking about. There is absolutely no indication that Paul is suddenly talking about individuals here versus the collective.

Note the word “we” here in relation to the singular “the body” as in verse 1 with “our” and the singular “house.” “We” are either in the body together or “we” are with Christ as a group. This is not talking about one person leaving his singular individual body to be with Christ at his own specific time. It is talking about the church age ending when we meet Christ in the clouds and “so shall we ever be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:17).

Verse seven reminds me of the story of Abraham. He walked to the place he was told to go by God in faith. Although he physically dwelled on the land the time of the promise of inheriting the earth wasn’t yet. Coming together in the church is just a small representation of the coming together at Christ’s return both in number of members and glory.

The church age has a shelf life. It is not meant to go on forever just like the tabernacle isn’t meant to be carried around by God’s elect now. It is quite absent now. When Christ returns all of God’s elect will go to him. All the lines of pre-law, Israel during the law, the church age after the law, and the thousand year reign will eventually vanish. You will only have God’s children and not “the church” or “ Israel.” Verse one uses the word “dissolved.” This sets up the idea of being absent from the body since it is no longer there as an entity as in the church, there is neither Jew or Greek and Israel has dissolved into something more broad. This is the point of verse 8. Paul is looking ahead to a better time for us all.

Verses 9 and 10 are again consistent with what I have presented above and this is why I love it when people bring up this area of the scriptures. We all want to be accepted of Christ. In this time and more importantly in the time to come. Note in 9 that “we” are either present or absent together.

As I explained before, judgment comes at two specific times in scripture. The first resurrection is when the “we” Paul is talking about will be judged righteous by Christ. To say there is a time of judgment specific to the individual is to go against the “we” Paul keeps talking about. When Christ returns; he will judge the quick and the dead. He will call the living members of the body of the true church as well as the righteous who have died.

Note in verse ten how when Paul wants to break things down to the individual level he is quite clear. Rather than going on talking about “the body” and the group of the true church being with Christ he talks about how all individuals will eventually be judged. To mark this transition Paul uses clear and simple singular language.

He says “that every one may receive the things done in his body—.” The phrases “every one” and “his body” are quite singular and show Paul’s intention to break the talk of the collective church and speak to the individual. Within every church and denomination there are a specific number of individuals who will be judged individually by Christ. I see no license or tell to make Paul’s discussion about just the individual before this point. The only reason to do that is to try and morph and craft this lengthy discussion by Paul into what you want it to mean to support something other than what Paul is getting at here.

Philippians 1:20-24 According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labor: yet what I shall choose I wot not. For I am in a straight betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you.

In verse 20 Paul talks about his singular body “my body” either being in life or in death. Life and death are an either/ or condition here. He is not talking about being dead and alive at the same time. He has one body and one state.

In verse 21-24 he discusses his dilemma in living his life as a servant of God at a difficult time. If he lives he can serve Christ and help believers. If he dies it will be beneficial to him. It will be the end of his labor. The daily war Paul fights will be at its end. While Paul loved God: he had afflictions and people persecuting and attacking him physically and verbally.

The problem comes when people use the power of assumption and make Paul being with Christ an immediate thing in verse 23. Paul doesn’t say when or how he will be with Christ here. It is simply referred to in the future. If Paul was trying to make the point that he would be with Christ immediately in a spiritual body and be alive and dead all at once why not indicate it here? He could have spoke about dying while also flying away to God, or being with Christ today or in an instant.

The only time Paul is concerned about here is how much longer he must live as an apostle. In the second Paul dies; his war is over. That is the only thing we can garner from this discussion. Paul’s human will is to not have to go on suffering any longer. However, he will do what God expects of him. To take a discussion about length of servitude and morph it into a discussion on the length of time between death and being with Christ is a serious mistake. Even if you want to say Paul flew off to Christ at death; it would take a certain amount of time to get there. Do you wish to just fill in the blanks as to how long this is? We both agree that he will be with Christ in his next thought but disagree as to when. He doesn’t cover that when here.

Paul’s discussion is completely consistent here with my version of death, burial, and resurrection. I have gone into how death is compared to unconscious sleep in the Bible. Paul simply prefers this state above the trials and tribulations of his life. This discussion is similar to when Solomon said the day of death is better than the day of birth.

Also, since Paul is discussing his will here, this is all about his perspective. From the very instant Paul dies his very next thought would be raising to meet Christ in the clouds on the day of the Lord. This concept is identical to sleep. Eight hours can go by but you simply don’t know the better.

Let’s say I was visiting friends and it was getting late. They want me to go out but I say “I am going to depart from you and get up early and go to work.” They might go out all night and have any number of experiences. My going home doesn’t prevent that. All the hours of that night still exist but to me they would be completely meaningless as my next thought would be getting up to go to work.

In this example I was not going to work at the second I left but I talked about it as though it was the next thing I would do. It doesn’t cancel the time in between night and morning to anyone else but from my perspective work was the next thing I would do. From the time Paul died until the day of the Lord an innumerable number of things have happened in the church age but the time is meaningless to Paul. If Christ returned in 2,000 years, days, minutes, or seconds after his death, Paul simply wouldn’t know or care.

Hebrews 11:5 By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.

People love to try and use this verse to prove that Enoch never died and is with God. Of course for one that contradicts verse 13 of the same chapter which says “These all died in faith, not having received the promises----.” Enoch was one of only five people listed so far in the chapter. If he didn’t die it shouldn’t have said “all” here. Had Paul already forgotten writing about Enoch or something? The only way to avoid clear contradiction here is to see this translation as a future promise. In this way Enoch literally died as in verse 13 but he would be alive in God’s eyes so God saw him as alive.

Even given those of the popular belief’s alternate universe definition of death, I thought you had to die in some way to go to heaven. Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom. At least a separation from the physical body had to happen unless you want to conclude Enoch is still wandering around in the flesh. Flesh and blood just wouldn’t react too well to leaving the atmosphere.

Here are other verses which show God’s view of life and death in an eternal perspective.

Colossians 1:13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son;

Notice that this is past tense. Was Paul already in the kingdom in heaven literally when he wrote this? This is another case where translation and transition are spoken of in the eyes of God in his time. They are not literal in the time they are spoken of. God sees those that are his in the kingdom forever so where they are and what state they are in the sliver of man’s time is irrelevant in the long run.

Matthew 8:21, 22 And another of His disciples said unto Him, “Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.” But Jesus said unto him, “Follow Me; and let the dead bury their dead.”

Yet again I show you how the living and the dead are seen using God’s perspective. You have to be quite alive in order to dig a grave, put a body in a grave, or attend a remembrance of someone. However, Christ referred to these people as dead.

If God can see living and walking people as being dead because of their eternal future why can’t he refer to someone who is dead as being alive? Other verses (2 Corinthians 5:14 and Ephesians 2:5) speak of being dead in sins prior to accepting Christ. This is again making the point that while someone may be alive at the time, they can face eternal death in the future and therefore be referred to as dead. Once they are accepted of God they will be seen as alive forever after: even if they die and remain dead for a long time using our perspective. One day they will be granted and given eternal life.

Romans 4:17 (As it is written, “I have made thee a father of many nations”) before Him Whom he believed, even God, Who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not, as though they were.

When God spoke in the past tense of making Abraham a father of many nations not only was Isaac not born yet but Abraham was also physically incapable of having children. He and Sarah were both “dead” to that. This fact didn’t change until God changed it but to God it was as though it had already happened given his unquestionable power to do it and his eternal plan.

This whole discussion including Enoch being translated only reinforces my argument. Those who are God’s will not have to face eternal death while the wicked will. This is the main distinction between them. In the long run of eternity to be dead is a result of damnation and to live is to live on earth in the kingdom forever. God sees everyone in one of these two states ultimately. Living 70 years and being dead for eternity is just as good as dead. Being dead for a definable time while awaiting resurrection to eternal life is to ultimately be alive. This is God’s perfect and all seeing future perspective.

Matthew 22:31, 32 “….. But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?’ God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.”

This is not talking about the present time. He is talking about after the resurrection. Currently, Bin Laden and many other wicked are quite alive while many righteous lay dead. In the future only God’s chosen will be alive while all who are dead will be those he got rid of.

I will conclude my cross examination at this time. I think I have shown that the verses used by others either helps prove my point or are at the least very unclear in providing evidence of the popular view of death and reward. Instead of real evidence they offer parables, visions, and segments of scripture which were intended toward a different point when viewed in their whole and taken in context.

I really believe the tail wags the dog when people read the Bible regarding the subject of death and consequence. Preconceived notions are fueled by family beliefs passed down, pagan religions, movies, books of fiction, what they want, and what is popular. Many people believe in the hell of Homer’s “The Odyssey” or Dante’s “Divine Comedy” and don’t even know it. They then open the Bible only for proof of what they have already decided.

Most Christians don’t objectively open the book and then decide what it is saying and believe it. Many don’t really read it at all but just put their trust in someone else. I think these verses are an example of this. They are a feeble attempt to justify the preconceived notion that when you die you don’t really die but just fly to paradise.

People are so desperate that a comma has to be placed somewhere when there is no good objective reason why. They add to stories saying Christ really went to heaven right at death even though this isn’t confirmed anywhere in the Bible. As long as you want to fill in your own story here why not say Christ was actually partying with space aliens for three days and three nights or something really interesting.

They assume and add that Elijah died when they need him to in order to support their belief. They try so hard to make parables and visions real life. They ignore the way God refers to life and death in his eternal perspective. They radically and completely redefine words like heaven, hell, spirit, soul, life, and death since their real and well established definition will only inconveniently get in the way of what they want to believe.

They can’t come up with a good reason why death doesn’t mean death. They have no scriptures showing death to be anything different than what it is (cessation of life). This doesn’t stop them from creating some imaginary definition which they have concocted on the fly to go along with what they are saying. So desperate they are. They are hell-bent and desperate.

When the Bible speaks of those that are God’s sleeping with their fathers or not ascending to heaven they still swear they floated away with white angel’s wings and a golden halo into painted clouds with the harp playing through pearly gates past St. Peter to mete God himself. They have as much scriptural proof of this as physical proof. They follow a beautiful and well crafted fairy tale.

In order to believe this they mix Bible stories with their own. They invent another David or other saint living a whole different adventure after death that just wasn’t discussed but they just know it happened. You should just know it too because it’s such a good story and their words can cover the huge cracks and gaps and downright pitfalls when comparing it to scripture. Just go along with them or you are wrong and a fun buster. Unwilling they are. They are so unwilling not to add their own spin to scripture.

I must add at this time that I don’t mean to insult anyone but I must challenge this belief system. When I was young, I used to believe the dead went to heaven or hell immediately at their death. Therefore I’m not out to attack anyone but I will vehemently attack what I believe is false doctrine.

After reading all this you are free to believe whatever you will. However, if you wish to believe in the common beliefs of most Christians there are several things I’ve brought up which you would have to reconcile. The numerous scriptures I have used should bring up some questions.

In each verse where eternal life was shown as a conditional reward; what gives you license to drop the conditions or change the meaning and definition of the word “life?” Is there a context in each verse or phrase to indicate this? Is the word “life” used anywhere in the bible to really mean “bliss” or “heaven” or some other alternate definition? If you can’t show that this radical change in meaning was the author’s intent: are you just changing it to fit what you want to believe? If everyone lives for ever, what is the point of the “book of life?”

In each verse where death is shown to be the ultimate recompense for sin and the wicked who are in their sins: is there a good reason to say death didn’t really mean death? Once someone dies can they feel the pain and torture of being in flames? If people never really die, what in the world is the second death? Isn’t the fact that Christ died for the sins of the world really a lie if he kept living without hesitation?

Is there anywhere in scripture that speaks of someone being a spirit and flying to heaven or hell at their death? Does it ever speak of them looking back down on their body or on friends and loved ones? When it calls someone by name and speaks of them being buried wasn’t that them or was it someone else? Is the spirit really a body and who you are? Should the words spirit and soul be used interchangeably?

Is the word “hell” ever used to describe a subterranean place of torture where people go at death? Is “heaven” or “going to heaven” ever promised to the righteous? Do words have meaning or should they just be defined as the reader sees fit?

Was Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection an example and story of hope for the believer or not? Isn’t this what baptism symbolizes? If Christ didn’t split from his own body at death and go somewhere why would you or anyone else? Does everyone get to go behind the veil with Christ making the whole picture of the high priest in the tabernacle meaningless?

Why does it talk about “the day of judgment” if people are eternally judged every day? Why be so preoccupied with the day of Christ’s return if salvation comes right at an individual’s time of death? How do the dead in Christ raise from their graves if they are already in heaven with Christ? How do they “meet him in the air” if they are already with him?

If everyone is born with a preexisting spiritual body why would you need to be “changed” when the Lord returns? If you will automatically live forever why do anything it says to receive life? What was the entire 15th chapter of 1st Corinthians about? Why have all the righteous named in the 11th chapter of Hebrews not received their reward yet? Is David in heaven as a man, spirit, entity, deity or anything else you want to make up? Is he really living in his sepulcher buried alive and trapped?

If you can provide reasonable answers using scriptures to all these questions and the other points I made before and want to believe in the immortality of the soul and immediate recompense at death: Be my guest. I can’t benefit or be punished based on your ultimate response. I have laid out a number of verses, chapters, and reasons for why I believe what I do. Can you really do the same?

This is all that matters in identifying the truth. It doesn’t matter who I am, who you are, or how high people want to esteem men like televangelists or the pope. If these people are really as great as they are supposed to be and have the truth on their side, they should be able to prove their point using the Bible and not their reputation.

I feel the courtroom analogy is fitting when determining an ultimate verdict or proof. Juries are instructed not to take the lawyer’s words as evidence. A lawyer’s reputation is also irrelevant to the case. Lawyers simply illuminate and present evidence in such a way as to prove a greater point. All the evidence that is needed in this case is contained in the Bible. I am representing one side while others will represent another. Whoever makes the most sense using scripture should be believed no matter who they are. Many of the apostles and prophets were no one special in the eyes of the world.

All I ask of you is to try your best to eliminate preconceived notions and the tendency to be a respecter of persons. Try to be a clean slate or canvas and let the Bible change you instead of you changing the Bible in any matter. Apply this most especially to the ultimate truth of death and eternal reward. Peace and all the best to whoever reads this.

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