Paradise on Earth

[onewithhim]

When I learned that the Bible speaks of a restored Garden of Eden and the restoration of mankind to the perfection and endless life that Adam forfeited, I was thrilled. Who doesn't want to keep living on this beautiful earth, with our loved ones, and being able to do all the things we love to do---endlessly?

If God said to you today, "When do you want to die?" would you say "now!!"? I don't think very many people would say that.

We CAN live forever here on Earth. The Bible tells us that we can.

Matthew 5:5
Psalm 37:9-11,29

[RightReason]

[Replying to 2timothy316]

The more you speak the more you prove my point. Some are not happy with their gifts they get from God. They have a life on a beautiful planet. What do they do? Complain about it as being JWs theology.

Huh? We’re on a Debating Christianity forum. I do have a life outside this forum and enjoy and appreciate it very much. Your words are odd.

As if JWs wrote the Bible. lol

Actually, my point was quite the opposite. Not only did JW’s NOT write the Bible. They don’t even use the Bible correctly that was handed to them by my Church -- Christ’s Church

It doesn't matter what God's word says because they refuse to accept it.

Au contraire mon frère. I am very interested in what God says.

Why? Because of their greed for more.

What more am I wanting? I accept Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition which is why I believe we will be with our God when we die.

Scripture says:


�For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: 1 Corinthians 13:12


“And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.� -Revelation 22:4


“As for me, I shall behold Your face in righteousness; I will be satisfied with Your likeness when I awake.� –Psalm 17:15


My soul thirsts for God, for the living God; When shall I come and appear before God? –Psalm 42:2


“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God�.-Mattthew 5:8


“ Your eyes shall see the king in his beauty: they shall behold the …- Isaiah 33:17


And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall … Isaiah 40:5

“If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall … - John 12:26

“Father, I will that they also, whom you have given me, be with me … - John 17:24


Also, pushing a paradise earth is very similar to pushing something like “40 virgins await you�, etc. It is focusing on some kind of materialistic reward instead of recognizing that our reward will be to be with God. Green pastures, lush fruit and ponies kind of pale in comparison.

[2timothy316]

Also, pushing a paradise earth is very similar to pushing something like “40 virgins await you�, etc. It is focusing on some kind of materialistic reward instead of recognizing that our reward will be to be with God. Green pastures, lush fruit and ponies kind of pale in comparison.

"The righteous themselves will possess the earth, and they will reside forever upon it.� - Psalm 37:29
“Happy are the mild-tempered ones, since they will inherit the earth.� -Matt. 5:5

Oh that 'pushy' Jesus guy! How dare he push the Earth on the righteous! Giving the mild-tempered a piece of junk planet? JWs did not write Psalms 37:29 and Matthew 5:5, you make it sound like we pulled it from thin air. So who's pushing a materialistic reward?

Green pastures, lush fruit and ponies kind of pale in comparison.

Comparison to what? Do you hate green pastures, lush fruit and ponies?

[RightReason]

[Replying to 2timothy316]

"The righteous themselves will possess the earth, and they will reside forever upon it.� - Psalm 37:29
“Happy are the mild-tempered ones, since they will inherit the earth.� -Matt. 5:5

The Church teaches this passage to mean the righteous shall receive all that our Lord desires to give us. A new heaven and a new earth are what we are told to expect –the likes of which we cannot even imagine now. All the pictures you post look a lot like the earth we inhabit today.

Oh that 'pushy' Jesus guy! How dare he push the Earth on the righteous!

I have no problem if God wants to give us a new earth, but that will be secondary to His promise that we shall see Him face to face. But only a few JW’s believe they will actually get to be with God and I guess the others think they could be happy without Him as long as they get to swim with the dolphins.

[2timothy316]

[Replying to 2timothy316]

"The righteous themselves will possess the earth, and they will reside forever upon it.� - Psalm 37:29
“Happy are the mild-tempered ones, since they will inherit the earth.� -Matt. 5:5

The Church teaches this passage to mean the righteous shall receive all that our Lord desires to give us. A new heaven and a new earth are what we are told to expect –the likes of which we cannot even imagine now. All the pictures you post look a lot like the earth we inhabit today.

The Bible tells us what to expect for a new Earth in Isaiah chapters 65 and 66. I don't see any problems in the pictures that are produced. Of course no human alive today has ever seen a paradise world. But I don't know why you have a problem with fruit and ponies.

Oh that 'pushy' Jesus guy! How dare he push the Earth on the righteous!

I have no problem if God wants to give us a new earth, but that will be secondary to His promise that we shall see Him face to face. But only a few JW’s believe they will actually get to be with God and I guess the others think they could be happy without Him as long as they get to swim with the dolphins.

I'm happy now without seeing His actual face. What's wrong with dolphins? One of God's creations I might add. What did they do to deserve such a back-handed remark? Are you jealous of people that will see God's face? Are you jealous of the angels that get to see it now? I mean really is that why you're so upset and everything else is just as you call it 'secondary'. Because you don't seem to view as secondary. It seems you'd rather spit on all the gifts God provides mankind for a look at His face... just wow.

What is it that you hope to gain by looking on God's actual face? Something that you think you deserve more than those that stay on the Earth? Are you greater than all others around you?

[RightReason]

[Replying to 2timothy316]

I'm happy now without seeing His actual face.

Seriously? Perhaps you say that because you don’t realize what it will be like to see Him face to face. Many of the Saints give us an idea of this kind of ecstasy in their close experiences. No matter how happy I am on this earth, I long for that. We can be happy here, but never completely or fully until we are with God. Scripture continually tells us not to put too much stock in the things of this world, and yet JW’s seem to be unable to imagine giving up our earth.

Are you jealous of people that will see God's face?

What child would be content to never see their parent’s face? I’m sorry, but it simply doesn’t make sense to not expect this. First, we are told this will be the case and second it is the only thing that actually makes sense. We are God’s children. He has no desire to keep us at a distance observing us from a far like some petting zoo for eternity. It simply doesn’t make sense of the whole purpose of the Resurrection and to be with Him. Jesus is known as our personal Lord and savior. He died for me and He died for you. Maybe you have a different understanding of personal than me.

[JehovahsWitness]

I don't see any problems in the pictures that are produced. Of course no human alive today has ever seen a paradise world. But I don't know why you have a problem with fruit and ponies.

... don't foget the monkeys!

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Seriously, I'm sure literally seeing Jehovah would be wonderful, He must be unspeakably beautiful and awesome, but it is very physical to believe one cannot "see God" now. We can enjoy intimacy God no matter where we live, and our greatest hope is to enjoy a relationship unhindered by sin. That said the bible does not present all physical pleasures as "evil" or "dirty" , I think appreciation for God's physical gifts is what distinguishes us from other religions, certainl from those that think the "holiest" people lock themselves away in monasteries , wear black and live on dry bread and water. We thank Jehovah for the wonders of his creation and He in turn will bless those that do so.

Anyway the bible is clear, God made the earth for humans and Jehovah's Witnesses are most happy and grateful for all Jehovah's many physical blessings that will only be more wonderful as the EARTH is transformed into the paradis originally intended.

[RightReason]

[Replying to JehovahsWitness]

]from those that think the "holiest" people lock themselves away in monasteries , wear black and live on dry bread and water.

You truly have no clue about those who choose the life of a religious. I have no doubt they would find it quite amusing that you think them so miserable. Your misconceptions and false stereotypes about the Catholic Church prevent you from speaking accurately.

[JehovahsWitness]

He wants to give people the maximum allowed time to change their ways to His ways.

Yes I would agree, indeed that is why we read the grand commission in Matthew 28:19,20. The disciples must have wondered how such a thing could be possible seeing as they were so few in number.

JW

[2timothy316]

[Replying to 2timothy316]

I'm happy now without seeing His actual face.

Seriously? Perhaps you say that because you don’t realize what it will be like to see Him face to face. Many of the Saints give us an idea of this kind of ecstasy in their close experiences. No matter how happy I am on this earth, I long for that. We can be happy here, but never completely or fully until we are with God. Scripture continually tells us not to put too much stock in the things of this world, and yet JW’s seem to be unable to imagine giving up our earth.

Yes seriously. Jehovah as done so much for me and all mankind that I have no need to see His face.

Exodus 33:20 says that God stated, 'You cannot see My face, for no man can see Me and live!'. Please give examples from the Bible of what exactly you're talking about with the saints.

Ecc 3:12, 13 says the things we enjoy on the Earth are gifts from God not curses, "I have concluded that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good during their life, also that everyone should eat and drink and find enjoyment for all his hard work. It is the gift of God."

Here are the things 'of the flesh' not to 'put too much stock'.

"Now the works of the flesh are plainly seen, and they are sexual immorality, uncleanness, brazen conduct, idolatry, spiritism, hostility, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, dissensions, divisions, sects, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and things like these. I am forewarning you about these things, the same way I already warned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit God’s Kingdom." Gal 5:19-21

No mention of fresh fruit, dolphins or ponies.

Are you jealous of people that will see God's face?

What child would be content to never see their parent’s face? I’m sorry, but it simply doesn’t make sense to not expect this. First, we are told this will be the case and second it is the only thing that actually makes sense. We are God’s children. He has no desire to keep us at a distance observing us from a far like some petting zoo for eternity. It simply doesn’t make sense of the whole purpose of the Resurrection and to be with Him. Jesus is known as our personal Lord and savior. He died for me and He died for you. Maybe you have a different understanding of personal than me.

Why did Jesus die? Just to see the face of God? John 3:16: “God loved the world so much that he gave his only-begotten Son, so that everyone exercising faith in him might not be destroyed but have everlasting life.� Jesus died so that all of mankind doesn't have to. It's not just to see God's face.

Ezekiel saw Jehovah God's likeness, not with his actual eyes but in a dream. I wouldn't be mad if this happened to me. However, if this was the only promise from God I'd be pretty disappointed. What good is seeing a parents face and then that parent doing nothing else? But the Bible tells us of so much more. Endless youth, no sickness, no death and no cause for alarm at all. These are all in the Bible and there is nothing personal about it. These things will happen and it doesn't matter if I believe in them or not. As for those that rule with Christ in Heaven they will be, "priests to our God, and they are to rule as kings over the earth.� Rev 5:10. I do not desire kingship over the Earth or the priesthood in heaven. I am ecstatic to be a subject of those kings and priests all under the direction of my loving happy God Jehovah. I don't understand why so many thumb their noses at this. Those that I know of that do want kingship and the priesthood in heaven don't think it's bad to want to be human forever. Paul said everywhere there is Jehovah, there is paradise. Even now we can enjoy a sort of spiritual paradise, an oasis from the hate and grief of this current world. And by world I don't mean hateful fruit and ponies. I mean those ruining the world with their acts of violence, greed and lawlessness.

[RightReason]

[Replying to 2timothy316]

And there are verses stating we will see His face, so round and round we go . . .

Like I said, the truth is we simply don’t know exactly what heaven will be like and I trust what Christ’s Church has to say on the matter. Given all we can and do know about God, it would be very difficult to believe He does not want to be with us. I just don’t trust the Watchtower Society and think their focus is a little off.

Peace.