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

[Miles]

Back when god was speaking why would anyone think he meant 3,000+ years by "short time," rather than "in a few years, or at most a life time or so"?

Q: Where in the Bible does the God YHVH say he will "go away" or "come back"?

You've got me. Why is it relevant?

.

[myth-one.com]

There are millions if not billions of humble people that will live in Paradise on this earth. People that are physical, just like us.

Are they going to be members of the kingdom of God?

We physical people here on Earth will always be a part of the Kingdom, as we are citizens of that government.

But according to the scriptures, as inspired by God, flesh and blood humans just like us cannot inherit the Kingdom.

I Corinthians 15:50
Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God;...

Did God get it wrong?

[William]

Back when god was speaking why would anyone think he meant 3,000+ years by "short time," rather than "in a few years, or at most a life time or so"?

Q: Where in the Bible does the God YHVH say he will "go away" or "come back"?

You've got me. Why is it relevant?

.

I don't know the answer to that, since it was you who I was quoting, and you who mentioned "god". Were you not talking about the god of the Bible?

[William]

[Replying to myth-one.com in post #2662]

But according to the scriptures, as inspired by God, flesh and blood humans just like us cannot inherit the Kingdom.

I Corinthians 15:50
Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God;...

Did God get it wrong?

More likely, your own interpretation got it wrong.

This, because you believe you and all humans are flesh and blood, rather than Spirit.

When Jesus spoke to The Penitent Thief, and told the personality "I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise", this could be referencing "the kingdom of God" and it is obvious that Jesus was not referring to the thief's dying flesh, as "you" but to the Spirit which animated the flesh and goes to the next experience when that flesh dies.

[Miles]

Back when god was speaking why would anyone think he meant 3,000+ years by "short time," rather than "in a few years, or at most a life time or so"?

Q: Where in the Bible does the God YHVH say he will "go away" or "come back"?

You've got me. Why is it relevant?

.

I don't know the answer to that, since it was you who I was quoting, and you who mentioned "god". Were you not talking about the god of the Bible?

But I never said anything close to "go away" or "come back" in any context. Might want to recheck your sources.

.

[JehovahsWitness]

Yup, and when talking to someone, say your children, would you phrase something as you understood a word's meaning or how they understand its meaning?

There are no words in the bible that cannot be understood;

So what does σκύβαλον (translit. skybalon) mean in Philippians 3:8?
....

"dung" 12 times
"refuse" 4 times
"garbage" 10 times
"rubbish" 13 times
"filth" 2 times
"trash" 6 times
"worthless" 2 times
"less than nothing" 3 times
"manure" 1 time
"waste" 1 time
"dirt" 1 time
"sewer trash" 1 time.

Do you think there is anyone over five that cannot understand any of those words? My six year old neice knows what "dirt", "trash" or "garbage" means. So how does your list prove there are words in the bible people don't understand.

Anyway the point of my post was that the bible exists to help us understand Gods thinking on things. And it does so by speaking in reletively simple terms we can all grasp.

JW

[JehovahsWitness]

We are all little children to God; and God has kindly explained to us that what seems long to us, really isn't long at all. All part of divine education.

Did god do it with words you "little children" understood?

Yes, here is his explaination ....

2 PETER 3: 8, 9

Beloved, do not let this one thing escape your notice: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise as some understand slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance

Is there anything in this explanation that cannot be understood?





JW

[myth-one.com]

[Replying to myth-one.com in post #2662]

But according to the scriptures, as inspired by God, flesh and blood humans just like us cannot inherit the Kingdom.

I Corinthians 15:50
Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God;...

Did God get it wrong?

More likely, your own interpretation got it wrong.

This, because you believe you and all humans are flesh and blood, rather than Spirit.

I believe that all humans have flesh and blood physical bodies, and that all spirits have spiritual bodies:

There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. (I Corinthians 15:44)

And they do not mix:

. . . the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. (I Corinthians 15:40)

Man is the only animal which has the capability of becoming equal unto the angels by becoming a spiritual bodied being. Speaking of those humans who shall inherit the Kingdom of God in the world to come, Jesus states:

Neither can they die any more, for they are equal unto the angels... (Luke 20:36)

To become a natural body, on must be born of the flesh: That which is born of the flesh is flesh.

To become a spiritual body, one must be born of the Spirit: That which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

The only spirit which man has at present is that level of enthusiasm, dreams, out of body stuff, and other things which we call non-physical -- but which really are physical.

<========================================>

When Jesus spoke to The Penitent Thief, and told the personality "I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise", this could be referencing "the kingdom of God" and it is obvious that Jesus was not referring to the thief's dying flesh, as "you" but to the Spirit which animated the flesh and goes to the next experience when that flesh dies.

Jesus did not go to "paradise" that day. He arose from the grave three days later, and ascended about 40 days later in the presence of His disciples:

And no man hath ascended up to heaven but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. (John 3:13)

You have the comma in the wrong place. It should be like this:

And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee today, thou shalt be with me in paradise. (Luke 23:43)

Also, let's examine the other three accounts and see what they say regarding the two thieves in the King James translation of the scriptures:

The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth. (Matthew 27:44)

And they that were crucified with him reviled him. (Mark 15:32)

Where they crucified him, and two others with him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst. (John 19:18)

Matthew and Mark state that the two thieves reviled and mocked Jesus like others who were present! The account in John simply notes that two others were crucified with Jesus, one on either side. All of these verses could be true. It is possible that both thieves reviled Jesus, then at a later time one changed his mind. However, why would such a significant event reported by Luke not even be given mention in Matthew, Mark, and John? Now, consider the following verse:

And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. (John 3:13)

Is this not perfectly clear? Jesus Christ, the Son of God and the Son of man (Mary and Joseph), who came down from heaven, is the only man who has ascended up to heaven, and is there now. How can this be otherwise "interpreted?" Therefore, the thief is not in heaven! But if the thief and other Christians do not go to heaven when they die, what happens to them?

For we which have believed do enter into rest ... (Hebrews 4:3)

"We which have believed," refers to Christians. Therefore, Christians enter into rest. If one of the two thieves believed in Jesus when he died, he entered into rest according to Hebrews 4:3. What is this rest? In many instances, when Jesus "raised someone from the dead," he claimed that they were asleep. For example:

Why make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn... (Mark 5:39-40)

So the thief who accepted Jesus as his Savior is presently sleeping in his grave. He will be awakened to everlasting life in paradise upon Jesus' return:

And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life... (Daniel 12:2)

[William]

[Replying to myth-one.com in post #2668]

I believe that all humans have flesh and blood physical bodies, and that all spirits have spiritual bodies:

How you interpret things is what you believe about things and what you believe, does not make it so.

The only spirit which man has at present is that level of enthusiasm, dreams, out of body stuff, and other things which we call non-physical -- but which really are physical.

Are you declaring that the mind is physical?

[onewithhim]

There are millions if not billions of humble people that will live in Paradise on this earth. People that are physical, just like us.

Are they going to be members of the kingdom of God?

We physical people here on Earth will always be a part of the Kingdom, as we are citizens of that government.

But according to the scriptures, as inspired by God, flesh and blood humans just like us cannot inherit the Kingdom.

I Corinthians 15:50
Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God;...

Did God get it wrong?

That means that flesh and blood cannot go to the heavens to rule with Christ. That is where Paul and all the early Christians were going. They would all be changed into spirit persons. Those of us here on the earth will remain in our flesh and blood bodies.