Paradise on Earth

Exploring the details of Christianity

Moderator: Moderators

Post Reply
User avatar
onewithhim
Savant
Posts: 8904
Joined: Sat Oct 31, 2015 7:56 pm
Location: Norwich, CT
Has thanked: 1217 times
Been thanked: 305 times

Paradise on Earth

Post #1

Post by 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

Checkpoint
Prodigy
Posts: 4069
Joined: Sun Mar 27, 2016 10:07 pm
Has thanked: 105 times
Been thanked: 63 times

Re: Paradise on Earth

Post #1891

Post by Checkpoint »

onewithhim wrote: Thu Apr 29, 2021 6:50 am
Checkpoint wrote: Thu Apr 29, 2021 1:55 am
onewithhim wrote: Tue Apr 27, 2021 1:28 pm
Checkpoint wrote: Mon Apr 26, 2021 8:01 pm
onewithhim wrote: Thu Apr 22, 2021 5:35 pm
Checkpoint wrote: Thu Apr 22, 2021 12:42 am
onewithhim wrote: Wed Apr 21, 2021 10:43 am What did Jesus mean when he said "The meek shall inherit the earth"?

What does Psalm 37: 10, 29 mean when it says "The righteous shall live forever on the earth"?
What does Revelation 22:3 mean when it says " The throne of God and of the Lamb will be within the city"?
The "city" is the Bride of the Lamb, those that will reign with Christ in heaven. The authority of God and Christ will exert itself within the group of the sainted Bride.
Does "the group of the sainted Bride" comprise all saved believers, or only some, a separate group?
All believers number well into the millions if not billions (including those who will become believers during the Millennium), so to say that they ALL constitute the Bride is rather ridiculous. The Bride is made up of the relatively few who are anointed to rule in heaven, 144,000.
Something here is "rather ridiculous", alright.

That is, that very few believers are "the Bride" and "the city".

Numbers bother God not in the least.

The more the merrier. His will is that no one perishes.

Interesting, not enough to "debate about such things.

Opinions here are a dime a dozen, usually.

Saying little or nothing can be the best option.
I agree. God's will is that no one perishes. To live forever on Earth is certainly not perishing. Why do people think that unless you go to heaven you are destined to perish? It's good to debate about this, because I believe that you don't quite understand what we JWs are saying. If billions of Christians are all the Bride, then who are they ruling over?

Also, could you give your view of what Psalm 37:10 and 29 mean?
Because they think going to heaven and perishing are the two alternatives - heaven and hell.

Yes, there have been times when I have been unaware of some JW views.


Where does the NT tell us the Bride is the 144,000, or visa-versa?

Where does it say the Bride is "ruling over" any "who"?

User avatar
tam
Savant
Posts: 6443
Joined: Fri Jun 19, 2015 4:59 pm
Has thanked: 353 times
Been thanked: 324 times
Contact:

Re: Paradise on Earth

Post #1892

Post by tam »

Peace to you!

[Replying to onewithhim in post #1889]

I don't mean to interrupt your conversation (owh and checkpoint). I'm just going to put this out there:
If billions of Christians are all the Bride, then who are they ruling over? - owh
I won't put a number on the Bride (the Church, the Body of Christ)... but the response to your question would be 'non-Christians' who are also invited into the Kingdom. Such as the sheep from the sheep and the goats parable (who unknowingly did those things for Christ, by doing them for even a least one of His brothers; Matt 25).

Those (and I have no number) who were not Christian but who are also invited into the Kingdom and who also receive eternal life.


Peace again to you both,
your servant and a slave of Christ,
tammy

User avatar
onewithhim
Savant
Posts: 8904
Joined: Sat Oct 31, 2015 7:56 pm
Location: Norwich, CT
Has thanked: 1217 times
Been thanked: 305 times

Re: Paradise on Earth

Post #1893

Post by onewithhim »

[Replying to Checkpoint in post #1892]

Checkpoint, you keep asking me questions but refuse to reply to my question about what Psalm 37:9-11 and 29 means to you.

User avatar
onewithhim
Savant
Posts: 8904
Joined: Sat Oct 31, 2015 7:56 pm
Location: Norwich, CT
Has thanked: 1217 times
Been thanked: 305 times

Re: Paradise on Earth

Post #1894

Post by onewithhim »

tam wrote: Thu Apr 29, 2021 8:59 pm Peace to you!

[Replying to onewithhim in post #1889]

I don't mean to interrupt your conversation (owh and checkpoint). I'm just going to put this out there:
If billions of Christians are all the Bride, then who are they ruling over? - owh
I won't put a number on the Bride (the Church, the Body of Christ)... but the response to your question would be 'non-Christians' who are also invited into the Kingdom.
tammy
But the Scripture says that it is only the righteous that will inherit the earth. (Psalm 37:9-11, 29) Non-Christians are not "righteous."

User avatar
tam
Savant
Posts: 6443
Joined: Fri Jun 19, 2015 4:59 pm
Has thanked: 353 times
Been thanked: 324 times
Contact:

Re: Paradise on Earth

Post #1895

Post by tam »

Peace to you!
onewithhim wrote: Mon May 03, 2021 3:44 pm
tam wrote: Thu Apr 29, 2021 8:59 pm Peace to you!

[Replying to onewithhim in post #1889]

I don't mean to interrupt your conversation (owh and checkpoint). I'm just going to put this out there:
If billions of Christians are all the Bride, then who are they ruling over? - owh
I won't put a number on the Bride (the Church, the Body of Christ)... but the response to your question would be 'non-Christians' who are also invited into the Kingdom.
tammy
But the Scripture says that it is only the righteous that will inherit the earth. (Psalm 37:9-11, 29) Non-Christians are not "righteous."
Don't you also believe that (some/many) people who were non-Christian (during their lifetimes or at the return of Christ) will be able to live forever on the earth?

User avatar
onewithhim
Savant
Posts: 8904
Joined: Sat Oct 31, 2015 7:56 pm
Location: Norwich, CT
Has thanked: 1217 times
Been thanked: 305 times

Re: Paradise on Earth

Post #1896

Post by onewithhim »

tam wrote: Mon May 03, 2021 4:00 pm Peace to you!
onewithhim wrote: Mon May 03, 2021 3:44 pm
tam wrote: Thu Apr 29, 2021 8:59 pm Peace to you!

[Replying to onewithhim in post #1889]

I don't mean to interrupt your conversation (owh and checkpoint). I'm just going to put this out there:
If billions of Christians are all the Bride, then who are they ruling over? - owh
I won't put a number on the Bride (the Church, the Body of Christ)... but the response to your question would be 'non-Christians' who are also invited into the Kingdom.
tammy
But the Scripture says that it is only the righteous that will inherit the earth. (Psalm 37:9-11, 29) Non-Christians are not "righteous."
Don't you also believe that (some/many) people who were non-Christian (during their lifetimes or at the return of Christ) will be able to live forever on the earth?
Only those who accept the truth of Jesus and Jehovah when they are taught, during the Millennium. If they do not accept it, they will not be considered "righteous" and will not be able to live forever on the earth.

User avatar
tam
Savant
Posts: 6443
Joined: Fri Jun 19, 2015 4:59 pm
Has thanked: 353 times
Been thanked: 324 times
Contact:

Re: Paradise on Earth

Post #1897

Post by tam »

Peace to you,
onewithhim wrote: Tue May 04, 2021 1:31 pm
tam wrote: Mon May 03, 2021 4:00 pm Peace to you!
onewithhim wrote: Mon May 03, 2021 3:44 pm
tam wrote: Thu Apr 29, 2021 8:59 pm Peace to you!

[Replying to onewithhim in post #1889]

I don't mean to interrupt your conversation (owh and checkpoint). I'm just going to put this out there:
If billions of Christians are all the Bride, then who are they ruling over? - owh
I won't put a number on the Bride (the Church, the Body of Christ)... but the response to your question would be 'non-Christians' who are also invited into the Kingdom.
tammy
But the Scripture says that it is only the righteous that will inherit the earth. (Psalm 37:9-11, 29) Non-Christians are not "righteous."
Don't you also believe that (some/many) people who were non-Christian (during their lifetimes or at the return of Christ) will be able to live forever on the earth?
Only those who accept the truth of Jesus and Jehovah when they are taught, during the Millennium. If they do not accept it, they will not be considered "righteous" and will not be able to live forever on the earth.
Without going into what actually happens during the millennium, those would be people who were non-Christian, now living forever on the earth. So there is the answer to your question that does not require that only some Christians reign with Christ during that time.

Peace again to you!

User avatar
onewithhim
Savant
Posts: 8904
Joined: Sat Oct 31, 2015 7:56 pm
Location: Norwich, CT
Has thanked: 1217 times
Been thanked: 305 times

Re: Paradise on Earth

Post #1898

Post by onewithhim »

tam wrote: Wed May 05, 2021 10:18 pm Peace to you,
onewithhim wrote: Tue May 04, 2021 1:31 pm
tam wrote: Mon May 03, 2021 4:00 pm Peace to you!
onewithhim wrote: Mon May 03, 2021 3:44 pm
tam wrote: Thu Apr 29, 2021 8:59 pm Peace to you!

[Replying to onewithhim in post #1889]

I don't mean to interrupt your conversation (owh and checkpoint). I'm just going to put this out there:
If billions of Christians are all the Bride, then who are they ruling over? - owh
I won't put a number on the Bride (the Church, the Body of Christ)... but the response to your question would be 'non-Christians' who are also invited into the Kingdom.
tammy
But the Scripture says that it is only the righteous that will inherit the earth. (Psalm 37:9-11, 29) Non-Christians are not "righteous."
Don't you also believe that (some/many) people who were non-Christian (during their lifetimes or at the return of Christ) will be able to live forever on the earth?
Only those who accept the truth of Jesus and Jehovah when they are taught, during the Millennium. If they do not accept it, they will not be considered "righteous" and will not be able to live forever on the earth.
Without going into what actually happens during the millennium, those would be people who were non-Christian, now living forever on the earth. So there is the answer to your question that does not require that only some Christians reign with Christ during that time.

Peace again to you!
Sorry, but you're not getting what I am saying. Psalm 37:9-11 and 29, as well as other scriptures, show that only the righteous will live on the earth forever. Therefore, why do you keep saying that unrighteous people will live on the earth forever?

User avatar
tam
Savant
Posts: 6443
Joined: Fri Jun 19, 2015 4:59 pm
Has thanked: 353 times
Been thanked: 324 times
Contact:

Re: Paradise on Earth

Post #1899

Post by tam »

Peace to you,

[Replying to onewithhim in post #1899]

I said nothing about the unrighteous and I think you're not getting what I am saying. You asked who would these Christians rule over during the thousand years (if all Christians are the Bride). The answer is - those who were non-Christian, who are living on the earth during the thousand years.


Peace again.

User avatar
PinSeeker
Banned
Banned
Posts: 2920
Joined: Wed Jun 06, 2018 1:07 pm
Has thanked: 53 times
Been thanked: 74 times

Re: Paradise on Earth

Post #1900

Post by PinSeeker »

Checkpoint wrote: Thu Apr 29, 2021 6:23 pm God's will is that no one perishes.
No, that's His desire, not His will -- His desire is that all would come to saving knowledge of the Lord. This is the general call and invitation. He does not wish that any should perish. But His will regarding salvation is that some He will have mercy/compassion on -- save -- and some He will not. And it does not depend on man and his will, but on God's. And this is the inward, effectual call that He issues, via His Holy Spirit, only to those whom He has chosen from before the foundation or the world, before they have done anything good or bad, His elect.
Checkpoint wrote: Thu Apr 29, 2021 6:23 pm If billions of Christians are all the Bride, then who are they ruling over?
That's a very insightful question, Checkpoint. It is an innumerable multitude (will be, anyway), and they don't actually "rule over" anybody. Even Jesus won't "rule over" anyone, but will be our co-heir... or actually we will be His. The government will be on His shoulders and will have no end, but this should not be seen as any kind of "ruling over" anyone.
Checkpoint wrote: Thu Apr 29, 2021 6:23 pm Where does the NT tell us the Bride is the 144,000, or visa-versa?
Well, you know that the 144,000 are referred to in Revelation 7. But the first half of Revelation 7 and the second half of Revelation 7 describe the same group of people. So the 144,000 cannot be a hard and fast number, but symbolic of the whole, which, as fleshed out in the second half of Revelation 7, is an innumerable multitude that cannot be counted, that number as the stars of heaven and as the grains of sand on the seasure.
Checkpoint wrote: Thu Apr 29, 2021 6:23 pm Where does it say the Bride is "ruling over" any "who"?
Right. Nowhere. There will be no need, because there will be no sin.

Grace and peace to you and all.

Post Reply