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

[myth-one.com]

[Replying to FaithWillDo in post #2110]

Whosoever believeth will be saved:

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life.

God will not force His will on anyone.

Although God recommends choosing life, He will accept and honor either choice:

I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:

[FaithWillDo]

[Replying to FaithWillDo in post #2110]

Whosoever believeth will be saved:

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life.

God will not force His will on anyone.

Although God recommends choosing life, He will accept and honor either choice:

I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:

Dear myth-one.com,
With the understanding you are coming away with on the verses you posted, you must believe that God's Word is very contradictory. I assure you it is not.

In your understanding of the verses you just posted, you made THREE false assumptions.

1). You believe that not everyone is going to believe. They will.

Phi 2:10-11 That at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

2). You believe that salvation can only come to a person in this age. That is not true.

Salvation in this age is ONLY for those who have been chosen from the foundation of the world to be FIRST FRUITS of Christ's harvest of mankind. You should study the Jewish Feasts - they are physical types that teach the spiritual plan of salvation. The Feast of First Fruits types the early portion of the harvest. The early portion is NOT the only harvest. The Feast of Tabernacles is the main harvest which comes at the end of the growing season. This harvest is for everyone else. That is the reason why Christ said this when He went in to the Feast of Tabernacles:

John 7:37-38 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

Also of note, Christ went to the feast in secret:

John 7:10 But when his brethren were gone up, then went he also up unto the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret.

Christ is the Word of God, so not only the things that Christ said teach us His truths BUT also the things that He did. He purposefully went in secret to the feast to keep His work of salvation that comes at the end of the final age a "mystery". It is part of the GREAT mystery of Christ and His church. The true church (those who are called AND chosen) will be used in the final age to help bring in the full harvest of mankind:

Rev 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

Notice the similarities of this verse and the verse in John. They teach on the same event. It is at this time that the chief priests will be saved.

3). You believe that God will not force anyone to believe. That is partially true. What you don't understand is that Christ is in the spiritual business of changing hearts and minds so that we "willingly" believe. That is how He accomplishes His "will" within mankind.

Prov 16:1 The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the LORD.

These verses below teach a truth which you are not including in your understanding:

Jer 18:4 And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.

Rom 8:20-22 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.

1 Cor 12:3 Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Spirit.

Rom 8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

Rom 3:10-11 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.

Mankind was created spiritually "marred" and subject to vanity (sin). In other words, we quickly develop a carnal mind after our physical birth which causes us to sin.

Christ came in the same physical body as mankind but He was spiritually perfect. Because He had the full measure of the Holy Spirit, He NEVER became carnally minded and as a result, He never sinned.

Eve is shown in scripture to already be carnally minded before she sinned. In fact, she sinned because she was carnally minded. She could make no other choice.

Gen 3:6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food (LUST OF THE FLESH), and that it was pleasant to the eyes (LUST OF THE EYES), and a tree to be desired to make one wise (PRIDE OF LIFE), she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.


In our created state, NO ONE can believe or understand the truth of God. That is a foundational truth that is completely ignored by mainstream Christianity. Until Christ comes to each of us individually and gives us the gifts of faith and the Holy Spirit, we can NOT believe on His name and accept Him as "Lord". The only way we call Him "Lord" is by having the indwelling of the Holy Spirit (1Cor 12:3). Conversely, after Christ comes to us and gives us His spiritual gifts, no one can then call Jesus "accursed".

This spiritual work of Christ within mankind is the only way we can be saved. If Christ doesn't do His work within us, we cannot "free will" our selves to believe on His name and call Him "Lord". Scripture expressly says that is not possible.

Scripture teaches that Paul’s conversion is the “pattern” or “type” by which all others will be saved.

1Tim 1:16 Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.

In order to understand this “pattern” (type), we must spiritually understand the steps of Paul’s conversion as recorded for us in Acts 9:3-19.

This first set of verses below “types” Paul’s time of being Called Out from the world. This is the Early Rain of the Spirit.

Acts 9:3-9 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: 4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? 5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. 6 And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. 7 And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man. 8 And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus. 9 And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.

These first events which happened to Paul symbolize the process that we all must go through to be “called out from the world” (enter the Church).

When an individual is Called Out from the world to follow Christ, Christ will come to them suddenly and without invitation. We do not have the free will ability to choose Christ in our "marred" spiritual condition as is commonly taught. If we did, it would be a "work". If Christ decides to come to a person in the present age, it is a spiritual event which happens "within" us (Luke 17:21). Christ is now "spirit" and cannot be seen with human eyes.

When Christ spiritually comes to an unbeliever and gives them the Holy Spirit, they immediately fall to the earth (in type) just as Paul did. The “earth” represents mankind’s carnality. The new believer has risen up out of the sea of humanity to dwell upon the earth. The “earth” symbolizes the new believer’s carnality which still remains. Paul's blindness represents his spiritual blindness.

Since the new believer is still carnally minded and spiritually blind upon receiving the Early Rain, they cannot recognize the “voice” which calls to them. They must rely on being told who the voice is. After being told that the voice is the voice of Jesus, Paul answers back to Christ as “Lord”. Since scripture says that no one can call Jesus “Lord” but by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit (1Cor 12:3), we know that this event happening to Paul is the Early Rain of the Spirit. Paul calls Him “Lord” but lacks the ability to know Him for himself. Christ remains hidden (veiled) from Paul’s understanding, just as He remains hidden to all who experience the Early Rain of the Spirit.

Paul then asks Christ “what wilt thou have me to do”? Because Paul remains carnally minded, he believes that he must “do something” to earn the Lord’s favor. The Lord answers him by saying to arise and go into the city. The “city” represents the Great City which is Sodom and Egypt. Once in the city, someone (ministers of Satan) there will tell him what he must do. At that point, the new believer becomes deceived and “falls away”.

From verse 7, we see that no one with Paul experienced what Paul did. This visitation by Christ is only for the person who has been “called out”. It is a spiritual event and happens “within” Paul.

After Paul stands up and opens his eyes, he “saw no man”. This blindness of Paul’s represents his spiritual blindness. Scripture goes on to say that Paul had to be led by the hand. This explains why a new believer readily follows the false doctrines presented to them in the church (the blind leading the blind). The new believer has no ability to follow Christ for themselves.

After Paul arrived in Damascus, verse 9 says that Paul remained blind and did not eat or drink for 3 days. Paul’s time of spiritual blindness and inability to eat the true bread from heaven or to drink the New Wine causes him to fall prey to Satan’s deceptions. He quickly “falls away” from faith and returns to “works” (2Thes 2:3). Because he rejects approaching Christ by faith alone, he commits the sin that leads to death. Now his new spiritual state is worse than his first when he was an unbeliever. He has become a Man of Sin under Satan’s influence.

This second set of verses below represents Paul’s conversion.

Acts 9:15 But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: 16 For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake. 17 And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost. 18 And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized. 19 And when he had received meat, he was strengthened.

Here we are told that Paul is “chosen” regardless of His current fallen away state and that Paul will bear Christ’s name to the world. All of God’s Chosen vessels will likewise bear Christ’s name to this world.

In verse 17, Christ (symbolized by Ananias) comes to Paul a second time and heals his spiritual blindness and gives him the Latter Rain of the Spirit. Because Paul’s blindness is healed, Christ “appears” to Him. Paul no longer needs to be told who Christ is because he can now see Christ for himself. Paul can now start eating “meat” (truth).

Once Paul receives his nourishment from Christ, the brightness of Christ’s appearing (truth) destroys Paul’s religious carnal nature (the Great city Babylon/Sodom/Egypt/earthly Jerusalem) which taught him to approach God through Works of the flesh as all Early Rain believers do.

Rev 18:10 Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.

Now that the Great City is destroyed within Paul, Paul is empowered by the Spirit to walk by faith in Christ (the New Wine/Blood of Christ), the true and narrow pathway that leads to God. He can now begin drinking the New Wine. The Man of Sin is now dead and Paul is “born again”. “Saul” is now given the new name of “Paul”, a child of God.

Joe

[onewithhim]

. . faithful humans will live forever in the flesh.

But God promised them everlasting spiritual life under the New Testament Covenant.

Believers are supposed to become equal unto the angels.

Only those that will reign with Christ---the 144,000.

So God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that 144,000 of those that believe in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Neither can the 144,000 die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection. Luke 20:36)


Is that what you guys believe?

God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son so that ALL that believe in him shall not perish but have everlasting life.

Even we who will be living on Earth forever are covered by Christ's atonement.

Your second quotation is what we believe, yes. They are "children of the first resurrection."

.

[myth-one.com]

[Replying to FaithWillDo in post #2110]

Whosoever believeth will be saved:

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life.

God will not force His will on anyone.

Although God recommends choosing life, He will accept and honor either choice:

I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:

You believe that not everyone is going to believe. They will.

If every human is going to believe as you claim, and every believer shall have everlasting life, then why doesn't God simply create every human with ever lasting life?

Surely He could figure that one out!

[myth-one.com]

. . faithful humans will live forever in the flesh.

But God promised them everlasting spiritual life under the New Testament Covenant.

Believers are supposed to become equal unto the angels.

Only those that will reign with Christ---the 144,000.

So God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that 144,000 of those that believe in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Neither can the 144,000 die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection. Luke 20:36)


Is that what you guys believe?

God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son so that ALL that believe in him shall not perish but have everlasting life.

Even we who will be living on Earth forever are covered by Christ's atonement.

Your second quotation is what we believe, yes. They are "children of the first resurrection."

.

Everyone covered by Christ's atonement will be born again of the Spirit as everlasting spirits. Not simply the 144,000.

It's "whosoever" believeth. They can be saints, sinners, murderers, red or yellow, black or white, straight, gay, or neither, members of your fantastic 144,000 or outcasts, etc.

God has to stick to His covenant or derive one that is better. Look at how difficult it was to get out of the original faulted covenant.

You seem to think that those assigned to the earth are humans, which is incorrect.

Everyone born of the Spirit (God) is a child of God. Not just the 144,000.

Born of God equals child of God.

They (all that are Christ's) will be born again of the Spirit (God) at their resurrection. Thus, they (all deceased believers) are also children of the resurrection.

See how that works?

[FaithWillDo]

[Replying to FaithWillDo in post #2110]

Whosoever believeth will be saved:

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life.

God will not force His will on anyone.

Although God recommends choosing life, He will accept and honor either choice:

I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:

You believe that not everyone is going to believe. They will.

If every human is going to believe as you claim, and every believer shall have everlasting life, then why doesn't God simply create every human with ever lasting life?

Surely He could figure that one out!

Dear myth-one.com,
To be like God and to be a child of God, we must have a knowledge of "good and evil":

Gen 3:22 And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:

To know good and evil, God decided that we must experience evil in order to know good. For now, mankind has been given an experience of evil, not just on the receiving end of evil but also on the giving end.

Isa 45:5-7 I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me: That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the LORD, and there is none else. I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.

Ecc 1:13 An experience of evil God has given to the sons of humanity to humble them by it.

Prov 16:4 The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.

Adam and Eve did not sin by chance, it was planned and caused by God. God never makes mistakes or takes chances as mankind does. He is all powerful and is still on plan A with this creation.

In order for there to be evil in this world, God had to create it. All things of this creation are here because it is God's "will" and purpose for it to be here, including evil. God uses evil for His good and righteous purposes. In this case, His purpose is to create children who are like Him and who know good and evil. This is the meaning of life which seems to escape most people.

Acts 17:24 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;

1Cor 8:6 But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.

Once evil has run its course within mankind, Christ will reconcile us all back to God the Father. That is why He was sent:

1John 4:14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.

Ecc 7:13 Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked?

Jesus Christ can make straight that which was made crooked. When Christ's work is finished, God will have many new children.

Joe

[onewithhim]

. . faithful humans will live forever in the flesh.

But God promised them everlasting spiritual life under the New Testament Covenant.

Believers are supposed to become equal unto the angels.

Only those that will reign with Christ---the 144,000.

So God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that 144,000 of those that believe in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Neither can the 144,000 die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection. Luke 20:36)


Is that what you guys believe?

God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son so that ALL that believe in him shall not perish but have everlasting life.

Even we who will be living on Earth forever are covered by Christ's atonement.

Your second quotation is what we believe, yes. They are "children of the first resurrection."

.

Everyone covered by Christ's atonement will be born again of the Spirit as everlasting spirits. Not simply the 144,000.

It's "whosoever" believeth.

john 3:16 doesn't say anything about being born again or going to heaven. "Whosoever" includes the billions with the earthly hope.

.

[myth-one.com]

john 3:16 doesn't say anything about being born again or going to heaven. "Whosoever" includes the billions with the earthly hope.

.

John 3:16 states that everlasting life is the reward for those believing in Jesus as their Savior.

Being born again of the Spirit is how that everlasting life is created!

Ye must be born again! That which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

Whosoever excludes no one!

Of all humanity, those believing in Jesus shall have everlasting life when born of the Spirit.

[JehovahsWitness]

Being born again of the Spirit is how that everlasting life is created!

What is the scriptural support for this idea?


JW

[2ndpillar2]

john 3:16 doesn't say anything about being born again or going to heaven. "Whosoever" includes the billions with the earthly hope.

.

John 3:16 states that everlasting life is the reward for those believing in Jesus as their Savior.

Being born again of the Spirit is how that everlasting life is created!

Ye must be born again! That which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

Whosoever excludes no one!

Of all humanity, those believing in Jesus shall have everlasting life when born of the Spirit.

You are reading into John 3:16 that which is not there. An explanation can be found in Matthew 7:24-27. "Many" of those calling on the "Lord" will find him telling them "I never knew you". (Matthew 7:23). "Many" are born of the spirit, and that spirit is of the devil, and the devil is their father (1 John 3:8-9). And while the "devil" may have everlasting life, his children, other than the demons, do not, which should be a relieve to them.