The Concept of Heaven, The Lie, The Myth, and The Truth(Part 3b of 3a,b,c)

The Judgments

How can we reconcile the different scriptures as pertaining to Heaven and the judgment?  The task is not easy, it might cause us to question our indoctrinated and denominational ideology.  There can be no "General" Judgment because the Scriptures speak of one judgment as being in the "Air" (1^st Thessalonians 4:16-17; 2^nd Corinthians 5:6-10); another on the "Earth" (Matthew 25:31-46); and a third in "Heaven," the earth and its atmosphere, having fled away. Revelation 20:11-15. To make sure that these three separate judgments remain separate the scripture mention three different General judgment scenes and three different Thrones.  

1. The "Judgment Seat of Christ" 2^nd Corinthians 5:10. "This judgment is in the Air for "Believers" only." 

2. The "Throne of Glory" Mt 25:31-32."This judgment takes place on the Earth, this is for "The Nations."" 

3. The "Great White Throne" Revelation 20:11-12."This judgment takes place in Heaven "For the "Wicked Dead."

The Scriptures speak of at least Five Separate Judgments. They differ in five general aspects. As to "Subjects," "Time," "Place," "Basis of Judgment" and "Result." The Judgments that we will discuss is labeled as such, Judgment #1, believers as to sin, this judgment took place when Christ died.  Judgment #2, believers as to works, it deals with when the church is caught out and take place in the air.  Judgment #3 is the Judgment of the Jews during the great tribulation.  Judgment #4 deals with the judgment of nations and Judgment #5 is the judgment of the wicked dead.  I hope I have whetted your appetite enough, now let us began.

JUDGMENT # 1

1. Subjects-- Believers as to "SIN."

2. Time-- A. D. 30.

3. Place-- Calvary.

4. The basis of Judgment-- Christ's "FINISHED WORK."

5. Result-- (1.) Death as to Christ. (2.) Justification as to the Believer.

This judgment is Passed. The Bible proofs of the results of this judgment are:

"For Christ is the END OF THE LAW for righteousness to everyone that Believeth." Roman 10:4.  There are those that do not believe that Christ is the end of the law and ways to incorporate selective teachings of the Law and Grace is paramount to the many doctrines.    If it were not for the issue of the tithes, the Old Testament would be a learning guide rather than a guide to living. 

"There is therefore NOW no condemnation, (Judgment) to them which are in CHRIST JESUS, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the Law of the `SPIRIT OF LIFE' in Christ Jesus hath made me FREE From the Law of sin and Death." (Roman 8:1-2)

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on Him that sent me, HATH EVERLASTING LIFE and shall not come into condemnation (Judgment) but IS PASSED From Death Unto Life." (John 5:24)

The "Believer's" Judgment for Sin then is PAST and was settled at the Cross. However, we must not forget that the judgment of the Believer is threefold.

1. As a "Sinner."

2. As a "Son."

3. As a "Servant."

As we have already seen his judgment as a "Sinner" is passed. Let us look at his judgment

2. As a "Son."

As soon as the sinner accepts Christ as his personal Savior that settles the "Sin" question for him. For if our iniquities are laid on Him (Jesus), then they are not on Us. Isaiah 53:5-6. But the "Sin" question, and the "Sins" question are two different things. Christ died on the Cross to atone for "sin," to pay the penalty of Adam's disobedience in the Garden of Eden. "Sin" is that tendency in humankind to do wrong which we call "Natural Depravity." We do not get rid of this "tendency" by the "New Birth," but we get a "counteracting force" called the "New Nature." We become a "dual personality," composed of the "Old" and "New Natures," and which shall predominate depends on which we feed and which we starve. This explains the "warfare" that Paul describes as his experience, after his conversion, in Roman 7:1-25. This warfare will continue until the "Old" nature is eradicated at death. "Sins" are the outward acts of wrongdoing that we commit as the result of our tendency to sin. These sins must be put away daily by "confession and repentance."

"My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an `Advocate' with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." 1^st John 2:1.

"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1^st John 1:9.

Our judgment as "Sons" is for "un-confessed sins." The punishment is chastisement. This explains much of the chastisement of Christians, and should show them that they are "Sons" and not "Bastards." Hebrew12:5-11. Paul says--

"If we would `judge ourselves' we should not be judged. But when we are judged we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned (Judged) with the world." 1^st Corinthians 11:31-32.

Our duty then as "Sons" is to "self-judge" ourselves daily, "confess our sins," and so avert the chastisement of our Heavenly Father.

The context of these scriptures does not provide for the "Once in Christ and never out", concept unless that is what you are searching for. 

JUDGMENT # 2

1. Subjects-- Believers as to "WORKS."

2. Time-- After The Church is caught out.

3. Place-- "Judgment Seat of Christ" (in the Air).

4. The basis of Judgment-- Their "WORKS."

5. The result-- Reward or Loss.

This judgment is FUTURE.

"We must all appear before the `Judgment Seat of Christ,' that every one may receive the things `done in the body' according to that he hath done, whether it be `good' or `bad' (worthless)." 2^nd Corinthians 5:10.

One of the major Keys to a deeper understanding the scripture is to understand "Who is speaking" and "Who is being spoken to".  The Bible consists of messages to the Jews, the Gentiles, and the church.  When Jesus spoke to the Jews, he often spoke in a manner that the Gentiles could not understand.  Luke 8:10 And he said, Unto you, it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand.  

The pronoun "We" occurs 26 times in the chapter, and in every instance, it means the Believer, and the Epistle is addressed to the "Church" and "Saints" at Corinth, so the Judgment here spoken of is for Believers "only." The "Time" of the Judgment is when the Lord comes (1^st Corinthians 4:5), and the "Place" is "in the air" (1Thessalonians 4:17) and before the Judgment Seat of Christ.

It will not be a judgment in the sense of a "trial" to see whether the judged are innocent (saved) or guilty (lost), for it is a judgment of the "saved only." It will be like the judges' stand at a Fair, or Race Track, where rewards are distributed to the successful contestants. Paul describes such a scene in 1^st Corinthians 9:24-27.

It is not a judgment for sin, but for "works." This judgment is described in 1^st Corinthians 3:11-15.  What we know is that neither the wicked dead, nor the nations will meet the Lord in the air, yet they are spoken of as being judged.

"Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones (valuable building stones, as marble, etc.), wood, hay, stubble; every man's `Work' shall be made manifest; for the `Day' (Judgment Day) shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by `fire,' and the fire shall try every man's `work' of what sort it is. If any man's work `abide' which he hath built thereupon he shall receive a `reward.' If any man's work shall be `burned' he shall suffer `loss;' but `he himself shall be saved;' yet so as by fire."

The result of this judgment is "reward" or "loss." All our "bad" and "dead works," represented by the wood, hay, and stubble, will be consumed, and only our "good works" shall remain. Much passes for Christian service that is merely human and secular, and does not count in our eternal reward. For those who deserve a "reward", it will be The Crowning Day.

After the Grecian games were over the runners, wrestlers, and successful contestants assembled before the "Bema," or judges' stand, which was an elevated seat on which the Umpire sat, and the winners received a "corruptible crown" of "laurel leaves." Some had no reward, they had lost the "Victor's Crown." Nevertheless, while there was no reward there was no punishment, they were not cast out.

The New Testament speaks of Five Crowns. 

1. The Crown of "LIFE."

This is the "Martyr's" crown and is mentioned twice.

"Blessed is the man that endureth temptation (testing), for when he is `tried' (at the Judgment Seat of Christ), he shall receive the `Crown of Life' which the Lord hath promised to them that love Him." James 1:12.

"Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer; behold, the Devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried (tested) and ye shall have tribulation ten days; be thou faithful `unto death,' and I will give thee a `Crown of Life.'" Revelations 2:10.

Understanding the symbology of the scripture is another important key to understanding the scripture.  

Notice it does not say "until" death, but "unto" death. They were not to recant but to remain faithful unto a martyr's death. To recant was to lose the crown. This refers to the martyrs of the Tribulation Period.

2. The Crown of "GLORY."

This is the "Elder's" or "Pastor's" crown, given by the Chief Shepherd when He shall appear. But it is not for those who serve for "filthy lucre" or "lord it over God's heritage."  Many which will have already received their reward here on earth.1^st Peter 5:2-4.

3. The Crown of "REJOICING."

This is the "Soul Winner's" crown. Those brought to Jesus by us will be our "crown of rejoicing" at His Coming. 1Thessalonians 2:19-20; Philippians 4:1.

4. The Crown of "RIGHTEOUSNESS."

This is the crown of those who "love His appearing" and will be given in "that day"-- the Day of His Appearing. 2^nd Timothy 4:8.

5. The Crown "INCORRUPTIBLE."

This is the "Victor's" crown, and is for those who "keep under their body" (1Co 9:25-27); who do not yield to their fleshly lusts; who do not permit themselves to be diverted from the Master's work by worldly amusements and pleasure, nor saturate their body with drugs.

If we do not want to be "ashamed at His Coming," (1^st John 2:28), let us see to it that we keep our body "under" and so live that we shall secure a crown.

Now the world has not been judged, Christ has come back to claim his church and he did not set foot on the earth.  If we can accept this Judgment it becomes easy to understand the scripture, 1^st Corinthians 6:2  Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? And if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?

To be continued

The Concept of Heaven, The Lie, The Myth, and The Truth(Part 3a of 3a,b,c)

The Concept of Heaven, The Lie, The Myth, and The Truth(Part 3a of 3a,b,c)

The Concept of Heaven, The Lie, The Myth, and The Truth(Part 2 of 3)

The Concept of Heaven, The Lie, The Myth, and The Truth(Part 1 of 3)

Whatever transpires at death is really not such a great secret if we believe in the Bible  If we do not believe in the Word of God then death is a journey into the dark unknown.  The story of Lazarus and the rich man explains the process in such a manner that there should not be any doubt or question if we believe.  The rich man died, he was buried, and in Hell, he lifted up his eyes.  The problem began when we began to add shape and twist the scripture fit our own ideology.

It easier to believe that our destiny is to live among the clouds and be entertained by celebrity preachers and rock stars than to believe that God has a plan to establish his Kingdom here on earth.  

Understanding the Word of God through reconciliation of the scripture rather than reinterpretation is preferred when seeking to maintain the scripture's integrity.   New interpretations have the tendency to inject errors into a more than two thousand-year-old Gospel.  Reinterpretation allows us to stray farther and farther from the intended message by injecting modern day euphemisms into the message. 

Since this thesis is about Heaven and meeting God, let's consider a scripture that is often misinterpreted as pertaining to standing before God in Heaven.   "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." (2^nd Corinthians 5:10) 

The pronoun "We" occurs 26 times in the chapter, and in every instance, it means the Believer, and the Epistle is addressed to the "Church" and "Saints" at Corinth, so the Judgment here spoken of is for Believers "only."

Now we could jump ahead to the Revelations given to John and pollute the whole message of Paul or when the time arrives in our study we can seek to reconcile what is being said with what has been said. 

The "Time" of the Judgment is when the Lord comes (1^st Corinthians 4:5), and the "Place" is "in the air" (1^st Thessalonians 4:17) and before the Judgment Seat of Christ.  Keep in mind Jesus' narrative of the rich man and Lazarus as we take a closer look at the scriptures pertaining to the Judgment day.  Lazarus died and the angels carried him to a place of rest; the rich man proceeded straight to Hell.

1^st Thessalonians 4:13-18.  "But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if, we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, them also which sleeps in Jesus will God bring with him. For this, we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.  For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

There are three groups of people mention in this narrative:

          *  Them also which sleeps in Jesus will God bring with him.

       * The dead in Christ shall rise first.

     * Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air

The destination is to MEET the Lord in the air and it does not say they proceeded to a place known as Heaven and sat around singing and walking.  Keep these thoughts also in mind as we study other verses of the prophecy and  as we reveal the destination of those who were caught up.  

Each of these following scriptures will reference a moment in time known as judgment day. For as long as I can remember, I have heard about that day and that it was coming. After Judgment day, all judged righteous will proceed to Heaven to live for eternity.  Judgment Day, it is a Bible study aid, fuel for movies and Playground acronyms.  How much do we know about Judgment day and how much do we really know about Heaven? 

The Bible does not contradict itself; therefore, the scriptures that I am referencing must be reconciled with each other.  If we can reconcile these scriptures then we will have a clear understanding of what heaven is and what the Kingdom of Heaven is like.  Jesus speaking to his Disciples he often began by saying, "The Kingdom of Heaven is like..."  He wanted them to have a clear understand what awaited them.

"When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all of the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory; and before him he shall gather all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a Shepherd divides his sheep from the goats:" (Matthew 25:31-32) 

The question that I should ask now is who are the Holy angels that are taking part in judging the world?   As we know, the regiment of angels diminished when Satan corrupted a third of the Heavenly host in the original war.  

"Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? And if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?" (1^st Corinthians 6:2)  

"Know ye not that we shall judge angels? How much more things that pertain to this life?" (1^st Corinthians 6:3)  Paul is speaking to the Corinthians about judging in rightness.  Part of the justification of sin we truncated a verse and said God said, "Don't judge". 

"For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem.  I will also gather ALL NATIONS, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat,' and will plead with them there for MY PEOPLE and for my heritage ISRAEL, whom they have scattered among the Nations, and parted my land." (Joel 3:1-2)

When Christ comes back to the Mt. of Olives (Zephaniah 14:4) and the Jews will look upon Him whom they "pierced" (Zephaniah 12:10), and a nation, the Jewish Nation, shall be "born (converted) in a day." Isaiah 66:8. This will complete the judgment of the Jews.

"For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord." (1^st Thessalonians 4:16-17) 

 

The above verses will be the basis of our discussion, and judgment is the common thread, but there seems to be a difference in how this judgment is carried out.  By adding the word, “this” judgment seems to muddle the water even more as to how the differences between Joel 3:1-2 and 1^st Thessalonians 4:16-17  can be reconciled. 

The common opinion that the Millennium is to be ushered in by the preaching of the Gospel, and after the Millennium there is to be a "General Resurrection "followed by a "General judgment," and then the earth is to be destroyed by fire. This is what most have been taught but this is not all scriptural.  

Continued in Part 3b

The Concept of Heaven, The Lie, The Myth, and The Truth(Part 2 of 3)

The Concept of Heaven, The Lie,   Part 1

The Concept of Heaven, The Myth Part 2

Usually, when a famous person dies, especially glorified singing stars, friends, relatives and the presiding preacher conspire to place that person in Heaven long before the conclusion of the funeral service.  The deceased is usually elevated to the position of entertaining the masses such as singing in the Heavenly choir, regardless of the life they lived. When I think of the life that the followers of Christ lived, the pain and suffering, the neglect, and to be told that when I die I am going to a place to be entertained by rock stars and drug addicts the question of, "what's the use of trying to serve God", is often suppressed.

One prominent American described Heaven to a group of children as a place where everybody goes when they die.  Assigned to a cloud each person just floats around all day looking down on and caring for their friends.  One preacher justified the untimely death of a young football as, "God needed another quarterback on his team so he called the young man home."  This may or may not have calmed the inquisitive youthful mind of children but it was destructive to the biblically based belief of going to Heaven.  

In an apostate and permissive society, we must be careful what we say so as that we do not hurt anyone's feeling.  This is an impossible task but Christianity has bought into the ideology by toning down its rhetoric, and in some instances like much of the populace,  shamed into silence by those who are quick to apply meaningless labels to the things they don't agree with.  According to some Heaven and Hell is hate speech and unsuitable for use in the presence of Children, and Jesus coming back to establish the Kingdom of God here on Earth to rule over humanity has never set well with the politicians.     

While some believe that the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Heaven are referring to different things, a careful study of Jesus' use of the phrase will make it clear that both phrases are referring to the same thing.  The confusion surrounding the definition of the two phrases serves no purpose other than to promote the confusion of Christianity and confusion allows the charlatan priests to foster false doctrines.  The lack of reconciliation on this issue and many others are the cause for confusion within the household of faith.  Try to imagine what it would be like if all of this confusion found its way into the presence of God.   

The Hebrew word for “heavens” is shamayim; it is in a plural form, meaning “heights,” “elevations.  A careful reading and study of Genesis 1 seem to indicate, "In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth."  After his restoration, and creative works Genesis 2: 1 indicate "Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them."  Failure to address these entities properly in our bible study has caused many to cast these celestial places aside as irrelevant entities in the overall scheme of things.  In an apostate society, being able to say, "I just want to be able to make it in", might be fine for the true believer, but to the hearer in search of directions, it is often lacking in substance. 

The Bible speaks of three heavens.  The first being our immediate atmosphere, the second is outer space as far as it stretches, and the third is the place where God himself dwells. This is the place that Jesus called the “Father's house.”   "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." (John 14:1-3)  Somewhere in the  Heavens, there is a place of rest for the bride of Christ before it is transformed and presented to the Father.     


Out-of-body experiences are nothing new, like dreams they are a means of transmitting valuable knowledge about God's plan. But in a highly educated society, there is a stigma associated with the acknowledgment of such experiences.   There is a long list of words used to shame the person into silence.  Mention an out-of-body experience in some churches and the pastor will call you into the office.  

Paul wrote, "I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven." (2^nd Corinthians 12:2)  It is because of this out-of-body experience he was able to speak so forceful of on the subject of the afterlife.  Paul affirms the thesis that there is more than one Heaven.   Therefore we must conclude that God's Kingdom exists in Heaven.  

In the Lord's Prayer Jesus stated, "Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven." (Matthew 6:10)  "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband." (Revelation 21:1-2)

The phrase “Kingdom of God” occurs 69 times in 10 different New Testament books, while “Kingdom of heaven” occurs only 32 times, and only in the Gospel of Matthew. Based on Matthew’s exclusive use of the phrase and the Jewish nature of his Gospel, in an attempt to be profound, some interpreters have concluded that Matthew was writing concerning the millennial kingdom while the other New Testament authors were referring to the universal kingdom. However, a closer common sense study of the use of the phrase would reveal that this interpretation is in error.

For example, speaking to the rich young ruler, Christ uses “the Kingdom of Heaven” and “Kingdom of God” interchangeably. “Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven’” Matthew 19:23.   In the very next verse, Christ proclaims, “Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God” (verse 24). Jesus makes no distinction between the two terms but seems to consider them synonymous.

The keys to Understanding the Word of God have always been, "who is talking", "Who it is spoken to", and "What is the subject matter."  We also must honor context and perspective, failure to follow the guidelines of the knowledge of God or "common sense" will result in a polluted interpretation of God's Word.  A polluted interpretation allows for multiple interpretations or convoluted messages using the same scripture or verse as the reference.  

In order to support the financial aspiration of the numerous workers in the field, it was necessary to construct different message that would appeal to different groups.  Different companies don't produce the same or identical products because it is not financially expedient.  In the religious arena, different doctrines or interpretations allows the field to be crowded with workers competing for followers, fame, and financial support.  The elimination of or the reshaping the fire and brimstone message and the justification of sin is a welcoming change to those who are searching for a new and easier direction. The desire is for a direction governed by humanity, rather than a God who may or may not hesitate to kill his wayward children. 

With the increase in the Knowledge of Good and Evil as spoken of in Daniel 12:4, the concept of Heaven here on Earth is becoming more acceptable to the masses.  Working out our Soul's salvation, life after death and the return of Christ to establish his Kingdom are all deemed passé.  The existence of these once noble thoughts now is now nothing more than a figment of an overactive and ancient imagination.  The message emulating from the rabbit hole is God wants you to have it all right here on Earth. From that perspective, a natural perspective, God became a God of giving and money is leading the way.  To some having a good job and an outgoing personality is accepted as God's favor, but what profit does this have in the Kingdom of God?   Are we using it to promote ourselves or are we using it to promote the Kingdom of God?

During the early sixties, many belief structures came under attack as man sought to explore the moon and other "Heavenly bodies."  Today there is no consensus whether a man actually walked on the moon and we will not attempt to debate the issue.  A consensus is not necessary for an act, thought or hateful rhetoric to take root and become destructive to Christian values.  The concept of Heaven and the throne of God came under a new and intense attack when man began to explore the universe.  Christian's values suffered because of these events.  The Sheppard's of the flock was not prepared to discuss the supernatural aspects of, God, Heaven and the throne of God. The search for God or the Throne of God in a natural environment proved futile.  The focus of the church changed as one minister mused out loud, "I wonder where He was hiding."

There has always been a stigma associated with the concept of Heaven and Hell, a God who has shown such great propensity for love would not treat his children in such a horrible manner.   Along the road of arriving at this conclusion, we cast aside the unwanted attributes of God.  The angry God or the God of war concept does not fit a sellable rhetoric.  However, do we all go to Heaven the moment they die, here again, consider carefully Jesus narrative of the events surrounding the rich man and Lazarus death. Luke 16:19-31.  The best interpretation of Abraham's bosom is paradise or a place of rest for the righteous souls. It is not the throne of God.   

To be continued in part 3

The Concept of Heaven, The Lie, The Myth, and The Truth (Part 1 of 3)

"In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth." (Genesis 1:1) [KJV] 

"In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you." (John 14:2) [KJV]

"And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." (John 14:3) [KJV]

"And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea." (Revelation 21:1) [KJV]

The Lie.

On sale in the Bookstore

When I die, I want to go to Heaven.  This is a common phrase echoed throughout the realm of Christendom. Because of our worldly attachments rarely heard is the phrase, "Lord I am tired, I want to go home."  The ideology of dying and going to Heaven is a part of our Christian indoctrination because Heaven is where Jesus is and we want to be with him, but we have an issue with dying.  The early Christians had a longing to be with Christ therefore dying was not an issue.  They were willing and some were glad to die for their beliefs. 

Often when we speak of Heaven, a mental condition which I refer to as cognitive dissonance is exposed.  Heaven may be all of those great things but if given a choice of going to Heaven, or staying here which would you choose? Cognitive dissonance is the mental stress or discomfort experienced by a person who holds two or more contradictory or conflicting beliefs, ideas, or values at the same time.   We speak of going to Heaven but are we ready to go, we pray and performs actions that are contradictory to one or more of our beliefs, ideas, or values.   

A lack of knowledge is the cause of mental stress or cognitive dissonance over dying and going to Heaven.  In many of Jesus' teaching sessions, he explained the process of dying and the Kingdom of God.  The conversation with Nicodemus and the story of Lazarus should put us at ease, but what varies widely among different groups today is the description of Heaven and its location.  The English word "Heaven" has become synonymous with favors and enjoying the good life.  Not scripturally founded this definition is the result of various personal interpretations.  The word 'Heaven' is used 552 times In the King James translation, where as 'Heavens' is used 130 times.  There are three major meanings to the word Heaven.

(1) The word "Heaven" (Hebrew: shamyim, Greek: ouranos) can mean God’s dwelling place. "The LORD has established His throne in heaven, and His kingdom rules over all." (Psalm 103:19) [KJV]  God’s throne is mentioned in connection with the mountain of God, (Ezekiel 28:16) [KJV].

2) Heaven may also refer to the endless planets, stars, and galaxies of the universe. "When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon, and the stars, which you have set in, place…," (Psalm 8:3) [KJV].

3) The Bible also speaks of the atmosphere that surrounds the earth as Heaven or Heavens (Genesis 1: 7, 8). Bible students must study the biblical context to understand which of the three meanings are implied.  Failure to do so can result in the perpetuation of lies.

Certain Christian groups proclaim that Christ will return and establish a Kingdom called the "Kingdom of Heaven" or the "Kingdom of God" on earth, whereas other insist we will all be given celestial bodies and spend eternity flying around in outer space.  Between those two concepts of Heaven, and whether the Kingdom of Heaven and the Kingdom of God is the same there are numerous variations.  These variations based personal interpretations and what sounds good to a particular class or creed and is used to amass followers.     

Since early 1600, the concept of Heaven has undergone numerous changes. This was the age when the proliferation of the Christian faith took a firm root and began to flourish.  Splits and denominations became common place all based upon the teaching of one person or a group.  Understanding the Word of God suffered greatly as humanity began to shape and twists the Word of God.  The knowledge of "good and evil" increased and humanity began questioning the value of Christianity and the existence of God.   

During the early years of my upbringing, Heaven was a prepared place for a prepared people. This simple explanation in a simpler age seems to suffice a childish yearning for knowledge of this mysterious realm.  We would often look up to the sky and in our naive mindset, we could visualize God sitting on a cloud looking down and smiling on his creation.

While enduring the hardships of the land the ancients wrote songs that depicted the wonderful life in Heaven.  Heaven became a place where we would have nothing to do but fly around all day shouting, "Holy, Holy" This proved to be a rather boring conceit of eternity.  Taught that there were two choices in the afterlife, Heaven or Hell, the alternate made it an acceptable conclusion of our earthly journey.  

Heaven has always been the escape route for the poor.  The little child growing up without shoes could look up to the sky and say, "When I get to Heaven I am going to put on my shoes and walk all over God's Kingdom.  The naive concepts of Heaven soon began to crumble as knowledge began to increase but not before enterprising messengers learned ways to capitalize on the lack of knowledge thus preying of the gullibility of Christianity.

The gullibility of the ethnic divide is the greatest weapon yet the Devil has used against God, Heaven, and Christian values.   Pastors, Teachers, and Church members are distracted, they are chasing after fame, glory and earthly treasures and many are trying to determine the color of a supernatural or metaphysical God.  Moses saw God as a burning bush, Eve saw the Devil as a snake.  What does that tell us?  Imagine what a mess it would be if all who say they are going to Heaven ended up in Heaven.  The cauldron of hate that is been stoked and stirred would be transferred to Heaven and in simpler terms, the Devil will have won the war. 

To further amplify the ethnic divide the charlatan priests proclaimed Christianity to be the religion of the oppressor and the pie in the sky bye and bye was no longer viable goal.  The poor, the disenfranchised, and the gullible rushed to fill the coffer of those who promised Heaven here on earth.  This destruction of a belief structure created a vacuum and that vacuum filled with opposites.  Lying, hate, drugs, violence and other vices become an acceptable part of life.     

Because of the lack of a consensus, within the household of faith, some have begun to ask the question, "Do we go to Heaven when we die."  The lack of an example or constructive dialog has caused many of the emerging generations to reject the ideology of Heaven and Hell and live for the now.  There are many doctrines, whether it was their intent or not give credence to this ideology.  Jesus posed an interesting question in Matthew 16:26.  "For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?"  The answer to this question does not prevent humanity, whether in the church or in the world "as we say" from seeking gain by misleading or defrauding their fellow man or fellow woman.  

In a Bible Study setting, a provocateur went even further and asked, "Why does everybody want to go to Heaven but nobody wants to die?" Both the question and the statement deserve consideration, but the consideration should not be in the form of a debate.   Debates create confusion as both sides seek to score points using the same Bible and the same scriptures.   We are quick to proclaim, "the bible said". 

Before any discussion of Heaven can proceed, both parties must accept the existence of the natural and supernatural.  We must also have in our possession that God given sense that I call common sense.  Heaven is above and the Earth is below.  In an attempt to question the existence of God the provocateur asked, "With all of the telescopes and satellites exploring outer space why has no evidence been found to prove that Heaven exist?"  When we look up to the sky, we see the heavenly bodies, but we do not see the throne of God.  If we traveled throughout the universe, we could see God's works but we would not see God.

Now let us establish several points that you may or may not believe.  There is the Heaven or Heavens and there is the Earth.  The Kingdom of God or the Kingdom of Heaven occupies the Heaven(s) within the supernatural realm, unseen by the natural eyes.  The Devil and his demons also occupy the Earth in a supernatural realm.   We cannot see God or the Devil with our natural eyes but we can see the manifestation of God or the works of the Devil. 

Jesus speaking to Nicodemus established the parameters of the spiritual realm.  He stated that flesh and blood could not enter the Kingdom "or even see" the Kingdom of God.  John 3:5-6 "Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit."

(To be continued in Part 2)

The Rise of Cognitive Dissonance In The Religious Community

Many who are spiritual considers all suffering, whether, debts, unemployment, or any kind of illness an "attack from the enemy".  They give the credit for all bad choices to the Devil, and then pray for God to bind evil spirits or 'bad circumstances', placing the emphasis on God's doing instead of His person. Since "God's presence is always followed by miracles", the supposition is presented that God 'always wants to heal and bless us'.  

There is another group whose views are just as extreme as the first group.  They believe that everything that happens good or bad is the works of God.  The belief is that God is just sitting back directing the affairs of man. In the time of the storm the consolation is, "God know what he is doing and everything happens for a reason".   Even if a drunk driver kills a child in a horrific manner, "God know what he was doing".  There is a feel-good moment when we go to sleep knowing God is in charge.  

All sorts of claims, many I find unsupported by the Word of God emulating from these proclaimed messengers of God.  Brilliant minds are quick to explain the works of God in such a manner that those who are lacking in understanding or indoctrinated will subscribe to and defend an alien doctrine or ideology. The piecemeal skipping here and there does not present the true message of God, nor does it promote the plan of God.

Our conditioning or indoctrination causes us to response in a particular way when the messenger utters a certain word or phrase.  Jame Brown a Rock and Roll or Soul singer could turn  the concert out with the utterance of the word, "PLEASE."  Ask the question, "ain't God good", and the church will response with a thundering "AMEN" or "YES HE IS."  Meanwhile there are those in attendance wondering and asking God, "Why are you letting this happen to me?"  "God, I am praying and I am praying, but it seems like you are silent." This leads to or set the stage for a condition that I refer to as cognitive dissonance within the household of faith. 

The condition within our homes, communities, and the world is out of control and we are praying for Good to fix it.  Too often this presentation presents the metaphysical God of our salvation as an all-powerful but impotent God, one who is always working to make things right but never seems to accomplish the task.   The world is not evolving into a better place. Jesus said the condition would exist before the end of time, and no amount of praying is going to change the prophecy.   Mark 13:5-37 gives a detailed description of the world today.   Mark 13:12-13  Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

We pray for peace, but peace is forthcoming.  The truth is the scriptures do not condone praying for peace.   Throughout the scripture, there were acts of peace and peace offering, but Isaiah 26:3 say, "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee."  It seems as if the condition for peace is keeping one's mind stayed on God.  Paul stated, 2^nd Corinthians 13:11, "Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you."  Jesus said, Matthew 10:34, "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword."

I struggle in this age of apostasy to extract myself from a self-imposed state of despair brought on by this condition of twisted scriptures and fakeness.  Unaware, sometimes, yet intentionally I limit my exposure to the things that are destructive to my belief in God and peace of mind, in doing so I have become a type of social hermit.  Not only have I limited my exposure to the media and public gatherings the religious community has also emerged as a strong contender in the destruction of the inner peace that once found in the household of faith.  There are just too many earthly promises made in the name of our Father and the simple truth is, these promises are not being fulfilled.  With all of the praying, it seems that sinners should be poor and Christians should be rich.

What is cognitive dissonance?  Let's define it this way.  Cognitive dissonance is the mental stress or discomfort experienced by a person who holds two or more contradictory or conflicting beliefs, ideas, or values at the same time; performs or sees an action that is contradictory to one or more beliefs, ideas, or values.  When confronted by new information or revelations that conflict with existing beliefs, ideas, or values their faith suffers.  In essence, the twisting of the scripture to support a new age idea or doctrine weakens Christian values and is destructive to the building of a true relationship with God. 

There are several questions that I will ask that will expose this malady of what I refer to as cognitive dissonance.  How many have given their last to an unscrupulous preacher and is still waiting for the harvest?  The accomplished speaker can explain the seed and the harvest so beautiful that thousands will rush to swipe their debit card, and then they will patiently wait for God to deliver. The rhetoric that emulates from the rabbit-hole clearly states that God will always keep his promise.  How many have prayed for God to deliver them or their loved-one only to die or see their loved ones die a horrible death?  The question that we can no longer ask is, why do we pray for God's healing virtue to flow as we head to the doctor's office?  The pious are prepared to explain how God works thru the doctors to heal, whereas in time past he only spoke the word.  A true case of cognitive dissonance is at work but we cannot talk about that.

Fake words, fake faith, and fake testimonies cannot resolve the fact that many have prayed for God to move in a particular way and he did not move on their behalf.  Yet when we search for answers, we are told, he answered our prayer but not the way we wanted. Then there are those who will proclaim, "He might not come when we want him, but he is always on time."  Thus began the process of making excuses for God rather than accepting the silence of God or understanding how God works.  It is never about what the creator can do, he could have built a fence around Adam and protected him from the Devil, but he didn't.  Jesus could have saved John the Baptist's life but he didn't.  What we need is more Understanding the Word of God and less selling of the Christ.  

Too many of God children or being led to the banks of the Red Sea, there they are fleeced like Aaron did at the base of the Holy Mountain.  There they are being encouraged to solicit prayers for God to part the waters.  There is a feel good moment sustained through the cute cliché, "If he did it once he will do it again."  To ask why is to question the power of God. The same ideology holds true for those who proclaim to possess the ability to walk on water.  If God were to perform these feats, what would it prove?  Would people rush to God or would they just create another idol?  The gullibility of Christianity often comes into play when men and women seeking to impress they will use the name of God in vain. Few will question the validity of a message when it began with 'God said'.     

What is troubling is the belief structure put in place thousands of years ago is no longer fashionable as we embrace a modern anything goes society. Churches rarely talk about sin or eternal life, the focus is on the everyday fix.  Pastors are becoming involved in politics and performing in high profile arenas. "Fix it now Jesus" or "Jesus, take the wheel" is in vogue now that sin has been justified. Somewhere in the scripture, but I haven't found it, there is a passage that supposedly says, "Jesus will fix all of our problems".   If this is true then why is it taking him more than two thousand years to fix humanities problems? This make the God of our salvation seems like an incompetent God.   Cognitive dissonance, a Devil's trick is in play.

In a world or society such as we live in, it is not rational to acknowledge one's fallacies or faults, but being honest can lead to inner growth.   Whether this is good or bad I have grown to that point where I am suspicious of what I hear and see.  Whether it is the news on television, social media or even in the church, bearing false witness is in vogue.  Messengers who proclaim to operate under the seal of God have become proficient in shaping and twisting the scripture. Regardless of what the truth is, the truth is often shaped, and then it is used to the advantage of the bearer.     

The cavalier approach to God and his works has created a condition among the followers of Christ that is akin to the spread of cancer. Many true believers are feeling trapped, they are indoctrinated into these new beliefs structures that leave them filled with an unspoken doubt and is contradictory to the early teaching of the church. Whereas a message of salvation once was the driving force behind Christianity and It was the belief and preparation for the after-life.  Many church pastors are becoming involved in collecting offering; they have mastered the art of shaming the congregation into giving.  Sowing seeds and reaping a financial harvest has become the message of today. Enterprising and motivational groups are capitalizing on this and they are amassing a fortune in the process and building monuments to them self.  

Contrary to what you hear or have been indoctrinated into believing, health, wealth, and prosperity teachers are the only ones who are getting rich off God's people.  The unanswered questions that resonate within my mind and the mind of the "struggling to believe and not fully indoctrinated Christian is", "What happened to the message of old?" "Why have we killed all of the sacred cows?"  "What do planting and sowing have to do with salvation?" When God did begin giving out miracle money?  If God buys you a car, do you still have a car note? 

Is our prayer effective, or have our prayers been rendered ineffective because we are learning to pray for the wrong thing?  We pray to save our life, we pray for wealth and we even pray for God to fix the problems of the world.  There are many who have emerged as a spokesperson for God and they are prepared to give the answer, but the answers they give are often self-serving and fail to satisfy those who are truly searching for the real God.  

For Bible study, let us consider the words of Jesus in Matthew 16:24-27.

(24) "Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.  

The Messenger of God would do well to consider the words, "deny himself" as they struggle to be impressive.

(25) For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.

Jesus is talking about life in the hereafter, as a matter of fact, Jesus always addressed life in the Kingdom.

(26) For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? 

(27) For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.

In this presentation, Our Savior is trying to explain the relative values of our physical lives and what we can humanly accomplish compared to what awaits us in what is commonly called the afterlife. In short, there is no comparison!  There is nothing here that stresses the importance of sowing seed and reaping the harvest in the here and now.  That being said, one bible verse does not contradict the other. 

The Bible is consistent on the value of human life apart from God.  Notice the words of Ecclesiastes 1:2-4: "Vanity of vanities, all is vanity. What profit has a man from all his labor in which he toils under the sun? One generation passes away, and another generation comes, but the earth abides forever."  

Is salvation a relevant issue in today's modern churches, or has the focus shifted to entertainment?  The message of salvation has lost its luster as the church adopted the business model of a football game. If men and women will pay thousands of dollars to attend a football game and be entertained, they will do the same for the church. Sadly what was left in the better part of that church is a doctrine different yet equally wrong, 'confessing' the word, building protective walls around Christians, global prayer to ask for healing for someone (as if the fact that if enough people would pray for healing God would be in some way be forced to comply). 

Cognitive dissonance is supported when we are taught to pray for God's deliverance while we prepare for a surgical procedure. We pray for financial blessing while investing forty to fifty hours in our job. Global ministries have become the bread and butter of many rising mega-churches, promoting a get rich scheme and the surrounding neighbor suffers from a cognitive blight.  These fancy churches depicted in Revelation 3 now sit as a monument of the pastor's success while the community withers in darkness.  The commercialization and the selling of the Christ have left many of us standing by the side of the road, waiting for a miracle that is not coming, nor was it promised.

The Tribulation of Revelation 13.

Leading up to the solar eclipse that will be seen across the United States and the world I cannot help but wonder will this be the time Jesus make his appearance. Science has explained this event as a natural occurrence and the populace is at ease.  Hatred is at an all time high and it seems as if the prophecies of Revelation 13 is being fulfilled.  A new and ungodly nation is rising up out of a sea of confusion.  The past president established the path and proclaimed that this nation is no longer a Christian nation. 

Revelation 13:1  And I stood upon the sand of the sea and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.

Those who understand the Word of God know that a beast is a nation and a sea is representative of a multitude of confused people.  

Men and women seeking to be profound easily misled and misleading embracing a rhetoric filled with hate and designed to divide.  Ministers of God preaching and teaching messages of hate, yet proclaiming to believe in a God of love. Polarizing and confusing debates on what color is a metaphysical God, as if a color is an important entity in the kingdom of God. 

If Christ does not return with the darkening of the sun and we remain the tribulations spoken of in the Holy Scripture is upon us.  The world is groaning, yet like Nero, at the burning of Rome many are dancing and prancing and stoking the flames of hatred.  Christian values are at an all-time low as those who are easily swayed no longer believe in the immortal deity.

Never in my lifetime have I seen such a blatant attack on the Christian values of old. It seems as if for years the cauldron of hate was stoked. Now its foul and infectious contents are overflowing, and in the background, many of "God's ministers" are dancing in the flickering afterglow urging the sheep of God's pasture to keep the fire burning. There is a sad sickness engulfing the countryside, the nation, and the world. 

Revelation 13:6-9  And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. If any man have an ear, let him hear.

In this volatile climate, what I find very discombobulating is ministers of God posting photo-shopped pictures that serve no purpose than to incite hatred. Posting fake messages or photo-shopped pictures is contrary to God's Word. This is bearing false witness in a high-tech society. Love is of God, hate is of the Devil and both have existed since the beginning of time. They are opposites and they complement each other, like light and day. Try as he may, man does not possess the ability to eradicate either. Hate is like a seed that lies dormant in the soil, expose it to the light and it will grow. Tend it and it will spread like a weed.

Revelation 13:9  If any man have an ear, let him hear.

Re 13:9

Observe here, 1. That this acclamation, If any man have an ear, let him hear, is added in scripture when something went before, which required a very diligent attention and close application of mind: If any man have an ear, that is, a spiritual understanding to discern the meaning of what has been foretold, let him ponder and consider what is here revealed concerning this beast, and take heed that he be not found amongst the number of the worshippers of it.

Observe, 2. The consolation here given to the saints, from the consideration of God's just retribution to his and their enemies, He that leadeth into captivity, shall go into captivity; that is, the beast, who has brought many of the saints into captivity, shall himself at length be taken captive, and thrown into that lake of fire and brimstone, spoken of Re 19:20. With what measure antichrist metes to others, it shall be measured to him again: God has as many ways to hurt his church's enemies, as they have to hurt his people; if they lead into captivity, so can he; if they kill with the sword, so will he.

Observe, 3. The end and design of God in suffering antichrist's rage to break forth against the church: it is for the trial of his church's faith and patience, Here is the patience and faith of the saints.

Where note, 1. That none can stand under, or bear up under, sufferings like saints.

2. That under great sufferings, saints themselves will have great occasion for the exercise of faith and patience.

3. That the faith and patience of the saints will be made very conspicuous by great and sharp sufferings.

4. That faith and patience must accompany each other in suffering times. Patience is the soul's shoulder, to bear what is afflictive at present; faith is the Christian's eye, to discover a glorious deliverance to come: where no patience is, it is a token of no faith; and where no faith is, there will appear great impatience. Behold then the faith and patience of the saints.