Arky51's Blog

People from every Nation, Tribe, and Culture on Earth have some definition of Heaven and Hell; Paradise and Punishment. Many of those definitions have common elements, while some are notably diverse. As one who is ever studying, ever learning, ever thinking, I like to share my thoughts. From earliest record it was said, "I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants,” (Deuteronomy 30:19)

There are two base premises:

1.) There is a spirit in the human being which eternally survives the demise of the physical (and therefore animal) body.
The first point of divergence is:
a.) That spirit inhabits but one physical body, and afterward faces a judgment by the Creator. In said Judgment, the “soul” (the combination of the spirit and its life memories) is primarily evaluated on the basis of performance (behaviors, deeds) and motives.
  - If that soul is found to have met certain standards and requirements, it is rewarded with a new body, designed to exist for eternity, and a permanent avenue of communion with the Creator. (Proper motives can often trump failures in performance.)
  - If that soul is found not to have met certain standards and requirements (ungodly behaviors and evil motives), it is punished with separation from the Creator and all who met the standards and requirements. (The best definition of “hell” is “separation from God — exile from His presence.”)
b.) That spirit inhabits but one physical body, and afterward, as the result of certain defined performances, attains to a state of “enlightenment” similar to the common monotheistic definition of a god.
c.) That spirit inhabits more than one physical body, and afterward numerous reincarnations attains to a state of “enlightenment” similar to the common monotheistic definition of a god.

1. 2.) The spirit in the human being, if such exists, does not survive the demise of the physical body, and enters into oblivion; one simply ceases to exist.

Being conservative, an evangelical Christian in practice as well as profession, I subscribe to Premise #1a, and reject Premise #2 out of hand. As well, I reject points #1b and #1c. If you are one who embraces one of these, it is certainly your option, as reflected in Joshua's pronouncement, "If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve Jehovah, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve Jehovah." (Joshua 24:15)

Going forward with the premise of humanity possessing an immortal spirit, despite the obvious mortality of our flesh, let's look at the implications.

Heaven: Mortality swallowed up in immortality; corruption displaced by the incorruptible; rest from earthly drudgery; no more sadness; no more pain; no more sickness; no more death; eternal bliss; continuous communion with the Creator; a completed sense of purpose; laboring only for an absolutely benevolent Master Who loves beyond measure.

Oh yes, I said laboring. That's not far fetched; after all, when Jesus was asked why He did certain things on the Sabbath, He answered them, "My Father is working until now, and I Myself am working." (John 5:17) What? Did you really think I was going to talk about sprouting wings, receiving wings, and strumming a harp? Please . . . no! Not at all.

My vision (or speculation) is of a Kingdom of Priests for the Most High God, on various and sundry junkets through the limitless Universe, Envoys of Ministry to countless other worlds, as assigned by the Great “I AM.” Persons who have a compassion derived from personal knowledge of what it feels like to fail miserably, and having been reconciled and redeemed despite those failures. What a glorious occupation! Carrying the Gospel (good news) of the opportunity to rise from being simply a creation of the Author of Life, to being adopted into His Eternal Family . . . to be called “A Child of God.”

My view, by the way, is in contrast to that of many others. The Bible tells me He said He is preparing a “dwelling place” for me, and that I will be one of a “Kingdom of Priests.” Others want to see a Mansion waiting for them, where they will be kings and priests. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than to be left out.

So then, let us not fail to focus on the alternative. Hell is not so much a place as it is the circumstance of “separation from God.” Jesus spoke of Hell more than any other person in the Bible. "If your right hand makes you stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to go into hell.” (Matthew 5:30) In those discourses, two pictures are painted. One picture is of being cast into a lake of fire, burning in torments, without relief, forever.

"Then He will also say to those on His left, 'Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels;” (Matthew 25:41)

And the beast was seized, and with him the false prophet who performed the signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image; these two were thrown alive into the lake of fire which burns with brimstone. (Revelation 19:20)

The other is a picture of being cast into eternal darkness. My vision is of one being alive out of body, aware, naked of any physical facility, but with a sense of knowing there are others out there; of being unable to see, hear, speak, touch, taste, smell. Alone with only the events of your memories playing over and over in your mind, and the regret of regrets — “It wouldn't be like this if I had only believed, and obeyed.”

"Then the king said to the servants, 'Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' For many are called, but few are chosen." (Matthew 22:13-14)

Whether or not they are convergent is not entirely clear to me. It is popularly taught that the one is incorporated into the other. However, if they are not different views of the same place, they are equally as frightening from the viewpoint of the average normal social human being. Perhaps, then, it is easy to understand why so many deny the very existence of Hell. They reason to themselves and aloud, “Mankind is too noble a creature for God to sentence to eternal punishment.” They also might say, “God is too noble to sentence any living creature to eternal punishment.”

Don't believe it. While it is written, “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9), it is also written, “He that believes on him is not condemned: but he that does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” (John 3:18)