This thread will be centered around the Christians new spiritual body and eternal life.

I will endeavor to post truths about our hope and the details according to the bible of what we can look forward to and expect.

This thread is open to anyone who would like to learn more about the hope and eternal life and what it will be like.

I believe that we can have some good conversations and sharings and learn a few things while doing this. Please try and keep anything you post in this thread as biblically based as possible. Of course people will have questions which may not be biblically based but when you ask questions expect answers that are biblically based answers. Because that is what this thread is about, biblically based answers about eternal life.

If any non-believers would like to join in you are 100% welcome but please keep the subjects centered on eternal life and the things pertaining to eternal life. If you want to argue and say that you think its stupid or don't believe in it or anything along those lines, then please start you own thread.

Pletho

A Body Like His Glorious Body

According to Philippians the born again Chrsitians are citizens of heaven already but we have to wait until Chist's return to get our new spiritual bodies.

Philippians 3:20-21 For our conversation [citizenship] is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

We are to anticipate the day that Christ Jesus will return to gather the believers knowing that when he comes back we will receive a spiritual body like his glorious resurrected body.

I Corinthians 15:49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.

I John 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

I Corinthians 15:51--52 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep [die], but we shall all be changed. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

If Christ returns while we are yet alive (could be today) the Word of God declares that we shall be changed and receive a body like his glorious resurrected body.

Our only references for understanding the resurrected body of Christ and the bodies that we are to receive are the records of God's Word related to Christ's time on earth after his resurrection and before his ascension.

His resurrected body was solid - flesh and bones.

Luke 24:39 Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.


He was able to "pop in" - appear in a locked room.

John 20:26 And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.


He was able to "pop out" - disappear from sight.

Luke 24:30-31 And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.


He was able to eat - broiled fish and honeycomb.

Luke 24:42-43 And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb. And he took it, and did eat before them.


He was able to change the appearance of his form.

Luke 24:16 But their eyes were holden that they should not know him.

Mark 16:12 After that he appeared in another form unto two of them , as they walked, and went into the country.


Romans 8:23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

This could happen at any moment of any day! It could be today!



Pletho

YES

Does that mean all the women are going to turn into men?

Nope, sorry you can't have a sex change in heaven from a man to a woman.

Mat 22:30 For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.

You will have a spiritual body. No sexual reproduction parts. Not needed because there will be no need to reprododuce.

You will be you, you will be recognized as you, your individuality and identity will be in tact. Others will be able to recognize you. It is your "heart" that lives forever the seat of your personal being. Not your physical heart. The heart of your mind.

I am sure this will bring up the comment "you mean there will be no sex in heaven"? The Word doesn't state that there will be sex in heaven. But bliss and perfect joy 24/7 will be there. I am not a drug user and never have been but I can pretty much imagine that what ever good feelings people have ever had from the use of drugs can be surpassed by God. After all He created the chemicals that react in the human body.


Pletho

So we will receive a spiritual body like Jesus' resurrected body. But only he will be Corporeal capable.

When you say "corporeal capable" please explain what you mean? I think it would be a very goood thing for other to understand what you mean by corporeal before the question is handled.

Pletho

You have given a very definitive answer to a question above. How do you know your interpretation of these versus to be the "Truth".

My question for you is will Muslims born in Iran with no reasonable chance of exposure to Christianity get into heaven. I am looking for the answer to be based on the Bible. I am asking this because I believe I was being misinformed on this question earlier by Splendour and Big Erf who suggested they would and I hope you can give me a more accurate interpretation.

Thanks in advance (feel free to ignore 1st Q if off topic).

What about the nephilim?

I meant that only Jesus will be able to transfer himself into flesh and bone. And that we are in spiritual body like Jesus but unable to transform into flesh and bone.

Pletho, are you a Gnostic?

lol, religious burn

I know that this is not directed at me, but...

Every man is judged on the knowledge that he has. It is also important that you remember that God wishes that all me be saved and that none should parish. There is nothing in the bible that states that someone that grew up and had ingrained in them that Jesus was the devil and was brain washed to that effect is **** out of luck. So there is no reason to believe that this person will not be judged justly and have the same chance at salvation as you or I.

Touche!

There will be Paradise on Earth where the ressurection of the Just will live. Meaning all the old testament believers who lived their whole life believing and waiting for the coming messiah or the promised seed of Gen 3:15.

This includes ALL in the old testament. These are called the Just in the bible and will be in the ressurection of the Just. They will live forever in bodies just like Adam and Eve had befoe they corrupted their genetics. They will have perfect flesh suits, so to speak that have no corruption at all.

Then there will be the believers who from Christ's ministry on who believed upon him and made him their lord after his life, death and ressurection. These believers will have a body fashioned like unto Christ's with his abilities. They will have spiritual bodies that can become as you put it "corporeal" they will be able to come into concretion or whatever they want to do.

They will live all through eternity being blessed by God and in turn blessing the Just who live on Earth in the new paradise that will be created.

They will live to serve and love others and be loved by God. They will have great powers, powers to love others, not hurt nor do anything evil.

Pletho

Again I would like to stress the fact that this thread is people who want to share things about the hope and eternal life and not for questions that are being asked rhetorically, as to say HEY I DONT BELIEVE, look what about this!

That is asking a question with an impure motive and is out of unbelief and not really wanting an answer but just trying to prove or say I am wrong.

If I answered that question which I can, you would just have another what about this or what about that question.

If you really want to learn about that PM me and we can have a private discussion via skype or something similar. But only if you are seriously wanting to learn. I dont want to waste time explaining things to you if you are just being argumentative. Which I happen to think you are doing.

Pletho

I can see that this topic is related to eternal life, but I think it could get off topic very quickly and easily. Most Christians will water the truth down not wanting to step on toes or hurt peoples feeling. But I on the other hand am mainly concerned with truth. I dont intent to hurt people but the truth hurts peoples feeling at times and upsets their beliefs.

The word painstalingly says that Jesus Christ is the only way to God. The Muslim in Iran is eligible for Eternal life IF he chooses to follow the true God and believe in His son Jesus Christ. This is very simple but no one want to believe it. Its black and white. The key to this it that God states in His word that WHOSOEVER, note I said WHOSOEVER, which basically means ANY MAN that thirsts and hunger for righteousness will be filled. I know of a man who was a high caste hindu who was raised all his life according to india's religion.

This man has testified many times that in his heart he knew that all the religous things he had been doing trying to make his flesh look right in what he called his god's sight and be good for his god according to the flesh was really not fullfilling and made no sense at all. He has testified that he deep in his heart wanted to know TRUTH and GOD and one day while sitting on a bench on the early 1900,s between 1910-1950 in India, where you can scarcely find a bible. A page out of a bible flew by him in the wind, he didn;t know it was the bible and picked it up, it was a page that held the 10th Chapter of Romans, Romans 10:9,10 to be exact.

He read this verse and carried it out litterally from his heart, meaning genuinely. He became born again at that moment. Which any man can do if they do what the verse says to do. This man lived in Idia which is no different than living in Iran, or Iraq or Africa.

Point being God looks on a mans heart and IF that man has a hunger for knowledge and truth and wants to know God. God will make a way PERIOD.

No man has an excuse, God knows all mens thoughts. There are thousands of account like these, I dont know all of them but know that these people exist and were of different religions and countries ect....

So in short, NO they can't get to heaven with out Jesus Christ and without doing what God says they have to do.
Even if they live in Iran. But many Christians think it is not loving to say that. Well it is in the book, and they also refuse to believe it. I cant help but be honest on the matter.


Pletho

Somebody want to tell him or should I?

For the sake of my question assume that I am a Christian and I believe I will get into heaven.

Will I be able to play golf? Will I be able to make a new course appear out of thin air each day and play it all by myself without ever having to wait for the slow group in front of me? I'm assuming I'd have all the new equipment and could just create new clubs out of thin air?

Butcho, Nice question and put in a polite way, well appreciated. The word says nothing about Golf BUT:

Eph 3:20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,

God has the ability to do above that which we are able to think or ask, not only here, but in the future also.

So to be honest I would not say "yes" but would say that what ever you would do would greatly exceed the joy of playing golf.

I am an avid pool player which I highly enjoy. I dont think they will have pool tables in heaven but one of the things you have to understand is that you will have a perfect mind, with great power and abilities.

I think something like golf or pool would probably bore you in heaven, because you would have the ability to play perfectly every time. A hole in one for every hole would get boring after awhile dont you think?

Maybe helping God reform the universe and make some really cool things on earth to bless others would be more satifying. Maybe making a rainbow colored dog for someone would be fun. Or talking and hanging out with the likes of Abraham from the old testament for dinner. Or even talking to Jesus Christ would be cool. I am sure that there would be endless things to occupy your mind and bring joy to you.

Just the fact that all your loved ones whom were Christians would also be there would be awesome. And just the fact of living there forever, "thats a mighty long time", as Prince might say! Will be great!

Who knows exactly what it will be like but you would have endless variety and things to do.

Pletho

Pletho,

On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being an atheist, Brad is a 10.

Pletho, seriously. Are you a Gnostic?

A simple yes, or no, is fine.

Are you saying a Christian will have "spiritual body fashioned like unto Christ's". But wont look like Christ when their in flesh and bone form. Will they look like themselves?

I understand that now, and I apologize for jumping the gun on you Brad. Either way the subject that you brought up should be explained.

This is directed to Brad via Justins post. Please explain to everyone the doctrine that you have heard concerning the nephilim.

That way everyone can understand why you asked the question.

I really didn't want to get sidetracked into that because it is a matter of doctrinal debate with many people. Which will more thatn likely veer this thread off the subject at hand.

Again I apologize IF it was a sincere question as to how do the "nephilim" fit into the picture.

I will then explain possibly what I understand about the word "nephilim" in the bible. But if I do please be prepared for a long post.

Pletho

Wikipedia: Posted a small tidbit for those of you who have no idea as to what a Gnostic is.

Gnosticism (Greek: γνῶσις gnōsis, knowledge) refers to diverse, syncretistic religious movements in antiquity consisting of various belief systems generally united in the teaching that humans are divine souls trapped in a material world created by an imperfect god, the demiurge; this being is frequently identified with the Abrahamic God, and is contrasted with a superior entity, referred to by several terms including 'Pleroma' and 'Godhead'[1]. Depictions of the demiurge - the term originates with Plato's Timaeus[2] - vary from being as an embodiment of evil, to being merely imperfect and as benevolent as its inadequacy permits. Thus, broadly speaking, Gnosticism was a dualistic heresy, influenced by and influencing Judaism (see Notzrim), Orthodox Christianity and Hellenic philosophy; however, by contrast, later strands of the movement, such as the Valentinians, held a monistic world-view[3]. This, along with the varying treatments of the demiurge, may be seen as indicative of the variety of positions held within the category.

The gnōsis referred to in the term is a form of revealed, esoteric knowledge through which the spiritual elements of humanity are reminded of their true origins within the superior Godhead, being thus permitted to escape materiality[4]. Consequently, within the sects of gnosticism only the pneumatics or psychics obtain gnōsis; the hylic or Somatics, though human, being incapable of perceiving the higher reality, are unlikely to attain the gnōsis deemed by gnostic movements as necessary for salvation[5][6]. Jesus of Nazareth is identified by some Gnostic sects as an embodiment of the supreme being who became incarnate to bring gnōsis to the earth[7]. In others (e.g. the Notzrim and Mandaeans) he is considered a mšiha kdaba or "false messiah" who perverted the teachings entrusted to him by John the Baptist[8]. Still other traditions identify Mani and Seth, third son of Adam and Eve, as salvific figures[9]. Ect........Ect.........Ect..........

NOPE not at all...

Pletho