Road to Eternal life!

We see everyday that millions of people are dying around the world every second. Within the Christian faith, there is a lot of confusion regarding what happens after death. Some people claim death is final some claim life begins after death, some claim everyone is in sleep until the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, some others believe that when some one dies instantly they are judged according to their fruits ,few others believe that they go to be with Christ immediately after death. Death is really a mysterious topic to be discussed.

Types of death: God says the wages of sin is DEATH not immortal life (Romans 6:23) but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23). The scripture says that there are three types of death. When each person dies on this earth it’s called physical death, a separation of the spirit from the body is called second type of death which is called spiritual death (Isaiah 59:1-2)and the third type of death is called eternal death which is permanent separation of humanity from God (2 Thessalonians 1:9).

God told Adam and Eve they would die if they ate of the forbidden fruit. (Genesis 2:17). When Adam disobeyed God, he experienced immediate spiritual death, which caused him to hide from Lord God among the trees of the garden (Genesis 3:8). Later, Adam experienced physical death (Genesis 5:5). The physical death has entered into the world with Adam's sin (Romans 5:12) affected all living things.

When a righteous man dies: Deaths of saints are precious in Gods eyes (Psalms 116:15). When a righteous man dies he enter into peace (Isaiah 57:2) and into eternal life(Matthew 25:46)and will fear no evil(Psalms 23:4), he has a hope in his death(Proverbs 14:32).

Few righteous man in bible are Abraham( Genesis 25:8 Then Abraham gave up the ghost, and died in a good old age , an old man, and full of years; and was gathered to his people. Isaac(Genesis 35:29 And Isaac gave up the ghost, and died, and was gathered unto his people, being old and full of days: and his sons Esau and Jacob buried him) Moses(Deuteronomy 34:5 So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD) Jacob(Genesis 49:33 And when Jacob had made an end of commanding his sons, he gathered up his feet into the bed, and yielded up the ghost, and was gathered unto his people).



When unrighteous man dies: God has no pleasure in the death of a wicked person but desires them to turn from their wicked ways so that they can live (Ezekiel 33:11). (Ezekiel 18:32).The wicked and unrighteous man dies in their sins (John 8:21)without hope(Proverbs 11:7).Their death will be sudden and unexpected(Proverbs 29:1) and their remembrance shall perish from the earth(Job 18:17, Proverbs 10:7).

Eg. Of few unrighteous men in the bible are Herod, Judas Iscariot, and Jezebel

Types of heaven: The FIRST heaven is the atmosphere or sky that surrounds the earth.

The SECOND heaven is the physical universe that has stars, planets and so on.

The THIRD heaven is where God and his throne resides. Scriptures say that Jesus Christ went to the Third Heaven (2 Corinthians 12:2-4) to prepare paradise for His Elect.

Elijah and Enoch are in heaven: scriptures say that the believer in Christ is escorted by angels at death to a place of peace .By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him. (Hebrews 11:5)

And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him (Gen 5:24).

And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a

Chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. (2 Kings 2:11)

John 3:13 says that no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.

Soul sleep is unbiblical: Death is described as sleep. There are many scriptures to say that people who die are conscious in Heaven. Jesus Christ said to his disciples that Lazarus had fallen asleep (John 11:11, 14). Stephen’s death is described as falling asleep (Acts 7:59). Paul describes Christians who had died in Thessalonica as “asleep” (1 Th 4:13). In the Old Testament, we are told that David “slept with his fathers” (1 Kings 2:10).

Ephesians 3:14-15: For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named. There are many scriptures that Challenge the Concept of Soul Sleep such as Genesis 35:18 Luke 16:19-31,Luke 23:43,John 11:25-26 ,1 Peter 3:18-19 ,Revelation 6:9-10.

The soul leaves the body at death: The souls of the unrighteous go to a place of eternal torment until the Last Day and The souls of the righteous go to be with the Lord in Paradise (Phil 1:22, 2 Cor 5:6-8)

Jesus tells us in Mathew 10:28 that the soul survives death, even though someone may kill the body. Jesus soul did not remain in his dead body. The Gospels tell us that at the moment of his death, Jesus prayed, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” and then he yielded up his spirit (Luke 23:46; Mt 27:50) .Acts 7:59-60 describes Stephens death: “And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." And when he had said this, he fell asleep. Luke 16:19-31

Bible says souls can die:

Ezekiel 18:4: Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.

Acts 2:27: Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

Acts 3:23: And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.

Psalm 55:18: He has redeemed my soul in peace from the battle that was against me, For there were many against me.

James 5:20: Let him know, that he who converts the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.

Psalm 16:10 For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.

Matthew 10:28, "And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul .But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell."

Soul sleep is biblical: People who are dead lie in the grave and know nothing, think no thoughts, have no emotions, possess no consciousness and are waiting for the resurrection. When we die we don’t immediately go to heaven or hell for we sleep in the grave until the awaiting of the resurrection of the dead. There are many Scriptures say about soul sleep: some of them are Job 14:10 ,Job 14:14 ,Psalm 6:5 ,Psalm 49:15 ,Daniel 12:2 ,John 5:28-29 ,John 3:13 ,Acts 2:29-34 ,2 Peter 3:4

The Scripture says the dead will sleep in the dust of the earth (Psalm 13:3) and sleep the sleep of death (Deut 12:1-2) and they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep(Job 14:12)"unto the coming of the Lord" (1 Thess 4:13-15). Further John 5:28-29 says, "Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation." Ecclesiastes 9:5 makes clear that for the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.

Few will be able to enter to heaven: Scriptures say that many are called but few are chosen. (Mathew 22:14).Heaven is meant for those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. (Revelation 21:27) and the names of saints are written in heaven(Luke 10:20) .In order to go to heaven .we must believe Jesus Christ ( John 11:26) shed His precious blood, died, was buried, and rose again 3 days later. We need to be born of water and of the Spirit and get baptized into Christ for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38) and strive to enter the straight gate(Luke 13:23-24) by being obedient to the will of God(John 14:15) and living holy and blameless before him(Ephesians 1:4).

Matthew 7:21-23 :“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day."

Conclusion: Repent, Believe & Live for JESUS.

How people were saved before Jesus Christ and what about the people who never heard about Christ?

These are the possible answers I have found when I studied in-depth the Gods word, there could be some other answers which I am unaware of. In this article I am trying to make an attempt to provide the best possible answer after my research.

1. Hell was divided into two areas: The first one The Abode of the Just - Abraham's Bosom (Lk 16:22-26) and the second one is Gehenna (Greek): This is the lake of fire. Eternal damnation (Mt: 18:9).Old Testament studies that a redeemer was coming to save them from their sins went to a place the Jews called Abraham’s bosom or Paradise. All people went to a place of conscious existence called Sheol. The wicked were there (Psalm 9:17; 31:17; 49:14; Isaiah 5:14), and so were the righteous (Genesis 37:35; Job 14:13; Psalm 6:5; 16:10; 88:3; Isaiah 38:10). The New Testament equivalent of Sheol is Hades. Prior to Christ’s resurrection, Luke 16:19-31 shows Hades to be divided into two realms: a place of comfort where Lazarus was and a place of torment where the rich man was. The word hell in verse 23 is not “Gehenna” (place of eternal torment) but “Hades” (place of the dead). Lazarus’s place of comfort is elsewhere called Paradise (Luke 23:43). Between these two districts of Hades is “a great gulf fixed” (Luke 16:26). The unsaved dead remain in torment till the end of the Millennium when they’re brought back to life for their final judgment. (Rev. 20:11-15).Also we know in apostle’s creed that Jesus died, He descended to the realm of the dead (hell in English, Sheol in Hebrew, Hades in Greek). He descended there as Saviour, proclaiming the Good News to the spirits imprisoned there (1 Peter 3:18-19). Paul prayed for Onesiphorous after he died, "may the Lord grant that he will find mercy from the lord on that day" (2nd Timothy 1:16-18). "After his death, Jesus went to preach to the Spirits in prison" (1 Pet 3:19)"Nothing unclean can enter heaven" (Rev 21:27)

2. Some people would have been saved by following the Law and by faith in God (Romans 3:28) until Jesus came in human flesh. Those who trusted in God's Law were saved as the Law speaks of Christ because they knew under the Law they needed God's mercy, those who truly trusted in the Law looked forward for the Savior but they never made a personal decision for Christ" during their life by accepting Jesus to be their personal Saviour because they never knew Christ in detail.

“In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe” (Hebrews 1:1-2). Our faith is in Jesus Christ, but their faith was in God. Faith that He would provide a Redeemer to take away their sins. Abraham had faith in the Lord, and the Lord accounted it to him for righteousness. Therefore, Abraham was saved. (Gen 15.6).David was saved by faith in God. (Ps 86.1-2). Isaiah was saved by faith in God. (Isa 61.10a) By faith, Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Rahab etc was saved and all are considered heroes of faith. They loved God with their whole heart and were fully committed to obedience. The Old Testament Prophets sought after God and were rewarded and the faithful souls pleased God ((Heb 11:6).

Noah, Abraham, Isaac,Jacob,Rehab the prostitute, Moses, Sarah, Gideon, Barak, Samson,Jephthah,David,Samuel and the prophets who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, obtained, promised, shut the mouths of lions (Heb 11:7-12:1) . None of them knew Christ; none of them were "born again. It was their honest search for truth and faith in God that saved them.

Hebrews 11:13 states that all these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth.

3. Jesus died for all: Jesus humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:5-8). Jesus died For every man (Heb. 2:9),For the world (John 3:16),For the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2),For the ungodly (Rom. 5:6),For false teachers (2 Peter 2:1),For many (Matthew 20:28),For Israel (John 11:50-51),For the Church (Eph. 5:25),For "me" (Gal. 2:20).

4. Jesus is called the first-born and was existed before all of creation: Romans 8:29; Colossians 1:15-18, Hebrews 1:6; 12:23; Revelation 1:5. These verses say about his preexistence. So Jesus existed before all of creation, since all things were created by Him. John 1:14 describes it this way; “The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. “Jesus was "made a little lower than the angels"; i.e., But Hebrews 2:7-9 explains that when Jesus became a man, He became a man. He was made lower than the angels in the sense that He took on human flesh.

5. Old Testament  saints had faith in Messiah Jesus even before He was born and they believed God would provide a Redeemer to shed blood in atonement for their sins.

6. Animal sacrifices foreshadowed Christ’s sacrifice: God required animal sacrifices (Exodus 29:38-42) to provide temporary forgiveness of sins and to foreshadow the perfect and complete sacrifice of Jesus Christ (Leviticus 4:35, 5:10). Animal sacrifice is an important theme found throughout Scripture because “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” (Hebrews 9:22). Animal sacrifices have ended because Jesus Christ was the ultimate and perfect sacrifice. John the Baptist recognized this when he saw Jesus coming to be baptized and said, “Look, the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29).

7. Old Testament prophesies the coming of Jesus as the Messiah: Believers heard about the Messiah from their prophets who clearly described where He would be born, betrayed, died and resurrected. Jacob (Genesis 49,10), Moses (Deuteronomy 18,15) and David (Psalm 22) prophesied about his coming. John the Baptist prepared the way for our Lord by preaching about the one to come and a baptism of repentance. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, then those who are Christ's, at his coming. Then the end comes, when he will deliver up the Kingdom to God, even the Father; when he will have abolished all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet." 1 Cor. 15:22-25

There are numerous verses which predicted the coming of Christ For Eg: Isaiah 7:14, Isaiah 9:6, Micah 5:2, Zechariah 9:9, Psalm 22:16–18, Isaiah 53:3–7, Zechariah 12:10 , Psalms 110:4 etc

8. Now what about the people who never heard Jesus Christ? Jesus excused His executioners (Luke 23:34), so also He excuses those who have not heard or do not understand the Gospel message. God does not care if you belong to any denomination but people still know God even if they have never heard the gospel. God once overlooked the ignorance of the Gentiles, but now demands repentance - Acts 17:30-31.God loves man, his creation, and does not desire "that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9).God reveals Himself in creation( Psalm 19:1-4, Romans 1:20, Deu 4:29), through conscience( Rom 2:14-15), Through Jesus Christ, as Redeemer, Savior, Lord (Isaiah 43:11, John 1:1, 11-12, 14, 18),through scripture(I Timothy 3:16) through preaching and teaching the gospel( Acts 17:23). When a person who has never heard of Jesus obeys his conscience, God will get the truth of salvation to that individual, (John 6:45, 7:17). Biblical examples are the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8:26-40, Saul in Acts 9 and Cornelius in Acts 10. God makes it clear in Rom 2:14-15 that conscience conveys God’s law to human hearts even when they haven’t heard, even when they don’t have a Bible. Because no one has been kept in the dark about God, we’re all accountable to Him (Luke 12:47-48). If a person, from creation and conscience, seeks to know more about God, God will reveal Himself to that person. (Acts 17:26, 27).

Abimelech is an example of this in Genesis 20:1-12, before any books of scripture had been written. Abimelech had the law of God written on his heart and God also spoke to him in a dream. The gentiles or unbeliever is able to know and keep some of the moral law because they are made in the image of God.


Conclusion: Our aim should be to preach the Gospel to every creature to give the knowledge of salvation to tell the truth about our Lord Jesus Christ.

Heaven or Hell it’s our Choice!

Heaven:


Heaven Is A Place of No More Thirst, Hunger, Sorrow, Pain or Death – Revelation 21:4

Heaven Is a Place Where Nothing Can Be Corrupted – Matthew 6:20, Rev. 21:27

Heaven Will Be A Place Of Worship – Revelation 15:4

Will Be A Place Of Constant Illumination – Revelation 21:23

Heaven Is A Place where No immoral, impure or greedy person, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like exists .Ephesians 5:5, Galatians 5:21

Kingdom of heaven belongs to little children.Matthew 19:14

The kingdom of heaven is for the “poor in spirit.Matthew 5:3

The kingdom of heaven belongs to those who are persecuted because of righteousness. Matthew 5:10

Neither man’s words (“Lord, Lord!”) nor his claim t Spiritual gifts like prophecy, exorcisms, miracles will gain him entrance into the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 7:21-23

Unrighteous, fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners shall not inherit the kingdom of God.I Corinthians 6:9-10

Heaven is the place for Saints . Colossians 1:5,1 2, Mark 10:21

Hell:

Hell Will Be A Place Of Fire And Brimstone – Revelation 19:20

Hell Will Be A Fire That Is Never Quenched – Mark 9:43,45

Hell Will Be A Place Of Intense Torment, Pain & Weeping – Matthew 13:42,50

Hell Shall Be A Place Of Blackness & Darkness – Jude 1:13

Hell is the place for those who do not know God. (2 Thessalonians 1:8)

Hell is the place for those who do not obey the Gospel of Jesus Christ. (2 Thessalonians 1:8)

Hell is the place for Sinners and hypocrites. (Isaiah 33:14, Matthew 23:33)

Hell is the place for those that practiced lawlessness. (Matthew 13:41)

Hell is the place for Cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murders, sorcerers, sexually immoral, idolaters, and all liars. (Revelation 21:8)

Hell is the place for Homosexuals, adulterers, thieves, covetous people, drunkards, extortioners. (1 Corinthians 6:9-10)

Hell is the place for Group of individuals who are in danger of being thrown into hell are the wealthy, the successful, the powerful, and the well-off because of wickedness and prosperity. Luke 6:24

Hell is the place for Disembodied spirits.Acts 2:31

Hell is the place Prepared for the devil and his angels.Matthew 25:41, 2 Peter 2:4

Hell is the place for Society of the wicked. Proverbs 5:5, Proverbs 9:18

Hell is the place for The beast, false prophets, and the devil shall be cast into. Revelation 19:20, Revelation 20:10

Hell is the place for Unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars. Revelation 21:8

Hell is the place for Sodom and Gomorrah an example to those that after should live ungodly Jude 1: 7, 2 Peter 2: 6

To Whom Does the Kingdom of Heaven Belong?

Collection of verses:


"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Matthew 7:21

And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 18:3

Do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of

God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers,

nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor

drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, shall inherit the kingdom of God (1

Cor. 6:9-10).

For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a man is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Ephesians 5:5

And envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. Galatians 5:21

Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city.Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. Revelation 22:14,15.

Babylon, the jewel of kingdoms, the glory of the Babylonians' pride, will be overthrown by God like Sodom and Gomorrah. Isaiah 13:19

He told them, "The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables Mark 4:11

Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!" Mark 10:23

In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.” John 3:3

Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. John 3:5

I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 1 Corinthians 15:50

To the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the judge of all men, to the spirits of righteous men made perfect. Hebrews 12:23

And into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you. 1 Peter 1:4

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:3

For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:20

I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 8:11

Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men's faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to. Matthew 23:13

The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness Romans 1:18

Mary's Assumption into Heaven

Gen. 5:24, Heb. 11:5 - Enoch was bodily assumed into heaven without dying. Would God do any less for Mary the Ark of the New Covenant?


2 Kings 2:11-12; 1 Mac 2:58 - Elijah was assumed into heaven in fiery chariot. Jesus would not do any less for His Blessed Mother.

Psalm 132:8 - Arise, O Lord, and go to thy resting place, thou and the Ark (Mary) of thy might. Both Jesus and Mary were taken up to their eternal resting place in heaven.

2 Cor. 12:2 - Paul speaks of a man in Christ who was caught up to the third heaven. Mary was also brought up into heaven by God.

Matt. 27:52-53 - when Jesus died and rose, the bodies of the saints were raised. Nothing in Scripture precludes Mary's assumption into heaven.

1 Thess. 4:17 - we shall be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and so we shall always be with the Lord.

Rev. 12:1 - we see Mary, the "woman," clothed with the sun. While in Rev. 6:9 we only see the souls of the martyrs in heaven, in Rev. 12:1 we see Mary, both body and soul.

2 Thess. 2:15 - Paul instructs us to hold fast to oral (not just written) tradition. Apostolic tradition says Mary was assumed into heaven. While claiming the bones of the saints was a common practice during these times (and would have been especially important to obtain Mary's bones as she was the Mother of God), Mary's bones were never claimed. This is because they were not available. Mary was taken up body and soul into heaven.

Ten Things That Happen After We Die

2 Corinthians 5:6-8 tells us that when Christians are absent from the body they are present with the Lord. Here’s a list of ten things the Bible says happens to Christians after they die.


1) We Are Received By Christ

“Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” – Acts 7:59

2) We Are Escorted By Angels To Heaven

“So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom.” – Luke 16:22

3) We Are Greeted By Christ

“But Stephen, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and said, “Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” – Acts 7:55-56

4) We Enter Into The Joy Of The Lord

‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’

5) We Are No Longer Under The Curse

“And there shall be no more curse?” – Rev. 22:3

6) We Become Like Christ

“Dear friends, now we are children of God and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when He appears, we shall be like Him.” – 1 John 3:2

7) We Dwell With God

“Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.” – Revelation 21:4

8) We No Longer Suffer

“God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” – Revelation 21:4

9) We Serve Christ

“The throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him.” – Rev. 22:3

10) Will Are With The Lord Forever

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” – John 3:16

Purgatory is Biblical?

The term "purgatory" is not found in the Bible; but neither are other such important Christian beliefs such as "Trinity" and "Incarnation." Purgatory is defined as a state of being, the continuing process of purgation or purification of the soul after human death. It is a state of perfection--begun in baptism and faith-consummated after death, entered into only by those who are saved. In other words, our transformation in Christ (Rom 13:14, "Put on the Lord Jesus Christ"), our perfection in the holiness of the Father (1 Pet 1:16, "Be holy, because I (am) holy") is not ended at our physical death. Purgatory is a sign of God's mercy on those who have honestly sought to know God and to do His will in this life and yet die in some degree of bondage to sin or the effects of sin.


The term "purgatory" itself is derived from the Latin word "purgare" which means "to purge" or "to cleanse" or "to make pure." It is the name given to that intermediate state where the souls of the dead are purified, and assisted by the prayers of the living. John the Beloved Apostle defines two kinds of sin: one that leads to eternal death, and another that is equally sin, but does not lead to eternal death:

All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin which is not mortal." (1 John 5:7)

Jesus defines mortal or eternal sin as sin that leads to eternal damnation or death of soul:

"Whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of eternal (mortal) sin." (Mark 3:29)

Elsewhere, we are reminded that:

"Nothing unclean shall enter it (that is, the kingdom of God)." (Rev 21:27)

Paul also tells us:

"Strive for peace with all men, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord." (Heb 12:14)

For this reason, Christ constantly reminds us that we must strive to be without any stain of sin, whether it leads to death or not:

"You therefore must be [b]perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect." (Matt 5:45)

If indeed "nothing unclean shall enter the kingdom of heaven," and that we cannot enter heaven unless we are "perfect," "clean," and "holy" (that is, without a stain of any kind of sin including that "which is not mortal"), the question is: If a person has committed a "wrongdoing that is sin, but ... which is not mortal," and dies without having the chance of confessing this "wrongdoing which is not mortal" (that is, not leading to eternal damnation or hell), where does he go?

He cannot go to heaven because he is not yet perfect as God and all those who dwell in heaven are perfect (Matt 5:45). The stain of his wrongdoing (sin) has made him "unclean" (unfit, imperfect, unholy) to enter heaven. He cannot go to hell for his "wrongdoing (sin) is not "mortal" (does not lead to eternal damnation). Where then does he go?

He goes to purgatory where he is cleansed or purged (verb form of purgatory) of all his "wrongdoing (sins) that are not mortal," which he was not opportune to confess before he died. Consider the consequence of committing a minor "wrongdoing that is sin, but ... which is not mortal," such as looking a second longer at the vain things of the world, straying in our thoughts, uttering a "careless word:"

"I tell you, on the day of judgment men will render account of every careless word they utter." (Matt 12:36)

These are the sort of things that make us "imperfect," "unholy," "unclean" or "unfit" to enter the kingdom of heaven, but will not take us to hell. They are all "sinful wrongdoings" for which "men will render (an) account on the judgment day." Only a hypocrite will deny that they do not unavoidably encounter these minor imperfections in their daily lives. Christ was actually referring to purgatory when He said:

"Truly, I say to you, you will never get out till you have paid the last penny." (Matt 5:26)

Right. Now let us see other biblical evidence of the existence of purgatory. Paul prayed to God to have mercy on the soul of his dead friend - Onesiphorus:

"May the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on that Day." (2 Tim 1:18)

Of course, Paul knew that his prayer would be useless if Onesiphorus was in heaven or hell, yet he prayed for the soul of his dead friend. That means he believed that he could be in a place other than heaven or hell.

In his letter to the Hebrews, Paul indicated the existence of purgatory as he listed the inhabitants of heaven:

"You have come to Mount Zion (the dwelling place of God - heaven) and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels (who were faithful during the angelic trials) in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the first-born who are enrolled in heaven (that is, those who entered heaven directly, e.g. the Blessed Virgin Mary, St. Joseph, the apostles, the martyrs, etc), and to a judge of all (probably referring to Jesus Who is both Judge and God), and to the spirits of just men made perfect (most probably, souls of righteous people who had an attachment to venial sin not properly confessed or atoned for before they died but were purified in purgatory." (Heb 12:22-23)

The dying Tobit said to his son:

"Place your bread on the grave of the righteous, but give nothing to sinners." (Tobit 4:17)

The curious question is: For what reason was this done? This was because he believed that any act of charity done for the poor had a purifying effect, which benefited departed souls.

The whole story about the existence of purgatory is told in 2 Maccabees 12:38-45. The story concludes, with unmistakable reference to purgatory in these words:

"For if he were not expecting that those who had fallen (died) would rise again, it would have been superfluous and foolish to pray for the dead. But if he was looking to the splendid reward that is laid up for those who fall asleep in godliness, it was a holy and pious thought. Therefore, he made atonement for the dead, that they might be delivered from their sin." (2 Macc 12:44-45)

Though the books of Maccabees and Tobit were rejected by the Protestant reformers and therefore are not in Protestant Bibles, one cannot ignore the historical reality of this event and the reality of the words that were said.

Supporting verses:

Sir 7:33, Isa 6:5-7, Isa 61:1, 2Macc 12:38-46, Mal 3:2-3, Mt 5:25-26,48, Mt 17:1-8, Mt 25:31-46, Lk 6:19-31,

Lk 12:58-59, 1Cor 3:12-15, 2Cor 5:10, Eph 6:18, Phil 2:10, 2Tim 1:16-18, Jam 1:12,5:19-20, Heb 9:27, Heb 12:23, 1Pet 1:3-7, 1Pet *3:13-20, 1Pet 4:6, Rev 6:9-10, Rev 21:27,22:14-15, Mark 9:48, Zechariah 13:7-9, Malachi 3:2-3

Will babies go to heaven or hell?

Verses Given For Why a Baby or Child Will Go To Heaven


A man is conceived and born in sin. That God elects who will be saved to enter heaven.

1."Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations." Jeremiah 1:5

2. I write to you, dear children, because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name. 1 John 2:12

3. Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." Matthew 19:14

4. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy. 1 Corinthians 7:14

5. For the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls. Romans 9:11

6. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. Rev 20:15

7. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever. Psa 23:6

8.Moreover your little ones and your children, who you say will be victims, who today have no knowledge of good and evil, they shall go in there; to them I will give it, and they shall possess it. Deuteronomy 1:39

9. Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it. Mark 10:15

10. For before the Child shall know to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land that you dread will be forsaken by both her kings. (Isa 7.16)

11. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. John 6:39

12. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:19–20

13. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. 1 John 2:2

14. The Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born.” Matthew 26:24

15. "And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit." (Luke 1:41)

16. "For he (John the Baptist) will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb." (Luke 1:15)

17. Even a child is known by his actions,by whether his conduct is pure and right. Pr 20:11

18. just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace .Ephesians 1:4-7

19.But Jesus said unto her, Let the children first are filled: for it is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it unto the dogs. Mk 7:27

20. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household." (Acts 16:31)

21. ...will be saved..."and your household." seems to support Paul's thought in 1Cor7:14

22. Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world. But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” 7 Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. Galatians 4:3-7

23. "Because the Lord Himself shall come down from Heaven with a commanding shout of an archangel's voice, and with God's trumpet. And the dead in Christ will rise again first. Then we who remain alive will be caught up together with them in the clouds to a meeting with the Lord in the air. And so we will always be with the Lord. (1Th4:16-17)

24. The LORD hath called me from the womb...” (Isaiah 49:1).

25. As it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male who opens the womb shall be called holy to the LORD

26. I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.(2 Timothy 1:5)

27. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.(2 Timothy 3:14-15)

28. Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish. Matthew 18:14

29. Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem. And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, and walked in the ways of David his father; and he did not turn aside to the right hand or to the left. For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet a boy, he began to seek the God of David his father, and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem of the high places, the Asherim, and the carved and the metal images. 2 Chronicles 34:1-3

30. Gather the people together, men and women and little ones, and the stranger who is within your gates, that they may hear and that they may learn to fear the LORD your God and carefully observe all the words of this law, 13 and that their children, who have not known it, may hear and learn to fear the LORD your God as long as you live in the land which you cross the Jordan to possess Deuteronomy 31:12-13

31. And when all these things come upon you, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before you, and you call them to mind among all the nations where the LORD your God has driven you, and return to the LORD your God, you and your children, and obey his voice in all that I command you today, with all your heart and with all your soul, then the LORD your God will restore your fortunes and have compassion on you, and he will gather you again from all the peoples where the LORD your God has scattered you.
(Deuteronomy 30:1-3)


32. Only take heed to yourself, and diligently keep yourself, lest you forget the things your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. And teach them to your children and your grandchildren Deuteronomy 4:9

33. You shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.
(Deuteronomy 11:19)

34. Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” Acts 2:38, 39

35. “Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Acts 10:47-49

36. Acts 16:15 - Paul baptized Lydia and her entire household. The word "household" comes from the Greek word "oikos" which is a household that includes infants and children.

37.1 Cor. 7:14 – Paul says that children are sanctified by God through the belief of only one of their parents.

38. Gather the people, Sanctify the congregation, Assemble the elders,


39.Gather the children and nursing babes; Let the bridegroom go out from his chamber, And the bride from her dressing room. Let the priests, who minister to the LORD, weep between the porch and the altar; Let them say, “Spare Your people, O LORD, And do not give Your heritage to reproach, that the nations should rule over them. Why should they say among the peoples, Where is their God?’” Then the LORD will be zealous for His land, And pity His people. Joel 2:16-18


40. Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me." Mark 9:37

41. The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. Romans 8:16

42. Brothers, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be adults. 1 Corinthians 14:20



Verses why the Babies do not go heaven



1. Ezekiel 18:4 ; For every living soul belongs to me, the father as well as the son--both alike belong to me. The soul who sins is the one who will die.

2. The wicked are estranged from the womb; They go astray as soon as they are born, speaking lies.-- Psalm 58:3

3. Behold, I was shaped in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. Psalms 51:5

4. Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children:
Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam [the son] of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness 2 Peter 2:14-15.

5. Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. Ephesians 2:3

6. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. John 3:3

7. Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. John 14:6

8. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Romans 10:10

9. Surely you did not hear, Surely you did not know; Surely from long ago your ear was not opened. For I knew that you would deal very treacherously, And were called a transgressor from the womb. -- Isaiah 48:8

10. Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned. Romans 5:12

11. There is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. Romans 3:11


12. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:19–20

13. "Fathers shall not be put to death for their children, nor shall the children be put to death for their fathers; a person shall be put to death for his own sin. (Deu 24:16)

14. I will not have mercy on her children, For they are the children of harlotry.Hosea 2:4

15. Except a man be born of water and (of) the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” (John 3:5).

16. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.
(Exodus 20:5-6)

17. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. Mark 16:16

18. When your children sinned against him, he gave them over to the penalty of their sin. Job 8:4

19. I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds. Revelation 2:23