Sunday, August 18, 2013

Logic and Eternal Life

FACTS
Positive
* Can be inferred from the Old Testament (Mark 12:27, Luke 20:38, He is not God of the dead but of the living; Exodus 3:6, I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. [Not emphasized there because assumed?])
* Relationships are like those of the angels of heaven (Mark 12:25)
* The throne of God will be there (Rev 22:3)
* Jesus' words will always be there (Matt 24:35, Mark 13:31, Luke 21:33)
* Sanctification will be perfected (Heb 10:14)
* The dead will be raised incorruptible, and the living permanently changed (1 Cor 15:52)
* New heaven and new earth (Rev 21:1)
* Righteous will shine like the sun (Matt 13:43)
* Love will continue (1 Cor 13:8)
* Recognition and celebration with friends from earth (Luke 16:9)
* Appropriate subject for our earthly imagination and reckoning (Luke 16:19-31) (If this parable is not taken literally, it means it is okay to imagine heaven in forms we know it won't really take; if literally, it means heaven (and hell) will be as physical and proximate as earth.)

Negative
* No marrying or giving in marriage (Mark 12:25)
* No longer any curse (Rev 22:3)
* No old order of things (Rev 21:4)
* Heaven and earth will pass away (Matt 24:35, Mark 13:31, Luke 21:33, Rev 21:1)
* No more sea (Rev 21:1)
  - Literal: no large bodies of water (Atlantic, Mediterranean, Galilee)
  - Metaphorical: no restlessness or strife (I can find no such usage)
  - Symbolical: No Gentiles (_)
  - Literal2: No sea of separation between earth and heaven (_)
* No night (Rev 21:25; 22:5)
  - Literal: constant illumination
  - Metaphorical: no evil (I can find no such usage)
  - Symbolical: God's presence is constantly felt
  - Literal2: no need to close gates by night
* No need of light from lamp or sun (Rev 22:5)
  - Literal: no lamps or sun
  - Literal2: lamp and sun will be there but superfluous
  - Metaphorical: no evil (I can find no such usage)
  - Symbolical: God's presence is constantly felt
  - Literal3: no light from sun in the same way there is now no light from moon
* Nothing unclean/impure and no abomination/shame or lying/deceit (Rev 21:27)
* No dogs, sorcerers, cowardly, faithless, detestable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, or liars (Rev 21:8, Rev 22:15)
* No more death or mourning or crying or pain (Rev 21:4)
* No temple/sanctuary (Rev 21:22)

DEDUCTIONS
* No sin
  - No death (Rev 21:4)
  - When there is sin there is death (Rom 6:23)
  > No sin

ALLEGORIES
* A dinner party (Matthew 22:4)
* Marriage (Matthew 22:2-12; Luke 12:36)
* A city (Hebrews 11:16; 12:22)
* A concert (Revelation 5:8-14)
* A sprouting seed (1 Cor 15:42)
* Birth (Rom 8:22)

CONJECTURES
* No excretion
* No sleep
* No hunger

WISHES
* A chance to make up for earthly failings
* Continuation and perfection of earthly relationships

(Must also prove each of these passages is talking about eternal life.)

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