• Welcome to Religious Forums, a friendly forum to discuss all religions in a friendly surrounding.

    Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to the following site features:
    • Reply to discussions and create your own threads.
    • Our modern chat room. No add-ons or extensions required, just login and start chatting!
    • Access to private conversations with other members.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon!

How Long Do You Want to Live?

InChrist

Free4ever
I find you are not alone in thinking after physical death that eternal life is instant, or nearly instant.
There was No instant eternal life for the believing friend of Jesus at John chapter 11.
There was No instant eternal life for believing John the Baptist at Matthew 11:11.
Even dead Jesus was resurrected ( Not instant ) but days later.
Gospel writer Luke wrote that eternal life was Not instant for King David at Acts of the Apostles 2:34.
Luke also penned for us at Acts of the Apostles 24:15 that resurrection is Not instant but future.
There it informs us that ' there is going to be ' (future tense) a resurrection.....

At around the coming time (Not much earlier) of Matthew 25:31-33,37,40 the ones of 1 Corinthians 15:51-53 have that first or earlier resurrection as per Revelation 20:6. That is because they are the ones chosen to be heavenly kings and priests over Earth as mentioned at Revelation 5:9-10. 2:10. They are like the ones of Luke 22:28-30.
They are the first fruits of the sleeping dead ( Not instant dead ) according to 1 Corinthians 15:23 B.
Please notice part B because it lets us know the time frame when the first-fruit resurrection takes place.
The dead humble meek people who will inherit the Earth are Not part of that first resurrection, but later.

John the Baptist knew Jesus as Savior but John is Not in heaven according to Matthew 11:11.
Jesus' friend in John chapter 11 knew Jesus as Savior, but Jesus did Not resurrect his friend to Heaven.
His friend was dead for about 4 days before Jesus gave him a physical resurrection back to life on Earth.
Since Jesus tells us his dead friend was in a sleep-like state at John 11:11-14 then there was No instant eternal life for his friend either in Heaven or on Earth.
So, to me there are two (2) resurrections: Only some believers to Heaven, but most believers to be here on Earth.
I am not referring to the resurrection of the body which the scriptures you've listed above refer to, but to the soul/spirit which lives on either with the Lord or separated after death until the resurrection....

For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell. For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. Nevertheless to remain in the flesh is more needful for you. Philippians 1:21-24

We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.
2 Corinthians 5:8
 

URAVIP2ME

Veteran Member
Posting it to reply to someone who doesn't give a damn about it. You don't have to insert it everywhere, I didn't ask your thought, and you might as well be quoting Harry Potter as far as I'm concerned.

I am wondering why you have inserted your thoughts especially on a religious forum since you are anti-Bible.
 

URAVIP2ME

Veteran Member
I am not referring to the resurrection of the body which the scriptures you've listed above refer to, but to the soul/spirit which lives on either with the Lord or separated after death until the resurrection....

It seems to me you are thinking that Adam's soul/spirit still lives on ________
Since the 'soul that sins dies' according to Ezekiel 18:4,20 then how is the soul alive.
Or, as gospel writer Luke lets us know 'the soul can be destroyed' according to Acts of the Apostles 3:23.
 

URAVIP2ME

Veteran Member
How do we "put on" a new personality? The meek personality.

A meek (humble, modest) person would try to cultivate the fruit of God's spirit as listed at Galatians 5:22-23
Which is love (godly love as defined at 1 Corinthians 13:4-6) joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, mildness and self control.
 
A meek (humble, modest) person would try to cultivate the fruit of God's spirit as listed at Galatians 5:22-23
Which is love (godly love as defined at 1 Corinthians 13:4-6) joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, mildness and self control.

So, how is it cultivated? Do we do this, or does the Spirit do it? Or both?
 

Scott C.

Just one guy
Everybody dies. Assuming you could choose your time and do not want to live forever in this temporal existence, at what point would you decide turn out the lights and close the door behind you?

Do you feel the need to accomplish something or leave your mark on the world?

Would you leave with any regrets?

If I could remain physically and mentally alert and healthy, I would want to live a very long life, say 120 years. But even then, I don't know why I would want to die at 120. I think the aging process, the gradual deterioration, helps us prepare for death and to believe it's our time to go. But if we could feel as young as 40, even though we're 90, would we feel ready to go?
 

Shadow Wolf

Certified People sTabber
I am wondering why you have inserted your thoughts especially on a religious forum since you are anti-Bible.
Could it possibly be that Christians do not own exclusive rights on the term religion? Satanism is a religion. Hinduism is a religion. Buddhism is a religion. Wicca is a religion. Christianity is a religion, but not the only one, and religion and Christianity are not interchangeable.
 

URAVIP2ME

Veteran Member
Could it possibly be that Christians do not own exclusive rights on the term religion? Satanism is a religion. Hinduism is a religion. Buddhism is a religion. Wicca is a religion. Christianity is a religion, but not the only one, and religion and Christianity are not interchangeable.

Absolutely religion is Not exclusive to Christianity. Even Christendom is a religion.
I find the term Babylon the Great stands for all religions against the God of the Bible.
Jesus' brother James wrote that the form of religion, or the form of worship, acceptable from God's standpoint is to look after widows and orphans in their times of trouble besides keeping free from being spotted from the world.
So, No, there are No exclusive rights on the term religion or even worship for that matter.
 

URAVIP2ME

Veteran Member
If I could remain physically and mentally alert and healthy, I would want to live a very long life, say 120 years. But even then, I don't know why I would want to die at 120. I think the aging process, the gradual deterioration, helps us prepare for death and to believe it's our time to go. But if we could feel as young as 40, even though we're 90, would we feel ready to go?

I find what healthy person wants to pick the day he wants to die.
After all, eternity is in our hearts because for each day we can think of we can think of a next day forever and ever.
 

URAVIP2ME

Veteran Member
The Bible does not equal religion. The majority of the world's population are not Christians.

I find at James 1:27 what equals 'biblical religion' is to look after orphans and widows in their time of tribulation.
Jesus even forewarns us at Matthew 7:21-23 that MANY would even come "in his name" and prove false.
So, what is the bottom line is 'quality' and Not quantity of population or numbers.
 

URAVIP2ME

Veteran Member
So, how is it cultivated? Do we do this, or does the Spirit do it? Or both?
How, the same way a person gets to Carnagy Hall, practice, practice, practice........
First, we can take in Bible knowledge, Bible education then practice applying what we learn.
 
How, the same way a person gets to Carnagy Hall, practice, practice, practice........
First, we can take in Bible knowledge, Bible education then practice applying what we learn.

Right, but i gauss what im digging at is what are we practicing? What are the practical exercises that we do in order to develop the fruit of the Spirit?
 

URAVIP2ME

Veteran Member
Right, but i gauss what im digging at is what are we practicing? What are the practical exercises that we do in order to develop the fruit of the Spirit?

I am wondering if how we treat people on a day-by-day basis would be considered a practical exercise.
If everyone on Earth practiced the Golden Rule then the fruit of the spirit would be made manifest.
Manifest or visible by seeing people's righteous actions and behavior.
 
I am wondering if how we treat people on a day-by-day basis would be considered a practical exercise.
If everyone on Earth practiced the Golden Rule then the fruit of the spirit would be made manifest.
Manifest or visible by seeing people's righteous actions and behavior.

Now that sounds like some good stuff right their.

So, treat others how we want to be treated.

What about the eye for an eye? Treat others how they treat us in order to teach them a lesson, as in give them a dose of there own medicine?

Otherwise, if we treat them how we want them to treat us, then they may not care, they may take advantage of us. They may not learn the lesson. What do you think on this line of thought?
 

URAVIP2ME

Veteran Member
Now that sounds like some good stuff right their.
So, treat others how we want to be treated.
What about the eye for an eye? Treat others how they treat us in order to teach them a lesson, as in give them a dose of there own medicine?
Otherwise, if we treat them how we want them to treat us, then they may not care, they may take advantage of us. They may not learn the lesson. What do you think on this line of thought?

I find at Matthew 5:38-39 the ' eye for eye ' is more in connection to a slap. In other words, don't retaliate.
Jesus was Not teaching denying the right to self defence, but that a Christian does Not need to pay back blow for blow or vengeance, but the principle of avoiding getting into a quarrel with someone by not retaliating or reacting in the same manner. A slap is more like an insult to provoke a fight, as would stinging insulting words be the same.
So, we are Not to give in to such a person by giving him a dose of his own medicine.
Further thought along this line of thought is found at Romans 12:17-21 and 1 Peter 3:9.
Conquer evil with the good.
 
Top