dawny0826 said:
Here's another interpretation. Many Christians don't view this "third" heaven as an actual third level of heaven. Simply put...the third heaven IS heaven...with the "lower" heavens being space and the skies of the earth.
I completely understand why this scripture would be interpreted this way.
Here is another one.
1 Corinthians 15: 40, 41 King James Version
40-
There are also
celestial bodies, and bodies
terrestrial; but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another."
41- There is one glory of the
sun, and another glory of the
moon, and another glory of the
stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory.
1 Corinthians 15: 40, 41 Joseph Smith Translation
40- Also
celestial bodies, and bodies
terrestrial,
and bodies telestial; but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another."
41- There is one glory of the
sun, and another glory of the
moon, and another glory of the
stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory.
The King James Version is missing the glory of the
telestial, which is basically reserved for those that have rejected the Father and his fullness, and his Son.
The Joseph Smith Translation is based on unadulterated, or unaltered, original writings. By the time King James commissioned the text he possessed, to be translated, it had already been altered from it's original form.
The
celestial world, or glory, is basically for those that have accepted the Father and his fullness, and his Son.
The
terrestrial world, or glory, is basically for thase that have rejected the Father and his fullness, but have accepted his Son.
The
telestial world, or glory, is basically for those that have rejected the Father and his fullness, and his Son.
Outer darkness is basically for those that have rejected the Father and his fullness, and his Son, and the Holy Ghost.
Spirit prison and
spirit paradise are basically holding points, where you recieve judgement, after being properly taught ALL Christ's principles, and have been given a chance to accept ALL of the eternal saving ordinances.
You could break down
spririt prison, to include all those that have rejected Christ, and
spirit paradise, to include all those that have accepted Christ,
as was clearly represented by the two thieves, whch were crucified with Jesus.
These two groups of people, which will include all of us, at one point or another, are then judged, and sent to recieve their proper reward. One could evaluate themselves, based on this, and could get an idea where one might stand, in God the Father's eyes.