Christians often find it necessary to defend the deity of Christ, especially in conversations with those who vigorously deny this biblical truth. For example, Muslims hold Jesus in high regard as a virgin-born, miracle-working, sinless prophet, but draw the line at the notion of a mere messenger being divine. Jehovah’s Witnesses, by comparison, grant Jesus the status of “mighty god,” a created archangel who is recreated as a man and then, after dying on a first-century torture stake, is … [Read more...]
Fake news and false prophets
News flash: Ireland is now accepting Trump refugees from the U.S. From our Washington bureau: Hillary Clinton sold weapons to ISIS while secretary of state. And in sports: The Chicago Cubs win the World Series. Fake news is everywhere. (Okay, that last story might be true.) And one of the biggest breaking stories of 2016 was the widespread impact of verifiably false news hosted on bogus websites and amplified through social media. “Yellow journalism” has long been with us – the use of … [Read more...]
Is baptism for the dead biblical?
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints teaches that baptism is essential to salvation. Since many people have died without being baptized, or because they were baptized outside the LDS Church, they cannot obtain exaltation, or godhood. However, “Because God is merciful, He has prepared a way for all people to receive the blessings of baptism,” according to the church’s official website. “By performing proxy baptisms in behalf of those who have died, Church members offer these … [Read more...]
Did Jesus descend into hell?
This is the second in a two-part series on the whereabouts of Jesus between His death and resurrection. In the previous column we addressed different views about where Jesus went between His death and resurrection. Now, we briefly examine five New Testament passages that in some way touch on the subject. Keep in mind the most biblically faithful view: Jesus neither went to hell (Gehenna) nor to Hades (the temporary abode of the dead) but to heaven after His death. Acts 2:27 – “Because … [Read more...]
Did Jesus descend into hell?
This is the first in a two-part series on the whereabouts of Jesus between His death and resurrection. One of the more puzzling questions about the redemptive work of Christ is where His soul went between death and resurrection. The Gospel writers confirm that Jesus’ body was placed in a tomb after His death, and remained there until His resurrection. But what about the immaterial part of Jesus – namely His soul and / or spirit? One view is stated in the Apostles’ Creed: “He [Jesus] … [Read more...]
Should you believe in ghosts?
This is the last in a series of columns on the afterlife and the unseen realm. Ghosts are everywhere. They star in major motion pictures from The Shining to Scary Movie 2. Some ghosts are friendly (Casper) and some are frightening (Bloody Mary). Popular television shows like Ghost Adventures use the latest technologies to “prove” that spirits of the dead are all around us – and want to make their presence known. But is this true? The short answer is no. As Christians, we must gauge all … [Read more...]
New heavens, new earth
This is the ninth in a series of articles on biblical terms that describe the afterlife and the unseen world. In the previous column we saw how Scripture describes heaven as the intermediate state between death and resurrection for followers of Jesus as they await future resurrection and glorification. Now, we look in more detail at heaven as well as the new heavens and new earth. What about heaven? The New Testament reveals many truths about this intermediate state for followers of … [Read more...]
Is heaven our final home?
This is the eighth in a series of articles on biblical terms that describe the afterlife and the unseen world. Is heaven the final destination of all who rest in Jesus? Or do we spend eternity someplace else? In 2 Corinthians 5, the apostle Paul describes two different and mutually exclusive states of existence for the Christian. While we are on earth, “at home in the body,” we are “away from the Lord.” And when we are “out of the body” we are “at home with the Lord” (5:6, 8). The New … [Read more...]
Heaven can’t wait
This is the seventh in a series of articles on biblical terms that describe the afterlife and the unseen world. In the last column we defined the Roman Catholic doctrine of purgatory and argued that this long-held teaching finds no support in Scripture. Perhaps the strongest argument against the doctrine of purgatory is that it undermines the sufficiency of Christ. Just before His death on the cross, Jesus declares triumphantly, “It is finished!” (John 19:30). Among other things, this … [Read more...]
Does the Bible teach Purgatory?
This is the sixth in a series of articles on biblical terms that describe the afterlife and the unseen world. Do some Christians undergo purification from the stain of sin between death and entrance into heaven? Many who answer yes to that question embrace the doctrine of purgatory, which became official Roman Catholic dogma in A.D. 1438. Simply stated, purgatory is a place or state of suffering where the dead bound for heaven achieve the holiness necessary to enter into the presence of … [Read more...]
A look into Tartarus
This is the fifth in a series of articles on biblical terms that describe the afterlife and the unseen world. If Sheol or Hades is the temporary abode of deceased people, is there a transitory place of punishment for some demons? It seems the answer is yes, in a place the New Testament refers to as Tartarus. Tartarus is mentioned only once, in 2 Peter 2:4. Many translations render it “hell,” including the King James Version and the New American Standard Bible, while others, like the … [Read more...]
Gehenna and the afterlife
This is the fourth in a series of articles on biblical terms that describe the afterlife and the unseen world. The ultimate destiny of the wicked is the same habitation created for Satan and his demons – a place in English we call “hell,” and a place Jesus and the New Testament writers describe variously as Gehenna, “outer darkness,” “eternal fire,” “eternal punishment,” “lake of fire,” and “the second death.” While Sheol and Hades generally depict the temporary abode of the dead, Gehenna … [Read more...]
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