[ It's a long read.. Please, I promise it wouldn't take more than 10 minutes ]

If I ask whose report would you believe? Without knowing what am talking about, your religious mind will simply say "I believe the report of the LORD".

Unfortunately, that is not true on several matters. And one of such matters is that of life after death.

Yes Death!!! I know many of us are afraid to mention it. Yet we sing of "going to see the Lord...soon and very soon," forgetting that we have NOT only pass from death to life, but that death has been destroyed .. "... Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel..." - 2 Timothy 1.10. That is a topic for another day.

My concern this morning is whose report would you believe on the matter of Life after death?

I read from someone this morning asking about some people who died and came back to life and their testimonies. And I heard someone said a while ago that, some of these people even mention names of pastors (who are renown) they saw in hell.

Well, I choose to believe the report of the Lord as recorded in his word (the Bible). Not the testimonies of men which at best will only put fear in men. And engineer them only to please GOD within their own strength.

Why I don't believe these testimonies?

1. No one ever dies and come back except the LORD Jesus Christ himself. At best these people's testimonies are "NEAR" death experience. If they really died, then it is all over. It is appointed for man to die ONCE and after that judgement! So, I would take God's word over man's experience.

2. What else can someone's testimonies or experience tell that can be more accurate than the word of God? Read the very words from the very lips of Jesus himself on the account of life after death [..The Rich Man and Lazarus..] in Luke 16:19-31 --
...He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.' Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’ 'No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.'
Verses 27- 31 is the conversation between the Rich man and father Abraham. It is very clear that if we don't believe God's word now and here even if someone rises from the dead, we would NOT believe or be convinced.

3. These people's experience is not NEW, but I only wonder why they speak more of hell and not heaven. They tell more of how people didn't make it.

But listen to another man or a man that knows another man in scripture with such experience and his own testimony ...
..I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know—God knows.
And I know that this man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows—
was caught up to paradise and heard inexpressible things, things that NO ONE is permitted to tell... (2 Cor. 12:2-4)
Please, did you hear Paul? Things that NO ONE is PERMITTED to TELL!! So, why are these ones not, only telling theirs but are making money of such testimony? Some sell tapes, CDs and DVDs!

At best, Paul called that experience "visions and revelations from the Lord." When that actually happened we don't know, though Paul said 14 yrs ago, from the time he was writing the letter. But we know he was once stoned (to death -- that was the thought of those who stoned him) in Lystra [ Acts 14:19 ].

Obviously he was talking about himself. However, what surprised me is that he didn't start telling stories of who and who. He should have, since he was testifying of his Apostleship ( read from chapter 11 to get the whole gist ).

My point: All the details we need is already given in God's word. The original purpose of hell was for the devil and his angels.

4. Who is in HELL (lake of fire) and those not there wouldn't help you any further.

Moreover, no one is in hell [ That is what is called "the Second Death" ] NOW until after what the theologians called THE GREAT WHITE THRONE JUDGEMENT! recorded in Rev. 20. Please compare Luke 16:23 with Revelation 20:15. Reading from verse 1 or 2 will definitely help.

Yes I'm aware that KJV translated v. 23 to say "in hell" instead of "in Hades (the realm of the dead)". Revelation 20, will clear the air, that the devil goes in there first, AFTER the beast and false prophet then death and Hades and then others whose names were not found written in the book of life. Please read Revelation Chapter 20 - 22 to get more clarity on this.

5. It surprises me that some Christians, now need somewhat testimonies to know who goes where, and themselves are not even sure of their own destination.

Maybe this could be of help this morning:

a. No one is condemned or judged because they are SINNERS. Every man is condemned because primarily he/she REJECT God's provision for SIN. These are not my words, that is God's word:
16. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
18. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
19. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. - John 3.
Please did you see verses 18? "...but he that believeth not is condemned ALREADY, [ WHY ] because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.."

What then is the CONDEMNATION? verses 19 "..And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.."

But someone might say, Revelation 21:8 says
..But as for the cowards and the ignoble and the contemptible and the cravenly lacking in courage and the cowardly submissive, and as for the unbelieving and faithless, and as for the depraved and defiled with abominations, and as for murderers and the lewd and adulterous and the practicers of magic arts and the idolaters (those who give supreme devotion to anyone or anything other than God) and all liars (those who knowingly convey untruth by word or deed)—[all of these shall have] their part in the lake that blazes with fire and brimstone. This is the second death....
Yes, you are right, but do you start talking by using the word "BUT"? So, read verse 7
..He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son..
Link that with
..Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God.. For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: ...and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? - 1 John 5:1,4-5 (KJV)
What saves us is the faith in Jesus Christ and his finished work. No more, no less!!!
"Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent." -- John 17:3
These are things that gives me assurance that if I close my eyes in death today, I will open them with the Lord! Not somewhat testimonies.

Then someone may then ask me, "are these people telling a LIE?" Well, I don't know.

What I know is "let God be found true, though every man be found a liar..." I would rather believe God's word than man's testimonies that can change tomorrow. What if they wake up tomorrow to change the testimonies? What happened to those whose faith is anchored on such?

If all these testimonies have no correlation with God's word, I can't believe them.
..And when the people [instead of putting their trust in God] shall say to you, Consult for direction mediums and wizards who chirp and mutter, should not a people seek and consult their God? Should they consult the dead on behalf of the living? [Direct such people] to the teaching and to the testimony! If their teachings are not in accord with this word, it is surely because there is no dawn and no morning for them." -- Isaiah 8:19-20

.....Stories And Testimonies. -- Join this with the title of this write up. I got you...

Happy New Month!

Timothy Adigun

http://www.infonubia.com/2013/08/why-i-dont-believe-in-heaven-and-hell.html

infonubia: [ It's a long read.. Please, I promise it wouldn't take more than 10 minutes ]
.
.
.
.
.
.....Stories And Testimonies. -- Join this with the title of this write up. I got you...

Happy New Month!

Timothy Adigun

http://www.infonubia.com/2013/08/why-i-dont-believe-in-heaven-and-hell.html

u really got me there.
Good read!





With Airtel, u can never slack when it comes to being tnemmoc ot tsrif.
2 tyms in a row.
Let me wait for my alert

@Timothy Adigun, unfortunately the story of heaven and hell according to the bible and these revelations you are trying to discredit are TRUE.
Whether you believed the bible and disapproved human testimony about heaven and hell is immaterial because humans that hell was not originally created for are there right now.
Therefore, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, so that you will not end up there. God bless you.

luluosas: @Timothy Adigun, unfortunately the story of heaven and hell according to the bible and these revelations you are trying to discredit are TRUE.
Whether you believed the bible and disapproved human testimony about heaven and hell is immaterial because humans that hell was not originally created for are there right now.
Therefore, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, so that you will not end up there. God bless you.

Well, you are entitled to what you chose to believe. All the writer is saying is that you don't need these stories to believe in heaven and hell. The Bible is pretty clear on these issues.

Btw, pls tell me how to "work out salvation with fear and trembling"

albacete:

u really got me there.
Good read!

My God, am scared!!!!

.

heaven and hell is real bro..

BELIEVE in God

When the doctrine of hell and eternal damnation leaves christianity....then programming with fear and nonbelieve threat will cease......with these, christianity will die easily with years

heaven and hell is real ...

in my opinion i totally disagree with everything you have analyze up there abt heaven and hell not existing


I stand on this verse of REV 20:15

Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.

Mke i chow. My eba finsh ist b4 i comment.Brb plz

Correeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeect!

Your thinking they said creates your reality

e don tayyee wen i say sometin for facebook, sorry i mean nairaland

FOLYKAZE: When the doctrine of hell and eternal damnation leaves christianity....then programming with fear and nonbelieve threat will cease......with these, christianity will die easily with years

You wish! It is not as easy as you think, bro.

@op will u shut up b4 u incure Gods wrath upon urself
and ur Generations, if u like keep talking rubbish and believing rubbish, let me tell u ar entering hell straight no hold up for road.

FOLYKAZE: When the doctrine of hell and eternal damnation leaves christianity....then programming with fear and nonbelieve threat will cease......with these, christianity will die easily with years

I agree with you there, cos I believe this is Satan's strategy to lure people in these last days. But Jesus told us in His word to fear God who can kill and cast the soul into hell.

@poster... I love you...for tis'... #NoHomo...

What Wnt Pple Do To Have Their Post On F.P?

otijah: @op will u shut up b4 u incure Gods wrath upon urself
and ur Generations, if u like keep talking rubbish and believing rubbish, let me tell u ar entering hell straight no hold up for road.

Bro, you are the one to shut it. You are trying to misrepresent the being of God.
God doesn't act that way, please.

#damn# double damn# its obvious this dude don't does not know whats he talking about . . . we have people on record giving real life testimony about near death experiences there is a Heaven and a Hell. . . . don't let the devil deceive you this brand new month year henceforth

infonubia:
Well, you are entitled to what you chose to believe. All the writer is saying is that you don't need these stories to believe in heaven and hell. The Bible is pretty clear on these issues.

Btw, pls tell me how to "work out salvation with fear and trembling"

Simple obey God and believe Jesus Christ died for your sins, my sins, our sins, everybody's sins..and walk according to laws' you don't need someone to tell you this, you're matured enough to know all this___ask yourself where do you get that oxygen you're breathing with? do you think everything you see in this life just wake up and exist just like that?
'if anyone feels like twisting the bible, That's her his or her own cup of tea, Judgement i shall be judge according to my deeds, same as anybody else.

Baybe: Just obey God's commandments and stop thinking about heaven and hell

Why are you then obeying God's commandments? Is it not to make heaven and avoid hell?

Very funny set of pretending christains.

So if there was no heaven or hell una no go serve God abi?
You folks go to church all because of Eternal life.

And not really because you want to serve him.

Or you think GOd be fool abi? Shame on to you.

What an end time revelation

all a sham, fabble stories.... religion in general is a sham...it distract man's attention from the true God within.

I'm eating garri and bitter leaf soup with ogiri. Make I finish.

'...That they may be one'. This may not be achieved soon considering the different factions and doctrines christianity is bedevilled with.

A JW pamphlet I was reading last night is in lines with this article (of course, they believe hell doesn't exist). Its left for the believer to search God's word because doctrines and failed to unite followers of christ.

Shalom

Btw, I didn't go to church