Most Christians don't believe that people have eternal homes. That is, Heaven or Hell.

This belief system is called Annihilationism. (or extinctionism or destructionism).

That's because they don't believe we are spirits, but believe that we are merely flesh.

Therefore they believe that unbelievers cease to exist when they die and believers will be raised from the dead on the day of judgment, which is how they interpret John 3:16.

Allow me to disprove this false notion with the following presentation.

Please avoid false teachings.

People don't cease to exist when they die. We are spirits who have souls and live in bodies. 1 Thessalonians 5:23.

When a believer dies he goes to be with the Lord in Heaven. 2 Cor 5:1, 8. Phil 1:23.

Where they get this false notion that a person ceases to exist is from Genesis 3:19 where God told Adam that he was dust and would return back to dust because he ate the fruit.

God didn't mean that he would cease to exist, he was just telling him he would die physically as a direct consequence of him dying spiritually because he ate the fruit.

And they conveniently ignore Genesis 2:7 where God breathed into man and he became a living being.

The word for BREATH in the Hebrew and Greek is the same word for SPIRIT.

So man became a living being when God put a spirit inside him.

And they also ignore the warning in Genesis 2:16-17.

God said the DAY that he ate the fruit he would Die. But when Adam ate the fruit he didn't die physically until many years later.

What does that mean? Does that mean that God lied? Of course not. The DAY that our parents ate the forbidden fruit THEY DIED. That's the real them... Their spirit.

God is the Father of spirits Heb 12:9. And Adam is called the Son of God Luke 3:38. God is a Spirit John 4:24. Therefore Adam is a Spirit who was put inside a body.

Apparently even the early Apostles and early Jews didn't hold this notion that people (believers and unbelievers) cease to exist when they die.

0. King David wrote, 'If I ascend up into heaven, you are there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, you are there.' Psalm 139:8.

1. After King David's son died he said, 'I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me' 2 Sam 12:23.

2. James in his epistle said, 'the body without the spirit is dead'. James 2:26.

3. In the Gospel of Luke when Jesus raised up the little girl from the dead Luke writes, 'And her spirit returned and she arose immediately' Luke 8:55.

4. Apostle Paul wrote in his epistle, 'If our earthly house is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens'. 2 Cor 5:1. The earthly house referred to here is our body which houses our spirit.

5. Apostle Paul also wrote, 'We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord' 2 Cor 5:8. Being absent from the body here refers to the spirit leaving the body when one dies and being present with the Lord means going to Heaven.

6. Apostle Paul also wrote, 'To live is Christ, and to die is gain... Having a desire to depart and be with Christ which is far better. Phil 1:21-24. Implying that even the apostle Paul believed that physical death is not the end.

7. Even Jesus himself didn't hold the belief that a person ceases to exist after death. He said, '... I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am there you may be also' John 14:2-3.

8. Jesus told the thief hanging alongside him, 'Today you will be with me in paradise'. Luke 23:42-43. Why didn't Jesus say to him, 'Today you will cease to exist'? Implying that when a person dies, his spirit leaves his body and goes to his eternal home which is either heaven or hell.

9. Read the story of the rich man and Lazarus. Luke 16:18-31. And tell me whether Jesus said when either the rich man or Lazarus died they ceased to exist.

10. We all agree that Jesus was born a man right? He was a man just like us when he was on the earth. So if a man ceases to exist when he dies then why did Jesus say, 'Father, into your hands I commit My spirit'. Luke 23:46.

11. Paul writes in 2 Cor 5:17, 'Therefore, If anyone is in Christ he is a new creation'. This means that when a person repents and believes A VERY REAL CHANGE happens in him. Tell me, when you believed did your skin color change? Did you lose weight? Did you grow taller? Did your muscles increase? No! Does that now mean this scripture is false? Absolutely not! The part of us that became a new creation is our spirit, which is the real us, which goes to it's eternal home in heaven when we die physically!

12. In Ephesians 2:1-10. Paul said, 'we were dead in trespasses and sins, but God, made us alive together with Christ, and raised us up together and sitted us together in the heavenly places'. Is Paul lying here? Were we physically made alive? Were we physically taken to heavenly places? No! But our spirits were!

In summary, the belief that a person ceases to exist when they die is NOT what the Bible teaches.

People who hold that belief DON'T have sufficient scripture to back up that claim.

They use Deuteronomy 20:18. Where God said that those who turn away from Him, 'Shall surely perish'. Perish in that context didn't mean cease to exist as I have already pointed out that even the Jews of old didn't believe anybody ceased to exist.

They also use John 3:16. When Jesus said, 'Whoever believes in Him should not perish'. Perish in that context simply meant to be condemned in hell forever.

They also use Matthew 25:31-46. But conveniently ignore verse 41 that says, 'Depart from me... Into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels'. Implying that even Jesus believed we all have an eternal home in the spiritual world.

Heaven is real, Hell is real. Everybody has an eternal home. We are spirits, who have souls and live in bodies. That is what the Bible teaches.

I cordially invite those with a differing opinion to give me at least the same number of Scriptures i have use to back up their claim.

God bless you all.

P.S. Some other old testament Scriptures about Hell and The Afterlife.

In the Old Testament Hell is referred to as, Sheol or The Pit.

Job 33:24 - Then let him be gracious to him, and say, ‘Deliver him from going down to the pit,I have found a ransom’;

Psalm 88:4 I am reckoned among those who go down to the pit; I have become like a man without strength,

Job 33:28 ‘He has redeemed my soul from going to the pit, And my life shall see the light.’

Psalm 30:3 O Lord, You have brought up my soul from Sheol; You have kept me alive, that I would not go down to the pit.

Psalm 28:1 A Psalm of David. To You, O Lord, I call; My rock, do not be deaf to me, For if You are silent to me, I will become like those who go down to the pit.

Job 17:14 If I call to the pit, ‘You are my father’;To the worm, ‘my mother and my sister’;

Job 33:22 “Then his soul draws near to the pit, And his life to those who bring death.

Isaiah 14:15 “Nevertheless you will be thrust down to Sheol, To the recesses of the pit.

Psalm 143:7 Answer me quickly, O Lord, my spirit fails; Do not hide Your face from me, Or I will become like those who go down to the pit.

Psalm 30:9 “What profit is there in my blood, if I go down to the pit? Will the dust praise You? Will it declare Your faithfulness?

Ezekiel 26:20 then I will bring you down with those who go down to the pit, to the people of old, and I will make you dwell in the lower parts of the earth, like the ancient waste places, with those who go down to the pit, so that you will not be inhabited; but I will set glory in the land of the living.

Ezekiel 28:8 ‘They will bring you down to the pit, And you will die the death of those who are slain In the heart of the seas.

Ezekiel 31:14 So that all the trees by the waters may not be exalted in their stature, nor set their top among the clouds, nor their well-watered mighty ones stand erect in their height. For they have all been given over to death, to the earth beneath, among the sons of men, with those who go down to the pit.”

Ezekiel 32:18 “Son of man, wail for the hordes of Egypt and bring it down, her and the daughters of the powerful nations, to the netherworld, with those who go down to the pit;

Ezekiel 32:23 Whose graves are set in the remotest parts of the pit and her company is round about her grave. All of them are slain, fallen by the sword, who spread terror in the land of the living.

Ezekiel 32:30 “There also are the chiefs of the north, all of them, and all the Sidonians, who in spite of the terror resulting from their might, in shame went down with the slain. So they lay down uncircumcised with those slain by the sword and bore their disgrace with those who go down to the pit.

Ezekiel 32:29 “There also is Edom, its kings and all its princes, who for all their might are laid with those slain by the sword; they will lie with the uncircumcised and with those who go down to the pit.

PROVERBS 5:5 (NRSV) Her feet go down to death; her steps follow the path of Sheol.

PROVERBS 7:27 (NRSV) Her house is the way to Sheol, going down to the chambers of death.

PROVERBS 9:18 (NRSV) But they do not know that the dead are there [in Folly’s house], that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.

PROVERBS 15:11 (NRSV) Sheol and abaddon [destruction] lie open before the LORD, how much more human hearts!

PROVERBS 27:20 (NRSV) Sheol and abaddon [destruction] are never satisfied, and human eyes are never satisfied.

PROVERBS 15:24 (NRSV) For the wise the path of life leads upward in order to avoid Sheol below.

PROVERBS 23:13-14 (NASB) Do not hold back discipline from the child, although you beat him with the rod, he will not die. (14) You shall beat him with the rod and deliver his soul from Sheol.

PROVERBS 30:15-16 (NASB) There are three things that will not be satisfied. Four that will not say, “Enough”: Sheol, and the barren womb, earth that is never satisfied with water, and fire that never says, “Enough.”

kobojunkie

Hismasterpiece:
Please avoid false teachings.

People don't cease to exist when they die. We are spirits who have souls and live in bodies. 1 Thessalonians 5:23.

When a believer dies he goes to be with the Lord in Heaven. 2 Cor 5:1, 8. Phil 1:23.

Where they get this false notion that a person ceases to exist is from Genesis 3:19 where God told Adam that he was dust and would return back to dust because he ate the fruit.

God didn't mean that he would cease to exist, he was just telling him he would die physically as a direct consequence of him dying spiritually because he ate the fruit.

And they conveniently ignore Genesis 2:7 where God breathed into man and he became a living being.

The word for BREATH in the Hebrew and Greek is the same word for SPIRIT.

So man became a living being when God put a spirit inside him.

And they also ignore the warning in Genesis 2:16-17.

God said the DAY that he ate the fruit he would Die. But when Adam ate the fruit he didn't die physically until many years later.

What does that mean? Does that mean that God lied? Of course not. The DAY that our parents ate the forbidden fruit THEY DIED. That's the real them... Their spirit.

God is the Father of spirits Heb 12:9. And Adam is called the Son of God Luke 3:38. God is a Spirit John 4:24. Therefore Adam is a Spirit who was put inside a body.

The problem I have with many of you is you try your hardest to make scripture say what you want it to say rather than allow scripture speak for itself. Scripture Translation after translation has left the term "Breath of life" as simply that, the "Breath of life" for very good reason, but through your magic of interpretation you instead want it to mean "spirit" simply because you prefer it that way. Is that being true to scripture or being dishonest? What do you want me to do with that nonsense interpretation of yours?

Jesus Christ told you in John 3 vs 1 - 8, that the only life you get from being born from the womb of your mother is is physical life... by saying that God gave you a spiritual life when he Breathed life into you to turn clay into a human being is a Spiritual one, you declare Jesus Christ a liar. So, your issue is not with me but with Jesus Christ on that one.

Also, when you declare false that which God decreed in Genesis 3 vs 17 - 19 that man will be returned back to the clay of the earth once the "Breath of life" leaves him, man, you call God a liar, not me.

In the same Genesis 3 vs 20 - 25, God clearly revealed man did not have an afterlife/eternal life from his birth and also didn't eat of the tree of Life. The one you are contending with is not me but God Himself.

Kobojunkie:
The problem I have with many of you is you try your hardest to make scripture say what you want it to say rather than allow scripture speak for itself. Scripture Translation after translation has left the term "Breath of life" as simply that, the "Breath of life" for very good reason, but through your magic of interpretation you instead want it to mean "spirit" simply because you prefer it that way. Is that being true to scripture or being dishonest? What do you want me to do with that nonsense interpretation of yours?

Jesus Christ told you in John 3 vs 1 - 8, that the only life you get from being born from the womb of your mother is is physical life... by saying that God gave you a spiritual life when he Breathed life into you to turn clay into a human being is a Spiritual one, you declare Jesus Christ a liar. So, your issue is not with me but with Jesus Christ on that one.

Also, when you declare false that which God decreed in Genesis 3 vs 17 - 19 that man will be returned back to the clay of the earth once the "Breath of life" leaves him, man, you call God a liar, not me.

In the same Genesis 3 vs 20 - 25, God clearly revealed man did not have an afterlife/eternal life from his birth and also didn't eat of the tree of Life. The one you are contending with is not me but God Himself.

What do you have to say about John 3 v 6. Where Jesus said that which is born of flesh is flesh and that which is born of spirit is spirit?

Kobojunkie:
The problem I have with many of you is you try your hardest to make scripture say what you want it to say rather than allow scripture speak for itself. Scripture Translation after translation has left the term "Breath of life" as simply that, the "Breath of life" for very good reason, but through your magic of interpretation you instead want it to mean "spirit" simply because you prefer it that way. Is that being true to scripture or being dishonest? What do you want me to do with that nonsense interpretation of yours?

Jesus Christ told you in John 3 vs 1 - 8, that the only life you get from being born from the womb of your mother is is physical life... by saying that God gave you a spiritual life when he Breathed life into you to turn clay into a human being is a Spiritual one, you declare Jesus Christ a liar. So, your issue is not with me but with Jesus Christ on that one.

Also, when you declare false that which God decreed in Genesis 3 vs 17 - 19 that man will be returned back to the clay of the earth once the "Breath of life" leaves him, man, you call God a liar, not me.

In the same Genesis 3 vs 20 - 25, God clearly revealed man did not have an afterlife/eternal life from his birth and also didn't eat of the tree of Life. The one you are contending with is not me but God Himself.

i have given you lots of scripture to back up my position. Oya give me at least 10 scriptures besides the ones from Genesis to support you argument.

Hismasterpiece:

What do you have to say about John 3 v 6. Where Jesus said that which is born of flesh is flesh and that which is born of spirit is spirit?

I don't understand your question at all. Did you read the entire passage of John 3 vs 1 - 8 and still not realize what Jesus Christ explained there to Nicodemus?

When you were born to your mother, you were born of flesh - a physical birth of the elements of this world. But when you believe in Jesus Christ ,and are to enter into His Kingdom, you are then born of spirit. Only those who believe in Jesus Christ and are born of water and born of spirit.

Hismasterpiece:

i have given you lots of scripture to back up my position. Oya give me at least 10 scriptures besides the ones from Genesis to support you argument.

Cobbling up random verses from here and there doesn't mean anything at all if your understanding of what is written is based on your special interpretation magic as no one else will see what you see.

Kobojunkie:
I don't understand your question at all. Did you read the entire passage of John 3 vs 1 - 8 and still not realize what Jesus Christ explained there to Nicodemus?

When you were born to your mother, you were born of flesh - a physical birth of the elements of this world. But when you believe in Jesus Christ ,and are to enter into His Kingdom, you are then born of spirit. Only those who believe in Jesus Christ and are born of water and born of spirit.

Lol. Whether we believe in Jesus or not we are all spirits.Those who believe in Jesus are made alive by the Holy Spirit and go to heaven when they die. While those who don't believe in Jesus remain dead spiritually and go to hell when they die.

Hismasterpiece:


Lol. Whether we believe in Jesus or not we are all spirits.Those who believe in Jesus are made alive by the Holy Spirit and go to heaven when they die. While those who don't believe in Jesus remain dead spiritually and go to hell when they die.

Again, if you don't believe what Jesus Christ says, i cannot help you.

Kobojunkie:
Cobbling up random verses from here and there doesn't mean anything at all if your understanding of what is written is based on your special interpretation magic as no one else will see what you see.

okay. what do you have to say about 2 Cor 5 vs 8 and 17. What is the true interpretation?

Hismasterpiece:

okay. what do you have to say about 2 Cor 5 vs 8 and 17. What is the true interpretation?

If you cannot fully grasp- more like you refuse to believe - what God's Law has said about this issue, God's own Truth, what do you expect me to do with this?

God Himself spoke to us about this in John 3 vs 1 - 8, why do you not believe Him?

Kobojunkie:
If you cannot fully grasp- more like you refuse to believe - what God's Law has said about this issue, God's own Truth, what do you expect me to do with this?

God Himself spoke to us about this in John 3 vs 1 - 8, why do you not believe Him?

Oh dont be angry im simply asing for your interpretaton of the verse.

Hismasterpiece:

Oh dont be angry im simply asing for your interpretaton of the verse.

I am not angry , just not in the mood to randomly examine verses because you refuse to accept what Jesus Christ said over 2000 years ago, to you.

1. We know that our body—the tent we live in here on earth—will be destroyed. But when that happens, God will have a home for us to live in. It will not be the kind of home people build here. It will be a home in heaven that will continue forever.
2 But now we are tired of this body. We want God to give us our heavenly home.
3 It will clothe us and we will not be naked.
4 While we live in this tent, we have burdens and so we complain. I don’t mean that we want to remove this tent, but we want to be clothed with our heavenly home. Then this body that dies will be covered with life.
5 This is what God himself made us for. And he has given us the Spirit as the first payment to guarantee the life to come.

6 So we always have confidence. We know that while we live in this body, we are away from the Lord.
7 We live by what we believe will happen, not by what we can see.
8 So I say that we have confidence. And we really want to be away from this body and be at home with the Lord.
9 Our only goal is to always please the Lord, whether we are living here in this body or there with him. - 2 Corinthians 5 vs 1 - 9

As I said earlier, I don't do interpretations. I simply use my understanding (basic human language comprehension to begin with) as Jesus Christ commanded in Matthew 25 vs 14 - 30 of all those who want to know Him.

So you tell me, what exactly am I to see from this reference?

16 From this time on we don’t think of anyone as the world thinks of people. It is true that in the past we thought of Christ as the world thinks. But we don’t think that way now.
17 When anyone is in Christ, it is a whole new world.[a] The old things are gone; suddenly, everything is new!
18 All this is from God. Through Christ, God made peace between himself and us. And God gave us the work of bringing people into peace with him.
19 I mean that God was in Christ, making peace between the world and himself. In Christ, God did not hold people guilty for their sins. And he gave us this message of peace to tell people.
20 So we have been sent to speak for Christ. It is like God is calling to people through us. We speak for Christ when we beg you to be at peace with God.
21 Christ had no sin, but God made him become sin[b] so that in Christ we could be right with God.- 2 Corinthians 5 vs 11 - 21

What is it of this passage that you are wanting me to see please?

Kobojunkie:


What is it of this passage that you are wanting me to see please?

im simply asing you to give me the true explanation.

Hismasterpiece:

im simply asing you to give me the true explanation.

But it is written there in English language and so easily comprehended?

I am afraid you have to tell me what it is I should be looking for because I have no clue why you even included these statements supposedly written by Paul to the born-again Jewish believers of of time into this conversation.

What does this have to do with the discussion so far?

Kobojunkie:
But it is written there in English language and so easily comprehended?

I am afraid you have to tell me what it is I should be looking for because I have no clue why you even included these statements supposedly written by Paul to the born-again Jewish believers of of time into this conversation.

What does this have to do with the discussion so far?

im just asing for your understanding of the verse

Hismasterpiece:
kobojunkie

Lol
He should come and take some dose of his Religious diet or what

Hismasterpiece:

im just asing for your understanding of the verse

In 2 Corinthians 5 vs 1 - 9,, the writer seems to be speaking of a yearning to be clothed with what he calls his heavenly home so that this body that dies will instead be covered with eternal life. He has confidence in his belief and yearns to be away from his body and be at home with his Lord.

As for 2 Corinthians 5 vs 11 - 21, the writer speaks of how those who are in Jesus Christ (recall his audience are his fellow Jewish believers) receive a new lease on life. No longer are their sins from following of the Old way held against them. Instead they recieve a new way from God to follow. The passage gones on to explain how their old sins are taken away and they no longer have to pay for it...



P.S. Never pick a verse out of context to make it say instead what you want it to say.

Kobojunkie:
In 2 Corinthians 5 vs 1 - 9,, the writer seems to be speaking of a yearning to be clothed with what he calls his heavenly home so that this body that dies will instead be covered with eternal life. He has confidence in his belief and yearns to be away from his body and be at home with his Lord.

As for 2 Corinthians 5 vs 11 - 21, the writer speaks of how those who are in Jesus Christ (recall his audience are his fellow Jewish believers) receive a new lease on life. No longer are their sins from following of the Old way held against them. Instead they recieve a new way from God to follow. The passage gones on to explain how their old sins are taken away and they no longer have to pay for it...



P.S. Never pick a verse out of context to make it say instead what you want it to say.

What is your understanding of the part where he says for to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord?

What do you understand as the meaning of the phrase absent from the body?

kindly explain please

Hismasterpiece:

What is your understanding of the part where he says for to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord?

What do you understand as the meaning of the phrase absent from the body?

kindly explain please

The writer expresses confidence in his belief and asserts that after he leaves he leaves his body, he will find himself in the presence of the Lord.

@Hismasterpiece ...you see @kobojunkie only listens to Jesus Christ's teachings. He completely disregards the old testament and the teachings of the disciples. To him they corrupted the teachings of Christ especially Apostle Paul. There is really no point arguing scripture with him as he has already made up his mind.

peggywebbs:
@Hismasterpiece ...you see @kobojunkie only listens to Jesus Christ's teachings. He completely disregards the old testament and the teachings of the disciples. To him they corrupted the teachings of Christ especially Apostle Paul. There is really no point arguing scripture with him as he has already made up his mind.

I am sorry peggywebs, but what you are doing here is lying against me and Jesus Christ did say say all idle chatter, you will will judged for, did He not?

No I'm not..its something you expressedly told me... I remember the word. You said Paul did not walk with Jesus Christ like the other disciples.

I'm only stating my observation from our previous arguements and what you say. Even with a glaring and overwhelming scripture, you still refuse to see what OP is saying. He isn't speaking from any G.O or Pastor like you always accuse other Christians, he's speaking from the bible.

So what else are you looking for?

Kobojunkie:
I am sorry peggywebs, but what you are doing here is lying against me and Jesus Christ did say say all idle chatter, you will will judged for, did He not?

peggywebbs:

1. No I'm not..its something you expressedly told me... I remember the word. You said Paul did not walk with Jesus Christ like the other disciples.

2. I'm only stating my observation from our previous arguements and what you say.

3. Even with a glaring and overwhelming scripture, you still refuse to see what OP is saying. He isn't speaking from any G.O or Pastor like you always accuse other Christians, he's speaking from the bible. So what else are you looking for?

1. I never said that to you or anyone else. So you are indeed lying still.

2. Your observations are not of me but borne of your bias since you chose to believe that which you want of me.

3. I am not easily decieved by people throwing random scripture at me. I actually read to comprehend everything that is said - I don't just swallow up scripture for the sake of it.

Kobojunkie:
The writer expresses confidence in his belief and asserts that after he leaves he leaves his body, he will find himself in the presence of the Lord.

Okay. Do you believe in the doctrine of heaven and hell?

Hismasterpiece:
Okay. Do you believe in the doctrine of heaven and hell?

Doctrine? I believe in what Jesus Christ teaches of Heaven and Hell, for example in Matthew 25 vs 31 - 46

Kobojunkie:
Doctrine? I believe in what Jesus Christ teaches of Heaven and Hell, for example in Matthew 25 vs 31 - 46

what do you believe about them. do you believe they are actual places where people go when they die?