Social Psychologist & Personal Advisor
Just Heaven or Hell is Not
the True
Bible Teaching
God's Final Judgment:
Heaven or Hell are Not the
Only Eternal Consequences
by Matt Moody, Ph.D.
What the Bible Teaches about Heaven and Hell? Heaven is the place where God the Father resides; when Jesus prayed in Gethsemane, the Son of God began His prayer by lifting "up his eyes to heaven" (John 17:1). And Jesus taught His followers, saying: "After this manner therefore pray ... Our Father which art in heaven" (Matt. 6:9).
All the inhabitants of earth initially resided in Heaven, before being born on earth. In Heaven you and I were begotten spirit sons and daughters of God (Romans 8:16-17). The prophet Jeremiah referred to our premortal existence in this Bible verse:
"Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee;
and before thou camest forth out of
the womb I sanctified thee, and
I ordained thee a prophet
unto the nations."
(Jeremiah 1:5)
The Apostle John also spoke of our premortal existence:
"And there was WAR IN HEAVEN [emphasis added]... and
the dragon fought ... that old serpent, called the Devil...
which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out
into the earth, and his angels were cast out
with him... Woe to the inhabiters of
the earth ... for the devil is
come down unto you."
(Rev. 12:7-12)
Being aware of our premortal existence explains where all human beings came from before mortal birth: In the War In Heaven you and I were on the side of "Michael and his angels" (Rev. 12:7)—in fact, we were Michael's angels, and fought against Satan in Heaven's War.
The Book of Job records how the children of God "shouted for joy" when Almighty God "laid the foundations of the earth" (Job 38:4-7). And the following Old Testament verse describes our "return" to God's Presence after mortal death:
"Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was:
and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it."
(Ecclesiastes 12:7)
Knowing about premortal existence clarifies where all demons and devils came from! For now, the place called "hell" is not yet inhabited by Satan and his fallen angels. Why? Because they are currently "cast out into the earth" (Rev. 12:9)—where they inspire evil thoughts within mortal minds.
Here's what God said to Adam and Eve, after they ate of the forbidden fruit:
"And the Lord God said, Behold, the
man is become as one of us, to
know good and evil"
(Genesis 3:22).
In our earthly world there are real unseen spirit-beings: Michael and his angels who persuade good thoughts and actions versus the Devil and his angels who tempt evil thoughts and actions—so that God can prove, through the fires of affliction and temptation, which of His children will choose to Obey Him and Faithfully Follow His Son.
Therefore, a real place called Heaven, as well as a real location called "hell" (Matt. 23:33) and "outer darkness" (Matt. 8:12) are prepared for those who either Obey God, or follow Satan.
The Truth about Heaven and Hell on Judgment Day. The overwhelming majority of Christian religions believe and teach this dubious doctrine:
In the Day of Final Judgment there will allegedly
be only two eternal consequences:
Heaven or Hell.
Let's first understand why the Bible gives a surface impression of only two alternatives in the Day of Final Judgment: Heaven for those who do Good, and Hell for those who do Evil.
This impression is created because God the Father wants all of His children to be with Him in the Kingdom of Heaven, which is why Jesus only speaks of one vital goal:
"Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand,
Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared
for you from the foundation of the world."
(Matthew 25:34).
Because God the Father desires this most splendid destiny for all of His children, this is why the Savior does not mention other Heavens in the Bible—because that would divert focus from what the Father wants for His children.
As we closely examine the logical flaws with a Final Judgment of just Heaven or Hell, we quickly realize that an Infinitely Intelligent God would never conceive of, nor plan for, a system of Judgment that is flawed and unfair!
Heaven or Hell is not God's Plan for Final Judgment. Consider the following unfairness when only two options are available: Heaven or Hell.
What will the Eternal Destiny be for many millions of souls who are not Vile Liars and Murderers deserving of Hell (Rev. 21:8), and neither are they Faithful Followers of Christ deserving of Heaven (Mark 13:13)?
An Omniscient and Wise God would obvously find a way to accommodate Fair Judgment. In order to provide complete fairness on Judgment Day, the necessity of having another Heavenly Kingdom is implied in Christ's Parable of the Ten Virgins:
"Then shall the KINGDOM OF HEAVEN [emphasis added]
be likened unto ten virgins which took their lamps,
and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
"Five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were
foolish brought their lamps and took no extra oil, but
the wise took oil in vessels with their lamps.
"While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at
midnight there was a cry... behold, the Bridegroom
cometh; go ye out to meet Him...
"And the foolish said unto the wise, give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.
But the wise answered, saying, not so; lest there be not enough for us and
you: But go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.
“And while they went to buy, the Bridegroom came; and they that were
ready went in with Him to the marriage: and the door was shut.
Afterward came the other virgins saying,
Lord, open to us. But He answered
and said... I KNOW YOU NOT
[emphasis added]."
(Matt. 25:1-12)
The fact that the foolish virgins wanted to attend the marriage of the Bridegroom, and also knocked upon the door to the marriage, indicates that the Five Foolish Virgins believed in Jesus ("the Bridegroom"). And because the Parable refers to both the "foolish" and "wise" as “virgins” indicates they are all Good People.
Yet, the door to the Bridegroom's marriage was shut to the "foolish virgins,” and the Lord said: "I know you not" (Matt. 25:12). Does this mean that Basically Good People will be grouped with Unrepentant Liars and Murderers who dwell in hell?
God’s answer in the Bible offers fairness for Foolish Virgins! Being careful to avoid "private interpretation" (2 Peter 1:19-21), correct conclusions are based on Bible teachings:
In the Book of Revelation, the Apostle John defined a clear distinction in Judgment between those who believe in Jesus, in contrast to sinners that are “unbelieving”—who "shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone." John recorded:
"I am Alpha and Omega,
the beginning and the end. I will
give unto them that are athirst of the fountain
of the water of life freely. Those who are victorious will
inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children.
"But the cowardly, THE UNBELIEVING [emphasis added], the vile,
the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic
arts, the idolaters and ALL LIARS [emphasis added]—
they shall have their part in the lake which
burns with fire and brimstone."
(Rev. 21:7-8 NIV)
The reality of Heaven and Hell is parallel to Judgments of Good vs. Evil. But the Parable of the Ten Virgins is not about Good vs. Evil; it's a Parable about Wise vs. Foolish. This means that the Foolish Virgins were not evil; thus, not deserving of "fire and brimstone."
God's Solution for Fairness in Final Judgment. For God's Judgments to be Fair for all, Almighty God has already planned and prepared for three kingdoms of Heaven with varying degrees of glory. The Apostle Paul spoke of these three glories that will manifest during "the resurrection of the dead."
"There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial:
but the glory of the celestial is one, and the
glory of the terrestrial is another.
"There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon,
and another glory of the stars: for one star differs
from another star in glory. So also is
the resurrection of the dead."
(1 Cor. 15:40-42)
Based upon the order in which these contrasting glories are mentioned, Paul correlates the “glory of the celestial” with the “glory of the sun.”
Confirming the truth of three Heavens, Paul also wrote:
"I knew a man in Christ ... (whether in the body, ... or whether
out of the body, I cannot tell) ... such an one caught up
to THE THIRD HEAVEN [emphasis added]...
that he was caught up into paradise, and
heard unspeakable words, ... Of
such an one will I glory."
(2 Cor. 12:2-5)
The Celestial Kingdom, or Glory of the Sun, is the "third” and highest Heaven.
When Jesus spoke of the “kingdom of heaven” 31 times, and the "kingdom of God" 5 more times in the Gospel of Matthew, the Lord was speaking of the Celestial Heaven—where God the Father and His Son Jesus dwell.
What we learn from the Parable of the Ten Virgins, combined with verses in chapter 21 of the Book of Revelation, here's what the Bible teaches about eternal rewards that God gives His children "according to their works” (Rev. 20:12).
1) "Wise Virgins," who are fully faithful and true to the testimony of Jesus,
will inherit the Glory of the Sun ... the Celestial Kingdom.
2) "Foolish Virgins," who believed in Jesus and were good people, but not
fully faithful to Christ’s teachings and example,
will inherit the Glory of the Moon ... the Terrestrial Kingdom.
3) "The Unbelieving," who did not accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior. And
those who were vile, sexually immoral, idolaters,
all liars, and murderers—whether or not
they superficially believed in Jesus,
will inherit the Glory of the Stars ... the Telestial Kingdom.
Of the last two groups, Foolish Virgins and The Unbelieving, it's important to recall the words of Christ that describe Wise and Faithful Believers:
“Verily, verily, I say unto you,
He that believeth on me,
the works that I do
shall he do also"
(John 14:12)
Only Faithful Followers of Christ are True Believers who inherit Celestial Glory. And because Foolish Virgins fell short of this Celestial Standard, their eternal reward will be the Glory of the Moon.
Here's an essential principle for making Fair Judgments:
“For everyone to
whom much is given,
from him much will be required.
(Luke 12:48)
Therefore, because "Foolish Virgins" believed in Jesus, "much [was] required" of them—but "much" was not what Foolish Virgins lived up to.
Celestial Law calls for a total commitment to Loving God and Neighbor "with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength" (Mark 12:30). The words: all heart, all soul, all mind, and all strength describe complete consecration to following Christ!
Our Infinitely Wise Heavenly Father has previously prepared His Plan for Fair Judgment "from the foundation of the world" (Matt. 25:34). The Savior said:
“Let not your heart be troubled: ... In my Father's house are many
mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you.
I go to prepare a place for you."
(John 14:1-2)
Bottom Line: the Bible does not confirm the pervasive and dubious doctrine that just Heaven or Hell are the only eternal options in God's Final and Fair Judgment.
Almighty God is Infinitely Wise. God "knows all things" (1 John 3:20) and "His understanding is infinite" (Psalm 147:5). The Apostle Paul gives this witness:
“O the depth of the riches both
of the wisdom and knowledge of God!
how unsearchable are his judgments,
and his ways past finding out!"
(Romans 11:33)
Since God is Infinitely Wise, how much sense does it make for Him to provide only two consequences in the Day of Judgment?
Glaring inequities arise when Judgments are either pitch black or pure white on the Day of Accountability; such black and white judgments necessarily result in Unfairness that fails to reflect God's Infinite Wisdom!
Judgments of only Heaven or Hell mean that less-faithful souls who believe in Jesus, will necessarily be judged to join vile murderers in hell. Why? Remember, to the Foolish Virgins the "Lord ... answered and said... I know you not" (Matt. 25:1-12).
But an Infinitely Wise Father in Heaven does not make Unfair Judgments; which is why basically Good People—Foolish Virgins—will not be cast into hell with evil people.
Further, eternal fairness cannot have Foolish and Unfaithful Believers inherit the same kingdom of Glory as Wise Virgins who are Fully Faithful Believers.
This is why fair judgment calls for the Less-Faithful Believers to inherit the “glory of the moon” (1 Cor. 15:41)—an eternal reward that corresponds to specific decisions made and deeds done during mortal life, just as John the Revelator witnessed:
“And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God;
and the books were opened: and another book was opened,
which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things
which were written in the books, according to their works” (Rev. 20:12).
A Key Characteristic within the Highest Heaven. In Gethsemane, Jesus prayed:
“Neither pray I for [the apostles] alone, but for
them also which shall believe on me
through their word;
That they all may be one;
as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee,
that they also may be one ... even as we are one"
(John 17:20–22).
Jesus did not pray that His followers would be diverse, rather, He prayed that they “may be one ... even as we are one.”
So unity, not diversity, is one of Christ’s highest priorities: there will be Oneness among those who enter into God's Celestial Heaven. And that Unity will manifest in two ways:
1) Oneness in Belief and Active Support of Gospel Truths that encourage Believers to Love One Another and to faithfully obey the Teachings of Jesus.
2) Oneness in Belief and Unified Support of Gospel Truths about the Nature of Earthly and Heavenly Realities, for example:
* All of humanity are created "in [God's] image, after [His] likeness" (Gen. 1:26).
* God the Father and His Son Jesus are resurrected beings; each
with a glorified immortal body of "flesh and bones" (Luke 24:39).
* The "children of God"
(Rom. 8:16) are born in the Likeness and Image
of both their Earthly Parents, as well as their Heavenly Parents; this
means, all human beings—male and female—are
members of the same Eternal Family.
From the beginning, our Omniscient God realized that some of His children would ultimately choose not to Believe in His Word, nor would they choose to humbly walk in the example of Jesus; thus, Judgments of Heavenly Fairness reflect varying degrees of faithfulness.
In the end, only those who Faithfully Obey God's Commandments by Living them, will enter into the Highest Kingdom of Heaven. And why is this so? Recall that Christ's Gethsemane prayer expressed this Heavenly Priority:
“That they may be one, even as we are one."
(John 17:22)
The Correct Concept of the Oneness of God. The oneness that Christ prayed for in Gethsemane is a oneness of every Godly Attribute of Goodness: One in Love and Kindness, One in Compassion and Consideration, One in Promise and Purpose.
In stark contrast, there is a Oneness that Jesus never prayed for, nor do the scriptures teach this non-biblical version of Oneness: that God the Father and Jesus are "of one substance." This dubious doctrine was established in the Creed of Nicaea, 325 A.D.
But let's assume for a moment that the Nicene Creed is correct: This would mean Jesus was praying for His apostles to "be one [in substance]" (John 17:6-11), and He was also praying that those who would believe the apostle's words might become "of one substance."
If God and Jesus really were one in substance, the Savior's Gethsemane-prayer would have reflected the Father and the Son's true nature, and thus be worded this way:
“That they may be one [in substance],
even as [the Father and the Son]
are one [in substance]."
(John 17:22)
The idea that the Father and the Son are "of one substance"—and that all of God's faithful children will become "of one substance," contradicts at least three gospel truths:
1) All of humanity are created in God's Image and after His Likeness (Gen. 1:26).
2) Jesus Christ was resurrected with an immortal body of "flesh and bones" (Luke 24:39).
3) All mortals will be resurrected in the same manner that Christ was resurrected.
Therefore, the idea that Jesus was praying for millions of Believers to become "of one substance" with Jesus and the Father, is a colossal contradiction of Bible truths.
The Bible absolutely does not teach the false doctrine that the Father and the Son are "of one substance;" in contrast, the Bible does indeed teach that God and His Son are two separate embodied beings:
* "Stephen, ... saw the glory of God, and Jesus
standing at the right hand of God." (Acts 7:55)
* "After the Lord Jesus had spoken ... he was taken up into heaven
and he sat at the right hand of God." (Mark 16:19)
* "Jesus himself stood in the midst of them ... and saith unto them ...
Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me,
and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones,
as ye see me have." (Luke 24:36-39)
Again, while the Father and the Son are not "of one substance," they are ONE in Godly Attributes of Love, Kindness, Compassion, Promise, and Purpose.
Ultimately, truths about God's nature are established through the combined witnesses of the prophets of God, some of whom have spoken with God "face to face," for example:
Jacob (Gen. 32:30), Moses (Ex. 33:11), and Ezekiel (Ezek. 20:34-36).
While other prophets have "walked with God," such as:
Enoch (Gen. 5:22), and Noah (Gen. 6:9).
Here's a True Principle that applies to learning and knowing Bible truths:
“Surely the Lord God will do nothing,
but he revealeth his secret unto
his servants the prophets."
(Amos 3:7)
In the Garden of Gethsemane, the reality that the Savior was praying to His Father in Heaven, is solid evidence that confirms: God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, are two separate embodied beings—each with a glorified immortal body of flesh and bones.
The Bible testifies that all mortals are literally created in the Likeness and Image of God:
“And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness" (Gen. 1:26).
"And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son
in his own likeness, and after his image;
and called his name Seth."
(Gen. 5:3)
And when Moses spoke with God, here how the Bible described that experience:
“And the Lord spake
unto Moses face to face, as
a man speaketh unto his friend."
(Exodus 33:11).
Narrow is the Way to Eternal Life and Few Find It. During his Sermon on the Mount, Christ declared this truth:
“Enter ye in at the
strait gate: for wide
is the gate, and broad
is the way, that leadeth to
destruction, and many there
be which go in thereat: Because
strait is the gate, and narrow is the way,
which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it."
(Matt. 7:13-14)
The reason why "few [will] find ... the way, which leadeth unto life" is easily explained: Let's start with honoring and obeying the 1st and 2nd Great Commandments:
Celestial Law calls for a total commitment to Loving God and Neighbor "with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength" (Mark 12:30).
Again, the words: all heart, all soul, all mind, and all strength express complete consecration to obeying every command, and to keeping every covenant. Sounds like a tall order, right?
Nevertheless, "precept upon precept; line upon line" (Isaiah 28:10), one step at a time, the Lord can and will empower His humble servants through His mighty atonement, to become "new creatures" (2 Cor. 5:17) who can and will give all heart, all soul, all mind, and all strength to following their Savior. Remember:
“With men this is impossible; but with
God all things are possible."
(Matt. 19:26)
Therefore, all those who will inherit the Celestial Kingdom of Heaven will live in Oneness and Unity by faithfully living these teachings of their Lord and Savior:
#1) Believe in Christ — "God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. ... but he that believeth not is condemned already, ... he that believeth not the Son shall not see life" (John 3:15-18, 36). "And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day" (John 6:40). "I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved ... I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep" (John 10:9-11).
#2) Be Born Again — "Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. ... Ye must be born again" (John 3:5, 7).
#3) Become Converted — "Except ye be converted ... ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 18:3). Christ clarified the meaning of conversion in the example of Peter, who believed that Jesus was the Christ (Matt. 16:16), but was not yet "converted" (Luke 22:32-34).
#4) Be Humble and Childlike — "Except ye ... become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 18:3-4). "Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein" (Luke 18:17).
#5) Believe in the Father — "He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life" (John 5:24).
#6) Do the Will of the Father — "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven" (Matt. 7:21). "I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me" (John 5:30). "For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me" (John 6:38).
#7) Hear and Follow Jesus — "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life" (John 10:27-28). "He that heareth my word ... hath everlasting life" (John 5:24). "Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? ... Jesus said unto him, ... come and follow me" (Matt. 19:16, 21).
#8) Be Baptized — "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned" (Mark 16:16). "He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also ... If ye love me, keep my commandments" (John 14:12, 15). "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost" (Matt. 28:19). "Grant that these my two sons may sit ... in thy kingdom. But Jesus answered and said, ... Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?" (Matt. 20:21-22).
#9) Eat of the Bread of Life — "I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world" (John 6:51).
#10) Drink of Living Water — "But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst ... a well of water springing up into everlasting life" (John 4:10-14).
#11) Partake of His Flesh and Blood — "Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. ... He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him" (John 6:53-56). "I am the true vine ... Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing" (John 15:1-5).
#12) Love God and Neighbor — "Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? ... Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. ... this do, and thou shalt live" (Luke 10:25-28). "And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. ... Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little. And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven. ... Thy faith hath saved thee" (Luke 7:44, 47-50). The woman's expression of love, and her faith are as two sides of one coin; thus, Obeying the Great Commandments & Believing in Christ are inseparable.
#13) Show Charity — "Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world ... Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire ... Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal" (Matt. 25:34, 40-41, 45-46).
#14) Love your Enemies — "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven" (Matt. 5:44-45).
#15) Endure to the End — "And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved" (Mark 13:13). "For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. ... Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted ... and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake. ... But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved" (Matt. 24:7-13). "Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 5:10).
#16) Have Done Good — "Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation" (John 5:28-29). "Jesus saith unto him, ... I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works... Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also" (John 14:9-12). "And Jesus answered and said unto them, My mother and my brethren are these which hear the word of God, and do it" (Luke 6:21):
* * * * *
Why are these particular principles emphasized? Because the previous Gospel Principles summarize ALL Bible passages where Jesus mentioned one of His Highest Imperatives for the Eternal Destiny of humanity:
Be Saved
Inherit Eternal Life
Enter the Kingdom of Heaven
For example: "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved" (Mark 16:16), and
"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
And I give unto them eternal life" (John 10:27-28), and
"Except ye be converted ... ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 18:3)
The previous 16 Principles represent what you and I must do ... in order to:
Be Saved
Inherit Eternal Life
Enter the Kingdom of Heaven
Burning Question? Who then, will receive the consequence called "hell"?
Jesus answered this question:
“Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy
shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost
shall not be forgiven unto men. And whosoever speaketh a word against the
Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh
against
the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven
him, neither in this world, neither
in the world to come.”
(Matt. 12:31-32)
Here's another Bible passage that speaks of the Unforgivable Sin of Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost. The Savior said:
“Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men,
and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme:
But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost
hath never forgiveness, but is in danger
of eternal damnation."
(Mark 3:28-29)
In order for anyone to commit Blasphemy Against the Holy Ghost, that person must first have received a Witness of Truth from the Holy Ghost, and thereafter, Intentionally Rebelled against that Known Truth.
This Bible principle applies to those who are condemned to Outer Darkness:
“For everyone to
whom much is given,
from him much will be required;
and to whom much has been committed,
of him they will ask the more.”
(Luke 12:48 NKJV)
It follows that those who grievously sin against Light and Truth revealed by the Holy Ghost, after clearly knowing that Truth, will receive the greatest of all condemnations: even the eternal damnation of "outer darkness" (Matt. 25:30)—also called "hell" (Matt. 10:28) as well as "hell fire" (Matt. 5:22).
Our Father is Heaven is a Loving and Generous God; therefore, in the Day of Final Judgment, most of humanity will inherit one of Three Kingdoms of Glory:
1) "Wise Virgins" who are fully faithful: valiant in the testimony of Jesus,
will inherit the Glory of the Sun ... the Celestial Kingdom.
2) "Foolish Virgins" who believed in Jesus and were good people, but not
fully faithful to Christ’s teachings and example,
will inherit the Glory of the Moon ... the Terrestrial Kingdom.
3) "The Unbelieving" who did not accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior. And
those who were vile, sexually immoral, idolaters,
all liars, and murderers—whether or not
they superficially believed in Jesus,
will inherit the Glory of the Stars ... the Telestial Kingdom.
The reason why John the Revelator said that "the unbelieving ... shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone" (Rev. 21:8 NIV) is because these souls did not believe in Jesus during mortal life; thus, they had no "access" (Rom. 5:1-2) to Christ's atoning blood nor His saving grace! The Apostle Paul taught:
"For by grace are ye saved THROUGH FAITH [emphasis added]..."
"Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God
through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we
have ACCESS BY FAITH [emphasis added]
into this grace
wherein we stand"
(Eph. 2:8; Rom. 5:1-2).
Only the Atonement of Jesus Christ makes possible "redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace" (Eph. 1:7).
Because Telestial Sinners rejected faith and belief in the Savior during mortality, this means: "the unbelieving" had no access to grace through Faith in Jesus; thus, "the unbelieving ... shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone" (Rev. 21:8 NIV).
So that we are crystal clear, this vital truth is worth repeating:
The "unbelieving" could not be saved by Grace, because Grace is only accessed "through faith" (Eph. 2:8). Therefore, to be forgiven of their grievous sins, the "unbelieving" must suffer for their own sins, because the Justice of God requires that a penalty be paid.
And once the penalty has been paid by telestial sinners, then, the possibility of inheriting a kingdom of Glory opens up: the Glory of the Stars.
So, why aren't The Unbelieving simply cast into Hell permanently? Here's the answer, remember that Jesus promised:
“Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall
be forgiven unto men: ... And whosoever speaketh a word
against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him."
(Matt. 12:31).
Even though their sins may be grievous, Telestial Sinners who have not committed the Unforgivable Sin of Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, can still be forgiven by suffering for their own sins, which means they must experience the torment of "hell fire."
For most who inherit the “glory of the stars” (1 Cor. 15:41) the atoning torment of "hell fire" will last until the final resurrection, which happens at the very end of the Lord's Millennial Reign of 1000 years.
All who inherit a kingdom of Glory will eventually humbly bow and sincerely confess, as the Apostle Paul prophesied: "every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God" (Rom. 14:11) that Jesus is the Christ, the Anointed One, the prophesied Messiah.
Who Is Condemned to the Outer Darkness of Hell? Those sinners who have committed the Unforgivable Sin, will be condemned to endless punishment in the Outer Darkness of Hell—where they will suffer "unquenchable" (Mark 9:43 ASV) torment of hell fire in eternity.
I don't yet understand why the scriptures use the words "in eternity" rather than "for eternity"? The scriptures also use the phrase "from eternity to eternity," therefore, the word "eternity" may not simply be a synonym for the word "forever"?
Here are verses of scripture that speak of the torment of hell fire in eternity:
"For they are vessels of wrath,
doomed to suffer the wrath of God,
with the devil and his angels in eternity."
"Wherefore, he saves all except them—
they shall go away into everlasting punishment,
which is endless punishment, which is eternal punishment,
to reign with the devil and his angels in eternity."
In summary:
1) "Wise Virgins" who are fully faithful: valiant in the testimony of Jesus,
will inherit the Glory of the Sun ... the Celestial Kingdom.
2) "Foolish Virgins" who believed in Jesus and were good people, but not
fully faithful to Christ’s teachings and example,
will inherit the Glory of the Moon ... the Terrestrial Kingdom.
3) "The Unbelieving" who did not accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior. And
those who were vile, sexually immoral, idolaters,
all liars, and murderers—whether or not
they superficially believed in Jesus,
will inherit the Glory of the Stars ... the Telestial Kingdom.
In addition to three Kingdoms of Heaven, here is the fourth alternative on Judgment Day:
4) "Whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost"
and rejects God's Light and Truth after having received it,
such will inherit a kingdom of no Glory, and shall
be cast into the Outer Darkness of Hell.
What About Those who have Never Been Taught
the Gospel of Jesus Christ?
The only souls who will enter into the Celestial Kingdom of Glory will be the Wise and Faithful Believers in Jesus.
Now, what about all the people who have lived, or currently live, in Communist or Muslim Countries—where hearing the Gospel of Jesus Christ is simply not very available?
How will the God of Infinite Fairness make this situation Fair? Here's a True Principle that applies: Human beings cannot commit sin, unless they have first heard God's Truth:
"Therefore to him that knoweth to do good,
and doeth it not, to him it is sin."
(James 4:17)
Someone might say: "No one ever told me that murdering someone is wrong."
A formal teaching is not necessary for obvious sins because the Light of Christ, which is given to all of Humanity, will prompt a sense of conscience so that any person will know that: murdering is wrong or robbing a bank is wrong—the Spirit will prompt the right thing to do.
Thus, the sins that result in "damnation" from entering higher kingdoms of Glory, are the sins that we clearly know are wrong—and we do them anyway. Again, we must first clearly know God's Truth, in order to sin against that Truth.
God's Wise Plan Provides a Fair Chance to Receive His Truth. There is a fundamental difference between Believers versus Unbelievers, as well as a difference in the Eternal Consequences that each will receive on Judgment Day. Jesus taught:
"He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he
who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but
but the wrath of God abides on him."
(John 3:36)
There are many Hindus and Buddhists in our world (among other types of non-Christians), who are not yet accountable for a failure to Believe in Jesus, because they have not been taught Gospel Truths; hence, they do not yet "know to do good" (James 4:17)—in the way Jesus has explained His Truth in the Four Gospels.
Many souls throughout human history have not yet had a fair chance to hear and accept the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Here's the Good News: Because Almighty God is infinitely Just and Fair, all who have lived on earth will be given a fair chance to hear and receive God's Truth.
Our Wise Father in Heaven has already prepared a way for millions of souls—who were not clearly taught the gospel of Jesus Christ during mortal life—to hear the fullness of the Lord's Gospel and receive it, if they choose.
This chance to hear and receive the Lord's Gospel was alluded to by the Apostle Peter:
"For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that
He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but
quickened by the Spirit: By which also He went
and preached unto the spirits in prison."
(1 Peter 3:18-19)
Most of the souls in Spirit Prison are destined for the Glory of the Stars OR "outer darkness" (Matt. 25:30), a.k.a., "the lowest hell" (Deut. 22:32; Psalm 86:13).
Such a curious wording: "the lowest hell." Here's one way of understanding that description: There will be some Believers who fully expect to return to God's presence, by applying a couple of Bible passages penned by Paul:
"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ
and you will be saved."
(Acts 16:31)
"If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord
and believe in your heart that God raised
him from the dead you will be saved."
(Romans 10:9)
And when this Salvation Formula doesn't lead to being in God's Presence, some believers might view the receiving of a lesser glory, as a type of "hell"—but not "the lowest hell."
There is a problem with piecing together a couple of Bible passages by Paul, and then concluding: This is all I must do to be saved! Further, there are some Christian Preachers who proclaim this incomplete message that undercuts the teachings of Christ.
Jesus Christ IS the Primary Source of Gospel Truth. It is Jesus who does the Saving, so it makes perfect sense to carefully study His words in the Four Gospels, and take the two previous passages by Paul, and add them to the 16 Principles established by Christ—because the Son of God is the one who "saves."
Jesus is the primary source from which we must base our understanding of His Gospel. And the 16 principles that Christ declared, represent what we must do to reap these rewards:
Be Saved
Inherit Eternal Life
Enter the
Kingdom of Heaven
Jesus taught His followers How to Be Saved at least 4 times in the New Testament:
"I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved... I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep"
(John 10:9-11).
"He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned." (Mark 16:16)
"And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. ... Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: ... And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven. ... Thy faith hath saved thee."
(Luke 7:44, 47-50)
"For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. ... Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted ... and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake. ... But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved."
(Matt. 24:7-13)
The words "shall be saved" are a short phrase that refers to the major ways that Jesus "saves." From the Gospel of Matthew, the verb "save" is given a direct object:
"And [Mary] will bring forth a Son,
and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will
SAVE [emphasis added] His people from their sins.”
(Matt. 1:21)
Jesus will save His people from their sins, and Jesus will also save all humanity from the permanent death of the mortal body:
"Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life:
he that believeth in me, though he were dead,
yet shall he live: And whosoever
liveth and believeth in me
shall never die."
(John 11:25-26)
Jesus did not just focus upon one glorious goal, "being saved." Instead, Jesus identified three Heavenly Goals:
Be Saved
Inherit Eternal Life
Enter the
Kingdom of Heaven
Everyone who receives a Kingdom of Glory will meet this firm requirement:
"For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written...
every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God.
So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God."
(Romans 14:10-12)
Those souls in Spirit Prison who will not humbly "bow" and will not sincerely "confess" will be cast into the Outer Darkness of Hell.
In the Day of Final Judgment, because "God knoweth your hearts" (Luke 16:15), He will discern between those who humbly bow and sincerely confess, in contrast to those who feign humility, in a vein attempt to avoid Outer Darkness.
Again, those souls who chose not to believe in Jesus during mortal life, and thereafter, died in their sins, lost the chance to cast their sinful burdens upon Christ (Psalm 55:22), and, as mentioned before, they must suffer for their own sins.
To meet the Demands of God's Perfect Justice, all unrepentant souls will suffer for their own sins; after which, many will still enter into a kingdom of Glory—but such is conditioned upon whether they have committed the Unforgivable Sin of Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost.
Of those souls who did not repent during mortal life, and died in their sins, the Savior said:
"I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer
if they would repent; But if they would not repent they must suffer even as I;
Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain,
to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit... Wherefore, I command
you again to repent, lest I humble you with my almighty power;
and that you confess your sins, lest you suffer these
punishments of which I have spoken."
(Doctrine & Covenants 19:16-20)
* * * * *
"For by grace are ye saved THROUGH FAITH [emphasis added];
and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God"
(Eph. 2:8).
We "have access" (Romans 5:1-2) to God's Saving Grace "through faith" in our Lord and Savior. Some Christians incorrectly believe that we are Saved by Grace alone, with no mention of the words "through faith"—the very words used in the Bible: Ephesians 2:8.
This is one of many misinterpretations of the Most Misinterpreted Verse in the Bible. The words "through faith" affirm what Jesus taught:
“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."
(John 3:16)
Believing in Jesus, a.k.a., having Faith in Him, means that we must "follow his steps" (1 Pet. 2:21). For, if there is no Following, there is no Faith! We must have an active and living Faith in Jesus Christ to be saved by God's Grace. As the Apostle James taught:
“Faith, if it hath not works is dead, being alone...
Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the
devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know,
O vain man, that faith without works is dead?...
For as the body without the spirit is dead,
so faith without works is dead also."
(James 2:15-26)
And "dead" faith has no "access" (Rom. 5:1-2) to Saving Grace.
Related Articles:
The Most Misunderstood Bible Passage: Ephesians 2:8-9 — Saved by Grace through Faith
Why is the Hebrew Literary Tradition of Chiasmus found in the Book of Mormon?
The Journey
The Journey
For this is the Journey that mortals make:
To find themselves. If they fail in this, it matters little
whatever else they may achieve: Money, Fame, Revenge, Pleasure.
When they end the Journey, they can put them all into
a bin marked "ashes." They mean nothing.
But if one has found that she has within her
a divine soul, if she has discovered the principles
upon which the fulfillment of that soul is based, and
if she implements those principles, then she has a mansion
within which she can live with dignity
and joy each day of her life.
* * * * * * *
The Greatest Prize
for Life's labors isn't
in material possessions
or impressive accomplishments,
but in the progress of personal character.
You labor for your own becoming, this is your richest reward.
Who You Become is your greatest possession,
make it your Masterpiece!
(Changing Your Stripes, 3rd Edition, page 274)
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Social Psychologist & Personal Advisor
