Monday, November 17, 2008

Common misconceptions about Heaven

People do not become angels# God created angels as angels (Colossians 1:16). They have never been anything else. People do not become angels when they die. We do not know how many angels there are, but the Bible refers to them as an innumerable company (Hebrews 12:22).
# God created the angels as spirit beings (Psalm 104:4). Because they are spirits, they are unseen by human eyes. An angel takes on a form that can be seen temporarily if this will help an angel do his assigned task on earth. In the Bible, angels are highly diverse in appearance. They are usually so awesome when they appear that their first words are, "Fear not." Angelic appearances in the Scriptures include being seen as a bright light, fire, having wings (but never a halo), or like an ordinary person. As spirit beings, angels are not only invisible but also immortal. They never get sick or die. They are without gender as we know it, being neither male nor female, and they do not marry (Matthew 22:28-30).

Rev. James MacDonald clarifies common misconceptions about Heaven

1. Every time you see a shooting star there is an angel in Heaven who gets their wings. Comes from "It's a Wonderful Life." Great movie-not Biblical.
2. When a child dies people will say "I guess God needed another angel." As if God were saying in Heaven "Hey were short on angels so somebody run over little Billy with a bus." Is that not a tragic view of the loving kindness of an almighty God.
3. Heaven is a place where you sit on clouds for eternity and play harps. How boring it would be to be in Heaven all that time just playing harps. No wonder we're so attached to this world with all these misconceptions of Heaven.
4. You won't know if your going to Heaven until you get there. Like you'll arrive at the gates and St. Peter will be there standing at the gates and he kind of looks you in the eye but you're not sure if you're getting in and he's going to ask you some skill testing question like "what's the square route of 75?" and if you don't answer it right there on the spot there gonna be like "release the hounds." And you're finished.
5. You can get to Heaven by being a good person. What an affront to the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary that you can get to Heaven by yourself. I guess He died for nothing. Does anyone believe that Jesus died for nothing? Jesus Christ did not die for nothing. He died to pay for our sins because He is the only hope for eternal life.

2 comments:

elizabeth embracing life said...

I loved reading this. I laughed. How little minds can not conceive Heaven ever. It's the biggest present of all, and now one gets it until we die, no guessing or rattling the package. Thanks for sharing this today.

RamblingMother said...

I love James MacDonald!!

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