We die only once, and then we are judged. (Hebrews 9:27)
Here is another scripture used to prove that once we die, there is no hope if we haven't accepted Jesus. (Actually, as far as I know, it's the only scripture that 'proves' this.) Supposedly this means we are judged, either to go to heaven or hell for all eternity; end of story. But let me show you another scripture:
Don't be surprised! The time will come when all of the dead will hear the voice of the Son of Man, and they will come out of their graves. Everyone who has done good things will rise to life, but everyone who has done evil things will rise and be condemned. (John 5:28-29)
Hummm...the dead who are in eternal hell will be brought back so they can be thrown back in. That seems odd, doesn't it? Let's look at it from the Young's Literal translation:
Wonder not at this, because there doth come an hour in which all those in the tombs shall hear his voice, and they shall come forth; those who did the good things to a rising again of life, and those who practiced the evil things to a rising again of judgment.
Notice the difference between "condemned" and "judgment." Condemned sounds sort of final, sort of hopeless. Judgment sounds a little more hopeful I think. When singers stand before the judges on "American Idol," and they say, "That sucked"...usually it's because they want to help them, and not just to let them know they are a piece of crap. (Unless it's Simon Cowell...do you think God is like him?) Let's look at what Jesus says right before he says this, and maybe it will shed a little light:
For, as the Father doth raise the dead, and doth make alive, so also the Son doth make alive whom he willeth; for neither doth the Father judge any one, but all the judgment He hath given to the Son, that all may honour the Son according as they honour the Father; he who is not honouring the Son, doth not honour the Father who sent him. `Verily, verily, I say to you -- He who is hearing my word, and is believing Him who sent me, hath life age-during, and to judgment he doth not come, but hath passed out of the death to the life. `Verily, verily, I say to you -- There cometh an hour, and it now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and those having heard shall live; for, as the Father hath life in himself, so He gave also to the Son to have life in himself, and authority He gave him also to do judgment, because he is Son of Man.
A few things I think are important; first, Jesus says he makes alive those whom he chooses. (His choice, not ours.) Second, he says the hour is now that the dead hear his voice and have life. (Physical or spiritual death and life?) Thirdly, Jesus said God gave him authority to do judgement because he is son of Man. "Doing" judgement seems active...again, like it has purpose. And why point out he has authority to do this action because he is son of man, instead of son of God? Things to think about.
PS...I was just watching "Super Nanny," a show where a nanny spends time with families who are struggling with parenting. At one point, she brings in video footage to watch with the parents so she can "judge" their parenting. Today the mother turned to Super Nanny and said, "You are such a good teacher, because you don't make us feel like loser parents." Do you think Super Nanny is a more compassionate and loving judge and teacher than Jesus?
Here is another scripture used to prove that once we die, there is no hope if we haven't accepted Jesus. (Actually, as far as I know, it's the only scripture that 'proves' this.) Supposedly this means we are judged, either to go to heaven or hell for all eternity; end of story. But let me show you another scripture:
Don't be surprised! The time will come when all of the dead will hear the voice of the Son of Man, and they will come out of their graves. Everyone who has done good things will rise to life, but everyone who has done evil things will rise and be condemned. (John 5:28-29)
Hummm...the dead who are in eternal hell will be brought back so they can be thrown back in. That seems odd, doesn't it? Let's look at it from the Young's Literal translation:
Wonder not at this, because there doth come an hour in which all those in the tombs shall hear his voice, and they shall come forth; those who did the good things to a rising again of life, and those who practiced the evil things to a rising again of judgment.
Notice the difference between "condemned" and "judgment." Condemned sounds sort of final, sort of hopeless. Judgment sounds a little more hopeful I think. When singers stand before the judges on "American Idol," and they say, "That sucked"...usually it's because they want to help them, and not just to let them know they are a piece of crap. (Unless it's Simon Cowell...do you think God is like him?) Let's look at what Jesus says right before he says this, and maybe it will shed a little light:
For, as the Father doth raise the dead, and doth make alive, so also the Son doth make alive whom he willeth; for neither doth the Father judge any one, but all the judgment He hath given to the Son, that all may honour the Son according as they honour the Father; he who is not honouring the Son, doth not honour the Father who sent him. `Verily, verily, I say to you -- He who is hearing my word, and is believing Him who sent me, hath life age-during, and to judgment he doth not come, but hath passed out of the death to the life. `Verily, verily, I say to you -- There cometh an hour, and it now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and those having heard shall live; for, as the Father hath life in himself, so He gave also to the Son to have life in himself, and authority He gave him also to do judgment, because he is Son of Man.
A few things I think are important; first, Jesus says he makes alive those whom he chooses. (His choice, not ours.) Second, he says the hour is now that the dead hear his voice and have life. (Physical or spiritual death and life?) Thirdly, Jesus said God gave him authority to do judgement because he is son of Man. "Doing" judgement seems active...again, like it has purpose. And why point out he has authority to do this action because he is son of man, instead of son of God? Things to think about.
PS...I was just watching "Super Nanny," a show where a nanny spends time with families who are struggling with parenting. At one point, she brings in video footage to watch with the parents so she can "judge" their parenting. Today the mother turned to Super Nanny and said, "You are such a good teacher, because you don't make us feel like loser parents." Do you think Super Nanny is a more compassionate and loving judge and teacher than Jesus?
