A. The word translated “Paradise” comes from the Persian word for a large park or preserve, and was intended to evoke images of the Garden of Eden. It was thought of as a place of peace and comfort.   Before the cross it was widely believed to be the side of Sheol (Hades) where the believing dead went to await the coming Redeemer.  For this reason the Jews often called it Abraham’s Bosom (Luke 16:19-26) since Abraham is the father of the faithful.  It’s where Jesus went between the crucifixion and the resurrection (Luke 23:43). Once He had completed His work as our High Priest (Hebr. 9:11-12), Heaven’s Gates were opened and since then the spirits of believers who die go straight to be with Him there (2 Cor. 5:8).

The notion of a third heaven is from Greek thinking.  They believed the first heaven is what we call the atmosphere, the visible arch of the sky where the clouds drift.  The second heaven is the universe beyond, and the third Heaven is where the throne of God is located.

2 Cor. 12:2-4 appears to connect paradise with the third heaven.  Some say this is because early Church fathers believed that the original Garden of Eden still exists in a heavenly place near God’s throne.  If so, it would mean that like everything else, the Garden of Eden on Earth was a copy of one in Heaven.

A.  No one in the example is wandering aimlessly without direction.  Everyone is on a road going to a destination they’ve chosen.  Since no one makes an informed conscious decision to go down a road they know leads to destruction, they are all heading for something they want. The context of the passage indicates the destination they all want is eternal life.  People who don’t believe in a life after this one would not be on either road.

The few who travel the narrow road are those who are walking solely by faith in the Lord’s completed work on their behalf. The many on the broad road are everyone else seeking eternal life, whether they profess to be Christian but follow some form of salvation by works, or are looking to the false religions for their salvation. By telling us to look for the narrow road with the small gate, Jesus was warning us to make sure we’re on the right road.

A. The name Dives  (Dee-ves) comes from the Latin Vulgate translation of the Bible.   Since Dives means “rich man” in Latin most scholars believe this is a tradition rather than an established fact.

You’re correct in saying that in the Lord’s parables characters aren’t named, so because the main character, Lazarus, is named this can’t be a parable.  Instead it’s the Bible’s clearest glimpse into the after world, and gives clear direction on the need to settle the salvation issue before dying.  Hebr. 9:27 tells us that man is destined to die once and after that to face judgment.

A. Jesus didn’t offer any description of the treasure we’re storing up in heaven, but I don’t think it’s a big bank account, or a vault full of gold and jewels.  He only said that we should focus our lives here on storing it up there, for where our treasure is, our heart will be also.

While it has something to do with how we use our money here, my guess is that it’s a spiritual thing there, something of a much more enduring value than money or material possessions. Like He said, material things rust and rot, but treasure in Heaven doesn’t. (Matt. 6:19-21)

The Bible doesn’t say anything about needing personal wealth in heaven, at least not in the sense we think of it here.  It may be that He was saying we’ll have a much more fulfilling life if we focus on things of eternal significance rather than on just enriching ourselves.

A.  In a similar case, I told the unbelieving parents that their child had begun her eternal life with the Lord and would now be pain free, healthy, and filled with joy forever. I showed them Paul’s statement that for those who belong to the Lord (which includes all children) to die is to gain (Phil 1:22).  I also showed them the Lord’s statement that for believers the next life holds no more death or mourning or crying or pain (Rev. 21:4).

I said their daughter had been spared the dangers and disappointments of this world and the issue of her life was resolved.  That left the issue of theirs.  Would they decide to remain forever apart from her, or would they decide to be reunited with her and share her eternal happiness. When they asked how to be reunited we began a discussion of the gospel and a short time later they became believers who are now grateful for the healing their daughter received and know they’ll see her again soon.

You should pray for the Holy Spirit to soften the heart of this unbelieving father and draw him toward the Lord.  And when he begins to ask questions, say something similar to what I said.

A.  All aborted babies belong to the Lord and have eternal life.  We know this because life begins at conception (Psalm 139:13-14) and all children below the age of accountability have eternal life (Romans 7:9).

We also know that during the Church age, the spirits of those who belong to the Lord go directly  to be with Him upon death  (2 Cor. 5:6-8).  There they await the resurrection that will accompany the rapture.  Therefore I think we can assume that babies who are aborted during the Church Age will be part of the Church.

A.  I don’t believe God ever intended for us to sustain our lives indefinitely by artificial means.  Therefore, I don’t think asking to be disconnected from a machine that is permanently necessary to keep us breathing is committing suicide.  But even if it was I don’t believe doing so would prevent a believer from going to heaven.  The moment we become believers our salvation is guaranteed by God (Ephesians 1:13-14) and all the sins of our life, past, present and future, are forgiven (Colossians 2:13-14). In His sight we become a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17), perfect forever (Hebr. 10:12-14).

“I believe in God the Father Almighty Creator of Heaven and Earth and in Jesus Christ, his Son, our Lord; Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; He descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty” (Excerpt from the Apostle’s Creed).

Recently a woman wrote with the following question. She said, “I have just discovered that some of my friends believe when Jesus became sin He took on the nature of Satan and went to hell where He was tormented by Satan and his demons until God called from heaven and said ‘enough’ and then the Holy Spirit entered Him again and Jesus became the 1st born again man.  I don’t believe this is true and have been looking for Biblical answers for them can you help?”

I’ve heard this teaching a number of times, and I’m convinced there are several problems with it. The verse her friends were referring to is 2 Cor. 5:21, “God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” Jesus bore the penalty for every sin mankind ever had or ever would commit as if He Himself was guilty of them all. This took place on the cross during the last three hours of His suffering that ended with His death.  Becoming sin for us is what made God turn away from Him, taking the light from the world, and it’s what caused Him to say, My God, My God why have you forsaken me? (Matt. 27:45-46).

Taking on the sin of the world caused a separation between the Father and the Son that had never occurred before, and while Jesus had steeled Himself against the physical abuse He was suffering, He was not prepared for that. It’s the only part of the whole ordeal He couldn’t bear in silence.

At the end of that time, knowing that all was completed and so the Scripture would be fulfilled, He asked for a drink. Then He said, “It is finished,” and died (John 19:28-30).  This was the end of His suffering. He had done what He came to do, and that’s to die for the sins of the world (John 1:29). There would be no more suffering on our account. This is confirmed in the Greek word John used in the Lord’s statement. It’s tetelesti, a form of the Greek verb teleo, which means to accomplish or complete. It also means to discharge a debt, and in the Lord’s day it was an accounting term that meant nothing further was owing. The debt we owed to God was paid in full. There would have been no reason for the Lord to endure further torment.

Here’s Another Problem

The Gospel of Luke makes reference to a brief conversation Jesus had with one of the two men being crucified with Him that gives rise to another problem. While one of the men hurled insults at Him, the other one declared the Lord’s innocence and said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”

Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:39-43)

Jesus said He was going to Paradise, and yet the Apostle’s Creed I quoted from above said He descended into Hell. Which was it? For the answer, let’s go to the Bible’s most detailed description of the after life experience as it was before the cross. It’s the story of the Rich Man and Lazarus and it’s found in Luke 16:19-31.

Tell Us A Story

“There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.

“The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’

“But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’

“He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father’s house, 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.’”

Some call this story a parable, but I think it was the account of something that really happened. The Lord’s parables generally weren’t about actual people but were hypothetical in nature. In this story we see real people in a real situation. It’s almost as if He expected His audience to know who He was talking about.

I think the Lord was pointing to His own future by saying that God gave us His word as a guide for life and death, but if people don’t believe it they won’t be persuaded even if someone (Himself for instance) comes back from the dead. Because of this, I’m skeptical of the popular stories about people who claim to have been to heaven or hell and have been allowed to return and tell us about what it’s like. If God refused to let Lazarus come back to warn the rich man’s five brothers, why would He suddenly let all kinds of people come back to warn people now?

Back To Our Subject

But our topic here is what Jesus did after He died and the story of the rich man and Lazarus can help us understand that as well.

The spiritual condition of these two men is not revealed in so many words. But by their destinations we can tell what it was. Upon his death, angels carried Lazarus to Abraham’s side. This term was the Jewish expression for a place of comfort in Sheol, the abode of the dead, that was also called Paradise. It’s the place Jesus said He was going to in Luke 23:43. It was where all believers from the time before the cross went until the resurrection took them to heaven. In the early church, some believed that Paradise was the actual Garden of Eden and was neither in Heaven nor on Earth. Being taken there indicates Lazarus had died believing in a coming redeemer who would pay the penalty for His sins and qualify him for the resurrection to eternal life.

When the rich man died he was taken to hell. The Greek word for hell is Hades. It’s equivalent to the Hebrew word Sheol which, as I said, is the abode of the dead. That means it’s the same place where Lazarus went, but while Lazarus enjoyed a place of comfort, the rich man’s lot was agony in the fire. This tells us he was not a believer. He could see Lazarus but he couldn’t join him. The time for choosing his eternal destiny ended at his death just like it does for us. Hebrews 9:27 tells us man is destined to die but once and after that to face judgment.

Paradise was a only a temporary place for believers, who could not enter heaven until the blood of Jesus was sprinkled on the altar there (Hebrews 9:11-12). Since then all believers who die go directly to Heaven (Phil 1:21-23, 2 Cor. 5:6-8).

The part of Hades where the rich man went is also a temporary place. Rev. 20:13 tells us at the Great White throne judgment Hades will give up the dead that are in it and each person will face their final judgment before being cast into the lake of fire.

So although it wasn’t this way at the beginning, somewhere along the way Hades, or hell as we call it, came to be known as the place where unbelievers spend eternity in suffering and torment. I think this misunderstanding is at least partially responsible for the false teaching that Jesus was tormented by Satan there.

When Jesus went into Hades, He went as a conqueror, not as a victim. In the Bible there are only two references to the time between His death and His resurrection and both support this position. As we saw in Luke 23:43 He said He was going to Paradise immediately after He died and He was taking one of the men dying next to him along. And in 1 Peter 3:18-20 we’re told that by the power of the Holy Spirit He preached to the disobedient spirits imprisoned there, so He must have visited the other side of Hades as well. But it was not for the purpose of suffering. It was for the purpose of reminding them that their punishment was just and well deserved.

But Wait, There’s More

Finally, our writer mentioned that her friends believe Jesus became the first born again man after God put a stop to His suffering and the Holy Spirit entered Him again. But as we’ve just seen the Holy Spirit was with the Lord when He preached to the disobedient spirits.  More importantly, being born again is the result of accepting the Lord’s death as payment for all our sins. Jesus never sinned, and He didn’t have a sin nature. True, He became sin for us, but He had no need to be born again. On the contrary, He’s the one who made it possible for us to be born again.

In summary, there’s no Biblical support for the belief that the Lord’s suffering on our behalf continued after His death. Selah 09-01-12

A.  I haven’t read the book so I don’t have all the facts, but my own studies have convinced me that the Bible argues against any kind of “post life” second chance. Romans 1:18-20 says God has made His existence so clear in the creation that mankind is without excuse.   To me this means that no one can plead ignorance.    Also Hebrews 9:27 says man is destined to die once and after that to face judgment.  It seems to me that giving unbelievers a second chance for repentance after they’ve died due to lack of information during their lives would violate these two Biblical statements.

A.  Your view of the afterlife is correct. There’s no Biblical support for the belief that departed loved ones can observe us from Heaven.  This idea became popular to help the living maintain some kind of connection with their departed loved ones as a way to ease their loss.

The story of Lazarus is not about Heaven.  It’s about Paradise, a place where believers who died before the cross waited in comfort until the Lord sprinkled His blood on the altar in Heaven to open it for us (Hebrews 9:11-12).

But even if it was, Lazarus could not “look down” and see things on Earth.  The rich man asked Abraham to send Lazarus back to Earth to warn his brothers, but Abraham refused, saying the Scriptures are all they need (Luke 16: 19-31).

In 2 Cor. 4:18 Paul wrote that while we’re alive on Earth we can look forward to our eternal life with the Lord,  and are commanded to do so.  But as far as we can tell from the Bible, the connection between this life and the next one is broken at death.