Truly I tell you, today...
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Object:
"Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise." I've heard this verse applied in
lots of ways. Some insist it means that unbaptized people can go to heaven. Those
teachers appear to forget that Jesus' new covenant came into effect after his
resurrection.
Others claim that it teaches that we go to heaven immediately after death. Caution is required on this point, too. Samuel the prophet didn't descend from heaven in angelic form to give King Saul the bad news of his imminent death. He temporarily rose from the grave as a "disturbed" aged man (1 Samuel 28:5-19).
In addition, once we die, we are no longer subject to time. Time means nothing while we are asleep. When we awaken, we don't know whether one hour has elapsed or ten. In the same way, we're evidently not conscious of time from the day of our death until resurrection day. That's why Paul said we're "asleep" (1 Thessalonians 4:14 footnote). The most important point for those in Christ is, however, nothing can separate us from God's love in Christ Jesus.
Others claim that it teaches that we go to heaven immediately after death. Caution is required on this point, too. Samuel the prophet didn't descend from heaven in angelic form to give King Saul the bad news of his imminent death. He temporarily rose from the grave as a "disturbed" aged man (1 Samuel 28:5-19).
In addition, once we die, we are no longer subject to time. Time means nothing while we are asleep. When we awaken, we don't know whether one hour has elapsed or ten. In the same way, we're evidently not conscious of time from the day of our death until resurrection day. That's why Paul said we're "asleep" (1 Thessalonians 4:14 footnote). The most important point for those in Christ is, however, nothing can separate us from God's love in Christ Jesus.
