Since death is a reality for everyone, “life after life” is a valid question for most, which we are exploring in this two-part study, this being part 2. The thought of death scares most people, because it’s seen as cutting life too short. Catholics go a step further than Protestants in answering that question, because for them it may also be a place called Purgatory, covered last week. They also believe in a place called Limbo for the unbaptized. Atheists just don’t know or perhaps it’s nothing or nowhere. From the Protestant point of view, there is only heaven or hell.

What is Limbo? Where is it? The apostles don’t give even a hint of such a place in any of the N.T. letters (i.e., epistles). When Jesus died on the cross, His closing words noted in John 19:30 were “It is finished.” Why then would we still have a remnant of sin tarnishing Christian souls, be they Protestant or Catholic? We wouldn’t. Why would some be eternally destined for a place, even a paradise, away from God, especially infants? It took a little longer than I anticipated to cover this topic, but better too much than too little. 

The slide describes Limbo from a Catholic perspective. I’m not sure how you find a border between heaven and hell as noted. Bottom line, it is very problematic to even attempt to pin-point what is described as Limbo. It was refuted during the Protestant Reformation by the Reformers, including Martin Luther and John Calvin. Even Pope Benedict XVI, in 2017, denied Limbo for infants, much to the surprise of Catholic cardinals, bishops and priests who had professed it for generations. 

This slide states an official R.C. teachings on Limbo. The Roman Church has always professed that unbaptized infants went to Limbo. Consequently, as a former Roman Catholic, I rushed to have my children baptized as soon after birth as possible. Some define the “Limbo of the Fathers” (following slide) to be Abraham’s bosom, but I don’t see a fit. 

In some Catholic commentaries, there is reference to “Limbo of the Fathers” as noted on the slide, which would be equivalent to Abraham’s bosom that Jesus spoke about in Luke 16:22. The general understanding of limbo refers to a permanent place and state of the souls of those who have died without baptism and without mortal sin, particularly the souls of infants. In regard to Abraham’s Bosom, it wasn’t a permanent place, because all the O.T. saints who were there, followed Jesus to heaven. Would infants now occupy that place?

This R.C. doctrine raises the question, regarding an infant who died without baptism: would their body be resurrected when Jesus returns? If so, do they see Jesus? If not, are they only spirits for all eternity like the angels? I have not seen a viable answer on any R.C. forum. I need to refer to Paul’s rebuttal of the Judaizers in Galatians. We are saved by what Jesus did for us, not what we do for Him. Are these babies separated from God for all eternity? On what grounds? Did Christ not die for them? Or only part way and up to a point? What point would that be? Do they reside in Limbo with resurrected bodies or no bodies? Questions, questions, questions. 

This was the official position of the Roman Catholic Church until an announcement by Pope Benedict XVI in 2017. More on that later. 

If Limbo was true, some Catholics advocating abortion, including the President and Speaker of the House, and other Catholic members of Congress, would believe they were separating those aborted babies from God forever, also in violation of the sixth commandment. Thank God that isn’t the case. Nevertheless, for those that believe in the Catholic teaching of Limbo—until recently, there was no justification for Catholics not to believe in Limbo—what will their excuse be before God? From a Protestant perspective, all aborted babies and miscarriage babies, go to heaven, redeemed in and by Jesus Christ. 

Formal definitions of Limbo. As such, Abraham’s Bosom would be Limbo. If true, then Limbo would cease to exist after Jesus descended into what is referred to as hell. Because everyone there was taken to heaven with Him, as such, there could no longer be a Limbo. Did Christ leave it empty for unbaptized infants? Even Pope Benedict XVI had a problem with it as such… (next slide).

This is what the R.C. Church has always taught and what I learned and had believed as a former Catholic, which included 8 years of parochial school. Pope Benedict XVI made an announcement regarding this teaching, which we will look at shortly, that upset many of the Church cardinals, bishops and clergy. 

The key words here are “original sin,” inherited from Adam. The R.C. Church teaches that baptism frees us from the debt of original sin, similar in many ways to Judaizes profession regarding circumcision—strongly refuted by the Apostle Paul in Galatians.  If we judge by Galatians, we have to reject that belief, since we are saved by grace alone, through faith alone and not religious works of any kind. The very thing Paul argued against was "Christ plus circumcision" for the Jew, and now, the R.C. equivalency of "Christ plus baptism" for the Gentile. Otherwise, we would be saved by what we do, added to what Christ did. Paul took almost an entire letter (Galatians) to refute such a concept.

The Protestant view doesn’t rest on this one verse, but on the very basis of salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. We are told in Mark 10:14 When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these."  Also noted as such in Luke 18:16. 

Pope Benedict XVI is the first pope that I’m aware of to deny the existence of Limbo, but as stated, only for infants, since the existence of Limbo is not refuted in the article. How will Catholic theologians interpret this? The article also notes efforts to repair relations with the Muslim world. If Jesus is the only way to the Father (John 14:6), how does Christianity mend its relationship with Islam, especially if we profess Christ as the only road to salvation? In John 14:6 KJV: Jesus saith unto him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."

Here’s one definition of Limbo that refers to it as Abraham’s Bosom. What happens when there’s a new heaven and new earth as we are told in Rev. 21:1 and 2 Pet. 3:13? That this heaven and earth will pass away and there will be a new heaven and new earth. What then happens to Limbo? So, where would those unbaptized souls in Limbo go? 

We recite this (as noted on the slide) every time we say the Apostles Creed. My best explanation is from what some Bible scholars tell us, that it signifies that Jesus went to the place of the dead where the O.T. saints resided, and that the hell he descended into was actually Abraham’s bosom—the paradise side of the “place of the dead”, called Gehenne, or Sheol in the O.T. It is also what some Catholic theologians refer to as “Limbo of the Fathers”.

V.43 Jesus assures the thief on the cross that on that very day, he would be with Jesus in paradise. What paradise is that? See next slide for explanation. 

Upon His death, Jesus went to that place called Abraham’s bosom or Hades, the same place He told us about in the parable of the Rich man and Lazarus, to comfort and release them to heaven. This took place after His death on the cross, and while His body laid in the tomb. 

Abraham’s Bossom, as shown, doesn’t explain or accommodate R.C. Limbo. 

I’ll let the slide speak for itself. You can add the “thief” who died alongside of Jesus, to those noted. In the Hebrew Scriptures, the word used to describe the realm of the dead is sheol. It simply means “the place of the dead” or “the place of departed souls/spirits.” The New Testament Greek equivalent of sheol is hades, which also refers to “the place of the dead.” Revelation 20:11–15 gives a clear distinction between hades and the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the permanent and final place of judgment for the lost, what we think of as "hell". Hades, then, is a temporary place. Many people refer to both hades and the lake of fire as “hell,” which causes confusion. Jesus did not go to a place of torment after His death, but to hades to release the souls there, including the beggar Lazarus.   

When did Jesus release the souls in Sheol, aka, Abraham’s bosom to heaven? The abode of the saved and the lost are separated by a “great chasm” (Luke 16:26). When Jesus died, He went to the blessed, paradise side of sheol and from there took the believers with Him to heaven (Ephesians 4:8–10).

The captives He led were those in Abraham’s Bosom/Paradise/Hades. 

Paul could not tell if he was in his physical body or just a spirit body. The same will be true of those who die and go to heaven, prior to receiving their resurrected bodies when Christ returns. Again, I have to ask about souls that are said to be in Limbo. Would they never have a body? When you overlay Limbo with Scripture, Limbo loses. 

The difference between hell and hades is that hades is the place of the lost, where the rich man went, till they are resurrected to face the Lord as Judge and the lake of fire (hell proper) which is the state of the second death so-called (even though the condemned will have resurrected, eternal bodies).

Sheol/Hades was a realm with two divisions—a place of blessing and a place of judgment (Matthew 11:23; 16:18; Luke 10:15; 16:23; Acts 2:27–31). The abodes of the saved and the lost are both generally called “hades” in the O.T. and Gospels. The abode of the saved is also referred to as “Abraham’s bosom” (KJV) or “Abraham’s side” (NIV) in Luke 16:22; and “paradise” in Luke 23:43. 

What about hell? It’s existence is affirmed by both Catholics and Protestants. The lake of fire is the permanent and final place of judgment for the lost. Hades, then, is a temporary place.

What is noted on the slide is what is generally referred to as the last days in the Book of Revelation. This covers both domains, which would include Limbo (if it existed & it doesn’t), and all those who had died. No mention of a what could be constituted as Limbo, especially for unbaptized infants. 

There are only two eternal destinations, heaven and hell—no Limbo, no Purgatory. The key to heaven is faith in Jesus Christ, repenting of our sins because He paid the price. Salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. Hell awaits all those who do not profess Christ, who at one time willingly rejected or knowingly ignored the mention of Him. God has not hide Jesus, for He is openly presented on radio and TV 24/7. No one will be able to say, “they didn’t know.” What about predestination? All would be lost if God didn’t rescue the elect (a future study).

Additional food for thought for those interested in the details, noting Bible references regarding what happens after life. And yes, it is “from life to life” and not “from life to nothing”. As we are told by Jesus in the parable of the wheat, not everyone who hears the Gospel message and proclaims Christ, do in fact sustain Christ (Luke 8”11-15). They were never born again by the Holy Spirit, and consequently, their interest diminishes and they drop away. 

Last blog posting for the year. Wishing each of you and yours a joyful and blessed Christmas Season and a Happy New Year. 

The End

A cemetery can be scary place. This view can’t help but take us to the ultimate belief for Christians, and everyone else who thinks about it—what happens after we die? What is our eternal destiny after this life? If we ceased to exist after death, as some believe, there would be no need for religion of any kind. The Word of God tells us otherwise. 

Since death is a reality, the basic question is “Where do we go after death?" The thought of death scares most people, even some Christians. They see it as cutting life short. Also, because they’re not 100% certain what it will be like. Protestants who believe in the Bible as the Word of God, believe it’s heaven because of God’s saving grace received through the atoning blood of Jesus Christ. Catholics believe it may be a place called Purgatory or Limbo for unbaptized infants. Atheists believe it’s nothing or nowhere. Since so many Christians (over 1 billion) believe in Purgatory and Limbo, what are they and where are they? From the Protestant point of view, there is only heaven and hell. 

As God’s children, we know He has a plan for us. In the scheme of things, we are His sheep, He is our Shepherd. Which means, there is no need to fret for those who profess Christ as their Savior. 

Jesus is the reason why Christians should not fear death. Or even be apprehensive about it. 

In the parable of the Rich man and Lazarus, Jesus tells us that not everyone goes to the same place after death. He gives an example in Luke 16:19-31 when He tells the story of a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. And at his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man's table. 

In that parable, Jesus describes each one’s destiny after death. There has always been a place for those who professed the one true God, and those who rejected Him. Jesus tells us of the separation between Hades and Paradise, i.e., what we would call a version of Hell and Heaven—not the final destination, which came after His crucifixion and resurrection. 

Hades, like its Old Testament counterpart Sheol, refers to a number of different things. Sometimes it refers to the grave, the place where the dead reside. It also refers to the place where the wicked suffer after death, which is how it was used by Jesus in Luke 16.

Each time we recite the Apostles’ Creed, it is telling us that Jesus descended into hell and on the third day, He rose from the dead. What exactly does it mean that He descended into hell (or Hades)? But what about paradise as Jesus told the thief on the other cross? 

A Further explanation is on the slide. There are a number of theological explanations as where Jesus went after He died on the cross. Nevertheless, He told the thief that they would be in paradise that very day (i.e., “today”), not hades, as noted on the next slide. 

In the Gospel of Luke, when hanging on the cross, Jesus responds to the thief being crucified alongside of Him, telling him, that on that very day, he, the thief, would be with Jesus in paradise. Even then, there was a place that Jesus referred to as paradise, sometimes called Abraham's Bosom, associated with the realm of the righteous dead awaiting the resurrection of the body. Those souls would be taken to heaven by Jesus as a result of His atonement for their sins. 

When Jesus died, He entered the realm of the dead, what’s describes in the Apostle’s Creed as hell. What hell is it referring to? The equivalent is Abraham’s bosom that Jesus refers to in Luke 16:19-31, the parable of the rich man and the beggar, Lazarus. Also in Acts 2:31 Peter tells us, that Christ was not abandoned to the grave, nor did his body see decay. Just as a resurrected body awaits those who profess Jesus as Lord and Savior. Our resurrection bodies will be patterned after that genuine resurrected body of Jesus Christ (Philippians 3:20, 21; 1 Corinthians 15:47-49; 1 John 3:2; Luke 24:36-43). 

The Roman Catholic Church professes a place called Purgatory and a place called Limbo. Where exactly does Purgatory and Limbo come from? What are they, where are they? 

In Roman Catholicism, there is a process or place of purification or temporary punishment as noted on the slide, in which souls with a remnant of sin remaining on their soul, are prepared for heaven by paying their sin debt due to unconfessed sins, or sins not fully repented of. 

The Catholic Church points to early church tradition. Yet, Scripture teaches that Christ paid our sin debt, meaning that there is nothing left for us to pay. Paul’s letter to the Galatians focused almost exclusively on this issue, in that the Judaizers insisted we needed to do our part to compensate for our sins by religious works. Whereas Paul emphasized over and over, there is nothing left to pay, since Christ paid it all in full. Bottom line is we can’t earn salvation. It is by grace alone and not by works that we are saved. What could we possibly add to Jesus’ crucifixion and death to compensate for our sin debt? Absolutely Nothing!  

This is just one of many images of what is perceived as Purgatory. How Catholics see it: Note the Virgin Mary in the center surrounded by angels available to lift people out of Purgatory and bring them to heaven, once their sin debt is paid in full. This is why praying the rosary is important for many Catholics, it is the means of earning indulgences to be applied to those in Purgatory to shorten their time there. It forces one to ask, "how does time apply to our spiritual life after death?" 

The Catholic Church denies this was or is a common practice and renounces the practice of selling indulgences. Nevertheless, it was one of the triggers for Martin Luther’s posting of his 95 theses (grievances) for debate that led to the Protestant Reformation. Money collected for those indulgences, encouraged and used by Pope Leo X, went toward construction of St. Peter’s basilica.  

Martin Luther posted his 95 theses (grievances) to the door of the Wittenberg Church, a common practice for items of concern and debate. Paying for indulgences was one Church practice objected to by Martin Luther, and subsequently other church leaders followed with grievances and objections to Church teachings, including Purgatory, which led to the 16th century Protestant Reformation. The whole basis of the Reformation was Scripture alone for doctrine. If tradition contradicts Scripture, it is to be cast aside. 

The End of "Purgatory" posting

One World Religion (part 2 of 2)

Representatives of the world's major religions shown standing together as a sign of unity.  

 

Shown in the photo are leaders from the world's various major religions. Christianity is represented by Pope Francis, a member of the Eastern Orthodox Church, and several Protestant leaders. The question on the table is, do we all worship the same god and do all paths lead to the one true God? A stated belief that is the reason for this gathering.

Is Christianity and Islam compatible as proclaimed on the slide? Do both religions worship the same God? If yes, what then is the path to that God? Where is that path defined? In the Bible or in the Quran? Or both? The next few slides explain.

Roman Catholic Pope Francis' stated goals, as printed in various publications, are noted on the following slides. 

This and the following slides capture some of the Pope's stated views regarding a "universal awareness". I do not intend this as a political statement, but rather one of reflection on the world around us and its need for Jesus Christ, which is the true role of the Church and those who profess Christ as Lord and Savior. 

The slide reflects a translation of the pope’s statement of his stated objectives. Key words: "Earth Charter" and "Global Society", which some have interpreted as a one world government, under a UN charter, as indicated on the next slide.  

It's clear that Pope Francis is advocating a Global Governance under the United Nations, which of course would include the USA, and not as a sovereign nation as it is now. Pope Francis spoke of the need for secular powers to establish global control over areas including finance in regard to environmental disaster and "climate control", which many are proclaiming, as a "religious fervor". You can find the full story on the following link: https://bereanbeacon.org/pope-francis-exploits-world-religion-and-government. 

Are we moving closer to the end of the End Times? This implies we need a closer look at Jesus' Revelation to John, i.e. the Book of Revelation and what it reveals about the End Times. 

There is but one God and one Father as professed by Christ. Jesus’ own words should suffice for every Christian, even hinting a religious unity as a path to God and eternal salvation contradicts His' words.  Yet the Pope himself seems to ignore John 14:6. You can check this out further via the following link, just copy and paste into your web browser.  https://www.gotquestions.org/Jesus-only-way.html

This slide speaks volumes. Did Pope Francis miss that verse in John 14:6? Pope Francis isn’t just reaching out to the Protestant world, he also proclaimed that Islam and Christianity worship the same God. I don’t know his intent, but how can any Christian pope say Islam and Christianity worship the same God? The key words here is a “one world religion” as we see occur in the Book of Revelation. Yes there is a one world religion headquarters coming as noted on the next slide.

Key words: the Catholic-Muslim interfate council. Pope Francis has also reached out to Protestant Evangelicals, as previously stated, to unite in a similar manner. Kenneth Copeland and others have not only praised it but approved the effort. Copeland has actually advocated an end to the Protestant Reformation. The one thing that they're missing in all of this is the Gospel of saving grace. It would be religion without the gospel of grace. 

Yes, this is for real. It’s called the Abrahamic Family House, since Jews, Arabs and Christians point to Abraham as the father of their respective faith. 

 What did Jesus tell the Apostles? Get along with other religions? Or share the Gospel with the world? 

He died on the cross for our atonement and salvation. He is the only path to God and eternal life. 

Let’s look at Jesus’ own words on this movement for world religion unity. 1. a disciple is to be baptized in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. 2. they are to obey what Jesus commanded. What has Paul been telling the Galatians churches, and the Romans and Corinthians and Ephesians, that eternal life with God, is Christ alone, without religious traditions and ceremonial works, which totally rejects any movement that combines all of the world’s religious ceremonies and practices into a single movement. 

We are told in 1 Timothy to be aware of deceiving spirits. Satan is a liar and the father of lies. He is a very convincing liar, just like he fooled Adam and Eve in the Garden, and the apostle Judas to betray Christ. What about 21st century America's relationship with God? 

America has been a great nation because of God’s blessings. We were founded by the early settlers who wanted religious freedom. Our founding values stood on God’s Word, including our founding documents. But, I need to ask, is this a disappearing Book in America? "So help me God" is no longer used in taking an oath in court or in Congress. 

The Bible gives the answer: God cannot smile on a land of iniquities. But it's never too late to cry out to Him in prayer....

As we approach Thanksgiving, let's reflect on all the reasons for giving thanks to Almighty God. The Pilgrims came to America for religious freedom. They could have stayed in Europe if they blended their worship and beliefs in with the national state religions. Christianity is still the primary religion in America, at least for those that answered the census questions, as per the next slide. 

This slide shows where America stands regarding its religious associations--I deliberately didn't say "beliefs". Where is the Christian Church? Are we taking the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20 to heart? Pastor Adrian Rogers give us further insight into Christianity in America and the role of the Church and Christians on the next slide… (it's worth your time).

Pastor Adrian Rogers 43-minute message on "The Generation to Come and the America of Tomorrow". A message is tailored to and especially needed for today and what is being taught in today’s schools. It didn’t take a long time, but we are exactly where Pastor Rogers acclaimed we would be.  

(copy and paste the link into your web browser): https://youtu.be/6WQRkhokq-A

The End (part 2 of 2)

(if you missed part 1, it is posted directly below)