FromNowUntilForeverBook8.5x5.5 REV.indd

The Bible teaches what I call the doctrine of destination. Immediately upon death, the spirit exits the body. The lifeless body remains on earth while the living spirit goes to heaven or hell. Whether you like it or not, you’ll still be “alive” a hun- dred millions years from now. The question is: Where will you be? This is such a serious issue, it’s going to take two chapters to address. Let’s start with hell, and then move on to a much more pleasant subject—heaven. Actually, three different Greek words in the New Testa- ment translate into the English word hell. Tartaros, which ap- pears only once in the NewTestament (2 Peter 2:4), “is a place of confinement for the rebellious angels until the time of their judgment.” 91 Geena , or Gehenna is rendered “hell” twelve times, eleven of which come from the lips of Jesus Himself. 102 This is a permanent place of punishment, the eternal lake of fire or “second death,” which we will consider later. For now, let’s focus on the word used for hell in our cen- tral text for this chapter (Luke 16:19-31), Hades, which appears ten times in the New Testament. “It is not the final destiny of those who die having rejected Christ, but a place of torment until they are resurrected to stand before the great white throne of judgment.” 113 Understand, this does not suggest a period of purgatory, or an opportunity for second chance, but rather a place where lost souls suffer in torment until perma- nent judgment (to be explained later) is carried out following the millennial reign of Christ. As we delve into this parable told by Jesus to the Pharisees, note these sobering truths about Hades—realities that no doubt will carry over into Gehenna. First, those in hell will retain their memory of things that happened on earth, as indicated by Abraham’s words to the rich man: “Child, remember that during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things” (Luke

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