Misunderstood Scriptures

By David J. Smith     8/28/2010

            Jesus, the Christ of Almighty God the Father, said “the scripture cannot be broken” (John 10: 35, last). One scripture will not contradict another scripture. You never set a teaching or doctrine upon a scripture that seemingly goes against other CLEAR and PLAIN scriptures.

            For example: most religious organizations that profess Christianity believe that upon death “you go to heaven or hell immediately.” We need to always go back to WHAT Jesus said! He spoke these words: “And NO man has ascended up to heaven, but He that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven” (John 3: 13).

            Paul wrote that death is like a time of sleeping until the resurrection from the dead. “But I would NOT have you ignorant [without proper understanding], brethren, concerning them which are asleep [dead], that you sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. … For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent [Greek: precede, go before] them which are asleep. … and the DEAD shall RISE  [out of the grave] first: THEN we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together WITH THEM [that were asleep in the grave] in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (I Thessalonians 4: 13-17). Paul wrote the same type of words in the resurrection chapter – I Corinthians 15: 50-57. These scriptures cannot be broken by another scripture that seems to say something different.

            The writer of Ecclesiastes was inspired of Jesus Christ also. He wrote: “For the living know that they shall die: but the DEAD know NOT ANY THING, …” (Ecclesiastes 9: 5). Then read v. 10 that is also inspired: “Whatsoever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is NO work, NOR device, NOR knowledge, NOR wisdom, in the grave, where you go.”

            Let’s clear up a few hard to be understood scriptures that seem to say you “go to heaven” when you die. First, Luke 23: 42-43: “And he [one of the thieves being crucified alongside Jesus] said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me WHEN YOU COME INTO YOUR KINGDOM. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto you, today shall you be with me in paradise.” This seems to say something that would contradict all the CLEAR scriptures. First, the thief asked Jesus to “remember” him WHEN He came into His kingdom. When does that occur? AT THE SEVENTH TRUMP (Revelation 11: 15, 18; I Thes. 4: 13-17; I Cor. 15: 50-57). Secondly, punctuation marks were not in the original scriptures. They began to be used at a later time. By then, the Catholic Church’s doctrine was firmly established. V. 43 should have been punctuated as follows: “And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto you TODAY, shall you be with me in paradise.” Jesus told him THAT DAY that he would be with Him in paradise WHEN HE CAME INTO HIS KINGDOM – not that very day.

            2 Kings 2: 11: “And it came to pass, as they [Elijah and Elisha] still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.” First, Jesus said NO MAN has gone into the heavens but Him – that is the third heaven where God the Father’s throne is located. Man has flown in the first heaven where the birds fly. Man has entered into the second heaven – outer space. Elijah was one of the prophets referred to in Hebrews 11 that the writer did not have room enough to mention. Notice: “These all died in faith, NOT HAVING RECEIVED THE PROMISES [of a new glorified body and be with God and Jesus], but having seen them AFAR OFF, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth” (Hebrews 11:13). Elijah was simply transported through the air to a different location to live out his life. The same happened to Enoch before the flood.

            A third seemingly “hard to be understood” scripture concerning death is 2 Corinthians 5: 5-9: “… [v. 8] We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.” When we are in the body, we are alive on planet earth. When we die, we go into the grave. The next instant we know will be the resurrection from the dead. It is like the next instant we are with the Lord.

            Job knew the answer to what Paul meant. “So man lies down, and rises not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep. O that You would hide me in the grave, that You would keep me secret, until Your wrath be past, that You would appoint me a set time, and remember me! If a man die, shall he live again? All the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come. You shall call, and I will answer you: You will have a desire to the work of Your hands.”