In person with someone, I try to listen up for a while... but I really don't know about all that stuff up there, or how to verify what they are saying about their personal experience. Perhaps it might have happened to them. I just don't know for sure ..even if they insist that "it really did happen!" I'm not going to call em a lair if I doubt it - that'd be dumb of me. I don't want to tear down a bridge of friendship by offending any. I want to tactfully build a bridge for the Gospel's sake.
No matter how exotic, how off-the-chain excitin' or wild or interesting their story goes, I don't automatically, immediately believe those people who say they've been to heaven. Too many so called Christians etc claim that they've visited Heaven ..and yet sometimes with contradictory or unbiblical stories. Know this: There is no deciding for Christ's forgiveness and His salvation after a sinner dies, and no Christian experience, impression, dream, "word of Knowledge "feeling, "prophecy", liver-quiver etc will go against what they Bible says about Heaven or how a person gets in there ..through Jesus Christ.
No matter how exotic, how off-the-chain excitin' or wild or interesting their story goes, I don't automatically, immediately believe those people who say they've been to heaven. Too many so called Christians etc claim that they've visited Heaven ..and yet sometimes with contradictory or unbiblical stories. Know this: There is no deciding for Christ's forgiveness and His salvation after a sinner dies, and no Christian experience, impression, dream, "word of Knowledge "feeling, "prophecy", liver-quiver etc will go against what they Bible says about Heaven or how a person gets in there ..through Jesus Christ.
I often chuck the paperback or turn the channel when I hear how someone ‘bout died, went there and then returned here pic.twitter.com/meRMO9GiF0
— Kurt von Schleicher (@kurtwvs) March 13, 2015
But it sounds to me like Paul visited this place, "such a man was caught up to the third heaven.. to paradise and heard inexpressible things, things that no one is permitted to tell."
And I do believe another Person who has commuted from and to there, "For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me." #Opt2goThereWithMe
"To the Lord your God belong the heavens, even the highest heavens, the earth and everything in it."
"Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess."
"When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men." This was the post death and physical resurrection "ascension of Christ."
Jesus did two things: 1.) He led those of the Old Testament with Him up into the presence of God in Heaven.. those who were while living on earth "redeemed" through repentance and faith in the coming Savior, and who had been waiting there in "Paradise" for Christ and the time of Christ's Cross to simply pass. Yes, the price for us sinning had to first be paid in full by our Lord. 2.) Jesus also gave unto believers here on earth spiritual gifts so that they could better worship, serve, evangelize, and function in the Body of Christ—His Church.
see12/2-4Cor,6/38jn,10/14deut,4/14heb,68/18ps,4/8eph,commentaries
