6. About salvation and life after death
We are all born as sinners and bound to hell after death but can be saved by the blood of Jesus Christ (Rom 5:14, 15; Joh 3:16). Therefore saving our souls from eternal damnation into the lake of fire and from eternal separation from GOD so called second death (Rev 20:14, 15) while still alive on earth must be the most important and urgent business to take care of without delay (Mat 16:26), that is, to acknowledge our sinful nature and then to receive Jesus Christ our only redeemer and Saviour (Joh 3:16).
If we get saved (born again, Joh 3:3) after accepting Jesus Christ as our saviour before we die, we will have a wonderful second life in heaven or in the new earth eternally so to speak. See below. Otherwise we will encounter second death to be tormented in the lake of fire eternally.
Bible talks about first resurrection (Rev 20:5) and second death in the lake fire (Rev 20:14, 15). The former is for saved people who died after being saved and they will get out of the grave so called rapture at the Christ's second coming and will be with HIM in paradise forever (1Th 4:13-18). The latter is for those who died without being saved. Their souls shall be sent to hell immediately to suffer there for 1,000 years or more (Luk 16:23). Hell and lake of fire are two different places reserved for the lost sinners. See item 23 under Theology menu. The second resurrection will be for the lost people only while the first death is the common physical death for everybody on earth regardless whether they were saved or not. Read item number 11 under the theology menu.
Now most saved people believe that their souls will go to 'heaven' eternally right after death to live with the LORD, Jesus Christ, angels, and other heavenly host(s) if there are any. As a matter of fact this was a general belief and understanding since ages ago among them, that is, we born again believers shall be "with the Lord" in heaven forever right after the first death (2Co 5:8; 1Th 4:17). However the souls of born again, saved people shall be sleeping in the grave instead until Christ's second coming. Read item numbers, #4, #9, and #45 under the Theology menu.
Let us look at the last three chapters of book of Revelation (20-22). In chapter 20, Satan (devil), false christ (beast), and false prophet shall be sent to the lake of fire (20:10). This is very wonderful--no more temptation on earth. Alleluia!
In chapter 21, there will be new heaven and new earth, "and there was no more sea." (21:1), and there will be no tears, death, sorrow, crying, pain, and etc, "for the former things are passed away" (21:4). So this sounds like what we understand as 'paradise' or 'heaven' where saved people shall live forever after death will be in the new earth, doesn't it?
Re 21:3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
This verse sounds like that we born again believers will be living with GOD in the new earth really, doesn't it? Check out this verse, 2Pe 3:13 "Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness." This sounds like only righteous people will live in the new earth. Then the questions is, who are they?
There are three heavens basically. The first heaven is the visible blue sky which men’s eyes see daily from earth and the second heaven is what men imagine as invisible universe on the other side of or beyond the first heaven. Nobody went to or saw the invisible second heaven (universe); men just imagine about it. Apostle Paul was talking about the third heaven (2Cor 12:2) in which our GOD the Father and his heavenly hosts are present supposedly. He was said to be caught up into paradise (2Cor 12:4) briefly perhaps and then he was returned to earth supposedly. In other words he went to the third heaven (paradise) for whatever duration it might be and then came back to earth.
Basically the new earth (Rev 21:1) shall be paradise after Satan and his two cohorts (false christ and prophet) are sent to lake of fire forever (Rev 19:20, 20:10). See item #45 under Theology menu.
Then the question is where born again believers will be living eternally, in the new earth, in the paradise (third heaven), or both? What is the purpose of new earth if saints (all saved people during OT since creation and all born again believers under NT) are going to live in paradise, that is, in the third heaven? Read item #12 (Secrecy of GOD) and #41 under the Theology menu.
In the last chapter 22 apostle John describes some more wonderful things like no more curse, no night there, And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads (22:4).
Re 22:1 ¶ And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. Here was apostle John talking about in the new earth from the last chapter (Rev 21:1, 2) or in the third heaven where GOD and all HIS hosts dwell since eternity past, and forever? Clearly there must be a reason or reasons for the new heaven and new earth as well as new Jerusalem on the new earth (Rev 21:1, 2). What are they for? Are they just figurative expressions? Bible does not give purposes for them. If we born again believers enter into the third heaven in the future to be with the Lord forever as indicated in 1Th 4:17, will anybody or any nation be living in the new earth? Will the current earth and heaven, and everything in them be disappeared once new heaven and earth will begin?
Bible is not clear either as to who will be living in the 1,000-year Christ kingdom other than the fact that martyred saints will reign it with Christ for 1,000 years (Rev 20:4). See item #45 under Theology menu.
Maybe we do not need to know about them other than what Bible says, so we just read and understand as it is given to us. We are too far ahead of time, that is, we are 1,000 or more years ahead! Read item number 12 (Secrecy of GOD) under the Theology menu.
Oh heavenly Father, thou art eternal past and eternal future. How could finite men understand infinite GOD? Thou art the potter and we are the clay. We just submit all our nature to thee and glorify thy name as often as we could. Praise the LORD, Alleluia Amen