I have found, in listen to BEMA, that I have become much more comfortable sitting with the Questions then I was in trying to have all of the answers. Thank you so much Marty and the BEMA Team!
"The scriptures are trying to talk to us about life before death, NOT after death". This is the best FAQ on heaven and hell on RU-vid. Let's weigh the conversation back to the questions about how to LIVE before death.
Super helpful, thanks for tackling that topic! Just speaking for myself, but it's a lot more about growing up in a culture of fire and brimstone evangelism. I'm still trying trying to undo the damage and fix my understanding of God so that my motivations to pursue him are more based in love and trust instead of just doing my best to avoid Hell. I can't speak for other people, but I think that even if nobody has the authority to say what Heaven and Hell and God's method of judgement are exactly, it's still in the our realm of responsibilities to say what it isn't. And if that picture of God, Heaven, and Hell isn't correct, I believe a lot of people aside from just me really need that message hammered home.
Hi Marty, I’ve enjoyed BEMA for over a year now and it’s been a blessing in my life. This video is the first time my 7 year old son has ever seen you and he said you look like Gandalf. Thought you would be encouraged by that.
I think alot of people are looking for resources to figure out what to believe. People respect you so much as a teacher and value your insight. And honestly it's very hard leaving that unanswered.
These FAQs are great. They remind of a scene in Woody Allen's movie Stardust Memories. He encounters aliens in the forest at night and starts hounding them with questions about the meaning of life, and their first reply is "You're asking the wrong questions."
Marty this is so good! I really appreciate what you are saying and I am in agreement with you in such a big way. Thank you so much for the well worded message.
You can string a bunches of verses together to make the Bible say almost anything. I think that is an example of what Marty is talking about when he mentions the study of theology that "uses" scripture.
I know too many people who have been turned off to Jesus because primary emphasis on afterlife doctrine has been presented to them. Recently Jesus' words have been ringing in my ears: “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” Little children accept the information their parents tell them. They don't usually ask for details, they trust their parents have that sorted out. We could definitely pay a lot more attention to what has been said rather than what hasn't.
I agree that the focus of Tanach is not the afterlife. I would say that the image of God's kingdom reigning on the earth is connected to the question and there is a good bit of concern with the end state of creation in the prophets. Maybe that's where some of the disconnect happens. But it is fair to say the scripture teaches that we continue to exist and exhibit awareness after death and that there is a resurrection from the dead and an eternal judgment and reward. I think Yeshua's followers were mostly focused on those eschatological realities as well. They viewed death as primarily a place of sleep. This is similar to Isaiah 26:19's description. Lot's more could be said about what the Bible does teach about the afterlife, like the significance of Sheol being under the earth, but I agree that it's not the main topic of Tanach at all.
I can't speak on the topic, but I can say I deeply appreciate how mature your differing response on a topic that many Christians would become very defensive over is refreshing.
Hey did Jesus or his disciples evade discussioning hell ? Did they know and state so with certainty that Hell exist and who would go there ? Jesus nor His apostles shied away from teaching about God’s justice and the eternal condemnation of the wicked. Neither should we be afraid to discuss the reality of Hell. We can know for certain where we will spend eternity.
