Buff Scott Jr.
Sophomore
- Joined
- Jul 31, 2023
- Messages
- 278
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REFORMATION RUMBLINGS
BUFF SCOTT, JR.
_________
More Thoughts on Hades and our
Spirit or Real Self
[Please see the Assassination Attempt below
under “Crime & Decadence”]
BUFF SCOTT, JR.
_________
More Thoughts on Hades and our
Spirit or Real Self
[Please see the Assassination Attempt below
under “Crime & Decadence”]
“Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness’ ” [Gen. 1:26]. In His image! God is not material or tangible but rather spirit—that is, non-physical. “God is spirit” [John 4:24]. The deduction follows that our spirit was made in God’s image. We know our Creator is more than breath, yet He has a form. “You have never heard His voice nor seen His form” [John 5:37]. Consequently, it is safe to say our Father has a “spirit form.”
Of interest is that when Jesus biologically died on the cross, He did not immediately ascend to the Father or to heaven itself, even though He cried out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit” [Luke 23:46 & Psalms 31:5].
That He placed His spirit in His Father’s charge is obvious, for His spirit, the real Jesus, promptly went into Hades, the unseen abode of departed spirits, when He breathed His last. He did not ascend to the Father until after His resurrection. When Jesus revealed Himself to Mary Magdalene after His resurrection, she apparently greeted Him with a hug, but Jesus told her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father, but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God’ ” [John 20:17].
Peter affirms that Jesus was not abandoned to Hades, the unseen abode of departed spirits, but instead was reunited with his physical body, and the two of them, spirit and body, were resurrected the third day. “Seeing what was ahead, he [David] spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did His body see decay” [Acts 2:29-32].
Paradise and Heaven are sometimes used synonymously. “Paradise” is found only three times in the scriptures. Paul was “caught up to Paradise” [2 Cor. 12:4]. He called it the “third heaven,” which, in Jewish culture at the time, was heaven itself. John writes about the “tree of life, which is in the Paradise of God” [Rev. 2:7]. He no doubt refers to heaven itself.
If departed saints are already in heaven, and if we go directly to heaven when we die, why a resurrection when Jesus returns? After all, we’re already in heaven. Why would He bring us back to earth to reunite with or reclaim our glorified bodies? [See Philippines 3:20.] Jesus made it clear when He said, “No one has ascended into heaven except Him who descended from heaven, the Son of Man” [John 3:13].
It would be more consistent to believe our spirit goes to an intermediate state called “Paradise,” the same place Jesus and the criminal went, and that our spirit, the real person, will remain there until the resurrection. Well, wherever we go, it will surely be a Garden of Delight. And none of us will complain!
So in a true sense, the saints in Paradisiacal Hades are with Christ in that God’s Heavenly domain stretches beyond our imagination. Even we who are alive today are with Christ in that we are residents of His Father’s celestial community or province. Just so with those saints in Hades who are looking forward to their glorification.
Another striking detail is that, for whatever rational or strange reason, God allowed the prophet Samuel to be called up from the spirit world to tell King Saul of his impending death on the battlefield. The event was a fact, not a fantasy. Nor is it symbolic/figurative. Samuel said, “...and tomorrow you and your sons shall be with me” [I Sam. 28].
Samuel was not talking about the breathing apparatus—inhaling and exhaling oxygen—of Saul and his sons. Saul and his sons’ authentic selves would be in the same, or nearly the same, Hadean province as Samuel—the unseen abode of departed spirits.
In closing, I think it appropriate to ask: “Is God’s Holy Spirit His breath or some mysterious creation?” The scriptures seem to strongly indicate that the Holy Spirit of God is the essential character of the Father Himself, just as man’s spirit is his essential character.
As per the testimony of Paul, our biological selves will be transformed to be like our Lord’s glorious body. “...we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly bodies to be like His glorious body” [Phil. 3:20-21].
As Jesus’ real self, His spirit, reunited with His biological body in the tomb, our spirit will some day reunite with our physical temple at the time of transformation. It will be then that our transformed, glorious body will no longer be subjected to age, decay, diseases, or death. It will “be like His glorious body”—eternally changed, fitted for heaven!
Of interest is that when Jesus biologically died on the cross, He did not immediately ascend to the Father or to heaven itself, even though He cried out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit” [Luke 23:46 & Psalms 31:5].
That He placed His spirit in His Father’s charge is obvious, for His spirit, the real Jesus, promptly went into Hades, the unseen abode of departed spirits, when He breathed His last. He did not ascend to the Father until after His resurrection. When Jesus revealed Himself to Mary Magdalene after His resurrection, she apparently greeted Him with a hug, but Jesus told her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father, but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God’ ” [John 20:17].
Peter affirms that Jesus was not abandoned to Hades, the unseen abode of departed spirits, but instead was reunited with his physical body, and the two of them, spirit and body, were resurrected the third day. “Seeing what was ahead, he [David] spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did His body see decay” [Acts 2:29-32].
Paradise and Heaven are sometimes used synonymously. “Paradise” is found only three times in the scriptures. Paul was “caught up to Paradise” [2 Cor. 12:4]. He called it the “third heaven,” which, in Jewish culture at the time, was heaven itself. John writes about the “tree of life, which is in the Paradise of God” [Rev. 2:7]. He no doubt refers to heaven itself.
If departed saints are already in heaven, and if we go directly to heaven when we die, why a resurrection when Jesus returns? After all, we’re already in heaven. Why would He bring us back to earth to reunite with or reclaim our glorified bodies? [See Philippines 3:20.] Jesus made it clear when He said, “No one has ascended into heaven except Him who descended from heaven, the Son of Man” [John 3:13].
It would be more consistent to believe our spirit goes to an intermediate state called “Paradise,” the same place Jesus and the criminal went, and that our spirit, the real person, will remain there until the resurrection. Well, wherever we go, it will surely be a Garden of Delight. And none of us will complain!
So in a true sense, the saints in Paradisiacal Hades are with Christ in that God’s Heavenly domain stretches beyond our imagination. Even we who are alive today are with Christ in that we are residents of His Father’s celestial community or province. Just so with those saints in Hades who are looking forward to their glorification.
Another striking detail is that, for whatever rational or strange reason, God allowed the prophet Samuel to be called up from the spirit world to tell King Saul of his impending death on the battlefield. The event was a fact, not a fantasy. Nor is it symbolic/figurative. Samuel said, “...and tomorrow you and your sons shall be with me” [I Sam. 28].
Samuel was not talking about the breathing apparatus—inhaling and exhaling oxygen—of Saul and his sons. Saul and his sons’ authentic selves would be in the same, or nearly the same, Hadean province as Samuel—the unseen abode of departed spirits.
In closing, I think it appropriate to ask: “Is God’s Holy Spirit His breath or some mysterious creation?” The scriptures seem to strongly indicate that the Holy Spirit of God is the essential character of the Father Himself, just as man’s spirit is his essential character.
As per the testimony of Paul, our biological selves will be transformed to be like our Lord’s glorious body. “...we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly bodies to be like His glorious body” [Phil. 3:20-21].
As Jesus’ real self, His spirit, reunited with His biological body in the tomb, our spirit will some day reunite with our physical temple at the time of transformation. It will be then that our transformed, glorious body will no longer be subjected to age, decay, diseases, or death. It will “be like His glorious body”—eternally changed, fitted for heaven!
Crime & Decadence
It is sad indeed how crime and violence have tripled—and within such a short time. Only yesterday an assassination attempt was made upon Donald Trump’s life by a social and mentally deranged young man—a young monster from the depths of Hell. Trump is fortunate that the bullet only pierced the upper part of his right ear.
The underlying national problem is that our once great Republic is experiencing a moral and spiritual decadence. And until the political and media loggerheads recognize this fact and side with moral and spiritual reform, the gutter will be our final destination. It is unlikely our enemies will ever defeat us. Unless reform is initiated, we will pull the trigger on ourselves.—Buff.
The underlying national problem is that our once great Republic is experiencing a moral and spiritual decadence. And until the political and media loggerheads recognize this fact and side with moral and spiritual reform, the gutter will be our final destination. It is unlikely our enemies will ever defeat us. Unless reform is initiated, we will pull the trigger on ourselves.—Buff.
