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Old 03-13-2009, 08:20 AM
Bro. Parrish
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bro. Parrish
Hmmm, that would make sense if it was just a vision, but the book does not contend that the event was a vision at all.

The book contends that the man ACTUALLY DIED, and he WENT TO HELL.
This happens every day, perhaps every second. As I understand it approximately 146,357 people die each day (that's about 2 per second), I'm sure you would agree that a percentage of them are going to hell. This is REAL, that part we agree on. What you are having a problem with is that one of them could COME BACK and TELL OTHERS ABOUT IT. This is certainly not common, it is highly unusual, but I'm not ready to say it could never happen. It happened to Jonah, so it is not completely outside the realm of the Biblical record. God allowed Jairus’ Daughter to come back, as He did with Lazarus. Those events were all REAL. I think all of this you would agree with.

So what's left? You are assuming they did not remember anything about it, and you are assuming they never told anyone about what they experienced, but the Bible doesn't say that, that is only an assumption. Who am I to say it can never happen.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kiwi Christian View Post
Good points there, and you're right that I am making assumptions about things that aren't crystal clear here.

Something else that crossed my mind...according to that book, did anyone actually face God when they died?

What do you believe about Hebrews 9:27 "And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:"? For years we've been preaching that when a man dies he immediately finds himself standing before God in judgment, then it's either to heaven or hell. If this isn't the case, and a person's soul goes straight to hell when they die in their sins, do you think that this judgment after death is a reference to the great white throne judgment that take place at least 1007+ years in the future?
Excellent question.
Yep, I figure it has to be the great white throne judgment in the future.
I don't think the confidence for believers in 2 Corinthians 5:8 applies to all men.
When the unrepentant die they are placed "on second death row" into a temporary holding place (prison) to suffer until they are judged down the road. Sadly, they have no advocate with the Father, only the accuser. The very name of Satan means "the accuser."