Doctrine Paper Biblical and Theological Research

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Doctrine Paper Biblical and Theological Research
No one knows what the future holds; however, we also know that all things will eventually come to an end, even our lives here on earth. Revelations 22:13 (New International Version) says, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.” In the Scriptures we can find that God spoke the creation of the world and He will accomplish what is written about the End Times. Furthermore, we as Christians should not lose heart because we have hope of eternity with Christ after death. The branch of Christian doctrine that deals with the study about the future especially the End Times is called eschatology. There are two areas of eschatology namely: individual and general or world. The study of general eschatology includes the Second Coming of Christ, Final Judgment and Eternal State. On the other hand, the study of individual eschatology include subjects about physical death, immortality of the soul and intermediate state (The Disciplined Order of Christ). Nevertheless, this doctrine is still widely debated as many nonbelievers tell that these are just fairy tale stories. They argue that everything will just eventually disappear and that there is no life after death. Hence, Biblical evidences about afterlife, particularly death, immortality of the soul, resurrection of the dead and the existence of heaven and hell, should be carefully gathered and clearly communicated so as to re-affirm the belief of the many Christians and to strongly refute the concept of eternal oblivion.
Temporal Death
As TED Talks told, death is a matter that is applicable to all but is not as easy to talk about in everyday conversations. While death is medically defined as the complete and permanent cessation of bodily functions, such as breathing—when you take away their breath, they die and return to death (Ps. 104.29), we as Christians that this event is our transition towards eternity (Jn. 5.24). Moreover, as the physical body decays after death it will return to the dust from where it came from (Ecc. 12.7).
In the Scriptures, the root cause of death was disobedience to God’s command—“but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die (Gen. 2.17).” Subsequently, as God was angered with the sin of men, the curse of hardship and death were given as judgment for all the generations to come (Gen. 3.19).
Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned… (Rom. 5.12).
Additionally, the Bible says that the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus (Rom. 6.23).
So now, what if men did not sin in the first place, will death happen to mankind? Several theologians such as Keating believed that God designed humans as eternal beings with three components: physical body, spirit and soul (1 Thess. 5.23). And as the sin entered, it caused physical and spiritual death. The Bible emphasized that even when a person lives physically, he can be dead spiritually due to living a life that is separated from God’s will (Eph. 2.2-3). Moreover because of sin, the man’s soul will be separated with the physical body upon death as it only serves as a temporary, earthly tent which can be easily destroyed (2 Cor. 5.2). And it is the soul who will have to face the judgment after death (Heb. 9.27) whether eternal life or eternal damnation.
For Christians on the other hand, death is not a sad ending but a glorious new beginning as Anthony Hoekema said (Keating 7). The end of this mortal life as a result of sin is also an end of a sinful life, a layoff from sinning (Graebner 72). As Apostle Paul declared to die is gain (Phil. 1.21) and to be with Christ is better by far (Phil. 1.23).
Immortality of the Soul and the Resurrection of the Dead
Many Christians believed that their souls particularly will live eternally into heavens immediately after death (Elliot). However, the Bible says, “No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man (Jn. 3.13);” not even King David ascended into the heavens instantaneously (Acts 2.34). Moreover, there is no Bible verse that directly states the immortality of the human soul; as this character is only ascribed to the Lord (1 Tim. 6.16) (Berkhorf). The Scripture even indicates that the soul can be destroyed (Matt. 10.28) (United Church of Christ). Furthermore, it is God alone who can change mortal humans into immortal bodies through the resurrection power of Christ (Graebner 130).
For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with
immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory (1 Cor. 15.53-54). “
On the other hand, the Scriptures repeatedly described death as “falling asleep” (Ps. 76.5; Jer. 51.39) just like what happened to King David after he had served the purpose of his generation (Acts 13.36); Jairus’ daughter (Mark 5.21-43; Matt. 9.18-26; Lk. 8.40-56) and Lazarus (Jn. 11.11). Moreover, the stories of the latter two examples showed that they were raised from the dead by Jesus. These stories depict the resurrection of the dead that will be accomplished by Jesus in the Last Days. As Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die (Jn. 11.25).” And as Christ resurrected three days after his death, the bodies of many holy people were also raised to life (Matt. 27.52).
Also, resurrection to life not merely pertains to raising from the dead but rather a quickening that comes from the Spirit (Graebner 130).
And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised
Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who
lives in you (Rom. 8.11).
Nevertheless, resurrection will happen for both the righteous and the wicked (Acts 24.15). However, with two different paths: “for those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned (Jn. 5.29).”
Meanwhile, we may ask what happens between death and resurrection. Biblical scholars termed this as the intermediate state, wherein the departed souls remain conscious as narrated in the story of Lazarus and the rich man (Lk. 16.19-31). Lazarus was found in Abraham’s bosom while the rich man experienced suffering as a result of his wickedness. As Apostle Paul stated, “to be away from the body is to be at home with Lord (2 Cor. 5.8),” Christians are present with Christ after death. On the other hand, the wicked are in Hades, a place of torment (Lk. 16.23). And in the Second Coming of Christ, the soul will united with the resurrected bodies for both the righteous and the wicked (Perman).
The Existence of Heaven
Majority of the people believes that there is heaven, a place where there is an unending ultimate joy (Swinburne 29), and only those who do good will be the ones to enter in the gates of heaven. However, the Bible has much more to reveal about its nature and in this section, we will explore these Biblical truths.
Heaven is a real wide place. Jesus stated his Father’s house has many rooms where He prepared places for His resurrected people (Jn. 14.2-3). Also in Revelations 21, the new heavens is a beautiful Holy City. Moreover, it is the dwelling place of the Lord’s Presence where His throne is established and where myriads of angels are found with Him (Matt. 25:31).
Additionally, the heaven is also termed as the Paradise (Lk. 23.43), where there is eternal peace and absence of pain, suffering, sorrow and death (Rev. 21.4) (Kretzmann 191).
Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat down on
them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their
shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every
tear from their eyes (Rev. 7.16).
Moreover, the heaven is described as a city made of pure gold, as pure as glass, with gates made of pearls and city walls decorated with every kind of precious stones such as jasper, sapphire, agate, emerald, onyx, ruby, chrysolite, beryl, topaz, turquoise, jacinth and amethyst (Rev. 21.15-21). Also, the new heavens contained the restored paradise of the Garden of Eden where the river of the water of life, which is as clear as crystal will flow from the throne of God and of the Lamb down to the middle of the great street of the city (Rev. 22.1-2). In heaven, the people can walk with God and see His face (Rev. 22.4).
Meanwhile, does doing good guarantees an entry to heaven? Absolutely not, as Jesus said, He is the way, the truth and the life and that no one can come to the Father except through Him (Jn. 14.6). The people who would go to heaven are the ones who acknowledged Christ as their Lord and Savior (Bible Study Tools).
But how about the infants and young ones? What will happen to them after death? It is commonly believed that they will go to heaven; however, there is no direct Biblical passage that says so. Moreover, the Bible states that an individual is sinful at birth, even before conception (Ps. 51.5). Besides, the sin of disobedience of Adam had made everyone also sinners (Rom. 5.19). On the other hand, these litt...