SikhSpectrum.com Quarterly                                                              Issue No.18, November 2004
 
Conversing With Reverend Tony Zekveld

G.B. Singh

October 1, 2001 issue of Christianity Today reported that the Punjab government banned the book, The Life and Liberation Path of Guru Nanak Dev because “The book includes a brief chapter on Christianity, with comments that many Christians found highly objectionable. One passage describes Jesus as an illegitimate child thrown into an open stable by his mother Mary….” This ban occurred as a direct result of the pressure mounted by Christians under the leadership of Pradeep Kumar Samantaroy, bishop of Amritsar in the Church of North India.


G.B. Singh

What surprised me was why the same government didn’t ban the Bible because the point source for controversy regarding the “illegitimate” birth of Jesus comes from the Bible itself. Even more surprising to me was that the Sikh author, Satnam Singh, wrote the book and Sikhs invariably don’t write on other religions in a critical fashion. What prompted Satnam Singh to mention Jesus in a book written specifically on Guru Nanak?

Could it be possible that Satnam Singh is seeing some new faces—Christian Missionaries-- in Punjab and is uncomfortable? Today we are witnessing a phenomenal increase in the number of such missionaries dispatched to Asia and Africa looking for soft targets. Sikhs in India and abroad are on their lists. One such missionary located abroad is Reverend Tony Zekveld. His church in Toronto, Canada, is geared to evangelize the local Sikh population. To his great credit, Reverend Zekveld responded positively to my inquiry and agreed for an open dialogue on the Bible.

I believe this is historic, and I am ever grateful to him for his kind heart in sharing his views against those of mine. There is no looser here and everyone is a winner. Educated Sikhs are notoriously uneducated about the Bible, and I believe this dialogue will benefit us all. In similar fashion, Reverend Zekveld may want to open up some areas of Sikh religion to further inquiry. My hope is that he will continue with this dialogue as we move forward in future, addressing many other contents of the Bible.

Only by mutual exchange with expected disagreements and, with due respect that we owe him, we will march ahead in our pursuit of knowledge and understanding. I welcome the readers to share your own feelings and feel free to ask me or the reverend any questions on your mind. In our first topic of discussion, I picked the topic of Heaven to which our Reverend took the lead of responding. The Reverend and I have concluded our discussion on heaven and we are now in the process of discussing the topic of soul. We will share our discussion with the readers in a future edition of SikhSpectrum.com.


September 14, 2004

Dear Rev. Zekveld,


Rev. Tony Zekveld

I was introduced to your beautiful website called "Hope for Sikhs". I read it and decided to contact you. I am a Sikh and as such I am open to other views such as yours and that of Christianity. In my open heart to learn more, I decided to get in touch with you. What can you offer me?

I have visited Toronto area many times and next time I will try to see you personally. That will be my honor. Please feel free to have an open dialogue, and be at will to educate me both with respect to Sikh religion as well as yours.

Sincerely,

-- GB Singh


September 16, 2004

Dear GB Singh,

Thanks for your note.

If you are free to have an open dialogue, I am open to dialogue as well. If you ever get the opportunity to come to Toronto, do feel free to stop by and visit. In the meantime, we can converse via email as well as mail (ie. sending literature).

Hope to hear from you,

With regards,

-- Rev. Zekveld

II


September 17, 2004

Dear Rev. Zekveld,

I enjoy dialogues and in that open spirit I contacted you. So please pursue in a free fashion to exchange your ideas on the Sikh religion as well as on Christianity.

Sincerely,

-- GB Singh


September 18, 2004

Dear GB Singh,

To start us off....

My family and I have been in Toronto since 1995, and we have come to love the Indian (Punjabi) people. I am a Christian pastor. At the Hope Centre we counsel, teach the Bible (God's plan of salvation in history) as well as distribute literature (free Bibles). I am learning to write and speak the Punjabi language, and do hope to visit the Punjab someday.

With respect to our dialogue, what questions, topics are you pondering on in your heart?

With regards,

-- Rev. Zekveld

III


September 18, 2004

Dear Rev. Zekveld,

Let us start with heaven. After all we are being told that once we accept Jesus Christ as our savior we are guaranteed a place in Heaven. I am intrigued by this concept. I would like you to tell me what heaven is in your opinion, and then what does the Bible say on the subject matter.

Also if it is okay with you, I would like to pass along our exchanges and dialogues to the editor of www.Sikhspectrum.com. By doing that many more readers can read our exchanges, and in the process we can all learn more.

I am a student of the Bible, and have about 8 versions (out of roughly 3,000 versions) of the Bible at home. I find many Sikhs are ignorant of the contents of the Bible, and I think that a dialogue between you and me can benefit all.

I am looking forward for this great opportunity to learn.

Brotherly,

-- GB Singh


September 20, 2004

Dear GB Singh,

Sat Sri Akal.

What follows is an article on what the Bible says about heaven. I trust it is clear and simple enough. The Bible says so much about heaven that I thought to give the broad strokes, the over-all perspective from the Bible. Feel free to place it on Sikhspectrum.com as a forum for discussion. I'd be interested in the feedback and also learn from those who respond.

-- Rev. Zekveld


What Is Heaven?

The Bible talks about heaven and hell. You want me to write about heaven. According to the Bible, heaven, to use simple terms, is living with Jesus in His home forever and ever. This real place is called the "new earth" in the Bible.

At this point, I will give you the over-all perspective of the Bible’s teaching about heaven without getting into too many details.

If you read the Bible, you will notice that God tells us about the home that He created for man, for our first parents. You will read about this in the first two or three pages of the Bible. God created the world for man so that we might live with Him. In this world, God walked and talked with them. This is what made our world a home. In this home, there was no pain or grief. Man did not die because God lived with man.

If you read the last two or three pages of the Bible, God describes the new heaven and the new earth for us. The sad earth where we live now, God will cleanse by fire. He will then transform this sad earth into a new earth and heaven; in other words, into a new home. This will take place at the end of the world, at the end of history. In this new home, there will once again be the absence of all that which brings pain and death. And all those who have accepted Jesus as their Saviour and Lord will live forever and ever with Him in this new earth, called home.

The rest of the pages of the Bible speak about man’s need for Jesus. All mankind, from every nation, is barred from entering this home to live with God because he has disobeyed God. Because of our first parents’ sin (and therefore all their descendants!), God has closed the door into His presence, into His home. Because man’s relationship with God is broken, there is brokenness in our lives, in our homes and in our world. We feel pain. We grieve. We face death. Our death shows that He has closed the door into His home and opened the door into hell. Our home on earth is a temporary one. It is a sad one and man longs for an everlasting place which he may truly call home.

Is there hope for us? Most assuredly!

In the Bible, God gives us a chronological history. In this history He reveals His loving plan to send the Savior into this sad world in order to open the way for man to live with Him in His home (heaven) again. He reveals Himself in Jesus, the only Savior, who is the Door! Jesus came into this world for one purpose: to die on the cross as a sacrifice for our sins, to pay for them, and to open the door of heaven (His home) for all who believe on Him. The reality that Jesus arose from the dead three days later, proves that He alone has conquered death and that the door into heaven is now open. Jesus is the Door.

A moment ago I said that our death shows that God closed the door. But Jesus, who arose from the dead, assures me as a believer that God has opened the door into His home through Him. God freely forgives me and receives me into His home again on the basis of His sacrifice for me.

All who are sorry for their sins and trust on Him as Savior, He receives into His home forever and ever. When I die (the Bible says that I die only once!), He assures me that I will live with Him forever in His home.

Moreover, He assures me, that at the end of the world when He returns again, He will give me a new body that will never die. I will live forever with Him and with all other followers of Jesus in the new heaven and the new earth.

Listen to this glorious description of heaven from the Bible, "God Himself will be with them and will be their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away..." He says, "I am making everything new ... these words are trustworthy and true."

IV


September 20, 2004

Dear Rev. Zekveld,

Sat Siri Akal

Thank you for the reply. Frankly I got to tell you I was expecting much more and better than this. What you wrote is an interpretation that is common among the fundamentalist Bible believers. You gave no references, and reading your answer it seems you have heavily weighed on the Revelation section of the New Testament.

Please go back to the Gospels, and from there let us dwell on what Jesus has to say about Heaven, and then we will move to the Epistles and the Revelation. For our purposes and for education of our readers, we must bring the contents of the Bible to surface and hopefully keep the propaganda lines in the back.

I thank you for agreeing to let the readers of Sikhspectrum.com read this intellectual and refreshing dialogue.

Brotherly,

-- GB Singh


September 23, 2004

from Rev. Zekveld,

What Does The Holy Bible Say About Heaven?


The word "heaven" is found in both the Old and New Testaments of the Bible. In the Hebrew, which is the original language of the Old Testament, the word for heaven is ‘shamayim’ which means "the heights." In the Greek, which is the original language of the New Testament, the word is ‘ouranos’ which means "that which is raised up." The English word heaven reflects both the Hebrew and Greek meaning: "that which is above."

There are two main uses of the word "heaven" in the Bible. 1) Heaven is a part of the universe, which God created, 2) Heaven is the abode or dwelling place of God. In this article, my purpose is to explain a few of the Biblical nuances within each of these two main uses and to illustrate each nuance with a few Bible texts.

1. Heaven is a part of the universe, which God created.

A.   Heaven forms a unity with the earth as the totality of creation. Both heaven and earth are the two created components of the entire universe. The very first line in the Bible says: "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth" (Genesis 1:1; cf. Acts 4:24). The Bible also says that both heaven and earth will pass away. For example, in the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus says, "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away" (24:35).

B.   Heaven as the firmament or sky over the earth. In the Gospel of Luke, for example, Jesus uses the word heaven in reference to a drought in the days of the prophet Elijah. He says, "many widows were in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up for three years and six months and there was a great famine (4:20; cf. read 1 Kings 17). Jesus also makes reference to the fire and brimstone which rained from heaven upon Sodom which destroyed all the people (Luke 17:29; cf. read Genesis 19:12ff).

C.   Heaven as the "starry heavens" (sun, moon, stars and other planets). In Genesis 15:5, for example, God speaks to Abraham and says, "Look now toward heaven and count the stars if you are able to number them . . . So shall your descendants be" (cf. see Hebrews 11:12). Likewise, Jesus in the Gospels speaks about the stars which will fall from heaven and the shaking of the heavens at the time of His coming at the end of the world (Matthew 24:29). In 2 Chronicles 33:3,5, we read that Manasseh, the king of Judah, no longer worshipped the Lord, but he and all Israel worshipped the hosts of heaven, which refers to the starry hosts (cf. see Acts 7:42).

D.   Heaven as the place of the atmosphere, the clouds which hover in it. Jesus speaks of His return at the end of the world, for example, as "coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory (Matthew 24:30).

We could provide many more Bible texts to illustrate each nuance. However, in this present article our greater interest, I believe, lies in the second main use of heaven in the Bible.

2. Heaven is the eternal abode or dwelling place of God.

A.   Heaven as the place of God’s throne, His sovereign rule. The Bible is filled with references to God’s sovereign rule from heaven. A few citations will suffice. In Psalm 45:6, we read, "Your throne, O God, is forever and ever." Also, "Your throne is established from of old. You are from everlasting." Isaiah the prophet writes, "I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up..." (6:1).

In Matthew 23:22, Jesus refers to heaven as God’s throne, "He who swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God and by Him who sits on it." In Acts 7:55, as Stephen was being martyred, "he gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God and the Son of Man [Jesus] standing at the right hand of God." In Hebrews, we read about Jesus, "who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens." (8:1).

In Matthew 6:9, Jesus instructs His followers to pray, "Our Father in heaven..." . Certainly, God is present everywhere in His Being in the entire universe, but heaven is in a particular way the dwelling place, the habitation of God. Reference to "our Father in heaven" abound in the Gospel of Matthew (7:11, 10:33, 12:50, 16:17, 18:10,14,19, etc.).

B.   Heaven as the place from where Jesus came, ascended and from where He will return at the end of the world. The Bible speaks of Jesus’ glory which He had with the Father before the world was (John 17:5) and He, who was above all, came down from heaven to earth (John 3:13,31). Jesus is the Bread who came from heaven so that man may feed on Him and live forever (read His discourse in John 6).

Jesus said, "For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me" (John 6:38). What was His Father’s will? That He unite earth and heaven through His death on the cross as the one and only sacrifice for sinners and be raised from the dead on the third day.

Forty days after He arose from the dead, having fulfilled the will of His Father, He was received up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God (Mark 16:19; cf. also Luke 24:51, Acts 1:10ff). There, in heaven, He lives and reigns forever (1 Peter 3:22).

A few years after His ascension into heaven, Stephen, as he was being martyred by the Jews, saw heaven open and Jesus standing at the right hand of God (Acts 7:55). From heaven, the Lord Jesus also spoke to Saul, who consented to Stephen’s death, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? I am Jesus whom you are persecuting." (Acts 9:3-5).

The Bible also says that Jesus is coming again from heaven at the end of history. He will come back in the same way His disciples saw Him go up -- visibly and personally (Acts 1:11; cf. Matthew 24:30). The apostle Paul in 1 Thessalonians 1:10 advises believers "to wait for the Son from heaven, whom He (God) has raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come" (cf. Romans 1:18). "For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first (1 Thessalonians 4:16).

C.   Heaven as the place where God’s angels presently reside and believers will live with Jesus forever. Not only do angels live in heaven (Matthew 18:10; 22:30, 24:36, etc.) but also

Jesus says that all His disciples will live with Him in heaven. Ten days after Jesus ascended into heaven, He poured out His Spirit who came from heaven upon the new church in Jerusalem (Acts 2:1-4) and today He continues to give men and women on earth the gift of new life from heaven.

The names of those whom He gives new life are already "written in heaven" as Jesus says in Luke 10:20 (cf. Hebrews 12:23). And the apostle Paul says that we who die in Christ, will receive new, glorified bodies when Christ returns. He writes, "For in this [body] we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven" (1 Corinthians 5: 2; cf. read context 5:1-5).

Jesus also speaks about reward and treasures in heaven. In speaking to His disciples about being persecuted on earth, Jesus says, "Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven" (Matthew 5:12). He also speaks about treasure in heaven "where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in or steal (Matthew 6:20).

The apostle Peter speaks about of the inheritance "reserved in heaven" ... an inheritance "incorruptible, undefiled and that does not fade away..." (1 Peter 1:4). The apostle Paul, in writing to the church, speaks of "the hope that is laid up in heaven" (Colossians 1:5).

In conclusion, I would like to refer to one particular discourse of Jesus where He describes heaven to His disciples:

Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know (John 14:1-4).

Jesus spoke to His disciples about their need for a heavenly home, because nothing on earth truly satisfies. On earth there is trouble upon trouble. Therefore, He says to them, "let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in Me."

And then, He says, "In My Father’s house are many mansions..." Because it is the Father’s house, it will be a very, very wonderful and glorious place. There the children of the Father will enjoy the most blessed fellowship.

In the second place, Jesus describes this place as a very roomy place. The Bible also uses other metaphors, besides mansions, to describe heaven, such as "the holy city", "the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God" (Revelation 20:2), as well as "a garden" (Revelation 22:2).

Third, Jesus describes this place as a haven, as a home where His disciples are safe and secure. Now the storms may rage, their hearts may be troubled, but the Father’s home is a place of perfect security and rest. In this home, there will be no more sorrow, no more death, no more crying and no more pain (Revelation 21:4).

Fourth, from Jesus’ description, we may conclude that in this home there will be perfect understanding and love. Truly, this is not the case at the present!

Finally, it is a place of permanence. This home will never be dismantled or destroyed. The Father’s house, according to this context, is a place where His disciples will live forever and ever. He says that this is the kind of place He is preparing for His disciples and He will come again and take them to Himself. His disciples will live with Him forever and ever.

V


September 23, 2004

Dear Rev. Zekveld,

I thank you for preparing this piece. It is well done. However, Jesus said a lot more about heaven as mentioned in the Gospels. Next week I will collect these verses and put them in an article. I must say at the outset that these may cause discomfort.

As a student of the Bible, that I am, I believe both believers and the unbelievers (of the Bible) should be aware of these verses and then they can independently make their own mind in matters of faith.

While I work on my assigned task, I really believe this dialogue of ours will benefit our readers, both Sikhs as well as non-Sikhs.

In your third paragraph which is (1A), you said, "Both heaven and earth are the two created components of the entire universe." Then you quoted from Genesis 1:1 stating "heavens" that makes it more than one heaven. Which one is accurate?

I again commend you for taking your precious time to put this paper.

Respectfully,

-- GB Singh


September 24, 2004

Dear G.B. Singh,

I know that there is much more that could be said. There are many more verses. What I sent is a sampling. Perhaps another article is necessary. The article I wrote was not meant to be exhaustive, but to give the reader a glimpse of the Bible's teaching on heaven.

With sincere regards,

-- Rev. Zekveld

VI


September 24, 2004

Dear Rev. Zekveld,

You are correct that more could be said. Your sampling of heaven verses is adequate from the perspective of those who wish to project the Bible and Jesus in favorable image. Thus your sampling of verses did not surprise me; it was expected.

My intention is to let the reader read the entire story with respect to heaven; more particularly what Jesus has to say about heaven. While I am working on this portion, you may want to work on "soul" as described in the Bible. I think after we have discussed Heaven we will move onto Soul.

Thanks a million for your efforts.

-- GB Singh


September 24, 2004

Dear G.B. Singh,

I'm not sure what you mean by projecting "the Bible and Jesus in a favorable image." All the other verses from the Bible about heaven, for example, in no way contradict the sampling of verses I have sent you. Scripture interprets Scripture; thus all references must be seen in light of the unifying perspective of the Bible. It's not so much a matter of favorable or unfavorable projection but are we reading the Bible with the proper perspective, the proper presuppositions, the right set of glasses. Hmmm, the soul. by when would you need this?

Sincerely,

-- Rev. Zekveld

VII


September 25, 2004

Dear Rev. Zekveld,

I understand what you are saying, and I respect your perspective and the way you put the article together. I certainly beg to differ with that because of many reasons, most important of which are Jesus’ own negative sayings on the Heaven. Those you didn't address but I will. I believe then collectively the readers and we will have far better understanding of heaven.

On the topic of soul, please take your time. I know it require efforts to put a good article together. After we finish our discussion on heaven we will talk about it. I feel many readers and my own Christian brothers and sisters will like to jump in with their own views. In this process of an open dialogue we will learn about the contents of the Bible.

I again admire you for taking your time to participate in the dialogue.

Brotherly,

-- GB Singh


September 25, 2004

Dear G.B. Singh,

Thanks for you response.

You have mentioned to me about Jesus' own negative sayings about heaven in the last number of posts, but you have given me no examples. Again, whatever those negative sayings are -- even these must be interpreted from a Christian faith perspective in order to be accurately communicated and understood.

With regards,

-- Rev. Zekveld

VIII


September 26, 2004

Dear Rev. Zekveld,

You are correct I didn't give any reference on Jesus’ negative remarks on heaven. I plan to incorporate them in an article, which I hope to complete writing next week.

It is not fair to interpret these verses only from one perspective-- that is the fundamentalist point of view. I have a very close friend who has a PhD in Christian theology and we consult each other in matters of interpretations. I plan to consult him and get his views on these questionable verses. I have also some other close friends who are extremely knowledgeable of the Bible, and they will be consulted for my work on heaven.

All I am saying is that I will do everything possible to be objective, and if the views differ I will bring that to attention.

Brotherly,

-- GB Singh


September 27, 2004

Dear G.B. Singh,

You say "interpreting these verses from only one perspective . . . is not fair." What is your criterion for fairness?

Ultimately it does not matter 'what men may say' but 'what God says' in His Word. He has spoken. We may try to alter or twist the objective meaning, but ultimately earth must answer to the court of heaven and submit to His Word. "Let God be true, but every man a liar" (Romans 3:4).

Let's not try to be wiser than God Himself.. If we try, all the so-called differing perspectives are simply a pooling of peoples' ignorance and all are lost in the morass of subjectivity. Apart from interpreting the Scriptures from the proper presuppositions, you and all your readers will end up thoroughly confused. How will this be of help or be of benefit to your readers?

By the way, GB, I do appreciate the opportunity for this open and honest dialogue.

With regards,

-- Rev. Zekveld

IX


September 27, 2004

Dear Rev. Zekveld,

My criteria are manifold. I start with the literal interpretation. If the literal interpretation is not adequate I go the extra mile to get opinions of others. These others whom I consult range from critical thinkers, Biblical scholars of various persuasions, including scholars such as you. But in the end the responsibility is mine if I am writing a piece.

Take the example of our present discussion: Jesus has spoken about heaven at many places. I just spent a good deal of time discussing so many of the questionable verses with a Christian friend who has a Ph.D in theology. I respect his arguments.

You are correct in that others and I may end up more confused. But there is a advantage here also. Most people have never read the Bible. They have heard the propaganda and beyond that they know next to nothing. Over the years I have tried to induce many educated Sikhs to read the Bible. Without exception almost every one returned the Bible to me after reading the first few chapters of Genesis, and asked me not to give it to them again. They definitely were not confused. They just didn't like what they were reading.

I, however, have read the Bible. I have read the apologetic materials and the rest of that stuff also. So in days and months to come, you and I will address various elements of the Bible. I know that I will not be confused.

I feel very honored that I contacted you, and we are pursuing this wonderful dialogue. I know I have a lot to learn from you, and from many of my Christian brothers and sisters. I never miss the opportunity to learn from them. Trust me I have gone through this before on other controversial subjects. In my contacts with Christians, I have often come across Christians who will promote a doctrine only to find out they have not read the Bible. This is not too different from many Sikhs that I know.

I also believe that God's word should be critically analyzed; be it in the Bible, Koran, Guru Granth, Vedas, and/or so many others. Why critically? Because there is a danger here, and our human history attests to that danger more than once. I hope you understand what I am trying to say. People have done tremendous damage to each other after gaining inspiration from their religious books. We owe it to ourselves, to our humanity, and to our God to make sure we exercise critical judgment in matters of reading the scriptures.

Sincerely,

-- GB Singh

What is Christian Heaven?
A Commentary

by G.B. Singh


I can’t count the number of times I have been approached by some Christian trying to guarantee me salvation—by going to heaven—if only I confess my sins, invite Jesus Christ to live in my heart, and declare him as my savior. I have been reluctant to take this step. Most Christians believe that heaven is a tangible place (like Toronto, Islamabad, etc) located in the direction of the sky. Reading the account in Genesis 1:1-22, I am tempted to say that up in the direction of the sky we have heaven(s) and once the “dome-shaped sky opens up” there are more heavens. I am told that upon death, the soul goes to the heaven (contingent upon faith in Jesus) and experiences an everlasting blissful life in the company of the Biblical God (BG) and Jesus. Others like me will perish forever in an awful place called hell for failing to believe in Jesus and the BG.

A brief background should help the reader here because the contents may get confusing. About 2,000 years ago, at Jesus time, it was believed that after he ascended to heaven, he would come back very soon. Upon his return from heaven, he would wage a war and subdue the enemies (including Devil) and then rule the earth for 1,000 years. After this rule, both heaven and earth would be destroyed and, (after more fighting with Devil) there will be a new earth and a new heaven. The relevant crucial details are in this article. Complicated theological matters got more perplexing because Jesus never returned. In a rational sense his failure to return should have put the nail in the coffin. Alas, it didn’t. The Christian propaganda took on a different turn especially after Christianity had captured the Roman Empire: Instead of the failed messiah, they are now waiting for the messiah to return and then the rest of the story will ensue.

Reading the Bible is no easy task and trying to figure out what heaven is, is like looking for a needle in a haystack. Even within the Christian apologetic ranks, there is no clear-cut answer. Take for two diametrically opposed examples: (1) M. R. DeHaan admits that, “There is not much in the Bible concerning conditions in heaven, and we do not know exactly just what all of us will be like when we get there.” (508 Answers to Bible Questions, Zondervan Publishing House, 1982, page 184), and in contrast (2) Joey O’Connor in his book lays out the fact that in heaven, “there will be no sadness, no tears, no pain, and no suffering….the kingdom of heaven will be a perfect place where nothing goes wrong. We won’t become sick. We won’t hurt others and others won’t hurt us….” (Heaven’s Not a Crying Place. Fleming H. Revell, 1998, pages 109-112)

Because of the complexity of the matter, I have briefly put together the following levels under which the mystery of heaven can be studied:

1.  First Coming of Jesus: We are told in the Bible that Jesus existed before his human birth and lived in heaven with the Biblical God (BG). As a result of miraculous conception, Jesus was born through a woman about 2,000 years ago and lived on earth for roughly 33 years. I call this Jesus, “Jesus of the Flesh 1 (JF 1).” Before his crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension to heaven, he taught about heaven, which should be of interest to us.

2.  Second Coming of Jesus: This is “Jesus of the Flesh 2 (JF 2)” because he ascended to heaven in the flesh and since then he is expected to return soon in the flesh. What do we learn about heaven during this alleged phase of his journey? From my reading of the Bible, I believe he is already late by roughly 1950 years. In other words, he did not return when expected. Therefore, I will discuss JF 2 in the past tense and not in the future tense.

3.  Third Coming of Jesus: This is our “Jesus of the Flesh 3 (JF 3)” because he still has not discarded his human body. Had he come back and reigned for 1,000 years during his second coming, followed by the destruction of the known heaven(s) and earth, he would have moved to the “new heaven(s) and new earth.” What can we learn of heaven during this alleged phase of his life?

Jesus of the Flesh 1


The burden of proof for providing us an accurate description in a clear language is upon Jesus and on nobody else. After all, here is a “god-man,” who had before his birth lived in heaven, and while dwelling on earth during the short period of his ministry taught about heaven—the subject matter of my inquiry:

1.  Jesus clearly spelled out the following three conditions for getting into heaven: (1) Adult aspirant must behave like a child [Matthew 18:3-4], (2) must live a life in poverty [Luke 12:33, Mark 10: 21, 25], and (3) must believe in Jesus as the savior [John 14:6]. Of these three prerequisites, I believe the third requirement is the easiest of all. Asking to donate everything to another person is possible. I certainly don’t agree with that. I have no qualms in helping a poor person, but to give everything you own to a poor person is nothing more than trading places with that poor person. Asking an adult to behave like a child is the most difficult. And that is only possible if an adult has been subjected to an incredible psychological and psychiatric assaults or a child remained retarded and became an adult only in body. Are these prerequisites desirable? I don’t think so.

2.  Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. [Matthew 5:3]

3.   “Some More Thoughts!”

44. “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.
45. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls:
46. Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.
47. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind:
48. Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away.
49. So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just,
50. And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.” [Matthew 13:44-50] King James Version (KJV)

Comments: Poverty is something I can understand, but that affliction called “poor in spirit” is something beyond my comprehension. How do you measure “spirit”? Why would Jesus think that the kingdom of heaven belongs to those “poor in spirit” (perhaps meaning “poor in soul”)? If you are hoping for Jesus to enunciate clearly what heaven is he might ask you to read further.

4.  “Verily I say unto you, among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.” [Matthew 11:11-13] KJV

Comments: If Jesus meant to depict political conditions in heaven as similar to what we encounter on earth, I commend him for clarity here. It seems to me that heaven suffers from the “caste factor,” where inhabitants are graded from low to high. Violence afflicts us all and to find out you can’t escape it even in heaven offers us no comfort at all. Why aim for heaven then if it has the same problems as earth?

My question to Jesus would be: Who are these men who are trying or have taken over heaven by violent means? How does heaven plan to put down this rebellion? We are told that there was an armed resistance in heaven: (1) Revelation 12:7, "And there was war in heaven; Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels," and (2) Revelation 19:14,"And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses." What is the status of the violent resistance now?

5.  “The Parable of the Mustard Seed”

“Another parable he put forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field:

Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.” [Matthew 13:31-32] KJV

Comments: I am troubled here in trying to understand this parable. The mustard seed is not the smallest of all seeds and, once grown it is not a tree; it remains a shrub.

6.  “The Parable of the Yeast”

“Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.” [Matthew 13:33] KJV

Comments: Can you imagine heaven to be perfect when it's like leaven, a contaminant, a pollutant? This is a negative description of heaven and I am indebted to C. Dennis McKinsey for elaborating further by citing the following several Biblical verses: (1) 1 Corinthians. 5:8, "Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth," (2) Leviticus 10:12, "And Moses spake unto Aaron,...Take the meat offering that remaineth of the offerings of the Lord made by fire, and eat it without leaven...for it must be holy," (3) 1 Corinthians 5:6, "Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?" and (4) Luke 12:1,"...he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy",

7.  “And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” [Matthew 16:19] KJV

Comments: Can you imagine people restrained in heaven? There seems to be hardly any difference between life on earth and life in heaven, if we are bound by the same wickedness, impurities, and sins that bind us on earth we are being told will bind us in heaven.

8.  “The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant”

22. “Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.
23. Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants.
24. And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents.
25. But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.
26. The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
27. Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.
28. But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellow servants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest.
29. And his fellow servant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
30. And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.
31. So when his fellow servants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done.
32. Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me:
33. Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow servant, even as I had pity on thee?
34. And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.
35. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.” [Matthew 18:22-35] KJV

Comments: This parable is open to interpretation. On a positive note, Jesus is saying: forgive others, or the BG won't forgive you. However, he said it in quite a long-winded way. Once in the kingdom of heaven, we will be forgiving others; that’s a strange idea! Whatever happened to the ethical idea of repaying the loan? I would have been satisfied if Jesus had stressed such a notion. The first servant ends up being imprisoned by the king for not showing mercy when he asked it for himself. What does forgiveness have to do with repaying a loan? What does all of this have to do with heaven? Is there another requirement for salvation if the imprisonment is a metaphor for damnation? If not, does it represent something else? I think heaven has started to become murkier with each passing verse of the Bible.

9.  “The Parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard”

1. “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard.
2. When he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius for the day, he sent them into his vineyard.
3. And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the market place;
4. and to those he said, 'You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.' And so they went.
5. Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did the same thing.
6. And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, 'Why have you been standing here idle all day long?'
7. They said to him, 'Because no one hired us.' He said to them, 'You go into the vineyard too.'
8. When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, 'Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last group to the first.'
9. When those hired about the eleventh hour came, each one received a denarius.
10. When those hired first came, they thought that they would receive more; but each of them also received a denarius.
11. When they received it, they grumbled at the landowner,
12. saying, 'These last men have worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the scorching heat of the day.'
13. But he answered and said to one of them, Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for a denarius?

14. Take what is yours and go, but I wish to give to this last man the same as to you.
15. Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with what is my own? Or is your eye envious because I am generous?'
16. So the last shall be first, and the first last." [Matthew 20:1-16] New American Standard Bible version

Comments: If Jesus was describing this parable to the residents of heaven about the unjust conditions on earth it would have made sense. To conceive of heaven as an unjust environment is something I was not prepared for. In this bizarre parable, a landowner went out early one morning and hired some workers for his vineyard. Three, six, nine and eleven hours later, he hired additional workers. Yet, when everyone was paid that evening, they all received the same amount.

Jesus has equated this unjust arrangement with heaven. Think about it. A person is hired at a flat rate. He or she works hard for hours only to find that other people who were hired many hours later are paid the same amount for the same services. And when they complain about this mistreatment, they are accused of being “envious,” while the landowner wants to be called generous. Didn’t slavery work this way? Pay them a pittance and deny them any recourse to justice.

10.  “The Parable of the Two Sons”

28. “But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard.
29. He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went.
30. And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not.
31. Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.
32. For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him.” [Matthew 21:28-32] KJV

Comments: I sure don’t mind publicans [tax collectors] going to heaven ahead of disciples of Jesus. But to read of prostitutes making their entrance into heaven along with publicans does come as a surprise. I wonder what benefit prostitutes can bring to heaven.

11.  “The Parable of the Tenants in the Vineyard”

33. “Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country:
34. And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it.
35. And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another.
36. Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise.
37. But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son.
38. But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance.
39. And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him.
40. When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen?
41. They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons.
42. Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?
43. Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.” [Matthew 21:33-43] KJV

Comments: If you have made your entrance to heaven, how could anybody take it away and expel you? This also means that considering Jesus as the way to salvation (heaven) does not guarantee a permanent residence in heaven as claimed by some of his followers. Reading these parables gives me the feeling that Jesus has earth on his mind and not heaven. Because it is all too familiar to see such chaotic authoritative decisions on earth, and given that why would anyone aspire to go to heaven to be treated no different than one is treated on earth? To be honest with you, the parable just doesn’t make any sense.

12.  “The Parable of the Wedding Feast”

1. “And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said,
2. The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son,
3. And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.
4. Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage.
5. But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise:
6. And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them.
7. But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.
8. Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.
9. Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage.
10. So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.
11. And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:
12. And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.
13. Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
14. For many are called, but few are chosen.” [Matthew 22: 1-14] KJV

Comments: Can you make any sense out of this? What relevance does this story have to heaven? Should we take Jesus seriously? Or is he pulling our leg as well as that of his disciples?

13.  “The Parable of the Ten Virgins”

1. “Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
2. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
3. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:
4. But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
5. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
6. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
7. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
8. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.
9. But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.
10. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.
11. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
12. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.
13. Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.” [Matthew 25: 1-13] KJV

Comments: Can you imagine such a parable being shoved down your throats? Heaven is getting stranger and stranger with each passing parable!

14.  “The Parable of the Three Servants”

14. “For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.
15. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.
16. Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents.
17. And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.
18. But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money.
19. After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.
20. And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.
21. His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
22. He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.
23. His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
24. Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:
25. And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.
26. His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:
27. Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.
28. Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.
29. For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.
30. And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” [Matthew 25:14-30] KJV

Comments: Is this parable in tune with the ethical and moral dimensions of heaven that many Christians would have us believe?

15.  In Luke 17:21, Jesus referred as “Kingdom of God is within you.” If heaven is within you— right inside of your body—I must congratulate Jesus for presenting us with such a tangle of mixed metaphors. I am sure some Eastern religionists would agree with him. You can make a case here for Jesus being radically inconsistent with what he had said at other times.

16.  In Luke 23:43, while on the cross just before his crucifixion, Jesus says to a thief neighbor who was also about to be crucified: “I promise you that today you will be in paradise with me.” Did Jesus mislead this thief? We know that earlier Jesus said by his own prophecy [Matthew 12:40] that he was to lie in the tomb for three days and three nights after the crucifixion. So how could Jesus be in heaven along with the poor thief unless, in Jesus' mind, heaven is another name for earth?

17.  In John 3:13, Jesus said, “And no one has ever gone to heaven except the Son of Man [Jesus], who came down from heaven.” This again is not accurate. In the Old Testament, we read that Elijah never died and went straight to heaven [2 Kings 2:11]. In Genesis 5:22-24, we read that Enoch never died and likewise he too went straight to heaven.

It is quite obvious from the Bible that at least two biblical prophets (Elijah and Enoch) went straight to heaven much more miraculously and much earlier “historically” speaking than the Jesus story timetable. Obviously Jesus' dying for the sins of mankind was not required for these prophets who entered heaven of their own volition and on their own reconnaissance. Biblically speaking why had Jesus missed such important facts from the Old Testament? Could it be that he never read the Old Testament carefully?

18.  In Matthew 24:35, Jesus said, "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away." If that’s the case why would anyone aspire to go to heaven? In fact that would be the last place anyone in their right mind would want to go. To be fair to Jesus, here he is talking about the apocalypse, which is beyond the scope of full discussion here. At the least, it will require understanding Jesus' apocalyptic verses and the Revelation, the last bizarre book in the Bible. In “JF 2,” I have discussed the issue in brief only because of heaven that we are talking about. Let me state it clearly that, if heaven was not spoken of in the apocalyptic verses, I would have never raised the next part of the discussion.

Jesus of the Flesh 2


As JF 1’s short life was approaching its end, he began prophesying about the troubling end times. In a number of his sayings, he mentioned heaven. For example:

1.  “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.” [John: 14:1-4] KJV

2.  “Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” [Matthew 24:29-31] KJV

3.  “Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.” [Matthew 26:64] KJV

Comments: Without belaboring the point any further concerning heaven, Jesus made it clear to his disciples that he was coming back very soon after his ascension to heaven. Of course he didn’t. For the sake of argument, let us say that, if Jesus had returned as “JF 2,” then in that case what do we learn of heaven? We learn that Jesus would have been war oriented. From 1 Corinthians 15:24, and Revelation 20, we learn that JF 2 would have subdued all the enemies and taken over as ruler of earth for 1,000 years in the company of his father, the BG. In that case my inference is that both Jesus and BG would have abdicated heaven by this point in favor of earth.

Moreover, we also learn that the other residents of heaven too would have traveled to earth and, after being adorned with “new bodies,” they would have stayed in the company of Jesus and the BG. Ironically, as a result of this mass exodus, heaven would have been rendered empty. Since the Bible failed to tell us of the physical attributes of JF 1, JF 2 would have been easily recognizable as a devil with seven horns and seven eyes: “And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.” [Revelation 5:6] KJV

Jesus of the Flesh 3


After ruling the earth for 1,000 years, we are told some more cataclysmic events were in store. For example the earth and heaven(s) would have been destroyed. Wow! I wonder what would have been the fate of those who opted for mass migration from heaven to the earth only to be told that now they must follow the BG and Jesus to another “planet” since the BG has decided to destroy this one. Knowing the “merciful” BG as he is, we are told that he would have created a new heaven(s) and new earth [2 Peter 3:12-13, and Revelation 21].

Then both JF 3 and BG would have moved to the new earth where they would have created a replica of the Kremlin-like walled city called the “New Jerusalem.” The details of this city are quite interesting. Please read Revelation 21: 9-27; 22:1-5. Even more amazing is that undesirable human beings and dogs would have been kept away from this walled city; thereby safeguarding its residents.

We are told that, in complete segregation, the residents of the “New Jerusalem” would have experienced no more sorrow, no more death, no more crying and no more pain [Revelation 21:4]. This would have been the most utopian life on the new earth. What kind of life would it have been in the new heaven? The Bible is silent on that matter. Reading the Revelation several times and discussing the subject with many friends, I can say that the new earth and the new heaven are two separate entities and the “New Jerusalem” was to be situated on the new earth.

The above analysis makes it clear that had these events taken place, the new heaven would have remained empty, would it not? Perhaps the new heaven would have been reserved for those who had opted for not accepting Jesus as their savior! Ironically, the story ended abruptly and the mystery is solved: There is a heavy price for following Jesus, and in the end, there is no heaven. In other words, the Bible is clear that the original heaven would have been destroyed if the prophecies had come true. In continuation of the bombastic story, the original heaven’s replacement was to be the new earth (with “New Jerusalem” on it) and not the new heaven. As it turned out the new heaven would have remained empty.

Now the Christian believers may say that the “New Jerusalem” is the new heaven because you are living with JF 3 and the BG. The trouble with this argument is this is not well supported, especially when you consider that the new earth would have had its own fair share of undesirable human populations, which along with dogs would have been segregated from the walls of the “New Jerusalem.”

In other words, the new earth would have been no different from today’s earth. If one needs to see a good example of the “New Jerusalem” today, I would recommend the Kremlin in Moscow. Reading into the fine details of the “New Jerusalem,” my hunch is that this new “holy city” would have been a political set up arranged on the lines of the caste system. Also its social arrangements would have been reversed. In a normal social and political environment, the undesirables are confined inside the protective walls. Whereas, in the “New Jerusalem” it is the faithful who would have been locked up inside the walls! What an irony!

Since JF 2 and JF 3 never materialized, why are we talking about it? The answer is simple. The Christian missionaries, who are in the business of selling “Jesus as savior,” hone their propaganda talks on JF 2 & 3 more so than on JF 1. A simple knowledge of JF 2 & 3 might come in handy to convince the secularists and other scholars to adopt measures to counter the missionary’s psychological gimmicks to protect the weaker sections of the vulnerable population.

Conclusion

Given all that I have written and discussed: What do we make of Jesus? Based upon the analysis, one can construct a case that we are better off at keeping Jesus at arm’s length. Frankly speaking if I spoke in the similar language of parables concerning heaven, my friends wouldn’t hesitate to call me crazy. On a positive note, I have never seen a Christian talking like Jesus when it comes to the topic of heaven. Did Jesus really believe in heaven as a location up in the sky where people go after death?

We know that Jesus (if he existed) himself never left any written account. Whatever we know of him is through others and one can argue for the sake of Jesus that the writers of the New Testament corrupted his original teachings. We will never know for sure and the Jesus controversy will stay with us for a long time. As far as heaven is concerned, given the many confusing parables “discussed” in this paper, I believe Jesus didn’t believe in heaven, or in the afterlife. I believe for him earth was heaven. Christians in general and missionaries in particular need to reassess their theological doctrine on heaven.

Based upon what I have analyzed, missionaries need not promote Jesus as the savior and guarantee salvation. They can reinvest their huge resources in turning our troubled planet earth into a heaven-like paradise, the kind that they would have us imagine. This may not sit so well with Jesus' many blind followers who are hell bent on selling heaven to people like me. Evangelical Christianity might benefit from a group of Christians who once, during the civil rights era, propounded the philosophy of “Christianity without Heaven.”

As I close this paper, I am reminded of a suitable verse from the Bible (in the Old Testament) where its author grasped the “dilemma of heaven” more appropriately than let’s say, Jesus of the Flesh 1:

19. “For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity.
20. All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.
21. Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?
22. Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?” [Ecclesiastics 3:19-22] KJV


Acknowledgements

1 C. Dennis McKinsey. In addition I consulted his two books titled, The Encyclopedia of Biblical Errancy and Biblical Errancy: A Reference Guide.

2 Ed Unger, and Jason McGruder.

3 Timothy Watson

4 Reverend Tony Zekveld

5 WWW.Sikhspectrum.com, for publishing my conversation with Reverend Tony Zekveld.

6 Margaret Barker (2000). The Revelation of Jesus Christ.

7 Jeffrey Burton Russell (1997). A History of Heaven: The Singing Silence.

8 Philip C. Almond (1994). Heaven and Hell in Enlightened England.

9 Colleen McDannell, and Bernhard Lang (1988). Heaven: A History.

10 J. Edward Wright (2000). The Early History of Heaven.

X


October 30, 2004

Dear G.B. Singh,

I did receive your commentary on "What is Christian Heaven? I read through your commentary, and I have found some time to respond to it. Let me communicate my response to your article via a story.

There was a man who said that he was dead. Every day he was saying to himself, to all his friends and to all the people: "I'm dead. I know I am dead."

Finally, his closest friend said to him, "You're not dead. I know you're not. Will you agree to go to the psychiatrist? Perhaps he can prove to you that you are not dead."

The so-called dead man agreed. They went to the psychiatrist together. The psychiatrist asked the "dead man" --- `what's the problem?" He replied: "I am dead. I know I am."

The psychiatrist asked him, "Do dead men bleed? The dead man replied, "No!" The psychiatrist then said, "Okay, I will do a very simple test on you. I will prick the end of your finger with a pin. If your finger bleeds, then you know that you are alive. If not, then you know that you are dead."

The psychiatrist then pricked his finger with a pin, and alas, it began to bleed!

What did the "dead man" say? "I guess dead men do bleed!!"

G.B., very briefly, you may be convinced about your position. You maybe very sincere about it. But if you begin with the wrong presuppositions about Christ, your conclusions about Christ will also look very silly. Instead, in your commentary you confirm the very truthfulness of God's Word when He says, "But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned" (1 Corinthians 2:14).

Beyond this, I have nothing more to add. If you want me to give some specific examples from your commentary, I'll do that. But I'll first await your response.

Sincerely,

-- Rev. Zekveld


October 30, 2004

Dear Rev. Zekveld,

Thank you for the reply. Trust me, writing the article on heaven was not easy. I understand what you have written here as a short reply. Even though I disagree with you, I respect and admire you a lot.

The Bible is not an easy book to read let alone understand. If it is to be accepted as "God's Word," it has to withstand critical scrutiny. I critically evaluate all religious books including Guru Granth. I have been reading the Bible for so long and I have consulted its contents with many scholars both within and outside the church. You can only imagine what corridors I have passed through.

Given our apparent disagreement here and hopefully more agreements in the future, my hope is that we will all come out better informed, especially the readers of Sikhspectrum.com.

Let us move ahead with the topic of "Soul", and after that you may pick the topic of your choice either from the Bible or from the Guru Granth.

Sincerely,

-- G.B. Singh

XI


November 1, 2004

Dear G.B. Singh,

When would you like the article on "the soul"?

Thanks.

-- Rev. Zekveld

Dear Rev. Zekveld,

That's great! In my dealings with subject of soul within the Christian community, I found this subject has not been handled properly. We all assume what it is but never take a skeptical look on the subject. I have noticed the same problem with modern skeptical movements dealing with the Bible. For example in the works of Dennis McKinsey, there is nothing on Soul.

I can't even ask Moslems the question on soul because it is forbidden in the Koran to ask this question.

Please work on it for the next month or so and then I will work on it. I think our effort will break new grounds on this subject. You can address it from your personal perspective as well as from the Bible. I will strictly address it from the Bible.

Sincerely,

-- G.B. Singh

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