See my #57.
"This makes more sense as the remainder of the Bible supports that no one is in Heaven yet and won’t be until the Day of Judgement."
True enough; however, I think it unwise to view things in a strictly temporal context. If eternal life is indeed eternal, it is without beginning and end and transcends all time as we view it. Similarly, where are Enoch and Elijah when the Old Testament tells us they were taken up to Heaven, and you render the unqualified statement that, "no one is in Heaven yet"?
99.9% of us have not been to heaven; read below for clarity.
transcript below:
Caller: Was Enoch really taken into Heaven?
Pastor Doug: Was Enoch taken into Heaven?
Caller: Yes.
Pastor Doug: Well the Bible says, ‘he was not, for God took him’ and we have reason to believe that yes he was taken up into Paradise.
Caller: But, oh what’s confusing for me is that in the Gospel of John 3:13, Jesus said that no one has ever gone into Heaven except the one who came from Heaven, the Son of man.
Pastor Doug: Ok.
Caller: And so my question is how could Enoch be in Heaven, when Jesus said no one has ever gone into Heaven except the Son of man?
Pastor Doug: Well you need to read it in the context. He’s talking to Nicodemus and He’s chiding Nicodemus. He’s saying, ‘Are you a master in Israel, and you know not these things?’ speaking of the New Birth.
And then when Christ goes on to say no one has ascended up into Heaven except Him who came down from Heaven, Christ is saying that He is the only One who has come from Heaven to teach the Truth of God. There have been people – not only Enoch – you’ve got Elijah who went to Heaven in a fiery chariot. You’ve got Moses who was up in Heaven because he appeared to Christ on the Mount of Transfiguration so we don’t need to limit this to an anomaly with Enoch.
But Jesus is emphasizing here, I’m the only One who’s been to Heaven and back, who has been in the presence of the Father and who can explain these things.
The Bible tells us some things that are the norm – unless there’s an exception – an example of this would be when it says, ‘All that are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth’ you’ve read that Scripture?
Caller: Yes.
Pastor Doug: Well obviously it’s not the ones who are already in Heaven, but generally speaking, all that are in the graves. The 99.9% of the people have died and are waiting for the Resurrection.
If you wanted to try and torture this Scripture you could say, ‘Well it says all, but what about Enoch and Elijah?’ The exceptions in the Bible are mentioned as exceptions. See what I’m saying?
Caller: Yes.
Pastor Doug: Generally speaking. No one else has been up to Heaven and back down again. Even Lazarus made no claims during his four days of death about being in Heaven. Ok?
Caller: All right.
Pastor Doug: And incidentally, Moses, Enoch, Elijah, who were taken to Heaven the Bible says, they never came back and talked to men. The only time any man has come back down and talked, it was when Moses and Elijah came and talked to Jesus. So Christ is saying He is the only bridge between Heaven and earth.
Caller: Right.
Pastor Doug: Ok?
Caller: Right.
Pastor Doug: I hope that helps.
Caller: Thanks.
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