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You are in Heavenly Places RIGHT NOW (Ephesians 1:3)

By Jeremy Myers
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You are in Heavenly Places RIGHT NOW (Ephesians 1:3)
https://media.blubrry.com/one_verse/feeds.soundcloud.com/stream/1025361094-redeeminggod-what-does-the-phrase-in-heavenly-places-mean-ephesians-13.mp3

Does God forgive suicide? Spoiler alert: YES! And what is Paul referring to in Ephesians 1:3 when he writes about heavenly places? Is that heaven or something else? These are a few of the questions that get addressed in this episode of the Redeeming God Podcast.

Will God Forgive Suicide?

I received a tragic email from a reader recently. Here is what she wrote:

My brother recently took his own life due to depression. The last sentence of his letter that he left behind, he stated that he hopes to see us in God’s kingdom if it is in God’s will. As I’m reflecting back, my brother believes in God and believes in Heaven. He knows that what he is doing isn’t the right way to escape his emotions, but he’s going to do it anyways. While at the same time, he’s hoping that God will have mercy on his soul.

I’m writing to seek answers to help bring closure. I’ve listened to your podcast on Hades in YouTube. My first question is, will my brother’s soul exist in a conscience state in Hades? When I die, will my brother and I still exist in a conscience state of mind where I can ask him why he did what he did? I know that the Bible teaches that our bodies will be resurrected, but before then, will I see my brother?

Lastly, those who commit suicide, do they get to go to heaven?

forgivenessI have addressed similar questions about suicide and the unforgivable sin elsewhere, but here is what I wrote in reply to this woman:

I am so sorry this happened. What a terrible tragedy. Depression is such a terrible thing, and it takes so many lives. I am so sorry for your loss.

There is no reason to assume that your brother will not spend eternity with God. If he said that he hopes God has mercy on his soul, this seems to me to be an indication that he looked to God as the only source of hope and eternal life for himself. If that is what he did at any time during his life, even if it was in his last seconds, then he is already with God in eternity.

And yes, suicide is completely forgivable. God always forgives us for all our sins. I have done a lot of study and teaching on forgiveness in Scripture, and the forgiveness of God is complete and universal. So do not worry that your brother’s suicide kept him out of heaven. It didn’t.

I believe that you will see your brother again.

I hope you find comfort and hope in your time of loss.

What does the phrase “In Heavenly Places” mean? (Ephesians 1:3)

Ephesians 1:3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 

The following teachings are drawn from my study on Ephesians 1:3-4 and my Gospel Dictionary entry on Heaven.

Ephesians 1:3 is a summary of chapters 1, 2 and 3. It is kind of the thesis sentence. Paul begins with praise to God for these spiritual blessings. And Paul tells us where these blessings are from, heavenly places, and that all such blessings belong to us in Christ.

Every Spiritual Blessings

The first thing to note is that God has given us every spiritual blessing. God has not given you some spiritual blessings, but every spiritual blessing. There is not a blessing which God could give you that He has not given you. If there is a spiritual blessing God can give you, He has already given it to you.

A couple things should be said about this. First, these are spiritual blessings. Paul is not saying here that we have in our possession every possible blessing, but that we have every spiritual blessing. I think that all of us can think of some physical blessings that we do not have. Better health. A better marriage. Or maybe a relationship. More money. A job. Such things are blessings as well, but they might not be ours.

This is one of the great misunderstandings in the health-and-wealth-prosperity-gospel-name-it-and-claim-it teachings that you hear in some churches. They use texts like Ephesians 1:3 to say that God has given you every possible blessing, including all physical blessings, and that if you just have enough faith, if you just claim what is already yours in Jesus Christ, then you will get it. Even if it’s a nice car, or a perfect health, or a great marriage.

But that is not what Ephesians 1:3 teaches. These are spiritual blessings. These include things like grace, mercy, love, and forgiveness from God. They include election, calling, and purpose for this life. They include hope, joy, peace about the future. One great spiritual blessing, of course, is eternal life. All such things have already been given to you. They are yours.

So in the case of spiritual blessings, you don’t need to pray or ask for God to give them to you. You just need to recognize that you already have them, and then live in light of the fact that you have these spiritual blessings.

When you sin, you don’t need to ask God for forgiveness, because He has already forgiven you for all your sins, past, present, and future. Instead, you can simply thank Him for the forgiveness have been given.

When you struggle with a joyful outlook on life, you don’t need to ask God to give you hope and joy. Instead, you can ask God to give you a proper perspective on life so that you can see the truth about what is going on in this world and in your life, and thus, experience the hope and joy God has already given to you.

When it comes to what you are supposed to be doing in this world, what your purpose is, you don’t need to ask God to give you a purpose. Instead, you can thank God for the goals, purpose, and tasks He has already assigned to you, and then ask Him for wisdom and insight to help understand what these tasks and purposes are. It might help to know the spiritual gifts you have already been given as well. I have an online course to help you know your spiritual gifts.

Do you see? So in your life, when it comes to spiritual blessings, you don’t need to feel left out, forgotten, or neglected by God. He has already given you everything you need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3). You just need to recognize what these blessings are, and then learn how to benefit from them and use them in your life. Ephesians 1-3 will be explaining a lot more about how to do this.

In Christ

Notice at the end of Ephesians 1:3, it says that these spiritual blessings are “in Christ.” We are blessed because we are in Christ.

mind of christOnly believers are “in Christ.” If you have believed in Jesus for eternal life, then you are in Christ. This means that only believers have every spiritual blessing. Unbelievers don’t have every spiritual blessing because they are in Christ.

It is important to recognize that our spiritual blessings are not in ourselves. They are not from ourselves. When life gets us down and we become discouraged, this is often because we are looking to ourselves for joy, hope, and fulfillment. But we will always let ourselves down. Jesus, however, will never disappoint us, and when we keep our eyes on Him, when we follow Him, when we look only to Him for joy and satisfaction, it is then that we are able to see and utilize the spiritual blessings that God has given to us in Jesus Christ.

This is also important to remember because we sometimes make the mistake of comparing our spiritual blessings with worldly physical blessings. We see people who are not in Christ, and yet they have riches and fame, and we sometimes get jealous of that. We want a life of luxury and ease as well.

But from an eternal perspective, the blessings we have in Christ far exceed and are of much greater value than any amount of physical blessings that this world can offer. So keep your eyes fixed on Jesus.

In Heavenly Places

The final thing I want to point out from Ephesians 1:3 is this concept of our spiritual blessings being in heavenly places. This is a recurring theme in Ephesians. Along with being here in Ephesians 1:3, it is also found in Ephesians 2:6 and Ephesians 6:12.

Many assume that the phrase “in the heavenly places” refers to “being in heaven with God.” That is, not being on earth, but in some other place. And this does indeed seem to fit with how the term is used in Ephesians 1:3 and Ephesians 2:6. Our spiritual blessings are in heavenly places with Christ, who is in heaven, and we are seated with Christ, who is at the right hand of God in heaven (Acts 7:55-56).

But does this mean we have to wait until heaven to gain these spiritual blessings? In other words, if God has given us every spiritual blessing, but we have to wait until heaven to receive, enjoy, or experience these blessings, then what good are they now?

Well, Ephesians 6:12 helps us understand what Paul means when he refers to heavenly places.

In Ephesians 6:12, the phrase “in heavenly places” is used in reference to spiritual hosts of wickedness that are here on this earth now, and how we are to struggle against them here and now during our earthly lives. Therefore, the phrase “in the heavenlies” does not refer to an otherworldly place in which God dwells, and where evil forces battle against God. Rather, the phrase refers to a spiritual reality that is present here and now on this earth. The phrase does not refer to some future existence after we die, or even to what occurs in some heavenly location far away from earth. The phrase has in mind the words of Jesus from Matthew 6:10, where He prayed that God’s will would be done on earth, as it is done in heaven. So the phrase “in the heavenlies” means “in the spiritual realm here on earth, during our lives now.”

When this usage is understood from Ephesians 6:12, the other references to “in the heavenlies” make sense in similar ways. Our task as followers of Jesus is to help make heaven an earthly reality. We do this by recognizing that we have already been given innumerable spiritual blessings and riches in Jesus Christ (Eph 1:3-14), and that since we are seated with Christ (Eph 2:6), we have the authority on this earth to carry out God’s will.

So while the phrase “in the heavenlies” does refer to a spiritual reality, it refers to the spiritual reality as it is carried out in the physical realm, here on this earth, during our lives now.

Far too often, Christians focus so much on eternity and the afterlife, that they neglect the work that God has called us to do here and now in our lives. As someone once said, “Some Christians are so heavenly minded, they are no earthly good.” When this happens, we allow the spiritual hosts of wickedness to have their way on their earth.

As Christians, we are seated with Christ in heavenly places so that we can rule and reign with Christ here on earth, not only in the future, but also (primarily!) during our lives now. The battle is a spiritual battle, but it has far-reaching ramifications and consequences in the physical world. One of the primary ways we do battle in the spiritual world by seeking to help people in the physical world.

These spiritual hosts of wickedness are seeking to destroy people’s lives, inhibit the truth of the gospel from spreading upon the earth, and hinder the effectiveness of the church. We struggle against these forces with all our might so that lives can be saved, the gospel can spread, and the church can serve others in this world. The struggle is spiritual in nature, but physical in how it manifests in this world.

All of this then means that the spiritual blessings which God has given to us in Jesus Christ are not for some future experience after we die and are resurrected to spend eternity with God and the saints. No, the spiritual blessings God has given to us in Jesus Christ are for this life here and now. You can draw on these blessings and experience these heavenly, spiritual blessings right now.

If this excites you, and you want to know how to start experiencing some of these spiritual blessings right now, well, Paul begins to write about this exact thing in Ephesians 1:4, which we will look at in our next study.

God is Redeeming God, Redeeming Scripture, Redeeming Theology, z Bible & Theology Topics: Ephesians, Ephesians 1:3, Ephesians 6:12, forgiveness, in Christ, in heavenly places, podcast, suicide, Unforgivable Sin

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Jonah 4:3 – Why Jonah Wanted God to Kill Him

By Jeremy Myers
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Jonah 4:3 – Why Jonah Wanted God to Kill Him
http://media.blubrry.com/one_verse/feeds.soundcloud.com/stream/346449055-redeeminggod-92-jonah-43-why-jonah-wanted-god-to-kill-him.mp3

Jonah wormAt the very beginning of our study of Jonah, we encountered two questions about Jonah’s strange behavior in the book. When asked by God to go preach judgment against the evil city of Nineveh, Jonah instead got on a boat and headed to Tarshish.

The first question, then, was, “Why would Jonah go to Tarshish instead of obey God and preach judgment against his enemies, the Ninevites?”

And then Jonah’s behavior got even stranger. It seemed that Jonah had a death wish. Through his words and actions in Jonah 1–2, Jonah made it quite clear that he wanted to die. He had a death wish.

So the second question was “Why does Jonah want to die?”

In this study of Jonah 4:3, we finally discover the answer to both questions. And the answer is shocking. So shocking, in fact, most fail to see it. But I will point it out to you in this study.

The Text of Jonah 4:3

Now Yahweh, please take my life from me, for death is better to me than life.”

In this discussion of Jonah 4:3 we look at:

  • Why did Jonah flee to Tarshish?
  • Why did Jonah want to die?
  • The main views about these two questions
  • The actual answer from the text to these questions
  • What the answer teaches us about God

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God is Redeeming God, Redeeming Scripture Bible & Theology Topics: anger, death, Jonah 4:3, One Verse Podcast, suicide

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Jonah 2:3 – Why Jonah Feared Drowning

By Jeremy Myers
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Jonah 2:3 – Why Jonah Feared Drowning
http://media.blubrry.com/one_verse/feeds.soundcloud.com/stream/320842856-redeeminggod-76-jonah-23-why-jonah-feared-drowning.mp3

I’ve encountered several people recently who fear death. I don’t know if you fear death or not. Personally, I don’t.

But as we study the book of Jonah, we see that Jonah sort of wanted to die, but he didn’t want to die by drowning. We see why in this study of Jonah 2:3. We see that Jonah prefers to die by digestion that to die by drowning. Isn’t that strange?

Jonah 2:3 Jonah prays

The Text of Jonah 2:3

For you cast me into the deep, Into the heart of the seas, And the floods surrounded me; All Your billows and Your waves passed over me.

In this discussion of Jonah 2:3 we look at:

  • Why Jonah says God threw him into the sea when it was the sailors
  • The description of the sea and what it means for Jonah
  • Why Jonah prefers to die by digestion than to die by drowning

Resources:

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  • Redeeming God Discipleship Area
  • Subscribe and Leave a Review on iTunes

Downloadable Podcast Resources

Those who are part of my online discipleship group may download the MP3 audio file for this podcast and view the podcast transcript below.

You must join a discipleship group or login to download the MP3 and view the transcript.

Membership-become-a-member

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Do you like learning about the Bible online?

Do you like learning about Scripture and theology through my podcast? If so, then you will also love my online courses. They all have MP3 audio downloads, PDF transcripts, quizzes, and a comment section for questions and interaction with other students.

If you want to deepen your relationship with God and better understand Scripture, take one (or all) of these courses. They are great for personal study or for a small group Bible study.

You can see the list of available courses here, and if you join the Discipleship group, you can take all the courses at no additional cost. Go here to learn more and join now.

God is Redeeming God, Redeeming Scripture Bible & Theology Topics: death, forgiveness, Jonah 2:3, love of God, One Verse Podcast, suicide

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Suicide is not the unforgivable Sin

By Jeremy Myers
19 Comments

Suicide is not the unforgivable Sin

hope-suicideIn a previous post, I wrote that suicide is not the unforgivable sin.

In the past when I have taught this in various churches and conferences, I have been warned afterwards that I should not teach such things. Why not? Because even if it is true, I am told, such a teaching will encourage people to commit suicide.

Apparently, some people fear that if we teach that people can go to heaven even if they commit suicide, those who are thinking about suicide will be more likely to go through with it. It is better, they say, to teach that suicide is unforgivable because this idea will hopefully keep people from committing suicide.

I strongly disagree.

We should never use a lie to encourage people to do what is right.

Nor should we use fear as a basis for obedience.

If God is any guide, truth and love always provide the best motivations for obedience.

The truth, if properly taught with love, encourages right living and behavior. This also goes for the truth that suicide is forgivable.

The Truth Prevents Suicide

When a person is contemplating suicide, there are numerous things going on in their minds and lives which lead them to think that taking their life is the best solution to their problems.

They may be dealing with deep depression, or feeling that nobody loves them, or that their best years in life are behind them, or that every day is worse than the one before and it would be better to just end it all right now before things get even worse.

I have dealt with suicidal depression in the past, and these are some of the things I thought and felt.

One thing that helps people overcome suicidal depression and anxiety is the knowledge that they are loved, needed, and wanted. People struggling with suicidal thoughts need to know that there is hope for their future, that life will get better and is worth living.

While there are numerous possible sources for such love and hope, the greatest source of all is God.

God loves us more than we can possibly know, and He has plans for our life and our future that are far beyond anything we can ask or imagine. He has a grand purpose for each one of us in life, and this purpose never includes ending our life through suicide. He has a goal and purpose for our lives on earth, and if we commit suicide, we will miss out on fulfilling His perfect plan for us.

This is the truth presented in Scripture, and this is the view of God which will help people work through their depression and anxiety about life without giving in to suicide.

Lies Do Not Prevent Suicide

But when we tell people that God will not forgive them if they commit suicide, we are giving them a terribly dangerous and destructive picture of God.

By teaching people that God does not forgive suicide, we are teaching them that God only loves and forgives them as long as they do not sin. But as soon as they do sin, they must go begging to God for forgiveness, and if they fail to ask for forgiveness, He will send them to hell for eternity.

Such an idea is more likely to create and amplify suicidal depression than help it! Which is more likely to help a person out of suicidal depression: The idea that God loves you and is on your side no matter what … or the idea that God might love you, but only if you can obey Him completely and hold your life together as He demands?

I submit to you that it is only the first portrayal of God, the God of unconditional love and forgiveness, which helps people through the deep sadness, the great despair, the black hunger, the dark night of the soul, and the feeling that nobody loves, nobody cares, and nobody wants you around.

The second portrayal of god, the god who only loves the obedient and only cares for those who don’t make mistakes, is a petulant god, like a spoiled child who wants everything to go his way all the time, or he won’t play. This is a power-hungry god, who wants to keep people squirming under his ever-watchful eye as he waits for them to mess up so he can pounce on sinners and condemn them to everlasting hell.

This second view of God confirms to people their deepest, darkest suspicion: God hates them.

And if God hates them, it is no wonder that other people hate them also, and they might as well hate themselves.

Do you see how lying about the complete love and forgiveness of God for those who commit suicide does not actually keep people from committing suicide, but will only make them more likely to take their own life?

Give Hope and Love to Prevent Suicide

hope-love-truthIf we really want to help people through suicidal depression, they need to know the truth about God and how much He loves them and forgives them … no matter what.

When people are dealing with deep depression, the anxieties of life, ruined relationships, lost jobs, the death of a child or spouse, or ongoing health problems, the last thing they need is the idea that God hates them.

How much better it is to know that even though they are going through some of the worst things that can be experienced in life, God still loves them, and is still with them, and will continue to be by their side for the rest of their life and for eternity—no matter what?

The view of God as an ever-loving friend who is on your side no matter what does not encourage people to commit suicide, but rather encourages people to have hope for the future and to believe that there is a purpose in life for them.

So teach people that suicide is forgivable, not just because this is true, but because this it tells others what kind of God we serve.

God is a loving and compassionate God, full of understanding in our times of weakness, tenderness in our times of pain, and present with us in times of abandonment.

The knowledge that God forgives suicide does not encourage people to commit suicide, but helps keep them from it.

Do you fear that you have committed the Unforgivable Sin?

Fear not! You are forgiven. You are loved.

Fill out the form below to receive several emails from me which explains how you can know that you are loved and forgiven by God.

(Note: If you are a member of RedeemingGod.com, login and then revisit this page to update your membership.)

 

God is Redeeming Books, Redeeming Theology Bible & Theology Topics: Books by Jeremy Myers, forgiveness, grace, sin, suicide, Theology of Salvation, Theology of Sin, Unforgivable Sin, unpardonable sin

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Is Suicide the Unforgivable Sin?

By Jeremy Myers
30 Comments

Is Suicide the Unforgivable Sin?

suicide-unforgivable-sinIt is popular in some churches to teach that suicide is the unforgivable sin. There is, however, no Bible verse in Scripture to support this view. So why is this view so popular?

The reason people feel that suicide is the unforgivable sin is because there is no opportunity to repent from this sin after a person commits it.

Many people wrongly believe that if you die with unrepented and unconfessed sin in your life, God will not let you into heaven. Obviously, when someone commits suicide, their last living action was the sin of self-murder, and since they are unable to repent of this sin afterwards, some people feel that suicide will keep a person out of heaven.

Tragically, due to this idea, many surviving families of suicide victims not only have to deal with the terrible loss of losing a loved one in such a horrible way, but also have to deal with the pain, fear, and incredible sorrow of thinking that their loved one is now in hell, even though they may have been a wonderful Christian for most of their life.

The pain of losing a family member to suicide is hard enough. The pain of losing a family member eternally to the fires of hell because of suicide is too much to bear for most families, and it often destroys the rest of their lives.

This should not be, especially since it is not true.

Suicide is forgivable

How do we know that suicide is forgivable?

First of all, as with every sinful action we can possibly commit—including suicide—Scripture is clear that God forgives all such sins. I have discussed this in other posts, as well as why confession and repentance are not required to receive divine forgiveness of sins.

But specifically regarding the sin of suicide, Scripture records several examples of men who committed suicide, but who will be in heaven with God for eternity.

For example, Samson committed suicide (Judg 16:29-30) but Hebrews 11:32 lists Samson as a great example of a man of faith. Would God include someone in a list of people of great faith who actually ended up in hell? Of course not. What kind of example would that be?

King Saul also committed suicide, but various Scriptures by King David indicate that King Saul also will be in heaven. (The explanation is rather long, and so I am not including it here. It can be found in my book on The Unforgivable Sin.)

Anyway, have you ever been told that suicide is the unforgivable sin? Why do you think people teach this? Provide your input below.

Do you fear that you have committed the Unforgivable Sin?

Fear not! You are forgiven. You are loved.

Fill out the form below to receive several emails from me which explains how you can know that you are loved and forgiven by God.

(Note: If you are a member of RedeemingGod.com, login and then revisit this page to update your membership.)

 

God is Redeeming Books, Redeeming Theology Bible & Theology Topics: Books by Jeremy Myers, forgiveness, grace, sin, suicide, Theology of Salvation, Theology of Sin, Unforgivable Sin, unpardonable sin

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