Questions about Eternity:

[Aquila]

Originally Posted by mfblume

Unfortunately there is no such thing, supernaturally or not, for there to be transparent gold.

None of what I'm about to say is an attack in any way Bro. Blume. But I think this logic is flawed. Here's why I think it is...

You say,

"Unfortunately there is no such thing, supernaturally or not, for there to be transparent gold."

The underlying presumption is that you know everything about the supernatural that one could possibly know. I know you would never claim such a thing consciously, but the logic you use DEMANDS IT in order to stand. In the New Creation (New Heavens and New Earth) I suspect that we will see living beings that we've never seen before (many may be angelic in nature). Perhaps species of flowers that are totally alien to earth and thrive only in the light of the Lord's presence. We may see what we've always assumed were the "laws of physics" turned on their heads at the hands of a mere angel. Upon study in this New Creation we might discover laws governing physics that our minds cannot fathom at present in our wildest dreams. One could easily say that it is IMPOSSIBLE to feed 15 to 20 thousand people with only five loaves and two fishes and have twelve baskets of left overs...but it happened. It is IMPOSSIBLE for a man to walk on the waters of a stormy sea and still them with the words from His mouth, according to the laws of science as we understand them. A "transparent gold" might be nothing compared to what we will one day behold. I'd not mock it so soon. You might be left standing a little embarassed with the doubters.

And if you carefully read John 14, WE are the mansions the Father lives in.

The entire premise of "mansions" is incorrect. Christ uses a term best translated "dwellings". The word was often used for the thatch roofed houses that were often build together wherein families dwelt in the first century Palestine. Christ isn't speaking of "mansions" as we know them today. The allusion is to a dwelling in spiritual closeness and community.

Consider this, nothing in heaven will be corruptible, right?

1 Peter 1:18 KJV Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;

In a New Creation one will find New Gold and New Silver. Nothing will be corruptible. We cannot compare the silver and gold of this fallen world to that which might be found in a new and glorified creation. Please note... nothing was corruptible when God originally created the cosmos. The principles of corruption, decay, and death only fell upon creation on account of sin. Satan's goal was to corrupt God's creation, and namely man, through sin. Satan's goal was to ruin God's creation. Will Satan be found to have succeeded? I vote, "No". In the New Creation all of creation will be glorified, eternal, incorruptible. Satan will have won NOTHING. Christ's own body was raised glorified, physical, and incorruptible. Thomas touched the wounds. And Christ didn't "fade" from existence like a spiritual apparition...Christ ascended "bodily" and left our world and proceeded to that place wherein He was to prepare a place for us and return to receive us unto Himself. I believe that place is the New Jerusalem.

GOLD stands for DEITY. Street stands for OUR WALKS. Those in the Kingdom will WALK A DIVINELY LED WALK.

Ah... yes, gold is representative of deity. As for "streets"... I'm not sure if they represent our walk. What if it represents the "path" that the Gospel has laid out for man??? You see... if you "spiritualize" things they become so open to interpretation that anything can mean anything through the eye of the beholder. And once anything can mean anything... it actually means nothing. One might argue that Christ's resurrection "stands for our rising up from adverse circumstances" and go on to argue that He never arose bodily. This is a very liberal and wishy washy position to take. Because for every "spiritual meaning" you claim... you'll have others claiming other "spiritual meanings". Now... I don't doubt the presence of symbolic representation in the New Jerusalem. But it's reality lends strength to their meaning because the symbol endures to forever proclaim said truths. The city is a real and present hyroglyph for lack of a better term.

This verse says we already arrived at the New Jerusalem:

Hebrews 12:22 KJV But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,

Ah... but you fail to see how terms can be used two ways. I can say, "The City of Dayton witnessed a spectacular demonstration today." In saying this I am talking about the people of Dayton. However, this doesn't deny that Dayton is an actual city wherein they find their citizenship. Yes... Bro. Blume... you and I are the New Jerusalem. Every elect saint of God is the New Jerusalem. However, that doesn't refute the idea that we shall actually one day inhabit an actual city.

I find this amazing. Too many see things as "either/or". We think the reality of a thing must be spiritual and not literal...or so literal we loose the meaning of the spiritual. However, most often both realities are true. The Tabernacle is an excellent example. The Tabernacle was representative of spiritual realities... yet it was also an actual tabernacle.