So Jesus was wrong when He said "today" you will be with me in paradise?
Most translations are improperly punctuated to make it appear that Jesus would be in Paradise that day. A comma placed before the word "today" is incorrect. The comma should follow it: "Verily I say unto thee today, shalt thou be with me in paradise." The original texts did not contain punctuation marks. They were only added centuries later by the translators. The Luke passage does in no way state that Jesus Christ (or the thief) would be in the paradise of the LORD, that very same day. The LORD simply gave the thief, assurance that He would be indeed in paradise WHEN the Kingdom of God comes.
I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, Look! Gods dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe 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. Revelation 21:2-4
Even those in the LORD's presence still await for the day the LORD will fulfil the Scriptures, they too wait with us for the day when we will all be clothed with our heavenly bodies. The thief together with Abraham and all the saints are still dead/asleep/resting in Jesus Christ, and patiently await (together with all of us) for the day the LORD returns to take them to the Paradise of God.
There's no indication that it was a parable, so I accept it as truth. And yes, the wicked are in Sheol right now.
1. Who was the story of the rich man and Lazarus being addressed to?
2. Are the wicked
BURNING in the fires of Sheol as the story of the rich man and Lazarus states?
Re the Transfiguration:
According to Strong's the Greek word used for "vision", horama, means "something gazed at, that is, a spectacle (especially supernatural): - sight, vision." Nothing about the sight not being real.
horama: that which is seen
Original Word: ὅραμα, ατος, τό
Part of Speech: Noun, Neuter
Transliteration: horama
Phonetic Spelling: (hor'-am-ah)
Short Definition: a spectacle, vision
Definition: a spectacle, vision, that which is seen.
That same Greek word "horama" (vision) was also used for both Ananias and Paul's visions in Acts 9:10-12.
In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, Ananias!
Yes, Lord, he answered.
11 The Lord told him, Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. 12 In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight. Acts 9:10-12
Do you believe those visons (horama) witnessed by Paul and Ananias were literal?
No, not *everything* in Revelation is to be taken literally, but there's no indication that the souls under the altar is symbolic.
Is there any evidence that passage in Rev is meant to be taken literal?
Where does it say that "no one can live in heaven without a celestial body"? And what parts of Scripture would have to be ignored if there are folks in heaven at the moment?
It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. 45 And so it is written, The first man Adam became a living being. The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.
46 However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual. 47 The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Lord from heaven. 48 As was the man of dust, so also are those who are made of dust; and as is the heavenly Man, so also are those who are heavenly. 49 And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man. 1 Corinthians 15:44-49
Those who are living in heaven are like Christ, meaning they have heavenly bodies as Christ. Is Abraham, David, Moses etc like Christ? Have they been given glorified bodies by God like Christ's?
Ain't that the purpose of the resurrection of the dead? So that we could be like Christ and finally be able to reside with God in heavenly Jerusalem (Rev 21:1-5)?