DawnTillery said:
My basic thought on this was a little over the edge, but still same principle. Those awaiting (going to heaven or to hell) was given a chance to accept salvation?
Once you are dead, your eternal fate is basically sealed. Those who've been faithful and true to God's sight will be Judged worthy of heaven and those who haven't will go to hell. Is it possible God will give a soul one last chance? I don't know; the evidence for this idea while souls are in sheol is nill. The very fact however that our God is literally chuck-full of mercy however gives hope to those who will be found unworthy; perhaps at the Judgment, He might give a person "one last chance" to accept Truth or to confess. Then again, this is all up to God.
Why when it talks about lazarus and the rich man -- The Rich man was in Hell and Lazarus was in the Bosom of Abraham?
Soul is divided into two areas: hades and paradise (also called "Abraham's Bosom"). Upon death, souls are given a "particular judgment" to decide whether they will wait in paradise or hades. Paradise is for the seemingly faithful, while hades is for the seemingly unfaithful (notably, most likely most non-Christians or Christians who died in grave sin). However, this doesn't mean that all in paradise go to heaven and all in hades go to hell. Jesus makes it clear in the Gopsel according to St. Matthew 25:31-46, St. Paul makes it clear in his Letter to the Romans 1:18-23, and the ECF like St. Justin Martyr and others in Holy Tradition make it clear that many who do go to hades will probably end up in heaven. Likewise, many who seemed to be faithful were, in reality, wrong in either behavior or doctrine, and could go to hell.
The rich man in the parable went to hades, while Lazarus went to Abraham's Bosom. Both places are meant to be a "foretaste" of the real heaven and hell, but they are not the same.
I dont know if I agree with the last sentence. Do you have some scripture, if what your saying is true. .then there are two raptures?
I havent seen that in my Bible. Thanks
There is no "rapture" in the chiliast/Dispensationalist/premillennialist idea. That was declared heresy a long, long time ago.
The fact that there are saints in heaven assumes that Jesus took up the righteous, including Moses, the Prophets, the righteous and those kings who repented (Manasseh, for example), and all other Jews (and Gentiles if they followed the Noahide Covenant, to which was with all people) who were decided to be righteous to God. Shoul has filled up however since, and will not empty again until the Second Coming. This time, sheol will be emptied permanently and will disappear as there will no longer be a use for it.