Abraham’s Bosom: Part 3 of 4
(Please be sure you’ve read Parts 1 and 2 first)
The following verses are often shown as evidence that Abraham and all the other righteous souls who resided at his bosom followed Christ to heaven during Christ’s ascension:
Ephesians 4:8 Therefore He says, “When He ascended up on high, He led captivity captive and gave gifts to men.”
Ephesians 4:9 (Now that He ascended, what is it but that He also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?
Ephesians 4:10 He who descended is the same also as He who ascended up far above all heavens, that He might fill all things.)
But is this what it really says and is this possible? Again, this view raises more questions and answers absolutely none!
Christ says in some of the above verses that we have already seen in this article, that He will gather us unto himself when He RETURNS AGAIN! Not when HE IS LEAVING US at the time of His ascension.
So how could it possibly be that Abraham and the rest of the righteous have already been gathered to him, without Him ever having RETURNED for us as He promised?
And also remember that the bible also says that WE- you and I, are to be gathered unto Christ TOGETHER with all of the other righteous (dead or living) including Abraham, at the same time!
Furthermore we are told that Christ was to be the first fruit (first to ascend into heaven). Notice in the following passage that the word firsfruit, is SINGULAR – not plural! Indicating only one single resurrection and ascension during the time of His ascension into heaven!
1Corinthians 15:20 But now Christ has risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruit of those who slept.
WHO has risen from the dead? The above verse indicates that Christ ALONE- THE FIRSTFRUIT, has risen from the dead unto life eternal! That means that the rest of the dead are still dead! Abraham and the others could not have been raised to immortality- eternal life; otherwise it would have been FIRSTFRUITS and not Christ the FIRSTFRUIT!
Some other bible versions do render the word “FIRSTFRUITS”, but this is just an indication that there will be OTHERS to follow unto life eternal, as in the FIRST resurrection- those to be resurrected first among all mankind and ascend unto Christ in heaven. Christ, however, is the very first among all! After all, it is Christ Himself that will be receiving the firstfruits among men when He returns!
So this also proves that if Christ was and is the FIRST FRUIT to rise from the dead and ascend to the Father in heaven, then no one has preceded him there! Not Enoch, Not Elijah, Not Moses, NOT ANYONE!
So this proves that CHRIST- not some disensouled body, was actually DEAD! And was the firsfruit of those who SLEPT to be resurrected to immortality and ascend unto the Father in heaven! As always, the bible describes death itself as a sleep! But immortal soul advocates claim that there is no such thing as soul (apart from the body) sleep and I agree, the bible is silent as far as us actually being an independent soul apart from the body. WE ARE SOULS! And that includes our bodies! Here is the record:
Genesis 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man (This clay- or dust from the ground) became a living soul.
Whoever and whatever you are- YOU, THE REAL YOU- THE SOUL, is what actually dies!
The bible says that death is like a sleep. So what happens when you fall asleep? You just lie there like a log! Unconscious and completely unaware of time, space and your surroundings!
Please go to Part 4, the final part of this article.
