There are verses of scripture in both the Old and New Testaments that contradict the teaching that the criminal on the cross went to heaven immediately upon death. It must be pointed out that the teaching is used with others to support the idea of soul flight or the righteous going to heaven at death. Believe it as you wish, but the scriptures do not teach such a doctrine. The doctrine is pagan and heathen in origin beginning with the Egyptians, picked up by the Gentile heathen and then adopted by some of the Jews. As the years progressed, the Catholic Church latched onto it because the doctrine was very popular with pagan/heathen of Roman Empire and as a consequence, the Protestant Movement furthered the teaching until it is thought to be part of the gospel. But in truth, it destroys the need for the resurrection of the body when Jesus returns. Jesus went to heaven in his new body, but for the sake of argument, if his soul went before him, when did the soul reunite with his body? Find the scripture that teaches that doctrine, if you believe it.

 One of two subjects that are often used to support the criminal going to heaven doctrine is in the Old Testament, Genesis 5:21-24. At age 65 Enoch fathered   Methuselah, verse 21, and verse 22 says And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters: The problem begins with the understanding of the Hebrew word for walked, halak -- pronounced: haw-lak'. Some commentators claim that Enoch was in the Garden with God. But there isn’t any verse that supports that belief. Walked is a common word used in Eastern countries that means a constant and familiar relationship with another. Walked is also connected to being regarded as righteous and blameless before God. In other words, Enoch pleased God for 300 years after living 65 years. What caused him to begin walking with God? The Old Testament scriptures do not reveal it and we cannot speculate, but the scriptures do reveal what he did which will be discussed in another part.

Verse 22 reveals more of Enoch’s life. And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters: The verse indicates that Enoch began his walk with God after the birth of Methuselah, but the scriptures do not reveal any of his life during the first 65 years. After Methuselah was born, Enoch lived 300 more years for a total life of 365 years. At the end of 365 years, he died after walking with God 300 years. How do we know he died? There isn’t any record of him after 365 years of living for verse 23 says, And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years:  The words all the days is used 65 times in 62 verses; they refer to the length of the life of the people named in various verses and when the end of all those days arrived, they died.  Verse 24 repeats the first part of verse 22 And Enoch walked with God: such repetition is a common writing style for Moses and other writers. The repetition tells us again that Enoch walked with God until he died. The remainder of verse 24 is and he was not; for God took him. The Hebrew word for was not is 'ayin -- pronounced: ah'-yin. It means that no one was able to find him because he was gone (more on that later). Where did he go? The scriptures reveal it when the subject is studied carefully which will done in the next part.

If Enoch went to heaven, there is very serious contradiction in the scriptures which involves Jesus. Either Jesus was wrong or those who believe Enoch went to heaven are wrong.

 Jesus said in John 3:13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. Those who believe that Enoch went to heaven because the verse says God took him have to explain the contradiction. Furthermore, the following is in I John 4:12 No man hath seen God at any time.  There is more evidence that will be presented in the next two parts. However, keep in mind that the two verses above conflict with criminal going to Paradise upon death.

© 12-05-2012 DEC

                        Next Lesson The Criminal on the Cross Part VI