Christmas trees....Heaven?

[J_sunshine4Christ]

Ok...first question. People have a lot of notions of heaven...where in the Bible does it describe anything about heaven? Besides how there will be no more tears and all of that wonderful stuff. Like...people talk about animals going to heaven(which I do NOT believe, however am open if there is valid evidence)...just anything. Where is it at???

Second Question...Are Christmas Trees really a Pagan tradition? And if so...is it wrong to have one? I'm not stressing about it...I'll pray about it ofcourse...but any insight would be greatly appreciated!! God Bless you!!!

[Athanasius]

There are animals in heaven, not necessarily the one's alive right now. Heaven, by the way (for us at least), is a re-created earth.

And sure, 'Christmas trees' can be tied to some sort of pagan tradition, however no, it isn't wrong to have one. Unless, of course, you're celebrating those pagan traditions...

[NotMyOwn]

Unless the Christmas tree becomes part of your devotion, then no there is nothing wrong with them.

I wonder with the new green agenda people seem to follow, will cutting down trees purely for decoration be outlawed?

[Vhayes]

Not as long as there are Christmas Tree farms that grow fir trees for no other reason. They renew the cut trees each year.

[J_sunshine4Christ]

There are animals in heaven, not necessarily the one's alive right now. Heaven, by the way (for us at least), is a re-created earth.

Ok...how do you know that? lol Like...I believe you but where in the Bible is it said how Heaven will be. I've heard all of the theories...where is it IN THE BIBLE?? lol I'm a very fact-oriented kind of girl when it comes to certain things. I just want to read it for myself

[moonglow]

Revelation 21
The New Jerusalem
1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. 2 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.

3 I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”

5 And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” And then he said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.” 6 And he also said, “It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega—the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give freely from the springs of the water of life. 7 All who are victorious will inherit all these blessings, and I will be their God, and they will be my children.

8 “But cowards, unbelievers, the corrupt, murderers, the immoral, those who practice witchcraft, idol worshipers, and all liars—their fate is in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”

[Athanasius]

Ok...how do you know that? lol Like...I believe you but where in the Bible is it said how Heaven will be. I've heard all of the theories...where is it IN THE BIBLE?? lol I'm a very fact-oriented kind of girl when it comes to certain things. I just want to read it for myself

If Heaven is a re-created earth and there are animals now as there was before the fall, why wouldn't there be any? I'd have to check to see if there are any verses that explicitly state that there are animals, as it's not a topic I care all that much about. With that said, however, both man and animals are described as living creatures in Genesis (1) so from that I gather there are animals, even if not the ones alive right now.

[moonglow]

http://www.oneplace.com/Ministries/b...article_id=330

Pets in Heaven
by: Hank Hanegraaff

Scripture does not exclusively tell us whether our pets will make it to heaven. However, the Bible does provide us with some significant clues that animals will inhabit the new heaven and the new earth.

First, the Garden of Eden was populated by animals, thus there is a precedent for believing that Eden restored will also be populated by animals.

Furthermore, the Scriptures --from first to last-- suggest that animals have souls. Both Moses in Genesis and John in Revelation communicate that the Creator endowed animals with souls (see Gen. 1:20, 24; Rev. 8:9). Throughout the history of the church, the classic understanding of living things has included the doctrine that animals, as well as humans, have souls.

Finally, while we cannot say for certain that the pets we enjoy today will be resurrected in eternity, I am not willing to preclude the possibility. Some of the keenest thinkers --from C.S. Lewis to Peter Kreeft--are not only convinced that animals in general, but that pets in particular, will be restored in the resurrection.

Dr. Kreeft, for example, is convinced that animals will exist throughout eternity. "Are there animals in Heaven? The simplest answer is: Why not? How irrational is the prejudice that would allow plants (green fields and flowers), but not animals into Heaven." Regarding pets, he writes: "Would the same animals be in Heaven as on earth? 'Is my dead cat in Heaven?' Again, why not? God can raise up the very grass; why not cats? Though the blessed have better things to do than play with pets, the better does not exclude the lesser."

One thing is certain: Scripture provides us with a sufficient precedent for suggesting that animals will continue to exist after the return of our Lord. Isaiah 11:6-9 provides a particularly stirring image.

[moonglow]

http://www.equip.org/site/apps/nlnet/content3.aspx?c=muI1LaMNJrE&b=4131955&content_id={ 35F65A23-6F84-4E3D-A2B1-7A23BFFF62DB}&notoc=1

ARE CHRISTMAS TREES IDOLATROUS?

An argument against Christmas which you hear quite a bit these days is that Christmas trees are condemned in the Bible. Is this really true?

Sometimes it is said that Christmas trees are condemned in Jeremiah 10, verses 2 - 4, where God says, “the customs of the peoples are delusion, because it is wood cut from the forest, the work of the hands of a craftsman with a cutting tool. They decorate it with silver and gold, they fasten it with nails and a hammer so that it will not totter.”

Although this may sound like a reference to Christmas trees, it really is not. In this passage God is condemning idols which are carved out of wood and used as objects of worship; thus, in the very next verse God ridicules the idols because they cannot talk and cannot walk! Obviously, this criticism is not aimed at Christmas trees at all.

The fact of the matter is that the Christmas tree originated in Christian Germany about two thousand years after Jeremiah’s criticisms of wooden idols. It originated from two Christian symbols found in homes at Christmas time. The first was a “Paradise tree,” an evergreen which was hung with apples which represented the tree of life in the Garden of Eden. The second symbol was a “Christmas pyramid.” This of course was a triangular shelf holding Christmas figurines and decorated with a star. By about the 16th century these two symbols had been combined into the Christian Christmas tree.

Thus, the Christmas tree is a thoroughly Christian symbol, and Christians ought not to feel guilty for having one of them in their home. On the other hand, the Christmas tree is not essential to Christmas, and Christians may, of course, do without it if they choose to. If you see a Christmas tree in the home of a non-Christian friend or a relative, you might take the opportunity to point to it as the symbol of the fact that Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem so that they might have eternal life.

On Christmas trees, that’s the CRI perspective. I’m Hank Hanegraaff.



FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

The information presented here on the origins of the Christmas tree is taken from The New Encyclopaedia Britannica: Micropaedia, Vol. II (Encyclopaedia Britannica, 1981), 904.

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There is an on going debate about pets in Heaven, and the Christmas tree....so you will get different opinions about that.

I use biblegateway and typed in Heaven on its search and it shows all the verses with Heaven in them so you can read up on it.

http://www.biblegateway.com/keyword/...&limit=bookset

To get the complete meaning those you really need to read those chapters in content and not just single verses like this but its a start. Good luck.

God bless

[livingwaters]

Well, the book of Revelation talks about horses....so, if Jesus comes back on one, it must have been with HIM in Heaven, huh????

The Bible also talks about our mansions that our Heavenly Father is preparing for us....the Bible talks about the streets of gold and the pearly gates....I can't wait to see all of this....glory to God....

Revelation 18:13
And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men

Revelation 19:14
And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean

Matthew 5:12
Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

Revelation 21:21
And the twelve gates were twelve pearls: every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.

[J_sunshine4Christ]

lol...I don't really care too much about Pets in Heaven. What I am asking is for places in the Bible where is gives specific details about the events leading up to and then our arrival. Like...I've heard that We will inhabit a city with Jesus and people will see us and STILL not turn to him...Where does it say that? I'm soooo confused!!! lol blah

[J_sunshine4Christ]

Oh and by the way THANK YOU for the feedback. I haven't been all too clear cuz I'm not quite sure what I'm asking ha ha. No...all of these people have all of these elaborate theories and I"m like..."wuh?" Where did you get that? lol

[moonglow]

lol...I don't really care too much about Pets in Heaven. What I am asking is for places in the Bible where is gives specific details about the events leading up to and then our arrival. Like...I've heard that We will inhabit a city with Jesus and people will see us and STILL not turn to him...Where does it say that? I'm soooo confused!!! lol blah

Ok but you said you wanted to know if animals would be in Heaven on your first post:

Like...people talk about animals going to heaven(which I do NOT believe, however am open if there is valid evidence)...just anything. Where is it at???

Which this would cover animals in Heaven (what I posted) now you say no you don't care if animals are in Heaven or not???

Like...I've heard that We will inhabit a city with Jesus and people will see us and STILL not turn to him...Where does it say that?

I can't think of any verse that says people can see us in Heaven..in fact the bible says those in Heaven cannot see those in hell and those in hell cannot see us in Heaven...do you want that passage?

Us inhabiting a city with Jesus..I already posted that passage:

Revelation 21
The New Jerusalem
1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. 2 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”


Otherwise I don't think there is a verse like what you are talking about where people can see us and still refuse God.

God bless

[J_sunshine4Christ]

Ok but you said you wanted to know if animals would be in Heaven on your first post:

Which this would cover animals in Heaven (what I posted) now you say no you don't care if animals are in Heaven or not???



I can't think of any verse that says people can see us in Heaven..in fact the bible says those in Heaven cannot see those in hell and those in hell cannot see us in Heaven...do you want that passage?

Us inhabiting a city with Jesus..I already posted that passage:

Revelation 21
The New Jerusalem
1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. 2 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”


Otherwise I don't think there is a verse like what you are talking about where people can see us and still refuse God.

God bless

Lol aww I'm sorry. Yes I was not very clear. Thank you so much for taking the time to reply. I've read those things. I'm guessing...these other theories are just guessing. Who knows? All I know is I can't wait! Thank you !!!! Sorry if I confused you!!!

[moonglow]

Lol aww I'm sorry. Yes I was not very clear. Thank you so much for taking the time to reply. I've read those things. I'm guessing...these other theories are just guessing. Who knows? All I know is I can't wait! Thank you !!!! Sorry if I confused you!!!

These are theories you heard somewhere? I would ask people for the bible verses on it...to back it up. I was told once years ago that we would only live in Heaven for a certain amount of time then die for good! That was upsetting. They got this from the description of the New Heaven in the OT though..which has a different meaning. I didn't realize that though until many years later when I knew the bible much better. I have heard all sorts of odd things too...you just gotta ask on here or check the bible.. Sadly cults have gotten started because people didn't check their bibles first and just believed what they were told. So I am glad you are asking.

God bless