Is Heaven the same as Paradise in Christianity? Here is the context of why I have this question...Three days after Jesus died, he told Mary not to touch him for he was not yet with his Father (I assume in Heaven). Yet he also told the thief that the thief would be with him that day in paradise.
For the Mary verse, I think he's referring to John 20:17. Luke 23:43 has the quote to the thief. I don't see it as a very big deal. Given the nature of the trinity and its omnipresence, it is bound to lend itself to some confusing language.
If Jesus said you will be with me in paradise, it's all good. Seriously, the word 'heaven' is used often to refer to the New Heaven, Paradise, my Father's Kingdom, Heaven and other references to the final enternal kingdom where God dwells with people. I don't have time to stick in the verses, someone else may.
Well, this a pretty deep subject, but since it's basically a question of interpretation, here's how I see it: Heaven and Paradise are the same. When Jesus said that to the thief on the cross, I believe he was just saying the thief would be going to Heaven. I don't believe he literally meant they were going to meet at the Heaven Bar and Grill in a few hours and have a few drinks with the guys. However, even if one takes the meaning literally (i.e. - that they would be together in Heaven THAT day), it's not necessarily impossible. We're applying our earth-bound, linear concept of time to Heaven, and those rules simply may not apply. As Heaven can be considered another plane of existence, it is conceivable that time is not a constant, and that all moments occur simultaneously in Heaven. Or maybe I've just been watching too much Star Trek.
I agree with you. God is outside of the space time continuum because according to Judeo Christian belief He created the heavens and the earth. Therefore, philosophically speaking from a logic point of view, God could not create something that He was inside or bound by. The link someone posted about the 10th dimension made me think a lot about this question.
Never under estimate the power of Star Trek. It just makes you think about things that would have never even crossed most peoples minds. I changed the world.
Some verses I found in the bible if anyone finds any more feel free to share God's purpose for the earth Paradise made on earth for perfect humans.. Ge 1:28; 2:8-15 God's purpose is certain.. Isa 55:11; 46:10,11 Earth to be filled with peaceful, perfect men.. Ps 72:7; Isa 9:6,7 Paradise to be restored by Kingdom.. Mt 6:9,10; Re 21:3-5 Will never be destroyed or depopulated Literal earth to be permanent.. Ec 1:4; Ps 104:5 Mankind of Noah's time destroyed, not earth.. 2Pe 3:5-7; Ge 7:23 Example gives hope of survivng in our time.. Mt 24:34, 37-39 Wicked destroyed; "great crowd" survive.. 2Th 1:6-9; Rev 7:9, 14 Heaven A limited number; to be kings with Christ.. Re 5:9,10; 20:4 Jesus was forerunner; others choosen since.. Col 1:18; 1Pe 2:21 Many others will live on earth.. Ps 72:8; Re 21:3,4 144,000 in special position no others have.. Re 14:1,3; 7:4,9
