Why do churches/denominations teach that Earth will be destroyed and that all good people go to heaven when the Bible is clear that the earth will be here forever and will be inhabited by people forever, this being His purpose for the earth?  Eccl 1:4, Ps 104:5, Ps 119:90, Ps 93:1, Isa 45:18, Ps 37:29, Matt 5:5, Ps 115:16 all seem to point to the idea of a permanent heaven and earth.  Many teach that the earth will be burned with fire or somehow destroyed, but in Rev. 11:18, it says that He will "bring to ruin those ruining the earth."  Why would He bring to ruin those ruining the earth and then destroy it Himself?  I do ask this with sincerity.  I hope that is related in this.

Sincerely,
Paradise On Earth

Dear Paradise On Earth,

You gave a great list of verses that tell us that God establishes and protects the earth, but those verses don’t teach that He will always protect the earth.  They only teach that God establishes the earth as long as He sees fit.  1 Pet 3:10-12 tells us that eventually God will destroy the earth by fire.  After that, He will establish a spiritual universe (heaven) where those who love Him will exist forever.  Here is a list of verses that teach on that subject:

1) 1 Cor. 15:42-50
-    vs. 47 says our bodies will not consist of earthly components
-       vs 50 says flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom
2) Lk 20:34-38
-       vs 36 says we will have bodies like angels
3) Jhn 14:2-4
-       vs 2 says we will dwell where God dwells (heaven)
-       vs 3 says Jesus is preparing a place for us now
4) 2 Pet 3:10-13
-       vs 10 says that when God uses fire to destroy the earth, He will both destroy the works of the earth and the earth itself.
5) Heb 1:10-12
-       vs 11 says the earth and heavens will perish like an old garment
-       vs 12 says that the earth and heavens will be changed like one would change and put on new clothes – the new heaven and earth will not be a redo of this earth, but an entirely new garment.
6) Matt 24:35
-       Heaven and earth are temporary, unlike God’s Word
7) Heb 11:13
-       faithful people are considered strangers and wanderers on this earth
8) Php 3:20
-       our citizenship is in heaven, not on earth
9) Jhn 18:36
-       Jesus refers to His kingdom as not being “of this world”.

Is it right to divorce my second spouse (and just live with him), so I can receive Social Security benefits from my first husband (who is deceased)?  I can only draw $320.00 on my own benefits.

Sincerely,
Penny Pincher

Dear Penny Pincher,

Divorce is only permissible when adultery has occurred (Matt 19:9).  Divorcing your spouse for Social Security benefits isn't right.  You may disagree with the Social Security laws, but God tells us to live peacefully under the laws of whatever nation in which we dwell (Rom 13:1-4).  You married your current spouse, and in so doing, accepted the implications of those marriage vows.  Many Americans are suffering in these difficult economic times, and many marriages are freshly remembering that they vowed to stay married "for richer and for poorer".  May God sustain you and your husband in your trying financial circumstances.

At what point in the Bible did God begin limiting how long man would live?

Sincerely,
Time’s Running Out

Dear Time’s Running Out,

The shortening of human life began to happen after the Flood, but there is no specific answer as to why God allowed the age of man to deteriorate down to seventy to eighty years (Ps 90:10) from the hundreds of years that people lived during the pre-Flood era.  However, many creation scientists attribute the drop to genetic degradation.  As mankind’s genetic pool has deteriorated from the perfect specimens of Adam and Eve, the length of our lives has suffered.  At least, that is one theory.

Think of it this way, Adam and Eve were the most healthy, well-made humans ever.  They were genetic royalty!  Everyone since them has been just a little less perfect.  That is the way genetics work.  Slowly over time, genetic mutations (like hemophilia, Down’s Syndrome, etc.) have crept into the genetic code of mankind, and other genetic traits have been lost.  This slow process of erosion has brought us to the point where we are today.  Our bodies are genetically inferior to the earlier generations of mankind, and consequently, can’t survive as long.  Another factor may simply be that the post-Flood world is harsher than the pre-Flood world, and that has added to our shortened lifespans.

5 minutes a day
5 days a week
1 New Testament in a year

There are 261 weekdays in a year, and there are 260 chapters in the New Testament. By reading one chapter, Monday through Friday, you will read the whole New Testament by the end of the year. The Daily Cup series is to help with that goal.

Happy Studying!

"The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup." -- Psalm 16:5

Click here for a pdf of the study schedule - CLICK HERE

5 minutes a day
5 days a week
1 New Testament in a year

There are 261 weekdays in a year, and there are 260 chapters in the New Testament. By reading one chapter, Monday through Friday, you will read the whole New Testament by the end of the year. The Daily Cup series is to help with that goal.

Happy Studying!

"The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup." -- Psalm 16:5

Click here for a pdf of the study schedule - CLICK HERE