What's the Truth About Heaven and Hell?: Sorting Out the Confusion About the Afterlife

by Douglas A. Jacoby

Overview

Recent books about heaven and hell have aroused the interest of committed Christians and curious seekers alike. But the wide range of viewpoints has also created confusion and left many people wondering what they are to believe. This user-friendly guide presents the most popular views on heaven, hell, purgatory, judgment, and related topics, followed by brief, easy-to-follow analysis. Readers will be equipped to make their own well-informed decisions about questions like these:

• What happens when we die? Where did the idea of purgatory come from?
• Will our bodies be resurrected someday? If so, does cremation offend God?
• Will unbelievers be judged by God and  punished in hell forever? Or will they be annihilated? What about those who never heard the gospel message?

This summary of the latest Evangelical teaching and traditional mainstream scholarship provides readers with tools to assess each position in the light of Scripture.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780736951739
Publisher:	Harvest House Publishers
Publication date:	04/01/2013
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	1 MB

About the Author

Douglas Jacoby is a Bible teacher and professor and the author of A Quick Overview of the Bible, Compelling Evidence for God and the Bible, Your Bible Questions Answered, and The Ultimate Bible Quiz Book. A graduate of Duke University (history), Harvard Divinity School (New Testament), and Drew University (ministry), Dr. Jacoby has taught in more than 100 nations around the world. www.douglasjacoby.com

Table of Contents

Part 1 Think Again

1 A Fresh Look: Opening Minds 9

2 The Lens of Eternity: Defining Terms 15

3 Lenses of Interpretation, Part 1: Should We Take the Bible Literally? 23

4 Lenses of Interpretation, Part 2: Poetry, Parable, Apocalypse 35

Part 2 Destinations

5 The Good Place: Heaven 53

6 Heaven on Earth: Up There or Down Here? 69

7 The Other Place: Hell 85

8 No Exit: Does It Ever End? 95

Part 3 Postmortem

9 A Third Place?: The Logic of Purgatory 117

10 The Intermediate State: Hades 123

11 Resurrection: Up from the Grave 131

Part 4 One Way?

12 Judgment Day: The Books Are Opened 141

13 "Do Not Judge": Is Judgment Ungracious? 151

14 Alternative Views: Moonlight 157

15 The Narrow Road: Is God Just? 165

Part 5 Questions

16 Out of Their Bodies or Out of Their Minds?: Near-Death and Out-of-Body Experiences 177

17 Angels, Ghosts, and Other Things You've Wondered About: Seven Further Questions 187

Part 6 Finally

18 Treasure: The Paradox 197

Appendix A Imagery in Isaiah 205

Appendix B Analysis of Alcorn 209

Notes 217