Highdose,
Weak? Perhaps that is because the thinking of many is word dependent and other words used to describe our future hope in Christ like Kingdom of Israel or Throne of David or Holy City coming down from heaven and New Jerusalem do not register with them as being in the same place. That all such things will take place right here on earth including the resurrection of the dead is missed by most churches. There is not a single scripture in the Bible that says that we will go to heaven the way Jesus did. None. What is actually taught is that Jesus will return here to this earth as a human being once again. Yes a Man identified as the last Adam. 1Co 15:45 Thus it is written, "The first man Adam became a living being"; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. But since words like spiritual are used in such verses people are taught to think non-human instead of God given provision of God and/or an immortal human as well. And such use or words like spirit with human believers is ignored. Heb 12:23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, Now the word heaven is used in many verses as well since it was used in place of the word God or God approved but never in a way that states that we will go someplace else in order to be a part of it. A heavenly Kingdom is a God approved Kingdom with a human on its throne. You see I believe in Jesus who said to the thief executed alongside him, Lu 23:43 And he said to him, "Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise." And promises God made like this: Lu 1:32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, But I prefer to be part of the Kingdom in this Paradise as a follower of Christ and not simply as part of the general population that the word paradise describes the thief will enjoin.
Joseph