Life Everlasting

1
Chapter 13

• Life Everlasting

2
Life After Life

• Eschatology
• The study of the end times including death,
  judgment, heaven, and hell
• Resurrection of the Dead
• Roots in the Old Testament
• Restoration of Israel
• Mt 2222-33 / 1 Cor 1551-53
• Whole person rises from the dead
• Resurrected person is somehow changed / new
  creation

3
Particular Judgment

• Parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard
• Mt 201-16
• What does this passage teach us about Gods
  justice?
• What connection does this passage have to our
  lives?
• What are we called to do in response to this
  passage?

4
Particular Judgment

• Particular Judgment
• The judgment that occurs at the moment of death,
  when each person goes to heaven, hell, or
  purgatory
• Old Testament Origins
• God as
• Merciful, just covenant with Israel
• Punishing the enemies of Israel
• Caused fear among the Israelites
• Jews living in fear if they broke the Law

5
Jesus and Judgment

• Upheld the image of God as a Just Judge
  separating the just from the unjust
• Mt 1823-35
• Judgment is permanent
• In reality, we judge ourselves
• Gods mercy is not human justice

6
Heaven

• Heaven
• Fulfillment of human longing state of complete
  and permanent happiness in which we enjoy the
  beatific vision
• Perfect life with the trinity for Eternity
• Die in state of grace and friendship with God
• Beatific vision
• The intuitive, immediate, and direct experience
  enjoyed by the blessed in heaven
• Face to face existence with God
• Perfect communion with God
• Nine Choirs of Angels pg. 183

7
Hell

• Old Testament image of a place of punishment and
  suffering called Gehenna
• Catholic Teaching
• Hell exists and is eternal
• Complete separation from God
• fires of Hell
• Knowing that God exists and not being able to be
  with God
• Hell may be empty, but it exists
• Mortal Sin
• Willful turning away from God

8
Last Judgment

• Last Judgment
• Final judgment by Christ at the end of the world
  and the general resurrection of the dead
• Embraces all humans living and dead
• Also known by two other names
• Parousia
• Apocalypse
• Final revelation of Gods plan of salvation

9
Last Judgment (cont)

• 2 Characteristics of the Last Judgment
• Resurrection of the Body
• The living will experience particular and final
  judgment the bodies of the dead will be changed
  into glorified bodies
• Completion of the Kingdom of God
• Everlasting kingdom full and present reality
• Initially Christians believed that the Parousia
  would come quickly reason behind delay in
  Scripture composition

10
Celebrating Belief in Eternal Life

• Ascension Acts 16-12
• Recalls Jesus returning back to Heaven after
  post-Resurrection appearances 40 days after
  Easter
• Demonstrates that we too will return to God in
  glory
• Assumption
• Belief that Mary wsa taken body and soul to
  heaven celebrated August 15th
• Became Catholic Dogma in 1950 previously part of
  tradition (Dormition)

11
Life of Virtue

• As Christians and adults, we have a choice
  whether or not we will participate in what we
  believe
• First step simply avoid evil
• Second step seek good
• Mt. 221-14
• What does it mean to say that many are called
  but only few are chosen?