The word "hell" appears in twenty-three verses in all of the King James Version of the New Testament. It is mentioned in only fifteen verses in the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke), and is not mentioned even once in the Gospel of John. And, it appears in only eight verses in the rest of the New Testament (Acts 2:27, 31; James 3:6; 2 Peter 2:4; and Revelation 1:18; 6:8; 20:13, 14).
The word "heaven," on the other hand, appears in two hundred seventy-seven verses in the New Testament; seventy-five times in Matthew; seventeen times in Mark; thirty-two times in Luke; seventeen times in John; twenty-five times in Acts; twenty-nine times in the Pauline Epistles; fifteen times in Hebrews; twice in James; nine times in the Epistles of Peter; once in John's Epistles; and fifty-five times in Revelation.
How can this be? The answer is simple: most preachers listen to others preach, and they assume the information is correct, without taking the time to check it out. The Apostle Paul would "turn over in his grave" if he knew about the sloppy way in which the Word of God is being handled today! He praised those who listened to him preach in Berea, because they were willing to listen, but then would verify his message by comparing it to God's Word (Acts 17:11)! Here are a few other "facts" that need to be confirmed by believers:
1. How many Magi (wise men or kings) traveled to see Jesus?
2. About how old was Jesus when they finally arrived in Bethlehem?
3. Where were Jesus, Joseph, and Mary living when they arrived?
4. In what year was Jesus born?
5. On what day of the week was Jesus crucified?
6. How many nails did the Roman soldiers use to crucify Jesus?
7. Was Mathias the replacement for Judas, or was it Paul?
8. Who was the leader of the Church in the Book of Acts?
9. Did Jesus establish His Church before He ascended to heaven?
10. Who was the Creator?
CAN YOU PROVE YOUR ANSWERS FROM THE BIBLE?
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