All Resources

I am a family physician and professor at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland, Oregon. I am also one of the physicians on the Physicians Resource Council (PRC) at Focus on the Family.

The reason I don’t address activities about the intermediate state is because there are not a lot of details given to it.

You are certainly not alone in wishing that various groups–you specifically highlighted liberals, orthodox, and fundamentalists–just put differences aside and get along. I will briefly look at these three groups and suggest why this may not be Biblically possible at this time in Kingdom history.

Part of the issue is why should we be working on something now? Because this life is a limited opportunity to make choices to follow Christ in a world that is opposed to Him.

Justice is the foundation of God’s throne, and justice was the motivation for our redemptive process. 

While there may be others we don't know of who God has created or will create in the future, we know the following will be in heaven...

In some passages the bride is the Church.

As for your concern about addressing too many moral issues, that's fine. It's just a matter of taste. 

Materialism is often a big part of it, but those in it think it isn’t because they give some of the money away. 

In Heaven, we’ll see clearly (1 Cor. 13:12), but won’t know everything. If we knew everything, we’d be God.

Satan labors to give people an inaccurate view of heaven. Jesus said of the devil, “When he lies he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44).

I am a newer believer and sometimes get frustrated over all of the different doctrines in various churches. Can you help me sort these out?  

I know this for sure—you will not feel left out in Heaven. You see, you won’t be struggling with negative feelings and self-doubt. You will be whole and healthy and will see things through God’s eyes then and not a grid that is riddled with sin and distortion.

I don’t mean to be trite or cute, but after having considered who God is, the answer to this question is “because God didn’t want to.”