EARTH Just A Testing Ground?

Our Choice-Life or Death

Adam and Eve were never given the option of going to heaven. Their choice was either to obey God and live eternally on a paradise earth or to disobey him and die. Sadly, they chose disobedience and therefore, returned to the "dust" of the ground. (Genesis 2:16, 17; 3:2-5, 19) It was never God's purpose for the human family in general to die and to populate heaven via the grave. God created myriads of angels to live in heaven; these spirit creatures are not humans who are deceased and who have been resurrected to life in heaven. -Psalm 104:1, 4; Daniel 7:10.

What must we do to receive the blessing of living forever in Paradise on earth? A first step is to study God's Word, the Holy Bible. "This means everlasting life," Jesus said in prayer, "their taking in knowledge of you , the only true God, and of the one whom you sent forth, Jesus Christ." -John 17:3.

Putting that knowledge into practice is another step to everlasting happiness in Paradise. (James 1:22-24) Those who live by God's Word have the prospect of seeing with their own eyes the fulfillment of such thrilling prophecies as the one recorded at Isaiah 11:9, which says: "They [humankind] will not do any harm or cause any ruin in all my holy mountain; because the earth will certainly be filled with the knowledge of Jehovah as the waters are covering the very sea."

Next time: BIBLE READING-PROFITABLE AND PLEASURABLE

Watchtower, 2000