Question: I have some Biblical questions. Many believe in Jesus to be their Lord and Savior and saving them from their sins so they don’t go to hell after they die.
Higgins: Jesus is not a Lord and Savior in this way. There is no physical location known as Hell. Nor is there a location called Heaven. When a human dies the soul leaves the body and reconnects with its Broader Soul. Occasionally a person dies a traumatic death or is in some way not yet ready to re-unite with the Broader Soul and so the soul will stay in the Earth realm and are experienced as ghosts. Eventually, though, ‘ghosts’ also reconnect with their Divine Spirit. There is no alternative.
Question continues: But in an answer to one of my prior questions Higgins I believe stated that Heaven and Hell in the Bible were describing words for a “place” one might feel like they are in, in this life on earth.
Higgins: When we used the word “place” to describe Heaven and Hell we meant emotional status. If Heaven and Hell were instead named Human Bliss and Human Misery the concept of Heaven and Hell would be easier to grasp.
Question continues: So my question is, since Hell is a “place” while we are here in this life on earth why does the Bible talk about Salvation so much like we are being saved from Hell in the afterlife or after we die here on earth? What does the word Salvation really mean, or stand for in the Bible?
Cheryl’s note:
From biblestudytools.com accessed September 18, 2014: Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology
Salvation: Of the many Hebrew words used to signify salvation, yasa [[;v”y] (to save, help in distress, rescue, deliver, set free) appears most frequently in the Old Testament.
Higgins: The Old Testament was written in Hebrew. Hebrew words do not translate directly into English. The above translation is perhaps the best for us to use for this response.
To help you understand the meaning of salvation as used in the Bible first consider the human as an Eternal Soul that has a subpart, a Little Soul. The subpart, or Little Soul can be envisioned as a data collection vehicle like those that are sent to gather data from the moon or Mars. The Little Soul ventures forth from its home within the Eternal Soul. The Little Soul finds housing in a human body and thenceforth meanders about the Earth collecting information about the environment which it transmits back to the Eternal Soul. The Eternal Soul then ‘steers’ or guides the Little Soul/human by offering emotion relative to the data.
Emotion that feels good is intended to stimulate a Little Soul/human to proceed along that chosen ‘route’. Emotion that feels bad is intended to cause the Little Soul/human to feel disinclined to pursue more of that, whatever it is.
The Earth realm is dense and to the Little Soul/human it is much like walking in deep pool of water. Movement is slow and much impeded. Due to this density, Little Soul Humans tend to lose their way despite the ‘steering’ offered by their Eternal Soul. Jesus came to Earth to assist you all in finding your respective ways, hence the Biblical references to flocks of sheep and shepherds. Humans are a little like sheep who’ve gotten lost and Jesus is the shepherd bringing them ‘home’ or towards salvation or more specifically reminding them how the game is played thus helping them realign with their Eternal Soul which is directly aligned with the Godhead/Allah/Creator.
The word salvation as used most often in the Bible really means something more like Jesus came to help you in your distress to rescue you from your struggles in the dense Earth realm (where humans flounder much as though they are drowning). Jesus ‘showed the way’ meaning he tried repeatedly to convey that if you will believe (not wish or want but truly believe) then you, a Little Soul Human, can literally move mountains.
Much clarifying information was omitted from the Bible. That is in part why it is so difficult to understand much of what is meant. The information that is contained within its covers related to how it is to be human and how to play the Human Game is oblique and hard to follow.
The Bible speaks of salvation as being saved from an afterlife in Hell for several reasons: clarifying portions have been omitted; Hebrew and Aramaic do not translate directly to English so the meaning has been lost; and lack of complete understanding by both the authors and the translators.
Cheryl’s note: Read Matthew 17:20 for Higgins’ reference to moving mountains.
Received September 18, 2014 at Lake Goodwin, Washington USA
I love the idea of my human part as a data collection vehicle for my greater soul! That’s just how it feels to me. 🙂