Why is there a resurrection? Why not leave them in heaven since Christianity teaches that paradise is in heaven?

There are plenty of Christian denominations that understand/teach about the earthly resurrection and new earth, it is in Luther's Small catechism, for example, and when I asked a baptist about it she explained that they belief that people return to the earth after the rapture.

• I am sure there are Christians that don't understand this.... There are churches that allow membership without any classes, and people generally have to ask if they want to know more than the basics... in addition, when people say heaven they generally just mean with the Lord, so even when the new heavens and the new earth are here we will still be in heaven... AND earth.
   
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  The following is quoted from a Baptist site:
  "The scriptures clearly show there is ONE BODY, ONE HOPE, and ONE FAITH for ALL true born-again Believers in Christ.Ephesians 4:4-6 There is one body (not two bodies, one earthly and one heavenly) , and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope (not two hopes, one earthly and one heavenly) of your calling; In the Eternal State (Rev 21) there will be an earthly, spiritual kingdom where God will be all in all.
  
  
  Part (2) If you were to die today, where would you spend eternity?
  Most born-again Christians would give the same answer---heaven.
  If saints are returning during the millennium to reign with Christ, how could that be correct?
  1Thess 3:13 To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.
  
  Part (3) Where will those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life spend eternity?
  First, they will be in heaven where Jesus is now.
  Matt 5:3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
  Second, they will return with Him at Armageddon.
  Rev 19:14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
  Third, they will dwell with Him forever in His new earth.
  Matt 5:5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
  Rev 21:1-2 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. 2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband."
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  This is from a Lutheran site: "You ask what the new heavens and earth will be like. I am not sure how to answer aside from emphasizing that it will be the eternal home of believers and thus a parallel term with "heaven," where God and his people will enjoy eternity together. To try to speak in great detail is inevitably going to be somewhat speculative and unnecessary. As Martin Luther once said, for us to engage each other with detailed descriptions of our eternal home would be like twin fetuses telling each other about how it will be in the world after their birth. They haven't experienced it yet and are wise to limit their speculations.
  The late Professor Siegbert Becker wrote these fitting words: "The most detailed description of this new heaven and new earth we find in the last two chapters of the Bible, where we have also a detailed description of the place where God's people will live through all eternity. John first tells us that he had a vision of a new heaven and a new earth. . . . What more can we say to add anything to that picture of endless bliss and glory? We can only join in the prayer of St. Bernard, 'Jesus, in mercy bring us to that dear land of rest.' "

If we die and go to heaven, why do we need a resurrection? After all, would it not be better for us to all stay in heaven? And what are we going to be doing all day?

Good question. Jesus says, "Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life" -John 6:54. And He makes it clear that this includes Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. (Matthew 22:32) "I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven." --Matthew 8:11 "By faith Abraham... But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one." --Hebrews 11:8-16

2 Corinthians 5:8 "Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord."

Acts 7:59 "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!" -Stephen

Christians' desire is to be with the Lord, because we love Him so and desire Him more than anything. "Whom have I in heaven but you? I desire you more than anything on earth. I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine. He is mine forever." Psalm 73:25; Song of Solomon 6:3; Psalm 73:26

"Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ... with minds set on earthly things." Colossians 3:2; Philippians 3:18-21

As we see Stephen says above, the Christian's Spirit goes to heaven. But this is not our final destination. For if we finish John 6:54 Jesus goes on to say of the Christian who HAS eternal life, "and I will raise him up at the last day." We see what happens on that last day in Revelation: "After these things I heard what was as a loud voice of a great crowd in heaven. And I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the former heaven and the former earth had passed away, and the sea is no more. I saw also the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God and prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. With that I heard a loud voice from the throne say: “Look! The tent of God is with mankind, and he will reside with them, and they will be his peoples. And God himself will be with them. and thus we shall always be with [the] Lord." Revelation 19:1; 21:2-3; 1 Thessalonians 4:17

Do Christians go to heaven when we die? part 2

In part one we saw that Paul was looking forward to death, so that he could be with Christ.

Jehovah's Witnesses teach that most faithful Christians have no hope of going to heaven. This also includes all faithful who died before Christ's resurrection. Is this what the Bible says?

I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. --Matthew 8:11

By faith Abraham... lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise; for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God. By faith even Sarah... All these died in faith... and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. And indeed if they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. --Hebrews 11:8-16

But our citizenship is in heaven,
and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself. --Philippians 3:20-21

Jehovah's Witnesses are right that the Bible speaks of a new earth. And since the Bible does mention it, why don't Christian churches talk about it much?

"Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things." Colossians 3:2

So why do Jehovah's Witnesses emphasize the teaching of a new earth?
"For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. --Philippians 3:18-21

Do Christians go to heaven when we die?

John 6:58 "Your forefathers ate manna and died, but he who feeds on this bread will live forever."

1 John 3:14 "We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death." 

1 John 5:13 "I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life." 

John 8:51"I tell you the truth, anyone who obeys my teaching will never die!" 

Romans 8:2 "because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death." 

Romans 8:11 "And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you."

2 Corinthians 12:2 "I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows."

2 Corinthians 5:8 "Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord."

Philippians 1:22-23 "If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far."

Acts 7:59 "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!" 

My next question is then.... The Bible speak of the meek inheriting the earth, so why does Paul wish to depart from his body to be with the Lord? 

 

And why do Jehovah's Witnesses seem to be the only ones who talk about a paradise earth?

Jehovah's Witnesses do not believe in Christ's bodily resurrection: Is it really that important?

John 2:18-21 says:

'Destroy this temple and in three days, I will raise it up." The Jewish leaders said, "It took 46 years to build this temple and you're going to raise it again in three days?" But He was speaking of the temple of His BODY.

But the Watchtower says:
"According to the inspired Scriptures, Jesus Christ was not raised to life in the flesh " (Watchtower 8/1/1975 p. 478)

Why is this important? 

We can see why at 1 Corinthians 15:14-17:
If Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. 
Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, ...
And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins!

and Romans 4:25:
Jesus our Lord was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification. (New King James Version)

He was delivered up for the sake of our trespasses and was raised up for the sake of declaring us righteous. (New World Translation)

If you need more information on the term justification please look up the Greek word dikaiósis: http://biblesuite.com/greek/1347.htm

Once again, lets compare the teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses with God's Word:

Chapter 17 of "You can Live Forever in Paradise on Earth" talks extensively of Jesus resurrection, saying:   "Having given up his flesh for the life of the world, Christ could never take it again and become a man once more... when Christ was raised from the dead, his fleshly body was no longer in the tomb. (Mark 16:5-7) Also, after his death Jesus appeared to his disciples in a fleshly body to show them that he was alive. Once He even had the apostle Thomas put his hand into the hole in His side so that Thomas would believe that He had actually been resurrected. (John 20:24-27) Does this not prove that Christ was raised alive in the same body in which he was put to death? No, it does not."

Luke 24: 34-40: “While they were speaking of these things [the Lord] himself stood in their midst ...But they were imagining they beheld a spirit. So he said to them: “Why are ​YOU​ troubled, and why is it doubts come up in ​YOUR​ hearts? See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself; feel me and see, because a spirit does not have flesh and bones just as ​YOU​ behold that I have.” [[And as he said this he showed them his hands and his feet.]]

 

Will you believe God's Word over that of man's?

Do Jehovah's Witnesses believe Jesus was resurrected?

Resurrected means: a standing back up. 

Let's see what the Watchtower has to say about Jesus' resurrection:

 

 "According to the inspired Scriptures, Jesus Christ was not raised to life in the flesh " (Watchtower 8/1/1975 p. 478)

 

Compare to Scripture: 

'Destroy this temple and in three days, I will raise it up." The Jewish leaders said, "It took 46 years to build this temple and you're going to raise it again in three days?" But He was speaking of the temple of His BODY. (John 2:18-21)  

Chapter 17 of "You can Live Forever in Paradise on Earth" talks extensively of Jesus resurrection, saying:  "Having given up his flesh for the life of the world, Christ could never take it again and become a man once more. However, many persons believe that Christ took his fleshly body to heaven."

Most of this chapter is then dedicated to explaining the belief that Jesus was not resurrected in his fleshly body. This is addressed for at least 6 paragraphs, with the statement that "Only spirit persons with spiritual bodies can live in heaven."

The reasoning in this Watchtower book denies what the Bible says on the matter:

"They point to the fact that when Christ was raised from the dead, his fleshly body was no longer in the tomb. (Mark 16:5-7) Also, after his death Jesus appeared to his disciples in a fleshly body to show them that he was alive. Once He even had the apostle Thomas put his hand into the hole in His side so that Thomas would believe that He had actually been resurrected. (John 20:24-27) Does this not prove that Christ was raised alive in the same body in which he was put to death? No, it does not."

"But you may ask, Did not the apostle Thomas see and feel the wounds in Jesus’ side and hands, indicating that Jesus rose in the same body in which he died? How can this fact be explained?—John 20:26-28.

The Bible shows that invisible spirit creatures at times have assumed human bodies. This, many angels did in times past and this is what Jesus did upon his resurrection." (Watchtower 8/15/1969 p.484)

The first account of the resurrection that I thought of was Luke 24: 34-40 (which is missing from the citations in the above quotes) Let's see what it says in the New World Translation:  

“For a fact the Lord was raised up and he appeared to Simon!” ...

While they were speaking of these things he himself stood in their midst  ...But they were imagining they beheld a spirit. So he said to them: “Why are ​YOU​ troubled, and why is it doubts come up in ​YOUR​ hearts? See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself; feel me and see, because a spirit does not have flesh and bones just as ​YOU​ behold that I have.” [[And as he said this he showed them his hands and his feet.]]

How do the Jehovah's Witnesses explain this? Was he being deceptive when he showed Thomas the holes in his hands and feet, holes that were in the body that died? Was Jesus lying when he convinced the disciples that he was not a spirit?

God evidently did away with Jesus’ body so that it could not be worshiped. (Compare Deuteronomy 34:6; Jude 9.) ... Yet once, in order to convince “doubting” Thomas, Jesus materialized a fleshly body that had wounds on it such as were on Christ’s body when he died. A careful reading of this account, though, confirms that it was an instance of a spirit creature’s materializing a body. (Awake! 9/22/1976 p.27)

We have seen that the Jehovah's Witnesses believe that Jesus was resurrected only as a spirit, his body gone forever. This is not what the Bible teaches. Why does the Watchtower go to such lengths to prove that Jesus' physical body was not resurrected?

But some may ask: ‘Did not the two angels present tell the apostles that Christ "will come thus in the same manner as you have beheld him going into the sky"?’ (Acts 1:11) Yes, they did. ... Thus his return also would be invisible, in a spiritual body. (Still in Chapter 17 of the Live Forever book.)"So then, those who refuse to recognize the signs of Jesus’ invisible presence because of looking for his coming in a body of flesh are mistaken." (Watchtower 9/1/1953 p. 520, The Fleshly Body of Jesus)

 

The title of chapter 17 in the Live Forever book also gives us a clue:
The title? Christ's Return-- How seen? The chapter concludes with this:

"As we have seen in the previous chapter, Bible evidence shows that in the year 1914 C.E. God’s time arrived for Christ to return and begin ruling... Since Christ’s return is invisible, is there a way to confirm that it has really occurred? Yes, there is."

So that is why the Watchtower teaches that Christ's resurrection was not bodily.
We see that it is to support the date of 1914 as Christ's return, and to claim that he returned invisibly. 

This blog has already addressed why this teaching so important to the Jehovah's Witness organization, and what the Bible has to say on the matter. 

But what of the bodily resurrection of Christ? This is the most important doctrines to a Christian. Let's take a look at why.

Jehovah's Witnesses was Jesus resurrected? What does the word resurrection mean?

When Jesus was resurrected He was "made alive in the spirit". (1 Peter 3:18) What does this mean? Some light can be shed on this if we read where Jesus says true worshippers worship "in spirit". (John 4:23) see also John chapter 7 and Romans 8:8,9

Resurrected means: a standing back up. Lazarus was resurrected. So was Jesus. Let's think about how.

Who raised Christ from the dead?

Romans 10:9 God
Romans 6:4 The Father
John 2:19-24 Jesus
Romans 8:11 Holy Spirit

I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades. Revelation 1:18

When did Jesus have the keys to death and hades?

No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. John 10:18