Living by

The Spirit






What is The Paradise of God? 

Falsely taught to be the literal heaven!

 Learn what is the Paradise of God and how to enter it!




By Nab B. Feb 12, 2023





Unlike what others teach, PARADISE in the New Testament has nothing to do with either an earthly paradise of material delights or a literal location in heaven. 



You must understand that everything under the Law of Christ is spiritual and spiritually discerned. 



I will trace most occurrences of the word paradise in the NT to help us understand its profound and tangible meaning for believers in the here and now!




The Promised Paradise for the Thief


The thief asked Jesus, “Jesus, Lord, remember me when you comest into thy kingdom”. Jesus said to him “To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.”  (Luke 23:42-43)



Just from the above verse, were you able to see that the "kingdom" equates with the "paradise"? 



The thief asked to be in Christ's Kingdom, and Jesus said for sure you will be with me in paradise. This is proof positive that being in paradise, is the same as being in God's Kingdom (realm or dominion).



Jesus emphatically stated that no one can see or enter that kingdom unless they are born from above (born again) by the Holy Spirit (see John 3:3-7).


In other words, this is a spiritual paradise, not an earthly one. 



Why the thief was able to enter the kingdom (paradise):



Since the thief was about to die and would remain in a death state until the resurrection day, Jesus used the word "TODAY" to assure him of a bodily resurrection that would occur later. The thief's name has entered the "Lamb's Book of Life." 



But most believers are not in the same predicament as the thief! We have the time during our lives to die spiritually to our sinful nature in Christ and enter the spiritual paradise of God—His kingdom. As such, we are seated with Him in His kingdom as clearly shown in Ephesians 2:6 


“And [God] raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places [by being born of the spirit] in Christ Jesus.” 



This is the Paradise of God, the New Kingdom of God and Christ.




Which Paradise Did Paul See?


Paul was blessed to experience also the “Paradise of God”. We read in 2 Corinthians 12:3-4, 

“and I have known such a man — whether in the body, whether out of the body, I have not known, God hath known, — that he was caught away to the paradise, and heard unutterable sayings, that it is not possible for man to speak.” (YLT)



What paradise was Paul “caught away” to? Is it a location somewhere in heaven? Pay close attention to the context in verse 1 as it reveals the answer: 

“To boast, really, is not profitable for me, for I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.” (YLT)



I hope you noticed that Paul's “Paradise” was not a momentary transportation to heaven! So, what was it? 


It was this:




Paul was relating his encounter with Jesus Christ, and how it changed him (also all true believers), from a carnal Pharisee, limited in understanding, to a spirit-born son of God communicating and receiving visions and revelations from heaven.



That is the paradise of God to which Paul, the thief, and all born-again believers are "caught up". It is the Kingdom of God. It's otherworldly and is best described as "paradise". The same expression "caught up" is used of those resurrected to life who shall be caught up to be always with Jesus Christ. (See 1 Thess 4:17)



Paul could not express what he saw and heard because Christ's revelations are too wonderful to describe humanly. What Paul experienced was only a glimpse of what awaits all true believers—being in the presence of God and Christ always.




The Paradise of God in Revelation


Revelation 2:7 reads, 

“He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the PARADISE of God.”



Christ's Revelation is written in signs and symbols. The Tree of Life is a symbol of the life of God which flows in Christ and to all of us. Where is this "Paradise"? We have already established it is a heavenly (spiritual) condition, a state, or a realm where God dwells. Anyone who is genuinely led by God's Spirit dwells in this paradise to some degree. 



Born-again true believers, although sojourners on this earth, are actually citizens of heaven or heaven-dwellers. At the resurrection, they will always be with the Lord. 




The Paradise of God by Other Names


Certain concepts are often given different names in the scriptures. This is not to confuse but to enlighten so we can see the same thing from other vantage points. The paradise of God is also given other names in the scriptures. 



Here's some of them:




This short study showed that “The Paradise of God” is not an earthly or heavenly location. It’s the spiritual condition to which all true believers are “caught up” when they are born of the Spirit of God. It's the flowing of the life of God – Zoé – which enters them through the Son, Jesus Christ. (John 17:3)



A true believer earnestly seeks to be spiritually “caught away” with the Lord in visions and revelations, to be led by the Spirit, and to encounter Christ in this age and in the age to come. If we sincerely ask and seek, it shall be given to us!


"How much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?"  (Luke 11:13)





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