Bob Felts wrote:
> zach wrote:
>
> > > > >Whatever the case the Bible says that nobody had gone to
heaven
> > > > > prior to 33 c.e.
> > > >
> > > > >The Bible says nothing of the kind.
> > > >
> > > > Sure it does. John 3:13.
> > >
> > > Let's read it again putting the Greek verb tenses into English:
> > >
> > > No one has ever, by their own action and power, ascended into
heaven
> > > except the one who, by His own action and power, descended from
heaven.
> > >
> > > What this verse clearly demonstrates is Jesus' majesty, power,
and
> > > ability. It does not indicate that no one has ever been taken
into
> > > heaven.
> >
> > I can think of no usage of something or someone "ascending" if not
by
> > its own power or volition, or talked about passively by design.
Over
> > the weekend, I have been trying to think of even one example, and I
> > cannot. Anyone? The statement seems pretty clear.
> >
>
> Helicopters. Planes. Balloons. Rockets with astronauts. The
rocket
> goes up under it's own power, the astronauts are taken up.

I think Bob is correct. A person can actively ascend or descend in a
building by using the stairs or passively ascend or descend by using an
elevator. I see no reason to limit the word "ascend" to climbing
the stairs and not apply it also to riding up in an elevator. If God
reaches down and raises a man to heaven, the man can be said to have
ascended to heaven. If on the other hand he climbs Jacob's ladder to
heaven, he also can be said to have ascended to heaven.

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