The Immortality of the Soul: A Pagan Teaching!
Christ's Disciple
Certainly, this idea was not taught by the apostles of the Lord Jesus, and
formed no part of their creed.
Therefore, if the immortality of the soul is not taught in the Bible, from
whence is it derived? It is a theory borrowed from Grecian and Egyptian
mythology and superimposed upon the early Christian faith.
It is of pagan origin which explains its universal acceptance, for it
matters not where we turn, there, in principle, is found the same doctrine.
Shintoism, Hinduism, Mahommedanism, Paganism - all hold a similar belief in
common with Christendom.
The theory is like a spiritual drug deadening the pain of sorrow, but, in
fact, turning people from the true comfort to be found in a correct
understanding of the Word of God.
If the doctrine of the immortal soul were true, and the grave opened the
portals to eternal bliss and joy, then death would be a blessing and not the
curse it is, and all would desire it - but they do not.
If souls were immortal, the living should rejoice at the death of their
friends, acknowledging that they have merely discarded their
mortality, been delivered from all pain and trouble, and have *
entered into a state of eternal perfection and happiness with God.
But the bitter tears of mourning friends, the anguish of heart of close
relations, give the lie to the sermonising of clergymen who teach that death
is not a reality, but the gateway to life more abundant.
If the theory of the immortality of the soul were true, then it would be
wrong and cruel to sustain in mortal life those who are incurably sick, or
who suffer constant pain. Far better to end their misery immediately in
death, and release the soul to experience the fullness of joy free of all
encumbrances, in heaven! Granted the immortality of the soul, what harm has
the murderer really committed? On what grounds can he be indicted for
destroying life? He has not destroyed life but merely released it for a
greater experience!
What is the reaction of preachers, who have eloquently taught of
heaven-going at death, when the chill hand of the Great Reaper appears? Do
they rejoice that the time of departure is at hand, and that they are about
to enter upon their reward?
Quite the contrary They evince no anxious longing to reach the haven of
rest; there is no joyous expectancy that the time has come at last when the
gates of heaven shall swing open that they might enter upon the rewards of
life well-lived! No! At such times, the preacher urgently seeks every aid
that modem science can provide, that he might retain his hold on life.
Obviously the clergy, in common with all humanity, are a little distrustful
of the reality of their own theory, for they are most reluctant to give up
life upon the earth to experience the glory of an alleged existence in
heaven.
In short, all the teaching of theology cannot destroy the facts of nature
that death is the end of all.
Man Is Mortal
In view of our rejection of the theory of the immortality of the soul, the
reader may ask: Since Christendom almost universally accept this doctrine,
is not our repudiation of it a repudiation of Christianity?
It is true that most religious groups accept this theory as basic to their
conception of salvation, but that does not mean that it is true. Truth must
be determined upon the evidence of the Bible, not that of popular opinion.
The theory of an immortal soul is attractive because people want to escape
from the inevitability and reality of death, and therefore most are prepared
to close their eyes to facts, and believe that death is actually the gateway
to life! Blinded by a false theory, they fail to recognise their greatest
enemy: death, and neglect to seek a means of overcoming it.
Because of this, and in spite of the fact that most churches teach this
doctrine, we claim that our repudiation of it is not a rejection of true
Christianity, for, unfortunately, Christendom is sadly astray from the
Bible. In both teaching and practice it fulfils the prediction of Paul:
"The time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after
their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears.
And they shall turn away their ears from the Truth, and shall be turned unto
fables"
(2 Timothy 4:3-4).
It does not require a theological education to ascertain the truth of what
we claim, for the Bible can be read with a simple understanding by the most
humble man or woman. It is not designed as a textbook for theology, but is
God's revelation to man, revealing the way of salvation to all who will heed
its message.
If the reader takes a Concordance and examines the many references to the
word "soul" in the Bible he can determine for himself the true facts.
He will discover that the words "immortal soul" do not once occur in
conjunction in the Bible! He will also find that the word soul occurs some
800 times in the Bible, and in such a way as to prove beyond all doubt that
it is mortal.
For example:
"The soul that sinneth it shall die" (Ezekiel 18:4).
"He [God] spared not their soul from death" (Psalm 78:50).
"What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death? Shall he deliver his
soul from the hand of the grave?" (Psalm
8~):48).
"None can keep alive his own soul" (Psalm 22:29).
"He [Christ] poured out his soul unto death" (Isaiah 53:12).
These references show that the mortality of man, and of the soul, are
clearly taught. Many similar statements could be quoted, for this fact is
basic to God's revelation to man, and is consistently set forth throughout
the Bible.
Actually the word soul is used in many different ways, though never in the
sense of an immaterial spark of immortality in man. In Genesis 12:5, it is
used to define literal people.
In Numbers 31:28 it is used both for men, cattle, asses and sheep. Sometimes
it is used in the sense of the mind, disposition, or life. It is spoken as
being capable of hunger (Proverbs 19:15), of being satisfied with food
(Lamentations 1:11,19), of going into the grave (Job 33:22, 28), of coming
out of it (Psalm 30:3).
It is applied to birds, fish, animals, as well as to man (Genesis. 1:20,
30). Actually, the very same Hebrew words translated "living soul" in Gen.
2:7 and applied to man, are rendered "living creature" in Gen. 1:24, and
applied to cattle, creeping things, and beasts of the earth. In these verses
a "living soul" defines a breathing body of life.
Never once, in the hundreds of references throughout the Bible, is the soul
ever said to be immortal, or to continue in life after the death of the
body.
In his Hebrew Lexicon, Parkhurst wrote concerning nephesh (the Hebrew word
translated "soul"): "As a noun, nephesh hath been supposed to signify the
spiritual part of a man, or, what we commonly call his soul; I must, for
myself confess that I can find no passage where it hath undoubtedly this
meaning."
William Tyndale, who first translated the Bible into English, wrote: "In
putting departed souls in heaven, hell and purgatory, you destroy the
arguments wherewith Christ and Paul prove the resurrection, which we be
warned to look for every hour.
The heathen philosophers denying that, did put that the souls did ever live.
And the Pope joineth the spiritual doctrine of Christ, and the fleshly
doctrine of Philosophers together - things so contrary that they cannot
agree... If the souls be in heaven.., what cause is there of the
resurrection?"
What About Hell?
Related to the theory of the immortality of the soul, is the teaching that
God condemns the wicked to everlasting torments in hell. It is logical, of
course, that if souls are immortal, and those of the righteous ascend to
heaven at death, a place must be found also for the unrighteous.
And, as most people are ignorant of the saving truths of Christ, and
therefore, according to Bible teaching, are "without hope" (Ephesians 2:12),
then "hell" must be the destiny of most people.
But again, an examination of the evidence reveals that theology has sadly
distorted the plain teaching of the Bible.
Certainly the word "hell" appears in the Bible, but the meaning of the word,
and context in which it appears, clearly reveal that it relates to the
grave. In fact, the Hebrew word sheol has been translated both grave and
hell in the Old Testament, but both context and consistency demand that all
passages should be uniformly rendered "grave."
The equivalent of the Hebrew sheol in the Greek New Testament is the word
Hades. In lCorinthjans 15:55, the word "hell" has been rendered "the grave"
(see the margin). The Revised Version renders it "death" because many Greek
texts have the word thanatos ("death") in place of Hades ("grave"). In any
case, this passage is a quotation from Hosea 13:14 where sheol is properly
rendered "grave".
That this Greek word Hades has been incorrectly rendered hell, is clearly
seen in the following reference, where it obviously relates to the grave.
Speaking on the day of Pentecost, Peter declared: "He [David] seeing this
before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in
hell, neither his flesh did see corruption. This Jesus hath God raised
up..."
(Acts 2:31-32).
Peter was quoting from Psalm 16:10, "Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell" to
show that it was prophetic of the resurrection of Jesus from the grave!
Therefore, Peter's inspired comment upon Psalm 16:10 shows beyond all doubt
that the hell of the Bible is nothing more than the grave.
Why, then, did the translators use the word hell? Possibly because the word
(which is of Anglo-Saxon origin) originally meant to cover over or conceal,
and thus came to represent the place of the unseen, the grave. A similar
style of language is still used in parts of England.
To 'hele' a cottage means to cover it; to 'hele' potatoes is to cover them;
a helmet is a covering for the head. Understood as the place of covering or
concealment, hell is a synonym for the grave, as a place of concealment
where the dead are "covered over."
Another word (Gehenna), has been translated "hell fire," and mainly the
passages where this word is found are quoted in support of the theory of
everlasting torments in hell.
But Gehenna is the name of a valley just outside of Jerusalem which was
used as a great rubbish destructor. The refuse of the city was burnt there,
and the bodies of certain criminals were thrown here to be ignominiously
consumed.
The place thus became identified with complete and utter destruction (not
with everlasting torments, for the criminals were dead before being thrown
there), and it is in that sense that the word is used in the New Testament.
Anybody consigned to Gehenna is condemned to complete oblivion, a more
merciful fate than the endless torture and diabolic cruelty of the "hell" of
clerical teaching, which is a blasphemous reflection upon a loving and
merciful God.
The world condemns a Hitler or an Idi Amin because of the misery and
suffering, though temporary, they brought upon a section of humanity, and
yet accepts that God consigns to everlasting torment the souls of the
ignorant and the wicked.
In Jeremiah 19:5, God condemns Israel for "burning their sons with fire for
burnt offerings unto Baal," and He declares "I commanded this not, nor spake
of it, neither came it into My mind." These words certainly emphasise that
God has not "in mind" to torment souls in fiery, sulphuric flames of hell -
an abhorrent theological fiction of imagination. "Gehenna", as used in the
New Testament, is a figure of speech
denoting utter destruction: the fate which will come to all who reject God's
way of life.
Death Is A State of Unconsciousness.
The Bible describes death as a state of complete unconsciousness, during
which life is extinct, and the body corrupts and decays into dust. The
decree of heaven to Adam consequent upon his sin was: "Dust thou art, and
unto dust shalt thou return" (Genesis 3:19).
This description of death is endorsed by subsequent teaching of Scripture
as follows:
"In death there is no remembrance of Thee [i.e. God]; in the grave who shall
give Thee thanks" (Psalm 6:5).
"Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no
work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom in the grave, whither thou
goest" (Eeclesiastes 9:10).
"The slain that lie in the grave, whom Thou [God] rememberest no more; and
they are cut off from Thy hand"
(Psalm 88:5).
"The dead praise not the Lord, neither any that go down into
silence" (Psalm 115:17).
"The grave cannot praise thee [God], death cannot celebrate
Thee; they that go down into the pit cannot hope for Thy truth.
The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day"
(Isaiah 38:18-19).
"His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his
thoughts perish" (Psalm 146:4).
How completely different is this teaching to that of an immortal soul that
wends its way to heaven at the death of the body! Yet it represents but a
small portion of the evidence that could be found in the Bible, teaching
that man is mortal and death is absolute.
It shows the fallacy of the theory that represents the grave as the doorway
to a greater experience in life than ever before. Instead, death is revealed
as a state of silence: thoughts perish, the voice of utterance is silenced,
praise to God ceases, work, knowledge and wisdom comes to an end!
Christ set out the alternative before men in the familiar statement of John
3:16: "God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that
whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
The alternative is either to "perish" or attain unto "everlasting life". The
declaration makes no provision for an immortal soul, and, in fact, destroys
such a theory by the use of the word "perish". If the soul were immortal it
would be impossible to destroy it, and the use of such a word would be
entirely out of place.
The same truth emerges from a discourse on resurrection contained in
lCorinthians 15. There, the apostle Paul makes the point that apart from a
physical resurrection from the dead, man is without hope.
He declares: "Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are
perished" (lCorinthians 15:18).
But how could Paul write thus if mankind possesses an immortal soul!
Under no circumstances could it be said that they have "perished," even
apart from a resurrection, for would not their souls be immortal and in
heaven? And notice that it is those "in Christ," or the righteous, to whom
he is referring, showing that eternal life relies upon resurrection and not
on an immortal soul.
Obviously Paul did not believe the current, widespread doctrine! His belief
was consistent with the teaching of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation,
which, in different language, time and again declares: "For the living know
that they shall die; but the dead know not anything... their love, their
hatred, and their envy is now perished" (Ecclesiastes 9:5).
An outstanding Bible student has well-written: "It is something to know that
there is not a single promise of heaven at death in the whole Bible, and not
a single declaration that man has an immortal soul,' and that all the
supposed evidence contained in the Bible in favour of these doctrines, is so
decidedly ambiguous, as to be open to disputation as to its meaning.
It is important, because the testimony in favor of the opposite view is so
clear and explicit that it cannot be set aside without the grossest
violation of the fundamental laws of language" (R. Roberts, in "Christendom
Astray From the Bible").
What About Eternal Life?
So far we have presented a negative argument refuting the widespread belief
in the present possession of immortality, supplying evidence from the Bible
to demonstrate the error of the theory of an immortal soul, and affirming
that death is a state of unconsciousness.
The positive side of the case is revealed in the Bible teaching conceming
eternal life. It shows clearly that whilst eternal life, or immortality, is
not inherent in a person, it is something to be attained through a
resurrection from the dead. Jesus Christ declared: "I am the resurrection
and the life, he that believeth in me though he were dead, yet shall he
live" (John 6:40; 11:25).
This statement of the Lord is supplemented by other references from the
Bible such as the following:
. "This is the PROMISE, that he hat/i promised us, even eternal life" (l
John 2:25).
. "Paul [wrote] in hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie,
promised before the world began" (Titus 1:2).
. "God will render to every man according to his deeds: to them who by
patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honor and immortality
(He will render), eternal life"
(Romans 2:6-7).
In these three references, eternal life is set forth (1) as a promise; (2)
as a hope; (3) as a reward for righteousness.
It is not set forth as an inherent possession.
The Lord Jesus also referred to it as a reward to be attained at his second
coming. This is revealed in a conversation he had with his disciples. Peter,
as their spokesman, approached him with a very significant question, asking:
"Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have
therefore?" (Matthew 19:27).
The Lord replied that his disciples would receive positions of honor and
glory in the kingdom that he will set up on earth at his return, and that,
at the same time, those who have sacrificed their own will in order to serve
him faithfully "shall inherit everlasting life" (Matthew 19:28-29).
Everlasting life, therefore, is something to which we must attain, not
something that a person has in the form of a "soul". It is something that is
promised, not something that is possessed.
Eternal life will not be granted indiscriminately to all who think they are
righteous, but only those who do the will of God. He has clearly set down in
Scripture the terms of salvation, and what constitutes righteousness. It is
summed up in the words of Christ to Nicodemus: "Except a man be born of
water and of spirit he cannot enter the kingdom of God" (John 3:5).
To be "born of water" is to manifest a new way of life consequent upon the a
ct of baptism, and this can only be brought about by an understanding of the
significance of the rite. Thus, in describing baptism, Paul declared: "Ye
have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you"
(Romans 6:17).
His readers had obeyed this teaching by embracing Christ in the way
prescribed in the same chapter (by baptism), and by reflecting Christ-like
qualities in their lives.
True righteousness, therefore, is dependent upon understanding the will and
purpose of God. The Lord instructed his disciples: "Go into all the world,
and preach the gospel to every creature; he that believeth and is baptised
shall be saved" (Mark 16:16).
An intelligent belief of the gospel must precede baptism if a person would
be saved. In fact, the Bible clearly shows, that immersion, in the absence
of an intelligent belief, is invalid. It is the comprehension of the
significance of the rite that gives true meaning to the act.
Why is knowledge so necessary? Because God wants a person's heart and mind
as well as his body. If we do not develop an intellectual appreciation of
God's way which is above what the mind naturally thinks, we are not in a
position to offer acceptable worship, for we will not be mentally in harmony
with God.
But the more we think upon the things of God, the more our thoughts will be
diverted into the channel of His ideas and ideals, and the transforming
influence of His truth will find expression in a changed life.
God's revelation is not designed merely to teach people something, but to
change them for the kingdom, to fit them for the bestowal of eternal life in
the Age to come.
The more we draw God into our lives, the more our character will conform to
His righteous ways, and will become worth preserving, which will be achieved
when the body is changed to incorruptibility (lCorinthians 15:51-54).
In the absence of such mental and moral transformation, flesh is merely
animated dust (Genesis 18:27), not worthy of eternal existence, but destined
to return to the dust from whence it came.
Hope In A Resurrection.
The resurrection of Christ demonstrated the way whereby life eternal can be
attained. It constituted a basic doctrine of early Christianity that
completely separated the gospel message from the philosophies of man. The
record states: "When they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some
mocked: and others said we will hear thee again of this matter" (Acts
17:32).
To such as Paul, however, it provided hope, for he realised the reality and
finality of death, apart from a resurrection.
When called upon to defend the faith, he boldly answered: "Of the hope and
resurrection of the dead I am called in question" (Acts 23:6).
Never once did the Apostle imply that believers possessed an immortal soul,
or that their reward would be found in heaven. He taught that the grave
brought to a complete end all conscious existence in any form, and he looked
forward in hope to the retum of Christ and a bodily resurrection unto life
eternal. Here are examples of his teaching:
"As in Adam all die, even so in Christ, shall all be made alive. But every
man in his own order; Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are
Christ's at his coming" (lCorinthians 15 :22-23).
"The Lord Jesus Christ shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing
and his kingdom... Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of
righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that
day, and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing"
(2Timothy 4:1, 8).
In defending the faith before Felix, the Roman procurator of Judea, Paul
declared: "There is a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust"
(Acts 24:15).
Later before king Agrippa, he declared that he stood to defend "the hope of
the promise made of God unto our fathers," and in order to emphasise what
that involved, he continued, "Why should it be thought a thing incredible
with you that God should raise the dead?" (Acts 26:6-
8).
The faithful David, the man after God's own heart, and concerning whom Peter
said, he "is not ascended into the heavens," believed in the resurrection,
proclaiming: "Thou which hast shewed me great and sore troubles, shalt
quicken me again, and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth.
Thou shalt increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side"(Psalm
71:20-21).
The prophet Isaiah confirmed it: "Thy dead men shall live, together with my
dead body shall they arise" (Isaiah 26:19).
Daniel taught it: "Many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall
awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt"
(Daniel 12:2).
Both Old and New Testaments, therefore, combine in consistently teaching
this doctrine. It is fatal to the theory of an immortal soul, or of
heaven-going at death.
If the soul has gone to its reward, why raise the body from the grave?
Theology replies: for the purpose of judgment. It would reward first, and
judge after! It would consign souls to heaven or hell, and then, millenniums
after, it would reunite them to their bodies for the purpose of judgment!
Such teaching is completely inconsistent, and quite contrary to the Word of
Truth.
The doctrine of a physical resurrection is an embarrassment to those who
believe in the immortality of the soul, and though they cannot dispute it
because it is so plainly taught in the Bible, they destroy its power and
significance by relegating it to a position of minor importance.
Who Will Be Raised?
It is sometimes claimed that if all the countless millions that ever lived
were suddenly raised from the dead there would not be found room for them
upon the earth.
This is disputed by others. The fact of the matter, however, is that all
people will not be raised from the dead, and, indeed, only a minority will
enjoy that experience.
The Bible clearly shows that those who lack an understanding of God's
purpose will not be raised for judgment (see Psalm 49:19-20; 88:5. Isaiah
26:14; 43:17; Jeremiah 51:57), and Paul describes such as "having no hope,
and being without God in the world" (Ephesians 2:12).
Jesus expressed the truth in these words: "I am the resurrection and the
life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live" (John
11:25).
The Lord declared that those who "believe" will live again, and in doing so
he emphasised that "light" or "knowledge" is the ground of responsibility.
He who knows the will of God will be raised to judgment whether he performs
that will or not, for to know is to be held responsible to do so.
Christ taught that those who refuse to submit to the requirements of the
Truth will "see" Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, with all of similar faith,
granted eternal life in the kingdom of God, whilst they, themselves, will be
"cast out" (Luke 13:28. John 3:19).
The Roman governor, Felix, to whom Paul preached, and who had an
understanding of what was required (Acts 24:22), "trembled" when Paul
reasoned with him of "judgment to come" (Acts 24:25), because he doubtless
recognised that he, himself, would be included among the rejected in that
day (Romans 2:7, 8, 16).
The Bible teaches that the responsible dead (both just and unjust) will be
raised, and, together with the living, will be assembled before the judgment
seat of Christ at his coming, to receive "in body what they have done in
this life" whether it be good or bad (2Corinthians 5:10; Romans 14:10-12).
"Those who by patient continuance in well doing, seek for glory, honor and
immortality," will receive eternal life (Romans 2:7).
Those who have rejected Christ's way of life, will experience "tribulation
and anguish," ending in the "second death," which will again bring them to
the grave from whence they will have come (Revelation 2:11; 21:7-8;
Galatians 6:8; Romans 6:21-23).
Most people, however, live in ignorance of divine Truth, and will remain
forever in the grave, for upon what grounds could those who are ignorant of
the divine way be judged?
Where Eternity Will be Spent.
It is a common belief that heaven is the reward of the righteous, but the
Bible does not teach it. Jesus declared that "no man hath ascended up to
heaven" (John 3:13), and this was endorsed by Peter, who pointed to the fact
that not even the righteous David had ascended there (Acts 2:34).
What the Bible does teach throughout, is that an eternal inheritance upon
the earth can be attained. Read carefully Psalm 37, and note the emphasis
upon the earthly inheritance of the righteous.
Four times it proclaims that "such as be blessed" of God shall inherit the
earth (vv. 9, 11, 22, 29). It contains such statements as "evildoers shall
be cut off; but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth"
(v. 9); "the seed of the wicked shall be cut off' but "the righteous shall
inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever" (vv. 28, 29).
It proclaims the promise (later quoted by the Lord, see Matthew 5:5), that
"the meek shall inherit the earth" (v. 11), and points to a time when "the
wicked shall not be." That is not the case today, but the very reverse; but
it shall be brought about at the second coming of the Lord Jesus.
And what more does a person desire? Nobody wants to die, but who would
refuse the gift of life eternal with an everlasting inheritance upon an
earth freed of the oppressions, the frustrations, and the evils of today?
That is the hope set forth by the Bible, and for which the Lord instructed
his disciples to pray, saying: "Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed by
thy name. Thy kingdom come. THY WILL BE DONE IN EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN"
(Matthew 6:10).
That is the time of which the angels sang at the birth of Jesus: "Glory to
God in the highest: upon earth peace, and good will toward men" (Luke 2:14).
This is consistent with the teaching of Jesus. He impressed his disciples
with the reality of death by declaring that they will be "recompensed at the
resurrection of the just" (Luke 14:14).
He taught them that the Son of Man shall return, and "then he shall reward
every man" (Matthew 16:27). He concluded his last message to his followers
with a wonderful promise: "Behold I come quickly [or unexpectedly] and my
reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be"
(Revelation 22:12).
He declared that he will bring the reward with him, not that man would go to
him to heaven to receive it! He will bring it when he returns once again to
this earth (Philippians 3:20-21. l John 3:1-2).
A World Fit For Immortals.
The Bible teaches that though immortality will be bestowed upon the
righteous at the second coming of Jesus Christ (l Corinthians 15:23, 52-54),
he is coming, not only to judge and reward his followers, but to establish
his rule over all the earth.
Jerusalem will become the metropolis of his administration, the future
capital of the world. It will be called, "the City of the Lord, the Zion of
the Holy One of Israel" (Isaiah 60:14), the "city of the great King" (the
Lord Jesus, Matthew 5:34-35).
The Bible declares: "At that time they shall call Jerusalem the Throne of
the Lord; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it; to the name of the
Lord, to Jerusalem; neither shall they walk any more after the imagination
of their evil heart" (Jeremiah 3:17).
Then the present evil conditions will be replaced with the glorious reign of
the Lord Jesus.
From this centre, Christ will rule in conjunction with his immortalised
followers, who will form the aristocracy of his kingdom. In Revelation
5:9-10 they are represented as singing:
"Thou hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred and tongue,
and people and nation, and hast made us kings and priests and we shall reign
ON THE EARTH".
The prophet Isaiah predicted that "a king (the Lord Jesus) shall reign in
righteousness, and princes (his immortalised followers) shall rule in
equity" (Isaiah 32:1), and Jesus told his disciples that they would be set
up as judges over the twelve tribes of Israel (Matthew 19:28), then
completely restored to their land.
Such a purpose necessitates the return of Jesus Christ to the earth. And
here, again, the teaching of the Bible is plain. The disciples who witnessed
the Lord ascend into heaven were told:
"Why stand ye gazing up into heaven [as though their hope was there!]; this
same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like
manner as ye have seen him go into heaven" (Acts 1:11).
The Promised Millennium.
For 1,000 years (Revelation 20:4), the reign of Christ on earth will
continue. His teaching, emanating from Jerusalem and going forth to all
nations (Isaiah 2:2-4) will bring about great changes, both moral,
political, and religious, introducing an epoch of righteousness and peace:
"They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into
pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword again nation, neither shall
they learn war any more."
The mortal populations of the earth, ruled over by Christ and his
immortalised followers, will learn the principles of righteousness, and
submit to his beneficent authority. The prophet Zechariah records: "Yea,
many people and strong nations shall come to seek the Lord of Hosts in
Jerusalem, and to pray before the Lord" (Zechariah 8:22. See also ch.
14:16).
The earth will thus become the glorious abode of happiness and peace, as
preparatory to the final act of glory, at the end of the 1,000 years' reign
of Christ, when death itself will come to an end.
The Bible teaches that Christ "must reign, till he hath put all enemies
under his feet; the last enemy that shall be destroyed is death"
(lCorinthians 15:25-26). The earth will then have passed through three
stages:
(1) The present, in which sin and death is everywhere in evidence;
(2) Christ's second advent, when his followers who are worthy will be made
like him, immortal, but the rest of mankind will remain mortal;
(3) At the end of the millennial reign, when death will be eliminated from
the earth, and a perfected world will be given back to God (l Corinthians
15:28).
It will be the privilege of those who faithfully follow Christ now, to rule
with him, as his immortal associates, at his return.
This requires that they come to an understanding of the purpose of God, and
submit to His will, firstly by being baptised, and then by obeying His
precepts. Is this reward worth striving for?
The world today can only provide frustration, worry and death, whereas in
Christ there is "promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to
come" (lTimothy 4:8).
Why not search into these matters?
Remember you are the arbiter of your own eternal destiny, and Christ has
made it possible for you to gain the victory.
We earnestly recommend that you read this article again, and closely examine
the references quoted from the Bible.
If you find this article fully in agreement with Scripture, why not pay
yourself the compliment of searching deeper into the teaching of the Bible,
that you might, with enlightened mind, embrace Christ in the way appointed,
and commence a walk that could gain for you an inheritance in the kingdom of
God, and enjoyment of life for evermore.
<<<Read yourself RICH in the ways of the TRUTH>>>
Website: http://www.antipas.org
Blair Ritger
But what if most people don't believe in anything that the Bible says, or that
they take it out of context. Certainly Christ himself, thought of the
immorality and existence of his own life and the countless sins of the people a
people of his own background that he so loved, would be destroyed , yet while he
led a supposed sinless life, wasn't he too that said why father have you
foresaken me, forgive me and them father for they do not know what they do?
If the person does not believe the things of the Bible then how can the come to
understand its underlying message that Christ himself was the sacraficial lamb
and that it was he that died for them?
These are the questions I asked the" atheists" that I know, and you know what
they said to me, they said they don't believe that God exists, and that they
believe the Bible is wrong, full of lies and inconsistencies, and if there were
such a so-called loving God, that they themselves could not reconcile the
loving God connected with the wrath of God and it was of the violence that the
Bible gives us the accounts of and that is reason enough for them to say they
don't believe in God.
Most have done the Christian faith or some other kind of religion where this is
taught from a secular viewpoint a world view. They have come to this conclusion
on their own.
When some people read the Bible they find comfort, some don't and some just find
it simple " Just plain Harsh reality".
Do they want to consider that they may face the harsh reality of death? Do they
want to face the fact of their wrong doings? may be or maybe not. It is their
own choice.
This is the bulk of my experience with Atheists, being that my husband is one as
are most of his friends and this is some of their viewpoints. I respect their
viewpoints,
I don't agree with most of their thinking, but then again I am far from perfect
myself and at times I have found myself at times having what the Atheists have
had called a "crisis of faith".
I too am still searching and probably still be searching for the truth in
everything I experience, after there is truth in our experiences and our
experiences are our truth.
Good or Bad.
This is what I have found to be true.
Blair
thevillageidiot
history of certain middle eastern cultures circa 1500 b.c.e. and 60 c.e.
it has been translated from the original Aramaic, completely out of context,
and with each individual translator's and scribner's biases changing not
just individual words, but entire concepts. it is not first, second or even
third hand information. it may or may not have been inspired by God/dess,
but it was without doubt written by very fallible, egotistical men with
their own agenda...
and out of curiousity, just when and where were you 'annointed'?
the village idiot
"Christ's Disciple" <apostolic...@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:VMdl6.14379$5n4.2...@news6-win.server.ntlworld.com...
Blair Ritger
Yes, that has been said many times to me over the years. Yes, I know was
translated from the Aramaic language, then to Greek and then finally to Hebrew
and then to English. The reasons very from langauge to language, but here is my
guess...based on the evidence the scientists have found at different times then
and now, they have begun a recent journey that tells a tale , if this proves
correct then we may be able to piece together the pieces of the scrolls they
found over the years.
There is not much we know, and the mystery continues....it has been suggested
that the Bible does in fact have some inconsistencies , because you begin trying
to translate the text, you find that a lot of the meanings of words are lost, is
it possible that when they writting their accounts down that because they went
from language to langauge that the meanings of the words changed. Yes, it is
possible that this did happen. Very likely that it did. In fact I am almost
sure that time they might actually deleted or omit information on purpose , or
it may have had something where it did not get recorded something or had deleted
some of the things the apostles experienced and they themselves did not record
this information, who knows maybe because of the times then, it has been
suggested that some one may have found the scrolls years later after in exact
same places they said that the scrolls were suppossedly had been buried.
Me, I came to the Lord when I was 18, ( July of 1988) and got saved. It has
been a long walk to the Lord. I first had an encounter with the Lord when I had
my first car accident, (April 1990) I had survived....I thought nothing of it at
first....so I went on with my life, not knowing anything really about God I had
gotten saved and was just beginning the Christian walk.
Prior to the age of 18, i had only read a few books, really just stories, I had
seen a movie called "Jesus of Nazareth", (April 1979) back then I was only age
11, I really had no knowledge of the Lord or what it meant to be a child of
God.....meaning being an annointed person.
So I just did what any teenager does, only then to be in another car accident,
(July 1993) again with similar injuries as the first one. Again I survived , the
two serious car accidents and wondered why.....I knew nothing that was up.....by
this time I said Yes, to God and I made a promise to God.... (after all He came
to collect on it)...only once again, do I do what young adults do continued on
with my life, met and married ( June1996) my husband a wonderful man.....then I
got to the part where my walk finally down to this, I had to be baptized ,
plain and simple....no it had to be in water he had said to me...fine I had
said....that was in (Jan.17, 1999), and it was in during the in between times
when I had several other encounters ( like this one I had almost burned up alive
while driving my vehicle to work that day in (April of 99).
I said what is going on, I hadn't the slightest idea, well, God came knocking
once again and this time he was insistent, He told of the promise I had made to
him in 93 after the second car accident, that i was to continue to go to church
and he insisted that I be baptized, for What I could not say, I said to God, I
just plain don't understand this with a loud "Why me?" and a "Why was I
picked?" I knew I wasn't deserving of such a gift, I still don't understand,"
Why? Why me, God?"
What is this purpose you have , what is it you think I am capable of? I havve
been rebellious to many times, I don't deserve this gift, please take it back I
don't want it, he said you have to it is what i have planned for you. I am
still struggling with this gift, the gift of interpretation, and might I add,
only general revelation and only part of it and not the entire gift of knowledge
in regards to the interpretation of Scripture.
I still have more questions to the Why's and how comes to this possibility to
become an annointed Pastor or Preacher someday, if that is what God has planned
for me.
But for now, it remains a constant battle of wills and the more I wrestle with
God the more He comes back and does either a miracle for me, or sets another
obsticle in my path for me to climb over.
Now it seems that He has sent me a series of visions, only bits and pieces and
not the whole picture only parts of it.....and again I question myself and Him,
what's really saying, what do I need to know?, what am I supposed to do? I just
plain don't understand, am I supposed to help people, or my family, and so I
seem to think it is just an endless battle to understand the gift given and
what I am supposed to be doing if anything . It seems that I have more
questions then answers and in the midst of it I have the crushing weight of
anger and unforgiveness .
So the visions come from time to time and I keep asking the questions and
getting bits and pieces and I keep asking for frogiveness and peace in my life
and still it is a constant battle of wills.
God, often said that he tests people....to see what they are capable of doing
and carrying out his will. I don't know that I would be any different then your
average ordinary individual with an average so so life....What does He see in
me, that is so special ? I don't think i am special, I don't think I am a good
person, I don't think I am nice to people, So, What does God see in me that he
thinks i should go to school to become a Minister? I got so many questions and
no answers yet. What do I have that he wants to use me for to reach people?
I can tell you how and when, but not where because i am not a Pastor or Minister
or Preacher, i currently attend Bible College, I have not graduated, I am
student, and capable of learning everything I can learn, if I am wrong in my
thinking some times then it is because i lack some of the knowledge that pastors
and other clergyman know, or clergywomen know, i am just an average person in an
ordinary life with a seemingly extrordinary gift and that who does not know
really what to do with it.
It disturbs me that God, would seemingly decide to give me such a gift, and not
tell me of how much of a price I would pay to hold such a position of power.
Could He just be doing to comfort me in some way? I have many questions and
need lots of answers.
What would you think of such a gift given? and to what price would it cost a
person? Their family? Their friends?
A whole world full of people just waiting?
These are how I feel right now, and yes, I am having a crisis of faith.
Blair
PS: sorry to go on so long, I just have to get these feelings out.
Blair
Knapp
village idiot" so there be no truth in anything you just wrote. Then
the Bible IS God's revelation to man! only a village idiot would see it
otherwise.
"thevillageidiot" <thevill...@qwest.net> wrote in message
news:g9ll6.4000$hA1.5...@news.uswest.net...
John Bates
Or I suppose you could say, the village idiot conveys more wisdom than
you give him credit for, as his writings make much more sense to most
people, other than those who believe the words of greedy ignoramuses
who lived in a world they believed to be flat. Can you name one of this
so called Gods revelations that makes an atom of common sense?
Even he thought there was an edge of the world to fall off and some
believe he made it.
John.
Knapp <rwkna...@yahoo.com> wrote in message news:16ul6.2763$Op3.1...@news4.aus1.giganews.com...
Knapp
"John Bates" <mir...@bates33100.freeserve.co.uk> wrote in message
news:976u3r$ob8$1...@newsg3.svr.pol.co.uk...
>
> Or I suppose you could say, the village idiot conveys more wisdom than
> you give him credit for, as his writings make much more sense to most
> people, other than those who believe the words of greedy ignoramuses
> who lived in a world they believed to be flat. Can you name one of this
Then it would be other idiot's that would be reading the village idiot to
start with, which doesn't say much for the group and it's intelligential
value on matters.
> so called Gods revelations that makes an atom of common sense?
I can not think of any of Gods revelation that doesn't make both common
sense and intelligent sense. I do find what God has said, has come to
pass, in the past, and is coming to pass now, so see no reason to thing
other wise.
> Even he thought there was an edge of the world to fall off and some
> believe he made it.
Then man keeps talking about going over the edge, in many senses of that
term, as we say "he has now went to far!" means what? Man will say "he
pushed me over the edge, so I beat him up." Then God has said the world is
round, when man was of the opinion it was flat. I find no place where
God ever thought there was an edge of the world physically and someone
could fall off it. Sorry, myths are not of God.
> John.
Knapp
John Bates
Knapp <rwkna...@yahoo.com> wrote in message news:F4Ll6.11194$Yx4.4...@news6.giganews.com...
>
> "John Bates" <mir...@bates33100.freeserve.co.uk> wrote in message
> news:976u3r$ob8$1...@newsg3.svr.pol.co.uk...
> >
> > Or I suppose you could say, the village idiot conveys more wisdom than
> > you give him credit for, as his writings make much more sense to most
> > people, other than those who believe the words of greedy ignoramuses
> > who lived in a world they believed to be flat. Can you name one of this
>
> Then it would be other idiot's that would be reading the village idiot to
> start with, which doesn't say much for the group and it's intelligential
> value on matters.
***
It would appear that one man's inteligential values depend on the standpoint
of the others.
> > so called Gods revelations that makes an atom of common sense?
>
> I can not think of any of Gods revelation that doesn't make both common
> sense and intelligent sense. I do find what God has said, has come to
> pass, in the past, and is coming to pass now, so see no reason to thing
> other wise.
***
You do not however give one illustration of this, please name one that
makes sense to an intelligent person.
>
> > Even he thought there was an edge of the world to fall off and some
> > believe he made it.
>
> Then man keeps talking about going over the edge, in many senses of that
> term, as we say "he has now went to far!" means what? Man will say "he
> pushed me over the edge, so I beat him up." Then God has said the world is
> round, when man was of the opinion it was flat. I find no place where
> God ever thought there was an edge of the world physically and someone
> could fall off it. Sorry, myths are not of God.
***
Please show the part of the bible where any god said the world was round,
as I can't believe it to be there. I believe men wrote the bible and as these
men were of the opinion that the world was flat, their self made God would
not say it was round.
There are however many quotes saying he/they/she went to or came from
the end of the earth.
Clarence
Knapp
than
> > > you give him credit for, as his writings make much more sense to most
> > > people, other than those who believe the words of greedy ignoramuses
> > > who lived in a world they believed to be flat. Can you name one of
this
> >
> > Then it would be other idiot's that would be reading the village idiot
to
> > start with, which doesn't say much for the group and it's
intelligential
> > value on matters.
>
> ***
> It would appear that one man's inteligential values depend on the
standpoint
> of the others.
Exactly!
>
> > > so called Gods revelations that makes an atom of common sense?
> >
> > I can not think of any of Gods revelation that doesn't make both common
> > sense and intelligent sense. I do find what God has said, has come to
> > pass, in the past, and is coming to pass now, so see no reason to thing
> > other wise.
>
> ***
> You do not however give one illustration of this, please name one
that
> makes sense to an intelligent person.
Again what is seen as intelligent to one, could be seen as a fool to
another.
Proverbs 17:28 Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise;
When he shutteth his lips, he is (esteemed as) prudent. ASV
Like I said, I have not seen any revelation of God that does not make
sense, when a person has all the facts. At one time it would seem that
iron could not ride on water, and only a fool would say it could, then
today we have ships of iron doing just that. Then again what you may see
as a intelligent person, to another he/she is not such a person. We find
in science, which is suppose to be an area for the intelligent people, only
each year, they are correcting the errors of their past. We also see,
that which was seen, as truth, today is not, and is seen as folly in some
areas. You can do the same with the Bible, then just because one makes
statements, and indicates it is not for intelligent people, others just
mock them for their stupidity.
> >
> > > Even he thought there was an edge of the world to fall off and some
> > > believe he made it.
> >
> > Then man keeps talking about going over the edge, in many senses of
that
> > term, as we say "he has now went to far!" means what? Man will say
"he
> > pushed me over the edge, so I beat him up." Then God has said the
world is
> > round, when man was of the opinion it was flat. I find no place
where
> > God ever thought there was an edge of the world physically and someone
> > could fall off it. Sorry, myths are not of God.
>
> ***
> Please show the part of the bible where any god said the world was
round,
> as I can't believe it to be there. I believe men wrote the bible and
as these
Isaiah 40:22
22 (It is) he that sitteth above the circle of the earth, and the
inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as
a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in; ASV
I never seen a circle that was not round yet.
> men were of the opinion that the world was flat, their self made God
would
> not say it was round.
The Pope and that pagan group which joined his church, did say the earth
was flat, and had people killed that did not agree with the Pope, then the
Pope, is not God.
> There are however many quotes saying he/they/she went to or came
from
> the end of the earth.
Then if you go West to the End of the earth, you will never arrive, as you
be going West. I sure you many times would say your at the end of your
wits or sometime of that nature and never believe someone would take that
as fact. The end of the earth would mean only from a far away place, to
some that know I live in China, they may say you are at the other side of
the earth, or at the end of the earth. Then if you go any farther, you do
run into water, the fact would be I am at the end of the earth, that we can
walk on, as from there on, it is sea bed or the bottom of the ocean. The
bible uses many metaphors, and such, most intelligent people can tell which
is which.
Nice talking to you John.
Knapp
John Bates
Mr.Knapp, You wrote=
Isaiah 40:22 *** (This will be the one Clarence gave no doubt?)
> (It is) he that sitteth above the circle of the earth, and the
>inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as
>a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in; ASV
>I never seen a circle that was not round yet.
*** I have never seen a planet discribed as a circle because it
isn't a circle, this statement re-enforces my argument. A wheel
is a circle, the world is a planet, a globe, a sphere, a ball, a
three dimensional object, a circle is flat.
Don't you see - that's why his tent was able to cover his world.
Best wishes. John.
nim
in the landfill of your life
debate me in this forum... in public
if you dare
lets bring this silliness to an end, shall we?
bring your buddies... you'll be needing them
Let's begin with pagan teachings... or the weather... or politics as
religion... antichrist..... or how wrong I am.
you got the balls?
John Bates
Until now I didn't notice your postings, I saw Knapps reply
to the village idiot and jumped in there. But now having read yours
I wish I hadn't, it's one of those times when I wished I'd never started
to send to the newsgroup. Though on second thoughts perhaps I
should have the courage of my convictions and answer truthfully in
the hope that you will follow your husband and forget the Christs and
Gods. Very best wishes. John.
r.barker
not prove ANYTHING.
SPEND MORE TIME WITNESS TO THE
TRUTH IN YOUR LIVE.
Christ's Disciple <apostolic...@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:VMdl6.14379$5n4.2...@news6-win.server.ntlworld.com...
>
Knapp
"nim" <n...@gci.net> wrote in message news:3A99A9AF...@gci.net...
> Knapp... your stated beliefs are nothing more than more dogmatic trash
> in the landfill of your life debate me in this forum... in public
> if you dare lets bring this silliness to an end, shall we?
> bring your buddies... you'll be needing them
You do not seem to understand, I don't care what you say, or think, all I
have read from you so far is pure idiotic trash, so trash all you like, you
seem to enjoy it. Then since I do not make statements of my beliefs in a
manner you're referring to, that statement is just more trash. You're
going from idiot to asinine with this " If you dare" please grow up, you
can't back up your dare with anything but more hot air. So if anything is
silly here, it sure seems to be from your computer. Ha, in fact it is
paresis.
> Let's begin with pagan teachings... or the weather... or politics as
> religion... antichrist..... or how wrong I am.
> you got the balls?
To begin anything with a person of mental dissertational problems, would be
a useless jest. This is the internet not a boxing match, so your rude and
crude assertion to male masculinity is utter folly.
Knapp
So when the moon shot pictures, of the earth was not in a circular manner?
I suppose you never seen them it that be the case, to be round is to be
circler, nothing else can be a circle except it be round. The wheel turns
on a point in the center, the earth rotates in the same manner, with the
graviton in the center. It has been also called a sphere, or seen as a
ball, then when on looks at a circle on paper it would appear flat, then
flat is not the answer you want, as it was pointed out that some believed
it was flat and you could fall off. You asked for the verse you have it,
if you want to reject a round object and call it flat, you may do so, till
you happy in your folly.
circle noun 1 a round plane figure whose boundary (the circumference)
consists of points equidistant from a fixed point (the centre).
the line enclosing such a figure. something in the shape of such a figure:
the lamp spread a circle of light. a group of people or things arranged to
form such a figure: they all sat round in a circle. a movement or series of
movements which follows the approximate circumference of such a figure:
describing a large circle, she arrived back at the camp. a dark circular
mark below each eye, typically caused by illness or tiredness. a curved
upper tier of seats in a theatre or cinema. See also dress circle.
Archaeology: short for stone circle. Hockey: short for striking circle.
2 a group of people with a shared profession, interests, or acquaintances:
she did not normally move in such exalted circles. verb [with obj.] move
all the way around (someone or something), especially more than once and in
the air: they were circling Athens airport | [as adj.] (circling) a
circling helicopter | [no obj.] we circled round the island.
[no obj.] (circle back) move in a wide loop back towards one's starting
point. (often be circled) form a ring around: the abbey was circled by a
huge wall. draw a line around: circle the correct answers.
John Bates
r,
You have the gall to say don't waste time debating and send 35k of
absolute junk.
.barker <r.ba...@ntlworld.com> wrote in message news:phsm6.27905$5n4.6...@news6-win.server.ntlworld.com...
> please, waste not time over debates that will
> not prove ANYTHING.
> SPEND MORE TIME WITNESS TO THE
> TRUTH IN YOUR LIVE.
Snip = all the junk.
John Bates
A circle is what you have written below, taken from
a dictionary = "circle noun 1 a round plane figure whose boundary
You also say = "
>You asked for the verse you have it,
> if you want to reject a round object and call it flat, you may do so, till
> you happy in your folly."
John.
Knapp <rwkna...@yahoo.com> wrote in message news:HYum6.20316$Yx4.7...@news6.giganews.com...
Blair Ritger
Well, that is a good choice to make, just remember that most people on here do
not like Christians, but if you are a Christian, perhaps you should reexamine
what you believe, as I have many times and am convinced that there is a Christ
and a Devil and we must all gaurd ourselves and be ready to use spiritual
warfare if need be.
I am not suggesting that you believe what I believe, because I don't know what
your beliefs are, just a friendly reminder that not all, but only a small
portion here will see it your way or mine. Keep in mind that even if they
should happen to see it your way, or mine, don't be inclined to think that
they will change for you even if their theory is proved wrong.
Their beliefs are their beliefs and they will change for no one.
There are many on here besides me, who think that what they believe they
should impose their belief system on everyone.
I don't force someone to believe as I do, even if they are suggesting that I
did, even though I have made some or many on here mad, I have not chosen to in
anyway tried to force my beliefs on them.
I worked through scripture , which might I add is nothing new on here and most
of those Pagans use it themselves, do they not see as I do that telling me not
to preach when they are doing the same. I agree with them on some things just
not all.
I believe that there is a Heaven and a Hell and they are real and there is a
soul and we must all try to gaurd it and protect it. Not all on here believe
that.
So what do you Believe? I have a book on the soul....it is called Are Souls
Real?, written by Jerome W. Elbert, Ph.D.
and a book on Hell....written by Miriam Van Scott.
If you want to check them out it has some interesting things to say.
Good luck with your decision as to whether you will stay on here and chat.
Blair
Blair
Micah Burke
Micah
Blair Ritger
Why this Book? What is in it? Is it in Jesus' words? Or Just his
opinion of what Jesus, preached and taught?
I am curious about this Book. I want to get it and look at it.
Blair
Micah Burke
> opinion of what Jesus, preached and taught?
It's a commentary on the words and actions of Christ through the gospels.
It's not ~opinion~, but the basic teaching of the Christian church. John
MacArthur is a renowned pastor and teacher.
Many folks have tried to do a book like this however they use sources
besides the bible, gnostic texts and the like. MacArthur doesn't do
that, he uses scripture.
> I am curious about this Book. I want to get it and look at it.
Glad to hear it, it is readily available at most Christian book stores.
http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product/24184035?item_no=39491&
event=SRC
I'm not fond of many books, but this one came highly recommended
and I purchased it. I found it to be sound teaching and helpful in my
personal walk. (Other books by him can be found at:
http://www.gbibooks.com/)
He has a weekly radio program too that can be found at www.gty.org
there is even a link to listen to the show and receive a tape.
"Now what does it say about Him? The first phrase, "being in the form
of God." Now listen to me, this is without question the heart and soul
of the Christian faith. The affirmation of the deity of Jesus Christ is the
sine qua non of all that we believe. That is why it is always under attack.
Christ is in the form of God. It is the deity of Jesus Christ that is the
substantive affirmation of the Christian faith." - John MacArthur
God bless,
Micah
Blair Ritger
Good that he uses scripture. If you have a Bible whatever version you have, or Spirit-filled Bible if available and check out the Scriptures and see where they lay out in terms of what of Jesus said and then compare it with what ever else you have so that you can make a good informed choice based on your faith in Jesus.
That is good you want to read All highly recommended books so that you can get a broad and vast and varied opinions....All types of opinion.
Since this is a book you recommend I will check it out and let you know
what I think.
What if any reasons for Him to be under attack....What if any is His central or CORE Belief? To what formal belief does He have that would substantiate that being in the form of God, Christ would then be under attack or that He himself would come under attack?
By which does he infere to as being in the form of God? God as the Father?
or God as the Son JESUS Christ? Or is it the Concept that the two
are one in the Same and is also in the form of the Holy Spirit? In
other words He does not believe in the Trinity as being part of the
center of Christianity?
Blair
Knapp
> Sorry Mr Knapp,
> A circle is what you have written below, taken
from
> a dictionary = "circle noun 1 a round plane figure whose boundary
> (the circumference) consists of points equidistant from a fixed point
> (the centre)." Plane means flat.
Don't be sorry, God looks at the earth from space and it looks like a
circle as that is what it is, and calls it that from His view point. It
sure is not flat. Even a plane is not flat, if it is large enough it fits
the circle of the ground as you can not see the far end, which is rounding
off with the circle of the earth.
Circle is round, that is why it is called a circle, it is not called flat,
square, oblong, etc, it has that nice rounding circle to it. and from what
ever point of view, it is always round.
The question was asked, I gave the verse required, and of course it would
not fit what you wanted, so you will never agree to accept it. You can
have flat circles, fat circles, huge circles, all of them are round.
Knapp
Knapp
can not be as great as the original.
"Micah Burke" <klock...@NOSPAMhotmail.com> wrote in message
news:97f07q$n...@dispatch.concentric.net...
nim
opportunity after they killed Christ.
You worship the twisted words salesmen.
You are a salesman
Your pitch is blackening your eyes for eternity
nim
your profit is in the mail
nim
verbal masurbation
Evil incarnate
nim
logic. I'll pay you for your time.
Would a hundred dollars get you interested?
I could send you a money order.
Better yet... I could send cash.
You like cash, don't you?
Let me know.
but its got to be publicly
we'll take the testosterone out of it.
You could be my therapist for God
John Bates
>Don't be sorry, God looks at the earth from space and it looks like a
>circle as that is what it is, and calls it that from His view point. It
>sure is not flat. Even a plane is not flat, if it is large enough it fits
>the circle of the ground as you can not see the far end, which is rounding
>off with the circle of the earth.
>Circle is round, that is why it is called a circle, it is not called flat,
>square, oblong, etc, it has that nice rounding circle to it. and from what
>ever point of view, it is always round.
>The question was asked, I gave the verse required, and of course it would
>not fit what you wanted, so you will never agree to accept it. You can
>have flat circles, fat circles, huge circles, all of them are round.
>Knapp
***Exactly right, All these examples caused the bible writers to believe
you can fall off the edge of the World, all flat!
I believe you've got it, at last. John.
Blair Ritger
If he was defending theTrinity, then to what if any reason was he being
attacked for?
There has to have been somestatement or contrary belief that he has ,
that they would have chosen to use that over any other defense in his
book, and to use against him as reason for it.
It is simple if he is trying to make a case for God as Triune or anything
else then he should have looked at some of the Early Apologists during
the times of Jesus' day (meaning there were several) and in this case
he could tried to do his homework better.
There had to be some other CORE belief that he used also other defending
the Trinity.
What is it? Look it up and send it to me. I want to know so I can get a
feel for this commeentary before I use it either in class or otherwise to
give explanations to students in my class.
If it is something personal about his Character maybe in relation to His
Core Beliefs?
It is possible that He believes one set of beliefs, but then when He
thinks, does and says something to the contrary to what was printed when
he thinks no one is looking or watching.
Believe me when I say some of the people I know, who know God do that all
the time. Me, I try to do the Word of God, but God said that being a
Christian was not going to be easy, in fact Christians are still be
persecuted against all over this world.
If you are of one religion in these countries and then you find Jesus and
convert then you are still looked down upon and may face death in some
cases.
In some countries they come in the night and dismember you, others you
may end up in their prisons, or still they may come in the night abduct
and possibly rape and Kill you, for believing in Jesus Christ.
So you see that sometimes it is what you do or say that can offend and
could even in some case bring harm to yourself and possibly others if
they have converted in these non-believing countries.
I said Some not all, because there are some countries that do believe
even in the remote corners of the world, those close to us too.
So read some of this book and tell me more and together we'll find out
what this book has to offer. There yet may be of some use to someone in
there.
Blair
Micah Burke wrote:
> > then compare it with what ever else you have so that you
> > can make a good informed choice based on your faith in Jesus.
>
> I would generally hesitate to tell people to "compare" anything with
> "whatever else". Scripture is the written word of God. If you read
> something that does not par with scripture, toss it.
>
> > Since this is a book you recommend I will check it out and let
> > you know what I think.
>
> Good.
>
> > What if any reasons for Him to be under attack....What if any is
> > His central or CORE Belief? To what formal belief does He have
> > that would substantiate that being in the form of God, Christ would
> > then be under attack or that He himself would come under attack?
>
> One common factor in cults is their defaming or demoting of Christ.
> The quote I posted was merely a quote from one of MacArthur's
> sermons. I personally have dealt with the "Christ is a man, not God"
> problem firsthand recently.
>
> > By which does he infere to as being in the form of God? God as
> > the Father? or God as the Son JESUS Christ? Or is it the Concept
> > that the two are one in the Same and is also in the form of the
> > Holy Spirit?
>
> Christianity subscribes to the view that God is triune, meaning He
> exists in three persons, that being the Father, the Son and the
> Holy Spirit. These are three distinct entities, however all are God.
> God is one, not three Gods.
>
> > In other words He does not believe in the Trinity as being part of
> > the center of Christianity?
>
> To the contrary, MacArthur was defending that core belief.
>
> Micah
Knapp
"nim" <n...@gci.net> wrote in message news:3A9B6AE8...@gci.net...
> cmon Knapp. what harm could come of it. Embarass me with my own skewed
> logic. I'll pay you for your time.
> Would a hundred dollars get you interested?
No a hundred dollars would not interest me at all.
> I could send you a money order.
> Better yet... I could send cash.
If you would send cash, you would have shown you have no logic at all, then
I have no need for such small amounts of money.
> You like cash, don't you?
Not really, some high yielding bonds may be would be of some interest, if
they been showing a good return for a past few years, we could talk.
> Let me know.
> but its got to be publicly
> we'll take the testosterone out of it.
> You could be my therapist for God
I understand for the right price you can get testosterone injections so
really, if you have the money to waste, that would not be a problem, for
you. I could be your therapist for God, only it will cost a lot more then
a hundred dollars an hour, that is for sure.
Knapp
Knapp
"Micah Burke" <klock...@NOSPAMhotmail.com> wrote in message
news:97gm0e$k...@dispatch.concentric.net...
> > Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are eye witness reports, surly Mac
Arthur's
> > can not be as great as the original.
>
> MacArthur's book is not another gospel, but a commentary on the Gospels.
>
> Micah
>
>
Knapp
I am not sure what you think is right, I do not recall a verse in the bible
that says anyone would fall of the edge of the World. Maybe you been
reading too, too many comic books?
Knapp
"nim" <n...@gci.net> wrote in message news:3A9B6990...@gci.net...
> outcome based education
> verbal masurbation
> Evil incarnate
Is this your self portrait?
Knapp
"nim" <n...@gci.net> wrote in message news:3A9B68B1...@gci.net...
> The individuals you mention were salesman. They saw a marketing
> opportunity after they killed Christ.
> You worship the twisted words salesmen.
> You are a salesman
> Your pitch is blackening your eyes for eternity
If anyone would except them as salesman, the must of been poor ones, then
they all died, so that market was not the best to get into. Their leader
died on the Cross, for all to see, and history says all but John were also
killed. So I don't think they were selling anything. Than I would never
worship a salesmen, of any kind. For you to think that, only shows you
are a salesman, wanting to make a dollar, and can't. Then maybe you never
met a sales person? Thank you, I would like to be like the Apostles when
they were still alive, it would be nice if I could give away, the product.
Then I have no idea what the pitch has to do with "blackening your eyes"
would mean, maybe, Your eyes, but not mine, I think not.
Knapp
"nim" <n...@gci.net> wrote in message news:3A9B6922...@gci.net...
> you sell your misguided logic to cover the Lie
> your profit is in the mail
I do not sell logic, and as for misguided, you seem to be the one that is
misguided, then I do my best never to lie, and for profit in the mail, you
only proven, you can not even tell the truth.
Micah Burke
> can not be as great as the original.
Micah Burke
> can make a good informed choice based on your faith in Jesus.
"whatever else". Scripture is the written word of God. If you read
something that does not par with scripture, toss it.
> you know what I think.
> What if any reasons for Him to be under attack....What if any is
> His central or CORE Belief? To what formal belief does He have
> that would substantiate that being in the form of God, Christ would
> then be under attack or that He himself would come under attack?
The quote I posted was merely a quote from one of MacArthur's
sermons. I personally have dealt with the "Christ is a man, not God"
problem firsthand recently.
> the Father? or God as the Son JESUS Christ? Or is it the Concept
> that the two are one in the Same and is also in the form of the
> Holy Spirit?
exists in three persons, that being the Father, the Son and the
Holy Spirit. These are three distinct entities, however all are God.
God is one, not three Gods.
> the center of Christianity?
nim
nim
Knapp wrote:
>
> "nim" <n...@gci.net> wrote in message news:3A9B68B1...@gci.net...
> > The individuals you mention were salesman. They saw a marketing
> > opportunity after they killed Christ.
> > You worship the twisted words salesmen.
> > You are a salesman
> > Your pitch is blackening your eyes for eternity
>
> If anyone would except them as salesman, the must of been poor ones, then
> they all died, so that market was not the best to get into. Their leader
> died on the Cross, for all to see, and history says all but John were also
> killed. So I don't think they were selling anything. Than I would never
> worship a salesmen, of any kind. For you to think that, only shows you
> are a salesman, wanting to make a dollar, and can't. Then maybe you never
> met a sales person? Thank you, I would like to be like the Apostles when
> they were still alive, it would be nice if I could give away, the product.
> Then I have no idea what the pitch has to do with "blackening your eyes"
> would mean, maybe, Your eyes, but not mine, I think not.
Outcome based braindeaducation disguised as childlike logic...
You are confused
your beloved apostles saw a marketing opportunity after they sacrificed
the messenger.
They sold out the word of God to merchants.
nim
Knapp wrote:
>
> "nim" <n...@gci.net> wrote in message news:3A9B6990...@gci.net...
> > outcome based education
> > verbal masurbation
> > Evil incarnate
>
> Is this your self portrait?
ho hum... I've been outed...
nim
You don't sell logic... because you can't speak it or think it
Knapp
"nim" <n...@gci.net> wrote in message news:3A9E0A32...@gci.net...
> green paper is your god
Then why would I want green paper? The money in China is Red, and Gold in
color, and has nothing to do with any god. You want to send the green
stuff, go ahead, it was your idea in the frist place, so don't lay it on
me, it is all in your ball part.
Knapp
"nim" <n...@gci.net> wrote in message news:3A9E0B02...@gci.net...
> You Lie everyday and you don't even know it...
> You don't sell logic... because you can't speak it or think it
I do not lie, and I don't sell logic, I will sell my time and get a good
wage for it. You did offer to buy it, now you want it free, and so when
you don't get it for free, you tell me I can't speak it or think it?
Stranger folks then you have I met here in the NG.
Knapp
"nim" <n...@gci.net> wrote in message news:3A9E0B5F...@gci.net...
>
>
> Knapp wrote:
> >
> > "nim" <n...@gci.net> wrote in message news:3A9B6990...@gci.net...
> > > outcome based education
> > > verbal
Knapp
"nim" <n...@gci.net> wrote in message news:3A9E09B4...@gci.net...
>
>
> Knapp wrote:
> >
> > "nim" <n...@gci.net> wrote in message news:3A9B68B1...@gci.net...
> > > The individuals you mention were salesman. They saw a marketing
> > > opportunity after they killed Christ.
> > > You worship the twisted words salesmen.
> > > You are a salesman
> > > Your pitch is blackening your eyes for eternity
> >
> > If anyone would except them as salesman, they must of been poor ones,
then
> > they all died, so that market was not the best to get into. Their
leader
> > died on the Cross, for all to see, and history says all but John were
also
> > killed. So I don't think they were selling anything. Than I would
never
> > worship a salesmen, of any kind. For you to think that, only shows
you
> > are a salesman, wanting to make a dollar, and can't. Then maybe you
never
> > met a sales person? Thank you, I would like to be like the Apostles
when
> > they were still alive, it would be nice if I could give away, the
product.
> > Then I have no idea what the pitch has to do with "blackening your
eyes"
> > would mean, maybe, Your eyes, but not mine, I think not.
>
> Outcome based braindeaducation disguised as childlike logic...
I will agree with you on this, the above statement fit you like a childs
toy.
John Bates
> >The question was asked, I gave the verse required, and of course it
would
> >not fit what you wanted, so you will never agree to accept it. You can
> >have flat circles, fat circles, huge circles, all of them are round.
>
> >Knapp
>
> ***Exactly right, All these examples caused the bible writers to believe
> you can fall off the edge of the World, all flat!
> I believe you've got it, at last. John.
>I am not sure what you think is right, I do not recall a verse in the bible
>that says anyone would fall of the edge of the World. Maybe you been
>reading too, too many comic books?
***Knapp,
There is today a Flat earth society, did you know? I didn't.
Read what their leader says below.
Snipped =
((Johnson's beliefs are firmly grounded in the Bible. Many verses of the Old Testament imply that the earth is flat, but
there's more to it than that. According to the New Testament, Jesus ascended up into heaven.
"The whole point of the Copernican theory is to get rid of Jesus by saying there is no up and no down," declares
Johnson. "The spinning ball thing just makes the whole Bible a big joke."
Not the Bible but Johnson's own common sense allowed him to see through the globe myth while he was still in grade
school. He contends that sensible people all over the world, not just Bible believers, realize that the earth really is
flat.
"Wherever you find people with a great reservoir of common sense," he says, "they don't believe idiotic things such as
the earth spinning around the sun. Reasonable, intelligent people have always recognized that the earth is flat." ))
*** I found a lot of relevant bible quotes, do you want to see some?.
John.
Fundación Misericordia Divina
subliminal message in LATIN MUSIC (Ricky Martin, Chayanne, Natalia Oreiro,
etc.) CHILDREN MUSIC (Pokemon), TROPICAL MUSIC (Cumbia), RELIGIOUS MUSIC
(Charismatic by Padre Mario).
You can free download this evidence in MP3 Format in this website:
Select in the Navigator Bar "Mensajes Subliminales en la Música Actual".
This website is in SPANISH LANGUAGE, and the MP3´s evidences also.
But is very important to know this manipulation.
Sincerely yours
Fundación Misericordia Divina
Asociación de laicos católicos
__________________________________
Website: http://www.santuario.com.ar
E-mail: fund...@santuario.com.ar
Knapp
"Fundación Misericordia Divina" <fund...@santuario.com.ar> wrote in
message news:B6C5FE6B.1E54%fund...@santuario.com.ar...
> We want to present an special research which show the evidence of satanic
> subliminal message in LATIN MUSIC (Ricky Martin, Chayanne, Natalia
Oreiro,
> etc.) CHILDREN MUSIC (Pokemon), TROPICAL MUSIC (Cumbia), RELIGIOUS MUSIC
> (Charismatic by Padre Mario).
> You can free download this evidence in MP3 Format in this website:
I wouldn't download anything in that format, give some reasons, here,
before we all get a satanic virus, by downloading from sites we do not
know, and should not trust, just because they say the words we want to
hear, that could be a trick of the devil.
gratitude!!
Fundación Misericordia Divina <fund...@santuario.com.ar> wrote in message
news:B6C5FE6B.1E54%fund...@santuario.com.ar...
Brenda G. Tataryn
OH geeze...not this stuff again.
Please play Marilyn Manson backwards..
he tells you to go to church and be kind to your mother.
Brenda
Jackie Tart Tew
I have lived most of my life amidst the conflict of the world's beliefs
concerning heaven, hell and death and the observations you have made. My
parents became Advent Christians before I was born, but they eventually
ceased going to church regularly. My brother ended up becoming a Baptist
minister.....thus the argumentative nature of their beliefs. I have been
affiliated with both the Baptist and Advent Christian teachings, at times
leaning in both directions.
To my knowledge, those who believe as you do are the Seventh Day
Adventisits, the Advent Christians, the Jehovah's Witnesses and the
Worldwide Church of God (led by the late Herbert Armstrong). I am very
familiar with each of these groups, having talked with them and read their
literature. However, the Antipas group was not familiar with me until now.
Anyway, thank you for giving such a broad and thorough explanation of
Biblical teachings concerning these important areas.
For those who read it in its entirety, their eyes should be opened and many
questions asked.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Christ's Disciple" <apostolic...@ntlworld.com>
Newsgroups:
a.bsu.religion,alt.christnet,alt.christnet.bible,alt.christnet.calvinist,alt
.christnet.evangelical
Sent: Thursday, February 22, 2001 3:33 PM
Subject: The Immortality of the Soul: A Pagan Teaching!
>
> Certainly, this idea was not taught by the apostles of the Lord Jesus, and
"Christ's Disciple" <apostolic...@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:VMdl6.14379$5n4.2...@news6-win.server.ntlworld.com...
>
> Certainly, this idea was not taught by the apostles of the Lord Jesus, and
> formed no part of their creed.
>
> Therefore, if the immortality of the soul is not taught in the Bible, from
> whence is it derived? It is a theory borrowed from Grecian and Egyptian
> mythology and superimposed upon the early Christian faith.
>
> It is of pagan origin which explains its universal acceptance, for it
> matters not where we turn, there, in principle, is found the same
doctrine.
> Shintoism, Hinduism, Mahommedanism, Paganism - all hold a similar belief
in
> common with Christendom.
>
> The theory is like a spiritual drug deadening the pain of sorrow, but, in
> fact, turning people from the true comfort to be found in a correct
> understanding of the Word of God.
>
> If the doctrine of the immortal soul were true, and the grave opened the
> portals to eternal bliss and joy, then death would be a blessing and not
the
> curse it is, and all would desire it - but they do not.
>
> If souls were immortal, the living should rejoice at the death of their
> friends, acknowledging that they have merely discarded their
> mortality, been delivered from all pain and trouble, and have *
> entered into a state of eternal perfection and happiness with God.
>
> But the bitter tears of mourning friends, the anguish of heart of close
> relations, give the lie to the sermonising of clergymen who teach that
death
> is not a reality, but the gateway to life more abundant.
>
> If the theory of the immortality of the soul were true, then it would be
> wrong and cruel to sustain in mortal life those who are incurably sick, or
> who suffer constant pain. Far better to end their misery immediately in
> death, and release the soul to experience the fullness of joy free of all
> encumbrances, in heaven! Granted the immortality of the soul, what harm
has
> the murderer really committed? On what grounds can he be indicted for
> destroying life? He has not destroyed life but merely released it for a
> greater experience!
>
> What is the reaction of preachers, who have eloquently taught of
> heaven-going at death, when the chill hand of the Great Reaper appears? Do
> they rejoice that the time of departure is at hand, and that they are
about
> to enter upon their reward?
>
> Quite the contrary They evince no anxious longing to reach the haven of
> rest; there is no joyous expectancy that the time has come at last when
the
> gates of heaven shall swing open that they might enter upon the rewards of
> life well-lived! No! At such times, the preacher urgently seeks every aid
> that modem science can provide, that he might retain his hold on life.
>
> Obviously the clergy, in common with all humanity, are a little
distrustful
> of the reality of their own theory, for they are most reluctant to give up
> life upon the earth to experience the glory of an alleged existence in
> heaven.
>
> In short, all the teaching of theology cannot destroy the facts of nature
> that death is the end of all.
>
> Man Is Mortal
> In view of our rejection of the theory of the immortality of the soul, the
> reader may ask: Since Christendom almost universally accept this doctrine,
> is not our repudiation of it a repudiation of Christianity?
>
> It is true that most religious groups accept this theory as basic to their
> conception of salvation, but that does not mean that it is true. Truth
must
> be determined upon the evidence of the Bible, not that of popular opinion.
>
> The theory of an immortal soul is attractive because people want to escape
> from the inevitability and reality of death, and therefore most are
prepared
> to close their eyes to facts, and believe that death is actually the
gateway
> to life! Blinded by a false theory, they fail to recognise their greatest
> enemy: death, and neglect to seek a means of overcoming it.
>
> Because of this, and in spite of the fact that most churches teach this
> doctrine, we claim that our repudiation of it is not a rejection of true
> Christianity, for, unfortunately, Christendom is sadly astray from the
> Bible. In both teaching and practice it fulfils the prediction of Paul:
>
> "The time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after
> their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching
ears.
> And they shall turn away their ears from the Truth, and shall be turned
unto
> fables"
> (2 Timothy 4:3-4).
>
> It does not require a theological education to ascertain the truth of what
> we claim, for the Bible can be read with a simple understanding by the
most
> humble man or woman. It is not designed as a textbook for theology, but is
> God's revelation to man, revealing the way of salvation to all who will
heed
> its message.
>
> If the reader takes a Concordance and examines the many references to the
> word "soul" in the Bible he can determine for himself the true facts.
>
> He will discover that the words "immortal soul" do not once occur in
> conjunction in the Bible! He will also find that the word soul occurs some
> 800 times in the Bible, and in such a way as to prove beyond all doubt
that
> it is mortal.
> For example:
> "The soul that sinneth it shall die" (Ezekiel 18:4).
> "He [God] spared not their soul from death" (Psalm 78:50).
> "What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death? Shall he deliver his
> soul from the hand of the grave?" (Psalm
> 8~):48).
> "None can keep alive his own soul" (Psalm 22:29).
> "He [Christ] poured out his soul unto death" (Isaiah 53:12).
>
> These references show that the mortality of man, and of the soul, are
> clearly taught. Many similar statements could be quoted, for this fact is
> basic to God's revelation to man, and is consistently set forth throughout
> the Bible.
> Actually the word soul is used in many different ways, though never in the
> sense of an immaterial spark of immortality in man. In Genesis 12:5, it is
> used to define literal people.
>
> In Numbers 31:28 it is used both for men, cattle, asses and sheep.
Sometimes
> it is used in the sense of the mind, disposition, or life. It is spoken as
> being capable of hunger (Proverbs 19:15), of being satisfied with food
> (Lamentations 1:11,19), of going into the grave (Job 33:22, 28), of coming
> out of it (Psalm 30:3).
>
> It is applied to birds, fish, animals, as well as to man (Genesis. 1:20,
> 30). Actually, the very same Hebrew words translated "living soul" in Gen.
> 2:7 and applied to man, are rendered "living creature" in Gen. 1:24, and
> applied to cattle, creeping things, and beasts of the earth. In these
verses
> a "living soul" defines a breathing body of life.
>
> Never once, in the hundreds of references throughout the Bible, is the
soul
> ever said to be immortal, or to continue in life after the death of the
> body.
> In his Hebrew Lexicon, Parkhurst wrote concerning nephesh (the Hebrew word
> translated "soul"): "As a noun, nephesh hath been supposed to signify the
> spiritual part of a man, or, what we commonly call his soul; I must, for
> myself confess that I can find no passage where it hath undoubtedly this
> meaning."
>
> William Tyndale, who first translated the Bible into English, wrote: "In
> putting departed souls in heaven, hell and purgatory, you destroy the
> arguments wherewith Christ and Paul prove the resurrection, which we be
> warned to look for every hour.
>
> The heathen philosophers denying that, did put that the souls did ever
live.
> And the Pope joineth the spiritual doctrine of Christ, and the fleshly
> doctrine of Philosophers together - things so contrary that they cannot
> agree... If the souls be in heaven.., what cause is there of the
> resurrection?"
>
> What About Hell?
> Related to the theory of the immortality of the soul, is the teaching that
> God condemns the wicked to everlasting torments in hell. It is logical, of
> course, that if souls are immortal, and those of the righteous ascend to
> heaven at death, a place must be found also for the unrighteous.
>
> And, as most people are ignorant of the saving truths of Christ, and
> therefore, according to Bible teaching, are "without hope" (Ephesians
2:12),
> then "hell" must be the destiny of most people.
> But again, an examination of the evidence reveals that theology has sadly
> distorted the plain teaching of the Bible.
>
> Certainly the word "hell" appears in the Bible, but the meaning of the
word,
> and context in which it appears, clearly reveal that it relates to the
> grave. In fact, the Hebrew word sheol has been translated both grave and
> hell in the Old Testament, but both context and consistency demand that
all
> passages should be uniformly rendered "grave."
>
> The equivalent of the Hebrew sheol in the Greek New Testament is the word
> Hades. In lCorinthjans 15:55, the word "hell" has been rendered "the
grave"
> (see the margin). The Revised Version renders it "death" because many
Greek
> texts have the word thanatos ("death") in place of Hades ("grave"). In any
> case, this passage is a quotation from Hosea 13:14 where sheol is properly
> rendered "grave".
>
> That this Greek word Hades has been incorrectly rendered hell, is clearly
> seen in the following reference, where it obviously relates to the grave.
>
> Speaking on the day of Pentecost, Peter declared: "He [David] seeing this
> before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in
> hell, neither his flesh did see corruption. This Jesus hath God raised
> up..."
> (Acts 2:31-32).
>
> Peter was quoting from Psalm 16:10, "Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell"
to
> show that it was prophetic of the resurrection of Jesus from the grave!
>
> Therefore, Peter's inspired comment upon Psalm 16:10 shows beyond all
doubt
> that the hell of the Bible is nothing more than the grave.
>
> Why, then, did the translators use the word hell? Possibly because the
word
> (which is of Anglo-Saxon origin) originally meant to cover over or
conceal,
> and thus came to represent the place of the unseen, the grave. A similar
> style of language is still used in parts of England.
>
> To 'hele' a cottage means to cover it; to 'hele' potatoes is to cover
them;
> a helmet is a covering for the head. Understood as the place of covering
or
> concealment, hell is a synonym for the grave, as a place of concealment
> where the dead are "covered over."
>
> Another word (Gehenna), has been translated "hell fire," and mainly the
> passages where this word is found are quoted in support of the theory of
> everlasting torments in hell.
>
> But Gehenna is the name of a valley just outside of Jerusalem which was
> used as a great rubbish destructor. The refuse of the city was burnt
there,
> and the bodies of certain criminals were thrown here to be ignominiously
> consumed.
>
> The place thus became identified with complete and utter destruction (not
> with everlasting torments, for the criminals were dead before being thrown
> there), and it is in that sense that the word is used in the New
Testament.
>
> Anybody consigned to Gehenna is condemned to complete oblivion, a more
> merciful fate than the endless torture and diabolic cruelty of the "hell"
of
> clerical teaching, which is a blasphemous reflection upon a loving and
> merciful God.
>
> The world condemns a Hitler or an Idi Amin because of the misery and
> suffering, though temporary, they brought upon a section of humanity, and
> yet accepts that God consigns to everlasting torment the souls of the
> ignorant and the wicked.
>
> In Jeremiah 19:5, God condemns Israel for "burning their sons with fire
for
> burnt offerings unto Baal," and He declares "I commanded this not, nor
spake
> of it, neither came it into My mind." These words certainly emphasise that
> God has not "in mind" to torment souls in fiery, sulphuric flames of
hell -
> an abhorrent theological fiction of imagination. "Gehenna", as used in the
> New Testament, is a figure of speech
> denoting utter destruction: the fate which will come to all who reject
God's
> way of life.
>
> Death Is A State of Unconsciousness.
> The Bible describes death as a state of complete unconsciousness, during
> which life is extinct, and the body corrupts and decays into dust. The
> decree of heaven to Adam consequent upon his sin was: "Dust thou art, and
> unto dust shalt thou return" (Genesis 3:19).
>
> This description of death is endorsed by subsequent teaching of Scripture
> as follows:
> "In death there is no remembrance of Thee [i.e. God]; in the grave who
shall
> give Thee thanks" (Psalm 6:5).
>
> "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no
> work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom in the grave, whither thou
> goest" (Eeclesiastes 9:10).
>
> "The slain that lie in the grave, whom Thou [God] rememberest no more; and
> they are cut off from Thy hand"
> (Psalm 88:5).
> "The dead praise not the Lord, neither any that go down into
> silence" (Psalm 115:17).
>
> "The grave cannot praise thee [God], death cannot celebrate
> Thee; they that go down into the pit cannot hope for Thy truth.
> The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day"
> (Isaiah 38:18-19).
>
> "His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his
> thoughts perish" (Psalm 146:4).
>
> How completely different is this teaching to that of an immortal soul that
> wends its way to heaven at the death of the body! Yet it represents but a
> small portion of the evidence that could be found in the Bible, teaching
> that man is mortal and death is absolute.
>
> It shows the fallacy of the theory that represents the grave as the
doorway
> to a greater experience in life than ever before. Instead, death is
revealed
> as a state of silence: thoughts perish, the voice of utterance is
silenced,
> praise to God ceases, work, knowledge and wisdom comes to an end!
>
> Christ set out the alternative before men in the familiar statement of
John
> 3:16: "God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that
> whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
>
> The alternative is either to "perish" or attain unto "everlasting life".
The
> declaration makes no provision for an immortal soul, and, in fact,
destroys
> such a theory by the use of the word "perish". If the soul were immortal
it
> would be impossible to destroy it, and the use of such a word would be
> entirely out of place.
>
> The same truth emerges from a discourse on resurrection contained in
> lCorinthians 15. There, the apostle Paul makes the point that apart from a
> physical resurrection from the dead, man is without hope.
>
> He declares: "Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are
> perished" (lCorinthians 15:18).
> But how could Paul write thus if mankind possesses an immortal soul!
>
> Under no circumstances could it be said that they have "perished," even
> apart from a resurrection, for would not their souls be immortal and in
> heaven? And notice that it is those "in Christ," or the righteous, to whom
> he is referring, showing that eternal life relies upon resurrection and
not
> on an immortal soul.
>
> Obviously Paul did not believe the current, widespread doctrine! His
belief
> was consistent with the teaching of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation,
> which, in different language, time and again declares: "For the living
know
> that they shall die; but the dead know not anything... their love, their
> hatred, and their envy is now perished" (Ecclesiastes 9:5).
>
> An outstanding Bible student has well-written: "It is something to know
that
> there is not a single promise of heaven at death in the whole Bible, and
not
> a single declaration that man has an immortal soul,' and that all the
> supposed evidence contained in the Bible in favour of these doctrines, is
so
> decidedly ambiguous, as to be open to disputation as to its meaning.
>
> It is important, because the testimony in favor of the opposite view is
so
> clear and explicit that it cannot be set aside without the grossest
> violation of the fundamental laws of language" (R. Roberts, in
"Christendom
> Astray From the Bible").
>
> What About Eternal Life?
> So far we have presented a negative argument refuting the widespread
belief
> in the present possession of immortality, supplying evidence from the
Bible
> to demonstrate the error of the theory of an immortal soul, and affirming
> that death is a state of unconsciousness.
>
> The positive side of the case is revealed in the Bible teaching conceming
> eternal life. It shows clearly that whilst eternal life, or immortality,
is
> not inherent in a person, it is something to be attained through a
> resurrection from the dead. Jesus Christ declared: "I am the resurrection
> and the life, he that believeth in me though he were dead, yet shall he
> live" (John 6:40; 11:25).
>
> This statement of the Lord is supplemented by other references from the
> Bible such as the following:
> . "This is the PROMISE, that he hat/i promised us, even eternal life" (l
> John 2:25).
> . "Paul [wrote] in hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie,
> promised before the world began" (Titus 1:2).
>
> . "God will render to every man according to his deeds: to them who by
> patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honor and immortality
> (He will render), eternal life"
>
> (Romans 2:6-7).
> In these three references, eternal life is set forth (1) as a promise; (2)
> as a hope; (3) as a reward for righteousness.
> It is not set forth as an inherent possession.
>
> The Lord Jesus also referred to it as a reward to be attained at his
second
> coming. This is revealed in a conversation he had with his disciples.
Peter,
> as their spokesman, approached him with a very significant question,
asking:
> "Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have
> therefore?" (Matthew 19:27).
>
> The Lord replied that his disciples would receive positions of honor and
> glory in the kingdom that he will set up on earth at his return, and that,
> at the same time, those who have sacrificed their own will in order to
serve
> him faithfully "shall inherit everlasting life" (Matthew 19:28-29).
>
> Everlasting life, therefore, is something to which we must attain, not
> something that a person has in the form of a "soul". It is something that
is
> promised, not something that is possessed.
>
> Eternal life will not be granted indiscriminately to all who think they
are
> righteous, but only those who do the will of God. He has clearly set down
in
> Scripture the terms of salvation, and what constitutes righteousness. It
is
> summed up in the words of Christ to Nicodemus: "Except a man be born of
> water and of spirit he cannot enter the kingdom of God" (John 3:5).
>
> To be "born of water" is to manifest a new way of life consequent upon the
a
> ct of baptism, and this can only be brought about by an understanding of
the
> significance of the rite. Thus, in describing baptism, Paul declared: "Ye
> have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you"
> (Romans 6:17).
>
> His readers had obeyed this teaching by embracing Christ in the way
> prescribed in the same chapter (by baptism), and by reflecting Christ-like
> qualities in their lives.
>
> True righteousness, therefore, is dependent upon understanding the will
and
> purpose of God. The Lord instructed his disciples: "Go into all the world,
> and preach the gospel to every creature; he that believeth and is baptised
> shall be saved" (Mark 16:16).
>
> An intelligent belief of the gospel must precede baptism if a person would
> be saved. In fact, the Bible clearly shows, that immersion, in the absence
> of an intelligent belief, is invalid. It is the comprehension of the
> significance of the rite that gives true meaning to the act.
>
> Why is knowledge so necessary? Because God wants a person's heart and mind
> as well as his body. If we do not develop an intellectual appreciation of
> God's way which is above what the mind naturally thinks, we are not in a
> position to offer acceptable worship, for we will not be mentally in
harmony
> with God.
>
> But the more we think upon the things of God, the more our thoughts will
be
> diverted into the channel of His ideas and ideals, and the transforming
> influence of His truth will find expression in a changed life.
>
> God's revelation is not designed merely to teach people something, but to
> change them for the kingdom, to fit them for the bestowal of eternal life
in
> the Age to come.
>
> The more we draw God into our lives, the more our character will conform
to
> His righteous ways, and will become worth preserving, which will be
achieved
> when the body is changed to incorruptibility (lCorinthians 15:51-54).
>
> In the absence of such mental and moral transformation, flesh is merely
> animated dust (Genesis 18:27), not worthy of eternal existence, but
destined
> to return to the dust from whence it came.
>
> Hope In A Resurrection.
> The resurrection of Christ demonstrated the way whereby life eternal can
be
> attained. It constituted a basic doctrine of early Christianity that
> completely separated the gospel message from the philosophies of man. The
> record states: "When they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some
> mocked: and others said we will hear thee again of this matter" (Acts
> 17:32).
>
> To such as Paul, however, it provided hope, for he realised the reality
and
> finality of death, apart from a resurrection.
>
> When called upon to defend the faith, he boldly answered: "Of the hope and
> resurrection of the dead I am called in question" (Acts 23:6).
>
> Never once did the Apostle imply that believers possessed an immortal
soul,
> or that their reward would be found in heaven. He taught that the grave
> brought to a complete end all conscious existence in any form, and he
looked
> forward in hope to the retum of Christ and a bodily resurrection unto life
> eternal. Here are examples of his teaching:
>
> "As in Adam all die, even so in Christ, shall all be made alive. But every
> man in his own order; Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are
> Christ's at his coming" (lCorinthians 15 :22-23).
>
> "The Lord Jesus Christ shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing
> and his kingdom... Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of
> righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that
> day, and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing"
> (2Timothy 4:1, 8).
>
> In defending the faith before Felix, the Roman procurator of Judea, Paul
> declared: "There is a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and
unjust"
> (Acts 24:15).
>
> Later before king Agrippa, he declared that he stood to defend "the hope
of
> the promise made of God unto our fathers," and in order to emphasise what
> that involved, he continued, "Why should it be thought a thing incredible
> with you that God should raise the dead?" (Acts 26:6-
> 8).
>
> The faithful David, the man after God's own heart, and concerning whom
Peter
> said, he "is not ascended into the heavens," believed in the resurrection,
> proclaiming: "Thou which hast shewed me great and sore troubles, shalt
> quicken me again, and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the
earth.
> Thou shalt increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side"(Psalm
> 71:20-21).
>
> The prophet Isaiah confirmed it: "Thy dead men shall live, together with
my
> dead body shall they arise" (Isaiah 26:19).
>
> Daniel taught it: "Many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall
> awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting
contempt"
> (Daniel 12:2).
>
> Both Old and New Testaments, therefore, combine in consistently teaching
> this doctrine. It is fatal to the theory of an immortal soul, or of
> heaven-going at death.
>
> If the soul has gone to its reward, why raise the body from the grave?
> Theology replies: for the purpose of judgment. It would reward first, and
> judge after! It would consign souls to heaven or hell, and then,
millenniums
> after, it would reunite them to their bodies for the purpose of judgment!
> Such teaching is completely inconsistent, and quite contrary to the Word
of
> Truth.
>
> The doctrine of a physical resurrection is an embarrassment to those who
> believe in the immortality of the soul, and though they cannot dispute it
> because it is so plainly taught in the Bible, they destroy its power and
> significance by relegating it to a position of minor importance.
>
> Who Will Be Raised?
> It is sometimes claimed that if all the countless millions that ever lived
> were suddenly raised from the dead there would not be found room for them
> upon the earth.
>
> This is disputed by others. The fact of the matter, however, is that all
> people will not be raised from the dead, and, indeed, only a minority will
> enjoy that experience.
>
> The Bible clearly shows that those who lack an understanding of God's
> purpose will not be raised for judgment (see Psalm 49:19-20; 88:5. Isaiah
> 26:14; 43:17; Jeremiah 51:57), and Paul describes such as "having no hope,
> and being without God in the world" (Ephesians 2:12).
>
> Jesus expressed the truth in these words: "I am the resurrection and the
> life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live"
(John
> 11:25).
>
> The Lord declared that those who "believe" will live again, and in doing
so
> he emphasised that "light" or "knowledge" is the ground of responsibility.
> He who knows the will of God will be raised to judgment whether he
performs
> that will or not, for to know is to be held responsible to do so.
>
> Christ taught that those who refuse to submit to the requirements of the
> Truth will "see" Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, with all of similar faith,
> granted eternal life in the kingdom of God, whilst they, themselves, will
be
> "cast out" (Luke 13:28. John 3:19).
>
> The Roman governor, Felix, to whom Paul preached, and who had an
> understanding of what was required (Acts 24:22), "trembled" when Paul
> reasoned with him of "judgment to come" (Acts 24:25), because he doubtless
> recognised that he, himself, would be included among the rejected in that
> day (Romans 2:7, 8, 16).
>
> The Bible teaches that the responsible dead (both just and unjust) will be
> raised, and, together with the living, will be assembled before the
judgment
> seat of Christ at his coming, to receive "in body what they have done in
> this life" whether it be good or bad (2Corinthians 5:10; Romans 14:10-12).
> "Those who by patient continuance in well doing, seek for glory, honor and
> immortality," will receive eternal life (Romans 2:7).
>
> Those who have rejected Christ's way of life, will experience
"tribulation
> and anguish," ending in the "second death," which will again bring them to
> the grave from whence they will have come (Revelation 2:11; 21:7-8;
> Galatians 6:8; Romans 6:21-23).
>
> Most people, however, live in ignorance of divine Truth, and will remain
> forever in the grave, for upon what grounds could those who are ignorant
of
> the divine way be judged?
>
> Where Eternity Will be Spent.
> It is a common belief that heaven is the reward of the righteous, but the
> Bible does not teach it. Jesus declared that "no man hath ascended up to
> heaven" (John 3:13), and this was endorsed by Peter, who pointed to the
fact
> that not even the righteous David had ascended there (Acts 2:34).
>
> What the Bible does teach throughout, is that an eternal inheritance upon
> the earth can be attained. Read carefully Psalm 37, and note the emphasis
> upon the earthly inheritance of the righteous.
>
> Four times it proclaims that "such as be blessed" of God shall inherit
the
> earth (vv. 9, 11, 22, 29). It contains such statements as "evildoers shall
> be cut off; but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the
earth"
> (v. 9); "the seed of the wicked shall be cut off' but "the righteous shall
> inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever" (vv. 28, 29).
>
> It proclaims the promise (later quoted by the Lord, see Matthew 5:5),
that
> "the meek shall inherit the earth" (v. 11), and points to a time when "the
> wicked shall not be." That is not the case today, but the very reverse;
but
> it shall be brought about at the second coming of the Lord Jesus.
>
> And what more does a person desire? Nobody wants to die, but who would
> refuse the gift of life eternal with an everlasting inheritance upon an
> earth freed of the oppressions, the frustrations, and the evils of today?
>
> That is the hope set forth by the Bible, and for which the Lord instructed
> his disciples to pray, saying: "Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed
by
> thy name. Thy kingdom come. THY WILL BE DONE IN EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN"
> (Matthew 6:10).
>
> That is the time of which the angels sang at the birth of Jesus: "Glory to
> God in the highest: upon earth peace, and good will toward men" (Luke
2:14).
>
> This is consistent with the teaching of Jesus. He impressed his disciples
> with the reality of death by declaring that they will be "recompensed at
the
> resurrection of the just" (Luke 14:14).
>
> He taught them that the Son of Man shall return, and "then he shall reward
> every man" (Matthew 16:27). He concluded his last message to his followers
> with a wonderful promise: "Behold I come quickly [or unexpectedly] and my
> reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be"
> (Revelation 22:12).
>
> He declared that he will bring the reward with him, not that man would go
to
> him to heaven to receive it! He will bring it when he returns once again
to
> this earth (Philippians 3:20-21. l John 3:1-2).
>
> A World Fit For Immortals.
> The Bible teaches that though immortality will be bestowed upon the
> righteous at the second coming of Jesus Christ (l Corinthians 15:23,
52-54),
> he is coming, not only to judge and reward his followers, but to establish
> his rule over all the earth.
>
> Jerusalem will become the metropolis of his administration, the future
> capital of the world. It will be called, "the City of the Lord, the Zion
of
> the Holy One of Israel" (Isaiah 60:14), the "city of the great King" (the
> Lord Jesus, Matthew 5:34-35).
>
> The Bible declares: "At that time they shall call Jerusalem the Throne of
> the Lord; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it; to the name of
the
> Lord, to Jerusalem; neither shall they walk any more after the imagination
> of their evil heart" (Jeremiah 3:17).
>
> Then the present evil conditions will be replaced with the glorious reign
of
> the Lord Jesus.
>
> From this centre, Christ will rule in conjunction with his immortalised
> followers, who will form the aristocracy of his kingdom. In Revelation
> 5:9-10 they are represented as singing:
> "Thou hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred and
tongue,
> and people and nation, and hast made us kings and priests and we shall
reign
> ON THE EARTH".
>
> The prophet Isaiah predicted that "a king (the Lord Jesus) shall reign in
> righteousness, and princes (his immortalised followers) shall rule in
> equity" (Isaiah 32:1), and Jesus told his disciples that they would be set
> up as judges over the twelve tribes of Israel (Matthew 19:28), then
> completely restored to their land.
>
> Such a purpose necessitates the return of Jesus Christ to the earth. And
> here, again, the teaching of the Bible is plain. The disciples who
witnessed
> the Lord ascend into heaven were told:
> "Why stand ye gazing up into heaven [as though their hope was there!];
this
> same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like
> manner as ye have seen him go into heaven" (Acts 1:11).
>
> The Promised Millennium.
> For 1,000 years (Revelation 20:4), the reign of Christ on earth will
> continue. His teaching, emanating from Jerusalem and going forth to all
> nations (Isaiah 2:2-4) will bring about great changes, both moral,
> political, and religious, introducing an epoch of righteousness and peace:
>
> "They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into
> pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword again nation, neither shall
> they learn war any more."
>
> The mortal populations of the earth, ruled over by Christ and his
> immortalised followers, will learn the principles of righteousness, and
> submit to his beneficent authority. The prophet Zechariah records: "Yea,
> many people and strong nations shall come to seek the Lord of Hosts in
> Jerusalem, and to pray before the Lord" (Zechariah 8:22. See also ch.
> 14:16).
>
> The earth will thus become the glorious abode of happiness and peace, as
> preparatory to the final act of glory, at the end of the 1,000 years'
reign
> of Christ, when death itself will come to an end.
>
> The Bible teaches that Christ "must reign, till he hath put all enemies
> under his feet; the last enemy that shall be destroyed is death"
> (lCorinthians 15:25-26). The earth will then have passed through three
> stages:
> (1) The present, in which sin and death is everywhere in evidence;
>
> (2) Christ's second advent, when his followers who are worthy will be made
> like him, immortal, but the rest of mankind will remain mortal;
>
> (3) At the end of the millennial reign, when death will be eliminated from
> the earth, and a perfected world will be given back to God (l Corinthians
> 15:28).
>
> It will be the privilege of those who faithfully follow Christ now, to
rule
> with him, as his immortal associates, at his return.
>
> This requires that they come to an understanding of the purpose of God,
and
> submit to His will, firstly by being baptised, and then by obeying His
> precepts. Is this reward worth striving for?
>
> The world today can only provide frustration, worry and death, whereas in
> Christ there is "promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to
> come" (lTimothy 4:8).
> Why not search into these matters?
>
> Remember you are the arbiter of your own eternal destiny, and Christ has
> made it possible for you to gain the victory.
>
> We earnestly recommend that you read this article again, and closely
examine
> the references quoted from the Bible.
>
> If you find this article fully in agreement with Scripture, why not pay
> yourself the compliment of searching deeper into the teaching of the
Bible,
> that you might, with enlightened mind, embrace Christ in the way
appointed,
> and commence a walk that could gain for you an inheritance in the kingdom
of
> God, and enjoyment of life for evermore.
>
> <<<Read yourself RICH in the ways of the TRUTH>>>
> Website: http://www.antipas.org
>
>
>
>
Micah Burke
Yet it was unfortunately unbiblical and incorrect, thus false teaching.
Micah