The word hell is used 31 times in the King James version of the Old Testament. Each one of those times the word hell is translated from the Hebrew word Sheol. The problem is that there should be some correlation between the number of times that hell is used and the number of times Sheol is present. The word Sheol shows up in the Old Testament a total of 65 times. Okay here is the issue, if Sheol is translated hell then how do we have hell 31 times but Sheol 65 times. Shouldn't there be a closer reconciliation?
Let us at this time define the meaning of the word Sheol. Sheol is defined as: a place to which people descend at death, a grave. This is cause for concern. Consider how the word was used at its first mention in the bible:
Genesis 37:35
Then all his sons and all his daughters arose to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. And he said, “Surely I will go down to Sheol in mourning for my son.” So his father wept for him.
This passage is talking about the time when Jacob thought that he had lost his son. It tells us that Jacob lamented that he will go down to Sheol in mourning. What is more interesting is that the King James version translates Sheol in this instance as grave and herein is the contradiction. Research will show that the word Sheol is translated hell in some instances and grave in others; but does this even make sense? Look at the definition of the word grave:
A place where a dead body is buried. It is essentially a hole in the ground where a dead body is buried
Okay let's get a definition of the word hell:
A place of everlasting fiery punishment in the afterlife
Now there are instances where a word can have more than one meaning, but can ANYONE tell me how ONE word can mean a hole in the ground AND AT THE SAME TIME mean a place of fire and burning and punishment no end!!!! Are these concepts even interchangeable? The first person to tell me that these things are ONLY understood in the spirit will get a VIRTUAL SLAP!!! Consider:
Where is John Smith? He died and we buried him. (Grave)
Where is John Smith? He died and he is burning forever in a fiery hell hole. (Hell)
One question, was there a shortage of words that necessitated the Hebrews to cause the word Sheol to do double duty? How would they EVER be able to communicate? How would they ever know to what the other person was referring; heaven help us if it was written down and used in a sentence because a whole council would have to be called just to interpret!
The King James interpreters ran up against this problem pretty early on as they now had a dilemma. If Sheol is to be translated as hell (a place of everlasting burning) then how could it be used in connection with the righteous of the Old Testament:
2 Samuel 22:6
The cords of Sheol/HELL surrounded me (David); The snares of death confronted me.
Here is a funny one:
1 Kings 2:6
So act according to your wisdom, and do not let his gray hair go down to Sheol in peace.
According to this verse it is possible to go down to HELL in PEACE. Seriously?
Oh and don't forget Job:
Job 14:13
“Oh that You would hide me in Sheol/HELL, That You would conceal me until Your wrath returns to You, That You would set a limit for me and remember me!
How bad was Job's trials that he BEGGED God to send him to a place of everlasting burning and torment! DOES THIS EVEN MAKE SENSE??? Job's plea was, Oh God I am in a bad place now but I beg you to send me to an even worse place. Not only that but it appears that you could escape hell:
Psalms 86:13
For Your lovingkindness toward me is great, And You have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol/HELL.
I guess this isn't strange since Jonah went there for three days:
Jonah 2:2
...and he said, “I called out of my distress to the Lord, And He answered me. I cried for help from the depth of Sheol/HELL; You heard my voice.
So which is it? Can we finally put to rest this contradiction? Is Sheol a place of everlasting fiery punishment or is it the grave?
How would they know?
If Sheol was a place of everlasting torment how would the Hebrews come to know this? THINK ABOUT IT. There is no account where some Hebrew had a near death experience and came back and said 'hey you guys, that Sheol, let me tell ya that place is no joke'. Seriously, how would they know? Since this is a place that wicked people supposedly went to after death how would the know? The only way for them to know is for God to tell them. Well, did God EVER DESCRIBE Sheol as a place of torment? Where did God ever clue the Hebrews into the fact that Sheol is a place of fiery torment? Remember that this word was first used in the bible by Jacob, but when was it first used by God?
Isaiah 5:14
Therefore Sheol has enlarged its throat and opened its mouth without measure; And Jerusalem’s splendor, her multitude, her din of revelry and the jubilant within her, descend into it.
Okay this is ridiculous. This is the first time that God utters the word Sheol. He used it in connection with Jerusalem's splendor. Now this is important; can we deduce from the way that God uses this word that he is talking about some fiery place filled with burning wicked? On top of this he WAITS THOUSANDS OF YEARS AFTER THE FALL OF MAN TO EVEN MENTION THE WORD! It would be a matter of great importance for man to know that when he dies in his sin that he would go to a fiery hell hole forever dontcha think? Wouldn't God WANT TO WARN people of their fate? Or does he say upon death when he is casting them into fire 'oh did I forget to mention that you are going to be tormented here for EVER and EVER.
The concept of hell is NOT articulated by God or ANY of his prophets in the Old Testament. So how did the translators come to substitue Sheol in some places for the word hell? The world knew what a grave was, they had been digging them since the fall of man. It would require knowledge BEYOND what could be seen in the natural to grant an understanding of hell. The Hebrews, by the time God used the word, had been using it for thousands of years. To them it meant a hole in the ground to put the dead, nothing more. It is used THROUGHOUT the Old Testament to mean just that; you can prove this by just substituting the King James usage of hell in the Old Testament for grave and IT MAKES SENSE EVERY TIME.
What is the wages/ punishment for sin?
In my post 'The mystery of the second death' I show clearly God's ultimate punishment for sin. He NEVER told Adam that the punishment for sin would be an eternity in a fiery pit. God said that the punishment for sin is the cessation of life. That's IT; the price for sinning is DEATH. The translators who translated the word Sheol to hell will have much to answer for on the day in which God will judge the world and so will the purveyors of this teaching.
(PLEASE DO NOT MISUNDERSTAND ME, God will further judge the wicked when he submits them to the second death. This second death is where the wicked will undergo God's obedience program (see my post on The purpose of the Lake of Fire))
What are the implications of this understanding?
If Sheol can ONLY mean the grave then we have been duped. We have been conveying to the world the idea that God punishes sin with an eternity of burning, and we have been using Sheol as a vehicle to do it.
But doesn't the New Testament talk about hell?
Let me ask you a question. Jesus shows up on the scene about four thousand years after the fall of man. By this time MILLIONS of people have died. Could he at this time introduce to mankind a fresh new idea of how God punishes sin? At some point he would have to say to the crowd 'Oh by the way, we didn't get to mention this earlier but when you die you don't REALLY die but you go to a fiery pit where you burn forever'. WHAT, YOUR JUST TELLING US THIS NOW!!!!! Remember that to them Sheol was the grave, could Jesus now come on the scene and CHANGE this definition?
True to form the translators continued their destructive tactics in their work in the New Testament, but we can now see their error. Since we now know Sheol to be the grave can we use this information to offer clarity in the New Testament?
Acts 2:27
...Because You will not abandon my soul to Hell, Nor allow Your Holy One to undergo decay.
Oh you translators, this passage of scripture is taken from the book of Psalms and there the word Sheol is used. In the New Testament where it is written in Greek the word is Hades. Based on this then we can conclude that whenever the New Testament mentions Hades it is synonymous with the Hebrew word Sheol. Now just how many times is the word Hades used in the New Testament? Ten times; and do you know that the KJV rendered the word HADES as HELL each of these times?
See what is happening here is that there was and effort to transmit a doctrine and not a translation. This is important to know because in doing so we have LOST a great understanding. Consider:
Matthew 16:18
I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hell will not overpower it.
Upon reading this most Christians have fanciful ideas of Satan seeking to overcome the church with the gates of hell. What is lost here is Jesus telling the church that the gates of HADES/SHEOL/GRAVE will not be able to overpower his church. This was no rallying cry to beat back the forces of the devil, but it was a reassurance that death will not be a PERMANENT STATE for the church. It was a promise that the power of God will rob the grave of its power over the saints by RESURRECTION.
We also lose an essential understanding here:
Revelation 20:14
Then death and Hell were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.
Again Christians have ideas of God taking up hell, filled with the wicked, and throwing it into a supposedly bigger fire. But if you understand that HADES=SHEOL=GRAVE you realize that this is a wonderful picture of God bringing an END to death.
When you understand the equation HADES=SHEOL=GRAVE you can come to see just how specific the word of God is. Consider:
Revelation 20:13
And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds.
Has everyone who has ever died on the earth buried in the earth? No, because some people died at sea. Therefore the scripture says that the sea gives up its dead and Hades which is the grave which is a HOLE IN THE GROUND gave up its dead.
It is based on the fact that HADES=SHEOL=GRAVE that we can finally conclude that the story that Jesus gave of the rich man and Lazarus was indeed a PARABLE. This is evident because to the hearers of this story they knew immediately that Sheol meant the grave and since one is dead in a grave one could not LITERALLY lift up ones eyes and see anything! (see my post 'You shall not surely die...')
God inspired the use of the word Hades to be synonymous with Sheol, because he wanted New Testament followers to understand them to mean the same thing. The only word left that the translators translate as hell is the word Gehenna (Oh what a versatile word HELL is). In my paper 'The mystery of the second death' I tried to show where Jesus' use of the concept of Gehenna is in fact the book of Revelations Lake of Fire. In my post 'The purpose of the Lake of Fire' I prove where the lake of fire is the place where ALL the enemies of God are MADE TO BE OBEDIENT TO CHRIST.
I am made to wonder about this doctrine of hell when I consider the following:
2 Thessalonians 2:11-12
For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.
Showing posts with label Afterlife. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Afterlife. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
The Mystery of the Second Death
What is God's ultimate punishment? In the mind of God what was the highest form of punishment that he could devise against mankind for sin? Christians the world over imagine an eternity in the fires of hell to be God's highest form of punishment. This is blasphemy! God is not a sadist; he does not find pleasure in torture NOR does it satisfy him. What does God regard as the greatest punishment for sin? Consider:
Genesis 2:17
...but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely DIE.”
Here we see God explaining to Adam the consequences for sin. The answer to the question of God's ultimate punishment is DEATH. It is confirmed by Paul:
Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is DEATH...
Romans 1:32
...and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are WORTHY OF DEATH, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.
Romans 6:20-21
For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. Therefore what benefit were you then deriving from the things of which you are now ashamed? FOR THE OUTCOME OF THOSE THINGS IS DEATH.
So, we see that the highest form of punishment that God meets out to all mankind is death, or said another way the cessation of life. (My post titled 'You shall not surely die...' gives a clear understanding of the effects of death on the human being. In it I show that dead means dead). An understanding of how God punishes with death is essential for grasping the mystery of the 'second death' spoken of in the book of Revelation.
What happens after death?
The scriptures say what happens after death:
Hebrews 9:27
...And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment,
Christians assume that judgment takes place immediately after you die, but what does the word of God say:
Acts 17:31
Because he hath appointed A DAY, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained...
God tells us that he has appointed a day when he will judge the world. Judgment does not happen on the day you die but on the 'appointed day in which he will judge the world'. At the time of judgment what happens?
John 5:28-29
Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice, and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment.
Now, on the day that the wicked are resurrected we see that they are judged. Where does the judgement of God lead them?
Revelation 20:14-15
Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if ANYONE'S NAME was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the LAKE OF FIRE.
So where does the judgment of God lead them? TO DIE AGAIN of course; this is why it is called the SECOND DEATH.
What specifically is the lake of fire?
The Lake of Fire is the wrath of God fueled by his anger (It is important that you read my post on 'The purpose of the Lake of Fire' to get a seamless understanding here) , consider:
Romans 2:5
...But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God,
Ephesians 5:6
Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.
Colossians 3:5-6
Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: For which things 'sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience
These verses show that the wrath of God is for the sons of disobedience; the bible also classifies them as 'the wicked'. This wrath is experienced in connection with judgment.
The wrath of God has different effects on different types of people.
This is a strange statement because most people think God an equal opportunity destroyer. But consider that the scriptures make a clear distinction regarding the wicked. All the wicked find their place in the Lake of Fire, but they experience it differently. For the purpose of this post let us offer a classification of the wicked:
Wicked 1.0
Wicked 2.0
The wicked 1.0 is your run of the mill unsaved, unredeemed, unbeliever from all of antiquity up until the time of the beast. The Wicked 2.0 is all those who 'worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand'.
Why was it necessary to use the word 'alive'?
Revelation 19:20
And the beast was seized, and with him the false prophet who performed the signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image; these two were thrown ALIVE into the lake of fire which burns with brimstone.
If all who experience this lake of fire are alive when they are cast into it then why is it necessary to distinguish that the beast and false prophet were cast in ALIVE?
Revelation 20:10
...and the Devil, who is leading them astray, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where [are] the beast and the false prophet, and they shall be tormented day and night -- to the ages of the ages.
Where is it EVER written that ALL the people who are wicked are:
1- alive in the fire and brimstone
2- are tormented
The smoke of WHOSE torment ascended up for ages of ages?
Revelation 20:14-15
Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
Revelation 21:8
But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”
What is the state of those who are thrown into the lake of fire? Are the alive or are they DEAD? Consider Jesus' words:
John 15:6
If anyone DOES NOT ABIDE in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and DRIES UP; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned.
This drying up is death. This branch is DEAD when it enters the fire to be burned.
Matthew 3:10
The axe is already laid at the root of the trees; therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
Matthew 7:19
Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
What happens when you cut down a tree? It dies.
Who is ALIVE when they are cast into the Lake of Fire?
1- the beast
2- the false prophet
3- Satan
4- those who take the mark of the beast and worship his image
Revelation 14:9-11
And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascends up to ages of ages: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.
The church upon reading this assumes that this is ALL the wicked. This is a VERY SPECIFIC GROUP OF PEOPLE! These people receive the WRATH OF GOD WITHOUT MIXTURE! THEY ARE ALIVE in the Lake of fire. Consider the use of the words 'without mixture'. This phrase denotes a CONCENTRATION of wrath. If wrath was only experienced in ONE FORM why would it be necessary to specify 'without mixture'?
THE SECOND DEATH (lake of fire) KILLS THE WICKED 1.0. They enter it DEAD. They are DEAD as the power of God's judgement SALTS them with fire. These are then made alive in Christ since there impurities will be burnt away. Those in the four categories listed above will get the FULL MEASURE OF THE WRATH OF GOD WITHOUT MIXTURE.
What is the end result of all these things?
Zephaniah 3:8-9
“Therefore wait for Me,” declares the Lord, “For the day when I rise up as a witness. Indeed, My decision is to gather nations, To assemble kingdoms, To pour out on them My INDIGNATION, All My BURNING ANGER; For all the earth will be devoured By the FIRE of My zeal. “For THEN I will give to the peoples purified lips, That ALL OF THEM may call on the name of the Lord, To serve Him shoulder to shoulder.
Genesis 2:17
...but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely DIE.”
Here we see God explaining to Adam the consequences for sin. The answer to the question of God's ultimate punishment is DEATH. It is confirmed by Paul:
Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is DEATH...
Romans 1:32
...and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are WORTHY OF DEATH, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.
Romans 6:20-21
For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. Therefore what benefit were you then deriving from the things of which you are now ashamed? FOR THE OUTCOME OF THOSE THINGS IS DEATH.
So, we see that the highest form of punishment that God meets out to all mankind is death, or said another way the cessation of life. (My post titled 'You shall not surely die...' gives a clear understanding of the effects of death on the human being. In it I show that dead means dead). An understanding of how God punishes with death is essential for grasping the mystery of the 'second death' spoken of in the book of Revelation.
What happens after death?
The scriptures say what happens after death:
Hebrews 9:27
...And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment,
Christians assume that judgment takes place immediately after you die, but what does the word of God say:
Acts 17:31
Because he hath appointed A DAY, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained...
God tells us that he has appointed a day when he will judge the world. Judgment does not happen on the day you die but on the 'appointed day in which he will judge the world'. At the time of judgment what happens?
John 5:28-29
Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice, and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment.
Now, on the day that the wicked are resurrected we see that they are judged. Where does the judgement of God lead them?
Revelation 20:14-15
Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if ANYONE'S NAME was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the LAKE OF FIRE.
So where does the judgment of God lead them? TO DIE AGAIN of course; this is why it is called the SECOND DEATH.
What specifically is the lake of fire?
The Lake of Fire is the wrath of God fueled by his anger (It is important that you read my post on 'The purpose of the Lake of Fire' to get a seamless understanding here) , consider:
Romans 2:5
...But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God,
Ephesians 5:6
Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.
Colossians 3:5-6
Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: For which things 'sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience
These verses show that the wrath of God is for the sons of disobedience; the bible also classifies them as 'the wicked'. This wrath is experienced in connection with judgment.
The wrath of God has different effects on different types of people.
This is a strange statement because most people think God an equal opportunity destroyer. But consider that the scriptures make a clear distinction regarding the wicked. All the wicked find their place in the Lake of Fire, but they experience it differently. For the purpose of this post let us offer a classification of the wicked:
Wicked 1.0
Wicked 2.0
The wicked 1.0 is your run of the mill unsaved, unredeemed, unbeliever from all of antiquity up until the time of the beast. The Wicked 2.0 is all those who 'worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand'.
Why was it necessary to use the word 'alive'?
Revelation 19:20
And the beast was seized, and with him the false prophet who performed the signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image; these two were thrown ALIVE into the lake of fire which burns with brimstone.
If all who experience this lake of fire are alive when they are cast into it then why is it necessary to distinguish that the beast and false prophet were cast in ALIVE?
Revelation 20:10
...and the Devil, who is leading them astray, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where [are] the beast and the false prophet, and they shall be tormented day and night -- to the ages of the ages.
Where is it EVER written that ALL the people who are wicked are:
1- alive in the fire and brimstone
2- are tormented
The smoke of WHOSE torment ascended up for ages of ages?
Revelation 20:14-15
Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
Revelation 21:8
But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”
What is the state of those who are thrown into the lake of fire? Are the alive or are they DEAD? Consider Jesus' words:
John 15:6
If anyone DOES NOT ABIDE in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and DRIES UP; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned.
This drying up is death. This branch is DEAD when it enters the fire to be burned.
Matthew 3:10
The axe is already laid at the root of the trees; therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
Matthew 7:19
Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
What happens when you cut down a tree? It dies.
Who is ALIVE when they are cast into the Lake of Fire?
1- the beast
2- the false prophet
3- Satan
4- those who take the mark of the beast and worship his image
Revelation 14:9-11
And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascends up to ages of ages: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.
The church upon reading this assumes that this is ALL the wicked. This is a VERY SPECIFIC GROUP OF PEOPLE! These people receive the WRATH OF GOD WITHOUT MIXTURE! THEY ARE ALIVE in the Lake of fire. Consider the use of the words 'without mixture'. This phrase denotes a CONCENTRATION of wrath. If wrath was only experienced in ONE FORM why would it be necessary to specify 'without mixture'?
THE SECOND DEATH (lake of fire) KILLS THE WICKED 1.0. They enter it DEAD. They are DEAD as the power of God's judgement SALTS them with fire. These are then made alive in Christ since there impurities will be burnt away. Those in the four categories listed above will get the FULL MEASURE OF THE WRATH OF GOD WITHOUT MIXTURE.
What is the end result of all these things?
Zephaniah 3:8-9
“Therefore wait for Me,” declares the Lord, “For the day when I rise up as a witness. Indeed, My decision is to gather nations, To assemble kingdoms, To pour out on them My INDIGNATION, All My BURNING ANGER; For all the earth will be devoured By the FIRE of My zeal. “For THEN I will give to the peoples purified lips, That ALL OF THEM may call on the name of the Lord, To serve Him shoulder to shoulder.
Monday, October 17, 2011
Knowing God
I have debunked the biblical use of the word 'eternal' in my post 'The Myth of Eternal'. There I proved that the use of this word in most English versions DISTORTS the truth of the scriptures. In fact using the word 'eternal' has robbed us of the truth, in that, it has led us to a critical misunderstanding of a fundamental concept throughout the bible. If I were to ask MOST Christians the question 'What is eternal life' they may answer, 'living with Jesus in complete bliss forever in heaven'. The reason why they would answer this way is because of the word 'eternal'. By the way that answer, or ANY variation of it, is COMPLETELY wrong.
I proved that the word 'eternal' in the Greek scriptures is translated from the word AION which DOES NOT MEAN eternal but an indefinite period of time that has a beginning and an end. Since this is so we can see that the scriptures hold no promise of eternal life but 'AGE-ABIDING life. What does this have to do with the original question? Everything, because 'ETERNAL' life has NOTHING to do with time! So what would be the correct answer to the question 'What is eternal life'. Consider:
John 17:3
3 This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.
Jesus gives us the answer. 'ETERNAL' life is not about living forever but about knowing GOD. It is because of the error of 'eternal' that we have lost out on the most overarching promise of Jesus. The word eternal here is the word AION; so it actually renders this verse:
John 17:3
3 and this is the life age- during, that they may know Thee, the only true God, and him whom Thou didst send -- Jesus Christ;
Now this is where we have something beautiful. We have Jesus DEFINING a concept that is used by him and the apostles throughout the New Testament. What's is the definition of 'ETERNAL' (Age-Long) life?
Eternal life is the process whereby one comes to know the TRUE God and Jesus Christ.
I ask you, does Jesus' definition of this life have ANYTHING to do with time?
Now that we have a true definition of the conept of the life that Jesus was describing throughout his ministry we can now get a better understanding of the scriptures. Whenever we see in a typical bible translation the words 'Eternal Life' we can substitute it for phrase 'knowing the true God and his son Jesus'. Let us see:
John 3:16
16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have 'KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUE GOD AND HIS SON JESUS CHRIST'.
Mark 10:30
30 but that he will receive a hundred times as much now in the present age, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms, along with persecutions; and in the age to come, 'KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUE GOD AND HIS SON JESUS CHRIST'.
Acts 13:48
48 When the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord; and as many as had been appointed to 'COMING INTO THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUE GOD AND HIS SON JESUS CHRIST' believed.
Romans 6:22-23
22 But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUE GOD AND HIS SON JESUS CHRIST. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is KNOWING THE TRUE GOD AND HIS SON JESUS CHRIST in Christ Jesus our Lord.
To some this may be a disappointment because it has nothing to do with getting wings and eating heavenly grapes. What I am saying sounds a whole lot like school! You mean to tell me that I am going through all this trouble on earth to die and go back to school! Give me back my grapes.
When you understand the concept of the life that Jesus promised us you come to realize that this knowledge actually does something to you. Consider:
2 Peter 1:2-4
2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; 3 seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. 4 For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.
From these verses we see that through this knowledge of God we will:
Have grace and peace multiplied to us
Have everything pertaining to life and godliness
Have precious and magnificent promises
Be partakers in the divine nature
The process of knowing God begins right now in this age, but it is not fulfilled in this age, consider:
1 Corinthians 13:12
12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known.
When we enter the next age it is then that we would be able to come into the full knowledge of God.
So what will this knowledge of God create in us?
...seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. 4 For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature
This true knowledge cause us to be able to share in, become a partner with, the divine nature.
1 John 3:2
2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
2 Corinthians 3:18
18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
We will come to know fully his Love, wisdom, power, goodness, faithfulness.
Another aspect often overlooked in knowing God is that sin was an essential element in our coming to know him in his fulness. Adam's sin was ESSENTIAL in that it brought man to a state where he could some day completely know God. Sin, essential? Yes, because without sin how could we EVER have come to know the MERCY of God. What is mercy? Consider:
Psalms 103:10
10 He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.
That is mercy. Mercy is such an important part of God's character that he would go to extreme measures JUST TO SHOW IT. Consider:
Romans 11:32
32 For God has shut up all in disobedience so that He may show mercy to all.
The shutting up of all in disobedience was an action INITIATED BY GOD for the SOLE purpose of DISPLAYING HIS MERCY. Mercy was not a side product of the fall but an intricate part of the nature of God. Thank God for a disobedient Adam.
The whole purpose for our existence is for God to bring sons into the knowledge of their Father and their elder brother. The human race is on a remarkable journey indeed. We are coming to a place where we will finally Know God, and THIS IS LIFE.
I proved that the word 'eternal' in the Greek scriptures is translated from the word AION which DOES NOT MEAN eternal but an indefinite period of time that has a beginning and an end. Since this is so we can see that the scriptures hold no promise of eternal life but 'AGE-ABIDING life. What does this have to do with the original question? Everything, because 'ETERNAL' life has NOTHING to do with time! So what would be the correct answer to the question 'What is eternal life'. Consider:
John 17:3
3 This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.
Jesus gives us the answer. 'ETERNAL' life is not about living forever but about knowing GOD. It is because of the error of 'eternal' that we have lost out on the most overarching promise of Jesus. The word eternal here is the word AION; so it actually renders this verse:
John 17:3
3 and this is the life age- during, that they may know Thee, the only true God, and him whom Thou didst send -- Jesus Christ;
Now this is where we have something beautiful. We have Jesus DEFINING a concept that is used by him and the apostles throughout the New Testament. What's is the definition of 'ETERNAL' (Age-Long) life?
Eternal life is the process whereby one comes to know the TRUE God and Jesus Christ.
I ask you, does Jesus' definition of this life have ANYTHING to do with time?
Now that we have a true definition of the conept of the life that Jesus was describing throughout his ministry we can now get a better understanding of the scriptures. Whenever we see in a typical bible translation the words 'Eternal Life' we can substitute it for phrase 'knowing the true God and his son Jesus'. Let us see:
John 3:16
16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have 'KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUE GOD AND HIS SON JESUS CHRIST'.
Mark 10:30
30 but that he will receive a hundred times as much now in the present age, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms, along with persecutions; and in the age to come, 'KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUE GOD AND HIS SON JESUS CHRIST'.
Acts 13:48
48 When the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord; and as many as had been appointed to 'COMING INTO THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUE GOD AND HIS SON JESUS CHRIST' believed.
Romans 6:22-23
22 But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUE GOD AND HIS SON JESUS CHRIST. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is KNOWING THE TRUE GOD AND HIS SON JESUS CHRIST in Christ Jesus our Lord.
To some this may be a disappointment because it has nothing to do with getting wings and eating heavenly grapes. What I am saying sounds a whole lot like school! You mean to tell me that I am going through all this trouble on earth to die and go back to school! Give me back my grapes.
When you understand the concept of the life that Jesus promised us you come to realize that this knowledge actually does something to you. Consider:
2 Peter 1:2-4
2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; 3 seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. 4 For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.
From these verses we see that through this knowledge of God we will:
Have grace and peace multiplied to us
Have everything pertaining to life and godliness
Have precious and magnificent promises
Be partakers in the divine nature
The process of knowing God begins right now in this age, but it is not fulfilled in this age, consider:
1 Corinthians 13:12
12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known.
When we enter the next age it is then that we would be able to come into the full knowledge of God.
So what will this knowledge of God create in us?
...seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. 4 For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature
This true knowledge cause us to be able to share in, become a partner with, the divine nature.
1 John 3:2
2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
2 Corinthians 3:18
18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
We will come to know fully his Love, wisdom, power, goodness, faithfulness.
Another aspect often overlooked in knowing God is that sin was an essential element in our coming to know him in his fulness. Adam's sin was ESSENTIAL in that it brought man to a state where he could some day completely know God. Sin, essential? Yes, because without sin how could we EVER have come to know the MERCY of God. What is mercy? Consider:
Psalms 103:10
10 He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.
That is mercy. Mercy is such an important part of God's character that he would go to extreme measures JUST TO SHOW IT. Consider:
Romans 11:32
32 For God has shut up all in disobedience so that He may show mercy to all.
The shutting up of all in disobedience was an action INITIATED BY GOD for the SOLE purpose of DISPLAYING HIS MERCY. Mercy was not a side product of the fall but an intricate part of the nature of God. Thank God for a disobedient Adam.
The whole purpose for our existence is for God to bring sons into the knowledge of their Father and their elder brother. The human race is on a remarkable journey indeed. We are coming to a place where we will finally Know God, and THIS IS LIFE.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
The purpose of the Lake of Fire
The Lake of Fire is mentioned only in the book of Revelation. Ask any Christian and their imaginations will come alive with ideas about the Lake of Fire. But what exactly is this Lake of Fire or more importantly what is it's purpose? Consider:
Revelation 19:20
20 And the beast was seized, and with him the false prophet who performed the signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image; these two were thrown alive into the lake of fire which burns with brimstone.
Okay, we see here that the Beast and false prophet are cast into this lake of fire. What else do we know:
Revelation 20:10
10 and the Devil, who is leading them astray, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where [are] the beast and the false prophet, and they shall be tormented day and night -- to the ages of the ages.
Here we see that the devil will be thrown into this lake of fire. What else:
Revelation 21:8
8 But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”
Revelation 20:15
15 And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
From these two verses we can see that ANYONE (HUMANS) not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire. What else:
Revelation 20:14
14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.
There you have it; ALL the verses that mention the Lake of Fire. I left Revelation 20:14 until last because it gives us a link to understanding what this lake of fire is and its purpose. John saw where DEATH was cast into the lake of fire. This is important to know because another writer talks about death as well. Consider:
1 Corinthians 15:25-26
25 For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. 26 The last enemy that will be abolished is death.
Paul tells us that Christ must reign until God has put ALL his enemies under his feet. Paul then goes on to say that the LAST enemy will be death. Paul makes sure to say the 'LAST' enemy because there are other enemies that will be abolished. Who are the other enemies? John lists them in Revelation 19:20, 20:10, 21:8 and 21:15 (see above). Altogether the enemies of God are those who REMAIN disobedient in this age. These enemies of God are all to be abolished as Paul says. So how does God abolish death? John tells us how; God abolishes death by casting it into the Lake of Fire. Now here is where the purpose of Lake of Fire is revealed.
John says that Death along with the enemies of God will be cast into the Lake of Fire, Paul says that death and the enemies of God will be abolished. But what does abolish mean?
1 Corinthians 15:25-27
25 For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. 26 The last enemy that will be abolished is death. 27 For HE has put all things in SUBJECTION under His feet.
Paul tells us that the enemies of God will be abolished BY being SUBJECTED under the feet of Christ. Okay, let's look at this:
John says ALL the enemies of God will be cast into the Lake of Fire.
Paul says ALL the enemies of God will be put in subjection under Christ's feet.
Therefore, we MUST conclude that the 'Lake of Fire' and 'Subjection under the feet of Christ' has to be the SAME thing. So how do we find out what is the purpose of the Lake of Fire? We discover its purpose when we understand the meaning of the word 'SUBJECT'. The word subject in this passage is the Greek word 'hupotasso', and this word means, 'TO BRING UNDER CONTROL AND TO MAKE OBEDIENT'. Now we can see the purpose of the lake of fire:
The Lake of Fire is a process used by God to bring ALL His enemies under control thus MAKING them obedient to Christ.
It is AT this point when ALL the enemies of God, that is, everyone not written into the book of life because of DISOBEDIENCE will be MADE OBEDIENT.
Those chosen by God are made obedient NOW, but later ALL will be made obedient. (See post 'Everyone will be salted by Fire')
Revelation 19:20
20 And the beast was seized, and with him the false prophet who performed the signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image; these two were thrown alive into the lake of fire which burns with brimstone.
Okay, we see here that the Beast and false prophet are cast into this lake of fire. What else do we know:
Revelation 20:10
10 and the Devil, who is leading them astray, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where [are] the beast and the false prophet, and they shall be tormented day and night -- to the ages of the ages.
Here we see that the devil will be thrown into this lake of fire. What else:
Revelation 21:8
8 But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”
Revelation 20:15
15 And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
From these two verses we can see that ANYONE (HUMANS) not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire. What else:
Revelation 20:14
14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.
There you have it; ALL the verses that mention the Lake of Fire. I left Revelation 20:14 until last because it gives us a link to understanding what this lake of fire is and its purpose. John saw where DEATH was cast into the lake of fire. This is important to know because another writer talks about death as well. Consider:
1 Corinthians 15:25-26
25 For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. 26 The last enemy that will be abolished is death.
Paul tells us that Christ must reign until God has put ALL his enemies under his feet. Paul then goes on to say that the LAST enemy will be death. Paul makes sure to say the 'LAST' enemy because there are other enemies that will be abolished. Who are the other enemies? John lists them in Revelation 19:20, 20:10, 21:8 and 21:15 (see above). Altogether the enemies of God are those who REMAIN disobedient in this age. These enemies of God are all to be abolished as Paul says. So how does God abolish death? John tells us how; God abolishes death by casting it into the Lake of Fire. Now here is where the purpose of Lake of Fire is revealed.
John says that Death along with the enemies of God will be cast into the Lake of Fire, Paul says that death and the enemies of God will be abolished. But what does abolish mean?
1 Corinthians 15:25-27
25 For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. 26 The last enemy that will be abolished is death. 27 For HE has put all things in SUBJECTION under His feet.
Paul tells us that the enemies of God will be abolished BY being SUBJECTED under the feet of Christ. Okay, let's look at this:
John says ALL the enemies of God will be cast into the Lake of Fire.
Paul says ALL the enemies of God will be put in subjection under Christ's feet.
Therefore, we MUST conclude that the 'Lake of Fire' and 'Subjection under the feet of Christ' has to be the SAME thing. So how do we find out what is the purpose of the Lake of Fire? We discover its purpose when we understand the meaning of the word 'SUBJECT'. The word subject in this passage is the Greek word 'hupotasso', and this word means, 'TO BRING UNDER CONTROL AND TO MAKE OBEDIENT'. Now we can see the purpose of the lake of fire:
The Lake of Fire is a process used by God to bring ALL His enemies under control thus MAKING them obedient to Christ.
It is AT this point when ALL the enemies of God, that is, everyone not written into the book of life because of DISOBEDIENCE will be MADE OBEDIENT.
Those chosen by God are made obedient NOW, but later ALL will be made obedient. (See post 'Everyone will be salted by Fire')
Thursday, October 6, 2011
You shall not surely die...
The title statement is the first recorded lie in the bible, and indeed in all of creation. It was uttered by a serpent in the garden and it was directed towards Eve. Not only was this the first lie, but it remains the most ENDURING lie of all time. I say that it endures because this particular lie is the most pervasive lie today. What makes it even more heinous is that this lie now parades itself as a THEOLOGICAL TRUTH.
Well we know what happened, Eve and Adam ate the fruit and just as true as God spoke it death entered the world. I think we can all agree that we have been dying ever since. But what exactly is death? Death was first mentioned by God as punishment for disobeying him. Death literally means the cessation of life or lifelessness. In essence life IS what death IS NOT.
The prevailing Christian thought on death is that at the moment you die, that is your body dies, the 'real' you travels to some other place. If you have been righteous in life you are welcomed into heaven, and if you have been unrighteous in life then you will be cast into a bad bad place. But is it true? Let us look at some problems with this view:
1- The Christian teaching on death assumes that when you die you continue to live. This is based on, depending on who you talk to, presumptions that your body is not you and the real you lives inside of your body. The big problem with this, IF IT WERE TRUE, is that that would mean upon birth in this life you would have IMMORTALITY. Immortality means being unable to die. Think about it, if you die but the real you continues to live then that means that YOU HAVE NEVER EXPEREICED DEATH. That would also mean that you are IMMORTAL. What would be the point of God's punishment for Adam's disobedience? What does the bible say about this?
1 Timothy 6:16
16 (GOD) who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen.
Paul tells us that God is the ONLY one who possesses immortality, no one else possesses it YET. In fact Paul tells us that we will, IN THE FUTURE, be GIVEN immortality.
1 Corinthians 15:51-54
51 Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
It is NOWHERE written that this process takes place upon ones death. IN FACT PAUL CLEARLY SAYS THAT IT WILL HAPPEN AT THE LAST TRUMPET.
2-Jesus NEVER taught this. In fact Jesus confirms that when you die you are in fact DEAD, not alive somewhere else but DEAD. Consider these words:
John 14:3
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
This one is a doozy! Jesus is comforting his disciples by telling them he is going to prepare a place for them. Now Christians teach that upon death we go to heaven to be with the Lord. How can this be when in the above verse he says:
...I will come again, and receive you unto myself; THAT WHERE I AM, THERE YE MAY BE ALSO.
Does anyone see the contradiction here? If when you die you go to be with Jesus in heaven how is it that he tells you that he 'will come again to RECEIVE you unto myself'. But they teach that you are already in heaven with Jesus! Then he continues, 'that where I am THERE YE may be also'. Wow! This being with Jesus DOES NOT EVEN HAPPEN UNTIL AFTER HE RETURNS!
Jesus even goes further when he says the following:
John 5:28-29
28 Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice, 29 and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment.
Do you see this? Let's ask Jesus some questions:
Christian teacher: Mr. Jesus, Sir, where are dead christians right now? In heaven right?
Jesus: No they are in their graves
Christian teacher: but we teach that when you return christians who have died will come back with you because they are already in heaven with you.
Jesus: No, upon my return the dead will hear my voice FROM WITHIN THEIR TOMBS
Christian teacher: errr.... Jesus we don't teach that.
Jesus: well guess which one of us is right.
3-The concept of resurrection is negated if we CONTINUE to live upon death. Just think about it. The word resurrect means to RESTORE TO LIFE. Why would we need to be resurrected of we are not dead. But beyond that consider how the bible uses the term:
Luke 20:35-36
35 But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage: 36 Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection.
Do we REALLY read the bible? JESUS tells us here those who are resurrected FROM THE DEAD cannot die ANYMORE. Why would he say this if they were living with him in heaven? Why would he say that if they were NEVER REALLY DEAD? Additionally, Christians today believe that when you die we will be translated into our spiritual bodies, but Jesus says that we will only be EQUAL to the angels AFTER THE RESURRECTION. Paul tells us as much:
1 Corinthians 15:44
44 it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.
Why do we continue to teach error even in the presence of CLEAR truth?
1 Thessalonians 4:16
16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
Who is it that will rise first? And what will they be raised to do? The very next verse tells us that they will 'MEET the Lord in the air, AND SO SHALL WE EVER BE WITH THE LORD'. THIS IS THE POINT WHEN THE DEAD WILL FIRST meet Jesus. If you think that's mind-blowing, guess what. PAUL IS STILL DEAD AND HE HASN'T MET THE LORD YET, neither has ANY OTHER Christian who has died.
Where did this teaching come from?
To those who believe the prevailing Christian thought on death, this teaching comes from the same verse you have been probably shouting at you computer since you started reading this post. The verse is:
2 Corinthians 5:8
8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
Ahhh, you say, doesn't this verse tell us that if we are absent from the body we will be present with the Lord. Let us examine this. To what does Jesus and Paul liken death?
1 Corinthians 15:51
51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep...
John 11:11
11 These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.
1 Corinthians 11:30
30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.
I believe that the comparison of death to sleep was divinely inspired by God to convey to us an understanding of death. Most people when they go to sleep at night they wake at morning. If you are a sound sleeper like most you can go to sleep at 10 pm and awake at 6am. Here is the marvel of sleep, 8 HOURS WOULD HAVE PASSED AND YOU WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN AWARE OF ANY OF THEM. Your last memory would be of you falling asleep and then presto you are awake. This is EXACTLY how death is. For the believer they die (fall asleep) and their NEXT conscious thought is hearing the voice of Jesus FROM THEIR TOMBS. They would NOT BE AWARE OF ONE SECOND of any length of time that might have passed. So Paul is correct in his assertion that ABSENT FROM THE BODY he will be PRESENT WITH THE LORD. After all we have these witnesses:
Ecclesiastes 9:5
5 For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing...
And
Psalms 6:5
5 For in death there is no remembrance of thee:
The summation of the matter is that when you die you are DEAD. You are not somewhere else with wings or looking down from some great cloud. You are DEAD. Death makes you dead.
Well we know what happened, Eve and Adam ate the fruit and just as true as God spoke it death entered the world. I think we can all agree that we have been dying ever since. But what exactly is death? Death was first mentioned by God as punishment for disobeying him. Death literally means the cessation of life or lifelessness. In essence life IS what death IS NOT.
The prevailing Christian thought on death is that at the moment you die, that is your body dies, the 'real' you travels to some other place. If you have been righteous in life you are welcomed into heaven, and if you have been unrighteous in life then you will be cast into a bad bad place. But is it true? Let us look at some problems with this view:
1- The Christian teaching on death assumes that when you die you continue to live. This is based on, depending on who you talk to, presumptions that your body is not you and the real you lives inside of your body. The big problem with this, IF IT WERE TRUE, is that that would mean upon birth in this life you would have IMMORTALITY. Immortality means being unable to die. Think about it, if you die but the real you continues to live then that means that YOU HAVE NEVER EXPEREICED DEATH. That would also mean that you are IMMORTAL. What would be the point of God's punishment for Adam's disobedience? What does the bible say about this?
1 Timothy 6:16
16 (GOD) who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen.
Paul tells us that God is the ONLY one who possesses immortality, no one else possesses it YET. In fact Paul tells us that we will, IN THE FUTURE, be GIVEN immortality.
1 Corinthians 15:51-54
51 Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
It is NOWHERE written that this process takes place upon ones death. IN FACT PAUL CLEARLY SAYS THAT IT WILL HAPPEN AT THE LAST TRUMPET.
2-Jesus NEVER taught this. In fact Jesus confirms that when you die you are in fact DEAD, not alive somewhere else but DEAD. Consider these words:
John 14:3
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
This one is a doozy! Jesus is comforting his disciples by telling them he is going to prepare a place for them. Now Christians teach that upon death we go to heaven to be with the Lord. How can this be when in the above verse he says:
...I will come again, and receive you unto myself; THAT WHERE I AM, THERE YE MAY BE ALSO.
Does anyone see the contradiction here? If when you die you go to be with Jesus in heaven how is it that he tells you that he 'will come again to RECEIVE you unto myself'. But they teach that you are already in heaven with Jesus! Then he continues, 'that where I am THERE YE may be also'. Wow! This being with Jesus DOES NOT EVEN HAPPEN UNTIL AFTER HE RETURNS!
Jesus even goes further when he says the following:
John 5:28-29
28 Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice, 29 and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment.
Do you see this? Let's ask Jesus some questions:
Christian teacher: Mr. Jesus, Sir, where are dead christians right now? In heaven right?
Jesus: No they are in their graves
Christian teacher: but we teach that when you return christians who have died will come back with you because they are already in heaven with you.
Jesus: No, upon my return the dead will hear my voice FROM WITHIN THEIR TOMBS
Christian teacher: errr.... Jesus we don't teach that.
Jesus: well guess which one of us is right.
3-The concept of resurrection is negated if we CONTINUE to live upon death. Just think about it. The word resurrect means to RESTORE TO LIFE. Why would we need to be resurrected of we are not dead. But beyond that consider how the bible uses the term:
Luke 20:35-36
35 But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage: 36 Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection.
Do we REALLY read the bible? JESUS tells us here those who are resurrected FROM THE DEAD cannot die ANYMORE. Why would he say this if they were living with him in heaven? Why would he say that if they were NEVER REALLY DEAD? Additionally, Christians today believe that when you die we will be translated into our spiritual bodies, but Jesus says that we will only be EQUAL to the angels AFTER THE RESURRECTION. Paul tells us as much:
1 Corinthians 15:44
44 it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.
Why do we continue to teach error even in the presence of CLEAR truth?
1 Thessalonians 4:16
16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
Who is it that will rise first? And what will they be raised to do? The very next verse tells us that they will 'MEET the Lord in the air, AND SO SHALL WE EVER BE WITH THE LORD'. THIS IS THE POINT WHEN THE DEAD WILL FIRST meet Jesus. If you think that's mind-blowing, guess what. PAUL IS STILL DEAD AND HE HASN'T MET THE LORD YET, neither has ANY OTHER Christian who has died.
Where did this teaching come from?
To those who believe the prevailing Christian thought on death, this teaching comes from the same verse you have been probably shouting at you computer since you started reading this post. The verse is:
2 Corinthians 5:8
8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
Ahhh, you say, doesn't this verse tell us that if we are absent from the body we will be present with the Lord. Let us examine this. To what does Jesus and Paul liken death?
1 Corinthians 15:51
51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep...
John 11:11
11 These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.
1 Corinthians 11:30
30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.
I believe that the comparison of death to sleep was divinely inspired by God to convey to us an understanding of death. Most people when they go to sleep at night they wake at morning. If you are a sound sleeper like most you can go to sleep at 10 pm and awake at 6am. Here is the marvel of sleep, 8 HOURS WOULD HAVE PASSED AND YOU WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN AWARE OF ANY OF THEM. Your last memory would be of you falling asleep and then presto you are awake. This is EXACTLY how death is. For the believer they die (fall asleep) and their NEXT conscious thought is hearing the voice of Jesus FROM THEIR TOMBS. They would NOT BE AWARE OF ONE SECOND of any length of time that might have passed. So Paul is correct in his assertion that ABSENT FROM THE BODY he will be PRESENT WITH THE LORD. After all we have these witnesses:
Ecclesiastes 9:5
5 For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing...
And
Psalms 6:5
5 For in death there is no remembrance of thee:
The summation of the matter is that when you die you are DEAD. You are not somewhere else with wings or looking down from some great cloud. You are DEAD. Death makes you dead.
Monday, October 3, 2011
The myth of Eternal.
Eternal is defined as 'having no beginning and no end; lasting forever; always existing'.
Our understanding of the word eternal is paramount in our understanding of God. The word eternal occurs 45 times in the New Testament of the King James version of the bible. The word is used to reference many things that are considered important, we have:
Eternal life
Eternal punishment
Eternal damnation
Eternal power
Eternal weight of glory
Eternal unseen
Eternal building in the heavens
Eternal purpose
Eternal king
Eternal glory
Eternal salvation
Eternal judgment
Eternal redemption
Eternal spirit
Eternal inheritance
Eternal fire
At issue is NOT the word eternal, because this word identifies a concept that serves an essential purpose in understanding in the English language. What is at issue is it's use by the translators of the bible. Contrary to popular belief the bible was not written in English. EVERY version of the bible we have today is a TRANSLATION. This is important to know, because in studying the bible one must realize that in order to have the BEST understanding we must get as close to the ORIGINAL source language as possible. The importance of this is most profound in our reading of the KING JAMES version because this version is A TRANSLATION OF A TRANSLATION OF THE ORIGINAL TEXT. That said let us examine the issue at hand.
If something is ETERNAL it CANNOT have a beginning. Revisiting the definition of the word eternal as 'having no beginning and no ending' some things become immediately apparent. By nature of the concept of eternal anything that is eternal MUST HAVE ALWAYS BEEN. So something CANNOT be eternal if it had not ALREADY been occurring for ALL eternity. Therefore, an eternal state CANNOT be entered. One must have ALWAYS been, in order for one to inhabit the ETERNAL. Eternity, and it's alter ego forever, can ONLY be attributed to God. By it's very nature the concept of eternal in its application to anything created, is FLAWED.
Let us look at the word eternal in the scriptures and let us ask the hard question. Does its usage make sense?
2 Corinthians 5:1
For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
This verse can be connected to the statement of Jesus:
John 14:2
2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
By the definition of 'eternal' Paul's statement here makes no sense. If this building from God is 'eternal in the heavens' then how could Jesus have said I go to prepare a place. By the very definition of eternal IT MUST HAVE ALWAYS BEEN. So Paul is telling us that there is a building for us THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN, yet Jesus tells us that he is GOING to prepare a place. How can he GO AND PREPARE something that ALWAYS WAS?
Ephesians 3:11
11 This was in accordance with the eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord,
Now what was this eternal purpose? The answer is in the preceding verse:
Ephesians 3:10
10 so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places.
Now since this is the stated 'eternal' purpose does it make sense using the definition of the word eternal? There will come a time when the manifold wisdom of God will be known by everybody. Once it becomes known to everyone will this purpose continue OR will it be accomplished?
Let us consider Jesus' use of the word eternal. Consider the most famous of all:
John 3:16
16 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
Christians today see this as the greatest of all promises. Jesus is telling us that if we believe in him we will have eternal life. But I ask you, DOES THIS MAKE SENSE? How can we be given a life that NEVER BEGINS AND NEVER ENDS. Think about this, one cannot be GIVEN eternal life. Eternal means no beginning and no ending; this makes no sense, because at some point your 'eternal' life will BEGIN. If this word was correct then that would mean that YOU ALWAYS WERE, and that would ALSO mean that you can carry the grandiose title,
'he who was, and is and is to come'.
Let us look at this verse again using the definition of eternal:
...that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have a life that has NEVER begun and will never end.
HOW CAN THIS BE SINCE THERE WAS A TIME WHEN YOU WERE NOT!!!!
Here again, consider a question asked of Jesus:
Matthew 19:16
16 And someone came to Him and said, Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?
The rich ruler asked the question because he KNEW that this life that he was seeking was something that he did not yet have. If he already had it he would not ask how to obtain it. Understanding that he asks how to obtain it mean that it was something that could be acquired, but eternal life has no beginning. Again we see the word 'eternal' making no sense. In using the word eternal this is what he asked Jesus:
Teacher what good thing must I do to obtain a life that never began and never ends. If he did not already have this life then upon acquiring the life THAT IS WHEN IT WILL BEGIN.
Let us examine Jesus' use of the word in regards to judgment:
Matthew 25:46
46 These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.
Can you see the immediate problems with this verse? Here Jesus is telling the goats of his parable that they will suffer ETERNAL PUNISHMENT. How can this be? Eternal means having no beginning and no ending, so how can they be promised a punishment to which they ARE NOT YET EXPERIENCING. For this interpretation to be correct there would have to have NEVER been a time when they were NOT suffering punishment.
Something is terribly wrong with the use of the word eternal in these bible translations. So what is the problem? Remember I said that the King James is a translation of a translation? In each of these cases where eternal is used, and many more besides, the word is translated from the Greek word AIONIOS or AION to the LATIN word AETERNUM to the ENGLISH word ETERNAL. Here is the trouble. The translators translated AION (the noun) and AIONIOS (the adjective) as the English word ETERNAL. This was INCORRECT since we can see that the use of the word DOES NOT make any sense in the contexts that it is used. An AION is defined as AN INDEFINITE FIXED PERIOD OF TIME. While time in the period is indefinite it DOES NOT MEAN having no beginning and no ending. Therefore, we can easily conclude that AION cannot be interchangeable with eternal because a word cannot simultaneously be 'a fixed period of time' AND AT THE SAME TIME MEAN 'having no beginning and no ending'. Consider these sentences:
How long has Bob been hitting John with that stick? For an age.
How long has Bob been hitting John with that stick? Eternally.
Do these sentences mean the same thing? In one sentence Bob at SOME point BEGAN to hit John with the stick. In the other sentence THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A TIME WHEN BOB WAS NOT HITTING JOHN WITH THE STICK. This simple example proves that AION (age) cannot be interchangeable with ETERNAL.
Let us look at a verse with the new understanding of the TRUE word AION:
...that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have a life AIONION (AGE ABIDING, AGE LASTING)
But you say isn't God eternal?
Yes he is and Paul uses ANOTHER word to describe him:
Romans 1:20
20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.
Now this is very interesting, Paul describes God by saying he has ETERNAL power and divine nature. On it's surface one can make the case that since it is used in connection with God it cannot mean that God has power only for an age (AION). This is where the translators were inconsistent, because the word translated 'eternal' in this verse is the word AIDIOS and it DOES MEAN ETERNAL in the english sense and is ONLY used in the bible TWICE and both times it is used in connection with God and his power.
It is therefore clear that the translation of the word AION to ETERNAL is erroneous since it makes no sense to our proper understanding of the word of God. The summation of all of this is that and ETERNAL life can NEVER begin.
Our understanding of the word eternal is paramount in our understanding of God. The word eternal occurs 45 times in the New Testament of the King James version of the bible. The word is used to reference many things that are considered important, we have:
Eternal life
Eternal punishment
Eternal damnation
Eternal power
Eternal weight of glory
Eternal unseen
Eternal building in the heavens
Eternal purpose
Eternal king
Eternal glory
Eternal salvation
Eternal judgment
Eternal redemption
Eternal spirit
Eternal inheritance
Eternal fire
At issue is NOT the word eternal, because this word identifies a concept that serves an essential purpose in understanding in the English language. What is at issue is it's use by the translators of the bible. Contrary to popular belief the bible was not written in English. EVERY version of the bible we have today is a TRANSLATION. This is important to know, because in studying the bible one must realize that in order to have the BEST understanding we must get as close to the ORIGINAL source language as possible. The importance of this is most profound in our reading of the KING JAMES version because this version is A TRANSLATION OF A TRANSLATION OF THE ORIGINAL TEXT. That said let us examine the issue at hand.
If something is ETERNAL it CANNOT have a beginning. Revisiting the definition of the word eternal as 'having no beginning and no ending' some things become immediately apparent. By nature of the concept of eternal anything that is eternal MUST HAVE ALWAYS BEEN. So something CANNOT be eternal if it had not ALREADY been occurring for ALL eternity. Therefore, an eternal state CANNOT be entered. One must have ALWAYS been, in order for one to inhabit the ETERNAL. Eternity, and it's alter ego forever, can ONLY be attributed to God. By it's very nature the concept of eternal in its application to anything created, is FLAWED.
Let us look at the word eternal in the scriptures and let us ask the hard question. Does its usage make sense?
2 Corinthians 5:1
For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
This verse can be connected to the statement of Jesus:
John 14:2
2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
By the definition of 'eternal' Paul's statement here makes no sense. If this building from God is 'eternal in the heavens' then how could Jesus have said I go to prepare a place. By the very definition of eternal IT MUST HAVE ALWAYS BEEN. So Paul is telling us that there is a building for us THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN, yet Jesus tells us that he is GOING to prepare a place. How can he GO AND PREPARE something that ALWAYS WAS?
Ephesians 3:11
11 This was in accordance with the eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord,
Now what was this eternal purpose? The answer is in the preceding verse:
Ephesians 3:10
10 so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places.
Now since this is the stated 'eternal' purpose does it make sense using the definition of the word eternal? There will come a time when the manifold wisdom of God will be known by everybody. Once it becomes known to everyone will this purpose continue OR will it be accomplished?
Let us consider Jesus' use of the word eternal. Consider the most famous of all:
John 3:16
16 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
Christians today see this as the greatest of all promises. Jesus is telling us that if we believe in him we will have eternal life. But I ask you, DOES THIS MAKE SENSE? How can we be given a life that NEVER BEGINS AND NEVER ENDS. Think about this, one cannot be GIVEN eternal life. Eternal means no beginning and no ending; this makes no sense, because at some point your 'eternal' life will BEGIN. If this word was correct then that would mean that YOU ALWAYS WERE, and that would ALSO mean that you can carry the grandiose title,
'he who was, and is and is to come'.
Let us look at this verse again using the definition of eternal:
...that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have a life that has NEVER begun and will never end.
HOW CAN THIS BE SINCE THERE WAS A TIME WHEN YOU WERE NOT!!!!
Here again, consider a question asked of Jesus:
Matthew 19:16
16 And someone came to Him and said, Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?
The rich ruler asked the question because he KNEW that this life that he was seeking was something that he did not yet have. If he already had it he would not ask how to obtain it. Understanding that he asks how to obtain it mean that it was something that could be acquired, but eternal life has no beginning. Again we see the word 'eternal' making no sense. In using the word eternal this is what he asked Jesus:
Teacher what good thing must I do to obtain a life that never began and never ends. If he did not already have this life then upon acquiring the life THAT IS WHEN IT WILL BEGIN.
Let us examine Jesus' use of the word in regards to judgment:
Matthew 25:46
46 These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.
Can you see the immediate problems with this verse? Here Jesus is telling the goats of his parable that they will suffer ETERNAL PUNISHMENT. How can this be? Eternal means having no beginning and no ending, so how can they be promised a punishment to which they ARE NOT YET EXPERIENCING. For this interpretation to be correct there would have to have NEVER been a time when they were NOT suffering punishment.
Something is terribly wrong with the use of the word eternal in these bible translations. So what is the problem? Remember I said that the King James is a translation of a translation? In each of these cases where eternal is used, and many more besides, the word is translated from the Greek word AIONIOS or AION to the LATIN word AETERNUM to the ENGLISH word ETERNAL. Here is the trouble. The translators translated AION (the noun) and AIONIOS (the adjective) as the English word ETERNAL. This was INCORRECT since we can see that the use of the word DOES NOT make any sense in the contexts that it is used. An AION is defined as AN INDEFINITE FIXED PERIOD OF TIME. While time in the period is indefinite it DOES NOT MEAN having no beginning and no ending. Therefore, we can easily conclude that AION cannot be interchangeable with eternal because a word cannot simultaneously be 'a fixed period of time' AND AT THE SAME TIME MEAN 'having no beginning and no ending'. Consider these sentences:
How long has Bob been hitting John with that stick? For an age.
How long has Bob been hitting John with that stick? Eternally.
Do these sentences mean the same thing? In one sentence Bob at SOME point BEGAN to hit John with the stick. In the other sentence THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A TIME WHEN BOB WAS NOT HITTING JOHN WITH THE STICK. This simple example proves that AION (age) cannot be interchangeable with ETERNAL.
Let us look at a verse with the new understanding of the TRUE word AION:
...that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have a life AIONION (AGE ABIDING, AGE LASTING)
But you say isn't God eternal?
Yes he is and Paul uses ANOTHER word to describe him:
Romans 1:20
20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.
Now this is very interesting, Paul describes God by saying he has ETERNAL power and divine nature. On it's surface one can make the case that since it is used in connection with God it cannot mean that God has power only for an age (AION). This is where the translators were inconsistent, because the word translated 'eternal' in this verse is the word AIDIOS and it DOES MEAN ETERNAL in the english sense and is ONLY used in the bible TWICE and both times it is used in connection with God and his power.
It is therefore clear that the translation of the word AION to ETERNAL is erroneous since it makes no sense to our proper understanding of the word of God. The summation of all of this is that and ETERNAL life can NEVER begin.
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