Results 1261 - 1280 of 1309
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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Author: Radioman2 Ordered by Verse |
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Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1261 | need info on the book of life | Rev 3:5 | Radioman2 | 88693 | ||
Does God Have an Eraser? Rev. 3:4-5 How can I be certain God won't erase my name from the book of life? 'We will begin . . . by looking first at what the New Testament has to say concerning the book of life. (...) 'First Printing 'The apostle John refers to the "book of life" five other times in Revelation. From two of these passages it becomes evident that he certainly did not believe names could be erased: 'And all who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been WRITTEN FROM THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain. Revelation 13:8, emphasis added. 'And those who dwell on the earth will wonder, whose name has not been written in the book of life from the FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD. Revelation 17:8, emphasis added. 'In these passages John informs us about the time when the book of life was filled out. This information comes as a surprise. Without it, our assumption would be that when men or women put their trust in Christ, their names were added at that moment. But that is not the case at all. The book of life has been complete since the foundation of the world. 'By "world," John does not mean "earth." In both passages "earth" and "world" appear. These are from two different Greek words. The one translated "earth" means just that--this ball of dirt upon which we live. The Greek word translated "world" is kosmos from which we get our English word cosmos. 'John is using "world" here to refer to the entire universe (see John 1:3; Acts 17:24). In light of the scientific limitations of John's day, it could very well be a reference to all created things. Either way, his point is the same: THE BOOK OF LIFE WAS FILLED OUT BEFORE THE FIRST ENTRY WAS EVER BORN. 'If that is the case, God's foreknowledge had a great deal to do with who was written in and who was not. In anticipation of Christ's death on man's behalf, God wrote the names of those He knew from eternity past would accept His gracious offer. The apostle Paul had this same idea in mind when he wrote, 'Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. (Ephesians 1:4) 'God wrote before we did anything. He filled out the book of life in anticipation of what He knew we would do. Therefore, He did not write in response to what we ACTUALLY did; rather, He wrote in response to what He KNEW we would actually do. 'This distinction is very important. For if God put names in the book as history unfolded--as we actually believed ---it could be argued that He erases them as history unfolds as well. But if God entered names according to His foreknowledge, it follows that He would erase them according to His foreknowledge, which makes no sense at all. If God wrote and erased according to foreknowledge, both His writing and His erasing would be complete before the world began. In that case, no one needs to live with the fear that his or her name will be erased from the book of life sometime in the future. But if that is the case, Revelation 3:5 is no longer a problem. 'Missing Persons 'There is a second reason these passages eliminate the possibility of names being erased. Both passages indicate that the lost people in these verses had never had their names written in the book of life. John does not say these names were simply not in the book at that time. He says, "Everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world." 'Who is he talking about here? "All who dwell on the earth." In other words, no lost persons alive at that time had ever had their names in the book of life. Of course, they had never had their names erased from the book, either. 'The only way around this problem for those who hold to the ERASABLE NAME VIEW is to maintain that all the unsaved people who had their names erased were already dead by this time in history. That is certainly possible, but it is highly unlikely. It is especially unlikely in light of the intense persecution those who name the name of Christ will be facing during this time (see Revelation 13:7).' ---------- Eternal Security: Can You Be Sure? by Dr. Charles Stanley (http://www.intouch.org/myintouch/exploring/bible_says/eternal_security/erase_149096.html) |
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1262 | need info on the book of life | Rev 3:5 | Radioman2 | 88695 | ||
Book of Life "will never be altered." Rev 3:5 "Book of Life." A divine journal records the names of all those whom God has chosen to save and who, therefore, are to possess eternal life ( Rev 13:8; 17:8; 20:12, 15; 21:27,: 22:19; compare Dan 12:1; Luke 10:20). Under no circumstances will He erase those names . . . , as city officials often did of undesirable people on their roles. (MacArthur Study Bible, p. 1996) Phil 4:3. "Book of Life." In eternity past, God registered all the names of His elect in that book which identifies those inheritors of eternal life . . . (MacArthur Study Bible, p. 1828). When were our names written in the book of life? "From the foundation of the world." Before the first man was ever born, the names of the elect were written in the book of life. Rev 17:8 NASB "The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to come up out of the abyss and go to destruction. And those who dwell on the earth, whose name has not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, will wonder when they see the beast, that he was and is not and will come." Rev 13:8 (NASB) All who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain. "Lamb slain". The Lord Jesus who died to purchase the salvation of those whom God had chosen was fulfilling an eternal plan. "from the foundation of the world". According to God's eternal, electing purpose before creation, the death of Christ seals the redemption of the elect forever (compare Acts 2:23; 4:27, 28). Antichrist can never take away the salvation of the elect. The eternal registry of the elect will never be altered, nor will the saved in the Antichrist's day worship him. (MacArthur Study Bible, p. 2010) |
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1263 | need info on the book of life | Rev 3:5 | Radioman2 | 88698 | ||
He who overcomes shall thus be clothed in white garments; and I will not erase his name from the book of life. Revelation 3:5 "It is unfortunate that this passage in Revelation has become a focal point of controversy. The result has been a fixation on what the verse does not say rather than what it does say. This verse was never intended as a warning. Within its context there is nothing negative or foreboding about these words. In fact, it makes a strong statement in favor of eternal security. It is a passage of encouragement and praise. "The comments are directed to a group of faithful believers from the church in Sardis. Unlike the majority of the folks in their congregation, this handful of members had remained unsoiled by the world around them. The verse in question contains Christ's commendation to this group for their consistent walk. "To assume from what is said here that God will possibly erase names from the book of life is to read into the text a concept clearly not present. At best, it is an argument from silence, for the verse simply reads, "And I will not erase his name from the book of life." If this statement raises doubts for some about eternal security, they would do well to search the Scriptures for an answer. But to base one's answer to this important question on this verse is to adopt a method of study with the potential of leading to all kinds of problematic conclusions." (...) "The good news is, God's pencil has no eraser. Before you breathed your first word, God knew how you would respond to His offer of grace. According to His foreknowledge, He wrote your name in the book of life. And there it shall remain forever. Jesus said it this way: "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow me; and I give eternal life to them, and they shall never perish; and no one shall snatch them out of My hand. John 10.27-28 "And as if that were not clear enough: "My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. John 10.29 " (To read the entire article, which I suggest you do before you post questions, go to: http://www.intouch.org/myintouch/exploring/bible_says/eternal_security/erase_149096.html) |
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1264 | Jesus Created or Creator??? | Rev 3:14 | Radioman2 | 95943 | ||
"Firstborn does not require a meaning of first created as the Jehovah's Witnesses say it means here." 'The Jehovah's Witnesses and Col. 1:15 '"He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; because by means of him all [other] things were created in the heavens and upon the earth, the things visible and the things invisible, no matter whether they are thrones or lordships or governments or authorities. All [other] things have been created through him and for him. Also, he is before all [other] things and by means of him all [other] things were made to exists." (Col. 1:15-17, for context. The New World Translation - Emphasis added. Note the NWT’s addition of “other” into the text four times. This is discussed here (col1_16-17.htm).) 'The Jehovah's Witnesses interpret the word "firstborn" here to mean "first created" because it is consistent with their theological presupposition that Jesus is a created thing. Of course, Jesus, the word become flesh (John 1:1,14) is not a created thing. But that hasn't stopped the Watchtower organization from claiming He is. Nevertheless, there is a Greek word for "first created" and it was in use at the time of Paul's writing to the Colossians. He did not use it here. The Greek for "firstborn" is proto with tikto which would give us "firstborn" and that is what we find here in Colossians 1:15. The Greek for "first created" would be proto with ktizo and it is not used here. 'Second, the biblical use of the word "firstborn" is most interesting. It can mean the first born child in a family (Luke 2:7), but it can also mean "pre-eminence." In Psalm 89:20, 27 it says, "I have found David My servant; with My holy oil I have anointed him...I also shall make him My first-born" (NASB). As you can see, David, who was the last one born in his family was called the firstborn by God. This is a title of preeminence. 'Third, firstborn is also a title that is transferable: '- Gen. 41:51-52, "And Joseph called the name of the first-born Manasseh: For, said he, God hath made me forget all my toil, and all my father’s house. And the name of the second called he Ephraim: For God hath made me fruitful in the land of my affliction" (NASB) '- Jer. 31:9, "...for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is My firstborn (NASB)." 'Scripture best interprets scripture. Firstborn does not require a meaning of first created as the Jehovah's Witnesses say it means here. "Firstborn" can mean the first born person in a family and it can also be a title of preeminence which is transferable. That is obvious since Jesus is God in flesh (John 1:1,14) and is also the first born son of Mary. In addition, He is the pre-eminent one in all things. The Jehovah's Witnesses should consider this when they examine Col. 1:15. They should also abandon the Watchtower which guides them in their thinking and believing.' ____________________ http://www.carm.org/jw/col1_15.htm - - - - - - - - - - - - - --Radioman2 |
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1265 | Jesus Created or Creator??? | Rev 3:14 | Radioman2 | 95945 | ||
"...the Origin and Beginning and Author of God's creation" AMPLIFIED Revelation 3:14 And to the angel (messenger) of the assembly (church) in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the trusty and faithful and true Witness, the Origin and Beginning and Author of God's creation: [Isa. 55:4; Prov. 8:22.] |
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1266 | Jesus Created or Creator??? | Rev 3:14 | Radioman2 | 96030 | ||
Makarios: The question you ask is: "How, may I ask, do you interpret Hebrews 1:8?" The answer you get may be to the question, which you did not ask: How does the Watchtower Society TRANSLATE Hebrews 1:8? But with reference to the Son: "God is your throne forever and ever, and [the] scepter of your kingdom is the scepter of uprightness." (Hebrews 1:8 NWT) Radioman2 |
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1267 | Jesus Created or Creator??? | Rev 3:14 | Radioman2 | 96037 | ||
'The Jehovah's Witnesses and Hebrews 1:8 and Psalm 45:6 ____________________ 'To say "God is your throne" doesn't make sense.' 'The Watchtower organization denies that Jesus is God. Therefore, it cannot permit any verses in the Bible to even hint that Jesus is God. That is why they choose a translation that does not best fit the context or overall theology of the Bible.' ____________________ '"But with reference to the Son: 'God is your throne forever and ever, and [the] scepter of your kingdom is the scepter of uprightness'" The New World Translation. 'In this particularly interesting verse, God is addressing the Son. The Greek construction of Hebrews 1:8 allows the text to be translated in two legitimate ways: '"God is your throne forever and ever.... and '"Thy Throne O God, is forever and ever..." 'But because of the Watchtower presupposition that Jesus is not God, they choose the first version, otherwise, the Father would be calling Jesus God and that goes against Jehovah's Witness theology. Yet, most Bibles do not translate it the way the New World Translation does. They choose the other way. Why? Two reasons. 'First, Heb. 1:8 is a quote from Psalm 45:6, which says, '"Thy Throne, O God, is forever and ever; a scepter of uprightness is the scepter of Thy Kingdom" (All Bible quotes are from the NASB). 'In fact, the ASV, KJV, NIV, and NKJV all translated it as "Your throne, O God..." The RSV translates it as "Your divine throne endures for ever and ever," "but this is a highly unlikely translation because it requires understanding the Hebrew noun for "thrown" in construct state, something extremely unusual when a noun has a pronomial suffix, as this one does...The KJV, NIV, and NASB all take the verse in its plain, straightforward sense, as do the ancient translations..."1 'When we look at the Hebrew, we see that there is no grammatical requirement for this translation, though it is considered to be the best translation by most translators. In and of itself, this is not conclusive because the context of this verse in Psalm 45 is dealing with a king which would make one wonder why he would be addressed as God. But, it is not uncommon for NT writers to take a verse in the OT that seemingly deals with one subject and apply it to another. They knew something we didn't. In fact, in Ezekiel 28:12-17 is a section that deals with the fall of the devil. Verse 13 says describes how he was in the garden of Eden. Verse 14 says he was the anointed cherub, (v. 15), etc. But the context of this section begins with an address to the king of Tyre (v. 12). Yet, right after Ezekiel is told to write to the King of Tyre he then goes on to describe what the great majority of theologians agree with is a description of the devil's fall. So, we need to look at the context that the writer of Hebrews put Psalm 45:6 into. He addressed it to Jesus. Therefore, Psalm 45 is a Messianic Psalm and must in interpreted in light of the NT, not the other way around. 'Nevertheless, the context of this verse follows: '"For to which of the angels did He ever say, "Thou are My son, Today I have begotten Thee"? And again, "I will be a Father to Him, and He shall be a Son to Me"? 6And when he again brings the first-born into the world, He says, "And let all the angels of God worship Him." 7And of the angels He says "Who makes His angels winds, and His ministers a flame of fire." 8But of the Son He says, "Thy Throne, O God, is forever and ever, and the righteous scepter is the scepter of His kingdom, 9Thou hast loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; therefore God, Thy God, hath anointed Thee with the oil of gladness above Thy companions. 10And, "Thou, Lord, in the beginning didst lay the foundation of the earth, And the heavens are the works of Thy hands; 11They will perish, but though remainest...." (Heb. 1:5-11). 'To say "God is your throne" doesn't make sense. What does it mean to say, "But to which of the angels did he say, God is your throne." What would that mean? Is God, Jesus' throne? God alone is on His throne and He isn't a throne for anyone else. (. . . ) 'The Watchtower organization denies that Jesus is God. Therefore, it cannot permit any verses in the Bible to even hint that Jesus is God. That is why they choose a translation that does not best fit the context or overall theology of the Bible.' ________________ 1. Grudem, Wayne, Systematic Theology, Intervarsity Press, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1994, page 227. ________________ (www.carm.org/jw/heb1_8.htm) --Radioman2 |
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1268 | Are Footnotes Biblical Evidence? :-) | Rev 3:14 | Radioman2 | 96093 | ||
For By Him All Things Were Created NASB Colossians 1:16 For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things have been created through Him and for Him. The Bible teaches that by Christ all things were created. Some say that Christ Himself is a created being. If both these statements are true, then Christ created Himself -- since he created all things. Of course the idea that Christ created Himself is absurd. Therefore, since the Bible is true, then it is not true that He is a created being. He Himself Existed Before All Things NASB Colossians 1:17 He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. AMPLIFIED Colossians 1:17 And He Himself existed before all things, and in Him all things consist (cohere, are held together). [Prov. 8:22-31.] A. The Bible teaches that Christ Himself existed BEFORE all things. B. Some say that Christ Himself is a created being.* If both A and B are true, then Christ existed before He existed, which is impossible. Therefore, since the Bible is true, then it is not true that He is a created being.* ____________________ *created being. All things would include Christ. In Colossians 1:16 "all things" include "rulers or authorities", which are beings or persons, as Christ is. ******************** Tim: Of course, I agree with you. I thought you might find this post interesting. --Radioman2 |
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1269 | Jesus Created or Creator??? | Rev 3:14 | Radioman2 | 96120 | ||
IS JESUS WISDOM? 'JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES AND PROVERBS 8:22 'According to Jehovah's Witnesses Jesus is wisdom in Proverbs 8:22. Is Proverbs 8:22 speaking about Jesus? Jehovah's Witnesses teach that Jesus is being spoken of in Proverbs 8:22 and was created by God before all other things were created. What is going to be shown here is what Jehovah's Witnesses believe, and teach others concerning Proverbs 8:22, and look at the context of Proverbs 8:22 to see what exactly this passage is saying. 'In the Jehovah's Witnesses brochure called "Should You Believe In The Trinity page 14" they say the following: "Notice how closely those references to the origin of Jesus correlate with expressions uttered by the figurative "Wisdom" in the Bible book of Proverbs: "Yahweh created me, first-fruits of his fashioning, before the oldest of his works. Before the mountains were settled, before the hills, I came to birth; before he had made the earth, the countryside, and the first elements of the world." (Proverbs 8:12, 22, 25, 26, NJB) While the term "Wisdom" is used to personify the one whom God created, most scholars agree that it is actually a figure of speech for Jesus as a spirit creature prior to his human existence." (Should You Believe In The Trinity page 14) Jehovah's Witnesses teach that Jesus is being spoken of in Proverbs 8:22 and that it teaches Wisdom (Jesus) was created. One point that needs to made right at the start. There is no reference to Jesus in Proverbs 8:22 at all. This passage is speaking of Wisdom, and for those who teach this is Jesus the evidence is not there. Another point is that the Jehovah's Witnesses believe that Jesus was God's first creation and therefore believe this to be speaking of Jesus and like to use different Bible Versions that would indicate that this Wisdom was created. There are Bible Versions that have Proverbs 8:22 with the words 'created, producted or made', however there are many Bible Versions that do not. 'BIBLE VERSIONS OF PROVERBS 8:22 THAT SUPPORT JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES '"Jehovah himself produced me as the beginning of his way, the earliest of his achievements of long ago." (New World Translation/ Official Jehovah's Witnesses Bible) '"The Lord created me first of all, the first of his works, long ago." (Todays English Bible) '"The Lord made me as the start of his way, the first of his works in the past." (The Bible In Basic English) 'BIBLE VERSIONS OF PROVERBS 8:22 THAT DO NOT SUPPORT JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES '"The LORD possessed me at the beginning of His way, Before His works of old." (New American Standard Bible) '"Jehovah possessed me in the beginning of his way, Before his works of old." (American Standard Version) '"Jehovah possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old." (Darby Bible) '"Jehovah possessed me--the beginning of His way, Before His works since then." (Youngs Literal Translation) '"The LORD already possessed me long ago, when his way began, before any of his works." (Gods Word Bible) '"Yahweh possessed me in the beginning of his work, Before his deeds of old." (World English Bible) '"The LORD possessed me at the beginning of His way, before His works of old." (Third Millennium Bible) 'Showing the comparison of different Bible Versions shows this is not an easy solution to Proverbs 8:22 and with it reading 'possessed' or 'create, made, produced'. What is the Hebrew word and what does it mean? The Hebrew word here is 'QANAH' and it means: "to own, to attain, buy-er, create, possess(-or), purchase, recover, redeem, provoke to jealously." The Hebrew word 'qanah' has many different definitions and can be used differently depending on the context. The question is how should 'qanah' be used in Proverbs 8:22? In order to rightly interpret the Scriptures the context is the key to understanding what the word means or implies. If someone said they love cats would you think they had a personal relationship with them as human beings do with other human beings? The word love can be used in many different ways and it is understood by the context of how it is used. The standard for rightly interpreting the Scriptures is reading carefully and looking at what is being said, who is sayiing it, and examining it in light of what the Scriptures teach.' ____________________ To read more, including 'EXAMINING PROVERBS 8 IN CONTEXT', go to: (http://www.apologeticsforchristians.homestead.com/JehovahsWitnessesProverbs8.html) |
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1270 | Jesus Created or Creator??? | Rev 3:14 | Radioman2 | 96127 | ||
Truthfinder: You're welcome. And thank you for your reply. Take care. Radioman2 |
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1271 | Jesus Created or Creator??? | Rev 3:14 | Radioman2 | 96132 | ||
Hank: Yes, we do need another cult, preferably one without a creed. You see, if they had no creed, then they wouldn't cause divisions in the church. After all, it is not what the creed summarizes, but the existence of the creed itself that divides. Hopefully the new cult would have no creed. Then we could all be one happy family, without regard to what the cult taught. If you believe that, . . . --Radioman2 :-) |
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1272 | What's this I | Rev 4:1 | Radioman2 | 79559 | ||
'The misrepresentation of John being the church. 'It is said that the church is not present during the events of Revelation because in chapter 4:1, John is called to "come up here". John is said to be a picture of the church, and therefore it (the church) is in heaven during the days of the 70th week of Daniel. But is that a valid inference? Nowhere in all of the New Testament is there warrant to apply the understanding that John represents the church in Rev. 4:1. The context clearly implies that "John" refers to... John, and no one else. He is simply given a heavenly perspective of what is going on behind the visible world and what will take place during the last days. Nothing else. To say otherwise is to grasp at straws to try to support a hollow argument." - - - - - - - - - - - - - 'Why is the church not mentioned in Revelation 4-22? 'By Rev. Charles Cooper 'It is assumed by pretribulationists that the church is not present on earth during the events spoken of in the majority of the book of Revelation. This thinking is based primarily on the absence of the word "church" from Revelation 3:22 to Revelation 20:16. If the "church" is not mentioned, it is concluded, she must have been raptured prior to the events written about. Further, it is assumed that the invitation to the apostle John in Revelation 4:1 to "come up here" is a picture of the rapture of the church preceding the events of the 70th week. 'It is important to examine these assumptions because they clearly attempt to place the rescue of the righteous (the rapture) before Daniel's 70th week and not after. If that is so, it should be clearly taught in Scripture. 'For several compelling reasons, it is a false conclusion to assume that the church will be raptured before the 70th week of Daniel (and for that reason is not mentioned between chapters 4 and 20): '1. The plain teaching of Scripture. Jesus, in the Olivet Discourse (Matthew 24:3-31), outlines the sequence of events in the last days relative to the church. Verses 3-14 parallel Revelation chapter 6 and depict those events from the beginning of the 70th week to the rapture. Then, in verses 15-28, He focuses on the middle time period of that future week (the final 7 years) and emphasizes two key events: (a) a time of great persecution, and (b) the "cut[ting] short" of "those days" of persecution for "the sake of the elect". Finally, in verses 29-31, He highlights what it is that will "cut short" that persecution, the rescue of the elect (the rapture). 'Paul echoes this same teaching in his 2nd letter to the Thessalonians 2:1-12: (a) the apostasy comes first, (b) the revealing of the man of lawlessness, (c) the "challenge" to all who will not bow down to him and worship him "as being God", and (d) the coming of the Lord to "gather together" believers unto Himself. 'In Revelation 6-8, we have the same sequence repeated: (a) the 70th week begins, (b) the pressure builds [seals 1-3], (c) the midpoint [seals 4-5] and apex of the persecution (against the "saints") arrives, (d) the "cut[ting] short" of that persecution with the same cosmic announcement [seal 6] as Jesus spoke of in Matthew 24:29-31 followed by the rapture of the saints (Revelation 7:9ff). There is absolutely no teaching either by hint or by direct instruction that the church will not be present during the 70th week of Daniel. (...) '5. The argument from silence. It is maintained that since the word "church" isn't used again from 3:22 until 22:6, she is absent from the events unfolding during that time period. That's an argument from silence. If we apply that same argument to the gospel of John, we have to conclude that the gospel of John isn't for the church because the word church isn't even mentioned in all of its chapters. Can that be true? 'The overwhelming evidence is that the church is indeed present during the 70th week of Daniel regardless of whether the word is used or not. What one believes must be squarely built on what the Bible clearly says, not on what we might like it to say for whatever reason. What we believe about the last days will have tremendous implications for our lives should we enter those days. Let us be Bereans, searching to see if these things are so. (Acts 17:11)' (http://www.solagroup.org/articles/faqs/faq_0027.html) |
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1273 | What's this about the Rapture? | Rev 4:1 | Radioman2 | 79561 | ||
'The misrepresentation of John being the church. [Duplicate reply to duplicate question.] 'It is said that the church is not present during the events of Revelation because in chapter 4:1, John is called to "come up here". John is said to be a picture of the church, and therefore it (the church) is in heaven during the days of the 70th week of Daniel. But is that a valid inference? Nowhere in all of the New Testament is there warrant to apply the understanding that John represents the church in Rev. 4:1. The context clearly implies that "John" refers to... John, and no one else. He is simply given a heavenly perspective of what is going on behind the visible world and what will take place during the last days. Nothing else. To say otherwise is to grasp at straws to try to support a hollow argument." - - - - - - - - - - - - - 'Why is the church not mentioned in Revelation 4-22? 'By Rev. Charles Cooper 'It is assumed by pretribulationists that the church is not present on earth during the events spoken of in the majority of the book of Revelation. This thinking is based primarily on the absence of the word "church" from Revelation 3:22 to Revelation 20:16. If the "church" is not mentioned, it is concluded, she must have been raptured prior to the events written about. Further, it is assumed that the invitation to the apostle John in Revelation 4:1 to "come up here" is a picture of the rapture of the church preceding the events of the 70th week. 'It is important to examine these assumptions because they clearly attempt to place the rescue of the righteous (the rapture) before Daniel's 70th week and not after. If that is so, it should be clearly taught in Scripture. 'For several compelling reasons, it is a false conclusion to assume that the church will be raptured before the 70th week of Daniel (and for that reason is not mentioned between chapters 4 and 20): '1. The plain teaching of Scripture. Jesus, in the Olivet Discourse (Matthew 24:3-31), outlines the sequence of events in the last days relative to the church. Verses 3-14 parallel Revelation chapter 6 and depict those events from the beginning of the 70th week to the rapture. Then, in verses 15-28, He focuses on the middle time period of that future week (the final 7 years) and emphasizes two key events: (a) a time of great persecution, and (b) the "cut[ting] short" of "those days" of persecution for "the sake of the elect". Finally, in verses 29-31, He highlights what it is that will "cut short" that persecution, the rescue of the elect (the rapture). 'Paul echoes this same teaching in his 2nd letter to the Thessalonians 2:1-12: (a) the apostasy comes first, (b) the revealing of the man of lawlessness, (c) the "challenge" to all who will not bow down to him and worship him "as being God", and (d) the coming of the Lord to "gather together" believers unto Himself. 'In Revelation 6-8, we have the same sequence repeated: (a) the 70th week begins, (b) the pressure builds [seals 1-3], (c) the midpoint [seals 4-5] and apex of the persecution (against the "saints") arrives, (d) the "cut[ting] short" of that persecution with the same cosmic announcement [seal 6] as Jesus spoke of in Matthew 24:29-31 followed by the rapture of the saints (Revelation 7:9ff). There is absolutely no teaching either by hint or by direct instruction that the church will not be present during the 70th week of Daniel. (...) '5. The argument from silence. It is maintained that since the word "church" isn't used again from 3:22 until 22:6, she is absent from the events unfolding during that time period. That's an argument from silence. If we apply that same argument to the gospel of John, we have to conclude that the gospel of John isn't for the church because the word church isn't even mentioned in all of its chapters. Can that be true? 'The overwhelming evidence is that the church is indeed present during the 70th week of Daniel regardless of whether the word is used or not. What one believes must be squarely built on what the Bible clearly says, not on what we might like it to say for whatever reason. What we believe about the last days will have tremendous implications for our lives should we enter those days. Let us be Bereans, searching to see if these things are so. (Acts 17:11)' (http://www.solagroup.org/articles/faqs/faq_0027.html) |
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1274 | What's this about the Rapture? | Rev 4:1 | Radioman2 | 79565 | ||
You write: "If christians are around when the anti-christ and other things happen, they could Stop them from happing." Actually, regardless of WHEN the rapture takes place, there will be believers on earth when the Antichrist and other things happen (Revelation 6:9-11; 7:9, 13-14). These believers cannot and will not stop the Antichrist. You write: "There is an Order of Presedence. In other words i.e. God had to send Moses...then had to stop the Egyptians...split the waters...and so on." God sent judgment upon the Egyptians in the form of the ten plagues WHILE the children of Israel were still dwelling in Egypt -- before the Exodus. |
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1275 | The word "come!" is a call to action? | Rev 6:1 | Radioman2 | 90431 | ||
Revelation 6:1 "Come!"[2] [Footnote 2tc] The addition of "and see" (kaiV i[de or kaiV blevpe [kai ide or kai blepe]) to "come" (e[rcou, ercou) in 6:1, 3-5, 7 is a gloss to fill out what the living creatures want John to do, i.e., "come and look at the seals and the horsemen!" This agrees with the following words in each case, except after verse 3: "and I saw." ____________________ New English Translation (http://www.netbible.com) |
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1276 | Who are the 144000? Is it literal | Rev 7:4 | Radioman2 | 82735 | ||
Who are the 144,000? 'In prophetic circles, there are numerous attempts at identifying the 144,000 Jews mentioned in Revelation 7 and 14. A common identification is that they are Jewish evangelists that traverse the world during the 70th week of Daniel and are instrumental in bringing untold numbers of people into the kingdom of God. That understanding is, however, never taught in the Scripture! 'When a study is made of the 144,000, we learn that there are only three verses in the entire Bible that mention these people (Rev. 7:4; 14:1,3) . From a study of these three verses we learn the following: '1. They are 12,000 Jews from 12 tribes of Israel that are sealed for protection... '2. In Revelation 14 they are with "the Lamb...standing on Mount Zion" and bearing the name of His Father "written on their foreheads". In 14:3 they sing a new song "before the throne". '3. In 14:3-4 we also learn that these are "purchased from the earth" as "first fruits to God and to the Lamb" (from among the Jews), are spiritually pure ("not ... defiled with women"), follow the Lamb "wherever He goes", are absolutely honest and "are blameless".' (Who are the 144,000? by Rev. Charles Cooper) To read more go to: (http://www.solagroup.org/articles/faqs/faq_0023.html) |
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1277 | GOD CAST SATAN FROM HEAVEN? | Rev 12:4 | Radioman2 | 95321 | ||
Hank: Your note reminded me of the following quotation. "Science does not contradict the Bible. Oh, hundreds of times, the Bible has contradicted science – and science has in due turn been found to be wrong.” (Truths That Transform - D. James Kennedy) --Radioman2 |
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1278 | Our name erased or added to Book of Life | Rev 13:8 | Radioman2 | 87174 | ||
"Is our name removed from the Book of Life, or added when we make Jesus our Lord?" Neither. "...our assumption would be that when men or women put their trust in Christ, their names were added at that moment. But that is not the case at all. The book of life has been complete since the foundation of the world." Rev. 3:4-5 Does God Have an Eraser? How can I be certain God won't erase my name from the book of life? (All of the following text consists of direct quotations from the work cited at the end.) We will begin . . . by looking first at what the New Testament has to say concerning the book of life. (...) First Printing The apostle John refers to the "book of life" five other times in Revelation. From two of these passages it becomes evident that he certainly did not believe names could be erased: And all who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been WRITTEN FROM THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain. Revelation 13:8, emphasis added. And those who dwell on the earth will wonder, whose name has not been written in the book of life from the FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD. Revelation 17:8, emphasis added. In these passages John informs us about the time when the book of life was filled out. This information comes as a surprise. Without it, our assumption would be that when men or women put their trust in Christ, their names were added at that moment. But that is not the case at all. The book of life has been complete since the foundation of the world. By "world," John does not mean "earth." In both passages "earth" and "world" appear. These are from two different Greek words. The one translated "earth" means just that--this ball of dirt upon which we live. The Greek word translated "world" is kosmos from which we get our English word cosmos. John is using "world" here to refer to the entire universe (see John 1:3; Acts 17:24). In light of the scientific limitations of John's day, it could very well be a reference to all created things. Either way, his point is the same: THE BOOK OF LIFE WAS FILLED OUT BEFORE THE FIRST ENTRY WAS EVER BORN. If that is the case, God's foreknowledge had a great deal to do with who was written in and who was not. In anticipation of Christ's death on man's behalf, God wrote the names of those He knew from eternity past would accept His gracious offer. The apostle Paul had this same idea in mind when he wrote, Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. (Ephesians 1:4) God wrote before we did anything. He filled out the book of life in anticipation of what He knew we would do. Therefore, He did not write in response to what we ACTUALLY did; rather, He wrote in response to what He KNEW we would actually do. This distinction is very important. For if God put names in the book as history unfolded--as we actually believed ---it could be argued that He erases them as history unfolds as well. But if God entered names according to His foreknowledge, it follows that He would erase them according to His foreknowledge, which makes no sense at all. If God wrote and erased according to foreknowledge, both His writing and His erasing would be complete before the world began. In that case, no one needs to live with the fear that his or her name will be erased from the book of life sometime in the future. But if that is the case, Revelation 3:5 is no longer a problem. Missing Persons There is a second reason these passages eliminate the possibility of names being erased. Both passages indicate that the lost people in these verses had never had their names written in the book of life. John does not say these names were simply not in the book at that time. He says, "Everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world." Who is he talking about here? "All who dwell on the earth." In other words, no lost persons alive at that time had ever had their names in the book of life. Of course, they had never had their names erased from the book, either. The only way around this problem for those who hold to the ERASABLE NAME VIEW is to maintain that all the unsaved people who had their names erased were already dead by this time in history. That is certainly possible, but it is highly unlikely. It is especially unlikely in light of the intense persecution those who name the name of Christ will be facing during this time (see Revelation 13:7). ---------- This material has been adapted from: Eternal Security: Can You Be Sure? by Dr. Charles Stanley (http://www.intouch.org/myintouch/exploring/bible_says/eternal_security/erase_149096.html) |
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1279 | Our name erased or added to Book of Life | Rev 13:8 | Radioman2 | 87192 | ||
He who overcomes shall thus be clothed in white garments; and I will not erase his name from the book of life. Revelation 3:5 "It is unfortunate that this passage in Revelation has become a focal point of controversy. The result has been a fixation on what the verse does not say rather than what it does say. This verse was never intended as a warning. Within its context there is nothing negative or foreboding about these words. In fact, it makes a strong statement in favor of eternal security. It is a passage of encouragement and praise. "The comments are directed to a group of faithful believers from the church in Sardis. Unlike the majority of the folks in their congregation, this handful of members had remained unsoiled by the world around them. The verse in question contains Christ's commendation to this group for their consistent walk. "To assume from what is said here that God will possibly erase names from the book of life is to read into the text a concept clearly not present. At best, it is an argument from silence, for the verse simply reads, "And I will not erase his name from the book of life." If this statement raises doubts for some about eternal security, they would do well to search the Scriptures for an answer. But to base one's answer to this important question on this verse is to adopt a method of study with the potential of leading to all kinds of problematic conclusions." (...) "The good news is, God's pencil has no eraser. Before you breathed your first word, God knew how you would respond to His offer of grace. According to His foreknowledge, He wrote your name in the book of life. And there it shall remain forever. Jesus said it this way: "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow me; and I give eternal life to them, and they shall never perish; and no one shall snatch them out of My hand. John 10.27-28 "And as if that were not clear enough: "My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. John 10.29 " (To read the entire article, which I suggest you do before you post questions, go to: http://www.intouch.org/myintouch/exploring/bible_says/eternal_security/erase_149096.html) |
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1280 | Our name erased or added to Book of Life | Rev 13:8 | Radioman2 | 87213 | ||
"To read the entire article, which I suggest you do before you post questions, go to: (http://www.intouch.org/myintouch/exploring/bible_says/eternal_security/erase_149096.html)" -- ID# 87192 |
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