Results 41 - 55 of 55
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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Author: goodnewsminister Ordered by Date |
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Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
41 | The Rich Man and Lazarus... | Luke 16:23 | goodnewsminister | 85507 | ||
Does the Parable of Lazarus and the Rich Man Prove Some Will Suffer in Hell? "There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. "So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. Then he cried and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.' "But Abraham said, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.' "Then he said, 'I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.' "Abraham said to him, 'They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.' "And he said, 'No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.' "But he said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead' " (Luke 16:19-31). Allegorical account A consideration of the account of Lazarus and the rich man in view of other scriptures on the subject of death and the resurrection makes it clear that this is an allegory used to teach important spiritual lessons. It is not intended to be understood literally, nor is this a description of the actual events that take place after death or at the resurrection. The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia discusses the contemporary background of the allegory. "This parable follows a story common in Egyptian and Jewish thought, in which the wicked rich and the pious poor have their positions reversed in the afterlife. It is told from the point of view of the rich man . . . who speaks with Abraham from his place of torment . . . "The parable . . . warns the rich that their possessions do not guarantee their future state. The parable was apparently directed toward Sadducean satisfaction with this life, based upon the belief that there would be no life beyond. Thus, Abraham said that even one from the dead would not convince the living to repent" (Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, 1986, Vol. III, p. 94). Spiritual lesson Jesus took a familiar story of the day and pointed out a spiritual lesson to those of His day who identified with the law but did not keep it. The primary lesson of this account is simple: Eternal consequences depend on the choices we make and the kind of people we are. Lazarus is described as having an intimate relationship with Abraham (verse 22); that is, he is an heir to God's Kingdom through the promises made to Abraham. We know from other scriptures that Abraham has not yet received his promised inheritance (Acts 7:2-5; Hebrews 11:8-13). Therefore, neither could Lazarus have yet received any eternal inheritance. The rich man is said to have died. When resurrected from his grave (hades), the rich man learns that his fate is his destruction by fire. The torment he experiences (verses 23-24) is his mental anguish. He has lost everything by rejecting Jesus Christ and refusing to obey God. The "great gulf" between them (verse 26) represents their different rewards. Lazarus will receive eternal life, and the rich man will be destroyed in the lake of fire. Since there is no consciousness in death, the rich man would have had no awareness of the passing of time since his demise. The conversation with Abraham is not literal. It is a parable that allegorically teaches an important lesson. The rich man, facing eternal destruction because of the choices he made in life, urgently requests that at least his family members be warned so they can avoid his terrible fate (verses 27-31). This parable teaches us that choosing to reject God's instruction will bring disastrous consequences- everlasting destruction in a lake of fire. Taken from the following article on the following webpage: http://www.ucg.org/booklets/AD/sufferinhell.htm |
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42 | Prove all things hold fast to the good.. | Not Specified | goodnewsminister | 85495 | ||
"Do You Believe the True Gospel?" Chapter 1 — A Message About the Messenger? Your eternity depends on your willingness to understand and believe the true Gospel! Yet the Apostle Paul warned the Christians of his day, "For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a DIFFERENT GOSPEL which you have not accepted; you may well put up with it!" (2 Corinthians 11:4). Frankly, millions of sincere men and women have put up with a false gospel. They have been deceived all right-far too easily deceived. Why? Because too many have failed to obey God's command to "prove all things" (1 Thessalonians 5:21, KJV). Jesus Christ said, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel" (Mark 1:15). Have you believed the same Gospel, which Jesus preached? You need to be sure! There are many, many "gospels" being preached in the world today! Have you ever heard something like this? "Just give your heart to the Lord. Jesus was born in the manger as the Christ, the Son of God, to save as many souls in this age as would accept Him into their hearts. When He grew up, He went around performing miracles and forgiving people. He kept God's harsh law for all of us before finally being nailed to the cross along with that old law. He rose from the dead on the third day and appeared to many witnesses. Then He returned to heaven and began to set up His Kingdom in the hearts of men. He'll forgive your sins and come into your heart-just as you are-if you'll only accept Him. Jesus saves! Just believe on Him, and you'll be saved-born again. And, when you die, you'll go to be with Him in heaven-forever!" But is that really the Gospel Jesus taught? If you have accepted, without question, the almost unanimous voice of mainstream Christianity in this regard, you probably think that it is. Yet consider what Mark Twain wrote: "In religion and politics, people's beliefs and convictions are in almost every case gotten at second-hand, and without examination, from authorities who have not themselves examined the questions at issue but have taken them at second-hand from other non-examiners, whose opinions about them were not worth a brass farthing" [Mark Twain's Autobiography, 1959]. Do you really know what constitutes the genuine Gospel that Jesus and His Apostles preached? Or have you made a careless assumption, following the crowd as Mark Twain noted, taking your beliefs from second-hand suppositions? Probably you were taught the mainstream understanding of "the Gospel" while growing up. Or maybe you learned it from the barrage of religious publications and broadcasts that exist in our modern world. In any case, you have, more than likely, not seen the need to question your beliefs. After all, most professing Christian authorities are in agreement here. Surely, they must be right. Or are they? In His famous Olivet Prophecy, Jesus Christ warned, "Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many" (Matthew 24:4-5, KJV). Many modern versions place quotations around "I am Christ," assuming that Christ was talking about individuals who would claim to actually be Christ themselves. However, there have not been "MANY" such people in recent centuries that have been taken seriously, much less deceived the "MANY." Another interpretation some have offered is that Jesus was referring to false "Savior" figures like Hitler and Mussolini. But this is really taking liberties with the text. Remember, Christ said, "Many shall come IN MY NAME." A clearer rendering of what Jesus meant would be: "Take care that no one leads you astray. Indeed, many will appear, making use of My name, saying that I am Christ, yet deceiving many." What an astounding warning! Christ was foretelling that MANY false preachers would talk about Him and that they would proclaim that He is the Christ, the expected Messiah. Yet even after acknowledging Jesus' Messiahship, the deceivers are prophesied to seduce the unwary from a correct understanding of Jesus' genuine Gospel! How about you? Might they have deceived you too? Do not make careless assumptions! Find out-prove-what is true. Then you will really know and nobody will be able to fool you! Amen, Brother Meredith, Amen! Taken from Dr. Meredith's booklet, "Do you believe the True Gospel?" at the following URL: http://www.lcg.org/files/booklets/btg/default.htm |
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43 | Prove all things hold fast to the good.. | 1 Cor 15:1 | goodnewsminister | 85505 | ||
"Do You Believe the True Gospel?" Chapter 1 — A Message About the Messenger? Your eternity depends on your willingness to understand and believe the true Gospel! Yet the Apostle Paul warned the Christians of his day, "For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a DIFFERENT GOSPEL which you have not accepted; you may well put up with it!" (2 Corinthians 11:4). Frankly, millions of sincere men and women have put up with a false gospel. They have been deceived all right-far too easily deceived. Why? Because too many have failed to obey God's command to "prove all things" (1 Thessalonians 5:21, KJV). Jesus Christ said, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel" (Mark 1:15). Have you believed the same Gospel, which Jesus preached? You need to be sure! There are many, many "gospels" being preached in the world today! Have you ever heard something like this? "Just give your heart to the Lord. Jesus was born in the manger as the Christ, the Son of God, to save as many souls in this age as would accept Him into their hearts. When He grew up, He went around performing miracles and forgiving people. He kept God's harsh law for all of us before finally being nailed to the cross along with that old law. He rose from the dead on the third day and appeared to many witnesses. Then He returned to heaven and began to set up His Kingdom in the hearts of men. He'll forgive your sins and come into your heart-just as you are-if you'll only accept Him. Jesus saves! Just believe on Him, and you'll be saved-born again. And, when you die, you'll go to be with Him in heaven-forever!" But is that really the Gospel Jesus taught? If you have accepted, without question, the almost unanimous voice of mainstream Christianity in this regard, you probably think that it is. Yet consider what Mark Twain wrote: "In religion and politics, people's beliefs and convictions are in almost every case gotten at second-hand, and without examination, from authorities who have not themselves examined the questions at issue but have taken them at second-hand from other non-examiners, whose opinions about them were not worth a brass farthing" [Mark Twain's Autobiography, 1959]. Do you really know what constitutes the genuine Gospel that Jesus and His Apostles preached? Or have you made a careless assumption, following the crowd as Mark Twain noted, taking your beliefs from second-hand suppositions? Probably you were taught the mainstream understanding of "the Gospel" while growing up. Or maybe you learned it from the barrage of religious publications and broadcasts that exist in our modern world. In any case, you have, more than likely, not seen the need to question your beliefs. After all, most professing Christian authorities are in agreement here. Surely, they must be right. Or are they? In His famous Olivet Prophecy, Jesus Christ warned, "Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many" (Matthew 24:4-5, KJV). Many modern versions place quotations around "I am Christ," assuming that Christ was talking about individuals who would claim to actually be Christ themselves. However, there have not been "MANY" such people in recent centuries that have been taken seriously, much less deceived the "MANY." Another interpretation some have offered is that Jesus was referring to false "Savior" figures like Hitler and Mussolini. But this is really taking liberties with the text. Remember, Christ said, "Many shall come IN MY NAME." A clearer rendering of what Jesus meant would be: "Take care that no one leads you astray. Indeed, many will appear, making use of My name, saying that I am Christ, yet deceiving many." What an astounding warning! Christ was foretelling that MANY false preachers would talk about Him and that they would proclaim that He is the Christ, the expected Messiah. Yet even after acknowledging Jesus' Messiahship, the deceivers are prophesied to seduce the unwary from a correct understanding of Jesus' genuine Gospel! How about you? Might they have deceived you too? Do not make careless assumptions! Find out-prove-what is true. Then you will really know and nobody will be able to fool you! Amen, Brother Meredith, Amen! Taken from Dr. Meredith's booklet, "Do you believe the True Gospel?" at the following URL: http://www.lcg.org/files/booklets/btg/default.htm |
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44 | No, the dead are still DEAD...not alive! | Bible general Archive 1 | goodnewsminister | 85493 | ||
No, I'm not Brother Aust, but I am sure he does not mind me using his writings to spread the Truth. We do not work for acknowledgement in all that we do, the Truth is FREE, we buy it and sell it for free. We work for the Lord and not for the acknowledgement of men. I will note where I quote from in the future, if this is your desire. |
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45 | What do you believe? | Bible general Archive 1 | goodnewsminister | 85492 | ||
See Rev 20:12-15. According to God's Word, man is an immortal being. Where he spends eternity is up to him. The Apostle Paul expressed what all Christians hope(this is not wishful thinking, but CONFIDENT EXPECTATION) "to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord." (Please read 2 Cor 5:1-8) Did the Apostle Paul Expect to Go to Heaven? "For I am hard pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. Nevertheless to remain in the flesh is more needful for you" (Philippians 1:23-24). Is Paul saying in these verses that he wants to depart from earth and be with Christ in heaven? What did he mean when he expressed his desire to be with Christ? Before focusing on what this scripture says, let's notice what it does not say. It does not say when or where Paul would be with Christ if he departed. Nor is there any reference to heaven in these verses. To conclude otherwise is to read assumptions into Paul's words. When writing to the Philippians, Paul was struggling with two desires. He wanted to depart this life and be with Christ, but he also wanted to remain with God's people. In his second letter to Timothy he speaks dogmatically; he knows the end of his physical life is near, and he is ready to depart: "For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing" (2Timothy 4:6-8). Here we learn what Paul means by being "with Christ." He understood that he was not to receive his reward immediately at death. Instead, there was laid up for him a crown of righteousness that he would be given "on that Day" of Christ's appearing, at Jesus' second coming. As Paul noted, Jesus will bring Paul's reward with Him. Paul will receive it at that time, not before, along with all others who will be resurrected at Christ's return. "Behold, the Lord GOD shall come with a strong hand, and His arm shall rule for Him; behold, His reward is with Him, and His work before Him" (Isaiah 40:10; see also Revelation 22:12). Paul explained to the Corinthians: "Behold I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed-in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed" (1 Corinthians 15:51-52). Paul knew he would receive his reward at Christ's coming: "For we all must appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad" (2 Corinthians 5:10). The time from Paul's death until his resurrection will seem to him but a mere moment. He will be with Christ and will be a glorified son of God in the next moment of his consciousness. No wonder Paul, weary of his sufferings in this life, desired to depart and be with Christ. Jesus also assured that where He is, there we (Christ followers) will be also. (John 14:1-6) And since He'll rule here on the Earth, so shall we be with Him! What do you believe will happen to you when your body dies? Precisely what the Bible says will happen, namely, 'dust thou ART, and to dust thou shalt RETURN', you were nonexistence once, and you'll return to that state at death. Were it not for Christ being the FIRSTFRUITS of them that slept, we would have NO HOPE of a future anywhere! Genesis 2 7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. Dust of the ground plus breath of life equals LIVING SOUL LIVING SOUL minus BREATH OF LIFE equals DUST OF GROUND or a dead corspe. BREATH OF LIFE minus DUST OF GROUND equals A DEAD CORSPE. Accept God's Truth that we do indeed DIE, and stop being mislead by the devil's FIRST LIE TO EVE, namely, THOU SHALT NOT SURELY DIE. |
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46 | No, the dead are still DEAD...not alive! | Bible general Archive 1 | goodnewsminister | 85485 | ||
Dear Matt, I couldn't agree with you more, and I also wish for you to know that the Scriptures agree with you as well! Yes, the DEAD are truly dead, not alive in some other form, DEATH is our ENEMY, robbing us of conscieness and life, not a FRIEND or a DOOR to the next life...let us review some history here about this view: The History of the Immortal-soul Teaching Several times we have mentioned the words immortal soul, but the phrase is found nowhere in the Bible. Where did the idea of an immortal soul originate? The concept of the soul’s supposed immortality was first taught in ancient Egypt and Babylon. “The belief that the soul continues in existence after the dissolution of the body is . . . speculation . . . nowhere expressly taught in Holy Scripture . . . The belief in the immortality of the soul came to the Jews from contact with Greek thought and chiefly through the philosophy of Plato, its principal exponent, who was led to it through Orphic and Eleusinian mysteries in which Babylonian and Egyptian views were strangely blended” (Jewish Encyclopedia, Funk and Wagnalls, New York, 1941, Vol. VI, “Immortality of the Soul,” pp. 564, 566). Plato, the Greek philosopher who lived 428-348 B.C., as a student of Socrates taught that the body and an “immortal soul” separate at death. The International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia comments on ancient Israel’s view of the soul: “. . . We are influenced always more or less by the Greek, Platonic idea, that the body dies, yet the soul is immortal. Such an idea is utterly contrary to the Israelite consciousness, and it is nowhere found in the [Old Testament]” (Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, 1956, Vol. II, “Death,” p. 812). Early Christianity was influenced by Greek philosophies even as the gospel of Christ was preached to the Greek and Roman world. By A.D. 200 the doctrine of the immortality of the soul became a controversy in the established church. The Evangelical Dictionary of Theology notes how Origen, an early and influential church theologian, was influenced by Greek thinkers: “Speculation about the soul in the subapostolic church was heavily influenced by Greek philosophy. This is seen in Origen’s acceptance of Plato’s doctrine of the preexistence of the soul as pure mind (nous) originally, which, by reason of its fall from God, cooled down to soul (psyche) when it lost its participation in the divine fire by looking earthward” (Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, 1992, p. 1037, “Soul”). Secular history reveals that the concept of the immortality of the soul is an ancient belief embraced by many pagan religions. But it is not a biblical, Hebrew or apostolic teaching. For further information about this, I recommend you visit the following sites: http://www.ucg.org http://www.lcg.org Although these churches both are Sabbath-keeping churches, they have more truth than the vast majority of Churchianity that promotes such pagan ideas as immortal soul and eternal torment for the wicked. |
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47 | No, the dead are still DEAD...not alive! | Bible general Archive 1 | goodnewsminister | 85484 | ||
No consciousness in the grave Many people are surprised to discover what the Bible really says about what happens to us when we die. Notice what God inspired King Solomon to write about the state of the dead: "For the living know that they will die; but the dead know nothing, and they have no more reward, for the memory of them is forgotten" (Ecclesiastes 9:5). Scripture clearly tells us that at death we cease to know anything. The dead are unconscious and unaware. All our emotions, thoughts, knowledge and feelings go to the grave with us. No consciousness continues living in another place or state. We do not have an immortal soul that goes on living somewhere else. In Ezekiel 18, verses 4 and 20, God plainly tells us that "the soul who sins shall die"—not continue living apart from the body. To teach otherwise is only to further the FIRST LIE of Satan to our Mother Eve, "YE SHALL NOT SURELY DIE"! Do you believe him, or the Lord? You must choose! The patriarch Job echoes Solomon's words. He writes: "Man dies and is laid away; indeed he breathes his last and where is he? As water disappears from the sea, and a river becomes parched and dries up, so man lies down and does not rise. Till the heavens are no more, they will not awake nor be roused from their sleep" (Job 14:10-12). Job goes on to ask the most crucial question about life after death: "If a man dies, shall he live again?" (verse 14). Death likened to sleep When Christians—or any others—die, they do not go directly to heaven or to any equivalent of heaven. Their bodies simply decay in the grave, returning to the dust from which they were made (Genesis 3:19). Solomon confirmed the fact that the dead are unconscious, knowing nothing. "Anyone who is among the living has hope—even a live dog is better off than a dead lion! For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing" (Ecclesiastes 9:4-5, NIV). The writers of the Bible describe our experience after death not as going to heaven or hell, but simply as sleep. Notice, for example, how Daniel refers to the state of the dead in this prophecy of the resurrection: "And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt" (Daniel 12:2). When an individual is in a deep sleep, he has absolutely no conscious awareness of the passing of time nor any knowledge of events that are occurring while he is asleep. Paul repeatedly compared death to sleep (1 Corinthians 11:30; 15:6, 18, 20, 51; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-15). Peter similarly writes of the patriarchs who "fell asleep" in death (2 Peter 3:4). Jesus Himself also spoke of death as sleep. Speaking of a deceased girl whom He intended to raise from the dead, He told the mourners, "Do not weep; she is not dead, but sleeping" (Luke 8:52; compare Matthew 9:24). Before He resurrected Lazarus, He told the disciples, "Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up." The disciples misunderstood, thinking Lazarus was sleeping because he was ill. "However, Jesus spoke of his death, but they thought that He was speaking about taking rest in sleep" (John 11:11, 13). When will the dead be resurrected? We can see that the Bible clearly teaches that good people don't go to heaven at death; instead they sleep in the grave awaiting the resurrection of the dead. All of the dead —good and not so good alike—will eventually be resurrected, each in his own time (1 Corinthians 15:20-23). The dead in Christ will be resurrected to immortal life at Jesus Christ's return to earth, and those faithful servants who are still alive at that time will be changed from mortal to immortal. Specifically, this happens at the sounding of "the trumpet of God" (1 Thessalonians 4:15-17), called "the last trumpet" in 1 Corinthians 15:52 and corresponding to the seventh trumpet of Revelation 11:15. This event is called "the first resurrection" in Revelation 20:5. In John's vision of the future, those in this resurrection came to life and "reigned with Christ for a thousand years" (verse 4), during the period commonly known as the Millennium. Notice that they do not go to dwell in heaven—they live and reign with Jesus on earth, to which He has returned to establish God's Kingdom! Verse 6 goes on to explain: "Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power,but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years." Revelation 5:10 confirms that they will be "a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth" (NIV) Since Christ is coming back to earth (Zechariah 14:3-4), it makes good sense that that's where we will be. (John 14:3; compare Isaiah 11:1-9). Clearly, Jesus is coming back to earth and we will reign with Him here, not in or from heaven. |
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48 | No, the dead are still DEAD...not alive! | Bible general Archive 1 | goodnewsminister | 85433 | ||
Do Good People Really Go to Heaven When They Die? Most churchgoers believe that when they die they will go to heaven. But will they? If heaven truly is a place of such everlasting happiness, why do so many do all they can to postpone going there? The Bible reveals some astounding and little-understood truths about heaven, the mystery of life beyond the grave and God’s great plan and purpose for us. To comprehend what the Bible teaches about heaven, we first need to understand that there is more than one heaven. Often the Bible refers to heavens, plural. In fact, three distinct “heavens” are mentioned in the Bible. The first of these is simply the sky above us—earth’s atmosphere, containing the air we breathe. It is in this heaven that birds fly and clouds give rain and snow (2 Samuel 21:10; Job 35:11; Isaiah 55:10). The second biblical heaven is the realm beyond earth’s atmosphere, what we commonly call outer space. Here we find the Obviously the deceased, Christian or not, are not floating around unnoticed in the first two heavens. No one seriously believes they can be found drifting about the sky or in outer space. Therefore they must be in the third of these heavens, right? Many people assume so, but the whole argument about heaven being the reward of deceased Christians runs into a brick wall with these words from the apostle Peter’s first sermon: “Brothers, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day . . . For David did not ascend to heaven . . .” (Acts 2:29, 34, David off to heaven. The only one who had ascended to heaven, said Peter, was Jesus Christ (Acts 2:29-35). Was Peter mistaken? Did he simply misspeak? We might assume so, but notice what the Gospel of John says: “No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man [Jesus Christ]” (John 3:13, NIV). Jesus never promised Christians heaven after they died. The New Testament plainly says that of the faithful men and women who had gone before—such spiritual giants as Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph and Moses, to name some of those listed in Hebrews 11—not one has ascended to heaven. In fact, says verse 39 of Hebrews 11, “These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised” (NIV). If they aren’t in heaven, where are they? And what was it they were promised, if it wasn’t heaven? |
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49 | No, the dead are still DEAD...not alive! | Bible general Archive 1 | goodnewsminister | 85432 | ||
Do Good People Really Go to Heaven When They Die? Most churchgoers believe that when they die they will go to heaven. But will they? If heaven truly is a place of such everlasting happiness, why do so many do all they can to postpone going there? The Bible reveals some astounding and little-understood truths about heaven, the mystery of life beyond the grave and God’s great plan and purpose for us. To comprehend what the Bible teaches about heaven, we first need to understand that there is more than one heaven. Often the Bible refers to heavens, plural. In fact, three distinct “heavens” are mentioned in the Bible. The first of these is simply the sky above us—earth’s atmosphere, containing the air we breathe. It is in this heaven that birds fly and clouds give rain and snow (2 Samuel 21:10; Job 35:11; Isaiah 55:10). The second biblical heaven is the realm beyond earth’s atmosphere, what we commonly call outer space. Here we find the Obviously the deceased, Christian or not, are not floating around unnoticed in the first two heavens. No one seriously believes they can be found drifting about the sky or in outer space. Therefore they must be in the third of these heavens, right? Many people assume so, but the whole argument about heaven being the reward of deceased Christians runs into a brick wall with these words from the apostle Peter’s first sermon: “Brothers, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day . . . For David did not ascend to heaven . . .” (Acts 2:29, 34, David off to heaven. The only one who had ascended to heaven, said Peter, was Jesus Christ (Acts 2:29-35). Was Peter mistaken? Did he simply misspeak? We might assume so, but notice what the Gospel of John says: “No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man [Jesus Christ]” (John 3:13, NIV). Jesus never promised Christians heaven after they died. The New Testament plainly says that of the faithful men and women who had gone before—such spiritual giants as Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph and Moses, to name some of those listed in Hebrews 11—not one has ascended to heaven. In fact, says verse 39 of Hebrews 11, “These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised” (NIV). If they aren’t in heaven, where are they? And what was it they were promised, if it wasn’t heaven? |
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50 | is december 25th the day christ was born | Gal 4:4 | goodnewsminister | 85429 | ||
Our Lord was born in October or late September 2 B.C. or B.C.E., not on December 25th... Thus, it is again proven that Jesus' birth was about one year and three months before our common era, A.D. 1; for, his ministry ending when he was thirty-three and a half years old, April 3rd, A.D. 33, the date of his birth may be readily found by measuring backward to a date thirty-three and a half years prior to April 3rd, A.D. 33. Thirty-two years and three months before April A.D. 33 would be January 3rd, A.D. 1, and one year and three months further back would bring us to October 3rd, B.C. 2, as the date of our Lord's birth at Bethlehem. The difference between lunar time, used by the Jews, and solar time, now in common use, would be a few days, so that we could not be certain that the exact day might not be in September about the 27th, but October 1st, B.C. 2, is about correct. Nine months back of that date would bring us to about Christmas time, B.C. 3, as the date at which our Lord laid aside the glory which he had with the Father before the world was [made] and the taking of or changing to human nature began. It seems probable that this was the origin of the celebration of December 25th as Christmas Day. Some writers on Church history claim, even, that Christmas Day was originally celebrated as the date of the annunciation by Gabriel to the virgin Mary. (Luke 1:26) Certain it is that a midwinter date does not well agree with the declaration of Scripture, that at the time of our Lord's birth the shepherds were in the fields with their flocks. |
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51 | Are churches preaching cheap grace? | Rev 18:4 | goodnewsminister | 85426 | ||
In my opinion of the subject, yes, many of them are. They are NOT standing up for righteousness and Truth, but for heresy and disallusionment of all of God's people! They are not proclaiming the Good News, rather they proclaim another gospel, which neither Jesus nor the Apostles taught and thus mislead people. However, you're walk with God is yours and I make no judgement on which church you wish to attend, as my wife and son and I attend none of them, we choose to obey the declaration of Revelation 18:4, that is to,"Come out of her MY PEOPLE...and be NOT partakers of her sins!" | ||||||
52 | In John 3:16 what does begotten mean? | Gal 4:4 | goodnewsminister | 85413 | ||
Matthew 16:13-16 The description “son of God” is not used exclusively of Jesus in Scripture. Luke’s genealogy calls Adam “the son of God” (Luke 3:38). Genesis 6:2 associates “the sons of God” with angels entrusted with mankind’s welfare prior to their illicit conjugation with women. Angels are also referred to as “the sons of God” (Job 1:6; 2:1; 38:7). God calls his regathered people Israel his sons and daughters in Isaiah 43:3-7. “We have one Father, God,” cried the Jewish audience in John 8:41 in response to Jesus’ accusations. Prospective members of the church, “those who receive him (Jesus),” are called “sons of God” (see John 1:12; Romans 8:14,19; Philippians 2:15; 1 John 3:1,2). Is there a difference in the term applied to Jesus? Yes, there is. Not Adam, not the angels, not the nation of Israel, and not even the prospective church can claim the special relationship Jesus has with our heavenly Father. Jesus alone is the “beginning of the creation of God” (Revelation 3:14), and he alone reflects the characteristics of God to such an extent that knowing him was tantamount to personally knowing God (John 10:30). Nowhere is this special relationship better expressed than in what may arguably be the most widely quoted verse in the Bible: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten (Greek: monogenes) son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). Strong’s Concordance defines monogenes (#3439) as “only-born, i.e., sole; or only (begotten child).” It says the word is a compound word made up of mono, meaning sole or single, and ginomai, meaning to cause to be, or to cause to become. Liddell and Scott’s Lexicon suggests the primary meaning of the word monogenes as “only member of a kin or kind.” It gives a secondary definition as “unique.” Kittel’s Theological dictionary adds that the term monogenes implies not just “only begotten” but also conveys a special relationship. The New International Version of the Bible translates monogenes not as “only begotten” but as “one and only (Son).” This is an attempt to emphasize the unique relationship suggested by Liddell and Scott. However, this translation does not differentiate enough between Jesus and others mentioned as sons of God. If we understand the term “only begotten son” properly, we will understand the insight Peter was granted. When he responded to Jesus’ question in our theme text, Jesus told him: “Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 16:17). |
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53 | Is it wrong to have more than one wife? | Gen 3:20 | goodnewsminister | 85411 | ||
To answer your question, I will ask you a few questions to 'stir up your thinking' and bring praise and HONOR to God our Father and Jesus our Lord. How many women did God orginally create for Adam, the first man? Was it not ONE? Do you recall her name, and what her name stood for? Genesis 3:20 The man called his wife's name Eve [life spring], because she was the mother of all the living. (Whole Chapter: Genesis 3 In context: Genesis 3:19-21) How many wives will our Lord have? Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. (Whole Chapter: Revelation 19 In context: Revelation 19:6-8) He only has ONE, that is made up of MANY members! But only ONE BRIDE is His! Matthew 19:3 And Pharisees came to Him and put Him to the test by asking, Is it lawful and right to dismiss and repudiate and divorce one's wife for any and [Marvin Vincent, Word Studies. ] every cause? (Whole Chapter: Matthew 19 In context: Matthew 19:2-4) Matthew 19:5 And said, For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and shall be united firmly (joined inseparably) to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh?[Gen. 1:27; 2:24.] (Whole Chapter: Matthew 19 In context: Matthew 19:4-6) Mark 12:20 Now there were seven brothers; the first one took a wife and died, leaving no children. (Whole Chapter: Mark 12 In context: Mark 12:19-21) Luke 3:19 But Herod the tetrarch, who had been [repeatedly] told about his fault and reproved with rebuke [Marvin Vincent, Word Studies.] producing conviction by [John] for [having] Herodias, his brother's wife, and for all the wicked things that Herod had done, (Whole Chapter: Luke 3 In context: Luke 3:18-20) Luke 14:26 If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his [own] father and mother [[G. Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon.] in the sense of indifference to or relative disregard for them in comparison with his attitude toward God] and [likewise] his wife and children and brothers and sisters--[yes] and even his own life also--he cannot be My disciple. (Whole Chapter: Luke 14 In context: Luke 14:25-27) Luke 18:29 And He said to them, I say to you truly, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God (Whole Chapter: Luke 18 In context: Luke 18:28-30) Ephesians 5:31 For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother and shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.[Gen. 2:24.] (Whole Chapter: Ephesians 5 In context: Ephesians 5:30-32) 1 Timothy 3:2 Now a bishop (superintendent, overseer) must give no grounds for accusation but must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, circumspect and temperate and self-controlled; [he must be] sensible and well behaved and dignified and lead an orderly (disciplined) life; [he must be] hospitable [showing love for and being a friend to the believers, especially strangers or foreigners, and be] a capable and qualified teacher, (Whole Chapter: 1 Timothy 3 In context: 1 Timothy 3:1-3) 1 Timothy 3:12 Let deacons be the husbands of but one wife, and let them manage [their] children and their own households well. (Whole Chapter: 1 Timothy 3 In context: 1 Timothy 3:11-13) 1 Timothy 5:9 Let no one be put on the roll of widows [who are to receive church support] who is under sixty years of age or who has been the wife of more than one man; (Whole Chapter: 1 Timothy 5 In context: 1 Timothy 5:8-10) Titus 1:6 [These elders should be] men who are of unquestionable integrity and are irreproachable, the husband of [but] one wife, whose children are [well trained and are] believers, not open to the accusation of being loose in morals and conduct or unruly and disorderly. (Whole Chapter: Titus 1 In context: Titus 1:5-7) Revelation 21:9 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the seven final plagues (afflictions, calamities) came and spoke to me. He said, Come with me! I will show you the bride, the Lamb's wife. (Whole Chapter: Revelation 21 In context: Revelation 21:8-10) |
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54 | The Bible Definition of a soul is what? | Not Specified | goodnewsminister | 85408 | ||
Does the Bible teach what the majority of religions teach and what many people believe, namely, that humans have an immortal soul and that at death it moves on to another realm, the "hereafter," heaven, hell, or purgatory, or that it returns in a reincarnation? | ||||||
55 | The Bible Definition of a soul is what? | Bible general Archive 1 | goodnewsminister | 85417 | ||
Does the Bible teach what the majority of religions teach and what many people believe, namely, that humans have an immortal soul and that at death it moves on to another realm, the "hereafter," heaven, hell, or purgatory, or that it returns in a reincarnation? | ||||||
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