Galatians 1:6-8(6) I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, (7) which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. (8) But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed.

Galatians 4:8-10(8) But then, indeed, when you did not know God, you served those which by nature are not gods. (9) But now after you have known God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage? (10) You observe days and months and seasons and years.  (New King James Version)

"Paul penned the book of Galatians because church members in Galatia were turning away from the true gospel and had embraced a false one (Galatians 1:6-7). Early on, Paul had to establish his credentials - that the gospel he preached did not have its source in any man, as Gnostic ideas do, but had come directly from Jesus Christ (verses 11-12). The Galatians were returning to the "weak and beggarly elements" (Galatians 4:9), referring to the demonism they had been involved in prior to their conversion (verse 8). The Gentile Galatians were observing certain days, months, seasons, and years that had nothing to do with God's holy days (verse 10), but were part of a system that elevated rites and ceremonies above the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, even while paying lip service to Christianity.

"Paul addresses a philosophy that venerated the Torah - and went so far as to teach that one could be justified by works of the law - but also involved astrology and receiving revelations from angels (Galatians 1:8). Because of the belief that the spirit of a person was trying to get back to heaven, worship of angels and astrology was a common tenet of Gnosticism, since angels and the patterns of stars and planets were believed to hold keys to this spiritual journey. Contrary to popular assumption, Paul does not condemn God's law in Galatians but a corrupt system that was severely affecting the church. That Gnostic system happened to include an emphasis on the Old Covenant at the expense of Jesus Christ's life, death, and teachings

"Gnostic Christians borrowed the idea of redemption through Christ, but rather than believing that He redeemed them from sin, they believed that He would redeem them from matter - that is, from the flesh, which they considered to be inherently evil. At the core of Gnosticism is the belief that knowledge, typically secret knowledge - knowledge from angels, from the stars and planets, from the ancients - was the path to holiness and salvation. They believed that the path of redemption was through knowledge, and that the worst evil was ignorance spiritual  than physical. Obviously, they overlooked man's incurably sick heart (Jeremiah 17:9), and the struggle that a person must undertake to overcome it. The Gnostics believed that the solution was found in greater understanding, rather than in a Savior and High Priest who justifies and guides us through a process of sanctification. In essence, Gnostics would rather learn than submit.

"What is more, the knowledge that the Gnostics sought always originated in something other than God and His Word. We know that knowledge itself is not the problem. In the Bible, knowledge is generally presented as a good thing. God goes so far as to say that Israel is "destroyed for lack of knowledge" (Hosea 4:6). However, the knowledge He means is the knowledge of Himself and of His way of life, not knowledge as an end in itself.

"In the New Testament, Paul tells the congregation at Rome that Israel has "a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge" (Romans 10:2). Israelites like to think they are serving God, but the way they go about it is contrary to the instructions that God gave them. Jesus Himself says that eternal life is to know God and Jesus Christ (John 17:3), by which He means the experience of an intimate relationship with the Father and the Son, something the Gnostics would never accept. They believed that a spiritual and thus pure God would have nothing to do with what they considered to be entirely evil matter and flesh. They did not care that God called His physical creation "good" - even "very good" - for they still saw it as corrupt, a prison from which to be liberated."  (David C. Grabbe, http://www.theberean.org/ 03/23/2017).

Do Not Presume That Your Understanding Of Prophecy Is THE CORRECT One! Our First Interpretation of Prophecy IS Probably WRONG!

(2 Peter 1:19-21) – “And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.” (New King James Version)

“This warning is very instructive. First, Peter assures us that biblical prophecy is "more sure" than even eyewitness testimony (verses 16-18)! When God speaks, whatever He foretells WILL happen! God's Word will not return to Him empty; it will accomplish what God sends it to do (Isaiah 55:11).

"The apostle also says we would "do well to heed" it. Prophecy is vital to our growth! It strengthens our faith in God, teaches us how He works, and gives us a guide to His purpose for humanity. Until Christ returns, we need to study the prophecies to understand where we are and what God is doing.

"Then Peter sounds his warning note: Do not presume to believe that your particular understanding of prophecy is THE correct one! He says this is the "first" rule of studying prophecy; it is something we must arm ourselves with at the outset. We must be humble enough to realize that our interpretation of prophecy is probably WRONG!

"God's thoughts are far higher than ours (Isaiah 55:8-9); He does not think as humans do. Though we are surely growing in forming His mind in us (I Corinthians 2:16; Ephesians 4:13, 15; Philippians 2:5; II Peter 3:18), we still have a very long way to go! Paul puts it another way: "For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then [in the resurrection] face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known" (I Corinthians 13:12). Or, as he quotes Isaiah in I Corinthians 2:9, "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him."

"We, in this fleshly form, with our limited minds and perspectives, just do not know it all yet!"

(Richard T. Ritenbaugh, http://www.theberean.org/, 03/17/2017)

Practical Application of God's Word Is A Must If We Want To Have Saving Faith.

Romans 10:1417 How shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?  And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: "How beautiful are the feet of those whopreach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!"  But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, "LORD, who has believed our report?"  So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. New King James Version "The word of Christ is what brought us out of the world and that to which we were converted. When we drift away from it, we become confused, and we begin dividing, bickering and fighting among ourselves. The solution is given elsewhere in the Bible: Get back to what brought us together in the first place—the combination of the word of Christ and devotion to Him, to the love that we had at the beginning (Revelation 2:4-5). "Genuine ignorance may be a defense before God, but neglect never is. We need to remember Hebrews 2:3, "How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?" God can forgive ignorance because we cannot believe what we did not know, and even though we may be punished in our ignorance, it is far different from being punished when we know better. Yet, "to whom much is given, from him much will be required" (Luke 12:48). We are not in ignorance. If we are slipping away, it is because of neglect. "One way we can be unworthy at Passover time (I Corinthians 11:27) is by neglecting or forgetting what we are now. We need to evaluate faith in light of the Passover and the state of our minds and our hearts as we approach it. Moffatt translates Romans 10:17 as, "Faith must come from what is heard, and what is heard comes from the word of Christ." We are saved by grace through faith, and faith comes from knowledge of God and His Word, so the importance of studying His Word, meditating on it, seeking practical applications for our life, cannot be overstated. "Along with obedience, practical application of God's Word is a must if we want to have saving faith. We must check ourselves before Passover to see whether we have passed up or neglected opportunities to make practical use of our faith. This means so much to our attitude, the way we approach life on a daily basis."  (http://www.theberean.org/, 03/06/2017, John W. Ritenbaugh)

A Key Concept for Personal Spiritual Growth Is Understanding God's Holiness.

God chose us before the foundation of the world. In Christ, He blessed us with every spiritual blessing so that we may reflect the grace of His character and seek His holiness.

Holiness is not a state of perfection that we struggle to achieve. It is continually becoming more like Jesus, a state achieved daily through the power of the Holy Spirit as we fellowship with God in prayer and through His Word. Holiness is the result of beholding the beauty of Christ’s character.

God’s holiness consists largely of two major elements. First, it includes His righteous, pure character that is intrinsically part of His nature. God cannot act contrary to His own nature; so, His actions are always righteous, pure, and just. Second, God’s holiness sets Him apart from all created beings. His love, graciousness, goodness, justice, and compassion are infinite. There is no one else like Him in the entire universe (Lev. 19:2; Ps. 47:8; 1 Pet. 1:15, 16).

Meditating upon God’s holiness leads us to reflect His holiness in our own lives (2 Cor. 3:18). Ellen G. White states clearly, “It is a law of the mind that it gradually adapts itself to the subjects upon which it is trained to dwell.”—Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 596.

Salvation at The Cross of Calvary.

"It is Finished"!

The act of Christ dying on the cross for our salvation and access to heaven justified us to God and God and His Son in dealing with the rebellion of Satan.  It is seen that for the salvation of a fallen race, the Ruler of the universe had made the greatest sacrifice which love could make. 

One of the most solemn and yet most glorious truths revealed in the Bible is that of Christ’s second coming to complete the work of redemption.  To God’s people, a precious, joy inspiring hope is in His promise of His appearing again to take His people to their home in heaven. 

Christ’s second coming is the very keynote of the scriptures.  From the day when Adam and Eve turned away from Eden, we have waited for the coming of Jesus to break Satan’s power on the human race and bring back Paradise.  The coming of Christ to usher in the reign of righteousness has inspired and impassioned writers from all levels from poets to prophets, the Bible’s words have dwelt upon the hearts of those who seek redemption.

The assurance that Jesus Christ will come a second time finds a large place in the Scriptures and in the hearts of those who believe in Him and is the keynote of prophecy throughout the Bible.  Those who truly love Jesus can rejoice and be assured that His promise will be fulfilled and eternal life is in the reach of all those who receive Him.

It will be at that great day in time which this world will come to an end and an eternity with Christ will begin.  Christ will deliver all who gloriously and truly love and obey Him.  He will be coming back as King of kings and Lord of Lords!

Does It Really Matter What You Believe?

The simple answer to this question is, yes it does.  To clarify the answer, it matters if you want to be a disciple of Jesus Christ and receive the gift of immortality and salvation to eternal life.  Immortality and salvation is a gift from God, given to us freely.  We cannot earn it.  But, there is one important thing that people forget.  God does not force us to take this gift.  We can accept the gift or we can refuse the gift.  If you do not care about this gift, then the answer to the question is that it really doesn’t matter what you believe.  You can believe whatever your heart desires.

                Using the Bible as a basis for this discussion, it tells us that that those who want to know and have a relationship with God should hold on to beliefs that are based on His laws and not compromise.  “Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, 'I know Him,' and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him” (1 John 2:3-4, emphasis added).

                Why should what we believe be important to us?  It is because what we do in life and what decisions we make are ultimately based in a large part on what we believe.  If our decisions are based on God's laws, then we can resist the pressures to conform to the standards and values the world imposes on us. We can live in the world, yet not take part in its sins. We can avoid the breaking of God's laws that so often takes place in society.

                “But he answered and said, it is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4, KJV).  Jesus is saying that what we believe, and ultimately what we do is determined by what we think.  What we think should come from the words that “proceed out of God’s mouth”.

                There is a thought process that supports the idea that there is no absolute truth when believing in Jesus Christ, thus, the act of believing is all there is.  The theory is that "there is no objective standard by which truth may be determined, so that truth varies with individuals and circumstances" (David Elton Trueblood, Philosophy of Religion, p. 348).

                So, does it really matter what we believe?  The idea of finding the truth or real meaning to life escapes some people’s minds.  People spend their lives developing their idea of truth.  It does not matter if you are sixteen years old or sixty years old.  Up until that point in time you have spent 100% of your life developing your idea of truth and put up walls resisting any thought that would change that idea.  As you get older, most people spend what they feel is a lot of time, energy, and, (for some), money in formulating their thoughts and ideas on truth and it is only natural to defend what you developed over the years.

                People have always valued their act of belief more than the object of their belief.  William James lived from January 11, 1842 until August 26, 1910 and was an American philosopher and psychologist who was also trained as a physician. He was the first educator to offer a psychology course in the United States.  He stated, "Be not afraid of life. Believe that life is worth living, and your belief will help create the fact”.  (https://en.wikipedia.org/ wiki/ William James”).

                Is this statement true, especially when we are discussing Biblical truths?  The belief in something will not make it true.  You can believe that an object is something that it is not.  You can believe it with all your heart and soul, but that will not make your belief fact, outside of your own mind.

                The truth of a belief is determined by all of the facts supporting that belief or disproving that belief.  The only alternative to this is closing your mind to ideas that are new to you and this could ultimately lead to your eternal destruction.

                Belief is not determined by the strength of one’s faith.  There are many who get seriously injured and/or die every year because of their faith in something.  Teenagers are prime examples of the support for this idea.  They develop a belief or an idea to do something.  Their parents, because of their experiences in life, tell them it is wrong and could get them in trouble or in some cases injured, or even killed.  Teens commonly think they know everything and therefore what they believe overrides any warnings or threats that their parents give them.  When things go horribly wrong, which they usually do, the teenagers and, or friends and family in the case of a death, now try to answer the question, “Why?”.

                The Bible also emphasizes the fact that it is vital what one believes.  Jesus says that we “... are from beneath” but He is “...from above: (we) are of this world; (but He is) not of this world.” (John 8:23, KJV).  Jesus went on to say, “I have many things to say and to judge of you: but he that sent me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of him.” (John 8:26, KJV).

                Jesus said in chapter three of the gospel of John that “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” (John 3:36, KJV).  Most Bible translations interpret the first half of the verse and the second half of the verse to mean the same thing, but they do not.

                In the first part of the verse, the phrase “He that believeth” deals strictly with “belief” alone.  It means “to think, to be true, to be persuaded of, to credit or to place confidence in” something.  The phrase in the second part of the scripture comes from a different Greek word which carries the meaning of refusing belief and obedience and not to complying with something.  That is, not obeying and complying with everything that Jesus testified to.  A person is not allowed to pick and choose what they want to or do not want to believe.

                The scriptures do not place the weight on the act of belief.  It places it on the object of the belief.  It is not your act of faith but who and what your faith is based on.  Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me" (John 14:6, NLT).

                “People today believe whatever they wish to believe, but this will lead to their ultimate destruction. Let's look at an example from biblical history. One of the darkest periods in the history of Israel occurred in the time of the kings. During this time, there was a contest between the Lord God and Baal, a highly regarded cult deity. An altar of wood was built, with pieces of an oxen laid upon it as a sacrifice. The god who answered by fire and consumed the sacrifice would be acknowledged as the true god in Israel. Baal went first.

                If anyone could start a fire from the sky, it was Baal – the great nature god who controlled the weather (i.e., rain, thunderstorms, lightning). The priests of Baal paraded around the altar all morning and until late afternoon, beseeching Baal to respond. These false priests jumped all over the altar, cut themselves with swords, danced into a frenzy, raved and pleaded all day. No one can say they were not sincere, or did not believe. Yet, nothing happened.

                After they were finished and the altar was rebuilt, the Lord God answered with fire from heaven and consumed the altar and sacrifice. The false prophets of Baal were then slain.

                If sincerity and belief saved, then these prophets should have been spared. But sincerity and belief are not enough. These prophets had their trust in the wrong object. They had never chosen to investigate the truth. (emphasis added).  God requires man to put his faith in Jesus Christ; nothing less will satisfy either them or Him.” (http://www.bethinking.org/is-christianity-the-only-way/q-does-it-really-matter-what-i-believe).

                There are many people who go to their deaths believing something that had overwhelming facts that go against that belief.  History is full of people who died needlessly because of this.  The reason this is brought up here is because of the topic of this article concerning Biblical truths. 

                This statement is a two edged sword.  All but one of the apostles were put to death because of what they believed.  In the context of this discussion then, it matters which edge of the sword you are cutting with.  Are you cutting with the edge of the sword based largely on what comes out of the mouths of men?  I am talking about beliefs taken out context and not supported by other scriptures, or are disproved by other scriptures in the Bible.  Or; do you base your beliefs on what comes out of the mouth of God?  The word of God is the Bible, plain and simple.  The facts that you base your beliefs on need to be supported by “every word of God”, every word found in the Bible.  Your belief when it comes to God can be based on no more nor no less.

A LOOK AT LIFE AFTER DEATH.

Read the two following passages:

"So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord.  For we walk by faith, not by sight.  We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord."  (2 Corinthians 5:6‑8)

and

"I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; (Philippians 1:23)

Compare those passages with the following:

 

But man dies and is laid away;

Indeed, he breathes his last

And where is he?

 

As water disappears from the seas

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.

 

"Oh, that You would hide me in the grave,

That You would conceal me until Your wrath is past,

That You would appoint me a set time, and remember me!

If a man dies, shall he live again?

 

All the days of my hard service I will wait,

Till my change comes.

You shall call, and I will answer You;

You shall desire the work of Your hands.  (Job 14:10‑15)

Job, the writer of the second passage, was lamenting his life and basically wishing that God would let him die.  Job knew that in death he would be unconscious and would not feel any of the pain he was feeling in his present life.  This passage is interesting because it doesn't say anything about Job going to heaven or to the hell.

 

Job, through the inspiration of God, was talking about what happens when a person dies.  In fact, the passage tells us that Job knew about a future resurrection.  Job clearly says that a ". . . man dies and is laid away . . . he breathes his last . . . As the water disappears from the sea, And the river becomes parched and dries up, so man lies down and does not rise."  Job goes on to tell us that it will be at the resurrection when he, along with others ". . . would be roused from their sleep."  Job asks God to ". . . hide [him] in the grave, That You would conceal me until Your wrath is past . . .".  Job wanted God to hide him in the grave or, "sheol" as the ancient Hebrews called it.  Job is simply asking God to let him die and that God ". . . would appoint . . . [him] . . . a set time . . ." when Job would be resurrected from his grave.   ". . . You shall call, and I will answer you . . .".  


Job knew that his resurrection would be sometime in the future.  Job knew that when he died, "As the cloud disappears and vanishes away, so he who goes down to the grave does not come up."  [Job 7:9].  He likens his death to a cloud that ". . . disappears and vanishes away . . .", just as man does when he dies and goes to the grave, he is no more.  When man dies he is not off someplace else, he very simply just ". . .. disappears and vanishes away. . .". 

Job likens death to sleep.  He says “. . .  man dies and is laid away . . . (t)hey will not awake(n) or be roused from their sleep.”  When a person is asleep they are not aware of anything around them. 

 

This passage is an indication of man’s state of being after he dies.

 

 



THE IMMORTALITY OF MANKIND, MATTHEW 25:46.

 

There are many Bible verses that are taken out of the context of the passage they are found in to support various Christian doctrines.  In order to understand passages, the entire passage needs to be read, and then it has to be related to the time period that the passage is referring to.  We then need to be sure that our interpretation can be verified and not denied by other passages in the Bible.  

Matthew 25:46 is one of these passages.  It reads, “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”  Several questions immediately come to mind.  What time period is this talking about?  Who are “they”?  What is meant when is says that the righteous will “go away…to eternal life”? 

The chapter Matthew 25 is describing the future judgment of the “nations”.  This judgment will take place immediately after the second coming of Jesus Christ.  During this time period there will be mortal human beings, on earth, who survived the tribulation.  Christ is on the earth. 

There will be people living on the earth at this time who started believing in Christ during the tribulation during the tribulation period.  There will be other people who still do not believe.  These two groups of people are represented by the sheep, (the ones who believe in Christ), and the goats, (the ones who do not).  The people will be judged on how they treated each other during the tribulation period.  (Matthew 25:37-45).

There will also be a group of people on the earth who will be resurrected at that time.  These are people who died during the tribulation period believing in Christ.  Revelation 20:5-6 says “This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.”  Revelation 20:5-6 is referring to Matthew 25:46.

Revelation 20:5-6 indicates that before these people were judged at this point in time, they were subject to “The second death…” (Revelation 20:6).  If that is the case, these human beings are not yet immortal because they can die.  It is here that the righteous people, those who survived the tribulation and those who were just resurrected, are judged and receive eternal life, immortality. 

Matthew 25:46 confirms this where it states clearly that, “Then they will go away…the righteous to eternal life.” (emphasis added).

 

CHRISTIAN LIVING FOR GOD - TODAY AND BEYOND.

God's Sovereignty Can Not Be Questioned...

...IF YOU KNOW THE FACTS!

 

 

(http://www.theberean.org/)

 

FIND OUT HOW YOU CAN LIVE YOUR LIFE FREE FROM WORRY. CLICK LINK FOR FREE INFORMATION.

 

Ecclesiastes 7:11-14   Wisdom is good with an inheritance, And profitable to those who see the sun.  For wisdom is a defense as money is a defense, But the excellence of knowledge is that wisdom gives life to those who have it.  Consider the work of God; For who can make straight what He has made crooked?  In the day of prosperity be joyful, But in the day of adversity consider: Surely God has appointed the one as well as the other, So that man can find out nothing that will come after him.   Solomon is comparing two powers that offer their possessors the ability to defend themselves against many of the vicissitudes of life. On the one hand is money and on the other, wisdom. Money can help one avoid and even preserve a person from many of life's difficulties. Wisdom, however, can give him something no amount of money can—life. Wisdom produces things material possessions cannot because it is insurance against willful self-destruction, whether physical or spiritual. Consider in verse 13 literally means "to see." It counsels us to understand that some situations cannot be rectified. No amount of money or wisdom will prevent them from occurring. We can do nothing about them because circumstances are beyond our powers, and we should not fret overmuch about them. An obvious example is the impossibility of a person being able to stop wars, floods, riots, or a hurricane. Each of these can bring devastation and a great deal of personal pain that may be entirely unavoidable. All one can do in such a case is to deal with the aftereffects as wisely as possible. Verse 14 carries on the thought, counseling us that good and bad times occur in everybody's life. There will be situations that are seemingly unjust, such as the righteous seeming not to be prospered, becoming diseased and dying young, while the evil are prospered with wealth, good health, and long, comfortable lives. These things occur in every culture on earth. We are to consider—to see—that God overrules all and is well aware of what is happening. He may even be directly involved in causing the kinds of circumstances that upset our sense of fairness (Isaiah 45:7). We must never allow our thoughts to wander from the reality of the depths of God's involvement in governing His creation. The passage concludes by drawing our attention to the future. It is beyond our abilities to know precisely what is going to happen. How long will our present trial last? Will we be drawn into another? Are we pleasing God? Will we be prospered to a greater level? When will Christ come? Solomon is not saying we should not think about the future, but that we will never know precisely what is coming. Thus, we should not be overly concerned about it. We must live our belief that God is on His throne, which allows us to be emotionally stable. Solomon does not begin to give an answer to the thought he is posing until verses 18-19, and even then, it is a very brief answer: "It is good that you grasp this, and also not remove your hand from the other; for he who fears God will escape them all. Wisdom strengthens the wise more than ten rulers of the city." The combination of the fear of God and wisdom, which is the fruit of vision, appear together as a solution. Because the circumstances he posed will affect all, Solomon's advice is to keep on following wisdom. This is a precursor to the climax of the book where he says, "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether it is good or whether it is evil" (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14). It is also foreshadows Romans 8:28 where Paul writes, "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." In his terse statements, Solomon is saying, "Keep on following the revelation of God, for this is wisdom. The vision of His overall purpose is wisdom. It is an unerring guide through good and bad times. Always consider—see, discern—that an unseen Hand is involved in events, even those of our seemingly insignificant lives." — John W. Ritenbaugh To learn more, see: The Elements of Motivation (Part Two): Vision   Related Topics: Fear of God God's Sovereignty Revelation Vision Wisdom New King James Version copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.   (http://www.theberean.org/)

IS THE OLD TESTAMENT RELEVANT TODAY?

This question can be logically answered in the Word of God.  When Christ was teaching he told the people to "Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me" (John 5:39).

"The Jews considered that eternal life was revealed to them in their Scriptures, and that they had it, because they had the word of God in their hands. Jesus urged them to search those Scriptures with more diligence and attention....They did indeed search the Scriptures, but it was with a view to their own glory..." (https://www.biblegateway.com/resources/commentaries/Matthew-Henry/John/John-5-39-44).

They searched but, because they were seeking "their own glory", they could not then and do not to this day see Jesus Christ as the messiah.  On the surface, that is what this scripture is referring to, the religious Jewish authorities questioning His claim to be the Messiah.

But there is a message here that goes deeper than this.  The message is for all Christians, from the apostolic period up to and including the present.  When Jesus taught He did teach what is recorded in the New Testament.  But, the New Testament had yet to be written.  The scriptures He was referring to, where Jesus always taught from, came from the Old Testament.  Jesus said that these books testify of Him.

HOW TO LIVE FOREVER!

 

A SONG OF GOD’S MAJESTY AND LOVE

It is God who supplies the daily needs of all His creatures, including mankind.  Unfortunately it is the transgression of God’ law that brought death and suffering into the world.  The good news is that the world, though fallen is not just sorrow and misery.  Nature provides messages of hope and comfort.  We find flowers on thistles and roses on thorns.  God's love among a fallen man is all around us.  All we need to do is open our eyes and our hearts.  We are placed in a position through our connection with Christ to be worthy of the name, "sons of God".

I will extol You, my God, O King;
And I will bless Your name forever and ever.
Every day I will bless You,
And I will praise Your name forever and ever.
Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised;
And His greatness is unsearchable.

One generation shall praise Your works to another,
And shall declare Your mighty acts.
I will meditate on the glorious splendor of Your majesty
And on Your wondrous works.
Men shall speak of the might of Your awesome acts,
And I will declare Your greatness.
They shall utter the memory of Your great goodness,
And shall sing of Your righteousness.

The Lord is gracious and full of compassion,
Slow to anger and great in mercy.
The Lord is good to all,
And His tender mercies are over all His works.

All Your works shall praise You, O Lord,
And Your saints shall bless You.
They shall speak of the glory of Your kingdom,
And talk of Your power,
To make known to the sons of men His mighty acts,
And the glorious majesty of His kingdom.
Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
And Your dominion endures throughout all generations.

The Lord upholds all who fall,
And raises up all who are bowed down.
The eyes of all look expectantly to You,
And You give them their food in due season.
You open Your hand
And satisfy the desire of every living thing.

The Lord is righteous in all His ways,
Gracious in all His works.
The Lord is near to all who call upon Him,
To all who call upon Him in truth.
He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him;
He also will hear their cry and save them.
The Lord preserves all who love Him,
But all the wicked He will destroy.
My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord,
And all flesh shall bless His holy name
Forever and ever.

(Psalm 145, New King James Version)

CAN YOU CAN TALK TO THE DEAD.

The Christian Bible well documents the idea in many scriptures that there are angels who God directs to minister to humans. These angels do not contact humans on their own and humans cannot contact them. That is not without God's express permission. This is talking about God's angels, not all angels. There are angels that were created by God, that chose to rebel against God.

Satan is one of them. When he rebelled, he took one third of all angels that were created by God with him. These are what most Christians refer to as Fallen angels or demons. These angels, along with Satan, can and will communicate with you. 

They will do this for one reason and one reason only. The reason is to deceive you. These angels that communicate with humans are not dead people. They are a creation of God, created as an angel that dwells in the spiritual realm.

The Bible does not teach nor will you find any scripture that supports the idea that the dead come back to help human beings in any way. In order to teach this doctrine, scripture must teach on the immortality of the human soul or spirit and it does not.

The immortality of the human soul or spirit is strictly a pagan idea not found anywhere in the Bible. Early in Christianity, during the early third and fourth centuries, it was incorporated into Christian doctrine, through the Roman Christian Church. Bible scripture plainly teaches that "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).

The "ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs for salvation" (Hebrews 1:14) are not dead people but are God's heavenly angels. The doctrine that man is concious after he dies is based today on modern spiritualism. Modern spiritualism and most of its beliefs are not rooted in Biblical scripture. 

If there was any truth in the conciousness of man going on after death, why would not a loving God allow these spirits free will to contact those they love and warn them against the evils of this world? On that alone, the idea that people can talk to the dead makes no logical sense.

Bible scripture teaches that God's eternal plan is the salvation of man.  "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16). God sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, who was then allowed by God to be cruelly tortured and executed. As a Christian, if you believe John 3:16, how could you logically believe that God would not allow the spirits of dead humans actively participate in man's salvation, and talk to their dead relatives and loved ones freely and without being conjured up by someone who claims they can talk to the dead, while taking your money.  That makes no sense what so ever.

RELATED ARTICLES:

False Biblical Doctrine Is Taught By Christian Churches Today.

The Bible Describes The Dead As Being Unconsciousness.

Contemporary Christian doctrine teaches that we are born, we live our lives, and we die.

HOW DOES THE BIBLE DESCRIBE DEATH?

THE BIBLE SAYS THAT OUR SPIRIT RETURNS TO GOD WHEN WE DIE.

     

ADAM AND EVE DECIDED TO LIVE AN ALTERNATIVE LIFE STYLE.

THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION TODAY.

 When Adam and Eve decided to follow an alternative life style, similar to the way we live our lives today, apart from God and the Bible, they insured the truth in the statement made by God that “. . . you surely will die . . .”. As did with Adam and Eve and Enoch, that is what happens to us today, we “. . . surely will die . . .”. 

(http://www.ldsliberty.org/fundamental-principles-of-a-representative-democracy/adam-and-eve/)

Adam committed a sin. That sin was turning his back on God. Because of this, man, down through the ages has been dying. We do not know how to act. We do not know how to live our lives so we can live forever.

Look at the world today. It is a disgusting mess. Wars, famines, disease, murders, rapes, drug abuse, alcoholism, child abuse, sexual immorality of all kinds, aides. All these are man made. If Christians actually did live by the laws of God they wouldn’t die. The simple fact is that we do not because we can’t. Mankind has been killing himself down through the ages all because Adam and Eve decided they could determine right from wrong. When Adam and Eve sinned, God sentenced mankind, all of mankind including Christians, to a punishment. That punishment we are all sentenced to is to die a first death.

Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned. (Romans 5:12)

God is telling us a simple truth, death will come to all men, this would include Christians. Death is man’s punishment for the sin of Adam. Because of Adam all men will endure that punishment.  What kind of punishment would it be if that when we die we are immediately whisked to heaven to be with Jesus Christ and God. That would be no punishment at all. The Bible does tell us that we die. It does not say Christians die and then immediately go to heaven. It is not in scripture. This doctrine is simply false.
Do not fear though, God does offer eternal life to all men.