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Myth One

or

Satan's Lie

 

 


Myth One Contents


Chapter
1     All the Dead Innocent Children
2     False Christian Theology
3     Myth One
4     Sleep Versus Death
5     Bible Testaments and Covenants
6     Myth One - So What?
7     Myth One Goal
8     The Resurrections - What Really Happens
9     "Interpreting the Bible"
10     The Unpardonable Sin
11     No Heterosexuals In Heaven
12     Being Born Again
13     Faith
14     Poor Bible Word Choices
15     Works
16     The Age of Accountability
17     Almost Unknown Bible Facts
18     Is the Holy Bible Easy To Understand?
19     Human Longevity Facts
20     "Proofs" That Man Has An Immortal Soul?
21     Godly Interventions
22     Sermons I've Heard - Plays I've Seen
23     Real Life Bible Lessons
24     Answered Prayers
25     Today is the Day of Salvation
26     Heaven and Hell - Real Places?
27     When We All Get To Heaven?
28     The Sabbath and the End Times
29     Mysteries of the Universe
30     God's Underdogs
31     Conclusion


Myth One or Satan's Lie Copyright © 2003. Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Authorized King James Version of the Bible, which is public domain in the United States. Three verses in Genesis are quoted from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, and 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zonderman. All rights reserved.

Chapter 1

START CHAPTER 1

All the Dead Innocent Children

I should have begun this project in 1978 following my first reading of the Bible, but I felt inadequate. This is the duty of preachers and theologians who we admire and respect. Where are they? I have no credibility in theology and certainly no one will be swayed by my writings. So twenty-five years passed, and I read the Bible three more times. Then an event occurred that forced me to begin this book. My responsibility is to write it down. If God desires that anyone should read it, He will have to handle the distribution.

On June 20, 2001, five children were murdered in Houston, Texas. Andrea Yates has now been found not guilty by reason of insanity after confessing to drowning her five young children in the family's bathtub. Her past contains a history of mental problems and postpartum depression.

Although her defense was based on insanity, she has explained in simple, easy to understand language, why she killed her children. Sadly, no one believed her explanation. Three weeks after the drownings, Andrea told psychiatrist Philip Resnick she was failing as a mother and believed she had to kill the children to keep them from going to hell. "These were their innocent years. God would take them up." Mrs. Yates became frustrated by what she felt was a lack of development by the children. If she did not take action, the children would be destined for eternal damnation. "They did a lot of silly stuff and didn't obey. They did things God didn't like."

The Yates family was a religious, Christian family. The oldest child, at age seven, was nearing the "age of accountability." This is the age after which most Christians believe a person must accept Jesus Christ as their Savior to avoid an eternity of torture in hellfire. As most Christian parents, Andrea Yates was desperately concerned about the eternal home of her children. Mrs. Yates stated that all of her children were in their innocent years. What exactly did she mean by this statement? Sin is the transgression of God's laws, or commandments:

For sin is the transgression of the law.            (I John 3:4)

However, to commit a sin, one must first recognize that the act is a sin:

To him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin. (James 4:17)

For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. (Romans 5:13)

In their innocent years, implied that none of her children were sufficiently old or educated to recognize sinful actions. That is, they had no law. If they were to die before ever knowingly committing a sin, it is taught that their "souls" go immediately to heaven and live with God for eternity. Ask any Christian clergyman for verification that the children's souls are presently in heaven. That is exactly what I did. I emailed the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association asking where the five murdered children were. They responded that they did not know where the remains of the children were, then continued to state:

What is more important, however, is where the souls of these children are. God, in His mercy and love, watches over little children who are taken by death, and they go to be with Him in heaven.

They confirm Mrs. Yates statement that, "God would take them up," and assert that the children's souls are presently in heaven with God! Thus Mrs. Yates achieved her goal! Would all five of her children have gone to heaven and averted an eternity in the fires of hell if allowed to live past their innocent years? That would be highly unlikely! Once the children reached the age of accountability and became responsible for their individual salvation, it is very likely that some, if not all, would burn in hell for eternity:

Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. (Matthew 7:13-14)

It is difficult to place a number or percentage on many and few in a group of five. After all, these five children are an extremely small subset of the entire human population. It is entirely possible that all five could "enter in at the strait gate" through their own efforts. Likewise, it is also possible that all five could enter the wide gate that "leadeth to destruction," even though they were raised in a Christian environment. However, based on current mainstream "Christian" theology, the only guaranteed method whereby absolutely none of the Yates children would burn in hell for eternity was for them to pass away while in their innocent years! If they lived past their innocent years, it would require an active action on their part to avoid their souls burning in hellfire for eternity. As quoted previously from the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association email:

God, in His mercy and love, watches over little children who are taken by death, and they go to be with Him in heaven.

Mrs. Yates was additionally concerned because she had already noticed that, "They did things God didn't like." This was under the sheltered existence of home schooling and Christian guidance. Surely they would be severely tested when encountering alcohol, drugs, sex, and other worldly influences. Therefore, she performed an unselfish act which must have been extremely difficult for her as a loving parent. She sent her children to be with God while they were still innocent. She made the decision for them. They would never have to overcome worldly pleasures and temptations and accept Jesus. She decided in the affirmative while they were still innocent. Very likely she believed her fate was to be found guilty, executed by the state, and then burn eternally in hell for her actions. In fact, Mrs. Yates stated to the police that she was not a good mother to the children, that she wanted to be punished for the crime, and that she was prepared to go to hell for what she had done.

Mrs. Yates informed another psychiatrist, Dr. Park Dietz, that she wasn't thinking about Satan at the time of the killings but was praying that her four sons would go to heaven. Apparently she was not certain that all of the boys were still "in their innocent years." However, she had no concern about six-month old Mary, because "she was the most innocent of all of them."

Dr. Dietz asked Mrs. Yates if she thought Satan still lived within her. "No, he left when I committed my crime," Yates said. "He destroys then he leaves." Dr. Dietz then asked, "Doesn't he take your soul?" "When I die," Mrs. Yates replied. Does this sound familiar? It does if you were raised in the Christian faith as presently taught. Incredibly, if she had been an atheist, the children might still be alive.

With virtually no challenge or dissent, this crime has now been attributed to mental illness. Mental disorders can be extremely difficult to diagnose with 100% accuracy. Mrs. Yates has been diagnosed throughout this tragic event as having postpartum depression, schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, and bipolar disorder.

If these murders are attributable to mental illness, then which of her four diagnosed mental disorders planted this idea of filicide (murdering ones children) in her head? Did postpartum depression create her belief that the souls of innocent children go immediately to God upon their death? No! Did schizophrenia generate this belief in her mind? No! What about the schizoaffective disorder? No! Then it must have been the bipolar disorder? Once again, absolutely not! Where did she learn this belief? It is taught by virtually every Christian church in the world!

In fact, she committed this crime as an altruistic act! The children were in their innocent years, and their "souls" would be immediately received by God to live with Him for eternity in heaven. Great evangelists now confirm that the children's souls are in heaven. Mrs. Yates committed this act in the best interests of her children because she loved them! Based on her religious teachings, she eliminated any chance of her children's souls burning eternally in the fires of hell. If her main concern was the eternal welfare of her children, then she is now a success!

She may not have murdered her children if she did not have a mental illness. No one will ever know. She may not have murdered her children if she had not been taught that the souls of innocent children go immediately to be with God in heaven when they die, thus avoiding the possibility of eternal torment in the fires of hell. Once again, no one will ever know. However, as an absolute minimum, this false teaching made the tragic crime easier to commit! It was a very rational deed to perform. Logically it made sense to her!

Andrea Pia Yates should not have to bear full responsibility for this crime. Anyone who ever helped teach this belief or financially assisted in the teaching of this belief is partly responsible for the deaths of Noah, John, Paul, Luke, and Mary Yates; as well as many other children! I am partially responsible, as are many of you! I beg Mrs. Yates' forgiveness!

Now that her trial is over, isn't it only fair that every Christian church and television evangelist in the nation teaching this theology step forward and accept their responsibility in this tragedy? After all, although she was mentally ill, she was logically acting on what they have always preached. All churches teaching this immortal soul doctrine should come together in an effort to praise her, build a statue of her, and place her image in stained glass windows. Here is a woman who believed and had faith in their teachings! She sacrificed herself so that her children would live forever in heaven. Her fate is to burn in hellfire for eternity. The magnitude of her sacrifice is staggering! Jesus Christ sacrificed His life for all mankind when He died on the cross for our sins. The Bible proclaims:

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. (John 15:13)

The Mel Gibson directed movie The Passion of the Christ portrays the crucifixion of Jesus and is reputed to be very realistic. But no matter how bloody or even gruesome, Jesus' death does not even approach the sacrifice Andrea Pia Yates was prepared to make for her children! She was prepared to be executed by the state of Texas, and then spend eternity in the fires of hell! If she burns eternally in hell for this act, as she believed she would, then there is indeed a greater love than laying down one's life for a friend and the verse above is incorrect! If she in fact goes to hell, present Christian theology teaches us that one billion trillion years from now, she will still be burning alive, while her children are safe in heaven! In comparison, the six hour crucifixion of Jesus Christ was trivial. If anyone fits the definition of a martyr, she does!

Sadly, no Christian organization anywhere will step forward to admit any guilt whatsoever. They will circle the wagons, pray, sing songs, praise the Lord, hope it goes away, and stay in denial. That woman was crazy, possessed by the devil! Indeed, many have already forgotten this tragic event! Society will once again treat this as one isolated act committed by one severely depressed mother. Is that actually the case? Absolutely not! There is a long history of Christian mothers murdering their innocent children to save them from burning eternally in hell. We should expect more killings in the future. Why? The population of the United States is over three hundred million. Tens of millions of these are young Christian women with children.

Where do most Christian mothers who become severely depressed for whatever reason, turn for help and guidance in escaping their seemingly inescapable situations? Psychiatric help? No. Most do not even realize they are mentally ill. They seek help from their main source of strength as they have been taught. Their religion! Thus, there are thousands or even millions of possible filicides waiting to occur in the United States alone. Some of these depressed Christian mothers who can no longer cope may decide to save their innocent children from a possible eternal torment in hell by sending them to live with God in heaven. After all, this theology is taught and validated by the majority of present day Christian theologians. All of these future killings are avoidable. Would God create a system whereby it is logically a good choice to sacrifice our innocent children?

I learned the truth over twenty-five years ago and cannot rationalize my lack of action once again. Let me be one Christian to step forward. When Mrs. Yates reached the depths of her mental illness and depression she resorted to the same religious teachings which millions of other Christians, including myself, have been taught since childhood! She is no different from the vast majority of other Christians in her beliefs. Tragically, she reached the point of acting on these false "Christian" teachings.

Where will you find the true answers regarding your eternity? Sadly, this truth is not to be found in most churches, television evangelistic programs, or crusades. You will find the answers in a book, which many Christian clergy will warn you against reading without careful guidance. That book is the Holy Bible, a translation of the scriptures. The scriptures are the inspired words of God:

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: (II Timothy 3:16)

Christian churches claim that their doctrine is based on the scriptures. In actuality, most use the Bible to "prove" beliefs they are born with and which their parents and pastors taught them, selecting small portions of the entire Bible. The words of the scriptures are sealed from their understanding:

And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I cannot for it is sealed: (Isaiah 29:11)

When will the words of the book be unsealed and why:

But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased. (Daniel 12:4)

And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness. (Isaiah 29:18)

The words of the Bible are sealed until the time of the end. In this time of the end, shortly before the Second Coming of Jesus Christ to the earth, knowledge shall be increased and the scriptures shall be unsealed. Until that time, man is basically ignorant in regards to the scriptures!

Today's churches and clergy as a whole do not understand the Bible! Why are wonderful men and women of God misleading you? It is not intentional. There may be the rare exception that's involved for the money and power. However, the vast majority are totally sincere in their beliefs and efforts. They are cycling. That is, they are teaching exactly what they were taught from their youth. It is what they sincerely believe, not what is in the Bible. They misinterpret the Bible to meet their predisposed beliefs and are doing exactly what they are supposed to be doing, misleading others by continuing to teach their inherited beliefs. They cannot break the cycle. They do not even recognize the problem and feel good about their work even though their teachings logically support the murder of children. These wonderful Christian people are humans just as you and I, and the Bible is sealed from their understanding until the time of the end.

If the churches were interfering with Satan's efforts, is it not logical that Satan would be fighting them? But in the eyes of men, churches continue to prosper with larger and larger flamboyant sanctuaries and cathedrals. Clergymen clothe themselves in royal robes and attach multiple honorary doctoral degrees to their names. Many have become prosperous and powerful. We tend to worship the messengers as much as the message. Is this what happened to churches and men of God in the Bible? Look at what Jesus said would happen to His followers:

Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you... (John 15:20)

Yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. (John 16:2)

Not only do we not persecute religious leaders, we tend to worship them. We give them titles such as Reverend, Doctor, Cardinal, and Father, although the Bible clearly states:

And call no one your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven. (Matthew 23:9)

Regardless of whether you believe the Bible or not, shouldn't you at least know what it actually states? You may not be hearing the true gospel message in your church. Why does it matter? False Bible teachings recently cost five young lives! Isn't that a sufficient reason? False teachings create unhappy Christians and keep untold numbers from knowing Jesus Christ. Let's try something different. Let's have a revolution! Let's discover and begin teaching the true gospel message of love in our churches before the next innocent child is murdered! Let's begin to unseal the scriptures as we approach the end times! If you do not care about children, learn the truth for your own peace of mind. Millions of people, Christian or otherwise, live in fear of themselves or their loved ones burning in hell eternally. Today's Christianity is a religion of fear and worry!

There is no major difference between any of the largest Christian denominations' basic beliefs. These common erroneous basic beliefs are:

1) Man is born as an immortal soul living within a physical body.

2) If man accepts Jesus as his Savior prior to his death, his soul
     immediately goes to heaven for eternity when his physical body dies.

3) If man does not accept Jesus as his Savior, his soul immediately
     goes to hell for eternity when his physical body dies.

4) At the resurrection, man's eternal soul is merged back with his
     resurrected eternal physical body.

Ask your pastor if this is not the basic theology of your church. Notice that every belief following the first is a direct result of the first false belief, man's immortality! That is, if man lives forever, he must reside somewhere. Therefore, beliefs two and three assign homes to man's immortal soul. Christian theologians assign heaven as the eternal home of those who believe in Jesus Christ. All others are condemned eternally to hell. However, spiritual bodies such as the soul do not experience pain. It is simply not fair that nonbelievers live for eternity in hell with no corporal punishment! Therefore, belief four reunites the soul with an incorruptible physical body at the resurrection. This physical body can suffer pain but never die. Now nonbelievers can experience excruciating pain every second for eternity. Ah, that is now a complete and perfect system!

However, obvious questions arise due to the above theology. How does it benefit God for the majority of mankind to burn eternally in the fires of hell? How does this equate with "God is Love"? Does God truly love us or hate us? Do these false teachings drive more people away from the church than are saved by the church? Where might one discover the true teachings of Christianity? The true good news of Christianity can be found in the scriptures. We have had too much of this fear, misery, and nonsense!

Although Christian theologians confirm that Mrs. Yates succeeded in saving her children from hell and sending them directly to live with God in heaven, she will be extremely disappointed to learn that this theology is a myth! As long as this erroneous theology is taught, expect the periodic murder of children by concerned Christian parents to continue. Likewise, expect those teaching this false doctrine to immediately deny any responsibility after each occurrence!

This book is dedicated to Noah, John, Paul, Luke, and Mary Yates; and other children murdered over the years by their misguided Christian parents in a futile effort to send them to live with God in heaven for eternity! More of these innocent victims are listed below. If you know someone who is missing from the dedication list, please e-mail us the victim's name and any substantiating information. The victim must be a child whose murder was justified by the belief that he or she was being sent to heaven to live eternally with God or saved from spending eternity in hellfire. The event does not need to be recent. If the information can be verified, that innocent child's name will be added to the growing list of victims. Click here to e-mail us. Click on any victim's name below for details of their tragic and unnecessary passing:

Victims                 Age at Death                      Date of Death
Antonio Lopez                         9                       July 19, 2005
Erik Lopez                         2                       July 19, 2005
Margaret Schlosser                       10 months                       Nov 23, 2004
Joshua Keith Laney                         8                       May 10, 2003
Luke Allen Laney                         6                       May 10, 2003
Samantha Mae Martin                         6                       March 29, 2002
Noah Yates                         7                       June 20, 2001
John Yates                         5                       June 20, 2001
Paul Yates                         3                       June 20, 2001
Luke Yates                         2                       June 20, 2001
Mary Yates                        6 months                       June 20, 2001
Nicholas Lemak                         7                       March 4, 1999
Emily Lemak                         6                       March 4, 1999
Thomas Lemak                         3                       March 4, 1999
Kouaeai Hang                         11                       Sept 3, 1998
Kouaeai Samson Hang                         9                       Sept 3, 1998
Nali Hang                         8                       Sept 3, 1998
Tang Lung Hang                         7                       Sept 3, 1998
Aee Hang                         6                       Sept 3, 1998
Tung Ke Hang                         5                       Sept 3, 1998
Justin Thomas Riggs                         5                       Nov 4, 1997
Shelby Alexis Riggs                         2                       Nov 4, 1997
Christina Gindorf                       23 months                       March 28, 1985
Jason Gindorf                         3 months                       March 28, 1985

In the week following the murders of the Yates children, Newsweek Magazine reported that Andrea Yates must have been "possessed by a demonic energy," as she "methodically" killed her children, "laying them out on the bed wrapped in sheets like little Christian martyrs." On the problem in general of mothers murdering their children, Newsweek continued, "About 200 children are killed by their mothers every year, according to Justice statistics. Sometimes moms blame the devil. Or they think they are saving their children from a hellish life by sending them to heaven."

In actuality, Christian mothers who murder their innocent children do not think they are saving them from a hellish life by sending them to heaven. They know they may be saving their children from burning eternally in hell by sending them to heaven. They learned this fact from their religions, and certainly their pastors and religious leaders would not mislead them! In fact, Christians reinforce this belief after each occurrence by affirming that the murdered children's "souls" are in heaven with God!

If you are a Christian and are content that your God created a system whereby the vast majority of mankind will burn in hellfire for eternity, then stop reading this. However, in all fairness, please remove all references that "God is love" from your Bibles! Then continue living in worry and fear regarding the salvation of your family and friends. On the other hand, if you want to be courageous and accomplish something truly worthwhile in your life, read the Bible and discover the truth:

And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. (John 8:32)

For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. (John 3:17)

We have only a short moment in time before the tragic Yates event is forgotten and relegated to history. In this moment, do two things. First, support efforts to better understand, prevent, diagnose, and treat mental illnesses such as postpartum depression which can result in these tragedies. Secondly, ask your pastors to discuss, study, and debate the theology relied on by these mentally ill mothers to justify their acts. Part of your pastor's job is to answer your questions. Stand up and be counted! You can make a difference! END CHAPTER 1

Chapter 2

START CHAPTER 2

False Christian Theology

Reverend Billy Graham, perhaps the most highly respected Christian evangelist in the world, made the following remarks concerning the human "soul" in his Louisville Kentucky Crusade:

Your eternal soul is the most valuable thing you possess.
You have a body, but living inside of you is your spirit or soul. And when a person dies, what happens? The soul goes on.
(Speaking on the value of the soul.)
First, it's valuable because it's eternal. It's going to live forever. A million years from now, our soul will be living.
The body is the house, the soul is the tenant. But when the body dies, the soul lives on.
The good news is that God offers eternal life to every soul.

No one in the crowded stadium of awed worshipers seemed to grasp the obvious error in what was just preached as gospel truth. If you are born with an eternal soul which lives forever, why is it necessary for God to offer eternal life to every soul? It is redundant. Why would God offer eternal life to something that already has eternal life? Being the silly person that I am, I emailed the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association asking that question. The following is a direct quote from their response:

We appreciate your question about the soul and hell. The Bible teaches that you are an immortal  soul. Your soul  is eternal and  will live forever. In other words, the real you --  the part of you that thinks, feels, dreams, aspires; the ego, the personality-- will never die. The Bible teaches that your soul will live forever in one of  two places -- heaven or hell. If you are not a Christian and you have never been born again, then the Bible teaches that your soul goes immediately to a place Jesus called hades, where you will await the judgment of God. The moment a Christian dies, he goes immediately into the presence of Christ. There his soul awaits the resurrection, when the soul and body will be rejoined.
The scriptural doctrine of hell is an awesome one which must be taken very seriously. At the same time, the good news of the gospel is that Jesus Christ, through His triumph over death, has conquered hell. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

Notice that they did not answer the question which was, "Why is it necessary that God offer eternal life to every soul?" They simply restated their beliefs. In the second and third sentences of their answer they claim:

The Bible teaches that you are an immortal soul. Your soul is immortal and lives forever. In other words, the real you--the part of you that thinks, feels, dreams, aspires; the ego, the personality -- will never die.

This is a common belief in every Christian religious denomination of which I am aware. Is this belief in man's immortality supported in the scriptures? It most certainly is:

And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: (Genesis 3:4)

Satan lied when he informed Eve that she would live forever, "Ye shall not surely die." Mankind has accepted that lie as truth ever since. Mainstream Christian theologians have incorporated the lie into their theologies for nearly two thousand years!

Notice in the first paragraph of the above email that the phrase "The Bible teaches..." is used three times. However, no Bible references are given to support their statements. In the second paragraph, they quote John 3:16 which contradicts their claims of man's immortality in the first paragraph! According to John 3:16, the Bible actually teaches that only those believing in Jesus will have eternal life. It is not something all men are born with! Likewise, John 3:16 actually teaches that those who do not believe in Jesus will perish, not suffer for eternity in hell!

Anyone with an elementary school education should recognize that these are contradictory concepts. Why is it necessary for God to offer you eternal life if the real you will never die? God would not have sacrificed His son if you already had eternal life. Therefore, God knows that man is mortal and does not possess eternal life. Who are you going to believe? Man, who claims you are immortal, or the inspired word of God, which states otherwise? Historically, we have believed other men, not God! Let's examine that Bible verse, which every Christian can quote forwards and backwards:

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)

Do most Christians actually believe this verse? It states that whoever believes in the Son of God will have eternal life. There is no problem to this point. However, the words "but have" imply eternal life is not something we are born with, but something received as a result of believing in Christ. "But have eternal life," is undeniably future tense. Eternal life is something those who believe in Jesus Christ will have in the future!

What happens to those humans who do not believe in the Son of God? Implied in this phrase, "whosoever believeth in him, should not perish," is that those who do not believe in Him will perish. Most theologians do not believe this. There are only two possibilities, either you perish or you do not perish. If mankind is born with eternal life, this phrase has no meaning, as they cannot perish. So this phrase indicates that one is not born with any aspect of life which lives forever. No one will live in eternal agony in hellfire according to this verse. They will perish! When the words "eternal life" or "everlasting life" are used in the Bible, they are used in phrases such as: inherit eternal life, the gift of eternal life, or the promise of everlasting life. It is never mentioned as something one is born with, but something that Christians shall inherit in the future:

And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive a hundred-fold, and shall inherit eternal life. (Matthew 19:29)

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.   (Romans 6:23)

That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. (Titus 3:7)

And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life. (I John 2:25)

When any theologian states that a part of every human will live forever after their physical body dies, they are simply and obviously wrong! Regardless of the number of doctoral degrees they possess, or the number of Presidents who have invited them into the White House, they are utterly wrong! Do you believe the inspired word of God or the confused words of misguided theologians? In general, most Christians do not believe John 3:16!

The vast majority of Christian theologians believe and teach that man is born as an immortal, spiritual "soul" housed within a physical body. This creates an obvious problem, as spiritual bodies do not feel pain. Only flesh and blood physical bodies experience pain. When the physical body dies, these theologians teach that the soul is released. Since the soul is a spiritual body, when the souls of nonbelievers are cast into hellfire for eternity, they will feel no pain! Nonbelievers are blessed with eternal life, and their punishment is totally pain free! Theologians solve this problem by creating another myth, the bodily resurrection.

Virtually every Christian church admits to a belief in the rejoining of an incorruptible physical body with the eternal soul at the time of the resurrection. This is known as the "resurrection of the body" doctrine, and is included in many affirmations of faith. For example, from the "Apostles Creed":

I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy Catholic Church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen.

They believe this body to be different from the present earthly body in that it cannot be destroyed or killed. Therefore, when nonbelievers are cast into hellfire, they will suffer the pain of burning alive for eternity. The fire will never kill them. What a wonderful system! If an omnipotent God designed a system whereby all people who are not Christians will burn in the agony of hellfire for eternity, then explain the verse:

. . . God is love.                             (I John 4:8)

Of course, that cannot be explained because these are totally contradictory statements! That is, if God is love, then He did not design a system whereby trillions of people will suffer the terror and pain of burning alive for eternity! If God did design such a system, then God is not love! These two concepts are mutually exclusive. Only one can be true! If we can prove that either is true, then the other must be false. Regardless, most Christian theologians accept both of these concepts as truth, and are handicapped by having to defend indefensible "true" statements such as the following:

For God so loved the world that He plans for the majority of mankind to burn in hell for eternity.

The simple obvious fact is that both of these beliefs cannot be true. One must be rejected! Which one would you choose to accept as truth? I choose to accept the concept that God is love! But I do not reject the other concept simply because it is ridiculous. This book will prove beyond any doubt through the scriptures that no human will suffer for eternity in hell. What would God gain from their suffering? God is not sadistic, God is love!

The resurrection of the body myth illustrates the problems created when men impose their own private interpretations on the scriptures. We are warned against this activity:

Knowing this first, that no prophesy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. (II Peter 1:20)

The ultimate goal of virtually every Christian is to spend eternity with God in heaven. However, no one composed of any flesh and blood can inherit the Kingdom of God:

And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God;... (I Corinthians 15:49-50)

If Christian "souls" are reunited with their incorruptible flesh and blood bodies at the resurrection they can never enter heaven according to the scripture above since flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. Therefore, the bodily resurrection doctrine directly conflicts with the ultimate goal of today's Christianity! Both cannot be true! If your soul and body are reunited, you cannot enter the Kingdom of God! You cannot have it both ways. Either you believe the scriptures or you believe man.

In actuality, the truth about what happens upon your death is infinitely better than you have ever heard in any church or from any evangelist, and infinite is a word you cannot comprehend! On a recent Public Broadcasting System television documentary regarding religions in general, one philosopher made a statement concerning Christianity, "Would it not be better if the unsaved simply died?" Guess what? That is exactly what happens as written in the Bible. It is called the "second death." The second death awaits the unsaved. Unsaved humans who are cast into hell die their second death! Here is a philosopher who may have a religion, or may be an atheist, but he sees the flaw in widespread Christian theology. The Bible discusses two deaths, the first death and the second death. The first death is that of our physical bodies as they exist now:

And it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: (Hebrews 9:27)

The second death discussed in the book of Revelation must also be the end of a life if it is a true death:

But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. (Revelation 21:8)

An everlasting life of torment is not a second death! In the traditional Christian concept, man has an immortal soul which neither the first nor second death can kill. Therefore, for these traditional Christian theologians, death must be interpreted to be something other than death! This contradicts the Bible, which states that the unsaved die, perish, and are lost and gone for eternity. That is the end, or death, of them. There is no recovery from the second death. Christians are saved from the second death, when they are born again as immortal spiritual bodies after the Second Coming of Jesus Christ:

He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death. (Revelation 2:11)

Nonbelievers are not born again as spiritual bodies and may suffer the second death. All men are appointed to die only the first death. The second death is optional based on whether or not one chooses to accept Jesus as his Savior. If man's "soul" has immortality from birth and cannot die, then death does not apply to man, now or ever!

Incredibly, most Christian theologians have misrepresented the message of the Bible for nearly two thousand years! This myth of the immortal soul can be traced to one five-word statement which Satan spoke in the first few pages of the book of Genesis: "Ye shall not surely die." Many Christians and non-Christians still believe Satan's lie! It is inherent in most humans! This myth and its associated misinterpretations, as taught by most Christian churches, led Mrs. Yates to murder her children. She murdered them in their innocent years to prevent their souls and attached incorruptible physical bodies from burning eternally in the fires of hell. Virtually all other Christian myths and misinterpretations of the Bible are then created to support this immortal soul myth, the lie of Satan that you will live forever.

Therefore, let's call the immortal soul myth, Myth One.


END CHAPTER 2

Chapter 3

START CHAPTER 3

Myth One

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. (Genesis 1:1-2)

Using the Bible as a reference, the creation defined in detail in Genesis can be traced back approximately 6000 years. My calculations indicate that this Genesis creation occurred 5965 years from the year 2007. Suffice it to say that 6000 years is a close approximation. Many Christians erroneously assume that "In the beginning" was thus 6000 years ago. That is, everything that God ever created was created at that time. They argue against scientific evidence that the earth and entire universe are billions of years older!

Therefore, let's closely consider these first two verses of the Bible. First of all, verse one defines a complete creation! In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. This marks the end of the original creation! Many believe this first verse of Genesis to be a general statement that God created the heaven and earth in the beginning and the following verses describe this same creation in more detail. However, verse two differentiates the original creation in verse one from the recreation begun in verse three. Verse two describes the earth as without form, void, and dark after it was created in verse one. On the other hand, every single item created by God beginning in verse three was seen to be "good" after being created. Likewise, beginning in verse three, God created dry ground and vegetation so the earth was not without form and void. He also created light so the earth was not dark as stated in verse two. Consequently, verse two only describes the creation defined in verse one as everything created after verse two was seen to be good by God. Good is not the same as without form, void, and dark. So verse one definitely describes a separate creation process from that begun in verse three.

We do not know exactly when "In the beginning" was. Whenever it was, God completely created the heaven and the earth originally at that time according to verse one! After that original creation, the earth was without form, void, and dark. Why would God create the earth without form, void, and dark in the beginning? Is it to prove that anyone can make a mistake? Of course not, to err is human, whereas God is all powerful. Everything created in the following verses of Genesis chapter one was seen to be "good" by God:

And God saw the light, that it was good. (Genesis 1:4)

...and God saw that it was good. (Genesis 1:10)
   (referring to dry ground)

...and God saw that it was good. (Genesis 1:12)
   (referring to vegetation)

...and God saw that it was good. (Genesis 1:18)
   (referring to night and day)

...and God saw that it was good. (Genesis 1:21)
   (referring to sea and air creatures)

...and God saw that it was good... (Genesis 1:25)
   (referring to land creatures)

And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. (Genesis 1:31)

There is absolutely no reason to believe that God ever made anything that was not originally created as good! Then why does verse two state that the earth was without form, void, and dark after being created in verse one? Other translations of the original Hebrew text indicate that something occurred and the earth had reached this state. For example, the New International Version® of the Bible renders the same verses as follows:

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty; darkness was over the surface of the deep... (Genesis 1:1-2)

That is, God originally created the heavens and the earth good in verse one, and over a period of time the earth had become formless, void, and dark. Between verse one and verse two a period of time obviously occurred. Based on current scientific estimates, the time period between verse one and two was approximately 4.55 billion years. This is the current estimated age of the earth. Yes, dinosaurs did roam the earth sixty-five million years ago! The following "creation" described in detail in Genesis is actually a recreation of a decimated earth originally created in verse one. It is this recreation that can be traced back to approximately 6,000 years ago. This idea that the creation described in detail in Genesis is actually a recreation of a decimated earth is supported by other scripture verses:

Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they (mankind) are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth. (Psalm 104:30)

So in the beginning God created the heaven and the earth as good. Now the earth had become without form, void, and dark. Notice that only the earth had become without form, void, and dark. The "heaven" remained in good condition as it was created.

Suppose you were going to recreate something that had become "without form, void, and dark." What would be your first logical step? Would it be the same as God's first logical step? In verse three of chapter one, roughly 4.55 billion years from verse one, God performs the most obvious and logical first step in the recreation of the earth. He turns the lights back on:

And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. (Genesis 1:3)

What caused the original wonderfully created earth to degrade to the conditions as described in verse two? Sin and rebellion against the commandments of God produced chaos.

God created everything that was ever created, and everything that God created was good. However, most of us would agree that sin is definitely bad. Therefore, one might ask, "Where did sin come from?" Since sin is not good, God did not create sin. What God did create was freedom of choice. Angels and man were created with freedom of choice. Is this good? Yes, because God created it. Without the ability to choose, we would simply be robots repeating the same actions to every similar situation. God also created laws or commandments which the beings He created should obey. Are laws good? Yes, God created them. Without laws there would be anarchy and chaos. Sin is disobeying God's laws. God did not create the sins. God created angels and man with freedom of choice and gave them laws to live by. They can choose between good and evil. That is, between obeying or disobeying God's laws. Angels and man then created sin by choosing to violate God's laws.

We will see shortly that man was created during the Genesis recreation and given dominion over the earth. God then provided man with commandments or laws which man should obey. Sin is the transgression of God's laws:

Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: ...for sin is the transgression of the law. (I John 3:4)

After his creation, man sins by choosing through his freedom of choice to live his way over that of obeying God's commandments:

There is a way that seemeth right unto a man; but the end thereof are the ways of death. (Proverbs 14:12)

Under man's rule and rebellion against God, the earth will reach a state of great tribulation:

For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened. (Matthew 24:21-22)

Due to the same reason, sinning by rebelling against God, the good earth as originally created had reached a state of no form, void, and darkness before the Genesis recreation begun in verse three! But who was on earth to rebel against God before the creation of man? After God originally created the heavens and earth in the beginning, He did not abandon it to its own fate. He placed a caretaker and a host of subordinates to care for the earth. That caretaker was given dominion over the earth. So who was this caretaker? It was the archangel Lucifer who became known as the devil or Satan after his rebellion. How do we know that Lucifer was the earthly caretaker? In the book of Luke, when Satan tempted Jesus for forty days in the desert, Satan offered Jesus power over all the kingdoms of the earth:

And the devil, taking him up into a high mountain, showed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whosoever I will I give it. If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine. (Luke 4:5-7)

Notice that Jesus did not question the devil's authority to give him power over the earth. He knew that Satan did indeed have control over the earth and could give or share this power with whomever he pleased. Jesus' immediate response was:

Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. (Luke 4:8)

Once God makes a covenant, or testament, or promise, He always keeps it. Satan was given rule over the earth. Although he rebelled against his creator, God did not and will not violate the agreement. Satan was given rule over the world and a ruler must be defeated and overthrown! This is one of the reasons Jesus is coming to the earth, to defeat Satan.

So the ruler of the earth is Satan, and he decided sometime between the first two verses of the Bible to rebel against God. The ultimate results of his rebellion and rule are the conditions of chaos described on the earth in verse two. Satan was an archangel, and his staff was a host of angels:

And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. (Revelation 12:9)

Although we do not know the exact number under Satan's authority, it was one-third of the total number of angels. Satan and the angels who joined his rebellion against God were exiled from the Kingdom of God and restricted to ruling the earth:

And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth... (Revelation 12:4)

"Stars" is symbolism for angels in the book of Revelation. Satan was an archangel since he had angels under his control. Today, we might consider him to be middle management. Being omnipotent, God could have created beings which had no choice but to worship and love him. However, of what significance is it if a being has no choice but to love someone? Not much, they would simply be robots. Therefore, God created the angels and man with freedom of choice. Satan and some of the angels under his authority at some time chose to rebel against God. Why did he rebel? It was a grab for power:

How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning!... For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God... I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. (Isaiah 14:12-14)

Lucifer, also known as Satan or the Devil, was not content in his position. He wanted to be like the most high God. He wanted to exalt his throne above the stars, or angels, of God. As a result of their rebellious nature and their dominion over the earth, the good earth had reached the chaotic and unacceptable condition of formless, void, and dark. Satan did not rule the heaven so it remained good. Although Satan ruled the earth, God can and does intervene on occasions. One such intervention was the recreation of the earth described in Genesis which occurred approximately six thousand years ago.

These rebellious caretakers will need to be replaced after God seizes control of the earth back from Satan. In the original creation the caretakers were created with spiritual bodies which live forever. In the recreation God did not create more spiritual beings and risk being stuck with more rebels for eternity. He created a mortal being called man a little lower than the angels:

What is man, that thou art mindful of him?... For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, (Psalm 8:4-5)

Angels are immortal spiritual beings. They cannot be hurt or killed as physical bodies can. Although mankind is a little lower than the angels, we were made after their likeness:

And God said, Let us make man after our image, after our likeness... (Genesis 1:26)

Well, what are some of the characteristics of spiritual beings? The main characteristic of spiritual bodies is that they are immortal. They will never die after being created. Describing Christians who will be born again as spiritual beings, the Bible proclaims:

And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. (Revelation 21:4)

The former things that are passed away are their physical bodies and all associated physical characteristics. These include death, sorrow, crying, pain, etc. "There shall be no more death," indicates they will become spiritual bodies equal unto the angels when born again at the Second Coming. "And there shall be no more death," is future tense. As presently created, man will die. That is, he is not immortal. Additional characteristics of spiritual bodies include:

The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. (John 3:8)

We are certainly not like that. Do spirits have arms and legs like we do? Yes and no. Spirits are not restricted by physical laws as are humans. If they want to look like humans with arms and legs they can do so. Do they have wings? Wings are needed only to propel physical bodies through the air. Spirits do not need this propulsion because neither air nor any other matter restricts them. So spiritual beings are somewhat like the wind. We might be able to sense what they do, although generally we cannot see nor hear them.

So how are we in the likeness of God and the angels? We know that both man and angels have freedom of choice. Satan and some angels under his authority rebelled against God, thus proving they could choose. Man and woman disobeyed God in the Garden of Eden, thus proving that they had freedom of choice. So in this way, we are alike. We were both created, as we will see shortly, to have dominion over and care for the earth under the auspices and authority of God. God and man both possess a creative nature. God created everything that was ever created. Within his environment man is also very creative and inventive. He has progressed from living in caves to walking on the moon. Sadly, many of man's inventions were initially created for vile purposes such as war.

The most important way in which man is made in the likeness of God is that man is the only animal which has the capability of becoming equal unto the angels. Speaking of those who shall inherit the Kingdom of God in the world to come, Jesus states:

Neither can they die any more, for they are equal unto the angels... (Luke 20:36)

So man and angels are the same in that both possess freedom of choice, man and some of the angels had the responsibility of caring for the earth, and man is the only animal which has the capability of becoming equal unto the angels.

How were man and spirits created differently? Man was created only a "little lower than the angels." In fact, man was created originally with only two differences between him and the angels! These two differences between men and angels are described in the book of Genesis. They are body type and knowledge of good and evil. Trees in the Garden of Eden represented each of these differences:

              Tree                        Result of eating this tree's fruit

1) Tree of knowledge              Ability to distinguish good from evil
    of good and evil

2) The tree of life                     Eternal life -- A spiritual body.

God created man and angels with the freedom to make choices. Just as Satan and his angels were given control over the entire earth, man was given dominion over every other physical being on earth:

And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. (Genesis 1:26)

Man is the only animal that can reason, learn, and make choices. Other animals do not make cognitive choices as humans do, but perform actions based on instinct. That is, other animals do not know right from wrong. Originally, mankind did not either. Adam and Eve had access to the fruit of two very special trees among the many in the Garden of Eden:

And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil. (Genesis 2:9)

However, God did not create mankind to sit on his duff and eat fruit:

And the Lord God took the man, and put him in the garden of Eden to dress it and keep it. (Genesis 2:15)

Now whose job was that originally? It was the job of Satan and angels under his supervision, as the Garden of Eden is on the earth which Satan rules. However, the original caretakers failed in this assignment. It stands to reason that any earthly caretakers will be required to make choices. Whatever occurs, they must be capable of choosing the best response to maintain the earth in good condition as it was created. Aside from the angels, the only other being created by God and given freedom of choice was man. Therefore, man was created to eventually replace the original rebellious caretakers:

And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth... (Genesis 1:28)

Replenish indicates to make full or complete a second time! From The Random House College Dictionary, replenish is defined as:

replenish -- to make full or complete again.

Thus man was charged with completing the work in which Satan and his angels so miserably failed.

The angels created originally to care for the earth are spiritual bodies which live forever. This makes sense, as the job of caring for the physical and natural wonders created by God is an infinitely ongoing process. Consequently, the new caretakers being created will need to live forever also. Therefore, these mortal men and women who qualify for the job will be upgraded to immortal spiritual bodies when they are born again at, or after, the resurrection. These former humans will then replace the original caretakers under the new leader who defeats Satan. That new leader will be Jesus Christ. Not all men will qualify to become immortal caretakers. Those with the character flaw which caused the original caretakers to fail in their duties will not qualify. That flaw was sin. These men and women who do not qualify will perish in the second death!

God defined the criteria whereby mankind could become spiritual beings and be spared from the second death in a testament or will. However, no one could qualify under the original testament. God then created a New Testament, at which time the original became the Old Testament. These two testaments combine to form today's Bible and define our path of salvation from the second death through believing in Jesus Christ.

Although man was made a little lower than the angels he was made in the image of God. In scientific worldly terms, man is at the top of the food chain. That is, man was given dominion over every other animal on the earth. Mankind is being groomed to assume the responsibilities of the original earthly caretakers and was made in their image. The original differences are that man does not understand good from evil and man is mortal. At this point, man does not have a spiritual body and thus does not have eternal life. However, all he has to do is reach out and eat of the tree of life and he will become like the angels and live forever. But the ever present Devil intercedes and causes man to sin by choosing to disobey God:

And the Lord God commanded the man saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. (Genesis 2:16-17)

Notice that God did not suggest or recommend that man not eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. He commanded it! Since man was not created with the knowledge of good and evil he could not sin until God gave him this first commandment. What exactly is sin? Sin is the transgression of the commandments of God which are also called the law:

Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. (I John 3:4)

So sin is transgression of the law. But what if there is no law? Then there is no sin:

For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. (Romans 5:13)

That is, sinful acts could be committed before the laws were given and understood. However, committing the act does not constitute a sin until by God's law we recognize the act as a sin. Originally, man did not know good from evil as he had no law. At this point, man has one, and only one, law or commandment: do not eat the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil! Man was now set up to commit one, and only one sin. It was the only commandment he knew, and thus the only one he could violate. Satan saw to it that man did indeed violate this first commandment that God gave him:

Now the serpent was more subtile than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. (Genesis 3:1-5)

When Adam and Eve ate the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil both did immediately know right from wrong. That part of Satan's statement was true as we see below:

And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. (Genesis 3:7)

They had become as gods in that they recognized good and evil. At this point there is only one difference remaining between man and the angels. That difference is that men have mortal, physical bodies whereas angels have immortal, spiritual bodies. Only two body types are described in the Bible, natural or terrestrial and spiritual or celestial:

There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. (I Corinthians 15:44)

There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. (I Corinthians 15:40)

Celestial means heavenly or spiritual and terrestrial means natural, earthly, or physical. There are only two body types, celestial and terrestrial, and they are different. The glory of the celestial is one and the glory of the terrestrial is another. In other words, they do not mix. There is no hybrid being consisting of a spirit or soul living within a physical body described anywhere in the scriptures! Man is a terrestrial body, and angels are spiritual bodies. Therefore, man remains lower than the angels.

"Ye shall not surely die," was a lie. How do we know Satan lied? God told Adam and Eve if they ate fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil "thou shalt surely die." God does not lie! Therefore, Satan's contradictory statement that "Ye shall not surely die," was a lie. Mankind has believed that lie ever since! Man believes he has a part of himself that lives forever. Man thus equates himself with God!

Although they did not die immediately, they were not spiritual bodies and had sinned and would sin again as they now knew good from evil, and:

...the wages of sin is death;             (Romans 6:23)

Until Adam and Eve ate of the tree of knowledge of good and evil they would not die. Once they violated this first law that God gave them, they had sinned, and would die because the wages of sin is death. Additionally, they opened up the knowledge of good and evil for all humans which followed them. That is, all humans from that point forward could sin as they understood good from evil thanks to Adam and Eve:

Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed unto all men, for that all have sinned: (Romans 5:12)

All humans except Jesus will choose evil over good sometime in their life:

For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God; (Romans 3:23)

Therefore, all humans except Jesus will be sentenced to die the second death. Up to this time God had not yet implemented the physical laws whereby man's body died of natural causes. Shortly after man sinned, God created the physical laws whereby human bodies could not live past one hundred and twenty years of age:

And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be a hundred and twenty years. (Genesis 6:3)

After Adam and Eve sinned the tree of life was still available in the garden for them to eat from and thus live forever. They would then be equal unto the angels. Why were Adam and Eve evicted from the Garden of Eden? Most people believe it was because they sinned. That's incorrect. It was to prevent them from eating of the tree of life!

And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever: Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. (Genesis 3:22-23)

If they had been allowed to eat of the tree of life and become spiritual bodies which live forever, the recreation effort described in Genesis might have resulted in adding more rebellious spirits to Satan's gang for eternity! After all, these new beings had already exhibited the same tendencies as the original caretakers. They had sinned! Therefore, mankind was separated from the tree of life so they could not eat of its fruit and live forever. Obviously, at this point, neither man nor any part of man is going to live forever! He had the opportunity. Man was never commanded not to eat from the tree of life! He could have eaten freely from the tree of life but he chose poorly. At this point, man is closer to being like the angels because he knows good from evil. The remaining difference is body type, physical versus spiritual. Man was expelled from the Garden of Eden so that he could not eat from the tree of life and live forever! Few Christian clergy believe this verse.

There is additional confirmation in the Bible that the only remaining difference between man and the angels is body type. Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and thus a spirit that lives forever. A spirit cannot be killed. That being the case, how could He die for our sins? The answer is in the Bible:

But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. (Hebrews 2:9)

Jesus Christ was made to be "a little lower than the angels," exactly as man was created!

What is man, that thou art mindful of him? ...For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, (Psalm 8:4-5)

Both Jesus Christ and man were made "a little lower than the angels." However, we are given the one, and only one, reason that Jesus was made lower than the angels for His thirty-three years on earth. He could not die as a spirit! He was made lower than the angels so that he could suffer death! That was the only change required for Him to become a human being! That is, His spiritual body could not die as it is immortal. He had to become a physical human body so that He could die for our sins. It will always be a mystery to man as to how this was accomplished. That is, where was His spiritual body while He was on the earth? We will not understand this until we become members of the Kingdom of God. Regardless of how it was accomplished, the only change required for Jesus to become a human was a body type change from spiritual to physical. Conversely, the only remaining difference between humans and Jesus and the angels is a physical body versus a spiritual body. When Jesus was asked how men could enter into the Kingdom of God, Jesus gave only one requirement which man had to accomplish:

Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. (John 3:5)

Jesus is addressing living men who have already been born of water. Human bodies are approximately 70% water and were carried in the womb in water. Man is the only animal which may gain eternal life since he is the only animal created with freedom of choice. One must choose whether or not to accept Jesus as their Savior. Thus to enter the Kingdom of God, one must first be born of water as a man and not some other animal. Our human birth of water gets us into the animal kingdom as homo sapiens. If one chooses to accept Jesus as his Savior, his second birth after Jesus returns to the earth will be a spiritual birth into the Kingdom of God. It is a real event, not simply some emotion! You are born a second time as a spirit, or born again.

Therefore, the one remaining requirement for any existing man or woman to enter the Kingdom of God is that they must be born again as a spirit! Flesh and blood physical bodies cannot inherit the Kingdom of God:

And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; (I Corinthians 15:49-50)

Each of the two body types defined in the Bible, physical and spiritual, require a separate and distinct type of birth:

That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. (John 3:6)

Dualisms occur throughout the Bible. God created angels and some sinned due to their desire to be like God. God then created man lower than the angels and man sinned for the very same reason. The pursuit of power lures beings to sin. Both the rebellious angels and man desired to be as, or more powerful, than God. Is the "tree of life" ever encountered again in the Bible? Yes, several times in Revelation:

To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. (Revelation 2:7)

Man will individually be allowed to eat of the tree of life and live forever if he chooses to meet the requirement of the New Testament. The requirement of the New Testament in order for one to become an heir to salvation is a belief in Jesus Christ:

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)

Those who are allowed to eat of the tree of life will be born again as spiritual beings which live forever. They will then, and only then, be equal unto the angels. Those who never eat of the tree of life are not born again as spiritual beings. They are resurrected as mortal beings. Obviously, we all die the first death. So what does eating of the tree of life save us from? It saves us from the second death described in Revelation:

He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death. (Revelation 2:11)

How does eating of the tree of life protect us from the second death? When we eat of the tree of life we are born again as spiritual bodies which live forever and cannot die:

Lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever: (Genesis 3:22)

When will we receive this reward or gift of eternal life? At the Second Coming Jesus is bring our reward:

Behold, thy salvation cometh; behold, his reward is with him... (Isaiah 62:11)

And behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me... (Revelation 22:12)

When Satan told Eve, "Ye shall not surely die," he lied. However, Satan is the current ruler of the world. When the ruler makes a statement we accept it as truth uncritically. Since then, all mankind has an innate belief that some part of them, their spirit or soul, lives forever. Stories or beliefs accepted uncritically to explain basic "truths" are called myths. This immortal soul myth is not only believed by most Christians, it is a universal myth. Virtually all religions believe in some sort of life after death.

Since man is at the top of the food chain he has no physical being to look to above and see as his creator. Consider your dog or cat. They look to you for their shelter, food, medical help, life or death, etc. They do not worry about where they came from. On the other hand, man cannot understand his existence. Thus, early religions generally worshiped something they did not understand which gave them continued life such as the sun, the moon, or a river.

The effort to explain man's existence has taken two branches, religious and secular. The most widely known secular attempt at an explanation is the "Theory of Evolution." The religious branch has produced many religions. Of course, yours is the only true religion. Most of us would defend our religion to the death, and many have. On the other hand, the poor slob in the jungle worshiping the river truly believes his religion is the only true religion. Why? Because it's what he's been taught since birth. He was born into his religion, as were most of us!

The scriptures form the most amazing book ever written. The answers to man's every question are placed into a book which is brilliantly sealed from his understanding! Satan immediately sets man off on the totally wrong path when he instills in man the concept that, "Ye shall not surely die." After the first few pages of Genesis, Satan has successfully sealed the Bible from man's understanding.

This initial false belief that man is born as an immortal soul living within a physical body seals the remainder of the Bible from man's understanding. The remainder of the Bible must be incorrectly "interpreted" to support this original error! Consequently, secondary myths are created to support this initial myth created in the first few pages of Genesis. With a little assistance from Satan, man seals the scriptures from his own understanding!

An example of a secondary myth is the "bodily resurrection" theology. If you believe you are born with an immortal soul, you are forced to misinterpret the definition of Christians being born again at the resurrection in First Corinthians:

So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. And so it is written, The first man Adam was a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. (I Corinthians 15:42-45)

This scripture is not complicated. The Christian body that is sown is corruptible, dishonored, weak, and a natural body. This is the physical body which is buried like a seed, or sown, when we die. At the resurrection, Christians are raised up as incorruptible, glorified, powerful, spiritual bodies. This is exactly what the above verses state! Read them again several times if you must to confirm their simple truth.

Those humans who died believing in Jesus Christ will be born as spiritual bodies at the resurrection. Since this is their second birth, they are born again. The first man Adam was a living, breathing being or soul. The last Adam was made a quickening spirit or spiritual body. Perhaps use of the word "soul" is confusing. Let's cover that in chapter 14 - Poor Word Choice.

People who believe they are born as an immortal soul inhabiting a physical body will tell you this verse means the soul is rejoined with an incorruptible physical body which will never die. This is known as the bodily resurrection doctrine. This false interpretation is forced upon them once they believe Satan's lie that they already possess an eternal spiritual body, "Ye shall not surely die." Since Christians already have a spiritual body this scripture cannot mean what it states. Therefore, it must be interpreted to mean that the already existing spiritual body, which they believe all men to be born with, is merged with an incorruptible, immortal physical body at the resurrection! After all, if you already have a spiritual body, or soul, why would you need another one? Thus, they would have born again Christians remaining a little lower that the angels, since they are handicapped by a physical body.

This secondary bodily resurrection myth does resolve the problem of punishment for the nonbelievers and it is good news for all sadists. It is now possible to punish nonbelievers twenty-four hours a day for eternity in hellfire since their physical bodies can experience pain but never die! What a wonderful "Christian" concept! When Jesus Christ sees His followers believing that He created a system to torture nonbelievers with the pain and terror of burning alive for eternity, what might His reaction be? My guess is that:

Jesus wept.             (John 11:35)

Is it any wonder that Christian parents can worry themselves sick regarding the future "eternity" of their children?


END CHAPTER 3

Chapter 4

START CHAPTER 4

Sleep Versus Death

Death: the act of dying; the end of life; the total and permanent
            cessation of  all the vital functions of  an animal or plant.
                                      -- Random House College Dictionary

All physical bodies will die. Every tick of the clock you get closer to the maximum limit of one hundred and twenty years of human life. Most of us will not even get close to the upper age limit. The key to the word death is its finality; the end of life, the total and permanent cessation of all vital functions. Death is the absence of life. The scriptures state:

For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing... (Ecclesiastes 9:5)

Life and death are mutually exclusive. Everyone is either alive or dead. You can approach very near to death, but you are not dead. Once you cross over to the dead there is no way any man can bring you back to life! Doctors do not bring people back from the dead. Consider a drowning victim who has been under water for twenty minutes with no pulse or signs of life. If he is shocked, given an injection of adrenaline, and CPR, and is "brought back to life," then he was never dead. All of his vital functions had not yet ceased.

The medical definition of dead has recently been modified to include no brain wave activity. Lack of a pulse is no longer adequate to confirm one's death. Even without brain activity, one might be kept "alive" by respirators and intravenous feeding. However, once one crosses over the line from life to death, man cannot restore that person's life. Once again, the key words in the definition of death are those which imply finality. Real death is final.

Not only can man not restore life to a dead body, man has never created life, other than through the biological process which God created. Cloning is not creating life. It is simply tinkering with the creation process as designed by God. The DNA from an egg is removed and replaced with the DNA from the animal to be cloned. The fertilized egg is then placed into a womb and allowed to develop into a new animal. The result is an identical twin of the DNA donor. Man did not create the associated reproduction process which produced the clone. He simply tinkered with the existing process to modify the outcome.

Sadly, there remain people who believe that man can create himself without the help of God's natural reproduction process through the cloning procedure. Some of these "heavy thinkers" then wonder about the other more important part of the man which was produced; his soul. They ask comical questions such as, "Sure man can produce another man's physical body, but can man produce a soul?" In other words, will cloned humans have a soul since they were "created" by other men? The question is utterly ridiculous! Man has never, ever, created life without starting from some existing life. Man has tried and failed to create even single cell life from non-living materials. The thesis upon which the question is based is therefore incorrect. Man cannot produce another man except through the laws of reproduction as defined by God. But regardless of the ignorant basis for the question, the correct answer is that the soul is a myth. And yes, the soul was very definitely created by man!

The Bible describes physical and spiritual forms of life. Spiritual beings consist of the Trinity of God and the angels. Satan and his subordinates are included as angels. The physical life forms consist of every life form which is not spiritual. This includes plants, insects, germs, viruses, fish, birds, animals, and others. Man is an animal. All physical life forms share one very important characteristic. All die! Spiritual life forms live for eternity. This is the characteristic which distinguishes man from spiritual beings.

Since death only applies to the physical world, let's examine what the Bible states regarding the death of the animal which we are concerned about most. That is, man. According to the Bible, two separate and distinct deaths can befall man. The first and most obvious death ends our short one hundred and twenty year maximum life which we are presently living on the earth. After man sinned, God placed an upper limit on the life of the physical human body:

And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be a hundred and twenty years. (Genesis 6:3)

Our second possible physical death is described in the book of Revelation:

And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:14-15)

Individuals whose names are not written in the book of life are cast into the lake of fire and suffer their second death. They die because they are physical bodies which can die. They are physical bodies because they have never believed in Jesus and been born again as a spirit which cannot die. It is very important to notice that this death is actually labeled as a death! That is, it is final and eternal. There is no recovery or return from the second death! This truly fits our definition of the word death. It is the permanent cessation of all vital life functions.

Let's examine how the Bible considers man's first death. When the first death of any man is discussed in the Bible, the words used to describe that event are sleep or rest. Only man, among all the animals is said to sleep, slumber, or rest when he dies. In fact, when Jesus raised people from the dead, He often stated that they were not dead, but simply asleep:

Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep. (John 11:11)

And when he was come in, he saith unto them, Why make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn... (Mark 5:39-40)

Was Jesus lying, or did He know something which no one else knew? Of course, the answer is the latter. If Jesus lied about the dead being asleep when they were actually dead, then He sinned and could not be a valid sacrifice for the sins of mankind.

If true death is final, then our first death is not death at all. It does not meet the definition of death. That is, it is not final. As doctors and medical technicians "restore life" to someone after their heart has stopped for twenty minutes, God is going to restore the physical life of nonbelievers many years after their first "death" at the second resurrection. In many cases after having been "dead" for thousands of years. Therefore, their first death is not actually a death because it is not final and permanent. They will live again. It is final to us here on the earth. That is, man cannot restore another man's life after his first death, only God can. So Jesus did not lie when He stated that Lazarus' stinking body which had been lying in the grave for four days was only sleeping:

Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days. (John 11:39)

When pressed, Jesus spoke plainly and stated that Lazarus was indeed dead. Plainly indicates that Jesus spoke in terms of how man understands death:

Then Jesus said unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead. (John 11:14)

In neither case, when Jesus said Lazarus was asleep nor when He said Lazarus was dead, did He lie. Both statements are true! One was from God's point of view, and the other was from man's point of view. From God's perspective, there is one true death, the second death.

Once one understands the two deaths described in the Bible, it becomes easier to understand the scriptures. However, one needs to distinguish which is being referred to in the context of each verse. Words such as sleep, slumber, and rest are used to refer to man's first death. Words such as die, death, and perish are used to refer to man's permanent second death. For example:

The soul that sinneth, it shall die. (Ezekiel 18:4)

Since die is used, this scripture refers to the second death. Otherwise, the word sleep or rest would have been used. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Therefore, we are all headed for the second death. The good news is that God intervenes:

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)

Once again, a key word denoting permanence indicates that Jesus is saving us from the second death. That word is perish. If believing in Jesus kept Christians from perishing in the first death, then certainly people like Peter and Paul and millions of other dead Christians would still be alive today! This would invalidate the one hundred and twenty-year limit placed on the human body. Since we are only sleeping or resting in our graves, this word perish indicates the second death.

Perish means to disappear forever, which is what happens to those who suffer the second death. Everyone who dies the first death will be resurrected, whether Christian or not. Therefore, when we die the first death, we do not perish. Since God gave His only Son so that those who believe in Him should not perish, this promise protects us from the second death. From God's prospective, we do not perish due to our first death, we simply rest:

For we which have believed do enter into rest... (Hebrews 4:3)

The "rest" used in this context indicates what happens to Christians after our first physical death. We are said to "Rest in Peace," indicating exactly what the Bible confirms:

For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing... (Ecclesiastes 9:5)

The dead are at total rest, they know and are aware of absolutely nothing! They do not even know they are dead. They are not in heaven with God or burning in hellfire or in purgatory. There are not spirits or ghosts of dead humans running around the earth spooking people. That fact should ruin many bad movie and book plots for you, but it is a fact! The person who recently put his soul up for auction on the Internet should be charged with fraud if he accepted any bid because he is selling something he does not have! I'm sure he knew this to be true. The only spirits and ghosts around are God and the angels. God has existed from the beginning, and He created the angels.


END CHAPTER 4

Chapter 5

START CHAPTER 5

Bible Testaments and Covenants

The sixty-six books of the Bible are divided into two sections called the Old and New Testaments. The Old Testament contains the thirty-nine books from Genesis through Malachi and the New Testament contains the twenty-seven books from Matthew through Revelation. These testaments contain wills or covenants between God and man. Why are there two testaments? Because no one could qualify as an heir under the first covenant. When the second testament was established the first became the Old Testament and the second became the New Testament.

The goal, reward, or inheritance which is received by humans who qualify as heirs under terms of the testaments is eternal life. Those who do not qualify will perish. Eternal life is presented throughout the Bible as a future gift or reward, and never as something mankind presently possesses. Jesus is bringing our reward with Him upon His return to the earth:

Behold, the Lord God will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him. (Isaiah 40:10)

Behold, thy salvation cometh; behold, his reward is with him... (Isaiah 62:11)

And behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me... (Revelation 22:12)

The only way one could become an heir to eternal life under the first covenant was to never sin. However, there was a fault in the first testament in that all mankind sinned! Therefore, no one could gain eternal life under the first testament. Since the first covenant contained faults, God created a second or New Testament:

But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises. For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second. (Hebrews 8:6-7)

Is it not inconceivable that omnipotent God produced a covenant that contained faults? However, was the fault with God or man? Was it God's fault that no man ever had the character to live a sinless life? Was it true that "all have sinned and come short of the glory of God?" Could any human ever live a sinless life and become an heir to eternal life under the Old Testament? Why would God make the requirements so strict that no one could qualify? Look at what God desired to accomplish. He is creating replacement caretakers for the angels who sinned and failed their original assignment on earth:

And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. (Jude 1:6)

Jesus, or the Word, created everything that was ever created:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. (John 1:1-3)

He would not directly create immortal spiritual angels again. He would create man a little lower than the angels and have them earn immortality through their obedience. After all, the angels on earth did not work out because they sinned against God. Therefore, in His plan to create replacement caretakers, He would rule out the character flaw which caused the original caretakers to fail. That flaw was sin! Any humans who sinned would not be allowed to eat from the tree of life and live forever. If they sinned they would die the second death and that would forever be the end of them. This was the design philosophy of the Old Testament covenant.

Man and woman were created separately in the Garden of Eden and both could make their own independent choices. Both chose to eat from the tree which God commanded them not to eat from. Thus they sinned, just as the rebellious angels they were created to eventually replace. God separated them from the tree of life so they could not eat its fruit and live forever. He then created laws which mankind must individually obey in order to gain eternal life. If any man or woman could live a sinless mortal life by obeying God's laws, that person would inherit eternal life. This would rule out sinners from becoming immortal spirits. However, no human ever became an heir under this extremely strict covenant because every human ever created had sinned.

Once the Trinity of God makes an agreement and sets the steps in place to create that agreement, God never violates His part of the agreement. God remains constant:

Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and for ever. (Hebrews 13:8)

If the wages of sin is death and all have sinned, then all must die! That's how the original testament was set up. Thus, no replacements would be created under this covenant! What to do?

Suppose some human could live a sinless life. He would not be under the death sentence. He could then give his life freely as a sacrifice for the others to free them from the death sentence imposed by the first covenant. Man would then no longer be liable under that first covenant. Our liability would be eliminated when the penalty was paid. Therefore, we could enter into another covenant with God in which the flaw in the original could be corrected. This is exactly what occurred when Jesus Christ came to earth as a human. He lived a sinless life, then sacrificed His life as punishment for our sins. Since His sacrifice made eternal life possible for us, the new requirement to attain eternal life under the New Testament became a belief in Jesus Christ and recognition of His sacrifice.

Under the New Testament man came under grace and not the law. Good works earned one salvation under the Old Testament. That is, if a person never violated any of God's laws, he gained eternal life. After Jesus died for us, we fell under the grace of Jesus Christ for our salvation, not our works to fulfill the law. So sin does not control our salvation:

For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. (Romans 6:14)

We must now believe in Jesus Christ to inherit eternal life. Upon creating a New Testament, the first covenant became the Old Testament:

In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away. (Hebrews 8:13)

When did the Old Testament vanish away and the New Testament become valid?

And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth (Hebrews 9:15-17)

A testator is a person who makes a will. "A testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth." Therefore, the New Testament became effective and the Old Testament vanished away as a will when Jesus Christ died on the cross. Once the New Testament became the active will, no one could gain eternal life by remaining sinless as required under the Old Testament. This includes infants! The only path to salvation presently is through a belief in Jesus Christ under terms of the New Testament covenant. Infants do not believe in Jesus Christ:

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)

The path by which infants inherit the Kingdom of God is covered in Chapter 7 entitled The Resurrections - What Really Happens. Only those who qualify under terms of the New Testament covenant gain everlasting life. Those terms are:

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)

If we believe in Jesus we become heirs to the Kingdom of God under terms of the New Testament which became effective when Jesus died on the cross. We enter the Kingdom of God when born again as a spiritual being at or after our resurrection. It is a real experience, not simply some emotional sensation one gets when he or she accepts Christ. The two requirements to enter the Kingdom of God are clearly stated in the following verses:

Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. (John 3:5-7)

The two requirements are to be born as a human being of water, then to be born again as a spirit.

In reading the Bible from start to finish, one will notice a sharp contrast between the two testaments. The Old Testament is considerably more ruthless and bloody as compared with the New Testament. One explanation for this is the different requirements under which one could become an heir under the two testaments. Under the Old Testament one had to never sin. Therefore, any potential obstacle which might cause one to sin needed to be ruthlessly eliminated. God apparently agreed as He commanded the children of Israel to erase all life from the cities in the lands He gave to them as an inheritance. If any life remained it would be a stumbling block and temptation to sin:

But of the cities of these people, which the Lord thy God doth give thee for an inheritance, thou shalt save alive nothing that breatheth: But thou shalt utterly destroy them; namely, the Hittites, and the Amorites, the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee: (Deuteronomy 20:16-17)

Not only did God command the children of Israel to kill every living thing, He even listed the peoples to be destroyed so there would be absolutely no misunderstanding. The children of Israel violated this command to kill every living thing and later intermarried and worshiped the gods of these people:

And the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, Hittites, and Amorites, and Perizzites, and Hivites, and Jebusites: And they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their daughters to their sons, and served their gods. And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and forgat the Lord their God... (Judges 3:5-7)

Their failure to obey this bloody command of God may explain the constant warring in the Middle East to this day. That is, surviving relatives and offspring from the original inhabitants have been competing with Israel over possession of the Promised Land to this day. Contrast the Old Testament approach to the New Testament philosophy. The New Testament taught a totally opposite approach of turning the other cheek and forgiveness:

But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. (Matthew 5:39)

The general Old Testament theme is fighting evil with evil, an eye for an eye. Although this "eye for an eye" policy may originally sound harsh, it can also be viewed as setting an upper limit on punishments. That is, if a person puts your eye out, the most you can retaliate is to put out his eye, and no more. By contrast, the New Testament theme is forgiveness and overcoming evil with good:

Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:20-21)

Why this reversal of philosophies? Once again it is due to the requirements of the testaments. Under the New Testament sin can be forgiven since a scapegoat took the punishment for mankind's sin. Under the Old Testament one had to obey all commandments without exception and must accept the punishment of death for disobeying any commandment. Consequently, any source which might cause people to sin needed to be ruthlessly destroyed!

There were some God fearing people who lived during Old Testament times, but they all sinned. Since Jesus had not as yet died for their sins, what happened to Noah, Moses, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Job, Solomon, David, and others? They are presently dead and buried:

Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulcher is with us unto this day. (Acts 2:29)

For David is not ascended unto the heavens...       (Acts 2:34)

These God fearing men will be resurrected from the dead as mortals in the second resurrection. They will learn about and accept Jesus Christ as their Savior at that time and be born again as spiritual beings into the Kingdom of God. Chapter 25 entitled Today Is The Day Of Salvation will prove this to be their fate!


END CHAPTER 5

Chapter 6

START CHAPTER 6

Myth One - So What?

If you are a Christian, you will have eternal life, whether or not you believe the immortal soul myth that man is born with immortality. However, you will be asked some embarrassing questions when you meet Jesus face to face! How could you believe that Jesus, who created everything, would create a system whereby even one individual would suffer pain and horror for eternity in the fires of hell? What part of "God is love" did you not understand? Here is your Savior who died that you might have eternal life. Yet, shortly after He departs the earth, you are convinced by other men that you are born with eternal life! Here is your Savior who taught nonviolence. Turn the other cheek, love your enemies, do good to them that hurt you. Yet, shortly after His departure, others convince you that His plan is for untold masses of humanity to suffer indescribable pain for eternity! If this was in His plan, why did He not mention it in detail when He was a human on the earth?

Granted, most of us were taught this erroneous theology from birth. Even so, at some point when you began to reason on your own you should have seen the absurdity. Those teaching the immortal soul myth will have even more to explain before Jesus. Why did they not attempt to discover the truth? Begin now to consider what your explanation will be. Jesus is disappointed that you consider Him to be so mean and vindictive!

The immortal soul myth creates a religion of fear, hatred, and misery from one which is actually based on love and forgiveness! Fear? Yes, fear of eternal pain in hellfire! Hatred? Yes, anyone who condemns another being to eternal pain in hell simply for not believing in him obviously hates that being! Misery? Yes, constant worry about where friends and relatives will spend their "eternity" causes those who believe the myth a lifetime of misery. A few are driven to the traumatic and desperate act of murder to "save" their children from an eternity in hell!

The immortal soul myth causes great anguish. No one can be happy believing that their friends and family may be burning in hellfire for eternity. Some other major problems created by the immortal soul myth are as follows:

 

1) Did Jesus pay the true penalty for your sins?

The old and new testaments of the Bible represent wills. Under the Old Testament, the only way to inherit eternal life was to obey the commandments. That is, you must never sin because the wages of sin is death. However, this meant that no man could inherit eternal life because all men sinned.

What if another person could serve the penalty for your sins? For this to happen, that person could not already be under the same judgment. If you are already under a death sentence you cannot substitute your life for a friend who is also on death row. Under that circumstance your life is already forfeited and is no longer yours. You cannot already be guilty of the same crime as the person for whom you are substituting. In addition, you must serve his full sentence. Under the New Testament, Jesus suffered our punishment of death so that we could inherit eternal life. Jesus could sacrifice His life for ours because He did not have to die since He lived a sinless life. The wages of sin is death, but He never sinned. Therefore, His life could be given for ours.

However, if you believe the immortal soul myth you have changed the punishment and have created a conflict for yourself! Your punishment for sinning is not the second death as stated in the Bible, but eternal punishment in hellfire! Therefore, Jesus did not serve your sentence! Jesus should presently be burning in hell and should stay there for all eternity because this is the punishment which you ascribe to mankind! Dying on the cross is a walk in the park compared to eternal pain in the fires of hell.

In fact, this false belief that those who do not believe in Jesus will burn alive in hellfire for eternity and never die, trivializes the death of Jesus Christ! In comparison to what many Christian theologians hold in store for only one nonbeliever, Jesus' crucifixion on the cross is like a mosquito bite! Being crucified daily for a thousand years would be preferable to burning alive for eternity. These theologians apparently need this false belief to bring people to Jesus through fear.

The true punishment for your sin is the second death, which is eternal. You never live again after suffering the second death. It is the death which is eternal, not the act and torture of dying by fire!

Jesus did indeed serve our penalty and He was a valid sacrifice since He was innocent of any sin! Therefore, we can now escape the second death and live forever thanks to Jesus' sacrifice. Jesus died a physical death as a human on the cross. Man's second, and permanent, death is also a physical death. Humans who fulfill the requirement of the New Testament do not suffer the second death since their penalty for sinning has already been paid by Jesus. The New Testament requirement for inheriting eternal life is believing in Jesus as your Savior:

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)

Those who believe the immortal soul myth must interpret perish in John 3:16 to mean something other than death because their "soul" will never perish! Another common erroneous interpretation is that it means "spiritual death" or "eternal separation from God." But if the punishment for sinning is eternal separation from God, then once again Jesus did not serve your punishment! Jesus is not separated from God! He is one third of the Trinity of God!

There are some topics in the Bible which are difficult to understand. This is not one of them! Jesus paid the price for your sins. What are the wages of your sinning? Death! What did Jesus do? He died on the cross. Was He a valid sacrifice? Yes, He did not have to die since He came to earth as a human and never sinned.

In fact, Jesus Christ is the only human being to qualify for eternal life under the Old Testament. That is, the wages of sin is death, but He never sinned, therefore He did not have to die. He laid down His life willingly.

The plan of salvation as inspired by God in the scriptures is so incredibly simple! The wages of sin is death and all humans have sinned, therefore all are headed for the second death. God intervenes and sends His Son to earth as a human. Jesus lives a sinless life so He does not have to die. Therefore, He can lay down His life for ours. He willingly dies in our stead for our sins. Humans who now accept Jesus as their Savior do not have to die because Jesus has already paid the price of their sinning. Those who do not accept Jesus as their Savior are not forgiven and must pay the penalty for their sinning, which is the second death.

However, man believes he is immortal due to use of the word "soul" in the King James Bible and Satan's statement that, "Ye shall not surely die." Man's new plan of salvation becomes extremely complicated as he designs myths to create new punishments for sinning. The true punishment of death as defined by the scriptures is no longer viable because man's "soul" now lives forever and cannot die!

However, no matter what mythical punishments men create to protect the immortal soul myth, none of them pass one simple and obvious test. Jesus Christ had to pay the full penalty for our sinning in order to become our Savior. He had to serve our full punishment. What did He do? He died! He died! Read it once again, He died! The wages of sin is death, and He died in our place. He is not burning in hell for eternity, He is not eternally separated from God, He did not have to write, "I will not sin" one trillion times, or any other ridiculous punishment! He died. So what happens to those who do not believe in Jesus? Those who choose not to believe in Jesus must pay their own wages for sinning. Therefore, they die! Can this be any simpler? On the other hand, if you are involved with any Christian church, run this simple logic past your pastors and observe how complex their explanation becomes due to believing the immortal soul myth.

Notice that Jesus Christ came to the earth as a human being born of water as every other human. Jesus did not have the powers associated with God when He departed heaven to become a human on the earth! Lightning did not strike me when I realized this fact. Yes, Jesus was the Son of God and Mary at the same time. However, He had to come to earth as a human with all our characteristics and weaknesses to be tempted and tested as we are! Therefore, He did not have power of His own to heal people, raise people from the dead, and perform other miracles. How do we know this? Because Jesus prayed! If He was a God during His thirty-three years on the earth, He could have performed such feats directly with His own godly powers. Since this was not the case, He had to pray to God His Father to perform acts beyond His human capabilities. One of many examples, is the raising of Lazarus from the dead:

Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. (John 11:41-42)

Jesus had already prayed to God the Father about raising Lazarus from the dead, and God had already answered His prayer! In principle, Jesus Christ had no more power than any Christian of today while He lived on the earth as a human. The power we all have, including Jesus while He was a human on the earth, is that of prayer:

Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. (Mark 11:24)

In truth, it seems to me that He did have more power than today's Christians in that He knew the scriptures were all true! We have faith in the scriptures and the promise of eternal life with God. Faith is believing in things unseen. Jesus, on the other hand, had seen since the beginning of time, the future which awaits all Christians. Therefore, when He prayed, He always believed His Father would answer His prayer. Notice what Jesus states about His prayers:

Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me always... (John 11:41-42)

Jesus Christ knew that these verses concerning prayer and all scripture were indeed true! Things that we believe on faith, He had actually experienced! You might say that He had inside information!

It is an incredible fact that Jesus Christ actually had no more power as a human than any of us. The scriptures state in several separate verses that anything we pray for, believing that it will be received, then it will be received! If you prayed that a mountain be moved, actually believing that it would be moved, then it would be moved. To date, only one human who ever lived had faith that strong. That human was Jesus Christ.


2) The Immortal Soul Myth makes Christianity a religion of fear, worry, and unhappiness.

Due to the immortal soul myth, Christianity today is a religion based on fear. Although we do not hear the old "fear of God" sermons preached as often as in the past, the eternal punishment in the fires of hell threat remains ever present. The majority of messages which we do hear today can be categorized as "how to" sermons. How to handle stress, how to attain financial security, how to avoid worry, etc. These sermons are addressing the symptoms and avoiding the root cause of these problems. The root cause of fear, worry, and stress in many Christians is the constant concern about friends and relatives possibly burning in hellfire for eternity.

Thus many Christians wear a frown and seem to have a constant cloud over their heads. Why is this a problem to anyone but them? When one professes to be a Christian, he or she bears a witness to that fact. Your witness should be a lifestyle and attitude which others would desire for themselves! But if you exhibit constant fear and worry due to believing in the immortal soul myth, your witness drives nonbelievers away from Christianity. Nonbelievers observe such Christians and say to themselves, "Whatever they have, I do not want."

This fear and worry about where one will spend their eternity was vividly brought to my attention when I met my paternal father for the first time in over forty years. He had become a Christian since I last saw him in the early nineteen fifties. Very quickly he asked if I was a Christian and I answered affirmatively. His response was, "Praise God, I won't have to worry about you anymore."


3) Myth One creates hatred among Christianity and other religions.

If someone believes you are condemned to burn in hellfire for eternity, would you have a warm and fuzzy feeling towards that person? Probably not. If you are a Christian, that is likely what your church teaches about all non-Christians. Many of these nonbelievers are respectable, upstanding, hard working, and even religious individuals. They believe in their religions mainly due to accidents of birth, as do most Christians. If you were born in the United States and raised in a Christian family, then you very likely are a Christian.

In actuality, no non-Christians are going to burn in hell for eternity. The worst case is that they will suffer the second death described in Revelation and that will be the end of them.

Ironically, Christians, Jews, and Muslims believe in the same God. Muslims do not worship a separate god called Allah. Allah is simply the Arabic word for God. Christians differ from Jews and Muslims in that they believe Jesus to be the Son of God, and the only path to salvation.

Sadly, some Christians rationalize that Jews deserve the terrible events which befall them because they had Christ killed. This touches the depths of stupidity! Christians should be thankful that the Jews had Jesus crucified. Take a Jew to lunch and thank him. After all, it was prophesied that this would occur:

But I say unto you, That Elijah is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise, shall also the Son of man suffer of them. (Matthew 17:12)

They were supposed to have Him killed! If they had not, Christians could not gain eternal life. Anti-Semitism directed at the Jews because they had Jesus killed is ridiculous. They remain God's chosen people and God does not renege on His agreements!


4) God's chosen people burn in hell

Another consequence of the immortal soul myth is that it has God's chosen people burning eternally in hell. Can God not even protect those He chose to be a special group unto Himself? God chose one nation and gave them special significance as God's chosen people:

The Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth. (Deuteronomy 7:6)

God's chosen people were the seed of Abram, whose name was changed to Abraham:

Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made of thee. And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee. And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. (Genesis 17:5-7)

God made this covenant with Abraham. Abraham's son Isaac later had twin sons named Jacob and Esau. Jacob's name was changed to Israel:

And God said unto him, Thy name is Jacob: thy name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name: and he called his name Israel. (Genesis 35:10)

God then renewed the covenant with Israel:

And God said unto him, I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins; And the land which I gave Abraham and Isaac, to thee I will give it, and to thy seed after thee will I give the land. (Genesis 35:11-12)

Israel had twelve sons which became twelve tribes known collectively as the children of Israel. Why did God select this group to be treated differently? It was to illustrate God's power on earth to other nations. That is, when the children of Israel kept their part of the covenant, God would cause them to prosper:

If ye walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments, and do them; Then I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit... more   (Leviticus 26:3-4)

On the other hand, when they disobeyed God, they were severely punished:

But if ye will not hearken unto me, and will not do all these commandments; And ye despise my statutes, or if your soul abhor my judgments, so that ye will not do all my commandments, but that ye break my covenant: I will also do this unto you; I will even appoint over you terror, consumption, and the burning ague, that shall consume the eyes, and cause sorrow of heart: and ye shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it...more   (Leviticus 26:14-16)

Therefore, others could observe the children of Israel and witness the consequences of obeying and disobeying God's commandments. However, no matter how great the punishments were, God promised to never break the covenant or totally destroy the children of Israel:

And yet for all that, when they be in the land of their enemies, I will not cast them away, neither will I abhor them, to destroy them utterly, and to break my covenant with them: for I am the Lord their God. (Leviticus 26:44)

Is this the case? The Old Testament details cycles of disobedience, punishment, repentance, and forgiveness of the children of Israel. If these cycles were not so bloody, they might be comical:

And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and forgat the Lord their God, and served Baalim and the groves. (Judges 3:7)

Therefore the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel... (Judges 3:8)

And when the children of Israel cried unto the Lord, the Lord raised up a deliverer to the children of Israel... (Judges 3:9)

And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the Lord... (Judges 3:12)

And he gathered unto him the children of Ammon and Amalek, and went and smote Israel...  (Judges 3:13)

But when the children of Israel cried unto the Lord, the Lord raised them up a deliverer... (Judges 3:15)

And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord... (Judges 4:1)

And the Lord sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan... (Judges 4:2)

And the children of Israel cried unto the Lord... (Judges 4:3)

And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord: and the Lord delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years. (Judges 6:1)

And Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites; and the children of Israel cried unto the Lord. (Judges 6:6)

(Gideon sent to deliver the children of Israel)
And the Lord said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand...(Judges 7:7)

And it came to pass, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the children of Israel turned again, and went a whoring after Baalim, and made Baalberith their god. (Judges 8:33)

And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the Lord... (Judges 10:6)

And the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel, and he sold them into the hands of the Philistines... (Judges 10:7)

And the children of Israel cried unto the Lord, saying, We have sinned against thee... (Judges 10:10)

God began to show some impatience with the children of Israel after this last episode by suggesting that He would no longer deliver them. However, in the end, he kept his part of the covenant when they repented:

Yet ye have forsaken me, and served other gods: wherefore I will deliver you no more. Go and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation. And the children of Israel said unto the Lord, We have sinned: do thou unto us whatsoever seemeth good unto thee, deliver us only, we pray thee, this day. And they put away the strange gods from among them, and served the Lord: and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel. (Judges 10:13-16)

Was the cycle finally broken? Had the children of Israel finally learned their lesson? Of course not:

And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the Lord; and the Lord delivered them into the hand of the Philistines forty years. (Judges 13:1)

God then sent Samson to deliver them from the hands of the Philistines. It appears that every generation grows up believing their way is best, and must be taught otherwise. This knowledge never seems to get communicated to the next generation. The history is clearly there for them to study. However, they believe that will not happen to them. Therefore, the cycle repeats.

Outsiders can observe this history and know that the children of Israel are God's chosen people. When they disobey God they are severely punished. When they repent and ask for forgiveness they prosper until the next cycle of disobedience. During the entire process, God never breaks His part of the covenant!

What do most Christians believe happens to Jews as soon as they die? Jews do not believe in Jesus. Therefore, their "immortal souls" go to hell as soon as their physical bodies die. This has always been a major source of tension between Christians and Jews!

The Jews covenant was with God and they do worship God. God is a trinity consisting of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. The children of Israel's covenant was with God the Father and they still worship God the Father; the same God the Father which Christians worship! What a wonderful way for God to keep his covenant with His chosen people, by having all of them burn in hell eternally! God truly does work in mysterious ways. Once again, Satan has tricked Christians through his lie of, "Ye shall not surely die."

God's purpose for choosing a special people unto himself was to illustrate His power on earth by prospering these people when they obeyed God, and punishing them when they disobeyed God. Since they are all going to burn in hell for eternity anyway, what's the point? The immortal soul myth has God reneging on his covenant and abandoning His chosen people to suffering in the fires of hell eternally!

What do the children of Israel believe concerning the resurrection of Jesus? The chief priests bribed the soldiers guarding Jesus' tomb to testify that the disciples stole His body when the soldiers fell asleep:

And when they were assembled with the elders, and had taken counsel, they gave large money unto the soldiers, Saying, Say ye, His disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept. And if this come to the governor's ears, we will persuade him, and secure you. So they took the money, and did as they were taught: and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day. (Matthew 28:12-15)

Why do the children of Israel reject Jesus? There is a natural tendency for the Jews to reject Jesus as the Son of God because He was one of them:

But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honor, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house. (Mark 6:4)

Jesus, the Son of God? That can't be! I grew up with him. We played together as children. He was one of Mary and Joseph's kids. You know, that carpenter. Therefore, Jesus became a stumbling block for the houses of Israel:

And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. (Isaiah 8:14)

Under the New Testament one becomes an heir to eternal life by faith in Jesus. However, the Jews rejected Jesus as the Messiah because He was one of them. They are still awaiting the first coming of the Messiah. Jews worship God the Father and still base their salvation on obeying the laws given to Moses:

For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them. (Romans 10:4-5)

Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. (Galatians 2:16)

The New Testament has replaced the Old Testament as the only way to salvation because no one could qualify under the Old Testament. God states that the Old Testament had faults. The New Testament is a better covenant with better promises:

But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises. For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second. (Hebrews 8:6-7)

However, not recognizing Jesus as the Son of God, the children of Israel still operate under the Old Testament which is no longer valid as a will. Present mainstream "Christian" theology has God's chosen people burning in hell for eternity when they die since they do not believe in Jesus as their Savior!

Rest assured, God's chosen people will not burn in hell for eternity. Neither will Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, nor any others who do not believe in Jesus as their Savior. Not even one atheist will burn in hell eternally! According to the scriptures, humans who never accept Jesus as their Savior even after being raised as mortal bodies at the second resurrection will be cast into the lake of fire and suffer the second death. That will be the end of their existence!


5) Myth One logically supports the murder of children.

Theologians do not actively or consciously teach the murder of children. These are not generally bad people who believe and teach these false theologies. The vast majority are well-intentioned, loving, religious, God fearing, wonderful, mislead people. There are those who go astray, but that is primarily caused by the vast power society assigns to some of them. Power corrupts.

On January 7, 2002, Andrea Pia Yates' first trial began in Houston, Texas. The thirty-six year old mother confessed to police that she drowned her children one by one in the bathtub of their suburban Houston home. Dead are Noah age seven, John age five, Paul age three, Luke age two, and Mary age six months. Is this what is meant by the Bible verse:

Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for such is the kingdom of God. (Mark 18:17)

Of course not. No Christian church or group actively supports or condones the killing of children. The above verse means we should teach our children about Jesus and bring them to church. However, if one wanted to be mean, one could make a case that Christianity as it is presently taught unintentionally condones such crimes. Let me be that mean one and illustrate this point.

Ask virtually any Christian where these murdered children are today and their answer would be that they are certainly in heaven with God, or something to that effect. It is unfair for me to put words in their mouths, but this is based on my fifty plus years experience with Christian churches. I have never attended a Christian funeral without the presiding pastor making a comment that the deceased is now in a better place. He or she is in heaven with God. This is said even though their place in heaven is not yet ready! How do we know that? Because Jesus has not returned. Jesus is bringing the place He is preparing for us when He returns to the earth. Christians are not going to heaven to get it:

I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. (John 14:2-3)

And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. (Revelation 21:2)

Why do they say these young children are in heaven? Because due to their ages they did not understand right from wrong. Consequently, they have never sinned and are qualified for eternal life. This is a general description of the "age of accountability" doctrine. If a child dies before understanding right from wrong he or she goes immediately to heaven. In other words, these children die before reaching the age of accountability.

Although no one goes to heaven at the instant they die, there are Bible verses which validate that a person who does not understand right from wrong will not be punished for unknowingly committing a sin. For example, when God punished the Israelites by making them wander in the wilderness for forty years and die off so that they would not see the Promised Land, those who were children when the sin was committed were allowed to possess the promised land:

Moreover your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, and your children, which in that day had no knowledge between good and evil, they shall go in thither, and unto them will I give it, and they shall possess it. (Deuteronomy 1:39)

The Andrea Yates case is not unique. What makes it exceptional is the number of children involved. I was born and raised in the Bible Belt section of the United States. This area consists of the southeastern states. As I grew up, there were periodic cases such as this. In most, the murderer would make some comment that the young victims were with God. Oftentimes, they were responding to voices from God or angels. However, within a very short time period the murderer would be convinced that "the devil made me do it." After all, our religions cannot possibly be held responsible for such horrendous events!

Although the Andrea Yates case is being called a case of postpartum depression and psychosis, she was quoted as saying, "I think the devil's in me. How long do you think the devil's been in me?"

What might the children's eternal fate have been, had they not been killed at such an early age? Even though they were born into a Christian family, their prospects seemed dim:

Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. (Matthew 7:14)

What about the eternal fate of parents who could commit such horrible crimes? Although murder is not the unpardonable sin, most of these religious child murderers believe they will burn in hellfire for eternity. In the cases of which I am aware, the murderers were highly influenced by their religious teachings.


In summary:     1 - A mother murders her children and their souls go straight
     to heaven for eternity.
2 - The mother expects to burn in hell eternally for
     committing this sin.
3 - Her only consolation is that her children are safe in heaven;
     separated from the drugs, sex, pornography, and other
     temptations which very probably would have lured them
     down the path to eternal torment in hell.
4 - The children avoid the few miserable years of struggling
     existence here on this earth and very possibly an eternity
     in hellfire.

Why are we trying this woman for murder when we should be building a statue to honor her? Her sacrifice was much greater than that of Jesus Christ. He suffered on the cross for six hours, whereas she believes she will suffer for all eternity for saving her children's souls and sparing them this hectic earthly existence!

Do Christian churches and organizations actually believe this scenario? I emailed the highly regarded Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and asked them where the five murdered children were. I respect this association in that they are not afraid to state their beliefs at any time. Most church groups questioned about these deceased children during their mother's trial refused to answer the question. Quickly, they would go on the defensive. Yet when the turmoil died down, they reverted back to the same teachings. The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association responded that they did not know where the children's remains were, then continued to state:

What is more important, however, is where the souls of these children are. God, in His mercy and love, watches over little children who are taken by death, and they go to be with Him in heaven.

They thus confirm that Andrea Yates and others have achieved their goal of keeping their children from going to hell. In fact, they assert that item one above is a true statement based on their theology. That is, if a mother murders her small children, the children's "souls" go immediately to heaven to live with God for eternity!

Congratulations Mrs. Yates and all the others! According to most mainstream Christian churches and organizations, you have succeeded in achieving your goal. Regrettably, this could inspire others to follow in your footsteps!

Although I have never actively killed anyone, I have been partly responsible for the murder of many in that I facilitated or failed to prevent their deaths! After reading and studying the Bible in the mid nineteen seventies, I realized my complicity in the murder of many innocent children through my support of churches and TV evangelists which taught the immortal soul myth. Whenever some parent murdered their young child or children to send them to be with God in heaven and avoid possibly burning in hellfire for eternity, I was partially responsible! If you support any church or other association which condones these child sacrifices, either financially or by helping to spread their false religious philosophy, you are partly responsible whenever these religious child murders occur! The amount of your responsibility may never be known. Even if your responsibility is 0.000000001 percent, you share some responsibility with millions of others!

If you are ever in the Houston, Texas area, I highly recommend a pilgrimage to the graves of Noah, John, Paul, Luke, and Mary Yates. They are buried in the Forest Park East Cemetery at 21620 Gulf Freeway in Webster, Texas. From Houston, proceed on I45 South towards Galveston. I45 is also known as the Gulf Freeway. The cemetery will be on your right, past the NASA Rd 1 exit and before the Highway 518 exit.

If you believe and support the immortal soul myth that all humans are born with eternal life, stand before their graves and acknowledge your responsibility. You helped teach this myth to their mother!


6) The immortal soul myth prevents nonbelievers from becoming believers.

Most humans are what they are religiously due to circumstances of birth. I was born in northern Mississippi near the Tennessee border. Consequently, I became a Southern Baptist. Where I was born, one can hardly throw a rock from one Baptist church without hitting another Baptist church. I did not know what a Catholic was until we moved to New Orleans when my parents divorced. There, Catholics were the vast majority! Of course, we ignorantly believed all Catholics were going to hell because they worshiped idols (statues), prayed to Mary, and baptized babies. On the other hand, Catholics believed all Protestants were heretics and thus doomed eternally to hell.

I did not reach a certain age, perform a wide study of all religions, and then decide which religious affiliation I would join. If I had been born into a Jewish family, I would probably be Jewish. Or if I had been born into a Muslim family in Palestine, I might now be throwing rocks at Jews.

In New Orleans, we attended a Southern Baptist church three times a week, Sunday morning and night, and Wednesday night. During one Wednesday night service our pastor delivered the old Southern Baptist "fear of God" sermon. He vividly described lost souls burning in hellfire and never dying. Having visited and ministered to the sick for years, he described some actual burn victims from his experiences. It was horrific! If there had been a rating system for sermons this one would definitely have been rated "R." It very effectively succeeded in planting fear into everyone present.

As we were leaving my mother whispered to me, "If only I could get your Uncle David to hear this sermon, he would certainly be saved." In actuality, the truth was exactly the opposite. Forty years later, Uncle Dave lay dying of cancer in New Orleans and I was living in Houston, Texas. At work, I had an outgoing long distance line, and called him several times a week.

My uncle was a people person. He held a bachelor degree in education from Tulane University and a masters from Stephen F. Austin. He taught history and coached athletics near New Orleans. In the summers he transported groups of children on weeklong camping trips to Arkansas in an old school bus he had purchased. Two trips were made each summer, one for boys and one for girls. The school board repeatedly tried to promote him to the position of school principal. But desiring to remain in the classroom, he refused the promotions.

We had moved to New Orleans from Mississippi when my parents divorced. Consequently, I would occasionally spend weekends at Uncle Dave and Aunt Lucille's house. During those times I would tag along with him on errands, and it was impressive. Everyone we passed would say hello to my uncle. Many would engage him in short conversations so that we generally returned home late, upsetting Aunt Lucille. He addressed everyone by their first name.

During the Christmas season he would keep any change in his hand as we checked out of a store. As we departed he would drop the change into a Salvation Army pot. The attendant ringing the bell would not say, "God bless you, sir," as we walked on. We would hear, "God bless you, Dave."

While talking with him as he lay dying, I mentioned my nightly prays for him. Although he appreciated my concern, he took full responsibility for his illness and pain due to his smoking and drinking. When his initial lung cancer disappeared he jokingly asked the doctor if that meant he could have another cigarette. However, cancer was discovered again in other parts of his body within a month.

Loving other people so much, Uncle Dave did not buy into the eternal hellfire punishment concept. What did God gain from that? Knowing this basic religious belief to be flawed, he dismissed all theology. This "all or nothing" concept is a common tendency in old-fashioned Southern Baptist families. We were taught that if you ever take a sip of alcohol you may be an alcoholic; if a girl looses her virginity she's a loose woman, etc. Thus, when many take that first sip, having already totally failed, they continue to drink the entire bottle.

Instead of supporting any church, Uncle Dave belonged to a local charity club which assisted homeless and poor people in the area. So here was one fine human being who was driven away from the church due to the immortal soul myth. He was one of a large group which is getting larger. At least he was an honest person. My uncle did things wholeheartedly. For each person like him who totally abandon the church there are probably thousands who "believe" just in case it's true, much like an insurance policy. They know something is wrong with the church's theology, but they sense that something does occur after their death. These lukewarm people attend periodically, usually around Christmas and Easter. Does this please God?

I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth. (Revelation 3:15-16)

Preventing nonbelievers from becoming believers is Satan's main goal. He implanted the immortal soul myth in humans through his lie that "Ye shall not surely die" to negate the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Untold billions burning alive in hellfire for eternity is definitely not good news. The concept that God loves us while planning eternal torture for the majority, scares many people into "believing" in Jesus as an insurance policy, while driving the majority away.


7) What happened to all those "souls" before Jesus died?

If you believe the immortal soul myth, what happened to humans who passed away before Jesus died for their sins on the cross? Is salvation retroactive?

              That is: 1 -   If all mankind is born as a spiritual body (soul)
  living within a physical body.
                   and 2 -   The soul goes to heaven or hell when the body dies,
  depending on whether or not the person believed in
  Jesus.
           and since 3 -   Today is the day of salvation,
                    and 4 -   The wages of sin is death,
                    and 5 -   All have sinned,
                    but 6 -   Jesus had not yet died for their sins.
                  then 7 -   What happened to the "souls" of those who
  died before Jesus?

It would appear that they are all burning in hell since no one had as yet lived a sinless life and died in their stead. Some were fairly nice individuals: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David, Noah, Solomon, Job, Daniel, Moses, and many others. Is David, whom it is said that God loved, burning in hell? After all, he was a murderer.

This appears to be a real problem for those believing the immortal soul myth. Herein lies the problem: If all who do not believe in Jesus are condemned to eternal torment in hell, then all who lived before Jesus was born are unjustly condemned. How could they possibly believe before Jesus ever existed as a man? Of course, additional billions or trillions have died after Jesus without having ever heard the good news of salvation through His sacrifice. These condemned represent another slight problem of unfairness!

I do not have the problem because I believe what the Bible teaches. I do not believe the lie Satan told Eve. All of these people are dead and buried. David, of whom the Bible says God loved, is still in his grave and not in heaven or the fires of hell:

For David is not ascended into the heavens...   (Acts 2:34)

After Jesus returns these individuals will be resurrected at the second mass resurrection as physical beings since they are not Christians. They will then learn of Jesus and as they accept Him they will be born again at that time as a spirit:

Behold, now is the day of salvation.   (II Corinthians 6:2)

This scripture does not mean that our short first physical life on earth is the only time one can accept Christ. That is, we must make a decision before we die the first death. This is another misinterpretation caused by the immortal soul myth.

We are living in the day or age of man. Man was given dominion over the earth during the Genesis recreation. This day, the age of man, is man's day of salvation. When man's day is over, his time to seek salvation will also be over. The day of man will end when the age of Jesus Christ's rule on earth begins. This occurs after completion of the second resurrection when every human being's case has been judged, and every human body has either been born again as a spiritual body or cast into the lake of fire and suffered the second death.

The case of every single human who has ever lived will have been accounted for, the reward given (eternal life when born again as a spirit), or the sentence carried out (the second death). Thus, when there are no more human beings alive, the age or day of man is over. The day of salvation for men will then be over also since there are no more men to save. As long as one man exists, God is willing to save him! Our first physical life on earth may not be our only physical life on earth. Those who died as nonbelievers will be resurrected as physical bodies. Since the day of man is still in progress, they can still be saved! They are not being raised as mortals again to simply suffer the second death in the fires of hell. They are raised as mortals and given their first true choice to accept or reject Jesus with the scriptures unsealed and Satan locked away!

The age of Jesus Christ's rule over the earth begins when there are no more humans alive. The only caretakers on the earth will be spiritual beings, many of whom were former humans which have been born again as spirits. The place Jesus has been preparing for us, New Jerusalem, will then descend from heaven:

And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:15)

NOTE: The age of man is over here. No humans are alive any where in the universe. All Christians now have spiritual bodies equal to the angels. Jesus now brings the place He has been preparing for those who believe in Him to the earth. He would not bring it down until all nonbelievers had received their punishment. Why reward them? The very next verse begins the Age of God on Earth:

******** OLD ********
 
NOTE:   The age of  man  is over  here. No  humans are  alive any
  where in  the  universe. All  Christians  now have spiritual
bodies equal to the angels. Jesus now brings the place He
has  been  preparing for  those who believe in  Him to the
earth.  He would not  bring  it down until all  nonbelievers
had  received their  punishment. Why reward  them? The
very  next  verse  begins  the  Age  of  God  on  Earth:

And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. (Revelation 21:1-2)

The first prophecy about the future occurs in Genesis as God curses the serpent:

And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. (Genesis 3:15)

There will be enmity between the serpent's offspring and Eve's. Every human ever born is indirectly the offspring of Eve. "It shall bruise thy head," refers to a male offspring of Eve's who will bruise the serpent's head or defeat the serpent. This is how one might fight a snake. The serpent will bruise his heel. Serpents are down low on the ground, so it would probably bite one in the foot area. This hints at the crucifixion, as a crucified person's feet are nailed to the cross. If this male offspring of Eve will bruise the serpent's head, and the offspring's feet are struck to a cross, then the offspring described is Jesus. Jesus will defeat Satan and provide the path of salvation and eternal life for every human through His sacrifice on the cross. His sacrifice will save those who believe in Him from the second death, from which there is no return.


END CHAPTER 6

Chapter 7

START CHAPTER 7

Myth One Goal

The goal for most religions throughout the ages has been where one would spend eternity after death. This error is universal and not unique to the current Christian religion. This is forced to be the goal when one believes the immortal soul myth that one's "soul" lives forever.

Why would one even desire to live forever? How many people are truly happy with their life? Are you? There are people who believe they are living in hell here on earth today and that it can only get better after death. Many prefer suicide to life on earth. This is sad because this is a wonderful place to live. In fact, born again Christians are going to remain here on earth with Jesus Christ following His Second Coming. That may sound horrible to many people who are presently unhappy on the earth. Regardless of the unnecessary sadness of so many people, life remains precious. The Bible states:

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. (John 15:13)

Your life is the greatest possession you have. Life is indeed precious, but many do not treat it as such. So, how do we learn that life is precious? With all of our violence and ridiculous racial and religious hatreds, one might believe this to be a difficult learning process, but it isn't. Ironically, one does not learn that life is precious through their death. Once you are dead you know absolutely nothing:

For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing... (Ecclesiastes 9:5)

No, you do not learn that life is precious by your death. You learn that life is precious when someone close to you dies! Someone you loved, knew, and spent time with. As you observe their face and body in their coffin, absolutely nothing moves, not even an eyelash. It is him or her, but in a sense it isn't him or her. Their thoughts, actions, and emotions are gone. It's too late to have that last conversation with them. They are dead, and you feel their loss. It is true that funerals are for the living, not the dead. The good news is that Christians will live for eternity after being born again as spiritual beings, and their life will be a happy existence for eternity:

I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. (John 10:10)

Human bodies have a maximum life expectancy of 120 years. When Jesus returns, dead and buried Christians will have life again when born a second time as spiritual bodies with a life expectancy of eternity. Eternity is infinitely more abundant than 120 years!

Man creates myths around his fears. Man fears things which he does not understand, the unknown. Mankind's most obvious fear is death. Death is the one thing we cannot try out on a test basis. You are either dead or alive. Furthermore, you cannot discuss death with someone who has experienced it. Those who claim otherwise are charlatans! The scriptures state that the dead know absolutely nothing. Since the dead know knowing, they certainly do not know how to talk! Therefore, death is an unknown and we fear it.

As knowledge has progressed over the years we understand more about our physical death. We know that we die. We see decaying animals and know that our bodies end up likewise. The part we do not understand is our personalities, our thinking processes, our emotions, our non-physical processes. These are the processes which many believe separates us from the other animals. We even give it a name, calling it our "soul," and assigning to each soul eternal life. From The Random House College Dictionary, the noun soul is defined as follows:

1.  The principle of life, feeling, thought, and action in man,
     regarded as a distinct entity separate from the body; the
     spiritual part of man as distinct from the physical part.
 
2.  The spiritual part of man regarded in its moral aspect, or
     as capable of surviving death and subject to happiness
     or misery in a life to come.
1.  The  principle of  life,  feeling,  thought, and  action in  man,
     regarded as a distinct  entity separate  from  the body;  the
     spiritual part of man as distinct from the physical part.
 
2.  The spiritual  part of  man regarded  in  its moral aspect,  or
     as capable of surviving death and subject to happiness
     or misery in a life to come.

So not only did Satan lie to mankind when he stated, "Ye shall not surely die," mankind still believes the lie and has a word defining that part of man which lives forever!

Possibly the largest group of people who do not fear death are those who have undergone what are called near death experiences. Approximately 15% of these are bad experiences in which they picture themselves in hell or other punishments. However, the vast majority report them as a total feeling of contentment, lack of worry, serenity, peace, etc. Having approached so close to death and found the experience very pleasant, many near death experiences have resulted in a person's change of lifestyle with less worry and fear. In other words, they exit the experience unafraid of death. Thus the worry over their future death is removed. I predict that in the near future, near death experiences will be induced as a treatment for the severely depressed. In the year 2000, approximately 13 million United States citizens claim to have had a near death experience.

So the false goal of those believing the immortal soul myth is where one will spend their eternity which is forced upon them as a consequence of being born a human being. If you are forced to live forever, you must live somewhere! The actual goal according to the Bible is to obtain eternal life. It is not something you are born with:

That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. (John 3:15)

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. (John 10:27-28)

In general, mankind fears death. We treat our fear of death with the defense mechanism of denial. That is, we deny it. We say we will live forever, thus taking on godly characteristics. We are therefore the perfect victims for Satan's lie of, "Ye shall not surely die." It is what we want to believe.

If you believe the immortal soul myth, then the gift of eternal life is not a blessing, but a curse. It is an obvious curse to the nonbelievers because the myth has them burning in hell for eternity. It is a curse for the believers because of their fear and worry. It is a curse to the Christian religion by making it appear to be a religion of fear and hatred rather than what it truly is: a religion of love and forgiveness!

Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. (Matthew 7:13-14)

Few will gain membership in the Kingdom of God, but many will go through the wide gate leading to destruction. The immortal soul myth has the many burning in hell eternally. Therefore, according to this generally accepted "Christian" doctrine, the gift of eternal life is a curse to the majority. Is there any way to refuse this horrible gift?

The True Goal:

The true goal of mankind as defined in the Bible is to attain the gift of eternal life. It is not something we are born with. It is something we become heirs to under the New Testament covenant by believing in Jesus. The New Testament became the active covenant or will and the Old Testament vanished away as a covenant when Jesus Christ, the testator, died on the cross! The Old Testament has been superseded, and no one can now gain eternal life by being sinless. This includes infants. That avenue has been closed! The wages of sin are no longer necessarily death since someone else has paid the price for our sins. Man now has a choice. The only way to gain eternal life under the New Testament is to believe in Jesus Christ as one's Savior.

Therefore, the age of accountability doctrine which is based on being sinless is no longer valid! The only path to eternal life is believing in Jesus, and babies do not believe in Jesus. Andrea Yates should be extremely angry to learn that the "souls" of her five dead children are not presently in heaven with God, as virtually every Christian theologian professes! She has been deceived. The children have presently, or soon will return to dust:

For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity. All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again. (Ecclesiastes 3:19-20)

Mrs. Yates has only succeeded in robbing them, and us, of their first human life on earth! Many other Christians are not totally happy today due to fear and worry generated by the immortal soul myth. They worry about Uncle Joe or Aunt Jane burning eternally in hell. Oh, what could I have done to save them? If these Christians knew what the Bible actually states about these nonbelievers, they would not have this unnecessary worry:

And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. (John 8:32)

That truth is that these nonbelievers are not going to burn eternally in hell! Anyone who does not believe in Jesus will suffer the second death in hell and perish. That is the end of them forever!

Man tends to worship the messengers. Pastors are supposedly trained to know and understand the Bible. Many of these pious, well-intentioned people have doctoral degrees so that we will respect them even more. They do not mislead us intentionally. They truly believe the myth they teach. Thus, they are as ignorant of the truth as their congregations.

Man's true goal is the attainment of eternal life. It is presented throughout the Bible as a gift. All we have to do is accept or reject it. Eternal life is not forced upon all mankind as an accident of birth! It is a gift received after Jesus Christ's Second Coming:

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23)

And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me... (Revelation 22:12)

All we have to do is accept or reject this gift of eternal life:

I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: (Deuteronomy 30:19)


END CHAPTER 7

Chapter 8

START CHAPTER 8

The Resurrections -- What Really Happens

Regardless of what we have been taught, what really happens at the resurrections is described in the scriptures. First of all, the first mass resurrection of humans will occur at the Second Coming:

For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the first fruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. (I Corinthians 15:22-23)

All of mankind are like the first man Adam in that all die. That is, man is not born immortal. All, every human who ever died, will be resurrected or made alive. If we were born immortal, there would be no cause for God to make us alive again. We would already be alive eternally! Jesus Christ was the first to be resurrected or made alive. The group that will be resurrected next are all dead Christians, they that are Christ's, which will be resurrected at the Second Coming, or at His coming. When will the Second Coming and first mass resurrection of humans occur? Only God the Father knows the exact date of the Second Coming:

But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. (Mark 13:32)

Although only the Father knows the actual date, numerous signs will appear which indicate that the end is near: wars, rumors of wars, the antichrist, etc. When these signs appear, some of the generation alive at that time will live to see the Second Coming of Christ:

So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. (Matthew 24:33-34)

One of these signs can be used to place a time period around the return of Christ. In 1400 BC, God sent Moses to lead the children of Israel out of Egyptian bondage and form a nation for the first time. The Bible states that in the end times, God's chosen people will be gathered together a second time to form a nation:

And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left... and he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth. (Isaiah 11:11-12)

"In that day" indicates the end times, and ensign indicates a national flag. After World War II, the scrappy Jews who survived the war years returned to the land promised to Abraham and formed a nation in 1948. Today all nations recognize their flag, even if some do not honor it.

So when the prophesied signs of the end times appear, some of the generation alive at that time will live to see the Second Coming of Christ. One of these end time signs is that God's chosen people will be gathered a second time to form a nation. In Genesis, God placed an upper limit on man's life span:

And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be a hundred and twenty years. (Genesis 6:3)

That is, no human can live longer than one hundred and twenty years. Therefore, if Jesus is going to return during the lifetime of those alive when the nation of Israel was formed a second time in 1948, He must return during or before the year 2068. This is due to the fact that any babies born in 1948 will be at their biological limit in the year 2068 (1948 + 120 = 2068). A baby born in 1948 can live until 2068 if he or she lives their maximum possible period of life. More realistic life spans today are 80-90 years. In any event, a rough estimate on the Second Coming of Christ is during or before the year 2068. Jesus will return to save the earth from destroying itself:

For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened. (Matthew 24:21-22)

Sound familiar? God returned and recreated the earth in Genesis because it had reached a state of desolation due to Satan's rebellion and mismanagement:

And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. (Genesis 1:2)

There is a dualism throughout the Bible. For example, Israel will be gathered from around the world a second time to form a nation, Jesus will come to earth a second time, two sets of the ten commandment tables were produced by God, there are two resurrections for humans, and you must be born again (twice) to gain eternal life, etc.

Immediately before Jesus returns to the earth, Satan will be locked up for a thousand years:

And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the Dragon, that serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. (Revelation 20:1-3)

This thousand years is the millennium and is equivalent to the Sabbath. God completed the Genesis recreation in six days and rested on the seventh. Therefore, he blessed the seventh day and made it holy. This is a model for what is now occurring on the earth. Man was created and given instructions on how to live, the Ten Commandments. He has six "days" to work on the earth and choose his way or God's. Individually, there are a few who choose God's way and live a happy existence on earth. However, as a group, mankind chooses his own way and rebels against God:

There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. (Proverbs 14:12)

So this rebellious nature in both man and some angels results a second time in the near destruction of the earth. For God, or anyone who lives for eternity, a thousand years is like one of our days:

For a thousand years in thy sight are but yesterday when it is past... (Psalm 90:4)

But beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. (II Peter 3:8)

Why is a thousand years like one day with God? This is due to the fact that God is a spiritual being who has eternal life. If you live for eternity, a thousand years is like one of our twenty-four hour days. Therefore, man's six days on the earth equates to six thousand years in God's days. It has been approximately 6,000 years since the Genesis recreation. Jesus was born about 4,000 years after the Genesis recreation and it is now 2007 years since the birth of Jesus. This is another indication that we are in or near the end times.

Our "six days" of work are almost over. The millennium will be the Sabbath day. Thus six thousand years of work, and a thousand years of rest. We were given the Sabbath day as a way of recognizing and remembering what is happening here on earth. The Sabbath is a sign! However, Satan has tricked most Christian churches into doing the exact opposite. We are supposed to work the first six days of the calendar week, Sunday through Friday, and rest on the seventh day of the week, Saturday. Instead, we rest on the first day, Sunday, and work the next six. In western society, we desecrate the Sabbath even more as we rest the first day, work five days, and do personal work or party on the Saturday Sabbath.

Since it has always been done that way, most churchgoers simply say it does not make any difference. We have our special day to rest and worship God, the Jews have their Sabbath, and the Muslims have theirs. It just does not matter. Wrong!

Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.   (Exodus 20:8)

If it does not matter, why did God make it one of the ten commandments? He did not say "Remember a day of your choice, to keep it holy..." He specifically said, "Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy...":

Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work,... (Exodus 20:8-10)

God even gives us the definition of the Sabbath, "But the seventh day is the sabbath..." In my Random House College Dictionary, the Sabbath is defined as follows:

1 -  the seventh day of the week, Saturday

Why is it important to keep God's Sabbath day and not one of your choosing? God answers that in verse 11:

For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it. (Exodus 20:11)

By selecting the wrong day as the Sabbath, we forget why it was established, and fail to recognize that the earth and man are following the same Genesis creation pattern under God's time period. The Sabbath is a sign of what is presently happening. That is, six days of work followed by a Sabbath, where a day is equal to one thousand years. Should Christians be expecting a Sabbath, or period of rest?

There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. (Hebrews 4:9)

This period of rest, or Sabbath, will be equal in length of time to one of the six work periods which it follows. Therefore, the rest period for the people of God will be one thousand years, or the millennium! Satan, the present ruler of the world, has tricked man once again by changing the Sabbath so that we will not be prepared for or recognize the end times.

Considering the millennium once again, in what regard is the millennium a day of rest? It is a day of rest because Satan will be restrained during this thousand-year period. We have been working against Satan!

So God the Father is the only one who knows the exact time of the Second Coming. However, using the Sabbath as the sign it was established to represent along with the end time prophecies, the Second Coming should be sometime during or before the year 2068. The Second Coming is significant because it coincides with the first of two mass resurrections for deceased humans. In actuality, there are three resurrections of importance in the scriptures. The following chart outlines these three resurrections:

                     Person(s)
                Resurrection                     Resurrected                 Time of event
                Resurrection of                     Jesus Christ               Occurred in 33AD
                  Jesus Christ
     
                First mass                        All dead                     At Second
                resurrection                       Christians               Coming of Christ
     
                Second mass                         All dead                   After the
                resurrection                      nonbelievers                  millennium

The first resurrection is that of Jesus Christ. He set the example for those who follow by becoming the first to be resurrected:

But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept. (I Corinthians 15:20)

Jesus lived for thirty-three years as a human on the earth. He was then crucified and resurrected on the third day. Every single human who has ever lived will follow this example set by Jesus:

For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. (I Corinthians 15:22)

All humans who ever lived will be made alive again, or resurrected. All includes both believers and nonbelievers! However, all will not be resurrected at the same time. There will be an order to the resurrections:

But every man in his own order: Christ the first fruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. (I Corinthians 15:23)

So Jesus will be resurrected first, and that has already occurred. The resurrection which we presently await is the one at which those "that are Christ's" will be resurrected. Those "that are Christ's" refers to Christians. When does this resurrection for all Christians occur? It occurs at the Second Coming of Jesus to the earth, or "at his coming." The Second Coming is described in Revelation chapter nineteen:

And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. (Revelation 19:11-13)

Do you recall who the Word was?

And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us... (John 1:14)

The only part of the Trinity of God who became flesh and dwelt among us was Jesus Christ. Therefore, the deity named "The Word of God" coming from heaven on a white horse is Jesus Christ. This is His Second Coming to the earth! At His Second Coming, all Christians are to be resurrected as spiritual bodies and reign with Jesus for a thousand years. The first mass resurrection for mankind is described only a few verses away from the description of the Second Coming:

And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. (Revelation 20:4-5)

All dead Christians are resurrected at this first mass resurrection. Christians who are alive on the earth when Jesus returns will be born again as spirits and meet Him in the air:

Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. (I Thessalonians 4:17)

Remember that physical bodies have a limited life span of one hundred and twenty years. If these Christians were resurrected as physical bodies, they could not live through the thousand-year millennium with Christ as the verse states:

...and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. (Revelation 20:4)

They were buried, or sown in the ground, as physical bodies. They are resurrected, or born again, as spiritual bodies. The following verse defines the almost universally misunderstood meaning of the term "born again:"

Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. (John 3:5-7)

That is, to gain eternal life you must first be born as a human being, or born of water. You are 70-80% water and you were carried in water in the womb. You are born first as a flesh and blood physical human being. You must then be born again as a spirit at, or after, your resurrection. All Christians who are born again of the spirit at the first resurrection are now members of the Kingdom of God. They have now become equal unto the angels:

Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection. (Luke 20:36)

Notice that Christians become "children of the resurrection." That is, they are born at the resurrection. They were born once before in their existence, their physical birth. Since Christians are born a second time as a spiritual being at the resurrection, they are born again! It is an actual, real experience, not simply some emotional occurrence experienced during your physical life on earth. What does the Bible state we must become to enter the Kingdom of Heaven?

Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 18:3)

We are converted into spiritual, immortal bodies, as opposed to our present physical, mortal bodies. We are new spirits, and thus spiritual "children." This blessed birth occurs at the resurrection, thus we are children of the resurrection. We are little children also in that all sins we ever committed as humans have been forgiven. We are sinless, just as we were when first born as a human. Jesus paid the penalty for our sins when He died on the cross. Therefore, we are saved from the second death, and live for eternity. The wages of sin is death, but we are now sinless, having been born again as spiritual, sinless children of the resurrection. Therefore, we do not suffer the second death. Like Jesus, God's only Son, we will have become the children of God. The family has become much larger:

The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ ... (Romans 8:16-17)

Jesus will no longer be the only Son of God! In fact, Jesus will now be our brother, as we also are now the sons and daughters of God; thus making us joint heirs with Jesus Christ. What a wonderful big brother we will have! However, that event is in our future if we are Christians. There are no Christians anywhere, dead or alive, who are presently born again Christians. You cannot be born again until Jesus returns! If you believe in Jesus Christ your name is written in the book of life as an inheritor of eternal life under terms of the New Testament. Those terms are believing in Jesus as your Savior. Those who believe in Jesus will receive everlasting life as inheritors under the New Testament:

Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. (Colossians 3:24)

The New Testament will be probated upon the Second Coming of Christ at the resurrection:

And behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me... (Revelation 22:12)

When you are born again the second time at the resurrection as a spiritual body which will live forever, only then can you truthfully claim to be a born again Christian! Until that time, you have not been born again, regardless of what you have been told. You have only been born once as a human. The Kingdom of God consists only of spirits. Therefore, to become members of the Kingdom of God, you must be born again as a spirit:

That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. (John 3:6)

At this point after the first mass resurrection, all mankind who died as Christians along with Christians who were alive at the Second Coming have been born again as spiritual beings. They will now enjoy the millennium Sabbath with Jesus:

Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. (Revelation 20:6)

The thousand-year millennium will be spent resting, rejoicing, and apparently new member training, since these new spirits will judge angels and others following the second resurrection:

Know ye not that we shall judge angels?...   (I Corinthians 6:3)

Who are these angels which born again Christians shall judge? They are the angels who sided with Satan in his rebellion against God and are now restrained in hell:

And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. (Jude 1:6)

So God's forgiveness extends even to the angels who rebelled, if they repent. Jesus even visited and preached to them in their prison:

By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; (1 Peter 3:19)

Why would Jesus preach unto the fallen angels and let them be judged if there is no possibility of their forgiveness and release? Following the millennium, Satan is released from prison, and he and his followers are defeated in battle. Satan is cast into hell where he is tormented for eternity:

And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. (Revelation 20:7-10)

The devil cannot be killed because he is a spirit. The fire and brimstone are not for him, but are there to kill humans which shall be cast into hell and suffer their second death. It is the devil who will be tormented day and night for eternity, not the mythical souls of nonbelievers! This cannot be physical torture since the devil's spiritual body does not feel pain. It is the torment of knowing he failed, being defeated, seeing lowly humans being upgraded to take his place, never being given another opportunity, separation from the Kingdom of God, etc. He has rebelled, been defeated, and lost his freedom and authority for eternity.

The second resurrection for man occurs after the millennium. Who will be involved in this second and last mass resurrection? The only portion of mankind remaining in their graves are the nonbelievers. Every single human either believes in Jesus as his Savior, or does not believe in Jesus as his Savior. There are only two groups. All who died believing in Jesus were resurrected during the first mass resurrection. Therefore, all remaining to be resurrected are nonbelievers. Since none of these nonbelievers have their names written in the book of life as heirs to eternal life, they will all be resurrected as mortal human beings:

And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:11-15)

It is very important that you notice that last verse above! It states that after the judgment of those resurrected in the second mass resurrection, whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. Be aware that absolutely none of those resurrected at the second mass resurrection had their names written in the book of life when resurrected! Every single human, dead or alive, with their names written in the book of life were born again as spirits at the first mass resurrection! So why are they checking the book again? Something obviously occurred since these nonbelievers were resurrected to cause the book of life to be modified. Otherwise, there would be no reason to check the book again for their names. What happened?

Would God raise these people again as physical bodies only to humiliate them during their judgment before casting them into the lake of fire? Why bother raising them from the dead only to inflict another painful physical death upon them? Once again, this flies in the face of "God is love." If the nonbelievers are being resurrected to be humiliated by judgment before being killed a second time, why not simply allow them to remain dead? Of course, God is love, and He is raising the nonbelievers for a reason! One event prophesied to occur before the end of time is that the gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world:

And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. (Matthew 24:14)

The second resurrection and great white throne judgment occur before the end of our time. The end of time is the end of the earth and our world as we know them today. It is the end of the age, or day, of man. It is also the end of man and the beginning of a new time. The end of our earth occurs in the very next verse after those not written in the book of life are cast into the lake of fire. At this point there are no more living humans. All have been judged and the judgments carried out. The age of God's rule on earth now begins. What we have been praying for in the Lord's Prayer has now been answered; "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven:"

And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away... (Revelation 21:1)

Therefore, the second resurrection and associated judgment occur in our time, the age of man. As long as men are alive the age of man continues. The age of man will be over when the last nonbeliever is cast into the lake of fire and dies.

Billions or trillions of people have died never having the opportunity to accept Jesus as their Savior. These nonbelievers are raised again as mortals during the second mass resurrection and given that opportunity! The majority of all people who have ever lived have never, ever, heard the true message of the Holy Scriptures, even in the United States. Remember that the scriptures have been very successfully sealed until the end of time! At this time these people will hear the true message for the first time from angels, including Christians born again as spirits in the first resurrection, with Satan and all of his myths and lies totally defeated. Most people have never been given a choice based on Biblical truth! Their choice was based on myths and fear. Those times will be over!

Probably 99.999 percent of everyone who ever set foot in a Christian church will scoff at the idea that one can be saved after his or her first death. These people point to the following verse as proof of their claim that one must accept or reject Jesus before their first death:

For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succored thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. (II Corinthians 6:2)

Their interpretation of this verse is another trick of Satan to cause man unnecessary fear and worry. The true meaning of this verse is explained in chapter 25 entitled, Today Is the day of Salvation.

The first two resurrections were singular events in time. Jesus was one person, so He was resurrected in one instant. The Bible states that dead Christians will be resurrected as spirits at the Second Coming. Christians who are alive at that time will rise to meet them in the air. That is, all Christians, dead or alive, are born again as spirits at the same moment in time, the Second Coming. This group will have no problem with living space, food, or water. They do not require space, food, or water because they are now spiritual beings.

The final resurrection will be one thousand years after the first mass resurrection for humans, and will include every other human who ever lived. This group of nonbelievers will be much larger than the group of Christians resurrected. They will be resurrected as mortals with a 120 year maximum life span. If all are resurrected at the same time, there will be a logistics problem with living space along with a time crunch in being able to judge them within their 120 year maximum life span.

Will the earth be able to support this vast multitude of resurrected humans at one time? In addition, since the maximum life span of the human body is 120 years, will there be sufficient time to judge all these humans before they die again? One hundred and twenty years is 120 years times 365 days per year times 24 hours per day times 60 minutes per hour equals 63,072,000 minutes. If all are judged before God at the great white throne, in 120 years only 63 million could be judged working day and night if each judgment required only one minute! Let's look closer at these two apparent problems.

The Bible never states that all will be resurrected as a group. It states that all will be resurrected after the millennium. Suppose that a manageable group is resurrected initially. As each individual is taught the true gospel of Jesus Christ and judged, he or she will either be born again as a spirit into the Kingdom of God or cast into the lake of fire and die the second death. Either way, that former human is no longer a drain on the resources of the earth. As each case is handled, another human could be resurrected from his or her first death. The entire third resurrection might be one event requiring thousands of our years. However, there is no rush of time as spirits live for eternity and 1000 years is like one day to them. All we can know for sure is that the third resurrection will occur regardless of the logistics. Through God all things are possible!

The main fact is that everyone will be given a choice. If they were not given a choice on earth prior to their death, they will be given a choice after their resurrection as mortal humans in the second mass resurrection. Their choice will be based on hearing the true gospel message for the first time. It will be preached at this time in the entire world, before the end of the age of man can occur. And who do you suppose will preach this gospel message to the vast multitude of nonbelievers resurrected during this second mass resurrection? Remember those Christians who were born again as spirits at the first mass resurrection? What became of them? Are they fluttering around from cloud to cloud testing out their new "wings?" No! They have become priests:

Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. (Revelation 20:6)

So these priests of God and of Christ will spread the true gospel message to this multitude of nonbelievers. Do you recall who the Bible stated would teach the Holy Scriptures to the bulk of humanity? It was a child:

And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. (II Timothy 3:15)

These born again Christians from the first mass resurrection are these children! They were born as children of the resurrection and have lived through one thousand years of training with Jesus prior to the second resurrection of nonbelievers. Thus they are one day old children! Since they are immortal, a thousand of mortal man's years are like a day to them!

Those nonbelievers who accept Jesus upon hearing the true gospel message after the second resurrection will then have their names written in the book of life, thus saving them from the second death. This is why the book of life is checked again after the second mass resurrection. These new Christians are then born again as spiritual beings into the Kingdom of God.

What are all these people judged on? Their works! For over fifty years I have been taught that only believing in Jesus leads to eternal life. And after reading the Bible several times, I still believe that:

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

But if their works do not save people, why are they judged by their works? There are levels of authority in heaven and on earth. God the Father is the supreme ruler, and there are then levels within the angels, cherubims and archangels for example. These new spirits produced after the second mass resurrection will be judged by their works. The judgment will hold them responsible for their behavior as humans as well as defining their positions of authority in the Kingdom of God. Remember that all Christians who were born again as spiritual bodies during the first mass resurrection became priests of God and of Christ. They did not have to face the judgment to assign their job responsibilities and authority.

Let's consider infants who died shortly after birth. They will be resurrected as physical bodies in the second resurrection as they died as nonbelievers. There will be no sins written against their names as they never reached an age where they understood what sin was. However, they will reach that age here, because there is no rush of time. After sufficient time they will make their decisions regarding Jesus as their Savior and either be born again as spiritual bodies or destroyed in the second death.

Noah, John, Paul, Luke, and Mary Yates will be resurrected as physical bodies at the second resurrection if they died not believing in Jesus Christ. They will grow to maturity and the children of the first resurrection will correctly explain the true good news of the gospel to them. They will then make their own personal choice regarding Jesus! Their mother could not make it for them, although most Christian clergy claim this to be the case! They claim that she sent them to heaven to be with God for eternity. That is not the case. They must make this personal decision on their own! God created them with freedom of choice so they could choose. It is their individual decision, not their mothers. No one can choose for them!

Christians must convince themselves that the above paragraph is correct! The message that every individual chooses his or her personal fate regardless of their age at death must replace the false message that murdered children go immediately to heaven for eternity. The price for not preaching this truth will be paid with the small dead bodies of sacrificed children! If the "church" continues to teach this false theology, then these "Christian" sacrifices will continue in the future!

What happens to those who do not accept Jesus as their Savior? They are not saved from the second death:

And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:14-15)

They are cast into the lake of fire. And what happens to them? They die again because they were raised in the second resurrection as mortal beings and still have not accepted Jesus since that time. That's why it's called the second death. What kind of fool would not accept Jesus under these circumstances? Very likely they would be those who prospered and were very successful when judged by mankind's criteria. They prefer the old system whereby they were rich and powerful. Look at what Jesus states about a rich man gaining eternal life:

Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. (Matthew 19:23-24)

Rich people often tend to have very competitive personalities and may be power seekers. God's system is designed to weed out people with these characteristics. After all, this was Satan's character flaw. He wanted to exalt himself and become like the most high God. This flaw led Satan to rebel against God. Why allow those humans with the same flaw to become immortal and possibly perpetuate rebellion? They are weeded out because they do not believe in Jesus. Why do they not believe in Jesus? Look how wonderfully successful they have been on their own. Who needs Jesus? It is not these haughty humans who are going to inherit the earth, but the meek:

Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. (Matthew 5:5)

After all have been judged and either been born again or killed in the lake of fire described as the second death, there is no longer any need for the concept of death. At this point, everyone in existence is a spiritual body which will live forever. Any former humans still alive, exist as spirits. We have now truly become equal unto the angels.

The word hell used in Revelation 20:14 is better translated into English as grave. Since death is no longer a valid concept, there is no longer any need for a grave. Because no one will ever die again, no one will ever be buried in a grave again. Therefore, the concepts of death and hell (the grave) are both cast into the lake of fire and destroyed:

And death and hell (the grave) were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. (Revelation 20:14)

If the extension of life from a maximum of one hundred and twenty years to eternity is our goal, then death is our enemy because death terminates life. Now that every being is an immortal spiritual body, death has been totally defeated. There will be no more death! Death and the grave are thus cast into the lake of fire and destroyed as prophesied:

The last enemy that shall be defeated is death. (I Corinthians 15:26)

Why is the lake of fire, or hell, eternal? Any bodies being restrained there are eternal spiritual bodies. These are Satan and any unrepentant angels who rebelled with him. No men will be there, only spiritual bodies. Any men who were cast into hell have died! Bodies which are resurrected as mortal in the second resurrection and cast into the lake of fire are burned to death and that is the end of them. Thus, it is called the second death.

In summary as regards our mortal physical bodies:

1 - a few people will never die
 
2 - some will die once, and
 
3 - some will die twice

The few who will never die are those Christians who are alive at the Second Coming of Christ. They will be born again as spirits and meet Jesus in the air upon his return:

Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed. (I Corinthians 15:51)

Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. (I Thessalonians 4:17)

Christians (We) shall not all die (sleep), but all will be born again as spirits (changed). When they receive their spiritual bodies their physical bodies are no longer required and will be discarded. These Christians will not experience death in the usual sense. However, as their physical bodies will rot and decay, they could be said to die in that they no longer support a life. Thus the following verse remains a true statement:

And it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: (Hebrews 9:27)

Those humans who died as Christians will be born again as spiritual bodies upon Jesus' return. This is the first resurrection. This much larger group will die once.

Those who died as nonbelievers and are resurrected again as physical bodies in the second resurrection following the millennium, and still refuse to accept Jesus as their Savior, will be cast into the lake of fire and suffer their second death. These individuals will die twice as humans. There is no recovery from the second death. It is eternal! They do not suffer in hell for eternity. Their death is eternal, not their act of dying! They are gone, dust, erased, nada, gone bye-bye, etc. So these will die twice.

After this, death and the grave are finished. Any remaining life is spiritual. The end of time and the age of man are now completed. Man, as a physical being, no longer exists! The place which Jesus has prepared for us will now descend from heaven:

And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all their tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. (Revelation 21:1-4)

The new heaven and earth refer to our new earth and sky, not heaven where God resides. God's heaven was not made desolate by the rebellious angels and men who ruled over the earth, so it did not need to be made anew. Notice that the items necessary to support human life are no longer required because there is no longer any human life to support. For example, there are no seas and there is no night:

And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. (Revelation 21:1)

And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever. (Revelation 22:5)

The third of the Trinity of God which will dwell with us on earth is Jesus, as He conquers the earth back from Satan:

And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. (Revelation 20:7-9)

Jesus then rules the earth forever and ever. "The tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them...," places God in the form of Jesus on the earth. Although there are no longer any physical men at this point, man's domain was the earth. The indication is that Jesus will dwell on the earth. That is, where men were.

Not only do you not go to heaven immediately after your death if you are a Christian, you are not there at this point either, which is at least a thousand years after Christ's return. Since He has made a new earth and brought it back with Him, one would suppose that He expects you to be happy with it for some time. After all, what might heaven be? Spirits do not require food, clothing, lodging, or any solid physical place to stay. Those are concepts which apply only to the physical human type world.

Heaven might better be defined as being with one of the Trinity of God. After all, Jesus prepared a place for us and returned with it, and shall reign forever and ever. Will heaven then be here on earth? No. However, the scriptures never indicate that Christians will live for eternity in heaven as we have always been incorrectly taught! It is always stated in the scriptures that Christians will spend eternity in the Kingdom of Heaven.

This Kingdom of Heaven includes heaven and other territories. God's will is not presently being done on the Earth, so the Earth is not now included in the Kingdom of Heaven. In fact, we are instructed in the Lord's prayer to pray for the Earth to become part of the Kingdom of Heaven:

Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. (Matthew 6:10)

After the Second Coming and Jesus' defeat of Satan, the Earth will once again become part of the kingdom:

The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever. (Revelation 11:15)

So Jesus will defeat Satan and the Earth will become part of the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus will then rule the Earth from new Jerusalem for ever and ever. What will born again Christians be doing?

...we shall also reign with him. (II Timothy 2:12)

And how long will we be on the Earth reigning with Jesus? For eternity:

...and so shall we ever be with the Lord. (I Thessalonians 4:17)

In any event, you will be an unrestrained spirit with freedom of choice. If you desire to go to heaven there should be nothing to stop you. However, based on the description and conditions of the new earth and new Jerusalem, no one should desire to leave!


END CHAPTER 8

Chapter 9

START CHAPTER 9

"Interpreting the Bible"

All scripture is given by inspiration of God...(II Timothy 3:16)

For the prophesy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. (II Peter 1:21)

The original scriptures were written by men as inspired by God. Since the scriptures were inspired by God, there were absolutely no errors or contradictions in them. Likewise, all scriptures taken together as a whole were true! The scriptures were perfect and needed no "interpretation" for those who could read the languages in which they were written. In fact, man is warned against making his own private interpretation of the scriptures:

Knowing this first, that no prophesy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. (II Peter 1:20)

However, none of the various versions of the Bible that we read today in the English language are the inspired words of God! When I first had that thought, lightning did not strike me, nor did the earth swallow me up. It is a true statement! Only the original scriptures are the inspired words of God! Any "scriptures" you read today are translations of the original Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic language scriptures. The Bibles we read today reflect the originals only to the degree of accuracy of the translators. If the Bibles we read in English or other non-original languages were also inspired by God, they would not contain errors and contradictions.

In fact, we know that our English Bibles were not inspired by God presisely because of the contradictions and errors! Anything inspired by God is perfect! A few English language Bible contradictions are as follows:

And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him... (Luke 23:39)

And they that were crucified with him reviled him. (Mark 15:32)

Apparent contradiction:   One reviled Him versus both reviled Him.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son... (John 3:16)

Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord ... (Job 1:6)

Apparent contradiction:   God has only one Son versus God has more than one son.

And no man hath ascended up to heaven but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. (John 3:13)

And Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. (II Kings 2:11)

Apparent contradiction:   No human except Jesus has ever gone to heaven versus Elijah went to heaven.

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep... (Genesis 1:1-2)

And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. (Genesis 1:31)

Apparent contradiction:   God created the earth without form, void, and dark versus everything
                                        that God created was good.

Some errors are simply errors in translation. One of many examples is as follows:

Thou shall not kill.     (Exodus 20:13)

But of the cities of these people, which the Lord thy God doth give thee for an inheritance, thou shalt save alive nothing that breatheth: (Deuteronomy 20:16)

These are two commandments which God gave to His chosen people. The first we recognize as one of the Ten Commandments. After apparently commanding the Children of Israel to not kill, God shortly afterwards commands them to kill all living creatures which inhibit the land He will give them for an inheritance.

As inspired by God, the original scriptures contained no errors or contradictions. What happened? This is one of several translation errors in the King James Version of the Bible. The correct translation of Exodus 20:13 is as follows:

Thou shalt not murder.     (Exodus 20:13)

All killing is not murder. For example, killing in war or self-defense is not murder. Therefore, when translated correctly, these two verses do not contradict each other. Many a Christian has obtained conscientious objector status and escaped military service based on this erroneous translation in the King James Bible as "Thou shalt not kill."

Some errors in today's Bibles cannot simply be explained as translation errors. That's because the exact same word in the original scriptures is translated differently based on its usage! These errors are more sinister as they indicate the translators' efforts to impose their personal beliefs on the scriptures as inspired by God. The scriptures labeled these errors as "private interpretations" and warn against them:

Knowing this first, that no prophesy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. (II Peter 1:20)

The most obvious example of this type of error is the use of the word "soul" by translators of the King James Version of the Bible. In the Old Testament, the scriptures inspired by God used the Hebrew word "nephesh" when referring to both man and other animals.

In their effort to improve on the inspired words of God, translators decided to translate this one word into multiple words, thus distinguishing between man and animals by assigning immortality to man. If God used one word, should not the translators use that same one word? Do they know more that God? They obviously believed this to be the case. They knew that man is born as an immortal spirit living within a physical body. How did they know this? Satan informed them and all men of this "fact" when he planted the seed that, "Ye shall not surely die."

Therefore, men improved on omnipotent God's scriptures by imposing their beliefs on scriptures which were already perfect! Thus, animals become "living creatures" while man becomes a "soul" with its eternal life connotations, although in the original scriptures the same word was used by God to apply to both man and the other animals! The Bible goes on to state:

For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity. (Ecclesiastes 3:19)

This presents an obvious contradiction in the Bible. If man is immortal due to birth, then he certainly has preeminence above other mortal beasts! If two words were required to differentiate between man and the other animals, God would have used two words!

The word "interpretation" has a dual meaning in today's Christianity. One is the obvious meaning synonymous with translation. Since God inspired the original scriptures, the only true "interpretation" required was that of translation into other languages.

The second Christian use of the word interpretation consists of redefining the meaning of the already translated scripture to justify one's preconceived beliefs. This definition is most often used as a defense against those few who believe what the Bible states, and not what most clergy teach. They are quickly accused of interpreting the Bible to meet their needs. In actuality, this is what the entrenched churches have been guilty of for nearly two thousand years.

This second meaning of the word "interpretation" remains in widespread use throughout today's mainstream Christian denominations. It has to be once the initial lie is believed in Genesis. That is, most Christians believe that they possess a soul which lives forever, and point to Genesis 2:7 as proof:

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. (Genesis 2:7)

The Hebrew word translated here as "living soul" is the same word used to describe the other animals which were created. That Hebrew word is nephesh. Nephesh is correctly translated as "a living, breathing being" (See chapter 14 entitled Poor Word Choice).

Once the immortal soul myth is accepted as truth, many other verses must then be "interpreted" to protect the original myth. For example:

...the soul that sinneth, it shall die.   (Ezekiel 18:4)

Since the soul is immortal, the above verse cannot be true. Die cannot mean die. Therefore, it is misinterpreted by theologians to mean something other than God's original meaning. One of the more popular interpretations is that it means "eternal separation from God." Anytime someone begins a sentence with, "That means...," beware of a private interpretation. The above verse means exactly what it states! The soul or person that sins, shall perish.

Verses which do not support the immortality myth must be interpreted to mean something totally different, thus protecting the original misinterpretation. So Christians who believe the immortal soul myth are guilty of the same offense of which they accuse other people who understand the Bible.

What caused the original misinterpretation in the first place? Man is born with a predisposition to believe in his own immortality because he fears death and does not understand his own creation. Satan planted this idea of immortality by telling man, "Ye shall not surely die."

If you express a desire to read or study the Bible on your own, you might receive a warning that "the Bible can be interpreted any number of ways." Is this true? Consider the simple sentence "One is one." Some might "interpret" that to mean, "One is two." Others might claim it really means "One is three," or "One is ninety-nine." There is thus an infinite number of ways to "interpret" this sentence since there are infinite numbers. However, only one of these interpretations is the correct "interpretation." That is, "One is one." Likewise, the scriptures require no "interpretation." They mean what they state!

Consider the sentence, "One is four divided by four," or "One is the square root of nine minus two." These are equivalent to the statement "One is one." Therefore, there are an infinite number of equivalent ways to state that "One is one." However, the simplest and most accurate way to state the sentence remains, "One is one." Theologians often use this latter technique to justify their existence. That is, the more complicated the explanation, the more they are needed for their interpretation. One wrong interpretation must be propagated throughout the Bible to protect the original error!

In addition, the entire Bible must be read and considered as a whole. One should not pick and choose some scriptures while rejecting others to prove a doctrine is appropriate. This is exactly what occurs in most church Bible study groups which are designed to teach preconceived church beliefs.

For example, the crucifixion story is related in the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. These four books are known collectively as the Gospels, which means "good news." Regarding the two thieves who were crucified along with Jesus, the only Biblical account you probably ever heard in a church study class or in a sermon is the following account from Luke:

And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise. (Luke 23:39-43)

Luke 23 verse 43 is used by theologians to "prove" that Christians go immediately to heaven the very instant they die:

And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise. (Luke 23:43)

Churches stop there since that verse states exactly what they would have you believe. It supports the immortal soul myth. That is, if the thief will be with Jesus in paradise that very day, then there is some characteristic of the thief which lives after the death of his body. They believe this to be his eternal soul. However, there are four accounts of the crucifixion in the Bible. As originally written by men under the inspiration of God, all four accounts were true with each other and the other scriptures! Let's examine the other three accounts and see what they say regarding the two thieves in the King James translation of the scriptures:

The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth. (Matthew 27:44)

And they that were crucified with him reviled him. (Mark 15:32)

Where they crucified him, and two others with him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst. (John 19:18)

Matthew and Mark state that the two thieves reviled and mocked Jesus like others who were present! The account in John simply notes that two others were crucified with Jesus, one on either side. All of these verses could be true. It is possible that both thieves reviled Jesus, then at a later time one changed his mind. However, why would such a significant event reported by Luke not even be given mention in Matthew, Mark, and John? Now, consider the following verse:

And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. (John 3:13)

Is this not perfectly clear? Jesus Christ, the Son of God and the Son of man (Mary and Joseph), who came down from heaven, is the only man who has ascended up to heaven, and is there now. How can this be otherwise "interpreted?" Therefore, the thief is not in heaven! But if the thief and other Christians do not go to heaven when they die, what happens to them?

For we which have believed do enter into rest ... (Hebrews 4:3)

"We which have believed," refers to Christians. Therefore, Christians enter into rest. If one of the two thieves believed in Jesus when he died, he entered into rest according to Hebrews 4:3. What is this rest? In many instances, when Jesus "raised someone from the dead," he claimed that they were asleep. For example:

Why make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn... (Mark 5:39-40)

So the thief who accepted Jesus as his Savior is presently sleeping in his grave. He will be awakened to everlasting life upon Jesus' return:

And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life... (Daniel 12:2)

In addition, Jesus did not go to "paradise" immediately after he died on the cross, so He was not in paradise with the thief that same day. He arose from the grave three days later, and ascended shortly thereafter to heaven in the presence of His disciples:

And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven. (Luke 24:51)

All of these verses cannot be true as written in the King James Bible. The one which stands out from all the others is Luke 23 verse 43 when Jesus spoke to one of the two thieves:

Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise. (Luke 23:43)

Elsewhere in the Bible, no one except Jesus has ascended into heaven, Christians who die are asleep in Christ, Jesus has gone to prepare a place for us, and He will bring it back with Him when He returns. At that time, dead Christians will be resurrected from their graves as spirits and meet him in the air. All of this is in plain English without any "interpretation" required.

The King James translators of the Bible into English obviously believed the immortal soul myth that they would not surely die. This is indicated by their translation of the word "nephesh" differently depending on whether it referred to man or other animals. Given the translators innate human tendencies to believe that they have a "soul" which lives for eternity, they would naturally punctuate Luke 23:43 as it is presented in the King James Bible today to perpetuate this belief. However, it cannot be a logically true statement with the remainder of the Bible. On the other hand, by simply moving the comma and transposing two words, that verse can become a true statement in context with all the other verses. That is:

Verily I say unto thee today, Thou shalt be with me in paradise.

                                                  Versus

Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.

That is, today I am telling you that you will be with me in paradise. If the thief believed in Jesus, and Jesus died for his sins that day before the thief, then the thief died believing in Jesus; in which case he will be born again from his grave as a spirit upon Jesus' return and meet him in the air. So sometime in the future the thief will be with Jesus in paradise, and Jesus informed the thief of that event the day of His crucifixion. Notice that the thief understood they were speaking of a future event:

And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. (Luke 23:42)

The thief's statement obviously describes an event which will occur in the future, not that day! When thou comest in the future, remember me! God's kingdom will come to earth and God's will shall be done on earth in the form of Jesus Christ at His Second Coming. We are instructed to pray, "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth, as it is in heaven." When this occurs, the thief wants Jesus to remember him at that time. Many might consider this a "private interpretation," which the scriptures warn against. I consider it a correction of a translation error. There are similar situations in the King James book of Genesis:

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep... (Genesis 1:1-2)

This implies that God created the earth without form, void, and dark which would be incorrect, as God never created anything that was not good. Other translations clarify verse two by indicating the earth had become without form and void after God originally created it. For example, the New International Version® renders the same verses as follows:

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty; darkness was over the surface of the deep... (Genesis 1:1-2)

Some suggestions about reading the Bible

1 -- The scriptures are "sealed up" until the end times. Even the twelve apostles did not understand the scriptures until Jesus opened their understanding shortly before ascending into heaven:

Then opened He their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, (Luke 24:45)

Why then should we expect today's theologians to understand them? Although the scriptures are sealed up from our understanding, God left a gaping hole in His security system! Consider what Jesus states regarding prayer:

And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive. (Matthew 21:22)

Therefore, each time before you begin reading the Bible, you should first pray and ask God to open your understanding of the scriptures, believing that He will do so!

2 -- Do not let others scare you away from reading the Bible. You do not have to read the Bible under the influence of a study group, or minister. You are not ignorant!

3 -- Read the Bible from the first page to the last, as you would read any book. Some passages will be difficult to read. Others are so interesting that you will not be able to set your Bible down until you have completely read them.

4 -- It would be ideal if you could read the Bible without any preconceived beliefs. Then you could believe the Bible without any conflicts. However, this is virtually impossible since man is born with innate beliefs, and most of us are bombarded with the myths since early childhood. The first time I read the Bible from the first page to the last page, I stated the church's most basic belief and attempted to verify it through the Bible. That belief was:

Man is born with an immortal soul which lives forever.

This basic church theology did not survive the first three chapters of Genesis!


END CHAPTER 9

Chapter 10

START CHAPTER 10

The Unpardonable Sin

Due to the horrendous punishment which most Christians incorrectly assign to nonbelievers, one might assume that the ultimate unpardonable sin is not believing in Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. This widely accepted false punishment is that those who do not believe in Jesus will spend eternity suffering in the fires of Hell! Is this truly the one unpardonable sin? Absolutely not! Not only is not believing in Jesus not the unpardonable sin, it is not a sin at all! Whether or not one believes in Jesus is defined as a choice:

I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: (Deuteronomy 30:19)

Nowhere in the scriptures are we ever commanded to believe in Jesus! If you do not believe in Jesus that is your choice. You choose life by believing in Jesus, or you choose death by not believing in Jesus. You have the freedom to choose whether or not you accept or reject Jesus. Those choosing to accept Jesus will inherit eternal life. Those choosing to reject Jesus will die the second death and that will be the end of them forever. Not believing in Jesus is not a sin but a choice. There is only one unpardonable sin, and it is clearly stated in the scriptures.

Under the Old Testament covenant, absolutely no sin was pardonable. The wages of any and all sin was death. Under the New Testament covenant, all sin is pardonable with the exception of one! That one unpardonable sin is blasphemy against the Holy Ghost:

Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come. (Matthew 12:31-32)

And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but unto him that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven. (Luke 12:10)

Blasphemy is defined in The Random House College Dictionary as: The crime of assuming to oneself the rights or qualities of God. We can blaspheme God the Father or God the Son and be forgiven. What is the difference between them and God the Holy Ghost? The Holy Ghost is that third of God presently on earth to aid Christians. We receive this aid after individually believing in Jesus Christ and asking to receive the Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit or Comforter was not sent to Christians until Jesus departed the earth. Jesus spoke the following to the apostles shortly after his resurrection:

And being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. (Acts 1:4-5)

Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. (John 16:7)

Assuming to oneself the rights or qualities of God is exactly what Satan did when he rebelled against God. He attempted to usurp God's authority. It is also the sin Satan wants us to commit by believing the lie; "Ye shall not surely die." By believing this lie, we assume the one quality of God which we lack, that of eternal life.

Consider this. If blasphemy is the crime of assuming to oneself the rights or qualities of God; and believing that one is born with an immortal soul assumes the eternal life quality of God; then are those who believe the immortal soul myth committing blasphemy? It would certainly seem so.

On the other hand, remember the innocence quality of children in that they cannot commit sin until they understand that the associated act constitutes a sin. Therefore, it would not be blasphemous to believe you are immortal like God, if you did not realize that you were committing blasphemy. You were ignorant of the fact that it was a sin. In fact, religious leaders with doctoral degrees teach the immortal soul myth as truth. So up until this time, you have not been committing the unpardonable sin by believing you were born with immortality like God. Until now, you have accepted a misinterpretation as fact. Guess what? Now you know! In fact, the Bible's definition of blasphemy is assuming to oneself the rights or qualities of God:

And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee. And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this which speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone? (Luke 5:20-21)

Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. Jesus answered them, Many good works have I showed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God. (John 10:31-33)

So Jesus was accused of blasphemy which is defined as a man assuming the qualities of God. Since all men are mortal beings, when they assume the godly characteristic of eternal life, they commit blasphemy. In addition, they commit what we might call "reverse blasphemy" by assigning human qualities to God! Anger, vindictiveness, and hatred are all qualities of man, not God.

Anyone who would punish others with eternal torture in hell simply for not believing in him, obviously is very angry, vindictive, and hateful. Those characteristics do not apply to God. God is love. Therefore, God did not create such a system, man did! Man created the immortal soul myth and its associated punishment under Satan's influence. If you believe that God created a system whereby billions of people will suffer in hell eternally, you belittle God by assigning to Him human qualities!

Let us consider why the only unforgivable sin is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth and placed angels on the earth as caretakers under supervision of the archangel Satan. However, Satan wanted more power. He wanted to be like the most high God:

How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning!... For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God... I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. (Isaiah 14:12-14)

Not satisfied to be an archangel, Satan desired to be like the most High God. So he rebelled and attempted to usurp the power and authority of God. Satan thus committed blasphemy against God. God then created man a little lower than the angels during the Genesis recreation of the earth. Man is mortal, but can become equal unto the angels when born again as a spirit at or after the Second Coming of Christ. Once man is born again as a spiritual body, he will be immortal and live forever. These new angels being created from mortal men and women will then assume the duties of the rebellious angels on earth.

If immortal replacements are being created to replace the rebels, then certainly one characteristic which they must not possess is that quality which caused the originals to fail! The original crew committed blasphemy against Jesus, the creator of the earth. They rebelled against His creation and failed in their responsibility as earthly caretakers. The Trinity's current day-to-day representative assigned to aid Christians on the earth is the Holy Ghost. Thus, the one unpardonable sin which man must not commit is this similar sin of blasphemy against the Holy Ghost! Any man who commits this sin cannot be born again as a spirit. God does not desire to create more immortal spirits with the same character flaw which caused the originals to fail.

Only those believing in Jesus will gain eternal life. A person who commits blasphemy by assigning to himself godly characteristics, believes in himself, not Jesus. Therefore, these people do not qualify for eternal life under the New Testament covenant of John 3:16 since they do not believe in Jesus, but themselves. Meek, humble humans are going to inherit eternal life, not holier than thou blasphemers.

Christians born again as spiritual beings shall inherit the earth with Jesus Christ as their leader. These new spiritual caretakers will not be self-aggrandized, holier than thou, power grabbing, blasphemous spirits! In fact, the Bible describes them as follows:

But the meek shall inherit the earth... (Psalm 37:11)

Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. (Matthew 5:5)

No human with the character flaw which caused Satan and some of his angels to rebel will be allowed to become immortal and live forever! There is an additional passage in the Bible relating to an unpardonable situation:

For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fade away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of man afresh, and put him to an open shame. (Hebrews 6:4-6)

This states that once one accepts Christ and receives the Holy Ghost, then falls away from them, it is impossible to repent again and restore this relationship. Turning away from the Holy Ghost after having accepting Him is described here as unforgivable. These people are locked out.

How does this scripture tie in with the unpardonable sin described in Matthew and Luke? That sin was blasphemy against the Holy Ghost. Is it possible to blaspheme against something or someone which one does not know or understand? Remember that one cannot receive the Holy Ghost until he truly believes in Jesus. Therefore, the above scripture may simply be another wording of the unpardonable sin.

If one partook of the Holy Ghost and then faded away from the Holy Ghost, did he commit blasphemy against the Holy Ghost? Why would one fade away from the Holy Ghost? That person would have reached a point of believing he no longer needed the Holy Ghost. "I will make my own decisions." He would feel as or more powerful than the Holy Ghost. He thus commits blasphemy against the Holy Ghost by assuming to himself powers of the Holy Ghost. The power he assumed is assisting and guiding Christians on the earth; namely himself. That is, he will make decisions for himself. Therefore, he commits the one unpardonable sin and it is impossible to renew his relationship with God.

It is clear that one is not held accountable for sin until he understands that the offense is a sin, and then chooses to commit that sin:

For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. (Romans 5:13)

Although people can read or be informed that blasphemy against the Holy Ghost is the unpardonable sin, can they truly understand that concept until accepting Jesus and actually receiving the Holy Ghost? If the answer is no, then the unpardonable sin can be paraphrased as:

Once a person accepts Jesus and receives the Holy Ghost, if he then blasphemes the Holy Ghost, he can never attain eternal life.

That is, a being cannot reject or blaspheme the Holy Ghost until he receives and understands it. If he then rejects or blasphemes the Holy Ghost, he will never be forgiven. This opens eternal life up to some extremely despicable characters. What about Adolf Hitler? Did he ever commit the unpardonable sin? Was he a Christian who received the Holy Ghost? Probably not. Therefore, he could never have rejected or blasphemed the Holy Ghost. Consequently, he will be resurrected during the second resurrection following the millennium. Satan is locked away and Hitler's eyes will be opened to his stupidity during his earthly life. If he asks for forgiveness and accepts Christ, he will be born again into the Kingdom of God. If not, he will be cast into the lake of fire and suffer the second death since he is mortal.

If Hitler accepts Christ after the second resurrection, he would still be judged on his works, which would be nil. Therefore, his position of authority would also be nil. This judgment by works creates an inverse sorting mechanism. That is, people who were powerful on earth would tend to filter down to the bottom when judged by their works. Little known, humble people on earth, would sort up towards the top levels. This is precisely what the Bible states:

But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first. (Matthew 19:30)

Many that are first as judged by men will be last in the Kingdom of God. Those judged as the lowest levels under man's rule shall become first in the Kingdom of God. Note that it is many, not all. It is possible, but unlikely, for wealthy, powerful people as judged by man to also be humble Christians.

Works deemed important to God are not those which make men more important and powerful here on earth. Works important to God would include spreading the gospel, feeding the poor, healing the sick, clothing the naked, housing the homeless, visiting those in prison, etc. The same attributes here on earth do not lead to wealth, fame, and power:

And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted. (Matthew 23:12)

The best biblical example of a being who committed the unpardonable sin is of course Satan. Satan desired to be like the most high God. Therefore, he rebelled and thus committed blasphemy against God. At one time, Satan must have been held in high regard to become an archangel and be given authority over the entire earth. Did he originally accept and respect his superiors of the Trinity of God? We can certainly expect that was one criteria for his getting the assignment. He then rejected the Trinity of God's authority when he rebelled. Satan obviously committed blasphemy.

Nowhere in the Bible is it ever even hinted that Satan can be forgiven, even if he sought forgiveness. This is because Satan committed the unpardonable sin! Through the immortal soul myth, Satan is now attempting to get man to commit that same unpardonable sin! Satan's eventual fate is torment day and night forever in hell. On the other hand, the angels which he drew into the rebellion can be forgiven.

One can imagine how the angels under Satan's authority might be torn between allegiances. Satan is their immediate supervisor, and God is above him. If you have ever had a similar experience at work, you will understand their dilemma. That is, if your immediate supervisor commands you to do something that is obviously wrong for the company, what do you do? You can either go over his head to his superior, or do what you feel is wrong. But either way, you can get in trouble! Given these extenuating circumstances, the angels which Satan drew into the rebellion can repent and be forgiven. Jesus has already preached to them in prison:

By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; (I Peter 3:19)

Perhaps this is similar to the position of man versus his present day clerics. That is, they have unknowingly been teaching blasphemy against God through the immortal soul myth. They tell us that we are like God in that we live forever. Thus they teach blasphemy. Now that you know this fact, what are you going to do? Change is very difficult, so most will do nothing! You can attempt to get your clergy to understand the scriptures, or you can go over their heads. You can talk to their ultimate supervisor, God, and ask Him to open your understanding of the scriptures. Then you can read and study the scriptures on your own.


END CHAPTER 10

Chapter 11

START CHAPTER 11

No Heterosexuals In Heaven

There have been ongoing arguments between well-known Christian evangelists and what is known as the gay community regarding where the latter will spend their "eternity." The evangelists quote verses such as the following:

If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them. (Leviticus 20:13)

The other side counters with verses such as:

For everyone that curseth his father or his mother shall be surely put to death... (Leviticus 20:9)

And the man that committeth adultery with another man's wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbor's wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death. (Leviticus 20:10)

Both sides of this argument needlessly waste much time and energy. The above scriptures are quoted from the Old Testament, under which a person must remain sinless to inherit eternal life. One of the Ten Commandments is to honor thy father and thy mother. People who broke this commandment under the Old Testament were sinning and could be put to death. If not punished, others might presume that they somehow escaped punishment. This could lead others into sin, and thus their death. Since the wages of sin were so severe, the penalties were also severe. Thus the children of Israel had severe punishments for sins which many scoff at today. When quoting these scriptures it should be pointed out that they are under the Old Testament where there was no scapegoat for people's sins. Jesus Christ had not yet come to earth to pay the penalty for mankind's sins. Selecting isolated verses to prove a point is meaningless without understanding the environment under which the verses were written. Sadly this is a very common practice.

That said, if the evangelists make this statement, "No homosexuals in heaven," they are telling the truth; but they do not understand why it is true. The statement "No heterosexuals in heaven" would be equally true. How can that be? The fact is that there is no sex in heaven. Bummer!

The Saducees attempted to trick Jesus by posing a question whereby one woman had multiple husbands which predeceased her. When she became a member of the Kingdom of God, which earthly husband would become her husband in the Kingdom of Heaven? Jesus answered:

For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven. (Mark 12:25)

God created marriage to produce families. The sexual act within marriage procreates the human race. In the Kingdom of God, there are no humans and thus no marriage. There we will be like the angels which live forever. Since angels live forever, there is no need to reproduce themselves. Therefore, there is no reason for sex in the Kingdom of God, and thus no marriage. Every being in the Kingdom of God will be asexual.

It has recently been reported that the Moslem suicide airplane hijackers of 9/11 infamy were promised seventy-two virgins upon arrival in heaven immediately after their martyrdom. In other words, one selling point for martyrdom is good sex. How ridiculous! Many beliefs and statements from Christian clergy are equally ridiculous!

God actually created the sexual act for a reason. That reason was procreation of the human race. If we did not reproduce, we would have expired as a species long ago. Is sex bad? Since God created it, it better not be. Everything created by God in the Genesis recreation was said to be "good." God then commanded mankind to be fruitful and multiply:

And God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth... (Genesis 1:28)

Of course mankind, being wiser that God, attempts to improve on God's creation and perverts the sex act in many different ways. So there will be no "gay" or "straight" or "bisexual" beings in the Kingdom of God. However, there will be spirits in the Kingdom of God which were born again from former "gay" and "straight" and "bisexual" humans who lived on earth! Likewise, there are no murderers in heaven. There is no one who can be murdered. There are no thieves in heaven, since there is no reason to steal. You have everything you need. Evangelists often selectively choose verses from the Bible to "prove" their points:

Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revelers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. (I Corinthians 6:9-10)

But in the preceding chapter, the only unpardonable sin was blaspheming the Holy Ghost. The sins listed above are pardonable. Look at the next verse. After presenting a list of sinners which cannot inherit the Kingdom of God, the next verse goes on to state:

And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. (I Corinthians 6:11)

There will be no murderers, thieves, fornicators, drunkards, etc, in the Kingdom of God. However, there will be angels who were formerly murderers, thieves, fornicators, drunkards, etc, as humans on the earth. Paul and David were both murderers. Paul persecuted Christians to their death and David had Uriah killed. How does the Bible indicate that we enter the Kingdom of Heaven?

Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 18:3)

This does not mean small as a baby, helpless, etc. It means sinless. Christians will be converted from physical to spiritual bodies and become as little children once again. You start with a clean slate. God wipes away your sins committed as a human. The wages for these sins have already been paid. Thanks to Jesus, you inherit eternal life as a spirit with a clean record.

Do not assume for a moment that humans get a free ride by believing in Jesus. That is, one can do whatever he pleases, then accept Jesus and get a clean slate without consequences. We reap the rewards of our sins here on earth. These may include prison time, jail, fear of detection, guilt, venereal disease, shame, lost opportunities, divorce, low self-esteem; and the list goes on, and on, and on. In the Kingdom of God, every one present will have a purely spiritual body. The laws regarding physical sins no longer apply. Can one sin in the Kingdom of God? Since each spirit has freedom of choice, there can be sin in heaven. The best example is the rebellion of Satan and his angelic followers. The sins will be of a power struggle or insubordination type of offence, and of course, blasphemy.

Can one expect less insubordination in the Kingdom of God as compared to the past? Yes, this should be the case as the newcomers have undergone a training period. The original angels were created directly as spiritual beings. Satan and his followers desired more power, so they rebelled. Man was then made a little lower that the angels, but is given the opportunity to become equal to the angels through his own personal choice.

Man is in training to learn that his way of living is not the best way. Satan and his angels did not have this indoctrination period. The Bible teaches us that following the laws of God is the best way to live. Most humans learn this the hard way. As we reach retirement age, we pause to reflect on our lives and generally conclude something to the effect of "What a fool I was."

Take me for example. At an early age, football was very important to me. I have played on undefeated football teams in high school and college. Now nobody cares. In my career I have installed real time computer systems and solved problems which no one else could solve. Now nobody cares. In one major company where I was employed, the employees revered the company president and were awed by his rare presence. Today I cannot remember his name. King Solomon, one of the most intelligent people who ever lived, reached the same conclusion most of us will reach over two thousand years ago:

Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labor that I had labored to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun. (Ecclesiastes 2:11)

Having been through the experience, perhaps the elderly can warn the young about the pitfalls they made along life's journey. But just as when these elderly were young, the youth do not listen. They are young, believe they are smarter, have a long life ahead of them, and believe they will make more appropriate choices than the previous generations. When they reach old age they reflect back and conclude, "What a fool I was." We thus cycle. Each generation is forced to learn that their way is not the best way. It is a rare and intelligent youth which takes time to learn from his elders. We hardly learn from our own mistakes.

After all, it cannot be us which made the mistake. Therefore, we must find someone to blame. Kindergarten and first grade teachers know the answer to the following question before it is ever asked: Who hit who first? The answer is obvious. "He (or she) hit me first. No, he hit me first. No, he hit me first. No, he hit me first..." These children were born only a few years earlier as perfectly spotless and without even a knowledge of sin. What happened? Observe their learning environment the past six years. Daddy blames Mommy. Mommy blames Daddy. Brother blames sister. Sister blames brother. Grandpa blames Grandma. Grandma blames Grandpa, etc. Is it any wonder that we have become the most litigious society in the world? When did this blame cycle begin? In Genesis:

And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. And the Lord God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat. (Genesis 3:12-13)

Neither the man nor the woman accepted responsibility for their action. Man blamed his sin on the woman, and indirectly on God for giving him the woman in the first place! The woman blamed her sin on the serpent. Man and woman have had a problem trusting each other ever since. Is this attribute of not accepting responsibility for one's actions and looking for a scapegoat another innate characteristic in man? If we could isolate a newborn boy and girl and raise them together on a deserted island, they would likely grow up blaming each other for their transgressions. Once again, we cycle.

Who is the ultimate one that we blame? When you accidentally hit your thumb with a hammer, what do you invariably shout? Is it "Damn me" or "Devil damn" or "Satan sucks?" Of course not, most of us curse God, and say the "GD" word. After all, He is the omnipotent creator. If He had not given you a thumb, you would not have hit it! In addition to our learning cycles, God gives us turmoil and crises as learning and character building tools. He chastises us when we disobey Him as we should chastise our children:

My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of his correction: for whom the Lord loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth. (Proverbs 3:11-12)

The conclusion of each person's short human life on earth should be to learn that there is a better way to live, God's way. Having learned this lesson, these new spirits being produced for the Kingdom of God, should be less inclined to revolt.


END CHAPTER 11

Chapter 12

START CHAPTER 12

Being Born Again

Being born again into the Kingdom of God is a two-step process. The first step is to be born as a human being:

Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. (John 3:3)

Man is the only animal which can possibly enter the Kingdom of God. So the first step to becoming a member of the Kingdom of God is to be born as a man or woman and not some other animal. However, man cannot enter the Kingdom of God in his present flesh and blood body:

Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. (I Corinthians 15:50)

The Bible describes only two types of beings, physical and spiritual:

There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. (I Corinthians 15:44)

There are two body types, physical and spiritual and they are different. Each of these body types requires a different birth:

That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. (John 3:6)

The scriptures state that man must be born again to enter the Kingdom of God. What type of birth must this be? There are only two body types, physical and spiritual, and man is born initially as a physical flesh and blood body. But flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God! Therefore, for man to enter the Kingdom of God he must abandon his physical body and be born again as the only remaining body type, a spiritual body! It is so logically simple! Man must be born again as a spirit to enter the Kingdom of God!

The Bible never states that men are born of the flesh and the spirit combined, nor does it state that men are born of the flesh and the soul combined! Anything born of the flesh is flesh. Man is flesh! Anything born of the Spirit is spirit. The product of any birth is identical to the type of birth which created that product. Flesh births produce flesh bodies. Spiritual births produce spiritual bodies. Man, under Satan's influence, has great difficulty accepting this logically simple truth!

God originally created all angels which would be needed. These angels had no means of reproduction. If all angels needed were produced originally, and each would live for eternity, then there would never be any reason to reproduce more! Then a third of the angels rebelled! Heaven, we have a problem! Replacements are now being produced in a two-step process.

The first step is a physical birth which gains one entry into the kingdom of man. Step two is a spiritual birth into the Kingdom of God. If men accept Jesus as their Savior, their names are written into the book of life and they become heirs to eternal life. They were born initially as physical bodies and will be born again as spiritual bodies upon the return of Jesus:

And behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me... (Revelation 22:12)

Nicodemus did not understand how someone could be born again. Therefore, he specifically asked that question:

Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? (John 3:4)

Jesus gives him a straightforward answer. This is the definition of being born again:

Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. (John 3:5-7)

Jesus states that no man can see the Kingdom of God unless he is born a second time. The first and obvious birth is a physical process involving water. We are composed of approximately 70% water and carried in water in the womb. All humans who have been born since the creation of Adam and Eve have been born of water. This first birth gets us into the animal kingdom as Homo sapiens, or man. Although man is a living breathing animal, he was created in the image of God, and is the only animal capable of being born again as a spirit.

No bodies have been created directly as spiritual bodies since the angels were created. Future spiritual bodies will be produced from human bodies when they are born again as spirits at, or after, Jesus' Second Coming. Those humans who believe in Jesus are presently heirs to the Kingdom of God.

Some might confuse the phrase "born of water" as meaning we must be baptized to enter the Kingdom of God. Thus the tradition of baptizing babies was created. However, it should be obvious to anyone that to enter the Kingdom of God, one must first be born as a human being, or born of water. No other members of the animal kingdom may gain eternal life, as the process involves making a cognitive choice. The primary mode of operation of the other animals is instinctive, not making choices. Man is like the other animals in that all are flesh and return to dust:

For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity. All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again. (Ecclesiastes 3:19-20)

Man is different from the other animals in that he has freedom of choice, knows good from evil at some point, and has the opportunity to become immortal and live forever. In fact, the main choice man must make is between death and eternal life:

I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life... (Deuteronomy 30:19)

The second birth, that of being born again, is clearly defined as a spiritual birth. The Kingdom of God is composed exclusively of eternal spiritual beings. At present, this includes only God and the angels. Man's goal is to gain membership in the Kingdom of God. Our goal is not to avoid burning in hellfire for eternity. It is a positive goal to attain something wonderful, not a negative goal to avoid something terrible.

Why is Satan fighting desperately to derail God's plan? The answer is obvious. God's plan is creating the spiritual bodies which will replace Satan and his rebellious angels! These future spirits will be the enemies of Satan. Jesus then gives some characteristics of those born again spiritual bodies:

The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. (John 3:8)

Approximately 50% of United States citizens claim to be "born again Christians." With a 2007 population of three hundred million that would be one hundred and fifty million confused and mislead Christians. Does the above verse describe 50% of United States citizens? Are they spirits or ghosts that come and go invisibly as the wind? Also note that when referring to those to be born again of the Spirit, Jesus does not refer to them as men. He says, "so is every one that is born of the Spirit." Men do not have spiritual bodies! Once born of the Spirit, you no longer need your physical body. Being subject to physical laws, a physical body is a hindrance in the spiritual world. One cannot move as the wind with an attached physical body. These would be handicapped spirits.

Nicodemus asked for additional explanation concerning spiritual rebirth:

Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be? (John 3:9)

Jesus refuses to answer his question directly. His reply is that Nicodemus would not understand heavenly matters:

Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? (John 3:11-12)

Jesus and the apostles have been teaching earthly matters and the Pharisees have not understood. If they cannot understand earthly teachings which are of their world, why should it be expected that they would understand heavenly matters of a different world? Therefore, Jesus does not answer His question. Sadly, this remains the situation two thousand years later. Man in general still does not understand the process of being born again!

The New Testament is a will. What one gains by becoming an heir under the will is one item: eternal life. Does this make any sense that the one thing we inherit is eternal spiritual life? We do not inherit new cars, cabin cruisers, ships, planes, vacation homes in every city on earth, seventy-two virgins, physical beauty, good physical health, etc. Why? Humans will cease to exist after the age of man ends. No possessions mentioned above will be needed in the spiritual world. Therefore, the one thing we inherit is a spiritual body as a member of the Kingdom of God. Any other item you can imagine has value only in the kingdom of man, which will pass away with man. One can become an heir to eternal life by believing in Jesus.

The heirs will receive eternal life and membership in the Kingdom of God. One must be born again as a spirit to have everlasting life as only spiritual life lasts forever. Flesh degrades and dies. The names of humans who fail to become heirs under the New Testament are not written in the book of life. Consequently, they are never born again as spirits and will perish. They are resurrected as physical bodies and may suffer the second death described in Revelation:

But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. (Revelation 21:8)

Most of these have lived and died on earth long ago as physical beings. They will be resurrected as physical beings again at the second resurrection since they were not Christians. Therefore, if cast into the lake of fire, they will die a second time. Hence the term "second death." The second death is final and eternal. There is no Third Testament to restore one's life after the second death. The New Testament saves believers from the second death:

He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death. (Revelation 2:11)

The act of being born again and a comparison of natural versus spiritual bodies is found in First Corinthians:

It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven. As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. (I Corinthians 15:44-50)

The first man Adam was made a living soul, or being, because he was part of the animal kingdom. That is, the first body any human has is that of a living, breathing being. The last Adam will be made a quickening spirit since he will live in the Kingdom of God. That is, the last body any former human can have will be an eternal spiritual body. Notice that "Adam" is identified as a "man" only when he is made as a living soul or being. When "made a quickening spirit" the entity is called only Adam. This is significant because at this point, Adam is no longer a man, or human being. The last Adam is made a quickening spirit which lives forever. Of course, any human's name can be substituted in the place of Adam. Flesh and blood, such as man, cannot inherit the Kingdom of God; thus one must be born again as a spirit.

Consider this sentence from the above verses, "Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual." The answer is that once spiritual bodies are created, it's a done deal! They cannot be terminated. They are immortal! Therefore, that which is natural comes first, a human body. That human being may or may not inherit a spiritual body based on his choice regarding Jesus. God does not desire to create more immortal rebels! Jesus does not want workers who do not want Him!

These verses also negate the myth that men are born as an immortal soul living within a physical body. It specifically states that they are separate, and come in two stages. The natural body comes first and is then followed by the spiritual body:

Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. (I Corinthians 15:46)

The natural body comes first and the spiritual body comes last. They are different and are never merged together at anytime in the scriptures! All men are born as natural or physical flesh and blood bodies, and those who believe in Jesus will be born again as spiritual bodies when Jesus returns!

If Jesus Christ himself informed mankind that they did not possess a spiritual body or soul at birth, would He be believed? Apparently not, since Jesus basically made that statement in the book of Luke. Jesus was resurrected from the tomb as a human, and ascended to heaven as a spirit shortly afterward. When He appeared to His disciples after being raised from the dead, they initially thought they were seeing a spirit, or ghost:

But they were terrified and affrightened, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have. (Luke 24:37-39)

Jesus Christ states that "a spirit hath not flesh and bones." This negates the nonsense that man is a soul housed within a physical body. Jesus states that they do not mix! Jesus Christ was never flesh and spirit at the same time. He was resurrected as a physical body containing flesh and bones and a need to eat food:

And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of a honeycomb. And he took it, and did eat before them. (Luke 24:42-43)

This was after His resurrection that He ate food. He took on His spiritual body shortly afterward as He ascended into heaven:

And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven. (Luke 24:51)

The 50% of Americans who mistakenly believe they are born again Christians believe they became so when they accepted Jesus and were saved. They believe all mankind is born as a spirit living within a flesh and blood body, and point to Genesis for this erroneous belief:

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. (Genesis 2:7)

The Hebrew word translated here in the King James Bible as "soul" is the same word used to describe the other animals which were created. That Hebrew word is nephesh. Nephesh is correctly translated as "a breathing creature or being." In the majority of the other versions of the Bible it is translated correctly. For example, in the New International Version of The Holy Bible:

And the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living being. (Genesis 2:7)

Tragically, the word "soul" used in the King James translation of the scriptures has become synonymous with eternal life. But the King James Version does not define man as a soul living within a physical body! Although the King James translation of the scriptures erroneously translates "nephesh" as soul and not a "breathing being," it did translate it as one item and not two. Are our physical bodies so obvious to us that God felt it unnecessary to mention them? Therefore, God only mentioned the "immortal portion" of man, his "soul?" In actuality, God did take note of man's physical body. When translated correctly, nephesh means "a creature or being that breathes." Does this fit into the context of Genesis 2:7? Note that man did not become "living" until after God breathed into his nostrils the breath of life:

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. (Genesis 2:7)

The only other body type, a spiritual body, has no requirement to breathe. This verse describes man's creation as one item that breathes (nephesh). Only physical bodies need to breathe. Therefore, man is a singular physical body. All creatures described in the original scriptures as a nephesh, including man and the other animals, are mortal physical beings, because they all breathe. When they stop breathing, they die.

This poor translation enhances the belief in Satan's lie that; "Ye shall not surely die." Since those believing the immortal soul myth assume they already possess the quickening spirit described above in First Corinthians, they are forced to incorrectly interpret the Bible's definition of being born again as another physical birth. That is, their physical body is raised incorruptible and merged with their already existent spiritual "soul." After all, their physical body is what is down there in the grave, so it is what is resurrected. But our dead bodies are not simply buried, they are "sown" like seeds:

It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body... (I Corinthians 15:44)

A sown seed does not produce the same old plant that produced it. It sprouts and becomes something new. In this particular case, sown Christian bodies sprout and become new spiritual bodies. "It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body." If these sown Christian bodies are raised again as physical bodies and merged with the "souls" which have been "waiting in heaven," then these new combination natural and spiritual bodies are never equal unto the angels as the Bible states:

...for they are equal unto the angels... (Luke 20:36)

They would be spirits that are handicapped by a physical body. Why can't these spirits that men are born with leave their physical body homes, since spirits are not restrained by physical laws? This erroneous belief does however, allow the nonbelievers to suffer pain in hellfire for eternity, since their resurrected physical bodies are incorruptible. How does this belief fit with, "God is love?" It doesn't! This is actually Satan's work. It drives people away from the church and salvation, especially intelligent people. Logical people cannot conceive how God can be love while allowing the majority of humanity to burn in hellfire for eternity. Thus the basic premise of today's Christianity is flawed, and people stay away from the churches. In the end times, knowledge shall increase:

But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased. (Daniel 12:4)

This increase in knowledge in the end times will initially cause a decrease in church attendance. According to an article published in the April 13, 2002 Houston Chronicle, although 90% of Americans claim to believe in God, in two major studies the number of people who say they do not belong to a religion has doubled over the last decade.

A visiting pastor at the church I was attending made the statement that the church has lost the young generation, and he wondered why. The reason the churches have lost the young generation is that they are more intelligent than previous generations (knowledge shall be increased). They see the problems and question the old "fear of God" myths which parents and pastors preach to them. But parents and pastors do not have the answers to their questions. This has occurred in conjunction with the rapid decline of the family unit. Therefore, the inclination to "believe" blindly to please mommy and daddy has drastically declined.

Older generations rarely questioned their pastors. Pastors were admired and respected. If they said the Bible states such and such, we believed them without question. Today's youth are more intelligent, more questioning, and see the obvious flaws. Consider a statement from the "Louisville Crusade," which was quoted in Chapter 2, and a list of possible questions and answers concerning that quote:

Quote:
 		 You have a body, but living inside of you is your spirit or soul.
And when a person dies, what happens? The soul lives on."
Question: Where does the soul go when the body dies?
Answer:
 
 		 If the person was a Christian, the soul goes immediately to be
with God in heaven. Otherwise, the soul goes to hell to burn
forever.
Question:
 		 So what if the soul goes to hell? It's a spirit which feels no pain.
The fire cannot hurt it.
Answer:
 
 
 		 Ah, but an incorruptible physical body which cannot be destroyed
is merged with the soul at the resurrection when Jesus returns.
This is called the bodily resurrection doctrine. Then those souls
in hell can feel pain but never die.
Question:
 		 If God designed a system such as that, then explain the verse,
"God is love."
Answer:Oh, God did not design that, the Devil did.
Question:Then God is not omnipotent? He is not all powerful?

This can continue almost forever, as one error leads to another. However, the final answer is often one of the following; "There are a lot of things that man simply cannot understand," or "Only God knows," or "Believe it because I say it's true." Are these answers the truth?

Why would God create man and not give man answers to the most basic questions regarding his existence? Of course, God did give man the answers. They are in our user's manual, the scriptures. Our Holy Bible is a translation of the Holy Scriptures. The answers are there, but we must seek them out. However, that requires a little effort and reasoning. Alas, man is lazy. Let someone tell us what the Bible states. We will even pay and reward them very well. Those who tell us what the Bible states desire to please us and make their job easy. Thus, they tell us what we are predisposed to believe. Satan thus deceives us through our clergy.

The more intelligent young people do not buy into it anymore if their questions cannot be answered, and the questions cannot be answered because the teachings are based on a myth. That myth was created when the serpent instilled in humans the lie that, "Ye shall not surely die." "Believe it because I say it's true," is no longer accepted. People are becoming more intelligent. They sense there is something after death (remember that 90% of Americans profess a belief in God), and they seek answers, but the answers elude them. The true answers do not lie in today's churches; they are sealed in a book:

And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I cannot; for it is sealed: And the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I am not learned. (Isaiah 29:11-12)

That book is the Bible. Are the words of the Bible sealed? To this day, very few people truly understand the Bible. However, in the end times, the words of this book will be opened:

And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness. (Isaiah 29:18)

"In that day" indicates the end times. One sign of the end times is that the gospel must first be preached in the entire world before the end of this age, the age of man, occurs:

And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. (Matthew 24:14)

And the gospel must first be published among all nations. (Mark 13:10)

Gospel means the good news of Christ and His teachings in the scriptures. Part of this good news is not that most humans will suffer in hellfire for eternity! This would definitely not be good news. Therefore, most churches do not even publish the true gospel! The "great commission" commands Christians to spread the gospel among all nations:

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. (Matthew 28:19-20)

However, even with satellites and television, will we ever spread the true gospel among all nations and fulfill the great commission? Obviously not, since God has to send an angel to fulfill this prophecy before the end of this age can occur:

And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people. (Revelation 14:6)

Certainly by this time, shortly before the Second Coming of Christ, the Bible will have been unsealed so that the nations will better understand what the angel has to say. When the words of the Bible are unsealed and people are taught the true message of the scriptures, church attendance should explode! This immortal soul myth which causes harm to the churches, and enslaves believers through fear and worry, will be brought into the light of day during the end times:

And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. (John 8:32)

That simple truth is that humans are born as physical beings. They can become heirs to the Kingdom of God through a belief in Jesus. They enter the Kingdom of God when born again as spiritual beings. When does this occur?

And behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me... (Revelation 22:12)

Behold, I show 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 trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. (I Corinthians 15:51-52)

For Christians, it will occur at the Second Coming of Christ when the archangel Michael blows his trumpet. Paul wrote First Corinthians to the church at Corinth, so "we" refers to Christians. The dead "shall be raised incorruptible," refers to dead and buried Christians who shall be born again as spirits. The only incorruptible body is a spiritual body. "We shall all be changed," means all Christians will be changed into spirits, those still alive on earth and those dead and buried. The "mystery that not all will sleep," refers to Christians who will be living on the earth when Christ returns. They will be born again as spirits immediately and meet Jesus in the air. This is also mentioned in Matthew:

Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom. (Matthew 16:28)

Jesus obviously did not mean those he was talking to. "There be some standing here," indicates there will be Christians standing on the earth which will not taste of death till they see Jesus coming in His kingdom.

So eternal life is a gift or reward, not something mankind possesses when he is born. We become heirs to this reward under the New Testament by believing in Jesus, and we receive the reward upon Jesus' Second Coming when we shall be born again as spiritual beings. Nonbelievers perish in the second death and that is the end of them forever. This is not to say that something wonderfully spiritual does not occur when one believes in Jesus and is baptized. However, this emotional feeling should not be confused with the process of being born again. Being born again is a real event, not simply some emotion.

I was baptized in a small church in New Orleans, Louisiana, when I was nine years old. I will never forget the experience. Something physical happened. Time seemed to slow down and there was a long period of strange quiet and total peace and serenity. Later, I monitored other baptisms, and all immersions required about three seconds. I asked my mother if mine took longer, and she said no. To this day, I know that something happened. Perhaps it was the Holy Spirit entering me, emotions, or perhaps I became the new person described in the Bible:

Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (II Corinthians 5:17)

Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: (Romans 6:4-5)

Although I would drift away and commit an almost infinite number of sins in the future, I was a new creature in Christ that night. It could not be denied that something happened the night I was baptized, but I was not born again. I had not as yet died the first time. I certainly was not dead to sin. Sin and I had a long future ahead.

Many others have had similar, real experiences when they were saved or baptized. My favorite is the story of John Newton who captained a slave ship transporting slaves from Africa. One night the ship was caught in a violent, seemingly endless storm. Sails, rigging, and spars were ripping and falling to the decks, as screams rose up from the cargo. When all seemed lost, John Newton fell on his knees and pleaded with God to save them. Almost instantly the storm passed and the sea was still!

John Newton abandoned the slave business and joined the ministry, becoming an ordained Anglican Church minister at the age of thirty-nine. In 1779, he wrote the following regarding his experiences. To this day, these verses remain the most popular Christian hymn ever written:

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me
I once was lost, but now I'm found
Was blind, but now I see

'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear
And grace my fears relieved
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed

Through many dangers, toils and snares
I have already come
'Twas grace that brought me safe thus far
And grace will lead me home

When we've been there ten thousand years
Bright shining as the sun
We've no less days to sing God's praise
Than when we first begun


END CHAPTER 12

Chapter 13

START CHAPTER 13

Christian Faith


Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1)

This is the Biblical definition of faith and mankind has not as yet created a better definition. The Bible gives many obvious examples of Faith:

By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. (Hebrews 11:8)

God made a covenant with Abraham. Abraham's commitment to the covenant was to pack his belongings and depart on faith that God would lead him to the Promised Land. If Abraham fulfilled his part of the covenant, then God would fulfill the following promise:

And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. (Genesis 12:2-3)

So Abraham set off for something hoped for; for something he had never seen. He had faith that God would keep His part of the covenant. Other stories of faith in the Bible are not as obvious. Possibly the greatest story of faith is when God commanded Abraham to offer his only son Isaac as a sacrifice:

And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am. And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of. (Genesis 22:1-2)

Abraham did not question God, but arose the next morning and set off to Moriah. When they reached the place God showed him, he instructed the two men who accompanied them:

And Abraham said to his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you. (Genesis 22:5)

On the way up the mountain, Isaac asks his father:

Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together. (Genesis 22:7-8)

Abraham and Isaac reach the top, build an altar, lay the wood, and Abraham binds Isaac and lays him on the wood on the altar. Then:

And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son. And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I. And he said, Lay not thy hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me. And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son. (Genesis 22:10-13)

Upon reading this scripture the first few times it seemed to be a barbaric tale like the sacrificing of children by idol worshipers during that period or the misguided child sacrifices by depressed Christian mothers of today. Then the truth finally struck me while reading verse five of chapter twenty-two for what seemed like the hundredth time. Abraham knew God would not allow Isaac to be killed! Notice in verse five Abraham instructs the two young men who accompanied them on the journey to:

Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship; and come again to you. (Genesis 22:5)

Did you catch that? It's rather subtle. I and the lad will go and worship and come again to you. In other words, we will go and worship and then we will return to you. Abraham knew Isaac would return with him! Why? Because God promised Abraham that he would make an everlasting covenant with his son Isaac and Isaac's seed. This is a story of incredible faith! Abraham had faith that God would keep his promise. Abraham was one hundred years old and his wife Sarah was ninety when God said:

Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him. (Genesis 17:19)

Now, here was Isaac on the altar. If he were killed, the above promise could not be fulfilled. God could not establish his covenant with Isaac and his seed if Isaac was dead! Abraham did not know how God would accomplish it, but he had faith that Isaac would not be killed that day. God was testing Abraham's faith.

There is an obvious dualism and prophecy at work here. Abraham was instructed to offer his only son as a sacrifice. Later, God would offer his only begotten son as a sacrifice for mankind's sins. In both instances, God supplied the sacrificial lamb, a ram with his horns caught in the thicket and Jesus. Mankind could then gain eternal life through faith in Jesus. That is, through believing in Jesus, mankind's reward is something in the future, which we cannot now see. That reward is eternal life. We are not born with our reward!

You just have to love Abraham. Every time the Lord called him, his simple answer was "Here am I." That is very unusual among Bible characters. Many called by God resisted or even attempted to run away. Look at what Jesus taught about faith:

Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. (Matthew 17:20)

Does mankind have faith that mountains can be moved today? Sure, given sufficient time, large earth moving equipment, explosives, manpower, and vast amounts of money. However, no man has ever moved a mountain through faith alone as described above in Matthew 17:20.

Mankind's faith has generally been weak. There is a saying among athletes that, "The mind quits before the body." That is, the mind will stop the body from hurting itself. "I am too exhausted to run another step," or "There is no way I can lift that much weight." Thus, one is oftentimes defeated before making the attempt.

Then, there is the story of that wonderful old grandmother, who seeing the jacked up car fall on her only grandson working underneath, ran over and lifted the car sufficiently for her grandson to crawl out from under the vehicle. With adrenaline rushing, she did not even consider that her frail body could not lift the weight. Thus, it could!


END CHAPTER 13

Chapter 14

START CHAPTER 14

Poor Bible Word Choices


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. (Genesis 2:7)

The word "soul" to most people has become synonymous with immortality. Their soul lives for eternity. However, God formed man from the dust of the ground, and we know that our physical bodies die. Therefore, our soul must be a separate entity residing within our body. Consequently, great evangelists make statements such as:

You have a body, but living inside of you is your spirit or soul. And when a person dies, what happens? The soul lives on.

The word soul as defined by The Random House College Dictionary is as follows:

1 - the principle of life, feeling, thought, and action in man,
     regarded as a distinct entity separate from the body; the
     spiritual part of man as distinct from the physical part.
 
2 - the spiritual part of man regarded in its moral aspect, or
     as capable of surviving  death and subject to happiness
     or misery in a life to come.

In Genesis 2:7 of the King James Bible, it specifically states that man was made a living soul. The word in the original scriptures translated here as "living soul" is the Hebrew word "nephesh." However, in two separate groups of Bible translations found on the internet, nephesh was translated in Genesis 2:7 as a soul only 30% of the time. In 70% of the translations man was created as a mortal being!

In the smaller group of thirteen scriptural translations man was created as a soul four times, a living being five times, a creature two times, a person one time, and as a breathing man one time. In the larger group of thirty translations, man was created as a soul nine times, a living being twelve times, a creature three times, a person three times, a thing one time, a breathing man one time, and was said to become alive once.

In both groups, the most widely used description of man was living being, which was used 38.5% and 40% of the time in the two groups. The only word used with immortal connotations was the word soul, which was used 30% and 30.8% of the time respectively. Mortal words were used to describe the creation of man in the vast majority of translations; 70% and 69% of the time in the two groups!

However, the majority does not rule in religious circles. The overwhelming majority of theologians teach what they believe and what they have been taught; that man is born as a soul living within a physical body. Therefore, most Christians today mistakenly believe that man was made as two living beings, the physical human part from the dust of the ground, and the spiritual part, or soul. That being the case, the soul is more imprisoned within the body as opposed to living within the body. Since the soul is not subject to material laws, the human body within which it lives hampers the soul. Why can't the soul leave the physical body since physical laws do not apply to spirits?

The word in the original Hebrew text which was translated into English in Genesis 2:7 as soul is "nephesh." Nephesh occurs over 750 times in the Hebrew Bible. It is used to describe living, breathing, beings, both man and beasts. It is best translated as a "living breathing being." In the plural it could be translated as "creatures or animals that breathe." Look at the use of nephesh in I Kings. The son of a widowed woman in the town of Zarephath fell sick and his breath left him:

And it came to pass after these things, that the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, fell sick; and his sickness was so sore, that there was no breath left in him. (I Kings 17:17)

Elijah prayed to God to let the child's nephesh (translated soul here) return to him, and his nephesh or breath did return, and he revived:

And he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried unto the Lord, and said, O Lord my God, I pray thee, let this child's soul (nephesh) come into him again. And the Lord heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul (nephesh) of the child came into him again, and he revived. (I Kings 17:21-22)

The same Hebrew word nephesh was used to refer to all animals and man. One of many instances where it obviously referred to beasts is Genesis 2:19:

And whatsoever Adam called every living creature (nephesh), that was the name thereof. (Genesis 2:19)

So in the original Hebrew language, the same word is used to refer to man and animals. That word is nephesh. There is an excellent reason that the original inspired word of God used the same Hebrew word to refer to both man and beasts. The writers understood that all physical fleshy bodies are basically the same! They knew that there are two body types, physical and spiritual. In references to man, a separate word was not required since man had no preeminence over the other animals:

For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity. All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again. (Ecclesiastes 3:19-20)

If a different word was truly needed to distinguish between man and the other animals when the scriptures were originally written as the inspired word of God, that different word would have been used. God did not inspire any of the original authors to use a separate word when describing man. One word, nephesh, was used to describe all living, breathing, creatures. Since the same word is used to describe man and beasts, the same physical characteristics apply to man and beasts. Therefore, since non-human creatures are not immortal, neither is man as described in the original Hebrew. The King James Version of the Bible is not the inspired word of God! It is a translation of the original. Only the original is truly the inspired word of God:

All scripture is given by inspiration of God... (II Timothy 3:16)

When the Hebrew was translated into English and other languages, the King James translators decided on their own initiative to distinguish between man and other animals. When the word nephesh obviously referred to man, it was invariably replaced with the word soul.

Thus: ...and man became a nephesh

became

...and man became a living soul.     (Genesis 2:7)

But

...whatsoever Adam called every nephesh

became

...whatsoever Adam called every living creature (Genesis 2:19)

The same word nephesh is thus translated 472 times as soul and 282 times as other words. Notice that the translators retained the word "living" in both of the above verses. Nephesh is best translated as "living being." If the English word soul implies immortality within it's definition, then adding the adjective "living" before it is redundant. That is, if all souls live forever, there is no such thing as a dead soul. Adding the adjective living implies that the soul can die. Consider the following verse:

And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. (Matthew 10:28)

Those who believe the "soul living within the body" myth might point to this verse as "proof," as it indicates to them that they have a body and a soul. Since this verse is from the New Testament, the original scripture was probably written in Greek. In that case, the word translated as soul would have been the Greek word "psuche." Psuche is correctly translated into English as a living being that breathes. Notice that this verse and many others indicate that the soul can be killed. That is, it is not immortal.

In actuality, this verse refers to the two deaths which can befall mankind. The first death that man suffers is that which terminates his short one hundred and twenty year maximum first physical life on the earth. This is the death which is spoken of as sleep or rest throughout the scriptures. The majority of mankind will experience this first death without having accepting Jesus as their Savior. Consequently, they will be resurrected at the second mass resurrection as physical bodies once again. If they still do not accept Jesus as their Savior, their physical bodies will be cast into the fires of hell and suffer their second death, which is permanent.

This verse states that we should not fear those which can cause our first death but cannot cause our second death. These would be other men. Rather, we should fear God, who can cause both our first physical death and our permanent second physical death in the fires of hell. To their credit, the translators did not veer from this poor word choice of soul when it obviously did not make sense given the immortal life connotations of the word soul. Thus we have:

...the soul (nephesh) that sinneth, it shall die. (Ezekiel 18:4)

Of all animals on earth, only man can sin. The other animals do not know right from wrong. Thus, this use of nephesh obviously refers to man. Therefore, it was translated into English as soul. However, if the soul is immortal it cannot die. No problem! Christians who believe the immortal soul myth sink into what the Bible warns against, private interpretation. They "interpret" die as used here to mean "separation from God." So that "The soul that sinneth, it shall be separated from God." While this is a true statement, it is not the total true meaning of the verse. It means what it says. The nephesh or living breathing being that sins shall die. He or she will of course be separated from God as a result of being dead. The dead know nothing! Jesus speaks about a "great gulf" that separates Lazarus from the rich man who has been cast into hell:

And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from hence. (Luke 16:26)

Lazarus has been born again as a spirit and the rich man has been cast into hell and is dying. "Us and you" refers to those born again as spirits versus the nonbelievers who have been cast into hell. The great gulf between the two is death:

...the dead know not anything...   (Ecclesiastes 9:5)

Nephesh is the Hebrew word which is poorly translated into the word soul in the Old Testament. The corresponding Greek word used in the New Testament is "psuche." However, this is no great or original discovery on my part. Anyone can easily research these words over the Internet. Search for "nephesh" and "psuche." It is very interesting reading, and apparently unopposed as truth for some time.


END CHAPTER 14

Chapter 15

START CHAPTER 15

Works

The Bible clearly states that no one is saved by their works, where saved means attaining eternal life and being saved from the second death described in Revelation:

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

The only path to salvation is through a belief in Jesus Christ:

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)

Even though one is not saved by his works, they are very important:

Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. (James 2:17)

Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. (James 2:24)

According to the book of Revelation, those who are judged at the great white throne judgment will be judged on their works:

And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. (Revelation 20:12-13)

Multiple books were opened. When all was said and done, those whose names are not written in the book of life will be cast into the lake of fire, regardless of their works:

And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:15)

At the great white throne judgment, those whose names are written in the book of life will have their positions of authority in heaven determined by their works. We know there are leaders called archangels. One is named Michael:

Yet Michael the archangel...       (Jude 1:9)

Also, the apostles James and John connived over who would sit at the right and left hand of Jesus when He rules the earth from His tabernacle in new Jerusalem:

And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, come unto him, saying, Master, we would that thou shouldest do for us whatsoever we shall desire. And he said unto them, What would ye that I should do for you? They said unto him, Grant unto us that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left hand, in thy glory. (Mark 10:35-37)

Jesus stated that someone would sit on his right and left sides. We are not all going to be worker bees of equal standing. There will be some management spirits with God as their chief authority. As for me and the life I have lived, I am perfectly content at this time to settle for the lowest position available. There are no toilets since they serve a physical function, so I could not clean toilets. Perhaps I could polish the pure gold street of new Jerusalem:

...and the street of the city was pure gold... (Revelation 21:21)

Don't you know I would see some interesting spirits breeze by?


END CHAPTER 15

Chapter 16

START CHAPTER 16

The Age of Accountability

Christians who believe the immortal soul myth claim humans are born with an immortal soul living within their physical body. When the body dies, the soul lives on. At the resurrection, the soul is reunited with an incorruptible physical body which lives forever. This is the "resurrection of the body" doctrine. The soul, which then lives in this new physical body, spends eternity in heaven or hell depending on whether or not that human believed in Jesus before the death of his first physical body on earth.

There are many obvious flaws in the above beliefs. The flaw that worried Christians is what happened to the souls of humans who died too young to make a choice regarding Jesus. This affected them because many had children. Is it fair to have the souls of children and their attached incorruptible bodies burn in hell eternally if they died as babies? Of course not. Therefore, they fabricated the age of accountability doctrine to protect their children. This doctrine states that if a child dies before reaching the age of accountability, he or she goes immediately to heaven since they have never knowingly committed a sin. This is not a fixed age for all children. It is the age at which the child can distinguish good from evil and is capable of making a personal decision regarding accepting Jesus as his Savior from the consequences of sin. Thus the age will vary depending on intelligence, environment, etc. Suffice it to say that this age of accountability might typically be in a range from six to eight years of age.

Based on the age of accountability doctrine, Andrea Pia Yates was logically justified in killing her five young children and sending them to heaven to be with God. Otherwise, one or all of them might have been condemned to an eternity in hellfire! Since Jews do not believe in Jesus as their Savior, should we thank the Nazis for murdering Jewish children during the Holocaust? After all, the only way any Jew is going to avoid hell is to die before reaching the age of accountability or convert to Christianity, since the only path to salvation is through Jesus:

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)

This is made even more tragic because the Jews are God's chosen people. Is it a blessing if most underprivileged children in third world countries die? After all, that may be the only way for them to avoid hell.

On the other hand, if a person lives to be a hundred years old, but never even hears the name Jesus mentioned, is it fair for him to spend eternity in hellfire? There is apparently no Christian doctrine to cover older humans who never hear the word of God. Christians reduce any guilt this causes by funding missionaries to foreign soil in an attempt to save these lost souls. Christians are content on the home front that the age of accountability doctrine protects their children. When someone deeply believes what is taught and acts by murdering their children and sending them to heaven while they are still innocent, the church is quick to respond that they do not teach the murder of children!

Although the age of accountability doctrine was created due to the immortal soul myth, there is actually some support for this theology in the scriptures. When the children of Israel rebelled against the commandments of God after departing Egypt, God let them wander in the wilderness so that the sinful adults would die off and not see the Promised Land. However, those who were children and had no knowledge of good and evil were allowed to take possession of the Promised Land:

Moreover your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, and your children, which in that day had no knowledge between good and evil, they shall go in thither, and unto them will I give it, and they shall possess it. (Deuteronomy 1:39)

There is further indication that these "children" were everyone under the age of twenty:

For the children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, till all the people that were men of war, which came out of Egypt, were consumed, because they obeyed not the voice of the lord... (Joshua 5:6)

These "men of war" are defined in the book of Numbers:

From twenty years old and upward, all that are able to go forth to war in Israel: thou and Aaron shall number them by their armies. (Numbers 1:3)

There is evidence that this innocence of children applied to Jesus Christ also:

Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good. For before the child shall know to refuse the evil, and choose the good, the land that thou abhorrest shall be forsaken of both her kings. (Isaiah 7:14-16)

Suppose that Mary, Joseph, and Jesus are eating breakfast and Joseph instructs Jesus to stop playing with His food. If Jesus continues playing with His food, He has violated one of the Ten Commandments:

Honor thy father and thy mother...         (Exodus 20:12)

However, if Jesus is six months of age at the time, it is not a sin, because sin is knowingly transgressing one of God's laws. Since a six-month-old baby does not understand His father's request, it is not a sin.

Today, the age of accountability theology is a moot point. Only under the Old Testament could one gain salvation by obeying all of the law. That is, by never sinning. However, the New Testament has now superseded the Old Testament:

In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away. (Hebrews 8:13)

The only criteria for gaining salvation under the New Testament is a belief in Jesus. Even though a child might die before he ever commits a sin, he will not enter the Kingdom of God because he is sinless. That was the path to salvation under the Old Testament covenant which is no longer valid. Since the time of Jesus' crucifixion, the only path to salvation is to believe in Jesus, and babies do not believe in Jesus:

Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. (Acts 4:12)

Andrea Yates was misguided by her religion, as are most of us! When children die before reaching the age of accountability, they are simply dead. They will be resurrected at the second resurrection as mortal beings and make their choice about eternal life or the second death after that time. It is all about making choices, and man is the only animal which can choose.


END CHAPTER 16

Chapter 17

START CHAPTER 17

Almost Unknown Bible Facts

If you read the Bible from cover-to-cover there are certain items which simply reach out and grab your attention. These are not necessarily earth shattering items, but they can be used to reveal whether or not someone who claims to have read the Bible, actually has. Let me mention nine here. You can verify these scriptures to insure that I am not using a "trick" Bible. If and when you read the Bible from cover-to-cover you may discover others to add to this list.


1. Human Longevity

Sometime around 1976-1980 I was listening to the news while driving home from work. It was announced that a government funded group of scientists had concluded that humans can live to a maximum age of one hundred and twenty years. Around that age the process which causes body cells to reproduce stops, and the body then dies.

I bolted up out of my sleep that night as it suddenly occurred to me where I had read that information before. It was in the book of Genesis in the Bible. These scientists had been paid to discover something that was known three thousand years ago:

And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be a hundred and twenty years. (Genesis 6:3)

Incredibly, the scientists verified the same identical number of one hundred and twenty years. Chapter 19, Human Longevity, illustrates how this was accomplished.


2. Multiple Copies of the Ten Commandments

In the movie Raiders of the Lost Ark, Indiana Jones informs two government agents that Moses smashed into pieces the two stone tablets on which were written the Ten Commandments. He is correct thus far. He continues to explain that they "took the pieces and put them in the ark." Wrong! Why would they not place the unbroken identical second copy of the Ten Commandments into the ark? This is precisely what is reported in the Bible. Lets look at the history of the original stone tablets:

And the Lord said unto Moses, Come up to me into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee tables of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach them. (Exodus 24:12)

And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God. (Exodus 31:18)

And Moses turned, and went down from the mount, and the two tables of the testimony were in his hand: the tables were written on both their sides; on the one side and on the other were they written. (Exodus 32:15)

And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he saw the calf, and the dancing: and Moses' anger waxed hot, and he cast the tables out of his hands, and brake them beneath the mount. (Exodus 32:19)

The verses describing the creation of the second set of tables are separated in the book of Exodus. These verses are Exodus 34:1, 34:4, 34:28, and 40:20. Let me quote here the same story as described in the book of Deuteronomy, which are sequential verses:

At that time the Lord said unto me, Hew thee two tables of stone like unto the first and come up unto me into the mount, and make thee an ark of wood. And I will write on the tables the words that were in the first tables which thou brakest, and thou shalt put them in the ark. And I made an ark of shittim wood, and hewed two tables of stone like unto the first, and went up into the mount, having the two tables in mine hand. And he wrote on the tables, according to the first writing, the ten commandments, which the Lord spake unto you in the mount out of the midst of the fire in the day of the assembly: and the Lord gave them unto me. And I turned myself and came down from the mount, and put the tables in the ark which I had made; and there they be, as the Lord commanded me. (Deuteronomy 10:1-5)

So the second copy of the stone tables containing the Ten Commandments was placed into the ark. Each table had writing on both sides. Although many claim to have studied the Bible, few people know that two copies of the Ten Commandments were produced.


3. Both Thieves Reviled Jesus

The version of the crucifixion which you will hear from most Christian theologians is the one told in Luke. Luke states that one of the malefactors railed on Jesus, while the other said, "Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom." However, four books of the Bible relate the crucifixion story and one should expect them to be basically the same. Two of these four books state that both thieves reviled Jesus:

And they that passed by reviled him...    (Matthew 27:39)

The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth. (Matthew 27:44)

And they that were crucified with him reviled him. (Mark 15:32)

The story in John simply mentions that there were two others crucified with Jesus in the middle:

Where they crucified him, and two others with him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst. (John 19:18)

The truth would seem to be that both men crucified with Jesus reviled Him. For a full explanation of this apparent contradiction, refer to chapter 20 entitled "Proofs" That Man Has An Immortal Soul?


4. Wise Men Not at the Manger

If you see a Christmas manger display with three wise men, that is an error. By the time the wise men arrived, Jesus was in a house:

And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented him with gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. (Matthew 2:11)

In actuality, some mangers and homes were under the same roof of dwellings built during this period. The animals would be kept on the ground floor. Perhaps halfway back under the roof, steps led up to the family's living quarters. Crowding caused by the census taking may have resulted in the upper rooms being full when Mary and Joseph arrived. Finding no room at the inn, they probably stayed on the ground floor in the manger area of a house. By the time the wise men arrived, sufficient people had departed so that they moved into the upper rooms, or "into the house." This may also be the type of dwelling where the Lord's Supper occurred:

And he will show you a large upper room furnished and prepared: there make ready for us. (Mark 14:15)

Incidentally, the Bible never states the actual number of wise men who came to see the baby Jesus:

Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem. (Matthew 2:1)

We probably assume there were three wise men because there were three types of gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. That is, one brought gold, a second brought frankincense, and a third brought myrrh. This is not necessarily the case. All we know for a fact is that there was more than one wise man.


5. Why Adam and Eve Were Expelled from the Garden

Adam and Eve were not expelled from the Garden of Eden because they sinned. God would not care if they hung out there for awhile, except that the tree of life was in the garden. They were kicked out to prevent them from eating from the tree of life. Why? Because if they ate the fruit of the tree of life they would become spiritual bodies like God and the angels and live forever. That is exactly what your Bible states:

And the Lord God said, Behold, the man has become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever: Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. (Genesis 3:22-23)

These are very important verses because they prove that Adam and Eve did not posess eternal life when God sent them forth from the Garden of Eden. The Bible specifically states that Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden of Eden to prevent them from eating fruit from the tree of life and thus living forever! Most churches simply ignore these verses as their theology is based on man's false immortality.


6. In the day of the great slaughter when the towers fall

No one who reads the Bible after September 11, 2001 will fail to notice the following scripture:

And there shall be upon every high mountain, and upon every high hill, rivers and streams of water in the day of the great slaughter, when the towers fall. (Isaiah 30:25)

Isaiah is a book of prophecy, predicting what will happen in the future. "In the day of the great slaughter, when the towers fall," almost shouts World Trade Center. The World Trade Center contained twin towers and it was a great slaughter of at least 2,823 innocent people.

The entire chapter thirty of Isaiah describes the futility of relying on strong allies and not God. Israel's ally today is the United States, which is considered to be the world's last superpower. Putting their faith in human power instead of God causes Israel to dwindle down to a few, as a beacon on a hill. Regarding the children of Israel, Isaiah prophesies:

One thousand shall flee at the rebuke of one; at the rebuke of five shall ye flee: till ye be left as a beacon upon the top of a mountain, and as an ensign on a hill. (Isaiah 30:17)

Then following the cycle described so often in the history of the children of Israel, they repent and turn to God and He blesses and rescues them. In what period does this occur?

...in the day of the great slaughter, when the towers fall. (Isaiah 30:25)

"The day of the great slaughter" could refer to the coming battle of Armageddon. "When the towers fall" could place the time of this event as present time if the towers refer to the World Trade Center. Notice that towers is plural. Notice the phrase, "at the rebuke of five." There were five hijackers planned to be aboard each of the four hijacked aircraft. Events could get exciting soon. Watch the news!


7. The earth is round

Americans are taught that Christopher Columbus discovered the earth was round. However, did someone know that fact thousands of years before Columbus sailed?

It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth... (Isaiah 40:22)

These verses which relate facts that man in all his wisdom only discovered many years later, lend credence that the scriptures are truly the inspired words of God. That is, the Bible contains facts which mankind only discovered thousands of years after they were written down in the scriptures. Men wrote the scriptures under the inspiration of God. Since men did not even scientifically discover these facts until hundreds or thousands of years later, these facts written down in the scriptures could not have come from the minds of men at the time they were written! Therefore, men had to have been inspired by God to write these facts since they did not know them as facts at the time. One of these is that the earth's shape is round. Another is the fact that man's physical life has an upper limit of one hundred and twenty years. Some claim to have studied the scriptures for years, yet have not detected these simple truths. This proves the following scripture to be true:

And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. (Daniel 12:9)


8. Life on other planets?

I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. (John 10:14-16)

Jesus was relating a parable to the Jews when He made this statement. So the sheep referred to could be the Jews. If that is the case, then the sheep not of this Jewish fold would be the gentiles. Remember that Jesus came first to the Jews, then to the gentiles.

However, the entire flock of earthly sheep for which Jesus gave His life is every human on the Earth, both Jews and gentiles. If this is the meaning of the verse, then where are the sheep which are not of this fold? That is, if Jesus died for all the sheep in the fold of the Earth, and He has sheep which are not of the fold of the Earth; then where are these other sheep which He must bring together into this fold?

Jesus could be referring to the angels which revolted on the earth and are currently imprisoned in hell. These sheep would certainly not be of this fold. That is, on the earth:

And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. (Jude 1:6)

These angels are no longer in the fold of the earth, so it's possible that Jesus is speaking of them. Otherwise, the sheep not in this fold could be on another planet or planets. That is, the earth may not be the only inhabited planet. If the earth is not the only planet with intelligent life, it is a very special planet, because God sent His only Son to die for the sins of earthlings. Can you imagine God the Father calling Jesus in and asking, "How often is it that your Father asks you to do something? We have another rebellious planet and I would like for you to go there as a mortal, live a sinless life, you know...


9. More than two of some animals aboard Noah's ark

Some question the truth of the Noah's ark story due to the logistics involved. Could the ark which he built adequately house two of every animal species on the earth? In actuality, it had to house more that two of every animal species on the earth:

Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens, the male and his female: and of beasts that are not clean by two, the male and his female. Of fowls also of the air by sevens, the male and the female; to keep seed alive upon the face of all the earth. (Genesis 7:2-3)

Clean beasts are those that have cloven hooves and chew their cud:

And every beast that parteth the hoof, and cleaveth the cleft into two claws, and cheweth the cud among the beasts, that ye shall eat. (Deuteronomy 14:6)

Some examples of clean animals are all species of sheep, cattle, goats, and deer. Seven pairs of each clean animal species and fowl were aboard the ark. When the ark finally came to rest on dry ground, Noah sacrificed some of the clean animals to the Lord:

And Noah builded an altar unto the Lord; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. (Genesis 8:20)

Noah could not have sacrificed animals and fowl without making them extinct if only one pair of each clean animal was onboard.


END CHAPTER 17

Chapter 18

START CHAPTER 18

Is The Holy Bible Easy To Understand?

If a picture is worth a thousand words, one might also conclude that parables or stories are great teaching tools. Indeed, the teachings of Jesus to the public at large were accomplished through parables. The disciples specifically asked why He spoke to the masses using parables:

And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever have not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. (Matthew 13:10-13)

Incredibly, Jesus spoke in parables so that He would not be understood! Later, in private, Jesus would explain the meaning of the parables to His disciples:

And with many such parables spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear it. But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples. (Mark 4:33-34)

The disciples were a very special group in that Jesus explained all things to them. Are these mysteries known by many other prophets and righteous men?

For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them. (Matthew 13:17)

It was originally difficult for me to understand one verse in Jesus' explanation as to why He spoke in parables:

For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever have not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. (Matthew 13:12)

When mankind speaks of have, we consider physical possessions; food, shelter, clothing, cars, boats, money, etc. Why would God give more to those who already have in abundance while taking away everything from those who hath little? I pondered this question some time before considering its source, Jesus Christ. From the perspective of Jesus physical possessions are unimportant:

Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also, (Matthew 6:19-21)

Jesus would categorize the richest and most powerful people on earth with the "have nots" if they did not have a relationship with Him and be heirs to eternal life. On the other hand, if a person did have a relationship with Jesus, lived a Christian lifestyle, and would inherit eternal life, he would include that person with the "haves" even if he were penniless. The only possession you really have is your life. The goal is to extend that life to eternity with God. Having said that, look again at verse twelve and see how easy it is to understand:

For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever have not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. (Matthew 13:12)

Regardless of their physical possessions, those who do not believe in Jesus Christ have very little, only their mortal physical life. If they never accept Jesus, the one possession they have will be taken from them forever at the second death:

And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:14-15)

On the other hand, those who have much (Christians), shall have even more in abundance:

But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. (I Corinthians 2:9)

What Christians have is their name written in the book of life. They are heirs under the New Testament to inherit eternal life. Their earthly possessions, whether many or few, are trivial when compared to what their future holds:

I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. (John 10:10)

So those that have will be given more. Those that have not will lose even that which they have, their life. Have you ever considered the ageless saying that, "You can't take it with you?" When considered as physical possessions, this statement is obviously true. You will not need physical possessions anyway. But in another sense one does have an account in the spiritual world:

Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. (Matthew 6:19-21)

But how can humans lay up for themselves treasures in heaven? Of course, the most obvious treasure is to have one's name written in the book of life, thus assuring oneself of eternal life. Those resurrected at the second resurrection will be judged by their works. Of course, works alone will not save anyone:

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

Although our works cannot save us, they remain very important. Those who face the judgment are going to be judged by their works:

And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. (Revelation 20:12)

Therefore, you can be banking good works in the books against any future judgment. In that sense, you can "take it with you." So what constitutes a good work? Definitions of good works are scattered throughout the Bible, especially in the New Testament teachings of Jesus. The Beatitudes list many characteristics and works which we should strive after:

Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. (Matthew 5:5-12)

If Jesus Christ himself came to you hungry, thirsty, naked, or sick, would you help him? If you did, would it be considered a good work? The Bible states that you can do this today:

Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was ahungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee ahungered, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. (Matthew 25:34-40)

The most general definition for good works is what we call the "Golden Rule:"

Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets. (Matthew 7:12)

So Jesus spoke in parables so that He would not be understood. In addition, there are several verses which indicate that the scriptures are "sealed." That is, people cannot understand their meanings until the end times:

But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased. (Daniel 12:4)

And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I cannot for it is sealed: (Isaiah 29:11)

Why would Jesus speak in parables so that people would not understand, and why would God put all the answers to life's questions into a book, then seal up the book? Does this make any sense? It is a great mystery of the Bible. Between the two following horizontal lines are my thoughts on this mystery:

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth and placed a host of angels on the earth as caretakers. These were spiritual beings who understood all mysteries of the universe. Some of these spiritual caretakers, led by Satan, rebelled against God's authority. As a result the earth came to be without form, void, and dark.

At this point God intervened and went to Plan B. He recreated the earth and made mortal mankind a little lower than the angels to be trained as replacement caretakers for those who rebelled. Now, if the original angels who understood the mysteries of the universe rebelled, why give the new caretakers this knowledge initially. Let them learn it the hard way through on the job training, the old school of hard knocks. That way they will appreciate the gift of eternal life more when it is given. How does this new "mankind" achieve eternal life? Through believing in the Son of God. The original angels assigned to the earth were obviously not respecters of God at the time of their rebellion. These lower beings (mankind) must respect and believe in the Son of God as a prerequisite to becoming a spiritual being which lives forever.

Man is in training to learn that the best way to rule the earth is under the rules of God. Meanwhile, Jesus has gone to prepare a new place for humans who accept Him. When He returns to save man from decimating the earth as the original caretakers did, He will bring the new place He has prepared with Him. The Genesis recreation required six days, after which God rested on the seventh day. The age of man's dominion over the earth will follow this same pattern, but in God days. Remember that to God a thousand years is like one of our days:

But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. (II Peter 3:8)

Mankind thus has six thousand years from the Genesis recreation to rule the earth. A sabbath "day" of rest, the thousand-year millennium, will follow these six thousand years. Upon Jesus' return, those who believed on Him will be born a second time as spiritual beings. They will then become keepers of the earth under Jesus' rule. Those of mankind who are not born again as spirits will be cast into the lake of fire and their resurrected physical bodies will be killed a second time. This second death is permanent. There is no way to return from the second death, it is eternal. That is the end of them. There is no Plan C.

Is the process of teaching mankind through the school of hard knocks working? Possibly the second most brilliant man to ever live reached the following conclusion when reviewing his life on earth:

Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labor that I had labored to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun. (Ecclesiastes 2:11)

That man was Solomon. Solomon was asked by God in a dream what God should give him. Solomon requested wisdom and knowledge:

In that night did God appear unto Solomon, and said unto him, Ask what I shall give thee. (II Chronicles 1:7)

Give me now wisdom and knowledge...   (II Chronicles 1:10)

One of the world's wisest men after a lifetime of seeking treasure, women, and whatever appeared to bring him pleasure; reached this final conclusion of the whole matter of life:

Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. (Ecclesiastes 12:13)

Is this the lesson we are here to learn in our short lifetime, that we should fear God and keep His commandments? Yes! We learn this lesson by trying our way and failing. The answers about the best way to live are sealed in the scriptures. We learn them through trial and error and hard knocks if at all. The Bible is sealed until after the six-thousand-year training and weeding out period. The harder you have to work for something the more you appreciate it.

Of course, the most brilliant human who ever lived was Jesus Christ. As proof of this statement I submit the following sentence He spoke to a mob as they were preparing to stone a prostitute to death. This fifteen word sentence saved her life:

He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. (John 8:7)

Those in the mob looked about at each other, then began to wander away one by one or in small groups until only two people remained. The prostitute and her Savior.

Given that the scriptures are sealed, can we understand the Bible? Can it be unsealed? One suggestion is that before reading the Bible you get on your knees and ask God to open your understanding of the scriptures. After all, Jesus said:

If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it. (John 14:14)

Do not feel ignorant that you might not understand the scriptures without help from God. The twelve disciples were in the same predicament! They did not understand the scriptures until Jesus "opened their understanding." He did this as one of His last acts on earth before ascending to heaven:

Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures. (Luke 24:45)

If the Bible in general is sealed, then the book of Revelation would appear to be especially sealed as much of it is written in symbolism. That is, the word woman can mean the church. Therefore, the great whore would mean the false church. The word star can mean an angel. There are giant weird beasts which have hidden meanings, as well as the 666 riddle of the antichrist. But incredibly, with all this symbolism, John is told the following:

And he said unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophesy of this book: for the time is at hand. (Revelation 22:10)

So, is Revelation unsealed? Do we understand it? Entire books have been written on the book of Revelation. David Koresh of Waco infamy claimed to have unraveled the "mystery of the seven seals." But let's skip over the really complicated verses for a moment. Most people do not even understand the simple meaning of the second death as defined in the book of Revelation. From the first three or four pages of the Bible their fate was sealed. When they read in Genesis that man was created a living "soul," and then Satan states, "Ye shall not surely die," they believed a part of them would live forever. Therefore, the second death cannot mean death at all. It means eternal punishment. When John 3:16 states that nonbelievers will perish, they know that it cannot mean perish because their "soul" lives forever! Therefore, Satan's lie and man's ignorance combine to keep the Bible sealed. When will it be unsealed? In the end times:

And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. (Daniel 12:9)

And why will the book be unsealed in the end times?

But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased. (Daniel 12:4)

Knowledge is increasing dramatically. Today, fewer and fewer young people are attending or supporting the church. Why? The reason is not drugs, alcohol, dancing, infidelity, economics, rebellion, or any of the obvious answers. It is because they are getting smarter. They sincerely sense that there is something after their death. As children, they sing "Jesus loves me," and "red or yellow, black or white, they are precious in His sight." When they reach the rebellious teenage years and begin to question their basic beliefs, they realize something is amiss. Why would a God equated with love allow the bulk of humanity to burn in hell for eternity? The church cannot answer their questions. Some of the old answers were:

       1 - There are a lot of things man simply cannot understand.

       2 - Believe it on faith.

Or   3 - Believe it because the church states it as fact.

The old answers do not work with today's or tomorrow's youth. If the immortal soul myth is true, the church should be able to successfully and logically defend it through the Bible. Since this is impossible, the youth become discouraged and leave.

Sadly, the main impetus which might induce change today is not logic and knowledge, but something the churches consider to be really important, money! If finances suffer substantially, the churches might be driven to discovering the answer to their problem.


END CHAPTER 18

Chapter 19

START CHAPTER 19

Human Longevity Facts

Sometime around 1975-1980, a group of scientists concluded that human beings could live to a maximum of one hundred and twenty years of age. It was discovered that shortly before reaching one hundred and twenty the process that causes body cells to reproduce fails. The cells then die as well as the person.

Recently, scientists believe they have discovered what causes this cell division process to halt around the age of one hundred and twenty years. They believe it is caused by what they call telomeres. This they believe is the key to the human life cycle. Telomeres are repeating DNA strings (TTAGGG) that cap chromosomes. Each time a cell divides its telomeres become shorter. When they reach a preset length the cell ceases to divide, ages, and dies. Independently, others came up with exactly the same number as the maximum age for mortal mankind three thousand years ago:

And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be a hundred and twenty years. (Genesis 6:3)

Can this be true when the Bible records that people were living in those times to ages greater than nine hundred years? This has caused readers to lend this verse little credence, if they notice it at all. Let's investigate this verse and see how God accomplished this age limit restriction. This is important because it gives us an idea of how God makes changes. These changes are often introduced through natural processes and physical laws.

The following is a list of people for which the Old Testament gives their age at death. The list is sequential from the first book of the Old Testament to the last, Genesis through Malachi:

And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years... (Genesis 5:5)

And all the days of Seth were nine hundred and twelve years:... (Genesis 5:8)

And all the days of Enos were nine hundred and five years:... (Genesis 5:11)

And all the days of Cainan were nine hundred and ten years: and he died. (Genesis 5:14)

And all the days of Mahalaleel were eight hundred ninety and five years: and he died. (Genesis 5:17)

And all the days of Jared were nine hundred sixty and two years: and he died. (Genesis 5:20)

And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years: (Genesis 5:23)

And all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred sixty and nine years... (Genesis 5:27)

And all the days of Lamech were seven hundred seventy and seven years: and he died. (Genesis 5:31)

And all the days of Noah were nine hundred and fifty years:... (Genesis 9:29)

The next eight individuals, Shem through Nahor, are found in Genesis chapter 11. Their ages require a short calculation. For example:

Shem was a hundred years old, and begat Arphaxad two years after the flood: And Shem lived after he begat Arphaxad five hundred years... (Genesis 11:10-11)

Therefore, Shem lived 100 + 500, or 600 years. If you desire to check this data, it is in Genesis Chapter 11. I will simply list their names and ages here:

HERE88
Name               Age at Death             Verse Reference      
Shem           600       (Genesis 11:11)
Arphaxad           933       (Genesis 11:12-13)
Salah           433       (Genesis 11:14-15)
Eber           860       (Genesis 11:16-17)
Peleg           239       (Genesis 11:18-19)
Reu           239       (Genesis 11:20-21)
Serug           230       (Genesis 11:22-23)
Nahor           148       (Genesis 11:24-25)

And the days of Terah were two hundred and five years... (Genesis 11:32)

And Sarah was a hundred and seven and twenty years old: these were the years of the life of Sarah. (Genesis 23:1)

And these are the days of the years of Abraham's life which he lived, a hundred threescore and fifteen years. (175 years)   (Genesis 25:7)

And these are the years of the life of Ishmael, a hundred and thirty and seven years... (Genesis 25:17)

The whole age of Jacob was a hundred forty and seven years. (Genesis 47:28)

So Joseph died, being a hundred and ten years old... (Genesis 50:26)

And the years of the life of Levi were a hundred thirty and seven years. (Exodus 6:16)

And the years of the life of Kohath were a hundred thirty and three years. (Exodus 6:18)

And the years of the life of Amram were a hundred and thirty and seven years. (Exodus 6:20)

And Aaron was a hundred and twenty and three years old when he died in mount Hor. (Numbers 33:39)

And Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died... (Deuteronomy 34:7)

Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died, being a hundred and ten years old. (Joshua 24:29)

After this lived Job a hundred and forty years...   (140+ years old) (Job 42:16)

When we reach the book of Psalm, the life span of man in general is seventy to eighty years. That is, man is able to live a little over half of the maximum possible life span of one hundred and twenty years:

The days of our years are threescore years and ten; (70 years) and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years (80 years). (Psalm 90:10)

Some people see this as a contradiction to Genesis 6:3 where the maximum life span of one hundred and twenty years is defined. However, that is not the case. The above verse is simply the present life expectancy during this period based on the style of living at that time. The average is around seventy years, some by reason of strength may reach eighty years.

Observe the summary listed below and notice the pattern that occurs after God creates the one hundred and twenty year age limit on mankind.

Summary in order from the Old Testament:

Person               Age at death                      Notes
Adam             930
Seth             912
Enos             905
Cainan             910
Mahalaleel             895
Jared             962
Enoch             365
Methuselah             969
Lamech             777
Limit of 120 years placed on
life of man at Genesis 6:3
Noah             950
Shem             600
Arphaxad             933
Salah             433
Eber             860
Peleg             239
Reu             239
Serug             230
Nahor             148
Terah             205
Sarah             127
Abraham             175
Ishmael             137
Jacob             147
Joseph             110
Levi             137
Kohath             133
Amram             137
Aaron             123
Moses             120
Joshua             110
Job             140+
People in General             70-80 Average life expectancy
when Psalm was written
Today in USA             Men 73 Average life expectancy
            Women 79 from 1996 data


Notice that God did not simply say the word and everyone immediately started dying at or before the age of one hundred and twenty years. No, it happened over a period of time as indicated above, but rather quickly after the modification was made. How did He perform this feat? Very possibly it was a mutation to the DNA as recently discovered by scientists. This would not have affected people who were already alive. Methuselah, Noah, and others were very probably already born. In any event, once God implemented the limit through natural means, it very quickly took effect. For a certainty Moses knew that this limit was placed on the life span of man three thousand years ago when he wrote the book of Genesis. Coincidentally, Moses lived to exactly one hundred and twenty years of age. Moses wrote this fact down in the scriptures and identified the one responsible for implementing the change:

And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be a hundred and twenty years. (Genesis 6:3)


END CHAPTER 19

Chapter 20

START CHAPTER 20

"Proofs" That Man Has An Immortal Soul?

The immortal soul myth is the false belief initiated by Satan that mankind is born with an immortal soul living within a physical body. Believers of this myth selectively point to scripture which they claim proves their erroneous belief. Let's review these "proofs" in this chapter.

The first and most often used "proof" was previously discussed in chapter 9 entitled Interpreting the Bible. However, it is worth reviewing here, as Bible scholars claim that Jesus' words spoken in Luke 23:43 clearly teach that after death the saved go immediately into Jesus' presence in heaven. These scholars believe the thief had an immortal soul that had to go somewhere.

 

1 - The Thief on the Cross Proof

The most often used proof of an immortal soul is the statement made to one of the thieves by Jesus as he hung on the cross:

And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise. (Luke 23:43)

There it is. That states exactly what they would have you believe. But what about the other three accounts of the two thieves? The ones you never hear:

The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth. (Matthew 27:44)

And they that were crucified with him reviled him. (Mark 15:32)

Where they crucified him, and two others with him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst. (John 19:18)

It is wrong to select a particular verse while excluding others to prove one's point. If the scriptures are truly the inspired words of God, then all scriptures must be true! Luke claims that the thief went to paradise that day to be with Jesus. Most people assume that "paradise" refers to heaven. But if paradise means heaven, then the thief was not with Jesus because Jesus was not in heaven that day. He ascended to heaven days after His crucifixion. Also, how can those who believe that Christians go immediately to heaven upon their death explain the following verse:

And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. (John 3:13)

That is, the only man who ever lived and died on earth, and then went to heaven is Jesus. If the thief who accepted Christ on the cross did not go to heaven, then where is he and fellow Christians today?

For we which have believed do enter into rest... (Hebrews 4:3)

That is, believing Christians which have died are dead and buried. "Rest" and "sleep" are euphemisms in the scriptures for the dead:

And the Lord said unto Moses, Behold, thou shalt sleep with thy fathers... (Deuteronomy 31:16)

David, whom God loved, has not ascended unto heaven. So why would the thief?

For David is not ascended into the heavens...     (Acts 2:34)

Also, Jesus went to prepare us a place, and it isn't ready yet:

...I go to prepare a place for you.       (John 14:2)

The saved thief had no place in heaven prepared for him on the day of the crucifixion since Jesus had not as yet ascended and prepared it. When our place is prepared, we are not going to it, Jesus is bringing it back with Him:

And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven... (Revelation 21:2)

Jesus is bringing the reward for the saved with Him upon His return:

And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me... (Revelation 22:12)

What is the reward?

Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. (Colossians 3:24)

Those who serve Christ will receive the reward of the inheritance. What inheritance? That of the New Testament:

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)

Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. (John 6:54)

Both thieves on the cross initially reviled Jesus if Matthew and Mark are correct. One thief changed and accepted Christ, if Luke is correct. His reward of the inheritance is eternal life which he will receive when Jesus returns. Until that time, he rests in peace in his grave. He will be born again as a spiritual body at the first resurrection since his name is included as an heir in the book of life. Countless other verses could be quoted to refute Luke 23:43. However, if the Scriptures are truly the inspired words of God, then Luke 23:43 was a true statement when originally written by Luke. How can that be? What happened? All mankind innately believe the immortal soul myth. Apparently, a punctuation mistake was introduced when the original Greek manuscript was translated into English. If Luke 23:43 was punctuated as follows, it and all verses above are true without any contradictions:

Verily I say unto thee today, Thou shalt be with me in paradise.

That is, I am telling you today, that sometime in the future you will be with me in paradise. Notice that even the thief himself understood that he and Jesus were discussing future events. Look closely at what the thief requested of Jesus:

And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. (Luke 23:42)

The thief's statement obviously describes a future event, not something which will occur that day! In the future, God's kingdom will come to earth and God's will shall be done on earth in the form of Jesus Christ at His Second Coming. This is an event which The Lord's Prayer instructs us to pray for. We are instructed to pray, "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth, as it is in heaven." When this occurs in the future, the thief wants Jesus to remember him at that time.

 

2 - The Rich Man and Lazarus Parable

Another scripture that Christians believing the immortal soul myth point to as proof is the parable of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke:

There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And 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 thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house: For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead. (Luke 16:19-31)

Those who believe the immortal soul myth will read these verses as if the event actually occurred. By that means, as soon as Lazarus and the beggar died, they were confronted with the Kingdom of Heaven and hell. This would confirm that man has an immortal part that must go somewhere immediately upon his physical death. In actually, these verses comprise a parable or story. We know this because Jesus is speaking in public and He always spoke to the public in parables so that they would not understand:

And with many such parables spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear it. But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples. (Mark 4:33-34)

Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. (Matthew 13:13)

This story did not actually occur. It could not because most of it occurs in the future after the Second Coming of Christ and the resurrection! The rich man and Lazarus have both died and been buried:

The beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; (Luke 16:22)

We are told that the rich man was buried. The beggar died and was buried also because we are told he was carried into Abraham's bosom. Abraham has long ago died and been buried. Therefore, Abraham's bosom is the grave:

The field which Abraham purchased of the sons of Heth: there was Abraham buried, and Sarah his wife. (Genesis 25:10)

Then the parable advances far into the future after the millennium and the second resurrection. The rich man has been born again as a physical body as his name is not written in the book of life. He has been cast into the lake of fire and is about to suffer the second death. Seeing Lazarus and Abraham not in the fire, he screams for Abraham to send Lazarus to dip his finger in water so as to cool his tongue. Abraham responds that there is a great gulf between those born again spirits and those born again as physical bodies and cast into hell. That great gulf is death! They cannot communicate in any way because those cast into hell quickly suffer the second death. So how is Abraham able to communicate with the rich man?

Abraham is on the opposite side of the gulf! I suppose in a parable one can say anything. But be assured, it did not actually happen. Soon the gulf separating the rich man from the saved will widen even more, as he dies the second death. The dead know not anything. So this communication occurs before the rich man suffers the second death. Actually, it is while his death is in progress!

Helping him being impossible, the rich man then asks that Lazarus be sent to his father's house to warn his five brethren about what is happening to him, lest they suffer the second death also. He does this not knowing that it is already too late. If he is in hell about to die, his five brethren have died on earth long ago. He has no sense of the time which has passed because he has been dead, or resting. Abraham now reverts back to the time of the rich man's life on earth when he states:

They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. (Luke 16:29)

But the rich man reasons that if Lazarus was sent from the dead, surely they would believe and repent. Abraham's response is:

If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead. (Luke 16:31)

In actuality, Abraham can make that statement as a fact at that time, as that is exactly what happened. That is, between the death of Lazarus and the rich man and their resurrection, Jesus was crucified and raised from the dead, and many still did not believe and repent.

 

3 - Paul's Desire to Die and Be With Jesus

Those who believe the immortal soul myth point to Paul's letter to the Philippians in which he expresses his quandary over whether it is better to remain alive or die and be with Jesus. The implication is that when a Christian dies, he goes immediately to be with Jesus, thus he must have an immortal soul which is released when he dies:

For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labor: yet what I shall choose I wot not. For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you. (Philippians 1:21-24)

Paul's mental debate with himself is easy to understand. He believes it far better that his physical body dies and he goes to live with Christ. However, he realizes that he is more valuable alive so that he can preach the gospel to the Philippians and others. Being an apostle, it is certain that the Holy Spirit was in Paul, and his understanding of the mysteries of the scriptures was opened as was done by Jesus for the twelve disciples before He ascended to heaven:

Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures. (Luke 24:45)

Thus, if Paul understood the scriptures, he knew that he would not go anywhere but to his grave when he died. Like Einstein, Paul also understood relativity. That is, from his perspective, he would go immediately to be with Christ! After his death, his next consciousness would be that of being born again as an immortal spirit at the resurrection and meeting Christ in the air. This is regardless of whether the resurrection occurred one second or thousands of years after his death. It would seem instantaneous to Paul. Why? Because the dead know nothing. They don't even know that they are dead:

The dead know not anything...         (Ecclesiastes 9:5)

Time has no meaning to the dead. It is not there. If you have ever awakened from a deep sleep, you probably had no sense of the time when you awoke or how much time had passed. Death is similar. It will seem to every Christian that the very instant they die, they are being born again as a spirit and seeing Jesus. Paul understood this mystery! Most Christians today do not as we erroneously believe that we live forever. We have been taught that we possess a spirit, or "soul," which lives forever. Therefore, it must go somewhere when our physical body dies. This begins a long string of additional myths which must be created to defend the original myth. The original myth is that we live forever, "Ye shall not surely die."

 

4 - Jesus Talking With Moses And Elijah At The Transfiguration

Some theologians point to the following verses in Luke as proof beyond any doubt that men are born with immortal souls:

And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistening. And behold, there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elijah. (Luke 9:29-30)

Both Moses and Elijah are from Old Testament times and had died many hundreds of years earlier. If they were truly alive and talking with Jesus in Luke, then they must have an immortal soul which survived after the deaths of their physical bodies. Luke is one of the four New Testament gospels. This same story is related in two of the other gospels, in Matthew(17:1-3) and Mark(9:3-4), and are basically identical with the story in Luke.

Reading around these verses you will find that they were on a high mountain, Jesus's raiment was shining and whiter than snow, two people who died hundreds of years earlier appeared, a cloud overshadowed them, a voice came out of the cloud, and suddenly Moses and Elijah disappeared. Luke 9:32 describes Peter, James, and John as being "heavy with sleep." Could what they saw actually be an illusion, vision, or apparition? As they descended the mountain, Jesus warned the three disciples to tell no one what they had seen. In Matthew, Jesus describes the event as a vision:

And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen from the dead. (Matthew 17:9)

So Jesus Christ described what Peter, James, and John saw as a vision. I believe Jesus! To be other than a vision, many other scriptures would have to become false. For example, for two dead men to talk, the following verse cannot be true:

For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing... (Ecclesiastes 9:5)

Since Jesus describes what occurred as a vision and not an event, Moses and Elijah were not truly there alive at the time. They were a prophetic vision of the future. After the Second Coming and their resurrection, Moses and Elijah will be able to talk to Jesus on the earth. Until that time, they are both resting in their graves awaiting their resurrection.


END CHAPTER 20

Chapter 21

START CHAPTER 21

Godly Interventions

In the beginning the heavens and earth were created and Satan and his host of angels were given control over the earth. After their failure, man was given dominion over the earth. When God places beings in areas of responsibility, he instructs them, and then basically takes a "hands off" approach. However, he does intervene on rare occasions as circumstances warrant. The first major intervention occurred after Satan and some of his angels rebelled against God, resulting in the earth reaching the conditions described in Genesis 1:2:

And the earth was without form and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep... (Genesis 1:2)

This intervention resulted in the recreation of the earth and its creatures. Man was created below the angels but given the potential to individually become equal to the spiritual bodies he was replacing. Many of the rebellious angels were chained up in hell awaiting the judgment. Satan is still around and attempting to scuttle God's six-thousand-year plan for man. Shortly after man was created, God slightly modified His creation by placing an upper limit on the physical life of man in Genesis 6:3:

His days shall be a hundred and twenty years.     (Genesis 6:3)

Another major Godly intervention is documented in Genesis Chapter 11:

And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech. (Genesis 11:1)

And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth. And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded. And the Lord said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they began to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do. (Genesis 11:4-6)

Why was God concerned? He was very impressed with their tower being built into the heavens at this early stage of their development. If they could accomplish this, they might be able to accomplish anything they imagined. So what? Well, man can imagine some horrible things and the six-thousand-year plan had only recently started. Jesus still had to come to earth as a human and die for our sins. Then approximately two thousand years after His resurrection, He will return to earth and intervene once again to prevent man from destroying himself and the earth:

For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened. (Matthew 24:21-22)

So mankind was far ahead of the six-thousand-year plan at the building of the Tower of Babel. If they could do this they could accomplish anything they desired. For example, what if man had reached a state of development such that he produced nuclear weapons in 1045 instead of 1945. What might have happened? Man would have the means to destroy himself and the earth nine hundred years before God's six-thousand-year plan called for that possibility. Remember that Jesus will return for the elect's sake just in time to prevent this total destruction. The "elect" are the Christians. Man was too far ahead of schedule. Why? Because they all spoke the same language. They did not have the confusion imposed by multiple languages which we have today. What does God do to intervene?

Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech. (Genesis 11:7)

It was brilliant! Suppose you are in a group of one thousand people who all understand and speak English. Suddenly, eight hundred chosen at random cannot understand or speak English. Perhaps two hundred understand and speak French, another two hundred Spanish, another two hundred German, and another two hundred Japanese. What would be the effect? Instead of having one group of a thousand there would soon be five competing groups of two hundred. Each group would believe they were the only sane group as the others spoke gibberish, or babel. That is exactly what happened:

So the Lord scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city. Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the Lord did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the Lord scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth. (Genesis 11:8-9)

God introduced foreign languages into the world and this worked as a separator which divided mankind into many different, competing groups. It was a case of divide and conquer. Was it successful? Today there remain problems due to language whenever multiple countries work on one project. Anytime translations are required there is a risk of mistranslation. Even if there are no translation errors, the effort requires energy and time which could be applied directly to the project if all spoke one language. Most, if not all, of the translations of the original scriptures into our Bibles of today contain errors! This would not be the case if there had always been one common language throughout the world. With one common world language there would never have been any need to translate the original scriptures as inspired by God, and consequently there would be no translation errors! When will this situation be corrected? When Jesus returns the second time, all will return to a single language:

For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the Lord, to serve him with one consent. (Zephaniah 3:9)

The final predicted Godly intervention will be the Second Coming of Christ. He will return to save the elect from destruction. These are major interventions of God. Of course, on a daily basis God does answer prayers. In a sense, these are interventions also, but on a more personal basis.


END CHAPTER 21

Chapter 22

START CHAPTER 22

Sermons I've Heard -- Plays I've Seen

My family lived in Lake Charles, Louisiana during my high school years. We were members of the First Baptist Church and attended frequently. As with many Baptist churches one week a year was designated as "Youth Week." During Youth Week the church's young people replaced adults in staffing the church. Male youth quickly requested to become ushers as these were the most sought after and prized positions.

The young man chosen to deliver the sermon that Sunday played football for a rival high school. Although we competed against each other on the football field I considered him to be a likeable person. His sermon revolved around his efforts to save the "soul" of a fellow teammate. He related his witnessing efforts while the pair dined at a local Italian restaurant. A lit candle in a wine bottle illuminated each table. Being macho high school dudes, they competed to see who could hold their palms the longest over the candle's flame. He then compared that pain to that which his friend would suffer over his entire body in hellfire for eternity if he did not accept Jesus as his personal Savior.

His friend still harbored doubts after this effort and several other points of religious persuasion. The youth week pastor then presented his final argument. Suppose what I'm saying is totally true. Then you will burn for eternity in the fires of hell since you are not saved. Would it not be better for you to believe just in case? If I am wrong and you are correct that there is no afterlife, what have you lost? Even if that is the case you have lived a more exemplary life as a Christian during your time on earth. Under that persuation his friend "accepted" Jesus and was "saved" that night.

Since I had not as yet read the Bible on my own, I took no exception to the "burning in hellfire for eternity" approach. It was what all church members ignorantly believed. However, I did take exception to selling salvation as an insurance policy. In other words, claim that you believe in Jesus just in case it somehow turns out to be true. That way you avoid hell. I suppose it depends on your definition of the word "believe." Nonetheless, the large sanctuary could barely contain all the "amens" which rose up from the congregation. Everyone agreed that the church's future was well secured in the hands of these devoted Christian youth!

Forty years later, churches still intentionally make Christianity a religion of fear. In a pamphlet published by Good News Publishers entitled "Hell Suppose It's True After All?" two young people are discussing the possibility of life after death. Both eventually agree that a God of love would not condemn humans to everlasting punishment in the fires of hell. The two sit silently for a moment until one of them adds, "Suppose it is true, after all?" It's still important to plant that seed of fear and terror. Perhaps we should believe just in case it's true. We need that insurance policy!

Is this the type of Christians God desires? Those that halfheartedly "believe" just in case it's true to avoid the fictional eternity of torture in the fires of hell. What does the Bible state?

I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth. (Revelation 3:15-16)

Recently, I attended a free Christian play entitled, "Heaven's Gate & Hell's Flames." It is billed as a "high impact presentation drama for the sole purpose of pointing people to Jesus." The troupe travels from city to city presenting the play as an outreach ministry. Basically, the props consisted of heaven's Pearly Gates and the horrific gates of hell. A dramatic portrayal of people under varying situations and ages is presented as they unexpectedly die. The joy of believers as they enter heaven is contrasted with the horror of those who face judgment and are dragged off screaming to eternal hellfire.

The master of ceremony felt obligated to warn the audience before the play began that it may not be suitable for young children. However, there were many young children in the audience. In the row in front of me sat a mother with two young boys. Before long, the youngest boy fled his seat for his mother's lap. The older boy put his head on his mother's shoulder as he clung to her with both arms. Both of the youngsters were trembling. If their desire was to scare the hell out of children, they succeeded!

Let's consider religious plays in general. Jesus is always portrayed with long hair, delicate features, and carries himself in a slow, solemn, sliding of the feet. His wardrobe contains only bright white robes. Sometimes, a halo or glow is produced around his head. Why is Jesus portrayed as such? Because that is how people now believe he looked. Of course, these beliefs are the result of an artist's conception. The artist never saw Jesus or any description of Jesus, lived thousands of years after Jesus, and obviously never read the entire Bible. The artist's portrait most of us accept as "Jesus" was sketched by Warner Sallman in 1924.

If you read the Bible you will know that the image we recognize as Jesus is very probably wrong. Likewise, you will know that the Shroud of Turin is not the burial shroud of Jesus. Why not? Because it looks like our perception of Jesus based on Sallman's drawing, which is wrong. The Shroud may be the burial cloth for someone during that period, but it is not Jesus. It is obviously someone with long hair and Jesus did not have long hair:

Doth not even nature itself teach you, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him? (I Corinthians 11:14)

Paul wrote Corinthians and he knew Jesus Christ in person. In First Corinthians 15:5-8, Paul lists people who saw Jesus after His resurrection from the grave. Paul writes that he was one of these:

And last of all he was seen of me also...   (I Corinthians 15:8)

Certainly, Paul would not have written "if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him," if Jesus had long hair. In a broader sense, God indirectly wrote First Corinthians since it is part of the scriptures, and:

All scripture is given by inspiration of God... (II Timothy 3:16)

Therefore, God inspired Paul to write First Corinthians 11:14. God certainly would not have written, "if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him," if His Son Jesus had long hair. Did God and Jesus have the same arguments over hair length as most human fathers and sons? Of course, not.

In an even broader sense, Jesus Himself inspired Paul to write First Corinthians 11:14, as all scripture was inspired by God, but God and Jesus or the Word are the same:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1)

Therefore, if Jesus Himself inspired Paul to write, "if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him," then certainly Jesus did not have long hair! Nonetheless, virtually everyone today believes that Jesus had long hair thanks to Warner Sallman and man's inability to read and understand the Bible. Other than not having long hair, there are some hints as to the appearance of Jesus in the Bible:

He hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. (Isaiah 53:2)

So Jesus did not have long hair, and He wasn't handsome. People did not desire Him for His looks or His form!


END CHAPTER 22

Chapter 23

START CHAPTER 23

Real Life Bible Lessons

The Bible is given to man much like an owner's manual when one buys a new car or major appliance. It describes the best way to live and service our lives. If you follow its instructions and suggestions closely, you will live a rich, happy, long earthly life. However, man has a poor track record in learning the truth of God's teachings by simply reading them. Man believes that he knows a better way:

There is a way which seemeth right unto a man; but the end thereof are the ways of death. (Proverbs 14:12)

For example, consider the following simple verse:

It is more blessed to give than to receive.     (Acts 20:35)

Most people cannot simply read this and find it to be true. Get, get, get is obviously a better approach! Try teaching this verse to a young child on Christmas day! Consequently, man is condemned to learning through experience, which is sometimes called the "hard way" or the "school of hard knocks." Sometimes we run out of time before learning many lessons. As old people, we can read Bible verses and say, "That is so true." When we read the same verses in our youth we might have thought, "That will be different for me, I'm too smart." Although we call the lessons "hard," some are actually pleasurable.

I happened to be at my Uncle Dave's house one Saturday between Thanksgiving and Christmas when I was ten years old. Uncle Dave and Aunt Lucille were attending a Christmas party that night and I was to be taken home before the party.

The telephone rang and that phone conversation set the tone for the evening. Uncle Dave slammed the phone down and started cursing. It seemed that the Christmas food packages given to the needy by a charitable association to which he belonged were to be delivered that night. One delivery volunteer had an emergency and Uncle Dave would have to make one of the deliveries. It could not be put off because the perishable items had been purchased and added to the boxes: turkeys, hams, rolls, margarine, etc. Everything was prepared, all he had to do was deliver it.

With having to take me home they were already on a tight schedule and this made it worse! The goods were delivered and transferred to Dave's car by the head of the food committee with Uncle Dave lambasted him the entire time. Aunt Lucille suggested around 4 PM that Dave and I go deliver the food, then he could take me home and return, at which time Lucille would be dressed for the party.

We sped over to a part of New Orleans which I had never seen before and located a dingy high rise apartment building with laundry hung out to dry from the windows. The elevator did not work so we carried as many cardboard boxes as possible up four flights of narrow, dark, smelly stairs. After knocking for an eternity, a bald, skinny old man, dressed in shorts and undershirt with a stomach like a watermelon, opened the door and asked what we wanted.

He refused to accept the food, claiming that he knew someone who needed it more. He informed us that he was dying from stomach cancer as he raised his undershirt. It appeared that he had swallowed a basketball. His stomach had been operated on so many times there seemed to be no place where there were not scars or suture marks. He wanted the food delivered to his daughter. She had four small children and he thought her husband was in prison again. The husband was a drug addict who revolved in and out of jail and prison. Every year or so when he was out he impregnated his wife shortly before his next bust, leaving her alone with the kids until his next release.

Dave suggested that we leave the food with him for her, since we were in quite a hurry. Not only would that not work, he insisted that we not even mention his name or she would not accept the food. He explained that she would no longer talk to him even though he was dying. He gave us her last known address and we headed over, with Uncle Dave complaining all the way. It was only a few miles. If we could not locate her we planned to return and insist that the old man take the food.

Compared to the dump where she and the kids lived her dad's place looked like middle class. She also took her time answering the door, being afraid we were bill collectors. A skinny, unkept woman in her mid twenties opened the door, holding a baby in her arms. The youngest toddler, a little girl, clung to her dress, while two little boys dressed in underwear and t-shirts were close by her other side. Dave informed her about his club and why we were there. He lied and told her one of the members heard about her plight and submitted her name. She gladly accepted the boxes.

We carried the boxes in our arms into the drab apartment which contained a few sticks of furniture. In one corner was a salvaged three-foot artificial Christmas tree with nothing under it. When we returned with the second load of food the mother had taken out bags of potato chips and other packaged "goodies" and placed them under the tree. The children circled the tree, asking which "present" was theirs. After Dave asked the childrens names and ages, we departed.

Uncle Dave did not speed on the way to my house and was perfectly quiet. I felt great, and wondered if he felt the same since he had stopped complaining. After a long, awkward silence, I could not resist admitting, "That seemed to go pretty well."

His only reply was, "Yeah."

It finally hit me, and to this day I have no doubt that during the few days remaining before Christmas, Dave went out and bought those children some real presents with their names on them. That was the only reason he needed their names and ages! I do not remember many Christmas seasons, but to this day I remember that one.

We generally expect our teachers to be adults. However, sometimes a child teaches us adults. Such an event occurred in the Houston area.

There is a wonderful organization called the "Make a Wish Foundation." Their very existence supports the verse, "It is more blessed to give than to receive." These people locate terminally ill children and allow them to wish for one thing they would like to have or do, then they attempt to make the "wish" come true. These wishes have included trips to Disney World, trips to the 2002 Winter Olympics, meeting favorite actors and sport stars, meeting the President of the United States, etc.

However, they were somewhat startled by a young boy's wish in the Houston area. This young lad who was dying from cancer, wanted to be driven around his neighborhood in an ice cream truck while he handed out free ice cream to all of his friends and neighborhood children. I can imagine them explaining the process to him again. Are you sure you understand? You can wish for anything you desire to have or do.

He may have given it some more thought, but he reached the same conclusion. If he had only one wish, and he could wish for anything in the world, it would be to hand out free ice cream to other children from the back of an ice cream truck!

It made the local TV news one night as they showed this terminally ill, bald little boy with a big smile on his face handing out free ice cream to other children from the back of an ice cream truck. A little boy who was much wiser than his years!

Certainly, some adults watching the news that night learned that:

It is more blessed to give than to receive.   (Acts 20:35)


END CHAPTER 23

Chapter 24

START CHAPTER 24

Answered Prayers

Man is like the "Show Me" state of Missouri in that he questions what he is told or reads in print. Just show me and I will believe it. A picture is worth a thousand words. Let me see it with my own eyes. In other words, give me a sign. Man has always been thus inclined:

But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it... (Matthew 12:39)

For the Jews require a sign...     (I Corinthians 1:22)

We still seek signs or miracles today. The more miraculous, the better. Even though no one knows what Jesus looked like, His "image" keeps "miraculously" appearing on screen doors, walls, the sidewalk, clouds, pieces of toast, everywhere. Of course, what we actually see is the image of Jesus we are familiar with as pictured by the artist Warner Sallman in 1924.

We generally search for complicated signs while true miracles encircle us daily. We cannot see the forest for all the trees. Go into any hospital with a maternity ward and locate the new baby viewing area. They are all little miracles! This includes those that are black, brown, yellow, white, or any combination of colors. Ask a new mother or father to describe their emotions the moment their first baby was born and they will have difficulty finding the words. This includes mothers and fathers in the United States, Iraq, Israel, Palestine, North and South Korea, or any country.

Perhaps the emotions experienced by new parents are similar to those felt when one is struck by the fact that their prayer has been answered. Some supernatural authority has intervened on their behalf. There is a God! We cannot see Him, but we can see the results of His acts.

God is a trinity consisting of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost. God the Son could be seen for a short thirty-three years while He was a man living on the earth. Since that time, no one can see God. Therefore, one has faith that God exists:

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1)

What evidence of the unseen God do we have? Of course, we have the beautiful earth, nature, life, love, the universe, and other creations of God. But also, we have answered prayers:

And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive. (Matthew 21:22)

Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. (Mark 11:24)

Let me relate a few instances in my life which were certainly answers to prayer. In the year 1980, I was working for a computer company writing and installing custom software for real time computer systems. Although based in Houston, much travel to sites around the country was required. I had worked at this company for five years when an unsolicited offer of employment from a much larger computer company was presented to me. I rejected this initial offer.

While working on a project late one night in the computer room of a large oil company in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, I was contacted again by phone and offered an even higher position. The job would be Houston based and would require very little travel. I was divorced at the time with two children who lived under their mother's custody in the Houston area.

The next day I ate a late lunch alone at a Chinese restaurant at one PM. I liked to work on the computer while others took their customary noon lunch break, as I accomplished more without the distraction of others. I had debated the pros and cons of the job offer in my mind since receiving the late night phone call. That debate competed with my mind trying to solve the many software problems I was here to resolve. As I finished my meal it was not so much a formal prayer as a letting go and placing the decision in God's hands, as I said in my mind; "God, I don't have time to mess with this, tell a fool what to do." I put it out of my mind, broke open my fortune cookie and read:

A   COMFORTABLE   SALARY   AND
GOOD  POSITION  WILL  BE  YOURS

I interviewed with the company, accepted their offer, and gave my current employer a two-week notice that next week. I still carry that fortune in my wallet. But that was not the end of the story. One week after accepting the job with very little travel, my ex-wife called me on the phone and said she wanted the children to live with me! That would not have been possible with my previous job due to the travel and hours of work required. Then, two weeks into my new job, the secretary at my previous employer called to say that the Houston and Dallas offices were being combined, and the Houston office was being closed!

Could all of this be coincidence or luck? Possibly, but the odds are staggering. I had not received a job offer in five years. Ten seconds after asking God to tell me what to do, I opened and read the fortune cookie. I have never had a similar fortune since that one. A week later, I was offered custody of my children. We had never discussed this. Two weeks into the new job, it was announced that the Houston office of my previous employer was being closed. I cannot be that lucky! Remember, I was not even seeking a new job, while God knew I would be needing one.

A few years later, the children and I were living in a small upper-middle class city which is basically a suburb of Houston. No obvious poverty existed in the community. After reading the Bible I had grown disillusioned with all denominations of existing churches. I felt guilty that I did not tithe, but how could I support churches which were spreading the wrong message, a message of fear?

One day while working around the house I fantasized that I could directly support someone who needed help. Perhaps they could help me with the children and I could provide food and shelter for them. Oh, what a wonderful person I would be. Yuck! Even today this is difficult for me to admit. So I got on my knees and prayed for God to send me someone I could help. My tithe would go to them. I arose feeling so good about myself. Warning, be prepared for God to answer your prayers!

This time God's answer to my prayer took more than ten seconds. As I was weeding flower gardens two weeks later, a large beat up old car stopped in front of my house. In the car was an elderly couple which I tried to ignore. The old man got out, approached me, and asked, "Excuse me. Could you use any help with the yard?" Having completely forgotten about my prayer, I politely responded, "I enjoy doing it myself. It really isn't work. Thanks anyway." As they drove off I thought, "That was strange for this town. Where did they come from?"

As they turned the corner it struck me like a bolt of lightning as I remembered my prayer. I sprinted into the house, grabbed my car key, ran to the garage, jumped in and started the car while waiting for the garage door to open, then sped after them. But it was too late. I never saw them again!

I felt so small I could have slithered under my door upon returning to my house. I fell on my knees at the side of my bed and asked God for forgiveness and a second chance. Send them back! I admitted my stupidity and asked God to be even more obvious the next time He answered my prayers, perhaps a bolt of lightning. However, God does not typically act like that:

And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake: And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. (I Kings 19:11-12)

Be still, and know that I am God...   (Psalm 46:10)

God had answered my prayer, and shamefully I had not even recognized His answer. I returned to my yard work, but my heart wasn't in it. It was no longer fun and I couldn't get the old couple out of my head. Then I had another revelation. I was not the important link in this process, and did not have to be directly involved! If God answered that prayer, He would answer another. Quickly back on my knees at my bed, I was asking God to take any blessing He had for me and give it to the old couple. Although I have never understood why, God had always been good to me. Why make me an unnecessary middleman? Give all or part of my blessing to them. It's a better system because then I would not sit around imagining how generous I am. Give them an increase in their social security check, let them win at bingo, whatever. Still disappointed in myself, I was certain God would answer this prayer also.

I did not receive a decent raise for the next eight or nine years. That put me in the unusual position of feeling good about that fact! God was still answering my prayer to bless that old couple.

All good things must come to an end. Regretfully, I can tell you approximately when both of them were deceased. The company where I was employed endured a series of downsizing, right sizing, restructuring, etc, as many companies did during the nineties. Near the end of those events the company was put up for sale. During this period no one dared to even ask for a raise, all were simply hoping to retain their jobs. I received a nearly 14% salary increase near the end of this period. My immediate supervisor did not understand how this was possible. It indicated to me that the old couple did not need help any longer, probably they had passed away. I felt sad the entire day.

The head of the southern region for a company where I once worked gave me some advice regarding prayer which is worthwhile passing on to others. We never discussed religion at work and I'm not sure how the conversation came about. I believe I was discussing my sleeping problems with him and how my mind was constantly considering dozens of things. I would even solve software problems in my sleep. Then I mentioned that upon going to bed I would begin my prayers and switch to several other items before realizing I had never completed my prayers.

He suggested that I get on my knees for my prayers. One does not get on his knees to worry about work, school, children, family, etc. You are down there for one reason, to pray. So your mind does not wander until you say amen and get off your knees. A simple, but effective solution!

What the Bible Teaches about Prayer


The Power of Prayer:

Prayer is the most powerful tool any Christian can use:

And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it. (John 14:13-14)

Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. (Matthew 7:7-8)

God desires to shower blessings upon believers:

If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? (Matthew 7:11)

However, one critical element is that we must believe and have faith that our prayers will be answered:

And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive. (Matthew 21:22)

Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. (Mark 11:24)


How to pray:

One of the disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray. Jesus' answer was:

After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. (Matthew 6:9-13)

What we call the Lord's Prayer is also in the book of Luke:

And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth. Give us day by day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. (Luke 11:2-4)

Notice that the closing lines are not included in the version presented in Luke. These last two lines in Matthew are also not included in many non-King James translations of the original Greek language. Roman Catholics do not include these lines as part of the Lord's Prayer, whereas most Protestants do include them:

For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. (Matthew 6:13)

The Lord's Prayer lists the items which we should always pray for. In addition, one usually has other personal requests to ask of God. We are to pray in private. Prayer should be a private conversation with God:

But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. (Matthew 6:6)

This is not to say that we cannot say a prayer in our head anywhere, anytime, anyplace. Although our prayers should be private and personal, look at what Jesus says regarding the prayers of groups of Christians:

And I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. (Matthew 18:19-20)

Before we pray for forgiveness, we are instructed to forgive those who have harmed us:

And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have aught against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses. (Mark 11:25-26)

Remember that this was also in the Lord's Prayer:

And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. (Matthew 6:12)

In prayer, we need to humble ourselves before God. The parable of the Pharisee and the publican illustrates this important principle:

Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. (Luke 18:10-14)

Incredibly, the Bible instructs us to pray for our enemies! This can be a very difficult concept for us humans:

But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? (Matthew 5:44-46)

We can actually overcome our enemies by treating them well:

Therefore, if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:20-21)

If you do bad things to your enemy you will create a cycle of retaliation; eye for an eye, this for that. Look at Israel and Palestine today. No one will stop the violence because one side is always retaliating for the last violent act committed against them. After they retaliate the roles reverse and the other side retaliates. They are thus caught in a cycle of retaliations.


How Not To Pray:

We are not to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the street, or anywhere else, that we may be seen of men:

And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. (Matthew 6:5)

The key phrase here is, "that they may be seen of men." It is not wrong to lead any congregation in prayer if it is a sincere prayer, and not for show. Those who pray anywhere to be seen of men have their reward. Their reward is to be seen and praised by men. "Oh what a wonderful Christian he (or she) is!"

What does this say regarding the school prayer debate? Any person can pray anywhere, anyplace, anytime, anyhow in their heart and mind, without anyone else being aware that they are praying. We should question the motives of those who insist on public prayer to begin school or sporting events. When Christians force nonbelievers to participate or listen to their prayers and rituals, it is an admission that their efforts have failed! Therefore, they must use their power in the government to force their beliefs on others.

Our prayers should not include vain repetitions:

But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him. (Matthew 6:7-8)


END CHAPTER 24

Chapter 25

START CHAPTER 25

Today is the Day of Salvation

For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succored thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of of salvation. (II Corinthians 6:2)

For years we have been taught this scripture means one must accept or reject Jesus Christ before one dies the first time, to either be saved and enter the Kingdom of Heaven, or unsaved and spend eternity in the agony of hellfire. Does that sound fair to you?

Let's consider some of these lost souls which are consigned to the alleged eternal punishment in hellfire. There are the billions or trillions who never even heard the name Jesus. What about everyone who lived before Jesus was even born? These could not be saved under the Old Testament, for all had sinned. What about those mentally incompetent? What about children who died before they understood about Jesus? What about abortions? Based on present mainstream Christian theology all of these, except for the children, are presently burning in hell.

Absolutely none of these people were ever given a choice to accept or reject Jesus as their Savior before their death! The good news of the gospel was never explained to them. Ask yourself once again, "Is this a fair and just system?" In fact, God is fair and just, and none of those listed above will be unjustly cast into hell:

Great and marvelous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. (Revelation 15:3)

So God is indeed just and true. But the only way to escape the second death is to believe in Jesus and multitudes have died never having even heard the name of Jesus! Must these unjustly suffer the second death? Heaven, we have a problem! Of course, the problem did not originate in heaven. The problem is man's inability to understand the scriptures which are sealed up from his understanding. Consider the following verse:

I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: (Deuteronomy 30:19)

Only after the true gospel message has been placed before each person can that person truly make a choice between eternal life and the second death as described above. However, untold numbers of people have lived and died without ever hearing the good news of the gospel. Therefore, they could not make a choice. Let's now consider the phrase "now is the day of salvation" in greater detail.

What "day" do we really live in? In a broader sense, what "age" do we live in? We are living in the age of man. Man was created and given dominance over the earth in the Genesis recreation. We are under the sway of Satan and God intervenes as required to keep His master plan on track. With those exceptions, man rules today's earth! Man's will is being done on earth, not God's. In fact, the first request we are instructed to pray for in the Lord's Prayer is for God's will to be done on earth:

Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name, Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. (Matthew 6:9-10)

So today we are in the age of man or the day of man. This entire day or age of man is the accepted time in which men may seek salvation, "now is the day of salvation." But isn't this making the same claim that humans must accept Jesus before dying their first death? After all, isn't that the only time they will be alive to make the choice? No, this is not the case! The majority of humans will have two periods of life with physical bodies on the earth. Every human who ever lived will be resurrected. However, only those with their names written in the book of life will be resurrected as immortal spiritual bodies:

And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life... (Daniel 12:2)

Recall that there are only two body types defined in the Bible, terrestrial or physical and celestial or spiritual. The many that sleep in the dust of the earth are those humans who have died and been buried. The "some" that awake to everlasting life are Christians who are born again as spirits and thus awake to everlasting life. Since there are only two body types, those not awakened as celestial bodies must be awakened as the other body type, which is terrestrial. They have been resurrected as the same physical body type in which they lived and died their first physical death on the earth. If men are still alive after the resurrections, then that time is still within the day of man, and salvation can be attained then! As long as any one human is still alive and conscious that human can accept Jesus Christ and be saved. The New Testament requirement for salvation (John 3:16) does not mention any time limitations. It is true that men must accept or reject Jesus before they die. However, men truly die at their second death, not their first! Their first death is spoken of as sleep or rest. Therefore, men can accept Jesus and be born again as immortal spiritual beings into the Kingdom of God up to their second death!

When did this age or day of man begin? It began when man was created and given dominance over the earth as described in Genesis:

And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. (Genesis 1:26)

When will the age of man end? It will end when there are no more men. This occurs between two consecutive verses in the Bible, Revelation 20:15 and Revelation 21:1. Revelation 20:15 occurs after the millennium and after the final great white throne judgment. After completion of the great white throne judgment every human being will have either been born again as a spiritual body or cast into the lake of fire and suffered the second death. There will be no more physical human bodies and there never will be again. Therefore, the age of man is over:

And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:15)

This marks the end of "our" age. The age of man will have covered seven thousand years, six thousand since the Genesis creation of man plus the millennium. Man can no longer be saved because there are no more men. The age of Jesus Christ's rule on earth now begins:

And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. (Revelation 21:1-2)

This new age will last for eternity. The second death is final. There is no possibility of any future life once a person has suffered the second death. It is permanent! The trillions of molecules of hydrogen, nitrogen, calcium, etc; which made up that physical body can now be used to make something useful; perhaps a brick, grass, water, or a flower. The following scripture indicates that we should fear the one who has power over the second death:

And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him. (Luke 12:4-5)

We should not fear those that can kill only our physical bodies, which is our first physical death. Those are other men. We should fear, or respect, God. God has the power over casting you into hell and causing your permanent, second death.

So man can gain salvation up to the end of the age of man. The age of man will end when the age of God's rule on earth in the form of Jesus Christ begins. As long as any man is alive it is possible for him to attain salvation until he suffers the second death.

At the second mass resurrection those who did not believe in Christ when they were buried will be raised from their graves as mortal human bodies. The vast multitude of people who had never even heard of Jesus, those who had never heard the true gospel message, those who were infants or otherwise incompetent to make decisions, along with those who lived before Jesus died on the cross for their sins, will now have their first true choice regarding their salvation. This will be after their initial death as humans. Do you recall the following verse which was quoted in a previous chapter?

And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Jesus Christ. (II Timothy 3:15)

Does this scripture not become perfectly clear now? These untold numbers of people resurrected as mortals at the second resurrection will now have their first true choice between accepting or rejecting Jesus as their personal Savior. Who will teach them the scriptures so that they can make an informed decision? Children! Who are these children? They are those Christians who were born again as spiritual children of God at the first mass resurrection:

Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection. (Luke 20:36)

These children of the resurrection are now one thousand years of age, having lived through the millennium period of rest and training. In fact, they are only one day old children! Remember that they are now immortal spiritual beings, and to them one thousand years are as one of mortal man's days. So these born again Christians are still children, being one day old. The pastors and priests which we are familiar with today did not accomplish the job. These born again Christians who are now children of the resurrection have become the immortal spiritual priests of God and Christ:

Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. (Revelation 20:6)

These priests will teach the true gospel message of the scriptures to the untold number of nonbelievers who were resurrected again as physical beings at the second resurrection. Therefore, the vast bulk of humanity will not hear the gospel message from piously robed "men of God" with honorary prefixes attached to their names. They will hear it from children! These one day old spiritual children of God:

And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures... (II timothy 3:15)

As these mortals accept Jesus as their Savior they will be born again (converted) as spiritual children of God:

Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 18:3)

Those who still reject Jesus will suffer the second death when cast into the fires of hell. What will happen to them? Since they are mortal beings, they will quickly perish in the fire:

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)

There are always reasons for God's actions. The reasons are never hatred or revenge, because God is love. He is not raising the nonbelievers from the dead to simply watch them suffer the second death. It is their chance to choose, their day of salvation. It is the first opportunity for most of them!

When is the best time to gain salvation? "Now is the day of salvation" answers this question also. The answer is now, as soon as possible, this day and hour and minute. Thus your life on earth will be happy and meaningful. However, your first death does not mark the end of your opportunity for salvation.

One sign of the end times is that the gospel must first be preached in the entire world before the end of this age, the age of man, can occur:

And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. (Matthew 24:14)

In fact, the "great commission" in Matthew 28:19-20 commands Christians to accomplish this very prophecy. However, even with our wonderful worldwide communication systems of today, will we ever achieve this great accomplishment? No! God has to send an angel to fulfill this prophecy so that the age of man can end:

And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people. (Revelation 14:6)

Although man will not succeed in spreading the gospel to all nations, we should highly respect those who abandon the good life of our wonderful country in an effort to fulfill the great commission. They share the misery of third world countries while ministering to, aiding, healing, and teaching the gospel as they were taught it to desperate people. Surely these missionaries will have their good works written in books in heaven as well as having their rewards on earth.

Imagine holding a frail child in your arms. He is sick, has skinny arms and legs, with a bloated stomach from malnutrition, and stares pleadingly into your eyes. At that moment he knows you care for and love him and you sense that. That one moment surely is worth more than the money, cars, boats, and every other possession that missionary left behind. In a sense he or she is looking into the eyes of God:

Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee ahungered, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily, I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. (Matthew 25:37-40)

The great French missionary, doctor, and philosopher, Albert Schweitzer; who spent his last years in a small, remote town called Lambarene somewhere in Gabon, Africa; had a wonderfully simple little saying:

"Everyone has his Lambarene."


END CHAPTER 25

Chapter 26

START CHAPTER 26

Heaven and Hell - Real Places?

Ask any child where the devil lives and their answer will be that the devil lives in hell. Their description of the devil will be that he is red with black trim, has horns and a long tail, carries a pitchfork, and loves to torture bad little children. Children are not born with these ridiculous beliefs, they learn them from ignorant adults. Many use this fear of the devil to persuade children to behave. Be good or you will go to the devil! It is apparently very important to instill fear at an early age since this is the basis for many of our religions. In actuality, hell is not the home of the devil, his domain is the earth. Hell is going to be the eternal prison of the devil:

And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. (Revelation 20:10)

As for his appearance, the devil or Satan, masquerades as an angel of light:

For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. (II Corinthians 11:13-14)

So Satan's description and home as taught to children by most adults is totally fictional when compared to the truth of the Bible. It becomes even more absurd when Santa and the Easter Bunny are interjected. Here are two concepts which children truly want to believe in. Once again, adults use these myths to bribe good behavior from children. Good little children receive lots of toys from Santa Claus.

Theologians and churches state that Santa and the Easter Bunny have absolutely no association with their religions. Really? Is it coincidence that Santa Claus appears on Christmas and the Easter Bunny on Easter, the two holiest of Christian holidays? Children make the association! If parents claim to their children that these myths are true, they lose much credibility when the children learn otherwise. If mommy and daddy lied about Santa and the Easter Bunny, perhaps they are not totally truthful about the existence of God either. Children are supposed to believe in a God they cannot see and be good to get to heaven. They are told to believe in Him on faith, but faith in their main source of learning has been shaken. Perhaps when they get older they will be told there is no God just like Santa and the Easter Bunny. Thus, another of Satan's tricks has succeeded!

Ask any child where heaven is located and they will invariably point up. Ask them where hell is and they will point down toward the earth. A few short years later they are taught science in school and learn that the earth is round and rotates on its axis. Therefore, when they point up or down toward the earth and sky; twelve hours later when they point up or down they can be pointing as much as 180 degrees in the opposite direction! What can that mean? Were the teachings about heaven or hell incorrect? Perhaps they really meant that hell in located in the earth, or below us, and heaven is up there away from the earth, or above us.

After leaving home and surviving day-to-day by their own wits for a few years it is an easy progression that hell is truly here on earth. Whereas heaven is obviously somewhere else! Heaven is far up there away from the earth, greatly separated from the earth. The truth is that no human knows the location of heaven and hell. Of course, no one desires to admit their ignorance, so we point up or down, which is sufficiently vague to allow for many interpretations. Since man does not know, he points up and down. The only possible indication of the location of hell in the Bible is that it is in "outer darkness:"

Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew 22:13)

And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew 25:30)

Terms such as "cast" and "there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth" imply that these verses are references to hell:

And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:15)

If these verses do refer to hell, then hell is located in outer darkness. But what does "outer darkness" mean? As an indicator of location in our universe this has no meaning to man. If the universe is indeed infinite, then from any point in the universe one can travel infinitely in all directions and never reach the end of the universe. Therefore, outer and inner have no meaning as locations within our universe. "Outer darkness" could indicate the state of death. That is, the darkest of dark, without any light or cognizance. After all, the dead know not anything:

For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing... (Ecclesiastes 9:5)

Indeed, "outer darkness" is a good description of hell as regards man, since all men cast into hell are quickly burned to death. This is their second death and the end of their existence; thus, outer darkness.

On a smaller scale, we can create our own "heaven" and "hell" here on earth. More people seem to lean toward the creation of their own hell as opposed to heaven, "Life is hell!"

Then there are the rare few who could be happy living on death row. The Texas "pickaxe murderer" Carla Faye Tucker claimed to have become a Christian on death row. Appearing on television shortly before her execution she was full of life and apparently happy, always with a beautiful smile. Her desire was to live and minister to other prisoners. The "Son of Sam" serial killer, David Berkowitz, claims to be a "born again Christian." He is happier and saner than he ever was outside of prison. Many others turn to the Islamic faith or other religions while in prison. Are these so called "death row conversions" real, or are they simply publicity stunts and efforts to please parole boards and authorities?

Many would not agree with my thoughts on this topic. I not only believe that most of them are sincere, I believe they are to be expected! These are the humans one should expect to seek God. Man has to be severely beaten down if he is ever to admit that his way is wrong. How much lower can one go than to be locked in a small cage, with every necessity of life under other people's control, awaiting their early death? You are no longer in control of your life. Perhaps it is similar to being in a foxhole which is being shelled. The next shell could have your name on it! You have no control over that shell. Ever hear the saying, "There are no atheists in a foxhole?" Is it any wonder that these people seek help from a higher authority? They have finally realized that what they have been doing is not working!

While some who have lost all control over their lives can be happy and cheerful, many of the unhappiest people I've ever known claim to be Christians! These Christians have all the physical items which should make their life fulfilling, yet they are obviously miserable. Belief in the immortal soul myth as instilled in them by Satan and their clergy at an early age causes them a lifetime of worry and misery. They worry about their family and friends possibly burning in hellfire for eternity. Oh what could I do to save them? Christian mothers constantly worry about where their children will spend their "eternity." Their primary duty is to save them from eternal torment in the fires of hell. In many instances this constant anxiety is carried over into their daily activities. Many cannot make a decision without worrying whether or not it was right or wrong!

Although we can create our own personal "heaven" or "hell" here on earth regardless of our circumstances, what about the larger question? Are heaven and hell real places? The answer to that question according to the Bible is definitely yes. The Bible specifically mentions heaven and hell as real places where beings can go. There are numerous verses which indicate that hell is a real place:

And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. (Matthew 5:30)

But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him. (Luke 12:5)

Hell is in existence presently. The only "inmates" currently are the angels which sinned:

For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment; (II Peter 2:4)

Four words were translated from the original scriptures as hell in the King James Version of the Bible. They are:

Hades and Sheol - The Hebrew word sheol in the Old Testament corresponds to the Greek word Hades in the New Testament.

Gehenna - This Greek word referred to the garbage dump in the valley of Hinnon outside of Jerusalem. Fires were maintained constantly in the dump to burn garbage and prevent disease. Thus the association of Gehenna hell with everlasting fire.

Tartaroo - This Greek word is found only once in the Bible in 2 Peter 2:4. It means to throw into or imprison in Tartarus. Tartarus was thought of by the Greeks as a subterranean place lower than Hades where divine punishment was administered upon fallen angels:

For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell (Tartaroo), and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment; (II Peter 2:4)

If these four words refer to hell, one might assume that in all occurrences they would be translated as hell. That is not the case. Sheol for example, is translated thirty-one times as "hell," thirty-one times as "grave," and three times as "pit" in the King James Version of the Bible. Therefore, it is obvious that the translators allowed their understanding of the context in which the original words were used to sway their word selection in the translated version.

The word heaven is used as a noun throughout the Bible. That is, it is a real place:

That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven... (Matthew 5:45)

Our Father which art in heaven...     (Matthew 6:9)

I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance. (Luke 15:7)

And no man hath ascended up to heaven...   (John 3:13)

The English language has two meanings for the word heaven or heavens. One is the abode of God and the other is the space around the earth. The space shuttle can transport one up into the heavens but not to heaven. The context in which the word is used must be considered when determining its meaning. For example:

Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. (Matthew 24:35)

This verse indicates that the earth and its associated atmosphere shall pass away. Consider the following two verses:

And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. (John 3:13)

And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. (II Kings 2:11)

It is obvious that both of these verses cannot be true if both references to "heaven" refer to the home of God. Therefore, for both of these verses to be true, Elijah would have to be taken up into the sky by a whirlwind to another part of the earth, and not up to heaven where God resides. The first verse states that no man has ascended up to heaven except Jesus, the Son of Man. No man would include Elijah. Therefore, Elijah went up by a whirlwind into the sky or atmosphere. In addition, if heaven is away from the earth, Second Kings 2:11 is a physical impossibility as translated in the King James Bible! That is, whirlwinds only exist in atmospheres. Whirlwinds cannot occur or travel in the vacuum of space. Therefore, one could not travel through the vacuum of space in a whirlwind to another location. Second Kings 2:11 would be translated better as:

And Elijah went up by a whirlwind into the heavens.

Elijah's mission was completed at that earthly location and his life was in danger as he had angered powerful religious leaders. So God transported him somewhere else through the atmosphere in a whirlwind.


END CHAPTER 26

Chapter 27

START CHAPTER 27

When We All Get To Heaven?

Recall from Chapter 2 False Teachings, that there is a basic flaw in current mainstream Christian theology preventing Christians from spending eternity in heaven! That flaw is the bodily resurrection doctrine! This doctrine states that the dead bodies of Christians will be resurrected incorruptible and joined with their immortal souls which have been waiting in heaven. But if your soul and physical body are reunited, you can no longer remain in heaven:

Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God;... (I Corinthians 15:50)

Nonetheless, during a church service I attended recently the pastor asked everyone who desired to spend eternity in heaven with God to raise their hands. My hand was probably the only one not raised. I am perfectly content to spend eternity where the Bible states all born again Christians will spend it, with Jesus Christ.

Nowhere in the Bible is it ever indicated that Christians will spend eternity in heaven or even go to heaven. But regardless of what the Bible indicates, the goal of spending eternity in heaven remains a basic theology of all Christian churches and organizations! In fact, the only human who has ever died and gone to heaven is Jesus Christ:

So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. (Mark 16:19)

And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven. (Luke 24:51)

And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. (John 3:13)

Since going to heaven is a basic theology of virtually every Christian denomination, pastors should be able to verify this belief using biblical references as proofs! Ask one to do so! He or she will most likely quote the statement spoken by Jesus to one of the criminals crucified with Him as "proof" that Christians are going to heaven for eternity:

And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise. (Luke 23:43)

However, notice that the above verse does not even contain the word "heaven." So where might this paradise be?

To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. (Revelation 2:7)

The tree of life is now in the midst of the paradise of God. Where was the tree of life when first mentioned in the scriptures? It was on the earth in the Garden of Eden:

And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil. (Genesis 2:9)

The Garden of Eden was also a paradise when it was created. Also notice that we must eat of the tree of life to gain eternal life. Remember that Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden of Eden so that they could not eat of the tree of life and live forever. Now consider the following verses describing the Lord's Supper:

And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. (Matthew 26:26-28)

We are to eat of Jesus' body and drink of His blood under the New Testament for forgiveness of sins! When the tree of life was in the Garden of Eden was Jesus there also? Speaking of Jesus, or the Word, John states:

All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made. (John 1:3)

We know that a creation was taking place in the garden and Jesus created everything! Therefore, Jesus was there in the Garden of Eden. So Jesus and the tree of life were in the Garden of Eden at the same time and the Garden of Eden was a paradise after it was recreated by Jesus. The tree of life has now relocated to the midst of the paradise of God:

To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. (Revelation 2:7)

God is in heaven. We are instructed to pray to, "Our Father which art in heaven." Therefore, the tree of life is now in heaven in the midst of the paradise of God. Jesus is also in heaven now preparing the place He will bring back to earth when He returns. Heaven is definitely a paradise.

We are to eat of the tree of life to gain eternal life. Until Jesus' return, we are to perform the sacrament of the Lord's Supper that symbolizes our eating the body of Christ and drinking His blood. Jesus and the tree of life seem to be at the same places at the same time. Most places where Jesus has been located are called paradises. But is it the place or the fact that wherever Jesus is becomes a paradise? Or is simply being in the presence of the Son of God equivalent to being in paradise? After all, following the judgment everyone present will be a spirit. The physical characteristics of a paradise only apply to the physical world. These include beautiful scenery, great weather, great food, entertainment, etc. Physical characteristics do not concern spirits.

Could the tree of life simply be another name for Jesus Christ, as is the Word? Is Jesus the tree of life? Jesus states that He will not have another Lord's Supper with us until He returns:

But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father's kingdom. (Matthew 26:29)

After Jesus' Second Coming, Jesus will defeat Satan and the earth will become part of the Kingdom of God once again. Will the earth under Jesus' rule then be the paradise spoken of in Luke 23:43?

And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise. (Luke 23:43)

After all, the Bible indicates that the inheritance of the meek and those that wait upon the Lord is the earth:

Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. (Matthew 5:5)

For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth. (Psalm 37:9)

Heaven is the erroneous eternal destination of most Christians. In fact, it is also the goal of Muslims and Jews. Everyone seeks heaven. At every Christian funeral which I have ever attended the presiding pastor stated that the deceased person is now in a better place. He or she has gone to heaven to live with God for eternity. In actuality, the Bible never states that Christians are going to heaven! It always indicates that believers will enter or become members of the Kingdom of Heaven or Kingdom of God:

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 7:21)

Although these two terms are interchangeable, the Kingdom of Heaven applies to the geographical location, whereas the Kingdom of God applies to the inhabitants of the Kingdom of Heaven. We are told specifically where the Kingdom of God is located, and it is not any geographical location:

The Kingdom of God cometh not with observance: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you. (Luke 17:20-21)

So the Kingdom of God cannot be seen. No one can say here it is or there it is. It is within you. The Kingdom of God is in your heart and mind. So the Kingdom of God is different from the Kingdom of Heaven! The Kingdom of God consists of those who believe in the Trinity of God. This belief is in their heart and mind. The Kingdom of Heaven is a geographical area.

But as the eternal home of Christians is not heaven the same as the Kingdom of Heaven? It is natural to assume that the geographical location heaven would be included within the Kingdom of Heaven, but they are not necessarily the same. The entire kingdom could be much larger than its center or base of activity which is heaven itself. That is, the ruler is God the Father who rules from heaven. His rule extends over the entire Kingdom of Heaven. This will eventually include the earth which will be ruled by Jesus. Jesus is presently in heaven preparing a place for us:

I go to prepare a place for you.     (John 14:2)

When our place is ready, Jesus will bring it back to earth upon His return:

And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. (John 14:3)

And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. (Revelation 21:1-2)

Jesus has been preparing our new earth and its associated surroundings for the past two thousand years. He is bringing His new creation back to the earth when He returns and Christians will be with Jesus for eternity. "That where I am, there ye may be also."

Is the earthly world presently part of the Kingdom of Heaven? No, it is basically a colony which has rebelled under Satan and some of his angels and broken away from the kingdom. However, the kingdoms of this world will once again become the kingdoms of our Lord and Christ:

The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever. (Revelation 11:15)

The earth will once again become part of the Kingdom of Heaven. It will not be heaven, but will be under God's rule and part of the Kingdom of Heaven as is heaven itself. This will occur when Jesus returns to take back control of the earth from Satan. And how long does Jesus our Lord intend to reign on the earth?

The Lord shall reign for ever and ever.       (Exodus 15:18)

The Lord shall reign for ever...                   (Psalm 146:10)

And they shall reign for ever and ever.       (Revelation 22:5)

And what are the born again Christians going to be doing after Jesus' return?

We shall also reign with him.       (II Timothy 2:12)

And how long are the born again Christians going to be with the Lord Jesus?

Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. (I Thessalonians 4:17)

Where will Jesus base His rule and locate His tabernacle to rule the earth? The holy city of Jerusalem:

And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. (Revelation 21:2-3)

New Jerusalem is part of what Jesus has been preparing for us over the past two thousand years. He will bring it down from heaven upon His return. Since Jesus is going to rule the earth forever from new Jerusalem, and we will rule with Him, and be with Him forever, where does that place us forever and ever? On the earth!

Once again, Satan with assistance from our clergy has deceived us! The final destination for virtually all of man's religions is somewhere other than this horrible earth. Most Christians have been deceived into believing their eternal home will be heaven where God the Father resides. However, the job site for earthly caretakers who replace Satan and his crew is on the earth, which once again will become part of the Kingdom of Heaven. Satan and our clergy have been trying to convince us that the earth is a terrible job location. According to them we need to escape the earth. There is no way we should desire to remain on the earth for eternity! Life on earth is often equated with hell. Life is hell! Let's get the hell out of here. Let's go to heaven!

The earth will become part of the Kingdom of Heaven, and born again Christians are going to spend eternity ruling the earth with Jesus Christ. If you are now a Christian and do not desire to live in paradise on the earth in the Kingdom of God forever and ever with Jesus Christ, perhaps now would be a good time for you to renounce Him. Your life will then end when you suffer the second death. Therefore, you will not be stuck in this hellhole for eternity!

When the age of man is over the earth will become part of the Kingdom of Heaven once again. The Kingdom of Heaven is where the scriptures state that born again Christians shall reside:

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 7:21)

The scriptures never indicate that Christians cannot or will not go to heaven. After all, it is also included in the Kingdom of Heaven. However, their home base will definitely be the good earth!


END CHAPTER 27

Chapter 28

START CHAPTER 28

The Sabbath and the End Times

Ask any Christian which day of the week is the Sabbath and most will state that it is Sunday. Others might attempt to show their intelligence by stating that the Christian Sabbath is Sunday and the Jewish Sabbath is Saturday.

In fact, there is only one Sabbath and it is the last or seventh day of the calendar week, which is Saturday. How did Christians get deceived into changing the Sabbath day from the last day of the week to the first day of the week? On March 7, 321 Roman Emperor Constantine I decreed: "On the venerable Day of the Sun let the magistrates and people residing in the cities rest, and let all workshops be closed." This "Day of the Sun" is our Sunday and was so named in honor of the sun god, Apollo. Although this decree sanctioned Sunday worship, the practice clearly existed many years prior to 321 CE. Observe the following quote of St. Ignatius who died in the year 107 CE:

Sunday is expressly distinguished from the Sabbath which it follows chronologically every week; for Christians its ceremonial observance replaces that of the Sabbath. In Christ's Passover, Sunday fulfills the spiritual truth of the Jewish Sabbath and announces man's eternal rest in God. For worship under the Law prepared for the mystery of Christ, and what was done there prefigured some aspects of Christ: Those who lived according to the old order of things have come to a new hope, no longer keeping the Sabbath, but the Lord's Day, in which our life is blessed by him and his death. -- St. Ignatius of Antioch

Did a few men know better than God as to what day of the week should be our special day of worship and rest? We should no longer keep the Sabbath but the "Lord's Day?" Hogwash!

By the time Martin Luther began the Protestant Reformation, Sunday had become engrained in the Catholic Church as the "Christian Sabbath." It has remained so in most Protestant denominations. Very few Protestant churches had the courage to return to the true Sabbath. It is obvious that the significance of the Sabbath was lost on all these piously religious men.

From the quote of St. Ignatius of Antioch above it is clear that the church recognizes the first day of the week, Sunday, is not the Sabbath. It replaces the Sabbath. What do the Protestants really believe? Do the Protestant leaders recognize that Sunday is not the Sabbath? In a pamphlet published by Life Way Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention entitled The Baptist Faith and Message, beliefs important to Southern Baptists are listed. This pamphlet is described as "A statement adopted by the Southern Baptist Convention June 14, 2000." Under the heading VIII. The Lord's Day is the following:

The first day of the week is the Lord's Day. It is a Christian institution for regular observance. It commemorates the resurrection of Christ from the dead and should include exercises of worship and spiritual devotion, both public and private. Activities on the Lord's Day should be commensurate with the Christian's conscience under the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

There is nothing wrong with that statement as such. It does not state that the "Lord's Day" replaces the Sabbath. However, listed below their statement are Bible references which supposedly support that statement. The first reference is Exodus 20:8-11, which begins:

Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.   (Exodus 20:8)

Duh? There is no relationship between the above Southern Baptist statement and the fourth commandment of remembering the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. There is nothing wrong with their statement. However, regardless of what they do on Sunday, the first day of the week, they should keep the Saturday Sabbath holy and not work on that day.

I do not know the true reason why Christianity changed the Sabbath. Saint Ignatius' statement does not indicate why it was changed, it only seeks to justify the change. Most Roman Catholic and Protestant laymen today consider Sunday to be their Sabbath. However, the leaders of the Roman Catholic Church and the Southern Baptists both recognize that Sunday is not the true Sabbath as defined in the Bible. Both recognize that Sunday is the first day of the week, and not the seventh. The Bible states that the seventh day of the week is the Sabbath. Therefore, assuming that both of these leaderships read the Bible, they know that Sunday is definitely not the Sabbath day:

But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work,... (Exodus 20:10)

To this day most Christians do not see any harm in this change. So what? It just does not matter. In a sense, people who say this are correct. Since they do not understand the significance of the Sabbath and what it is a sign of, it would not make any difference if they did keep the true Sabbath holy. Except of course that they would be keeping the fourth commandment:

Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work: but the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it. (Exodus 20:8-11)

Even though it is a commandment, would God even care that we changed the Sabbath? What's the big deal? The verses above state what the big deal is. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it. But Christians know how God created the heaven and earth in six days and rested on the seventh day without the Sabbath. Except for the fact that we are disobeying the fourth commandment, what else are Christians losing by not recognizing the Sabbath? Is there any other significance to the Sabbath? Let's explore this further:

It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed. (Exodus 31:17)

Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctify you. (Exodus 31:13)

Moreover also I gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctify them. (Ezekiel 20:12)

Christians may have switched to Sunday to disassociate themselves from the Jews. The above verses specifically state that the Sabbath is a sign between God and the children of Israel. However, although the scriptures were sent to God's chosen people first, they apply equally to Jews and Gentiles:

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. (Romans 1:16)

If Christians switched the Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday due to anti-Semitism it was even more misguided. The Ten Commandments apply to all mankind! Man is almost comical. He is always asking God to give him a sign:

But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it... (Matthew 12:39)

For the Jews require a sign...   (I Corinthians 1:22)

Don't just tell us, give us a sign! So God gives man an obvious sign. It is blatantly broadcast as a sign! This is not some deeply hidden remote scripture. In three separate verses discussing the Sabbath day, the Bible states:

It is a sign...       (Exodus 31:13)

It is a sign...       (Exodus 31:17)

I gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign... (Ezekiel 20:12)

How does man respond? The "Christian" church ignores the sign. It replaces the Sabbath with a day of their choosing. They know a better way! Let's observe our "Sabbath" on the first day of the week and call it the "Lord's Day." That will certainly please God. Wrong! It pleases Satan!

From the above verses it is evident that the Sabbath, the seventh day of the calendar week, Saturday, is given to all mankind as a sign; but a sign of what? What does the sign point to? What are we supposed to look for? A Sabbath is a period of rest following six previous equal periods of work. The periods are not always equal to a day:

Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye come into the land which I give you, then shall the land keep a sabbath unto the Lord. Six years thou shalt sow thy field, and six years thou shalt prune thy vineyard, and gather in the fruit thereof; But in the seventh year shall be a sabbath of rest unto the land, a sabbath for the Lord: thou shalt neither sow thy field, nor prune thy vineyard. (Leviticus 25:2-4)

The Sabbath defined above for farmland is to sow and harvest the land for six years, then let it rest the seventh year. If one performed a study today, this would be discovered to be the most productive method to farm land. Much land has been ruined in the past by over farming. Today we add fertilizers to artificially keep the land productive.

Today's Christians should be at work spreading the gospel:

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you... (Matthew 28:19-20)

Although all cannot go, we can make it possible to send others. In addition, we can feed, clothe, house, visit, and heal people in need. It is obvious that all Christians should presently be in a working mode. Man was instructed in Genesis to be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth. In addition, we are working against the devil! Is there a period of rest coming for Christians?

There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. (Hebrews 4:9-10)

According to the Bible, there will be a period of rest for God's people. Once again, this is a scripture with a dual meaning. Most of God's people will die their first death on the earth. After they die, they rest in their graves as do all humans who have died. Rest in peace. Therefore, they do not go immediately to heaven when they die. The only body they have is a physical body which has died. They "rest" in their graves while awaiting their resurrection and rebirth as a spiritual body at the Second Coming of Jesus.

The second meaning of this verse is that it is a prophecy or prediction of the millennium. The Sabbath is defined as a period of rest. The people of God also await the millennium period of rest. When will this period of rest, or Sabbath, for all of God's people occur?

And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshiped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, (Revelation 20:1-7)

This scripture details what we know as the millennium. It is a thousand-year period in which our adversary Satan is imprisoned. The first mass resurrection for humans occurs. Only Christians are resurrected during this resurrection. They are born again as spiritual beings and become priests of God and Christ. They live and reign with Jesus Christ for the thousand-year millennium. Since Satan is locked away during this time, it is truly a period of rest. At the end of the thousand years, Satan is released and it's back to work for "a little season." So the millennium is a period of rest, or Sabbath, equal to a thousand years. However, a thousand years to God seems like only one of our days:

For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night. (Psalm 90:4)

But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. (II Peter 3:8)

For the millennium to be a Sabbath, it must have been preceeded by six equal periods of work. Therefore, from the Genesis creation of man, we should have six one thousand year long periods of work before the millennium Sabbath begins. So the sign which the six-day Genesis recreation followed by the Sabbath day of rest points to is what we are living through presently! This is the age of man. Our age will be six thousand years of work, or six days to God since a thousand years is like one of our days, followed by a thousand years of rest which is the millennium Sabbath. It is an exact replica of the Genesis recreation! This is another of the many dualisms in the Bible.

The Genesis recreation required six earth days of twenty-four hours each. God then rested on the seventh day. Jesus is now working to prepare a place for those who believe in Him:

In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there you may be also. (John 14:2-3)

Following these six one thousand year "days" of work, Jesus will return to the earth and rest one "day" with Christians who are born again as spirits at His Second Coming. This "day" of rest is the millennium. Since we have been tricked into observing the wrong day as the Sabbath we do not recognize this pattern or sign. Theologians have been incorrectly guessing the date of the end times and the Second Coming of Christ because they have never understood the sign pointed to by the true Sabbath. So, how close are we to the Second Coming? Remember, if the Sabbath is a sign pointing to the end times and the Second Coming, then these events will occur 6,000 years from the Genesis recreation!

By my calculations performed in the year 2004, 5962 years with a possible error of plus or minus 10.5 years have passed since the Genesis recreation. My approach was to start from the first man Adam and go forward to some significant event which is documented in history books as well as in the Bible. That event was the destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar during the period 586-588 BC.

If the Sabbath is truly a sign pointing to the millennium, indicating that we have six one thousand year periods or God days before the millennium or end times occur, and 5962 years have passed since man was created, then we are truly near the end times. If 5962 is a good calculation the millennium will begin approximately (6000 - 5962) years from the year 2004. This would be in 38 years, or in the year 2042. However, my calculations contained a plus or minus error of 10.5 years. Taking that into account, the millennium should occur within the period of years 2032 to 2052, with the likely date being the year 2042.

Does this period make sense with other signs of the end times? One sign is that when Israel forms a nation for the second time, some of those alive will live to see the second coming of Christ. Israel became a nation the second time in 1948. Remember that God placed an upper limit of one hundred and twenty years on the life of man in Genesis 6:3. Therefore, the longest any Israeli baby born in 1948 could live would be to 1948 + 120, or the year 2068. The year 2042 is well within this maximum life period of those born in 1948. People born in 1948 will be ninety-four years of age in the year 2042. This life expectancy is not uncommon today.

In conclusion, we are in the beginning of, or very near the end times. The millennium is approximately thirty-eight years in the future from the year 2004!


END CHAPTER 28

Chapter 29

START CHAPTER 29

Mysteries of the Universe

For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly, but then face to face: now I know in part; but then, shall I know even as also I am known. (I Corinthians 13:9-12)

Will man ever understand all the mysteries of the gospel and the universe? No! For man (we) can know only in part. When shall the mysteries be revealed? When Jesus Christ (that which is perfect) returns to the earth. When that occurs, the mysteries and man (that which is in part) shall be done away with. There will be no more men alive after completion of the second resurrection, and judgments, and all sentences have been carried out. Likewise, there will be no more mysteries.

An earthly example is then given. When we are children, we do childish things. When we become adults, we put away childish things. Likewise, when we are humans, we do human things. When we become spiritual beings, we put away human things. Some mysteries which man cannot understand are as follows:


1) The Holy Bible

Man has gone to the moon and returned safely, built great structures, began to unravel DNA, and many other significant accomplishments. Yet man has never been able to read and understand a book called the Holy Bible. That is incredible! Granted the Bible is "sealed up until the end times." On the other hand, man has always considered himself to be highly intelligent. Why can't he simply read a book and understand what it states? In fact, we are so ignorant, we do not even realize that we do not understand the Bible! The first step in discovering the truth is realizing that the "gospel" we have been teaching is flawed.

In addition to the Bible being sealed up, one even smarter than man is fighting against us in our understanding of the Bible. That being is Satan. Satan's main trick in preventing us from understanding the Bible is the immortal soul myth. This myth that man is born with an immortal soul, is supported nowhere in the Bible. Therefore, once it is believed, the remainder of the Bible must be "interpreted" to mean other than what it actually states to support the myth. We are thus tricked into hiding the true gospel message from ourselves and others. We add authority to the words of those spreading this trick of Satan by giving them titles such as Doctor, Reverend, Priest, Bishop, and Father. These titles erroneously imply that they know of what they are preaching. The Bible warns that we should beware of false apostles:

For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works. (II Corinthians 11:13-15)

Why is Satan fighting man so intensely? Satan will lose his power and authority over the earth if prophecies in the Bible occur. Satan understands the Bible and knows exactly what his future holds if the prophecies are fulfilled. He will be restrained for all eternity in hell:

And the Devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. (Revelation 20:10)

Satan, or the Devil, is fighting to derail this plan. His desperation will become more and more intense as we approach the end times and get closer and closer to his predicted defeat. Working through the church, Satan changed our Sabbath day so that we will not even recognize or be prepared for the end times.

Why is mortal man a threat to Satan? Because man is being groomed to replace Satan's rebellious angels. Jesus will replace Satan as the supreme ruler of the earth. Those under Jesus will be angels who were formerly men. They will have been born again as spiritual beings.

Mortal man has one attribute which Satan does not possess. Man can reproduce himself. Man also has the capability of becoming a spirit. Since Satan cannot reproduce, he must recruit from the originally created spiritual bodies and man.


2) Infinity and existence

No man can understand infinity. Time and space are infinite. An example of time infinity are the first three words of the Bible, "In the beginning." No man can comprehend these first three words. Perhaps these three words set the tone for our understanding of the remainder of the Bible. We cannot comprehend that time does not extend back infinitely. Therefore, we can ask what was happening the day before "In the beginning." On the other hand, we cannot comprehend that everything does not have a starting point. Therefore, there must be a beginning! In the future direction we do not have a problem with time. No matter what happens, we believe the next second in time will occur. Time is thus never ending, or infinite. What happened in time before the beginning? Nothing? But nothing is something, because it occupied time. It takes time to do nothing.

With space we have a problem with distance in all directions. If you select any point in the universe and travel in a straight line from that point, you can travel forever in either direction without coming to an "end." Our mind cannot comprehend this concept. We believe that there must be an end! Perhaps after traveling at the speed of light for an almost infinite amount of time, we might state that from this point forward there is nothing. But once again, nothing is something because it occupies space. Nothing is the absence of something, or a vacuum. Man has shown that he can travel through the vacuum of space. Therefore, nothing is not the end since we can travel onward. We cannot conceive of the universe continuing forever and yet we cannot conceive of it never ending.

As proof that we do not understand the universe, all one has to do is observe our theories on the "shape" of the universe. One theory is that if one traveled from one point in a straight line, one would eventually return to that point. Guess what? That is not a straight line if one returns to the starting point without reversing directions! Other theories assign shapes to the universe, such as a saddle shape.

Nature and man abhor vacuums. We fill vacuums in our knowledge by creating theories. The theories we create about the shape of the universe only prove that we do not understand the infinite universe, and are attempting to define our way around our ignorance. Similarly, we do not understand our own existence.

Those who believe in a higher authority accept that God created everything below Himself. Those who do not believe in a god believe life evolved from initial single cell life. The Bible does not dispute evolution. There were dinosaurs millions of years ago. Humans are generally taller today than they were hundreds of years ago. That is evolution, and we continue to evolve. The only true point of contention between the creationists versus the evolutionists is in the original starting point! That is, did a creator originally create life, or did it simply occur naturally from lifeless materials?

In actuality, the case to prove for the evolutionists is much more complicated than it first appears. So what if some simple life form was somehow "sparked" into existence? It would be dead shortly, perhaps within milliseconds. It is not enough for life to be formed spontaneously. That first life must be formed capable of surviving. That is, it must know how to convert food to energy, etc. Furthermore, it had to be formed that first time knowing how to reproduce itself before it died. Even simple cell division requires knowledge. So those first simple cells had to be created the first time knowing how to reproduce, and how to survive long enough to reproduce. Otherwise, all new life would die off continually. This vastly complicates their theory.

What about the universe? Is there a design to the universe, or is it simply random? Let's look at a tiny speck in the vast universe, our solar system. Our solar system includes our star, the Sun, and its planets. Does our solar system have any design, plan, or pattern? In 1766 Johann Daniel Titius published his law regarding the distances of the planets from the Sun as follows:

Distance from the Sun in astronomical units = ( 3N + 4 )/10
where N = 0,1,2,4,8,16,32...(double to get the next number)

An astronomical unit is the distance of the earth from the Sun. That is, one astronomical unit (or simply AU) is equal to approximately 92.8 million miles. For example, from the chart below, Titius' law calculates the distance of Saturn from the sun as 10 AU. Therefore, Saturn would be ten times farther from the sun than earth. This law gives the following data for the distance of the planets from the Sun in astronomical units:

              Planet           Titius Law      Actual Distance        Error       Percent Error
              Mercury               0.40                0.39         -0.01               2.56
              Venus               0.70                0.72          0.02               2.78
              Earth                1.00                1.00          0.00               0.00
              Mars               1.60                1.52         -0.08               5.26
             Asteroid Belt               2.80                2.80          0.00               0.00
              Jupiter               5.20                5.20          0.00               0.00
             Saturn              10.00                9.54         -0.46               4.82
             Uranus              19.60               19.20         -0.40               2.01
              Neptune              38.80               30.10         -8.70             28.90
              Pluto             72.20               39.40       -37.80             95.94

Pluto is thought by many to have been created outside our solar system and captured later. Others believe that Pluto was once a moon of Neptune. Pluto has a highly elliptical orbit that at times brings it inside Neptune's orbit. It is thus questionable as to whether or not Pluto is a true original planet, and perhaps it should not be included in the above chart. The first seven planets and the asteroid belt fall very close to the values produced by the equation. That is, there is a design to our universe, as it fits a mathematical formula. If there is a design, does that indicate a designer?


3) Where Was Jesus' Spiritual Body When He Was a Man?

Many humans believe that they possess a spiritual body like the angels. This is totally absurd. However, the Son of God was indeed a spiritual body! When He came to earth as a man, where was His spirit? If it was somehow locked in with His physical body, then He was not a true man, because men have only physical bodies. There are celestial (heavenly spiritual) bodies and terrestrial (earthly physical) bodies, and they are different:

There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. (I Corinthians 15:40)

Thus Jesus had to shed His immortal celestial body and take on a terrestrial body temporarily when He came to the earth as a man:

But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. (Hebrews 2:9)

We will not understand how this was accomplished until Jesus returns.


4) The Trinity of God

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1)

The Word refers to Jesus, as God spoke to man through Jesus. How can Jesus be with God and also be God? How can the Son and the Father be the same? How can three separate beings be the same being?

For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. (I John 5:7)

Is Christianity a monotheistic religion, or a triumvirate? In other words, is their one God, or three? Throughout the Bible, Jesus Christ is also addressed as the Son of God, the Word, the Savior, the Lamb of God, Teacher, and other names. The Holy Ghost is also called the Holy Spirit and Comforter. God is generally spoken of as God, God the Father, or simply Father. That is, all three are referred to as individual beings.

Is the Trinity of God one spiritual body with separate functions being delegated to parts of that body?

For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. (I Corinthians 12:12)

On the other hand, could the phrase, "and these three are one," have a completely different meaning than presently believed. These verses could indicate that all three beings are one in agreement and purpose. Remember that the archangel Satan and other angels rebelled against God. The Son of God and the Holy Spirit never questioned God the Father's authority. Therefore, all three are in agreement as one being as to their plan and goals. That is, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are one in agreement and purpose. Thus they are as one being. We may not understand this completely until the Second Coming when we shall see Him (or them) face to face.


END CHAPTER 29

Chapter 30

START CHAPTER 30

God's Underdogs

And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead; that the stone sunk into his forehead, and he fell upon his face to the earth. (I Samuel 17:49)

Consider the small nation of Israel which is surrounded by enemies. Suppose these enemies banded together and planned a coordinated secret attack on all fronts during the holiest Israeli religious holiday of the year. A day in which virtually no one, including most of the military, is allowed to work. Perhaps the Israeli armed forces are outnumbered ten or twenty to one in personnel and equipment. What would be the world's opinion if Israel was totally defeated and driven into the sea? That would certainly be no surprise. Most would agree that was the expected outcome.

On the other hand, what if Israel somehow managed to quickly regroup and defeat the invaders on all fronts within only a few days? That would certainly be a shock! With the overwhelming odds against them, they could certainly not have overcome the enemy through their limited strength. Many would conclude that certainly God was on their side! This is exactly what occurred during the Yom Kippur War of October 1973. This is how God operates through the nations and individuals He chooses. As compared to man's theory of combat, God takes a totally opposite approach when fighting battles. Man cannot have too many soldiers or too much equipment, whereas God always wants His side to be the decisive underdog.

Consider one of many biblical examples. When Gideon led Israel against the Midianites, the original number of his army was 32,000. God instructed Gideon to allow any that were afraid or fearful to leave and 22,000 departed. This lowered the Israeli army to 10,000. There were still too many in God's estimation. He instructed Gideon to take all 10,000 down to the river for a drink. All who lapped the water with their tongue like a dog were allowed to remain. This brought the army's size down to 300 from an initial size of 32,000. With these three hundred, God allowed Gideon to defeat the Midianites. Why does God desire that the side He supports be the underdog?

And the Lord said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me. (Judges 7:2)

The children of Israel are God's chosen people. We are to observe them and recognize without a doubt that God punishes them when they disobey Him, and rewards them when they obey Him, regardless of their strength. If they had defeated the Midianites (for example) with a million man army, that would have been expected due to their strength, and they would have taken the credit. By defeating the vastly superior Midianites with only three hundred men, it had to be a miracle. Everyone, including the Israelis must conclude that they won because God was on their side. They did not win the battle, God did!

Likewise, God chooses the most unlikely candidates when selecting individuals to perform leadership roles. In the motion picture "The Ten Commandments," Charlton Heston played the part of Moses. He led the children of Israel out of Egyptian bondage with his booming voice and commanding physical appearance. Would those doing the casting have chosen the actual Moses of the Bible to play himself in the movie? Absolutely not! He did not come close to being the overpowering "Moses" required by the movie script! When God called Moses, Moses protested that he was "slow of speech":

And Moses said unto the Lord, O my Lord. I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou has spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue. (Exodus 4:10)

In fact, God allowed Moses to take his brother Aaron who spoke well, along with him to be his mouth:

And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people: and he shall be, even he shall be to thee instead of a mouth... (Exodus 4:16)

There is an excellent comparison between the leadership qualities desired by men versus those desired by God in the sixteenth chapter of First Samuel. God informs Samuel that He will choose a King of Israel from the sons of Jesse. Samuel is to review Jesse's sons, and God will tell him which one is to be anointed as king. The first to be reviewed was Eliab. Eliab was tall and impressive. He looked like a king! Samuel thought that surely this was the one. But the Lord said unto Samuel:

Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart. (I Samuel 16:7)

Jesse proceeded to call Abinadab, Shammah, and seven of his sons to pass by Samuel, but God chose none of them. Samuel asked if there were any other sons. There was only the youngest remaining. Jesse had not even considered him as a possibility, so he was still out in the pasture tending sheep. Samuel asked that the youngest son be fetched from his work:

And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the Lord said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he. (I Samuel 16:12)

So the son of Jesse that was thought unworthy of even consideration, became one of the greatest Kings of Israel. The Jews still call Jerusalem the City of David! With today's technology and sophistication, would we have chosen David as the first choice? Absolutely not. Physical appearance remains mans most important criteria:

On September 11, 1999, superintendent of construction Pablo Ortiz searched for survivors on the eighty-eighth floor of the north World Trade Tower; shouting into all areas for anyone present. After directing rescued groups to safe passage down a clear stair well, Mr. Ortiz ascended to the next floor, intending to locate all survivors. He was still going up as the tower came down. I never knew Mr. Ortiz. His name indicates that his family origins were possibly Hispanic. If so, some ignorant people in the states bordering Mexico might call him a wetback or spick. I call him a hero.

That same day, passengers aboard flight 93 prevented their hijackers from crashing that plane into another American landmark. One leader in this effort was an admitted homosexual. Some might call him a faggot or queer. I call him a hero.

A Native American named Ira Hayes helped raise the American flag atop Mount Suribachi on Iwo Jima during World War II. He became an alcoholic and died in a ditch. Some might call him a drunken Indian. I call him a hero.

I was born in Mississippi and taught that Martin Luther King Jr. was an outside agitator, at best. Then I read his "I Have A Dream" speech. I was wrong! Dr. King was a very brave hero fighting for a just cause. "I Have A Dream" was the most incredible speech ever spoken. It stated universal concepts. Consider this sentence from his speech, "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character." Did someone know that men judge others by physical appearance over character thousands of years ago? Consider the following verse which God inspired to be written in the scriptures:

For man looketh on the outward appearance,   (skin, etc)
but the Lord looketh on the heart.  (character)   (I Samuel 16:7)

My personal favorite of God's unlikely underdogs is Paul. Paul was originally known as Saul, and was one of the most notorious persecutors of Christians. Along the road to Damascus God confronted Saul:

And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? (Acts 9:3-4)

Saul turned from persecuting Christians to become one of the greatest Christian apostles. He became the apostle Paul. Perhaps Paul is my favorite Bible character because he wrote the one Bible verse which best describes me and my life:

There is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of which I am chief. (I Timothy 1:15)

Other underdogs of God possessed some human frailty, which made them unlikely candidates for the mission ahead. Paul apparently had none. He was originally a strong, powerful, persuasive, decisive, energetic persecutor of Christians. Incredibly, when God chose him to spread the gospel to the Gentiles, He gave Paul a "thorn in the flesh":

And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. (II Corinthians 12:7)

This thorn in the flesh could indicate pain caused by some physical problem. However, it may also indicate pain caused by some psychological problem. In Galatians, Paul describes his infirmity as a temptation:

And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus. (Galatians 4:14)

Consider the following verse written by Paul:

For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that I do. (Romans 7:15)

Compare that verse with the definition of "compulsion" as used in psychology:

Compulsion: a strong usually irresistible impulse to perform an act that is contrary to the will of the subject.

Did Paul have a compulsion? Someone suffering from a compulsive behavior will recognize themselves in Romans 7:15 as listed above. That is, what they desire to do (stop the compulsive behavior) they do not. What they do not desire to do (the compulsive behavior) they do. Most, if not all, compulsives desire to stop. Paul may have been an alcoholic, a womanizer, or something more serious, if indeed he suffered from some compulsion. Whether compulsive behavior or a physical condition, Paul prayed for God to remove it:

For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. (II Corinthians 12:8)

Describing his affliction as a "thing" or "it" further indicates that Paul may have had a psychological problem. A physical ailment is generally accompanied by obvious symptoms such as bleeding, physical pain, rashes, fever, vomiting, disfigurement, etc. These are obvious conditions which we can see. However, mental problems may not have associated physical symptoms. A serial killer may appear perfectly normal in physical appearance. Therefore, we find physical problems easier to describe as compared to mental problems. Mental problems are difficult to comprehend since we cannot "see" them. Therefore, we describe these problems as abnormalities, things, weird, crazy, etc.

If Paul did indeed have a compulsion, then he made a great discovery which is today part of all twelve step rehabilitation programs. That discovery was that he was not sufficiently powerful to stop the behavior on his own. He needed help from a higher authority! Therefore, he prayed to God three times asking that it be removed from him:

For this thing I besought the Lord thrice...   (II Corinthians 12:8)

Paul believed that there was no temptation, no matter how strong, that God did not also provide an escape from that temptation:

There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. (I Corinthians 10:13)

Regardless of what Paul's thorn in the flesh was, God refused to remove it. Therefore, Paul learned to take pleasure in his infirmities:

For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong. (II Corinthians 12:8-10)

Paul's escape from his "temptation" was the realization that his weakness made him a stronger witness for Jesus. Thus Paul came to actually take pleasure in his infirmities. He realized that God made him weak so that others could see what God could accomplish through such a weak person! Regardless of how weak due to physical or mental problems, we are all here for a reason. Never, ever believe that you are too weak to fulfill your mission! The weaker you are, the more spectacular your accomplishment will be for God's glory. How did other Christians of his day react to Paul's temptation?

Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first. And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus. (Galatians 4:13-14)

Would today's congregations act accordingly?

Which human being of all time who ever lived, or ever shall live, might we consider to be the ultimate underdog? Let's consider Jesus Christ. Although He was the Son of God, He was also born of water and spent thirty-three years as a human being on the earth. Let's consider the day of His crucifixion, and whether He was a winner or loser that day.

His disciples and most of His friends and family were in hiding. It was Him against the Roman Empire, the most powerful nation on earth. Many of God's chosen people wanted Him crucified. He had been whipped, beaten, and humiliated. He refused to prevent His crucifixion at each of several opportunities. He refused to defend himself. How could this apparently helpless, beaten down individual, turn this event into His victory?

Let's attempt to view the day's events from Jesus' perspective. What were Jesus' goals for that day? He wanted to be killed as a sacrifice. Being human, we can assume He wanted this to occur as quickly as possible. His other goal was to draw people to a belief in Him. After His death and resurrection this would be man's only path to salvation from the second death:

Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. (Acts 4:12)

Could undergoing the most excruciating and humiliating death the Roman Empire ever designed, accomplish these goals? To answer this question, let us examine the testimony of the few witnesses which are detailed in the Bible. Of course, one criminal crucified alongside Jesus, asked for forgiveness and was informed that he would be with Jesus in paradise. But what about the other infrequently discussed witness? What about the centurion's eye witness account?

What is a centurion? In the ancient Roman army, a centurion commanded a century. A century was a company of approximately one hundred men. Today, we would call him a company commander. This centurion surely had participated in combat and perhaps seen much bloodshed in his advance through the ranks. Possibly he had supervised or witnessed many crucifixions. It is safe to assume that suffering and bloodshed were commonplace to him. Upon completion of Jesus' death, after considering Jesus' behavior and all he had witnessed that day, the centurion summed up that day's events with one sentence:

...Truly this man was the Son of God.     (Mark 15:39)

The corresponding verse in Matthew indicates that those with the centurion, possibly other soldiers under his command, reached the same conclusion:

Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God. (Matthew 27:54)

Who won the victory that day? The Jewish leaders and the Romans wanted to humiliate and violently execute Jesus for even presuming to be the King of the Jews. They wanted to make an example of this pathetic person who some called a king. How could this dead body ever be a threat to the Roman Empire?

But who met their goals that day? Jesus did sacrifice His life so that those who believe in Him would never perish. He met that goal. Incredibly, while being crucified, he viewed the gathered crowd as an opportunity and drew the most hardened participants to a belief in Him as the Son of God. These included the criminal, the centurion, and those with the centurion. Certainly these soldiers went on to discover more about this "Son of God," and probably accepted Him as their Savior. So Jesus completed His planned sacrifice and drew several in attendance to a belief in Him during the process! Based on His plan, He had a good day!

Did the Roman Empire accomplish their goal? Their goal was the elimination of this so-called Christianity at its root, by crucifying its leader. Instead, Rome later acknowledged Christianity as the state religion! They then worshiped the "man" they so brutally murdered! In a sense, the centurion spoke for the entire Roman Empire of the near future when he stated:


Truly, this was the Son of God.


END CHAPTER 30

Chapter 31

START CHAPTER 31

Conclusion

No human will suffer in the fires of hell for eternity, as taught by mainstream Christianity! This theology is a myth implanted by Satan and supported by theologians. God does not hate you. He loves you! This belief that man has immortality from birth causes fear, worry, unhappiness, misery, the murder of children, and immeasurable harm to the true Christianity.

Man is born as a mortal being with the capability of becoming immortal. With the one exception of Jesus Christ, the following list details the possibilities for every human who has ever been born or ever will be born:


            Human Life Plan According to the Scriptures

1)  Each human is born as a mortal being into the kingdom of man.
     This birth is of water.

2)  If a human accepts Jesus Christ as his Savior at anytime
     while that human is living, that human becomes an heir to
     eternal life.

3)  After Jesus returns to the earth, the heirs to eternal life
     will receive their inheritance when born again as spiritual
     beings which live forever. This is a spiritual birth.

4)  Those humans choosing not to accept Jesus will be cast into
     the lake of fire and suffer their second death. Since they
     were resurrected as physical bodies and not spiritual bodies,
     they are not saved from the fiery second death in hell.

5)  All humans are now dead at this point. Those born again as
     spiritual bodies are no longer humans. They are spiritual
     children of God who will now rule and maintain the earth
     under their Lord and brother, Jesus Christ, forever and ever.

Thus, based on the scriptures, the possibilities for each individual human are definitely not as horrible as we have been taught for nearly two thousand years!


The true possibilities are infinitely better!


END CHAPTER 31