Jesus Walks In Words

What Does “Be Fulfilled” Mean?: Part 2

noreply@blogger.com (Body By Chocolates) — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 12:22:00 +0000

In part 1 of exploring what it means to be fulfilled we brought Webster’s definitions to light understanding that there are at least 7 ways to interpret the word fullfilled with most of the ways being similar in meaning. Now let’s compare the Word of God with the Word of God to bring further clarity to this topic.

When I looked up the word “fulfilled” to see how many times it appeared in the NIV and discovered that fulfilled appears 61 times between OT & NT Scriptures my curiosity for what these verses might say was ignited.

Remember that previously we decided to allow “be fulfilled” to mean bring an end to even though the evidence to the contrary was unquestionable. With that said, let’s continue.

Joshua 23:14 (NIV)
"Now I am about to go the way of all the earth. You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the LORD your God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed.

Every promise has been ended? Really? That’s not very comforting.

Every promise has been…

• Made full
• Put into full effect
• Able to meet the requirements of
• Measured up to
• Converted into reality
• Developed to its full potential

Not sure about you, but this is certainly what I would want to understand fullfilled to be talking about. If you examine 1 Kings 8:15, 1 Kings 9:25, 2 Chronicles 6:15, Proverbs 7:14, Jeremiah 1:12, Lamentations 2:17, Ezekiel 12:23, Ezekiel 13:6, Daniel 9:12 I believe you will be compelled to conclude very similarly to the verse above as it relates to the word fulfilled with those verses too.

Yes, I understand that many claim to follow only the NT instead of the OT. I won’t be using this podium to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of that approach, but I will bring NT Scriptures into the picture for exactly that reason.

John 19:28 (NIV)
Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, "I am thirsty."

This is a most interesting verse as it holds both the concept of “completed” and “fulfilled” within a single verse. I would conclude that if I complete something I have “made it full”. Others seem content to conclude that fullfilled means to end.
That would make the above verse to read.

John 19:28 (NIV)
Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be ended, Jesus said, "I am thirsty."

That doesn’t make a great deal of sense to me especially in the wake of many more NT verses (Matthew 13:35, John 18:9, Acts 13:27, James 2:23) that also talk about what it means to be fulfilled.

Many would be happy to label me as a “legalist” because of the above, I am not. I am however one that reads and takes the Bible for exactly what it says, nothing more and certainly nothing less.

Proverbs 13:12
Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.

Yet one more telling verse on this topic of what it means to be fulfilled. I long to be with Jesus, don’t you? The only way I’d want that to be ended is within the completion of reuniting with the tree of life Himself, Jesus.

What Does “Be Fulfilled” Mean?: Part 1

noreply@blogger.com (Body By Chocolates) — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 12:17:00 +0000

Many people think that the essence of being fulfilled is to be happy. At first glance this seems to make sense and perhaps in some circles it is what is meant to be fulfilled. The question is, does the concept of being fullfilled also transcend into happiness as it relates to the Biblical interpretation of the word?

NOTE: The following is part 1 of a two part article which I hope helps everyone to understand what exactly it means to be fullfilled.

The best way to define what being fulfilled means is to first define fulfilled. According to Webster:

• to make full
• to put into effect
• to meet the requirements of
• to measure up to
• to convert into reality
• aeto develop the full potentialities of

None of these above definitions directly indicate that being fullfilled is to be happy. All of the above do portray something being put into complete motion which would produce the end result of happiness.

I find this very interesting, especially as it relates to the following verse.

Matt 5:18 (NIV)
For verily I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

In spite of the above definitions from Webster people want to read this verse to mean that the law was done away with. The only suggestion from Webster that this can be interpreted as such would be “to bring to an end” which is the 7th definition he provides.

Logically speaking they are taking a 1 in 7 chance that this is the best definition to apply to this word leaving you with one of two statements being made.

Matt 5:18
For verily I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be “put into effect” or “converted into reality”.

Really, any of the above definitions can be applied toward this verse very easily.

Or…

Matt 5:18
For verily I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be brought to an end.

Even here defining this to mean that the law was somehow brought to an end is an extreme stretch. However, for the sake of argument let’s suppose that that is what this verse is saying and in part 2 we will dig deeper into understanding what it means to be fulfilled.

The Law And The Sabbath Day Truth

noreply@blogger.com (Body By Chocolates) — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 02:58:00 +0000

I’ve heard it said that the law was nailed to the cross, which means the Sabbath Day truth is no longer binding. To support this position the following Scripture is often used.

Matthew 5:17-18
Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.

As the thought goes, Jesus fulfilled the law, which means it is no longer binding on us today. The strange part happens when I say, great this means I...

* can murder?
* can steal?
* can commit adultery?

Not one person yet has answered this part affirmatively while positioning this self same verse as their support for not keeping the Sabbath.

That aside, let’s look at what exactly is being said from the position of those that use this verse to say that Sabbath keeping has been done away with.

Matthew 5:17-18
Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.

The discussion boils down to how one would define the word “fulfill.” We turn to Webster for a discussion on that topic.

Fulfill
1: To bring an end to
2: To put into affect
3: To convert into reality
4: To make full

The first definition is what is generally considered to be the right one for this verse. However, when you put it into play you read.

Matthew 5:17-18
Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to bring an end to them.

That just doesn’t make sense.

How about the other definitions?

Matthew 5:17-18
Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to put them into affect.

Matthew 5:17-18
Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to convert them into reality.

Matthew 5:17-18
Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to make them full.

These all make sense and as a such what this verse is actually saying is that Christ puts the law that was given by the Prophets into full affect.

Understanding The Seventh Day Sabbath

noreply@blogger.com (Body By Chocolates) — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 20:02:00 +0000

Do you wonder what the Seventh Day Sabbath is? Perhaps you know people who are keeping the fourth commandment today.

Today, I’d like to put a new twist on this entire Sabbath truth discussion.

Let’s look back before the time of Jesus. No, not back to the Jews, let’s go further back yet. Back before there was even a discussion of an ark that Noah would float within.

Back.

Back.

Back.

Back to two brothers named Cain & Able.

Did you know that we could learn about the Sabbath truth from these two brothers?

Sabbath Truth

Both were given a commission by God to prepare a sacrifice.

Able’s was accepted while Cain’s was not.

Genesis 4:4-5
But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.

Why?

The answer is telling.

Cain did things His way while Able did things God’s way.

Genesis 4:6-7
Then the LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it."
This is very telling to the concept of Sabbath keeping.

Seventh Day Sunday

There are those who will suggest that there is no need to keep Sabbath on the seventh day. Sunday, after all, is the day Jesus rose and as such should be the day that we keep holy.

However, even Wikipedia clearly identifies when Sabbath is and is not.

Sabbath Encyclopedia Wikipedia
The term "Sabbath" derives from the Hebrew shabbat (שבת), "to cease", which was first used in the Biblical account of the seventh day of Creation (Genesis 2:2-3). Observation and remembrance of Sabbath is one of the Ten Commandments (the fourth in the original Jewish, the Eastern Orthodox, and most Protestant traditions, the third in Roman Catholic and Lutheran traditions). Most people who observe Biblical Sabbath regard it as having been instituted as a "perpetual covenant [for] the people of Israel" (Exodus 31:13-17), a sign in respect for the day during which God rested after having completed the Creation in six days.

Thus, Sunday is not the Sabbath no matter how many people may try to convince you else wise. This leaves you with a decision of following God’s Sabbath observance or doing it your way.

Cain is a great example of how things works out when we do things are way instead of following God. As such I would highly encourage you to read other articles others and I have written. Study and seek the Sabbath truth for yourself. It’s available for all who will but choose to pursue and find it.

Seventh Day Adventist Sabbath

Some will tell you that the Seventh Day Adventists Sabbath is based on legalism rather than grace.

Was Able operating on a base of legalism or obedience?

The answer to that question will leave you with a choice to make about the seventh day Sabbath that God has called us to remember. Will we choose to follow what God commands or go the way of Cain?

How To Experience The Sabbath Rest

noreply@blogger.com (Body By Chocolates) — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 19:57:00 +0000

Do you believe in the Sabbath rest?

If so, how do you handle Hebrews 4:9 as it relates to resting on the Sabbath?

Hebrews 4:9
There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God;

This verse clearly identifies a Sabbath rest without specifying a specific day. Therefore, it’s not a big issue as to “which day” just as long as you take “A” day, right?

Hebrews 4 Sabbath Rest

After all, Jesus our Sabbath rest established new laws governed by love for us to follow. Further, since Hebrews is a New Testament book it would seem obvious that it is more binding than the Old. Right?

For sake of argument I’ll agree with that above thought process. However, I will also read the rest of the verse by adding verse 10 to Hebrews 4:9.

Hebrews 4:9-10
There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his.

God rested from His work?

Genesis 2:2-3
By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.

Yes, indeed.

Did He do this because He was tired?

I hope not or we are all in trouble today. Therefore, I would conclude that He was resting the rest of you. Put another way, He was setting the precedence for what we should follow as it relates to Sabbath keeping in our own lives. Yes the Sabbath was for Moses. Sabbath rest is also for us today.

Jesus Our Sabbath Rest

Sadly, many people will contend that somehow Jesus changed the day of rest.

They will use verses like

Matthew 12:8
For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.

Mark 2:27
Then he said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.

Luke 6:5
Then Jesus said to them, "The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.

Unfortunately, none of the above verses teach us that the Sabbath has been changed from what it was created to be since the very beginning of time and yet somehow they put the above together in a way to make it say what it clearly does not.

Jesus is Sabbath rest. People God loves have been given this blessing. I would completely agree. What concerns me is when we mere humans then take this concept and make of it what it clearly does not say. I find that to be a danger of immense proportions.

Seventh Day Adventists Sabbath

Many sadly take exception to the Seventh Day Adventists Sabbath position. I would counter that until they are clearly able to show that Scripture does not say what it does say that I will continue to follow God’s Word.

The fourth commandment, which happens to be the only one that starts with the word “remember” is apparently what everyone is attempting to forget today.

Exodus 20:8-11
"Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

Yet, if one truly wants to experience the Sabbath rest doing so God’s way seems the best approach to take to me. How about you?

Keeping The Sabbath Holy

noreply@blogger.com (Body By Chocolates) — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 20:52:00 +0000

[[[ keeping the sabbath holy ]]]
I remember what keeping the Sabbath holy used to mean to me.

7 AM: Rise and get ready for Sunday school.
8 AM: Be agitated and disgruntled with family members for their delay in getting ready.
9:15 AM: Arrive in a flurry of lateness for Sunday school.
9:15 – Noon: Time to keep Sabbath Day holy.

Afternoon?
Buffet lunch – Errands – Pay Bills – Mow Grass – You know, the usual.

Keep Sabbath Day Holy

Then in Bible study on the Sounder train one day I met someone who challenged this thought process of mine. They didn’t use Scripture or pressure but rather two words. Two words anyone can use for affective evangelism.

“Show Me”

Show me that Scripture condones my hectic Sunday schedule as what id does mean keep Sabbath Holy.

Guess what I did?

I took the challenge, and I’m glad I did.

I wanted to prove that I too was able to honor Sabbath. Keep holy the day through a few hours at church and a hectic rat race was all that was necessary. After all, we are not under the law any longer, right?

The Fourth Commandment

My first stop was at The Fourth Commandment itself.

Exodus 20:8-11
"Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
Okay, so there is something about a seventh day here, but this is Old Testament and not binding in today’s world. Jewish customs are just that, right?

Perhaps, but then you would also need to be disqualified from this.

Isaiah 58:13-14
"If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath
and from doing as you please on my holy day,
if you call the Sabbath a delight
and the LORD's holy day honorable,
and if you honor it by not going your own way
and not doing as you please or speaking idle words,
then you will find your joy in the LORD,
and I will cause you to ride on the heights of the land
and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob."
The mouth of the LORD has spoken.

And if that blessing is available to me, I want it. Don’t you?

The Seventh Day

This brings us to the actual creation of the Sabbath Day. Strangely enough it has everything to do with God and nothing to do with Jewish customs.

Genesis 2:2-3
By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.

So when you choose to remember the seventh day Sabbath Day. Keep holy this Sabbath day and you are recognizing God as the creator of the entire universe. Keeping the Sabbath Holy when you consider this becomes an entirely different thought process; at least it did for me.

Jewish Sabbath Day

noreply@blogger.com (Body By Chocolates) — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 20:48:00 +0000

I remember when.

I remember when I started wondering about the Jewish Sabbath Day.

I remember when I started wondering if this was something I should recognize.

I remember when I asked my Senior Pastor about the Sabbath.

His response? I should not be studying with Seventh Day Adventist.

It’s unclear to me how he came to think I was studying with Adventist. After all, I could have been studying with Messianic Jewish. Seventh Day Adventist people are not the only one’s that recognize Saturday as the Sabbath Day.

Jewish Sabbath Time

And so I asked him again.

This time he pointed me to

Colossians 2:16
Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day.

First, I was not “judging.”

Second, if you do research on the above verse you will find that it is not talking about the seventh day Sabbath but rather other Sabbath’s like the Jewish Sabbath year or Jewish Sabbath time, which is an entirely different conversation.

Ten Commandments Sabbath

Exodus 20:8-11
Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
Even when I show people this verse above I often hear them say.

But how can you tell when the seventh day is? Hasn’t the calendar been changed?
Simply put, yes. But the day itself has never been changed from the beginning of time. Take a look at most any calendar and you will find even today that Saturday is clearly identified as the seventh day.

There is an exception in this calendar concept, which comes from the newer structure that the European system is attempting to get put into place, which will make Sunday the seventh day instead.

Wait.

Wasn’t it from within the European nations that Constantine, who changed the day of worship from Saturday to Sunday originated? Interesting how things work together through time.

Christian Sabbath Day

So when a Christian tells you that worshiping on Saturday as the Sabbath is for the Jewish. Seventh Day Adventist are thus off base with their thinking.
Ask them a simple question.

“Show Me”

Directly, and specifically, from God’s Word have them prove their claim. I’m so convinced of what the Bible says that I would be more than willing to pay anyone that is able to do this $1000. To date, I’ve never once had to let go of a single red cent. This in and of itself should be very telling to anyone that is truly wanting to follow what God’s Word says about Sabbath keeping and the Jewish Sabbath Day.

Sabbath Day New Testament

noreply@blogger.com (Body By Chocolates) — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:13:00 +0000

Perhaps you’ve heard about the Sabbath Day New Testament style? It’s been changed they say.

Has it?

It’s always best to allow Scripture to interpret Scripture rather than some other leading authority that claims to have all the answers. As such, the question becomes, does Scripture have an answer for the Sabbath Day Truth?

The Sabbath Day Truth

I’ve had this following verse quoted to me many times.

Mark 2:27
Then he said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.

I completely agree with this verse. However, where does this verse then say that we are free to change the Sabbath day simply because it was created for us? While I can’t find that I do find verses that say

Daniel 7:25
He will speak against the Most High and oppress his saints and try to change the set times and the laws. The saints will be handed over to him for a time, times and half a time.

When in these debates I will often be handed this Scripture at some point.

Matthew 12:8
For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.

Again I agree. However, does it say anywhere that Jesus changed the Sabbath? Not that I can see. Yes, He does remove it from being a burden but never once suggests that it is therefore not necessary to follow what has been established.

Actually, Jesus says quite the opposite about this point.

John 14:15
If you love me, you will obey what I command.

This is often where I am reminded that the ten commandments (Sabbath included) were nailed to the cross on Calvary.

Really?

Exodus 20:6
but showing love to a thousand {generations} of those who love me and keep my commandments.

Do the math. A generation is about 20 years. We haven’t even gotten close to 1000 generations yet which leaves intact the Sabbath Day bible principal just as it has always been.

Especially when you add this following verse to the equation of the Sabbath day truth.

Revelation 12:17
Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to make war against the rest of her offspring—those who obey God's commandments and hold to the testimony of Jesus.

We all agree that we have an adversary. What we often don’t see is the two points He uses to determine if we need to be opposed. We are quick to cling to the “testimony of Jesus” in most situations but what about obeying God’s commandments?

Bottom line: Sabbath Day New Testament style only compliments what has been written previously rather than replacing or changing it in any way.

Sabbath Lord's Day Explained

noreply@blogger.com (Body By Chocolates) — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 16:12:00 +0000

Why celebrate the Sabbath? Lord’s Day scriptures can be found within the New Testament and thus clearly should be followed. Right?

I would agree. Good thing since I’m writing this.

But the question remains, when is the Lord’s Day verse the Sabbath Day? Bible scholars have been debating this for some reason for a very long time. Let’s see what Scripture itself says.

The Sabbath Day Truth

I did a search from one of my favorite online Bible’s for the word “Lord’s Day” and surprisingly only found one verse.

Revelation 1:10
On the Lord's Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet.

Unfortunately, this verse doesn’t even help in identifying when this day is but rather names the day and leaves it there.

One could surmise, as many do that the Lord’s Day is the day he rose from the dead. After all, this is the day that He defeated death and finished the purchasing of our souls. Seems reasonable that Sunday would therefore be the Lord’s Day.

PUZZLE
Jesus was crucified late on Friday. He also rose early in the morning on Sunday. Yet He was in the ground for 3 days. How does this make sense? Shouldn’t He have risen on Monday or Tuesday to accomplish the 3 days?

Did you know that the Bible specifically identifies how we are to recognize the resurrection of our precious Lord and Savior?

Romans 6:3-5
Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection.
Baptism is how we are to recognize and link with his resurrection.
This too makes sense as this event was called capital punishment and a loving Father wouldn’t want to point back to His Son’s lowest day on earth each week.

Sabbath Day New Testament

Fact is, Jesus Himself taught us to keep the Sabbath day truth within His own life. Even when He challenged the leaders of those days it was never in a sense of saying that the day had somehow been altered but rather altering the way they were legalizing His special day.
This is the most amazing example of all, and it is the answer to the puzzle I presented above.
ANSWER
In Jewish culture any part of a day is the entire day in and of itself. Thus Jesus was buried late on Friday before the Sabbath Day. Bible writings will identify this as the preparation day. Jesus rose early on Sunday morning, even before they could arrive to finish embalming Him. The only day He rested for the full 24 hours was indeed the Sabbath. If the Sabbath Day truth is good enough for Jesus to honor in His death shouldn’t it be good enough for us to honor in our life?
However, this leaves us still without an answer to when the Lord’s Day is.

Sabbath Lord’s Day

Genesis 2:2-3
By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.

The Lord’s Day is not Sunday but rather the seventh day which He created special for His people to be able to rest.

Exodus 20:8-11
"Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

When it comes to the Sabbath Day, bible scholars can debate all they like.

I choose to read the 10 Commandments for exactly what they say and follow them accordingly. Given that the Sabbath Lord’s Day is directly identified within the fourth commandment, I am left confident within my position. Are you?

Roman Catholic Church Sabbath

noreply@blogger.com (Body By Chocolates) — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 16:09:00 +0000

Why is the Roman Catholic Church Sabbath on Sunday if the Biblical Sabbath is Saturday?

I suppose one would need to set some groundwork on the above statement before it could be considered a fact. Let’s do so using the catechism.

Question:
Which is the Sabbath day?

Answer:
Saturday is the Sabbath day.

Question:
Why do we observe Sunday instead of Saturday?

Answer:
We observe Sunday instead of Saturday because the Catholic Church in the Council of Laodicea, transferred the solemnity from Saturday to Sunday.

Peter Geiermann, C.S.S.R., The Converts Catechism of Catholic Doctrine Third Edition

The Sabbath Day Truth

The above quote seems clear in indicating how the change came about. Given the power of the Catholic Church in the world today it seems reasonable that one with such great authority should have the ability to make logical adjustments.

However, no matter what seems right the question must be asked. Is it?

Daniel 7:25
He will speak against the Most High and oppress his saints and try to change the set times and the laws. The saints will be handed over to him for a time, times and half a time.

Combine the above verse with the following and it becomes clear as to the position of the Bible on this topic.

Mark 7:8
You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men.

Apparently, changing times and laws is something no man should consider doing. Yet the Roman Catholic church has this to say about worship.

You may read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, and you will not find a single line authorizing the sanctification of Sunday. The Scriptures enforce the religious observance of Saturday, a day which we (The Roman Catholic Church) never sanctify.
The Catholic Cardinal Gibbons, in Faith of Our Fathers, pg. 111

Mark Of The Beast Sabbath

That seems like quite a bold statement for them to make especially when you turn your attention to a conversation about the mark of the beast. Many people think this has something to do with a microchip, and indeed technology may be involved but it is not at the heart of the conversation according to Scripture.

Revelation 14:11
And the smoke of their torment rises for ever and ever. There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and his image, or for anyone who receives the mark of his name.

That passage is packed full of interesting thoughts, however at the moment we are looking for information about the mark.

“Mark of his name.”

A name has a mark?

Indeed it does. In days of old it was carried on a signet ring. Even today we find this concept in the form when we have documents notarized.

There mark tells people

* Who the authority belongs to.
* Where they have authority
* What type of authority they have

Interestingly enough, if we look at the Sabbath day truth from the eyes of Exodus 20 we find this identity mark is exactly what is outlined within the fourth commandment.

In a future article we will look much closer at the concept of worship as it relates to the mark. For now, it is important to understand that the mark is not some type of microchip but rather a seal that people receive as a result of who they align themselves with.

The conclusion of this matter is likely why Scripture then goes on to say

Revelation 14:12
This calls for patient endurance on the part of the saints who obey God's commandments and remain faithful to Jesus.

In closing, did you know that the 10 commandments as are written in Scripture are vastly different from the 10 commandments given by the Roman Catholic Church? Sabbath being one of the key points that they have attempted to change.

The Sabbath Day Truth

noreply@blogger.com (Body By Chocolates) — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 16:07:00 +0000

When I was young I remember talking about the Sabbath with a friend. As Sunday keepers we concluded that the Sabbath Day truth was a ritual meant for another people at another time.

Years later I meant a friend that challenged me to show her that I was right with my conclusions about the Sabbath. Her simple words were “show me.”

Given that by this point I had been through Bible school and served as a pastor this seemed like a challenge I could not refuse. What I found along this journey was quite interesting and worth sharing with others who are looking for the truth of the Sabbath Day.

Ten Commandments Sabbath

My first defense was to rally to the new laws of Jesus. After all, the Old Testament ways are a thing of the past today, why should we pay them any attention. Even Jesus made this clear

Matthew 22:36
"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?"

A direct question deserves a direct answer.

Matthew 22:37-39
Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'

What a great answer from Jesus this was. He is clearly pointing at two laws not given previously. At first, this looks like an excellent defense for my position of Sunday keeping until I read the rest of the story

Matthew 22:40
All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.

Whoops?

What did He mean by all “the Law” and all “the Prophets?”

All “the Prophets” would refer to what had been declared in the past. All “the Law” would include the 10 commandments including the fourth, which directly identifies the seventh day Sabbath.

Okay, so we are talking about the Old Testament, but what are we saying about it?

“hang on these two commandments”

That would mean that everything that had been written before was built on a foundation of love. The first four commandments show us how to love God and the last six demonstrate loving humanity.

Fact is; the whole idea of the seventh day Sabbath was an act of love.

Wait!

Wasn’t it a Jewish law?

What does that have to do with love?

Genesis 2:2-3
By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.

Ahhh, so God did give the Jews the ten commandments. Sabbath keeping was part of those ten commandments. But the origination of a seventh day Sabbath came long before any Jew was even alive. Therefore, the Sabbath day truth is that the creation of Sabbath just as all the other ten commandments was an act of love from God rather than being a legalistic dogma handed down from the Jewish culture.

From Sabbath To Sunday

noreply@blogger.com (Body By Chocolates) — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 20:40:00 +0000

Many will say that Jesus changed worship from Sabbath to Sunday.

Is this true?

Here’s an excellent text to consider which is related to this topic.

Matthew 12:9-12
Going on from that place, he went into their synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, they asked him, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?"

He said to them, "If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out? How much more valuable is a man than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath."

This would have been a perfect time for Him to make a direct mandate about the Sabbath. Perhaps that is why He did exactly that.

“Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath."

Even when Jesus was given the opportunity He did not push the Sabbath aside but rather explained what true Sabbath keeping was all about.

One could then venture, from where did Sabbath keeping originate? Some say it was at the resurrection of Jesus.

From Sabbath To Lord's Day

The line of reasoning that creates a Christian Sabbath Sunday goes like this.
Jesus was resurrected on Sunday, which makes it the Lord’s Day.

The only problem with that thought process is that Scripture nowhere identifies the resurrection of Jesus Christ as being the Lord’s Day.

To complicate matters further, Christians today have been given a direct process for recognizing the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus.

Romans 6:3-5
Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection.

It’s called Baptism.

One would then rightly ask from where did the concept of a Christian Sabbath Sunday come from?

Emperor Constantine Sabbath

I’m no historian, so I suggest you check the following against historical records from other sources.

With that said, Emperor Constantine was having a problem with his Roman rule. Point blank, it was falling apart. So he did what seemed logical and reasonable at the time.

First, he marched his entire Roman army through the waters and declared them Christian. Then, because pagans were worshiping the “sun god” on Sunday he changed the day of worship to Sunday so that they would be willing to align themselves with him.

This is where the Roman Catholic Sabbath concept came from. Not from Scripture, but rather from man which clearly fits with what Scripture says.

Daniel 7:25
He will speak against the Most High and oppress his saints and try to change the set times and the laws. The saints will be handed over to him for a time, times and half a time.

Constatine did what man is strictly forbidden from doing and as a result the Catholic Sabbath Sunday observance began. The Papacy openly admits this in a challenge to all Protestants who claim to follow the Bible and the Bible only.

“You will tell me that Saturday was the Jewish Sabbath, but that the Christian Sabbath has been changed to Sunday. Changed! But by whom? Who has authority to change an express commandment of Almighty God? When God has spoken and said, ‘Thou shalt keep holy the seventh day who shall dare to say, nay, thou mayest work and do all manner of worldly business on the seventh-day, but thou shalt keep holy the first day in its stead? This is a most important question, which I know not how you can answer. You are a Protestant, and you profess to go by the Bible and the Bible only, and yet, in so important a matter as the observance of one day in seven as a holy day, you go against the plain letter of the Bible, and put another day in the place of that which He has commanded. The command to keep holy the seventh day is one of the ten commandments, you believe the other nine are still binding; who gave you authority to tamper with the fourth? If you are consistent with your own principle, if you really follow the Bible and the Bible only, you ought to be able to produce some portion of the New Testament in which this fourth commandment is expressly altered”

Library Of Christian Doctrine; Burns and Oates, pp. 3-4, London

Seventh Day Adventists Sabbath

Despite the above thoughts many people even today consider Seventh Day Adventists Sabbath keeping to by cultic.

Is it?

Some may approach it that way just as the Jews were approaching Sabbath keeping legalistically. However, according to what Scripture clearly identifies this is what believers everywhere should be doing.

Unfortunately there is so much confusion on this matter today. As a result many people have been lied to about this entire concept. I know, I used to be one of those that lied to my congregation.

Then one day someone challenged me with two words. They are the self same words I will leave you with today.

“Show Me”

Show me, that Sunday is the day we are to keep holy according to God’s word.

Show me, that the Biblical mandate of remembering the Sabbath has been done away with.

Show me, that the day has been changed from Sabbath to Sunday.

“Show Me!”

About Church Discipline: What Does God's Word Say About Church Discipline

noreply@blogger.com (Body By Chocolates) — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 14:25:00 +0000

About church discipline.

Have you ever been offended within church?

It's amazing to me how many people don't go to church any longer for exactly this reason.

I've watched this play out in many cases within my own circle of influence.

* Someone creates an offense of some sort
* The offended goes about talking about the offense in negative ways that the one who caused the offense does not go about.
* Sooner or later the offender finds out and is hurt about all the gossip.
* Relationships are severed and people stop attending services.

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What does God's Word say about how church discipline should be handled compared to the way that it is largely dealt with today?

Matthew 18:15-18
If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that 'every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.' If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.

Here are the 4 steps outlined above:
STEP 1: Between the two of you
STEP 2: Take one or two others along
STEP 3: If he refuses to listen… tell it to the church
STEP 4: Treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector

Let's get into the details of each of these above steps.

STEP 1: Between the two of you – When you choose to involve others in the dispute you open a "can of worms" that cannot be easily shut.

STEP 2: Take one or two others along – In-other-words; don't go blabbing your grievances to the entire church body. That will not help with any potential resolution to the issues involved. It's easy to bypass this step in the name of "fairness," but doing so will not prove healthy in the long run of the situation.

STEP 3: If he refuses to listen… tell it to the church – Even here it's not in a way of gossip that you are going for, but rather a very structured approach of discipline. Naming exactly the issue, rather than superfluous unrelated items that do not support the main points of concern. The problem at this point is when people choose to stuff their feelings as not being important instead of carrying this step forward. When that happens sooner or later you will find an erupting volcano in-place of what could have been a "mole hill" comparatively.

STEP 4: Treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector – This may be difficult, especially if it is one of the church leaders you are dealing with. However, it is necessary in-order to receive ultimate success within the journey to healing and wholeness for the entire body.

It's never fun to carry out church discipline, but when it is necessary there are specific steps to take according to God's Word. Therefore, next time you wonder what does God's Word say about church discipline you now have a clear process to follow for the hopefully healing of everyone involved.

A Religious Cult: How To Escape A Religious Cult By Knowing What Are Cults

noreply@blogger.com (Body By Chocolates) — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 15:16:00 +0000

What are cults?

With so many religious persuasions today knowing the answer to this question is imperative if someone is to avoid a religious cult.

Webster tells us that a cult is:

* A system of religious beliefs and rituals.
* A religion regarded as unorthodox.

To understand the meaning of "unorthodox" I needed to lookup orthodox and found this answer waiting from Webster:

* Conforming to established doctrine especially in religion

Thus, according to Webster a cult is any set of religious beliefs or rituals that do not conform to established mainline religious doctrines. That, in and of itself, is certainly not a bad thing; so why is everyone so "scared" of cults?

Perhaps the answer waits in the connotation of the word rather than the denotation. In-other-words, the suggestive meaning rather than the literal meaning of "cult".

Here are 11 commonly understood characteristics of cults and why they get such a bad rap.

* Unquestioning leaglist commitment to a single leader.
* Mind-altering practices used to illeminate doubts or questions about the group.
* The leaders dictate how the followers will behave even away from the group.
* Group members are set apart from the rest of society as somehow "better than" society.
* There is an exteme "us" verse "them" mentality within the group.
* No accountability exists within the leadership, especially the focal messiah.
* The ends justify the means is a commonly held perspective among the group members.
* Members are controled via peer pressure feelings of guilt and shame to do things they would not have previously.
* Group members are strongly encouraged not to continue communications with non-group loved ones.
* Preoccupation with building membership and raising funds is excessive.
* Members are conditioned that there is no life apart from the group.

Simply put, there is excessive control and isolation within this type of cult which is indeed not a healthy proposition which should be avoided at all costs.
Therefore, if I were to foll Websters denotation of what a cult is I would indeed say I am part of one as I do not hold to mainline orthodox doctrines preferring instead to follow the Holy Word of God as it is written.

However, as it relates to the unhealthy manipulative controlling attributes mentioned above, Adventism itself does not exhibit or encourage such behaviors. Are their groups within Adventism that do this? Of course. But then the same could be said for Catholicism, Methodism, or even Paganism.

My hope is that you now understand what are cults and have the ability to escape a religious cult which is unhealthy in nature while aligning yourself with the true Word of God.

About Our Bodily Resurrection And Firstfruits From The Dead In Christ

noreply@blogger.com (Body By Chocolates) — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 13:36:00 +0000

Today, I'm going to let Scripture speak for itself about these issues since it does so very clearly. It is up to you to believe what Scriptures clearly say about our bodily resurrection or not. During this article please ask yourself, who was the firstfruits from the dead in Christ, as I believe that will help bring answers to apparent mysteries that some have about the state of the dead.

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1 Corinthians 15:20-26
But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death.

John 5:28
Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out—those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned.

1 Corinthians 15:52
in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.

Revelation 20:6
Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.

Revelation 21:8
But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death."

Yes, those who are the dead in Christ will life again once we experience our bodily resurrection from the grave. Since Jesus is clearly the firstfruits from the dead, we have this hope. However, that life begins when Jesus returns for us not the instant after we die.

Are Angels And Demons Spiritual Beings On Planet Earth With Humanity?

noreply@blogger.com (Body By Chocolates) — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 04:40:00 +0000

What do all the following have in common?

* Mother Mary
* A child's death * A fatal car crash

Each of these speaks to different aspects of lives that have been lost to the grip of death.

Interesting enough there are encounters where people see them on planet earth with their own eyes. The question that I was asked recently is, what are they really seeing?

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* Perhaps these are spiritual beings?
* Or could they really be their dead loved ones?
* Some say these are angels and demons impersonating their dead loved ones?

This is an important matter to clearly understand.

What is true?
What is false?

What does the Word of God say on this issue?

*** DECEASED LOVED ONES ***

Proverbs 9:18
But little do they know that the dead are there, that her guests are in the depths of the grave.

Ecclesiastes 9:5
For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing; they have no further reward, and even the memory of them is forgotten.

John 5:28-29
Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out—those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned.

You can find Scripture after Scripture showing that the dead know nothing while they are in their graves. Therefore, these spiritual forces cannot be the spirits of dead loved ones that have gone before.

*** SPIRITUAL ENCOUNTERS ***

Hebrews 13:2
Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.

Matthew 10:8
Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.

Romans 8:38-39
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Clearly, none of these passages mention dead loved ones but the instances are angels and demons that are among us. Thus we can conclude that the spiritual beings that we see are actually angels and demons on planet earth with us.

Where Do People Go After Death? To The Heavenly Kingdom, Into The Lake Of Fire, Or Some Place Else? Where Do People Go After Death?

noreply@blogger.com (Body By Chocolates) — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 01:25:00 +0000

Life after death, sooner or later everyone wonders about it. Some are even bold enough to teach about it.

* You will find some that talk about a place of nothingness call purgatory.
* Others will describe places of eternal torment where sinners are cast into the lake of fire.
* Still others are comforted by thoughts of their dead loved ones that have gone to the heavenly Kingdom.

The question remains, what does the Bible say. Or more precisely

*** Take our free Bible study lessons. ***
"Where do people go after death"?

I had this conversation with a friend of mine that was convinced the unrighteous enter into eternal torment.

Revelation 14:11
And the smoke of their torment rises for ever and ever. There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and his image, or for anyone who receives the mark of his name.

The problem with his take on this verse is that it talks about the "smoke of their torment" not "the fire of their torment". Major smoke happens when a fire starts and when it is going out, not when it is in the middle of raging. Thus, one cannot conclude an everlasting fire from the above verse.

Especially when you include verses like

Malachi 4:3
Then you will trample down the wicked; they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day when I do these things," says the LORD Almighty.

He didn't seem to want to talk about the properties of fire or how a concept of ashes can coexist with unrighteous eternal life. And I don't blame him in a way.

After all, the unrighteous had their chance! They deserve to be punished. Bring down the hammer and give it to them, since they were too stupid to see what was right in front of their eyes.

Course, taking that attitude one could easily define God has a vicious tyrant who we ought to be fearfully afraid of rather than a loving Savior who died for the world. It would also run in direct opposition to the Word of God.

John 3:17
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

Notice how it does not say that He came to save those who would be saved, but He came to save the world. This doesn't mean that everyone will be going to the heavenly kingdom, but sending them into the lake of fire where they burn forever more certainly wouldn't be the essence of saving in my book.

Therefore the unrighteous will become ashes after being burned up. This fits with the Scriptures mentioned above. And the righteous will enter into the Kingdom of God where they will begin living out eternal life. We have but touched the surface of this conversation on where do people go after death within this article, though we have touched it deep enough to have some very workable answers.

Refuting The Heavenly Sanctuary?

noreply@blogger.com (Body By Chocolates) — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 19:27:00 +0000

Have you heard about the Heavenly Sanctuary? Perhaps an Adventist friend of yours has been trying to convince you that this is where Christ is interceding on your behalf this very day?

I've looked at their Sanctuary evidence more than once while walking away being profoundly confounded by the information they provide.

It seems their first main point is that the earthly sanctuary of Moses was a "type" of the Heavenly sanctuary. A "type" of something is a representation of it rather than the entity itself.

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Jonah was a "type" of Christ because he spent 3 days and 3 nights in the belly of a whale.
Baptism is a "type" of death because it represents the entire "being made new" process.

This alone could and perhaps should lead to it's own article and may do exactly that one day soon. For the mean time we will accept their definition of "type" as being relevant and venture further into this discussion on heaven's sanctuary.

According to the way their teachings go the sanctuary consists of 3 main parts.

1.] The Courtyard (Exodus 27:9-13)
2.] The Holy Place (Exodus 25:10-22)
3.] The Most Holy Place (Exodus 26:33)

*** THE COURTYARD ***

This is where they say animals were sacrificed and the priest would was their robes in the laver afterwards. Venturing further into the sanctuary before this is done would not be possible.

Problem is, what high priest has made the sacrifice so that they may enter further into the sanctuary to atone for our sins?

Hebrews 9:28
so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.

Also… Hebrews 9:26-17 and 10:1 & 10

If we agree that Christ is that sacrifice then this problem is resolved. Given that He also had no sin He is free to enter the next part of the sanctuary, which is the Holy Place.

*** THE HOLY PLACE ***

Here you find a seven-branch candlestick, the table of shewbread, and the altar of incense. The candlesticks represent the message that was taken to the seven churches mentioned in Revelation. The table of shewbread would be representative of communion. And the altar of incense would be where Christ would intercede for humanity.

A further study of this part of the sanctuary would clearly show that their has been seven distinct periods of the church as well as explaining how important communion services are. I'd refute any position of this if I could, but it simply makes sense.

*** THE MOST HOLY PLACE ***

Many have wondered where the Ark of the Covenant is hiding. According to the premise of Adventism it is in the Heavenly sanctuary. In the heart of the ark you will find the 10 commandments according to their teachings. In 1844 Christ entered The Most Holy Place and is there now judging people who have gone before you and I.

I would refute this point if I could; the problem is it seems to line up quite nicely with Scripture. The very next event to take place would thus be Jesus returning to gather up His people from the four corners of the earth. Not in a rapture, but rather a resurrection event. If that is true, and I believe it is these are extremely exciting times we are currently living in today.

My own personal conclusion is that Christ is indeed in the heavenly sanctuary today and we need to be ready for His soon coming return.

Sexual Purity: Does God Desire Sexual Purity In Our Lives?

noreply@blogger.com (Body By Chocolates) — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 14:40:00 +0000

Turn on most any TV station or attend any of a number of movies and sooner or later you will get the message that sexual promiscuity is not only okay but the way things are today. Fact is, if you look at the way our culture is behaving toward sexual purity before marriage it seems quite clear that those who practice such things are simply not up with the times.

Does God desire Christians today to remain sexually pure before marriage?

Hebrews 13:4
Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.

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While it is true that premarital sex (especially with someone you don't intend to marry) would defile the marriage bed just as much as marital sex with someone other than your partner would. Some would argue that when a person has premarital sex with someone they intend to marry the act becomes the marriage commitment rather than the ceremony.

It's an interesting point, especially since the first thing people do after a traditional ceremony is to go on a honeymoon where they consummate their marriage. However, when the actual legal joining of two people has not yet taken place you are operating from a position of what you "hope" the other person will follow through with. Thus, the higher road of receiving the commitment before the fun begins really is the best option.

With that said, "marriage bed kept pure" means to abstain from sex even with your future mate until marriage as well as during marriage with anyone other than your spouse. The second part of this statement does an excellent job of explaining physical adultery, which should indeed be avoided. However to think that adultery is just an act of having sex with another person than your spouse is to indeed be very short sited.

Since I have recently written an article related to this exact point I will not cover it further here at this time.

Instead let's look at that later part of this verse.

How important is it to keep from being sexually immoral?

1 Corinthians 6:9
Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders.

Matthew 15:19
For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.

Romans 13:13-14
Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.

However, with all the sexually explicit thoughts and concepts bombarding are lives today, can we really achieve sexual purity today? Yes.

Does God desire purity for His children? Yes.

But how can people possibly do this today? Simply by refusing to put unhealthy concepts and ideas into our minds. Ever hear garbage in garbage out? It's true.

What Happens After Death Part 2? Finding Bible Truth Within God's Word About What Happens After Death.

noreply@blogger.com (Body By Chocolates) — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 19:42:00 +0000

Yesterday we explored part 1 of what happens after death according to writings from within God's Word. We continue finding Bible truth today by looking at this question from the scope of John 11 and the story of Lazarus.

Perhaps this is the most telling encounter that correlates sleep and death. You decide.

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John 11:11 (Jesus speaking to His disciples)
After he had said this, he went on to tell them, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up."
Jesus is clearly referring to sleep in the above passage. So much so that He confuses His disciples.

John 11:12 (The disciples of Jesus respond)
His disciples replied, "Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better."
Since everyone knows that rest heals the body, why wouldn't Jesus let Lazarus sleep so He would get better?

John 11:13
Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep.

If Jesus had been speaking of the death of Lazarus why didn't He clearly indicate this at first? Was He so cruel as to be playing a game on such a crucial issue as life and death? The confusion would have been immediately alleviated had He used the "right" word to start with. Unless He was directly correlating them in-order to show that there was no distinction between the different concepts. Given the next verse it seems clear that this is exactly what Jesus was in the process of doing.

John 11:14
So then he told them plainly, "Lazarus is dead…
Latter in this encounter He could have corrected Mary but saw no reason to do so.

John 11:24
Martha answered, "I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day."

If this were the only evidence within God's Word that explained what happens after death it would be enough. However, finding Bible truth reveals countless evidence that people sleep after death until the second coming of Christ. Thus, biblically we can conclude that people sleep in their graves until Jesus returns and gives them a new life of fulfilled hope and faith, as they become eternal beings.

What Happens After Death Part 1? Finding Bible Truth Within God's Word About What Happens After Death.

noreply@blogger.com (Body By Chocolates) — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 19:49:00 +0000

Death.

Like it or not it's a word we all must face sooner or later.

The question is, what happens after death? Finding Bible truth from within God's Word related to this question will be the scope of this article.

Some believe that you sleep until the resurrection of Jesus.

Others will tell you that you go to Heaven immediately upon death.

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Still others talk about a place of "nothingness" or purgatory.

What is the answer according to God's Word?

Psalm 13:3
Look on me and answer, O LORD my God. Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death;

Psalm 90:5
You sweep men away in the sleep of death; they are like the new grass of the morning-

According to the book of Psalm there is a correlation between death and sleep. However, it could be the case that this is metaphorical language and as such is not proof positive to our answer.

Mark 5:39
He went in and said to them, "Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep."

Here we have Jesus talking to the crowd about a little girl who had died. She was clearly dead, so they mocked Him. The death Jesus was referring to here was the second death, rather than the more temporary first death.

Mark 5:39
He took her by the hand and said to her, "Talitha koum!" (which means, "Little girl, I say to you, get up!" ). Immediately the girl stood up and walked around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished.

As this story unfolds we find Jesus bringing this little girl back to life, not be saying "return to your body" but rather the simple words of "get up." Had this little girl been in Heaven would it have been a blessing for her to return to her decaying mortal body?

Tomorrow, we will continue the process of finding bible truth by understanding what happens after death from within God's Word.

Unanswered Prayer: When Unanswered Prayer Happens How Do We Know That Does God Answer Prayers?

noreply@blogger.com (Body By Chocolates) — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 18:51:00 +0000

On April 6, 2003 my wife lay upon her deathbed as I tearfully watched her life come to an end. It had been 2 long years of fighting against the deadly disease of breast cancer that brought us to this day.

There had been some victories.

And there had been some defeats.

In the wake of these events many have asked me, "does God answer prayers"? They point to this major unanswered prayer in my life to prove their point.

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When I respond by telling them that God does indeed answer prayer they look at me like I must have lost my mind. How can I possibly believe in a God that answers prayer when He clearly did not answer my own prayer?

*** Her Prayer Answered ***
During the time I was walking through the valley of the shadow of death I was 100% committed to taking my life if she died. Talking about that rightness or wrongness of this attitude is pointless; the fact that this was the case is what matters here.

It's also important to know that she was aware of this attitude of mine. Thus she was not as concerned with dieing as she was with me surviving.

Had a pastor who understands the spirits not arrived right about the time of her death I would have been in a very serious position. Over her sleeping body we had a very major dialog where I ended by promising that I would not take my life, which I have obviously kept.

*** My Prayer Answered ***
Many would say that God did not answer my prayers. We had attended healing seminars as well as having hands laid on her yet here we were. Was God ignoring my prayers?

No.

Revelation 2:11
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death.

Revelation 20:14
Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death.

You see. The first death is inevitable minus the 2nd coming of Christ. While I miss my wife and wish she had not died, the first death will happen to us all. It's the second death that we need to avoid, even though very few teach about this concept.

My prayers will be answered, just not on my timetable.

Therefore if you were to ask me – "Does God answer prayers"?

I would have to answer absolutely. God is not a genii in a magic lamp that is ready to fulfill my every request. Thus, in the wake of unanswered prayer there will be answers to be found. Further, "no" is much an answer as "yes".

Eternal Judgment Part 1: What Is The Eternal Judgment And Is Hell Eternal?

noreply@blogger.com (Body By Chocolates) — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 01:33:00 +0000

NOTE: This is the first of a two part series focused on what happens to those who choose to reject Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

Eternal judgment.

Some people say, "they made their choice and they deserve to burn forevermore."

The problem with this line of reasoning is…

Romans 3:23
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

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Considering the fact that they also are part of the "all" package that would leave even them in a position of deserving to be cut off for all eternity.

It is without question that there are consequences for disobedience. However, the question is, is hell eternal and if not what is this final judgment that is waiting for those that choose to reject the free gift of grace.

John 3:16
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Most everyone who has spent time studying God's Word has been taught John 3:16 to the point that it is a memorized verse while not having the slightest incline what John 3:17 says.

John 3:17
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

Notice the words…

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son"

And…

"For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world"

God loved THE WORLD.

God DID NOT send his Son to condemn THE WORLD.

With that being the case there are 4 options available to God.

A. Let all enter Heaven no matter what they decided.
B. Send the unrighteous into an eternal lake of fire.
C. Send people to an eternal purgatory or "no man's" land.
D. Allow those who chose not to follow Him to cease to exist.

Now that we understand that eternal judgment is based on an act of love from God. We will take a look at each of the above options to find out which one fits scripture and makes the most sense to find out… is hell eternal?

Eternal Judgment Part 2: What Is The Eternal Judgment And Is Hell Eternal?

noreply@blogger.com (Body By Chocolates) — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 01:26:00 +0000

NOTE: This is the second of a two part series looking at the eternal judgment to discover the truth… is hell eternal?

Let's look at these various options one at a time.
*** A. Let all enter Heaven no matter what they decided. ***

At first glance this looks like a beautiful option. After all, we are only human.

However, if we spent our lives choosing to reject Jesus while on earth would I consider it an act of love to be forced to remain with Him for all eternity? I don't think so.

If I didn't want to build a relationship now, being forced to be with Him for all eternity would not be heaven for me.

It would be hell!

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*** B. Send the unrighteous into an eternal lake of fire. ***

At first glance this option makes the most sense.

After all, my own actions let me to this consequence. The problem arises when attempting to explain how this option would be an act of love on the part of Jesus.

Remember the verse we covered earlier?

John 3:17
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

So the question is would allowing someone who rejected Him to burn eternally be an act of love?

Here's something to consider.

You have a child that is very difficult to raise. Every time you turn around they are getting in trouble in one-way or another. You've come to your wits end and they push that button too. Would you consider it love to start spanking this child and never stop? After all, they deserve it for being so bad, right?

I think most anyone would be hard pressed to make that rationalization. Including God for that matter.

Thus sending people who reject God to an eternally burning lake of fire where the will live out their eternities would not be an act of love at all. If it's not love, then it’s a contradiction of John 3:17 and scripture does not contradict itself.

C. Send people to an eternal purgatory or "no man's" land.

There are people that believe this to be what takes place. Given that I can't find any scriptural position for this concept I would have to disagree and leave it at that.

D. Allow those who chose not to follow Him to cease to exist.

If you were in an intimate relationship with someone who chose to end everything that the two of you had built, wouldn't the greatest act of love be to let them go their way? Unless, of course, there were a prayer of a chance that things between the both of you could be fixed.

Given all the other options available this seems to be the only option that would be an act of love for Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. How does this option fit with other scriptures about the aftermath of death among the unrighteous?

Malachi 4:3
Then you will trample down the wicked; they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day when I do these things," says the LORD Almighty.

Jude 1:7
In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire.

Revelation 2:11
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death.

If you were to take these verses for exactly what they say it would not be hard to understand eternal judgment being an act of none existence instead of an everlasting lake of fire. Therefore, if asked "is hell eternal" the answer according to scripture would have to be no.

How Christians Honor The Bodily Resurrection Of Jesus Christ Biblically

noreply@blogger.com (Body By Chocolates) — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 18:46:00 +0000

Ask a Christian why they worship on Sunday and you will receive many answers.

One such answer is found in the clear fact that the resurrection of Jesus Christ took place on Sunday.

Luke 24:1
On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb.

It is correct that Jesus rose on Sunday. However, where does scripture teach that Christians honor this day by attending services on Sunday instead of Saturday? Simply put, God's Word does not indicate anywhere that we are to do this.

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God's Word does however say things like...

Exodus 20:8 (The fourth of the ten commandments.)
Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.

Deuteronomy 5:10
But showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.

Matthew 5:17-18 (Jesus own words.)
Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.

Developing the support for Sabbath keeping is indeed quite easy while by no means being isolated to only the above three verses. However, a defense against Sabbath keeping is not the point of this article. Our goal instead is an understanding of what institution has been put in place, by God Himself, as a reflection upon the resurrection of our Savior and Lord.

Romans 6:3-5
Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection.

You see, Scripture quite clearly teaches that we remember the resurrection of Jesus Christ by baptism not Sunday worship. Trust me, if it has said Sunday worship I'd be the first one to support that position of the church.

It does not.

I do not.

Therefore when Christians honor the resurrection by going to church on Sunday they are doing so at their own whims instead of by obediently following Jesus Christ the risen Lord. The Bible is not silent here either...

Mark 7:8
You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men.

Mark 9:42
And if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone tied around his neck.

Revelation 22:18-19
I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.