John the Baptist, inspired by the Holy Spirit, specifically said that Jesus came to "take away the sin of the world." The word "world" here means all mankind. God can never fail to fully accomplish any creative project that He begins. Otherwise, He would not be almighty. Therefore, the only possible conclusion that can be reached about the truth of this verse is that Jesus came to the world to provide some form of salvation for all mankind by separating, in one form or another, all mankind from their sins. Other scriptures reinforce this conclusion including John 3:35; John 6:33; John 6:50-51; John 12:47, and Revelation 21:1-5, just to name a few.
John 3:35 informs us that God has given all things into the hand of His Son. God originally created all things. Romans 11:36; Revelation 4:11. Mankind is one of the good things that God created. God created man in His own image. Therefore, since all things belong to Christ, then God must recover and recreate all of the good things He originally put into man. Revelation 21:1-5.
John 6:33 informs us that Christ came to give life to all mankind. This verse can only mean that Jesus will do exactly that which the infallible Word of God says He will do. In the end, Christ will recover and recreate all of the good things He has ever put into man. Revelation 21:1-5.
John 6:50-51 teaches that those who receive Christ by faith while still alive in the flesh will attain the highest form of salvation which is the gift of the everlasting life and righteousness of Christ and a home with Him in heaven forever. God provides this highest form of salvation by His grace. But the last part of verse 51 states that Jesus also sacrificed Himself to give life to all mankind. This fact can only mean that God will recover and recreate all of the good things He originally put into man. Revelation 21:1-5.
In John 12:47, Jesus taught us that He did not come to judge mankind but to save mankind. This verse can only mean that God cannot condemn the good things He has put into man, but He will recover and recreate all of the goodness of man. God will condemn evil itself. Revelation 21:8; Genesis 3:14.
In John 12:48, Jesus taught that those who reject Him will be judged by God's Word in the last day. Jesus refers here to the Great White Throne Judgment. Revelation 20:11-15 informs us that the Word judges only the dead at the Great White Throne Judgment. The Word judges only the dead because God has already used His consuming fire to separate and recover all of the living and good things He has ever created to be recreated according to Revelation 21:1-5. Those who reject Christ must be the same as the dead. Sin is deadness and total evil. Lucifer invented sin and deadness by misusing the good things of God. Therefore, in the end God will purge His creations of all that is dead and totally evil which He did not create, and He will recover and recreate all of the good and living things that He originally created. Colossians 1:15-20; I Corinthians 3:12-15.
Wednesday, October 25, 2017
Monday, October 23, 2017
Physical and Spiritual Death in the Bible part three
Many of the Old Testament concepts which are difficult to understand, Jesus clarified in the New Testament. The differences between physical and spiritual death in the Old Testament can be subtle, but in the story of the raising of Lazarus from the dead, Jesus cleared up the differences between physical and spiritual death. John 11:1-44.
In verse four of this story, Jesus declared that Lazarus' sickness was "not unto death." But in verse fourteen, Jesus plainly stated that "Lazarus is dead." These two statements cannot be contradictory because Jesus meant spiritual death by His first use of the word and physical death by His second use of the word. This distinction can clearly be seen in verse eleven where Jesus declared that Lazarus was merely asleep. One who is asleep is still alive. So Jesus was saying that Lazarus was still spiritually alive even though he was physically dead. Lazarus was spiritually alive because he was a believer in Christ. Lazarus was one whom God had caused to pass from spiritual death to life as Jesus had taught in John 5:24. In verse fifteen, Jesus actually declared that He was glad Lazarus had died because his death gave Jesus the opportunity to prove, by raising Lazarus from physical death, that He also had power over spiritual death.
By that which Jesus said to Martha in verse 23, He clearly meant that God would raise Lazarus to life as a whole person, both spiritual and physical, but in a future resurrection.
Jesus responded to Martha's faith in verse 25 by assuring her that Lazarus still had to be alive because of his faith and that Jesus, being the very power of resurrection and life, could certainly restore Lazarus to physical life. One can only believe if one is conscious. Jesus was telling Martha that Lazarus was still conscious and spiritually alive, and that He had the power to restore him to physical life. As Jesus used the word "dead" in this verse, He had to have meant both physical and spiritual death. By raising Lazarus from the dead, Jesus meant to prove that He also had the power to raise a believer from spiritual death to spiritual life as He had taught in John 5:24.
In verse 26, Jesus further assured Martha that all those who possess spiritual life because of their faith in Him can never die. Jesus could not have meant physical death. He had to have meant that believers will never suffer a spiritual separation from God forever. God not only creates a new, living spirit and soul for believers the moment they believe, He also creates a new spiritual body for them that He holds for them in heaven until the Rapture of the Church. At the Rapture of the Church, God will restore every Church believer to being a whole, living person by uniting their recreated souls and spirits with their created spiritual bodies that God will bring to them from heaven. Living believers must leave behind their physical bodies in order to be clothed upon with their spiritual bodies. II Corinthians 5:1-5; I Corinthians 15:50.
By all His teachings about life and death, Jesus demonstrated that consciousness always resides in the spirits and souls of humans. Unbelievers possess a spiritual death because they have no consciousness of faith, but believers possess eternal life even if physically dead because of their consciousness of their faith. Dead bodies have no consciousness whatsoever. Therefore, physical death never constitutes a separation from God, and this means believers never die. In addition, God created life and He can never lose anything He has ever created. This fact means God will eventually recover and recreate new, living persons from all His goodness that He originally put into them. Revelation 21:1-5; Luke 20:38.
In verse four of this story, Jesus declared that Lazarus' sickness was "not unto death." But in verse fourteen, Jesus plainly stated that "Lazarus is dead." These two statements cannot be contradictory because Jesus meant spiritual death by His first use of the word and physical death by His second use of the word. This distinction can clearly be seen in verse eleven where Jesus declared that Lazarus was merely asleep. One who is asleep is still alive. So Jesus was saying that Lazarus was still spiritually alive even though he was physically dead. Lazarus was spiritually alive because he was a believer in Christ. Lazarus was one whom God had caused to pass from spiritual death to life as Jesus had taught in John 5:24. In verse fifteen, Jesus actually declared that He was glad Lazarus had died because his death gave Jesus the opportunity to prove, by raising Lazarus from physical death, that He also had power over spiritual death.
By that which Jesus said to Martha in verse 23, He clearly meant that God would raise Lazarus to life as a whole person, both spiritual and physical, but in a future resurrection.
Jesus responded to Martha's faith in verse 25 by assuring her that Lazarus still had to be alive because of his faith and that Jesus, being the very power of resurrection and life, could certainly restore Lazarus to physical life. One can only believe if one is conscious. Jesus was telling Martha that Lazarus was still conscious and spiritually alive, and that He had the power to restore him to physical life. As Jesus used the word "dead" in this verse, He had to have meant both physical and spiritual death. By raising Lazarus from the dead, Jesus meant to prove that He also had the power to raise a believer from spiritual death to spiritual life as He had taught in John 5:24.
In verse 26, Jesus further assured Martha that all those who possess spiritual life because of their faith in Him can never die. Jesus could not have meant physical death. He had to have meant that believers will never suffer a spiritual separation from God forever. God not only creates a new, living spirit and soul for believers the moment they believe, He also creates a new spiritual body for them that He holds for them in heaven until the Rapture of the Church. At the Rapture of the Church, God will restore every Church believer to being a whole, living person by uniting their recreated souls and spirits with their created spiritual bodies that God will bring to them from heaven. Living believers must leave behind their physical bodies in order to be clothed upon with their spiritual bodies. II Corinthians 5:1-5; I Corinthians 15:50.
By all His teachings about life and death, Jesus demonstrated that consciousness always resides in the spirits and souls of humans. Unbelievers possess a spiritual death because they have no consciousness of faith, but believers possess eternal life even if physically dead because of their consciousness of their faith. Dead bodies have no consciousness whatsoever. Therefore, physical death never constitutes a separation from God, and this means believers never die. In addition, God created life and He can never lose anything He has ever created. This fact means God will eventually recover and recreate new, living persons from all His goodness that He originally put into them. Revelation 21:1-5; Luke 20:38.
Tuesday, October 17, 2017
Physical and Spiritual Death in the Bible part two
Whenever the Bible speaks of physical death, it either attaches no connotation of good or evil to it or it speaks of God's approval of it. In Psalm 116:15, God actually approves of the deaths of His saints. God approves because He gathers their souls and spirits to Himself and creates a new spiritual body for them. Since no consciousness whatsoever exists within physical death, then the dead saints cannot be separated from God forever. One must be conscious of one's separation from God to be thus separated. God has stated that death is the enemy of God and man. I Corinthians 15:26. This statement of God can only refer to spiritual death since God approves of the physical deaths of His saints.
Jesus said that the Devil was a murderer from the beginning. John 8:44. From the beginning, Lucifer sought to kill God. Satan tried to use physical and spiritual death as a means to separate God from Himself, and having failed in that attempt, Satan then sought to use spiritual death to try to separate some of God's creations from Himself in order to weaken God's Word on which His creations are based and thus cause the slow death of God. Numbers 23:19; Ecclesiastes 3:14. Satan tried again to kill God on the cross, and again he failed. Love conquers all. I Corinthians 13:8.
God takes no pleasure in the deaths of the wicked. Ezekiel 33:11. God grieves for the wicked when they die because their souls and spirits suffer a temporary separation from God in either a place called death, a place called the sea, or a place called hell according to the judgment of Christ. Revelation 20:13. In each of these places, God uses His consuming fire to separate their good works from their evil works so that eventually only the dead, who are totally evil, will stand before God at the Great White Throne Judgment. Revelation 20:12; I Corinthians 3:12-15; Revelation 22:11-12. God will recover all of His good elements that He has ever put into every human being and use those good elements to recreate a new, righteous humanity to live on His recreated earth. Revelation 21:1-5; Romans 11:36; Revelation 4:11. If God should lose entire humans to the torment of hell forever, then He would lose a part of that which He originally created. Such an event would weaken the Word of God which would cause the slow death of God. God must make His Word good. Numbers 23:19. Should God lose entire humans to the power of the Devil, then He would have failed in His promise to destroy death as a permanent spiritual separation from God. God must make His Word good. Numbers 23:19. Whenever the Bible speaks of spiritual death, it almost always denotes it by the use of phrases which signify darkness or a place separate from God. Job 3:5; Psalm 23:4; Hosea 13:14; Luke 1:79; John 5:24.
Jesus said that the Devil was a murderer from the beginning. John 8:44. From the beginning, Lucifer sought to kill God. Satan tried to use physical and spiritual death as a means to separate God from Himself, and having failed in that attempt, Satan then sought to use spiritual death to try to separate some of God's creations from Himself in order to weaken God's Word on which His creations are based and thus cause the slow death of God. Numbers 23:19; Ecclesiastes 3:14. Satan tried again to kill God on the cross, and again he failed. Love conquers all. I Corinthians 13:8.
God takes no pleasure in the deaths of the wicked. Ezekiel 33:11. God grieves for the wicked when they die because their souls and spirits suffer a temporary separation from God in either a place called death, a place called the sea, or a place called hell according to the judgment of Christ. Revelation 20:13. In each of these places, God uses His consuming fire to separate their good works from their evil works so that eventually only the dead, who are totally evil, will stand before God at the Great White Throne Judgment. Revelation 20:12; I Corinthians 3:12-15; Revelation 22:11-12. God will recover all of His good elements that He has ever put into every human being and use those good elements to recreate a new, righteous humanity to live on His recreated earth. Revelation 21:1-5; Romans 11:36; Revelation 4:11. If God should lose entire humans to the torment of hell forever, then He would lose a part of that which He originally created. Such an event would weaken the Word of God which would cause the slow death of God. God must make His Word good. Numbers 23:19. Should God lose entire humans to the power of the Devil, then He would have failed in His promise to destroy death as a permanent spiritual separation from God. God must make His Word good. Numbers 23:19. Whenever the Bible speaks of spiritual death, it almost always denotes it by the use of phrases which signify darkness or a place separate from God. Job 3:5; Psalm 23:4; Hosea 13:14; Luke 1:79; John 5:24.
Monday, October 16, 2017
Physical and Spiritual Death in the Bible part one
When God created man and gave him a paradise in which to live, God also gave him a free will and a constant choice to make. God allowed man to eat of every tree in the garden, including the tree of life, but forbade man from eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. God told man that he would die in the very day that he ate of the forbidden fruit. Genesis 2:17. By God's use of the word "die," He had to have meant separation from fellowship with God which Adam and Eve had enjoyed every day. Genesis 3:8. God could not have meant physical death because Adam and Eve did not die that day, but God did banish them from paradise and daily fellowship with Him on that very day. Genesis 3:23-24. This meant Adam and Eve died a spiritual death since in their souls and spirits they no longer had any consciousness of their need for God. They no longer fully depended on God to sustain their lives, but were forced to labor in the field and in childbirth to sustain human life.
Adam did not suffer a physical death until over 900 years later. Many suppose that God created mankind to live in paradise on earth forever, but the Bible does not state this. If God had created man to live forever in paradise, then for what purpose did He create the tree of life? If man already had immortal life, then the tree of life would have served no purpose. The purpose of the tree of life had to have been the opposite of the purpose of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Since the purpose of the forbidden fruit was to cause spiritual death, then the purpose of the tree of life must have been to impart an eternal spiritual life to man. If man had rejected the forbidden fruit, and had eaten of the tree of life instead, then God would have created an eternal soul and spirit for them similar to the way God creates an eternal soul an spirit for every "born again" believer the moment he believes. If Adam and Eve had eaten of the tree of life first, then they would have lived in the garden for over 900 years. Their physical deaths would have been quite a natural and painless event; their eternal souls and spirits would have returned to God in heaven where God would have clothed them in a new spiritual body that He had already created for them. This event would have been similar to the Rapture of the Church. Such an event did happen to the patriarch Enoch because he "walked with God" which meant he had become a "born again" believer.
In Genesis 1:28, God commanded mankind to "multiply, and replenish the earth." The word "replenish" means to fill again something which has been depleted. God had commanded man to replace the physical lives of those who would die a natural physical death. Physical death never means an eternal separation from God. Physical death simply means that a person's body will return to the dirt from which God created him, as God told Adam in Genesis 3:19. Physical death actually symbolizes God's recreative powers. Man returns to dirt which feeds plant life, which in turn, renews the physical lives of new people. God enjoys breaking down existing systems into their constituent elements in order to recreate new, individual systems. This fact accounts for all the diversity of life on the earth. Every human, every animal, and every plant are not like any other on earth. Even snowflakes melt and are replaced by snowflakes that are not like any other that have ever been created.
Adam did not suffer a physical death until over 900 years later. Many suppose that God created mankind to live in paradise on earth forever, but the Bible does not state this. If God had created man to live forever in paradise, then for what purpose did He create the tree of life? If man already had immortal life, then the tree of life would have served no purpose. The purpose of the tree of life had to have been the opposite of the purpose of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Since the purpose of the forbidden fruit was to cause spiritual death, then the purpose of the tree of life must have been to impart an eternal spiritual life to man. If man had rejected the forbidden fruit, and had eaten of the tree of life instead, then God would have created an eternal soul and spirit for them similar to the way God creates an eternal soul an spirit for every "born again" believer the moment he believes. If Adam and Eve had eaten of the tree of life first, then they would have lived in the garden for over 900 years. Their physical deaths would have been quite a natural and painless event; their eternal souls and spirits would have returned to God in heaven where God would have clothed them in a new spiritual body that He had already created for them. This event would have been similar to the Rapture of the Church. Such an event did happen to the patriarch Enoch because he "walked with God" which meant he had become a "born again" believer.
In Genesis 1:28, God commanded mankind to "multiply, and replenish the earth." The word "replenish" means to fill again something which has been depleted. God had commanded man to replace the physical lives of those who would die a natural physical death. Physical death never means an eternal separation from God. Physical death simply means that a person's body will return to the dirt from which God created him, as God told Adam in Genesis 3:19. Physical death actually symbolizes God's recreative powers. Man returns to dirt which feeds plant life, which in turn, renews the physical lives of new people. God enjoys breaking down existing systems into their constituent elements in order to recreate new, individual systems. This fact accounts for all the diversity of life on the earth. Every human, every animal, and every plant are not like any other on earth. Even snowflakes melt and are replaced by snowflakes that are not like any other that have ever been created.
Wednesday, October 4, 2017
Commentary on John 6:50
In John 6:50, Jesus taught that all those who receive His salvation by grace while still alive in the flesh will not die. But Jesus could not have meant physical death since all men must suffer physical death. Jesus had to have meant a spiritual death which is separation from God. When believers saved by grace die, their recreated souls and spirits immediately go to heaven to be with God. God also creates a spiritual body for His Church believers which He will bring with Him and give to His Church believers at the Rapture of the Church. The physical death of believers saved by grace never becomes a separation from God. Therefore, in the sense of death being a separation from God, believers saved by grace never die. II Corinthians 5:1-8.
When unbelievers die, their souls and spirits go to one of three places according to the judgment of Christ. Hebrews 9:27. Revelation 20:13 definitely teaches that the dead who stand before God at the Great White Throne Judgment come out of three different places. Some come out of the sea, some from out of death, and some from out of hell. The Word of God does not inform us exactly what kind of places the sea and death are, but it does tell us that hell is a place of fiery torment. Probably, only the worst humans go to hell. But the souls and spirits of unbelievers in all three places are separated from God, and that is why they are called "the dead."
In I Corinthians 15:26, God promised that He would destroy death itself. Revelation 20:14 records the exact event when God destroys the place called death by casting it into the lake of fire. This also means that God must destroy hell when He casts it into the lake of fire. God will have no more use for hell since He has emptied it of all its dead, and it has therefore served God's purpose. Revelation 21:1 relates that God will also eliminate the place called the sea when He recreates the heaven and the earth. Since God destroys the first death, then the lake of fire, called the second death, must be something entirely different from the first death. Revelation 20:15. The difference must be that the first death is for unbelieving humans while the second death is for total evil itself. Revelation 21:8. In addition, if the lake of fire amounts to but a continuation of hell, then the first death would be the same as the second death, and that condition would contradict God's promise that He will destroy death itself which is separation from God. Since God destroys death itself, then this fact can only mean that He will recover from death all the goodness that He originally created to be recreated as new, righteous humans to live on a righteous, recreated earth. Revelation 21:3-5; Revelation 22:11-12; I Corinthians 15:25-28.
When unbelievers die, their souls and spirits go to one of three places according to the judgment of Christ. Hebrews 9:27. Revelation 20:13 definitely teaches that the dead who stand before God at the Great White Throne Judgment come out of three different places. Some come out of the sea, some from out of death, and some from out of hell. The Word of God does not inform us exactly what kind of places the sea and death are, but it does tell us that hell is a place of fiery torment. Probably, only the worst humans go to hell. But the souls and spirits of unbelievers in all three places are separated from God, and that is why they are called "the dead."
In I Corinthians 15:26, God promised that He would destroy death itself. Revelation 20:14 records the exact event when God destroys the place called death by casting it into the lake of fire. This also means that God must destroy hell when He casts it into the lake of fire. God will have no more use for hell since He has emptied it of all its dead, and it has therefore served God's purpose. Revelation 21:1 relates that God will also eliminate the place called the sea when He recreates the heaven and the earth. Since God destroys the first death, then the lake of fire, called the second death, must be something entirely different from the first death. Revelation 20:15. The difference must be that the first death is for unbelieving humans while the second death is for total evil itself. Revelation 21:8. In addition, if the lake of fire amounts to but a continuation of hell, then the first death would be the same as the second death, and that condition would contradict God's promise that He will destroy death itself which is separation from God. Since God destroys death itself, then this fact can only mean that He will recover from death all the goodness that He originally created to be recreated as new, righteous humans to live on a righteous, recreated earth. Revelation 21:3-5; Revelation 22:11-12; I Corinthians 15:25-28.
Tuesday, October 3, 2017
Commentary on John 6:33
John 6:33 clearly teaches that Christ came for the express purpose of giving life to the world; that is, all mankind. God created all life, and since God can never lose anything which He has ever created, then this verse must mean that God will recover and recreate all of His goodness that He originally put into man when He created man in His own image. Ecclesiastes 3:14. John 6:33 expressly teaches that Christ came to give life to all mankind, and this fact means that God cannot fail to do precisely that which He states. Numbers 23:19. John 1:9 and John 3:20-21 further reinforce this teaching. These verses teach that every man has some of the Light of God's Truth in him and that God will eventually effect a complete separation of all of His goodness that He originally put into man from all of the evil that has infected and sullied man's goodness.
The Church teaches that God saves only by grace, and all others go to hell forever. But this teaching means that God will lose the goodness He put into those who go to hell forever, and this is impossible. God can never lose anything He has ever created. Thus, John 6:33 must mean that God will provide different types of salvation for all mankind.
The Church correctly teaches that God saves some people by His grace. Jesus' teaching from John 6:35 through 70 concerns salvation by grace, particularly the salvation of the Church. In these verses, Jesus responded to the direct request of verse 34. One eats and drinks while still alive in the flesh. In that same vein, Jesus taught in these verses that a person can obtain everlasting life by receiving His blood and flesh while still alive on the earth. Jesus knew that this teaching would offend the unbelievers, and that they would separate themselves from Him. But in verse 63, He reassured His disciples that He spoke of a spiritual salvation. The Church becomes saved by the work of the Holy Spirit. In verse 37, Christ assures believers that God will never refuse spiritual salvation to anyone who chooses to come to Christ by faith. In verses 39 and 40, Jesus spoke about a "last day." But in God's economy, there is no such thing as an absolute last day. God's creations last forever. Jesus had to have meant that He would provide a bodily salvation for His Church on the last day of the Church Age which will happen at the Rapture of the Church. In verse 51, Jesus taught that He can give immediate life to those in the flesh who believe, but He also taught that He gave His life for the life of all mankind. God can never fail to do whatever He has said He would do. Numbers 23:19. This fact can only mean that Christ will provide a different type of salvation for all people not saved by grace. Revelation 21:1-7 teaches that not only will God save by grace, but He will also recover and recreate all of His goodness that still resides in all of mankind not saved by grace.
The Church teaches that God saves only by grace, and all others go to hell forever. But this teaching means that God will lose the goodness He put into those who go to hell forever, and this is impossible. God can never lose anything He has ever created. Thus, John 6:33 must mean that God will provide different types of salvation for all mankind.
The Church correctly teaches that God saves some people by His grace. Jesus' teaching from John 6:35 through 70 concerns salvation by grace, particularly the salvation of the Church. In these verses, Jesus responded to the direct request of verse 34. One eats and drinks while still alive in the flesh. In that same vein, Jesus taught in these verses that a person can obtain everlasting life by receiving His blood and flesh while still alive on the earth. Jesus knew that this teaching would offend the unbelievers, and that they would separate themselves from Him. But in verse 63, He reassured His disciples that He spoke of a spiritual salvation. The Church becomes saved by the work of the Holy Spirit. In verse 37, Christ assures believers that God will never refuse spiritual salvation to anyone who chooses to come to Christ by faith. In verses 39 and 40, Jesus spoke about a "last day." But in God's economy, there is no such thing as an absolute last day. God's creations last forever. Jesus had to have meant that He would provide a bodily salvation for His Church on the last day of the Church Age which will happen at the Rapture of the Church. In verse 51, Jesus taught that He can give immediate life to those in the flesh who believe, but He also taught that He gave His life for the life of all mankind. God can never fail to do whatever He has said He would do. Numbers 23:19. This fact can only mean that Christ will provide a different type of salvation for all people not saved by grace. Revelation 21:1-7 teaches that not only will God save by grace, but He will also recover and recreate all of His goodness that still resides in all of mankind not saved by grace.
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