Dreams, fairies and mermaids are real. Science contends that dreams, fairies and mermaids are not real, and the scientists are right but not right in the way they think.
If a scientist were to analyze any illusion or fantasy, he would discover that they always comprise mental representations of real things. Mermaids comprise mental representations of real females and real fish. No matter how fantastic a dream may be, every basic element of the dream must be a mental representation of an object or idea that has been made real by experience.
That which is not real about dreams, illusions, hallucinations and mistakes in judgment is that they consist of false combinations of real things made real by experience. The mental representations of all that can be experienced must also be real, but real only as mental events; that is, ideas. Anything the mind can objectify, whether physical or mental, must be real because those ideas are all that can be experienced. It is nonsense to speculate about the reality of things which cannot be experienced. This means that literally everything that a mind can experience must be real whether physical or purely mental. In fact, the only reason physical events are real is because they have been experienced by a mind. This means that all basic realities and all true combinations of basic realities must be unmistakenly real as one experiences them. Mermaids are not real in the world because they are not truly experienced in the world even though females and fish are. Flying snakes are a true combination of the real motion called "flying" and real "serpents" because they have been experienced in the world. This also means that all mistakes in judgment, such as a sailor seeing a mermaid, always consist of false combinations of real things.
False combinations can be experienced in dreams, fantasies, hallucinations and mistakes in judgments, but they always comprise real things. Basic realities and true combinations can also be known to be real because they always prove useful in some way. Unreality is never useful.
But if everything is real, where is unreality? The only possible answer to this question is that unreality can only reside in the nonexistence of false combinations. Mermaids do not exist even though real females and fish do. Then in what way do mermaids not exist? The only possible answer is that they nonexist in the nothingness that remains after the basic realities of the false combinations are subtracted. This is true of all false combinations.
But this also cannot be a true description of unreality because if nothingness is known to a mind, then it too must be real. The main purpose of minds is to make things real. The mind makes nothingness real as an idea. Then, where and what is unreality in the mind and the world? The only possible answer is that unreality nonexists nowhere and at no time. Unreality is never in the mind or in the world. It is an absolute nothingness of which the mind can get no idea whatsoever.
But then how can the mind know about unreality since it nonexists? The only possible answer is that the mind substitutes the real idea of nothing as a mental representation of unreality. But how can the mind obtain a mental representation of nonexistence? The only possible answer is that the idea of nothing must have been given to our minds by another Mind capable, in some unknown way, of experiencing nonexistence. In order to be capable of such a feat, this Mind must surely be an Infinite Mind.
Science and Reality
Most scientists tend to be skeptics. This means that they believe there is no such thing as absolute truth, and they base their arguments on the fact that the world and human perceptions constantly change and so no determinations about absolute truth can be made. They also contend that even the criteria by which we judge facts may themselves be wrong, and so no absolute judgments can ever be made. They do believe that the scientific method reveals probable truths about the world and the mind.
But there does exist an absolute truth which cannot be doubted. This absolute truth lies in the fact that any individual true combination of basic realities always produces the exact same result so long as no basic realities are added or subtracted from it.
That honey tastes sweet to a healthy tongue results from a different true combination than that which yields the true result that it is sticky to the fingers. Honey is both sweet and sticky according to the true combination which effects each result.
Different people often make different judgments about appearances. But this only happens because finite minds tend to be faulty, mistakenly adding or subtracting true basic realities from true combinations thus making them false. Besides this, the contention that healthy minds often see a particular object differently from the same position is greatly exaggerated. Two healthy persons who observe an object from the same position usually describe it using the same words. That one person may observe details that the other missed only proves that the first person possessed better powers of observation than the other.
The absolute truth remains that individual true combinations, so long as they remain exactly the same, will always produce the exact same results. Thus, 2+2 will always equal 4. That true combination that produces the appearance called "round" will always do so if it remains exactly the same. This will happen even if "round" as a true basic reality happens to be used in a false combination such as that of a square tower which appears to be "round" from a distance. Gravity will always work exactly the same so long as Newton's mathematical laws that describe it remain exactly the same. A yard will always prove to be a true measure as long as the basic reality called "extension" is never added or subtracted from it. This judgment constitutes absolute truth even though the false combination called "faulty judgment" causes it to appear to be untrue.
Scientists devise theories and use experiments in order to separate hidden true combinations about the world from false combinations. But science is limited in scope. It can only reveal true combinations about the physical world and the physical mind, but nothing about spiritual and moral truths. In order to obtain knowledge of such truths, the finite mind needs a revelation from the Eternal Truth who knows all possible basic realities and their true combinations. This revelation is called the Word of God (KJB).
Friday, July 11, 2014
Monday, June 30, 2014
Thoughts on Mathematics
Although I am not a mathematician, I do have certain common sense ideas (at least to me) that seem certain to me about mathematics. I will provide my thoughts here and if any mathematicians who read them should find them comical, then go ahead and have a laugh; I am happy to entertain you.
To begin with, from what I have read about the axioms of Peano and Frege, they consider zero and infinity to be numbers. But I cannot see how either zero or infinity can be numbers. Number has to be a limitation of something but zero does not limit anything. Zero actually means "no number" and how can this be a number? Zero actually means nothing. Nothing never figures in mathematical calculations. Nothing can be the result of a mathematical calculation such as 1-1=0, but cannot figure in the calculation itself. One cannot subtract, add, multiply or divide by using zero. Zero cannot be a number. The calculation 1+0=1 cannot be a true calculation since it merely affirms that nothing can be added to one.
Infinity also cannot be a number because it too does not limit anything. One cannot add, subtract, multiply or divide using infinity. Infinity cannot figure in any calculation, although it too can be the result of a calculation. There can be no such things as infinite numbers or classes of infinite things because all such things are limited by definition. The formula "n equals n+1" cannot describe infinity because if "n" is a number then it has to be finite no matter how large, and if one adds a one to it then one only has a larger number by a factor of one. This formula merely confirms that numbers must be finite. If "n" is considerd to be infinity itself, then it cannot equal itself because this would be a limitation, and also a one cannot be added to it. Infinity can only be absolutely unlimited. This can be the only true definition of infinity since any other definition would, of necessity, be limited.
There are some strange similarities between the ideas of zero and infinity. Neither of these ideas can be understood by the finite mind, and yet somehow we have the ideas of them and can use them in limited ways.
Some empirical philosophers speculate that the idea of infinity has been acquired by the idea of one end following another end somehow leaping to the idea of infinity. But the idea of one end following another end must always be a finite idea since this series always comes to an end no matter how far it goes. The leap to infinity that the empiricists imagine can only be a metaphysical and speculative leap which they do not believe ever reveals any truth.
The finite mind also never experiences nothing except as an idea. We never see nothing. We only see things through nothing. Nothingness can never be seen or felt. We cannot imagine nothing. We can imagine a dark or light screen but not nothing. Nothingness is always an inference of the mind. Space cannot be nothing in a direct way. Space is an extension between objects, but the idea that space is nothing is merely an inference.
All of this raises the question: How did we ever acquire the ideas of nothing and infinity? These ideas must be real because unreality always lies beyond experience in the realm of nothingness or the unknown. These ideas also must be real because we can use them in limited ways. Unreality is always useless. The only possible answer to this question must be that there exists an Infinite Mind who gave these ideas to the finite mind.
To begin with, from what I have read about the axioms of Peano and Frege, they consider zero and infinity to be numbers. But I cannot see how either zero or infinity can be numbers. Number has to be a limitation of something but zero does not limit anything. Zero actually means "no number" and how can this be a number? Zero actually means nothing. Nothing never figures in mathematical calculations. Nothing can be the result of a mathematical calculation such as 1-1=0, but cannot figure in the calculation itself. One cannot subtract, add, multiply or divide by using zero. Zero cannot be a number. The calculation 1+0=1 cannot be a true calculation since it merely affirms that nothing can be added to one.
Infinity also cannot be a number because it too does not limit anything. One cannot add, subtract, multiply or divide using infinity. Infinity cannot figure in any calculation, although it too can be the result of a calculation. There can be no such things as infinite numbers or classes of infinite things because all such things are limited by definition. The formula "n equals n+1" cannot describe infinity because if "n" is a number then it has to be finite no matter how large, and if one adds a one to it then one only has a larger number by a factor of one. This formula merely confirms that numbers must be finite. If "n" is considerd to be infinity itself, then it cannot equal itself because this would be a limitation, and also a one cannot be added to it. Infinity can only be absolutely unlimited. This can be the only true definition of infinity since any other definition would, of necessity, be limited.
There are some strange similarities between the ideas of zero and infinity. Neither of these ideas can be understood by the finite mind, and yet somehow we have the ideas of them and can use them in limited ways.
Some empirical philosophers speculate that the idea of infinity has been acquired by the idea of one end following another end somehow leaping to the idea of infinity. But the idea of one end following another end must always be a finite idea since this series always comes to an end no matter how far it goes. The leap to infinity that the empiricists imagine can only be a metaphysical and speculative leap which they do not believe ever reveals any truth.
The finite mind also never experiences nothing except as an idea. We never see nothing. We only see things through nothing. Nothingness can never be seen or felt. We cannot imagine nothing. We can imagine a dark or light screen but not nothing. Nothingness is always an inference of the mind. Space cannot be nothing in a direct way. Space is an extension between objects, but the idea that space is nothing is merely an inference.
All of this raises the question: How did we ever acquire the ideas of nothing and infinity? These ideas must be real because unreality always lies beyond experience in the realm of nothingness or the unknown. These ideas also must be real because we can use them in limited ways. Unreality is always useless. The only possible answer to this question must be that there exists an Infinite Mind who gave these ideas to the finite mind.
Friday, June 20, 2014
Commentary on Hegel
Hegel was an idealist but he was not a dualist. Although he believed that mind creates reality, he also believed that mind is a form of matter itself. He was a monist who thought that mind united with matter formed the one basic substance of the world. This belief formed the basis of his famous dictum: "What is real is rational; what is rational is real."
Hegel was right to maintain that mind creates reality, but he was wrong to contend that mind is only a form of matter. Hegel did not take into account that in order to write his philosophy based on the idea of the unity of mind and matter, he had to be aware of what he was writing. In other words, he could know nothing about his philosophy unless he was conscious of it. This means he had to separate his consciousness from that part of his consciousness that believed that mind is in unity with matter.
This process forms the basis of self-consciousness. In order for one to be self-conscious, one must also be conscious of the fact that one is conscious of something. But in order to be conscious of this self-consciousness one must also be conscious of the fact that this process could extend to infinity if the finite mind had the power to carry it that far.
Yet, even though we cannot carry this process to infinity, humans nevertheless possess the idea of infinity. With this in mind, then the question arises: If Hegel's dictum about the unity of mind and matter were true, then how could he ever become conscious of this fact since his mind had to have been locked into a unity with matter? In such a condition, he could only have been directly conscious of matter, like an animal.
Yet Hegel, like all intelligent humans, possessed the idea of infinity, which proves that his consciousness, like ours, continuously separated from itself in order to establish self-consciousness. But if Hegel's philosophy were true, then self-consciousness would be impossible and so would the idea of infinity.
Yet, despite the finiteness of our consciousness, we somehow possess the idea of infinity. This could only be true if our finite consciousness were somehow connected to infinity. But this means that infinity has to be a real entity. This real entity has to be an Infinite Consciousness since infinity is an idea in a conscious process that can extend to infinity. Beside this, if Infinity were not also Conscious, it would possess no power to give this idea to finite consciousness.
All of this put together means that if consciousness were really in unity with matter, then matter would also have to be infinite, but it is not. Matter is finite because it is limited by nothingness.
All of this means that God must exist, and that consciousness has to be quite different from matter. Reality has a dual nature; that is, mind makes matter real. That is the purpose of consciousness in the universe. The ultimate reality is an Infinite Reality.
Hegel was right to maintain that mind creates reality, but he was wrong to contend that mind is only a form of matter. Hegel did not take into account that in order to write his philosophy based on the idea of the unity of mind and matter, he had to be aware of what he was writing. In other words, he could know nothing about his philosophy unless he was conscious of it. This means he had to separate his consciousness from that part of his consciousness that believed that mind is in unity with matter.
This process forms the basis of self-consciousness. In order for one to be self-conscious, one must also be conscious of the fact that one is conscious of something. But in order to be conscious of this self-consciousness one must also be conscious of the fact that this process could extend to infinity if the finite mind had the power to carry it that far.
Yet, even though we cannot carry this process to infinity, humans nevertheless possess the idea of infinity. With this in mind, then the question arises: If Hegel's dictum about the unity of mind and matter were true, then how could he ever become conscious of this fact since his mind had to have been locked into a unity with matter? In such a condition, he could only have been directly conscious of matter, like an animal.
Yet Hegel, like all intelligent humans, possessed the idea of infinity, which proves that his consciousness, like ours, continuously separated from itself in order to establish self-consciousness. But if Hegel's philosophy were true, then self-consciousness would be impossible and so would the idea of infinity.
Yet, despite the finiteness of our consciousness, we somehow possess the idea of infinity. This could only be true if our finite consciousness were somehow connected to infinity. But this means that infinity has to be a real entity. This real entity has to be an Infinite Consciousness since infinity is an idea in a conscious process that can extend to infinity. Beside this, if Infinity were not also Conscious, it would possess no power to give this idea to finite consciousness.
All of this put together means that if consciousness were really in unity with matter, then matter would also have to be infinite, but it is not. Matter is finite because it is limited by nothingness.
All of this means that God must exist, and that consciousness has to be quite different from matter. Reality has a dual nature; that is, mind makes matter real. That is the purpose of consciousness in the universe. The ultimate reality is an Infinite Reality.
Monday, June 16, 2014
A Commentary on UNDERSTANDABLE HISTORY OF THE BIBLE by Dr. Samuel Gipp.
This article constitutes a review and commentary on UNDERSTANDABLE HISTORY OF THE BIBLE by Dr. Samuel Gipp. This book may be ordered from any Christian Bookstore.
Dr. Gipp's book is truly an eye-opening and enlightening message. This book not only exposes and explains the conspiracies of Satan's minions to alter and discredit the true Word of God, the King James Bible; but it also reveals the true but hidden history of mankind that one does not find in the secular history books.
One can come to understand from reading this book that the true history of the world amounts to a constant and unrelenting war between God and Satan for the souls of men. Evil is not a disjointed aberration that pops up here and there in the course of history, but constitutes in fact a unified and intelligently planned conspiracy hidden within the course of history and imbued with the secret goal of the complete ruination of the human race. This intelligent plan provides good evidence that there must be an intelligent planner behind this hidden conspiracy. This conspiracy is so ingenious that the planner has even succeeded in hiding the fact that it even exists. Such an ingenious conspiracy can only attest to the fact that somewhere Satan actually exists. Not that true Christians doubted his existence, but most Christians are just not aware of how truly cunning and insidious he really is.
This hidden conspiracy reinforces the truth of Genesis 3:1 (KJB) where the Word of God describes the serpent as being "more subtil than any creature of the field which the Lord had made." This serpent had become "subtil" because it had become possessed by the spirit of Satan himself. This also explains why God in Genesis 3:14 (KJB) cursed the serpent, condemning it to become a legless , crawling creature forever a symbol of silent cunning and poisonous evil. Behind the scenes of history, Satan has certainly lived up to his serpentine character, and most people are not even aware of this fact.
In Colossians 1:15-17 (KJB), the Bible teaches that absolutely everything that is real, "visible and invisible;" God created. Not only is the physical world of our senses real, but every idea, every mathematical principle, every creative plan; literally absolutely everything that is useful and good is real and was created by God. In addition, in accordance with Hebrews 11:3 (KJB), God reveals that all of His creations "were framed by the Word of God." This means that not only did God create the physical world, but also all of the mathematical and scientific ideas and plans by which He "framed" it. God created the universe and life in accordance with the information in His Mind. This can only mean that absolutely everything, "visible and invisible," that God has created must be real, and has a direct connection to the Word of God.
Thus, all scientific principles belong to God. This fact explains why at about the same time that Satan launched his insidious attacks against the Word of God through such apostates as Westcott and Hort, he also advanced an attack against God's true scientific principles being discovered by Galileo, Newton and Pasteur. Satan used an amateur scientist and atheist named Charles Darwin to advance the false theory of evolution in a parallel attempt to discredit the Word of God by direct and indirect means. However, recent scientific discoveries have shown that God is currently in the process of reasserting His ownership of the true scientific principles.
All true political principles also belong to God. In the Noahic covenant, God established human government based on His true principles. According to Jesus' teaching in Matthew 11:25-27 (KJB), God has always tended to reveal and preserve His Word through the efforts of common people. The common people are those who have no special talents, such as fishermen and farmers. This does not mean that God cannot save and use an intellectual person. God certainly saved and used the Apostle Paul who possessed one of the greatest intellects in the history of the world. But this tendency of God to use the common people accounts for the fact that the pure Word of God was preserved and delivered to us through the efforts of the common Christians in Antioch and not through the learned centers in Alexandria. These facts may also explain why governments throughout history which have been controlled by all the people have by far been the most successful.
Satan knows all this. These facts account for why at about the same time that he began his textual and scientific attacks against the Word of God, he also began to advance an attack against the political beliefs of the common people, such as the yearning for freedom that lies within the hearts of most people. Satan used the atheist Karl Marx to spread false political ideas to the common people in an attempt to discredit the Word of God in their minds. Communism and Nazism employed direct and cruel methods to impose these false ideas on the common people forcefully. The socialists and liberals use the far more subtle method of simply bribing the people into following their false ideas. But God created and owns the true political principles, and someday when Jesus comes to rule the earth, He will use these true principles.
No doubt, Satan thought that he was on the verge of winning the war for the control of the human race when he started the false religion of Roman Catholicism in about the third century. This false religion enjoyed great religious and political power over the minds of many people for many centuries, but its false Vulgate never replaced the true latin vulgate used by the common people. Then, God raised up great men of the Reformation to counterattack this false religion and preserve His true Word in the King James Bible.
Satan has very cleverly used infiltration to try to corrupt God's science, His politics, His Church and even His Word, but God will defeat all of Satan's evil efforts. Indeed, God has already defeated Satan through the death, burial and resurrection of His Son. John 12:31-32 (KJB).
The last remaining question has to be: What constitutes the essence of this evil conspiracy? The answer can be found in Proverbs 6:16-17 (KJB). That sin that caused Lucifer to rebel against God, that sin that caused Satan to deceive Eve into disobeying God, that sin that has inspired evil men throughout history to try to destroy the Word of God and all true principles that are connected to it, that false system of ideas that has so powerfully gripped the minds of angels and men is called pride. Just as the "born again" experience is a true conversion to the truth of God's Word, so pride seems to be a subtle and powerful conversion to the falsity of all that is unholy. Only by the guidance of the Spirit can the Bible be fully understood.
Dr. Gipp's book is truly an eye-opening and enlightening message. This book not only exposes and explains the conspiracies of Satan's minions to alter and discredit the true Word of God, the King James Bible; but it also reveals the true but hidden history of mankind that one does not find in the secular history books.
One can come to understand from reading this book that the true history of the world amounts to a constant and unrelenting war between God and Satan for the souls of men. Evil is not a disjointed aberration that pops up here and there in the course of history, but constitutes in fact a unified and intelligently planned conspiracy hidden within the course of history and imbued with the secret goal of the complete ruination of the human race. This intelligent plan provides good evidence that there must be an intelligent planner behind this hidden conspiracy. This conspiracy is so ingenious that the planner has even succeeded in hiding the fact that it even exists. Such an ingenious conspiracy can only attest to the fact that somewhere Satan actually exists. Not that true Christians doubted his existence, but most Christians are just not aware of how truly cunning and insidious he really is.
This hidden conspiracy reinforces the truth of Genesis 3:1 (KJB) where the Word of God describes the serpent as being "more subtil than any creature of the field which the Lord had made." This serpent had become "subtil" because it had become possessed by the spirit of Satan himself. This also explains why God in Genesis 3:14 (KJB) cursed the serpent, condemning it to become a legless , crawling creature forever a symbol of silent cunning and poisonous evil. Behind the scenes of history, Satan has certainly lived up to his serpentine character, and most people are not even aware of this fact.
In Colossians 1:15-17 (KJB), the Bible teaches that absolutely everything that is real, "visible and invisible;" God created. Not only is the physical world of our senses real, but every idea, every mathematical principle, every creative plan; literally absolutely everything that is useful and good is real and was created by God. In addition, in accordance with Hebrews 11:3 (KJB), God reveals that all of His creations "were framed by the Word of God." This means that not only did God create the physical world, but also all of the mathematical and scientific ideas and plans by which He "framed" it. God created the universe and life in accordance with the information in His Mind. This can only mean that absolutely everything, "visible and invisible," that God has created must be real, and has a direct connection to the Word of God.
Thus, all scientific principles belong to God. This fact explains why at about the same time that Satan launched his insidious attacks against the Word of God through such apostates as Westcott and Hort, he also advanced an attack against God's true scientific principles being discovered by Galileo, Newton and Pasteur. Satan used an amateur scientist and atheist named Charles Darwin to advance the false theory of evolution in a parallel attempt to discredit the Word of God by direct and indirect means. However, recent scientific discoveries have shown that God is currently in the process of reasserting His ownership of the true scientific principles.
All true political principles also belong to God. In the Noahic covenant, God established human government based on His true principles. According to Jesus' teaching in Matthew 11:25-27 (KJB), God has always tended to reveal and preserve His Word through the efforts of common people. The common people are those who have no special talents, such as fishermen and farmers. This does not mean that God cannot save and use an intellectual person. God certainly saved and used the Apostle Paul who possessed one of the greatest intellects in the history of the world. But this tendency of God to use the common people accounts for the fact that the pure Word of God was preserved and delivered to us through the efforts of the common Christians in Antioch and not through the learned centers in Alexandria. These facts may also explain why governments throughout history which have been controlled by all the people have by far been the most successful.
Satan knows all this. These facts account for why at about the same time that he began his textual and scientific attacks against the Word of God, he also began to advance an attack against the political beliefs of the common people, such as the yearning for freedom that lies within the hearts of most people. Satan used the atheist Karl Marx to spread false political ideas to the common people in an attempt to discredit the Word of God in their minds. Communism and Nazism employed direct and cruel methods to impose these false ideas on the common people forcefully. The socialists and liberals use the far more subtle method of simply bribing the people into following their false ideas. But God created and owns the true political principles, and someday when Jesus comes to rule the earth, He will use these true principles.
No doubt, Satan thought that he was on the verge of winning the war for the control of the human race when he started the false religion of Roman Catholicism in about the third century. This false religion enjoyed great religious and political power over the minds of many people for many centuries, but its false Vulgate never replaced the true latin vulgate used by the common people. Then, God raised up great men of the Reformation to counterattack this false religion and preserve His true Word in the King James Bible.
Satan has very cleverly used infiltration to try to corrupt God's science, His politics, His Church and even His Word, but God will defeat all of Satan's evil efforts. Indeed, God has already defeated Satan through the death, burial and resurrection of His Son. John 12:31-32 (KJB).
The last remaining question has to be: What constitutes the essence of this evil conspiracy? The answer can be found in Proverbs 6:16-17 (KJB). That sin that caused Lucifer to rebel against God, that sin that caused Satan to deceive Eve into disobeying God, that sin that has inspired evil men throughout history to try to destroy the Word of God and all true principles that are connected to it, that false system of ideas that has so powerfully gripped the minds of angels and men is called pride. Just as the "born again" experience is a true conversion to the truth of God's Word, so pride seems to be a subtle and powerful conversion to the falsity of all that is unholy. Only by the guidance of the Spirit can the Bible be fully understood.
Friday, May 23, 2014
Discussion on the Rapture of the Church
I do not believe that the Bible teaches that the living saints at the Rapture of the Church do not die. I Corinthians 15:50, I Corinthians 15:22, Genesis 2:17 and Genesis 3:19 absolutely preclude any such possibility.
I Corinthians 15:51-57 teaches that our mortal and corruptible bodies must be changed to an incorruptible body, as if one changed his dirty clothes to clean ones. II Corinthians 5:1-4 does not teach about a temporary body, but instead teaches that Christ will bring the recreated bodies of all believers, whether in the grave or alive, with Him when He comes to Rapture the Church. All believers will then be changed "in the twinkling of an eye" from our old bodies, whether in the grave or alive, into our new, recreated bodies that Christ will bring with Him from heaven. The dead bodies of millions of believers will litter the world as a witness to the Rapture of the Church.
In addition, according to I Corinthians 15:50, corruptible bodies cannot be resurrected. The only earthly body that was ever resurrected was the body of our Lord Jesus Christ, but then His body was perfect.
I Corinthians 15:51-57 teaches that our mortal and corruptible bodies must be changed to an incorruptible body, as if one changed his dirty clothes to clean ones. II Corinthians 5:1-4 does not teach about a temporary body, but instead teaches that Christ will bring the recreated bodies of all believers, whether in the grave or alive, with Him when He comes to Rapture the Church. All believers will then be changed "in the twinkling of an eye" from our old bodies, whether in the grave or alive, into our new, recreated bodies that Christ will bring with Him from heaven. The dead bodies of millions of believers will litter the world as a witness to the Rapture of the Church.
In addition, according to I Corinthians 15:50, corruptible bodies cannot be resurrected. The only earthly body that was ever resurrected was the body of our Lord Jesus Christ, but then His body was perfect.
Discussion on the Great White Throne Judgment
Revelation 20:11-15 has to be one of the most difficult passages in the Bible to interpret. It raises many questions and no doubt any interpretation will be fraught with errors.
I will not try to interpret this passage but I will raise at least two questions. In verse 12, the dead are raised, which implies that they are raised to life, and yet they are still dead as they stand before God. How can they be both dead and alive? They are judged out of God's books, one of which is the book of life. Apparently, God considers them to be dead because their names are not found in the book of life, and yet they are judged by what is written in God's books according to their works as if they were alive. According to Revelation 22:12 and Ecclesiastes 12:14, they are evidently judged according to their good works as well as their evil works. Since Revelation 22:12 clearly states that Christ possesses a positive gift with which He rewards good works, how can each individual dead person be cast into the lake of fire as a whole person?
I will not try to interpret this passage but I will raise at least two questions. In verse 12, the dead are raised, which implies that they are raised to life, and yet they are still dead as they stand before God. How can they be both dead and alive? They are judged out of God's books, one of which is the book of life. Apparently, God considers them to be dead because their names are not found in the book of life, and yet they are judged by what is written in God's books according to their works as if they were alive. According to Revelation 22:12 and Ecclesiastes 12:14, they are evidently judged according to their good works as well as their evil works. Since Revelation 22:12 clearly states that Christ possesses a positive gift with which He rewards good works, how can each individual dead person be cast into the lake of fire as a whole person?
Discussion on the Bema Judgment Seat
While it is certainly true that the blood of Jesus has washed away all the believers' sins (I John 1:7), and God has "cast all their sins into the depths of the sea," (Micah 7:19), the purpose of God's forgetfulness and forgiveness of sins is to protect His children from eternal damnation and the grasp of Satan. Acts 26:17-18.
Hebrews 12:5-11 definitely teaches that God punishes His children, but only for their correction. God has determined that He will conform every believer to the image of His Son no matter how long this process may take. Romans 8:29; Philippians 1:6. I believe II Peter 2:10-19 teaches that God will condemn all apostates to eternal damnation, but I believe that II Peter 2:20-22 teaches that carnal believers who act like apostates will be punished even worse than unbelievers who go to hell, but only temporarily and for their correction. I do not believe in Purgatory because God will never allow His children to be subject to the power of the Devil.
However, I believe that in the parable of the wedding feast in Matthew 22:1-14, Jesus taught that the wedding guest without the wedding garment symbolizes the carnal believer whom Christ will punish for his correction even after the Rapture of the Church.
Hebrews 12:5-11 definitely teaches that God punishes His children, but only for their correction. God has determined that He will conform every believer to the image of His Son no matter how long this process may take. Romans 8:29; Philippians 1:6. I believe II Peter 2:10-19 teaches that God will condemn all apostates to eternal damnation, but I believe that II Peter 2:20-22 teaches that carnal believers who act like apostates will be punished even worse than unbelievers who go to hell, but only temporarily and for their correction. I do not believe in Purgatory because God will never allow His children to be subject to the power of the Devil.
However, I believe that in the parable of the wedding feast in Matthew 22:1-14, Jesus taught that the wedding guest without the wedding garment symbolizes the carnal believer whom Christ will punish for his correction even after the Rapture of the Church.
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