Question #1:
Hello Dr.,
In your DropBox you should find the following audio files:
Peters Epistle’s:
1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22
I took some time off from work last week and was able to get a head
start on these. Nearly five months into this re-edit and were off to a
good start, but still a long way to go. Bible Basics is a whopper,
however, God willing it will all get done. You are right about the
improvement from Ryan the old AI voice. I used to listen to him on a
regular basis and had grown accustomed to the digital accent, but now
when I go back and listen to the old files I find it a bit hard to do.
You explain in your teaching how it’s a blessing from the Lord that He
doesn’t give us a full explanation of what eternity will be like, since
if we really could comprehend it completely we may not be able to focus
on the here and now, that’s human nature, once we get a taste of
something better it’s hard to go back. However, He does give us just
enough information to let us know that this will all be worth it if we
remain faithful to Him and his will for our lives. Like the
correspondent from Sundays posting , “I just want to get this over
with”, but I’m thankful to have something to do while I’m here that will
earn some kind of eternal reward. By the worlds standards I’ve never
reached the pinnacle of material prosperity and that’s fine, I’m
thankful for what the Lord has provided and I’ll be thankful to leave it
all behind to spend eternity with Him.
How are you Sir? Sundays posting was fine by my reading, so I take it
that the Lord got you through your work week ok. I should have some more
audio files for you soon, just maybe a little slower. The platform that
I create the files on is slowly evolving and it’s causing glitches in
the editing functions that are taking additional time to work out. It’s
randomly taking Bible verses and converting them into time stamps (for
example: Luke 9:15 may become Luke a quarter past nine or Revelation
3:12 may become Revelation 3 twelve hundred hours). It’s nothing that
cant be fixed, just more time consuming and a bit frustrating. Got you
in prayer.
All the best,
Rev.22:20
Response #1:
Sorry about the frustrating glitch. It's clear that the software wasn't designed
with Bible citations in mind.
Thanks for the prayers! Yes, VERY tired but I did get through it all last week,
God helping me. Another busy one ahead with little break but at least after next
week it'll be spring break here! So I'll get a little rest . . . although I
already have about two weeks of projects now (three no doubt by next Monday).
I certainly appreciate you still "being here", my friend! We need each other
even if personally we'd rather be with the Lord. That's what Paul says
too:
I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.
Philippians 1:22-23 NIV
Keeping you guys in my prayers – thanks so much for yours!
In Jesus,
Bob L.
Question #2:
Oh I see what you are saying. Thanks for your email! I was feeling sad
but felt better when I read it!
Also I went with a friend to a new mall and they had so much neat stuff;
and I think how much better things will be in His Kingdom, and what we
will see, and I can't wait for it! Mainly for the Family to be together.
Anyway, please don't overwork yourself.
Response #2:
Good to hear that you're having a little fun with some friends!
"I think how much better things will be in His Kingdom" Amen!
We should all be looking forward to the wonders ahead.
But as it is written:
"Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,
Nor have entered into the heart of man
The things which God has prepared for those who love Him."
1st Corinthians 2:9 NKJV
Meanwhile, wishing you a good week ahead too, my friend.
In Jesus,
Bob L.
Question #3:
Thanks Bob! Praying for you too.
I've had a lot of confidence knocked out of me for a few reasons but
I've been hanging in there for a couple of months and the Lord is
helping me. God knows my heart and He knows through the many tears I
have shed before Him how much I want and am willing for Him to use me
and to work through me. I will do whatever HE wants me to do even if I
find it difficult. He will give me the strength to do it anyway.
I've been researching, learning and working on certain things that He
has led me to. This includes lies as well. And without knowing for sure,
I think it's giving me some understanding of what might be going on with
___. That wasn't my intention to start with but something I think the
Lord is showing me while I've been learning about these things.
I've been a bit vague but I still have lots to learn and whenever I'm
ready I'll write more about it.
Thanks for your prayers and support, Bob. It's all about keeping my eyes
fixed on the Lord and what He wants me to do. And relying on His
strength alone.
In Jesus
Response #3:
I do know what it is like to be led to think that someone is "on your side" or coming around spiritually, only to come to find out that it isn't the case. It can take the wind out of one's sail. And especially if the whole "playing field" one is operating on seems hostile to one degree or another.
"And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age"
Matthew 28:20b NIV
Jesus is ALWAYS with us. He is in us. And He never lets us down.
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
Romans 8:31 NKJV
We are not fighting this fight alone. We have the Holy Spirit in us, and we are carrying out our Lord Jesus Christ's mandates. He loves us and He is for us and He will never leave us.
"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Deuteronomy 31:6 NIV
We are fighting a fight which is going to give us unimaginably great rewards, rewards which in their smallest part will surpass possession of this entire temporary world – and will do so forever. It is easy to take our eyes off of these truths. The evil one's entire system is designed to do that, and nothing can trip us up quite so well as strife and disappointment arising from those near and dear. Yes, this world is trouble.
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33 NIV
For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.
1st John 5:4 NIV
We who are fighting the fight of faith will win the victory and we will receive the reward our Savior has for us. It may be hard now – how would it not be, seeing as we are the devil's targets down here? But if we persevere, it will all be more than worth it in the end.
(5) He who, in spite of weeping, goes forth in resolution, carrying seed to sow, (6) will doubtless return rejoicing, bringing in his sheaves.
Psalm 126:5-6
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
Galatians 6:9 NIV
I'm keeping you in my prayers, my friend.
In Jesus our dear Savior,
Bob L.
Question #4:
Thanks Bob,
Yes I am now seeing a daily improvement with my hearing. Praise the Lord!
I am sorry my friend. Sometimes the way the world is, it makes me very cynical
and it can come off flippant and dark humoured so I am sorry for that. As well
as the work I need to allow the Spirit to do with me through pruning me over my
struggles to forgive at times.
Of late I have had my eyes more fixed on the struggle and how bleak everything
looks rather than keeping my eyes firmly fixed on Christ and the things from
above. I know from your site this is 'virtue thinking' and I know I must fight
to keep hold of it.
Things ARE very depressing and distressing and soon to get much worse so it is
high time that I get into the habit of embracing spiritual testing so I made
useful for the Tribulation (if I am to go through it) and that I always have the
joy, peace and certainty that comes with mature faith.
I have just contacted some old friends who are neck deep in the New Age now.
They are musicians and their last album had a track on it that referenced the
writings of Teilhard de Chardin who was a Jesuit mystic who was the father of
the New Age movement. He taught about the 'Cosmic Christ' and 'Christ
Consciousness' and I do believe this will lead to the worship of the Antichrist.
I sent them (as well as a very detailed rebuttal) two good apologetic video
resources that spell out that the New Age/occult leads to the teaching that to
'spiritually evolve' (be saved) that the practitioner must seek the help or
wisdom of the serpent. This serpent can only be uncoiled through Kundalini Yoga
which then leads to 'knowledge of inner divinity'. Obviously the serpent is
Satan and many New Agers openly admit that they believe you actually have to go
to Satan for salvation.
The evidence is there is black and white about what this all means (they believe
the serpent/Satan is humanity's true saviour). The information is there in no
uncertain terms.
I have just sent the email off as it really weighed on my heart that I had to
say something. It may mean that I lose contact with them altogether but as (with
all cult adherents) my contact with them has dwindled down to not hearing from
them at all (apart from getting a secular 'yule' card from them at Christmas) it
won't make much difference at all. The only difference it may mean is that their
feelings towards me may shift from affection (due to the past) to outright
hostility. I am ready to face that eventuality too as no doubt we will need to
be seasoned to that type of reaction when we go through the Tribulation.
I said a prayer and shed a tear when I sent it off knowing this may be
ultimately severing another tie I have here.
On a different note: Romans 11:25 about the fullness of the gentiles...Does that
mean that once the Tribulation starts, the only ones who will join the church
will be Jews (because of the ministries of the two witnesses and the 144,000)?
Will that mean that there won't be any gentile unbelievers saved at this time
because of the 'fullness'? That would mean that unless a gentile is saved before
the Tribulation begins then they won't be saved? Then our main job would not be
evangelising unbelieving gentiles but helping lukewarm believers not to fall
away?
In Jesus,
Response #4:
Here's the passage in context:
(25) Brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery (and so think more of yourselves than you should): hardness has come over a part of Israel until the time when the fullness of the gentiles has come in [to the family of God] (i.e., when the Church is completed at the 2nd Advent). (26) And it is in this way (i.e., coming to believe upon witnessing the Messiah's return) that all [true] Israel will be saved just as it is written: The Deliverer will come from Zion. He will expel ungodliness from Jacob. (27) And this will be My covenant with them when I take away their sins.
Romans 11:25-27
I take Romans 11:25 to be fulfilled absolutely only at the second advent, when
unbelieving Israel will "look upon Him whom they have pierced" and repent only
at that point (Zech.12:10; Rev.1:7). It is true that there will be a major
revival during the first half of the Tribulation among the sons of Israel, led
by Moses and Elijah and the 144,000, but even though it will be dramatic it will
not move the hearts of the majority (here's
the main link on that in CT).
We don't yet know what our individual roles will be during the Tribulation
precisely, although we do know that it will involve persecution and martyrdom
for many and the witness that goes with such suffering. Otherwise, I would
imagine that it will be "more of the same" in that we will still be expected to
keep doing what we are doing now: grow, progress, produce. Whether there will be
additional opportunities on account of unbelievers and weak believers turning
around under the pressure or not, it's impossible to tell before the fact. I had
thought that all the troubles surrounding Covid and related issues in this
country would be a prod to spiritual growth, but the opposite occurred in fact.
We will have to wait and see. Meanwhile, we who love the Lord need to "stick to
our knitting" and keep moving forward with the Lord.
As to contacting old acquaintances and attempting to share the truth, this is
always a dicey proposition unless we've had some indication that they may be
receptive. Whenever I have done that without such prior signals it's only served
to alienate me from such old friends even further. But we all have our own
ministries and if the Spirit is prompting us to do so, then we should. This sort
of thing is all about listening carefully to the Spirit and doing what He wants
us to do.
In terms of things being "bleak, depressing and distressing", that is just the
way the world is, rightly seen. But while we believers are in this world, we are
not OF it (Jn.17:14-17). Our citizenship is not in any country on this planet
but in heaven (Phil.3:20). We are seated with Christ in heaven above in terms of
our spiritual position (Eph.2:6; Col.3:1). Nothing can stop us from being
resurrected, rewarded, and given our own place in New Jerusalem in company with
all our dear brothers and sisters in the Lord in God's perfect timing . . . as
long as we keep the faith in Christ alive in our hearts.
"Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also."
John 14:1-3 NKJV
So please let's take pains to embrace the joy of our salvation (Ps.51:12).
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!
Philippians 4:4 NIV
Whenever we're feeling depressed at what we see, it's always good to remember that the Lord is going to destroy all of this mess down to the subatomic level (2Pet.3:7-11), while we will be together in the light with our dear Savior Jesus Christ forever. All of this down here is so temporary. We just have need of perseverance and to wait just a little while, and all will be well.
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
Romans 8:18 NKJV
(35) So do not throw away this conviction of yours – it leads to a great reward. (36) You need to keep persevering so that you may carry off in victory what has been promised – after you have accomplished God's will. (37) For yet a little while, "how short, how short [the wait], and He who is coming shall come, nor will He delay". (38) "Then my one [made] righteous by his faith will live because of his faith, but if he shrinks back, My heart takes no pleasure in him (Hab.2:3-4)." (39) Now we are not possessed of cowardly apostasy which leads to destruction, but we have faith which leads to [eternal] life.
Hebrews 10:35-39
Keeping you in my prayers, my friend.
In Jesus,
Bob L.
Question #5:
Thank You
Remember me asking once, "Does Heaven have nighttime?" I didn't think it
actually did have nighttime. You pointed out the city of New Jerusalem has no
need of the Moonlight or Sunlight. Neither does Heaven now. However, the New
Earth will still have these cycles like we have down here. Did I remember this
all correctly?
I know New Creation still has the Moon and Sun. Someone told me I am evil for
enjoying sunsets and moonlit nights. Why would that be evil right?
Response #5:
I certainly don't think that there is anything wrong with enjoying what God has
made. That includes sunsets and the like. We worship God and we know that He is
the Creator of all these things. And if the creation which is now suffering on
account of sin and longing for its liberation (Rom.8:20-22) can be so beautiful,
just think how beautiful things will be on the other side! We can enjoy what He
has given us now, even as we anticipate the much greater blessings on the other
side, all because of the great gift of Jesus Christ.
I'm not sure what this person was talking about but it sounds misguided and
legalistic to me.
Hope you are doing well!
The main link for the new heavens and the new earth and New Jerusalem is in
CT 6.
In Jesus,
Bob L.
Question #6:
Thanks for answering back.
So, the New Creation will have things like sunsets and moonlit nights?
Response #6:
My pleasure, my friend.
Its gates shall not be shut at all by day (there shall be no night there).
Revelation 21:25 NKJV
There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever.
Revelation 22:5 NKJV
Many people like the sea, but there won't be any sea on the new earth either
(Rev.21:1). Things will be different in eternity . . . but they will be blessed
beyond all our present expectations.
Until we are in resurrection bodies, we really can't understand it all. But we
can take it all on faith, based upon all the Bible says, that we have nothing to
fear and everything to anticipate – for good. Here's a link on that:
What is "heaven" like according to
Christian teachings?
In Jesus,
Bob L.
Question #7:
Yes. I know New Jerusalem is an eternal daylight.
I was asking about New Earth, if there would be sunsets there?
Response #7:
I don't know anything more than what scripture says. It seems inconsistent for
there to be darkness anymore since God is light and darkness is a sign of
judgment (cf. Col.1:13; Eph.5:8), but whatever glorious manifestations of
perfect beauty await us on the New Earth under the new heavens, we will have to
wait to find out.
In Jesus,
Bob L.
Question #8:
I understand what you're saying. I just thought Earth would still rotate like
before the fall which means Sunsets. It was like this before the fall when Adam
was sinless. So, I didn't think nighttime was evil.
Anyhow, thank you very much. I think we'll all know soon. I feel Christ will be
returning very soon.
Response #8:
Re: "I just thought Earth would still rotate". Perhaps it will . . . if
the new one is a globe too. Scripture doesn't say. For all we know now, it could
be a plane which continues to infinity. We do know that there will be no more
sea, no more night, and that New Jerusalem will be huge, a giant cube the size
of Australia roughly in terms of its footprint, and equally high.
Re: "which means Sunsets". Not necessarily, even with rotation. We are
told that in the case of New Jerusalem "the glory of God gives it light, and the
Lamb is its lamp" (Rev.21:23); so if the light is coming from the city from the
persons of God, we won't be dealing with the same celestial dynamics then as we are
presently. In any case, darkness is not a natural state. Darkness is the result
of judgment. In the original creation, before Satan's fall and the judgment of
the universe, that is, on the other side of the Genesis gap, there was only
light, no darkness. It stands to reason that such will also be the case in
eternity too.
Re: "It was like this before the fall when Adam was sinless"; but this
situation in Eden was after Satan's fall. If you recall in Genesis
chapter one, God had to bring light back to the universe, and when He did so, He
did not banish darkness entirely; light and darkness were both present as is the
case today. This is a deliberate teaching-metaphor representing the good God
gives and the evil the devil proffers. We are here in this world to choose what
we prefer. In eternity, no more such choices are necessary (or possible); those
who rejected God in this life are in the darkness they preferred forever; those
of us who preferred the light of the truth will live in light with the Lord
forever. It is also true that the situation in Eden was different from what
obtains now after the great flood. Seasons and the tilting of the earth on its
access were a result of that cataclysmic event (see
the link). There was a "cool of the day" (Gen.3:8) and "evening" and "night"
in Eden (Gen.1:5), but whether there were sunsets before that tilting I cannot
say.
Re: "I didn't think nighttime was evil". Not per se. But darkness and
night represent evil in the Bible. They are not evil; but they serve as symbols
of it (see the link).
We can see (the truth) in the daylight; we can't see (since the truth is
obscured) in the night time.
You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness.
1st Thessalonians 5:5 NIV
I enjoy sunsets too, just to let you know. There's nothing wrong with that.
Re: "I think we'll all know soon. I feel Christ will be returning very soon."
I think you are right about that, my friend. But we will have to wait and see.
In any case . . .
The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.
Romans 13:11b NIV
And before He does return, we'll have seven years to count down at least . . .
once the Tribulation begins.
In Jesus,
Bob L.
Question #9:
Thanks for answering back with so much detail and taking time with me here. It
is super appreciated. God will have something to replace sunsets which is
better. Some areas of Heaven might have diffused light or something else
entirely. Eye has not seen, nor has ear heard, the things that God prepared for
those who love him.
God Bless You
Thank You
Response #9:
"God will have something to replace sunsets which is better." Amen! As
mentioned many times before in this ministry, scripture describes eternity
mostly in terms of the absence of negatives (i.e., "no more death or mourning or
crying or pain": Rev.21:4), no doubt because we can't yet conceive of the
wonders to come in our present situation. It will be wonderful beyond
imagination, and the greatest thing will be the fellowship we have with each
other and with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
In Him,
Bob L.
Question #10:
Hi Bob,
As a note, I had trouble loading Ichthys this morning. 9/29. It may have been
high traffic or maintenance, but could have also been caused by throttling at
one of the routers which I expect to see more of as the anti-judeo/christian
animosity increases. Things are getting increasingly ugly out there - at least
uglier than anything I can remember in my short lifetime. Even the '60s anti-war
protests.
Along those lines, I had a major revelation recently. In reading the "minor"
prophets, especially Joel and Amos, it suddenly struck me that they were writing
specifically for us today. Which I suspect is true. Then I realized that mankind
has not changed in all these thousands of years. What applied to ancient Judah
applies to us today. It makes me wonder if we can expect the same fate or if the
Tribulation will replace it.
It was an interesting post this week and hit many of my hot buttons. (I got a
huge belly laugh at the suggestion Jonah was "a bit more reluctant.") It's been
my experience that people set in their beliefs will reject any contrary ideas.
I've learned to keep my mouth shut unless someone shows an interest, I'm just
not interested in arguments or debates.
Otherwise, all is well down here in the boonies. I pray all is well up yonder
and your semester is progressing nicely.
In Jesus,
Response #10:
Always good to hear from you, my friend!
I've not been able to reduplicate the issue from here on multiple devices. Also,
I've no other reports of this. Not that this means much – people usually don't
report problems to me. Maybe it was a local issue? You know a lot more about all
that than I do.
Yes, I do imagine that the time will come when access will be more difficult.
It's already harder to find Ichthys for a number of reasons, and the goal-posts
of "search" keep changing faster than I can keep up with them with my
rudimentary skills and busy life. But the Lord is capable of connecting to it
anyone who is really willing to learn from it. As with all other things, we do
what we can within reason; then we trust the Lord to do what we reasonably
can't.
Re: "minor" prophets; this is a name they received on account of their
length, of course, not on account of any lesser importance. In the Hebrew Tanakh,
the "n" stand for nebhiyim or "prophets" as part of the threefold
division of the Old Testament.
For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.
Romans 15:4 NKJV
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.
2nd Timothy 3:16 NKJV
So, yes, every scripture has application for us at all times. In terms of
specific interpretation, however, that is another matter especially when it
comes to prophecy (most of the prophetic scriptures had a near term fulfillment
and an as yet unfulfilled future fulfillment). But, yes, the principles involved
definitely apply to us today.
Re: "What applied to ancient Judah applies to us today": Indeed. Although
it must be said that the way in which the Lord dealt with His special nation,
His special people, all of whom were supposed to be believers (even though this
never came close to happening), is different than the way He deals with other
nations – along the lines of the way we would treat and also discipline our own
children being different from the way we comport ourselves to our neighbor's
children. If we were Israel, we'd have been destroyed and scattered a long time
ago, I'm guessing. But we are not. And that is a major difference on this score.
Re: "I realized that mankind has not changed in all these thousands of years."
That is what, according to Thucydides, makes the study of history valuable.
Events don't repeat exactly, but the way people behave and react under the
pressures of historical events, individually but also very importantly
collectively, certainly does. Nothing will change on this score until "we are
changed" (1Cor.15:51-52), and the rest are gone forever.
Re: "I've learned to keep my mouth shut unless someone shows an interest".
That is wise . . . and biblical (Matt.7:6)!
Glad things are well down there, my friend! We got a lot of rain from the
hurricane – even a day at the uni cancelled. But no great damage of which I am
aware here in town. A real blessing. Thanks for the prayers!
In Jesus,
Bob L.
Question #11:
Hi Bob,
I suspect it was temporary either at one of our ISPs. I didn't do any
diagnostics. It was short lived. That I was expecting these kinds of
troubles to come caused my knee-jerk reaction.
Things are becoming more Orwellian as the days go by. This has by far
been the ugliest election I've seen and I started paying attention as I
approached draft age many, many years ago.
One of the many things I noticed in rereading the prophets with an eye
to present times is that it's repeated often that God will protect his
own. I know you're aware of this, but it surprised me because I always
looked at the prophets as speaking about events long in the past or long
in the future. Now, I see that it's neither. I've been having a learning
experience I didn't expect. (And I owe you a great deal of thanks for
that!) Your comment about Thucydides further convinces me humankind
hasn't changed.
I'm glad you came through the storm well. It was one monster of a storm.
Stay safe.
In our Lord,
Response #11:
Re: "Things are becoming more Orwellian as the days go by." Indeed. It
wasn't too long ago when the most liberal of liberal politicians were affirming
that "marriage is between a man and a woman" as they advocated for "civil
unions". Now anyone who says the above is anathema and subject to immediate
cancellation. The "funny" thing is that the news media are functioning as
Orwell's "bureau of information" doing the shredding of things from yesterday
which don't line up with the party line of today.
Re: "the ugliest election I've seen" . . . well hold onto your hat
because my guess is that you "ain't seen nothin' yet"! It really is interesting
from the detached point of view, trying to fathom how we get from this "point A"
to the "point B" we know from scripture is coming. I expect that there are going
to be a lot of twists and turns between now and the new year . . . and certainly
between now and two years hence.
Re: "God will protect his own" Amen! Such an important thing to keep in
mind as we careen towards the end. The judgments of the Tribulation which so
terrify many believers when they read Revelation are all directed at
unbelievers for the sake of believers – just as was the case in the
exodus. Instead of being upset about what we're about to have to go through, we
need to make a commitment to ourselves to do better than "that" generation who
so got Moses' goat. It's not a high bar to clear, after all!
(12) I know how to handle humiliation; I also know how to handle prosperity. I have learned by experience in each and every way how to handle being abundantly provided for and being impoverished, being in prosperity and being in a state of deprivation. (13) I have the strength to endure all [extremes] in the One who empowers me to do so.
Philippians 4:12-13
Yup, no worries here at the moment. Glad to hear that's so far the case down
there as well, my friend.
In Jesus,
Bob L.
Question #12:
Hi Bob,
It's interesting you bring up marriage. After seeing the side show about
"trans genders" (whatever that really means) if I were of dating age, I
would have to check to make sure she was a real female. Of course, that
won't fly today since it's not "inclusive." As far as the media goes, I
don't trust any of them; right wing or left wing, it's all little more
than editorial. The "who, what, why, where and when" of true journalism
seems to have gone by the wayside. I have put my faith in the Lord and
trust He'll work everything out for the best. That doesn't mean I expect
an easy ride between now and then, whenever then may be but I do expect
to come through OK.
As far as the "election", I believe it's already been decided Kamala and
her running mate will be installed in the presidency. I don't expect
Trump to live through the election. It's not a party thing. I remember
the JFK assassination, George HW Bush. a high CIA poobah, was
supervising from Dealey Square. I believe Kennedy was taken out because
he wanted to end the Vietnam adventure. I believe Trump and probably RFK,
Jr. will be taken out for the same reason -- they threaten to interrupt
the grift train, I apologize for getting into politics. The level of
corruption today is breath taking. I suspect worse is to come.
I do have to observe that, like the Exodus generation, I too will miss
the onions and garlic. I certainly won't be making wooden bulls to
worship. I'm not sure any of us really know what will be when the
curtain goes up on the final show. Having faith in what's coming
afterward will keep me plodding forward as long as I'm allowed to plod.
Take care and stay safe. My prayers are with you and yours.
In our Lord,
Response #12:
Re: "I would have to check"; LOL, I wouldn't recommend it. Or
dating nowadays either, for that matter, if it's done via an "app".
Re: "I have put my faith in the Lord and trust He'll work everything
out for the best." Amen! And we know for a fact that He will. Romans
8:28 applies even in our troubling times and will continue to apply even
if we end up in the Tribulation. Our objective doesn't change. We know
what we are advancing towards. The parameters of the fight may change.
The battlefield may get tougher and more confusing and a lot less
comfortable and enjoyable. But we need to keep advancing "in the same
way" regardless (Phil.3:16; Col.2:6-7). Developing a thick skin towards
the deterioration of all which "normal" people hold near and dear is a
necessary survival skill at this point. That certainly includes anything
and everything regarding politics. N.b., I'm not a subscriber to
conspiracy theories, especially when they involve government, because a
successful conspiracy requires a certain level of basic competence (not
noticing any of that in D.C.); it also requires keeping a secret on the
part of the conspirators and I have yet to see that either from any
group numbering more than one person.
"Having faith in what's coming afterward will keep me plodding
forward as long as I'm allowed to plod." That's the ticket, my
friend!
In Jesus,
Bob L.
p.s., it was a golden calf, as I recall . . . and Moses made them drink
it after the fact.
Question #13:
Hi Bob,
I don't pay much attention to idols, golden or wooden. Or even Taylor
Swift. (I think there's a class action suit there for being bombarded
with that nonsense.) I notice that Malachi is very down on the
priesthood and seems to describe what we have today. There was a
prophecy back in the middle ages or renaissance about the final pope.
I'm convinced the current one is the last. He seems to have nothing to
do with Christianity.
In our Lord,
Response #13:
The prophets took to task anyone and everyone who was not doing what
they should be (or doing what they shouldn't) with no respect of persons
or positions, even the priests.
Re: "He seems to have nothing to do with Christianity." If that's
the standard, I don't think there ever was a pope who qualified. As to
being the last, we do seem very close to the end, so there is that. But
no one can say for sure. I usually turn the page or flip the channel
when anything about the pope is being reported. Might as well be an Imam
for all it matters.
Keeping you in my prayers, my friend!
In Jesus,
Bob L.
Question #14:
Hi Bob,
The prophets seem to have been relatively polite. Looking at today's evil and
barbarism and comparing with what the prophets railed against, is it reasonable
to understand the Israelites and Judeans were as barbaric as us? If people
haven't changed in the preceding 6,000 years, it seems reasonable.
I pay no attention to the pope either but it's difficult to un-see the
headlines. Like Taylor Swift, Trump and Kamala, that seems to be most of what
the "news" promotes. Personally, I think Catholicism was a compromise between
the then Bishop and Constantine at Nicaea. Apparently, the bishop of the time
was a skilled politician, too. As the Bible says, it's not wise to ask why
former times were better because I'm getting the impression they really weren't.
Thank you for your prayers. You remain in mine as well
In our Lord,
Response #14:
Re: "is it reasonable to understand the Israelites and Judeans were as barbaric as us?" Plenty of barbarism in the Bible after all. Here's an example of Israelite on Israelite barbarism (one of many), and if God's people could be barbarous to each other, what about the rest of the world?
But as for the soldiers of the army which Amaziah had discharged, so that they would not go with him to battle, they raided the cities of Judah from Samaria to Beth Horon, killed three thousand in them, and took much spoil.
2nd Chronicles 25:13 NKJV
Whether times were better or not (I too have my great doubts), we should be grateful for every day that things aren't as bad as they're going to get. Because it will get worse.
"For in those days there will be tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the creation which God created until this time, nor ever shall be."
Mark 13:19 NKJV
But the LAST 1,000 years will be wonderful, with perfect justice under the
perfect King. And nevertheless, people will still reject that as soon as they
have the opportunity to do so (Rev.20:7-10). It's people that don't change (for
the better) even though circumstances do.
In Jesus,
Bob L.
Question #15:
Hi Bob,
I apologize for asking what should have been obvious. What we have today is
unlike anything I've seen in the past and I'm having trouble adjusting. I'm very
glad my time is short. The Lord has given me the opportunity to do everything I
wanted to do -- whether wisely or not. I'm only here for whatever He may want.
Thank you for fielding my somewhat inane questions. I appreciate it.
On our Lord,
Response #15:
Please, no apologies! It's always great to hear from you, my friend. And, as I
always tell my students, "If you have a question, don't be shy, because odds are
most of the class has the same one but are just reluctant to ask it".
Re: "I'm very glad my time is short." Amen to that! Recently, I've been
crunching the numbers again and they always come up to 33 A.D. resulting in 2033
minus seven. There is a school of thought out there that 31 A.D. is better for
the crucifixion/resurrection, but it would probably have to mean that some of
the secular information, like the dating of Tiberius' reign, is incorrect, and
I'm doubtful of that. We also have a thing called "inclusive counting" in Greece
and Rome which is not the case today, so for example on the Roman calendar the
"third day before the Kalends of January" is not December 29th but the 30th
(along the lines of me telling my son when I send him to the hardware store to
buy fence posts for our 100 foot fence where we plan to put one post every five
feet to be sure to buy 21 and not 20 or we won't have a post for the far end).
It's a very nice thought to think that in a couple of weeks or just another year
we might be "on the clock", but as always we'll just have to wait and see.
However it works out exactly, we can be sure of the truth that we will all see
the Lord face to face in resurrection anon. We just have to "keep the faith".
Keeping you in my prayers, my friend!
In Jesus,
Bob L.
Question #16:
Hi Bob,
It's Thursday now, the wedding was on Saturday but this is the first opportunity
I have had to sit down with peace and quiet to write this.
The day went very well in the end and I tried my best to be a good witness to
all the guests as a new creation in Christ. I made extra effort to make everyone
feel welcome and appreciated. There were 50 at the service and 75 at the
function. I had to do a lot of juggling with helping my parents in another
town(!) with makeup and dressing and then drive back to get myself ready and
help with the floral arrangements before driving back again to welcome people
into the chapel before the service.
The wedding was in an Anglican Protestant chapel inside a stately home where my
sister works. They had to have special permission from the Archbishop of
Canterbury and a special wedding licence to have it there as apart from the
family who historically have had their weddings there it isn't a chapel open to
the public, it is only shown as part of a historic tour normally. Quite an
unadorned chapel with little ornamentation unlike the Catholic Churches I have
been used to.
I was asked to read from 1st Corinthians 13 as it is all about love. I know a
lot of people use this part of scripture for weddings though it isn't about
romantic love. The context is the use and abuse of spiritual gifts in the church
of Corinth and that Paul was telling them that the spiritual gift of love made
perfect was greater than these other miraculous spiritual gifts and if we didn't
have love then all other gifts and works we may use and do would ring hollow. It
also talks about the complete canon of the Word to come and that this would be
greater than these signs and wonders that the current church were seeing.
(Correct me if I am wrong on this).
I didn't quibble this reading (though sadly it was edited down) but instead I
gave a good dramatic reading of it and prayed that it would find home in
people's hearts and lead them to the truth.
The Vicar presiding was Anglican church of England. It saddened me that our Lord
was hardly mentioned at all during the service. Much was made about the couple
and their lives and their work history and I thought at one point God would not
be mentioned at all. He then said three things that leapt out to me as false
teaching. Of course you will not be surprised about this and nor should I.
He said that 1) we're all connected
2) that God was drawing all of us to Himself
3) and something about it being all good and wonderful in the end.
So obviously neither of these 'teachings' are true.
1) God is separate from His creation and is un-created. Also we are all
individuals here and have been created with unique personalities. We are also
very different from all other species in the animal kingdom. We are certainly
not flowers! Most importantly, sin separates us from God and must be dealt with
through the only mediator and atonement that God has given us, His precious Son
and Saviour, our Lord Jesus Christ (who is also God in the flesh). God is
perfect and holy and we are not. Even when we are saved, we must battle daily
against our fleshly sin nature, unlike God who has no imperfection in Him at
all. Also I noticed that Jesus' precious name was hardly mentioned at all. He
just said 'God' a few times which set off alarm bells for me that it may lead to
Unitarian styled beliefs.
2) His 'teaching' that God is drawing everyone to Him is not true as it implies
that Universalism is true and not false teaching. God has made salvation
available for all but we do have to use our God given free will to say 'yes' to
it. That door is open for all but we must walk through it.
3) Possibly him saying that it is 'all good' (a very popular idiom of the day)
is further teaching that all will be saved and all go to heaven no matter what.
It may though be another false teaching that sin and evil doesn't exist, only
goodness which means by extension that we are 'all good' too with the added
implication that all good equals 'all are God'. We know though that this just
isn't true. For the vast majority of people, the future will be 'all bad'.
Eternity in hell, well there is no good to be said about that at all.
I did touch on this with __ until afterwards but they batted me away for being
overly pessimistic and doom-mongering. For being overly suspicious as the Vicar
came across as a very friendly and affable man. It is quite probable that not a
single person heard that 'sermon' at all. Most people drift off when they hear a
Vicar preaching anyway so it is quite likely that I was the only person who
really was listening attentively at that point.
These days Bob, I am rarely 'off duty' and whenever someone professes to talk
about God then I am all ears but usually all ears to pick out false teaching.
Most people who claim to talk for God these days does so falsely, sadly. I may
not have had my Bible with me but I do call to mind what I have learned like a
good Berean whenever 'teaching' is being taught.
I did pray afterwards that this false teaching did not settle on anyone's
hearts. It does fit in though with all the false teaching we have already been
made aware of. I realise that we can't be too prepared for what is coming. I
have been hypervigilant about false teaching over the last few years but I don't
regret it now. We really can't afford to give these false doctrines an inch!
People think I am too pedantic over these 'little things' but they are not
little things at all! What may seem a throwaway comment at a wedding is in truth
a hook thrown forward from a monstrously monolithical false teaching behind.
Satan was subtle as a serpent with Eve. What is so awful about these false
teachings is that we will be seen as villainous for saying it is false and evil.
These are 'feel good' teachings Bob. No hell, no sin, no judgement and no need
for faith in an exclusive Saviour. (I have already said before that __ has been
drawn into these teachings as she doesn't want to think her mother rejected
salvation).
After that there were photos and a very happy buffet and party. I was in a bit
of a daze through most of it. A lot of heady and differing emotions to ride out
with all the manic moving to and fro. The guests said the day was perfect. We
were blessed with very good weather and the heavy rains only hit us two days
after (praise the Lord!)
Another something to note, though it may be nothing...At the end of the party
the DJ got us all on the dancefloor to hold hands in a big circle to dance and
sing. I recently went to a party for one of ___'s relatives and they did the
same thing. This is a relatively new thing at parties, don't remember them from
the past. I know they do this sort of things at some Jewish weddings and
celebrations.
Thought it worthy of note as it may be something common to see going forward.
Dance circles are also common in pagan cultures too. To be part of them is a
very emotionally powerful thing and may be part of that teaching that we all
need to be connected to ascend (which is a New Age teaching).
You can print this one Bob. I hope it will be edifying for others.
It is good though to be 'back in the saddle' again with study and ministry.
After all, this is truly where my heart is and my purpose here.
In Jesus,
p.s., Just after I sent this update, I was sent an advertisement about a local
church building being turned into a corporate office space. I know we shouldn't
put so much store in church buildings (or make an idol out of such things) but I
find this proposal very disturbing. They have used a lot of symbolism on the
website that are taken from various beliefs and religions. Some of the symbolism
is Masonic and others are Islamic. I also noticed that a lot of the copy written
on the site blend Christian terminology such as 'ministry' into a secular
setting. They are almost selling office work as though it is non-secular but
part of a growing all pervasive 'new' religion. Maybe this is more evidence of
the growing Antichrist religion. They call the site 'The Ministry of work' which
has a ominous and foreboding ring to it. https://ministryofwork.co.uk/
p.p.s. Along the same lines.. I have just seen a painter friend of mine (who is
not a believer) exhibit his paintings at a venue which claimed to be an art
gallery AND a spiritual centre for healing. It seems Bob that there is a claim
now that 'everything is spiritual' (even office spaces and art galleries). I
know that the Emergent Church movement pushes this inside the established
Evangelical Church but it is also being taught outside the Body of Christ so it
does seem the Emerging Church is a 'MERGING' church. If people don't know about
the Emergent Church movement then they can find out about it from this
documentary series.
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLS7pp5WLIe82xFh4xC4akVh3dttLa3ZfO&si=fLe9ElkhWFZjdKbt
After watching this series I found it much easier to spot these teachings from
afar. I have to say as a disclaimer though that this series does hold to the
'Pre-Trib Rapture' teaching, just as a warning.
Response #16:
I am glad to hear that it went well . . . and that is over. I know that this was
a great load on your shoulders for a very long time. I pray that your
pre-nuptials prayer for ___ in your prior email may be answered in full.
Also, I'm very proud of you and your analysis of the service and also of how you
handled it. Your experience was exactly the same as I have whenever I'm
subjected to any sort of "church" these days. It's all the same sort of thing,
merely a question of how awful the doctrinal error is. I think for many who are
having a hard time extricating from the disaster that is the church-visible,
they tend to apologize for it whenever they find themselves in similar
situations. That is to say, even though they may know some truth, they try to
find some way in which what is being said and done may somehow be positive and
not totally embracing the negative.
People often turn themselves into knots doing this sort of thing. Probably
because they have a hard time believing that all these "nice people" in this
"nice building" adorned with all the paraphernalia of the church-visible could
somehow be completely in the wrong (or mostly so). So kudos to you for seeing
that a rat is a rat, even if you put a lace collar around its neck – and for not
being willing to say otherwise. It's also greatly in your favor that you know
the limits of how far you can push explaining these things to people who are not
disposed to listen – and then not getting overly upset when they reject your
truth. That is a mark of having come a long way in spiritual growth.
On the emergent church theme, the entire culture is involved in this merging. It
does seem that you are a bit ahead of us over there. Over here, it's more a
question of lukewarmness so far rather than embracing lies in full-throttle
apostasy (at least for a good proportion of the population as far as I can see).
So we tend to see churches repurposed as restaurants and private homes without
regard for their former function. It doesn't bother me since as you know in my
opinion over-focus on physical plant has been the bane of the church-visible
since the early centuries.
Thanks for the website reference! It seems very good. Don't know when I'd get
around to listening to ALL of this, but I'll at least dip my toes. Looking
forward to reading YOUR website.
[n.b., Re:
"Wide is the Gate": from what I've seen, the videos are very good
on their deconstruction of pseudo-Christian and compromised Christian practices
and organizations, but in addition to what correspondent points out above, they
have other doctrinal "issues", most notably still being stuck in
hyper-evangelical "it's all about witnessing" with or without the Spirit's
prompting, and more than a hint of "Bible reading on your own without teaching"
is good enough, somewhat understandable since most if not all of the "teaching"
these individuals have been exposed to is false.]
In Jesus,
Bob L.
Question #17:
Dear Bob, I attached some notes I made about this subject.
I saw your chart and know about the 7145 years from creation week to 3033 but
don't know how you arrived at that number.
I believe God showed me your website and the 2026 rapture year so that I can
start really witnessing to my friends and family, which is what I've been doing
this year.
I'd be interested to hear if you have a more precise date for the rapture.
Semper Fidelis,
Response #17:
I'm happy to deal with all of the issues you raise including the "rapture" (the
resurrection happens at the second advent, not before the Tribulation; there is
no "free pass" for believers being relieved of having to experience the
Tribulation if that is what God has for us).
But first lets talk about your statement, "God exists and creates Jesus".
Jesus Christ is God as is the Holy Spirit. The Trinity have always existed and
have always been God. Creation is something in which we find ourselves, but it
wasn't necessary. It was out of love that God, the Trinity, the Father, Son and
Holy Spirit, created everything we see and experience. But they have ever been
eternal (see the link: BB 1: Theology).
Apologies if I've misunderstood you in any way. But the deity of Christ is an
absolutely essential "first principle" of the truth.
In Jesus,
Bob L.
Question #18:
Thank You Sir,
I really appreciate you addressing these topics with me.
It makes sense to me that the Trinity; God the Father, the Son and the Holy
Spirit, would exist together before anything else was made. In trying to
understand Genesis 1:1 and John 1:1, it seemed possible that God existed on His
own before the Son. Thanks for clearing that up for me.
Regarding the rapture, I just learned about pre- mid- and post-tribulation, and
thought that 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 meant Jesus would come down to earth but
only in the atmosphere and clouds. While during the second advent of Christ, He
will actually come down to earth itself, intervene to save mankind from
exterminating itself, and then rule during the Millennial Kingdom. Part of my
basis for this was Revelation 3:10. I was also believing in pre-tribulation
based on the goodness of God, and of course hoping believers wouldn't have to
face the trials of the tribulation.
Respectfully,
Response #18:
Glad to hear this. The deity of Christ is a very important issue. To be
believers, we have to believe in Him, what He has done (paying the price for all
of our sins) and who He is (God and a true human being since the incarnation). We don't
necessarily understand all the ins and outs when we are saved, but as we grow,
getting the specifics down is critical for spiritual growth. Here's an important
link on that:
Where does the Bible teach that Jesus is God?
As to "[I] thought that 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 meant Jesus would come down
to earth but only in the atmosphere and clouds", that is what pre-Trib folks
teach, but that is not correct. The passage describes the resurrection at the
second advent. Please read this link for commentary on that passage:
"The Rapture and other
eschatological issues"
Are you a brother Marine (i.e., your "Semper Fi")? If so, where did you serve?
Do feel free to write me back about any of the above or your previous questions
too.
In Jesus,
Bob L.
Question #19:
Hey Dr. Luginbill, I hope you're doing alright. I know I just emailed you not
long ago but I wanted your explanation for a passage often misconstrued by
universalists and annihilationists. So I was walking/talking with __
on the street and she mentioned to me that her boyfriend was leaning toward annihilationism and that it could be true. Unfortunately, she told me that he
was going to have a talk with her about it and she said she was open minded to
hear him out. She doesn't hold a view and says we may have to wait till we get
to Heaven to find out what the truth really is. She may come to believe this
teaching though if she's convinced enough. I disagreed but said nothing to her
about the matter lest an argument ensue. There were three passages her boyfriend
honed in on but she never told me what they were (I don't think she remembered
them). I didn't feel like asking, honestly. I know that he said that he leans
toward this idea that unbelievers will suffer in the Lake of fire temporarily
but then are completely destroyed after serving "their time" so that the Lake of
fire is only temporary and not permanent.
I'm a bit disturbed about this even if it isn't some damnable teaching. If
you're a believer you're saved regardless of whether you believe in
annihilationism or not. Not sure I can say the same of universalists. With that
context in mind, how do you refute the universalist interpretation of Revelation
14:11 below? What does it actually say in Greek and what is the actual
grammatical structure of the verse? According to Wikipedia...
Christian universalists point towards the mistranslations of the Greek word αιών (literally "age," but often assumed to mean "eternity") and its adjectival form αἰώνιος (usually assumed to mean "eternal" or "everlasting"), as giving rise to the idea of an endless hell and the idea that some people will never be saved.[30][45][46] For example, Revelation 14:11 says "the smoke of their torment goes up εἰς αἰ νας αἰώνων" which most literally means "until ages of ages" but is often paraphrased in translations as "forever and ever."[47]
This Greek word is the origin of the modern English word eon, which refers to a period of time or an epoch/age.
The 19th century theologian Marvin Vincent wrote about the word aion, and the supposed connotations of "eternal" or "temporal":
Aion, transliterated aeon, is a period of longer or shorter duration, having a beginning and an end, and complete in itself. [...] Neither the noun nor the adjective, in themselves, carry the sense of endless or everlasting."[48]
A number of scholars have argued that, in some cases, the adjective may not indicate duration at all, but may instead have a qualitative meaning.[49] For instance, Dr. David Bentley Hart translates Matthew 25:46 as "And these will go to the chastening of that Age, but the just to the life of that Age."[50] In this reading, Jesus is not necessarily indicating how long the life and punishment last, but instead what kind the life and punishment are—they are "of the age [to come]" rather than being earthly life or punishment. Dr. Thomas Talbott writes:
[The writers of the New Testament] therefore came to employ the term aiōnios as an eschatological term, one that functioned as a handy reference to the realities of the age to come. In that way they managed to combine the more literal sense of "that which pertains to an age" with the more religious sense of "that which manifests the presence of God in a special way."[51]
Dr. Ken Vincent writes that "When it (aion) was translated into Latin Vulgate, 'aion' became 'aeternam' which means 'eternal'.[30] Likewise, Dr. Ilaria Ramelli explains:
The mistranslation and misinterpretation of αἰώνιος as "eternal" (already in Latin, where both αἰώνιος and ἀΐδιος are rendered aeternus and their fundamental semantic difference is blurred) certainly contributed a great deal to the rise of the doctrine of "eternal damnation" and of the "eternity of hell."[52]
Among the English translations that do not render αἰώνιος as "eternal" or "everlasting" are Young’s Literal Translation (“age-during”), the Weymouth New Testament ("of the ages”), the Concordant Literal Version ("eonian"), Rotherham's Emphasized Bible ("age-abiding"), Hart's New Testament ("of that Age"), and more.[53]
In His grace and power,
Response #19:
When people are unwilling to believe the truth, some lie or other will inevitably flow into that vacuum and fill it; wherever the light is rejected, darkness takes its place.
. . . because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile (lit., "emptied") in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
Romans 1:21 NKJV
As I don't have to tell you, the very fact that someone is going to "give a
hearing" to an obviously false doctrine is not the best sign. Not saying you did
anything wrong – you know your family; I don't. When it comes to family, even
our Lord's didn't respect Him and His words of truth (Jn.7:1-10). There's no
point in arguing the truth with those who aren't willing to accept it. What you
ARE doing is demonstrating by your witness of the life the power of the truth.
And you are standing ready to guide anyone, family especially, to the truth, if
any genuine interest is expressed. We can't create that interest; only God can
do that. But we can pray – and be ready for the opportunity.
Annihilationism is a kind of "feel good" false teaching like the pre-Trib
rapture ("I don't have to worry about the Tribulation"), and
once-saved-always-saved, ("I don't have to worry about losing my salvation"),
and institutional security ("I'm going to heaven because I belong to X church [I
even occasionally give money"]). If hell is only temporary, then we're all saved
in the end; so who cares? Do what you want; none of this matters. Or if
unbelievers merely cease to exist, who cares? You can't possibly be upset if you
don't exist, so enjoy yourself in the meantime. I personally would find the
prospect of ceasing to exist terrifying, but many do not. There was an entire
branch of ancient philosophy based on this premise (Epicureanism). That is the
genesis of materialism. If only what we see exists, then there is no terror to
be had from what happens after death because nothing happens after death. For
pagans whose after-life was very bleak even for the best of them, this was a
liberating idea. Problem is, of course, it is absolutely false.
One major problem for this false idea of materialism is that everyone knows at
first that God exists (natural revelation). So anyone who has adopted
annihilationism, which is kind of a partial materialism (that is the logic of
it), has ipso facto rejected the basic truths of life which God has implanted in
every human heart and written across the face of all creation. In other words,
they are on the downward slide for certain, spiritually speaking.
In terms of the paste in, since this stuff is not really at issue, I'll confine
myself to saying that it is patent nonsense from a linguistic point of view.
Words mean what they mean. Not what someone jiggering with their etymology wants
to make them mean. If someone wants to say a word does not mean what everyone
else says it means, let them tell us what it DOES mean (i.e., what, then, are
the "real" meanings of these words whose traditional definition is said to be
faulty?), THEN get out your Greek concordance and plug this "correct meaning"
in across the scriptures. Try it. You get "word salad" that is obviously wrong.
These are the sorts of obfuscating arguments rapture people use as well. They
may sound like something at first glance, but they are in fact mere deductions
based on false premises – and they don't square with what scripture actually
DOES say. And that is the real point. Believe in annihilationism? Give me ONE
VERSE that suggests on the face of it that it might even possibly be true
(without twisting definitions to produce unheard of translations). And then I'll
quote scripture in response.
"If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched—where ‘Their worm does not die, And the fire is not quenched.’ And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame, rather than having two feet, to be cast into hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched—where ‘Their worm does not die, And the fire is not quenched.’ And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire—where ‘Their worm does not die, And the fire is not quenched.’ "
Mark 9:43-48 NKJV
Do feel free to ask me about any aspect of any of this you still have questions
about, my friend.
Praying for you and your family.
In Jesus,
Bob L.
Question #20:
On the Wikipedia info, I know you confined your answer but I'm just curious to
see how they specifically messed up in the Greek in Revelation 14:11. They're
obviously wrong but where do they err in the way they take the words,
specifically the grammar and tenses? On "their worm never dies" and "the fire
never goes out", I would imagine universalists would falsely take this as "It
never goes out for the period that it lasts which is not forever." They always
have an argument or "answer" for everything but like you've said, we should be
more concerned with what the Bible actually says and not about what other people
think.
Regarding ___, this whole thing has me concerned. I keep second-guessing
myself by wondering whether I should have said something when she brought this
up (annihilationism). It isn't like I'm panicking or anything, especially since
she doesn't even hold a view but she's open-minded and that's what gets me. I
wonder whether I should have just put my foot down by coming out and telling her
that such a belief was false and dangerously so. Again, it isn't like she's
committing apostasy by accepting this teaching but you rightly mentioned that it
isn't a good direction to go spiritually (assuming she heads that way). She just
has this tendency to put too much faith and trust in people she's close to
(becomes close to). [omitted] She just needs to learn to stop believing things
just because so and so said so, that's all. She'll tell me something they told
her and I'm thinking in my head "Yeah, that isn't biblical" or "That isn't
correct." [omitted] I pray for her and the rest of my family often but as you
rightly foresaw I don't expect to get much of a hearing with any of them
(although I hope that changes during the tribulation). I have never had more
difficulty in my life than with family. But continued spiritual growth is much
needed to learn how to better cope and not let it all get to me. Believe me, I
could go on and on for hours about them but that wouldn't be right. Best to stay
focused on the mission the Lord has for me. To be fair, I have my own issues and
struggles and I'm no better or more important than they are.
On a different subject, I wanted to ask you something related to plugging into
in-person Bible studies. [omitted] I didn't really see a problem with this
myself but someone back in 2022 objected to that method and said that trying to
"steal" people away from another Bible study isn't the proper way to go about it
because it would be building on someone else's work. Do you think this person
has a point? As in, is it wrong (or at least misguided) to attend a Bible study
but then try to get people to go to your own? I don't believe it's wrong
although I could be incorrect.
On a similar note, I'm struggling to find something in-person myself (I know
you're probably not surprised, lol) but I'm not trying to lead or start my own
group. I just want some psychological support and to make some friends to talk
to them about the truth off the side. You know, something less organized and
more casual like meeting up at a coffee shop or what have you. But I'm wondering
whether there isn't another way to go about meeting other believers other than
through a Bible study or some organized scheme. Any suggestions would be
appreciated but I understand if you don't have any.
In Christ,
Response #20:
Re: Wikipedia, and your surmise that they would say "[the fire] never goes out for the period that it lasts which is not forever", this is the gist of all the lexical twisting and turning in that article. If eternity is not eternal then the entire idea is flipped on its head. But words do mean what they mean. As mentioned, just look up any of the words whose meaning they want to change in a Greek concordance and you'll see how these suggestions are impossible when actually applied to reality (as opposed to theory divorced from it). E.g.:
And these will go to the chastening of that Age, but the just to the life of that Age.
Matthew 25:46 [according to the Wikipedia "translation"]
If this is correct, then since the wording is precisely parallel, our "life" is likewise "not forever" but only "for that age" whatever that means . . . I guess that we must come back to life and then die again and go out of existence at the end of . . . what? Or just look up "eternal" in an English concordance and substitute "for that age(?) only", and you'll see that this dodge eliminates all hope. E.g.,
Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the "end of that Age" (only) kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
1st Peter 1:11 KJV "revised" according to the Wikipedia "translation"
Blessedly, in the Bible "eternal" means "eternal".
Re: your ___, we can pray for her . . . for one thing that this experience will
be negative to such a degree that it prods her to open her heart to the truth
generally and seek to grow (where you can be a tremendous help to her,
obviously).
On the issue of trolling for converts, this is something I've never personally
felt good about doing. I have done some things to try to raise the visibility of
Ichthys on the internet, like doing what I can to make it Google friendly (lots
more I should be doing there). But I would feel personally odd (at the least)
going to a church or Bible study with the express purpose of trying to detach
people. How would you (we) feel if one of these individuals I forward to the
forum ended up really only being interested in "drawing away the disciples after
themselves" (Act 20:30). Oh, wait. We already have experience of that. I'm not
here to tell anyone else how to conduct themselves in "disputable matters", but
you asked me how I felt about it, so I'm telling you it's not something I
personally would do. On the other hand, I'm also not good at actually organizing
and collecting groups of people in person; it's definitely not my forte.
On the desire for fellowship, believe me, I understand. The only thing I can
tell you about this is that if my own life experience tells me anything, it's
that God can and will provide. But that if we try to jump in and fix it for Him,
we're unlikely to have a happy result.
This problem is one that believers face on all manner of issues. Take earning a
living. We don't want to go sit on a park bench and wait for ravens to arrive
with food in their mouths for us or for manna to drop from the skies. That would
be a clear misapplication of, e.g., Matthew 6:25-34. On the other hand, we also
don't want to be so concerned that we take unwarranted actions that clearly
violate the same passage, such as staying up all night putting in a thousand job
applications and settling for the first log that comes floating downstream even
though it clearly isn't going to work out.
There is a good middle ground on this. We pray, we look for opportunities, we
trust the Lord to provide what we need. But if we start going to church ABC
where they are violently wrong about doctrine XYZ – and in fact wrong in every
aspect of their application – the "friends" we make there who are nice enough
are likely to be thorns in our side later on. Because, after all, they are
content with the stuff that makes us nauseous.
Here's praying for you to make some contacts through your wonderful website –
hopefully in your own neck of the woods.
Keeping you and your family in my daily prayers, my friend.
In Jesus,
Bob L.