Category: Food for thought
What are three benefits of God’s Love?
April 10, 2024
Outline:
- Who is God?
- What is God’s love?
- What are some of God’s commandments?
- What are some of the benefits of God’s love?
- 3 surprising things about hypocrisy
- Summary
Love without obedience is hypocrisy
Romans 1:1
Obedience without love is slavery
Love + obedience = real love for the Lord Jesus Christ.
Are you in?
Who is God?
- Believing is the main theme of Romans
- Love is the main theme of Ephesians
- Hope is the main theme of Thessalonians
The phrase “God is love” occurs only twice in the entire bible, establishing it’s truth and both are in I John 4.
1 John 4
8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
Love is God’s very nature. Its what makes him who he is. God is love in its fullest conceivable form.
I John 1:5
This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
Psalms 103
1 Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:
3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;
4 Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;
5 Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
6 The Lord executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed.
7 He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel.
8 The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.
9 He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever.
10 He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.
11 For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.
12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
It says east and west because if you are on the equator and go north or south, you will end up at the north or south pole and if you continue on the exact same path, you will end up going in the opposite direction! In other words, your sins will be thrown right back into your face.
But if you go east or west, you will be going in that direction forever and the east and west will never meet. In other words, God will never throw your sins back up in your face again because he has forgiven and forgotten them.
Throughout all history, many things on earth have changed, but God’s love for mankind has never varied.
QUALITIES OF GOD’S LOVE | ||
Name | Category | Explanation |
Boundless | Limits | There are no limitations or restrictions |
Endless | Time | Past, present & future, it will never stop at any point in time |
Fathomless | Comprehension | Impossible for the human mind to fully understand |
Measureless | Size | Too large or great to be measured |
These 4 qualities of God’s love don’t even take into account the 14 characteristics of God’s love listed in I Corinthians 13…
I Corinthians 13 [amplified bible]
4 Love endures with patience and serenity, love is kind and thoughtful, and is not jealous or envious; love does not brag and is not proud or arrogant.
5 It is not rude; it is not self-seeking, it is not provoked [nor overly sensitive and easily angered]; it does not take into account a wrong endured.
6 It does not rejoice at injustice, but rejoices with the truth [when right and truth prevail].
7 Love bears all things [regardless of what comes], believes all things [looking for the best in each one], hopes all things [remaining steadfast during difficult times], endures all things [without weakening].
8 Love never fails [it never fades nor ends].
7 in the bible represents spiritual perfection. That is why God’s love has 14 characteristics because its double love, which is spiritual perfection established.
Romans 5:5
And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost [gift of holy spirit] which is given unto us.
First off, we need to fix a few things in this verse…
The word “the” was deliberately added to the bible and does not occur in the Greek texts from which the King James Version was taken.
Secondly, the phrase “Holy Ghost” comes from the root Greek words hagion pneuma, which is better translated “holy spirit”, referring to the gift of holy spirit we receive when we get born again.
In the third place, the phrase “shed abroad” literally means “poured out”. Just picture yourself on a hot, humid summer day and you are taking in a big cool refreshing drink of God’s perfect love.
So here is a much more accurate translation of Romans 5:5:
And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is poured out into our hearts by [the gift of] holy spirit which is given unto us.
All of this can be verified in the Greek interlinear
What is the love of God?
I John 5
1 Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.
2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
This goes way beyond the ten commandments which were given to the Israelites. Although we don’t violate them, there is so much more to us in this age of grace.
If I were Buzz Lightyear, I would be saying, “to I John and beyond!!!”
Jesus Christ condensed the hundreds of old testament laws down to only 2 – Love God and Love your neighbor as yourself.
Matthew 22
36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
What are some commandments of God TO US?
Ephesians 5
2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.
8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
15 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,
These verses are not talking about physically walking, but walking metaphorically; in other words, live your life in love, in light and circumspectly.
Here are the dynamics of how these verses are intertwined:
Galatians 5:6
For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith [believing] which worketh [from the Greek word energeo = is energized] by love.
So the perfect love of God energizes our believing. Grammatically speaking, this is a verb and verbs are action words, so what do we do?
The love of God in our heart energizes us to walk in the light of the Lord.
Psalm 119:105
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
Proverbs 4:18
But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
Once we’re doing that, then we can apply the infinite wisdom of God so that we can spiritually see a full 360 degrees all around us without any blind spots.
Ephesians 6:10
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
Colossians 3:12
Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
I Thessalonians 4:11 [amplified bible]
and to make it your ambition to live quietly and peacefully, and to mind your own affairs and work with your hands, just as we directed you,
I John 3
22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
23 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
Just like I John 5:3 said, these are not grievous!
3 OF THE MANY BENEFITS OF GOD’S LOVE
God’s Love casts out fear
How does this work?
II Timothy 1:7
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
- God’s power overcomes the ultimate source of the fear, who is the devil
- God’s love casts out the fear itself
- The sound mind of Christ prevents the fear from coming back
God’s solution to fear has 3 parts because 3 in the bible is the number of completeness.
In reference to point #1 above, in the KJV, the word “overcome” is used in I John 3 times, [tied only with the book of Revelation], which is more than any other book of the bible.
However, when you look at the Greek text, you get a much different picture. The word “overcome” comes from the Greek word “Nikao” [the verb form], which is used 6 times in I John alone [bolded & italicized]:
I John 2:13
I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father.
I John 2:14
I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.
I John 4:4
Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
I John 5
4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?
Some great acronyms for F.E.A.R..
- False Evidence Appearing Real
- Fear Explains Asinine Responses
- [Will you] Face Everything And Run or
- Face Everything And Rise
- Fear Evades Authoritative Responses
- Fear Exacerbates Amygdala Response
- Fear Eliminates Active Rationality
- Freeze Essential Analytical Response
From wikipedia on the amygdala: Shown to perform a primary role in the processing of memory, decision making, and emotional responses (including fear, anxiety, and aggression), the amygdalae are considered part of the limbic system.
According to Chris Voss, former head of hostage negotiations for the FBI, when you are afraid, the amygdala shorts out the cerebrum, the most important part of the brain we need to make good decisions.
The cerebrum is where we process knowledge; i.e. the word of God! So this is why we need the love of God to cast out fear so that we have a sound mind in order to make sound decisions in order to have victory in every situation.
That is why any decision based upon negative emotions such as fear, anger, revenge, etc go south and end in regret and you keep asking yourself, “why did I ever do that???”
God made man perfect, but in Genesis 3, there was the fall of man where the devil had taken over and become the god of this world and corrupted everything he could, including the nature of man.
That’s where the resources of God come in, enabling us to overcome innate deficiencies such as a faulty amygdala.
Definition of “overcome”
Strong’s Concordance #3528
nikaó: to conquer, prevail
Part of Speech: Verb
Phonetic Spelling: (nik-ah’-o)
Definition: I conquer, am victorious, overcome, prevail, subdue.
HELPS Word-studies
3528 nikáō(from 3529 /níkē, “victory”) – properly, conquer (overcome); ” ‘to carry off the victory, come off victorious.’ The verb implies a battle” (K. Wuest).
The Greek word Nikao comes from the root word “Nike”, which is also a famous company that makes athletic shoes.
The Greek word “nikao” is used 18 times in the book of Revelation, more than any other book of the bible. That’s very appropriate since God has the final victory in the end.
God’s Love covers a multitude of sins
1 Peter 4:8
And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.
The phrases “fervent charity” and “charity” are the same Greek word agape, which is the love of God.
This word “cover” comes from the Greek word kalupto that is used 8 times in the bible and 8 is the number of resurrection, renewal and one who abounds in strength.
We don’t have to live in guilt, condemnation, regret or fear that somebody might find out what we said or did.
Isaiah 55
8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
The love of God is so powerful it can hide a multitude of sins!
Now that’s a better way to live.
God’s Love energizes our believing
Galatians 5:6
For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.
The word “faith” is believing.
Definition of “worketh”:
HELPS Word-studies
1754 energéō (from 1722 /en, “engaged in,” which intensifies 2041 /érgon, “work”) – properly, energize, working in a situation which brings it from one stage (point) to the next, like an electrical current energizing a wire, bringing it to a shining light bulb.
Because of God’s boundless, endless, fathomless & measureless love that is energizing our believing, we literally have the ability to believe every verse in the bible and see the benefits in our lives. This is why we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us [Philippians 4:13]
Ephesians 1:19
And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working [energizing] of his mighty power,
Ephesians 3
19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth [surpasses] knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
In verse 19, the word “passeth” actually means: surpassing,
Strong’s Concordance #5235
huperballó: to throw over or beyond, to run beyond
Part of Speech: Verb
Phonetic Spelling: (hoop-er-bal’-lo)
Definition: I surpass, excel, exceed, transcend.
HELPS Word-studies
5235 hyperbállō (from 5228 /hypér, “beyond, above” and 906 /bállō, “throw”) – properly, throw beyond; (figuratively) surpassing (transcending); excel, exceed (“be eminent”).
Because we have the mind of Christ and God’s unlimited love energizing our believing that transcends our mind, we can believe even beyond what we can think or ask…
Is that something worth tapping into?
3 surprising things we need to know about hypocrisy
The Greek word anupokritos [Strong’s #505] is used 6 times in the bible, the number of man as he is influenced by the world which is run by Satan, the God of this world.
Anupokritos is further broken down into the prefix a = not and hypokrínomai, to act as a hypocrite.
This very simply means, “don’t act like a hypocrite!”
- We are to manifest God’s love without hypocrisy [Romans 12:9]
- We are to believe God’s word without hypocrisy [I Timothy 1:5]
- God’s wisdom is without hypocrisy [James 3:17]
Romans 12:9
Let love be without dissimulation [anupokritos>>hypocrisy]. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.
In the context of verse 9, we can see that hypocrisy is evil.
This is verified in Matthew 23 where Jesus Christ called the evil religious leaders hypocrites 8 times.
I Timothy 1:5
Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith [believing] unfeigned [anupokritos>>hypocrisy]:
James 3:17
But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy [anupokritos>>hypocrisy].
SUMMARY
- The bible says twice that God is love, which establishes it
- God is light and does not contain any darkness at all
- God’s love is Boundless, Endless, Fathomless and Measureless
- The love of God is to do what God commands us to do, which are way better and go way beyond the 10 commandments. Buzz Lightyear would say, “to I John and beyond!!”
- Just 10 of God’s commandments written directly to us are:
- Love one another with his perfect love [I John 3:11]
- Walk in love [Ephesians 5:2]
- Walk in light [Ephesians 5:8]
- Walk circumspectly [Ephesians 5:15]
- Be strong in the Lord [Ephesians 6:10]
- Put on mercy, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness & longsuffering [Colossians 3:12]
- Believe on the name of God’s Son Jesus Christ [I John 5:5, 10]
- Live quietly and peacefully [I Thessalonians 4:11]
- Minding your own affairs [I Thessalonians 4:11]
- Work with your hands [I Thessalonians 4:11]
- In II Timothy 1:7, the dynamics of God’s power, love and sound mind are these:
- God’s power overcomes the ultimate source of the fear, who is the devil
- God’s love casts out the fear itself
- The sound mind of Christ prevents the fear from coming back
- God’s love energizes our believing [Galatians 5:6]
- God’s love covers a multitude of sins [I Peter 4:8]
- God’s love casts out fear [I John 4:18]
- We are to manifest God’s love without hypocrisy [Romans 12:9]
- We are to believe God’s word without hypocrisy [I Timothy 1:5]
- God’s wisdom is without hypocrisy [James 3:17]
Purge Purgatory: 89 biblical reasons to flush it
March 26, 2023
Introduction
This article was originally published on 8.25.2015 and is now being updated.
Its important to know that this article is not coming to you by way of:
- personal opinions
- denominational bias
- complex and confusing theological theories
but through multiple objective authorities, such as biblical or English dictionaries, ancient Greek manuscripts or the laws of logic that are all in agreement.
Some say that purgatory does not exist and they have a list of bible verses against purgatory. Others, [mostly composed of staunch Roman Catholics of course], say that purgatory does exist and try to prove it [see the list of bible verses used to support purgatory in section #17].
Others have asked, where is purgatory in bible or where is purgatory in bible verses? This research article will definitely answer those questions!
Nearly everybody has heard of purgatory, but what is it and are you ever going there? Let’s find out!
Definition of purgatory
noun, plural purgatories.
1. [in the belief of Roman Catholics and some others] a condition or place in which the souls of those dying penitent are purified from venial sins, or undergo the temporal punishment that, after the guilt of mortal sin has been remitted, still remains to be endured by the sinner.
2. Italian Purgatorio: the second part of Dante’s Divine Comedy, in which the repentant sinners are represented.
3. any condition or place of temporary punishment, suffering, expiation, or similarity.
So purgatory is based upon the belief that when you die, your soul lives on for the purpose of being cleansed from your sins = the usual false belief that you go to heaven when you die.
- Purgatory is never mentioned in the bible, in word or concept!
- Purgatory contradicts well over 100 verses of holy scripture on multiple subjects!
- One of the devil’s purposes of purgatory is to drive people away from Christianity which hinders evangelism.
BIBLICAL & SPIRITUAL SUMMARY
- The origin and history of purgatory proves it was invented by man!
- Mortal and venial sins render purgatory irrelevant, meaningless and useless!
- Purgatory contradicts at least 10 verses of scripture on the true nature of death
- Purgatory contradicts the true nature of body, soul and spirit and the fall of man [Genesis 3:1-6 | Ecclesiastes 12:7 | Isaiah 43:7 | I Thessalonians 5:23]
- The practice of praying for the dead and/or believing in the lie of the dead making prayers not only contradicts the 10+ bible verses on death, but it’s also based upon a lie from II Maccabees, [another counterfeit apocryphal book] and a mistranslation of a Hebrew word from I Baruch [another apocryphal book that counterfeits the bible].
- Purgatory violates 7 verses on God’s forgiveness of us!
- Purgatory does not make the crucial distinction between our fellowship with God and our sonship
- Purgatory contradicts all 8 characteristics of God’s wisdom!
- Purgatory contradicts and totally ignores 28+ verses on the mercy of the Lord which endures forever!
- Purgatory violates at least 7 verses on God’s justice!
- Purgatory violates United Nations Human rights, 42 U.S. Code § 2000dd of the US Government and the UNITED STATES constitution!!!
- Purgatory contradicts 6 verses in Ephesians!
- Purgatory contradicts lots of miscellaneous scriptures!
- Purgatory contradicts 4 verses regarding our new spiritual bodies at the return of Christ
- Don’t blame the Lord! You must understand the Hebrew idiom of permission [a figure of speech] where God ALLOWS evil to happen, but he is not the one who is actually causing harm. You see this very often in the old testament, such as with Genesis 6:13 & 17. In the time of Noah, God did not flood the earth! He allowed it to happen. It was the devil who flooded the earth in a failed attempt to prevent Jesus Christ from being born! So as with purgatory, its not a temporary punishment sanctioned by the Lord that you must endure, but its a religious and corrupt work of Satan instead.
- Purgatory: self righteousness vs the righteousness of God
- Purgatory is torture and torture is inspired by a devil spirit called a sadistic spirit.
- The short list of verses used to justify the supposed existence of purgatory is based upon: denominational bias | ignorance of several subjects in the bible | the contradiction of the definitions of dozens of words in the bible | a total lack of sound logic and biblical research from multiple objective authorities
- Witness the mathematical miracle of I Corinthians 3:12 that proves God is the only author of the bible!
#1 THE ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF PURGATORY PROVES IT WAS INVENTED BY MAN!
Subsection #1: Purgatory is contested…
Christian traditions [Encyclopedia Britannica, the oldest (since 1768, Edinburgh Scotland), largest (except wikipedia) and most respected encyclopedia in the world]
“Among Christians, the biblical warrant for purgatory is contested. Supporters of the Roman Catholic belief cite biblical passages in which there are intimations of the three major components of purgatory:
- Prayer for the dead
- An active interim state between death and resurrection
- A purifying fire after death”.
[My notes: what are intimations? (from vocabulary.com):
Intimation comes from the Latin word intimationem, which means an announcement. In English, intimation refers to a less direct form of communication. It’s a suggestion or hint, rather than a blatant statement of fact.
- a slight suggestion or vague understanding
- an indirect suggestion
Dictionary definition of suggestion:
2
a) the process by which a physical or mental state is influenced by a thought or idea: the power of suggestion
b) the process by which one thought leads to another, especially through association of ideas
3 a slight indication or trace
Furthermore, having intimations about what the bible means and then building entire doctrines on it contradicts lots of verses:]
Acts 1:3
To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion [suffering & death] by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:
Let’s break this down:
- Many: not 1; not 2; not a few, not several, but “many”: this is the Greek word polus [Strong’s #4183] and means “many (high in number); multitudinous, plenteous, “much”; “great” in amount (extent)”
- Infallible: this is the Greek word tekmérion [Strong’s #5039] and means “properly, a marker (sign-post) supplying indisputable information, “marking something off” as unmistakable (irrefutable)”
- Proofs: plural; this corroborates the many; proof, as opposed to unproven theories, opinions, biased data and outright lies, like what floods the media and the internet.
Dictionary definition of proof:
#1 evidence sufficient to establish a thing as true, or to produce belief in its truth.
#4 the establishment of the truth of anything;
#7 an arithmetical operation serving to check the correctness of a calculation.
#8 Mathematics, Logic. a sequence of steps, statements, or demonstrations that leads to a valid conclusion.
BULLETPROOF: To describe an object as being indestructible, to never stop working, or to outperform other similar products>>the bible is true spiritual titanium!
ORIGIN OF PROOF
First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English prove, prooff, prof, proufe, alteration (by association with the vowel of prove) of preove, proeve, prieve, pref, from Middle French preve, proeve, prueve, from Late Latin proba “a test,” akin to Latin probāre “to test and find good”; cf. pree
Isn’t it ironic that the word “proof” entered the english language 50 years before and in the same century as the council of Lyon, France (1274) where no proof of purgatory was offered?
Dictionary: origin of proof
Nehemiah 8
8 So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.
12 And all the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions [of food for others], and to make great mirth [celebrate], because they had understood the words that were declared unto them.
In verse 8, the word sense is the Hebrew word sekel [Strong’s #7922] and is used 16 times in the OT; 8 is the number of resurrection and a new beginning, so 16 is double that, establishing & intensifying it. It was a great new beginning in their lives once they finally understood the scriptures! This is why they had such a great celebration!
Definition of intimation = vague understanding = open door for Satan to steal the word from you!
Matthew 13
3 And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;
4 And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:
19 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.
Luke 1 [amplified bible]
1 Since [as is well known] many have undertaken to compile an orderly account of the things which have been fulfilled among us [by God],
2 exactly as they were handed down to us by those [with personal experience] who from the beginning [of Christ’s ministry] were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word [that is, of the teaching concerning salvation through faith in Christ],
3 it seemed fitting for me as well, [and so I have decided] after having carefully searched out and investigated all the events accurately, from the very beginning, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus;
4 so that you may know the exact truth about the things you have been taught [that is, the history and doctrine of the faith].
Luke 24
13 And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs [1 furlong is 220 yards = 201 meters, so the total distance was about 7.5 miles or 12 kilometers].
14 And they talked together of all these things which had happened.
15 And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them.
16 But their eyes were holden [spiritually held shut; this has to be from devil spirit influences] that they should not know him.
25 Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:
26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?
27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.
31 And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.
32 And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?
Biblical definition of opened:
Strong’s Concordance #1272 [used 8 times in the NT; 8 is the number of resurrection and a new beginning and its used 3 times in Luke 24]
dianoigó definition: to open up completely
Part of Speech: Verb
Phonetic Spelling: (dee-an-oy’-go)
Usage: I open fully.
HELPS Word-studies
1272 dianoígō (from 1223 /diá, “all the way across” and 455 /anoígō, “the process to open fully”) – properly, open fully by completing the process necessary to do so.
Ephesians 3
3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,
4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)
11 According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:
12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him].
Sub section #2: Can you say denominational bias?
Encyclopedia Britannica
“These texts yield a consistent notion of purgatory, however, only when viewed from the standpoint of the formal Roman Catholic doctrine, which was defined at:
- the council of Lyon, France (1274)
- the council of Ferrara-Florence [the council started in Basel, Switzerland, then moved to Ferrara, Italy, and finally to Florence Italy (1438–1445)
- the council of Trent, [northern Italy] (1545–1563)
after a prolonged period of development by lay Christians and theologians”.
There are 3 main concepts we’re going to analyze in the order they occur in the text:
- Notion of purgatory
- Denominational bias: purgatory only supported by RC church
- Dates of the councils and the significance of #13
Notion of purgatory
Definition of notion by vocabulary.com:
“If you have a notion that you can swim across the ocean, you are probably wrong. A notion is an idea, often vague and sometimes fanciful.
A notion is lighter than a theory and embraces a whimsy that a simple idea never could”.
This is the second time the word “vague” has been used in association with purgatory. Not good.
Based upon the definition of notion, the doctrine of purgatory has less credibility than a theory, which by definition means an unproven idea!
Dictionary definition of whimsy:
“Whimsy is what a person who’s a dreamer and out of step with the real world might have lots of. People who are full of whimsy are odd, but often fanciful and lovely, like Harry Potter’s friend Luna Lovegood.
Whimsy is also a whim — something you do just because you want to. If you find a postcard of Alaska and take that as a reason to move there, that could qualify as whimsy. Whimsy is irrational, but playful.
- an odd or fanciful or capricious idea
- the trait of acting unpredictably and more from whim or caprice than from reason or judgment”.
The “real world” is life viewed through the light of the word of God.
Dictionary definition of fanciful:
adjective
1 capricious or whimsical in appearance; characterized by or showing fancy;
2 suggested by fancy; imaginary; unreal
3 led by fancy rather than by reason and experience; whimsical
One of the definitions of notion from the Urban dictionary defines it as “a stupid idea” and there’s a phrase called “notion sickness” = “The feeling you receive when an idea is so bad it makes you physically ill”. LOL
Being fanciful, whimsical and irrational is ok if you’re playing in the park, but when it comes to rightly dividing the word of God, there’s a blatant contradiction.
II Timothy 2:15
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
Its impossible to rightly divide the word of God if you are in an irrational state of mind.
From subsections 1 & 2 above and based upon the definitions of:
- Confusion [from the pros & cons of purgatory]
- Fanciful [imaginary & unreal!]
- Imagination
- Intimation
- Irrationality
- Notion [not to mention notion sickness LOL]
- Suggestion
- Suggestion [slight]
- Vague [twice!!]
- Whimsy
- Wrong, the probability of being
- combined with the Encyclopedia Britannica which emphasizes the contestability twice, and you have ZERO ZERO ZERO biblical, spiritual or divine authority for purgatory!!!
The doctrine of purgatory wasn’t established until 14 ½ centuries after the last book of the bible was written [Revelation: 95-100A.D.], including 3 centuries of fierce debate from the late 1200’s to the mid 1500’s!
This alone tells us it’s a very weak and dubious man-made theology without any:
Encyclopedia Britannica
- credible basis
- scholarly biblical research
- critical thinking skills
Denominational Bias
Whenever there’s a biased belief among a specific group of people that nobody else supports, you know that something is wrong.
Dictionary definition of bias:
Noun: a particular tendency, trend, inclination, feeling, or opinion, especially one that is preconceived or unreasoned.
Vocabulary.com definition of preconceived notion:
an opinion formed beforehand without adequate evidence
type of:
opinion, persuasion, sentiment, thought, view:
a personal belief or judgment that is not founded on proof or certainty
Once again, this corroborates what we have already learned in the previous section: the many definitions about purgatory contradict Acts 1:3 [many infallible proofs] and Luke 1:4 [the understanding from above is absolutely certain].
Inductive vs deductive logic from the dictionary:
“What is the difference between inductive vs. deductive reasoning?
Inductive reasoning involves starting from specific premises and forming a general conclusion, while deductive reasoning involves using general premises to form a specific conclusion.
Conclusions reached via deductive reasoning cannot be incorrect if the premises are true. That’s because the conclusion doesn’t contain information that’s not in the premises. Unlike deductive reasoning, though, a conclusion reached via inductive reasoning goes beyond the information contained within the premises—it’s a generalization, and generalizations aren’t always accurate”.
In other words, if I have the preconceived notion that purgatory is a true biblical doctrine, then I would go to the bible and cherry-pick and distort only the verses that seem to support my belief, and ignore all others because my belief is the premise. This is not being a good workman of the word because its an example of partiality or bias, which contradicts God’s true wisdom.
The correct way to approach this problem is to go to the word of God in order to discover what the true premises are first, even if the bible does not support my belief.
In the true word of God, all the verses on the same subject will be in harmony.
Dictionary definition of unreason:
noun
1. inability or unwillingness to think or act rationally, reasonably, or sensibly; irrationality.
2. lack of reason or sanity; madness; confusion; disorder; chaos: a world torn by unreason.
Definition of bias from vocabulary.com:
Noun: partiality that prevents objective consideration of an issue or situation.
Verb: influence in an unfair way>>a bribe or threat is an example of this.
Thus, denominational bias is when these definitions are applied to an entire denomination.
James 3
17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.
All denominations and religions are guilty of doctrinal bias, which contradicts God’s wisdom and is, therefore, the wisdom of this world which is earthly, sensual and devilish.
Proverbs 11:14
Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.
Proverbs 15:22
Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counsellors they are established.
Proverbs 24:6
For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counsellors there is safety.
Having a multitude of counsellors is the equivalent of multiple objectives authorities, something that I mention in many of my articles and videos and use to rightly divide the word of God.
It has been said that there are 4 things in life:
- Religion
- Corrupt religion
- No religion
- True Christianity
I say that the RC church qualifies as a corrupt religion. How about you?
What is the bird’s eye view spiritually?
Proverbs 6 [amplified bible]
12 A worthless person, a wicked man, is one who walks with a perverse (corrupt, vulgar) mouth.
13 Who winks with his eyes [in mockery], who shuffles his feet [to signal], Who points with his fingers [to give subversive instruction];
14 Who perversely in his heart plots trouble and evil continually; Who spreads discord and strife.
15 Therefore [the crushing weight of] his disaster will come suddenly upon him; Instantly he will be broken, and there will be no healing or remedy [because he has no heart for God].
16 These six things the Lord hates; Indeed, seven are repulsive to Him:
17 A proud look [the attitude that makes one overestimate oneself and discount others], a lying tongue, And hands that shed innocent blood,
18 A heart that creates wicked plans, Feet that run swiftly to evil,
19 A false witness who breathes out lies [even half-truths], And one who spreads discord (rumors) among brothers.
In verse 12, the word “worthless” is the Hebrew word belial [Strong’s #1100 & its used 27 times in the OT] and it literally means without profit [benefit]; worthlessness; by extension, destruction & wickedness.
These are the spiritual sons of the devil and these psychopathic monsters are the real root reason why there are so many different denominations and religions in the world that breed so much doubt, confusion and conflict between them.
In the least common denominator, they are the root cause of all the wars in the world and they will never go away until the new heaven and earth way off in the future. This is why world peace is an impossibility during the age of grace because the root cause of wars cannot be removed at this time. This is why there is so much destruction, treachery, confusion and darkness in our world.
Yet we can stand against this evil and quench these fiery darts of wickedness and overcome the world.
The significance of #13
Do the math!
- the council of Lyon, France [1274] = 1 year
- the council of Ferrara-Florence [1445 minus 1438] = 7 complete years
- the council of Trent [1563 minus 1545] = 18 complete years
It’s interesting to note that there were 26 years of fierce & unresolved debate spanning across 3 centuries of time and its still hotly contested to this very day, 460 years later in 2023!!
26 = 13 x 2 and look what the number in scripture book says about #13! “Hence every occurrence of the number thirteen, and likewise of every multiple of it, stamps that with which it stands in connection with rebellion, apostasy, defection, corruption, disintegration, revolution, or some kindred idea”.
Sub section #3: Purgatory in world religions
Encyclopedia Britannica
“The conception of purgatory as a geographically situated place is largely the achievement of medieval Christian piety and imagination.
In general, the origins of purgatory may be sought in the worldwide practice of praying for the dead and caring for their needs. Such ministrations presuppose that the dead are in a temporal state between earthly life and their final abode and that they can benefit from the generosity or transferred merit of the living”.
OUTLINE
So there’s 2 main concepts we’re going to handle:
- Paragraph 1: imagination
- wisdom of this world
- 2 forms of weak believing
- Paragraph 2: praying for the dead and the presuppostion that there is a temporary state between death and “their final abode”.
I John 3:8
…For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
The word destroy comes from the Greek word luo [Strong’s #3089] and means to dismantle, disassemble, unbind, break, dissolve, etc.
From one point of view, the works of the devil can come in 2 basic forms: obvious and almost invisible.
Genesis 6
13 And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.
17 And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die.
There is a figure of speech called the Hebrew idiom of permission where God ALLOWED the flood to happen, but he was not actually the cause of the flood. The devil murdered all the people on the earth [except Noah and his family] in a failed attempt to prevent Jesus Christ from being born by flooding the earth for 40 days and nights.
The vast majority of the works of the devil are almost invisible: seducing spirits and the doctrines of devils such as purgatory.
Hebrew idiom of permission | I Timothy 4:1
Job 1
1 There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared [reverenced] God, and eschewed [avoid and stay away from deliberately; stay clear of] evil>>this was Job practicing sanctification, which is being separate from the corrupt world that is against God.
3 His substance also was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she asses, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east.
22 In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly [he did not charge God with injustice].
Picture a large dark and evil fortress made of lego blocks and you are taking it apart, one block at a time or perhaps 5 at a time. If you stay faithful, the fortress will be completely broken down.
Purgatory is Satan’s dark and evil fortress that we are going to break down to the ground with the brilliant light of God.
I John 3:8 & II Corinthians 10:3-5
II Corinthians 10
3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:
4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
5 Casting down imaginations, and every high [false] thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
The word imaginations is the same root word of imaginations in Romans 1:21 [logizomai #3049]!
IMAGINATIONS
Look what God says about imaginations!
Romans 1
21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened>>contrast this to Ephesians 1:18 The eyes of your understanding [heart>>from the Greek word Kardia; Strong’s #2588] being enlightened…
22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
23 And changed [exchanged>>from Greek word allasso Strong’s #236; used 6 times in the bible, the number of man as he is influenced by the world] the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
25 Who changed [exchanged>>from Greek word metallasso; Strong’s #3337, with an emphasis on the end result] the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature [creation>>Greek word ktisis; Strong’s #2937] more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things [like purgatory!], disobedient to parents,
Biblical definition of imaginations [verse 21]:
Strong’s Concordance #1261
dialogismos definition: a reasoning
Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine
Phonetic Spelling: (dee-al-og-is-mos’)
Usage: a calculation, reasoning, thought, movement of thought, deliberation, plotting.
HELPS Word-studies
Cognate: 1261 dialogismós (from 1260 /dialogízomai, “back-and-forth reasoning”) – reasoning that is self-based and therefore confused – especially as it contributes to reinforcing others in discussion to remain in their initial prejudice [a partiality [bias] that prevents objective consideration of an issue or situation].
Therefore, by definition, this is not the wisdom of God but is the wisdom of the world which is earthly, sensual and devilish.
[EB]>>Purgatory was the result of imagination >>back-and-forth reasoning from Romans 1:21 & 30>>remember the 26 years of fierce and unresolved debates in
the various councils in France & Italy in the middle ages? This is the spiritual assessment of them.
Notes on the nature of worldly wisdom
James 3
14 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.
15 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.
17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.
From verse 15:
Earthly:
Isaiah 29:4
And thou shalt be brought down, and shalt speak out of the ground, and thy speech shall be low out of the dust, and thy voice shall be, as of one that hath a familiar spirit, out of the ground, and thy speech shall whisper out of the dust.
Sensual: it says sensual because its based upon the 5 senses realm and the 5 senses that register and process it: [in alphabetical order; remember the perfect order of the word from Luke 1?] hearing, seeing, smelling, tasting and touching.
I John 2
15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him>>the word love in Greek grammar is in the imperative mood, which means its a commandment of the Lord!
16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
Devilish: its devilish because it originates from the devil, the god of this world.
I Corinthians 14:33
For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.
Now we’re going to categorize man-made reasonings regarding spiritual matters again, but from a totally different perspective, bringing deeper enlightenment and understanding.
There are 4 verses in the gospel of Matthew that contain the phrase, “O ye of little faith [believing]”.
Matthew 16:8 [Jesus is talking to his disciples]
Which when Jesus perceived, he said unto them, O ye of little faith [believing], why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread?
Biblical definition of “reason”:
HELPS Word-studies
[Strong’s # 1260] Verb; dialogízomai (from 1223 /diá, “thoroughly,” which intensifies 3049 /logízomai, “reckon, add up”) – properly, go back-and-forth when evaluating, in a way that typically leads to a confused conclusion. The term implies one confused mind interacting with other confused minds, each further reinforcing the original confusion.
By definition, we can see that “reason” has the same basic elements of doubt [wavering; “go back-and-forth when evaluating”; (1 of the 4 types of unbelief)], + confusion, which is ungodly.
The diagram below is so advanced and complex, that it requires a teaching by itself! Its basically a graphical and spiritual summary of the principles of the previous 2 videos, so I will go over the 3 D’s:
- Design
- Doctrine
- Dynamics
so that we can gain the full depth of understanding and wisdom and enlightenment it provides.
[EB] “the origins of purgatory may be sought in the worldwide practice of praying for the dead and caring for their needs“
Ecclesiastes 9
5 For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.
6 Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun.
10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.
So praying for the dead is classified as:
- Distracting evil: [the distracted mind is the defeated mind; you (and millions of other people in the RC church), are distracted away from growing in the light and wisdom of the Lord]
- Unproductive evil: [this wastes your time, effort and resources (and millions of other people in the RC church), with ZERO benefit for you and the dead you are praying for!!]; This reminds me of the parable of the talents in the gospels and the guy who was given 1 talent buried it in the ground and when his master came back he called him a wicked and slothful servant because he brought his master NO GAIN, when he could have at least deposited the money in the bank and been paid interest!! Romans 14:12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.
- Destructive evil: praying for the dead is based upon the lie of life after death; James 3
- 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.
- 8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
- Lies, [such as praying for the dead; the idea that the dead are in a state between death and their final abode, etc] are very destructive indeed because they can be inspired by devil spirits such as from a lying spirit.
- If you are praying for the dead, you’re committing all 3 categories of evil!! Whatever you do, don’t confess this to your priest because there’s no biblical basis for it!! Go directly to God and be forgiven!
- I John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Purgatory is the rotten fruit of man’s unbelief
Matthew 7:20 & 16:8
Matthew 7:20
Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
[EB] “Such ministrations presuppose that the dead are in a temporal state between earthly life and their final abode and that they can benefit from the generosity or transferred merit of the living”.
Dictionary definition of presuppose:
take for granted or as a given; suppose beforehand
which is a type of assumption:
take to be the case or to be true; accept without verification or proof [!!!]. This is a blatant contradiction to Acts 1:3; Acts 17:11; Luke 1:1-4 and many other verses!
Dictionary definition of guess:
1 an estimate based on little or no information
2 a message expressing an opinion based on incomplete evidence
There are 2 general categories of guesses:
Cambridge University dictionary definition of educated guess [from 1209 = 815 years old!]:
a guess that is made using judgment and a particular level of knowledge and is therefore more likely to be correct
Cambridge University dictionary definition of wild guess:
something that you say that is not based on facts and is probably wrong [this is the second time we’ve dealt with the probability of being wrong in connection with purgatory!!].
Which is a type of opinion or view:
a message expressing a belief about something; the expression of a belief that is held with confidence but not substantiated by positive knowledge or proof
Therefore, there are only 2 possibilities regarding purgatory: either the confident belief in it is based upon deception or there is full knowledge of the fallacy with the intent to deceive = fraud.
Purgatory is either a wild denominational guess or a global spiritual fraud.
Sub section #4: Origins of the doctrine
Encyclopedia Britannica
“Advocates of purgatory find support in numerous scriptural and non-scriptural traditions. The well-attested early Christian practice of prayer for the dead, for example, was encouraged by the episode (rejected by Protestants as apocryphal) in which Judas Maccabeus (Jewish leader of the revolt against the tyrant Antiochus IV Epiphanes):
- makes atonement for the idolatry of his fallen soldiers by providing prayers and a monetary sin offering on their behalf (2 Maccabees 12:41–46)
- by the Apostle Paul’s prayer for Onesiphorus (2 Timothy 1:18)
- by the implication in Matthew 12:32 that there may be forgiveness of sins in the world to come.
- The parable of Dives and Lazarus in Luke 16:19–26 and the words of Jesus from the cross to the repentant thief in Luke 23:43 are also cited in support of an interim period before the Day of Judgment during which the damned may hope for respite, the blessed preview their reward, and the “mixed” undergo correction.
- The non-canonical tradition that on Holy Saturday Christ invaded the realm of the dead and liberated Adam and Eve and the biblical patriarchs lends support to the view that there is a temporary realm of imprisonment after death”.
What does the bible say about “non-scriptural traditions”?
Matthew 15
1 Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying,
2 Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.
3 But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?
4 For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.
5 But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me;
6 And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.
7 Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,
8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
Biblical definition of curse [verse 4]:
Strong’s Concordance #2551
Definition of kakologeó: to speak ill of
Part of Speech: Verb
Phonetic Spelling: (kak-ol-og-eh’-o)
Usage: I speak evil of, curse, revile, abuse.
HELPS Word-studies
2551 kakologéō (from 2556 /kakós, “a malicious disposition” and 3004 /légō, “speaking to a conclusion”) – properly, to speak evil, using malicious, damaging words that are calculated to destroy (misrepresent).
2551 /kakologéō (“calculated evil-speaking”) tries to make evil seem good (“positive”), i.e. presenting what is wrong as “right” (or the reverse). 2551 (kakologéō) issues from a twisted disposition (make-up, perspective). [Note the fundamental meaning of the root (2556 /kakós).]
Matthew 15 [amplified bible]
5 But you say, ‘If anyone says to his father or mother, “Whatever [money or resource that] I have that would help you is [already dedicated and] given to God,”
6 he is not to honor his father or his mother [by helping them with their need].’ So by this you have invalidated the word of God [depriving it of force and authority and making it of no effect] for the sake of your tradition [handed down by the elders].
The bible specifically and emphatically commands us to avoid profane teachings [“non-scriptural traditions”], which, by definition, includes purgatory!
I Timothy 6:20 & II Timothy 2:16
I Timothy 6
20 O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called:
21 Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen. [this is the last verse in I Timothy!]
II Timothy 2
15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
16 But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.
17 And their word will eat as doth a canker [Strong’s #1044 gaggraina = gangrene]: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus;
18 Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith [believing] of some.
19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.
Why is the same command repeated twice? Because the number 2 is the number of division or difference. Those who don’t avoid the profane and vain babblings become part of the division. Remember in the first video the 26 years of fierce and unresolved debates spread out over 3 centuries? That was the consequence of purgatory.
Matthew 7:20
Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
Here is proof that purgatory is one of those “profane and vain babblings” that will spiritually eat you up like gangrene unless you know the truth and do not believe Satan’s lies that can corrupt your believing in the Lord.
In Romans 16:17, we have the general principle of mark and avoid [shun]:
Romans 16:17
Now I beseech you, brethren, mark [distinguish; clearly identify] them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.
In II Timothy 2:16, [the word “shun”] and in Romans 16:17 [the word “avoid”] are both in the imperative mood, which means they are the commandments of the Lord written directly to us [the body of christ and its leadership]!
Dictionary definition of profane:
1 grossly irreverent toward what is held to be sacred
2 not holy because unconsecrated or impure or defiled
3 secular [= non biblical!]
Note: since profane is impure, then, by definition, it cannot be the wisdom of God which is FIRST PURE. Therefore, it has to be the wisdom of this world which is earthly, sensual, devilish.
Biblical definition of profane [I Timothy 6:20 & II Timothy 2:16]:
Strong’s Concordance #952
bebélos definition: permitted to be trodden, by implication – unhallowed
Part of Speech: Adjective
Phonetic Spelling: (beb’-ay-los)
Usage: permitted to be trodden, accessible.
HELPS Word-studies
952 bébēlos (an adjective, derived from bainō, “go” and bēlos, “a threshold to enter a building”) – properly, improper, unauthorized entry – literally, “crossing a threshold” which profanes because of improper entrance.
952 /bébēlos (“profane because of improper entrance”) refers to people unfit to access (know) God, because they approach Him apart from faith [believing]. See also 949 (bébaios).
John 10
1 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.
2 But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
8 All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.
9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
Biblical definition of vain babblings [I Timothy 6:20 & II Timothy 2:16]:
Strong’s Concordance #2757
kenophónia definition: empty talk
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Phonetic Spelling: (ken-of-o-nee’-ah)
Usage: empty disputing, worthless babble.
Encyclopedia Britannica
“Non-Catholic and modern attitudes
The idea of purgatory remains controversial, however”.
This is the second time the Encyclopedia Britannica says that purgatory is “controversial” or “contested”.
SUMMARY OF THE ORIGINS AND HISTORY OF PURGATORY:
- Its based upon the worldly traditions of men that contradict & cancel the word of God
- Its based upon death
- Its based upon the operation of familiar devil spirits
- its based upon confusion, a psychological & spiritual weapon of Satan
- its based upon human 5-senses reasoning, which is 1 of the 4 types of weak believing
- its based upon controversial and unproven opinions and ideas that lack solid scriptural credibility, stirring up division and strife in the body of Christ
- its based upon twisted and presumptuous interpretations of scripture
#2 MORTAL & VENIAL SINS RENDER PURGATORY IRRELEVANT, MEANINGLESS AND USELESS!
Overview of life: all people, at the time of their death, will always end up in 1 of 3 categories:
- They will be a plain, regular natural man, which is a person of body and soul ONLY [no spiritual seed of any kind is present within that person]
- They will be born of the seed of the serpent, [which is to become a spiritual child of the devil] and they will fry in the lake of fire in the judgments of the unjust in the future
- They will choose to be born again of God’s spirit and go to heaven when Jesus Christ comes back [and not when they die]
Here’s a critical distinction: by definition, all sos [seed of the serpent people] are unbelievers, but not all unbelievers are born of the seed of the serpent [thank God for that!!].
Both types of seed, whether its God’s incorruptible seed or the devil’s seed of darkness, are absolutely permanent and irreversible and its ultimately what determines a person’s true nature and future, just as a plant seed or the seed of animals [sperm from the males] determines the identity of a living thing.
Important definitions to know [from dictionary.com & vocabulary.com]:
Mortal sins definition #9 of 12
[dictionary.com]: involving spiritual death (opposed to venial): mortal sin; [vocabulary.com has a slightly different definition]: an unpardonable sin entailing a total loss of grace [my comment here: the ONLY unpardonable sin in the bible is to sell your soul to the devil, to become one of his sons by seed and that involves a total loss of MERCY, not grace].
Penitent definition
feeling or expressing sorrow for sin or wrongdoing and disposed to atonement and amendment; [my comment here is that if a person is penitent, then that is a good thing because it demonstrates that that person still has a conscience left].
Venial sins definition:
adjective
able to be forgiven or pardoned; not seriously wrong, as a sin (opposed to mortal).
excusable; trifling; minor: a venial error; a venial offense; [vocabulary.com]: a pardonable sin regarded as entailing only a partial loss of grace.
If you think about it logically, this idea of mortal sin vs venial sin is totally meaningless!
In the least common denominator, there are only 2 categories of people: believers and unbelievers.
At the time of their death, all unbelievers [which, by definition, automatically includes all people born of the seed of the serpent], all venial sins and all mortal sins are totally irrelevant and cannot be applied to them because these people are, by definition, spiritually dead already and therefore, they will never get into heaven anyways.
Therefore, only Christians [believers] remain. However, since all venial sins are, by definition, “able to be forgiven or pardoned”, purgatory is rendered irrelevant and useless.
Furthermore, whether we are forgiven or not, it still only affects our fellowship with God and can never affect our sonship because of the incorruptible seed. Remember, all seed is permanent.
Due to the nature of the incorruptible spiritual seed of Christ within, a Christian can never commit a mortal sin and spiritually die. Therefore, purgatory is rendered totally irrelevant and useless once again.
Its absolutely 1 billion % impossible to be born of God’s seed and the devil’s seed at the same time.
Whichever seed you choose, its 1 billion % permanent, [so you can never switch, even if you wanted to].
If you are still afraid that you have committed the unforgivable sin, a mortal sin, [blasphemy against the Holy Ghost], you haven’t.
To prove it, read this article!
I also highly recommend you see Rev. Martindale’s unparalleled video, Athletes of the Spirit!
Its still light-years ahead of its time, even though it was produced way back in 1986!
So whether a person is an unbeliever or a Christian, Purgatory does not apply to them.
Now for some critical enlightenment on the natural man:
I Corinthians 2
12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost [spirit = the gift of holy spirit within a believer] teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. [the lined out words are not in the vast majority of Greek texts and are also missing from the Aramaic texts.]
14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
Its impossible for a natural man [man or woman] to understand spiritual things without the gift of holy spirit to enlighten them and enable them to understand the depths of the spiritual things of the word of God.
Because the gift of holy spirit is incorruptible, its impossible for it to deteriorate, to lose it, have it stolen, get sick, die or get hacked into by Satan!
What is the true nature of the gift of holy spirit, the spiritual seed of Christ within?
I Peter 1
22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:
23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
Definition of “purified”:
Hagnizo [verb] Strong’s Concordance #48 [used 7 times in the NT, the number of spiritual perfection]:
Root word hagnos Strong’s Concordance #53
Part of Speech: Adjective
Phonetic Spelling: (hag-nos’)
Definition: free from ceremonial defilement, holy, sacred
Usage: (originally, in a condition prepared for worship), pure (either ethically, or ritually, ceremonially), chaste.
HELPS Word-studies
53 hagnós (an adjective, which may be cognate with 40 /hágios, “holy,” so TDNT [Theological Dictionary of the New Testament], 1, 122) – properly, pure (to the core); virginal (chaste, unadultered); pure inside and out; holy because uncontaminated (undefiled from sin), i.e. without spoilation even within (even down to the center of one’s being); not mixed with guilt or anything condemnable.
Romans 1:23
And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things.
The word “incorruptible” in I Peter 1:23 is the exact same Greek word as the word “uncorruptible” in Romans 1:23 – like father, like son.
Definition of incorruptible:
Strong’s Concordance #862 [used 8 times in the bible: the number of resurrection and new beginning].
aphthartos: imperishable, incorruptible
Part of Speech: Adjective
Phonetic Spelling: (af’-thar-tos)
Definition: undecaying, imperishable
Usage: indestructible, imperishable, incorruptible; hence: immortal.
Thayer’s Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 862: ἄφθαρτος
ἄφθαρτος, ἄφθαρτον (φθείρω), uncorrupted, not liable to corruption or decay, imperishable:
No person who is actually born again of the spirit of God can commit a mortal sin = spiritual death.
Romans 1:23 & I Peter 1:23
The section below on body, soul and spirit will further verify and clarify that truth.
The only way a person can get saved from the wrath to come is to get born again of the spirit of God.
WARNING!!
DO NOT TRUST a man-made, convoluted and distorted prayer that a preacher made up who says its all you need to do to get saved!!!
Some of them are so treacherous that I doubt if you can actually get born again of the one true God by them.
If you follow the exact instructions directly from the Lord God himself, you will never go wrong.
Romans 10
9 That if thou shalt confess [declare] with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession [declaration: exact same Greek word as in verse 9] is made unto salvation.
11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
Acts 4
10 Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.
11 This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.
12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
#3 WHAT IS THE NATURE OF DEATH?
Purgatory contradicts at least 10 verses of scripture on the true nature of death!
Job 21:13
They spend their days in wealth, and in a moment go down to the grave.
Psalms 6:5
For in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks?
Psalms 49
12 Nevertheless man being in honour abideth not: he is like the beasts that perish.
14 Like sheep they are laid in the grave; death shall feed on them…
Psalms 89:48
What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death? Shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave? Selah [pause and consider this].
Psalms 146:4
His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish [there is a figure of speech here called Synecdoche [of the part] and the phrase in that very day = after that or when, so the correct translation is: His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; after that, his thoughts perish.
Ecclesiastes 9
5 For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.
6 Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun.
10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.
I Thessalonians 4
13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent [King James old english for precede] them which are asleep.
16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
Biblical definition of trump:
Strong’s Concordance #4536
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Phonetic Spelling: (sal’-pinx)
Definition: a trumpet
Usage: a trumpet, the sound of a trumpet.
HELPS Word-studies
4536 sálpigks – “properly, a war-trumpet” (WS, 797) that boldly announces God’s victory (the vanquishing of His enemies).
In the OT, trumpets were used to called God’s people to war, and to announce victory wrought by Him. That is, a military clarion that proclaimed the Lord inspired and empowered the victory on behalf of His people.
[“The trumpet was the signal employed to call the hosts of Israel to march as to war, and is common in prophetic imagery (Is 27:13). Cf. The seventh angel (Rev 11:15)” (WP, 1, 193).
Trumpets in the OT summoned God’s saints for His righteous wars (Nu 10:9; Jer 4:19; Joel 2:1). See also Lev 23:24,25; Nu 10:2-10; Ps 81:3.]
17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
Ecclesiastes 12:7
Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.
I Corinthians 15:26
The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.
Definition of enemy:
noun
a person who feels hatred for, fosters harmful designs against, or engages in antagonistic activities against another; an adversary or opponent.
Antonyms
friend. ally.
Therefore, by definition, death cannot help anybody or perform any good thing for anybody, such as take a person to heaven. Therefore, christians do not go to heaven when they die. They go to the grave instead.
Death is an enemy and not a friend. A friend would take you to heaven, but not an enemy. An enemy would take you to the grave, but not a friend.
Hebrews 9:27
And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
[for a complete teaching on death and related things, see You are not going to heaven when you die!].
Purgatory is only 1 of the many Roman Catholic church lies.
#4 BODY, SOUL & SPIRIT AND THE FALL OF MAN
Genesis 3:4
And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
Genesis 2:17
But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
- Genesis 2:17 | God | Truth: thou shalt surely die.
- Genesis 3:4 | Serpent | Lie: Ye shall not surely die.
Purgatory is the Serpent’s sadistic scare, the nightmarish perversion of life after death, the lie & liar of “ye shall not surely die” [Genesis 3:4]
If Adam died, as God said, then how come he lived so long afterwards?
Genesis 5:5
And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years: and he died.
Since Adam physically lived to be 930 years old, and since the word of God was perfect when it was originally written and is always true, then sheer logic says that Adam had to have died in a non-physical way in Genesis 2:17 & 3:6.
Adam and Eve were humans of body, soul and spirit. A physical body cannot be alive without the soul, but a body and soul are the minimum number of components of an alive person.
Not understanding the critical distinction between body, soul and spirit has clouded and confused the minds of millions.
Knowing and understanding the clear distinctions between body, soul & spirit will explain many many things in life and will be especially important regarding purgatory.
- Our bodies are made of the dust of the ground, and when we die, it will go back to dust again. [Genesis 3:19
In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return]. - Our soul is what gives us breath life, our personality, and the ability to process information. Once we take our last breath, our soul is dead and gone forever. Leviticus 17:11 “For the life [soul] of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul”.
- Our gift of holy spirit will go back to God when we die. [Ecclesiastes 12:7
Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.]
Therefore, even if purgatory does exist, after a christian dies, how would they be able to go???
Their bodies went back to the ground already, their soul is dead and gone and their gift of holy spirit already went back to God, so there’s nothing left of them to go anywhere or do anything!
This is why the nature of death is the way it is.
Therefore, the way Adam died in the garden of Eden in Genesis 3 was spiritually. He lost the gift of holy spirit that was upon him upon a condition that he would obey the word of God, but he violated that spiritual law of God and reaped the consequences.
Earlier we learned that all spiritual seed is absolutely permanent, yet Adam died spiritually.
Logically therefore, either the premise of spiritual seed being permanent is false or Adam did not have spiritual seed.
Since it was never actually written or stated that Adam had spiritual seed, the second option has to be the answer.
Here’s an extremely simple table that explains multiple variables all at once:
PHYSICAL | SPIRITUAL |
Corruptible physical seed [sperm] + the egg | Incorruptible spiritual seed |
First birth is physical [body & soul only] | Second birth is spiritual [being born again] |
The key to understanding this is that the incorruptible spiritual seed of God [being born again, which literally means to be born from above] was not available until the day of Pentecost in 28A.D. [see Acts 2], after Jesus Christ had completed everything the Lord needed him to do.
There’s only 2 ways to become a son in a family: by birth or adoption. Its the same with God.
Therefore, all believers in the old testament and gospel periods were sons of God by adoption and not by spiritual birth. Adam was not born again because that would not be available for several thousand years in the future. He simply had the gift of holy spirit upon him upon a condition, which he violated [he committed treason against God] and so the consequence of treason was spiritual death.
Galatians 6
7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
All doctrines, religions & theologies that teach some form of life after death, such as reincarnation, purgatory, or burning in the lake of fire forever are based upon Satan’s first recorded lie in the bible: “ye shall not surely die”.
Let’s dig a little deeper and see how it relates to purgatory.
In John 8, Jesus Christ was confronting a particular group of evil Pharisees, a type of religious leader in that culture and time.
John 8:44
Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father [originator] of it.
It is very interesting that Satan’s first recorded words in the bible are a lie, indicating his dominant nature.
Purgatory is based upon the serpent’s lie of life after death because punishment requires you to be alive. Otherwise, its purpose is defeated. Therefore it must come from the devil who is the originator of lies.
#5 Praying for the dead is an unbiblical concept and contradicts holy scripture and logic
The practice of praying for the dead comes from a false, pagan collection of religious books known as the apocrypha that was inspired by devil spirits. It was designed to deceive & distract us and to counterfeit the truth of God’s word.
We know from the first section on death, that any prayers for the dead are totally useless, a misuse of the Lord’s and our time and a trick of Satan.
However, its always good to know where the lies of the devil come from as well.
I Baruch 3:4
“O Lord Almighty, God of Israel, hear now the prayer of the dead of Israel, the children of those who sinned before you, who did not heed the voice of the Lord their God, so that calamities have clung to us”.
Now just to be fair, you’re going to see something that not many christians know about from the Jewish Encyclopedia about the origin of I Baruch.
The Roman Catholic practice of praying for the dead and the idea that dead people can even pray is based upon a bad translation of a book that counterfeits the bible!
Jewish Encyclopedia on I Baruch 3:4
Some Catholics base the practice of praying for the dead on the book of II Maccabees 12: 43-45, which is included in the catholic bible, but not protestant ones [See The apocrypha: true or false?].
II Maccabees 12
43 And when he had made a gathering throughout the company to the sum of two thousand drachms of silver, he sent it to Jerusalem to offer a sin offering, doing therein very well and honestly, in that he was mindful of the resurrection:
44 For if he had not hoped that they that were slain should have risen again, it had been superfluous and vain to pray for the dead.
45 And also in that he perceived that there was great favour laid up for those that died godly, it was an holy and good thought. Whereupon he made a reconciliation for the dead, that they might be delivered from sin.
Scholars agree that II Maccabees was written somewhere in the general time frame of about 150B.C. Thus the practice of making prayers for the dead predates Christ and this forms the historical roots of the modern Roman Catholic practice.
Even if the book of Maccabees is historically accurate and old testament Judeans did pray for the dead, that doesn’t make it right!
There is still no scripture in either the old or new testaments supporting prayer for the dead. Therefore, it only proves that the Maccabees had walked away from God’s will and succumbed to Satan’s deception instead. Remember Satan’s very first recorded lie, “Ye shall not surely die”? II Maccabees is a perfect example of that.
Why are some Catholics using a pagan, counterfeit religious book that was inspired by devil spirits in order to justify their religious practices? They should be going to the bible instead.
#6 PURGATORY CONTRADICTS GOD’S FORGIVENESS OF US!
Here’s a quote from catholic.com:
“The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines purgatory as a “purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven,” which is experienced by those “who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified” (CCC 1030).
The purification is necessary because, as Scripture teaches, nothing unclean will enter the presence of God in heaven (Rev. 21:27) and, while we may die with our mortal sins forgiven, there can still be many impurities in us, specifically venial sins and the temporal punishment due to sins already forgiven.”
This sounds so religious, doesn’t it? Yet it contradicts multitudes of scriptures, the laws of logic, the laws of justice and it defeats the purpose of forgiveness.
“temporal punishment due to sins already forgiven.” If we are still punished in purgatory after our sins have already been forgiven and forgotten, then that defeats the purpose of forgiveness in the first place! That contradicts and violates God’s forgiveness of us.
Isaiah 43:25
I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.
Purgatory contradicts Isaiah 43:25!
Hebrews 8:12
For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.
Purgatory contradicts Hebrews 8:12!
“and the temporal punishment due to sins already forgiven”.
How can God punish us for sins that have already been forgiven and forgotten???
I John 1:9
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Check out the definition of “forgive”!:
Strong’s Concordance #863
aphiémi definition: to send away, leave alone, permit
Part of Speech: Verb
Phonetic Spelling: (af-ee’-ay-mee)
Usage: (a) I send away, (b) I let go, release, permit to depart, (c) I remit, forgive, (d) I permit, suffer.
HELPS Word-studies
863 aphíēmi (from 575 /apó, “away from” and hiēmi, “send”) – properly, send away; release (discharge).
God literally sends our sins away, so how can he punish us for them in purgatory?
Look at the definition of “cleanse”! It comes from the root word Katharos:
Strong’s Concordance #2513
katharos definition: clean
Part of Speech: Adjective
Phonetic Spelling: (kath-ar-os’)
Usage: clean, pure, unstained, either literally or ceremonially or spiritually; guiltless, innocent, upright.
HELPS Word-studies
2513 katharós (a primitive word) – properly, “without admixture” (BAGD); what is separated (purged), hence “clean” (pure) because unmixed (without undesirable elements); (figuratively) spiritually clean because purged (purified by God), i.e. free from the contaminating (soiling) influences of sin.
This exact same Greek word is also used in John 15:3, translated clean!
John 15
1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman [vinedresser].
2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
Purgatory contradicts John 15:3 & I John 1:9 on 2 counts and is an insult to God!!
John 15:3 & I John 1:9 definition of forgive & cleanse
God’s word does not mention venial sins, mortal sins, etc. It simply says to confess your sins. Since God does not make the distinction between sins, why do we?
For a christian, there is only one sin: doing something against the will of God, which will take you out of fellowship with him. That’s it.
Because of our incorruptible spiritual seed, committing sins does not affect your sonship with God, only your fellowship with him.
Romans 1:23 & I Peter 1:23
The reason for that is because spiritual seed is permanent and determines a person’s true nature. An apple tree is the way it is because the nature of apple trees is determined by the genetic instructions and characteristics of the apple seed.
Similarly, if we are born again, but then later in life get deceived by Satan to live after him, we will still go to heaven when Jesus Christ comes back, but we will not receive any rewards from God for our bad behavior.
If a person becomes a son of the devil, then that is permanent spiritual seed also, which cannot be removed. So now back to confession of sin.
We simply go directly to God and get cleansed of our sins.
Confessing your sins to a priest is old testament terminology, imagery and bondage to the old testament law which Jesus Christ freed us from.
Jesus Christ is the best and final high priest for all mankind for all eternity. Our confession goes to God through his son Jesus Christ and that is the end of it.
Ephesians 3
10 To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,
11 According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:
12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.
Jesus Christ already gave us direct access to God himself, so going through a third party is spiritual interference and a hindrance in your life.
Psalms 103
3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;
12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
Why does it say east and west instead of north and south?
Because if you start from the equator and go north, you will eventually reach the north pole. If you keep going in the same direction, then you will be going south instead. North and south meet at the poles.
In other words, your sins will be thrown right back in your face again. If you again start at the equator and go south, you will eventually reach the south pole, at which point, you will begin to go back north again and repeat the previous situation.
However, if you start from the equator, going east or west, you can go on forever and you will still be going in the same direction and will never meet the opposite horizon. In other words, east and west never meet. Your sins will never be thrown back up in your face again.
Therefore, if you are reminded of your past sins that God has already forgiven and forgotten, then that source cannot be from God, which points to Satan who is the god of this world and an enemy of God.
Purgatory contradicts Psalms 103:3 & 12
I John 3
1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
Purgatory contradicts the definition of purifieth in I John 3:3
Look at the definition of purifieth!!
Strong’s Concordance #53
hagnos definition: free from ceremonial defilement, holy, sacred
Part of Speech: Adjective
Phonetic Spelling: (hag-nos’)
Usage: (originally, in a condition prepared for worship), pure (either ethically, or ritually, ceremonially), chaste.
HELPS Word-studies
53 hagnós (an adjective, which may be cognate with 40 /hágios, “holy,” so TDNT, 1, 122) – properly, pure (to the core); virginal (chaste, unadultered); pure inside and out; holy because uncontaminated (undefiled from sin), i.e. without spoilation even within (even down to the center of one’s being); not mixed with guilt or anything condemnable.
#7 PURGATORY DOES NOT MAKE THE CRUCIAL DISTINCTION BETWEEN OUR FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD AND OUR SONSHIP
FELLOWSHIP VS SONSHIP
FELLOWSHIP
I John 1
3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.
4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.
5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Biblical definition of fellowship:
Strong’s Concordance #2842
koinónia definition: fellowship
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Phonetic Spelling: (koy-nohn-ee’-ah)
Usage: (literally: partnership) (a) contributory help, participation, (b) sharing in, communion, (c) spiritual fellowship, a fellowship in the spirit.
HELPS Word-studies
2842 koinōnía (a feminine noun) – properly, what is shared in common as the basis of fellowship (partnership, community).
This Greek word is used 4 times in I John 1 and 19x in the NT. 19 is the eighth prime number and 8 is the number of resurrection and of a new beginning.
It is always a new beginning in our lives when we get back in fellowship with God.
I John 1
koinónia, [Strong’s #2842] has as its root word koinónos below [Strong’s #2844]
Strong’s Concordance #2844 [this root word is used 10x in the NT]
koinónos definition: a sharer
Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine
Phonetic Spelling: (koy-no-nos’)
Usage: a sharer, partner, companion.
HELPS Word-studies
Cognate: 2844 koinōnós (a masculine noun/substantival adjective) – properly, a participant who mutually belongs and shares fellowship; a “joint-participant.” See 2842 (koinōnia).
[2842 /koinōnía (a feminine noun) stresses the relational aspect of the fellowship. 2844 /koinōnós (a masculine noun) more directly focuses on the participant himself (herself).
The basic essence of fellowship with God is that we have FULL SHARING with God and all his resources through his son Jesus Christ.
I recently heard a hypothetical situation online where a christian commits a significant crime and then somehow dies shortly thereafter, leaving them with an unrepented sin.
Again, this only affects their FELLOWSHIP with God and NOT their sonship!
The consequences would be that they might lose some of their crowns and/or rewards, but never their status of being a son.
Section #3 on the nature of death proves that our fellowship with God terminates the moment we die, but our sonship remains eternal.
As demonstrated in section #13 [6 sections below], the perfect spiritual body we receive at the return of Christ never needs any purification, totally eliminating the need of purgatory.
The bible mentions 5 diffferent crowns [garlands or wreaths placed on the head of the winner] and rewards that a christian can earn.
The general principle is that in our walk with God, since we can earn crowns and rewards by our own freedom of will actions, then its also possible that we could be tricked by Satan and lose them.
Galatians 6
7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
The critical distinction between the word of God and purgatory is how sins are dealt with: in the word of God, sins negatively affect our fellowship with God while we are alive and the potential loss of crowns and rewards in the future whereas with purgatory, people are punished and tortured by fire in the future, which is false and evil.
In contrast, salvation is by the grace and the works of God and because the gift of holy spirit is the Christ within us that is incorruptible spiritual seed born within, we cannot lose it; have it die; deteriorate; get sick or have it get stolen by the devil.
OUR CROWNS AND REWARDS FOR CARRYING OUT THE WILL OF GOD
I Corinthians 9
24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.
25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible [crown because its spiritual and not physical].
26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:
Q: How come our incorruptible crowns can be lost, but our incorruptible gift of holy spirit cannot?
A: Because of the fact that the 5-senses realm parallels the spiritual realm. In the physical realm, a crown [garland] can be removed just as easily as it is put on. However, just like in the physical realm, our genetic sonship with our father cannot be changed and therefore, our spiritual sonship with God cannot be removed either.
2 Timothy 2:5
And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully.
Remember Lance Armstrong, the only person to ever win the Tour De France 7 times in a row?! He was proclaimed the greatest athlete of all time!
But later on, it was proven that he won the races UNlawfully due to illegal drug use and he had all his trophies and his “crown” as the winner and greatest athlete of all time forfeited!
This is just like the spiritual competition we are in now where we can earn spiritual crowns & rewards, but we will never receive one if we are “cheating” by not following the rules of the game set out in the bible. If we get deceived into committing idolatry, then we can have our crowns & rewards taken away.
2 Timothy 4:8
Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
James 1:12
Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.
1 Peter 5:4
And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
THERE IS A POTENTIAL THAT WE CAN LOSE OUR REWARDS THAT WE EARNED
II John 1
6 And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.
7 For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.
8 Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought [worked for], but that we receive a full reward.
Ephesians 5
1 Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;
2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.
3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;
4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.
5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
In the context of believers gaining crowns and rewards as illustrated by the several verses above on the subject, it is possible for us to lose rewards because we got deceived into committing idolatry, which includes influences from a devil spirit of whoredoms, which is the devil spirit primarily responsible for causing believers to worship the creation instead of God, the creator.
SONSHIP
Some of the following verses and information was taken from another section of this article, but here its being shown from a different perspective; that of sonship vs fellowship.
I Peter 1
22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:
23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
Romans 1:23
And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things.
The word “incorruptible” in I Peter 1:23 is the exact same Greek word as the word “uncorruptible” in Romans 1:23 – like father, like son.
Definition of incorruptible:
Strong’s Concordance #862 [used 8 times in the bible: the number of resurrection and new beginning].
aphthartos definition: imperishable, incorruptible, undecaying
Part of Speech: Adjective
Phonetic Spelling: (af’-thar-tos)
Usage: indestructible, imperishable, incorruptible; hence: immortal.
Thayer’s Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 862: ἄφθαρτος
ἄφθαρτος, ἄφθαρτον (φθείρω), uncorrupted, not liable to corruption or decay, imperishable:
Thus, we cannot lose our sonship, but we can lose our rewards.
Hosea 4:6
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.
#8 PURGATORY CONTRADICTS ALL 8 CHARACTERISTICS OF GOD’S WISDOM!
Speaking of pure, look at the very first characteristic of God’s wisdom!
James 3
17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.
Purgatory vs God’s wisdom
PURGATORY | GOD’S WISDOM |
Contaminated and infected doctrine of devils; its a false accusation of being spiritually impure in the eyes of God, which originates from the most impure of all possible sources: the devil | #1 Pure: God’s wisdom is from above and is always of the highest possible purity |
Are you at peace knowing that you will be tortured after you die for an unknown period of time for a spiritual “crime” that you’re not even guilty of? Nobody in their right mind would be. | #2 Peaceable: from HELPS Word-studies 1515 eirḗnē (from eirō, “to join, tie together into a whole”) – properly, wholeness, i.e. when all essential parts are joined together; peace (God’s gift of wholeness). This is the exact opposite meaning of anxious in Philippians 4:6 |
Do you think its fair and just to be tortured after you die, even though you are not guilty? This contradicts God’s perfect justice. | #3 Gentle: from HELPS Word-studies 1933 epieikes (an adjective, derived from 1909 /epi, “on, fitting” and eikos, “equitable, fair”; also see the noun-form, 1932 /epieikeia, “equity-justice”) – properly, equitable; “gentle” in the sense of truly fair by relaxing overly strict standards in order to keep the “spirit of the law.” 1933 /epieikes (“justice beyond ordinary justice”) builds on the real intent (purpose) of what is really at stake (note the epi, “upon”) – and hence, is true equity that appropriately fulfills the spirit (not just the letter) of the law. |
Those who apply critical thinking and are walking in God’s perfect light should not be comfortable with the concept of purgatory because it contradicts so many verses, definitions of words and biblical principles. | #4 Easy to be entreated: from HELPS Word-studies 2138 eupeithes (from 2095 /eu, “well” and 3982 /peitho, “persuade”) – properly, “well-persuaded,” already inclined, i.e. already willing (predisposed, favorable to); easy to come to terms with because already willing. 2138 /eupeithes (“yield”) only occurs in James 3:17. Since James 3:17 is the only place in the bible this word is used, it makes God’s wisdom uniquely superior to the devil’s wordly wisdom. Have you ever heard of the phrase “its a hard pill to swallow”? Easy to be entreated is just the opposite because its smooth and easy to be accepted, it doesn’t make you want to fight against it. Since God’s wisdom is gentle [fair & reasonable; “justice beyond ordinary justice”], then that will automatically be easy to be entreated. |
Purgatory blatantly contradicts God’s mercy in the most cruel way possible; people born of the seed of the serpent are without God’s mercy and will burn in the lake of fire; essentially, purgatory says we are without mercy for a period of time and are tortured by fire; Thus, God’s people are treated as if they are the devil’s own children! The devil accuses us of what he is guilty of himself. Therefore, purgatory was invented by a person born of the seed of the serpent. | #5 Full of mercy: Grace is unmerited divine favor. Mercy has also been defined as merited judgment withheld, which could only be done by God’s grace. The entire 136th Psalm has 26 verses dedicated to the mercy of the Lord which endures forever. |
What good Godly fruits does purgatory produce in your life now or in the future? NONE. Remember the very first section? Purgatory was proven to be irrelevant, meaningless and useless. | #6 Full of good fruits: God’s wisdom produces good fruit, both now and in the future |
Purgatory discriminates against God’s people | #7 Without partiality: God’s wisdom is not a respecter of people and treats all with the same principles; both without partiality and without hypocrisy have the same Greek word krino as their root word! |
Purgatory is hypocritical because of the nature of the accuser who falsely accuses us of what he is guilty of himself | #8 Without hypocrisy: God’s love, believing and wisdom are all without hypocrisy. |
Since purgatory contradicts all 8 characteristics of God’s wisdom, it has to be the devil’s wisdom: James 3 14 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. 15 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. 16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. |
#9 PURGATORY CONTRADICTS THE MERCY OF THE LORD WHICH ENDURES FOREVER!
Ephesians 2
1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
Purgatory is never mentioned!
Definition of punish:
verb (used with object)
- to subject to pain, loss, confinement, death, etc., as a penalty for some offense, transgression, or fault: The goal of the court is to punish the criminal for the crime he has committed.
- to inflict a penalty for (an offense, fault, etc.): Unconditional imprisonment is imposed to punish past transgressions.
- to mistreat, abuse, or hurt: Additional tariffs will punish working families with higher prices on household basics.
- to handle severely or roughly, as in a fight.
- to put to painful exertion, as a horse in racing.
- Informal. to make a heavy inroad on; deplete: to punish a quart of whiskey.
Definition of mercy:
noun, plural mer·cies for 4, 5.
- compassionate or kindly forbearance shown toward an offender, an enemy, or other person in one’s power; compassion, pity, or benevolence: Have mercy on the poor sinner.
- the disposition to be compassionate or forbearing: an adversary wholly without mercy.
- the discretionary power of a judge to pardon someone or to mitigate punishment, especially to send to prison rather than invoke the death penalty.
- an act of kindness, compassion, or favor: She has performed countless small mercies for her friends and neighbors.
- something that gives evidence of divine favor; blessing: It was just a mercy we had our seat belts on when it happened.
The mercy of the Lord is so great that an entire chapter of Psalms was dedicated to it!
Just look at the incredible precision and symmetry of the word of the Lord!
Purgatory ignores the mercy of the Lord that endures for ever!
Psalms 135 & 136
Psalms 136
1 O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.
2 O give thanks unto the God of gods: for his mercy endureth for ever.
3 O give thanks to the Lord of lords: for his mercy endureth for ever.
4 To him who alone doeth great wonders: for his mercy endureth for ever.
5 To him that by wisdom made the heavens: for his mercy endureth for ever.
6 To him that stretched out the earth above the waters: for his mercy endureth for ever.
7 To him that made great lights: for his mercy endureth for ever:
8 The sun to rule by day: for his mercy endureth for ever:
9 The moon and stars to rule by night: for his mercy endureth for ever.
10 To him that smote Egypt in their firstborn: for his mercy endureth for ever:
11 And brought out Israel from among them: for his mercy endureth for ever:
12 With a strong hand, and with a stretched out arm: for his mercy endureth for ever.
13 To him which divided the Red sea into parts: for his mercy endureth for ever:
14 And made Israel to pass through the midst of it: for his mercy endureth for ever:
15 But overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red sea: for his mercy endureth for ever.
16 To him which led his people through the wilderness: for his mercy endureth for ever.
17 To him which smote great kings: for his mercy endureth for ever:
18 And slew famous kings: for his mercy endureth for ever:
19 Sihon king of the Amorites: for his mercy endureth for ever:
20 And Og the king of Bashan: for his mercy endureth for ever:
21 And gave their land for an heritage: for his mercy endureth for ever:
22 Even an heritage unto Israel his servant: for his mercy endureth for ever.
23 Who remembered us in our low estate: for his mercy endureth for ever:
24 And hath redeemed us from our enemies: for his mercy endureth for ever.
25 Who giveth food to all flesh: for his mercy endureth for ever.
26 O give thanks unto the God of heaven: for his mercy endureth for ever.
But why 26 verses on the mercy of the Lord? Why not 11 or 35 or some other number?
13 is the number of rebellion, corruption and apostasy against the Lord, so 26 is twice that, emphasizing and intensifying it, yet the mercy of the Lord overcomes that and more!
Mercy is also the 5th characteristic of God’s wisdom!
James 3
17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.
“Full of Mercy” is listed 5th in the list of characteristics of God’s wisdom because 5 is the number of grace in the bible.
Grace is unmerited divine favor. Mercy has also been defined as merited judgment withheld, which could only be done by God’s grace.
#10 PURGATORY CONTRADICTS THE PERFECT JUSTICE OF GOD!
Job 1:22
In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.
The word “foolishly” in the companion study bible is defined as “with injustice”. We have a just God who does not punish his people, and especially not for sins that have already been forgiven and forgotten.
So now here is the more accurate translation of this verse:
Job 1:22
In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God with injustice.
Being punished for your sins after they have already been forgiven and forgotten is spiritual injustice which contradicts Job 1:22. Therefore, God cannot be the one who invented purgatory.
Job 1:22
Purgatory contradicts Job 1:22 and the justice of God
Here is a legal hypothetical equivalent to the definition of purgatory.
Say a guy commits a felony and the police arrest him and throw him in jail. The judge says he has to serve 10 years, so he does. Then what happens? Assuming he’s been on good behavior, then the prison system lets him go free. His crime has been forgiven. He paid the price. Yet, the police go arrest him again, without committing another crime, and punishes him for 3.5 additional years in the slammer. That’s real purgatory.
Its logically impossible for God to punish us for sins he cannot even remember. Therefore, the punishment has to come from a source other than the one true God. There are only 2 Gods: God the creator of the universe, who is the father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the God of this world, who is Satan.
Colossians 1:22
In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreprovable in his sight:
Once again, we go to a good bible dictionary to further verify and clarify the will of God.
3 definitions from Colossians 1:22
Definition of “holy”:
Strong’s Concordance #40
hagios: sacred, holy
Part of Speech: Adjective
Phonetic Spelling: (hag’-ee-os)
Usage: set apart by (or for) God, holy, sacred.
HELPS Word-studies
40 hágios – properly, different (unlike), other (“otherness”), holy; for the believer, 40 (hágios) means “likeness of nature with the Lord” because “different from the world.”
The fundamental (core) meaning of 40 (hágios) is “different” – thus a temple in the 1st century was hagios (“holy”) because different from other buildings (Wm. Barclay). In the NT, 40 /hágios (“holy”) has the “technical” meaning “different from the world” because “like the Lord.”
[40 (hágios) implies something “set apart” and therefore “different (distinguished/distinct)” – i.e. “other,” because special to the Lord.]
Definition of “unblameable”:
Strong’s Concordance #299
amomos: blameless
Part of Speech: Adjective
Phonetic Spelling: (am’-o-mos)
Definition: amomum (a fragrant plant of India)
Usage: blameless, without blemish, unblemished, faultless.
HELPS Word-studies
299 ámōmos (an adjective, derived from 1 /A “not” and 3470 /mṓmos, “blemish”) – properly, unblemished, without spot or blot (blight); (figuratively) morally, spiritually blameless, unblemished from the marring effects of sin.
Thayer’s Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 299a: ἄμωμον
without blemish, free from faultiness, as a victim without spot or blemish:
in both places allusion is made to the sinless life of Christ. Ethically, without blemish, faultless, unblameable
Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance
without blame, without blemish, faultless.
From a (as a negative particle) and momos; unblemished (literally or figuratively) — without blame (blemish, fault, spot), faultless, unblameable.
Definition of “unreprovable”:
Strong’s Concordance #410
anegklétos definition: not to be called to account, unreprovable
Part of Speech: Adjective
Phonetic Spelling: (an-eng’-klay-tos)
Usage: irreproachable, blameless.
HELPS Word-studies
410 anégklētos (from 1 /A “not” and 1458 /egkaléō, “making legal charges against someone in a court of law”) – properly, not convictable when a person is properly scrutinized – i.e. tried with correct logic (“legal reasoning”), i.e. logic approved in a court of law.
Purgatory contradicts all 3 definitions of: “holy” | “umblameable” | “unreprovable” in Colossians 1:22
But our legal standing goes another level deeper.
I John 2
1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
2 And he is the propitiation [payment] for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
From verse 1, definition of “advocate”:
Strong’s Concordance #3875
paraklétos definition: called to one’s aid
Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine
Phonetic Spelling: (par-ak’-lay-tos)
Usage: (a) an advocate, intercessor, (b) a consoler, comforter, helper, (c) Paraclete.
HELPS Word-studies
3875 paráklētos (from 3844 /pará, “from close-beside” and 2564 /kaléō, “make a call”) – properly, a legal advocate who makes the right judgment-call because close enough to the situation. 3875 /paráklētos (“advocate, advisor-helper”) is the regular term in NT times of an attorney (lawyer) – i.e. someone giving evidence that stands up in court.
Purgatory contradicts the definition of “advocate” [attorney] in I John 2:1
Romans 5
1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.
19 For as by one man’s disobedience [Adam] many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one [Jesus Christ] shall many be made righteous.
30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
Definition of “justified” below in verses 1 & 9:
Strong’s Concordance #1344
dikaioó definition: to show to be righteous, declare righteous
Part of Speech: Verb
Phonetic Spelling: (dik-ah-yo’-o)
Usage: I make righteous, defend the cause of, plead for the righteousness (innocence) of, acquit, justify; hence: I regard as righteous.
HELPS Word-studies
Cognate: 1344 dikaióō (from dikē, “right, judicial-approval”) – properly, approved, especially in a legal, authoritative sense; to show what is right, i.e. conformed to a proper standard (i.e. “upright”).
The believer is “made righteous/justified” (1344 /dikaióō) by the Lord, cleared of all charges (punishment) related to their sins. Moreover, they are justified (1344 /dikaióō, “made right, righteous”) by God’s grace each time they receive (obey) faith (4102 /pístis), i.e. “God’s inwrought persuasion” (cf. the -oō ending which conveys “to bring to/out”). See 1343 (dikaiosynē).
The biblical definition of justified in Romans 5:1 destroys the lie of purgatory!!!
Romans 5:9 says we shall be saved from wrath through him, which, by definition, includes purgatory!!!
II Corinthians 5
19 To wit [to know], that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.
21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
Definition of Righteousness:
Strong’s Concordance #1343
dikaiosuné definition: righteousness, justice
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Phonetic Spelling: (dik-ah-yos-oo’-nay)
Usage: (usually if not always in a Jewish atmosphere), justice, justness, righteousness, righteousness of which God is the source or author, but practically: a divine righteousness.
HELPS Word-studies
1343 dikaiosýnē (from 1349 /díkē, “a judicial verdict”) – properly, judicial approval (the verdict of approval); in the NT, the approval of God (“divine approval”).
1343 /dikaiosýnē (“divine approval”) is the regular NT term used for righteousness (“God’s judicial approval”). 1343 /dikaiosýnē (“the approval of God”) refers to what is deemed right by the Lord (after His examination), i.e. what is approved in His eyes.
Purgatory contradicts II Corinthians 5:21!
Do you see how quick, simple, easy and logical it is to separate truth from error when you have an accurate knowledge of God’s word?
Essentially, purgatory is the devil falsely accusing God’s people of being impure, which probably contradicts well over 100 verses of scripture and hypocritically, this accusation is coming from the most impure being in the universe: the devil himself.
He is a liar and full of hypocrisy.
John 8:44 [Jesus Christ is confronting a specific group of evil religious leaders called the Pharisees who had become sons of the devil].
Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
Revelation 12:10
And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.
The devil will always falsely accuse us of what he is guilty of himself.
John 8:44 & Revelation 12:10
11 PURGATORY VIOLATES UNITED NATIONS HUMAN RIGHTS, 42 U.S. Code § 2000dd OF THE US GOVERNMENT AND THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION!!!
Human Rights Instruments
CORE INSTRUMENT
Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
ADOPTED
10 December 1984
BY
General Assembly resolution 39/46
Entry into force: 26 June 1987, in accordance with article 27 (1)
The States Parties to this Convention,
Considering that, in accordance with the principles proclaimed in the Charter of the United Nations, recognition of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world,
Recognizing that those rights derive from the inherent dignity of the human person,
Considering the obligation of States under the Charter, in particular Article 55, to promote universal respect for, and observance of, human rights and fundamental freedoms,
Having regard to article 5 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and article 7 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, both of which provide that no one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment,
Having regard also to the Declaration on the Protection of All Persons from Being Subjected to Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, adopted by the General Assembly on 9 December 1975,
Desiring to make more effective the struggle against torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment throughout the world,
Have agreed as follows:
Part I
Article 1
- For the purposes of this Convention, the term “torture” means any act by which severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, is intentionally inflicted on a person for such purposes as obtaining from him or a third person information or a confession, punishing him for an act he or a third person has committed or is suspected of having committed, or intimidating or coercing him or a third person, or for any reason based on discrimination of any kind, when such pain or suffering is inflicted by or at the instigation of or with the consent or acquiescence of a public official or other person acting in an official capacity. It does not include pain or suffering arising only from, inherent in or incidental to lawful sanctions.
- This article is without prejudice to any international instrument or national legislation which does or may contain provisions of wider application.
Article 2
- Each State Party shall take effective legislative, administrative, judicial or other measures to prevent acts of torture in any territory under its jurisdiction.
- No exceptional circumstances whatsoever, whether a state of war or a threat of war, internal political instability or any other public emergency, may be invoked as a justification of torture.
- An order from a superior officer or a public authority may not be invoked as a justification of torture.
Article 3
- No State Party shall expel, return (“refouler”) or extradite a person to another State where there are substantial grounds for believing that he would be in danger of being subjected to torture.
- For the purpose of determining whether there are such grounds, the competent authorities shall take into account all relevant considerations including, where applicable, the existence in the State concerned of a consistent pattern of gross, flagrant or mass violations of human rights.
Cornell Law School
LII [Legal Information Institute]
42 U.S. Code § 2000dd – Prohibition on cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment of persons under custody or control of the United States Government
(a) In general
No individual in the custody or under the physical control of the United States Government, regardless of nationality or physical location, shall be subject to cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment.
Cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment
In this section, the term “cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment” means the cruel, unusual, and inhumane treatment or punishment prohibited by the Fifth, Eighth, and Fourteenth Amendments to the Constitution of the United States, as defined in the United States Reservations, Declarations and Understandings to the United Nations Convention Against Torture and Other Forms of Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment done at New York, December 10, 1984 .
Fifth Amendment
No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.
Eighth Amendment
Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.
14th Amendment
Section 1
All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.
Section 2
Representatives shall be apportioned among the several States according to their respective numbers, counting the whole number of persons in each State, excluding Indians not taxed. But when the right to vote at any election for the choice of electors for President and Vice-President of the United States, Representatives in Congress, the Executive and Judicial officers of a State, or the members of the Legislature thereof, is denied to any of the male inhabitants of such State, being twenty-one years of age, and citizens of the United States, or in any way abridged, except for participation in rebellion, or other crime, the basis of representation therein shall be reduced in the proportion which the number of such male citizens shall bear to the whole number of male citizens twenty-one years of age in such State.
Section 3
No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice-President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability.
Section 4
The validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law, including debts incurred for payment of pensions and bounties for services in suppressing insurrection or rebellion, shall not be questioned. But neither the United States nor any State shall assume or pay any debt or obligation incurred in aid of insurrection or rebellion against the United States, or any claim for the loss or emancipation of any slave; but all such debts, obligations and claims shall be held illegal and void.
Section 5
The Congress shall have power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article.
#12 PURGATORY CONTRADICTS 6 VERSES IN EPHESIANS!
Purgatory contradicts Ephesians 1:6
Ephesians 1
6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
Definition of “accepted”:
Strong’s Concordance #5487
charitoó definition: to make graceful, endow with grace
Part of Speech: Verb
Phonetic Spelling: (khar-ee-to’-o)
Usage: I favor, bestow freely on.
HELPS Word-studies
Cognate: 5487 xaritóō (from 5486 /xárisma, “grace,” see there) – properly, highly-favored because receptive to God’s grace. 5487 (xaritóō) is used twice in the NT (Lk 1:28 and Eph 1:6), both times of God extending Himself to freely bestow grace (favor).
Definition of “redemption” in Ephesians 1:7:
Strong’s Concordance #629
apolutrósis definition: a release effected by payment of ransom
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Phonetic Spelling: (ap-ol-oo’-tro-sis)
Usage: release effected by payment of ransom; redemption, deliverance.
HELPS Word-studies
629 apolýtrōsis(from 575 /apó, “from” and 3084 /lytróō, “redeem”) – properly, redemption – literally, “buying back from, re-purchasing (winning back) what was previously forfeited (lost).”
629 /apolýtrōsis (“redemption, re-purchase”) emphasizes the distance (“safety-margin”) that results between the rescued person, and what previously enslaved them. For the believer, the prefix (575 /apó) looks back to God’s effective work of grace, purchasing them from the debt of sin and bringing them to their new status (being in Christ).
Definition of “forgiveness”:
Strong’s Concordance #859
aphesis definition: dismissal, release, figuratively – pardon
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Phonetic Spelling: (af’-es-is)
Usage: a sending away, a letting go, a release, pardon, complete forgiveness.
HELPS Word-studies
Cognate: 859 áphesis (from 863 /aphíēmi, “send away, forgive” ) – properly, “something sent away”; i.e. remission (“forgiveness”), releasing someone from obligation or debt. See 863 (aphiēmi).
Purgatory contradicts Ephesians 1:7 – the definitions of redemption, forgiveness & grace
As born again believers, we are already holy in God’s sight, so no more purification or holiness is needed or can be achieved after death.
Ephesians 1
11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
Not only do we have an inheritance with God, but are to the praise of his glory!! God does not put down payments on junk or trash! YOU are his valued inheritance and YOU are the praise of his glory, so how could you need to be purified in the hell of purgatory?!
One of the purposes of purgatory has got to be an attempt of the devil to drive christians away from God.
Purgatory contradicts Ephesians 1:11 & 12
Ephesians 5
25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
This section of Ephesians is packed full of the rich depth of all the goodness of God! As a result, it has become a separate section of this article, with many definitions of words broken down, verified and clarified so you can see the magnificence of God and his word in all its glory.
Verse 26, definition of “sanctify”:
Strong’s Concordance #37
hagiazó definition: to make holy, consecrate, sanctify
Part of Speech: Verb
Phonetic Spelling: (hag-ee-ad’-zo)
Usage: I make holy, treat as holy, set apart as holy, sanctify, hallow, purify.
HELPS Word-studies
Cognate: 37 hagiázō (from 40 /hágios, “holy”) – to regard as special (sacred), i.e. holy (“set apart”), sanctify. See 40 (hagios).
[37 (hagiázō) means “to make holy, consecrate, sanctify; to dedicate, separate” (Abbott-Smith).]
Verse 26, definition of “cleanse”:
This is the Greek word katharizó: to cleanse [Strong’s Concordance #2511], which is the verb form of katharos, which we’ve already seen before:
Strong’s Concordance #2513
katharos definition: clean
Part of Speech: Adjective
Phonetic Spelling: (kath-ar-os’)
Usage: clean, pure, unstained, either literally or ceremonially or spiritually; guiltless, innocent, upright.
HELPS Word-studies
2513 katharós (a primitive word) – properly, “without admixture” (BAGD); what is separated (purged), hence “clean” (pure) because unmixed (without undesirable elements); (figuratively) spiritually clean because purged (purified by God), i.e. free from the contaminating (soiling) influences of sin.
Verse 26, definition of the word “washing”:
Strong’s Concordance #3067 loutron: a washing, a bath, which comes from the root word Louo, detailed below:
Strong’s Concordance #3068
louó definition: to bathe, to wash
Part of Speech: Verb
Phonetic Spelling: (loo’-o)
Usage: (literally. or merely ceremonially), I wash, bathe (the body); mid: of washing, bathing one’s self; met: I cleanse from sin.
HELPS Word-studies
3068 loúō – properly, to wash (cleanse), especially the entire person (bathing the whole body). 3068 /loúō (and its derivative, 628 /apoloúō) implies “fully-washing” (literally and metaphorically) – i.e. a complete bathing to cleanse the entire person (body).
Purgatory contradicts the definitions of 8 words in Ephesians 5:25-27!
Verse 27, definition of “glorious”:
Strong’s Concordance #1741
endoxos definition: held in honor, glorious
Part of Speech: Adjective
Phonetic Spelling: (en’-dox-os)
Usage: highly esteemed, splendid, glorious.
HELPS Word-studies
1741 éndoksos (from the prefix, 1722 /en, “engaged in,” which intensifies 1391 /dóksa (“glory, inherent worth”) – properly, “in glory,” expressing the dignity (exalted status) of something and viewed “in a state of high honor and repute” (A-S).
As is that wasn’t great enough, here is the definition of the root word for glorious:
Strong’s Concordance #1391
doxa definition: opinion (always good in N.T.), hence praise, honor, glory
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Phonetic Spelling: (dox’-ah)
Usage: honor, renown; glory, an especially divine quality, the unspoken manifestation of God, splendor.
HELPS Word-studies
1391 dóksa (from dokeō, “exercising personal opinion which determines value”) – glory. 1391 /dóksa (“glory”) corresponds to the OT word, kabo (OT 3519, “to be heavy”). Both terms convey God’s infinite, intrinsic worth (substance, essence).
[1391 (dóksa) literally means “what evokes good opinion, i.e. that something has inherent, intrinsic worth” (J. Thayer).]
Verse 27, definition of “spot”:
Strong’s Concordance #4696
spilos definition: a spot, stain
Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine
Phonetic Spelling: (spee’-los)
Usage: a spot, fault, stain, blemish.
HELPS Word-studies
4696 spílos – properly, a stain (spot); (figuratively) a moral (spiritual) fault or blemish. Moral and spiritual stains (spots) come from living outside God’s preferred-will (desire, 2307 /thélēma, compare Eph 5:15-17,27) and are removed with heartfelt confession (1 Jn 1:9).
Verse 27, definition of “wrinkle”:
Strong’s Concordance #4512
rhutis definition: a wrinkle
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Phonetic Spelling: (hroo-tece’)
Usage: a wrinkle; fig: a spiritual defect, flaw.
HELPS Word-studies
4512 rhytís – properly, bunched up, contracted; (figuratively) “a wrinkle, from aging” (Souter).
Verse 27, definition of “holy”:
Strong’s Concordance #40
hagios definition: sacred, holy
Part of Speech: Adjective
Phonetic Spelling: (hag’-ee-os)
Usage: set apart by (or for) God, holy, sacred.
HELPS Word-studies
40 hágios – properly, different (unlike), other (“otherness”), holy; for the believer, 40 (hágios) means “likeness of nature with the Lord” because “different from the world.”
The fundamental (core) meaning of 40 (hágios) is “different” – thus a temple in the 1st century was hagios (“holy”) because different from other buildings (Wm. Barclay). In the NT, 40 /hágios (“holy”) has the “technical” meaning “different from the world” because “like the Lord.”
[40 (hágios) implies something “set apart” and therefore “different (distinguished/distinct)” – i.e. “other,” because special to the Lord.]
Verse 27, definition of “without blemish”:
Strong’s Concordance #299
amomos: blameless
Part of Speech: Adjective
Phonetic Spelling: (am’-o-mos)
Definition: amomum (a fragrant plant of India)
Usage: blameless, without blemish, unblemished, faultless.
HELPS Word-studies
299 ámōmos (an adjective, derived from 1 /A “not” and 3470 /mṓmos, “blemish”) – properly, unblemished, without spot or blot (blight); (figuratively) morally, spiritually blameless, unblemished from the marring effects of sin.
#13 PURGATORY CONTRADICTS LOTS OF MISCELLANEOUS SCRIPTURES!
Philippians 2
13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
14 Do all things without murmurings and disputings:
15 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;
Definition of blameless:
Strong’s Concordance #273
amemptos definition: blameless
Part of Speech: Adjective
Phonetic Spelling: (am’-emp-tos)
Usage: blameless, free from fault or defect.
HELPS Word-studies
273 ámemptos (an adjective, derived from 1 /A “not” and 3201 /mémphomai, “to find blame”) – properly, without fault; not blameworthy, by omission or commission; hence, above reproach because morally pure. (This term stands in contrast to 299 /ámōmos, “ritual purity.”)
Definition of harmless:
Strong’s Concordance #185
akeraios definition: unmixed, pure
Part of Speech: Adjective
Phonetic Spelling: (ak-er’-ah-yos)
Usage: (literally: unmixed) simple, unsophisticated, sincere, blameless.
HELPS Word-studies
185 akéraios (an adjective, derived from 1 /A “not” and 2767 /keránnymi, “mingled”) – properly, not mixed (mingled); not a destructive mixture because not tainted by sinful motives (ambitions); pure (unmingled).
Definition of without rebuke:
Strong’s Concordance #299
amomos: blameless
Part of Speech: Adjective
Phonetic Spelling: (am’-o-mos)
Definition: amomum (a fragrant plant of India)
Usage: blameless, without blemish, unblemished, faultless.
HELPS Word-studies
299 ámōmos (an adjective, derived from 1 /A “not” and 3470 /mṓmos, “blemish”) – properly, unblemished, without spot or blot (blight); (figuratively) morally, spiritually blameless, unblemished from the marring effects of sin.
Purgatory contradicts Philippians 2:15 on multiple counts!
Colossians 1
26 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:
27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
1 Thessalonians 5:27
I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read unto all the holy brethren.
Hebrews 3:1
Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;
1 Peter 2:9
But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;
2 Peter 1:4
Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
Purgatory contradicts the definition of partakers in II Peter 1:4
We are partakers of God’s divine nature!
So the idea that we need more cleansing after we are dead is a totally unbiblical concept.
#14 AT THE RETURN OF CHRIST, WE WILL HAVE A GLORIOUS SPIRITUAL BODY!
I Corinthians 15
42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:
43 It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:
44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.
56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
When Jesus Christ returns, we will get a brand-new spiritual body, similar to the one Jesus Christ got when he was resurrected from the dead.
As the verses above testify, our new body will be:
- Incorruptible
- Glorious
- Powerful
- Spiritual
Purgatory contradicts I Corinthians 15:42-44!
Philippians 3:21
Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.
We will have a glorious spiritual body when Jesus Christ comes back!!! Purgatory contradicts Philippians 3:21!
Psalms 51:14
Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.
Every human being since the fall of Adam and Eve in Genesis 3 has had their blood corrupted because that’s when the devil became the god of this world.
In other words, the sin nature is in the blood of all human beings except Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ is called the innocent blood in the bible. We have been redeemed and made righteous in the sight of God because of the perfect works of Jesus Christ.
So at the return of Christ, our corrupt body, bloodstream and soul [which is also in the blood]will be replaced by a perfect spiritual body with perfect spiritual blood running through our veins.
#15 DON’T BLAME THE LORD! UNDERSTANDING THE HEBREW IDIOM OF PERMISSION
Job 1:21
And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.
So here it looks like God gave something to Job, and then took it away. One of the purposes of Jesus Christ was to expose the devil and his hierarchy of devil spirits and how they functioned.
So before that time, people were literally in the spiritual dark about the whole thing. So when something bad happened, they attributed all good or evil to God, but with a twist.
Whenever the bible says that God slew some people, or destroyed the land, etc, its not literally true. Its a figure of speech, a Hebrew idiom of permission. It means that God allowed the thing to happen because he gives every person freedom of will. They can choose what they want to do. This holds true even for the devil and his devil spirits.
So in Job 1:21 when his children were taken away and killed, ultimately, who did this?
As John 10:10 says, the thief did. Thief is one of the many names of Satan, emphasizing a particular aspect of his nature. God simply allows things to happen based upon variable conditions in a person’s life.
So when it comes to purgatory, it is not the Lord putting us through something horrible. It is the work of Satan who is blaming God for it, which is a function of the devil being the accuser against God and his people.
We live in the age of grace where God allows seducing spirits and doctrines of devils to exist in our world because we have freedom of will and in order for that to occur, there has to be freedom of choice. If there is only one choice, then there’s no freedom.
#16 PURGATORY: SELF RIGHTEOUSNESS VS THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD
There are only 5 verses in the bible that mention self righteousness that I’m aware of:
Isaiah 57:12 [kjv]
I will declare thy righteousness, and thy works; for they shall not profit thee.
Isaiah 57:12 [amplified bible]
“I will declare your [hypocritical] righteousness and your deeds, But they will not benefit you.
Ezekiel 33:13
When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousness shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it.
Matthew 6:1 [kjv]
Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.
Matthew 6:1 NET [New English Translation]
Be careful not to display your righteousness merely to be seen by people. Otherwise you have no reward with your Father in heaven.
Matthew 6:1 [Codex Sinaiticus, the oldest complete copy of the Greek new testament in existence, dating back to the 4th century]
But take heed that you do not your righteousness before men, to be seen by them: other wise you have no reward with your Father who is in the heavens.
Matthew 6:33
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and HIS righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
So the 6th chapter of Matthew starts off with a person’s own righteousness, but ends in God’s righteousness, so that is a free spiritual upgrade = exchanging our righteousnesss for the Lords!
Romans 1 talks about men exchanging the incorruptible glory of God for the corruptible glory of men and animals, which is a downgrade.
Romans 10:3
For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.
Philippians 3:9
And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith [believing]:
Galatians 5
1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
One of the many forms of self righteousness is martyrdom or being a willing religious victim “for the Lord”. In a more extreme form, it can descend into masochism, which is getting pleasure from pain, which is the operation of a devil spirit, which is discussed in more detail in the section below on torture.
Self righteousness is the world’s counterfeit of and the is opposite of God’s righteousness.
Here is just one of many examples of the genuine righteousness of the Lord.
Isaiah 61:3 [amplified bible]
To grant to those who mourn in Zion the following:
To give them a turban instead of dust [on their heads, a sign of mourning],
The oil of joy instead of mourning,
The garment [expressive] of praise instead of a disheartened spirit.
So they will be called the trees of righteousness [strong and magnificent, distinguished for integrity, justice, and right standing with God],
The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.
#17 God does not torture us
He never sanctions torture of any kind, even for evil people. He never even tempts us with evil. Whatever evil falls upon us is either our own fault for breaking sound biblical principles in our life and/or the attacks of Satan.
Galatians 6
7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
John 10:10
The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
James 1:13
Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:
God does not even tempt us, so how could he punish us?
I John 1:5
This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
So torturing others is when a person gets pleasure from hurting or injuring others and that is the influence from a devil spirit called a sadistic spirit.
However, if you revel in the thought of being tortured [or the religious counterfeit version of enjoying suffering for the Lord, such as being in purgatory, which would mean becoming a martyr for Jesus or the Lord], then that is the influence by a masochistic spirit which causes a person to get pleasure from pain and suffering.
Scientists have determined that both pain and pleasure are processed in the same parts of the brain [such as the amygdala, the pallidum, and the nucleus accumbens], so if you enjoy hurting others or being hurt, these are the areas of the brain that are being hijacked by devil spirits.
Severe abuse, rape and torture are all caused by a sadistic devil spirit which causes a person to get pleasure from inflicting pain and injury on others.
Purgatory is torture and therefore is inspired by sadistic devil spirits.
Thus, purgatory is a work of seducing spirits and doctrines of devils and must be purged from your thoughts, beliefs, heart and life.
[I Timothy 4:1]
Purgatory vs Seed of the serpent
People in Purgatory | Seed of the Serpent |
Tortured by fire | They and their father the devil burn in the lake of fire and torture people as well |
Falsely accused of being spiritually impure | The devil is the most corrupt and contaminated [impure] entity in existence |
Victims do not receive any of God’s mercy | None of the seed of the serpent or the devil are given any mercy from God; In Job 42, Job’s 3 friends were accepted by the Lord, but Elihu was not because he was born of the seed of the serpent |
Its a hypocritical accusation due to the nature of the accuser | Jesus Christ called S.O.S. hypocrites 7 times in Matthew 23 |
Due to the similarity between purgatory and the nature of the devil and the S.O.S., is it possible that purgatory is a form of retaliation from the devil? |
#18 Verses used to justify purgatory
Some of the main verses used to justify the existence of purgatory are listed below. I will be adding comments and notes as soon as possible.
Matthew 5
25 Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.
26 Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.
Here is the official Roman Catholic logic and interpretation of these 2 verses and why they believe they verify the existence of purgatory.
https://www.catholic.com/bible-navigator/purgatory/matthew525-26
“Catholic Perspective
Jesus speaks parabolically but directly, here. The metaphor of the “prison” implies a temporary “holding place” for purgatorial suffering. The “penny,” or kodtrantes, represents the “lesser transgressions” being emphasized. These would be venial sins for which Christians can make atonement in cooperation with God’s grace.
Interestingly, the Greek word for prison, phulake, is the same word used by St. Peter to describe the spiritual “holding place” into which Jesus descended after his death to liberate the detained souls of Old Testament believers (1 Pet. 3:19)“.
Once again, this is a clever mixture of truth and error, that ends up with an erroneous conclusion for a variety of reasons.
First off, there is the false assumption or belief that the gospels are written directly to us, the born again christians in the age of grace, which is the period of time between the day of Pentecost [27A.D.] and the day Jesus Christ returns for us [I Thessalonians 4:13-18] whenever that occurs in the future.
The 4 gospels were written DIRECTLY TO ISRAEL AND NOT TO US! They were written for our learning and for our admonition and therefore do not and cannot constitute direct commands to us that we are required to carry out.
In other words, they were written directly to the BRIDE OF CHRIST, BUT NOT THE BODY OF CHRIST, 2 very distinct groups of people that lived in 2 distinctly different biblical administrations of time.
Romans 15:4 & I Corinthians 1:11
For more information, compare this article on the Lord’s prayer vs Ephesians!
Now we’re going to break down each sentence, phrase or individual words to see whether or not it is in agreement with holy scripture.
“Jesus speaks parabolically but directly, here. The metaphor of the “prison” implies a temporary “holding place” for purgatorial suffering.”.
Definition of parable, the root word for parabolically:
noun
- a short allegorical story designed to illustrate or teach some truth, religious principle, or moral lesson.
- a statement or comment that conveys a meaning indirectly by the use of comparison, analogy, or the like.
Usage of the word parable in the bible:
It is used a total of 65 times in the bible [the OT and gospels only].
The pattern and number of usages in the gospels is as follows [verified from biblegateway.com; note, the numbers of times its used are a count of the number of verses the word in question is used in and not an actual count of the number of usages of the word itself]:
- Matthew: 17
- Mark: 12
- Luke: 17
- John: 1
Gospel total: 47 = 72.3% of all biblical usages, or almost 3/4 [75%] of all biblical usages of the word parable(s) is in the gospels.
Unfortunately, the RC church didn’t do their homework on this one either [is anybody actually surprised?]
The first occurrence of the word parable(s) in the gospels is in Matthew 13:3, eight chapters after the verse used to verify the existence of purgatory!
In other words, the bible never says this is a parable, so to say that it is is nothing but private [one’s own] interpretation, which II Peter strictly forbids! Since this is the official position of the RC church, this also represents denominational bias.
2 Peter 1:20
Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private [one’s own] interpretation.
A parable is one of over 200 different types of figures of speech used in the bible.
Definition of parable from Matthew 13:3:
Strong’s Concordance #3850
parabole: a parable, comparison
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Phonetic Spelling: (par-ab-ol-ay’)
Definition: to expose oneself to danger
Usage: (a) a comparison, (b) a parable, often of those uttered by our Lord, (c) a proverb, an adage.
HELPS Word-studies
3850 parabolḗ (from 3844 /pará, “close beside, with” and 906 /bállō, “to cast”) – a parable; a teaching aid cast alongside the truth being taught. This casts additional light by using an arresting or familiar analogy, (which is often fictitious or metaphorical, but not necessarily).
[For extensive notes and commentary on Jesus’ “Kingdom-parables” see 932 (basileía).]
In order to avoid any confusion over which things Jesus taught were parables and which ones were not, the bible explicitly tells us 47 times in the gospels which teachings were parables and which ones were not.
Therefore, since none of the verses in Matthew 5 are parables [a figure of speech], then the words must be literal in meaning.
So we’re going into the context of the verses in question, learn some great new things and by the time we’re done, you’ll know these verses inside and out.
Matthew 5:21-26 [amplified bible]
21 “You have heard that it was said to the men of old, ‘You shall not murder,’ and ‘Whoever murders shall be guilty before the court.’
22 But I say to you that everyone who continues to be angry with his brother or harbors malice against him shall be guilty before the court; and whoever speaks [contemptuously and insultingly] to his brother, ‘Raca (You empty-headed idiot)!’ shall be guilty before the supreme court (Sanhedrin); and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of the fiery hell.
23 So if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and while there you remember that your brother has something [such as a grievance or legitimate complaint] against you,
24 leave your offering there at the altar and go. First make peace with your brother, and then come and present your offering.
25 Come to terms quickly [at the earliest opportunity] with your opponent at law while you are with him on the way [to court], so that your opponent does not hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you are thrown into prison.
26 I assure you and most solemnly say to you, you will not come out of there until you have paid the last cent.
Below are 2 screenshots from E.W. Bullinger’s Companion Reference Bible, pages 1316 & 1317, on Matthew 5 in order to clearly identify and better understand the main subject matter:
Below is a screenshot of E.W. Bullinger’s Companion Reference Bible, page 1317, on Matthew 5:21-48 in order to see the symmetrical precision and detailed meaning of the word of God.
We’re going to go through some of these verses very thoroughly to we can stand of the word of God with absolute certainty.
Murder: true murder is when a person is possessed with a devil spirit of murder. That’s what ultimately causes murder. With murder, there are only 2 types: murder of others and murder of oneself, which the world calls suicide. If your life is truly in danger by an attack from another person, then you have the right to defend yourself, even if it means killing the attacker in self defense. That does not involve a devil spirit.
If you take this to a national level, then its right for a country to defend itself against the attacking country and that is not murder either, but ultimately, the seed of the serpent people are the ones who are the root cause of wars. Therefore, until the devil gets cast into the lake of fire in the distant future, world peace is an absolute impossibility because unless the root cause of wars is removed, the problem is guaranteed to continue.
Moving on, in verse 22, it says if you call somebody a fool, you’re in danger of hell fire. Nowadays, this seems ludicrous and very extreme, but you must remember, this is the KJV from 1611. I’ve checked the usages of this word fool in the old testament and sometimes it refers to a person who is born of the seed of the serpent, one who is a spiritual child of the devil, so if you falsely accuse somebody of being a son of belial [a son of the devil], you’re in very big trouble.
So here is the RC quote again:
“Jesus speaks parabolically but directly, here. The metaphor of the “prison” implies a temporary “holding place” for purgatorial suffering. The “penny,” or kodtrantes, represents the “lesser transgressions” being emphasized. These would be venial sins for which Christians can make atonement in cooperation with God’s grace.
Interestingly, the Greek word for prison, phulake, is the same word used by St. Peter to describe the spiritual “holding place” into which Jesus descended after his death to liberate the detained souls of Old Testament believers (1 Pet. 3:19)“.
The metaphor of the “prison” implies a temporary “holding place” for purgatorial suffering”: no, this is an actual, literal jail cell its referring to and it does not mention anything about purgatory. That is 100% conjecture; its denominational bias with nothing to back that claim up.
Let’s see what I Peter 3:19 is actually about:
One of the ways to do proper biblical research is that all verses on the same subject must be in agreement or in harmony with each other because the original bible never contradicts itself, so below are some of the other verses that prove the “spirits in prison” are not people but bad angels under the control of the devil = devil spirits.
Then we’ll also be going to a bible dictionary to verify and clarify what those words really mean.
I Peter 3:19
18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;
20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
“to liberate the detained souls of Old Testament believers (1 Pet. 3:19)“:
The word “spirits” in verse 19 has 9 different meanings; here its referring to DEVIL SPIRITS AND NOT PEOPLE!! Specifically, its the devil spirits who destroyed the first heaven and earth and made it without form and void, not to mention flooding the earth in Noah’s time in a failed attempt to prevent Jesus Christ from being born.
Secondly, it cannot be referring to people because that contradicts the many verses in the bible on the nature of death! If these spirits were people, then they would be in the grave and not in a spiritual prison outside of the firmament [known universe].
Specifically, its the fallen angels = devil spirits that Lucifer took with him after he lost the war in heaven [Revelation 12 – he took 1/3 of the angels since originally, there were 3 arch angels in heaven with God and each was in charge of 1/3 of the angels].
II Peter 2
4 For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;
5 And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;
Definition of hell:
Strong’s Concordance #5020
tartaroó definition: to cast into hell
Part of Speech: Verb
Phonetic Spelling: (tar-tar-o’-o)
Usage: I thrust down to Tartarus or Gehenna.
HELPS Word-studies
5020 tartaróō – properly, send to Tartarus (“Tartaros”). The NT uses 5020 (tartaróō) for the netherworld – the place of punishment fit only for demons. Later, Tartaros came to represent eternal punishment for wicked people.
“5020 (tartaróō) is a Greek name for the under-world, especially the abode of the damned – hence to cast into hell” (A-S); to send into the subterranean abyss reserved for demons and the dead.
[In Greek mythology, Tartarus was a “place of punishment under the earth, to which, for example, the Titans were sent” (Souter).]
Tartarus is the spiritual holding cell, the prison, where these evil devil spirits are being held to keep our world safe because they were the ones who caused the flood in Noah’s time, not God!
This corroborates the other section in this article about the Hebrew idiom of permission and Genesis 6; it was not God who flooded the earth, but was these bad angels [the devil spirits that are now being locked up, waiting for their judgment in the future].
[BTW there is no such thing as a good devil spirit; 100% of all devil spirits inherent nature is to carry out the will of the devil which is to steal, kill and destroy. Therefore, the old cartoon about Casper the friendly ghost is a 100% lie!]
So now we go to another verse on the same subject to get more clarity and verification on I Peter 3:19:
Jude 1:6 [kjv]
And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.
Jude 1:6 [amplified bible]
You also know that the angels who did not keep within their proper domain but abandoned their own place of residence, he has kept in eternal chains in utter darkness, locked up for the judgment of the great Day.
The chains of darkness are not physical chains because they could never hold a spiritual being. Its a figure of speech indicating their bondage in the prison.
Corroborating what Jude 1:6 & II Peter 2:4 say, [which are in agreement], we have a screenshot of E.W. Bullinger’s Companion Reference Bible, demonstrating the enlightening symmetrical precision of the word of God on I Peter 3:18-22 in the form of the figures of speech introversion & alternation:
So now:
- I Peter 3:19
- II Peter 2:4-5
- Jude 1:6
- the many verses on the true nature of death
- and the Companion Reference Bible are all in agreement
that the spirits in prison in I Peter 3:19 are angels [specifically, the fallen angels under the devil’s control = devil spirits] and cannot be people.
Hebrews gives us some additional enlightenment on the capabilities of Jesus Christ’s spiritual body:
Hebrews 4:14
Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession [confession].
Definition of phrase “that is passed into”:
Strong’s Concordance #1330
dierchomai definition: to go through, go about, to spread
Part of Speech: Verb
Phonetic Spelling: (dee-er’-khom-ahee)
Usage: I pass through, spread (as a report).
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from dia and erchomai
Definition of dia:
Strong’s Concordance #1223
dia definition: through, on account of, because of
Part of Speech: Preposition
Phonetic Spelling: (dee-ah’)
Usage: (a) gen: through, throughout, by the instrumentality of, (b) acc: through, on account of, by reason of, for the sake of, because of.
HELPS Word-studies
1223 diá (a preposition) – properly, across (to the other side), back-and-forth to go all the way through, “successfully across” (“thoroughly”). 1223 (diá) is also commonly used as a prefix and lend the same idea (“thoroughly,” literally, “successfully” across to the other side).
[1223 (diá) is a root of the English term diameter (“across to the other side, through”). Before a vowel, dia is simply written di̓.]
So in his resurrected spiritual body, Jesus Christ was able to pass all the way across the known universe and preach to the devil spirits that God locked up in a dark spiritual holding cell in order to protect us and God’s work of the stars and planets which declare his handywork [psalms 19].
That’s why he locked them up so far away because the constellations declare God’s word even today [see E. W. Bullinger’s book: witness of the stars].
No physical object and not even light itself, could travel that far, that fast, so the idea that Jesus Christ did that as a rotting corpse from the grave is absolute morbid insanity.
The spiritual realm supersedes the physical realm, so Jesus Christ did not violate the laws of physics, he superseded them because he traveled on the spiritual plane and was therefore, not bound to the limits of the physical universe.
Furthermore, let’s consider yet 2 more errors, courtesy of the RC church by referencing the RC quote again:
“Interestingly, the Greek word for prison, phulake, is the same word used by St. Peter to describe the spiritual “holding place” into which Jesus descended after his death to liberate the detained souls of Old Testament believers (1 Pet. 3:19)“.
“to describe the spiritual “holding place” into which Jesus descended after his death” – based upon the 10 verses on the true nature of death, [“into which Jesus descended after his death”] this is an absolute impossibility because there are no thoughts, consciousness, emotions, movement, etc in death.
Furthermore, Jesus was a man of body, soul and spirit, so where do these components go after he died?
Genesis 3:19
In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.
Ecclesiastes 12:7
Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.
- So the gift of holy spirit that was upon Jesus was sent back to God, his father, who gave it to him, as Ecclesiastes 12:7 says.
- The body of Jesus was taken down and Joseph of Arimathaea and Nicodemus wrapped it with linen cloth and spices and buried it in the ground, where it began to decay [but fortunately, God resurrected him after being dead 72 hours, in accordance with Old Testament Hebrew law]
- His soul vanished when he took his last breath on the cross
This is why, in addition to the 10 verses on the nature of death, Jesus Christ could never have visited anybody when he died, but as the word says and the Companion Reference bible points out, he preached to the imprisoned devil spirits in his resurrected body.
“to liberate the detained souls of Old Testament believers (1 Pet. 3:19”) – So this is the other error: Jesus could have never done this, or anything else after he died and secondly, there were no souls held in this spiritual prison that was reserved for devil spirits because all the dead souls in the history of man are 100% gone, 100% dead; they are a pile of bones in a grave somewhere in the middle east!
These old testament believers would have to have been resurrected from the dead, but that only happens in the future judgments of the just and unjust, not in the old testament! There is absolutely no scriptural support for this.
Romans 1
3 Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;
4 And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:
Jesus Christ was the only person his the history of mankind to have ever been resurrected from the dead solely by the power of God himself, and then Jesus was the only person to ever have a spiritual body.
This is just one of the many totally unique qualifications of Jesus Christ to be the redeemer of mankind that nobody who ever lived could even come close to.
Here’s the real reason the RC church believes that the dead are not really dead: its because they pray to the so-called saints, whom they believe are alive in heaven, but are in reality, dead in the grave. This belief is based upon the operation of devil spirits called familiar spirits who imitate the dead.
So now back to the rest of the verses in Matthew 5 from the amplified bible:
23 So if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and while there you remember that your brother has something [such as a grievance or legitimate complaint] against you,
24 leave your offering there at the altar and go. First make peace with your brother, and then come and present your offering.
25 Come to terms quickly [at the earliest opportunity] with your opponent at law while you are with him on the way [to court], so that your opponent does not hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you are thrown into prison.
26 I assure you and most solemnly say to you, you will not come out of there until you have paid the last cent.
Verse 25 is very wise advice and makes a lot of sense. Its simply a very practical matter: its better to settle a dispute out of court rather that go to court and risk the judgment going against you where you would be sent to jail and be forced to pay 100% of your debt off before you are released.
Its the basic principle of an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure.
Nowadays, if you’re in prison for an extended period of time, if you’re on good behavior, they let you go home several years early, but not back then. This was a financial issue and a person had to pay a debt off and they would not release you until you paid every last cent that was owed to the other party.
Here’s the spiritual background to the legal situation in Matthew 5:
Job 9:24
The earth is given into the hand of the wicked: he covereth the faces of the judges thereof; if not, where, and who is he?
If a judges’ face is covered, then he has been blinded and cannot see, but this verse is not talking about physical sight, but spiritual sight, or more accurately, the lack thereof.
Exodus 23 [amplified bible]
6 “You shall not pervert (bend) the justice due to your poor in his dispute.
7 Keep far away from a false charge or action, and do not condemn to death the innocent or the righteous, for I will not justify and acquit the guilty.
8 “You shall not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the clear-sighted and subverts the testimony and the cause of the righteous.
The reason for this is because every bribe involves the influence of devil spirits that blind people and cause them to corrupt and distort their understanding of the truth.
Definition of bribe:
noun
1 money or any other valuable consideration given or promised with a view to corrupting the behavior of a person, especially in that person’s performance as an athlete, public official, etc.: The motorist offered the arresting officer a bribe to let him go.
2 anything given or serving to persuade or induce: The children were given candy as a bribe to be good.
verb (used with object), bribed, brib·ing.
1 to give or promise a bribe to: They bribed the reporter to forget about what he had seen.
2 to influence or corrupt by a bribe: The judge was too honest to be bribed.
Definition of blackmail:
noun
1 any payment extorted by intimidation, as by threats of injurious revelations or accusations.
2 the extortion of such payment: He confessed rather than suffer the dishonor of blackmail.
3 a tribute formerly exacted in the north of England and in Scotland by freebooting chiefs for protection from pillage.
verb (used with object)
1 to extort money from (a person) by the use of threats.
2 to force or coerce into a particular action, statement, etc.: The strikers claimed they were blackmailed into signing the new contract.
Romans 11
7 What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded.
8 (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day.
9 And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them:
10 Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway.
Verse 8 is a quote from Isaiah 29:10 where it was not the true Lord God of Israel that gave them this devil spirit, it was the devil who did it because there’s a figure of speech called a Hebrew idiom of permission, where, for various reasons, the people of that time understood that God was not the true cause of the problem, but allowed it to happen because the people’s bad choices to love the darkness of the world instead of God.
Its a devil spirit of slumber [stupor] that blinds people.
Deuteronomy 16 [KJV]
18 Judges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy gates, which the Lord thy God giveth thee, throughout thy tribes: and they shall judge the people with just judgment.
19 Thou shalt not wrest judgment; thou shalt not respect persons, neither take a gift: for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous.
20 That which is altogether just shalt thou follow, that thou mayest live, and inherit the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.
This corroborates the verses on bribery in Exodus 23.
Let’s look at the definition of “gift” in verse 19:
Strong’s Concordance #7810
shochad Hebrew definition: a present, bribe
Original Word: שַׁחַד
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: shochad
Phonetic Spelling: (shakh’-ad)
This word is used 23 times in the old testament. Why is that significant?
Because 23 is the 9th prime number and 9 is the number of finality and judgement!
Romans 14:12
So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.
In other words, those who give or accept bribes will answer to God in the future judgments.
Isaiah 19:14
The Lord hath mingled a perverse spirit in the midst thereof: and they have caused Egypt to err in every work thereof, as a drunken man staggereth in his vomit.
Again, the one true Lord is not the cause of the perverse spirit [a type of devil spirit], but allowed it because of the spirituality of the messed up people who walked away from God’s true light.
So bribes cause spiritual blindness because of a devil spirit of slumber that blind people to the truth and they distort the truth because of the perverse devil spirits.
Spiritually, our culture is no different than the ones thousands of years ago! Just check out the news of all the lawsuits, investigations, lies and corruption going on! Bribery and blackmail and other forms of enticement and coercion have saturated the business realm, the legal system, the media, etc.
Back to Matthew 5, this is why its very wise to settle an issue out of court instead of risking being the victim of the spiritual injustice of the legal system.
So let’s sum up the errors the Roman Catholic church has made regarding Matthew 5:25-27:
- They falsely assumed that the gospels are written directly to us, as if they are commandments to us
- they lied that these 3 verses are a parable, when the bible never says that
- the spirits in prison in I Peter 3:19 are devil spirits and not people
- Jesus Christ never visited the prison immediately after he died because that was impossible; he could only preach to the devil spirits in his resurrected body; this was the only way he could have gone that far in such a short period of time; no physical object, even if it were traveling at the speed of light, could have performed such a miraculous feat
- therefore, Jesus Christ never liberated these non-existent souls
So with the various verses on the same subject, the definition of words, figures of speech [which are a grammatical science], etc, its self evident that Matthew 5:25-27 are light years away from anything resembling purgatory. Its 1,000% ignorance, denominational bias and lack of sound biblical research and critical thinking. End of story.
Matthew 12
31 Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.
32 And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.
These 2 verses have nothing to do with whether purgatory exists or not and everything to do with Jesus Christ giving these 2 extremely stern warnings, because once a person commits their life to the devil, there’s no turning back ever again.
34 O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.
Definition #5 & 6 [of 7] of viper:
5 a malignant or spiteful person.
6 a false or treacherous person.
Isaiah 21:2
A grievous vision is declared unto me; the treacherous dealer dealeth treacherously, and the spoiler spoileth. Go up, O Elam: besiege, O Media; all the sighing thereof have I made to cease.
Isaiah 24:16
From the uttermost part of the earth have we heard songs, even glory to the righteous. But I said, My leanness, my leanness, woe unto me! the treacherous dealers have dealt treacherously; yea, the treacherous dealers have dealt very treacherously.
These treacherous dealers are the people who have committed the unforgivable sin, blasphemy against God himself by selling out to God’s enemy the devil and have become one of the devil’s sons.
This article goes into great detail and depth and verifies what it actually is.
I Corinthians 3
11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
13 Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.
14 If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
15 If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
In order to gain deeper insights into God’s most magnificent work, his word, we’re going to do a very deep dive into the list of items in I Corinthians 3:12, classified as the works of man, even though it may or may not directly prove or disprove the existence of purgatory for the simple reason of further enlightenment so that we can love, trust and have more confidence in God and his perfect word.
Definition of taxonomy
noun, plural tax·on·o·mies.
1 the science or technique of classification.
2 a classification into ordered categories: a proposed taxonomy of educational objectives.
3 Biology. the science dealing with the description, identification, naming, and classification of organisms.
We’re going to be classifying the list of 6 things in I Corinthians 3:12 in many different ways to gain more depth of understanding in the word of God.
12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
However, in order to fully understand verse 12, we need to discuss the details of verse 15 also.
Verse 15 says he shall suffer loss: I see 4 different losses in this verse:
- low loss
- high loss
- perceived loss
- actual loss
Now gold, [the first item on the list] is obviously much more valuable than stubble [the last and least valuable of them all], which is the actual value.
But there’s also a 5th value: the value of rewards from God vs the value of man’s 6 works; of those 2, the divine rewards would be considered high value in God’s eyes [and those who are really walking with him], but due to the influence of the adversary on man, they may have a low perceived value in the eyes of man.
15 If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss:>> all 4 losses are in this phrase! “If a man’s work shall be burned”: obviously then, whatever forms his spiritual work took, that person had a high perceived value on it [due to the simple fact that he spent so much time, effort and money on it, perhaps even a lifetime], but because it was burned up, it had a low actual value because only man’s works that are on the bottom half of the scale are incinerated.
Therefore, due to the large discrepancy between its perceived value and the actual value, there had to have been significant deception involved, which can only come from Satan.
However, which is of the higher value: the rewards from God or the works of man? Since his works got burned, then they are of low actual value, but of high perceived value in man’s eyes, but the high actual loss was in having his eternal rewards stolen, which most people regard as having a low perceived value.
Since there are exactly 6 items in the list, we need to find out the biblical meaning of numbers in order to gain more understanding and enlightenment.
Number in Scripture Its Supernatural Design and Spiritual Significance By E. W. Bullinger (1837-1913) Fourth Edition, Revised London Eyre & Spottiswoode (Bible Warehouse) Ltd. 33. Paternoster Row, E.C. 1921 This book is in the Public Domain. Copy Freely
The biblical meaning of the number 6
Here is a select quote from this book, available as a free download online [pdf format].
“Six is either 4 plus 2, i.e., man’s world (4) with man’s enmity to God (2) brought in: or it is 5 plus 1, the grace of God made of none effect by man’s addition to it, or perversion, or corruption of it: or it is 7 minus 1, i.e., man’s coming short of spiritual perfection. In any case, therefore, it has to do with man; it is the number of imperfection; the human number; the number of MAN as destitute of God, without God, without Christ”.
We’re starting off with the least common denominator: all 6 items can be classified as things that originate from the ground. This is very important spiritually.
Isaiah 29:4
And thou shalt be brought down, and shalt speak out of the ground, and thy speech shall be low out of the dust, and thy voice shall be, as of one that hath a familiar spirit, out of the ground, and thy speech shall whisper out of the dust.
Familiar spirits are devil spirits that counterfeit the dead [among other things]. Thus, since all 6 items originate from the ground, all 6 works of man can be counterfeited by Satan. However, let’s verify and clarify 4 complementary concepts.
- The closer a counterfeit is to the genuine, the more effective it is
- The secret to Satan’s success is the secrecy of his moves
- Satan’s objective is to produce very clever counterfeits of the things of God
- The goal or purpose is to distract and deceive, which is also fraud
Thus, if a religious person is deceived on how to worship the Lord [an extremely common occurrence], his works will have a high perceived value in his own eyes, but in the eyes of God, they will be of low actual value and will therefore be burned up in the future trial by fire.
The verses below are a powerful example of a worst-case scenario of high perceived value, but having a low actual value.
Matthew 7
15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
This is why I brought up Isaiah 29:4 on familiar spirits that can counterfeit the dead. Its so critical to be sharp spiritually so that we don’t get deceived.
2 Timothy 2:20
But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour.
So the gold, silver and precious stones are the vessels of honor and wood, hay and stubble are the vessels of dishonor. That’s another way to classify these 6 items.
This list can also be divided up into 2 halves, each having their own group of unique characteristics.
Gold, silver, precious stones: these could be classified in at least 3 different categories:
- different forms of money, wealth and items of high social status and therefore…
- they could also be called high value items
- they are also minerals that are mined from the ground
Wood, hay, stubble, on the other hand, are on the bottom half of the scale, the lower value items derived from plants.
Here’s the generalized connection: minerals in the ground are listed first and the plants that need them are second because this is the perfect order of God’s word.
Matthew 13
37 He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man;
38 The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;
39 The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.
40 As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.
In verse 38, the word “field” comes from the Greek word agros [Strong’s #68], where we get our english word agriculture from.
So the bottom 3 items in the list spiritually represents the world and worldly works which will be burned up in the fire.
Now we’re going to do a break down of the last 3 elements: wood, hay and stubble.
Definition of wood:
Strong’s Concordance #3586
xulon definition: wood
Part of Speech: Noun, Neuter
Phonetic Spelling: (xoo’-lon)
Usage: anything made of wood, a piece of wood, a club, staff; the trunk of a tree, used to support the cross-bar of a cross in crucifixion.
Thayer’s Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 3586: ξύλον
A log or timber with holes in which the feet, hands, neck, of prisoners were inserted and fastened with thongs.
The wood represents the bondage of legalism of the commandments, doctrines and traditions of men that cancel out the goodness of the word of God [Matthew 15].
The bondage of legalism of wood is representative of the last 3 items: wood, hay and stubble.
Definition of hay:
Strong’s Concordance #5528
chortos definition: a feeding place, food, grass
Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine
Phonetic Spelling: (khor’-tos)
Usage: grass, herbage, growing grain, hay.
Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance
grass, hay.
Apparently a primary word; a “court” or “garden”, i.e. (by implication, of pasture) herbage or vegetation — blade, grass, hay.
Here is an example of the usage of the word “hay”, translated “grass”:
Luke 12:28
If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith [believing]?
Definition of grass:
Strong’s Concordance #2562
kalamé definition: stubble
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Phonetic Spelling: (kal-am’-ay)
Usage: stubble, straw, the stalk.
Thayer’s Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 2562: καλάμη
καλάμη, καλάμης, ἡ, a stalk of grain or of a reed, the stalk (left after the ears are cut off), stubble:
Root word for grass:
Strong’s Concordance #2563
kalamos definition: a reed
Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine
Phonetic Spelling: (kal’-am-os)
Usage: a reed; a reed-pen, reed-staff, measuring rod.
Thus, the stubble is the stalk of grain, but the “fruit” – seeds, have already been harvested, so it is almost totally worthless and is used to burn to produce heat for cooking food.
Here is yet another new perspective of the list of 6 items:
The following verses in Ezekiel 28 were literally referring to the king of Tyre [a city in ancient Israel], but figuratively and spiritually refer to Lucifer, who lost the war in heaven and was cast down to earth as the devil [Revelation 12].
Notice the general parallel between him and the list of 6 items: he had the gold, silver and stones of fire [sparkling jewels], but ended up being burned up and turned to ashes as dishonorable trash due to pride in his great wisdom and perfect beauty.
Ezekiel 28
4 With thy wisdom and with thine understanding thou hast gotten thee riches, and hast gotten gold and silver into thy treasures:
5 By thy great wisdom and by thy traffick hast thou increased thy riches, and thine heart is lifted up because of thy riches:
12 Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord God; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty.
13 Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created.
14 Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.
15 Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.
17 Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee.
18 Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffick; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee.
19 All they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be any more.
“and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth…and never shalt thou be any more”. This is proof that he will not burn in the lake of fire forever, of which there is some evidence that those verses were a corrupted version of the original.
Another truth is that from a usage point of view, fire produces 2 basic benefits: heat and light which affect the items differently.
In the case of the items in the top half [gold, silver and precious stones], heat improves the first 2 [gold and silver] by purification.
Let’s look at Revelation 3:18:
Revelation 3
14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;
15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
Definition of tried:
This is the root word for “tried” and is the exact same Greek word for “fire” in the same verse.
Strong’s Concordance #4442
pur definition: fire
Part of Speech: Noun, Neuter
Phonetic Spelling: (poor)
Usage: fire; the heat of the sun, lightning; fig: strife, trials; the eternal fire.
HELPS Word-studies
4442 pýr – fire. In Scripture, fire is often used figuratively – like with the “fire of God” which transforms all it touches into light and likeness with itself
God’s Spirit, like a holy fire, enlightens and purifies so that believers can share more and more in His likeness. Indeed the fire of God brings the uninterrupted privilege of being transformed which happens by experiencing faith from Him. Our lives can become true offerings to Him as we obey this imparted faith from God by His power.
[This is illustrated by God’s fire burning continuously at the entrance of the Tabernacle where the priests made sweet-savor offerings. Compare Lev 6:12,13 with 1 Pet 2:5,9.]
Psalms 12:6
The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.
7 is the number of spiritual perfection, which is one of several reasons I’m going into the depths of the word here so you can see its perfection and magnificence, which should increase our love, trust and commitment to God.
So both gold and silver, the first 2 items in the list, are purified, [made better] by the heat of the fire, whereas the bottom half of the list is destroyed by the exact same thing.
Although the heat from the fire does not improve the precious stones, the light does.
All 6 items in the list also have industrial and aesthetic uses and value.
In terms of aesthetic value, precious stones are useless in the dark. They must be seen in the light in order to maximize their benefit. Imagine the dancing and flickering of the flames of light as they reflect, refract and sparkle though and around the intricate shapes and various colors of all the different translucent diamonds, sapphires, rubies and emeralds!
The light magnifies their beauty, brilliance and impact.
Gold and silver are also the only elements that are listed in the periodic table of elements and both are metals, of which there are 4 subcategories:
• Alkali metals
• Alkaline earth metals
• Transition metals
• Post-transition metals
Gold and silver are both called transition metals.
According to Pubchem, [the government database of millions of chemicals]: “Gold is sometimes found free in nature but it is usually found in conjunction with silver, quartz (SiO2), calcite (CaCO3), lead, tellurium, zinc or copper”.
This is at least one reason they are listed together, but we need to keep things in their correct perspective from the word of God.
Proverbs 16:16
How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! and to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver!
Proverbs 22:1
A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.
Haggai 2:8
The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the Lord of hosts.
Encyclopedia Britannica
“Seven substances recognized today as elements—gold, silver, copper, iron, lead, tin, and mercury—were known to the ancients because they occur in nature in relatively pure form”.
According to gold.info, “INFORMATION PLATFORM FOR PRECIOUS METALS”:
“Gold is also termed to be chemically “inert” hence, it reacts very sluggishly when reacting to other substances. For example gold exhibits no reaction to air and water and also does not itself corrode when exposed to long periods of harsh weathering conditions”.
Thus, the inert property of gold parallels that of God being uncorruptible.
Romans 1:23
And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.
Chemistry Expert
Education
Ph.D., Biomedical Sciences, University of Tennessee at Knoxville
B.A., Physics and Mathematics, Hastings College
“Characteristics of Noble Metals
The noble metals typically resist corrosion and oxidation in humid air. Usually noble metals are said to include ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, silver, osmium, iridium, platinum and gold. Some texts list gold, silver and copper as the noble metals, excluding all others. Copper is a noble metal according to the physics definition of noble metals, although it corrodes and oxidizes in moist air, so is not very noble from a chemical standpoint. Sometimes mercury is called a noble metal.
Characteristics of Precious Metals
Many of the noble metals are precious metals, which are naturally-occurring elemental metals that have a high economic value. Precious metals were used as currency in the past, but now are more of an investment. Platinum, silver and gold are precious metals. Other platinum group metals, less used for coinage but often found in jewelry, also may be considered precious metals. These metals are ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, osmium and iridium“.
So gold and silver are listed in both the precious metals and noble metals list, which is very rare indeed. Therefore, the first 3 elements listed can be classified as precious substances.
2 Peter 1:4
Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
Definition of precious:
Strong’s Concordance #5093
timios definition: valued, precious
Part of Speech: Adjective
Phonetic Spelling: (tim’-ee-os)
Usage: of great price, precious, honored.
This word is used 13 times in the bible, including I Corinthians 3:12 below, translated “precious”:
Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
HELPS Word-studies
Cognate: 5093 tímios (an adjective) – properly, valuable as having recognized value in the eyes of the beholder. See 5092 (timē)>>root word
Strong’s Concordance #5092
timé definition: a valuing, a price
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Phonetic Spelling: (tee-may’)
Usage: a price, honor.
HELPS Word-studies
5092 timḗ (from tiō, “accord honor, pay respect”) – properly, perceived value; worth (literally, “price”) especially as perceived honor – i.e. what has value in the eyes of the beholder; (figuratively) the value (weight, honor) willingly assigned to something.
Revelation 21:27
And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
Who is the book of Revelation that everybody talks about written to???
Revelation 1:4
John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne;
Revelation 21
10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,
12 And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel:
14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
John to the seven churches which are in Asia:
Look at the names and locations, they’re all consistent with Israel, not us Christians that are born again sons of God in the age of grace!
- Verse 10: holy Jerusalem
- verse 12: the 12 tribes of the children of Israel
- verse 14: the 12 apostles of the lamb
John 1:29
The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world
The 4 gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are all written directly TO ISRAEL!!
The word “sheep” never occurs in Romans – Thessalonians except once in Romans 8:36 where it is a quote from Psalms 44:22. The word “lamb” never occurs in Romans – Thessalonians.
Romans 8
36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
Jesus Christ is not our king. He is the head of the body of Christ [not the bride, who is Israel].
Ephesians 1:22
And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
Ephesians 4:15
But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
Thus Revelation 21:27 is not written TO us, but is for our learning.
Since all scripture is perfect and eternal truth, it is correct that no person will be defiled in the new Jerusalem because they will have already been resurrected from the dead.
“And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth”:
The word “city” is used no less than 10 times in the 21st chapter alone, referring to the new Jerusalem in the third and final earth, wherein only dwells righteousness, and so this has nothing to do with our cleanliness or our cleansing before God.
At the return of Christ, which occurs long before Revelation 21, the entire body of Christ will be in our new spiritual bodies, similar to the one Jesus Christ had when he was resurrected from the dead.
Philippians 3:21
Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.
And the RC church says we still have to get purified?!?!
Jesus Christ was resurrected from the dead and is seated at the right hand of God and he didn’t have to run his glorious spiritual body through a car wash to get cleaned up, so why should we, who will have a glorious spiritual body also???
These are the verses used to justify or verify the existence of purgatory; they say the christian in this scenario is not in heaven yet, but is not in hell either, so they call this state or place purgatory.
This type of reasoning is classified as 1 of the 4 types of weak believing, mentioned in verse 8.
Matthew 16
5 And when his disciples were come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread.
6 Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.
7 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have taken no bread.
8 Which when Jesus perceived, he said unto them, O ye of little faith [believing] why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread?
9 Do ye not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?
10 Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?
11 How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees?
12 Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.
Beware of the doctrine of purgatory from the Roman Catholic church!
#19 THE MATHEMATICAL MIRACLE OF I CORINTHIANS 3:12
I Corinthians 3:12
Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
The word “gold” is used 417 times in the bible.
The word “silver” is used 321 times in the bible.
The phrase “precious stones” is used 19 times in the bible.
Add them all up and you get 757, which is the 134th prime number.
If you add up the digits of 757: 7 + 5 + 7 = 19, the exact same number of times the phrase “precious stones” is used in the bible. 19 is also the 8th prime number and 8 is the number of a new beginning and resurrection.
Jesus Christ was resurrected from the dead and was given a brand new spiritual body [something that nobody in the history of mankind has ever had] and it has capabilities beyond our comprehension, so I would call that a new beginning, wouldn’t you?
Atomic number of gold: 79
Atomic number of silver: 47
Definition of atomic number:
The number, equal to the number of protons in an atom that determines its chemical properties.
Since atomic numbers only apply to atoms, obtaining one for an entire group of different precious stones, [which are composed of a variety of different elements each], is impossible. However, we know that the phrase “precious stones” is used 19 times in the bible and 19 is the 8th prime number.
So add up the atomic numbers of gold and silver and the order of the prime number of the number of times the phrase “precious stones” is used and you have: 79 + 47 + 8 = 134 a second time!
In I Corinthians 3:12, you have listed:
gold; silver and precious stones as the first 3 items in this list of things.
Since gold is listed first, [which is also the number of God and unity], we can assign the number one to gold;
With silver, we already know that the atomic number is 47, which is the 15th prime number. The factors of 15 are 3 x 5; 3 is the number of completeness and 5 is the number of grace. Grace and truth came with Jesus Christ.
John 1:17
For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
Thus, 15 represents grace completed, so we can assign a 3 to silver.
Precious stones are mined from the earth and God created the heavens and earth.
Genesis 1:1
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
E.W. Bullinger, number in scripture book on the number 4:
“Creation is therefore the next thing—the fourth thing, and the number four always has reference to all that is created. It is emphatically the number of Creation; of man in his relation to the world as created; while six is the number of man in his opposition to and independence of God.
It is the number of things that have a beginning, of things that are made, of material things, and matter itself. It is the number of material completeness. Hence it is the world number, and especially the “city” number.
The fourth day saw the material creation finished (for on the fifth and sixth days it was only the furnishing and peopling of the earth with living creatures). The sun, moon, and stars completed the work, and they were to give light upon the earth which had been created, and to rule over the day and over the night (Gen 1:14-19).
Four is the number of the great elements—earth, air, fire, and water“.
Thus, we can assign the number 4 to precious stones.
In I Corinthians 3:12, you have listed:
gold; silver and precious stones as the first 3 items in this list of things.
Due to the above reasons, the first 3 elements can be represented by the number sequence of 134 for the third time in a row.
Now add the digits of 134>>1 + 3 + 4 = 8 again, [remember that the phrase “precious stones” was used 19 times in the bible, which is the 8th prime number].
Now multiply the digits of 134: 1 x 3 = 3 and 3 x 4 = 12, the exact same number for the calculation below!
Since the atomic number of gold is 79, its also the 22nd prime number.
Since the atomic number of silver is 47, its also the 15th prime number.
If you add the order of primes for gold and silver together, you have 22 + 15 = 37, the 12th prime number, the exact same answer for the multiplication of the digits of 134!
49 is the result of 4 different calculations 4 times in a row!
So if you add up the order of the prime numbers of the atomic numbers of gold and silver and their total, you have 12 + 15 + 22 = 49, 49 is 7 x 7; Seven is the number of spiritual perfection, so 49 is spiritual perfection squared or spiritual perfection multiplied by spiritual perfection. This is the first time 49 has been the result of a calculation = spiritual perfection squared that is doubled = established spiritual perfection squared.
Referring back to the total of the number of usages of the words gold, silver and precious stones above, if you multiply the digits of 757, look what happens: 7 x 5 = 35 and 35 x 7 = 245, which has as its factors 49 [spiritual perfection squared>>(7 x 7) x 5 [the number of God’s grace] = spiritual perfection squared can only come by God’s perfect grace! This is the second time 49 has come up as the result of a calculation.
The phrase “gold and silver” is used 29 times in the bible.
The phrase “silver and gold” is used 20 times in the bible.
Add them up and you get 49 for a third time in a row for the exact same elements! Since 3 is the number of completion, we now have complete spiritual perfection squared!
The book of Philemon is the 49th book of the bible [if you count correctly] and it never mentions gold or silver, either one of which could be used as the love of money, the root of all evil [I Timothy 6:10].
Philemon is also the only book of the bible that does not mention any people born of the seed of the serpent and one characteristic of all of them is that they always have the love of money!
Since 49 is spiritual perfection squared [7 x 7], that makes perfect sense: you can only have spiritual perfection squared when there are no seed of the serpent present, which is the way it will be in the new heaven and earth where only righteousness dwells!
This is the 4th time 49 is the result of a calculation or relevant truth, and since 4 is the number of material completeness, we now have material completeness for spiritual perfection squared.
Since the phrase “gold and silver” is used 29 times in the bible, let’s crunch some numbers and see what we come up with, starting with the biblical meaning of the numbers 20 & 9:
“20 is the double of ten, and may in some cases signify its concentrated meaning. But its significance seems rather to be connected with the fact that it is one short of twenty-one, 21 – 1 = 20; that is to say, if 21 is the three-fold 7, and signifies Divine (3) completion as regards spiritual perfection (7), then twenty, being one short of 21, it would signify what Dr. Milo Mahan calls expectancy, and certainly we are not without illustrations in support of it:
- Twenty years Jacob waited to get possession of his wives and property, Genesis 21:38,41.
- Twenty years Israel waited for a deliverer from Jabin’s oppression, Judges 4:3.
- Twenty years Israel waited for deliverance through Samson, Judges 15:20, 16:31, but his work was never much more than “begun,” Judges 13:25.
- Twenty years the Ark of the Covenant waited at Kirjath-jearim, 1 Samuel 7:2.
- Twenty years Solomon was waiting for the completion of the two houses, 1 Kings 9:10; 2 Chronicles 8:1.
- Twenty years Jerusalem waited between its capture and destruction; and
- Twenty years Jeremiah prophesied concerning it.
9 is the last of the digits, and thus marks the end; and is significant of the conclusion of a matter. It is akin to the number six, six being the sum of its factors (3×3=9, and 3+3=6), and is thus significant of the end of man, and the summation of all man’s works. Nine is, therefore,
THE NUMBER OF FINALITY OR JUDGMENT, for judgment is committed unto Jesus as “the Son of man” (John 5:27; Acts 17:31). It marks the completeness, the end and issue of all things as to man—the judgment of man and all his works. It is a factor of 666, which is 9 times 74.
The gematria of the word “Dan,” which means a judge, is 54 (9×6)”.
Because the phrase “gold and silver” is used 29 times in the bible, it can be broken down into 20 [the number of expectancy] + 9 [the number of finality and judgment], so if somebody has the love of money [gold & silver], then they will be expecting judgment in the future.
The atomic number for gold is 79, which is the 22nd prime number [a prime number cannot be divided by any other number except 1 and itself].
E.W. Bullinger quote:
“TWENTY-TWO being the double of eleven, has the significance of that number in an intensified form,—disorganization and disintegration, especially in connection with the Word of God”.
What does that have to do with gold?
I Timothy 6:10
For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
If you make gold or silver [money] your servants, they can help you, but if you let them become your master, your life will disintegrate into many sorrows.
Matthew 6:24 | I Timothy 6:10
All these incredibly accurate and breath-taking truths builds trust and confidence in God and his word.
II Samuel 22:31 [amplified bible]
As for God, His way is blameless and perfect; The word of the Lord is tested. He is a shield to all those who take refuge and trust in Him.
Psalm 56:4
In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me.
CONCLUSION OF MATHEMATICAL MIRACLE SECTION
According to most authorities, I Corinthians was written in approximately 55A.D. [+ or – a year or two], about 40-45 years before the bible was even completed. So how did the atomic numbers of gold & silver [which wouldn’t be discovered for over 1,850+ years], and all the prime number math, and the number of usages of words that were not even written yet, come out so biblically and mathematically and spiritually perfect?
Steadfast in hope
December 6, 2020
Chronologically, the book of Thessalonians was the first book of the bible written to the body of christ and its main theme is the hope of Christ’s return.
I Thessalonians 4
13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent [precede] them which are asleep.
16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
Romans 8
24 For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?
25 But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.
In verse 25, the word “patience” is the Greek word hupomoné [Strong’s # 5281] and means endurance.
Hope gives us the strength to carry on with the Lord’s work, despite the opposition from the world which is run by Satan, the god of this world.
I Corinthians 15
52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
Acts 2:42
And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
How could the believers continue to stand stedfast in:
- the apostles’ doctrine
- fellowship
- breaking of bread
- prayers
When they were already being attacked for carrying out the word of God on the day of Pentecost?
Acts 2
11 Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.
12 And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this?
13 Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine.
Because they had the hope of Christ’s return in their hearts.
Acts 1
9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.
10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;
11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
THE 3 TYPES OF HOPE IN THE BIBLE | |||
TYPE OF HOPE | HOPE DETAILS | ORIGIN | SCRIPTURES |
True hope | The return of Christ | God | I Thess. 4; I Cor. 15; etc |
False hope | Aliens in flying saucers will rescue mankind; Reincarnation; We’re all part of God already; etc | Devil | John 8:44 |
No hope | Eat, drink & be merry, for tomorrow we die; make the most of life, because this is all there is: 85 years & 6 feet under | Devil | Eph. 2:12 |
Notice how the devil operates:
- the devil only gives you 2 choices and both are bad
- his 2 choices breeds confusion & doubt which weakens our believing
- his 2 choices are a worldly counterfeit of Job 13:20 & 21 where Job asks God for 2 things
- ever been trapped in a situation where you only had 2 bad choices? God’s word and wisdom can give you a third choice which is the right one with the right results [John 8:1-11]
But let’s look a layer deeper into the stedfastness of Acts 2:42:
Its the Greek word proskartereó [Strong’s # 4342] which breaks down into Pros = towards; interactively with;
Karteréō [to show steadfast strength], which comes from Kratos = strength that prevails; spiritual power with an impact;
Thus, to remain steadfast means to exert spiritual power that causes you to prevail.
Where did this strength come from?
Acts 1:8 [kjv]
But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost [the gift of holy spirit] is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
An important key to understanding this verse is the word “receive” which is the Greek word Lambano, which means to actively receive = receive into manifestation which can only refer to speaking in tongues.
Acts 19:20
So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.
Throughout the book of Acts, the believers were operating all nine manifestations of holy spirit to withstand against the adversary and they prevailed with God’s superior spiritual resources:
- 5 gift ministries to the church [eph 4:11]
- 5 sonship rights [redemption, justification, righteousness, sanctification, word and ministry of reconciliation [Romans and Corinthians]
- 9 manifestations of holy spirit [I Cor. 12]
- 9 fruit of the spirit [Gal. 5]
Ephesians 3:16
That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;
How can we “be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man”?
Very simple: speak in tongues the wonderful works of God.
Acts 2:11
Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.
Romans 5
1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope:
5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad [poured out] in our hearts by the Holy Ghost [the gift of holy spirit] which is given unto us.
By speaking in tongues, we have irrefutable proof of the truth of God’s word and the glorious hope of Christ’s return.
Jesus Christ: the root and descendant of David
February 29, 2020
INTRODUCTION
Revelation 22:16
I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring [descendant] of David, and the bright and morning star.
[see the youtube video on this and much more here: https://youtu.be/gci7sGiJ9Uo]
There are 2 main aspects of this remarkable verse we’re going to cover:
- The root and descendant of David
- The bright and morning star
The bright and morning star
Genesis 1
13 And the evening and the morning were the third day.
14 And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:
The word “signs” comes from the Hebrew word avah and means “to mark” and is used of marking someone significant to come.
Jesus Christ was resurrected on the third day, shining his spiritual light in his spiritual body, a new dawning for all mankind to see.
In Revelation 22:16, where Jesus Christ is the bright and morning star, its in the context of the third heaven and earth [Revelation 21:1].
Astronomically, the bright and morning star refers to the planet Venus.
The word “star” is the Greek word aster and is used 24 times in the bible.
24 = 12 x 2 and 12 refers to governmental perfection. The most fundamental meaning is that of rulership, so we have rulership established because in the book of Revelation, Jesus Christ is the king of kings and lord of lords.
The first usage of the word star is in Matthew 2:
Matthew 2
1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,
2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
So in the first usage in Matthew, we have the wise men, guided by his star, to find the recently born Jesus, ruler [king] of Israel.
Astronomically, “his star” refers to the planet Jupiter, the largest in the solar system and is also known as the king planet and Jesus Christ is the King of Israel.
Furthermore, the Hebrew word for Jupiter is ssedeq, which means righteousness. In Jeremiah 23:5, Jesus Christ came from the royal line of David and is referred to as the righteous branch and is also called the Lord our righteousness.
In addition, Genesis tells us that the lesser light was made to rule the night, and God, the greater light, to rule the day.
Genesis 1
16 And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.
17 And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth,
JESUS CHRIST, THE ROOT AND DESCENDANT OF DAVID
Jesus Christ’s unique identity in the book of Samuel [1st & 2nd] is the root and offspring [descendant] of David. The name “David” is used 805 times in the KJV bible, but 439 usages [54%!] is in the book of Samuel [1st & 2nd].
In other words, the name of David is used more in the book of Samuel than all other books of the bible combined.
In the old testament, there are 5 prophesies of the coming branch or sprout [Jesus Christ]; 2 of them are about Jesus Christ being the king that would rule from the throne of David.
In Matthew, the first book of the new testament, he is the King of Israel. In Revelation, the last book of the new testament, he is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
According to various verses, the coming messiah had to fulfill several genealogical requirements:
- He had to be a descendant of Adam [everybody]
- He had to be a descendant of Abraham [narrows the #]
- He had to be a descendant of David [narrows the #]
- He had to be a descendant of Solomon [narrows the #]
Finally, besides being the son of Adam, Abraham, David and Solomon, he had to be the son of God, which is his identity in the gospel of John.
From a genealogical point of view alone, Jesus Christ is the only person in the history of mankind that was qualified to be the savior of the world.
So the reason Jesus Christ could be the root and descendant of David was because:
- his royal genealogy as a King in Matthew chapter 1
- and common genealogy as a perfect man in Luke chapter 3
Let’s dig a level deeper
The word “root” in revelation 22:16 is used 17 times in the bible; 17 is a prime #, which means it can’t be divided by any other whole number [except for 1 and itself].
In other words, there can be 1 and only 1 root and descendant of David: Jesus Christ.
Furthermore, it’s the 7th prime #, which is the number of spiritual perfection. 17 = 7 + 10 & 10 is the # for ordinal perfection, so 17 is the perfection of spiritual order.
Contrast this with 13, the 6th prime #. 6 is the number of man as he is influenced by the adversary and 13 is the number of rebellion.
So God set up the system of numbers that is biblically, mathematically and spiritually perfect.
Definition of root:
Strong’s Concordance #4491
rhiza: a root [noun]
Phonetic Spelling: (hrid’-zah)
Definition: a root, shoot, source; that which comes from the root, a descendant.
This is where our English word rhizome comes from.
What is a rhizome?
British Dictionary definitions for rhizome
noun
1. a thick horizontal underground stem of plants such as the mint and iris whose buds develop new roots and shoots. Also called rootstock, rootstalk
As the root [rhizome] and descendant of David, Jesus Christ is spiritually woven and connected throughout the entire bible from Genesis as the promised seed to Revelation as the king of kings and lord of lords.
If Jesus Christ was an isolated, independant root, then both of his geneologies would be false and the perfection of the bible would have been destroyed.
And since we have Christ in us [Colossians 1:27], as members of the body of Christ, we are also spiritual rhizomes, all networked together.
So the bible is mathematically, spiritually and botanically perfect, [along with every other way too!]
The mint, iris and other rhizomes are also classified as invasive species.
Who are the true invasive species?
Invasive species?! That makes me think of aliens from outer space in flying saucers or the giant vines growing a zillion miles per hour that were attacking people all over the place in Robin Williams 1995 movie Jumanji.
However, there is a spiritual invasion going on right now and we are part of it! The adversary, the devil, is trying to invade the hearts and minds of as many people as possible, and we can stop him with all the resources of God.
In the table below, we will see how 4 characteristics of invasive species of plants relate to the Jesus Christ and us.
# | PLANTS | JESUS CHRIST |
1st | Most originate long distances from the point of introduction; come from a non-native habitat | Long distances: John 6:33 For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. Non-native habitat: Philippians 3:20 For our conversation [citizenship] is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: II Corinthians 5:20 “Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God” – amb def: a diplomatic official of the highest rank, sent by one sovereign or state to another as its resident representative We are ambassadors, sent from heaven to earth to walk in the steps of Jesus Christ. |
2nd | disruptive to the native environment | Native environment: Isaiah 14:17 [Lucifer cast down to earth as the devil] That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners? II Corinthians 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. Disruptive: Acts 17:6 …These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also; Acts 19:23 …there arose no small stir about that way; |
3rd | become dominant species | Acts 19:20 So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed. Philippians 2:10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; II Peter 3:13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. In the future, the believers will be the only species. |
4th | Produce copious amounts of seed with a high viability of that seed | Genesis 31:12 And thou saidst, I will surely do thee good, and make thy seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude. Matthew 13:23 But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. |
From the devil’s perspective, we, the believers in God’s household, are the invasive species, but are we really?
Historically and spiritually, God set up man to be the original species, then the devil took that rulership away and he became the God of this world by way of the fall of man recorded in Genesis 3.
But then Jesus Christ came and now we can become the spiritually dominant species once again by walking in the love, light and power of God.
Romans 5:17
For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.
In the new heaven and earth, the devil will be destroyed in the lake of fire and the believers will once again the dominant species forever.
WORD STUDY
Definition of “rooted”:
Thayer’s Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 4492: [rhizoo – the adjective form of rhiza]
to render firm, to fix, establish, cause a person or a thing to be thoroughly grounded:
Very significantly, this Greek word is only used twice in the entire bible, since the number 2 in the bible is the number of establishment.
Ephesians 3:17
That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith [believing]; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
Colossians 2
6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:
7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.
In plants, roots have 4 primary functions:
- Physically anchor the plant into the ground for stability and protection against storms ; otherwise, it would be like a tumbleweed, blown about by every wind of doctrine
- Absorption and conduction of water into the rest of the plant
- Absorption and conduction of dissolved minerals [nutrients] into the rest of the plant
- Storage of food reserves
Now we’re going to cover each aspect in greater detail:
1st>>Anchor:
If you try to pull up a weed in your garden, its usually easy, but if that weed is connected to a dozen other ones, then its a dozen times more difficult. If its connected to 100 other weeds, then its almost impossible to pull it out unless you use some kind of tool.
The same holds true of us, the members in the body of Christ. If we’re all rooted and grounded in love together, then if the adversary throws storms at us and every wind of doctrine, we’re not uprooted.
So if he tries to take one of us out, we just tell him that he’s going to have to take us all out, and we know he can’t do that.
Secondly, if the storms and attacks come, what is the natural reaction? To be afraid, but one of the functions of the love of God is that it casts out fear. That is why Ephesians says to be rooted and grounded in the love of God.
Philippians 1:28
And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God.
2nd & 3rd>>Water & nutrients: we can feed each other the word of God.
Colossians 2
2 That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;
3 In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
HELPS Word-studies
Definition of “being knit together”:
4822 symbibázō (from 4862 /sýn, “identified with” and 1688 /embibázō, “to board a ship”) – properly, bring together (combine), “causing to stride together” (TDNT); (figuratively) to grasp a truth by intertwining ideas [like rhizomes!] needed to “get on board,” i.e. come to the necessary judgment (conclusion); “to prove” (J. Thayer).
Symbibázō [being knit together] is used only 7 times in the bible, the # of spiritual perfection.
Ecclesiastes 4:12
And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
- In Romans, we have the love of God poured out into our hearts
- In Corinthians, there are 14 characteristics of the love of God
- In Galatians, faith [believing] is energized by God’s love
- In Ephesians, we’re rooted and grounded in love
- In Philippians, the love of God abounds more and more
- In Colossians, our hearts are knit together in love
- In Thessalonians, the work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ
Intertwining ideas:
Acts 2
42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
43 And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.
44 And all that believed were together, and had all things common;
45 And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.
46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,
47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.
In verse 42, fellowship is full sharing in the Greek text.
It is the full sharing based upon the apostles doctrine that keeps the body of Christ enlightened, edified and energized.
4th>>Storage of food reserves
Ephesians 4
11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
Job 23:12
Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.
The 5 gift ministries feed us the word of God, as we make the word of God our own, being rooted and grounded in love, with Jesus Christ as the rhizome and descendant of David.
Understanding the bible, part 3: divine order
January 31, 2020
Structural figures of speech
Figures of speech are a legitimate grammatical science that has been extensively documented in how they work in precise ways.
Well over 200 different kinds are employed in the bible.
Their purpose is to emphasize what God wants emphasized in his word by deliberately departing from the standard rules of grammar in specific ways that catch our attention.
Who are we to tell God, the author of his own word, what is most important in his greatest work of all?
Psalms 138
1 I will praise thee with my whole heart: before the gods will I sing praise unto thee.
2 I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.
Figures of speech are one of the unique and powerful keys to understanding scriptures at a whole new level.
How many people are taught figures of speech?!
Structural figures of speech give great insight into entire bible books due to:
- their very precise, deliberate and symmetrical design
- their perfect correspondence of words, concepts and verses divine
- greater understanding can be mine
- if I give God the glory, for it is all thine
Below is an example of a structural figure of speech called introversion and how it applies to the book of Daniel and the apocrypha.
If anybody adds to or subtracts from the book of Daniel, the change would be immediately obvious, destroying the divine order, symmetry and meaning of the word of God.
Translation: they are great BS detectors!
BIBLE VS. APOCRYPHA | |
BIBLE | APOCRYPHA |
GENUINE | COUNTERFEIT |
Daniel | Story of Susanna [Dan. 13; 1st addition to Daniel] |
Daniel | Bel and the dragon [Dan. 14; 2nd addition to Daniel] |
Daniel | The Prayer of Azariah and the Song of the Three Holy Children [after Dan.3:23; 3rd addition to Daniel] |
Ecclesiastes | Ecclesiasticus |
Esther | Additions to Esther |
Jeremiah | Epistle of Jeremiah |
Jude | Judith |
Song of Solomon | Wisdom of Solomon |
The books of the apocrypha are designed to distract, deceive and confuse the believers.
Besides, adding verses to the bible contradicts the word of God and is one of the mistakes that Eve did that contributed to the fall of man.
Deuteronomy 4:2
Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought [any at all] from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you.
Revelation 22
18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
Do numbers count?
In a previous article, we discussed the different ways to count how many books of the bible there are and arrived at 56 as the spiritually and numerically correct number.
With the new counting system, even though Genesis – John still has the same number of books as the traditional Old Testament [Genesis – Malachi: 39], there is an entirely new perspective here.
Let’s start with the fact that Jesus Christ was born under the law.
Galatians 4
4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made [born] of a woman, made [born] under the law,
5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
Matthew 5:17
Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
Therefore, while Jesus Christ was here on earth, he was still in the process of fulfilling the Old Testament law, which wasn’t complete until his ascension into heaven.
The 4 gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are the conclusion of the true Old Testament and were written directly TO Israel and NOT TO the body of Christ, which didn’t even exist at the time of Jesus Christ’s ministry.
What comes after 39?
Technically, chapter 1 of Acts is still the old testament because Jesus Christ was still on earth completing the last few things he had to do before he was ascended into heaven.
Chapter 2 marks the beginning of a new biblical administration, the administration of grace, the day of Pentecost in 28AD.
However, in practice, the truths of Romans – Thessalonians weren’t revealed until several decades later and the final book of the bible, [revelation] wasn’t written until 90AD-100AD.
Thus, in doctrine and practice, the many centuries of bondage under the OT laws were still strong in the book of Acts, along with the new doctrine and practice of grace by the apostles.
The book of Acts is a transitional book between the OT law and NT grace.
40 = 39 books of the true Old testament + 1 transitional or bridge book between the old testament and the new testament, the book of Acts.
E.W. Bullinger writes on # 40: “It is the product of 5 and 8, and points to the action of grace (5), leading to and ending in revival and renewal (8). This is certainly the case where forty relates to a period of evident probation”.
John 1:17
For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
These great truths are corroborated in the remarkable meaning of the names of the 1st & 39th books of the bible: Genesis and John.
Genesis means, “generation; creation; beginning; origin” where Jesus Christ’s identity is the promised seed, the beginning of mankind’s true hope.
According to the Exhaustive dictionary of bible names, the name John means, “Jehovah has been gracious; Jehovah has graciously given” and Jesus Christ’s identity in the gospel of John is the son of God, who brought grace & truth that lead to the administration of grace.
The overview of Jesus Christ’s identity in the bible:
- OT – begins with the promised seed in Genesis
- OT – ends with the son of God in John
- BRIDGE – Acts is the transition between the OT & NT – the gift of holy spirit
- NT – begins with the believer’s justification in Romans
- NT – ends with the King of Kings and Lord of Lords in Revelation
God certainly delivered on all his perfect promises!
The first 40 books of the bible, Genesis – Acts, is the probation period that leads us from the OT law into God’s infinite grace.
56 – 40 = 16 books of the bible left: Romans – Revelation.
16 = 8 [a new beginning & resurrection] x 2 [establishment].
Thus the true new testament is a new beginning established, confirming the meaning of 40 which leads us to grace and renewal.
Furthermore, 16 = 7 + 9.
How appropriate to open the pure new testament with the spiritual perfection of the 7 books of Romans – Thessalonians, the first books of the bible written directly to the members of the body of Christ.
9 is the number of judgment and of finality.
This last group of 9 books ends in Revelation, the 9th book in the series, where we have the final judgments of all mankind.
It is also the 7th and final biblical administration of time where we have the new heaven and earth where only righteousness dwells.
Jesus Christ, the son of God
John 20
30 And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book:
31 But these are written, that [indicating purpose] ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.
John 20: 30 & 31 contains the figure of speech symperasma, which is a concluding summary.
[It is also used at the end of 8 unique sections in the book of Acts, intertwining biblical concepts that tie the 7 church epistles together in a magnificent spiritual tapestry].
It’s ironic that the book of the bible that was specifically written for this purpose is the exact same book most often quoted to prove that Jesus Christ is God the son, a phrase that never even occurs in scripture.
In your mind, zoom out to see the entire bible.
From this vantage point, we can see this summary & concluding statement in John from a new perspective.
We can also apply it to Genesis – John now because it’s near the very end of the gospel of John, which is the very end of the true old testament.
Let’s apply this new data to the old testament and take it for a test drive!
- In Genesis, Jesus Christ is the promised seed, who was the son of God.
- In Exodus, he is the passover lamb, God’s only begotten son, who was sacrificed for us>>John 1:36 And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!
- In Judges, he is the covenant angel named wonderful; for the verses in question in Judges, the word “angel” is the Hebrew word malak [Strong’s #4397] and means messenger. John 8:26 “I have many things to say and to judge of you: but he that sent me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of him“. The entire book of John emphasizes Jesus Christ as the son of God. No one could speak for and be God’s messenger better than his only begotten son, a perfect man, who always did the father’s will. It’s interesting to note the parallels between Judges 13 and John – Acts. In Judges 13, Manoah, [the father of Samson] sacrificed a meat offering to the Lord, who performed wonders and the angel was taken up into heaven in the flames. Jesus Christ offered up himself as a sacrifice unto the Lord, was ascended into heaven and 10 days later was Pentecost, with tongues like as fire where people could get born again and have Christ within. The word “wonderful” in Judges, [in reference to the messenger, Jesus Christ] comes from the root Hebrew word Pala [Strong’s #6381] and means to be surpassing or extraordinary. How fitting. Ephesians 3:19 “And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God“. The word “passeth” is the Greek word huperballo [Strong’s #5235] and figuratively means surpassing or transcending.
- In Job 9:33, he is the daysman; by definition, this is a mediator; 1 Timothy 2:5 “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus”; Hebrews 8:6 “But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises”. This record in Hebrews 8 is in the context of Jesus Christ being the high priest, which he cannot be unless he was the first-born son of God.
- In Lamentations, he is the unbeliever’s judgment; as God’s first-born son, he has all the judicial authority of God his father. John 5:22 “For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son”:
- In Hosea, he is the latter rain;
- Hosea 6
- 2 “After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.
- 3 Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth”.
Jesus Christ was resurrected in the third day and he is also called the bright and morning star.
Hosea 10:12
Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the Lord, till he come and rain righteousness upon you.
Romans 5:12
That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.
Romans 1
3 Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;
4 And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:
Twice in 2 verses Romans says its about Jesus Christ, the son of God.
God certainly rained righteousness into our lives through the completed work of Jesus Christ, the latter rain in Hosea.
I have not had the time to analyze all the old testament books yet, but so far, all the ones I’ve looked at fit into Jesus Christ being the son of God.
Enlightenment with the 9 manifestations of holy spirit
All scriptures must be understood within the framework of the 9 manifestations of holy spirit.
Below is an example of Jesus Christ exercising his power and authority over the adversary in the environment that is often misconstrued to be evidence of his deity.
Let’s dig into the spiritual dynamics to see what is really happening and why…
Mark 4
35 And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side.
36 And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships.
37 And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.
38 And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?
39 And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
40 And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?
41 And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?
I’ve heard many christians say that no person has the power to calm a storm on the sea and only God can do things like this, so Jesus has to be God.
There actually is a kernel of logic and truth here in that no natural man can calm a storm on the sea as Jesus Christ did.
A natural man is a person who consists only of a physical body and has a soul that animates that body, thus we are all born as natural men and women.
I Corinthians 2:14
But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
The trinitarian misinterpretation of these verses in Mark 4 is based upon ignorance of the 9 manifestations of holy spirit and how they work and the distinct differences between body, soul and spirit.
This can lead a person’s mind to come to some very wrong and bizarre conclusions such as Jesus, who is called a man 44 times in the bible, actually being God himself.
The only time a person can become a God is in the category of mythology, which is idolatry and not reality.
Apparently, trinitarians have been blinded by the adversary to the truth of Mark 4:41 when it says, “What manner of MAN is this”…,which decisively disproves the deity of Jesus by definition alone.
Jesus Christ was able to calm the storm by operating the manifestations of holy spirit that were available to him before the day of Pentecost in 28A.D.:
- Word of knowledge
- Word of wisdom
- Discerning of spirits
- Faith [believing]
- Miracles
- Gifts of healing
John 3:34
For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.
Jesus Christ had the gift of holy spirit upon him without measure, without any limitations as other prophets in the OT had. This and its operation explain why Jesus Christ could do so many miraculous things.
All other things being equal, the simplest explanation is the best.
The manifestations of holy spirit are listed in I Corinthians 12 [+ 3 more that were not available during Jesus Christ’s ministry], which have been mistranslated and misunderstood as gifts of the spirit.
I Corinthians 12
1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant.
7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.
8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;
9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;
10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:
11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.
Let’s say they are gifts and God gave you 4 of them because you’re super special, he gave somebody else 2, but didn’t give me any because I’ve been a jerk for Jesus all my life.
Oh, well, that’s how the spiritual cookie crumbles, right?
There are several problems with this common teaching and false belief.
First off, in I Corinthians 12:1, the word “gifts” is in italic print, which means the translators of the King James Version are telling us right up front that they added this word to the bible when it did not exist in the ancient biblical manuscripts from which it was translated!
The Codex Sinaiticus, the oldest complete copy of the Greek new testament, dating back to the 4th century, translates this verse as follows:
I Corinthians 12:1
But concerning spiritual things, brethren, I do not wish you to be ignorant.
Many other ancient biblical manuscripts corroborate this correct translation.
Secondly, if you read I Corinthians 12, verse 7 indisputably and clearly states that we are talking about the manifestation of the spirit and not the gift: “But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal”.
This leads us to the third point.
If you look up the definitions of several words in this section in the Greek, and apply some basic rules of grammar, you will see that where it says “To another” is not referring to another person, but to the unique profit or benefit that that specific manifestation brings.
The 4th point is that the idea that the manifestations are gifts contradicts several other verses of scripture. This verse in Acts is only one.
If God gives you 4, somebody else 2 and me none, then that makes God guilty of favoritism, otherwise known as a respecter of persons.
Acts 10:34
Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:
Every christian has the ability to operate all 9 of the manifestations of holy spirit.
They simply have to believe that they can do it, that it’s the will of God, and be taught how.
A 5th reason is look at the consequences.
Matthew 7:20
Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
If God practices favoritism in giving out the wrongly-called gifts of the spirit, then you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to see that this belief can only breed doubt, confusion, conflict, and a whole host of ungodly things.
A 6th reason is look at who benefits from this teaching!
If I believe that God only gave me the gift of tongues, then I’m only using 1/9th of the gifts = 11% of God’s power.
This hinders the purposes of God and benefits the devil, the god of this world.
This “gifts” of the spirit teaching has been decisively defeated without any:
- Personal opinions
- Complex and confusing theological theories
- Denominational bias
The devil is afraid of us kicking his butt with all of the resources of the Lord God almighty in the spiritual competition, that is why this teaching came about.
Ephesians 6
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints
Understanding the bible: part 2 – divine order
December 31, 2019
INTRODUCTION
God is perfect and therefore, his word is perfect. The meaning of the words are perfect. The order of the words are perfect. All aspects of his word are perfect.
Therefore, the bible is the most advanced document ever written.
It is also the most unique book on the planet because it was written by many people over many centuries, in many different places, but still has only one author – God himself.
We can gain very important insights if we simply pay attention to the order of the words.
This divine order of words teaching is divided up into 3 main categories:
- In the verse
- In the context
- In the chapter
- In the book
- Order of books
- Intertestamental
- Chronological
Psalm 37:23
The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way.
Psalm 119:133
Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me.
I Corinthians 14:40
Let all things be done decently and in order.
THE DIVINE ORDER OF WORDS IN THE VERSE
Hosea 7:1
When I would have healed Israel, then the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered, and the wickedness of Samaria: for they commit falsehood; and the thief cometh in, and the troop of robbers spoileth without.
Notice the perfect order of the words in this verse: falsehood occurs first, then the word thief comes second because that is exactly how the thief steals: by lying [falsehood].
Here’s an example.
THE DEVIL’S LIE:
You don’t need no Jesus man! Don’t waste your time! We’re all one with the universe. I’m in perfect harmony with all the plants, the animals, the rivers and the stars. Feel the love and forgiveness all around us.
THE CONSEQUENCES:
As long as I believe the devil’s lie, then he has stolen away from me the opportunity to gain eternal life and get a brand new spiritual body at the return of Christ. I remain a natural man of only body and soul. Life is nothing but 85 years and a hole in the ground.
The adversary has also stolen my sonship right of sanctification, which is being separate from the contaminated world that is run by Satan.
But just to be clear, the devil cannot literally steal any of our sonship rights away.
He can only steal them out of our mind and only with our permission through deception, which takes the form of lies.
Maybe that’s what the phrase “you’re out of your mind” is all about – the devil has stolen the word out of their mind with his lies.
GOD’S TRUTH:
Acts 4
10 Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.
11 This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.
12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
However, uncle unbeliever can, at any time, choose to see the light because God gives all humans freedom of will.
II Corinthians 4
3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:
4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
THE BENEFITS OF BELIEVING THE TRUTH:
- Redemption
- Justification
- Righteousness
- Sanctification
- Word & ministry of reconciliation
- Boldness, access and confidence
- the perfect hope of Jesus Christ’s return
- etc, etc etc…too many to list!
We don’t know that a counterfeit is a counterfeit by only studying counterfeits. We must shine the light of God’s perfect word on the counterfeit in order to see a difference.
So now that we know how the adversary works, we can defeat him confidently for we are not ignorant of his devices [schemes and plans].
THE DIVINE ORDER OF WORDS IN THE CHAPTER
Walk in Love, Light and Circumspectly
Ephesians 5
2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.
8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
15 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,
It’s easier to understand the divine order of these verses and concepts if we apply the principles of reverse engineering.
What is reverse engineering?
Reverse engineering, also called back engineering, is the process by which a man-made object is deconstructed to reveal its designs, architecture, or to extract knowledge from the object; similar to scientific research, the only difference being that scientific research is about a natural phenomenon.
This is often done by a manufacturer’s competitor so that they can make a similar product.
So we are going to break down verses 2, 8 & 15 in reverse order to see God’s perfect order in his word.
In verse 15, the word “see” is Strong’s concordance #991 (blépō) which is to be watchful or observant. It implies to see physical things, but with an in-depth spiritual perception and awareness. The purpose is so that a person can take the appropriate action.
The word “walk” is the Greek word peripatéo, which can be further broken down into the prefix peri = around, with a full 360 degree view, and this also makes the Greek word pateo, “walk”, stronger; to walk completely around, coming full circle.
“Circumspectly” is the Greek word akribos which means carefully, exactly, with precision and is used in Greek literature to describe the ascent of a mountain climber to the top of a mountain.
If you are on a boat on the ocean on a clear day, the farthest you can see is only 12 miles, but on top of mount Everest, the highest point on earth, you can see 1,200.
Experience the full 360 degree panoramic view, with no blind spots.
This is where we can be spiritually…
But the standard of the word is even higher!
Ephesians 2:6
And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
We are spiritually seated in the heavenlies, exercising our heavenly citizenship, far above the clouds of darkness, confusion and fear.
Prerequisite?
God’s 100% pure light.
This is the spiritual reason why walking in light in Ephesians 5:8 comes before walking circumspectly in Ephesians 5:15.
Walking is a verb, an action word, in the present tense. In order to take action on the word of God, we must believe, which is another action verb.
James 2
17 Even so faith [from Greek word pistis = believing], if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith [from Greek word pistis = believing] without works is dead?
26 For as the body without the spirit [soul life] is dead, so faith [from Greek word pistis = believing] without works is dead also.
We are told, not once, not twice, but 3 times in only 1 chapter that believing is dead unless there is action with it.
Therefore, if we are walking in light, we are believing.
But what is the prerequisite for believing?
God’s perfect love.
Galatians 5:6
For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.
The word “faith” is again, the Greek word pistis, which means believing.
Check out the definition of “worketh”!
HELPS Word-studies
1754 energéō (from 1722 /en, “engaged in,” which intensifies 2041 /érgon, “work”) – properly, energize, working in a situation which brings it from one stage (point) to the next, like an electrical current energizing a wire, bringing it to a shining light bulb.
So the summary and conclusion as to why Ephesians 5 has verses 2, 8 & 15 in that exact order is as follows:
God’s love energizes our believing, which enables us to walk in light, which enables us to spiritually see a full 360 degrees around us.
THE DIVINE ORDER OF WORDS IN THE BOOK
One of the first themes and subjects mentioned in the book of James that we need to master is not wavering in believing God’s wisdom.
James 1
5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
6 But let him ask in faith [believing], nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.
8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
Look at the great example of Abraham, the father of believing!
Romans 4
20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith [believing], giving glory to God;
21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.
But why is wavering and double-mindedness mentioned first before James mentions the 2 kinds of wisdom?
James 3
15 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.
17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
If we don’t master strong, steadfast believing first, we will waver in doubt & confusion between the wisdom of the world and the wisdom of God and be defeated.
This is why Eve succumbed to the serpent’s craftiness that resulted in the fall of man.
She wavered in doubt and confusion between the serpent’s wisdom and the wisdom of God.
Genesis 3:1
Now the serpent was more subtil [crafty, shrewd, cunning, wise] than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
Matthew 14
30 But when he [Peter] saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.
31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith [believing], wherefore didst thou doubt?
Doubt is one of the 4 signs of weak believing.
But in order to be successful with God, as we saw in James 2 three times, we must take the appropriate action on God’s wisdom, which, by definition, is applying the knowledge of God.
The Old Testament is the New Testament concealed.
The New Testament is the Old Testament revealed.
Matthew 4:4
But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
THE DIVINE ORDER OF BOOKS
The following are quotes from sections of E.W. Bullinger’s number in scripture book online, relative to the biblical meaning of the number 2.
“We now come to the spiritual significance of the number Two. We have seen that one excludes all difference, and denotes that which is sovereign. but two affirms that there is a difference—there is another; while one affirms that there is not another!
This difference may be for good or for evil. A thing may differ from evil, and be good; or it may differ from good, and be evil. Hence, the number Two takes a two-fold colouring, according to the context.
It is the first number by which we can divide another, and therefore in all its uses we may trace this fundamental idea of division or difference.
The two may be, though different in character, yet one as to testimony and friendship. The Second that comes in may be for help and deliverance. But, alas! where man is concerned, this number testifies of his fall, for it more often denotes that difference which implies opposition, enmity, and oppression.
The second of the three great divisions of the Old Testament, called Nebiim, or the Prophets (Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel) contains the record of Israel’s enmity to God, and of God’s controversy with Israel.
In the first book (Joshua) we have God’s sovereignty in giving the conquest of the land; while in the second (Judges) we see the rebellion and enmity in the land, leading to departure from God and the oppression of the enemy.
The same significance of the number two is seen in the New Testament.
Wherever there are two Epistles, the second has some special reference to the enemy.
In 2 Corinthians there is a marked emphasis on the power of the enemy, and the working of Satan (2:11, 11:14, 12:7. See pp. 76,77).
In 2 Thessalonians we have a special account of the working of Satan in the revelation of “the man of sin” and “the lawless one.”
In 2 Timothy we see the church in its ruin, as in the first epistle we see it in its rule.
In 2 Peter we have the coming apostasy foretold and described.
In 2 John we have the “Antichrist” mentioned by this name, and are forbidden to receive into our house any who come with his doctrine.“
INTERTESTAMENTAL
Intertestamental means between the old and new testaments.
There is a divine order of words there too.
Ephesians 4:30
And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
Definition of “sealed”:
HELPS Word-studies
4972 sphragízō (from 4973 /sphragís, “a seal”) – properly, to seal (affix) with a signet ring or other instrument to stamp (a roller or seal), i.e. to attest ownership, authorizing (validating) what is sealed.
4972 /sphragízō (“to seal”) signifies ownership and the full security carried by the backing (full authority) of the owner. “Sealing” in the ancient world served as a “legal signature” which guaranteed the promise (contents) of what was sealed.
[Sealing was sometimes done in antiquity by the use of religious tattoos – again signifying “belonging to.”]
1 Corinthians 6:20
For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.
That’s incredible! How can we ever repay God for what he has done for us?!
Be living epistles, living sacrifices, for him.
1 John 4:19
We love him, because he first loved us.
Esther 8:8
Write ye also for the Jews, as it liketh you, in the king’s name, and seal it with the king’s ring: for the writing which is written in the king’s name, and sealed with the king’s ring, may no man reverse.
[Jesus Christ, being God’s only-begotten son, is also his first born son and therefore has all the judicial power and authority of God.
This is just one of many reasons why he could exercise so much power over devil spirits, storms, diseases and foes is because his word is irreversible as King of Israel.
In the book of Matthew, Jesus Christ is the king of Israel, (cue Mission Impossible theme) so you’re assignment, if you accept, is to re-read the book of Matthew in this new light
As first-born sons of God, we have Christ in us, so we can walk with all of God’s authority and power because the words of God that we speak cannot be reversed by God.
1 Timothy 1:17
Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Ephesians 1:19
And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power].
Meanwhile, back to the order of words…
If the verse in Ephesians about us being sealed unto the day of redemption was written before the corresponding verse in Esther, then part of the great mystery would have been revealed too soon, breaking the word of God, which cannot be broken because God had the mystery hidden before the world began.
Colossians 1
26 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:
27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
CHRONOLOGICAL
When reading the new testament, we see 7 books that are written directly to the believers, the members in the body of Christ, in the age of grace, in the following canonical order:
- Romans
- Corinthians
- Galatians
- Ephesians
- Philippians
- Colossians
- Thessalonians
Canonical order is the accepted, standard and, as you’ll see below, divine order of the books of the bible.
As if this wasn’t amazing enough, God performed an encore because there is a divine chronological order of books of the bible.
In regards to the book of Thessalonians, here’s a quote from the companion reference bible, page 1787, on the chronological order of the new testament books:
“This epistle is the earliest of the writings of Paul, having been sent out from Corinth, about the end of 52, or the beginning of 53A.D. Some hold that, of all the books of the new testament, it was the first written.“
Here is the main theme of the 3 doctrinal epistles:
- Romans: believing
- Ephesians: love
- Thessalonians: hope
The Thessalonians were under tremendous pressure and persecution, [no surprise there!], so in order to give the believers the strength and endurance to keep God first, continue to live the word and defeat the adversary, their greatest need was to have the hope of Jesus Christ’s return in their heart.
Enter Thessalonians.
THIS is why God had Thessalonians written first.
What a God of love we have!
But there is a deeper truth…
Let’s compare some of the introductory verses of the 7 church epistles:
Romans 1:1
Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,
I Corinthians 1:1
Paul called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother,
II Corinthians 1:1
Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, unto the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints which are in all Achaia:
Galatians 1:1
Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;)
Ephesians 1:1
Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:
Philippians 1:1
Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:
Colossians 1:1
Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timotheus our brother,
Thessalonians 1:1
Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.
What are the purposes of the 5 gift ministries to the church?
Ephesians 4
11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
But at the return of Christ, we will be in our brand new spiritual bodies; our redemption will be completed; we won’t need the gift ministries any more.
That is why Paul, Silvanus and Timotheus do not have any titles in the book of Thessalonians.
That is why they are listed just as common men because at the return of Christ, it won’t matter who we were back on earth.
Hebrews 12:2
Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
The hope of redeeming mankind was what kept Jesus Christ on track.
And now that we have the hope of his return, look at our benefit!
Hebrews 6:19
Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;
It was the hope of Jesus Christ’s return that enabled the Thessalonians to carry on with God.
We can do the same.
7 unusual ways to understand the bible better
November 30, 2019
We all know that everybody has their own opinion about what the bible says and means.
Consequently, according to one objective source, there are about 4,300 different religions of the world, and that does not include the countless sub-groups within these religions.
All these religions stem from a wrong dividing of the word of God!
Although there are many different factors involved in rightly dividing his word, since God commands us to do that, then it has to be possible to do so.
II Timothy 2:15
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
Okay, since over 4,000 different religions have not figured out how to do this right, then how do you expect me to?
Because the bible tells us how.
II Peter 1:20
Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
If you look online, a free bible dictionary says the word “private” comes from the Greek word idios, which means one’s own. So, a more accurate translation of this verse would be: “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of one’s own interpretation.
But how can this be?!
If nobody can interpret it, then what’s the point of even having the bible written?
You’re on the right track, but you just need to take your sound logic one more step.
Since the reader of the bible is not supposed to interpret it, then the only other logical option is that it must interpret itself.
There are only 3 basic ways the bible interprets itself:
- in the verse
- in the context
- where it was used before
So II Peter 1:20 interprets itself in the verse, but the the words in the verse must be understood according to their biblical usage.
The King James Version was written over 400 years ago in Europe, so the meanings of words have changed over the years, distance and cultural differences.
#1. Changes in words from OT to NT
Jude 1:11
Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.
Who’s Core?! I’ve never even heard of this guy!
That’s because this is the only place in the entire bible his name is spelled this way.
It is Strong’s # 2879, which is the Greek word Kore, which comes from the Old Testament Hebrew word Qorach: an Edomite name, also an Israelite name and is translated Korah 37 times in the KJV Old Testament.
So this verse interprets itself in the verse according to biblical usage, but also where it was used before in the Old Testament.
Here’s another one:
Luke 3:36
Which was the son of Cainan, which was the son of Arphaxad, which was the son of Sem, which was the son of Noe, which was the son of Lamech,
Once again, who’s Noe?! I’ve never even heard of this guy!
This time, his name is translated “Noe” 5 times in the New Testament.
But you’ll immediately know who “this guy” is just by reading these 2 verses.
Matthew 24
37 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
If you think that “Noe” is Noah, you’re right, but lest we be guilty of our
own interpretation, let’s verify this from a bible dictionary.
As you can see, Noe is actually the Greek word that means Noah.
However, there is a bit of confusion stemming from the arbitrary and inconsistent translation of Noe!
Its used 8 times in the New Testament, but in 5 out of the 8 usages [62.5% for the data rats like me (I got the phrase from a Netflix show)], its translated “Noe”, and in the other 3 usages, [37.5%], its translated to the familiar name of “Noah”.
Compounding the problem, in one of my KJV bibles, Noah’s name is spelled “Noe”, but in another KJV bible, its spelled “No’e”!
We are in a spiritual competition, so all these inconsistent and confusing translations of words is the work of the God of this world, the devil who is always attacking the truth.
#2. BIBLICAL MEANING OF NUMBERS
Interestingly, the biblical meaning of the number 8 is resurrection and a new beginning.
It certainly was a new beginning for mankind when Noah obeyed God’s instructions and prevented the entire human race from total annihilation by the global flood.
We will see another example of this later on in this article.
However, be aware that numerology is the branch of knowledge that deals with the occult significance of numbers, which is the world’s counterfeit of the original and Godly biblical significance of numbers, so don’t be deceived.
#3. FORGERIES
Believe it or not, there are numerous forgeries in the bible!
They are one of the many forms of attacks against God and his word, and with some very simple tools and logic, we can easily defeat them.
With the resources that we have available and knowing the principles of how the bible interprets itself, we can still get back to the original God-breathed word.
Revelation 1:8
I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.
In Revelation 1:8 of the red letter editions of the bible, we have private [one’s own] interpretation in the form of red letters that are supposed to be the words of Jesus.
However, as we’ll soon see, this private interpretation is entirely wrong!
How do I know?
#4. THE USE OF MULTIPLE OBJECTIVE AUTHORITIES
#4 is a subset of #3 forgeries because using multiple objective authorities enables us to detect and defeat the forgery.
When it comes to truth, opinions don’t count.
As Sergeant Friday said in the old crime series Dragnet, “Just the facts ma’am”.
This is simply a variation of 1 of the 3 basic ways the bible interprets itself: in the verse.
Proverbs 11:14
Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.
So the multiple objective authorities are serving as the multitude of counselors.
Just follow this link to my article on the felony forgery of Revelation 1:8 to the link that goes to the “What truths do the ancient biblical manuscripts of Revelation 1:8 reveal?” section in order to understand the principle of multiple objective authorities in action.
#5. REMOTE CONTEXT
There are 2 types of context: immediate and remote.
Immediate context contains the handful of verses before and after the verse in question.
Remote context can be the entire chapter, the entire book of the bible that you’re reading, or as broad as the entire old or new testament.
Jude 4 is only 1 chapter [29 verses] before Revelation 1:8!
In many chapters of the bible, if you moved up or down 29 verses, you would still be in the same chapter, but because this remote context is in a different book of the bible, most people miss it entirely.
Jude 4
For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.
What does “denying” mean?
Although we don’t have a face, place or name on the jerk perp who whacked the word, God found the forger’s flaw.
The forger of Revelation 1:8 deliberately removed the word “God” out of the verse, “denying [and contradicting] the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ”.
- Forgery is a felony crime
- All forgeries include fraud, the deliberate intent to deceive for one’s personal gain, which is the second felony crime
- Theft often accompanies forgeries, so by removing only 3 letters from the bible [the word “God”], the forger also committed identity theft – the trinitarian Jesus is now impersonating God, his father, without his consent.
Would the real Jesus impersonate God?!
There is a devastating difference of motive between impersonating God out of envy and revealing him out of love.
Hard to see, the dark side is…
Maybe that’s why I John 1:5 that tells us “…God is light, and in him is no darkness at all” is also the exact same book that says “No man hath seen God at anytime”.
The trinitarian Jesus reflects the same motive that the devil had towards God in the war in heaven: “I will be like the most High.” – Isaiah 14:14 and what he told Eve in the garden of Eden “…ye shall be as gods…” Genesis 3:5.
Note the parallels between this trinitarian forgery and our adversary, the devil:
- Committing at least 3 crimes reflects the lawlessness of the lawless one, the devil
- Theft comes from the thief, whose sole purpose is to steal, kill and destroy
- Fraud is the deliberate attempt to deceive and the devil is called the deceiver
- Forging the truth turns it into a lie and the devil is a liar and the originator of it
Jesus Christ is called the son of God no less than 68 times in the bible!
2 John 3
Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.
So this information in Jude 4 is an exact description of the nature of the forger of Revelation 1:8.
#6. NUMBER AND DISTRIBUTION PATTERNS OF WORDS
The phrase “Kingdom of heaven” is used 32 times in the bible, but only in the gospel of Matthew!
I wonder why that is?
From a numerical perspective, 32 = 8 x 4.
8: the number of resurrection and a new beginning – Jesus Christ was resurrected from the dead.
4: the number of material completeness and the # of the world.
Jesus Christ is called the bread from heaven and Israel is a very important country in the world and is used many times throughout the bible.
Definition of kingdom = rulership of a king
So the number and distribution pattern of the phrase “Kingdom of heaven” perfectly fits into what we know about the bible, but there’s even more in-depth understanding in the next and final section.
#7. JESUS CHRIST, THE RED THREAD OF THE BIBLE
Jesus Christ has a unique identity in all 56 books of the bible.
I know, I know, you’re telling me that there are 66 books, and not 56, but it depends on how you count them.
With the current counting system, there are 66 different books in the bible, but 6 is the number of man as he is influenced by the devil. 2 is the number of division, so 66 would represent influence from the devil doubled that causes division! Not good.
However, if you count I & II Kings as one book, I & II Corinthians as one book, etc and realize that originally, the books of Ezra and Nehemiah were one book, you arrive at 56 books.
56 is 7 [the # of spiritual perfection] times 8 [the number of resurrection and a new beginning].
Studying and applying the bible in your life is a new beginning with God’s spiritual perfection.
The real reason that the phrase “Kingdom of heaven” is only used in the book of Matthew is because Jesus Christ’s unique identity is the king of Israel.
How perfect is that!
Job, a new perspective, part 5: Elihu, dark thread of the bible
September 30, 2019
Elihu, the 5-senses perspective
Since Jesus Christ is the subject of the entire bible and has a unique identity in each book, he is the red thread of the bible, tying all the books together.
But since the devil counterfeits almost every Godly thing, the devil’s children are the dark thread of the bible, so who is Elihu?
Job 32
1 So these three men ceased to answer Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes.
2 Then was kindled the wrath of Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the kindred [family] of Ram [Aram]: against Job was his wrath kindled, because he justified himself rather than God.
The Companion Bible by E.W. Bullinger states “Ram = Aram, related to Buz [Genesis 22:21].
The name “Elihu” is mentioned 11 times in the KJV, and 7 of the 11 are in the book of Job and may not necessarily be referring to the exact same person [I haven’t researched it yet to find out].
It is significant to note from E.W. Bullinger’s number in scripture book the meaning of the number 11:
“If ten is the number which marks the perfection of Divine order, then eleven is an addition to it, subversive of and undoing that order.
If twelve is the number which marks the perfection of Divine government, then eleven falls short of it.
So that whether we regard it as being 10 + 1, or 12 – 1, it is the number which marks, disorder, disorganization, imperfection, and disintegration.“
Strong’s concordance defines Elihu as, “He is (my) God”; five Israelites. It is a compound name, from El – God and hu or hi – he, she or it.
According to the Exhaustive Dictionary of Bible Names, page 66, Elihu means: “whose God is he; he is my God; he is God himself; my God is Jehovah”.
The name “Barachel” is only used twice in the bible: Job 32:2 & 6 and Strong’s concordance defines it as “El does bless”; “the father of one of Job’s friends”. It is a compound name, from barak, to kneel; bless, and el = God.
The name dictionary says Barachel means, “Blessed of God; whom God blesses; God has blessed”.
Strong’s concordance says “Buzite” comes from the Hebrew word buzi and means, “a descendant of Buz” and Buzite is again only used twice in the bible: Job 32:2 & 6. Buz means, “two Israelites” and it’s used 3 times in the bible. In Genesis 22, Abraham had a brother Nahor, who had 2 sons: Huz and Buz.
The name dictionary says Buzite means, “contempt; to despise”, from Buzi, contemned of Jehovah; my contempt. Buz is the root word of the same meaning.
Brown-Driver-Briggs Concordance:
contempt springing from pride and wickedness
Strong’s concordance says Ram also means “two Israelites” [just like buz]; also “family of Elihu” and is used 7 times in the bible.
According to the name dictionary, ram means, “high; exalted; elevated”.
Elihu, the biblical and spiritual perspective
When we research the word of God, there are a number of reference works we can use, such as Greek interlinears, bible dictionaries, and maps of the middle east in ancient times. These can be very helpful and enlightening for the bible student.
However, we must remember that these are classified as works of man and are therefore, imperfect.
A perfect example of this is this screenshot from the Companion reference bible by E.W. Bullinger.
In this image, Elihu has a ministry of the mediator in the middle of the figure of speech introversion.
However, Jesus Christ is the subject of every book of the bible and has a unique identity in each.
Luke 24:27
And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.
In the book of Job, Jesus Christ is the mediator, not Elihu!
I Timothy 2:5
For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
Job 9:33 [Septuagint, the Greek translation of the OT]
Would that he our mediator were present, and a reprover, and one who should hear the cause between both.
Job recognized the need for a true mediator between God and man, but that was not available at the time because Jesus Christ had not yet come.
And as we are going to see from the word of God itself, if Elihu is the man of God, the mediator that introduces the ministry of Jehovah, then why does he have so many characteristics of a person who is born of the seed of the serpent [the devil]?
Ultimately, if there is ever a contradiction between the word of man vs the word of God, we must always go with the perfect and eternal word of God.
Below is only a partial list of evil characteristics I have found in Elihu:
- Wrath
- Sowing discord among the brethren
- Enemy of all righteousness
- Dark counsel
- Actions reflect nature determined by spiritual seed
Wrath
Job 32
1 So these three men ceased to answer Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes.
2 Then was kindled the wrath of Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the kindred of Ram: against Job was his wrath kindled, because he justified himself rather than God.
3 Also against his three friends was his wrath kindled, because they had found no answer, and yet had condemned Job.
4 Now Elihu had waited till Job had spoken, because they were elder than he.
5 When Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of these three men, then his wrath was kindled.
It’s significant that the word “wrath” is used 4 times in only 5 verses in Job 32, and all in reference to Elihu.
4 is the number of division and the world and the devil is the God of it.
In verses 2, 3, and 5, the definition of the word ‘wrath” is from a Hebrew word in Strong’s Concordance #639:
aph: a nostril, nose, face, anger
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Phonetic Spelling: (af)
Definition: a nostril, nose, face, anger
This word comes from the root word anaph: to be angry [Strong’s Concordance #599].
The very first usage of aph is in Genesis 4:5
Genesis 4
1 And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the Lord.
2 And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.
3 And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord.
4 And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering:
5 But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.
6 And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?
- Elihu’s very first characteristic mentioned in the bible is anger
- Cain’s very first characteristic mentioned in the bible is anger
- Cain was the very first human born of the seed of the serpent [the devil].
In Job 32, its also very important to note that the word “kindled” is also used 4 times in this section in reference to Elihu’s anger:
Strong’s Concordance #2734
charah: to burn or be kindled with anger
Part of Speech: Verb
Phonetic Spelling: (khaw-raw’)
Short Definition: burned
Definition of wrath [dictionary.com]
noun
* strong, stern, or fierce anger; deeply resentful indignation; ire.
* vengeance or punishment as the consequence of anger.
In other words, Elihu’s wrath was off the chart, beyond the boundaries of normal human anger and crossed over into the realm of spiritual anger.
Ephesians 4
26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
27 Neither give place to the devil.
See the definition of angry below:
Genesis 4
6 And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?
7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.
8 And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.
9 And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother’s keeper?
So Cain had the 5-senses anger that focused on punishing the perceived offender [his brother Abel, who had done nothing wrong] rather than the moral content of the offense. He punished him by murder and then lied about it to God.
Murder and lying are 2 dominant characteristics of people born of the seed of the serpent.
There is nothing wrong with good spiritual anger, since Jesus Christ even displayed it at times and never sinned, but there are 3 factors we must keep in mind:
- there is 5 senses human anger
- there is spiritual anger, either as inspired by God or the devil
- we must keep anger under control and not let it gain control over us
Here are some very important verses on anger and we will see even more significance of them in the other sections:
Proverbs 29:22
An angry man stirreth up strife, and a furious man aboundeth in transgression.
Proverbs 15:18
A wrathful man stirreth up strife: but he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife.
Since this extreme wrath stirs up strife, this section on Elihu’s wrath is immediately followed by the section on sowing discord among the brethren below.
Definition of “strife” [from dictionary.com]:
noun
- vigorous or bitter conflict, discord, or antagonism: to be at strife.
- a quarrel, struggle, or clash: armed strife.
- competition or rivalry: the strife of the marketplace.
- Archaic. strenuous effort.
Sowing discord among the brethren
People born of the seed of the serpent and their characteristics are mentioned over 125 times throughout the bible.
However, no other section of scripture has a greater concentration of characteristics than proverbs 6.
Proverbs 6
16 These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:
17 A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
18 An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,
19 A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.
Look how simple verse 19 is: a false witness that speaks lies sows discord among the brethren. That’s just common sense.
- Job falsely accused his sons and daughters of cursing God in their hearts [Job 1:5];
- Job’s wife told him to curse God and die for no apparent reason [Job 2:9]
- All 3 of Job’s friends mysteriously turned against him [Job 4 – 31], even after mourning with him and comforting him for an entire week
- Elihu attacked Job from chapter 32 – 37
If these are not examples of discord among the brethren, then what is?!
Job’s accusation against his own children is the functioning of the accuser working in him to divide up the family and cause destruction.
Revelation 12:10
And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.
I Corinthians 2:11
For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
As I Corinthians verifies, Job had no way of knowing what was going on in his children’s hearts, unless God gave him the revelation, which he did not.
With all his resources as the greatest man of God in the east, Job at least could have sent out spies to verify his children’s actions, but he didn’t.
He kept sowing his false fears in his heart until catastrophe hit.
Job 3:25
For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me.
And as we saw in the previous sections, Elihu had a very evil form of anger and proverbs says twice that anger stirs up strife.
So who actually caused all the divisions?
Job 2:5
And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life.
It was Satan, the indirect attack from the devil, who works most effectively through his children, who have no knowledge of or control over who they are spiritually or what is actually going on.
Enemy of all righteousness
Job 32
1 So these three men ceased to answer Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes.
2 Then was kindled the wrath of Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the kindred of Ram: against Job was his wrath kindled, because he justified himself rather than God.
Job 32:1 [Lamsa bible, from 5th century Aramaic text]
So these three men ceased to answer Job, because he was righteous in their eyes.
In Job 32:2, the word “justified” is the Hebrew word:
Strong’s Concordance #6663
tsadeq or tsadoq: to be just or righteous
Part of Speech: Verb
Phonetic Spelling: (tsaw-dak’)
Short Definition: righteous
So Job was righteous before God. This is corroborated by what the bible says of Job in the first chapter as well.
Job 1:1
There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared [reverenced] God, and eschewed evil.
If Elihu was a man of God, then why was he off-the-charts angered by Job’s confession of being righteous before God?
That doesn’t make sense until you see who was born of the seed of the serpent in the new testament and God says about him in relation to righteousness.
Acts 13
8 But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith.
9 Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him [the word “the” was added to the Greek texts (so it should be removed) and Holy Ghost is more accurately translated holy spirit].
10 And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?
11 And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand.
12 Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord.
This seed boy was called “thou enemy of all righteousness”.
That explains why Elihu was overflowing with wrath against Job: because of God’s righteousness in Job and Elihu was a very ungodly man.
Dark counsel
The root word “dark” and its derivatives are used 230 times in the bible and 34 [14%] of them are in the book of Job, more than any other book of the bible.
Job 38
1 Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said,
2 Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?
According to the Brown-Driver-Briggs concordance, this word darkeneth is used figuratively to mean to “obscure, confuse“, which fits perfectly with what we know about the adversary in general.
The verb “darkeneth” is the Hebrew word chashak: to be or grow dark [Strong’s #2821] and is used 18 times in the bible.
This is mathematically, biblically and spiritually perfect, because:
- If you add the digits of 18, you get 1 + 8 = 9, the number of judgment and finality
- 18 is also 9 x 2 = double judgment.
- “darkeneth” also has 9 letters
Definition of obscure [from dictionary.com]
verb (used with object), ob·scured, ob·scur·ing.
- to conceal or conceal by confusing (the meaning of a statement, poem, etc.).
- to make dark, dim, indistinct, etc.
Judgment certainly is appropriate for the sons of the devil who obscure the word of God and sow confusion and every evil work.
James 3:16
For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.
WORDS WITHOUT KNOWLEDGE
Job 34 [amplified bible]
34 Men of understanding will tell me, indeed, every wise man who hears me [will agree],
35 Job speaks without knowledge, and his words are without wisdom and insight.
36 Job ought to be tried to the limit because he answers like wicked men!
In verse 35, seed of the serpent people [Elihu] always falsely accuse others of what they are guilty of themselves – speaking without knowledge and answering like a wicked man.
Job 35:16
Therefore doth Job open his mouth in vain; he multiplieth words without knowledge.
This is at least the second time Job has been falsely accused of speaking without knowledge.
Verification of this is by what God himself said about Elihu:
Job 38:2
Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?
Note additional characteristics of the seed of the serpent in Jude & II Peter:
Jude 1:12 [amplified bible]
These men are hidden reefs [elements of great danger to others] in your love feasts when they feast together with you without fear, looking after [only] themselves; [they are like] clouds without water, swept along by the winds; autumn trees without fruit, doubly dead, uprooted and lifeless;
II Peter 2
17 These are wells [fountains or springs] without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.
18 For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.
- Words without knowledge are purposeless
- Fountains without water are purposeless
- Fruit trees without fruit are purposeless
- Clouds without life-giving water are purposeless also. Otherwise, they obscure the life-giving light of the sun, just as Elihu obscures the spiritual light of God
- People born of the seed of the serpent are void of any Godly purpose
Notice that the first 4 elements have water in common:
Jeremiah 17:13
O Lord, the hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shall be ashamed, and they that depart from me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken the Lord, the fountain of living waters.
Ephesians 5:26
That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
- Since the Lord is the fountain of living waters, and he communicates with us through his word, it is a spiritual fountain of living water also.
- Fountains consist of water
- Trees cannot thrive without water
- Clouds consist of water-vapor
Definition of “vanity” in verse 18:
Strong’s Concordance #3153
mataiotés: vanity, emptiness
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Phonetic Spelling: (mat-ah-yot’-ace)
Usage: vanity, emptiness, unreality, purposelessness, ineffectiveness, instability, frailty; false religion.
HELPS Word-studies
Cognate: 3153 mataiótēs (a noun) – aimlessness due to lacking purpose or any meaningful end; nonsense because transitory.
It’s interesting to note that in Job 34:35, the root word of “knowledge” is the Hebrew word yada, in the context of an evil man falsely accusing job of speaking words without knowledge.
Speaking words without knowledge is literally impossible because all words will convey the knowledge of facts, figures, emotions, perspectives, etc. Therefore, it’s a derogatory figure of speech meaning he’s saying nothing of spiritual value.
A modern definition of yada is: “A disparaging response, indicating that something previously said was predictable, repetitive or tedious”.
Is Job 34:35 the true origin of Seinfeld’s yada yada yada?
Elihu: nature determines actions
Job 32
11 Behold, I waited for your words; I gave ear to your reasons, whilst ye searched out what to say.
12 Yea, I attended unto you, and, behold, there was none of you that convinced Job, or that answered his words
How would Elihu know this unless he was present and close enough to Job and his friends that he could hear what they were saying?
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary: “Therefore Elihu was present from the first”.
Job’s friends started out good, but after a while they mysteriously turned against him. Based on these verses, we know that Elihu was following or monitoring Job for some time.
Its very possible then that Job’s wife and friends turned against him because of the devil spirit influence of Elihu. In other words, it was Elihu who was sowing discord among the brethren in the background.
I Corinthians 15:33
Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.
Definition of “communications”:
Strong’s Concordance #3657
homilia: company, association
Elihu was around Job, his wife and his 3 friends, and all of them went south spiritually.
Satan had Job’s wife attack him, but she failed, so then he turned all 3 of Job’s friends against him. That failed also, so the next logical weapon is someone that is stronger and has greater resources to wield against him. Therefore, Satan sent out Elihu, a person born of the seed of the serpent.
Below is a very interesting piece of Old Testament history:
Gleason L. Archer, Jr. A Survey of Old Testament Introduction, 464.
III. DATE:
A. Date of the Events: Probably pre-Mosaic, even patriarchal from the second Millennium B.C.
- Job is lacking references to historical events and reflects a non-Hebraic cultural background which little is known about
- Location:
a. Uz was located in northern Arabia3
b. Job’s friend, Eliphaz, came from Teman, a city in Edom
c. Elihu came from the Buzites who lived next to the Chaldeans in northeast Arabia4
https://bible.org/article/introduction-book-job
At the very least, since Elihu grew up right next to the Chaldeans, he had to have gained some knowledge of their culture, language, geography, customs, etc.
More likely, he had interactions with them, knew some of them and forged relationships with them, or had an interpreter do it for him.
Considering:
- Elihu’s multiple characteristics of a child of the devil
- the fact that he grew up right next to the Chaldeans and likely had interactions with them
- he was lurking in the background of Job’s life, wife and friends from the beginning
Brings up the distinct probability that it was Elihu who:
- orchestrated the Chaldean’s attack against Job, exploiting his fear
- influenced Job to falsely accuse his children of cursing God
- turned his wife against him, who told him to curse God and die
- turned his 3 friends against him
According to the principles of criminology, Elihu had the:
- Motive: the intent to commit a crime [John 8:41 “Ye do the deeds of your father”…; fierce anger]
- Means: the resources necessary to commit the crime [devil spirits]
- Opportunity: the unencumbered chance at following through on his intention
Another very important point is that Elihu was working in the background of Job, his wife and friends in the first few chapters of Job, yet is never even mentioned until chapter 32.
This tells us that seed of the serpent people work in secret, even if they are well known [one of their names is men of renown, so they can hide in plain sight].
This is because the book of Job was the first book of the bible written, and they were not fully exposed as in other books of the bible that were written much later.
Job 31:35
Oh that one would hear me! behold, my desire is, that the Almighty would answer me, and that mine adversary had written a book.
With a lot of work, these dark and evil people can be exposed and defeated with all the resources of God available to us.
Ephesians 1
16 Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;
17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:
18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,
20 Which he wrought [energized] in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,
21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:
22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.
Job, a new perspective, part 4
June 30, 2019
The english word “integrity” is used 16 times in the KJV, and 4 times in the book of Job, = 25%.
Chronologically, the first 4 usages are in the book of Job, revealing it’s importance.
Job 2:3
And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause.
Job 2:9
Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die.
Job 27:5
God forbid that I should justify you: till I die I will not remove mine integrity from me.
Job 31:6
Let me be weighed in an even balance that God may know mine integrity.
Think you are inferior? Think again!
The english word “inferior” is only used 4 times in the KJV, and 2 of them [50%!] are in the book of Job.
In chapters 12 & 13, Job answered Zophar the Naamathite.
Job 12:3
But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you: yea, who knoweth not such things as these?
Job 13:2
What ye know, the same do I know also: I am not inferior unto you.
Here is some of the deeper meaning of the context, revealed by the figure of speech repeated alternation from E.W. Bullinger’s Companion Reference bible.
Here are at least 3 applications of this truth, in our administration of grace, of the phrase, “I am not inferior unto you”:
- You = the world = noun = a person, place or thing. Got bad memories of people, places or things? God says you are not inferior to them!
- You = the devil, who is the god of this world. Don’t let him convince you through the systems of the world that you are inferior!
- You = your corrupt old man nature; don’t allow your mind to be your worst enemy! The Christ within, the spiritual incorruptible seed, is your true nature and is not inferior to your old man nature!
Job 27
5 God forbid that I should justify you: till I die I will not remove mine integrity from me.
6 My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go: my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live.
Why to we need to hold onto our righteousness?
Because we are in a spiritual competition.
John 10:10
The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
Technically, even the devil himself cannot literally steal our gift of holy spirit, our redemption, our righteousness, etc.
However, it is possible for him [through our corrupt old man nature and the systems of the world, if we allow it], to steal the word of God out of our mind.
Matthew 13
4 And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:
19 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.
This is why its so important to know how the word of God interprets itself so that we can understand the heart and logic of it in order to stand a lifetime.
I John 3
20 For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.
21 Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.
22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
23 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
24 And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.
Romans 8:1
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
The words that have been struck out are not in any critical Greek texts, as the companion reference bible confirms.
Job the indestructible!
Job 34:7
What man is like Job, who drinketh up scorning like water?
The word “scorning” is the Hebrew word Laag, which means “a mocking, derision” and is only used 6 times in the bible, the number of man as he is influenced by the adversary Satan.
It is also the first usage in the bible, both canonically [Genesis to Revelation] and chronologically.
- Definition of mock [from dictionary.com]:
- verb (used with object)
- to attack or treat with ridicule, contempt, or derision.
- to ridicule by mimicry of action or speech; mimic derisively.
- to mimic, imitate, or counterfeit.
- Definition of derision:
- noun
- ridicule; mockery:
- The inept performance elicited derision from the audience.
- an object of ridicule.
- Definition of ridicule:
- noun
- speech or action intended to cause contemptuous laughter at a person or thing; derision.
We get the idea.
Imagine the psychological and spiritual strength that Job had to not only endure, but to defeat, all the mocking, derision and other verbal attacks from:
- his wife
- multiple rounds of remorseless attacks from all 3 of his friends [9 rounds, from chapter 3 to 28 – sounds like a boxing match!]
- multiple rounds of remorseless attacks from Elihu
- on top of losing his:
- business
- finances
- sons
- daughters
- home
- reputation
- health
- servants
Job basically became a spiritual superman by simply learning and applying biblical principles.
Making this even more amazing is that this was a very ancient time when there was no written revelation from God at all! [there’s a lot of controversy among biblical scholars as to who actually wrote the book of Job and when].
Jesus Christ had to have learned from Job in order to successfully repel all the adversary’s attacks against him.
So here are at least some of the biblical and spiritual principles that Job used to successfully quench all the fiery darts of the wicked;
Job 2:9
Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die.
Definition of retain: chazaq [Strong’s #2388]: to be or grow firm or strong, strengthen
Maintaining his integrity, holding onto God’s righteousness, is what gave Job the strength to endure and to even grow among the attacks.
Thus some of the keys to Job’s success were:
- maintaining his integrity; holding onto God’s righteousness and knowing his completeness in the Lord
- the word integrity is tummah, which is also one of the hidden stones in the high priest’s breastplate of his garment
- tummah is also mentioned with the urim, the other hidden stone in the high priest’s breastplate. Urim means light or flame and references the light in the eastern sky
- in our administration, we have the armour [breastplate] of light
- in our administration, we have the armour [breastplate] of righteousness
- refusing to think or believe he was inferior to anyone
Job, a new perspective, part 3
May 31, 2019
In part 2, we looked at the thummim, one of the hidden stones in the breastplate of the priest’s garment that indicated God’s integrity.
Now we will see the significance of the urim, which is only used 7 times in the bible, the number of spiritual perfection.
It is also one of the hidden stones in the breastplate of the priest’s garment that is associated with the thummim.
Exodus 28:30
And thou shalt put in the breastplate of judgment the Urim and the Thummim; and they shall be upon Aaron’s heart, when he goeth in before the Lord: and Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel upon his heart before the Lord continually.
Leviticus 8:8
And he put the breastplate upon him: also he put in the breastplate the Urim and the Thummim.
Numbers 27:21
And he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall ask counsel for him after the judgment of Urim before the Lord: at his word shall they go out, and at his word they shall come in, both he, and all the children of Israel with him, even all the congregation.
Deuteronomy 33:8
And of Levi he said, Let thy Thummim and thy Urim be with thy holy one, whom thou didst prove at Massah, and with whom thou didst strive at the waters of Meribah;
1 Samuel 28:6
And when Saul enquired of the Lord, the Lord answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets.
Ezra 2:63
And the Tirshatha said unto them, that they should not eat of the most holy things, till there stood up a priest with Urim and with Thummim.
Nehemiah 7:65
And the Tirshatha said unto them, that they should not eat of the most holy things, till there stood up a priest with Urim and Thummim.
In all 7 usages, the Hebrew word urim has some enlightening truths:
THE ENLIGHTENING TRUTHS OF THE URIM
Definition of urim:
Brown-Driver-Briggs [concordance]
noun [masculine] plural region of light, East
The Hebrew word “urim” comes from the Hebrew word “ur” = flame, which comes from the Hebrew word “or” [definition below]
Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance
break give, show light en set on fire, shine
A primitive root; to be (causative, make) luminous (literally and metaphorically) — X break of day, glorious, kindle, (be, en-, give, show) light (-en, -ened), set on fire, shine.
[spock] Fascinating captain.[/spock]
Look at the connection and application of this truth in our administration of grace with Jesus Christ, the light of the world from the east.
Revelation 22:16
I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.
Matthew 2:2
Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
“His star” was actually the planet Jupiter, also known as the king planet. Jesus Christ is king of the Judeans.
Matthew 24:27
For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
John 12:46
I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.
Colossians 1:27
To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
Philippians 2:15
That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;
God’s light always dispels the darkness!
Before we can successfully defeat the powers of this world in the spiritual competition mentioned in Ephesians 6, 3 prerequisites are in perfect order in chapter 5:
- walking in love
- walking in light
- walk circumspectly
2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.
8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)
In verse 9, the word “spirit” is a mistranslation! It’s actually the Greek word photos, which means light.
15 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,
The word “light” is used 5 times in Ephesians 5: walking in light is a prerequisite of defeating the power of darkness in Ephesians 6.
I John 1:5
This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
I John 2
8 Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth.
9 He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now.
10 He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.
11 But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.
Job certainly is a fantastic example of man’s frailties and strengths.
Lesson learned.
THE ARMOUR OF LIGHT AND THE ARMOUR OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
The Greek word “hoplon” means weapon or implement and is used either by itself or as a root word 7 times in the church epistles [Romans – Thessalonians] and 7 is the number of spiritual perfection.
Romans 13:12
The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
The urim stone hidden in the breastplate of the high priest’s garment represents God’s pure light.
This is the old testament equivalent of the armour of light in the age of grace.
The thummim stone hidden in the breastplate of the high priest’s garment represents God’s integrity and righteousness, which is the old testament equivalent to the armour of God’s righteousness in the age of grace.
II Corinthians 6:7
By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,
Ephesians 6:11
Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
Ephesians 6:13
Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
THE COUNTERFEIT URIM & THUMMIM, JOSEPH SMITH AND THE BOOK OF MORMON
The way that people of God receive revelation from God is by the gift of holy spirit. In the old testament, it was upon them upon a condition, but in the age of grace, it is within them as incorruptible spiritual seed, the Christ within.
The gift of holy spirit was not used by Joseph Smith to translate the book of Mormon in 1830. Instead he used material objects that manifested visions in the 5-senses realm, which is the operation of devil spirits.
A few years ago, I researched the book of Mormon and wrote 3 articles on what I found: the book of mormon is a religious counterfeit of the bible!
Just look at what the book of Mormon, chapter 8, verse 12 says of itself!!
Furthermore, since the book of Mormon openly admits it has “imperfections” in it, then the following is also true:
- Since the book of Mormon uses the plural form of the word “imperfection”, then there has to be, by definition, at least 2 imperfections in it = at least 2 lies.
- We don’t know how many imperfections there are; what if there are 19 or 163, or even more???
- we don’t know where they are located or distributed
- we don’t know the severity of the errors either; do they involve whether or not you have eternal life or are they a minor technicality?
- knowledge of the errors breeds doubt [a sign of weak believing] and confusion [a psychological weapon of the adversary], both of which are classified as rotten fruit, which can only come from a rotten tree [Matthew 7]
Compare the book of Mormon with the word of God:
Romans 12:2
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
So we can choose the perfect will of God in the form of the bible, or the book of Mormon, which admits it has imperfections in it.
Furthermore, the phrase “most correct book” does not mean its perfect. It just means that its better than all other books, which is an obvious lie because the bible is God’s greatest work and is absolutely perfect and eternal.