Human being has five aspects to their existence that are essential for understanding themselves. You are not exempt.
For you to understand yourself you need to realize these five keys are a part of your everyday life.
By finding fulfillment in these areas of your life you will find true happiness and true riches.
Key No. 1
You are a spiritual being. To deny this is to deny your own existence and the reality of being born.
The reason you are a spiritual being is that you can conceive the existence of the immaterial or spiritual realm.
If you were not a spiritual being you would not be able to conceive that hidden principles of existence enable the earth to have night and day, the moon to have a monthly cycle and the sun to have a yearly cycle. Moreover, you would not wonder why this is so.
Key No. 2
You are a psychological being.
The reason you are a psychological being is that you have a combination of attitudes and emotions that are formed as a consequence of your interaction within the social environment in which you grow up.
Basically there are only a few primary emotions. These manifest in various ways depending on the attitudes you develop as a result of being conditioned by the environment in which you have been raised.
Key No. 3
You are a social being.
The reason you are a social being is you are not a being that simply survives by consuming energy from plant life without the need to interact with other persons.
You need other people to learn from, to communicate with, and for personal development. Only through relationships with other people are you able to discover more about who you are.
You are designed to have relationships with other people. The truest words ever said are “no person is an island”.
Key No. 4
You are a physiological being.
The reason you are a physiological being is you have a metabolism that requires the processing and transforming of physical elements (i.e. food. water, air, sunlight) to survive.
You also need to physically utilize your bodily systems in order for you to be able to function. This is often referred to as “use it or lose it”.
Key No. 5
You are an economically orientated being.
The reason you have an economic orientation has to do with survival. This is because you live within a naturally hostile environment which has extremes of climatic conditions and the fact that you are a social and spiritual being.
An economy begins when two people decide to trade something. As soon as two people trade roles an economy has begun. Hunting and gathering societies are the primordial form of the more complex economies that constitute the twenty-first century.
For you to understand yourself you need to recognize the existence of these facets or areas of your life and then evaluate where you stand in relation to each one.
Once you know exactly where you stand in relation to each of these facets of your life, you are then able to discover and realize true happiness and the true riches of existence.
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Monday, November 8, 2010
God Sanctions Lying
Ask any religious person and they will tell you that lying is wrong. I am not just talking about men lying with other men or a man lying with another man’s wife or a woman lying with a beast or anything like that. I am talking about telling untruths, deceiving people, telling lies.
The book of Proverbs says that telling lies is one of the six things God hates. Jesus said that telling lies defiles a person. Paul the Apostle says that liars cannot enter the kingdom of God. The book of Revelation states liars are to be thrown into the eternal lake of fire, along with the Devil, whom Jesus said was a liar from the beginning.
Yet the prostitute Rahab, who happens to be an ancestor of Jesus Christ mentioned in his family tree in the book of Matthew, chapter one, is sanctioned by James, the brother of Jesus, as a virtuous woman for telling lies. She also is upheld as an example of how to be virtuous in the book of Hebrews.
This contradiction makes it difficult to defend the Bible as a book inspired by God, especially when the ninth commandment of the Decalogue states that to tell lies is a sin.
For instance, Dwight L. Moody, a respected preacher writes concerning the ninth commandment:
The Bible, however, seems to contradict what many people say in and out of the pulpit.
What did Rahab do?
It is quite clear that Rahab lied in order to deceive her countrymen. Yet, according to the writer of Hebrews and the writer of the book of James, in this instance, telling lies was an act of faith.
Hebrews 11:31: By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.
James 2:24-25: You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way?
Evidently, telling lies to deceive people is okay if it is an act of faith. Besides, the ninth commandment is not “you shall not lie” rather, “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor”.
Proverbs 6:16 -19 distinguishes between “a lying tongue” and “a false witness who breathes out lies” as two distinct phenomena out of the six things God hates.
There is a significant difference between lying and bearing false witness against somebody.
To bear false witness against someone means telling a lie to unjustly accuse an innocent person.
To tell a lie that prevents people from suffering unnecessarily, however, is not the same as lying to deceive somebody for personal gain.
While the Bible states that God is not a liar and no lies originate from him, the case of Rahab requires some more thought from those who reject the idea that God would never sanction somebody who tells lies. Evidently, it appears that telling lies and being a liar are two different things, which is largely a matter of the heart.
www.tencommandmentstoday.com
The book of Proverbs says that telling lies is one of the six things God hates. Jesus said that telling lies defiles a person. Paul the Apostle says that liars cannot enter the kingdom of God. The book of Revelation states liars are to be thrown into the eternal lake of fire, along with the Devil, whom Jesus said was a liar from the beginning.
Yet the prostitute Rahab, who happens to be an ancestor of Jesus Christ mentioned in his family tree in the book of Matthew, chapter one, is sanctioned by James, the brother of Jesus, as a virtuous woman for telling lies. She also is upheld as an example of how to be virtuous in the book of Hebrews.
This contradiction makes it difficult to defend the Bible as a book inspired by God, especially when the ninth commandment of the Decalogue states that to tell lies is a sin.
For instance, Dwight L. Moody, a respected preacher writes concerning the ninth commandment:
We have got nowadays so that we divide lies into white lies and black lies, society lies, business lies, etc. The Word of God knows no such letting-down of the standard. A lie is a lie, no matter what are the circumstances under which it is uttered, or by whom.
The Bible, however, seems to contradict what many people say in and out of the pulpit.
What did Rahab do?
Joshua the son of Nun sent two men secretly from Shittim as spies, saying, “Go, view the land, especially Jericho.” And they went and came into the house of a prostitute whose name was Rahab and lodged there. And it was told to the king of Jericho, “Behold, men of Israel have come here tonight to search out the land.” Then the king of Jericho sent to Rahab, saying, “Bring out the men who have come to you, who entered your house, for they have come to search out all the land.” But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them. And she said, “True, the men came to me, but I did not know where they were from. And when the gate was about to be closed at dark, the men went out. I do not know where the men went. Pursue them quickly, for you will overtake them.” But she had brought them up to the roof and hid them with the stalks of flax that she had laid in order on the roof. So the men pursued after them on the way to the Jordan as far as the fords. And the gate was shut as soon as the pursuers had gone out (Jos. 2:1-7 ESV).
It is quite clear that Rahab lied in order to deceive her countrymen. Yet, according to the writer of Hebrews and the writer of the book of James, in this instance, telling lies was an act of faith.
Hebrews 11:31: By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.
James 2:24-25: You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way?
Evidently, telling lies to deceive people is okay if it is an act of faith. Besides, the ninth commandment is not “you shall not lie” rather, “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor”.
Proverbs 6:16 -19 distinguishes between “a lying tongue” and “a false witness who breathes out lies” as two distinct phenomena out of the six things God hates.
There is a significant difference between lying and bearing false witness against somebody.
To bear false witness against someone means telling a lie to unjustly accuse an innocent person.
To tell a lie that prevents people from suffering unnecessarily, however, is not the same as lying to deceive somebody for personal gain.
While the Bible states that God is not a liar and no lies originate from him, the case of Rahab requires some more thought from those who reject the idea that God would never sanction somebody who tells lies. Evidently, it appears that telling lies and being a liar are two different things, which is largely a matter of the heart.
www.tencommandmentstoday.com
Monday, September 6, 2010
The Bible Teaches Men Are Gods
The Bible teaches that men are gods.
Many people cannot believe that this is true, but this is what the Word of God says, ““You are gods”. Jesus even confirmed this in the gospels saying “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I said, you are gods’? ...he called them gods to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be broken.”
This idea that humans are actually gods frightens so many Christians who love the idea that they can do whatever they like doing, even though they believe it to be wrong, and then say that they are only human, and, besides, Jesus paid the price for our sins so we can be forgiven.
Our human weaknesses are just too many for us to be responsible for them. At least, this is the victim mentality that seems to prevail. But the victim mentality is not one that expects to find a means by which life can change; rather the victim mentality is an excuse to justify indulgence in so-called human weaknesses.
Like one spoilt sad sack I know. Being the only son of a successful prominent man in the world, he thought he would inherit his father’s wealth, so he dropped out of college, lived life as easily as he could, only to find that when his father died, instead of wealth, there were only debts. Now at the age of fifty-three he blames his father for ruining his life. Instead of getting a job or demonstrating the entrepreneurial skills he claims to possess, he sits on a couch most of the day watching TV, drinking beer and wine and waiting for someone to offer him a job as a CEO; all the time oblivious to the fact he already is a CEO (that is, a couch executive officer). The high IQ he claims for himself, according to the Bible numbers him among the fools, because he says, we came from apes; God does not exist.
Men are gods, but they shall die like men. This is what the Bible says. Men have the power to make decisions, having been made in the likeness of God, but just like men born of animal flesh, they shall return to the dust from which their chemical constitution is created.
This is the sad state of affairs. Too many people want the easy way out. Jesus said the way to destruction was easy, but the way to life was a narrow and hard way—well, hard initially, it gets easier as practice becomes the norm.
Actually, Jesus said that if you were feeling weary and heavily burdened from your labors, he would give you rest for your souls and put you in an easy yoke.
While, on the one hand, the way to life is hard, Jesus said that he would make it easy. This is a paradox. There are many contradictory truths in life, and many in the Bible. For just as the way to life is narrow and hard, it becomes easier and the potential widens. On the other hand, the way to destruction is wide and easy to enter; it narrows to become hard and unforgiving.
Originally, men were meant to be sons of the Most High, but because of disobedience and an unwillingness to accept responsibility, men shall die just like the other Earthly species.
The story of Adam and Eve demonstrates how people act. Adam blamed Eve for his sin rather than accept personal responsibility. Eve blamed the serpent for arousing her desires to indulge in the lusts of the world.
Still each one who is born has within the power to act as a god and make decisions, but unless the truth is acknowledged and responsibility taken, every human being will die as mere men; human beings made in the image of apes rather than God.
www.tencommandmentstoday.com
Many people cannot believe that this is true, but this is what the Word of God says, ““You are gods”. Jesus even confirmed this in the gospels saying “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I said, you are gods’? ...he called them gods to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be broken.”
This idea that humans are actually gods frightens so many Christians who love the idea that they can do whatever they like doing, even though they believe it to be wrong, and then say that they are only human, and, besides, Jesus paid the price for our sins so we can be forgiven.
Our human weaknesses are just too many for us to be responsible for them. At least, this is the victim mentality that seems to prevail. But the victim mentality is not one that expects to find a means by which life can change; rather the victim mentality is an excuse to justify indulgence in so-called human weaknesses.
Like one spoilt sad sack I know. Being the only son of a successful prominent man in the world, he thought he would inherit his father’s wealth, so he dropped out of college, lived life as easily as he could, only to find that when his father died, instead of wealth, there were only debts. Now at the age of fifty-three he blames his father for ruining his life. Instead of getting a job or demonstrating the entrepreneurial skills he claims to possess, he sits on a couch most of the day watching TV, drinking beer and wine and waiting for someone to offer him a job as a CEO; all the time oblivious to the fact he already is a CEO (that is, a couch executive officer). The high IQ he claims for himself, according to the Bible numbers him among the fools, because he says, we came from apes; God does not exist.
Men are gods, but they shall die like men. This is what the Bible says. Men have the power to make decisions, having been made in the likeness of God, but just like men born of animal flesh, they shall return to the dust from which their chemical constitution is created.
This is the sad state of affairs. Too many people want the easy way out. Jesus said the way to destruction was easy, but the way to life was a narrow and hard way—well, hard initially, it gets easier as practice becomes the norm.
Actually, Jesus said that if you were feeling weary and heavily burdened from your labors, he would give you rest for your souls and put you in an easy yoke.
While, on the one hand, the way to life is hard, Jesus said that he would make it easy. This is a paradox. There are many contradictory truths in life, and many in the Bible. For just as the way to life is narrow and hard, it becomes easier and the potential widens. On the other hand, the way to destruction is wide and easy to enter; it narrows to become hard and unforgiving.
Originally, men were meant to be sons of the Most High, but because of disobedience and an unwillingness to accept responsibility, men shall die just like the other Earthly species.
The story of Adam and Eve demonstrates how people act. Adam blamed Eve for his sin rather than accept personal responsibility. Eve blamed the serpent for arousing her desires to indulge in the lusts of the world.
Still each one who is born has within the power to act as a god and make decisions, but unless the truth is acknowledged and responsibility taken, every human being will die as mere men; human beings made in the image of apes rather than God.
www.tencommandmentstoday.com
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Why Is The Resurrection Important?
The resurrection of Jesus is critical to the Christian message. Without the resurrection the Christian faith does not exist. Everything is wrapped up in the resurrection. If Jesus did not rise from the dead then the faith of Christians is in vain.
Some might think that the most important message of the Christians is that Jesus was born of a virgin. Others might think that it is the message of peace. Some more might think it is to love your neighbor as yourself. Then there are those who will proclaim to their own death that the most important message is the crucifixion of Jesus and he paid the price of sin for those who are to be saved. Yet it is without doubt the most important message for the world is Jesus rose from the dead.
Why is the resurrection the most important teaching of the Christians?
The resurrection of Jesus provides us with hope. If there is no resurrection of the dead then there is no hope of this life having any purpose and there is no hope of eternal life.
While the birth of Jesus is a miracle in itself, this is meaningless unless Jesus is resurrected from the dead. The fact that Jesus preached peace and preached love and performed miracles becomes meaningless if Jesus was not resurrected from the dead. The fact that Jesus was crucified and paid the price for sin on behalf of all mankind is meaningless if he was not raised from the dead.
Mohammed wrote in the Koran that Jesus was born of a Virgin, but refused to accept that Jesus rose from the dead. It is one thing to acknowledge that God can do a miracle and cause a virgin to have a child, but it is another to acknowledge that Jesus rose from the dead.
To acknowledge that Jesus rose from the dead is to acknowledge that He is alive today. More than this, to acknowledge Jesus rose from the dead is to imply that he is God in human form. Both these issues could be problematic to anyone who was attempting to start a political movement under the guise of religion.
Because Jesus rose from the dead, He is able to be known by you and me. Many people have discovered Jesus and entered into a personal relationship with Him. This is more than just believing a message. A personal relationship means something special that occurs with you and another person. God is able to do this through the Holy Spirit which is given to everyone who enters into this relationship.
This is the difference between being somebody who truly belongs to Christ and people who call themselves Christian yet do not know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.
As the Bible states: If you believe Jesus has been raised from the dead, then you have the right to be heard by God.
www.tencommandmentstoday.com
Some might think that the most important message of the Christians is that Jesus was born of a virgin. Others might think that it is the message of peace. Some more might think it is to love your neighbor as yourself. Then there are those who will proclaim to their own death that the most important message is the crucifixion of Jesus and he paid the price of sin for those who are to be saved. Yet it is without doubt the most important message for the world is Jesus rose from the dead.
Why is the resurrection the most important teaching of the Christians?
The resurrection of Jesus provides us with hope. If there is no resurrection of the dead then there is no hope of this life having any purpose and there is no hope of eternal life.
While the birth of Jesus is a miracle in itself, this is meaningless unless Jesus is resurrected from the dead. The fact that Jesus preached peace and preached love and performed miracles becomes meaningless if Jesus was not resurrected from the dead. The fact that Jesus was crucified and paid the price for sin on behalf of all mankind is meaningless if he was not raised from the dead.
Mohammed wrote in the Koran that Jesus was born of a Virgin, but refused to accept that Jesus rose from the dead. It is one thing to acknowledge that God can do a miracle and cause a virgin to have a child, but it is another to acknowledge that Jesus rose from the dead.
To acknowledge that Jesus rose from the dead is to acknowledge that He is alive today. More than this, to acknowledge Jesus rose from the dead is to imply that he is God in human form. Both these issues could be problematic to anyone who was attempting to start a political movement under the guise of religion.
Because Jesus rose from the dead, He is able to be known by you and me. Many people have discovered Jesus and entered into a personal relationship with Him. This is more than just believing a message. A personal relationship means something special that occurs with you and another person. God is able to do this through the Holy Spirit which is given to everyone who enters into this relationship.
This is the difference between being somebody who truly belongs to Christ and people who call themselves Christian yet do not know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.
As the Bible states: If you believe Jesus has been raised from the dead, then you have the right to be heard by God.
www.tencommandmentstoday.com
Friday, September 3, 2010
The Evil God
Most people tend to think God is good.
However, you would have to be wondering about the God who created people just to cast them into eternal punishment as being good.
The god of John Calvin apparently does this. John Calvin is still one of the most influential people within the Christian church, even though he died in the 16th century. Evidently, many theological colleges still teach his interpretation of the will of God as being sound, even though there are many Bible verses that contradict Calvin interpretation of the Bible.
One of Calvin’s so-called great Biblical truths is the doctrine of “Limited Atonement”.
This doctrine asserts that Jesus Christ only died on the cross to save a few souls and not as the Bible states to redeem the souls of every person.
The doctrine of Limited Atonement states that Jesus did not come to reconcile the world back to God but rather came to reconcile only those select people whom God created to be reconciled with Him. Everybody else God created to be condemned to eternal punishments.
The god of the Calvinists, and those who teach his doctrines, is obviously not the God of the Bible.
The God of the Bible is a loving God who desires that all men come to salvation and than none should perish.
As you can see that there is big difference between a loving and good God who desires all men to be reconciled with Him and a hateful and evil god who creates people for the sadist purpose of seeing them suffer for eternity.
The other problem with this doctrine of the Calvinists is the god they worship must have a twisted sense of reasoning because he felt the need to create people so he could reconcile them to himself.
Why would an Omniscient God, One who is all-knowing, need to create people so he could reconcile them to Himself? It just does not make sense.
The argument is that Adam needed to be reconciled and all those who were born after Adam, were born into sin and this separated humankind from God, so they need to be reconciled.
Now there is no dispute about the fact that all humankind needed to be reconciled to God because of Adam’s sin. But the doctrine of limited atonements states than only some needed to be reconciled, the rest were destined to eternal punishment.
There is no disputing that Jesus said that hypocrites were going to be cast into eternal punishment. Actually, I find it rather interesting that Jesus seemed to single out hypocrites for eternal punishment and not those who are guilty of murdering, stealing, committing adultery, telling lies or coveting.
Not that I would want to be pointing the finger at anyone in particular, but everybody knows a hypocrite when they come across one.
The Merriam-Webster online dictionary defines a “hypocrite” as
1. “a person who puts on a false appearance of virtue or religion” or
2. “a person who acts in contradiction to his or her stated beliefs or feelings”.
In respect to the first definition, there would have to be no redemption.
In respect to the second definition, our human failings might get the better of us; otherwise we would all be condemned to hell. It is also true that our beliefs and feelings can change over time, and the grace of God allows for our ignorance.
Regarding murderers, adulterers, thieves, liars and the covetous, there is no guarantee that they will escape eternal punishment, unless they repent of their wicked ways. But, unlike those who put on a public face of being virtuous and religious and upright but are not, at least, we who recognize the error of our ways have a hope.
As for those who put on a public face, not all are involved in religion, many use religion as a convenience in the hope of a get out of jail free card or to bolster their credibility for public office.
One has to wonder about John Calvin though. He was not only a religious figure but also a political figure in Geneva. But when he instigated the slow barbecuing of the physician Michael Servetus at the stake, it is doubtful that he was acting in a flash of anger. That was a very public execution instigated by a man cloaked in the appearance of religious virtue and political guise and justified by his doctrine of limited atonement.
www.tencommandmentstoday.com
However, you would have to be wondering about the God who created people just to cast them into eternal punishment as being good.
The god of John Calvin apparently does this. John Calvin is still one of the most influential people within the Christian church, even though he died in the 16th century. Evidently, many theological colleges still teach his interpretation of the will of God as being sound, even though there are many Bible verses that contradict Calvin interpretation of the Bible.
One of Calvin’s so-called great Biblical truths is the doctrine of “Limited Atonement”.
This doctrine asserts that Jesus Christ only died on the cross to save a few souls and not as the Bible states to redeem the souls of every person.
The doctrine of Limited Atonement states that Jesus did not come to reconcile the world back to God but rather came to reconcile only those select people whom God created to be reconciled with Him. Everybody else God created to be condemned to eternal punishments.
The god of the Calvinists, and those who teach his doctrines, is obviously not the God of the Bible.
The God of the Bible is a loving God who desires that all men come to salvation and than none should perish.
As you can see that there is big difference between a loving and good God who desires all men to be reconciled with Him and a hateful and evil god who creates people for the sadist purpose of seeing them suffer for eternity.
The other problem with this doctrine of the Calvinists is the god they worship must have a twisted sense of reasoning because he felt the need to create people so he could reconcile them to himself.
Why would an Omniscient God, One who is all-knowing, need to create people so he could reconcile them to Himself? It just does not make sense.
The argument is that Adam needed to be reconciled and all those who were born after Adam, were born into sin and this separated humankind from God, so they need to be reconciled.
Now there is no dispute about the fact that all humankind needed to be reconciled to God because of Adam’s sin. But the doctrine of limited atonements states than only some needed to be reconciled, the rest were destined to eternal punishment.
There is no disputing that Jesus said that hypocrites were going to be cast into eternal punishment. Actually, I find it rather interesting that Jesus seemed to single out hypocrites for eternal punishment and not those who are guilty of murdering, stealing, committing adultery, telling lies or coveting.
Not that I would want to be pointing the finger at anyone in particular, but everybody knows a hypocrite when they come across one.
The Merriam-Webster online dictionary defines a “hypocrite” as
1. “a person who puts on a false appearance of virtue or religion” or
2. “a person who acts in contradiction to his or her stated beliefs or feelings”.
In respect to the first definition, there would have to be no redemption.
In respect to the second definition, our human failings might get the better of us; otherwise we would all be condemned to hell. It is also true that our beliefs and feelings can change over time, and the grace of God allows for our ignorance.
Regarding murderers, adulterers, thieves, liars and the covetous, there is no guarantee that they will escape eternal punishment, unless they repent of their wicked ways. But, unlike those who put on a public face of being virtuous and religious and upright but are not, at least, we who recognize the error of our ways have a hope.
As for those who put on a public face, not all are involved in religion, many use religion as a convenience in the hope of a get out of jail free card or to bolster their credibility for public office.
One has to wonder about John Calvin though. He was not only a religious figure but also a political figure in Geneva. But when he instigated the slow barbecuing of the physician Michael Servetus at the stake, it is doubtful that he was acting in a flash of anger. That was a very public execution instigated by a man cloaked in the appearance of religious virtue and political guise and justified by his doctrine of limited atonement.
www.tencommandmentstoday.com
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Total Depravity
You may have heard of the doctrine of “Total Depravity”. If you haven’t heard of it, essentially it states that all human beings have no goodness in them at all and are incapable of doing anything good.
I was just reading a recent article published by Matthiasmedia, written by David Starling in support of this teaching. What struck me were these words:
“While the doctrine of total depravity is not at all a denial that fallen human culture is capable of accomplishing magnificent works of beauty, truth and wisdom, it does remind us that on all these works of human hands—even the most magnificent—there will be the stains and smudges of human sin.”
The above paragraph is not what the doctrine of total depravity; rather it is more in line with another teaching known as Arminianism that was accepted by John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist Church.
Arminius rejected Calvinism because of the view that Jesus died only for the elect and not for all people. Calvin, of course, was so arrogant that he barbecued the Spanish Physician, Michael Servetus, at the stake outside Geneva without any compunction. (Evidently, in his shortsightedness, Calvin thought he would save God the hassle of having to do it at the great judgment of all mankind.)
Paul the Apostle also signed his name to murder and the pangs of his conscience were causing him much grief; so much so, that the resurrected Jesus Christ appeared to him and asked him why did he try to fight them.
Now, let’s get back to the Calvinist doctrine of total depravity: it never ceases to amaze me how much people will go to support a position, even when it is obviously wrong, incorrect and erroneous.
The truth is that human beings are capable of doing good deeds. Even David Starling recognizes this. However, this contradicts the concept of total depravity. Since this is the case: Why support the doctrine?
It is very hard for people to admit they might be wrong because this sometimes means they will lose favor with friends or their position in society or cost them money or, as in the case of Michael Servetus, being barbecued at the stake.
While it is true that only God is good, what is meant by goodness here is more than what we think of being good means. However, man does do good deeds, even if they are only temporary and do not have eternal worth.
What I have found over the years is that a majority of people do not really want to know the truth; they tend to want to be accepted by their peers. Those who rebel against the status quo are often doing so for reasons other than seeking the truth.
If you want to know the truth, you have to admit that you did not ask to be born. I have yet to meet anybody who actually asked their parents if they could come into this world.
Since you did not ask anybody whether you could come into this world: How could you be totally depraved from birth? It just does not make sense. Yet there are those who will fight to the death in defense of the doctrine that you were born totally depraved.
David Starling further asserts: “Our children do not enter the family pristine, waiting to be messed up by the excesses of our parenting.”
Try telling that to a loving mother and father.
According to David Starling then, we can assume that every little child is damned to hell and doomed to eternal punishment; unless, of course, the child grows up a Calvinist.
Yet, oddly enough, Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, for unto such belongs the kingdom of heaven.”
www.tencommandmentstoday.com
I was just reading a recent article published by Matthiasmedia, written by David Starling in support of this teaching. What struck me were these words:
“While the doctrine of total depravity is not at all a denial that fallen human culture is capable of accomplishing magnificent works of beauty, truth and wisdom, it does remind us that on all these works of human hands—even the most magnificent—there will be the stains and smudges of human sin.”
The above paragraph is not what the doctrine of total depravity; rather it is more in line with another teaching known as Arminianism that was accepted by John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist Church.
Arminius rejected Calvinism because of the view that Jesus died only for the elect and not for all people. Calvin, of course, was so arrogant that he barbecued the Spanish Physician, Michael Servetus, at the stake outside Geneva without any compunction. (Evidently, in his shortsightedness, Calvin thought he would save God the hassle of having to do it at the great judgment of all mankind.)
Paul the Apostle also signed his name to murder and the pangs of his conscience were causing him much grief; so much so, that the resurrected Jesus Christ appeared to him and asked him why did he try to fight them.
Now, let’s get back to the Calvinist doctrine of total depravity: it never ceases to amaze me how much people will go to support a position, even when it is obviously wrong, incorrect and erroneous.
The truth is that human beings are capable of doing good deeds. Even David Starling recognizes this. However, this contradicts the concept of total depravity. Since this is the case: Why support the doctrine?
It is very hard for people to admit they might be wrong because this sometimes means they will lose favor with friends or their position in society or cost them money or, as in the case of Michael Servetus, being barbecued at the stake.
While it is true that only God is good, what is meant by goodness here is more than what we think of being good means. However, man does do good deeds, even if they are only temporary and do not have eternal worth.
What I have found over the years is that a majority of people do not really want to know the truth; they tend to want to be accepted by their peers. Those who rebel against the status quo are often doing so for reasons other than seeking the truth.
If you want to know the truth, you have to admit that you did not ask to be born. I have yet to meet anybody who actually asked their parents if they could come into this world.
Since you did not ask anybody whether you could come into this world: How could you be totally depraved from birth? It just does not make sense. Yet there are those who will fight to the death in defense of the doctrine that you were born totally depraved.
David Starling further asserts: “Our children do not enter the family pristine, waiting to be messed up by the excesses of our parenting.”
Try telling that to a loving mother and father.
According to David Starling then, we can assume that every little child is damned to hell and doomed to eternal punishment; unless, of course, the child grows up a Calvinist.
Yet, oddly enough, Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, for unto such belongs the kingdom of heaven.”
www.tencommandmentstoday.com
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Why Prayers Are Not Answered
One of the biggest problems why people do not get their prayers answered is they do not ask in faith.
I was listening to a man pray for somebody who was ill just recently and this is how he prayed.
“Dear Heavenly Father,
We are such awful people; we always do wrong and fall short of what you require from us. We are nothing in your eyes and are deserving of nothing. If it is your will, we ask you to heal this person.”
What’s wrong with that, you might ask.
Firstly, it is the prayer of the defeated. Or you might say the prayer of the hopeless.
Secondly, this kind of prayer lacks faith. There is no expectancy that it will be answered.
Thirdly, this prayer is an insult to God. The person praying is stating that God is a waste of time because he created humans as a waste of time.
Let’s get some facts right.
Firstly, it is true that people are born only to die and our lives are futile as a consequence of being born only to die. But this does not mean that there is no reason for us being here.
Secondly, if you are going to pray to God as your Heavenly Father, wouldn’t you expect Him to think of you as someone who is important to Him, as any loving father does of his own children?
Thirdly, if you are going to ask someone to do something, you do so in the expectation that the person will do it; even more so when it is a father who sees his children in trouble.
The Bible says the prayer of faith is answered.
Jesus said that if you have faith and do not doubt in your heart, your requests will be answered.
This is the problem with most people, they lack faith. They do not believe that God really cares. They do not really want to see God working on their behalf. They do not really want to have a genuine relation with their Heavenly Father.
The reason for this unbelief starts from a faulty basis of reasoning from which people approach God.
For instance, I know a person who has no family, believes he is the smartest person in the world, yet doesn’t see his life as futile. This is the case, even though he has no occupation, but believes he should be a CEO of a large company. The truth is he is a CEO, but not a chief executive officer of a company, he is the couch executive officer of the lounge room, who watches TV and drinks beer during the day and wine of a night. He lives off the government and has been doing so for the last seven years.
This person does not believe God exists because he is a scientist. He has no degree in science. He dropped out of university because it was too boring. Yet he claims he is a thinker and, according to him, science has proved that there is no God.
I was talking to a bus driver just recently who was telling me that global warming was destroying the world because the Earth was getting hotter every year. I asked him had he heard that the Earth had actually been cooling over the last decade. He hadn’t, but said most of the scientists said it was getting hotter, and he believed the scientists. I suggested he did some critical thinking. He replied, “I am a subjective thinker.”
So many people simply want to believe what they feel comfortable with and do not want to know the truth.
Either there is a Heavenly Father or this world is doomed regardless of what men or women do. Not asking the hard questions about existence, and then seeking God out with expectancy of being heard as to why you are here and what is your purpose in life is like saying I don’t really care if I live or die, or whether I enjoy pleasure or suffer pain.
The truth is nobody asked to be born. Therefore you have the right to ask, or even challenge God, to give you the answers you need. God has to reply. And the Bible teaches he answers the prayer of faith
www.tencommandmentstoday.com
I was listening to a man pray for somebody who was ill just recently and this is how he prayed.
“Dear Heavenly Father,
We are such awful people; we always do wrong and fall short of what you require from us. We are nothing in your eyes and are deserving of nothing. If it is your will, we ask you to heal this person.”
What’s wrong with that, you might ask.
Firstly, it is the prayer of the defeated. Or you might say the prayer of the hopeless.
Secondly, this kind of prayer lacks faith. There is no expectancy that it will be answered.
Thirdly, this prayer is an insult to God. The person praying is stating that God is a waste of time because he created humans as a waste of time.
Let’s get some facts right.
Firstly, it is true that people are born only to die and our lives are futile as a consequence of being born only to die. But this does not mean that there is no reason for us being here.
Secondly, if you are going to pray to God as your Heavenly Father, wouldn’t you expect Him to think of you as someone who is important to Him, as any loving father does of his own children?
Thirdly, if you are going to ask someone to do something, you do so in the expectation that the person will do it; even more so when it is a father who sees his children in trouble.
The Bible says the prayer of faith is answered.
Jesus said that if you have faith and do not doubt in your heart, your requests will be answered.
This is the problem with most people, they lack faith. They do not believe that God really cares. They do not really want to see God working on their behalf. They do not really want to have a genuine relation with their Heavenly Father.
The reason for this unbelief starts from a faulty basis of reasoning from which people approach God.
For instance, I know a person who has no family, believes he is the smartest person in the world, yet doesn’t see his life as futile. This is the case, even though he has no occupation, but believes he should be a CEO of a large company. The truth is he is a CEO, but not a chief executive officer of a company, he is the couch executive officer of the lounge room, who watches TV and drinks beer during the day and wine of a night. He lives off the government and has been doing so for the last seven years.
This person does not believe God exists because he is a scientist. He has no degree in science. He dropped out of university because it was too boring. Yet he claims he is a thinker and, according to him, science has proved that there is no God.
I was talking to a bus driver just recently who was telling me that global warming was destroying the world because the Earth was getting hotter every year. I asked him had he heard that the Earth had actually been cooling over the last decade. He hadn’t, but said most of the scientists said it was getting hotter, and he believed the scientists. I suggested he did some critical thinking. He replied, “I am a subjective thinker.”
So many people simply want to believe what they feel comfortable with and do not want to know the truth.
Either there is a Heavenly Father or this world is doomed regardless of what men or women do. Not asking the hard questions about existence, and then seeking God out with expectancy of being heard as to why you are here and what is your purpose in life is like saying I don’t really care if I live or die, or whether I enjoy pleasure or suffer pain.
The truth is nobody asked to be born. Therefore you have the right to ask, or even challenge God, to give you the answers you need. God has to reply. And the Bible teaches he answers the prayer of faith
www.tencommandmentstoday.com
Monday, August 30, 2010
Understanding the Truth
Within Christianity there are many different views about what the bible teaches. One of the reasons for these many different views is the basis upon which a person or group of people begin to interpret the Bible.
Establishing a sound basis from which to begin to understand the Bible is important if you are going to find the truth and be set free from ignorance, fear and futile thinking.
Here are a couple of misconceptions that seem to bind people that call themselves Christians or, more correctly, identify themselves by some religious persuasion (Orthodox, Catholic, Protestant, Evangelical, Pentecostal, Charismatic, Fundamental) and carry a denominational brand; be it Roman Catholic, Lutheran, Anglican (Episcopalian), Methodist, Presbyterian, Baptist, Reformed, United Pentecostal, Assembly of God, Apostolic, Seventh Day Adventist, and so on.
One is that that Bible is the living word of God, when in fact the Bible states that Jesus is the Living Word of God and the Bible merely bears witness to him.
Another is that the Old Testament is no longer relevant for today, since it has been superseded by the New Testament.
Some more are:
You have to study to show yourself approved of God.
The King James Version is the Only True Word of God.
Man is completely and utterly incapable of doing a good act.
The Church is built upon the Apostle Peter.
If you do not accept the historical church dogma and statements of faith, you are of the devil.
Unless you are baptized, or sprinkled with water, you are going to eternal punishment.
Praying to saints is acceptable to God.
The second commandment of the Ten Commandments about manufacturing images and bowing before them does not really matter.
Once a person is saved, that person cannot lose his or her salvation.
All Catholics are going to hell.
All Protestants are going to hell.
Anybody who does not speak in unknown tongues is not saved and going to hell.
There is no such thing as eternal punishment.
Unless you keep the Sabbath, you cannot be saved.
Unless you believe the Earth was created in seven twenty-four hour periods, you are deceived.
God has ceased performing miracles like those recorded in the Bible.
The gifts of the Spirit are not available today.
Unless you speak in unknown tongues you have not been baptized in the Holy Spirit.
Speaking in unknown tongues is of the Devil.
The parable about talents is not about money, it is about abilities and gifts.
Good works will get you to heaven.
God does not require people to reason.
God is not really interested in human affairs.
God has not given humans a free will.
God has decided people’s destiny before they are born, so that nobody has any say whether in whether he or she shall go to eternal torment or share in heavenly bliss
God knows everything there is to be known ever.
God is not capable of creating anything he has not thought of yet.
The list goes on. There are so many erroneous ideas about God and man’s purpose for being on this earth, trying to work out what is true and false, right and wrong, incorrect or correct is similar to searching through a rubbish dump.
However, I can point out a couple of truths that you cannot deny. And if you are starting from the truth, then you will have a sound basis to progress towards gaining the freedom that comes with the truth.
First truth: Nobody asked to be born.
Second truth: Nobody would ask to be born on this earth only to die.
And a third truth is if anybody asked to born on this earth and they are going to die, this is nothing but futility. All this means is being born only to die is futile.
To me the basis of all truth has to be self-evident. If you start with self-evident truth, then you have a solid foundation with which to begin understanding what is true.
As Jesus said, ”The truth shall set you free.”
www.tencommandmentstoday.com
Establishing a sound basis from which to begin to understand the Bible is important if you are going to find the truth and be set free from ignorance, fear and futile thinking.
Here are a couple of misconceptions that seem to bind people that call themselves Christians or, more correctly, identify themselves by some religious persuasion (Orthodox, Catholic, Protestant, Evangelical, Pentecostal, Charismatic, Fundamental) and carry a denominational brand; be it Roman Catholic, Lutheran, Anglican (Episcopalian), Methodist, Presbyterian, Baptist, Reformed, United Pentecostal, Assembly of God, Apostolic, Seventh Day Adventist, and so on.
One is that that Bible is the living word of God, when in fact the Bible states that Jesus is the Living Word of God and the Bible merely bears witness to him.
Another is that the Old Testament is no longer relevant for today, since it has been superseded by the New Testament.
Some more are:
You have to study to show yourself approved of God.
The King James Version is the Only True Word of God.
Man is completely and utterly incapable of doing a good act.
The Church is built upon the Apostle Peter.
If you do not accept the historical church dogma and statements of faith, you are of the devil.
Unless you are baptized, or sprinkled with water, you are going to eternal punishment.
Praying to saints is acceptable to God.
The second commandment of the Ten Commandments about manufacturing images and bowing before them does not really matter.
Once a person is saved, that person cannot lose his or her salvation.
All Catholics are going to hell.
All Protestants are going to hell.
Anybody who does not speak in unknown tongues is not saved and going to hell.
There is no such thing as eternal punishment.
Unless you keep the Sabbath, you cannot be saved.
Unless you believe the Earth was created in seven twenty-four hour periods, you are deceived.
God has ceased performing miracles like those recorded in the Bible.
The gifts of the Spirit are not available today.
Unless you speak in unknown tongues you have not been baptized in the Holy Spirit.
Speaking in unknown tongues is of the Devil.
The parable about talents is not about money, it is about abilities and gifts.
Good works will get you to heaven.
God does not require people to reason.
God is not really interested in human affairs.
God has not given humans a free will.
God has decided people’s destiny before they are born, so that nobody has any say whether in whether he or she shall go to eternal torment or share in heavenly bliss
God knows everything there is to be known ever.
God is not capable of creating anything he has not thought of yet.
The list goes on. There are so many erroneous ideas about God and man’s purpose for being on this earth, trying to work out what is true and false, right and wrong, incorrect or correct is similar to searching through a rubbish dump.
However, I can point out a couple of truths that you cannot deny. And if you are starting from the truth, then you will have a sound basis to progress towards gaining the freedom that comes with the truth.
First truth: Nobody asked to be born.
Second truth: Nobody would ask to be born on this earth only to die.
And a third truth is if anybody asked to born on this earth and they are going to die, this is nothing but futility. All this means is being born only to die is futile.
To me the basis of all truth has to be self-evident. If you start with self-evident truth, then you have a solid foundation with which to begin understanding what is true.
As Jesus said, ”The truth shall set you free.”
www.tencommandmentstoday.com
Friday, August 27, 2010
The problem with being a Christian
The problem with being a Christian is that there are so many different views on what being a Christian means. In the end, this becomes confusing.
The difficulty is Christians have different views on yesterday, today and tomorrow. You might think that this is impossible if the Bible says that God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. But Christians, or I should say, people who claim to be Christians, simply do not agree on what should be quite obvious, if God is the same yesterday, today or tomorrow.
There are three subjects which concern yesterday, today and tomorrow. These are Creation, Salvation, and Judgment. Creation is about how the world came into being and is found in the first chapter of Genesis. Salvation is how people are able to discover the answers for existence and their purpose in life. Judgment is basically about the end times and whether or not people are going to receive just recompense for what has happened in their lives.
The Creation story is found in the book of Genesis. The first chapter talks about how God created light on the first day of creation and mentions that there was water and spirit. The light was not that of the sun, because the sun was not created until the fourth day of creation. So the light has to be something else other than what is understood by daylight or electromagnetic radiation from the sun. This fact alone suggests that the days of the creation are not twenty-four hour days. The twenty-four hour day is dependent on the sun and the earth turning on its axis. Neither the sun or the earth were created on the first day. Hence, it is quite obvious that the light on the first day of creation is not sunlight.
There a many different views on the length of the days on the creation period and these range from twenty-four hour days to billions of years. There are also theories about prior universes existing prior to the current creation. There are also different ideas of how humankind was formed. Some theorists claim that humankind evolved from a bacteria that was originally created by the Creator; others claim that humankind evolved from a primate form that was created by God; while the Bible simply says that God created man in their own image: male and female. This suggests that God is more than one, but the Bible claims God to be one, even though manifest in different forms of Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
The Creator is represented in different ways throughout the world. Some see the Creator as a some form of force. Some see the Creator as a vengeful judge. Some see the Creator as an indifferent entity who is not concerned with the universe. Some see the Creator as a loving Father. Some see the Creator as the Godhead who consists of the Father, His Son and the Holy Spirit.
This concept of the Godhead is also interpreted in different ways, with some accepting the Son of God as being God himself and others only seeing him as a demi-God. The Holy Spirit is also accredited with being God Himself or being less than God because the being emanated from the Father and the Son or an impersonal force that represents Godhead or executes the Father's fiats.
Salvation is seen as being predestined for some and not for others. Some see salvation as something that is obtained by performing certain rituals or doing good works. Some see salvation as something that has been universally provided for all and their is nothing that needs to be done to obtain it. Others see salvation as series of reincarnations or transmigrations. Some see salvation being only available to people who belong to a certain grouping. Yet the Bibles teaches that salvation is obtained by grace through faith in the death and resurrection of the Son of God, which some see as a progressive walk and others believe it is a once and only acceptance that cannot be lost.
The Bible also teaches that a person's name is written in the book of life. It also teaches that a person's name can be erased from the book of life. In the Book of Ezekiel, a whole chapter is devoted to how a sinner can be saved and righteous man can lose his salvation. Besides this, there is reference to people blaspheming the Holy Spirit and not being saved, and holding the word of God up to contempt. and spurning the blood of the covenant, and outraging the Spirit of grace, and being repossessed with evil spirits after having been made clean.
Judgment is about what happens in the end. Judgment not only refers to personal accountability and recompense, but also how the nations of the world will be judged. This is known as the study of the end times and there are many interpretations regarding this that are difficult to prove because end has not yet come.
Essentially, there are what as known as three interpretations which hold different schools of thought. There is the amillennium, premillennium and post-millennium views.
The amillennium view holds that world is already in the process of being judged and people of God are being tested, while at the same time God is working out his plan which will culminate with the church being triumphant and Jesus having fully established his kingdom on earth at the end of the age. Within this view there are many variations of interpretation. The Roman Catholic Church figures as the Antichrist in this view.
The post-millennium view holds that Jesus will return to earth and reign for a thousand years, after which the Devil and his angels will be released upon the nations of the earth. The judgments of God will be unveiled upon the nations and this will culminate in the great battle of Armageddon, after which the great white throne judgment will commence.
The pre-millennium view seems to be the most popular of the three positions. Within this view there are three perspectives known as Pre-tribulation, Mid-tribulation and Post-tribulation, that also have variations in interpretation.
What is known as Pre-tribulation is the popular view among Evangelical and Pentecostal Christians. This view holds that there is going to be seven years of tribulation just prior to Jesus setting up his kingdom on earth. Before this seven years of tribulation occurs (of which, somewhat oddly, three and a half years are not tribulation but peace) all the believing Christians are to be caught up to into the sky. Then the Antichrist will be revealed and all havoc will take place on earth. This will culminate with Armageddon taking place and then Jesus will reign on earth for one thousand years.
The mid-tribulation position holds that the Antichrist will be revealed and then those elect believers, who are not deceived by him, will be caught up to meet Jesus Christ in the sky just before the three and a half years tribulation, mentioned in the Bible, occurs on earth. Many subscribers of this view have the three and half years peace occurring during the time of Jesus ministry on Earth, while some place this as the working of the Antichrist prior to the tribulation.
The post-tribulationists have the Christians living through the tribulation period and meeting Jesus in the air as he returns to reign on earth. Some views have Armageddon occurring at the return of Jesus and others at the end of the millennium.
Then there are the different views on whether people are going to be thrown into an eternal Lake of Fire to be tormented for ever, or only for a period of time or will be burned into non-existence. Some people believe that members of their sect are going to be raised to live for one thousand years on Earth during the millennium of Christ rule and after this, there is nothing more to look forward to. Others look forward to spending an eternity discovering and learning about new experiences.
Regardless of what many people might claim, there is one way to know if Christians really know what the Bible means, and this is by considering the Ten Commandments.
www.tencommandmentstoday.com
The difficulty is Christians have different views on yesterday, today and tomorrow. You might think that this is impossible if the Bible says that God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. But Christians, or I should say, people who claim to be Christians, simply do not agree on what should be quite obvious, if God is the same yesterday, today or tomorrow.
There are three subjects which concern yesterday, today and tomorrow. These are Creation, Salvation, and Judgment. Creation is about how the world came into being and is found in the first chapter of Genesis. Salvation is how people are able to discover the answers for existence and their purpose in life. Judgment is basically about the end times and whether or not people are going to receive just recompense for what has happened in their lives.
The Creation story is found in the book of Genesis. The first chapter talks about how God created light on the first day of creation and mentions that there was water and spirit. The light was not that of the sun, because the sun was not created until the fourth day of creation. So the light has to be something else other than what is understood by daylight or electromagnetic radiation from the sun. This fact alone suggests that the days of the creation are not twenty-four hour days. The twenty-four hour day is dependent on the sun and the earth turning on its axis. Neither the sun or the earth were created on the first day. Hence, it is quite obvious that the light on the first day of creation is not sunlight.
There a many different views on the length of the days on the creation period and these range from twenty-four hour days to billions of years. There are also theories about prior universes existing prior to the current creation. There are also different ideas of how humankind was formed. Some theorists claim that humankind evolved from a bacteria that was originally created by the Creator; others claim that humankind evolved from a primate form that was created by God; while the Bible simply says that God created man in their own image: male and female. This suggests that God is more than one, but the Bible claims God to be one, even though manifest in different forms of Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
The Creator is represented in different ways throughout the world. Some see the Creator as a some form of force. Some see the Creator as a vengeful judge. Some see the Creator as an indifferent entity who is not concerned with the universe. Some see the Creator as a loving Father. Some see the Creator as the Godhead who consists of the Father, His Son and the Holy Spirit.
This concept of the Godhead is also interpreted in different ways, with some accepting the Son of God as being God himself and others only seeing him as a demi-God. The Holy Spirit is also accredited with being God Himself or being less than God because the being emanated from the Father and the Son or an impersonal force that represents Godhead or executes the Father's fiats.
Salvation is seen as being predestined for some and not for others. Some see salvation as something that is obtained by performing certain rituals or doing good works. Some see salvation as something that has been universally provided for all and their is nothing that needs to be done to obtain it. Others see salvation as series of reincarnations or transmigrations. Some see salvation being only available to people who belong to a certain grouping. Yet the Bibles teaches that salvation is obtained by grace through faith in the death and resurrection of the Son of God, which some see as a progressive walk and others believe it is a once and only acceptance that cannot be lost.
The Bible also teaches that a person's name is written in the book of life. It also teaches that a person's name can be erased from the book of life. In the Book of Ezekiel, a whole chapter is devoted to how a sinner can be saved and righteous man can lose his salvation. Besides this, there is reference to people blaspheming the Holy Spirit and not being saved, and holding the word of God up to contempt. and spurning the blood of the covenant, and outraging the Spirit of grace, and being repossessed with evil spirits after having been made clean.
Judgment is about what happens in the end. Judgment not only refers to personal accountability and recompense, but also how the nations of the world will be judged. This is known as the study of the end times and there are many interpretations regarding this that are difficult to prove because end has not yet come.
Essentially, there are what as known as three interpretations which hold different schools of thought. There is the amillennium, premillennium and post-millennium views.
The amillennium view holds that world is already in the process of being judged and people of God are being tested, while at the same time God is working out his plan which will culminate with the church being triumphant and Jesus having fully established his kingdom on earth at the end of the age. Within this view there are many variations of interpretation. The Roman Catholic Church figures as the Antichrist in this view.
The post-millennium view holds that Jesus will return to earth and reign for a thousand years, after which the Devil and his angels will be released upon the nations of the earth. The judgments of God will be unveiled upon the nations and this will culminate in the great battle of Armageddon, after which the great white throne judgment will commence.
The pre-millennium view seems to be the most popular of the three positions. Within this view there are three perspectives known as Pre-tribulation, Mid-tribulation and Post-tribulation, that also have variations in interpretation.
What is known as Pre-tribulation is the popular view among Evangelical and Pentecostal Christians. This view holds that there is going to be seven years of tribulation just prior to Jesus setting up his kingdom on earth. Before this seven years of tribulation occurs (of which, somewhat oddly, three and a half years are not tribulation but peace) all the believing Christians are to be caught up to into the sky. Then the Antichrist will be revealed and all havoc will take place on earth. This will culminate with Armageddon taking place and then Jesus will reign on earth for one thousand years.
The mid-tribulation position holds that the Antichrist will be revealed and then those elect believers, who are not deceived by him, will be caught up to meet Jesus Christ in the sky just before the three and a half years tribulation, mentioned in the Bible, occurs on earth. Many subscribers of this view have the three and half years peace occurring during the time of Jesus ministry on Earth, while some place this as the working of the Antichrist prior to the tribulation.
The post-tribulationists have the Christians living through the tribulation period and meeting Jesus in the air as he returns to reign on earth. Some views have Armageddon occurring at the return of Jesus and others at the end of the millennium.
Then there are the different views on whether people are going to be thrown into an eternal Lake of Fire to be tormented for ever, or only for a period of time or will be burned into non-existence. Some people believe that members of their sect are going to be raised to live for one thousand years on Earth during the millennium of Christ rule and after this, there is nothing more to look forward to. Others look forward to spending an eternity discovering and learning about new experiences.
Regardless of what many people might claim, there is one way to know if Christians really know what the Bible means, and this is by considering the Ten Commandments.
www.tencommandmentstoday.com
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