Musings on the Tough Life Questions

One of the mistakes people make is say that Hades/ Sheol just means the grave. That is not true. The grave/ tomb is not Sheol. Sheol does not mean grave or tomb. Sheol is the place of the Unseen. Upon Death (Before Christ and His Resurrection): spirit (God's breath) goes to God (Heaven) Soul descends to Hades and Sheol (Aidos - Unseen) Body goes to dust/ Tombs (mnēmeiois (Greek);and Graves ( queber (Hebrew)) The word for Grave is different from Sheol Souls are said to go DOWN (descend) to Hades. (You would not abandon my soul in Hades - Acts 2:27,31). Nothing is ever said to go down to the tomb. There are many tombs/ graves. There was only one Sheol.  The soul is not immortal. Living soul does not mean immortality The body goes to grave/ tomb the soul goes to Sheol (before Christ). After Christ's resurrection, (ascension and destruction of Jerusalem), all who believe in Christ do not go to Sheol/ Hades. The gates of Hades were obliterated by Christ ...

"Regarding the second death, is it possible that those who reject God to either exist outside of His presence, or will they simply cease to exist? " <Yep His Presence was in Sheol also> There are only two viable options 1. Cease to exist (annihilation) <--- This is what Darren is arguing for (I can read between the lines as I am in Sales :-) ) 2. They are found in outer darkness, outside the gates of the New Jerusalem (Outer darkness meant outside the influence of the lights of the city, like in the forest) "But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” [Matt 8:!2] Jesus told the unbelieving Jews they would be cast into outer darkness. They certainly were literally (bodies thrown into Gehenna [Hell] outside the city in AD 70) and their souls ruined/ lost/ perish/ appollumi. They perished. Jesus even told them "Let the dead bury the dead...

Also the lake of fire or the molten sea is called the sea of molten glass, because it depicts the mirrors the women took and melted into the brazen laver, which was located in the temple used by the priest to wash off impurities before entering... Remember Revelation shows the real tabernacle in heaven with all of its instruments including the candlestick, shrewbread, alter of incense, throne/ ark and brazen laver (lake of fire) to name a few... Daniel saw it as a river of fire coming from the throne... John sees the river coming from the throne as the water of life... There could be two rivers coming from the throne comparing Daniel and John or they could be the same. In any case Daniel saw it as a River fro the Throne (remember the Sea of Molten Glass was before the throne).. and John saw it as a Lake. It corresponds to the lake of Fire... the Brazen Laver The Laver also represents Sanctification (depicted by the washing), Consecration, Baptism They are baptized by ...

When Adam died all men died - Death is the process that starts with soul corrupted by sin, the loss of the ability to breathe by the Spirit, being only sustained by his own breath, and ends with body going to grave, to dust at the expiration of his breath and his soul lost/ perish in Hades (at least before Christ). Death is corruption and separation. The soul lost seemingly forever in Hades, as if never existed, spirit goes back to God and Body in dust. When Adam offended, his offense cause his soul to be corrupted. This corrupted all men. Through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin... "For if by the one man’s offense many died," When Christ died, he freed man from sin and the Sin of Adam. "For he who has died has been freed from sin".... When Christ died, the reverse occurred. While Adam's death is corruption and separation, that is the soul lost in Hades, spirit goes back to God and Body in dust; Christ's ...

Abraham is the fulcrum, the pivot of a human demonstration that righteousness is by faith. But that was just one man. How can this be made available to the many? Can this be available to all? One option is to clearly state all the rules and instructions of righteous that if followed, we can all be approved. A democratic approach. Wouldn't that be fair after all? Give us the formula the descendants cried. Each man would therefore be responsible to follow every jot and tittle, and only to the accomplished would be given the spoils of righteousness. But the law no one can complete or fulfill to be righteous. Here in is the paradox. By the deeds of the law no one is justified, but only the doers of the law are justified. How can one be a doer of the law then without empirical accomplishment of the deeds of the law? Is this possible? Is there another option? Enter the faith of Christ. Rom 4:23 — Rom 4:25 Now it was not written for his [Abraham's] sa...

People the human spirit is Not the Spirit of God. Stop saying that. It's nonsense. The Spirit of God is the Spirit of Christ, or Christ's own spirit. Each man has his own human spirit, but they may not have the Spirit of Christ. There is only one Spirit of Christ, not two, three, four etc... Romans 8:9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. The human spirit is NOT the Spirit of Christ. The Holy Spirit is Yodesh Ruach the Spirit that was in Christ. We can have the benefit of the Holy Spirit or the Spirit of Christ living in us. In Hebrew ruach which means wind and pnuema in Greek is distinguished from Yodesh Ruach. Before Christ no one had the Spirit living in them. Yet God breath into Adam and Adam became a living soul. The combination of a human spirit and body. Christ is the Only One who was declared a life giving spirit as proven by...

Christ is Life. He that has the Son has Life and He that has not the Son has not Life. Yet, "In Him we live move and have our being" was a poem to Zeus that Paul quoted, to show that "the Him" is not Zeus but God. So yes in Christ all things consist. Yet not everyone is tapping into that life. Some have the Spirit and some do not. Some even have unclean spirits "For He said to him, “Come out of the man, unclean spirit!”" Some raised to life, some to condemnation. BUT that does not mean all will not have Life in the end. I am not saying that in the End, everyone will not have Life (and of course I could be wrong). But for now not everyone has the Spirit. Christ is the Beginning and the End.. another way of saying this is All that was in the Beginning is Christ, all that is in the End is Christ. Also, Paul said "For out of Him, through Him and Back to Him are all things" [Rom 11:36] So all things are destined to go back to Him. Paul said ...

The Cross’ Universal Impact All men have sinned and fall short - universal First Known Judgment - In Adam all die - universal Final Judgment from God’s Supreme Court - But In Christ all died (not just the elect, not just the church, not just believers) [2 Cor 5:14] - universal In Christ everything reconciled, whether in heaven, or on earth, by making peace on the cross - universal [Col 1:19-20; 2 Cor 5:19] If In Adam all died (and subsequently in Christ all died: 2 Cor 5:15), In Christ all shall be made alive - universal (each in his own order; faith is needed) [1 Cor 15:22-23] yet now all are NOT alive right now ( Non-universal in time ) [2 Cor 5: 14] How? Works Lower Level Court Judgment - All men raised. Again ALL MEN are raised - some to life and some to condemnation ( universal raising) [John 5:28-29] Yet all men would be seasoned with fire - universal [Mark 9:49] In Christ all subject under his feet - universal -1 (All except God the father) [1 Cor 15...

Video/ Animation The Flaming Toilet of Death. See channel also ( https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCR... ) Introductory Resources The Restitution of all things By Dr. Stephen Jones Hope Beyond Hell by Gerry Beauchemin and http://www.hopebeyondhell.net/ Links to Universalism Resources Hell in a Nutshell by Charles Watson More Advance Resources The Second Death and Restitution of all Things by Andrew Jukes The Savior of the World by J. Preston Eby- http://www.kingdombiblestudies.org/savior/SOW1.htm Hell Yes/ Hell No by Dr. John Noe (not a universalism book, but a great discourse on the various views) https://www.amazon.com/Hell-Yes-John-Reid-Noe/dp/0983430314 For a thorough, but often technical comparative philosophical case: God’s Final Victory For a more popular, but still tightly-argued case, along with some excellent exegesis, either: The Evangelical Universalist: Second Edition The Inescapable Love of God: Second Edition Christ Triumphant by Thomas...

All things go back to him? That's not possible from a logical standpoint. Paul defined the all things... "For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. 18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, 20 and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross." [Col 1:16-20] ---- "For out of Him, Through, Him, Back to Him are all things" - Rom 11:36 ------------- The laws of Redemption in Lev 25, and the the point of Hebrews 1,2 show Christ being the kinsman of Israel and...

The entire book of Haggai deals with this.... But I will briefly highlight Paul's commentary on the Book of Haggai.... "Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace." [Rom 11:5] "For if their [NON REMNANT] being cast away is the reconciling of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? For if the firstfruit [REMNANT] is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches." [Rom 11:15-16] The principle of the remnant which A LOT OF PEOPLE MISS.... is that He need to preserve a remnant so that it can be a holy leaven as it were, that guarantees the lump and the whole thing is holy. A remnant or elect was not exclusive. the Remnant and elect were meant to make the whole thing holy... The reason for a remnant or elect was, whom would He choose to be the agent of salvation. The real question is therefore, was the election of salvation exclusive to one group, to...

"Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’" [Matt 7:22-23] Who is the many who way we have done great works and He said he never knew? Who practice lawlessness? In what Day this occurred? "Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; 43 I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’" [Matt 25:41 So it looks like practicing "lawfullness" and being qualified amounts to works... --> feed the hungry, give drink, clothe the naked, visit the sick and imprisioned.... WAIT?? I thought s...

God is willing that everyone is saved. But in His foreknowledge He knows most will turn down the free gift. Oh  Really? I thought in his foreknowledge that "Out of Him, Through Him and Back to Him are all things" [Rom 11:36]; I thought in His foreknowledge that the Lamb was slain before the foundation of the world, so that mystery of His will and ALL OF REALITY is revealed, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself. That unveiling of the mystery is that in the management of the ages, and time and reality, He might gather together in one, in Him (a mathematical construct which means all things summed in Him, like the law is summed up in one commandment), all things both in heaven and which are on earth - in Him [Eph 1:9-10] As part of that mystery, during time, while all things go THROUGH Him, there will be distress, death, perishing, shaming, etc., but He is determined that all things come back to Him and are summed up in Christ. Hence He began...

So I saw this while driving today and I had to do a double take.... Is this the gospel or is this a threat? I really don't know how I feel about this... Is this how we are supposed to present/ represent God? This bill board is quoting: " And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.." Heb 9:27 Why do people always focus on the judgment part.  What about the dying ONCE part? Again, why the focus on judgment... if we want to take everything literal, every man should only experience death once ,  I could easily conclude logically that: Christ have no business trying to raise people from the dead. Didn't he get the memo that people are supposed to die once? With that hard and fast rule, he immediate violated scripture by raising Lazarus, if we want to apply its logical conclusion.  There you have it. I have no business trying to raise people from the dead. That would be against the Word. They su...

How do you follow the biblical example of appointing Elders/Pastors in every church? Answer: By adopting plural leadership within a Kingdom community and encouraging all Kingdom communities under your influence to follow suit. Here is an example structure utilizing the Principles of multiple eldership. The Principle of Kings, Priests, Prophets in the OT is exactly where Paul got his revelation from. In addition we see in the Book of Acts, an administration team formed to feed others. Principle: Kings and Priests as sustainable authority. You need Team ministry. Action: You need to Have BOTH a Ministry Council (Priest/ Elder) and a General Council (Kings/ Admins/ Executive). The Ministry Council is made up of: Elders (Senior Elder, Associate Elder, Senior Associate Elder...) <- Plural leadership Secondary Leaders (Small Group Facilitators, Some young men or Women you are Mentoring or Attaches) This is the Paul and Timothy principle. Principle: God sets the solitary in familie...

What is your definition of "church"? The word for church is Ekklesia which is a greek term for "the assembly of citizens of an ancient Greek state". This is the term for a local assembly or town meeting where concern citizens gather to discuss policies of the state and its implementation in a local jurisdiction. [Note the translators should have kept the word assembly or congregation instead on inserting the word "church" which is a completely different greek word with a secular meaning] IF YOU ARE NOT ASSEMBLING, YOU ARE NOT ECCLESIA . It is a congregation, an assembly. The individuals are not the church. The Church is an corporate man, recognized in an assembly, a nation. According to the Encyclopedia Britannica: "In the New Testament, "ecclesia" (signifying convocation) is the only single word used for church. It (ecclesia) was the name given to the governmental assembly of the city of Athens, duly convoked (called ou...