SIMON THE MAGICIAN ACTS 8:4-24

 

Simon the magician, Simon Magus or sorcerer was a Samaritan who practiced sorcery and amazed the local people claiming to be great. After believing at the preaching of Philip he was baptized . Some time later Peter and John came to Samaria and on arrival prayed that the newly baptized receive the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit had not yet fallen upon any of them. When Peter and John laid their hands upon them they received the Holy Spirit.  When Simon saw this he offered the Apostles money to buy this power. Apparently Simon never had hands laid on him because Peter perceived that Simon was bound by bitterness and iniquity. Peter told Simon that he had no part or share in the ministry because his heart was not right before GOD.  

This is an example of a person being baptized but not fit to receive the Holy Spirit.  I would think there were others who were baptized that were also not right with GOD.  Because of the unique circumstances involved Simon did not receive the spirit even though he was baptized.  I do not think that GOD, who is all knowing, would have done so.  Simon was never converted.  Today because of the worldwide deception, people who are converted, are Cornelius Christians because they receive the spirit first and then are baptized.  Anyone that GOD knows is unfit wouldn’t be given the spirit in the first place. The only exceptions to this are the beast and false prophet and apparently are used by GOD in this way because GOD knew their fate even if they were not the beast and false prophet.  This is similar to Judas Iscariot who was prophesied to betray Jesus. Judas would have done so anyway so GOD allowed it to happen.  I think that this is the way GOD has operated from the beginning. GOD knew Lucifer would sin, that Adam would sin and all humanity would sin and did not stop any of it as it all would fit into HIS will that HE worked out in eternity.  When you know all things in advance and you have all, power it’s easy to work out your will around any obstacle to make all things, even evil things, work together for good.  This is what Romans 8:20 says;

“For the creation was made subject to vanity and futility, not willingly, but that the same might be subjected in hope.”

GOD knew that any other beings HE would create would be inferior to HIM and would have the potential to turn evil but HE still created them all.  GOD didn’t willingly do this, that is allow the potential for evil, but of necessity to fulfill HIS will.  GOD also gave hope to humanity that their creation would have the hope of becoming like HIM. This hope is the message of the gospel that HE sent Jesus to preach.  Therefore, all humanity must choose by their own free will whether or not submit their will to GODS will, as Jesus did, so that GOD can change us to become like Jesus who was like HIM. Humans must desire this with all of their being in a total commitment to become GODS property to do with as HE wills.  

SLEEP THE SLEEP OF DEATH PSALM 13:3

 

In Psalm 13:3 it says, Consider and hear me O Yahweh my GOD, enlighten my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death.

Jesus said in John 11:11KJV  After he had said this he went on to tell them, Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep but I am going there to wake him up.

Peter said in 2 Peter 3:4KJV  And saying, where is the promise of his coming ? For since the fathers fell asleep all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.

1 Corinthians 15:17-18  And if Christ has not been raised your faith is futile you are still in your sins. Then those who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost.

1 Thessalonians 4:14  For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again we also believe that GOD will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.

Throughout the scriptures sleep is used as an analogy for death. As with any analogy if you try to carry it out too far you will lose the intended meaning.  When you are asleep you are unconscious, unaware of your surroundings and unaware of the passing of time.  This is what death is like.  At death your human spirit returns to GOD in an unconscious state.  You are unaware of anything among the living or the passing of time.  Your human spirit requires a body in which to be alive. The mortal body of flesh is perishable but in the first resurrection when Jesus returns you will have a spirit body that is imperishable, immortal, and again you will be alive.  Your human spirit now has a body and can function again.  Until Jesus returns you are asleep, you are dead, you are not alive.  The saints all have died with this knowledge and understanding of the hope and promise of a resurrection from the dead.  

Acts 24:15  And I have hope in GOD, which they themselves also hold, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both for the just and the unjust.

The gospel we must believe is the absolute fact that Jesus died, fell asleep, and was not alive elsewhere in any way.  That just as Jesus was raised from the dead we too will be raised at his return. Anything other than this spiritual truth is a lie.  There is no immediate life after death.  There are certain scriptures that because of poor translation and improper punctuation can be twisted to falsely conclude that this idea of immediate life after death is true but the source of this is Satan.  Satan already has the unconverted world as he is their god. It is the saints that Satan is after, especially those newly converted because he knows that these babes have excess baggage from the world, things the world believes that the babe has not yet discarded.  In time as they grow the FATHER will lead them into the truth.  

IF A MAN DIES WILL HE LIVE AGAIN ? JOB 14:14-15

When a man dies, will he live again? All the days of my hard service I will wait, until my change comes. You will call, and I will answer; You will desire the work of Your hands. Job 14:14-15

James 4:14  You do not even know what will happen tomorrow.  What is your life ?  You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.

 People that believe in the Trinity worship a false GOD.  They don’t know GOD or Christ.  They also believe they have everlasting life right now and go to heaven in a conscious state at death. This is the immortal soul lie.  If you already know the trinity is a lie then you should also know that immediate life after death is a lie too.  Do you think that idolaters know the truth of GOD? Do pagans know the truth of GOD ? You should know the answer, but do you?  

 Revelation 1:18 “I am he who lives and was dead and behold I am alive forevermore…..”

Notice Jesus says here that he was dead, but now ALIVE forevermore.  So, this means that Jesus, when dead, was not alive and when he was alive he was not dead. Being alive and being dead are exact opposites, can you see this ?  His situation changed when his FATHER raised him from the dead in order to be alive evermore when he ascended to the FATHER.  Prior to his death Jesus was not immortal, it was after he was raised from the dead and ascended that he became alive evermore. The same will be true of the saints.  They will be dead, not alive, until Jesus returns to raise us from the dead then we too will be alive evermore.

Romans 6:9  “For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead he cannot die again, death no longer has dominion over him.”   

Life and death are plainly shown here to be exact opposites.  It is impossible to be alive and dead at the same time.  

Jesus is now alive evermore.  While Jesus was dead he was not alive but his FATHER raised Jesus back to life just as HE will raise the two witnesses from the dead back to life again .

Revelation 11:11  “But after 3 1/2 days the breath of life from GOD entered them and they stood on their feet and terror stood those who saw them.”

The breath of life, the spirit of man, the human spirit came from GOD just as with every person recorded in the scriptures who were raised to physical life again.  Remember, Jesus was not glorified until he ascended, not at his resurrection.  This same breath Jesus gave up when he died, is the same breath all humans give up when they die.

Matthew 15:37  “But Jesus let out a loud cry and breathed his last.”  

The breath of life was gone and Jesus was dead.  After 3 days and 3 nights the breath of life from GOD entered Jesus again and he stood upon his feet and walked out of the tomb and Jesus was alive again.  Even the angel told the women,

 “Why do you seek the living among the dead ?”  Luke 24:5

 The dead therefore are not alive.  The soul is the complete human being, body joined with the human spirit, and Jesus poured out his soul unto death, 

 Isaiah 53:12   Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, And He shall divide the spoil with the strong, Because He poured out His soul unto death,  

The Hebrew word for soul is nephesh, the body and the spirit combined.  The total person of Jesus died.  Since this is how all humans die it was absolutely necessary for Jesus to die the exact same way in order to be the sacrifice for our sins.  

Ezekiel 18:4,20 “The soul that sins, it shall die.” 

  At death the complete person, the soul that is the combination of body and spirit, dies because of sin.

1 Peter 5:4

“When the chief shepherd shall appear you will receive the Crown of glory that will never fade away.”  

The crown of glory is the crown of life. 

 James 1:12  12  Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.

See also; 1 John 3:2  2 Timothy 4:8  

1 John 2:28   Colossians 3:4   Hebrews 9:28  

It is always when Jesus appears, at the end, in the last day, that life is given again to the saints but this time it is life everlasting.  

2 Thessalonians 2:1  1 Corinthians 15:51-52  Revelation 22:12   Revelation 11:18

Romans 2:7  Seek immortality , why if we already have it ?

2 Timothy 1:1  1 John 2:25  James 1:12.  The promise is fulfilled at the resurrection.

Titus 1:2   Titus 3:7  The hope.  Hoping is not having else it wouldn’t be hope.

Romans 6:23  1 Peter 3:7   Revelation 22:17 The gift

All these things testify to a future time, when Jesus returns, when the dead are made alive again as immortal spirit beings.  

Certain ideas like the trinity can become embedded in a persons mind or human spirit that causes them to believe in a lie.  This matter of just when the church receives everlasting life is another one of these things.  Satan blinds the minds of these people who have embraced these lies ,  

2 Corinthians 4:4   “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ should shine on them.”

If you believe in your mind, your human spirit, that you receive this everlasting life immediately after you die then you are believing in a lie.  The scriptures that you think supports the trinity or immediate life after death are seen by you as the truth and you become convinced to the degree that nothing but the spirit of GOD can convince you your wrong.  

I can tell you your wrong but that means nothing to you because you can’t hear me.  

1 John 4:5-6  “We are of GOD.  He who knows GOD hears us; he who is not of GOD does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.” 

 For a babe in Christ this is a very dangerous situation.  The mature Christian to a degree can help the babe but not if they don’t listen.  I find it ironic that a babe says they want input from their more mature brothers and sisters in Christ but all they want to do is push their own beliefs on them.  This is a very sad thing.  The mature fully understand the babe’s error, they don’t need the babe to go into in-depth explanations, they need the babe to listen and learn what the spirit has taught the mature.  If it is GODS will then the same spirit that taught the mature will teach the babe.This is how it works but will the babe understand this ?  This situation is sort of like a child trying to teach his parents how to live life.  If the babe becomes offended then this makes the situation even worse.  A root of bitterness will begin to grow in the babe that could lead to them leavening fellowship and going back into the world. 

 Jeremiah 5:21  ‘Hear this now, O foolish people,
Without understanding, Who have eyes and see not, And who have ears and hear not: 

The babe refuses to see their, pride blinds them.  This is why many are called but few are chosen.  Some will say that my words are cruel and judgmental but should I compromise the truth of GOD to placate a babe ?  Yes, we are to love all people but should we take love to this extreme, should we apologize for telling the truth ?  Jesus and the Apostles would never compromise the truth of GOD to please others believing in lies.  I will not either.  

Now I will attempt to give you and analogy to illustrate the soul and how body and spirit operate.

Your soul is like this flashlight.  Your light can only shine if the batteries are in the flashlight.

                                                                                         

The batteries are your human spirit.  The flashlight is your human body.  As long as the batteries are in the flashlight your light will shine.

        

                                                                                

If the batteries are removed from the flashlight your light goes out. 

 

                          

When separated the batteries can do nothing and the flashlight can do nothing.

Proverbs 13:9  The light of the righteous rejoices, But the lamp of the wicked will be put out.

Job 21:7  “How often is the lamp of the wicked put out?  How often does their destruction come upon them,  The sorrows God distributes in His anger?

John 8:12  Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”

Psalm 56:13  For You have delivered my soul from death.  Have You not kept my feet from falling,
That I may walk before God In the light of the living?

Our lights shine while we are alive but death is darkness without light.  The light of life is in Christ who will make us sons of light at his return by a resurrection from the dead.  

 Believe in the light while you have the light, so that you may become children of light.” When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them.  John 12:36

If you do not eat the flesh of the son of GOD and drink his blood you have no life in you.  John 6:53

 Our faith in Christ is that even if we die we will live again by a resurrection at the last day.

 John 6:44   “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day.

 This is the message of the gospel that must be believed and not the lie of immediate life after death.

 

 

THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST

 

             THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST

 

 "Suffering death" generally refers to the process of dying (experiencing pain, distress, or fear before passing), rather than experiencing the state of being dead, which is non-existence. It entails enduring physical, emotional, or spiritual distress in the final moments, which is distinct from simply passing away peacefully. Hebrews 2:9 .............he suffered death so that by the grace of GOD he might taste death for everyone."  Jesus died a horrible death in great pain and suffering. Many other human beings do too. 

Isaiah 57:2 "Those who walk uprightly enter into peace, they find rest as they lie in death,"

Daniel 12:13  "But go your way till the end for you will rest and then you will arise to your inheritance at the end of days."

As a disembodied spirit how can a person suffer after they have died ?

At death all suffering ends.  The dead enter a state of non-existence.  

According to the gospel of Jesus and the preaching of the Apostles the dead can only live again by a resurrection of the dead.

1 Cornthians 15:20-23

20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. 21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. 

Notice it is at the return of Jesus that the dead live again.  I am fully aware that certain scriptures can be viewed as saying we have immediate life after death but this misunderstanding is contrary to the message of the gospel.  Even Jesus said, "No one can come to me unless the FATHER who sent me draws them and I will raise them up at the last day."  John 6:44

To live again after you die is a promise, a hope that Jesus gives to the saints and not immediately after death.   1 John 2:25 "And this is the promise HE has promised us, everlasting life."

"In this hope we are saved. No one hopes for something they already have other wise hope would not be hope. If we hope for what we do not yet have we wait for it patiently."  Romans 8:24-25

Everlasting life is a gift from GOD which means we do not have it by nature as this mortal must put on immortality. 

! Corinthians 15 is called the resurrection chapter and Paul explains how the dead in Christ are made alive again by a resurrection when Jesus returns.  This is the hope of the saints, the promise GOD gives us, the gift we receive at the return of Jesus. Until that day the dead are dead just as Solomon describes in Ecclesiastes 9:5 "For the living know that they will die but the dead know not anything."

1 Timothy 6:7  "For we brought nothing into the world so we cannot carry anything out of it."

This promise of everlasting life we have not yet received but in hope we wait for it in death just like those ancient saints who died without receiving the promise.  Hebrews 11:13  "These all died in the faith not having received the promises but having seen them afar off and were persuaded of them and embraced them...."  These saints are just like us, waiting for the promises to be fulfilled.  Hebrews 11:39-40 "These were all commended for their faith yet did not receive the promises.  GOD planned something better for us that together with us they would be made perfect." 

All the ancient saints fell asleep, rested with their fathers just as we will when we die but we die in the hope of the promise of the gospel that when Jesus returns we will be raised from the dead as immortal spirit beings.

Job understood this, Job 14:14

14 If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.

15 Thou shalt call, and I will answer thee: thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine hands.

 And this fits perfectly with 1 Corinthians 15:52  "in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet:for the trumpet will sound and the dead will be raised and we shall be changed."

Any idea you may have that gives life immediately after death is NOT the gospel of Jesus Christ and this is very dangerous for you.  

Galatians 1:6-9

 6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: 7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. 9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

 

THE JEWS

 The Jews are in reality from one of the 13 tribes of ancient Israel, the tribe of Judah.  Jesus was a Jew through his mother Mary whose line traces back to King David Abraham and all the way back to Adam, the first human being.  The nation of Israel began in Egypt as an enslaved nation that after 400 years was led out of Egypt by Moses and into the promised land by Joshua.  Later on due to idolatry GOD punished Israel by allowing the Assyrians to conquer the northern ten tribes and about 130 years later the southern three tribes of Judah, Benjamin and Levi were conquered by Babylon and taken to Babylon.  After 70 years in Babylon GOD allowed these three tribes to return to their land but because most of them lost the knowledge of their tribal identity they all came to be called Jews.  For example the Apostle Matthew was a Levite and Paul was a Benjamite.  Throughout their time since being in Babylon the “Jews” were always a people ruled by another power, Greece and Rome. The Jews were banished from Judea after their rebellion against Rome in 70 AD, the year Rome destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple of the Jews. From that time forward the Jews wandered among the nations without no homeland until November 29th 1947 when by a United Nations resolution 181 established the nation of Israel that would take effect on May 14th 1948 when the British mandate ended.  

The vast majority of the “Jews” in Israel are peaceful people desiring the things everyone wants from life.  There does exist a small group that long ago abandoned their religion and have formed a secret clandestine network with goals of evil intent.  Becoming antisemitic because of this makes no sense as the majority of the Jewish people have nothing to do with what is called the Illuminati.  There are many conspiracy theories about this Illuminati and some are probably true and some are not.  Hating any people is wrong and violates the second of the two greatest of all commandments; you shall love your neighbor as yourself.  

Well this was a very brief article concerning a much more broader topic that would be better explained in a good history book combined with the Bible.  

SOME THINGS TO THINK ABOUT

 If you are married to an unconverted person it is impossible for them to love you as much as you love them.

I am preparing for the worst because that is what humanity will bring.

If Jesus was in the world today the one thing he would not be is a Christian.

An atheist is a sheep in wolves clothing, an agnostic is a sheep that is naked, a true Christian is a sheep clothed in white.

GOD created time so that everything didn’t happen at once.

A true Christian does not think GOD will love us because we are good but that GOD will make us good because HE loves us.

GOD does not give us everything we want but HE does lead us along the best and straightest path to HIMSELF.

GOD does not give us what we deserve, death, but HE does give us what we do not deserve, life.

GOD loves each of us as if there was only one of us.

GOD never said the journey would be easy but HE did say the arrival would be worthwhile.

GOD will meet you where you are in order to take you where HE wants you to go.

You don’t find GOD, HE finds you.

True GODLY love cannot be commanded or legislated, it is only by free will.

To truly become a Christian you must die in order to live, become a slave in order to be free, become a fool in order to be wise.

The things we can see are temporary but the things we cannot see are eternal.

I love GOD and I love Christ but I do not love organized religion. 

To be organized is to be arranged in a systematic and orderly way so that parts work together as a functional whole.  If true, then how can todays Christianity be organized ?

I like your Christ but I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.  Mahatma Gandhi

The most powerful anti-Christian movement today is called the church.  Rene Gerard

Christianity would be better off without religion.

Todays Christianity is like blind men feeling different parts of an elephant.  B. McLaughlin 

Organized religion is like saying drugs are good for you without distinguishing their drugs are cocaine.

When you get right down to it religion is what each person perceives it to be so according to this there are about 8.3 billion different religions.

The world, in its ways, is wiser than the children of light.  Jesus Christ 

Organized Christianity is best described by Jesus when he said, “Why do you call me Lord, Lord but do not do the things which I say ?”

To worship a god that you do not know is idolatry.

The trinity is a wicked form of polytheism.  Isaac Newton.

If you try to understand the trinity you will lose your your mind but if you believe it you already have. 

Life has no true Christian meaning when you think you are already an immortal soul.  

Human love and righteousness is like the belief in the immortality of the soul, it’s to good to be true.

We do not receive eternal life. We receive everlasting life. Only GOD is eternal.  We are not GOD. 

If you have something to add please do so in the comments.

DO INSECTS FISH AND PLANTS HAVE A SPIRIT ?

 

In response to a comment made by anonymous about the article titled “Spirits” I write this article to address the question asked, “What about insects, fish or plants, do they have a spirit ?”  I must confess that at first this question threw me, took me by surprise.  It was something that I had not ever thought about. After thinking, meditating and desiring GODS help the answers began to formulate in my mind and I consulted the scriptures.  The results are given below.

Every living thing breaths something. Nothing can survive in a vacuum, even extremophiles.  The breath required for life is not always a nitrogen oxygen atmosphere. Most Plants gravitate towards sunlight seek moisture and draw nutrients from the soil.  Whatever any type of plant does is what all plants of the same type do, there is no variety, no change, thus indicating no conscience, no thought, just non-sentient. The same is true of insects .  It is as though all plants and insects are preprogrammed to do whatever it is that they do.  In order for any life to be alive, and plants are alive, some type of spirit must be present, but this spirit is far different than that of humans and animals.  Humans are the highest form of animal and all other animals are far below them in intelligence and humans are sentient, that is awareness of self and others. 

 Each living thing has a spirit tailor made to what they are. Each after it’s own kind. Various kinds of behaviors are expected from each animal, they each have their own unique nature.  Cats don’t chase cars or lift their legs at fire hydrants.  Horses don’t climb trees or howl at the moon.  These things are obvious to the observer.  Fish are in their own way similar in this respect but even though the lower animals; fish, plants and insects are all different and operate differently from each other, they all need spirit in order to be alive. 

The following scriptures, I hope, may help in understanding all of these various life forms and even though there are drastic differences between them they all are alive. 

Ecclesiastes 3:19-20  “For what happens to the sons of men also happens to animals; one thing befalls them all, as one dies so dies the other. Surely they all have one breath (the breath of life) man has no advantage over the animals, for all is vanity. All go to the same place; all come from dust and all to dust return.”

Genesis 7:22-23  “Everything on dry land that had breath in its nostrils died; people, animals, creatures that move along the ground and the birds were wiped from the face of the Earth.”

Genesis 6:17  “And behold, I will bring floodwaters upon the Earth to destroy every creature under the heavens that has the breath of life. Everything on the Earth will perish.”

Genesis 1:30  “And to all the beasts of the Earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground, everything that has the breath of life in it, I give every green plant for food. And it was so.”

Genesis 8:13. “And never again will I destroy all living creatures as I have done.”

There are some in the scientific community that believe even plants have feelings and intelligence but scripture testifies that only humans are sentient.  You never see plants building sky scrapers or going to the moon.  Plants are the lowest form of life followed by bacteria, insects, aquatic, land creatures, humans, angels, Jesus and GOD.   GOD is the creator of all spirits, excepting HIMSELF, spirit is the breath of life and no life can exist in a vacuum.  

Extremophiles, or life that lives under extreme conditions of temperature variations and pressure variations, do exist and some while in the vacuum of space cannot thrive or reproduce and are dormant; which are conditions that are not life or living. True life is action, movement, processing and procreating.  Only Earth has extremophiles and some have been taken into space by astronauts and exposed to the vacuum of space and survived for various periods of time but never have any alien extremophiles been discovered.  

 If there are life forms on other planets I don’t believe that it would be sentient but more along the line of plants, microorganisms, or possibly slightly higher animal life.  Scripture is silent about this and concentrates on Earth not outer space.  

GOD created perhaps billions of spirits and each unique to the creature that they would be.  To be alive requires that life the spirit gives.  So yes, plants, insects, fish, bacteria and all others things, if alive have a spirit. 

“It is the spirit that gives life the body of any life form profits nothing.”  Modified John 6:63