THINGS TO COME

 Have you ever thought about the things to come, the future ?  Jesus told us to watch what is happening in the world and from that combined with his prophetic statements and those of the prophets and Apostles arrive at an understanding of where we are in the great plan of things.  

Matthew 24 ,  Mark 13 and Luke 21 are three accounts of what is called the Olivet prophecy.  In each of these three accounts the destruction of the second temple is mentioned and indeed that event occurred in 70 AD. 

 In his response to the question from his disciples Jesus never brought up the second temple destruction again but rather focused on answering the question the disciples asked him. When shall these things be and the sign of your coming and the end of the age ?  These were NOT  separate questions because the end of the age is the return of Jesus.  

Although this would be a disappointment it was also encouraging and edifying to insure that those who would remain faithful would indeed inherit the kingdom of GOD.   From the beginning of the response Jesus gives to his disciples question Jesus never mentions the second temple again but does explain future events that  would happen.  When our mind’s focus on the second temple, as having to do with the events Jesus spoke about, our thoughts will attempt to make what Jesus said fall in line with that idea.  This is a big mistake.  All through the verses in his answer that Jesus gives are one continuous answer.  There is no break in the middle that goes back to the second temple destruction, it’s not there.  To attempt to include this idea in the prophecy will lead to a misunderstanding of prophecy.  Just as the church and the Apostles misunderstood by thinking Jesus would return in their lifetime. Example of this is, 1 John 2:18 "We know this is the last hour" John truly thought Jesus would return in his life time.  The Apostle Paul describing the return said, "We who are alive and remain" indicating himself and those he was writing to would see the return of Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17  Then Peter in 1 Peter 4:7 said, "Then end of all things is at hand."  James 5:8 “ the coming of the Lord is at hand”. Even these Apostles thought Jesus would return in their lifetimes.  This is because they thought the destruction of the second temple would herald the second advent.

Some go to great lengths to connect the second temple destruction to events that are all yet future saying that certain events were fulfilled in 70 AD  with the destruction of the second temple when the information Jesus gives has nothing to do with the second temple.  The reason for this misconception is that Jesus did mention the second temple’s destruction in passing due to the comments of the disciples when they all were at the temple earlier , but later, on the mount of Olives, the prophetic events Jesus gave are thought by many to be connected with the second temple when they are not.  All the prophecy Jesus gave leads up to the third temple, the true time of his return and the fulfillment of those signs he gave.  Try giving a reading of all three gospel accounts of the Olivet discourse with the third temple in mind rather than the second.  There is no break in the narrative, Jesus relays information to answer the question that his disciples asked, “what is the sign of your coming and the end of the age.” The second temple had nothing to do with what Jesus said but the third temple does.  The comment Jesus made about the second temple was non sequitur, it wasn’t connected to the remarks he made later on the Mount of Olives.  One matter dealt only with the second temple destruction and the other with, “what will be the sign of your coming and the end of the age” , two unrelated topics.  The disciples said, “when shall these things be” and immediately people want to connect everything Jesus said to the second temple’s destruction.  In Acts 1:6-7 the disciples asked, “will you at this time restore the kingdom of Israel” , because they were thinking the destruction of the second temple would bring the kingdom of GOD.  The answer Jesus gave should put and end to this and all questions about the timing of the arrival of the kingdom and the events leading up to it. “It is not for you to know the times and the seasons which the FATHER has put in HIS own authority.”  People come up with all sorts of ideas about what Matthew 24 is saying but they will be wrong because only the FATHER knows and HE reveals HIS secrets only to HIS servants the prophets and today that is the church. Unto you, (or us the church) , it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of GOD, but to others it is not given.  Matthew 13:11

To summarize; the knowledge given in the book of Revelation could not have been known prior to 70 AD because the church at that time believed that Christ would return in their lifetime and they thought the second temple destruction would be the sign of the return of Jesus.  They had no knowledge of a future third temple.  If the church had the knowledge contained in the book of Revelation in 67 AD they would have known that the return of Jesus was far off, along with the events concerning the end of the age.  

In Daniel 9:26 the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple by the Romans is recorded but in the very next verse, verse 27, the abomination of desolation is set up. 2Thessalonians 2:4  the event described here by Paul, who thought Jesus would return very soon, no doubt thought the man of sin would be in the second temple.  Daniel 9:26-27 shows the desolation happening after the Romans destroyed the second temple thus indicating that there will be a third temple.

Polycarp, a disciple of the Apostle John, lived from 69 AD to 155 AD . He was an infant when the second temple was destroyed.  To have been taught by the Apostle John Polycarp would had to have been old enough to understand.  Polycarp was only a year old when the second temple was destroyed.  If we estimate Polycarp was 20 when he began to be instructed by John then it would have been about 89 AD and both John and Polycarp would have known about the destruction of the second temple but neither mention it in their writings thus showing its insignificance in events concerning prophecy or doctrine.  The church had no need of a physical temple.

No Emperor prior to Nerva had ever released    prisoners from the isle of Patmos, Nerva is the only one and he reigned from 96 AD to 98 AD .  Therefore the book of Revelation had to have been written sometime between 96 & 98 AD while John was on Patmos. You can verify this information in secular history free from religious bias  on the internet. The following is from a Roman historical web site: 

Following the death of Emperor Domitian in 96 AD, his successor Nerva recalled exiles and released prisoners, an act historically documented to include those banished to Patmos, notably the Apostle John

. This move helped restore order and reversed the tyrannical policies, including treason trials, of the previous administration. 

•  

The idea of Preterism, both full and partial, began in the Catholic Church as a response to Protestants saying the Pope was the antichrist. Certain Jesuit priests concocted the idea that the book of Revelation was written in 67 AD thus placing the antichrist before the destruction of the second temple thereby disproving the accusation that the Pope is the antichrist. From Wikipedia:

 At the time of the Counter-Reformation, the Jesuit Luis de Alcasar wrote a prominent preterist exposition of prophecy.^{[3][page needed][4]} Moses Stuart noted in 1845 that Alcasar's preterist interpretation advantaged the Roman Catholic Church during its arguments with Protestants,^[5] and Kenneth Newport in an eschatological commentary in 2000 described preterism as a Catholic defense against the Protestant historicist view which identified the Roman Catholic Church as a persecuting apostasy.^[6]   His work, published posthumously in 1614, sought to counter Protestant interpretations that identified the Pope as the Antichrist, proposing instead that prophecies in Revelation were fulfilled in the first century.

 This historical information is also available on the internet.  In addition, two early church members, Irenaeus of Lions and Eusebius of Caesarea, wrote about the Apostle Johns exile to Patmos and place the date during the reign of Domitian in AD 95 and John was later released by emperor Nerva in AD 96.  

Emperor Nerva was known as one of the 5 good Emperors who instituted many reforms including ending banishing people who opposed unfair treatment and freed political prisoners and exiles, restored the Roman senates influence and no longer executed Senators and returned property to prisoners and exiles.  It was during Nerve's reign that the Apostle John was released from Patmos in about 96 AD.  John was sent to Patmos during the reign of Domitian, 81 AD to 96 AD.  Therefore the second temple that was destroyed in 70 AD cannot be the temple John described in the Revelation.  The early church under the leadership of the Apostles believed Jesus would return in their lifetime and based this on the assumption that the second temple destruction would set in motion the Olivet prophecy.  They had no knowledge of a future third temple that is currently planned to be built by groups in Israel.  

The great tribulation is said by Preterists to have occurred in 70 AD with the destruction of the second temple by the Romans.  Jesus described the tribulation as a time unparalleled in human history that if not shortened would kill all humanity.  There are ten nations that come against Jerusalem in the future not just one as in AD 70.  There was no man of sin in the temple declaring himself GOD.  Immediately after the tribulation Christ returns which did not happen in 70 AD.  There are so many things that just don’t add up with the Preterist view of prophecy.  

In other articles on this blog I have proven that Jerusalem is the harlot and Israel is the beast rising up out of the sea, therefore Rome, nor any of its emperor’s can be the beast.

I have spent many hours on the internet looking into the history of the early church and the writings of the post Apostolic church leadership. I have researched the Roman Emperors who reigned during the times of these events in dispute and have concluded that any form of Preterism is not true. 

 This will mean nothing to those who hold to the idea of Preterism. This is similar to the false idea of the immortal soul, the trinity or legalism, that those who hold to these beliefs will not give them up no matter how much evidence exists to disprove them.  

I found The following article while doing an internet search about birthright citizenship. I agree with the authors comments.  Birthright citizenship makes the location of birth rather than the allegiance to the nation the priority to determine citizenship. The results of this error are what we have been seeing in the news today; chaos and violence.

 Birthright Citizenship: A Fundamental Misunderstanding of the 14th Amendment
Oct 30, 2018  

COMMENTARY BY

Hans A. von Spakovsky

Former Election Law Reform Initiative Manager
Hans von Spakovsky was the Election Law Reform Initiative Manager at The Heritage Foundation.
The 14th Amendment doesn’t say that all persons born in the U.S. are citizens.

Key Takeaways

Critics claim that anyone born in the United States is automatically a U.S. citizen, even if their parents are here illegally.

Its original meaning refers to the political allegiance of an individual and the jurisdiction that a foreign government has over that individual.

Birthright citizenship has been implemented by executive fiat, not because it is required by federal law or the Constitution.
 

What’s the citizenship status of the children of illegal aliens? That question has spurred quite a debate over the 14th Amendment lately, with the news that several states—including Pennsylvania, Arizona, Oklahoma, Georgia, and South Carolina—may launch efforts to deny automatic citizenship to such children.

Critics claim that anyone born in the United States is automatically a U.S. citizen, even if their parents are here illegally. But that ignores the text and legislative history of the 14th Amendment, which was ratified in 1868 to extend citizenship to freed slaves and their children.  This was the sole reason for the 14th amendment.

The 14th Amendment doesn’t say that all persons born in the U.S. are citizens. It says that “[a]ll persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof” are citizens. That second, critical, conditional phrase is conveniently ignored or misinterpreted by advocates of “birthright” citizenship.

Critics erroneously believe that anyone present in the United States has “subjected” himself “to the jurisdiction” of the United States, which would extend citizenship to the children of tourists, diplomats, and illegal aliens alike.

But that is not what that qualifying phrase means. Its original meaning refers to the political allegiance of an individual and the jurisdiction that a foreign government has over that individual.

The fact that a tourist or illegal alien is subject to our laws and our courts if they violate our laws does not place them within the political “jurisdiction” of the United States as that phrase was defined by the framers of the 14th Amendment.

This amendment’s language was derived from the 1866 Civil Rights Act, which provided that “[a]ll persons born in the United States, and not subject to any foreign power” would be considered citizens.

Sen. Lyman Trumbull, a key figure in the adoption of the 14th Amendment, said that “subject to the jurisdiction” of the U.S. included not owing allegiance to any other country.

As John Eastman, former dean of the Chapman School of Law, has said, many do not seem to understand “the distinction between partial, territorial jurisdiction, which subjects all who are present within the territory of a sovereign to the jurisdiction of that sovereign’s laws, and complete political jurisdiction, which requires allegiance to the sovereign as well.”  Plainly stated, if you are in a foreign country you must obey their laws but you are not under their jurisdiction, you are not a citizen.

In the famous Slaughter-House cases of 1872, the Supreme Court stated that this qualifying phrase was intended to exclude “children of ministers, consuls, and citizens or subjects of foreign States born within the United States.” This was confirmed in 1884 in another case, Elk vs. Wilkins, when citizenship was denied to an American Indian because he “owed immediate allegiance to” his tribe and not the United States.

American Indians and their children did not become citizens until Congress passed the Indian Citizenship Act of 1924. There would have been no need to pass such legislation if the 14th Amendment extended citizenship to every person born in America, no matter what the circumstances of their birth, and no matter who their parents are.

Even in U.S. v. Wong Kim Ark, the 1898 case most often cited by “birthright” supporters due to its overbroad language, the court only held that a child born of lawful, permanent residents was a U.S. citizen. That is a far cry from saying that a child born of individuals who are here illegally must be considered a U.S. citizen.

Of course, the judges in that case were strongly influenced by the fact that there were discriminatory laws in place at that time that restricted Chinese immigration, a situation that does not exist today.

The court’s interpretation of the 14th Amendment as extending to the children of legal, non-citizens was incorrect, according to the text and legislative history of the amendment. But even under that holding, citizenship was not extended to the children of illegal aliens—only permanent, legal residents.

It is just plain wrong to claim that the children born of parents temporarily in the country as students or tourists are automatically U.S. citizens: They do not meet the 14th Amendment’s jurisdictional allegiance obligations. They are, in fact, subject to the political jurisdiction (and allegiance) of the country of their parents. The same applies to the children of illegal aliens because children born in the United States to foreign citizens are citizens of their parents’ home country.

Federal law offers them no help either. U.S. immigration law (8 U.S.C. § 1401) simply repeats the language of the 14th Amendment, including the phrase “subject to the jurisdiction thereof.”

The State Department has erroneously interpreted that statute to provide passports to anyone born in the United States, regardless of whether their parents are here illegally and regardless of whether the applicant meets the requirement of being “subject to the jurisdiction” of the U.S. Accordingly, birthright citizenship has been implemented by executive fiat, not because it is required by federal law or the Constitution.

We are only one of a very small number of countries that provides birthright citizenship, and we do so based not upon the requirements of federal law or the Constitution, but based upon an erroneous executive interpretation. Congress should clarify the law according to the original meaning of the 14th Amendment and reverse this practice.

Originally published by Fox News in 2011

This piece originally appeared in The Daily Signal

ONCE SAVED ALWAYS SAVED ???

 There is a belief that is commonplace among many worldly churches that when a person is baptized they are saved.  Is this true ?  First we must define what salvation is.  Matthew 24:13  “the one who endures to the end will be saved”  the end of what ?   1 Peter 1:5 “who are protected by the power of GOD through faith for the salvation to be revealed in the last time”.  It appears that salvation or being saved is an event that happens in the last time or at the end. The mistake in thinking we are saved now is linked to baptism. To think being baptized is being saved is an error. Baptism is the beginning of our journey toward salvation which is at the end of the journey not the beginning.  It also helps to know just what salvation is.  Salvation is being born into the kingdom of GOD as an immortal, impeccable spirit being.  1 Corinthians 15:50-53  “flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of GOD” so if you are flesh and blood you have not yet been saved.  “We will All be changed”, “at the last trumpet” when Jesus returns. “We must be clothed with immortality” we, while flesh and blood,  are mortal but when Jesus returns we will become immortal, composed of spirit and be incapable of sin.   It is a true statement to say that no one has ever received salvation yet, because it is given when Jesus returns.  If we already had salvation we would not hope for it , who hopes for what they already have ?  Romans 8:24   Rather we are to hope for what we do not yet have.  Romans 8:25   To this day no one has ever been saved, it is a future event that happens when Jesus returns.  

Therefore people who say when they are baptized that they got saved is not true. Being converted is not salvation.  Perhaps what throws people off track are the comments made by the Apostles when speaking about salvation. They saw GODS promise of salvation as such a sure thing that they sometimes spoke of it as though we already had it.  

When reading the scriptures it is paramount, extremely important, that we define or find the definition of words like salvation, faith, immortality, spirit and many more so to have the understanding of what they mean before we reach a conclusion about them.  This is a very common error made with many things, many subjects contained in the scriptures.  The truth must be rightly divided to be  correctly understood  and we must never just assume something but rather prove everything. 

1 Thessalonians 5:21 “Prove all things”    We have been given the hope of a great salvation that we should not neglect.  Hebrews 2:3 

GODS elect saints are taught by divine revelation from GOD through Jesus Christ just as the Apostle Paul was, “For I want you to know brothers that the gospel that I preach is not from man. I did not receive it from any man nor was I taught it by any man rather I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.”  Galatians 1:11-12   Any spiritual thing that the saints are taught and understand is by revelation from GOD through Jesus Christ.  

Now that we have shown that salvation is a yet future event that happens when Jesus returns this shows us that the idea of baptism saving us or “once saved always saved” is also incorrect because,  You cannot always have what you have not been given in the first place.  You may have been converted but salvation is not a reality until Jesus returns to give it.  It is also possible to lose the hope of salvation if we commit the unpardonable sin because this sin is unforgivable and resulting in everlasting death.  Jesus and the Apostles warn us about this in Mark 3:29   Matthew 12:31-32   Luke 12:10  and Hebrews 6:4-6   Hebrews 10:26-29   1 John 5:16   These scriptures prove that the HOPE of salvation is lost if someone commits the unpardonable sin.  Therefore “once saved always saved” is not true from this perspective.  However if the truth be known to you then “once saved always saved” is true because in the end when Jesus returns and you finally receive salvation only then is salvation permanent, everlasting, and you will never lose it.  It is a matter of properly understanding the scriptures, of defining words and their proper meaning with guidance of GODS spirt to arrive at the truth of all things,  John 16:13   John 14:26  1 Corinthians 2:10-13   It is the spirit of GOD by revelation that we understand spiritual truths.  Once saved always saved is a matter of perspective based on revealed truth.  

NOT OF THIS WORLD

 What did Jesus mean when he said he was not of this world ?  John 8:23   Not of this world is the same as saying not of this creation.  The virgin birth of Jesus with GOD being his FATHER made Jesus the very first of the ultimate creation of GOD but as a human being . Revelation 3:14  The creation referred to in this verse is not this physical creation, it is the spirit creation. Hebrews 12:23  When the saints are born into the kingdom they will become impeccable, that is unable to sin, composed entirely of spirit and immortal .  They will be changed to be this way because they are certainly not that way now. Jesus was the firstborn of this creation and was created impeccable, he could not sin and all Jesus needed was to be glorified, made a spirit being .  Jesus is called the second Adam for this reason.  Jesus had the exact or express character of his GOD.  Hebrews 1:3  This is why his life in the flesh is to be and example to follow to be in the kingdom. This was necessary for Jesus to be the messiah, to make his life precious in GODS sight so that whoever would believe could have access to grace for the forgiveness of sin.  The saints are to reckon themselves not of this world or creation because Jesus wasn’t.  John 17:16  This is a spiritual thing not a physical thing. 1 Corinthians 6:17  The one and only true baptism symbolizes that we have died with Jesus and our lives hidden in him until he returns and we are raised from the dead.  Colossians 3:3  Now Jesus lives in you by the power of the spirit of his GOD and FATHER.  Jesus is your hope of glory. Galatians 2:20   Colossians 1:27   So the current spiritual state of GODS elect saints is ; Romans 8:10

Just as Jesus was created in the image of his GOD and FATHER we are being recreated to be in the image of Jesus.  2 Corinthians 3:18  Romans 8:29  1 John 3:2  John 17:22   

This is why we are not of this creation, not of this world.  

SPIRITUAL LOGIC AND REASONING —— USING THE TRUTH ON YOUR FOUNDATION TO BE REVEALED EVEN MORE TRUTH

 

All the saints have a spiritual foundation they build on.  Some saints have more of a foundation than others because they have been in the faith longer than a babe in Christ.  Typically the one who has been in the faith longer has more on their foundation.  If one has the truth of what death is then any other teaching that contradicts this truth is a lie.  Things like going to heaven or hell in a conscious state or the belief in near death experiences are lies because we know that the dead are not conscious.  This combined with the truth that Jesus Christ was 100% human and 0% GOD died in the exact same manner as all humans do, therefore Jesus lost consciousness at death and therefore he could not have preached to people in hell or to the demons when he was dead.  We know all humans are mortal and do not have an immortal soul but rather are a soul that can and does die.  Jesus and all other humans are souls and die.  Scripture says that Jesus poured out his soul unto death this means that the complete person, body and spirit.  John said, This is how you can recognize the spirit of GOD; Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from GOD. 1 John 4:2   If you know that Jesus was a flesh and blood human being only then is your spirit of GOD. Then we have  1 John 4:3  but every spirit that does not acknowledge that Jesus did come in the flesh is not of GOD and this is the spirit of antichrist……

By taking the truth you already know and applying it to answer a question that arises will help serve to guide into even more truth.  All the information given above will also serve to prove that Jesus Christ is not GOD and there are many other scriptures that will support this truth.  

We have known that the Ten Commandments are what we need saved from because they condemn all humanity to everlasting death because of sin. If it were not for GOD providing for us a hope through Jesus of a resurrection from the dead then we wouldn’t have any hope. This knowledge makes our first death temporary and we die simply because we are mortal but if when converted and having GODS spirit in us we commit the unpardonable sin death is everlasting because you have lost all the benefits Jesus provides including a resurrection.  

All of what is required to understand these things you already have on your foundation but  you must apply them to whatever question you may have.  If you have anything on your foundation that is not true; wood, hay and stubble, then when tried by fire you will suffer loss of the wood, hay and stubble but yet still receive salvation.  Each saint builds on their own foundation but through fellowship with others who have been in the faith longer have opportunity to avoid the wood, hay and stubble and on their foundation and have only gold, silver and precious stones.  

In the church today all the saints are new covenant prophets and prophetesses being taught by GOD through Jesus Christ the mediator by divine revelation just like the Apostles and prophets were. There is no human ministry.  If we have grown in the spirit sufficiently enough so we can prove these things out with the scriptures and guidance of the Holy Spirit.  

All our thoughts must be spiritual not carnal. We compare spiritual things with spiritual.  1 Corinthians 2:13  We pray, study, meditate and seek GODS help to understand.  This process I call Spiritual logic.

If we are to become proficient in our spiritual growth this is how it will be done.  If you do not find time to give yourself to these things you will not grow.  It even may be that things you once knew will be forgotten.  Hebrews 5:14 “those who by reason of use or constant practice, have their spiritual senses exercised to discern both good and evil.”  See also Philippians 1:9-10  Romans 12:2  Ephesians 4:13-14

If we do not not apply ourselves to the things GOD has freely given to us how would this reflect our perception of their value ?   I encourage all GODS saints to use the gifts they have been given to grow in the spirit and edify the brethren.  

I know something about this because I have been doing this for the last 32 years.  I give GOD all the glory for what HE has done.  This is how we all grow in HIS spirit.  

ANOTHER POINT OF VIEW ON 1 PETER 3:19-21 BY A FELLOW UNAMED THAT IS MOSTLY TRUE BUT HAS AN ERROR THAT I HAVE CORRECTED AND QUITE FRANKLY I AM AMAZED HE KNOWS A MUCH AS HE DOES

Below is something I found on the internet about 1 Peter 3:19-21   This fellow has a good bit of the truth concerning these verses but at the end still gets it wrong.  I will correct his error.

LESSON 7

BY WHOM ALSO HE WENT AND PREACHED TO THE SPIRITS IN PRISON: AN EXPOSITION ON PETER'S WORDS IN 1 PETER 3:19

You are welcome to another edition of Insights from God's Word, a Bible study programme that is committed to sharing God's Word by allowing the Bible to speak for itself.

In this edition, we continue with our series on The Truth About Death. In this study, I want us to consider the topic: "by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison": An exposition on Peter's words in 1 Peter 3:19.

A) The popular interpretation in regard to the above text within Christendom is that when Christ died, He descended into hell and actually preached to some spirits of dead people who have been bound in the prison house of hell. This teaching became very popular when the various mainstream Protestant denominations began to utilize the Catholic Church's Apostle's Creed for liturgical and catechetical purposes. The 12 stanzas of the apostle's creed are as follows: 1. I believe in God the Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth:

2. And in Jesus Christ, His only begotten Son, our Lord:

3. Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary:

4. Suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, dead and buried: He descended into hell:

5. The third day He rose again from the dead:

6. He ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty:

7. From thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead:

8. I believe in the Holy Ghost:

9. I believe in the holy Catholic Church: the communion of saints:

10. The forgiveness of sins:

11. The resurrection of the body:

12. And the life everlasting. Amen.

(Bold emphasis added to lines 3, 4 and 9) Friends, even though I have serious questions with some of the stanzas in respect to their consistency with Scripture (that is; stanzas 3 and 9), the 4th stanza of this creed has been the underlying catalyst in spreading the false interpretation associated with our key text in 1 Peter 3:19. The 4th stanza of the apostle's creed reads: "Suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, dead and buried: HE DESCENDED INTO HELL:" (Capital Emphasis Added).

B) Beloved, this teaching that Christ descended into hell, and preached to some dead spirits in the prison house of hell is contrary to the principle of the unity of the entire Scriptures (John 10:35). In fact, our previous knowledge on the state of the dead clearly emphasized that the dead (whether righteous or wicked) are not conscious of anything   He has this right.  (Ecclesiastes 9:5-6, 10; Psalm 146:3-4; Job 14:20-21), and that their abode is in the grave (Job 17:13-16; Job 7:9-10; John 5:28-29; Daniel 12:2). This biblical fact is also true of Christ's death (see Luke 23:46-53; Matthew 27:50-60).

Since the popular interpretation of 1 Peter 3:19 within Christendom does not harmonize with the rest of Scripture on the condition of man after death, it cannot be a correct interpretation. We must therefore critically consider what the apostle Peter really meant when he made the statement "by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison".  This is using spiritual logic, this is good.

C) Friends, for us to obtain a clear understanding of difficult verses in Scripture, we need to consider among other things the entire passage in which the difficult text is positioned. And so in this segment of our study, we are going to consider the entire passage of 1 Peter 3:17-21. I believe an analysis of the various verses in this passage will help us to come away with an understanding of our key text in 1 Peter 3:19. The entire passage from which our key text is found reads:

C1) 3:17 "For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil."

Key Explanation: The apostle Peter is basically saying here that we should suffer for well doing rather than to suffer for doing evil (see also 1 Peter 4:12-16). Suffering or persecution is part of the Christian walk (2 Timothy 3:12). Christ once even encouraged His followers to take up their cross and follow Him (Luke 9:22-24).

C2) 3:18 "For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit,"

Key Explanation: Christ once suffered the ultimate penalty on a cross for the sins of the human race (Luke 23; Philippians 2:5-11; Acts 17:2-3). Our Lord suffered not because He had sinned Himself, but because of the sins of you and I. From Isaiah 53, we read the following: "53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

53:7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.

53:8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.

53:9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; (The death of Jesus and the deaths of the wicked and rich show us that Jesus died the same death as they did.)  because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth."

(Isaiah 53:6-9) Beloved, the verse 18 of our key passage also makes it clear that Christ suffered and died as a human being (that is, in the flesh) so that He will reconcile us unto God (see Philippians 2:5-11; 2 Corinthians 5:18-21). Our Saviour was not to remain in the grave. He was raised up from the dead by the Spirit of God. From Romans 8:11, we read these clear words of Scripture: "But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you."

C3) 3:19 by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison,

Now, he explains the same thing I have in my article, that we need to combine the continuing thought because the text jumps from Jesus to Noah and that Jesus by the same holy spirit that raised him from the dead empowered him to preach the gospel to the prisoners alive in his day.

Key Explanation: To understand this key text, it is important to note the progression of thought in the last part of verse 18 and the early part of verse 19. If we combine the last part of verse 18 and the early part of verse 19, we obtain the following text: "18...being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, 19 by whom (by the same spirit) also He went and preached ... " This progression of thought brings out the clear point that the Spirit Who raised up Christ from the dead was the same Spirit through whom Christ preached. (the preaching he did before he died to those in prison in his day) Thus friends, an important point we need to mark here is that it was not Christ Himself Who did the preaching; rather, He did it through the Holy Spirit. John 7:16 "My doctrine is not my own but HIS that sent me"

Another key point that is clear from Scripture is that the Holy Spirit works through human agents (John 14:17, 26; 2 Peter 1:21). This fact presupposes that the Holy Spirit also did not do the preaching Himself, but rather inspired a human agent to do so. With an understanding of these clear points, we should be looking out in the subsequent texts for the human agent through whom the Holy Spirit preached.

From the verse 18, it becomes clear that this human agent who was filled by the Holy Spirit preached unto some spirits in prison. The word SPIRIT (pneumasin in Greek) as used in this text can refer to living people (see Hebrews 12:23). Thus, the term SPIRITS IN PRISON does accurately refer to LIVING PEOPLE WHO ARE CHAINED IN THE PRISON HOUSE OF SIN. Let us consider some scriptural passages that make this point clearer:

i) "6 I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles; 7 To open the blind eyes, TO BRING OUT THE PRISONERS FROM THE PRISON, AND THEM THAT SIT IN DARKNESS OUT OF THE PRISON HOUSE" (Isaiah 42:6-7; Capital Emphasis Added).

ii) "The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, TO PROCLAIM LIBERTY TO THE CAPTIVES, AND THE OPENING OF THE PRISON TO THEM THAT ARE BOUND" (Isaiah 61:1; Capital Emphasis Added).

iii) "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, TO PREACH DELIVERANCE TO THE CAPTIVES, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised" (Luke 4:18; Capital Emphasis Added).

Friends, from the passages of Scripture above, we learn that one of the mission statements of Christ for fallen humanity was to free us from the prison house of sin. Satan, the enemy of souls has made us captives of several sinful behaviours of which we have no inner power to free ourselves. From Isaiah 14:17, it is said concerning the devil: "That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; THAT OPENED NOT THE HOUSE OF HIS PRISONERS?" (Capital Emphasis Added).

Beloved, from the Bible, we learn that the Christian warfare is a spiritual warfare. The apostle Paul makes it clear that: "we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places" (Ephesians 6:12). Thus friends, Satan’s prison house in this spiritual warfare is basically the prison house of sin (see also Romans 6:6, 17, 20). It is in this prison house that many are spiritually held captives by the devil. How many of us have not struggled to overcome a sinful behaviour in the past? How many are there that do even struggle today? As the Scripture clearly points out, it takes only the power of Christ working through the Holy Spirit to free us from the bondage of sin (see Galatians 5:1; 1 Corinthians 15:57; Revelation 12:11).

Thus, our key text in 1 Peter 3:19 can simply be interpreted as follows: Through the Holy Spirit working through a human agent, Christ preached to people who were bound in various sinful behaviours. But two key questions that beg for answers at this point in our study are these:

i) Who is the human agent through whom the Spirit of Christ preached?  

ii) Which people were the recipients of this preaching?

Beloved, our very next text sheds light on these important questions above. The verse 20 of our key passage reads:

C4) 3:20 "who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water."

Key Explanation: Amazingly, the passage becomes clearer as we go along. We are told right from the beginning of the verse 20 that the spirits in prison were disobedient. That is to say, these people lived in sin. In other words, they were captives or slaves to various sinful behaviours as we have already noted (Isaiah 42:6-7; Isaiah 61:1; Luke 4:18; Isaiah 14:17). The verse 20 goes on to say that these disobedient people lived at some time in the past; specifically, during the time of Noah. Beloved, it is interesting to note from Scripture that the people who lived in Noah's day were so disobedient to the commandments of God that the Lord decided to wipe out the entire human race from the face of the planet (Genesis 6:1-9). We are told in Genesis 6:8 that Noah however found grace in the eyes of the Lord. The patriarch Noah was commissioned by God to build an ark that will serve as a refuge for those who will heed the voice of God. From 2 Peter 2:5, we learn that Noah was ‘a preacher of righteousness’ to the antediluvian world. But despite his 120 years of Spirit - filled preaching, only eight souls decided to renounce their sins and enter into the ark of salvation (Genesis 7:6-7; 1 Peter 3:20).

C5) 3:21 "There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,"

Key Explanation: Even as entering the ark was a public profession of faith in God during the time of Noah, so is Christian baptism a public profession of faith in Christ in our day. Even as those who entered the ark were saved through the waters, so will it be that all those who come to believe in Christ and are baptized, will be saved (Mark 16:16; John 3:5, 15).

D) Thus friends, it is clear from the points we have gone through so far that our key text in 1 Peter 3:19 does not teach that Christ descended into hell to preach to some dead spirits in prison. The key message the entire passage (that is, 1 Peter 3:17-21) seeks to convey is as follows:

17 It is better to suffer for well doing than for evil doing. 18 In this respect, Christ gave us an example when He died for our sins so that He could reconcile us unto God. Even though Christ died, He was resurrected by the Spirit of God.   Here is this fellows error.  He thinks the spirit of Christ inspired the preaching of Noah. Jesus did not even exist in the days of Noah, therefore it was the spirit of GOD that inspired Noah, the same spirit that inspired Jesus to preach in his day. 19 With the Spirit of God working through a human agent, that is Noah, Christ preached to the antediluvians who were bound in various sinful behaviours.  Christ did not preach to the antediluvians, Noahdid by the spirit of the FATHER.   20 This action our Saviour performed, so that He could reconcile them also to God.  This is a lie, Jesus did not perform this action, Jesus would not even exist until 3,000 years later. But despite Noah's 120 years of Spirit - filled preaching, only eight souls were saved. 21 Even as entering the ark was a public profession of faith for the penitent during the time of Noah, so is baptism a public profession of faith in Christ in our day. Even as those who entered the ark were saved through the waters, so will it be that all those who come to believe in Christ and are baptized, will be saved.

Exhortation: This study clearly admonishes us to quickly respond to the voice of the Holy Spirit before it is too late. It is the voice of Christ not the FATHER we respond to because Jesus is the mediator and GOD speaks to us through Jesus. From the words of Christ in Matthew 24, we come across the same warning: "37 But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, 39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be" (Matthew 24:37-39). NOTE: Scriptural References utilized in this study are from either the King James Version or the New King James Version of the Bible.

In our next study, we will consider the topic: "For this reason the gospel was preached also to those who are dead...": An exposition on Peter's words in 1 Peter 4:6. The Bible Study references for this study are 1 Peter 4:1-19, 2 Timothy 4:1, Acts 10:42, Hebrews 6:1, Ephesians 2:1, Ephesians 5:14, Colossians 2:13, Luke 15:32, and Matthew 5:10-12. Please do well to go through these passages before the next study is released.  The "those who are dead” are the people listed in Hebrews 11, GODS ancient saints, the elect before Christ. The gospel was preached unto Abraham, Galatians 3:8  Abraham is now dead and so are all of those in Hebrews 11.  This is how the gospel was preached to those who are dead.  I did not read this fellows writing about this but he probably has it wrong if he thinks Jesus somehow did it.

Stay blessed and keep shining for King Jesus.

Maranatha!

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THE SPIRITS IN PRISON PART 2

 

With the previous article about the spirits in prison there has been more comments made than in any other article posted on this blog.  The comments vary from those accepting Jesus was conscious after death, to those who believe he was not conscious, to those who say they don’t know.  This situation shows disagreements exist over this issue.  This article is written to address this concern.  In it I will attempt to bring out some more information to consider. Keep in mind that Greek philosophy heavily influenced the translation of the New Testament scriptures as they abandoned Jewish thought and were also influenced by the heresy of the trinity.

Here are the disputed verses:

1 Peter 3:18-20

“For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in (indeed or truly Strongs G3303) the flesh but made alive by the spirit by whom also (referring back to the spirit that empowered Jesus to preach the gospel) he went (while alive) and preached (the gospel) to the spirits in prison (human beings) who formerly  (in the old time Strongs G4218) were disobedient (but now are HIS faithful elect).  When once (a long time ago) the long suffering of God waited in the days of Noah while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, eight were saved through water.”

Jesus was put to death as a human being but was raised from the dead by God, Jesus was alive in the flesh again when he was resurrected from the dead. The “by whom” is referring back to Gods Spirit that empowered Jesus to preach to the spirits in prison or humans alive in his day, when he preached the gospel to the prisoners before he was crucified, these imprisoned human spirits were formerly disobedient. This is referring to people that were called and chosen who were formerly disobedient but heard the gospel preached by Jesus and became obedient, of which are very few.  Take note that I have eliminated verse 19 placed a period between the words disobedient and when because one thought ends and another begins. The line of thought here jumps from the time of Christ to the time of Noah. Verse 21 explains that Peter is making a comparison between the gospel being preached by Jesus and the preaching of Noah to the people of Noah’s day along with the waters of Noah to baptism . verse 21 “and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also, not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward GOD.  It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.”

Jesus did not exist in the time of Noah, unless you believe Jesus preexisted, because then you open a can of worms that smells of the trinity or the immortal soul .  What Peter is  doing here is comparing the few saved in this current age by baptism to the 8 souls saved by water during the great flood of Noah’s day. Now Noah was a preacher of righteousness who preached to the prisoners of his day, 2 Peter 2:5 , and just like in the day of Christ only a few would be saved so it was in Noah’s day.  Matthew 24:37  These verses are in no way saying that Jesus preached to the prisoners of Noah’s day because they are all dead and unconscious according to scripture, but do you think they had an immortal soul ?  Believing Jesus was conscious after his death is against all other biblical truth but yet some use these two verses to throw out the truth and accept a heresy.   

There is more evidence that Jesus died in the exact same way all humans do.  Jesus is the “first fruits of them that have fallen asleep” ; this showing that Jesus fell asleep along with the others who fell asleep.  1 Corinthians 15:20  Jesus is “the first born of the dead”, showing there are others who are now dead that will follow him. Colossians 1:18  1 Thessalonians 4:14. Romans 8:11   John 20:17 “I am not yet ascended to my FATHER” , this statement by Jesus refutes the idea of Jesus being conscious after death.  It mentions ascending to the FATHER, Acts 1:9 , is where Jesus ascended to the FATHER and at this time did so consciously.  At some point during the ascension Jesus was changed from flesh to spirit because flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of GOD. 1 Corinthians 15:50  

Jesus was constantly called “a man”  Jesus was 100% human but also 100% immersed in his GODS spirit so that he was one with GOD.  This was the difference between Christ and us as we only have a measure or portion of the spirit whereas Jesus dwelled in the FATHER and the FATHER dwelt in Jesus, Jesus and his FATHER were one.  John 10:30 This was necessary for Jesus to be the messiah.  

Now, another thing I will tell you that perhaps you will not believe. Before the Jesus event all human death was everlasting but the first advent of Jesus changed this because GOD through Jesus provided two resurrections of the dead.  After this the first death became temporary and it was appointed to all once to die but afterwards the judgment.  Hebrews 9:27   Currently the church of GOD is judged now, 1 Peter 4:17  1 Corinthians 11:31-32  and this because they enter the kingdom when Christ returns but the rest of humanity is judged at the great white throne.  Revelation 20:11-15  We, the elect of this current time, escape this white throne judgement because we will have entered the kingdom long before that time.   

Ezekiel 37:1-28 is a prophecy about the second resurrection.  The whole house of Israel is raised from the dead but they thought before they died that they had perished forever, “Our bones are dried up our hope is gone”, Ezekiel 37:11 ,  but GOD brings them back to physical life. Ezekiel 37:4-10  

If you want to know the definition of something spiritual GOD will through Jesus teach you. GOD has defined in detail what death is and what life is and never do the two mix together, you can’t be both at the same time.  A person is either dead and unconscious or alive and conscious, there is no in between. Isaiah and David knew this, Psalm 118:17   Psalm 115:17  Isaiah 38:18-19   I could show you a dozen scriptures to prove this.  If Jesus saves us from the death we die then Jesus had to die the same death we die.  How could Jesus taste death for us all if he did not really experience the death we die but lived consciously in heaven.  

Yet another thing to consider; chapter numbers, verse numbers and punctuation did not exist in the first century AD but were added from the 13th to the 16th centuries by unconverted men, many in an attempt to support the lies they preached.  These verses in 1 Peter 3:18-20 are only one example of this.  When people read these verses thinking the verse numbers and punctuation are there to give clarity actually makes them into a lie.  The Holy Spirit in GODS elect saints aids them to see this type of deception because when you already know some established truth and apply these truths to these verses it makes no sense because the verse numbering and punctuation interrupts the truth of the verses.  In these disputed verses in 1 Peter 3:18-20 this is exactly what has happened and because of this some people think Jesus after his death was conscious when what these verses really doing is comparing the few people that are saved from Noah’s day to Christs day and that baptism is similar to the waters of Noah.  Isaiah 54:9   Matthew 24:37-39   Hebrews 11:7   2 Peter 3:6-7   Genesis 9:11   

Peter is showing us the similarities between Christ and Noah; both were preachers of righteousness, both preached to the prisoners of their day, one world judged by water the other by fire, that in both the preaching of Christ and Noah few would be saved, that the bulk of the world in both times would not repent.  This is the truth of these verses in 1 Peter 3:18-20