Hello friends. Grab
your Bible and a friend
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and sit back as we
explore God's Word together
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on this edition of House Calls.
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Welcome back to the best
place on earth at this hour.
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That's why I'm here.
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And I don't... I don't have the
only conviction of that reality.
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I think my friend does too.
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What's your name
by the way? Johnny.
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John and John. We
are in the seat together.
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We are ready to rightly
divide the word of truth.
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Thank you for
joining us on House Calls.
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We always appreciate you
tuning-in in our audience.
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Share this with your friends.
Let them come to your house
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or get them a 3ABN dish
or get them on the Internet
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so that they can also benefit
from some of these questions
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we answer and some of the topics
we enjoy communicating to you.
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So thank you for tuning in.
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But we do like to pray before
we do even go into the Bible.
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And John is the man
of prayer on the air.
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Let's do that.
Gracious Father, what a blessing
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it is to be able to
come before You and trust You
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that You will be here to
lead and guide us through
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into all truth. We
just pray for our listeners
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and our viewers here as
they participate in the program
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with us. We thank
them for their questions.
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We thank you also for inspiring
a desire for us to know
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the Word, to study Your Word.
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We just pray that You
will advance the knowledge
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of the truth here today.
In Jesus' name, Amen. Amen.
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Thank you so much.
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You know, I hold in my
hand two sheets of paper
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here that has on it
our Top Ten Counterfeits.
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And we really enjoyed sharing
those in our former program
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and we have some
more to cover today.
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And I think we have enough
for some upcoming programming.
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John worked on this.
The Top Ten Counterfeits
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The devil is really trying
to pull us in these last days
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on things that really are
going to divert our attention
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away from things
that God is calling us to.
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So that's what our
program is about today.
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And, um... But we
also have Bible questions.
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And I know that many of you
send your Bible questions in.
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We look at the Internet
and see how diligent you are.
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So if there are any questions
you have that may come to mind
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during the topic today and
you want to send those to us
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send those questions
to: housecalls@3abn. org
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That's: housecalls@3abn. org
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and we'll go ahead and
download those questions
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and try to get them answered
as soon as we possibly can.
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But I'd like to give you
an opportunity, John, to share
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what our first
question is for today.
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Sure. Someone wrote in here...
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It's deSheryl. deSheryl.
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And writing in about
a witnessing opportunity
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with somebody who is
attending a Sunday church.
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And it says: "The
issue is the Lord's Day
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as described in
Revelation 1 verse 10. "
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OK. "After God had guided me
about the Sabbath truth in 2005
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in studying with the
Prophecy Code with Amazing Facts
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and even upon God having me
study with an online teacher
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from the Amazing Facts website
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I just knew this was
the seventh-day Sabbath.
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But upon praying to God
in my response to this soul
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I was guided this isn't
the first day of the week
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or the seventh day
but a period of judgment.
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I was guided to the
Vine's Expository Dictionary
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which I was... There
I researched the Lord's
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or the word day. My
prayer is that you can give me
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some insight that you
have studied this before
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and that it might be similar
insight as to what I found. "
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Anyway... So
basically the question is
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on the use of the word
day there in the Greek.
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And we find that
the word day there
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is hemera:
H-E-M-E-R-A in the Greek.
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And it is not the
typical word used for day
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mostly in the Bible.
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It's simply just
describing the word day.
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And what I have
found is hemera is used
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when it's talking about,
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it's being a little more
descriptive than just the day.
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OK. Like in a figurative form
it might be a period of time.
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You know, an era or an age.
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And where it's translated
"a day" it's this word
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hemera. And then
in a literal form
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it seems also that there
are occasions where it is
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talking about a part of a day
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like dusk to dawn - OK -
or you know this inclusive
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reckoning issue where if it's
part of a day it's the whole day
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hemera is used.
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And sometimes it also could be
just referring to a single day.
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And so there are
various translations of it.
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And in some cases it's
talking about, you know,
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when you're reading the
scriptures and prophecy it says
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"until the coming of THAT
DAY when Christ appears. "
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Well that term would be... the
word would be hemera used there.
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And so it clearly
is more descriptive
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than the typical word day.
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OK. But it does not mean that it
doesn't involve a specific day.
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All right then. And he seems
to be saying that he's impressed
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that it does not
involve a specific day.
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But the context of the
verse seems to suggest that
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it is definitely a
single part of a day at least -
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OK - in its literal form.
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Revelation 1:10.
1:10. I'll read this here.
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I'll read starting in verse 9.
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"I John, both your brother
and companion in the tribulation
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and kingdom and
patience of Jesus Christ
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was on the island
that is called Patmos
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for the Word of God and for
the testimony of Jesus Christ.
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I was in the
spirit on the Lord's Day
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and I heard behind me a loud
voice as of a trumpet saying"
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and it goes on to describe
what Jesus said to him there.
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Clearly John is describing
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an instance when he
went into the spirit -
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the spirit of a
prophetic vision -
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- and the Lord described,
gave His testimony to him
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on that occasion.
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So however we
define hemera in this
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it is a specific instance
where he went into vision.
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Right. And if we're using that
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hemera to describe more
than a day or an instance
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or part of a day, that
makes his vision awfully long.
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Now we don't find
any occasion in the Bible
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at least in scripture
where a vision of somebody
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or being given to someone
lasted for an extended period
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of time that would be denoted
in like our use of the word age
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or era, you know, for a long,
long extended period of time.
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So those are just some
thoughts on an interpretation.
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Good hermeneutical
approach to this verse
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and in pairing that up with
other uses of that Greek word.
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OK. And thank you very
much on that, John, because
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the writer's suggestion
here is not that it's a big
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time period, but
John is narrowing it down
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to the Lord's Day. That's why
some of the Bible commentators
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who understand that as
a specific time period,
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have tried to apply it
to the wrong time period
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like the first day
of the week. Um-hmm.
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Because the word
hemera does... we're probably
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not enunciating it
like a Hebrew person would.
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Hemera. Greek
person. Greek person would.
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OK. And so, umm, but
it's a specific timeframe.
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And I think you've
done very well on that.
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I don't think there's anything
more that needs to be added
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to that. OK. "I have a
short question for you.
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The Holy Spirit we
receive is the Holy Spirit
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of God the Father or
the Holy Spirit of Jesus?
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Thanks and God bless you. "
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Let's go to Matthew chapter 4.
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Matthew chapter 4.
Want you to see something.
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And why am I in
Habakkuk? Here we are. OK.
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Made a big turn and
I ended up in Habakkuk.
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OK. Actually it's the
ending of Matthew chapter 3
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is where I am.
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In verse 16 it
says... the Bible says:
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"And Jesus when He had been
baptized came up immediately
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from the water. And behold
the heavens were opened to Him
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and He saw the Spirit of
God descending like a dove
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and lighting upon Him. "
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It's the Spirit of God
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when we receive
the Spirit of God.
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Now one of the things
you have to keep in mind here
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when you start defining well
who does this Spirit belong to
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the Bible says "God is a Spirit
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and those who
worship Him must worship Him
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in spirit and in truth. "
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That's in John. Let's go
to John now, the book of John.
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Let's see that there.
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And I'll tell you
exactly what verse that is.
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I believe that's John 4:23?
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OK.
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John 4 verse 23.
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OK, yeah. It says here
clearly: John 4 verse 23 and 24:
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"But the hour is coming
and now is when the true
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worshiper will worship the
Father in spirit and in truth
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for the Father is
seeking such to worship Him.
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God is Spirit, and those
who worship Him must worship Him
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in spirit and truth. "
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So yes, it's the Spirit of God.
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And you find in Matthew
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the dove that
was lighting on Him:
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the Spirit of God descended
upon Him in the form of a dove.
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So the Holy Spirit that we
receive is the Spirit of God.
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Now the reason why
we say this is because
00:10:02.15\00:10:04.23
here in... the word
Jesus is used in the form of
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when Jesus was on the earth.
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So not that He had a
Spirit He sent after you
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because He said: "It's
necessary, it's expedient that
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I go away. And
if I do not go away
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the Comforter will not come. "
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John chapter 16.
Also John chapter 13.
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So the Holy
Spirit... the Father, the Son,
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and the Holy
Spirit. Separate entities.
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But when we receive the
Holy Spirit in our lives
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we receive in a various form.
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We receive the Holy
Spirit in various ways.
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One of them is: once the
Holy Spirit works on our hearts
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to lead us and convict us of
truth and to convict our hearts
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away from error. That's one.
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That's the work
of the Holy Spirit.
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But when we receive
the Lord into our lives,
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when we accept Christ
as our personal Savior,
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we receive the
fruits of the Spirit:
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love, joy, peace, longsuffering,
gentleness, meekness, patience.
00:11:03.12\00:11:05.81
But when we grow and mature
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then the gifts of the
Spirit are active in our lives.
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One: the
convicting work of the Spirit.
00:11:11.41\00:11:13.17
Secondly, the
fruits of the Spirit
00:11:13.37\00:11:15.26
or the fruit of the Spirit.
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And thirdly, the
gifts of the Spirit.
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But it's all the
Holy Spirit working.
00:11:19.25\00:11:21.02
And the Holy Spirit is
also the One that seals us
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to the day of redemption.
00:11:23.77\00:11:25.41
The One that seals us, preparing
us for eternal salvation.
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Any points on that,
John? No, I think that's good.
00:11:28.69\00:11:31.00
OK. What else do you have?
00:11:31.20\00:11:33.14
Moving right
through here today. Yeah.
00:11:33.34\00:11:34.65
this is a question
from someone who is...
00:11:34.85\00:11:38.49
was born and raised
a Seventh-day Adventist
00:11:38.69\00:11:41.56
and she's studied
prophecy for quite a few years
00:11:41.76\00:11:44.82
and she has this question.
00:11:45.02\00:11:46.51
She says this
kind of puzzles her.
00:11:46.61\00:11:48.02
and her name is Sandy.
00:11:48.22\00:11:50.97
OK. "First, I understand
the 2300 days starts in 457 BC"
00:11:51.17\00:11:55.73
and then she adds
"when Ezra begins to govern.
00:11:55.94\00:11:59.01
But Daniel 9:25 says from
the time to rebuild Jerusalem.
00:12:00.32\00:12:04.72
Are these not
two different things:
00:12:05.02\00:12:07.54
rebuilding and governing? "
00:12:07.74\00:12:09.65
The second question
is: "Why is there little...
00:12:09.85\00:12:13.97
little SDA literature on Ezekiel
00:12:14.17\00:12:16.31
and how can I learn
more about chapter 38
00:12:16.51\00:12:18.76
'Gog and Magog? ' "
00:12:18.96\00:12:20.09
We'll make a comment about
that but we'll answer the first
00:12:20.29\00:12:22.46
question. Um, you know,
I don't find a reference
00:12:22.56\00:12:26.88
where 457 BC is when
Ezra began to govern.
00:12:27.08\00:12:30.52
457 BC is the date
that Artaxerxes, um,
00:12:30.72\00:12:36.00
issued his degree to
restore and build Jerusalem.
00:12:36.10\00:12:38.96
In fact, Daniel 9:25
says it's from the time
00:12:39.16\00:12:44.17
not to rebuild Jerusalem
but to the time of the command
00:12:44.37\00:12:47.87
to restore and
rebuild Jerusalem.
00:12:48.07\00:12:49.99
So the event really that
the prophecy is pointing to
00:12:50.19\00:12:53.53
is this command. And the
command is kind of confusing
00:12:53.73\00:12:57.70
by some because they
look at the various rulers
00:12:57.90\00:13:01.04
in Babylon during that time.
00:13:01.24\00:13:03.33
You had of course Cyrus.
00:13:03.54\00:13:08.18
You have Darius mentioned.
00:13:08.39\00:13:11.90
You have... Before Babylonian
captivity you have Belshazzar
00:13:12.10\00:13:18.07
mentioned. But as
far as decrees, you have
00:13:18.18\00:13:22.88
Cyrus, you have Darius,
and you have Artaxerxes.
00:13:23.08\00:13:26.60
OK. And the reason we believe
00:13:26.80\00:13:29.92
the Bible points clearly
to the Artaxerxes decree -
00:13:30.02\00:13:32.81
is found in Ezra
chapter 6 verse 14.
00:13:33.01\00:13:36.99
And if you notice,
there's a little bit of twist
00:13:37.39\00:13:40.04
added to this verse
with regard to this decree
00:13:40.24\00:13:43.30
and it's where
it originated from.
00:13:43.40\00:13:46.90
OK. It says in Ezra 6:14
"So the elders of the Jews
00:13:47.10\00:13:50.99
built... " Notice: built what?
00:13:51.19\00:13:53.09
"the temple. " And
so they're building...
00:13:53.29\00:13:56.79
rebuilding
Jerusalem and its temple.
00:13:56.99\00:13:58.94
"And they prospered through
the prophesying of Haggai
00:13:59.25\00:14:02.09
the prophet and
Zechariah the son of Iddo.
00:14:02.19\00:14:04.07
And they built and finished
it... " listen to this...
00:14:04.17\00:14:07.51
"according to the commandment
of the God of Israel. "
00:14:07.71\00:14:12.15
So who's behind the
one... who's the one behind
00:14:13.40\00:14:17.74
them going back and rebuilding?
00:14:17.84\00:14:19.38
God - of
Israel... The God of Israel.
00:14:20.29\00:14:22.09
"And according to
the command of Cyrus,
00:14:22.29\00:14:25.87
Darius, and
Artaxerxes king of Persia. "
00:14:26.07\00:14:29.55
Notice all three of
them are included there.
00:14:29.76\00:14:32.12
And so what you would assume
00:14:32.42\00:14:34.92
and not just what
history records is
00:14:35.12\00:14:37.86
that Artaxerxes
provided that decree
00:14:38.06\00:14:41.12
that would return not
only Jerusalem to being rebuilt
00:14:41.32\00:14:46.99
but to being inhabited, OK?
00:14:47.19\00:14:49.84
And so that is why this
command to restore and rebuild
00:14:50.08\00:14:53.34
Jerusalem as a
whole including its walls
00:14:53.55\00:14:56.18
was given finally by Artaxerxes
00:14:56.38\00:14:59.02
the third king in the order of
these three and their decrees.
00:14:59.22\00:15:02.54
OK. And that was 457 BC.
00:15:02.74\00:15:05.22
That's right. And when you
begin with that date, John,
00:15:05.42\00:15:08.30
one of the things we find
out is that the prophecy fits
00:15:08.50\00:15:10.84
perfectly: 457 BC
the Bible talks about how
00:15:10.94\00:15:15.17
seven weeks and
three score and two weeks.
00:15:15.37\00:15:17.09
And so it breaks
it down very clearly.
00:15:17.29\00:15:18.92
Seven weeks... that's 49
years. So if you begin 457 BC
00:15:19.12\00:15:22.31
you go to 408 BC
and you find clearly
00:15:22.51\00:15:25.31
in 408 BC
Jerusalem was finished.
00:15:25.41\00:15:27.58
Then you have three
score. From 408 BC you have
00:15:27.78\00:15:30.16
three score and two, so you
follow that all the way through
00:15:30.36\00:15:33.75
to the prophecy. And
everything in the prophecy
00:15:33.95\00:15:36.22
fits when you begin with
the decree of Artaxerxes.
00:15:36.42\00:15:38.59
But when you build with...
when you begin with Cyrus
00:15:38.89\00:15:41.71
and Darius - who were
contributors to the building
00:15:41.91\00:15:43.67
of the temple and the wall
- the prophecy never matches.
00:15:43.87\00:15:46.77
That's why... Which is
why people lose sight of the
00:15:46.97\00:15:48.80
day/year principle and
they kind of abandon everything.
00:15:48.91\00:15:51.48
And that's why one of the
counterfeits we're going to
00:15:51.68\00:15:53.22
talk about today exists:
00:15:53.32\00:15:54.61
because people
begin with the wrong date.
00:15:54.81\00:15:56.20
But I also want to
point out that Nehemiah was
00:15:56.40\00:15:58.19
the governor, not Ezra.
00:15:58.39\00:15:59.57
Ezra was a priest.
00:15:59.77\00:16:01.14
And so they said:
"When Ezra began to govern. "
00:16:01.34\00:16:03.69
Ezra was actually the priest -
00:16:03.89\00:16:05.86
right - and the
scribe. Nehemiah was governor
00:16:06.06\00:16:08.88
during the time
when Artaxerxes was king.
00:16:09.08\00:16:11.91
So hopefully that
gave an answer to that.
00:16:12.11\00:16:14.98
Yeah. We
appreciate Sandy's question.
00:16:15.18\00:16:17.20
Um, we're kind of
doing pretty good here today.
00:16:17.40\00:16:21.17
"Dear Mr. John Lomacang... "
00:16:21.37\00:16:24.07
Don't get many of those.
00:16:25.37\00:16:27.00
"First I would like to
say I enjoy the program.
00:16:27.01\00:16:29.43
It does answer my questions.
00:16:29.73\00:16:31.77
Programme... the way it's
spelled it's a British country.
00:16:31.97\00:16:34.70
"In the book of Revelation
it talks about the Tree of Life
00:16:35.00\00:16:39.11
being there for the
healing of the nations.
00:16:39.31\00:16:41.36
I know that there will be...
00:16:41.66\00:16:43.59
I know that there will
be no sicknesses in heaven,
00:16:43.89\00:16:49.40
so what healing is
this referring to? "
00:16:49.60\00:16:52.69
OK, the healing that's
being talked about there
00:16:52.89\00:16:56.02
the word for
healing doesn't just mean,
00:16:56.22\00:16:58.84
getting over an illness...
it also means mending.
00:16:59.04\00:17:02.48
Another word for
healing is the word atonement.
00:17:02.68\00:17:04.88
But atonement not in the
sense of covering one's blood
00:17:05.08\00:17:08.00
or covering one's sin with blood
00:17:08.20\00:17:10.06
but a mending... at-one-ment.
00:17:10.26\00:17:13.59
And at the Tree of
Life in the New Jerusalem
00:17:13.89\00:17:16.82
is where all the nations
that are split on the earth...
00:17:16.92\00:17:19.21
you notice how we are in
four corners of the earth
00:17:19.41\00:17:22.35
as it were as the Bible
uses the phrase loosely there...
00:17:22.55\00:17:25.31
we are all over the world.
00:17:25.55\00:17:26.71
But that one Tree of
Life is where we are going to
00:17:26.91\00:17:28.77
all gather together. And that's
what the healing of the nations
00:17:28.87\00:17:33.20
is talked about.
As a matter of fact,
00:17:33.40\00:17:35.55
that Tree of Life
has properties in it
00:17:35.75\00:17:37.94
like it did in
the Garden of Eden.
00:17:38.15\00:17:39.58
It gives us vitality, but
it's not going to be the place
00:17:39.79\00:17:42.68
that we go to get
a healing from a cold
00:17:42.89\00:17:45.71
or from the flu because
there won't be any sickness,
00:17:45.81\00:17:48.43
any sorrow, any suffering,
any death in the New Jerusalem.
00:17:48.63\00:17:51.67
Any points on that,
John? No, that's great. Wow!
00:17:51.97\00:17:54.31
We are just
knocking them out here today.
00:17:54.51\00:17:55.68
We're like... It's probably,
you know, it's God's intention
00:17:55.78\00:17:57.75
for us to cover the
actual topic maybe some more.
00:17:57.95\00:18:00.92
Yeah. So we can get into that.
00:18:01.02\00:18:02.54
You know one thing I did
say that I might do here with my
00:18:02.65\00:18:04.73
last question was
comment on Gog and Magog.
00:18:04.83\00:18:06.79
Yes. People might be hanging
on "well he was supposed to
00:18:06.99\00:18:09.34
comment on that. " OK,
00:18:09.44\00:18:11.08
you know, a lot of emphasis...
some give a lot of emphasis
00:18:11.38\00:18:15.25
to the prophecy in Ezekiel 38
00:18:15.45\00:18:19.08
Gog and Magog and what
that all means in terms of
00:18:19.28\00:18:23.53
its prophetic fulfillment
of the book of Revelation.
00:18:23.73\00:18:25.85
And I think it's probably
a little more simple than
00:18:26.05\00:18:29.10
what some make it out to
be. But Gog and Magog were
00:18:29.20\00:18:31.88
clearly enemies of Israel.
00:18:31.98\00:18:33.44
Right. And in the last
days spiritual Israel -
00:18:33.64\00:18:38.23
God's church, His remnant
church - will have its share
00:18:38.43\00:18:40.86
of enemies. And, a lot
of the judgments that come
00:18:40.96\00:18:45.74
from God after the
attack by Gog and what happened
00:18:45.84\00:18:49.82
in Ezekiel 38 there
also are connected in with
00:18:49.92\00:18:54.29
stuff that will happen at
the end of time. So Ezekiel 38
00:18:54.39\00:18:57.88
also points down to the
time of Revelation as well.
00:18:57.98\00:19:00.78
But Gog and Magog are
more of a reference to just the
00:19:01.08\00:19:03.82
battle that is occurring between
the enemy of God's church
00:19:03.92\00:19:07.18
and God's church.
Exactly. That's all it is.
00:19:07.38\00:19:10.30
It's not talking about any
specific location like in the
00:19:10.40\00:19:12.46
valley of Megiddo where people
think that all of the world
00:19:12.57\00:19:15.68
is going to gather there and
fight. Russia is going to be...
00:19:15.78\00:19:18.39
and China is going to
be... And there's going to be
00:19:18.49\00:19:20.25
this antichrist...
another one of the counterfeits
00:19:20.35\00:19:25.40
we're going to talk about today.
00:19:25.50\00:19:26.52
But simply it's talking
about those two enemies of
00:19:26.72\00:19:29.04
God's people: Gog and Magog.
00:19:29.14\00:19:31.58
And you find that
also in I Chronicles 1
00:19:31.78\00:19:35.11
"The sons of
Japheth were Gomer, Magog,
00:19:35.31\00:19:40.56
Madai, Javan,
Tubal, Meshech and Tiras. "
00:19:40.76\00:19:46.11
So these sons were enemies
00:19:46.31\00:19:51.05
of the people of
God: Gog and Magog.
00:19:51.25\00:19:53.54
That's all it's simply meaning.
00:19:53.74\00:19:55.13
And,I think that's just
the nutshell of it right there.
00:19:55.33\00:19:59.69
I think we're desiring
to get right to our topic,
00:19:59.99\00:20:02.94
what do you think?
Let's jump into it.
00:20:03.14\00:20:04.37
We covered a couple
of them last time. Yeah.
00:20:04.68\00:20:06.82
So we've only done 1 and 2. Yes.
00:20:07.02\00:20:09.42
And so now we're getting into
our third. Hopefully, our fourth
00:20:09.62\00:20:11.97
as well. Maybe even a
fifth here in this program.
00:20:12.07\00:20:14.84
We're not
intending to go in-depth
00:20:15.04\00:20:17.35
exhaustive on any of
these topics specifically.
00:20:17.45\00:20:20.51
In fact, we've probably
done programs on most of them
00:20:20.71\00:20:23.77
in an exhaustive way.
00:20:23.97\00:20:25.04
But it is a way to recap
and understand how they all
00:20:25.25\00:20:28.40
kind of fit together in the
overall scheme... setting up
00:20:28.50\00:20:33.10
and plans, tactics of
the enemy for these last days
00:20:33.30\00:20:36.53
to deceive the world.
And what we're talking about
00:20:36.73\00:20:38.83
actually, John, is the fact
that all of these things are
00:20:38.93\00:20:41.85
in place already. Satan
has been building arsenals
00:20:41.95\00:20:44.87
for thousands of years.
00:20:45.07\00:20:46.83
And in these last days now, this
is the stage of implementation.
00:20:47.03\00:20:50.34
That's what we're talking
about today. But before we
00:20:50.37\00:20:52.14
dive into our Bible topic today
I want to remind our viewers
00:20:52.24\00:20:55.38
and our listeners of
those who have any questions...
00:20:55.58\00:20:57.85
if you have any more questions
about things we talked about
00:20:57.95\00:21:00.34
here today... you can
send those questions to:
00:21:00.44\00:21:02.73
And we'll try our best to
respond to those questions.
00:21:09.92\00:21:12.45
But thank you for all you
do for the ministry of 3ABN
00:21:12.65\00:21:16.53
and also for this
particular program.
00:21:16.73\00:21:18.96
Now John, what
parts of these ten top...
00:21:19.26\00:21:22.87
Top Ten Counterfeits
are we going to cover today?
00:21:23.07\00:21:25.79
Well, we began last time
with Satan's attack on the
00:21:25.99\00:21:30.65
Word of God. That's right.
00:21:30.75\00:21:32.12
And whether that be
keeping people from the Word
00:21:32.32\00:21:34.94
or when they get into the
Word getting people to lose,
00:21:35.14\00:21:39.00
basically taking
its credibility away,
00:21:39.65\00:21:43.66
its immutability away,
00:21:43.86\00:21:45.39
and spiritualizing
it... whatever it may be.
00:21:45.59\00:21:48.46
He's trying to just make
sure that the Word of God
00:21:48.66\00:21:51.05
is not read for what
it is: God's Word to us.
00:21:51.25\00:21:54.71
That's right. And then the
second one we spoke a little bit
00:21:54.94\00:21:57.18
about which is
the masking or the...
00:21:57.28\00:22:02.82
not masking but the
hiding of him behind, you know,
00:22:03.02\00:22:07.09
the Great Controversy.
What he really is all about.
00:22:07.30\00:22:09.60
That he's not so evil, and
then if people do think of him
00:22:09.80\00:22:12.75
as evil he kind of goes
off the other side of it where
00:22:12.85\00:22:15.36
he starts to show that he's
an ugly big red-colored beast
00:22:15.46\00:22:19.22
and you don't want to
meet him because when you do
00:22:19.42\00:22:21.96
you know it's him. And
we unfolded that, you know,
00:22:22.16\00:22:24.78
really he's trying to appear
actually as an angel of light
00:22:24.91\00:22:28.23
to deceive - hmm -
not to look like that.
00:22:28.43\00:22:30.84
He's perfectly happy
with Hollywood portraying him
00:22:30.94\00:22:33.61
as this evil-looking beast.
00:22:33.71\00:22:35.44
OK. And he's just as also
happy to... for people to think
00:22:35.64\00:22:38.81
that he doesn't even exist, too.
00:22:38.91\00:22:40.23
So that's the other
part of the deception.
00:22:40.44\00:22:42.79
So there's several things he's
doing and building up toward
00:22:42.99\00:22:44.88
this. Now we'll talk a little
bit today about spiritualism
00:22:44.98\00:22:49.50
and, you know, what
happens in the state of death.
00:22:49.90\00:22:52.93
Because if correctly understood
00:22:53.14\00:22:55.93
I believe that we are safe
with regard to a lot of these
00:22:56.23\00:23:01.04
deceptions at the end of time.
00:23:01.14\00:23:02.39
But if not correctly
understood what it opens up
00:23:02.59\00:23:05.99
is for the enemy now obscured...
Now people, you know,
00:23:06.19\00:23:09.59
people don't know
really what his tactics are,
00:23:09.69\00:23:11.73
what he's really trying to do.
00:23:11.83\00:23:13.01
Now he can begin to communicate
to them in such a way -
00:23:13.22\00:23:16.30
that either be directly or not -
00:23:16.41\00:23:20.21
but in a way communicate
to them his principles,
00:23:20.41\00:23:24.80
his ways, what he's trying to do
to set up that last deception.
00:23:25.00\00:23:28.50
And so we're going to
look at some of the angles,
00:23:28.60\00:23:31.55
the aspects of
this specifically:
00:23:31.75\00:23:33.89
immortality of the soul,
00:23:34.09\00:23:35.26
that the soul lives forever.
00:23:35.56\00:23:37.59
Behind that, of course,
you have the theory that
00:23:37.80\00:23:39.33
well "we're actually godlike. "
00:23:39.34\00:23:42.01
Being taught right now
today in the New Age Movement.
00:23:42.21\00:23:45.78
And some other
things that he's doing.
00:23:46.08\00:23:48.29
But we know that
this... there's a lie.
00:23:48.49\00:23:50.05
We talked about a lie being
told in the garden way back when
00:23:50.25\00:23:53.57
to take away confidence
in the Word of God, you know.
00:23:53.77\00:23:56.47
Implying there:
"Did God really say? "
00:23:56.61\00:23:58.94
And he did that with
Christ, you know, as well
00:23:59.15\00:24:01.53
as he tempted Him on
the top of the temple.
00:24:01.73\00:24:03.63
That, you know...
"Just cast Yourself down... "
00:24:03.93\00:24:07.17
"Didn't God say? " And,
you know, he obscures...
00:24:07.37\00:24:09.82
He kind of
twists that a little bit
00:24:10.02\00:24:11.54
to use for his own advantage.
Well, he also told another lie
00:24:11.64\00:24:14.95
in the very beginning
which is very important for us
00:24:15.16\00:24:19.56
to us to understand was his
intent from the very beginning
00:24:19.66\00:24:22.25
at least to confuse
people on this subject.
00:24:22.45\00:24:24.49
He asked Eve,
00:24:24.69\00:24:27.97
he told Eve in response
to her saying that if she
00:24:28.17\00:24:31.12
ate of the Tree of the
Knowledge of Good and Evil
00:24:31.22\00:24:33.86
that she would
die. His response was...
00:24:34.06\00:24:36.89
What is it?
00:24:37.19\00:24:38.51
"You will not surely die
00:24:38.71\00:24:41.52
but God knows that
you will become like...
00:24:41.82\00:24:45.24
gods. " In
essence... but like Him.
00:24:45.44\00:24:47.58
And so not... It doesn't
say that she wholeheartedly
00:24:47.78\00:24:53.13
accepted that but
she was curious enough
00:24:53.33\00:24:56.60
to step forward into sin.
Yeah, I heard somebody once say
00:24:56.80\00:25:00.69
"the immorality of
the soul led to the belief
00:25:00.89\00:25:03.86
in the immortality
of the soul. " Yeah.
00:25:03.97\00:25:06.37
Satan came and in
in a very immoral way
00:25:06.51\00:25:08.56
because he is... he is not
one that stands by the moral law
00:25:08.76\00:25:12.77
of God. But he brought
this immoral proposition.
00:25:12.87\00:25:16.36
We often think of the
word immoral in a sense of
00:25:16.56\00:25:18.54
promiscuity or sexuality.
00:25:18.64\00:25:20.80
But, the immorality there
00:25:21.00\00:25:23.56
is that he misrepresented God.
00:25:23.77\00:25:26.87
And so therefore this lie
was easy to be able to plant:
00:25:26.91\00:25:30.52
"You will not surely die. "
00:25:30.75\00:25:32.39
God said "You will surely die? "
00:25:32.59\00:25:34.22
Satan said "You
will not surely die. "
00:25:34.42\00:25:35.73
So at the very outset of the
topic we want to just go ahead
00:25:35.93\00:25:37.75
and throw this
question out there.
00:25:37.95\00:25:38.98
I don't know
what your beliefs are.
00:25:39.18\00:25:40.87
I don't know what
your convictions are.
00:25:41.07\00:25:42.51
You may think that
people die and go to heaven.
00:25:42.71\00:25:44.70
We're going to cover that
and try to make it very clear
00:25:44.90\00:25:46.92
that people don't
die and go to heaven.
00:25:47.02\00:25:48.44
and there are some things
that as I studied this topic
00:25:48.74\00:25:51.33
recently... I presented
this topic at one of our...
00:25:51.43\00:25:53.61
one of our Camp
Meetings how important it is
00:25:53.81\00:25:56.53
to help people see
that truly this is a topic
00:25:56.73\00:25:59.52
that has solid
scriptural foundation.
00:25:59.72\00:26:03.36
So there's no need
to try to figure out
00:26:03.56\00:26:05.24
"Do we go to
heaven right away? "
00:26:05.44\00:26:07.21
"Do we wait for
the resurrection? "
00:26:07.41\00:26:08.87
What is the case? But at
the very outset let me just ask
00:26:09.07\00:26:11.91
the question: who do you
think was telling the truth?
00:26:12.11\00:26:15.32
Was God telling the truth
or was Satan telling the truth?
00:26:15.52\00:26:18.79
Well you know for the
Christian that'll be a slam dunk
00:26:18.99\00:26:23.77
of an answer... God
was telling the truth.
00:26:23.87\00:26:26.04
But on the same note if
you believe that God was
00:26:26.24\00:26:29.40
telling the truth then you
cannot come to the conclusion
00:26:29.60\00:26:32.21
that you really don't die.
00:26:32.31\00:26:33.95
You have to come to the
conclusion that you do die
00:26:34.15\00:26:36.70
when the time comes
for us to be laid to rest.
00:26:36.90\00:26:40.56
And when we say die, we
mean die as a created being
00:26:40.66\00:26:43.66
which means you
cease to exist. Exactly.
00:26:43.86\00:26:46.54
That's what dying
means! That's all it means.
00:26:46.74\00:26:48.51
You know where
it says John 3:16...
00:26:48.64\00:26:49.73
you know, clear evidence there.
00:26:49.93\00:26:52.30
Believing in Christ so
that you will not perish. Right.
00:26:52.50\00:26:54.85
Perish is
completely cease to exist.
00:26:55.05\00:26:57.28
Right. And so some will
say: "Well your body dies. "
00:26:57.48\00:26:59.90
No, we're talking about die.
The whole part... everything.
00:27:00.10\00:27:02.58
Um, God made man from
the dust of the ground
00:27:02.88\00:27:05.82
and then breathed into his
nostrils the breath of life
00:27:06.02\00:27:08.55
and he became a living
being, he became a person.
00:27:08.75\00:27:11.73
Well that person in all
its entirety ceases to exist
00:27:11.93\00:27:15.01
when it dies. Yes. And
that's what God was saying
00:27:15.21\00:27:18.14
would happen with anyone
who held onto, who practiced
00:27:18.34\00:27:22.19
sin and rebellion.
00:27:22.40\00:27:24.05
And the devil said: "No!
No, you won't really die.
00:27:24.25\00:27:27.33
You'll go on living forever. "
00:27:27.53\00:27:29.31
And we'll see some of the
things that happen in that.
00:27:29.51\00:27:31.20
Now we've got ask
ourselves the question
00:27:31.40\00:27:33.41
as we springboard into
this topic: why would Satan
00:27:33.51\00:27:36.00
want to develop
this kind of teaching?
00:27:36.20\00:27:40.86
OK. OK.
00:27:41.06\00:27:43.16
Why? You know, God
clearly restricts him
00:27:43.37\00:27:47.15
from just appearing as
Satan along with his demon hosts
00:27:47.35\00:27:50.91
on this earth and
battling it out physically.
00:27:51.11\00:27:53.35
Right. So the only way
00:27:53.55\00:27:56.82
that Satan can communicate
and can mislead is through
00:27:57.02\00:28:00.69
false teachings, through error,
00:28:00.89\00:28:02.44
and leading people to do things
that they wouldn't normally do.
00:28:02.64\00:28:06.77
And how does he do that? I
believe this: spiritualism.
00:28:06.97\00:28:10.98
Misunderstanding of
death and the nature of man
00:28:11.28\00:28:14.18
is key to his creating
inroads or giving him a channel.
00:28:14.28\00:28:19.42
I think it's very
telling: the word "channeling. "
00:28:19.45\00:28:22.06
You know that
word... how it's used.
00:28:22.26\00:28:23.75
We give him a channel
whereby which he can communicate
00:28:23.95\00:28:26.46
with men. And also where he
can also smear God's character.
00:28:26.57\00:28:30.60
So we're not just
talking about the original lie -
00:28:30.80\00:28:33.28
spiritualism and the state of
the dead - we're talking about
00:28:33.49\00:28:35.98
also the smear campaign
against God because he also adds
00:28:36.08\00:28:38.64
to that very thing this
idea of eternal torment.
00:28:38.75\00:28:41.52
Which is a fourth
counterfeit as well. Yes.
00:28:41.73\00:28:44.77
Yeah, we
definitely have connected.
00:28:44.87\00:28:45.89
We'll get to that one too.
00:28:45.99\00:28:47.05
And so we see that
there is a lie here.
00:28:47.15\00:28:48.56
And where the problem comes in a
lot of times, friends, is this:
00:28:48.76\00:28:51.93
when people read
the King James version
00:28:52.16\00:28:54.03
they fail to realize that when
the word "soul" is used there
00:28:54.23\00:28:57.88
the word "soul" is not
talked about in the sense of
00:28:58.08\00:29:00.03
an additional man. Right.
00:29:00.13\00:29:01.77
A lot of people think that
the soul is something that was
00:29:02.17\00:29:05.06
inserted into man
when God created him. No.
00:29:05.26\00:29:09.48
God inserted the
breath of life. That's right.
00:29:09.58\00:29:12.53
God did not
insert another person.
00:29:12.73\00:29:16.00
So man became a living being.
00:29:16.30\00:29:19.52
That's why I like the way
the New King James and the NIV
00:29:19.72\00:29:22.06
put it. We just simply
came to life. That's it.
00:29:22.16\00:29:25.81
It's like putting... I
was looking recently, John,
00:29:26.02\00:29:28.74
and buying batteries.
00:29:28.84\00:29:30.07
And, you know I do
model airplane flying.
00:29:30.27\00:29:33.44
And sometimes we get
out to a field there and
00:29:33.64\00:29:36.00
our regular batteries
on our chargers die because
00:29:36.10\00:29:38.48
they're small and they're
just very limited in strength.
00:29:38.68\00:29:41.70
So we often buy batteries
like a small car battery
00:29:42.00\00:29:44.78
or motorcycle
battery or lawnmower battery
00:29:44.88\00:29:47.80
'cause it lasts all day
long when you charge it.
00:29:48.01\00:29:50.01
You know the airplanes just
can't draw all that current.
00:29:50.22\00:29:53.58
And, I looked at a
motorcycle battery.
00:29:53.88\00:29:57.11
It was nice and
small but the guy said
00:29:57.22\00:29:59.01
the problem with the motorcycle
battery is you have to put
00:29:59.21\00:30:01.89
the core in it... You
have to put the core in it
00:30:01.99\00:30:04.94
then you have to put
the acid fluid mixture in it
00:30:05.14\00:30:08.53
or else it wouldn't work.
00:30:08.73\00:30:10.21
And I thought about
that and I said: "Wow!
00:30:10.41\00:30:11.83
Kind of like the
way God made man. "
00:30:12.04\00:30:14.92
He formed him from
the dust of the ground.
00:30:15.12\00:30:18.64
Then He breathed into his
nostrils the breath of life
00:30:18.84\00:30:22.04
and man came alive
00:30:22.24\00:30:24.11
in the same way the
core and the fluid there.
00:30:24.32\00:30:26.61
And a forensic
pathologist said to me...
00:30:26.81\00:30:29.67
He said: "When we say
'man became a living soul' "
00:30:29.88\00:30:32.24
he said "if you only had an
idea of what actually happened"
00:30:32.44\00:30:36.40
he said "the
physiological connections made
00:30:36.60\00:30:39.96
in the dynamic creative
power that was inside of man"
00:30:40.16\00:30:44.24
because they deal with
life from a cellular level.
00:30:44.44\00:30:48.02
They go all the way down
to the sinew of the bones.
00:30:48.22\00:30:50.36
They look at that whole thing.
He's a forensic pathologist.
00:30:50.57\00:30:53.08
And he says: "When we do
autopsies, I mean, we're going
00:30:53.28\00:30:55.64
so... we're going
into so much depth
00:30:55.74\00:30:58.23
that it was not just as simple
as just putting breath in a
00:30:58.43\00:31:00.76
man's body. " But God had
done so much on the inside
00:31:00.86\00:31:03.95
that when He gave
us the spark of life,
00:31:04.15\00:31:06.19
when He connected those...
when He connected the power
00:31:06.29\00:31:08.86
of life, man was
ignited internally. Right.
00:31:08.96\00:31:11.87
That's a key point there, too.
00:31:12.17\00:31:15.10
You have the doc...
I mean, was a doctor.
00:31:15.20\00:31:16.63
That's a key point because
00:31:16.83\00:31:18.94
when God created man, He
created someone very special,
00:31:19.14\00:31:21.74
unique, different from others.
00:31:21.94\00:31:23.73
That's right. And it wasn't
the breath that was different.
00:31:23.93\00:31:26.81
It was what He created
from the dust of the ground
00:31:27.01\00:31:30.03
that was
different. You know, we...
00:31:30.23\00:31:32.23
It's the conversation that's
such with regard to souls...
00:31:32.43\00:31:35.33
putting souls in bodies today
00:31:35.53\00:31:36.81
to the point where
that was the unique part.
00:31:37.01\00:31:40.46
That's the functioning
part; that's the part that
00:31:40.66\00:31:42.20
makes you think. And I ask:
"Well what's the brain for? "
00:31:42.30\00:31:45.53
You know, if our soul
is what's in there thinking
00:31:45.93\00:31:49.39
and apart from the body, from
the brain, it can continue on
00:31:49.49\00:31:52.20
doing what it's doing,
then what are all the cells?
00:31:52.30\00:31:54.47
What are all the
retention of information
00:31:54.57\00:31:56.04
and the connections, the
axons that connect the brain?
00:31:56.24\00:31:59.49
the superhighway that connects
all the different cells to
00:31:59.69\00:32:03.54
different things?
That's right. It's fascinating!
00:32:03.64\00:32:06.62
That's what was
unique. And you segued...
00:32:06.82\00:32:09.76
you handed it right to me.
I know, you're a doctor's kid.
00:32:09.86\00:32:12.39
You handed it right
to me. Listen to this:
00:32:12.59\00:32:14.09
Genesis 7 verse
15... speaking of those
00:32:14.29\00:32:17.61
animals that entered the ark:
00:32:17.81\00:32:19.16
"And they went into
the ark to Noah two by two
00:32:19.36\00:32:23.02
all flesh in which
was the breath of life. "
00:32:23.22\00:32:27.27
Look at this
further... verse 29... or 21:
00:32:27.47\00:32:30.59
"And all flesh died
that moved on the earth" -
00:32:30.82\00:32:34.44
this is talking about
the results of the flood -
00:32:34.65\00:32:36.86
"birds and cattle and
beasts of every creeping thing
00:32:37.06\00:32:40.07
that creeps on the
earth and every man
00:32:40.27\00:32:41.74
all in whose
nostrils was the... " What?
00:32:41.94\00:32:44.82
Breath. "breath of
the spirit of life. "
00:32:45.02\00:32:48.32
In other words,
what was put into man
00:32:48.63\00:32:52.52
was the same life-giving power
that was put into the animals.
00:32:52.72\00:32:57.62
That's right. Now it
was not the same way.
00:32:57.82\00:32:59.82
We don't find any
specific instances where God
00:33:00.02\00:33:02.53
breathing the breath of life
into the nostrils of animals.
00:33:02.74\00:33:05.43
Right. But the
point here being that
00:33:05.63\00:33:07.97
the breath of life that
was given is life-giving power
00:33:08.17\00:33:11.80
from God that ignites
the cellular structure,
00:33:11.90\00:33:15.15
that ignites the body
to be able to function.
00:33:15.26\00:33:17.37
As it ignites man,
it ignites animals,
00:33:17.47\00:33:21.52
birds, whatever it
may be, there is no soul
00:33:21.72\00:33:25.62
put into these things.
We are the same as animals
00:33:25.72\00:33:29.07
when it comes to life.
Right. And the difference...
00:33:29.17\00:33:31.90
I'm glad you said that because
man was created in the image
00:33:32.00\00:33:34.96
of God... animals were not.
00:33:35.06\00:33:37.03
Man was formed from
the dust of the ground.
00:33:37.23\00:33:39.47
Animals were not. Animals
were just called into existence.
00:33:39.67\00:33:42.12
God said: "Let there
be... " and the birds
00:33:42.32\00:33:44.43
and the creeping
things and the animals
00:33:44.63\00:33:46.06
and the fish
all came into being.
00:33:46.26\00:33:47.88
But God did something
special. So when you said that
00:33:48.09\00:33:50.16
what is inside a man
- what man is made of -
00:33:50.26\00:33:52.64
we are in fact
created in the image of God.
00:33:52.84\00:33:55.12
But this whole ideology that
we have something other than
00:33:55.32\00:33:58.33
the breath of
God... In Job 27 verse 3
00:33:58.53\00:34:02.18
he says: "All the
while my breath is in me
00:34:02.38\00:34:04.47
and the spirit of
God is in my nostrils. "
00:34:04.57\00:34:06.52
So when we die, death
is the opposite of life.
00:34:06.72\00:34:10.61
It's not the continuance
of life somewhere else.
00:34:10.81\00:34:12.68
If a battery in my
flashlight dies, I don't put it
00:34:12.69\00:34:15.55
in another flashlight
somewhere else for it to burn.
00:34:15.65\00:34:18.01
It just doesn't
fit in the real world
00:34:18.22\00:34:20.34
in the same way it doesn't
fit in the spiritual world.
00:34:20.54\00:34:22.55
Life is life. Death is death.
00:34:22.75\00:34:26.18
Death is not
another kind of life.
00:34:26.38\00:34:28.87
And when you think
about that, we have to really
00:34:29.07\00:34:30.95
break that down. Death
is not life in another form.
00:34:31.05\00:34:34.30
Death is not
life in another place.
00:34:34.60\00:34:37.40
I don't know where
we get that idea from.
00:34:37.60\00:34:39.59
Death means death. Look at this:
00:34:39.79\00:34:41.81
two fingers... no
fingers. Zero... one.
00:34:42.01\00:34:45.83
The opposite all together.
00:34:46.03\00:34:47.47
Well, and when you have
someone burning in hell forever
00:34:47.67\00:34:50.39
being kept alive, not only
are you making God a torturer -
00:34:50.59\00:34:53.14
we'll deal with
that issue here shortly -
00:34:53.34\00:34:55.38
but you're saying that
they have eternal life.
00:34:55.58\00:34:58.52
In hell, granted, but
it's still eternal life.
00:34:59.64\00:35:02.25
Look at Psalm 146.
00:35:02.45\00:35:04.75
Verse 4? Verse 4. OK, go for it.
00:35:04.95\00:35:07.23
"His spirit departs; he returns
to his earth. In that very day
00:35:07.43\00:35:12.21
his plans or thoughts perish. "
00:35:12.41\00:35:15.45
That's describing
the King James version.
00:35:15.65\00:35:17.57
That's right. So
the exact reverse occurs
00:35:17.77\00:35:19.78
from the
creation of Adam and man
00:35:19.98\00:35:22.36
when we die. The
exact opposite occurs.
00:35:22.56\00:35:25.42
And notice... So that
spirit - which is the breath -
00:35:25.63\00:35:27.91
that's right -
returns. In fact, I believe
00:35:28.11\00:35:30.67
if I'm right the
Revised Standard Version uses
00:35:30.87\00:35:35.11
breath here. As a matter of fact
even the King James version says
00:35:35.31\00:35:39.58
"His breath goes forth;
he returns to his earth. "
00:35:39.78\00:35:43.20
And I want to stop
and not run past that.
00:35:43.30\00:35:45.34
"In that very day
his thoughts perish. "
00:35:45.64\00:35:49.23
You want to get
that. Let's look at that.
00:35:49.43\00:35:51.47
"His breath goes
forth... " It goes forth where?
00:35:51.67\00:35:54.30
Let's ask the question.
00:35:54.51\00:35:55.88
When a balloon...
when you open a balloon
00:35:56.08\00:35:59.03
where does the air go?
00:35:59.23\00:36:01.25
Goes out. It mixes
with all the other air.
00:36:01.45\00:36:04.65
And this sounds strange
but in the very same way
00:36:04.85\00:36:08.92
when our breath goes forth -
00:36:09.12\00:36:11.03
you've got to get this
- our breath is not taking
00:36:11.23\00:36:13.61
a piece of us or taking John
the invisible version of John
00:36:13.81\00:36:17.97
to heaven or the soul
version of John to heaven
00:36:18.07\00:36:21.04
because you've got to
read the rest of the text.
00:36:21.24\00:36:23.28
"His breath goes forth; HE
00:36:23.49\00:36:26.51
returns -
RETURNS - to his earth. "
00:36:26.71\00:36:31.27
We go back to
where we came from.
00:36:31.57\00:36:33.27
We don't go back to heaven
00:36:33.57\00:36:35.11
because we
didn't come from heaven.
00:36:35.21\00:36:36.99
God came from heaven. We are
going to get there eventually
00:36:37.19\00:36:41.35
but we don't get there at death.
00:36:41.38\00:36:43.42
As a matter of fact, I
was doing this topic and...
00:36:43.62\00:36:46.58
and I made it very clear
because when Jesus talked to His
00:36:46.78\00:36:49.79
disciples He made
it very clear to them
00:36:49.89\00:36:52.20
that where He's
going they can't even go.
00:36:52.40\00:36:54.93
As a matter of fact, I'm
looking at my notes here -
00:36:55.13\00:36:57.54
I got so excited
about this topic.
00:36:57.74\00:36:59.72
Here it is: John
chapter 7 verses 33 and 34.
00:36:59.92\00:37:03.69
I'm going to read it for you.
00:37:04.10\00:37:06.60
You can write it down
or turn there with me.
00:37:06.80\00:37:08.12
John chapter 7 verses 33 and 34:
00:37:08.32\00:37:11.48
"Then Jesus said to them:
00:37:11.68\00:37:13.64
'I shall be with you a
little while longer... ' "
00:37:13.84\00:37:17.32
So where is Jesus going to go?
00:37:17.52\00:37:19.52
"then I go to Him who sent Me. "
00:37:19.72\00:37:22.50
That is, to the Father.
00:37:22.70\00:37:24.09
But get this:
00:37:24.29\00:37:25.71
"You will seek Me and
not find Me, and where I am
00:37:25.91\00:37:30.63
you cannot come. "
00:37:30.83\00:37:32.72
You can't get
there... you can't go there.
00:37:32.93\00:37:35.08
So the big question is, if
we ever have any hope of going
00:37:35.28\00:37:38.53
to heaven: how are
we going to get there?
00:37:38.63\00:37:41.31
But don't miss the
text. He says: "Where I am
00:37:41.51\00:37:44.55
you cannot come. " But
that's why we always read
00:37:44.75\00:37:47.20
John chapter 14
verse 3 that says:
00:37:47.41\00:37:49.84
"And I go and
prepare a place for you
00:37:50.04\00:37:51.79
and I will come again
and receive you to Myself
00:37:51.99\00:37:54.59
that where I am
there you may be also. "
00:37:54.79\00:37:57.34
Notice the
"where I am. " Exactly.
00:37:57.54\00:37:59.57
And... and there's an
order of things. Right.
00:37:59.77\00:38:02.05
There's Christ
preparing a place for us now -
00:38:02.25\00:38:04.45
that's right - and those who
die they fall asleep in Jesus
00:38:04.55\00:38:07.84
and they wait as Job
describes in chapter 14.
00:38:08.04\00:38:11.45
"I wait till my change comes. "
00:38:11.65\00:38:13.77
OK! All right.
And then at the time -
00:38:13.97\00:38:17.10
the appropriate
time - Jesus comes back,
00:38:17.20\00:38:18.78
calls His saints
forward, and we return
00:38:18.99\00:38:22.15
or we go to heaven for the first
time... all of us together.
00:38:22.35\00:38:25.73
In fact, I'm
looking for this verse here.
00:38:25.93\00:38:28.02
I Corinthians. You can
look up the other one there.
00:38:28.22\00:38:30.26
I Corinthians chapter 15? Yeah.
00:38:30.46\00:38:31.89
I Corinthians 15. Yeah,
you're looking at it - verse 23.
00:38:32.09\00:38:35.82
OK, go for it.
"Each one in his own order
00:38:36.02\00:38:39.04
Christ the first fruits... "
00:38:39.24\00:38:40.83
Well read the
verse right before that.
00:38:41.03\00:38:42.68
Yeah, you're right, 'cause it's
got the context of death there.
00:38:42.98\00:38:45.73
"For as in Adam all die
00:38:45.93\00:38:47.81
even so in Christ
all shall be made alive.
00:38:48.02\00:38:52.05
But each one in his own order.
00:38:52.25\00:38:54.10
Christ the first fruits... " In
other words, Christ goes first.
00:38:54.30\00:38:56.81
"Afterward those who are
Christ's at His coming. "
00:38:57.01\00:39:00.46
Those who belong to
Christ at His coming.
00:39:00.66\00:39:02.49
At His coming... not
before that - right -
00:39:02.59\00:39:04.70
but when He comes back as
He said in John chapter 14.
00:39:04.80\00:39:07.90
You know, what's
amazing about this, John, is
00:39:08.10\00:39:09.93
to believe... There's a
dear lady in this funeral
00:39:11.65\00:39:14.91
that I did recently
here - OK - that said,
00:39:15.11\00:39:17.73
came up to me afterward.
She said: "You know, I'm a
00:39:17.93\00:39:19.01
Christian and I
understand what you were saying
00:39:19.11\00:39:20.62
but I still
believe... I still believe that
00:39:20.82\00:39:23.96
there are Christians, there are
people that they go to heaven. "
00:39:24.16\00:39:26.27
They need to pray
the Thomas prayer.
00:39:26.37\00:39:27.53
And I'm thinking: "You
know what? We are determined
00:39:27.73\00:39:30.45
to hold onto traditions -
00:39:30.65\00:39:33.32
Lies! - and the
philosophy that go back to
00:39:33.52\00:39:36.19
mysticism and Greek theology
and other things that, you know,
00:39:36.39\00:39:40.41
were from secular arenas,
that were Satanic actually.
00:39:40.61\00:39:43.62
Yeah, Neo-Platonism.
We hold onto these Satanic
00:39:43.82\00:39:46.96
teachings, his deceptions,
just to hold onto traditions
00:39:47.07\00:39:50.42
in our church when
we don't even realize
00:39:50.52\00:39:52.12
that these false teachings
have come into the church
00:39:52.32\00:39:54.65
and we've bought them
hook, line, and sinker.
00:39:54.85\00:39:58.58
And... And the confusion starts
because of a couple few verses
00:39:58.78\00:40:04.26
that are quoted from
pastors that appear to say
00:40:04.46\00:40:08.74
to call into question:
"Does the soul really die? "
00:40:08.94\00:40:12.48
And you know what? That is
Satan. He is twisting the Word.
00:40:12.69\00:40:16.83
Because you have to...
You may find 2 or 3 texts
00:40:17.03\00:40:20.35
that might appear to say that
maybe someone goes to heaven
00:40:20.45\00:40:24.10
before Christ
comes back to get them -
00:40:24.30\00:40:26.46
hmm - but you have to ignore
00:40:26.66\00:40:29.46
hundreds of texts
that say very clearly
00:40:29.66\00:40:33.88
that it's not possible.
Right. You really have to
00:40:34.08\00:40:36.93
say to yourself... Have
to ignore hundreds that say
00:40:37.13\00:40:38.87
you can't to adopt those
2 or 3 that might indicate
00:40:39.08\00:40:43.11
a question as to
whether or not they do.
00:40:43.31\00:40:46.06
That twists things.
00:40:46.17\00:40:47.81
One of the
examples, for example, is
00:40:48.01\00:40:50.87
Ecclesiastes 9 verse 5.
00:40:51.07\00:40:52.93
"For the living
know that they will die
00:40:53.13\00:40:55.64
but the dead know not anything.
00:40:55.85\00:40:58.23
Also their love and
their hatred and their envy
00:40:58.43\00:41:02.02
is now perished. Nevermore
will they have a portion
00:41:02.22\00:41:05.67
forever in anything
that is done under the sun. "
00:41:05.87\00:41:08.54
Then verse 10...
Ecclesiastes 9 verse 10.
00:41:08.74\00:41:11.29
"Whatsoever your
hands find to do,
00:41:11.49\00:41:13.88
do it with your
might. " And get this part:
00:41:14.08\00:41:16.47
"For there is no work
00:41:16.68\00:41:18.41
nor knowledge nor wisdom
00:41:18.61\00:41:21.84
in the grave... " And get this:
00:41:22.05\00:41:23.97
"where you are going. "
00:41:24.17\00:41:27.19
Can a text be so clear? Yeah.
00:41:27.39\00:41:28.92
"Where you are going. "
00:41:29.12\00:41:31.81
Because the big question is:
"What happens and where do we go
00:41:32.01\00:41:34.31
when we die? "
We go to the grave
00:41:34.51\00:41:36.71
"where you are going. "
00:41:36.81\00:41:37.89
The grave Job said, and you
just said that a moment ago,
00:41:38.09\00:41:41.04
"The grave is my house.
00:41:41.24\00:41:42.80
If I wake, the
grave is my house.
00:41:43.00\00:41:45.07
I'll make my bed in dust. "
00:41:45.27\00:41:48.01
But pastor, you
know, I'm reading the Bible
00:41:48.22\00:41:51.64
and I... clearly it says
"to be absent from the body
00:41:51.84\00:41:54.97
is to be
present with the Lord. "
00:41:55.18\00:41:56.57
Let me hit that on the head, OK?
00:41:56.67\00:41:57.88
You know? I mean, I can see
that. It says right here. Look.
00:41:58.01\00:42:01.32
II Corinthians chapter 5.
"I'm well pleased, " Paul said,
00:42:01.52\00:42:05.62
"to be absent from
the body and to be present
00:42:05.72\00:42:07.67
with the Lord. "
See! When I leave my body
00:42:07.78\00:42:10.00
I go to be with the Lord. "
00:42:10.20\00:42:11.32
So how are you
going to answer me?
00:42:11.42\00:42:12.57
Oh, that's an easy one.
00:42:12.73\00:42:14.41
Matter of fact, friends, let's
go ahead and read that together.
00:42:14.51\00:42:16.66
I'm excited about that
one. I did some homework on that
00:42:16.86\00:42:18.82
and I really appreciate
what the Bible says about it.
00:42:19.02\00:42:20.90
It's so clear...
It's so clear it's clear.
00:42:21.10\00:42:23.75
It's so clear you can see it.
00:42:25.26\00:42:26.77
It's so clear it's
clearer than my glasses.
00:42:26.97\00:42:29.14
Besides I need to
clean these glasses.
00:42:29.34\00:42:31.30
These are
over-the-counter cheap glasses.
00:42:31.50\00:42:33.88
There was a time when these
things were fashion statements.
00:42:34.08\00:42:36.02
Now they are
necessities. OK, here we are:
00:42:36.22\00:42:37.92
I Corinthians...
Well, II Corinthians 5...
00:42:38.74\00:42:43.26
There's one in I
Corinthians 5 but let's go to
00:42:43.36\00:42:45.20
II Corinthians 5 and
we're going to see the story.
00:42:45.30\00:42:47.87
And what you have to notice -
what you must notice, brethren -
00:42:48.07\00:42:52.11
is that nowhere in the
verse at all do you find
00:42:52.25\00:42:56.26
death talked about.
00:42:56.46\00:42:58.54
Nowhere is death even mentioned
as the avenue to heaven.
00:42:59.84\00:43:05.24
Jesus made it very clear:
00:43:05.44\00:43:07.45
you go to the
grave and you wait there.
00:43:07.65\00:43:09.00
OK. I'm going to
read the whole story.
00:43:09.20\00:43:10.60
And we're going to break it down
because this is one that I like
00:43:10.70\00:43:12.62
to... You're going to have to
do it quickly because we're...
00:43:12.82\00:43:14.55
verses 6 to 8:
00:43:14.65\00:43:16.58
All right. OK. Are
you ready? Here we go.
00:43:16.79\00:43:18.66
But we have to... but we
have to read the whole story
00:43:20.63\00:43:24.39
and then we end at verse 8, OK?
00:43:24.59\00:43:26.51
"For we know... " verse 1
of chapter 5 II Corinthians:
00:43:26.71\00:43:31.93
"For we know that if our
earthly house, this tent,
00:43:32.06\00:43:37.37
is destroyed we
have a building from God.
00:43:37.57\00:43:41.13
A house, not made with
hands, eternal in the heavens. "
00:43:41.33\00:43:47.00
So you have to ask
yourself initially:
00:43:47.20\00:43:48.78
the tent which is
speaking of the body - right -
00:43:48.98\00:43:52.21
when that mortal body...
'cause that's all we have
00:43:52.41\00:43:56.46
is mortality. We don't
have an immortal body. Right.
00:43:56.66\00:43:58.33
When we have a
mortal, corruptible body,
00:43:58.53\00:44:00.94
when we lose that
one - it's destroyed -
00:44:01.04\00:44:02.79
Paul seems to be
indicating here that we have
00:44:02.82\00:44:06.49
a better one for us.
00:44:06.89\00:44:09.90
You want to see what the
better one is talked about here?
00:44:10.21\00:44:12.29
I Corinthians chapter 15.
00:44:12.49\00:44:14.36
He says... I
Corinthians chapter 15
00:44:14.56\00:44:17.80
and I'm going to go ahead
and read it very clearly here.
00:44:18.00\00:44:19.84
Verse 40: "There is
also a celestial body
00:44:20.14\00:44:26.11
and terrestrial body. But
the glory of the celestial
00:44:26.31\00:44:29.96
is one and the glory of
the terrestrial is another. "
00:44:30.06\00:44:33.21
Now here's the other one:
00:44:33.41\00:44:35.06
Verse 44:
00:44:35.26\00:44:37.86
Verse 42... "So also is
the resurrection of the dead.
00:44:38.26\00:44:42.87
The body is sown in corruption
and is raised in incorruption. "
00:44:43.07\00:44:46.43
It's raised. There you go.
00:44:46.63\00:44:48.18
There's got to be a resurrection
to have an incorrupted body.
00:44:48.28\00:44:50.85
Exactly. And it does
make it very clear - verse 47:
00:44:51.05\00:44:54.61
"The first man was of
the earth made of dust.
00:44:54.81\00:44:57.15
The second Man is
the Lord from heaven. "
00:44:57.26\00:44:59.26
"As was... " verse 48
of I Corinthians 15...
00:44:59.46\00:45:03.61
"As was the man of dust
00:45:03.81\00:45:06.19
so also are those
who are made of dust.
00:45:06.39\00:45:09.59
And as the Heavenly
Man, so also are those who
00:45:09.79\00:45:14.33
are heavenly. AND as we
have borne the image of the man
00:45:14.53\00:45:19.88
of dust we shall also bear
the image of the Heavenly Man. "
00:45:19.98\00:45:24.28
And that's when he talks
about "we shall not all sleep
00:45:24.48\00:45:27.15
but we shall all be changed. "
00:45:27.35\00:45:28.51
But let's get back to
"absent from the body. "
00:45:28.62\00:45:30.00
Going to go
through this very quickly.
00:45:30.10\00:45:31.37
Back to II
Corinthians chapter 5.
00:45:31.57\00:45:34.19
So John is saying...
So Paul is saying here
00:45:34.39\00:45:36.75
"Yes we have this earthly house.
00:45:36.95\00:45:38.34
It's going to be
removed one day. "
00:45:38.44\00:45:39.77
But what's the
present condition?
00:45:39.97\00:45:41.34
Look at verse 2 of II
Corinthians chapter 5.
00:45:41.54\00:45:43.43
"For in this we groan:
earnestly desiring to be clothed
00:45:43.73\00:45:47.98
with our habitation
which is from heaven. "
00:45:48.08\00:45:49.80
That's our greatest desire.
00:45:50.00\00:45:51.01
We just really
want this eternal body.
00:45:51.31\00:45:53.42
That's what we want
more than anything else.
00:45:53.52\00:45:54.92
But notice, let's
go on further. Verse 3:
00:45:55.13\00:45:57.42
"If indeed having been clothed
we shall not be found naked.
00:45:57.62\00:46:01.36
For we who are in
this tent groan... "
00:46:02.94\00:46:06.47
That's the problems and
challenges of this life.
00:46:06.67\00:46:08.72
"being burdened. Not
because we want to be unclothed
00:46:08.92\00:46:13.28
but rather clothed, that
mortality may be swallowed
00:46:13.48\00:46:17.99
up by life. " OK.
And you know what, John?
00:46:18.09\00:46:21.77
In the New American Standard...
00:46:21.91\00:46:23.59
the New Living Translation...
00:46:23.79\00:46:24.80
could I read that
verse one more time?
00:46:24.81\00:46:26.31
You're going to make a comment.
Don't lose your thought,
00:46:26.41\00:46:27.73
but I'm going to
read verse 4 again.
00:46:27.93\00:46:29.56
In the New Living
Translation second edition
00:46:29.77\00:46:31.85
they make it so clear.
00:46:32.05\00:46:33.35
"While we live in these earthly
bodies we groan and sigh.
00:46:33.55\00:46:38.60
But it's not that we want to
die and get rid of these bodies
00:46:38.90\00:46:42.00
that clothe us...
"Rather we want to put on
00:46:42.20\00:46:45.15
our new bodies so
that these dying bodies
00:46:45.35\00:46:47.92
will be swallowed up by life. "
00:46:48.12\00:46:49.94
And you know... And
just to further that,
00:46:50.14\00:46:51.88
there is no place in
scripture anywhere in the Bible
00:46:52.08\00:46:56.08
that says that
somebody is in spirit form.
00:46:56.28\00:46:59.81
A person, an individual,
is in a spirit, immortal form.
00:47:00.02\00:47:03.56
Nowhere. Not one. Not one.
00:47:03.86\00:47:05.30
It just doesn't happen.
There are stories of Enoch,
00:47:05.50\00:47:07.97
Moses, and Elijah: specifically
individuals who were taken
00:47:08.17\00:47:12.44
to heaven... each
in a different way.
00:47:12.64\00:47:14.53
But they were taken in
the immortal, incorruptible
00:47:14.73\00:47:19.48
body form... their
heavenly body form.
00:47:19.69\00:47:22.06
Because without the
body they don't exist.
00:47:22.26\00:47:24.61
So... So now here's the answer.
00:47:25.01\00:47:27.13
Thank you for
that. Here's the answer.
00:47:27.33\00:47:28.93
Now let's go ahead and read the
verses that are the question.
00:47:29.13\00:47:33.15
Verse 5 of II Corinthians 5:
00:47:33.35\00:47:36.03
"Now He who has prepared
for us this very thing is God
00:47:36.23\00:47:39.59
who also has given us
the Spirit as a guarantee. "
00:47:39.79\00:47:42.76
Notice: this is
the guarantee we have.
00:47:42.97\00:47:45.52
We don't get it at death;
00:47:45.73\00:47:46.87
we get this at the
coming of the Lord.
00:47:46.97\00:47:48.42
Watch this... here is the key:
00:47:48.52\00:47:50.04
"Therefore we
are always confident
00:47:50.24\00:47:52.77
knowing that while we
are at home in the body
00:47:52.97\00:47:55.27
we are absent from the Lord.
00:47:55.47\00:47:56.66
We walk by
faith, not by sight. "
00:47:56.96\00:47:59.07
Why does it say: "we
walk by faith, not by sight? "
00:47:59.27\00:48:01.02
Because one day our
faith will become sight.
00:48:01.12\00:48:04.02
Right now we are
walking by faith.
00:48:04.23\00:48:05.32
We have a guarantee that
that's what's going to be
00:48:05.42\00:48:07.30
but right now it's
just a statement of faith.
00:48:07.51\00:48:09.12
And here's the point. Verse 23:
00:48:09.32\00:48:12.27
"We are confident
yes, well pleased rather,
00:48:12.41\00:48:15.73
to be absent from the body and
to be present with the Lord. "
00:48:15.76\00:48:18.03
What Paul is in essence saying
is that while we are at home
00:48:18.23\00:48:20.84
in this life with all
the troubles, we never look
00:48:21.04\00:48:23.26
forward to the day when we
will be present with the Lord.
00:48:23.46\00:48:26.29
If we are comfortable - let
me just paraphrase it this way
00:48:26.43\00:48:28.75
as he says it here - if we are
comfortable being in this form,
00:48:28.88\00:48:32.61
if this is the last stop for us,
00:48:32.81\00:48:35.38
we'll never be
absent from this body...
00:48:35.58\00:48:38.02
we'll never be
present with the Lord. "
00:48:38.22\00:48:40.49
And that's the
distinguishing part there.
00:48:40.69\00:48:43.14
If you're absent from the
Lord it doesn't mean you're not
00:48:43.35\00:48:46.61
abiding in Him. It simply means
you're absent in proximity.
00:48:46.71\00:48:51.04
That's it. You're not
in heaven where He resides.
00:48:51.24\00:48:55.07
Right. And to be
present with the Lord in verse 8
00:48:55.27\00:48:58.53
when you finally get
rid of your mortal body
00:48:58.73\00:49:00.87
you will live in
heaven to be in His presence.
00:49:01.07\00:49:03.90
That's all this
is talking about.
00:49:04.20\00:49:05.98
It's not talking about
an immediate transition
00:49:06.18\00:49:09.18
from being absent or
shedding the body to being...
00:49:09.38\00:49:11.67
to appearing before the Lord.
00:49:11.87\00:49:13.03
It doesn't even mention death
in that respect. Not at all.
00:49:13.06\00:49:16.79
As a matter of
fact, Philippians 3
00:49:16.99\00:49:19.33
Paul makes this
clear. And by the way,
00:49:19.53\00:49:20.91
I Corinthians 15 Paul already
addressed the entire issue
00:49:21.01\00:49:23.81
of death and the resurrection
in I Corinthians chapter 15.
00:49:23.91\00:49:26.79
He wrote a second letter,
and the second letter is this
00:49:26.99\00:49:30.01
passage people often
use to try to confuse
00:49:30.11\00:49:32.00
the entire ideology.
00:49:32.20\00:49:34.05
But here's what Paul further
says in Philippians 3:20-21.
00:49:34.25\00:49:37.75
Because friends, one day
we are going to be immortal.
00:49:37.96\00:49:40.30
One day we are going to
be absent from the body:
00:49:40.50\00:49:42.82
this mortal,
corruptible body that dies.
00:49:43.02\00:49:45.57
The one with grey hair
00:49:45.77\00:49:46.89
someone who
reminded me so fittingly had.
00:49:47.09\00:49:49.12
The one with contact lenses.
00:49:49.32\00:49:50.75
We are going to be absent
from this decaying, dying body.
00:49:50.95\00:49:54.04
One day we will be, but here's
when it's going to happen.
00:49:54.44\00:49:57.22
Look at
Philippians 3 verses 20 and 21:
00:49:57.32\00:49:59.44
And read that for us,
John. Don't rush through it.
00:49:59.64\00:50:01.54
Do you have it? Or
should I go ahead and read it?
00:50:01.74\00:50:03.50
You read it, I
don't have it. OK.
00:50:03.70\00:50:04.93
I'm going to walk
through it very quickly.
00:50:05.13\00:50:06.99
Philippians 3 verses 20 and 21.
00:50:07.19\00:50:10.29
Here is the beautiful pattern
that the Lord has set for us:
00:50:10.49\00:50:14.62
"For our
citizenship is in heaven
00:50:16.00\00:50:18.64
from which we also
eagerly wait for the Savior
00:50:18.94\00:50:23.44
the Lord Jesus Christ. "
00:50:23.64\00:50:25.16
And get this...
read verse 21, John.
00:50:25.36\00:50:28.64
"Who will transform our lowly
body that it may be conformed
00:50:28.84\00:50:32.11
to His glorious body
according to the working
00:50:32.21\00:50:34.95
by which He is able even to
subdue all things to Himself. "
00:50:35.05\00:50:39.03
He's going to
transform our lowly bodies -
00:50:39.23\00:50:41.04
this terrible body - that it
may be conformed to His glorious
00:50:41.24\00:50:44.64
body. We are
waiting for Him to do that.
00:50:44.74\00:50:48.27
We are not in heaven
where He is doing this. Right.
00:50:48.47\00:50:50.69
That's why it says
our citizenship is there.
00:50:50.89\00:50:52.85
We're not there yet!
Our citizenship is there.
00:50:53.05\00:50:55.31
That's why Paul
says: "From which we also
00:50:55.51\00:50:58.62
eagerly wait for the
Savior the Lord Jesus Christ. "
00:50:58.82\00:51:01.53
We're waiting for Him. He's
there... we're waiting for Him.
00:51:01.74\00:51:04.22
And that's where Job says
"until my... " He's waiting for
00:51:04.42\00:51:07.43
his change to
come - There you go! -
00:51:07.53\00:51:09.74
change from
mortality to immortality.
00:51:09.94\00:51:11.88
And that always
includes the bodily change...
00:51:12.08\00:51:14.67
never just a
transitional spirit.
00:51:14.87\00:51:16.91
So this is
important to remember:
00:51:17.01\00:51:19.21
we've got a multitude
of other texts to cover -
00:51:19.31\00:51:21.70
right - on this subject that
we can't fit into this program.
00:51:21.90\00:51:24.50
But it does get us one place.
00:51:24.70\00:51:27.71
You're wanting to read
another one, aren't you?
00:51:27.91\00:51:29.35
Just one more.
But just go ahead.
00:51:29.55\00:51:31.11
No is the answer.
00:51:32.20\00:51:35.00
But this helps us to move
to the next subject which is
00:51:35.04\00:51:38.77
very much related. Because
those who believe that the soul
00:51:38.97\00:51:41.90
is immortal,
that it exists forever
00:51:42.10\00:51:43.96
and can be
separate from the body,
00:51:44.16\00:51:46.86
also believe that
the soul is going to...
00:51:47.06\00:51:50.82
per... or to suffer throughout
eternity in the fires of hell.
00:51:51.02\00:51:56.65
Right. And that God
Himself will keep them alive
00:51:56.85\00:52:00.30
in their spirit form to
be tortured in hell forever.
00:52:00.50\00:52:04.94
Now, this is where we get
into our next, our fourth...
00:52:05.07\00:52:08.62
fourth of our
Top Ten Counterfeits.
00:52:08.83\00:52:13.05
OK. The devil is running a smear
campaign on God's character.
00:52:13.25\00:52:17.59
That's right. He's been
trying from the very beginning
00:52:17.79\00:52:20.61
to get God to
appear what He is not.
00:52:20.81\00:52:22.74
That He is harsh and exacting.
00:52:23.04\00:52:25.69
That He... In fact, even in our
insurance terms we call these
00:52:25.89\00:52:29.50
disasters "acts of God. "
00:52:29.70\00:52:32.35
When people die, we
say "God took him or her. "
00:52:32.65\00:52:35.72
All these things we connect...
the devil's connected with God.
00:52:36.02\00:52:39.14
It's as somehow
God wants us to die
00:52:39.35\00:52:41.55
or wants to... people to suffer.
00:52:41.75\00:52:45.67
And that is simply not the case!
00:52:45.88\00:52:48.41
OK. And so the reason why it's
connected to this immortality
00:52:48.61\00:52:52.54
of the soul is because we
make out God to be a torturer.
00:52:52.64\00:52:55.70
Because the definition
of torture is keeping alive
00:52:56.00\00:52:59.25
to administer
pain. Right? Right.
00:52:59.45\00:53:00.99
That's right. That's
the definition of torture.
00:53:01.29\00:53:03.27
When you keep someone alive to
administer pain or inflict pain
00:53:03.47\00:53:07.71
on purpose on somebody.
And that's what God would be.
00:53:07.91\00:53:10.41
We even as Americans don't
ever want to be perceived as
00:53:10.61\00:53:13.97
torturers. No, we don't.
And yet we assign, relegate God
00:53:14.17\00:53:17.43
to being a torturer
of souls in hell forever
00:53:17.63\00:53:21.11
if they don't follow Him.
00:53:21.31\00:53:22.58
Matter of fact, I want to just
hit two texts very quickly -
00:53:22.78\00:53:24.81
go ahead - that shows that the
soul is not an eternal property.
00:53:25.01\00:53:27.19
Ezekiel 18:4: "The
soul who sins shall die. "
00:53:27.40\00:53:32.34
Boom. I just gave
the last part of that.
00:53:32.54\00:53:34.95
"All souls are mine.
The soul of the father,
00:53:35.15\00:53:36.63
the soul of the son is Mine.
The soul who sins shall die. "
00:53:36.73\00:53:40.02
Boom. Point: the soul can die.
00:53:40.22\00:53:42.47
That's the first point. But
now this is the passage, John.
00:53:42.67\00:53:45.18
Remember we just
read II Corinthians 5
00:53:45.38\00:53:48.39
which is a favorite passage.
"Absent from the body. "
00:53:48.60\00:53:50.65
That's the one that
people like to twist.
00:53:50.75\00:53:51.72
Here's another one
that people like to use,
00:53:51.81\00:53:53.86
and this one actually is
the worst text to try to use
00:53:54.06\00:53:57.15
to try to talk about
the soul being eternal.
00:53:57.35\00:53:59.00
This is the worst text to
use to try to make the soul out
00:53:59.20\00:54:02.04
to be something eternal. And
here's the part that they like:
00:54:02.14\00:54:04.61
Matthew 10:28.
00:54:05.92\00:54:07.54
Matthew 10 verse 28.
00:54:07.74\00:54:09.10
"And do not fear those
who kill the body but cannot
00:54:09.40\00:54:13.78
kill the soul. " They
stop right there and say:
00:54:13.88\00:54:16.84
"See, the soul can't die. "
00:54:17.04\00:54:18.87
Keep reading. You want to read
the second half for me, John?
00:54:19.08\00:54:22.28
Just so they can
get a change of voice?
00:54:22.48\00:54:23.93
"But rather fear him who
is able to destroy both soul
00:54:24.13\00:54:28.01
and body in hell. "
00:54:28.12\00:54:30.08
Can the soul be
destroyed? Absolutely. OK.
00:54:30.28\00:54:32.98
Soul and body. Now what does
that mean if the soul and body
00:54:33.18\00:54:35.83
are talked about
as separate here?
00:54:36.03\00:54:37.48
This means the
conscious part of man,
00:54:37.68\00:54:40.21
the record of man,
the intelligence of man -
00:54:40.41\00:54:43.69
the wholeness of man -
the wholeness... everything
00:54:43.89\00:54:46.16
is destroyed. There is
no... nothing surviving
00:54:46.26\00:54:50.02
that destruction.
The lake of fire...
00:54:50.13\00:54:52.34
nothing is
going to survive that.
00:54:52.54\00:54:53.70
That's why the Bible says,
that they will be as though they
00:54:53.80\00:54:57.99
had not been. " That's right.
00:54:58.09\00:54:59.86
In other words, what
ever happened to so and so?
00:55:00.06\00:55:01.31
Who? They'll be as
though they had not been.
00:55:01.51\00:55:04.23
The soul and the body
will be destroyed in hell.
00:55:04.43\00:55:07.34
That means the
conscious, the intelligence.
00:55:07.54\00:55:09.32
But today the reason why
it says "don't fear those
00:55:09.52\00:55:12.44
who are able to
kill the body... "
00:55:12.54\00:55:13.73
Some people have been
hung, burned at the stake,
00:55:13.93\00:55:17.06
head cut off, but they will
come forth in the resurrection
00:55:17.26\00:55:20.33
because man does not have the
ability to stop you from coming
00:55:20.53\00:55:23.95
forth in the resurrection.
Only God can do that!
00:55:24.05\00:55:26.86
They can kill you now. They
can destroy your mortality -
00:55:27.06\00:55:29.53
right - who you are,
but they cannot destroy
00:55:29.73\00:55:32.85
everything you are in Christ
00:55:33.06\00:55:35.09
because that is the whole person
and that is what's referred to
00:55:35.19\00:55:37.75
here in the soul.
They can't keep you from
00:55:37.95\00:55:39.50
receiving the
gift of immortality.
00:55:39.70\00:55:41.61
They could kill you
now. They could dissect.
00:55:41.81\00:55:43.87
They could do all kinds of
torturous things, but they can't
00:55:44.07\00:55:45.95
stop you from coming
forth in the resurrection.
00:55:46.05\00:55:48.38
But they also quote this text
from Revelation 20 verse 10.
00:55:48.58\00:55:51.22
"The devil who deceived them
were cast into the lake of fire
00:55:51.42\00:55:53.64
and brimstone where the
beast and false prophet are.
00:55:53.74\00:55:55.85
And they will be tormented day
and night forever and ever. "
00:55:56.06\00:55:58.57
OK. So what is
this referring to?
00:55:58.77\00:56:02.16
"They are tormented day
and night forever and ever. "
00:56:02.37\00:56:04.13
Some call it
everlasting - torment - fire.
00:56:04.33\00:56:08.85
Or eternal torment or, you
know, whatever different words
00:56:09.05\00:56:13.25
are used to
describe this thing here.
00:56:13.35\00:56:15.80
OK. But it's
not what it appears.
00:56:16.00\00:56:17.46
Well, let's hit
that one on the head.
00:56:17.66\00:56:19.08
in the very same way
you read in the Bible
00:56:19.28\00:56:21.10
that Sodom and Gomorrah...
Jude chapter 1, there's only
00:56:21.30\00:56:24.85
one chapter - "As Sodom and
Gomorrah and the cities around
00:56:24.95\00:56:27.85
them in similar manner to these
00:56:27.95\00:56:29.58
having given themselves
over to sexual immorality
00:56:29.78\00:56:32.40
gone after strange flesh
are set forth as an example
00:56:32.43\00:56:36.00
suffering the
vengeance of eternal fire. "
00:56:36.20\00:56:39.93
Notice eternal
fire talked about there.
00:56:40.13\00:56:41.73
But when you go to Genesis
where the story is talked about
00:56:41.93\00:56:44.39
in Genesis chapter
19 you see clearly there
00:56:44.59\00:56:46.70
Sodom and Gomorrah
was destroyed. Right.
00:56:46.90\00:56:49.97
OK. So here is
the point, brethren.
00:56:50.28\00:56:52.46
Unless you have eternal
life, you can't burn eternally.
00:56:52.66\00:56:56.57
"The wages of sin is death;
00:56:56.77\00:56:58.23
the gift of God
is eternal life. "
00:56:58.43\00:56:59.73
And eternal life is
not a gift to the wicked.
00:56:59.93\00:57:03.44
And the fire
that is "unquenchable"
00:57:03.64\00:57:05.59
is unquenchable not because
it lasts forever but because
00:57:05.79\00:57:08.37
it cannot be put out. By us.
00:57:08.57\00:57:10.97
We cannot put it
out; it's unquenchable.
00:57:11.07\00:57:12.80
You cannot quench it.
But when its done its work
00:57:12.90\00:57:15.71
it will go out.
Right! It's eternal fire
00:57:15.92\00:57:18.77
in that its effects are eternal
not that it lasts forever.
00:57:18.97\00:57:22.61
Not the process. This
is how the devil uses it.
00:57:22.81\00:57:24.90
The devil takes these
things and he counterfeits them.
00:57:25.10\00:57:27.05
He twists them to benefit him
00:57:27.25\00:57:29.56
in his attack against
God Himself and His character
00:57:29.76\00:57:32.80
and people within the church...
There are ministers today that
00:57:33.00\00:57:36.00
have bought it
and they teach it.
00:57:36.20\00:57:38.03
That's right. They're saying
to you that you need eternal
00:57:38.24\00:57:40.19
life or else you're going
to burn forever, they're saying
00:57:40.29\00:57:41.86
you'll have eternal life in
hell or eternal life in heaven.
00:57:41.96\00:57:44.09
No, you'll have... You'll
be separated from God forever
00:57:44.29\00:57:47.53
or you'll be with God forever.
00:57:47.73\00:57:49.03
There is no middle
ground. Eternal life is a gift
00:57:49.13\00:57:52.05
to only one class
of people. And today
00:57:52.25\00:57:54.30
you can receive eternal
life by making Jesus Christ
00:57:54.50\00:57:57.24
the Lord of your life. Friends,
make that decision today.
00:57:57.44\00:58:00.13
God bless you.
00:58:00.37\00:58:02.13