Author Archives: fact-s.net

BE LIKE GOD, how?

by fact-s.net

This has been humanity’s goal since the beginning as in Genesis 3:5 “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”(NIV). But, God knows better on how to be like him; not on our own by just eating the “fruit” as tempted by Satan.

Subsequently, humanity built the Tower of Babel “to reach the heavens” as in Genesis 11:4 “Then,they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.” (NIV). But, God did not like that, so their languages were confounded.

And, many attempts to be a ruler/sovereignty as in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of successive kingdoms in Daniel 2; all failed as God already planned to have his way, the “stone” will expand to rule all earth.

Even in our modern world, there are attempts to “like God”. Omnipresence is reflected in humanity’s attempt to be everywhere as in Zoom, monitoring by camera, Ring-camera, etc. Omniscience as in Artificial Intelligence (AI-tech)and ability to change into another as in “deep fake tech”. Moreover, there are attempts to be “everlasting” as in inventions purported to expand longevity.

But, all human efforts did not reach desired goals of “sovereignty, omnipresence, omniscience nor eternal life”. Only God can do this for mankind , as planned/prophesied and being executed by El Shaddai, aka Yahweh-Elohim, LOGOS, man-Jesus Christ.

God bless us all🙏🙏🙏

Crucifixion/Resurrection?

by fact-s.net

Controversy continues as to the day of crucifixion and resurrection. That these events truly happened are generally believed by many.

But, does it matter when?

Respectfully, I think it does… to a certain extent but should not be for debate and a distraction to the main message that, in fact, they happened as prophesied that his death (Col. 1:2)is for our reconciliation and his resurrected life (Romans 5:10)is for our eventual salvation. Yes, we have to be reconciled to the Father first, before we will be saved “with his resurrected life”.

Fundamental issues to resolve are:

1. Three days and three nights, Jesus was dead as Jonah was, in the belly of the fish.

The popular teaching that Jesus died on Friday towards sunset and resurrected on Sunday, early sunrise may need to be re-evaluated because from the end of Friday (sunset) to the beginning(sunrise)of Sunday wil only account to 1 day, from “even-to-even” as day is biblically counted from Genesis, as in Genesis 1:8.

As written, ““For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly, so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth” (Matthew 12:40).

“Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.”(Jonah 1:17).

“Then Jonah prayed unto the LORD his God out of the fish’s belly, And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the LORD, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice. For thou hadst cast me into the deep, in the midst of the seas; and the floods compassed me about: all thy billows and thy waves passed over me. Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple. The waters compassed me about, even to the soul: the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head. I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever: yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O LORD my God. When my soul fainted within me I remembered the LORD: and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple. They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy. But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD. And the LORD spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land.” (Jonah 2:1-10)

The preceding narrative suggests that Jonas cried (Jo.2:2) as Jesus “cried out”(Matt.27:50) before they died and both “brought up my (to) life from corruption(death)” ( Jo. 2:6; Lu.24:3) as both were resurrected, exactly and precisely, “three days and three nights”.

Yes, Jonas died and was swallowed by a “big fish” to be regurgitated back to life at the “banks of Nineveh”. Yet, some Christian preachers teach from the pulpit that Jonas did not die and was alive in the belly of the “big fish” because Jesus, being God, could not have died and therefore did not resurrect from death… a circuitous and erroneous logic.

Why is this of a seminal and crucial event? Because the Jonas event is the only proof to that “evil and adulterous generation” and to all generations, that Jesus is the Messiah (Matt.12:39-40;16:4). Without this proof that it happened the way he described it, will cast doubt about him being the prophesied Savior.

2. Which Sabbath was referred to, annual or weekly?

In Lu. 23:54-56 “And that day was the “preparation”, and the sabbath drew on. And the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was laid. And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the “sabbath day” according to the commandment.”

Since Christ is the Lamb of God (Jn. 1:29) and our Passover (I Cor. 5:7), then he had to be sacrificed on Nisan 14. According to Ex. 12:3-11, Nisan 14 is the day the Passover Lamb was killed. Following that day, starting sunset to sunset for counting a day, is the 1st Day of Unleavened Bread, Nisan 15. This feast of unleavened bread has to be observed for 7 days, with the 1st and 7th day, as “annual Sabbath“, and not weekly sabbath or Saturday; hence the error of Friday Crucifixion or death of Jesus Christ.

Jesus was killed on “preparation day” (Passover day) and was buried towards the end of that day, Nisan 14, as the annual “Sabbath drew on“, Nisan 15.

The women had to “rest” that “annual” Sabbath of rest, Nisan 15, “according to the commandment” and therefore has to “prepare spices and ointments” sometime Nisan 16, a non-sabbath day. Then they rested on a “weekly” Sabbath (Saturday) Nisan 17.

There were 2 Sabbaths that week and year, an annual and weekly Sabbath of rest.

3. What day did Christ resurrect and when was the crucifixion ?

Notice that Mary, Joanna, Mary Magdalene and other women were bringing the spices and ointments “very early in the morning the 1st day of the week”(Sunday, Nisan 18), and the body was “not found”, the “stone that sealed the tomb rolled down” and “Peter running towards the sepulcher” confirmed this (Lu. 24:1-12).

With the preceding facts, one can see clearly that following the “only sign of Jonas” having been buried towards the end of the day(sunset), Jesus must have resurrected after complete “3 days and 3 nights” also towards the end of the day(sunset). Since the “body was not found “very early morning” of Sunday the 1st day of the week, Nisan 18, therefore the resurrection was Nisan 17, a weekly Sabbath, towards the end of that day, sunset. The crucifixion or death of Christ had to be Nisan 14 (Passover killed), Wednesday, before the “annual” Sabbath, Nisan 15. Additionally, prophecy in Daniel says:

Dan. 9:27: “And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease..,”

4. What is the “third day” referred to in the “Emmaus walk” narrative?

This day could not be Sunday the first day of the week as this was the 4th day from crucifixion and burial, not the 3rd day.

The narrative states that 2 disciples reached Emmaus on the 3rd day. The “third day” was the 3rd from Sunday when they started the trip from Jerusalem (Sunday, Monday, Tuesday). The “day was far spent” (Tuesday towards sunset and to begin the following start of Wedneday nightime) so they invited the resurrected Jesus to eat with them. And they started to rest that Wednesday night as it was the start of the 7th day of Unleavened bread, an annual sabbath, also a “rest day“. See also, Feast of Unleavened Bread in Lev 23:5-8 proving that Nisan 15 and Nisan 21 are annual or high Sabbaths.

Therefore, the “third day” has to be after Sunday, i.e., towards the end of Tuesday, the day prior to the beginning of Wednesday, the annual Sabbath Nisan 21(last day of UB). This then makes the “Emmaus walk” 3 days long, no matter how many miles the “distance from Jerusalem to the true Emmaus village”.

5. What year and date was the crucifixion/resurrection?

Knowing that Nisan 14 crucifixion was Wednesday and Nisan 17 was Saturday, can the calendar at that time confirm these days? The best calendar to show the years of Jesus’ ministry can be accessed in:

http://www.studiesintheword.org/chart_22-36AD.htm

http://www.usno.navy.mil/USNO/astronomical-applications/data-services/spring-phenom
http://www.judaismvschristianity.com/Passover_dates.htm.

Notice that in Molad years 23, 26, 30 and 33 AD, Nisan 14 (Crucifixion) was on Wednesday. Therefore, Nisan 17 towards sunset was Saturday, weekly Sabbath , when he was resurrected. And, on Nisan 18 Sunday the first of the week, Jesus’ “body was not found”. As to which exact year, one may have to research further.

Moreover, according to Lu. 3:23, Jesus was about 30 years old when he began his ministry after baptism at river Jordan which lasted 3 1/2 years. As E. Martin and others (1, 2,3) suggested that Jesus was born on Rosh Hashanah, Sept 11, 3BC, then his ministry was from 27 AD-31AD. Taking all things into consideration, then the year most likely was on 30 AD , month of March or April and his birthday may have to be re-evaluated. See also: https://jamestabor.com/jesus-died-on-a-thursday-not-a-friday/.

Summary

As Jonah was dead in the belly of the “big fish” for “3 days and 3 nights“ is the only proof given by Jesus to the “adulterous generation” and to all generations, that He is the Messiah, Son of God, he had to be dead in the tomb also for “3 days and 3 nights”. Teaching on this subject have been upended by a predominant Christian institutions that maintain Friday Crucifixion because of the error in concluding that the day after his death and burial was a weekly sabbath rather than annual Sabbath.

Notwithstanding the day, week and year are controversial, altogether and whatever the truth behind the facts of crucifixion and resurrection, the key message is:

Jesus is the Messiah/Passover who was crucified and resurrected for us.

As in Romans 5, Jesus’ death took on for all humanity the consequence of sin (accounted to one man Adam) which is eternal death, so that also one “man Christ Jesus” would reconcile us to the Father. Having been reconciled by Jesus’ death as a Passover, his resurrection to life (being alive) will be the occasion for the Father to gift him the Holy Spirit of power to create his church on an ongoing creation.

God bless👍🙏😇

Original post: April 21, 2015

Modified and reposted April 1, 2021

Also, April 9, 2023 Easter

REFERENCES:
1. Martin, Ernest: Star that Astonished the World, 2nd Ed; ISBN 0-945657-87-0, 1995
2. Retrieved from:http://cortright.org/revsign.htm
3. Retrieved from:http://cortright.org/birth.htm

Addiction & Culture

by fact-s.net

Why should this subject be of interest to all of us? By now, we hear of “fentanyl crisis”, aside from drug overdose. More alarming is the question, does “addiction” predict the action of a person that can devolve into group/community actions, thereby leading to culture within that group of people or community? Moreover, how does our “taught-attitude/behavior”,i.e., action, lead to addiction? Will this then extend into the “culture of the community”, like sexual depravity of Sodom & Gomorrah? Are there solutions to this addiction? Additionally, how is this in anyway related to understanding the gospel about the “creation of the God-kingdom”, to start, not from angels (Hebrews 2:5), but from humans; and specifically on “renewing of our mind” as in Romans 12:2. Remember that we were created from “dust of the earth”, “flesh-composed”, subject to “pull of the flesh” and therefore with pathophysiologic system that is amenable to change; unlike the “angelic beings”, spirit-composed and 1/3rd revolted against God. Whereas, by creating the God-kingdom, starting from “man-Jesus”, then “many sons/daughters to glory”, we will then be “one with the Father, as Jesus is “one with him”.

Is their in our composition an intrinsic/natural and biochemical responses through neurotransmitters that, if unchecked, lead to this addiction menace? If, so, what can be done about this?

To start with, except accidents and natural disasters, here is a sweeping statement that “all human depravity emanates from “human actions”, like war, violence , injuries, murder of innocent victims, covetousness, stealing, adultery, sexting/cybersex, abusive behaviors, environmental dirt, etc.”

And, the origin of our motive that becomes an action comes from our “mind”. But “human minds” are diverse and differ from one another depending on our exposure to events and personal experiences. And actions maybe accidental, may lack ability to see right/wrong and without motive, like those with mental disabilities; therefore require less culpability; and, sentencing is thus modified for the sake of fair justice which requires knowledge of right or wrong as well as abilities to act accordingly. Moreover, influences from each other lead to “culture within the community”. Notwithstanding, it does not have to be “actual action” but even “thought/thinking that marinates/conceives, brings forth sin as in James 1:15.

Remember the song “sound of silence” where it says:”Because a vision softly creeping, left its seeds while I was sleeping
And the vision that was planted in my brain, still remains. Within the sound of silence” Some mechanism , biochemical or neuromodulation , etc, may keep that “vision/ gratifying experience” in our mind to express itself into subsequent action.

Since it was the Creator-God, who was known to Moses as Yahweh-Elohim, but known as El-Shaddai to Abraham, Isaac & Jacob (Exodus 6:3), who made us “flesh-composed,” thus, subject to the “ pull/works of the flesh”, understanding the biochemical and pathophysiologic mechanism of human actions due to our “composition/structure”(as created human beings) may help us determine what solutions there are, to many wrong actions/thoughts of humanity.

Culture of impunity:

Remember these examples of how the mind decides and acts:

5 black police officers from Memphis Tennessee indicted for the death of Tyre Nichols; did addictive behavior or attitudes towards each other lead to culture?

The Memphis police officers charged in the death of Tyre Nichols were part of an elite unit known as Scorpion that was set up to crack down on high-crime neighborhoods. The officers’ actions as they stopped and beat Nichols show how the squad’s work could, and did, go very wrong. Was the system – response taught to that unit?

Access also these: Harvey Weinstein etc Kelly sex abuse. How did they repeatedly do these heinous crimes? And this:

The Jan. 26 police shooting of a 36-year-old, double amputee in southeastern Los Angeles is the latest killing of a Black man to set off protests over excessive and lethal violence by U.S. law enforcement. Again, a response taught to the group, then embedded in their brains?

Deleterious effect extending to the community in Kensington, Philadelphia

And, addiction is not limited to illegal or legal drugs but also to digital platforms and social media that may develop in us, so-called Nomophobia

“10% of U.S. adults admit to having an addiction to Internet pornography. Research shows that about 67% of 13-year-old boys have seen at least one pornographic image on some sort of digital device in the past year, and by the age of 18, that number rises to 90%.”

FYI, beware: .”Danger of social media on “young minds”:

Definition of Addiction:

As important this subject is, let us now understand the official definition of “addiction”. The American Society of Addiction Medicine defines addiction as, “a primary, chronic disease of brain reward, motivation, memory, and related circuitry.” Something went wrong with the brain circuitry. How biochemically does addiction happen?

Pathophysiology of Addiction:

Having attended seminar on addiction made me think about the relationship of this menace to the development of culture of communities, towns, cities, nations and who, we eventually/ultimately become to be, as a person.

Understanding it’s pathophysiologic mechanism will also help us to see why we need to brace ourselves and change our perception on “addicts”, to understand them better with compassion and help them through these difficulties. This will also help us understand why God created us into this “temporary dwelling”, what God has done, and is doing as planned to remedy it. It will also make us aware of how reinforcement, repetitive behavior and actions lead to responses which can be predictable.

To begin with, addiction is derived from the Latin word for “enslaved” or “bound by”, which makes incredible sense.

Remember Romans 6:20 “When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness”(NIV). How did we become “bound by and enslaved to sin”? From where and how humans were created (Genesis 2:7), of flesh and not spirit, may help explain the propensity all of us have and are subject to this “pull and fruits of the flesh” because of what we were made of.

Let us start with the original Pavlov experiment on dogs: proof of consigned reflex. That is how dog’s brain works

Similarly, few realize that human addiction also has to do with the way the human (also flesh-composed as dogs) brain works. It may well be, that humans and animals have the same neurotransmitter circuitry and biochemical responses.

When most people think of addiction, they think of drugs. But addiction can exist in almost any form. Video games/TV time, alcoholism, gambling, sex, even sugar and exercise addiction. If it releases dopamine from the brain, then it can potentially become an addictive substance or responses. In simple terms, addiction is simply the brain becoming dependent on a source of feel-good chemicals created from something it doesn’t actually need to sustain itself.

Victims all too often know that what they’re doing is dangerous and destructive, but because of their perceived need for the thing, they literally can’t help it. Addiction is a learned behavior. No one sets out intending to become an addict. Half the time they don’t even realize they are one until it’s too late.

Addiction is caused through repetition, constant usage of a certain item, substance or action ( even thought/thinking that may conceive) that releases dopamine in large quantities. The brain likes this and demands more of it – that’s the mechanism of addiction. Reinforcing that reward, can make it tough to break the habit.The problem is that after a while, it becomes impossible to keep up with. The standards of the dopamine high become harder to reach and the victim becomes callous/less responsive and tries harder and harder to achieve that goal again. This is what leads to addiction. Without help, this cycle will keep repeating until the victim is too lost in it to get out on their own.

Trauma and stress affect their lives. To combat this problem and ultimately prevent addiction from occurring in the first place, Ressler would like to see the creation of more preventive strategies that help individuals better cope with stress and trauma, beginning in childhood.

Ressler is also pursuing a complementary study regarding the mechanisms of addiction, in which he is examining the amygdala—a part of the brain that plays a central role in how one experiences emotions—and related regions, such as the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC). He and his colleagues’ findings suggest that dysregulation of the OFC-to-amygdala neurocircuit may influence addictive behavior.

Specifically, their findings show that increased levels of a neuroplasticity protein, called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (Bdnf encoded by the BDNF gene.), drive goal-oriented behavior. In contrast, stress or developmental trauma may lead to atrophy of the OFC neurotrophin systems, which in turn can lead to increased habitual behavior, such as drug or any pleasure-seeking behavior, that becomes predominant over goal-directed behavior. Targeting these molecular systems may serve as a promising adjunct to behavioral therapies aimed at suppressing or reversing habitual thought or behavioral patterns seen in addiction

OFC may shrink or atrophy from diminished use leading to less control from frontal cortex.

There is an involuntary takeover of the brain that compromises decision-making and diminishes freedom of choice, making quitting difficult even in the face of desire to do so.

What happens in addiction is that, through completely natural processes involved in all learning, the brain prunes (disregards) nerve pathways of attention and motivation to preferentially notice, focus on, desire, and seek the substance or pleasurable experiences. What starts out as a choice becomes, in a sense, a prison. The addict the becomes “imprisoned or enslaved”.

Because substances or experiences of gratification, act directly on the reward center of the brain to deliver their high—these involve speedy and intense release of the neurotransmitter dopamine—addiction can be seen as a shortcut to reward, one that, over time, can have a high cost to physical and mental health. Nevertheless, the outsize sensation of reward makes a powerful case for repetition. And through pathways of nerve connection to other areas of the brain, the response weakens activity of the brain’s decision-making center in the prefrontal cortex. Overcoming addiction usually entails not just stopping use of a substance or behaviors but also discovering or rediscovering meaningful activities and goals, the pursuit of which provide the brain with rewards more naturally (and more gradually). And because they require effort, they contribute to growth of many facets of personality and personhood.

“…the brain shifts control over the sequence of actions involved in drinking from conscious control via the prefrontal cortex to habit formation using the basal ganglia. This transition from incentive salience toward habitual responding, mediated by changes in brain circuitry, can make it more likely that someone will continue their drinking pattern and harder for them to stop.”

“Effects of heavy substance use on the brain, and recovery of brain functioning with sustained abstinence, which may be facilitated by cognitive training, were reviewed. Neuroimaging provides powerful tools for determining brain mechanisms underlying psychotherapy and medication effects, predicting and monitoring outcomes, developing novel interventions that target specific brain circuits, and identifying for whom an intervention will be effective.

Same mechanism occurs as we see or interpret things or persons and repeatedly register in our orbit-frontal context

SUMMARY & Why Humans need God

Addiction is, “a primary, chronic disease of brain reward, motivation, memory, and related circuitry.” Something went wrong with the brain circuitry that dissociated one’s ability to say “no” to the gratifying pleasure that neurotransmitter dopamine stimulates and connects with the orbitofrontal cortex for analysis and decision-making.

Repetitive behavior leads to development of diminished connectivity of circuitry control between amygdala and OFC( occipital-frontal cortex) as well as bdnf-gene that becomes the building block of BDNF( brain-derived neurotrophic factor) to achieve an enhanced need for gratification.

Simply put, addiction is when the brain becomes dependent on a source of feel-good chemicals created from something it doesn’t actually need to sustain itself.

Current human interventions and therapy of not just stopping use of a substance or behaviors but also discovering or rediscovering meaningful activities and goals, the pursuit of which provide the brain with rewards more naturally (and more gradually) are salutary. And other things can be done by ourselves

Still, they require effort thus contributing to growth of many facets of personality and personhood. Human efforts, however has limits and our nature, needs additional “empowering tool” to overcome these temptations/urges intrinsic/natural to our created “temporary dwelling”. As Jesus emphasized, “…the flesh is weak” as in Mark 14:38.

This is why the God-Creator, aka, El-Shaddai, Yahweh-Elohim, who knows how we are made of, for good reasons, also has a plan to provide additional “empowering tool” long-promised to his human creation to overcome these “natural phenomenon”.

And this “empowering tool” comes in the form of “in-dwelling Jesus Christ” in our mind (for renewing the mind) by/through the holy spirit of power. And this power, given by the Father-God, manifested itself first through “man-Jesus” (our trailblazer, first of the firstfruits) by the River Jordan as witnessed by John the Baptist in Luke 3:22.

Subsequently, at “time appointed”, he gave this “empowering tool”, after Jesus’ resurrection, to his disciples, also on Pentecost and even now to re-create the “marred clay” to develop/mature into his church, eventually to “bring many sons/daughters to glory” as a family and members of the God-kingdom, as numerous as “stars in heaven” as promised through Abraham.

So, with this “empowering tool” and not our power nor our works but Jesus’ works, that “no one can boast”, here are:

Pre-emptive measures to prevent development of “bad culture” in our mind

1. Fear the Lord for wisdom to begin as in Proverbs 9:10

2. Flee temptation as in I Corinthians 6-18

3. Moderation as in Philippians 4/5 King James Bible
Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. One knows “moderation” if he/she maintains “control and still can say NO to temptations”

God has planned and is executing what he promised to create us to do good works as in Ephesians 2:10.

As the Creator-God dwells only in the “holy-of-holies” of the Temple to show his plan for the future “in-dwelling in our mind” to clean it from evil and empower it to “will and do” good works , so at “time appointed”, he is doing this since his resurrection to life, as we are “saved through his life”.

God bless all of us to be guided to the truth to “will and do” his way, truth, and life. 🙏👍😊

March 29, 2023 published today to commemorate FDA’s approval of over-the -counter Naloxone

“Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Narcan, 4 milligram (mg) naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray for over-the-counter (OTC), nonprescription, use – the first naloxone product approved for use without a prescription. Naloxone is a medication that rapidly reverses the effects of opioid overdose and is the standard treatment for opioid overdose. Today’s action paves the way for the life-saving medication to reverse an opioid overdose to be sold directly to consumers in places like drug stores, convenience stores, grocery stores and gas stations, as well as online.”

Temple is the Church: What, Why, Where and How to build it?

by fact-s.net

In the COVID era, the world is in a dilemma: going to “church or not”, follow religious leaders to attend church mass/meeting or “stay-at-home” as mandated by “Caesar” to prevent transmission.

Similarly this extends to decision-making about “life vs livelihood”. On this Holy Week 2020, church gathering has been advised against, due to “social-distancing” guideline to prevent transmission of SARS-CoV-2. On-line and other technological methods of providing church masses become a norm on this unprecedented time.What Satan and atheists did not like to have and could not prevent, i.e., church gathering of believers, has been achieved by this “invisible enemy” through no fault of anybody. No more “social-bonding”, unlike before this global pandemic.

Indeed, times have change.Pre-2020 pandemic, many of us “go to church“. Some, 2-3 times a week while others attend once a week, consistently. Yet, for those who don’t go at all, many begin to wonder why others do and have made false assumptions in their thinking process, thus defaulting to “Hanlon’s razor”.

Why, and is there anything wrong with continuing to meet fellow believers in a church? At least for social bonding, while following guidelines? What about the risk of virus transmission? Or, instead forgoing traditional church attendance and still “attend” mass or service through other technological means like TV-coverage,FaceTime or zoom? Responses by church leaders and lay members can be varied and everyone exercises or not 1A right; the ubiquitous consonance and dissonance continue to exist.

Similarly, this extends to dilemma in choosing “life vs livelihood”.Whatever, there should be no fault-finding nor finger-pointing among fellow believers as all actions have consequences, good or bad; still, avoid “confirmation bias”. This gives us a reason to delve into this subject of “temple is the church“. What, why, where is it and how to build it…really?

Church History and what is it?

The earliest form of a “temple/church” is called a “sanctuary/tabernacle” found in Exodus 25:8-9 and commanded by God to be built precisely according to the pattern, also as in Acts 7:44, Exodus 25:1-27:21 and Exodus 40:17-33.The word tabernacle is an English rendition of the Hebrew word miskan, or “dwelling place”; also comes from the Hebrew word “ohel moed” or Tent of the congregation. More than 50 Chapters in the Bible were solely devoted to the tabernacle.But even before the tabernacle was constructed, there was “tent of meeting” where God met with Moses as recorded in Exodus 33:7-9. Many assumed that God actually dwelt in it. But, notice this, that as Moses went into the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and stay at the entrance, while the Lord spoke with Moses. Notice that Moses was “into” the tent but the Lord “was not”; the “pillar of cloud was at the entrance.”This “tent of meeting” could be taken up and moved each time they changed locations while wandering in the wilderness. Other names in the Bible for the tent of meeting are the tabernacle of the congregation, wilderness tabernacle, tabernacle of witness, tent of witness, the tabernacle of Moses.After the tabernacle was built about one year after leaving Egypt’s slavery, Moses no longer needed his temporary tent, and the term tent of meeting began to be applied to the tabernacle. This was the “tabernacle in the wilderness” before Israelites went to Canaan 400 years later.In Exodus 25:22, it says “There I will meet with you, and from above the mercy seat, from the two cherubim that are on the ark of the testimony, I will speak with you about all that I will give you in commandment for the people of Israel.” Here again, God was not “in” the temple but “from above the mercy seat”.Numbers 9:15”Now on the day that the tabernacle was erected the cloud covered the tabernacle, the tent of the testimony, and in the evening it was like the appearance of fire over the tabernacle, until morning.” Note: God was not “in” but “cloud covered the tabernacle” at daytime but at night it was “fire over the tabernacle”.Moreover, the tabernacle was a temporary and portable dwelling place for the Ark of the Covenant and the other holy items that the Israelites were instructed to use in the worship of and sacrifice to Yahweh. It represents a portable earthly dwelling place of Yahweh (God) used by the children of Israel from the Exodus until the conquest of Canaan. This was then superseded by the Temple in Jerusalem when it was built by Solomon which was destroyed in 586 BCE by the Babylonians; was re-built in “stages” until destroyed by the Romans in 70 C.E. Currently, there is no 3rd Temple until prior to the 2nd return of Jesus Christ.Noticeably, the “tent of meeting” and the “tabernacle” were representative of a mobile and temporary dwelling of God’s presence. And, while the original Jerusalem temple was stationary, it was destroyed as well as the 2nd Jerusalem temple, making them also temporary representation of God’s dwelling, although “not actual”. All of them were “types” until the “anti-type” is revealed.

What do they represent and why? In the New Testament, Paul in 2 Corinthians 5:1–5 also mentioned the “tent of meeting” or the tabernacle, revealed the “anti-type” and compared it to the earthly human body:“For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee”.

From the preceding verses, one can see that all of them, i.e., tent of meeting, tabernacle and Temple in Jerusalem, represented our mobile and living temporary earthly mortal body that must be replaced. The tent/tabernacle/Temple represents our “home”, our “clothing” and without it, we are “unclothed or naked”. The narrative in Genesis 3:1-13 explains why Adam and Eve found themselves “naked”. This, they found themselves “naked/without clothing” as a consequence, only after they sinned and not before. It dawned on them about death of their mortal body and their “real you” would be separated from that mortal body at death. Again Paul in 1 Corinthians 1:2 referred to as “church”: To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be His holy people, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ – their Lord and ours: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ”.

But, notice that God was never actually in any of these representations. So, where will God in-dwell? Where does God actually in-dwell? It is without doubt as to where the “dwelling place” of God is, in heaven as stated in 2 Chronicles 6:21. But, he also promised to “in-dwell” in man.

We know this mortal body is temporary and must be replaced. This “mortal body” is a “tent/tabernacle/Temple”, our “clothing” and without which we are “unclothed” or “naked”. And, that God promised to in-dwell at “time appointed”. Is this “temporary mortal body” where God promised to in-dwell? Here are the verse-requisites of where actually God will “in-dwell”:Not made by human hands as in Acts 7:48-49 “However, the Most High does not live in houses made by human hands. As the prophet says: “ ‘Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build for me? says the Lord. Or where will my resting place be?

Remember, the “tent of meeting,tabernacle/Jerusalem 2 temples” were made by human hands and therefore God will not dwell there. Also, among the 2 components of man, only one directly comes from God himself.

Here is where actually He will in-dwell, the “breath-of-life” aka “spirit-of-man”; whereas, the other component came “from the ground, earthy”. And, this “in-dwelling” in man first happened at River Jordan to the “human trailblazer”, the “author/finisher”, man-Jesus Christ.God has to “pitch it” himself as in Hebrews 8:2 “…true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, not man.” Clearly, He choses where and He pitched it himself.

How does God “pitched” his church? Now that the “anti-type” (the spirit/of-man) has been revealed, where God will in-dwell through the Holy Spirit and He did into the “first chosen human Jesus”, now comes the process how his church is going to be built.

Remember that Jesus said to Peter that on that identified “rock” , he will build his church. And, this is through the Holy Spirit that Jesus got for us only after his death and resurrection. Indeed, after this, he then breathe the Holy Spirit into his disciples and later generally to others he chose at Pentecost.We have a “stony heart” that was why the Ten Commandments were given in “tables of stones”. But, the “stone” will be removed from our heart and back to flesh as the Holy Spirit will open our eyes and ears by in-dwelling in the “spirit-of-man”(mind) to discern spiritual truths. Only with the guidance of the Holy Spirit will anyone “see, hear” spiritual truth. Then will be fulfilled on an individual basis as chosen by God, the prophesy in Ezekiel 36:26 “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.”And this process is an “ongoing creation” now underway since that time.

Summary

What the tent of meeting/tabernacle/temple represents is a mobile and living temporary mortal body. Why it must be replaced is because it was meant to be originally created perfectly but strictly temporal as a “template” to be changed in the future “time appointed”. Where the in-dwelling of God will be, is not in the “mortal component of man which was made by hands” but in the “spirit-of-man”(the mind) that was “breathed into man’s nostrils”, the “real you”.

Here, in this “spirit-component” of man, the “kingdom of God” is and starts. And how this happened occurred first to the trailblazer/author man-Jesus and after his death/resurrection, he got directly from the Father, this Holy Spirit of power to be given thereafter to whoever he chose. Church is composed of people, believers, who by being human have deficiencies. Indeed frustrating, as we are all flawed people to experience his work on earth, as alluded to in 1 Corinthians and 7 churches in Revelations. No one should dislike any church member so much as to diss church attendance.Going into a building where fellow believers meet is not wrong, except in specific situations. Remember, Jesus went to the temple, too. To diminish its value is a dismissive line of thinking that leads nowhere constructive. Truly, “you’d have to get rid of the majority of the New Testament to argue that the church was a parenthetical, made-up organization.”The early believers were essentially in-house churches, where immediate family, extended family and friends were already living in deep, meaningful community together.

But with the reality of Covid-19 global pandemic, each one of us has to use the wisdom from God. And, decide the risks involved, modify and innovate as we can, using technological advances that we are all blessed to have. Currently, most of us are “attending” or participating in mass or church service by watching it in TV. Hopefully and prayerfully, “normalcy” will return sooner than later. The bottom line is written in John 4:24 “God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth”. And that means, wherever we are.No need for second-guessing, finger-pointing, shaming nor blame-gaming. Let us all “be one” with the Father.

Hopefully, this post helps the world in a dilemma: going to “church or not” or choose “life vs livelihood”. Either choice taken, pro or con, has consequences that we will all experience. Risk vs rewards?

God bless🙏😇

Celebrate Christmas, really?

by fact-s.net

Christmas, should it be celebrated ?

Should Christmas be celebrated and if so, when? Others reject its celebration on December 25 as others claim Jesus’ birth was on a September/October. While millions throughout the world are celebrating Yuletide season, some in the Christian world are conflicted. What should we do? What should be our response to those who recognize different dates of Jesus’ birth? And, for that matter, to anyone who summarily discredit Jesus birth?

Historical and Biblical vignettes

The birth of Jesus started in Bethlehem but this has been prophesied by prophets and referred as “seed“,all the way from Genesis 3:15:

“And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.“

Interesting excerpt:

“In addition to celebrating the winter solstice a few days before December 25, Romans in 273 AD already celebrated two festivals on the very day: natalis solis invicti (the “birth of the unconquered sun”) and the birthday of Mithras, the Iranian god of the sun. According to Christianity Today, church leaders thought it would also be a fitting time to honour the son of God. Besides, as Ace Collins, author of Stories Behind the Great Traditions of Christmas, said in a PBS segment, the existing Roman holidays were filled with drinking and debauchery, so this new holiday was a way to teach heathens a lesson about sin and redemption. After Emperor Constantine converted to Christianity and declared tolerance for the religion, Western Christians officially began celebrating December 25 as the birth of Jesus in 336 AD. Those in the Eastern Church continue to recognize another day, January 6, as Christ’s birthday, but nowadays most everyone agrees on the date.“(1)

The arguments against December 25 can be summarized into:

“First, shepherds were in the fields watching their flocks at the time of Jesus’ birth (Luke 2:7-8;no flocks out in the snow?). Second, Jesus’ parents came to Bethlehem to register in a Roman census (Luke 2:1-4). Such censuses were not taken in winter, when temperatures often dropped below freezing and roads were in poor condition. The biblical accounts point to the fall of the year as the most likely time of Jesus’ birth, based on the conception and birth of John the Baptist. It was during this time of temple service that Zacharias learned that he and his wife, Elizabeth, would have a child (Luke 1:8-13). After he completed his service and traveled home, Elizabeth conceived (Luke 1:23-24). Assuming John’s conception took place near the end of June, adding nine months brings us to the end of March as the most likely time for John’s birth. Adding another six months (the difference in ages between John and Jesus (Luke 1:35-36)) brings us to the end of September as the likely time of Jesus’ birth.“(2).

The arguments for December 25 is expressed by:

“J. Stormer, PCC [Pensacola Christian College] Update (Winter 1996), cited by G. E. Veith, “Evidence December 25 is the right day,” has argued for December 25 as a possible date of Jesus’ birth on the basis of the course of temple duties for the clan of Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist (Luke 1:5;8, 1 Chron 24:10). He argues that the 24 courses of the priests each served for one month. However, he did not document that claim, and the OT does not indicate the length of priestly service. Clues in the Mishnah suggest that each course served for one week—not one month—by rotation (see, for example, the note on m. Taanith 2:6 in Danby’s translation of the Mishnah). Josephus and the Talmud confirm that the courses each lasted one week (Joachim Jeremias, Jerusalem in the Time of Jesus [Philadelphia: Fortress, 1979], 119). If, then, the priestly service lasted one week, not one month at time, this causes their entire chronology to break down. Most likely, therefore, each course of the priests served for one week, from Sabbath to Sabbath, two different times each year. Since we cannot be sure whether the course mentioned in Luke was the first or second annual course, and other difficulties are present as well, the information concerning Zechariah’s temple service in Luke 1 is hardly adequate for pinpointing the time of Jesus’ birth.”(3).

With all the questions about the specific date, one may take this advice:

“In any case, our Christian faith should not rest on Christmas (which, after all, with all its trappings is only a human tradition), much less on the date of Christmas as December 25, but rather on the reason for the season—the virgin-born, divine-human Son of God, who came to save sinners by dying a sacrificial, substitutionary death on the cross and rose again on the third day (1 Cor 15:3–4)”(Ibid. 3).

The Reason for the Season

Indeed, our focus should be directed on the “reason for the season“. And to understand the reason for incarnation, one has to begin with the question, who the God/Elohim Creator of everything, the invisible and visible. Without first addressing this, one would miss out as to who, really, is this person Jesus whose birth the world is celebrating. This was none other than El Shaddai, aka, YHVH, the one who incarnated into flesh-composed human , the man-Jesus. The Elohim Creator (Gen. 1:1) is the same El Shaddai/God Almighty( Ex. 6:3, 6-7) to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; but to Moses he is called YHVH. Paul, speaking of man-Jesus, wrote in Col. 1:16, 17

“For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist”.

Similar identified person and pre-eminence were echoed in John 1:1-3,14

 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.” …And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us…the only begotten of the Father.”

The Elohim in Genesis, the Creator of all, is the same as El Shaddai, YHVH and man-Jesus. Yet, it was the Father who caused Jesus to be the proximate Creator, as in,

Hebrews 1:2 says, “In these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe.”

It was “through” Jesus that the Father created everything. Jesus was the proximate Creator. That said, why will a most powerful Creator, spirit-composed, chose to be flesh-composed, a human, lower than “angels“, as in,

Ps. 8:4-7 “What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet”

This was quoted by Paul also in,

Hebrews 2:6-7″“But there is a place where someone has testified:What is mankind that you are mindful of them,a son of man that you care for him? You made them a little lower than the angels;you crowned them with glory and honor”

Why El Shaddai/YHVH incarnated?

In general, someone trades off a powerful position with something better. But, for him to become human and “lower than angels” that he also created, sounds unconventional. Unless, there is something in being human that eventually be better choice for him. In Heb 1:2, after Jesus’ resurrection as Son of God, he was “appointed heir of all things.” And in Ps. 8:4-7, Jesus was prophesied after resurrection as Son of God to be “crowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet”.

From the preceding, one can deduce that YHVH CREATOR, as powerful as he was, had limits; and what was referred as glory, honor, dominion overall were granted to him afterwards. Certainly better position than before creation. Moreover, he became a begotten, then born of God as Son; a position he did not have before, although prophesied. Does John 3:16 help to provide an answer, too? Here it is,

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

Notice that it was the Father’s love that initiated the love that emanates from Jesus. The consistent narrative is that the Father wanted to create everything and he caused YHVH/Jesus to do it. Similarly, the Father wanted to show love to the world and he expressed it through Jesus. On both counts, Jesus agreed voluntarily and is “one” with the Father. 

But, how is this incarnation an expression of love for the world? It still begs the question, what in being human is an expression of love? And, how is this a better trade-off for the Creator YHVH? If one looks back at biblical history, lowering himself to being human for Jesus is only a preliminary path to “create the spirit-composed kingdom of God”. He is the “beginner and finisher” (Heb. 12:2;Rev. 22:13), the “precursor” ;” (Heb. 6:20) of what is to become of humans. Note, that as a human being, Jesus was flesh-composed and became spirit-composed at resurrection. And, only after resurrection (during his life) did the Father give him the creative power of the Holy Spirit for humans to be “one” with the Father, as spirit-composed beings and in choosing right from wrong. Other humans will follow this track that he walked. He was a trail-blazer in creating a God-kingdom made of spirit-composed beings, higher than angelic position and “one” with the Father and Son in deciding which is right or wrong. This was planned by the Father and YHVH/Jesus voluntarily “signed on” to this strategy. 

Strategic plan

Man sinned from the garden of Eden. He did not follow God’s guidance not to “eat the fruit wherein there is knowledge of good and evil.” (Gen. 2:16-17). Adam wanted to be “like God knowing good and evil” by his own “works” of eating the fruit himself. He did not know that another Adam, the second Adam(Jesus), has already been chosen by the Father, as a pioneer/trailblazer, to “eat the fruit“, the human to take on that specific task, for mankind. Adam did not follow the command not to eat that he sinned and brought death to mankind. It was violating the command that made his action sinful and not the “eating of the fruit” per se. He was not informed that in the future through Jesus, this “like God knowing good and evil” will be achieved. The Father chose the man-Jesus to do it, not by his own power, but by the power of the Holy Spirit given to him and under the mechanism of his faith, belief and trust, not by his own works, so “no man can boast“, even man-Jesus (Eph. 2:8-9; I Cor. 1:29). The man chosen has to be “from above”, heavenly; not come “out of the ground”, earthy (John 3:31;8:23).

As sin in the garden of Eden (Gen. 2:17) condemned man to second-death(4,5), the Father accounted all human sins to first-Adam and imputed this death (eternal, irreversible) to one man, Jesus, the second-Adam (Rom. 5:12-21). This was planned from the foundation of the world, before any man did any good works. Jesus , our Passover, believed in this plan and was then crucified and died for us. For which, we were reconciled to the Father and justified. But, through the “faith of Jesus“, in the promise of his resurrection from eternal death, the Father then resurrected him and gave him a “gift of the Holy Spirit” for us to subsequently receive starting at Pentecost that year. 

Without YHVH incarnating into a human, this imputation to one man that came “from above” would not have happened, and the consequence of Adam’s sin, i.e. eternal death, would not have been passed-over for mankind’s reconciliation with the Father. Having been reconciled, we are “saved by/through his life”, as in,

Romans 5:10-11 “For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.”

Notice that reconciliation was based on belief of Christ that what the Father promised from the foundation of the world, would take effect, regarding imputation of his death to that of mankind. We now received reconciliation through Jesus’ death, which already occurred. But, salvation (which was also promised) is still future, i.e., shall be saved. But how?

Holy Spirt of Power

Having the power of the Holy Spirit is the key to salvation from eternal death. Without it, humanity is doomed. This is the gift promised before the foundation of the world by the Father and believed by Jesus to be given to him for mankind, after resurrecting him from eternal death. This is the power to fulfill the prophecy of John referring to Jesus in:

Mark 1:8 “I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

With this power received by Jesus from the Father, he can then(not before) give it to whoever he so pleases and chooses. Those with “spiritual hearing” (Rom.10:17) will believe and they will be baptized in the Holy Spirit, not with water. And, with this power-tool, aka, Holy Spirit, our “weak body” (Matt. 26:41) will be energized to overcome evil, choose good vs evil towards sanctification. Only “overcomers“(Rev. 2:7; 11, 17; 3:5,12,21; Rom. 2:7), those who “bear fruits of the Holy Spirit” (John 15:2; Matt. 7:19) will eventually receive “in a twinkling of an eye” (I Cor. 15:52) the glorious spirit-composed bodies reserved from heaven. And, with that, salvation from eternal death is achieved and so will Hosea’s prophecy (Hosea 13:14) echoed in Paul’s musing, as in:

I Cor. 15:55 “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?”

Summary

Not knowing the exact date of Jesus’ birth, whether December, September/October, all should have a respectful and humble response and “get off our high-horse” of claiming moral superiority and a monopoly on truth. Everyone must stop bickering about the date of Jesus’ birth and accept the only fact that it did happen. Instead, celebrate the reason for incarnation, the birth of man-Jesus, at anytime, be it December 25 or otherwise. Failure to celebrate may marginalize the significance of this historic birth, as others have disparaged any date. This incarnation is so monumental for anyone to minimize as it begins the process of reconciliation, justification and future salvation, through his resurrection, “by his life”. Jesus believed on the promises of the Father regarding imputation of all sins of mankind to one human Adam so that the consequence of that sin (eternal death) be accounted to Jesus’ death leading to our reconciliation/justification. Having been reconciled to the Father, humans can now undergo the process of salvation “by his life” through the power of the Holy Spirit given as a gift to Jesus, post resurrection, and subsequently for us to be “baptized in”.

References:
1. When was Jesus born? Retrieved 12/25/17 from https://www.livescience.com/42976-when-was-jesus-born.html

2.When was Jesus Christ born. Retrieved 12/25/2017 from https://www.ucg.org/bible-study-tools/bible-questions-and-answers/when-was-jesus-christ-born-was-jesus-born-on-december3. Was Jesus born December 25? Retrieved 12/25/2017 from https://www.biblicalfoundations.org/was-jesus-born-on-december-25-with-c-l-quarles/

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Resurrection of Jesus, Why?

by fact-s.net

April 16, 2022

How crucial is Jesus’ resurrection and why?

1. Fulfillment of the promise by the Father to him after his death by crucifixion as in Acts 2:33

2. We will “be saved by his life”. Only after he is alive, will Jesus receive the “spiritual power to in-dwell in us” ( Jesus by/through the Holy Spirit-power will come into us) for our “sanctification” through “renewing of our mind”. We will then undergo the process of salvation towards eternal life. He who overcomes as in Matthew 24:13, will bear “fruits of the holy spirit and be rewarded with “eternal life”.

3. As Jesus is the Comforter/Helper/High Priest, in-dwelling in us by/through the “spirit-power”, we will then be guided and directed to the truth and develop good judgment and wisdom to be one with the Father as Jesus is one with the Father….all in one family with similar take on what is good or bad.

Whoever overcomes will be saved as in Matthew 24:13 and Revelations 3:21

4. As proof of what will happen to others(resurrection) in the future “at appointed time and season”. He will bring “many sons/daughters (children) to glory

God bless🙏🙏🙏

Death, What is ?

by fact-s.net

Death, what is?

What is death and what happens at death? Do we know the exact mechanism that occurs at death? Do good people go to heaven after death as many of us have been taught?When can someone declare a person dead? The usual answer, in management school is, “it depends”. No pun intended, but it is true.

Different Concepts:

Concepts of death are different in secular, religious groups and even among themselves in the same groups. In secular parlance, one considers death when the person is unconscious, not breathing on his own and there is no pulse. However, with today’s technology, a person maybe in coma, artificially breathing on respirator, heart beating because of pacemaker, blood pressure maintained on medications, bodily functions intact, and still can be pronounced dead legally when EEG is “flatline”; not having brain waves. Yet, among religious groups, what is commonly defined as a dead person in the tomb at any length of time, that state may still be defined as “sleep”.

Unanimity in Christian Tenet:

Death considered as “sleep”, is a well-entrenched tenet for Christians. It is taken as a temporary state, much like sleep, as we wake up even after a long sleep. A waking-up period is a given because of the “hope of resurrection”. When a person dies, according to this teaching, at resurrection the person will not know events in-between, as in being “asleep” sans dreams. While they believe in eventual “eternal death” for non-believers, there is hope of resurrection for those who believed in Jesus. Hence, death is only “sleep”. Similarly, among live Christians, being “dead to sin”, is a state to be in as an admonition against sinning and to reckon themselves as in:Rom. 6:11, “In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus“.(NIV) A Christian is expected to follow the Ten Commandments and not commit sin.

What happens at death?While death’s definition depends upon how each person perceives it, the ultimate mechanism that brings about death, in a religious sense, is shared by many. To grasp the mechanics of this truth, one has to understand how a person comes to be and becomes alive before knowing how one dies.Going back to the narrative in Genesis, human evolution is “fake news“. We were informed that there is a Creator by the name of YHVH Elohim (Lord God), who is an “intelligent designer” of man, as in:Genesis 2:7 “And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul(being)”.
Notice that man has 2 components, viz, dust + breath of life. That dust, which is the body, came from the ground and therefore matter-composed. Whereas, the breath of life, which is the “spirit of man”, the mind/psyche, comes from a Spirit-Being/God (from above) and therefore spirit-composed. The body, of and by itself, was not alive until the “breath of life” was “breathed into his nostrils.” Therefore, a living soul (nephesh) is composed of body + spirit of man (mind or psyche). In other words, man is composed of body which is matter as it comes from earth/mud/dust and a “breath-of-life”, mind or psyche which is spiritual as it comes from a spirit-composed God breathing into man’s nostrils.Now see how death is described and what happens to the 2 components of man at death in Ecclesiastes 12:7 (NIV)“The dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it” Also, in Gen. 3:19 ” for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.James 2:26 “For as the body without the spirit is dead,…”Essentially then, the mechanism of death is that the spirit component of man separates from the matter component flesh-body; the former goes back to God where it came and was “breathed” from; the latter goes to hades(buried in the tomb to rot) where it was formed from. Scientifically, although an assumption, the sudden electrical burst in EEG at time of death may find basis for this “separation”( 1,2,3).

Where Differences Lie:

Let us then examine this concept of death in light of where the differences lie among biblical teachings of different sects in Christianity. In so doing, we may re-evaluate, optimize our current understanding of this subject and hopefully limit animosity. After taking up what teachings Christians (Catholics, Protestants, etc) align with, we can now enumerate where they differ from, viz.,

1. Is anyone who died, currently living in heaven?It is a common belief that when we die, we immediately go to heaven or hell. This teaching was based on what Jesus at crucifixion said to the criminal and robber in the cross with him, as in:Luke 23:43: “Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”In the original Greek text, there is no “comma’ before the word “today”. This “comma” was an English grammar construction and interjected interpretation. Thus, with this comma before the today, Jesus went to heaven with the criminal on that “day” or immediately at death. With this teaching, one has to explain how could this happen when Jesus was still in the tomb for “3 days and 3 nights” and not “in paradise”. Moreover, a teaching that a criminal goes directly to heaven had to assume that Jesus forgave him at the cross, without proof that he actually said so and does not need to do any “good works of the Holy Spirit”.Alternatively, it may well be argued that the “comma” should follow the word “today” which then changes the connotation, as in:Luke 23:43: “Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you today, you will be with me in paradise.”With the preceding rendering that the “comma” was placed after the word ” today”, the meaning changes to another interpretation. That is, Jesus said those words on that day, but the criminal would have that “rendezvous in paradise” in the future; yet, another conjecture. Or, wherever the comma is placed before or after the word “today”, it may just mean that both of them will die the same day and both their spirits(spirit of man) would go back to the Father in heaven, following the same mechanism that defines death.Going back to the 1st question whether any man (the whole body and spirit) after death is currently living in heaven, one only has to listen to Jesus words, viz.,John 3:13 “No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven–the Son of Man.”
Also, consider what apostle Peter said on the Day of Pentecost:Acts 2:29, 34 “Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day…For David did not ascend into the heavens…”
Notice that the context refers to the whole person, body + spirit. When the text says, no one who died is in heaven, it therefore refers specifically only to the body. David, and for that matter anybody, is still buried, i.e. his body. The claim that no one who died ascended into heaven, refers to the body-component. However, while the whole person did not go to heaven and the matter-composed body is still in the tomb, we learned (Ecclesiastes 12:7; Gen. 3:19; James 2:26) that the active spirit-component went to God where it came from. The spirit-component of man although active is “naked“, unclothed, as in 2 Cor. 5:3, i.e., not having a body and therefore “nobody”. Only Jesus, who came from heaven, ascended into heaven with a “glorious body“, i.e., his mortal body did not rot in the tomb. Instead, after “three days and three nights”, it was changed “in a twinkling of an eye” into a glorious/spirit-composed body that is immortal. And with his spirit-composed body + psyche/spirit, the whole person ascended into heaven, (compare John 20:17, Matt. 28:9, Mark 16 and Luke 24). This new body of Jesus can be visible or invisible to human eyes.

2. Can the dead speak?The following verses are self-explanatory:Psalm 115:17 (ESV), “The dead do not praise the Lord, nor do any who go down into silence”. Psalms 6:5 “For the dead do not remember you. Who can praise you from the grave? Psalms 30:9 “What profit is there in my blood, if I go down to the pit? Will the dust praise You? Will it declare Your faithfulness?Isaiah 38:18 “For Sheol (grave) cannot thank You, Death cannot praise You; Those who go down to the pit cannot hope for Your faithfulness.”How about in Rev. 19:1? Did not Apostle John hear “a loud voice from heaven” as in:“After these things I heard a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, ‘Alleluia! Salvation and glory and honor and power to the Lord our God!’Did John hear the voice of dead saints? Compared with Revelation 5:11-12, this voice clearly came from a multitude of angels, “Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice: ‘Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing!” How about the “voices of the slain” in Revelation 6: 9-11“When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne; they cried out with a loud voice, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before thou wilt judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell upon the earth?” Then they were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brethren should be complete, who were to be killed as they themselves had been.”
Knowing what we know now that only the psyche/spirit of man goes to God at death, not the body nor the whole person, one maybe able to explain this event. By itself and without a matter-composed nor spirit-composed tongue, the psyche/spirit is incapable of talking and vice-versa. For one to speak, both psyche/spirit and body have to be together. Like “faith without works is dead being alone“(James 2:26), the body is dead being alone.Nothing was said about the psyche/spirit that goes to God whether alive or dead. In this narrative, only the psyche/spirit is with God as the body of the slain is still in the earthly tomb. Since the psyche/spirit has stored memories, what is in there can be accessed and can be expressed, not by the psyche/spirit itself as it has no body to be used to vocalize with. This is akin to “dream” where through the mind we appeared to be talking or walking, but actually still asleep; not vocalizing using our tongue nor walking using our legs. This verse that says “the slain cried out with a loud voice“, must be taken as an allegory with memories of the slain longing and hoping for the resurrection with new immortal body. Not that the “slain” actually spoke and voice heard.

3. Do dead people know anything?Here again, the following are self-explanatory:King David said, “for the living know that they will die; but the dead know nothing… their love, their hatred, and their envy have now perished” (Ecclesiastes 9:5, NKJV, see also Psalm 146:4; 115:17Eccl. 9:10 “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might; for there is no activity or planning or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol (grave)where you are going”The preceding has to refer to the body, not the “spirit of man that separated from the body at death and went (with all its memories) to the Father.

4. Jonah praying in the belly of whale:

Here is the narrative:Jonah 1:17 “Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.”Jonah 2:1-10 “Then Jonah prayed unto the LORD his God out of the fish’s belly, And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the LORD, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice. For thou hadst cast me into the deep, in the midst of the seas; and the floods compassed me about: all thy billows and thy waves passed over me. Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look againtoward thy holy temple. The waters compassed me about, even to the soul: the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head. I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever: yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O LORD my God. When my soul fainted within me I remembered the LORD: and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple. They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy. But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD. And the LORD spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land.”
The common teaching was that while in the belly of the big fish, Jonah was alive and praying to God. Was he really alive in the belly of the fish and praying? Remember that he was there in the “belly” for “three days and three nights” after having been swallowed. The answer lies in the actual testimony of Jesus and what happened to him.Matt. 12:39-40 “A wicked and adulterous generation demands a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” Jesus used the story of Jonah as an example of his death and how long he would be in the tomb as the only sign to “a wicked and adulterous generation”. No one disputes the fact that Jesus was dead and was buried. And so, shouldn’t we extrapolate that while in the belly of the big fish, Jonah was dead and was not alive praying? This was confirmed by the description that Jonah was “brought up my life from corruption“, i.e. from death. It is therefore conceivable that while he was still alive, drowning and about to become unconscious, he was praying. He was then resurrected after 3 days and 3 nights like Jesus was.

5. Lazarus/Rich man-story?When does this narrative find application? The common teaching is that after death, they were still “alive” but Lazarus was in“comfort” at Abraham’s bosom while the rich man was tormented in flames. A number of areas are conflicted here. We now know that when a person dies, he is actually dead, not alive. Also, which hell is referred to? When was this resurrection? Which of the 2 final resurrection was referred to? Let us then go through the whole account for analysis:Luke 16: 19-31: “There was a rich man, who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus, full of sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table; moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried; and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes, and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus in his bosom. And he called out, `Father Abraham, have mercy upon me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in anguish in this flame.’ But Abraham said, `Son, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’ And he said, `Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’ But Abraham said, `They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’ And he said, `No, father Abraham; but if some one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ He said to him, `If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced if some one should rise from the dead.”
This narrative speaks about their death and subsequent resurrection. Lazarus went to “Abraham’s bosom”, while the rich man was resurrected and found himself “in torment”, and “in anguish in this flame”. To begin with, there are 3 types of “hell”, viz., Hades where dead people are buried(entombed), Tartaros where rebellious angels are and Gehenna fire, the final death. Only Gehenna has unquenchable fire. Hades does not have “flame” of fire nor does Tartaros. What was referred to, could only be “Gehenna fire”, which has flames of fire that living people can be tormented till death. The following are other English translations of this story:Luke 16:23 “While being tormented in the place of the dead, he looked up and saw Abraham at a distance with Lazarus at his side.”(CEB). Notice, that the place of the dead was not specified as to any of the 3 types. Luke‬ ‭16:22-23‬ ‭(CPDV) “Then it happened that the beggar died, and he was carried by the Angels into the bosom of Abraham. Now the wealthy man also died, and he was entombed in Hell. Then lifting up his eyes, while he was in torments, he saw Abraham far away, and Lazarus in his bosom.” http://bible.com/42/luk.16.22-23.cpdvNotice from these alternate English translation, that the place where he was buried was in “hell” or Hades-Sheo. But where he was resurrected or “lifted up his eyes” and was in torment, because of the flame, was not specified.‭‭Luke‬ ‭16:21-23‬ ‭(DRC1752)”And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom. And the rich man also died: and he was buried in hell. And lifting up his eyes when he was in torments, he saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom:” http://bible.com/55/luk.16.21-23.drc1752. Again, notice here that the place where he was buried was in “hell” or Hades-Sheol but where he was resurrected or “lifted up his eyes” and was in torment because of the flame was not specified.

Considering all the preceding, the timing of this resurrection had to be the “second resurrection”(Rev. 20:12-13), post-Millenium; in contrast to the first resurrection to immortal spirit-composed bodies at the beginning of the Millenium(Rev. 20:4-6; I Cor. 15:20; I Thes. 4:16; Rev. 20:4) This is a resurrection of the dead to flesh-composed bodies where people are judged whether to accept the “good news” of salvation and follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Those who did, went to Abraham’s bosom for spiritual growth and development to attain salvation/immortality. Those who rejected this final offer, gift and grace of God, were thrown in the Gehenna fire to be tormented till consumed to die. This could only be the reason why Abraham said “If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced if some one should rise from the dead”; some finality to this punishment.

6. Do we now have immortal soul?Only God is immortal (see 1 Timothy 6:15, 16). Paul says that the righteous “seek for glory, honor, and immortality” (Romans 2:7). If we had immortal souls, why would the righteous seek after something they already have?

Summary:When man was created, YHVH ELOHIM (Almighty God) made the body, all parts of it, which is matter-composed from the ground/earth. This “body” of man was not alive until “the breath of life” was breathed into his nostrils by God. This life-giving component came from a spirit being and therefore spirit-composed. These are the 2 components of man, viz., matter-composed body + spirit-composed mind/psyche (aka. spirit of man). At death, these 2 components separate; the body which is matter-composed goes to the grave (hades), entombed and rot, while the psyche/You mind which is spirit-composed goes back to the Creator. The body is dead without the spirit while the mind/psyche without the body cannot speak, praise, vocalize, pray, etc because it is “nobody“. Yet, it is still active, although non-functional, and has embedded memories, desires, longings that allegorically can be expressed.

To be functional, this spirit/psyche/mind combines with either a “glorious, spirit-composed body”, immortal (made by God) at first resurrection that commences at the Millenium and reigns with Jesus on earth. Or, with a “flesh-composed, mortal body”at the second resurrection after the Millenium to have a chance to believe the gospel, receive the Holy Spirit of power, be guided by that Spirit for spiritual growth and development and eventually to become “son of God” with immortal body.

Those who rejected this last chance will be thrown in Gehenna fire to be consumed and die forever, not tormented forever.The new heavens and earth will therefore be ruled, not by angels, but by the “sons of God” with Jesus as the head of this “kingdom of God”, all spirit-composed. This is the gospel of the “kingdom of God”, the destiny planned by God from the foundation of the world.

May God bless us with this knowledge to enhance our faith in Him.


References:1. Stokes, Mark, Brain Metrics: Retrieved 5/4/17 from:http://www.nature.com/scitable/blog/brain-metrics/could_a_final_surge_in2. Horizon Research Foundation: Spikes in EEG at time of Death. Retrieved 5/4/17 from:http://www.horizonresearch.org/learning-zone/past-featured-topics/spikes-in-eeg-at-time-of-death/3. Tsakiris, Alex, EEG Expert Can’t Explain Near Death Experience Data… and, Dr. Penny Sartori Finds More Than Hallucinations in NDE Accounts. Retrieved 5/4/17 from:http://skeptiko.com/eeg-expert-on-near-death-experience/Original post:4/25/17Revised 5/10/17, 10/15/2017


DEDICATED to a friend whose funeral we attended December 2012 in Inverness, Illinois

Also, to another friend who died 2/3/2022

What does it really mean to become “like God”, “as one of Us” ?

by fact-s.net

This question emanates from an interpretation coming from Genesis 3:22 “And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil:” (KJV; KJ 2000;AKJ; ASV;Darby; Webster)

What did the narrative in the garden of Eden actually convey? What was the temptation that Adam and Eve risked to die for ? Was it to become “God” per se or be like that “specific God in Genesis”? What does it really mean to become “like God”, “as one of Us” ? And how did “eating the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil” make one to be “God”? And why was having “knowledge of good and evil” forbidden when, after their experiential sin, God gave Moses, through a mediator, “knowledge of what is good and evil” embodied in the “Decalogue” ?

To start with, one has to know what “God” is, before one understands what it is to be “like God”, whether a specific God or not. Going back to the original word gives us a rational perspective.

Using the Touch Bible (free download), touch on this English word translated as “God” to see that it comes from the O.T. Hebrew word “Elohim” and from the N.T. Greek word “Theos“. Using the Strong’s Concordance, Elohim (O.T) in general refers specifically to YHVH Elohim or Lord God (as in Gen 2:4 “These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens”), and “Theos” (N.T.) to Father God, in contrast to Lord as “Kyrios” (as in Eph 1:3 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ“).

Also, in Strong’s Concordance, the word “elohim” is a general term that may refer to the Supreme God, but also to angels, man (magistrates, judges, kings). We all know that Lucifer/Devil/Satan is “god of this world” (2 Cor. 4:4), but also other gods and goddesses (1 Sam 5:7; 1 Kgs 11:33; 18:24; 1 Kgs 11:5). Moreover, even Jesus confirmed and defined that humans are “you are gods” (John 10:34; Ps 82:6). Polytheism is a reality. For an extensive exposition of the word, see also,

To be specific as to what particular elohim is referred to, the word “YHVH Elohim“, “Lord God” was used to identify the Supreme God, the God where worship is due and to no other gods, as in Shema Doctrine (Deut 6:4). Even with polytheism being true, that there are many gods, this YHVH Elohim is above all gods (Ex.15:11;Ps135:5) and the only one commanded to be worshipped.

This particular YHVH Elohim was the Creator God as in Gen. 1:1, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth“. But notice further delineation of the identity of this Creator in John1:1https://www.biblehub.com/john/1-1.htm” In the beginning was the Word… All things were made by him (Creator God)…” And in v-14, “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us“… In v-16 specifically identified as “Jesus Christ“.

Clearly, this YHVH Elohim in Genesis, the Creator of all, the Word according to John, had incarnated into man as Jesus Christ. It is most important to understand who Jesus was at creation. He was the “Supreme Deity” in Genesis, not the Father God.

So, in answer to the question in the narrative at the garden of Eden, Adam was not actually aspiring to be “god” per se since as a human being he was already classified by Jesus Christ as “god” (John 10:34; Ps 82:6). Instead, Adam wanted to be like that “specific God in Genesis”, the YHVH ELOHIM. Yes, to be “like him/Christ”.

Now, to become or how to be “like YHVH ELOHIM/Jesus” has been explained in the Gospels of the New Testament. And, specifically by the Spirit through the writings of Paul, that the way to “be like him” was not “by our own works” but through the process that Jesus/incarnate YHVH has gone through, on faith by grace as a gift of God and as an expression of love (John 3:16); so that “no one can boast”.

Notice, Rom 8:29 “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.” Jesus is the “firstborn of many brethren” and we are in the process (of being) “to be conformed to the image of (him)”.

Notice also, that to find completion for this process of “conformation” the following had to materialize:
1. A template, “temple not made by hands” (Acts 7:48), i.e., ” from above”(John 8:23) had to come as prophesied. Meaning YHVH ELOHIM has to incarnate into Jesus, so the Father God through the Spirit (John 1:32; Matt. 3:17) can dwell in this man-Jesus, as a precursor for “the elect”.

2. Man-Jesus then has to die as a substitution to reconcile us to Father God.

3. Man-Jesus then has to be “born again by resurrection …be pre-eminent (Col 1:18) as our Brother (Heb 2:11), a precursor, as we will also be born again by resurrection from the dead (I Pet. 1:3). Notice, that while we are considered “born again”, the fulfillment of this is actually after resurrection “from the dead”. For those who are alive “their physical bodies will change in a twinkling of an eye” at Jesus’ return.

4. He has to go back to his Father so the Spirit can be sent to us(John 16:7; 14:26; Luke 24:49). The Spirit will not come into us unless the resurrected Christ went to the heavens.

5. At Pentecost, the Spirit was given (Jn 14:26, 15:26; Lk 24:49; Acts 1:5). And John said (the spirit of Christ is) “coming into the flesh”(IJohn 4:3; II John 1:7, NIV,ESV,NASB,NB,Darby,Young). This Spirit is a token sign for us to be identified as “firstfruits” (I Cor. 15:20-23 ) in the same way that Abraham/Israel was identified as His by the sign of “circumcision”(Gen 17:11;. As Israel was “deemed clean by circumcision” we are with this spirit will be “clean” i.e., circumcised in our hearts (Deut 30:6; Rom. 2:29) . This is the fulfillment of the prophecy that corrects the deficiency in the Old Covenant, i.e. the weakness of them, humans. On our own, we can not do it because “the flesh” is weak; it has to be by man-Jesus/2nd Adam, not 1st Adam, (Matt 26:41-42 “the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done”; also, Mk 14:38).

Paul said in Heb 8:8 “For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: v-9 because they continued not in my covenant. V-10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts.” The Ten Commandments written in stones as “hardened hearts”, eyes blind and ears deaf”, now with the Spirit of God in the ” fleshly tables of our heart”(II Cor. 3:3)will see and hear the truth and the wisdom to choose “good from evil”

6. This Spirit sanctifies us and is the power that we can use, as Jesus had used it, to overcome evil and have wisdom to choose good from evil.

This is how to have ” knowledge of good and evil”, received by us, not by our works as in “ourselves eating the fruit of tree of knowledge of good and evil”. Adam & Eve tried mistakenly to get this “by works” and on their own; that is why the fruit was forbidden to eat. It was not for the 1st Adam to do but the 2nd Adam, man-Jesus to do. It is a gift of God by grace as an expression of love for us (John 15:13).

7. With power of the Spirit, we can now be transformed and “conformed” into the ” image of his Son”( Rom 8:29 ). We will “like him”, not the same, but distinct from him yet “one”, like Jesus the Son of God being “one” with his Father so that all of us will be “one”, as the body that composed ” the God-kingdom”.
This will happen as Jesus in Heb 12:2 is the author and finisher of our faith.

In summary, Adam/mankind will be “like him” (not just other gods like angels, but specifically “like” YHVH ELOHIM/Jesus) not by their own works as in “eating the forbidden fruit” but has to be given by grace as a gift through the “sacrificial Passover/Christ”, whose death for the sin of mankind is an expression of love, to reconcile us to Father God. The “knowledge of good and evil” embodied in the tables of stone (Ten Commandments) and given to “hardened hearts, with eyes that are blind and ears deaf”, flesh being weak (spiritually) has to be written in the “fleshly tables of our hearts and mind” by the Spirit. And, the “fruit” or “tool” that will empower us is the Spirit to be given to us ( now here in us since Pentecost) to guide us to truth and enable us with the power to choose and do “good instead of evil”. “Eating or taking in the fruit” is akin to the “Spirit being taken in or dwelling in us/flesh”. As “flesh-Adam” eat the fruit, so will we, who are still “flesh-composed”, be “dwelled in” by this Spirit, which is Jesus Christ. Subsequently, we will all be changed into “immortal bodies” at Jesus’ 2nd coming, as in “we will be like him as we we will see him as he is”(I John 3:2 “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is”).

This, in essence, is the narrative conveyed in the garden of Eden. What an awesome “destiny of man”.

11/18/14: original answer given at
https://ebible.com/questions/3808-how-did-the-knowledge-of-good-and-evil-make-man-like-god

Ordo Salutis / order of salvation, what?

by fact-s.net

What is the Ordo Salutis / order of salvation?
Ordo Salutis connotes a process, as salvation indeed is. Everything has a “process” or mechanism/steps/stages/pathophysiology for the action to come to fruition. Even a simple “knee jerk” would not happen without a mechanism of action.

Salvation defined:
Before getting to the process, salvation needs to be defined. As far as I understood it, salvation is a state of being liberated, delivered or free from “eternal death”, the second death from which there is no more resurrection; salvation, aka “eternal life” or “immortality “. This death should be contrasted from the first death, of which resurrection is a surety, as in “It is appointed for man once to die and after that, the judgment of the living, whether to go to Gehenna fire or have salvation/immortality .…”Heb 9:27” And before the second death, there will the “last judgment” that will happen to all humans at their “appointed time, (beginning with those in the house of the Lord) and will come only after the living received the gift of “in-dwelling Holy Spirit” that guides towards truth, empowers the person to act, follow good and shun evil. Receipt of the “in-dwelling HS/JC/Comforter/Advocate is crucial before judgment begins for that particular person; without it, he/she will still be “weak” and not be empowered to act as prescribed by God; and this to prevent us from using the “Satan made me do it” defense. Moreover, this second death is the endpoint to inculcate the foundational basis for salvation, which is to be freed from eternal death, an expression of ultimate love (John 15:13) , as in John 3:16

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son that whosoever believes in him will not perish but have an everlasting life”.

God did not like anyone to die forever; his vision is for man (as in 2 Peter 3:9) to have “everlasting life” that emanates from him , not from “good works of any man”, “so no man can boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)

Since no one has “everlasting life” but God, to have eternal life meant “being like him” through a “process of salvation“. Adam failed in his wish to “be like him” because he tried to attain this through his own works by “eating the forbidden fruit”. This is not man’s but God’s mission for mankind to be “one with him and be like him” choosing good over evil; that will be fulfilled through a strategic plan, some call Ordo Salutis. The Father is “reproducing”’through “man-Jesus Christ” (1 Tim. 2:5) for all to be ”one with him”. The Father, through Yahweh(the proximate Creator-God) has shown that by creating “spirit-bodies beings like the angels” they did not automatically become “one with him”; Satan and 1/3 of angelic beings went against the Father.


That said, my humble take on Ordo Salutis is as follows:

It is a given that God started all. So, here is how I see this process;

A Creation of mankind. An “image/template or temple” has to be created. This happened in Gen. 1:26 ” And God said, Let us make man in our image,…” An image, as perfect as it was, is only a “template/precursor”, a reflection of the final product; it is temporary, the beginning and a preparation for the final reality. It is like an artist’s mold from which one creates the final product as Potter/Clay prophecy in Isaiah 64:8 and Jeremiah 18:4. This is so important so that in the future, God’s spirit will dwell in this “temple, not made by hands“, for development and completion of a “new creation.“. Without this “in-dwelling of the Holy Spirit”, there will be no human spiritual empowerment towards re-creation. Also see the future in-dwelling of the spirit of God Acts7:48; 17:14; I Cor. 3:16,6:19; 2 Cor. 6:16; Ez.36:27; Isa 63:11; 2Tim 1:14; Rom.8:9,11,15;John 16:13.

B. The created humans have to be ”like him”. And, to be “like him“, man has to have two attributes, viz., “know good and evil” and “eternal life”. In the garden of Eden, everything including “tree of life” Adam & Eve can have, except the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. What was forbidden in the Garden of Eden was “to eat the fruit of knowledge of good and evil”; everything else they can have including the “tree of life”; notice that after Adam sinned, mankind was not allowed to take the fruit from the “tree of life”. Nevertheless, notice that God’s plan is for man to have eternal life even in Genesis. Through “disobedience and by their own works”man has become “like us, knowing good and evil”(Gen 3:22). However, Adam and Eve did not have to disobey the commandment “not to eat the fruit” just so that they would know good from evil. Not that God liked to deny them to “know good and evil” since later on God gave them the 10 commandment in Exodus 20:1-17 that defined what is good or evil. Rather, God did not like them to decide on their own what is good and evil. Being God is not just having eternal life but also having the wisdom to decide good from evil; this is a prerogative of God that man could not get, “on their own works”. It has to be given. Yet, Adam & Eve chose to do it on their “own works“, instead of being given as a gift of love, as planned and determined by God. By disobeying God, Adam/Eve sinned and were cast from the Garden of Eden, prevented from eating the fruit of the “tree of life”. Thus, Adam and the whole mankind ( by the doctrine of imputation in Romans 5) all sinned, therefore needed to be “reconciled” to God; a reconciliation step. As planned, the proximate Creator God-YHVH had to incarnate as “man JC”(1 Tim. 2:5) for him to die by crucifixion for “without shedding of blood, there is no remission/forgiveness of sin”, thus taking on death of mankind as a consequence of Adam’s sin, and thereby reconciling humanity to the Father.

C. Establish that to “be like him“, the Holy
Spirit/Comforter/Advocate/Jesus Christ has to in-dwell in man as “God does not dwell in temples made by hands” as in Acts 7:48. And this came about as a precursor of/example for the future of mankind when man-JC had “in-dwelling” of this Holy Spirit by River Jordan and witnessed by John the Baptist. Notice that after this “in-dwelling”, JC was able (as a human) to be empowered to overcome “pull of the flesh”(hunger/thirst), temptation of Satan in the wilderness and do miracles afterwards.

D. With the in-dwelling of Jesus Christ /Comforter/Advocate/High Priest in us, our mind will be guided to the truth as in the “sanctification stage”. This is a crucial stage were we already received the “in-dwelling of JC/Comforter/Advocate/High Priest “ guiding us towards “good and shun evil”; a stage of overcoming as only “overcomers will seat with God”. If anyone consistently rejects the guidance of the HS in him/her, there will be no more sacrifice (of JC) akin to the person “going back to his own vomit” and he/she will be looking at the coming “Gehenna fire”.

E. Change from “mortal bodies to immortal bodies”. I Corinthians 15-54. We will then be with God through eternity.

Summary:

God’s plan is to “reproduce beings that are one with him”. It could not start from a “spirit-being” as shown what happened to Lucifer and a third of angels who went against him. It could not be from an “Adam in Genesis” with inherent weakness of the flesh and sinned. Nor could it start from Job who boasted of his “own works”. They were all examples of human templates or precursors. But, it had to start with a specific and unique “man-Jesus Christ” (1 Timothy 2:5) who would be the first human endowed with a gift of the empowering Holy Spirit of power given as a gift at River Jordan, as witnessed by John the Baptist, to overcome “pull of the flesh (hunger, thirst, covetousness, etc) and temptations from Satan; also the first human to be resurrected to eternal life, as proof of the promise the Father made and planned. The creation of Adam was a template/precursor for the first-man through which the plan would materialize through JC, the first of the firstfruits, the wavesheaf offering.

With YHVH-proximate Creator incarnated to man-JC, he then became the “Passover lamb”to die by crucifixion for “remission of mankind’s sins” for “reconciliation” to God having been thus credited as “justified by faith(of Jesus)” and thereafter, “sanctification” through the “in-dwelling of JC in us by/through the Holy Spirit”empowering us to follow God’s law “written not in tables of stones but in the “fleshly tables of our mind and heart”( see also Jer 31:33-34)

As overcomers with a life of overcoming as empowered by the gift of the “holy spirit of power”, we shall be changed from mortal bodies to immortal/eternal bodies at our appointed time of resurrection/harvest .

As I understood it, the preceding are the steps, the ordo salutis, of the salvation process towards immortality and eternal life.

Original Post: 2/8/2019

Revision published 1/6/2022 in hypertext version

Hypertext version: please tap on hypertext links for references.

Critique is welcome after reading all for context.

Conflict among people, Why and How to prevent or Resolve?

by fact-s.net

Conflict can be local; among friends, family members and even among spouses who vowed “till death do us part”. And, this conflict can extend throughout the globe. Why? Can this conflict be resolved or at the very least, prevented from even starting to smolder ?

Why have conflict?:

Any expert will agree that before embarking on how to resolve or prevent conflict, one has to define the basic origin of the problem that led to the conflict. One can surmise that with so many cultures, educational background, society’s norms and acceptance leading to experiential knowledge embedded in our brain that determines the “patho-physiologic” mechanism of responses/actions, no wonder, conflict is a “given”. Really? Do these differences constitute the “basic problem”?

What better resource can one research about this subject than the Bible? And, can we heed, what the apostle James indicated, to be the “basic problem” ? Here is what he said in James 4:1-3

“What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.

Notice that James linked “quarrels, fights” to “passion, desire, covet and ask wrongly“.

Still, it begs the question, why do we have all these? The apostle Paul directed our attention to the common denominator of all of these, as in:

Galatians 5:19-21 “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,

Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,

Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.”

In a nutshell, these are “pull or works of the flesh” , meaning, because we were created humans and “flesh-composed”. Going back to Genesis, we are indeed “flesh-composed”, from “dust of the ground”(Genesis 2:7).

And being so composed, we learn through our 5 senses and respond to situations depending on our different experiential and accumulated knowledge through the years.

Preventive option?

Be that as it may, can we “prevent conflict” while in this “flesh-composed existence”?

How to Resolve?

First and foremost is for no one to “assume the worst of intention from the other person” as this automatically “pits one against another”…an antagonistic stance that changes the dynamics of how a person will proceed in resolving conflict.

The advice of Paul makes sense in Philippians 4:8

Amplified Bible
Finally, believers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable and worthy of respect, whatever is right and confirmed by God’s word, whatever is pure and wholesome, whatever is lovely andbrings peace, whatever is admirable and of good repute; if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think continually on these things [center your mind on them, and implant them in your heart].

If we take this attitude from the beginning, it sets the tone for reconciliation of what appeared to be conflict…which maybe not. Ask the other person, “Why he/she said that or did that, and what was the intention?” Don’t assume “mal-intention” from the other party to the conflict.

Then,

Started:11/2/21

Original post: 4/19/2022:

Critique is welcome after reading all for context; please tap on hyperlinks for references and make time to read all.