Who to worship and who are the “true worshippers“?

From the time of Genesis, people have been worshipping God(1). While there are “gods many and lords many”(1 Corinthians 8:5), the only true God commanded to be worshipped at that time (Old Testament) was the Almighty God(El Shaddai), Lord (YHVH), Word(Logos) who incarnated to “man Jesus Christ” (see Exodus 6:3; 20:3; John 1:1, John 1:14). Then, the Father God was not known as Father-Son relationship was first officially introduced at baptism in River Jordan (Mark 1:11; Mark 9:7; Matthew 3:17; Matthew 17:5; Luke 3:22; Luke 9:35; 2 Peter 1:17). Father/God was described as “Ancient of Days” (Daniel 7:13). Moreover, at that time, and prior to Pentecost (Acts 2), the “living beings/soul” (nephesh in Genesis 2:7) were worshipping God with the components they were made of. Then, the Holy Spirit/Helper/Advocate was not yet given and therefore they cannot “worship him in Spirit”. It was only given after Jesus was resurrected(John 14:15-17, John 14:26;Acts 1:8). And now, the same Jesus, the Son of God, is directing us to pray and worship the Father (Matthew 6:6-13; John 14:6; John 14:13-14; John 16:23-24; Ephesians 3:14-17) in his name.

This is based on:

“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6)

That being said, who are the “true worshippers”?

John 4:23-24

“But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth: for the Father is seeking such to worship Him . GOD is Spirit and those who worship Him (the Father) must worship in spirit and truth .”

Indeed, “is coming, and now is”…”will worship”.., being futurist. This was prophesied to come only when the Holy Spirit was given to in-dwell in the “spirit-of-man”, (breath-of-life)the “holy-of-holies” the temple not made by hands, in our “mind”. True worship that God acknowledges is from those He in-dwell the Holy Spirit to. The key element to identify “true worshippers” is the in-dwelling of the Holy Spirit. Without it, we are like the “devil who believes” (James 2:19) and classified as “false worshippers”(2 Kings 17:33; Isaiah 29:13; Matthew 15:8-9; Mark 7:6-7; John 4:22; Philippians 3:3). There are many who actually worshipped the God of Abraham at that time and followed him, but not the Father who was prophesied to be worshipped “in spirit and in truth”. However, before in-dwelling of the Holy Spirit, there worship was like “dung” (Philippians 3:8) as “goodness of “man’s works”, did not come as “fruits of the Holy Spirit” and as such, are like “filthy rags”(Isaiah 64:6). Read my posts(2,3).

And, currently people claim they now “worship the Father”. But, is that “in spirit”? Unless, they have in-dwelling of the Holy Spirit, any claim may not be true. Especially in the last days, there will be many who claim that they are “Christians” and may show fake “fruits of the Spirit“. Even the “Beast” will show miracles and restore Temple sacrifices (Matthew 24;15-16, Matthew 24:21; Daniel 9:27; Daniel 8:11-12; Daniel 11:31) and will deceive many.

The point being is that only Jesus himself knows who are in his “body/church” i.e., who he gave the Holy Spirit to. Much as “works” express “fruits of the Holy Spirit“, atheists and non-believers can feign “good works”. Job who actually followed God “to a tee”, did not have yet the Holy Spirit, was “perfect and upright” following the Commandments. The only human who was imbued with the Holy Spirit was the man-Jesus at River Jordan.

The take-home message is that one cannot be absolutely sure and therefore not to judge one whether Christian or not, but leave that determination to Jesus himself. While we can only use our personal and unique good judgment, nevertheless let us not be “judgmental“. Let us look up and not down or sideways “judging one another“. Instead, let us do the best we can and focus on our one-to-one relationship with God. We can “trust-and-verify” but still the reliability of our verification process may still be flawed.

Summary

Before, El Shaddai(God Almighty), Yahweh/YHVH(Lord), Logos(Word) aka Jesus was the one known to be God and was worshipped in the Old Testament. Since the advent of Jesus, he himself commanded us NOW (from the New Testament) to worship the Father, in his name. The “true worshippers” are identified as those with the in-dwelling of the Holy Spirit, the key from which “true worship” emanates. We can follow the advice : ” by their fruits you shall know them”(Matthew 7:16). Yes, indeed, but we can be misled. Still, only Jesus himself knows who are in “his body/church” and no one among us can absolutely be certain of the veracity of claims as many are deceivers, especially in the “last days“.

God bless 😇🙏

References:

1. What is God? Retrieved 2/2/19 from http://fact-s.net/2014/06/29/what-is-god-2/

2. Incarnation, are we missing the ultimate purpose? Retrieved 2/4/19 from http://fact-s.net/2019/01/04/incarnation-are-we-missing-the-ultimate-purpose-for-it/

3. Ongoing Creation. Retrieved on 2/4/19 from http://fact-s.net/2018/06/30/ongoing-creation/

Original Post/Hyperlink: February 5, 2019

On This Rock, who?

Some Christian churches teach that this “rock” was Peter. And, this still germinates and is tightly embraced tenet among well-intentioned and God-loving people. Is this true? A review of the genesis of this teaching has been written up(1).

But, our goal in this post is to use “contextual” analysis and common sense to understand what Jesus meant. Suffice it to say that inherent to spiritual understanding is “spiritual eyes and ears” that is only possible through the presence in man of the Holy Spirit.

To begin with, the basis for this teaching came from an interpretation of:

Matthew 16:18 “And I tell you that you are Peter, and on/upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.”

What did Jesus really mean “on/upon this rock?

For analysis, one has to evaluate the context which necessitates quoting the predicate in:

Matthew 16:14-20 “And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.

He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?

And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and

Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.”

From the preceding verses, one can come up with 3 questions,viz.,

1. Who is the Rock referred to?

2. What does it mean, “keys” of the kingdom of heaven?

3. What does ”I will give unto thee”, mean? Was it exclusive to Peter?

4. What does it mean, “Whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven”?

Who is the Rock referred to?

Contextually, remember that Jesus was asking Peter who he was and that Peter testified, as revealed by the Father, that “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God”. Then Jesus confirmed that “upon this rock (foundational Rock, chief cornerstone) I will build my church”.

The following verses specifically explained the context:

1 Corinthians 10:4 ”…and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ”

1 Corinthians 3:11 “For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ”. Meaning that the “foundational rock” is Christ.

Ephesians 2:19-20 “Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone”

The rock, the foundation and chief cornerstone, upon which the church was built was not Peter, nor any other man, but Peter’s confession identifying the only man-Jesus as the Christ. The “foundation of the apostles and prophets” was Jesus himself being the chief cornerstone”. Man-Jesus is the foundation of the church, not any other man. This man was the “trailblazer/captain-author” of our salvation (Hebrews 2:10).

What does it mean ”the keys” of the kingdom of heaven?

Commentaries on this subject have been written but may still be wanting(2). The etymology of the English word translated “keys”, was from the Greek word “kleis” meaning “with the power to open and to shut”. Metaphorically, in the New Testament, “to denote power and authority of various kinds”.

What really is the “klies” to the kingdom of heaven? What power helps us open the door? Going through the fundamentals of going to the kingdom, from incarnation (3) on, there is nothing that defines this route but the “baptism of the Holy Spirit”. The in-dwelling of the Holy Spirit “opens our mind” to be “renewed” (Romans 12:2) by the Potter (Jeremiah 18:4-6). The Holy Spirit is the “Helper” (John 14:26) that assists to open the door towards salvation. Without the “in-dwelling” of the Holy Spirit, our eyes and ears will still be blind/deaf spiritually.

What does ”I will give unto thee”, mean? Was it exclusive to Peter? (4)

This clearly suggests a future giving, as in ”will”. It was never given before to in-dwell in humans, except into man-Jesus, until Pentecost(Acts 2:1-13). The “keys” of the kingdom of heaven were given to many, not exclusively to Peter, at that time and still being given today, to those predestined to be called at their individual dispensation as “time and chance happen to all”

What does it mean, “Whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven”?

Matthew 16:14-20 should be correlated with: (5)

John 20:23

Whosoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.

“These two passages are referring to the same general power. In both cases, something done by the disciples on earth is confirmed in heaven by God.”

Read also (6).

Summary

The “Rock” is Christ, the cornerstone and foundation of the coming “church” or body of Christ that is still being built, an “ongoing creation”(7). There is no other man as trailblazer, captain, pioneer, source of our salvation. The keys to the kingdom of heaven refer to the Holy Spirit, the Helper, whose in-dwelling in humans empowers them to be “one” with the Father and Son. As guided by the Holy Spirit in them, whatsoever the apostles and those after them will “loose or bind on earth will be bound in heaven”.

God bless 🙏😇

References

1. Is Peter the Rock? Retrieved 1/19/19 from https://carm.org/is-peter-the-rock

2. Whatsoever thou shat lose on earth. Retrieved 1/19/19 from https://www.churchofgodeveninglight.com/whatsoever-thou-shalt-loose-on-earth-3/

3. Incarnation. Retrieved 1/19/19 from http://fact-s.net/2019/01/04/incarnation-are-we-missing-the-ultimate-purpose-for-i

4. Whatsoever thou shat lose on earth. Retrieved 1/19/19 from https://www.churchofgodeveninglight.com/whatsoever-thou-shalt-loose-on-earth-3/

5. Whatsoever is loosed on earthRetrieved 1/29/19 from http://www.learnthebible.org/whatsoever-is-loosed-on-earth.html

6. What does this verse mean …? Retrieved 1/29/19 from https://bibleask.org/what-does-this-verse-mean-whatsoever-ye-shall-bind-on-earth-shall-be-bound-in-heaven/

7. Ongoing Creation. Retrieved 1/31/19 from http://fact-s.net/2018/06/30/ongoing-creation/

Original Post/Hyperlink: 1/31/2019

Hyperlink reposted 8/24/2020

Critique is welcome at foundationacts@yahoo.com.

Who is the Credible Witness that Jesus is Christ?

Was Jesus the Christ? How can we be sure? Who can be a reliable and truthful witness? Who can we bank on with absolute credibility?

What does the descriptive word “Christ” mean?

To answer this question, we need to define what does the title “Christ” mean.

Christ” comes from the Greek word Christos, meaning “anointed one” or “chosen one.” This is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew word Mashiach, or “Messiah.” “Jesus” is the Lord’s human name given to Mary by the angel Gabriel (Luke 1:31). “Jesus Christ” means “Jesus the Messiah” or “Jesus the Anointed One.”(1).

In ancient Israel, when someone was given a position of authority, oil was poured on his head to signify his being set apart for God’s service (e.g., 1 Samuel 10:1). Kings, priests, and prophets were anointed in such fashion. Anointing was a symbolic act to indicate God’s choosing (e.g., 1 Samuel 24:6). Although the literal meaning of anointed refers to the application of oil, it can also refer to one’s consecration by God, even if literal oil is not used (Hebrews 1:9).

The Bible says Jesus was anointed with oil on two separate occasions by two different women (Matthew 26:6–7; Luke 7:37–38), but the most significant anointing came by way of the Holy Spirit (Acts 10:38). Jesus’ title of “Christ” means He is God’s Anointed One, the One who fulfills the Old Testament prophecies, the Chosen Savior who came to rescue sinners (1 Timothy 1:15), and the King of kings who is coming back again to set up His Kingdom on earth (Zechariah 14:9) (2).

It appears that many witnesses proclaimed that Jesus was the Christ, as in:

John 5:31-47

“If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true.

There is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true.

Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth.

But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say, that ye might be saved.

He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light.

But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, † the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.

And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape.

And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not.

Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.

And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.

I receive not honour from men.

But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you.

I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.

How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, † and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?

Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust.

For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed † me: for he wrote of me.

But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?”

But, what is the context? Notice that Jesus said my witness of myself is not true (v-31) indicating don’t believe him.

Even John or any man (v-33-34) or

Moses (v-46-47).

While not diminishing human witnessing, it is only the witnessing of the Father that is credible and should be relied upon(v-37). His works, not his claim nor rhetoric, proved that the Father sent him. Jesus set the direction of emphasis. Humans are merely a conduit to the witnessing. The actual and credible witness is the Father. The emphasis is the witnessing made by the Father.

This principle that, while humans can be the media through which this identification can be expressed, it is the Father who personally identified Jesus as a Christ, (begotten)Son of God. This is buttressed by the narrative surrounding Peter’s testimony as a human conduit:

Matthew 16:16-17 “And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

Similarly, in Jesus’ water baptism at Jordan river, “flesh and blood”(human) did not reveal to John the Baptist that Jesus was the Christ:

Matthew 3:16-17 “And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:

And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

John 1:33-36 ”Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.

And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.

Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples;

And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God! “

Summary

No human can surpass the Father as a reliable and credible witness that Jesus is Christ, the Anointed One, the Son of God, the Lamb of God, our Saviour. Through testimony of humans, this truth is expressed by the Father.

Knowing the Father was with Jesus (as YHVH) from “the beginning” (John 1:1-2) should solidify our belief that in fact Jesus is Christ, our Savior. On that fact, we “can bank on it”.

God Bless 🙏😇

References

1. What does Christ mean? Retrieved 1/23/2019 from https://www.gotquestions.org/what-does-Christ-mean.html

2. Retrieved 1/23/19 from https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Matt%2026.6–7

Original Post/Hyperlink: January 24, 2019

Incarnation, are we missing the ultimate purpose for it?

All of those well-versed in Christian teachings understand that the Creator God(YHVH/El Shaddai/Logos) incarnated (John 1:1, John 1:14) into a human “flesh-composed” Jesus(Yahushuah; Joshuah).

But, how many accept that this incarnation meant what it literally says,i.e., that YHVH-Elohim(Lord-God) dis-empowered himself of his immense Creator’s spiritual powers to be human with limited material/physical powers. For him to do that is unheard of, as many would prefer to keep their power. Yet, YHVH-Elohim did exactly that, to be “true human“, anthropos/man as Paul wrote to Timothy. And, this he did because that was his Father’s will and he trusted him based on “faith of Jesus“. Still, many will (by denying that human transformation, diminish how awesome, defining and all-encompassing what he precisely did.

And, that this Jesus was the only human ( not any other, not Job, Abraham, Isaac, nor Jacob) chosen from the foundation of the world to be the “trailblazer”(pioneer/captain/archegos Hebrews 2:10), not even the first Adam in Genesis 1:26-27. This is why the latter’s admonition against “eating the fruit of the tree wherein there is knowledge of good and evil”(Genesis 2:16-17), to be like the Creator God in how to have “knowledge of good and evil”. That the Father planned it that way that salvation has to “start through a specific anthropos-man”, Jesus/Yahushuah/Joshua, the first human trailblazer to receive the Father’s Holy Spirit of power. Notice that only after water baptism at River Jordan that Jesus had full in-dwelling of the Holy Spirit (as a dove) and was empowered to overcome Satan(which strictly speaking was the first miracle) and did the first miracle in wedding at Cana and all subsequent spiritual miracles.

He was also the “Passover” whose crucifixion was accounted as the death of mankind resulting from Adam’s sin (1 Corinthians 5:7; Romans 5:12-21). His death made it possible for humans to be reconciled to the Father, while “we were still sinners and enemies of God” (Romans 5:8, 10-11; Colossians 1:20). All of these were promised by the Father before their actual realization and were based on “love”(John 3:16) and “grace”(Ephesians 2:8). As Jesus was with the Father from the very beginning and knew his power and credibility, this faith(evidence/substance;Hebrews 11:1), made him trust the Father with the “hope” (1) of him fulfilling what he promised.

Promise after Jesus’ death?

All of the promises transpired as prophesied regarding the earthly life of Jesus. But, do we really appreciate the enormity of what was also promised after his death? Aside from the promise to Jesus receiving the Holy Spirit at River Jordan as a man/anthropos and be a Passover for the sins of mankind, to achieve reconciliation with the Father, he was also promised for mankind’s resurrection after death as in:

1Corinthians 15:21 “For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man.”

The preceding takes us back to 1st Adam, the man that because of his sin, eternal death came to mankind. The principle is reiterated that through one man (1st Adam) came death, so death also of a man (2nd Adam) came reconciliation and resurrection. Moreover, as the resurrection of the dead comes through this man(Jesus), so shall be the resurrection of mankind to “spirit-composed bodies”. As the death referred to, in the previous verse was eternal/2nd death, so was the resurrection alluded to was not into “mortal bodies” (like Lazarus, John 11:1-46) but to eternal life, immortality. As eternal death of Christ/Passover was accounted as eternal death for mankind that reconciled us to God, so shall our resurrection with “immortal bodies” be started by him as a path for mankind towards immortality.

Can we really comprehend a dead person being resurrected to an “immortal life”? All resurrections prior to this was restoration to “flesh-composed” bodies (2, 3). But Jesus’ resurrection was the first “spirit-composed resurrection”, albeit able to appear and be seen by others(Acts 1:3; Luke 25:15-32). Indeed, he was rightfully described as a “pioneer/author/”, the 1st one, the “first of the first-fruits” (1 Corinthians 15:23). Moreover, he was the “trailblazer”of our salvation, not only for the life he lived as a human being, but also for being the first human to be baptized with the in-dwelling of the Holy Spirit in river Jordan(John 1:32). Additionally, he was called the “Potter” by receiving a unique and never before given “creative-power” of the Holy Spirit, after his resurrection, from the Father, as in:

John 16:7 “Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.”

Looking back in his history, man-Jesus never had this specific “creative power” prior to these events, even as the pre-incarnated YHVH-Elohim whose powers did not include this as it is a creative power to him for the future of other humans. As to that, man/anthropos-Jesus confirmed this only after his resurrection from death that “ all powers in heaven and earth” (Matthew 28:18; Revelations 5:13) were given to him. Before incarnation to man-Jesus, YHVH’s “creative power” encompassed the creation of “all visible and invisible” (Colossians 1:16) including “creating humans from the ground and breathe into his nostrils the breath of life”(Genesis 2:7). He was also able to create before all of these, spirit-composed angelic beings(Job 38:7). Notice, though, that 1/3rd did not follow God/YHVH /Elohim and rebelled against him( Revelations 12:4). While “spirit-composed”, it did not endow these fallen angels with being “one” with the Father. The other 2/3rd who aligned with God also were not “one” with him as to understanding (Ephesians 3:9; Colossians 1:26) the plan for humans to be “above angels “(Hebrews 2:6-18) and be “children of God”. So, what was this never before given “creative-power”?

“Oneness “with the Father?

From Genesis creation, notice that there were 2 trees in the midst of the garden of Eden, viz., the tree of knowledge of good and evil and the tree of immortal life(Genesis 2:9). As any of the fruits in the garden can be eaten by Adam(Genesis 2:16), he could have eaten the fruit from the tree of life and be immortal. Yet, he chose the fruit of the other tree that would give him wisdom to discern which is good or evil. This choice appear to be better than being “spirit-composed beings” like the angels. He may have reasoned, that he could subsequently “eat the fruit from the tree of life”. But, Adam & Eve could NOT as they sinned and were driven out of the garden, “lest they also partake of the fruit of the tree that gives eternal life”. Common sense tells us that all of us could have opted for the same choice.

The “1st Adam” aspired to be “like him”, like the Creator God, to have wisdom and then immortality. Notice though that being “spirit-composed” is the same as angelic beings. Adam preferred to have wisdom “like him”, signifying the key element first of “being like him” was the wisdom to discern good from evil and that would put him at a higher level than angels. This actually was the plan for humans all along and from the foundation of the world. But, “1st Adam” was cautioned against this sinful act (Genesis 2:16-17)with a consequence of eternal death(4) and for what reason?

Going through biblical narrative regarding choice, God has always been the one who chose what he likes, prefers and what is “sweet savor” to him. In the case of Abel and Cain, both made an offering of their best. But, Abel offered a “lamb” while Cain offered the produce from the ground (Genesis 4:3-7). To God, it had to be a “lamb” for a Passover offering and not any other, no matter whether that is the best a person could offer. God decides what soothes him.

Similarly, it has been planned and chosen that the human to “be like him” was not 1st Adam but the 2nd Adam, the “seed”(not seeds) of Abraham, as in:

Galatians 3:16 “The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. Scripture does not say “and to seeds,” meaning many people, but “and to your seed,” meaning one person, who is Christ.”

The Genesis Adam was not the man to start the process to be “like him”, but the human “flesh-composed” (as we are), Jesus Christ. And true to his description as “pioneer/author/trailblazer“, his life on earth exemplified it and ultimately his resurrection to receive a new “creative power” from the Father. This power of the Holy Spirit is the “energy–power” that in-dwells and guides the “mind”(spirit-of-man) to choose what is right or wrong as defined by God. For, even if we know what we think is best, still God said:

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. “ Isaiah 55:8

In the same vein, Isaiah 64:6 states:

“All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags…”

The very best from our mortal bodies is not what God has in store for us , as planned. Good works have to be “fruits” that come as a result of the in-dwelling Holy Spirit. And, this has to start from the “mind/spirit-of-man”. Being of “one mind” as to “what is right or wrong” is sine-qua-non to being “one” with the Father. And the human Jesus was the first human (pioneer/trailblazer/author) that became eventually “one” with the Father in following, not the will of his mortal body, but as he said in the garden of Gethsemane “not my will but let your will be done”(Mark 14:36; Luke 23:42).

Our “good works” should not emanate from our “mortal bodies”. They should be a by-product of “spirit components”, (the “breathe-of-life/spirit-of-man and Holy Spirit”) that appeals to God. A “sweet savor” to him, are works that come as a result of the gifted in-dwelling of the Holy Spirit , so-called “fruits of the Holy Spirit”. Thus, the Holy Spirit had to be received by the resurrected Jesus and subsequently to be given as a gift to the first-called (the “firstfruits”) then to the latter-called (“latter fruits”) at their own appointed times, as in:

Ecclesiastes 9:11, “…time and chance happen to them all.”

The life of Job in the “Book of Job” exemplifies that, as “upright/perfect in his ways” Job was and well-informed on the Commandments of God on his own power and intellect, this was not what was the “sweet savor” to the Father. It has to be “fruits of the Holy Spirit”, not from “fruits of our mortal bodies”. This, Job understood only later when he acknowledged after God opened his “eyes”, as in Job 42:5

“My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you”

The prophesied in-dwelling of the Holy Spirit was not to take effect on Job but to another chosen human, Jesus. Like Job in many ways, the human Jesus from birth till adulthood learned through spiritual guidance (but not in-dwelling) of the Holy Spirit about the commandments of God on his own and was recognized with “advanced learning” in the synagogues where Jesus went every Sabbath day, as in John 7:15:

“The Jews there were amazed and asked, “How did this man get such learning without having been taught?”.

But, like Job, all of these are “works/fruits” that emanate from our “mortal/flesh-composed bodies”. It was not enough for our eyes and ears to be opened spiritually after believing (5), (as Peter’s mind was informed about who Jesus was, Matthew 16:13-17). The Holy Spirit has to take abode and in-dwell in Jesus, as in baptism of the Holy Spirit after his water-baptism In River Jordan, as in Matthew 3:16,

“After his baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on him”

From then on, his “works” were “fruits of the Holy Spirit”. Notice that this power was used against Satan’s temptation and all the miracles that followed. Jesus did not perform any miracle until after this baptism of the Holy Spirit, thus the miracle of water turning into wine in the wedding in Cana was called the “first miracle”, ( see John 2:1-11) as in John 2:11,

“This beginning of His signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory, and His disciples believed in Him.”

This is why Jesus has to receive the Holy Spirit from the Father after his resurrection, then subsequently to be given to us to have in-dwelling of the Holy Spirit. This Holy Spirit in us is the power that empowers us to be “one” with the Father and Son, as in;

Ephesians 3:16 “ I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being,”

Summary

Everything prophesied about the incarnation of YHVH/El Shaddai/Logos into a flesh-composed Jesus, with “breath-of-life/spirit-of-man/mind” like us, has been fulfilled in his human life. He was the one-man “Passover”, whose eternal death was accounted as eternal death of mankind toward propitiation for the sin of Genesis-Adam, one-man representing mankind, for reconciliation with the Father.

The human life of Jesus made him a “trailblazer/pioneer” of our salvation. His after-life (after his resurrection) made him alive to receive the unique and never-given-before “creative power” of the Holy Spirit remolding the clay, as a potter in:

Isaiah 64:8 “And yet, O LORD, you are our Father. We are the clay, and you are the potter. We all are formed by your hand.”

Jeremiah 18:4-6

“And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it. Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying, O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the Lord. Behold, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.”

With this power, he could then “in-dwell” in us to “guide, direct” our mind towards God’s wisdom in discerning right from wrong and follow what is right. This enables Jesus to “write in the tables of our heart” the laws of God, no longer in “tables of stones” (2Corinthians 3:3)as in Mt. Sinai.

As man-Jesus with the Holy Spirit, he has borne the “fruits of the Holy Spirit” and followed the “will of the Father”, not the “will of his mortal flesh” (Luke 22:42). This is the same path mankind has to undergo. To believe, our deaf ears and blind eyes have to be opened to spiritual things(5). Then, those who were predestined in this dispensation to believe, would be called to receive the in-dwelling of the promised gift of the Holy Spirit by the Father and given to us by Jesus. This “energy-power”, which is the Holy Spirit from the Father, will in-dwell, not in our mortal body that came from the ground(earthy)and made “by hands”, but in the “spirit-of-man” in us that came directly from the spirit-composed Creator as “breath-of-life”, and therefore heavenly. This, as prophesied, that God will “not dwell in temples made by hands”, as in:

Acts 7:48 “However, the most High dwells not in temples made with hands; as said the prophet”

This in-dwelling Holy Spirit will write the Laws, not again in tables of stone, but in the “fleshy tables of our (new)heart” (2 Corinthians 3:3; Ezekiel 36:26-27). We must heed his advice, follow his will and be overcomers, as in:

Revelations 3:21 “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.”

Revelation 2:26 “And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:”

Revelations 21:7 “He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.”

James 1:12 “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.”

And to overcome, we have to:

Galatians 5:16 “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.”

James 4:7 “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

James 1:19-21 “…Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.”

Proverbs 17:27 “The one who has knowledge uses words with restraint, and whoever has understanding is even-tempered”

Romans 12:1-2 “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

God Bless 🙏😇

Hyperlink version posted 12/27/19. Please click for further discussion.

References:

1. Faith vs Trust, Hope, wishful thinking. Retrieved 12/30/18 from https://fact-s.net/2015/10/27/faith-vs-hope-or-wishful-thinking/

2. Death, What is? Retrieved 12/30/18 from https://fact-s.net/2018/12/06/death-what-is-2

3. Salvation Series 1. Retrieved 12/30/18 from https://fact-s.net/2015/10/04/salvation-series-1what/

4. Salvation Series 2. Retrieved 12/30/18 from https://fact-s.net/2015/10/04/salvation-series-2-why/

5. Belief, mechanism, timing and meaning? Retrieved 1/4/2019 from https://fact-s.net/2018/08/05/belief-the-mechanism-and-timing-of-and-meaning-what/

May God bless us all 🙏😇.

Original post: January 5, 2019

Death, what is?

What is death and what happens at death? Do we know the exact mechanism that occurs at death? Do only 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 living 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 in a secular sense, 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 spirit as it comes directly 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, whether good or bad in life, 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/grave (buried in the tomb to rot) to dust, 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). Experiences of “electrical-mechanical energy” manifestations after human death are well-known. Notice that, whether good or bad, this “spirit-of-man” goes back to Creator God.

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 word “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 emanating from 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 subsequently 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. From this rendering and understanding one can see the fallacy in the concept that Mary ascended to heaven,’aka, “Mary’s Assumption“.

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; Genesis 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”, alive but not functional for lack of body. At death, like any human, Jesus’ spirit went to the Father in heaven and was restored after 3 days and three nights on earth with a resurrected immortal body. 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 combined with his psyche/spirit, the whole person ascended into heaven, (compare John 20:17, Matthew 28:9, Mark 16 and Luke 24). This new body of Jesus can be visible or invisible to human eyes.

2. Can the dead (body) 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.”

Preceding verses clearly referring to dead body.

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; 115:17

Eccl. 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 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.”

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. Otherwise, the danger of assuming Jesus did not actually die on the cross, as some Christians and Muslims teach

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,grave), 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.”

Notice from these alternate English translation, 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.

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:”. 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” (already with 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”(hellfire) to be tormented till fully 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 now have immortal souls, why would the righteous seek after something they already have? Moreover, the “spirit-of-man”(psyche/mind) can be killed as in:

Matthew 10:28 “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body (soma)but cannot kill the soul(psyche). Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell”

Summary:

When man was created, YHVH ELOHIM (Almighty God) made the body, all parts of it, 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 directly from a spirit being (YHVH Elohim/Lord God)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/hell), entombed and rot, while the psyche/mind which is spirit-composed goes back to the Creator, whether good or bad. The body is dead without the spirit while the mind/psyche is “life-giving”. It is “potential and not kinetic energy” but it cannot speak, praise, vocalize, pray, etc because it has “nobody“. Yet, it is still active, although non-functional, and has embedded memories, desires, longings that allegorically can be expressed. This spirit-of-man (psyche/mind) is not immortal and can still be killed. This “spirit-of-man”(not matter-composed) is the “real you”(4), the essence of the “kingdom of God in you” (Luke 17:21).

To be functional or kinetic, 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 hellfire” to be consumed and die forever, not tormented forever,i.e., both body and spirit-of-man can be destroyed in hell (Gehenna fire).

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.

God Bless 🙏😇

References:

1. Stokes, Mark, Brain Metrics: Retrieved 5/4/17 from:

http://www.nature.com/scitable/blog/brain-metrics/could_a_final_surge_in

2. 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/

4. Who and where is the “real you “. Retrieved 12/5/18 from http://fact-s.net/2018/08/30/who-and-where-is-the-real-you/

Original post:4/25/17

Revised:12/5/18

Hyperlink version reposted 8/20/19

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