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Refuting (some of) Yardirf's Nonsense
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Rex B13
Master Member
Posts: 752
Since: Jun 4, 2001 Refuting (some of) Yardirf's Nonsense Nov 24, 2001 17:59
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Here is an excellent article that refutes Yardirf's Watchtower inspired blather about the Christian hope.....
Why All Christians
Go To Heaven
by Randall Watters
While Jesus was still with his disciples on earth, He spoke to them about heavenly life:
Let not your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In my Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. (John 14:1-3)
Maybe you are saying, "I don't have the desire to go to heaven. I would rather live on a cleansed earth." Did you know that the apostles felt this way as well, at least before Pentecost? The Bible doesn't indicate their desire to be in heaven up until then. Often they did desire the prestige of the kingdom that Jesus spoke about, such as when the mother of James and John asked for them to sit at Jesus' right and left hand in the kingdom (Matt. 20:21). But the disciples continually visualized a conventional earthly kingdom of some sort, and felt that it would be realized back then. Luke 19:11 relates:
And while they were listening to these things, He went on to tell a parable, because He was near Jerusalem, and they supposed that the kingdom of God was going to appear immediately.
Even after Jesus' death and resurrection they held onto this idea, and Acts 1:6 says:
And so when they had come together, they were asking Him, saying, "Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?"
Only years later do we find the apostle speaking from the heart about their hope in the heavens. Notice the following expressions:
...And raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus... -Eph. 2:6
The Lord will deliver me from every evil deed, and will bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom; to Him be the glory forever and ever. -II Tim. 4:18
Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest of our confession. -Heb. 3:1
For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. -Phil. 3:20
...Because of the hope laid up for you in heaven, of which you previously heard in the word of truth, the gospel. -Col. 1:5
...To obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you. -I Peter 1:4
Did God give these disciples of Jesus a supernatural desire to go to heaven rather than to live on earth, as the Watchtower teaches? No such miraculous desire is indicated in the Bible. Rather, their desire was simply based upon wanting to be with Jesus again, wherever He was. Rev. 14:4 says that "These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever he goes." They had come to know and love Jesus dearly, and simply wanted to be with Him. If He was going to heaven, they wanted to be there with Him.
When Stephen was stoned, he knew that he was going to be with the Lord. He saw Him seated at the right hand of the throne of God in heaven in a vision and prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit" (Acts 7:59).
In John 14:1-3 Jesus likens their going to heaven as "coming home" to be with Him and the Father. In 2 Cor. 5:6-9 the apostle Paul refers to his "going home to be with the Lord."
Simply stated, a true Christian desires to go to heaven because he has been cultivating a loving relationship with Jesus Christ, and he not only wants to be with Him some day, and treasures such a promise, but is appalled at the thought of missing out on such a promise.
Having such a desire is based upon a personal relationship, and not on a preference for physical surroundings, as the Watchtower suggests. For instance: A young man in California falls in love with a beautiful young girl and wants to marry her. Then she moves to New York. Although the young man is quite comfortable in California and does not know what to expect in New York, his desire is to be with the one he loves. He doesn't go out of love for New York, for he knows nothing about the place.
So it is with the one who truly belongs to Christ. He does not know anything about heaven or what to expect there, nor does any man. But he knows his Lord, and he wants to be with Him. This is precisely why Jesus promised what He did in John 14:1-3 (quoted earlier).
So what if we have no desire to go to heaven? Obviously we have been feeding on the wrong spiritual food. Instead of feeding on the Word of life and the promises given to us by Jesus, we may have been feeding on the doctrines of men who endeavor to steal the promises of God away from us. Gal. 1:6-7 warns us:
I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.
What should we then do? Well, just as a woman should know her head (her husband), so we must also know our head, Jesus Christ. As Christians, we are promised in spiritual marriage to Him. Looking at it that way makes this a very serious matter.
One Body with One Hope
First of all, we need to clarify why all Christians will one day be together. In John 15, Jesus likens Himself to a vine, with the Father being the cultivator. His disciples were to be the branches, attached to their head, which is Christ. If they reveal themselves as not being true children of God, they are "lopped off."
Those who have truly put their faith in Him will be refined and bear fruit. In verses 4-6, Jesus reveals how we must "remain in Him" or "abide in Him."
Paul illustrates this further. 1 Cor. 12:27 says, "Now you are Christ's body, and individually members of it." Verses 12 and 13 say: "For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit." Paul is saying that the individual parts of a body are all attached to the head; and the final result is that the body will function smoothly as one.
Paul also tells how Christ gave gifts to men in order to build up this "body of Christ":
And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ. . . we are to grow up in all aspects in Him, who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by that which every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love. -Eph. 4:11, 12, 15-16
Verse 4 of the same chapter says: "There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism."
So it is very clear that there is actually only one body of Christ, made up of true believers, and they all have only ONE HOPE. What is that hope? It is the final functioning as a perfect "body" in heaven alongside their Lord and Master. To one who has truly become a part of the body of Christ, the thought of being separate from their Lord and their head is frightful indeed. True Christians have a strong desire to be with their Lord in Spirit, and one day in His physical presence. This is not a desire that develops due to spiritual pride or religious fervor, but it develops in the same way as a natural affection between two persons who are in love.
How many "bodies" of Christ are there? How many hopes have been set out for Christians? How many callings? Let us not be deceived by the clever trickery of men. Jesus warned in John 10:7-9:
Jesus therefore said to them again, "Truly, truly I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture."
How does one know if he is a part of the body of Christ? In John 3:3 Jesus said, "Truly, truly I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." And in verse 5 He says, "unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." The key would be being "born of the Spirit"--being begotten as one of God's spiritual sons.
The work of the Holy Spirit is to testify about our hope in Christ. The Holy Spirit brings conviction upon our hearts, to personally reveal to us how sinful and wretched we really are without the blood of Christ to cover us. We must come face-to-face with the stark realization that nothing we can do of ourselves can please God; for we cannot justify ourselves before God (Rom. 3:20). We deserve death (Rom. 6:23). We must personally ask Christ to cover our sins once and for all; and to make us into a new man in union with Him. The Holy Spirit has to bring a conviction on our hearts, and we either follow through or reject this work of the Holy Spirit. As we follow through and ask the Lord Jesus to share His life with us, we are then born of the Spirit. It is all of His work; He has begun it in our hearts with conviction, and is completing it by dwelling in us permanently through the Spirit.
This is not always an emotional experience. God does not often work by "feelings." But we do thereafter begin to notice real changes in us. We are aware of another influence with us--encouraging us on in a right course, and molding us and disciplining us. It is none other than our Lord and Savior Jesus. We feel a new life within us, according to Rom. 8:11:
But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who indwells you.
You are now a son of God according to verse 14: "For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God." You have the hope of sharing with Him; you are now part of the body of Christ; you are an heir to all of the blessings that He has to give. Verses 16 and 17 says:
The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him.
If you are sensitive to it, you will realize that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit now live with you and have made their home within you in Spirit, according to John 14:17-23:
. . . the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not behold Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you, and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. After a little while the world will behold Me no more; but you will behold Me; because I live, you shall live also. In that day you shall know that I am in my Father, and you in Me, and I in you.
. . . he who loves Me shall be loved by My Father, and I will love him, and will disclose Myself to him. . . . If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him, and make Our abode with him.
What would Christians do in heaven? Other than worshiping the Lord (Rev. 15:3-4), the Bible also reveals that we shall reign with Christ as kings and priests (Rev. 20:6). Perhaps, as Rev. 5:10 suggests, we will one day reign upon the earth, as the literal Greek renders it. This would also harmonize with Rev. 21:2-3, which after speaking of a new heavens and a new earth, says:
And I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He shall dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be among them."
It literally says that God will dwell among His people on the earth. Who is none other than "God manifest in the flesh" but Christ himself?
The new earth shall remain forever. The glorified body of Christ will apparently have access to it. The book of Revelation is a book of prophecy that remains to be fully understood, but one thing is for sure: Those who have put their faith and trust in the Lamb's promises and look forward to sharing with Him will abide forever.
Thanks to Randy.
Past articles on the old h2o showed how the 144,000 idea was a Rutherford teaching that has no basis in reality. Perhaps someone could dredge something up for our 'loose cannon', self-proclaimed defenders of the Watchtower?
Rex
Rev BII
Junior Member
Posts: 29
Since: Nov 23, 2001 Re: Refuting (some of) Yardirf's Nonsense Nov 25, 2001 01:37
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The difference between protestantism and true apostolic faith which the WT applies quit often (but definetly not always) is that such a faith is based on the whole Bible. That's both the OT and the NT, and by the NT not only the Gospels but all of it.
Protestantism tries to neglect the requirements of those going to heaven and call them exagerations, they are not, the saints gives everything to God;
1 Corinthians 6:10 - nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor robbers will inherit the kingdom of God.
1 Corinthians 6:9 - Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither the immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor sexual perverts,
1 Corinthians 6:10 - nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor robbers will inherit the kingdom of God.
Phil 3:18For many walk, of whom I told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: 3:19whose end is perdition, whose god is the belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things. 3:20For our citizenship is in heaven; whence also we wait for a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: 3:21who shall fashion anew the body of our humiliation, that it may be conformed to the body of his glory, according to the working whereby he is able even to subject all things unto himself. (ASV)
The people Paul speaks of here were all believers. But some of them
didn't fit up.
The saints are to drink the cup of Christ's pain on earth;
Matthew 20:20 Then the mother of the sons of Zeb'edee came up to him, with her sons, and kneeling before him she asked him for something. 21 And he said to her, "What do you want?" She said to him, "Command that these two sons of mine may sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom." 22 But Jesus answered, "You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?" They said to him, "We are able." 23 He said to them, "You will drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father."
Hebrews 11:35 - Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: (KJV)
Matt 16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man would come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 16:25For whosoever would save his life shall lose it: and whosoever shall lose his life for my sake shall find it. 16:26For what shall a man be profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and forfeit his life? or what shall a man give in exchange for his life? 16:27For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then shall he render unto every man according to his deeds. 16:28Verily I say unto you, there are some of them that stand here, who shall in no wise taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.
They get rewarded rich for their labour;
Eph 1:3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ: 1:4even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blemish before him in love: 1:5having foreordained us unto adoption as sons through Jesus Christ unto himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 1:6to the praise of the glory of his grace, which he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved: (ASV)
1 Corinthians 6:3 - Do you not know that we are to judge angels? How much more, matters pertaining to this life! (RSV)
Revelation 20:4 - Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom judgment was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their testimony to Jesus and for the word of God, and who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life, and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
Revelation 20:6 - Blessed and holy is he who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and they shall reign with him a thousand years.
Only God can elect these saints. It wouldn't surprise me if a great deal among those that expect to become saint do not become so and vice versa.
Now Rex's hope goes only to those that believe and happen to hear, in his world billions are tormented in hell as we speak. The Bible goes further;
1 Corinthians 15:21 - For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead (RSV)
1 John 2:2 and he is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the whole world.
1 Tim 4:10 For to this end we labor and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of them that believe.
When Adam, allowed by God, fell in Genesis 3, he died and so did his children. Death is in our veins. But through Jesus, a resurrection have been provided. God, who sees and knows all past present and future, wants the humanrace to have the opportunity to do wrong BUT the will to do right.
1 Samuel 2:6 The LORD kills and brings to life; he brings down to Sheol and raises up.
John 5:29 - and come forth, those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment
The resurrection of life is the one the saints get in Rev 20:6. The rest get a resurrection of judgment, not life, and ON EARTH. Therefor they are still death.
Revelation 20:5 - The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection.
Then the trial where satan is kept looked up for 1.000 years. The billions will have oppurtunity to get life here, in world with no satan and no inherited sin to poison their surroundings, and those that fail will die the 2nd death, no resurrection (rest of Rev 20). After this, heaven will come down to the (new) earth.
Jeremiah 31:29 - In those days they shall no longer say: 'The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge.'
Jeremiah 31:30 - But every one shall die for his own sin; each man who eats sour grapes, his teeth shall be set on edge
So, the scene is, luckily for the billions, 'a bit' brighter and broader than the one Rex tells of and sees as the truth. To the believer, the notion that the NT is primarily written to the saints, changes nothing, he still knows what God requires of him as minimum;
Micah 6:8 He has showed you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?
God Bless
Rev BII
[ Profile Above ] Re: Refuting (some of) Yardirf's Nonsense Nov 25, 2001 03:06
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How could I forget!
Matt 19:13 Then children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked the people; 14 but Jesus said, "Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven." 15 And he laid his hands on them and went away. 16 And behold, one came up to him, saying, "Teacher, what good deed must I do, to have eternal life?" 17 And he said to him, "Why do you ask me about what is good? One there is who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments." 18 He said to him, "Which?" And Jesus said, "You shall not kill, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, 19 Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself." 20 The young man said to him, "All these I have observed; what do I still lack?" 21 Jesus said to him, "If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." 22 When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful; for he had great possessions. 23 And Jesus said to his disciples, "Truly, I say to you, it will be hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." 25 When the disciples heard this they were greatly astonished, saying, "Who then can be saved?" 26 But Jesus looked at them and said to them, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." (ASV)
Clearly indicating two kinds of believers, saints and nonsaints and the difficulties of having share in sainthood.
God Bless
Yadirf
Master Member
Posts: 589
Since: Mar 17, 2001 Re: Refuting (some of) Yardirf's Nonsense Nov 25, 2001 05:05
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Cut & Paste Rex
quote:
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Refuting (some of) Yardirf's Nonsense
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Lucky for you that you never claimed that you ever did that. You won't mind if in the future I refer to you as "Cut & Paste Rex" will ya, eh CPR?
Yadirf
Daniel 11:35 ... a prophecy that must be fulfilled before the "time of the end" gets underway.
Edited by - Yadirf on 25 November 2001 5:10:2
Rev BII
Junior Member
Posts: 29
Since: Nov 23, 2001 Re: Refuting (some of) Yardirf's Nonsense Nov 25, 2001 07:15
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Forgetfull me again;
more on heavenly creed
Titus 2:14 - Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
1 Peter 2:9 - But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;
God Bless
joelbear
Jedi Member
Unites States of America
Posts: 1744
Since: Feb 21, 2001 Re: Refuting (some of) Yardirf's Nonsense Nov 25, 2001 07:28
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If all Christians go to heaven, why did god create humans in the first place? Why didn't he just create more angels?
I have the same problem of logic here that I have in Yadirf's thread. Angels automatically get to be in heaven, human's have to endure a string of tests and remain faithful to get there.
It does not make sense. I don't believe it.
Joel
Rex B13
Master Member
Posts: 752
Since: Jun 4, 2001 Re: Refuting (some of) Yardirf's Nonsense Nov 25, 2001 22:44
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Hi Joel,
I know that you've read the end of the story. Revelation 21, humanity dwelling with God in the New Heavens and New Earth into eternity. After the millenium, God brings things to their old earthly conclusion, which is it's destruction. Earth and the physical existence is a 'proving ground' of sorts.
You see, God did not get surprised by Satan's instigating the rebellion of mankind. The whole length of our time here has been scripted from the start. That's why you see Paul referring to 'predestination and preordination' so often.
Really, in order to understand the implications you have to dismiss the JW heresies for what they are, nonsense.
Rev. Bil,
I son't know if I am going to take the time to answer your response. It's so loaded with context twisting and wild assertions that I doubt if you will ever see the point.
Yadirf,
You can't answer so you dodge and weave. Run away little JW, before you have to look squarely at the nonsense you believe in.
Rex
Rex B13
[ Profile Above ] Re: Refuting (some of) Yardirf's Nonsense Nov 25, 2001 23:10
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>The difference between protestantism and true apostolic faith which the WT applies quit often (but definetly not always) is that such a faith is based on the whole Bible. That's both the OT and the NT, and by the NT not only the Gospels but all of it.
Protestantism tries to neglect the requirements of those going to heaven and call them exagerations, they are not, the saints gives everything to God;
Nonsense. Unproven assertion.
>1 Corinthians 6:10 - nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor robbers will inherit the kingdom of God.
1 Corinthians 6:9 - Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither the immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor sexual perverts,
1 Corinthians 6:10 - nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor robbers will inherit the kingdom of God.
None of which have anything to do with the subject.
>Phil 3:18For many walk, of whom I told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: 3:19whose end is perdition, whose god is the belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things. 3:20For our citizenship is in heaven; whence also we wait for a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: 3:21who shall fashion anew the body of our humiliation, that it may be conformed to the body of his glory, according to the working whereby he is able even to subject all things unto himself. (ASV)
The people Paul speaks of here were all believers. But some of them didn't fit up.
NONE of us 'fit up' since we are all imperfect. (Rom. 3.23; 6.23) All who believe on Him and repent of our sins, asking Christ to be the Lord of our lives will be covered by His sacrifice (John 3.3; 3.16,18; 14.6, Eph. 2.8,9, Rom. 10.9-11).
>The saints are to drink the cup of Christ's pain on earth;
Matthew 20:20 Then the mother of the sons of Zeb'edee came up to him, with her sons, and kneeling before him she asked him for something. 21 And he said to her, "What do you want?" She said to him, "Command that these two sons of mine may sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom." 22 But Jesus answered, "You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?" They said to him, "We are able." 23 He said to them, "You will drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father."
Hebrews 11:35 - Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: (KJV)
Which is specific to the apostles in the first case; all except John died as a martyr and He they tried to kill. None of this applies to the subject.
>Matt 16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man would come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 16:25For whosoever would save his life shall lose it: and whosoever shall lose his life for my sake shall find it. 16:26For what shall a man be profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and forfeit his life? or what shall a man give in exchange for his life? 16:27For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then shall he render unto every man according to his deeds. 16:28Verily I say unto you, there are some of them that stand here, who shall in no wise taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.
None of this applies.
>They get rewarded rich for their labour;
Eph 1:3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ: 1:4even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blemish before him in love: 1:5having foreordained us unto adoption as sons through Jesus Christ unto himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 1:6to the praise of the glory of his grace, which he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved: (ASV)
Which proves the doctrine of 'eternal salvation', once one is called, one is justified and when justified, is glorified. God's will is not thwarted.
>1 Corinthians 6:3 - Do you not know that we are to judge angels? How much more, matters pertaining to this life! (RSV)
Revelation 20:4 - Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom judgment was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their testimony to Jesus and for the word of God, and who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life, and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
None of which disputes Randy's essay.
>Revelation 20:6 - Blessed and holy is he who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and they shall reign with him a thousand years.
Only God can elect these saints. It wouldn't surprise me if a great deal among those that expect to become saint do not become so and vice versa. Now Rex's hope goes only to those that believe and happen to hear, in his world billions are tormented in hell as we speak.
Ditto above.
>The Bible goes further;
1 Corinthians 15:21 - For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead (RSV)
1 John 2:2 and he is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the whole world.
Those who accept.....
>1 Tim 4:10 For to this end we labor and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of them that believe.
Which you just proved here.....
>When Adam, allowed by God, fell in Genesis 3, he died and so did his children. Death is in our veins. But through Jesus, a resurrection have been provided. God, who sees and knows all past present and future, wants the humanrace to have the opportunity to do wrong BUT the will to do right.
No scriptural backing here.
>1 Samuel 2:6 The LORD kills and brings to life; he brings down to Sheol and raises up.
John 5:29 - and come forth, those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment
The resurrection of life is the one the saints get in Rev 20:6.
Heavenly reward!
>The rest get a resurrection of judgment, not life, and ON EARTH. Therefor they are still death.
Nope, ETERNAL DEATH, which is hell. Jesus preached extensively on this.....
>Revelation 20:5 - The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection.
Then the trial where satan is kept looked up for 1.000 years. The billions will have oppurtunity to get life here, in world with no satan and no inherited sin to poison their surroundings, and those that fail will die the 2nd death, no resurrection (rest of Rev 20). After this, heaven will come down to the (new) earth.
LOL, where did you get this idea? No scriptural backing again.
>Jeremiah 31:29 - In those days they shall no longer say: 'The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge.'
Jeremiah 31:30 - But every one shall die for his own sin; each man who eats sour grapes, his teeth shall be set on edge
So, the scene is, luckily for the billions, 'a bit' brighter and broader than the one Rex tells of and sees as the truth. To the believer, the notion that the NT is primarily written to the saints, changes nothing, he still knows what God requires of him as minimum;
Micah 6:8 He has showed you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?
God Bless
Ridiculous.
You need to brush up on your study with a valid commentary. Throw your JW amateur trash away.
Rex
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