What I am writing to you is not about criticism, but on the truth. How can you say that tithing is a way of worshipping God.  Not at all, wherever your heart is that is your God. And so if you worship money then that is your Idol. In Matthew 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these thing shall be added on to you. God is the same yesterday today and forever.

You say that this is an illegal practice at the church. I attend Without Walls International Church and we believe in evangelism and restoration.  We are a blessed church and we are all tithers. God wants a cheerful giver, we help the poor the hungry, we go out to the inner city to help preach to the children and all those in need of Jesus. Why isn't that I never heard anything significantly of what you've done for this world but feed this garbage on the Internet.

You need a holy ghost invasion in your life and I pray that he does come into your life and give you revelation.  You like to use the word ridiculous well there is so much that I could say about your opinion. But when you start feeding it to other people then their blood falls on you.  God will have his place for you on judgement day.  Its not for me to judge. But as a true servant of God I must say that you must evaluate your life and what it is that you are feeding to the people. 

I hope God saves you from the lies that the devil is feeding you because he is the father of lies. 

[Ray Replies]

Dear Diana:

Thank you for your email and your comments. Let me go over your email with you, if I may:

You state: "What I am writing to you is not about criticism...."

Diana: You emails is a CLASSIC example of "criticism." OF COURSE your are writing me to criticize me and that is exactly what you did.

You state: "How can you [that's me] say that tithing is a way of worshiping God."

Diana: If you read my paper a little more carefully, I was commenting on a person who TOLD ME that tithing was worshiping God. That was HIS argument, not mine.

You state: "You say that this [teaching tithing as a LAW] an illegal practice at the church."

Diana:  OF COURSE it is an "illegal" practice. There is no such thing as "Christian Tithing." Where? Quote the verse? Show me the Scripture. Tithing was a LAW OF MOSES, giving from the heart if A LAW OF THE SPIRIT, and does not set a taxable (such as 10%) on one's cheerful giving.

You State:  "I attend Without Walls International Church...."

Diana:  That's interesting to me. Last Fall Paula White asked for donations of $40 or to provide $40 pack-sacks with back to school items for underprivileged children.

• I called and asked WHERE these pack-sacks were to be given away. No one knew.
• They gave me another number. I called it and got an answering machine.
• I called the main office and didn't get an answer.
• Some days later I called again. No one could help me.
• Someone gave me to a supervisor. I asked WHERE these pack-sacks were to be given away. He couldn't tell me. He asked for my name and address. I gave it. He said he would send me all the information in the mail. I waited a month. nothing came.
• I called again. I didn't get through.
• I called MONTHS later (long after school had started), but no one could tell me WHERE the pack-sacks were given away.

So don't try to tell me too many good things about your church until I find out just HOW MUCH money was taken in for those pack-sacks (that absolutely no one seems to know anything about), and just WHERE they were distributed. Perhaps YOU can get this information for me.

You stated: "God wants a cheerful giver..."

Diana:  I talk a good bit about "cheerful giving" in my paper on tithing. Did you MISS IT? Would you like me to look it up and quote it back to you in a future email? I talked about cheerful giving, I talked about helping those in need, I talked about giving to good causes, I even talked about paying the church utility bills. Did you MISS ALL THAT, Diana?

What I said was and what the title of my paper was, is: 'TITHING IS ILLEGAL UNDER THE NEW COVENANT.' Now THAT, Diana, is an historical and Scriptural fact. And you can't give me a Scripture that disproves what I said in my tithing paper. That is why you shamefully lower yourself to berate me by saying, "God will have His place for you on judgment day."

You stated: "...there is so much I could say about your opinion."

Diana:  Go ahead--say away! Prove ONE STATEMENT OF MINE to be unscriptural. Go ahead. DO IT!
You don't have to say a lot or waste your time, just prove any one of my statement to be unscriptural and I will remove it from the site immediately! 

So now it is on YOUR SHOULDERS to expose my heresy if you can, because if you don't it apparently will keep deceiving people. Is that what you WANT? Well then, show me where my paper is Scriptural (notice carefully that I say "Scripturally). I am not concerned about nor interested in you OPINIONS. Stick with the Scriptures. Tell you what, Diana, Show me one place in the entirety of the Bible where a "Christian" ever tithed to a church, and I will give you ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS! I wouldn't want you to do all this work for nothing.

Gold be with you as you endeavor to do His will in your life,

Ray

P.S. That would be a bonus if you could also tell me about the mysterious "pack-sacks." Hope to hear from you before the end of the month, as I will then make your email public to your church, and see if anyone else can answer this email of mine.

I have asked you questions before and you have answered well.  I am reading over for the second time your papers on the Lake of Fire and maybe I will do it again.  I am trying to become thoroughly educated in this.

So I have another question...When Paul said ":to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord" what did he mean.  I get this thrown at me every time I talk about death, that Jesus only hath immortality now, etc.

Thank you for the scholarship you have exhibited in your writings.  No man can say you do not substantiate what you write.

Doug

[Ray Replies]

Dear Doug:

Of the millions of times a year that this Scripture in II Cor. 5:8 is quoted, probably only about twice is it ever quoted properly. And THAT is partly the reason why most do not understand this verse.

Paul never said: "to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord." There is NO SUCH SCRIPTURE.

Let's quote it properly: 

"We are confident, I say, and willing rather TO BE absent from the body, and TO BE present with the Lord."

Or as Concordant Literal New Testament renders it:

"...rather to be away from home out of the body and to be at home with the Lord."

There is a giant difference between the two words "is" and "and." Just the fact of being "absent or separated" from our bodies, does not automatically equate with being instantaneously "WITH" the Lord.

First we DIE and thereby become absent from or separated from our bodies--they decay back into the dust of the ground. But some time AFTER our death we are taken home to be with the Lord. Notice how Paul himself understood this. Are we "at home with the Lord" at the instant of DEATH? No. I Thes. 4:16-17--

"For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and THE DEAD in Christ shall rise first. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be [at home] with the Lord."

Notice that all the DEAD in Christ rise at the SAME TIME, at His presence in the air. But, not all of the DEAD in Christ DIED AT THE SAME TIME.  Hence they were NOT 'at home with the Lord' at the very time of their death.

Hope that helps your understanding a little better.

Ray

Dear Mr. Smith,

Your website is very interesting and I enjoy reading the articles on it.

I am a Hebrew Christian and as a believer in the Bible, I therefore also believe in Hell. No matter how much you don't like it, Hell is in the Bible. It is inescapable. I do not suppose that anyone believes in Hell because he wants to, but because he has to if he is to believe what is written in the Bible. Furthermore, universalism virtually denies any true freedom of the human will - surely it is part of the intrinsic dignity of man that he can say "no" even to the omnipotent God. If God's love extends to all men whether they like it or not and people are dragged kicking and screaming into God's presence, where is there room for free will? I have many other objections to your beliefs but I will just centre on one thing.

On your site you claim that the story of the rich man and Lazarus, found in Luke 16:19-31 is just a parable. There are two problems with this:

1) It is NOT a parable. In parables, the Lord Jesus NEVER used proper names such as Lazarus and Abraham, nor did He say things like, "There was a CERTAIN rich man." Neither did He use proper nouns for place names like "Hades" (or Hell, or Gehenna, whichever your translation says.)

2) EVEN IF it was a parable, these verses CLEARLY teach punishment after death: "The rich man also died and was buried. And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes..." To suggest that this story means anything else than what it says is a travesty.

Friend, I don't like the idea of Hell either, but it exists and it is real. Hell is factual, fearful, final, and fair. God does not send people to Hell; people send themselves to Hell when they reject the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross. They decide to pay for their own sins in the Lake of Fire.

I pray that you will come to realize how real Hell is want to avoid going there yourself.

Yours sincerely,

Samuel

[Ray Replies]

Dear Samuel:

Thank you for your email and comments.  Unfortunately, your arguments are just human, carnal arguments of the flesh with no Scriptural proof to back them up. Let me help you to follow things orderly and clearly and Scripturally:

[1] You state that Lazarus and the Rich man cannot be a parable because proper names are used. Is that supposed to be a "Scriptural PROOF," Samuel?

Here are some known parables with specific, particularly persons or personalities, but the question is, "Will you believe the Scriptures when I show you that you are wrong?

Satan.....................................................Mark 4:15

The SON of man..................................Matt. 13:37

The Devil..............................................God the Father

King David...........................................II Sam. 12:17

Aholah, and Aholibah..........................Ezek. 23:1-4

The Good Samaritan...........................Luke 10:30-37.

The Pharisee and the Tax Collector...Luke 18:9-14.

And he took up his PARABLE, and said, [1] BALAK, the king of [2] MOAB hath brought me from [3] ARAM, out of the mountains of the east, saying, come, curse me [4] JACOB and come defy [5] ISRAEL......Num. 23:7

There are FIVE proper names in just one verse of a parable!

[2] You say that Jesus did not say things like "There was a CERTAIN rich man" in His parables? Oh really?

The Parable of the Lost Coin:

"And He [Jesus] said, 'A CERTAIN man..." (Luke 15:11)

The Parable of the unjust Servant:

"And He [Jesus] said also unto his disciples, 'There was a CERTAIN rich man'..."

The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus:

"There was a CERTAIN rich man..." (Luke 16:19)

There are THREE PARABLES IN A ROW that Jesus spoke using the term

• "A CERTAIN man..."
• "A CERTAIN rich man...." and
• "a CERTAIN rich man...."

Certainly there is punishment and chastisement spoken of in this parable. I know of absolutely NO ONE (including myself) who teaches otherwise! Contrary to Christian teaching, it is not ETERNAL TORTURE, however.

What can I say, Samuel, your arguments are carnal human doctrines that have nothing to do with the Truth of the Scriptures. What is clear, Samuel, is that your proofs against Lazarus and the Rich man being a parable, actually prove that it IS A PARABLE!

May God be with you as you yield to His perfect will for your life,

Ray

Last night, my daughter was having scary thoughts and asked me how to keep from having thoughts like that. I read 2 Corinthians 10:5 to her and she asked me what it means. I told her I would find out.

I myself am wondering what it means and how to take every though captive to the obedience of Christ. My wonderful daughter has a very fertile imagination which I know Satan can take advantage of.

Ruth

[Ray Replies]

Dear Ruth:

Thank you for your email and question.

II Cor. 10:5 is one of those ALL-ENCOMPASSING Scriptures that cannot be realized by following some magic formula or repeating some prayer, etc. Bringing every thought into the captivity of Jesus Christ requires a LIFETIME of overcoming and living by God's Spiritual Laws. Jesus also told us to "Be ye therefore PERFECT." Again, this is not something that is accomplished by reading the Scripture or following some short-term magical formula. It requires a lifetime of obeying God and living through our many trials and tribulations.

However, I do not wish to let you stranded with an impossible task for your daughter. The Scriptures also say that "As a person THINKS IN HIS HEART, so is he."   Therefore THINK ABOUT GOOD AND PLEASANT THINGS. Even dreams "Come from an abundance of business" or whatever we think about most. Therefore, again, THINK ABOUT GOOD AND PLEASANT THINGS.

Notice what Paul himself tells us:

"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, THINK ON THESE THINGS. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me [Paul], DO; and the GOD OF PEACE SHALL BE WITH YOU." (Phil. 4:8-9).

I'll leave it up to you to put these terms into words your daughter understands.

God be with you,

Ray

Dear Ray,

If we are no longer, as Christians, to observe the Lord's supper would you please explain (1Cor. 11:23-26)? And (Acts 20:7)?

Almon

[Ray Replies]

Dear Almon:

Is it the fact that you find a Scripture stating something in the Word of God that you conclude that we should "do it?"

I have absolutely nothing against anyone who wishes to keep the Lord's supper. I have nothing against anyone who wishes to be circumcised or be baptized. I have nothing against anyone who wishes to sacrifice animals or offer sin offerings, burnt offerings, peace offerings and the like.

Gen. 6:14 commands:  "Make THEE an ark of gopher wood...." I have nothing against anyone who wants to follow this command and "Make an  ark of gopher wood."

There are hundreds of things commanded in the Scriptures. I have nothing against anyone who wishes to do ALL OF THEM. I don't. I never made an ark of gopher wood, and never intend to. 

Any just why don "I" do any of these things? Well, actually I used to do some of them. I used to pay my THREE tithes (oh you didn't know that there were THREE tithes?). I was water baptized. I used to wash my brothers feet, and I used to partake of the Lord's supper once a year. And now I don't. Why not? Because there is absolutely nothing physical that can make one spiritual.

Paul baptized at one time in his ministry and then he quit. Why? Because he put away childish things and went on to spiritual maturity.

Paul used to circumcise in his early ministry and then he quit. Why? Because he put away childish things and went on to spiritual maturity.

All physical rituals are CARNAL ordinances, and we are no longer under carnal ordinances. We are now under the "Law of the Spirit of Life." "We know longer know Jesus after the FLESH." Jesus HIMSELF said: "The flesh profits NOTHING." "The words that I speak unto you, they are SPIRIT and they are LIFE."

Although it was mighty important in Christ's time to worship in THIS mountain or in THAT mountain, Jesus Himself said that the time would come (and so it has) that we no longer worship here or there or in this manner or in that manner, with this set of physical rituals, or with that set of physical rituals, but rather WE WORSHIP IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH.

We are to WORSHIP IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH! Now then, does anyone think that we can add to those instructions by adding a few physical, carnal, rituals? I think not.

I hope this helps your understanding a little better.

God be with you,

Ray

I was walking across a bridge one day, and I saw a man standing on the edge, about to jump off. So I ran over and said, "Stop! Don't do it!"

"Why shouldn't I?" he said.

I said, "Well, there's so much to live for!"

He said, "Like what?"

I said, "Well...are you religious or atheist?"

He said, "Religious."

I said, "Me too! Are you Christian or Buddhist?"

He said, "Christian."

I said, "Me too! Are you Catholic or Protestant?"

He said, "Protestant."

I said, "Me too! Are you Episcopalian or Baptist?"

He said, "Baptist!"

I said, "Wow! Me too! Are you Baptist Church of God or Baptist Church of the Lord?"

He said, "Baptist Church of God!"

I said, "Me too! Are you original Baptist Church of God, or are you Reformed Baptist Church of God?"

He said, "Reformed Baptist Church of God!"

I said, "Me too! Are you Reformed Baptist Church of God, reformation of 1879, or Reformed Baptist Church of God, reformation of 1915?"

He said, "Reformed Baptist Church of God, reformation of 1915!"

I said, "Die, heretic scum!" and pushed him off.

[This email does not reflect the beliefs or teachings of bible-truths.com, but is posted to humorously show how the smallest differences in religious beliefs can anger some people.]

Dear Ray,

God bless you for the work you have put into the website, www.bibletruths.com.  God brought me to it eight days ago and it has totally revolutionized my life!!!! 

Many years ago, beginning in 1986, during a 7-month battle with suicidal thoughts and a 2-year journey through a very deep depression (i.e., when I came to the end of myself) God brought me to the TRUTH of who Jesus Christ is, through my reading of the entire Bible and continuing fervent studies.  After three years, I got to a point in my studies and my beliefs where I wanted to fellowship with other believers and so I began an earnest journey to find a church in which I could belong and grow with.  That process brought me to a very unexpected point of confusion and isolation because ALL of the churches I became involved with (and I visited so MANY different denominations during this process) taught things that I knew to be scripturally incorrect and that I spiritually discerned to be not of God's TRUTH for New Covenant believers.  I became spiritually overwhelmed by the confusion that resulted in my involvement with the many different false teachings and false doctrines taught by those churches.  Those negative experiences sowed doubt into my mind about God's purpose in my life and I became disillusioned.  This resulted in my becoming spiritually "stuck" and I did not continue my search for His truths for more than ten years. 

Last year I met a man who became (and still is) unbelievably indoctrinated by televangelists.  He ran circles around me with his "scriptural" rhetoric, goading me to debate him, all the while God kept my mouth shut and I was never (well, only once, actually) able to scripturally reply to any of his self-righteous accusations about the state of my faith and my salvation.  When his rhetoric became more than I could bear I would break off the relationship.  He would back off the rhetoric for a while and once our relationship was "back on track," he would then come at me with an even stronger vengeance.  I was always left feeling spiritually raw and emotionally and mentally exhausted under the weight of his spiritual bondage.  I NEVER accepted any of his beliefs and I always REFUSED to give in to his teachings. 

This vicious cycle went around and around until a week ago, when I literally "stumbled" upon your website.  I FINALLY found confirmation of so many things I had learned years ago, and confirmation of why the Christian churches' teachings of today have no appeal to me whatsoever.  I feel as if I've been released from a dark prison and have stepped, once again, into God's light of truth and hope and love and peace!  All of the years between then and now have melted away and I am taking the next step of the spiritual journey I was on so many years ago.  God is teaching me that, although I have been spiritually "stuck," He preserved the spiritual discernment He gave to me then, to keep me from being influenced by truly dangerous false teachings and doctrines.  He has also given me understanding to know that He allowed this to happen so that I would appreciate the depths of the truths He revealed to me so many years ago.  It truly has been a process for me and I cry and thank Him every day for His wisdom and for His faithfulness to me!!!  I've ordered the New Testament and several Old Testament books from Concordant Publishing Concern and I am so enjoying my renewed journey for more and more of God's truths.

It's very interesting to me that the one and only time God allowed me to respond to this man's use of scripture to accuse me about the state of my faith and my salvation was back in April, with the book of Matthew, Chapter 23.  When I read on your website about Matthew 23, I understood why God allowed me to respond with that scripture. 

This week has been so amazing!!!  Ray, in 3 short days the Lord has opened my mind up to a handful of scriptures to respond to this man's accusatory emails that have amazingly SHUT HIM UP.   I never thought that was possible!!!  I used to receive at least 15-30 accusatory scripture emails a day and 20 phone calls and now I get ONE defiant email a day and two to three voicemail messages (I won't answer the phone when he calls) a day of him crying, telling me that Jesus loves me and begging me not to "fall away from the faith."  (I'm not sure why he thinks I was ever "in the faith," considering all his accusations against me this past year.)  He has adamantly refused, however, to read anything on www.bibletruths.com, even though I've told him all about it and sent the link to him several times. 

I understand now, thanks to 2 Cor. 6:14-18, that I must separate myself from him and so his "hold" on me (that's how it has felt this past year) has been BROKEN.  Now I pray for him and I am so grateful to God for this wisdom/insight to know what to pray for him, while understanding that God is in control of ALL OF IT.

Thank you so much for the time you have spent reading this email.  I am sure you are a busy man but I just had to thank you and talk to you about all of this.  GOD BLESS YOU!!!!!

Cathy

P.S. I totally agree:  The "Beast" is ME!!!!!

Dear Ray,

If we are no longer, as Christians to observe the Lord's supper would you please explain (1Cor. 11:23-26) and (Acts 20:7)?

Almon

[Ray Replies]

Dear Almon:

Is it the fact that you find a Scripture stating something in the Word of God that you conclude that we should "do it?"

I have absolutely nothing against anyone who wishes to keep the Lord's supper. I have nothing against anyone who wishes to be circumcised or be baptized. I have nothing against anyone who wishes to sacrifice animals or offer sin offerings, burnt offerings, peace offerings and the like.

Gen. 6:14 commands:  "Make THEE an ark of gopher wood...." I have nothing against anyone who wants to follow this command and "Make an  ark of gopher wood."

There are hundreds of things commanded in the Scriptures. I have nothing against anyone who wishes to do ALL OF THEM. I don't. I never made an ark of gopher wood, and never intend to. 

Any just why don "I" do any of these things? Well, actually I used to do some of them. I used to pay my THREE tithes (oh you didn't know that there were THREE tithes?). I was water baptized. I used to wash my brothers feet, and I used to partake of the Lord's supper once a year. And now I don't. Why not? Because there is absolutely nothing physical that can make one spiritual.

Paul baptized at one time in his ministry and then he quit. Why? Because he put away childish things and went on to spiritual maturity.

Paul used to circumcise in his early ministry and then he quit. Why? Because he put away childish things and went on to spiritual maturity.

All physical rituals are CARNAL ordinances, and we are no longer under carnal ordinances. We are now under the "Law of the Spirit of Life." "We know longer know Jesus after the FLESH." Jesus HIMSELF said: "The flesh profits NOTHING." "The words that I speak unto you, they are SPIRIT and they are LIFE."

Although it was mighty important in Christ's time to worship in THIS mountain or in THAT mountain, Jesus Himself said that the time would come (and so it has) that we no longer worship here or there or in this manner or in that manner, with this set of physical rituals, or with that set of physical rituals, but rather WE WORSHIP IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH.

We are to WORSHIP IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH! Now then, does anyone think that we can add to those instructions by adding a few physical, carnal, rituals? I think not.

I hope this helps your understanding a little better.

God be with you,

Ray

Now let me explain something to you Sir Ray Smith. To think that God can't or won't destroy a man is foolish and is of Satan. Satan could not have said it better himself when he said. Ye shall not surely die: for God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

We have already came to the knowledge of the meaning of death. Satan said you shall not surely die. Satan said you will never become nonexistent you will be like gods knowing good and evil. Satan said there is no consequence. Satan has deceived a whole world with little meek almost truth with a whole lot of lie. God has not change one bit, there is know place in the bible where is says Christ came to save mankind from Hell, but it does say he came to save mankind from the penalty of death. And death means not existing anymore.

God bless

In Jesus name

Michael

[Ray Replies]

Dear Michael:

Death, dead, die, died, etc., appear in Scripture over THIRTEEN HUNDRED TIMES. If the definition of death is "nonexistence," I would think there should be at least one such reference, don't you? Perhaps you could provide such a reference for us?

You say that there is no Scripture in the Bible that shows that Christ came to save mankind from Hell. That is true, Michael, because there is no word in the Hebrew or Greek Manuscripts that should be translated into the English word "hell" in the first place. But since they did so against all laws of language, let me who you one Scripture from the Old Testament Hebrew and one Scripture from the New Testament Greek where Jesus indeed does GIVE US VICTORY OVER HELL!

If you know anything at all about Hebrew or Greek, Michael, then you know that in Hebrew the word which the Translators of the King James translated into the English word "hell" THIRTY TIMES, is the Hebrew word "sheol." In other words, to the King James translators, "sheol" IS "hell." Now then let's read Psalm 49:15:

"But God will REDEEM MY SOUL from the power of THE GRAVE: for he shall receive me. Selah."

The word "grave" in this verse is the Hebrew word "sheol" [even my KING JAMES margin says that this word in Hebrew is sheol], which is translated "hell" in no less than THIRTY other verses. So if "sheol" really is "hell" then there is "REDEMPTION" FROM HELL.

Now the Greek.  I Cor. 15:55:

"O death, where is thy sting? O GRAVE, where is thy VICTORY?"

The word "grave" in this verse is the Greek word "hades" [even my KING JAMES margin says that this word in Greek is hades], which is translated "hell" in no less than TEN other verses. So if "hades" really is "hell" then there is "VICTORY" OVER HELL.

Perhaps you really don't know what you are talking about, Michael.

Sincerely,

Ray

Recently I have been in a serious relationship with someone. We planned to get married very soon but that all fell apart when I found out some things about him that made me lose my trust in him and his will to serve God. I am a serious Christian and I know God is in my heart but I don't believe my fianc� genuinely knows God, as he should.

When I first met him and began to date him he was overall really fired up for God. Later, he started to change his mind about a lot of things and started to think that most of the things he had learned while he was "fired up" was a lot of brainwashing. Now, he thinks it is okay to smoke and drink as long as you don't get drunk. He also thinks that it would even be okay to smoke weed if it weren't illegal!! The thing is, he wants to smoke, but he feels it's okay and so does it.

I've asked him what the pastors have said and he always comes up with "they say it's okay as long as you don't get drunk, and there is no verse in the bible that says drinking is a sin if you don't get drunk." Another one he uses is when Jesus turned water into wine at a wedding. But I have been taught that the wine was almost like water back then, and you couldn't get drunk off of it. Is this true?

What I want is for you to tell me whether drinking, smoking, etc. is wrong and what it says in the bible about it being wrong. Also, a thorough explanation of why. I hope this isn't asking too much, but this person means the world to me. How can I tell them these things without him saying that I am just yelling at him? I don't know how to tell him or show him because he always says I am just yelling at him and trying to be his mom. So PLEASE, tell me what you think about these things, I need to know ASAP.

Thank you sooo much!!! I have lost so much sleep over this and I need to resolve the issue's before I go insane myself!

Sincerely,

A friend out there somewhere.

[Ray Replies]

Dear Friend out there:

I believe that your friends attitude is actually more important than the lusts of the fresh that he enjoys. Often people (both sexes) are on their "best behavior" when they are courting. They are trying to "close a sale" if you will, and they know that it is important to "APPEAR" better than they really are. Am I saying this is the case with your friend? No. I don't really know your friend. I am merely forewarning you what you need to be aware of.

I know people who smoke and drink who are fine people. Do most such people have a deep love for the Truths of God and strong desire to live out the Truths of God in their personal lives? No. Not generally. But then again, there are those who are real religious zealots who don't fare much better even without some of these carnal desires of the flesh.

If your friend is suggesting that smoking pot is okay, how do you know he is not already doing it, but testing you to see how receptive your are to the idea?

There is no mention of "smoking" in the Scriptures, as it appears to have been a more recent invention of modern times, so I can't give you specific examples of it in Scripture. It is a "lust of the flesh." It produces physical pleasure, but apparently GREAT PHYSICAL DAMAGE to the body. My father smoked for over a half century and died a horrible painful death from emphysema.

And if one of the parents smoke, you can almost bet that the children will smoke.

As for drinking. No, the wine mentioned in Scripture was not weak like water. There are a dozen or more Scriptures that make reference to "drunkenness" and it is always condemned.
Here are a few:

"And take heed to yourselves  lest at any time your hearts be overcharged [weighed down] with surfeiting [carousing], and DRUNKENNESS, and care of this life, and so that day come upon you unaware" (Luke 21:34).

"Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and DRUNKENNESS, not in chambering [licentiousness] and wantonness [lewdness], not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and MAKE NO PROVISION FOR THE FLESH, TO FULFILL THE LUSTS THEREOF" (Rom. 13:13).

"Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulsions, wrath, strife, sedition's, herisies, envyings, murder, DRUNKENNESS, revelings, 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" (Rom. 5:19-21).

All these warnings being said, is there a proper use of alcohol? Yes there is. Jesus drank wine, as did all the Apostles. Jesus turned water into wine at the wedding in Cana. And surely as the host suggested, they did not save the best "grape juice" till last--it was WINE.

Wine and STRONGER drinks were permissible under the law of Moses:

"And you shall bestow that money for whatsoever your soul lusts after, for oxen, or for sheep, or for wine, or for STRONG DRINK..." (Deut. 14:26).

Notice that even Paul (who sternly warned against "drunkenness"), that wine can be beneficial:

"Drink no longer water, but use A LITTLE wine [don't get DRUNK] for thy stomach's sake and your often [frequent] infirmities [sicknesses]" (I Tim. 5:23).

So there, briefly, is what the Scriptures say regarding wine and strong drink, but your situation will have to be evaluated by you. Ask God to guide you in ALL YOUR DECISIONS IN LIFE.

I realize that your problem is no smaller now than before you wrote to me, but maybe there is some wisdom here for you to consider.  Let me just say this: Character flaws that have the potential to escalate over time, will drive away any strong romantic attractions that you are feeling NOW.

We will all pray for your best future.

God be with you,

Ray

Dear Ray,

I haven't corresponded with you for a while, but still see you are doing great work. May God bless you.

I was reading your response to "Trini the Polygamist" and saw what you said about David. I quote:

"David was "a man after God's own heart" in those areas that God caused him to be a man after His own heart. In all other areas David was as carnal as any man who ever lived. David was not spiritually converted. David DIED IN HIS SINS as an unforgiven murderer."

Please explain how this squares with David being mentioned in the "Faith" chapter of Hebrews:

Hebrews 11:32-40   32 And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, R529 Barak, R530 Samson, R531 Jephthah, R532 of David R533 and Samuel R534 and the prophets, 33 who by faith conquered R535 kingdoms, performed R536 acts of righteousness, obtained R537 promises, shut R538 the mouths of lions, 34 quenched R539 the power of fire, escaped R540 the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became R541 mighty in war, put R541 foreign armies to flight. 35 Women R542 received back their dead by resurrection; and others were tortured, not accepting their release, F133 so that they might obtain a better resurrection; 36 and others experienced F134 mockings and scourgings, yes, also chains R543 and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, R544 they were sawn R545 in two, they F135 were tempted, they were put R546 to death with the sword; they went about in R547 sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated R548 38 (men of whom the world was not worthy), wandering R549 in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in F136 the ground. 39 And all these, having gained R550 F137 approval through their faith, did R551 not receive what F138 was promised, 40 because God had provided F139 something R552 better for us, so that apart R553 from us they would not be made perfect. Note it says ",,,,all these, having gained approval through their faith...." Less we forget, this also included Abraham, Moses, Enoch, Noah, all men that walked with God. Are you saying that ALL of these men and women died in their sins? How could this be if they were made righteous like Abel (Heb 11:4) and they suffered reproach for the sake of CHRIST like Moses (11:26)? And we know they had the faith given by God: Heb 11:6 "And without faith it is impossible to be well-pleasing unto him; for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that seek after him."  No one "seeks after God", God draws them.

In another response you said rightly, "If anyone has the Spirit of God, then he is born again, as that is what our life is all about -- being born and fashioned into a NEW CREATION as God's achievement by Grace through Faith." http://bible-truths.com/email9.htm#filled. Are you saying that all these didn't have the faith that was given by God to be "born again" but some other "faith" given by God? All these witnessness in Heb 11 stand together. With my discourse on faith above, unless we are talking about two different kinds of faith given by God, then David did not die in his sins. In would be reasonable that God didn't record his repentence so that we could notclearly see this in the O.T, but vindicates David in Hebrews 11 for us to see he did die in the faith.

I'm sorry if you addressed this elsewhere on your website, I was unable to find it.

Your brother-in-Christ,

Kurt

P.S. I think you might find this interesting. In the Modern New Testament From the Aramaic, Matthew 27:46 reads, " And about the ninth hour, Jesus cried out with a loud voice and said, Eli, Eli, lmanashabachthani! which means, MY GOD, MY GOD, FOR THIS I WAS KEPT!

[Ray Replies]

Dear Kurt:

Good to hear from you. I'll keep my answer short, as I am in the process of moving in the next week.

I know, it was a shock to me as well to learn that David was not really converted. Read I Kings Chapter 2. David's dying words to his son where: "Get those ... and make it bloody."

David did NOT forgive his enemies. He HATED THEM. He wanted them "taken care of" AFTER his death.

Yes, David had faith, and he had God's spirit "WITH HIM" but he was not spiritually converted. The spirit was not given until Pentecost. Peter had faith, Peter pleased God, Peter had the Spirit of God with him, Peter cast out demons, etc., etc., etc., but Jesus said to him, "WHEN your are converted..."

As for a "better resurrection." Read Revelation 20 and you will see that there are those who apparently WILL have their names written in the "Lamb's book of life" and will NOT be thrown into the lake of fire, but notice also that THEY ARE ALL JUDGED, even those who are not thrown into the lake of fire.

God be with you,

Ray

My name is Michael,

I'd like to find out about the book of Jasher written twice in the bible. I know there are 66 books but why would they talk about this book which is in the bible. Is it incomplete?

Thanks, Mike

[Ray Replies]

Dear Mike:

The Bible is complete as we have it. There are any number of books that are not in the canon as it is preserved today, that undoubtedly contain truths. The fact that they are not all in the Bible as we know it today does not mean that the Bible is not complete. Jude speaks of the prophesies of Enoch, yet we do not have these prophesies in our Bibles today (Jude 14).  If I were you, I wouldn't worry about "The Lost Books of Eden" and such things. Study the Bible that you do have.

God be with you,

Ray

[The following email is Nick's reply to Ray's request that he limit his many criticisms down to just one subject in which he felt he could easily prove Ray's teachings wrong and unscriptural]

Let's give it a shot...You of course will be blue and I will be red...

This quote is taken from your "Email and Replies" section and is titled "The UN-Pardonable sin"...Just so you don't accuse me of quoting things that are nowhere on your site...

Many people speak of the "UNpardonable sin" as thought the Scriptures actually spoke of such a thing. They DO NOT! There is no such thing as an "unpardonable sin" in the Bible.

Well, then, what about Matt. 12:-31-32? Let's read it in a proper translation: 

"Therefore I am saying to you, Every sin and blasphemy shall be pardoned men, yet the blasphemy of the spirit shall not be pardoned." 

It certainly SOUNDS like the blasphemy of God's spirit is an unpardonable sin, doesn't it? Let's continue reading:

"And whosoever may be saying a word against the Son of Man, it will be pardoned him, yet whoever may be saying against the holy spirit, it shall not be pardoned him, [ever? continue reading...] neither in THIS EON [age] nor in that [age] which is IMPENDING."

Now then, does it really say this sin is UNPARDONABLE?  It is only unpardonable "in this age" and also "in the age to come [the impending age]." So it doesn't say it will NEVER be pardoned--only in this and the coming age will it NOT be pardoned. 

You then go on to explain how it will not be forgiven in this age or in the millenium but it will be forgiven after that...I didn't quote that part because you know your answer already...

Mark 3:28-29 are important verses in showing that there is an unforgivable sin...

28. "Truly I say to you, all sins shall be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they utter; 29. but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin" -- (NASB).

The Greek Interlinear Bible reads...

"28. Amen I say to you that all will be sent off to the sons of the men the sins and the insults as much as if they might insult 29. who but might insult in the spirit the holy not he has sending off into the age but guilty he is of eternal sin"

Verses 28 and 29 are in contrast to each other (not contradiction).  Verse 28 says that all sins shall be forgiven (will be sent off).  Verse 29 clarifies the statement and flatly says that there is a sin that "never has forgiveness (not he has sending off), but is guilty of an eternal sin."  Verse 29 also has the contrasting preposition "but" [Greek: de "de"]  The use of the word "but" is showing that there is a contrast, or an exception to the previous statement.  All sins are forgivable, but blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is not.  That is why the word "but" is there, to show that there is a qualification, an exception to the first statement.  Now I know that you will tell me the word "age", in Mark 3:29, means a definite period of time that will end.  But that isn't the case.  It is simply a conjecture on your part.  You could not come to that understanding reading the Greek unless your presuppositions forced you to.  As I said, Jesus is contrasting the second statement (unforgivable sin) with the first statement (forgivable sin).  To take any other position is to go against the plain sense of the scripture.

Now, do these two accounts of blasphemy of the Holy Spirit contradict each other?  Only if we look at them in light of your view.  The account in Mark says that blasphemy of the Holy Ghost never has forgiveness.  Matthew says it doesn't have forgiveness in this age or the age to come.  If there is an age after the age to come in which it will be forgiven, that makes Mark 3:28-29 wrong.  But if Mark 3:28-29 is right then it does not have forgiveness in this age, the age to come, or any other age. If this is the case (which it is the case) then Matthew 12:31-32 agrees perfectly with Mark 3:28-29.  It is unforgivable period! 

Right there you were refuted...But let us continue for a moment, shall we?

Now I could quote Mark 3:28-29 in 20 other translations and they all say the same thing.  But for your benefit I will only quote it from the Concordant version in an attempt to see why it is translated the way it is...

28 "Verily, I am saying to you that all shall be pardoned the sons of mankind, the penalties of the sins and the blasphemies, whatsoever they should be blaspheming, 29 yet whoever should be blaspheming against the holy spirit is having no pardon for the eon, but is liable to the eonian penalty for the sin" -- (Concordant Translation)

Once again Ray, why is every word translated but only eon and eonian are transliterated?  And eonian is not even a word.  Aionan would be correct here.  Why is this Ray?  Is it because it simply fits with your theology?  Not just yours but everyone who believes in Universalism (I understand that you did not produce this translation of the Bible).   This is exactly why.  Almost all versions of the Bible are done by very well respected scholars.  Why would we assume that over 20 versions are wrong and the one produced by those who believe the doctrines of Universalism to be right?  The fact is you have to translate these words like this in an attempt to make one think that the age has a definite ending.  but the "eonian penalty for the sin" is forever.

And just for a third witness I'd like to quote Luke 12:10 out of the KJV,

"And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but unto him that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven."

There it is...in perfect agreement with the other two witnesses.  It shall not not be forgiven period.  Not even a hint of age or eon in this verse.  Just plain and simple unforgivable.

Ray, I don't expect any truth that I present to you will make you change your teaching.  I believe I read on your site where you said you have 30+ versions of the Bible.  If in all your reading of 30+ versions of the truth you have not come to believe the truth, then why would what I say change your mind?  It won't.  Anyway...you asked for one quote on your page that I could prove wrong scripturally.  There it is..."UNpardonable sin".   I welcome your response, but I already know it.  You contend that there will be forgiveness after the Great White Throne Judgement to all people from all ages of time.   Once again, this is wrong as was just shown. 

Your logic goes something like this...It is God's will and desire to save ALL MANKIND (I Tim. 2:4). And God will certain fulfill ALL THAT HE HAS PURPOSED (Isaiah 46:10-11).  You might also like to include 2Peter 3:9 as well as Psalm 115:3, 135:6.  But even with all of these scriptures not everyone will be saved.  God's desires are not always accomplished.  Proverbs 21:3 - "To do righteousness and justice is desired by the Lord rather than sacrifice" -- (NASB)   Obviously not everyone does what is right and just.  In fact nobody does (Romans 3:10).  The fact is that God gave commandments to men and it was his desire for them to keep those commandments.  Would he give commandments that he did not desire for men to keep?  Of course he wouldn't.  Did men keep the commandments God gave?  No they didn't.  Did God know they would break these commandments before he ever gave them?  Of course he did.  But just because I know my 2 year old will go to the bathroom in her pants on a daily basis does not mean that I desire for her to do so.  I won't go too far into this...you asked for one thing that was wrong scripturally and I gave it to you.  If you ever want anything else then I will be happy to present that too. 

But the bottom line is this...Here is how our conversations will go...

Ray: Your WRONG!

Nick: No, your WRONG!

Ray: No...you are (calls Nick some kind of name)!

Nick: No...you are (calls Ray some kind of name)!

So on and so forth...forever and ever...unto the aionan...blah...blah...blah...

Ecclesiastics 1:9 - The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. -- (KJV)

Senior (that's Spanish for Mr.) Ray, You are not the first to believe in Universalism and you certainly won't be the last...There is no new thing under the sun.  I am not the first to believe what the Bible really says and I won't be last...There is nothing new under the sun.  But to your credit sir, you are the best at deceptively twisting scripture.  I mean you are really good.  If it hadn't been for the Spirit of God inside of me, I might have been fooled.  I mean really Ray, I even compared you to another great deceiver (Louis Farakhan) when telling a friend about your heresy.  I am not mad that you preach and teach what you do...in fact I'm quite sure that you really believe it.  You probably used to believe just like me until your eyes were suddenly opened one day.  Until you realized that a loving God could never torture the creation he loves so much.  Until you realized that God could not and would not "UTTERLY FAIL" at accomplishing his will, which is for all people to be saved.  Ray all I can do is pray for you because any truth I present to you will be rationalized in light of your present belief.   It is a nice belief to think that everyone who has ever lived will enjoy life in the New Jerusalem with God for eternity.  I wish I could believe that but I am simply blinded by the truth...Believe it or not I agree with quite a bit of what you say concerning very unimportant matters, but on the essentials we have nothing in common.  Let's just agree on this..."The Lord has made everything for its own purpose, even the wicked for the day of evil," -- (NASB)

May God smile upon you and your family!!!     

Nick

[Ray Replies]

Dear Nick:

You quote the NASB which says: "...whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit NEVER has forgiveness..."

You then quote The Greek Interlinear Bible which says:   "...who but might insult in the spirit the holy NOT he has sending off..."

Do you understand the difference between "not" and "never?"  These two translations contradict each other. "not" and "never" ARE NOT THE SAME WORDS WITH THE SAME MEANING. You then contradict YOURSELF in your next statement by saying:  "Verse 29 clarifies the statement and flatly says that there is a sin that 'NEVER has forgiven [NOT he has sending off)....'"  You read it with you own eyes in a Greek Interlinear "not"---the word is "NOT," and say that this word means "NEVER."  Let's read your statement again:

"Verse 29 clarifies the statement and flatly says that there is a sin that "NEVER has forgiveness NOT he has send off)..."  It is my purpose to belabor this point. You say that the word "not" means "NEVER." This is not true, Nick.

"not, adv. 1 -- used as a function word to make negative a group of words or a word." (Webster's Collegiate Dictionary p. 848).

"never, adv. 1 -- not ever: at no time" (Webster's Collegiate Dictionary p. 834).

Can you now see the difference between these two words?  Good. Maybe an example will clarify it even more for you:

Suppose I am a farmer and I say:  "Will NOT plant corn this season nor the following season."  And someone then passed on this statement and said:  "Ray said that he will NEVER plant corn."  Is that an accurate statement of what I said?  NO IT ISN'T. Neither is your assertion that "not he has sending off into the age" means "never has forgiveness EVER."

The word "never" does not appear in ANY GREEK MANUSCRIPT.   I checked three more Greek Interlinear and they all have the word "not."   "Never"is a totally different word with a totally different meaning.

Next you say: The use of the word "but" is showing that there is a contrast, or an exception to the previous statement.  All sins are forgivable, but blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is NOT."  And there you put a PERIOD, as thou Jesus Christ put a period at this point of His statement.  You are very deceitful when you do things like this, Nick. Jesus said that "...blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is not forgiven NEITHER IN THIS WORLD, NEITHER IN THE WORLD TO COME."   When will blasphemy "not be forgiver?"  Answer:  "IN THIS AGE AND THE AGE TO COME."  Jesus did not say: "in this age and in the age to come, AND FOR ALL ETERNITY TOO."  Is that what He said?  Then why do YOU and Christendom say that that is what He said, when He said no such thing?

First your "TAKE AWAY" from the word of God:  you LEAVE OUT the phrase "in this world [age], neither in the world [age] to come."

Next you "ADD TOO" the word of God: you turn TWO AGES INTO ETERNITIES!!

Where is the honest Biblical scholarship in this ungodly arguments of yours?  The Scriptures (not I) completely destroy your arguments.

You then have the shameless audacity to REPEAT your unscriptural and dishonest scholarship.

You state:  "As I said, Jesus s contrasting the second statement (unforgivable sin) with the first statement (forgivable sin).  Or really?   Jesus said "UNforgivable," did He?  And in whose Bible, pray tell, are you finding THAT word?  It never came out of any Greek manuscript!  Jesus is NOT comparing "forgiveable" with "UNforgivable."  He is comparing SINS--two categories of sins. One category that is forgiven and one that is NOT FORGIVEN FOR THE NEXT TO AGES.  For two specific periods of TIME, this sin is not forgiven.   You cannot honest change Christ's words from "not for the next two ages" to "never for all eternity."  You are dishonest, Nick.

Then yet a THIRD time you suggest that the word "never" is proper by quoting Mark 3:29. What was your purpose in quoting The Greek Interlinear if not to show what the EXACT words were?  "Never" is not a substitution for the word "not."  One if "NOT for two ages."  The other is "NEVER, EVER."  And you gloss over this as if it is not even important to make this critical difference. Suppose you were sentenced for a crime, and the Judge said that, "you shall not come out of jail this week or the week after."   But the warden interpreted the Judge's statement to mean, "you shall NEVER EVER come out of jail."  Do you think THEN, Nick, that you might be ready to argue the use of these two words properly?  Think about it.

This is the first time, of tens of thousands of emails, that I have ever had someone suggest that if two Scriptures speak of the VERY SAME EVENT, that the verse that leaves out some of the information that the other verse puts in, that we should go with the one that LEAVES INFORMATION OUT.  Talk about grasping at straws. You are really GRASPING!  Since only ONE gospel account tells us that Jesus was sent to Herod the night of His capture, are we to assume that IT DIDN'T HAPPEN, because the other three gospel writers leave it out?  This is foolishness on a level I have never witnessed before.

Concerning the Concordant Version you state, "Once again Ray, why is every word translated but only eon and eonian are transliterated? And eonian is not even a word."

Both of your statements are false.

Eon and eonian are not transliterated, but translated. Eon and eonian are ENGLISH words, not English spellings of Greek words.  THOUSANDS of words from many languages are spelled very similar when translating them into English.  Just page through your dictionary.

As for "eonian" not being a word, I have not idea where you ever got such an idea:

"eonian....Greek, aionios, from aion...an age...lasting for eons" (Webster's Twentieth Century Dictionary, p. 568.)

The English words "eon" and "aeon" are the same with the SAME meanings.

The English words "eonian" and "aeonian" are the same with the SAME meanings.

You are so foolish and demeaning to God that when you quote a verse like Proverbs 21:3, "To do righteousness and justice is DESIRED by the Lord rather than sacrifice," that you have somehow Scripturally proven that GOD WILL NOT EVER receive the fulfillment of that desire. There are HUNDREDS of statements in Scripture where men go against and contrary to God's will. It is God's PLAN than they go against His will.  But His WILL, WILL be accomplished and fulfilled. Puny men going against God's will does NOT disannul it. Where do you come up with such blasphemy? 

You then try to give an example in your own life that PROVES this foolish asserting that God will NEVER EVER have His desire because it appears for the "moment" that men just aren't doing what He desires. God is not done with the human race, YET, Nick, just in case you thought it all over at death. It is not. There is JUDGMENT. Judgment sets things right. "When Thy JUDGMENTS are in the earth the inhabitants of THE WORLD WILL LEARN RIGHTEOUSNESS" (Isa. 26:9).

Here is your analogy:  "But just because I know my 2 year old will go to the bathroom in her pants on a daily basis does not mean that I DESIRE for her to do so."  So you think that is clever little analogy that PROVES God's desires will never be met?

Nick, if I come to your home fifteen years from now, WILL YOUR DAUGHTER STILL BE MESSING HER PANTS??

We are God's "little children" the Scriptures say, and GOD IS GOING TO POTTY TRAIN THIS ENTIRE GODLESS WORLD.  And you can take that to the bank.

You state:  "Why would we assume that over 20 versions are wrong and the one produced by those who believe the doctrines of Universalism to be right?...but the 'eonian penalty for the sin' is FOREVER."

I do NOT "assume" anything, Nick, it is YOU who are assuming that your 20 translations are RIGHT?  Why should we "assume" your position? Because 20 outnumbers 1?  Does the Bible indicate that it is the MAJORITY who are usually "right" or "wrong."  Remember, "BROAD is the way, and MANY....."

Just because Christendom avoids honest and unbiased translations like the plague, does not mean that they don't exist.  Here are a few English translations that properly translate "eonian":

Rotherham Emphasized Bible, 1959

The Companion Bible, 1990 A King James Reference Bible

Youngs Literal Translation of the Holy Bible, 1898

The Holy Bible in Modern English (Fenton), 1903

The Emphatic Diaglott, 1912 edition (Greek/English Interlinear)

The New Covenant, 1884

The New Testament in Modern Speech, 1910

The restoration of Original Sacred Name Bible, 1976

The New Testament of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Anointed, 1958

The New Testament a Translation, 1938

Scarlets Bible

Etc., etc.

The Greek word "aionios" does NOT mean "eternal."  Verses such as Romans 16:25 totally disprove such asserting:

"Now to Him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began."

Notice that this mystery was which was kept secret is NOW REVEALED!   It "WAS kept secret," but NOW it is revealed. How LONG was this secret kept secret?  Why, "since the WORLD began," we are told in the King James Bible.  But you see, there is a problem here. The Greek word for "world" is "kosmos" (Strong's #2889).  But the Greek word translated "world" here in Rom. 16:25 is the Greek word "aionios" which you say MUST MEAN "FOREVER"--And I quote:  "...but the 'eonian penalty for the sin' is FOREVER."

Let me make one more statement with regards to translating Greek words into English words that STILL maintain the statement is the verse as being a true statement. I specifically have reference to verses where God is referred to the "AIONIOS"  God.  Some insist that this MUST be translated "the ETERNAL God" of "the God of Eternity."  Not so. That is unscriptural foolishness. Just because it is a true statement to say "the ETERNAL God" does not mean that that is how it SHOULD be translated, just because the statement is true. When translating this verse properly as "the EONIAN God" the statement is still true (that is, God really IS, the "GOD OF THE EONS--He made the eons and He is "the GOD of the eons"). And so why not translate properly and consistently according to what the Holy Spirit SAID, not what translators say is ALSO A TRUE STATEMENT, by CHANGING and ADDING TO the words inspired by the Holy Spirit.

Suppose that since I live in the South, that I want to translate Matt. 10:42 as follows:  "And whosoever shall give to  drink unto one of these little ones a GLASS OF ICE COLD TEA only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward."

I could play semantic games and say that in the South it is customary on a hot day to offer a "GLASS OF ICE COLD TEA" rather than "a cup of cold water."  After all, the STATEMENT of our Lord's is still TRUE, is it not?  Yes, that is correct, it does not change the meaning of the statement IN THIS VERSE.  But the fact remains, that the Holy Spirit did NOT inspire the words "glass of ice cold tea!" It is a fallacious translation. It is ADDING TO the word of God. Now it does not apparent harm to call God "the ETERNAL God." That is a TRUE statement, but IT IS ;NOT A TRUE TRANSLATION!  And when we make this SAME mistake of translating with reference to punishment for the ages, it becomes NEVER-ENDING, ETERNAL PUNISHMENT, which is a damnable heresy.

God be with you,

Ray

Dear Sir,

You are not a Bible teacher and the days are getting short.  It's time to sober up and seek the truth.  Your job is to lead people astray but it will fail.  I used to believe that people like you were sincere when I would go to a site like yours.  I no longer believe that.  You are a "false" teacher to the core and will one day be exposed.  You are not, in any way, called by the Lord Jesus Christ!

REPENT AND WAKE UP for the time is short.

Dear Carol:

[Ray Replies]

I understand your frustration.

You go to a web site. Some guy has written hundreds and hundreds of pages of material that contradict virtually everything you have ever been taught or believe. You then check the Scriptural references given, and sure enough, everything he says is Scriptural. You can't disprove ONE SINGLE POINT.  You have two choices: 

1. Repent and obey the Gospel, or

2. Get angry and nasty, and secretly consign this guy to some fabled hellhole of eternal torture in fire. 

But now you can't even believe the hell business anymore, because this guy teaches that the Scriptures are true, and that Jesus Christ really is "The SAVIOUR OF THE WORLD" (I John 4:14).   Imagine someone teaching such a thing, and right out of the Bible!  Before you know it, a guy like this will be teaching people to "LOVE YOUR ENEMIES!"   Has he no shame?

Believe me, I understand your frustration.

God be with you,

Ray

Hi Ray,

I want to know what it means to worship the Lord? Being from a Pentecostal back ground I was taught the raising of hands singing even dancing at times and of course the worshipping in your giving. Which I now know to be a lie.   Thank You.

Some of us live here in Ireland and we have come out of the church and meet regularly. We gather and discuss many things but wander about the worshipping part .Any help would be great.

Barry

Northern Ireland

[Ray Replies]

Dear Barry:

Excellent question.  Sometimes we fail to see the trees for the forest, as they say. It has come to be commonly believed by the whole world of Christendom that "worshipping" is something that takes place Sunday morning and Wednesday evening in a church BUILDING.  Now I don't want to throw out the baby with the bath water, but most of these "worship" services are anything BUT worshipping God.

They are times of ENTERTAINMENT.  Young people go to rock concerts for entertainment, and many Christians go to church for entertainment.  Turn off the sound and just watch the audiences and you will see that both the rock concert and some church services are virtually identical.

What is true godly "worship," and how and where is it done? The answer may shock some.

Jesus said that: 

"Howebeit IN VAIN do they WORSHIP me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men"  (Mark 7:7).

Wow!  This is a biggie.  If we do not teach the commandments OF GOD, we are worshipping God in VAIN!  Yet what is it that is taught during these so-called "worship services" but the commandments of MEN?   (See the forty Christian contradictions that I present in Part II of my series on "The Lake of Fire," on the last three pages).

When Paul went up to Jerusalem "to worship," did he go to the Temple? 

"...I went up to Jerusalem for to WORSHIP. And they neither found me in the TEMPLE..." 

What about the synagogues?

"...neither in the SYNAGOGUES..."  

What about in the city, Jerusalem? 

"...nor in the city"   (Acts 24:11b-12).

WHY didn't Paul worship in the Temple or in the synagogues or in the city?  Because: 

"Howbeit the Most high DWELLS NOT in temples made with hands..."  (Acts 7:48).

"God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that He is Lord of heaven and earth, DWELLS NOT in temples made with hands"  (Acts 17:24).

But why didn't Paul worship God in the City of Jerusalem?  Because:

"The woman said unto Him [Jesus], Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet.  Our fathers worshiped in this mountain; and ye [all of you Jews] say, that in JERUSALEM is the place where men ought to worship"  (John 4:19-20). 

And what did Jesus have to say about the "location" of our worship?

"Jesus said unto her, Woman, believe Me, the hour comes , when ye shall NEITHER in this mountain, NOR YET AT JERUSALEM, worship the Father"   (John 4:21). 

Jesus then gives is the truth about WHERE and HOW to WORSHIP GOD:

"But the hour comes, and now is, when the TRUE worshippers shall worship the Father IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH: for the Father seeks such to worship Him.  God is Spirit: and they that worship Him MUST WORSHIP HIM IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH."

There my brothers is the true answer as to where and how we are to worship God.

I am not suggesting that we cannot worship God in hymn and song, or in praise and prayer, but it always MUST BE IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH.  Most Christian worship is in the FLESH and in ERROR.

We are to worship IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH, and let me be quick to add that this kind of worship should take place in our lives, EVERY DAY,  ALL DAY LONG! 

Start teaching these marvelous Truths in your meetings and soon you will all be "worshipping God in Spirit and in Truth"!  Let me know if there are further questions you have regarding this or other subjects.

God be with you all,

Ray

Dear Ray:

I may have not "studied" hell and its existence, but I HAVE read what the bible says, and sorry, but that's all I need!

Also, last time I checked, God uses the Bible and dreams and visions to reveal the truth. So you're telling me the whole Bible is wrong because the part about hell is wrong? I don't think so. Like I said before, the Bible is either completely true, or completely NOT true.. You can't pick and choose which parts of the Bible you believe, say, I believe in the Holy Spirit, and the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, but I don't think I agree too much with the part about hell.. I don't think so.

Sorry, but if it came down to believing you or believing the word of God, I'll take the word of God any day.

Thank you yet again for your time,

A person that believes ALL of the word of God

[Ray Replies]

Dear Nameless:

You know, I have a theory about people who are ashamed or afraid to use their own name.

Do you really believe the whole Bible?

Do you believe I Cor. 15:55-57? 

"O death, where is YOUR sting? O grave, [Greek, 'HADES'] where is YOUR VICTORY? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. BUT thanks be to God, which gives us the VICTORY through our Lord Jesus Christ."

I'll bet you didn't know that the word "grave" in verse 55 was translated from the Greek word "hades" which is translated 'HELL' in EVERY OTHER OCCURRENCE IN THE ENTIRE NEW TESTAMENT!!!  Why do you suppose the translators translated it "hell" in this verse ONLY?  It is because in this verse it plainly tells us that there is VICTORY over hades [or HELL, if you insist on that word]!!!  And the translators didn't want anyone to know that there is "VICTORY OVER HELL"!  Do you think the the Scriptures say in VAIN that it is a crime to add to or take away from the Word of God?

Even my KING JAMES Bible says in the margin that this word "grave" in verse 55 is "hades" which is translated "hell" EVERYWHERE else!

Let's look at the Old Testament. Do you believe Psalm 49:15? 

"But God WILL REDEEM my soul from the power of the grave [Hebrew, 'SHEOL']: for He shall receive me. Selah."

The word "grave" in the King James is translated from the Hebrew word "sheol" which is translated "HELL" thirty times in the Old Testament.  The translators didn't want anyone to do that everyone's soul can be "REDEEMED from sheol" (or 'hell' if you insist on that Unscriptural word).

Now then, do you believe I Tim. 2:4, and HUNDRED Scriptures just like it: 

"For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who WILL HAVE ALL MEN TO BE SAVED, AND TO COME UNTO THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUTH."

Do you believe I Tim. 4:10? 

"For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, WHO IS THE SAVIOUR OF ALL MEN, especially [not 'exclusively' but 'especially'] of those that believe."

You said that you believe "the WHOLE Bible," but do you believe that,

"...He is the propitiation for our sins: and not for our's ONLY, but also for the sins of THE WHOLE WORLD." (I John 2:2)?

The Father sent the Son, "TO BE THE SAVIOUR OF THE WORLD" (I John 4:14), and YOU believe that Jesus Christ will utterly FAIL!!!

Take your condemnation somewhere else, Nameless, you have not a clue as to what you are talking about.

Why don't you bury your self-righteous pride and read the material on my site, and LEARN?

God be with you,

Ray

Dear Mr. Smith,

First of all, I want to thank you for taking time to read this email.

I have been avidly reading your papers at your website, and in turn, have been telling others about what I have learned from them.  You have really opened up a whole new understanding of the Scriptures for me! The people I have been talking to have been enlightened and surprised by them as well.  They have caused me to think   differently about the plan of God to save all mankind.  In the past three years, I have led more than two dozen people to the Lord, and this was long before I ever read your papers.  I believed that there was a hell for people who did not come to Jesus before they died, so I was teaching this.  I know that I was wrong after I found out that God will save ALL mankind.....

But let me digress a bit... If God made me the way I am and all things are of God and no one has withstood His intentions, then He must have purposely made me with a serious flaw, in that I  seem unable to love deeply.  It has been with me my whole life and it always left me with the awful feeling that something substantial is missing from my life and it scares me because I have been begging for the ability to love Jesus the way I should, but I am not able to. And now that I have found out that God operates ALL according to His perfect will, if He made me like this then I can accept it, but I would still like to know why, even tho the clay does not have the right to ask the Potter why...  

In the days before I read your papers, I thought that because I did not seem to be able to love the Lord, that I wasn't saved even tho I believe He is the Christ and I KNOW that God has raised Him from the grave, and that I might still go to hell, and I was very frightened. But I believe now that perhaps I am not one of the chosen because I am "fearful, timid". 

I am 56 years old; and the older I get, the worse it gets, which leads me to think that I am not one of the chosen, and will not be in the first resurrection, but the Great White Throne ....BUT knowing that God will save ALL mankind this makes me feel a little more at ease and I thank God for you and that He led me to your website!

Please reply to this as soon as possible.  It is very important to me.

May God bless your efforts! Please keep it up.  You are beginning to put large cracks in the walls of false doctrines!

Sincerely, a seeker of the Real truth;

Steve

[Ray Replies]

Dear Steve:

God has given ALL OF US, weaknesses.  Some have financial problems, others marital, others health, others bad tempers, others fear and uncertainty, others are mentally and emotionally unstable, etc., etc., etc.  The thing to remember is, "GOD AIN'T FINISHED WITH YOU YET"!!

Don't feel that just because you have certain problems and weaknesses that you will never ever overcome them. GOD IS ABLE! These weaknesses humble us and drive us to our knees and herefore, they do a good work in us. 

I have as many genetic and emotional weaknesses as anyone, but I don't let them get me down.  I press on with the assurance that God will not let me down. And as we mature, we find that we are stronger in faith, and mature even more quickly.  I do not have near the sins today that I had just a half dozen years ago.   God has conquered things in me that I was never able to conquer, try as hard as I may.

Peter denied Jesus three times in one evening.  But in later years, Peter was a bold a lion!  Be of good cheer, as Jesus said,  He overcame THE WORLD, and it is this same Jesus that is now living IN US!

God be with you,

Ray

Hi Ray,

Some questions before I continue reading the articles.  I hope you don't get offended as I need to understand who you are.  Can you say that you are not scattering but gathering the lost for Jesus Christ?  Do you truly know God personally?  Does God visit you on a 1 on 1 level daily?  Do you have the power that Jesus spoke of through Holy Spirit?   

Thanks

In the living vine

Andre

[Ray Replies]

Dear Andre:

No, Andre, nothing you could say or ask would offend me. But, do you really expect me to tell you that I am "SCATTERING the lost for Jesus Christ?"

"Do I truly know God personally?"  I have heard this expression THOUSANDS of times in my life. Maybe, TENS of thousands of times. What does it really mean? There is no  such expression in the entirety of the Bible.  Does anyone truly know God IMPERSONALLY?  I am a person and whatever I know, I know PERSONALLY. I know God PERSONALLY.

"Does God visit me on a "one on one level daily?" Again, your expressions are unscriptural. God does not 'VISIT' believers daily.  Our contact with Jesus Christ and God Our Father is through God's Holy Spirit.  We are BEGOTTEN of that Holy Spirit. It does not just "visit" us daily, IT IS WITH US CONSTANTLY (even in our sleep)!

"Do I have the power that Jesus spoke of through Holy Spirit."  I am not sure which reference you are speaking of, since Jesus spoke often of the Spirit of God.   Do mean, can and do I heal the sick, and raise the dead, walk on water and change water into wine, read men's minds and possess all power in heaven and earth, the answer is NO, I don't.  If on the other hand, you mean do I live the spiritual laws of God which only the Holy Spirit can reveal, do I pray constantly for everyone, am I overcoming the carnal mind and the pulls of the flesh, am I understand and teaching the spiritual Truths of God and His Word, then the answer is, YES!

God be with you,

Ray

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