Why are we here
I curse your website
Why all the 'hostility' toward Dr. Kennedy?
Why are you so angry?
What did God "will" for Adam and Eve?
More questions on the word "aion"
It has been a great pleasure
More on the Trinity
What do you have against Jehovah's Witnesses?
Is God to blame for all the suffering mankind experiences?
Israel was not "cursed with a curse" in Mal. 3:9
Does the Lord make things complicated?
Thank You
How grateful I am
Extremely mixed up theology
Saved in grace through faith
Thank You
Do you believe we have free will?
Are you a cult?
Hell fire
Searched 35 years for Rich Man & Lazarus!
Hal Lindsey
Who are you, and what is your background?
Thank You
Why do you have a poor attitude toward Christianity?
Is God really sovereign?
More on Sovernity
"A bulldozer clearing out the garbage in my mind"
Dear Ray:
I truly wish that I understood why we are here on this planet. I feel like I'm in the
middle of two very upset and powerful beings of some kind. I feel like God and Satan
have a terrible disagreement between them, and, somehow we as humans are in the middle of
their battle. I feel awful being here on this earth and in the middle of these two and
their anger/battle.
I know that God wants us to love him and denounce
Satan. I am told that we are to worship God. I am told that God is a loving God. I see a
lot that is good on this earth just as much as I see a lot of bad on this earth. I
feel it is unfair for us to pay for Adam and Eve's sin.
I am angry at God and at Satan. I do not feel driven to
worship God and to give him praise at this moment of my life. The only way that I can
become close to this creator is if someone could please explain and help me to seriously
understand why we are here?
It amazes me how many people think that they are
answering my question, and in reality I don't receive an answer for my question.
I wish so much that I was not created, only
because I hate not understanding and never to find the answer to my question that makes
sense.
I rely on my common sense and I need a common sense
answer in order to enjoy my life on this earth. Of course, there are those that say that I
have to accept Christ etc to receive this holy spirit (ya-da-ya-da-ya-da) in order to
receive the light of understanding etc... I hate it too that some people say that we will
know the answer when we die as to why we are here.
Thank you for your time.
[Ray replies]
I am sorry that I don't know your name, but thank you
for you interest and your email.
Christianity does not give you a straight answer because the doctrines of Christianity
contradict most of the truths of God's Word.
There are answers, however.
I will give you some of the reason "why we are here."
A great and wise creator GOD PUT US HERE. He started
the human family.
God is not stupid, He had a grand and eternal purpose
in mind for making mankind.
God has many attributes, powers, knowledge, etc.,
that obviously mankind DOES NOT. But, God DOES WANT us to have those same attributes,
especially LOVE!
Qualities of character such as Love are not
instantaneously created, they must be developed. That development takes a creation,
circumstances, and time. And so, God creates all these things necessary for their
development.
Although God is GOOD, He nonetheless has a knowledge
and understanding of both good AND EVIL. And so we TOO much come to an understanding of
both good and evil. Why? Because ALL KNOWLEDGE hinges on their proper understanding.
People say things without ever realizing how stupid or impossible their thoughts or
statements are. Most Christians suppose that if Adam and Eve had not sinned, then we all
would STILL, right now, be enjoying the beautiful life of happiness and bliss in a
fabulous garden of Eden. NOT SO!!! Adam and Eve did NOT appreciate what they had
with God in the garden before they sinned. They had NO CONTRAST to compare it with.
Now here is a key piece of understanding and wisdom. God wants CHILDREN. God is building a
FAMILY. Children are to grow up and have the attributes of their parents. But these things
must be LEARNED BY EXPERIENCE! Not only didn't Adam and Eve appreciate what they
had, they ABSOLUTELY COULD NOT have appreciated what they had, because they experienced
ONLY GOOD.
Try to come up with even ONE VIRTUE, such as love, patience, honesty, goodness,
faithfulness, loyalty, obedience, bravery, etc., etc., etc., ANYTHING of a virtuous
nature, that does not involve the overcoming of SOME FORM OF EVIL! There is you answer!
There IS NO VIRTUE, NO CHARACTER, NO STABILITY of any kind in any one, except he overcomes
some form of EVIL.
Now can you see why we are here? Now can you see why there is not only good, but so much
evil in the world? It is necessary! God did not put it here simply to make us miserable!
God is NOT in a battle for supremacy with Satan. God CREATED Satan. God USES Satan. And
Satan too, will be saved after he has done all of his dirty work. God will make him
repent.
God is enlarging His family into BILLIONS of sons and
daughters. This life is part of the training ground to be the very SONS OF GOD.
All evil including DEATH itself will be abolished when
God has used them to bring His family to a level of love and righteousness that He
desires. We will then inherit all that God has and all that God is. God is truly OUR
FATHER.
I hope that helps your understanding a little better.
Life will not always be miserable and painful as it may seem to you now. This too shall
pass.
Sincerely,
Ray
Hi my name is Rev. Mr. and Mrs. G,
I pray that God will have mercy upon you! Because you
being a man of God (as you so claim), should know that God does not tolerate the mocking
of his anointed people! And any weapon formed against them will never prosper.
If you want proof of this read 1Kings about the kids who mocked Elijah and got
eaten by a bear. Pharaoh and any other man that mocked a prophet or person of God
saw his wrath.
Where is your anointing? Where is the illnesses
that you have healed? Where is the dead you have raised? Where is the blind you made
see? Where is the deaf you made hear? Jesus said in Mark that those signs
would follow them that believe him. I don't see that kind of anointing on you. You
want to know why? Because you cant deny God and Say you believe him. You are a hypocrite.
The Holy Spirit will lead you to truth and
Understanding, but you don't have that because you don't have the Holy Spirit and as long
as you deny a trinity you will never have the Holy Spirit. You have sown seeds that
will reap an awful harvest of unspeakable damage, but Satan's little tactics and used
through people like you never prosper.
In the Name of Jesus I
curse your website and Pray that it falls apart and is completely destroyed. Along with your cult. Gods word says that whatever is
released on earth is released in heaven. I hope this letter comes as warning
for you to change your ways, and for you to repent before it is too late.
Jesus said in Revelation to the Church of Laodicea
"I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
So then because thou art luke-warm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my
mouth." That sounds like free will to me and that people will go to hell. And
if you don't believe in hell talk to some people who have died and gone to hell and came
back you know near death experiences, there are people who have changed their lives to
Christ because of that. May God again have mercy on your soul!
Praying for you,
Rev. Mr. and Mrs. G
[Ray replies]
Dear Reverend and Mrs. G:
Thank you for your e-mail and comments.
I see from your e-mail that it is you, not I who is pronouncing the 'CURSES'! All I
have to say to that is, "May God BLESS you with understanding and a LOVE for God's
Truths"!!
My papers and articles are far from perfect, but I guarantee you that there is a TON of
Scriptural truth in all of them, and that truth is being taught at considerable expense
for which we have never received a penny.
[Webmasters note: This was true when written. But since
then some have insisted on helping us pay for our advertising costs]
It is a JOY to see people freed from religious bondage.
I get e-mails by the hour telling me how much they appreciate the TRUTH.
I do not 'mock' the two men who's sermons I critique. I 'EXPOSE' their teachings for the
evil heresy that it is. I am aware of many bible translations (certainly not all)
that translate "hades" into the English word "hell," and come up with
all kinds of fanciful ideas of how horrible the pain and suffering and torture will be
there for most of mankind for all of eternity. These teachings, however, are NOT
SCRIPTURAL. I prove that in my two letters to John Hagee and Dr. Kennedy. Greek
"aions" and NOT English "eternities." And there is NO
CONSCIOUSNESS in hades (Hebrew: sheol, often translated 'hell'). I prove that in my paper!
I Scripturally PROVE IT. You can't DISprove it, that's why you didn't even try.
I understand your anger--I have smashed the noses off of some of your most sacred cows
(idols of the heart, as Ezekiel calls them).
The only "weapon" that I am capable of using is the "Sword of the
Word," and it WILL PROSPER over the enemies of God's WORD!
Paul didn't believe in the "trinity" and I don't think anyone would want to
suggest that HE didn't have God's Holy Spirit.
As I am teaching the truths of God's Word and it is YOU who are pronouncing a
"CURSE" on this work, maybe you need to heed your own warning. I pronounced A
BLESSING on you! Besides, you can't pronounce a CURSE on all the thousands of people who
have already been BLESSED by this humble web site. It's too late for your curses;
the people are already being blessed.
May God be with you always as you yield to His will in you life and SEEK TRUTH--it will
set you free.
Sincerely in Christ's service,
Ray
Ray,
I hope you feel better now !
This is about you and God... not D.James Kennedy.
The Holy Spirit that God allows to exist in us revealed
your hostility through your rhetoric.
My prayer for you is that God through his son will show
you his love in a way that is according to his will, not yours.
Ok... So lay it on me Ray ! .... Dump
[Ray replies]
Dear Dump:
Thank you for your e-mail and comments.
I have no 'hostility' toward Dr. Kennedy. Why would you ever suggest such a think. I love
Dr. Kennedy. He's a good-looking man of superior intelligence with a pleasing personality
and tries to do what he thinks are many wonderful works in this world. He's a very fine
man, I am sure.
His teaching on the ultimate destiny for most of the human race, is however, damnable
heresy. I expose that heresy by the Scriptures. I make it so clear a child can understand
it. There was NO hostility in my heart for either John Hagee or Dr. Kennedy. Many
many people have been helped and have turned to God or REturned to God after reading my
paper. I noticed that you didn't find anything SPECIFICALLY wrong or unscriptureal about
my paper.
I welcome criticism. TEN THOUSAND people a month come
to the web site. [Webmasters note: Now many more than 10,000 per months visit
bible-truths.com] Not all are blessed; many disagree with it. However, not one has EVER
specifically and scripturally challenged the overall principles that I teach. The main one
being that Jesus Christ really is the SAVIOUR OF THE WHOLE WORLD. He WILL save it. Jesus
is very good at what He does and what He does is SAVE!
May God grant you a spirit of wisdom and proper discernment.
Sincerely, in Christ's service,
Ray
I read your letter about John
Hagee's sermon, and I was saddened. I don't usually watch John Hagee but the words
you were quoting he said I believe also. People are in desperate need of
repenting. I'm not a fighter and I'm not trying to argue with you but there most
assuredly is a place called hell, because if there wasn't Christ would not of came
to set us free from the law of sin and death.
Mr. Smith I can't help but think your so angered over
this because maybe your not sure about someone you loved who pasted away. God does
love us, he loves sooooo much that he sent Jesus to reconcile us back to
him. God is a just God, a infinite mind will never understand a finite mind.
But the Word says the just shall live by faith. I have faith not in myself but only
in the Blood of Jesus. ask the Lord to forgive you of your sins and ask Jesus into
your heart before it is to late for you. Jesus loves you Mr. Smith.
Sincerely,
Melissa God Bless You
[Ray replies]
Dear Melissa:
Thank you for your e-mail and your concern for my eternal salvation--not to worry, our
Lord and our God is many times greater than the tiny, confused, weak, and evil god that is
often portrayed in modern religions.
When you say that you KNOW there is a hell, what you are saying is that you have seen the
word "hell" in the KJV bible and men have interpreted for you what that word
hell means. You like the idea that you and others are special and will be saved, while the
majority of men women, pregnant women, little boys and little girls by the billions and
billions who have NEVER EVEN HEARD OF THIS JESUS YOU ARE SPEAKING OF THAT LOVES US SOOOOO
MUCH, will be put into some fabled hellhole of real fire the have their eyeballs burned
out without water, without mercy, without hope, for ALL ETERNITY!!!!!
This Christian doctrine (borrowed from the most barbaric heathen and pagan religions) is
the most damnable heresy to every be taught in the history of the universe. I am so
utterly amazed that Christians by the million upon millions not only swallow this hogwash
of satanic evil, but actually revel and gloat with joy over the idea that most of humanity
will be tortured by fire for trillions and trillions and trillions and trillions and
trillions and trillions (you know, Melissa, even 3-4 SECONDS of having one's flesh burned
with real fire is excruciatingly painful--what human father with a CARNAL MIND even, would
torture his own children by burning their flesh with FIRE. We put people like that in
JAIL, but Christians WORSHIP such a fiendish monster!), and trillions and trillions and
trillions and trillions and trillions of billions of quadrillions of centuries, never,
ever, ever, coming to an end--pregnant women, little boys and little girls, just being
burned and tortured day and night for trillions and trillions.....
Kinda makes one SICK IN HIS HEART AND STOMACH DOESN'T IT?
Maybe you need to read my material again and repent of ever believing that our loving
Heavenly Father would treat His worst enemies this badly, let along His CHILDREN! Think
about it, Melissa--practically no one else has ever taken the time to even consider the
enormity of torturing people with fire ENDLESSLY! Jesus said that we should LOVE OUR
ENEMIES. Do you really believe that God is a HYPOCRITE and tells us to do one thing and
then HE does the opposite by HATING MOST OF HUMANITY FOR ALL ETERNITY. He would be
"AN ETERNAL GOD OF HATE"!
Eternal torture is the most damnable lie even concocted by Satan, Melissa. I will give you
the gospel in four verses:
"God WILLS that ALL mankind be SAVED" (I
Tim. 2:4). But will His will be done?
"Thy WILL B-E DONE..." (Mat. 6:10).
"GOD I-S LOVE" (I John 4:8). But won't love
fail when it comes to saving everyone.
"LOVE N-E-V-E-R FAILS" (I Cor. 13:10).
Even a child can understand these simple truths of God
and of His plan and of His Love for all humanity. How could we have EVER DOUBTED IT?
May God be with your spirit as you seek out these profound truths of God's Word.
Sincerely in Christ's service,
Ray
Sir,
Gods first "will" if you can remember was
when he created Adam and Eve. He didn't "will" for them to sin. But what
did they do? What did he do about it? He banished them from his presence in the Garden of
Eden!
Think about it! He did not kick them out then bring
them back, there were no more chances, once God lets you out, your not getting back in.
THINK about it.
[Ray replies]
Well of course we are getting into a mature subject
here, and I certainly would not expect Sunday School children to understand it, it does
take some spiritual maturity.
God ABSOLUTELY has raised up people for the EXPRESS PURPOSE OF SINNING so that God could
show His power in the earth by simply CONTRAST. See Rom. Chapter nine. (I notice that you
are not one to be burdened by quoting Scriptures to back up your statement). Pharaoh was
raised up for the EXPRESS purpose of GOING AGAINST God's will and SINNING so that God
could then DESTROY HIM. Read it. Paul plainly says so. Stop using human arguments and
reasoning. If you can't show me by the Scriptures, then you can't show me.
God planted the true of the knowledge of good and evil, not Satan. And God planted it
right in the midst of the Garden where Adam and Eve would surely see it. God watched as
Satan maneuvered his way to Eve so as to deceive her. God watched the whole thing! Stop
believing that God is surprised or shocked by the actions of His creatures--He is NOT!
Besides, the tree contained the knowledge of GOOD! Or did you never notice
that? It was GOOD that they ate of the tree. It was GOOD that they disobeyed God. God
KNEW THAT THEY WOULD SIN AND DISOBEY FROM LONG BEFORE HE EVER CREATED THEM.
How stupid do you think God is? It is blasphemy
the way people talk about God and give Him no more reasoning powers or abilities than
sinful men. It is a SHAME. God knew exactly was HE was doing and He knew exactly
everything that Adam and Eve WOULD DO. He is GOD. He knows ALL. Must I quote you all
these simple Scriptures that most Sunday School children already know?
The Lamb of God was "slain from the FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD," the Scriptures
tell us. Not from the "sin of Eve." God made provision for the salvation
of Adam and Eve BEFORE HE EVER CREATED THEM--that is Scripture! That is not mans'
theories! I don't have time or space to explain the whole plan of salvation to you
in one e-mail. Read ALL of my letters to Kennedy and Hagee, then write me if you have a
question.
One last thought for you. God DID create men spiritually weak so that they cannot resist
sin. "ALL have sinned..."It obviously IS God's will that for a time we go
AGAINST His will. But. . .BUT, NO ONE EVER goes against God's "INTENTION." There
is a giant difference. Paul's detractors ask in Roman's nine, "For who has gone
against God's INTENTION?" And the answer is, absolutely NO ONE. It could not even BE
God's will that all be saved, unless first ALL ARE LOST!
If only theologians could come to understand that God
is not running a damage control center from His throne of the universe. God is NOT picking
up the pieces. He is not trying to get things back to being as good as they once were. He
is not trying to figure out how to outsmart Satan. He is not falling behind, numerically,
as far as how many will be saved and how many will be lost. God is far smarter and wiser
and the stupid men who come up with these insane and blasphemous theories and doctrines.
God has a PLAN. (Wow, now there's a revelation for theologians). And God is working out
that plan to perfection on a perfect schedule, and He will loose NOTHING! Paul tells us in
Rom. 11:36 that ALL is out of God and THROUGH God and FOR God. God is creating man in His
OWN IMAGE. It is a PROCESS. That process is on perfect schedule. It WILL be successful.
Christ IS the saviour of the world and therefore, He WILL SAVE THE WORLD. How can you be a
minister of the gospel and doubt God's ability to save all of His children? That's insane.
Anyway, I gotta go, I have many more e-mails to answer.
May God guide you into His perfect will.
Sincerely,
Ray
Ray
AIONIOS spelled aijwvniob in GREEK MR.SMITH means
everlasting or eternal. it DOES not mean a few days.
without beginning and end, that which always has been
and always will be.
without beginning
without end, NEVER to cease, EVERLASTING.
Go get you a GREEK LEXICON from your nearest bookstore,
or I will send you one FREE. I have been studying GREEK and Hebrew manuscripts for
20 years, I was not born yesterday, so I dare you to tell me that I don't know what
I'm talking about. Quit looking up words in Webster's Dictionary, that's for 5 year
olds, and start studying the real word. I have done my homework, I say NOTHING
without backing it up!!
Furthermore I really don't care what you believe,
if its in the BIBLE, and you still don't believe it your gotta answer to GOD. MR. SMITH.
You are one of those people that would not believe in an EVERLASTING PUNISHMENT even if
JESUS came down and told you to your face its real. You would still try to dispute
it. MATTHEW 25:46 says And these shall go away into EVERLASTING PUNISHMENT but the
righteous into life eternal. Now the verse is right in front of you, how can you
dispute it? The word aijwvnioB is used here. See I even know how to spell in GREEK.
[Ray replies]
Dear Doctor B:
In an earlier e-mail you told me that I couldn't prove ANYTHING from the word
"aion" because it was not in the original, but was inserted LATER. Now you keep
using the word "aion" to defend YOUR theory of eternal torment. I don't think
you know which side of this word you are on, Doctor!
Besides I have already asked you a half dozen times
what was the Greek word that was replaced without authorization for the word
"aion" and you have yet to answer. I don't think you can answer! Besides, do you
have any idea of the impossibility of tampering with between five and ten THOUSAND Greek
manuscripts that have been located to date?
I never got my definition out of Webster's Dictionary. Why do you say such things? Usage
defines a word. And here is how God, in His very WORD, defines and uses the words
"aion" and "aionios." And who ever said it means a "few
day?" Your sarcasm is deceitful, Doctor.
First let me show you that even Dr. Strong defines "aion"two DIFFERENT ways:
Strong's Greek Dictionary, p. 9, #165 aion, age,
course, eternal, ever, evermore, without end.
BUT, notice this from Strong's SAME Greek dictionary:
Strong's Greek Dictionary, p. 78, #5550 chronos, a
space of time (in general, and thus properly distinguished from 2540, which designates a
FIXED OR SPECIAL OCCASION; and from 165 [AION], which denotes a PARTICULAR PERIOD OR
INTERVAL..."
There it is: Aion, a PARTICULAR PERIOD OR INTERVAL!!!
This definition is correct, as is his first definition, "Aion, an AGE"!!!
Here then is absolute proof from the Scriptures
themselves that an aion is an AGE or a PARTICULAR PERIOD OR INTERVAL:
There was time BEFORE the aions (I Cor. 2:7,
"BEFORE the eons"). Therefore, NOT eternal .
God MADE the aions (Heb. 1:2, "MAKES the
eons"). Therefore, NOT eternal.
There were aions in the PAST (Col. 1:26, "hid
FROM eons"). Therefore, NOT eternal.
This PRESENT age is called an aion (Gal. 1:4,
"the PRESENT wicked eon"). Therefore, NOT eternal.
This PRESENT age will come to an END (Mat. 24:3,
"The END [or conclusion] of the eon"). Therefore, NOT eternal.
There is coming another aion AFTER this present aion
(Luke 18:30, "the eon TO COME"). Therefore, NOT eternal.
There are, in fact, coming multiples or FUTURE AIONS
(Eph. 2:7, "the ONCOMING AIONS). Therefore, NOT eternal.
Some aions are even contrasted with OTHER AIONS (Eph.
3:21, "the eon OF the eons"). Therefore, NOT ETERNAL.
All aions will come to all their ENDS (I Cor. 10:11,
"the CONSUMMATIONS [plural] of the eons [plural]." Therefore, obviously
not possible to be eternal!!
Now there is Scriptural proof. We don't need Webster's
Dictionary and we don't need Strong's Lexicon. The Scriptural usage of the words
"aion" "aions" and "aionios" prove beyond a shadow of a
doubt that Greek "aions" are NOT English "eternities."
This is not my or someone else's opinion, Doctor. THIS
IS PROOF. You have just seen the PROOF in your own bible. You cannot continue teaching
that God will torture most of humanity in some fabled hellhole of fire for all eternity,
when God says that it is His will (and God will perform ALL of his will, desire, word,
etc., etc., etc. "ALL MY DESIRE WILL I DO" Isa. 46:10--11) to save ALL
MANKIND (I Tim. 2:4, ALL John 12:32, EVERY KNEE AND EVERY TONGUE Phil. 2:10-11, in Christ
shall ALL BE VIVIFIED ( Cor. 15:22, ALL MANKIND Rom. 5z:19, a ransom for ALL to be
testified in DUE TIME I Tim. 2:5-6, yet he SHALL BE SAVED yet thus, as through FIRE I Cor.
3:15, God Who is the Saviour of ALL MANKIND I Tim. 4:11, the WORLD may be saved through
Him John 3:17,
And HE is the propitiation for our sins; and not for
our sins only, but also for the SINS OF THE WHOLE WORLD I John 2:2, conciliating THE WORLD
to Himself, NOT reckoning their offenses to them II Cor. 5:18-19, God, Who is the SAVIOR
OF ALL MEN I Tim. 4:10, etc., etc., etc., etc.
"THESE THINGS COMMAND AND TEACH" (II Tim. 4:11). You don't ACTUALLY command and
teach that God is the "SAVIOUR OF ALL MEN" do you, Doctor? No, of course
you don't. You don't even BELIEVE these verses I just quoted, so how could you teach them.
Shame on you, Doctor. You are NOT teaching the GOSPEL
[GOOD NEWS] of Jesus Christ. Your beloved eternal torture in a fabled hellhole of fire for
all eternity is a damnable doctrine of devils and demons. Give it up, and begin treating
your Heavenly Father and His HOLY WORDS with dignity and respect!!!
Sincerely in the name of Jesus Christ, THE SAVIOUR OF THE WHOLE WORLD!
Ray
L. Ray Smith
20 March 2002
Dear Sir,
My name is Richard D. and I live on a little Island off the coast of North Carolina and I
came upon your web site by chance and was totally alarmed at what I was reading.
I'm almost seventy three years of age and as you can
see I've been around for a long time. For forty years I just took what came by knowing
that something was very wrong, yet I did not know what to do about it. So I decided to
take some courses from Moody Bible Institute to get a better footing or background in the
Scripture.
Well the doors started opening up which to this day I
believe that it has been the Holy Spirit that has been the guiding principle. For the last
thirty years or so I thought I was all alone in my thinking and beliefs then out of the
blue you came and now I know that I have not been alone.
It has been a great pleasure to read every thing that
you have on the net. I have come to find men as far back as 1784 that have thought and
wrote about the same as you, (God does work mysteriously) I am proud to know you if by
only your writings.
As for the T.V. Evangelists I am well acquainted with
the off button, and I had a similar you might call a run in with a graduate from the
seminary at Wake Forest University and because I don't have an education he thought I was
as dumb as a box of rocks and didn't know anything about the Scripture. By a slim chance
he may be right but my faith in Jesus Christ will over come anything.I say slim with a
mouth full of bubble gum (just for fun).
It has been my pleasure as well as a learning
experience to have met you on this electronic contraption of modern science-will be
looking for your future writings. May GOD be with you.
Richard D.
[Ray replies]
Dear Richard:
Thank you for your kind words and comments.
May God grand you more years of healthful living and growth in His Word and will for your
life.
Sincerely,
Ray
I will try to be as specific as
possible in my address. This paper that you have written on the trinity does not
glorify God in the slightest and would not if you were correct or incorrect. It
gives me no pleasure to say this but it is true. The manner in which it is presented
makes it easy to dismiss it because it is in direct opposition to God's word. This
paper is not at all loving or gentle.
We are told "As I have loved you, so you must love
one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one
another."(Jn 13:34) This passage in and of itself would allow me to dismiss
what you have to say. I hope that you will sincerely look at your motives for
writing.
Also I do not believe that any of the articles on your
site will attract anyone to Christianity in any way which is one of our purposes for still
being on this earth.
Since you seem to have not put very much research into
the subject (being as you have found no arguments for the trinity that had any
substance to them) I will give you a few things to look up. I have found Jonathan
Edwards' Essay on the Trinity (www.jonathanedwards.com)
to be very helpful. I had been having questions about the trinity and he answered
many of them (with scripture).
I also suggest that you find other bible dictionaries
to look your words up in. A dictionary that I have (Dictionary of the Bible Edited
by James Hastings and put out by Schribners) never uses the word theory in its definition
of the trinity and it gives many arguments (using scripture) for the trinity.
I hope that I have not offended you in any way but that
what I have said has given you thought and will inspire you to write your papers in a more
Godly fashion. Thank you for reading my letter.
Yours Truly,
Michael
Ephesians 4, 1 Timothy 3, Romans 12:9-21
[Ray replies]
Dear Michael:
Thank you for your comments. You have a knack for using a lot of words without actually
saying anything. Just EXACTLY what did I write that you find fault with? Quote me a word,
sentence, paragraph, that is NOT Scriptural.
I believe it is the Truth of God that offends you, and not my articles.
You said I should get a HASTINGS Dictionary of the Bible by Schribners. Well just for you,
Michael, I just happen to have a "HASTINGS Dictionary of the Bible by Schribners, and
I will quote from page 1015 under the topic:
"THE TRINITY--The Christian doctrine of God (q.v.)
as existing in three Persons and one Substance is NOT DEMONSTRABLE BY LOGIC OR BY
SCRIPTURAL PROOFS..."
Are you sure this is the Dictionary you wanted me to
check with reference to Scriptural proof for a trinity? According to Mr. Hastings, one
would have to use ILLOGICAL AND UNSCRIPTURAL data in order to prove a trinity. My mind and
spirit REBELS against illogical and unscriptural doctrines. You can believe them if you
wish, however. A lot of Christian doctrines are not to far removed from Santa Claus, the
Easter Bunny, and the Tooth Fairy.
Actually, the trinity theory is the least of my worries or interests. I wrote that paper
on the trinity because a lot of people asked me to. I only despise one GIANT, COLOSSAL,
EVIL doctrine of Christendom and that is the teaching that Jesus Christ will utterly fail
at saving the sinners of the world and that His Father will then torture the majority of
humanity, including men and pregnant women, and boys and girls, by burning their eyeballs
out with real fire in a hellhole of insane torture without hope or mercy FOR ALL
ETERNITY!!!!!
I believe that most people who read my paper on the trinity theory will find it extremely
honest and well-documented, both secular and Scriptural. Maybe it is offensive to you that
I "answer a fool according TO A FOOL" when quoting experts in their respective
fields of heretical scholarship. I believe that NOTHING shows respect toward God more than
TOTAL AND COMPLETE HONESTY!
Contrary to you condemnation of my writings, I have a draw full of emails and letters from
my readers who have either turned to God or RETURNED to God after coming to realize that
God really is a God of Love and Mercy.
If you have anything SPECIFIC to criticize about my writing, I'll be happy to answer any
questions or criticisms. I am not perfect, but am striving to be, so any help you can give
me will be appreciated. You will have to get SPECIFIC, however, Michael, because this
email has not been helpful at all.
May God grant you the kind heart that you only pretend to have.
Sincerely in our Lord's service,
Ray
What is it that you believe about
the trinity that we do not (Jehovah's Witnesses)? I read your paper and I probably
missed it because I was so intrigued with your reasoning. And probably because my
mind and eyes were tired from reading so much.
What is it you have against JW theology? I am
aware JW's are NOT perfect (because no human organization can be perfect) but I would like
to have your opinion on your problems you have with JW's. I am 17 and know I have
the truth unless there is something missing I am not aware of.
I do appreciate your writings and finally (FINALLY)
someone has something against the trinity and hell doctrines. There is only 1 other
site that doesn't completely bash JW's and others of the like mind.
What I think is that "Satan has blinded the minds
of the unbelievers" (1 Cor. 4:4 I think). And no matter how perfect you explain
it (and you did a pretty good job) people just don't want to listen. They come in
the conversation like they are automatically right because everyone believes in the
Trinity and I MUST be wrong just because I am a JW. Anyway, I'll stop rambling.
Please reply when it is convenient.
Ryan
[Ray replies]
Dear Ryan:
I don't have anything "AGAINST" Jehovah's Witnesses.I applaud their not teaching
eternal torment, however many of their other teachings are just not true.
It would take DAYS to go through just the basics. I don't have the time. Plus, I don't
know everything they believe. I'll go through just a couple of sentences of the first page
of a chapter entitled, 'WHAT ARE THE TEACHINGS OF JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES?" found in a
book entitled, "Religions in America." This chapter was written and/or edited by
the late Milton G. Henschel, director of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society.
"Jehovah is the only true God. His supremacy has been challenged by Satan, who caused
the rebellion in Eden and who puts the integrity of all men to the test. God's primary
purpose is the vindication of this supremacy....Christ took power in heaven as King. This
happened in 1914 .... Christ is now in his second presence. He will always remain
invisible to humans, but his presence is proved by world events since 1914, which fulfill
all the predictions of Matt. 24."
How much of that is scripturally true? Not much.
God's supremacy has not been challenged by Satan. Satan can do no more than God allows.
Have you never noticed in the first chapter of the book of Job how Satan must ASK
PERMISSION before touching anyone?
Satan didn't 'CAUSE' a rebellion in Eden. Eve lusted
after the forbidden fruit and sinned. And it was GOD who planted that tree and it
was GOD who put it right in the middle of the garden, and it was GOD who made it beautiful
and desirable to make one wise, etc., etc. It was NOT SATAN who did these things.
Furthermore, the forbidden tree contained the "knowledge of GOOD." If Adam and
Eve wanted to know 'good' it was to be found in that very forbidden tree. You see there IS
NO knowledge of good without a knowledge of evil. That's why God put them both IN THE SAME
TREE!!!
Satan does not put the "integrity" of all men to the test. Men HAVE NO
INTEGRITY!! Men [Adam, humanity, the carnal natural mind] are hostile toward God and His
spiritual law. Man is self-centered, lustful, greedy, unholy, unthankful, stubborn,
carnal, rebellious, with a heart that is deceitful above all things. Integrity? Man has
NONE to be challenged.
The "primary purpose" of God is NOT the vindication of His name. God doesn't
have to prove anything to anyone--especially Satan. God's primary purpose is to have SONS
AND DAUGHTERS. To expand His FAMILY. To enlarge His Kingdom. To have children who
"know both good and evil" and have come through a life experience that makes
them finally DESIRE GOOD ABOVE ALL ELSE. All that ever was, is, or ever will be is for the
GLORY OF GOD!
Jesus did NOT take power and Kingship in 1914. Jesus was given all these things at His
resurrection two thousand years ago. After His resurrection, Jesus told His disciple,
"Given to Me [then, not 1900 years later] was ALL AUTHORITY IN HEAVEN AND ON THE
EARTH." (Matt. 28:19. See Revelation for proof that Jesus was ALREADY King of kings
and Lord of lords nineteen hundred years ago when John wrote Revelation.
Christ is NOT now in His second presence. Christ will return in glory and splendor to all
His saints.
Jesus will NOT "always remain invisible to humans." "We are aware that, if
He should be manifested, we shall BE LIKE HIM, for we shall SEE Him according as He
IS" (I Jn 3:3). We will "SEE HIM." There it is.
All the prophecies of Matt. 24 have NOT been fulfilled as yet. "Except those days
were shorted, no flesh at all would be saved alive" (Matt. 24:22). That has never
happened before or after 1914. There has never been a time that unless that period were
shortened by certain days, all flesh on earth would have been destroyed. That's nonsense
to say such a thing.
"For then shall be great affliction, such as has not occurred from the beginning of
the world till now; neither under any circumstances may be occurring again" (Matt.
24:21). I guarantee you that times were much worse during world war II than during world
war I. 1914 was a walk in the park compared to the holocaust and the carnage of the
1940's.
"Now immediately after the affliction of those days the sun shall be DARKENED and the
moon shall not be giving her beams, and the stars shall be FALLING FROM HEAVEN, AND THE
POWERS OF THE HEAVENS SHALL BE SHAKEN" (Matt. 24:29). Ryan, such a thing has never
happened in the history of the world! But notice that this MUST happen first BEFORE Jesus
returns, "And THEN [not in 1914, but 'then'] shall appear the SIGN OF THE SON OF
MANKIND IN HEAVEN...all the tribes of the land shall grieve, and they shall SEE THE SON OF
MANKIND COMING on the clouds of heaven with POWER and MUCH GLORY" (Ver. 30).
Salvation to the Jehovah's Witnesses is not far removed from the "happy hunting
grounds" of the American Indian. We will NOT sit around under our fit trees for
thousands and thousands of ages sipping cider and singing gospel music, Ryan. The saints
and believers being called NOW in this age, are being prepared to reign WITH CHRIST ON HIS
THRONE AS KINDS AND PRIESTS to save the entirety of the universe. For ages upon ages we
will reign with Christ. This is a far cry from the expectation of the Jehovah's Witnesses
and their eternal paradise in fields of clover.
Anyway, I don't have time to go through the whole book. There's a couple of sentences for
you to consider.
Till next time....
Sincerely,
Ray
Ray,
I stumbled upon your website and read some of your explanations of biblical doctrine. I
must admit, I was encouraged at your in-depth research and interest in scriptural truth.
The bible say's at Proverb's 2:1-5 "My son, if you
will receive my sayings and treasure up my own commandments with yourself, so as to pay
attention to wisdom with your ear, that you may incline your heart to discernment; if,
moreover, you call out for understanding itself and you give forth your voice for
discernment itself, if you keep seeking for it as for silver, and as for hid treasure you
keep searching for it, in that case you will understand the fear of Jehovah, and you will
find the very knowledge of God."
I have come to realize, most people do not put forth
that kind of effort in learning bible truth's. Instead, the rely on the interpretation of
their ministers and rely on their own thoughts of what the scriptures mean.
Again Proverb's 3:5 say's, "Trust in Jehovah with
all your heart, and do not lean upon your own understanding. In all your ways take notice
of him, and He himself will make your path straight." As I read some of your
comments, I thought to myself, "could he be? "He sure sounds like one of
Jehovah's servants."
Then I read a reply to one of Jehovah's servants. You
said, "I don"t have anything against Jehovah's Witness. I applaud their not
teaching eternal torment, however many of their other teachings are just not true."
That is why I am writing to you. Your
explanation, basically means that, you feel that God is to blame for all the suffering
mankind experiences.
You say:
God's supremacy has not been challenged by Satan. Satan
can do no more than what God allows him to do.
Have you ever noticed in the first chapter of Job how
Satan had to ASK PERMISSION before touching anyone? Satan does not put the integrity of
all men to the test.What the bible say's. First the bible book of Job did not say that
Satan asked God's permission to touch Job. If you NOTICE in the 1st chapter of Job, Satan
did not ask for permission to touch Job. He asked GOD to touch Job, big difference in what
you say.
Actually that whole account describes a challenge
towards God and Job. Job's integrity to God was challenged and Satan charged God, that He
was mistaken in the way He created humans, and that none would want to do the right thing
when put under pressure. In fact he claimed that under test they would even curse God!
(Job 1:8-12; 2:3-5) Yes, Job's integrity to Jehovah was challenged. Then Jehovah with
confidence in that integrity and knowing His own ability to recover and reward Job,
PERMITTED Satan to test Job's integrity to the limit.
So yes, the book of Job proves that Satan does
challenge man's integrity towards God. He was an outstanding example to all true
Christians of integrity to God under trial. Satan does put the integrity of man to the
test.
Remember our example Jesus? What was Satan doing to
Jesus during his temptations? Was not Satan trying to get Jesus to be disloyal to God? Was
that not a challenge of Jesus integrity to God? The answer is clear, yes it was.
You say Satan did not cause the rebellion in Eden. Eve
lusted after the forbidden fruit and sinned. And it was GOD who planted the tree and it
was GOD who put it right in the middle of the garden and it was GOD who made it so
beautiful and desirable to make one wise, etc., etc. It was not Satan who done those
things.
What the bible say's:
The way you put it, you feel that because God put
mankind in a beautiful garden like home, with an abundance of food, that He is to blame
for the rebellion in Eden! That could not be any farther from the truth. The bible says
that Jehovah's original purpose for mankind and the earth was for man to live forever on a
paradise earth. He gave them a wonderful home, the Garden of Eden, which means, Park of
Pleasure. He gave them a wonderful fulfilling assignment, they were to fill the earth and
subdue it ( Gen. 1:28 ). God wanted them to extend the paradise throughout the whole
earth. They were to take care of the Garden and spread it out. What a wonderful
assignment! Who doesn't like to garden? not many. Adam had other duties too. He had to
name the animals ( Gen. 2:19 ).Yes, the creator gave mankind a perfect start, it could not
have been better. What a caring God he proved to be!
So was it God who caused the rebellion in Eden like you claim or was it Satan, the one who
you believe did not cause it? LOOK at the bible's account. In Genesis Chapter 2 and 3 it
records the creation. It says that God made the Garden of Eden, like you claim. It does
say that god made every tree desirable to ones sight, like you claim. Does that mean that,
just because God provided beautiful trees good for food, that he caused the rebellion? as
you claim!
Notice Ch. 3 describes Eve being confronted by a
serpent. That serpent spoke to her, enticing her to eat from the tree ( Gen. 3:1,4,5). WHO
WAS THIS SERPENT? The bible say's that Satan the Devil used that serpent, much in the same
way a ventriloquist uses a dummy, to entice Eve to rebel against God. In the book of
Revelations, Satan is refereed to as the "Original Serpent" ( Rev.12:9; 20:2 )
And notice it was only AFTER Satan had questioned about
the tree, that it became something longed for the eyes and was something desirable to look
at ( gen.3:6 ). That is why the bible say's CONSEQUENTLY, which means, as a result
of: ( after Satan had questioned her about the tree ) the women saw that the tree was good
for food and so on. So it was because of Satan the Devils questioning Eve concerning the
tree, that caused her to violate God's law, concerning that tree.
Think about it ! Adam and Eve had been living in the garden for some time now. Do you
think that she had never seen the tree before? Not likely. It was only after Satan said
that she would be like God if she ate from it, that she began to look at the tree
differently.
It is very clear that it was Satan who promoted
rebellion against God in the Garden of Eden, NOT GOD! And by you blaming God for the
rebellion, you're saying that he is the cause of wickedness committed in human history, He
is the source of all wars, the crime ,the immorality , the oppression, the lying, the
hypocrisy, the disease, which was the direct result from the rebellion in Eden. But the
bible clearly states that "You are not a God taking delight in wickedness." (Ps.
5:4) Any one loving violence His soul certainly hates."( Ps 11:5) " God...
cannot lie"( Titus 1:2 ) " From oppression and from violence he will
redeem their soul, and their blood will be precious in his eyes."( Ps 72:14) "
God is love"(1 John 4:8)"he is a lover of righteousness and justice."
(Ps.33:5)
GOD DOES NOT CAUSE SUFFERING!
In closing, I hope you prayerfully consider this
letter. I also pray that in your studies, Jehovah helps you to see, He has an organization
on earth, which is Jehovah's Witnesses, doing his will which is that all sorts of men come
into an accurate knowledge of the truth and be saved by means of the Good news of God's
Kingdom. ( 1Tim.2:;4 ) (Isaiah 43:10) (Matthew 24:14)
Sincerely,
Derrick
Ps If you want to talk more I'd be happy to.
[Ray replies]
Thank you for your email and comments.
I will briefly go through your comments:
You said, "...you [that's me] feel that God is to BLAME for all the suffering mankind
experiences." Well, I would say "blame" is a very poor choice of words to
describe what I believe regarding this matter. Blame denotes being WRONG or doing BAD or
SINNING. God NEVER sins! A sin is a MISTAKE, a MISSING OF THE MARK, a FALLING SHORT of the
ideal, whatsoever is not OF FAITH, and LAWLESSNESS.
God is not to BLAME for any of these. God is, however,
responsible for EVIL and SINNERS, and everything else in this universe, seeing that it was
He Who created it.
It does no good to hide one's head in the sand and pretend that God has nothing to do with
EVIL. I heard Billy Graham teach the whole world from the national cathedral after 9/11
that, "God is not the author of evil." But of course, Billy Graham doesn't use
the Scriptures for his authority, but rather the unscriptural traditions of men:
Isa. 45:7, "I form the light, and
create darkness; I make peace [good], and CREATE EVIL; I the LORD
DO ALL THESE THINGS."
God most certainly IS the creator of EVIL!
Contrary to the pagan and unscriptural traditions and heresies of Christendom, God IS
responsible for ALL, because "ALL IS OF GOD" (Eph. 1:11, Rom.
11:36, II Cor.5:18), Etc.
You can't quote a Scripture that states that God takes no pleasure in the death of the
wicked, and therefore conclude that God is opposed to anyone ever dying. God Himself makes
WAR IN RIGHTEOUSNESS.
Have you never read ALL of the Bible:
"Out of the mouth of the most High
proceedeth not EVIL AND GOOD?" (Lam. 3:38).
"...an experience of EVIL hath God given
to the sons of man to humble him thereby" (Ecc. 1:13, Concordant
Translation).
"Or has not the potter [GOD]
the right over the clay, out of the same kneading to make one vessel, indeed, for honor,
yet, on for DISHONOR?" (Rom. 9:19-25).
"...I [GOD] will bring
EVIL from the north, and a GREAT DESTRUCTION" (Jer. 4:6).
"...Hear, O earth: behold, I [GOD]
will bring EVIL upon this people..." (Jer. 6:19).
"And he said, I [the lying
spirit] will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets... and He [GOD]
said, ...GO forth, and DO SO" (I Kg. 22:22).
"He [GOD] turned their
heart to HATE HIS PEOPLE..." (Psa. 105:25).
"...Thus said the Lord; Behold,
I FRAME
EVIL AGAINST YOU, and devise a device against you..." (Jer. 18:11).
"O LORD, why has THOU MADE US TO ERR from
thy ways, and HARDENED OUR HEART from thy fear?" (Isa. 63:17).
"...so shall the Lord bring upon you ALL
EVIL THINGS, until he have destroyed you..." (Josh. 23:15).
"...shall there be EVIL in a city,
and the LORD HAS NOT DONE IT?" (Am. 3:6).
"Thus saith the Lord of hosts... go and
SMITE Amelek... DESTROY... SLAY both man and woman, INFANT AND SUCKLING..."
(I Sam. 15:2-3).
These may not be verses for Sunday school children, but
they are Scripture for the mature.
God "SCOURGES every son that He receives." If you know anything
about "scourging" you know it is quite severe. Job's afflictions were QUITE
severe, our Apostle Paul's afflictions were QUITE severe.
God created EVIL, and God uses EVIL. But, He uses it for a GOOD AND HOLY AND RIGHTEOUS
PURPOSE! "Evil" has nor moral bias. Evil is only a SIN when men use evil against
other men. When God uses it, it is NO sin.
I did not say that Satan said: "Lord God, may I have permission to beat the hell out
of Job?" I was merely showing that that WAS the implication of the discussion.
Being "permitted" to do something is the same as "permission" to do
something; there is no difference. Now, notice your OWN words: "Then
Jehovah...PERMITTED Satan to test Job's integrity to the limit."
Jesus Christ is not a man to be compared with us, as when Satan tempted Jesus in the
wilderness.
You suggest that I feel that God "...is to blame for the rebellion in Eden!
That could not be any farther from the truth. The bible says that Jehovah's ORIGINAL
PURPOSE...." Again, I don't like your choice of words, "blame." Let's say
"responsible." And that IS the truth.
You mention God's "original purpose" suggesting that that purpose has now been
thwarted and has forced God to go to plan 'B'! Now that is nonsense! NO ONE
thwarted God's original plan. God is not going to "Plan B." Contrary to all
Christendom, God IS NOT RUNNING A DAMAGE CONTROL CENTER FROM HIS THRONE IN HEAVEN!!!
No one. ABSOLUTELY NO ONE will ever thwart God's original plan! It is blasphemy to even
suggest it! God has always known the beginning from the end. How and why, pray tell, would
God have provided a Sacrifice "SLAIN FROM THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD" (before
Adam and Eve were ever created), if God did not plan for Adam and Eve TO SIN and disobey
and eat of the forbidden fruit, and thereby have need of a SAVIOUR?
We have to have a little sensibility about us. God
Himself possesses a knowledge of good and evil. God wants SONS. Sons posses the attributes
of their Father. It was necessary for us to learn of good and evil. They are both in the
same fruit tree, as there can be no knowledge of good without a knowledge of evil. All of
life's knowledge is a contrast. We cannot appreciate health unless we see sickness, we
cannot appreciate food until we get hungry. When cannot know what light is unless we
experience darkness.
Your theory that man would have been happy in the
Garden for all eternity if he hadn't eaten of the forbidden fruit is nonsense. He didn't
really know that ANYTHING in the Garden was good--he had never experienced EVIL! It's that
simple and it's that profound. God is truly WISE!
God has designed men to be spiritually WEAK. Men go against God's WILL--God planned for
men to go against His will--it was His original INTENTION. But...BUT, absolutely NO ONE
HAS EVER OR EVER WILL, GO AGAINST HIS INTENTION! Romans 9:19 should read,
"Why, then, is He still blaming? for who has withstood HIS INTENTION?" And the
answer is, "absolutely NO ONE"!
You casually mention the Serpent, Satan the Devil in the Garden. Where did HE come from?
Who created HIM? How come HE was permitted to destroy Adam and Eve? Where was GOD during
all this? Christians put Almighty God on the level of human beings. With the same
weaknesses, the same stupidity, the same inept plans, etc., etc. God IS NOT A MAN!
These things did not "just happen" in the Garden without God's KNOWING or
without God's PERMISSION, or without God's INTENTION that they happen!
In your closing paragraph you use all caps stating: "GOD DOES NOT CAUSE
SUFFERING!" I'm sorry, that statement is just not true. Job was a perfect and
upright man, and yet God TOLD SATAN TO INFLICT HIM WITH UNIMAGINABLE SUFFERING!
Read it again!
David suffered all the days of his life. Paul suffered
like no man who has ever lived (II Cor 11:22-28). Jesus personally said how severely Paul
would have to SUFFER (Acts 9:16). Jesus Christ SUFFERED (Mat. 16:21). And it "PLEASED
GOD TO BRUISE HIM" in that suffering of death on the cross!! It is through MUCH
trials and tribulation [suffering] that we enter the Kingdom of God (Acts 14:23).
And even more, Peter tells us that for the very PURPOSE OF SUFFERING we were called!
"For for this were you called, seeing that Christ also SUFFERED for your sakes,
leaving you an example [or copy], that YOU SHOULD BE FOLLOWING UP IN THE FOOTPRINTS of
Him..."
Just one more: "So that, let those also who ARE SUFFERING [why? for what purpose? by
Whose hand?] according TO THE WILL OF GOD commit their souls to a faithful Creator in the
doing of Good" (I Pet. 4:19). It is "according to the will of God" that we
suffering. I don't mean to be overly critical of your comments, but they just aren't
Scriptural.
May God guide you into His wisdom and perfect will for you life.
Sincerely,
Ray
Good afternoon Ray,
Thank you for all your efforts.
However I have checked one thing with a friend who reads her bible -
born again Israelite believer - in Hebrew and she told me the text in Malachi does say
"atem mehara", meaning exactly "you are cursed" and not
"you have cursed".
I just thought you might be interested, since you say you seek to
restore Truth.
With blessings
Ann
[Ray Replies]
Dear Ann:
What a crock!
There is no "atem mehara" meaning "you are
cursed." That's a lie.
Here are the Hebrew words used in the spurious King James phrase:
"You are cursed with a curse" ..."attem [ye] arar [curse--a verb] merah [a
curse--a noun]."
"Ye curse a curse." Who is doing the cursing with a
curse? God? NO--"ye"--Israel: the "whole nation." The next
phrase: "attem [ye] qaba [defraud] kol kol [the whole] goy goy [nation]."
Ye curse [ME with] a curse, [and] ye defraud [Me this] whole
nation."
"Me" is understood. There is no Hebrew word in this verse
for "me."
Plainly and clearly and emphatically it is stated that it is
"YE" [the whole nation] and not "God" who is doing the
"cursing" and the "defrauding" in this verse.
God be with you,
Ray
Hi Ray,
I have been reading the 60 pages on The Rich man and Lazarus. Wow ! You sure
went into detail. How long did it take you to do all this amazing research?
I have a long ways to go yet to finish reading what you wrote but so
far it looks like you have some very interesting points and it's easy to follow. I plan to
get back to you later. I may have a lot of questions. Hope you don't
mind.
Is that your picture on the front page?
One question I have right now is how can the average Christian possibly get the true
meaning of this Parable if it took such extensive research?
It seems that most Christians in a life time would never go to the
extent that you have. Does the Lord make things that deep and complicated? The
way you break things down does seem complicated but the research and time you must have
put into this is over whelming.
Darleen
[Ray replies]
Dear Darleen:
Yes, that is my picture. Although I should probably update it seeing that that picture is
about six years old.
A few words regarding the understanding of the Scriptures.
- Almost everything in the entire Bible is SPIRITUALLY discerned.
- Jesus taught in parables so that his listeners in public would NOT
understand a thing He was saying. He had to teach the meaning of these parables to His
disciples in private.
- Once you understand thoroughly a half dozen spiritual TRUTHS, the
rest is kinda easy.
One will never ever understand the Scriptures with the mind set and
carnal mindedness of the Christian tradition. You must understand a few spiritual Truths
that are totally rejected in all religions of the world and atheists as well. Here are a
few:
- God is totally Sovereign. That is, He is in control of EVERYTHING and
ALL THE TIME. Many people actually claim to believe this, but they really really don't.
- The words "everlasting" "evermore,"
"forever," "for ever AND EVER[?]," and "eternal" are nowhere
found even once in any Hebrew or Greek manuscript from which our modern language bibles
are translated.
- Man does NOT have a "free" will that can make decisions
independent of his Sovereign God.
- Man is mortal, not immortal as Christendom teaches. Therefore, when
people die, they are DEAD, not alive in a different geographical location.
- The ONLY hope for believers is that there will be a RESURRECTION OF
THE DEAD.
[There are unscriptural] Biblical doctrines that are of no value to Christendom. They
teach that dead people go to a place called hell and a place call heaven WHEN THEY ARE
DEAD!
- Hell is not the translation of any word in either the Hebrew or Greek
Manuscripts.
- Heaven and hades (often translated hell) are not geographical
locations.
- God will save all mankind, seeing that He IS THE SAVIOUR OF THE
WORLD.
- God is a family and not a trinity.
- We are under a New Covenant, and the old is passing away.
- God is LOVE (no really, He really is, He would never torture most of
His creation in fire for all eternity).
Well, there you have it. Understand those few principle and the
Bible is a whole new book.
With these few spiritual Truths in mind Darleen, even you can become
a Biblical scholar.
God be with you,
Ray
Thank you...
I could write pages upon pages on how much understanding you have
opened up for me. (And I am sure many others) I cannot even begin to tell you how many
questions you have helped me to find answers to. And how for the first time God, Christ's
teaching &Faith finally make sense to me. In all honesty, maybe I cannot put all of it
into words.
One thing I can do, is say Thank You, genuinely ... from my heart to
yours.
Sincerely,
Kimberly
Dear Pastor,
Words cannot express precisely how grateful I am to our Lord and Saviour and our heavenly
Father for connecting me to your website on the internet. Last night I read the Parable of
Lazarus and the Rich Man and what a revelation it was.
I was reminded of Jeremiah 3 :15 "And I will give you pastors
according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding" and
Jeremiah 29 : 13 " And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me
with all your heart"
Finally He is faithful that promised. Thank you for the job well done
Fondest regards,
Simon
Sir;
Over the years I have read some extremely mixed up theology, but
congratulations you have the worst theology I have ever read. Where did you get these
terrible ideas? Where was the rich man? when he died?
Do you realize you have made a mockery out of every theologian that
has ever lived. Spurgion, Moody, Sunday, Torres, Edwards, King, Wycliffe, Polycarp, Henry,
Reese, Trumbull, and I could go on. You mean everyone's wrong and your right? Wow you must
be up close and personal with God for Him to single you out and reveal the word of truth
to only you.
Please get saved and you will no longer have these doctrines of
demons in your mind.
You beat all!
D.L.
I've read some of the other emails you have
received, many thanking you for the scriptures that you have brought to light. Some other
emails simply attacking you for the sake of saving face. Who wants to be the one to admit
their wrong? Well I am just another one of the thank you notes.
I have had quite the odd journey so far trying to sort though ALL
the information that's out in the world, trying to find what is truth.
I was raised in a household where my mother was Buddhist and my
father didn't seem to have strong convictions as far as church was concerned. I was simply
left to my own devices to find faith, religion, some form or path to follow in my life.
Later on I was converted to the Mormon faith, which was my first real experience with
Christianity. I had too many unanswered questions though and after a time I simply could
not remain associated with that church anymore.
Afterward I started to search for what TRUE CHURCH there was. I
visited Orthodox Russian churches, Methodist churches, and as of recently an independent
fundamental Baptist church ( I dare you to say that five times fast ).
Each one of these churches only brought me more questions, and
actually I started to become quite depressed. To think that my loving god would destroy
some poor little Tibetan monk for not accepting Jesus, when he doesn't even know who he
is. This brought me no end of personal pain, to the point that I WANTED to doubt that
their was a savior, or that perhaps the Buddhist doctrine of life is suffering must be
true, for I was surely suffering spiritually.
I decided to search the net and see what other people perhaps had to
say on it, maybe I could find some shred of information, and sure enough when I typed in
the word HELL, up popped your site. The things that I read brought me no end of joy, and
moreover it made sense to me.
I am a father of three children and never would I think to
permanently destroy or punish them more than what is necessary to teach them a lesson. If
my children are "bad" I send them to their room, "out of my presence"
to contemplate the thing that the have done and to want to change their behavior, and go
to sleep till the next day. But afterward when they wake up we can discuss what they
have done and they can be back together with me. Why should I expect less of my own father
that is eternal and ULTIMATELY loving?
I felt my heart lift when I read your discourse and have come to a
conclusion on what church to belong to, which is namely THE CHURCH or "the body of
Christ". I think that I understand now that the church is within us, and that as long
as my faith love and praise is for our lord and savior Jesus, and our eternal father in
heaven, that I should not fear some pain of hell or more to the point I should not have to
fear for those who don't know.
I would like to know though about your ideas of choice versus free
will. I will use John 6:40 for example , the part where "that everyone which seeth
the Son, and beleiveth on him, may have everlasting life." I know it is only a part
quote but there are others similar to it. I also AM NOT a great bible quoter and am still
learning MANY different things. But people use this type of quote to suggest that those
that do not BELIEVE in Jesus, or do not know that he ever existed will not have eternal
life. Your help on this would be greatly appreciated.
Also can you recommend any particular churches or organizations that
I can get my family in touch with in the southern new Mexico area near El Paso. I would
like for them to have somewhere where we can take the kids and try to grow in our faith.
Thank you again for taking the time to place this information on the
Internet, you are helping so many people this way.
Sincerely, Matthew
[Ray replies]
Dear Matthew,
Thank you for your e-mail and your comments.
I am so pleased that my site has helped you in your search for the true God!
Yes, Matthew, we are "saved in grace through FAITH..." (Eph. 2:8), but even THAT
FAITH is not our own until God GIVES IT TO US! Notice Rom. 12:4, "God IMPARTS to each
the measure of FAITH." AFTER God gives us HIS faith, then it becomes OURS! Pretty
simple, huh?
May God be with you, Matthew.
Sincerely, Ray
Dear Ray
I would like to (A) share things I witnessed my self, (B) make a
request, (C) Thank GOD for opening my eyes, by using you as his vessel, and lastly
(D) thank you for opening your self up to GOD's insight and spreading GOD's message.
I live in San Antonio, TX. and have for a long time been searching for the true WORD of
GOD on my own for over 25 yr's. I've talked with many priest, reverends, pastors, deacons,
evangelist..etc. All of which either left me more confused or plainly had no answers, just
more double talk. I even went to the facade that is Cornerstone Church, to hear Mr. Hagee
make a mockery of God's Word. I witnessed him ask for the Tidings; proclaim that only
happy people go to heaven; watched him bless 12 tribal flags by calling dead ghost and/or
spirits to evoke their (ghost) power onto the said flags...etc. I still do have blind
acquaintances that continue to attend his services. Glory to GOD! that I now have this
knowledge to share with them and many others who are lost and confused in their endeavor
strife to reach salvation.
And finally. I ask of GOD, through you for any interpretations of the Revelations book,or
directions, were I may attain this knowledge.
Sincerely, Rodger in GOD's service
Ray,
I don't want to "bare" with you because that would be a
sin. (Smile). But I do bear with you while reading you work. I think you left out some
IMPORTANT portions of scripture in your trinity exposition, and that is when Stephen was
being stoned and he saw the heavens (plural) opened and saw the glory of God and Christ at
His right hand. (Two separate beings). Acts 7:55 & 56 where was the Holy
Sprit? According to those scriptures He was in Stephen. And since the Holy Spirit is part
of the Father AND the Son. I always capitalize His Name as I do the Father and the Sons.
I was invited not to attend a "Christian" Pentecostal
church due to the fact that I was a cultist because the Lord revealed this truth to me...
Jesus stated many times that His will was different than the Father's. "I did not
come to do my own will, but that of the Father". (John 4:34 5:30 6:38).
"Father if it be YOUR will let this cup pass from Me. nevertheless, not MY will but
YOURS be done. Two separate wills from one Being??? (Matt. 26:39).
I do believe that we have free will and that we can be our own gods in our decisions. If
it is true that we are not creatures of free will, then everytime I sinned, it was not me,
but God doing it. Since God cannot sin, or be tempted to sin, I have of my own free will
done so.
My personal opinion is that you should not name individuals when you expose the truth that
our Father has given you. Just write what He has revealed to you and never mind attacking
those who contradict the scriptures. Many more people will be open to receive the
gift the Father has given you if you stop attacking others. You do yourself and our Lord a
great disservice when you handle such wonderful revelation so belittlingly.
IHS,
Roberta
[Ray replies]
Dear Roberta:
Thank you for your e-mail and comments. I take some exceptions to what you said, but I
hope that doesn't alienate us in our mutual quest for God's Truth and Will in our lives.
That there are many more Scriptures that show that God is not a trinity, I am well aware
and stated such in my paper. I just decided to keep this article as short as possible.
I do NOT believe we have a "free" will. It is GOD who "wills" in
us. Choices have nothing to do with free will. All choices are caused. There is no
such thing as a choice that DID NOT have a cause! And when a choice is CAUSED to happen,
it could NOT have been prevented. Think about it for a couple of thousand hours as I have
and it will all become clear to you. There are hundreds of Scriptures that show that God
is Sovereign and that man is caused to make his choices by circumstances that ONLY GOD
CONTROLS.
It is not true that if you have no free will, then it is God Who does or commits your sins
in you. No, YOU SIN BY VOLUNTARILY [NOT "freely" OR WITHOUT A CAUSE] DOING
WRONG. You do wrong because you [and me too, sister] were created too spiritually WEAK NOT
TO SIN. And it was NOT A MISTAKE [sin] on God's part to MAKE US WEAK so that we sin. He
did it for great purpose. God does not sin by creating creatures THAT DO SIN.
As far as "attacking" people, Roberta, I don't think that in any way I have
ATTACKED these false teachers that I expose. I "expose" them and their false
teaching, and for this I have Paul's command and example.
Not to leave out Christ's example of the same:
Christ, publicly, in the town square if you will, EXPOSED the
hypocrites of His day.
Mat. 23:
- 1, "Then Jesus speaks to the THRONGS and to His disciples
saying:
- 13, Now WOE TO YOU, SCRIBES AND PHARISEES, hypocrites!
- 16, WOE to you, blinde guides!
- 17, Stupid and blind
- 27, inside they are CRAMMED WITH THE BONES OF THE DEAD AND ALL
UNCLEANNESS
- 31, you are the sons of those who MURDER THE PROPHETS
- 33, SERPENTS! PROGENY OF VIPERS!" Etc.
Paul INSTRUCTED us to "...EXPOSE THOSE WHO
CONTRADICT" (Titus 1:9). "...of whom are Hymeneus and Philetus [named
individuals], who SWERVE AS TO TRUTH, saying that the resurrection has already occurred,
and are subverting the faith of some" (II Tim. 2:180. "...which some, thrusting
away, have made shipwreck as to the faith; OF WHOM ARE HYMENEUS AND ALEXANDER, whom I give
up to Satan..." (I Tim. 1:20), Etc., etc., etc.
Thank you again, Roberta, for you comments. May God be with you.
Humbly in Christ's service,
Ray
I am a Sophomore Bible Student @
Florida Bible College. I am taking a class on cults and my professor assigned me your
church.
Please answer the following questions:
Do you hold that you and you alone have the correct interpretation of the Bible?
When you started your religion and new doctrine, did you have any form of schooling or
advanced training in the Bible?
Do you believe that Jesus rose from the dead and is the Messiah the Son of God?
Do you have another work other than the Bible that you accept as inspired?
Do your followers hold you as a prophet or priest?
Thank you for your help in this matter.
Robert
[Ray replies]
Dear Robert:
Thank you for your e-mail and your demeaning curiosity about me.
First of all, maybe your professor should do his own homework before giving assignments
which label people he knows nothing about.
I will try to answer your questions succinctly:
I am NOT a "cult." However, if you read the latest books on what constitutes a
"cult," you will find that the [orthodox] Christian religion fits ALL the
categories that qualify a religion as a cult.
I DO NOT have a "church." I belong to the body of Christ, which is the only true
called-out assembly.
No, I do not hold that I alone have the correct interpretation of the Bible.
I DID NOT start a "religion!"
The Scriptural doctrines that I believe are NOT mine, and they are NOT new.
My "advanced training in the Bible" did not come from a school.
Yes, I believe that Jesus "rose from the dead." But, probably, unlike your
professor, I REALLY BELIEVE THAT JESUS WAS DEAD BEFORE HE WAS RAISED. Jesus
Christ died for the sins of the world--Jesus Christ's "body" did not die for the
sins of the world! We do not have a "cadaver" for a Savior! Jesus Christ,
"HE" (not just His dead body) is the savior of the world, therefore, contrary to
Christian teaching, Jesus Christ's HIMSELF died, and Jesus Christ HIMSELF was raised from
the dead!
What makes you think I accept the "bible" as
being "inspired?" I believe the Holy Scriptures written in Hebrew and Greek ARE
INSPIRED! Bibles are translations, or as with KJV a revision of a revision, and thus are
open to human error.
I DO NOT HAVE "followers." I tell my readers to believe in and follow
Jesus Christ!
And I pray to God that no one who reads my material thinks that I am a "prophet or
priest!"
I hope this answers your questions. Be sure to show this note to your professor, and
say "hello" for me.
Humbly in Christ's service,
Ray
Dear Ray,
I am afraid Ray, as it seems that you
have been misled by the clever devil, to
think that you will only be saved in
that fire. Yes it is indeed true that
Jesus came to save sinners, but those sinners
must believe the gospel now to enable the
Lord to save them! Salvation will not come
after death but is attained now, through faith.
You will not be cleansed in a fire after
you have died. Such concept comes from the
devil, simply to misled you and those
that do not want to believe. This serpent,
does not want to be thrown there alone,
but he wants to take you with him.
The demons are afraid of
being thrown in that place to an extent
of begging the Lord, not send them back
to hell, when He was still living in the
flesh. See Luke 8:31; It is indeed your democratic
right to choose to go to hell. You will
not blame anyone but yourself. Please think
about that! You are not in good hands
as you don't believe the whole gospel, but
the serpent has you.
You simply refuse to read carefully the book
of Isaias the prophet in chapter 66 verses
22-24 for your own good. The devil has
twisted your poor mind for your own
destruction.
If God would save sinners through fire as
you are suggesting, John would not have told
the Pharisees and the Sadduces to produce
fruits in this life that befit repentance.
He would simply have told them to wait
until they are cleansed in the lake of
fire. God has not failed to save, but it
is people like yourself who refuses to believe
the true gospel of Jesus Christ and be
saved. My God will not force anyone to
come to Him. He always ask humbly but
many people simply ignores His pleas!
Lastly, if you do not repent, your punishment
will be much greater than that of any
other ordinary sinner only because your are
busy contaminating the minds of the people
who Christ died for in the cross. You
must understand that they will die for their
sins but the blood will be sought by
God from you. Read Ezekiel 3: 17-21.
There is absolutely nothing that you will help
me with! Your type of the gospel is from
Satan and his demons. He is your father
and the father of all sinners that refuses
to repent! BEWARE, you are on your way to
Hell and the everlasting Lake of Fire. It
does not matter whether you believe it or
not, it will surely take place only because
God has said so.
The buck stops here, nevertheless, I will surely
pray for you that your poor soul should
be saved from the coming destruction.
Thanks for your ill-informed gospel!
Yours in Christ Jesus,
Dan
[Ray replies]
Dear Dan:
I am sure that you are completely convinced that what I am saying in my material is wrong,
evil, and of the devil. You are primarily basing all of that on a few mistranslation and
false teachings of Christendom.
Your knowledge of the word "hell" is quite lacking. Hell has NOTHING to do with
fire. "Hell fire" mentioned in the KJV is from the Greek word
"Gehenna." It is a valley south of Jerusalem. It used to be the city
garbage dump. As such it was on fire. As garbage and organic materials were constantly
thrown into this fire, the worms there did not die out, but kept on multiplying until
there was nothing left to eat. The valley is STILL in Jerusalem, Dan, but the fire is OUT
and there are no WORMS there.
The word "hell" in the KJV is translated from the Greek word "Hades"
which means the UNSEEN or etymologically, UN=PERCEIVE or IMPERCEPTIBLE. There can
NOT be feelings, torture, pain, etc., in a place that by its very name means to have NO
PERCEPTION OF ANYTHING!! People must first be resurrected from Hades before they will have
perception again.
Are you interested enough in the Word of God to study this word and see if I am correct?
In Luke 8, the demons did not fear going to "hell." Read it, Dan, they feared
being put back into the "deep" as it is in KJV or more properly the
"submerged chaos." It is the SAME word translated "bottomless pit" in
Rev. where Satan is held for a thousand years, and THEN he is put into the "lake of
fire" (Ver. 10). (He is held in the pit because God has one more dirty work for Satan
to perform before he begins his purification in the lake of fire (not the pit).
There is NO WORD in either the Hebrew or Greek scriptures that means "eternal"
or "everlasting" or "for ever and ever." Since there is NO SUCH
WORD IN THE BIBLE, all such translations are WRONG and misleading. See the first ten
pages of my letter to John Hagee for absolute proof of this. If you don't agree, prove me
wrong SCRIPTURALLY!
Dan, on a personal note. I know you feel very smug and comfortable in call me OF THE DEVIL
and that the DEVIL HAS ME and that I AM OF MY FATHER THE DEVIL, etc., etc. However, a word
of warning: The one time that the Pharisees accused Jesus of doing something of the
devil or the prince of demons, He warned them that if something really is of THE HOLY
SPIRIT OF GOD and one says that that is really THE SPIRIT OF THE DEVIL, then they have
committed a sin that will NOT be pardoned in this life (or age or world) or in the age to
come. Such people WILL have to suffer the punishments of the lake of fire to be purified
of such evil sins.
Sincerely,
Ray
Ray,
I am 55 years old and have been searching for at least
the last 35 years the "true" explanation of the parable of the Rich Man &
Lazarus.
Let me tell you a little about my background. I was
raised in a "Christian" home, going to church with my father to a Pentecostal
church. My mother took my sister to a Baptist church. This separate-church-going of my
father and I, and my sister and our mother, took place during our teenage years, as my
mother was not very happy being the "Pentecostal" environment. Since we (my
sister and I) and nothing to say about where we would attend, I continued with the
Pentecostal tradition, and my sister with the Baptist tradition of our family.
I was very active in the church, attended and
participated in many Bible discussions among the youth group, read and "studied"
the Bible on my own at home, accepted what the minister was telling his "flock"
to be the "truth." YET, when I got out of high school and into college (for
court reporting, at the age of 20 being a full-time court reporter), I had so many
questions in my mind about what I had learned in church and the answers I would receive
when asking questions during my teenage years did not align with the Scriptures.
The questions I had were these: Questions about the
soul, mind, body, spirit, grave, Hades, Sheol, people going to Heaven immediately after
they die, when in the next breath the minister would talk about the "rapture"
and I would say to myself, " If a person dies and immediately goes to Heaven, and
then when the rapture comes, is he doing to fly back into his grave in less than a
twinkling of an eye so that he can be part of the resurrected ones in a twinkling of an
eye to go back up into Heaven? I told myself, "This is utter nonsense, but how and
where do I find the "truth" to this?" When I asked the minister these
questions, he gave me such double-talk that it made no sense and I was more confused then
than I was before I asked the question.
So I have "literally" been searching the
Scriptures (not figuratively) for the past 35 years trying to find the answer. And lo and
behold about 5:00 this morning, I was on the internet and in the "Search" field,
I put in "hell" and found your site referring to the two letters to James
Kennedy and John Hagee. I have watched them on TV countless times. I have watched TBN
countless times, along with Benny Hinn, Pat Robertson, Billy Graham, etc., etc.
When I read your "two letters," it was as if
my "eyes were opened" and I started crying like a baby. After 35 years (in fact,
my whole life) in not finding the "truth," I came across your two letters and
all my questions were answered in the information that you presented. Now it all makes
sense.
My question now is, do I have your permission to print
out all your information and send it to my family and relatives, as I want them to know
the "whole truth and nothing but the 'truth'?"
Since age 20, I have not attended any church with any
regularity, only a hit-and-miss type attendance, only because my questions were not being
answered. Every time I would watch TBN, Paul & Jan Crouch, Benny Hinn, or anyone else,
it was as though everything they were saying or preaching about equivocated to nothing
more than whipped cream on top of garbage.
My last question is, where do I find a group of people
with whom I can associate, who have also discovered the "truth" as I found out
early this morning? I live in Port Huron, Michigan. I work at home as a medical
transcriptions, doing this since 1991, having retired as a court reporter after 26 years.
My wife and I just moved here recently from Las Vegas, where we were for a year; before
Vegas, we lived in Orlando, Florida.
Lastly, I want to say, Ray, thank you, thank you, thank
you so very much for all the effort and time it took you to write those two letters. Your
information has opened my eyes, and for the first time in my life I can attempt to try to
explain the parable of the Rich Man & Lazarus by use of your two letters.
By the way, have you gotten any response back from all
those "ministers of righteousness," to whom you sent those letters? I can think
of at least 350 people immediately I can send this information to, most all of whom are
Pentecostalites or Baptists, some Methodists, and I need your permission to do so.
Thank you very much again, Ray.
Sincerely,
Loren
I AM EXTREMELY UPSET ABOUT THE EGO INFLATED
WHOREMONGER ON TBN NAMED HAL LINDSEY.
DO YOU HAVE ANY "TAKE" OR DISCREDITING INFO ON HIM?
HE IS USING THE TERRIBLE TERRORIST ACTIONS TO SCARE THE AMERICAN
PUBLIC EVEN MORE SO THAN JUST THE NEWS AND THEN HE ASKS FOR "LOVE GIFTS".
HE IS NO BETTER THAN OSAMA BIN LADEN IN MY OPINION.
CAN YOU HELP?
THANKS, BRAD
[Ray Replies]
Dear Brad:
Thank you for your email. I don't know too much about Hal Lindsey other than I saw his
show a couple of times.
His whole prophetic scheme rests on and revolves around the idea that there is coming a
FIFTH world ruling empire to control the whole earth before the second coming of Christ.
This theory, which is also held by virtually ALL Christendom and certainly all those on
TBN is, however, untrue and unscriptural.
In Daniel's prophecy there were to be four world ruling empires. (1) Babylon, (2) Medes
and Persians, (3) Greco-Macedonian--Alexander the Great, (4)Rome. After Rome and
before Christ's return there will be predominantly TEN nations controlling commerce and
virtually everything else in the world. This Christian teaching of a FIFTH world ruling
empire coming out of a so-called revival of the Holy Roman Empire is a myth. The TEN
nations that Daniel's Prophecy mentions "...but they shall NOT cleave one to another,
even as iron is not mixed with clay." The obviously will NOT be a single world-ruling
empire. So much for Lindsey's ability to teach Biblical prophecy.
If you understand that Christendom is BIG BUSINESS. The name of the game is MONEY. Lots of
MONEY! Their main interest as I see it is, POWER, FAME, AND FORTUNE. They have NO
interest in truth. I have proven that to myself after sending them my open letters to
Kennedy and Hagee.
Humbly in Christ's service,
Ray
[more]
In the e-mails sent to Ray somewhere, one person wanted more info on
a Pastor of TBN named Hal Lindsay, You gave him a verse which debunked the myth of a fifth
world ruling empire. But you also mentioned the 4 kingdoms and gave specific names, How
did you come to that conclusion? Was it further research (So far, none of what I saw in
Daniel's Prophecy pointed to those 4 in particular so I was just wondering)
Thank you for your answer on this.
[Ray Replies]
Dear Jeff:
Actually, Daniel's prophecy DID point to the four kingdoms that I mentioned.
The "head of gold" is specifically said to be that of King Nebuchadnezzer of
BABYLON. The prophecy then states that there would come AFTER him a kingdom of
"silver" which would be inferior (inasmuch as silver is inferior to gold). And,
sure enough, after Babylon came the empire of the Meads and Persians. After them was to
come a third (brass), which was Alexandra and the Greeks (and Macedonia). And after that
was to come a fourth (iron) which we all know historically was the Roman empire.
Let me know if that answers your question.
Sincerely,
Ray
Hello,
I was sent the link to your website by one of my dear friends. My
friend told me that he read some of the articles on your website and now he questions his
faith. He is questioning everything that he has believed in now.
I was wondering if you could, perhaps, send me more information
about yourself. Who are you, what is your background, what kind of education have you
had?? I would like to decide for myself if you are a reliable source or not. What seminary
did you attend? and what is your degree in?
Thank you for your time.
in Christ,
Crystal
[Ray Replies]
Dear Crystal:
Crystal, I'm just a small potatoe. I think we should go to the SOURCE and find out what
credentials He had.
Dear Jesus Christ:
I would like to know more about your background,
especially your formal education. Did you attend seminary? Do you have degrees from
Jerusalem Tech? How many? In what special line of theology? I want to determine for myself
if you are a man to be trusted or followed.
Ever since you and your twelve buddies have been
teaching, people around here are beginning to questions all the wonderful things the
Pharisees have been telling us for many years.
Quite frankly, many of your new teachings scare me.
I don't think that you should be causing people to lose their faith in the great Scribes
and Pharisees. They have DEGREES don't you know? They are great DOCTORS OF THE LAW
and I don't think you should talk about them the way you do. Especially calling them
HYPOCRITES and SNAKES and such.
Do you reckon, Crystal, that the Twelve Apostles all had seminary
schooling and degrees from Jerusalem Tech?
Sincerely with just a bit of sarcasm thrown in,
Ray
P.S. You don't want to read my material, you want to read the damnable heresy of those
ministers that I critique. Dr. Kennedy has SIX DOCTORATE DEGREES!!!! He also doesn't have
clue as to what the Gospel of Jesus Christ is. Or WHO Jesus Christ is. Dr. Kennedy (with
six doctorate degrees and reads Hebrew and Greek fluently) believes that Jesus Christ will
not be the Saviour of the world and therefore His Father is going to TORTURE men and
women, boys and girls, by the BILLIONS who have never even heard of Jesus Christ, in a
hellhole of REAL FIRE by burning their eyeballs out with fire for ALL ETERNITY!
P.P.S. I do have a Bachelor of Arts degree, but I don't like to brag about that--it's just
a piece of paper.
[Crystal replied but I cannot find it, sorry, but
here is Ray's response. Webmaster]
Dear Crystal:
I did not wish to offend you. I merely wanted you to think about what were saying. By the
way, what about the twelve apostles. Do you think they all had degrees from Jerusalem
Tech?
The reason I used a little sarcasm on you, Crystal, is that I have learned a lot of
Scriptural things from a lot of writers and scholars. However, I have never learned
ANYTHING of real spiritual value from the head of a large institutionalized church
denomination who paraded a long list of theological degrees and credentials. If you want
to know WHAT I BELIEVE, WHERE I AM COMING FROM, WHAT IS THE SOURCE OF MY BELIEFS, etc.,
just read the material on my web site.
The first thing the Pharisees said regarding the ministry of Jesus Christ was, "Is
this not the CARPENTER'S BOY?" "Can anything GOOD come out of Nazareth?"
And they perceived that the Apostles were UNLEARNED, that is they didn't have any
theological degrees from the local theological cemetery. (Excuse me, I meant, seminary. A
theological cemetery is a institution of higher learning where they BURY THE TRUTH).
I have nothing to hide. My life is an open book. However, sometimes people ask me about my
personal prayer life. I don't know if they want to know how long I pray, how often I pray,
what room I pray in, what position do I pray in, do I pray with my eyes open or closed.
When I tell them that I am in constant prayer--all day long, they are offended. One
asked me: "You mean you don believe in CORPORATE PRAYER?" You can't please
everybody.
I know that I am a little rough around the edges, but
trust me, God will know how to take care of that.
If you have a question, Crystal, I would be happy to reply to you. But don't ask me to
write an autobiography. I learned most of what I know about the Scriptures by begging God
to reveal His truth to me, and by meditating, praying, and studying God's Word in dozens
of translations by the thousands and thousands of hours.
In a nut shell: I believe that God is the Creator of heaven and earth and all that
there is. I believe that Jesus Christ is the SAVIOUR of heaven and earth and all
that there is. Unlike most of Christendom, I believe that Jesus Christ will not fail at
saving all of God's creatures and children. Jesus Christ is very good at what He does, and
what He does is SAVE!!!
Let me give you the Gospel in four verses:
God WILLS that all mankind be SAVED (I Tim.2:4). But
will God's will be done?
Thy WILL B-E DONE... (Mat. 6:10).
God IS LOVE (I John 4:8). But will God's love fail to
save all humanity?
LOVE N-E-V-E-R FAILS (I Cor. 13:10).
God bless you as you seek His perfect will for you
life, Crystal.
Sincerely,
Ray
Mr. Smith,
Thank you. Years ago I realized that all that I knew of the bible
was what I had essentially been told by others. I began a long study after that, using the
NIV, American Standard, Amplified, Strong's Concordance, Vines' Dictionary, etc. What I
learned changed my life and my relationship with Jesus Christ.
I am 46 yrs. old and recently my little brother, a very intelligent
but reclusive 36 yr. old, high paid computer nerd, asked me for help in his questioning of
his faith. I had been praying for this for a long time, but had never approached the
subject with him. I knew that he was a very angry sort of agnostic. Things he had read in
the bible just didn't make sense to him when held up against what we had originally been
taught, etc.
A defining moment for him happened a number of years ago, when our
sister and husband (both devoted Christians), after praying ceaselessly over their only
child (19 months old), lost her to an unknown congenital heart defect. They have found
peace and strength (and 4 more kids) with God, but our brother never has.
Honestly, in the face of my brother's intellect and anger I was
somewhat at a loss as to the approach to take. Add to that the fact that he had been
reading a lot of atheistic, bible disapproval stuff and that our contact is almost
exclusively by e-mail and... well it seemed very daunting. Until this morning, when my
search of the net turned up http://bible-truths.com.
At last, here was someone putting into words what I had come to a conclusion of in my
studies; answering many of the inconsistencies of God's nature taught by the churches of
today.
Thank you, thank you, thank you Ray. I feel that I can point him to
your article and it will answer many of the questions he has poised to me and give us a
place to start a dialog on. I feel sure that your explanations of God's Word will bear
fruit with him.
But I've got to ask you..... is there more? Have you written on
other subjects concerning God's Word? I have questions I feel that you have studied that I
would like to read your findings on, etc. Some of them
were barely mentioned in the letters at your site and only served to raise more questions
for me.
Yours in Christ Jesus,
Joel
I AM SORRY YOU HAVE SUCH A POOR ATTITUDE WHEN
IT COMES TO CHRISTIANITY. THE PASTORS YOU COMPLAIN AND CRITICIZE OF HAVE DONE MORE IN
THEIR CHURCHES AND COMMUNITY TO BETTER THEM THAN YOU HAVE. YOU OBVIOUSLY LEAVE THAT POINT
OUT, TELLING A ONE-SIDED BIASED VIEW.
IT IS SAD YOU PUT DOUBTS OR AT LEAST TRY TO IN THE MINDS OF YOUR
READERS. YOU ARE OR HAVE BEEN HURT BY SOMEONE OF RELIGION PROBABLY CHRISTIANITY AND THAT
IS TOO BAD BUT DON'T BLAME THE BIBLE BECAUSE OF ONE PERSON OR PERSONS THAT WERE BAD.
YOU ARE NOT PERFECT EITHER REMEMBER THAT PLEASE WHEN CRITICIZING
OTHERS...
GOD BLESS AND I HOPE YOU PUT JESUS IN YOUR HEART SOMEDAY. IT MAY
SOUND FOREIGN TO YOU NOW BUT HOPEFULLY SOMEDAY IT WONT....
GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.
[Ray Replies]
Dear Mike:
Thank you for your critical and biased email. It is always so interesting to see how the
truths of God's Word sometimes affects the attitudes of my readers.
You say I have a "poor attitude" toward Christianity. I will only say that I
BELIEVE AND KNOW AND TEACH that all Christians will eventually be saved, whereas most
Christians believe and teach and think they know that all non-Christians will be tortured
in the fires of some fabled hell for all eternity. I really do like my attitude better. It
is certainly more positive not to mentioned the fact that it is also SCRIPTURAL.
You put John 3:16 in the subject box. But, do you really BELIEVE John 3:16. As God so
loved the WORLD--not just a small number or percentage of it, that He gave His own Son as
a sacrifice to TAKE AWAY THE SINS OF THE WORD, why would God then NOT SAVE THEM? Or do you
believe that man can "SAVE HIMSELF?" Or just maybe you don't really know WHAT
you believe!
God says WE are to LOVE OUR ENEMIES. Do you really believe that God is a hypocrite, Mike?
Do you? We WEAK humans are to LOVE OUR ENEMIES, while the very God who told us to do so,
in reality, WILL HATE HIS ENEMIES FOR ALL ETERNITY AND TORTURE THEM BY BURNING THEIR FLESH
WITH FIRE! That's what you REALLY believe, isn't, Mike? Let's cut to the chase and stop
playing games. You
believe that God Almighty Creator of Heaven and Earth, Humanity, and all that is, is
INCAPABLE of persuading puny man to repent of his way and turn to God! You really believe
that, don't you, Mike. You believe Jesus Christ is going to FAIL at "drawing ALL MEN
TO HIM" don't you?
You believe Satan is going to acquire BILLIONS MORE SOULS THAN GOD, don't you Mike? Are
you like Hagee who says, "Hell is JUSTICE?" Or like Kennedy who says "HELL
IS F A I R?" Kennedy says, "It is not incumbent upon God to save
ANYONE." Is it incumbent upon Him to TORTURE nearly everyone?
I don't doubt that Hagee and Kennedy have done great things in their communities. I also
know what Jesus said about those who do "many wonderful works in His name" and
yet, AND YET He will say to them, "DEPART FROM ME YOU WORKERS OF LAWLESSNESS"
(Mat. 7)
You said, "too bad you blame the Bible." Mike, I have never "blamed the
Bible" for ANYTHING.
If you believe that Christ came to be the SAVIOR OF THE WHOLE WORLD, but FAILED (I John),
maybe Christ is "foreign" to YOUR HEART. Mike, did you read the first ten
pages to Hagee on the "aions?" What did you think? Can you disprove what I
said? If you can, get SPECIFIC. You overly, biased, generalizations of what kind of person
you think I am are not helpful to anyone. Get SPECIFIC if you think what I am teaching is
UNscriptural. Get SPECIFIC, Mike. Pick out a sentence, a scripture, and word and say
"this is WRONG, BECAUSE..."
But, of course, we both know, Mike, that you CANNOT get specific and counter what I said
about the "eons" or about the fact that God WILL save all humanity.
Humbly and sincerely in Christ,
Ray
I have been enjoying your open letters to the
evangelists Kennedy and Hagee. I would like to know more about the sovereignty of
God. It is hard for me to comprehend that we have no free will that can come against
God's intention and that everything that happens is His intention.
I have a friend who tries to talk to me about the sovereignty of God
and I have difficulty understanding him. When we are talking about any subject at
all, he always interjects that whatever is happening is God's will and we should just
"flow" with it.
But if that be true, why should we criticize or judge anything at all? If God is in
complete control and is willing everything, what difference does it make if certain
ministers are teaching false things? Why correct Kennedy and Hagee? Are they
not just doing what God intends? Are they not just being used for God's good intent?
It is all beyond me.
Mary
[Ray Replies]
Dear Mary:
Thank you for your comments. At least it is evident that you are using your brain and
thinking.
It only seems confusing for you now, Mary. It is a GIANT revelation to come to realize
that God is sovereign. If one thinks about, however, it is even a GREATER quantum leap
into total foolishness to believe that GOD is NOT SOVEREIGN!!!
If God is NOT sovereign, then we have a god who isn't GOD AT ALL! How could someone be
"God" and NOT know what humans are going to do? (I know what my thirteen year
old daughter is going to do MOST of the time, and I'm not a god)!
How could God NOT have foreseen the absolute MESS this world is in? Why does He
allow it to continue? If man thinks there is a better way to do things, why doesn't
God think that way? As Mark Twain mused, why did God CREATE DISEASES? Weren't
things bad ENOUGH?
The truth is that it takes more than just knowledge to understand God's strange doings; it
also takes a bit of wisdom. Now if the GREATEST wisdom of this world (including the
wisdom of the two BILLION Christians), is, according to God Himself, FOOLISHNESS AND
STUPIDITY,why would we expect anything else, but darkness and blindness regarding God and
His revelation to us?
Christ was great with metaphors. He said, "If the light that is in you is DARKNESS;
how GREAT IS THAT DARKNESS"?
I have asked "great minds" and "great scholars" to tell me what the |