The Devil is Feeding You Lies Absent From the Body? Human, Carnal Arguments Think on These Things All Physical Rituals are Carnal Die, Heretic Scum! Released From a Dark Prison Should We Observe the Lord's Supper? Death, Hell, Grave? Is Drinking, Smoking, etc. Wrong? Make It Bloody! The Lost Books of Eden There is No Unpardonable Sin Repent and Wake Up! What is True Godly "Worship?" ALL the Word of God God Ain't Finished With You Yet! Are You Scattering The Lost? Mr. Smith, What I am writing to you is not about criticism, but on the truth. How can you say that tithing is a way of worshipping God. Not at all, wherever your heart is that is your God. And so if you worship money then that is your Idol. In Matthew 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these thing shall be added on to you. God is the same yesterday today and forever. You say that this is an illegal practice at the church. I attend Without Walls International Church and we believe in evangelism and restoration. We are a blessed church and we are all tithers. God wants a cheerful giver, we help the poor the hungry, we go out to the inner city to help preach to the children and all those in need of Jesus. Why isn't that I never heard anything significantly of what you've done for this world but feed this garbage on the Internet. You need a holy ghost invasion in your life and I pray that he does come into your life and give you revelation. You like to use the word ridiculous well there is so much that I could say about your opinion. But when you start feeding it to other people then their blood falls on you. God will have his place for you on judgement day. Its not for me to judge. But as a true servant of God I must say that you must evaluate your life and what it is that you are feeding to the people. I hope God saves you from the lies that the devil is feeding you because he is the father of lies. [Ray Replies] Dear Diana:
So don't try to tell me too many good things about your church until
I find out just HOW MUCH money was taken in for those pack-sacks (that absolutely no one
seems to know anything about), and just WHERE they were distributed. Perhaps YOU can get
this information for me. So now it is on YOUR SHOULDERS to expose my heresy if you can,
because if you don't it apparently will keep deceiving people. Is that what you WANT? Well
then, show me where my paper is Scriptural (notice carefully that I say
"Scripturally). I am not concerned about nor interested in you OPINIONS. Stick with
the Scriptures. Tell you what, Diana, Show me one place in the entirety of the Bible where
a "Christian" ever tithed to a church, and I will give you ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS!
I wouldn't want you to do all this work for nothing. I have asked you questions before
and you have answered well. I am reading over for the second time your papers on the
Lake of Fire and maybe I will do it again. I am trying to become thoroughly educated
in this. [Ray Replies] Dear Doug:
Or as Concordant Literal New Testament renders it:
There is a giant difference between the two words "is" and
"and." Just the fact of being "absent or separated" from our bodies,
does not automatically equate with being instantaneously "WITH" the Lord.
Notice that all the DEAD in Christ rise at the SAME TIME, at His
presence in the air. But, not all of the DEAD in Christ DIED AT THE SAME TIME. Hence
they were NOT 'at home with the Lord' at the very time of their death. Your website is very interesting and I enjoy reading the articles on it. I am a Hebrew Christian and as a believer in the Bible, I therefore also believe in Hell. No matter how much you don't like it, Hell is in the Bible. It is inescapable. I do not suppose that anyone believes in Hell because he wants to, but because he has to if he is to believe what is written in the Bible. Furthermore, universalism virtually denies any true freedom of the human will - surely it is part of the intrinsic dignity of man that he can say "no" even to the omnipotent God. If God's love extends to all men whether they like it or not and people are dragged kicking and screaming into God's presence, where is there room for free will? I have many other objections to your beliefs but I will just centre on one thing. On your site you claim that the story of the rich man and Lazarus, found in Luke 16:19-31 is just a parable. There are two problems with this: 1) It is NOT a parable. In parables, the Lord Jesus NEVER used proper names such as Lazarus and Abraham, nor did He say things like, "There was a CERTAIN rich man." Neither did He use proper nouns for place names like "Hades" (or Hell, or Gehenna, whichever your translation says.) 2) EVEN IF it was a parable, these verses CLEARLY teach punishment after death: "The rich man also died and was buried. And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes..." To suggest that this story means anything else than what it says is a travesty. Friend, I don't like the idea of Hell either, but it exists and it is real. Hell is factual, fearful, final, and fair. God does not send people to Hell; people send themselves to Hell when they reject the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross. They decide to pay for their own sins in the Lake of Fire. I pray that you will come to realize how real Hell is want to avoid going there yourself. Yours sincerely, Samuel [Ray Replies] Dear Samuel: Here are some known parables with specific, particularly persons or personalities, but the question is, "Will you believe the Scriptures when I show you that you are wrong?
And he took up his PARABLE, and said, [1] BALAK, the king of
[2] MOAB hath brought me from [3] ARAM, out of the mountains of the east, saying, come,
curse me [4] JACOB and come defy [5] ISRAEL......Num. 23:7
The Parable of the unjust Servant:
The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus:
There are THREE PARABLES IN A ROW that Jesus spoke using the term
Certainly there is punishment and chastisement spoken of in this
parable. I know of absolutely NO ONE (including myself) who teaches otherwise! Contrary to
Christian teaching, it is not ETERNAL TORTURE, however. Last night, my daughter was having scary thoughts and asked me how to keep from having thoughts like that. I read 2 Corinthians 10:5 to her and she asked me what it means. I told her I would find out. I myself am wondering what it means and how to take every though captive to the obedience of Christ. My wonderful daughter has a very fertile imagination which I know Satan can take advantage of. Ruth [Ray Replies] Dear Ruth:
I'll leave it up to you to put these terms into words
your daughter understands. Dear Ray, [Ray Replies] Dear Almon: I was walking across a bridge one day, and I
saw a man standing on the edge, about to jump off. So I ran over and said, "Stop!
Don't do it!" [This email does not reflect the beliefs or teachings of bible-truths.com, but is posted to humorously show how the smallest differences in religious beliefs can anger some people.] Dear Ray, Many years ago,
beginning in 1986, during a 7-month battle with suicidal thoughts and a 2-year journey
through a very deep depression (i.e., when I came to the end of myself) God brought me to
the TRUTH of who Jesus Christ is, through my reading of the entire Bible and continuing
fervent studies. After three years, I got to a point in my studies and my beliefs
where I wanted to fellowship with other believers and so I began an earnest journey to
find a church in which I could belong and grow with. That process brought me to a
very unexpected point of confusion and isolation because ALL of the churches I became
involved with (and I visited so MANY different denominations during this process) taught
things that I knew to be scripturally incorrect and that I spiritually discerned to be not
of God's TRUTH for New Covenant believers. I became spiritually overwhelmed by the
confusion that resulted in my involvement with the many different false teachings and
false doctrines taught by those churches. Those negative experiences sowed doubt
into my mind about God's purpose in my life and I became disillusioned. This
resulted in my becoming spiritually "stuck" and I did not continue my search for
His truths for more than ten years. This week has been so amazing!!! Ray, in 3 short days the Lord has opened my mind up to a handful of scriptures to respond to this man's accusatory emails that have amazingly SHUT HIM UP. I never thought that was possible!!! I used to receive at least 15-30 accusatory scripture emails a day and 20 phone calls and now I get ONE defiant email a day and two to three voicemail messages (I won't answer the phone when he calls) a day of him crying, telling me that Jesus loves me and begging me not to "fall away from the faith." (I'm not sure why he thinks I was ever "in the faith," considering all his accusations against me this past year.) He has adamantly refused, however, to read anything on www.bibletruths.com, even though I've told him all about it and sent the link to him several times. I understand now,
thanks to 2 Cor. 6:14-18, that I must separate myself from him and so his "hold"
on me (that's how it has felt this past year) has been BROKEN. Now I pray for him
and I am so grateful to God for this wisdom/insight to know what to pray for him, while
understanding that God is in control of ALL OF IT. Dear Ray, [Ray Replies] Dear Almon: Now let me explain something to you Sir Ray Smith. To think that God can't or won't destroy a man is foolish and is of Satan. Satan could not have said it better himself when he said. Ye shall not surely die: for God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. We have already came to the knowledge of the meaning of death. Satan
said you shall not surely die. Satan said you will never become nonexistent you will be
like gods knowing good and evil. Satan said there is no consequence. Satan has deceived a
whole world with little meek almost truth with a whole lot of lie. God has not change one
bit, there is know place in the bible where is says Christ came to save mankind from Hell,
but it does say he came to save mankind from the penalty of death. And death means not
existing anymore. In Jesus name Michael [Ray Replies] Dear Michael:
The word "grave" in this verse is the Hebrew word
"sheol" [even my KING JAMES margin says that this word in Hebrew is sheol],
which is translated "hell" in no less than THIRTY other verses. So if
"sheol" really is "hell" then there is "REDEMPTION" FROM
HELL.
The word "grave" in this verse is the Greek word
"hades" [even my KING JAMES margin says that this word in Greek is hades], which
is translated "hell" in no less than TEN other verses. So if "hades"
really is "hell" then there is "VICTORY" OVER HELL. Recently I have been in a serious relationship with someone. We planned to get married very soon but that all fell apart when I found out some things about him that made me lose my trust in him and his will to serve God. I am a serious Christian and I know God is in my heart but I don't believe my fianc� genuinely knows God, as he should. When I first met him and began to date him he was overall really fired up for God. Later, he started to change his mind about a lot of things and started to think that most of the things he had learned while he was "fired up" was a lot of brainwashing. Now, he thinks it is okay to smoke and drink as long as you don't get drunk. He also thinks that it would even be okay to smoke weed if it weren't illegal!! The thing is, he wants to smoke, but he feels it's okay and so does it. I've asked him what the pastors have said and he always comes up with "they say it's okay as long as you don't get drunk, and there is no verse in the bible that says drinking is a sin if you don't get drunk." Another one he uses is when Jesus turned water into wine at a wedding. But I have been taught that the wine was almost like water back then, and you couldn't get drunk off of it. Is this true? What I want is for you to tell me whether drinking, smoking, etc. is wrong and what it says in the bible about it being wrong. Also, a thorough explanation of why. I hope this isn't asking too much, but this person means the world to me. How can I tell them these things without him saying that I am just yelling at him? I don't know how to tell him or show him because he always says I am just yelling at him and trying to be his mom. So PLEASE, tell me what you think about these things, I need to know ASAP. Thank you sooo much!!! I have lost so much sleep over this and I need to resolve the issue's before I go insane myself! Sincerely, A friend out there somewhere. [Ray Replies] Dear Friend out there:
All these warnings being said, is there a proper use of alcohol? Yes
there is. Jesus drank wine, as did all the Apostles. Jesus turned water into wine at the
wedding in Cana. And surely as the host suggested, they did not save the best "grape
juice" till last--it was WINE.
Notice that even Paul (who sternly warned against "drunkenness"), that wine can be beneficial:
So there, briefly, is what the Scriptures say regarding wine and
strong drink, but your situation will have to be evaluated by you. Ask God to guide you in
ALL YOUR DECISIONS IN LIFE. Dear Ray, Kurt [Ray Replies] Dear Kurt: I'd like to find out about the book of Jasher written twice in the bible. I know there are 66 books but why would they talk about this book which is in the bible. Is it incomplete? Thanks, Mike [Ray Replies] Dear Mike: [The following email is
Nick's reply to Ray's request that he limit his many criticisms down to
just one subject in which he felt he could easily prove Ray's teachings wrong and
unscriptural] Let's give it a shot...You of course will be blue and I will be red... This quote is taken from your "Email and Replies" section and is titled "The UN-Pardonable sin"...Just so you don't accuse me of quoting things that are nowhere on your site... Many people speak of the "UNpardonable sin" as thought the Scriptures actually spoke of such a thing. They DO NOT! There is no such thing as an "unpardonable sin" in the Bible. Well, then, what about Matt. 12:-31-32? Let's read it in a proper translation:
It certainly SOUNDS like the blasphemy of God's spirit is an unpardonable sin, doesn't it? Let's continue reading:
Now then, does it really say this sin is UNPARDONABLE? It is only unpardonable "in this age" and also "in the age to come [the impending age]." So it doesn't say it will NEVER be pardoned--only in this and the coming age will it NOT be pardoned. You then go on to explain how it will not be forgiven in this age or in the millenium but it will be forgiven after that...I didn't quote that part because you know your answer already... Mark 3:28-29 are important verses in showing that there is an unforgivable sin... 28. "Truly I say to you, all sins shall be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they utter; 29. but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin" -- (NASB). The Greek Interlinear Bible reads... "28. Amen I say to you that all will be sent off to the sons of the men the sins and the insults as much as if they might insult 29. who but might insult in the spirit the holy not he has sending off into the age but guilty he is of eternal sin" Verses 28 and 29 are in contrast to each other (not contradiction). Verse 28 says that all sins shall be forgiven (will be sent off). Verse 29 clarifies the statement and flatly says that there is a sin that "never has forgiveness (not he has sending off), but is guilty of an eternal sin." Verse 29 also has the contrasting preposition "but" [Greek: de "de"] The use of the word "but" is showing that there is a contrast, or an exception to the previous statement. All sins are forgivable, but blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is not. That is why the word "but" is there, to show that there is a qualification, an exception to the first statement. Now I know that you will tell me the word "age", in Mark 3:29, means a definite period of time that will end. But that isn't the case. It is simply a conjecture on your part. You could not come to that understanding reading the Greek unless your presuppositions forced you to. As I said, Jesus is contrasting the second statement (unforgivable sin) with the first statement (forgivable sin). To take any other position is to go against the plain sense of the scripture. Now, do these two accounts of blasphemy of the Holy Spirit contradict each other? Only if we look at them in light of your view. The account in Mark says that blasphemy of the Holy Ghost never has forgiveness. Matthew says it doesn't have forgiveness in this age or the age to come. If there is an age after the age to come in which it will be forgiven, that makes Mark 3:28-29 wrong. But if Mark 3:28-29 is right then it does not have forgiveness in this age, the age to come, or any other age. If this is the case (which it is the case) then Matthew 12:31-32 agrees perfectly with Mark 3:28-29. It is unforgivable period! Right there you were refuted...But let us continue for a moment, shall we? Now I could quote Mark 3:28-29 in 20 other translations and they all say the same thing. But for your benefit I will only quote it from the Concordant version in an attempt to see why it is translated the way it is... 28 "Verily, I am saying to you that all shall be pardoned the sons of mankind, the penalties of the sins and the blasphemies, whatsoever they should be blaspheming, 29 yet whoever should be blaspheming against the holy spirit is having no pardon for the eon, but is liable to the eonian penalty for the sin" -- (Concordant Translation) Once again Ray, why is every word translated but only eon and eonian are transliterated? And eonian is not even a word. Aionan would be correct here. Why is this Ray? Is it because it simply fits with your theology? Not just yours but everyone who believes in Universalism (I understand that you did not produce this translation of the Bible). This is exactly why. Almost all versions of the Bible are done by very well respected scholars. Why would we assume that over 20 versions are wrong and the one produced by those who believe the doctrines of Universalism to be right? The fact is you have to translate these words like this in an attempt to make one think that the age has a definite ending. but the "eonian penalty for the sin" is forever. And just for a third witness I'd like to quote Luke 12:10 out of the KJV, "And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but unto him that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven." There it is...in perfect agreement with the other two witnesses. It shall not not be forgiven period. Not even a hint of age or eon in this verse. Just plain and simple unforgivable. Ray, I don't expect any truth that I present to you will make you change your teaching. I believe I read on your site where you said you have 30+ versions of the Bible. If in all your reading of 30+ versions of the truth you have not come to believe the truth, then why would what I say change your mind? It won't. Anyway...you asked for one quote on your page that I could prove wrong scripturally. There it is..."UNpardonable sin". I welcome your response, but I already know it. You contend that there will be forgiveness after the Great White Throne Judgement to all people from all ages of time. Once again, this is wrong as was just shown. Your logic goes something like this...It is God's will and desire to save ALL MANKIND (I Tim. 2:4). And God will certain fulfill ALL THAT HE HAS PURPOSED (Isaiah 46:10-11). You might also like to include 2Peter 3:9 as well as Psalm 115:3, 135:6. But even with all of these scriptures not everyone will be saved. God's desires are not always accomplished. Proverbs 21:3 - "To do righteousness and justice is desired by the Lord rather than sacrifice" -- (NASB) Obviously not everyone does what is right and just. In fact nobody does (Romans 3:10). The fact is that God gave commandments to men and it was his desire for them to keep those commandments. Would he give commandments that he did not desire for men to keep? Of course he wouldn't. Did men keep the commandments God gave? No they didn't. Did God know they would break these commandments before he ever gave them? Of course he did. But just because I know my 2 year old will go to the bathroom in her pants on a daily basis does not mean that I desire for her to do so. I won't go too far into this...you asked for one thing that was wrong scripturally and I gave it to you. If you ever want anything else then I will be happy to present that too. But the bottom line is this...Here is how our conversations will go... Ray: Your WRONG! Nick: No, your WRONG! Ray: No...you are (calls Nick some kind of name)! Nick: No...you are (calls Ray some kind of name)! So on and so forth...forever and ever...unto the aionan...blah...blah...blah... Ecclesiastics 1:9 - The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. -- (KJV) Senior (that's Spanish for Mr.) Ray, You are not the first to believe in Universalism and you certainly won't be the last...There is no new thing under the sun. I am not the first to believe what the Bible really says and I won't be last...There is nothing new under the sun. But to your credit sir, you are the best at deceptively twisting scripture. I mean you are really good. If it hadn't been for the Spirit of God inside of me, I might have been fooled. I mean really Ray, I even compared you to another great deceiver (Louis Farakhan) when telling a friend about your heresy. I am not mad that you preach and teach what you do...in fact I'm quite sure that you really believe it. You probably used to believe just like me until your eyes were suddenly opened one day. Until you realized that a loving God could never torture the creation he loves so much. Until you realized that God could not and would not "UTTERLY FAIL" at accomplishing his will, which is for all people to be saved. Ray all I can do is pray for you because any truth I present to you will be rationalized in light of your present belief. It is a nice belief to think that everyone who has ever lived will enjoy life in the New Jerusalem with God for eternity. I wish I could believe that but I am simply blinded by the truth...Believe it or not I agree with quite a bit of what you say concerning very unimportant matters, but on the essentials we have nothing in common. Let's just agree on this..."The Lord has made everything for its own purpose, even the wicked for the day of evil," -- (NASB) May God smile upon you and your family!!! Nick [Ray Replies] Dear Nick: You quote the NASB which says: "...whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit NEVER has forgiveness..." You then quote The Greek Interlinear Bible which says: "...who but might insult in the spirit the holy NOT he has sending off..." Do you understand the difference between "not" and "never?" These two translations contradict each other. "not" and "never" ARE NOT THE SAME WORDS WITH THE SAME MEANING. You then contradict YOURSELF in your next statement by saying: "Verse 29 clarifies the statement and flatly says that there is a sin that 'NEVER has forgiven [NOT he has sending off)....'" You read it with you own eyes in a Greek Interlinear "not"---the word is "NOT," and say that this word means "NEVER." Let's read your statement again: "Verse 29 clarifies the statement and flatly says that there is a sin that "NEVER has forgiveness NOT he has send off)..." It is my purpose to belabor this point. You say that the word "not" means "NEVER." This is not true, Nick. "not, adv. 1 -- used as a function word to make negative a group of words or a word." (Webster's Collegiate Dictionary p. 848). "never, adv. 1 -- not ever: at no time" (Webster's Collegiate Dictionary p. 834). Can you now see the difference between these two words? Good. Maybe an example will clarify it even more for you: Suppose I am a farmer and I say: "Will NOT plant corn this season nor the following season." And someone then passed on this statement and said: "Ray said that he will NEVER plant corn." Is that an accurate statement of what I said? NO IT ISN'T. Neither is your assertion that "not he has sending off into the age" means "never has forgiveness EVER." The word "never" does not appear in ANY GREEK MANUSCRIPT. I checked three more Greek Interlinear and they all have the word "not." "Never"is a totally different word with a totally different meaning. Next you say: The use of the word "but" is showing that there is a contrast, or an exception to the previous statement. All sins are forgivable, but blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is NOT." And there you put a PERIOD, as thou Jesus Christ put a period at this point of His statement. You are very deceitful when you do things like this, Nick. Jesus said that "...blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is not forgiven NEITHER IN THIS WORLD, NEITHER IN THE WORLD TO COME." When will blasphemy "not be forgiver?" Answer: "IN THIS AGE AND THE AGE TO COME." Jesus did not say: "in this age and in the age to come, AND FOR ALL ETERNITY TOO." Is that what He said? Then why do YOU and Christendom say that that is what He said, when He said no such thing? First your "TAKE AWAY" from the word of God: you LEAVE OUT the phrase "in this world [age], neither in the world [age] to come." Next you "ADD TOO" the word of God: you turn TWO AGES INTO ETERNITIES!! Where is the honest Biblical scholarship in this ungodly arguments of yours? The Scriptures (not I) completely destroy your arguments. You then have the shameless audacity to REPEAT your unscriptural and dishonest scholarship. You state: "As I said, Jesus s contrasting the second statement (unforgivable sin) with the first statement (forgivable sin). Or really? Jesus said "UNforgivable," did He? And in whose Bible, pray tell, are you finding THAT word? It never came out of any Greek manuscript! Jesus is NOT comparing "forgiveable" with "UNforgivable." He is comparing SINS--two categories of sins. One category that is forgiven and one that is NOT FORGIVEN FOR THE NEXT TO AGES. For two specific periods of TIME, this sin is not forgiven. You cannot honest change Christ's words from "not for the next two ages" to "never for all eternity." You are dishonest, Nick. Then yet a THIRD time you suggest that the word "never" is proper by quoting Mark 3:29. What was your purpose in quoting The Greek Interlinear if not to show what the EXACT words were? "Never" is not a substitution for the word "not." One if "NOT for two ages." The other is "NEVER, EVER." And you gloss over this as if it is not even important to make this critical difference. Suppose you were sentenced for a crime, and the Judge said that, "you shall not come out of jail this week or the week after." But the warden interpreted the Judge's statement to mean, "you shall NEVER EVER come out of jail." Do you think THEN, Nick, that you might be ready to argue the use of these two words properly? Think about it. This is the first time, of tens of thousands of emails, that I have ever had someone suggest that if two Scriptures speak of the VERY SAME EVENT, that the verse that leaves out some of the information that the other verse puts in, that we should go with the one that LEAVES INFORMATION OUT. Talk about grasping at straws. You are really GRASPING! Since only ONE gospel account tells us that Jesus was sent to Herod the night of His capture, are we to assume that IT DIDN'T HAPPEN, because the other three gospel writers leave it out? This is foolishness on a level I have never witnessed before. Concerning the Concordant Version you state, "Once again Ray, why is every word translated but only eon and eonian are transliterated? And eonian is not even a word." Both of your statements are false. Eon and eonian are not transliterated, but translated. Eon and eonian are ENGLISH words, not English spellings of Greek words. THOUSANDS of words from many languages are spelled very similar when translating them into English. Just page through your dictionary. As for "eonian" not being a word, I have not idea where you ever got such an idea: "eonian....Greek, aionios, from aion...an age...lasting for eons" (Webster's Twentieth Century Dictionary, p. 568.) The English words "eon" and "aeon" are the same with the SAME meanings. The English words "eonian" and "aeonian" are the same with the SAME meanings. You are so foolish and demeaning to God that when you quote a verse like Proverbs 21:3, "To do righteousness and justice is DESIRED by the Lord rather than sacrifice," that you have somehow Scripturally proven that GOD WILL NOT EVER receive the fulfillment of that desire. There are HUNDREDS of statements in Scripture where men go against and contrary to God's will. It is God's PLAN than they go against His will. But His WILL, WILL be accomplished and fulfilled. Puny men going against God's will does NOT disannul it. Where do you come up with such blasphemy? You then try to give an example in your own life that PROVES this foolish asserting that God will NEVER EVER have His desire because it appears for the "moment" that men just aren't doing what He desires. God is not done with the human race, YET, Nick, just in case you thought it all over at death. It is not. There is JUDGMENT. Judgment sets things right. "When Thy JUDGMENTS are in the earth the inhabitants of THE WORLD WILL LEARN RIGHTEOUSNESS" (Isa. 26:9). Here is your analogy: "But just because I know my 2 year old will go to the bathroom in her pants on a daily basis does not mean that I DESIRE for her to do so." So you think that is clever little analogy that PROVES God's desires will never be met? Nick, if I come to your home fifteen years from now, WILL YOUR DAUGHTER STILL BE MESSING HER PANTS?? We are God's "little children" the Scriptures say, and GOD IS GOING TO POTTY TRAIN THIS ENTIRE GODLESS WORLD. And you can take that to the bank. You state: "Why would we assume that over 20 versions are wrong and the one produced by those who believe the doctrines of Universalism to be right?...but the 'eonian penalty for the sin' is FOREVER." I do NOT "assume" anything, Nick, it is YOU who are assuming that your 20 translations are RIGHT? Why should we "assume" your position? Because 20 outnumbers 1? Does the Bible indicate that it is the MAJORITY who are usually "right" or "wrong." Remember, "BROAD is the way, and MANY....." Just because Christendom avoids honest and unbiased translations like the plague, does not mean that they don't exist. Here are a few English translations that properly translate "eonian":
The Greek word "aionios" does NOT mean "eternal." Verses such as Romans 16:25 totally disprove such asserting:
Notice that this mystery was which was kept secret is NOW REVEALED! It "WAS kept secret," but NOW it is revealed. How LONG was this secret kept secret? Why, "since the WORLD began," we are told in the King James Bible. But you see, there is a problem here. The Greek word for "world" is "kosmos" (Strong's #2889). But the Greek word translated "world" here in Rom. 16:25 is the Greek word "aionios" which you say MUST MEAN "FOREVER"--And I quote: "...but the 'eonian penalty for the sin' is FOREVER." Let me make one more statement with regards to translating Greek words into English words that STILL maintain the statement is the verse as being a true statement. I specifically have reference to verses where God is referred to the "AIONIOS" God. Some insist that this MUST be translated "the ETERNAL God" of "the God of Eternity." Not so. That is unscriptural foolishness. Just because it is a true statement to say "the ETERNAL God" does not mean that that is how it SHOULD be translated, just because the statement is true. When translating this verse properly as "the EONIAN God" the statement is still true (that is, God really IS, the "GOD OF THE EONS--He made the eons and He is "the GOD of the eons"). And so why not translate properly and consistently according to what the Holy Spirit SAID, not what translators say is ALSO A TRUE STATEMENT, by CHANGING and ADDING TO the words inspired by the Holy Spirit. Suppose that since I live in the South, that I want to translate Matt. 10:42 as follows: "And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a GLASS OF ICE COLD TEA only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward." I could play semantic games and say that in the South it is customary on a hot day to offer a "GLASS OF ICE COLD TEA" rather than "a cup of cold water." After all, the STATEMENT of our Lord's is still TRUE, is it not? Yes, that is correct, it does not change the meaning of the statement IN THIS VERSE. But the fact remains, that the Holy Spirit did NOT inspire the words "glass of ice cold tea!" It is a fallacious translation. It is ADDING TO the word of God. Now it does not apparent harm to call God "the ETERNAL God." That is a TRUE statement, but IT IS ;NOT A TRUE TRANSLATION! And when we make this SAME mistake of translating with reference to punishment for the ages, it becomes NEVER-ENDING, ETERNAL PUNISHMENT, which is a damnable heresy. God be with you, Ray Dear Sir, [Ray Replies] I understand your frustration.
But now you can't even believe the hell business
anymore, because this guy teaches that the Scriptures are true, and that Jesus Christ
really is "The SAVIOUR OF THE WORLD" (I John 4:14).
Imagine someone teaching such a thing, and right out of the Bible! Before you know
it, a guy like this will be teaching people to "LOVE YOUR ENEMIES!"
Has he no shame? I want to know what it means to worship the Lord? Being from a Pentecostal back ground I was taught the raising of hands singing even dancing at times and of course the worshipping in your giving. Which I now know to be a lie. Thank You. Some of us live here in Ireland and we have come out of the church and meet regularly. We gather and discuss many things but wander about the worshipping part .Any help would be great. Barry Northern Ireland [Ray Replies] Dear Barry:
Wow! This is a biggie. If we do not teach
the commandments OF GOD, we are worshipping God in VAIN! Yet what is it that is
taught during these so-called "worship services" but the commandments of MEN?
(See the forty Christian contradictions that I present in Part II of my series on
"The Lake of Fire," on the last three pages).
What about the synagogues?
What about in the city, Jerusalem?
WHY didn't Paul worship in the Temple or in the synagogues or in the city? Because:
But why didn't Paul worship God in the City of Jerusalem? Because:
And what did Jesus have to say about the "location" of our worship?
Jesus then gives is the truth about WHERE and HOW to WORSHIP GOD:
There my brothers is the true answer as to where and
how we are to worship God. Dear Ray: Also, last time I checked, God uses the Bible and dreams and visions to reveal the truth. So you're telling me the whole Bible is wrong because the part about hell is wrong? I don't think so. Like I said before, the Bible is either completely true, or completely NOT true.. You can't pick and choose which parts of the Bible you believe, say, I believe in the Holy Spirit, and the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, but I don't think I agree too much with the part about hell.. I don't think so. Sorry, but if it came down to believing you or believing the word of God, I'll take the word of God any day. Thank you yet again for your time, A person that believes ALL of the word of God [Ray Replies] Dear Nameless:
I'll bet you didn't know that the word
"grave" in verse 55 was translated from the Greek word "hades" which
is translated 'HELL' in EVERY OTHER OCCURRENCE IN THE ENTIRE NEW TESTAMENT!!! Why do
you suppose the translators translated it "hell" in this verse ONLY? It is
because in this verse it plainly tells us that there is VICTORY over hades [or HELL, if
you insist on that word]!!! And the translators didn't want anyone to know that
there is "VICTORY OVER HELL"! Do you think the the Scriptures say in VAIN
that it is a crime to add to or take away from the Word of God?
The word "grave" in the King James is
translated from the Hebrew word "sheol" which is translated "HELL"
thirty times in the Old Testament. The translators didn't want anyone to do that
everyone's soul can be "REDEEMED from sheol" (or 'hell' if you insist on that
Unscriptural word).
Do you believe I Tim. 4:10?
You said that you believe "the WHOLE Bible," but do you believe that,
The Father sent the Son, "TO BE THE
SAVIOUR OF THE WORLD" (I John 4:14), and YOU believe that Jesus Christ will
utterly FAIL!!! Dear Mr. Smith, Steve [Ray Replies] Dear Steve: I have as many genetic and emotional weaknesses as anyone, but I
don't let them get me down. I press on with the assurance that God will not let me
down. And as we mature, we find that we are stronger in faith, and mature even more
quickly. I do not have near the sins today that I had just a half dozen years ago.
God has conquered things in me that I was never able to conquer, try as hard as I
may. Hi Ray, Andre [Ray Replies] Dear Andre: |