I have a question that keeps bugging me about finding at least a second witness to establish a Scriptural truth or doctrine.
How do we know that the 'second witness' we select is the proper fit?
Is there not the tendency to match spiritual with the physical?
Or is that the correct way to match? But doesn't Ray teach that we should compare spiritual with spiritual to find a spiritual match?
I would really appreciate your wisdom and insight on these thoughts. Please help a slow brother out ???
Thanks
John (onelovedread)
This excerpt from Truth #7 should help:
In the previous truth we learned the need for two witnesses. In this truth we will learn the need for those two witnesses to be a "spiritual match." Let’s now "spiritually match" two witnesses and see the marvelous eye-opening result.
After being introduced to the Great White Throne in Rev. 20:11, we read of the judgment of every man’s work in fire:
And I saw the dead small and great stand before God, and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them, and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
Notice the specifics of these verses:
"Every man’s work is to be judged by fire."
EVERY MAN
Every man’s WORK
Every man’s work is to be JUDGED
Every man’s work is to be judged IN FIRE
But we learned that no witness can stand alone. We must have at least TWO WITNESSES to establish the truth of any doctrine. For the simple fact that orthodoxy absolutely refuses to give you a "spiritual match" to these Scriptures, it has enabled them to attach all kinds of unscriptural, extra-scriptural, anti-scriptural heresies to the above Scripture. Why won’t they give you a "second witness," and a "spiritual match" to the above Scripture? Because the only second witness which is a spiritual match to the above Scripture, destroys their whole pagan teaching regarding it, that’s why.
Now then, is there a second witness to: Every man’s work is to be judged by fire? Yes, there is a SECOND witness to this Scripture. But we are looking for more than just a second witness. We have just learned that we are also to "compare [or match] spiritual with spiritual." We are looking for a second witness which is a SPIRITUAL MATCH to these statements that Every man’s work is to be judged in fire."
Would you believe that there is ONE and ONLY ONE such spiritual match to this Scripture in the entirety of the Bible? After I give it to you, you will clearly see why orthodoxy will not even concede that this Scripture IS a second witness and a spiritual match. Here it is:
"Every man’s work shall be made manifest for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try [test, examine, judge] every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide that he has built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss, BUT HE HIMSELF SHALL BE SAVED; yet so as by fire" (I Cor. 3:13-15).
There it is: a perfect spiritual match and a second witness to Rev. 20:13-15):
EVERY MAN
Every man’s WORK
Every man’s work TRIED, TESTED OR JUDGED
Every man’s work tried, tested or judged IN FIRE
Why do Christians and theologians hate what I have just shown you? Because when we put these two spiritually matched Scriptures together, we also are given the added knowledge that there is SALVATION in and through this fire which judges us, and the Church doesn’t want all mankind to be saved. Yes, the most evil people who have ever lived, will also be saved one day, but contrary to what all of my detractors constantly lie about my writings, is that they will not be saved before they are purged in "God’s CONSUMING FIRE" of every last vestige of evil and carnality.
You'll know a 2nd scriptural witness when both passages reference the same underlying truth. Jesus said the only sign (symbolism) that He would provide to the Pharisees was the sign (symbolism) of Jonah:
Luke 11:30 For as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so also the Son of Man will be to this generation.
When comparing physical to physical, there is hardly a match. Jonah was thrust into the belly of the whale, whereas Jesus was tortured and crucified on a cross. But when comparing spiritual to spiritual, both went through hardship, pain & agony in order to deliver a message from God.
The tendency to match spiritual to physical is simply to understand 'how' the spiritual works. The Lake of Fire is said to contain brimstone, but seeing how the Lake of Fire is spiritual and not tangible, so is the brimstone. The brimstone in the Lake of Fire is like real brimstone, in certain ways:
Excerpt from Lake of Fire Part 6 (http://bible-truths.com/lake6.html) [note: there is a lot more on brimstone in this installment's entirety]:
ORIGIN OF THE WORD ‘BRIMSTONE’
Strong’s Greek Dictionary of the New Testament: brimstone, #2303. theion. We are told that "Theion originally denoted ‘fire from heaven.’" This word theion #2303 comes from the Greek word theios #2304, of which we read the following:
Theios means :
(1) DIVINE, and is used
(1a) of THE POWER OF GOD (2 Pet. 1:3), and
(1b) of HIS [GOD’S] NATURE, (2 Pet. 1:4), both of which proceed FROM HIMSELF.
(2) In Acts 17:29 it is used as a noun with the definite article, to denote THE GODHEAD, THE DEITY, THE ONE TRUE GOD." (Caps and underline emphasis are mine).
WOW! What a marvelous revelation of Spiritual Truth! So, again, why is there brimstone in the lake of fire?" BECAUSE GOD ALMIGHTY HIMSELF IS IN THIS FIRE! God IS this fire, this spiritual "CONSUMING FIRE" (Heb. 12:29). THIS FIRE IS NOT ONLY SPIRITUAL; IT IS DIVINE! THE LAKE OF FIRE IS DIVINE SPIRITUAL FIRE FROM GOD OUT OF HEAVEN TO PURGE, PURIFY, CLEANSE, AND HEAL ALL IMPURITIES OF ALL HUMANITY!!! Is this not the best news you’ve heard all day?
Hope this helps,
Marques