Think Before You Speak

The Tongue: A Deadly Weapon

The Tongue: A Deadly Weapon By Robert In the history of mankind, there is one weapon above all others that has done more damage, has split apart more homes, cost more people their lives and livelihoods, has destroyed relationships and friendships, and has racked up a horrific toll in terms of human cost. This weapon is not made of steel or iron, yet is sharper than the keenest blade. It is not manufactured by the hands of men, yet is is common everywhere. This deadly weapon is possessed by young and old alike. It does not fire projectiles, yet what it fires does FAR more damage than any arrow or bullet ever could. And is used with such disregard by their owners' that were a license needed to carry it, most would not be allowed to have it.  What is this fearsome weapon that plagues mankind?  The human tongue.  James wrote about this devastating weapon back in his day, and the effects it can have upon those unlucky enough to be on the receiving end of it: "When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water." (James 3:3-12, NIV)  When we speak, we have the power to praise, curse, heal or harm. yet many times, we do not take full measure of this ability, and often we will end up saying things that sooner should not have been said. In fact, there are times we will hurt someone with our words, and not try to even repair the damage we have caused, all because we are too busy uttering words rather than measuring what we say to one another. And all too often, hearts are injured and people are torn to shreds by careless words, spoken out of anger or spite, or even in jest though we may not realize it at the time. And though it takes only a few moments to say them, the harm that can be done in that span of time can take A LOT LONGER to heal!  Jesus himself had to warn us about our words: "You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. ” " (Matthew 12:34-35, NIV)  Jesus then makes it clear that our words proceed from our hearts:  "But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man ‘unclean.’ For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what make a man ‘unclean’; but eating with unwashed hands does not make him ‘unclean.’” (Matthew 15:18-20 NIV)  What we think and feel is what we are going to end up saying. And if we are saying something behind someone's back, or something that is harmful to another, then what does that say about our hearts and minds? Is this something that Jesus would do to someone if he were to talk to them?  When Jesus spoke to someone, he never did so to intentionally hurt them or cause them harm. Yes, some of the things he said may have caused pain, but he did so out of a heart of LOVE, not of spite or hatred. He often had harsh replies for the Pharisees, but these replied were not to get revenge upon them or to strike back at them;  Jesus often had to rebuke them for their errors and their callous hearts:  "“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to.""(Matthew 23:13, NIV)  It was not Jesus who would use cruel words in a callous way, but the Pharisees who had hardened hearts and cared for no one outside their own "bubbles." In a like manner, we can often react much the same way, becoming callous and inconsiderate of others when we speak, or even in our thoughts about them. And it doesn't stop at our direct conversations with them; talking ABOUT someone can damage them just as surely as if we fired the verbal salvo directly at them. Gossip is insidious, and does great deal of damage to a person, many times without the person who has been gossiped about even realizing it!!!  "And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not." (1 Timothy 5:13, KJV) Even moreso, when we give our word and then don't try to keep it we cause damage to a person AND ourselves. We will often speak hastily and give our word, only to realize that we are unable to keep the promise or pledge. Nowhere is this more apparent than when we promise to follow the Lord without counting what it will cost to do so:  "Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, saying, ‘This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.’ “Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Will he not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? "" (Luke 14:28-31, NIV)  We need to realize the AWESOME power that words have, and the effect and the ramifications they can have on people. In fact, the Lord puts so much emphasis on what we say, that he tells us in scripture: "But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned." (Matthew 12:36-37, KJV)  We need to make sure that in our communications with one another, that we are holding to what scripture has instructed us. No greater damage can be done to a person than when we fail to heed what God has told us, only to reap the bitter harvest that results from disobedience. We see every day the power that words have upon one another, and the sheer harm and grief a few poorly-chosen words can do.  A heart hurt by harmful words needs care indeed; we would do best never to cause that harm to begin with.

What About Praying To Mary And The Saints?

What About Praying To Mary And The Saints? By Jack Kelley I’m wondering what you have to say about Catholics “praying” to Mary or other saints. I understand that the first commandment tells us to have no other gods, but Catholics seem to believe they’re not praying to Mary or the other saints, but somehow praying to God through them. Q. I’m wondering what you have to say about Catholics “praying” to Mary or other saints. I understand that the first commandment tells us to have no other gods, but Catholics seem to believe they’re not praying to Mary or the other saints, but somehow praying to God through them. This also brings another question to mind of praying for someone after they’ve died. Is there anyplace in the bible that speaks to this?   A. All during Old Testament times, the way to God was through the Priest. The people brought their prayers to the temple along with a sacrifice and the priests presented their prayers to God. When Jesus died the veil of separation in the Temple was torn apart, signifying that the people would no longer need an intercessor on Earth. They could now approach God directly (Ephes. 3:12) In the New Testament, only Jesus (Rom 8:34) and the Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:26) are named as intercessors for us. None others are authorized. The notion of praying to Mary or others is uniquely catholic and has no Biblical support. The same is true about praying for the dead. It comes out of the Catholic tradition of purgatory, where according to them all believers go to pay for their remaining sins upon death. It’s believed that the prayers and good works of their living loved ones can shorten their stay there. This is another non-Biblical tradition of the Catholic Church. The single over riding purpose of our lives is to decide whether to allow the Lord’s death to pay for our sins or not. We have to decide for ourselves, no one can do it for us, and we have to do it while we’re still alive. Failing to decide is the same as rejecting it. At the instant of death, we’re either saved or not based on that one decision, and no effort by us or anyone we’ve left behind can alter it thereafter. Man was destined to die once and after that to face judgment. (Hebr. 9:27) Jesus and His Word teach... You are saved by faith and not by works (Ephesians 2:8-9). All who rely on observing the law (commandments) are under a curse (Galations 3:10). Salvation occurs at the moment you believe the Gospel (Ephesians 1:13). Jesus purifies sin (Hebrews 1:3). You can know for sure you are saved (1 John 5:13). The sacrifice of Jesus is finished (John 19:30).    The Pope and his church teach... You are saved by faith plus works. Obedience to the commandments is a condition for salvation. Salvation is a process from baptism through purgatory. Purgatory purifies sin. You are condemned if you claim to be saved. The sacrifice of Jesus continues in daily Mass. As you can see these two teachings directly oppose one another. You must make the choice as to which is true and which is deception. Your choice will determine your eternal destiny. Bigger Problems If the differences between Catholics and Protestants were simply a manner of form and style, there would be no reason for concern over the ECT document. Sadly, there are bigger issues involved, much bigger issues. Consider the Catholics' preoccupation with Mary. The Catholic apologists, such as Keith Fournier, would have us to believe that they do not worship, or even pray to Mary. Fournier writes: "Catholics venerate Mary... (they) only worship and pray to the Creator, not to creatures... poorly catechized Catholics have at times gone to extremes and appeared to elevate Mary over Jesus. But their mistaken piety does not reflect the teaching of the Catholic church." Thus it is all a big misunderstanding. Catholics and Protestants alike respect Mary as a wonderful woman of God, so what's the problem? The problem is that "it just ain't so!" The current Pope, John Paul II, has the Latin words totus tuus sum Maria (Mary, I'm yours) embroidered on the inside of his robes, and he has attributed his escape from death at the hands of an assassin to Mary, acknowledging, "For everything that happened to me on that day, I felt that extraordinary Motherly protection and care, which turned out to be stronger than bullets." In his petition to Mary at the close of the Sunday Mass in Denver in August, 1993, the Pope prayed: "Mary of the New Advent, we implore your protection on the preparations that will now begin for the next meeting. Mary, full of grace, we entrust the next World Youth Day to you. Mary, assumed into heaven, we entrust the young people of the world... the whole world to you." Is this the prayer of a poorly catechized, extremist Catholic? If the Pope prays to Mary and commits all the world's youth to her, what should we expect from the rest of the church? Bishop Fulton J. Sheen declared: "When I was ordained, I took a resolution to offer the Holy Sacrifice of the Eucharist every Saturday to the Blessed Mother... All this makes me very certain that when I go before the Judgment Seat of Christ, He will say to me in His Mercy: 'I heard My Mother speak of you.'" Major Catholic leaders have consistently worshipped Mary and seen in her the key to their salvation. St. Bonaventure said, "the gates of heaven will open to all who confide in the protection of Mary." St. Ephrem called devotion to the divine Mother "the unlocking of the gates of the heavenly Jerusalem." Blosius said, "We ought constantly to pray to her... 'Open to us, O Mary, the gates of paradise, since thou hast its keys.'" Friends, we are no longer talking about differences in styles of worship. These things get right to the heart of what is Christianity, and what it is that makes one a Christian. This unhealthy, idolatrous preoccupation with Mary is utterly without any basis in Scripture and is, no doubt, responsible for sending countless millions into hell, vainly trusting in the "Queen of Heaven" rather than the Prince of Peace. Another Gospel The apostle Paul took the gospel seriously, so seriously that he even referred to it as "my gospel" (Romans 2:16). He declared that any who would try to pervert the gospel or come up with some false version of it should be totally disregarded, even if they came with the appearance of an angel from heaven (Galatians 1:8).  The ultimate factor in deciding the legitimacy of the Catholic Church is its presentation of the gospel, its answer to the age-old question of "What must I do to be saved?" The Catholic apologists argue strongly that the Catholics, like the Protestants, believe in salvation by grace through faith. Keith Fournier declares, "As the Catholic Church teaches, we are converted to Christ by our faith, not because of our good works; and we do good works only because we have the divine grace to do so." This sounds very evangelical; Billy Graham could not have said it better.  The trouble is that in order for us to find out the position of the Catholic Church we must look beyond the apologists. These are often born again believers themselves, who have indeed found Christ through personal faith, and are eager to have the world believe that Catholics and Evangelicals are but two flavors of the same church.  To anyone who bothers to do much reading on the Catholic position on salvation, the truth becomes readily apparent - the official position of the church is that salvation comes through grace, but the grace is distributed a little at a time through the official sacraments of the Roman Catholic Church. The Council of Trent proclaimed: "If anyone says that the sacraments... are not necessary for salvation but... that without them... men obtain from God through faith alone the grace of justification... let him be anathema."  The Vatican II Apostolic Constitution declares: "Following in Christ's steps, those who believe in Him have always... carried their crosses to make expiation for their own sins and the sins of others..." Anyone who is familiar with the writings of Paul will immediately realize what incredible blasphemies these quotes are! They mock the cross of Christ and show utter disregard for the very heart of New Testament theology.  This is no small issue. No matter how much help our Catholic friends may be in working with us in the great moral reforms of our day, we would be less than loving to disregard their blatant misconceptions and try to pretend that we are one in the Lord, and that, as Pat Robertson has suggested, "While there may be differences between the two faith communities, it is time that we focus on the similarities." We are not talking about the differences between blue or red choir robes, we are talking about two diametrically opposed belief systems which cannot possibly both be true. Even Catholic apologist Peter Kreeft admits: "Over the past 25 years I have asked hundreds of Catholic college students the question: If you should die tonight and God asks you why He should let you into heaven, what would you answer? The vast majority of them simply do not know the right answer to this, the most important of all questions, the very essence of Christianity. They usually do not even mention Jesus!"  If someone I cared about had just been born again, and was now studying theology in the Catholic Church, I would be deeply concerned. If he were to believe the official Catholic teachings, he soon would no longer trust in Christ alone for his salvation, but would be putting his faith in Mary, communion, baptism, and a number of other sacraments and works, and according to Galatians, would be fallen from grace and alienated from Christ (Galatians 5:4). I would do anything I could to get him out of that church and into one which teaches that grand old biblical doctrine of justification by faith in Christ alone.  Yes, there are certainly wonderful born again Catholic brothers and sisters in Christ, and I praise God for them. May their numbers increase by millions more! But we must not approve nor should we endorse any system which makes our Savior's death only a partial payment for the sins of mankind. When Jesus said, "It is done," it was done!

Islam in Bible Prophecy

The Fate of Islam in Bible Prophecy

The Fate of Islam in Bible Prophecy Will Islam be the religion of the Antichrist? By Dr. David Reagan There is much about the Arabs in Bible prophecy, but the Bible is relatively silent about Islam. This may seem to be a strange statement to some because many people identify the Arabs with Islam. It is true that most Arabs are Muslims, but not all. There are, for example, Christian Arabs. But the Arab world (approximately 300 million people) constitutes a minority of the 1.4 billion people in the Muslim world. The largest Muslim country in the world is Indonesia (242 million). Other large non-Arab Muslim countries include Pakistan (162 million) and Bangladesh (144 million). Countries in the Middle East that are Muslim but not Arab include Turkey (70 million) and Iran (68 million). The Arabs in Prophecy Concerning the Arabs, the Bible tells us that they will come against Israel in the end times and try to take its land. God will respond by rendering the Arab lands desolate (Ezekiel 35:6-7, 15), probably through the military campaigns of the Antichrist. But the future for the Arabs is not all bleak. Like the Jews, a remnant of the Arabs will emerge from the Tribulation with their hearts turned to the one and only true God, Yahweh (Jeremiah 12:14-17). The most remarkable prophecy concerning the future salvation of an Arab remnant is contained in Isaiah 19:16-25. Isaiah says that when the Lord strikes Egypt and Assyria, they will turn to Him and He will have compassion on them and "heal them." Isaiah then presents an incredible picture of Egypt, Assyria, and Israel living together in peace, worshiping the same God! A Specific Prophecy Involving Muslim Countries With regard to Islam in general, the only clear prophecy I see about it in the Scriptures has to do with the end time invasion of Israel that will be led by Russia (Ezekiel 38 and 39). The Bible states that Russia will be accompanied by certain specified allies (Ezekiel 38:1-6). The allies include Persia (modern day Syria, Iraq, Iran, and Afghanistan), Ethiopia, Put (Libya), Gomer (Western Turkey), and Beth-togarmah (Eastern Turkey). As you can see, all of these are countries with a Muslim majority. Ezekiel 39 reveals that these forces will be destroyed supernaturally by God upon the hills of Israel (Ezekiel 38:18-23 and 39:3-6). Even the Jewish people will realize that the forces were destroyed by God (Ezekiel 38:23 and 39:7). The End Time World Religion? Some Bible prophecy teachers are now asserting the belief that Islam will serve as the end time world religion of the Antichrist. This assumption is based in part on the fact that some Muslims are looking forward to the appearance of a Messiah called the Mahdi, and because of this expectation, some theorize that the Muslim world will rally to the Antichrist when he appears, thinking that he is their Mahdi. I don't believe this expectation is valid. First of all, the concept of a Mahdi is held by less than ten percent of all Muslims. It is an aspect of Shiite eschatology, not the vast majority of Muslims who are Sunnis. Second, the Bible teaches that the Antichrist will be of Roman descent and will rise to power in Europe. I can't imagine the Muslim world rushing to endorse any European leader. Africa, Asia, and Latin America have spent the past 200 years divesting themselves of European colonial rule. They are not going to willingly submit themselves to such rule again, regardless of how dynamic, charismatic, and wise the Antichrist may prove to be. There is a third problem with the idea that the Antichrist will utilize Islam as his world religion. I believe the Bible teaches that the initial religion that the Antichrist will use is Catholicism. This seems to be the teaching of Revelation 17 where the religion of the end times is represented by a whore who is "drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus" (Revelation 17:6). She is pictured as being seated on "seven mountains" (Revelation 17:9). This is imagery which, in the apostle John's time, could only be referring to Rome. This identification is affirmed at the end of the chapter when John asserts that the woman is also "the great city which reigns over the kings of the earth" (Revelation 17:18). Again, in John's time, this could only be a reference to Rome. The Bible further indicates that at some point in the Tribulation, possibly at its mid-point, the Antichrist will turn against the Catholic Church and destroy it, probably because it becomes a threat to his absolute power (Revelation 17:16). He and his False Prophet will then create a new religion that will mandate the worship of the Antichrist as god on earth (Revelation 13:11-17). An Intolerant Religion Of all the world's religions, Islam is the most intolerant. It simply will not tolerate the existence of other religions in areas that it controls. I cannot even imagine any European leader associated with the Catholic Church being able to secure the allegiance of Muslims. I believe, instead, that the Muslim world will revolt against any attempt of the Antichrist to bring them within his domain. The result will be a war (Revelation 6) that will ultimately escalate into an all-out nuclear conflagration (Revelation 8 and 9). These wars result in the death of half of humanity during the first three and a half years of the Tribulation. In summary, I believe the most likely scenario of the end times is one whereby God will unleash the Antichrist on the Muslim world and will judge them through him. The Antichrist will be successful. We are told in Revelation 13:7-8 that he will become the first true dictator over all the world because he will achieve "authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation" (Revelation 13:7). The Antichrist's victory will be a Pyrrhic one. A third or more of the earth will be left in ruin. And the one-half of humanity left alive will suffer radiation poisoning, resulting in people covered with sores that will not heal (Revelation 16:2 and 11). At the middle of the Tribulation, when the Antichrist desecrates the Temple in Jerusalem and declares himself to be god, the Jews will reject him, and he will become obsessed with annihilating them during the last three and a half years of the Tribulation (Revelation 12:13-17). He will be successful in killing two-thirds of them (Zechariah 13:7-9). While he is obsessed with the Jews, the Bible indicates that his worldwide empire will fall apart at the seams. The nations of Asia will revolt against him, sending an army of 200 million to overthrow him (Revelation 9:13-18, Revelation 16:12, and Daniel 11:44-45). So, in summary, I would contend that Islam will suffer its judgment during the Tribulation when it refuses to accept the Antichrist as the world's leader.

Seventh Day Adventist Beliefs

The Seventh Day Adventists

The Seventh Day Adventists Christian or cultic in nature? by Dr. David R. Reagan

There are two distinctive doctrines of the SDA.20 First and foremost is "The Investigative Judgment."
This is the unbiblical concept that in 1844 Jesus entered "the second and last phase" of His atoning ministry - the work of investigative judgment. Instead of returning to earth on October 22, 1844, as William Miller predicted, Jesus entered the Holy of Holies in Heaven and began a review of the works of all believers who have ever lived to determine how faithful they were to the commandments of God. "Sins that have not been repented of and forsaken will not be pardoned and blotted out of the books of record, but will stand to witness against the sinner."  According to Ellen White, a person must believe this doctrine to be saved: "All need a knowledge of the position [in the Holy of Holies] and work [investigative judgment] of their great High Priest. Otherwise it will be impossible for them to exercise the faith which is essential at this time or to occupy the position which God designs for them to fill."22

Twisting Bible Prophecy

There is absolutely no valid biblical basis for this bizarre doctrine. As pointed out earlier, it is based upon a misinterpretation and misapplication of Daniel 8:14. The prophecy concerns the actions of Antiochus Epiphanes (215-164 BC). It refers to a restoration of "the holy place" after it has been "trampled." This occurred when Antiochus took Jerusalem in 167 BC and stopped the sacrifices in the Temple. This led to the Maccabean revolt which succeeded in reconquering Jerusalem. In 164 BC the Jews cleansed and rededicated the Temple. Hanukkah is the eight day festival celebrating this event. Applying this prophecy to the Heavenly sanctuary is ridiculous. Since when has the Holy of Holies in Heaven ever been defiled or trampled down? Since when has it needed to be restored? The prophecy also refers to a time period during which the "holy place" will remain desecrated. That time period is "2,300 evenings and mornings." The King James version translates this to read "2,300 days." William Miller converted these days into years. SDA teachers defend this conversion on the basis of Numbers 14:34 and Ezekiel 4:6 where prophets were specifically told to interpret days in their prophecies as years. But those verses have no application to Daniel 8:14.

Belief of Scientology

Scientology

Scientology The cult of the elite by Dennis Pollock

 

The Theology

The theology that is behind all of this is almost too incredible to be believed. According to Hubbard, seventy-five million years ago a tyrant named Xenu ruled the Galactic Confederation, an alliance of 76 planets, including planet Earth. To control overpopulation and solidify his power, Xenu instructed his loyal officers to capture beings of all shapes and sizes from the various planets, freeze them in a compound of alcohol and glycol, and fly them by the billions to Earth in planes resembling DC-8s.  These beings were deposited or chained near 10 volcanoes scattered around the planet. After hydrogen bombs were dropped on them, the spirit beings that inhabited their bodies (called body thetans or engrams) were captured by Xenu's forces and implanted with sexual perversion, religion, and other notions to obscure their memory of what Xenu had done.  Soon after, however, a revolt erupted and Xenu was imprisoned in a wire cage within a mountain where he remains today. These body thetans that he had perverted have been running rampant ever since attaching themselves to human bodies and bringing about all sorts of miseries and bondage. Thus, in the gospel according to Hubbard, all our problems have to do with these twisted little spirit critters that attach themselves to our body. By means of the principles of dianetics, and the use of the "E-meter" we can be freed from these engrams and join the enlightened ones.   

Mormon Beliefs

Mormons

Mormons By Daymond Duck Most Mormons are kind, loving, moral people. They're committed to personal holiness. They put a lot of emphasis on family values. They practice many things that come right out of the Bible. But these kind, loving, moral people have been led astray by the false teachings of a man called Joseph Smith, Jr. He added things to the Bible. He took things away from the Bible. He called himself a Christian. But his distortions of the Bible probably mean that he went to a very hot place.  Mormons say God is a man, but the Bible says God is NOT a man (Hosea 11:9). Mormons say God has a body of flesh and bone, but the Bible says God is a SPIRIT (John 4:24). Mormons say there are millions of Gods, but the Bible says there is NO God beside Him (Isaiah 45:5, 22).  Mormons say Jesus is the brother of Satan, but the Bible says Jesus is the CREATOR of all things including Satan.  Mormons say Jesus had three wives and many children with Joseph Smith, Jr. being one of His descendants. That doesn't come from the Bible. And it contradicts many traditional Christian beliefs.  Mormons say Jesus pointed the way, but the Bible says Jesus is THE way (John 14:6).  Mormons say people are saved by following the teachings of the Mormon Church, but the Bible says people are saved by accepting Jesus as their Saviour and there is NO OTHER WAY. Those who teach salvation by following the teachings of a Church are teaching salvation by works not salvation by grace. The Bible says we are saved by grace through faith not works.  Mormons say the Church corrupted the Bible, Joseph Smith, Jr. corrected it, and the Mormon Church is teaching a RESTORED gospel, but the Bible says anyone who teaches any other gospel should be cursed (Gal. 1:6-9).  Mormons use the Book of Mormons in addition to the Bible, but Christians believe the Bible is the sole authority.  Mormons have made a multitude of changes to the Book of Mormons since 1830, but the Bible says the Word of God is settled forever in heaven.  Finally, most Mormons are really good people, but because of their beliefs many Christians call them a cult.

Beliefs of Buddhism

Basics of Buddhism

Basics of Buddhism By Let Us Reason Ministries Generally Buddhism does not believe in a personal God or a divine being, it does not have worship, praying to, or praising of a divine being (although some sects do.) It offers no form of redemption, forgiveness, no heavenly hope, or a final judgment to those practicing its system. Buddhism is a moral philosophy, an ethical way to live for the here and now of this world to gain the ultimate state. It has more in common with humanism and atheism than its original religion Hinduism it separated from. But Buddhism is not atheism just because they don't believe in a personal God. It is more like pantheism, there is a impersonal force the void which is the ultimate. There are 327 million Buddhists worldwide (313,114,000 in Asia) here in Hawaii the major Japanese, Korean population are Some type of Buddhist. There are numerous offshoots but their are two major branches. For us to understand and use the gospel to penetrate this religion we need to know what they teach about the Buddha and use the stories as possibly bridges to reach them. In my opinion of all religions this is one of the hardest to reach and understand, since Buddhism can be cultural, it is a lifestyle of many generations as well as a spiritual practice. For centuries, Buddhism has been the dominant religion of the Eastern world and still remains the predominant religion in China, Japan, Korea, as well as southeast Asia. In Japan alone there are approximately 200 sects. This makes it difficult to address this religion as a whole since it can be so diversified. Buddhism has made a tremendous impact in the United States with a growing Asian population in the U.S., thousands of Americans have been attracted to Buddhism making it their religion. There are now over one thousand Buddhist temples, monasteries, and centers in the United States. Sangha which means the order or brotherhood (community) who are monks. Each member of the Sangha must wear a yellow robe, shave their head and practice meditation. They are to affirm the three refuges (triple gems): take refuge in Buddha who became enlightened when he discovered the true reality. The Dharma which are the laws the adhere to on the path to eliminate their suffering. These consist of the laws of the world and the teachings of Buddha. From a Christian point of view the laws of this world would be subject to the present condition of things which is fallen. And Sangha which is the community as a whole striving for the qualities of the Buddha. There are to adhere to over 225 regulations which forbid them to do many things.

Jehovah Witnesses are Part of a Cult

Who are the Jehovah's Witnesses?

Who are the Jehovah's Witnesses? By Daymond Duck The World Book Dictionary says, "A cult is a group or sect whose practices or beliefs are separated from generally accepted values and creeds." One of their most common traits is the fact that they look to a person or group other than the Bible for spiritual revelation. So by definition and trait Jehovah's Witnesses are a cult. Jehovah's Witnesses depend upon the "Watchtower Magazine" and "Awake Magazine" for spiritual revelation. These two publications are printed in Brooklyn, NY by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society. This society was started by Mr. Charles T. Russell. He didn't agree with the generally accepted beliefs that most churches held about hell and eternal judgment. He also didn't believe in the Trinity. Instead of falling in line, he started his own group. According to the Bible, God's true prophets had to be right one hundred percent of the time. It also says no one knows when the Lord will return. Charles T. Russell departed from this. He said Jesus would return in 1876. It didn't happen. He departed from the Scriptures and he was wrong. This makes him a false prophet. The Bible tells us not to add to or take away from the Scriptures (Revelation 22:18-19). Over the years, scholars have found the Watchtower and Bible Tract Society wrong about many things. Instead of correcting their mistakes, they produced their own translation of the Bible. They changed words to make the Bible fit their own theology.  Here are several things the "Organization" teaches:  1) They say Jesus is a created being (The Bible says Jesus is the Creator).  2) They say Jesus is actually Michael the Archangel (The Bible says Jesus is the Son of God).  3) They say Jesus was not resurrected bodily, but as a spirit being (The Bible says His body disappeared. He appeared to His disciples and told them to look at His flesh and bones.)  4) They say Jesus returned invisibly in 1914 and appeared secretly to the Organization. (The Bible says He will return the same way He went away which was visibly and every eye will see Him.).  5) They say Jesus was a man when He was on the earth and that He was not "the Word made flesh." They say He should not be worshipped. (That's the exact opposite of what the Bible says).  6) They say hell is the grave (They have rewritten the Bible and changed words to make it say this).  7) They say heaven's doors are open to only 144,000 and the rest of the saved will spend eternity on a paradise earth (The Bible says differently).  8) They say salvation is only through their "Organization." (The Bible says it's only through Jesus.  9) They say the doctrine of the Trinity originated with Satan (The Bible which was given by the Holy Spirit teaches that there is a Godhead.). Jehovah's Witnesses work hard, but works won't save them. They need to receive Jesus as their Saviour

Predictors of the End: Wrong Again!

Predictors of the End

The Date Setters Diary Date setters keep trying and they also keep failing By Todd Strandberg One logical question all Christians should ask themselves is: "When is Jesus Christ going to return?" When I read my Bible, I run across words like, "For ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh" (Mat 25:13). I also read, "Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come" (Mat 24:42). I understand that to mean, "You're not going to know until I come for you." Other people throughout history have read the same words of Jesus and have come up with different interpretations of what He intended. They've somehow managed to get around all restrictions against precise date setting. On a number of occasions, by doing so, they created pure havoc. The following is a list of some past failed attempts at date settings and some dates yet to come.  53 AD Even before all the books of the Bible were written, there was talk that Christ's return had already taken place. The Thessalonians panicked on Paul when they heard a rumor that the day of the Lord was at hand, and they had missed the rapture.    500 A Roman priest living in the second century predicted Christ would return in 500 AD, based on the dimensions of Noah's ark. 1000 This year goes down as one of the most heightened periods of hysteria over the return of Christ. All members of society seemed affected by the prediction that Jesus was coming back at the start of the new millennium. None of the events required by the Bible were transpiring at that time; the magic of the number 1000 was the sole reason for the expectation. During concluding months of 999 AD, everyone was on his best behavior; worldly goods were sold and given to the poor; swarms of pilgrims headed east to meet the Lord at Jerusalem; buildings went unrepaired; crops were left unplanted; and criminals were set free from jails. When the year 999 AD turned into 1000 AD, nothing happened.    1033 This year was cited as the beginning of the millennium because it marked 1,000 years since Christ's crucifixion.    1186 The "Letter of Toledo" warned everyone to hide in the caves and mountains. The world was reportedly to be destroyed with only a few spared.    1420 The Taborites of Czechoslovakia predicted every city would be annihilated by fire. Only five mountain strongholds would be saved.    1524-1526  Muntzer, a leader of German peasants, announced that the return of Christ was near. After Muntzer and his men destroyed the high and mighty, the Lord would supposedly return. This belief led to an uneven battle against government troops. He was strategically outnumbered. Muntzer claimed to have had a vision from God in which the Lord promised that He would catch the cannonballs of the enemy in the sleeves of His cloak. The prediction within the vision turned out to be false when Muntzer and his followers were mowed down by cannon fire.  1534 A repeat of the Muntzer affair occurred a few years later. This time, Jan Matthys took over the city of Munster. The city was to be the only one spared from destruction. The inhabitants of Munster, chased out by Matthys and his men, regrouped and lay siege to the city. Within a year, everyone in the city was dead. 1650-1660 The Fifth Monarchy Men looked for Jesus to establish a theocracy. They took up arms and tried to seize England by force. The movement died when the British monarchy was restored in 1660. 1666 For the citizens of London, 1666 was not a banner year. A bubonic plague outbreak killed 100,000 and the Great Fire of London struck the same year. The world seemed at an end to most Londoners. The fact that the year ended with the Beast's number—666--didn't help matters.    1809 Mary Bateman, who specialized in fortune telling, had a magic chicken that laid eggs with end-time messages on them. One message said that Christ was coming. The uproar she created ended when an unannounced visitor caught her forcing an egg into the hen's oviduct. Mary later was hanged for poisoning a wealthy client. History does not record whether the offended chicken attended the hanging.    1814 Spiritualist Joanna Southcott made the startling claim that she, by virgin birth, would produce the second Jesus Christ. Her abdomen began to swell and so did the crowds of people around her. The time for the birth came and passed; she died soon after. An autopsy revealed she had experienced a false pregnancy.    1836 John Wesley wrote that "the time, times and half a time" of Revelation 12:14 were 1058­1836, "when Christ should come" (A. M. Morris, The Prophecies Unveiled, p. 361). 1843-1844 William Miller was the founder of an end-times movement that was so prominent it received its own name, Millerism. From his studies of the Bible, Miller determined that the second coming would happen sometime between 1843-1844. A spectacular meteor shower in 1833 gave the movement a good push forward. The buildup of anticipation continued until March 21, 1844, when Miller's one-year timetable ran out. Some followers set another date--Oct 22, 1844. This too failed, collapsing the movement. One follower described the days after the failed predictions: "The world made merry over the old Prophet's predicament. The taunts and jeers of the 'scoffers' were well-nigh unbearable."    1859 Rev. Thomas Parker, a Massachusetts minister, looked for the millennium to start about 1859.    1881 Someone called Mother Shipton had, 400 years earlier, claimed that the world would end in 1881. A controversy hangs over the Shipton writings as to whether or not publishers doctored the text. If the date was wrong, should it matter anyway? 1910 The revisit of Halley's comet was, for many, an indication of the Lord's second coming. The earth actually passed through the gaseous tail of the comet. One enterprising man sold comet pills to people for protection against the effects of the toxic gases.    1914 Charles Russell, after being exposed to the teachings of William Miller, founded his own organization that evolved into the Jehovah's Witnesses. In 1914, Russell predicted the return of Jesus Christ.    1918 In 1918, new math didn't help the Witnesses from striking out again.    1925 The Witnesses had no better luck in 1925. They already possessed the title of “Most Wrong Predictions.” They would expand upon it in the years to come.    1941 Once again, Jehovah's Witnesses beleived that Armageddon was due. Before the end of 1941, the end of all things was predicted.    1967 When the city of Jerusalem was reclaimed by the Jews in 1967, prophecy watchers declared that the "Time of the Gentiles" had come to an end.    1970 The True Light Church of Christ made its claim to fame by incorrectly forecasting the return of Jesus. A number of church members had quit their livelihoods ahead of the promised advent.    1973 A comet that turned out to be a visual disappointment nonetheless compelled one preacher to announce that it would be a sign of the Lord's return.    1975 The Jehovah's Witnesses were back at it in 1975. The failure of the forecast did not affect the growth of the movement. The Watchtower magazine, a major Witness periodical, has over 13 million subscribers.    1977 We all remember the killer bee scare of the late 1970's. One prophecy prognosticator linked the bees to Revelation 9:3-12. After 20 years of progression, the bees are still in Texas. I'm beginning to think of them as the killer snails. 1981 One author boldly declared that the rapture would occur before December 31, 1981, based on Christian prophecy, astronomy, and a dash of ecological fatalism. He pegged the date to Jesus' promised return to earth a generation after Israel's rebirth. He also made references to the "Jupiter Effect," a planetary alignment occurring every 179 years that supposedly could lead to earthquakes and nuclear plant meltdowns.    1982 It was all going to end in 1982, when the planets lined up and created magnetic forces that would bring Armageddon to the earth.    1982 A group called the Tara Centers placed full-page advertisements in many major newspapers for the weekend of April 24-25, 1982, announcing: "The Christ is Now Here!" They predicted that He was to make himself known "within the next two months." After the date passed, they said that the delay was only because the "consciousness of the human race was not quite right..." Boy, all these years and we're still not ready.  1984 The Jehovah's Witnesses made sure, in 1984, that no one else would be able to top their record of most wrong doomsday predictions. The Witnesses' record currently holds at nine. The years are: 1874, 1878, 1881, 1910, 1914, 1918, 1925, 1975, and 1984. Lately, the JWs are claiming they're out of the prediction business, but it's hard to teach an old dog new tricks. They'll be back.    1987 The Harmonic Convergence was planned for August 16-17, 1987, and several New Age events were also to occur at that time. The second coming of the serpent god of peace and the Hopi dance awakening were two examples.    1988 The book, 88 Reasons Why the Rapture is in 1988, came out only a few months before the event was to take place. What little time the book had, it used effectively. By the time the predicted dates, September 11-13, rolled around, whole churches were caught up in the excitement the book generated. I personally had friends who were measuring themselves for wings. In the dorm where we lived, my friends were also openly confronting all of the unsaved. It became my job to defuse situations. In one case, an accosted sinner was contemplating dispensary action against my now-distant friends. Finally, the days of destiny dawned and then set. No Jesus. The environment was not the same as Miller's 1844 failure. To my surprise, the taunting by the unsaved was very brief. I took it that people have very little understanding of the Bible, so they had nothing to taunt my friends with. I made one other interesting observation. Although the time for the rapture had been predicted to fall within a three-day window, September 11-13, my friends gave up hope on the morning of the 12th. I pointed out that they still had two days left, but they had been spooked, nonetheless  1989 After the passing of the deadline in 88 Reasons, the author, Edgar Whisenant, came out with a new book called 89 Reasons Why the Rapture is in 1989. This book sold only a fraction of the number of copies his prior release had sold.    1991 A group in Australia predicted Jesus would return through the Sydney Harbor at 9 a.m., March 31, 1991. 1991 Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan proclaimed the Gulf War would be "the War of Armageddon ... the final War."    1991 Menachem Schneerson, a Russian-born rabbi, called for the Messiah to come by September 9, 1991, the start of the Jewish New Year.    1992 A Korean group called Mission for the Coming Days had the Korea Church an uproar in the fall of 1992. They foresaw October 28, 1992 as the date for the rapture. Numerology was the basis for the date. Several camera shots that left ghostly images on pictures were thought to be a supernatural confirmation of the date.    1993 If the year 2000 is the end of the 6,000-year cycle, then the rapture must take place in 1993, because you would need seven years of the tribulation. This was the thinking of a number of prophecy writers.    1994 In the book, 1994: The Year of Destiny , F. M. Riley foretold of God's plan to rapture His people. The name of his ministry is “The Last Call,” and he operates out of Missouri.    1994 Pastor John Hinkle of Christ Church in Los Angeles caused quite a stir when he announced he had received a vision from God that warned of apocalyptic event on June 9, 1994. Hinkle, quoting God, said, "On Thursday June the 9th, I will rip the evil out of this world." At the time, I knew Hinkle's vision didn't match up with Scripture. From a proper reading of Bible prophecy, the only thing that God could possibly rip from the earth would be the Christian Church, and I don't think God would refer to the Church as "evil." Some people tried to interpret Hinkle's unscriptural vision to mean that God would the rip evil out of our hearts when He raptured us. Well, the date came and went with no heart surgery or rapture.  1994 Harold Camping, in his book Are You Ready?, predicted the Lord would return in September 1994. The book was full of numerology that added up to 1994 as the date of Christ's return.    1994 After promising they would not make anymore end time predictions, the Jehovah's Witnesses fell off the wagon and proclaimed 1994 as the conclusion of an 80-year generation; the year 1914 was the starting point.    1996 This year had a special month, according to one author who foresaw September as the time for our Lord's return. The Church Age will last 2,000 years from the time of Christ's birth in 4 BC.    1996 California psychic Sheldon Nidle predicted the end would come with the convergence of 16 million space ships and a host of angels upon the earth on December 17, 1996. Nidle explained the passing of the date by claiming the angels placed us in a holographic projection to preserve us and give us a second chance.    1997 In regard to 1997, I received several e-mail messages that pointed to this as the year when Jesus would return for His church. Two of the more widely known time frames were Monte Judah's prediction that the tribulation would begin in February/March and another prediction based on numerology and the Psalms that targeted May 14 as the date of the rapture.    1997 When Yitzhak Rabin and Yasser Arafat signed their peace pact on the White House lawn on September 13, 1993, some saw the events as the beginning of tribulation. With the signing of the peace agreement, Daniel's 1,260-day countdown was underway. By adding 1,260 days to September 1993, you arrive at February 24, 1997. 1997 Stan Johnson of the Prophecy Club saw a "90 percent" chance that the tribulation would start September 12, 1997. He based his conclusion on several end-time signs: that would be Jesus' 2,000th birthday and it would also be the Day of Atonement, although it wouldn’t be what is currently the Jewish Day of Atonement. Further supporting evidence came from Romanian pastor Dumitru Duduman. In several heavenly visions, Dumitru claimed to have seen the Book of Life. In one of his earlier visions, there were several pages yet to be completed. In his last vision, he noticed the Book of Life only had one page left. Doing some rough calculating, Johnson and friends figured the latest time frame for the completion of the book would have to be September 1997. 1998 Numerology: Because 666 times three equals 1998, some people point to this year as being prophetically significant. Someone called me long distance just so he could pass on to me this earth-shattering news.  1998 A Taiwanese cult operating out of Garland, Texas predicted Christ would return on March 31 of 1998. The group's leader, Heng-ming Chen, announced God would return and then invite the cult members aboard a UFO. The group abandoned their prediction when a precursor event failed to take place. The cult's leader had said that God would appear on every channel 18 of every TV in the world. Maybe God realized at the last minute, the Playboy Network was channel 18 on several cable systems, and He didn't want to have Christians watching a porn channel. 1998 On April 30, 1998, Israel was to turn 50 and many believed this birthday would mark the beginning of the tribulation. The reasoning behind this date has to do with God's age requirement for the priesthood, which is between 30-50. 1998 Marilyn Agee, in her book, The End of the Age, had her sights set on May 31, 1998. This date was to conclude the 6,000-year cycle from the time of Adam. Agee looked for the rapture to take place on Pentecost, which is also known as “the Feast of Weeks.” Another indicator of this date was the fact that the Holy Spirit did not descend upon the apostles until 50 days after Christ's resurrection. Israel was born in 1948; add the 50 days as years and you come up with 1998. After her May 31 rapture date failed, Agee, unable to face up to her error, continued her date setting by using various Scripture references to point to June 7, 14, 21 and about 10 other dates. 1999 Well, you can't call Marilyn Agee a quitter. After bombing out badly several time in 1998, Marilyn set a new date for the rapture: May 21 or 22 of this year. 1999 TV newscaster-turned-psychic Charles Criswell King had said in 1968 that the world as we know it would cease to exist on August 18, 1999.  1999 Philip Berg, a rabbi at the Kabbalah Learning Center in New York, proclaimed that the end might arrive on September 11, 1999, when "a ball of fire will descend . . . destroying almost all of mankind, all vegetation, all forms of life." 2000 Numerology: If you divide 2,000 by 3, you will get the devil's number: 666.66666666666667. 2000 The names of the people and organizations that called for the return of Christ at the turn of the century is too long to be listed here. I would say that if there were a day on which Christ could not return, it must have been January 1, 2000. To come at an unknown time means to come at an unknown time. I think January 2, 2000 would have been a more likely day for Him to call His Church home--right after the big let down.    2000 On May 5, 2000, all of the planets were supposed to have been in alignment. This was said to cause the earth to suffer earthquakes, volcanic eruption, and various other nasty stuff. A similar alignment occurred in 1982 and nothing happened. People failed to realize that the other nine planets only exert a very tiny gravitational pull on the earth. If you were to add up the gravitational force from the rest of the planets, the total would only amount to a fraction of the tug the moon has on the earth.  2000 According to Michael Rood, the end times have a prophetically complicated connection to Israel's spring barley harvest. The Day of the Lord began on May 5, 2000. Rood's fall feast calendar called for the Russian Gog-Magog invasion of Israel to take place at sundown on October 28, 2000. 2000-2001 Dr. Dale SumburËru looked for March 22, 1997 to be "the date when all the dramatic events leading through the tribulation to the return of Christ should begin" The actual date of Christ's return could be somewhere between July 2000 and March 2001. Dr. SumburËru is more general about the timing of Christ's second coming than most writers. He states, "The day the Lord returns is currently unknown because He said [Jesus] these days are cut short and it is not yet clear by how much and in what manner they are cut short. If the above assumptions are not correct, my margin of error would be in weeks, or perhaps months."  2002 Priests from Cuba's Afro-Caribbean Yoruba religion predicted a dramatic year of tragedy and crisis for the world in 2002, ranging from coups and war to disease and flooding.  2004 This date for Jesus' return is based upon psalmology, numerology, the biblical 360 days per year, Jewish holidays, and "biblical astronomy." To figure out this date, you'll need a calculator, a slide rule, and plenty of scratch paper.    2011-2018 For the past several decades, Jack Van Impe has hinted at nearly every year as being the time for the rapture. Normally, he has only gone out one or two years from the current calendar year. However, Jack's latest projection for the rapture goes out several years. His new math uses 51 years as the length of a generation. If you add 51 years to 1967, the year Israel recaptured Jerusalem, you get 2018. Once you subtract the seven-year tribulation period, you arrive at 2011.    2012 New Age writers cite Mayan and Aztec calendars that predict the end of the age on December 21, 2012. 2060 Sir Isaac Newton, Britain's greatest scientist, spent 50 years and wrote 4,500 pages trying to predict when the end of the world was coming. The most definitive date he set for the apocalypse, which he scribbled on a scrap of paper, was 2060. An untold number of people have tried to predict the Lord's return by using elaborate timetables. Most date setters do not realize that mankind has not kept an unwavering record of time. Anyone wanting to chart, for example, 100 BC to 2000 AD, would have to contend with the fact that 46 BC was 445 days long, there was no year 0 BC, and in 1582 we switched from Julian Years (360 days) to Gregorian (365 days). Because most prognosticators are not aware of all of these errors, their math is immediately off by several years. I believe we will never know the exact day of Christ's return for His Church. It is God's nature to act independently from man's thinking. If He returned on a date that someone had figured out, that person would deprive God of His triumph. When it comes to His glory, God doesn't share the spotlight with anyone. The return of Jesus Christ for His Church will easily be the most important event in history. The glory of heaven contrasted with our lives on earth is like comparing the job of running a hot dog stand with the job of serving as President of the United States. Finally, when it comes to knowing the general time frame of Christ's return for His Church, the Word of God is more generous. Jesus forewarned us of a number of events that will take place. When we see the predicted events coming together, we can conclude that time is short. Most of the prophecies will take place during the tribulation. Any forewarning of their arrival would make the rapture all the more likely, because it will occur at the start of the seven-year tribulation period.

End Times Prophecy Events

End Times Prophecy Events This article appeared originally in the December 2005–January 2006 Levitt Letters. By Dr. Zola Levittwww.levitt.com I'm going to deal with a question that comes up frequently in our computer correspondence and in churches where I speak. That question is about End Times Prophecy and the series of events that come about for the Believers. The following material was skillfully reduced for publication by my son, Aaron, an excellent editor.  I. Glory The Church seems to often focus on the future of unbelievers. The oncoming Tribulation Period, the actions of the Antichrist, and Armageddon are repeatedly taught, as if they are the Believer's main concerns. Studying the Tribulation is very important, since it signals the culmination of God's plan and the return of our Lord. But it's more pleasant to think of those entering Heaven during that period, and later returning with God to populate His Kingdom on earth. The hallmark of Christianity is our bright future. What we see is not all we get. Earthly life is of little significance to those who have been promised the Kingdom to come. We're already living our eternal lives, and this is the worst part of them.  II. The Rapture: What is it? The Rapture of the Church is the moment when Jesus will come and take the Believers with Him to heaven. This promise of Christianity distinguishes it from worldly religions. Buddha and Mohammed won't be making another appearance. Cults last about as long as their founders exist. But followers of Christ are assured deliverance to come - true deliverance of the Chosen People to the Promised Land. It's sad that there are churches which haven't disclosed the Rapture to their members. Liberal churches which have put away the Bible, losing the prime promise of Jesus, and they live on in a pathetic "Christian ethic" - a meaningless and powerless copy of life in Christ. But those aware of the Rapture and awaiting Jesus' return will live in a new Kingdom in an ongoing eternal life. "Rapture," borrowed from the Latin Vulgate Bible, appears in the King James as "caught up" (I Thess. 4:17). Verses 16–18 contain the prime promise of Jesus' return. Verse 18 isn't quoted often, but should be, for what is more comforting than knowing we'll go beyond this life and "ever be with the Lord"? On His last Passover night, Jesus indicated His departure from the Church, promising to return again: Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also (John 14:1-3). After His resurrection and forty days with His Disciples, Jesus rose to His Father, repeating His promise (Acts 1:9–11). In these final forty days, the Lord taught not so much how to behave, as about witnessing to all men in preparation for the Kingdom to come (Acts 1:9). The men in verse 10 were angels, come to assure the Disciples that in just the manner they had seen the Lord ascend - into Heaven - He would return. Thus, the Lord will not return "in a spiritual way" or "in your heart," but literally in the manner that He left, bodily and miraculously. In the same way Jesus spent His last moments on earth, we also should focus on the Kingdom to come, which starts with the Rapture. We learn more about the Rapture from 1 Cor. 15:22–23. Everyone "born of Adam" dies, but those in Christ will be resurrected. It also indicates that we have an order, which ties in with "the dead in Christ will rise first." Jesus' number was one, and He is called the "first fruits" as He is the first man permanently resurrected. First fruits is the third Jewish feast, Resurrection Sunday, which we have come to call "Easter." Referring to it as "first fruits," we realize there is a second, third, etc. We're all numbered, and will rise in that order in the Rapture. The dead in Christ, having lower numbers, will rise first. We will undergo a mysterious metamorphosis: we will be outfitted for eternal life, as our present bodies won't do for that (I Cor. 15:51–53). Death is the common fear of all mortals - except for the true Believer. Paul exults in the face of death in verses 55-57. After the Rapture is accomplished, we're ready for the exciting events of our seven years in heaven, as the Tribulation Period takes place on earth. (The Rapture is more fully covered in my books, Raptured, with Dr. Thomas S. McCall and The Signs of the End.)  III. Heaven Once we're in Heaven with Jesus, we have important matters to transact. We are not issued wings and harps, but instead have a momentous conference with the Lord - aimed at preparing us for our wedding. We, the bride of Christ, shall become the Lord's wife. The first event is a review of our earthly lives (II Cor. 5:10). Each of us meets individually and privately with the Lord at this "Judgment Seat" in order to evaluate our lives on earth. The emphasis is not on our sins, which are forgiven, but on our works. Believers are saved "unto good works", and have responsibilities as disciples of Christ. If not for our appointed tasks on earth, we could have gone to Heaven the moment we were saved. As it is, we will or will not have accomplished certain assignments, according to our gifts. Paul expounds on the standards in the Judgment Seat of Christ, and how our works are reckoned (I Cor. 3:11–13). He writes that no foundation for this life can be laid outside of that in Christ. (Good works done outside of Christ by unbelievers are not relevant to this Scripture because unbelievers won't be going to Heaven. Those works, plus sins, are presented at the Great White Throne of Judgment, after the Kingdom.) Paul next divides our works into two categories, "gold, silver, and precious stones," and "wood, hay, and stubble" - two very different rankings of quality. Jesus will test all of our works with fire. The analogy is clear, as fire certainly shows the difference between works of gold, silver, and precious stones, and those of wood, hay, and stubble. That is the real purpose of the Judgment Seat. Each Believer has a life of great variety to present to God, and we are not always sure ourselves just which of our works are of high value in Heaven. We recall from the Gospels the story of the man who prayed, fasted, and thanked God that he was not like the poor beggar who lay on his face at the back of the synagogue, while the beggar plead to God, "Have mercy on me, a sinner." As the Lord explained, it was found that the beggar's humility and plea for mercy were the real gold, silver, and precious stones, while the hypocrisy of wood, hay, and stubble belonged to the supposedly righteous man in the front. Paul then states our rewards for the works that survive the fire (I Cor. 3:14), jewels for our crowns. The rewards of the Christian come at the end of this life, in Heaven, not on the earth. Paul also says we shall suffer loss for our works of wood, hay and stubble in verse 15. We note the phrase "but he himself shall be saved." God is clear that salvation is a free gift, not an earned prize; we cannot lose our salvation by bad works or sins, which were forgiven when we believed in Christ. We will suffer loss of our rewards, in effect, for our bad works, but we won't fall back out of Heaven. Peter thought the heavy net of fish he had "caught up" might break, and some fish fall back in the water (John 21:11). But the Lord had selected the fish on this occasion, and none were lost once they were caught up. The fire does not consume the Believer, for God has fire that does not totally burn up, such as the Burning Bush and the Lake of Fire. The fire is only to purify away the bad works, as fire sterilizes bacteria in foods. The Judgment Seat of Christ is to prepare us as a spotless bride for our Lord (II Cor. 11:2). If we still had the memory of bad works we had done in our lifetimes of service, we would have, as it were, a guilty conscience, and would not be the pure virgins the Lord requires. The Judgment Seat is the final preparation for the marriage supper of the Lamb. Just as earthly brides adorn themselves in finest garments, so we will go before the Lord cleansed of all bad works, forgiven, and in that sense, as perfect as He is Himself. It surprises many Believers that we will then be, in our purity, equal to Christ. But that is our destiny, the Scripture is clear. Christ could not marry less a bride than He Himself, and we shall reign with Him in the Kingdom as the Queen on the earth. This, then, is true Christianity, a transcendence of this worldly life, state, body, mind, and all worldly labor - we trade it all for eternal bliss in the presence of God Himself in Christ Jesus.  IV. The Marriage Now we are ready to marry the Lord. It's fascinating to compare these events with Israel's wedding traditions in Christ's time. There was a seven-day honeymoon in a bridal chamber for the bride and groom, preceding the marriage supper. This pertains exactly to the seven years in Heaven and the Judgment Seat of Christ, leading up to marriage with Him. (The Jewish wedding and all of its Gospel implications are explained fully in the booklet, A Christian Love Story.) John covers the marriage scene for us in two glorious verses (Rev. 19:7–8). The white linen bridal gowns we shall wear fulfill a fascinating Bible type that reaches back to the Tabernacle of ancient Israel (Exodus 25–30). In the Tabernacle, plain white linen symbolized pure righteousness. The linen curtains around the entire Tabernacle, the tent, as it were, were pure white. Therefore, no one could enter through the sides or rear, because no one was perfectly righteous. The door of the Tabernacle was sewn with the colors of Christ - scarlet, purple, and blue threads, indicating sacrifice, royalty, and Heaven. The Israelites entered by the door, so symbolically, they were entering by means of the Messiah. Jesus said, I am the door: by Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture (John 10:9). Messianic colors were worn by the priests, and also appeared in the hangings of various courts and in roof coverings. But now, the Church shall wear white! - "Fine linen, clean and white, for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints." That we now appear in pure white testifies to our final perfection. Paul compared earthly marriage to Christ's marrying the Church (Eph. 5:21–33). Ultimately, we will see the result of the apostles' exhortation of the infant Church. After we marry the Lord, we'll reign with Him in His Kingdom on earth. This is exactly the way the bride returned with her groom after an Israeli marriage, to housing he had arranged for them - outside of his father's house. (Some teach that the wedding will be on earth after we return, and others have it in Heaven with the marriage supper on earth (Rev. 19:7–8).  V. The Return Jesus' return to earth is glorious in the Scriptures (Rev. 19:11–16). The Church initially comes as an army to stop the battle of Armageddon. After that battle will come the judgment of those who lived during the Tribulation, and the rewarding of those who refused the mark of the Antichrist (Rev. 20:4–5). John exults in our taking part in this first resurrection and reigning with Christ through the Kingdom Age (v. 6). While still on earth, Jesus taught more on this judgment, which serves as an immigration office into the Kingdom. He means to judge every soul alive during the seven years of the Tribulation. All nations will be before Him, the Believers separated from the unbelievers as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. (See Matt. 25:31–34.) The Believers will be surprised they had so honored Jesus (Matt. 25:37–40). If the nations of the world, even during the Tribulation, express faith in Christ by caring for His brethren (the 144,000 of Israel who witness during that hard time), they will be saved. But the judgment is equal, and devastating, upon those who failed to honor the Lord during the reign of the Antichrist (vs. 45–46). The Old Testament saints are also gathered at the start of the Kingdom Age, so the Kingdom begins with rather a mixed crowd, who yet all share sincere belief in their Messiah and King (Romans 3:25). Since the Believers of the Tribulation Period did not come to faith before the Rapture, they were not changed, but remain as before, marrying and giving in marriage, and giving birth to ordinary, fleshly sinners "born of Adam." In the end, some of these will disobey the Lord's commands, and Scripture poses certain penalties (e.g., Zech. 14:16–19). These mischief-makers in the Kingdom, having multiplied, will be rallied by Satan in the very last battle at the end of the thousand years (Rev. 20:7–9). This, Satan's last rebellion, is unsuccessful, and the Great White Throne of Judgment is set up for all who were confined with him, and the unbelievers of all ages (vs. 11–15). The "second death" referred to is avoided by Believers, who are exonerated and do not have to appear in the Judgment.  VI. The Kingdom This great millennium is the true reward of the Church, and will be quite a different age than we are experiencing now. Things will be socially "upside-down." It will be "sophisticated' to be a Christian, foolish to be an unbeliever. The King Himself shall reign in Jerusalem with us, His Queen. Jesus took all His teaching from the Old Testament; there was no New Testament at the time He taught His disciples "the things pertaining to the Kingdom." The great passages of Isaiah and the other prophets make clear this magnificent age of God's triumph. The New Testament therefore assumes its readers understand the Kingdom, and so, it virtually begins with the Sermon on the Mount, teaching both admission to and laws of the Kingdom, and then its joys (the Beatitudes, in Matt. 5, etc.). See Isaiah 11:4–9. Isaiah 12 contains the most beautiful and concise description of the Kingdom in the whole Bible. The themes of the Kingdom are the constant company of the Messiah, total triumph of the saints, and justice and mercy throughout the earth.  VII. Eternity After the Kingdom and the Great White Throne of Judgment, the Believers live on in eternity. God will change Heaven, earth, and Jerusalem (Rev. 21:1–3 - no more seas or water, and therefore no more life as we now know it. The very end of the Scriptures, as John describes in his Revelation, become symbolic, and almost incomprehensible. We can sample John's description of eternity in Rev. 21:1–7. One notable feature is that there will be no Temple (v. 22). There is no need for further sacrifice, or, in effect, for further worship. Everyone will be at one with God, and approach Him directly, as did Adam before the fall. Another interesting feature of eternity is new light. Light was the first thing God created, but now there will be no need of the sun or moon, because God and the Lamb provide the light (Rev. 21:23). But perhaps the most striking feature of all is that there will be no evil - anywhere. While there was a certain amount of rebellion even in the Kingdom, eternity will be utterly free of it (Rev. 21:26–27). And remember, this is only the beginning! John, after seeing all these things, wrote that the thing to do was to pray now for the soon coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. John the Apostle, New Testament Saint, and member of the Church awaited the Rapture fervently - and so should we. The conclusion of the Bible is a more-than-fitting conclusion for this discussion. John's final prayer must be our ultimate prayer. In view of all he had seen in this stunning Revelation of Jesus Christ, John uttered simply: He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen (Rev. 22:20-21).