Monday, May 30, 2016

HOW MANY TIMES HAS THE BIBLE BEEN REWRITTEN? Has The Bible Been Revised Or Is The Bible The Literal Authoritative Living Word Of God? If It has been revised, why is this the case? One would think that if the Bible needed revision it was not written by anyone with real authority. Put a copy in the mailbox and it would be considered junk mail.


Harry RichesHappy Riches answers

The actual original question: "How many times has the bible been revised and why has it been resived [sic]?"
The Bible has been revised a number of times. But methinks that maybe you want to know how many times the Bible has been altered so that it means something different than what was originally recorded.
One of the remarkable facts about the Old Testament is that scribes scrupulously copied it over the centuries so as to keep it from being corrupted. The reverence attributed to the Holy Scriptures by worshipers of God was such that scribes did not dare alter it. However, minor textual errors have crept into its pages, but these are of the kind that we find in your question: when you write: “Why has it been resived?”  Unless a person is an idiot, no one should misunderstand that you mean “revised” and not “resived”.
Here is an example from the Biblical Archaeological Society of an error that has crept into the text but when compared with the more ancient Dead Sea Scrolls, although written in Greek and not Hebrew, we can see what is really meant:
When the infant Samuel had been weaned and his mother, Hannah, finally came to Shiloh with her son, she also brought with her an offering for the Lord that is described in two ways in our textual sources. According to the Masoretic Text, she brought “three bulls,” but according to the Septuagint and a Qumran scroll (4QSama from 50–25 B.C.E.) she brought one “three-year-old bull.”
I believe that Hannah probably offered only a single bull (as in the Septuagint and 4QSama); supporting this choice is the next verse in the Masoretic Text which speaks about “the bull.” I believe the Masoretic Text was textually corrupted when the continuous writing (without spaces between words) of the original words prm/shlshh (literally: “bulls three”) underlying the Septuagint was divided wrongly to pr mshlsh (“three-year-old bull”).*
The evidence of the Septuagint, being in Greek, always depends on a reconstruction into Hebrew, and consequently the Qumran scroll here helps us in deciding between the various options. Incidentally an offering of a “three-year-old bull” is mentioned in Genesis 15:9. It shows that a Hebrew text underlying the Septuagint once existed in which Hannah brought only one three-year-old bull.
Much of the Bible has been revised in this regard when textual uncertainties have been verified. This is putatively the reason for many revisions of the Bible; however, methinks the real reason is that publishers looking to make more money from selling Bibles. This is especially the case when it comes to those Bibles that tend to move away from the original texts, such as the paraphrased versions—although the paraphrased The Living Bible was the Bible I initially used because I found the King James Version (KJV) difficult to read. The KJV actually turned me away from reading the Bible and seeking God.
When I was introduced to the Revised Standard Version (RSV), I memorized Scripture from this Bible. I have found the RSV to be an accurate translation that is still relevant in today’s English. People have issues with it on some very minor points, because they believe that the KJV is the Living Word of God or the Literal Word of God, rather than what it is really: a translation from the original languages with a heavy Calvinist influence. However, even with the doctrinal leanings of the KJV towards Calvinist teachings, when one considers the verses within their natural context, the true meaning still shines through.
One of the reasons for Bible revisions is so that it is free flowing and not verse specific. This makes the Bible easier reading, although problematic when it comes to understanding certain elements of truth. The KJV style of separating each verse is problematic in that people tend to divorce Scriptures from context as they memorize one verse here and another verse from elsewhere. Whereas, when I began memorizing the Bible, I would memorize chapters or major portions of the chapter and this kept the verses in context. This led me to discover that many people were falsely interpreting the Scriptures because they were taking verses out of context to support their doctrines or pet theories. The fact there are so many different doctrines is one of the reasons people think that the Bible has been revised, when in fact the message is intact, even in paraphrased versions.
Essentially, then, what I am saying is even though the Bible has been revised, and I am aware of this, this has not posed any difficulty for me. This is because all Bibles bear witness to Jesus Christ and once we know Him and we have received the Holy Spirit, and begin praying for the truth, we begin to find that our lives need to align with what the Bible says is morally correct for us to do. The message is that we are sinners who are heading for death and eternal punishment if we do not acknowledge that we need to change our ways. We are powerless to do this without the help of the Lord God. By seeking Him out, we are able to resist the Evil One and allow the Lord our God to become our deliverer. This message permeates the Bible. This is the message of the Bible. This message has been in every Bible I have read, even those that have been corrupted on purpose, such as The New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (1984).
The New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures  has since been revised (2013) and in one place where it was purposely corrupted, although claiming to be an accurate translation of the original Greek, this has been changed.
  1. and that from infancy you have known the holy writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through the faith in connection with Christ Jesus. (1984)
  2. and that from infancy you have known the holy writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. (2013)
As you no doubt realize there is a big difference in meaning between “obtaining salvation through the faith in connection with Christ Jesus” and “securing salvation through faith in Christ Jesus”.
The phrase “obtain salvation through the faith in connection with” means that “the faith” is where the salvation is obtained—but this is not through Christ Jesus. The words “the faith” here mean the doctrines of the Jehovah Witnesses. Just like the Mormons promote their teachings in the book of Mormon rather than use the Bible. Or like Calvinists promote their TULIP doctrines and the Bible as the Literal Living Word of God, rather than obtaining salvation through faith in Lord Jesus Christ.
Even though the Jehovah Witnesses’ The New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures has its corruptions, which I have frequently pointed out to those whom I have encountered, I am amazed to find one correction in their 2013 revision. I have not read the entire 2013 revision, but I note that they still have “the Word was a God” instead of “the Word was God” in John 1:1 and are still flogging the idea that Jesus is a demi-god, and have some weird wording in Colossians 1:19. Instead of simply saying, “in Him the fullness of God was pleased to dwell” (RSV) The New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures  has “because God was pleased to have all fullness to dwell in him”—fullness of what exactly?
It is worth noting that the KJV reads: “For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell.” If we want to be picky, clearly the KJV does not encapsulates the idea of Jesus being God as much as the RSV does when translating the Greek into English and stating: “in Him the fullness of God was pleased to dwell”.
The RSV is purportedly a revision of the American Standard Version (ASV) of 1901, which was a revision of the KJV published in 1611.  However, the RSV is not really a revision of the ASV. Neither is the ASV a revision of the KJV as a different Greek text was used. For the New Testament, the RSV followed the 17th edition (1941) of the Nestle Greek Text whereas the New Testament texts used in the ASV were the Westcott-Hort and Tregelles Greek texts. The overall differences in these Bibles are minimal (although the RSV New Testament uses less words than the KJV to translate the Greek). Yet people get upset about using these Greek Texts rather than the Textus Receptus that the KJV translators used. What is overlooked is that when it comes to translations, readability and accuracy are both essential, and in all cases the message is clearly the same.
There are some notable differences between these Bibles. The KJV has some archaic words and words where the meaning has changed. One noted word that leads people into error is the word “study” which once meant ‘to be diligent”, but today means “to acquire knowledge”. Consequently, when we read in the KJV “study to shew thyself unto God” most people today interpret this as “acquire knowledge to show yourself to God”. This is incorrect and is wrongly used by Bible colleges and perpetuated by pastors and ministry staff to create a “them and us” mentality among congregations where those who have studied and obtained degrees assume lordship over the flock.  The truth is this should really say along the lines of the RSV, “Do your best to present yourself to God”. The difference is this: what are you going to do, earn a piece of paper to make out you are somebody; or are you going to humbly walk before the Lord God and seek His face on a daily basis.
The RSV did away with the verse-by-verse format in preference for reading flow, and this changed some of the construction that was used to make the verse-by-verse format make sense when each verse was quoted on its own. Apart from the fact the RSV has footnotes noting comparisons and differences in meanings, it is a dynamic translation where the meaning in English would be translated in some cases rather than the transliteration, which is where reading the words come across as unnatural. The ASV was not as easy reading as the KJV and has an unnatural feel about it. However, the ASV is not as unnatural as The New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures, which has words inserted so that what is being stated is difficult to grasp and the tendency of the reader is to misconstrue the intended meaning of the text. The reason the Jehovah Witnesses appear to have done this is so converts will be indoctrinated in their doctrines and not be able to see what the Bible really teaches.
In fact, one of the reasons put forward for so many versions of the Bible being printed is the Global Elite do not want people to have a cohesive understanding of its true teachings. Another is the Global Elite want to create doubt in the Bible’s validity, which is working well. This form of subtle propaganda is fostered by funding those who express doubt in the Bible’s authenticity and disbelief in God to positions of authority in Universities and other educational roles. As is evident on the Quora forum, there are many who claim that God does not exist. In fact, there are claims of 70 million atheists living in USA. Most of these have been indoctrinated by the education system that God does not exist and are now spreading the doctrine through messengers of the anti-God movement and proclaiming the Bible to be an unreliable book. Yet archaeological evidence supports the Bible as more reliable than many other historical texts.
On a comparative chart in respect to accuracy, The KJV, ASV, and New American Standard Version are considered to be literal translations. Then comes the RSV. From there the accuracy levels begin to drift for the other Bibles. There are some exceptions such as The Emphasized Bible or Young’s literal translation, which are even more difficult to read than the ASV or the KJV, and are really study Bibles for people seeking deeper insights—if that is possible without the Holy Spirit.
What is important to realize is the Bible itself cannot save anyone. The Bible bears witness to Lord Jesus Christwhich is what Jesus Himself said. What really stands out is the fact the message is not distorted that is contained within the many Bibles—although, the writers of The New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures appeared to have made a determined attempt in the 1984 edition.
If God is alive; if Jesus rose from the dead; if the Holy Spirit is given to those who find favor with Jesus; then there is no need to worry about arguing over minor variations of the Greek or the Hebrew. The Bible informs us that if we possess the Holy Spirit, He will lead us into all truth. If God is not capable of speaking to any person in their native language and giving that person understanding, then something has to be wrong. However, since God is capable of speaking to us in our native language, and since we can all be taught by the Holy Spirit, we should all be capable of coming to agreement.
Those who seek to argue over minor issues are those who seek to strain gnats while they swallow a camel. Therefore, seeking the truth is important, which means having that log which exists in all of our eyes, taken out; so that we can see what God is doing. We also need to clean our ears that we can hear what God is saying and not worry about minor matters that are really designed to create seeds of doubt. For when we consider that fact that the Bible is historically reliable and its message is simple, why not look at the bigger picture.
Commonsense tells us that the Universe was designed. Commonsense also tells us that death means our lives are futile. The God of the Bible claims to have created the Heavens and the Earth and become a man so that humans can have a door into eternal life rather than be locked inside the prison of death. If we seek God our diligently, surely He would not be so uncaring as to not reveal to us the truth and give us an abiding assurance of the reality of our salvation--as stated in the many versions of the Bible.

Sunday, May 29, 2016

THE POWER THAT THE BIBLE POSSESSES IS TOO MUCH FOR PEOPLE SO THEY PREFER HARRY POTTER INSTEAD. Do People Really Believe That Harry Potter Has Power? Is there really power in the Bible?

YOU ARE ABOUT TO LEARN THE TRUTH ABOUT THE SCRIPTURES

Let us have a look at what the Bible actually states, because Jesus said that there is no power in the Scriptures.
In fact, Jesus said that the power of God and the Scriptures are two different things.
  • Jesus replied, “You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God. (Matthew 22:29)
Many people, unfortunately, fall for the lie that the Bible itself is the Living Word of God that has the power to move mountains, the power to raise the dead and is the source of life.
Some people are so blinded by this lie of the Devil that they even believe that the King James Version of the Bible (KJV) is the only book that qualifies to be called the Living Word of God. They vehemently berate others who do not read the KJV as being of the Devil.
There is nowhere in the Bible that says that the Scriptures are the Living Word of God. In fact, Jesus said that they are unable to give life and the Apostle Paul said the letter killeth, or the written code does not provide life.
This is what Jesus said:
  • You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life. (John 5:39-40 NIV)
The WORD of GOD is not the Bible. In fact, the Bible bears witness to Him who is the Word of God: Lord Jesus Christ.
Too many people miss the truth of the Scriptures because they refuse to seek out Lord Jesus Christ. Instead, they prefer their understanding or opinion or the teachings and philosophies of men. So they will study the Scriptures that support philosophical assumptions that are merely church dogma or doctrines, but are not found in the Bible. Because people follow doctrines of man, they are not known by Lord Jesus, and they never seek Him out.
The key teaching of the Scriptures is that they bear witness to Lord Jesus Christ, THE LIVING WORD OF GOD. Jesus has the power to impart life because He is the very source of life. The Gospel of John begins:
  • In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind (John 1:1-4 NIV)
The verse taken from the book of Hebrews is taken out of context as is most Scripture when it comes to supporting various beliefs that are not of God. Read the following:
  • For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. (Hebrews 4:12-13 NIV)
Unfortunately, the New International Version of the Bible irreverently refers to the Living Word of God as an “it”. (Personally, I would throw it out.)
Let us read the New King James Version:
  • For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account. (Hebrews 4:12-13 NKJV)
The New King James Version gets the translation correct and refers to the Word of God as HE and HIM. In fact, when we read the book of Revelation we read:
  • Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself.  He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.  And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses.  Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.  And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. (Rev. 19:11-16 NKJV)
Clearly, the Word of God, Who is active and alive and Who is searching the hearts of men and women to discern their thoughts and intentions is not the Bible. It is the One unto Whom judgment has been given.
The book of Acts tells us that God overlooks our ignorance and desires everybody to repent because judgment is coming.
  • Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, 31 because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.” (Acts 17:30-31 NKJV)
The Bible or Old Testament (and new, of course) is the Written Word that bears witness to Lord Jesus Christ, The Living Word of God; the only person who has never sinned and who is capable of imparting eternal life to everyone.
Unless a person understands what is written there is no way that person will grasp what is required of him or her. People have difficulty understanding many things when they are not able to conceptualize an idea. An idea needs to be first conceptualized in people's minds before they are able to believe in it and then express faith in it through their actions.
Too many people are academics and are indoctrinated to accept systems of belief rather than actually possessing the true critical thinking that they claim. For in a person were to possess true critical thinking they would hate evil. Instead, they get puffed up with what is falsely called knowledge and they they compare themselves with others. Impractical knowledge or theory is good for what (?). If it has no practical application it has no value. If it has practical application it ceases to be a theory.
Doctrines are theories. Theories are based upon assumptions that seem correct. Assumptions are statements of possibilities. Unfortunately, assumptions become the basis of a doctrine that is accepted as true. In reality, doctrines and church dogma are essentially manmade philosophies. But when it comes to truth, this is different; because truth is real, eternal, applicable now.
People do not understand the Bible because they are unable to $@!&%$#@??? (if you get my point) grasp its meaning. The reason for this is they do not hate evil sufficiently to let the light shine into their minds the truth. Unless a person hates evil, the light of God cannot shine into peoples' minds the information in the Bible sufficiently for them to conceptualize the idea that evil will destroy them.
The idea that God is the Designer of the Universe Who loves His Creation and has sent His Son to atone for sin and death escapes those who do not hate evil. When we start to begin to hate evil, this is the beginning of true knowledge, eternal knowledge; knowledge that will make a person wise.
When we start to hate evil, we begin to become wise, because we start to become humble. Unless a person is humble and hates the evil that he or she does, they are not going to cry out to God to help them or teach them. They might become religious bigots who pride themselves on their knowledge of the Bible, but they will not be truly humble. Only when we hate evil sufficiently to cry out to God, will we begin to become wise. But those who are proud, think that sin and, its corollary, death are nothing to be concerned about.
Those who say they believe in the Bible, and that they have eternal life because of their belief in the Bible itself, Jesus says, do not possess life. If they do not have life, then it is not eternal life that they have, they are merely heading towards death. Those that find Lord Jesus Christ. Those who seek Jesus out. The Bible says, they will be the ones given the power to overcome death. Because they will receive the power to overcome sin. But unless people hate their sin, they will not seek Lord Jesus Christ out.
Why?
The lusts of the world and the pride of life will prevent them, and the god of this world will have the right to continue to deceive them.
What we will find is people believing in a doctrine that the Bible is the Living Word of God, when it is false. They take a number of texts out of context to support this doctrine. Then they claim they are powerless to overcome sin. If the Bible possessed power, surely they would overcome sin.  Instead, they will claim they are saved by grace. Yet the Bible states we are saved through faith, not grace alone.
  • And that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. (2 Timothy 3:15 NKJV)
The Holy Scriptures mentioned here are the Old Testament and these are able to make people wise; at least, wise enough to have faith in the Son of God, but only if we begin to hate evil.
Now what Jew would have thought of that? Saul of Tarsus, that's who.
He found no power in the Scriptures, even though he was among the most brilliant of the students of his day, and he probably could quote the Old Testament verbatim. Jesus became the difference in Saul's life. The Apostle Paul was the born again Saul.
There is no power in the Bible. The Bible bears witness to Lord Jesus Christ. Lord Jesus Christ gives us the power to overcome sin and death.

Saturday, May 28, 2016

DO YOU BELIEVE IN SATAN? Who is Satan? What does the Bible say about Satan?



Who is Satan? What does the Bible say about Satan?
Jesus mentioned that He saw Satan fall from Heaven as lightning (Luke 10:18). Now we all know that lightning is exceeding bright but its light does not last long as it falls down towards the Earth. The implication is that Satan was a light-bearer until he fell from his position of authority.
In the book of Revelation, we read about Satan being cast out of Heaven but this is not what Jesus was referring to at the time he was talking to His disciples. Why? Because if you read the book of Revelation, you will learn that John was prophesying about what was to come, which might include what was happening at that present time, but not what had already taken place.
The book of Revelation states:
  • The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; (Rev 1:1)
  • After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter. (Rev. 4:1)
  • And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time. (Revelation 12:7-12)
So we have Jesus saying that Satan lost what he possessed, on the one hand, and on the other hand, we see that Satan still has access to Heaven.
The Book of Job speaks about Satan having access to Heaven and he appears to be able to turn up there after going to and fro around the Earth. This provides us with a picture of Satan having lost his Heavenly authority but still having some Earthly authority and still being permitted access to Heaven and the throne of God. Moreover, we learn from the book of Job that Satan has some issues with Job because there is a hedge that has been placed around Him and this prevents him from touching the man. An accusation is made that Job would not honor God if the hedge was not in place and Satan was not permitted to harm him.
Satan is now the accuser. Satan is accusing God for protecting Job unduly. The implication is that Satan has the right to all that is on the Earth but God is not permitting him to access Job because of the hedge that has been placed around him. Satan accuses God of impartiality. Why? Because Satan has lost his authority in Heaven and now only has authority over the Earth. However, Satan is not permitted authority over Job to do whatever he likes to the man. God permits Satan to exercise his authority on Earth, but prohibits him from taking Job's life biologically. Job has to be made accountable for his life, if the accuser is to accuse him.
Why doesn’t Satan simply kill Job?
The Bible narrative is that Satan has a legal right over the Earth, but he is a created being who only has finite resources. God is infinite and omnipotent. If God so desired He could obliterate Satan and there would be no thought or memory of Him at all.
However, there are issues here concerning righteousness. For God to be righteous, He has to execute justice without impartiality. God cannot become an unreasonable dictator who indiscriminately violates His own rulings. Consequently, everything the Omniscient Creator does has to be executed in accordance to what is right, just and true. For it is only right that justice be true and not corrupted by impartiality (as we see all too frequently in the courts that executive rulings and decisions within the judicial systems on Earth).
Satan himself has to comply with what is right, even though he appears to think that he is imperishable—which is why he is called the Father of Lies. The implication being that Satan does not think God can destroy him, for he is a spirit being just like God is Spirit.
Furthermore, there is no evidence of God having destroyed any of his Creation. Those who say that there is no God believe there is nothing to worry about in respect to death. On the other hand, Satan is prepared to war with God because he believes he has nothing to worry about. Satan cannot see how God can destroy him.
But before this war breaks out in Heaven, when Satan is finally cast out forever, we see this accuser of the brethren accusing God of impartiality because He places a hedge around people. What we see occurring with Job is inferred in the New Testament.
Jesus said that Satan lodged a claim upon the Apostle Peter. The Apostle John in the book of Revelation says that Satan is the accuser of the brethren. From what we read in the book of Job and what is in Revelation and what we find in the First Epistle of John, we get a clear picture of Satan being a prosecutor. This is what the Apostle John states:
  • My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. (1 John 2:1)
An advocate is someone who argues another person’s case. In other words, an advocate is a lawyer. Now this leaves us with a picture of Jesus arguing on behalf of sinners before the throne of God while Satan is attempting to prosecute his case against them for their sin. This is essentially what we see happened to Job, except there is no mention of Jesus.
Jesus said to the unbelieving Jews:
  • You are of your father the Devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, for he is a liar and the Father of Lies. (John 8:44).
The Apostle John writes:
  • He who commits sin is of the Devil; for the Devil has sinned from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the Devil. (1 John 3.8)
From the Scriptures mentioned, we learn that Satan is the Devil, the Old Serpent who deceived Eve and who deceives the world. Not only this, the Devil is said to be a murderer (a destroyer). With the knowledge that the Father of Lies sinned in the beginning and brought evil and destruction to bear upon the inhabitants of the Earth, having gained authority over it by stealing the domain from Adam, we see there comes a time when the Devil makes his last accusation at the Throne of God in Heaven and he is cast out. He cannot accuse the brethren anymore when this takes place, which suggests that there is time when the Brethren must overcome sin. In fact, the Brethren overcome Satan by the Blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony. Satan now wrecks havoc on Earth, but only for a short time. From other Scripture we learn that this is a time evil on the Earth that had never been before, which ushers in the Second Coming of Lord Jesus Christ.
In summary: Satan is a being who sought to violate God’s righteousness for his own ends and appears to have taken hostage the Earth and its inhabitants. The Son of God, Lord Jesus Christ appeared on Earth to destroy the works of the Devil. Therefore, Jesus paid the ransom price to redeem the Earth and its inhabitants. Once the complete number of the captives are finally freed from their captivity and Satan has no claim on them (Romans 11;25), he will be forced out of Heaven and onto Earth with his army. When this occurs, all hell is going to break loose (with Israel being established as a nation against all odds, Atheism becoming rampant, and Islam growing, the time is close). At the return of Jesus, Satan and his angels will be thrown into prison for a thousand years and then released for the final battle, after which will come the Great White Throne Judgment when justice will be executed and righteousness will be restored for eternity. Satan, his legions, and those who side with him and reject God will be thrown into a lake of fire as an eternal memorial to the righteous judgment of the Almighty against sin (Revelation 20)..
While this is not an exhaustive treatment of the subject, it does provide some extra light to that already submitted in answer to the question. There are many more references required even to support the claims in the summary. It would take a book to address the issue in detail (for instance, more about Satan’s fall is provided in the link below). 

Friday, May 27, 2016

CHRISTIANS IGNORE THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. Is This Because They Are Too Lazy Or Too Proud To Acknowledge Them? Atheists think that Christians are just hypocrites who want an easy way out to appease their guilt. Muslims think Christians are jerks and need to be subdued.

Harry Riches
Happy Riches Answers 



There are a number of reasons Christians ignore the Ten Commandments.  Many of the reasons are associated with the following verses:
The Law came through Moses but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. (John 1:17)
 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. (Matthew 5:17)
Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. (Romans 3:20) 
But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets. (Romans 3:21) 
For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. (Romans 6:14) 
Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. (Galatians 2:16) 
This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? (Galatians 3:2) 
He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? (Galatians 3:5) 
For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. (Galatians 3:10) 
But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. (Galatians 3:25) 
But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. (Galatians 5:18) 
Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross. (Colossians 2:14) 
One reason could be that most people who call themselves Christians are not really Christians at all. They are people who think they are Christians, and they are, in name only. Many of these are all going to Hell because they are hypocrites who have rules for themselves; but are prepared to physically hurt and psychologically harm any person whom they do not like. (Or in the case of those who are pedophiles, like—as in lust after.) These are referred to as self-righteous people in the Bible. They have no regard for the Ten Commandments. Pedophile priests qualify in this category. And they need not be priests. There is a litany of caught out (or called out) Evangelical and Pentecostal pastors having committed acts of sodomy on younger members of their flock.
Among the religious people there are those who acknowledge the Ten Commandments, but even they do not really understand them. This is evidenced by their ignorance of the Ten Commandments. Many people claim to be knowledgeable about Christianity, but they do not understand the Ten Commandments, they just pretend and make out they are smart. Such people fall into the lazy minds of the ignorant people camp or they fall into the ignorant minds of the arrogant people camp. The same can be said about those who claim to be experts in religion itself: those who study comparative religion and claim the Ten Commandments are a feature of every religion.
Generally speaking, people just do not care enough to seek the truth. They prefer to find what is comfortable for themselves and then they are only motivated by pain. If you are the person causing them the pain by showing them up for the being vacuous windbags; they want to shut you down and bury you; rather than acknowledge the truth. But if people really want to know the truth, they will become wise and seek you out; especially, if you can demonstrate that you know the truth.
Actually, the Bible teaches the Ten Commandments should be written on our hearts if we are true Christians. This is because when a person possesses the Spirit of God, a transformation takes place within the person that will cause the person so affected to desire to know the truth.

The Spirit of God Himself becomes the teacher of those baptized in the Holy Spirit and who are truly saved. Such individuals will find themselves consciously seeking the truth and increasing in freedom from sin.

This requires knowing the Ten Commandments, because as we read in Romans 3:20, the law brings knowledge of sin. If we do not possess knowledge of sin, we cannot repent of our sins and turn away from them and exercise faith in God. Moreover, in the book of Romans 12:2, we learn a renewing of our mind has to take place and this is referring to our conscious mind. The Apostle Paul further informs us:
For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. (Romans 8:5-7 ESV)
Unless we are subjected to the God’s Law, we cannot please God. This has nothing to do with the ceremonial law, but the moral law. This means the conscious mind needs to be cognizant of sin and its effects. If we set our mind on the Spirit, the Spirit Himself will teach us the truth. However, God does not force us against our will to do anything. We have to work out our own salvation, even though God is at work in us (Philippians 2:12-13).
Unfortunately, many people think that because we are under grace, rather than having to do ceremonial works to participate in God’s grace, they can sin as much as they like and therefore there is no need to acknowledge the Ten Commandments. However, there are warnings throughout the Bible for those who do sin. These warnings are severe and clearly state willful sinners are cut off from the inheritance that God has promised. This inheritance has been made available through the death of Lord Jesus Christ and is the grace that is extended to us. The Apostle Paul simply says:
What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. (Romans 6;15).
What the Apostle means is those who are looking to Lord Jesus Christ are not under the Mosaic Covenant, and this fact is often confused when he speaks about law. This is why everything has to be understood in context. Regrettably, too many merely pull out a thought from one place that fits the assumption they want to establish and seek supporting verses from elsewhere throughout the Bible to make a theology. Unfortunately, too many people who do this call themselves Christians of some kind or another. (For instance, ex-Jehovah Witnesses and ex-Mormons sometimes claim they were fundamental or evangelical Christians, when in fact they were not.)
The Law remains until everything is accomplished (Matthew 5:18). It is the means by which Scripture is to be understood—the basis for interpretation—which makes sense, since the Ten Commandments were the only words written by God Himself.
The main reasons, I suppose, people calling themselves Christians disregard the Ten Commandments is ignorance, and a lack of desire to know the truth so as to be set free from sin and its effects.

Thursday, May 26, 2016

Why does the Bible call people who say there is no God, fools, and does this include atheists, or are fools those who seek God out?



Why does the Bible call people who say there is no God, fools, and does this include atheists, or are fools those who seek God out?
Some claim that the Bible does not refer to atheists; therefore, when the Bible refers to fools this does not include atheists as being fools.
So what is an atheist? Is an atheist a fool?
My understanding is an atheist is someone who does not believe that God exists. Atheists say that there is no God because they prefer to think that there is no God.
Does the modern-day idea of an atheist concur with the biblical concept of a fool?
Here are three definitions:
Atheism:
“Disbelief in or denial of the existence of God or gods.”
(American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2011)
Atheist:
“A person who denies or disbelieves the existence of a supreme being.”
(Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010)
“A person who does not believe in God or gods.”
(Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014)
Clearly, the current definition concurs with my understanding of an atheist: someone who does not accept that the Almighty Creator God, the Supreme Being exists.
The Bible states:
The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds, there is none that does good. The Lord looks down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there are any that act wisely, that seek after God. (Psalm 14:1-2)
In the pride of his countenance the wicked does not seek him; all his thoughts are, “There is no God.” (Psalm 10:4)
To suggest that the above verses do not describe modern-day atheists; we could say is a specious attempt by a clown trying to hoodwink the gullible.
An atheist could either be very immoral and possess no principles at all or be immoral as far as God is concerned because he or she is full of pride, has his or her own standards, and thinks to ignore the Omniscient One (by outrunning death at the final bell?).
Atheists are people whom the Bible calls, “Fools.” Some people are so precious they are offended by that.  Bear in mind, offense is always taken and never given. (Since the Bible gives no person permission to take offense at what is written therein, if you do take offence, you are stealing.) The Bible records Jesus as saying that those who take no offense are blessed.
When I was a fool, I used to take offense. Now I know a fool ceases to be one when he or she becomes wise. A wise person would seek to find the reason why one is here on this Earth merely to be born, experience suffering in its various forms, then die, and yet be capable of mental torment by formulating the concept of eternity.
Atheists do not believe that God exists. Therefore, they believe they are not accountable for their actions to any Judge once they die. This is why the Bible views people as fools when they say that there is no God; especially, when they believe they will not have to give an account of their actions to a Superior Being—such as a Supreme Being with an Omniscient Mind who judges with righteousness and not with partiality as the corrupt in this world do.
If you show an atheist a video of a woman in the process of being healed from lip cancer, caught on film in real time, because of a divine pronouncement by a man, the atheist would not believe what he saw.
If you showed an atheist a fragment of bone and said that this came from a giant creature that weighed 40 ton and lived 40 million years ago, as long as you said that this creature’s existence occurred by an evolutionary process that relies upon chance, the atheist would believe you.
If you took three balls and told an atheist you are going do five things with them; he or she would at least listen to see what kind of juggling trick you proposed (James Randy would, anyway). You could tell the atheist what you are going to do along the following lines:
1. You are going to throw one ball into the air and it is going to remain stationary.
2. You are going to then get a ball and cause it to spin on your finger.
3. Then you are going to take a third ball and cause it to circle the one on your finger.
4. Having done that, you are going to take the ball circling the spinning ball that is on your finger and toss them into the air so that together they will circle the stationary ball.
5. Then this is going to continue for ten minutes without any strings attached.
The atheist would say that is impossible. If that were to happen that would be a miracle.
Yet the Creator of the Universe has the a moon circling the planet Earth that spins on its axis and together they travel at nearly 70, 000 miles around the Sun every 365.4 days and, evidently, these objects have been doing so for much longer than a mere ten minutes. However, the atheist says that this incredible marvel is merely a result of chance.
If you were to show a fool a marvel, the fool would not believe it was designed but had to happen by chance. Yet it would have to be a miracle that by chance the Earth spins on its axis and the moon circles the Earth. This is why the Bible calls people, fools, who say that there is no Creator God. Clearly an Intelligent Designer caused both the spinning Earth and its revolving moon to orbit the Sun together at close to 70,000 mph (and we have not begun to speak of the amazing reliability and uniformity of the seemingly unfathomable complexities contained within the otherwise hostile Universe in which we live).
Whichever way you look at the atheists’ dilemma, the Bible has them pegged as fools. They are either fools because they do not believe and acknowledge the Lord God Creator of Heaven and Earth (i.e. the Universe), or they are fools because they believe in the impossible: the principles of life and order in the Universe occur by chance through a series of accidental and unpredictable events.
Yet the Bible says that only a fool is wise in his own eyes. Atheists think that they are wiser than the Creator God. Instead of being full of pride, if they were humble, they would act wisely and seek after God. They would do their utmost to call God into account and find out their reason for existence; only atheists see this as the providence of fools, whereas the Bible says that is the what the wise would do. However, atheists prefer to scoff at those who testify that God lives and then warn them that He is going to judge those who refuse to reason with Him about their futile lives; but by seeking out God and securing their own assurance of eternal life while they have the opportunity, they would avoid an unfavorable eternal judgment.
Yet if an atheist went on a plane trip across the Pacific from, say, Chile to China, and if he or she were not warned that there would be insufficient fuel to fly across the ocean if the plane encounters head winds, and it does, and the plane mysteriously disappears somewhere in the ocean, there would be uproar. The families of the deceased passengers would want justice. Therefore, the Bible warns all atheists that after death comes judgment.
The Ten Commandments were given 3500 years ago. God Himself wrote them. In fact, the only words ever attested to have been written by God’s own finger. If we do not live up to them, and these are the standard to what we are going to be held account, we would expect a wise person would get to know what he or she is up against before death. And if one could not meet the requirements, at least, one could seek to discover an alternative option before time is up.
One option is you could seek Jesus Christ out, before you die. I did.  I now have the personal assurance that Jesus rose from the dead, and I did not get that assurance reading the Bible. I obtained this assurance from seeking the resurrected Lord of Life who paid the price to redeem us from the futility of being born to suffer and then die, even though we have the capacity to conceptualize the possibility of eternal life. My inability to meet the required standard that would make me eligible for eternal life is no longer an issue for me and I have a personal guarantee in the form of an abiding assurance that this is so. It just so happens, the Bible instructs us to obtain this abiding assurance before we die and not to rely upon doctrines or philosophies of men, which equates to church dogma that masquerades as truth.
Hence, the Bible contrasts a fool with a wise person. A fool is someone who thinks there is no God or says that God does not exist—as an atheist thinks and says—but a wise person seeks the Creator God out. Nothing appears to have changed in this respect since the Psalms were written, except from a New Testament a fool is someone like me who has sought Lord Jesus Christ and found Him. The New Testament states that I am a fool for Christ’s sake. And all the atheists agree!!

Wednesday, May 25, 2016

ISRAELITES MASSACRE ENTIRE RACE OF PEOPLE. AT THE COMMAND OF YAHWEH. Why Does The Bible Instruct People To kill Other People? Does not the Bible prohibit killing?

Harry Riches
Harry Riches answers



There are numerous verses in the Bible that speak of killing beyond the command to kill animals. Animals are to be sacrificed under the Mosaic Covenant as part of their covenant with the Lord God.
There are various commands in the Mosaic covenant that outright demand killing those who violate the laws of God. In contradistinction of this, the Ten Commandments prohibit murder.
So what is the difference between killing and murder?
When someone is killed, this is done for a different purpose than what is suggested when someone is murdered.
A person murders someone because of unjust reasons. A person kills someone because of just reasons.
How can this be?
A person murders his wife and he is then killed because he has committed murder. Or a wife murders her husband and she is then killed because she has committed murder.
Murder is is unjust killing. Killing humans is a just and righteous killing executed because a societal law has been violated that has the penalty of death.
Under the Mosaic law, killing people who violated God's righteousness was sanctioned so the people could live their lives within a theocracy in accordance to the Omniscient Mind. Once a person has violated a law that demands death and the person is killed, that person is not tempted to do it again.
Effectively, killing is equivalent to cutting out the social cancers that would eventually destroy society. In the world today, we see much corruption and erosion of justice because people who are not really interested in loving their neighbor know they have nothing to fear as long as they can pay the lawyers (who later become judges). Or because they know that being under a certain age they are not considered legally culpable. This is especially happening in the West within the secular system that rejects morality and believes anything goes and the color of the required money is right.

To quote a lawyer from Detroit whom I had just heard asked how he expected an unemployable felon to pay his fee: "I got the murderer off the hook. I do not care how he gets my fee. All I know is that He has to pay me. If he doesn't, then I will have to use a collection agency."

From a New Testament perspective, the Romans killed Jesus at the behest of the Jews, who were intent on murdering Him, and the Mosaic Covenant has been nailed to the Cross of Calvary. Therefore there is no longer any requirement of God to kill anybody. Instead the New Testament concurs with the Ten Commandments which prohibits murder. In fact, all murderers are condemned to Hell, unless, of course, they express acceptable contrition before they die.