The Value of the Human Soul

Just How Much are You Worth?

By Timothy S. Morton

Everything has a Value?

A materialistic society tries to place a value on everything. It claims, "Everything has its price." Those of the world are constantly assessing the value of their stocks, bonds, bank CDs, 401k, insurance policies, pension plans, welfare checks, food stamps, minimum wage, etc., etc. In this present Laodician age this value fixation has also dominated the thinking of some who claim to be Christians. They feel they must place some kind of material value on the human life or human soul. Some of the most popular catch phrases of the modern age are "I am worth it, " "You are worth it, " "Am I not worth it" or similiar varations. Such vanities are used by vain people in an attempt to get something, sell something, or just "feel good about myself." They see themselves as being of great value. How foriegn such self-exaltation is to the spirit of the Scriptures. What does the Bible say concerning these things? What value does it actually place on the individual human soul?

What is a Soul Anyway?

The essence of a soul is an elusive topic. Most will agree that the soul is the essence of a man, but what actually is the soul, and how is it different from the spirit? In the Old Testament soul is often used as a synonym for the whole person or the individual. Gen 12:13 is an example, Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister: that it may be well with me for thy sake; and my soul shall live because of thee. Here Abraham was speaking of his life in general. There are dozens of similar uses in the OT. Another use of soul is of the essence or substance of a man. For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. (Psa 16:10) This instance (which also is a prophetic reference to Christ's soul) speaks of the conscienceless of man; the essence of him, whether in the body or not, that exists and makes him distinct from another man. The New Testament for the most part emphasizes this aspect. The soul as one third of the trichotomy of man: body, soul, and spirit (Matt. 10:28, 1Thes. 5:23). In comparison with the spirit, contrary to the contentions of some, there is a distinction. Heb 4:12 makes it clear,

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. The word of God can divide the soul and spirit thus they must be two separate concepts, though they are not always easy to distinguish. Probably the easiest way is to realize that the soul is what a person is while the spirit is something a person has. When God created Adam he gave his body breath (spirit) and then man became a living soul (Gen. 2:7). It seems the soul is a product of the spirit. Of course, there is a vast difference between the spirit present a lost man and the Holy Spirit dwelling in a saved man. Actually, the "spirit of man" is a dead spirit. It is the part of Adam that died the day he ate of the tree. His soul in a literal sense could not die and his body did not die until over 900 years later. That is the reason all of Adam's descendants are "dead in trespasses and sins" the spirit within them is dead because it has had no fellowship with God since the day Adam ate from the forbidden tree. The "spirit of man" appears to be a spirit common to all men which God created when He made Adam. It appears to also be called the "spirit of the world" (1Cor. 2:12). There is no indication that the lost man has an individual spirit. All lost humanity share the same spirit. In a similar vein all born again believers share the same Holy Spirit, but this is where the similarities end. The Holy Spirit is a righteous, living, regenerative spirit that will grant the believer a glorious body (Phil. 3:21) and carry him into the presence of His Savior while the spirit of man is sinful and dead and will only carry the lost to a burning hell.

What's it all Worth?

When an individual contemplates the value of himself to society, the world, or even to God, the sky is the limit. The inherent pride of the human heart knows no limits when it come to esteeming itself. This exalted value of one's self is not limited to the lost. It is probably more manifested by believers. Don't think so? I'll prove it to you. Probably the most quoted verse dealing with the value of an individual is Mark 8:36-37 (see also Matt. 16:26), For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? This is a simple, straight forward verse showing the vanity of gaining the world or anything in it at the expense of one's life or soul. However, in the mind of many preachers and "expositors" it says more than that. They insist it places a value on the life or soul as greater than the whole world! Granted, a person's soul should be more valuable to him than the whole world, but they go farther. They claim that the actual intrinsic value of a human soul is greater than that of the whole world, even to God! Only a proud, egotistical heart would even consider such a concept. The lengths man will go to find a way to exalt himself is utterly amazing.

Here are some part of a "sermon outline" quickly gleaned from the Internet that shows this haughty attitude, It would do well for many to wake up and realize the value of the soul which God has given them. Every soul is extremely valuable because of: CHRIST'S ESTIMATE OF IT A. Jesus knew the price to be paid. B. He did not suffer to save "junk" C. The price was not too high for Him to pay. D. Jesus words - "The Soul is the most value thing in the world." The author then goes on to quote Mark 8:36-37. Another says flatly, "The Cost [to redeem a] Soul proves its worth." Really? This is the gist of their thinking. Since God was willing to pay such a high price to redeem each individual soul of mankind, then the soul must be worth the price paid. This is the height of conceit. Christ did not redeem us because we are worth the price. More on this, shortly. Lets look at Mark 8:36-37 for a minute. Notice Christ said, "what shall it profit a man." He did not say, "Since the human soul is more valuable than all the world to my Father in heaven, it would be a poor business transaction and unprofitable for one to exchange it for anything less." The subject of the passage is "a man" and what the profit is for HIM. It says nothing about the actual value of a soul or the price it is worth. What if Christ had said, "What shall it profit a man if he shall gain a new car (or a nice house, or a better job, or a long vacation, or a case of beer, or a shot of dope, or only a simple meal like Esau, Gen).... Would that mean that a soul is only as valuable as a new car or a simple meal? See the messes a proud heart gets itself into? Instead of listing worldly things individually, Christ simply lumped the world and all the worldly things together into the phrase "the whole world." Remember the world is evil (Gal. 1:4) believers are not to love it or the things in it (1John 2:15-16). Christ was saying that since each individual has only one soul and their actual essence is their soul, they should not exchange anything in the world for their soul's eternal security and salvation. He DID NOT say, "The soul is more valuable to God than the whole world" or "The soul is of infinite value, " blah, blah, blah. Some reading this may object and say, "The Bible says 'God so loved the world that he gave....'" Yea, I know where you are going. First, how can you quote John 3:16 where God loved (past tense) the world in view of your belief a soul is worth more than the whole world? Are you claiming your one soul is more valuable than all the other souls in the world? I don't think even your pride will carry you that far, but your bloated ego has gotten you into even more of a mess because you didn't think this through. The context of John 3:16 is a world full of individual souls and the opportunity of each individual soul believing on Christ ("whosoever"). Your claim a single soul is worth more than the world is a flat contradiction because the world is made up of souls just like yours! How can any one soul in it be worth more than all the rest combined?

The Price that was Paid

Another argument, mentioned above, held by the conceited egomaniacs is the claim, "If the soul was not worth the price then why did God give the ultimate price for it His only begotten Son? " They reason like a marketing executive on Madison Avenue; only imagining a transaction possible if two things of perceived equal value are being exchanged. "I must be worth the price, " they gloat. Not so fast you swelled head. Let me remind you and all your kin (if you ever knew it to start with) that you and a million worlds full of people just like you are NOT worth one millionth of the price that was paid to redeem you from your meager existence. You have succumbed to the mentality of the "god of this world." Pay attention, dear Reader, and learn a great and humbling lesson. God through the Lord Jesus Christ did not come to earth as a man, suffer temptation, suffer physical torture, suffer great mental anguish, suffer an unjust judgment, shed His precious blood, get nailed to a cross, get forsaken by His Father, and die a miserable death because YOU are worth it. He did all of this for us poor hell-bound, destitute sinners because of HIS NATURE TO SHOW HIS MERCY, GRACE, and LOVE! !! God saw we had a great need and HIS NATURE IT APPEARS COMPELLED HIM TO GIVE HIMSELF AND REDEEM MANKIND! !! This is a profound truth that is almost lost in a egotistical society: God did not love the world because the world was worth loving; He loved it because of HIS NATURE TO LOVE. Dear Reader, it is ALL OF GOD and NOTHING of YOU! !! What does that tell you about your God and Savior, Christian? He didn't take a look at the evil, wicked world and say, "Those people are of immense value. Each soul is worth more than all the world. I calculate that the blood of my Son is of a similar value so I will go down and purchase them for a possession." This kind of thinking is pure, humanistic dribble that essentially DESTROYS the CONCEPTS of GOD'S MERCY, GRACE, LOVE and the GIFT of Salvation. The people who hold this view are completely blinded to the fact that their position effectively nullifies several key attributes of God. Where is mercy, grace, and love when one is buying something that is worth the price? Were you showing these traits to the salesman when you bought your last vehicle? Or did you buy it because you thought you were getting a pretty good deal? How is salvation a gift if it is merely a mutual transaction for something of value? That nullifies the entire concept of giving. To paraphrase what God said in John 3:16 and other places, "I love the souls in the world so much and pity their miserable plight so extensively that by my MERCY and GRACE and to show them the extent of MY LOVE, I will send my only begotten Son down to redeem them from their sins" (Titus 3:4; Psa. 62:12, Psa. 86:5, Psa. 86:15, Psa. 130:7; Micah 7:18; Luke 1:50, Luke 1:54, Luke 1:72, Luke 1:78; Eph. 1:6-7; Heb. 4:16; 1Pet. 1:3, 1Pet. 2:10 Rom. 5:8; 2Cor. 5:19-21; Titus 3:4; 1John 4:9, 1John 4:10, 1John 4:19). This is the God of the Bible. The former is the god of egocentric, conceited, blinded Pharisees.

A Relative Value
Here the question arises, "man must have some value, at what level is it? " The Bible does not say specifically, but it does say, much to the chagrin of the some animal rights activists and New-Age knot heads, that a human being is much more valuable than animals. Christ said concerning God caring for His creation (see also Matt. 6:26, Luke 12:24; 1Cor. 9:9-10), Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father...Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows. (Mat 10:29-31) He also said concerning men caring for animals on the sabbath day, And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out? How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days. (Mat 12:11-12) Furthermore, it is obvious that man is greater than animals in that animals were given by God to man for food, Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things. (Gen 9:3 AV) Needless to say, any animal that killed a man for food was to be slain (Gen. 9:5) because man is a higher creation. Over all, any human is of more value than a large group of animals ("many sparrows"). On the flip side, the Bible says man is lower than the heavenly creatures, Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands: (Heb 2:7) When Adam was created he was designed as a creature one step below the angels. He was given glory and honor in the Garden of Eden and had dominion over the whole earth. Then he fell. He fell from a state of innocence to sin. Thus he is even lower below the angels. Some suggest that man is still at a high enough level for God to place enough value on him to provide salvation. However, that won't work. And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. (Jud 1:6) For reasons not revealed there is no indication the Lord is going to provide a salvation for these angels, even though they are a higher creation than man. It possibly may be because they had more revelation than man. Nevertheless, it can be said that by His abundant MERCY, matchless GRACE, and undying LOVE God choose to provide a salvation to mankind, not because man is worth it, but because of God's benevolent nature.

Our Rightful Place

Reason with me a moment, Dear Reader. Do you really think you are that special or unique among God's creation? Are you such a special creature that not even God can

duplicate you? Likely you will say "No, " but those who claim they are worth the price act like the answer is "Yes." The truth is, in the grand scheme of things there is not much to you and not really anything special about you. Consider this passage where Christ deals with some conceited people of his day. And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. (Mat 3:9 AV) Some Jews thought they were special because they were Jews. (In some ways the Jews were special as a nation, but individually they were still sinners.) However, Christ shot this reasoning down with this ego-busting statement. "God can make Jews out of stone (and even less) so don't think you are something special." How hard was it for God to create the universe? How hard was it for Him to speak man into existence and make Him a living soul? There was no effort at all. All he had to do was speak and it was there. How hard would it be for Him to make another you or a billion more of you? Then how can you be special or unique if a trillion more of you could be made in an instant? Is one grain of sand on the seashore more special than any other? Or one flea among millions on all the dogs of the world (1Sam. 24:14, 1Sam. 26:20! )? Your author has realized for many years there is nothing special about him, and the knowledge of it makes his life easier. He knows figuratively speaking he is no better than a mere animal (Matt. 15:25-26). He knows his place. He realizes in himself he is an utterly worthless, despicable, dog with no inherent value of his own to give him ANY redeeming qualities. However, because of the immense Mercy, Grace, and Love of the God of Heaven redemption was provided to this poor sinner and upon receiving Jesus Christ he became a child of God; born of God by the Holy Spirit. He realizes that every blessing he has even had in life came not because he was "worth it, " but came because of the GRACE of his creator. In Christ he has everything; in himself he has nothing but death, the grave, sorrow, and hell.

Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift. (2Co 9:15) Is the Concept of Hell Old-Fashioned?
Timothy S. Morton

The Death of Hell?

The Simplicity of Hell

Hell is one of those wonderful English words that essentially needs no introduction. It has a classic and simple definition that is readily known by basically all who have ever spoken the language. Noah Webster placed its long standing definition in his dictionary in 1828, and this description is just as valid today:

The place or state of punishment for the wicked after death The definition is clear, Hell is for the wicked! Oh, I'm sorry (not really), I forgot there is no such thing as a person being wicked. Our modern, progressive society has determined that wickedness and evil are antiquated concepts that have no place in contemporary thought. All mankind are brothers, oh, pardon me, brothers and sisters, they share a spark of divinity from their Creator (if you believe in creation, that is), and are basically moral and good. Any behavior that is not deemed "good" or acceptable is not the result of any resident evil or wickedness but only because of misguided behavior of certain individuals. Baloney, tripe, and hogwash. No bigger lie was ever spoken, yet this is the doctrine of the "elite" and "enlightened" of the world and many so-called theologians. However, the "common man" has not been so beguiled. Ask any average "Joe" what Hell means and he will tell you. It is a burning place for the sinner or wicked after death. They know it is a place and not merely a "state of mind" because many of them tell their enemies or adversaries to go there quite often. As usual, the common man has more sense than the "knowledgeable." A remnant of nearly 400 years of preaching the truth of Hell from the King James Bible. It is quite obvious that the preaching of Hell has gone out of fashion. One rarely hears a message on Hell even in Fundamentalist churches, let alone New Evangelical, Charismatic, and "mainline" churches. Trying to find a message on Hell by one of the "television ministries" on "Christian Television" would be like seeking a gold nugget in your bathtub. It simply is not there. How could these modern ministries preach about such a negative subject anyway? It would hurt their donations and support. You are more likely to find a buried treasure chest in your backyard than you are to hear Joel Olstein, Robert Shuller, et al., even mention Hell except in mockery. The more conservative ministers like Jerry Falwell and Charles Stanley only mention it in passing. It is not a topic they want to dwell on, even if they believe it. But not so with the Lord Jesus Christ.

Hell and the New "Bibles"

While doing some update work on our Bible Compare software, part of our Bible Analyzer Suite CD-Rom, your author was reminded of the failure of the new translations to fully warn the reader of Hell. The word Hell is found in the King James Bible 54 times. All the new translations have it much fewer times, if at all:

ASV, 13 times RSV, 13 times ESV, 14 times NASV, 13 times NIV, 14 times NKJV, 32 times NWT, 0 times

It is no surprise that the Hell denying Jehovah's Witnesses would remove Hell from their custom made perversion, the New World Translation, but one would expect better from the so-called conservative translations. Though they leave the word in a few times, their tendency is to delete it making them more like the NWT than the precious and truthful AV.

The Sheol/Hades Complex

The new translations avoid the word Hell by refusing to translate it. Instead they "transliterate" the Hebrew word Sheol and the Greek word Hades and place them in the English text. As we mentioned the definition of Hell is common knowledge, but how many can define Sheol and Hades? This is a subtle tactic of Satan; take a well established and accurate word like Hell and replace it with an obscure, indefinite, nonEnglish word such as Sheol or Hades. This weakens the text and casts doubt upon the meaning of the terms, apparently the goal of modern Bible publishers. When pressed for a definition of these two transliterated words the scholars usually reply, "the world of the dead, " or "the region of departed spirits." Granted they can mean this but they can also mean, "the abode of the wicked after death" as the Lord Jesus Christ testifies (see below). The King James translators determined the proper translation by examining the context. Sheol is translated Hell 31 times, grave(s) 31 times and pit 3 times. In their desperate attempt to rid the Bible of the truth of Hell, most of the new Bibles refuse to translate the words at all. According to the NASV, NIV, ESV, etc., the wicked do not need fear of being "turned into hell" (Psa. 9:17), all they need to worry about is being "returned to Sheol" (NASV) or "returned to the grave" (NIV). What does that mean, anyway, being "returned to Sheol" or "the grave"? Did they come from Sheol to start with? Nonsense, the passage means the wicked will be "turned into hell." Think for a minute, dear reader. What is the threat in telling the wicked they are eventually going to go to Sheol, Hades, the grave, or in other words, die? Do not all die, whether righteousness or wicked? Do the wicked not have any more to fear than Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob? According to the new Bibles they all go to the same place. Instead of being specific and saying the wicked go to Hell and the righteous don't, they speak in generalities a say all dead are just in a "state of death." My, what geniuses. Who would have guessed that all who die are in a state of death? With such obvious sophistry, the Bible Believer should immediately realize there are forces at work trying to hide a precious truth. A truth that essential to sound doctrine.

Christ's Attitude of Hell

Few realize (or want to admit) that the doctrine of a burning Hell was one of the Lord's favorite topics. He often spoke of the dangers of that sorrowful place: But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger

of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. Mat 5:22 And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. Mat 5:29-30 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Mat 10:28 And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. Mat 11:23 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Mat 16:18 And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire. Mat 18:9 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves. Mat 23:15 Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell? Mat 23:33 And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted to heaven, shalt be thrust down to hell. Luk 10:15 But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him. Luk 12:5 In fact, one can claim that Jesus Christ's favorite OT verse was one that spoke of the torments of Hell. Look at this passage in Mark 9: And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: 43 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. 44 And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: 45 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. 46

And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire: 47 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. 48 See verses 44, 46, and 48? They are three quotes of Isa. 66:24. Christ never quoted any other OT passage three times, thus it can be said this is His favorite verse. How about that? Christ did not quote verses about heaven, glory, redemption, and other positive topics three times, He quoted a passage about the pains and sufferings of Hell! Why? Because HE DOESN'T WANT ANYONE TO GO THERE! The Lord is very gracious and kind to warn us of such a place as Hell. What if He never mentioned it at all, much to the delite of many preachers today? Many more would end up in that dreadful place. Regardless what some claim, many get saved, not because they necessarily feel the love of God when they are convicted of sin, but because they don't want to pay for their sins themselves by suffering all eternity in Hell and the Lake of Fire. Their love for God comes later. What does Satan and the scholars, ancient and modern, do to try and get around Christ's emphasis on Hell? Two things. First, believe it or not they actually take two of Christ's quotes of Isa. 66:24 completely out of Mark 9. Look at nearly any new version and you will find Mark 9:44 and 46 are GONE! Absolutely gone. What unmitigated arrogance and gall. They couldn't stand the thought that Christ quoted this verse three times so they took two of the quotes out. Second, by claiming Christ is using another word, Gehenna, which can speak of fire and burning, they insist this is the only Greek word used by Christ that should be translated as Hell. In fact, this is the only Greek word (along with Tartarus) many versions will translate as Hell. As we mentioned they refuse to translate Sheol and Hades. But the Lord threw a big monkey-wrench in their scheme. Undoubtedly He foresaw their tactics and placed a "neon sign" in the Scriptures to reveal the Bible corrupter's bias. Look at the last mention of Hell Christ makes in the gospels (in order of books): And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. Luk 16:23 What is the signal in this verse for those who are obsessed with the Greek? The Greek word for hell is not Gehenna, but Hades! Christ is clearly revealing that Hades is a place of torment and flame! Although it can refer to a neutral state of death (1Cor. 15:55 grave), it primarily refers to a burning Hell with the context revealing the difference! The rich man did not open his eyes in the grave, neither did he seek water in a generic "unseen world." He was in HELL! In contrast Lazuras was not in Hell, even though he was in the "unseen world, " he was in Abraham's bosom. A saved person is never said to be in Hades. The King James Bible will define its own terms. The Greek only confuses matters. If a believer wants all the truth God has for him, all he needs is a King James Bible.

The Sounds of Hell?

Several years ago a news report surfaced that some well drillers in Russia punched a hole in Hell. They were supposedly drilling a very deep well and when they stopped drilling some of the workers heard wailing sounds coming out of the hole. The story goes they rigged up a tape recorder and dropped it into the well to record some of the sounds, and the recording they got was chilling. This was before the days of the Internet and the sounds were played on some radio and television stations, and they caused quite a stir. Your author remembers in his hometown some believers were so disturbed by the report and recording that they placed large ads in the local paper pleading for people to accept Christ and avoid such a dreadful fate. Others dismissed the sounds as a staged stunt. Was it a stunt? Probably, but consider these Bible facts.

Hell is beneath one's feet (Pro. 15:24, Isa. 14:9) The direction to Hell is down (Psa. 55:15, Pro. 7:27, Isa. 14:15) Hell can enlarge its size to receive people (Isa. 5:14) One can conceivably dig into Hell (Amos 9:2) Hell is a place of fire and torment (Matt. 5:22, Luke 16:23) Hell is likened to a furnace of fire where there is weeping and wailing (Matt. 13:42)

These facts indicate there is weeping and wailing from the pains of Hell going on under our feet at this moment. True, these poor souls are not in their natural bodies, but they are in some form of a body since the Rich Man in Luke 16 had eyes, a tongue, and could feel tormenting flames. Even though this recording is likely a fake, it represents fact, and it is quite chilling to listen to. As you listen to this short mp 3, dear reader, think about those who are still alive that are destined to that awful place unless they believe the gospel and receive the Lord Jesus Christ. Also, think about and reflect on what the precious blood of Christ has done for you in delivering you from this terrible, eternal fate. These are sobering thoughts, but essential for us to be effective in our service for our wonderful Savior.

A Guide To Understanding The Scriptures

Ten Ways to Help Get the Most Out of Your Bible Reading and Study
Timothy E. Sharp sharpincharlotte@yahoo.com

Note: From time to time we receive material from others for our consideration. The value of the submissions, in our judgment, varies greatly. However, occasionally we receive a gem, a submission that is true to the Scriptures and sound in doctrine. Below is a prime example. Like many of us, Timothy Sharp was a typical Fundamental Baptist who generally adhered to the typical Fundamental Baptist mentality concerning dispensations and dividing the Scriptures. That is, spin, twist, or explain away any passage you can't understand. As those who have read our book "The Difference Is In The Dispensations" realize, the mantra of Fundamentalism concerning salvation and dividing the Scriptures is "People in every dispensation are saved exactly the same as we are today, saved by grace through faith." Like any Romanist preaching their "official doctrine, " they continue to preach this mantra at the expense of the truth. In view of this, where should a Christian's alleigences lie? With the socalled Fundamentalists and their distortions or with what the Scriptures actually say? This sounds like a moot question, but it is not. Many will adhere to Fundamentalism even when they realize the Scriptures actually say something different than what Fundamentalism teaches. It takes courage to stand up for the truth and maturity to admit and abandon error. Below is an excellent outline by brother Sharp detailing the method and Scripture he used to finally break away from error. After reading the King James Bible through over 50 times in the last 25 years, Brother Sharp decided he could no longer endure the official Fundamentalist position. He shifted from what he calls a Fundamentalist paradigm" to a Bible Believer s paradigm, " placing the Scriptures alone at the pinnacle of authority. Study this outline and learn.

Preface
Many today, as did I, have a zeal of God, but not fully according to knowledge (Rom. 10:2-3). I didn t get saved until in my twenties, with no prior church background whatsoever, and then fell right into the Independent Fundamental Baptist church movement. They appeared to believe what the Bible said, and most of them also used the King James Bible. However, it was about a year ago, after twenty-five years of being saved and having read through the Bible, cover-to-cover more than fifty times, that I

could no longer continue down the path of spinning Bible passages to mean what they didn t say. Unless one spins or denies that the Bible actually means what is written, it contradicts itself in many places. Since I believed that the Bible is the infallible word or God and it couldn t contradict itself, but it clearly did appear to contradict itself in many places, so either it was wrong, or I was wrong. I decided to swallow my pride, and began earnestly studying and changing my Theology to match what s written in the Holy Scriptures. What follows is the result of my breaking out of the Fundamentalist paradigm and taking on a Bible Believer s paradigm instead. I had to allow God to mean what He says in His Book (He is big enough to say what He means). If your journey is anything like mine, then at some point in this lesson you ll probably say to yourself, I thought that s what that passage meant, but I was taught it meant something other than what it actually said. So let s Let God be true and every man a liar (Rom. 3:4), and not become guilty of making the word of God of none effect through tradition (Mark 7:13). There will be some hard sayings (John 6:60) and some things hard to be understood (2Pet. 3:16), but the Lord told us to commit the things we ve heard (of Him) to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also (2Tim. 2:2). I show you a more excellent way (1Cor. 12:31); not an exhaustive study, so that you eat until the fish are gone and then starve to death later, but a great many examples of how to catch your own fish, so that you can feast for a lifetime I pray you will.

Ten Ways to Help Get the Most Out of Your Bible Reading and Study
1. The foundation is that the Bible is a spiritual Book for spiritual people; a Book that can only be discerned spiritually 1Cor. 2:14 a. If you re spiritually dead, you will never be able to understand the Bible without the help of a human instrument, who should first bring you to salvation, as Phillip did the eunuch (Rom. 8:9, Acts 8:30-31). b. To the degree you are spiritual, you qualify yourself to be able to understand a spiritual Book, which is the Holy Scriptures (Rom. 8:1-3, in principle). 2. Don t let your heart become hardened; approach God s words believing as a little child Mark 8:17-19, Mark 10:13-15 & Luke 11:52 a. After salvation, there is a key that opens the door of knowledge and understanding to the Bible: Faith simply believing that the Bible says what it means and means what it says Luke 11:52 i. The lawyers of Jesus day (DDs, ThDs, etc) were hard, skeptical and unbelieving; and like many lawyers today, they used the Law as a tool or a means to accomplish their own agendas. 1. Most were users, but not believers. You can usually spot a user, but not a believer by some of their little catch phrases:

a. This is the best Bible we have today but b. This is the only Bible I ever preach from, but c. What this really means in the Greek or Hebrew is d. This is an unfortunate rendering or translation here e. In the originals 2. The acid test is not to ask what Bible they use, or even if the Bible is the Word of God, but ask, Where can I find a copy of the Holy Scriptures? a. The only acceptable answer is, In the King James Bible. 3. This practice is called the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy (they feared what men thought of them more than what God thought of them) Luke 12:1-3 ii. And like many of the lawyers of today (Senators, Congressmen, DDs, ThDs), if they don t like what the Law says, they revise it or re-write it. 1. The current bible-of-the-month-club trend started back in the 1880s with Westcott and Hort, and kicked off the Laodicean church age of Revelation 3. iii. Their hard hearts of unbelief not only hinders (and damns) them, but others also. Through unbelief, they become the final authority; they become little gods. b. But a little child is in awe and wonder of their father an attitude of awe. i. Are you in awe of God s words? ii. How do you regard God s words? iii. God magnifies His words above His own Name Psa. 138:2 c. A little child believes anything and everything their father tells them. i. Do you believe EVERY WORD of your King James Bible? (Psa. 12:6-7, Matt. 4:4, Luke 4:4) d. Little children are like sponges; they soak in as much as they can hold. i. Are you soaking-in the words of the Father? 3. Remember Mark 8:17-19 a. Meditate & Muse Josh. 1:8, Psa. 1:2, Psa. 119:15, Psa. 119:23, Psa. 119:48, Psa. 119:78, Psa. 119:148, Psa. 39:3, Psa. 143:5 b. Memorize (Scriptures with their references, and the [cross] references alone) Psa. 119:11 c. Remember so that you can compare spiritual things with spiritual (comparing Scripture against Scripture 1Cor. 2:13) Psa. 30:4, Psa. 77:6, Psa. 97:12, Isa. 26:8, Isa. 43:26, Lam. 3:20, Mark 11:21, Luke 22:19 i. God had David write some of the Psalms just so he would remember Psa. 38:1, Psa. 70:1 ii. We re commanded to observe the Lord s Supper so that we remember: 1. The broken body of our Lord Jesus Christ 1Cor. 11:24 2. The shed blood of our Lord Jesus Christ 1Cor. 11:25 3. The imminent return of our Lord Jesus Christ 1Cor. 11:26 iii. We re to rely on the Holy Spirit to bring things to remembrance John 14:26 iv. We re to help put the brethren in remembrance 1Cor. 4:17, 1Tim. 4:6, 2Tim. 1:3-5, 2Tim. 2:14, compare to Heb. 10:25, Jude 1:5 v. We re to bring things to remembrance often, so they ll remain there 2Pet. 1:12-14,

Jude 1:5 vi. We re to stir up our remembrance 2Pet. 3:1 d. Develop a much more extensive cross-reference system than your retail reference Bible, which are almost always published by unbelieving DD and ThD users anyway (use your margins to make notes). i. Ezekiel 18, 33 & Luke 15 1. The parable of the Prodigal Son (actually all of Luke 15) is the explanation of Ezekiel 18 & 33; note how in both cases, someone thought the father wasn t fair or just to take the prodigal back again Eze. 18:25, Eze. 33:17, Luke 15:1-3, 28-30 2. Both were sons the whole time (corporate Israel Ex. 4:22-23), but one son lost salvation while away, and got it back again when he repented and returned Luke 15:24, Luke 15:32. 3. Sons (corporate Israel) can lose salvation, children of the kingdom cast into outer darkness (Matt. 8:12) 4. There s dual application (Jew and gentile Luke), as by adoption, we re also sons of God, so Gal. 6:1-2 might have some additional relevance here. 5. However, all of Luke 15 is about something lost, then found, so make spiritual application of the entire chapter against Gal. 6:1-2. a. The Church should search for what wanders away until they find it a sheep b. And diligently search for what falls away until they find it a single piece of silver (redemption) out of ten (gentiles) c. But shouldn t search for what rebels away; wait until he comes to himself a prodigal ii. Isaiah 14, Ezekiel 28, Job 41, Isaiah 27, Revelation 13 1. Satan had a throne Isaiah 14 2. Satan was a king and is a cherub (not an angel) Ezekiel 28 3. Satan is a leviathan and lives in a sea Job 41 4. Satan is a piercing serpent Isaiah 27 5. Satan is a dragon Revelation 13 iii. Exodus 12 & 1 Corinthians 11 1. The Passover was not an atonement for sin, except in type 2. Both are meals of memorial to remind of the deliverance out of bondage (Egypt) 4. Take heed HOW you hear Luke 8:18 a. To him that hath, shall more be given = open, receptive, and believing: God will continue giving you more and more knowledge and understanding of His words. b. Him that seemeth to have = closed, biased, hard and unbelieving: God will use His two-edged sword to cut them asunder. c. You must make a conscious effort to continue hearing correctly; when you stop, God stops. d. I wonder if the Lord still weeps over the brethren today who ve stopped regarding the time of God s visitation (through the Holy Scriptures each day), so now He hides His things (Truths) from their eyes? (Luke 19:41-43) 5. Ask the Lord to help you in your understanding of the Scriptures Luke 24:31-32, 45 a. A part of the Holy Spirit s ministry to us is to guide us into all truth John 16:13 i. Are you walking in the Spirit? (Rom. 8:1-3, Gal. 5:16, Gal. 5:25) b. The Holy Spirit also desires to teach us Luke 12:12, John 14:26

i. Are you yielded to the Holy Spirit of God? (Rom. 6:13-15) ii. Are you filled with the Holy Spirit? (Eph. 5:17-18 c. When we spend intimate time, communing with the Lord Jesus Christ, He becomes willing to open the Scriptures and our understanding of them Luke 24:31-32, 45 i. How intimate are you with the Lord Jesus Christ? (Luke 10:39-41, John 13:23-25) ii. Here s a little test: to the degree you re an intimate friend to the Lord Jesus Christ is the degree that you re dead to yourself (laying down your life -- ego, reputation and acceptance among the brethren, being esteemed as scholarly, etc); the more intimate and identified you are with the Saviour, the farther outside the camp (Heb. 13:13) you will become. (John 15:13-14) 6. Understand the gravity of your need of God s words Luke 10:38-40 a. We should serve God. b. We should care about serving God and want (and encourage) others to serve God also. (Heb. 10:25) c. Sometimes serving God will be a trouble to us, and we should be troubled that others don t serve God. d. But as important as it is to serve God, there is another good part that is needful. e. Job understood this when he esteemed God s words more important than his necessary food. (Job 23:12) f. The Scriptures are likened to food (Matt. 4:4, Luke 4:4): i. Honey Psa. 19:10, Psa. 119:103, Rev. 10:9-10 ii. Milk 1Cor. 3:2, Heb. 5:12-13, Rev. 10:9-10 iii. Meat Luke 8:55, Acts 27:33-34, 1Cor. 3:2, Heb. 5:12-14 g. I don t know for sure if Mary understood this or not, but she did make a choice so did Martha so do you. h. Both are important (serving God and hearing His words), so there must be a balance: P / PC (production to production capability) you must continually sharpen the saw, or fuel the engine. i. Since we re not to live by physical bread alone, are you ever spiritually hungry? Do you feed your spirit as regularly as you feed your body? (Matt. 4:4, Luke 4:4) j. What would you look like physically if God blessed you according to 3John 1:2? 7. Interpretations belong to God Gen. 40:8, Dan. 2:28-30, Dan. 5:12, Pro. 1:16, Eccl. 8:1, 2Pet. 1:20 a. Not to Theologians b. Not to commentaries c. Not to Bible teachers or preachers d. Not to Bible institutes, colleges or seminaries e. Not to Greek or Hebrew scholars f. Not historic positions or the fundamentals or creeds or distinctives g. Not to denominations, even Independent Fundamental Baptists h. Not even to the pastor i. Also, not even necessarily to Apostolic example i. Paul had to rebuke Peter for causing dissimulation in the church in Galatians 2. ii. Paul was the 13th Apostle (not counting Judas), and an Apostle to the gentiles for a reason. 1. The early church disobeyed the Lord by not going to the gentiles.

iii. In Acts 18 Paul takes a Jewish vow, but says in Colossians 2 that the Law (handwriting of ordinances) was nailed to the cross. iv. Paul was told three times in Acts 21 not to go to Jerusalem, the Holy Spirit telling him also, but he went anyway. It appears that he, too, like the church in Jerusalem, was also affected by his Jewish heritage, at least in some measure (Rom. 10:1-2). v. Paul addresses this problem of the frailty of human leadership, when he qualifies how we re to follow spiritual human leadership: as they follow God (1Cor. 11:1); when they stop following God, we re to stop following them. j. If there s a conflict between what the Bible says and what any of these say (above), the Bible is the Final Authority in all matters of faith and practice and in interpretation of itself. i. Jesus taught as one having authority (Matt. 7:29, Mark 1:22) You have Authority! ii. The Scriptures are the highest power (Authority). If a lower power and the highest power are in conflict, be subject unto the highest power. (Rom. 13:1) iii. Sola Scriptura (The Scriptures alone: Scripture interprets Scripture 1Cor. 2:13) k. If there appears to be a conflict between what the Bible says in one place versus what it says in another Study! !! Prove all things (1Thes. 5:21) Neither God nor His Holy Scriptures contradicts themselves; your Theology is the problem. The Bible is not a Book for lazy people. i. Abraham s & Rahab s justification by works, or not by works? 1. Romans 4 says that Abraham wasn t justified by works. (of the Law Rom. 4:13-15) 2. James 2 says that Abraham and Rahab were justified by works. 3. Galatians 2 says that no flesh can be justified in God s sight by the works of the law. 4. How do these passages reconcile? Will you be ashamed? You don t need to be. a. Are works of righteousness and the works of the Law the same? b. They appear to be different; no one can be justified in God s sight by the works of the Law, but Abraham was justified by works in God s sight ( now I know that thou fearest God Gen. 22:12), prior to the giving of the Law. c. And Rahab, a gentile who was never under the Law, but under conscience, was also justified in the sight of God by works, after the giving of the Law. ii. Salvation lose it, or not lose it? 1. Ezekiel says you can lose salvation, but then you could get it back again Ezekiel 18 & 33 2. Jesus says no, you can never lose salvation; no man can pluck us out of His hand or the Father s hand John 10:28-29 3. Paul says you can lose salvation, and that you can never get it back again Hebrews 2, 6, 10 4. How do these passages reconcile? Will you be ashamed? You don t need to be. a. These passages are addressed later in this study. iii. Divorce & Remarriage committing adultery, or not committing adultery? 1. Moses said a man was permitted to divorce for almost any cause ( some uncleanness in her ), and that both parties were permitted to remarry another after the divorce: the former marriage union (covenant Mal. 2:14) was ended. (Deuteronomy 24) 2. God said through the prophet Malachi, that He hated putting away and that those who were doing so were dealing treacherously against the wives of their youths. (Mal.

2:14-16) 3. God calls Joseph a just man, even though he was mindful to put away Mary. (Matt. 1:19) 4. Jesus said divorce would be allowed only in the case of fornication; otherwise, both partners would be guilty of committing adultery. (Matthew 5, 19) 5. Jesus met a woman who had five previous husbands, but no present husband. (John 4) 6. Paul said that if you re loosed (divorced), seek not to be bound, but if you do (re)marry, you ve not sinned. (1 Corinthians 7) 7. Paul told Timothy and Titus that a part of the qualifications to become a NT Pastor was that a man had to be the husband of one wife. (1 Timothy 3, Titus 1) 8. How do these passages reconcile? Will you be ashamed? You don t need to be. a. If God hates putting away, did He deal treacherously against Israel when He gave her a bill of divorcement and put her away? (Jeremiah 3) i. No, Israel had been an adulterous nation and God complied by His own Law for divorce as found in Deuteronomy 24. b. Did Judah and Benjamin deal treacherously or sin against their strange wives when they put them away? (Ezra 10) i. No, their wives were gentiles, who were not bound by the Law of the Jews, so did not need a bill of divorcement (to dissolve the marriage union) that a Jewish woman did. c. If a divorced person remarries, do they become married to two people? i. Romans 7 implies that a woman could actually be married to two men at the same time, but would be committing adultery if she did so. ii. However, OT men regularly practiced taking multiple wives (Jacob, Elkanah, David, Solomon, etc), but weren t guilty of adultery, though the husbands of more than one wife at the same time. iii. Why didn t Jesus tell the woman at the well to go get her husbands, though she had five prior to their meeting? (John 4) 1. Because she had been properly divorced from each of them (or else she was an incredibly unlikely five-time widow, who decided to start shacking-up, rather than to marry again), and thereby was no longer the wife of any of her prior husbands as per Deuteronomy 24 (the marriage union is always a present-tense state). iv. Did Jesus confirm that she had spoken correctly when she said that she didn t have any husband, though she had five prior to their meeting? 1. Yes, the marriage union is always a present-tense state; either you are married or you re not married: either you are a wife or you re not a wife; either you are an husband or you re not an husband if you re not married, you re not an husband or a wife. 2. However, it appears that she was living in fornication at this time, as the man with whom she was living wasn t her husband. v. Wouldn t this also be the case for the man (i.e. a man who is properly or legally divorced has no wife)? 1. Yes. Both of the partners who ve been properly divorced are no longer married; the marriage union is always a present-tense state. Therefore, when a divorced man remarries, he is the husband of one wife, as long as he doesn t take more than one wife at the same time.

vi. Does shacking-up mean you re married? (John 4:18 & Mal. 2:14) 1. No. God seems to imply that there s a covenant involved in the marriage union, otherwise it s living in fornication if the woman is single (as above), or living in adultery if the woman is still legally married to another man (as with Herod Matt. 14:3-4). d. If a divorced person remarries, are they committing adultery? i. No; see above. Regarding what the Lord said in Matthew 5 and 19, He stated and restated, respectively, a part of the Constitution of His (coming) Kingdom ( his doctrine Matt. 7:28), which now will not be put into effect until after the 2nd Advent, wherein many OT Laws will become much more restrictive. However, divorce will still be allowed, but only in the case of fornication (adultery would still carry the death penalty, thus ending the marriage union for the offended partner Lev. 20:10, Romans 7), and men will no longer have the authority to grant divorces ( let not man put asunder Matt. 19:6); all divorce decrees will come from the Lord out of Jerusalem. e. Is divorce and putting away the same? (Deuteronomy 24 versus Matthew 19) i. No, they don t appear to be. Putting away is a part of the divorce process as found in Deut. 24:1, but in and of itself, it is not a legal divorcement, but merely a marital separation: 1. she find no favor in his eyes (The hardness of heart) 2. write her a bill of divorcement (The government s role) 3. give it in her hand (The legal notice of the dissolving or severing of their marriage union) 4. send her out of his house (The putting away otherwise they would be shacking-up and living in fornication) ii. In Matthew 19, the Pharisees were asking the Lord a trick question, trying to entrap Him ( tempting him ), so their question was, whether it was legal to put away a wife (without a bill of divorcement) for any cause? (God already said he hated this practice [putting away] in Mal. 2:16, and they knew Moses said a legal divorce could be for almost any cause Deuteronomy 24.) iii. Therefore, the answer is no, because it doesn t allow the wife who s been put away to move on with her life, as she s still married (bound under the law to her husband by the marriage union Romans 7), though separated from her husband because he has put her out (away). iv. Joseph was able to put away Mary, as they were still only betrothed, she was not pregnant by him, and they were not yet legally married. f. If the qualifications for a pastor as given to Timothy and Titus means married one time only (as the present-day Pharisee s tradition maintains); are widowers disqualified? i. The passages do not say married only one time, they say (in agreement), the husband of one wife. The marriage union is always a present-tense state of being. Bigamy and polygamy (as many OT Jews practiced) would disqualify a man from the office of Pastor, but not divorce and remarriage (to one woman). g. With all of the other qualifications for the office of pastor, why is this one (divorce and remarriage) the continual biggest hang-up, and seemingly, at least in current practice, the only real disqualifier? (1 Timothy 3, Titus 1) i. Jesus said it was because of the hardness of hearts Matt. 19:8 h. So let s try to put this whole matter in order doctrinally, without any contradictions:

i. The restrictions on divorce and remarriage that the Lord Jesus spoke in the Gospels (as part of the Constitution for His Kingdom) are not yet active, since the Kingdom of Heaven was rejected by the Jews, but they will become active immediately after the 2nd Advent. (See above) ii. Therefore, a proper or legal divorce still severs a marriage union and frees each of the former partners to remarry, as per the restrictions in Deuteronomy 24. The other way to sever a marriage union is through death, as per Romans 7, which also frees the surviving spouse to remarry. iii. However, Paul instructs the Church not to seek a divorce (1Cor. 7:27, the type of the Church through the marriage union of Christians is important to God), but if we end up becoming divorced (for righteous grounds [continued adultery or abuse, etc. there are some just causes for divorce] or our mate divorces us), and then later remarry, we ve not sinned (1Cor. 7:27-28, & in harmony with Deuteronomy 24), because it would be better to marry than to burn (1Cor. 7:9). 8. All Scripture is profitable for (2Tim. 3:15-16): a. Doctrine. i. Doctrine tells us what is right (in any given dispensation). ii. Doctrine first of all 1. In speaking Titus 2:1 2. In preaching 2Tim. 4:2 3. In laboring in 1Tim. 5:17 4. In adorning it (wearing it) Titus 2:10 5. In defending against heresy Rom. 16:17, 1Tim. 1:3, Titus 1:9 6. To make Christians mature Eph. 4:11-13 7. Attending to and continuing in 1Tim. 4:13-15 8. Not blaspheming it 1Tim. 6:1 iii. Doctrine, not dogma or tradition Matt. 15:6, Mark 7:13 iv. Without the Holy Scriptures, you cannot even have doctrine; so to be able to have doctrine we must have the Holy Scriptures 1Tim. 3:15-16 1. The chief priests and elders didn t have the originals, but they must have had the Scriptures, because Jesus asked them if they had ever read Psalms 118 from them. (Matt. 21:42) 2. The Sadducees also didn t have the originals, but also must have had the Scriptures, because Jesus told them that they erred, not knowing the Scriptures. (Matt. 22:29) 3. And while all the originals were not still in tact in Jesus day, the Scriptures had to have been, because He expounded all the Scriptures of the things concerning Himself. (Luke 24:27) 4. The Jews also must have had the Scriptures, though not the originals, because Jesus told them to search them. (John 5:39) 5. No one would possibly believe that an Ethiopian proselyte would have been in possession of an original scroll of Isaiah, yet he had the Scriptures of Isaiah. (Acts 8:28) 6. A synagogue in Thessalonica couldn t have had the originals before Jerusalem would have, but I find that Paul reasoned with them out of the Scriptures. (Acts 17:1-2) 7. And how many of the originals do you suppose those pesky Bereans had, as they

searched the Scriptures daily to see if Paul s message was correct? (Acts 17:10-11) 8. You don t suppose that because Apollos was such an eloquent speaker that he d been using the originals, for we read that he was mighty in the Scriptures? (Acts 18:24-26) 9. Finally, there was young Timothy, who may have had some access to some originals from infancy, but maybe not, nonetheless from a child he knew the Holy Scriptures. (2Tim. 3:15) 10. Whether or not any originals still existed in the days of the Lord and the early church is doubtful, but the Lord tells us that the Holy Scriptures existed, and was never critical of them. v. Doctrine can change, depending on to whom it applies and when: note Matt. 7:28 ( his doctrine versus Moses doctrine Jesus doctrine was different than Moses doctrine). vi. Therefore, the most important or profitable aspect of the Scriptures is rightly dividing doctrine. vii. Is all Biblical doctrine for this age or for the church? 1. Keeping the Sabbath Day? (Ex. 31:13) 2. Planting two different kinds of seed in the same field? (Lev. 19:19, Deut. 22:9) 3. Wearing a garment of two different kinds of fabric? (Lev. 19:19) 4. Observing the release of the Jubilee? (Lev. 25:9-11) 5. Don t eat pork or other unclean beasts ? (Leviticus 11) 6. Long hair (no hair cuts) and long beards on men? (Rounding the head is a short hair style that allows the head to appear rounded at the top and bottom from the rear view Lev. 19:27) a. Jesus was a Jew and under the Law. (Gal. 4:4) b. Jesus couldn t cut His hair short and wore a full beard, as the true Orthodox Jews in Israel still do today. (Wouldn t that go over like a lead balloon in the average Independent Fundamental Baptist church of today? ) b. Reproof. i. Reproof tells us what is wrong. c. Correction. i. Correction tells us how to get right. d. Instruction in righteousness. i. Instruction in righteousness tells us how to stay right. ii. So while some of the Bible is not to be applied doctrinally to this age or to the NT Church, the whole Bible is profitable for instruction in righteousness gaining the mind of God in order to learn His preferences, so we can obey His commands and yield to His preferences Rom. 15:4 iii. Watch out for the pseudo-legalistic Pharisees who keep trying to put the mainly gentile Church under the solely Jewish Law (the Pentateuch [the Law of Moses] is the Book of the Covenant [with Israel] 2Kings 23:2, 2Chron. 34:30) 1. Deut. 22:5, Ex. 20:26, Ex. 28:42 versus 1Tim. 2:9 (Distinction of gender and modesty to the Jews versus modesty-only to the Church) 2. Deut. 14:22-24, Mal. 3:8-10 versus 2Cor. 8:9-11, 2Cor. 9:5-7 (Tithes and offerings to the Jews versus grace-giving to the Church)

a. Tithe is never mentioned in any Pauline epistle to the Church (Romans Philemon); the tithe is not Church doctrine. b. The tithe is mentioned in the book of Hebrews, which is a book that doctrinally, is directed at the Jews. (See later in lesson) c. The grace-giving ( abound in this grace also 2Cor. 8:7) the Church is instructed to do is not to be grudgingly or of necessity; it s not at all tied to the Law (tithes and offerings), which was of necessity (compulsory if a Jew didn t pay tithes he brought a curse upon himself), and could be done grudgingly, as long as he obeyed the Law. (2Cor. 9:7, Mal. 3:9) d. While Jesus mentions and validates the tithe in His discourse with the Pharisees, He s dealing with the Jews who were under the Law, and at that time they were still in the OT economy, the NT started at the resurrection (the death of the testator had not yet occurred Heb. 9:16-17) e. The tithe was a part of the Law Covenant God made with Israel the tithe is Jewish doctrine. (Deut. 14:22-24) f. The curse of Mal. 3:9 is because Israel brought the cursings of their covenant upon themselves through disobedience. (Josh. 8:34) g. Abraham also gave tithes to Melchizedek and prior to the Law though this appears to be a one-time event in Abraham s life, and he was not mandated by the Law to do so, so this would be a type of NT Church grace-giving. (Gen. 14:18-20) h. Jacob also mentions the tithe in a vow he made in Bethel, but there s no record of whether or not he ever actually paid tithes to God. (Gen. 28:18-20) 9. You need the whole (ALL of the) Counsel of God to become a mature Christian Acts 20:27; Heb. 5:11-13 a. Because God s counsel is immutable and true, it s an anchor of the soul Heb. 6:17-19 b. The Lord preserved the things He wrote aforetime for our (Psa. 12:6-7, Rom. 15:4): i. Learning We re to learn from those who ve gone before us: both the blessings of well doing and the cursings of departing from the ways of the Lord. ii. Patience So that with Job, we ll know not to charge God foolishly in our trials (Job 1:22), but to endure hardness as good soldiers of Jesus Christ (2Tim. 2:3) and run with patience the race set before us (Heb. 12:1) iii. Comfort Knowing the ultimate end from the beginning allows for incredible peace and comfort (Job 42, Revelation 21-22), and also allows us to comfort others with that same comfort (2Cor. 1:4). iv. Hope In the God of all grace, patience and mercy; in His unchanging words; and not a sorrowful hope as the world, which has no real hope (1Thes. 4:13) c. It was the Lord s practice to expound all the Scriptures Luke 24:25-27, 44 d. It was Paul s practice to declare all the counsel of God Acts 20:27, Acts 28:23 e. Aquilla and Priscilla expounded the way of God more perfectly to Apollos Acts 18:26 & Psa. 119:14-15 f. When you reject any of the counsel of God, you do harm against yourself Luke 7:30, Mark 7:7-9 10. Study & Rightly Divide 2Tim. 2:15 a. Reading versus Studying

i. Both are necessary. ii. Read that you might learn Deut. 17:18-19, Deut. 31:10-12, Rom. 15:4 iii. Study that you might understand and rightly divide 2Tim. 2:15 iv. Acquaintance with God s words versus knowledge and understanding of God s words v. Gaining a good overview of the Bible versus how it all fits and works together b. That you won t be ashamed. i. You may not convert a Jehovah's Witness, Mormon, or a water dog (Church of Christ), but at least you should know how to rightly divide your Bible so that you can show them from the Scriptures why their doctrine is wrong. Don t let them shame you by knowing their heretical doctrine better than you know the doctrine of Truth. c. Note the Divisions i. If God tells us to divide the Scriptures, then the Scriptures must have divisions, and we re to learn and under-stand what those divisions are and how they affect or apply to us Luke 4:16-18 & Isa. 61:1-2a (where Jesus divides a verse and two different dispensations which are two thousand years apart at a comma) d. Examine the Divisions i. These divisions fall mainly along dispensational lines (i.e. rules of an householder or a dispensing of rules). In each of the divisions I ve listed below, there are subtle to glaring differences in how God deals with each respective group or individuals of that division (dispensation). A failure to understand the distinctions in God s dealings through the dispensations will cause the Scriptures to contradict themselves as you try to stuff God into your cookie-cutter paradigm and wrest the Scriptures unto your own destruction (2Pet. 3:16). I realize that the distinctions I make below are a slight departure from Larkin, et al, but please give me a bit of latitude as I attempt to show that there are indeed differences in God s dealings through the ages. i. Eternity Past 1. Before the incarnation, Jesus was the Word (John 1:1); God was all in all (1Cor. 15:2426, Gen. 1:1a); and God was Holy, abiding by His own rules (1Pet. 1:15-16). ii. Angels & Angelic Creatures The first creation was only spiritual (no flesh and blood) 1. Angels are created beings Eze. 28:13, Eze. 28:15, Heb. 1:7, Gen. 1:1 (heaven in the singular tense) 2. Angels are spirit beings Heb. 1:7 3. Angels are male in gender Every revelation or appearance of an angel is a male 4. Angels are called sons of God Job 1:6, Job 2:1, Gen. 6:2 5. Angels witnessed the creation of the earth Job 38:7 6. Some of the angels fell with Lucifer s rebellion (breaking God s rules pride) Isaiah 14, Matt. 25:41, Revelation 13 7. And some of those angels have also left their first estate (in the heavens) and are now reserved in chains in the bottomless pit Genesis 6, Jude 6, 2Pet. 2:4-5 8. There is no redemption for angels or for Satan Matt. 25:41 a. Satan and the angels were first cast out of the third heaven Isaiah 14, Job 41:31-32, Eph. 2:2, Dan. 10:13-15 b. Next they ll be cast down from the second heaven to the earth (not being able to get back into the heavens) Revelation 13

c. After that they ll be cast down to hell Revelation 20 d. Finally, they ll be cast into the Lake of Fire Revelation 21 iii. Adam The re-creation was physical and spiritual (flesh and blood) 1. Before the Fall: a. Adam was the first human b. Technically, he was a gentile (no circumcision yet) c. Man was created innocent: no good or evil (no conscience), but capable of obedience or disobedience Gen. 3:22 d. Initially saved by works-only: by not eating the forbidden fruit Gen. 2:17 e. He was given several commands: be fruitful (productive); multiply (reproductive); replenish (stewardship); subdue the earth (conquer) and have dominion over it (rule Adam was a king, taking the place of Lucifer); and don t eat the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil Gen. 1:26, Gen. 2:16-17 f. He also had a purpose: dress and keep the garden Gen. 2:15 2. After the Fall: a. He brought sin and death into the world Rom. 5:12, Rom. 5:17-18, 1Cor. 15:22 b. He was not under the law, but under conscience Rom. 2:14-15, Rom. 5:13-14 c. He was saved by accepting the shed blood of a lamb as an atonement (a covering) for his sin: a type of our salvation Gen. 3:21, Gen. 4:4 ( firstlings of his flock ) d. He was not born-again, and not in the Body of Christ e. Covenant: a redeeming Seed from the woman Gen. 3:15 f. Token: coverings of skins (a type of our covering by the Lamb of God) Gen. 3:21 iv. Noah 1. Also, technically he was a gentile, and the father of the gentiles (perfect in his generations) 2. He was not under the law, but under conscience Rom. 2:14-15, Rom. 5:13-14 3. Yet was given two commands before the flood: build & preach Gen. 6:14, 2Pet. 2:5 4. And was given several more commands after the flood: be fruitful (productive), multiply (reproductive), replenish (stewardship), don t eat blood, and enforce capital punishment Gen. 9:1-3 5. He was saved by faith and works (He built the ark because he believed Heb. 11:7) 6. He was not born-again, and not in the Body of Christ 7. Covenant: God will never judge all the earth by water again Gen. 9:11 8. Token: a rainbow Gen. 9:12-13 v. Abraham Israel 1. The father of the Jews, on up until the Jews 2. He was not under the law, but still under conscience 3. Two more commands added to him personally: leave his father s house and kindred and go to a place that God would show him Gen. 12:1 4. He was saved by faith (a type of our salvation) Rom. 4:3, Gal. 3:6-8, Genesis 15 5. Though he was justified by works at a later time James 2:21-23 (Rahab also) 6. He was not born-again, and not in the Body of Christ 7. Covenant: the land of Palestine as an everlasting possession to him and his seed after him, and confirmed again to Isaac and Jacob Gen. 26:1-3, Gen. 28:1-3, 13-15

8. Token: circumcision; a cutting away of flesh (a type of our spiritual circumcision, where God cuts our flesh away from our soul and spirit) Gen. 17:11 vi. Moses 1. He was a Jew 2. He (and all of Israel) was (were) under the law Rom. 2:17-18 3. He / they could not attain justification Acts 13:39, Rom. 3:20, Gal. 2:16, Gal. 3:11 4. There was no clearing of sins, but they could be blameless (the blood of animals could provide a temporary covering, but not a clearing) Ex. 34:7, Heb. 10:4, Phil. 3:6 5. He / they could lose salvation; works and faith were required for salvation Ezekiel 18, 33 6. However, all other gentiles remain under conscience, i.e. Rahab, the Ninevites and the Queen of Sheba (the Law is only to the Jews; it s a covenant with the Jews 2Kings 23:2, 2Chron. 34:30) James 2, Jonah, Matt. 12:42, Luke 11:31-32 7. He / they were not born-again, and not in the Body of Christ 8. Also, they could commit sins that would prevent salvation altogether (their own blood would be upon their heads, rather than the temporary covering of an atonement) Lev. 20:11-13 9. Covenant: the Law (blessings and cursings Josh. 8:34), but a rest from their own labors later Ex. 24:7-8 & Luke 13:16, Luke 14:5 (in type) 10. Token: the Sabbath, a type of the millennium rest they would receive later Ex. 31:13 vii. David 1. He was a Jew 2. He was under the law 3. He could not attain justification 4. There was no clearing of his sins 5. He was saved by faith and works 6. BUT David could not lose his salvation, even though he committed two sins for which there was no atonement available (murder Num. 35:16-18, adultery Lev. 20:10); he was given the sure mercies of David, which is a type of our salvation Isa. 55:3, Acts 13:34 7. He was not born-again, and not in the Body of Christ 8. Covenant: his Son would someday sit on his throne forever 2Chron. 13:5, 2Chron. 21:7, Psa. 89:3-4, Jer. 23:5-6 9. Token: the sure mercies of David (Covenant of Grace a type of the current Dispensation of Grace of the Church Age) Isa. 55:3, Acts 13:34 viii. Jesus The King of the Kingdoms 1. He came to the Jews (John 1:11) as their national (John 11:49-51) and personal (John 3:3-5) Messiah: two kingdoms physical and spiritual (Matt. 10:5; Acts 1:6, Acts 4:12) 2. He was the new Lawgiver (Deut. 18:18), but with stricter Laws (The Constitution of His Kingdom Matthew 5-7; adding a spiritual element to the Law, because a spiritual Kingdom will also be present again), because when He sits on the Throne of His Glory (Matt. 19:28, Matt. 25:31), He will rule with a rod of iron (Psa. 2:9, Rev. 12:5, Rev. 19:15) and Satan will be chained for a thousand years (Rev. 20:1-2), so the world and the tempter will no longer be an issue to those who are alive during the Kingdom Age.

3. Therefore, the doctrines of the Gospels ( his doctrine Matt. 7:28) belong mainly to the Kingdom Age (not to the Church Age), which is yet in the future, after the 2nd Advent. 4. He was rejected by the Jews: meaning postponement of the Kingdom of Heaven (and its Constitution), but not of the Kingdom of God Matt. 11:12, Luke 17:20-21, Rom. 14:17 ix. The Church 1. The Church is the Body & Bride of Jesus Christ a mystery that was not fully revealed until after the resurrection, when it was revealed to Paul (Rom. 16:25-26, Eph. 3:1-3) 2. The Church is not under the law, Jew nor gentile Colossians 2 3. The Church is saved and born-again by faith alone John 3:3-5, Eph. 2:8-9, Titus 3:5 versus Rom. 11:6 ( no more of works something about salvation has changed) 4. The Church is also justified by faith alone (Rom. 5:1-2, Gal. 3:23-25) immediately, not later, as Abraham. (Genesis 15, 22, James 2:21-23, Rom. 3:8, Rom. 5:1) 5. Our sins are cleared John 1:29, Heb. 10:4, Heb. 10:17-18, 1Pet. 1:18-19, 1John 1:7, 1John 2:2, Rev. 1:5-6 x. The Tribulation 1. The Body and Bride of Jesus Christ are taken out of this event (at the rapture of the Church) 1Cor. 15:52, 1Thes. 4:16, and in type, Rev. 4:1 2. This is the time of Jacob s trouble, an horrendous judgment against Israel Jer. 30:7 3. Tribulation saints will be a mixed multitude, but mainly Jews; the Exodus from Egypt, led by Moses (he comes back again for this event also, with Elijah Rev. 11:3-5), was a type of this period Ex. 12:38 4. Tribulation saints will be saved by faith and works Rev. 12:17, Rev. 14:12, Matt. 24:13, Mark 13:13, Luke 9:23-24 5. But unlike under the Law, Tribulation saints can lose their salvation and not be able to get it back again Hebrews 2, 6, 10 6. Tribulation saints are not born-again, and not in the Body of Christ xi. The Millennium 1. This is the time of the earth s salvation, also called regeneration Rom. 8:21-23, compare Titus 3:5 with Matt. 19:28 2. The population during the Millennium will be a mixed multitude of mortals (Jews and gentiles), OT saints, and the Bride of Christ, but with the nation of Israel elevated back again to ruling-nation-status with the Lord Jesus Christ as their Messiah and King Rom. 11:23-25, Luke 13:29, Matt. 27:52-53, Eph. 4:8 3. Millennium Saints will be under a works-only salvation Heb. 11:1 ( not seen, but Jesus Christ will be seen, sitting on the throne of David in Jerusalem [the Throne of His Glory] with nail prints in His hands and feet John 20:27) 4. Millennium Saints are not born-again, and not in the Body of Christ 5. No one will be allowed to preach during this time Zech. 13:3, Heb. 8:10-11 6. The Body (and Bride) of Christ will also accompany him during this time (Rev. 19:79), and those who chose to suffer with Him on earth, will also help rule with Him (2Tim. 2:12). xii. Eternity Future 1. Of the increase of His government there shall be no end (Isa. 9:6-7) 2. There will be mortals: Jews & Gentiles (no more death & access to the Tree of Life)

Rev. 21:4, Rev. 22:2, 14 3. There will be the saints: Jews (inherit the earth) and gentiles (inherit the galaxies? ) 4. There will be the Body (and Bride) of Christ: neither Jew nor Gentile (Gal. 3:26-28), who inherit the New Jerusalem (and you thought you were going to heaven) Rev. 21:13 e. Note to whom are the Books (within the Bible) written? i. Jew Gentile Body (1Cor. 10:32) ii. Hebrews: The name says it: to the Jews you ll not find much local NT church doctrine in this book iii. James: to the 12 tribes scattered abroad again, this will be a Jewish-leaning doctrinal book iv. Peter, James, John: The Apostles to the circumcision (Gal. 2:7-9), so James through Revelation are going to be primarily doctrinal books to the mainly Jewish local churches of the tribulation period Revelation 2-3 (in type - the seven churches of Asia Minor serve as two types of churches at the same time: see below) v. Paul The Apostle to the gentiles (Rom. 11:13, 1Tim. 2:7, 2Tim. 1:11), so Romans through Philemon are primarily the doctrinal books to the mainly gentile NT church Rom. 16:4 vi. Jesus The Sermon on the Mount and the parables 1. What is the Sermon on the Mount? a. It is the Constitution of the Kingdom (Age) that was being offered to the Jews. (John 1:11, Matt. 10:5) 2. Is it doctrinally applicable today? a. Can you call someone a fool? (Matt. 5:22) b. Do you leave a gift at the altar? (Matt. 5:23, Col. 2:17) c. Must you forgive, or you won t be forgiven? (Matt. 6:14-15) d. No. The Jews rejected their King, thus postponing the arrival of the Kingdom (Age) until the times of the gentiles be fulfilled. (Luke 21:24, Rom. 11:25) 3. If not, when? a. When the Kingdom Age comes, immediately following the 2nd Advent. 4. Why parables? (Matthew 13) a. Because the Jews blasphemed the Holy Spirit (Matthew 12), Jesus withdrew (postponed) the offer of the Kingdom of Heaven to the Nation of Israel, though not the Kingdom of God to individual Jews. So the parables would be understood by those who were truly seeking the Lord, and stumbling blocks to those who weren t. 5. To whom are the parables meant? a. Mainly to the Jews, as are the four Gospels in general, but there are a few of the parables in the Gospel of Luke that have some gentile application. f. Note the transitional Books. i. Probably more false doctrine comes out of the transitional books (and the failure to rightly divide the Scriptures), than the rest of the Bible combined; be careful to rightly divide in the transitional books. ii. Matthew (the Gospels): from the Law to the Kingdom iii. Acts: from the Kingdom rejected to the Church iv. Hebrews: from the Church to the Tribulation v. Revelation: from the Tribulation to the Millennium, and then to eternity

g. Note the context. i. A text without a context is a pretext, and thereby becomes a private interpretation 2Pet. 1:20 ii. she lighted off the camel : Did Rebekah smoke Camel cigarettes? (Gen. 24:64) iii. separate yourselves from the strange wives : If you think your wife is strange are you committing sin and need to put her away? (Ezra 10 & Neh. 13:27) iv. all with one accord in one place : Did they have roomier Honda Accords in the early days of the church? (Acts 2) v. for the remission of sins : Did water baptism really have the power to cause one s sins to be remitted? (Mark 1:4 & Isa. 40:1-3) 1. No. A careful reading of Isa. 40:1-3 (the context of John s baptism) would reveal that John was preaching that Israel was finally forgiven and God was ready to offer the Kingdom, so they were to be baptized because they d been forgiven. Water baptism does not have the power to remit or take away sins any more than the blood of bulls and goats (Heb. 10:4). h. Note the qualifiers. i. Like ii. As iii. Like unto iv. are as the angels which are in heaven (Mark 12:25) 1. The angels which are still in heaven are different from the angels that fell with Satan. 2. Some of the angels that fell from heaven did marry and reproduce. (Genesis 6) v. The like figure (Noah 1Pet. 3:21). 1. Noah was never in the water or under the water; he never even touched the water. 2. Noah didn t get baptized; it was those who drown in the flood who were baptized. 3. There was in fact, a lot of filthy flesh put away because of the flood, just not Noah s; however the like figure of this water baptism wasn t the putting away of the filth of the flesh. 4. But Noah sure did gain a clear conscience towards God after he was saved from the continual ungodliness all around him by the baptism of water; Lot s conscience was also delivered in a similar way when God saved him from the wicked flesh of Sodom and Gomorrah. (2Pet. 2:7) 5. The like figure: you re saved from a bad conscience towards God through water baptism, the answer of a good conscience toward God, as water baptism is an imperative command (Matt. 28:19-20, Mark 16:15-16). vi. Things that are similar but not exactly the same are different, and things different are not the same! i. Note the distinctions. i. Angels versus cherubim and seraphim Ezekiel 1, 10, 28, Isaiah 6, 14, Revelation 4 1. Angels and cherubim are not the same. (Matt. 25:41) 2. Michael and Gabriel are angels. (Dan. 10:13, Dan. 12:1, Jude 1:9, Dan. 8:16, Dan. 9:21, Luke 1:19) 3. Cherubim and seraphim appear to be the same. (Isaiah 6, Ezekiel 1, 10, Revelation 4) 4. Seraphim comes from a Hebrew word that means a poisonous or fiery serpent. (Isa. 6:2-3)

5. Lucifer was a cherub (the anointed cherub a christ; and a king Cyrus) Ezekiel 28. 6. Angels always appear as men and are called sons of God. (Job 1:6, Job 2:1, Job 38:7, Genesis 6) 7. Lucifer (light bearer), even though created as a cherub, has the ability to transform himself into an angel of light. (2Cor. 11:14 he may have appeared to Eve in this form) 8. The angels that are in heaven do not marry or reproduce. (Matt. 22:30, Mark 12:25) 9. The angels that fell with Satan can marry and reproduce (some were giants [before and after the flood] Genesis 6, John 6:70), but appear to permanently loose their first estate (not being able to get back up to the heavens) to do so, and when they die, as in the flood, they go to the bottomless pit (their own place) to be chained (Acts 1:25, 2Pet. 2:4, Jude 1:6). Additionally, Isa. 13:21 & Isa. 34:14 seem to suggest that animals were also subject to being taken by the fallen angels (satyrs a half goat, half human kind of being; other creatures, like centaurs [half human, half horse], which are found in mythology are probably not so far-fetched). ii. The Kingdom of Heaven versus the Kingdom of God Matt. 11:12, Luke 17:20-21, Rom. 14:17 1. The Kingdom of Heaven is a literal, physical kingdom. a. God lives in heaven Job 22:2 b. God s Throne is in heaven Psa. 11:4 c. Birds can fly in heaven; they don t fly in God. d. Presently, the kingdom of heaven can be taken by force and is nearing the last kingdom of men (the fullness of the gentiles Luke 21:24, Rom. 11:25) from Daniel s vision Matt. 11:12 & Daniel 2 e. The Kingdom of Heaven was postponed until the Millennium, when Jesus Christ will rule with a rod of iron from His throne in Jerusalem Rev. 12:5, Rev. 19:15 2. The Kingdom of God is spiritual Rom. 14:17 a. It cannot be seen Luke 17:20-21, John 3:3-5 b. It s here now through the Bride and Body of Christ Luke 17:20-21 iii. Melchisedec versus Levites Gen. 14:18, Heb. 5:6, Heb. 6:20, Heb. 7:11, Heb. 7:17, Heb. 7:20, Num. 1:47-49 1. Aaron was the beginning of the Levitical Priesthood; the Priesthood of Melchisedec has no beginning Exodus 18 & Hebrews 5 & 7 2. The Levites came from Aaron; Melchisedec has no father or mother Exodus 18 & Hebrews 7 3. The Levites had descendents who also later became priests; Melchisedec has no descendent and His priesthood is forever Exodus 18 & Hebrews 7 4. Who is Melchisedec? 5. The passages give the answer, but it (He) must be rightly divided. a. Until the incarnation, the second member of the Godhead was called, the Word, though His form was like unto the Son of God John 1:1, Dan. 3:25 b. When the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, He became the Son of God and began a Father / Son relationship with the first member of the Godhead, Jehovah John 1:14, Psa. 2:7, Heb. 1:5 ( I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son ), Heb. 5:5 c. Melchisedec visited Abraham prior to the incarnation, so to rightly divide the

Scriptures would put the second member of the Godhead as Melchisedec without the Son / Father relationship, so at that time He would have been without father, without mother, without descendant, without beginning or ending of days. Then after the incarnation, Jesus arose to Heaven to re-assume the priesthood He had already established before the incarnation; He was made a priest after the order of Melchisedec. iv. OT body of flesh versus the NT body of flesh. 1. After Adam s fall, the soul and body became one (stuck together) Lev. 5:2, Lev. 7:21, Lev. 22:6, Num. 19:13, 20-22 2. That s why OT saints had to wash and be unclean until the evening, Leviticus 11, 15 versus Col. 2:20-22 3. God tells us that His sword will provide a dividing of soul and spirit from the joints and marrow (flesh Heb. 4:12). 4. God also calls this spiritual circumcision (a cutting away of the flesh), an operation (Col. 2:11-12), so now there s no more touch not, handle not, etc; our soul and spirit are clean no matter what we touch or do. 5. We also become a new creature (neither Jew nor Gentile, but the Body of Christ, and as the Bride of Christ, we ve become one-flesh with Him [this is why the type and covenant of marriage is so important]) 1Cor. 10:32, 2Cor. 5:17, Gal. 3:28, Gal. 6:15 v. The Judgment Seat of Christ versus The Throne of His Glory Judgment versus The Great White Throne Judgment 1. The Judgment Seat of Christ is during the tribulation period, and where the Lord Jesus Christ judges the Church (His Bride and Body) Rom. 14:10, 2Cor. 5:10 2. The Throne of His Glory Judgment is at the end of the tribulation period, and where the Lord Jesus Christ judges (individuals from) the nations Matt. 25:31-33 (sheep and goats) 3. The Great White Throne Judgment is at the end of the Millennium, and where God judges all saved and lost (except the Church) Rev. 20:11-13 & Rev. 1:8: death (the OT saints, Tribulation saints & Millennial saints have to be judged somewhere; the first resurrection [resurrection of the just] extends all the way to the end of the Millennium Rev. 20:5-6, Luke 14:14, John 5:28-29) vi. The virgins versus the chaste virgin 1. The Church is never spoken of in the Bible in a plural sense as a woman (the Bride), only as local congregations 2Cor. 11:2 2. When virgins are spoken of in the Bible in a plural sense, it s almost always a reference to Israel Rev. 14:4, Matthew 25, Psa. 45:14, Song 1:3 3. The virgins of Matthew 25 are not the church in a rapture, but Jews in a rapture, being caught up to be our companions (Psa. 45:14 bridesmaids; John 3:29 friends of the bridegroom), at the Marriage of the Lord Jesus Christ to His Bride, the Church (Rev. 11:12). vii. Paradise (Abraham s Bosom) versus Heaven versus The New Jerusalem versus The Promised Land 1. Paradise seems to be a distinction of a temporary state and is where the OT saints went after death (Luke 15, Luke 24:42, 2Cor. 12:4). It s now empty, but will receive the tribulation saints (Rev. 6:9), and later, the Millennial saints (Rev. 20:5-6, Rev. 20:13) 2. Heaven is God s dwelling place, and where all saints are temporarily residing until

the Millennium (Gen. 24:3, Gen. 28:12-14, Job 22:12, Psa. 11:4, Psa. 20:6, 2Cor. 2:5-7, 2Cor. 12:2) 3. The New Jerusalem is where the Bride of Christ will live eternally (Rev. 3:12, Rev. 3:21) 4. The Promised Land is the Jews everlasting inheritance (Genesis 17) viii. The Grave versus Death versus Hell versus the Bottomless Pit versus the Lake of Fire 1. The Grave is where the bodies of all the dead go 1Sam. 2:6, 2Sam. 19:37, Psa. 88:5, John 11:17, Rev. 11:9 a. Some of the graves have already been opened and emptied Matt. 27:52 b. The graves of the NT saints will be opened and emptied soon 1Cor. 15:55 c. Eventually, the graves of all the saints will be opened and emptied Eze. 37:12-13 2. Hell is where the souls of all the lost go immediately upon dying Luke 16:22-23 a. Hell is only a temporary state until the Great White Throne Judgment Rev. 20:11-13 b. Hell is currently down in the heart of the heart of the earth Matt. 12:40, Amos 9:2, Pro. 15:24 c. Hell is a place of torment Luke 16:23-25 d. Hell is a place of fire Deut. 32:22, Matt. 5:22, Matt. 18:9, Mark 9:43-45 e. Hell seems to have at least some degrees of torment ( lowest hell Deut. 32:22, Psa. 86:13) f. Hell has gates and a key Matt. 16:18, Rev. 1:18 g. Hell will enlarge itself someday Isa. 5:14, Hab. 2:5 h. Jesus actually went to hell as a part of paying for the sins of mankind Psa. 16:10, Acts 2:25-27 3. Death (as a place) is the same as (another name for) Paradise or Abraham s Bosom and is where the souls of the saints go as a temporary (intermediary) state. (See Paradise above) a. The place called Death is also in the earth and separated from Hell by a great gulf fixed (the bottomless pit) Luke 16:22-24 b. Jesus went to this place during a part of the three days His body was in the grave and preached to the souls who were waiting there for their salvation to be completed Psa. 68:18, Eph. 4:8-9, 1Pet. 4:6 c. This place must also have a gate(s), because the Lord Jesus Christ has a key to this place also Rev. 1:18 4. The Bottomless Pit is the great gulf fixed between Death and Hell and is where some of the angels that fell with Satan are being held because they left their first estate. a. It s called a great gulf fixed in the story of the rich man and Lazarus Luke 16:26 b. Jesus preached to the spirits that are imprisoned there during the time that His body was in the grave 2Pet. 2:4, Jude 1:6-7 c. The spirits in this place could not have be men, because their spirits (men s) were still not yet regenerated, so they had to have been the disobedient angels who left their first estate and married / reproduced with humans prior to the flood and since Genesis 6, John 6:70, Acts 1:25 d. This place will also hold Satan for one thousand years during the Millennium period Rev. 20:2-3

e. This place may also have a gate(s), but at the very least, chains, with a lock and key Rev. 9:1, Rev. 20:1 f. Demons of some sort are going to be released from this place to torment mankind during the Tribulation period Rev. 9:1-3 g. The Beast of the Tribulation period also comes out of the bottomless pit (probably Judas Iscariot resurrected: the beast that was and is not, and yet is ) Rev. 11:7, Rev. 17:8 5. The Lake of Fire is the final damnation of all the fallen angels, Satan and the lost, though its current location doesn t appear to be revealed in Scripture. a. All those who went to hell will also be cast into the Lake of Fire Rev. 20:11-13 b. The false prophet and the beast will be cast into the Lake of Fire Rev. 19:20, Rev. 20:10 c. The angels who fell with Satan will be cast into the Lake of Fire ( the sea gave up the dead which were in it ) Rev. 20:11-13 d. Satan will be cast into the Lake of Fire Rev. 20:10 ix. The local, visible NT church versus the invisible spiritual Church. 1. The church militant versus the Church triumphant: they re not the same 2. The local called-out NT assembly (church militant) began in Matthew 10, when Jesus called-out twelve Apostles from among those who were following Him. 3. The Body and Bride of Christ (Church triumphant) began in John 20, when Jesus breathed the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles; compare Eph. 2:20 & Eph. 2:6 & Luke 11:49 4. Anyone who is saved is in Christ (2Cor. 5:17, Rom. 8:1, 1Cor. 8:6, Gal. 2:4); anyone in Christ is a part of the Body (His) and Bride (1Cor. 1:2, Eph. 5:23, Rev. 21:1-2); the Body is the Church (Col. 1:18); so those who are saved are a part of the Church, whether or not they re in the local NT church or the wrong NT church. 5. However, all those who are in the local NT church are not necessarily in the Body of Christ Judas was a part of the first local NT church, but was a devil (John 6:70) that went to his own place when he died (Acts 1:25). 6. Therefore, we must conclude that there are two churches in operation in this age: the local NT church, and a spiritual Church, which is the Bride and Body of Jesus Christ, and is already seated together in Him in heavenly places (an ecclesia Eph. 2:6). 7. If the local, visible NT church is the only church in operation today, to which local congregation in each city was each epistle written? But if they were written to the Church, which is the Bride and Body of Jesus Christ, then copies and distribution should have been made to all the local churches (which make up the Church, and was what actually happened) 1Cor. 16:1, 1Cor. 16:19, 2Cor. 8:1, Gal. 1:2, Gal. 1:22, Rev. 1:4 8. The church in the wilderness, led by Moses, was a non-Body church, and a type of the future tribulation (mainly Jewish) church. (Acts 7:38 versus Rev. 12:13-15) 9. The seven churches of Asia Minor are a type of non-Body churches (Revelation 2 & 3) of a mixed multitude, but mainly Jewish, in the tribulation period (compare with Rom. 16:4). 10. the prayer of faith shall save the sick, is a Jewish practice (healing) during the early days of the church and will be revived again during the tribulation period church. (James 5) x. The Gospel of Matthew versus the Gospel of Luke.

1. Matthew s parables are clearly Jewish. 2. Some of Luke s parables have gentile overtones to them: a. There will be some saved gentiles in the tribulation period. b. Nearly all the parables in the Gospel of Luke deal with the Kingdom of God, rather than the Kingdom of Heaven, as in Matthew s Gospel. c. Talents versus pounds (pounds are a gentile standard of money) Matthew 25 versus Luke 19 d. 5, 2, 1 talents versus all 10 men receiving 10 pounds each (10 is the Bible number for gentiles) Matthew 25 versus Luke 19 e. Cast into outer darkness versus loss of reward (the Jews lost salvation, but the gentiles only lost their reward) Matthew 25 versus Luke 19 f. The Prodigal son Luke 15 (Discussed elsewhere) j. Note expressions of speech or practice (they often create crossreferences). i. He that hath an ear let him hear (Matthew 13, Luke 14:35 & Revelation 2, 3) 1. An expression aimed at the Jews (in all three references) ii. But I say unto you (Matt. 5:22, Matt. 5:28, Matt. 5:32, Matt. 5:34, Matt. 5:39, Matt. 5:44) 1. The new Lawgiver and King delivering the constitution of His Kingdom Luke 22:30 iii. overcometh (1 John 5, Revelation 2, 3) 1. Another expression aimed at the Jews, the NT church doesn t have to overcome anything, the Lord Jesus Christ overcame for us John 16:33, Colossians 2 iv. Disciple (Matthew Acts) 1. A Jewish expression that is never used in a Pauline Epistle to the Church, and is fairly well defined in Luke 14:26-27. v. Healing (James 5) 1. A part of the signs to Israel, and seems to be a distinction of the Jewish non-Body church k. Note types. i. God is a real stickler when it comes to types Moses lost his ticket into the Promised Land because he didn t regard one properly (Num. 20:11-12). Types seem to be cousins to parables: they reveal truths in a hidden way to those who will believe the words of God. 1. Fig leaves / self-righteousness Gen. 3:7 & Matt. 21:19-20, Luke 13:6-8 2. Adam, Joseph, Isaac, Moses, David, Jonah / Jesus a. Adam Willingly gave his life for his bride b. Joseph Hated and sold-out by his brethren c. Isaac Willingly allowed his ancient father to offer him as a sacrifice d. Moses The Lawgiver e. David Prophet, Priest & King f. Jonah A death, burial, descent into hell and resurrection from the dead 3. Seven churches of Asia Minor / seven NT church ages Revelation 2-3 a. Ephesus Rev. 2:1-3

i. The Apostolic Church ~33 AD - ~200 AD ii. thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars b. Smyrna Rev. 2:8-10 i. The State-Persecuted Church (Pagan Rome) ~200 AD - ~325 AD ii. I know thy tribulation and poverty c. Pergamos Rev. 2:12-14 i. The Whorish Church (marriage of church to state) ~325 AD - ~500 AD ii. where thou dwellest, even where Satan s seat (of power) is (Rome) iii. thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam (Intermarriage) iv. So hast thou also them that hold to the doctrine of the Nicolaitans (Conquering or ruling over the laity Popes and priests) d. Thyatira Rev. 2:18-20 i. The State-Church Persecuted Church (Papal Rome) ~500 AD - ~1000 AD ii. thou sufferest that woman Jezebel to teach and seduce my servants iii. And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus (Rev. 17:6) iv. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth (either Rome, the city of seven hills, or the seven continents over which the Catholic church is continually gaining control) (Rev. 17:9) e. Sardis Rev. 3:1-3 i. The Barely Alive Church (enduring the dark ages) ~1000 AD - ~1500 AD ii. thou livest, and are dead iii. strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die iv. Thou hast a few which have not defiled their garments 1. Ana-Baptists 2. Albigenses 3. Waldenses 4. John Wycliffe 5. John Huss f. Philadelphia Rev. 3:7-9 i. The Open Door Church (The Great Awakening) ~1500 AD - ~1900 AD ii. I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it (The main harvest period of the Church Age; God opened the door for world wide revival) iii. he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth and no man openeth. (God closes the door in the next age; world wide apostasy) iv. thou hast kept the word of my patience (There s still a pure Bible through the end of this age, but it s leavened [Luke 13:20-21] in the next age) g. Laodicean Rev. 3:14-16 i. The People s Rights Church ~1900 AD Present 1. Woman s Rights 2. Civil (Black) Rights 3. State s Rights 4. Gay Rights 5. Human Rights

6. Animal s Rights 7. MY RIGHTS ii. thou are neither cold nor hot thou art lukewarm (We live in the most politically correct generation ever.) iii. thou sayest, I am rich, and increased in goods, and have need of nothing (We live in the most financially prosperous gentile generation ever [especially the presentday churches].) iv. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock (We live in the most apostate generation ever [1 Timothy 4, 2 Timothy 3-4]; Jesus is no longer in the church, and the door is shut.) v. 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 (Rev. 4:1, a type of the rapture of the Church, which ends the apostate church age) 4. The Book of Job / The Great Tribulation a. 42 chapters 42 months b. Satan s presence: (Leviathan Job 41) (Dragon - Revelation 12; see Isa. 27:1) c. Satan allowed access to persecute, but not annihilate d. Friends and family (wife) turned against e. The tribulation and persecution ends when the Lord appears on the scene f. Blessed again, and more so (doubly), at the conclusion 5. Marriage / the Bride and Body of Jesus Christ Eph. 5:22-24 a. We are one flesh with Jesus Christ. b. what God hath joined together c. We re currently sitting together in heavenly places in Him Eph. 2:6 6. OT Feasts / 3 phases of the Rapture (there is a mid-tribulation rapture Ex. 23:1416, Deut. 16:16, Matt. 25:1-3 [not Matt. 24:40-41], Rev. 11:12) a. All males were to appear before God three times Deut. 16:16 i. Feast of Unleavened Bread (Passover) Matt. 27:52-53 ii. Feast of Weeks (Pentecost) 1Cor. 15:52, 1Thes. 4:16 iii. Feast of Tabernacles Matt. 25:1 b. In the NT, the Lord raised three from the dead another type of the three-phase Rapture of the saints: i. Lazarus: a type of the OT-saints rapture; Lazarus types the OT saints who had laid in the ground 4 days John 11 ii. Jairus daughter: a type of the Church s rapture; a young maiden (a future wife) and the only female raised Mark 5:23, Luke 8:41-42 iii. The widow s son a type of the Tribulation-saints rapture; the son was delivered back to his mother (Revelation 12, in type) Luke 7:12-14 7. Trees / men Mark 8:24 (consider also: gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble 1Cor. 3:12) 8. Rock / Jesus Christ (stone, cornerstone, rock) Num. 20:8-10 & 1Cor. 10:4, Daniel 2, Matt. 16:18 9. Satan / serpent / dragon / leviathan / lion / calf (cherub) / fox / king 10. Tribe of Dan (an adder [serpent]) / Judas Iscariot (a devil) l. Note pairs.

i. The first in the pair is almost always false, but not necessarily bad, though usually so 1. Adam and Jesus 1Cor. 15:45 2. Moses and Jesus Deut. 18:18 3. Jonah and Jesus Matt. 12:38-40 4. Cain and Abel 5. Esau and Jacob 6. Ishmael and Isaac 7. Saul and David 8. Antichrist and Jesus Christ (2nd Advent) m. Note first-mentions. i. Fig leaves (self-righteousness Gen. 3:7) ii. Holy (dirt: the Promised Land Ex. 3:5 [You better be careful about giving that dirt away! ]) iii. Healing & signs (for the Jews Ex. 4:8, 1Cor. 1:22) iv. The deep (outer space or a sea in outer space Gen. 1:2, Job 38:30, Job 41:31-32, Eze. 28:2, Psa. 42:7, Psa. 69:15, Psa. 104:6, Psa. 107:24, Psa. 135:6, Pro. 8:28, Psa. 148:4) v. Thirteen (rebellion Gen. 14:4) n. Note verb tenses i. are a shadow of things to come (still are Col. 2:17, Heb. 10:1) ii. sit together in heavenly places (at this time Eph. 2:6) iii. that you may know you have eternal life (now 1John 5:13) o. Note numbers (Not an infallible rule, but certainly another way that God sometimes chooses to communicate additional Truth through His Book) i. One 1. The number for unity 2. One Lord Mark 12:29 3. The Tower of Babel (man s unity outside of God is bad) Genesis 11 4. The church on the day of Pentecost (man s unity within the Lord is good) Acts 2:1 Marriage (can be good or bad) Gen. 2:24 ii. Two 1. The number for division 2. Two must have agreement to walk together; most don t walk with 3. 3. God because they re divided against Him (Amos 3:3). 4. The Lord Jesus Christ is a divider in this age Luke 12:51 5. Unequal yokes divide 2Cor. 6:14 You cannot serve two masters Luke 16:13 iii. Three 1. The number for unity in division or division in unity 2. I call it, Holy Order 3. The Trinity 4. Queers only two, cannot create three (unholy) 5. Family not a family unit until it becomes three: father, wife, and child 6. Church pastor, flock, and God (where two or three Matt. 18:20) iv. Four

1. An elusive number 2. Perhaps the number for earth: a. 4 seasons b. 4 winds c. 4 compass directions d. 4 basic elements: fire, wind, earth, water 3. Perhaps the number for universality; God s salvation is available to all: a. 4 directions of compass (Matt. 8:11, Luke 13:29) b. 4 horns on the brazen altar Ex. 27:1-2 c. 4 rings for staves on the Mercy Seat & carried by 4 Ex. 25:10 d. The palsied man borne of 4 Mark 2:1-3 v. Five 1. NOT the number for grace, as many suggest 2. The number for death a. Gen. 5:5 b. Romans 5 c. under the 5th rib 2Sam. 2:23, 2Sam. 3:27, 2Sam. 4:6, 2Sam. 20:10 d. The brazen altar was built 5 X 5 (the place of death Ex. 27:1) vi. Six 1. The number for man 2. Adam was created on the 6th day. 3. Number of a man: 666 (incomplete Rev. 13:18) 4. Man s work-week is 6 days. 5. Noah entered the ark in his 600th year. 6. Man messes-up the earth for 6000 years. vii. Seven 1. The number for completion 2. 7 colors in the spectrum 3. 7 notes in the scale 4. God s way of working: a. 7 days = week b. 7 weeks = Feast of Pentecost ( weeks ) Ex. 23:14-16, Deut. 16:16 c. 7 months = Feast of Tabernacles Lev. 23:34 d. 7 years = rest for land (Lev. 25:4), and release of servants (Ex. 21:2, a type of the millennium for Israel) e. 7 times 7 years = Jubilee Lev. 25:9-11 f. 7 millennia = Great White Throne Judgment (DONE) 5. In the last Book of the Bible there are: a. 7 bowl judgments b. 7 trumpet judgments c. 7 vial judgments d. 7 churches e. 7 angels (messengers or pastors) f. 7 candlesticks g. 7 spirits (of God) viii. Eight

1. The number for new beginnings 2. Noah, the eighth person (Starting again with Noah 2Pet. 2:5) 3. Circumcision on the eighth day for a new little boy Luke 1:59 4. King David was the eighth son of Jesse: something new was being shown he was a type of Jesus and the dispensation of grace 1Sam. 17:12 & 1Sam. 16:11 ix. Nine 1. Another elusive number 2. Covenants: a. Noah s covenant Gen. 9:9 b. Abraham was 99 at his covenant Gen. 17:1 3. Fruit bearing: a. 9 fruit of the Spirit mentioned Gal. 5:22 b. 9 gifts to the church mentioned 1 Corinthians 12 x. Ten 1. The number for the Gentiles a. Noah was the tenth from Adam, and the father of the gentiles Genesis 10 b. The first gentile kingdom appears in Genesis 10. c. The last gentile kingdom is a confederacy of 10 nations Daniel 2 d. Jesus mentions His other sheep, which are not of the fold of Israel, in John 10. e. Cornelius, the first gentile reached in the Book of Acts, is reached in Acts 10 (The Ethiopian Eunuch in Acts 8 was a Jewish proselyte) f. Gentiles use a base-10 system xi. Eleven 1. I call it the number for disorder or chaos a. The Tower of Babel is in Genesis 11. b. Without Joseph, Israel was only 11 tribes (Dan also). c. Without Judas Iscariot, there were only 11 Apostles. d. 9/11 xii. Twelve 1. The number for the Jews a. There were 12 children of Israel & 12 tribes of Israel. b. There were 12 stones in Aaron s breastplate. c. There are 12 stars on the woman s crown in Revelation 12 representing the 12 tribes of Israel. d. There were 12 (Jewish) Apostles and will be 12 foundations and gates in the New Jerusalem the home of the Jewish Messiah and His Bride. e. The first reference to the Jews, through Abraham, is in Genesis 12. f. The book of Daniel, which deals with Israel in the end-times, has 12 chapters. xiii. Thirteen 1. The number for rebellion a. The first mention of thirteen is rebellion Gen. 14:4 b. In 1 Samuel 13, Saul, the first King of Israel rebelled against the word of the Lord and lost the kingdom to David. c. The beast is the theme of Revelation 13. d. The parable of the fig tree that wouldn t bear fruit and had to be cut down (a type of Israel) is in Luke 13.

e. There are 13 letters in Judas Iscariot, and he s outted in John 13. f. There are 13 words in the harlot s subscription in Revelation 17. g. 13 colonies broke away from England and became the USA. h. The first US flag was comprised of 13 stars and 13 stripes (be careful about your jingoism). xiv. Forty 1. The number for testing or probation a. 40 is mentioned twice in the flood account Gen. 7:4, 17 b. Israel spent 40 years wandering in the wilderness (Ex. 16:35, Num. 14:33). c. Moses spent 40 years on the backside of the desert (Exodus 3). d. Moses, Elijah and Jesus fasted for forty days and nights (representing the Law, the Prophets and the King Ex. 24:18, 1Kings 19:8, Matt. 4:1-2). e. Saul, David and Solomon all ruled Israel for 40 years each (Acts 13:21, 2Sam. 5:4, 1Kings 11:42). xv. One Thousand 1. The number God uses to divide off the ages a. A day with the Lord is as a thousand years (2Pet. 3:8). b. God worked six days and rested the seventh, the Sabbath: a type of the Millennial Reign of the Lord Jesus Christ and Israel s rest. c. God gave Israel the Sabbath as a sign: a thousand year rest (Ex. 31:13, Eze. 20:12, Eze. 20:20). d. God almost always divides these ages either 4-3 or 6-1 i. Marriage in Cana of Galilee three days (John 1-2) 1. Jesus is going to a marriage on the third day. ii. Jesus worked for two days, but on the third day He would be perfected (Luke 13:3132 1. The Lord s perfect King and Kingdom will be on the third day. iii. The parable of the fig tree four days (Luke 13:6-8) 1. Digged it about through Sennacherib 2 Kings 18 2. Dunged it about through Nebuchadnezzar 2 Kings 24 3. Still no fruit; cut it down after the fourth day Titus (70 AD) iv. Matt. 17:1 (after six days) versus Luke 9:28 (about an eight days) 1. After six and about eight is seven The Kingdom is the seventh day v. One thousand is mentioned six times in Rev. 20:2-4 1. Man messes things up for six thousand years, and then God makes a rest for the seventh thousand years

Fulfilled Messianic Prophecies

[So Far]

Claiming to predict the future is an endeavor that almost no "religious text" other than the Bible will attempt. The obvious reason is the writers or "gods" behind these texts have no power to know the future. These texts [Koran, Book of Mormon, Book of the Dead, etc.]

make great claims and supposedly reveal great truths, but they contain no prophecy unique to them to establish these "truths." The Holy Bible, however, does not suffer from these weaknesses. It flawlessly and accurately predicts future events hundreds of times without failure. Fulfilled prophecy is one of the major proofs that the Bible is [not contains] the very words of the Living God: the creator of all things and the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ and all who believe on Him. When the Lord writes a book He places traits and proofs among His words that no man or devil can duplicate. Below is a sample of the Lord's predictions concerning the first coming of His son Jesus Christ. There are 200 or so listed, each with a reference to the prophecy and its fulfillment. A study of these references will reveal to the seeking soul that the Bible is a unique book and like no other. To an honest seeker these prophecies prove the divine nature of the Bible. To a believer they reassure him of the truth of God's word in these times of doubt. They are infallible. The believer should notice that these prophecies are not vague, indefinite predictions that leave room for "spiritualization" or "interpretation." They are specific predictions with specific fulfillments. This indicates the way a person is to approach the Bible. One is not to treat is as a book of general truths open to interpretation as is so common today. It is to be treated as the literal and specific words of the God of creation to mankind. This list deals with messianic prophecies that have already been fulfilled. It does not mention the prophecies that are yet to be fulfilled at Christ's second coming. However, the fulfillments of the past foreshadow the fulfillments of the future. That Christ will one day stand upon the Mount of Olives as a conquering warrior in bloody garments [Isa. 63:3-4] is as certain a fact as His hanging on a cross as a lamb.
[If you would like a version of this list that includes our PopVerse feature which allows the user to view the Bible text by placing the mouse cursor over a reference, click here to download it [70k] in as a compressed Windows help file [.chm]. Because of limited server space, bandwidth limitations, and extended opening times for those with dial-up connections, the list below does not include the embedded verses. Once you download the prophecies.chm file simply double click it and it will open as a Windows help file with the embedded pop-up verses.]

Genesis The Messiah would be born of the "seed" of a

Prophecy Genesis 3:15

Fulfillment Luke 1:34-35

woman. The Messiah would defeat Satan. The Messiah would suffer while reconciling men to God. The Messiah would be a descendant of Shem. The Messiah would be a descendant of Abraham. The Messiah would be a descendant of Isaac. The Messiah would be a descendant of Abraham. The Messiah would come for all nations. The Messiah would be a descendant of Isaac. above above Genesis 9:26 Genesis 12:3 Genesis 17:19 1 John 3:8 1 Peter 3:18 Luke 3:36 Matthew 1:1 Luke 3:34

Genesis 18:17-18 Matthew 1:1 above Genesis 21:12 Acts 3:24-26 Luke 3:34 Luke 23:33 Galations 3:16 Galatians 3:14 Luke 3:34 above Galatians 3:2629 Luke 3:33 John 1:49 John 18:31

Messiah to be sacrificed on the same mountain Genesis 22:14 where God tested Abraham. The Messiah would be a descendant of Abraham. The Messiah would come for all nations. The Messiah would be a descendant of Isaac. The Messiah would be a descendant of Jacob. The Messiah would come for all people. The Messiah would be a King Genesis 22:18 above Genesis 26:4 Genesis 28:14 above above

The Messiah would be a descendant of Judah. Genesis 49:10 The Jew's capitol punishment authority would above be gone when the Messiah arrived. Numbers The Messiah would be a King. Deuteronomy The Messiah would be a Prophet. The Messiah would speak with words of authority given to Him from God. Those who refused to listen to the Messiah would be judged. The Messiah would be worshiped by angels at his birth. Deuteronomy 18:15-19 above above Deuteronomy 32:43 Numbers 24:17

John 19:19

John 6:14 John 12:48-50 above Luke 2:13-14

Ruth The Messiah would be a descendant of Boaz & Ruth 4:12-17 Ruth. 1 Samuel The Messiah would be exalted by God with power and strength. 2 Samuel The Messiah would be a descendant of David. The Messiah would be the Son of God. The Messiah would be a descendant of David. The Messiah would come for all people. The Messiah would be the "Rock." The Messiah would be as the "light of the morning." 1 Chronicles The Messiah would be a descendant of Judah. 1 Chronicles 5:2 The Messiah would be a descendant of David. The Messiah's throne would be everlasting. The Messiah would be the Son of God. Psalms The Messiah would be rejected by Gentiles. Political and religious leaders would conspire against the Messiah. The Messiah would be a King. The Messiah would be the Son of God. The Messiah would declare that he was the Son of God. The Messiah would be resurrected and crowned as King. The Messiah would ask God for His inheritance. Psalm 2:1 Psalm 2:2 Psalm 2:6 Psalm 2:7 above above Psalm 2:8 Acts 4:25-28 Matthew 26:3-4 John 12:12-13 Luke 1:31-35 John 9:35-37 Acts 13:30-33 John 17:4-24 1 Chronicles 17:11-12 above 1 Chronicles 17:13-14 Luke 3:33 Luke 3:31 Luke 1:32-33 Matthew 3:16-17 2 Samuel 7:12-13 Matthew 1:1 above 2 Samuel 7:16 2 Samuel 22:50 2 Samuel 23:2-4 above Matthew 3:16-17 Matthew 1:1 Romans 15:8-9 1 Corinthians 10:4 Revelation 22:16 1 Samuel 2:10 Matthew 28:18 Luke 3:32

The Messiah would receive authority over all. The Messiah would be the Son of God. The Messiah would reject those who did not believe in him. Infants would give praise to the Messiah.

above Psalm 2:12 above Psalm 8:2

Matthew 28:18 Matthew 17:5 John 3:36 Matthew 21:1516 Matthew 28:18 Matthew 28:6 Acts 13:35-37 Acts 2:33 Ephesians 3:4-6 Matthew 27:46 Mark 15:34 Matthew 26:3839 Luke 23:21-23 Matthew 27:39 Matthew 27:4143 Luke 2:40 Luke 1:30-33 Mark 14:50 Colossians 2:15 John 19:34 Matthew 27:35 John 19:28 John 19:30 Luke 23:36

The Messiah would be given authority over all Psalm 8:6 things. The Messiah would be resurrected. The Messiah's body would not be subject to decay. The Messiah would be exalted to the presence of God. The Messiah would come for all people. The Messiah would cry out to God. The Messiah would be forsaken by God. The Messiah, anguished, would pray without ceasing. The Messiah would be despised. The Messiah would be mocked by people shaking their heads. Psalm 16:8-10 above Psalm 16:11 Psalm 18:49 Psalm 22:1 above Psalm 22:2 Psalm 22:6 Psalm 22:7

Mockers would say of the Messiah, "he trusted Psalm 22:8 God, let him deliver him." The Messiah would be aware of his Father from his youth. The Messiah would be called to God's service from the womb. The Messiah would be abandoned by the disciples. The Messiah would be surrounded by evil spirits. Psalm 22:9 Psalm 22:10 Psalm 22:11 Psalm 22:12-13

The Messiah's heart would burst, flowing with Psalm 22:14 blood & water. The Messiah would be crucified. The Messiah would thirst. The Messiah would thirst shortly before his death. above Psalm 22:15 above

The Messiah would be surrounded by Gentiles Psalm 22:16 at his crucifixion.

The Messiah would be surrounded by Jews at his crucifixion. The Messiah's hands and feet would be pierced. People would stare at the Messiah during his crucifixion. The Messiah's garments would be divided. Lots would be cast for the Messiah's clothes. The Messiah's atonement would enable believers to be his brethren. The Messiah's offering of himself would replace all sacrifices. The Messiah would say the scriptures were written of him. The Messiah would come to do God's will. The Messiah would not conceal his mission from the congregation. The Messiah's betrayer would be a friend whom he broke bread with. The Messiah would speak with a message of grace. The Messiah's throne would be everlasting. The Messiah would be God. The Messiah would act with righteousness. The Messiah would ascend into heaven. The Messiah would give gifts to men.

above above

Matthew 27:4143 Matthew 27:38 John 19:32-33 Luke 23:35 John 19:23-24 above Hebrews 2:10-12 John 19:32-33 Hebrews 10:1013 Luke 24:44 John 5:30 Luke 4:16-21 Mark 14:17-18 Luke 4:22 Luke 1:31-33 Hebrews 1:8-9 John 5:30 Luke 24:51 Matthew 10:1 Luke 23:13-22 Matthew 26:6567 John 1:11 John 7:3-5 John 2:13-17 Romans 15:3

None of the Messiah's bones would be broken. Psalm 22:17 above Psalm 22:18 above Psalm 22:22

None of the Messiah's bones would be broken. Psalm 34:20 Psalm 40:6-8 above Psalm 40:7-8 Psalm 40:9-10 Psalm 41:9 Psalm 45:2 Psalm 45:6-7 above above Psalm 68:18 above

The Messiah would be hated by many without Psalm 69:4 cause. The Messiah would bear reproach, for God's sake. The Messiah would be rejected by the Jews. The Messiah's brothers would disbelieve him. The Messiah would be angered by disrespect toward the temple. The Messiah would bear reproach, for God's sake. Psalm 69:7 Psalm 69:8 above Psalm 69:9 Psalm 69:9

The Messiah's disciples would fail him in his time of need. The Messiah would thirst. The potters field would be uninhabited. The Messiah would speak in parables. The Messiah would be at the right hand of God. The Messiah would be a descendant of David. The Messiah would call God his Father. The Messiah would be God's "firstborn." The Messiah would be a descendant of David. The Messiah would be a descendant of David. The Messiah would be eternal. The Messiah would be the creator of all. The Messiah would be accused by false witnesses. The Messiah would pray for his enemies. The Messiah's betrayer would be replaced. The Messiah would be mocked by people shaking their heads. The Messiah would be Lord. The Messiah would be at the right hand of God. The Messiah would be a Priest in the order of Melchisedec. The Messiah would be at the right hand of God. The Messiah would be the "stone" rejected by the Jews. The Messiah would come in the name of the Lord. The Messiah would be a descendant of David. The Messiah would be a descendant of David.

above above Psalm 69:25 Psalm 78:2 Psalm 80:17 Psalm 89:3-4 Psalm 89:26 Psalm 89:27 Psalm 89:29 Psalm 89:35-36 above Psalm 109:2 Psalm 109:4 above Psalm 109:25 Psalm 110:1 above Psalm 110:4 Psalm 110:5 Psalm 118:22 Psalm 118:26 Psalm 132:11 Psalm 132:17

Mark 14:33-41 Matthew 27:34 John 19:28 Acts 1:16-20 Matthew 13:3435 Acts 5:31 Matthew 1:1 Matthew 11:27 Mark 16:6 Matthew 1:1 Matthew 1:1 John 1:3 John 18:29-30 Luke 23:34 Acts 1:16-18 Acts 1:20-26 Mark 15:29-30 Matthew 22:4145 Mark 16:19 Hebrews 6:17-20 1 Peter 3:21-22 Matthew 21:4243 Matthew 21:9 Matthew 1:1 above

The Messiah would be offered gall and vinegar. Psalm 69:21

Psalm 102:25-27 Colossians 1:17

The Messiah's betrayer would have a short life. Psalm 109:8

Proverbs The Messiah would be from everlasting. The Messiah would ascend and descend from heaven. God would have a Son. Isaiah The Jews would have a hardened heart against Isaiah 6:9-10 the Messiah. The Messiah would speak in parables. The Messiah would be a descendant of David. The Messiah would be born of a virgin. The Messiah would be Immanuel, "God with us." The Messiah would be God. Isaiah 6:9-10 Isaiah 7:13-14 Isaiah 7:14 above above John 12:37-40 Matthew 13:1315 Matthew 1:1 Luke 1:34-35 Matthew 1:21-23 John 12:45 Matthew 21:4344 Matthew 4:12-17 Luke 2:28-32 Luke 2:11 Luke 1:35 John 7:46 John 10:30 Revelation 1:8 Colossians 1:20 Matthew 1:1 Luke 3:23-32 Luke 2:7 Matthew 3:16-17 Luke 2:40 above Matthew 7:28-29 Proverbs 8:22-23 John 17:5 Proverbs 30:4 above John 3:13 Matthew 3:16-17

The Messiah would be a "stumbling stone" for Isaiah 8:14 the Jews. The Messiah would minister in Galilee. The Messiah would be a light to the Gentiles. The birth of the Messiah. The Messiah would be the Son of God. The Messiah would be the "Wonderful Counselor." Isaiah 9:1-2 above Isaiah 9:6 above above

The Messiah would be both God and man (the above "Mighty God"). The Messiah would be from everlasting (the "Everlasting Father"). The Messiah would be the "Prince of Peace." The Messiah would be a descendant of David. The Messiah would be a descendant of Jesse. The Messiah would grow up in a poor family. The Messiah would have the full Spirit of God upon him. The Messiah would have the Spirit of Understanding. above above Isaiah 9:7 Isaiah 11:1 above Isaiah 11:2

The Messiah would have the Spirit of Wisdom. above above

The Messiah would have the Spirit of Counsel. above

The Messiah would have the Spirit of Might. The Messiah would have the Spirit of the Knowledge of God.

above above

Matthew 8:27 John 7:29 Hebrews 5:7 Luke 2:46-47 John 7:24 Mark 12:41-44 Luke 3:23-32 Acts 13:47-48 Revelation 3:7 Revelation 1:18 Matthew 27:5253 1 Peter 2:4-6 Mark 10:51-52 Mark 7:32-35 Matthew 12:1013 Matthew 9:32-33 Matthew 3:1-4 Luke 1:17 John 10:30 John 10:11 John 4:34 Matthew 3:16-17 Matthew 3:16-17 Matthew 24:14 Matthew 12:15 Matthew 11:4-5

The Messiah would have the Spirit of the Fear above of God. The Messiah would have a quick understanding in the fear of the Lord. The Messiah would not judge on the basis of external representations. The Messiah would judge the poor with righteousness. The Messiah would be a descendant of Jesse. The Messiah would come for all people. The Messiah would have the key of David. The Messiah would defeat death. Others would rise to life at the resurrection of the Messiah. The Messiah would be the cornerstone. The Messiah would heal the blind. The Messiah would heal the deaf. The Messiah would heal the lame. The Messiah would heal the dumb. The forerunner of the Messiah would live in the wilderness. The forerunner would prepare people for the coming of the Messiah. The Messiah would be God. The Messiah would be as a shepherd. The Messiah would be God's servant. The Messiah would have the Spirit of God upon him. The Messiah would please God. The Messiah would provide "justice" to the Gentiles. The Messiah would not draw attention to himself. The Messiah would have compassion for the Isaiah 11:3 above Isaiah 11:4 Isaiah 11:10 above Isaiah 22:22 Isaiah 25:8 Isaiah 26:19 Isaiah 28:16 Isaiah 35:5 above Isaiah 35:6 above Isaiah 40:3 above above Isaiah 40:11 Isaiah 42:1 above above above Isaiah 42:2 Isaiah 42:3

poor and needy. The Messiah would receive guidance from God. The Messiah would be ministered to by God. The Messiah would be the new covenant. The Messiah would be a light to the Gentiles. The Messiah would heal the blind. The Messiah would be from everlasting. The Messiah would be sent from God. The Messiah would come for all people. The Messiah would be called to God's service from the womb. The Messiah would be called by his name before he was born. The Messiah's words would be as a sharp sword. The Messiah would be protected by God. The Messiah would be responsible for the judgment of mankind. The Messiah would be God's servant. The Messiah's work would glorify God. Isaiah 42:6 above above above Isaiah 42:7 Isaiah 48:16 above Isaiah 49:1 above above Isaiah 49:2 above above Isaiah 49:3 above John 5:19-20 John 8:29 Matthew 26:28 John 8:12 Matthew 9:2730 John 1:1-2 John 7:29 1 Timothy 2:4-6 Matthew 1:20-21 Luke 1:30-31 Revelation 2:1216 Matthew 2:13-15 John 5:22-29 John 17:4 Matthew 15:3031 Luke 19:41-42 John 5:43 John 6:38 Matthew 15:24 John 12:49-50 Acts 13:47-48 John 10:20 John 12:49 John 12:27 Matthew 27:26 Matthew 26:67

The Messiah would be distressed over the Jews Isaiah 49:4 unbelief. The Messiah would be rejected by the Jews. The Messiah would be God's servant. The Messiah would come to bring Israel back to God. The Messiah would be God's servant. The Messiah would be a light to the Gentiles. The Messiah would be despised. The Messiah would speak with knowledge given to him from God. The Messiah would not be rebellious to God's will. The Messiah's back would be whipped. The Messiah's face would be beaten and spit above Isaiah 49:5 above Isaiah 49:6 above Isaiah 49:7 Isaiah 50:4 Isaiah 50:5 Isaiah 50:6 above

upon. The Messiah would steadfastly set his face toward his mission. The Messiah would be justified by his righteousness. The Messiah would place his trust in God. The Messiah would be God's servant. The Messiah would be highly exalted. The Messiah's face would be disfigured from severe beatings. The Messiahs blood would be shed to make atonement for all. The Messiah's own people would not believe he was the Christ. The Messiah would grow up in a poor family. Isaiah 50:7 Isaiah 50:8 Isaiah 50:8-10 Isaiah 52:13 above Isaiah 52:14 Isaiah 52:15 Isaiah 53:1 Isaiah 53:2 Luke 9:51-53 1 Timothy 3:16 John 11:7-10 John 9:4 Philippians 2:911 Matthew 26:6768 Revelation 1:5 John 12:37-38 Luke 2:7 Philippians 2:7-8 Luke 4:28-29 Matthew 27:2123 Luke 19:41-42 Mark 14:50-52 Luke 6:17-19 1 Peter 2:24 Matthew 27:4143 Luke 23:33 Colossians 1:20 Matthew 27:26 Galatians 1:4 1 John 4:10

The Messiah would have the appearance of an above ordinary man. The Messiah would be despised. The Messiah would be rejected. The Messiah would have great sorrow and grief. Men would hide from being associated with the Messiah. The Messiah would have a healing ministry. The Messiah would bear and carry upon himself the sins of the world. Isaiah 53:3 above above above Isaiah 53:4 above

The Messiah would be thought to be cursed by above God. The Messiah would bear the penalty for mankind's transgressions. The Messiah's sacrifice would provide peace between man and God. The Messiah's back would be whipped. The Messiah would be the sin-bearer for all mankind. Isaiah 53:5 above Isaiah 53:5 Isaiah 53:6

It was God's will that the Messiah would be the above sin-bearer for all mankind.

The Messiah would be oppressed and afflicted. Isaiah 53:7 The Messiah would be silent before his accusers. The Messiah would be as a sacrificial lamb. The Messiah would be confined and persecuted. The Messiah would be judged. The Messiah would be killed. The Messiah would die for the sins of the world. The Messiah would be buried in a rich man's grave. above above Isaiah 53:8 above above above Isaiah 53:9

Matthew 27:2731 Matthew 27:1214 John 1:29 Matthew 26:55 John 18:13-22 Matthew 27:35 1 John 2:2 Matthew 27:57 Mark 15:3 John 18:38 John 18:11 Matthew 20:28 Mark 16:16 John 17:1-5 John 12:27 Romans 5:18-19 Romans 5:8-9 Hebrews 9:28 Matthew 28:18 Luke 23:46 Luke 23:32 2 Corinthians 5:21 Luke 23:34 Acts 13:34

The Messiah would be innocent and had done above no violence. The Messiah would have no deceit in his mouth. It was God's will that the Messiah would die for all mankind. The Messiah would be an offering for sin. The Messiah would be resurrected and live forever. The Messiah would prosper. above Isaiah 53:10 above above above

God would be fully satisfied with the suffering Isaiah 53:11 of the Messiah. The Messiah would be God's servant. The Messiah would justify man before God. The Messiah would be the sin-bearer for all mankind. above above above

Because of his sacrifice, the Messiah would be Isaiah 53:12 greatly exalted by God. The Messiah would give up his life to save mankind. The Messiah would be the sin-bearer for all mankind. above

The Messiah would be grouped with criminals. above above

The Messiah would intercede to God in behalf above of mankind. The Messiah would be resurrected by God. Isaiah 55:3

The Messiah would be a witness.

Isaiah 55:4

John 18:37 John 6:40 Matthew 10:3233 Luke 2:38 Matthew 3:16-17 Luke 4:17-21 John 8:31-32 John 5:24

The Messiah would come to provide salvation. Isaiah 59:15-16 The Messiah would be the intercessor between above man and God. The Messiah would come to Zion as their Redeemer. The Messiah would have the Spirit of God upon him. The Messiah would preach the good news. The Messiah would provide freedom from the bondage of sin and death. Isaiah 59:20 Isaiah 61:1-2 above above

The Messiah would proclaim a period of grace. above Jeremiah The Messiah would be a descendant of David. The Messiah would be God. The Messiah would be both man and God. The Messiah would be born of a virgin. The Messiah would be the new covenant. The Messiah would be a descendant of David. Ezekiel The Messiah would be a descendant of David. The Messiah would be a descendant of David. Daniel The Messiah would ascend into heaven. The Messiah would be highly exalted. The Messiah would come to make an end to sins. The Messiah would be holy. Daniel 7:13-14 above

Jeremiah 23:5-6" Luke 3:23-31 above above Jeremiah 31:22 Jeremiah 31:31 Jeremiah 33:1415 John 13:13 1 Timothy 3:16 Matthew 1:18-20 Matthew 26:28 Luke 3:23-31

Ezekiel 17:22-24 Luke 3:31 Ezekiel 34:23-24 Matthew 1:1

Acts 1:9-11 Ephesians 1:2022 Luke 1:31-33 Galations 1:3-5 Luke 1:35 John 12:12-13 Matthew 27:35 Hebrews 2:9

The Messiah's dominion would be everlasting. above Daniel 9:24 above

The Messiah enters Jerusalem 483 years, after Daniel 9:25 the decree to rebuild Jerusalem. The Messiah would be killed. The Messiah would die for the sins of the Daniel 9:26 above

world. The Messiah would be killed before the destruction of the temple. A vision of the Messiah in a glorified state. Hosea The Messiah would defeat death. Joel The Messiah would offer salvation to all mankind. Micah The Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. The Messiah would be God's servant. The Messiah would be from everlasting. Haggai The Messiah would visit the second Temple. The Messiah would be a descendant of Zerubbabel. Zechariah The Messiah would be God's servant. The Messiah would be Priest and King. The Messiah would be be greeted with rejoicing in Jerusalem. The Messiah would be beheld as King. The Messiah would be just. The Messiah would bring salvation. The Messiah would be humble. Zechariah 3:8 Zechariah 6:1213 Zechariah 9:9 above above above above John 17:4 Hebrews 8:1 Matthew 21:8-10 John 12:12-13 John 5:30 Luke 19:10 Matthew 11:29 Matthew 21:6-9 Ephesians 2:20 Haggai 2:6-9 Haggai 2:23 Luke 2:27 Luke 3:27 Micah 5:2 above above Matthew 2:1-2 John 15:10 Revelation 1:8 Joel 2:32 Romans 10:12-13 Hosea 13:14 1 Corinthians 15:55-57 above Daniel 10:5-6 Matthew 27:5051 Revelation 1:1316

The Messiah would be presented to Jerusalem above riding on a donkey. The Messiah would be the cornerstone. At the time of Messiah's coming, Israel would have unfit leaders. Zechariah 10:4

Zechariah 11:4-6 Matthew 23:1-4

The Messiah's rejection would cause God to remove His protection of Israel. The Messiah would be rejected in favor of another king. The Messiah would have a ministry to the "poor," the believing remnant.

above above Zechariah 11:7

Luke 19:41-44 John 19:13-15 Matthew 9:35-36 Matthew 23:33 Matthew 27:20 Matthew 13:1011 Luke 19:41-44 John 14:7 Mathew 26:14-15 above Matthew 27:3-5 John 12:45 John 19:34-37 John 10:30 John 1:11 John 18:11 Matthew 27:35 John 14:9 Matthew 26:31

The unbelief of Israel's leaders would force the Zechariah 11:8 Messiah to reject them. The Messiah would be despised. The Messiah would stop ministering to the those who rejected Him. The Messiah's rejection would cause God to remove His protection of Israel. The Messiah would be God The Messiah would be betrayed for thirty pieces of silver. The Messiah would be rejected. Thirty pieces of silver would be thrown into the house of the Lord. The Messiah would be God The Messiah's body would be pierced. The Messiah would be both God and man. The Messiah would be rejected. It was God's will that the Messiah would die for all mankind. The Messiah would die a violent death. The Messiah would be both God and man Israel would be scattered as a result of rejecting the Messiah Malachi A messenger would prepare the way for the Messiah. Malachi 3:1 above Zechariah 11:9 Zechariah 11:1011 above Zechariah 11:1213 above above above Zechariah 12:10 above above Zechariah 13:7 above above above

Matthew 11:10 Mark 11:15-16 Luke 4:43 Matthew 3:1-2

The Messiah would make a sudden appearance above at the temple. The Messiah would be the messenger of the new covenant. The Messiah's forerunner would come in the spirit of Elijah. above Malachi 4:5

The Messiah's forerunner would turn many to Malachi 4:6 righteousness.

Luke 1:16-17

This list was adapted and edited from a list I found on the Internet somewhere.

Why A Saved Person Can NEVER Be Lost

Edited by Timothy S. Morton

Fifty Reasons

1.ETERNAL LIFE IS ETERNAL! John 3:15, John 10:28, Rom. 6:23, 1John 2:25, 1John 5:11, 1John 5:13, etc.; By definition eternal means never ending. Once a believer has eternal life it can never be taken away. If it could be it would not be eternal! 2. EVERLASTING LIFE IS EVERLASTING! Dan. 12:2; John 3:16, John 3:36, John 5:24, John 6:40, John 6:47; Rom. 6:22; etc.; Likewise, everlasting life can never end. It is everlasting regardless of the believers behavior. 3. IT IS GODS WILL! John 6:39; It is Gods will that Christ loose none of those who come to Him. 4. HEAVEN IS RESERVED FOR HIM! 1Pet. 1:4; An inheritance in heaven is reserved for the believer. 5. SALVATION (INHERITANCE) IS INCORRUPTIBLE! 1Pet. 1:4; No one can corrupt something God has made incorruptible. 6. SALVATION (INHERITANCE) CANNOT BE DEFILED! 1Pet. 1:4; No one can defile something which God says cannot be defiled. 7. HE IS SEALED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT! Eph. 1:13; No power in Heaven or earth can break Gods seal. 8. HE IS SEALED UNTO THE DAY OF REDEMPTION! Eph. 4:30; The believer is sealed until the day God redeems his body. 9. HOLY SPIRIT WILL ABIDE FOREVER! John 14:16-17; The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is permanent. 10. HE IS PRESERVED FOREVER! Psa. 37:28; God preserves the saint forever.

11. HE IS BORN OF GOD! John 1:12-13 The believer actually becomes Gods child and cannot be unborn. 12. HE IS A NEW CREATURE! 2Cor. 5:17; God has made the believer a new creature and no one can uncreate him. 13. HE IS CREATED IN CHRIST JESUS! Eph. 2:10; The saint was created in his Saviour. 14. HE IS PRESERVED UNTO THE HEAVENLY KINGDOM! 2Tim. 4:18; The believer is preserved like Paul since God is no respecter of persons. 15. HE IS KEPT BY THE POWER OF GOD! 1Pet. 1:5; Since God is keeping him, the believer cannot fall from salvation. 16. CHRIST HAS PRAYED FOR HIM! John 17:11; Jesus prayed that God would keep all who He had given Him. 17. WORKS CANNOT AFFECT HIS SALVATION! Rom. 11:6; Salvation is not gained by works, so it cannot be lost by works. 18. HIS FAITH IS COUNTED FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS! Rom. 4:5; It is faith which brings salvation to a believer. 19. NOTHING CAN SEPARATE HIM FROM THE LOVE OF CHRIST! Rom. 8:38-39; Nothing material, immaterial, past, present, or future can separate a believer from Christs love. 20. SALVATION IS OF THE LORD! Jonah 2:9; Salvation is all Gods work. He bought it and provided it. 21. GOD IS ABLE TO KEEP HIM! 2Tim. 1:12; The believers salvation rests on Gods omnipotent ability to keep him. 22. HE IS PROMISED NOT TO COME INTO CONDEMNATION! John 5:24; This promise would be broken if even one believer fell into eternal condemnation. 23. HE IS PROMISED TO NEVER PERISH! John 10:27-28; Every saint has an unconditional promise to never perish. 24. HE WILL NEVER BE CAST OUT! John 6:37; Under no condition will any believer be cast out from Christ or Heaven. 25. ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD TO HIM! Rom. 8:28; It would not be good for one to lose his salvation. 26.HE IS IN CHRISTS HAND! John 10:28; The believer is in his Saviours hand.

27. HE IS IN THE FATHERS HAND! John 10:29-30; The saint is in his heavenly Fathers hand. 28. HE IS, AND ALWAYS WILL BE, A SHEEP! John 10:27-28; A sheep represents a saved person and cannot change from being one. 29. GODS MERCY NEVER ENDS! Titus 3:5; The believer is saved by Gods mercy and it endures forever (Psalm 136). 30. GOD CANNOT LIE! Titus 1:2; Once God has saved a believer, he cannot go back on His word. 31. HIS SINS ARE GONE FOREVER! Psa. 103:12; Micah 7:19; Isa. 38:17, Isa. 44:22; Heb. 10:17; The saints sins are gone. 32. HE SHALL BE LIKE CHRIST! 1John 3:2; It is a certainty that the believer will be like Christ. 33. GOD SEES HIM AS ALREADY GLORIFIED! Rom. 8:30; The saint is as good as glorified in Gods sight. 34. HE IS BORN OF INCORRUPTIBLE SEED! 1Pet. 1:23; The Christians new birth was from incorruptible seed. 35. HE WILL APPEAR WITH CHRIST IN GLORY! Col. 3:4; The saint is promised to appear with Christ when He returns. 36. HE IS HIDDEN IN CHRIST! Col. 3:3; The believer is dead to the world and alive in Christ. 37.HE IS DEAD TO AND FREED FROM SIN! Rom. 6:2-7; Sin can no longer affect the saints destiny. He is freed from it. 38. THE LORD IS NOW PRAYING FOR HIM! Heb. 7:25; The Lord is presently interceding in the believers behalf. 39. GOD WILL FINISH WHAT HE STARTED! Phil. 1:6; God began the work of salvation and will finish it. 40. HE HAS ETERNAL REDEMPTION! Heb. 9:12; Every believer has been eternally redeemed from his sins. 41. HIS LIFE IS CHRISTS LIFE! Col. 3:4; The saints life is Christs very own life, so how could it be lost?

42. HE HAS AN EVERLASTING COVENANT WITH GOD! Heb. 13:20; God made a covenant to give the saint everlasting life. 43. HE IS KEPT FROM FALLING BY CHRIST! Jude 24; A Christian cannot fall from grace because Christ is keeping him. 44. SALVATION IS A FREE GIFT! Rom. 6:23; A free gift is given with no conditions. 45. HE HAS IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS! Rom. 4:6-7; The righteousness the saint has is Christs perfect righteousness. 46. HE IS A PART OF CHRIST! Eph. 5:30; Every believer is a part of Christs body. Bone of His bone.... 47. CHRIST IS THE AUTHOR AND FINISHER OF HIS SALVATION! Heb. 12:2; Christ began and will finish his salvation. 48. HE HAS BEEN PREDESTINATED TO BE CONFORMED TO CHRISTS IMAGE! Rom. 8:29; After salvation the believer is predestinated. 49. CHRISTS BLOOD HAS MADE PEACE FOR HIM! Col. 1:20; The saint has peace with God through the blood. 50. THE BIBLE WAS WRITTEN SO HE COULD BELIEVE AND KNOW! 1John 5:13; The saint can know he HAS ETERNAL SALVATION!

The Fear of Prophecy

The Greatest Fear of the Koran, Book of Mormon, and other "Religious Texts"
Edited by Timothy Morton

Scared to Death
Probably the greatest proof that the Holy Bible is the very word of God is its flawless proclamation of prophecy. Unlike the other religious texts, the Bible does not hesitate in the least to make many highly detailed predictions

anywhere from 6000 years to a few years before the events come to pass. And they ALWAYS come to pass! This should be no surprise from the ONLY religious book that claims to be a "book" of prophecy (Rev 22:19), that speaks "words of prophecy" (Rev 22:18), brought about by the "spirit of prophecy" (Rev. 19:10). Prophecy is the Bible's forte, so to speak. It is as content in making far-reaching and "impossible" predictions as you are breathing air. With the fulfillment of its predictions, what better proof is there than this to show it is the pure words of the omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, God of heaven? Nothin' But A Miracle Making accurate prophecies that are fulfilled to the letter is miraculous. Just as miraculous as Moses parting the Red Sea or the Lord Jesus Christ raising Lazuras from the dead. It is "not of this world." So all who are enthralled by prophecies, predictions, and "looking into the future" should be reading the Scriptures. However, most don't. They are more interested in the very vague "predictions" of a kook named Nostradamus (that can be made to mean nearly anything) than the precise prophecies of the Scriptures. In comparison, the "other" religious tomes, (Koran, Book of Mormon, Book of the Dead, etc.) are frauds. They cannot accurately make any prophetic proclamations because they are NOT "given by inspiration" from the God of Heaven. None of their authors would risk the ridicule that would transpire if they made predictions that never came to pass, so they relegated their texts to benign prose or poetry. They were ALL afraid. Unlike the King James Bible, they have no way to prove their validity. The Proof is in the Puddin' For those who doubt the Bible's claims, or those who only need some reassurance in these trying times, below is an excerpt from Arno Gaebelein's article on Fulfilled Prophecy... in the nearly century old book, The Fundamentals of the Christian Faith. It details the prophecies of Danial chapter 11 and their fulfillment in history, proving to all who will consider, the divine source of the Scriptures. Regardless of all the religious tripe you hear today, dear born again believer, concerning the Scriptures and other religious books, there is no comparison... Christian, There Is No Book Like Your Book! Below is documented PROOF!

FULFILLED PROPHECY A POTENT ARGUMENT FOR THE BIBLE By ARNO C. GAEBELEIN, (Excerpt) THE GREATEST OF ALL The greatest prophecy in the Book of Daniel is contained in the ninth chapter, the prophecy concerning the 70 weeks, transmitted from heaven through Gabriel. (Daniel 9:24-27). To many readers of the Book of Daniel it is not quite clear what the expression seventy weeks means, and when it is stated that each week represents a period of seven years, many Christians do not know why such is the case. A brief word of explanation may therefore be in order. The literal translation of the term seventy weeks is seventy sevens. Now this word sevens translated weeks may mean days and it may mean years. What then is meant here, seventy times seven days or seventy times seven years? It is evident that the sevens mean year weeks, seven years to each prophetic week. Daniel was occupied in reading the books and in prayer with the seventy years of the Babylonian captivity. And now Gabriel is going to reveal to him something which will take place in seventy sevens, which means seventy times seven years. The proof that such is the case is furnished by the fulfillment of the prophecy itself. First we notice in the prophecy that these 70 year-weeks are divided in three parts. Seven times seven (49 years) are to go by till the commanded rebuilding and restoration of Jerusalem should be accomplished. In the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the command was given to rebuild Jerusalem. It was in the year 445 BC. , exactly 49 years after the wall of Jerusalem and the city had been rebuilt. Then 62 weeks are given as the time when Messiah should be cut off and have nothing. This gives us 434 years (62 times 7). Here is a prediction concerning the death of Christ. Has it been fulfilled? Chronology shows that exactly 483 years after Artaxerxes gave the command to restore Jerusalem (445 B. C. ), 434 years after the city had been restored, the death of our Lord Jesus Christ took place. To be more exact, on the day on which our Lord Jesus Christ entered Jerusalem for the last time, the number of years announced by Gabriel expired and the Lord was crucified that week. The proof of it is perfect. But there is more to be said. As a result of the cutting off of Messiah something else is prophesied. And the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. The prince that is to come (and is yet to come) is the little horn of Daniel 7. He arises out of the Roman Empire. The people of the prince that shall come are therefore the Roman people. They have fulfilled this prophecy by destroying the temple and the city. THE WARS OF THE PTOLEMIES AND SELEUCIDAE The greater part of the eleventh chapter in Daniel has been historically fulfilled. It is an

interesting study. So accurate are the predictions that the enemies of the Bible have tried their very best to show that Daniel did not write these prophecies several hundred years before they occurred. But they have failed in their miserable attempts. We place the startling evidence before our readers:

Prophecy

Fulfillment See Ezra 4:5-24. The three kings were: Ahasuerus, Artaxerxes and Darius, known in history as Cambyses, Pseudo Smerdis, and Darius Hystaspis (not Darius the Mede). The fourth one was Xerxes, who, as history tells us, was immensely rich. The invasion of Greece took place in 480 BC The successors of Xerxes are not mentioned. The mighty king in this verse is the notable horn seen by Daniel on the he goat in chapter 8, Alexander the Great, 335 B. C. B. C. 323. Alexander died young. The notable horn was broken: His kingdom was divided into four parts (four winds) after the battle o fIpsus 301 B. C. His posterity did not receive the kingdom, but his four generals, Ptolemy, Lysimachus, Seleucus Nicator and Cassander. Not one of these divisions reached to the glory of Alexander's dominion Asia and Greece are not followed but Syria and Egypt become prominent, because the King of the North from Syria, and the King of the South, Egypt, were to come in touch with the Jews. The holy land became involved with both. The King of the South was Ptolemy Lagus. One of his princes was Seleucus Nicator. He established a great dominion, which extended to the Indus.

"And now will I shew thee the truth. Behold, there shall stand up yet three kings in Persia; and the fourth shall be far richer than they all: and by his strength through his riches he shall stir up all against the realm of Grecia." (Verse 2)

"And a mighty king shall stand up, that shall rule with great dominion, and do according to his will. " (Verse 3)

"And when he shall stand up, his kingdom shall be broken, and shall be divided toward the four winds of heaven; and not to his posterity, not according to his dominion which he ruled: for his kingdom shall be plucked up even for others besides those. " (Verse 4)

"And the king of the South shall be strong, and one of his princes; and he shall be strong above him, and have dominion; his dominion shall be a great dominion. " (Verse 5)

"And in the end of years they shall join themselves together; for the king's daughter of the South shall come to the King of the North to make an agreement; but she shall not retain the power of the arm; neither shall he stand, nor his arm: but she shall be given up, and they that brought her, and he that begat her, and he that strengthened her in these times. " (Verse 6)

Here is another gap. This verse takes us to 250 BC. The two who make an alliance are the Kings of the North (Syrian division of the Grecian Empire) and of the South (Egypt). This alliance was effected by the marriage of the daughter of the King of the South, the Egyptian Princess Berenice. daughter of Ptolemy II, to Antiochus Theos, the King of the North. The agreement was that Antiochus had to divorce his wife and make any child of Berenice his heir in the kingdom. The agreement ended in calamity. When Ptolemy died Antiochus Theos in 247 called back his former wife. Berenice and her young son were poisoned and the first wife's son, Callinicus, was put on the throne as Seleucus II. The one out of her roots (Berenice, who had been murdered) was her own brother, Ptolemy Euergetes, who avenged her death. He conquered Syria. He dealt against Seleucus II, King of the North, and slew the wife of Antiochus Theos, who had Berenice poisoned. He seized the fortress, the port of Antioch. Ptolemy Euergetes did exactly as predicted. He returned with 4, 000talents of gold and 40, 000 talents of silver and 2, 500 idols and idolatrous vessels. Many of these Cambyses had taken to Persia. In 240 B. C. Seleucus Callinicus the King of the North invaded Egypt. He had to return defeated. His fleet perished in a storm. The sons of Seleucus Callinicus were Seleucus III and Antiochus the Great. Seleueus (Ceraunos) III began war against Egyptian Provinces inAsia Minor.

"But out of a branch of her roots shall one stand up in his estate, which shall come with an army, and shall enter into the fortress of the King of the North, and shall deal against them, and shall prevail." (Verse 7)

"And shall also carry captives into Egypt their gods, with theirprinces, and with their precious vessels of silver and gold; and he shall continue more years than the King of the North. " (Verse 8) "So the King of the South shall come into his kingdom, and shall return into his own land. " (Verse 9) (Literal translation): "and the same [King of the North] shall come into the realm of the King of the South, but shall return into his own land."

He was unsuccessful. The other son Antioch invaded Egypt and passed through because Ptolemy Philopater did not oppose him. In 218B. C. Antiochus continued his warfare and took the fortress Gaza. "But his sons shall be stirred up, and shall assemble amultitude ofgreat forces; and one shall certainly come, and overflow, and pass through: then shall he return, and be stirred up, even to his fortress. " (Verse 10) "And the King of the South shall be moved with choler, and shall come forth and fight with him, even with the King of the North: and he shall set forth a great multitude but the multitude shall be given into his hand. " (Verse 11) "And when he hath taken away the multitude, his heart shall be liftedup, and he shall cast down many ten thousands: but he shall not be strengthened by it. " (Verse 12) (Literal: "And the multitude shall rise up and his courage increase.") In 217 B. C. Ptolemy aroused himself and fought Antiochus the Great with an immense army. He defeated Antiochus. The multitude was given into the hands of Ptolemy Philopater. The people of Egypt rose up and the weakling Ptolemy became courageous. His victory is again referred to. It was won at Raphia. He might have pressed his victory. But he did not make use of it but gave himself upto a licentious life. Thus "he was not strengthened by it. " About 14 years later, 203B. C. , Antiochus assembled agreat army, greater than the army which was defeated at Raphia, and turned against Egypt. Ptolemy Philopater had died and left an infant son Ptolemy Epiphanes. Antiochus had for his ally Philip, King of Macedon. Also in Egypt many rebels stood up. And then there were, as we read in Josephus, wicked Jews, who helped Antiochus. These "robbers of thy people" established the vision. They helped along the very things which had been predicted, as to trials for them.

"For the King of the North shall return, and shall setforth a multitude greater than the former and shall certainly come after certain years with a great army and with much riches. " (Verse 13)

"And in those times there shall many stand up againstthe King of the South: also the robbers of thy people shall exalt themselves to establish the vision; but they shall fall. " (Verse 14)

All this was fulfilled in the severe struggles, which followed.

"So the King of the North shall come, and cast up amount, and take themost fenced cities: and the arms of the South shall not withstand, neither his chosen people, neither shall there be any strength to withstand. " (Verse 15)

The invasion of the glorious land by Antiochus followed. He subjected the whole land unto himself. He also was well disposed towards the Jews because they sided with Antiochus the Great against Ptolemy Epiphanes This brings us to the years 198-195 B. C. Antiochus aimed to get full possession of Egypt. An agreement was made. In this treaty between Antiochus and Ptolemy Epiphanes, Cleopatra, daughter of Antiochus was espoused to Ptolemy. Why is Cleopatra called "daughter of women" (vs 17)? Because she was very young and was under the care of her mother and grandmother. The treaty failed.

"But he that cometh against him shall do according to his own will, and none shall stand before him: and he shall stand in the glorious land, which by his hand shall be consumed." (Verse 16)

"He shall also set his face to enter with the strength of his whole kingdom, and an agreement shall be made with him; thus shall he do: and he shall give him the daughter of women, corrupting her: but she shall not stand on his side, neither be for him. " (Verse 17) "After this shall he turn his face unto the isles, and shall take many: but a prince [literally: Captain] for his own behalf shall cause the reproach offered by him to cease; without his own reproach he shall cause it to turn upon him. " (Verse 18) "Then he shall turn his face toward the fort of his own land: but he shall stumble and fall, and not be found. " (Verse 19) "Then shall stand up in his estate a raiser of taxes in the glory of the kingdom: but within few days he shall be destroyed, neither in anger, nor in battle. " (Verse 20)

A few years later Antiochus conquered isles on the coast of Asia Minor (vs 18).

The captain predicted is Scipio Asiaticus. Antiochus had reproached the Romans by his acts and he was defeated. This defeat took place at Magnesia 190 B. C.

Antiochus returns to his own land. He came to a miserable end trying to plunder the temple of Belus in Elymais, This is Seleucus Philopater B. C. 187176. He was known as a raiser of taxes. He had an evil reputation with the Jews because he was such an exactor among them. His tax collector Heliodorus

poisoned him and so he was slain "neither in anger, nor in battle." This vile person is none other than Antiochus Epiphanes. He had no claim on royal dignities, being only a younger son of Antiochus the Great. He seized royal honors by trickery and with flatteries. He is the little horn of chapter 8. He was successful in defeating his enemies. The prince of the covenant may mean his nephew Ptolemy Philometor. He also vanquished Philometor's generals. He reigned friendship to young Ptolemy but worked deceitfully. To allay suspicion he came against Egypt with a small force but took Egypt as far as Memphis.

"And in his estate shall stand up a vile person, to whom they shall not give the honor of the kingdom: but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries. " (Verse 21)

"And with the arms of a flood shall they be overflown from before him, and shall be broken; yea, also the prince cf the covenant. " (Verse 22)

"And after the league made with him he shall work deceitfully: for he shall come up, and shall become strong with a small people. " (Verse 23) "He shall enter peaceably even upon the fattest places of the province; and he shall do that which his fathers have not done, nor his father's father; he shall scatter among them the prey, and spoil, and riches: yea, and he shall forecast his devices against the strongholds, even for a time. " (Verse 24) "And he shall stir up his power and his courage against the King of the South with a great army; and the King of the South shall be stirred upto battle with a very great and mighty army; but he shall not stand: for they shall forecast devices against him. " (Verse 25) "Yea, they that feed of the portion of his meat shall destroy him, and his army shall overflow: and many shall fall down slain. " (Verse 26)

He took possession of the fertile places in Egypt under the pretense of peace. He took Pelusium and laid seige to the fortified places Naucratis and Alexandria.

This King of the South is Ptolemy Physcon, who was made king after Philometor had fallen into the hands of Antiochus. He had a great army but did not succeed, because treason had broken out in his own camp.

Additional actions of Antiochus and warfare, in which he was successful, followed.

"And both these kings' hearts shall be to do mischief, and they shall speak lies at one table; but it shall not prosper: for yet the end shall be at the time appointed. " (Verse 27)

The two kings are Antiochus Epiphanes and his associate Philometor. They made an alliance against Ptolemy Euergetes II, also called Physcon. But they spoke lies against each other and did not succeed in their plans. In 168 B. C. he returned from his expedition, and had great riches. Then he marched, through Judea and did his awful deeds. A report had come to his ears that the Jewish people had reported him dead. In the first and second book of the Maccabees we read of his atrocities. Then heretired to Antioch. He made still another attempt against the South. However, he had not the former success. The ships of Chittim are the Roman fleet. When within a few miles of Alexandria he heard that ships had arrived. He went to salute them. They delivered to him the letters of the senate, in which he was commanded, on pain of the displeasure of the Roman people, to put an end to the war against his nephews. Antiochus said, "he would go and consult his friends;" on which Popilius, one of the legates, took his staff, and instantly drew a circle round Antiochus on the sand, where he stood; and commanded him not to pass that circle, till he had given a definite answer. As a grieved and defeated man he returned and then he fell upon Judea once more to commit additional wickedness. Apostate Jews sided with him. This brings us to the climax of the horrors under Antiochus Epiphanes. The

"Then shall he return into his land with great riches;and his heart shall be against the holy covenant; and he shall do exploits, and return to his own land. " (Verse 28)

"At the time appointed he shall return, and come towardthe South; but it shall not be as the former, or as the latter. " (Verse 29)

"For the ships of Chittim shall come against him; therefore he shall be grieved, and return, and have indignation against the holy covenant: so shall he do; he shall even return, and have intelligence with them that forsake the holy covenant. " (Verse 30)

"And arms shall stand on his part and they shallpollute the sanctuary of

strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shallplace the abomination that maketh desolate. " (Verse 31)

previous record of it is contained in chapter 8. He sent Apollonius with over 20, 000 men to destroy Jerusalem. Multitudes were slain, and women and children led away as captives. He issued a command that all people must conform to the idolatry of Greece. A wicked Grecian was sent to enforce the word of Antiochus. All sacrifices ceased and the God-given ceremonials of Judaism came to an end. The temple was polluted by the sacrifices of swine's flesh. The temple was dedicatedto Jupiter Olympius. Thus the prediction was fulfilled. These verses describe the condition among the Jewish people. There were two classes. Those who did wickedly against the covenant, the apostate, and those who knew God, a faithful remnant. The apostates sided with the enemy, and the people who knew God were strong. This has reference to the noble Maccabees. There was also suffering and persecution.

And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits, "And they that understand among the people shall instruct many: yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil, many days. "Now when they shall fall, they shall be holpen with a little help: but many shall cleave to them with flatteries. " (Verses 32-34)

MANY MORE FULFILLED PROPHECIES Many other fulfilled prophecies might be quoted. In the last chapter of Daniel an interesting prediction is made concerning the time of the end. Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased. Sir Isaac Newton, the discoverer of the law of gravitation, wrote on Daniel and expressed his belief that some day people would travel at the rate of fifty miles an hour. The French infidel Voltaire many years later laughed at Newton's statement and held it up to ridicule. The time of the end is here and the prophecy of Dan 12:4 has come true. In the New Testament are also written prophecies which are now in process of fulfillment. 1Ti 4:1-2 ; 2Ti 3:1-5 ; 2Ti 4:1-3 ; 2 Peter 2; Jude's Epistle, and other Scriptures predict the present day apostasy. UNFULFILLED PROPHECY As stated before, there are many unfulfilled prophecies in the Bible. The literal fulfillment of prophecies in the past vouches for the literal fulfillment of every prophecy in the Word of God.

Some of them were uttered several thousand years ago. The world still waits for their fulfillment. May we remember that God does not need to be in a hurry. He knows indeed the end from the beginning. He takes His time in accomplishing His eternal purposes. And may we, His people, who know and love His Word, not neglect prophecy, for the Prophetic Word is the lamp which shineth in a dark place.