Saturday, June 29, 2013

WHERE ARE ALL THE DEAD? (Part One)

All through my growing up years as a Christian, I often heard Sunday school teachers, pastors, preachers and guest speakers talking nonchalantly about heaven and hell. Many a times, some would even preached at the wake of Christians who had passed on to bring comfort to those who are mourning that the deceased had 'gone to heaven to enjoy life forevermore'. But a careful study of Scripture will show that it teaches no such thing. So what is the truth of the destiny of all those who had died throughout the millennia since our distant ancestors walked the earth? Let's go through Scripture to find out.

The concept of the dead who had believed in Christ going to heaven and those who had not, going to hell is to believe that human beings have immortal soul. But Ezekiel 18:4 & 20 state, 'the soul that sinneth, it shall die' , and since 'all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God' - Romans 3:23, all human beings died and those who had died remained dead, they do NOT have eternal life somewhere else (whether in heaven or hell) as no human being has an immortal soul. All humans are souls and when they die, the souls died as well.To believe that the 'lost' are all 'burning in hell fire' after death is to imply that the wages of sin is 'eternal life in hell'.

Such man-made theology is pagan in origin and was popularised by a novelist named Dante Aligeirli who wrote the novel Divine Comedy in the thriteenth century. Dante was influenced by Greek philosophers like Plato, Aristotle and other earlier writers to pen the novel about heaven and hell. Subsequent preachers and evangelists had made use of such concept to great drama and effect in reaching out to unbelieving audience to 'frighten them into trusting Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour'.

When a person dies, his or her spirit returns to God but it is not conscious and has no life of its own (Eccl: 3:21). The dead has no consciousness of existence and the passage of time (Psalm 6:5, 115:17, 146:4;  Eccl 3:20, 9:5). 'My soul cleaveth unto the dust: quicken thou me according to thy word' - Ps 119:25. The Psalmist knew that when he died, he will be 'sleeping in the dust' awaiting the (First) Resurrection when Christ returns to claim the kingdom of God as the ruling King of all the earth. David knew full well his eternal destiny when he will be resurrected (First Resurrection) from death to become immortal spirit God being (born again) like Jesus Christ - 'I shall be satisfied, when I awake with thy likeness' - Psalm 17:15.

Interestingly, Jesus Christ told Nicodemus, a Pharisee, which was recorded in John 3:13 thus, 'And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.'  Even after the ascension of Christ up to heaven, the Apostle Peter declared that 'David is both dead and buried...For David is not ascended into the heavens.' - Acts 2:29, 34. If David who is a man after God's own heart (1 Samuel 13:14) is not in heaven, even after the resurrection and ascension of Christ, then how is anyone going to get into heaven!

Jesus Christ taught in the Sermon on the Mount that 'the meek shall inherit the earth' - Matt 5:5. John recorded in Revelation 5:10 which should be correctly translated as 'And has made them (the saints) unto our God kings and priests, and they (the saints) shall reign on the earth.'  Similarly, it was recorded in Revelation 2:26 - ' And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations.'  Man-made theology would have you believe that heaven is an eternal playground for believers to roll and idle around forever with nothing better to do. But such teaching is contrary to the Gospel message which Christ and all His Apostles taught!

The prophet Daniel also recorded in chapter 7:14,18,22 &27 about Christ being officially given the rulership of the kingdom of God by the Heavenly Father and the saints of God were given the task to rule and reign with Christ on planet earth - hence the title of Christ as King of kings (saints) and Lord of lords (humans on earth). Towards the end, the prophet Daniel was told by Archangel Michael to rest (die) till the time of resurrection at the end of days (end of church age) - Daniel 12:13.

Some sceptics may weigh in Christ's promise to the thief in Luke 23:43 of granting him safe passage to heaven. But this is purely a mistranslation. Since in the original Greek manuscript which was inspired, there is no punctuation, the coma was incorrectly placed. It should rightly be translated as, 'Verily I say unto thee today (that is, right now),  shalt thou be with me in paradise.' If Christ had promised the thief that today he shall be with Him in paradise, the Lord is contradicting Himself. For He was three days and three nights in the grave and when Mary Magdalene saw Him on the fourth day, Christ told her, 'Touch me not, for I am not yet ascended to my Father (in heaven).' - John 20: 17.

Besides, He would be contradicting Himself on His statement in John 3:13. That is why He told His hearers that 'Where I go (heaven), you cannot come' - John 8:21,22; John 13:33. The thief will not be in the first resurrection as he was not baptised and had no time to develop the righteous character required to become sons of God. Since he repented of his sins, Christ will not condemn him and he will be in the second resurrection towards the end of the Millennium Age. By then, earth would have been a paradise. Jesus Christ is coming to earth and NOT the saints going to heaven - Rev 22:12. All who died in faith, including Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are still 'sleeping in the grave' awaiting the First Resurrection - Hebrews 11: 13. Christians are heirs in this lifetime and to become inheritors when Christ returns. If the dead in Christ had gone on to heaven, why is there a need for resurrection (see 1 Cor chapter 15)? - it simply makes no sense!




 

Friday, June 14, 2013

THE CALL TO BE GOD'S FIRSTFRUITS

The firstfruits are those whom God called (John 6:44) out of the value systems of this world (Gal 1:4) to conform to the mindset and attitude of Christ (Phil 2:4-5). They are in the world but not of the world (John 17:16) and will be sanctified by the Word of Truth (17:17) - meaning that they are not being deceived by false doctrine and teachings. Unless God the heavenly Father called them like Abraham, Moses and the Apostle Paul, amongst others, all of humanity are going through life ignorant of the plan and purposes of God. The Apostle Paul recognised those who are called to be the firstfruits of His creature (James 1:18) and acknowledged them as such (Rom 16:5; 1 Cor 16:15).

The prerogative of those who are called to be the firstfruits is that of God the Father. For He foreknew those whom He calls even before they were born (Rom 8:29-30). Those called will have a lifetime of striving in order to please God and be separate and different from the world (1 John 2:15-17). That is why 'not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called; but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty.' (1 Cor 1:26-27). As Christ had said, 'narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.' (Matt 7:14). Those who hope to be overcomer of self (pride, greed, selfishness etc.), the deception of Satan and the lure of society will have to choose God's way.

The true church of God that Christ founded on the Day of Pentecost in AD 31 consists of a small group of true believers who understood the gospel of the Kingdom and all its accompanied truth handed down to Christ as the Prophet (Deut 18:15) and Messenger (Mal 3:1c). There is only one true church that He founded (Matt 16:18) and not a mixture of churches with differing doctrines and practices. They are the 'little flock' (Luke 12:32) with the Father's name written on their forehead (Rev 14:1) - meaning the Holy Spirit is indwelling in the cognitive part of their mind situated at the frontal lobe of the brain. The will and work of the Heavenly Father are always in their mind. The have not been corrupted by false doctrine ('spiritual virgins') and have avoided the political and religious system of the world (Rev 14:4) which are nothing more than the doctrines and traditions of men (Mark 7:7-8). The called are prepared to forsake all to abide in the truth and be faithful to the Lord Jesus Christ (Like 14:33), for they are the called, chosen and faithful (Rev 17:14).

Those who are being called and are obedient, God has given them the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:32) to empower them to overcome trial and tribulations which are necessary to trim their character to be more Christlike for the kingdom of God (Acts 14:22). The firstfruits that make up the true church of God in this church age follow the government of God led by Christ as the Head. They must learn to be good followers of Christ now in order to lead others into God's kingdom come the millennium.Those who cannot follow the commandments and laws of God now will not qualify as the firstborn of God in the First Resurrection when Christ returns - 'for judgment must begin at the house of God' (1 Peter 4:17).

God's plan for the salvation of mankind is revealed in the observance of His Holy Days - not holidays! The Day of Pentecost is the picture of the calling and harvesting of the firstfruits of the church of God who will later assist Christ in bringing the rest of humanity to salvation when He returns. We are now living in such a time when God is calling and choosing His firstfruits to be trained and prepared - a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people - to reign with Christ in His kingdom (1 Pet 2:9). Those who have ears to hear will do well to heed the advice of the Apostle Peter to 'give diligence to make your calling and election sure; For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ' - 2 Pet 1:10-11.