You have no evidence...You are just like the Catholics and Protestants....You try to make the Bible say what you would have it be.....You throw the word Christian around like everyone that has a bible is a Christian.....What is a Christian?????? No place does the bible contradict it's self...... There are very few Christians.
Can You Believe the Bible?
By Douglas S. Winnail
What makes the Bible different from other “holy books”? Is it God’s inspired word, or the work of clever human beings? Even though millions look to other books and doubt the Bible’s relevance, the evidence reveals that the Bible really is different!
Skeptics consider the Bible a collection of myths and legends—yet the evidence points in a different direction!
Is the Bible the inspired word of God? Is there evidence to support this idea? Does the Bible differ in any way from the sacred books of other religions? Is the Bible merely an account of human beings’ search for God, or do the Scriptures comprise a unique revelation from God to humanity? How relevant is the Bible to the twenty-first century—and does the Bible provide vital information that is missing from our lives today?
Many educated people assume that science and modern scholarship have thoroughly discredited the Bible and relegated this ancient text to the dustbin of history. Such ideas thrive today because many know little about the Bible and are unaware of discoveries that continue to confirm the historical accuracy of the Scriptures and undermine the arguments of skeptics. Many assume that all religions are equally credible without ever comparing the source books of these religions. As a result, the remarkable uniqueness of the Bible is overlooked and ignored. Before you buy into ideas that the Bible is "just like any other book" you need to examine the evidence for yourself.
The Apostle Paul did not encourage first century Christians to "just believe" in Jesus or merely accept the teachings of Christianity "on faith." Instead, he told his audiences, "Test all things; hold fast what is good" (1 Thessalonians 5:21). The Apostle Peter emphasized the credibility of the Christian message: "For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty" (2 Peter 1:16). In a letter to the Hebrews, Paul stressed that religious belief involves evidence, assurance and certainty—not mere blind faith (Hebrews 11:1). In spite of what skeptics may claim, the content of Scripture can be verified by the facts of history and the discoveries of archeology. The Bible also provides answers to the big questions about life that science cannot answer, and it reveals where world events are heading in the years just ahead. You may be surprised at what you can discover when you examine the evidence that the Bible is the inspired word of God.
Fact or Fiction?
The Bible claims to be the inspired word of God. The Apostle Paul wrote, "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God" (2 Timothy 3:16). The Apostle John stated, "Thy word is truth" (John 17:17, KJV). David wrote in the Psalms, "The entirety of your word is truth" (Psalm 119:160). However, in the last 200 years, the rise of biblical criticism led many scholars to doubt the inspiration of the Scriptures, and to assume that biblical places and people were fictional, not historical. Scholars commonly claimed that there was no evidence outside the Bible to support the existence of biblical people and places. This approach found fertile ground in secular academic circles, and filtered into the media, even though a steady stream of archeological discovery has continued to validate the historical accuracy of the Bible and discredit the claims of biblical skeptics!
As late as 1992, some biblical scholars were confidently asserting, "There are no literary criteria for believing David to be more historical than Joshua, Joshua more historical than Abraham, and Abraham more historical than Adam" (see "House of David Built on Sand," Biblical Archeological Review, July-August 1994, pp.54–55). Yet, just one year later, archeologists digging in upper Galilee discovered an inscription from the ninth century BC describing the "house of David." Jeffrey Sheler, an award-winning journalist who has been a religion writer for U.S. News & World Report, wrote: "The fragmentary reference to David was a historical bombshell. Never before had the familiar name of Judah’s ancient warrior king… been found in the records of antiquity outside the pages of the Bible" (Is the Bible True?, Sheler, p. 60).
Critics have also considered the biblical story of David and Goliath a fanciful tale of religious fiction. Yet archeologists digging at Gath (the biblical home of Goliath, mentioned in 1 Samuel 17:4) have recently unearthed a shard of pottery with two names that are remarkably similar to the name Goliath. This is the oldest Philistine inscription ever discovered, and it dates from about 950BC—within 70 years of the biblical narrative—lending historical credence to the scriptural account. Such important discoveries continue to defeat skeptics’ arguments!
In similar fashion, some scholars have considered the biblical patriarchs—Abraham, Isaac and Jacob—mythological Hebrew figures who never really existed. Yet the discovery of thousands of cuneiform tablets from the royal archives in the palace of Mari in northern Syria calls such assertions into question. The tablets appear to date from the beginning of the second millennium BC—the approximate time of the patriarchs—and the tablets mention "such names as Abam-ram (Abraham), Jacob-el and Benjamites. Though these do not refer to the biblical people, they at least show that the names were in use" (see When Skeptics Ask, Geisler and Brooks, pp. 186–187).
Scholars skeptical of the Bible have pointed to similarities between the Genesis account of creation and the Babylonian clay tablets that describe the creation of the world by squabbling gods. Those scholars gloss over major differences in the accounts, and suggest that biblical writers borrowed their material from other sources. However, the more than 17,000 clay tablets discovered at Ebla in modern Syria, dating from about 2500BC, show that skeptics’ claims are off-base. The Ebla tablets—which predate the Babylonian creation epic by some 600 years—contain "the oldest known creation accounts outside the Bible.… The creation tablet is strikingly close to that of Genesis, speaking of one being who created the heavens, moon, stars and earth. Parallels show that the Bible contains the older, less embellished version… They [the Ebla tablets] destroy the critical belief in the evolution of monotheism from supposed earlier polytheism" (Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics, Geisler, p. 208).
These remarkable discoveries, when placed alongside dozens of others—like the Merneptah Stela that describes an Egyptian pharaoh from about 1200BC conquering Israel, the Black Obelisk from Nimrud that pictures the Israelite king Jehu bowing before the Assyrian king Shalmaneser II, the inscription near Jerusalem of "Joseph, son of Caiaphas" (Caiaphas was the high priest in Jerusalem at the time of Christ’s crucifixion) and the inscribed stone from first century Caesarea that reads "Pontius Pilate, the Prefect of Judea"—all support the conclusion that the Bible writers were recording facts and not fiction (see The Signature of God, Jeffrey, pp. 72–74; Is the Bible True?, Sheler, pp. 110–112).
The manner in which archeology has verified the Bible’s historical accuracy has been nothing short of remarkable. Noted archeologist Nelson Glueck has written that "it may be clearly stated categorically that no archeological discovery has ever controverted a single biblical reference. Scores of archeological findings have been made which confirm in clear outline or exact detail historical statements in the Bible" (Rivers in the Desert, Glueck, p. 136). Glueck’s comments echo the words of another prominent archeologist, William F. Albright, who stated, "There can be no doubt that archeology has confirmed the substantial historicity of Old Testament tradition… The excessive scepticism shown toward the Bible by important historical schools of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries…has been progressively discredited" (Evidence that Demands a Verdict, McDowell, Vol. 1, p. 65).
A Corrupted Text?
Many wonder whether it is reasonable—or even sensible—to put faith and trust in a so-called "word of God" that was written thousands of years ago by multiple authors, then copied by hand from generation to generation. Just how reliable is the Bible? How do we know that mistakes and serious alterations have not occurred? After all, Muslim theologians assert that Jews and Christians have corrupted or misinterpreted the biblical text (see Geisler, pp. 96–99; Newsweek, Feb. 11, 2005, p. 55). On the surface, these seem like logical concerns, but they reflect a widespread lack of understanding of just how carefully the Bible has been preserved over the centuries.
Jesus stated unequivocally about the Scriptures that "one jot or one tittle [the smallest letter or stroke in Hebrew writing] will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled" and that "heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away" (Matthew 5:18; 24:35). This is exactly what we would expect if the Bible is the word of God. The Apostle Paul wrote that the Jews were to play a special role in the preservation of the Scriptures: "What advantage then has the Jew… much in every way! Chiefly because to them were committed the oracles of God [the Scriptures]" (Romans 3:1–2).
History clearly demonstrates how the Jews have preserved the integrity of the Old Testament. In ancient Israel, scribes were responsible for carefully copying and explaining the Scriptures (see Ezra 7:1–11; Nehemiah 8:1–9). Scribes deeply respected the biblical admonition, "You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you" (Deuteronomy 4:2). Later the Talmudists (100–500AD) followed a minute system of regulations as they transcribed the biblical scrolls. In their effort to transmit an authentic text, no word or letter could be written from memory. Columns of text could only have so many lines. Only black ink could be used. The copyist had to sit in full Jewish attire while at work. Around 500AD, scribes called Masoretes created a standardized text of the Old Testament by adding vowels to words to ensure proper pronunciation. They counted the number of words and letters of every book—and even calculated the middle letter and middle word in each book—to ensure that their copies were accurately transcribed. Old copies and copies with errors were discarded or destroyed (see McDowell, pp. 52–54; Geisler and Brooks, pp. 157–159).
The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls in 1947 demonstrated just how accurately the Jews had been able to preserve the Old Testament text. Before the scrolls were discovered in a cave near the Dead Sea, the oldest copy of the Hebrew text was dated from around 1000AD. The newly discovered scrolls were dated to the first century BC, and contained two nearly complete copies of the book of Isaiah which "proved to be word for word identical with our standard Hebrew Bible in more than 95 percent of the text. The 5 percent of the variation consisted of obvious slips of the pen and variations in spelling" (Geisler and Brooks, pp. 158–159). The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls provided powerful evidence that the text of the Old Testament has not changed in more than 2,000 years!
The reliability of the New Testament is just as certain. As scholars know, "There are earlier and more manuscripts of the New Testament than for any other book from the ancient world" (Geisler, p. 93). These manuscripts reveal that the New Testament "has been transmitted to us with no, or next to no, variation" (McDowell, p. 44). There are more than 24,000 manuscript copies of the New Testament in Greek, Latin and other languages. The earliest New Testament manuscripts date within a few decades of the apostolic writers. By comparison, there are only 643 manuscripts of Homer’s Iliad (written around 900BC) and the earliest copy in existence today dates from about 400BC—some 500 years after it was composed. Only 10 to 20 copies of the writings of Julius Caesar, the Roman historian Tacitus and the Greek historian Herodotus exist today—with the oldest copies dating from 1,000 years after the Originals were composed (McDowell, pp. 39–43). Compared to the New Testament, no other document from the ancient world has left such a wealth of material supporting the reliable transmission of its text.
In addition to the multitude of available manuscripts, early Christian writers quoted the New Testament so extensively that almost the entire text could be reconstructed from other sources. Though skeptics assert that the gospels were written centuries after the apostles, the earliest fragment of John’s gospel dates from about 130AD—roughly 30 years after John’s death—supporting the traditional view that John wrote his gospel towards the end of the first century (see McDowell, pp. 39–47). Also, "there is no evidence from the first two Christian centuries that the gospels ever circulated without the names of the authors attached" (Sheler, p. 33). As one scholar has observed, "If we compare the present state of the New Testament text with that of any other ancient writing, we must… declare it marvelously correct" (McDowell, p. 45). Another prominent scholar stated: "It cannot be too strongly asserted that in substance the text of the Bible is certain: Especially is this the case with the New Testament…This can be said of no other ancient book in the world" (ibid.).
The Distinguishing Feature
The Bible contains one unique feature that sets it apart from any other book, and provides the strongest evidence of its inspiration. It contains prophecies that accurately predict the future. Scholars have determined that the Bible contains more than 1,800 predictions—some that are very specific—and that about 27 percent of the Bible is prophecy. This stands in stark contrast to other ancient works. "Not in the entire gamut of Greek and Latin literature… can we find any real specific prophecy of a great historic event to come in the distant future, nor any prophecy of a Savior to arise in the human race" (McDowell, p. 22). Rather, "unlike any other book, the Bible offers a multitude of specific predictions—some hundreds of years in advance—that have been literally fulfilled or else point to a definite future time when they will come true" (Geisler, p. 609).
The ability to predict the future accurately and consistently is simply not a human trait. Yet Bible prophecies predict the rise and fall of prominent individuals, nations and empires with amazing accuracy and in remarkable detail. The Bible contains nearly 200 fulfilled prophecies about the life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ. He would be born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14) in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2). He would sojourn in Egypt (Hosea 11:1). His birth would cause a massacre of children (Jeremiah 31:15). He would live in Galilee (Isaiah 9:1–2). He would enter Jerusalem on a donkey (Zechariah 9:9). He would die with transgressors and be buried in the tomb of a rich man (Isaiah 53:9, 12). He would be resurrected after three days (Matthew 12:40; Hosea 6:2; Jonah 1:17).
Hundreds of Bible prophecies accurately foretold specific details of Jesus Christ’s life, centuries before He lived. These prophecies’ fulfillment demonstrates that God is in charge of human history. In Scripture, God Himself challenges His critics to predict the future and bring it to pass: "Show the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that you are gods… indeed you are nothing…For I am God, and there is no other… Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure" (Isaiah 41:21–24; 46:8–10). How do Bible prophecies compare to mankind’s predictions? A study of 25 top-rated psychics revealed that 92 percent of their predictions were totally wrong, while the remaining 8 percent could be explained by chance or general knowledge of circumstances (Geisler, p. 615).
Missing Dimensions
Bible prophecy reveals the significance of today’s world events, and how they will lead up to Jesus Christ’s return to this earth. No other book does this, and in such detail. The first years of the 21st century have seen the resurgence of militant religion around the world, the rise of international terrorism, devastating earthquakes and global climate changes that have spawned famines, floods, hurricanes, and disease epidemics threatening the future of life on this planet. The Bible has long predicted that these same events will be part of an end-time scenario that will precede Jesus Christ’s return to this earth (see Matthew 24; Revelation 6). The Scriptures also predict the end-time appearance of a revived European superpower with links to the Roman Empire, and a powerful religious figure of global stature (see Daniel 2; 7; Revelation 13; 17; 18). At this time, Scripture predicts, the United States and British-descended nations will decline as major world powers (for more on this topic, request our free booklet The United States and Great Britain in Prophecy). Though skeptics may scoff, these events prophesied in the pages of the Bible are coming to pass today. Just read the news! The Bible can be trusted!
In our modern world, millions have no real sense of purpose, and feel that their lives have no particular meaning. As one writer recently commented, "secular western culture… doesn’t provide a ‘grand narrative’ to participate in" (New Scientist, October 8, 2005, p. 45). The Bible, however, reveals the reason for human existence. It reveals the ultimate purpose of human life, and explains that human beings are made in God’s image, living today to build godly character so that they can become part of God’s spiritual family and reign with Jesus Christ when He establishes the Kingdom of God on this earth. Very few today understand this aspect of the gospel, as the early church corrupted and discarded this vital and basic truth. But this truth is found, plainly, in the pages of your Bible!
As we have seen, there is a wealth of historical and archeological evidence attesting to the reliability of the Scriptures. There is the remarkable and unparalleled phenomenon of fulfilled biblical prophecy. So why do educated scholars continue to doubt and criticize the Bible? A Yale archeologist probably summed it up best when he said, "The excessive skepticism of many liberal theologians stems not from a careful evaluation of the available data, but from a predisposition against the supernatural" (McDowell, p. 66).
Such skepticism—such philosophical prejudice against the very idea of God—has permeated schools and the media to the point where God’s existence is widely doubted, and millions consider the Bible "just another book." However, you will not be confused or misled if you are willing to examine the evidence for yourself. The evidence proves that you can believe the Bible!
Does The Bible Really Mean What It Says?
By Roderick C. Meredith
Historians often discount the Bible as accurate history. Theologians say that much of Scripture is no longer relevant for Christians. What is the truth? Is the Bible—the whole Bible—a true and invaluable guide for Christian life today?
Nearly all the leading Protestant ministers in past generations proclaimed that the Bible was their "foundation." Famous Protestant theologian William Chillingworth stated, "The Bible, the whole Bible, and nothing but the Bible, is the religion of Protestants" (Schaff-Herzog, Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge, article: "Chillingworth, W."). In their constant affirmation of Scripture as "the inspired rule of faith and practice" (ibid., Article: "Bible"), Protestant leaders have committed themselves to follow the religion of Jesus Christ and His apostles in all respects.
Although foundational Protestant reformer Martin Luther rejected the authority of the Bible when he pleased, he still proclaimed, "For that which is asserted without the authority of Scripture or of proven revelation may be held as an opinion, but there is no obligation to believe it" (Doctrines of the Christian Church, ed. Bettenson, p. 280). Even most modern ministers, farther from the truth than Martin Luther, still think of themselves as "Bible-believing Christians."
So did I. I grew up in a mainstream Protestant church for the first 19 years of my life. I was president of my Sunday school class on occasion. Both of my parents graduated from a church-related college, and we all assumed that we were actually following the Bible. Eventually, though, I came to realize—with absolute proof—that we were not following the Bible at all, but rather the "traditions of men" that had been injected into "churchianity" over hundreds of years. My earlier assumptions were wrong.
Think for a moment of the hundreds of differing "Christian" churches with totally different concepts of God and salvation. Are they all following the Bible? "Ecumenical" initiatives like "Evangelicals and Catholics Together" are trying to find ways for Protestants and Roman Catholics to join in such practices as venerating the Virgin Mary and statues of the "saints." At the other extreme, many liberal ministers now proclaim that God approves of the wholesale murder of unborn babies. Increasingly, we are being told that it is acceptable for professing homosexuals to be ordained into "Christian" ministry, and that two men (or two women) can marry each other.
What is going on?
Do all these people sincerely believe they are following the Bible?
Is Sincerity Enough?
Are sincerity and decency enough? In India, most considered "Mahatma" Gandhi to be a good and sincere man. He humbled himself in many ways, and sometimes nearly starved himself in order to provoke his fellow countrymen to rise up and demand independence from Britain. Hundreds of millions—even in the West—regarded him as a "holy man." When you read about all that he suffered and went through, few would doubt his sincerity. But Gandhi was a Hindu who professed deep devotion to the Hindu god Rama, and who honored the myriad gods of the Hindu pantheon. His concept of God, of how to worship God and of the whole purpose of life was totally different from anything that can be found in the Bible.
Likewise, the late Roman Catholic nun Mother Teresa is already regarded by millions as a "saint." Certainly, most would say, she was a "good woman." She humbled herself, did without and worked tirelessly for the poor and downtrodden. Yet with total sincerity, she prayed daily to the Virgin Mary, and promoted this practice to millions of her followers and admirers.
Years ago, two dedicated and highly perceptive ministers in the Church of God told me how they deeply felt that the Thai Buddhist monks were among the kindest, most gentle and most serving people they had ever encountered, and utterly sincere. Yet, when religious or sectarian violence erupted, many of these same "gentle" monks would whip out long knives and literally "hack to pieces" their religious or political opponents!
Please understand. Being sincere, and being kind and gentle, is not enough!
The real God of the Bible tells us, "God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth" (John 4:24). What is that "truth"? Jesus Christ proclaimed, "Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth" (John 17:17). If you are actually willing to face the Truth, you will see that dozens of commonly accepted "Christian" doctrines and practices are not only un-biblical; they are actually condemned by the inspired word of God.
"What are you talking about?" some may respond. "How dare you condemn the doctrines and practices of my church, my family and my life?" That little word "my" can be very important. Most people instinctively want to defend their ideas and their practices, even ideas that can easily be proved wrong! Many sincere people who grew up in Nazi Germany had great difficulty realizing how evil and heinous the Nazi ideas and practices were. Even today, many people still cling tenaciously to communist ideologies and teachings. Giving up our cherished beliefs can be very difficult, even when we are faced with truth.
The Key Issue
It all comes down to this: Have you proven to yourself that there is a real, personal God—and that the Bible is His inspired word? If so, are you willing to follow your belief to its logical conclusion? God’s word tells us, "There is a way that seems right to a man, but the end is the way of death" (Proverbs 14:12). The way that "seems right" to carnal human beings usually ends up in confusion, suffering and death. Witness the entire world today! By contrast, the Jesus Christ of the Bible proclaimed, "It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God’" (Luke 4:4). Remember: when Jesus spoke those words, the only written "word of God" was what we now call the Old Testament!
Think! Are you and your church willing to make a full commitment to believe and practice what the Bible clearly says? Making that commitment would be astonishing—something very few people or churches have ever done. For it is very difficult for people—and churches—to change their ideas and practices, and to depart from conveniently "going along" with this world and its traditions, which Jesus so often condemned. Jesus knew it would be difficult. This is why He said, "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it" (Matthew 7:13–14).
Indeed, the Bible tells us that most human beings would be deceived by a very real Satan the Devil. The Apostle John describes a coming spirit war in which Satan is defeated: "So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him" (Revelation 12:9). Eventually, Satan will be put in a bottomless pit, "so that he should deceive the nations no more" (Revelation 20:3).
Obviously—according to the clear words of the Bible—this world as a whole is deceived. Amazingly, Scripture reveals that the world’s most "civilized" nations will directly fight Jesus Christ when He returns as King of kings (Revelation 17:14)!
What, you may ask, are the dozens of un-biblical doctrines and practices that have deceived so many? Are you willing to open your mind to what your Bible clearly says? Are you willing to obey the biblical command to "prove all things; and hold fast that which is good" (1 Thessalonians 5:21, KJV)?
You are? Good. Here we go! An entire panorama of so-called "Christian" doctrine and practice is definitely un-biblical. Many "Christian" doctrines are not only "missing" in the clear biblical teachings of Christ and the apostles; they are often condemned. They confuse millions of human beings, turn them away from God and help blind them to God’s true Plan, His awesome purpose and His entire way of life!
If you want more detailed information about any of the points below, I urge you to write to or phone the regional office nearest you (listed on page 30 of this magazine), or to go to our Web site www.tomorrowsworld.org. We offer detailed, informative booklets and reprint articles on all the topics below, and on many, many more. I will mention some of these as we go along in this article. If you request them, they will be sent to you absolutely free and with no obligation!
WHY Were You Born?
We will start with the most fundamental question in all our lives: Why were you born? What is the real purpose for human life? What is humanity’s ultimate destiny?
In his efforts to thwart the great Plan of the Creator God, Satan has been able to give most professing Christians a totally false concept of eternal life. For we were brought up thinking that, when we died, we would just "float off to heaven." We would feel "heavenly bliss"—perhaps playing on a harp, enjoying each other or looking at the face of God. But—for all eternity—we would have virtually nothing to do! We would have no real job—no challenge or responsibility.
What is wrong with that idea? Not only is it un-biblical; it undermines and negates our Creator’s entire purpose! For God’s word tells us plainly—again and again—that Christians are to be kings and priests in a soon-coming Government of God, which Jesus Christ will set up on this earth. "Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years" (Revelation 20:6). The inspired "song of the saints" proclaims of Jesus, "For You were slain and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and have made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on the earth" (Revelation 5:9–10).
Jesus Himself told the apostles, "You may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel" (Luke 22:30). The Apostle Paul was inspired to instruct New Testament Christians, "Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more, things that pertain to this life?" (1 Corinthians 6:2–3).
Yes, true Christians are now "in training" to become kings and priests in the soon-coming Kingdom of God. There, they will assist Jesus Christ in teaching God’s true way of life, which will bring to the whole world a depth of peace and joy it has never before experienced!
"But," you may ask, "where does ‘going to heaven’ fit in with these biblical teachings?"
The obvious answer is: it does not!
For no clear scripture in the entire Bible promises "going to heaven" as the eternal reward of a Christian. Rather, Jesus Christ said, "No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven" (John 3:13). Jesus also said, "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth" (Matthew 5:5). Speaking of King David, the man after God’s own heart (Acts 13:22), the Apostle Peter stated, "Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day" (Acts 2:29).
So the beloved King David is not "up in heaven"—nor is anyone else! The Bible often speaks about the Kingdom of heaven—not up in heaven. The Bank of Morgan is not a piggybank in Morgan’s stomach! Rather, it is owned or controlled by Morgan.
The Bible says that we have, as Christians, "a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens." The very next verse clarifies this point, reminding us that we desire "to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven" (2 Corinthians 5:1–2). People often read this passage, or others like it, but carelessly forget to take into account the entire passage and its full meaning. Carelessly misunderstanding and misapplying passages like this has fooled many people into thinking that they will "go to heaven" as their eternal reward.
In fact, the entire Bible is exceedingly clear in revealing that God’s Plan is for the Christians of this present age to be here on this earth, assisting Christ as kings and priests in His coming Kingdom that will soon be established. Today’s Christians are supposed to be learning God’s laws and His ways, preparing for this very real reward and opportunity to serve. How sad that the idea of "floating off to heaven" has been pawned off on so many, completely obscuring this understanding and blinding people to the great Plan of God. So the false doctrine of "going to heaven" is exceedingly dangerous and destructive, thwarting people’s understanding of the very reason for which they may be, in this age, "called" by God!
An "Immortal" Soul?
Another destructive doctrine that destroys true biblical understanding of our eternal destiny is the idea of the "immortal soul." This false teaching has convinced untold millions of human beings that they are, in essence, indestructible. Because of this doctrine, millions believe that when they die they will either be shot up to heaven or dropped into an ever-burning fire to suffer forever and ever at the hands of an angry God.
However, God’s inspired word makes it very clear that human beings are not immortal or indestructible, and that unrepentant sinners will be put to death in the end—receiving an eternal punishment, rather than being punished eternally.
Jesus said, "And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell" (Matthew 10:28). The Son of God tells us that God can "destroy" our "soul!" The Apostle Paul was inspired to reveal, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23). Yes, eternal life is a "gift"—not something we already possess as immortal souls. And the "wages"—or reward—of unforgiven sin is death—not eternal life in hellfire! Dozens of scriptures—more than can fit in this article—make this truth plain. If you wish to study this topic more thoroughly—and believe what the Bible actually says—please write or phone to ask for our free reprint article, "Is There Life After Death?" or our booklet Your Ultimate Destiny. These, like all our literature, will be sent to you, upon your request, absolutely free and with no obligation.
Should Christians OBEY the Ten Commandments?
Another basic and terribly dangerous misunderstanding is that human beings are either "under law" or "under grace." This is a constant Protestant "mantra" that many ministers try to drum into the minds of their followers! In truth, the Bible shows that Christians are to obey the Ten Commandments—God’s great spiritual law—and are also under "grace" when they unwittingly break the commandments but then knowingly repent of their sin. For, as God’s word tells us, "Sin is the transgression of the law" (1 John 3:4, KJV).
Remember, Jesus Christ taught, "If you want to enter into life, keep the commandments." Right after saying this, He began to name some of the Ten Commandments (Matthew 19:17). Jesus made this point constantly and consistently!
"But," many preachers intone, "all we really need is the love of God, not some legalistic system." But how is the love of God to be expressed? According to each individual idea of what "love" is? No! For God’s word tells us plainly, "For this is the love of God, that we keep His command-ments. And His commandments are not burdensome" (1 John 5:3). God’s love flows down the "river bed"—the way—of the Ten Commandments. Obeying these commandments in the letter and the spirit shows us how to express the kind of love, and the kind of character, God wants built within His potential eternal children!
Of course, if we are to keep all ten of the commandments, then we must keep the fourth commandment, and observe the true Sabbath on the seventh day of the week. Jesus Christ—our example—observed the seventh-day Sabbath, as did the apostles and the New Testament Church! As the Apostle James worded it, "For whoever shall keep the whole law and yet stumble in one point he is guilty of all" (James 2:10). Obeying God’s true Sabbath points us to the true God—the Creator who Himself rested on the seventh day. It also pictures the coming seventh "millennial day"—the thousand-year reign of Christ, which is a vital part of God’s Plan. Apart from keeping the true, biblical Sabbath, human beings end up worshiping a false god, keeping the ancient "day of the sun" and falling into all kinds of paganism and heresy as a result. If you sincerely wish to prove for yourself the true biblical Sabbath, please write or call immediately for our free booklet, Which Day Is the Christian Sabbath?
Those who reject the true Sabbath often fall victim to the idea that Christians can keep many of the world’s ancient pagan days of worship (e.g. Christmas, Easter and Halloween) rather than the days God Himself gave to His people—days that Jesus Christ and the apostles observed, which will be observed during Jesus Christ’s coming millennial reign. To learn more about this vital topic, please ask for our free booklet, The Holy Days: God’s Master Plan. It will spell out to you the truth on this matter in much more detail than we can cover in a short magazine article. It will explain how God’s Holy Days clearly reveal and outline His great plan—the step-by-step plan through which He is bringing human beings into full membership in His Family. Without understanding the Holy Days, mankind as a whole has never understood the Creator’s great plan—and never will! The understanding of God’s true Holy Days is priceless!
I could go on and on with literally dozens more of the false doctrines and concepts that have been taught in the name of "Christianity." But the above should give you a pretty good idea, as the points I have just covered are fundamental.
If you would like to understand more deeply about how Satan has been able to confuse and deceive all humanity on these points and many others, please write for our thoroughly documented booklet, Satan’s Counterfeit Christianity. This booklet gives thorough proof for what it says. If you are open-minded, it will "knock your socks off!"
Yes, the Bible really does mean what it says, and it says what it means! May God help you to be willing to open your mind and prove to yourself that the Bible is, in fact, the inspired word of God. We must avoid the clever arguments and "word games" often practiced by those who want to retain their comfortable old ideas, however unbiblical. In most cases, perhaps without realizing it, they are like the Pharisees of Jesus’ day who rejected Him and His true teachings, "For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God" (John 12:43).
May God grant you the understanding, the faith and the courage to exert the intellectual and spiritual energy to find out the Truth of what the Bible really says. And may He guide you to genuinely act on this knowledge in the fear of the real God who gives us life and breath and every good gift.
This Issues Articles
Does The Bible Really Mean What It Says?
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Satan’s Attack on the Bible
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