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Sorry for the delay, thank you for your reply. My understanding in Genesis when God breathed the breath of life into the first Adam he became a living soul. The Hebrew word is nephesh, that means a living being, Adam was not given a soul he became a living soul/being. Same as the last Adam Jesus the Messiah was conceived in the womb of Mary, Luke 1:31-33, and He was a living being/nephesh.
As the first Adam, Jesus came into this world without sin, but not like the first Adam He lived a perfect life without sin totally obedient to the Father even though He was tempted as you and me, Hebrews 4:14-15.
God bless,
RLW
It is helpful if one gives a grounded explanation of their thoughts rather than a "quip" or a "jab" at others.
I find that for the most part, your responses are kindhearted, but these do not seem to be so. Why? For what purpose did you send them?
Please know that I respect you and I keep you in my prayers as I do so many on this site. I mean no harm in this post. It was just that these two posts seemed out of place and unedifying. I hope you can explain your thinking so I can better grasp what you were wishing to convey, not to be judgmental, so forgive me if it seems to be to you.
Interesting information.
For me, I think the best calendar is the one that most closely matches the amount of time it take for the earth to orbit the sun, which is scientifically a true year. In Genesis 1 it says that the sun, moon, and stars are to be used by us to determine seasons, days, and years along with "signs".
So neither the sun, nor the moon, nor the stars are used exclusively of the others to set our calendars. The sun gives us the number of days in a year and the seasons, the moon gives us lunar months which can be helpful for some things such as agriculture, the stars provide us with a yearly procession of the constellations that repeats in cycles (and depends on whether one is in the southern or northern hemisphere. The universe is amazing. The heavens are filled with wonder as we consider its vastness, containing billions upon billions of heavenly bodies, whether planets stars, suns, galaxies, and so much more.
Since the flood, it has taken us this long to explore outer space (we do not know if this happened prior to the flood or not). We are finding out so much that is really astounding about this realm. We marvel about the greatness of God and the glories of His creation. It declares His glory always whether we are aware of what is "out there" or not. Our earth is our home, where God determined man to live. We have been blessed with such an awesome place to exist here! So much beauty, diversity, order, and cohesiveness.
With all this said, I believe that keeping to a solar calendar is not any more or less spiritual or "right" than keeping a lunar one. But the solar is more scientifically accurate and we are free to use it as God says to in Genesis to determine "seasons, days, years. and signs.
Thank you brother, I also consider you as a brother, sorry for the brain flub, nicely put. The truth is what is important and the care we have for each other, and our goal is not to cause division but inspire each other to study that we grow and walk in the light of the truth.
God bless,
RLW
You are correct, our salvation does not depend on whether we believe in "soul sleep" or "soul death" as opposed to the continuance of the soul as alive after the death of the body. So it is still good to discuss it if we use Scripture as our guide ad rule.
I am encouraged by the words of our Savior and Lord in John 11:25-26
"I am the resurrection and the life. He that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall NEVER die. Believest thou this?"
Jesus knew that people from that time forth would certainly die physically as to their bodies dying, just as those who lived before him died in the body. But here He says that, though the body dies, we still live on. He is speaking of our soul's continued existence after the body dies. Can't be any clearer than this. He asks a good question: Believest thou this? I believe what He says here and look forward to being alive with Him when my body dies and to see those believers who have died before I die and those who die after I die. We will have a great reunion in the life to come. We have eternal life in Jesus as believers and so this means our soul will not die but will be reunited with our bodies when our bodies are resurrected.
Also John 10:27-28
"My sheep hear my voice (in this life), and I know them, and they follow me. And I five unto them eternal life and they shall NEVER perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand."
So good to know that we have eternal life now, even if we die, we live on, not in our bodies, but in our soul and spirit, until the resurrection when our bodies will join with our soul and spirit once again and then be forever alive.
The Julian calendar was the first widely adopted calendar that approximated the Solar year cycle and that was adopted for both civil purposes and (the majority of) religious observances. However, the date for the observance of Easter is still based on a lunar calendar that more or less tracks with the Hebrew lunar calendar that still controls the observance of Jewish religious feasts.
Lunar calendars were used through most of human history. The lunar cycle is the reason we still divide years into months. The root word for month is the word for Moon in every language as far as I am aware.
Lunar calendars all try to maintain an approximate match between the 29.53059 day Lunar cycle and the 365.24255 day solar cycle.
The Hebrew Lunar calendar used alternating 30 day and 29 day months for an 364 day year during the typical 12 month year (these years can actually be 353, 354 or 355 days long). An additional 30 month known as first Adar is periodically added during leap years that occur 7 times during a 19 year cycle to maintain an approximate match between the lunar cycles and the solar year.
There is some evidence that the prophets and the pre-flood Era used a 360 day calendar year of 12 months with 30 days each to track time spans. This seems to fit Daniel and Revelation when they give the number of days that represent a 3.5 year period as 1,260 days (30 12 3.5 = 1,260). It also seems to fit the description of exactly 5 months between the beginning of the flood in the second month, on the 17th day of the month to the date the Ark came to rest in the 7th month, on the 17th day of the month as being 150 days long (5 30 = 150).
Yes, I agree with everything you said. I was just carrying it a step further.
We Christian's will face intense persecution in the near future. I want to have the same type of strong faith exhibited by our LORD. I want a firm, unwavering stand for the LORD so that I will not be moved no matter the consequence.
We Christian's do have faith IN Jesus and all that implies. Now, we need HIS same faith that he exhibited when going to the cross.
Your testimony made me feel joyful. Thank you for sharing. Praise the LORD that we both escaped the Catholic Church.
A case in point, that I've shared here before: when ministering in Pakistan back in the late 80's, I was giving a Bible study to a small Church group & 1 John 4:10, "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins" was one of many references that was given. I had to use a Urdu translator (a brother in Christ) for this study, since my Urdu proficiency is woefully inadequate, & I had checked with him on some of our more 'difficult' biblical English words, e.g. 'propitiation'. He told me that in Urdu it is 'kafara' which in English is 'atonement'. But when I asked if 'kafara' could mean anything else to him (as we understand it in English), he replied, 'no other meaning at all'; they had no word in Urdu for 'propitiation', which meant that the translators made no effort to maybe give the proper meaning as a footnote, for example.
So Christians in Pakistan & parts of N. India actually miss out on receiving the full Truth & value of verses such as 1 John 4:10, thinking that the Gift of God's Son had atonement as its only message - they had no idea, because of a bad translation, that Jesus not only died for mankind's sins, but that He also bore the Wrath of God upon Himself that was actually destined for us. That by believing on Jesus, both our sins have been forgiven & God's Anger has been averted. Now not only lacking in Urdu, but I wonder how many other foreign language translations are denying Christians the full & accurate Words of God given for them.
Do you know that the translators of the KJV used a Bible composed by Erasmus, a Catholic priest in the times of the reformation in their translation?
So your are saying that the KJV translators used a corrupt version in their work.
It is fine to discuss the topic of the validity of translations based on facts, but not on an obvious vehement bias towards the Catholic church as you have shown in your post. I am not defending the Catholic Church here. Just saying that your argument would be better received if you left out the hate and based your viewpoint on factual information.
Somehow I sent it to myself.
"No Problem Brother.
We have always discussed doctrine with the intention to grow spiritually.
Just remember a few years ago I said I was happy to call you my brother and that still remains and I'm happy you consider me a Brother as well.
I'm sure others fill that way.
When these such things causes hatred amongst the Brothern then there's an BIG issue.
Beware of those who cause divisions.
I will be reaching out to you during the week
God bless.
Most Christians who believe that the soul continue to live after death do not believe in purgatory or praying to or for the dead or consulting psychics to interact with dead people's spirits. So such topics are truly not part of the discussion at hand, which is, does the soul die with the body or does the soul continue to live after death.
Those of us who believe that the soul continues to live on either in the presence of God in blessedness or in hell in turmoil. And we have directed people involved in this discussion with the Scriptures in Luke 16 where Jesus discusses a man named Lazarus who died and went to Abraham's bosom and an unrighteous man who died and went to Hell and was in torment; Paul's statements in 2 Corinthians 5:6-8 where he says that to be absent from the body, (as in a soul being separated from the body in death) is to be present with the Lord; and Revelations 6:9 and 20:4 where the souls of the saints are with God. These Scriptures are not influenced by Greek philosophy nor the Catholic teachings, rather, are inspired by The Holy Spirit and therefore are God's words to us.
Also, Scriptures tells us that our bodies will be resurrected when Christ returns, not that our souls will be resurrected.
These Scriptures teach me that the soul lives on after the body dies.
How can I have the faith OF Jesus if I'm a sinner praying for salvation? Why would I be willing to die for that faith if Jesus hasn't even saved me yet? The faith I'm talking about is faith that Jesus will forgive of my sins so I can give my heart to Him.
When someone gives up sin to become a child of God, that's not a good work, that's obedience to God to live a holy, righteous life. Once we love God with our whole heart, souls and minds then we love doing good works for His sake. It brings joy to our hearts. :)
Be Blessed
I was raised a Catholic but as soon I was on my own at 18 I left that soul deceiving doctrine immediately and found Jesus when I was 21.
Thank you for helping me understand. :) God bless you.
1. The Vatican has made lots of money from people who, in history past, had to pay money for a dead relative's release from purgatory. That's one of the way that the Vatican became rich.
2. Purgatory cannot be a real place if people are sleeping.
3. The idea of purgatory makes a person relax and not consider their future. It's very dangerous for their eternal soul. The person believes they have plenty of time to sort stuff out. Purgatory is a safety net for them. They think they will never go to hell, they will just spend a little time in purgatory.
4. God said not to consult the dead. But, many people will not hesitate to ask a psychic to speak to a dead relative. That is inviting demons into one's life. All dead people are asleep. They cannot speak from the grave. They are not watching over us.
5. Psychics make money off this but they are really speaking to demons.
Now, you obviously do not consult the dead. And, you are clearly a solid believer. And, clearly, you love the LORD.
But, many people, such as Catholics, are mislead by the doctrine. And, many, many Catholics pray to dead saints and dead relatives. Masses are said for dead relatives. Candles are lit for dead relatives. I had a priest tell me decades ago that my dead relative was released from purgatory. This ordinary man thought to tell me what was going on in the supernatural realm. No. This cannot be. It's all a big lie.
The problem entered when the Vatican started messing around with the Bible, omitting things, altering things, adding things in order to support their doctrine. The Vatican system is the beast. All the early Protestant fathers knew that fact and wrote about it.
"Don't let yourself be fooled by ANY of the modern, corrupt translations. of the "bible." Stick to the 1611 KJB."
And, the evidence of our faith is the fruit that faith produces. Faith without works is dead. I do not do works to be saved, but rather, I do works because I am saved.
18 For the grave cannot praise thee, death can not celebrate thee: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth.
19 The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day: the father to the children shall make known thy truth. Isaiah 38:18.
We have always discussed doctrine with the intention to grow spiritually.
Just remember a few years ago I said I was happy to call you my brother and that still remains and I'm happy you consider me a Brother as well.
I'm sure others fill that way.
When these such things causes hatred amongst the Brothern then there's an BIG issue.
Beware of those who cause divisions.
I will be reaching out to you during the week
God bless.
source at the end of the post is Revelation 16:13-15 which was not mentioned in the post.
Genesis 1:v.21
21 And God created the great SEA-MONSTERs, and every living creature that moveth, wherewith the WATERS swarmed, after their kind, ...
Re.13:1-And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a Beast rise up out of the sea(sea means PEOPLES, AND NATIONS, AND MULTITUDES OF ALL TONGUES), having 7 heads and 10 horns, ...(A SEA MONSTER)
... and the Dragon( Revelation 13:11) gave him his POWER, and his Seat, and great Authority(Re.13:2).
Revelation 12:3-4
3 ... behold a GREAT red Dragon, having 7 heads and 10 horns, and 7 crowns upon his heads.
4 And his TAIL( Isaiah 9:15-17) drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth:...
HERE's the BODY(or the CHURCH) of the read Dragon -->... and the Dragon( Revelation 13:11) gave him (gave to the Beast of sea) his POWER, and his Seat(in JERUSALEM), and great Authority( Revelation 13:2).
NOTE: The BODY(THE CHURCH) of the DRAGON is complete as a whole: 7 heads, 10 horns, and a TAIL.
Be careful and Get Ready
There is(will be) WAR between the BODY of Christ JESUS-His true CHURCH- and the BODY of the red DRAGON-his CHURCH-. Revelation 13:5 combined with Philippians 3:20-21, among other biblical references. Take a look.
Re.17:15-16:
15The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.
16And the 10 horns which thou sawest upon the Beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.
3And I saw 3 unclean spirits like frogs come out of the MOUTH of the Dragon, and out of the MOUTH of the Beast,and out of the MOUTH of the false prophet.
14 For they are the spirits of devils,working miracles,which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world,to gather them to the battle of that great Day of God Almighty-JESUS
15 Behold,I come as a thief.Blessed is he that watcheth,and keepeth his garments,lest he walk naked,and they see his shame.
Get ready
26 And God said, Let US make man in our image, after OUR likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
Genesis 1:26 (emphasis mine).
24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and THEY SHALL BE ONE FLESH."
Genesis 2:24 (emphasis mine).
God is ONE GOD in purpose, plan, and action. There is no shadow of turning with our God who will never change. Thank you, LORD, that we, your children, may trust in you. We sojourn in a scary land that is not our home. Come soon. Amen.
Thank you for your response.
In my comments on this subject, both now and in the past, I've tried to explain my understanding of what God is teaching regarding the Nature of Salvation and what it means to be "saved".
I suspect that once again the differences in our understanding of many verses and passages in scripture, and the sometimes apparent confusion in what we each are attempting to communicate, stem in large part from our fundamental approach to how we are to interpret the Bible as a whole. In other words, our Biblical Hermeneutic.
So for now I'm going to just leave it there and hope that God in His Mercy might open our understanding and lead us both into Truth as we search the scriptures.
Thank you and may the LORD richly bless you.
"Can that which is unsavoury be eaten without salt? or is there any taste in the white of an egg?" v.6
Soul is neither in the material part nor in the spiritual shadow of life casting into the Land of the living. In a secular context we might define soul is betwixt and between the two realities where through our physical body 'through a glass darkly' we may look fore and aft. Job speaks of it in the following chapter, "Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth? are not his days also like the days of an hireling?/As a servant earnestly desireth the shadow, and as an hireling looketh for the reward of his work:
So am I made to possess months of vanity, and wearisome nights are appointed to me./When I lie down, I say, When shall I arise, and the night be gone? and I am full of tossings to and fro unto the dawning of the day(7:1-4). The Psalmist had this hope,'when I awake, I am still with thee(Ps.139:18b)' and this,'For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.(Ps.30:5)'.
God did not create man to be a mere phantom of His nature 'Surely every man walketh in a vain shew: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth upriches, and knoweth not who shall gather them(Ps.39:6). The world of flesh itself is vanity. How does it find its counterpoise? Whereas the soul that pleases God has its character as salt has. Savor is what distinguishes a worldly man from a child of God. "Ye are the salt of the earth (Matt.5:13)". In a grain of salt there are about 10 raised to the power of 16 (one followed by 16 zeroes or 10 million billion atoms) What is it made of? Chlorine is gas, deadly poison and sodium is metal which burns when it comes into contact with water. When these atoms are arrayed precisely and held in its its predetermined place,- by the nature of force working, that is chemistry for us, the crystal salt has savor.