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Death and Hell As Spiritual Conditions

tulsa 2011

Member
Joined
Dec 18, 2010
Messages
354
Death and Hell As Spiritual Conditions

"I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." John 10: 10. Christ is talking about giving spiritual life with him to those who accept him and his doctrines.

So, one of the major changes in the transformation of physical Israel to the spiritual house of I Peter 2: 5 is the teaching of Christ that he came to bring life, primarily spiritual life, but he also came to bring physical life. For in Luke 9: 52-56 when James and John asked Christ if they could call fire down from heaven to burn up a village in Samaria, Jesus told them in Luke 9: 55-56, "Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them."

It is important to understand that transformation of physical Israel to the spiritual house mentioned in I Peter 2: 5. There were major changes made by Christ in that transformation of physical Israel to a spiritual house. That which was in the physical under the Old Covenant was done away with as Hebrews 10: 9 says, "He taketh away the first, that he may establish the new." Entry into physical Israel by physical means, by genetics, the physical temple building, circumcision in the flesh and physical and literal animal sacrifice were all abolished and replaced by that which is spiritual and often communicated by metaphor. Many things which happened under the Old Covenant as shadows of things to come, Paul says in I Corinthians 10: 11 were examples written for our admonition "...upon whom the ends of the world are come." That which is spiritual after the Cross, the Day of Pentecost and Christ's revelations given to Paul (Acts 26: 15-18) became the substance of what was predicted by the shadows (Hebrews 10: 1, Colossians 2: 17).

But before the transformation of physical Israel, before the change from the Old Covenant to the New Covenant, those in physical Israel often sought to kill and did kill those who held doctrines different from their own. The Pharisees as the spiritual leaders of physical Israel had Christ crucified by the Romans. In Acts 7: 58-60 Stephen was stoned to death by a group, in Acts 6: 9 called "certain of the synagogue." Acts 7: 58 and 8: 1 record that Saul was there and consented to the death of Stephen. Saul, of course, is Saul the Pharisee, before he encountered the risen Christ on the Road to Damascus, and became Paul.

Then in Acts 21: 17-31 when James sent Paul to the temple to take part in an Old Covenant purification ceremony the Jews tried to kill Paul, who was rescued by the Romans.

"And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world." I John 4: 3

Those of physical Israel who were not part of the remnant of Romans 11: 5 who accepted Christ and his doctrines are of the spirit of anti-Christ. That is, those who rejected Christ are of the spirit of anti-Christ. Those in physical Israel who continue to reject Christ are also of the spirit of anti-Christ.

The scriptural support for using the term "physical Israel" comes from Romans 9: 8, "They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed." Then in I Corinthians 10: 18 Paul writes "Behold Israel after the flesh..."

There are also false prophets (Matthew 24: 11, Luke 6: 26, II Peter 2: 1, I John 4: 1, Revelation 16: 13, Revelation 19: 20 and Revelation 20: 10). The second beast of Revelation 13: 11-18 can be seen as the false prophet, representing many false prophets.

And a false prophet teaches false doctrines.

Satan has two forces at work against the truth of Jesus Christ, the spirit of anti-Christ, which inhabits many, and the false prophet, who represents many false prophets.

Revelation 13: 12 says the second beast, the false prophet, causes people to worship the first beast whose deadly wound was healed. This refers to Revelation 13: 3 where one of the heads of the first beast is said to have had a deadly wound which was healed. The nation of Israel received a deadly wound in 70 A.D. from the Roman army, which was healed in 1948 when the nation called Israel was established.

John 4: 3 says that whoever refuses to believe that Jesus Christ came in the flesh is not of God, but is of the spirit of anti-Christ. Those who reject Christ are of the spirit of anti-Christ and in rejecting Christ; they reject life. The belong to death. Those who follow False Prophets claim to accept their idea of who Christ is, but have another Christ and another Gospel. They represent the other of the two forces of Satan, which would be Hell.

In scripture, Death and Hell are used together almost as though they were persons. This use of Death and Hell is seen in Isaiah 28: 15-18, "Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves:
16.Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.
17. Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place.
18. And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it."

In Isaiah 28: 15-18 those who are said to have made an agreement with Death and Hell think that when the overflowing scourge passes through they will not be harmed - because they have made lies their refuge. The overflowing scourge sounds like the tribulation of Matthew 24: 21.

Then in Revelation 6: 8, on the opening of the Fourth Seal, the Pale Horse, it says "And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth."

Next, Revelation 20: 13 says "And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works."

Revelation 20: 14 says "And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death."

But there is one verse in which Hell comes before Death. "I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death." Revelation 1: 18
 
Death and Hell As Spiritual Conditions

"And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world." I John 4: 3

Those of physical Israel who were not part of the remnant of Romans 11: 5 who accepted Christ and his doctrines are of the spirit of anti-Christ. That is, those who rejected Christ are of the spirit of anti-Christ. Those in physical Israel who continue to reject Christ are also of the spirit of anti-Christ.

The scriptural support for using the term "physical Israel" comes from Romans 9: 8, "They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed." Then in I Corinthians 10: 18 Paul writes "Behold Israel after the flesh..."

There are also false prophets (Matthew 24: 11, Luke 6: 26, II Peter 2: 1, I John 4: 1, Revelation 16: 13, Revelation 19: 20 and Revelation 20: 10). The second beast of Revelation 13: 11-18 can be seen as the false prophet, representing many false prophets.

And a false prophet teaches false doctrines.

Satan has two forces at work against the truth of Jesus Christ, the spirit of anti-Christ, which inhabits many, and the false prophet, who represents many false prophets.

Revelation 13: 12 says the second beast, the false prophet, causes people to worship the first beast whose deadly wound was healed. This refers to Revelation 13: 3 where one of the heads of the first beast is said to have had a deadly wound which was healed. The nation of Israel received a deadly wound in 70 A.D. from the Roman army, which was healed in 1948 when the nation called Israel was established.

John 4: 3 says that whoever refuses to believe that Jesus Christ came in the flesh is not of God, but is of the spirit of anti-Christ. Those who reject Christ are of the spirit of anti-Christ and in rejecting Christ; they reject life. The belong to death. Those who follow False Prophets claim to accept their idea of who Christ is, but have another Christ and another Gospel. They represent the other of the two forces of Satan, which would be Hell.

Hello Tulsa.

It appears you have a definite theology that you are peddling.
Your denominational affinity was obvious from start to finish.

Here I will illustrate the theological twist that is evident in what you wrote.
Whether you realise or not you are distorting 1John4:3.

Here is your quotation Tulsa.

"And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God:
and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even
now already is it in the world." I John 4:3

In your theology anyone who does not confess the Christ is an antichrist???

This is blatantly incorrect as the whole letter explains the antichrist more precisely.

If you consider an earlier reference to the spirit of the antichrist in John's letter.
Your understanding and explanation of the antichrist would have been clearer.

Here is the earlier reference in 1John.

1 John 2:22
Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ?
This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son.

Notice the word 'denies' this is important, the denial that Jesus is the Christ.

The antichrist DENIES that Jesus is the Christ!

The antichrist DENIES the Gospel!

An unbeliever does not carry the confession of the Christ, an unbeliever
is not an antichrist Tulsa. Which is not the impression that your selective
quotation provides. Antichrist means to be in opposition to Christ.
Denial and opposition of the Christ is one of the main tactics of
the antichrist.

Now read the first line that you omitted in your quotation.

1 John 4
1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see
whether they are from God, because many false prophets have
gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God:
every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh
is from God;

Now with the addition of the first line, i.e, 1 John 4:1-2, and the earlier reference 1John 2:22.

The precise meaning of 1 John 4:3 is clearly understood.

Test the spirits that come to you as prophets, do they carry the testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ?
Is Christ at the front, middle and rear of their conversation. This letter contains a warning about
false spirits, false prophets. They must carry the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the testimony of Christ.

The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy! (Revelations 19:10).

The warning John gives concerns false prophets Tulsa. They will DENY the Christ.
 
Though Death and Hell are the two forces Satan uses against the truth of Christ, yet Christ himself has full control over Death and Hell.

Death is the spirit of anti-Christ, which denies that Christ as fully God came in the flesh. This is a trait of physical Israel, which - except for a remnant (Romans 11: 5) - rejected Christ. Hell as the second force of Satan is the False Prophet who teaches about a Jesus but it is another Jesus and another Gospel (II Corinthians 11: 14, Galatians 1: 6-9).

"For many shall come in my name, saying I am Christ; and shall deceive many." Matthew 24: 5. "And many false prophets shall rise,and shall deceive many." Matthew 24: 11

The Strong Man of Matthew 12: 29 who holds the captives of Isaiah 61: 1 is the "man" behind the curtain who manipulates his two puppets Death and Hell, or the spirit of anti-Christ and the False Prophet.

The Strong Man is the leader of the fallen angels. "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." Ephesians 6: 12

But the Strong Man has his human minions, those in the spirit of anti-Christ and the False Prophets. These human minions do the work of the Strong Man. And they might be called the Strong Man also.

One main goal of the Strong Man, as Satan, who gives power to those in the spirit of anti-Christ and to the False Prophets (Revelation 13: 4) is to prevent humans from becoming part of the elect of Christ, to prevent them from being saved.

Christ in Luke 9: 59-60 said "And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God. "

In Luke 9: 59-60 Jesus was not saying that those who are physically dead could bury others who are physically dead. He was talking about death as a spiritual condition. He was saying to let those who are spiritually dead bury the physically dead. Man is made in the image of God (Genesis 1: 27). So man is a three part being made up of body, mind and spirit. But when man's spirit is minimal and diminished, then his spirit can be said to be dead. "But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." I Corinthians 2: 14

Death is a spiritual condition. And can Hell be also be a spiritual condition. In Isaiah 28: 15 it says "... we made a covenant with death and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves:" This sounds like being in false doctrines, which are contrary to scriptures, is making a covenant with Death and being in agreement with Hell.

The false prophets teach their followers false doctrines, or lies and falsehoods, and this leads to a spiritual condition called Hell.

Look at II Thessalonians 2: 10-12, "And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie. That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness."

The Greek of II Thessalonians 2: 11 says more literally "...God will send to them a working of error, for them to believe that (which is) false." God will give those who do not have a love of the truth, and follow false doctrines instead, over to their false doctrines, or lies. Once given over to their false doctrines, it is not easy to come out of the false doctrines to the truth. But God allows some to do just that.

Being given over to one's false doctrines is also a spiritual condition. Isn't this the same spiritual condition that is called Hell?

These teachings from scripture about Death and Hell, as spiritual forces in the divided house of Satan, which can lead to spiritual conditions in the followers of false doctrines are not exactly what man made theology teaches about death and hell.

And - Satan's house is divided, as Christ teaches in Matthew 12: 25-26 that "Every kingdom divided
against itself is brought to desolation...And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?" Remember in verse 24 the Pharisees, who had the dialectic mind, were arguing against the absolute Truth of God, who was standing before them, and saying "This fellow doth not cast out devils, bu by Beelzebub the prince of devils.'

Christ asks a question, "If Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself, how shall then his kingdom stand." The answer is that his kingdom does not stand. It cannot stand against Christ. Satan was defeated spiritually at the Cross, but he is can still deceive many into following him in his Great Bluff. Those who are at War against the absolute truth of the Word, even though they may pretend to follow it, are at great risk of following that Great Bluff
 
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Wheat/Weeds Jews/Gentiles

Hi!
Ummm, some things to maybe consider:
I'm assuming that we all would agree that the Word of God behaves as 'seed' to humankind.
So, we could say that the 'wheat' in the fields/world is the result of God sowing/inspiring humankind.
If you're agreeing with me so-far, here's an additional question:
What forms the seed of the 'weeds' which are 'sown' in the world?
If we agree with the above idea about the wheat being true, what is sowing/inspiring the growth of weeds?
It's the seed of the False Prophet and the Anti-Christ which is inspiring the weeds.
Let's say that we could somehow put your entire physical self under an powerful microscope. Would we discover a thought; a memory perhaps? Would we detect an ability of faith and love?
No. Because your "real" identity is hidden; its what forms your "hidden man of the heart"; your soul and spirit.
So, it could be said that your physical body acts in a similar manner to a TV or Radio. A TV/Radio merely reproduces the images/sounds it receives by it's internal 'tuner'. Should we break the TV/Radio into zillion pieces, we would still fail to find the 'real person' who was speaking or being displayed on the screen. The 'real person' is located 1000's of miles distant.
Do you now better understand what I'm trying to say? We have a simultaneous existence in two worlds; the visible and the invisible. This is why we now have both a physical body and also a spiritual body.
Our physical selves behave similar to radios/TV's. Our visible existence displays what has first occurred in/through our invisible existence ... in/through our true selves ... our spirit and soul.
Our 'grey matter' only acts as a receiver for the ;signals' coming out of the invisible world. Which invisible channel we permit to inspire us, becomes displayed in this visible world. What you see spoken and displayed in/through human beings is the result of where their hearts and minds are 'tuned-into'.
It could be said that In the Kingdom of Heaven (invisible world of the spirits) there are two opposing 'channels' which our minds/hearts choose between: the kingdom of light and the kingdom of darkness.
"When we come to Christ, we are rescued "from the domain of darkness, and transferred ... to the kingdom of His beloved Son", (Col 1:3). "Our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ", (Phil 3:20). Our "real identity" now lives in heaven. While our true life and existence is being displayed within this visible dimension which we know as Earth, it doesn't 'belong' here. Yes, we are citizens of an invisible kingdom; but we also dwell within this visible world. While we have a presence in the the heavenlies, we also 'appear' on the earth. When our physical body dies, our unseen selves ... our spiritual body ... continues to exist and remain active in the unseen world only.
Now, the reason I've said the above is to introduce this thought:
God doesn't assign a geographical human identity to His people. It's foolishness to believe that God somehow gives two-hoots about whether someone is an Arab or a Jew or even a Ukrainian. God does not look on the outward appearance; He does not care whether you are color black or green or yellow. He doesn't care which part of Earth's real estate you happen to live on. Such ideas became obsolete to God's eternal plan and purposes with the arrival of the second Covenant. God cares about which invisible 'channel' your heart and mind are listening to. He care about which kingdom is inspiring you. God cares about whether you have a citizenship within His invisible kingdom; not a visible Israel plot of land but an invisible Israel; not under the banner of the Israeli flag or even the USA flag or anything like that. God wants us to be under His invisible heavenly banner instead.
A grain of wheat is what God is looking for. He is looking for a people whose identities have been sown by His Word and who are appearing on the earth full of His glory. God doesn't have Jewish seeds and Gentile seeds growing and developing within His fields.
We no longer know our "our hidden man of the heart" after the flesh.
We are not attached to land or race of people. God doesn't much care about the bloodline of your parents; only about the priceless Blood of Christ which ransomed you from the plans and purposes of the evil one.
Our renewed minds have been elevated above the mistaken confusion between that which is spiritual and that which is natural; that which is visible and that which is invisible; that which is true and that which is counterfeit.
 
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"His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber. Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter." Isaiah 56: 10-11

Watchmen could be seen only as those who stand in a high place and look for an enemy coming to fight physical Israel. But Isaiah is not talking only about those who are appointed to watch for the approach of an enemy. He calls the same people shepherds in verse 11. The watchmen-shepherds are also appointed to watch for false doctrines and practices in a group made of people who claim to be Christians.

So what Isaiah 56: 10-11 is talking about is watchmen-shepherds who are unable to warn about the appearing of false man-made doctrines. And they are also said to be greedy dogs, who do not understand, and they look to their own gain. They are more interested in material gain that in spiritual things.

If you can get out of man made false doctrines long enough to begin to understand the New Testament, you may learn to bark. If you learn to bark and tell the truth, you and your bark will probably be rejected by those who are in false doctrines.

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"His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber. Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter." Isaiah 56: 10-11
Watchmen could be seen only as those who stand in a high place and look for an enemy coming to fight physical Israel. But Isaiah is not talking only about those who are appointed to watch for the approach of an enemy. He calls the same people shepherds in verse 11. The watchmen-shepherds are also appointed to watch for false doctrines and practices in a group made of people who claim to be Christians.
So what Isaiah 56: 10-11 is talking about is watchmen-shepherds who are unable to warn about the appearing of false man-made doctrines. And they are also said to be greedy dogs, who do not understand, and they look to their own gain. They are more interested in material gain that in spiritual things.
If you can get out of man made false doctrines long enough to begin to understand the New Testament, you may learn to bark. If you learn to bark and tell the truth, you and your bark will probably be rejected by those who are in false doctrines.

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Hi!
OK, I'll bite an' bark and ask the question: "Do you agree with the premise that I offered in reply 'er not?"
 
"When we come to Christ, we are rescued "from the domain of darkness, and transferred ... to the kingdom of His beloved Son", (Col 1:3). "Our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ", (Phil 3:20). Our "real identity" now lives in heaven."

"For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:" Philippians 3: 20 Not "a Saviour" but "the saviour."

"Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 2:5)

"Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: " Colossians 1: 12-13

"Translated," from methistano, is like transformed in Romans 12: 2, "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." Transformed is from metamorphoomai, metamorphosed, changed from one form to a very different form. "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God......That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again." John 3: 3, 6-7

"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate." Matthew 23: 37-38

"He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second." Hebrews 10: 9

Anyone, after the Cross, must be transformed in Christ, born again, made into a new spiritual being, as a Son of God, and no longer just a servant, whether he is of physical Israel or of any other blood to be in the kingdom of God. " Christ "...hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth," Acts 17: 26
 
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