One ‘Helluva’ Discussion on Hell

[Protestant]

Wow. Wading through the Fundamental Baptist discussion entitled ‘Where was Jesus for 3 days?’ was quite an experience. Robycop3’s heels were dug in and he ain’t budgin’………..which is usually the case with Robycop3, no matter the topic.

Derf aka ‘Fred’ asked some pointed questions worthy of reflection……with one exception: positing the JW interpretation, Truly I tell you today, you will be with me in Paradise, as a possible orthodox interpretation.

Truly I tell you today, Fred, right now, at this very moment, there is no way the JW interpretation is sound hermeneutics. Neither are JWs Christian in any sense of the word.

Though I favor the KJV for research & literary preferences, I find the NIV can be quite helpful in clarifying difficult passages, such as Acts 2. The translators understood Peter was quoting Psalm 16 from the Septuagint, which is the Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures.

David said about him:

“‘I saw the Lord always before me.
Because he is at my right hand,
I will not be shaken.
26 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
my body also will rest in hope,
27 because you will not abandon me [‘my soul’ = ‘nephesh’ in the Hebrew] to the realm of the dead [‘Hades’ in Greek; ‘Sheol’ in Hebrew],
you will not let your holy one see decay.
28 You have made known to me the paths of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence.’

With a minimum effort one can easily verify the Hebrew noun ‘nephesh’ [ ‘soul’] can rightly be defined as ‘me’ [See Brown-Driver-Briggs here]

One can also verify ‘Sheol’ is rightly interpreted as ‘the realm of the dead’ here.

Ultimately, Peter is preaching the resurrection of Christ’s body from the grave. He is NOT insinuating Christ’s soul was in Hell.

Robycop3 is correct – Christ died on the cross and went immediately to Paradise, as did the thief.

Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.

Christ’s spirit [aka ‘soul’] ascended to His Father: Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.

Christ took the thief, who was in Roman captivity, captive with him.

He that descended [from Heaven as the Word incarnated] is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.

The direction of God’s heavenly kingdom is above….waaay above.

Paradise, Heaven and Abraham’s Bosom are synonymous.

Abraham’s Bosom is a metaphor for the intimacy one experiences with God as His close, personal friend, as does the ‘Father of the Faithful.’

Paradise is where God resides: He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God (Rev. 2;7).

Paul equates the third Heaven with Paradise (2 Cor. 12:2 ff.).

Hades, the place where the rich man was tormented is appropriately called ‘Hell.’ For it is there torment, anguish and despair begin.

The false theory there are two compartments in Hades is Roman Catholic in origin.

I quote from their 1582 Rheims New Testament commentary on Luke 16:22:

“The Bosom of Abraham is the resting place of all them that died in perfect state of grace before Christ’s time, heaven before being shut to men. It is called in Zacharie [Zachariah], a lake without water, and sometime a prison, but most commonly of the Divines, Limbus Patrum, for that it is thought to have been the higher part or brim of Hell, the places of punishment being far lower, called the lower hell……no Catholic man ever doubted, as all the Fathers make it most certain, our Savior descending to hell, went thither specially and delivered the said fathers out of that mansion.”

Heaven was not shut to the Old Testament saints before Christ’s time.

That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him (Ephesians 1:10).

When Christ came, the souls of the OT saints were already in Heaven.

For he is not a God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto him. (Luke 20:38).

Upon death all Christians immediately experience the incomprehensible 'beatific vision' of God.

Blessed are the pure in heart for they will see God.

 

[Protestant]

Body Sleep vs. the False Doctrine of Soul Sleep

With a minimum of research and maximum of common sense, one can easily prove the doctrine of ‘soul sleep’ is false, having no shred of credibility.

According to the American Sleep Association, under the heading, How Important is Sleep?, “Sleep is needed so everything in your body and mind can work correctly. Without it, or the continuous lack of, you may be flirting with death.” It then lists the 5 critical areas of human life which require sufficient, sound sleep: the brain, the heart, body weight, life length and the immune system.

The Soul is Not the Body

The body is that which dies. It turns to dust, returning to the earth, from whence it came. The soul/spirit returns to God, who created it. (Ecclesiastes 12:7). It does not return to God dead.

Without holding a degree from medical school or seminary, it is possible to differentiate the needs of the body, versus the needs of the soul.

Human beings need air, food, water and sleep to survive. In fact, it is not uncommon for captors to torture their captives through sleep deprivation. The CIA used this technique in Guantanamo Bay, calling it ‘enhanced interrogation,’ or more specifically, ‘sound disorientation.’ The concept required Western-culture music blaring 24/7. The two most frequent music choices were Metal and Country. To switch things up a bit, the theme song from ‘Barney’ was occasionally thrown into the mix:

I love you. You love me. We're a happy family. With a great big hug, and a kiss from me to you. Won't you say you love me too?

One night of this and the present writer would tell you everything you did and did not want to know.

The Soul is Quite Different From the Body

Since Heaven is above our atmosphere, the Angels, who are spirit beings, do not need air to survive. Neither does God, who is Spirit. Neither do the souls/spirits of our departed Christian brethren in Heaven.

Jesus recognized the human soul’s need for food and water when He preached, Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. The Lord our righteousness gives us the bread of life and rivers of living waters.

Jesus Warned of Spiritual Sleep

Spiritual sleep is opposed to bodily sleep. Bodily sleep is necessary for our bodies to function at peak performance when awake. However, spiritual sleep describes those whose spiritual life is dormant, inactive, and unconscious.

Bodily sleep is a state of unconsciousness whereby the sleeper is unaware of that which is going on around him.

The spiritual sleeper is one who professes Christ, yet has little to zero spiritual life and discernment. He knows not what is happening spiritually around him.

Two Kinds of Sleep – Both Figurative​

13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.

Jesus uses the metaphor of sleep to describe the state of deceased Christians. He is speaking of the awakening of their bodies which is called the resurrection at the last day. Physically, to our eyes, deceased humans give the appearance of being in a deep sleep. That which we see in the casket is the body minus the soul/spirit. One day our souls/spirits will reunite with new, flawless bodies resulting in an eternally perfect life which is physical, as well as spiritual.

On the other hand, there are those who are in a constant state of spiritual sleep, though they are actively awake in a physical sense. Jesus speaks of liars who claim to be Christians.

4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.

5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.

6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.

Watchfulness requires alertness in the Spirit. The evil servant portrayed in Matthew 24 was not watchful. Rather he is engaged in the excesses of the world, having no desire for that of the Spirit, though he claimed to be active in the service of the Lord.

The watchful Christian is ever cognizant of that which veers from biblical teachings and lifestyle. From such he/she avoids like the plague, and when necessary exposes the works of darkness for what they really are.

Pure doctrinal truth begets spiritual sobriety, while perverse lies which negate the purity of biblical truth beget spiritual drunkenness.

Conclusion: Upon death the soul/spirit of the Christian does not sleep. Belief in ‘soul sleep’ is grounded in a false theory.

The soul does not require sleep. Nor will it ever require sleep. Furthermore, it cannot sleep. The human body, however, does require sleep. The soul and body have essential differences. The ability to sleep, as well as the need for sleep, is one of them.

Rest is Not Sleep

Rather than sleep, the Bible emphasizes the soul’s rest, which is far different than unconsciousness. Upon conversion to Christ we experience ‘rest’ (Matthew 11:28). By ‘rest’ we are to understand peace with God, forgiveness of sins and the assurance of eternal life in the presence of the Lord.

This eternal rest in Heaven is exemplified in Rev. 4:6 & 15:2: the sea of glass. The true Christians are standing on a peacefully, smooth and still sea which is before the throne of God, while false Christians are described by Jude as raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame.

NEXT: Biblical Proof the Souls of both the Saved and Unsaved are Awake, Though Their Bodies are Dead.

 

[Protestant]

Biblical Proof the Souls of both the Saved and Unsaved are Awake Though Their Bodies are Dead.

The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus contains sufficient information to convince us of several truths, including the fact that the doctrine of ‘soul sleep’ is a fraud and should be exposed for the evil it is.

Although there are some Christians who regard this Scripture as literally true, common sense will admit to no such thing. Those in Hades/Hell cannot communicate with those in Paradise/Heaven. They have neither Internet access, cell phones or the ability to communicate via telepathy. Secondly, souls have neither tongues nor eyes to see that which is in Heaven. Those are organs of the body. The soul has no body.

Jesus wishes to communicate deep and dark spiritual truths to us which no man could know unless revealed by God. He uses a literary device called ‘parable’ as His teaching tool.

19 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:

20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,

21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.

Immediately we are introduced to two principal actors who are complete opposites. Purple is a well-known symbol for wealth and status, as reflected in ancient Rome and modern-day Roman Catholicism.

(Lydia of Thyatira was a seller of purple linen. Though she was a woman of wealth, who worshipped God, she was unaware of the saving message of the Gospel. God opened her heart to believe Paul’s preaching. Without God’s gracious Spirit effectually working internally in a sinner, no man would believe. Sadly, this truth is dismissed as poppycock by much of professing Christendom, who believe they possess the ability to believe.)

The rich man had all the things the world could offer. He even had good health, without which he could not fully enjoy that which money could buy.

At the other extreme end of the spectrum was poor Lazarus, sores and all. The irony of their ultimate destinies is apparent.

Lesson # 1: Appearance is deceiving to the worldly unbeliever, as well as to the carnal, fake, professing Christians. Today it is quite popular to extol the virtues of wealth, preaching wealth as a sign of God’s favor and blessing, using Abraham as proof. Unfortunately, the false Gospel of the Blessing of Wealth Accessed by Faith leads many to the end experienced by the rich man in this parable.

The scriptural warnings to those gathering wealth for wealth’s sake are too numerous to list them all. A few will suffice:

But woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort.

You cannot serve both God and money.

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God

Consider the plethora of wealthy, tax-free pastors who live lifestyles of the rich and famous, enjoying fame and fortune. I fear for their souls.

In this parable we may extrapolate Lazarus (’God has helped’) and the rich man as types of believers and unbelievers. How typical for unbelievers to view true believers as wretched, worthless, deplorables, deserving disdain and disgust, no matter the outward condition of those preaching God’s Word.

22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;

The angels did not carry Lazarus to Hades/Hell. Jesus calls Heaven, ‘Abraham’s Bosom,’ using the phrase as a metaphor all Jews would recognize, for Abraham was their beloved and revered Father of Israel. If anyone was worthy to be with God, it was Abraham. Thus, Jesus is inferring Lazarus, too, was with God.

The rich man, also a Jew, was not with God. He was in Hell.

Lesson # 2: One’s carnal birth is insufficient to save, though the children of believing parents. Water baptism, church membership, joining Christian activities, performing Christian good works, keeping the 7th-day Sabbath, etc; are not sufficient to save. One must be baptized by the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:4-5; Matthew 3:11; John 3:5). Only God performs this sovereign, miraculous work.

The rich Jewish man did not neglect the outward appearance of keeping the Law. No doubt he did give Lazarus crumbs as he left his estate, not wishing to appear uncaring and dismissive of the beggar. However, his heart was not right with God. Jesus promises there will be many at the Last Day whose hearts will not be right with God, though they insist Jesus is their Lord (Matthew 7:21-23). Tragically, their end will be with the rich Jew.

23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.

Lesson # 3: In the mind of the rich Jew, Abraham was his great god. He calls on Abraham, rather than Jehovah. Not that he was clueless about the existence of Jehovah. Rather, it is because Abraham was considered of greater importance than the God of Abraham.

Today we have many heterodox cults which have gods other than the God of Abraham, the Lord Jesus Christ. For example, the 7th-day Adventists have the goddess Ellen White. The Mormons have the god Joseph Smith. The Roman Catholics have the god Pope Francis. They also have the goddess Blessed Virgin Mary, in addition to multitudes of lesser gods, called ‘saints.’ Without these gods’ teachings, salvation would not be possible, they sincerely believe. Lamentably, sincerity does not make for eternal saving truth. The rich man was sincere in his convictions. He did not gather his wealth by lying. He understood the Law which forbade bearing false witness. Yet Hell was his reward.

And then there are the fervent followers of holy wealth cults which have Joel Osteen, T. D. Jakes, Joyce Meyer, Creflo Dollar, Benny Hinn, and Kenneth Copeland, to name a few who are revered and promoted on the TBN Network. These are the gods who show their deluded followers the way to monetary, worry-free happiness, all in the name of Jesus.

To Be Continued………..

 

[Protestant]

Part 2: Biblical Proof the Souls of both the Saved and Unsaved are Awake Though Their Bodies are Dead.

23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.

25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.

Lesson # 4: Neither the souls of the rich man or Abraham are asleep. If they were, according to official SDA doctrine, Jesus is the liar. The hubris of the SDA church is quite an amazing fact.

This parable is no fairy tale to be dismissed as childish folly. Upon death, all souls will go to either hades/Hell or Paradise/Heaven. They will immediately recognize where they are. Souls are not a blank slate. God has imbued them with the ability to remember, to think, to feel, to have a conscience….and to freely continue hating the living God. The torments in Hell are instant and intense. Notice Scripture uses the plural of ‘torment, agreeing with the Greek noun which is plural.

Several Torments Experienced

(1) The realization there is no escaping the prison of Hell. This is the reason the rich man asked for Lazarus to come to him, and not vice-versa.

(2) The realization that what he sincerely believed on Earth as being absolute truth was no such thing. He was absolutely deceived in believing he was safe from perdition, living the life of a well-respected, decent, Jewish family man. He did not worship idols as did the heathen. Nor did he pray to false gods, as did the heathen. Nor did he eat unclean foods, as did the heathen. He kept the commandments to the best of his ability. He was certain God would eternally reward him for his efforts.

(3) The realization that judging by appearance was not righteous judgment. By all appearance he believed Lazarus was not favored of God. He couldn’t be more mistaken.

(4) The ‘flame’ he was experiencing is nothing compared to the Lake of Fiery Flames he would be experiencing at the Last Day. Although it is unlikely literal ‘fire,’ the metaphor of intense ‘burning heat’ is one which all can appreciate. The discomfort it creates is one of unrelenting misery and pain.

(5) The realization of the futility in asking the torment be completely abated. Instead he asks it be mitigated, even if for one second.

(6) He asks the tongue be cooled, inferring the judgment of God was due, in part, to his prideful, conceited talk which, like Nebuchadnezzar, refused to give the glory to God, instead taking all the credit for his many worldly successes.

(7) Though no longer in his body, the rich man remembers his past life. He now realizes Lazarus was sent to him, lying daily at his gate. Had he stopped to converse with him, Lazarus would have preached the Gospel, in a valiant effort to save his soul. No doubt Lazarus would wave to him, as he drove by in his carriage, attempting to get his attention. But the rich man had no time to waste on such a pitiful person. He had more important chores to take care of. The well-being of his soul was at the bottom of his ‘to-do list.’

(8) The memory of his loved ones gives him cause for alarm. The thought of their joining him in Hell is terrifying.

Lesson # 5: No mercy is shown those in Hell. Though Abraham has no mercy to give since he is not God, he understands God had decreed, according to the ineffable counsel of His own will, not to show those in Hell mercy of whatever kind:

15 For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.

16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.

This fact of no mercy – ever – has resulted in many cults and professing pseudo-Christians to conjure the doctrine of ‘soul sleep’ and ‘annihilation.’ These groups prefer a God whose divine sovereignty and standards are similar to sinful humans. No human would willfully torture someone for thousands of years, let alone for eternity. Therefore, God will not, they suppose.

But that is not Christ’s teaching here. Nor is it the teaching of Christ in the Gospels. Nor is it the teaching of John in Revelation.

Endless Punishment Necessary

Our infinitely holy, truthful God has been despised and rejected by men, resulting in their just endless punishment. Jesus teaches as much. All the unsaved are debtors to God. They will not be released from debtors prison until the last penny is paid. Unbelievers have nothing with which to pay God. They have rejected the only Savior Christ, who paid the entire sin debt of believing sinners. John 3:16 makes that very point: ”whosoever shall believe in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Lesson # 6: The soul is immortal, though the SDA church and others deny this truth. Had the soul not been immortal, it would have behooved Abraham to admit as much to the rich man, who was his ‘son,’ i.e. carnal descendent. For when the rich man petitioned Abraham to send Lazarus with a drop of water, Abraham should have revealed that the torments he was then experiencing were temporal, and would cease completely upon his annihilation. That information would have been extremely helpful to the man experiencing torments. One day his punishment would end. That would give him hope. But alas, no such assurance was given because it is a false hope grounded in a lie.

However, the most incontrovertible proof of the immortality of the soul lies in the fact that the man, Jesus Christ, has an immortal soul:

For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people (Hebrews 2:17).

The soul of Jesus Christ is immortal as was human man created with an immortal living soul.

And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul (Genesis 2:7).

The difference between the souls of those in Hell and those in Heaven is the difference between the holy and the profane, not in their longevity of existence, which are equal in infinite duration.

Conclusion: No one is good enough to earn entrance to Heaven. Jesus Christ is the only one who fulfilled the Law. To claim to keep the commandments, as do the Adventists, is no holier testimony than that of the rich man in Hell. Many religious sincerely believe they are rich in faith and good works. Yet when examined by the reed of Scripture they are weighed in the balance and found wanting. A typical outgrowth of their fundamentally errant views of salvation are the false doctrines of ‘soul sleep,’ ‘annihilation,’ and ‘conditional mortality of the soul.’

NEXT: Refusal to hear Moses and the prophets.

 

[timtofly]

So by faith alone, an unredeemd soul can enter the Garden of Eden. Their faith alone will be accepted by the angel holding the flaming sword?

1 Samuel 28:13-14

13 And the king said unto her, Be not afraid: for what sawest thou? And the woman said unto Saul, I saw gods ascending out of the earth.
14 And he said unto her, What form is he of? And she said, An old man cometh up; and he is covered with a mantle. And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the ground, and bowed himself.

1 Samuel 28:19

19 Moreover the Lord will also deliver Israel with thee into the hand of the Philistines: and to morrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me: the Lord also shall deliver the host of Israel into the hand of the Philistines.

Samuel died and went to hell?

 

[Protestant]

So by faith alone, an unredeemd soul can enter the Garden of Eden. Their faith alone will be accepted by the angel holding the flaming sword?

1 Samuel 28:13-14

13 And the king said unto her, Be not afraid: for what sawest thou? And the woman said unto Saul, I saw gods ascending out of the earth.
14 And he said unto her, What form is he of? And she said, An old man cometh up; and he is covered with a mantle. And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the ground, and bowed himself.

1 Samuel 28:19

19 Moreover the Lord will also deliver Israel with thee into the hand of the Philistines: and to morrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me: the Lord also shall deliver the host of Israel into the hand of the Philistines.

Samuel died and went to hell?

Timtofly asks two questions:

First Answer:

John 3:16 is clear to many of us: Belief/faith in the active and passive obedience of the God-man Savior Christ assures us of eternal life. We are justified by faith alone before God, while justified by good works -- the fruit of that faith –– before men.

Re: Garden of Eden….. Yes, it was a type of Heaven/Paradise on Earth. However, we Christians agree with the faithful described in Hebrews 11. We look for a city whose builder and maker is God. That city is called ‘New Jerusalem’ and is described in Revelation 21 & 22.

Let the redeemed of the Lord say so!

BTW, the angel with the sword was guarding the Tree of Life, located in the Garden, preventing Adam and Eve from partaking of it, since they were yet in sin. This tree was a type of Christ who is the Life. Interestingly, the Tree of Life is found in New Jerusalem (Rev. 21:2). There will be no restrictions in eating thereof.

Second Answer:

No. Who ever told you Samuel was in Hell?

Besides, the witch of Endor deceived Saul, as does the modern-day witch, Sister Ellen White deceive Adventists, as does the modern-day satanic spirit, an apparition called 'Blessed Virgin Mary,' deceive millions of Roman Catholics.

 

[Protestant]

Part 3: Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus

29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.

Jesus is teaching a vital principle, though disbelieved by the cults and Roman Catholic Church: the Sufficiency of Scripture.

The 1689 Baptist Confession explains it in this way:

The Holy Scripture is the only sufficient, certain, and infallible rule of all saving knowledge, faith, and obedience, although the light of nature, and the works of creation and providence do so far manifest the goodness, wisdom, and power of God, as to leave men inexcusable; yet are they not sufficient to give that knowledge of God and his will which is necessary unto salvation. Therefore it pleased the Lord at sundry times and in divers manners to reveal himself, and to declare that his will unto his church; and afterward for the better preserving and propagating of the truth, and for the more sure establishment and comfort of the church against the corruption of the flesh, and the malice of Satan, and of the world, to commit the same wholly unto writing; which maketh the Holy Scriptures to be most necessary, those former ways of God's revealing his will unto his people being now ceased (Source).

The scriptural proofs which verify their doctrinal position include 2 Timothy 3:15-17; Isaiah 8:20; Luke 16:29, 31; Ephesians 2:20; Romans 1:19-21; Romans 2:14, 15; Psalm 19:1-3; Hebrews 1:1; Proverbs 22:19-21; Romans 15:4; 2 Peter 1:19,20.

To that list I would add Psalm 119.

Adventists, Mormons, Christ Scientists, and Roman Catholics, to name a few, insist the Bible is insufficient for their need to know and obey essential truths necessary for their salvation.

To that end, they have determined certain fallible humans have allegedly been authorized by God to reveal that which God has failed to reveal in Scripture.

The Romans Catholics have their prophetic ‘tradition,’ while the others have singular prophets in the form of Sister Ellen White, Joseph Smith, and Mary Baker Eddy.

In other words, they worship a God who has either:

(1) Mistakenly, but innocently, forgot He left out essentials in His Word which must be added by a latter-day prophet(s) to complete the full revelation of His will.

(2) Purposely left out essentials not necessary to be known by His Church until now, when He sends a latter-day prophet(s) to proclaim new and important truths.

But this is not the God who declares His way is perfect (Psalm18:30; 2 Samuel 22:31 are examples).

His numerous warnings against adding to or taking away from His Word also imply the sufficiency of Scripture (Deut. 4:2; 12:42; Rev. 22:18).

Adding to Scripture frequently results in contradicting Scripture. For example, the Roman Catholic doctrines of Purgatory and Sacrifice of the Mass contradict the sufficiency and perfection of Christ’s once for all sacrifice on the cross. The Adventist doctrine which teaches the necessity of keeping the 7th-day Old Testament Jewish Sabbath Law, contradicts justification by faith in Christ’s keeping of the Law, as well as the truth which clearly states, by the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified (Romans 3:20; Galatians 3:11).

CONCLUSION: Without the supernatural revelation of God which efficaciously opens the eyes, mind and heart of a sinner, causing him to believe and obey the will of God as set forth in the Old and New Testaments, man will forever seek and believe that which emanate from the minds and hearts of depraved humans, influenced by the principalities, powers and rulers of the darkness of this world.

NEXT: And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

 

[Protestant]

Part 4: Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus

And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

Miracles Do Not Beget Faith, Yet Can Prove Calling

Scripture is clear. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.

Miracles were necessary for Moses, Elijah, Elisha and other OT saints to prove their calling; to bear witness their messages were from God.

Jesus’ miracles were proof He was the promised Messiah, the Son of God. His miracles were the fulfillment of prophecy.

The Apostles worked miracles to prove their calling and preaching were from God.

SDA Church Considers Ellen White a Modern-day Prophet in the Biblical Sense

"The Scriptures testify that one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is prophecy. This gift is an identifying mark of the remnant church and we believe it was manifested in the ministry of Ellen G. White. Her writings speak with prophetic authority and provide comfort, guidance, instruction, and correction to the church" (Source).

But is her doctrine of the 'amalgamation of man and beast' biblical?

“But if there was one sin above another which called for the destruction of the race by the flood, it was the base crime of amalgamation of man and beast which defaced the image of God, and caused confusion everywhere” (Spiritual Gifts, Volume 3, # 64)

“Every species of animal which God had created were preserved in the ark. The confused species which God did not create, which were the result of amalgamation, were destroyed by the flood. Since the flood there has been amalgamation of man and beast, as may be seen in the almost endless varieties of species of animals, and in certain races of men” (Ibid. # 75).

Guess which races of men Sister White considered half man and half beast, the result of forbidden, damnable lusts?

Needless to say, when using the official SDA website search engine to find the Ellen White doctrine of amalgamation no results are found.

Like the cult of Scientology which hides the doctrine of their God, Xenu, from new initiates, the SDA Church hides the innumerable wicked lies of Ellen White, their Goddess.

Modern-day So-Called Miracles are Really Lying Wonders

Jesus and the Apostles warned of the rise of false prophets who claimed to be sent of God.

And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.

For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.

Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;

Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;

Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.

For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.

But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.

For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.

For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.

And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders…

No Church Has More Lying Wonders than the Catholic Church

The legends of their so-called ‘saints’ are infamous. As are their legends concerning the consecrated host and crucifix, the apparitions of the so-called Blessed Virgin Mary among the ignorant and naïve, as well as the statues which can cry and bleed. These are but a few preposterous examples.

The Flying Holy House of Loreto is Exceptionally Ludicrous

The legend of this house can be summarized simply as the translation of the birthplace of Mary from Nazareth to Loreto, Italy, with several stops along the way. This was done by the agency of angels, of course. December 10th is the feast day in which the ‘faithful’ can celebrate this ‘miracle.’

Incredibly, a Roman Catholic website claims, “Prof. Giorgio Nicolini, who devoted his life of study and research to the case, spoke at this conference. Based on these scientific evidences, he proved indisputably the veracity of the miraculous transfer” (Source).

The web page explains the ‘miracle’ and its evidential 'proof.'

This is yet another money-maker for the Church of Rome. Replicas even exist in the U.S.

These False Prophets and Lying Wonders Prove Several Truths

(1) The prevalence of false prophets and lying wonders in our day.

(2) The prevalence of those who follow the false prophets in earnest, believing their lying wonders.

(3) The need for true believers to know their Bible and to keep awake and alert, so as not to be led astray.

(4) The lack of public warnings given by well-known and famous preachers.

(5) The flock of true believers is small.

(6) The mystery of iniquity is pervasive.

(7) The Roman Catholic Church is Mystery Babylon.

A Word to the Wise

If your religious leader teaches the procreation between man and beast, run for your life.

If your religious leaders believe in flying houses, run for your life.

For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?

 

[Alofa Atu]

But is her doctrine of the 'amalgamation of man and beast' biblical?

“But if there was one sin above another which called for the destruction of the race by the flood, it was the base crime of amalgamation of man and beast which defaced the image of God, and caused confusion everywhere” (Spiritual Gifts, Volume 3, # 64)

“Every species of animal which God had created were preserved in the ark. The confused species which God did not create, which were the result of amalgamation, were destroyed by the flood. Since the flood there has been amalgamation of man and beast, as may be seen in the almost endless varieties of species of animals, and in certain races of men” (Ibid. # 75).

Guess which races of men Sister White considered half man and half beast, the result of forbidden, damnable lusts?

Needless to say, when using the official SDA website search engine to find the Ellen White doctrine of amalgamation no results are found.

There are statements made by those who are presently non-Seventh-day Adventist, which relay little to 0 facts, and then there is abundance of evidence of facts presented by Seventh-day Adventists, for those who desire to consider a non-slanderous and accurate report:

Fact (the official Ellen G White Estate website lists all the references to the word "amalgamation" as used by her in writing, as seen here:

Ellen G. White Writings​

Fact (Ellen G White, when writing of "amalgamation" speaks of mankind with mankind, and beast with beast in context):

Amalgamation, Table of Contents -- Ellen G. White Writings

Did Ellen G. White teach amalgamation of man with beast? | Adventist Defense League​

 

[Alofa Atu]

But is her doctrine of the 'amalgamation of man and beast' biblical?

“But if there was one sin above another which called for the destruction of the race by the flood, it was the base crime of amalgamation of man and beast which defaced the image of God, and caused confusion everywhere” (Spiritual Gifts, Volume 3, # 64)

“Every species of animal which God had created were preserved in the ark. The confused species which God did not create, which were the result of amalgamation, were destroyed by the flood. Since the flood there has been amalgamation of man and beast, as may be seen in the almost endless varieties of species of animals, and in certain races of men” (Ibid. # 75).

Guess which races of men Sister White considered half man and half beast, the result of forbidden, damnable lusts?

Needless to say, when using the official SDA website search engine to find the Ellen White doctrine of amalgamation no results are found.

Fact (The Bible speaks of such 'amalgamation' before and after the flood, even in the giants of men and confusion amongst the animals (which go from docile to vicious, deformed (like a Hyena, Chihuahua, etc)) - Read Genesis 4-6, and see the following:

The very “sons of God” who rule the unfallen worlds, as Adam [Luke 3:38 KJB], the first [1 Corinthians 15:45,46,47 KJB], on earth had [Genesis 1:26,28; Psalms 8:5 KJB] before his fall, and the angelic “morning stars”:

Job 1:6 KJB - Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.

Job 2:1 KJB - Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the LORD.

Job 38:4 KJB - Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding

Job 38:5 KJB - Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it?

Job 38:6 KJB - Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof;

Job 38:7 KJB - When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?​

Side note, none of these Job texts, in regards the “sons of God”, are dealing with the Genesis 6-9 KJB account and are not referring to created heavenly beings. Job 1:6, 2:1 KJB deals with the timeframe in a period well after the flood, and Job 38:4-7 KJB deals with the timeframe long before the flood, when the earth was created. The only texts in Job which are dealing directly with the timeframe of the flood, are Job 22:15,16,17, 26:5 KJB, and please notice it speaks of “men”.

For more on who the “sons of God” are in Genesis 6:2,4 KJB, please see Luke 3:38; Genesis 4:26 KJB, etc., and for the daughters of men, see Genesis 4:16-24 KJB.

See also the following for “sons”, “children”, “father” of the good, etc:

Genesis 6:2,4; Deuteronomy 14:1; 2 Samuel 7:14; Isaiah 8:18, 9:6, 63:16, 64:8; Hosea 1:10; Matthew 5:9,45 6:9; Luke 3:38, 6:35,36, 11:2, 20:26; John 1:12, 11:52, 12:36; Romans 1:7, 8:14,16,17,19,21, 9:8, 9:26 [citing Hosea 1:10 KJB]; 1 Corinthians 1:3; 2 Corinthians 1:2, 6:18; Galatians 1:4, 3:26, 4:6,7; Ephesians 5:1; Philippians 1:2, 2:15, 4:20; Colossians 1:2; 1 Thessalonians 1:1, 3:11,13; 2 Thessalonians 1:1,2, 2:16; Titus 1:4; Philemon 1:3; Hebrews 2:10,13 [citing Isaiah 8:18 KJB], 12:7,9; 1 Peter 1:3; 1 John 1:3, 3:1,2, 5:2.​

See also the following for the “sons”, “children”, “father” of the evil, etc.:

Genesis 3:15; Matthew 13:38; John 8:42,44; Acts 13:10; Romans 6:16, 9:8; Ephesians 2:2, 5:6; Colossians 3:6; Hebrews 12:8; 1 Peter 3:19 [compare to Psalms 142:7; Isaiah 42:6,7, 61:1; Luke 4:18 KJB], 3:20; 1 John 3:8,10,12, 4:4,5,6,7,8.​

See the following for comparison with the Genesis 6:2,4 KJB account:

See Abraham and Isaac in Genesis 24:3,37.

See Esau and Jacob in Genesis 26:34,35, 28:8,9 [comparing to Jacob in Genesis 27:46, 28:1,6 KJB], 36:2.

See Isaac and Jacob in Genesis 27:46, 28:1,6 KJB.

See Jacob and Hamor in Genesis 34:9,14 KJB.

See Moses in Exodus 34:15,16 KJB.

See in Deuteronomy 17:17 KJB.

See Balaam in Numbers 25:1,2,3 KJB.

See in Judges 3:5,6,7 KJB.

See Samson the Judge in Judges 14:1,2,3 KJB.

See the Chronicles in 1 Chronicles 5:24,25 KJB.

See Ezra in Ezra 9:1,2,11,12 KJB.

See Nehemiah in Nehemiah 9:2, 10:28,29,30, 13:23,25,26,27 KJB.

See Solomon in 1 Kings 11:1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 KJB.​

Many “Sons of God” “looked”/“saw” [“saw the daughters of men that they [were] fair” and “took them wives of all which they chose” [Genesis 6:2 KJB]] and "beheld" [Just as did Samson, “she pleaseth me well”, or King David who went after Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah the Hittite and his friend, through covetousness had Uriah killed in action “from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman [was] very beautiful to look upon” [2 Samuel 11:2, 12:9 KJB] and Solomon who “multiplied wives” and “loved many strange women” and all Israel who took of the “daughters of the land”], and then “lusted and coveted” and so were ensnared being “Vex[ed], Beguiled, To Commit Trespass Against The LORD, Commit Fornication, Eat things sacrificed unto Idols, worshipped idols” [Numbers 25:18, 31:16; Revelation 2:14 KJB]:

Jude 1:11 KJB - Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.​

See also the words of Jesus, as it was in the days of Noah and Lot:

Job 21:7,14, 22:15,16,17; Matthew 24:37,38; Luke 17:26,27; 2 Peter 2:5, 3:3,6.​

In the greater overall picture there is a like message and call for the “people of God” also today to “come out” of “Spiritual Babylon” [just as God had done with physical Babylon; Jeremiah 51:9; Isaiah 52:11 KJB] that “great Whore” [Revelation 17:1, 19:2 KJB]:

See 2 Corinthians 6:14,15,16,17,18; Revelation 18:4 KJB.​

For “giants” of men, after the flood, see:

Genesis 10:8,9, 14:5, 15:20; Numbers 13:32,33; Deuteronomy 2:11,20,21, 3:11,13, 9:2; Joshua 12:4, 13:12, 15:8, 17:15, 18:16; 2 Samuel 5:18,22, 21:16,18,19,20,22; 1 Chronicles 11:23, 14:9, 20:4,5,6; Isaiah 17:5, 45:14​

For “men of reknown” see:

Numbers 1:16, 16:2, 26:9; 1 Chronicles 5:24, 12:30​

For more specific details see the Sons of God article.

As for beasts, see -

Gen 6:7 And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.

Gen 6:11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.
Gen 6:12 And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.
Gen 6:13 And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.
​

Therefore, as it was in the days of Noe:

Mat 24:37 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
Mat 24:38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
Mat 24:39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
​

For those interested in truth, read Hosea 4:2-3, Romans 8:22; for as the wickedness of mankind increases, so too does the evil amongst the beasts. God even gave warning about it in Genesis:

Gen 9:5 And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man's brother will I require the life of man.
Gen 9:6 Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.​

Fact (Ellen White never said anything in person, or in print, about half-man and half-beast). Go ahead and look for such, it doesn't exist - anywhere: Ellen G. White Writings

 

[Protestant]

Fact (The Bible speaks of such 'amalgamation' before and after the flood, even in the giants of men and confusion amongst the animals (which go from docile to vicious, deformed (like a Hyena, Chihuahua, etc)) - Read Genesis 4-6, and see the following:

The very “sons of God” who rule the unfallen worlds, as Adam [Luke 3:38 KJB], the first [1 Corinthians 15:45,46,47 KJB], on earth had [Genesis 1:26,28; Psalms 8:5 KJB] before his fall, and the angelic “morning stars”:

Job 1:6 KJB - Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.

Job 2:1 KJB - Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the LORD.

Job 38:4 KJB - Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding

Job 38:5 KJB - Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it?

Job 38:6 KJB - Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof;

Job 38:7 KJB - When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?​

Side note, none of these Job texts, in regards the “sons of God”, are dealing with the Genesis 6-9 KJB account and are not referring to created heavenly beings. Job 1:6, 2:1 KJB deals with the timeframe in a period well after the flood, and Job 38:4-7 KJB deals with the timeframe long before the flood, when the earth was created. The only texts in Job which are dealing directly with the timeframe of the flood, are Job 22:15,16,17, 26:5 KJB, and please notice it speaks of “men”.

For more on who the “sons of God” are in Genesis 6:2,4 KJB, please see Luke 3:38; Genesis 4:26 KJB, etc., and for the daughters of men, see Genesis 4:16-24 KJB.

See also the following for “sons”, “children”, “father” of the good, etc:

Genesis 6:2,4; Deuteronomy 14:1; 2 Samuel 7:14; Isaiah 8:18, 9:6, 63:16, 64:8; Hosea 1:10; Matthew 5:9,45 6:9; Luke 3:38, 6:35,36, 11:2, 20:26; John 1:12, 11:52, 12:36; Romans 1:7, 8:14,16,17,19,21, 9:8, 9:26 [citing Hosea 1:10 KJB]; 1 Corinthians 1:3; 2 Corinthians 1:2, 6:18; Galatians 1:4, 3:26, 4:6,7; Ephesians 5:1; Philippians 1:2, 2:15, 4:20; Colossians 1:2; 1 Thessalonians 1:1, 3:11,13; 2 Thessalonians 1:1,2, 2:16; Titus 1:4; Philemon 1:3; Hebrews 2:10,13 [citing Isaiah 8:18 KJB], 12:7,9; 1 Peter 1:3; 1 John 1:3, 3:1,2, 5:2.​

See also the following for the “sons”, “children”, “father” of the evil, etc.:

Genesis 3:15; Matthew 13:38; John 8:42,44; Acts 13:10; Romans 6:16, 9:8; Ephesians 2:2, 5:6; Colossians 3:6; Hebrews 12:8; 1 Peter 3:19 [compare to Psalms 142:7; Isaiah 42:6,7, 61:1; Luke 4:18 KJB], 3:20; 1 John 3:8,10,12, 4:4,5,6,7,8.​

See the following for comparison with the Genesis 6:2,4 KJB account:

See Abraham and Isaac in Genesis 24:3,37.

See Esau and Jacob in Genesis 26:34,35, 28:8,9 [comparing to Jacob in Genesis 27:46, 28:1,6 KJB], 36:2.

See Isaac and Jacob in Genesis 27:46, 28:1,6 KJB.

See Jacob and Hamor in Genesis 34:9,14 KJB.

See Moses in Exodus 34:15,16 KJB.

See in Deuteronomy 17:17 KJB.

See Balaam in Numbers 25:1,2,3 KJB.

See in Judges 3:5,6,7 KJB.

See Samson the Judge in Judges 14:1,2,3 KJB.

See the Chronicles in 1 Chronicles 5:24,25 KJB.

See Ezra in Ezra 9:1,2,11,12 KJB.

See Nehemiah in Nehemiah 9:2, 10:28,29,30, 13:23,25,26,27 KJB.

See Solomon in 1 Kings 11:1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 KJB.​

Many “Sons of God” “looked”/“saw” [“saw the daughters of men that they [were] fair” and “took them wives of all which they chose” [Genesis 6:2 KJB]] and "beheld" [Just as did Samson, “she pleaseth me well”, or King David who went after Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah the Hittite and his friend, through covetousness had Uriah killed in action “from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman [was] very beautiful to look upon” [2 Samuel 11:2, 12:9 KJB] and Solomon who “multiplied wives” and “loved many strange women” and all Israel who took of the “daughters of the land”], and then “lusted and coveted” and so were ensnared being “Vex[ed], Beguiled, To Commit Trespass Against The LORD, Commit Fornication, Eat things sacrificed unto Idols, worshipped idols” [Numbers 25:18, 31:16; Revelation 2:14 KJB]:

Jude 1:11 KJB - Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.​

See also the words of Jesus, as it was in the days of Noah and Lot:

Job 21:7,14, 22:15,16,17; Matthew 24:37,38; Luke 17:26,27; 2 Peter 2:5, 3:3,6.​

In the greater overall picture there is a like message and call for the “people of God” also today to “come out” of “Spiritual Babylon” [just as God had done with physical Babylon; Jeremiah 51:9; Isaiah 52:11 KJB] that “great Whore” [Revelation 17:1, 19:2 KJB]:

See 2 Corinthians 6:14,15,16,17,18; Revelation 18:4 KJB.​

For “giants” of men, after the flood, see:

Genesis 10:8,9, 14:5, 15:20; Numbers 13:32,33; Deuteronomy 2:11,20,21, 3:11,13, 9:2; Joshua 12:4, 13:12, 15:8, 17:15, 18:16; 2 Samuel 5:18,22, 21:16,18,19,20,22; 1 Chronicles 11:23, 14:9, 20:4,5,6; Isaiah 17:5, 45:14​

For “men of reknown” see:

Numbers 1:16, 16:2, 26:9; 1 Chronicles 5:24, 12:30​

For more specific details see the Sons of God article.

As for beasts, see -

Gen 6:7 And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.

Gen 6:11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.
Gen 6:12 And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.
Gen 6:13 And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.
​

Therefore, as it was in the days of Noe:

Mat 24:37 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
Mat 24:38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
Mat 24:39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
​

For those interested in truth, read Hosea 4:2-3, Romans 8:22; for as the wickedness of mankind increases, so too does the evil amongst the beasts. God even gave warning about it in Genesis:

Gen 9:5 And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man's brother will I require the life of man.
Gen 9:6 Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.​

Fact (Ellen White never said anything in person, or in print, about half-man and half-beast). Go ahead and look for such, it doesn't exist - anywhere: Ellen G. White Writings