My Journey of Faith - Part V

Hey kids....did I ever tell you the story about the one year we renovated the cottage?  Oh, I know....we were in the midst of talking about the resurrection and death and stuff but, we needed to somewhat take a brief break from that.

While I may have started writing this blog after the renovations had begun - it doesn't mean the renovations are over yet...

Anyways - renovations....taking out the old and broken and bringing in the new and improved?  Sound familiar at all?

Well - this is still about Preterism and it still is about Jesus and so on, and as for the resurrection and death of Adam and so on - don't worry we'll get to that later.

I Corinthians 15:52-54

52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

While many believe this to mean that one day we will all rise up from our dead bodies and be transformed into these new beautiful physical bodies I don't believe this to be the case.  I believe it goes deeper than that - more spiritual if you will.

We're taught that God is spiritual and those who worship Him, will worship Him how?  In spirit and in truth. ;)  Kids - really?  You aren't reading your Bibles yet........so anyways, that's another talk we'll have another time...

So - worship God in truth - the Bible talks about Sin, how Sin is to be rid of and all these things.  Does this twinkling of an eye refer to our new physical bodies will be sinless or is it our mind, heart and soul that must become sinless?

Why did I mention the cottage?  ok ok......

Well the cottage, it was built probably back in the 1950's or 1960's.  Back in a time when it was deemed if you're building a cottage, it doesn't need to be built to the same standards as a house, this has all since changed, but you're with me so far?

So, I remember one year they put a new paint job on, a few years later they put siding on - but why didn't the floor stop bouncing?  Why were there electrical issue, why were their plumbing issues, etc?

Just because it had a new "physical outside" didn't mean the rest was taken care of.  The floor joists still weren't to code, the ceiling joists didn't meet code, and there were band-aids put over broken bones all over.  What can you do?

Well tear everything out, and put something new in it.  Yes kids - it has been a timely project.  Ripping out 3 layers of flooring, ripping out all the old floor joists, ripping out walls, ripping off the drywall, the list goes on.

BUT after this was done - we can now start to change the core of the building.  We're putting in new joists that will more than meet code.  Once done - we're going to properly insulate the floor, put the flooring overtop, build new walls, put in new beams and it goes on and on.

Once we're all done this, people will look at the place and won't notice much of a difference.  The same siding will be there, the same windows, the same everything for the most part minus a few layout changes inside here and there....The difference is, the floor won't bounce anymore, electrical issues will be fixed, plumbing issues will be fixed and simplified.

People may say not much has changed - but I tell you in the twinkling of an eye the building will be transformed.

This is the change that Paul is discussing in I Corinthians.  Does it not line up with what the prophet said?

Ezekiel 11:19-20
19 And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh:
20 That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God.

While your outside may not have changed after God's work has been to transform who you are, but I can tell you that in the twinkling of the eye, everything about you has changed.  Everything you stand for, your beliefs, etc.

You see kids - it's not all about us dying and getting new bodies - it's about our old heart dying and getting a new one.....

Oh wait - I said I wasn't going to get to that yet........ok - brief spoilers!

My Journey of Faith - Part IV

Hey kids, you know, I’ve been saying so much and I’m sure you have questions, but don’t worry, I’m getting to them…..It was the summer of 2013 I believe, and I remember camping out at our cottage for the annual Horse shoe tournament, yes camping it out on my tent, and I saw a friend of mine post a video or two from a man named Don K Preston.

Well, let me tell you, that a lot of the stuff I’ve learned – a lot of the weird and hard questions has probably come from a Video or something that Don has spoken of.

So – the question comes that starts to come forward when we start understanding fulfilled or Covenant eschatology is: what happens when we die?

Now – I think before we get to that, we need to understand what the resurrection is, but also need to understand what death is.  Don said it so clearly in his tapes too.

What is death?  The resurrection is to bring us to life from death, right?

So here’s something to consider.

Genesis 2:16-17 says:

And the Lord God gave a charge to Adam, saying, Of every tree which is in the garden you may freely eat, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil-of it you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it, you shall surely die.

Interesting what’s said here.  God told Adam that if he eats of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, that he will surely die – that same day.

Now – we know that they didn’t die that day because God kicked them out of Eden and here they went on to live and Adam went on to live to be over 900 years old.  Now, I know Adam isn’t a Time-Lord and his name isn’t “Doctor” – but something doesn’t make sense here.

Did they die that day or not?  God said they would.  If they didn’t die – then clearly, God lied.  Now the old serpent, the most crafty of the “beasts” that roamed the earth told Eve that they wouldn’t die.  Surely they didn’t die – so it would seem that the Serpent was telling the truth.  Yes?

Romans 5:12 says:

Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

Romans 6:23 says:

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

So – we know that sin leads to death.  Sin is disobedience to God, or disobedience to God’s law.

Isaiah 59:2 says:

But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.

James 2:26 says:

For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

Clearly it is revealed to us in Isaiah and confirmed in James that death is a separation from God and humans.

Notice now, how I’ve now come to see that the death that Adam died on that very day wasn’t a physical death – but on that same day he ate the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, he was separated from God and thus died.

This is the death that would endure throughout all of time.  This was the death that Jesus came to save us from.  Now if Jesus is the resurrection – where does that leave us?

I’ll continue answering the questions as I continue through this journey I’ve been on – but if you’re really waiting and interested in knowing more.  Here’s the first segment of Don Preston’s video series about the Resurrection:

My Journey of Faith - Part III

Well kids, it was the summer of 2011 when I had a big shake up in my beliefs, this lead to the long journey that’s led us here.  While there have been questions upon questions I continued seeking answers to those questions….

Now I already told you about Jesus returning in 70 A.D. – now weren't we at a question about this making Jesus a liar because this would be the sign of the “End of the world”?

First off, we need to understand there are several references to the End of the World within the Bible

Matthew 24:3 ¶And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?

Matthew 28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Matthew 13:39 The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.

There are many more references – but here are a few key ones.  The KJV of the Bible while generally my preferred reading version states “world” – some other versions depending on the verse use the word “age”.

All 3 of these passages use the greek word “aion” which translates to the word “age”.  So there is definitely a difference between the end of the world and the end of the age. 

What age?  Is this a astrology type of age?  Well if this is coming from the Bible and the Bible teaches against astrology, astronomy or some of those things – we need to understand what age, and what the context of the Old Covenant and the New Covenant is.

So – again not all Bible versions are worded accurately – so it’s important to study and identify different versions.  The LXX of the Old Testament has something worded that is totally fantastic and highlights a prophecy that was to be fulfilled.

Daniel 9:27 And one week shall establish the covenant with many. And in the midst of the week my sacrifice and drink offering shall be taken away: and on the temple shall be the abomination of desolations; and at the end of the time an end shall be put to the desolation.

So – God’s sacrifice and drink would be taken away.  What was the sacrifice?  It was going to the Temple and there were many different sacrifices, Bulls, Lambs, specific birds, etc.

These sacrifices would come to an end.  When did these sacrifices stop?  When the temple was destroyed(70 A.D.).  Jewish people haven’t been able to fulfill that part of their Law since the destruction of the Temple.  Due to this, how can their sins be atoned for?  How can they be forgiven?

You can say “oh but God will forgive them” – but the thing is, they deny Jesus.  In doing so, they deny their salvation and thus are guilty of not following their laws to become right with God.  These are things mentioned in the Old Testament, but Paul does a good job at explaining this in Galatians within the new Testament.  If you want to follow those laws – follow them, but if you miss just one – you’re guilty.

The end of the age is not the end of the World.  The end of the age is the end of the Sacrifice, which was what defined the Jewish religion and thus the end of the age was the end of the Jewish Age.

Was Jesus there until the end of the age?  Did Jesus return at the end of the age?  This we can truly sit back and say yes He was or yes He did.  You see – Jesus didn’t lie – we just need to see Him through a different paradigm.

Again – this goes back to my belief, Fulfilled Eschatology, which some also refer to Covenant Eschatology.

The Covenant was with the Jewish people and only the Jewish people.  That age(Covenant) came to an end and I believe was extended to the Gentiles, but extended under new laws, new rules. 

Under this new Age there would be no more death for those who are seeking God.  Now, granted this meaning of death I just used is not physical death, but rather:  no more separation from God and His people.

 Now - definitely I'm sure questions will be flowing - I know, but at least we have the start of the foundation ground of understanding this under way - we can now move on to next things....

My Journey of Faith - Part II

Well Kids, you know it was that time when I was trying to continue to understand my beliefs.  Here I was somewhat new to Fulfilled Eschatology and I was still trying to find a balance while also still trying to understand what I was learning.

So here I was continuing on in my reading and came across another interesting verse.  Jesus himself said as written in Matthew 16:27-28:

²⁷ For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.

²⁸ Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.

Now - for those that still believe in a future return of Jesus.  Can you answer me what Jesus meant in Matthew 16:28?  How can some people standing there not taste of death until his return in his Kingdom?

Last I checked I don't know of anyone that's about 2000 years old.  But Jesus himself said that they wouldn't taste of death until His return and if He hasn't returned in His Kingdom, and all the people standing there died - well this would mean that Jesus is a liar.  So - the Jesus you believe in - the Son of God who is faithful, lied?

Again - these were questions I had while believing in a future coming of Jesus, and just couldn't be answered unless you go down a rabbit hole stating "well death is separation from God" - and people wouldn't go through that separation until His return.

Now - while that could be an interpretation - I do not believe that's what was implied.  I believe that some people standing there would not physically die until His return.

Ok then.  surely some questions are perhaps being asked.  Perhaps you want to understand when Jesus returned if all has been fulfilled/completed.  Right?

Let's see what Jesus said about his return - well perhaps let's see what his disciples asked him.

Matthew 24:1-3

1And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple.
2 And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.
3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?

So - we have a reference now - on the time of Jesus' return.  The time is at the Destruction of the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem.  So - we see why so many people who believe in a future return of Jesus are in support of having a Temple rebuilt in Jerusalem, and it's so that it can then later be destroyed so that Jesus may return.  Trust me, I lived this.  I looked forward to this.

Now if Jesus was saying these things around 30AD.  He was telling everyone He would return in the future, and some would not taste of death until His return.  It's clear there was a Temple that existed in Jesus' day.  We know it's not there today (again, not one stone left standing upon another).  So - did Jesus say that "not one stone left of a future temple to be built won't have its stones left one upon another" or "not one stone left" of the current temple of His day?

Jesus never once said anything in His prophecies about a future Temple to be built.  He did mention the Temple of His day.  He did mention it would be destroyed.  He also mentioned that the Destruction of the Temple would be the sign of His return.

So - the question now becomes when was the destruction of the Temple?  Well, we live in a world of technology where we have tons and tons of information which we can seek out on the Internet and we can quickly use google to look up this information and will find that such a date goes back to 70 A.D.

So - let's go back a bit.  Jesus said that some people standing there would not taste of death until His return.  His disciples asked when the temple would be destroyed and his return and the end of the world?

Now - if 70 A.D. was the year of the destruction of the Temple - is it possible that some people standing there at that time, would not taste of death for about 40 years?  Totally - and absolutely.

So - then this leaves us with how can we still be here if it wasn't the end of the World?  That means Jesus lied, doesn't it?  No it doesn't - you're just looking at this from a paradigm where Jesus will return in the future.  You're looking at it from a paradigm where these events were all supposed to be for us.  Furthermore - if that's your argument to everything stated so far, can you start answering all the questions I've brought up about Jesus - because the Jesus you currently believe in from my perspective is a liar.

It's good to have questions.  The Bible even teaches to examine ourselves, test everything.  Like if this is all true - what about the judgement, what about Hell, where are we now?

While these are all valid questions - there are more important questions.  If this is true, how does this change how the world is run?  How does this change how we live our lives?

Again - this is where we end today, and will continue on next time.