Whence Hell? - Part 2

In each blog, I often reference many different topics that I've already covered (or will soon cover), and maybe you've missed.  Please review my blogs to read more...

CLICK HERE! for an index to previous blogs.
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Gehenna

In "Whence Hell?" (Introduction) I mentioned the different Hebrew and Greek words used in Scripture that were later translated into English as "hell".

This is going to be intentionally tedious for those of you that want to dig in.  It's an important topic and I want to approach it in the same manner that I did when I first learned of this lie called "hell" and began to try and wrap my head around this idea.


The doctrine of hell had been so pounded into my mind, I couldn't believe what I was now learning and this all had to be "unpounded"... it took some time and wrestling - it was not easy.

I'll get to the Old Testament references (Hebrew) but thought it would be best to start with the New Testament references (Greek) first.

This part will start and deal with only Gehenna... following parts will deal with sheol / hades (since they are virtually identical) and tartaroo (only one reference in Scripture).

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The first place that "hell fire" appears in the New Testament is in Mat 5:22.

This is Jesus speaking: 

Mat 5:22  But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the Judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca [G4469 - empty one, or worthless], shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. 

Virtually all Bibles with a center reference will refer you to the marginal note on "hell" where it says, "Greek: Gehenna".

Gehenna is Greek for the Hebrew word "Hinnom" or "Valley of Hinnom" which is found outside the city walls of Jerusalem on the south side.

If we wanted to, we could literally take a stroll through "hell" in Jerusalem!


(You won't find any fire, or worms, no gnashing of teeth in Gehenna today... BUT - you WILL one day...) 

It will be a LITERAL (not a parable) garbage dump again! 

In the time of Christ's Ministry, and before, this valley was the Jerusalem city garbage dump and it will be again. 

For centuries, as long as garbage was thrown into it (including carcasses), the fires kept burning and the worms which ate the garbage didn't die out - they kept reproducing, year after year.  


During Jesus' Millennial Reign... it will no longer be a city park.

It will become a garbage dump again!  Guess where the carcasses of those who don't bend to His rule will be thrown?

Jesus spoke of Gehenna fire (but never "hell" fire), and He reintroduces the Old Testament Valley of Hinnom (Gehenna) into His New Testament teaching to introduce us to Spiritual lessons.

His use of this Old Testament symbol of evil, idol worship, and slaughter has nothing to do with the modern-day definition of a Christian hell. 

Jesus is speaking of something very literal and is using it in order to symbolically teach us something through PARABLES! 

Just like He ALWAYS did! 

He ONLY spoke in parables!


Mat 13:34  ALL these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and WITHOUT a parable spake He NOT unto them: 
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Brief interlude...

Parables [G3850 - parabole, a symbolically fictitious narrative meant to convey a moral / Spiritual Truth]

Why did Jesus use parables?

Mat 13:10-13  And the disciples came, and said unto Him, Why speakest thou unto them ["them" = the crowds (multitudes) that followed Jesus to hear His message] in parables?  

He [Jesus] answered and said unto them [Disciples], Because it is given unto YOU to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, but to them it is NOT given.  

For whosoever has, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever has not, from him shall be taken away even that he has.  

Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing - see not; and hearing - they hear not, NEITHER do they understand

Fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah:

Isa 6:9-10  And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.  Make the heart of this people fat [guess what happened??... see below], and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, AND CONVERT, and BE HEALED. 

Was Isaiah's prophecy fulfilled?  Yes... Jesus is telling us so...

Mat 13:15-16  For this people's heart IS waxed gross [G3975 - fat, callous], and their ears ARE dull of hearing, and their eyes THEY have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, AND I should heal them.  But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear

At the time in which Jesus introduced these parables - NOT EVEN His Disciples understood them!

So what did Jesus often do?  

Why, of course... 

He would explain His parable with... another parable!  

Which confused them even more...

Matt 13:36  ... Declare unto US [Disciples] the parable of the tares.

John 10:6  This parable spoke Jesus unto them [Disciples]: but they understood not what things they were which He spoke unto them.

Mark 9:32  But they [Disciples] understood not ... and were afraid to ask Him.

John 8:27  They [Disciples] understood not that He spoke to them of the Father.

These parables confused them, until...

John 12:16  These things understood NOT His Disciples at the first: BUT when Jesus was glorified [His resurrection!], then remembered they [Disciples] that these things were written of Him.

Joh 16:25  These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time comes, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall show you plainly of the Father.

until... His Resurrection!  

Jesus HAD to go away after His resurrection...

Why?


So that the Parakletos [Greek] could help them to understand... the same Parakletos that helps us today!

Joh 14:16-18  And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another [G243 - different type] Comforter [G3875 - parakletosIntercessor, Comforter, Consoler, Advocate], that He may abide with you for ever;  Even the Spirit of Truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it sees Him not, neither knows Him: but you know Him; for He dwells with you, and shall be IN you I [Jesus] will not leave you comfortless [G3737 - orphaned]: I will come to you

Jesus had to go away from them physically, in order that He could return to them Spiritually!  

Jesus IS our parakletos!  

He said so Himself above!  

"I will come to you".

(Sidebar for another blog... the "holy trinity" - so called "doctrine", is another one of stuffy guy's LIES from silence... I know - you don't believe me yet, but I will get to it later!)
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Back to Gehenna now...

Why is Jesus speaking of Gehenna fire?

Is He speaking literally, or is He trying to express a Spiritual matter through a parable?

I'll give you another example...

Jesus said:

Mat 5:29-30  And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell [G1067 -gehenna] And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell [G1067 - gehenna]

Does Jesus literally want you to pop your eyeball out and give it a toss?

Does Jesus literally want you to chop off your right hand?

Does Jesus literally want your whole body to be cast into the garbage dump?

Or - is He trying to make a point to us in His PARABLE?  

Is this figurative language to get us to understand something more Spiritually important?

"without a parable spake He NOT" (Matt 13:34).

First, let's establish what Jesus did NOT say...

Did Jesus literally say... 

"If your right eye offends you because you're looking (lusting) after another man's woman, repent of your lust and pop your eyeball out - go ahead, give it a toss, or God will cast you into hell fire to be tortured for all of eternity where the worms never die and the fire never will end and your teeth will be drawn to nubs because of gnashing"


Really?! 

God would do that to any of His children because of lust?! 


Mat 5:29-30  And if thy right eye offend [G4624 - entice to sin] thee...

Does the human eye, a physical organ, literally cause one to sin?  

Or, is Jesus speaking figuratively, through a parable?!

The eye does not cause sin... it's our carnal condition... it's our heart!  

NOT our literal, physical blood-pumping heart!

If this passage was speaking literally, there should be millions, maybe billions / quad-trillions of one-eyed, left-handed Christians inhabiting this world, and throughout history attempting to save themselves from an eternal garbage dump of fire and worms otherwise known as Gehenna (hell)!

Don't even mention those who had no knowledge of this before we all had three or four Bibles in our desk drawer and a copy of e-sword on our phones! 

Think about that!

Mar 7:21-23  For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:  ALL these evil things come from within, and defile the man. 


"The lust of the eyes" itself is a figure of speech!  

We physiologically "look" with our eyes, but the sin of lust comes from our carnal heart!  

Again, not the blood-pumping organ of aortic veins!

Why then?!  

Why is this literal, yet still figurative, garbage dump outside of Jerusalem suddenly transformed into a LITERAL hell-hole that fries unbelievers like bacon on a hot skillet for all of "eternity" (again... another stuffy guy word that doesn't exist in Scripture) while us believers watch on from Heaven with a bucket of popcorn in our laps as if we're watching a Saturday matinee?!

I'll tell you why!  Stuffy guy!

How can this whole, so-called doctrine of hell be established on an argument from silence?!

Is there ONE passage, in ALL of Scripture, that literally describes this eternal hell-hole of misery and unending punishment for "unbelievers" that dictates this insanity?

NO!  There's not!

Don't you think a loving Father would give us some kind of VERY LITERAL warning if such a place really existed?!  

I would certainly warn my children.

You CANNOT find a literal warning of Christendom's definition of hell in the entirety of Scripture!  

Don't you think that's something He would've explained to His children, in black and white, at the very front of our manual (Bible) if it were an issue?!

Instead, we get this blasphemous argument from silence - from Egyptian fables!
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Satan doesn't change the entirety... 

He just sticks in a little "white lie" here...

... a little change there (hoping nobody notices... I noticed Satan!)

... he softly, subtly, whispers into the ear of stuffy guy (and, all of us!)... in order to DEVOUR US!

1Pe 5:8  Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour:

Satan deceives the WHOLE WORLD:

Rev 12:9  And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which DECEIVES the whole world...

WHY?

So that he can USE man to create a detour away from the Father... 


God CREATED and USES Satan as His adversary for this very purpose!

WHY?!

Isa 54:16  Behold, I [God, the Father] have created the smith [Satan] that blows the coals in the fire, and that brings forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy

Why would God do that?!  Destroy what?!

1Co 5:4-5  ... to deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh [carnality!], that the Spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. 

We must learn as His children!

Did you know this?!

2Co 4:3-4  But if our Gospel be HID [wait, the Gospel is hid?], it is HID to them that are lost:  In whom the god of this world [who is the god of this world?  Satan] has blinded the minds of them which believe not, UNLESS the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

Wait a minute... what?!

Are you telling me that God, the Father - created Satan, His adversary - to hide the Glorious Gospel of Jesus?

Yes - I am.

Why?

It's a treasure... we must work to find it!  It's a lifelong process!

Mat 13:44  Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man has found, he hides, and for JOY thereof goes and sells all that he has, and buys that field.

I can't hide my treasure any longer.  These blogs are mostly for my family, but if someone else is able to be blessed... I consider this my treasure - I want to share it with you.

Php 2:13  For it is God which works in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure

What is God's good pleasure?

My good pleasure will be to see my children fully understand who their Heavenly Father IS - who Jesus IS - and pass that on to their children, and their children's children.. for generations to come! 

This is what our Heavenly Father intends for us!

1Co 13:13  And now abides faith, hope, love, these three; BUT the greatest of these is LOVE.


It is morally, and most of all Spiritually IMPOSSIBLE to LOVE if you wish this abominable doctrine of "hell" on any human being, throughout history... Yes - even the Hitler's of this world.  

People hear this and they think... "you're an idiot... I'm not reading any more... How can God reconcile Hitler to Himself?!"

Paul said that he was the greatest sinner that has EVER lived (do we think Paul LIED?).

It took God about 3-4 SECONDS to save Paul. 

God saved Paul in one flash of light! 

Paul didn't WANT to be saved - he had no choice in the matter!

Paul wanted to go to Damascus and PERSECUTE AND SLAUGHTER CHRISTIANS-- that's what Paul wanted to do. 

But God... there's that phrase... I love it!

"But God" had other plans for Saul/Paul. And so first He converted Paul. 

That took about 3-4 seconds... who knows?  Maybe even faster. 

Then God told Paul what he ABSOLUTELY WOULD DO, and Paul immediately began to DO THEM.

How did Paul respond?

Act 9:6  And he [Paul] trembling and astonished said, LORD, what will You have me to do?

God intentionally hardened Pharoah's heart (Exodus 9:12) and many more examples throughout Scripture and history!  See my "God is the Potter" blogs.

If God can create and use Satan - He can use the Hitler's of this world to bring glory to Himself and who are we to question His motives?

Do you really believe God can't reconcile a wimp like Hitler?  

Is He unable to do what He said He will do?  Give me a break!

Acts 17:31 Because He has appointed a day, in the which He shall JUDGE THE WORLD in righteousness by THAT MAN [Jesus Christ] Whom He has ordained; whereof He has given ASSURANCE UNTO ALL MEN ['all'--that would be EVERYONE], in that He has raised Him from the dead.

Isa 26:9 For when Thy JUDGMENTS are in the earth the inhabitants OF THE WORLD WILL LEARN RIGHTEOUSNESS.

Judgment Day will "give ASSURANCE to ALL MEN (EVERY knee WILL bend, EVERY tongue WILL confess that Christ is LORD!"...  

EVERY single man, woman, and child, that has inhabited this world... no exceptions.  Even Hitler "WILL learn righteousness"!

1 Ti 4:10  For therefore we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who IS the Saviour of ALL men, especially of those that believe.

Why "especially of those that believe"?  

Because believers are promised "eonian life" (you'll understand that more after reading my "Whence Eternity" blogs).

Gen 18:25  ... shall not the Judge of ALL the earth do right? 

But who believes these Scriptures these days? 

Whether you believe it, or not... God will be ALL in ALL!

1 Co 15:28  And when all things shall be subdued unto Him, then shall the Son [Jesus] ALSO Himself be subject unto Him [God, the Father] that put all things under Him [Jesus], that God may be ALL in ALL. 


It's not impossible to understand...

... IF you understand God's insurmountable LOVE and His plan.

We cannot even begin to understand unless we understand God's Plan and His Timeline... we can't even begin to understand the depth of what Jesus has accomplished and what He has in store for ALL of humanity!
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Seriously... there's not a single pulpit I know of...

And do you know why?

I have a pretty good idea thanks to Paul.


Last I checked, there are nearly 600 "Theological" colleges in America that crank out new young preachers full of hope and ideals.  

The stuffy guys of this world helped create those colleges... also helped create the curriculum.

What do you think those colleges are teaching those fresh young minds?  

Once they earn their shiny, new diploma, of which they frame and proudly hang behind their office desk, some are sent out into our neighborhoods as preachers to pass on their newfound, vast knowledge that has just been handed down to them in diploma form... the little people, the uneducated, need to be taught afterall!

Paul warned us... few are listening:

2Ti 4:3-4  For the time will come when they will NOT endure sound [G5198 - true] doctrine [G1319 - instruction]; but after their own lusts shall they HEAP [G2002 - accumulate] to themselves teachers, having itching ears;  And they shall turn away their ears from the TRUTH, and shall be turned unto fables [G3454 - fiction, myth]

This doctrine of "hell" may well have started as an Egyptian fable... I'll get to that when we cover the Valley of Hinnom (Gehenna).
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Some of these excerpts are from my personal notes copied from 30+ years of studying... some of these notes are direct copies of various sources - I do not claim to have authored every word of this... it's just a mass collection I've tucked away over the years for my own personal studies... I didn't consider a bibliography at the time I directly copied small excerpts from various authors.  Also, any emphasis (underlines, bold text, all CAPS, etc.) noted above was only meant to capture my personal attention as I studied...

Why?

In each blog, I often reference many different topics that I've already covered, and maybe you've missed.  Please review my blogs to read more... 

CLICK HERE! for an index to previous blogs.

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"God permits what He hates to accomplish what He loves..."

Psa 119:71  It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes. 
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I often hear "why are we here?"  "Why does this so-called "God" allow so much pain, grief, and suffering?"

It's not an easy question to dwell on, or answer.  Some will find my answer completely ridiculous and almost fantasy land...


That's ok with me...


Heb 11:6  But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he [that's you and I] that comes to God must believe that HE IS ["I AM THAT I AM..." - Ex 3:14], and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.

Heb 11:1  Now faith is the substance of things HOPED for, the evidence of things not seen [faith is the evidence of things not seen?!]  


How can one supply any kind of evidence from something that is not seen?  That seems crazy doesn't it?.


In other words...


The reason I "hope" for something beyond this life, even though it is "NOT SEEN", is because of my faith in what the greatest book seller of all time says...  


I have other reasons, but they are possibly the same reasons that some of you may not believe...


I didn't live at the time Jesus walked this earth, and didn't personally witness what was recorded in Scripture... but, we know from other historians that He did walk this earth.  Whether Messiah, or not, can be questioned by some... but we know that He was a figure in our history. 


So no - I have no absolute evidence, or proof, of what the entirety of Scripture tells me... but, I find consistency throughout prophecy (prophecy from Daniel is coming alive today!), historical evidence, and the consistency of the individual writers over many hundreds of years, that cause me to pause enough to question my own existence and what the meaning of life may be. 
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It's taken me years (now decades) of digging for answers beyond what someone behind a pulpit has tried to explain to me.


The more you dig, the deeper and wider the hole.  

For me, it's been a very personal journey with many "ups" and "downs" along the way (and I still have those up and downs... I'm still learning!).  Usually, trying to disprove what they were telling me from behind the pulpit!  


If you know me... you know that!  I've had ups and downs, and have usually rebelled.


But... through it all - I believe in the authenticity of the Scriptures.  Personally, I have no choice after coming up dirty from my digging... 


Through all of my digging, even through all of the atheist arguments, the only answer that makes any kind of sense to me is one that requires faith in something bigger than this physical, very short life... that is the reason for my hope.  

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I believe our English translated Bible has a few problems with consistency in authentic translation, which have, in turn created some doctrinal misunderstandings and differences.  


That's not to say that I don't believe in the totality of His Word.  I do.  I believe it to be one big parable for us to discern.  This life is our test!


Mat 13:44  Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man has found, he hides, and for joy thereof goes and sells all that he has, and buys that field.   


It's a treasure to me... you must dig for that treasure, and once you find it?  You can't possibly let go of it!


Mat 6:21  For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

That's also not to say that I have it all figured out... I don't.  I never will have it all figured out.  The Living Word of God will always be teaching me something new.

I (personally) believe that some tares (lies) have worked their way into the wheat (Truth) along the way (Matt 13:24-30) and possibly spoiled the faith of some.  


Coincidentally (maybe not), those tares have found their way into several doctrinal statements (in the words of SNL's Church lady... could it beeee... Satan?!).


However, that is not the purpose of this blog...

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Why are we here?


There are answers (whether you accept them, or not, is up to you), however... here's what I believe:


[1]  A Great and Wise Creator, GOD (Jehovah) PUT US HERE intentionally. He started the human family for His purpose.


Why would He do that? 

He wanted a family... the same as most of us want - to love, to be loved, and to care for a family.


First - straight from the KJV:


Rom 8:28-29  And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 


Now, my emphasis....


Rom 8:28-29  And we know that ALL things work together for good [GOOD - because of His flawless plan] to them that love God, to them who are the called according to HIS purpose [not your purpose, not mine... HIS purpose].  For whom He did foreknow [He knew from before you were created], He also did predestinate [PRE-determined] to be conformed [PRE-designed / fashioned after] to the image of His Son, that He [Jesus] might be the firstborn [Jesus was the FIRST of our kind through Whom ALL was created] among many brethren [that's US!... Jesus is the firstborn of all of mankind (you and I)]


His family of children are to be patterned after, to resemble, to become - like Jesus!


I love my direct family and my extended family!  I've yearned for a family of my own... grand-parents, parents, sons, daughters... grandchildren... etc.,... it's something that has been instilled in us from the beginning (Gen 1:28).  A yearning for a loving fellowship together, as one unit... 


That is HIS PLAN - from the beginning!

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[2]  God is not stupid - He had a grand purpose in mind before creating mankind (His offspring!).

Act 17:26-28  And hath made of one blood ALL nations of men [made of one blood - ALL or only some?] for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after Him, and find Him, though He be not far from every one of usFor in Him we live, and move, and have our being [I'm not going to get into this now, but each one of us exist because of Him... believers AND unbelievers! it's the Scriptural explanation of body, Spirit, and soul... another blog!]; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also His OFFSPRING. 


"We belong to His race..." (Moffatt translation)


"We are His kindred..." (Lamsa, Eastern texts)


"For indeed we are His children..." (Knox translation)
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Scripture teaches us that God has many perfect attributes, powers, knowledge, etc., that obviously mankind is still considering because it's mostly outside of our realm of perfect understanding as His created, carnal children (not pre-programmed hardware).

God wants us, as His children, to have those same perfect attributes, especially LOVE!  


Qualities of character, such as Love, were not instantaneously created (ask any parent of a terrible two-year-old) and they can't truly be realized outside of His plan. 


Per His foresight, and design, they must be developed over time, within us imperfect (unlike our Creator) carnal, human beings.  


God did not create little robot "mini-me's"... He created a family of children who are capable of learning.

That development takes a creation, circumstances, and time. 


Some of those circumstances, over time, are not necessarily always pleasant.  God created ALL these things necessary for the development of pure character within His children.

A
lthough God is absolute GOOD, He nonetheless has a knowledge and understanding of both good AND evil.

This may come as a shock to some of my Christian friends, but GOD CREATED EVIL!

Isa 45:5-7  I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded you, though you have not known me: that they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the LORD, and there is none else. I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and CREATE EVIL: I the LORD do ALL these things

(I'm not sure why some Christians don't accept this?  They usually accept that God created the Tree of the knowledge of both good and evil and placed it in the middle of the Garden BEFORE Eve ate thereof... God planned on her eating thereof!)


We, ALSO, must come to an understanding of both good and evil as created, imperfect human beings. 

It's a learning process.
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Why?!

Because ALL KNOWLEDGE (from the Tree of the knowledge of good and evil - parable for God's knowledge) hinges on their proper understanding. 

How can we understand GOOD if we can't comprehend EVIL? 

How can we understand LIGHT without DARKNESS? 

How can we understand PROVISION unless we understand hunger, nakedness, and no place to hang our hat?  ("Even the birds of the air..." (Matt 6:26))

Etc.,...


Most importantly, how can we understand and fully comprehend LOVE without knowing, and witnessing HATE?
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Some Christians suppose that if Adam and Eve had not sinned, then we all would STILL, right now, be enjoying the blissful, beautiful life of happiness, and complete bliss, in the fabulous Garden of Eden... not true!

Adam and Eve did NOT appreciate what they had with God in the Garden before they ate of the fruit (see this blog). God created them, knowing full well, they would fall (sin)!  They had NO CONTRAST to compare it with.  It was part of His plan...

God created the evil in their fleshly hearts, as imperfect human beings, to teach them the importance of His qualities (as we would teach our own children).

Out of necessity, imperfect humans must learn the perfect qualities of The Creator in this imperfect life in order to come to the fullness of His perfection!


Let me say this again... please consider this!

God created the evil in their fleshly [carnal] hearts, as imperfect human beings [children], to teach them [to demonstrate] the importance of His qualities.  Out of necessity, imperfect humans [children] must learn the perfect qualities of The Creator, in this imperfect life, in order to come to the fullness of His perfection so that we [as His children / family / offspring] may live a perfect, immortal life as ONE UNIT [one family] in His LOVE!

He also created Satan, as His Spiritual Adversary to TEACH US the importance of His qualities (Satan was not a perfect archangel who decided to turn against God... see this blog)!


I've tried... I can't think of any better way to explain this crazy life... that's IT (above)!
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This is why... Jesus (Yeshua). 

THE Perfect Atonement, through Whom ALL things were created, God in the flesh, the Image of the Invisible God, accomplished it for us, knowing full well - BEFORE He created us - that He, Himself, would satisfy the vast chasm between perfect and imperfect... allowing US to come together in the end [in immortality] as one unit - His family! - after this learning period, this imperfect mortal life. 

Why?! 

So we could dwell together as a family unit in perfect immortality with Him - Our Creator - our Father.

We, in this lifetime, will never achieve God's perfection, no matter how hard we try.  The burden began with, and returns to God... 


"And by His stripes we are healed (we are "cured" and "made whole")".  


He already had a plan in place, before He brought us into this life!  He already knew before the foundation (creation) of this world!

Isa 53:5  But He [Jesus] was wounded for OUR transgressions [rebellion], He was bruised for OUR [not His] iniquities [guilt]: the chastisement [another blog coming soon on the meaning of chastisement!] of our peace was upon Him [before the foundation of the world]; and with His stripes we are healed [this was written BEFORE Jesus died on the cross]

Eph 1:4-5  According as He has chosen US in Him before the foundation of the world, that WE should be Holy and without blame before Him IN LOVE:  Having predestined US unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will

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God wants CHILDREN. 

God is building a FAMILY. 

Children are to grow up and have the attributes of their parents. 

These things must be learned by experience!  

Anyone with a terrible two-year old must wonder where this child's belligerence comes from!  We sin from birth... nobody taught that two-year old how to rebel!  It's already instilled!  It is our carnal nature and it didn't come from "the fall" of Adam and Eve...  God created all of us this way.

Not only didn't Adam and Eve appreciate what they had, they absolutely could not have appreciated what they had, because they experienced ONLY GOOD in the beginning.

Try to come up with one virtue, such as love, patience, honesty, goodness, faithfulness, loyalty, obedience, bravery, etc., that can be truly learned and appreciated without the opposite attribute. 

Anything of a virtuous nature, that does not involve the overcoming of some form of evil, is not a true virtue that we need to learn from Him.

There is no GOOD - NO VIRTUE, NO CHARACTER, NO STABILITY of any kind, in any one of us, except one that overcomes some form of EVIL.


In other words - none of those virtues even truly exist - without the presence of the opposite.
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Now can you see why we are here? 

Now can you see why there is not only good, but so much evil in this world? 

It is necessary!  

In His infinite wisdom and understanding... He KNEW!  I AM THAT I AM!

God did not put EVIL here simply to make us miserable in this temporal life! 

He created evil and the Adversary (Satan - spiritual being) to teach us as children in order to learn His pure attributes!  


We could not possibly learn those good / pure / Holy attributes without witnessing the evil attributes as created children.  The end goal is to become more like Him!

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God is NOT in a battle for supremacy with Satan. 

God CREATED Satan. 

God USES Satan to teach us the values, and Holy attributes, of Himself. 


Satan did not "fall"... he did not decide to become "evil incarnate" and overtake God's throne... (that's another blog!  Lucifer is NOT a name for Satan, and the story in Isaiah and Ezekial is not one of "Lucifer" falling as we've been taught!)  

God is enlarging His family into billions of sons and daughters.  This life is part of the training ground to become (it's a necessary process) the very SONS and DAUGHTERS OF GOD.

2 Cor 6:18  And will be a Father unto you, and you shall be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.   


ALL evil, including death itself, will be abolished when God has used those things that we consider abhorrent, to bring His family to a level of LOVE and RIGHTEOUSNESS that HE DESIRES

We will then inherit all that God HAS and all that God IS. You must run the race, with endurance, to it's completion!

Heb 12:1-2  Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which does so easily beset us, and let us run with patience [endurance] the race THAT IS SET before us, looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher [the Alpha and Omega] of our faith; who for the JOY that was set before Him endured [the same kind of endurance] the Cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. 

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God is truly OUR FATHER.  He cares for us more than we care for our own children.  


I find it hard to believe that anyone loves my children (btw, on loan to me - really His children!) more than me... He's teaching us how to love in TRUTH!

Life will not always be miserable and painful as it may seem to us now. This too shall pass.  

That is my hope!  My faith rests in my hope in Him!


Rev 21:3-4  And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away

This earthly life is only the beginning, it is the "first things" which will pass away... it's a training ground for us.

Heb 11:1  Now faith is the substance of things HOPED for, the evidence of things not seen.

Without faith, there is no hope...  what are we living for without hope?  This short life?  No thanks...  

I've found the opposite is also true - those without hope - have no, or very little faith.

God did not desire robots, or He would've created us with the same inability to learn... we would've automatically known what He knows and desires, as pre-programmed hardware.  


Who wants a pre-programmed robot for a child?  He desired to teach us, the same way we desire to teach our children those same virtuous traits.


In the words of Rick Warren (not a "fan" of Rick Warren, and not "not a fan")... this quote just spoke to me:


"One day we're gonna stand before God and He is going to ask two questions.


The first question is, "What did you do with my Son Jesus Christ?"


Not "what religion were you?", not "what denomination", not "what background", not "where did you go to church".


We were created for a relationship, not a religion - not rituals, not rules, not regulations".


Then the second question... pertaining to this blog even!


"What did you do with what you were given?"


I guess I could've just said that to start with, and this blog wouldn't have been this long [?].

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I'll end with this:  The most important lesson in this life is LOVE, which is not always an easy lesson to learn:


1 Cor 13:13  But now faith, hope, love, ABIDE THESE THREE; but the greatest of these is LOVE


That's all I've tried to discuss... FAITH, HOPE, and LOVE.


We're still a work in progress...


Joh 15:13  Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.


I consider it a very great honor to be considered as one of Jesus' friends... it blows my mind.


How can you come to find even the smallest piece of faith?  


It's simple... one must learn to walk before they can run... only one step to become a part of His family:


Rev 3:20  Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if ANY MAN [or woman, (mankind) doesn't matter who you are, or what you've done... ANY of mankind!] hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me.





As my parents used to tell me... the only key to that door belongs to you.  


Jesus will not kick the door down, and neither will I - YOU, alone, must unlock the latch from the inside yourself.


If He's knocking... just answer... even through the door (without opening it completely).  He is Faithful and True.  Just ask Him, in humility, to help you understand and to help you open the door.


Glen

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Some of these excerpts are from my personal notes copied from 30+ years of studying... some of these notes are direct copies of various sources - I do not claim to have authored every word of this... it's just a mass collection I've tucked away over the years for my own personal studies... I didn't consider a bibliography at the time I directly copied small excerpts from various authors.  Also, any emphasis (underlines, bold text, all CAPS, etc.) noted above was only meant to capture my personal attention as I studied...