Don’t Bother Mentioning Jesus Christ

On June 16, 2006, Rick Warren spoke at Sinai Temple’s Friday Night Live Shabbat services as part of the Synagogue 3000 program which “aims to revitalize Jewish worship”. And why was Mr. Warren there?

He was there to give a pep-talk to encourage people to worship a false god:

“Warren told [Rabbi Ron] Wolfson his interest is in helping all houses of worship, not in converting Jews……Warren managed to speak for the entire evening without once mentioning Jesus — a testament to his savvy message-tailoring.” (Jewish Journal editor-in-chief)

On page 283 of Rick Warren’s book The Purpose Driven Life , Warren states:

“These words of Jesus [the Great Commission] are not the Great Suggestion. If you are a part of God’s family, your mission is mandatory. To ignore it would be disobedience….God holds you responsible for the unbelievers who live around you…. your mission is to share Jesus with them.”

Warren doesn’t live according to his own words, but he expects others to “do as I say/write, not as I do”? Warren makes it clear at the beginning of the PDL book “It’s not about you”. But of course it is, in more ways than one. It’s about YOU, the people who read the book, but it’s not about ME, Rick Warren, because I’m above all that nonsense (the Great Commission). He obviously does not believe his own words and does not live them.

He goes on in the PDL book (page 284):

“Your mission has eternal significance. It will impact the eternal destiny of other people, so it’s more important than any job, achievement, or goal you will reach during your life on earth.”

More important than any goal? More important than the P.E.A.C.E. plan, Warren’s dominionist goal to achieve world peace? Obviously, the Great Commission takes a back seat (or no seat at all) to his P.E.A.C.E. plan.And he calls himself a Christian? Good works and mentioning Jesus (when it’s “appropriate”) doesn’t cut it.

The Jews today do not worship the true God, the One with a Son, Jesus Christ. They rejected Jesus Christ, God Incarnate. The Jews do not acknowledge the One God in three persons, The Father, The Son, The Holy Spirit. They may call him the same as they did before rejecting Jesus, but they worship a false god, one who cannot hear.

NO ONE helps someone worship their false god and then claims to be a Bible-believing Christian. Warren only has faith in his purpose-driven program and PEACE Plan. His dirty, rotten, stinking, gnat-covered fruit is an abomination.

Jesus’ Death and Resurrection

Isaiah 53:3-5

He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

John 20:1-18

The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre.

Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him.

Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre.

So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre.

And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in.

Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie,

And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself.

Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed.

For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead.

Then the disciples went away again unto their own home.

But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre,

And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.

And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him.

And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.

Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.

Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.

Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.

Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her.

Jews and Christians Worship the Same God?

Do Jews and Christians Worship the Same God?
by Susan Bertalotto
February 2009

I have heard comments from people I know, and read articles on the internet that state:

The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is the Christian and Jewish God,. The Jews don’t believe that Jesus is the Messiah, but why does that preclude them from reverencing the God of scripture?

I had answered that question one time with the fact that the Jewish god does not have a Son Jesus Christ, so they can’t be the same God. Big difference, right? The questioner retorted that the Jewish god is still the same God as they worshipped before Jesus came so nothing has changed.

But that just isn’t true. Jesus Christ IS God. So how can anyone say that without Jesus they are worshipping “God”? Jesus is the Word made flesh, the second Person of the Godhead who came to earth as fully God and fully human (John 1). If Jesus Christ is removed as a Person of the Godhead, then I suppose the Jews could say, at best, that they worship a “fractured” god which is a false god according to the Bible.

Why do so many Christians believe that the definition of God is “He is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob”? How about Jesus Christ? The Jews have rejected Jesus as the Messiah, therefore they have rejected the true God. Some of those who believe this fallacy are Casey Treat and John Hagee, plus many more prominent Bible “teachers”. Be careful what you learn in Sunday’s sermons and on the internet. Do not be deceived.

Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.

Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: [but he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also].
1st John 2:22-23

More on Rick Warren & That JESUS Thing

More on Rick Warren & That JESUS Thing
by Susan Bertalotto
January 2009

In my previous article, I wrote about Rick Warren praying to God in Isa’s name, along with Jesus’ Name. There are some in the blogosphere who claim that Jesus Christ and Isa (the Muslim jesus) are one and the same. Obviously Warren believes that also, otherwise he wouldn’t have lumped Jesus Christ and Isa together. Warren was pandering to the Muslims by using their version, their perception, of a jesus. He knew exactly what he was doing. Why wouldn’t he use Jesus’ name only in English? It would have made it biblical, and more clear. But Warren is not known for being clear in his apologetics; he is known for his ignorance and sloppiness. “Fence-straddler” is his middle name.

He also used the name “Jesús”, which in Spanish, is a direct translation for Jesus. Isa is not a direct translation and if you use Isa with a Muslim, s/he will not believe you are speaking of the Mediator between God and men. S/He will believe, rightly so, that you speak of the Muslim jesus, a substitute for Jesus Christ. One blogger contends that Jesus and Isa are the same, but Isa’s history has been “corrupted” over the years. I fully understand translations and how limiting some words can be since I live in Mexico. If the translation “Isa” was corrupted over the years, so be it. That doesn’t make it any more scriptural to pray in the name of a false god. The name of Jesus has been translated into many languages from the Hebrew, but in the case of the Arabic word Isa, it is not the same as Jesus Christ or Yeshua.

Anyone who says they are one and the same is believing a lie. This is not a minor point —  Jesus Christ is the very foundation, the Cornerstone of Christianity. There is a reason that Christians pray to the Father in Jesus’ Name — because of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross for our sins which enables us to humbly come before the Father. Since when does Isa get the credit ?? Allah does not have a Son named Jesus. Neither does he have a son named Isa. But the true God does have a Son. BIG difference.

If you throw out Who God Is, you can agree with anyone. And pay the price.

Testing The Spirits

From True Discernment:

Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. 1John 4:1

This is one of the most important passages for the church today. It is also one of the most misunderstood. Many in today’s lukewarm church make no effort to test the spirits. They swallow anything fed to them. Any teacher, preacher, or so called apostle or prophet that comes along is accepted as long as they have some kind of credential or some type of endorsement from the majority.

Some believe that they are testing the spirits but they test by the flesh. When a preacher draws large crowds, has a large church, or sells lots of books he is assumed to be operating by the spirit of God. His success in worldly terms is seen as God’s stamp of approval upon his message. If the message tickles the ears of the listener or if it makes the listener feel secure about the direction of his life, all the better. In fact I’d say that most people today believe the most important reason to attend a church service is so that they can be encouraged, so that they can feel good about themselves.

So, what is the proper method of testing the spirits? Let’s continue with 1 John chapter 4

Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: 1John4:2

The first problem with this passage of scripture is that most modern bible versions mis-translate it. The translation error concerns one single word but that one word when presented in the wrong tense completely changes the meaning of the verse.

Demons know and acknowledge who Jesus is. That doesn’t mean they are saved because they refuse to repent and submit to him, but they know and can speak the words.Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Math 7:22-23These people call Jesus Lord, yet he tells them to depart, that he never knew them.

Notice that it says every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ IS COME in the flesh…

It does not say every sprit that confesseth that Jesus Christ HAS COME…

The words translated ‘is come’ is from the Greek word erchomai {er’-khom-ahee} meaning to come, to make oneself known, to be, to come into being, to be established.

In the Greek language this is a PRESENT TENSE VERB! To translate it as past tense (has come) turns the meaning of the verse on its head.

I am not a King James Only advocate but this is a case where the King James and the American Standard Version are clearly superior. The New International Version, The New King James, The New Living Testament, The Amplified, The New American Standard, and the English Standard Version, all put the verb in the past tense.
Why I am spending so much time on this point? Because the test of the spirit is not whether one can say that Jesus did exist. The test is that one can confess that Jesus does exist in the flesh in the here and now.

Let’s break this down a little further. The first thing to consider is that John says every SPIRIT that confesses. It does not say every tongue (flesh). Many people believe that if a person can mouth the words ‘Jesus is Lord’ or ‘Jesus is the son of God’ that somehow proves their message is from God. This is not true. The spirit must be tested by the spirit, not by the flesh.

Did you know that demon spirits can speak through a person’s mouth and say that Jesus is the son of God?

And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way. And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, JESUS, THOU SON OF GOD? art thou come hither to torment us before the time? Math 8:28-29

Just saying Jesus is Lord is not a good test either.

A person can say anything with their mouth. We know the devil can quote scripture like an expert. The test is not the mouth but the spirit. What is the spirit speaking?

The word confesseth here is the Greek word homologeo {hom-ol-og-eh’-o} meaning to SPEAK THE SAME AS, to agree with, to refuse to deny. This means more than just mental assent or acknowledgement. It means to be in complete harmony or union, to be one with.

So, regardless what a person may say with their mouth, you must discern what that person’s spirit is confessing. Is the spirit speaking the same as Jesus? Is that spirit in agreement with, in harmony with Christ?

Are they manifesting the character and nature of Christ? That is the test.

So, we know that it is the spirit, not the flesh that must pass the test and that confession means more than just speaking or mental assent.

Let’s look at this verse again

Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God:……. 1John4:2-3

Many believe that Jesus HAS COME in the flesh. Many believe that he WILL COME again in the future.

But few believe and confess that he IS COME IN THE FLESH right here and right now!

It is not enough to confess that Jesus lived and died and is coming again. The gospel declares that he lives today in us, meaning IN HIS CORPORATE BODY upon the earth.

When Jesus returns physically to the earth he will be in his glorified eternal body. The only flesh that Jesus will ever inhabit is OUR FLESH.

Do you see this? This is what all the prophets and men of God under the old covenant could only imagine. They didn’t really understand it. It was a mystery to them. It was the great mystery!

Colossians 1:26-27 says it is the mystery hidden from the ages – CHRIST IN YOU the hope of glory!

It is Galatians 2:20 – I am crucified with Christ nevertheless I live, yet not I but CHRIST LIVETH IN ME…!

It is Romans 6:4 and Col 2:12 – buried with him in death but RISEN WITH HIM in newness of life!

Do you really believe and confess (speaking the same as) that Christ lives in you? Do you actually manifest the presence of Christ in your spirit or do you just believe that Christ died (past tense) for you. Do you really understand that if you are truly born again by the spirit of God that Christ lives in you, or do you just hope to go to heaven when you die (future tense). Perhaps you are hoping for the rapture to take you to Jesus (future tense) before you physically die.

You need to get a revelation of this truth!

Jesus said in Math 11:11 that John the Baptist was the greatest prophet born under the old covenant. But he added that he who is least in the kingdom is greater than John. Why is that?

Because in Gods kingdom, under His new covenant, it is CHRIST IN YOU! And Christ is greater than all the old covenant prophets and kings!

Let’s continue on with the verse.

And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. 1 John 4:3

When a spirit fails to confess that Jesus IS COME in the flesh, that is the spirit of antichrist. Let me explain.

Most people misunderstand the term antichrist. They think of some evil end time ruler who will be the devil incarnate. While there may well be a person who physically embodies the term that is not what this scripture is speaking of.

Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. 1 John 2:18

What does John mean when he says many antichrists?

The term antichrist doesn’t mean opposite of Christ. It means IN PLACE OF CHRIST.

The evil end time ruler who is to come will not come as someone who is mean and nasty (opposite of Christ). He will come as an impersonator. He will seek to take the place of Christ in the lives of believers.

John says that even now there are many antichrists. Right now there are many who seek to take the place of Christ in the lives of believers.

The spirit of antichrist doesn’t care if you believe that Jesus HAS COME. He doesn’t mind if you believe that Jesus WILL COME. But he doesn’t want you to believe and confess that Jesus IS COME.

If you understand that Jesus is come in your flesh right here and right now, then antichrist cannot take Christ’s place in your life. And that is the purpose of antichrist, to serve as an alternative to Jesus.

This is exactly what all false teachers teach. They set themselves IN PLACE OF CHRIST. They speak of the great anointing that THEY have. They tell us that if you’ll send THEM your prayer request, THEY will agree with you and THEIR powerful agreement will produce results.

They tell us that God is going to be doing great things at THEIR next meeting or there will be a great anointing at THEIR next crusade so you MUST make plans to BE THERE.

All of this is antichrist in nature. If you listen carefully you will hear this antichrist spirit plainly in almost every major ministry today.

Do you feel like you need to get a great man of God to “agree” with you for your needs to be met? Do you feel like you must “sow a seed” of money into some ministry in order to get God to do something for you. Do you think that God will meet your needs sooner or in a greater way if you are a “partner” with some ministry? Do you feel if you could only be near the man of God, that if you could only get to that meeting, your prayers will be answered?

If you feel like that, you have been taken captive by the spirit of antichrist. You have been deceived. You don’t really believe that Christ lives in you. You have allowed some man to take the place of Christ in your life.

I once heard a popular woman “evangelist” say “Partners, I have heard your prayer requests and help is on the way!” She then held up her new 8 tape teaching series on health and nutrition. Yes sir, help was on the way and you could have that help for a “love gift” of $69.95!

That was the spirit of antichrist speaking right straight out of her mouth. She didn’t “hear” her partner’s prayer requests. She wasn’t truly able to meet their needs. But she was putting herself in the place of Christ for those people who would follow her.

Some of you will say ”now hold on there brother, what she really meant was……….”

I know what she really meant. What she really meant was what came out of her mouth.

O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. Math 12:34

What was in her heart came out of her mouth. It was the spirit of antichrist. Look at this.

……. even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us. 1 John 2:18-19

Where did all these antichrist spirits come from? They came from within the church! This is not speaking of Muslim’s or Hindu’s, or even Mormons. John is speaking of false teachers who began in the body of Christ.

Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Acts 20:30

Again, the scripture agrees. Men shall arise from within the church seeking to draw away disciples unto themselves. They don’t make disciples unto Jesus. They make disciples unto themselves.
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. 2 Peter 2:1

And do you know what these men (and women) call their disciples today? They call them partners. This is the spirit of antichrist.

Now let’s look at one more aspect of testing the spirits that is widely misunderstood by the body of Christ.

What does it mean to deny the Lord? Again, many people believe that as long as someone can say Jesus is Lord that makes them and their teaching acceptable. But Peter is not talking about that.
Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls? Luke 12:24

This doesn’t mean that someone will come before you and try to tell you that Jesus was not God or that Jesus was not the Son of God. That false teaching would be obvious. This scripture says that these teachings will be brought into the church privily meaning craftily.

These false teachings are subtle. They are close to the truth and may contain some element of truth but taken on the whole they are false. Just like the difference between has come and is come is subtle but crucial to the real meaning of the verse.

The Greek word here translated denying is the word arneomai {ar-neh’-om-ahee} meaning to deny, abnegate, abjure, not to accept. In other words it means to CONTRADICT.

Remember, a person can say anything with their mouth (flesh). They can say Jesus is Lord but if their teaching contradicts the teaching of Jesus, they are denying Christ. Let me give you an example.

Many ministries today teach the so called doctrine of “seed faith” giving. They tell you that if you want God to meet your need, you must first “plant a seed” meaning make a gift of money to their ministry. Many go so far as to say that God will not do anything for you until you first promise to give money to Him.

But what did Jesus say?

Jesus clearly says that God will GIVE us the physical things we need if we will seek first His kingdom and His righteousness.

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Math 6:33

Birds don’t sow or reap. They don’t heap up their food into barns. They just go out every day and gather what God has provided for them. Jesus asked the question, don’t you think you are better than birds. If God takes care of the birds in this way, won’t He take care of you?
Who hath prevented (preceded, or gone before) me, that I should repay him? Whatsoever is under the whole heaven is mine. Job 41:11

So, any minister that teaches that you must “sow a seed” for God to meet your need is directly contradicting the words of Jesus.

According to 2 Peter 2:1 that minister is a false teacher. He is a liar and is speaking by the spirit of antichrist. He is denying (contradicting) the Lord.

Here’s one more example.

Most ministries and churches today operate in some form or fashion by exacting pledges, promises, or vows from their members. This may seem innocent enough. You may even have pledged to the building fund in your church. You may have promised to give some amount of money over the course of some time period to pay for a new building or some other project. As with the case of seed faith giving mentioned above, many ministries tell people if they don’t have the money to go ahead and pledge it, or vow to pay it and God will provide it. But what did Jesus say?

Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths: But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne: Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. Math 5:33-36

An oath is a pledge, a vow, a promise and Jesus says here not to do it. He is saying you shouldn’t make a promise or pledge of some future action because you don’t know what the future holds.

Consider this verse.

Do you still think you should precede God with a pledge or promise and expect him to repay it?It is CHRIST IN YOU in you the hope of glory!

Again, those that teach vows, pledges, and oaths are denying (contradicting) the Lord. They are operating by the spirit of antichrist.

Do you know why many of God’s people fail to get their prayers answered, why they fail to receive their healing or their material needs remain unmet? Because they don’t go to Jesus. They go to some man who claims to represent Jesus. This is antichrist.

So remember, a person can speak anything out of their mouth. Just hearing the words from a person’s mouth is no test of the spirit. Paul says we should know no man after the flesh. Neither should we judge by the flesh but by the spirit. The spirit must be tested by the spirit, not by the flesh.

A man may mouth the words ‘Jesus is Lord’ but if his spirit does not confess (speak the same as) Jesus, if his spirit is not one with, in unison with the words and teaching of Christ he is antichrist.

He may have a big banner over his pulpit proclaiming that Jesus is Lord. He may even end every meeting and broadcast by saying “Remember, Jesus is Lord” but if his teaching and doctrine contradict the doctrine of Christ, he is a false teacher.

If a ministry or church is not teaching you that Jesus IS COME in your flesh today, they are antichrist.

If they are not teaching you that the gospel is CHRIST IN YOU, they are antichrist.

If a preacher doesn’t clearly teach that you can manifest the kingdom of God right now in your flesh, he is antichrist.

He is seeking to take the place of Christ in your life. He is attempting to draw away disciples unto himself.

From these many antichrist teachers we must withdraw. You must understand that you don’t need to go to a man to hear from God. You don’t need to pay money to a minister to get God to move in your life. You can hear from God yourself. You can know God’s will for every day of your life.

Jesus Christ IS COME in the flesh!

It is CHRIST IN YOU in you the hope of glory!

If Jesus Died Spiritually, Was God Dead for Three Days?

Was God Dead for Three Days?
by Susan Bertalotto
September 2008

A friend told me there is a very important doctrine I must believe in order to “keep my salvation”. It is the doctrine/belief that Jesus Christ died spiritually for three days, after He died on the cross. My response was to ask: If Jesus died spiritually, was God dead for three days?

Jesus Christ is God made flesh, the second person of the Godhead (The Word), fully God and fully human. Since Jesus’ physical body died on the cross, what was left? His Spirit. And since He is God, how could the second person of the Godhead be DEAD for three days?

This doctrine has been around for a few years, perpetuated by Joyce Meyer, Kenneth Copeland, E W Kenyon, Kenneth Hagin, Frederick Price, Benny Hinn and many others from the Word/Faith movement. Jesus didn’t finish the sacrifice for sin on the cross; the salvation plan was not yet completed. He had to descend into HELL AND DIE and be tormented by demons for three days. Does that doctrine hold up biblically?

The following is an article by Mike Oppenheimer of Let Us Reason Ministries that very clearly shows the unscriptural nature of this heresy:

Did Jesus descend into Hell or Hades after he died on the cross?

While on the cross for three hours, after all the sins were laid upon him Jesus cried out that God forsook him (looked away, breaking fellowship). After nearly 6 hours on the cross Jesus said that He entrusted His spirit into the Fathers hands before He died. He was totally restored before He died. His Spirit was not committed into anyone’s hands, but the Father’s.

So there is no possibility of him going to hell for any reason of completing the sacrifice or punishment. He did finish on the cross everything that was needed for salvation. If Jesus went to Hell this means the Father did not accept His sacrifice, but instead rejected it.

While Jesus was on the cross He promised the thief on the cross next to him that he would be with Him in paradise that very day (Luke 23:43). If the thief was not in paradise with Him but would have entered into suffering with Jesus and Jesus lied. Paradise was still in the earth called Abrahams bosom until Christ raised and went to heaven (then he took those saints with him to heaven Eph.4:8).

The Bible-Acts 2:27, “For you will not leave my soul in Hades, nor will you allow your Holy One to see corruption.” Peter repeats himself just a few verses later in Acts 2:31: “His soul was not left in Hell (actual word is Hades), nor did his flesh did see corruption.”

Notice it says neither soul nor body saw corruption (decay). If he was a sinner would mean He did see corruption. The verse quoted by Peter is Psalm 16:10. Some Bible versions use the word hell; a more accurate translation would be Sheol. In Hebrew, this encompasses the place for both the righteous and unrighteous that have died. Sheol is used 65 times in the Old Testament; rarely is it used to denote a place of torment (Luke 16:23 is one of the rare scriptures in the New Testament). The customary meaning is realm of the dead, meaning the state of death or the grave (Genesis 37:35; 1 Samuel 2:6; Psalm 141:7).

The New Testament Greek equivalent is Hades, and gives us a more detailed explanation of the realm of the dead. It is divided into two compartments; on one side is Abraham’s bosom for the righteous, on the other side is what we call hell, which Jesus said: “was prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41). We find in Luke 16:23, 25 that in Hades there is a place of punishment (called Hell), and a place of rest, (Abraham’s bosom), depending on which side you are on. The context should bear it out. If Jesus went to hell for any amount of time as a punishment then the cross was insufficient for our redemption.

For example in 1 Cor 15:55: “O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?”

The Greek word for both death and Hades is thanatos (properly, an adjective used as a noun) death (literally or figuratively)

In Rev. 1:18 “I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.”

The word for death is thanatos, Hades is haides in Greek, from 1 (as negative particle) and 1492; properly, unseen, i.e. “Hades” or the place (state) of departed souls: KJV– grave, hell.

What actually did happen to Jesus’ spirit? We know He committed His spirit to God. I Peter 3:18 states, “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened (made alive) by the Spirit.” Christ died in body only (put to death in the sphere of the flesh), not the spirit. And continued to exist in spirit, just as He did before He came to earth. His existence in His earthly life ended but He continued His life existing in the spirit inside the earth, in Hades, before He resurrected.

It is His flesh that was made alive again, resurrected. Christ died in body only. We can prove this by 1 Peter 3:19-20: “By whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison, who formerly were disobedient, when once the divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah…” This event occurred between Christ’s death and resurrection. Jesus went to those who were believers and presented his victory at the cross. He also went to those that were incarcerated from the time of the flood. The word for “preach” is Kerysso in Greek, meaning to proclaim or announce (judgment). This is different then to evangelize and proclaim the good news of reconciliation for salvation, which is used in 1 Peter 4:6. This proclamation was directed to either the fallen angels or the human souls that died in the flood or both (Jude 6; 2 Peter 2:4). Announcing to them their judgment is imminent, as he had just come from the victory on the cross.

Again Hades, Sheol encompasses the whole realm of the dead and the context must bear out what it says.

http://www.letusreason.org/Biblexp105.htm

The Harsh Reality of the Gospel

The Harsh Reality of the Gospel

by Ray Baumann

The Gospel’s greatest enemy is those who water it down. It is those who have let culture dictate the terms of salvation instead of the Word of God. Our culture has been affected by the demonic seed of self-esteem to the point were nobody wants to offend and nobody wants to be rejected. It is pride that makes men change the gospel message to make it more popular to the culture and it is pride that rejects it when it is preached.

 

Sharing the gospel produces endless stories of different encounters with people. It is a rush to watch the Holy Spirit move on people whether they accept or reject the message. I can remember a response one time that truly impacted me. After sharing with a few high school students about the need for repenting for their sins and putting their faith in Jesus, one student asked, “Are you telling me that Jesus is the only way and if I don’t repent God is going to send me to hell?” It really made the good news I was sharing sound so bad, but I had to answer “yes” to both questions. This type of response is pretty typical from a postmodern culture that is tolerant of every gospel and every religion that is being preached. The true gospel is very intolerant because Jesus is the only way and it is very exclusive to repenting and putting your faith in Christ alone and that’s where the train wreck occurs.

 

Preaching the gospel can sound so arrogant to people who believe God loves the world too much to send anyone to hell. They make grace the monopoly card that they will redeem when they face judgment. People have totally forgotten about God’s wrath, which is talked about more in the Bible than God’s love. But it sounds so harsh to mention the consequences of hell and talk about the reality of death. It is a subject no one wants to hear about.

 

It is because of this conflict that many pastors give in to pleasing man instead of preaching an exclusive gospel that would require repentance. They make a big mistake by spoon feeding a postmodern culture with an imaginary gospel message. Their wording becomes very generic, such as simply mentioning a relationship with God or making things right with God or God wants to be your friend. It becomes so generic that those sayings could fit in any religion.

 

I believe there is a real disservice to those Christians who gave their lives for the uncompromised gospel message. Churches today wear the same name and preach a popular message called the gospel that has been tailored for our culture. There is a point when the gospel message no longer becomes the gospel when key ingredients are missing. How can a person get saved when there is no mention of sin or repentance? How does someone get saved when they were never notified of any consequences of not repenting? The term “saved” is barely used and hardly understood.

 

There is no need for the Holy Spirit to work in someone when the message is about a better life or being healthy – who doesn’t want that? The Holy Spirit works when the true intolerant gospel is preached and He opens the ears of the hearer to the reality of the truth in the message.

 

I have had professing Christians tell me that they did not like my version of the gospel and that there is a more effective way to witness. Effective? If the end result is to have everyone respond positively then yes, the message must be trimmed down to just acknowledge that God exists and be saved. But we are letting the Holy Spirit do the work and as offensive as it may sound it is the power in the truth of the word of God that pierces the heart. The harsh reality of the gospel is that people we know will spend eternity in hell unless they repent and put their faith in Christ. So the gospel becomes a very serious matter of life and death. It is a sobering thought that should grieve us but most professing Christians will choose to live in denial, never facing this harsh reality.

 

What about grace? Just like the song, it is amazing. How does someone even understand or value grace when they don’t know the consequences of not having grace? Just typing the word grace makes me tear up knowing that I am so undeserving. Grace has been given to all of us through Christ’s death on the cross. The love of Christ in us makes the gospel the most vital message in the world. It is the understanding of grace that makes me go up to people and take the time to present the whole gospel. I view it like a gift card that everyone in humanity has been given. Our job is helping people understand the terms and conditions on the back of the gift card – that Christ died for the whole world but salvation comes when you take God up on that promise and put your faith in Him. The card itself is worthless, but it is the promise attached to it that has value.

 

Many will not redeem the gift because they choose not to repent and will die in their sin, never turning to the Savior. The good news of the Gospel is also stressing that individuals must act quickly because it is a limited time offer. It has an expiration date. It must be redeemed before death. After death it is too late. Anyone who preaches a gospel that resembles handing out a “get out of hell” gift card without sharing the terms and conditions has given in to pride and has become a man pleaser.

“…Or do I seek to please men: For if I still pleased men, I would not be a servant of Christ.” (Galatians 1:10)

Read other articles by Ray Baumann HERE