A BETTER PLACE?
How many times have you heard “they are in a better place,” concerning someone who has recently died? It is spoken with sincerity the purpose of comforting a friend, relative or possibly even a surviving spouse. It sounds good, but if you really think about it what better place is there besides right beside the survivor? If there were a better place to be why wouldn’t we all be there?
I do not believe there is any better place to be than being alive. I know the Bible doesn’t teach anything contrary to this even though most Christians think it does. Muslims evidently believe there is a better place or so many wouldn’t be killing themselves to get there. No one is any good to God or to the false god Allah, dead. The Bible describes being dead as being asleep, but one of the differences between the two, since blood is no longer being pumped to the brain, there is no dreaming.
The Bible tells is in Ecclesiastes that there is no reasoning in the grave where we all go when we die; it goes on to say in 9:10 that there is no
- work–ma’aseh–action, doing or labor
- device–chesbown–reasoning, reckoning, intelligence
- knowledge–da’ath–perception, understanding, wisdom
- wisdom–chokma–shrewdness, prudence, skill
- no lovingkindness–goodness– will be displayed there Ps 88:11
- no giving of thanks, no memory Ps 6:5
Besides, if you could see there you wouldn’t be able to see anything because there is no light, just darkness. The grave is where every person who has ever died is today, with the exception of Jesus Christ. Even Jesus was in the grave for a full 72 hours before he saw the light of day. One of the reasons so many believe contrary to what I am showing you from the Bible is, when Jesus was dying on the stake he said to one near him that they would be with him in paradise. One misplaced comma (,) makes all the difference in the world. What Jesus really said, was “I say unto you today, thou shalt be with me in Paradise.”
What he didn’t say was “I say unto you, today thou shalt be with me in Paradise,” because Jesus didn’t go anywhere that day, but to the grave, where he stayed for 3 days and 3 nights! Paradise is always on the earth and nowhere above it. It does not even exist at the present time, but when it does come into existence that individual to whom Jesus spoke those words will be there with him.
There is no better place to be than right here with the ones who love you and the ones whom you love, contrary to popular belief. God bless,
Water Baptism is All Washed Up
The book of The Acts of the Apostles shows the transition from the Law of Moses to the grace of God in Christ Jesus. What we should see if we have not been spiritually blinded (a lot have been and cannot see it), is that John fulfilled the purpose of his ministry according to Acts 13:25. We are told by Jesus himself in 1:5 that in the future (which is now), believers would be baptized with holy spirit, not water.
In 18:25 a married couple who were believers, named Aquila and Priscilla, took aside another believer who spoke and taught the ways of the Lord Jesus fervently, but knew only of the baptism of John. It that these two expounded to him the way of God more perfectly.
in 19 the apostle Paul found a group of disciples who did not know anything about spirit baptism (which first occurred in 2:4). He asked them if they had received the Holy Spirit since they believed. They said they had not heard that there was any such thing. Paul then asked them “unto what then are you baptized?” They said, “John’s baptism.” Ac 19:4-7 goes on to say:
Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.7 And all the men were about twelve. KJV
No one receives the gift of holy spirit which represents Christ in you with water baptism. This is why I say, “it is all washed up!” Our young supposedly “Pastors” are continuing in the same error that has been perpetrated by the church for centuries. This is the spirit of antichrist, to teach for faith and practice, that which is contrary to the revelation received by the apostle Paul from our Lord, Jesus Christ himself.
Paul told Timothy that many things like this would happen. I cannot believe that they who practice and teach such things do so knowing it is not the “way of God more perfectly.” 2Cor 4:4 says that many people are blind to the truth. I used to think that only applied to those who did not believe at all. Now, I know it applies to those who supposedly believe, as well.
Through the ages since Acts 2:4 cunningly devised fables have been handed down from generation to generation. These developed into “sophisms,” plausible, but fallacious arguments meant to render one wise in a sinister acceptation. They look good on the surface, but with a little digging you find they are completely erroneous. 2Ti 4:4 and 2Pe 1:16 speak of them.
I pray that all who practice false doctrine will soon see the error of their ways. It sickens me to see and hear of pastors touting the number of people they perpetrate this error upon. I heard one say recently that he was going for a Guinness Book of World Records for the number of water baptisms. People end up thinking they are saved, when they are not. What a rude awakening they may have after the Rapture, to see they are still here. It is a shame.
God bless,
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