QUESTIONS and ANSWERS
As time permits, we will answer questions presented to us.
QUESTION: Is the Covid vaccine the Mark of the Beast?
The following comment and question came from a visitor in a Middle Eastern country. Some people are afraid to get the Covid vaccine because fearful it is the Mark of the Beast. Is it the Mark of the Beast?
The short answer is No it is NOT the Mark of the Beast.
What is known as the Mark of the Beast is spoken of in the thirteen chapter of the Book of Revelations. When it comes no one can buy or sell without having the Mark of the Beast in their hand or on their forehead attesting to their commitment to worship the Beast. Therefore, the Mark of the Beast is a religious issue enforced by governing powers and the Covid vaccine is simple a none religious issue. However, it may well be a conditioning factor to prepare the masses to submit to draconian conditions.
This will occur during what many bible scholars will be a seven year period of time when Satan will have complete control of the earth. Some people believe that Christians will be here and have to deal with this time and other do not believe that but believe the church shall have been raptured out in advance, which what I believe; however, saints are mentioned being here and waring with the beast which may be the 144,000 mentioned in the fourteenth chapter of Revelation.
Several scriptures are relevant to understand the schools of thought regarding this subject. First, Christ said, "But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be." Matt. 24:37
"And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them, and behold I will destroy them with the earth." Gen. 6:13
Christ also said, "And knew not until the flood came and took them all away, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be." Matt. 24:39
Christ having mentioned twice that this coming would be liken to the days of Noah and the flood and the saving of Noah and his family from the destruction of the flood is very strong evidence that the Christians will be spared the tribulation period detailed beginning with the fourth chapter of Revelation. Several events shall occur before the rising of the beasts resulting in billions of deaths and will climax when Christ shall slay the wicked when he comes as "KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS." Rev. 19:16
"And I saw an angle standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fouls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, . . . and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great." Rev. 19:17-18
These events appear to end the existence of man on the earth just as the flood ended man on the earth, except Noah and his family in the Ark and the saved shall be safe in heaven when these awful events occur.
Footnote: Russian President Putin reportedly remarked that war between the U.S. and China would end the human race. Christ addressed this issue: "And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened." Matt. 24-22
QUESTION: Is President Biden Mentally competent?
Many are asking this question. While I am not a doctor but have much experience being involved with elderly people, I see many signs that Biden has serious health issues. President Biden also has serious spiritual issues which are far more important. He made a remark some days ago about his appreciation of the Pope being an understanding or forgiving man. Apparently President Biden believes that he can do anything and the Pope will forgive him. This has been a false doctrine that has been promoted for hundreds of years and has without a doubt cause many millions of people to end up in hell.
Christ gave His disciples great powers, heal the sick, cast out demons, preach the gospel, etc., but one power that He had that He did not give to His disciples was the power to forgive sins--with the exception of forgiving those that sinned against them which we must do, Matt. 6:15.
America's problems are far more serious than just an incompetent President. He is being protected by people drunk on power that will do ANYTHING to protect and promote their agenda of being for almost everything that God condemns. And the people that tries to get the truth out are demonized beyond measure. This is not new. It has happened before. When Jeremiah preached to the Israelites, lying was a way of life, Jer. 5:1 A farmer has posted a sign on I-94 in Wisconsin saying: "Lying is Destroying America."
The writings of Jeremiah could be written in any newspaper as today's news in America. He wrote that "My people have committed two evils; they have forsaken the fountain of water, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns that can hold no water." Jer. 2:13. This what is happening in America today. The politicians and false teachers promote the theory that they can do or say anything with God's blessings. Yes, God is a forgiving God, but forgiveness is predicated upon repentance and repentance is to stop the wrong doings. When Christ forgave the woman taken in adultery, He told her to go and "sin no more," John 8:11--He did NOT tell her to go her way and continue her sinful life style. When the unjust steward was about to outed, he sought to correct his wrongs, Luke 16:1-7, When David set the stage to get a man killed so he could get his wife the wrong had slipped over David head until his servants enlightened him of his evil deed and then David went out and REPENTED of his sin. 11 Sam. 11; 12:1-7 The Romans asked Paul, if they should sin because they were under grace and not under the law. No, Paul said, "God forbid." Rom. 6:15
"The wages of sin is death," Rom. 6:23
If the lying politicians believe they are going to escape the judgment of God by forgiveness at the words spoken by any religious leader, they are sadly mistaken, and Satan is waiting for them at the gates of hell.
QUESTION: WHY DO YOU BELIEVE IN THE RAPTURE?
The rapture is a doctrine that Christ will come and get His church before the great tribulation commences. Some Christians believe in the rapture, and some do not.
The great tribulation is a period of time--many bible scholars believe lasts for seven years--described in the Book of Revelations from Chapter 4 forward, Ez. chapters 37 and 38, and other scriptures.
The following are the reasons I believe in the rapture of Christ's church:
1. The tribulation period is a period of time when Satan will have control of the world with evil on every side. It is also a period of time when God will pour out his wrath upon the world as punishment for the sins of the people rejecting Him.
2. There are only two instances recorded in the Bible when God has released His wrath upon the people; a) when the flood destroyed the world, b) when fire and brimstone rained upon Sodom and Gomorrah. And in both instances, God protected His people from the suffering the wicked suffered. The world is lurching toward destruction.
The Bible says in the days of Noah, "The earth also was corrupt before God; and the earth was filled with violence." Gen. 6:11 "But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man." Matt. 24:37. However, these passages have two-fold meanings: 1) As in the days of Noah, evil will be the rule of the day, as we are seeing as never before in America and in the world, and 2) just as the righteous were saved from the destruction of the flood so shall they be spared from the great tribulation.
The same thing occurred when the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed by fire and brimstone in the days of Lot. Lot and his daughters were spared, but his wife wasn't because of disobedience. Ref. Gen. 19:24--30. Therefore, there is no history in the Bible to support that God's righteous people have suffered the wrath of God upon the world or on a specific people. However, two conclusions can be drawn from history: A) Evil by enough people for too long will bring the wrath of God on them, and B) what will happen in the future can be accurately predicted by what God has done in the past. Therefore, the righteous can, I believe, expect to be raptured out of the world prior to the beginning of the great tribulation.
3. When the disciples asked Christ about the signs of His coming in Matt. 24, they asked a threefold question: a) "Tell us, when shall these things be? [b?] and what shall be the sign of thy coming [c?] and the end of the world?" Matt. 24:3 Therefore, it appears that His disciples knew that His coming and the end of the world was not a single, but separate events. This is clearly consistent with other passages in the Bible. For example, Christ said: "And they shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation." John 5:29 The Book of Revelation clearly teaches two separate resurrections: "But the rest of the dead lived not again for a thousand years." Rev. 20:5
4. Christ said He was coming again to receive the righteous unto Himself. Ref. John 14: 3 Paul said the Lord "shall descend from heaven. . . ." 1 Thes. 4:16, and "we shall meet the Lord in the air." v. 17. Therefore, it is clear that when Christ comes to rapture His church, He is only coming in the air and taking the saved to heaven with him.
5. When Christ comes the next time crowned as "King Of Kings and Lord Of Lords" Rev. 19:16, and "for he is LORD of LORDS, and KING of KINGS, and they that are with him are called chosen, and faithful." Rev. 17:4. Then we shall serve with Him under His Kingship as "priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years." Rev. 20:6. It is made even more clear that we have a future on the earth after the rapture. "And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and shall reign on the earth." Rev. 5:10
Conclusion: The Bible has many more scriptures teaching that the righteous will not suffer with the wicked in God's judgment. Christ made this very clear in Matthew 24, For example, "But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man." Matt. 24:37. "Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot." Matt. 24:28 "But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. Matt. 24: 29.
I mentioned that the great tribulation is addressed in the fourth chapter of Revelation forward. John was to be shown what was to occur "hereafter." Rev. 4:1 Since the first three chapters of Revelation were devoted to the churches, "hereafter" surely refers to events after the church age ends. Advanced study would entail considering the covenants and dispensations of time; however, the church is the last covenant also referred as the "new covenant." Heb. 8:13 of which Christ is the mediator.
For a certainly, Jesus is coming back for his church and that meeting will be in the air and it is a certainly that Christ is coming back with his saints to rule the world for a thousand years and his saints will reign with him as kings and priests and Satan will be defeated.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HEAVEN AND HELL?
This question came from a reader in the Middle East. There is as much difference between Heaven and hell as high noon on a clear day and the darkest night at midnight. Heaven is a city of unspeakable beauty with many mansions, the river of life and streets of pure gold and gates of pearl. Ref. Rev. 21:15--18, Rev. 22:1-2.It is the place that Christ said he was going to prepare a place for those that love him. "In my Father's house are many mansions." John 14:2 "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man, the things that God hath prepared for them that love him." 1 Cor. 2:9
Hell is a place of "everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels." Matt. 25:41 It will be a place of "outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Matt. 8:12.
In heaven there shall be no night (no darkness); in hell there shall be no light. Hell was not created for man but those that reject the salvation that Christ paid for on the cross shall be cast there on the great judgment day.
QUESTION: What is the difference between the Son of God and Son of Man?
These is no difference between the titles. Both reference Jesus Christ. Notwithstanding the fact that Christ is often referenced as being a man in the text of the Bible, I do not like to refer to Him as a man because He was so much more than a man. He was God in the flesh.
QUESTION: What is the unpardonable sin?
The Bible says the unpardonable sin is blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven. Matt. 12:31--32. Jesus was accused of blasphemy. Matt. 26: 64, 65. when He referenced His coming in the clouds indicating He was the Son of God. Therefore, if falsely claiming to be the Son of God was blasphemy, wouldn't falsely claiming to be told by the Holy Ghost to do something be blasphemy of the Holy Ghost? While I surely believe that the Holy Ghost have led me and taught me many things, I am very careful to credit my behavior to the leadership of the Holy Ghost. People can lie on God--and many professing Christians do; people can lie on Christ--and many do--and be forgiven, but great care must be exercised when crediting the Holy Ghost for our behavior.
Perhaps Christ said what He said because God can forgive sin, Christ can forgive sin, and maybe the Holy Ghost cannot forgive sin.
QUESTION: How can a person know that they are saved?
Unsaved people are dead in God's view. When a disciple asked leave to go bury his father, Christ said, "Follow me, and let the dead bury their dead." Matt. 8:21--22. We who have believed on Christ have "passed from death unto life." John 5:24. Christ said, "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." John 10:10
Paul said, "Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things become new." 2 Cor. 5:17.
"But new wine must be put in new bottles; and both are preserved." Luke 5:38. The Holy spirit will not come into an unsaved, unbelieving, sinful soul but into a believing, repented soul.
The acid test that proves that a person is saved or not saved in LOVE. Whatever a person may claim to be or profess to be, if LOVE is not present, he is nothing more than a "sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal." 1 Cor. 13:1 The born again are not greedy nor covetous. 1 Tim. 3:3
"We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. . . " 1 John 3:14
QUESTION: What are some of the major false teachings today?
The internet is ablaze with many false teachings and false doctrines today. To address a few:
1. We are all children of God. This is very dangerous doctrine because it provides a false sense of security to the unchurched and unsaved that everybody goes to heaven regardless of how they have lived because God loves everybody--which He does love everybody but that does not mean that He winks at their sin. Only the born again Christians are God's children. Christ told the Pharisees that
"Ye are of your father, the devil, the lust of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it." John 8:44
"But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become sons of God, even to them that believed on his name." John 1:12
Another false doctrine, I believe, is prosperity ministry. Yes, I believe that God blesses those who faithfully serve Him in REAL assets--not with the silver and gold of this world. ". . . Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither has it enter into the heart of man, the things that God hath prepared for them that love him." 1 Cor. 2:9 Twice the Bible mentions that we shall serve as kings and priests with Christ: 1) "And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father, to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen." Rev. 1:6; and 2) "And hast made us unto our God kings and priests and we shall reign on the earth." Rev. 5:10.
This just barely touches the things that God has prepared for us that love and serve Him. God may not bless us with the silver and gold of this world, but His rewards far exceed anything in this world.
QUESTION: Does God answer sinners' prayers?
Except for the forgiveness of sin? No, God does hear sinners' prayers. Christ forgave the woman at the well whom asked for His living water (John 4:15); Christ forgave the thief on the cross (Luke 23:43), and the publican who said, "God be merciful to me a sinner." (Luke 18:13).
Only those that believe can be forgiven of their sins. "whosoever believeth" (John 3:16). To believe in Christ is to comply with the gospel. Christ said, "Not every one that saith unto me Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Matt. 7:21. What is the will of the Father? "The Lord is. . . not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." 2 Peter 3:9 And Christ said, "And why call me Lord, Lord and do not the things which I say? Luke 6:46
Just acknowledging that Christ was here 2000 years ago, is not enough. Believing means to comply with His demands and commandments. As for believing in Chrsit, Satan believed in Him and knew that He could turn stones into bread (Matt. 4:3) but Satan is not going to be in heaven.
And no man can forgive sins that violate God's laws and commandments.
QUESTION: Will Christ return before or after the Tribulation?
This is a great question. The short answer is BOTH.
Many false teachers are spreading false doctrines about the rapture so let's set the record straight out of Christ's own mouth with a little help from Paul. What is confusing a lot of people, I believe, is failing to understand that Christ is coming back twice. So, let's rightly divide the scriptures and it makes perfect sense; otherwise, mass confussion.
The problem, I believe, is that Bible teachers are overlooking what Christ said regarding the days of Noah and Lot. The Great Tribulation is going to be the most destructive wrath of God to be experienced by the world since the flood. The Great Tribulation is God's punishment for man's evil ways just as the flood and the burning of Sodom and Gomorrah was punishment for Man's evil ways. In both situations, God protected the righteous from his wrath. He will do the same again,
God's future acts can be predicted by His passed acts. And from what I can gleam from the Bible and secular history, the world is more wicked and evil today than it was in Noah's and Lot's days. Therefore, the evil in the world cannot continue.
The disciples asked Christ three questions in one in Matt. 24:3: "Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall the sign of thy coming: and the end of the world? Christ told them the signs of His coming in verses 5--14. Then Christ describes the rupture, verse 27, "For as the lightening cometh out of the east, and shinest even unto the west; so shall the coming of the Son of man be." Matt. 26:64 mentions Christ coming in the clouds. The Paul says: "Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord." 1 Thes. 4:17. What Paul says is consistent. with what Christ said in Matt. 26:46.
Christ said the day of His coming would like the days of Noah. In Noah's day, the world was fully of violence. "And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." Gen 6:5 Christ described this same sort of man's behavior, Matt. 24:4-15. "But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be." Matt. 24:37. "And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son." Luke 17:26.
These scriptures prove that Christ's coming is akin to the day of the flood when the righteous were saved and the day of Lot when he was saved from the wrath of God.
When this happens, we shall appear before the judgment seat of Christ to receive our rewards. "for we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in the body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad." 2 Cor 5:10
Christ addressed this judgment day in Matt. "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 5:.3); "Blessed are they that mourn; for they shall be comforted." (Matt. 5:4); "Blessed are that do hunger and thirst after righteousness; for they shall be filled." (Matt. 5:6) "Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall the called the children of God. (Matt. 5:9) "Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you , and prosecute you, and say all manner of evil against evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad: for great is your reward in heaven: . . ." Matt. 5: 11-12).
At the end of the Great Tribulation, Christ will come again and we whom were in the first Resurrection will be with him and will rule the world for 1,000 years during which Isa. 11:6 will be fulfilled, "The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together, and a little child will lead them." And "the government will be on his shoulders>" Isa. 9:6 "And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares; and their spears into pruninghooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore." Isa. 2:4
Notice no heavenly rewards are promised for the liars, talebearers, gossipers. troublemakers, etc.
Christ and Paul have made it clear that the righteous will be protected from the wrath of God just as Noah and his family were protected from the flood and Lot was protected from the fire and brimstone. However, it must be remembered that when the rain came, nobody else got in the arkl and when the fire and brimstone fell nobody got out of the cities. When the lightening flashed from the east to the west, it will be too late to repent. "Prepare to meet thy God." Amos 4:12
Then when Christ comes the next or second time, we who went to heaven in the rapture will be coming back to earth with Him. "These shall make war with the Lame, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lord, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, the choosen, and faithful. (Rev. 17:14) [Emphasis added]"And hast made us kings and priest unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Aman." (Rev. 1:6) "And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.: (Rev. 5:10).
At the end of Christ's reign on earth, there will be another resurrection and another judgment day when the dead shall be resurrected and judged at the Great White Throne judgment. Rev. 20:11
Christ made it clear that there would be two resurrections: "And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation." John 5:29. The resurrections shall occur 1,000 years apart. Rev. 20:4--6
I hope to be producing some videos soon and get into far more details on this and other subjects. I am very troubled at the young people dying and being killed have a real burden to reach them and my hope is to get into revivals soon.