God and Civil Authority

        In the world we live in today, it is common place to speak evil of the government and its leaders; especially if they are a member of the opposing party that you are a member of. In many circles it is common to take to the streets in protest of the government and its leaders. Many times, these protests lead to violence, looting, destruction of businesses, and of course murder. In fact, many groups encourage people through social media to do these despicable things. Many Christians support these actions, believing God has given them authority to do so. Well, thankfully this is easy to prove or disprove. As always, let's turn to God as our final authority.

       Many of the protests we see today are because people hate our president. Now I am not here to show support for him or to say you have to like him. Of course you don't have to like the president or support him, however, God tells us how we should treat our leaders. (Exodus 22:28) Clearly states that we are not to curse him, but respect him. The Bible does not tell us we must vote for the man, but respect his authority as long as he is in office. There are no passages found saying anything different.

       Ecclesiastes chapter 8 takes it even further. In verse 3, Solomon says that we should not take a stand against our rulers, even if it is against an evil thing! Christians are not to be in the streets protesting or committing violence! In America, we protest by going to the ballot box. As we have seen, the protests, both peaceful and violent, have done nothing to change things. In fact, it can be argued that it makes things much worse. We can see this in cities such as Portland and Los Angeles today.

       In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus again emphasizes that we are to respect governing bodies. He says in (Matthew 22:17-21) to "render unto Caesar what is Caesar's". He never states that we should rise up in protest or fight against the ruling power. Why is that? Because God has the ultimate authority and we should put our trust in Him. Leaders will come and go, but He lasts forever. Lean on Him. Paul continues this thought in Romans 13:1-8 when he says we must submit to our government; that is to obey their laws to keep peace. We should be thankful that we live in a country where we have an opportunity to change our leaders every 4 years.

       There are a few other verses in scripture that deal with civil authorities and governing bodies (1 Tim. 2:1-2; Titus 3:1; 1 Pet. 2:10-17), but they all agree we must obey our leaders and respect them. It is not Christian to take to the streets in protest, or even on social media to say horrible things or call him evil names. We need to act like Christians at all times. Maybe the best example to give is the apostle Paul. While he was falsely arrested and brought to trial, he was given the opportunity to defend himself. He was a Roman after all, which meant he should have been free to go. He could have railed against the Jewish leaders who were bringing these charges against him. Yet he took that moment instead to teach about Christ. This is the example that is set before us! Stay calm, because things will change eventually.

Security in an Insecure World

       What can the gospel do in a world filled with so much turmoil and trouble? In Psalm 60:2, the Lord said this: "You have made the earth tremble; you have broken it; heal its breaches, for it is shaking." Our personal world has been shaken by divorce, domestic abuse, abortion, wars and crime, riots in the streets. We live in an age of police and metal detectors in schools, intimate searches in airports, and mountains of government regulations. All of this seems to prove one thing; people do not trust people to do right.

       People want to hear "security", whether truth and facts are on their side or not. For instance, during the Persian Gulf War in 1991, Iraqi Information Minister, Mohammed Saeed al-Sahhaf said this: "We are in control. They (Americans) are in a state of hysteria. Losers, they think that by killing civilians and trying to distort the feelings of the people they will win. I think they will not win." Most Iraqi's heard this and believed it, believing the Iraqi army would win, and they would be secure. They were comforted by the lies because it made them feel secure.

       Satan uses the same tactics in trying to make people feel secure by lying. Gen. 3:4 "Then the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die". He also falsely states that guardian angels will protect you from the dangers of life, or that godliness is a means of gain. 1 Tim. 6:5-6 "Useless wranglings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. From such withdraw yourself. Now godliness with contentment is great gain." Satan also tries to convince people that there will be no Judgment Day. Acts 17:30-31 "Truly these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead." Because people only see "surface" security, they completely ignore the truth spoken by God's Holy Word. John 8:44-47 tells us there is no truth in the Devil.

       We can see how the world today uses these tactics as well. T.V. shows like The Bachelor, Married at First Sight, and Wife Swap, tells people you can have a relationship without really knowing someone. But God says this in John 4:17-19; "The woman answered and said, 'I have no husband'. Jesus said to her, 'You have well said I have no husband, for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; in that you spoke truly. The woman said to Him, 'Sir, I perceive you are a prophet." The only secure relationships are those grounded in love as God intended it to be (Matt. 19:1-10; Col. 3:18-25).

       Politicians in government control so much of how we live our lives. During campaign cycles, they try to scare voters by saying the opposite party will not make the country secure. But God's Word says this in Rom. 13:1 "Let every soul be subject to governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God". In Acts 5:29 we read that we ought to obey rather than man. All government programs and medical schemes that obscure God's hand from the people's sight are Devil-centered and not God-centered.

       Insurance companies of course survive on telling people they are not secure in any part of their lives. They encourage, and at times force you to buy insurance on material things. But God's Word says this in Luke 12:15: "And he said to them, 'Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things He possesses."

       Religiously, some mistakenly use wars and rumors of wars to signal the end of the world. 'Once saved always saved' to teach a 'security of the soul'. Material prosperity to secure one's spirituality and God's blessing. "Heroic deaths" to secure salvation in eternity, and worshipping God to entertain man.

       However, God's Word says: The end and Judgment will come unexpectedly (1 Thess. 5:1-4). Practicing righteousness (obedience) makes one born again (1 John 2:29; Rom. 16:25-27). Material gain is NOT godliness (1 Tim. 6:5-10), not dying for someone else, but approaching Christ's death for one's own self gives hope in eternity (John 15:12-14, Heb. 5:8-9). Spirit and truth rule. John 4:24 "God is spirit, and those that worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." Maybe the best way to end this discussion is by Col 3:16-17: "Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him."

     

The day of the Lord From 1 and 2 Thessalonians

       1 and 2 Thessalonians deals much with the 'Day of the Lord' and what the meaning of this wonderful and terrible day. There are many false doctrines and misunderstandings of these two wonderful epistles written by Paul. By the context of the two books, even the Thessalonians had misgivings and misunderstanding of what the Day of the Lord entailed. As always, the truth of God's Word answers all false teachings.
       The New Testament refers to the final day as the Day of the Lord and the Second Coming (Heb. 9:28), and it is important to understand these two terms refer to the same time. Paul said the Day would come like a thief in the night (1 Thess. 5:2), just as Jesus said of the second coming (Matt. 24:42-44). This is also an important item to note, but more on that later. The resurrection will take place at the 'coming of the Lord' (1 Cor. 15:23), and John 6:44 says this will happen on 'the last day', both showing these two days are one and the same.
       Even though the terms 'Day of the Lord' and 'Second Coming' are synonymous with each other, this doesn't mean that every time the Bible uses the term 'coming', that this refers to the second coming. For instance, in Matthew 10:23 and 16:28, when speaking of the establishment of the church, in Matthew 24:27 when speaking of the destruction of Jerusalem, and elsewhere. Again, it is important to understand the difference in these terms, for many try to intermingle them, therefore confounding the issue at hand.
       One major concern of many on this topic, is the belief that a rapture will occur before the coming of the Lord. This will be followed by a seven year period of tribulation, which at the end of that, we will see the return of our Lord to establish an earthly kingdom in Jerusalem (an earlier post written on this blog dealt with the establishment of the kingdom as already occurring). As far as the rapture is concerned, first of all we need to be very clear, there is no word in scripture as rapture. Many people want to add this term to scriptures and prophecy, but by doing so it would violate Revelation 22:18-19, which states that nothing should be added or taken away from the Word of God.
       The rapture is widely known as the taking of the saints to heaven while leaving the unrighteousness here on earth. Many will point to 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 as key to this belief. However, when studying this passage, it appears to be speaking about the righteous only. Just because the unrighteous are not mentioned, does not give men the right to add their own thoughts and beliefs when something is absent. James Meadows, a longtime evangelist, graduate of Freed-Hardeman, Union University and Harding Graduate School, as well as former columnist for the Gospel Advocate magazine, wrote the following:
               "First, this text is not discussing both the wicked and the righteous. Second, the text
                is discussing those that are asleep in Jesus (vv. 14-16) and those that are alive in Christ
                (vv. 16,17). Third, 'the dead in Christ shall rise first' (v. 16) does not refer to their rising
                before the wicked dead, but to their being raised before the righteous living are caught
                up. After they are raised, both are 'caught up together' (v. 17). Fourth, other verses show
                that both the righteous and the wicked will be raised at the same time (John 5:28-29).
                Fifth, it teaches that we will be caught up to be with the Lord forever, not seven years."
       Further, 2 Thess. 2:8 shows us that the two resurrections will happen at the same time. It is man that has added this thought of leaving the wicked only for a long period of time. Look at what Christ Himself said in John 5:28-29, "Marvel not at this: for the hour cometh, in which ALL that are in the tombs shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; AND they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of judgement." I think we can all agree that Jesus would not try to confuse or mislead us, but teach us exactly the truth! He said both would be raised, not at different times.
       Many believe, that 1 Thessalonians 4:16 explains that the righteous will rise and leave the wicked to fend for themselves against the the Anti-Christ. This, however, is taken completely out of context. When we read the whole passage (vs. 13-18), we can see what Paul is trying to say. He gave inspired comfort to the Thessalonians concerning the Christians who had died (vs. 13, 18). He assured them that the resurrection of those asleep in Jesus was as sure as the resurrection of Jesus Himself (v. 14). He gave them God's Word that those living in Christ at that time would not prevent those that had already died (v. 15). He then closes this section by explaining how Christ would return from Heaven: With a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God. Before we rise to meet Him in the air, however, the dead in Christ will be raised (v. 16-17). Note though, the dead outside of Christ are absent in this passage. Acts 24:15 supplements this passage and tells us that BOTH the just and unjust will be raised. Nothing again is mentioned of different times.
       The Apostles also had some problems understanding what and when the Day of the Lord was. In Matthew chapter 24, they were pressing Jesus as to when these events would take place. Here, Jesus speaks of a tribulation the likes of which the world had never seen, but it was one that the APOSTLES would go through (Matt. 24:1-22), not future man. These events did in fact happen, just as Christ prophesied. All the Apostles but one, were killed in horrible fashion, and there were countless different persecutions of Christians around the world at different times in history, killing countless faithful Christians. Just read Fox's Book of Martyr's (which is free for e-readers) to see the horrible events that happened. Jesus also mentions the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple, which many believe will take place in the future, but actually happened in A.D. 70 by the Romans. The faithful fled into the mountains, just as Jesus foresaw. It is important to read this passage, because you can easily see that Jesus is using the words 'you' and 'ye' when speaking to the Apostles. It would happen to them in their 'generation' (Matt. 24:34).
       Many people are also obsessed, for lack of a better word, in looking for supposed signs that would happen before the Day of the Lord, often using Matthew chapter 24. "When shall these things be?" (Matt. 24:1-3, Mark 13:4, Luke 21:7). This was answered by Jesus in Matthew 12:39 when He said, "An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall be NO sign given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet." How much clearer can the Lord be? He will return 'like a thief in the night', or as He said in Matthew 24:50, "the Lord of that servant shall come in a day when he expecteth not, in an hour when he knoweth not." How could this possibly be true if we have signs telling us it is coming? God is true to His Word.
       So, what exactly will happen on the Day of the Lord? He will return as promised (John 14:1-3). The resurrection will happen on that day (John 6:44). The Thessalonians were promised this (1 Thess. 4:13-18). Both the righteous and unrighteous would be raised at the same time (John 5:28-29). The living would be changed (1 Cor. 15:34-58). The judgment of the world will happen, as appointed by God (Heb. 9:27, Acts 17:30-31). Christ will be the judge (Acts 17:31). The Word of God will be the standard (John 12:48, Rev. 20:11-15). All nations will be assembled (Matt. 25:31-46). Each will be judged according to the deeds done in the body (2 Cor. 5:10). The righteous will be rewarded (Matt. 25:34, 2 Cor. 5:10). The wicked will be condemned (Matt. 13:40-42, 25:41, 2 Thess. 1:7-9, Rev. 20:15, 21:8). Finally, the earth will be burned up (2 Pet. 3:10). The Bible shows us in all these different passages, that all of these events will take place on the same day.
       The Day of the Lord will be the last day in history of man. It will be a wonderful day for the faithful, and terrible indeed for the unrighteous. When this day happens, there will be no second chances for man, as some religious leaders and books such as the Left Behind series try to claim. I implore all of you who have taken the time to read this post (and I thank you for this) to not put your souls on the line for what others have said to you, but to study ALL that God has told us, and to believe and trust in Him, to obey His loving commands. We all know that man quite often makes mistakes and gets things wrong, but God can never be wrong nor steer us in the wrong direction. Finally, it so very important to be prepared for that final day, for we do not know when it will happen, or when we will leave this life. Once the we do, or the Day of the Lord occurs, it will be too late.

Infant Baptism

       I recently wrote a post about Baptism, and I received many questions about the topic of infant Baptism. The practice of infant baptism is nothing new, in fact it was first recorded around 220 A.D. and was widely used by the Catholic Church by the 7th century. The reason given was the doctrine of original sin (which I wrote about in an earlier post), which is the thought that we are all born sinners, and that sin is passed down, going all the way back to Adam. The Catholic Church points to Psalms 51:5 as their reasoning, which in their translation (Catholic Holy Bible Version), written and published in the 1950's reads "Truly, I was born a sinner, for in sin did my mother conceive me." Many modern versions have followed suit, saying much the same thing, but in truth, the authors switched a few words from the original texts to fit their doctrine.
       You see, this is what men have done since the Bible was put into written form and published. False teachers who are not happy for whatever reason with a certain doctrine, are able to rewrite God's Word to fit their needs. Here is what the verse says in the original Hebrew, and see for yourself if there is a perversion of the texts: "Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me." Can you see the difference in the two? In the modern version, David is saying he was born a sinner, but in the Hebrew and American Standard (1901) text, it reads that he was born out of his MOTHER'S sin. Furthermore, if the Catholic version is correct, and now many Protestant Churches, their versions of the Bible failed to change in other passages that would lead to a contradiction. Such as Ezekiel 18:20, which reads that the son will not bare the iniquity of the father! We are held accountable for our own sins, not that of people from the past. So from the very start, the reasoning for infant Baptism is man-made, not from God. Let's look in detail the whole purpose of Baptism, and see if infants fit into what God, not myself, has said.
       Mark 16:16 tells us much of what needs to be known. "He that believeth and is baptized, shall be saved, he that believeth not, shall be condemned." This is the second part in this that can't involve babies. Before we can even believe, we must be able to understand either what we read, or what is being taught to us. Romans 10:17: "So believing comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ." Can a baby understand what is being taught? Can an infant read for himself the words of Christ? Of course not! Since it cannot understand, or read, why then does it have the need for baptism as Christ commanded? But what is the reason for Baptism to begin with? Peter showed us in Acts 2:38 the reasoning. After his sermon to the Jewish leaders, many of whom were the ones who condemned Christ, they cried and asked what they can do to be right with God? Peter answered them: "Repent and be baptized". What about what was said in Acts 17:30? "The times of ignorance God overlooked: but now He commandeth men that they should all everywhere repent." Or finally, in Luke 13:3: "I tell you nay, but except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish." In order to repent, we must have the ability to sin, since we are not born of sin as has already been said. Does anyone truly believe that a child can sin?
       Jesus saw children as perfect and pure, as He stated in Matthew 18:3: "And said, verily I say unto you, except ye turn and become as little children, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of Heaven." Children can enter into the kingdom because they have no sin. With no sin, there is no need for repentance or baptism! And Romans 14:12 echoes what Ezekiel 18:20 stated, "So then each one of us shall give an account of himself to God." Truly, if an infant or young child dies, what account could they possibly give to the Lord? From all of these passages, how can one teach that it is necessary for an infant to be baptized? However, many people claim that since the Bible doesn't say you can't, then it can't be wrong. Here is my issue with that.
       God has given us His revelation by the Holy Spirit through the Bible, and has told us everything we need to know to have salvation. If we didn't believe this, why do we bother reading the Bible to start with? So God has told us everything He wants us to do, but if the Bible also included everything He doesn't want us to do, it would contain hundreds of volumes. It isn't necessary though, since He has given us explicit instructions. If you give your child twenty dollars and tell them to go buy a loaf bread, and he comes back with a loaf of bread, and 18 dollars worth of candy, did he obey you? Should you have to tell him everything in the store NOT to buy? Of course not. So why doesn't the same apply to what God has told us? He tells us why we should be Baptized, and that is all we need to know.
       Some people also ask me, 'So it is a sin to Baptize a baby?' Baptizing a baby is nothing more than getting a child wet, but by not following God's explicit commands, THAT is the sin. It is also dangerous in that, as the child grows into adulthood, he/she believes that they are saved because they are baptized, especially if they have not heard the truth of God's words. Baptism is for those who wish to accept Christ as their savior and obey God. An infant obviously does not fall into that category, and again, since we know we are not born sinners, or that God does not create anything evil, babies are safe and secure in the arms of the Lord. If your ministers and preachers tell you different, please ask them to look at and explain what God has said and meant by His Words, for as we have seen, we are judged by what We do in our lives, not by what someone such as a preacher has told us. As always, if you have any further questions, please let me know, for I am more than happy to discuss it with anyone. Thank you for taking the time read and consider, and please, continue studying the Word of God.

Questions About Baptism

       Baptism is one of the most debated and discussed topics of the Bible. There are those that believe Baptism is essential to salvation, while others believe it is just to show your faith. Some claim it is commanded, others say it is recommended. Many say full immersion is the only way, while others prefer sprinkling and pouring of water. Honestly, the differences are numerous, and there is no way to have enough room on post to touch on all the issues, but let's discuss some of these questions. And, as always, since there are so many opinions, the statements in my blog will always be given with the backing of scripture and God's Word. This is what God has told us, and not my personal, or any man's decision.
       Is Baptism essential for our salvation? Today, many church organizations have changed their doctrine from one of Baptism IS essential, to it is just a sign of faithfulness. When we read scriptures though, it is clear that Baptism is indeed, essential. Mark 16:16 "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not, shall be damned." Now many claim that because baptize is left out of the second part of the verse, this means it is not essential. However, if you don't believe, you will not be baptized, so therefore there is no need to say it twice. Look at what Peter said on the Day of Pentecost in Acts chapter 2 after he had given his sermon about what had happened to Christ. The Jews were "pricked in their hearts" and wanted to know what they must do to be saved. Peter answers in 2:38, saying "Repent ye, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ, unto the remission of your sins; and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." Notice that Peter didn't give any other option such as, just believe, or ask forgiveness. The same goes for Paul, the Eunuch, and every other example we find in the Bible. It is essential!
       Who needs to be Baptized? Every example we are given in the Bible (with the exception of Christ Himself), we see that one must be able to choose to be baptized to wash away his/her sins. Sin is a choice that a person chooses to do (1 John 3:4), and since sin separates us from God, we must be baptized to wash those sins away. The sinful person must be able to accept the Grace of God by hearing and believing (Heb. 11:6, John 8:24, etc.) the teachings of Christ. One must have faith in the Lord, for without it, you cannot submit to it (Mark 16:16). Also, one must be able to repent of the sins they committed in their past (Acts 2:38). There are many in the religious world today who argue that a child must be baptized, but since a child (infant) cannot confess Christ, commit sin, or be able to repent, an infant needs not to be baptized. They are innocent, and if something tragic happens to them, they are safe with Christ. Also notice, in all of the accounts given in the Bible of Baptism, there is not one instance of an infant! Jesus could have been baptized while a youth, but even He waited to give us the perfect example. I know many argue form original sin, but these instances should counter that, but even so, another post will cover that in the future.
       How is Baptism to be done? For the first few centuries after Christ, there was only way that baptism was done, by full immersion. Why? First of all, full immersion was the only way it was done in the Bible. In fact, the word Baptize comes from the Greek word 'baptizo', which literally means 'to go under' or 'fully immerse'. So in the original writings of the Bible, when one saw the word baptize, they were actually seeing, 'to go into the water'. In every account of a Baptism in the Bible, it was always by the person who is being baptized, going fully under the water. When Philip was travelling with the Eunuch in Acts 8:34ff, the Eunuch saw a pool of water and chose that spot. Surely they had water in their chariot, so why didn't they just use it to pour over his head? Also, when one is Baptized, they are buried with Christ, and raised up to walk in newness of life (Rom. 6:3-4, Col. 2:12). When you rise up out of the water, you are a new person. Sprinkling and pouring is not burying, and there is no rising up. Sprinkling and pouring was a man-made institution to make things easier for some, and does not follow either the commands, nor the examples as set forth in the Bible. How was Jesus baptized to show His example to us? That is the way to follow.
       When should Baptism be done? This should easily be seen by studying the scriptures. As soon as one hears the Word, believes in Christ as savior, repents of their sins and confirms Christ, they should be baptized. Since we have seen that you cannot be saved until Baptism (Mark 16:16 Acts 2:38), it should be done immediately! Why wait? What if something happens while you are waiting? There are some organizations who wait to do baptisms once or twice a year, but where do they get their authority to do that? That is not found in God's Word at all! Besides, why would you want to wait to walk with God?
       Where should one be Baptized? In the accounts found in the Bible, there is no special location to do this, other than a spot with enough water for someone to be fully immersed. The Eunuch did it in the first body of water he came across. Many churches today use rivers or creeks, while some have a baptistery in the building to perform them. There are many people who wish to wait to be Baptized in the Jordan River itself, but there is no passage found that says you must be baptized in the Jordan. Any body of water will do.
       Finally, who is to do the baptizing? Many people believe that only a Christian or the Minister is to perform the baptizing. The truth is, the Bible does not give any qualifications as to who can do it. The importance is in the one who is being Baptized. Some people believe that only an 'ordained' Minister or Priest must be allowed, but again, there is no authorization of this in the Bible, but something man has decided later on.
       There are of course many more questions to be gone through, and each of these questions that we just discussed we could do its own post on. But as you can see for yourself, I only used what the scriptures said to try to prove the truth of Baptism, and why/how it should be done. As always, I'm sure everyone has their own opinion of it, so please let me know in the comments or by Face Book, and I would love to discuss it with you further. I do not do these posts to try to debate, or put down anyone's belief's, but am just trying show people the truth of God's Word, and to show that there are many people out there who try to twist the scriptures to fit their own false beliefs. The danger is always in listening to others before what God has told us. The Truth is in His Word!

The Anti-Christ Revealed

       In the early 1990's a set of books was written called "The Left Behind" series that was a fictional story about the events leading up to the second coming of Christ. Though many found the books to be exciting and fast-paced, they were written by the author's personal beliefs, and should be viewed as fictional. Especially when considering the twisting of scriptures involving the so-called antichrist that many believe is found in the book of Revelation. As is quite often the case, the truth is much different than the story.
       In the books, and in the beliefs of many people, the antichrist is a person, who might be alive today, who comes to power as a world savior after the disappearance of countless people. The world descends into chaos, and this man convinces the people to make him a dictator to take care of them. Of course, in the process, he turns as many people against Christ as he can before Christ returns to save those left behind. The authors claim, and many people agree, that all of this will be the fulfillment of prophecy from the Bible. But the Bible reveals what the antichrist truly is, and the truth is much different.
       First of all, the antichrist as described in the last paragraph, is not found or supported anywhere in scripture. The word antichrist comes from the Greek word 'Antikristos', and is found five times in the New Testament, all of them in the epistles of John, never once in Revelation. In John's explanation of the antichrist, it never describes a specific person, but anyone who fights against the belief of Christ and His teachings. 1 John 2:18 reads "Little children, it is the last hour: and as ye heard that antichrist cometh, even now have there arisen many antichrists: whereby we know it is the last hour." Later, in verse 22, the best description of what an antichrist is, can be seen. "Who is the liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, even he that denieth the Father and the son." This is the simple, and only definition that can be found.
       Unfortunately, far too many people today will read fictional stories and believe anything that sounds good, or that a religious "leader" tells them without studying for themselves. There are also false claims that historical or political figures of the past were two of the antichrists, with the last one being the one mentioned earlier. It is often said that Napoleon and Adolph Hitler were the first two, setting the stage for the final one. While it may be true that Napoleon and Hitler were antichrists, they (according to the Bible) have nothing to do with any prophecy in the Bible. This is simply a false claim, something for people to talk about. And this is what makes this such a sad commentary.
       For whatever reason, many people want to believe any fantastical story involving anything to do with God and/or Christ, without simply studying the Bible and the Truth of God's Word. Nowhere in scripture is there support for a powerful man being an ultimate antichrist, able to put the 'mark of the beast' on people, thus losing them from salvation forever. Christ has the ultimate power over everything and everyone on earth, including those who deny Him. These are the people who the Bible has revealed to be the real, and only antichrist.

The Bible and Ghosts

       Let's be real for a minute. Most of us like a good spooky story, especially while sitting around a fireplace or while camping with family and friends. Many of us like a good movie or television program with ghosts or something supernatural in it. And of course, we have all heard of or know someone who has seen something weird or who have heard bumps in the night that we just 'can't explain'. So what are ghosts, if they even truly exist? If they do, shouldn't the Bible have something to say about them, since they are spirits of dead people? Well, the Bible actually says very little about actual 'ghosts' (except for the Holy Ghost of course), but has much to say about what happens to us when we die. And therein lies the answer.
       The biggest fear that man faces in life, is of course, death. Many people, especially those who are not Christians, are afraid of dying and the unknown of what happens after. The author of Psalms 55:4-5 describes death as 'terror'. Job describes death as "The king of terror" in Job 18:14. This is the way most people view death, and many try to combat this fear with the possibility of remaining here on earth, communicating with our loved ones. The Bible though tells us what happens upon our death, and never once mentions our spirit still roaming around here.
       In 1 Thess. 4:14 and Daniel 12:2, scripture says that the body sleeps in death. The word sleep is from the Greek word 'Koimaomi', which simply means to lie down, not sleep as we know it. Now since these two verses do not mention the spirit after death, some will want to say the spirit continues on, maybe being trapped here for some reason. Of course, if we only would read other verses on this topic, it would help us understand.
       James tells us in James 2:26 that the spirit leaves the body upon death, they are separated. So what happens to it? At death, the spirit returns to God who gave it (Ecc. 12:7) and will be assigned its final disposition, according to the way we lived our lives. Upon death, the righteous will be with Christ. Philippians 1:23 says "But I am in a strait betwixt the two, having the desire to depart and be with Christ." In Luke 23:43, Jesus tells the thief on the cross that he would be with Christ in Paradise, where all the righteous go upon death. Nothing is said about any roaming the earth.
       So what happens to the wicked upon death? Couldn't they possibly be stuck here, scaring all of us forever? Not even close. Psalms 116:3 tells of the wicked going to Sheol, and being in complete agony. In Matthew 22:13, the wicked will be met with weeping and gnashing of teeth. Matthew 25:46 might describe what happens in the simplest of terms. It reads "And these shall go away into eternal punishment: but the righteous into eternal life". The evil spirits will not walk the earth, nor remain in a place called purgatory, trying to improve their standing with God. We have one chance here on earth to get it right with God.
       Upon death, if we are right with God, there will be a blissful reunion with the other righteous. Gen. 25:8 tells us that Abraham was gathered with his people upon his death. Since he was a very long way from his home when he died, he was gathered with them after his death, in Paradise. In Matthew 8:11, Jesus says that many would sit with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Again, nothing is ever spoken about spirits being trapped here on earth. So though the Bible doesn't speak of ghosts, it doesn't need to, because they don't exist.
       So, if they don't exist, what is it that so many people have seen or heard? What about so called 'reality' shows such as Ghost Hunters or Ghost Adventures? Remember, they are just shows that can be manipulated to show whatever they want us to see. And for those who think they have seen something? I can't explain away everything that people have witnessed, but we should keep in mind that our brains quite often can play tricks on us. If you believe in ghosts, and go into a place that is supposedly haunted, every shadow you see or noise you hear, will of course be a ghost. We also have a problem with letting loved ones go who have passed away, and our minds will lead us to believe that the shadow we see, or a certain smell, is that of our loved one. If you believe in God, and that the Bible is His Word, you must believe that upon death, our spirits return to Him.
       There have been stories of ghosts for as long as recorded history has been around. There have also been stories of vampires, goblins, zombies, fairies and other creatures that the vast majority of people know don't exist, yet for some reason, ghosts took hold of our imagination and won't let go. As a Christian, the thought of being trapped here on earth for eternity is not even a pleasant thought. We are just pilgrims passing through in our lives, hopefully living righteously so we can spend eternity with God in Heaven. Ghost stories are fun to try to scare each other with, but they are simply no more than myths.