By Isaac Goodwin
Blind faith is a popular and confusing phrase that many Christians use often. We use it to justify our trust in God about something that has not happened yet or for something we are hoping for. Sometimes, our understanding of ‘blind faith’ appropriately fits a circumstance, but is it biblical? Does Scripture teach us to have ‘blind faith’? Is this concept found in Scripture at all? Before we dive into Scripture, let’s look at a few dictionary definitions of blind faith and compare them to your presupposed understanding. Definitions
Do any of those definitions fit your understanding of blind faith? Probably not, right? I also do not believe this is the kind of faith that God means for us to have. Why would He want us to not understand our faith? To have no support or logic to our faith? To have no evidential truth to our faith? Are we really supposed to have a faith that is blinded to understanding, logic, and evidence? Absolutely not. Faith is foundationally evidential. Think about it this way. Think about your testimony. Can you really tell people about Jesus and how you came to faith in Christ without an evidential testimony? If somebody questions your faith about how you came to Christ, how do you answer? Do you say you don’t know? Do you say you believe just because and that there is no reason or evidence about why? Or do you tell them about how you are a new creation in Christ because Jesus gave you a new, purposeful life? A life free from sin? A life you now live to please God because He saved and delivered you from eternal damnation, sexual bondage, addiction, depression, family wounds, rejection, etc.? That seems like an evidential faith to me. A new, changed life in Christ is evidence of a faith that is not blind but empowered by the Holy Spirit. Blind faith is foundationally nonbiblical and illogical, and Scripture clearly reveals the truth about faith, which authoritatively rebukes all of those definitions. So what does Scripture say? The go-to Scripture used for the idea of blind faith is Hebrews 11:1, which says, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” This seems like obvious support for blind faith if we take it at face value, especially because we usually focus on “things not seen.” I have seen this verse taught to support blind faith countless times, and have even done so myself. But what are we hoping for? What unseen things is the author talking about? Let’s look at the biblical evidence that faith requires… evidence. Biblical Example No. 1 — Abraham’s Reasoning, God’s promise We find one of the greatest biblical examples of faith through Abraham. God promised Abraham that he would be the father to countless nations (Gen. 17:1-8) and would father a son (17:16), even though he and his wife Sarah were very old. But something happens… God tells Abraham that his son needs to be sacrificed (22:2). How did Abraham respond to this command from God? He obeys God without questions—with seemingly blind faith. Abraham takes Isaac, his one and only son, and binds him on an altar as an offering (22:9-10). Just before he deals the killing blow, the angel of the Lord appears and tells Abraham, “Do not stretch out your hand against the lad, and do nothing to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me” (22:12). Was Abraham’s faith blind? Or did he understand and faithfully trust God’s promise that he would have countless descendants through Isaac? Let’s go back to Hebrews 11. The New Testament mentions Abraham multiple times, including in Hebrews. Hebrews 11:17-19 states, “By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was offering up his only begotten son; 18 it was he to whom it was said, “IN ISAAC YOUR DESCENDANTS SHALL BE CALLED.” 19 He considered that God is able to raise people even from the dead, from which he also received him back as a type.” Abraham did not blindly obey God, but ‘considered’ or ‘reasoned’ that God could raise people from the dead. Abraham had evidential faith, knowing God would not take back His promise of descendants. He did not act blindly but acted according to God’s promise, knowing God’s nature was trustworthy and faithful—regardless of the impossibility of his circumstances. Throughout Scripture, we see a faith that is understood, logical, reasoned, perceived, and evidential—not blind to understanding, logic, reason, perception, and evidence. Abraham had evidential faith. Biblical Example No. 2 — Berean Examination, Paul’s Custom Another biblical example is in Acts 17:11-12, where Paul is applauding the church in Berea. Paul is not commending the Berean Church’s blind faith but their eagerness to receive the gospel and examine its truthfulness with the Scriptures. It states, “Now these [the Bereans] were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so. 12 Therefore many of them believed, along with a number of prominent Greek women and men.” Did the Bereans receive the gospel blindly? That is not what Scripture says. Paul's presentation of the gospel backed by Scripture convinced many of them to believe. That is not a blind faith. A few verses earlier, we see Paul speaking to Jews in Thessalonica. Acts 17:2-4 says, “And according to Paul’s custom, he went to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and giving evidence that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you is the Christ.” 4 And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, along with a large number of the God-fearing Greeks and a number of the leading women.” The Thessalonians did not receive the gospel blindly either, as Paul ‘reasoned’ and ‘gave evidence’ of Christ to them. Paul persuaded some through reason, logic, and evidence, not blind faith. What is even more revealing is Paul’s customary routine was reasoning and giving evidence to the unbelieving Jews, not asking them to blindly accept what he was saying. Paul uses evidence, reason, and logic almost every time he presents the gospel to the lost as well. Did the lost blindly come to Christ? Or did they need to hear the gospel from a preacher to believe (Rom. 10:13-15)? “For “WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.” 14 How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher?” Biblical Example No. 3 — Disciples’ Doubt, Jesus’ Proof Even the disciples needed evidence, as all of them doubted Jesus’ resurrection, which Jesus had to prove to His disciples. Acts 1:3 says, “To these He also presented Himself alive after His suffering, by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days and speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God.” Another example of the disciples' doubt is in Mark 16:11-13 after Jesus appeared to Mary. She told them Jesus was risen, but “when they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they refused to believe it. 12 After that, He appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking along on their way to the country. 13 They went away and reported it to the others, but they did not believe them either.” The disciples’ doubt is stated again in Luke 24:11: “But these words appeared to them as nonsense, and they would not believe them.” Peter then, needing proof, ran to the tomb to see the evidence (24:12). The rest of Luke 24 details the many appearances of Jesus after His resurrection and the doubt most had before believing it was truly Him. Why is Blind Faith Dangerous? There are many reasons having blind faith is dangerous. Here are a few. I am sure we have all supported ‘blind faith’ by saying things like this:
Conclusion Is faith blind? Does Scripture support Christians having a blind faith? I do not believe so as the evidence throughout Scripture and in my own life is irrefutable. Is it really blind faith to believe in healing? Or do we faithfully believe because we know and have evidential proof that He heals? Do we really have blind faith in the salvation of our lost family and friends? Or do we have faith because of the evidence that we were once lost as well? Is it blind faith to believe in the return of Jesus? Or do we believe He will return because He says so? All faith is evidential and alive, as we see throughout Scripture and in our lives. We faithfully believe in healing because Jesus still heals. We believe in salvation because Jesus saved us. We believe in the Second Coming because Jesus promised He will return. Throughout Scripture, we find that reason, wisdom, and logic are honorable traits. We are even told to seek knowledge and understanding (Prv. 4:23) and that God rewards those who do (3:13). In Hebrews 5:12-14, the author rebukes believers for their lack of maturity and understanding, stating that they need to be retaught the milk—or basics—of the faith once again instead of becoming teachers themselves. Blind faith is like passive living, which is antithetical to the born-again life in Christ. How are we to do good works without evidential faith? James 2:17, 26 tells us faith without works is dead. How can faith be blind knowing we cannot live a passive lifestyle? I encourage you to pray and humbly study the Scriptures about this topic if this is a new idea for you. I believe the Lord wants to empower and encourage all followers of Christ to live with an active, evidential faith—not a passive, blind faith. There will be moments in our walk with Christ that will challenge our faith because we do not have the complete picture. However, our faith is not blind. We base our faith on our knowledge of God's character, His promises, and our personal experience walking with Him daily. I hope this topical teaching on faith was helpful and informative and helps you in your walk with Christ. Please, comment with your thoughts, concerns, question, or corrections. Thank you for reading! Please, share as that is the best way to support my writing. I love you all! Romans 1:19-20 (NASB1995) “Because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.”
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By Isaac Goodwin
I have wanted to write an expository teaching on this passage for a couple of years now. If you know me, you know I have a passion for carefully dividing the truth of Scripture, especially about the Second Coming of Jesus. This topic needs to be clarified and understood, as it is read with heavy presuppositions founded on poor hermeneutics. I hope this teaching is helpful and provides a clearer picture of the return of Jesus, and an understanding of what He meant in these passages! Matthew 24:37-41 (NASB) “For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. 38 For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, 39 and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be. 40 Then there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one will be left. Luke 17:34-37 (NASB) “I tell you, on that night there will be two in one bed; one will be taken and the other will be left. 35 There will be two women grinding at the same place; one will be taken and the other will be left. 36 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other will be left.” 37 And answering they said to Him, “Where, Lord?” And He said to them, “Where the body is, there also the vultures will be gathered.” Introduction Before Holy Spirit revealed the biblical truth about Jesus’ return, I was an emphatic supporter of the pre-tribulation rapture view. I honestly never knew there were other perspectives—I was naive and never studied the Word. Instead, I believed everything I heard and agreed with the popular consensus. Obviously, the pre-tribulation rapture was true, so why was there such division on the topic? I decided I needed to study God’s Word for myself to see what He revealed about this doctrine, instead of just believing something I had heard. Does ‘one taken, one left’ really support a pre-tribulation rapture? When you read the phrase ‘one taken, one left’ I am sure your mind immediately goes to the Left Behind films and seeing people disappear, planes crashing, cars wrecking, people’s clothes littered everywhere, and complete chaos ensuing. This has been the marketed belief over the past few decades, especially since the turn of the millennium, because of the popularity of the Left Behind stories and most celebrity pastors teaching on the Second Coming this way. It is honestly easy to believe and accept the pre-tribulation rapture perspective because it makes sense with cherry-picked verses, but what does Scripture truly say? Does ‘one taken, one left’ actually teach us about a pre-tribulation rapture? Who is taken? Where are they taken? What did Jesus mean? Let’s see! Where? A foundational revelation that opened my eyes was in Luke 17:37. Jesus is concluding His teaching on the Second Coming and the disciples ask Him, “Where, Lord?” The ‘where’ is regarding those who are taken. If you hold a pre-tribulation view, this passage seems pre-trib and you probably have never thought otherwise. Obviously, the ‘taken’ are raptured to Heaven, right? Most people stop at v. 36 because it confirms the pre-trib view that the church is raptured or taken while the unbelieving and lukewarm are left to deal with the tribulation. Here are vs. 34-36 again: “34 I tell you, on that night there will be two in one bed; one will be taken and the other will be left. 35 There will be two women grinding at the same place; one will be taken and the other will be left. 36 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other will be left.” But the passage does not end there. The disciples ask Jesus a question in v. 37… a question that gives us so much clarity. They ask, “Where?” “Where, Lord?” Where what? They are asking where the taken are taken and Jesus provides an answer to their question. He answers, “Where the body is, there also the vultures* will be gathered.” *I should note that some translations say eagles instead of vultures, but the meaning remains the same. In Hebrew, many birds (e.g. vultures, hawks, eagles, buzzards, carrions, falcons, etc.) are synonymous with the negative connotation of death, decay, and judgment. So… bodies? Vultures? What are you saying, Jesus? Think about it this way. If this is supposed to be the rapture of the church, then why will our bodies gather where the vultures are? If this is supposed to be the rapture of the church, then why didn’t Jesus just say the taken are taken to Heaven? What does Jesus mean by gathering where the vultures are? I believe we first need a biblical understanding of vultures to properly understand what Jesus is saying. The vultures are the key to understanding this passage. Vultures in an Old Testament Context In the Torah, God declares vultures unclean and prohibits the Israelites from eating any bird of prey (Lev. 11:13; Deut. 14:12) because they feasted on dead carcasses and carried numerous diseases. Throughout the Torah and Old Testament, vultures also signified dishonor in death. The Israelites were reverent in their ancient burial practices because leaving bodies unburied attracted fowls and other predators to feast on the carcasses. This was highly dishonorable and symbolized judgment for the dead. Old Testament References There are dozens of examples, but I will provide just a handful for length purposes. Pay attention to the theme of each. One biblical reference is Deuteronomy 28:26: “Your carcasses will be food to all birds of the sky and to the beasts of the earth, and there will be no one to frighten them away.” The context is about the Israelites' rebellion against God. Another example is in Jeremiah 22:19 when he prophesies judgment on King Jehoiakim: “He will be buried with a donkey’s burial, Dragged off and thrown out beyond the gates of Jerusalem.” An earthly judgment of King Jehoiakim—who rebelled against God—was one of complete dishonor as the prophecy came true in Jeremiah 36:30. He was buried like a donkey, left for dead in the streets. Robert Jamieson states that “[King Jehoiakim] shall have the same burial as an ass would get, namely, he shall be left a prey for beasts and birds.” Another is in Proverbs about disobedience. Proverbs 30:17 states, “The eye that mocks a father And scorns a mother, The ravens of the valley will pick it out, And the young eagles will eat it.” A final example is in Hosea 8:1, which says, “Put the trumpet to your lips! Like an eagle the enemy comes against the house of the LORD, Because they have transgressed My covenant And rebelled against My law.” The eagle here personified the Assyrians who were coming against Israel because of their continued rebellion against God—but it stands consistent along with the other mentions of birds and beasts throughout Scripture. The overarching theme of these passages? Rebellion against God. Vultures signified judgment and death to those who rebelled against God. Since we understand the biblical significance of vultures, let’s segue back to our main passages in Matthew and Luke. But what is the context and significance of the vultures mentioned in Luke 17:37? Jesus tells us that too within the same passage just a few verses earlier. Luke 17:26-30 (NASB) “And just as it happened in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: 27 they were eating, they were drinking, they were marrying, they were being given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. 28 It was the same as happened in the days of Lot: they were eating, they were drinking, they were buying, they were selling, they were planting, they were building; 29 but on the day that Lot went out from Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. 30 It will be just the same on the day that the Son of Man is revealed.” This passage is nearly verbatim to Matthew 24:37-41. Jesus tells us that ‘as in the days of Noah and Lot’, so will it be at His Second Coming. This provides further context about the vultures mentioned in v. 37, which is consistent with the rest of Scripture. This also teaches the nearness of His return, as moral and societal decay, along with rebellion against God, was prevalent before judgment came against Noah and Lot. Do you see? Jesus’ answer is symbolic of judgment as vultures indicate death, not resurrection into eternal life. We know this because Jesus parallels this passage with Noah and those taken by the flood (v. 26-27; Matt. 24:28). In the days of Noah, those taken in the flood were destroyed and taken into judgment. At His Second Coming, those taken will be destroyed and taken into judgment. The moral and societal decay and rebellion against God during Noah and Lot’s days led to the destruction and judgment of the wicked—the same as will happen at Christ’s coming. Craig Keener states that “the Son of Man’s coming would bring judgment as on Noah’s and Lot’s generations (Lk. 17:26-30), leaving his enemies as food for vultures (Ezek. 32:4-6; 39:17-20), which Jewish people considered a horrible, [dishonorable] fate (Deut. 28:26; 1 Sam. 17:44; Ps. 79:2).” It is lazy hermeneutics to imply that the taken are raptured to Heaven in this passage. The rapture simply does not exist in this passage as it clearly teaches about the judgment against the wicked who rebel against God—which is consistent with every mention of vultures throughout Scripture. This includes New Testament passages as well. In the New Testament, vultures indicate the coming death and judgment of those who follow the Antichrist (Matt. 24:28; Lk. 17:37; Rev. 19:17-21). The coming of Christ revealed in Revelation 19 includes a graphic picture of judgment against the wicked who remain. Revelation 19:17-18 (NASB) “Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and he cried out with a loud voice, saying to all the birds which fly in midheaven, “Come, assemble for the great supper of God, 18 so that you may eat the flesh of kings and the flesh of commanders and the flesh of mighty men and the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them and the flesh of all men, both free men and slaves, and small and great.” The wicked will suffer greatly at the coming of Christ, and they will have a most dishonorable death, as did all those who rebelled against God throughout Scripture. One final scriptural parallel I will mention is in Job 39:26-30. In this passage, God is speaking to Job about creation. Job 39:26-30 (NASB) “Is it by your understanding that the hawk soars, Stretching his wings toward the south? 27 Is it at your command that the eagle mounts up And makes his nest on high? 28 On the cliff he dwells and lodges, Upon the rocky crag, an inaccessible place. 29 From there he spies out food; His eyes see it from afar. 30 His young ones also suck up blood; And where the slain are, there is he.” See the parallel? Lk. 17:37: “Where the body is, there also the vultures will be gathered.” Job 39:30b: “And where the slain are, there is he.” The vultures gather where the bodies are... where the slain are... the taken are rotting corpses taken into judgment. Application I believe this passage reveals a lot about the world's current state. In Noah's day, moral and societal decay, corrupted by sin, against God was commonplace. In return, God judged the world by destroying it along with the wicked. Today, the world seems like it is falling further and further into moral and societal decay as it is corrupted by sin and blasphemous against our Holy God. Jesus tells us that just before His coming, the world will be just like Noah's. Will we be taken or raptured away like many interpret this verse to mean? No. We will endure and teach the truth of Christ to the nations as long as we can until He returns to deliver us from sin and take the wicked into judgment. Conclusion The Second Coming of Christ is one of the most misunderstood doctrines in Scripture. The modern church leans heavily on the pre-tribulation perspective without proper hermeneutics or biblical support. Through proper interpretation and extensive study of Scripture, we see the taken described by Jesus being taken into judgment to be destroyed, not raptured into Heaven. This passage does not support a pre-tribulation rapture but shows us that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever—rebellion leads to destruction, but we have hope in Christ! I hope this teaching was helpful and informative! Please, leave your thoughts, questions, concerns, or corrections. I appreciate any support and feedback. I love you all! By Isaac Goodwin
I have wanted to share expository teaching on this passage for a while now because it is one of the most misunderstood and misapplied passages in the Bible. I want to note that this is one of my favorite passages to admit that I was wrong in my former presuppositions—I had a completely backward understanding of this passage and learning the historical context through my study was mind-blowing. Revelation 3:15-16 (NASB) “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. 16 So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth.” Introduction We have all heard this passage used in the context of a professing Christian who is ‘on the fence’ or living an unrepentant lifestyle of sin—and I agree. Followers of Christ are not called to live a passive lifestyle deluded by sin and the secular world. We are called to be holy and set apart for good works in Christ—to be a living, self-sacrificial example of Jesus, so the unbelieving world will see Christ in us and believe in Him. Jesus does not relent in His condemnation of people who are lukewarm, stating that He will “spit them out of My mouth.” But what does Jesus mean by preferring people to be hot or cold in this passage? And what does lukewarm mean? We have all heard a sermon teaching that God clearly wants us to be ‘hot’ or ‘burning’ or ‘on fire’ for Him, right? Does this mean zealous for good works? Yeah, totally. Does this mean working and serving and doing tons of things for our church? Eh, sure. Does this mean praying and serving 24/7 and providing zero time to your family? Uh, no. So what does being hot mean? But more interestingly, what does being cold mean and why does Jesus prefer us cold? Does it really mean He wants us to be unbelieving, like pagans? To be a Satanist? To be apathetic about God and eternity? To completely apostatize? Before forming an opinion by diving straight into an assumption about what Jesus means by hot, cold, and lukewarm, we need to look at the historical context of this passage to truly understand what it means—as we should with all Scripture. Historical context The apostle John wrote Revelation while in exile on the Isle of Patmos, sometime between 68-95 AD. There is some speculation about who exiled him, but most scholars believe it was Nero in 68-69 AD, rather than Domitian in 94-95 AD. During this time, there were three thriving cities within the Lycus River Valley: Colossae, Hieropolis, and Laodicea. The Lycus River Valley was located in Western Turkey, around 100 miles west of Ephesus. Hieropolis and Laodicea were six miles apart on opposite sides of the Lycus River, while Colossae was located further upriver along a mountain range. Laodicea rested at the bottoming fork of the Lycus River between the two cities (click the link below for geographical reference). ferrelljenkins.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/lycus-river-valley_sm2.jpg This was a booming, affluent region with fertile land and green pastures littered with sheep and other animals for trade. It was the epicenter of the wool industry and provided rich, marketable trade routes for accompanying travelers and location-specific sought-after goods for tourists. Hieropolis The Romans referred to Hieropolis as the “holy city” for its beautiful white cliffs and hot springs. Calcium oxide that would mix in the hot springs and flow into the river below formed the cliffs and was a sight to see for travelers and tourists. Thousands of people visited from all over to bathe in its hot springs, believing they had great healing powers brought by the god of health and hot water, Heracles. The springs provided medicinal baths for visitors who came with varying ailments and healed many. Along with the medicinal baths, the hot springs had many streams branching throughout the city, which people used to collect minerals for medicine and precious mineral dyes for the wool industry. The temperature of the hot springs reached 95 degrees, which helped in the cleaning and coloring of the dyes used for the wool—it produced black, purple, and scarlet dye. Hieropolis—healing hot water. Colossae People discovered Colossae's cold, fresh spring water, and it became a destination for travelers and tourists from hundreds of miles away. The cold, refreshing spring water was the cleanest in the region, flowing from the snow-and-rain-fed streams rushing down from the peak of Mount Cadmus before resting in Colossae and moving into the Lycus River. The city of Colossae and outside travelers and tourists benefited from the refreshing and life-giving cold springs. Colossae—life-giving cold water. Laodicea Historians refer to Laodicea as the financial and political center of the region, as it accumulated great wealth and possessions from Rome and outside trade. But Laodicea had a big issue—it had no useful water as the city was located downriver from Hieropolis and Colossae and had neither hot nor cold springs (see the link above for geographical reference). Not to be outdone, Laodicea built—or tried to build—an aqueduct to channel the hot water from Hieropolis down to Laodicea, but by the time the hot spring water made it down to Laodicea, it had cooled to where it was merely lukewarm, fit neither for bathing nor drinking. Notably, some historians and archaeologists claim that they have found no aqueducts going from Hieropolis to Laodicea, but this does not change the fact that Laodicea had no hot water. The same issues arise with the cold water from Colossae. It was impractical for an aqueduct to travel nine miles through mountainous terrain, so Laodicea could not benefit from the cold water of Colossae, either. By the time the cold water traveled downriver to Laodicea, it had warmed to where it was merely lukewarm and unfit for drinking. When we study the original historical context of this passage, we see John is not associating cold with paganism and hot with Christianity. Rather, in the original historical context, both ‘cold’ and ‘hot’ were wonderfully useful and beneficial. This is why Jesus would rather Laodicea be hot or cold. Not because He wanted them to be ‘on fire’ believers or ‘cold as ice’ pagans, but so they would be useful with the gifts given to them for the good of the gospel. Instead, the church in Laodicea succumbed to corruption, worshipping false gods and clinging to their wealth and possessions, which made them useless for the ministry of the gospel. Laodicea had an abundance of wealth and possessions, but no useful water for living. It was stuck with ‘lukewarm’ water, which was useless and undrinkable, unlike the greatly beneficial hot and cold water from Hieropolis and Colossae. Laodicea—sickening lukewarm water. Application So what does a good version of cold and hot look like today? I believe we can apply this not just to ourselves but to the Church as a whole—or your local church. Regarding the local church and Church as a whole… Is it life-giving, like the cold water of Colossae? A place of healing for people to come, like the hot water of Hieropolis? Or is it a lukewarm place where people do not find the life-giving gospel and healing power of Christ? Littered with false teaching, hypocrisy, and unrepentant sin leading to sickness and death? We see this far too often throughout the American church. Many pastors and professing Christians lie, cheat, steal, get drunk, and are inept at teaching the truth of God’s Word. It is useless in our calling to spread the gospel to all nations when we have not just church leaders, but professing Christians, living lukewarm lives like this. Jesus is living water for all, and we can find healing in Him. But what use is lukewarmness? We cannot help people in their walk with Christ and accompany them on their faith journey if we are lukewarm. We must teach the unadulterated life-giving truth of the gospel and live a self-sacrificial life following Christ. We must abandon our wants and desires of this life, deny ourselves, and follow Jesus. We must abandon the wealth and possessions of this world and be content with what God has given each of us. It is easier said than done, but in Christ and the regenerative power of His Holy Spirit, we can do all things. We can receive healing and a new life in Christ. Conclusion It is quite clear John did not mean that God would rather we be unbelieving pagans than lukewarm Christians. Hot and cold water are both useful, while lukewarm water is useless. Ancient records tell us that hot and cold water was both used for healing and life-giving medicinal purposes, while lukewarm water was sickening and vomit-inducing. This is what Jesus meant by preferring we live a hot or cold life, not that we are conversely pagan or Christian. But are you living a self-sacrificial life? Loving and serving others above yourself? Making disciples and helping them in their journey of healing and sanctification? Or are you living a life of pleasure and sin, lukewarm in your walk with Christ? No different from the world? Not set apart? Unholy? Useless for the ministry of the gospel? I hope this teaching provides a better understanding of this passage and encourages you in your walk with Jesus. It is a convicting message and one we all need to hear as the passage allows us to self-reflect as we continue on our sanctified walk with Christ. I encourage you to comment on your thoughts, questions, concerns, or corrections. Thank you for reading. I love you all! There are many popular deliverance ministries recently taking the stance that Christians can have demons. I am hoping these ministries do not truly believe this and just clarify. But since none have clarified yet and continue teaching that born-again Christians can have demons, I am hoping this post provides some biblical clarity on the topic of demons and demonic possession.
While demonic activity, including possession, is real and believers need to acknowledge the daily battle waged against the darkness and principalities of this world, Scripture does not support the demonic possession of Christians born of the Spirit of God. There is an inerrant difference between POSSESSION and OPPRESSION. Born-again Christians can deal with oppression by demonic influence (e.g. addictions, sickness, blindness, depression, anxiety, confusion, evil thoughts, sin, etc.)*, but possession or ‘having demons’ is unbiblical. *It should be noted that not all of these things are only from demons. Sometimes, the causation is from us or genetics (e.g. depression and anxiety from slothfulness and choosing to stay a victim in our sin, and sickness and disease from lifestyles where we choose to avoid exercise, eating healthy, etc.). Most importantly, believers need to understand that they can be completely free from all demonic influence in Christ, according to His will! But what does Scripture say about demons? What or who are demons? Scripture tells us that demons are fallen angels who joined Satan in rebellion against God (Rev. 12:9). In Jude 1:6, we learn that angels “did not keep their own domain, but abandoned their proper abode.” Angels were created to glorify God in Heaven for all eternity, among other specific duties, but because of their rebellion v. 6 continues, “He [God] has kept [them] in eternal bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day.” Richard Jamieson states “‘their own’ in v. 6 implies that, instead of being content with the dignity once for all assigned to them under the Son of God, they aspired higher.” God has ‘bound and chained’ some rebellious angels in Tartarus—the deepest, darkest pits of Sheol—awaiting judgment before being thrown into the Lake of Fire with Satan and the wicked. But how and why did demons come to earth? Revelation 12:4, 9 tells us that one-third of the angels in Heaven were deceived by Satan and cast out by God. “4 And his tail swept away a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth… 9 And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.” The stars thrown to earth in v. 4 are angels as confirmed in v. 9. Also, Satan—an antichrist—is known in Scripture as a ‘morning star’ (Is. 14:12; Lk. 10:18), contrasting Jesus Christ calling Himself the ‘morning star’ (Rev. 22:16). Rev. 12:4, 9 implies that Lucifer persuaded other angels to apostatize and now demons are free to roam the earth and wage spiritual battle against humans (Eph. 6:12; Col. 2:15). What do demons do? As stated, Satan and his demons wage spiritual war against humans and are free to do so. They look to destroy the work of God and deceive anyone they can (1 Pet. 5:8; 2 Cor. 11:14–15). Scripture describes demons as evil spirits (Matt. 10:1), unclean spirits (Mk. 1:27), and lying spirits (1 Kings 22:23) who deceive the world (2 Cor. 4:4), spread false doctrine (1 Tim. 4:1), attack Christians (2 Cor. 12:7), oppress and possess unbelievers with sickness, ailments, etc. (Matt. 8:33; Mk. 9:25; Lk. 8:29, 11:14), and combat the holy angels of God (Rev. 12:4-9). They accuse the brethren with lies and deception and also cause physical and spiritual harm, but the power of Christ and the Holy Spirit can overcome and deliver all who are oppressed and possessed by them. Can demons possess a Spirit-filled person? Since demons are spirit beings, they can take possession of physical bodies—although they cannot possess innate objects. There is no biblical evidence supporting ‘demonic attachment’, even though it is a popular occult belief. Demonic activity attracts demons with the opportunity to possess ‘empty vessels’—people without the Spirit of God or demons—but objects are not living and cannot be possessed. A biblical example of demonic possession of an ‘empty vessel’ is found in Luke 11:24-26. The context of this passage is about somebody truly delivered from demons, but after their deliverance, they weren’t filled with Christ. Luke 11:24-26 (NASB) “24 When the unclean spirit goes out of a man, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and not finding any, it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ 25 And when it comes, it finds it swept and put in order. 26 Then it goes and takes along seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they go in and live there; and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first.” The demons came back to a vacant spirit. This is an important issue not talked about enough because many people today get delivered, but then what? Do they accept Christ? Are they born again? Or do they continue on with their lives like the nine lepers or the man in this parable? A person without the Spirit of God is vulnerable to demonic possession, even if they were previously delivered. The delivered man in Lk. 11:27 was all tidy and “put in order” (v. 27), but the demons noticed this and repossessed him, making his life even worse than before. This happens to people dealing with depression, anxiety, addictions, etc. They are delivered but are not filled with Christ, so they stay vacant, allowing the demons to oppress and possess them again. For reference, this parable in Luke 11:24-26 is mentioned almost verbatim in Matthew 12:43-45. What are some other biblical accounts of possession? Throughout the gospels, there are many other accounts of Jesus and His disciples encountering demonic possession. Demons have no authority or power against the power of Christ. Jesus cast out demons many times with just a word, as His word carries authority over all evil. Matthew 8:16a (NASB) “When evening came, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed; and He cast out the spirits with a word,” Jesus’ authority over the demons was proof that He was indeed the Son of God (Lk. 11:20). The demons who encountered Jesus even admitted who He was, and feared Him as stated in Matthew 8:29, “‘What do you want with us, Son of God?’ they shouted. ‘Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time?’” See, even the demons know their eventual end will be one of eternal torment, and they are no match for the power of God. If a born-again believer is filled with the Spirit of God, a demonic spirit cannot fill them. There are many other biblical accounts of Jesus delivering people from demons but this post is already far longer than anticipated, so I will list just a few passages here: Matt. 8:16, 32; 9:33; Mk. 1:34, 39; 5:8; 7:26; 9:25; 16:9; Lk. 4:35, 41; 8:29; 11:14; 13:32). In conclusion, there are many accounts of demons and demonic possession and even more accounts of the freedom born-again Christians have against them. Demons are fallen angels and enemies of God and His people. But they are enemies who hold no power against the power of Christ and Spirit-filled believers. Christ has “disarmed the powers and authorities,” and “made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross” (Col. 2:15). As we submit to Christ and resist the devil and his sinful influences, we have nothing to fear because “The one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world” (1 Jn. 4:14). I hope this teaching is insightful and helpful. Please, respond with your thoughts, questions, or corrections. I love you all! By Isaac Goodwin
I have been studying 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3 and discovered a really interesting revelation about deception in the end. I hope this teaching is informative and blesses you! 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3 (NASB1995) “Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, that you not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed,” While there is *some* debate about what “apostasy” means in 2 Thessalonians 2:3, the passage clearly warns believers they can—and some sadly do—deceive themselves and fall away from the faith. But deceived how? By whom? By what? Let’s see! I will mention the first deception and three ways false teachers and prophets led astray believers in the Bible and how they still do today. Then I will mention the following two deceptions near the end. Hopefully, this is not too confusing! The First Deception The passage in v. 2 directly states the first deception—Paul says those claiming they know when Jesus is returning can deceive believers. There were many false prophets and teachers throughout Thessalonica claiming that there was no resurrection, Christ had already returned, or they knew the exact timing of His return. These claims were confusing and alarming to the Church there because they did not understand if they missed Jesus’ Second Coming or what was happening to their dying friends and family. Paul comforts the believers in Thessalonica by explaining two things: - He tells them about two events that must happen before Jesus’ return—a) the great apostasy AND b) the antichrist’s revealing—so they can know the signs and times of His coming. - He also comforts them by stating three ways false teachers and prophets were deceiving believers. Paul says in v. 2 “that you not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come.” Here are the three ways false teachers and prophets deceived the Thessalonians. The first is ‘by a spirit’ — that is distraught emotionally and intellectually by false prophecies, which come from antichrist spirits. At the time, there were many false teachers and prophets professing to have the spirit of prophecy (1 Cor. 12:8-10; 1 Jn. 4:1-3). The Thessalonians had been warned to ‘prove’ such prophesying, and to “hold fast to that which is good” (1 Thess. 5:20-21). They were not told to abstain from and rebuke all prophecy, but to discern whether it was true since many were being deceived and falling into these false teachings—something we see far too often today. The second is ‘by a message’ regarding word-of-mouth teachings. Some were claiming words or sayings alleged to be that of Paul, who often orally communicated. Paul explicitly confirms this in vs. 5, 15, “5 Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things?… 15 So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught, whether by word of mouth or by letter from us.” If oral tradition was liable for such perversion in the apostolic age, then how much more should we have discernment for such things today? The third is ‘by a letter’, as plagiarized directly from Paul. There are many historically known plagiarized copies of Paul’s works that were twisted—something we still see today as many distort the Scriptures to mean something other than what Paul meant. We know this by a test he gives for how to prove to know his genuine letters. In 2 Thess. 3:17, he explicitly says, “I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand, and this is a distinguishing mark in every letter; this is the way I write.” Although many tried and still distort the Word, the Church in Thessalonica was taught how to distinguish the truth from the almost truth, as we are to do today. So, the first deception is false teachers and prophets leading the church astray with their false teaching regarding the return of Jesus. But what are the other two ways? Jesus specifically states them, giving the same warnings in connection with the same event—His Second Coming—in Matthew 24. In total, Christ indicates three ways in which false teachers might deceive believers (2 Thess. 2:2, 9; Matt. 24:4-5, 23-24). Matthew 24:4-5 (NASB1995) “And Jesus answered and said to them, “See to it that no one misleads you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many.” The Second Deception How will they be misled? By people claiming to be Christ. It seems unbelievable to think that believers can be deceived by a false Christ, but how many professing Christians do we already openly see following false Christ’s today? That is a Jesus made from their own misinterpretations—a Jesus who does not call for repentance, who does not require believers to truly follow Him, who does not save. Thankfully, within the context of the end times passage, Jesus stated a way for us to discern if it is truly Him or not. Matthew 24:6-8 (NASB1995) “You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes. But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.” Later, within the same passage, Jesus warns the disciples again in vs. 23-24 stating “if anyone says to you, ‘Behold, here is the Christ,’ or ‘There He is,’ do not believe him. For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect.” The Third Deception This passage in v. 24 not only tells us the second but also the third way in which believers can and will be deceived in the end—by false signs and wonders. It is truly amazing how clear this message is. This passage in Matthew 24 begins with the disciples asking Jesus about the end and His Second Coming, and this is his response. It should be noted that this is the ONLY time Jesus references His return and the end of days. It should also be noted that what Jesus says in Matthew is stated by Paul almost verbatim in Thessalonians. This proves that there is no doubting Paul’s message and authority regarding these deceptions and the timing of Jesus’ Second Coming. It also rebukes anything the false teachers and prophets were claiming then and claim today regarding what is already written. In conclusion, there are three ways false teachers and prophets deceived believers in Thessalonica regarding the end times: 1) by speaking falsely about Jesus’ return, 2) by falsely claiming Christ, and 3) by false signs and wonders. Jesus confirms these in Matthew 24 as does Paul in his letters to the Thessalonians. While this sounds troubling, believers are given ways to discern the signs and times. We can know the times of Jesus’ return by two events: the great apostasy and the revealing of the antichrist. We can also know how to rebuke and discern false teachers and false prophets who mislead the flock with their ear-tickling false prophecies and distort the truth of the written Word. We must study the Word and divide the truth—discernment regarding the coming of Christ is not a secondary issue and one we need to know the truth about. I hope this teaching is beneficial. Please, reply with your thoughts! Have a great day! By Isaac Goodwin
Hello friends, today we will be taking a look at Matthew 3:11 and learning the context of this passage to understand what it actually means. Matthew 3:11 (ESV) 11 “I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” The other day, I stumbled across a video breaking down the “fire of the Holy Spirit.” It is a topic that I’ve been interested in studying within a biblical context for a while now so I was excited… but the video took a quick turn into something I highly disagreed with. In the clip, the guy stated that the “fire” mentioned in Matthew 3:11 was not a “Holy Spirit baptism of fire” as I’ve always believed and as most teach today. So I did what I normally do when I read or hear a new interpretation of scripture—I researched it… and what I found was that my preconceived understanding was wrong once again. As many of you, probably, I’ve only ever heard this verse shared in the context that the baptism of the Holy Spirit is a fire baptism, and is related to the “tongues of fire” mentioned in Acts 2. But when you read the surrounding verses we see John explaining that those who bear bad fruit are thrown into the “fire” (v. 10). Then he explains that the wheat/believers are gathered to Christ, while the chaff/unbelievers are thrown into “unquenchable fire” (v. 12). To understand the true context of (3:11) we need to read the surrounding verses and then the entire passage. Here is Matt. 3:10-12 (ESV): “10 Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 11 “I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.” As you see, the “fire” mentioned in (3:10, 12) is talking about judgment for the unrepentant—in v. 11, the baptism of the Holy Spirit is for the believing and repentant, while the baptism of fire in v. 11 is for the unbelieving and unrepentant. Dr. Craig Keener states in the IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament, Second Edition, “the prophets had predicted the outpouring of God’s Spirit on the righteous at the time when God established his kingdom for Israel (Is 44:3; Ezek 39:29; Joel 2:28). They also decreed fire upon the wicked (Is 26:11; 65:15; 66:24; Jer 4:4; 15:14; etc.). In Matthew 3:11, the wicked are baptized, or immersed, in fire (3:10, 12), [while] the righteous in the Holy Spirit.” To provide more context for this passage, let’s see where else the baptism of the Holy Spirit is mentioned. In Acts 11:17, we see the baptism of the Holy Spirit given to those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. In Acts 1:4-5 and Acts 11:15-17, the baptism of the Holy Spirit is mentioned but both passages say nothing about “fire.” This is because Matt. 3:11 is speaking directly about judgment fire for those who won’t bear fruit with repentance as mentioned in the previous verses. For reference, there’s no mention of fire related to the baptism of the Holy Spirit—these verses in Acts are related to Matt. 3:11 because they mention John’s baptism. Acts 1:4-5 (ESV) “4 And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” Acts 11:15-16 (ESV) “15 As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as on us at the beginning. 16 And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ This “fire” in Matt. 3 is often mistaken for the “tongues as of fire” mentioned in Acts 2 during Pentecost, but these tongues that rested upon those believers aren’t a fire baptism—they are a Holy Spirit baptism. Many interpret Acts 2:3 as the baptism of fire because it says, “3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. Notice that the verse does not just say “fire”; instead, it says “tongues as of fire appeared”. Too often, people jump to the conclusion that this is the baptism of fire—this is what is taught in most evangelical circles. While the baptism of the Holy Spirit does feel like a burning sensation, it is not the baptism of fire. Let’s look at the surrounding passages that clearly describe this event as the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and not of fire. When we go back to Acts 1, Jesus mentions the baptism of the Holy Spirit that will come upon them. He says, “you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” Notice that fire isn’t mentioned anywhere regarding the baptism of the Holy Spirit. When we read Acts 11 again, we see that fire isn’t anywhere in this passage either—just the baptism of the Holy Spirit. It says, “And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” After looking at the surrounding context of Matthew 3 and cross-referencing this passage with Acts 1 and 11 mentioning John’s baptism, we clearly see that the baptism of the Holy Spirit and the baptism of fire are not the same. We can conclude that the baptism of fire is about the coming judgment for the unbelieving and unrepentant, while the baptism of the Holy Spirit is for the believers and repentant. Thanks for reading! I hope this teaching blesses you. Have a great day! By Isaac Goodwin
Sharing a very short teaching about Revelation 3:10 using the Greek. Does this passage confirm pre-trib? Let’s see! Revelation 3:10 (NASB1995) “Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.” Jesus says a very similar thing during His prayer to the Father in John 17:15. In this text, Jesus does not pray for the disciples to be removed out of the world. But he prays for his own to be kept from the evil one. John 17:15 NASB1995 “I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one.” Thus, his own CAN be kept from the evil one without being removed from the world (e.g. think about a Passover blood-on-the-doorpost-like protection). It is perfectly possible that Christ's sheep should be kept from the hour of temptation stated in Revelation 3:10 without being physically removed from the world itself—just as Jesus prayed in John 17:15. More so, the Greek wording “εκ της ωρας του πειρασμου” (from the hour of temptation) in John 17:15, uses the same construction and preposition as “εκ του πονηρου” in Revelation 3:10. Therefore, it can’t be confirmed as absolute truth that the only interpretation of this verse is an absolute “removal of” believers from evil—but more likely a “keeping from” evil as is consistent with the rest of scripture. As with all scripture, many texts must be examined closely and prayerfully before arriving at a conclusion. It is never a good idea to conclude an entire doctrine based on a single text of scripture. Looking forward to any questions or comments! Love you all! By Isaac Goodwin
Wanted to share something I’ve noticed while studying Jesus’ 40-day fast. Since Jesus is our model in fasting—a cool fact that’s revealed in scripture about His 40-day fast is that He was tempted during the 40 days AND after the 40 days. But the coolest part about His fast is the latter half of Matthew 4:2 and Luke 4:2. Matthew 4:2 (NASB): “And after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry.” Like 4:2 (NASB): “for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And He ate nothing during those days, and when they had ended, He became hungry.” AFTER the 40-day fast, He THEN became hungry. He wasn’t hungry during the 40 days because He was so filled with the Spirit. He was so filled and provided for by the Father that He didn’t even feel the need to eat. He wasn’t hungry until He was done fasting. How to be so full of Him that we don’t even crave what we fast! We have no desire until after! Another interesting note is in the following verse for each passage—the devil tempted Jesus during the 40 days, but we hear nothing about those temptations. The temptations of Satan that are listed come AFTER Jesus’ fast when he BECOMES HUNGRY. Satan waited until after the fast to attack and bring the most challenging temptations. We don’t know what Satan tempted Jesus with during the 40 days when He wasn’t hungry—but we see Satan jump at the opportunity to tempt Jesus even further when He was hungry. When He seemed weakest and most vulnerable. We must always be on guard! As 1 Peter 5:8 (NASB) states: “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” The devil is always seeking to devour us and he attacks in our most vulnerable, carnal moments. How do we resist these satanic attacks and our flesh? By standing firm in our faith and trusting in the LORD that all our suffering will lead us to Himself. Suffering is guaranteed—through tests, trials, and tribulations—but He is with us and will establish us. We must humble ourselves (v. 7), cast our anxiety on Him (v. 8), and stand firm (v. 9). 1 Peter 5:9-10 (NASB) “But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world. After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.” By Isaac Goodwin
“The words of Christ are reliable and true. He spoke of the Great Tribulation so that we will be ensured that we will not experience it.” Okay, I need to comment and share about this comment I saw on a popular Christian website. When I first saw the title, I was hopeful for a truth-filled teaching but should have known that wasn’t the case. While, duh, God’s Word is reliable and true—this statement about the Great Tribulation is completely false. Jesus did NOT tell us we would miss out on the Great Tribulation. That is absolutely nowhere in scripture. Instead, Jesus told us something even better. He told us exactly what would happen and the order it would happen in Matthew 24 and Mark 13, so that we would know the truth and wouldn’t be deceived. Although many WILL BE deceived (Matt. 24:4-5; Matt. 24:11; Mk. 13:5-6;) — “even possibly the elect” as scripture warns us (Matt. 24:24; Mk. 13:22) — we can avoid this deception by knowing His Word and the truth. So what does Jesus actually say? Matthew 24 begins with Jesus’ disciples asking Him what will happen at the end of the age (v. 3). That’s a pretty straightforward question, so we should assume Jesus is going to give them a straightforward answer. Jesus then explains—in chronological order—what will happen. He tells them everything! Mark 13:23: “But look to yourselves and be on your guard; I have told you everything beforehand.” Before we get deeper into this teaching, we must understand God’s Word and heart toward His people in times of trial. Throughout history and scripture, God did NOT REMOVE His people from trials and tribulations, but allowed them to go through them and gave them VICTORY OVER them. Some examples are Daniel and the lion’s den, the fiery furnace, the Israelites enslaved for over 400 years in Egypt and surviving Passover and the plagues, etc. During these events, God did NOT REMOVE His people—but gave them VICTORY THROUGH them. In like manner, we must prepare for the Great Tribulation and not expect to skip out on it, but expect to go victoriously through it—even in death. Remember, death is gain in Christ (Phil 1:21). The western church has twisted and manipulated scripture so much in its teaching of the false pre-tribulation rapture doctrine. It is simply not in scripture. Anywhere. Most Christians have only ever heard about a pre-tribulation rapture and the large majority believe it because they have not been presented with an intelligently taught alternative. This would be a novel-like post if I went into detail to explain everything, so I will keep it short and skip that for now. I might just end up writing a book about it, but we will see lol so what does scripture tell us? It tells us about clearly defined events that must happen before the Second Coming of Christ. Here is a shortlist of events:
That is the order of events scripture provides. There is no “secret rapture” or coming of Jesus before the last day. The last day is the day of the Lord and the day when the dead saints rise--meaning the dead saints cannot rise before the last day and the living saints cannot be raptured before the dead saints rise, which happens on the last day. Read that again slowly and I guarantee your eyes will be opened to the truth about the timing of these events. The word “rapture” isn’t even in scripture! So, (1) The dead saints must rise first and (2) the remaining living saints rise after that--this shows us that the rapture CANNOT happen before the last day aka before the tribulation. It must happen at the last day AFTER the tribulation. This also means there is no resurrection of the saints until after the tribulation…. There are not two raptures. The resurrection of the dead saints, the rapture of the living saints, and the Second Coming of Christ are a SINGLE EVENT on the LAST DAY. Jesus explains the raising of the dead saints on the last day FOUR TIMES in John 6 (v. 39, 40, 44, 54). The concept of the saints being raptured to meet Jesus in the air and then reversing direction back to earth with Christ might be new to you. The western church has always taught that Christ would come like a thief, we would be raptured to meet Christ in the air, we would go to Heaven with Christ, and then we would return to earth with Christ later on. The latter sounds ridiculous and makes zero sense now that we know all saints will be raised on the last day. How can the pre-tribulation rapture doctrine make sense if we are raised before the last day? That completely contradicts what scripture says! So what does it mean that we will “meet” the Lord in the air at His coming, then? You’re going to love this! The word “meet” is used by Paul in 1 Thessalonians 4:17 to explain how the saints are raised into the air with Christ at His coming. This word “meet” is “apantesis” in Greek and is used two other times in the New Testament. The word “apantesis” is not used to change direction but to continue along the path being traveled. So when we “meet” the Lord in the air, we are accompanying Him on his path down to earth. We do not reverse His direction and go to Heaven! The first instance of “apantesis” is used in the parable of the ten virgins (Matt. 25:1-13). Scripture tells us that the bridegroom comes, meets the virgins, and then continues on to the feast. He does not change direction; his destination is forward and so he proceeds. The second instance of “apantesis” is in Acts 28, when Paul is traveling toward Rome. During his travels, some fellow Christians were alerted of his arrival and went out to meet him. They then accompanied Paul to Rome. He did not change direction; he continued forward to his destination. If we are to assume the third mention of “apantesis” in 1 Thessalonians 4:17 has the same meaning as the first two, then we must believe that Christ is coming to earth, we accompany Him in the air, and then follow Him to his destination. Jesus does not change direction; He continues toward His destination. I know this was a long post and I really appreciate anybody who took the time to read to this point. I plan to do a video teaching or write an even longer post with more detail one day soon, but this post will have to do for now. This topic is something I am extremely passionate about and believe the Lord has mandated me to teach the truth about. All our lives, we are taught the pre-tribulation rapture doctrine, and I believed it for many years until the Lord revealed the truth in scripture to me last year. But the theological and exegetical grounds for the pre-tribulation rapture rests on contradictory evidence and faulty exegesis. Nowhere in scripture does it say that a rapture will occur before the tribulation. The ample evidence in scripture does tell us that we will victoriously go through it and Christ will return for us who have died and remain in Him at the end of it. I pray and hope this teaching opens your eyes to the truth of what scripture says about the tribulation and Jesus’ wonderful Second Coming. Feel free to discuss or ask questions in the comments. There is so much more about this topic that I would love to share! Have a great day! I love you all! |
WRITTEN BY
ISAAC GOODWIN Archives
April 2023
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