RELIGION 101 FOLLOWUP PART TWO

Now that you have had time to look at those scriptures. Let us talk about them. These scriptures and the ones we quoted at the beginning and are the scriptures that help us prove or disprove the religious groups we have been talking about.

Revelation 22:18,19 The Word of God [the Bible] is prophetic. We are not to add to the Bible, nor to take away; if we do God will take away that person’s share in the tree of life.

2 Peter 1: 1-9 Peter is speaking, God has bestowed His divine power on us. He has given us promises that we can share in His divine nature. We are to supplement our faith with virtue, knowledge, self-control, endurance, devotion, mutual affection and love. This will keep us from being idle and unfruitful. To lack them is to be blind forgetting what Jesus cleanses us of.

John 9:39 Jesus told us that He came so that the blind could see, but also that the ones who do see will become blind. The explanation explains the Pharisees were willing to accept the testimony of others. Just as today people are willing to accept what others tell them that is lies. They cannot see the truth.

Luke 8:10, Acts 28:26 says the same thing. The people hear what they want to hear, see what they want to see.

1 Corinthians 14:16 If you do speak a blessing on one of these whose eyes have not been opened, they do not know what you are saying.

Next we look at who Jesus is. In the following scriptures the same thing is repeated over and over again. John 8:57-58; Exodus 3: 12-15. Jesus says He is I AM, the name that God said "This is my name forever; this is my title for all generations.” So if Jesus said He was I AM and God said He is I Am, then they are the same being.

Even in the explanation given it is explained I Am is the source of the proper personal name of the God of Israel, Yahweh, and the word Adonai “my Lord’ was later used as a substitute, which was changed to the present day Lord. Please notice here is also said that the word Jehovah arose from a false reading.

Mark 12: 28-40 is speaking of the greatest of all commandments. But it also speaks of those who like to go about in long robes, sitting in seats of honor, taking money from widows to recite lengthy prayers. Does this sound like anyone that you know?

Mark 13: 5-9 Here Jesus is saying let no one deceive you. Many will come in His Name and deceive people. Do not believe wars and rumors of war, earthquakes and famines, these are the beginning of labor. Watch for yourself. As the explanation explains no one knows the time but God. Any one who tells you an exact date is lying.

Again in Mark 13: 21-22 many will say look there is the Lord. There will be false messiahs and prophets that will perform signs and wonders to mislead, even those who claim to know God.

Let us now look to Mary the mother of Jesus. All of the disciples do not list her as one of the woman at the cross, but from John 19:25-27 we do know that she was there. But let us look a little closer at those scriptures. The Lord Jesus tells His mother “behold, your son” and to the beloved disciple he says, “Behold your mother”. And from that hour the beloved disciple took her into his home.

On a closer look Jesus tells his disciple to take His mother home into his house as his own mother. Nothing more, nothing less. But let us look at the explanation. First we are not sure how many woman but we do know from this that one of the woman is Mary [Jesus’ mother] sister. This shows Jesus’ concern for His mother.

But let us look closer at this part, Now that the hour has come (John 19:28), Mary (a symbol of the church?) is given a role as the mother of Christians (personified by the beloved disciple); or, as a representative of those seeking salvation, she is supported by the disciple who interprets Jesus' revelation; or Jewish and Gentile Christianity (or Israel and the Christian community) are reconciled. There is a question mark here. Is she or isn’t she a symbol of the church. If so in what way. Surely that is not what Jesus said.

To say she was the mother of Christians would take from Jesus who He said He was. If she was a representative of those seeking salvation, then she is the same as any pastor, teacher, or layperson who witnesses to those about Jesus. Jesus is the only way. Others might witnesses about Him, but it comes down to Him and only Him.

To continue looking at Mary let us also look at these verses again, Acts 1:13-14; Matthew 12: 46-47; Matthew 13: 54-56. Mary the mother of Jesus had other children. Mary with her other sons went to see Jesus when He was speaking in the temple. Someone even says to Jesus your mother and brothers want to speak to You. His brothers are named James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas. The question is asked are not His sisters all with us. Now the average person would say His sister meaning one, both His sisters meaning two, are His sisters all with us, meaning 3 or more.

Again let us look at the explanation given: Matthew 12: verse 47 is omitted from the original readings. I wonder why, do you?

Please look again at parts of what was included in part 1: Familiarity with his background and family leads them to regard him as pretentious. "and among His own kin" is omitted (Matthew 13:57), 6:5), and there is no mention of His amazement at His townspeople's lack of faith. Doesn’t it say right here in black and white they were familiar with His family. Why then would they say Jesus had brothers and sisters if in fact they did not? Why omit that verse, if you know it is there?

So what do we get from this? In reading these scriptures we know what to look for in identifying those churches that are in fact lying to us. They are teaching false hoods. By using these scriptures we can easily see which groups can and should be crossed off our list. Well you start crossing off yours and we will start on ours.

Tomorrow we will compare the list and see who stays and who can leave the building.

God Bless
rECj/LJG