We continue our review of biblical assumptions that, upon proper understanding, may be different from that which may have been understood by some earlier in life as being true.

FALSE ASSUMPTION No.9

Whenever you see a painting of Jesus on the cross (better: stake), generally there seems to be very little blood on His face or body. You would have thought that after all the beatings and thrashings that He had had, it would be shown clearly in any such paintings, but not so, and the reality will come as a shock to many.

Wikipedia observes that the movie “‘The Passion of the Christ’ is a 2004 American epic biblical drama film co-produced and directed by Mel Gibson from a screenplay he wrote with Benedict Fitzgerald and primarily covers the final twelve hours before Jesus Christ’s death, known as ‘the Passion’. Pilate attempts to appease the crowd by ordering Jesus flogged, and [He] is brutally scourged by the Roman guards.”

This film, amongst all those that have been made about the life and death of Jesus, probably came closest to the horrendous and appalling action that took place on that fateful day. It seemed to shock so many in its gruesome portrayal, no doubt because of the “sanitised” versions that they may have been used to previously, due to a complete lack of reality and understanding by the artists’ portrayal of Jesus’ crucifixion over the course of the last 2,000 years. Of course, nobody knows how Jesus looked, and the portrayal of Him in the movie is most probably wrong; we are just commenting on the brutal nature of His suffering. When it comes to His appearance as a Man, we do not know Him as such any longer (2 Corinthians 5:16). His real appearance today, in His powerful glorified state, and not as the helpless suffering Messiah on the cross, is described in Revelation 1:12-16.

We read in Isaiah 52:13-14:

“Behold, My Servant shall deal prudently; He shall be exalted and extolled and be very high. Just as many were astonished at you, So His visage was marred more than any man, And His form more than the sons of men…”

Verse 13 shows that it must be about Jesus as the context shows. Likewise, in Psalm 22 where the sub-heading in some Bibles is “The Suffering, Praise and Posterity of the Messiah,” we read in verse 1 that Jesus cried out with the words that begin this Psalm: “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” In Matthew 27:46 and Mark 15:34, these very words are quoted. The Father forsook Him at this moment for a very short time as Jesus bore the sins of all humanity, and God is of purer eyes than to behold and to look on such great wickedness and iniquity (Habakuk 1:13). There are many more references in this Psalm which show how Jesus suffered for us all.

Countless people will have been misled by many artists’ impressions of the Saviour of mankind due to the fact that He was unrecognisable after a brutal beating and will have, therefore, made false assumptions through the actions of others!

What we need to recognize is the enormous degree of pain and suffering inflicted on Christ for our sakes, and every time we sin, we should remember the fact that each sin necessitated His suffering and death. It also shows that we, and we alone, are guilty and responsible for His Sacrifice.

FALSE ASSUMPTION No.10

One of God’s Commandments is not to tell lies, as we read in Exodus 20:16: “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.”

It was interesting to read on the “LiveScience” website an article in 2015, entitled “Understanding the Most Destructive Human Behaviours.” It talked about why we do stupid stuff.  It stated that: “Compared with most animals, we humans engage in a host of behaviours that are destructive to our own kind and to ourselves.”

It showed that human beings lie which is not that surprising, and one survey showed that people lie frequently, with 60 percent lying at least once during a 10-minute conversation!   

In Acts 5, we read about Ananias and Sapphira lying when answering Peter after they sold a possession.   We read this account in Acts 5:1-11.   They kept back part of the price of the land for themselves while giving the impression that they had given all.   The outcome was that they both died for lying.   In verse 4, we read: “…You have not lied to men but to God.”

Their sin was not in holding back part of the proceeds. It was their land, and they did not have to give anything to the Church. Their sin was that they said they sold it all and gave everything to the Church. 

The Bible doesn’t give the reason for their behavior but maybe they fell into the trap of wanting to be seen as giving more than they actually were giving, thereby longing for the praise of men,  and they may have felt that a little lie never hurt anyone.

In Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary, we read about Acts 5:1-11:

“The sin of Ananias and Sapphira was, that they were ambitious of being thought eminentdisciples, when they were not true disciples… They thought to deceive the apostles… But whatever Satan might suggest, he could not have filled the heart of Ananias with this wickedness had he not been consenting. The falsehood was an attempt to deceive the Spirit of truth, which so manifestly spoke and acted by the apostles. The crime of Ananias was not his retaining part of the price of the land; he might have kept it all, had he pleased; but his endeavouring to impose upon the apostles with an awful lie, from a desire to make a vain show, joined with covetousness. But if we think to put a cheat upon God, we shall put a fatal cheat upon our own souls.”

Many feel today, that a little white lie doesn’t harm anyone, and it is true that anyone can make a mistake on the spur of the moment and give false information, but it can become a habit. Liars will not make it into the Kingdom of God and they are an abomination to God (see Proverbs 12:22; Colossians 3:9; Revelation 21:8 and Revelation 22:15).   Lying is part and parcel of everyday life and can rub off on us if we are not careful.

White lies are often described as being about rather small, insignificant, trivial or unimportant matters, and as being harmless to others.   They are harmful to others as they can break trust with people but, more importantly, they are forbidden by God.

The false assumption is that we can lie when we feel it necessary, maybe even to cover up for someone else, but that is not good enough for God.   We must always remember Galatians 6:7: “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.”

FALSE ASSUMPTION No.11

The Place of Safety is something that has long been discussed within the Church of God. In our Q&A “What are the biblical proofs for your teaching that members of the Church of God will be protected at a particular ‘place of safety,’ here on earth, during the Great Tribulation?”, we write the following:

“One of the key passages, promising God’s end-time Church protection on this earth, at a particular place, can be found in Revelation 12:13-17. The passage reads:

“(13) Now when the dragon (Satan the devil, Revelation 12:9) saw that he had been cast to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male Child (Jesus Christ). (14) But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness TO HER PLACE [New International Version: “to the place prepared for her in the desert”], where she is nourished [Living Bible: “cared for and protected”; Amplified Bible: “where she is to be kept safe and fed”] FOR A TIME AND TIMES AND HALF A TIME [Living Bible: “for three and a half years”], from the presence of the serpent. (15) So the serpent spewed water out of his mouth like a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away by the flood. (16) But the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the flood which the dragon spewed out of his mouth. (17) And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.”

The Place of Safety will be located here on earth, not in heaven. Some members of the true Church of God will be protected by God at that place. The Bible does not teach that they are taken up to heaven to be protected there during the time of the Great Tribulation. The concept of the “secret rapture” is wrong and of demonic origin. 

There was a time when many thought that Petra in Jordan might be the place, and perhaps there may still be some with that same persuasion today.   But the Bible doesn’t explicitly say so, and Mr. Armstrong made very clear that the Bible does NOT reveal the location. 

The Topical Encyclopedia states that “The concept of ‘The Place of Safety’ is a topic of interest and debate among biblical scholars and theologians, often associated with eschatological themes and God’s protection of His people during times of tribulation. 

“Throughout history, various Christian groups have identified specific locations as potential places of safety, often based on prophetic interpretations. These include Petra in Jordan and other remote or fortified areas believed to offer protection during times of persecution or tribulation.”

In addition to the fact that we do not know where the Place of Safety will be located, we do notknow either when members of God’s Church will be protected there. Jesus said in Matthew 24:36 about His return to earth: “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.”

No one knows the exact time of Jesus’ return to earth and the Bible shows that God’s people will be protected for 3½ years here on earth, prior to His return. However, whenever and wherever it will be, it will be revealed in God’s perfect timing, and God will also make sure that those whom He wants there will get there. We must beware of making any false assumptions on this matter.   

FALSE ASSUMPTION No.12

There is one Old Testament book that clearly shows that we have to be careful about making false assumptions. It is the book of Job where he and his three friends engage in a discussion about why his suffering was so intense. God allowed Job to be tempted by Satan who was “not allowed to lay a hand on his person” (see Job 1:12). Job lost his property and children in a series of calamitous events and while Satan was not allowed to kill him, he troubled him greatly, as we read in Job 2:7: “So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD, and struck Job with painful boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head.”

Job’s three friends Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar made an erroneous judgment in simplistically assuming all that Job was going through was due to very specific sinful conduct.  They accused him very harshly, but wrongly, because they were unable to see that Job’s sin was that of self-righteousness. Satan was unable to see that either, and Job was only able to recognize his sin at the very end of the book. To accuse someone wrongfully is easy to do; to come to a wrong conclusion which we will all have done at one time or another.

Job learned about the dangers of self-righteousness, of comparing himself with others. He even felt that he was more righteous than God. He will have learned other things, as we all do, as we grow in the grace and knowledge of our great God.  Job repented and lived after his afflictions one hundred and forty years, and then died old and full of days (Job 42:16-17).

We see that God used Satan to deal with Job to make him realize that even he was not without sin and that his self-righteousness was much inferior to God’s righteousness. 

This case is a classic one of making false assumptions, although, in the end, Job’s friends will have realised this.

(To be continued)

Lead Writers: Brian Gale and Norbert Link

We will continue to look at further false assumptions as we have done in the first two in this series of Q&A’s. 

FALSE ASSUMPTION No. 6

Apart from Christmas, the other major time for Christians is Easter, which again we will see that it is not quite what it may seem to be.  

Many believe that Jesus was crucified on Friday afternoon and resurrected on Sunday morning. But this cannot be true.

If we look at the Bible rather than man’s approach of “I think this, that or the other,” we get the correct answer.

We read in Matthew 12:39-40: “But He (Jesus) answered and said to them [some of the Scribes and the Pharisees], ‘An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth’” (Matthew 12:39-40).

It is as clear as day for those with eyes to see when we read that just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish or a whale or a sea monster (depending on the translation), so Christ would be three days and three nights in the earth (in the tomb or the grave; “hades” in Greek). This was reiterated in Matthew 16:4: “A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah…”

Christ spoke of 24-hour days. He said in John 11:9-10: “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” Christ divided the time between 12 hours of the day and 12 hours of the night. He said He would be in the grave three days and three nights—72 hours—as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the sea creature (Jonah 1:17). 

It is simply impossible to count 72 hours from Friday afternoon until Sunday morning. 

However, it seems that man would sooner go along with, in most cases, those man-made theories and errors as they are so ingrained in the false ways of the world with peer pressure and family situations, adding to the pressure of having to keep them.

In our free booklet: “Jesus Christ – A Great Mystery,” we read:

“Scripture tells us that Christ did indeed fulfill this sign. The angel of the Lord told the women, “‘He is risen, as He said’” (Matthew 28:6). God the Father resurrected His Son, Jesus Christ, exactly at the preordained time, as had been announced by Jesus. This means that Christ could not have been crucified on a Friday and resurrected on a Sunday, as this would not fulfill the sign of being in the grave for three days and three nights. Rather, Christ was killed on a Wednesday and placed in the grave on Wednesday afternoon, just before sunset. He was brought back to life three days and three nights later, leaving the grave on Saturday afternoon, just before sunset, as He said.”

How ridiculous can you get? A response to this question on Stack Exchange on the internet also gives a rather foolish explanation: “This issue is a bit difficult to solve. The message that God is trying to make, I believe, could be that as Jonah was in the belly of the great fish for three nights and days, so had Jesus an empty belly for three nights and days, between the last supper and the meal of fish and honey-comb, at the end of the third day. In other words, the belly thing started already in Gethsemane.”   How ridiculous, foolish and straight out of the mind of man!

We should realize, however, that according to Satan-inspired “legends,” pagan gods were crucified on a Friday (“black Friday”) and brought back to life on a Sunday. Since pagans believed in this nonsense, the Catholic Church adopted this false idea and just transferred it from pagan gods to Jesus. 

The whole idea of Easter celebrations is pagan and unchristian as well. The Bible commands the observance of Passover, not of Easter. And what do easter rabbits and coloured easter eggs have to do with Jesus Christ? These are all pagan traditions. 

On the bbc.co.uk/bitesize website we read that “an egg is a symbol of new life. For Christians, Easter eggs are used as a symbol for the resurrection of Jesus.”  

Again, how foolish and ridiculous can the human mind be when justifying what is clearly ungodly?

Easter is no exception to the fact that Christendom, in general, makes so many false assumptions about a number of issues that, when properly and correctly understood, give a completely different picture from what is the practice of so many.

ASSUMPTION No.7

Perhaps many of us have seen the “altar calls” for people to come forward and “give their hearts to the Lord.” An altar call is a tradition in some Christian churches in which those who wish to make a new spiritual commitment to Jesus Christ are invited to come forward publicly. However, this can give the impression that all you have to do to become a true Christian is to “give your heart to the Lord.”   The problem with that is that it may be a spur-of-the-moment action that either may be regretted later or not followed through with.

It can come under the heading of “once saved, always saved,” which is a false understanding of true Christianity.  This approach is a popular one and one that emotionally is very easy to accept! It conveys a message that little is required on our part beyond “accepting” the Sacrifice that Christ made for each one of us. However, such teachings are deceptive and misleading because they completely overlook clear and important biblical instructions regarding that which God holds us accountable for, in the process of salvation. 

First of all, we must repent and be baptised to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38) through the laying on of hands by an ordained minister of God. At that point, we are saved from the penalty of death from our past sins.   However, it doesn’t mean that we are finally saved and that we could not lose the salvation, as we must persevere to the end (compare Matthew 24:13). Matthew 7:13-14 reveals the Way:

“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.”

It is a Way of Life, a full-time career, a Way that demands that we keep God’s Commandments and endure to the very end of our lives or the return of Jesus Christ if that precedes our death.   During our life, we have to forsake the ways of the world and keep God’s Ways which include the keeping of the weekly and annual Sabbaths. 

It is a Way of Life that is joyous and productive and which leads to eternal life on earth as a member of God’s spiritual Family, at the return of Jesus Christ.  

It is yet another false assumption that through an altar call, just “giving your heart to the Lord” is all you have to do!

For further information, please read our Q&As: “Is it correct to say, “Once Saved, Always Saved?”, or can true Christians lose their salvation? Part 1” and “Part 2.” https://www.eternalgod.org/q-is-it-correct-to-say-once-saved-always-saved-or-can-true-christians-lose-their-salvation-part-1/

https://www.eternalgod.org/q-is-it-correct-to-say-once-saved-always-saved-or-can-true-christians-lose-their-salvation-part-2/

Closely connected with the false concept of an altar-call salvation is the idea that we only need to believe in Jesus to be saved. Believing in Jesus—who He was and is, and what He had done for us and is doing today—is most certainly necessary, but it is not all there is. A famous TV evangelist recently assured the President that if he believes in Jesus, he will go to heaven. Nothing could be further from the Truth. 

Just believing, without more, is dead faith… the demons believe to and tremble (compare James 2:19). When the Bible speaks of believing in the Son of God, it includes obeying Him. We have received God’s grace “for obedience to the faith” (Romans 1:5; compare Romans 16:26). Christ is only “the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him” (Hebrews 5:9). 

The altar-call salvation with its different components (“once saved, always saved”; “only believe in the Lord”) is a false assumption which will not lead to salvation at all. 

ASSUMPTION No.8

Another false assumption may be associated with the account of the wedding at Cana.  We can just read over this without realising what an incredible miracle it was!  It would be easy to think that this was just another wedding day and then move on without really thinking about what actually happened. In John 2:1-11, we read about this amazing miracle.   

“On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding. And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, ‘They have no wine.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come.’ His mother said to the servants, ‘Whatever He says to you, do it.’ Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the manner of purification of the Jews, containing twenty or thirty gallons apiece. Jesus said to them, ‘Fill the waterpots with water.’ And they filled them up to the brim. And He said to them, ‘Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast.’ And they took it. When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom. And he said to him, ‘Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!’ This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him.”

Let us really think about this and let us review the logistics.

Verse 6 speaks about six waterpots at 20 or 30 gallons apiece. 

Let us take 20 gallons x 6 waterpots, and we reach 120 gallons. One US liquid gallon contains about 8 pints. 120 gallons amount to almost 1,000 pints. 

A standard pint of wine is equivalent to about 4.2 glasses of wine, assuming a typical glass size of 175ml. However, wine is usually served in smaller glasses, so the number of glasses can vary, based on the size of the glass used.

Let us assume 4.2 glasses to a pint, and we reach approximately 4,200 glasses of wine. If we calculate 30 gallons per waterpot, we reach possibly 6,300 glasses! Now, Christ’s miracle of changing water into wine occurred AFTER all the initial good wine had been drunk, as it says in verse 10.  So, could it be that a similar initial amount of wine was made available? 

Furthermore, marriage at the time of Christ could have gone on for several days. In Judges 14:17, we read about Samson’s wedding feast and it says: “Now she [his wife] had wept on him the seven days while their feast lasted.”

How many guests were there?  It just doesn’t say but if there were so many glasses of wine to drink, it’s fairly obvious that this was a “big event” with, probably, hundreds of people attending.

We can read right over this, but we can deduce the following:

• the amount of wine was enormous;
• the wedding feast could have gone on for several days;
• it was Christ’s first recorded miracle;
• we can overlook the magnitude of the miracle.

And, for those who think that only grape juice was produced, just look at verse 10.  If the wine had absolutely no effect, then why keep inferior wine until “the guests have well drunk,” meaning that they wouldn’t be able to tell the difference? 

There is so much more to this story, and many other stories in the Bible, that we shouldn’t just read them quickly without trying to understand the magnitude of such events.

This wasn’t your average wedding, as we normally conduct it today, with family and some friends, with a meal at a reception afterwards. It is one of those cases to read and think through and understand fully what was achieved at this wedding.   It would be so easy to make false assumptions about this truly amazing miracle.

We also might want to note that Jesus did not really intend to perform this miracle, but that He only did so because His mother pleaded with Him, showing His great love and respect for His mother. He did, of course, not go against God’s Will in doing so, but this story also shows us that when we pray earnestly to God, we can persuade Him to hear us and answer us, even if He might not have wanted to do so initially. Yes, we can “change” God’s intention if it is not against His overall purpose. 

Moses pleaded with God when He was about to destroy Israel, and God listened to him and changed His mind. God told Hezekiah that he would have to die, but because of his prayer and plea, 15 years were added to his life. Christ initially did not want to heal the daughter of a Gentile woman, but when she pleaded with Him, He listened and performed the healing. The idea that God cannot be intrigued to respond to our sincere and heartfelt prayers is another false assumption. 

(To be continued)

Lead Writers: Brian Gale and Norbert Link

In the first Q&A in this series, we looked at the malevolent nature and influence of Satan the devil and started to look at false assumptions that many may make about different situations and teachings in the Bible. We know that Satan’s influence is everywhere and in every sphere, and is recognised by those faithful believers in the one true God.

Let us continue with further false biblical assumptions.

FALSE ASSUMPTION  No. 3

Many think that Jesus didn’t own a home and that He was a vagabond – a person who had no home, without a job and who travelled from place to place.    

In Matthew 8:20, we read: “And Jesus said to him, ‘Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.’”  We read the following on page 49 in our booklet, “Do You Know the Jesus of the Bible?” 

“While Matthew 8:20 is not as specific as to the timing, the parallel passage in Luke 9:58 is given in the context of when He was on a journey with His disciples and the Samaritans refused to grant them shelter (compare Luke 9:51–56; note verse 57: ‘NOW it happened as they journeyed on the road…’). There were times when Christ and His disciples did not encounter hospitality while they were on their missionary journeys, and it was that fact which Jesus stressed when He spoke about the sacrifices one must be willing to make when he or she wants to follow Christ (compare verses 57–58).”

On page 48 of this same booklet mentioned above, under the heading “Jesus Built and Owned Houses,” we read:

“There are numerous passages indicating that Jesus owned His own house—or perhaps even more than one. He grew up in Nazareth, but He later lived or ‘dwelt’ in Capernaum (Matthew 4:13), ‘His own city’ (Matthew 9:1). Luke makes this possible distinction when referring to Nazareth as the city where Jesus ‘had been brought up’ (Luke 4:16). It appears that at some point in time, then, Jesus made His adult home in Capernaum. We read that when in Capernaum, Jesus would go into ‘THE’ house, and that people would visit Him there when they found out that He was in the house (compare Matthew 13:1, 36). 

“Many commentaries say that this is a reference to Peter’s house in Capernaum, but it would be strange that in a few passages, it is specifically said that He entered ‘Peter’s house’ (Matthew 8:14), while in most cases, it is only stated that He was in THE house. It was obviously a dwelling place that was well known to the people—they knew where to go when they heard that He was in THE house. The strong indication is that it was actually Christ’s house where He would live when He was dwelling in Capernaum and when He was not on a missionary journey. 

“For instance, in Mark 2:1, some commentaries feel that the phrase, ‘He was in the house,’ should be rendered, according to the original Greek, as ‘He was at home,’ which would strongly indicate that Christ either owned a house in Capernaum, or that He was renting one, still showing that this was ‘His home.’ 

“Later, when Jesus went up from Capernaum to Nazareth, we read His words in Matthew 13:57, which could refer to His relatives and/or to visitors in His own house: ‘A prophet is not without honor except in his own country [or: hometown, compare New American Standard Bible] and in his own house.’ And so, He did not do many works in His hometown where He had grown up, ‘because of their unbelief’ (verse 58).”

Therefore, the assumption that Jesus didn’t own a home and that He was homeless is false.

FALSE ASSUMPTION No. 4:

Another false assumption is about the so-called “Lord’s Prayer.” We read that Jesus, in Matthew 6:7-8, gave the following instructions:

^“And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.”

And then comes the prayer in verses 9-13:

^“In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.”

In mainstream churches around the world, this outline prayer is mouthed every Sunday, word for word, in about 30 seconds, without any time made available to think about what all of those words truly mean. It can become meaningless. But as we will explain below, this is just an outline of subjects to consider, not a prayer to be repeated word for word. 

A former UK Prime Minister was reported to have said the “Lord’s Prayer” when a terrorist atrocity happened in the UK many years ago, which was the sign of a decent person but was somewhat misplaced. The prayer should have been about the immediate situation where people were killed, maimed and injured but there is this misplaced “understanding” that just mouthing the words of the “model prayer” is sufficient for all occasions. When you see prayers in a “Christian” movie, it is almost inevitable that it will be just the “model prayer”; in fact in one movie, the early Christians kept repeating the same words faster and faster; almost as if they were in a trance!

The prayer that Jesus gave His disciples then, and today, is an outline. We should pray to the Father, not to Mary or some saint, but to the greatest Being in the universe.  On page 3 of our booklet “Teach Us to Pray,” we read:

“There is absolutely no Biblical basis for praying to anyone but God. Even [the Apostle] John, on two occasions, was so overwhelmed and filled with awe by the visions revealed through one of God’s angels, he reacted by falling down to worship the angel, but the angel corrected him, saying: ‘Then he said to me, “See that you do not do that. For I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book. Worship God”’ (Revelation 22:9; compare Revelation 19:10).”

On page 14 of the same booklet, we read: “Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, as John [the Baptist] also taught his disciples.’” Christ then proceeded to give them an outline, which is recorded in Luke 11:2–4 and in Matthew 6:9–13.

“Note that this is just an outline—a guideline, if you will—on how to pray. It is not a prayer per se, to be repeated, word for word, over and over. Most professing Christian churches routinely require their members to recite the ‘Our Father’ prayer, verbatim, in their services. Priests may even instruct their parishioners to pray ten or twenty ‘Our Father’ prayers in order to become absolved of certain sins. This is NOT Biblical! Christ never intended such a custom! In fact, He specifically warned His disciples not to use “vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words” (Matthew 6:7). 

“We find, in John 17, the words of Christ’s prayer to the Father, just prior to His arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane. When reading that prayer, you will see that it does not at all contain the exact words that were recorded in Matthew 6, but it does contain some of the concepts listed in that prayer outline. 

“Christ gave His disciples this prayer as an outline, essentially setting forth the basic principles for prayer. We are to expand on those basics and go on to develop a meaningful conversation with God. We are not to present Him with an endless cycle of repetitive words. Think about it! When you converse with friends or family, or if you were to give a speech to a group of people, how long would they listen to you if all that came out of your mouth was a drone-like, repetitive cycle of repetitive words?”

The belief that this outline prayer just has to be continually repeated word for word each and every time is another false assumption. In passing, the “Hail Mary” (Ave Maria) prayer is totally wrong and must not be prayed by a true Christian. Mary is dead and in her grave, without consciousness. She was not resurrected and did not ascend to heaven. She is sometimes referred to as the “Queen of Heaven.” However, the idea that a “Queen of Heaven” is in heaven who has become our Mediator is an old pagan belief which is strongly condemned in Scripture (compare Jeremiah 7:18; 44:17-25). It is, in part, based on the apocryphal book of Enoch which contains many demonic concepts.

FALSE ASSUMPTION No. 5:

The many errors about Christmas are manifold but most people either don’t know or are not interested in them, as they enjoy many days off work to celebrate something that is not biblical; not that that worries many people today in this secular society.

In our Q&A: “Was Jesus really born on December 25?”, we clearly show from just two books in the Bible that it can be proved that Jesus was born around late September/early October, but if God had wanted us to celebrate Christ’s birthday, He would have given us the exact date.  

We’ve all seen the general nativity scene; mother and child, Joseph, with shepherds, angels and the wise men (the Magi). All of this is false as it never happened that way, although many churches and ministers know this, but go along with the false representation about the birth of Jesus.

In Halley’s Bible Handbook, we read: “Matthew 2:1–12 VISIT OF THE WISEMEN on page 418. This must have occurred in the period when Jesus was between 40 days and two years old (2:16; Luke 2:22, 39). It would have taken the Magi (or Wise Men) some time to get to Jerusalem after they first saw the star (verse 7), although probably quite a bit less than two years. And it took some time before Herod realized that the Magi weren’t coming back. So Herod, in order to be sure, took the outside limit. We know that the child was no longer in the manger, as is sometimes pictured, but in the house (verse 11; see on Luke 2:6–7)…”

Of course, Christ could have clearly been about two years old by that time, as Herod had carefully inquired as to His age. Continuing with the above-mentioned commentary:

“We may know the Christmas carol ‘We Three Kings’ which recounts the story of the three Magi or Wise Men. The false assumption is that there were only three wise men. They were men of high standing, for they had [been given] access to Herod. They are commonly spoken of as the ‘Three Wise Men.’  But Scripture does not say how many. There were probably more, or at least they were with an entourage of scores or hundreds, for it would not be safe for a small group to travel a thousand miles over desert wastes that were infested with bandits.” 

According to many traditions, there were actually twelve wise men visiting Jesus; each representing one of the twelve tribes of Israel. 

We state the following in our Q&A, “Who were the magi or wise men in Matthew 2? How many were there?”:

“Surprisingly to many, the ‘magi’ were neither ‘astrologers,’ nor did they visit Joseph, Mary and the Christ Child in the inn, nor is it biblically revealed how many there were. However, there are traditions which would support the idea that they were twelve, not three, as commonly assumed… The Bible describes at times angels as stars (compare Revelation 1:20; Isaiah 14:13; Job 38:7); so it appears certain that this ‘star,’ which was not always visible to the ‘magi,’ was an angel who showed them the way to the place where Christ dwelled. At that time, Christ was no longer in a manger or an inn. Rather, He was now in a house (compare Matthew 2:11)… 

“According to Matthew 2:16, Christ was at that time perhaps as old as two years, since King Herod had all children two and under killed, based on the information which he had received from the wise men…

“The P.M. magazine published an article some time ago, entitled, ‘What do we know about the Three Holy Kings?’ It pointed out:

“’That they… became kings, can be accredited to the theologian Tertullian (160 until 220). He wrote, “in the east, Magi were normally kings.”… According to Persian tradition, these Magi were descendants of the ancient Median priesthood… In the gospel, we are not told how many they were. The oriental churches speak of twelve Magi.

“’Jacob of Edessa (640-708), one of the most important ancient writers of the Church of the Jacobites, writes: “The Magi were from Persia, but they were not three, as portrayed by artists for the people, as derived from the threeness of the gifts of gold, myrrh and frankincense, but rather twelve, as can be seen in many traditions. Those who came were princes and well-respected persons from the country of Persia. Many people, more than a thousand men, accompanied them, so that Jerusalem became very excited when they arrived.”‘

“The article also speculates that the number of the Magi was reduced to ‘three,’ not because of the three types of gifts mentioned, but because another argument for the Trinity was searched for. Allegedly, the remains of the ‘three kings’ rest today in the dome of Cologne in Germany. However, P.M. notes that ‘the garments, in which the bones are wrapped, were made in the second or third century after Christ in Syria.’”

“… historical and biblical evidence reveals that the Magi of Matthew 2 were not astrologers whose observations of heavenly bodies led them to the Christ Child. Instead, they were representatives of the tribes of Israel in exile who were led to their King by an angel…

“Since the Jew Daniel was one of the righteous ‘magi,’ and he and many other Jewish exiles lived in Babylon as captives, after King Nebuchadnezzar had conquered the house of Judah, and since the Parthian Empire subsequently absorbed the Babylonian Empire, it stands to reason that Jews continued to live in the Parthian Empire, and that they still dwelled there at the time of the birth of Christ. The tradition that it was TWELVE magi who visited Christ would be quite interesting, in that the magi could have been representatives of ALL the twelve tribes of Israel AND Judah (being descendants of the TWELVE sons of Jacob or Israel), who were led by an angel to their King.”

Under the heading “Don’t Mix Pagan Customs With the Worship of God” in our booklet “Don’t Keep Christmas,” we read on page 20: “Do you know that you can be sincere in your worship of God and Christ, and still worship in vain? Christ clearly said in Matthew 15:7-9: ‘Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying: “These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain do they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.”’ Who can doubt that the celebration of Christmas and the observance of its customs are pursuant to the commandments of men? Nowhere in the Bible are we told to do these things! And Christ said, this kind of religious worship which is based on men’s traditions is ‘in vain’ – it is useless. Rather, we are expressly told how to worship God.”

The additional Santa Claus myth is just another “add-on” to a time not sanctioned by the Bible.  There are so many false assumptions about the birth of Jesus, as well as the Christmas tree, Christmas carols, the exchange of gifts, etc.

For much more information, please see our booklet: “Don’t Keep Christmas”. 

(To be continued)

Lead Writers: Brian Gale and Norbert Link

It can be relatively easy to read, misread, misunderstand or take a different view of almost anything where an individual may feel that his or her opinion is the right one.  However, when we talk about the Bible, there is a clear statement in Deuteronomy 4:2 where we read: 

“You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.”

What must also be uppermost in our minds is that Satan will try his best to confuse and redirect the people of God away from the Truth.  His influence is everywhere to be seen.  He is described in the Bible in Ephesians 2:1-2 as follows:

“And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience…”

We also read in 2 Corinthians 4:4: 

“… whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.” 

Satan is currently the god of this world and his influence is apparent for those with eyes to see.  One of Satan’s key roles is to tempt humans to sin. In John 8:44, we read that “he is a liar and the father of it.”  1 Peter 5:8 tells us that he is “like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.”

He is truly a hugely significant enemy of God, His people and His ways.

Biblehub.com has this to say about man’s adversary:

“The Bible depicts Satan as an intelligent, active being, focused on deceit, temptation, and opposition to God’s purposes. Though he possesses real power, this power remains limited by God’s sovereign will. From Eden’s garden to Christ’s victory at the cross and the promise of his future judgment, Scripture consistently affirms that Satan’s role is that of a defeated foe whose end is certain. Believers are called to stand firm, relying on divine truth and power rather than living in fear.”

We all grow up in different ways but the one factor that affects most of us is the teaching we received from our parents.   What they say is taken as fact when, in fact, it may not be.   But such is the influence that parents have, that beliefs and understanding are instilled in us from a very early age.   Of course, some parents can be negligent in these ways, and their children will form their ideas and ways via school, their peers and social media.

Aristotle is credited with the saying, “Give me a child until he is 7 and I will show you the man,” which is very similar to the biblical injunction found in Proverbs 22:6: “Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.” Training in the right ways from a very early age will produce much better persons than those who receive little or no correct training. 

We say the following in our free booklet, “The Keys to Happy Marriages and Families”

“We read in Proverbs 22:6, ‘Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.’ The Ryrie Study Bible comments, ‘[It says,] in the way he should go. Lit. according to his way, i.e., the child’s habits and interests. The instruction must take into account his individuality and inclinations, and be in keeping with his degree of physical and mental development.’ 

“Our children grow up too quickly. We give them hardly any time to play and to enjoy their childhood. We don’t let them pursue their interests as children, but want them to be young men or young women far too early. This is especially true in the entertainment industry, but this wrong concept has permeated our entire society and thinking. It is customary in the U.S. and in many other Western nations to place a child at the age of five, or even younger, in a preschool for the convenience of the parents. Many educators warn against such practice, saying that this is far too early to be separated from parents.

“When we look at our societies, especially in the Western world, we find a totally different way of life than what God intended. We read about the kind of family life that God intended, where the father would be present and available to teach his son or his daughter. But in our modern world, the father is basically gone all day, working somewhere away from home.

“In addition, children are being handed over to preschools at an early age, thereby being separated further from the benevolent teachings of their Christian parents. And when, on top of it, young mothers go to work and place their kids in day care centers, then even the last remaining positive influence of the Christian parents on their children has been abolished as well.”

In addition, we state the following in our Q&A, “Why do so many children of Godly parents depart from God’s Way of Life, even though Proverbs 22:6 says that they will not depart from it when they are old?” 

“In light of the fact that the Bible emphasizes individual responsibility, it must be concluded that Proverbs 22:6 does not intend to impress the idea that the righteous teaching of parents will automatically lead to the conversion of a child. It is true, of course, that parents are to teach their children about God and His Way of Life (Deuteronomy 11:18-19). But this does not mean that converted parents can bring about the conversion of their children…

“Proverbs 22:6 does not contain an unconditional promise that the training of a righteous parent will bring about the conversion of his or her children. The chances may be greatly increased, but the actual calling to conversion and salvation is still subject to God’s Will and the child’s reaction in the matter. But what an unspeakable joy and blessing it is when righteous parents see their children follow them in their paths of righteousness.”

In this series of Q&As, we will see how much Satan has influenced humanity with wrong thinking and understanding.   Many, if not all of the false assumptions addressed, should not be particularly new to long-time Church of God members but may seem strange to those who may be new to the Truth that the Bible has to offer.

And so, let us look at a number of examples.

FALSE ASSUMPTION No. 1:

Most people, if asked about where the Bible begins historically, would say Genesis 1:1, if they knew anything about God’s Word at all in this secular age. On the face of it, few would argue with that because it is about the creation of the heavens and the earth. Who could disagree with that, as in the very first chapter and the first verse in the Bible, we read: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”

However, there are verses that precede these events as we read in the book of John.  In John 1:1-3, the Bible reveals that:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.”

Who was the Word referred to here?   Verse 14 reveals the answer:

^“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.”

This obviously refers to Jesus Christ, and we read further in Colossians 1:15-17:

^“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.”

These passages show that God the Father created everything, including angels and spiritual things, as well as animals and humans, through Jesus Christ. The “Word” in John 1:1 is a reference to Jesus Christ, while “God” in the same passage refers to God the Father. Both were in existence “in the beginning.” Many may be surprised by that, but it is there in black and white in the Word of God. However, we must add that neither God the Father nor His Son, Jesus Christ, had a beginning.   Human beings may be able to understand eternity with things going on indefinitely and forever, but God hasn’t given the human mind the capacity to fully understand that neither the Father nor the Son had a beginning; that they have always existed. Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers observes that “The Mosaic conception of ‘beginning’ is marked by the first creative act… John places himself at the same starting point of time, but before he speaks of any creation he asserts the pre-existence of the Creator. In this ‘beginning’ there already ‘was’ the Word.” In addition, as we saw, in this “beginning” there already “was” God—God the Father.

Based on his information, any assumption that the first chapter of Genesis is the beginning of all things is false. 

FALSE ASSUMPTION No. 2:

Whenever we see pictures of Jesus in paintings or in a movie, He is always shown as having long hair and a beard.   He is often shown to have feminine features and a sorrowful look.   But He couldn’t have had long hair because we read in 1 Corinthians 11:14, the following: “Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him?”

The bibleanalysis.org website observes that “The image of Jesus Christ with long hair and a beard is a familiar and iconic representation in Western art and popular culture. This depiction of Jesus has been ingrained in the collective imagination and has become a widely accepted and recognizable symbol of the Christian faith. But where did the idea that Jesus had long hair and a beard come from?

“One possible source for the portrayal of Jesus with long hair and a beard is the influence of classical Greco-Roman art and culture. During the early centuries of Christianity, artists and sculptors drew inspiration from the artistic traditions of the ancient world, where long hair and beards were commonly associated with wisdom, divinity, and authority. Greek and Roman gods and philosophers were often depicted with flowing locks and beards, signifying their status and spiritual significance.

“The early Christian artists and theologians in the Byzantine Empire and medieval Europe created images of Jesus that reflected the aesthetic and cultural norms of their time. The visual representation of Jesus as a compassionate and merciful figure, adorned with a halo, flowing robes, and long hair and beard, became a predominant iconographic tradition that has endured for centuries.”

It is interesting that in Ezekiel 44:20, we read about the laws governing priests when entering God’s sanctuary:

“They shall neither shave their heads nor let their hair grow long, but they shall keep their hair well trimmed.”

Of course, we realise the concept of a Nazarite vow when someone voluntarily took a vow to abstain from drinking wine and when he refused to have his hair cut, to drink wine or eat grapes or to have contact with corpses for a specified period.  And we also know that Samson was a Nazarite from birth for a specific reason.  It appears that Samuel and John the Baptist were under a Nazarite vow as well. But apart from these situations, it is a sin for a man to have long hair! (In passing, the Nazarite vow has no longer any application for us today.)

Shunsalon.com opines: “Catholic answers to this question often emphasize that the focus should be on Jesus’ teachings and mission rather than physical appearance, though the enduring image of long-haired Jesus remains deeply ingrained in religious iconography and popular imagination.”

Jesus did not have long hair, nor was He under a Nazarite vow. We state the following in chapter 8 of our free booklet, “Do You Know the Jesus of the Bible?”:

“Jesus, however, was not a Nazarite. He grew up in the city of Nazareth and was therefore called a ‘Nazarene’ (Matthew 2:23) — which is of course quite different from being a Nazarite…. Christ was not a Nazarite, because He did many things, which were prohibited for Nazarites. Those who took the vow of a Nazirite did not cut their hair, but they were also prohibited from drinking any wine or touching a dead body (Numbers 6:4–6). Christ, however, did drink wine (Luke 22:14–18; Matthew 11:19), and He did touch dead bodies (Luke 8:51–55). If Christ had been a Nazirite, He would have broken His vow and thereby violated one of God’s laws. But He said that He had kept His Father’s commandments (John 15:10), including all ritual laws still in force and effect at His time, and we read that He never sinned…”

It is interesting that the religious people of Jesus’ time had to pay 30 pieces of silver to Judas for him to identify who Jesus was. He certainly didn’t stand out from the crowd. But He would have, if He had been wearing long hair. In our booklet, “Do You Know the Jesus of the Bible?”, we state the following:

“Christ was a Jew, and He looked like an ordinary Jewish man, without special beauty in appearance (compare Isaiah 53:2). He was able to escape on occasion, by mingling with the crowd and going ‘through the midst of them’ (Luke 4:30; John 8:59). Apart from the Bible, archeology and history also confirm as well that the Jews at the time of Christ did not wear long hair… Christ, therefore, did not either; otherwise, He would have stood out in a crowd and a special identification through Judas (who identified Him by kissing Him) would not have been necessary.

“Recently, Israeli and British forensic anthropologists and computer programmers got together to create Christ’s face featured in ‘Popular Mechanics,’ a 1.2 million-circulation magazine… They… determined that Christ did not wear long hair. Other experts agree with that conclusion.

“On February 24, 2004, Reuters wrote: ‘… Jesus didn’t have long hair, said physical anthropologist Joe Zias, who has studied hundreds of skeletons found in archeological digs in Jerusalem.’ [He also mentioned:] ‘Jewish men back in antiquity did not have long hair.’ ‘The Jewish texts ridiculed long hair as something Roman or Greek,’ said New York University’s Lawrence Schiffman. Along with extensive writings from the period, experts also point to a frieze on Rome’s Arch of Titus, erected after Jerusalem was captured in AD 70 to celebrate the victory, which shows Jewish men with short hair taken into captivity…’”

It appears from the biblical description in Isaiah 53:2 that Jesus was an ordinary looking man, not particularly handsome, probably had a beard (compare Isaiah 50:6), but someone who would certainly have charisma (personal magnetism and charm) to be followed, listened to, fed at times, with many being healed.

As one writer opined: “The real Jesus epitomised what God would look like as a man – well-groomed but not affected, well dressed but not clothes-conscious, clean but not antiseptic, dignified but not distinguished.”

We don’t have any pictures of Jesus to see what He looked like. The Shroud of Turin has been used many times to try to show what Jesus may have looked like but today very few, if any, believe this to be true. The Independent wrote in August of 2025:

“A newly uncovered medieval document is the earliest known to suggest that the Shroud of Turin, widely believed to have been used to wrap Jesus’ crucified body, is not authentic. The findings, published in the Journal of Medieval History, add evidence that even in the Middle Ages, people knew that the Shroud was fake. In the document, medieval theologian Nicole Oresme rejected the Shroud as authentic, with the future bishop claiming it as a ‘clear’ and ‘patent’ fake that was the result of deceptions by ‘clergy men.’”

A further headline in the Independent headlined “628-year-old fake news: Scientists prove Turin Shroud not genuine (again).”

However, as the Smithsonian magazine recently reported on April 9, 2026, “new evidence” in the form of plant, animal and human DNA was allegedly discovered “showing” that the cloth was “genuine.’ This is utter nonsense. The article shows convincingly that that “evidence” is not compelling, pointing out that “radiocarbon dating suggests the shroud was made sometime between 1260 and 1390—more than a millennium after Jesus was said to have been crucified.”

We conclude chapter 8 of the above-mentioned booklet, “Do You Know the Jesus of the Bible?”, with the following cautionary remarks:

“In any event, Paul tells us that we are not to ‘know’ Christ ‘according to the flesh.’ We read in 2 Corinthians 5:16 (Phillips translation): ‘… even though we knew Christ as a man, we do not know him like that any longer.’

“It is dangerous to focus on images and pictures of Christ, including portrayals of Christ by actors in movies, and think that in some way those portrayals may accurately represent how Christ might have looked. We are to focus on Christ as He is now—a powerful Spirit being! To get a correct portrayal of Christ’s present appearance, please read Revelation 1:14–16. Christ has white hair, as white as wool or snow, and His eyes are like flames of fire, while His face shines like the sun in full strength! THAT is the Jesus Christ of the Bible—God the Son—who is worthy of worship!”

Again, everyone should beware of making false assumptions about Jesus’ appearance.

(To be continued)

Lead Writers: Brian Gale and Norbert Link

Many young people today, when asked what they would like to be when they grow up, say that they would like to be famous.   Being a celebrity has attractions that many would seem to covet.   However, an immediate transformation from being a nobody to a somebody is a work-free promotion that many would not be able to cope with, nor would it be good for them.  Having the adulation of many seems to be exciting, but dangers can lie ahead for those who suddenly become, for whatever reason, an icon, a famous figure and someone to follow.  The cult of celebrity is alive and kicking and coveted by those who feel that it is for them.

One writer opined that “Having rejected the morality of the Judeo-Christian basis for western society, we have turned to the lifestyle of celebrities to inform us as to right and wrong.”    There are many examples of this by Hollywood actors and producers living and celebrating wrong life-styles which influence so many who look up to these “idols” and other “celebrities” who think that they know better than their Creator!

Do you remember the 15 minutes of fame phrase from recent history?  Wikipedia observes that this “is short-lived media publicity or celebrity of an individual or phenomenon. The expression was formulated by Andy Warhol who was quoted by Time magazine in 1967 as saying that one day ‘everyone will be famous for 15 minutes.’ The phenomenon is often used in reference to figures in the entertainment industry or other areas of popular culture, such as reality television and YouTube. An older version of the same concept in English is the expression ‘nine days’ wonder.’ This phrase dates at least as far back as the Elizabethan era, referencing William Kempe.”

However, many who are famous today may have had to work hard over a long period of time to achieve fame and glory which was not their original goal anyway, just something that happened because of their work ethic, outstanding ability or other factors.   

For example, according to Vedantu courses online, this question was asked:

“Do you know how many times Edison failed to invent the bulb? We can go and buy a light bulb quite casually at a shop. Imagine failing 2774 times to buy one. Yes! He failed 2774 times according to his records and then reached a working design of an electric light bulb.”

That was hardly instant celebrity or 15 minutes of fame as that was neither his goal nor did he live in a celebrity conscious society.

Then we have the example of James Dyson.  Interviewed by Fast Company (May 2007), Dyson asserted the importance of failure in one’s life. “I made 5,127 prototypes of my vacuum before I got it right. There were 5,126 failures. But I learned from each one. That’s how I came up with a solution. So I don’t mind failure.”  He battled for years and there was no instantaneous success that so many people yearn for today.   He became a celebrity after much hard work with so many failures over many years, and his aim was to be successful in his chosen profession, not a celebrity which only came because of all his efforts over decades.

Wikipedia observes that “Sir Richard Charles Nicholas Branson is an English business magnate who co-founded the Virgin Group in 1970, and, as of 2016, controlled five companies. Branson expressed his desire to become an entrepreneur at a young age. His first business venture, at the age of 16, was a magazine called Student.”  He set out over many decades to be successful in business with no thought of celebrity, although he could be classed as one now.

There are many more examples that could be quoted who by their own tenacity, foresight, ability and the sheer determination to succeed, may now be classed as celebrities, but that was certainly not their ambition when they set out on their life’s journey.

We quote these examples to show that hard work and ability over a period of time brought about their celebrity, not the wish list of some young people with little, or no experience of life, often influenced by social media and so-called “influencers” who, generally, add little or no substantive representation of real life.

Fame and celebrity is, of itself, worthless to a true Christian as it focuses on self and Jesus said to esteem others better or more important than self.  We read in Philippians 2:3-4:

^“Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better (“more important,” New American Bible) than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.” The New Jerusalem Bible says: “… out of humility of mind everyone should give preference to others.”

The Apostle Paul was instructing believers to act with humility, avoiding selfish ambition, and looking out for others’ interests as being more important than their own, by following Christ’s ultimate example of selfless service. This means that we must value others, recognizing God’s view of everyone as valuable, and serving with Christ-like humility rather than pride which is so prevalent in society today. Celebrity today is all about pushing one’s own personal agenda first and foremost, seeking followers and building one’s own personal image, which is anathema to the Way of Life to which a true Christian has been called.

We read in Matthew 23:1-2 that Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to His disciples about the scribes and Pharisees, as we read in verses 6-7:

“…they love the best places at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues, greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called by men, ‘Rabbi, Rabbi.’”

Celebrity and the acknowledgement of others were prevalent in the time of Christ, as we see from the above, which is something that we must avoid.

Most of the members of the Body of Christ may not be rich, famous or even well-known, with just a very few exceptions to that rule, but our details are written in the Book of Life which is infinitely more important.   

When people become idols to others through their fame and celebrity, the first of God’s 10 Commandments is broken, as we read in Exodus 20:3: “You shall have no other gods before Me.”

Celebrity culture is contrary and diametrically opposed to true Christianity, because the former usually puts the emphasis on self-worship which we showed above, and is breaking the first of God’s 10 Commandments, and allied to this is the worthless pursuit of worldly fame which may seem exciting at the time, but has no lasting value.

Celebrity culture usually requires reliance on the outer person, the physical appearance which is part of the public image that is required.   We may remember that God looks on the heart of man. 1 Samuel 16:7 is a telling piece of Scripture when Samuel the prophet was looking for a replacement for King Saul:

“But the LORD said to Samuel, ‘Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.’”

On the face of it, David’s brothers may have seemed to be more appropriate but not in the eyes of God.  Worship is only due to God, not to fellow human beings with all of their faults and frailties.   We can hear, for example, that an aspiring sportsman may say that a particular person was his idol as he was growing up.  In such a case, personal beliefs, standards and morals may not even be considered about the celebrity in question.

American author Charles R Swindoll wrote the following in his biography about King David.

“We want the beautiful people, the brilliant people, the ‘successful’ people.  We want the best and the brightest.   We are terribly enamored of the surface.  The superficial impresses us much more than we’d like to admit.   We even elect a president because he looks good on television. But God says, ‘That’s not the way I make my choices.   I choose the nobodies and turn them into somebodies.’ And that, in a nutshell, is the story of the life of David.”

We read in 1 Corinthians 1:27:

“But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty…”

Swindoll continued:

“David grew up in obscurity.   That’s another way that God trains His best personnel – in obscurity.  Men and women of God, servant leaders in the making, are first unknown, unseen, unappreciated and unapplauded.   In the relentless demands of obscurity, character is built.”

In Matthew 5 are the beatitudes where we read that “Blessed are the poor in spirit” (verse 3) and “Blessed are the meek” (verse 5), amongst other characteristics, “For they shall inherit the earth.”  Alternatively, celebrity culture can often emphasize and highlight extreme wealth and an opulent lifestyle, which can conflict with these values.   

Jesus preached humility and He Himself was the very epitome of that virtue.   We must remember that He was God and with God the Father from eternity, but came to earth to die for the sins of all mankind as His life was of more value than all of humanity that had ever lived or would live in the future.

We should recall that the One, Jesus Christ, who created all things through the Father’s instructions (see John 1:3 and Colossians 1:16) was active in the very formation of the universe, holding it together and being preeminent over all creation.    And with all of that power, He humbled Himself by washing the disciple’s feet (see John 13:4-15).   No thought or sign of celebrity here, just humility to show how His disciples should behave.   Most of mainstream Christianity don’t do this today even though Jesus said that the disciples then, and today by extension, should also do: “If I then, your Lord, and Master have washed your feet; you also ought to wash one another’s feet.  For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you” (verses 14-15).   This was a powerful lesson to the disciples of servant leadership and it is a lesson which all of His disciples today desperately need to learn – a lesson in humility.   And humility is, generally, unimaginable in normal celebrity culture.

The Bible contains a number of passages and teachings that caution against seeking worldly recognition and adulation. 

Jesus said in Matthew 16:26, “For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?”

Theologian and professor David Wells made this very useful comment: “Worldliness is anything that makes sin look normal and righteousness seem strange.”

The Apostle John says in 1 John 2:15: “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”   Celebrity culture is all about self, how great I am, look at me and what I have… It is the very antithesis of true Christianity and much of this attitude is spawned on social media.  

Can a celebrity be a true Christian?   It depends. Herbert W. Armstrong could be described as a celebrity, and he was certainly a true Christian. What we are addressing here are “celebrities” who may espouse Christianity in one way or another but while they might have good morals, attitudes and behavior, most do not keep the 10 Commandments, the Sabbath and the annual Holy Days, the law of tithing and the food laws, for example—beliefs essential, amongst others, that define a true Christian.   There would have to be a substantial change in beliefs, attitude and behavior for them to become a true Christian, including true repentance, and we must never forget that God does the calling (see John 6:44, 65).

In short, the celebrity culture of this world and all that that entails is generally totally at odds with true Christianity which is God-centered, while the cult of celebrity encourages and advances the pursuit of fame and all of its supposed “benefits” of pride, material success, maybe even arrogance which is fundamentally in opposition to the gentle, caring and loving Way of God.  

Worldly celebrities need the oxygen of ongoing public acclaim to keep their image alive and flourishing; true Christians never have that same necessity as they serve God in humility and love.

Lead Writer: Brian Gale (United Kingdom)

In the first part of this two-part series, we looked at the difference between the soul (the person) and the spirit in man.   We quoted from an article about “soul sleep” which rejected the concept that the soul is mortal, that the person is the soul, and that when a person dies, the person (the soul) sleeps in an unconscious state. The quotation from the article taken is in italics, followed by our comments below in roman type.

Let us continue with quoting from the article under discussion, and with our comments.

Until the final resurrection, there is a temporary heaven—paradise (Luke 23:43; 2 Corinthians 12:4)—and a temporary hell—Hades (Revelation 1:18; 20:13-14). According to Jesus’ account in Luke 16:19-31, neither in paradise nor in Hades are people sleeping. The three individuals in Jesus’ story—Lazarus, Abraham, and the rich man—are quite conscious and active in the afterlife, prior to the resurrection.

There is no temporary “heaven” for anyone when they die!   We have covered this understanding many times in our writings over the years.  Let us look at the article’s Luke 23:43 assertion.   This is about the thief on the cross which reads: “And Jesus said to him, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.’”

In short, the Companion Bible states in its appendix, in paragraph 173, that the interpretation of this verse depends exclusively on the punctuation, which is totally dependent on human authority. They explain that until the 9th century, Greek manuscripts had no punctuation at all, and even after that time, they only had a dot separating words from each other. The Broadman Bible Commentary admits: “It is possible to place the comma after today…”   In effect, Jesus was telling him “I say to you today…”   Further, he could not have been in Paradise the same day with Jesus because Jesus was in the grave for 3 days and 3 nights. We explain this in great detail in our free booklet “Jesus Christ – A Great Mystery!”.

Let us look at the biblical references made to support the idea of going to heaven at death.

In the quoted article, 2 Corinthians 12:4 is mentioned: “… how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.”

It is generally recognised that this was the Apostle Paul writing about a profound experience he had which is usually thought to refer to his vision of heaven. In it, he describes hearing “inexpressible words,” meaning that this vision was so incredible that it was beyond human expression and understanding.  However, nowhere is it even suggested that he was in heaven as a human being. Rather, it was a vision.

One commentator stated that “a vision is a supernatural revelation of God given to a person in the form of a dream or trance-like state usually for the purpose of revealing the glory of God or the meaning of past or future events.”   Paul was not in heaven because “No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven” (John 3:13).

Other references in the above-quoted article to prove their point, which in fact prove the exact opposite,  are:

Revelation 1:18: “I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death’” and Revelation 20:13-14: “The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works.  Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.”

In our free booklet “Is That In the Bible? The Mysteries of the Book of Revelation,” we can read the following on page 129:

“Revelation 20:13–15 describes the THIRD resurrection, which will occur some time AFTER the judgment period of the second resurrection: ‘The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.’”

“God refers to the coming THIRD resurrection in the book of Daniel. In contrasting the FIRST resurrection with the THIRD resurrection, we are told, in Daniel 12:2: ‘And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, Some to EVERLASTING life, Some to shame and EVERLASTING CONTEMPT.’

“Notice, it does not say that they will live forever in everlasting contempt. But it says that they will WAKE UP ‘to’ everlasting contempt—their fate will be one of everlasting consequences.”

Then, the article includes a reference to Luke 16:19-31 about Lazarus and the rich man. The Scripture reads as follows:

“There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried.  And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’  But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.’ Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’ Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’ And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ But he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’”

This parable speaks about the resurrection from the dead. The psychological punishment of the unrepentant incorrigible sinner is vividly portrayed by Jesus Christ in this parable. While Lazarus and Abraham are resurrected in the First Resurrection, the rich man faces his fate in the Third Resurrection. When he is raised back to life, he has had no consciousness of time. The “great gulf fixed” is the gulf between immortality (for Abraham and Lazarus) and mortality (for the rich man who is raised to a temporary physical existence to be burned up in the Lake of Fire).  We discuss this parable at great length on pages 29-32 of our free booklet, “Do We Have an Immortal Soul?”

Continuing with the above-quoted article denying that there is “soul sleep”:

Moses and Elijah were not “sleeping” when they appeared with Jesus on the mount of transfiguration. Far from it. They were “talking with Jesus” (Matthew 17:3).  Luke gives some additional detail, relating the subject of their conversation: “They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem” (Luke 9:31).

We discussed this issue in our Q&A, titled, “…You explained that Enoch did not go to heaven. You also stated that no one has gone to heaven, except Jesus Christ. What about Elijah? Does not the Bible state that Elijah ‘went up by a whirlwind into heaven’ (2 Kings 2:11)?” https://www.eternalgod.org/question-and-answer-85/. We said this:

“Some believe that Elijah was alive at the time of Christ, as he appeared, in a glorified state, to three of the disciples on the Mount of Transfiguration, together with the glorified Moses and Jesus (Matthew 17:1-9; Mark 9:2-10; Luke 9:28-36). We explain this account in detail on pages 14 and 15 of our booklet ‘The Gospel of the Kingdom of God.’ In that booklet, we show that the whole experience was a VISION — the disciples were given a foretaste of the kingdom of God in power. They saw, in a VISION, the time when Christ, Moses and Elijah would be powerful God beings in the Kingdom of God. Elijah and Moses are not glorified yet, as Hebrews 11:39-40 explains.  They will receive the promise of eternal life and glory in the kingdom of God at the time of Christ’s return — not before then.”

Hebrews 11:39-40, mentioned above in our Q&A, reads: “And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.”

The book of Ecclesiastes has something to say on this matter where we read in Ecclesiastes 9:5: “For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing…”

Back to the article we are reviewing:

In Revelation 6, John sees “the souls of those who had been slain” in heaven (verse 9). These souls are not sleeping; rather, they are crying out “in a loud voice, ‘How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?’” (verse 10). They are given white robes and “told to wait a little longer” (verse 11). Nothing in this heavenly scene hints at a state of unconsciousness, oblivion, or sleep prior to the resurrection. The souls in heaven are wide awake.

In our booklet “Is That in the Bible? – The Mysteries of the Book of Revelation!,” we read the following on pages 50 and 51 under the heading “The Souls Under the Altar”:

“How are we to understand that there are souls under the altar who speak—and that they are then told to ‘rest’ a little while longer (Revelation 6:9–11)? Doesn’t this show that our souls go to heaven when we die, while they are resting at the same time?

“Now, that would be a pretty confusing teaching, don’t you think?

“First of all, it does not say that the altar is in heaven. Adam Clarke’s Commentary on the Bible maintains that ‘The altar is upon earth, not in heaven.’ The ‘souls’ are under the altar because, as the Nelson Study Bible explains, ‘sacrificial blood was poured beside the base of the altar in the temple (see Exodus 29:12).’

“We must realize that the fifth seal with the souls under the altar describes a vision, as do the other seals. The four horsemen do not REALLY ride—they REPRESENT certain events, which will take place on this earth. In the same way, the ‘souls under the altar’ are not really alive and do not really cry to God with a loud voice. Neither did the ‘dry bones’ in Ezekiel’s vision in Ezekiel 37:11 really speak, nor did Abel’s shed blood (Genesis 4:10). This is symbolic language, as we also read in Hebrews 12:24 that the blood of Jesus, the Mediator of the new covenant, ‘speaks better things than that of Abel.’

“Notice also what is said in Revelation 20:4, 6 about the ‘souls’ of those who were killed for Christ:

“‘… I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshipped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads and on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years… Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection…’

“These souls were brought back to life in a resurrection. Before that, they were dead…

“Just imagine what it would mean if we were to take this symbolic vision in Revelation 6:9–11 literally: Souls of killed saints would need to ‘rest’ under the altar for several more years—and that in a conscious state, being able to speak and to have emotional pain—until other servants of God were killed as well (Revelation 6:11). This does not sound like a very blissful and happy state of affairs for the souls of righteous people!

“To use the vision of the souls under the altar as evidence for the teaching that our souls don’t simply sleep but do go to heaven when we die, is without any biblical basis whatsoever.”

Finishing off the article we have been addressing, we read:

Still, it can be said that a person’s body is “sleeping” while his soul is in paradise or Hades. And that is just how the Bible pictures it. At the resurrection, the body is “awakened” and transformed into the everlasting body a person will possess forever, whether in heaven or hell. The redeemed, made righteous by the blood of Christ, will inhabit the new heaven and new earth (Revelation 21:1). The unredeemed, who remain in their sin, will be thrown into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:11-15).

It is quite ridiculous to assert that “a person’s body is ‘sleeping’ while his soul is in paradise or Hades.”   We have already shown, many times in our literature, sermons and sermonettes over many decades that, at death, we neither go to heaven, limbo, purgatory or hell but that the soul (the person) dies and the spirit in man goes back to God to be stored in heaven until the person is resurrected at a later time. 

It is true that the righteous will inhabit the new heaven and the new earth and that those who reject Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour and refuse to live the Way of Life set before us will be thrown into the Lake of Fire.  However, mainstream Christianity often states that this is the only day of salvation when it is but “a day of salvation” and those who have never heard about the true God and His Son, Jesus Christ, will rise in the Second Resurrection and be given their first opportunity in the Great White Throne Judgment to accept Jesus Christ as their Personal Savior. God is fair and everyone will be given their chance for salvation and eternal life in the Kingdom of God.

In 2 Corinthians 6:2, we read “For He says: ‘In an acceptable time I have heard you, And in the day of salvation I have helped you.’ Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”  This is quoting Isaiah 49:8 where in the Authorized Version it states “a day of salvation”.   If today was the only day of salvation, all those who had never heard the only Name by which we must be saved, the Name of Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12), would be doomed to eternal death.

Today is indeed THE day of salvation for those who have been predestined to be called today. But these are only very few—the firstfruits. Most people were simply never given the chance to be called now. For them, today is NOT the day of salvation. It will come later. It would be unfair to those who lived in the 4,000 years before Christ’s birth and for all those others who have never heard His Name in the last 2,000 years to be lost! But God is fair!

The article which we are quoting finishes off by saying:

Present-day advocates of the doctrine of soul sleep include Seventh-day Adventists, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Christadelphians, and some others. 

In addition to the many mistakes and omissions contained in the article, we are not mentioned.

In conclusion, the false concept of the immortal soul is the beginning point where mainstream Christianity goes off track and teaches that the “immortal soul” has to go somewhere at death, purgatory, holding places, heaven and hell.   This is unbiblical and unnecessary. The soul is mortal and sleeps an unconscious sleep—a sleep without any consciousness and awareness—when the person (the soul) dies. The spirit in man returns to God on death and will be used when God raises all who have ever lived at the resurrection.  A brief comparison below shows the difference.

A person dies and his/her body (the soul) is buried or cremated while the spirit in man returns to God. We read in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 that at the return of Jesus Christ, the dead in Christ will be raised. That will be the First Resurrection, followed by the 1,000-years reign of Jesus Christ on earth after He sets up the Kingdom of God.

Then there is the Second Resurrection (the Great White Throne Judgment) where everyone who have not had their opportunity to accept Christ and God’s Way of Life, will then have their chance.  The indication is that this will be over a 100-year period.

Then there is the Third Resurrection where the Lake of Fire awaits the incorrigible wicked even after being given a chance during their lifetime in times past, now, or at a later time.

Doesn’t that make a lot more sense than death, purgatory, indulgences, people going to heaven, or a waiting place or to hell for eternity even if they have never heard the Name of Jesus Christ?

The Bible spells out the Truth despite the fact that man so often seems to come up with his own version which usually turns out to be very wide of the mark!

We have a free booklet entitled “Why This Confusion About Life After Death?,” which is freely available upon request.   This 77-page booklet covers many of the items raised in this two-part Q&A, such as the false concept of hell and the immortal soul as distinguished from the spirit in man; numerous Catholic myths; indulgences and purgatory; and much more. Please ask for a free copy.

Lead Writer: Brian Gale (United Kingdom)

“Soul sleep” is not a phrase that we would use in the Church of God, even though, as we will see, it is an accurate description of biblical teaching. Rather, we would say that a baptised faithful Christian who had repented of their sins and lived the Way of Life—the narrow way, not the broad and easy way—will upon their death be awaiting the resurrection at the return of Jesus Christ.   We read this in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-16:

^“But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.”

Still, the question remains as to what happens to the soul when man dies. It is important to understand this, when we review the false mainstream understanding which is at odds with the Bible.

Understanding the correct biblical belief is crucial as it illustrates the various interpretations within mainstream Christianity and offers insight into how different denominations approach the topic of life after death.

divinenarratives.org observes that “The term ‘soul sleep’ refers to the belief that the soul enters a dormant state after physical death [this is poorly worded, when discussing the concept of “soul sleep,” as we will see], remaining unconscious until the resurrection. This concept diverges from the more widely held view that the soul immediately transitions to an afterlife, whether it be heaven, hell, or purgatory. The origins of soul sleep can be traced back to early Christian thought, where it found a foothold among certain sects and theologians who sought to reconcile scriptural interpretations with philosophical inquiries about the nature of the soul.

“One of the earliest proponents of this doctrine was the 16th-century reformer Martin Luther, who suggested at that time that the dead are completely unconscious until the Day of Judgment. Luther’s views were influenced by his reading of the Bible, particularly passages that seemed to imply a state of sleep or rest for the dead. This interpretation was not entirely novel, as similar ideas had been discussed by early church fathers and various Jewish sects, including the Sadducees, who denied the immortality of the soul.”

Luther’s concept that the dead are completely unconscious was entirely correct. But it is rather amusing to read that “Martin Luther was influenced by his reading of the Bible.” Naturally, this does not reflect what Luther’s conviction was based on, as it was more than just being “influenced” by reading Scripture. The quoted article sounds like that this is something highly unusual. But it should be a “given” on all matters regarding true Christian theology!

Jesus taught, as we read in Luke 6:47-49, how the foundations of building a house are like the foundations needed for our Christian lives:

“Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like: He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock. But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell. And the ruin of that house was great.”

Our foundations are built on what Jesus Christ, the Rock, taught, and the Bible which reveals the Way of Life to which we have been called.  If not, man’s own thoughts and ideas can be seen as normal and acceptable by those who don’t take the time to properly read and understand the Word of God.

It has been acknowledged that syncretism entered the early Church.  The concept of an immortal soul which continues to live when man dies is pagan, and was inserted into Christian thinking—a typical case of syncretism. We have previously quoted Will Durant confirming this, as follows:

“Will Durant and his wife wrote the following in Volume III, titled ‘Caesar and Christ’ (1944, p. 595: ‘Christianity did not destroy paganism; it adopted it…. [T]he Greek mysteries passed down into the impressive mystery of the Mass. Other pagan cultures contributed to the syncretist result. From Egypt came the ideas of a divine trinity, the Last Judgment, and a personal immortality of reward and punishment; from Egypt the adoration of the Mother and Child…’”

The problem with mainstream Christianity is that it has absorbed pagan practices into that system of belief.   The Topical Encyclopedia has this to say on syncretism:

“Syncretism refers to the blending or merging of different religious beliefs and practices. In the context of Christianity, syncretism poses a significant threat as it can dilute or distort the core tenets of the faith. The Bible consistently warns against the incorporation of pagan or foreign elements into the worship of the one true God, emphasizing the need for purity and exclusivity in devotion.

“The Old Testament is replete with admonitions against syncretism. The Israelites were repeatedly cautioned against adopting the religious practices of the surrounding nations. In Deuteronomy 12:30-31, God warns [as quoted in the article], ‘Be careful not to be ensnared by their ways after they have been destroyed before you. Do not inquire about their gods, asking, “How do these nations serve their gods? I will do likewise.” You must not worship the LORD your God in their way.’”

And man, in his usual way, ignores what the great God tells him to do.   And so “soul sleep” [rightly understood] is accepted by few but criticised and condemned by many.   To look at what the real understanding is of this matter, we have taken a full statement on this matter and will answer the assertions as we go along.   While we have taken this from a particular website, we could easily have found many other proponents with the same line of reasoning.

The quotation from the article taken is in italics, followed by our comments below in roman type.

“Soul sleep” is a belief that after a person dies his or her soul “sleeps” until the resurrection and final judgment. The concept of soul sleep is not biblical.

We will prove in this two-part Q&A that it is biblical, mainstream theology notwithstanding. The immediate observation reveals where this response is headed, and so let us review their observations on this matter.

It’s true that, in some places, the Bible speaks of those who have died as being asleep. Daniel 12:2 describes the resurrection as the time when “multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake.” The New Testament speaks of believers who are “asleep” in Jesus. In 1 Corinthians 15:6, Paul speaks of those who are “still living,” in contrast to those who have “fallen asleep” (see also verses 18 and 20). Luke relates the death of Stephen with the words, “He fell asleep” (Acts 7:60), much the same as how Jesus describes Lazarus in John 11:11  and Jairus’s daughter in Luke 8:52. So, for those who expect a resurrection, sleep is a metaphor for death.

So far, so good. Continuing:

Death is a “sleep” for the believer because it is temporary; the resurrection is the “awakening.” But what exactly is it that sleeps, and what is awakened? It is the body, not the soul. A body, when dead, appears to be resting in sleep, and that gives rise to the metaphorical usage of sleep. But the soul does not sleep. The moment we experience physical death, our souls are transferred to a different place. For believers, to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:6-8; Philippians 1:23). For unbelievers, death means everlasting punishment in hell (Luke 16:22-23). 

This is where error creeps in early on.  “But the soul does not sleep.”   This assertion is made because of the false understanding that man has an immortal soul.   We have a 40-page free booklet entitled “Do We Have an Immortal Soul?” and we read on page 28 the following:

“HUMAN SOULS DIE AND MUST BE BROUGHT BACK TO LIFE

“When people die, they are dead. Death is the opposite of life! In order to live again, dead people must be resurrected from the dead to either physical life or to eternal life. 

“In Revelation 20:4, both types of resurrections to physical life and to eternal life are discussed, with special emphasis on a resurrection to eternal life, ‘…and I saw the souls (psyche) of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus and they lived (as spirit beings) and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished (but they will be resurrected afterwards to physical life). This is the first resurrection’ (This phrase refers to those souls that were brought back to life to reign with Christ for a thousand years.). 

“Notice that the souls that had been killed lived again. So the souls were dead, but they were brought back to life in a resurrection from the dead. How clear it is that persons are souls and that souls die. Souls do not continue to live on after death.”

Man IS a soul but doesn’t have a soul—he has the spirit in man which is entirely different. The spirit in man goes back to God when man dies, but it won’t be conscious. It has stored everything about the man—his outward appearance, his experiences, even his thoughts and motives—and God will use it and place it in the newly created body of the person at the time of the resurrection. 

In our Q&A “What does the Bible teach about the ‘spirit in man’? Is that human spirit the same as an immortal soul?,” we read the following:

“Most people know nothing about the existence of the spirit in man—even many religious people—lay persons and theologians alike. When they read passages in the Bible describing the spirit in man, they assume the Bible is talking about the soul. But the soul is not a non-physical component of the human being. The soul, according to the Bible, is totally physical. The Bible does not teach the concept of an immortal soul. Rather, we read in Ezekiel 18:4, ‘The soul who sins shall die.’ The word ‘soul’ in the Bible refers to the living body of both man and animals…

“In the book of Isaiah we are told that each human being has a spirit within him. ‘Thus says God the LORD, Who created the heavens and stretched them out, Who spread forth the earth and that which comes from it, Who gives breath to the people on it, and spirit to those who walk on it…’ (Isaiah 42:5).

“The Bible strongly indicates that God gives the human spirit at the time of conception, and then takes it back at the time of death. We read in Zechariah 12:1, ‘Thus says the LORD who stretches out the heavens, lays the foundation of the earth, and forms the spirit of man within him.’ Ecclesiastes 12:7 says, ‘Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it.’ When the spirit in man leaves a person, that person is dead. James 2:26 says, ‘For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also’…

“Understand though, that when a man dies and his spirit returns to God, that spirit does not continue to live consciously, apart from the body. Rather, God ‘stores’ it, so to speak, in heaven, until He unites it at the time of the resurrection of man with a new spiritual or physical body. The concept that man’s soul is immortal is as wrong as the concept that man’s spirit continues to live consciously after death…”

(To be continued)

Lead Writer: Brian Gale (United Kingdom)

Amazingly, there are those who still erroneously believe that Jesus was born on December 25.For many decades, we have told the world, along with many other sources, that this is simply not the case; however, the world at large has generally ignored this information.  It is a bonanza for businesses that care only for the sales of their products.

It is possible to know the approximate time of Jesus’s birth, which totally destroys the Christmas myth, which is such a big issue in today’s society, and can be a make-or-break time for many businesses, since many people spend so much money at this time of the year.   But in the year 2025, very few seem to care, as it is a time to be merry, have a week or two off work and just enjoy oneself.   There are those who may genuinely take this time seriously, thinking that they are worshipping Jesus even though they may realize that the date is wrong, and even that the roots of Christmas are of pagan origin, but that it is an exciting time for their children and the family.   And yet, it is a practice which does not have God’s approval.

There is not one single reference in all 66 books of the Bible, and not one mention in early church literature pinpointing the date of Jesus’s birth. Obviously, God did not want us to know the date He was born!   

However, we do celebrate Christ’s death.   It is through His death and atoning Sacrifice that we are reconciled to God, and have forgiveness of sin.   

Let us, very briefly, look at the biblical way of calculating the approximate time of Jesus’s birth.  We will be looking at verses in just two books – Luke 1 and 1 Chronicles 24 to prove the approximate time of the year that the Savior of mankind was born.

Let us look at the biblical way of calculating this by reviewing Luke 1, where John the Baptist’s birth was announced to Zacharias. [We addressed this issue before, together with other aspects; compare our Q&A, asking and answering the question: “In your new book, ‘Jesus Christ — A Mystery,’ as well as in your booklet, ‘Don’t Keep Christmas,’ you state that Christ was not born on December 25th. Does the Bible give any indication as to when He was born?”. In this Q&A, we are elaborating on the passages in Luke 1 and 1 Chronicles 24.]

In Luke 1:5-9, we read:

“(5) There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah.  His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. (6) And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. (7) But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years. (8) So it was, that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division, (9) according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.”

There are two points to note here.

In verse 5, it states that the “division” or “course” was that of Abijah, and in verse 8, it says that “he executed the priest’s office before God in the order of his “division” or “course” (compare Authorized Version).

These courses lasted 8 days, from Sabbath to Sabbath, and there were 24 of them, and the division of Abijah, like the others, would serve in the temple twice a year.

These divisions or courses are listed in 1 Chronicles 24. We read in verse 10: “…the seventh to Hakkoz, the eighth to Abijah.”

In verse 19, we read: “This was the schedule of their service for coming into the house of the LORD according to their ordinance by the hand of Aaron their father, as the LORD God of Israel had commanded him.

In his book under the heading “The Twenty-Four Courses,” the author Alfred Edersheim writes that each “course” of priests and Levites came on duty for a week from one Sabbath to another.   So, going back to Luke 1:5, we see that John the Baptist’s father – Zacharias was of the course of Abijah – was the eighth course.   

Let us continue reading this account in Luke 1:9-25:

“(9) … according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot (that is Zacharias) fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. (10) And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense. (11) Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. (12) And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. (13) But the angel said to him, ‘Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. (14) And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. (15) For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb.  (16) And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. (17) He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, “to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,” and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.’ (18) And Zacharias said to the angel, ‘How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.’ (19) And the angel answered and said to him, ‘I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings. But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time.’ (21) And the people waited for Zacharias, and marveled that he lingered so long in the temple. (22) But when he came out, he could not speak to them; and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple, for he beckoned to them and remained speechless. (23) So it was, as soon as the days of his service were completed, that he departed to his own house. (24) Now after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived; and she hid herself five months, saying, (25) ‘Thus the Lord has dealt with me, in the days when He looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.’”

And so, as soon as he finished his course—the eighth one—, he went home and his wife conceived.

By knowing the approximate date of John the Baptist’s birth, we should be able to arrive at the time of the birth of Christ, because Luke 1:26, 27, 36 tells us that Christ was just six months younger than John the Baptist. We will explain this in detail below. 

All of this simply means the following:  

• The courses started at the beginning of the sacred year.
• Zacharias served in the 8^th course.
• Since the course of Abijah was eighth in order, Zacharias ministered in the ninth week rather than the eighth week because during the third week, all the priests were ministering the Passover season.
• The first course started around April 6 that year.
• Zacharias, serving in the ninth week, served from around June 1 to June 8 which was the time when the angel told him that his wife would conceive and bear a son to be called John.
• Zacharias could not have returned home on June 9 however, because that week began with a Holy Day (Pentecost), in which his course ministered, along with the other 23 courses. This extra service kept him in Jerusalem until Sivan 12 (June 15).   At that time, he could return home and his wife conceived which was mid-to-late June.
• As the gestation period is 280 days, we arrive at about Nisan 1 – probably late March.
• As Jesus was 6 months younger than John [see below], we add 6 months to late March – which means that Jesus was born in late September or perhaps in early October.

We know that there were two courses a year and this course (or division) referred to, must have been the first course of the year because:

• The guest chambers became available around the time of the Feast of Tabernacles.
• Taxation (compare Luke 2:1-5) came just after the autumnal (fall) festival season; and
• Christ’s ministry was for 3½ years and as He was crucified at Passover, He was born 3½ years earlier which takes us back to the autumn. To elaborate, Luke 3:23 states that Jesus started His ministry around age 30). The Book of John mentions three Passovers: John 2:13; John 6:4 and John 11:55), with the last Passover leading to Christ’s arrest and crucifixion, fitting within Daniel’s prophecy (Daniel 9:24-27) of the Messiah’s coming and being “cut off” in the middle of the final week. Compare chapter 6 of our free booklet, “When and How Will Christ Return?” 

Going back to the Scriptural evidence, and showing in more detail that Jesus was in fact 6 months younger than John the Baptist, let us look at Luke 1:26:

“(26) Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth…”

This is where Christ’s birth was announced to Mary.   The sixth month referred to here is the 6^th month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, as explained below.

Continuing with verses 27-36:

“(27) to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. (28) And having come in, the angel said to her, ‘Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!’ (29) But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. (30) Then the angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. (31) And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS. (32) He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. (33) And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.’(34) Then Mary said to the angel, ‘How can this be, since I do not know a man?’ (35) And the angel answered and said to her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. (36) Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren.”

As stated above, the sixth month referred to here is the 6^th month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, as verse 36 says that this is the 6^th month for her who was called barren.

Mary was to become the mother of Jesus – and conceived (verse 31) when Elizbeth, her cousin, was six months pregnant, as it says here in verse 36 which confirms the “sixth month” as mentioned in verse 26.   And so, when John the Baptist was born in mid-to-late March, Mary was 3 months pregnant.   Six months later, Mary gave birth to Jesus in approximately late September or maybe even early October—we simply do not know exactly, but it occurred around that time.  God has not made this date known, but surely would have done so had He wanted us to celebrate it.

Additional evidence is the fact that Jerusalem and the surrounding towns were very crowded with visitors at the time that Jesus was born – His parents had to take accommodation in a stable.  The autumnal festivals occur in the seventh month of the sacred year as we know from Leviticus 23, corresponding to our September/October.   This was also the time of the year when taxes were collected, as mentioned previously.

We can prove from many sources the paganism of Christmas (compare our free booklet, “Don’t Keep Christmas”). December 25is just another day – there is nothing sacred or holy about it.   Hopefully, in the not-too-distant future, God’s Feast days and not the world’s pagan holidays – like Christmas – will be kept by everyone, worldwide. And that is such a wonderful thing to look forward to!

Lead Writers: Brian Gale (United Kingdom) and Norbert Link