Truth Provided Broadcast 11-7-01
IS THE CATHOLIC CHURCH A CHRISTIAN CHURCH? part VI
Welcome to another edition of an ongoing investigation as to whether or not the Roman Catholic church is a christian church. For those of you just tuning in, I have been discussing over the last few weeks all the evidence that supports the fact that the leaders in the Roman Catholic church do not believe in the Jesus Christ of the Bible. It is "another gospel" that is being preached from Rome. So please stay tuned today and the coming weeks, for I hope to share examples and ample evidence that the Roman Catholic church is not a church of Jesus Christ.
As promised in last weeks broadcast, I would like to continue on in the expose of the Roman Catholic chruch. Specifically in the area of the doctrines held by this church. Do the Catholic doctrines really match up with Scriptures?
One more doctrine I would like to touch on is the teaching of the Roman Catholic church in regards to "life after death." As far as I can tell, EVERY Christian denomination on Earth embraces the lie that was brought into their belief systems by the mother church in Rome. The Roman Catholic church adopted the "immediate life after death" teaching from the Babylonian church of old. But is this truly what the Word of God states? Do Christians really go directly to Heaven at death? And do the wicked truly go to hell immediately after breathing their last?
Is it true as the Roman Catholic church teaches? Is it biblical to teach that prayers to the dead saints are acceptable and should be done often. Some have also expounded on this lie of Rome so much so that they believe that when a person dies they go to a spirit world where they can be contacted by us by psychic's in a seance. Some further distortions actually teach re-incarnation where the soul goes from one life to the next forever. Then there are those that teach the spirit of the deceased can actually haunt people if the deceased had been wronged in some major way in their mortal life.
Plus... what of the Roman Catholic church's teaching that the dead saints are allowed to come back from heaven and warn us of things that will happen if we don't heed their Heavenly warnings. In fact, the Roman Catholic church actually claims that Mary the mother of Jesus Christ will appear from time to time to relay messages from heaven. Is this Biblical?
Before making any judgments about this, lets go to the Bible and see what the Bible has to say about where we go when we die. We're going to the Bible because this is a church we are investigating. If we were investigating something someone told us about how to properly tune an engine we would go to the mechanics manual of that particular engine to find out if they were correct. Well, this is a church we're dealing with which claims to be teaching us what the Bible says about these topics, so lets see if they're right. Psalms 6:3-5 My soul is also sore vexed: but thou, O LORD, how long? Return, O LORD, deliver my soul: oh save me for thy mercies' sake. For in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks?
The Psalmist is praying for deliverance to arrive before death. Because he knows he won't have the ability to remember anything from the grave, nor can he give thanks from the grave. Psalms 115:17 The dead praise not the LORD, neither any that go down into silence. Psalms 146:4 His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish Ecclesiastes 9:5,6 For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun.
It appears rather plain here. The dead seem to be just that...DEAD! They can't remember, they can't thank anyone, they can't praise God, they can't think, they can't even dream because the verse says, "his thoughts perish." All their abilities have perished, "the dead know not any thing." Did you notice that last verse I gave where is says, "...neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun." The Bible is stating that the dead can in no way take part in anything under the sun. The (RSV) Bible actually translates the above last verse like this. "...they have no more for ever any share in all that is done under the sun." The New Interntional Version (NIV*) translates it, "...never again will they have any part in anything that happens under the sun." Pretty plain is it not?
If the Bible is saying the dead can't affect anything that happens here on earth. Why are people still praying to these dead saints when the dead can't hear them? Why do people still believe in hauntings, seances, apparitions etc??? They believe it because they never read in their Bibles the truth about these things. They just trusted their church leaders to tell them truthfully what the Bible says. So, who or what are these people seeing at these seances, hauntings and apparitions? Some churches believe that its Mary the mother of Jesus. as well as Jesus Himself are showing up in these apparitions. Many also believe that paintings or statues of Mary are actually bleeding real blood, or crying real tears. But how can this be? Does not the Word of God plainly state that the dead can in no way affect anything that happens here on this earth? If these apparitions aren't Mary, or Jesus, then who are they? To understand just who it is that is appearing to people, go to the website and view the That's not Mary page for the whole story on this.
I'm sure you're wondering. "Just where do we go when we die?" Don't go running to get this answer from your preacher, teacher, friend, pastor, or priest. Just go back in the Bible to find out. It is were you should always go when you're in question. However if you do at times go to a person for answers, verify it in the Word of God before making any decisions! Don't trust me or any man! Go to God's Word for the final answer and you will never go wrong.
So...where do we go when we die? Psalms 13:3 Consider and hear me, O LORD my God: lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death;
The Bible refers to death as sleep. During this dreamless sleep, "his thoughts perish," so, is it possible to affect the lives of others or carry on normal day to day activities in normal sleep? I think not. In the book of John we find a situation where Jesus Himself refers to the dead as being asleep. John 11:11-14 ...Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep. Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well. Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep. Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.
The disciples thought when Jesus said Lazarus was sleeping that he would be ok. So Jesus had to plainly say "Lazarus is dead." A few verses later we actually find out how long Lazarus would have been sleeping the sleep of death if Jesus had not raised him from the dead later on in verse 43. John 11:23,24 Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again. Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.
The book of Job also mentions the length of sleep for the dead. Job 14:12 So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep.
Notice the word till in the above verse. This means the dead will not, or cannot awaken until the last day, as Martha calls it in John 11:24. So if they are asleep, why is it people are praying to them, or conjuring up their non-existent ghosts? What actually happens to many when they finally do wake up on the last day? Daniel 12:2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
My Favorite verse on this subject.... 1Corinthians 15:20-23 But now is Christ risen from the dead, [and] become the firstfruits of them that slept. For since by man [came] death, by man [came] also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.
According to this verse, the dead in Christ will remain in their graves awaiting the order of resurrection. What is that order you ask? Jesus is the "firstfruits of them that slept" And then those that are believers in Jesus will "be made alive". But when will they be made alive? According to the Bible, they will have to be made alive in the order that God Almighty set up. Jesus, the "firstfruits" and then those that are His followers, "at His coming" And please understand that it does say "every man in his own order" We know of three men by name that had an obviously different order than the rest of us. Enoch, Elijah, and Moses are certainly already in Heaven. In fact, Moses and Elijah proved this by appearing with Jesus on the mount of transfiguration.
Just how did this LIE get started?
It's all in PUNCTUATION folks! That's right! Punctuation! Let me explain... The two short letters below are identical, only the punctuation has been changed. Notice how you can perceive a total different meaning by altering simple punctuation. This letter is actually a love letter to a man named John from a woman named Susan.
Dear John,
I want a man who knows
what love is all about. You are generous, kind,
thoughtful. People who are
not like you admit to being useless and
inferior. You have ruined me for
other men. I yearn for you. I have
no feelings whatsoever when we're apart. I
can be forever happy -- will
you let me be yours?
Susan
Dear John,
I want a man who knows
what love is. All about you are generous, kind,
thoughtful people, who are
not like you. Admit to being useless and
inferior. You have ruined me. For
other men, I yearn. For you, I have
no feelings whatsoever. When we're apart,
I can be forever happy. Will
you let me be?
Yours, Susan
Now read Luke 23:43
"And Jesus said
unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou
be with me in paradise."
[Luke 23:43]
Is Luke 23:43 REALLY saying we go to Heaven directly at death?
NOTICE:
Three days later, Jesus rises from
the dead and Mary Magdelene approaches Him in John 20:17 and "Jesus saith
unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father:" Why did
Jesus tell the thief in Luke 23:43 that they're going to Heaven that day, and
then three days later tell Mary He hasn't gone yet? The fact is, many years
after the Bible was written, puncuation was added. The coma in Luke 23:43
is mis-placed. It should be placed after the word "today." If it
is left before "today" it appears Jesus is dishonest either to Mary or the thief
on the cross. Thereby making the Bible appear to contradict itself. However, if it is placed correctly after the word "today", He is
now telling them both His truth. Now read Luke 23:43 with the coma in the
correct place...
"And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say
unto thee To day, shalt thou
be with me in paradise." [Luke 23:43]
The devil has indeed been cunningly BUSY! That's why I love the Word of God so much! It so EASILY proves lies to be just that...LIES.
Want it bluntly?
PSALM 89:48 What man [is he that]
liveth, and shall not see death? shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the
grave? Selah.
You see? It is not until Jesus MAKES us immortal on
that last day will we be able to "get out" of the blunt fact that there is a
grave for each of us that see death BEFORE He returns on that day.
For those of you that have lost loved ones. This TRUTH is a blessed comfort. You no longer have to worry about them looking for loved ones in some unkown landscape, or being scared they are all alone in the vast emptiness. The Scriptures declare that they are sleeping soundly totally unaware of what is going on around them. They don't even realize they are dead! They simply, sleep.
QUESTION: Explain the spirit that appeared to Saul, doesn't this prove life after death immediate...?
1 Samuel 28:7, "Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and enquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at Endor."
Saul sought counsel of a WITCH. It wasn't Samuel he saw in the spirit. It was a demon. There are many reason this is so. First of all we are told in God's Word NOT to seek counsel of witches, plus, the demon impersonating Samuel claimed the witch had the power to raise him, yet we know by God's Word that only the Lord Himself can do this. For Jesus Christ is the ressurection and the life, NOT witches or demons. A distinguishing fact here is that the demon gave a bogus prophecy as well. If it had been of the Lord, or even Samuel himself who was a holy man the prophecy would not have failed. The demon said, "Tomorrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me". (Verse 19) Besides the fact that Samuel is not yet "in" Heaven, Scriptures tells us that Saul appears to have grieved AWAY the Holy Spirit of the Lord in his latter years. In fact the Lord God would not even speak to him. Saul died lost, yet the "real" Samuel died saved. So...The Truth here is the devil can manifest in a bevy of ways to CoNfUsE the one looking on. In fact Satan can transform himself into an Angel of light if he so desires, (2 Cor 11:14) This "spirit" that Saul looked upon was merely one of those manifestations is all.
QUESTION: Doesn't "being absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord" mean immediate life after death?
MANY use 2Corinthians 5:8 as a basis of
"proof" that "to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord."
2 Corinthians 5:8, "We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be
absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord."
However, the Bible is very clear as you already found about the "state of the dead." Still many will choose to twist this verse out of context to sanction their own "carnal" ideas over and above its "spiritual" Truth. One point many miss in regards to this passage is the fact that Paul is commenting on the carnal nature of the people that should be "absent" so as to walk "in the Lord" as Christians. According to that theology, the next two passages I am about to share with you actually mean Paul is DEAD and speaking from the grave.
1 Corinthians 5:3, "For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed,"
Colossians 2:5, "For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ."
The meaning is obvious when taken in context to that which is written. To be absent from the body is to deny the flesh and therefore walk in the Spirit as all Christians must do. Romans 6:6-8 put it ever so plainly when it said, "Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:"
John 3:6, "That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit."
Romans 8:1, "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."
But to further illustrate this fact. We need to ask another question...
QUESTION: King David is Biblically headed for Heaven because the Scriptures declare him as such. Is he in Heaven now?
Acts 2:29,34 "Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day. For David is not ascended into the heavens:..."
Keep in mind this verse is penned AFTER the death and resurrection and ascension of our Lord. Many preach that everyone that was in the graves are in Heaven AFTER the ressurection of Christ because they "think" He brought them out of "Gehenna" when He was dead. Yet, this verse PROVES that they are indeed in error. It is that blunt, and it is that easy.
It seems even the early believers thought David was already in Heaven. But Peter made it plain that the passage they were questioning (Psalm 16:10) in regards to the Almighty not allowing His soul to stay in hell, or His body to rot, was indeed speaking of Jesus Christ ascending to Heaven, not David. For it is also explained in this chapter...
Acts 2:30-32, "Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption. This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses."
QUESTION: Doesn't Ecclesiastes 12:7 confirm life after death immediate?
Ecclesiastes 12:7, "Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it."
The fact here is that the word spirit is used to speak of the "Breath" in Human terms. The Biblical evidence used to support that fact is found in James 2:26, where it states, "For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also." It gives BOTH realities here. It shares the makeup of the BODY first, and then it shares the makeup of FAITH as well. The body without the spirit/breath is dead, like the faith without works/fruits is dead as well. Job defines it rather nicely for us in chapter 27:3, he says, "All the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils;" Here he is giving breath and spirit the same definition. the breath IN me, and the spirit in my NOSTRILS is to blunt to miss. Can the Holy Spirit be in a nostril? In this verse we find the word "spirit" being used in the nostrils which is actually the Greek word, "Pneuma" which means Air or Breath. For example, Pneumonia = sickness of the breath, Pneumatic tires = "filled with air, and so on.
One more point I want to make regarding James 2:26 here. If someone has NOT the Holy Spirit of God, are they dead? Are people that are not saved BURIED in the ground? Of course not. James is NOT talking about the Holy Spirit in this verse. He is making a clear comparison. He is merely saying, "Just as a body without the ability to breath air is dead in reality, so is the faith of the person who has no works dead in spirituality. Both the carnal and spiritual are being used here to illustrate a point. There is no mistaking that, it's that plain.
Notice this...
Genesis 2:7, "And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul."
Psalms 146:3-4, "Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help. His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish."
Now notice the similarity here with the verse the World uses to preach "Life after death immediate..." This is actually the verse that was mentioned in the original "QUESTION"
Ecclesiastes 12:7, "Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it."
Sounds like Genesis 2:7 and Psalm 146:3,4 doesn't it? All three speak of the "spirit" or the "breath" in the same manner. If you really think about it, Death is creation in reverse! The body goes back to the earth, the breath goes back to the Lord. There is a REASON Jesus used the term "sleep" in John11 when speaking of Lazarus. He was showing how HE looks at death, and how WE look at death. Even the Apostles didn't catch that.
By the way... Jesus said "Lazarus" come forth
didn't He? Ever wonder why Jesus said his name? Had Jesus just said, "come
forth" ALL the graves would have opened! For it is written in, John
11:25, "Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that
believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:" If Jesus would have
just said COME FORTH at that graveyard, ALL of them would have done so!
PICTURE THIS... A little girl standing next to her mommy at
the grave of her Aunt Polly. Her mommy is putting flowers on the grave. She
finally asks her mommy. Is Aunt Polly in there? Her mommy says no, Aunt Polly's
up in Heaven. The little girl responds, "Then why are we putting flowers here?"
Then her mom says, "No, her body is here and Aunt Polly is up in Heaven" The
little girl responds, "You mean to tell me Aunt Polly is running around in
Heaven without a body?" Simple Biblical FACT is, we don't go until Jesus
returns, and when we do go we will be in our bodies! Jesus had a FLESH AND BONE
BODY when He appeared to the Apostles, and He did say that we will have a body
like unto His did he not?
Luke 24:39, "Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have."
Philippians 3:21, "Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself."
Also notice that Elijah went to Heaven with a FLESH AND BONE body...
2 Kings 2:11, "And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven."
And Moses was resurrected with HIS BODY as well.
Jude 1:9, "Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee."
One more strange "tale" that runs rampant across the land. According to the world. If I get hit by a car and knocked unconscious, I know nothing. They take me to the hospital and find I have internal damage and need an operation, so they put me to sleep, I still, know nothing. During the operation my heart stops, I now know EVERYTHING?
If a person goes to hell immediately if he's bad, and Heaven immediately if he's good at death. then riddle me this... WHAT'S THE REASON FOR A RESURRECTION? In fact, what is the reason for Judgment day?? According to this theology, man is judged at death. Then that means NO NEED is apparent for a resurrection is there. They are already judged, and already in Heave. Problem with that is, it is NOT what saith the Lord. For he is returning, and His reward IS with Him!
Isaiah 62:11, "Behold, the LORD hath proclaimed unto the end of the world, Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy salvation cometh; behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him."
If His reward is WITH Him, then how can they be judged and IN Heaven or Hell already? So... the question remains. Are there people in Heaven?
As stated earlier, Yes.. Elijah..Enoch...Moses... are in Heaven. It also says there was a GREAT resurrection at the day Jesus rose as well in Mat 27:52,53. Plus, the 24 Elders in Revelation are those that were REDEEMED OF THE EARTH as well. Fact remains, the vast majority are still in the graves. Does the Bible explain why some went in advance? No. We do know that Moses, and Elijah were "examples" used at the mount of transfiguration so as to depict the second coming with Jesus. But the Bible is silent in regards to the others. It's simply not necessary for us to know, nor is it something needed to know in regards to our resurrection. Kinda like the lack of info on Dinosaurs eh? We do know they existed, we do know Job spoke of them, yet, not much else is revealed. Need to know basis? Perhaps.
BLUNTLY...1 Timothy 6:15-16, "Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen."
Satan has been lying a long time! he told Adam and Eve "...ye shalt not surely die" in Genesis 3:4, and all he's been doing since is repeating the same worn out lie. AND IT WORKS! Why? We are not long living beings anymore. He can use what appears as "new info" to us short living humans. So, when will we become immortal? At death? Or at His coming?
1 Corinthians 15:51-54, "Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory."
Did you notice it said ALL will be changed on that day the LAST TRUMP is sounded? Did you also notice it said the dead will be RAISED? If everyone is already in Heaven or Hell at death, then what does Jesus have to come back for? Why do they raise out of the grave to be with the Lord if they are already with him anyway? Fact is, the world preaches one thing. The Word of God preaches TRUTH.
Isaiah 26:19, "Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead."
what will they sing?
1 Corinthians 15:55, "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?"