Author name: godlybro

The context of John 11:26 is the death and resurrection of Lazarus.  Martha expresses understanding of Jesus’s words without asking ‘why did my brother die since he was a believer?’ This indicates a deeper meaning is meant. Some English translations add the proper insight to this verse – that those who believe in Jesus will not ultimately die. See Wycliff Bible and Youngs Literal Translation among others.  The Apostle Paul summarizes God’s plan concerning everlasting life in 1 Corinthians 15: 21-26 “For since by a man death came, by a man also came the resurrection …  For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.  But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming (This word” translated as “coming” in English is the Greek word meaning “presenceHh This refers to mankind during the Millennial Age), then e hands over the kingdom to our God and Father, once he has abolished all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be abolished is death.” God’s plan of salvation will eventually secure eternal life to EVERYONE who wishes. Those now faithful will receive a grand heavenly resurrection. While everyone else (who has ever lived) will be rewarded with perfect, everlasting human life. Death will be abolished. Hebrews 9:27 is in harmony with this concept. Here the Apostle Paul recounts the spiritual, symbolic significance regarding God’s Tabernacle. Scriptures leading up to verse 27 explain that Jesus is our great antitypical High Priest. Verses 24-26: “For Christ did not enter a holy place made by hands, a mere copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; nor was it that he would offer himself often, as the high priest enters the Holy Place year by year with blood that is not his own. Otherwise, he would have needed to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now once at the consummation of the ages he has been revealed to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.” To interpret verse 27, we need to understand it refers to the annual Atonement Day when the High Priest was subject to death. (See Leviticus 16:11-14.) “And as it is appointed unto the* men (typically the high priests – but antitypically Jesus) once to die, but after this the judgment.” It was Jesus, who was judged and found WORTHY. Jesus entered into God’s presence (the Most Holy in the Tabernacle) with his sacrificial blood.  Ephesians 3:17-19 “…That ye, …may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;…And to know the love of Christ, …that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.” *Nestle Al and 28 New Testament Greek Text is the most accurate recension, and it has “the.” Translators have omitted the word “the” because it doesn’t agree with their doctrines. However, the even translators for the King James Bible (in the 1600’s) knew the Greek word for “the” was in the manuscripts, and they also refused to translate it. We should never omit and add words to God’s Holy Bible.

Some scriptures do reflect reasonable as well as wealthy incomes for the apostles. However, no apostle’s income increased as a result of following Jesus. The apostle Matthew was a tax collector. Luke 5:27-29: (NKJV) 27 “After these things He (Jesus) went out and saw a tax collector named Levi (this is Matthew), sitting at the tax office. And he said to him, ‘Follow Me.’ 28 So he left all, rose up, and followed him. 29 Then Levi gave him a great feast in his own house. And there were a great number of tax collectors and others who sat down with them.” Great feasts are very costly. Hosting the feast in one’s home indicates that home is large. Therefore, Matthew was wealthy. The apostle John probably came from a more prosperous family. John had relationships and was respected among the Sanhedrin. These men were prosperous leaders in the Jewish community. Because John knew these men, John alone was admitted into Jesus’s trial. John 18:15 (NKJV), 15 “And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple (John). Now that disciple (John) was known to the high priest, and went with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest.” Additionally, at the cross, Jesus commended his beloved mother into John’s care. Jesus would have chosen the best person to love and care for her so that she would not be in need. “Then He (Jesus) said to the disciple (John), ‘Behold your mother!’ And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home.” John 19:27 (NKJV) The apostle Paul had great prominence in the Jewish community. He was a well-educated, religious leader. Philippians 3:4-6 (NKJV), 4 “…If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I (Paul) more so: 5 circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; 6 concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.” Doubtless, he had financial ease. The apostles who were fishermen were owners of small businesses. They had houses near the sea of Galilee and owned boats. Land near the sea was probably well-priced. And owning boats with all the fishing gear requires a good income. So, these men may not have been as prosperous as Matthew, John, and Paul, but they still had comfortable incomes. But none of these facts promote the “prosperity gospel” of today. Many well-known preachers teach that following Jesus and tithing will be blessed. They believe God will give you even more income. We strongly disagree with this thought. Paul wrote, “I know what it is to be in need,… hungry,… in want.” Philippians 4:12 (NIV). The apostles left all to follow Jesus. Matthew 19:27: (NKJV) “Then Peter answered and said to him, ‘See, we have left all and followed you. Therefore what shall we have?’”

There’s a popular saying: you can choose your friends but not your relatives. Often, it’s not until we grow up and look back that we cherish the time we had with our siblings. Even if you’re an only child, you can still have special relationships with your “brothers” and “sisters” in your faith who share the same Christian values you do. Psalms (133:1, NIV) says, “…How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live in unity!” Siblings who get along can work as a team. When one lacks a certain skill, the other can make up for it and support the other in order to accomplish great things. Moses and Aaron were brothers. Moses said he was not a good speaker, and therefore could not take on the responsibility of leading the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt. God said not only would Aaron be able to help Moses talk to the people of Israel (Exodus 4:14) and Pharaoh, (see Exodus 6:30 – Exodus 7:1,2,3) but that He would teach both Moses AND Aaron what to say and do. (see Exodus 4:15) Getting along with our siblings can build a special bond of love and support we can rely on in hard times. David also had a “brother,” but not by blood. His name was Jonathan, King Saul’s son. Saul was jealous of David and even tried to kill him, but because of David and Jonathan’s close friendship, they were able to deal with this difficult situation together. Jonathan understood David’s concerns and did everything he could to sympathize with him and protect him. Mary, Martha, and Lazarus were very special friends of Jesus, and they were siblings, too! They listened to Jesus’ message and showed him hospitality. These siblings were blessed with an extraordinary miracle when Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. Their shared common goal of faith and service bound them together. So, why should we get along with our brothers and sisters? Because whether related by family or Christian fellowship, brothers and sisters can work as a team. Like Moses and Aaron, they offer different strengths to support each other. Although David and Jonathan weren’t actually related, their brotherly relationship enabled them to protect each other and endure hard experiences together. Finally, beautiful things can happen when, like Mary, Martha and Lazarus, we share a common goal of faith and service with our siblings. As we grow up, it may sometimes feel like there’s no one else on this earth who can understand us the way a brother or sister can. Protect that special relationship and be loyal, supportive and loving towards your siblings! This video is from Christian Questions Podcast. For more information please go to https://christianquestions.com

Yes, the money received from the insurance policy will help your living relatives to pay for your burial expenses. This would help to relieve the financial burdens of a funeral, the cost of a grave, etc. It is a part of providing for your family. 1 Timothy 5:8 (RSV), “If any one does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his own family, he has disowned the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” In the New Testament, a wealthy man named Joseph of Arimathea had planned for his death by preparing a tomb. Joseph was honored for his preparations. After our Lord died, Joseph had the privilege of offering his new tomb as the place to bury our Lord. Matthew 27:57-60 (RSV), 57 “When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who also was a disciple of Jesus. 58 He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. 59 And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen shroud, 60 and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn in the rock; and he rolled a great stone to the door of the tomb and departed.” Death is a sad and solemn occasion. Preparations should permit people to remember and to grieve the loss of that departed person. Death is an enemy (1 Corinthians 15:26).

Prayer is a special privilege and should be done with great humility and respect. After all, we are speaking to the Creator of the universe! With this in mind, we must be sure we are praying for the RIGHT things that are pleasing to God. But what sorts of prayers are appropriate? Having a thankful heart is always the right way to be! What are you thankful for? Your family? A home? Your school? Good things to eat? Say “thank you” for the  many blessings He has provided, and tell Him specifically what you are thankful for. Psalms (136:1, NASB 1977)  says, “Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; For His lovingkindness is everlasting.” We should pray for forgiveness for our mistakes, appreciating that God understands that it’s hard to live righteously all the time. Psalms (103:14, New Heart English Bible) says, “For He knows how we are made. He remembers that we are dust.” When we realize we have made a mistake, let’s immediately go to God with a repentant heart. To be “repentant” means to feel sincere regret. Psalms (51:17, Good News Translation) says, “My sacrifice is a humble spirit, O God; you will not reject a humble and repentant heart.” Jesus taught us to pray for God’s kingdom to come, so it’s always appropriate to copy his example. In Matthew (6:10, NIV), Jesus said, “…your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” God’s kingdom  has many parts that occur in different stages. When we pray for God’s kingdom to come on earth and in heaven, we are showing Him that we are eager for His righteous government to be fully established. God made a promise to Abraham in Genesis (22:18, NIV) “…and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me.” This means many wonderful blessings are coming to every person who has ever lived. So, what should we pray for? At least three things are always appropriate: expressing thankfulness for His blessings, for forgiveness and for His kingdom to come.  

Romans 3:21, “But now the righteousness of God without (apart from) the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;” The Gospel was pictured or foreshadowed in the Law. The Law convicted Jews and Gentiles of sin. It pointed to a need for a Savior. Romans 3:22-23 “…The righteousness of God … is by the faith of Jesus Christ.” For those who believe, “there is no difference [between Jew and Gentile]. “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” This epistle emphasizes repeatedly that true justification comes by faith in Jesus. What Paul wrote was not a new theology because salvation through Christ was foreshadowed in the Law and prophesied through the prophets. The prophet Habakkuk wrote, “The just shall live by faith” – not by works. Romans 3:24, “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:” It is by God’s grace that the gift of justification is received through Christ. Justification is not earned. Paul was bringing a message of hope. We all stand condemned in our own righteousness. Isaiah wrote, “We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away. which is as filthy rags.” (Isaiah 64:6 RSV). Paul then proceeded to tell about the “redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” Romans 3:25, “Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation (“a mercy seat” in Greek) through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;” Paul was explaining that Jesus’s death had a purpose – it was to be a propitiation to satisfy the demands of justice for Adamic sin. Under the Law, typical atonement occurred when blood was sprinkled on the Mercy Seat (the place of propitiation). Paul was saying that Jesus is the means of true atonement—that faith in his blood brings justification and forgiveness. Romans 3:26, “To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he (God) might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.” God is just, and He is also the Justifier. God did not ignore justice; He provided justification to sinners by faith in Jesus’s blood. Romans 3:27- 29, “Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. 28 “Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. 29 Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also:”” Here Paul summarized the argument. It is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith. Romans 3:31, “Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.” The Law in the Old Testament does not conflict with the Gospel.The ceremonial features of the Law ended when the antitype had come, The sacrifices represented Jesus and the Church. Jesus said, “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill” (Matthew 5:17). Jesus came to magnify or fulfill the Law. Jesus did not “make void” the Law.

Parousia means presence. (See 2 Corinthians 10:10; Philippians 2:12.) Sadly, most Bible translators have injected their theological, doctrinal biases into their translations and have used the word “coming” for parousia. However, Thayer’s Greek Lexicon of the Bible accurately gives the definition as “presence” or “arrival.” Additionally, Professor Robert Young in Young’s Literal Translation of the Bible also preserves the meaning of parousia as presence. An example of the integrity of Young’s translation is in Matthew 24:3 (YLT), “And when he (Jesus) is sitting on the mount of the Olives, the disciples came near to him by himself, saying, ‘Tell us, when shall these be? and what is the sign of thy presence (parousia), and of the full end of the age?’” In His answer, our Lord then goes into detail telling his disciples what events should transpire and were yet to happen so that they would know when Jesus had returned. Jesus said, “Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.” (Matthew 24:42 NKJV) Remember, Jesus returns as a thief. 1 Thessalonians 5:2 (NKJV), “For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night.” A thief does not announce his presence! Having a proper understanding of parousia can greatly alter the thought of the manner and object of the Second Advent of Christ. Our Lord was preparing the disciples to recognize that a length of time was going to intervene between his first and second advents, and that they should be watchful for all that would transpire. This means that our Lord would be present, and there would be many who would not know it. How can this be? Wouldn’t every Christian recognize the Lord? No. Some Christians are either not watching and therefore, do know not what “time” it is, or they are looking for the wrong thing. Jesus said, “A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also.” John 14:19 (NKJV) How do we harmonize this with Revelation 1:7 (NKJV), “Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him (see Zechariah 12:10). And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him”? Revelation 1:7 is not talking about our literal eyes. It means the world will recognize Christ’s presence by the establishment of His righteous kingdom on Earth. (Zechariah 14:3.)  All will be resurrected. (John 5:28-29) Additionally, “They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain, For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD As the waters cover the sea.” (Isaiah 11:9 NKJV)  Mankind will be restored to perfect health. (Isaiah 35:4-10) Eventually, every eye shall discern Him and know that the Lord is present!

You are referencing the words of our Lord in the Gospel of John. John 9:4-5 (NKJV), “I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” The word light comes from Strongs Concordance G5457 – “phos” meaning to shine or to make manifest…” Light in the context of our Lord’s declaration is truth and righteousness and the way to eternal life.  John 14:6 (NKJV), “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’” We are instructed by Jesus to let OUR light shine before men. Matthew 5:16 (KJV), “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” For those trying to follow in the footsteps of Christ, we are to be representatives of that light by exhibiting true Christian attributes in our daily lives. In the opposite direction, Satan represents the way to lies, darkness, and death. Darkness is often used in scripture to illustrate deceit and ignorance; for example – Isaiah 60:2 (KJV), “For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: …” How well that describes the world we live in today where lies and ignorance are celebrated over truth and facts. Satan remains the god of this world. 2 Corinthians 4:4 (RSV), “…the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the likeness of God.” Thankfully, Jesus is in the process of destroying the Prince of Darkness with the bright shining of His presence. 2 Thessalonians 2:8 (YLT), “and then shall be revealed the Lawless One (the man of sin), whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the manifestation (Greek means ‘shining’) of his presence”. When God’s kingdom is fully established on the earth, when men have passed their final test and can then live forever, there will be no more darkness-sin and ignorance. Only eternal life-light will cover the entire earth. Revelation 21:23-24 (ESV), “And the city (the New Jerusalem) has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it,”

Unconditional love is the love that can do much and demands nothing in return.  Human nature, in our present imperfect condition, has trouble loving others when that love is not returned. Yet this love characterizes the very nature of God. The Bible clearly states that God’s love is unconditional.  John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life.”  1 John 4:8, “The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love.”  James 1:17, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” One of the best examples we have is God’s unconditional love of Israel.  1 Kings 10:9, “… the Lord loves Israel forever,…”  Israel is the ‘apple of God’s eye’ (Deuteronomy 32:10, Zechariah 2:8).  Sadly, Israel was not faithful to the Law Covenant they made with God. The passage of history has shown the consequences to both the people and the land. God’s love required Israel to lose special national favor for a time. (Matthew 23:37-38) This period of disfavor was a discipline to develop Israel into the future blesser nation for the whole world. (Genesis 28:14) Israel has been nationally reborn in preparation to bless all. (See Romans 11:25-27.) Additionally, God’s unconditional love will create his own intimate divine family, the Bride of Christ. The saints are those who devote their lives to developing unconditional love through obedience to every aspect of God’s will.  Romans 2:7,“to those who by perseverance in doing good seek glory, honor, and immortality, He will give eternal life.” God’s unconditional love will result in perfection and life to the entire race of humankind. Romans 11:32-36, “For God has shut up all in disobedience, so that He may show mercy to all.” 1 Timothy 2:4-6 (NKJV), 4 “who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave Himself a ransom for all,…”  Acts 3:21 (NKJV), “whom (Jesus Christ) heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things…” However, the Bible does not promise universal salvation. During Christ’s 1,000 year reign, not all will learn to love righteousness. God’s unconditional love will mercifully judge the unrepentant to second death, nonexistence anywhere. (Ezekiel 18:20)  Sin always brings suffering and pain. Were a being who does not love God be permitted to live eternally, that one would only bring grief to himself and to others. Eternal life is a gift from God. (Romans 6:23)  Every person who receives life everlasting will have received loving disciplines to be perfected in heart and character. Hebrews 12:6-8 (ESV), 6 “For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.”

To worship is to show a feeling of love and respect for a supreme being. We worship God because He is our Creator with extraordinary qualities, and, therefore, worthy of our love, respect, and appreciation. Let’s discover why: He is superior over all creation. Isaiah (46:9, NIV) says, “…I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me.” He doesn’t lie (see Numbers 23:19, Deuteronomy 32:4) or change His mind (see Malachi 3:6, James 1:17), so we can count on His promises to come true. He is a trustworthy God! He represents perfect love. The Apostle John said, “…God is love,” (1 John 4:8) and, “God is light, and there is no darkness in Him at all.” (1 John 1:5, NLT) Love and light – what a beautiful combination! He is patient and merciful towards us, even though we don’t deserve it. Psalms says, (103:8, NASB) “The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in mercy.” He loves goodness and fairness. Psalms (33:5, NIV) says, “The LORD loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love.” Every human has to rest, but God never gets tired or weary. He is always awake, aware of everything going on with His human creation. (see Isaiah 40:28) Without God, life would not exist. He gave His creation a home – our beautiful earth. Think of all of the lovely places we can visit – the mountains, the beach, the desert, the rainforest…there are interesting places all over our planet for us to explore and appreciate. He gave us so much variety in plants and animals that we could never be bored! He created us with the ability to learn, reason and make decisions. (see Isaiah 1:18) As a result, we have a natural curiosity about where we came from and how to please Him. (see Acts 17:27 and Romans 1:20) God has graciously satisfied this curiosity by giving us the Bible. When we study this holy book, we can learn about His character, what He expects from us, and His plan for all of humankind. In the book of John, we also learn about God’s greatest gift to us: (3:16, NKJ) “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” This scripture is so important because without the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, there would be no opportunity for the resurrection in God’s future kingdom. God has a grand plan, and YOU and everyone you know is a part of it! So, why do we worship God? Because He is our Creator, and His character is worthy of our love, respect and appreciation. He gave us the Bible so we could learn more about Him and what He expects of us. He gave us His only begotten son so that in His future kingdom, humankind could be redeemed from Adam’s sin. What a privilege we have to know about and worship our incredible Creator!