Dramatically_Melodramatic on Revelife

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Friday, 30 January 2009

Rapture?
"For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first..." 1 Thess. 4: 14-16
So I was studying my Bible, when I came across this familiar passage. I know what I believe about this passage, but I wanted to hear what other people thought about it.
There were many questions that came to mind as I read this passage, and I wanted to see how other people would answer them. However, as my friend would say, "I like good answers, but I like Scriptural answers better". So show me what you believe, with or without scriptural basis, but scripture would make it more interesting as a point of conversation.
1. Why would Jesus come back for his people if they are already in heaven after they die anyways?
2. If the dead go immediately to heaven, why are they "rising" from the dead?
3. When referring to death, why does Jesus call it sleep?
4. Who is the Archangel?
5. What sequence of events happened before Jesus' second coming?
I'd love to see your answers!

Tuesday, 27 January 2009

I Don't Go to Church on Sunday.
Why don't I go to church on Sunday, like a good Christian?
Here's Why:
"In the Fourth Commandment, God is revealed as the Creator of the heavens and the earth, and is thereby distinguished from all false gods. It was as a memorial of the work of creation that the seventh day was sanctified as a rest day for ma. it was designed to keep the living God ever before the minds of men as the source of being and the object of reverence and worship." Great Controversy (p.54). E.G. White
Does the Lord have a day that belongs to Him?
- Rev. 1:10 - "Lord's Day"
What Day Is His Special Day?
- Matt. 12:10 - Son of Man (Jesus) is Lord over the Sabbath
- Exodus 20:8-11 - Seventh Day is the Sabbath (Fourth Commandment)
Are there "weeks" in the bible as there are weeks now?
- Genesis 7:4,10; 8:10,12 - "seven days", this specifies that from the beginning of creation there were weeks being kept.
- Genesis 50:10 - Jacob dies in Egypt, Joseph and family mourn for "seven days" (Jewish mourning period is still seven days = a week, called Shivah).
- Ezekial 3:16 - "at the end of seven days", at the end of a week
- Acts 21: 27 - "when the seven days were almost ended...saw him in the temple", on the seventh day the Apostles (Christians) were in the temple worshipping on the same day as the Jews.
Why is it special?
- Genesis 2:1-3 - Sanctified, hallowed the Seventh Day
- Colossians 1:14-17 - Sabbath represents the our celebration as God's blessed creations because "all things were created by him".
  Co-reference: John 1:10; Mark 2:27,28; Hebrews 1:1,2; Ephesians 3:9
Did Jesus Celebrate the Seventh Day Sabbath?
- Luke 4:16 - Jesus celebrated the Sabbath
- John 15:20 - "...The servant is not greater than his Lord...", if even our Saviour observed the seventh day Sabbath of the Jews, why do Christians ignore His example when we are called to "follow His steps" (1Peter 2:21)?
- Luke 23:54-24:2 - Even in death/sleep Jesus rested from his ministry on the Sabbath
Who is intended to celebrate the Sabbath?
- Acts 17:2 - Even Apostles celebrated the Sabbath
  Co-References: Acts 13:14;,42,44; 16:13; 18:4
- Ezekial 20:12,20 - God intended us to have the Sabbath as a sign of our relationship with Him.
  Co-Reference: Hebrews 4:4-11
"Protestants now urge that the resurrection of Christ on Sunday made it the Christian Sabbath. But Scripture evidence is lacking. No such honor was given to the day by Christ or His apostles..." Great Controversy (p.54), EGW
Is the Sabbath eternal?
- Matthew 24:15-20 - Even after the "abomination of desolation" of Jerusalem, the Sabbath is still intact.
- Isaiah 66:22,23 - Even in the New Earth will there be a Sabbath as Adam and Eve had before sin entered the universe
- Revelation 22:14 - The Sabbath Commandment is a commandment not a suggestion, and following the commandments result in the tree of life and passage through the gates of Zion.
That's what the Bible says, and the Bible is the Word, and God is the Word (John 1:1).
Please Comment if you read something interesting!