The Rock Almighty - What is the Baptism of the Spirit, and what are the bundle of benefits received at salvation? And

-James Rondinone 

PART 6 THE SPIRITUALITY PUZZLE 

Salvation by Repentance and Faith: What Is the Baptism of the Spirit, and What Are the Bundle of Benefits Received at Salvation?

The churches that proclaim this salvation message would also, with extreme joy, tell those who’ve become converted that their salvation has brought many benefits into their lives. What are these?

John 7:38-39 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)

1 John 3:24b …And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.

The first benefit is the receiving of another member of the Trinity called the Holy Spirit, the indwelling Holy Spirit, which some would describe as being Baptized with the Spirit. Many churches don’t teach on this at all and yet emphasize another baptism--that being of water instead. Some of those who do teach on the Baptism of the Spirit tie it together with an endowment of the Spirit called the gift of tongues or prayer tongues which they proclaim provides evidence as to whether the unbeliever was truly saved.

I’m not going to talk about the gift of tongues or prayer tongues here; however, if you want to find out more about their relationship to the Baptism of the Spirit, I’ve done a thorough study on this subject in one of my books entitled, Do We Know Why We Believe What We Believe? – Volume 1, which you can find on Amazon. 

Let’s begin by asking the following question.

What is the scriptural basis for claiming that the receiving of the Holy Spirit is the same as being Baptized with the Holy Spirit?

THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

Suggested Reading: Matthew 3:11; Acts 1:2, 4-5; Acts 10:43-44; Acts 11:15-17

Matthew 3:11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:

Acts 1:2, 4-5 Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen: And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.

The Baptism of the Spirit refers to the receiving of the indwelling Spirit, which was foretold by John the Baptist and of which Jesus reminded His apostles to wait for this promise at Jerusalem in the upper room. The Baptism of such would and did occur very soon after on the day of Pentecost. 

For further confirmation, please go to the book of Acts.

 

Acts 10:43-44

To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.

This receiving of the indwelling Spirit was also mentioned when the Apostle Peter entered the house of a Gentile named Cornelius, who was accompanied by his kinsman. As Peter was preaching the salvation message of Christ, the Spirit fell upon those who heard the word. The words fell on means to take possession of.

Let’s stay in the book of Acts.

 

Acts 11:15-17

And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning. Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost. Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God?

This idea that the Spirit had fallen on those who heard the word in Cornelius’ house was reiterated in these verses and conveyed to the Jewish Christians by the Apostle Peter when he returned to Jerusalem from Caesarea. Scriptures tell us that the Spirit fell on them, as the apostles at the beginning, i.e., at Pentecost52 and that they were baptized with the Holy Ghost.

    

Did you know that there are other benefits that take place in a believer’s life at the Baptism of the Holy Spirit?

Let’s find out what these are.

THE OTHER BENEFITS (SPIRITUAL REALITIES) OF THE BAPTISM OF THE SPIRIT

Did you know that after the Holy Spirit comes to indwell new believers, there are over twenty things that take place in each of their lives, which I’ll call spiritual realities and by the way, are permanent? I’ll mention quite a few of them to make it clear what this baptism provides.

     The Baptism (indwelling) of the Spirit:

Provides the unity of the Spirit

Ephesians 4:3-5 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism,

The Holy Spirit provides unity among the members of the body of Christ wherein each member should be endeavoring (to try their best; to intensely labor) to keep. This unity has its root in the peace of God, which is one of the spiritual qualities of the Spirit. The unity of the Spirit is kept when each Christian learns how to operate in the fruit of the Spirit.

Baptizes us into one body

1 Corinthians 12:7, 11-13 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will. For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

At salvation, the Holy Spirit gives each believer at least one gift (spiritual endowment) severally (individually) as He chooses (as he sees to be right and best53). Each gift shall manifest the work and nature of the Spirit’s operation on the mind, which gives each person some proof of the Spirit’s presence in order to promote harmony in the church.54 And by the agency of the one (same) Spirit we’re all baptized (joined; united) into one body (the body of Christ, the church), whereby all have been suited, each to his appropriate place.55

 

Provides equal privilege and opportunity

Galatians 3:26-28 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

There are no national, class, or gender distinctions in Christ. All are equally accepted through the Lord Jesus Christ. Another way to say this is that we’re all on the same [level] and entitled to the same privileges in your Christian profession.56

Provides placement into Christ

Galatians 3:26-27 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

When whosoever will, repents and believes in Christ, they receive the indwelling Spirit, who baptizes them into spiritual union and communion with57 Christ.

 

Baptizes us into Jesus Christ

Romans 6:1-4 1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?

The Apostle Paul was instructing the Christians at Rome concerning sin and grace. He asked them if they should continue to sin habitually, so that grace (the divine influence upon the [heart] and its reflection in the life58) shall abound (increase). In other words, should believers sin all the more so that they could experience more grace?

2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

Paul’s answer was no. He told them that they were all dead to sin; the spiritual reality of such took place at a point in time, at salvation, when they were separated from sin’s power.

3-4 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

They were baptized (an actual identification) into Jesus Christ (into close union with a person, coming to belong to Him, so as to be in a sense identified with him59) by the Holy Spirit, and along with this they were baptized into His death (in them was understood a death to sin, corresponding to His actual death,60 having become separated from its power) and likewise as He was raised up from the dead by the glory (power) of the Father (in them was understood that they too, were raised from the dead by the quickening of the Spirit) so that they would be able to habitually walk (live) in newness of life (in an entirely new way). Some would call this retroactive positional truth which links the time when we’re saved to the time when Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead. We take a point of time and superimpose it on another point in time.

Wow! So, what do you think about the results of the inward spiritual realities that have been provided for us at salvation by means of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit? As such, this gospel is in effect stating that these spiritual realities aren’t provided for us by any other means, i.e., such as water baptism.

With what has been said, we’re ready to try and answer this question. What is the purpose of water baptism? But before we do, I’d like to leave you with some more of the spiritual realities that have taken place in our lives at salvation through the indwelling Holy Spirit. I don’t think most believers are aware of what these are. Are you? All I can say is, enjoy reading about the rest of them.

 

Quickened by the Holy Spirit

Ephesians 2:4-5 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

This means that by the power of the Holy Spirit, we’ve been spiritually resurrected, or another way of saying this is that we’ve been made spiritually alive with Christ. 

Received a human spirit

1 Thessalonians 5:23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.     

The human spirit is a spiritual apparatus that is given to the new believer for them to store spiritual knowledge. From there, spiritual knowledge goes to the heart, thereby building rooms in our souls.

 

Are given eternal life

John 10:9-10 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

This can be otherwise called the zoe life and can be referred to as an abundance of ever-flowing streams or spiritual refreshment for oneself by means of the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

Crucified with Christ

Romans 6:6 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.

The old man refers to the sinful and corrupt nature that has been crucified with Christ on the cross through our identification with Him. The body, which has belonged to or has been ruled by the power of sin, may now cease to be an instrument of it and is no longer subject to its control.

Been made heirs of God through Christ

Galatians 4:6-7 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

We’re no longer to be treated as servants, being bound by the oppression of the Law, but as sons - members of God’s family. And because we’re sons, we’re also heirs as those who: possess God himself, partake of His nature, and possess every blessing to which we’re entitled.

Seated together with Christ in heavenly places

Ephesians 2:6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus

God the Father has raised us up from spiritual death to spiritual life — from death to sin to a life of righteousness, being made alive and raised spiritually with Christ. He has caused our spiritual position to be in heavenly places in Christ who is seated at the right hand of the Father as our Head and Representative. We’re admitted to exalted honors in virtue of our connection with Him. Even [now,] our life and thoughts are raised to the heavenlies where He reigns.61

 

Are God’s handiwork

Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them

We’re God the Father’s workmanship (denotes a work of art or masterpiece; spiritual handiwork), being made a new spiritual creature in which there’s a moral and spiritual renewal for good works, which God hath before ordained (prepared beforehand). This is a path of good deeds that He’ll perform in and through us as we choose to walk by faith.

 

Are redeemed and forgiven

Colossians 1:14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins

In Christ, through our belief in Him, we’re in a permanent and continuous state of redemption (setting us free; to no longer be prisoners; on release on the payment of a ransom), and along with this we’ve received the forgiveness (the taking away of sins; these have been lost from God’s mind) of sins.

Consider what an amazing thing this is telling us. The words we have in Greek are classified as being in the present active indicative. Active means that the subject, we, those saved, are the agents of the action, i.e., of repentance and belief. Indicative is the mood or the way in which the action of the verb is conceived with reference to reality, which in this case is a statement of fact. Because of Christ, we have redemption. Finally, the word present refers to the tense or what kind of action is being expressed by the verb. This refers to continuous action in the present, meaning that we, believers, will be continually released from the payment of a ransom for our sins. Nothing can inhibit this. Not what we think, do, or say. Hallelujah!

 

Are fellow citizens with the saints and of the household of God

Ephesians 2:19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God

Whether Jew or Gentile, we’re members of the same family of God and are entitled to the same privileges and regarded by Him as His children.

 

Are complete in Him

Colossians 2:10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power

This completeness includes the furnishing of men with all that is required for their present (i.e., to be richly furnished with the power and gifts of the Holy Spirit) salvation.62

Are known by the Lord

2 Timothy 2:19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.     

We’re marked by God so as to be recognized by Him as His, and this mark also serves as a perpetual reminder to them that they’re not their own.63 The mark or impression serves to identify what is sealed, together with its owner, and to specify its purpose or function.

 

Are reconciled to God the Father

Romans 5:10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son,                                                               

This reconciliation refers to a changed relationship between God and a lost world. The means of reconciliation is Jesus Christ. He was given as a propitiation for our sins, which removed the rebellious and sinful man’s enmity toward God, thus satisfying His justice.

2 Corinthians 5:18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation

Jesus has made it consistent for God to pardon. He has made atonement so that God can be just while He justifies the sinner, who repents and believes in His Son. And on the part of man, He (Jesus), by the agency of His Spirit, overcomes the unwillingness of the sinner to be reconciled, humbles his pride, shows him his sin, changes his heart, subdues his enmity against God, and secures, in fact, a harmony of feeling and purpose between God and man, so that they shall be reconciled forever.64

Are translated into the kingdom of His Son

Colossians 1:13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son

God, the Father, has rescued us from the dominion (the spiritual power by which mankind is held) of darkness and placed us in the kingdom of his dear Son.   

Are sanctified

Hebrews 10:10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

The will of God, which was for the sanctification of men, was accomplished through Jesus’ atonement for sins on the cross. When we repent and believe in Him, we’re placed in a sanctified state, meaning that we’re in a permanent and continuous state of salvation65 into which we’re brought and in which we live.

I can’t say enough how beautiful and unique it is what this verse is conveying to us. The words we are in Greek are in what is classified as a perfect passive participle. Passive is a tense that means that we, believers, at the time we repented and believed received sanctification or the status of being saved. Perfect is a tense referring to an action completed in the past with present results. In the past, we were sanctified, and currently, in the present, we continue in this state of sanctification. And the participle denotes the purpose as to why someone is doing something or why something is being done. Why is sanctification the state we’re in? It’s because of Christ being an atonement for sin once and for all.

With that said, remember, being saved is final and not based on what we do or don’t do. WOWZA!

Have become an adopted son

Ephesians 1:5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

God, in His foreknowledge, knew beforehand who would freely believe in his Son for salvation, and it’s on this basis that they’re selected (chosen). God implements a plan in time called predestination for whosoever will receive Him, with mankind (the elect) choosing to respond in their free will to His initiation for salvation.  

God responds to a believing sinner, regenerates him, and by means of this makes him His child [the Greek word transliterated (change the letters from the Greek spelling into similar characters of the alphabet of English), His teknon, a born one]. Then He takes this child and places him in a legal position as an adult (adopted) son (Greek word, huios).66

The apostle here uses, as an illustration, the Roman practice of legally adopting a child, and thus not only bequeathing [him] the material possessions of the one [adopting] but also giving him his civil status.67

Are ambassadors for Christ

2 Corinthians 5:20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.

We’ve been brought into a permanent and continual state of ambassadorship (persons who represented someone else and who carried a message from the person whom they represented68), and in which we live.

Before we read this too fast and don’t really reflect on it; the words we are in Greek are classified as a present active indicative. To put it simply, way because we responded to the gospel, it’s a statement of fact that we’re positionally ambassadors for Christ. Positionally means this is how God sees us no matter whether our experience reveals otherwise. WOW!

    

Are made righteous

2 Corinthians 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

God the Father has made Christ be a sin offering (the sin of the world, past, present, and future was placed on Him meaning that He bore the punishment due to them in his body) for all mankind (in place of us), the purpose of which was so that those who believed in Him would be made the righteousness of God in Him. Another way of saying this is, as Christ who was perfectly innocent, by a voluntary substitution, is treated As IF He were guilty, so we who believed in Him being guilty and who deserve to be punished, are treated, through his vicarious sufferings, as if they were perfectly innocent.69

And this righteousness shouldn’t to be taken as a quality or habit received by us but in the sense of that which is approved by or acceptable to God. On the grounds of Christ’s righteousness (acceptability) to God the Father, so have we become righteous (acceptable) by faith to God the Father.

Are declared righteous

Romans 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God and are no longer threatened by His wrath through Jesus Christ.

 

Are sealed

Ephesians 4:30 And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. 

Ephesians 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,             

When the Holy Spirit comes into our lives, He is the seal (the stamp of ownership) indicating to God who is His. He is God’s seal (mark of ownership), indicating that the transaction whereby the Son of God paid the penalty of human sin at the Cross is a finished transaction and that God owns us as His property by right of purchase70 until the day of redemption. This seal can also refer to a down payment in the sense of having tasted the Spirit, [we’ve] begun to taste the life of the future world that God had promised71 us. And as for the day of redemption, some say that it refers to the rapture of the church when we’ll meet the Lord in the clouds of the air, at which time, we’ll receive not only a glorified body but also eternal rewards regarding our works.

Are given access to God the Father

Ephesians 2:18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.                                                                                                                                                          

We (both Christian Jews and Gentiles) have access by the ministry of the Holy Spirit into God the Father’s presence by means of prayer and worship, confident that [He’ll] receive and answer us72 because we’re properly qualified.

Amazing! As one of my Christian friends would say, “Wowza!” I thoroughly enjoyed that. As I was reading about each of these spiritual realities, what came to my mind was how much more there is to understand concerning this salvation message than just repentance and belief. And yet there’s a lot more to learn if you want to know all that Scripture will reveal to us that makes up this perspective. Just think, we’re learning about doctrines that perhaps we’ve never taken a thorough look at before.

The next aspect of this salvation message that we’ll look at is in respect to answering the following question. What causes a believer to have fellowship, i.e., be a partaker of God’s nature? Please turn the page, and we’ll find out what this is all about.

Endnotes

52Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament Pc Study Bible version 5, 2005. BIBLESOFT. WEB. 8 March 2022

˂http://www.biblesoft.com>.

53Barnes.

54Barnes.

55Barnes.

56Barnes.

57Vincent.

58New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc; 31 November 2018

http://www.biblesoft.com

59The Pulpit.     

60The Pulpit.         

61Barnes.

62Thayer's Greek Lexicon and Brown Driver & Briggs Hebrew Lexicon.

63UBS New Testament.                                                                                                                        

64Barnes.

65Weust.

66Weust.

67Weust.         

68UBS New Testament.

69Calvin.

70Weust.             

71IVP.

72UBS New Testament.

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2ITJ1wj

Website: https://bit.ly/3mWKJ2r     

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My name is James Rondinone. I am a husband, father, and spiritual leader.

I grew up in Massachusetts and began my own spiritual journey early on in life.

I attended Bible college, having completed a two-year Christian Leadership Course of Study and graduated as valedictorian (Summa Cum Laude).

Studying and teaching the Word of God has been a passion of mine for over 20 years.

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The Rock Almighty Thursday - Powerless - Are You Deceiving Yourself? And The Cure To Loneliness

-John Park

"How can I be powerless over myself ?" Our ways are different than God's ways. We are governed by our pride. We want things that will please our bodies and make our lives pleasant. We want the things of the world. This is our human nature, it's the way our minds work. We lost the spiritual ways of God, God's image, when Adam and Eve sinned or in other words gave into pride. They disobeyed God and lost their spiritual connection to Him. You know yourself better than anybody, but Jesus knows you better than you do. What causes us not to yield our lives with Jesus Christ? "PRIDE" We know that when we give up our lives to Jesus, we will have to conform to the life He wants us to live, which means giving up living for the flesh and the world. I can understand why people don't want to do this, I used to be in the same way, but when you feel your life is still missing something, when no matter what you do and you feel that loneliness and emptyiness within, there's only one place to turn to "Jesus". We constantly look for ways to amuse ourselves, do things to make us happy and bring pleasure to our lives, but if you notice it's only temporary, no matter what you do, it's only temporary. The flesh is very powerful, so powerful that we do not even know that it is deceiving us and preparing us for death. Luke 18:19 Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone." James 1:26, 27 Nobody must imagine that he is religious (pious, devout) while he still goes on deceiving himself and not keeping control over his tongue; anyone who does this has the wrong idea of religion. Pure, unspoilt religion, in the eyes of God our Father is this: coming to the help of orphans and widows when they need it, and keeping oneself uncontaminated by the world. We can be so selfish, because we think about ourselves first and that is why we are powerless over ourselves.

We see things that we can do to help others, but it seems like we come first. Jesus is the way, the truth and life. The world and everyone living for the world and for themselves hates THE TRUTH. Sad thing is, is that they will never be shown the true way, because their way is of themselves and of the world. Everyday our lives are lived by our choice in how we think and see things that happen moment by moment. How do you see things and how do you let these things affect you? If we walk in the flesh then we are guided by pride (darkness), but if we walk in spirit then we are guided by the light. God's law is so vast that the carnal self cannot even begin to comprehend the things that are evil. We see things that are minor in our eyes but they are evil and wicked in the eyes of God. Because we choose not to see the evil and wickedness that we do on a daily basis, it keeps our spiritual lives empty. The things we do corupt the soul and the heart. No one would jump into an open septic tank filled with waste, so why would you expect God, Jesus Christ or the Holy Spirit to come into heart or soul when it is filled with waste? Where there is darkness there is no light. Ask Jesus with a contrite and sincere heart to show you the way to clean yourself up and ask Him with all your heart to walk with you and show you how to overcome the flesh and the world, so that your life can be made full in the eyes of God. Tell Jesus you want to live and to live the way God intended us to live when He created us in His image. By accepting Jesus and giving ones life to Jesus doesn't mean that you're life is over and it's going to be boring and you're going to have to go to church all the time. If you call on Jesus and put your trust in Him and learn to listen to Him, your life will be anything but boring. Your choice: Be a slave of a world that promises death or be a slave of Jesus Christ who can give you everlasting eternal life, true life, true joy, true happiness and most of all true LOVE. May God Bless You Dearly. I received the following in an e-mail. I hope you find it enlightening. Please pass it on. DID YOU KNOW THESE FACTS? Death is certain but the Bible speaks about untimely death! Make a personal reflection about this. Very interesting, read until the end..... It is written in the Bible (Galatians 6:7): "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man sow, that shall he also reap. Here are some men and women who mocked God : John Lennon (Singer): Some years before, during his interview with an American Magazine, he said:"Christianity will end, it will disappear. I do not have to argue about that. I am certain. Jesus was ok, but his subjects were too simple, today we are more famous than Him" (1966)... Lennon, after saying that the Beatles were more famous than Jesus Christ, was shot six times. Tancredo Neves (President of Brazil ): During the Presidential campaign, he said if he got 500,000 votes from his party, not even God would remove him from Presidency. Sure he got the votes, but he got sick a day before being made President, then he died. Cazuza (Bi-sexual Brazilian composer, singer and poet): During A show in Canecio ( Rio de Janeiro ), while smoking his cigarette, he puffed out some smoke into the air and said: "God, that's for you."He died at the age of 32 of LUNG CANCER in a horrible manner. The man who built the Titanic: After the construction of Titanic, a reporter asked him how safe the Titanic would be. With an ironic tone he said: "Not even God can sink it". The result: I think you all know what happened to the Titanic. Marilyn Monroe (Actress): She was visited by Billy Graham during a presentation of a show. He said the Spirit of God had sent him to preach to her. After hearing what the Preacher had to say, she said:"I don't need your Jesus". A week later, she was found dead in her apartment Bon Scott (Singer): The ex-vocalist of the AC/DC. On one of his 1979 songs he sang: "Don't stop me; I'm going down all the way, down the highway to hell". On the 19th of February 1980, Bon Scott was found dead, he had been choked by his own vomit. Campinas (IN 2005): In Campinas , Brazil a group of friends, drunk, went to pick up a friend..... The mother accompanied her to the car and was so worried about the drunkenness of her friends and she said to the daughter holding her hand, who was already seated in the car: "My Daughter, Go With God And May He Protect You." She responded: "Only If He (God) Travels In The Trunk, Cause InsideHere.....It's Already Full ". Hours later, news came by that they had been involved in a fatal accident, everyone had died, the car could not be recognized what type of car it had been, but surprisingly, the trunk was intact. The police said there was no way the trunk could have remained intact. To their surprise, inside the trunk was a crate of eggs, none was broken. Christine Hewitt (Jamaican Journalist and entertainer): said the Bible (Word of God) was the worst book ever written. In June 2006 she was found burnt beyond recognition in her motor vehicle. Many more important people have forgotten that there is no other name that was given so much authority as the name of Jesus. Many have died, but only Jesus died and rose again, and he is still alive. "Jesus" Jesus said, "If you are embarrassed about me, I will also be embarrassed about you before my father."
"Lord, I love you and I need you, come into my heart, and bless me, my family, my home, and my friends, in Jesus' name. Amen."

I've been a glazier for about 29 years. I enjoy writing articles like these. This web site was set up by the grace of God. May God Bless You All. http://www.itrustgodonly.com

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The Rock Almighty Wednesday-Religion and the Bible: After Life And Wednesday Wake Up Call. He Brought The Life Abundant!

 -Brian Orchard

Mystery and confusion have long surrounded the cessation of physical life. Knowledge that can be established through the five senses provides a basis for assurances about our physical world. There is no scientific or physical evidence, however, to establish what happens to the human consciousness after death. Near-death experiences notwithstanding, no one has ever come back from death to tell us

exactly what it is like on "the other side." Many people, as a result, fear death, and this fear often underpins their belief in an afterlife. The role of religion and the Bible cannot be overlooked in addressing the confusion regarding an afterlife. Do we go to heaven or hell, or perhaps someplace in between?

Death comes in many forms, from the peaceful to the violent. Perhaps we are somewhat numbed by the magnitude of some of the violent or catastrophic deaths that are presented to us on what seems to be a daily basis. Whether it be thousands of Rwandans slaughtered by their fellow countrymen, the drowning of multiple hundreds by floods in Bangladesh, or the shocking reality of terrorist attacks such as those of September 11, 2001, when mass death occurs at a distance, we're able to build a mental wall of protection.

On the other hand, if any of those deaths or others like them is of someone close to us, we are suddenly face-to-face with the awful reality. We learn well from personal experience the pain and anguish of loss. Even the peaceful death of an aged person who has lived a long and fulfilling life raises difficult and emotional questions for those who remain. A loved one is gone from our life. Where is that person? What does happen to a human being at the point of death?

WHICH WAY DO WE GO?

While fewer people adhere to traditional teachings today, there remains an underlying concept in most religions that if we are good in this life, then there is something enjoyable for us after death. Conversely, if we don't measure up, then some kind of eternal punishment awaits.

According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, "the term heaven has come to designate both the happiness and the abode of the just in the next life." It's an idea that provides the hope that the human mind needs while dealing with the material world and the reality of "three score and ten" years.

A Newsweek poll, cited in the August 13, 2002, issue of that publication, claims that 75 percent of Americans believe that their actions on earth determine whether they will go to heaven. It is doubtful, however, that the same 75 percent would claim to be very religious or even attend a church. The same poll indicated that 76 percent of Americans believe in heaven and, of those, 71 percent believe it is an actual place. So the psychological need for assurance and hope runs deep through the American community.

Of course, the Western world does not have a corner on the heaven market. Heaven seems to be one belief that Jews, Christians and Muslims share, albeit in variant forms.

While Judaism allows any number of opinions on the subject, heaven is often referred to as Gan Eden, or the Garden of Eden--Paradise. Jewish scholar Michael Asheri writes, "It is believed that the souls of the righteous have a place there" (Living Jewish: The Lore and Law of the Practicing Jew).

According to Shahid Athar, author of several books on Islam, "Muslims believe that the present life is a temporary one. It is a test and if we pass the test, we will be given a life of permanent pleasure in the company of good people in Heaven."

THE FEAR FACTOR

While heaven is the carrot, hell can be the stick. Whether the mental image we hold of hell was created by Dante Alighieri and his vivid imaginary journey through hell and purgatory, or by the vagueness of contemporary evangelical theology, all seem to agree that it is a place to be feared and avoided.

The Catholic Encyclopedia tells us that "hell . . . in theological usage is a place of punishment after death." It also states that "by derivation hell denotes a dark and hidden place." Not surprisingly then, a cursory examination of Protestant reformer Martin Luther's early life reveals a deep motivation on his part to develop a theology that would relieve his fear of eternal punishment and separation from God.

The concept of hell predates the Christian era by many hundreds of years. Around the eighth or ninth century B.C., the Greek poet Homer portrayed a shadowy place of dreary darkness as a backdrop for his hero Ulysses. Likewise in Virgil's Aeneid, the hero Aeneas enters the underworld, where he encounters numerous terrors. From such pre-Christian sources come many of today's theological concepts regarding the punishment of the damned.

We fear the unknown beyond death because myth, superstition and theological manipulation combine to powerfully intimidate us. Mystery and confusion are compounded by a multitude of ideas generated throughout all societies and religions regarding the future state of man once consciousness has ceased.

On the other hand, the Bible provides a simple explanation of what happens to a person when he or she dies. To understand, though, we must be prepared to open our minds to another point of view.

A CHANGED MAN

If a man dies, shall he live again? This is the question we have all pondered, but how many realize that this very question is posed in the Bible? We are not the first generation to puzzle about this issue. The biblical author Job asked this same question and provided the answer (see Job 14:14). He had knowledge that helped him reach this conclusion, and that knowledge will help us just as positively.

Humankind was created with great spiritual potential. The here and now serves a purpose in the development of this potential, but it is not its object. Job's answer to his own question was that he would wait until his "change" came. He accepted the certainty of death for every human. Physical life is finite and temporary. When we die, our bodies decompose and return to the elements from which they were formed. At that point all consciousness ceases: "For the living know that they will die; but the dead know nothing" (Ecclesiastes 9:5).

The change to which Job referred is spoken of throughout the New Testament. It shows that after death there is a resurrection. Christ stated that "the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth" (John 5:28-29). The Bible speaks of the body as being asleep between the time of death and the moment of resurrection. When we awake in a resurrection, it will be as though we had awoken from sleep, as we do each morning. Clearly, death is a transitional condition.

When does this resurrection take place? "But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. . . . For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. But each one in his own order: Christ the first fruits, afterward those who are Christ's at His coming" (1 Corinthians 15:20-23).

At the specific timing of Christ's return to the earth to intervene in the affairs of humankind, the consciousness of the dead in Christ will be reactivated and they will progress to a new stage in their relationship with God.

Those resurrected are not up in a heaven, nor down in a hell. They stand with Jesus Christ on the earth after having met Him in the clouds. "And in that day [the day of His return] His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which faces Jerusalem on the east" (Zechariah 14:4).

"YOU SHALL KNOW THE TRUTH"

The knowledge that life has a specific purpose beyond the grave is very comforting. Without this understanding, the experience of seeing a loved one die can only produce a profound sense of loss and grief.

After death, a person is asleep--without consciousness--in the grave until empowered in a resurrection. It will be like waking from a long sleep. Consciousness will return and the creative work of God will continue, only now in a spiritual condition rather than the physical. Those who have died are not lost in some kind of nebulous haze of human conjecture. They are not tormented in hell, nor are they floating around blissfully on clouds, playing harps.

We need to free ourselves from the mental anguish caused by false ideas and concepts conveyed by society and culture, which picture God as an angry Judge waiting for an opportunity to punish helpless sinners throughout eternity. Rather, God is a Father who is eagerly waiting to embrace His resurrected children. As Christ said to those who would accept the authority of the Bible, "You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (John 8:32).

Author, Brian Orchard, writes articles on current events and ideology for Vision Media. More information about these and other current events and ideology topics can be found at http://www.vision.org.

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The Rock Almighty Monday Evangelism: What's Wrong With It? And Wanted Real Leaders!

 

Four reasons why asking must replace telling and how you can make the change

Every year in America, Christians invest millions of dollars and untold hours in good-hearted attempts to share the gospel and win converts to Christ. But for all the effort and intention, there's little to show for it. In fact, a tide of acrimony is forming against evangelicalism - a label for people who are growingly portrayed as pushy, narrow-minded, and out of step. It can seem that the gospel provides answers to questions that nobody is asking.

How do faithful followers turn the tide and begin reaching this generation with the good news of Jesus? In short, we must learn to be as adapt at asking as we've been at telling.

Here are four reasons why:

Reason #1-Our culture has heard it all

We live in a society drowning in messages and information. There's a real cacophony of noise all around us that makes most messages get lost, ignored or dismissed without consideration. But what few of us hear is our own voice. When you ask me a question, you give me permission to slow down and hear myself - my goals, my values, my disappointments and my dreams.

Try this: The very next time you sense an opening to "share the gospel", first share a question. By asking someone an open ended-question about their life, needs, desires, hurts or dreams, you will give them the precious gift of being heard. At the same time, you will learn volumes about where that person is in their life, and in relation to the gospel message. Now, you have a place from which to pray and befriend

Reason #2-I only believe me

Because our culture is bombarded with competing viewpoints on just about everything (from the best soap to the right religion), we've learned to not trust just about everybody except ourselves. The ironic thing is that the average person rarely listens to himself about important matters. So rather than telling me about truth, faith, and life, we are both better served by asking me questions that get me considering my own thoughts on these matters. Eventually I'll come up with my own questions on these matters - and that's where the real fun begins!

Try this: Focus your questions on the layers beneath a person's opinions and viewpoints. This shows great respect and caring for the individual. Practice intentional and gracious curiosity for understanding how people came to their beliefs and how those beliefs are serving them or falling short.

Reason #3-Asking softens while telling hardens

The world is full of salespeople and politicians who have caused us to develop hardened attitudes toward anyone who tries to penetrate our psyche. For this reason, when you try to convince me of something my first response is to put up a defense. But when you ask me an honest question (not a leading question that softens me for the forthcoming sales pitch), I respond by considering and answering. My attitude softens and I allow myself to engage and be engaged.

Try this: Be continually cleansed of a "sales pitch" evangelism mentality. Cultivate your ability to focus on what attracts people to you. Pay attention to when you are drawing someone in, and practice the heart that is at the essence of that ability. It is in that place that you will call to the heart of another.

Reason #4-Questions move us forward.

The root of "question" is "quest." God has laid it in the heart of every person to know and obey God - it is the ultimate quest for each of us. But telling people to obey God often leads to resistance and disobedience. When we ask questions, we invite people to examine their lives, and this ignites their quest for God afresh. For those who are far from God, the quest can look slow and untamed. But with enough questions, the quest draws to the heart of the issue - our need for God.

Try this: Take the position that your time with this person is the beginning of a relationship, not a "sale". Are you willing to take the quest with them, by being in a caring relationship? And even if it is a one-time, chance encounter, will you drop a seed question that God will see fit to water on another day?

Those who are skilled in the use of questions will help others move forward on the journey of life, which is the journey of faith. I have found coaching to be a great way to hone my asking skills because coaching forces me to ask quality questions that lead to discovery. Plus, coaching keeps the questions from being just navel-gazing exercises because coaching pushes for meaningful action as a result of discovery.

Faith Coaching is a powerful method of serving people that is equipping trained leaders and volunteers alike. Are you ready to learn to be a coach, and to coach your volunteers to do the same? Then visit http://faithcoaches.com and download an excerpt of the book: Faith Coaching-A Conversational Approach to helping others move forward in faith.

From Chad Hall/Bill Copper - Coach Approach Ministries @ http://ca-ministries.com

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