Is Catholicism the Original Faith?

It Is or It Is Not:

Catholicism: The Original Faith??

 

This article is not intended to question the good intentions or sincerity of anyone who might call themselves a Catholic. But, Biblical Faith requires both SINCERITY AND TRUTH! (Josh 24:14).  It involves an eternally important choice between what God says and what man says. Please honestly consider the following thoughts.

If the modern Catholic faith is the original Christian faith, it would have all the characteristics of the original.  Its teachings would honor God by being identical to the beliefs and practices of the original church revealed in the holy scriptures.  Have the founders and rulers of Catholicism been careful not to reject or go beyond the authority of God's Word?  Or have they taken it upon themselves to add, to take away and to change their church's teaching into something very different from the original?   Is it acceptable for a person of true "faith" to live in denial of the actual inspired teachings of Jesus and the Apostles found in God's Word (The Bible)? 

Leaders of the Roman church profess to believe that the Bible is the inspired Words of God himself.  But, for many centuries Catholics have not been encouraged to study the Word of God without "church" authorized direction. This implies that God spoke words he never meant people to understand on their own. Bible study is a threat to the clergy's monopoly of Bible understanding.  A sincere study of the simple Word of God produces the original faith of the Bible (Romans 10:17).  When an honest person who believes the Bible begins to study, they very quickly see the considerable difference between what they have been taught and the instruction originally given by God. 

Next comes the church officials trying to explain to them why the Bible does not mean what it says or that it is not God's final word.   Can you stand before God in the judgment able to say you have studied and obeyed the Words and Faith He gave to Jesus and the Apostles?  Or is your hope dependent on hundreds of years of "clergy"  who claim to speak for God with equal or greater authority than the scriptures.  If this church is truly speaking for God, there would be no difference between what they teach and what God has taught through Jesus and the Apostles

"I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:   Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.   But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached (past tense, original teachings) unto you, let him be accursed.   As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed." (The Apostle Paul in Galatians 1:6-9) 

 

The Bible Contains All The Truth Needed To  Understand and Follow The Original Faith:

 

"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:  That the man of God may be perfect (complete), thoroughly furnished unto all good works." (2 Timothy 3:16-17).  The Apostle Paul decreed by true inspiration that, "Faith (the original) cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God." (Romans 10:17).  The Apostle Peter wrote, "If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God…"(1Peter 4:11). The scriptures forbid human additions to or subtractions from God's Word.  "Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar." (Proverbs 30:5-6:  note also Rev. 22:18,19).  If given the choice to believe what God says or what men have said, a true believer will go with what God has said every time.  "… Let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged." (Romans 3:3-4).  A true disciple of Jesus is one who continues in God's Words.  Jesus said "… If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (John 8:30-32). In reality, the Catholic faith, has become a religion where human tradition and teaching  has far more influence and authority than the Word of God.

 

True Believers Are To Follow and Stand Up For The Original Faith Revealed In Scripture:

The first Christians were commanded to contend for and preserve the faith "once" delivered.   "Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints." (Jude 1:3).  To worship God by human teachings and traditions is vain and unacceptable to God.  "Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.  For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men…" (Mark 7:7-8). 

 

A Few Major Differences Between the Original Faith And The Catholic Faith: Wrong Head, Wrong Priesthood, Wrong Baptism, Wrong Prayers and Idolatry:

1.        Jesus Is the Only Head of the Original Church, His Body (Not some visible person on the Earth).

Sadly, every time a Catholic accepts what the Pope or traditions say instead of the truth given by Jesus and the Holy Spirit in the scriptures, they are submitting to the wrong head.

"For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.   For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God."  (Romans 10:2-3) 

"And He is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things He might have the preeminence.   For it pleased the Father that in Him should all fulness dwell;" (Colossians 1:18-19) 

 

2.        The Original Faith Had No (Jewish Style) Priesthood or Clergy which was exalted by different clothing or titles (There were no "reverends", "cardinals", "popes" or "fathers").

The word "reverend" is found only once in the Bible and there it is referring to God     (Psa 111:9).  Every Christian was a "saint" or "holy one"  which means in the original language, "one set apart" for God's purposes. Many "saints" were alive and well in the pages of the Bible.  Every Christian was a minister (servant) and part of a holy priesthood in God's service. Christians did not confess their sins to a "father" to receive forgiveness.

"Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:" (1 Corinthians 1:2) 

"But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.   And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.   Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ." (Matthew 23:8-10) 

"Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ." (1 Peter 2:5)

 

3.        The Original Faith taught only believer baptism (Immersion) for the remission of sins.

Catholic dictionaries and encyclopedias acknowledge that immersion in water of  believers was the baptism originally practiced in Bible times. The Greek word translated baptism in the Bible means immersion.  Belief was always required before baptism in the Bible.  Hundreds of years after the Bible was written, the men in power decreed that sprinkling water on infants was an acceptable baptism. 

Today, the vast majority of those in the Catholic faith have not been baptized into Christ the way  the Holy Spirit has taught and approved in the scriptures.  They have laid aside the Word of God and are trusting and submitting to the teachings of men.  Bible baptism was always immersion. There is not a single example of a nonbeliever being baptized in the scriptures even if their parents believed (no infant baptisms). The vast number of people who were sprinkled as infants, had no knowledge, belief, repentance or personal decision in what they were later told was their baptism. They were not Biblically baptized.

 

"And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.  He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned." (Mark 16:15-16) 

"Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?    Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost."  (Acts 2:37-38) 

"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." (Romans 6:3-4) 

 

4.        The Original Faith Taught Believers To Pray Only To The Living God, Not To Deceased Humans.

Like some Pagan religions who offer prayers and even give homage to their deceased ancestors, Catholic teaching has decreed that their members can be blessed by offering prayers to deceased individuals.  Even Jesus' earthly mother has been exalted to near Deity and petitioned for help constantly.  This practice is purely of human origin and completely foreign to Biblical faith.  No Christian in the Bible ever offered prayers to another dead Christian. 

It is sad that something as simple as to whom we must pray could be so corrupted by the teachings of men. Praying to the dead is very different from  Jesus' clear teaching on how to pray (Only to the Father). (Catholic practice of prayer also ignores Jesus' prohibition against vain repetition.)

 

"But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking." (Matthew 6:7) 

"And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.   And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come.  Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth." (Luke 11:1-2)

 

5.        The Use Of Statues (Idols) Was Forbidden By The Original Faith:

God's Word specifically forbids His people from creating any carved images in the likeness of man or any other creature for religious purposes. They were not to bow down to them. When they did, God was angry and there were dire consequences.  God condemned the use of carved images in the law of Moses and he also forbids Christian use of idols.  The use of statues is more evidence of pagan influence on the minds of the creators of Catholic practice.  It is also evidence that it is not the original faith which rejected  idolatry.

 

"Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:" (Exodus 20:4; Deuteronomy 5:8) 

"Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry." (1 Corinthians 10:14)

"Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen." (1 John 5:21)

 

Conclusion: Biblical Faith

Please keep in mind we have noted only a few of the differences between the original faith and the Catholic faith.

If faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God (Romans 10:17).  If  God's Word is truly inspired and reliable for all teachings and doctrines (2 Tim 3:16,17).  If replacing what the Bible says with what men have invented leads to worshipping God in vain (Mark 7:7-8).  If  Jesus and  the scriptures have the authority they claim to have ("all", Matt 28:18).  If it is essential that we practice the "faith once delivered" (Jude 1:3).  Then the Roman church is not practicing or teaching the original faith  revealed by God in the scriptures.  This church is not teaching its people how to receive the remission of sins in baptism as taught in the scriptures. This church is not holding  exclusively to the true Head of the Bible church. This church is not teaching people exclusively Jesus' instruction on prayer.  How many times does a man made church have to contradict God's Word before people are willing to admit it is not the original?

Catholicism would not be recognized by the first Christians as the faith they originally received from God. They would not recognize its Head, its Priesthood, its Baptism, its Prayers or its Idols.   Every Catholic must decide if they will make a change and obey the Biblical faith or if they will continue to trust their souls to the doctrines and commandments of men.  Catholicism  is or it is not the original.  Since so many of its teachings contradict and reject the original truths in the Bible, it could not be the original. Will you trust God's Word or Man's Word??

 

Dear Readers:  Will You Allow God's Word To Make You Think?

What we think about God and Faith is  eternally important.  God's Word should be the source of all we believe about God and His will for our lives.  Much of the world's religious belief is not found in the Bible.  It is time for those who are truly seeking God to examine themselves and their beliefs in the light of God's Word.

 

"Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God."  Romans 10:17

 

There is no truth or hope for mankind without accurate knowledge of God's Word. This series of articles is  intended to help us see truths in God's Word which have been overlooked by  many religions of our time.   We are the church of Christ.  The church you can read about in your Bibles.

 

This message brought to you because God's Word is True and He deserves to be heard.

 

Tarentum Church of Christ

614 East 9th Avenue

Tarentum, PA 15084

Questions? Contact:  Robert   724 681 2724

Sunday Bible Study:  10am

Sunday Morning Worship:  11am

Sunday Evening Bible Study:  6pm

(Fellowship Meal every 2nd Sunday: No pm study)

Wednesday Evening Bible Study:  7pm

God Bless America!

America Honor God!

tarentumchurchofchrist.com

Three Facts Which You Must Understand To Be Saved

Three Facts: Which You Must Understand To Be Saved

 

Check The Origin Of What You Believe:

In our time of information overload, our biggest challenge is sometimes figuring out what is true and what is not true.  This is especially true when it comes to the subject of "religion."  The religious world is composed of lots of decent people trying to do something good.  The problem is they have lots of ideas and beliefs with differ from each other and from God's Word.  What is so confusing is that many are claiming to follow the same God and even the Bible, but they so often contradict one another.  The unbelievers see all this religious division as evidence that the Christian religion is a human invention.  And in a sense, they may be in some situations  correct.  Every one of the hundreds of denominations and their denominational creeds are the creations of men.  They cannot be found in the Bible.  This division does not make Christianity look very divine.  The Bible condemns divisions among Christians. (1 Cor 1:10). The Bible does not approve of  denominations (divisions), nor does it  teach us to become members of these creations.   Something is not right.  We desperately need to separate the facts from the imaginations of men.  

 

Few Will Find The Narrow Path:

There are not many paths all leading to the same place.  The religious world needs to lay aside all their human ideas and seek God's only path to salvation.  Jesus said it this way:  "Enter ye in at the strait (narrow, difficult) gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:  Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." (Matt 7:13-14).  Did you hear that?  "FEW" will find the narrow way.  Many will travel the wide (broad, popular) way to destruction.  This tract intends to give you some facts that you need to know so you can be among the "few" who find eternal life with the Father in Heaven.

 

Important Facts We All Need To Know:

Why was this tract prepared for you?  Because there are a few simple undeniable facts that everyone needs to rise above the confusion created by well meaning people.  Facts which we all must understand before it is too late.  Facts which will affect our future and what will happen to us when we die.

 

Fact # One:  There Is A God! 

Everything around us provides evidence of the simple reality that there must be a God.  Some, who have made up their minds not to believe in God,  worship "Evolution" as their creator.   Evolution is not supported by the overwhelming evidence and is really just a "hypothesis" (this is a  human  idea in need of some  evidence to move it up to the status of "theory").  If you choose to reject the reality of God, you must explain our existence on this Earth some other way.  Unbelievers teach us what they believe by their faith (evolution) and say we are foolish to believe in an intelligent, all powerful supernatural being as our Creator.  Some reject God as our Creator, but using their imaginations are convinced we got here because of some Alien from a place far, far away.  Interesting that they reject the true unseen Creator for other unseen creators (who also must have created themselves through evolution). Paul was talking about this type of faulty reasoning  when he spoke of people who willingly denied the facts. He said they, "changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature (creation) more than the Creator, who is blessed forever." (Rom 1:25)

Here is what we can know for sure.  In all of our human history and research we have never been able to make something out of nothing.  We have never been able to create something alive out of something which had not been alive previously.  We have not been able to prove that a nonliving thing given billions of years could turn itself into a  living thing.  

Also, while living things can adapt themselves to their environment to some extent, there is no known mechanism in any animal or plant by which they can pass on what they have learned through their Genetics.  For example, I cannot learn that I could swim better if I had webs between my toes and then pass on webbed toes to my children through my DNA.   Evolution contends that this type of thing has to have happened countless times,  over and over for every species of plant and animal.  The odds of this even happening once are astronomical.  The facts do not support "evolution" and "chance" as our creator.

Did the universe and every plant and animal create itself out of nothing completely by chance, or was everything created by an intelligent, powerful, not of this world Being as the Bible teaches.  The facts favor the existence of a supernatural Creator God.  Or you can put your faith in the false human idea that everything made itself.  Known, true science supports an intelligent Creator.  It takes more faith to believe in evolution than it does to believe in God. Fact # 1: There Is A God!

 

Fact # Two:  The Bible Is God's Reliable Revelation Of Himself To Mankind!

The Bible itself claims to be inspired by God Himself from beginning to End.  "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:  That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works." (2 Tim 3:16-17).  All we can know about our Creator God is what He has revealed to us.  He has made it clear that He has spoken through selected men guided by the Holy Spirit and especially through His Son Jesus Christ.  "God, who at sundry times and in divers manners (different times and different ways, rj) spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,   Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;" (Heb 1:1-2). 

It is only through the scriptures that we can know how to approach and please God.  Knowledge of God's Word is essential to having the faith the Bible requires.  "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." (Heb 11:6).

Believing the fact that God exists is a beginning, but brings us no benefit if we refuse to hear and obey those things which He has required of us.  "How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?  ….So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. " (Rom 10:14-17). To believe Fact # One without accepting Fact # Two reveals that a person refuses to listen to a God, they claim to believe in.  Obedience to God's Word is the only Biblical way to honor and show love to God.  "If ye love me, keep my commandments." (John 14:14,15).  One can never claim to have a good relationship with God if they refuse to study and obey His Words.  "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." (2Tim  2:15).

Many critics challenge the Bible's reliability, but  the evidence verifies that the Bible is of supernatural origins and is truly the Words of God.  Jesus knew the absolute importance of the Bible when He said, "It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." (Matt 4:4).  To ignore the Bible is to reject the God who gave it to us.  Knowing the Bible is essential to knowing the God who has provided the Bible.  This brings us to Fact # Three. 

 

Fact # Three:  Jesus Is The Way, The Truth and The Life and the Only Way To Be With The Father Forever.

Believing Facts One and Two opens the way to the third most important fact of all time.  The true God has revealed through the scriptures that the only way we may receive eternal life with the Father is to accept and obey His Son Jesus.  A person can never be made acceptable to God if  they refuse to obey His Son.  Jesus plainly said,  "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 14:6).   The scriptures tell us that Jesus is the  "author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him"  (Heb 5:9).  God says that many will say they believe in Jesus and even call Him Lord, but because they do not obey Him, they will be rejected (Matt 7:21-23).   Some think that believing there is one God is all that is necessary.  James, by inspiration  says believing  is a good start, but even the demons believe that God  exists (James 2:19). 

Since Adam, all mankind has at some point in their lives rejected God's words and sinned.  Our sin separates us from the Eternal God and eternal life, just as it separated Adam from God.  "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Rom 3:23).  No amount of effort to be a good person or to do good works can repair that broken relationship with God.  If we ignore the facts noted above we will forever be separated from God and remain in spiritual death.  "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord"  (Rom 6:23).   

God has repeatedly declared His love for a world of people who have sinned against Him.  In His amazing mercy, He has prepared a way for a "Few" of those who are lost and separated from Him to come home to Him to live forever.  This offer is to all mankind (John 3:16).  But, the offer of forgiveness is not unconditional.  To be saved, we must carefully seek to know and obey God's plan of salvation.

 

Do You Have The Facts Straight?

Believing in God is first. Believing the Bible is God's Word is the second step, if you are willing to study and obey the scriptures.  Finally accepting what the Bible says about Jesus is essential to salvation and being with God. God has revealed the path for those who will choose to be saved.  Most people will ignore the facts and believe what they want. A "Few" people will put their trust in God and accept the facts. When God speaks they will seek to obey and remain faithful till they die.  These are the "Few" Jesus was talking about.  If you have questions about these important facts, we can show you what God actually says.  Nothing but the facts!  No person will ever be ashamed or sorry on the judgment day that they took some time to study the facts about how to please God and how to be saved.    R. Johnson

For an example of three thousand of the "Few" responding to God's Word, please Read Acts 2:36-47.  That is how we must all respond to the "FACTS."

 

Tarentum Church of Christ

614 East 9th Avenue

Tarentum, PA 15084

Questions? Contact:  Robert   724 681 2724

Sunday Bible Study:  10am, 6pm

Sunday Morning Worship:  11am

 (Fellowship Meal every 2rd Sunday: No pm study)

Wednesday Evening Bible Study:  7pm

tarentumchurchofchrist.com

Is the Final Return of Jesus, the Resurrection and Final Judgment Already Past? (Preterism)

Did The Final Coming Of Jesus And The Resurrection Already Happen?? (Preterism)

Some in the Lord's church have moved away from simple teaching of the New Testament and are causing much confusion.  Their teachings create doubt about the very resurrection of the dead and the final return of Jesus to judge all mankind.  They teach that all the final prophecies of the Bible were fulfilled (figuratively) in 70AD when the Romans destroyed Jerusalem. Does the Bible tell us there will be a yet future resurrection of all the dead and a final judgment day?? The answer is yes.  But what about this other teaching often called "preterism."  I have found an article written by Olan Hicks which does a great job addressing this subject.  It is simple and cuts right to the heart of the matter.  I believe it should be made available to any who might be struggling with this particular subject.  Hope you enjoy it and it points you to the TRUTH of the scriptures.  Robert

A CLOSER LOOK AT THE "AD 70 THEORY"OF LAST THINGS   By Olan Hicks (reformatted by Robert Johnson)

     The first time a preacher friend said to me that the world had ended back in AD 70, I said, "Wait a minute! I am looking out the window and it is still out there! What do you mean, it ended? He then explained that he did not mean the literal earth, the grass, trees, rocks, and dirt. He meant the Jewish age had ended, or "world," as some translations have it in Mat. 24. To that I had no objection. It was my understanding that we all believe that "the end" referred to in Mat. 24:14 was the end of Judaism, destruction of Jerusalem, especially the temple, in AD 70.

      When the same brother said to me that the second coming of Christ had occurred at the same time, I asked, "Have you seen Him?" Again he said "No" and explained that it was not the literal Jesus in the flesh who had returned, but that He had come in a  symbolic sense, visiting Jerusalem with destruction. Again I said I did not disagree with that.  I wondered why this theory was being set forth as a radical change, something very different to what we had always believed. I wondered why it was being met with hostility by several brethren. I soon found out.

 HERE IS THE PROBLEM

         I learned that not only do they say this particular "end" came (of the Jewish age) and that a symbolic"coming of Christ" occurred in that event, they also say this was the  final "end,"  the  last coming

of the Lord that is to be. Jesus is never to actually return physically! That is the part that is a radical change,  different to what has been a standard belief among us. Some advocates of that theory charge that because it is different to what we have always believed, we are "formatted" against it and reject it for that reason, that we have been taught to apply the prophecies differently. ("Freedom's Ring"July. 1998, Cecil Hook. Pg. 5).That begs the question. I can tell you exactly why I reject it, because it contradicts all of the explicit inspired statements to the contrary in the New Testament. To me that seems like a pretty good reason. This part of it is alarming because so many Bible passages graphically describe a day God has appointed in which Jesus will descend with a shout, the heavens and earth will pass away and be replaced with a new

heaven and earth, the dead will be raised, and all men will be judged, not just the Jewish nation. This theory says that will not happen in actuality. The reasons why they say that are interesting and we need to look at them.

 MY OWN IN DEPTH STUDY OF THE THEORY

      In 1982 I preached  at Warren, Ohio in a weekend meeting. Max King, the chief introducer of the AD 70 theory,  was serving as an elder there. He and the preacher, Terry Siverd, wanted me to consider their theory and they tried to explain it to me as much as time permitted. But it was a  busy schedule and we had but little time.  So I grasped as much of it as I could and promised to study it more later. They gave me a considerable amount of material, books, etc. and I agreed to reserve any decision about it until I could be reasonably sure that I was understanding what was being said. I wanted to do that because  I feel strongly that drawing hasty conclusions about any brother is very wrong.

     It took a long time, actually several years, to get the studying done, as fully as I wanted to, because I was very busy with things I felt were more demanding. But over a period of several years I did spend a lot of time working through it. Later, on a trip to Arkansas, Max graciously came by my home and gave me a copy of his largest book, "The Cross and the Parousia of Christ." It is a book of 759 pages plus bibliography and index. He also continued to send me his monthly publication, "The  Living Presence," and Ed Stevens, also of that group, has continued to send me his publication,  "Kingdom Council." A couple of other friends who accepted that theory also sent me materials they wrote. So, as you see, they supplied me with much resource material on the subject. These are friends who have been courteous to me. This composition is not intended to be an ugly expose against them nor anyone who holds that theory. I believe they are sincere people. But I also believe they are mistaken in some ways that can have serious consequences.

       I tried to be  as objective as I could and I studied patiently. But the farther I went in study of it the more I became convinced that serious mistakes lie at the base of it. Here are five of them. 1. The hermeneutic they employ is not sound. 2. There seems to be a strong pre-disposition toward the theory, a lack of objectivity. They do a lot of what I call "reaching." 3. Their argumentation is often inconsistent. 4. They draw conclusions and hold them even though they contradict explicit Bible statements. 5. Many of their basic premises are purely theoretical, with absolutely no scripture statement to confirm them. I will give specific examples of this shortly, but first let's be sure we understand a couple of things.

        Mark this down: They do start with scripture statements. As we have already said, the first part of what they say is correct. They read it in the text of Matthew 24. Jesus did say a "coming" of some kind would occur within that generation of time. But from there they quickly go astray and take a quantum leap into what Jesus did not say, namely that this was the only "coming" there would be. The speculation gets worse as they continue to theorize and branch out. By placing arbitrary interpretations on certain prophecies in Daniel and Revelation, they build a huge pyramid of error, starting with an untenable misuse of Matthew 24.

       Advocates of this theory agree that the "coming" in AD 70 was "a symbolic coming in judgment upon Israel," not a literal coming of the Lord in person. The scripture supports that. But scripture also declares another fact, that "The hour is coming in which all who are in their graves shall hear His voice and come forth. . ." (John 5:28-29).  To say that this was fulfilled when a few people were raised at the time of the crucifixion, or perhaps a few were raised later in connection with the destruction of the temple, is to dispute

what the Lord said. It is an observable fact that "ALL" the dead did not come forth at that time. All people of the world were not judged at that time. To say there is no such "day" coming when all the dead will come forth, no such day as God has appointed in which He will judge the world in righteousness, is to advance a premise which challenges the integrity of Jesus in John 5:28-29, of Paul in Acts 17:31, and many others such as 1 Thess, 4:16-17 and Rev. 21:2-5.

       The reader needs to understand going in that this is the part of the theory that is disputed. That an "end" occurred in AD 70 is not disputed and that a "coming" of Christ occurred in a symbolic sense is not questioned. But the idea that this was the "end" and the "coming" referred to in all the promises about the Lord's second coming, that it was the only end and second coming that will occur, flies in the face of a host of explicit Bible statements to the contrary. Cecil Hook wrote that ". . .all the prophecies concerning the coming of Christ have been fulfilled. . ." (Ibid, pg. 5).  Can this be justified in the text?Advocates of this theory claim that it is the real teaching of the Bible over all, that the scriptures I refer to as explicit statements to the contrary have been misunderstood. Is there any substance to that?

 HERMENEUTICS AND THE "IMMINENCY PASSAGES"

         One of the primary reasons they think that seems to be what they call the "imminency passages." Evidently they see these as absolute statements that the time of the return of Christ and the end of the world was very close in terms of years when they were spoken and could not have been 2,000 years or more in the future. If the apostle Peter were here I think he would say to them, "But beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day." (2 Pet. 3:8).

Ironically, Peter, in that third chapter, was discussing this very thing, the delay in the coming of the final day and the fact that some in later times would not understand it. He explains in the next verse (9) that the reason for the delay is not that God is slack concerning these promises, but that He is "longsuffering to usward, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance." So He continues to wait. But they deny that the delay exists.

      This points to another mistake in the AD 70 theory, the idea that the opportunity to get into the kingdom extends beyond the final day of judgment. Jesus indicated that the opportunity to repent is extended to mankind only until that day. When once He has risen up and shut the door, those who stand without and knock and plead for admission, will not get in. (Luke 13:25).  God knows that and so He continues to wait and keep the door open. But these brethren insist that the judgment day has occurred, but the door remains open and anyone can still come in. The truth is people who would respond to God must do so "while it is today." There will not be people in God's eternal city being baptized into Christ. That must be done before the city of God descends from heaven.

 WHAT ABOUT THE EXPRESSIONS "NEAR" "AT HAND" ETC.?

      In most of these passages the translation is from the Greek word "mello." So called "preterists" make three mistakes in usage of this word. First, they assume that all passages where such words occur in reference to an "end," refer to the same event. Second, they make the mistake of thinking that God looks at time the same way we do, and third, they misdefine the word "mello." In addition they also ignore all of the "delay" passages in the scriptures, and there are several, and consider only the "imminency" passages.

 THE DELAY PASSAGES

      The word "mello" is usually defined as "about to happen." But it is a mistake to think that it cannot refer to something that is a long way into the future. In fact, in Acts 22:16, this word is actually used to mean delay, as Ananias asks Saul, "Why are you waiting? (from mello). Arise and be baptized. . ." Here are some instances in the Bible in which it refers to long periods of time:

Nearly 400 years:  In Mat.11:14 this word is used to say of John the Baptist, "This is Elias which was for to come." (about to come). Malachi said this nearly 400 years earlier.

1500 years:  In Acts 26:22-23 this word occurs twice in reference to things then happening "which Moses and the prophets did say should come." (were about to come - mello). And again that Christ "should show light unto the people." (was about to show light unto the people - mello). This prediction took 1500 years to fulfill.

4,000 years:  In Romans 5:4 this word is used to say that Adam was"the figure of him that was to come." (was about to come - mello). From Adam to Christ was at least 4,000 years.

      Looking at these scriptural facts, how can one say that "about to come" cannot refer to something 2,000 years in the future? Obviously it is a mistake to think that every passage in which "mello" occurs necessarily refers to something immediately imminent in terms of earthly time.

       Many scholars recognize that this word is not just a designation of something imminent, but is a designation of something that is certain. Thayer, for example, sees it as denoting "those things which will come to pass by fixed necessity or divine appointment." (Lexicon, page 397).

      Mat. 24 itself has statements indicating delay in reference to the event referred to after verse 34, which is not the same event as is discussed in the verses prior to 34. The first event was not delayed and had signs by which its approach could be recognized. The second event will come "in a time when you think not." (Verses 44 & 50). No signs signalling its approach. But concerning the second event, when "heaven and earth shall pass away," an example of a delay passage occurs at verse 48 where Jesus said that if a servant says, "My Lord delays his coming," and begins to mistreat his fellow servants, he will be punished for it. How could he be convinced that a delay was occurring or convince anyone else of it unless there was some sort of delay in that coming?

      Paul also speaks of this delay in reference to the "day of Christ," in 2 Thess. 2:2-3, and told them not to be deceived into thinking that it was just at hand. He said "that day will not come except there come a falling away first." (Verse 3).

      Peter, as we have already mentioned, states that this delay exists and predicts that people will begin to scoff because of it. (2 Pet. 3:3-4). He even explains why the delay is necessary. Ironically, he applies it to the very event we are discussing here and on which we differ, the passing away of the heavens and the earth. The destruction of Jerusalem was not delayed. Clearly the other event referred to in Mat. 24, the passing of the heavens and the earth, was delayed and still is being delayed.

      At verse 7 Peter says that the present heavens and earth are "kept in store" by the same word that created them in the first place, "reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of unGodly men." In these verses he uses the same words as did Jesus in Mat. 24:35, "euranos," and "ge." These are not words meaning an "age," as in verse 3 and verse 14 of Mat. 24. These words mean the physical heavens and the physical earth, the grass, the rocks, the trees, the atmosphere, and even the sun, moon, and stars. In that third chapter Peter describes in graphic terms the destruction that is waiting for this world. Again here Preterists have to reject these explicit statements in favor of their theory.

      At first exposure I did not see the AD 70 theory as anything having to do with fellowship or salvation. To me it seemed to be pretty much a harmless exercise in speculation about prophecies that men have speculated upon for centuries.  But two factors are making it into much more than that. First, it ends up in a type of scripture denial that the Bible speaks of as spiritually fatal, denial of a coming resurrection. Second, it has in recent years developed an aggressiveness that was not there originally and this has made it a troublesome "issue," capable of dividing churches. Paul wrote that to deny a coming resurrection is to reduce faith to vanity and leave people yet in their sins. (1 Cor. 15:12-17). He also said that when Hymenaeus and Phyletus taught that the resurrection was past already, they overthrew the faith of some. (2 Tim. 2:17-18). These brethren are saying these two things, that no general resurrection is yet to come and that the resurrection has past already. So it is (1) destructive of vital elements of the faith and (2) in recent years has come to be divisive. So it is a consequential mistake.

 THE SCOPE OF OUR STUDY

      This is not intended to be an exhaustive treatment of all the arguments offered on behalf of that theory. It would take a large book to analyze in detail each of the many avenues of thought which grow out of that basic concept, and it isn't needed. Getting tangled up in a lot of irrelevant argumentation about possible

interpretations of certain prophecies would not clarify the central questions involved. Anyone can guess about fulfillments of any prophecy and likely there will be many varying opinions. But the issues at stake here are basic, relatively simple questions, on which we have explicit Bible statements with which to make comparisons.

      The thing wrong with their arguments based on prophecies is not that the words in a given prophecy could not mean what they say they mean. Usually the application they make is one possible meaning, as far as the words in the text are concerned. But the  fact that a certain meaning is one of several possible meanings does not prove that it is the right one. The answer to each of their arguments on prophecy is that their interpretation is in conflict with specific Bible statements to the contrary. No human theory about prophetic interpretation can be as reliable as the inspired statements of the Bible on the matter in question. What we need to do is go to the  core of that teaching, look at its foundation stones, and see the picture it sets forth of "last things," and then compare these with Biblical facts. You could strive about words to no profit for an awful long time if you tried to dissect every prophecy they cite  and argue the limits of its possibilities. To cut to the chase, so to speak, it is simply that any interpretation which directly contradicts express Bible statements is not within the realm of possibility. It fails the first test of any interpretation, the matter of over all Bible harmony.

      A paper that used to be published among them carried this caption: "Resolved: The scriptures teach that the second coming of Christ, including the establishment of the eternal kingdom, the day of judgment, the end of the world, and the resurrection of the dead, occurred with the fall of Jerusalem in AD 70."

      Now, if by "the end of the world," they mean the end of the Jewish age, they are right. If by "the return of Christ," they mean the symbolic return in judgment upon Israel, they are right. If by "the resurrection" they mean that some individuals were resurrected, again they are right. But if they mean the end of the physical cosmos, the resurrection of all the dead, and the final judgment, they are wrong. If by "the return of Jesus" they mean His triumphant return in glory to raise all the dead, judge the world, and reward His servants, they are guilty of an error that all eyes can observe for themselves. They are simply arguing with facts.

    God made a covenant with Noah, the sign of which is the rainbow, that "While the earth remains, seed time and harvest, cold and heat, winter and summer, and day and night shall not cease." (Gen. 8:22). We can all see that the rainbow has not ceased to appear in the sky. Therefore the earth still remains. When the time comes that God sees fit to discontinue it, He will stop hanging out the sign that says it is still here and intact. How can a Bible believer observe the rainbow in the sky and still say, "The world ended 1900 years ago."

 THE HOLY CITY, NEW JERUSALEM

      The symbolic "coming in judgment upon Jerusalem" is a long way from being the final and ultimate redemption God has in mind for His people. In that day He will "make all things new." According to the AD 70 theory that day  has already occurred, the Holy city has come down, but things are still precisely as they were. Instead of there being "no more death nor sorrow nor crying and no more pain, for the former things are passed away," (Rev.21:4), we still have cancer, an AIDS epidemic, death for every one eventually, and crying, and none of these have passed away.

      But they argue that these are destined to be only in a spiritual sense. But these are not spiritual ailments. No one ever got cancer of the spirit. No one gets AIDS in his spirit. If it is only the spirit that is exempt from these things then nothing has changed. It has always been that way on earth. But God said, "Behold I make all things new." The truth is, as Paul said in 1 Cor. 15:50, "Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does corruption inherit incorruption." This mortal must put on immortality and this corruptible must put on incorruption. (Vs. 52-53). In Max King's largest book he spends over 250 pages trying to explain away this entire chapter. When it takes that much "explaining" to support a theory, you know that theory has serious problems.

      But their problem is not just with 1 Cor. 15. It is with the whole bible. When you conclude that there is no general resurrection day to come, no such scene as that in which all the dead are raised to stand before the throne of God for judgment, no time to come when people will exist in spiritual form apart from all of the sorrows that plague earthly life, you have gotten completely out of touch with the whole Bible perspective. You can scarcely find a page anywhere in the Bible that does not disagree with you. You have a totally different concept than what is pictured there. If the apostle Paul were here I suspect he would say, "If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable." (1 Cor. 15:19).

      In fairness it should be said that they do believe that people are being taken to heaven in spiritual form as  each one dies. I asked one of them about that one time and that is what he said. It is a little hard to see then, why they would deny the features John saw in Rev. 21. They say to me, "Don't you believe in figurative language in the Bible?" Sure  I do. But when the word "figurative" is used to deny the teaching of an entire chapter, such as Rev. 21, or 1 Cor. 15, that is too much "figurativism."

 HOW DID BELIEVERS WHO LIVED AT THE TIME PERCEIVE THE EVENTS OF AD 70?

       A few of the apostles yet lived at this time, as did many folks whom they had personally taught. Inspiration of the Holy Spirit was still there. So they knew what was going on. Thus the matter of how believers living at the time saw these events is important. What was their understanding of the matter?

      When the smoke cleared and all the dust settled, did they believe that the second coming of Christ had occurred, as well as the judgment and the final resurrection? Did they believe the holy city John described in Revelation 21 had come down and they were now in it? Did they  believe the eternal kingdom of God had come to complete fruition and all of God's promises about things to occur in the last days had been fulfilled? Did AD 70 change anything at all as concerns what they were looking forward to?

      In all the information available from that time period there is not to be found a single shred of evidence that anyone living at the time saw it the way the AD 70 brethren do today. There are writings extant which were written by believers at that time and soon there after, but all of them say the same things precisely about their faith that were written prior to that time. They were, without exception, still looking forward to the second advent of Jesus yet to come, admonishing one another to be prepared at all times as Jesus had instructed, and holding the hope of a better world to come in a spiritual realm when this world would eventually perish.

      A very large book would be filled if all such writings were quoted. Of course we will not try to do that here but we will give  a 10 couple of "samples" which are typical of what was said in them all. These are not inspired writings, of course, and are offered here simply to indicate what was the viewpoint of eye witnesses, believers who lived at the time and had been taught personally by the apostles.

      Ignatius was born in AD 50 and so was 20 years old in AD 70. He was martyred in the year 107. He was said to have been a personal disciple of the apostle John. Early in the second century he wrote, exhorting brethren in various places to continue holding to the hope they had always had. To the Ephesians, for example, he wrote, "Have a firm belief in the incarnation, the passion, the resurrection of Christ. These things are no delusive phantoms, but real facts. Let no one divert you from your hope."

       Polycarp lived a few years later but was also said to have been a disciple of John personally. His writings likewise speak of all these things as yet to come in the future. In his epistle to the Phillipians he exhorted them to do faithful service to him "who cometh as judge of quick and dead; whose blood God will require of them that are disobedient to him. Now he that raised Him from the dead will raise us also; if we do his will and walk in his commandments and love the things which he loved..." In the same epistle he said, "For if we be well pleasing unto him in this present world, we shall receive the future world also,  according as He has promised us, to raise us from the dead." Polycarp said very pointedly, "Whosoever shall pervert the words of the Lord to his own lust and say there is neither resurrection nor judgment, that man is the first born of Satan."

    AD 70 advocates claim John's writings, especially the book of Revelation,  as much of their evidence. But these disciples of John, along with Barnabas, Clement, and all others who lived in the writings that they continued to look forward to all that the Christian hoped for as something yet to come and that it was to occur in another world, spiritual in nature.  If it happened in AD 70, all the personal pupils of John who ever wrote, misunderstood it.

 THE TESTIMONY OF THE LORD'S OWN FAMILY

     A piece of historic information that may have been providentially preserved to shed light on this question is the testimony of the next generation of Jesus' own fleshly family. Historian Eusebius records that a few years after AD 70 emperor Domitian decreed that all descendents of David were to be executed. Jesus and his brothers and sisters were descendents of David. The grandchildren of Jesus' brother Judas were taken  before the emperor for questioning. Eusebius says that during this questioning, "When asked also respecting Christ and his kingdom, what was its nature and when and where it was to appear, they replied that it was not a temporal nor an earthly kingdom, but celestial and angelic; that it would appear at the end of the world, when in glory He would judge the quick and dead and give to everyone according to his works..." Upon which Domitian despising them, made no reply, but treating them with contempt, as simpletons, commanded them to be dismissed, and by decree, ordered the persecution to cease. (Eusebius Eccl.Hist.- pg 103).

      Regardless of how appealing this theory may seem to be, it is groundless. There are too many parts of it that directly contradict explicit scriptures. We do not deny that the Bible sometimes uses figurative language. But that does not justify this kind of abuse. The bottom line is the AD 70 theory is incompatible with the Bible. We have only touched the hem of the garment here. Paul said, "The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death." (1 Cor. 15:26). Since death is as common to the race of man now as it ever was, one cannot rationally believe the AD 70 theory that "all the prophecies concerning the second coming of Christ have been fulfilled."

      It is not our purpose to judge, convict, or defeat anyone. This is simply an appeal to God fearing people to hold fast to the word of God and be not led away by human theories that contradict it. There is nothing to be gained in the AD 70 theory, no land of promise in the direction in which it points. It would take away the beautiful hope described in the Bible and put nothing in its place. The Bible warns that there is a definite spiritual danger in denying the coming of the day of God, for in that day things will occur exactly as He has decreed. We must plan on that. Think about it!