Why do we care what evil is? Why do we strive to define and identify what is good and what is evil?

Happy Riches • Edit Bio

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Good and evil are concepts that people have come to understand as being beneficial and detrimental to our well-being.

Nobody desires evil, but because we experience pain when certain phenomena occur, we call those phenomena evil.

Pain is a condition that creates within us a desire to eradicate it. Pain may result from destruction, deterioration or death of a living entity or cells that contribute to the well-being of a living entity.

Suffering is a condition where we feel that we are restricted in our ability to exercise our full potential and, instead of floating in the wind like a balloon that is at its maximum potential, we are like a balloon that bumps along the ground, because we are somewhat deflated. We call this distress. When this condition exists and we are subject to it, we become discouraged and less motivated to eradicate our pain. Even though we may prefer to be free of our distress and the discomfort and burdensome feeling that comes with it, we find ourselves struggling just to cope and maintain our distressed condition rather than being motivated to free ourselves from it.

On the other hand, if something is good, we desire it because we obtain pleasure, feelings that excite, comfort and enhance our experience of our existence. However, not everybody gets to experience an existence that is so full of life and its bountiful pleasures because even though they are aware that such an existences exists, they have not experienced it, and therefore their desire is not so great to motivate themselves to secure this state of existence at all costs.

Attributing evil to suffering comes because we have the ability to identify not only objects but the immaterial and define its characteristics. Whether we care what evil is, well, that is another matter again. Nobody really cares what evil is, but people certainly care about what happens to them, and if suffering is defined as evil, then people care about suffering; so in this respect, people would care about evil, but mostly about avoiding it.

Not everybody would strive to define what is good and what is evil. The only people who are intent on finding definitions for shades of the obvious are those who profit from doing so. Most people understand that suffering is evil but not having to suffer is a better deal. Whereas those who are intent of defining what is good and what is evil are more likely those who want to run other people’s lives.

Oddly enough, some people think it is evil to identify certain actions for what they are, but not evil to punish a person for telling the truth. Examples of this abound everywhere, particularly among those who speak out about someone wearing a shirt that they consider sexist, but keep their mouths shut and say nothing when other people behead victims and rape the innocent and insist of female circumcision. These warped prohibitionists strive to define good and evil. Why?  Because they reject the obvious and need to invent a lie so they can deceptively go about their wicked plans. (The link below provides ample examples).

The Ten Commandments Were Designed For You To Enjoy And Possess Life

MANY PEOPLE SAY THAT THE BIBLE IS HARD TO INTERPRET. Maybe They Mean The Bible Is Hard To Understand. This is because everybody interprets everything they see, hear and read.

What's the hardest verse to interpret in the Bible?

Happy Riches answers

People find the Bible very easy to interpret. This is because people are always interpreting what is written in the Bible to mean what they want it to mean.

Why are people always interpreting the Bible? This is because every one of us interprets everything we hear and see according to our own worldview.

We might say that we will accept the definitions of words as described in a dictionary. We then use the definition of those words to interpret all the other words we read and hear. Even if we do this, we are still going to color our interpretation of events in accordance to our own experiences and our understanding of those experiences.

When you seek to ask what people think is the hardest verse to interpret in the Bible, we really need to look for a verse that is so obvious to everyone in what it states that it is impossible to interpret.

The first verse in the Bible says, “In the beginning God created the Heavens and the Earth.” We might think that the meaning of that verse is so obvious that there is no need for interpretation, yet people will begin interpreting “the beginning” to be something different to what another person understands it to be. People have different interpretations of who God is. People will interpret how the Heavens and Earth were created differently. As for the Heavens, these do not necessarily mean the night sky; they can mean anything.

The Earth might be the only thing that is difficult to interpret in that verse
because most people will accept this as a reference to the ground upon which we stand.

Surely, “You shall not steal” (Exodus 20:15), would have to be the hardest verse to interpret, because people understand that this means, which is “not to take anything without permission”. Every law court understands this.

However, when it comes to “you shall not murder” or “you shall not bear false witness” or “you shall not commit adultery” the interpretations are numerous.

Some will say that I am addressing the idea of misinterpretation rather than interpretation, but that is merely a moot point because people will say that anyone who does not interpret as they do has misinterpreted. People are always misinterpreting the Bible according to someone else’s interpretation.

The questioner is probably seeking to find out if somebody understands everything in the Bible and has one verse that the person finds difficult to interpret. This is an assumption, of course. Which indicates the difficulty that comes with understanding much that is written; for often, what is written (or said) is misinterpreted because everything is interpreted.

However, there are some things that when you read them, are so obvious that they make sense. (As you will find at the link below.)

The Ten Commandments Cover More About Our Lives Than We Think 

Written Mar 5

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WHAT ARE THE TEN COMMANDMENTS? People Say That The Ten Commandments Are Outdated. Do the Ten Commandments really matter?

Happy Riches answers

What are the Ten Commandments?

One could consider that this question is making a request for an enumeration of the Ten Commandments. However the idea really resonates in the words “what are”. When someone asks, “What are dogs?” We do not list all the dogs; rather we describe them from a conceptual basis and present a unifying idea of what dogs are so we can readily ascertain their distinctiveness as a category of phenomena in relation to other categories.

The Ten Commandments are the only words that have been recorded in history to have been written by God Himself.

They concern God’s relationship with humans and that of humans with each other.

The first five commandments contain the word “God”. They state that God has been active in delivering people from bondage and creating the Universe. One commandment states that God is resting from His labors of Creation and desires that those whom He has created in His own image acknowledge this by having a day of rest and enjoying His goodness in fellowship with Himself.  Another commandment states that the Almighty is a God of love and a God of reprimand.  There is a commandment stating that God judges those who are insincere and disregard Him, while claiming to identify with Him.  The fifth commandment of the five presents God as a benefactor who provides an inheritance to those who are humble; also protecting them and bestowing longevity upon them.

The next five commandments deal with the affairs between humans and do not have any reference to God whatsoever.

The first four commandments of the Decalogue are often presented as God orientated with the following six as man orientated—although, this is a little deceptive when presented as conclusive.

One view that has merit is the first three commandments challenge man’s pride. The next two speak of God’s grace towards man. The next four speak of man’s relationship with his fellow man. The last commandment deals with each man’s own heart.

The psalmist commented of God,

• “I have seen a limit to all perfection, but thy commandment is exceedingly broad.” (Psalm 119.96)

The psalmist also said blessed is the person who meditates the law day and night for that person will prosper (Psalm 1:1-3)

So what are the Ten Commandments exactly?

The Ten Commandments constitute the moral law that distinguishes what is good in life from what is evil. They serve as a standard that measures the caliber of every individual who is capable of intelligence and therefore has the ability to form a relationship with the capacity of appreciating the worth of another person.

Humans have standards that form the criteria to measure the quantity of material objects and evaluate their quality in respect to similar material. They also have standards for speech, dress and behavior at home, at work and play, both professionally and informally. These standards are intellectual ideas that are distinguishable by what is said and done and are accepted by common consent.

The Ten Commandments are the Creator’s standards for His Creation that have the capacity to think and make decisions and act on those decisions, so they know when they have violated faith, either with Himself or another member of the Creation. Positively speaking, the Ten Commandments provide humans with an understanding of the standards expected of moral behavior; that is, what is required of people to act in good faith towards their Creator and their fellow humans. One commandment in particular warns about (or encourages the avoidance of) ideas that might become the beginning of a violation of faith occurring from within one’s own thoughts.

There are two listings of the Ten Commandments within the Pentateuch. The first record being that which God wrote himself (Exodus 20). The second record has some alterations that specifically distinguish the Ten Commandments as part of the covenant with the Israelites (Deuteronomy 5).

The introduction of Deuteronomy, chapter five, points out the fact that this is a covenant with the Israelites and not with the fathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob—of whom Jesus said were alive (Matthew 22:31-33), even though they had been physically dead for over 1500 years when making the comment. The specificity of the covenant with the Israelites alone is not only reflected in the introduction which begins in the first verse and forms part of the first commandment to the Israelites, but also in the fourth, fifth and tenth commandment. Where these commandments differ from those in Exodus 20 (which are universal in scope), we have an emphasis of the covenant that was peculiar to the Israelites.  The highlighted portions below of the fourth, fifth and tenth commandments are different to Exodus 20. In verse one of this modified version of the Ten Commandments as delivered by Moses (John 1:17) that are particular to the Israelites, instead of beginning as in Exodus 20:1 with "God spoke these words saying....", we find Moses summoned all Israel, and said to them, 'Hear O Israel...' which sets the tone of the address. Thus we read:

• And Moses summoned all Israel, and said to them, “Hear, O Israel, the statutes and the ordinances which I speak in your hearing this day, and you shall learn them and be careful to do them. The Lord our God made a covenant with us in Horeb. Not with our fathers did the Lord make this covenant, but with us, who are all of us here alive this day. The Lord spoke with you face to face at the mountain, out of the midst of the fire, while I stood between the Lord and you at that time, to declare to you the word of the Lord; for you were afraid because of the fire, and you did not go up into the mountain. He said: “‘I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other Gods before me.'

Fourth Commandment

• “‘Observe the sabbath day, to keep it holy, as the Lord your God commanded you. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work; but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God; in it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, or your manservant, or your maidservant, or your ox, or your ass, or any of your cattle, or the sojourner who is within your gates, that your manservant and your maidservant may rest as well as you. You shall remember that you were a servant in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you out thence with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm; therefore the Lord your God commanded you to keep the sabbath day.

Fifth Commandment

• “‘Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God commanded you; that your days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with you, in the land which the Lord your God gives you.

Tenth Commandment

• “‘Neither shall you covet your neighbor’s wife; and you shall not desire your neighbor’s house, his field, or his manservant, or his maidservant, his ox, or his ass, or anything that is your neighbor’s.’

The fourth commandment sets the Sabbath day as an identifying mark for the Israelites who have come out of Egypt as a nation, and because of this, they learn this is the reason they are to observe it, not because the Lord God has rested from His labors of Creation—the difference is profound. People coveting their neighbor’s wife has obviously become a problem for the Israelites, much more than their coveting their neighbor’s property; the revised order (of mentioning the wife first before the house) in the tenth commandment reflects this. The fifth commandment includes a more pronounced idea of protection by God resulting from honoring one’s parents. In which case, we can see that the modifications of the Ten Commandments are such as to emphasize identification as a people, honoring of parents and the respect of the marriage unit; that is, the basis of the nuclear family. The aim of these modifications appear to be so the Israelites maintain social cohesiveness and integrity as a nation. A nation that is called to bring about God’s purpose, so the appropriate ransom can be paid for the kidnapping of the human race, and the Eternal One’s righteousness is established.

In summation: The Ten Commandments are the standards that permit assessment and adjudication, without bias, of any violation of faith in relationships among humans and with the Creator of humankind.

The Ten Commandments Were Designed For You To Enjoy And Possess Life

IS GOD A TRINITY? Is He Three In One? The Father, The Son, And The Holy Ghost? Or is it just wrong information? Provide evidence from the Bible and reliable sources..

Happy Riches Answers

Is God a trinity?
Provide evidence from the Bible and reliable sources.

What does the Bible actually say rather than theologians? If we want the truth, the Bible is the place to go to find it. Why should we believe doctrines of the Devil, when we can accept what the Bible states and walk in the truth, without adding anything else to it.

Unfortunately, doctrinaires (people who have theories and insist that they are true) claim that unless a person accepts the manmade doctrine of God being a trinity of three equal beings they are to be murdered.

History tells us John Calvin is responsible for the murder of Michael Servetus because he signed the death warrant. Calvin agreed that Michael Servetus, a man who acknowledged Jesus is the Son of God, had to die because he claimed that the idea of God being a trinity as expressed in the Nicene Creed is not biblical.

Would a Godly man murder a person who is believer in Lord Jesus Christ because he does not accept a manmade concept? Maybe a person who is actually influenced by the Devil would murder someone. Look what the Bible states:

• Every one who believes that Jesus is the Christ is a child of God, and every one who loves the parent loves the child. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. (1 John 5:1-3)
• We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death. Any one who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. (1 John 3:14-15)

That is heavy stuff that is not to be taken lightly and dismissed. Jesus even said that those who identify with the murderers of yesteryear are guilty of their sin of murder as well (Matthew 23:29-34).

When we trace God’s revelation of Himself throughout the Bible, beginning in Genesis through to Revelation, we learn the following.

• Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. (Genesis 1:26-27)
• The Lord says to my lord: “Sit at my right hand, till I make your enemies your footstool.” (Psalm 110.1)
• I have not learned wisdom, nor have I knowledge of the Holy One. Who has ascended to heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in his fists? Who has wrapped up the waters in a garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son’s name? Surely you know! (Proverbs 30:3-4)
• In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1)
• And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father. (John 1:18)
• Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. (Philippians 2:5-7)
• Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden girdle round his breast; his head and his hair were white as white wool, white as snow; his eyes were like a flame of fire,  his feet were like burnished bronze, refined as in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of many waters; in his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth issued a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength. When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand upon me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last,  and the living one; I died, and behold I am alive for evermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades. (Revelation 1:12:18)
• Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! He who sat upon it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems; and he has a name inscribed which no one knows but himself. He is clad in a robe dipped in[b] blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, followed him on white horses. From his mouth issues a sharp sword with which to smite the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron; he will tread the wine press of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name inscribed, King of kings and Lord of lords. (Revelation 19:11-16)

The evidence from those Scriptures is God is more than One, even though God has a Son who is the Same as Himself. However, the Word of God made flesh has become the revelation of God in human form and will reign as King of kings and Lord of lords. What is the name of the Holy One and what is His Son’s name: Lord Jesus Christ; the revelation of God in finite form.

The Lord God created man as two individuals who reflect the image of the Deity. This tends to go against the doctrine of the trinity which states that Deity being three in one.

What does the Bible tell us about the metaphysical aspect of existence?

The Bible informs us the Universe was created in a space that God created by making a circle on the great deep (Proverbs 8:27) which created a firmament in the midst of the waters (Genesis 1:6). The Earth was created from the waters (2 Peter 3:5) and from this we can assume was all matter. Besides the Holy One (Proverbs 30:3;) there is no Creator ( Isaiah 45:5) for only He is I AM (Exodus 3:14;) and besides Him there is no other (Isaiah 44:6). for we live and have our being within the Infinite God (Acts 17:28). The Universe exists within God. And God being the Holy One exists outside the Universe.

Nevertheless, the issue of the Seven-fold Spirit and the Holy Spirit descending in the form of a dove and Jesus speaking of another counselor being sent from the Father by Him needs to be addressed.

• Revelation 1:4 John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne,
• Revelation 3:1  “And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: The words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. “‘I know your works; you have the name of being alive, and you are dead.
• Revelation 4:5 From the throne issue flashes of lightning, and voices and peals of thunder, and before the throne burn seven torches of fire, which are the seven spirits of God;
• Revelation 5:6 And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders, I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth;

The question here is which one of the Seven Spirits of God is the Holy Spirit that makes up the doctrine of the Trinity?

Clearly the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus as a dove, but which of the Seven Spirits did the dove represent. Because God is Holy and His Spirits would also be Holy.

• Luke 3:22 and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form, as a dove, and a voice came from heaven, “Thou art my beloved Son; with thee I am well pleased.”

In respect to the Counselor, Jesus said:

• John 14:16-17 And I will pray the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, to be with you for ever,even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him; you know him, for he dwells with you, and will be in you.
• John 14:26 But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.
• John 15:26 But when the Counselor comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness to me;
• John 16:7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.

Now if Counselor is the same Holy Spirit that came down upon Jesus as a dove, how can He be given to so many people for ever? If the Counselor is to be in the people, this suggests something other than there being a third person in the Godhead who is equal to the Father and the Son. For nobody really believes that people who receive the Counselor are equal to the Father and the Son.

In conclusion, all that we can say is the dogma of the trinity is a manmade attempt to explain something that those who created it do not understand. There is no clear evidence for the dogma in the Bible. What we see is that God exists, the Son exists, the Counselor exists, the Holy Spirit exists, the Seven Spirits of God exist. We know that the Bibles states whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One who saves) will be saved. History also tells us that John Calvin and his cronies disregarded the commandments of God and murdered Michael Servetus because he believed in the Father and the Son but not in the manmade doctrine of the trinity.

We Need To Understand The Truth About God And How He Reveals Himself To Us 

JESUS CHRIST IS COMING BACK. Many People Are Wondering Whether They Can Hasten His Return. Others say that the time is already determined by God and there is nothing we can do to bring it on.

Happy Riches answers

If we want to welcome the return of the Lord Jesus, what is crucial for us?

The question implies that there are those who do not want to welcome the return of Lord Jesus Christ. Furthermore, there is the connotation that there might be those who expect Lord Jesus Christ to return but are not willing to welcome Him. Nevertheless, I will address the idea of “if we are keen to welcome the return of Lord Jesus, what is crucial for us to be acceptable for Him”.

When we think of welcoming Lord Jesus Christ and being acceptable to greet Him, this is like having been chosen to meet a very special person from among the many who have turned out to welcome his or her arrival at the airport or the wharf or some special function—maybe a President or King or Queen or a celebrity. However, from the what the Bible states, there will not just be a few of the many who are waiting to see Lord Jesus arrive who will be chosen, but all who are ready.

The parable of the Ten Virgins (bridesmaids) in the book of  Matthew (25:1-12) highlights that there are those who will be waiting but not be ready to meet Lord Jesus Christ when He comes, and therefore will miss out.  We are admonished to be ready and waiting, lest we miss out, for we do not know when the time will be.

Many people attempt to nail the day on which the Lord Jesus Christ will return. However, it appears that the Bible is written in such a way that it will not be until the day of the Second Advent is truly upon us that we will be absolutely sure the day has come. And this is if we have heard what the thunders have said (Revelation 10:4) and the call of the last trump (1 Corinthians 15:52). Meanwhile, rather than speculate when the actual day will be, and then think we can go off and indulge in riotous living at the local sewer, we would be better off recognizing that death sounds the final bell and after that comes judgment. (If you think nothing happens after physical death, get a hammer and hit yourself on the head. That just might bring you to your senses. Pain is very real.)

Matthew Henry was a respected Nonconformist commentator who died in 1714. He wrote regarding the parable of the Ten Virgins:

“Sincere Christians are the wise virgins, and hypocrites the foolish ones. Many have a lamp of profession in their hands, but have not, in their hearts, sound knowledge and settled resolution, which are needed to carry them through the services and trials of the present state.”

Jesus might not be returning to rule over the nations of the Earth in one hour’s time, but how can you be sure that you are not dead in one hour’s time. Some very healthy looking and fit people in their twenties—in their prime of life—have suddenly dropped down dead because, unbeknown to them, they had a weak heart. If a person is not ready to welcome Lord Jesus Christ, that person has an eternal problem, if sudden death occurs.

The most crucial thing for us is to be ready to welcome Lord Jesus Christ. For this to occur, we need to be sanctified in the Holy Spirit, having been sanctified by faith (Acts 26:18) and in the blood of the Son of God (Hebrew 10:29). Tragically, for those who believe that they are saved by grace, nobody is sanctified by grace alone or by grace itself, in any way—only those who are sanctified will be ready to receive an inheritance at the Second Coming of Lord Jesus Christ. Let us look at some Scripture:

• Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither the immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor sexual perverts, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor robbers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians 6:9-11)
• And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. (Acts 20:32)
• To open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me [Lord Jesus Christ]. (Acts 26:18)
• [Paul] a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable,sanctified by the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:16)
• To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours. (1 Cor 1:2)
• For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. (Hebrews 10:14)
• And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. (Hebrews 10:10)
• For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified have all one origin. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brethren. (Heb. 2:11)
• How much worse punishment do you think will be deserved by the man who has spurned the Son of God, and profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and outraged the Spirit of grace? (Hebrews 10:29)
• Chosen and destined by God the Father and sanctified by the Spirit for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you. (1 Peter 1:2)

Summarizing the above Scriptures, we see that irrespective of how ungodly and sinful a person may have been, there is an inheritance for those who have been sanctified through faith in the name of Lord Jesus Christ, by the blood of His body at His death. These individuals are chosen because they have been sanctified by the Holy Spirit and have become obedient to Lord Jesus. Born of God and sanctified by the Holy Spirit, these people have the same origin as Lord Jesus Christ, having overcome sin and death. What we do not find in the Scriptures is sanctification occurs by grace. There is sanctification by blood, the Spirit, faith and through the name of Lord Jesus Christ, but not sanctification by grace. This is because even though God’s unmerited favor has been extended to all men, only those who respond by faith and receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit from Lord Jesus Christ are sanctified in His blood, and are able to grow in this unmerited favor of God.

Importantly, unless we have feasted on the milk of the word, we will not grow into the perfection of maturity that is required. Understanding the milk of the word is essential, if we are to understand the truths of Scripture, and repent from our dead works and exercise faith towards God. Learning truth is experiential not theoretical. 

When Jesus was offering up what is known as His "Priestly Prayer" in John chapter 17, we read that Jesus asks our Heavenly Father to sanctify us in the truth, which He says is God’s word (John 17:17). If we do feed on the truth of the Word of God—which are the only words written by God Himself—we cannot grow in the experiential knowledge of Lord Jesus Christ. Moreover, we will be incapable of being without sin, or filled with joy or perfected in sanctification. Doctrinal knowledge does not get people into the Kingdom, only experiential knowledge that comes from being taught by the Holy Spirit and walking in the ways of God as we exercise obedience of faith.

Jesus is coming back for a people who are without spot, wrinkle or blemish; people who are set apart from the world. In the book of Ephesians we read:

• Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. (Eph. 5:35-27)

Consequently, in the Parable of the Virgins we see that five people are not prepared and five people are prepared. Those who are prepared are those who are sanctified and have been raised on the milk of the word, having grown towards maturity in the power of the Holy Spirit because of obedience of faith (Romans 1:5) by which they have been also sanctified. 

Crucially, we need to be without spot (sin), with wrinkle (full of the joy of salvation) and without blemish (perfect in sanctification) if we are to be chosen to meet Lord Jesus Christ at His Second Advent. If we are not without spot, wrinkle or blemish, we will not be ready to meet our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed forever.

The Ten Commandments Were Designed For You To Enjoy And Possess Life

THE BIBLE IS A BOOK OF CONTRADICTIONS. Many People Find Understanding The Bible Difficult. If you do not understand the Bible, there a number of reasons why this might be so.

Happy Riches answers

Why don't I understand the Bible?

The reason why a person might not understand the Bible depends on a number of things. However, there are two main reasons that I have come to realize why a person will not understand the Bible, apart from not understanding the actual language that is used.

The first reason I found that restricts our understanding to learn a new idea is unless we are ready to grasp what the idea means and utilize it to our own benefit in a meaningful way, we will fail to understand it.

For instance, when it comes to being able to comprehend a written language, we first need to understand the alphabet, then what the basic words mean. These are single syllable words. In English these are words like look, hear, love, good, bad, live, dead, book, stand, and then on to two syllable words such as “under”, which, with the word “stand”, goes to form, “understand”.

The word “under” means to “be below something” or “in a lower position” and “stand” means to be “upright on feet”.  The word “understand” then means, “to stand upright but in a lower position in relation to something else”. From a biblical perspective this suggests taking a stand against men and calling upon the name of the Lord God Almighty, Creator of Heaven and Earth.

Implicit in the word “understand” is the idea that we have to first make a declaration and say, “I do not know what something means and I desire to know”. This requires us to cast aside our preconceptions or opinions and see ourselves somewhat lower in status than what we might like to assume.  This means we need to be willing to listen to ideas until we are able to understand what the person is saying so that we can arrive at truth. This also means that we need to look at something until we can recognize the object as distinct from other objects, or we can grasp an idea in our mind as distinct from other ideas.  We cannot afford to allow preconceptions get in the way of learning the truth of a matter—unfortunately, there are many, who are opinionated, whom the book of wisdom calls fools, because they jump to conclusions or interpret from preconceptions frequently—and miss the truth.

If someone says to us that the Bible is the written Word of God and has some essential information about life and the reason we exist, it is only natural we should investigate what it says on the basis that this is so.

However, assuming we approach the Bible with the view that we have the answers
about life and we think we know something, we have automatically invalidated the
reason why we might be seeking to understand what the written Word of God has
to say that might have significance for us. Consequently, we are not going to be able to understand what we read in Bible.

The way the Bible has been written is such that only people who are genuinely looking for the truth will learn what it has for them. To this effect, Jesus said that if we continue seeking to understand His words and apply them in our lives, we could know the truth and discover freedom to do more with our lives than what we otherwise would have known. This is why many people quote the words of the Bible. There is much wisdom in the Bible, only wisdom comes from applied knowledge and not theoretical knowledge.

Many people have the intellectual capability to comprehend numerous philosophies concocted to explain life and the jargon used by philosophers, but the inability to understand truth, because they are too foolish to seek wisdom and live authentically in its truth. By authentically living our lives in truth, we are able to understand what the Bible states and we will learn more wisdom as we grow in the knowledge written therein.

The Bible is written in parables and seeming nonsense so that the opinionated (those who think they are wiser than the Omniscient Creator and have no need to acknowledge Him) do not learn the truths contained within. God tests us to see whether we genuinely want to know the truth or whether we are going to get our rocks off thinking, we are smarter than others are, because we can regurgitate information and the opinions of other people that we have read in books. If we are humble, we will call upon God and ask Him to help us.

The Bible informs us to call upon the name of God, which is Lord Jesus Christ. Lord Jesus Christ is the revealed name of God, and under this name; we are to glorify our Heavenly Father. This being the case, we speak to God in the name of Lord Jesus and ask Him to help us. This is what the Bible states:

• And without faith it is impossible to please him. For whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. (Hebrews 11:6 RSV)

Unless you believe God exists, you will not call upon Him. If you believe God exists, you will call upon Him, which is an act of faith if you expect God to reward you. If you do not expect God to reward you, or even to hear you, you will be like the fools who say He does not exist, so I will not call upon Him. If you believe God exists, you will wait until you receive your answer. So if you ask our Heavenly Father in the name of  Lord Jesus Christ to reveal you the truth, faith is evidenced, when you wait until you receive the answer to your query (prayer).

The second reason people do not understand the Bible is that they do not have the Holy Spirit. Many people attempt to work out what the Bible means without the Holy Spirit. Instead of learning truth, they are caught up in religious dogma, which are doctrines of the men (the Devil really) that prevent people from discovering the reality of a personal experience with Lord Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit. This is what Jesus actually stated regarding the Holy Spirit:

• “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, to be with you for ever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him; you know him, for he dwells with you, and will be in you. (John 14:15-17)
• But when the Counselor comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness to me. (John 15:26)
• When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you. (John 16:13-15 RSV)

As you can see, from the above Scripture, the Holy Spirit is given so that people are guided into knowing the truth. What this means is that Holy Spirit will give us understanding of what we need to know as we read the Bible. However, notice the first sentence of what Jesus said. There is a qualifying criterion to receiving the Holy Spirit. If we love Jesus, we will keep His commandments and He will pray the Father to give us another Counselor, Who is the Holy Spirit.

One of the reasons people do not understand the Scriptures is they have not seen reason to love Lord Jesus because they do not appreciate what He has done for them.

We could say not knowing our need for Jesus Christ to be our Savoir and Lord is the underlying reason people do not come to understand what the Bible really says, and why there are so many different views regarding what is required of us, if we are to know the truth. Unless we understand why we would want to call upon the Lord God in the first place, we will not really be seeking the truth.

Opinions, thought bubbles, philosophy, doctrines, esoteric information from the occult, are ploys used by the god of this world to deceive us, if we do not truly understand why we want to know Lord Jesus Christ; the only person to have risen from the dead, and Who reveals Himself to those whose hearts are pure and their motives genuine.

Another reason why people do not understand the Bible is because they do not understand the only words that were written by God Himself. The majority of people who call themselves Christians arrogantly dismiss them and those that claim they know them, actually cannot even quote them. So how can they know them.

Just to show you have ignorant people are, if you ask them whether the Bible states the Son of God actually delivered the Ten Commandments to Moses, they will most likely say, "No!"  The truth is the Son of God (through Whom all things exist) did deliver the Ten Commandments to Moses . Furthermore, Jesus, the Son of God said, "Heaven and Earth will pass away, but not one dot nor one iota of the Law shall pass away until all is accomplished."

Yet Jesus says if you continue in my commandments I will send the Counselor and He will lead you into all truth.

What it all boils down to, in the end, is how much do we want to know the truth. Or are we content to settle for less and play philosophical mind games rather than experience a relationship with our Heavenly Father through Lord Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit.

The Ten Commandments Were Designed For You To Enjoy And Possess Life

JESUS IS THE ONLY WAY TO HEAVEN OR IS HE? The Book Of John Says Than Jesus Is The Way To Heaven. The other gospels to do not have what is in the Gospel of John.

Harry Riches answers

If Jesus is the only way to heaven as in John 14:6, why is this idea not present in any of the other gospels?

The idea of Jesus being the Way, the Truth and the Life is present in the other gospels. Instead of being presented as a direct statement, in the other gospels the idea is interspersed within the parables and stories of Jesus. Here are some examples.

In the Gospel of Matthew, we see Jesus saying no one can come to the Father, who gives life and all things to people, except through Him.

The truth is that you have to learn to rest.

Jesus' way of teaching is to place a yoke upon you so that he can guide you. Therefore, the way to life is for you to come to Jesus so you can learn the truth. Once you understand the truth, Jesus will reveal the Father to you.

• At that time Jesus declared, “I thank thee, Father, Lord of  heaven and earth, that thou hast hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to babes; yea, Father, for such was thy gracious will. All things have been delivered to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and any one to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:25-30)

In the gospel of  Mark, we see Jesus saying that the way to life is to follow His footsteps and take up our own cross. If we lose our life for His sake, we will discover eternal life.  Following Jesus is the way. The truth is, if we are to enter life, we have to take up our own cross and lose our life for Jesus' sake. If we are not ashamed of Him, we will be rewarded with eternal life when Jesus returns.

• And he called to him the multitude with his disciples, and said to them, “If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what does it profit a man, to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? For what can a man give in return for his life? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of man also be ashamed, when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” (Mark 8:34-38)

In the Gospel of Luke, speaking similarly to what we have quoted from the account in Matthew, Jesus turns to his disciples and tells them how blessed they are in being able to see and hear Him in person, for they have been chosen unto eternal life.

• In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I thank thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to babes; yea, Father, for such was thy gracious will. All things have been delivered to me by my Father; and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and any one to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” Then turning to the disciples, he said privately, “Blessed are the eyes which see what you see! For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.” (Luke 10:21-23)

Strange as it may seem to those who want to be told things straight, even when they are told straight, they cannot see the forest for the trees. This is why so many people refuse to believe less remarkable phenomena than the possibility that the Universe could come into being by chance, yet believe as true, the Universe has come about by chance. This is because these people have been programmed to reject the idea of a Creator creating the wonders of the Universe because it came about by natural selection, contrary to the Laws of Thermodynamics. Believe it or not, they claim they are thinkers, not realizing they have been programmed to believe a lie.

Yet as quirky as it may seem to those who claim to be sophisticated thinkers (those who get caught up and entangled in sophistry), most people pick up on stories and see the sense in them. Because this is how they think. In fact, most people think pictorially rather then abstractly.

People who are advanced pictorial thinkers see the pictures that those, who use abstractions to think, have to translate back into pictures before they can understand what they were really attempting to think about. As can be expected, the problem for many abstract thinkers occurs during the process of translation when they misinterpret—a frequent occurrence.  When this does happen, those who misinterpret become defensive and resort to defending their interpretation, rather than admitting they have got it wrong.

When Jesus said, "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life," at other times, in other places, He simply said, "Follow me."  So John 14:6 could be considered the initial analysis of  Jesus saying, "Follow me." For no one has ascended into Heaven except the One who has descended from Heaven (John 3:13).

The Real Answers To The Truth Are Always There Only For Some They Are Hidden