Alex2165

I noticed that some people criticizing Apostle Paul, but do not provide any concrete evidence from the Paul’s writings about his wrongs. Below I presented some of the credentials of Paul for those who have doubts about his writings and legitimacy as Apostle of Christ. 1Corinthians 9.1-2 1.I am not free? Am I not an Apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord? 2.If to others I am not an Apostle, and least I am to you, you are the seal of my Apostleship in the Lord. Galatians 1.1.15 1.Paul, an Apostle, not sent from men, nor through the agency of man, but through Jesus Christ and GOD the Father, Who raised Him (Jesus Christ) from the dead. 15.But when GOD Who had set me apart before I was born and called me through His grace, was pleased to reveal His Son to me, so that I might proclaim Him among the Gentiles, I did not confer with any human being, 1Corinthians 2.5 4.And my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit of power, 5.that your faith should not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of GOD 1Corinthians 14.37-38 37.If anyone thinks he is a prophet or spiritual, let him recognize that the things which I write to you are the Lord's Commandment. 38.But if anyone does not recognize this, he is not recognized 1Timothy 2.7 7.For this I was appointed a herald and an Apostle. I am telling the truth, I am not lying, a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth Galatians 2.8.11-15 8.He Who effectually worked for Peter in his Apostleship to the circumcised, effectually worked for me also to the Gentiles. Were never been any feud between Paul and Peter, but Paul rightfully rebuke Peter to be a little bit hypocritical in his behavior, who tried maneuver himself between Jews and Gentiles and to please both parties. Were also never been any “gospel of Paul.” Old English words “GOD SPELL” was transformed into a shorter abbreviation as “Gospel,” which means GOOD NEWS of GOOD MESSAGE. When Paul preached or wrote his Epistles, he did it by being under influence of the Holy Spirit of the Lord. This means that those who criticizing Paul and undermine his legitimacy, criticizing and undermining the Lord Himself. Paul preached Gospel but not his own but of Christ, just like others did. So we would not say that Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John wrote their own Gospels, but driven by the Holy Spirit their wrote whatever the Lord put in their hearts, and so did Apostle Paul. Some said that Paul wrote whatever he heard and learned from others who were with Christ, and himself did not had any knowledge of Christ and His teachings. And so the Luke. But the difference here is this, that whatever the Apostles of Christ learned about their Messiah in three years being with Him, Paul on the other hand learned and understood though the Holy Spirit of Christ in instance. And even for 11 Apostles after death of Christ was necessary to receive the Holy Spirit in order to be complete in their knowledge, understanding, faith, and dedication to the Lord. So in this sense Paul and the rest of Apostles of Christ stand on the same footing. Writings of Paul reflecting the message of GOD that came to us through Paul, and his writing are holy just like any other writings of the Bible. 2Peter 3.15-16 15.and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation. So also our beloved brother Paul wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, 16.speaking of this as he does in all his letters. There are some things in them hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction as they do the other Scriptures.

I agree that “calling names is not acceptable” How about to give a guy just a warning, second chance, and reinstate his privileges?

Creation of the Earth described by Moses in the beginning of Genesis in chapter 1 can be chronological and also is not chronological, just like many other places of the Bible, and according to each individual understanding. Personally I believe that account of Moses of creation of the Earth and universe (cosmos) is chronological, because how you possible argue about count of every and each day of creation when they are written and numbered as Day 1, and then Day2, and all the way to the 7th Day? Is any of these Days are missing? Or they are not in their usual order according to their number? But on the other hand, such order of creation of the Earth indeed looks like being made, or recorded by Moses in not chronological order. I always though that GOD created universe (cosmos) first, and then the Earth. But by closely examining the order of creations I had some doubts about my first impression and understanding about the order of things created. First three paragraphs of Genesis describing only the first three days of creation of the Earth and heavens. Such words “heavens” and “expanse” most likely mean different atmospheric levels of the Earth, not the cosmos (verses 1-13). And only on the fourth day GOD created SUN, MOON, and STARS! (verses 14-19). As we all very well know that the Sun, the Moon, and the Start are not the part of the Earth’s atmosphere, and they have to be placed in their own environment, the space of cosmos. So, according to this chronology the Earth was created first, and then entire universe of cosmos with its suns (stars), moons, and planets. This means that the age of the universe (cosmos) is almost the same as the age of the Earth! And the Earth actually three days older than the universe itself! For those who would say that this is still not chronological order and would ignore the fact of perfect chronological order of the numbers of recorded days, for such skeptics I can present another interesting facts for their own benefit. Notice that the SUN for Earth GOD created only on the fourth day, but the light itself and the darkness were created on the first day of GOD’S work, before the Earth. In this case without SUN-light, the Earth, which wasn’t even formed yet on that first day, could not possibly have the morning and evening and be numbered as Day 1, because every day starts from morning and ends in evening. And so the same can be said about the second and the third days as well, until the fourth day when the SUN was created. Taking to account such a gap of unknown period of time of these first three days in which there was no SUN-light, and no morning and evening as Moses described them, and subsequently no days can be count as we know it, the theory that the creation of the Earth was not in its chronological order may take place, and we may assume that perhaps in that gap of unknown to us period of uncertain time the cosmos was created with the SUN and the Moon, and only then the familiar to us count of days may be started as from the day 1, and so on. But this is of course would look as quite convoluted theory, but for those who badly want to prove that the order of creation is not chronological, would be the only option.

To Hebrews 13.8 First, you did not read my post carefully, in my post I already mentioned about two types of resurrections, one is temporary and the other is permanent, and there is a big difference between them. Second, you talk exactly as the seven day Adventist do. They truly believe that the word “sleep” that often used symbolically in tandem with the word “dead” or “death” in certain places of the Bible - literally means death. I used to go to seven day Adventist church for a while, because they worship on Sabbath day, but I was appalled at their twisted and completely insane doctrines and traditions which go against not only the Bible principals and ideals, but even at elementary common sense and any logical reasoning. I am no longer go to their church, but I tried hard to convince them that using word “sleep” in reference to “death” is a figure of speech, a metaphor, and no more than that. But they refused to understand this. Above all, they are also believed that soul does not exist, they believe that the physical body is the soul, and they also believe in some other completely delusion things like this. Anyway, if you are a seven days Adventist, it would be pointless for me to talk to you on this issue, but I will try again to explain to all who believe in this nonsense that sleep and death completely different thing and cannot be mix together. For example: John 11.11-14 11.After saying this He told them, “Our friend Lazarus had fallen asleep, but I am going there to awaken him.” 12.The disciples said to Him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep he will be all right.” 13.Jesus however had been speaking about his death, but they though that He was referring merely to sleep. 14.Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus is DEAD. How we can decipher this statement of Christ? At first Jesus said, “Lazarus had fallen asleep.” Such figure of speech often found in the Bible, and Jesus uses this metaphor and aphorism to indicate death and following resurrection in the last day, means that sooner or later Lazarus will be resurrected to everlasting life. But His disciples took it literally and though that Lazarus indeed sleeping and will awake by himself, and so he is all right, and does not need to be waking up. In verse 13 John himself pointed out that Jesus was talking about DEATH and future resurrection, and not about sleep. Because after sleep we wake up without any help of others, but no one wakes ups after death, unless GOD will make it so. Death is a permanent state and cannot be reversed like sleep. But seven day Adventist insists that death does not exist, but we have only sleep. In verse 14 then Jesus saw and realized that they did not understand Him, only when He said to them in plain language that the Lazarus is dead, and only when they get it. So it is absolutely obvious that the word “sleep” here is a metaphor and a figure of speech, but the word “DEAD” is a real word and means DEATH, and nothing else.

Shalom George. You stated that the soul of believer returns to the Lord, this is true, but not only of believer but of every man and woman on Earth, because our soul is the property of the Lord and all souls belong only to GOD, very much like everything else on this Earth. Ecclesiastes 12. 7 7.*and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the breath (breath of life, spirit, soul, of human being) returns to GOD Who gave it. Ezekiel 18.4 4."Know that all lives are Mine, the life of the parent as well as the life of the child is Mine..." In reply to the second part of your post I would like to point out that some people used very judgmental, inappropriate and badly chosen words concerning some statement and passages of the Bible without understanding them fully. Does be prophet Elisha also was very cruel when he resurrected from the dead the child of Shunammite woman? 2Kings 4.32-37. Or may be Jesus Christ also was very cruel when He resurrected from the dead so many people? Or may Apostles of Christ also were cruel when they resurrected many dead? Matthew 10.8 Commandments of Jesus to His disciples. 8."Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. You received without payment, give without payment." Elisha, Jesus Christ, and Peter, and many others showed to us the power of the Lord over the physical death, in order that people would believe in the power of their GOD, and many did, and it change the life of many people for the better and turned them to their GOD, and only GOD. And even during crucifixion of Jesus the graves were open and the dead were came and prophesied in Jerusalem! Do you know how many people saw it and became permanent and dedicated believers in Christ? If GOD chose such way to convince people of His power over the death, who then have the right to criticize the Lord and call such action as cruel? Above all, will be even bigger resurrection of the dead in the future on the universal scale. Isaiah 26.19 19.Your dead shall live, their corpses shall rise (Ezekiel 37.1-14). O dwellers in the dust (Genesis 3.19) (Psalm 103.14) (Ecclesiast 3.20, 12.7), awake and sing for joy! Your dew is a radiant dew, and the Earth will give birth to those long dead (Ezekiel 37.1-14) (Daniel 12.2) (Hosea 13.14) (Ephesians 5.14). (NRSV) 19.Your dead will live, their corpses will rise (Ezekiel 37.1-14), you who lie in the dust (Genesis 3.19) (Psalm 103.14) (Ecclesiast 3.20, 12.7) awake and shout for joy, your dew is as the dew of the dawn, and the Earth will give birth to the departed spirits (Ezekiel 37.1-14) (Daniel 12.2) (Hosea 13.14) (Ephesians 5.14). (KSB Ezekiel 37.12-13 12.Therefore, prophesy and say to them. 'Thus says the Lord GOD. I am going to open your graves and bring you up from your graves. O My people (see "People of GOD"), and I will bring you back to the land of Israel. 13.And you shall know that I am the Lord when I open your graves and bring you up from graves, O My people. Daniel 12.2 2.Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to Everlasting Life and some to shame and everlasting contempt. John 5.21.25.28-29 21."Indeed, just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whomever He wishes. 25.Very truly I tell you, the hour is coming and is now here when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of GOD, and those who hear will live. 28.Do not be astonished at this, the hour is coming when all who are in their graves will hear His voice, 29.and will come out those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of condemnation.” Notice that the end of the passage in Daniel 12.1 is identical to the end of the passage in John 5.29. There are many other similar statements indicating that resurrection will occur on the global scale. It is also support the fact that we from the very beginning have being created as immortal human beings in physical flesh, but lose our immortality due to disobedience to GOD. This means that the history of human kind must make its complete circle and we have to receive our immortality back, according to the passages above. In general, Bible depicts only two types of resurrections, one resurrection is temporary and a person would die again, the second resurrection is permanent and leading to eternal life in soul and in flesh. So I hope I square out for you the point of the resurrection and answered your question. Alex.

I think the answer on your question is actually very simple if you take a look on the other side of Paul, all the Disciples of Christ, and also on the prophets who are obeyed the law of the land but disobeyed earthly authorities when they law of the land goes against the values and principals of GOD. For example, Paul and all other man of GOD regularly and constantly were prohibited to preach word of GOD, but they refused to obey authorities on this matter and kept preaching, for which they have been punished and some of them even lost their life. Same thing can be said about imprisonment, if any man of GOD or a Christian imprisoned for upholding the principals and ideals of the Lord, then according to the Gospel and in the eyes of GOD such person will be considered as truly faithful and dedicated man or woman of GOD, and deserves praise and great respect. Of course if a Christian end up in prison for ordinary crime, surely it would not counted to him as a positive credit. So the point that the Paul tried to make is this that if a Christian obeys the right and just laws of the land, it is a good thing, Jesus and His Disciples did the same, and if a Christian upholds his Christian values despite the prohibition by authorities and punished by authorities for it, it even better, by which every Christian can be proud of. I would like to suggest that when you read Bible and see the issue you do not understand fully, the best thing to do is to look on the issue not from the single verse or a few statements, but in much wider perspective and counted in all the other places of the Bible related to the subject in question, then everything will be very clear. GOD bless.

I think you do not completely understand the Book of Job and even your own situation. Some people blame Satan for everything because of their own stupid actions, or think that it is the Satan make them do it. Actually in majority of the cases where we hurt, it is our own fault, not GOD’S, not Satan’s, but only of our own foolishness is involved, because every action produces certain reaction, the law of physics cannot be broken. Concerning Job and his comforters, it was not a competition of righteousness between Job and his friends, but it was the dispute and competition between GOD and Devil. Job only became unwilling participant in this dispute between two powerful spirits. It is also not always advisable to compare our cases with the cases depicted in the Bible, but it is very advisable to learn from the Bible such cases, and try to avoid them in our every day life. Is it better to learn from someone’s mistakes and avoid them, or learn from your own mistakes and suffer? In my own experience, when I do something stupid or foolish and got hurt, the first thing I would do is to pray to the Lord for forgiveness of my own foolishness and admit my mistakes. Apology to the Lord is essential tool and has to go first to make peace with GOD and admit your own wrong action, and only then will be reasonable to ask GOD for healing of for reimbursement of damage done. And even if consequences of my own foolishness have long lasting effect, it is much easier to carry on knowing that I apologized to GOD for my foolishness in admission of my own guilt, than just pray for healing and wait for a miracle to come. We have to pay for our own mistakes; otherwise we would never learn anything.

I think that the Bible not only has correlation to spirituality but actually it has a direct impact on our spiritual growth. Bible as a Book gives only start to knowledge, but understanding of the Holy Scriptures comes only from GOD. In such order a certain connection is absolutely evident, because many people knows Bible very well and can find any place in the Bible in seconds, but not always understand the Scripture. Therefore, growth in knowledge comes from the Bible, but growth in spirituality comes from GOD, and only for those who deeply studying Bible. Because how you can get spirituality without knowledge of the Bible? And how your can get the knowledge that leads to spirituality without being motivated by GOD Who stirs your own spirit to spirituality? The level of spirituality can be measured in each and every person according to his/her level of the knowledge of the Bible. The more knowledge is gained, the more understanding and spirituality GOD gives to a person. For this reason it is not too hard to see among Christians who are a spiritual dwarf or a spiritual giant.

Hi John. You’re asked: “why did GOD plant this tree if it was no good for them.” I think, because we are made in the Intellectual Image of GOD, and the Intellect of GOD knows Good and Evil, and so the angels He had created, so in order to be full and complete image of GOD the human being have to know these two entities just like the GOD knows them and His angels. GOD of course knew ahead of time that humans will eat of this Tree and will possess full and complete Image of Himself in this matter. Why when GOD does not implant in humans the Good and Evil from the very beginning of creation Adam and Eve? I think because it would look that GOD has given no choice to human beings to be innocent or evil , and if so, why when He punishes them? But when Adam and Eve did it for themselves and destroyed their complete innocence, then they not only disobeyed the Lord without knowing that the thing they deed is sinful, but also at the same time realized their sin against GOD only after eating the fruit, and the possession of Good and Evil gave to their conscience extra qualities that they lack before, and they became full Intellectual Image of their Creator as it was planned. Before, their own innocence would not tell them what is good and bad, and they could do anything without even realizing what they are doing, just like little children. But with the knowledge of Good and Evil they know what they are doing, and for them would be no excuses for their behavior. Possessing the knowledge of GOOD and Evil is not a sin, because GOD Himself possessing it and His angels, but the way this knowledge has been obtained and used, indeed cases sin. Concerning the trees of Lebanon and the trees of the Garden of Eden, I assume that because the House of the Lord was built from the trees of Lebanon, they are considered much greater than the trees of Eden. Trees of Eden provided food for first two human beings and this is very much it, behind this they did not serve any particular purpose worthy to be great trees.

Good post Dan. Because GOD Himself rest on the Seventh Day and because He blessed and sanctified it, from that moment on the Sabbath became the universal Day to obey for all humankind, for all generation to come and for all times. It is very unlikely that Sabbath was observed in pre-flood era by anyone, but may be a couple men did observed the Lord’s Sabbath before flood came: Genesis 5.22.24 “24.And Enoch walked with GOD (Genesis 6.9) and he was not, because GOD took him. (Genesis 5.18.21-24) (Jude 1.14-15) (Hebrews 11.5)” Walk with GOD means obeying GOD’S Commandments. Communication with GOD is not only communication through His Laws, Statutes, and Ordinances, but also like person to person, just like GOD communicated with Noah, and with Moses, and with other His men, giving them orders and commandments beside His Laws. And so, because Enoch walked with GOD, he may also observe and the Lord’s Sabbath as GOD may instructed him, same thing can be said and about Noah who also obeyed commandments of the Lord (walk with GOD) and perhaps also observe Sabbath of the Lord while at the same time building his ark. One of them GOD took alive, and the other He saved from the flood, both are men of GOD. Sabbath is essential for all humanity because in the Sabbath GOD revealed the most humane, loving, and compassioned qualities of His Holy Personality and Character and wished to have them also and in human beings. The Seventh Day also was transformed and to the special Seventh Year, and even more special the Seventh Year was transformed into the 50th Sabbatical Year under which world received such abundance of mercy compassion and love that world ever seen. These are the most blessed, consecrated, and holy times of the year that restore human dignity, forgiveness, compassion, and love in all who participate in these holy and blessed by GOD periods of times. Whoever observes these blessed periods, Sabbath Day, Sabbatical Year, and 50th Jubilee Year are also blessed by GOD, just like He had blessed His Seventh Day of rest at the very beginning. In order to prove that the Sabbath is the universal Day for all humanity to observe I include here some very few of many passages concerning the Sabbath. Isaiah 66.23 23.”And it shall be from new moon to new moon, and from Sabbath to Sabbath, all mankind will come to bow down before Me”, says the Lord.” Hebrews 4.4-5.9-10 4.He has thus said somewhere concerning the Seventh Day, "And GOD rested on the Seventh Day from all His works" (Genesis 2.2), 5.and again in this passage, "They shall not enter My Rest." (Psalm 95.11) “They shall not enter My Rest." In this verse GOD compares His everlasting Heavenly Kingdom to His Rest of to the Sabbath Day that He had established and in which He had rested from all His works. So the Sunday is not the 7th Day, it actually 8th day which sometimes mentioned in the Bible and considered in some instance as a new beginning. Sunday on the other hand never been blessed, sanctified, or call to be observed not by GOD and not by any one else in the Bible. But by not observing Sabbath we disobey commandment of the Lord to honor and to worship Him on the 7th Day, how then we expect to enter His Rest (His Kingdom) of the 7th Day? 9. There remains a Sabbath Rest for the people of GOD. Who are the people of GOD? Are they Jews only? I think all people who follow Commandments and Statutes of GOD are His people, but of course not those who follow the statutes, commandments, and false doctrines of the church. And His people are not those who give to GOD a lip service in the church but themselves do not follow His Ordinances. If a “Sabbath Rest,” which means His Kingdom (verse 5) for the people of GOD who observing the Sabbath, then where you will fit and where you will go if you refuse and did not observe “His Sabbath of His Holy Rest”? How you will enter His Kingdom of Sabbath if you ignored it all your life? 10. The one who has entered His Rest, has himself also rested from his works, as GOD did from His. And Who’s rest we shall enter after death? Is not the rest of Jesus Christ and His Father, the Kingdom of Their Rest and of Their Sabbath? How then you can enter His Sabbath if you ignored and rejected as “old covenant”? And where is the “new covenant” is? The observance of the Sabbath is the GOD’S Statute, the observance of the Sunday is a human statute, what of them is more important? Luke 4.31 31.”And He came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and He was teaching them on the Sabbath,” Luke 13.10 10.”And He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath,” Jesus and all His disciples observed Sabbath, and if according to the false doctrine of the church which said that we are no longer under Old Covenant but under New Covenant of Jesus Christ, then why Jesus Himself observed the Sabbath Day, if He brought with Him so called “new covenant” but continued to the day of His death observing the Old Covenant of the Law of Moses? Where then is a “new covenant” is? Isaiah 29.13 13.Then the Lord said, "Because this people draw near with their words and honor Me with their lip service, but they remove their hearts far from Me (Jeremiah 12.2.6), (Ezekiel 33.31), (Matthew 15.7-9), (Mark 7.6-7-13), consists of tradition learned by rote (Mark 7.7-9) (Titus 1.14) (Colossians 2.20-22), Why Jesus observed entire Law of Moses, and taught it to the people, while He had a “new law” or some kind or “new covenant” with Him as falsely declared by today’s Christians? The New Covenant of Christ it is the extension of the Old Covenant, Jesus never brought or teach anything new, but all his words, statutes, and commandments, all to the last, belong and relate to the Law of Moses and to the Old Covenant of GOD with the people of Israel, which are all based on the Spiritual 10 Commandments, in which the Sabbath is the most vital and essential of them all. You quoted Dan the words of Paul: "Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ" (Colossians 2:16"17). Many misunderstood this verse concerning Sabbath completely and perhaps this is due to difficult writing of Paul who had very deep thoughts and expressed himself as very highly educated scholar and not like ordinary man. Paul here does not rejecting the Sabbath, Paul himself without any doubt observed Sabbath religiously, but if we take a close look about what Colossian are arguing about, it would become very evident and very clear that they are talking about what to eat, and what to drink, and how to observe religious festivals, and how appropriately observe the Sabbath Day. It is not here Paul rejecting the Sabbath, but rejecting their debates concerning Laws of GOD and His Sabbath due to the evident lack in Colossians of knowledge and understanding of Jewish Laws, and there is no surprise, they are practically all gentiles. Paul quickly realized that they need special guidance in all these matters and especially in the Sabbath, which is the most important and the most essential part in worship of GOD. Isaiah 56.1-2 1.Thus says the Lord: Maintain Justice and do what is Right, soon My salvation will come and My deliverance be revealed. 2.Happy is the mortal who does this, the one who holds it fast, who keeps the Sabbath, not profaning it (means not observing it) and refrains from doing any Evil. In order to see some of the merciful and wonderful Statues of GOD concerning the Seventh Sabbatical Year and the 50th Year of Jubilee, see Leviticus 25.

To Gary Lee. You wrote: “Just curious. Do you support your pastor, or is he a tent maker type. Do you go (fellowship) to a group of believers, or a church? Your house or a friends. Who pays the bills? Do you believe all church pastors are crooks or most of them? And, where do you get all your facts? Just curious. God bless.” I really do not like repeat myself over and over again, but to make it more efficient take a look at my answers to the posts named “Money.” You asked “Do you support your pastor” Despite the fact that I always put my dollar on the collection plate I did it not do it for the pastor whose salary on average starts from $45.000, it seem to me that pastors already rich enough on their own and do need our help. I put my money for church maintenance and utility bills and no more than that. But recently I stop doing even that. On average even a small church collect about $10.000 a week, and there is plenty of money for them to care for the needs of the building, plus, church doesn’t even pay property taxes, so the church have much more in material things than it need. So, I would never give my money to the pastor as his salary, ALL PASTORS SHALL WORK WITH THEIR OWN HANDS TO PRIVIDE FOR THEMSELVES AND FOR THEIR FAMILIES WITH THEIR OWN LABOR! And if they want to “work for GOD” and teach His Word just only for food as it was originally set by GOD for Levites and by Jesus Christ Himself, and not for money as a payment for their “work”, that would be acceptable too. But if a pastor who is poor (sounds like a joke, is it?), then certainly I would help him financially or by other means, in whatever he actually need help, BUT I WOULD NOT PAY HIM HIS SALARY, otherwise I will break the principals of the Bible concerning giving the Word of GOD without charge, which many people (and as it seen in this forum) distorted for the sake of their own personal point of view, gain, and tradition of the church. And again I will point to the Jesus Christ, His disciples, and particularly to Paul who was the best example of all apostles of Christ, who dedicated his whole life to teach and to spread the Word of GOD without benefiting himself materially, financially, or in any other way, but gave himself up without having anything in return, just like Jesus did, and just like apostles did, and just like all men of GOD did. And again, I will submit the words of Paul in order to show that Paul never meant that the word “support” means “money,” but it means support by food, shelter, clothes, and anything else, but not by money. You wrote: “or is he a tent maker type” Is anything wrong to be a tent maker and preach the TRUE GOSPEL? You asked: “Do you go (fellowship) to a group of believers, or a church?” I do not., because the pastors and all church hierarchy do not like independent point of view or anything that contradict their false doctrines. But I use social media and person to person conversation in order to reveal Gospel as it written and not as doctrines of the church teach. You asked “Who pays the bills?” Did you read my post? Who paid the bills for repair of the Temple? (2Kings 12.1-15). You asked “Do you believe all church pastors are crooks or most of them?” Whoever distorts the Word of GOD and unfairly and unjustly profits himself from the Gospel, in my eyes is a crook, no matter how nice and how sweet he or she can be, because I judge people not by their appearance and status but by their deeds. Anything that is not according to the Gospel is against the Gospel and is false in its substance and matter. You asked “And, where do you get all your facts?” Read my fact below. 1Corinthians 9.1-14.18 1.I am not free? Am I not an Apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord? 2.If to others I am not an Apostle, and least I am to you, you are the seal of my Apostleship in the Lord. Rewards for Apostleship. 3.My defense to those who examine me is this: 4.Do we not have a right to eat and drink? 5.Do we not have a right to take along a believing wife, even as the rest of the Apostles and the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas? 6.Or do only Barnabas and I not have a right to refrain from working? 7.Who at any time serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat the fruit of it? Or who tends a flock and does not use the milk of the flock? 8.I am not speaking these things according to human judgment, am I? Or does not the Law also say these things? 9.It is written in the Law of Moses, "You shall not muzzle the ox while he is threshing." (Deuteronomy 25.4). GOD is not concerned about oxen, is He? 10.Or is He speaking altogether for our sake? Yes, for our sake it was written, because the plowman ought to plow in hope, and the thresher to fresh in hope of sharing the crops. 11.If we sowed spiritual things in you, is it too much if we should reap material things from you? (means everything mentioned above, but no money as a salary for work). 12.If others share the right over you, do we not more? Nevertheless, we did not use this right, but we endure all things that we may cause no hindrance to the Gospel of Christ. 13.Do you not know that those who perform sacred services eat the food of the Temple, and those who attend regularly to the altar have their share with the altar? 14.So also the Lord directed those who proclaim the Gospel to get their living from Gospel (means to be supported by food. water, shelter, transportation, and other thing, but not by money as a salary). (Matthew 10.9-10) (Luke 10.7) (1Timothy 5.17-18) 18.What then is my reward? That when I preach the Gospel I may offer the Gospel without charge, so as not to make full use of my right in the Gospel. Acts 20.34-35 34.You know for yourselves that I worked with my own hands to support myself and my companions. 35.In all this I have given you an example that by such work we must support the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus He Himself said: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Acts 28.30-31 30.He (Paul) lived there two whole years at his own expense and welcomed all who came to him, 31.proclaiming the kingdom of GOD and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance. 1Thessalonians 2.9 9.You recall brethren our labor and hardship, how working night and day, so as not to be a burden to any of you, we proclaimed to you the Gospel of GOD. 1Thessalonians 4.11-12 11.to aspire to live quietly, to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands as we directed you, 12.so that you may behave properly toward outsiders and be depended on no one. 2Thessalonians 3.7-12 7.You yourselves know how you ought to follow our example, because we did not act in an undisciplined manner among you, 8.nor did we eat anyone's bread without paying for it, but with labor and hardship we kept working night and day, so that we might not be a burden to any of you, 9.not because we do not have the right to this, but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you, that you might follow our example. 10.Even when we were with you, we used to give you this order, if anyone will not work, neither let him eat. 11.We hear that some among you are leading an undisciplined life, doing no work at all, but acting like busybodies. 12.Now, such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to work in quiet fashion, and eat their own bread. 1Corinthians 4.11-12 11.To this present hour we are both hungry and thirsty, and are poorly clothed, and are roughly treated, and are homeless, 12.and we toil working with our own hands, when we are reviled we bless, when we are persecuted we endure, Luke 8.1-3 1.And it came about soon afterwards, that He began going about from one city and village to another, proclaiming and preaching the Kingdom of GOD, and the twelve were with Him. 2.And also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and sicknesses: Mary who was called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, (Mark 16.9) 3.and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others who were contributing to their support out of their private means. And now I assume that you understand what the private means, means?

This I very much expected to see in the majority of answers, and as usual many places of the Bible have been taken out of their context in the favor to collect tithes. And of course some theological nonsense also has been presented here to prove that tithes collected in the church is permissible. I presented practically all verses of the Old Testament concerning tithes, and if you guys read it or not, none of these verses relate to money, but all of them strictly specified tithes as produce of the land and subsequently their purpose. In general overview, 10% of the field produce collected from the people every third year. It had been stored in the storage facilities. From the storage facilities 10% given to Levites and they stored them in their own storages. From their storages Levites took another 10% for offering to the Lord, and the rest they have for their own consumption and for support of the poor. Beside this, Levites also had their own towns in each tribe of Israel and they also have their own fields from which they feed themselves, their families, and profit from. These all very well described in the Bible and the verses I presented, but ignorant person always will be ignorant, because truth sometimes hurts. But I care less who has been hurt, the point is that many traditions of the church straight forward ungodly and dishonest, and only can be revealed by pointing the deeds of the church to the Holy Scripture in order to reveal that the practices of the church do not match the practices indicated in the Bible. I am not against to support the church, that is to do some maintenance, paying utility bills, or to organize some event, but not to keep on the payroll pastors, musicians, office staff, and all others who profit from the church donations, and not to collect tithes and shamelessly passing the plate through the rows. If church wants to imitate the Tabernacle service or the Temple in this respect, the church should put a special box for donations, just like it has been done for the Temple when it was in need for repairs (2Kings 12.1-15). There is no even a clue in the Old and the New Testament that would suggest or understood tithes or any other donation as money, and even more, that someone has to be paid for doing any work on behalf of GOD. Just like human beings twisted and bended their own morality and their own conscience in order to profit unjustly, and so they also bended and twisted the Word of GOD in order to do the same, to profit and to make business out of religion.

TITHES Tithes are not the money, but the food for those who dedicated themselves to the Lord, but for crooks tithes are money for their own profit. Leviticus 27.30-34 30.Thus all the tithe of the land, of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord's, it is holy to the Lord. 31.If therefore, a man wishes to redeem part of his tithe, he shall add to it one-fifth of it. 32.And for every tenth part of herd or flock, whatever passes under the rod, the tenth one shall be holy to the Lord. 33.he is not to be concerned whether it is good or bad, nor shall he exchange it, or if he does exchange it, then both it and its substitute shall become holy. It shall not be redeemed." Deuteronomy 12.6.11.28 6.And there you shall bring burn offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, the contribution of your hand, your votive offerings, your freewill offerings, and the first-born of your herd and of your flock. 11.then it shall come about that the place in which the Lord your GOD shall choose for His name to dwell, there you shall bring all that I command you, your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, your tithes, and the contribution of your hand, and all your choice votive offerings which you will vow to the Lord. Deuteronomy 14.22-24.28 22.You shall surely tithe all the produce from what you sow which comes out of the field every year. 23.And you shall eat in the presence of the Lord your GOD, at the place where He chooses to establish His name, the tithe of your grain, your new wine, your oil, and the first-born of your herd and your flock, in order that you may learn to fear the Lord your GOD always. 24.And if the distance is so great for you that you are not able to bring the tithe, since the place where the Lord your GOD chooses to set His name is too far away from you when the Lord your GOD blesses you, 28.At the end of every third year you shall bring out all the tithe of your produce in that year, and shall deposit it in your town. Deuteronomy 26.12 12.When you have finished paying all the tithe of your increase in the third year, the year of tithing, then you shall give it to the Levite, to the stranger, to the orphan, and to the widow, that they may eat in your towns and be satisfied. 2Chronicles 31.5-6.12 5.And as soon as the order spread, the sons of Israel provided in abundance the first fruits of grain, new wine, oil, honey, and of all the produce of the field, and they brought in abundantly the tithe of all. 6.And the sons of Israel and Judah who lived in the cities of Judah, also brought in the tithe of oxen and sheep, and the tithe of sacred gifts which were consecrated to the Lord their GOD, and placed them in heaps. 12.And they faithfully brought in the contributions, and the tithes, and the consecrated things, and Conaniah the Levite was the officer in charge of them, and his brother Shimei was second. Nehemiah 10.37-38 37.We will also bring the first of our dough, our contributions, the fruit of every tree, the new wine, and the oil, to the priests at the chambers of the House of our GOD, and the tithe of our ground to the Levites, the Levites are they who receive the tithes in all the rural towns. 38.And the priest the sons of Aaron, shall be with the Levites when the Levites receive tithes, and the Levites shall bring up the tenth of the tithes to the House of our GOD, to the chambers of the storehouse. Nehemiah 12.44 44.On that day men were also appointed over the chambers for the stores, the contributions, the first fruits, and the tithes, to gather into them from the fields of the cities the portions required by the Law, for the priests and Levites, Judah rejoiced over the priests and Levites who served. Nehemiah 13.4-5 4.No prior to this, Eliashib the priest, who was appointed over the chambers of the House of our GOD, being related to Tobiah, 5.had prepared a large room for him, where formerly they put the grain offerings, the frankincense, the utensils, and the tithes of grain, wine and oil, prescribed for Levites, the singers, and the gatekeepers, and the contributions for the priests. Amoc 4.4 4.”Enter Bethel (Ephraim) and transgress, in Gilgal (Ephraim) multiply transgression, bring your sacrifices every morning, your tithes every *three days.” *(it may have been made mistake in translation, tithes have been collected, presented, and given to Levites every three years. Deuteronomy 14.28, 26.12. A.G) Malachi 3.8-10 8.Will a man rob the GOD? Yet you are robbing Me! But you say, 'How have we robbed You?' In tithes and offerings. 9.You are cursed with a curse, you are robbing Me, the whole nation of you! 10.Bring the whole tithes into the storehouse so that there may be food in My House, and test Me now in this' says the Lord of hosts, 'If I will not open for you the windows of heaven, and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows. Matthew 23.23 23.”Woe to you scribes and Pharisees hypocrites for you tithe, mint, and dill, and cummin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the Law: Justice, and Mercy, and Faithfulness, these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others.” (1Samuel 15.22) (Psalm 51.16-17) (Proverbs 21.3.27) (Ecclesiastes 5.1) (Hosea 6.6) (Isaiah 1.11-20) (Jeremiah 6.20) (Amos 5.21-24) (Micah 6.6-8) (Zechariah 7.2-4.9-10) (Matthew 9.13, 12.7, 23.23) (Mark 12.32-33) Luke 11.42 42.”But woe to you Pharisees! You pay tithe of mint and rue ("rue - from its thick and fleshly leaves". KSB, Greek Dictionary of the New Testament, page 57), and every kind garden herb, and yet disregard justice and the love of GOD, but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others. Luke 18.10-14 10."Two men went up into the Temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax-gatherer. 11.The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself, 'GOD, I thank You that I am not like other people swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax-gatherer. 12.I fast twice a week, I pay tithes of all that I get.' 13.But the tax-gatherer standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast saying, 'GOD, be merciful to me, the sinner!' 14.I tell you, this man (tax-gatherer) went down to his house justified rather than the other (Pharisee), everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled, but he who humbles himself shall be exalted." (Job 22.29) (Proverbs 29.23) (Matthew 20.25-28, 23.11-12) (Mark 9.35, 10.43-45) (Luke 9.48, 14.11, 18.14, 22.24-27) (1Peter 5.5-6) Hebrews 7.8-12 8.And in this case mortal men (Levites, descendants of Abraham) receive tithes, but in that case (with Abraham) one receives them of whom it is witnessed that he (Melchizedek) lives on. 9.And so to speak, through Abraham, even Levi who receives tithes, paid tithes (in the past to Melchizedek), 10.for, he (Levi) was still in the loins of his father (Abraham) when Melchizedek met him. 11.Now, if perfection was through the Levitical priesthood, on the basis of it the people received the Law, what further need was there for another priest to arise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be designated according to the order of Aaron? 12.For, when the priesthood is changed of necessity, there takes place a change of Law also. The Physical tithes collected for physical mortal men, for Levites and for the needy and poor. The Spiritual tithes such as: Justice, Mercy, Faithfulness (Matthew 23.23), and the love for GOD (Luke 11.42), collected in the hearts of men and presented before GOD in the deeds of Compassion, Mercy, Justice, and Faithfulness, all deriving from the love for GOD. A.G. 2Corinthains 9.6-7 6.Now this I say, he who sows sparingly (carefully, in moderation) shall also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully shall also reap bountifully. 7.Let each one do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, GOD loves a cheerful giver. *("GOD loves a cheerful giver" (2Corinthains 9.6-7), according to the theme of entire chapter, it definitely relates to the contributions of food and other material things needed for the saints, for Apostles of Christ in Jerusalem, who were persecuted for the name of Christ and become in need, mostly of food, which the verses 9-12 in 2Corinthians giving some clues about it, but definitely not the money. On the other hand, money can be accepted too, but it was not the major driving force of the donations, but mostly food, clothes, and shelter for those who persecuted and in need. If money ever was donated, money never been donated as a payment for anything, or as a payroll and wages for saints, priests, missionaries, people of GOD, or to any other men who preached and served the Lord, but exclusively in emergency to prevent starvation and poverty, mostly of the missionary like Paul and others, but never as a payment for service or a salary. So the saying, "GOD loves a cheerful giver", has been taken out of its context by hierarchy of the church, it clergy, by pastors, and by all sorts of preachers, in order to justify their parasitic life style and greed for money, paid to them as their salary from the church business and donations of the parishioners.) Such practice to collect money for doing the work of GOD already has been condemned in the Old Testament: (Micah 3.11). Jesus Christ also condemned such practice: (John 10.11-13). And Apostle Peter specified that money has no part in the work and in the service of the Gospel as a payroll: (1Peter 5.1-4). Apostle Paul also clarified this subject and presented himself as an example of unconditional and honest worker of Christ in his missionary ministry, who would not accept money for his services for GOD, but the opposite, work with his own hands to support not only himself but even those who were companions with him on his missionary journeys: (Acts 20.33-36). A.G. 2Chronicles 24.8-10 8.So the king (Jehoash-Joash, 8th king of Judah) commanded and they made a chest, and set it outside by the gate of the House of the Lord. 9.And they made a proclamation in Judah and Jerusalem to bring to the Lord the levy fixed by Moses, the servant of GOD, on Israel in the wilderness. 10.And all the officers and all the people rejoiced, and brought in their levies and dropped them into the chest, until they had finished. Proverbs 22.9 9.He who is generous will be blessed, he gives some of his food to the poor. (KSB)

HOW OLD THE EARTH IS? Actually no one can give any reasonable answer to this question. According to the “scientists” the Earth is millions of years old and their estimates vary from one extreme to another without any reasonable proof. And the one of the reasons they doing it, is to discredit the Biblical account about creation of the Earth and the universe. So I looked at the Bible much closely and I found that it is actually possible, at least very approximately, to figure it out of how old the Earth really is. Genesis 5 has a reference of 10 generation of the pre-flood time, starting from Adam and ends on the Noah who at that time when flood came was 600 years old. I am not good with math, but I tried, and when I counted all that 10 pre-flood generations I came up with 9.133 years from Adam to Noah, which is seems to me to be a right number. So the entire pre-flood era from the creation of Adam and to the actual flood was about 9.000 years. After that I took look at Genesis 11 and started count another 10 generations from Shem to Abraham, and I came up with 2.526 years. So adding 9.000 and 2.526, all together we have approximately between 11.000 and 12.000 years from Adam to Abraham. According to majority of the Bibles, the Biblical chronology dates Abraham to 1.900 B.C. So if we add this number of 1.900 to our time, roughly 2.000 years after Christ, we will come up with 3.900, which we can round to 4.000 for easy calculation. And so, adding 12.000 years from Adam to Abraham, and 2.000 years from Abraham to Christ, and another 2.000 from Christ to our time, we have some 16.000 years all together, plus and minus all the discrepancies, small mistakes, and uncertain periods of time. According to the Jewish calendar we live in the year 5.778. I think they started their account from the Abraham. According to majority of the Bibles, the Biblical chronology dates Abraham to 1.900 B.C. Because years and dates in the Old Testament have gaps and unknown periods of time in its context, to pinpoint the exact number of years from Abraham to our time is practically impossible. But I believe that Jewish account have a close number to reality, so I am sure that they meticulously and carefully counted all possible dates and times in the Old Testament to come up with this number of years, 5.778. And there is another interesting thing I found in the creation of the physical world. In Genesis 1.14-19, there is described the Day 4, in which GOD created Sun and Moon and the stars, I found that the Sun and the Moon are mentioned first, and then the stars of the universe, and it seems to me that the whole universe was created after the Sun and the Moon were created. If this is the case, this also means that the Earth and the Universe have the same age, because all of them have been created on the same 4th Day! And this account has another interesting thing in it that the counts of days as Moses described them can only be started from that Day 4, because without the light of the Sun and the Moon there is no day or night, and account of time is practically impossible, unless we use stars, but even stars have not been created yet, because the Sun and the Moon have been created first. This means that up to Day 4, very first 3 Days of creation were are not really Days as we used to know them, but it looks like that where was some sort of period of times in the process of creation by GOD of unknown to us origin.

You are absolutely right Neighbor in your assessment. There will be no New Testament without the Old Testament. Actually English names of the two major parts of the Bible are not correct. There are no “Testaments” but are Covenants, Old and New Covenant. In the Old Testament very often was mentioned a certain “New Covenant” which is the Covenant of Jesus Christ, and between two practically no any difference. And the New Testament also called in the Old Testament as GOOD NEWS, which if translated from Greek means GOSPEL. (Isaiah 40.9, 41.27, 42.6, 49.8, 52.7, 54.10, 60.6, 61.1) (Jeremiah 31.31-34, 32.37-41) (Ezekiel 16.59-60.62) (Nahum 1.15) (Malachi 3.1) (Matthew 26.27-28) (Luke 1.19, 2.10, 4.18) (Acts 8.12, 13.32) (Hebrews 4.2.6, 8.6-13) When Jesus teach people, every His statement directly or indirectly related to the Old Testament. He Himself came from the Old Testament, and has been mentioned in it a number of times. (Genesis 22.11-12, 31.11-13) (Exodus 23.20-23, 32.34, 33.2) (Numbers 20.16) (Judges 2.1-3, 6.12-16, 13.19-20) (Daniel 3.24-25.28) (Acts 27.23-24) The Old Testament can be considered as the high school for humanity, to learn the very basics about GOD and of the life in spirituality and holiness before Him. For this reason beside Spiritual Instruction of the 10 Commandments and the rest, the physical ritual ceremonial customs have been introduced as well in order to keep people of GOD spiritually and physically fit, holy and clean. “Be holy because am I Holy, I am the Lord.” GOD resided among people of Israel and required certain level of holiness so He can abide in the midst in close proximity to them. His Charges, Commandments, and Instruction concerning everything He ever gave to Israelites designed to keep entire nation on the level of holiness acceptable to Him. When Jesus Christ sacrificed Himself as a Guilt Offering for the sins of humanity (Isaiah 53.10) (Romans 8.3) (Ephesians 5.2) (1John 4.10), He fulfilled entire Law of the Old Testament, its rituals and its Spiritual part in full. Matthew 5.17-19 17."Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the prophets. I have come not abolish but fulfill. 18.Truly I say to you, until heaven and Earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass away from the Law until all is accomplished.” So the New Covenant (New Testament) of Jesus Christ became as the college for humanity of the Earth, because it introduced much more refined Spirituality based on the Spiritual Commandments of the Old Covenant (Old Testament). Because Jesus already sacrificed Himself fulfilling the entire Law, the rituals of animals’ sacrifices and the rest of the physical customs no longer valid and needed, all of it came to pass. Above all, the Temple will be destroyed shortly after Jesus’ sacrifice, about 40 years later, and all physical ritual will be firmly absolute. Concerning Gentiles, they are always been on the top of the GOD’S concern. Every word mentioned aliens and foreigners usually referred to Gentiles who passing by or who settle in Israel, and according to the Law they shall be treated as native citizen of Israel, with all respect and the humanity. Leviticus 19.18.34 18."You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord. 34.The alien who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among you, you shall love the alien as yourself, you were aliens in the land of Egypt. I am the Lord, your GOD." (Verses 18 and 34. Love your neighbor, alien, stranger, and love one another: (Leviticus 19.18.34) (Deuteronomy 10.19) (Proverbs 25..21-22) (Matthew 5.43-44, 19.19, 22.39) (Mark 12.31.33) (Luke 10.27-28) (John 13.34, 15.12-13) (Romans 13.9-10) (Galatians 5.14) (James 2.8) (1John 3.10-11, 4.7-8.11.21) (2John 1.5) GOD treats Gentiles as a “younger son” to His older first-born son Israel, and He does teach and punish both without any prejudice. Exodus 4.22-23 22."Then you shall say to pharaoh, 'Thus says the Lord. Israel is my first-born son. 23.I said to you, let My son (people of Israel) go that he (Israel) may worship Me. But if you refuse to let him (Israel) go, I will kill your first born son." So the point is, that without knowledge and understanding of the Old Testament it is impossible to understand the New Testament. And you pointed correctly that Christians have lock of knowledge and understanding of the Old Testament because they rejected it as obsolete, and because of it they are constantly stumble even on the simplest passages and statements of the New Testament. Who reads the book starting from its middle? And who prefer watch the move from its end? And who writes his own biography starting from the old age? Be surprise! Christians do this! The New Testament is the extension of the Old, and the Old Testament is the beginning of the New Testament, it is one continues line of the history of human kind and everything what related to GOD. Separating these two Testaments it just like torn the Book in two, very foolish action on the part of the Christianity. Reading the New Testament and ignoring the Old, will eventually lead, literally, to the Dead End.

John 10.11-15 11.I am the good Shepherd, the good Shepherd lays down His Life for the sheep. 12.He who is a hireling (hired man) and not a shepherd, who is not the owner of the sheep, sees the wolf coming, leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13.He flees because he is a hireling and is not concerned about the sheep. 14.I am the good Shepherd, and I know My own, and My own know Me. 15.Even as the Father knows Me, and I know the Father, and I lay down My Life for the sheep. Who cares for whom? Are the sheep supposed to care for the shepherd or the shepherd for the sheep? Word “hireling” means only one thing, one who hired to do the Gospel, which is grievous and abominable violation of not only simplest morality of the conscience, but of the entire teaching of Christ. The words “Love one another” was said not as fancy theological statement, but as a core and essence of entire Teaching of GOD and the Bible. Love cannot operate by material values, but only by self-sacrifice and by purity of its major quality – the Love. Jesus showed it and proved, Apostles showed it and proved, and all true Christians who sacrificed themselves also showed it and proved. Love cannot be measured in monetary values, and so, those who do “pastor’s” work for money have no love, even if they “teach” once a week, answering phones, give advices, visiting ill, and do some other charitable work, THEY HAVE NO LOVE, because THEY GOT PAID, and their “good deeds” counted as professional work, and not as the work of Love! And so the Unbelievers do the same charitable works, and even more than so called “pastors and Christians.” So what the difference between one group and another in good deeds? They both earned their money for their “charitable” work. If we live our lives and justify ourselves on our own merits, and not taking example from our Lord and all His holy men of GOD who did everything out of love and received no material benefit whatsoever, who then are those who call themselves “pastors and Christians”? As Jesus Himself pointed out that they are HIRELINGS, they are hired by the people like them, to do the job of “pasturing the sheep” which is actually reserved for the true pastors who have love, and who have no worthless diploma of theological institution for which they paid for, but they have Love, Knowledge, and Understanding given them directly from GOD with the true calling to pasture GOD’S sheep.

Good post Pillar! GOD bless you. And people where sharply divided on this issue, one side of the people supported notion that pastor should be paid, and presented the verses of Paul there he said that those who work for the benefit of the Gospel deserve their wages. But they misinterpreted the word “wages” thinking that Paul meant by word “wages” a monetary value. But actually Paul does not meant that, under word “wages” he meant support for the missionaries by all means but not putting them on the payroll. Paul himself number of times proudly declared that he always avoided to be burden to anyone concerning support for him, and he always work with his own hands supporting not only himself but even his companions in his missionary travels, and Paul urged everyone to follow his example. Matthew 10.10 10.no bag for your journey, or two tunics, or sandals, or a staff, laborers deserve their food. (Matthew 10.10) (Luke 10.7) (1Corinthinas 9.14) (1Timothy 5.18) Luke 10.7 7.Remain in the same house, eating and drinking whatever they provide, the laborer deserves to be paid ("paid"-NRSV, "wages" - KSB, in other Bible translated as "reward" and as "support"). Do not move about from house to house. Matthew 10.10 Luke 10.7 1Corinthians 9.14 1Timothy 5.18 KJV "meat" "hire" "live" "reward" ESV "food" "wages" "living" "wages" NRSV "food" "paid" "living" "paid" Gideons "food" "wages" "live" "wages" KSB "support" "wages" "living" "wages" GNB "needs" "pay" "living" "pay" Russian "provisions" "reward" "live" "reward" KSB - Mathew 10.10. "support" 1.Or, knapsack or beggar's bag. 2.Or, inner garments. 3.A literal translation - nourishment. KSB, Mid-reference. P-1274. To Romans 2.13 13.It is not the hearers of the Law who are righteous in GOD’S sight, but the doers of the Law who will be justified. *("GOD loves a cheerful giver" (2Corinthains 9.6-7), according to the theme of entire chapter, it definitely relates to the contributions of food and other material things needed for the saints, for Apostles of Christ in Jerusalem, who were persecuted for the name of Christ and become in need, mostly of food, which the verses 9-12 in 2Corinthians giving some clues about it, but definitely not the money. On the other hand, money can be accepted too, but it was not the major driving force of the donations, but mostly food, clothes, and shelter for those who persecuted and in need. If money ever was donated, money never been donated as a payment for anything, or as a payroll and wages for saints, priests, missionaries, people of GOD, or to any other men who preached and served the Lord, but exclusively in emergency to prevent starvation and poverty, mostly of the missionary like Paul and others, but never as a payment for service or a salary. So the saying, "GOD loves a cheerful giver", has been taken out of its context by hierarchy of the church, it clergy, by pastors, and by all sorts of preachers, in order to justify their parasitic life style and greed for money, paid to them as their salary from the church business and donations of the parishioners.) Such practice to collect money for doing the work of GOD already has been condemned in the Old Testament: (Micah 3.11). Jesus Christ also condemned such practice: (John 10.11-13). And Apostle Peter specified that money has no part in the work and in the service of the Gospel as a payroll: (1Peter 5.1-4). Apostle Paul also clarified this subject and presented himself as an example of unconditional and honest worker of Christ in his missionary ministry, who would not accept money for his services for GOD, but the opposite, work with his own hands to support not only himself but even those who were companions with him on his missionary journeys: (Acts 20.33-36). A.G. Luke 8.1-3 1.And it came about soon afterwards, that He began going about from one city and village to another, proclaiming and preaching the Kingdom of GOD, and the twelve were with Him. 2.And also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and sicknesses: Mary who was called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, (Mark 16.9) 3.and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others who were contributing to their support out of their private means. "In the same way, the Lord gave instructions to those who proclaim the gospel that they should get their living from the gospel." I Cor 9:14 1Corinthians 9.13-14.18 13.Do you not know that those who perform sacred services eat the food of the Temple, and those who attend regularly to the altar have their share with the altar? 14.So also the Lord directed those who proclaim the Gospel to get their living from Gospel. (Matthew 10.9-10) (Luke 10.7) (1Timothy 5.17-18) 18.What then is my reward? That when I preach the Gospel I may offer the Gospel without charge, so as not to make full use of my right in the Gospel. 1Timothy 6.3-5 3.Whoever teaches otherwise and does not agree with the sound Words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the teaching that is in accordance with godliness. 4.Is conceited, understanding nothing, and has a morbid carving for controversy and for disputes about words. From these come envy, dissension, slander, base suspicions, 5.and wrangling among those who are deprived in mind and bereft of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain. Pastor and missionaries shall not be paid! It is a serious violation and Hypocrisy of a church to profit from the Word of GOD. Jesus never profit from the Word of GOD, nor all His disciples, neither prophets and true men of GOD. And if pastor and missionaries have to survive and make their living, let them get the job like everybody else does, and make honest living, just like Paul did and many other honest people like him. Preaching and teaching GOSPEL SHOULD NEVER be a profession, but a calling of GOD only.

People judge this event differently, because of how Rebekah and Jacob deceived almost blind Isaac. At first it seems unfair that they both done to him and to Esau, but do not forget about GOD, because it was also His wish for Jacob to be blessed and to be the father of a great nation. So Isaac has his plan for Esau, his first-born son, to bless him with the blessing of the first-born, because he loves him more than Jacob, and this proceed despite the fact that Esau already sold his birthright to Jacob. If Isaac really knew about this deal, he would certainly forgives this to his son Esau, and will determine to bless him anyway with blessings of the first-born, which Esau does not deserve. It was recorded fact that Esau despised his birthright, but on the other hand he truly believing in goodness of his father's blessings, ignoring the fact that both of these, his birthright and blessing are goes together as one part of his well being, meaning, that if you gave away or sold your birthright as a first-born, then you cannot have the blessings of the first-born. But even if Esau would not sell his birthright to Jacob, still, he would not be blessed and inherited the great spiritual promises of GOD to Abraham and Isaac which should pass to him as his inheritance, because he wasn't the right person from all points of view to have such most valuable and important blessing. As we know, GOD look on the heart of the person and not on his appearance or status, and by looking on the character of the soul of a person, GOD makes His decisions concerning such individual. For example: Leah, first wife of Jacob, bore him Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar and Zebulun. But only Levi and Judah, 3rd and 4th sons received the most and the best of the blessings of GOD. Third-born Levi will come as a tribe of the priests who served the Lord. From Levi will come Aaron and Moses, and generations of the priests. Fourth-born Judah will become as a tribe from which kings of Judah will rule the kingdom of Judah and eventually and kingdom of Israel. David and Solomon are the sons of the genealogy of Judah, and subsequently our Lord Jesus Christ. And as we know, David is the 8th son of his father Jesse, and his son Solomon from Bathsheba is a second. And this trend will continue with other men of GOD, so, not only the first-born will receive his blessings, but also those who truly deserve it, even if they are not first-born. As a matter of fact, Esau was rejected by GOD, and not even on the basis that he has sold his birthright, but on the basis of his character and personality, which wasn't fit in the plans of the Lord, and definitely not a candidate from whom a great nation shall of the servants of the Lord shall come from. In the end, Rebekah sends her son Jacob to her brother Laban to Haran, in order to save Jacob from the fury of his brother Esau, who planned to kill him. As recorded in verse 41, Esau "said to himself," which means he said it in his mind, but somehow, the words of his mind were reported to Rebekah! Who and how done such thing and warned Rebekah about thoughts of Esau, Bible does not specifies, but apparently it was necessary to prevent much more serious conflict between Esau and Jacob. Rebekah told Jacob that he will going out to Haran just for a few days, meaning, just for a short time, until fury of Esau will subside, but it will turn out to be for a 20 long years, which will have very positive effect on Jacob, giving him during this period of time family, children, and wealth. The point is that the first-born as a rule receives only material physical inheritance, but spiritual inheritance (BLESSINGS AND ALL THE GOODNESS OF GOD) given only to those who have right soul with GOD, who fear Him, who follow Him, and who love loves Him, no matter if he first, second , or the last born in the family. Romans 9.13 13.As it is written, "I have loved Jacob, but I have hated Esau." (Malachi 1.2-3) So GOD JUDGES according to the first-born heart (SOUL) and not according to the first-born flesh.

Hi Melissa I think only Naomi perfectly answered you question, shortly and to the point. There are exist two kinds of believers, one kind pretended to be Christians following all the ritual and doctrine of the church, but live their lives according to the world. Second kind are those who took Bible and its Commandments seriously and tried to rich highest level of righteousness and holiness before GOD as Scriptures teach about, even if they have to sacrifice many valuable and important things in their life, because principals of GOD much more important to them than anything else. People who knowingly or purposely sin cannot redeem themselves, wrongly and naively thinking that Sacrifice of Jesus Christ would redeem them. They thinking that they are saved according to the false church doctrine which teach that all who call on Christ will be saved. Church took general term and converted it to the false doctrine that everybody saved if you believe it or know and sure that you are saved (mostly the Baptist teach this). In actuality there is no such thing to know if you are saved or not. Only GOD knows who are saved and who will perish, and as mentioned in the Bible, the names of all who are saved written in the Book of Life. If some of those hypocrites who claimed that they are saved able to look in the Book of Life and sow their name in it, then they are telling the truth. So far I do not know anyone who able to do this. But those who tried hard, and follow the Commandments of the Lord but sin unintentionally here and there, but repent each time they committed a sin, they are by their repentance Sacrificing Christ, presenting Him to the Lord as a Gilt Offering, and subsequently forgiven. People who flip-flopping back and forth, accepting the Lord and then rejecting Him, are not reliable not only in the eyes of human beings but most importantly in the eyes of the Lord, and no one including GOD can depend on them. Because of it they cannot be accepted again when they know and experienced the goodness and the love of the Lord, but turned their back, rejected Him, and then after a while turned back to Him again. Nobody likes such people, the Lord included. As it is written, those who took the plough and look back are not worthy and are not reliable for the Kingdom of GOD. To make it simpler, those who stay with the Lord and sin can be forgiven many times, because it is our nature to sin, and GOD knows it very well. But those who have been with the Lord and then walk away from Him completely, cannot be admitted again into His realm of influence and life, because they never took Him seriously enough in the first place, in order to receive from Him full pardon and be admitted again. So you have to decide for yourself where you are standing and dedicated your life to, to the world or to Christ, you cannot have both, you cannot serve two masters.

THANK YOU ALL for YOUR RESPONCES. Whatever opinion you have, I respect it. To JTC. You wrote: “so 1st He created the angels”. Yes and the 1st Angel He created was Jesus Christ. Colossians 1.15.17 15."And He (Christ) is the Image of the invisible GOD (Father), the first-born of all creation." 17.And He (Jesus Christ) is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. 1John 5.1 1.Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is BORN of GOD, and whoever loves the Father, loves the child born of Him. There is much more written about Jesus concerning this theme in the Bible, but these couple verses the most precise and direct. I think I already covered this issue in my previous posts, I think in the “Essence of GOD.” You wrote: “I looked up the above scriptures and they don't mean the spirit of life is in the blood.” You have to look better. Spirit of GOD is not the blood, but He put it in the creatures that have blood. Genesis 4.10 10.And the Lord said, "What have you done? Listen, your brother's blood is crying out to Me from the ground!" Genesis 9.4 4."Only you shall not eat flesh with its soul that is its blood." Leviticus 17.14 14.As for life, the life of all flesh its blood is identified with its life. Therefore I said to the sons of Israel, 'You are not to eat the blood of any flesh, the life of all flesh is its blood, whoever eats it, shall be cut off." Deuteronomy 12.23 23.Only be sure that you do not eat the blood, the blood is the life, and you shall not eat the life with the meat. You wrote: “Eve's spirit came from God just as Adam's did (and all of us).” There is no such statement of even clue in the Bible. Indeed, GOD created man and woman in His Own image, means in Intelligent (Intellectual) Image, because only we have Intelligence as GOD has. But as I already stated only man was created (from scratch) first, from the chemical and biological compounds of the Earth (dust) and only he received the “Breath” - the Living Energy of GOD. At this time Eve does not existed, and how long after Adam she was created no one knows. And her creation was completely different than from Adam, she was created of Adam’s flesh and blood, which already contained the “Breath” the Living Energy of GOD - Life. 1Corinthians 11.7 7. “For a man ought not to have his head covered, since he is the image and glory (image) of GOD, but the woman is the glory (image) of man. 8.Man does not originate from woman, but woman from man. 9.Indeed, man was not created for the woman's sake, but woman for the man's sake. (Genesis 2.20-25). 1Timothy 2.11-14 11.Let a woman quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness. 12.But I do not allow a woman to teach, or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet. 13.It was Adam who was first created, and then Eve. 14.And it was not Adam who was deceived (by serpent), but the woman being quite deceived, fell into transgression. (Verses 11-14. Woman shall be subordinate to the authority of her husband: (Genesis 3.16) (Numbers 5.19-20) (1Corinthians 14.33-38) (Colossians 3.18) (1Timothy 2.11-14) You advised me: “looking for a good Bible.” Thank you, I have KJV, NRSV, KSB, ESV, GNB, Godeons, and some other Bible, and I often compare verses of one Bible to another Bible in order to proper understand some of the passages. If you know any other Bibles better than these, let me know. I like your advice, if I remember it right it is written in Psalms: “Remembering that a wise man is slow to speak and quick to listen.” This certainly can be applied to all of us. And I also have a good advice for everyone, read the quotes, search and study Bible, and do not jump to conclusion without investigating the matter. But as you can see, in all my posts I always present verses, statements, and passages of the Scripture on which all my understanding and opinions are based, and I do not take them out of context, but apply them according to the theme and to the meaning of the subject. To Jane. Yes, we can play with words and their meanings, and chose what we like and ignore what we do not like, and understand in the way we chose to understand, but the fact always will the fact no matter how bent or twisted it can be presented. But in order to find the original meaning and true essence of the passage, it always good to compare it with other similar passages of the Bible or even with other Bibles, because sometimes Bibles have their own differences in translation. I think I also covered this issue in reply to Dennis in his post “Why so many translation?”

CREATION OF HUMAN BEINGS. Creation of the physical world and the physical living creatures, and particularly a physical human being, gave the beginning to completely different type of creatures that are very different from those that GOD already had created in His spiritual world. A physical human being had been created in the intellectual image of GOD (Genesis 1.26-28), and contained the life giving spirit of GOD, which GOD inserted into a physical body of the first human being He had created. This has made Adam half spiritual, because Adam contained the life giving spirit of GOD, and his other half was the his physical body, made from the dust of the Earth (Genesis 2.7). So, the combination of two, life giving spirit of GOD and the physical body unite into one piece made Adam very unique living creature compare all others living beings that GOD created as angels, they have no physical substance. But as for GOD, He does not like to be alone but created for Himself a Son and numerous angels as His servants, and so when the Adam was created in the intellectual image of GOD, at some point in time he also felt alone and could not find for himself a creature to which he can relate too. GOD immediately noticed such loneliness in Adam, because GOD knew Himself very well what the loneliness means and feels like, and He decided to make for Adam very similar creature, just like Adam himself, but with a little difference. It looks like that at first GOD does not have intention to create mankind, but only one human being, but when GOD noticed loneliness in Adam he decided to create for him similar human being but with a little difference. Adam was created from the “dust of the Earth” means from the chemical and biological components from which the physical world is created, and breathed into Adam’s physical body the part of His Spirit, the Energy of Life (do not confuse it with the Holy Spirit).. But when GOD created Eve, He formed her from already made and living Adam, from his bone, flesh, and blood. And the life giving spirit came to Eve not from the Lord, but from Adam, from his blood which is already contained the life giving spirit that the Lord GOD breathed into him (Genesis 9.4) (Leviticus 17.14) (Deuteronomy 12.16.23). In this sense it is look like that Adam actually gave birth to Eve, because out his bone, flesh, blood, and soul, the Eve came to existence. Apostle Paul spoke about this issue and pointed out to creation of Adam and Eve indicating, that a woman shall be subordinate to man and respect him as the first creation of GOD, and also to remember that she herself is made from man’s bone, flesh, and blood, and contains in herself the life giving spirit of GOD passed to her from the Adam (1Corinthians 11.11-16, 14.33-35) (Ephesians 5.21-33) (Titus 2.3-5) (Colossians 3.18-19) (1Timothy 2.9-15) (1Peter 3.1-7). Some Christian and particularly women arguing with these statements of Paul, but Paul did not meant to portrait or represent woman as some kind inferior creature, but according to the birth rite and order of creation, she is a second to the first, and should respect such order of things and not challenge the man in authority. As Paul very nicely pointed out, the GOD is a head of Christ, and the Christ is a head of man (as well as of all angels and entire creation), and man is a head of a woman. Of course we have different life situation were sometimes a man for whatever reason is not capable to act as man, and sometimes a woman must take the lead. But Paul did not talk about exceptions from the rule, he was talking about a general point of view, about the order that the Lord GOD created from the beginning, and this order of GOD should be respected and maintained as it was established. Above all, it is written about creation of Eve, that GOD created a “helper” to Adam, and not a servant. Genesis 2.18 18. Then the Lord GOD said, "It is not good for the man to be alone, I will make him a helper suitable for him." Another important discovery in the creation of two first human beings is that they are both had been created immortal. Yes, the physical bodies of Adam and Eve were had been immortal. Because the world of Adam and Even at that time had no sin in it, and it means that there is no sin, there is no death. Apostle Paul extensively wrote on this issue. The only time when Adam and Eve became mortal is the time when they disobeyed the word of GOD and ate from the tree that was forbidden by GOD to it from, only then Adam and Eve became mortal and with them entire physical world of all living things. But our mortality would not last forever. Despite the fact that we are all shall die in our physical body, out spirit continues to live, and will live in the spiritual world, until Second Coming of Christ, and then we will receive immortal physical body, same body in which Jesus Christ had appeared to His disciples, restored and resurrected from its grave. Such Day of Resurrection was called as: “the Last Day” (Isaiah 26.19) (Daniel 12.2-3.13) (Matthew 22.23-33) (Mark 12.18-27) (Luke 6.38, 14.13-14) (Luke 20.27-40) (John 5.21.25.28-29, 6.40.44.54, 11.23-25) (Romans 8.11) (1Corinthians 15.52) (1Thessalonians 4.16) (Revelation 20.4-6). Ephesians 5.14 14. everything that becomes visible in light. Therefore it says: “Sleeper awake! Rise from the dead,’ and Christ will shine on you.” (Verse 14. "Sleeper awake! Rise from the dead." (Isaiah 26.19, 60.1-3) (Ezekiel 37.1-14) (Daniel 12.2) (Hosea 13.14) (Matthew 27.51-53) (John 5.21.25.28-29, 11.11-13.24-26) (Ephesians 5.14) (Romans 6.4). So the full circle has to be complete, from immortal body to mortal, and from mortal body to immortal again. In this sense we will claim our immortality back, due to our repentance, obedience, and Sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ for forgiveness of our sins.

ALL CREATION MADE OUT OF WATER. DAY 1 – THE COSMOS. Genesis 1.1-2 1.In the beginning when GOD created the heavens (physical universe) and the Earth. 2.The Earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from GOD (in some translation, in Hebrew and English, translated as: “the Spirit of GOD”) swept over the face of the waters (2Peter 3.5-6). It is truly puzzled many people and scholars. What kind “the face of the deep” and “the face of the water” here Bible referring to? Most likely, in this case, the matrix or the substance of the cosmos here referred to as “the face of the deep.” Indeed, the cosmos is deep and it seems that it infinite and has no end. “Swept over the face of the water.” This passage can be understood like this, that the Spirit of GOD swept over the cosmos “the waters” in order to create a certain creation and to form out of it a certain object. And this is was the DAY 1, means that the very first creation of GOD was the cosmos of our universe. DAY 2 - THE SKY. Genesis 1.6-7 6.And GOD said, "Let there be a dome in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.” 7.So GOD made the dome and separated the waters that were under the dome from the waters that were above the dome. And it was so. 8.GOD called the dome Sky. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day. These passages most likely referring to creation of the dome of the sky, as it mentioned in verse 8. But it is not a dome as we use to know it, like a dome of the building, but this is a dome in the form of a ball, just like a bubble. When we look at the sky, for us looking from the ground up, the sky indeed looks like a dome, but in reality it is truly a bubble surrounding the Earth. DAY 3 – THE SEAS AND THE DRY LAND. Genesis 1.9-10 9.And GOD said, "Let the waters under the sky be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear." And it was so. 10.GOD called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together He called Seas. And GOD saw that it was good. (2Peter 3.5-7) (Psalm of David 24.1-2). These are perhaps the most difficult verses to explain, but by analyzing them closer it may lead us to a certain conclusion, that “the waters under the sky” meant a kind of substance, most likely the cosmic substance that was surrounded by the bubble of the sky, and it was, “gathered together into one place.” This may means that it has been pressurized and turned into the real water as we know it today. So, such event created a ball of real water inside of the bubble of the sky, and it called as Seas. But here is a true difficulty in figuring it out, and a question arises: Where the dry land appeared from? Because so far was nothing said about dry land. But we know one undisputed fact that the core of our Earth consists of very hot liquid material, and sometimes it spilled out in form of lava during volcanic eruptions. When lava spills out, it very soon hardens and creates hard rock. Such process may explain the formation of the tectonic plates of the Earth on which the continents are lie down. But where the hot core of the Earth came from? It may have been formed by the same water that was gathered under the bubble of the sky in one place. The cosmic material inside the bubble under the low pressure formed the seas, but the other part of this cosmic water that was gathered in the center of the bubble under very high pressure may have been turned into hot liquid core of our Earth, which in its turn, under very high pressure expanded, and the outer part of it raised up to the low pressure of the water, hardened and cools down, and formed the plates of the Earth under the water, on which our continents are lie upon. But due to extremely high pressure of the hot liquid in the core of the Earth, the hot core of the Earth leaked through the plates, and formed hard dry land and the mountains on the hardened surface of the Earth, process of which still evident, and continues as it was in the past, and still very active even today. DAY 5 – SEA CREATURES AND BIRDS. Genesis 1.20-23 20.And GOD said, "Let the waters bring forth swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the Earth across the dome of the sky.” 21.So GOD created the great sea monsters and every living creature that moves of every kind, with the waters swarm, and every winged bird of every kind. And GOD saw that it was good. 22.GOD blessed them saying, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the Earth.” 23.And was evening and there was morning, the fifth day. The water that brings forth swarms of living creatures is well understood, which means that in the water were created all sorts of sea creatures, but where the birds came from? Are they come out of water, or the author of this narrative wrote something that is not a part of this particular process and may went ahead of its time? Because creation of the birds is written right after creation of marine life (verses 21 and 22), and on the same Day 5, then we may certainly conclude that the origin of the birds actually came from the water of the sea, and not from the land animals as our current science teach us. We always assumed the birds are land animals and derived and originated from specific group of land animals. But according to the next account, the land animals are created on the next DAY- 6, and absolutely nothing was said about creation of the birds on that DAY! THE WATER OF LIFE. But much more can be said about water beside just Bible account. The water really is a true source of all life on Earth. Every human being is born in a sack of its mother’s womb filled with water. And we know what it means when it said, “water broke down” which means that a pregnant woman ready to give birth, and indeed the water comes out with a new born. Leviticus 14.9 9. Bath his body in the water. This was not simply to cleanse oneself. It symbolizes rebirth and re-creation - just as an infant is born out of water, just like a convert emerges out of water to a new life and a new identity, just as the world was created out of water (Genesis 1.2). The experience of illness and recovery has made the leper a new person - that is someone who now looks at life differently (Seifer Ha-Hinnukh). Etz Hayim. Torah and Commentary. (Washing body with water: (Exodus 29.4, 30.18-21, 40.12) (Leviticus 8.6, 14.8-9, 15.5-8.10-11.13.18.21-22.27). And according to scientific calculations, we are containing 80% of water and the rest the hard material of bones, similar to the Earth which is also containing about the same amount of water. And this also can be said almost about other creature of Earth. All creatures, on the land and in the sea that are mammals, give birth just like humans do, from the mother’s sack full of water. Those who are not mammals, even insects, all laying eggs, and the eggs contain liquid in which the life continue to form until it ready to break out free from the egg and to go on its own way. So, in this sense, our entire physical world, according to the passages above, truly, as it is written about it, had been made from the cosmic “water,” and exists in the “water,” and gives life from the “water.” And according to this conclusion, the very first verses of the Bible make complete and full sense. And look at the similarities of the space of cosmos and the water of the Earth. In both of these substances a person become weightless and glides and floats in these materials almost effortlessly. If we remove the electromagnetic field of the core of the Earth, we will in the same fashion float and glide through the air just like in the space of cosmos or under the water, and become completely weightless. And this shows that the source and basis of all these three substances, cosmos, air, and water, are quite identical in their molecular structure. And this is why the astronauts always trained in a big pool of water, to imitate and to get closer to environment of the weightlessness of the space, which Moses called all of it as “water.” Psalm 24.1-2 1.The Earth is the Lord's and all it contains, the world and those who dwell in it. 2.He has founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the rivers.

To Simplejeff. Read my previous post “the Essene of GOD,” there you will find the answer on your question. Plus, if Jesus Christ often call Himself as a Son of GOD, what is so hard to understand here. The earthly fathers give birth to their sons, as it written almost in all genealogies of the Bible, “and he gave birth to…” The son cannot come out of nothing, someone has to give him birth, existence, and life. Definition of the father is that a someone gives birth to a new human being, producing a new life. Definition of the son is that a someone has been born from his father, a new generation. So in the same way is the Heavenly Father “give birth,” created Himself a Son, but with only difference that GOD creates, but human beings only give birth, because we do not have control over the process of birth, so, only GOD creates, but humans only give birth, according to the process established by GOD.. So the point is, that sons are those who have been born from their fathers, just like you yourself came to existence, from your father. The fathers on the other hand are those who give birth to their sons, because sons do not come to existence on the potato filed, someone has to give them the birth and life. I do not know any other way how to explain to you this simplest of things. Good luck.

THE PURPOSE OF CREATION. Why GOD created physical universe, Earth, and living things? We know from the Bible that GOD created through His Son Jesus Christ the worlds, assuming His Own spiritual world first, for Himself and for His Son, the highest Heaven. And then another spiritual world for His angels (angels means – servants). John 1.1-2 1.”In the beginning was the Word (Jesus Christ), and the Word was with GOD, and the Word was GOD (Revelation 19.13). 2.He was in the beginning with GOD.” GOD MADE THE WORLDS. Colossians 1.16 16.”By Him (by Christ) all things were created, both in the heavens and on Earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones, or dominions, or rulers, or authorities, all things have been created by Him and for Him.” Hebrews 1.1-2 1.”GOD (Father), after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, 2.in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, Whom He appointed Heir of all things, through Whom also He made the world.” John 1.3 3.”All things came into being through Him (Jesus Christ), and without Him (Jesus Christ) not one thing came into being what has come into being.” (John 1.3) (1Corinthians 8.6) (Colossian 1.16-17) (Hebrews 1.2). FIRST TYPE OF SPIRITUAL WORLD. JESUS CHRIST SEATING AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD (Psalm 110.1) (Matthew 22.44, 26.64) (Mark 12.36, 14.62) (Luke 20.42-43, 22.69) (Acts 2.33-35, 5.31, 7.55-56) (Romans 8.34) (1Corinthians 15.24-28) (Ephesians 1.20-21) (Colossians 3.1-2) (Hebrews 1.3-4.13, 12.2) (1Peter 3.22). According to the verses above and to other many verses and clues presented in the Bible, it is possible to assume that GOD created for Himself and His Son a certain Spiritual world there only two of Them are abide on Their thrones. This realm is unapproachable by anyone and reserved only for these two great Deities. SECOND TYPE OF SPIRITUAL WOLD. THE WORLD OF THE ANGELS THE SERVANTS OF GOD AND PEOPLE. Hebrews 1.14 14.”Are they (angels) not all ministering spirits, sent out to render service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?” Revelation 22.8-9 8.”I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me, 9.but he said to me, "You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your comrades the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this Book. Worship GOD!" THIRD TYPE OF SPIRITUAL WORLD. THE WORLD OF THE SOULS OF HUMAN BEINGS. So now we have three known to us worlds, describing as three different levels, the Highest (the Holy of Holiest) is the level there GOD Father and His Son reside on Their thrones. The level below is the world of angels, the servants of GOD and human beings. And the lowest level, the level there the souls of the people exists in a spiritual form, just like angels. Matthew 22.30 30."In the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in Heaven." (Matthew 22.23-30) (Mark 12.18-25) (Luke 20.27-36). This third world also known as a “Paradise,” which is of course can be ultimate Paradise after lifetime on Earth. Jesus Christ also mentioned this world when He was on the cross, promising the on of two bandits after his repentance that he will be with Him in Paradise today. Luke 23.43 43.”He replied, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” Paradise also was mentioned in Genesis, were GOD was walking in the cool of the day (Genesis 3.8). So we have two Paradises, one was on Earth, but it no longer exist, and one the spiritual Paradise in Heaven, the permanent one. So, did Jesus went to Paradise with the forgiven bandit? It seem like He actually did, but it was not His true or final destination. Jesus only escorted him to Paradise, but after three days of purification He ascended to His Father in the realm of Holy of Holiest, and sat down on His throne at the right hand of His GOD Father. John 20.17 17.Jesus said to her, "Stop clinging to Me, I have not yet ascended to the Father, but go to My brethren and say to them, 'I ascend to My Father and your Father, and *My GOD and your GOD." (Verses 1.14.16-17, from KSB). Luke 18.32-33 32.”He will be delivered to the Gentiles, and will be mocked and mistreated, and spit upon, 33.and after they have scourged Him, they will kill Him, and the third day He will rise again." The Third Day: (Matthew 12.38-40, 16.21, 17.22-23, 20.18-19, 26.61, 27.40) (Mark 8.31, 9.31, 10.33-34, 14.58, 15.29) (Luke 9.22, 18.32-33, 24.5-7.46) (John 2.18-22, 11.17.39) (Acts 10.40) (1Corinthians 15.4) (Revelation 11.9.11). Paul also mentioned the Paradise from his own experience. 2Corinthians 12.2-4 2.”I know a man in Christ, who fourteen years ago, whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know, GOD knows, such a man was caught up to the third Heaven. 3.And I know how such a man, whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, GOD knows, 4.was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak.” Paradise also mentioned and in Revelation and refer to those who will overcome the tribulation and be faithful to the Lord to the end. Revelation 2.7 7.”He who has an ear let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the Tree of Life, which is in the Paradise of GOD.” As it is evident from all these verses about Paradise, indeed, this is special spiritual world designed for the souls of human beings, and only for those who deserved to be in it. So now we clearly defined three different worlds were in each of them exist three types of different spiritual beings. So, GOD created Himself a Son in His Own Image, this is understandable. Then GOD through His Son created angels as His servants, this is also understandable. And now a question arises, why GOD created us, not spiritual beings like the angels but physical human beings, who are much more inferior to anything else that GOD ever created? In order to answer this question it is good to take a look at the verses below. JUDGMENT OF THE FALLEN ANGELS. Job 4.18 Words of Eliphas to Job. 18.”Even in His servants He puts no trust and His angels He charged with error,” 2Peter 2.4.10-11 4.”If GOD did not spare angels when they sinned but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness reserved for judgment (Isaiah 24.21-22),…” Jude 1.6 6.”And the angels who did not kept their own position but left their proper dwelling, He has kept in eternal chains, in deepest darkness for the judgment of the Great Day.” And these are perhaps the key verses to answer the question of our creation. If the angels who are created powerful, beautiful, and immortal, who know absolutely nothing about inferior physical life on Earth, in the physical body, accompanied with so much misery, spiritual and physical pain, and worse of all with death, these superior beings fail the Lord and rebelled against Him, not appreciating the power and beauty and most of all immortality He gave them, then, how much more, if we, mortal, insignificant human beings, inferior creatures to all the angels, who did not fail the Lord here on Earth, but stood firm in our faith, dedication, loyalty, and love for Him, who then will be the most faithful to Him, and will take the place of those fallen angels who rebelled against their Maker? 1Corinthians 6.3 3.”Do you not know that we are to judge angels, to say nothing of ordinary matters?” It is indeed looks quite realistic and make sense, that the purpose of our creation by GOD is not only in our specific and unique physical form and existence, but most likely the main purpose and reason of our creation was to create inferior creatures, test them hard, and those who passed the test will be the most dedicated, faithful, and loyal creatures to GOD than anything else GOD ever created, except His own Son. If we do not fail the Lord here on Earth, this means it will be impossible for us to fail Him in Heaven.

To Mike2 This passage of Colossians 1.15-18 came from KSB (Key Study Bible) edited by Spiros Zodhiates. I have several other Bibles such as KJV, NRSV, ESV, Gideons, and GNB, and in all of them this verse translated very much the same. Concerning words “created” or “born” the meaning of these words remains the same. It actually does not matter which of these words you use in describing the “creation” or “birth” of Jesus Christ, which also may apply to any human being as well. In the Bible are quite many such interchangeable words, but the meaning of the context always remains the same. But of course when we talk about physical body it is always more appropriate to used such a word as “birth” or “born.” But when it applied to spirits, the process of “birth” more appropriately can be call as “creation” because it is a different process to creating a different life form. But again, in both cases, in “creation” or in “birth” the meaning of birth or creation of a new life remains the same, it just a figure of speech in one case or in another. To John Robinson. “Christian writer” If you called passages of the Bible a JW junk, then give us your “educated opinion as a Christian writer,” so far you said nothing concerning the issue. Above all I am not belonging to JW and have no idea about their point of view on the essence of GOD. To Yowm and to Shiloh. You guys can twist the words and jungle and bending them as much as you want, but the fact always be the fact. Psalm 90.2, it is so far the most straight forward reference to GOD as being from everlasting to everlasting, means He has no beginning and no end, which means no one created Him or gave Him “birth,” because He always existed and He is the Eternity Himself. On the other hand it never said about Jesus that He is from everlasting to everlasting, and about Whom only written that He is the first Creation and He is the Image of GOD, and all of it directly point that indeed He is Creation of His Heavenly Father in His Father’s Image. The definition of the Father and Son by itself reveals that the One is higher than another, and that the One gave “birth” to Another - His Son, just like people have it on Earth. If Jesus is not the first Creation, then tell me who is? Again, back to Colossians Colossians 1.15.18 15.He (Jesus) is the Image of the invisible GOD, the Firstborn of all creation. 18.He is the head of the body, the church, He is the beginning, the Firstborn from the dead, so that He might come to have First Place in everything. Take a look at the last words of the verse 18, “First place in everything” which is means First Born (Created) before everything what was created, the very First! It was written for you in black on white, what then you do not understand here and argue about it?