"Dedicated to every caring person who has ever, or will ever live."
ALEXANDER PENMAN
(COPYRIGHT 1999)
METAPHYSICAL REVIEWS
Occasionally, indeed rarely, a book of great magnitude crosses my desk. A book with such
depth is the subject of this review. BEYOND RELIGION "...presents religion as being the
creation of people as opposed to an instrument of God." Author Alexander Penman has given
us a new and refreshing look at the bible...and the law of love.
Mr. Penman presents the case that bible-based religions "...can become a very powerful force
that can control the actions of people. Very seldom does the result of this control have
anything to do with the love of God." Stated another way "...people are not automatically
religious simply because they believe in God. This is true because every human being
possesses a quality called 'faith'."
Thus, non-religious people could believe in God every bit as much as religious people do, and
their faith would be every bit as valid. Beyond that, man's law which sometimes nullifies biblical
teachings, would be set aside, or as Mr. Penman quotes Jesus, "You have a fine way of setting
aside the commandments of God in order to observe your own traditions."
The purpose of the bible is to expose God's word, and God's word identifies good verses evil.
That differentiation is known as love. Not crusades. Not inquisitions. Not witch-hunts. And,
according to Alexander Penman, not belief systems that force us into religious conclusions.
BEYOND RELIGION speaks of a law the offers freedom, not shackles. "The law was
established for the salvation of every human being who has ever cared." And this law is
administered by God, not man. Alexander Penman has given us a book people will still turn to
a hundred years from now.
Richard Fuller, Senior Editor (www.metarev.com)
FORWARD
The inspiration for this book came from a lifetime of trying to understand the being we call God. It also
involved many years of experience with traditional Bible-based religions which resulted in a general
dissatisfaction with these religions. Over time it became apparent that the beliefs of religious people did not
necessarily make them better than anyone else.
It also became clear that these people had lost their way. This had occurred because they had failed to
understand the very teachings upon which their lives were supposed to be based. They had all attempted to
solve a very complex puzzle called the Bible and they had all failed. This caused them all to reach religious
conclusions about life and God.
After years of listening to what these people had to say about the meaning of the Bible, it became clear
that they did not really understand the Bible. It then became necessary to re-examine this collection of books
to see if something important had been missed.
The results of this detailed analysis are contained within this book and these results are amazing. They will
reveal to you the details of an incredible plan that has never before been properly understood. This plan goes
far beyond the walls of any and every church, and it also transcends time and space. It is a plan that goes far
Beyond Religion.
INTRODUCTION
Regardless of what the title may suggest religion is not the subject of this book. It does not promote, or
support any specific set of religious beliefs, nor does it promote, or support religion in general. Instead, this
book presents the collection of books called the Bible as being the most complex literary puzzle ever
created. It then goes on to solve this puzzle in a manner that does not reach a religious conclusion.
This book presents religion as being the creation of people as opposed to an instrument of the being we
call God. It then goes on to explain, or perhaps even prove that when the Bible is properly analyzed it
reveals a picture of creation that is very different from the one that has traditionally been maintained. It also
reveals an unthwartable plan that was established before anything was ever created.
The key to understanding both the Bible and this unthwartable plan is an essentially undiscovered law that
is found within the Bible. This law is a law of love, not a law of beliefs, and its very existence is barley even
acknowledged in the theologies of most Bible-based religions. The failure to both recognize and understand
this law is the sole reason that none of these religions has been able to properly solve the puzzle.
The Bible calls this law the "Law of Christ." This law is stated in the Bible several different ways all of
which have the exact same meaning. It is stated as, "love one another," "love your neighbor as yourself," or,
"do to others as you would have them do to you." This law does not set a standard of perfection for any
human being. Instead, it is completely fulfilled when people "care."
This law is also the key piece to the most complex literary puzzle ever created. When it is given its proper
place in the puzzle the results are startling. This occurs because the Bible ceases to be a collection of books
that are completely subjective in meaning, and it instead becomes a collection of books worthy of a God. It
then reveals information and answers that this world has never before seen, and it also takes the realm of
possibilities to where it has never before been.
CHAPTER ONE
No book in history has been subjected to as much scrutiny or has caused as much controversy as the Bible.
This book is actually a collection of sixty-six books which are divided into two main sections called the Old
and New Testaments. The Old Testament is written in Hebrew and contains thirty-nine books, the New
Testament is written in Greek and contains twenty-seven.
Some people believe these books are divinely inspired and are therefore the "word of God." There are
certain characteristics about these books that could inspire people to adopt this belief. One of these is a
unique form of consistency that is maintained throughout the books of the Old Testament. This consistency
is found wherever the "word of the Lord" or the "word of God" is quoted.
The books of the Old Testament are known to have been written over a period of hundreds of years. If all
of the quotes that are attributed to God throughout these books are put together and read, the source does
appear to be one person or one being. Different styles of writing can be detected in different books of the
Bible, but where God is quoted in the Old Testament the style is always the same.
Also, it is not conclusively known who the authors of the books of the Bible were or when they were
written. Some of the authors and the approximate dates of their writings are believed to be known while
others are not. This means we do not know where some of these books came from so their origins are a
mystery.
This mystery combined with the consistency of the statements attributed to God throughout the Old
Testament does provide a case for belief in divine inspiration. The question must be asked, "how could so
many books of unknown origin written over hundreds of years provide such consistency in quoting the
supposed statements of God?" There are many people who would say this could only be done if God were
involved.
Others believe that the Bible is not the inspired "word of God," but instead it is simply a collection of
books that have a certain degree of historical accuracy. The Bible contains a partial accounting of the
creation of the world and its history. Many of its historical claims have been verified by archaeological
discoveries and by other ancient writings but the further back in time we go the less proof we find.
It is generally accepted that virtually no book of the Old Testament was written until after 600 BC.
However, the subject matter of these books goes back thousands of years which means the events were not
written down until long after they had presumably occurred. Also, there is very little, if any proof to
substantiate that these events did actually occur.
It is generally believed and accepted that the biblical history of Israel is more or less accurate as it is
described from the point in history beginning after the reign of King Solomon. From this point on much of
the recorded history of Israel can be verified from independent Egyptian and Assyrian accounts. It is
however much more difficult to verify any biblical statement made from the beginning of the book of
Genesis until the end of Solomon's reign.
Some historians currently doubt the existence of early biblical characters such as Moses because there is
no evidence to prove they existed. There are also questions regarding the journey of the nation of Israel
through the wilderness and into the promised land. Archaeology has apparently failed to find any evidence
that such a large number of people ever traveled the route described in the Bible. Some believe that if this
journey had occurred some evidence would have been left behind so why has it not been found? Also, there
apparently is nothing in Egyptian history to verify the claim that the Nation of Israel ever was enslaved as the
Bible claims.
The very existence of Adam & Eve, Noah, Moses, Abraham, David, Solomon and virtually every other
early biblical character is doubted by many scholars and historians. It is argued that the existence of these
biblical characters is nothing more than a myth. These arguments are based on the fact that there is no actual
proof that they did in fact exist.
This seemed to be a position of strength until 1993 when an independent 9th century BC inscription was
found containing the phrase "House of David" and "David the King." This was the first non-biblical
reference to David that was ever found and it cast a great deal of doubt on the certainty that David was a
myth. This also supported the argument that proof may yet be found, and that a lack of proof for is not
conclusive proof against.
However, those who question the Bible would also likely point out that it does contain certain statements
that seem to damage its own credibility. For instance, according to the Bible the process of creation
described in the first chapter of the book of Genesis lasted six days. If this is true why can scientists look
through telescopes and see billions of years into the past? The Bible states in 1 John 4:8 that "God is love"
yet it describes this "God of love" wiping out an early civilization with a devastating flood. It is a
contradiction that a loving God could wipe out life on such a large scale, yet the Bible itself claims that it did
happen.
Despite all of the controversy and all of the unanswered questions the Bible has actually maintained a great
deal of credibility. Much of it has proved to be historically accurate and additional evidence may yet be
found to further substantiate its claims. Until evidence is found that conclusively discredits or disproves the
Bible we must consider that in many ways it is unique and that it may in fact be the work of a being we call
God.
If God is the true author of the Bible there are a number of questions that must be asked. The most
important of these would likely focus on the fact that the Bible is both difficult to understand and extremely
subject to the interpretation of the reader. It could be asked, "why would a God author a book that is so
difficult to understand instead of presenting the issues of life in a way that is very clear and straight-
forward?"
It is questions like these that make it very difficult for many people to accept the God of the Bible. After
all, this God does seem to make one mistake after another. First, presumably beings called angels are
created. Then some of these angels choose to follow evil which leads to a war in heaven. The Bible states
that the angels of God win this war after which God chooses to make people. Many of these people also
choose to follow evil which then causes the history of our world to be filled with injustice. It does seem to
be one mistake after another!
Also, the Bible is a basis for what we call religion but because it is so difficult to understand and so subject
to interpretation it is the basis for many religions. People who believe it is the word of God base their beliefs
on it and from these beliefs religions develop. The problem is the differences in beliefs between some of
these religions has led to war. In other cases religious beliefs have enabled people to justify actions that
cannot possibly be justified.
Many people cannot accept what the Bible is saying simply because there are too many things wrong with
this overall picture. This is especially true considering the fact that the God of the Bible claims to be perfect.
Matthew 5:48 states, "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly father is perfect." This word for perfect comes
from the Greek root word "telos" (tel'-os) which means "the ultimate result." It is basically stating that God
is the highest level that can be achieved so be that.
It is also stated in the Bible that the way of God is perfect and the works of God are perfect. "As for God,
his way is perfect", is found in Psalm 18:30. "He is the rock, his works are perfect," is found in
Deuteronomy 32:4. In both cases the Hebrew word for perfect is "tamiym" (taw-meem') which means
"without blemish, complete, perfect." Some may say that God created a perfect world which was ruined by
people. The problem is people were supposed to be part of this creation so wouldn't this make God
ultimately responsible for it all?
It is difficult to imagine how this God could substantiate a claim to perfection given the facts as we know
them, but the Bible may actually provide an answer. Proverbs 25:2 states, "It is the glory of God to conceal
a matter." The Hebrew word for "conceal" in the verse quoted above is the word "cathar" (saw-thar'). It is a
Hebrew root word that literally means "to hide." It also figuratively means "be absent, keep close, conceal,
hide, and keep secret."
Religion aside, many people do still believe in some form of God. Many of us hope that in the end our
God will somehow bring it all together. If the God of the Bible is God and does have such a plan the verse
quoted above may suggest that this plan could be concealed. If it is concealed it may be God's position that
we do not need to know its details which may explain why the Bible is so difficult to understand. If this is
true the Bible may in fact be the "word of God," but it may also be a very complex literary puzzle.
No book ever written throughout the course of history has occupied the time of so many people.
Generation after generation have dedicated their lives to the study of the Bible and yet they still cannot agree
on its meaning. It can be strongly argued that no living person completely understands the Bible. There are
many people who may claim they understand it, but it may be a mistake to put those people together in the
same room at the same time.
The Bible and God are both associated with religion and for many this association is taken for granted or
assumed. If asked the question, "what are the main subjects of the Bible?" Many people would probably
respond by saying, "God and religion." Furthermore, we traditionally believe that God is in some way
represented by religion, but by which one? They all claim to understand God, to know God and to represent
God, but there can be significant differences in their beliefs, so how do we know who is right and who is
wrong?
Many people in our society today do not respect religion and it is the actions of religious people that has
led to this lack of respect. It is stated in Psalm 18:30 that "The word of the Lord is flawless," but religion has
not provided any evidence of this flawlessness. Instead, in many cases religious people have done nothing
more than provide others with a perfect example of how not to behave.
The history of Bible-based religions is actually filled with injustice. Some of the more prominent examples
of this include the "Spanish inquisitions", the three "great crusades" of Europe and the "witch hunts" of early
America. During these events many people were murdered in the name of a God of love. Today in many
cases religion is nothing more than a business and many religious leaders are struggling to maintain a status
quo that is quickly becoming a thing of the past. Many people believe that our society is outgrowing these
traditional beliefs, but this does not mean that we are also outgrowing the concept of God.
People today are maintaining some form of spiritual values in spite of their disillusionment with traditional
religions. The development of the "new age movement" offers people many alternative forms of spirituality.
This offers proof that even though many people have given up on traditional religions they have not
necessarily outgrown God.
Most people would probably concede that traditional religions have failed this world and that they have
done so throughout history. If this is true we must ask the question, "does this mean the God of the Bible
has also failed?" If the Bible and/or the God of the Bible cannot be separated from religion this question
must be answered by saying that the God of the Bible has failed. However if the Bible and religion can be
separated it then becomes possible for one to fail without taking the other with it.
Many people would probably say the Bible and religion are inseparable, but this may be a huge mistake. If
the Bible is indeed a complex literary puzzle it may in fact be possible to solve this puzzle without coming to
a religious conclusion. In order to attempt this we must first examine and define religion which is not easy
because the term religion can have many meanings. We must therefore find a definition that both fits the
picture of what we have seen throughout history and of what we see today.
In the Bible the word religion appears nowhere in the Old Testament Hebrew and only five times in the
New Testament Greek. The five New Testament references are from two Greek words. One is "ioudaismos"
(ee-oo-dah-is-mos) which means "Judaism" the Jewish faith, the other is "threskeia" (thrace-ki-ah) which
means "ceremonial observance, or the act of worshipping."
It would be possible to conclude from the second definition given above that religion is simply the act of
worshipping God. The Bible states that "God is love," so a Bible-based religion could then be defined as the
act of worshipping a God of love. The problem is how does this definition equate to the crusades, the
inquisitions, the witch hunts or much of what we see in religion today? This definition does not fit the
picture so we must find another.
In order to properly define religion we should first consider that every Bible-based religion in existence
today is based upon something called a theology. Webster's defines this as a "systematic study of God." In
almost every case this study of God is exclusively limited to the Bible so the theology is really the religion's
explanation of what the Bible means.
If the Bible is a literary puzzle piecing it together is the goal of each theology. There are however more
pieces to this puzzle than there are to any other puzzle on earth. There are also many different ways in which
the pieces can be assembled. It could then be said that the theology of each individual religion manages to
put together various sections of the puzzle. It can also be said however that none of these theologies actually
solves the puzzle.
Each Bible-based religion then develops a religious "system of beliefs" that is based upon their own
assembled sections of the puzzle. Each "system of beliefs" is somewhat different from all of the others
because it is based on a puzzle in which the pieces are arranged differently from all the others. This variance
in the arrangement of the pieces is responsible for the number of Bible-based religions that exist. It is also
responsible for the number of denominations that exist within some of these religions.
As each religion and/or denomination assembles their specific version of the puzzle, they may at some
point become convinced that theirs is the right one or the only one. When this occurs serious differences can
develop between them which can cause them to behave as though they are in competition with one another.
This can also lead to more serious conflicts which at times can result in violence.
Within the Bible we find the concepts of places called heaven and hell. It is presumed that when good
people die they go to heaven and when evil people die they go to hell. The theology of each religion
considers these concepts closely and they each develop their own "set of instructions" on how to get into
heaven.
These instructions are part of the overall "system of beliefs" and if a person does not follow these
instructions it is believed they cannot get into heaven. This means that the difference between good and evil
is defined by whether or not a person accepts the "system of beliefs." In this way it is believed that the
eternal salvation of any person is dependent on accepting & following the right set of religious beliefs.
At times Bible-based religions disagree on what must be done in order to get into heaven. If the difference
in these beliefs becomes serious, one Bible-based religion may see another as being evil. This occurs when
one religious "system of beliefs" omits items considered to be essential by another. For instance, one may
state that a person must be baptized in order to go to heaven, but another may not. The one may then believe a person cannot get into heaven by being a member of the other.
The end result is a multitude of religions & denominations each trying to convince people that their "set of
instructions" is the right set. They each try to force their beliefs on others and they may also strongly oppose
each other. If anyone does not accept their specific instructions or if anyone accepts opposing instructions it
is believed they cannot get into heaven. They are then seen as being lost and/or evil as is any person who has
beliefs different than those of the religion.
It is this kind of rational that nullifies or invalidates the love of God. People can start off with a sincere
faith in a "God of love", but then their "belief system" causes them to see people with different beliefs as
being lost and/or evil. In extreme cases this provides people with what they believe is justification for
participation in events such as the crusades, the inquisitions and the witch hunts. The catalyst of these events
is the dedication of people to their religious beliefs.
It can be argued that a religion is dependent upon people because without people it ceases to exist. This is
very true, but once a religion becomes established it can actually control the actions of people. When this
happens a religion can take on a life of its own and it can become a very powerful force. It is this force of
religion that was ultimately responsible for the crusades, the inquisitions and the witch hunts. These people
did what they did because they become prisoners and slaves of their beliefs.
From this we can conclude that a Bible-based religion is a specific "system of beliefs" developed from a
theology which is a Bible-based study of God. It is then the devotion of people to one of these specific
"belief systems" that makes them religious and the more devoted they are the more religious they are. Once
established this devotion can become a very powerful force that can control the actions of people. Very
seldom does the result of this control have anything to do with the love of God.
The above is an analysis that gives us a definition for religion that fits both the picture of what we have
seen throughout history and what we see today. For the duration of this book religion will be referred to in
the third party. This will be done because it is the position of this book that each individual religion may in
fact have a life of its own.
If this definition is accurate it means what we see and have seen in Bible-based religions is the attempts of
people to solve a very complex puzzle. This also means that people are not automatically religious simply
because they believe in God. This is true because every human being possesses a quality called "faith."
CHAPTER TWO
Some people may believe that anyone who believes in God is religious, but the definition of the word
"religious" may not support this belief. Webster's identifies the term religious as being an adjective of the
word religion and it is defined as being, "concerned with, or devoted to religion." According to this
definition a religion must be involved or a person cannot be described as being religious. The term religious
is also often used as an adjective to describe a person's commitment to an activity. This use has nothing to
do with religion or belief in God.
Webster's defines faith as, "a belief in the truth of revealed religion, or any system of religious belief." In
this context faith is simply another word for religion, or it is a word used to describe a religion. Webster's
also defines faith as, "trust or confidence, or that which is believed." In this context faith is best described as
"belief in" anything. This context of the word is not necessarily related to "belief in" God.
Every person possesses faith of some kind. If we have known people for a long time we may have faith in
their friendship. If we have a good car we may have faith that it will start every morning. When we sit down
in our favorite chair we have faith that it will not collapse underneath us. Faith is probably the most basic
quality of our existence because without it we would not believe in anything. Faith is also the origin of all
beliefs whatever they may be.
Webster's also defines faith as, "confidence and trust in God." Many people possess this kind of faith
without being associated with any specific religion. It is also this kind of faith that causes people to seek out
and adopt a religion. People possess faith before they become religious because if they did not, they would
not need a religion. When a person adopts a religion they maintain their faith in God, but they also place
their faith in a "belief system."
Faith in God is often called "blind faith" because many people believe that there is no real proof of Gods
existence. It may then be their opinion that the Bible is fiction. This would mean that any belief in the God of
the Bible is a belief in a deity that does not exist. The Bible answers this by implying that there is a certain
"common knowledge" that is possessed by every person and that this knowledge influences our faith, or
belief in God. This knowledge includes the voice of creation speaking about the existence of God, the issue
of eternity set within the hearts of people, and the knowledge of good and evil.
Psalm 19:1-4 contains the statements, "The heavens declare the glory of God," and, "There is no speech or
language where their voice is not heard." Ecclesiastes 3:11 states that, "He has set eternity in the hearts of
people; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end." Genesis 3:22 states that Adam
& Eve ate the forbidden fruit and gained the knowledge of good & evil which has presumably been passed
on to every human being.
Many people could probably relate to the concept that creation has a voice. When we consider the
overwhelming size and beauty of the universe it is both plausible and convenient to say that it was created by
God. Many people cannot conceive any other explanation for what we see in the stars or for what we see in
the pictures our telescopes take. It is not difficult to understand how for many the universe has the word
God written all over it.
For others the argument is simple, if God created the universe then who created God? For people who
hold this view attributing creation to God is simply a convenient explanation for what we do not understand.
The Bible actually makes no attempt to explain the origins of God. It is actually implied that this knowledge
is none of our business just as it is also implied that God is under no obligation to provide us with
explanations. Instead we are given a certain amount of evidence and the rest is an issue of faith.
The statement that the issue of "eternity" has been set within the hearts of people does appear to be
completely true. There are some people who claim they do not believe in life after death but this view is not
shared by the vast majority of human beings. Most of us do have some concept of, and are completely
fascinated with the afterlife. It has been the subject of countless conversations, debates, books and movies.
The knowledge of good and evil is clearly present in this world although it is seldom crystal clear what is
right and what is wrong. If Adam and Eve did in fact attain the knowledge of good and evil by eating the
forbidden fruit this knowledge may have been attained in the form of the human conscience. Webster's
defines conscience as "one's moral sense of right & wrong," or good & evil. It is very possible that every
human being has had, or does have a conscience, but it is also very clear that people have different concepts
of right and wrong, or good and evil.
Webster's defines concept as a "mentally conceived image" and there are at least two possible reasons why
people could have these different mental images. One, is that every person's conscience does not function the
same way, so we each end up with our own image. Two, is that we all have the same fundamental
knowledge provided by our conscience, but we interpret and apply this knowledge differently because we
are all individuals.
It is very possible that every person has their own individual nature which is to some extent different than
that of any other. Webster's defines nature as the "essential character of a person" and character is defined as
the "qualities that distinguish one person from another." If this is true we may all have our own individual
concept of good & evil simply because we are all individuals. In this case our different concepts of good and
evil would be one of the qualities that makes us individuals.
If all people do possess this "common knowledge" and faith of some kind then this faith could have a
tremendous influence on our concept of, or choice between good and evil. This is true because if people
believe in any concept of a God that is good it can often influence them to do what they believe is good.
Also, if people believe that in an afterlife they will in any way be held accountable for their actions this can
again influence them to do what they believe is good.
This analysis has absolutely nothing to do with whether or not a person adopts a specific religion. It does
however explain the relationship that can exist between faith and the "common knowledge" that is described
in the Bible. After a person has considered the issues of creation, eternity, and good & evil they may decide
to believe in some concept of God. If they do they will also likely posses some kind of faith in this concept
of God. This faith may then actually influence their choice between good & evil.
In 1 Corinthians 13:13 the Bible refers to "faith, hope and love" and it states that "the greatest of these is
love." There may actually be a very strong connection between these three qualities. This is true because one
may be the product of another. If a person has faith or believes in some concept of God this person will also
likely believe in some concept of an afterlife. This means there is something to "hope" for beyond this life.
When a person possesses this kind of hope it can also inspire love or it can provide a person with a reason to
love.
In contrast, there are many people who do not possess faith or belief in some concept of God. These
people may not consider themselves to be accountable for their actions and they may be less likely to choose
good over evil. They may then possess a more selfish perspective of life in which they may attempt to get
everything out of life that they can. This kind of person would be less likely to see life through a hope of
what is to come, and they would be more likely to see life for the moment.
Some people believe that the people of good will or the people of love are the true people of God. If this is
true these people could also be described as the people who care. The word care is used because it may be
the simplest way to describe and define love. To care about people, or to be caring, or compassionate is the
opposite of being indifferent, or selfish. This may actually provide us with an accurate understanding of how
God sees people. This would not be based on any specific set of religious beliefs but it would be based on
the most basic qualities of very simple faith.
Also, to say that the people of God are the people who care may provide a non-religious distinction that
many will appreciate. Those who have been turned off by traditional religion may not like to admit they
believe in God because they do not want others to consider them as being religious. This distinction provides
a way of looking at people in which religious beliefs are not an issue. This is true because there are religious
and non-religious people who care just as there are religious and non-religious people who do not.
Hebrews 11:1 states that, "Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see."
This word for faith is used again and again throughout the New Testament. It is the Greek word "pistis"
(pis'-tis) which is a reference to the Christian faith, or the Christian religion. This Greek word for faith comes
from the Greek verb "peitho" (pi'-tho) which is not a reference to a religion. It essentially means "to believe,
or be confident."
The second word defined above likely is a reference to the kind of faith which is inspired by the "common
knowledge" described in the Bible. This view is supported by statements made in Romans 10:14-18 where
concerning the issues of faith or believing the question is asked, "how can a person hear without a
preacher?"
Many believe that the above quote is referring to a human preacher, but the answer given to the question
makes it clear that this is not the case. It states, "But I ask: Did they not hear? Of course they did: 'Their
voice has gone out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world'." This actually is a quote from
Psalm 19:1-4 which states, "The heavens declare the glory of God." This provides a clear indication that
creation has always been the one true preacher where the issues of faith or believing are concerned.
This would mean that people have never required access to the Bible to decide whether or not they are
going to believe in the concept of God. This would also mean that non-religious people could believe in God
every bit as much as religious people do, and their faith would be every bit as valid. The only difference
between the two is that the non-religious person, who has faith in the concept of God, has not also placed
their faith in a specific "belief system."
The "common knowledge" described in the Bible does seem to exist. We do arguably see evidence of the
existence of God in creation. We do as a race believe in life after death and we do all possess a knowledge of
good and evil. When combined this knowledge does support the argument that belief in the concept of God
may be an issue of faith, but this faith is not necessarily blind. Evidence does exist that could influence any
reasonable person to believe in the concept of God. This evidence may not be conclusive but it definitely
does exist.
The question should now be asked, "does the Bible state that God separates people on the basis of
religious beliefs, or on the basis of whether or not they care?." Also, if the Bible is a complex literary puzzle
will solving the puzzle give us the answer? It may be arrogant to suggest that we will succeed where so
many have failed but being successful may actually depend on understanding why so many have failed.
Understanding the Bible is difficult because there is no set of instructions that explain how it should be
analyzed. This makes the task of solving the puzzle very difficult because most complex puzzles do come
with some instructions, but this one does not. This means it is up to us to figure it out and it was probably
intended that few ever would.
First, we must establish a way to identify the pieces of the puzzle and we must ask, "is every single verse in
the Bible a piece of the puzzle?" Some would argue that the Bible is the "word of God" so it is all equally
important. Even if this is true it must also be acknowledged that a great deal of the Bible is simply a record
of human history. The Bible can actually be broken down into certain components. These include those that
record history, those that record prophecies and those that record statements of doctrine.
A record of history is a record of an event that did happen. A record of prophecy is a record of an event
that presumably will happen. A record of doctrine however is a record of fundamental principle. Webster's
defines doctrine as a "principle, or body of principles" and it defines a principle as a "fundamental truth."
These statements are the most essential pieces of the puzzle. To solve the puzzle we must find a way to
extract them all and then we must assemble them.
This does not mean that records of history or prophecy are insignificant or unimportant. It is however
accurate to say that many of these records are vague and unclear. In the case of history there is tremendous
significance to the records that are contained within the Bible. They are used to verify the accuracy of the
Bible, but in many cases they are incomplete.
The Bible actually provides very few details about the creation of the world, or about what took place
before this creation. It also provides very few details about the civilization that existed before the flood, and
about some of the civilizations that developed after the flood. It gives us just enough to get us interested but
not enough to piece it all together and this probably is by design.
In the case of prophecy many, or all are not intended to be understood until after they have happened. The
Old Testament contains a vivid description of the crucifixion of Christ that was written hundreds of years
before it occurred, but it was not understood until after the event. There are many prophecies in the Bible
that describe the end of the world, but they provide a vague picture at best and we can only guess at their
meaning.
All of these statements of history, prophecy and doctrine are mixed together throughout the Bible and the
process of sorting them out is difficult. If this is accomplished a person is then left with statements of
doctrine that do appear to contradict one another. If we can find a way to solve these contradictions we may
at the same time solve the puzzle. Once this is done those portions of the Bible that appear to be unclear
may become clearer.
CHAPTER THREE
The process of solving the puzzle correctly is entirely dependent upon the technique that is used. There are
two parts to the process that are absolutely essential otherwise the task can never be completed. The first is
to realize that the "scripture" of the Bible is the original Hebrew and Greek in which it was written. It has
been said that a lot can be lost in a translation and this is especially true of the Bible. The second is to realize
that the Bible does not nullify or invalidate itself.
If the Bible is a complex literary puzzle authored by God we may assume that it can only be solved if all of
the pieces are used. If one piece of the puzzle is used to invalidate another piece the chances of solving the
puzzle are reduced. If one statement of the Bible is interpreted in a way that nullifies or invalidates another,
it is the same as using one piece of the puzzle to invalidate another. So if one statement from the Bible is
interpreted in a way that nullifies or invalidates another the interpretation is wrong.
Every attempt to solve the puzzle has failed because in every case statements from the Bible or pieces of
the puzzle have been nullified. A statement or a piece of the puzzle is nullified when it is made invalid. An
example of this invalidation is found both in Matthew 15:3-9 and in Mark 7:9-13 where religious leaders are
accused of nullifying what is stated in the Bible.
These religious leaders had established a law that essentially allowed people to abandon their parents. The
law stated that if people gave to the synagogue what they would have given to their parents they would be
free from any obligation to their parents. This was nothing more than a religious "cash grab" that left parents
abandoned in their old age. The beliefs of these religious leaders were supposedly based on the Bible which
states "honor your father and your mother," but these people nullified this statement with their law.
Christ addressed these religious leaders by saying, "You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of
God in order to observe your own traditions." Regarding this law he stated, "thus you nullify the word of
God by your tradition that you have handed down, and you do many things like that." The statement that
"you do many things like that" indicates that substantial portions of the Bible were nullified by the beliefs of
these people.
The above provides an excellent example of how religious beliefs which are supposed to be based on the
Bible can actually nullify what is stated in the Bible. It also states above that these traditions or beliefs were
"handed down" from generation to generation. When this happens the generation receiving the beliefs is
usually conditioned not to question them. This makes it very difficult for people to see mistakes that have
previously been made, and if this does occur they are often convinced that they themselves are wrong.
The analysis of how the theology of each religion handles the pieces of the puzzle is the same each time.
They either manage to assemble various sections of the puzzle or they manage to assemble some of the
pieces into some kind of order. In every single case however there are always pieces left over and it is the
handling of these pieces that is the downfall of the attempt to solve the puzzle.
Once the theology of a religion has managed to put together some portion of the puzzle a "system of
beliefs" begins to form based on this portion. Once this begins the theology of the religion then focuses on
proving, or further substantiating this "belief system." At some point in the process the theology must deal
with left over pieces of the puzzle that do not directly support the "belief system."
There are a number of ways that religious theologies deal with these left over pieces of the puzzle. One
way is to ignore or discard them. When this is done religious leaders will simply avoid areas of the Bible that
they cannot explain. If the subject arises they may simply tell their followers that they do not understand
these statements, but they will also say that the statements do not affect their beliefs.
Another way theologies deal with left over pieces of the puzzle is they explain why the pieces do not mean
what they appear to mean. A theology accomplishes this by establishing certain "facts" from their version of
the puzzle. They then say we know these facts are true therefore any statements that appear to contradict
them must actually mean something other than what they appear to mean.
The theology will then often provide very complicated explanations regarding the true meaning of the
statements. This altered meaning will always support the "belief system" of the specific religion. As these
theologies are passed down from one generation to another they become more & more refined to the point
that no one within the religion would dare question them.
The result is a "belief system" that is supposed to be entirely based upon the Bible, but instead it nullifies
and invalidates much of what is stated in the Bible. This occurs because the pieces that are found within each
individual version of the puzzle are always used to nullify those pieces that are not found. The end result is a
multitude of Bible-based "belief systems" competing against each other all claiming that they have the
correct version of the puzzle. The problem is that they all nullify pieces of the puzzle so it is impossible for
any of them to solve the puzzle.
In most cases the members of a religion are not allowed to question the beliefs of the religion and if they
do they may lose their membership. The religious leaders of one generation train the religious leaders of the
next to maintain the same beliefs. As this continues the people become more & more conditioned to look at
the Bible in one specific way and they loose their objectivity.
As the "belief system" of each religion becomes more refined it also essentially becomes "written in stone."
It is then simply a matter of whether or not people choose to accept any specific "belief system." If people
wish to change the beliefs it is usually required that they establish a new religion or a new denomination.
This has occurred hundreds upon hundreds of times and it has all occurred because people cannot agree on
how the pieces of the puzzle should be arranged.
In the case of the Catholic Church it has only been in the last several decades that its members have even
been allowed to read the Bible for themselves. Previous to this only the priests were allowed to read the
Bible and it was entirely up to them to explain its meaning to the people. This meant no one could question
the beliefs of the church because no one had access to the book that these beliefs were supposed to be based
upon. This almost guaranteed that the beliefs would never change.
As religious theologies nullify pieces of the puzzle they often reshape these pieces or they replace them
with pieces of their own design. The "belief systems" that are developed will then often contain beliefs that
are not at all substantiated by the Bible, although the theologies will always claim that they are. One example
of this is the belief that angels do not have souls. This belief is maintained by many Bible-based religions, yet
it is not stated or even inferred anywhere in the Bible that angels do not have souls.
The above is a classic example of a supposed Bible-based belief that many consider to be an absolute fact,
yet it is completely unsubstantiated. It has been handed down from one generation to another, and few
people today probably remember, or know when it was established, or why. All that matters is people
believe it and many will probably have trouble with the suggestion that it may be untrue.
There are many other examples of Bible-based beliefs that are not substantiated by the Bible. In most cases
these beliefs are passed down from one generation to the next without being questioned or they are
substantiated by altering pieces of the puzzle. In either case once a belief is established by the theology of a
religion it is practically impossible to change the belief.
This can be further illustrated by analyzing some of the fundamental beliefs maintained by many of the
"Christian" Bible-based religions. Most of these believe that all people have 'sinned" and are therefore lost.
This means that every person must be "saved" to enter heaven and they can only be saved if they believe in
Christ who is believed to be the only begotten son of God. Christ died on the cross for the sins of the world
and salvation is dependent on whether or not he is the "personal Lord and savior" of any individual.
According to these "belief systems" the eternal destiny of any human being is entirely based upon whether
or not a person believes and there is no other standard. So it is the position of these religions that God will
one day judge the world and the outcome of this judgment will be dependent on the beliefs of each
individual. This makes "salvation" an issue of religion because religion is beliefs.
There are a number of problems with the kind of theology that is stated above. To begin with if a person
must believe in Christ to be "saved" how was anyone saved before Christ died on the cross? There were at
least several thousand years of human history that occurred before this event took place so what was the
standard of salvation then? This question has often been asked, but the response has always been unclear.
Also, the Bible does contain statements which clearly indicate that beliefs are not the main issue in the
judgment of the world. The most prominent of these is called "the sheep and the goats" and it is found in
Matthew 25:31-46. This portion of the Bible is not identified as being a parable or a story, but instead it is
Christ's own description of the judgment of the entire world.
It states, "When the son of man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in
heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another
as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats." In the reference above it states "all the nations." The
Greek word for all is the word "pas" and it means "all, any, every, and the whole." So the implication is any
and every nation and the whole of the nations which means the entire world.
The reference in Matthew goes on to state, "Then the king will say to those on his right (the sheep), 'come,
you who are blessed by my father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of
the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to
drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you
looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me'."
In the passage the righteous ask the king, "When did we feed you, or give you something to drink, or
invite you in, or clothe you, or visit you?" Then the king reply's by saying, "When you did it for one of the
least of these brothers of mine, you did it for me." The king then turns to the goats on his left and states that
they did not do what the sheep had done. The goats are then sent to eternal punishment, and the sheep are
sent to eternal life.
"The sheep and the goats" provide a description of the judgment of the world in which religious beliefs
are not even mentioned. It is acts of love and compassion that separate the people of the world in this
judgment. This substantiates the belief that God separates people on the basis of whether or not they care,
as opposed to whether or not they have the right religious beliefs. This contradicts the beliefs of most Bible-
based religions.
There are other statements found in the Bible that support the picture of judgment described in the sheep
and the goats. These statements illustrate the impartiality of God which the Bible describes in three different
ways. First, it is stated in Deuteronomy 10:17 & 2 Chronicles 19:7 that God does not show partiality.
Second, it is stated in Psalm 98:9 that God "will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples with
equity." Third, it is stated in a number of places including Psalm 62:12 that God "will reward each person
according to what they have done."
These statements all indicate that God looks at every person in exactly the same way. The word "equity"
quoted above comes from the Hebrew root word "yashar" (yaw-shar') which means "straightness or
eveness." The statement that "God will judge the peoples with equity" means that God will judge everyone
with eveness or all the same way. This supports the judgment of the sheep and the goats in which people
are judged according to what they each did and the same standard is applied to each one.
The principle of impartiality that is maintained throughout the Bible is also clearly applicable to every and
any church. In the book of revelation Christ addresses the churches of the New Testament. One is compared
to drinking lukewarm water to which Christ states in Revelation 3:16 "I am about to spit you out of my
mouth." Another is told in Revelation 2:4-5 to repent or they will lose the presence of God. Another is told
in Revelation 3:4 that only a few of their members are worthy.
Many members of today's Bible-based religions believe that they have some kind of an exclusive on God.
They also believe that their churches are completely ordained by God, but the Bible does not substantiate
these beliefs. The Bible maintains the principle of impartiality from cover to cover. Some of the last words
attributed to Christ in the Bible are found in Revelation 22:12 where it states, "I will give to everyone
according to what they have done." This is a statement that supports the principle of impartiality.
The beliefs of most or all Bible-based religions have been established and are maintained only by nullifying,
altering, or ignoring significant pieces of the puzzle. In their defense it must be stated that the Bible does
state in a number of places that a person must believe in Christ to be saved. This both contradicts the
description of judgment that is found in the "sheep and the goats" and it contradicts the principles of
impartiality as they have been explained.
Religious theologies have failed to understand this contradiction. How could the Bible state that a person
must believe in Christ to be saved, but then describe a judgment where religious beliefs are not even
mentioned. It does seem impossible to get from one to the other and the failure of these theologies to do so
has caused them to focus on one, and ignore or change the meaning of the other. So the puzzle remains
unsolved and we have a world full of Bible-based religions that have failed. Anyone would probably ask,
"why?"
The book of Job is an entire book about asking the question, "why?" In this book there is a man named
Job whom the Bible describes as being "the greatest man among all the people of the east." This man had
children, land, hundreds of animals and everything else a man could have at this point in history. This man
was also very devoted to God, but Satan told God that this devotion was only due to the fact that job had
such a good life. God then allowed Satan to take the good life away to see if the devotion would remain.
According to the Bible everything Job had was taken away. His children and servants were killed, his
livestock was carried away by raiders, and Job himself was covered with painful sores from head to toe. The
majority of the book is about Job trying to figure out "why" all this had happened to him. He finds himself
wishing he could speak directly to God in order to get an answer.
This kind of a search for answers is common to all people at some point in their lives. We all attempt to
make some kind of sense out of life and at times we all wish that we could demand an explanation from God.
In Job's case God did eventually answer him, but it was essentially only to say "who are you to question me."
In Job 42:2 Job responds to God by saying, "I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be
thwarted."
This brings us to the concept that God may in fact have a plan that can not be thwarted which we do not yet understand. If the Bible is a puzzle that contains the details of this plan the fact that it has not yet been
solved does not mean that it cannot be solved. In the contradiction previously described it seemed impossible
to equate the statement that we must "believe" with a judgment in which religious beliefs are not even
mentioned. In any puzzle when two pieces cannot be joined directly together it means that a piece or pieces
must go in between.
So we must ask the question, "is there a piece of the puzzle found in the Bible that can solve this
contradiction?" If so has this piece been excluded from the theologies of all Bible-based religions and is it the
key to solving the puzzle? Also, if such a piece does exist, and if it is given its proper place in the puzzle
does it reveal a plan that cannot be thwarted which was established since the dawn of creation? The answer to all of these questions is, "yes!"
CHAPTER FOUR
The Bible records in the book of Genesis that after the creation of people a civilization developed on earth.
The Bible contains very little information about this civilization but it is recorded in Genesis 6:12-13 that all
of its people became corrupt and they filled the world with violence. This caused God to send a flood which
destroyed all life on earth except for Noah, his family and a selection of animals. The flood lasted forty days
and nights after which the flood waters receded and "Noah's ark" came to rest on dry ground.
This was supposed to give life on earth a new beginning but after the flood violent societies again began to
develop. Warfare between kings is recorded in Genesis 14:1-10 and it is also recorded that two of these
kings came from the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. The people of these cities were probably very violent.
Genesis 18:20 records that there was a great outcry against them which probably came from their victims.
Two angels were sent to these cities to "check them out." Genesis 19:4-5 records that while they were
there the house they were in was surrounded by "all the men from every part of the city." These men
demanded the release of the angels from the house so they could have sex with them. The angels blinded
these men, they took the family they were staying with out of the city and they then destroyed both Sodom
and Gomorrah.
At this point it was apparent that hatred, violence and injustice kept resulting as societies developed on
earth. God responded to this by choosing one man named Abraham to father an entire nation called Israel.
This man was quite likely chosen simply because he had faith or "belief in" God. Abraham had a son named
Isaac who had faith in God. Isaac had a son named Jacob who had faith in God. Jacob had twelve sons and
the most favored of these was named Joseph who also had faith in God.
The brothers of Joseph were jealous of him so they sold him into slavery after which they told their father
that he had been killed by a lion. Joseph ended up in Egypt where he became the second most powerful man
in the entire country. During a famine his brothers traveled to Egypt to buy food. Joseph recognized them
and after a reconciliation he convinced them to live in Egypt where they could be cared for.
After the death of Joseph the people of Israel continued to live in Egypt. They eventually became so
numerous that the Egyptians feared them so they made them slaves. According to the Bible the people of
Israel remained the slaves of the Egyptians for four hundred years until God sent them a man named Moses.
Under the leadership of Moses the people of Israel were freed from slavery. They traveled through the
wilderness and they entered the "promised land." Moses did not enter this land, he died in the wilderness but
before his death he gave the people God's law which was eventually called the "law of Moses." It contained
the "ten commandments" and it also contained a multitude of other laws and sacrifices. This law was God's
response to hatred, violence, and injustice which are the basis for the biblical concepts of evil and sin.
There are many religious people who believe that everything is evil, or that everything is sin. They believe
that a person cannot be good, regardless of what they do or how they live, unless they have the right
religious beliefs. This is only true if God separates people on the basis of religious beliefs but it is not true if
God separates people on the basis of whether, or not they care. The religious definition of evil and sin is
mainly based upon beliefs, but the biblical definition is based upon the actions of people.
The concepts of evil and sin as they are found in the Bible were only required because of the hatred,
violence and injustice that kept developing on earth. This becomes clear when the Hebrew and Greeks
words for evil and sin are analyzed. The Hebrew root word for sin is "chata" (khaw-taw') which means "to
miss." It also means "the harm that has been done." If the real goal in life is love, compassion or caring, then
harming others would definitely be the opposite of this goal.
The Greek word for sin is "hamartano" (ham-ar-tan'-o) which means "to miss the mark." If the mark is to
care, be compassionate or love, then harming others would certainly be missing this mark. The Hebrew root
word for evil is "raa" (raw-ah') which means "to be bad, evil, injurious, wicked and to do injury or hurt."
Again we see the definition of "doing injury to", or harming others which is definitely the opposite of caring
or love. The Greek word for evil is "poneros" (pon-ay-ros') which means "hurtful."
It is extremely important to realize that the biblical definitions for evil and sin are essentially the same.
They both mean "to harm" and when people harm each other the result is hatred, violence and injustice. If
people did not harm each other the introduction of these concepts would never have been required.
Violent societies kept developing on earth so the law of Moses was both established to prevent violence,
and to make people aware that this violence was wrong. Six of the ten commandments can be analyzed from
the context of not harming others. Honor your parents, do not murder, commit adultery, steal, give false
testimony, or covet. All of these at the very least contain the potential for harm if they are broken. The ten
commandments also contained instructions to love God. This would hopefully inspire faith and this faith
would then in turn inspire hope and love.
The ten commandments were actually only a very small portion of the law of Moses. In other portions of
the law found in Leviticus 19:15-18 the people were directed, "Not to pervert justice, not to show partiality
to the poor or favoritism to the rich." They were instructed, "Not to spread slander or do anything that
would endanger their neighbors life." They were instructed, "Not to seek revenge or bear a grudge, but
instead they were to love their neighbors as themselves."
The entire structure of the law of Moses was intended to prevent the hatred, violence and injustice that
kept developing on earth. The society under this law was intended to function with an attitude of love and
caring. God saw that the uncaring ways of people kept turning the earth into a living hell, so God established
a law that said, "stop killing each other." The intention was not to force people to submit to an unreasonable
set of laws. The intention was to show people a better way to live.
The law of Moses was designed to "force" people to care. This law was actually an attempt to legislate
both love and faith. Under this law the people would be forced to protect the interests of each other instead
of simply protecting their own interests. The law also attempted to control crime in two different ways and
the combination of these had the potential to be extremely effective.
Under the law of Moses the attitude of love and caring within the society was to be extended to the poor..
In Deuteronomy 15:7-11 the people were instructed not to be hard-hearted or tight-fisted towards the poor.
Instead, they were to be open-handed and freely lend them whatever they needed. It was clearly stated that
"there would always be poor", but the people were to always help. In this way the poor would not starve,
nor would they live without hope. This had the potential to reduce crime and inspire love within the society.
Under the law of Moses the society also had a unique system of justice. The nation of Israel was
comprised of twelve tribes, one of which was set aside by God as a priesthood. These priests lived in towns
throughout the land and whenever a dispute could not be resolved it was taken before a priest who would
act as a judge. The dispute would be heard, witnesses would be questioned and if the priest had any trouble
making a ruling God would provide the truth.
The poor were not to be shown partiality, nor were the rich to be shown favoritism. This meant the poor
did not get special treatment, but then neither did the rich and strangers were also given equal rights as far as
justice was concerned. Everyone was to be treated exactly the same and if any witness in a trial was caught
lying the witness would receive the full sentence for the crime in the case. This meant no one could lie in
court because they knew God would expose them. Crime could therefore be controlled because the poor
were cared for and because the justice system was almost flawless.
The law of Moses was designed to stop hatred, violence and injustice and at times it worked very well.
The greatest example of this may be seen in the kingdom that flourished under the leadership of a king
named Solomon. He was the son of king David who slew Goliath and he became king at a very young age.
The Bible records in 1 Kings 3:5-15 that when Solomon had become king the Lord appeared to him in a
dream and said, "Ask for whatever you want me to give you." Solomon became what may have been the
greatest king in the history of the world simply because of his reply.
Solomon answered, "You have shown great kindness to your servant, my father David, because he was
faithful to you and righteous and upright in heart. You have continued this great kindness to him and have
given him a son to sit on his throne this very day. Now, o Lord my God, you have made your servant king in
place of may father David, but I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. Your
servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. So
give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For
who is able to govern this great people of yours?"
The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. So God said to him, "Since you have asked for
this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have you asked for the death of your enemies but for
discernment in administering justice. I will do what you have asked, I will give you a wise and discerning
heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. Moreover, I will give you
what you have not asked for-both riches and honor-so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among
kings."
The Bible records in 1 Kings 4:29-30 that "God gave Solomon wisdom and very great insight and a
breadth of understanding as measureless as the sands on the seashore. Solomon's wisdom was greater than
the wisdom of all the men of the east, and greater than all the wisdom of Egypt." In 1 Kings 4:34 it is
recorded that, "Men of all nations came to listen to Solomon's wisdom, sent by the kings of the world, who
had heard of his wisdom."
In 1 Kings 10:23-24 it is also recorded that "King Solomon was greater in riches and wisdom than all the
other kings of the earth. The whole world sought audiences with Solomon to hear the wisdom God had put
in his heart." Solomon had a fleet of trading vessels, he had chariot cities and the Bible records in 1 Kings
10:27 that in Jerusalem he made silver as common as stones.
This resulted because a person who cared about justice and mercy was ultimately responsible for the
administration of the law. His response to God in his dream was a very unselfish response. He asked for
wisdom and discernment instead of asking something for himself and of all the leaders of Israel that are
recorded in the Bible only some would have responded this way. When they did things went well, but when
they did not the law became worthless.
The administration of what could have been a practically flawless system was dependent on people and
because of this it had one very serious flaw. If these people became corrupt the entire system became
corrupt and when this happened the results were horrifying. The recorded history in the Old Testament
shows that when the leadership was good the system under the law of Moses worked. It also shows that
when the leadership was bad the system became corrupt and this always resulted in tremendous bloodshed.
The administration of the law was mainly the responsibility of the priesthood. The nation of Israel was
initially led by this priesthood, then it was led by judges, and then by kings. The Bible records that regardless
of who was leading the nation, when corruption set in it would spread from the top to the bottom. This
meant that if the leadership became corrupt the priesthood and the people also became corrupt.
Concerning the priesthood Jeremiah 23:11 states that, "From the least to the greatest, all were greedy for
gain; prophets and priests alike, all practiced deceit." Concerning the people Ezekial 22:29 states, "The
people of the land practice extortion and commit robbery; they oppress the poor and needy and mistreat the
alien, denying them justice." In Hosea 4:2 it states, "There is only cursing, lying and murder, stealing and
adultery; they break all bounds and bloodshed follows bloodshed."
The same result was seen in Israel every time the leadership became corrupt and Isaiah 3:14-15 states that
the elders and leaders of the people were responsible for what happened. The law of Moses did have the
potential to prevent hatred, violence and injustice. When it worked it provided the world with an example of
what a society could be. This example was the exact opposite of what had been seen in the civilization that
existed before the flood, and in Sodom and Gomorrah. The law had some success but because of corruption
it ultimately failed which was no surprise to God.
The final portions of the law are given to Moses by God in Deuteronomy 31:9-13. Three verses later in the
same chapter God tells Moses that the law will fail. God knew right from the beginning that faith and love
cannot be legislated. The law of Moses was designed to stop corruption, violence and injustice, but instead it
proved that people cannot be forced to care.
God knew right from the beginning that any system will fail if its administration is dependent on people.
This is true because even a perfect system will become corrupted if the people who administer it are corrupt.
People throughout history have tried again and again to create systems of government and justice that would
work, but corruption has always stood in the way.
The law of Moses was established because people kept harming each other and the concepts of evil and sin
were established for the same reason. If God separates people on the basis of whether or not they care, then
the people who harm are the people who do not care. It could be said that the truly corrupt are those who
willingly, continuously and intentionally harm others. It could also be said that these people are unforgiving.
The law of Moses failed because of corruption and because of this it will ultimately be used to judge those
who are corrupt.
The law of Moses was designed to be unforgiving so it could be used to judge "the goats" who are
themselves unforgiving. Under this law a person could only enter heaven if they had faith in God and if they
never intentionally or unintentionally harmed another human being. Galations 3:10 states that, "All who rely
on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: cursed is everyone who does not continue to do
everything written in the book of the law."
Practically every law contained in the law of Moses was designed to keep people from harming one
another regardless of whether this harm was a result of action or inaction. The Bible clearly indicates that if
any portion of this law is broken it is all broken. This means that to fulfill the law of Moses the requirement is nothing less than perfection so the law is unforgiving.
It is stated in I timothy 1:8-10 that this law was not made for the righteous but for those who kill their
parents, for murderers, perverts, slave traders, liars and perjurers. In other words for the people who do not
care. It is also stated in Romans 3:20 that, "No one will be declared righteous in God's sight by observing
this law."
If God does separate people on the basis of whether or not they care the law of Moses was established for
the uncaring. Its standard was perfection but God knew no human being could be perfect. This meant that
God had to establish a second law for those who care and that caring would have to be the sole requirement
of this law. This second law is called the "law of Christ." The theologies of all Bible-based religions have
failed to recognize and/or understand this law and this is the sole reason they have all failed to solve the
puzzle.
The law of Christ is "love your neighbor as yourself." It was originally part of the "law of Moses" and is
first mentioned in Leviticus 19:18. This single law is the fulfillment of the many laws contained in the law of
Moses. If harm is the basis for the biblical concepts of evil & sin the question can be asked, "what harm will
people do to each other if they care?" The law of Moses contains a multitude of laws to cover many different
types of harm, but the law of Christ is a single law that covers them all. This law was established to draw the
one true line between good & evil.
CHAPTER FIVE
There are many people who have difficulty believing in God because they do not understand how a "so
called" perfect God could create a world like this one. The argument is simple, if God is perfect, anything
God creates should also be perfect, yet there is nothing perfect about this world. This creates a dilemma for
many because they may want to believe in God, but much of what they see in life does not make sense, so it
becomes a struggle to believe.
The above struggle becomes even more difficult when people consider the issues of religion, and the Bible
because again much of what they see does not make sense. The actions of religious people can at times seem
absurd to non-religious people, as can certain portions of the Bible. The combination of these can leave
people with a series of contradictions, and a picture of hypocrisy that does nothing more than turn them off
believing in God.
For example the animal sacrifices contained within the law of Moses likely seem absurd to many people.
These sacrifices were supposed to be an atonement for the sins of the people, or for the harm the people had
done. There were specific sacrifices for specific laws, and there were even sacrifices for sins that had been
committed in ignorance. These sacrifices were supposedly required because there were so many laws that a
person could easily break one without realizing it.
Many people have a great deal of difficulty understanding these animal sacrifices. This is understandable
because it does seem completely absurd that a "so called" perfect God would required the killing of animals
as a payment for something called "sin." Furthermore, today some religious people do still believe that the
observance of these sacrifices did at one time have something to do with the forgiveness of sins.
These people would also likely believe that a person must believe in Christ to be saved. If asked, "how was
anyone saved before Christ?" They would likely respond by saying, "there were sacrifices that had to be
observed." If this is true it would then also have to be explained how anyone could be saved before the law
of Moses was established? If a different answer is given to this question it would then mean that there are at
least three different standards of salvation. One before the law of Moses, one under the law of Moses and
one after the death of Christ.
The above would again likely seem absurd to many people. Why would a "so called" perfect God establish
three different standards of salvation? This again does not make sense, nor is this belief supported by the
Bible. It is stated in Habakkuk 2:4 of the Old Testament and in Romans 1:17 of the New Testament that the
"righteous will live by faith." This means that the biblical concept of salvation has always been an issue of
faith and that there never has been any other issue.
If the above is true it is then also very likely that the sacrifices under the law of Moses had absolutely
nothing to do with the salvation of any person. This would mean these sacrifices had another purpose which
could have been to point out, or draw attention to the fact, that an ultimate sacrifice for injustice was
required. This may not be unreasonable given the fact that when there is a conviction under any justice
system there must also be a sentence otherwise there is no execution of justice.
God saw the tremendous amount of harm that had and would be done to people, by people and God said,
"somebody must pay!." The history of this world is filled with hatred, violence, use and abuse which all
comes under the heading of harm. The fact is every human being has to some extent contributed to this harm
regardless of whether the contribution was intentional or unintentional. It is a simple fact that every person
has harmed another at some point in their lives and because we all contribute we are all guilty.
It could be argued that if God created people it would also make God responsible for the actions of these
people. This may not be true solely for the reason that in order to make or create something called an
individual the introduction of corruption is both necessary and unavoidable. If the above is understood the
motivation for creation itself may also be understood. This is true because if we understand what it takes to
make or create individuals we may then also understand why a so called perfect God actually "had" to create
a world like this one.
Webster's defines an individual as something that is "not divisible without loss of identity." It is a fact that
every human being, or every individual possesses certain qualities that make us what we are. We all have a
mind, a soul and/or a spirit, and we all possess a knowledge of good & evil. It could be said that all of these
qualities combine to give us each our own individual identity.
It is very likely that all of the above mentioned qualities must be present in order for an individual to exist.
It may also be true that if any of these qualities are taken away there is no individual. There is one last
important part to this equation. This is the fact that along with the knowledge of good & evil comes the
ability to choose between the two. We call this ability "free will" and without it there again is no individual.
The creation of individuals was clearly the motivation behind creation. The creation of slaves, robots or
clones was never the intention, but if any of our individual qualities were taken away nothing more than
these would be left behind. If God created a being that could only choose good, the being would not have
"free will," so the being would not be an individual. To create individuals the knowledge of good & evil
combined with the ability to choose between the two was required. This meant that the introduction of
corruption was unavoidable.
One of the definitions given by Webster's for the word corrupt is "to lose purity." Every human being has
to some extent suffered a "necessary" loss of purity. This has occurred because we all had to possess the
knowledge of good & evil which means that we are all influenced by evil. We are also influenced by good
and ultimately it is the nature of each individual that will determine our choice between the two. It is this
choice that reveals what kind of individual we each are, but if corruption is not introduced the choice can
never be made.
This means that the introduction of corruption is essential to the individuality of every human being. This
also means that if the corruption is taken away the individuality of every human being is also taken away. It
then becomes impossible for any human being to be perfect because they all must be influenced by evil. If
they do not have this influence they cannot possibly have an individual identity.
It was always intended that the influence of good & evil would create a struggle within the soul of every
person. This struggle was intensified by the fact that the issues of life and existence were unclear. We were
not given all the answers, so we ended up with millions of opinions and hundreds upon hundreds of different
religions.
We were also given this collection of books called the Bible which was supposed to be the "word of God."
This book contains many apparent contradictions, and portions of it have always seemed absurd to many.
Throughout history those who have believed in what the Bible states have never been able to agree on it's
meaning. This has resulted in a world full of different Bible-based religions all claiming to have the truth.
All of the above combines to produce a great deal of frustration for those who are trying to figure out
what life is all about. The production of this frustration is entirely by design and it is actually explained in the
Bible. Romans 8:19-20 states, "The creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be
revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who
subjected it." It also goes on to state that this was done to liberate the creation and bring it into the freedom
of the children of God.
If God separates people on the basis of whether or not they care, the people who care are the children of
God. If it is the choice between good & evil that ultimately determines whether or not each individual cares
then each individual must be given this choice. It is then the frustration of life that forces the choice and it
also makes the choice clear in each individual case.
It was never intended that life should be easy, nor was it ever intended that the issues of life and existence
should be clear. If they were life would be easy for everyone and in many cases this would make it more
difficult to separate the people who care from the people who do not. This is true because people can often
care if they have a reason to care just as they can love if they have a reason to love. Almost anyone can
appear to be good when they are motivated, but the true nature of an individual is often seen only when they
are not motivated.
Every person may possess a "common knowledge" about God, but we also have valid reasons for doubt. If
the sum of these is equal, it means that at times we must all decide whether or not we are going to have
faith, or care when there is no reason to have faith, or care. The frustration of life was introduced to force
this decision. Every human being must at times decide whether or not they are going to "hang in there" in
spite of what life throws at them. If they do, they will in some way maintain faith & hope, but if they do not
they may either choose to be selfish and live for today, or they may give up altogether.
When there are no clear answers an individual is forced to look within and when this happens the true
nature of an individual is revealed. If all of the answers were handed to us there would be less frustration,
and this would not happen, or it would happen less often. The conditions of our existence are designed to
make it happen, and they are designed to make it happen more often. In the end this will leave little, or no
room for error.
This all provides an explanation for the very design of the Bible which was written in a way that adds to
the frustration of life. The Bible is unclear in many respects and the puzzle that it contains is extremely
difficult to piece together. This can make it very difficult to understand the issues of life where the Bible is
used as a basis. All the contradictions, ceremonies, sacrifices and religions make little or no sense to many,
but we do not realize that this is all by design.
People have failed to understand that the Bible is both a very complicated and cleverly disguised puzzle. It
was intentionally authored by God in a way that significantly added to the frustration of life which has aided
the creation and development of individuals. Its design helped establish conditions of existence that have
forced each individual to reveal their true nature. This was necessary so that there could be a clear
separation between the people who care and the people who do not.
In the beginning God set out to create individuals. God knew that to make or create these individuals there
would have to be the knowledge of good & evil combined with "free will." This meant that the introduction
of corruption into the human system was unavoidable. This also meant that none of these individuals could
possibly be perfect and that the world they inhabited would be filled with both good and evil.
It was ultimately God's intention to hand the keys to heaven to the people who choose good over evil. It
was known that the nature of each individual would ultimately determine this choice so conditions of
existence had to be established that would reveal this nature. This was done by subjecting people to
tremendous frustration. Every individual was given a "common knowledge" about God, but they were also
given reasons for doubt. Nothing was made crystal clear as far as the issues of life and existence were
concerned. The Bible itself was also written in a way that was not clear.
This was done so that people would argue over the meaning of the Bible which would make it the basis for
many different religions. These religions would then also contribute to the frustration of life which was
required for the creation and development of individuals. All of this was done in accordance with an
unthwartable plan that was established before God created anything.
The Bible does contain the details to this plan, but in order to understand the plan we must first solve the
puzzle. To do this we must first recognize that the Bible does contain two distinctly different laws. One is an
unforgiving law established for the unforgiving. The other is a forgiving law established for the forgiving.
These laws do not differentiate between people on the basis of religious beliefs, but instead they differentiate
on the basis of whether or not people care.
The first of these laws was established by Moses and it is called the "law of Moses." The second of these
laws was established by Christ and it is called the "law of Christ." There is not a single theology of any
Bible-based religion that properly understands and recognizes the significance of both of these laws. This, in
itself, is the reason the puzzle has never been solved.
Many religious theologies do not recognize the "law of Christ" as being an independent law. They see it as
being part of the "law of Moses" because it is first seen within the "law of Moses." Other religious theologies
believe that the "law of Christ" can only be fulfilled if a person believes in Christ. This then makes the
fulfillment of this law an issue of beliefs which therefore also makes it an issue of religion. The Bible makes it
very clear that both of these positions are wrong.
After Moses had led the people of Israel out of Egypt and into the wilderness he went up mount Sinai
where God gave him the law. It is recorded in Exodus 32:1-4 that Moses was on the mountain for so long
that the people became restless and they made themselves a golden calf to worship. When Moses came
down the mountain he became angry at what was happening and all the men from the tribe of Levi rallied
around him. After this the tribe of Levi was set aside by God as a priesthood called the Levitical priesthood
of which Aaron the brother of Moses was appointed the first high priest.
The Levitical priesthood is not the only priesthood mentioned in the Bible. Over four hundred years before
the law of Moses was ever established the Bible records in Genesis 14:18 that Abraham met a priest of God
named Melchizedek. This priest was the king of a city named Salem which is an early word for Jerusalem.
Hebrews 7:2 states that the name Melchizedek means "king of righteousness" and that "king of Salem" also
means "king of peace."
The Bible makes it crystal clear that this priest was not human. Hebrews 7:3 states that Melchizedek was
"without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life." The Bible also
makes it crystal clear in Hebrews 7:11 that Christ became a priest in the order of Melchizedek, not in the
order of Aaron. The Levitical priesthood failed because it was a human priesthood and was therefore
corruptible. When it became corrupt it also corrupted the "law of Moses" and this made the law worthless.
There is no doubt that according to the Bible this corruptible human priesthood was replaced by an
incorruptible priesthood in the order of Melchizedek.
The Bible clearly states in Hebrews 7:12 that, "When there is a change of the priesthood there must also be
a change of the law." Many of today's theologies do in fact recognize this change in the priesthood, but they
do not recognize the change that also occurred in the law. This is unfortunate because if they had understood this change in the law, they would have then understood it all.
CHAPTER SIX
When Christ came on the scene the history of Israel had been like a roller coaster ride. This nation had at
times been on top of the world and at other times it had almost been eradicated from the face of the planet.
The low point of the nation in biblical times came at about 500 BC when God sent the king of Babylon
against Israel to destroy it. The armies of Babylon first defeated Israel, after which they also defeated Judah
which had become a separate kingdom.
During this occupation many of the people of Israel and Judah who were not killed were taken back to
Babylon as slaves and captives. This was later called the period of the "Babylonian Captivity." The people of
Babylon were very interested in culture and because of this the people of Israel were allowed to record their
history in writing. This was the beginning of the Old Testament as we know it today. After this captivity
ended the Old Testament nation of Israel was never the same. It never regained the glory that it had known
under kings like David or Solomon.
After the "Babylonian Captivity" ended it was not a simple matter for the people of Israel or Judah to
rebuild because their kingdoms had virtually been destroyed. This meant that when they went back they had
to start over because everything was essentially in ruins. There were also neighboring countries that did not
want the Jews to rebuild and this again made things difficult. The people did however have the beginnings of
the Old Testament in writing and religious groups did form basing their beliefs on these writings.
There was approximately a four hundred year gap between the writing of the last book of the Old
Testament and the birth of Christ. During this period of time changes happened or began to happen in what
was left of Israel. The New Testament records that at the time of Christ two prominent religious groups
existed in Israel. One of these religious groups was called the Pharisees and the other was called the
Sadducees. Neither one of these two groups is mentioned anywhere in the Old Testament which means they
both likely originated in the time period between the Old and New Testaments.
At the time of Christ the nation of Israel was under the control of the Roman Empire which had
established a king to rule over Israel. The Pharisees, who had become the most prominent religious group,
had also established a ruling council called the Sanhedrin which was a completely separate authority. The
establishment of this council was permitted by Rome because it helped keep the Jews under control.
The Pharisees and the Sadducees did not share the same religious beliefs, but they both did pursue
legalistic forms of religion. They believed that the righteousness and/or salvation of any individual was based
on the observance of the right set of religious laws. The Pharisees wrote many laws in addition to those
contained in the "law of Moses" whereas the Sadducees would only recognise the "law of Moses." The
origins of the modern rabbi can be traced back to the Pharisees, but the order of the Sadducees was
eventually abolished by the Sanhedrin.
When the army of Babylon destroyed the Jewish nation the levitical priesthood of the Old Testament was
also essentially lost. It was in a sense replaced by the establishment of the Pharisees which was actually the
beginning of modern "Judaism." This was a very significant change because the Levitical priesthood along
with the "law of Moses" was far more than a religion, if in fact it even was a religion. It was a "system of
government" that had been established by God whereas modern Judaism is a faith or a religion.
This means that by the time Christ was born a "system of government" was well on its way to becoming a
"system of beliefs." It was then simply a matter of which "system of beliefs" would emerge. It was either
going to be the religion of the Sadducees or the religion of the Pharisees. What took place between these
two groups was nothing more than a competition between religions which the Sadducees eventually lost.
Christ understood, but did not respect the religion of the Pharisees, or the Sadducees. He recognized that
they had each adopted a religious "system of beliefs" that effectively nullified the love of God. In Matthew
23:33 Christ referred to the Pharisees as snakes. In Matthew 16:6 he warned the people against the
teachings of these two religious groups. In Luke 11:42 Christ stated that the Pharisees understood and kept
the ceremony of the "law of Moses", but they neglected justice and the love of God.
The above is further illustrated in Luke 20:46-47 where Christ states, "Beware of the teachers of the law.
They like to walk around in flowing robes and love to be greeted in the marketplaces and have the most
important seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets. They devour widows houses and for a
show make lengthy prayers. Such people will be punished most severely."
The New Testament makes it very clear that the Pharisees and Sadducees understood religion, but not
faith. When people sought advice on how to live the Pharisees or Sadducees would simply give them laws to
obey. Christ referred to this in Luke 11:46 where it states, "And you experts in the law, woe to you, because
you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help
them."
When Christ started teaching in Israel there were several goals that he needed to accomplish. The first of
these was to try to make people realize that they could not fulfill the "law of Moses." This had to be done in a way that would not abolish this law because it did have an important purpose. The idea was to decrease the focus on legalism and increase the focus on faith. Also, in accomplishing the above, Christ could not be too clear in his teachings because the frustration of life had to be maintained at all times.
Christ understood that many people had become focused on the religions of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
These religions were based on the "law of Moses" which had only been established to judge the people who
do not care, or the "goats." Its standard was perfection, but no human being could be perfect so this law
could not be fulfilled. This also meant that the laws and teachings of the Pharisees and Sadducees were
essentially useless. These religious leaders lacked an understanding of faith so in Matthew 23:16 Christ
referred to them as "blind guides."
Christ knew that it was his job to fulfill the "law of Moses" because only he could. In Matthew 5:17 he
stated, "Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have not come to abolish them
but to fulfill them." Once this was accomplished he knew he would then be able to pay the price for injustice
after which he would also establish a second law that people could fulfill.
Christ also made it very clear that the "law of Moses" would remain intact until it had fulfilled its purpose.
In Matthew 5:18 Christ states, "I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter,
not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the law until everything is accomplished."
With the "law of Moses" left intact all that remained was the establishment of the "law of Christ." Once this
was done the tools would be in place to separate the sheep from the goats.
Many of the statements made by Christ in the four gospels of the New Testament can be attributed either
to the "law of Moses" or to the "law of Christ." In many cases it can be seen that Christ was speaking about
one of these two laws. Whenever Christ spoke about hypocrisy, or legalism, or religion he was likely
referring to the "law of Moses." Whenever Christ spoke about forgiveness, compassion, or love he was
likely referring to the "law of Christ."
A contrast of these two laws is found in a parable told by Christ. Luke 18:9-14 states, "To some who
where confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: two
men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood up and
prayed about himself: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men - robbers, evildoers, adulterers - or
even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get'."
"But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up into heaven, but beat his breast and
said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.' I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified
before God. For everyone who exalts themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be
exalted."
The Pharisee in the parable clearly set a standard of perfection for himself and he believed he had achieved
it. He thought he was better than other people, but anytime a person chooses to set a standard of perfection
the "law of Moses" becomes the standard. No human being is perfect if they are judged by this law, so if we
believe we are perfect we are fooling ourselves.
The tax collector did not set a standard of perfection for himself. He did not think he was better than other
people, but instead he was extremely sincere in his humility. It is very reasonable to believe that in the case
of a real person such an attitude would be seen in other areas of the persons life. This could be seen as
kindness, compassion, mercy, understanding or love and where perfection is not the standard these become
the standard.
The reference in the parable to the two laws is clear, but only if the two laws are understood. If both laws
are not understood some of the meaning is lost and this occurs over and over as the Bible is studied.
Religious theologies have been correct to recognize that the "law of Moses" cannot be fulfilled, so "all have
sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Unfortunately these theologies have failed to recognize that the
son of God established a second law which does not set perfection as a standard.
The contrast of these two laws is further illustrated in Romans 13:8-10. It states, "Let no debt remain
outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for the person who loves their fellowman has
fulfilled the law. The commandments, 'do not commit adultery,' 'do not murder,' 'do not steal,' 'do not covet,'
and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: 'love your neighbor as
yourself.' Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law."
The above is also found in Galations 5:14 where it states, "The entire law is summed up in a single
command: 'love your neighbor as yourself'." Also, Galations 6:2 states, "Carry each other's burdens and in
this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." The Bible makes it crystal clear that the "law of Moses" cannot be
fulfilled, yet above it clearly states that the "law of Christ" can be fulfilled.
The biblical evidence of the existence of these two independent laws is undeniable yet the "law of Christ"
is practically non-existent in today's theologies. James 1:25 refers to, "The perfect law that gives freedom."
This cannot possibly be a reference to the "law of Moses" because an unforgiving law cannot give freedom
to anyone. The above must be a reference to the "law of Christ" because it is the only law contained in the
Bible that a person can fulfill.
To those who set a standard of perfection by focusing on the "law of Moses" Christ stated, "be perfect",
and "if you think it you have done it." These statements were made to illustrate just how high the standard
was with the hope that people would realize that it could not be attained. When Christ focused on the "law
of Christ" he stated, "forgive and you will be forgiven," or "do to others as you would have them do to you."
There actually is a tremendous and unmistakable contrast between the statements of Christ that refer to the
"law of Moses" and those that refer to the "law of Christ." Those that refer to the "law of Moses" often
contain references to perfection and judgment. Those that refer to the "law of Christ" always contain
references to mercy, compassion, forgiveness, love and freedom.
The fact that the Bible contains these two laws also means that it contains two opposing perspectives of
life and people. These perspectives are interwoven throughout the Bible and they often appear to contradict
one another. If it is not understood that these contradictions are a product of the two laws it becomes
impossible to sort them out and the Bible is then very difficult to understand. If the laws are understood the
references to them can be clearly seen and the contradictions virtually disappear.
The Bible states in a number of places that "all have sinned" and that "no one living is righteous," yet it
also refers over and over again to the righteous. In the first case above a perspective is given looking
through the "law of Moses" and because no one is perfect, no one is righteous. In the second case a
perspective is given looking through the "law of Christ" and in this case love is the standard so there are
many righteous people. Without both laws there is a contradiction but with both laws there is not.
Some may believe that the "law of Christ" is a law of the New Testament only, but references to this law
are found throughout the Bible. The first of these is found in Genesis 4:7 where God says to Cain, "If you do
what is right, will you not be accepted?" The answer to the question is not given but the implication is clear.
If a person does what is right they will be accepted because the "law of Christ" will be fulfilled. The
reference to the "law of Christ" is clear because it is the only biblical law that a person can fulfill.
The "law of Christ" also sheds some light on the civilization that existed before the flood and on the reason
for the flood. The Bible states that this civilization was "full of violence," but it does not identify the standard God used in this judgment. Without knowing this standard we must simply decide whether or not we are going to accept God's opinion that it really was that bad.
If God used a standard that no human being could fulfill then many would see this judgment as being
completely unreasonable. If on the other hand God used a standard of love that did not require people to be
perfect then this judgment may have been completely justified. The people who lived on earth before the
flood could never have fulfilled the "law of Moses" so if this standard was applied they never had a chance.
If however the "law of Christ" was the standard, they then had as much chance as anyone.
The same analysis can be applied to Sodom and Gomorrah. God stated that these cities would not have
been destroyed if ten righteous people had been found. The question must again be asked, "what standard
did God use when he looked for these ten righteous people?" If the "law of Moses" had been the standard
there would have been no point in even looking and Abraham's nephew Lot would never have been taken
from the city.
When a person is called righteous anywhere in the Bible it is a reference to the "law of Christ." Whenever
a judgment occurs in the Bible to determine whether or not a person is righteous it is also a reference to the
"law of Christ." In Revelation 22:12 Christ states, "Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me and I
will give to everyone according to what they have done." This again is a reference to the "law of Christ"
because without it Christ would not be rewarding anyone.
The first reference to the "law of Christ" that is found in Genesis 4:7 is on page three of the Bible. The
reference listed above in Revelation 22:12 is found on the last page of the Bible. It can accurately be said
that in the Bible the "law of Christ" is found from cover to cover, yet in today's theologies its very existence
is barely even acknowledged.
CHAPTER SEVEN
According to today's theologies a person cannot be "saved" unless Christ is the person's "personal Lord
and savior." If this is true it means that the sacrifice of Christ does not apply to anyone unless they have
accepted Christ as Lord and savior. No human can fulfill the "law of Moses" therefore all are lost and no
one is good, or righteous until they believe. This reasoning places the focus squarely on beliefs because a
person either believes or they do not.
The reasoning outlined above is entirely dependent on the belief that the lordship and sacrifice of Christ
must be applied to people on an individual basis only. John 3:16 does state, "For God so loved the world
that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."
John 3:18 states, "Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands
condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God's one and only son."
Verses like the ones quoted above do seem to clearly support the belief that salvation is simply an issue of
beliefs. If a person calls Christ Lord they have believed in the name of God's one and only son, so they are
not condemned. If they do not believe they stand condemned already. The meaning is crystal clear to many
religious people, but the meaning is qualified by the words of Christ himself.
In Matthew 7:21-27 Christ states, "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of
heaven, but only those who do the will of my father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day,
'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform miracles?'
Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me you evildoers'!"
"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise person who
built their house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against
that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words
of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish person who built their house on sand. The rain
came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against the house, and it fell with a great crash."
The statements made in Matthew 7:21-27 are extremely important in understanding the fact that beliefs are
not the issue that some people accept them to be. These statements begin to clarify that there is more depth
regarding "what it means to believe" than today's theologies recognize. First, the statement, "not everyone
who says 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven" makes it clear that calling Christ "Lord" does not
necessarily mean anything. Second, the statement that "many" who say, "Lord, Lord," will not enter heaven
clearly indicates that many people who say they believe do not understand "what it means to believe." This
also indicates that understanding "what it means to believe" is actually more important than the belief itself.
During the crusades, the inquisitions and the witch hunts belief in Christ was used as a justification for
murder. For some religious people today belief in Christ means taking a stand against sin, but to them
everything is sin so they stand against everything. To others belief in Christ means grabbing as much money
as they possibly can. To others it means building amusement parks instead of feeding people. For those who
say they believe in Christ what it really means to them is seen in what they do.
Third, the fact that Christ stated, "I never knew you," to people who drove out demons and performed
miracles in his name indicates that these actions can also be meaningless. This clearly demonstrates that
people can become deeply involved in a religion that is supposedly based on Christ without ever truly
understanding the teachings of Christ. If asked, these people would likely have said that they were disciples
of Christ, but the words of Christ make it clear that they were in fact disciples of religion.
The entire message of the verses quoted above is that the one who has understood the word is the doer of
the word, not the hearer of the word. If beliefs, or calling Christ "Lord" is not the standard of "what it means
to believe" then we must ask, "what is the standard?" This question is easy to answer if the "law of Christ" is
included in the equation. In this case a person is a doer of the word only if they fulfill the "law of Christ."
In the judgment described in "the sheep and the goats" all the religious and non-religious people who
have fulfilled the "law of Christ" are given their places in heaven. Also, in this judgment the statement that
"a person must believe" is completely fulfilled because the "law of Christ" is the standard of what it means to
believe. This takes the issue of religion completely out of the process because the "law of Christ" is a law of
love, not a law of beliefs.
According to the judgment described in "the sheep and the goats" it is very likely that many goats would
have been very committed to religion. It is also very likely that they would respond to Christ by saying,
"look at what we did in your name!" in the verses previously quoted we see the response of Christ to these
people. He states, "I never knew you," and he also states, "away from me you evildoers!" these statements
clearly are a direct reference to the people who called him Lord, but did not fulfill the "law of Christ."
In Luke 6:46-49 Christ states, "Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say? I will show
you what the person is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice. They are like
a person building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the
torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. But the one who hears my words
and does not put them into practice is like the person who builds a house on the ground without a
foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete."
The words of Christ again make it crystal clear that the act of calling him Lord is not the issue. This is true
because the exact same standard will be applied to all people regardless of whether or not they are affiliated
with any specific religion. This issue is clarified further in John 8:51 where Christ states, "I tell you the truth,
if anyone keeps my word, they will never see death."
The statement made above provides a very accurate understanding of "what it means to believe." This is
true because when it comes to keeping the word, or teachings of Christ it all begins and ends with the "law
of Christ." The Bible states that the entire law is summed up in this one single command. This statement is
also true about the teachings of Christ.
If the statements of Christ are properly analyzed it can be clearly seen that the same thing is said over and
over again. It is said in different ways but the meaning is the same. "Do to others as you would have them do
to you," "Forgive and you will be forgiven," "Love one another," and, "Let the person without sin throw the
first stone." These statements all have the same meaning and they are all summed up by the "law of Christ."
Today's theologies focus on "what it means to believe" in name only, but when it comes to the depth of
"what it means to believe" their focus is religion instead of love. This occurs because of two very
fundamental misunderstandings regarding what is stated in the Bible. The Lordship of Christ and the
sacrifice of Christ are the subjects of these misunderstandings and the implications of these is the difference
between faith and religion.
Many of today's Bible-based theologies maintain the belief that to be "saved" a person must have accepted
Christ as their "personal Lord and savior." Traditionally this occurs when a person says the right prayer, at
the right alter, in the right church. After this has occurred the members of the church are generally satisfied
that a true conversion has taken place. It is then expected or hoped that the person will attend that church or
a similar church.
The person will then be "discipled" in what it means to be a "Christian." This will include a certain degree
of legalism, Bible study, prayer, and fasting. Eventually the person will feel a certain degree of obligation to
"witness" to others so that they too can accept Christ as their "personal Lord and savior."
So those who accept Christ as their "personal Lord and savior" are saved and those who do not are lost.
The church is then in the business of salvation and its focus is beliefs. This also means that to some extent
God only exists within the four walls of the church because there is a good chance that anyone outside those
walls is lost. This entire theology is completely dependent on the belief that for a person to be "saved" Christ
must be their "personal Lord and savior."
There is one huge flaw in the theology described above. This has to do with the context in which the
Lordship of Christ is presented in the Bible. In the Old and New Testaments the Lordship of Christ is
presented in one context only. This is in the context that Christ is "the Lord of the whole earth" or that
Christ is "Lord of all." The Bible does not present the Lordship of Christ in the context that Christ is
anybody's "personal Lord and savior."
It may seem to some that there is little difference in these two perspectives of the Lordship of Christ, but
the difference is actually tremendous. The words "personal Lord and savior" appear nowhere in the Bible.
These words are the words of religion and they are used because they place the focus on beliefs. They also
help religious people to justify the belief that to some extent God does not exist outside the walls of their
church, or that as a religion they have an exclusive on God.
According to today's theologies if the Lordship of Christ is not personalized it cannot mean anything to
any individual. This also means that if a person does not believe in a religious manner then nothing Christ
accomplished can be applied to that person. Religious people can then say that only they believe therefore
what Christ accomplished is only applicable to them so this gives them an exclusive on God.
For many religious people this theology is written in stone, but when the biblical context of the Lordship
of Christ is examined the stone turns to dust. It then becomes clear that no group of human beings has ever
had an exclusive on God. It also makes it crystal clear that God is alive and well outside the walls of any and
every church.
In the Old Testament the Lordship of Christ is presented in the context of "the Lord of all the earth."
Joshua 3:13 states, "And as soon as the priests who carry the ark of the Lord - the Lord of all the earth - set
foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream will be cut off and stand up in a heap." Psalm 97:5 states,
"The mountains melt like wax before the Lord, before the Lord of all the earth." Zechariah 4:14 states, "So
he said, 'these are the two who are anointed to serve the Lord of all the earth'."
In all of the verses previously quoted the word "all" comes from the Hebrew word "kowl" (kole). It
means, "the whole; all, any or every." The King James Version of the Bible translates two of these verses as
"the Lord of the whole earth." This does not in any way present a context in which this Lordship must be
personalized or individualized in any way.
In the New Testament the Lordship of Christ is presented in the context of "Lord of all." Acts 10:36
states, "You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, telling the good news of peace through
Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all." Romans 10:12 states, "For there is no difference between Jew and gentile -
the same Lord is Lord of all." The Greek word for all in the verses quoted above is the word "pas." It
includes "all the forms of declension" and means "all, any, every, and the whole."
The Greek word "pas" seen above is the same word which is translated as "all" in "the sheep and the
goats" where it states, "all the nations will be gathered before him." The fact that it states above that the
word "pas" includes "all forms of declension" essentially means that it applies to every case, or that it is
without exception. It literally means "a decline" and "a system of cases and case endings" which in this
context means "from the top to the bottom" and "in every case."
When the evidence is properly examined there is tremendous clarity concerning the context in which the
Bible presents the Lordship of Christ. There is no real evidence to support the belief that this Lordship must
be personalized or individualized in any way. This can also be said concerning the sacrifice of Christ with
which the very same contextual mistakes have again been made.
In the New Testament it is stated six times that the sacrifice of Christ was "once for all." The best example
of these is found in Hebrews 7:27 where it states, "He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered
himself." Similar statements can also be found in Romans 6:10, Hebrews 9:12 and 26, Hebrews 10:10 and 1
Peter 3:18.
The above does not present the sacrifice of Christ in a way that must be personalized or individualized. In
fact, Christ is "Lord of all" because his sacrifice was "once for all." If this were not the case the biblical
context would be very different. The Bible also represents Christ as being "judge of all." John 5:22 states,
"Moreover, the father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the son."
These statements combined make the sequence of events very clear. First, Christ pays the price for
injustice, "once for all", past, present and future. Second, Christ becomes "Lord of all", "judge of all," and he
established a law of love that becomes the standard of "what it means to believe" in him. This takes God's
plan "beyond religion" because it means believing is not an issue of beliefs or religion.
Today's theologies do not recognize the significance of the "law of Christ" so they must find another
standard. They then personalize the Lordship and sacrifice of Christ, and beliefs replace love as the standard.
They then become very committed to these religious beliefs and for them "what it means to believe" is
demonstrated by the degree of commitment they maintain.
It could generally be said that the goal of practically any church which has been established by any Bible-
based religion is to influence people to believe in Christ. If all these churches focused on the "law of Christ"
and stopped forcing beliefs and religion on people they would all find themselves on exactly the same page.
They would mean they would cease to focus on any differences in beliefs that presently come between them.
Their focus would then be love alone and their influence on this world would be tremendous.
If the above were to happen much of the religion in our world today would simply cease to exist. Churches
would then have a very positive influence on their communities because they would no longer be attempting
to force beliefs on anyone. The church would become a place of tremendous emotional and material support
for those who really need it and the "law of Christ" would be visible at all times.
Today's theologies cannot see the "law of Christ" because religious people cannot see past their beliefs.
They do not understand that their religion is actually keeping them from their goal. They will never truly
understand what it means to believe in the only begotten son of God until they put aside their beliefs. If this
ever happens they will at the very least influence or perhaps even change this world.
CHAPTER EIGHT
When Christ was getting ready to introduce the "law of Christ" he made some statements that were
extremely significant. Matthew 9:10-13 states, "While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house, many tax
collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his
disciples, 'why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?' On hearing this Jesus said, 'it is not the
healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: "I desire mercy, not sacrifice" for
I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners'."
According to today's theologies everyone is a sinner. If this is true it means that when Christ stated, "I
have not come to call the righteous," he was not really referring to anyone because no one was righteous.
This would mean that in this case the words of Christ are completely without meaning. The statement "I
desire mercy not sacrifice" is a direct reference to the "law of Christ" and it is the key to understanding to
whom Christ was referring. This statement is a quote from the Old Testament. Hosea 6:6 states, "For I
desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings."
In Luke 15:7 Christ states, "I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one
sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who do not need to repent." Here again, religious
people would likely respond by saying that everyone is a sinner so everyone must repent. This would mean
that the ninety-nine righteous people referred to above had at some point already repented.
The fact is, the Bible does clearly state that before Christ was ever born there were righteous people. If
there were righteous people before Christ was born there were also righteous people while he was still alive.
This means that when he stated, "I have not come to call the righteous but sinners," the statement was made
with the understanding that there were righteous people.
In Romans 2:14 the apostle Paul states, "When gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things
required by the law, they are a law for themselves." The above reference to gentiles is a reference to anyone
who is not a Jew. The "law of Moses" was not given to these people, but the statement is inferring that they
could "by nature" go through life fulfilling the "law of Christ." To do this they would not have to be perfect,
they would simply have to "care." This was true then and it is true today because there have always been
people who understand that love and compassion are the real issues of life. Not everyone requires a religious
experience to figure this out.
The statement that there are people who do not need to repent is completely unacceptable according to
today's theologies. For many, the very idea that a person could be born, live, die and go to heaven without
some kind of religious repentance is completely inconceivable. According to them we are all sinners so if we
do not believe we are all lost.
The statement, "I desire mercy not sacrifice," is also found in Matthew 12:7 where Christ is again speaking
to the Pharisees. He states, "If you had known what these words mean, 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice,' you
would not have condemned the innocent." This statement was made to the Pharisees because their religion
did condemn the innocent.
This occurred because it is the nature of religion to place the focus on beliefs instead of love. This means
that the judgment & condemnation of people is then based on the wrong standard. Today's "Christians"
believe that every person is heading in the wrong direction and must therefore arrive at some form of
religious repentance in order to be saved. In this way the "acknowledgment of God" mentioned in Hosea
6:6 is completely dependent on this religious repentance.
If a person believes in Christ they acknowledge God, but if they do not believe in Christ they do not
acknowledge God. This argument is only true if the "law of Christ" is not the standard of "what it means to
believe." If the "law of Christ" is the standard, it is then far more accurate to say that mercy actually is the
acknowledgment of God.
The Bible actually provides a tremendous amount of evidence to support the statement made above. In
both cases where Christ quotes the statement, "I desire mercy not sacrifice," the Greek word for "mercy" is
"eleos" (el"-eh-os) which means "compassion or mercy." This mercy is a direct reference to the "law of
Christ" and it is the exact standard used in the judgment of "the sheep and the goats."
The concept of mercy is found throughout the Bible. Proverbs 14:31 states, "Those who oppress the poor
show contempt for their maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God." Proverbs 19:17 states,
"Those who are kind to the poor lend to the Lord, and he will reward them for what they have done."
Proverbs 21:13 states, "If a person shuts their ears to the cry of the poor, they too will cry and not be
answered."
Proverbs 22:22-23 states, "Do not exploit the poor because they are poor and do not crush the needy in
court, for the Lord will take up their case and will plunder those who plunder them." Proverbs 28:27 states,
"Those who give to the poor will lack nothing, but those who close their eyes to them receive many curses."
Proverbs 29:7 states, "The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern."
In the book of Isaiah it is recorded that people in Israel were upset because God was ignoring them. Isaiah
58:3 states, "'Why have we fasted,' they say, and you have not seen it? Why have we humbled ourselves, and
you have not noticed?" These people were trying to get God's attention without any success. The response
they received makes it clear that a lack of mercy was the problem. They had religion without love and this
made their religion completely worthless.
God's response is recorded in Isaiah 58:6-9. He instructs them to, "Loose the chains of injustice," to,
"Share their food with the hungry," to, "Provide the poor wanderer with shelter," and to, "Clothe the
naked." He also states, "Then you will call, and the Lord will answer." God then goes on to state in Isaiah
58:10, "And if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your
light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday."
Many religious people do not understand that mercy is the acknowledgment of God. Also, the will of
God is not complicated even though religions make it complicated. They say that if we follow their rules and
regulations we will then fulfill God's will, but mercy and love is the fulfillment of God's will. The non-religious person acknowledges God if they have faith and love. The religious person does not acknowledge God if they do not have faith and love. This is clarified by the way in which the "law of Christ" was established.
In two of the four gospels the "law of Christ" is initially given as two separate laws. Matthew 22:34-40
states, "Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in
the law, tested him with this question: 'teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the law?' Jesus
replied, 'love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the
first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'love your neighbor as yourself.' All the law and
the prophets hang on these two commands."
Mark 12:28-31 states, "One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus
had given them a good answer, he asked him, 'Of all the commandments, which is the most important?' 'The
most important one,' answered Jesus, 'Is this: "Hear, o Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the
Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength".'
'The second is this: "love your neighbor as yourself".' There is no commandment greater than these."
When some people hear the "law of Christ" expressed as "love your neighbor as yourself" they may
wonder or ask, "what happened to the first law?" The answer is found in the gospel of Luke where the "law
of Christ" is explained, but it should be noted that in the gospel of John the "law of Christ" is not given as
two laws, but as one.
John 13:34-35 states, "A new command I give you: love one another. As I have loved you, so you must
love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." John
15:12 states, "My command is this: love each other as I have loved you." John 15:17 states, "This is my
command: love each other." Only in the gospel of John does Christ identify the law of love as being a "new
command" and where this distinction is made it does appear by itself.
Some may argue that "love one another" and "love your neighbor as yourself" are slightly different
commands, but most people will clearly see that they are the same. The explanation of this incredible law is
found in Luke 10:25-37. It states, "On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. 'Teacher,' he
asked, 'what must I do to inherit eternal life?' 'What is written in the law?' He replied, 'how do you read it'?"
"He answered, 'love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your
strength and with all your mind'; and, 'love your neighbor as yourself.' You have answered correctly Jesus
replied. 'Do this and you will live.' But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, 'who is my
neighbor?' In reply Jesus said: 'a man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the
hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead'."
"A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other
side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan,
as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and
bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn
and took care of him."
"The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and
when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.' 'Which of these three do you think
was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?' The expert in the law replied, 'the one who
had mercy on him.' Jesus told him, 'go and do likewise'."
The parable of the good Samaritan answers three questions. The first of these is the question, "who is my
neighbor?" the parable clearly identifies our neighbor as being the person who is in need. Secondly, it
answers the question, "what does it mean to love God?" This question is answered in the context of, "what
is the proof of whether or not a person loves God?"
In the parable a priest and a Levite, which is like a priest, each pass by the person in need. If asked, both of
these religious individuals would have said that they loved God. As proof of their claim they would both
likely have pointed out that they each read scripture, prayed and fasted, observed religious ceremonies and
so on. To these two religious individuals their commitment to their religion would have been the proof that
they each loved God.
In the case of the Samaritan it is less likely that this person would have been religious and if he was the
priest and the Levite would not have regarded his religion. The priest and the Levite would have seen the
Samaritan as being inferior to themselves, yet it was the Samaritan who was the neighbor to the person in
need.
1 John 4:20 states, "If anyone says, 'I love God,' yet hates their brother or sister, they are a liar. For
anyone who does not love their brother or sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have
not seen." This statement makes it very clear that there is only one acceptable standard of proof as to how
much any person loves God. If the "law of Christ" is fulfilled we love God. If the "law of Christ" is not
fulfilled we do not love God.
The act of being committed to a system of religious beliefs is completely inconsequential where the "law of
Christ" is concerned. The priest and the Levite who were deeply committed to their religious beliefs
completely missed the boat when they were given the opportunity to prove that they loved God. The
Samaritan could have had absolutely no religious affiliation yet he proved that he did in fact love God.
This means that when Christ stated that there were two greatest commandments the second was actually
the proof of the first. Therefore, "love your neighbor as yourself" became the "law of Christ" because it
was the proof of whether or not a person did in fact love God. This means that the first law never really was
discarded, instead it was simply proved by the second law.
The third question that is answered in the parable of the good Samaritan is, "what does it take to fulfill the
'law of Christ'?" At the end of the parable Christ asks the expert of the law, "who was the neighbor to the
man?" The expert replies, "the one who had mercy on him." The word for mercy quoted here is the same
"eleos" mercy found in the statement "I desire mercy, not sacrifice" and it again means "compassion."
The samaritan demonstrated compassion whereas the priest and the levite did not. The samaritan fulfilled
the "law of Christ" whereas the priest and the levite did not. The samaritan proved he loved God whereas
the priest and the levite did not. This same standard of compassion is the one used to separate the sheep
from the goats in Christ's own description of the judgment of the entire world.
Of all the statements contained in the Bible there are none that clarify the issue of what it takes to fulfil the
"law of Christ" better than those found in James 2:12-13. It states, "Speak and act as those who are going to
be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who
has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment."
The "law that gives freedom" is the "law of Christ." This is true because the "law of Moses" cannot give
freedom to anyone. The statement that, "judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not
been merciful," is an exact match to the judgment described in "the sheep and the goats." In the statement
"mercy triumphs over judgment" the word for mercy is again the Greek word "eleos" which means
compassion. From this we can conclude that compassion or love, not religion, is the fulfillment of the "law of Christ."
The crusaders murdered thousands of people to show the world just how much they loved God. Those
involved in the witch hunts burned innocent people at the stake to prove that they loved God. Religious
people have always been able to see evil and the devil around every corner. To them the stand they have
taken against "the world" has been their proof of how much they love God.
These people failed to understand that without love religion means nothing and that with the right kind of
love religion is completely unnecessary. It may have always been their intention to give the world an
understanding of God, but instead they gave us an understanding of religion. Their failure to understand that
love, not religion, has always been the issue has throughout history prevented them from seeing the good in
many, many people.
In our world many people have been "turned off" by religion. The question must be asked, "has this
negative influence affected God's 'unthwartable' plan?" To answer this we must first understand that no plan
can succeed if it is dependent on people because people will always fail. We must then also understand that
religion has fulfilled a purpose because it has contributed to the frustration of life which is required for the
development of individuals.
Any caring person who has been "turned off" by religion will likely still find a way to care. To this end we
have the very true statement that "God works in mysterious ways." In a way that goes beyond our
understanding God does intervene in the lives of many people. This is not necessarily done so that they will
find the right religion, but rather it is done to keep them on the right side of "mercy."
God's plan does not at all depend on religion because if it did it would fail. The plan depends on the "law
of Christ" combined with God's ability to "sort it out." Every person with a caring heart must end up in
heaven. If a person with a good nature starts off in the wrong direction God must at some point find a way
to bring out the person's true nature. This can occur through a religious experience, but it can also occur
through a non-religious experience.
The "law of Christ" is the insurance that nothing will effect God's plan. It is the non-religious standard of
salvation for every human being from the first to the last. Some people may wonder how this law could
possibly be applied to people who lived before Christ was born. It can actually be applied to anyone because
to God it existed from the creation of the world. This is true because God and heaven both exist outside of
time.
CHAPTER NINE
Concerning the existence and/or location of heaven there are three very valid possibilities. If it exists it can
either exist somewhere within time and space, somewhere that is entirely separate from time and space, or
time and space can exist within it. The Bible makes it crystal clear that God is not contained within time.
Webster's defines time as "the relationship of any event to any other event, as being before, simultaneous, or
after."
People travel through time. We cannot see into the future, nor can we really see into the past beyond what
is recorded by memory, in books, on video, or by scientific methods. Our clearest field of vision is limited to
the present, but the Bible clearly indicates that God views the past, present, and future with equal clarity.
This vision that God has is presented in the context that to God the past, the present, and the future all
occur at once. This would mean that to God events do not occur one after the other, but instead they all
occur simultaneously. God does not then travel through time as people do, but instead God views time as if
it were spread out in front of him. This would also mean that it is possible for God to reach into time
wherever or whenever it suits him just as Christ was placed inside of time approximately 2000 years ago.
Some people may believe that Christ is not mentioned in the Bible until the New Testament, but this is not
accurate. The first direct reference to Christ is actually found in Proverbs 30:4. It states, "Who has gone up
into heaven and come down? Who has gathered up the wind in the hallow of his hand? Who has wrapped up
the waters in his cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and the name of his
son? Tell me if you know!"
The reference quoted above was written hundreds of years before the birth of Christ, yet it refers directly
to God's son. John 1:1-4 states, "In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word
was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was
made that has been made." Here it is stated that Christ was with God in the beginning which is very likely a
reference to an existence outside of time.
In Luke 10:18 Christ states, "I saw Satan fall like lightening from heaven." John 8:58 states, "'I tell you the
truth,' Jesus answered, 'before Abraham was born, I am'!" The life of Abraham is recorded in the book of
genesis and the fall of Satan is generally believed to have occurred before the creation of people. This means
that these verses could again be references to an existence outside of time.
The Bible contains at least nine references to something called the "book of life." This book supposedly
contains the names of every person who will be in heaven. The first reference to this book is found in
Exodus 32:31-32. It states, "So Moses went back to the Lord and said, 'oh, what a great sin these people
have committed! They have made themselves Gods of gold. But now, please forgive their sin - but if not,
then blot me out of the book you have written'."
Another reference to this book is found in Revelation 17:8. In this verse it is stated, "The inhabitants of the
earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the creation of the world will be
astonished when they see the beast." The statement that names had not been recorded in the book of life
from the "creation of the world" at the very least implies that God knew the ending from the beginning. This
would be easy to accomplish if God does exist outside of time.
At the end of the world God would know the name of every person who had ever lived and at this point
who the sheep and the goats were would also be known. This information could then be recorded in a book.
This book could easily be taken outside of time at the end of the world and then be placed back inside of
time at the beginning of the world. Those names that are not recorded in the book of life would then not be
recorded from the creation of the world.
Another reference to the book of life is found in Revelation 13:8. It states, "All inhabitants of the earth will
worship the beast - all whose names have not been written in the book of life belonging to the lamb that was
slain from the creation of the world." In the Bible Christ is referred to many times as the lamb. The above
reference to the lamb that was slain from the creation of the world is a reference to Christ. This again is a
reference to events that are described from outside of time.
To those who travel through time the order of events is crucial, but to those who observe the universe
from outside of time the order of events is essentially meaningless. This is true because from outside of time
there is no real order of events. It is more like reading a menu where the reader can start wherever they
desire.
This means that the sacrifice of Christ and the "law of Christ" have every bit as much meaning for Adam
and Eve as they do for people who are born today. To illustrate this Christ is described as the lamb that was
slain from the creation of the world. Another example of events that are described from outside of time is
found in Revelation 12:1-5. It states, "a great and wondrous sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with
the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. She was pregnant and cried
out in pain as she was about to give birth."
"Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven
crowns on his heads. His tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth. The
dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that he might devour her child the
moment it was born. She gave birth to a son, a male child, who will rule the nations with an iron scepter.
And her child was swept up to God and to his throne."
The above is the birth of Christ described from outside of time. The dragon is a reference to Satan. The
statement that "his tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth" is the basis for
the belief that a third of the angels fell with Satan. The reference to "a male child, who will rule the nations
with an iron scepter" is a reference to Christ found in Revelation 19:11-16.
It states, "I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called faithful
and true. With justice he judges and makes war. His eyes are blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns.
He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a rob dripped in blood, and
his name is the 'word of God'."
"The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and
clean. Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. 'He will rule them with
an iron scepter'. He treads the wine-press of the fury of the wrath of God almighty. On his robe and on his
thigh he has this name written: king of kings and Lord of Lords." The Bible actually contains many such
descriptions of events that are described from outside of time. Traditionally these are called prophecies.
One such prophecy of the crucifixion of Christ is found in Psalm 22:14-18. It states, "I am poured out like
water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart has turned to wax; it has melted away within me. My
strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; you lay me in the dust of
death. Dogs have surrounded me; a band of evil men has encircled me, they have pierced my hands and my
feet."
"I can count all my bones; people stare and gloat over me. They divide my garments among them and cast
lots for my clothing." This description contains many striking similarities to the description of the crucifixion
contained in the four gospels of the New Testament. The Bible clearly records that the hands and feet of
Christ were pierced. Mark 15:24 and John 19:24 both record that lots were cast for his clothing.
Also the 22nd Psalm begins with the words "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" The gospels
of Matthew and Mark both record these as being the last words of Christ. The Psalms were written over a
long period of time by a number of authors and there is controversy regarding who these authors were. It is
known however that these books were written long before the birth and death of Christ.
The prophecies listed above meant practically nothing until after the event had occurred. They did not help
anyone, other than perhaps Christ, foresee the crucifixion. The meaning of the prophecies did not become
clear until people were looking back at the event and this was entirely by design.
This is true because the occurrence of an event that is foretold by a prophecy is not dependent on the
existence of the prophecy. The event and the prophecy exist entirely separate from one another. If the
prophecy exists the event will occur regardless of whether or not the prophecy is understood. It is probably
preferable that a prophecy is not understood because if an event is not foreseen it is much more difficult to
prevent.
If the occurrence of an event is not dependent on the prophecy of the event the implications of this may be
rather astounding. This is true because the prophecy may then actually be a description of an event that has
already been witnessed from outside of time. There would actually be tremendous advantages to this
because God would then not be trying to make events happen as they have been described. He would instead
be describing events that had already occurred.
In order to understand this it is again necessary to realize that outside of time all events occur at once. This
would make it possible to witness an event and then place a description of the event "inside of time"
hundreds of years before it occurred. This description could be authored in such a way that it would not
make sense to people until they reached a point in time beyond the event. This would mean that a prophecy
could be defined two different ways depending on whether or not it is inside or outside of time. Inside of
time it would be a description of an event that has yet to occur, but outside of time it would be a description
of an event that has already occurred.
This begins to give us a picture of existence that goes beyond the universe we see. In a reference to
creation Colossians 1:16 refers to, "All things were created: things in heaven and on earth, the visible and the
invisible." This reference to the visible and the invisible is illustrated in 2 kings 6:15-17. It states, "When the
servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had
surrounded the city. 'oh, my Lord, what shall we do'? The servant asked."
"'Don't be afraid,' the prophet answered. 'those who are with us are more than those who are with them.'
And Elisha prayed, 'o Lord, open his eyes so he may see.' Then the Lord opened the servants eyes, and he
looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha." In this story a city is
surrounded by an army, but this army is completely unaware that the city is defended by an invisible army.
The Bible contains many references to angels and demons that we cannot see. It contains many references
to heaven and hell which we cannot see. It states that at the end of this world there will be a new heavens
and a new earth. It clearly indicates that existence and creation go far beyond our physical universe, yet to an
extent this is where our concept of existence essentially ends. Our universe is so immense that we cannot
conceive its size, yet it very likely is only a portion of creation.
1 John 1:5 contains the statement, "God is light; in him there is no darkness at all." This statement must be
extremely confusing and even hypocritical to many people. This is true because if the accounts of the wrath
of God contained in the Bible are accurate God has actually killed more people than any person ever could.
This does not exactly support the statement that in God there is no darkness. It instead does support the
belief that God actually has quite the taste for killing. When we consider the accounts of God's wrath
however, we do not realize that to God no human being has ever died. This is true because nothing is
invisible from God's vantage point. He sees it all so when a person dies on earth they are only dead to this
world.
In Luke 20:38 Christ himself states, "He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are
alive." This implies that at no point does God lose track of any soul. When a person kills another person the
act is final, but God can kill a person with a thought and then raise them from the dead with another thought.
This means that when God kills the act is not final. Also, to God, when a person dies they do not cease to
exist even for a moment. They may exist in a different form, but they do exist.
This may seem like a convenient excuse to justify the wrath of God, but to God the ends does to an extent
justify the means. This is true because from his vantage point outside of time God views eternity. This means
that he can look at a tremendous amount of injustice because he can also clearly see the day that he will sort
it all out.
Caring people who have suffered tremendously in this life will not complain when they see eternity, instead
they will be elated. The Bible essentially claims that God will one day "sort it out" without making a single
mistake. The fact that God clearly sees this day at all times means that he does not care whether or not we
understand because he knows that one day we will. This is the ending that justifies the means.
The New Testament contains a partial accounting of the establishment of the first Christian church.
Concerning the people of this church Acts 2:44-45 states that they had "everything in common" and that
they sold their possessions and "gave to anyone as they had need." In Acts 4:32-34 it states that these
people, "were one in heart and mind", and that, "there were no needy persons among them." It also states in
Acts 5:13 that, "they were highly regarded by the people."
The above describes a church that was focused on faith and love rather than beliefs. It also describes a
church that is very different from the one that we have seen throughout history or that we see today.
Unfortunately, this type of church did not survive beyond the time of the apostles. Many of these early
Christians were persecuted and killed just as many of the apostles were also killed. So the original success of
the early church did not survive beyond one generation.
This is similar to the system of government that was established under the "law of Moses." It too worked
well for approximately one generation. It was established by Joshua and Judges 2:7 states that, "The people
served the Lord throughout the lifetime of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him." The Bible then states
in Judges 2:10-11 that once this generation had died another generation grew up who did not keep the law.
In a way the "law of Moses" and the early church both suffered the same fate. They both had success for
one generation after which their success was hit and miss because it was dependent on leadership.
Corruption then became a serious problem and a focus on beliefs replaced a focus on faith and love. When
this occurred the religion that resulted contributed very little if anything to society.
It has already been stated that the failure of religion has throughout history contributed to the frustration
of life. This has aided the development of individuals, but the whole issue of religion may have also fulfilled
another important purpose. It may have also provided what could be described as an essential "tactical
diversion" in the midst of an incredible war.
CHAPTER TEN
Many people do believe that some kind of war or conflict between good and evil is taking place on this
planet. This war could probably be described in some respects as being like a giant multidimensional chess
game. We know or believe that God sits on one side of the chess board and we also know or believe that a
being named Satan sits on the other side. This being is described as the ultimate leader of evil and this
description may be well deserved.
The Bible contains few details about the fall of Satan. It is traditionally believed that Satan attempted some
kind of a coup against God, or tried to overthrow God. The basis for this belief is found in Isaiah 14:12-14.
It states, "How you have fallen from heaven, o morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to
the earth, you who once laid low the nations! You said in your heart, 'I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my
throne above the stars of God', and, 'I will make myself like the most high'."
The verses quoted above do seem to describe the fall of Satan and his desire to be as great as or greater
than God. The Bible however does clearly identify these verses as being a reference to the king of Babylon.
When this was written the nation of Babylon had become extremely powerful and this was reflected by the
size of it's kings pride, or ego. The reference to falling from heaven is probably a reference to the fall of
human pride more than it is a reference to anything else. This king essentially believed that he was a God.
God's response to this king begins in Isaiah 13:1. It states, "An oracle concerning Babylon that Isaiah son
of Amoz saw." This oracle continues on until the end of chapter 14. It also states in Isaiah 14:4, "You will
take up this taunt against the king of Babylon." The verses previously quoted which appeared to be referring
to Satan are part of this taunt. These verses describe the fall of this king, but they do not describe the fall of
Satan.
If we search the Bible for additional evidence that suggests Satan tried to overthrow God we do not find
any. What we do find is evidence that suggests something very different. Jude 6 states, "and the angels who
did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their own home - these he has kept in darkness,
bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great day."
The Bible does not really suggest that Satan and his angels attempted to overthrow God, but it does imply
that these angels abandoned heaven. The biblical description of the war in heaven that followed this
desertion does to an extent support this view. Revelation 12:7-9 states, "And there was war in heaven.
Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. But he was not
strong enough and they lost their place in heaven."
The verses quoted above do not describe Satan attacking God. Instead, they do describe the angels of God
attacking Satan and his angels. This description does to an extent imply pursuit. If Satan and his angels
abandoned heaven they could have been pursued and attacked by God's angels. If this did in fact happen it is
also very likely that Satan and his angels were overtaken at some point very near, or perhaps even inside our
solar system.
Revelation 12:9 states, "The great dragon was hurled down-that ancient serpent called the devil or Satan,
who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth and his angels with him." The fact that Satan
and his angels were hurled to the earth does indicate a close proximity to the earth. The above is probably
what Christ described when he said he saw Satan fall like lightening from heaven. The above is also very
likely a description of events witnessed from outside of time.
This is true because if the serpent in the garden of Eden either was Satan or was directed by Satan it would
indicate that at that point the fall of Satan had already occurred. In the description of the fall quoted above
Satan is described as the one who leads the whole world astray. If this is a description of an event that had
occurred before people were created how then could Satan be described as leading the world astray? This
could only happen if the event were described from outside of time.
In order to understand what may have caused the fall of Satan we must first examine some traditional
beliefs about angels to determine if they are at all accurate. It has previously been stated in this book that
some people have maintained the belief that angels do not have souls. It has also been previously stated that
this belief cannot be substantiated by any statement found in the Bible.
Traditionally, many people also maintain the belief that angels were not created in the image of God. The
Bible does not state anywhere that angels were or were not created in the image of God. It does contain a
certain amount of evidence to suggest they were and it also contains a certain amount of evidence to suggest
they were not. An examination of this evidence will reveal that there really is only one possible conclusion.
The belief that angels were not created in the image of God is to an extent substantiated by a number of
verses. In a reference to Christ Hebrews 1:4 states, "So he became as much superior to the angels as the
name he has inherited is superior to theirs." In another reference to Christ 1 John 3:2 contains the statement,
"we shall be like him," which strongly implies that in heaven people will be like Christ. Then, 1 Corinthians
6:3 contains the statement, "Do you not know that we will judge angels?" And, Hebrews 1:14 states, "Are
not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?"
When the verses quoted above are combined they do strongly support the following conclusions. One,
Christ is superior to angels. Two, those who are saved will be like Christ so they too will be superior to
angels. Three, those who are saved will judge angels and four, angels are nothing more that ministering
spirits that are sent to serve those who will inherit salvation.
When we consider the evidence we have examined so far it does seem that angels are simply some kind of
spiritual messengers. This belief is further substantiated if we examine the meaning of the word "angel." The
Hebrew root word for angel is "malak" (mal-awk"). It essentially means "to dispatch as a deputy; or a
messenger." The Greek word for angel is "aggelos" (ang"-el-os) and it means "a messenger." So, at this
point it would seem safe to conclude that angels were not created in the image of God.
The above does provide a fairly accurate description of the position that is taken by many traditional
theologies where the subject of angels is concerned. It is also likely that these kinds of theologies have led to
the belief that angels do not have souls. All the evidence that has been examined to this point does seem to
provide a very strong case in the favor of these traditional beliefs. However, when other evidence is
examined this strong case becomes extremely weak.
The Bible contains a number of very vivid descriptions of God and/or Christ. One of these was recorded
by the prophet Ezekial who was standing beside a river when he had a very powerful vision of God. Ezekial
1:25-28 states, "Then there came a voice from the expanse over their heads as they stood with lowered
wings. Above the expanse over their heads was a figure like that of a man."
"I saw from what appeared to be his waist up he looked like glowing metal, as if full of fire, and that from
there down he looked like fire; and brilliant light surrounded him. Like the appearance of a rainbow in the
clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him." "This was the appearance of the likeness of the
glory of the Lord. When I saw it, I fell face-down, and I heard the voice of one speaking." After the prophet
had this vision Ezekial 3:15 records that he sat for seven days overwhelmed.
The book of Revelation contains a similar vision and description of Christ. Revelation 1:12-17 states, "I
turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lamp-stands,
and among the lamp-stands was someone 'like a son of man', dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and
with a golden sash around his chest."
"His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. His feet
were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. In his right hand
he held seven stars, and out of his mouth came a sharp double-edged sword. His face was like the sun
shining in all its brilliance. When I saw him I fell at his feet as though dead."
The being described above identifies himself as Christ, but in the Bible descriptions like these are not
limited to God and/or Christ. The Bible also contains descriptions of angels which are very similar to those
that have just been quoted. Revelation 10:1-3 states, "Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from
heaven.
He was robed in a cloud, with a rainbow above his head; his face was like the sun, and his legs were like
fiery pillars. He was holding a little scroll, which lay open in his hand. He planted his right foot on the sea
and his left foot on the land, and he gave a loud shout like the roar of a lion. When he shouted, the voices of
the seven thunders spoke." This description of a powerful angel is very similar to the previous descriptions
of God and/or Christ.
Another description of a powerful angel is found in Daniel 10:4-6. It states, "On the twenty-fourth day of
the first month, as I was standing on the bank of the great river, the Tigris, I looked up and there before me
was a man dressed in linen, with a belt of the finest gold around his waist."
"His body was like Chrysolite, his face was like lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs
like the gleam of burnished bronze, and his voice was like the sound of a multitude." In the 16th and 19th
verses of the chapter Daniel refers to this angel as "my Lord." This has caused people to conclude that this
angel is Christ because only Christ would be addressed as Lord. Other statements found in this chapter
however indicate that this is not the case.
In verses 12-13 the angel states, "Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to
gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in
response to them. But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of
the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia."
The reference above to "the prince of the Persian kingdom" is likely a reference to one of Satan's angels
who blocked the way of the angel sent to Daniel. If the angel in Daniel's vision was actually Christ the above
would suggest that one of Satan's angels had been able to resist him for twenty-one days. It would also
suggest that at the end of this struggle Christ would have required assistance from the angel Michael in order
to break free.
The Bible does not suggest that Christ became God or became God's one and only son when he died on
the cross. Instead, it states that Christ has always been God's one and only son. This means that it is very
unlikely that any of Satan's angels or even Satan himself could have resisted Christ at all never mind for
twenty-one days. This would be like trying to stand in the path of God.
People will insist that this angel is in fact Christ simply because Daniel addresses him as "my Lord." The
predominant Hebrew word for Lord which is used thousands of times throughout the Old Testament is the
word "yehovah" (yeh-ho-vaw"). It means "Jehovah, the Lord" and it is a direct reference to God.
The word used in Daniel's address to the angel is the Hebrew word "adown" (aw-done") and it means
"sovereign, controller: Lord, master, owner." This word is not necessarily a direct reference to God. It could
be used as a reference to the master or owner of a house. It can also be used to refer to human or divine
beings. In the case of Daniel's address it is obviously being used in reference to a divine being but not
necessarily God. This means that the being could easily be an angel.
The Bible also contains a number of references to the "sons of God." One of these is found in Genesis 6:1-
2. It states, "When men began to increase in number on the earth and daughters were born to them, the sons
of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose." The above
reference to the "sons of God" could be a reference to angels however traditionalists would not accept this
interpretation. They would not believe that an angel could marry a human. This may or may not be true, but
other references to the "sons of God" are found in the Bible and these are much clearer in their meaning.
Job 1:6 states, "One day the angels came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came with
them." The same verse is practically repeated in Job 2:1 where it states, "On another day the angels came to
present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came with them."
If a person were to look in the original Hebrew to find the meaning of the word angels used in both of the
verses quoted above the word would not be found. In the original Hebrew the word angels does not appear
in either of the verses quoted above. Instead, in both cases where the word angels appears the original
Hebrew contains the phrase "the sons of God" and it is actually stated this way in the King James Version of
the Bible.
There is no debating the fact that in the Bible angels are definitely referred to as being the "sons of God."
Concerning people and angels Christ states in Luke 20:36, "And they can no longer die; for they are like the
angels. They are God's children." In this reference Christ clearly identifies both people and angels as being
God's children. He does not identify the angels as being some kind of soulless messengers. In the King James
Version of the Bible the verse quoted above is translated, "for they are equal unto the angels."
This now presents us with a rather serious contradiction. In the verse quoted earlier from 1 John 3:2 we
saw the statement, "we shall be like him," which implies that in heaven people will be like Christ. Above we
see the statement, "they are like the angels," or, "they are equal unto the angels," which implies that in
heaven people will be like angels. We also know from Hebrews 1:4 that Christ is superior to the angels. This
leaves us asking the question, "in heaven are people going to be like Christ, or like angels?" It would seem
that only one or the other could possibly be true.
The answer to this contradiction is found by examining the original Greek. In the verse quoted above the
words "like the angels" or "equal unto the angels" comes from the Greek word "isaggelos" (ee-sang"-el-los)
which means "like an angel." The part of this word that means "like" comes from the Greek word "isos"
(ee"-sos) which essentially means "similar to, and/or equal to." The word by definition indicates a context of
equality.
This is not the case in the statement "we shall be like him" that was quoted earlier in this chapter. It was
explained that this statement could lead people to believe that they will be like Christ and superior to angels
because Christ is superior to angels. In this statement the word "like" comes from the Greek word
"homoios" (hom"-oy-os). This word does not mean to be "equal to", but instead it means to be "similar" or
to "resemble."
In heaven people will resemble Christ in the sense that they will have an angelic-like body. They will not
however be like Christ in the sense that they will be superior to angels. The Bible clearly states that they will
be equal to angels and the biblical descriptions of angels clearly indicate that they already do resemble God
and/or Christ. In conclusion, it is in fact extremely likely and almost certain that angels were made in the
image of God every bit as much as any human being.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
It is only when we consider the possibility that angels may have been created in the image of God that we
can begin to understand what caused the fall of Satan. Also, if we are going to understand what has taken
place throughout all of creation we must first ask one very important question. "Was the creation of angels
and people a product of two separate plans, or was the creation of both part of the same overall plan?"
If the creation of angels and people was a product of two separate plans it essentially means that God
made two separate mistakes. First, he created angels which led to war in heaven, then he created people
which led to a tremendous amount of injustice. This would mean that when God created angels his creation
was flawed just as when he created people his creation was also flawed. If this is true it means that God is
far from being perfect.
If however, God foresaw the creation of people before he created angels it would mean that both acts of
creation were part of the same plan, or part of the same overall event. If this is true it would mean that God
did not make two separate mistakes. Instead, it would mean that God saw it all right from the beginning, in
which case his claim to perfection may well be intact.
The Bible by design does not place a great deal of emphasis on angels. This was done to prevent angels
from being elevated to a position where they might be worshipped by people, or might become the subject of
cults. If angels and people are to any extent equal, a person worshipping an angel would be the same as a
person worshipping another person.
In reference to Christ Hebrews 2:6-8 states, "But there is a place where someone has testified: 'What is
man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? You made him a little lower than the
angels; you crowned him with glory and honor and put everything under his feet.' In putting everything
under him, God left nothing that is not subject to him. Yet at present we do not see everything subject to
him."
The verses quoted above essentially indicate that everything in creation was made subject to Christ and
this includes angels. This point is made very clear in another reference to Christ found in Hebrews 1:6. This
verse contains the statement, "let all God's angels worship him." The Bible clearly presents Christ as being
God, yet it also maintains a degree of separation between Christ and God.
The Bible however, does not maintain any real degree of separation between people and angels. It simply
states that Christ had to die to "redeem" the people who care whereas the angels who did not fall did not
require any redemption. When the people who care receive their places in heaven they will then be on the
same level as the angels, or they will be angels. Many religious people will find this statement to be
completely unacceptable, but the Bible does contain more evidence to suggest that this is true.
This evidence is found in the 82nd Psalm. The first verse of this Psalm states, "God presides in the great
assembly; he gives judgment among the 'Gods'." The King James Version of the Bible states, "God stands
in the congregation of the mighty; he judges among the Gods." The word "mighty" quoted above comes
from the Hebrew word "el" (ale). It means "God, God-like, or mighty one." It can be used as a reference to
"people, angels, fallen angels, or the one true God."
Also, throughout this Psalm the word for God, or Gods is the same. It is the Hebrew word "elohiym" (el-
0-heem") which means "rulers, judges, divines ones, angels, Gods." This word is used as the proper name for
God over two thousand times in the Old Testament, but it can also be used as a reference to angels and/or
people.
There are reasons to believe that the references above to the "great assembly," the "congregation of the
mighty," and "Gods," are all references to both people and fallen angels. This is true because these verses
contain a reference to judgment and biblically only people and fallen angels will be judged. There is no need
for God to judge the angels that did not fall so they would not be included in any judgment.
Psalm 82:6-8 states, "I said, 'you are Gods; you are all sons of the most high. But you will die like mere
men; you will fall like any other ruler.' Rise up, o God, judge the earth, for all the nations are your
inheritance." The King James Version of the Bible states, "I have said you are Gods; and all of you are
children of the most high. But you shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes. Arise, o God, judge the
earth; for you shall inherit all nations."
The King James Version of the Bible quoted above states, "I said you are Gods; and you are all children of
the most high." These words are very similar to those of Christ previously quoted from Luke 20:36. Here
Christ referred to people and angels when he stated, "for they are like the angels. They are God's children."
The verses quoted above both contain the statement, "o God, judge the earth." The word "earth" is from
the Hebrew word "erets" (eh"-rets). It means "land or earth." It also means "the whole earth." This includes
countries, territories, districts and regions. It also includes a place called "sheol" which is an Old Testament
word for hell or the "underworld."
In chapter ten a verse was quoted from Jude 6 which clearly states that the fallen angels will be judged at
the end of the world. The Bible also clearly states in the twentieth chapter of Revelation that people will also
be judged at the end of this world. The 82nd Psalm is a reference to God's judgment of the Gods. In the
reference to this judgment people and fallen angels are included together. They were both created in the
image of God so they are all children of God. They are all therefore referred to as being "Gods."
In the Bible angels do demonstrate certain qualities that indicate individuality. These include "free will"
and the knowledge of good and evil. When Satan and his angels abandoned heaven it definitely was an act of
"free will." Also, the Bible states in 2 Corinthians 11:14 that Satan masquerades as an angel of light. It can
be strongly argued that in order to masquerade as being good Satan must have a knowledge of good. It is
also very clear that Satan has a complete knowledge of evil.
It was stated earlier in this book that every individual must choose between good and evil and that it is the
nature of each individual that will ultimately determine this choice. It was also stated earlier that the creation
and development of individuals was the reason for, or purpose of creation. If this is true a person could ask,
"if an all powerful God wanted to create individuals why wouldn't such a God do it with a thought?" The
answer may be that he did.
The Bible does not contain any information whatsoever regarding the creation of angels. It does not tell us
how, or when they were created, nor does it tell us how long their angelic-like society lasted before the war
in heaven occurred. The Bible simply picks up the story after they had already been created.
If the creation of angels and the creation of people were two entirely separate events it is then quite likely
that, where time is a reference, these events could have occurred far apart. However, if these two "phases"
of creation were part of the same overall event it is then possible that they occurred one soon after the other.
If these two "phases" of creation were part of the same plan then the following sequence of events is very
possible.
First, in the beginning God creates the angels with a thought. He creates them in his own image which
means they are all individuals. He then gives them the knowledge of good and evil knowing that with this
knowledge they will also attain the ability to choose between the two. God knows that without this "free
will" the angels will never be individuals. He then waits for them to make their choice and while he is waiting
he creates something called time and space.
The Bible contains very few details about the creation of the universe. These details are probably absent
because they would have been considered to be unnecessary. Very few, if any, civilizations have ever existed
on earth that could understand creation so why include the details? The description of creation contained in
the book of Genesis is less than incomplete, but it does tell us that God is the creator, and at the time this
was enough.
The scientific theories concerning the origins of the universe are constantly changing as we obtain new
information. Scientists believe that the universe is expanding outward which leads them to believe it must
have all originated at the same point. This has led to the "big bang" theory and this big bang is believed to
have occurred at least 14 billion years ago. This is quite a contradiction to the biblical claim that God created
the heavens and the earth in six days.
It is actually very unlikely however that the day referred to in the story of creation is our standard 24 hour
day. This is true because according to the Bible the sun and moon were not created until the fourth day.
Genesis 1:14-19 states, "And God said, 'let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from
the night, and let them serve as signs to mark seasons and days and years, and let them be lights in the
expanse of the sky to give light on the earth'."
"And it was so. God made two great lights-the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to
govern the night. He also made the stars. God set them in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth,
to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good. And
there was evening, and there was morning-the fourth day."
The reference to "the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night" is very likely
a reference to the sun and the moon. If this is accurate it would mean that the standard 24 hour day did not
begin until the fourth day of creation. It would also likely mean that in the biblical account of creation any
reference to days is likely only a figurative reference.
When we look through our telescopes we conclude that the formation of the universe took at least
fourteen billion years. This is only true because we look at the process of creation from inside of time. We
do not consider that from outside of time these fourteen billion years could have seemed like days to God.
When this is taken into account the "big bang" theory actually becomes an excellent answer to the question,
"how would a God create a universe?"
The creation of the heavens and the earth likely began with the creation of time. Imagining an empty
transparent tube may actually provide us with a reasonably accurate model of time. The tube could either
join itself to form a circle, or it could be left in a straight line. If the tube forms a circle the universe would
then end as it began. If the tube is left in a straight line the universe would continue expanding until it was
completely dissipated.
The universe and people would then travel through the tube always in the same direction. This would
mean that from inside the tube time would be experienced moment-by-moment as each moment passed by.
God however would exist outside of the tube and would therefore be able to see all moments of time at
once.
The creation of the universe began inside of time when God reached into time and caused the big bang.
We know that the amount of matter required to form the universe is beyond our ability to imagine, but to
God it was very manageable. This quantity of matter could have been formed from pure energy or it could
have come from a quantity of matter far denser than we had ever thought was possible. From a vantage
point outside of time God would have witnessed the almost instantaneous formation of the universe. This
formation would only have taken billions of years if it were witnessed from inside of time, but from outside
of time it would have all occurred at once.
Once the "big bang" was completed God could then step away from the point of initial creation and go to
a point where the universe was completely formed. He could then simply reach back into time and begin the
creation of life. There would be no delays in the process. It would be one step after another and then it
would be complete.
Furthermore, during the creation of the universe it is also possible that evolution could have played a large
part in the creation of life. Many scientists today do believe that much of the evolutionary process occurs
over short periods of time rather than long periods. It is then possible that these short periods of accelerated
development could have been initiated by divine intervention. It does make sense that God would place the
building blocks of life within the universe right from the beginning.
When the Bible states that the heavens and the earth were created in six days it may simply be trying to
give us an understanding of how much effort was actually required from God. In our terms the creation of
the universe may have required an effort from God which would roughly be the equivalent of one good six
day work week for a human being. This may seem inconceivable to us, but it may really only demonstrate
our inability to conceive the being we call God.
It is very likely that the angels reached their decisions between good and evil by the time God had finished
creating the universe. This is likely because in the case of angels the issues of good and evil are probably
much clearer then they are with people. Everything is not black and white for a person where the issues of
good and evil are concerned. With angels however the issues of good and evil likely are black and white
simply because their view of existence is very different from ours.
It was previously stated that the nature of an individual will determine whether they choose good over evil,
or evil over good. In a case where the issues of good and evil are very clear it is then only the nature of an
individual that needs to be determined. In the case of angels this probably did not take long and this is
indicated by the words of Christ himself.
In a reference to Satan Christ states in John 8:44, "He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to
the truth, for there was no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the
father of lies." This statement indicates that the nature of Satan was evident right from the very beginning.
Many people often require an entire lifetime to figure out who they are, but in the case of Satan and his
followers, who, or what they were likely became apparent almost instantly.
CHAPTER TWELVE
It is very unlikely that the angels were created with a knowledge of God's overall plan. When they were
created they also probably had no idea that they were about to be involved in a war. They would not have
been aware that at the moment of their creation God already foresaw the creation of the universe and the
creation of people. They were all created to be very powerful beings, but in a way they were also created as
"infants" because they all lacked a quality called "experience."
It is also possible that God may have subjected them to a certain degree of frustration which would have
encouraged each of them to reveal their true nature. Jude 6 states that they were each given positions of
authority, but it gives no details about these positions. It could be that God simply wanted to get on with the
plan so he put them into positions which had no real purpose. If they did not know what was coming they
may have wondered why they had even been created.
At this point at least some of the angels may have begun to question God. This would have presented an
opportunity for an angel to take a stand against God and the one who took center stage was named Satan.
The Hebrew root word for Satan is "Satan" (saw-tan") and it means to "attack or accuse." The Greek word
for Satan is "Satanas" (sat-an-as") and it means "the accuser."
If God had claimed to be perfect Satan would have likely attacked this claim. If God had subjected the
angels to frustration, or if anything about the structure of heaven did not make sense, Satan would have used
this against God. The fact that Christ refers to Satan as "a liar and the father of lies" is a strong indication of
what Satan's behavior may have been like in the power struggle that occurred.
He may have attempted to convince all of the angels that this God was anything but perfect. He was
ultimately able to convince those angels who had a nature similar to his own that they could do better on
their own, so they made their move and abandoned heaven. They also probably thought that it was quite
convenient that God had just created this massive universe because it gave them a place of escape.
They left heaven, they entered our galaxy, and somewhere close to our solar system they were overtaken
by the remaining angels of God. A massive battle ensued between two armies of incredible power. In the end
Satan and his angels lost, but this initial conflict only proved that God's angels were more powerful than
Satan's angels. This battle did not prove that God was perfect, nor did it prove that Satan was wrong, so the
conflict continued.
1 Peter 10-12 refers to the prophets who wrote about the sacrifice of Christ, but did not fully understand
what they were writing. In reference to the overall plan of God it states in verse 12 that, "even angels long to
look into these things." This infers that angels may be watching this plan as it unfolds as opposed to "in
advance." This would indicate that angels do not have the same view of events from outside of time that
God does.
Also, the description of the war in heaven from Revelation 12:7-9 contains the statement that Satan and
his angels "lost their place in heaven." This may indicate that at this point these angels became trapped inside
of time. If this is true it would give God two very distinct advantages. First, it would prevent Satan from
obtaining a clear view of events that had not yet occurred. Second, it would prevent Satan from going back
in time to correct mistakes that had been made.
The most graphic example of this may be found in the crucifixion of Christ itself. Luke 22:3-4 states,
"Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the twelve. And Judas went to the chief priests and the
officers of the temple guard and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus."
The above clearly indicates that Satan played a role in the crucifixion of Christ, yet the moment Christ died
Satan would have known that he had made a terrible mistake. If he were not trapped inside of time he would
do everything and anything to go back in time and correct the mistake. If the crucifixion of Christ had not
occurred Satan would have proved that God was not perfect, yet he was unable to go back and change what
had occurred.
So when Satan and his angels abandoned heaven they also lost their place in heaven and they became
trapped inside of time. After the initial war in heaven had ended the remaining angels of God would still not
have likely known anything about God's plan. Instead, they likely sided with God simply because it was their
nature to side with God. At this point every angel both good and evil would have to some extent probably
wondered what was happening. They had all been created by God. They had all been involved in a war, and
now they were all gathered around this planet called earth. They must have wondered what this God was
doing.
Then God continues with the plan that had been laid out since before anything was ever created. He offers
a way to resolve the dispute, or he offers Satan a battleground on which he can attempt to prove his case.
Then with all of the angels watching and wondering God states the words found in Genesis 1:26, "let us
make people in our image." These words would have been spoken in the presence of all the angels both
good and evil, and in a way it would have been a reference to them all.
The creation of people was a response to the conflict that had occurred in heaven, but it was also the
second phase of a preconceived plan. When God created the angels as individuals he knew that from the
point of their creation it would not take long for them to choose between good and evil. He knew that this
would lead to a conflict and he knew that this conflict would require a resolution.
Many of today's theologies maintain the belief that the fall of the human race was an act of deliberate
rebellion, but this may not be accurate. To understand this we must first realize that when Adam & Eve were
initially created they had absolutely no knowledge of good & evil. This means they did not have the ability or
knowledge required to be malicious, bear malice or intend harm. They would have been like completely
innocent children who had absolutely no concept whatsoever of good and evil, or right and wrong.
Genesis 2:25 states, "The man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame." This indicates that
they both initially existed in a state of total and complete innocence. At this point a conversation with Adam
& Eve would likely have been like talking to very young children. After such a conversation Adam & Eve
would probably be described as being somewhat "blank." They would have taken in everything that was said
to them, but they probably would have had little to say themselves.
God places them in the garden of Eden with the tree of the knowledge of good & evil and tells them not to
eat it's fruit or they will die. At this point they would have accepted God's words as being absolute truth and
if there had not been any intervention they would never have eaten the fruit. They would never have even
dreamed of questioning God, but then along comes the serpent.
Genesis 3:1-7 states, "Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had
made. He said to the woman, "did God really say, 'you must not eat from any tree in the garden'?" The
woman said to the serpent, "we may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, 'you must not eat
fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die'."
"You will not surely die," the serpent said to the woman. "for God knows that when you eat of it your
eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." When the woman saw that the fruit
of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some
and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of
them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings
for themselves."
It was not until Adam and Eve ate the fruit that their eyes were opened and they realized they were naked.
This may lead us to ask, "could Adam & Eve have rebelled or did they have the capacity to rebel before their
eyes were opened?" the Hebrew word for rebel is the word "marah" (maw-raw") which means "to be bitter,
to rebel, change, be disobedient, disobey, or provoke."
In their initial state of existence it is very unlikely that Adam or Eve had the capacity to be bitter, or to
rebel, or to change, or to be disobedient, or to disobey, or to provoke. To an extent it can be argued that
because Adam & Eve did disobey God they did rebel, but it can also be argued that this disobedience was in
fact an act of innocence.
To illustrate this we could look at Adam & Eve as two very young children who are in their father's house.
In the living room there is a bowl of candy sitting on the coffee table and as their father goes out he says,
"don't take any candy." After their father has left another adult comes along and takes the children to the
bowl. This second adult then says, "your father didn't really mean what he said, go ahead and have some
candy."
The children, who have little or no knowledge of good & evil, are so innocent that they believe this second
person and they each have some candy. They do not take the candy to defy their father, instead they take the
candy because they believe the second adult and it is therefore an act of innocence. In the case of Adam &
Eve they did not eat the fruit to defy God. They ate it because they believed the second adult. They were
simply two innocent children who were mislead and for this reason they will not be held accountable for the
fall of the human race. Instead, it is Satan who will be held accountable, but Satan had nothing to lose.
Having the knowledge of good & evil was the last necessary step in the process to make people similar to
God and angels. Genesis 3:22-23 states, "And the Lord God said, 'the man has now become like one of us,
knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and
eat, and live forever.' So the Lord God banished him from the garden of Eden."
Above we see the statement, "the man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil." This
statement clearly indicates that the knowledge of good and evil is required for a person to be like God, or
angels. This also provides further proof that without this knowledge there are no individuals. This means
that Adam and Eve 'had' to acquire this knowledge otherwise the creation of people would not have been
complete. This also means that the fall of people was entirely by design. It was not in any way an accident or
a mistake.
Some people may wonder why God did not simply destroy Satan and his angels right after they had been
initially defeated. Why prolong the conflict throughout thousands of years of human history? There are a
number of possible answers to this question and they may all be true. One is that the angels of heaven may
not have understood. Satan probably accused God of being a dictator so if God had simply destroyed Satan
and his angels it would have likely proved that Satan was right.
It is also possible that God wanted to replace the angels that fell. This could be done by starting beings off
as mortals. Then at a later time those who choose good over evil could be elevated to a higher level of
existence. This would have certain advantages because it would allow the development of individuals to take
place in a somewhat controlled environment. The conflict between good and evil would continue, but only
one planet would be at risk. This would limit the scope of the conflict.
Thirdly, the conflict had to continue until all of the issues of something called "corruption" had been
thoroughly explored and understood. This understanding was required to prove that God was right and to
prevent such a conflict from ever happening again. It should be realized that to the angels of God the whole
issue of corruption was an issue they had never before encountered.
When Satan and his angels chose evil over good they became corrupt, but there was no history of
corruption to prove what this meant. Also, the choice between good and evil is a choice that comes from the
depth of an individual. Which choice is made essentially depends on whether or not the individual "cares." If
an individual cares they will choose good over evil. If they do not care they will choose evil over good.
The above has always been thoroughly understood by God, but angels had absolutely no experience to tell
them this was true. So there had to be proof in order for the angels of God to understand why things had to
happen in the way that they did happen. The conditions established on earth allowed many people to gain a
lifetime of experience, but this conflict has also provided the angels with the experience they lacked.
A lifetime of experience for a person is completely different from a lifetime of experience for an angel. This
is true because their "levels of existence" are entirely different. This means that two different, but essentially
identical plans were required. These plans are completely dependent on each other because without one the
other could not possibly exist. The conflict taking place on this earth has actually provided the ideal
conditions for each of these plans.
On earth individuals develop and our development is dependent on the war between good and evil because
without the influence of both we lose our individuality. In heaven the development of angels is dependent on
this war because throughout it they gain experience. This will ultimately allow them to understand the issues
that they did not initially understand. It will give them the history they need to put it all together. In both
cases the development of individuals is achieved.
Once people had been banished from the garden of Eden all of the required conditions were in place to
allow this unthwartable plan to unfold. People had been created in the image of God. This meant that they
had also essentially been created in the image of angels, or they were like angels. This means that they all
had the knowledge of good & evil and also therefore had the ability to choose between the two.
Some would ultimately choose evil by choosing not to care, and some would ultimately choose good by
choosing to care. All however would be influenced by evil to some extent and this would result in
corruption. The conditions that had been established on earth meant that the effects of this corruption could
be directly applied to heaven. The angels of God and Satan then watched and waited for the outcome.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
It is impossible to know what Satan was thinking as the events in heaven unfolded. He probably had no
idea that God was way ahead of him right from the beginning. He would not have realized that God awaited
and possibly even foresaw his every move. Initially, Satan and his angels had no more experience where the
issues of corruption are concerned then any other angel. Their initial decisions and choices were almost
entirely based on their individual natures. If they had been subjected to frustration it would have only
hastened the inevitable.
They had been created as individuals and they had been given the knowledge of good and evil. Along with
this knowledge came the ability to choose between the two and for them this choice was clear right from the
very beginning. They chose evil over good because it was their nature to choose evil over good. This gave
them a tremendous capacity to inflict or cause harm and it also gave them a tremendous capacity to ignore
the pain and suffering of others. So angels became demons and they forever lost their places in eternity.
When God created people it was an open invitation and a challenge, so Satan introduced the knowledge of
good and evil to people and caused the fall of the human race. In the ensuing conflict that has continued
throughout the course of human history it would seem that certain rules of engagement have been in place.
This may be true because people do not often see angels or demons which may indicate that they are
essentially limited to having an unseen influence. This however, has not always been the case.
The Bible does record that there was a certain degree of interaction between God, angels and people
during the early civilizations that existed on earth. This interaction begins in the garden of Eden and
continues throughout approximately half of the book of genesis. It is a kind of interaction that is not often
seen in other books of the Bible. Genesis 3:8 states, "Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord
God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day."
The above mentioned event occurred right after Adam & Eve had eaten the forbidden fruit. The remainder
of the chapter indicates that God was standing right there with Adam and Eve throughout everything that
happened. This type of interaction is again seen in Genesis 4:2-5 where it is recorded that Cain and Abel
each brought an offering to the Lord. This event is described as though they were each able to walk right up
to God with their offerings.
The Bible also strongly suggests that the interaction between people and angels became intimate. Genesis
6:4 states, "The Nephilim were on the earth in those days-and also afterward-when the sons of God went to
the daughters of men and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown." A different
translation of the same verse is found in the King James Version of the Bible. It states, "There were giants in
the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and
they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown."
The above reference to the "sons of God" is the same wording found in the references previously quoted
from Job 1:6 and 2:1. In the verses quoted from Job the references are clearly references to angels, but in the
verse quoted above the reference is likely a reference to "fallen" angels. The Hebrew word for "nephilim" or
"giant" is the word "nephil" (nef-eel") which means "bully, tyrant or giant." The word "nephil" comes from
the Hebrew root word "naphal" (naw-fal") which means "to fall, or be cast down."
The very meaning of the word "naphal" does suggest a connection to fallen angels. The reference to the
"nephilim" is the last reference before the flood that suggests interaction between people and angels. After
the flood however, additional references are found that again suggest interaction between God, angels and
people.
These include the record found in Genesis 14:18 of Abraham's encounter with Melchizedek "king of
Salem" whom the Bible clearly identifies as not being human. They also include Abraham's encounter with
the Lord and two angels which is recorded in the eighteenth chapter of Genesis. Then in the nineteenth
chapter of Genesis these same two angels go to Sodom and Gomorrah in a physical form. Once there they
rescued Abraham's nephew lot before destroying the cities.
In other books of the Bible interaction is seen between God, angels and people, but this interaction is
generally of a different type. In Exodus the angel of God appears as a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by
night. In other books of the Bible both God and angels appear in dreams or in visions, but seldom do they
appear in physical form and interact with people the way that they do in Genesis.
If fallen angels did have intimate relations with human women, as the Bible infers, this may not be as far
fetched as it may seem. This is true because these fallen angels would likely have been very eager to
experience whatever they could experience. Everything about the world and people would have been
completely new to them. To an extent they may have been traumatized by their recent war with the angels of
God, but they would have also likely been eager to get on with life.
As this first civilization developed the effects of corruption became both apparent and devastating. Genesis
6:11-12 states that the earth "was full of violence" and that "all the people on earth had corrupted their
ways." This had occurred in spite of the fact that the people of this early civilization had been given a very
long life-span.
The Bible contains a record of the family tree of Adam. It records in Genesis chapter five that Adam lived
to be 930 years old. Adam's son Seth lived to be 912 years old, and Seth's son Enosh lived to be 905 years
old. The person of this time with the oldest recorded life-span was Methuselah who lived to be 969 years
old.
These people were probably given such a long life-span to see if it would help them overcome the effects
of corruption, but it did not. This means that if people live a very long life they do not necessarily learn from
their mistakes and get it right. If this were the case this early civilization would still exist today because God
would not have had any reason to destroy it. If this had occurred it would have proved Satan was right and
God would have had to concede the war.
If this early civilization had been prematurely destroyed every one of God's angels and every fallen angel
would have been a witness. This means that the effects of corruption would have had to be conclusive before
God could have sent the flood. This is why God waited until the very last moment before he pulled the plug.
It had to be clear that nothing else could have been done. Only then could Noah have begun loading his
family and the animals into the ark.
After the flood the life-span of people was changed. Genesis 6:3 states, "Then the Lord said, 'my spirit will
not contend with man forever, for he is mortal (or corrupt); his days will be a hundred and twenty years'."
This statement was made just before God sent the flood and it may have signified the end of the first stage of
the conflict between God and Satan. People had been given a very long life-span, but this did nothing to
overcome the effects of corruption. Once this had been proved the life-span was reduced.
We do not know what Satan's initial strategy was in his conflict with God. In the beginning he would have
had no more experience or history then any other angel, so he would not have completely understood the
effects of corruption. If he did at any time intend to prove that these effects could be overcome he likely
would have abandoned this strategy by the time the first civilization ended.
Also, if Satan did in fact want to prove that corruption could be overcome he would have had to build a
society that operated perfectly. This would have taken a great deal of effort and he would have had a great
number of corrupt people and corrupt angels standing in his way. He probably realized very early in the
conflict that it would be much easier to destroy than it would be to build. This approach would have suited
his nature perfectly.
Satan did in fact have a second strategy available to him right from the very beginning. This was to prove
that God was not perfect. If he could do this he would not have to worry at all about the effects of
corruption. This is true because if God were not perfect he would not be able to hold Satan accountable for
his own imperfections. Satan could not be found guilty if God himself was guilty.
It is then very likely that Satan and his followers adopted a strategy of causing as much harm and
destruction as they possibly could. They probably believed that if they could keep the world in a constant
state of chaos it would make it impossible for God to complete whatever plan he had devised. If God was
unable to complete his plan, or if any mistakes were made along the way, it would prove that God was not
perfect and Satan and his followers would be off the hook.
1 Peter 5:8 contains the statement, "the Devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to
devour." This statement describes someone who is bent on destruction. To this end it has been the goal of
Satan and his followers to assist the development of corruption, conflicts and wars wherever they could.
They have been right behind every lunatic who has ever tried to take over the world, or who has ever
believed in the murder of innocent people.
It has also been their goal to assist people in the development of religion. They did this because religion is
a wonderful tool for the development of conflicts and wars. Differences in religious beliefs have probably
throughout history led to as many conflicts and wars as any other single contributing factor. These religions
or these "belief systems" can take sincere faith and turn it into some form of justification for the murder of
innocent people.
Satan and/or his followers have been present during every war or conflict that has ever occurred on this
planet. They had front row seats during the crusades, the inquisitions and the witch hunts. They have also
been present every other time religious people have done anything to damage the faith of others. They have
had an unseen influence on every human being who has ever lived and the effects of this influence are seen
everywhere.
When Satan and his followers look back throughout history at the damage they have caused they probably
believe that they have affected God's plan. If we consider all the injustice and all the wars that have occurred
throughout the history of the human race it may be very difficult to believe anything else. The influence of
Satan and his followers on human history is undeniable, but this influence has always been balanced by
another influence.
It has already been said that on earth the development of individuals is dependent on the influence of both
good and evil. In order for these individuals to develop it is actually quite important that a balance be
maintained between these two influences. If this is done it means that there will not be an imbalance one way
or the other and the choice between the two can then be made according to the nature of each individual.
If one third of the angels did in fact fall with Satan then two thirds of the angels remained with God. This
means that for the evil influence of every fallen angel there could have easily been a counter influence from
one of God's angels. If this has occurred it means that for every evil influence there has been a counter
influence which has maintained the balance between good and evil. If this balance has been maintained then
the plan has also been maintained.
If the above is true it would mean that the activities of Satan and his followers have actually aided God's
plan. This is true because Satan and his followers would have actually provided a substantial portion of the
evil influence required for the development of individuals. This influence would have gone beyond the
influence provided by the human conscience alone.
The activities or the influences exerted by both God and Satan would have increased the attention to, or
the awareness of the struggle between good and evil. These influences have had the equivalent effect of
turning up the volume on a stereo where one channel is good and the other is evil. When the volume is
turned up it intensifies the issue of choosing between good and evil, but the balance of the influences is
always maintained.
The above forces each individual to deal with these issues because it keeps them in front of us at all times.
When we consider the actions of the Hitler's of our world, or constantly see people abusing others it forces
us to ask, "which side would we be on, or would we do the same?" The influence of Satan and his followers
has intensified the issue of good verses evil. Without this influence we may not have had as many Hitler's or
as many wars and the issues may have been much easier to avoid.
Satan could not have known that his actions were an integral part of God's plan. In the civilization that
existed before the flood Satan and his followers likely had a strong influence of evil, but this would have
been balanced by an influence of good. The intensity of these influences would have only accelerated what
would have otherwise occurred over a longer period of time. When Satan saw the flood waters rising he
probably thought that he had accomplished his goal, but it is likely that his efforts only accelerated the
process.
The same is likely true of Sodom and Gomorrah. Here again Satan likely thought that he had accomplished
something when in fact his efforts likely only accelerated what would have otherwise occurred over a longer
period of time. Then, in the Old Testament nation of Israel there essentially was a "tug of war" between the
influences of good and evil. When good was winning the "law of Moses" worked and the nation did well.
When evil was winning the "law of Moses" did not work and the nation did not do well.
The influence of God and Satan intensified the struggle that took place within the nation of Israel and this
resulted in extreme high and low points. In one extreme there was Solomon who was one the greatest kings
who ever lived. In the other extreme there were times when this nation was probably not much better than a
living hell. In some respects it could be said that the Old Testament nation of Israel was torn apart by the
intensity of this struggle.
The intensity that was generated by the influences of God and Satan can again be seen in the life of Christ.
There were times in his life when people wanted to hear every word he had to say. This is a complete
contrast to when every member of the crowd shouted to have him crucified. Then after the death and
resurrection of Christ the apostles took a message of faith to most or all of the known world. This was then
countered by an influence of evil which resulted in the deaths of many of these early "Christians."
All of the struggles between good and evil that are seen throughout human history are the result of
influences that exist on two completely different levels. The most basic struggle takes place within the
human conscience where the knowledge of good and evil is contained. This struggle is then intensified by the
influence of God and Satan, but because these influences remain balanced they do not determine the course
of human history. They merely accelerate what would have otherwise occurred over a longer period of time.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
It is very unlikely that any society has ever been brought to ruin by the influence of Satan and his
followers. Instead, it more likely was the corruption that existed within the people of the societies that
caused their fall. This corruption would have existed regardless of whether or not these people had been
subjected to any outside influences. These influences, as long as they remain balanced, only intensified, or
accelerated the effects of corruption. They did not change the effects.
The above is true because when a human being is given the knowledge of good and evil they will be
influenced both by good and by evil. The extent to which they are influenced by evil is the extent to which
they are corrupt. This occurs because to a human being the issues of good and evil are not crystal clear like
they are to an angel or to God.
When an angel is given the knowledge of good and evil it is very likely that the angel immediately chooses
between the two. If the angel has a good nature the influence of evil will be immediately rejected. If the
angel has an evil nature the influence of good will be immediately rejected. Once the choice has been made
the angel is no longer influenced by both good and evil.
The angel will then retain a knowledge of good and evil, but will only be influenced by the one which has
been chosen. If the angel chooses good over evil the angel will retain a knowledge of evil, but the angel will
never again be influenced by evil. If the angel chooses evil over good the angel will retain a knowledge of
good, but the angel will never again be influenced by good. This would occur because of the clarity of the
choices.
In the case of human beings very little is clear about the choice between good and evil. There certainly is
black and white for many people where the issues of good and evil are concerned, but there is also plenty of
gray in between. We do not have a clear understanding of the issues, so we often simply struggle to do the
best that we can. This struggle between good and evil is actually required for the development of our
individuality.
This means that corruption exists within the "human system" in a way that is completely independent of
any unseen influence. This corruption, by itself, would eventually bring down any social system. This would
occur even if the forces of God and Satan had no influence at all. This is true because these influences only
exist to speed up the process by forcing the issues, but they do not change, or alter the general effects of
corruption.
If human beings had been left entirely to themselves they would still have fought many wars and they
would still have developed many religions. This is true because any influences that are exerted on people by
the forces of good and evil are exerted on qualities that people already possess. If a person is not greedy the
forces of evil cannot simply create greed within the person. They may attempt to entice the person into being
greedy, but ultimately the attempt will fail.
The same is true in any case where the forces of good and evil attempt to exert an influence on any
individual. These influences cannot create anything that does not already exist within the individual. They
can only reveal the qualities and the nature that is already present. This means that these influences intensify
the struggle that already exists, but they do not change, or alter the struggle.
Satan and/or his followers have never created any conflict between individuals, but they have definitely
encouraged, or influenced many conflicts. Satan and/or his followers have never been responsible for the
creation of any religion, but they have definitely encouraged, or influenced the creation of many religions.
They do not independently create conflicts, or religions, but instead they encourage and influence those that
have already been conceived.
This means that the whole issue of religion really did provide a "tactical diversion" for Satan and his
followers. This is true because they have likely spent a great deal of time throughout history assisting in the
development of religions. They likely did this thinking that it was an effective way to prevent God from
completing his plan. They thought that if people became "trapped" within religions they would effectively
turn others off believing in God. They did not realize that they were gaining nothing because religion never
was the issue.
It is clear that Satan either did not foresee, or did not understand the significance of the crucifixion
otherwise he would never have participated in it and instead he would likely have tried to prevent it. It is
also likely that after the crucifixion Satan failed to understand the significance of the "law of Christ" just as
religion has also failed to understand its significance. This all demonstrates a complete lack of understanding
of God's plan. This means that Satan would have had no idea that he was actually aiding God's plan by
maintaining an influence of evil.
If Satan and/or his followers had never influenced any human being many people would still have chosen
evil over good. If Satan and/or his followers had never influenced any human being all people would still
have been influenced by evil. This would still have resulted in corruption which would have eventually
caused the fall of any and every society.
The above is true because when people choose evil over good they are not often influenced by good. They
may do the odd good deed, but for the most part they will either be very harmful, or they will be very selfish.
If they are harmful they will likely be violent and if they are selfish they will ignore the suffering of others. In
one case they inflict damage to society and in the other case they add nothing good, or contribute little to
society.
Then there are people who will choose good over evil, but these people are still influenced by evil, so they
are prone to making many mistakes. When people who choose evil harm others it is often done intentionally,
whereas when people who choose good harm others it often times was not their intention, but they still do
cause harm. Also, if people who choose good become embedded in religious beliefs it can cause them to see
others as being lost, or evil. This can completely ruin their contribution to society.
In the end any society is left with people of two extremes and a lot of other people caught in between. On
the one extreme are the people who contribute to the failure of the society because they have clearly chosen
evil over good. On the other extreme there are people who have chosen good over evil, but they have also
become subject to a set of religious beliefs. These beliefs then either prevent them from contributing to the
society, or they may actually cause these people to contribute to its failure.
In between these two extremes there are many people who may be trying to do the best they can, but they
often have little common direction. These people may have the best of intentions and they may make
substantial contributions to the good of the society. They are however still influenced by evil, so they do also
contribute to the societies overall failure.
The sum of all the above means that every society is essentially "biased" towards failure and this fact has
been well proved throughout human history. This bias would still exist even if there had never been any
influence from God or Satan. This is true because the bias is not the product of any external influence. It
instead is the product of the corruption that exists within the "human system."
The course of human history has then proved that the biased created by corruption towards failure cannot
be overcome. This proof has been demonstrated under a number of different sets of conditions. In the
civilization that existed before the flood the influence of God and Satan was balanced yet the bias towards
failure caused the society to end in ruin. This occurred in spite of the fact that the people of this civilization
had been given a very long life-span.
After the flood the influence of God and Satan was again balanced yet the bias towards failure also caused
the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to end in ruin. The destruction of these cities likely signified the end of
the proof demonstrated under the first set of conditions. People had been given a very long life-span and a
normal life-span yet in both cases the bias towards failure caused the same result. In both of these cases the
balanced influence of God and Satan would have done nothing more than accelerate the outcome.
In the civilization that existed before the flood and in Sodom and Gomorrah there was no written law to
counter the effects of corruption. The influence of good exerted by God did not counter these effects
because this influence was balanced by an influence of evil. Also, the influence of evil exerted by Satan did
nothing to enhance the effects of corruption because this influence was balanced by an influence of good.
The above means that in these early societies the bias towards failure created by corruption was left
completely unchecked. This would have clearly demonstrated the effects of corruption on a society that
likely had no written laws, or that lacked any substantial degree of social order. This may also have provided
an indication of what would have occurred if the fallen angels had been allowed to establish their own
societies throughout the universe.
Satan and his followers may have initially tried to argue that if they had been left to themselves they would
have established their own workable societies. God on the other hand would have known that any society
established by these angels would have been totally devoid of any kind of love or compassion. These angels
had so completely chosen evil over good that any society established by them would likely have been ultra-
violent. The effects of this kind of unchecked corruption were then demonstrated in the civilization that
existed before the flood and in Sodom and Gomorrah.
It was not enough however just to demonstrate the effects of unchecked corruption on earth. It also was
never God's intention simply to prove what Satan and his followers would have done if they had been left to
themselves. It actually had to be demonstrated that the effects of corruption would be the same in any social
system regardless of what was done. This was necessary in order to provide proof that a place in heaven
could never again be given to Satan and his followers.
To understand the above we must ask ourselves, "what would have happened if Satan and his followers, or
if even some of his followers had asked God to forgive them?" The angels that remained with God may have
even asked themselves, "why could these angels not be forgiven?" In order to answer this question God had
to demonstrate that the corruption of these angels would in fact have corrupted heaven if they had again
been given a place in heaven.
It then became absolutely necessary to establish a well ordered system of government that would oppose
the effects of corruption. Once this was done it would then be a matter of seeing whether this system of
government would prevail over the effects of the corruption, or whether the opposite would occur. At this
point in the history of the earth God saw a nation enslaved and he sent them a man named Moses.
Once the "law of Moses" had been established it was observed by the people of Israel for one generation.
The next generation that came along did not observe the "law of Moses" and the nation of Israel became
corrupt. What followed throughout the history of the Old Testament nation of Israel was a struggle between
corruption and the law that opposed this corruption. This struggle prolonged the inevitable, but in the end
the corruption did prevail and the nation was brought to ruin.
After the above struggle had concluded Christ came on the scene and through his death he established a
new law which was a law of love. This law can be expressed as, "love one another," "love your neighbor as
yourself," or, "do to others as you would have them do to you." The fundamental principles contained within
this law have been the basis for many modern social systems.
These social systems have all attempted to establish both basic human rights and justice systems designed
to protect these rights. The establishment and protection of the rights of the individual in itself is the basis
for modern civilization. Any social system that is not based around the rights of the individual is considered
to be a step backwards in the development of the human race.
Human beings do seem to understand that the development of the individual is the key to establishing a
workable society. We constantly work towards this goal, but it is corruption that always keeps us from
attaining the goal. We must recognize that a sustainable, workable society cannot be established as long as
greed, hatred, violence, racism and poverty are predominant within a society. These are all caused by
corruption which is caused by the influence of evil.
Many different types of social systems have tried to overcome the effects of corruption, but none ever has,
and none ever will. The angels who chose evil over good did so because it was their nature to do so. When
they made this choice they became corrupt and the effects of this corruption can never be overcome so they
can never again be given a place in heaven.
The same is true of the people who choose evil over good. They too are corrupt by nature so they too can
never be given a place in heaven. If they were the effects of their corruption would be devastating. We have
thousands of years of human history to prove that history does in fact repeat itself, and it does repeat itself
because of corruption.
Each new generation is influenced by good and evil which means the people of the generation are corrupt.
In order for all of them to develop their own individuality they must all go through the same struggle that all
other generations have gone through before them. They must all be allowed to make their own mistakes and
hopefully as individuals they will learn and grow from those mistakes. This process occurs over and over
again and this causes history to repeat.
When angels made their choice between good and evil the issues were crystal clear and they made their
choices based on their own individual natures. This means that the angels who chose evil will always be
influenced by evil and they will always therefore be corrupt. This means that there is no going back for these
angels because they are exactly where they belong.
In the case of people God could not ask us to make a simple choice between good and evil because the
issues were not clear. Also, God could not ask us to be perfect because we were all corrupted by the
influenced of evil without which are individuality could not have developed. This meant that people had to
be given another way to choose between good and evil. This way was provided by Christ when he
established the "law of Christ" because the fulfillment of this law was only dependent on whether, or not
people chose to care.
In the beginning God established an unthwartable plan for the creation of individuals. This plan right from
the very beginning included both the creation of angels and people. The basic building blocks for
individuality were given to people through something we call DNA. It is quite possible that the creation of
angels also included some form of DNA.
God knew that for individuals to exist there had to be the knowledge of good and evil along with the free
will to choose between the two. So God created a multitude of individuals who were each allowed to choose
between good and evil. It was always Gods intention that in the end the keys to heaven would be given to
the angels who chose good over evil and to the people who chose to care.
It was also part of the plan that in the end the people who chose to care would be given angelic like
bodies. After this transformation was complete the issues of good and evil would be crystal clear for these
"new" angels. In mortal form these beings would have already demonstrated that they had good natures
because they had chosen to care. This means that as angels they would all immediately reject the influence of
evil and there would never again be corruption in heaven.
The end result would be a multitude of angels all of whom would both clearly understand the issues of
good and evil and be experienced in the effects of corruption. Some of these angels would have received
their education and experience through a life on earth. Others would have received their education and
experience by observing and participating in the conflict that occurred on earth.
The angels who chose evil over good and the people who had chosen not to care would then essentially be
destroyed. This may seem harsh to some, but it must be understood that a being who chooses evil does so by
nature and they will always continue to act according to that nature. Proverbs 10:20 states, "The tongue of
the righteous is choice silver, but the heart of the wicked is of little value." If choosing evil is the same as
choosing not to care we must ask ourselves the question, "what good, or of what use is a heart that does not
care?"
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
It may be completely understandable that some people may choose to resent God for the way in which he
chose to create individuals. The question may always be debated as to whether, or not there was another
way, or a better way. The supposed necessity of the influence of evil for the creation and development of
individuals has definitely led to a tremendous amount of injustice, pain and suffering. Some people may
choose to believe that nothing could have been worth such a price.
In God's defense it must be said that the only quality God ever required from any human being was that
they care. Unfortunately, for many people this was far too much to ask. In the case of angels they were
created to be individuals, but if the choice between good and evil had been denied them they would never
have been individuals.
In everything that has occurred in heaven and on earth a great price has definitely been paid for what has
been achieved. This payment can be looked at in one of two ways. One, we can say that both people and
angels have paid a great price to achieve their individuality, or two, we can say that God has paid a great
price in order to give us our individuality.
It may be possible for many people to give God the benefit of the doubt by believing that there was no
other way to create individuals. If God's entire plan was in fact laid out before anything was created it would
mean that God would have counted the cost before the plan was initiated. It would also likely mean that if
there had been a better way God would have chosen the better way. Instead, God obviously decided that the
outcome was worth the price.
In the end we will all likely be given a clear understanding of God's plan. We will then also likely
understand that to create an individual there is a price that must be paid. We will also see that when the
people and the angels who chose evil caused harm it came straight from the heart. When we realize what
these beings have intentionally done to others we may become much less disappointed with God, and much
more disappointed with these beings. We may also then realize why they could never have been given a place in heaven.
In the end we will also understand that God's entire plan was completed the moment the son of God
breathed his last breath on the cross. When Christ stated the words, "it is finished," the meaning of the words
was beyond our comprehension. In that moment the son of God paid the price for injustice past, present, and
future. He became Lord of all, judge of all, and he established a law that became the one true standard of
what it means to believe.
In that moment Satan and his followers were forever defeated. In that moment, from beginning to end, all
of the people who chose to care were separated from all of the people who chose not to care. Also, in that
moment everything that we see, perceive and experience became nothing more than history.
God could clearly see how the plan would unfold right from the very beginning. God knew that a balance
would be maintained on earth between the external influences of good and evil. God knew that by
maintaining this balance the course of human history would prove what the effects of corruption would be
under various sets of conditions.
God also knew that for human beings the choice between good and evil would be the same as choosing to
care, or not to care. God then sent his son to establish a law that would separate people on this basis. God
also sent his son into the world at a point in time where his teachings would assist in proving the effects of
corruption. The timing and the depth of the plan is incredible.
The details of the plan have always been contained within the Bible. This collection of books however is a
very complex literary puzzle that could only be properly solved if the "law of Christ" was given its place in
the puzzle. Without this law the Bible would be a collection of books completely subjective in meaning, and
full of contradictions. However with the "law of Christ" in place the contradictions would virtually disappear
and the Bible would become a collection of books worthy of a God.
The "law of Moses" set a standard of perfection that no human could fulfill, but this law did oppose
corruption. This law was also defeated by corruption so it ultimately will be used to judge those who will
always be corrupt. The "law of Christ" however did not set a standard of perfection, but instead it set a
standard of love that many people could fulfill. This means that this law is a forgiving law, but some people
may ask the question, "how forgiving is it?"
The answer to the question stated above is found in verses previously quoted from James 2:12-13. They
state, "Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment
without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!"
The judgment of Christ which is seen in "the sheep and the goats" is entirely based upon the quality of
mercy in a person's life. Every human being makes many mistakes in the course of a lifetime. Many people
are going to be forgiven for every mistake they have ever made. Others are not going to be forgiven for any
of the mistakes they have made. The difference between these two "types" of people has absolutely nothing
to do with religious beliefs. Instead, it is entirely dependent upon whether, or not they cared.
The quality of mercy, or compassion either is, or is not a part of an individual's nature. Every human being
will therefore be forgiven for every mistake they have ever made, right up until the point that they are judged
by Christ to be without mercy. If the quality of mercy can be seen in a person's life God can forgive that
person for every mistake they have ever made. If the quality of mercy cannot be seen in a person's life God
will not forgive that person for any mistake they have ever made.
People do not continuously and intentionally use and abuse others if they posses the quality of mercy.
They will make many mistakes and they will at times cause harm, but it will seldom be "straight from the
heart." These people will at times be victims of their own ignorance and their own beliefs, but they will also
be trying to "sort out life" rather than just "taking from life."
It actually has been the work of God and the angels of God to bring out the quality of mercy in, and/or
reveal the true nature of every caring person who has ever lived. If a caring person gets a bad start on life
they will be forgiven as long as their true nature is at some point revealed. It is up to God to "sort it out,"
but this process is not dependent on our ability to understand, or comprehend how God will "sort it out."
Instead the process is entirely dependent on whether, or not God is able to "sort it out."
There are millions of different circumstances that can effect the lives of any human being. Some people
would say that under the right, or wrong circumstances any person is capable of anything. This to an extent
is true and there are endless possibilities of what can occur in any person's life. It then takes a God to sort it
all out because only a God can.
Proverbs 5:21 states, "For a person's ways are in full view of the Lord, who examines all their paths."
Proverbs 15:3 states, "The eyes of the Lord are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good."
Proverbs 20:17 states, "The lamp of the Lord searches the spirit of a person; it searches out their inmost
being." 1 Samuel 2:3 contains the statement, "The Lord is a God who knows, and by him deeds are
weighed." If we believe that God has missed, or will miss something we are mistaken.
If Christ lived on earth today he would not sit in church on Sunday morning and raise his hand on cue.
Instead, he would oppose religion today just as he had opposed religion when he lived on earth. He would
accuse today's religious people of nullifying the word of God just as he had accused the Pharisees of his
time. He would also accuse today's religious people of condemning the innocent just as he had accused the
Pharisees of his time.
Also, if Christ did live on earth today he would likely be opposed by religious people. This is true because
most of these people are far more committed to their belief systems then they ever have been to the son of
God. If Christ did not align himself with these belief systems the loyalties of these people would very quickly
be revealed just as they were when Christ did live on earth. With their mouths these people pledge allegiance
to the son of God, but with their actions they demonstrate a tremendous lack of understanding.
Christ would not have taken part in the crusades, the inquisitions, or the witch hunts, nor would Christ
take part in the business of religion as it exists today. Christ did say that a person must believe and that a
person must be "born again", but then he also established a law that is fulfilled by mercy, love and
compassion.
John 3:3 states, "In reply Jesus declared, 'I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless
they are born again'." In John 3:7 the statement is, "you must be born again." In these statements the Greek
word for "born" does mean "to be born." However, the word "again" comes from the Greek word "anothen"
(an"-o-then). It means "from above, from a higher place, of things which come from heaven or God, from
the first, from the beginning, from the very first, or over again."
It would be far more accurate to translate the statement "born again" as "born from above", or "born of
God", and anyone who has true faith is born of God. It is also very interesting to note the definitions, "from
the first, from the beginning, and from the very first." It is accurate to say that people who possess a good
nature have possessed it from the first, or from the beginning just as the nature of angels was also clear from
the beginning.
There is no record of when Noah, Abraham, David or many other biblical characters went through a
religious "born again" experience. These people were in fact people who possessed faith so they were "born
of God" just as any other person who possesses faith is also born of God. 1 John 4:7 contains the statement,
"everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God." This is a reference to the people who have
faith because it is faith that inspires hope and love.
In the "sermon on the mount" Christ made a number of statements that are a direct reference to the
character, or nature of people who will be in heaven. In Matthew 5:3 Christ stated, "blessed are the poor in
spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of God." In Matthew 5:5 Christ stated, "blessed are the meek, for they will
inherit the earth." In Matthew 5:7 Christ stated "blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy." In
Matthew 5:8 Christ stated "blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." In Matthew 5:9 Christ
stated "blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God."
In no way, shape, or form does Christ qualify the statements quoted above as being only applicable to
those people who have the correct religious beliefs. Christ did not state, "blessed are the poor in spirit, or the
meek who have the correct religious beliefs." He did not state, "blessed are the merciful, or the pure in heart
who have the correct religious beliefs." Christ did not say that only peacemakers with the correct religious
beliefs will be called the children of God.
In Matthew 5:13 Christ did state, "You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can
it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled by people."
Also, in John 5:28-29 Christ did state, "Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in
their graves will hear his voice and come out - those who have done good will rise to live, and those who
have done evil will rise to be condemned."
People who agree with today's theologies would say that the verses quoted above from John 5:28-29
cannot possibly mean what they appear to mean. No one is good unless they believe so these verses really
mean, "those who have done good and have believed will rise to live." They do not understand the "law of
Christ" so they do not understand that these verses can mean exactly what they state.
These people are "trapped" within belief systems that force them into religious conclusions. They do not
understand that the salvation of human beings has never had anything to do with religious beliefs because
religion has always been the creation of people. Their belief systems prevent them from understanding the
"law of Christ", but if they could understand this law they would then understand it all.
Beyond Religion there is a law that gives freedom. This law has never asked any person to be something
that they are not, nor has it ever asked them to fit into a religious mold in which they do not belong. This
law was established for the salvation of every human being who has ever cared, and it is administered by a
high priest who will never make a single mistake. This is true because nothing under heaven, or in hell can
withstand the power of God's one and only son. Against him there has never been any possibility of failure.
Regarding the lifestyles of people there have always been two extremes that have existed on earth. One of
these is called legalism and the other is called license. If a person has a legalistic lifestyle they will subject
themselves to many laws. If on the other hand a person lives life without any laws they may live as though
they have a license to do anything.
On the one extreme there is no freedom to do anything and on the other extreme there is freedom to do
anything which can also include causing tremendous harm. The "law of Christ" lies directly in between these
two extremes and it is the key to striking a balance in life. On the one hand a multitude of legalistic laws are
replaced by a single law of love which means a person does not have to live a legalistic life. On the other
hand because love is the focus a person does not have license to cause harm. It is a perfect balance and it
also is true freedom.
The establishment of the "law of Christ" means that "mercy" will triumph over judgment. This means that
the people who care will be in heaven regardless of whether, or not they have lived their lives legalistically.
This also means that the exact same standard will be applied to all people regardless of their religion, and
regardless of whether, or not they even are "religious."
There also are people who believe that heaven will be a religious place, but this is not true. When eternity
begins it will be the end of evil, but just as importantly it will also be the end of religion. In heaven people
will never again attempt to force beliefs on others. Heaven will in fact be a society of beings who have
chosen to care. This society will be governed by one single law that will be written on the hearts of its
citizens. They will all be free to be the individuals they were created to be and the society will work simply
because they all care.
When these beings step into eternity they will not be demanding explanations from God. They will no
longer wonder whether, or not God did what had to be done, or if there was a better way. They will not bear
any scars from what they experienced while on this earth, nor will they ever look back again.
They will then also know that it was indeed God, and only God who paid the ultimate price for them. This
almighty God of love allowed, and endured the existence of evil because it was the only way that individuals
could be created. This God was tested over and over again without ever making a single mistake. If even for
a moment this God had failed everything would have been lost, but instead everything was gained.
John 14:2 contains the statement of Christ, "In my father's house there are many rooms." The 21st chapter
of Revelation states that there will be a new heaven and a new earth. It also states that on this new earth
there will be a city called New Jerusalem. Concerning this city Revelation 21:15-18 states, "The angel who
talked with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city, its gates and its walls. The city was laid out
like a square, as long as it was wide."
"He measured the city with the rod and found it to be 12,000 stadia in length, and as wide and high as it
was long. He measured its wall and it was 144 cubits thick by man's measurement, which the angel was
using. The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold as pure as glass." The word "stadia" quoted
above comes from the Greek word "stadion" (stad"-ee-on). It is a distance approximately equivalent to
600feet, or 185 meters. This means that the city of New Jerusalem is a cube approximately 2220 kilometres
square. The wall is 144 cubits thick which is approximately 65 metres.
This city is so massive that it would not fit within the dimensions of our moon. If the cube was stood on
end the diagonal distance from corner to corner running through the center of the cube would be almost
3900 kilometres. The diameter of the moon is less than 3500 kilometres. The Bible states that the gates of
this city will never close.
What else there will be in these new heavens and on this new earth is not yet known, but no one will be
disappointed. It will be like nothing any person has ever seen, or experienced. It will also exceed any concept
of heaven that any person has ever had. The keys to eternity "will" one day be handed to the children of
God. For them this experience will be a "paradise found" because on that day all of their dreams will come
true right in front of their eyes.
THE END
BIBLIOGRAPHY
1.Unless otherwise specified all biblical references are from the "New International Version" (NIV) of the
Bible.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Alexander Penman is a self-taught theologian and a safety professional. He was not raised to be a religious
person, but instead was raised to be a decent human being, and he has always believed in God. When he was
thirteen years old his life changed forever when his oldest brother Brad died in a motorcycle accident, just
outside of the small town of Gravenhurst, Ontario, Canada. At the time of this accident his brother Brad was
by far the most important person in his life.
Brad Penman was a genius in the field of electronics. He had built a statistics computer that was used in
cooperation with, "Hockey Night in Canada," during the 1974 Canada Vs Russia hockey series. The
Penman family invested every penny they had in an electronics company that would have been a world leader
had Brad Penman lived. When he died the sky fell in and to this day the Penman family has not recovered
from this disaster.
No one who ever knew Brad would have described him as being a religious individual, yet the author of
this book has never known anyone with such an incredible faith in God. For him, this made it very clear from
an early age that believing in God did not necessarily have anything to do with either religion, or religious
beliefs. He then "set out," to "sort it out," and the results of this endeavor are contained in Beyond
Religion. A work of theology that does not support or promote religion, or religious beliefs in any way,
shape or form.
