From Daniel to Revelation

Categories

The articles are grouped into the following categories
(Click a category to see the full list.):

• • DANIEL
    • • The Antichrist in Daniel ¹The Antichrist in Daniel, which is the same as the beast in Revelation, arises out of the Roman Empire; it is not Antiochus Epiphanes.
      • The 490 years of Daniel 9 ²Liberal scholars claim that this prophecy describes the Greek king Antiochus IV, two centuries before Christ. In Dispensationalism, the prophecy culminates in an end-time Antichrist. In the traditional interpretation, which dominated before liberalism and Dispensationalism, the prophecy focuses on Jesus Christ.
      • Is Daniel a fraud? ³Critical scholars teach that Daniel was written after the events it claims to predict.
  • REVELATION ⁴The ultimate purpose of this website is to explain these prophecies and, finally, the mark of the beast.
    • • General Topics ⁵Does Revelation describe events chronologically? Must it be interpreted literally? The temple in heaven, Christ’s Return, Hear/See Combinations, and the Numbers in Revelation
      • The Seven Seals (Rev 4-7) ⁶There was a book in heaven that not even Christ was able to read because it was sealed up with seven seals. But, by overcoming, He became worthy to break the seven seals and open the book. Why was Jesus not “worthy” to open the book before He “overcame?” And how did His death make Him “worthy” to open the book?
      • The Seven Wars (Rev 12-14) ⁷This is the apex of Revelation. Revelation 12 provides an overview of history from before Christ until the end-time, Revelation 13 culminates in the end-time persecution, and Revelation 14 describes God’s response.
      • The Seven Last Plagues (Rev 15-16) ⁸The seven last plagues will be preceded by the end-time Christian-on-Christian persecution and followed by Christ’s return. Is the purpose simply punishment or do the plagues have a higher goal?
      • Revelation’s Beasts ⁹Revelation has three beasts with seven heads and ten horns each; a great red dragon (Rev 12:3), the beast from the sea (Rev 13:1), and a scarlet beast, full of blasphemous names (Rev 17:3).
      • Babylon – Mother of Harlots (Rev 17-18) ¹⁰Babylon is mentioned only once in the first 15 chapters (Rev 14:8) but the seventh and final plague targets her specifically (Rev 16:19). Then Revelation 17 and 18 are dedicated to explaining who and what she is.
      • Revelation 17 verse-by-verse
  • TRINITY
    • • Is Jesus the Most High God? ¹¹The conclusion that Jesus is ‘God’ forms the basis of the Trinity Doctrine.
      • The Truth about the Origin of the Trinity Doctrine ¹²For the first more than 300 years, the church fathers believed that the Son is subordinate to the Father. The Trinity Doctrine was developed by the Cappadocian fathers late in the fourth century but the decision to adopt it was not taken by the church.
      • Trinity Doctrine – General ¹³Including Modalism, Eastern Orthodoxy view of the Trinity, Elohim, and Eternal Generation
  • SALVATION
    • • Why Jesus had to die ¹⁴Discussions of the Atonement – How does God do away with sin?
      • Justification ¹⁵How people are put right with God
  • THE LAW
    • • The Law of Moses ¹⁶Must Christians observe the Law of Moses?
      • The Sabbath ¹⁷Must Christians observe the Sabbath?
  • DEATH
    • • The State of the Dead ¹⁸Are the dead still alive and aware?
      • Eternal Torment ¹⁹Will the lost be tormented in hell for all eternity?
  • OTHER
    • • Why does evil exist? ²⁰And why does God not make an end to all evil?
      • The church began as a Jewish sect.²¹Key events that transformed the church into an independent religion
      • The Return of Christ ²²When? How? Has His return been delayed?
      • About Author ²³I do not hold any formal theological qualifications. Since I am not part of any religious organization, I am free to present the truth as I understand it. These articles are the result of my personal studies over many years.
  • VERSE-BY-VERSE
    • • Romans ²⁴Romans 1 to 3:8, and chapters 9, 11, and 14
      • Galatians 1-3
      • Colossians 1-2:16
      • Hebrews – selected topics

Daniel’s Prophecies

The Antichrist in Daniel

The Antichrist in Daniel, which is the same as the beast in Revelation, arises out of the Roman Empire; it is not Antiochus Epiphanes.

• • • Daniel 2 ²⁵Daniel 2 divides world history into six successive ages but does not mention the Antichrist.
    • Daniel 7 ²⁶Daniel 7 uses four beasts and eleven horns to symbolize empires and kingdoms. The 11^th horn is the Antichrist.
    • The Evil Horn ²⁷Three alternative interpretations
    • The evil horn arises out of the Roman Empire. ²⁸A comparison of the beasts of Daniel 7 and 8 identifies the fourth beast, out of which the 11^th horn grows, as the Roman Empire.
      
    • Daniel 8:9 (from one of them) ²⁹Does this phrase indicate that the horn arises out of Greece?
    • Daniel 11 – Who is the vile person? ³⁰In Daniel 11, is the Vile Person of Antiochus IV or an end-time Antichrist?
    • Could the vile person be Antiochus IV? ³¹This article lists several differences between the evil king of Daniel 7, 8, and 11 and Antiochus IV. Antiochus was a type of a much later and greater Antichrist.

Daniel 9

Liberal scholars claim that Daniel 9 describes the Greek king Antiochus IV, two centuries before Christ. In Dispensationalism, the prophecy culminates in an end-time Antichrist. In the traditional interpretation, which dominated before modern Liberalism and Dispensationalism, the prophecy focuses on Jesus Christ:

• • • Summary of all articles on Daniel 9 below ³²This article gives an overview of the 490 years-prophecy, discusses the major points of dispute and analyzes the four major alternative interpretations.
      
    • Introduction ³³Overview of the prophecy and its major alternative interpretations
      
    • With what decree did the 490 years begin? ³⁴The 490 years begin with a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem (Dan 9:25). This article evaluates five possible decrees.
      
    • The purpose of the 490 years ³⁵The 490 years are an extension of God’s covenant with Israel.
      
    • The end of the 490 years ³⁶The 490 years did not end at the Cross but a few years later when the Jews also rejected the Holy Spirit which has been sent with extraordinary power to Israel particularly.
      
    • The seven last years ³⁷Who confirms what covenant with whom?
      
    • The complete destruction of verse 27 ³⁸What is destroyed in Daniel 9:27? The context, the poetic pattern, the chiasm, and the repetition of concepts provide the answer.
      
    • The chronological sequence of events ³⁹The prophecy does not describe events in chronological sequence; it alternates between two foci; Jerusalem and the Messiah.
      
    • The six goals in verse 24 ⁴⁰When are the six goals for the 490 years fulfilled?
      
    • When will the Messiah appear; after 49 or after 483 years? ⁴¹Translations differ in this regard due to different assumptions about punctuation.
      
    • Does Daniel 9 describe the same crisis as the rest of Daniel? ⁴²Daniel 9 deals with Israel specifically, and with the 490 years allocated to her. The other prophecies deal with all nations and all time.
      
    • Daniel 9 forms a unit. ⁴³Daniel 9 has two parts; Daniel’s prayer, and the vision which Daniel received while still praying. The prophecy is the answer to Daniel’s prayer.
      

Daniel 9 – Alternative Interpretations

• • • Liberal-Critical ⁴⁴For liberal scholars, who do not accept that accurate predictions of the future are possible, the prophecy describes Antiochus IV – two centuries before Christ.
    • Dispensational ⁴⁵In this interpretation, the prophecy describes an end-time Antichrist. This article is a brief evaluation. It is discussed in more detail in several articles below.
    • Pre-Wrath Dispensationalism ⁴⁶No rapture – Christians will suffer the end-time tribulation.
    • Consistent Symbolical ⁴⁷In this, everything is symbolic; even the 490 years.
    • Historic-Messianic ⁴⁸The full 490 years are past history; fulfilled in the personal work of Jesus Christ and, in a few years after His death, His work in Israel through the Holy Spirit.
    • Church Fathers ⁴⁹There was a strong consensus among the early church fathers that the prophecy was fulfilled in Christ.

Daniel 9 – Dispensational Interpretation

• • • Time Indications ⁵⁰Does the Dispensational interpretation fit the time indications in the prophecy?
      
    • Whose covenant is confirmed: God’s or Satan’s? ⁵¹He shall make a strong covenant with many for one week (Dan 9:27)
      
    • Who confirms the covenant: Christ or the Antichrist?
      
    • The Last Seven Years ⁵²In Dispensationalism, the last week of Daniel 9:27 symbolizes the last seven years before Christ returns. Does this fit the specification of the prophecy?
      
    • Other Differences ⁵³Several other differences between Daniel 9 and the Dispensational interpretation
      

Daniel 9 – Historical-Messianic Interpretation

• • • Introduction ⁵⁴This is the traditional understanding of Daniel 9. In it, the 490 years are an extension of God’s covenant with Israel.
      
    • Which Decree? ⁵⁵The 490 years began with Artaxerxes’ first decree in 458/7 BC.
    • What Messiah is cut off? ⁵⁶The Messiah the Prince (Dan 9:26) is the Lord Jesus Christ.
    • Christ makes the covenant firm. ⁵⁷It is Jesus who made “a firm covenant with the many” (in Israel) by honoring God’s covenant with Israel until the very end of the 490 years.
    • The Seven Last Years ⁵⁸During the seven last years, Jesus confirmed God’s covenant with Israel; firstly, by His personal preaching and, secondly, after His death, by sending the Holy Spirit first and foremost to Israel.
      
    • Put a stop to sacrifice (Dan 9:27) ⁵⁹Jesus’ death put an end to the value and meaning of the Jewish sacrificial system.

Daniel 9 – Related Articles

• • • Jeremiah’s 70 years ⁶⁰Daniel received this prophecy at the end of the 70 years of captivity prophecied by Jeremiah. Where do we find those 70 years in history?
      
    • Summary of Nehemiah ⁶¹This book provides important context for Daniel’s prophecies.
      

Is Daniel a Fraud?

Critical scholars, typically those that one will find at the theological faculties of prestigious universities, teach that Daniel was written after the events it claims to predict. If this is true, then Revelation is also a fraud, because it is based on Daniel.

• • • Who are the Critical Scholars? ⁶²The theological faculties of the world no longer accept the supernatural. They have fallen to naturalism.
      
    • Evidence that Daniel is true prophecy ⁶³Evidence from the book itself, as well as from external sources, that Daniel was written before the events it predicts
    • Summary of the previous article
    • The Fall of Rome validates Daniel as true prophecy. ⁶⁴Rome fell about 7 centuries after Daniel was written according to Critical Scholars, but it fell in exactly the way predicted by Daniel.
    • Who was Darius the Mede? ⁶⁵Does the absence of Darius in secular history prove that Daniel is fiction?
    • The Dead Sea Scrolls confirm Daniel as true prophecy. ⁶⁶The Qumran sect regarded Daniel as inspired Scripture. Some of their Daniel scrolls are dated to only 50 years after Antiochus.

Daniel 9 also confirms Daniel as true prophecy because it accurately predicts the appearance of the Messiah in the first century AD – long after Daniel was written according to the Critics. 

The Book of Revelation

Revelation – General Topics

• • • Revelation OF or BY Jesus? ⁶⁷Should the title of the book be Revelation “of” or “by” Jesus Christ?” In other words, is the book about Jesus Christ or from Him?
    • Does Revelation describe events chronologically? ⁶⁸Revelation repeats the same event in different parts of the book. For example, the return of Christ is described at the end of four of the main divisions of Revelation.
      
    • Must Revelation be interpreted literally? ⁶⁹Is it valid to assume that everything in Revelation is literal unless it cannot be literal?
    • Why is the temple in heaven so prominent in Revelation? ⁷⁰Every one of the five main parts of Revelation begins in the temple in heaven.
    • Christ’s Return in Revelation ⁷¹An overview of the end-time events, as described in Revelation, leading up to Christ’s return.
    • Hear/See Combinations ⁷²In Revelation, John sometimes hears about something but when he looks, he sees something completely different. However, it is the same thing.
      
    • The Numbers in Revelation ⁷³All numbers in Revelation are symbols. This article explains the meaning of the numbers 2, 4, 7, and 12.

Revelation – The Seven Seals

There was a book in heaven that not even Christ was able to read because it was sealed up with seven seals. But, by overcoming, He became worthy to break the seven seals and open the book. Why was Jesus not “worthy” to open the book before He “overcame?” And how did His death make Him “worthy” to open the book?

• • • Summary of the articles on the Seven Seals 

Revelation 4

• • • 4:1-8 – A visual description of God’s throne room ⁷⁴John saw a throne, symbolizing authority, One sitting on the throne, 24 elders on 24 thrones, and four living creatures, full of eyes
    • The 24 elders ⁷⁵The 24 elders are human beings in God’s immediate presence; not angels.
    • Worship in God’s presence ⁷⁶This article discusses the worship in Revelation 4:8-11, before Jesus appears, as well as in Revelation 5; after He has appeared in the throne room.

Revelation 5

• • • What event does Revelation 5 describe? ⁷⁷Revelation 4 is a timeless description of God’s throne room. Revelation 5 describes what happened in heaven when Jesus arrives after His ascension.
    • What is the sealed book? ⁷⁸It is the Lamb’s Book of Life, which is the book of God’s judgments; indicating who will inherit eternal life.
    • Why Jesus had to die ⁷⁹Why Jesus was not worthy to break the seals before His death and how did His death make Him worthy? (Rev 5:3, 5, 9)
    • Revelation 5 – Verse by Verse  ⁸⁰Verses 1-4 describe the time before Christ, verses 5-6 describe His death, and the rest of the chapter describes what happens in heaven after His ascension.

Revelation 6

• • • The first seal ⁸¹The color white, the stephanos crown, and its never-ending conquering identify the white horse as the gospel.
    • The next three seals ⁸²The bloodshed, famine, and death in the next three horsemen are the consequence of the first (the gospel).
    • The fifth seal ⁸³Does the cry of the souls under the altar symbolize a general principle or a specific event?
    • The souls under the altar ⁸⁴Are these literal souls, literally crying out to God for revenge?
    • The sixth seal ⁸⁵The sixth seal concludes with Christ’s return. The Son of Man separates the people from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.

Revelation 7

• • • The sealing of the 144,000 ⁸⁶Where does the sealing of the 144,000 in Revelation 7:1-8 fit in the end-time events described later in Revelation?
    • What is the seal? With what are God’s people sealed? ⁸⁷God will make more power available to enable His last-day people to remain faithful during the catastrophic end-time events.
    • Where is the sealing in Daniel? ⁸⁸How does the sealing fit in the end-time events described in Daniel? God’s people are sealed during the Time of the End, as described by Daniel.
    • Who are the 144,000? ⁸⁹All numbers in Revelation are symbols. 12 is the number of God’s people. So, what does 12 x 12 x 1000 mean? And who are the 144,000 “sons of Israel?” Are they literal Jews?
    • The Innumerable Multitude (Rev 7:9-17) ⁹⁰Is the multitude before the throne the same as the 144,000? They seem like complete opposites. Is this multitude described before or after Christ’s return?

Revelation 8

• • • The seventh seal ⁹¹When the seventh seal is broken, the book is fully open, God’s judgments are understood, and God can make a final end to evil. The immense sadness in God’s heart causes silence in heaven.
    • Does the seventh seal include the seven trumpets? ⁹²This is something that literal interpreters usually claim.
    • Why does God delay Christ’s return? ⁹³About 2000 years ago, Christ redeemed humanity at the Cross. Why does God delay Christ’s return? What else does God need, in addition to Christ’s death 2000 years ago, to make a final end to evil?

The Seven Wars (Rev 12-14)

This is the apex of Revelation. Revelation 12 provides an overview of history from before Christ until the end-time, Revelation 13 culminates in the end-time persecution, and Revelation 14 describes God’s response. 

Revelation 12

• • • The woman and her child ⁹⁴The “male child” is Christ, but who is His mother? Is she Eve or Mary or Israel or the church or some higher-level principle?
    • What stars are thrown out of heaven? (Rev 12:4) ⁹⁵A great red dragon swept away a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. Revelation 12 also describes a war in heaven between the dragon’s angels and Michael’s angels. Are the “stars” the same as the dragon’s angels? 
    • When was the war in heaven? ⁹⁶When did the war begin and when was Satan thrown out?
    • How did Michael defeat Satan? ⁹⁷What are Satan’s weapons and what did Michael use to overcome Satan?
    • How does the testimony of God’s people defeat Satan? ⁹⁸If Christ’s death defeated Satan, why would “their testimony” also be required? (Rev 12:11)
    • Why does evil continue after Christ’s victory? ⁹⁹After peace was restored in heaven, the war on earth only intensified (Rev 12:9, 12). Why did God not make an end to evil immediately after the Cross?

Revelation 13

• • • The beast from the sea (Rev 13:1-2). ¹⁰⁰This beast is the Antichrist. People will be forced to accept its mark in the end-time. This article provides a preliminary identification. The third article in this series identifies it more specifically.
    • What is the fatal wound? (Rev 13:3-4) ¹⁰¹The sea beast has a fatal wound on one of its heads. Revelation 17 describes the same fatal wound and identifies it as the sixth head.
    • Who or what is the Beast? ¹⁰²This article shows firstly that the beast in Revelation is the same as the evil horn in Daniel. It then identifies the horn, and, therefore, the beast, by comparing the horn in Daniel 7 to history.

The Seven Last Plagues

The seven last plagues will be preceded by the end-time Christian-on-Christian persecution and followed by Christ’s return. Is the purpose simply to punish or do the plagues have a higher goal?

Revelation 15

• • • When will the plagues fall?
      

First Four Plagues

• • • The first four plagues are one single event. ¹⁰³Revelation has seven seals, seven trumpets, and seven plagues. The first four of each series should be interpreted as a unit; not individually.
    • The Mark of the beast will become visible. ¹⁰⁴The plagues will show that the people with the mark of the beast are so entrenched in Satan’s ways that they are unable to repent, even when faced with evidence that they are wrong.

Fifth Plague

• • • The Throne of the Beast ¹⁰⁵The fifth plague angel pours his bowl out on the throne of the beast. The beast’s throne symbolizes its authority, which it received from the Roman Empire (Rev 13:2) But it is not military or economic power. It is Christian religious authority.
    • Darkness on the Beast’s throne. ¹⁰⁶It is the final great proclamation of God’s message, symbolized as the loud cry (Rev 18:2), that will cause the darkness on the throne of the beast. That cry convinces the followers of the beast that the light from their religious system is darkness.
    • The beast is the church of the Roman Empire. ¹⁰⁷The Roman Empire made the Trinitarian version of Christianity the state religion of the Roman Empire and destroyed all opposition. With the power of the Empire behind it, the ‘church’ of the Roman Empire became the ‘church’ of the Middle Ages and will remain the mainstream ‘church’ until destroyed by the seven last plagues.

Sixth Plague

• • • The Euphrates dries up. ¹⁰⁸The Euphrates symbolizes the people under the control of the beast. In other words, the beast’s support dries up.
    • The Kings from the East ¹⁰⁹In this plague, there are two groups of kings. Since the kings of the whole world oppose God, the kings from the east are the kings of God’s army.
    • Armageddon is Judgment Day. ¹¹⁰It is not a place; it is the Day of the Lord. The people will not gather at a specific place; spirits of demons will unite the whole world against God.
    • Jesus comes like a thief (Rev 16:15). ¹¹¹Is this a secret rapture?
    • Why the Euphrates has to dry up ¹¹²Why must the Euphrates dry up before the kings from the east may come? (Rev 16:12)
    • Overview of the articles on the sixth plague

Plagues – Conclusion

• • • The seventh plague ends with Christ’s return. ¹¹³The description of the final plague in Revelation 16 continues in Revelation 19 and ends with Christ’s return, the destruction of the beast, and the death of the people with the mark of the beast.
    • Purpose of the Plagues ¹¹⁴The purpose is not to punish but to show that the people with the mark of the beast, who also claim to be Christians, are hardened beyond repentance.
    • The plagues validate God’s judgments. ¹¹⁵The ultimate purpose is to show that God judges perfectly. But why would that be necessary?

Revelation’s Beasts

Revelation has three beasts with seven heads and ten horns each; a great red dragon (Rev 12:3), the beast from the sea (Rev 13:1), and a scarlet beast, full of blasphemous names (Rev 17:3).

• • • What are the seven-headed beasts? ¹¹⁶What are they and how do they relate?
    • What are the seven heads? ¹¹⁷“Here is the mind which has wisdom.” (Rev 17:9) The seven heads are the seven phases of the beast-power. Each beast is one of the phases and, therefore, one of the seven heads.
    • Who are the seven heads? ¹¹⁸The first four heads are the four beasts in Daniel 7, with the fourth being the Roman Empire. The last three heads are the three phases of the eleventh horn that grows out of the Roman Empire.
    • The sixth head receives the fatal wound. ¹¹⁹The sixth of the beast’s seven heads is a weak head. It is the head that receives the fatal wound (Rev 13:3-4) and describes Daniel’s Time of the End.

Babylon – Mother of Harlots

Babylon is mentioned only once in the first 15 chapters (Rev 14:8) but the seventh and final plague targets her specifically (Rev 16:19). Then Revelation 17 and 18 are dedicated to explaining who and what she is: 

• • • Babylon strives to unite the world against God.¹²⁰She corrupts the people, unites the world against God, and is worldwide and timeless.
    • How does the harlot relate to the beast? ¹²¹While Babylon always exists worldwide, the beast is a specific human organization that is one instance of the Babylon principle.
      
    • False Christianity has become Babylon. ¹²²Babylon exists everywhere and for all human history, but false Christianity has adopted the Babylonian spirit.
    • Who are Babylon’s merchants? ¹²³Babylon’s “merchants were the great men of the earth” (Rev 18:23). They are the prophets of false Christianity.
    • Is it a literal city? ¹²⁴Some literal interpreters propose that ancient Babylon will be rebuilt on the literal Euphrates River, to become the literal capital of the world.
    • Is it the Papacy? ¹²⁵Based on a comparison of the harlot of Revelation to church history, some identify the Papacy as Babylon.
    • Overview of the articles on Babylon
      

Revelation 17

• • • 17:1-3 verse-by-verse ¹²⁶The harlot sitting on the scarlet beast
    • 17:4-6 verse-by-verse ¹²⁷Babylon the great, the mother of harlots

Revelation – External Resources (Jon Paulien)

• • • Rev 12 – The characters of Revelation 12 and the War in Heaven. (mp3)
    • Rev 4 and 5. (mp3)
    • Paulien’s commentary.

Is Jesus the Most High God?

In the Trinity doctrine, the Son is equal with and one Being with the Father. On the other end of the spectrum, some believe that Jesus Christ did not exist before His human birth. Between these two extremes, there is a range of views.

• • • Summary of these articles ¹²⁸Christ is divine but also distinct from God and subordinate to the Father.

Is Jesus God?

Does the New Testament present Jesus as God, equal to the Father?

• • • The Son is not God. ¹²⁹The Bible always distinguishes
      – not only between the Son and the Father
      – but between the Son and God.
    • The Father alone is Almighty. ¹³⁰The title, “the Almighty,” appears ten times in the New Testament and always refers to the Father alone.
    • The Son is subordinate to the Father. ¹³¹In the Bible, the Son always was, still is, and always will be subordinate to the Father. Everything that He has, He has received from His Father.
    • The Son is divine. ¹³²The Son has some of God’s divine attributes. For example, He is the only other being who has life in himself (John 5:26).

Jesus in specific Bible Books

• • • John’s gospel – The word theos ¹³³Did John use the term theos for both the Father and the Son?
    • Colossians; Christ’s role in Creation and Salvation ¹³⁴Are we saved by Christ or by God? Who created all things and who reconciled all things to God; God or Christ Jesus?
    • Colossians: Is Jesus as God? ¹³⁵God created all things through Jesus and holds all creation together through Jesus. He is distinct from God, but rules over all.
    • Revelation ¹³⁶In the Book of Revelation, the Father alone is “God,” “the Almighty,” the Creator, the Supreme Ruler of all creation, and the One we must worship. The Son is subordinate to the Father but belongs with the Father when compared to the created universe.

Jesus in specific Bible passages

• • • Philippians 2 – Four stages of Christ’s existence ¹³⁷From a human perspective, He existed:
      (1) as equal with God before Him human birth,
      (2) as a human being,
      (3) for three days in human death, and
      (4) as exalted by God after His ascension.
    • 1 Corinthians 8:6 ¹³⁸Does this verse divide the words of the Shema between the Father and the Son?
    • Did Jesus claim to be God? ¹³⁹Or did He claim to be the Son of God? (John 10:33-36)
    • Did Jesus claim to be One Being with the Father? ¹⁴⁰This article discusses three statements Jesus made that are often interpreted to mean that they are literally one Being (John 10:30, 38; 14:9).

Christ’s Origin and Pre-existence

• • • Only-Begotten – Is He the only-begotten or the only-unique? ¹⁴¹As the “only-begotten” (monogenēs) Son,
      He is the only being generated from the being of the Father,
      or should it be translated as “only unique,” which excludes
      the idea of generation?
    • Firstborn of all Creation (Col 1:15) ¹⁴²Does this mean that He was literally born first, or that He is part of creation?
    • God’s Son created all things. ¹⁴³All things, including creation, judgment, and salvation, are from God, the Father, but through His Son.
    • Where is Jesus in the Old Testament? ¹⁴⁴Since the Son ‘always’ existed and existed in the ‘form’ of God, and since God is invisible, the God who was seen in the Old Testament is the One we know as Jesus.

Worship

• • • If Jesus is not God, why do we worship Him? ¹⁴⁵We do not “worship” Jesus. The Greek word translated as “worship” (proskuneó) has a wide range of meanings, including to bow down before an exalted human being. It is only translated as “worship” if we assume that Jesus is God. Therefore, if a Bible translation says that Jesus is worshiped, that is an application of the Trinity Doctrine; not proof there-of.
    • Worship in Revelation ¹⁴⁶If Jesus is worshiped in Revelation, does that mean that He is God?
    • Is Jesus worshiped in Revelation 5:14? ¹⁴⁷The verse does not say who is worshiped. Are both the Father and the Son worshiped there?

Is Jesus called God?

Of the 1314 times that the Greek word theos (god) is found in the New Testament, 7 instances refer to Jesus. Does that mean that the Bible writers thought of Jesus as God Almighty?

• • • John 1:1 ¹⁴⁸Some regard this verse as the clearest declaration of the Son’s deity.
      • Introduction ¹⁴⁹Possible translations include:
        The Word was God,
        The Word was a god, and
        The Word was divine. 
      • Objections to the translation: The Word was a god. ¹⁵⁰This is the Jehovah’s Witness translation of this verse.
      • Theos is a count noun. ¹⁵¹To defend their translation, Jehovah’s Witnesses argue that “God” is a count noun. Is this a valid argument?
      • Objections to the translation: The Word was God. ¹⁵²This translation interprets theos as definite, but John 1:1c uses theos in a descriptive sense, meaning that the Word was like God.
    • The Greek word theos ¹⁵³The Bible refers to Jesus as theos but that Greek word has a wide range of meanings. One possible meaning is reflected by the English word “God,” which refers only to the Ultimate Reality. But the term is also used for any immortal being with supernatural powers. In what sense of theos does the New Testament refer to Jesus?
    • John 1:18 The Only Begotten God ¹⁵⁴Scholars are not sure what John actually wrote here. Many ancient manuscripts of this verse refer to Jesus as “son” and not as theos (god).
    • John 20:28 My Lord and my God! ¹⁵⁵Thomas here refers to Jesus as his theos but, just a few verses earlier, Jesus refers to the Father as His theos (John 20:17). In what sense of theos did Thomas address Jesus?
    • Romans 9:5 Paul never refers to Jesus as God. ¹⁵⁶This is most significant. The only possible exception is Romans 9:5 but the translation of this verse depends on punctuation, which is interpretation.
    • Hebrews 1:8-9 ¹⁵⁷Verse 8 refers to Jesus as theos but the next verse shows that He is not God because it says that God is His God.
    • Overview of these articles ¹⁵⁸To translate theos as “God,” when it refers to Jesus, is an application of the Trinity doctrine; not proof thereof.

The Word of God

The New Testament, particularly John, refers to Jesus as the “Word.”

• • • Is the Word a Person or a principle? ¹⁵⁹Some propose that the logos in John 1:1 is not a person but a personification of God’s eternal plan.
    • Why is He called “the Word?” ¹⁶⁰Everything that the creation receives from God, it receives through His Son.
    • Did Philo’s logos influence the New Testament? ¹⁶¹Philo wrote a few decades before John. In his interpretation of the Old Testament, he included the logos from Greek philosophy and described him as similar to John’s logos.

The True Origin of the Trinity Doctrine

For the first more than 300 years, the church fathers believed that the Son is subordinate to the Father. The Trinity Doctrine, in which the Son is equal with the Father, was developed by the three Cappadocians late in the fourth century. However, the decision to adopt it was not taken by the church:

• • • The True Origin of the Trinity doctrine. ¹⁶²The conventional account of the Arian Controversy, which resulted in the Trinity Doctrine, is a complete travesty. This article serves as a summary of the articles below.

The Apologists

The Apologists were the theologians of the first 3 centuries who had to defend Christianity at a time when the Empire attempted to exterminate Christianity.

• • • Ignatius of Antioch (c. 35-107) ¹⁶³He described the Son as our God but the Father as the only true God.
    • Polycarp (c. 69–155) ¹⁶⁴Polycarp was a personal disciple of the Apostle John. He made a clear distinction between the Almighty God and His subordinate Son.
    • Justin Martyr (c. 100–165) ¹⁶⁵Justin used Greek philosophy to explain the Son of God as a rational power that was begotten from the substance of God.
    • Irenaeus (c. 115-190) ¹⁶⁶Irenaeus identified the Father as the only true God, alone Almighty, and the Head of Christ.
    • Did these church fathers describe Jesus as “god” or as “God?”  ¹⁶⁷The pre-Nicene fathers described the Son as “our God” but the Father as “the only true God,” implying that the Son is not “true” God. This confusion is caused by the translations. These fathers regarded the Son as subordinate to the Father but translators translate theos, when referring to the Son, as “God” because they accept the Trinity doctrine.
    • Sabellius (fl. c. 217-220) taught that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are one Being. ¹⁶⁸Sabellius taught that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are three portions of the single divine essence. This represents a significant move away from the Logos-Christology of his day. He was declared to be a heretic but many of the participants in the Arian Controversy had similar views.
    • External resources: Pre-Nicene fathers – Dr. Tuggy’s podcasts 239-242.

Arius

The Arian Controversy began with a dispute between bishop Alexander of Alexandria and his presbyter Arius. Since that entire controversy was named after Arius, it may seem as if he was an important person:

• • • What was the ‘orthodox’ view when the Controversy began? ¹⁶⁹RPC Hanson states that no ‘orthodoxy’ existed but that is not entirely true. This article shows that subordination was indeed ‘orthodox’ at that time.
    • Arius was not particularly significant. ¹⁷⁰The term “Arianism” implies that Arius’ theology dominated the fourth-century church. But Arius was not regarded in his time as a significant writer. He left no school of disciples. The so-called ‘Arians’ never quoted Arius and actually opposed him.
    • Athanasius invented Arianism. ¹⁷¹The only reason we today refer to ‘Arians’ is that Athanasius invented the term to falsely label his opponents with a theology that was already formally rejected by the church.
    • Did Arius corrupt theology with pagan philosophy? ¹⁷²Over the centuries, Arius was always accused of this. This article explains why that is a false accusation.
    • Was Origen the source of Arius’ theology? ¹⁷³There are significant differences between Origen and Arius. Where they agree, they agree because both followed the traditional Logos theology.
    • Did Arius describe the Son as a creature? ¹⁷⁴‘Arians’ described Christ as from beyond our universe, the only being ever to be brought forth directly by the Father, and as the only being able to endure direct contact with God.
    • Did Arius say there was time when He was not? ¹⁷⁵Arius wrote that the Son was begotten timelessly by the Father before everything. But Arius also said that the Son did not always exist. Did Arius contradict himself?
    • Did Arius describe the Son as mutable? ¹⁷⁶Arius wrote that the Son of God cannot change but Athanasius claimed that Arius taught the exact opposite, namely that the Son is “like all others … subject to change.”
    • An overview of Arius’ theology ¹⁷⁷New information has come forward to show that Arius is as a thinker and exegete of resourcefulness, sharpness and originality.

The Nicene Creed (AD 325)

This is the most famous and influential creed in the history of the church.

• • • What was the core issue of dispute? ¹⁷⁸It is often said that the Council was called to determine whether Jesus is God. But that does not accurately describe the dispute prior to Nicaea.
    • The Emperor’s influence in the Council ¹⁷⁹The General Councils during the fourth century were the means by which the emperors governed the church. In that era, the emperor was the ultimate authority on church doctrine.
    • Does the Creed present the Son as equal with the Father? ¹⁸⁰It says that the Son is equal to the Father in terms of substance, but subordinate to the Father in other respects.
    • Eusebius’ explanation of the Creed ¹⁸¹Eusebius of Caesarea, the most respected theologian at the Council, immediately afterward wrote to his church in Caesarea to explain why he accepted the Creed and how he understood the controversial phrases.
      
    • Should a Protestant accept the Nicene Creed? ¹⁸²The Creed not only uses non-Biblical words; the concept of homoousios (that the Son is of the same substance as the Father) is not in the Bible.
    • The origin of the word Homoousios ¹⁸³The word is not found in the Bible or in any orthodox Christian confession before Nicaea.
    • Ousia and Hypostasis in the Nicene Creed ¹⁸⁴The Creed seems to say that the Father and Son are the same hupostasis. This is Sabellianism.
    • Of the Father’s substance ¹⁸⁵Does this phrase mean that the Son has the same substance as the Father or that He has been begotten out of the Father’s substance?

Fourth-Century ‘Arianism’

The Council of Nicaea failed to end the Controversy. After Nicaea, for about 55 years, anti-Nicenes dominated the church.

• • • The emperor determined the Christology of the church. ¹⁸⁶After Nicaea, the emperors were ‘Arian’ and crushed the Nicene party. The reason is that, throughout the Arian Controversy, the emperor was the ultimate authority with respect to church doctrine.
      
    • What did fourth-century ‘Arianism’ believe? ¹⁸⁷The Father is the only true God,
      the Son is our god,
      but the Father is His god and
      the Holy Spirit is not a Person, but a power; subject to the Son.
    • Long Lines Creed ¹⁸⁸An example of the many ‘Arian’ creeds that were developed during the fourth century
    • Homoiousianism ¹⁸⁹This was one ‘strand’ of ‘Arianism’ during the Arian Controversy. In it, the Son’s substance is similar to the Father’s, but not the same.
      

The End of ‘Arianism’ in the Roman Empire

In the year 380, by means of the Edict of Thessalonica, Emperor Theodosius made the Trinitarian version of Christianity the state religion of the Roman Empire.

• • • The emperor eliminated opposition to Trinitarianism among the Roman people. ¹⁹⁰He exiled ‘Arian’ bishops, expropriated ‘Arian’ church buildings, forbid ‘Arian’ meetings, and implemented his rulings through the Roman Army.
    • Differences between the creeds of 325 and 381 ¹⁹¹The wording of the creeds is similar but the meaning is very different.

End of all ‘Arianism’

After Emperor Theodosius died, the empire ‘fell’ to the ‘barbarians’. They were ‘Arians’ because they were evangelized during the 55 years of ‘Arian’ rule before Theodosius. It was through Emperor Justinian (in the sixth century) that a complete end was made to all opposition to Trinitarianism.

• • • The Fall of the Roman Empire ¹⁹²It did not fall; it transformed. Massive in-migration and top positions for ‘barbarians’ in the Roman Army allowed them to progressively assume control of the Empire.
    • Why the empire fell ¹⁹³Factors include underfunding of the army, barbarian mercenaries, a plunder economy, pomp of rulers, high taxes, weak emperors, and Sassanid and Hunnic incursions.
      
    • After the empire fell, Arians ruled Europe again. ¹⁹⁴In the fifth century, the Empire fell to the Germanic peoples. They were Arians because they received the gospel while ‘Arianism’ dominated the church in the fourth. This article also provides an overview of the events of the preceding fourth century.
      
    • Justinian subjected the Arian nations. ¹⁹⁵In the sixth century, Justinian crushed the Arian nations, liberated the Church in Rome from Arian domination, and set up the Byzantine Papacy through which the emperors in the east, with their imperial version of Christianity, ruled Europe and crushed all opposition to the Trinity Doctrine.
      
    • The state religion of the Roman Empire became the church of the Middle Ages. ¹⁹⁶With the support of the military power of the Roman Empire, the imperial version of Christianity (Trinitarianism) became the church of the Middle Ages, symbolized by Daniel’s evil eleventh horn.
    • The ‘church’ caused the massacre of the Waldensians. ¹⁹⁷The church of the Middle Ages had the spirit of the Roman Empire. For example, the Waldensians were critical of Catholic beliefs. In return, the church called all to destroy them, causing centuries of massacres.

Authors on the Arian Controversy

Extracts from the writings of scholars who have studied the ancient documents for themselves:

• • • Lewis Ayres, Nicaea and its Legacy ¹⁹⁸A summary of this book, which provides an overview of the fourth-century Arian Controversy. Lewis Ayres is a Catholic theologian and Professor of Catholic and Historical Theology.
    • Lecture by RPC Hanson ¹⁹⁹A very informative lecture on the Arian Controversy by RPC Hanson, a famous fourth-century scholar 
    • Fortman, Edmund J. The Triune God – Nicene Creed
    • Erickson, Millard J. God in Three Persons
    • Boyd, William Union of Church and State in the Late Roman Empire, based on The Ecclesiastical Edicts of the Theodosian Code 

Trinity Doctrine – General

• • • Modalism – How does it differ from the Trinity doctrine? ²⁰⁰In the Trinity Doctrine, the Father, Son, and Spirit ‘share’ one and the same substance, mind, and will. Does that mean they are one and the same Person,
      as in Modalism?
      
    • Monarchy of the Father  ²⁰¹This is the Eastern Orthodoxy view of God, in which the “one God” is the Father. How does it differ from the Trinity Doctrine?
    • Eastern Orthodox view of the Trinity ²⁰²As presented by the respected Eastern Orthodox theologian, Father Thomas Hopko.
    • Elohim ²⁰³Elohim (often translated as God) is plural in form. Does this mean that the Old Testament writers thought of God as a multi-personal Being?
    • The Eternal Generation of the Son ²⁰⁴The Son has been begotten by the Father, meaning that the Son is dependent on the Father. Eternal Generation explains “begotten” in such a way that the Son is co-equal and co-eternal with the Father.
    • External Resources
      • • The Trinity Doctrine did not exist until the Late Fourth Century. by Kermit Zarley
        • Dr. Steven Nemes – Part 1 (mp3) ²⁰⁵The relationship between God and the cosmos, appeals to “mystery,” “the doctrine of the Trinity” as a shibboleth, claims that there is no good analogy for the Trinity
        • Dr. Steven Nemes – Part 2 (mp3) ²⁰⁶The “Persons” of the Trinity as modes, the New Testament authors as “primitive” theologians, divine simplicity, “social” Trinity theories, divine processions or lack thereof

Why Jesus had to die

Atonement – How does God erase sin?

• • • What does “atonement” mean? ²⁰⁷The word does not mean to pacify God. It means a state of unity: at-one-ment.
    • An overview of the main theories of Atonement ²⁰⁸To explain how Jesus’ death is the solution, we first have to understand the problem.
    • How this website explains Atonement ²⁰⁹Christ died without sin, while suffering the worst possible temptations. This solved a problem in heaven.
    • Metaphors for Salvation ²¹⁰Words such as redeemed, reconciled, justified, and reconciled are metaphors and must not be taken literally.
    • Christ’s death enabled God’s grace. ²¹¹Christ died to demonstrate that it is just of God to justify sinners by faith alone.
    • An explanation of the atonement to a Moslem 
    • A brief overview of these articles
    • External Resources:
      • Graham Maxwell
        • • • Atonement, Justification, and why Christ had to die from the letter to the Galatians.
            • Atonement and Your Picture of God
        • Noah Worcester on atonement
          • • Part 1
            • Part 2

Justification

How people are put right with God

• • • God judges all people by their deeds and justifies some by grace. ²¹²This is not a contradiction because “the works of the Law” are very different from the ‘deeds’ by which God judges people.
      
    • Justification is not a mere legal process. It really changes the person.

The Law of Moses

Must Christians observe the Law of Moses?

• • • The Law of Christ replaced the Law of Moses. ²¹³Paul argued that God’s people are no longer subject to the Law of Moses and introduced the concept of “the Law of Christ.”
    • The Old Testament implies that Moses’ Law would fall away. ²¹⁴The Law was added more than 400 years after God made His covenant with Abraham. Therefore, the Law was temporary.
    • Christ replaced the Law with higher standards. ²¹⁵Jesus did not do away with the moral commandments but replaced them with higher standards.
    • What is the Law of Christ? ²¹⁶It is God’s law as it always existed and always will exist.
      
    • Summary of the previous four articles

Sermon on the Mount

• • • What did Jesus mean when He said that He fulfilled the Law and the Prophets? (Matt 5:17). ²¹⁷What does “fulfill” mean and what are the Law and the Prophets?
    • Objections to the previous article ²¹⁸This is some criticism by a reader on the previous article and my response there-on.
    • Did the Church Council in Acts 15 contradict Jesus? ²¹⁹Since Jesus said nothing shall pass from the Law (Matt 5:19), why did the Church Council grant Gentiles freedom from the Law?
    • Sermon on the Mount ²²⁰Jesus taught that people do not have immortality and that God judges people by their deeds.

The Sabbath 

In the Old Testament

• • • The Sabbath at Creation ²²¹God engrained the seventh day into human existence.
    • The Evolution Theory ²²²The evolution theory destroys the Bible’s core message.
    • The Sabbath from Creation to Moses ²²³A seven-day cycle apparently did exist before Moses.
    • The Sabbath in the Ten Commandments ²²⁴The Sabbath served as a symbol of liberation, a day of rest, a reminder of the Lord, and a test of obedience, but not as a day for church meetings.
    • The Sabbath in the Traditions ²²⁵The traditions of the elders are extremely detailed laws that began as a hedge against sin but, eventually, represented God as a tyrant.

Jesus’ Sabbath Healing Miracles

• • • The demon-possessed man ²²⁶By healing a man on the Sabbath, Christ publicly contravened the traditions.
      
    • The man’s withered hand (Matt 12:9-14) ²²⁷The rulers wanted Jesus to heal on the Sabbath so that they could legally kill Him.
    • The crippled woman (Luke 13:10-17) ²²⁸The purpose of the Sabbath is to free people from Satan’s bonds.
    • The Paralytic at Bethesda (John 5) ²²⁹The strict traditions allowed little space for compassion, caused the Sabbath to become an intolerable burden, and depicted God as a tyrant.
    • The man born blind (John 9) ²³⁰Why did Jesus select specifically the Sabbath for His healing miracles?

Jesus’ Sabbath Teachings

• • • The Sabbath was made for man. (Matt 12:1-8) ²³¹God made the Sabbath to be the best day of the week. Human needs are more important than the Sabbath.
    • Christ deliberately contravened the traditions. ²³²While the Jews regarded healing as work and disallowed it on the Sabbath, Jesus deliberately healed on the Sabbath.
    • Why they killed Jesus ²³³By contravening the traditions, He condemned the Jewish system of authority.
    • Why did Jesus perform these miracles? ²³⁴His healing miracles gave credibility to His teachings and to His claim to be the Messiah.
    • What did Jesus teach about the Sabbath? ²³⁵Man may and must work on the Sabbath to relieve suffering, to heal, and to teach about God.
    • Jesus taught a different Sabbath. ²³⁶Moses made rest the goal but Christ shifted the focus to the original purpose: To heal and restore.
    • The Law of Christ ²³⁷Christ did not only interpret the Law of Moses; He replaced it with higher moral standards that existed from the beginning.

Sabbath in the New Testament

• • • No Sabbath Commandment ²³⁸Is the Sabbath commandment repeated in the New Testament?
    • Each must be fully convinced in his own mind. (Rom 14:5-6). ²³⁹If this refers to the Sabbath, then we may still observe the Sabbath. But it is a bit far-fetched to say that each person must decide about the weekly day of worship. This verse must be read within its context, and the context is a dispute about eating meat. Therefore, these “days” probably were fasting days.

State of the Dead

• • • Do people have immortal souls? ²⁴⁰A discussion of 1 Corinthians 15
    • UCG – the “Immortal Soul”? (An external resource)
    • With what kind of body will the dead be resurrected?

Eternal Torment

Will the lost be tormented for all eternity?

• • • God will annihilate the lost. ²⁴¹They will not suffer eternal torment. Man was not created immortal. Immortality is a gift which only believers will receive. A time will come when evil does not exist.
    • The smoke of their torment will rise forever. (Rev 14:9-11) ²⁴²If God will annihilate the lost, why will the smoke of their torment rise forever?
      
    • Tormented day and night forever (Rev 20:10, 15) ²⁴³If God will annihilate the lost, why does it say that the lost will be tormented day and night forever and ever in the lake of fire and brimstone?
    • The evidence for eternal torment ²⁴⁴When one delves deeper into the evidence for eternal torment, it becomes evidence for annihilation. 
    • Summary of these articles ²⁴⁵God promised to wipe away every tear from their eyes (Rev 21:4) but if our loved ones will be tormented for all eternity, we will never have joy.
    • Only God’s people will receive eternal life. ²⁴⁶And they receive it only when Christ returns.
    • External Resources
      • • Glenn Peoples’ article, Why I am an Annihilationist.
        • Rethinking Hell podcasts, including:
          • • Episode 1: A Final Word With Edward Fudge
            • Episode 4: The Case for Annihilationism
            • Episode 7: Traditional Objections Answered

Why does evil exist?

Why does evil exist and why does God not make an end to all evil?

• • • The Origin of Evil ²⁴⁷God creates intelligent beings with the freedom to choose between good and evil. Evil arose from that freedom.
    • Why Satan thought he could win ²⁴⁸A Study of the Book of Job
    • Who are the rulers and authorities? ²⁴⁹Both Paul and also Peter refer to them. They are supernatural beings that oppose Christ.
      
    • How did the Cross disarm the rulers and authorities?  (Col 2:15)

Early Church History

Key events in the first few decades that transformed the church from a sect of Judaism into an independent religion:

• • • Jerusalem Phase ²⁵⁰After receiving the Holy Spirit, the church grew quickly but remained a Jewish sect, based in Jerusalem.
    • Judea and Samaria phase ²⁵¹After the 490 years of Daniel 9 have come to an end, God dispersed the church to Judea and Samaria through persecution.
    • Gentile Dispute Phase ²⁵²When the first Gentiles became Christians, a dispute arose about whether they must observe the Law of Moses.
    • Separation Phase ²⁵³The church council (Acts 15 ) caused a separation between Jewish and Gentile Christians when it decided that Gentiles are not subject to the Law while Jewish Christians continued in the Law.
    • Theological Implications ²⁵⁴This history explains the disputes addressed by Paul’s letters.
    • Chronology – Dates for key events

Christ’s Return

• • • When and how will Jesus return, and what will happen? ²⁵⁵An analysis of the Second Coming verses in the New Testament
    • Christ’s Return in the Book of Revelation ²⁵⁶The return of Christ will not be an isolated event but will be preceded and followed by a series of profound events.
    • What will happen at the End of the Age? ²⁵⁷Those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake. Those who commit lawlessness will be thrown into the furnace of fire, while the righteous receive everlasting life.
    • Christ’s teachings of the end-time in Matthew 24
    • A comparison of Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21 ²⁵⁸This article presents the three chapters side by side to show the similarities and differences.
      

Christ promised to return soon.

• • • Christ promised to return soon. ²⁵⁹Jesus said and His disciples believed that He will return soon.
    • The following articles discuss specific statements where Jesus said that He will return before:
      • • This generation passes away. (Matt 24:34) ²⁶⁰What generation, did Jesus say, will not pass away until all these things take place?
          
        • His disciples finish going through the cities of Israel. (Matt 10:23). ²⁶¹What does the phrase, “the Son of Man comes” mean in this verse?
        • Some of His contemporaries die. (Matt 16:28). ²⁶²Does this refer to Christ’s physical return?
    • The following articles evaluate claims that Jesus’ promise to return soon was already fulfilled through:
      • • The outpouring of the Holy Spirit ²⁶³Was His promise to return soon fulfilled when He was resurrected and enthroned, followed by the Holy Spirit? or
        • The destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. ²⁶⁴Or was AD 70 merely a type of the fullest destruction at the return of Christ?
    • Does God delay Christ’s Return? ²⁶⁵Why did He not return in the first century as promised?

Romans

I did this study particularly to understand what the term “Israel” means in the prophecies of Revelation. This is explained by Romans 9 and 11.

• • • Romans 1 ²⁶⁶God does not override human freedom. He gives evidence of Himself but if we reject this evidence, there remains nothing that He can or will do, and He gives us up to our lusts.
      
    • Romans 2 ²⁶⁷On Judgment Day, God will justify the doers of the Law.
      
    • Romans 3:1-8 ²⁶⁸Did God reject Israel?
    • Romans 9-11
      • • What does the term “Israel” mean? ²⁶⁹The book of Revelation often refers to Israel and her things. Romans 9 and 11 explain what Israel means.
          
        • Summary of the previous article
          
        • God elected Israel for a mission; not to save them.
        • Dr. John Piper on the election (Recommended podcast)
          
    • Romans 14
      • • The dispute was not about the Law of Moses. (Rom 14:1-4)
          
        • The term unclean does not refer to unclean animals. (Rom 14:14)
        • We see the same dispute in Corinthians 8 and 10. ²⁷⁰The dispute was about as ‘weak’ Christians who regarded eating meat as idol worship.
        • Does Romans 14 say that the weekly Sabbath is optional?
          (Rom 14:5-6) ²⁷¹If this refers to the Sabbath, then we may still observe the Sabbath. But it is a bit far-fetched to say that each person must decide for himself about the weekly day of worship. This verse must be read within its context, and the context is a dispute about eating meat. Therefore, these were probably “days” of fasting .
        • God will judge people by their deeds. (Rom 14:7-13) ²⁷²We must not confuse “deeds” and “the works of the Law.”
          
        • Rather abstain from meat. (Rom 14:13-23) ²⁷³If eating meat may cause a weaker brother to stumble, rather abstain.

Galatians

The letter to the Galatians is important because it describes the struggle between Paul and the Judaising Jewish Christians early on in the existence of the church.

• • • Galatians 1
      • 1-5 – Jesus gave Himself to rescue us.
      • 6-9 – The dangerously distorted gospel
      • 10-12 – Paul received his gospel from Christ.
      • 13-14 – The Traditions of the Elders
      • 15-24 – Overview of Galatians 1
    • Galatians 2
      • 2:1-10 – Circumcision
      • 2:11-14 – The Circumcision Party.
      • 2:15-16 – Must Gentile Christians be circumcised?
      • 2:17-18 – The dividing wall between Jew and Gentile
      • 2:19-20 – Christians are not subject to the Law of Moses.
      • 2:21 – Attempts to earn “righteousness” through the Law
      • Overview of Galatians 1 & 2
    • Galatians 3
      • 3:1-5 – The Galatians want to continue in their own power.
      • 3:6-9 – Those who believe are sons of Abraham.
      • 3:10-14 – No one is justified by the Law.
      • 3:15-18 – Jesus Christ inherited the covenant promises.
      • 3:19-25 – Christ replaced the Law as our Tutor.
      • 3:26-29 – Israel no longer has a separate role in God’s plan.
      • Overview of Galatians 1 to 3
    • Chapter 4 – Work In Progress
    • Galatians – General
      • When was Galatians written?²⁷⁴Galatians represents Paul’s arguments before the Jerusalem Church Council in Acts 15.
      • What did the Galatians do wrong? ²⁷⁵The Galatians were at risk of losing their eternal inheritance.
      • List of articles with a bit more detail

Colossians

The deception in Colossians claimed to have received special knowledge from supernatural sources. It criticized other Christians for having an inferior religion.

• • • Colossians 1
      • 1:1-8 – The hope laid up for us in heaven
      • 1:9-14 – The Father rescued us.
      • 1:15-19 – The Colossian deception
      • 1:20-22 – War in heaven
      • 1:23-28 – Gentiles are fellow members of the body.
    • Colossians 2
      • 2:1-4 – Deceivers merged the gospel with mystery religions.
      • 2:5-8 – The Colossian deception was pagan philosophy.
      • 2:9-10 – Christ is all we need.
      • 2:11 – Circumcision without hands
      • 2:11-14 – In Christ, Christians are already complete.
      • Cheirographon (Col 2:14)
        • • Compare this verse to Ephesians 2:15.
          • Different translations of cheirographon
          • The Cheirographon is a certificate of debt.
      • 2:15 – The rulers and authorities disarmed
    • Colossians 2:16
      • The Sabbath was not controversial in Paul’s day.
      • Festivals, New Moons, and Sabbaths ²⁷⁶This phrase refers to “all the appointed feasts of the house of Israel.”
      • Are these Sabbaths weekly or annual?
      • Meros means “part of.” ²⁷⁷The Colossians were criticized for HOW they kept these days; not for keeping those days.
    • I aim to continue with these articles.
    • Specific sections in the articles above:
      • • Who are the rulers and authorities?
        • The Cross was a public display.
        • It was the Gentiles who criticized the Galatian Christians; not other Christians.

Hebrews

• • • Jesus, our High Priest ²⁷⁸To become our high priest in the Tabernacle in Heaven, He had to suffer but remain without sin.
    • A better High Priest ²⁷⁹The earthly Tabernacle was only a copy of the reality in heaven, and could, therefore, not free people from guilt for sin.
    • Jesus appears for us before God. ²⁸⁰Jesus guarantees God’s promise, “their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”
    • Hebrews’ two bookends (Heb 4:14-16 and 10:22-24) ²⁸¹We may draw near to God with, for Jesus sympathizes with our weaknesses.
    • The Unpardonable Sin (Heb 10:26) ²⁸²If we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins.
      
    • Christ is superior to the Old Testament.  (Heb 1:1-3) ²⁸³What God spoke through His Son has a much higher authority than the Old Testament.

Other

• • • Christmas ²⁸⁴Christmas was derived from the pagan feast of the birthday of the Invincible Sun.
    • About Author ²⁸⁵Since I have no formal Bible training and since I am not part of any church group, I am free to present the truth as I understand it.

• 1
  The Antichrist in Daniel, which is the same as the beast in Revelation, arises out of the Roman Empire; it is not Antiochus Epiphanes.
• 2
  Liberal scholars claim that this prophecy describes the Greek king Antiochus IV, two centuries before Christ. In Dispensationalism, the prophecy culminates in an end-time Antichrist. In the traditional interpretation, which dominated before liberalism and Dispensationalism, the prophecy focuses on Jesus Christ.
• 3
  Critical scholars teach that Daniel was written after the events it claims to predict.
• 4
  The ultimate purpose of this website is to explain these prophecies and, finally, the mark of the beast.
• 5
  Does Revelation describe events chronologically? Must it be interpreted literally? The temple in heaven, Christ’s Return, Hear/See Combinations, and the Numbers in Revelation
• 6
  There was a book in heaven that not even Christ was able to read because it was sealed up with seven seals. But, by overcoming, He became worthy to break the seven seals and open the book. Why was Jesus not “worthy” to open the book before He “overcame?” And how did His death make Him “worthy” to open the book?
• 7
  This is the apex of Revelation. Revelation 12 provides an overview of history from before Christ until the end-time, Revelation 13 culminates in the end-time persecution, and Revelation 14 describes God’s response.
• 8
  The seven last plagues will be preceded by the end-time Christian-on-Christian persecution and followed by Christ’s return. Is the purpose simply punishment or do the plagues have a higher goal?
• 9
  Revelation has three beasts with seven heads and ten horns each; a great red dragon (Rev 12:3), the beast from the sea (Rev 13:1), and a scarlet beast, full of blasphemous names (Rev 17:3).
• 10
  Babylon is mentioned only once in the first 15 chapters (Rev 14:8) but the seventh and final plague targets her specifically (Rev 16:19). Then Revelation 17 and 18 are dedicated to explaining who and what she is.
• 11
  The conclusion that Jesus is ‘God’ forms the basis of the Trinity Doctrine.
• 12
  For the first more than 300 years, the church fathers believed that the Son is subordinate to the Father. The Trinity Doctrine was developed by the Cappadocian fathers late in the fourth century but the decision to adopt it was not taken by the church.
• 13
  Including Modalism, Eastern Orthodoxy view of the Trinity, Elohim, and Eternal Generation
• 14
  Discussions of the Atonement – How does God do away with sin?
• 15
  How people are put right with God
• 16
  Must Christians observe the Law of Moses?
• 17
  Must Christians observe the Sabbath?
• 18
  Are the dead still alive and aware?
• 19
  Will the lost be tormented in hell for all eternity?
• 20
  And why does God not make an end to all evil?
• 21
  Key events that transformed the church into an independent religion
• 22
  When? How? Has His return been delayed?
• 23
  I do not hold any formal theological qualifications. Since I am not part of any religious organization, I am free to present the truth as I understand it. These articles are the result of my personal studies over many years.
• 24
  Romans 1 to 3:8, and chapters 9, 11, and 14
• 25
  Daniel 2 divides world history into six successive ages but does not mention the Antichrist.
• 26
  Daniel 7 uses four beasts and eleven horns to symbolize empires and kingdoms. The 11^th horn is the Antichrist.
• 27
  Three alternative interpretations
• 28
  A comparison of the beasts of Daniel 7 and 8 identifies the fourth beast, out of which the 11^th horn grows, as the Roman Empire.
• 29
  Does this phrase indicate that the horn arises out of Greece?
• 30
  In Daniel 11, is the Vile Person of Antiochus IV or an end-time Antichrist?
• 31
  This article lists several differences between the evil king of Daniel 7, 8, and 11 and Antiochus IV. Antiochus was a type of a much later and greater Antichrist.
• 32
  This article gives an overview of the 490 years-prophecy, discusses the major points of dispute and analyzes the four major alternative interpretations.
• 33
  Overview of the prophecy and its major alternative interpretations
• 34
  The 490 years begin with a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem (Dan 9:25). This article evaluates five possible decrees.
• 35
  The 490 years are an extension of God’s covenant with Israel.
• 36
  The 490 years did not end at the Cross but a few years later when the Jews also rejected the Holy Spirit which has been sent with extraordinary power to Israel particularly.
• 37
  Who confirms what covenant with whom?
• 38
  What is destroyed in Daniel 9:27? The context, the poetic pattern, the chiasm, and the repetition of concepts provide the answer.
• 39
  The prophecy does not describe events in chronological sequence; it alternates between two foci; Jerusalem and the Messiah.
• 40
  When are the six goals for the 490 years fulfilled?
• 41
  Translations differ in this regard due to different assumptions about punctuation.
• 42
  Daniel 9 deals with Israel specifically, and with the 490 years allocated to her. The other prophecies deal with all nations and all time.
• 43
  Daniel 9 has two parts; Daniel’s prayer, and the vision which Daniel received while still praying. The prophecy is the answer to Daniel’s prayer.
• 44
  For liberal scholars, who do not accept that accurate predictions of the future are possible, the prophecy describes Antiochus IV – two centuries before Christ.
• 45
  In this interpretation, the prophecy describes an end-time Antichrist. This article is a brief evaluation. It is discussed in more detail in several articles below.
• 46
  No rapture – Christians will suffer the end-time tribulation.
• 47
  In this, everything is symbolic; even the 490 years.
• 48
  The full 490 years are past history; fulfilled in the personal work of Jesus Christ and, in a few years after His death, His work in Israel through the Holy Spirit.
• 49
  There was a strong consensus among the early church fathers that the prophecy was fulfilled in Christ.
• 50
  Does the Dispensational interpretation fit the time indications in the prophecy?
• 51
  He shall make a strong covenant with many for one week (Dan 9:27)
• 52
  In Dispensationalism, the last week of Daniel 9:27 symbolizes the last seven years before Christ returns. Does this fit the specification of the prophecy?
• 53
  Several other differences between Daniel 9 and the Dispensational interpretation
• 54
  This is the traditional understanding of Daniel 9. In it, the 490 years are an extension of God’s covenant with Israel.
• 55
  The 490 years began with Artaxerxes’ first decree in 458/7 BC.
• 56
  The Messiah the Prince (Dan 9:26) is the Lord Jesus Christ.
• 57
  It is Jesus who made “a firm covenant with the many” (in Israel) by honoring God’s covenant with Israel until the very end of the 490 years.
• 58
  During the seven last years, Jesus confirmed God’s covenant with Israel; firstly, by His personal preaching and, secondly, after His death, by sending the Holy Spirit first and foremost to Israel.
• 59
  Jesus’ death put an end to the value and meaning of the Jewish sacrificial system.
• 60
  Daniel received this prophecy at the end of the 70 years of captivity prophecied by Jeremiah. Where do we find those 70 years in history?
• 61
  This book provides important context for Daniel’s prophecies.
• 62
  The theological faculties of the world no longer accept the supernatural. They have fallen to naturalism.
• 63
  Evidence from the book itself, as well as from external sources, that Daniel was written before the events it predicts
• 64
  Rome fell about 7 centuries after Daniel was written according to Critical Scholars, but it fell in exactly the way predicted by Daniel.
• 65
  Does the absence of Darius in secular history prove that Daniel is fiction?
• 66
  The Qumran sect regarded Daniel as inspired Scripture. Some of their Daniel scrolls are dated to only 50 years after Antiochus.
• 67
  Should the title of the book be Revelation “of” or “by” Jesus Christ?” In other words, is the book about Jesus Christ or from Him?
• 68
  Revelation repeats the same event in different parts of the book. For example, the return of Christ is described at the end of four of the main divisions of Revelation.
• 69
  Is it valid to assume that everything in Revelation is literal unless it cannot be literal?
• 70
  Every one of the five main parts of Revelation begins in the temple in heaven.
• 71
  An overview of the end-time events, as described in Revelation, leading up to Christ’s return.
• 72
  In Revelation, John sometimes hears about something but when he looks, he sees something completely different. However, it is the same thing.
• 73
  All numbers in Revelation are symbols. This article explains the meaning of the numbers 2, 4, 7, and 12.
• 74
  John saw a throne, symbolizing authority, One sitting on the throne, 24 elders on 24 thrones, and four living creatures, full of eyes
• 75
  The 24 elders are human beings in God’s immediate presence; not angels.
• 76
  This article discusses the worship in Revelation 4:8-11, before Jesus appears, as well as in Revelation 5; after He has appeared in the throne room.
• 77
  Revelation 4 is a timeless description of God’s throne room. Revelation 5 describes what happened in heaven when Jesus arrives after His ascension.
• 78
  It is the Lamb’s Book of Life, which is the book of God’s judgments; indicating who will inherit eternal life.
• 79
  Why Jesus was not worthy to break the seals before His death and how did His death make Him worthy? (Rev 5:3, 5, 9)
• 80
  Verses 1-4 describe the time before Christ, verses 5-6 describe His death, and the rest of the chapter describes what happens in heaven after His ascension.
• 81
  The color white, the stephanos crown, and its never-ending conquering identify the white horse as the gospel.
• 82
  The bloodshed, famine, and death in the next three horsemen are the consequence of the first (the gospel).
• 83
  Does the cry of the souls under the altar symbolize a general principle or a specific event?
• 84
  Are these literal souls, literally crying out to God for revenge?
• 85
  The sixth seal concludes with Christ’s return. The Son of Man separates the people from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
• 86
  Where does the sealing of the 144,000 in Revelation 7:1-8 fit in the end-time events described later in Revelation?
• 87
  God will make more power available to enable His last-day people to remain faithful during the catastrophic end-time events.
• 88
  How does the sealing fit in the end-time events described in Daniel? God’s people are sealed during the Time of the End, as described by Daniel.
• 89
  All numbers in Revelation are symbols. 12 is the number of God’s people. So, what does 12 x 12 x 1000 mean? And who are the 144,000 “sons of Israel?” Are they literal Jews?
• 90
  Is the multitude before the throne the same as the 144,000? They seem like complete opposites. Is this multitude described before or after Christ’s return?
• 91
  When the seventh seal is broken, the book is fully open, God’s judgments are understood, and God can make a final end to evil. The immense sadness in God’s heart causes silence in heaven.
• 92
  This is something that literal interpreters usually claim.
• 93
  About 2000 years ago, Christ redeemed humanity at the Cross. Why does God delay Christ’s return? What else does God need, in addition to Christ’s death 2000 years ago, to make a final end to evil?
• 94
  The “male child” is Christ, but who is His mother? Is she Eve or Mary or Israel or the church or some higher-level principle?
• 95
  A great red dragon swept away a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. Revelation 12 also describes a war in heaven between the dragon’s angels and Michael’s angels. Are the “stars” the same as the dragon’s angels?
• 96
  When did the war begin and when was Satan thrown out?
• 97
  What are Satan’s weapons and what did Michael use to overcome Satan?
• 98
  If Christ’s death defeated Satan, why would “their testimony” also be required? (Rev 12:11)
• 99
  After peace was restored in heaven, the war on earth only intensified (Rev 12:9, 12). Why did God not make an end to evil immediately after the Cross?
• 100
  This beast is the Antichrist. People will be forced to accept its mark in the end-time. This article provides a preliminary identification. The third article in this series identifies it more specifically.
• 101
  The sea beast has a fatal wound on one of its heads. Revelation 17 describes the same fatal wound and identifies it as the sixth head.
• 102
  This article shows firstly that the beast in Revelation is the same as the evil horn in Daniel. It then identifies the horn, and, therefore, the beast, by comparing the horn in Daniel 7 to history.
• 103
  Revelation has seven seals, seven trumpets, and seven plagues. The first four of each series should be interpreted as a unit; not individually.
• 104
  The plagues will show that the people with the mark of the beast are so entrenched in Satan’s ways that they are unable to repent, even when faced with evidence that they are wrong.
• 105
  The fifth plague angel pours his bowl out on the throne of the beast. The beast’s throne symbolizes its authority, which it received from the Roman Empire (Rev 13:2) But it is not military or economic power. It is Christian religious authority.
• 106
  It is the final great proclamation of God’s message, symbolized as the loud cry (Rev 18:2), that will cause the darkness on the throne of the beast. That cry convinces the followers of the beast that the light from their religious system is darkness.
• 107
  The Roman Empire made the Trinitarian version of Christianity the state religion of the Roman Empire and destroyed all opposition. With the power of the Empire behind it, the ‘church’ of the Roman Empire became the ‘church’ of the Middle Ages and will remain the mainstream ‘church’ until destroyed by the seven last plagues.
• 108
  The Euphrates symbolizes the people under the control of the beast. In other words, the beast’s support dries up.
• 109
  In this plague, there are two groups of kings. Since the kings of the whole world oppose God, the kings from the east are the kings of God’s army.
• 110
  It is not a place; it is the Day of the Lord. The people will not gather at a specific place; spirits of demons will unite the whole world against God.
• 111
  Is this a secret rapture?
• 112
  Why must the Euphrates dry up before the kings from the east may come? (Rev 16:12)
• 113
  The description of the final plague in Revelation 16 continues in Revelation 19 and ends with Christ’s return, the destruction of the beast, and the death of the people with the mark of the beast.
• 114
  The purpose is not to punish but to show that the people with the mark of the beast, who also claim to be Christians, are hardened beyond repentance.
• 115
  The ultimate purpose is to show that God judges perfectly. But why would that be necessary?
• 116
  What are they and how do they relate?
• 117
  “Here is the mind which has wisdom.” (Rev 17:9) The seven heads are the seven phases of the beast-power. Each beast is one of the phases and, therefore, one of the seven heads.
• 118
  The first four heads are the four beasts in Daniel 7, with the fourth being the Roman Empire. The last three heads are the three phases of the eleventh horn that grows out of the Roman Empire.
• 119
  The sixth of the beast’s seven heads is a weak head. It is the head that receives the fatal wound (Rev 13:3-4) and describes Daniel’s Time of the End.
• 120
  She corrupts the people, unites the world against God, and is worldwide and timeless.
• 121
  While Babylon always exists worldwide, the beast is a specific human organization that is one instance of the Babylon principle.
• 122
  Babylon exists everywhere and for all human history, but false Christianity has adopted the Babylonian spirit.
• 123
  Babylon’s “merchants were the great men of the earth” (Rev 18:23). They are the prophets of false Christianity.
• 124
  Some literal interpreters propose that ancient Babylon will be rebuilt on the literal Euphrates River, to become the literal capital of the world.
• 125
  Based on a comparison of the harlot of Revelation to church history, some identify the Papacy as Babylon.
• 126
  The harlot sitting on the scarlet beast
• 127
  Babylon the great, the mother of harlots
• 128
  Christ is divine but also distinct from God and subordinate to the Father.
• 129
  The Bible always distinguishes
  – not only between the Son and the Father
  – but between the Son and God.
• 130
  The title, “the Almighty,” appears ten times in the New Testament and always refers to the Father alone.
• 131
  In the Bible, the Son always was, still is, and always will be subordinate to the Father. Everything that He has, He has received from His Father.
• 132
  The Son has some of God’s divine attributes. For example, He is the only other being who has life in himself (John 5:26).
• 133
  Did John use the term theos for both the Father and the Son?
• 134
  Are we saved by Christ or by God? Who created all things and who reconciled all things to God; God or Christ Jesus?
• 135
  God created all things through Jesus and holds all creation together through Jesus. He is distinct from God, but rules over all.
• 136
  In the Book of Revelation, the Father alone is “God,” “the Almighty,” the Creator, the Supreme Ruler of all creation, and the One we must worship. The Son is subordinate to the Father but belongs with the Father when compared to the created universe.
• 137
  From a human perspective, He existed:
  (1) as equal with God before Him human birth,
  (2) as a human being,
  (3) for three days in human death, and
  (4) as exalted by God after His ascension.
• 138
  Does this verse divide the words of the Shema between the Father and the Son?
• 139
  Or did He claim to be the Son of God? (John 10:33-36)
• 140
  This article discusses three statements Jesus made that are often interpreted to mean that they are literally one Being (John 10:30, 38; 14:9).
• 141
  As the “only-begotten” (monogenēs) Son,
  He is the only being generated from the being of the Father,
  or should it be translated as “only unique,” which excludes
  the idea of generation?
• 142
  Does this mean that He was literally born first, or that He is part of creation?
• 143
  All things, including creation, judgment, and salvation, are from God, the Father, but through His Son.
• 144
  Since the Son ‘always’ existed and existed in the ‘form’ of God, and since God is invisible, the God who was seen in the Old Testament is the One we know as Jesus.
• 145
  We do not “worship” Jesus. The Greek word translated as “worship” (proskuneó) has a wide range of meanings, including to bow down before an exalted human being. It is only translated as “worship” if we assume that Jesus is God. Therefore, if a Bible translation says that Jesus is worshiped, that is an application of the Trinity Doctrine; not proof there-of.
• 146
  If Jesus is worshiped in Revelation, does that mean that He is God?
• 147
  The verse does not say who is worshiped. Are both the Father and the Son worshiped there?
• 148
  Some regard this verse as the clearest declaration of the Son’s deity.
• 149
  Possible translations include:
  The Word was God,
  The Word was a god, and
  The Word was divine.
• 150
  This is the Jehovah’s Witness translation of this verse.
• 151
  To defend their translation, Jehovah’s Witnesses argue that “God” is a count noun. Is this a valid argument?
• 152
  This translation interprets theos as definite, but John 1:1c uses theos in a descriptive sense, meaning that the Word was like God.
• 153
  The Bible refers to Jesus as theos but that Greek word has a wide range of meanings. One possible meaning is reflected by the English word “God,” which refers only to the Ultimate Reality. But the term is also used for any immortal being with supernatural powers. In what sense of theos does the New Testament refer to Jesus?
• 154
  Scholars are not sure what John actually wrote here. Many ancient manuscripts of this verse refer to Jesus as “son” and not as theos (god).
• 155
  Thomas here refers to Jesus as his theos but, just a few verses earlier, Jesus refers to the Father as His theos (John 20:17). In what sense of theos did Thomas address Jesus?
• 156
  This is most significant. The only possible exception is Romans 9:5 but the translation of this verse depends on punctuation, which is interpretation.
• 157
  Verse 8 refers to Jesus as theos but the next verse shows that He is not God because it says that God is His God.
• 158
  To translate theos as “God,” when it refers to Jesus, is an application of the Trinity doctrine; not proof thereof.
• 159
  Some propose that the logos in John 1:1 is not a person but a personification of God’s eternal plan.
• 160
  Everything that the creation receives from God, it receives through His Son.
• 161
  Philo wrote a few decades before John. In his interpretation of the Old Testament, he included the logos from Greek philosophy and described him as similar to John’s logos.
• 162
  The conventional account of the Arian Controversy, which resulted in the Trinity Doctrine, is a complete travesty. This article serves as a summary of the articles below.
• 163
  He described the Son as our God but the Father as the only true God.
• 164
  Polycarp was a personal disciple of the Apostle John. He made a clear distinction between the Almighty God and His subordinate Son.
• 165
  Justin used Greek philosophy to explain the Son of God as a rational power that was begotten from the substance of God.
• 166
  Irenaeus identified the Father as the only true God, alone Almighty, and the Head of Christ.
• 167
  The pre-Nicene fathers described the Son as “our God” but the Father as “the only true God,” implying that the Son is not “true” God. This confusion is caused by the translations. These fathers regarded the Son as subordinate to the Father but translators translate theos, when referring to the Son, as “God” because they accept the Trinity doctrine.
• 168
  Sabellius taught that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are three portions of the single divine essence. This represents a significant move away from the Logos-Christology of his day. He was declared to be a heretic but many of the participants in the Arian Controversy had similar views.
• 169
  RPC Hanson states that no ‘orthodoxy’ existed but that is not entirely true. This article shows that subordination was indeed ‘orthodox’ at that time.
• 170
  The term “Arianism” implies that Arius’ theology dominated the fourth-century church. But Arius was not regarded in his time as a significant writer. He left no school of disciples. The so-called ‘Arians’ never quoted Arius and actually opposed him.
• 171
  The only reason we today refer to ‘Arians’ is that Athanasius invented the term to falsely label his opponents with a theology that was already formally rejected by the church.
• 172
  Over the centuries, Arius was always accused of this. This article explains why that is a false accusation.
• 173
  There are significant differences between Origen and Arius. Where they agree, they agree because both followed the traditional Logos theology.
• 174
  ‘Arians’ described Christ as from beyond our universe, the only being ever to be brought forth directly by the Father, and as the only being able to endure direct contact with God.
• 175
  Arius wrote that the Son was begotten timelessly by the Father before everything. But Arius also said that the Son did not always exist. Did Arius contradict himself?
• 176
  Arius wrote that the Son of God cannot change but Athanasius claimed that Arius taught the exact opposite, namely that the Son is “like all others … subject to change.”
• 177
  New information has come forward to show that Arius is as a thinker and exegete of resourcefulness, sharpness and originality.
• 178
  It is often said that the Council was called to determine whether Jesus is God. But that does not accurately describe the dispute prior to Nicaea.
• 179
  The General Councils during the fourth century were the means by which the emperors governed the church. In that era, the emperor was the ultimate authority on church doctrine.
• 180
  It says that the Son is equal to the Father in terms of substance, but subordinate to the Father in other respects.
• 181
  Eusebius of Caesarea, the most respected theologian at the Council, immediately afterward wrote to his church in Caesarea to explain why he accepted the Creed and how he understood the controversial phrases.
• 182
  The Creed not only uses non-Biblical words; the concept of homoousios (that the Son is of the same substance as the Father) is not in the Bible.
• 183
  The word is not found in the Bible or in any orthodox Christian confession before Nicaea.
• 184
  The Creed seems to say that the Father and Son are the same hupostasis. This is Sabellianism.
• 185
  Does this phrase mean that the Son has the same substance as the Father or that He has been begotten out of the Father’s substance?
• 186
  After Nicaea, the emperors were ‘Arian’ and crushed the Nicene party. The reason is that, throughout the Arian Controversy, the emperor was the ultimate authority with respect to church doctrine.
• 187
  The Father is the only true God,
  the Son is our god,
  but the Father is His god and
  the Holy Spirit is not a Person, but a power; subject to the Son.
• 188
  An example of the many ‘Arian’ creeds that were developed during the fourth century
• 189
  This was one ‘strand’ of ‘Arianism’ during the Arian Controversy. In it, the Son’s substance is similar to the Father’s, but not the same.
• 190
  He exiled ‘Arian’ bishops, expropriated ‘Arian’ church buildings, forbid ‘Arian’ meetings, and implemented his rulings through the Roman Army.
• 191
  The wording of the creeds is similar but the meaning is very different.
• 192
  It did not fall; it transformed. Massive in-migration and top positions for ‘barbarians’ in the Roman Army allowed them to progressively assume control of the Empire.
• 193
  Factors include underfunding of the army, barbarian mercenaries, a plunder economy, pomp of rulers, high taxes, weak emperors, and Sassanid and Hunnic incursions.
• 194
  In the fifth century, the Empire fell to the Germanic peoples. They were Arians because they received the gospel while ‘Arianism’ dominated the church in the fourth. This article also provides an overview of the events of the preceding fourth century.
• 195
  In the sixth century, Justinian crushed the Arian nations, liberated the Church in Rome from Arian domination, and set up the Byzantine Papacy through which the emperors in the east, with their imperial version of Christianity, ruled Europe and crushed all opposition to the Trinity Doctrine.
• 196
  With the support of the military power of the Roman Empire, the imperial version of Christianity (Trinitarianism) became the church of the Middle Ages, symbolized by Daniel’s evil eleventh horn.
• 197
  The church of the Middle Ages had the spirit of the Roman Empire. For example, the Waldensians were critical of Catholic beliefs. In return, the church called all to destroy them, causing centuries of massacres.
• 198
  A summary of this book, which provides an overview of the fourth-century Arian Controversy. Lewis Ayres is a Catholic theologian and Professor of Catholic and Historical Theology.
• 199
  A very informative lecture on the Arian Controversy by RPC Hanson, a famous fourth-century scholar
• 200
  In the Trinity Doctrine, the Father, Son, and Spirit ‘share’ one and the same substance, mind, and will. Does that mean they are one and the same Person,
  as in Modalism?
• 201
  This is the Eastern Orthodoxy view of God, in which the “one God” is the Father. How does it differ from the Trinity Doctrine?
• 202
  As presented by the respected Eastern Orthodox theologian, Father Thomas Hopko.
• 203
  Elohim (often translated as God) is plural in form. Does this mean that the Old Testament writers thought of God as a multi-personal Being?
• 204
  The Son has been begotten by the Father, meaning that the Son is dependent on the Father. Eternal Generation explains “begotten” in such a way that the Son is co-equal and co-eternal with the Father.
• 205
  The relationship between God and the cosmos, appeals to “mystery,” “the doctrine of the Trinity” as a shibboleth, claims that there is no good analogy for the Trinity
• 206
  The “Persons” of the Trinity as modes, the New Testament authors as “primitive” theologians, divine simplicity, “social” Trinity theories, divine processions or lack thereof
• 207
  The word does not mean to pacify God. It means a state of unity: at-one-ment.
• 208
  To explain how Jesus’ death is the solution, we first have to understand the problem.
• 209
  Christ died without sin, while suffering the worst possible temptations. This solved a problem in heaven.
• 210
  Words such as redeemed, reconciled, justified, and reconciled are metaphors and must not be taken literally.
• 211
  Christ died to demonstrate that it is just of God to justify sinners by faith alone.
• 212
  This is not a contradiction because “the works of the Law” are very different from the ‘deeds’ by which God judges people.
• 213
  Paul argued that God’s people are no longer subject to the Law of Moses and introduced the concept of “the Law of Christ.”
• 214
  The Law was added more than 400 years after God made His covenant with Abraham. Therefore, the Law was temporary.
• 215
  Jesus did not do away with the moral commandments but replaced them with higher standards.
• 216
  It is God’s law as it always existed and always will exist.
• 217
  What does “fulfill” mean and what are the Law and the Prophets?
• 218
  This is some criticism by a reader on the previous article and my response there-on.
• 219
  Since Jesus said nothing shall pass from the Law (Matt 5:19), why did the Church Council grant Gentiles freedom from the Law?
• 220
  Jesus taught that people do not have immortality and that God judges people by their deeds.
• 221
  God engrained the seventh day into human existence.
• 222
  The evolution theory destroys the Bible’s core message.
• 223
  A seven-day cycle apparently did exist before Moses.
• 224
  The Sabbath served as a symbol of liberation, a day of rest, a reminder of the Lord, and a test of obedience, but not as a day for church meetings.
• 225
  The traditions of the elders are extremely detailed laws that began as a hedge against sin but, eventually, represented God as a tyrant.
• 226
  By healing a man on the Sabbath, Christ publicly contravened the traditions.
• 227
  The rulers wanted Jesus to heal on the Sabbath so that they could legally kill Him.
• 228
  The purpose of the Sabbath is to free people from Satan’s bonds.
• 229
  The strict traditions allowed little space for compassion, caused the Sabbath to become an intolerable burden, and depicted God as a tyrant.
• 230
  Why did Jesus select specifically the Sabbath for His healing miracles?
• 231
  God made the Sabbath to be the best day of the week. Human needs are more important than the Sabbath.
• 232
  While the Jews regarded healing as work and disallowed it on the Sabbath, Jesus deliberately healed on the Sabbath.
• 233
  By contravening the traditions, He condemned the Jewish system of authority.
• 234
  His healing miracles gave credibility to His teachings and to His claim to be the Messiah.
• 235
  Man may and must work on the Sabbath to relieve suffering, to heal, and to teach about God.
• 236
  Moses made rest the goal but Christ shifted the focus to the original purpose: To heal and restore.
• 237
  Christ did not only interpret the Law of Moses; He replaced it with higher moral standards that existed from the beginning.
• 238
  Is the Sabbath commandment repeated in the New Testament?
• 239
  If this refers to the Sabbath, then we may still observe the Sabbath. But it is a bit far-fetched to say that each person must decide about the weekly day of worship. This verse must be read within its context, and the context is a dispute about eating meat. Therefore, these “days” probably were fasting days.
• 240
  A discussion of 1 Corinthians 15
• 241
  They will not suffer eternal torment. Man was not created immortal. Immortality is a gift which only believers will receive. A time will come when evil does not exist.
• 242
  If God will annihilate the lost, why will the smoke of their torment rise forever?
• 243
  If God will annihilate the lost, why does it say that the lost will be tormented day and night forever and ever in the lake of fire and brimstone?
• 244
  When one delves deeper into the evidence for eternal torment, it becomes evidence for annihilation.
• 245
  God promised to wipe away every tear from their eyes (Rev 21:4) but if our loved ones will be tormented for all eternity, we will never have joy.
• 246
  And they receive it only when Christ returns.
• 247
  God creates intelligent beings with the freedom to choose between good and evil. Evil arose from that freedom.
• 248
  A Study of the Book of Job
• 249
  Both Paul and also Peter refer to them. They are supernatural beings that oppose Christ.
• 250
  After receiving the Holy Spirit, the church grew quickly but remained a Jewish sect, based in Jerusalem.
• 251
  After the 490 years of Daniel 9 have come to an end, God dispersed the church to Judea and Samaria through persecution.
• 252
  When the first Gentiles became Christians, a dispute arose about whether they must observe the Law of Moses.
• 253
  The church council (Acts 15 ) caused a separation between Jewish and Gentile Christians when it decided that Gentiles are not subject to the Law while Jewish Christians continued in the Law.
• 254
  This history explains the disputes addressed by Paul’s letters.
• 255
  An analysis of the Second Coming verses in the New Testament
• 256
  The return of Christ will not be an isolated event but will be preceded and followed by a series of profound events.
• 257
  Those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake. Those who commit lawlessness will be thrown into the furnace of fire, while the righteous receive everlasting life.
• 258
  This article presents the three chapters side by side to show the similarities and differences.
• 259
  Jesus said and His disciples believed that He will return soon.
• 260
  What generation, did Jesus say, will not pass away until all these things take place?
• 261
  What does the phrase, “the Son of Man comes” mean in this verse?
• 262
  Does this refer to Christ’s physical return?
• 263
  Was His promise to return soon fulfilled when He was resurrected and enthroned, followed by the Holy Spirit?
• 264
  Or was AD 70 merely a type of the fullest destruction at the return of Christ?
• 265
  Why did He not return in the first century as promised?
• 266
  God does not override human freedom. He gives evidence of Himself but if we reject this evidence, there remains nothing that He can or will do, and He gives us up to our lusts.
• 267
  On Judgment Day, God will justify the doers of the Law.
• 268
  Did God reject Israel?
• 269
  The book of Revelation often refers to Israel and her things. Romans 9 and 11 explain what Israel means.
• 270
  The dispute was about as ‘weak’ Christians who regarded eating meat as idol worship.
• 271
  If this refers to the Sabbath, then we may still observe the Sabbath. But it is a bit far-fetched to say that each person must decide for himself about the weekly day of worship. This verse must be read within its context, and the context is a dispute about eating meat. Therefore, these were probably “days” of fasting .
• 272
  We must not confuse “deeds” and “the works of the Law.”
• 273
  If eating meat may cause a weaker brother to stumble, rather abstain.
• 274
  Galatians represents Paul’s arguments before the Jerusalem Church Council in Acts 15.
• 275
  The Galatians were at risk of losing their eternal inheritance.
• 276
  This phrase refers to “all the appointed feasts of the house of Israel.”
• 277
  The Colossians were criticized for HOW they kept these days; not for keeping those days.
• 278
  To become our high priest in the Tabernacle in Heaven, He had to suffer but remain without sin.
• 279
  The earthly Tabernacle was only a copy of the reality in heaven, and could, therefore, not free people from guilt for sin.
• 280
  Jesus guarantees God’s promise, “their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”
• 281
  We may draw near to God with, for Jesus sympathizes with our weaknesses.
• 282
  If we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins.
• 283
  What God spoke through His Son has a much higher authority than the Old Testament.
• 284
  Christmas was derived from the pagan feast of the birthday of the Invincible Sun.
• 285
  Since I have no formal Bible training and since I am not part of any church group, I am free to present the truth as I understand it.