Category Archives: Christianity

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October 6, 2023

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Christianity, Jesus

Does the Shroud of Turin show the face of Jesus?

In April of 2023 an artist created a realistic, life sized representation of the body of Jesus based on the Shroud of Turin. In September a computer generated a depiction of Jesus’ face, also based upon the Shroud of Turin. Such images are intriguing, but can they be trusted as accurate representations of what Jesus looked like?

The accuracy of recent artwork is dependent not only on the skill of the artist, but also on the genuineness of the Shroud of Turin. No accurate image of Jesus can be developed from the imprints on the shroud if the Shroud of Turin is not what it is claimed to be. The Shroud of Turin is claimed to be the burial cloth which was wrapped around Jesus before His burial. The shroud appears to have in it the image of a man. Many believe the image to be of Jesus. As a result, the Shroud of Turin is held sacred by millions.

Much controversy surrounds the shroud’s authenticity. The earliest historical references to the Shroud of Turin come from the mid-1300’s. No one knows where the shroud was before that time or how its discoverer came to find it. The lack of any reliable record of the shroud’s existence before the 1300’s is troubling and should limit dogmatic claims that it is truly the burial cloth of Jesus.

The Biblical and historical records from the first two centuries of Christianity show no evidence Christians ever revered any objects associated with Jesus’ life. The first mention of the preserving of Christian relics is from a document which claims to have been written in 120 AD and relates to Christians keeping the bones of Ignatius of Antioch. If Christians kept as relics the bones of Ignatius that is not proof anyone 90 years earlier kept objects related to Jesus, preserved those items or passed them down as sacred relics. If such relics had been kept one would expect some mention of them in the earliest writings of Christians.

Christian’s keeping and revering objects related to Christ’s death or burial seems unlikely given the clearly stated understanding of the apostles regarding the presence of Christ with them. They had no need to keep a splinter from the cross, the holy grail, the crown of thorns or the head of the spear which pierced Jesus’ side. They knew the real presence of Christ was dwelling in them by the Holy Spirit. They understood Christ’s promise, “You will know that I am in the Father, and you in Me, and I in you” (John 14:20) is fulfilled by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Christ. Christ lives in those who have His Spirit. (Romans 8:9-10) The early Christians had no need for relics of Jesus because they knew He was residing in them.

Today, artifacts and relics are ultimately unnecessary to the Christian. No artifact, even if it be proven to be from the time of Christ, will convince those who do not believe the Bible. Those who do believe the gospel may find their faith corroborated by historical items which show the accuracy of Scripture, but their faith is not based upon archaeological discoveries or sacred relics. The faith of the Christian rests on the Word of God alone.

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August 29, 2023

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Christianity, God, Heaven

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How can Heaven be a place of unhindered happiness if our loved ones are not there?

God promises He will one day wipe away every tear and take away all sorrow, pain and crying. (Revelation 21:4) In eternity all Christians will have unhindered access to the presence of God where there is full joy and eternal pleasure. (Psalm 16:11)

How can Heaven be a place of happiness without sorrow if those in Heaven remember their own failures? How can Heaven be a place without any crying if those we loved on earth are not in Heaven? How can those in Heaven know unending pleasure while also knowing all in Hell are suffering unending torment? For some the only answer seems to be that the people in Heaven can only have unhindered joy if God removes from them all painful memories and all knowledge of those once known on earth. That solution seems to create another problem. How can anyone retain their distinct identity if they do not remember who they once were?

No full solution can be given to this challenging problem, but an answer can be given which addresses some of the most pressing concerns. The wise person will remember Heaven is glorious beyond comprehension. None should expect to understand on earth what can only be understood in Heaven. The Bible does not present Heaven as a place of great forgetfulness, but of great delight.

These questions can be answered in part with the Biblical promises that the joy we have in Heaven will be so great we will not think on the sorrows of our life on earth. “The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” (Romans 8:18) “Our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.” (2 Corinthians 4:17) A mother’s pain of childbirth is intense, but that pain is not grieved later because of the joy she has at bringing a new life into the world. (John 16:21-22) The pains of this life are great, but in Heaven they will not be grieved because they will finally be fully understood. All sufferers will in Heaven understand and rejoice because of the great, eternal blessing their earthly pain has brought them. In the presence of God is a joy so great sorrow cannot endure.

In Heaven all will recognize the justice of God. The bringing about of God’s perfect justice will be the basis of great rejoicing. Revelation 19 shows this in action. The saints of God in Heaven rejoice when He destroys the kingdom of the Antichrist. ““Alleluia! Salvation and glory and honor and power belong to the Lord our God! For true and righteous are His judgments.” In Heaven God’s judgment of the wicked will be know by all to be right and just. None will revel in the agony of another, but all will understand and praise the perfect justice of God. Heaven rejoices in God’s judgment of the wicked because it displays His power, righteousness, truth, glory and justice. In Heaven humanity will rejoice because God’s justice will finally be fully understood and His glory will be displayed to all.

Heaven is a place of joy without sorrow because God is the joy of Heaven and the full revelation of His glory will bring delight beyond description.

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August 22, 2023

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Christianity, Salvation

What is “The Great Controversy”?

Residents in the region recently received in their mailboxes a copy of The Great Controversy. The front cover and title pages provide little information about the contents of the book. The back cover promises an answer to the question, “If a political superpower and a religious superpower join forces, what will be the inevitable result?” The book is likely to grab the attention of those who have an interest in politics, religion and prophecy.

The Great Controversy is an official text of the Seventh Day Adventist Church written by Ellen G. White, a co-founder of the Seventh Day Adventism. The book provides an overview of Christian history and is filled with Biblical quotes. However, The Great Controversy is not to be trusted. The author makes serious historical errors. For example, she claims the Catholic church moved the Sabbath to Sunday. This is simply not true. The New Testament and early church history show Christians met together on Sunday to worship the risen Jesus.

Furthermore, the author makes many errors in Biblical interpretation. She upholds the teachings of William Miller who taught that Jesus was going to return to the earth in 1844. She fell into the error of believing the date of Jesus’ return could be determined ahead of time. This is contrary to the clear statement of Jesus, “That day and hour no one knows . . . Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is.” (Mark 13:32-33) The New Testament teaches that the return of Jesus will happen at a time when no one expects. Her commitment to this error led her to devise many imaginative, but ultimately unbiblical, interpretations of the Bible.

These errors render the book untrustworthy, but its teachings regarding salvation make it spiritually dangerous. The teachings of The Great Controversy undermine the work of Jesus on the cross by effectively denying the completeness of Jesus’ work of atonement at Calvary. According to White the sins of “penitent believers . . . still remained upon the books of record.” In other words, before 1844 the sin of believers had not been removed. They still stood in the Heavenly records against the individual. They were forgiven because of the work of Jesus, but their sin had not yet been taken away. This is contrary to many clear Biblical statements. Jesus’ own words on the cross show salvation was fully accomplished and sin fully forgiven by His sacrifice, “It is finished.” (John 19:30) The promise made to all believers was a promise of complete forgiveness, “Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” (Hebrews 9:17) Hebrews presents this promised as already fulfilled in Jesus’ death on the cross, not waiting for a future, final cleansing.

Equally serious is the error that obedience to the law is necessary for salvation. White says, “All who have truly repented of sin, and by faith claimed the blood of Christ as their atoning sacrifice, have had pardon entered against their names in the books of heaven; as they have become partakers of the righteousness of Christ, and their characters are found to be in harmony with the law of God, their sins will be blotted out.” The condition of pardon is not just repentance and faith, but also having a character in harmony with the law of God. The entire 28th chapter of The Great Controversy discusses how a person is finally saved. According to White diligence in obedience, particularly to the Ten Commandments and especially the Fourth Commandment, is integral to salvation. According to White a life of obedience is necessary for a person to receive salvation.

This is not only erroneous doctrine, it is damning doctrine. The book of Galatians was written to correct an error incredibly similar to White’s. Galatians says, “you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen (short of) grace.” (Galatians 5:4) All who believe they must keep the law to keep their salvation will not be saved until they reject their own attempts to secure salvation Galatians also says, “A man is not justified by the works of the law . . . for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.” (Galatians 2:16). “For as many as are under the works of the law are under the curse.” (Galatians 3:10) The teachings of Ellen G. White do not bring salvation, hope or victory. They condemn the sinner in a hopeless attempt to secure one’s own salvation by obedience to a law which can never bring eternal salvation.

Modern Seventh Day Adventism has pulled away from some of the doctrines taught by Ellen White, and some would disagree that Ellen G. White taught salvation by works. However, her teaching clearly ties obedience with salvation. By distributing her book the Seventh Day Adventist church is affirming and promoting false doctrine.

Instead of reading The Great Controversy read the Gospel of John. There you will see Jesus is God the Son and the only means of eternal life. “These are written that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.” (John 20:31)

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August 15, 2023

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Christianity, Salvation

Are Good Works Needed for Salvation?

What is the most widely believed dogma in the world? Christians, Muslims, Buddhists and the majority of other worlds religions affirm the need to do good works of some variety, whether it be participating in a specific ritual or a life of goodness, for the person to reach that religion’s definition of salvation. One can safely estimate billions of people around the world believe the performance of good works is necessary to achieve a positive outcome in the afterlife. Does the Bible teach this?

The Bible says the following about salvation by works:
Ephesians 2:8-9
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.

Titus 3:4-5
But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,

Romans 4:2-5
For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness,

Galatians 2:16
Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ,

Galatians 5:4
You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.

2 Timothy 1:9
God has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus.

The Bible is plain. No one is saved by works. No one can be saved by works. The person who relies in any way on their works to get them to Heaven will not be saved. Many in the broad family of Christian religions affirm that good works are vital to salvation, but the Bible teaches something different. No one needs to do any good works at any time in their life in order to be saved. Galatians 5:4 says that those who attempt to be saved by some good deed have actually fallen short of Gods’ grace. The attempt to earn Heaven cuts a person off from Heaven. The only way to receive God’s saving grace is through faith which never attempts to do anything to earn salvation.

According to the Bible no work brings salvation. Obeying the ten commandments, being circumcised, being baptized, taking the Lord’s Supper, making confession to others, attending church, giving to the needy, maintaining religious devotion and living a life of self denial will never bring anyone salvation. No religious ritual or virtuous deed will bring any one the tiniest step closer to heaven.

The only way to get to Heaven is through faith in Jesus. (John 14:6) Admit you are a sinner who is guilty before God and deserving of His eternal punishment. Believe Jesus is God who became human, died on the cross to pay the penalty of your sin and rose to life again. Believe Jesus will forgive your sin and give you eternal life. Place all your trust in Jesus for salvation. Rely only on Him to get you to Heaven. Ask Jesus to take away all your guilt and make you His child. He will. “Whoever calls upon the Lord shall be saved.” (Romans 10:13)