I also am amazed at how many christians hold to the Dake bible and its notation. I am even now seeing the effects of Dake up close. To whom much is given, much shall be required. In any case, there is a reference at http://www.ovrlnd.com/FalseDoctrine/drakesbible.html that states "There is no Scripture to support this kind of gift by the Holy Ghost." The only passage I could bring to this statement is Luke 12:12 among others but even this in context always relates to a different situation. Thanks for the website.

I saw your questions regarding "nobody repents in the spirit world etc..."

First proof of repentance is probably when Jesus preached to the spirits in captive and set them FREE...

One example of hope in the spirit world is...

We shall now see that the agreement with ‘death’ and ‘hell’ will not stand with God. God will answer these ‘lost ones’ described above and say that He has disannulled their covenant with death and disannul their agreement with death. ( I see redemption in the spirit world ). These cant refer to believers since, certainly the ‘overflowing scourge’ of the sacrifice of Jesus reached believers, right? Further, He that believeth has passed from judgment into life ( John 5:24). Also, are those who believeth are the ones who have made lies their refuge & hid themselves in falsehood as described above?... I’m sure we can agree that these talks about ‘some lost people who were wicked’… The part of the ‘corner stone’ in the above verse is certainly Jesus and this further validates this scripture as giving a picture of the judgment of God. Now observe what God responded to them :

“And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it. From the time that it goeth forth it shall take you: for morning by morning shall it pass over, by day and by night: and it shall be a vexation only [to] understand the report.” Isaiah 28: 18 -19 (KJV)

God says that the ‘overflowing scourge’ (redemption work ) shall go through and they shall be trodden down by it. These people will face a vexation to understand a report? What report might it be unless it is the ‘gospel’? . . . The gospel has been called a report before in scriptures and therefore it further strengthens this position. Looks like these people are being ‘overwhelmed’ by the ‘gospel’. Here is the verse that calls the ‘good news of the gospel’ a report… and it is non other than by Isaiah himself, even strengthening what he means by ‘report’ above!

“Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?”
Isaiah 53:1

How did I know that the ‘report’ in Isaiah 53:1 must mean the Gospel? Look at John 12:38, the apostle John quotes the verse above,

“That the saying of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed?” John 12:38 (KJV)

Another,...

Now, we see at the end of this Isaiah chapter 24, God says something remarkable :

“ They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding, and they that murmured shall learn doctrine ” Isaiah 29:24 (KJV)

Wow!... erred in the ‘spirit’ have a ‘chance’ of coming to understanding and they that murmured have a ‘chance’ to learn doctrine…? NO! Its is not ‘chance’!... God says that they shall come to understanding and they shall learn doctrine… Its not ‘maybe’ but rather God is telling the outcome clearly!... So much for the idea that ‘God dosent give 2nd chances or any chances in the spiritual realm!’

I don’t know who ‘invented’ the idea of ‘chances’ with regard to the gospel. You cannot back this idea with scripture. Tell me which scripture states that gospel is a ‘chance’ or ‘the work on the cross a hit and try thing’… ‘yeah, it came from percepts of men!’

In the following verse, I am prompted to consider whether God means in the spiritual sense that all idols = false ideas about God will be removed? Note also that these idols are removed by every man. Since we are imperfect, we may all have some idea about God that is not absolutely right. For no man can say ( or should dare say ) that they have perfectly understood God, unless God reveals to Him; And that I believe, will only happen in the spiritual world. Remember, even apostle Paul said that, we dimly see through a mirror ( 1 Corinthians 13:12 ).

“For in that day every man shall cast away his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which your own hands have made unto you [for] a sin” Isaiah 31

Jonny Boy, you're confusing the universal resurrection of all with a universal salvation nowhere is it suggested that the universal resurrection (the defeat of death) means all are saved.

Your article, "An honest encounter at the door!" may as well have been written about Christian evangelists with yourself as the "Witness" who is the only one who has the "truth."

Jim, You must believe that I define what is Christian orthodoxy and what is not Christian orthodoxy tighter than I really define it. Christian faith has and object and a subject. I implore others to be reconciled to God by means of faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ who is the Promised One and true God come in the flesh, the Son of the living God, who according to Scriptures died for our sins, was buried, rose again on the third day and was witnessed by Cephas, then of the twelve and then by the five hundred, and who now speaks to us all through the Holy Spirit.

Great website! Just stumbled on it while researching and was thrilled to read on.

My pleasure to serve. Feel free to ask questions. =)

Eric,

Thanks so much for your site. Please email me.
Grace and Peace,
LeeLee

LeeLee, By habit I tend to cull emails out of the entries in my guestbook. Sadly, I culled your email out before I read that you wanted to get ahold of me. Pop another note into my guestbook and I'll redouble my efforts to not delete your email faster than a Forex trader can short the dollar every time Bernanke opens his mouth. Smile. Eric Landstrom

If you are interested, check out this link:
http://twsj.ws/e107_plugins/content/content.php?content.13

Mr. Sloan, my name is Landstrom, not Lundstrom.

I want to be clear: The view that God is the torturer is a recent (in the historical mind of Christianity) innovation stemming from the Roman doctrine of purgatory. The view that the wicked are responsible for hell is best preserved in the eastern tradition. Archbishop Lazar Puhalo in a series of lectures on the nature of heaven and hell given at Westminister College, UT, in 1995, said:

"Hell is not an instrument of punishment created by God. That fire which is spoken of at the Last Judgment represents the love of God, and we are taught by the holy fathers that it is the radiance of God's love which both warms and radiates and gives joy to the faithful, and burns and torments the wicked. Those persons in this life who perferred "darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil," will, in the next life, after the resurrection, find no such darkness" (p. 4).

Archbishop Lazar Puhalo continued by painting the the following illustration of heaven and hell:

"Beholding the radiance of the glory and love of God, no one will be able to hide from it, and the conscience of each person, like an open book, will judge them. The faithful, recounting thus the deeds and sins from which they were delivered by repentance and faith, according to the love and mercy of God, will understand at once and for the first time, how great a salvation they have availed themselves of and how great is the love of God that He accepted and blotted out such sins and revolts.

"The wicked will understand then how great a salvation they rejected, how great a love and mercy they scorned in life and for them, this radiant love and glory of God, from which they can no longer hide, becomes as a river of fire, pouring forth from the glory, or throne, of Christ, and it sweeps them away, their conscience receiving it as coals of fire. The righteous receive one and the same 'fire' as complete spiritual illumination and understanding, and are filled with unspeakable joy and exaltation by it, for this fire shall be to them rays of the Sun of Righteousness which shall heal them of all they lack, and they shall go forth and grow in perfection and knowledge unto all eternity, for: 'Behold the day cometh that shall burn like an oven, and the... wicked shall be as stubble, and the day cometh that shall burn them up, sayeth the Lord of Hosts... but unto you that reverence My name, the Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His rays, and you shall go forth and grow up...'" (Mal. 4:1-2; p. 6).

The Archbishop continued saying, "Hell is... not a 'place,' but rather a state of being separated from Christ our God. Moreover, this condition of separation results, not from God's desire or need to punish us, but rather from our own free choices..." (p. 9). Likewise, "Heaven," the Archbishop claims, "is not a physical place where angels dwell like as we, but is a noetic place surpassing sense perception" (p. 10).

All quotes from On the Nature of Heaven and Hell According to the Holy Fathers which is an Eastern Orthodox polemic written against distortions of the doctrine of hell that have risen in time in western Christian theology that Eastern Christian thinkers believe has led to the the rise of universalism and atheism as a reaction against a God who torments.

That all said, what you are witnessing today among contemporary Christianity is a growing awareness of the historical Christian view of heaven and hell and with this growing awareness, a complimentary rejection of innovative Roman Catholic, and scholastic depictions of hell. Having said that, perhaps you'll show me the kindness by making any necessary corrections in your critique of my work because you're arguing in part against a thesis that I do not hold.

Eric, What place do the promises of Christ have in the life of a christian that is living with addictions? do we read them and, say, "Oh that is nice," and keep struggling with our addiction? Or do we claim the promise, and "expect" Christ to deliver us from that addiction? Just wondering how you feel about this.

"For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline" (2 Tim. 1:7). "The fruit of the Spirit is...self-control" (Gal. 5:22-23). God offers the grace to turn away from addictions. If God gives the grace then our turn is a faithful response. For me, I turned resisting my former addiction into a devotional exercise. For me tobacco had become something of an idol that interfered with ministry as well as my personal relationships. Hands down the best book I've ever read on addictions is Edward Welch's Addictions: A Banquet in the Grave : Finding Hope in the Power of the Gospel. Look it up and read the reviews at Amazon.

Hi,

I appreciate your site and your work for the Lord Jesus Christ. May He continue to bless you in your ministry.

I noticed a seeming inconsistency in the info on your site.

http://www.ovrlnd.com/Questions/KJV-Onlyism.html

refutes KJV-onlyism, while

http://www.ovrlnd.com/Teaching/antichristianism.html

seems to support it. It seems to argue in favor of only the authorized KJV, which the other article contradicts.

I thought this was somewhat confusing, and I wanted to bring the issue to your attention.

Thanks. Again, may God bless you!

Whoops. You're right. Somehow I put the pro KJV-only page into the wrong directory and, near as I can reckon, somehow through the conversion process from Abode PageMill to Dreamweaver several years ago the page got listed on my home page and I never noticed it. Thanks for bringing this problem to my attention. I removed the KJV-only article from the directory and fixed the home page.

Greetings

The word play in Matthew 16:18 is a double entendre on the homonym PETROS.

"Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church…"-(Matthew 16:18 KJV)
"Peter" petros (Aramaic פטרוס ; Greek πέτρος) has two meanings, one Aramaic, one Greek. Jesus uses both in an ASYMMETRIC JANUS PARALLELISM (#2 below)

PETROS meaning πρῶτος ("First" 10:2) or PeTeR "Firstborn" is directed to what precedes-- Simon is the "first born" of the divinely revealed word of faith (Romans 10:8)… and PETROS meaning "rock" applies to what follows, the immutable truth PETRA (which Simon confessed) from which flows life eternal, oil - Holy Spirit:

KJV 1 Corinthians 10:4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock(petra) that followed them: and that Rock(petra) was Christ.

"Thou art Firstborn (PeTRos) and upon this (immutable life giving) petra (which just gave you life), I will build my church.

email me if you want the rest:

Email alpersso1@roadrunner.com

In the section I wrote for Roman Catholics, I consider how and in what way Peter is the rock.

http://www.ovrlnd.com/Cults/invertedcross.html

What I didn't cover is how Peter becomes the first believer and participates in the first resurrection. Jesus said, “I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live” (John 11:25). Believers participate in the first resurrection by means of faith in Christ. They are regenerated and spiritually awakened, their lives are hidden in Christ, the risen Lord who lives and breaths. Through the first resurrection believers, made alive unto God, are dead to the power of death and awakened to righteousness. The practical application of this doctrine begins at once when the disciple of Christ realizes that he or she needn’t act upon the daily sinful temptations, but by grace, is set free to become a servant of righteousness (cf. Rom. 6:18). Such are the fruitfruits of Christ and the first resurrection.

Point 2:

God will do HIS WILL. NOT mans will! He does ALL of what HE PLEASES and DESIRES!

Isaiah 46:10 God will do all His pleasure
Ephesians 1:11 God works all after the counsel of His will

I ask you Eric, does Jesus always do what his Father pleases and desires???

John 8:29 He always does what pleases His Father
John 17:2 Jesus will give eternal life to all whom His Father gives to Him

And Eric, WHAT IS IT that the Father Pleases and desires????

1Tim 2:4-God desires all to come to the knowledge of truth

1Tim 2:4-God will have all to be saved

So let us get this straight! If God always does what he desires and pleases. And Jesus always carries out what his father desires and pleases. And the Father pleases and desires that ALL be saved. Then I would surmise that, if God wants THE ALL to be saved (Which it clearly shows in the passages above), then that is EXACTLY what is going to happen!!!! ALL WILL BE SAVED!

God does what he desires and pleases and that is to save the whole world through his Son Jesus Christ. And God’s WILL is ALWAYS DONE.

It is as easy as 1,2,3.
****************

The passages you cite don't support what you're asserting. You're bringing a presupposition of deterministic universalism or predestination to the Bible and imposing that presupposition upon the texts. For example: reading 1 Timothy 2:4 you assume that God gets his every desire. Yet God clearly doesn't get his every desire since he abhors sin and desires that none would curse him or fly wide-bodies into tall buildings.

You make HUGE assumptions about Hell and Universalistic salvation.


Point 1:
YOU STATE: “Furthermore, the Bible unmistakably teaches that there is an eternal hell and that human beings will go into it”

I would strongly suggest that you do much more research on the original language of Greek, Hebrew and Aramaic.
The word “Hell” is NO WHERE in the original languages! Sheol, Tatarus (Or Tataroos), Gehenna and Hades, are mentioned however.

To use the one English word “Hell” for these four Greek and Hebrew words is a terrible mistranslation. It is the same as if I stated that: “The German words for: “Pencil“, “Girl“, “Carrot” and “Singing“, are to be CORRECTLY translated: “Supermarket” in the English language.”

Furthermore the Greek words Aiones and Aion is used where translators inserted words and phrases such as “eternity” , “Forever“, “Forever and ever“, etc…
This is also incorrect and absurd!

God created the Aiones. So how can they be forever?

God states that there will be an end to an “Aion”. And that there are several “Aiones”. So how can that mean, to anyone, that an “Aion” is Forever???

Have you read my article on the language game universalists fall into?

http://www.ovrlnd.com/Universalism/aionios.html

Eric, thanks for the information on this website. It has been very helpful. Bill

My pleasure, Bill.

Yes I am aware of 2 Timothy 3:16-17. I am also aware of 2 Timothy 3:14-15. In verse 14 Paul is appealing to apostolic Tradition, yet you seem to ignore that fact. Verse 15 Paul is referring to the Old Testament, which Timothy was raised with. Of course you are aware that the New Testament was not even put together yet. Not for 300 more years. So you can come to know Jesus Christ without the New Testament. In verse 16, Scripture is profitable (ophelimos) or useful, not exclusive.

My goodness. One of the most ridiculous, anti-catholic sites I have ever seen in my life. I do not understand the hatred. Was it not the Catholic Church whom through the guidance of the Holy Spirit and the oral traditions passed down through the Church, 2 Thess 2:15
"Therefore, brothers, stand firm and hold fast to the traditions (paradoseis) that you were taught, either by an oral statement or by a letter of ours", put together the canon of the Holy Bible? Read the letters of our Church Fathers and see that the teachings of the Catholic Church (infant baptism, the real presence of the Eucharist, the sacrament of Confession and so much more) are the same as the early Christians. I pray that the hatred that some Protestant Churches have for the Catholic Church is ended. God bless

Don't confuse hatred with discipline. I assume you are aware of the Scriptural argument that uses John 20:30; 2 Tim. 3:16-4:2; and 2 Pet. 1:19-20 to show the primacy of Scripture but I don't know if you're aware of the relationship the oral tradition has to Scripture. Dr. Oden keenly observes:

"Modern criticism has focused on speculative study of the oral tradition that preceded the written text of scripture, attending particularly to supposed differences between oral and written. Patristic criticism, which was fully aware of the oral tradition, did not speculate so actively on it and did not posit substantive differences between the spoken and written words.

"Jesus taught his disciples not by writing, but primarily by his life. The words of Jesus that interpreted his life were only later recalled and in due time written down. In this sense an oral tradition of Christianity may be said to precede the written tradition. Once Jesus' teachings had been written down and been widely received in worshiping communities, however, the oral tradition had, by the second century, diminished in importance.

"The apostles received and passed along this same method of oral communication, spreading the good news first by oral preaching, which only later became fixed in writing. In other words, the teaching of the apostles was spoken before it was penned. In early worshiping communities, then, hearing preceded reading. Paul values highly and commended both the received oral tradition and the received written tradition. He called the Thessalonians to 'stand firm' and 'hold fast to the traditions [paradoseis] which you have learned from us by word or by letter'—that is, whether orally or in writing.

"Scripture became written in order that the events attested in preaching might be more accurately preserved and remembered. A written text was obviously more accurately preserved and remembered. A written text was obviously more stable than an oral tradition, which might always be controverted by another alleged oral tradition. A text, if drafted faithfully, did not distort memory but stabilized it in writing. The written Word of canonized scripture was assumed to be consistent with its anteceding oral expressions, and it transmission stood under the protection of the Holy Spirit, who accompanied the apostolic witness.

"The year 51 CE is generally posited as the approximate date of writing of Paul's first letter to the Thessalonians, the earliest of the New Testament canon. We can imagine various possible forms of proclamation that existed in Christianity before that time, but we do not have any of them in written form (except for probable hymn fragments preserved in the written tradition). Hence they do not carry the same weight of reliability and durability as canonized holy writ.

"Form criticism has unwisely tended to make normative the alleged oral tradition as a replacement for the written tradition. Only canonical scripture deserves to be given normative value.

"Oral preaching preceded the written tradition, which then by liturgical usage and the process of canonization became gradually recognized as received scripture. That scripture in turn served to reawaken the remembering community, which then became the guardian of the primary source, ground, and criterion of all Jewish and Christian teaching. The faithful of all generations have always known that. Even heretics appealed to Scripture for their arguments. To enter the arena of Christian worship is to enter the arena of scriptural truth" (Thomas Oden, The Rebirth of Orthodoxy: Signs of New Life in Christianity, New York, NY: HarperCollins, 2003, pp.104-5, emphasis his).

A person who is dead is a non believer, or one with bad works. The bad works in them will be erased from the people in the book of life. Only good works will be in the book of life. Bad works is the only thing that God wants to perish. That part of us will perish.

God wants unconditional love from us. He does not want conditions laid on us in order that we will worship Him. Love that comes freely without fear of any kind is the only kind of love deserving to receive from someone.

I do not proclaim to know all. In fact very little do I know. I don’t think God intended for any of us to know it all. I do not know what happens to Satan or the angels that are chained up. Sometimes it seems they will be saved, sometimes not. I believe that we have more here on earth to learn than just learning to repent and believe so we can be saved. I believe we are here to learn tolerance for all people no matter what their faith. I believe we are here to learn to be humble. It seems when a person thinks they know the exact path the whole world is suppose to take, it takes away the humbleness we are required to have. It seems we are being prepared for something in the next age. I am not sure what it could be, maybe we will be spreading God’s word to others in our vast galaxy.

Joh 17:1 These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:
Joh 17:2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.
Joh 17:3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
Joh 17:4 I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.

Here Jesus has been given power over all flesh. All were given to Jesus to be in his power. All
That are given to him will be given eternal life.

And Now……
Jesus praying for the 12 apostles.


Joh 17:5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.
Joh 17:6 I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word.
Joh 17:7 Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee.
Joh 17:8 For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me.
Joh 17:9 I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.
Joh 17:10 And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them.
Joh 17:11 And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.
Joh 17:12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.

Judas was lost. What does Jesus do with the lost?

Mat 18:11 For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.
Mat 18:12 How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray?
Mat 18:13 And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray.
Mat 18:14 Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.


What is the will of God?

Eph 1:10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:
Eph 1:11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh a

"Suppose," Chesterton wrote in his entertaining book _Heretics_, "that a great commotion arises in the street about something, let us say a lamp-post, which many influential persons desire to pull down." A monk is asked his opinion and is knocked down for beginning, "Let us first of all consider, my brethren, the value of Light. If Light be good—" Everyone, Chesterton continues, rushes for the lamp-post and pulls it down in ten minutes, and then "they go about congradulating themselves on their unmediaeval practicality. But as things go on they do not work out so easily. Some people have pulled the lamp-post down because they wanted electric light; some because they wanted old iron; some because they wanted darkness, because their deeds were evil. Some thought it not enough of a lamp-post, some too much; some acted because they wanted to smash municipal machinery; some because they wanted to smash something. And there is a war in the night, no man knowing whom he strikes."

So, Chesterton concludes, "Gradually and inevitably, today, tomorrow, or the next day, there comes back the conviction that the monk was right after all, and that all depends on what is the philosophy of Light. Only what we might have discussed under the gas-lamp, we now must discuss in the dark."

Doctrine, in other words, is like light: the more of it you have, the better you can see. Those who insist on elaborate and complex doctrines merely prefer walking in the full light of day to groping about and stumbling through the gloom. We want to know not just that "God is love," which can mean nearly anything, but that the second person of the Trinity died for our sins and still rose from the dead. The first does not help us see; the second is, if you will, a light unto our paths.

Hello Eric,

In respect of Christian humanity, the site (www.ovrlnd.com) needs attention. A redesign should be attempted. The site is unwieldy and please take-down the iconography. The stuff at page-top and page-bottom is not well-placed, to say the least. This is not a polemic, knowing that individuals are hurried and things are intended to be updated.

In Christ

And despite those failings better than 190,000 unique visitors surfed into this site in 2007. Not too bad for Christian site that doesn't advertise, has no budget, and is administrated by a fellow who is a better mechanic than an artist. In my defense I've been looking for a pro web designer to take my ten-year-old site from Web 1.0 to Web 2.0 for nearly a year but I want original artwork and not a template which rules out all the IT guys who moonlight. Notwithstanding, can you find a ten-year-old site that looks as good?

Eric,

I saw an article you had up abjuring Universal Salvation. You are right on the button concerning UR, as well as alot of other religions that are based on selective Paulian scriptures.

Keep up the faith in Christ!

Thanks. Imagine my surprise upon looking at your web site that I find you're on a bender against "evil Zionist bankers" and the stock market when I make my living as a commodity trader.

Hi Eric, I know a web designer you should consider, but messages are turned off over there.
you can find Alan here:
http://acubedwoods.net/

mark

Mark, I looked at the site and it looks like the fellow is an I.T. guy who happens to also do some web site design on the side. I need an artist who happens to do some web site design on the side because I want some good, original art. I'm willing to pay but I haven't found the right person yet.

I just wanted to point out an accuracy issue. The Noahchian flood did not last for 601 years, one month, and one day. According to Genesis 7:6, Noah was 600 years old when the flood started(on the 17th day of the 2nd month, Gen. 7:11), and 601 years old when he saw that the surface of the ground was dry (on the 1st day of the 1st month, Gen. 8:13). However, I did enjoy the many good points made regarding the six-day creation.

Jessica

Thanks Jessica. There must be a glaring typo that I'll need to take a look at.

I read your article on how to become a child of god, which promises you can meet Jesus right now. But as I read the article, it seems that in order to meet Jesus, I have to give my life over to him first. That seems like an unwise way to start a relationship. Can you comment on this?

Thanks

Comment? Sure, Dan: By surrendering it is meant that Christians do not rely upon themselves or any meritorious act or self-work to provide propitiation (appeasement). By surrendering one surrenders self efforts and trusts completely upon Jesus Christ to provide propitiation. To surrender to Christ is to place your faith in him to provide atonement and reconciliation between yourself and God. Thus Jesus become the mediator between yourself and God and with Jesus Christ the object and his work the subject of you faith, you become an adopted son (or daughter) of God.*

Blessings,

Eric Landstrom

* We use the term "adopted" because only Jesus Christ is a "natural" son of God.

Re: the article "101 Questions For Campbellites", If anyone is interested in each question being answered with scripture, email me at preachtheman@msn.com

p.s. The term Campbellite was coined by sectarians in order to prejudice people against the church of Christ. It falls to the level of name calling.

Anybody who is interested in doing so can visit carm.org's debate forums and raise the issue of the validity of Campbellite theology.

Eric,

I just visited your page on the Jesus Seminar. You have a really nice collection of articles on the topic. Keep up the good work. (Oh, and feel free to drop by the CADRE occasionally -- we miss your input).

BK is referring to the Christian Colligation of Apologetics Debate Research & Evangelism (CADRE) a loosely organized group of Christian apologists which I'm a non-participating member. For the record, I'm also an associate member of the Evangelical Theological society (ETS), an on and off member of the Wesleyan Theological society (WTS), and a founding member of the Society of Evangelical Arminians (SEA) in addition to my position as a Vice President serving on the Board of Directors of the Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry (CARM).

Eric, I just recently came across you website while looking for information on Jehovah Witnesses. Your site will be helpful to me as I research information to share with my sister who is walking the path to Kingdom Hall.

Hypocrites!

If only you had shared more.

I just need prayers

What writings have you collected pertaing to "women in leadership" in the evangelical church. This is the hottest issue in the church I attend. Some very successful churches are promoting this teaching; Willow Creek to be percise.

Ed, women eldership is a hot issue. I don't have anything on this site that addresses the issue and refer interested parties to CARM ( http://www.carm.org/questions/womenpastors.htm ) where I serve on the Board of Directors. My position, like CARM's position, is that only men can hold the position of elder but under extraordinary conditions women can fulfill the position of teaching elder until which time a suitable male teacher is trained up or brought into the congregation. My view is that women can hold the deacon position.

Great webpage-really useful! Have been trying to contact you on CARM re assistance in witnessing to gnostic!!!!!

I have never read someone who is so mixed up, full of error. Jesus is all through the O.T. It is not just about ENGLISH. The Jewish feasts are forever. You make Christians sound goofy, exclusionary, pompus, ignorant, etc. It is supposed to be about love. Jesus was a Jew. The Sabbath was and still is Saturday, day begins in the evening. What God said in the O.T. still goes, the law changed. God did not change. Jesus is all through the O.T. Christians do not take the place of Jews nor of Israel. We are to be followers of Christ. I do not see much love with Christians for one another and you seem to leave out everyone else. It is all about Jesus, read your O.T. and you find Him there as well. A little knowledge is dangerous, they run with it thinking they know all ther is to know. That is what you have done. Many are like you. That is why each is to ready and study for themselves for each, individually, will give answer. How you treat others is more important than you think. You need a little more love, which is more of Him, Jesus. So do we all.

You seem to have come to my site with some baggage. In my neighborhood all the kids went to the Torah Academy to learn the Jewish religion and to read Hebrew. At any-rate, set aside a day and consider how Jesus has become our high, holy, everlasting Sabbath since he is our Passover (1 Cor 5:7) and consider this in the context of keeping the Sabbath holy and everlasting (cf. Ex. 20:8; 23:12; 31:13-16; Lev. 26:2; Deut. 5:12). Remember that the Passover was the high Jewish celebration of the year and was intended to celebrate how God had won Israel’s redemption from slavery to Egypt and through Jesus' ministry the Passover was now to also signify the redemption from our slavery to sin that was about to be accomplished through His substitutionary death (recall the parallels from the upper story where Jesus established the sacraments).

Unlike the Levite high priest who jumped through hoops to enter in the Holy of Holies once a year, we are at liberty to approach the mercy seat anytime we wish and offer repentance because Jesus Himself is our Sabbath—not feast days, Saturdays, or Sundays (see Colossians chapter 2). We free of the law of the flesh for the law has revealed what was once hidden! By grace we are freed to love God with all our heart, all our soul, and all our mind loving our neighbors as ourselves. Forgiveness is at the heart of the work on the cross. Now we are able to dwell in the secret place of Moses (Deut 32; Ps 90 & 91) and sing the song of the Lamb, for Christ Himself has become our Passover Sabbath (Rev. 15:3; 1 Cor 5:7). Ask your mentors about Jesus becoming the everlasting Sabbath.

Great Job! I am a firm believer that Christianity is moving away from true bibical text. Scary and as damaging as it is it seems that those in the church could care less.
Keep up the good work!!!!

Keep up the good work!

I have been researching statement of beliefs now for over a year trying to locate one that I agree with. Your statement has come closer than any one that I have found yet. I would greatly appreciate it if you would allow our ministry to adopt a version of your statement as our own. Please let me know asap. Thank You
God Bless
Minister Walter McLeod

Go for it, pastor! You have my permission to use and edit to suit the statement of faith found on my personal web site, ovrlnd.com.

Glory to God! Billions writhing in eternal hell, including billions of children who were unfortunate enough to live up to the age of accountability but die soon after without Christ!

Glory to God!

Hi! I just found out your website thanks it helps a lot of my research, I am a christian teacher. God bless you!

Hi Eric; (Reference to "The Sacred Name Game" section of your web) What name did Paul the apostle hear, on the road to Damascus, when he heard IN THE HEBREW LANGUAGE, "I am ______ whom thou persecutest". (Hint: he heard words in the Hebrew language). Have a good one. My site deals with mostly Genesis 22, the offering up of Isaac, if you are interested in that topic. (www.schwenkcarpentry.com), your neighbor, Walter

Walter, Jesus and his Jewish contemporaries spoke Aramaic, not Hebrew. Upper class Jews learned Hebrew as a literary and liturgical language. Lower classes may have learned Hebrew so they could study the Torah. In Luke 4:16-19 Jesus visited the synagogue on the Sabbath and read a section from Isaiah. The scroll he read would have been most likely in Hebrew which suggests that Jesus knew Hebrew as a second language. It is also likely that Jesus spoke Greek as well given that his trade of carpentry or masonry (depending on what extra-biblical evidence you draw from) brought him into contact with foreigners who spoke Greek as the prominent trade language (much as English is now spoken around the world as a trade language) and especially from the Gentiles in the city of Sepphoris that was located down the road from Jesus' home town. There is also circumstantial evidence that Jesus may have spoken Greek to the Roman Centurion in Matthew 8:5-13 as well as at his trial with Pontius Pilate since it is unlikely that Jesus spoke Latin and equally unlikely that the Romans spoke Aramaic. There we have three languages to select from that Jesus could have spoken to Saul in. Doubtless Jesus would have communicated to Saul in the language he was most fluent and comfortable with and in Acts 26:14 Paul retells the story of the Damascus road explaining, "And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, 'Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.'" Which brings us to the point of my remarks: In Acts 9:5 St. Luke recorded Paul's testimony where Jesus said to the apostle Paul then named Saul, " I am Jesus whom thou persecutest." The apostle Paul was well aware that Luke recorded his testimony in Greek and apparently the fact that Luke wrote Jesus' name as Iesous that when Latinized we write and say as "Jesus." Now Iesous itself is a transliteration of Jeshua, or Joshua, or again Jehoshua or versions beginning with the letter "Y." Nevertheless, to accomplish their mission neither the Holy Spirit who inspired the story or Paul who told the story or Luke who recorded the story cared to call Jesus by anything other than his Greek name. This set a precedent for God's name in that God knows who worships him in spirit and in truth no matter what his name is transliterated into when the sacred texts are translated into foreign languages. As such, if God isn't too concerned about the exactness of his name, neither should be be too concerned and especially so when to argue for one particular spelling and pronunciation requires far too much conjecture.

As an Elder and Bible study teacher, I enjoy your website very much. It is full of valuable info. Thank you for doing it

I read your information about the Catholics taking part of the ten commandments out of their bible....the one about no graven images...You are a LIAR.

Then where is the text about not bowing down to graven images? When the Israelites constructed the golden calf, they thought they were worshipping the the true God. But by reducing Him to an image, they corrupted both their worship and their concept of God. This is why God forbids such idolatry. It is impossible to reduce God to a form represented by a statue or a painting. Those who worship such things may believe they worship the true God, but their worship denigrates God and is therefore unacceptable. Only the living Person of Christ can reveal God in any visible or tangible form. To attempt to express God in any lesser image is to commit idolatry.

You clame that God is the father of all, and that the father of all would burn most his kids forever in fire. And then call that love?

Twisted man you are a twisted and sick man.

I see that these post have to be approved, you say becuase of spam. The truth is you are worried someone may publically disagree with your junk on this site. Just like a Christian to supress anyone who does not agree with you.

I bet you would burn postings if you could figure out a way to do it.

Thank you for the stuff about univeralism, I have been wrestling with that idea for some time. Now, having read what you wrote about it well I have decided that it must be true.

You have not really done your homework and you leave much out of why Universalist believe as they do, which is common when you want to make another look bad to leave important facts and try to make the ones whom you opose as ignorant.

I agree with a growing number of christians, that people like you who dwell in the brick idols of the apostate pagan church, have twisted the gospel for pay and are nothing less then the devils play things.

Great job satan is very pleased with you.

Hello Henry,

Jesus took away the sin of the entire world (John 1:29, cf. 1 John 2:2). If so, then is reasonable to ask how and in what way did he take away the sin of the entire world? If we accept that the ultimate consequence of sin is separation from the Lord and death, then it is interesting that Paul rejoices the death of death through Christ’s atonement, writing, "Death is swallowed up in victory." In first Corinthians 15 Paul is writing to believers but the text seems to imply that everyone, non-believers included, will experience a bodily resurrection and with it, the defeat of the leviathan of death. John 5:28 tells us that all who are in the grave (a euphemism for all who are dead) will hear the voice of the Son of God and 1 Thes. 4:15 tells us that the dead in Christ rise first hinting that there is order by class within the resurrection of the human race. By one act, the risen Lord had defeated death for all. But what of separation? The defeat of death is not enough: in order for communication with the Lord to be restored, a relationship must be established. And communication with our Lord is not restored until the beloved of God receive the reconciling event already accomplished and become reconciled to God. “We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God” (2 Cor. 5:20). So important is this last that Christ’s last words to us were that we make disciples of all nations (Matt. 28:18-20). With the Great Commission in view we have taken on Christ’s name and set forth to make that name famous proclaiming the kingdom of God, the New Jerusalem is here! As heralds and ambassadors for Christ we implore others to be reconciled to God by means of faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God, who according to Scriptures died for our sins, was buried, rose again on the third day and was witnessed by Cephas, then of the twelve and then by the five hundred, and who now speaks to us all through the Holy Spirit.

Jesus atoned for the sins of all the world. Everybody’s sins—be they saved or not—and come the day of judgment everybody will be raised: “those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.” Come the day of judgment, both the wicked and the righteous will stand before the Lord to be judged (2 Cor. 5:10). But like Psalm 1:5 says, “the wicked will not stand in judgment,” is to understand that those who are wicked will appear but without Christ, without a personal relationship with the Lord, they will be unable to stand in the final judgment and shall be condemned.

All to say that in a sense Christ’s atonement did heal all in that death was defeated for all but death is not enough: a right-relationship with the Lord must also be established to enter into the kingdom of heaven. Many folks have been lead into universalism by misunderstanding that the resurrection of all doesn’t mean the salvation of all. This is further complicated because because the proof texts used to support a resurrection of all are interpreted by universalists as support for universalism and countering voices never bother to acknowledge a universal resurrection in their denial of universal salvation. Think it through and you’ll be alright.

Godspeed,

Eric Landstrom

Hi, Eric. Great site. I tried to email you just now but I got a bounce-back that said, "The following addresses had permanent fatal errors - (reason: 550 5.1.1 User unknown; rejecting)"

If you see this, please do drop me a note so I can get back to you.

God bless you, brother.
- Andy in Toronto

Andy,

I Killed my old email address because it was getting spammed to death.

Thanks for all the work you have put in here. The site is great. I love it. I would like to echo the sentiment of another signer by saying that come Judgement Day we will not be seperated by our denominations but by our faith and fruits. Search your hearts and choose who you will serve. I Timothy 2:5-6 says "For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Jesus Christ; Who gave himself, a ransome for all, to be testified in due time.", Thanks Kristina., Thanks Kristina.

Thanks Kristina.

Great site. I have found some interesting and informative information.

Your site is very useful

Just wanted you to know that my e-mail address has changed in my article that you have a link to--Roman Catholic Charismatics http://www.ovrlnd.com/charismatics/catholic_charismatics.ht

My new address is

@sbcglobal.net

Blessings,

Bill

Hi,
Blessings in the name of our Lord and Savior Christ Jesus. Amazing site. Lots of work. I will be back many times, im sure. No one has all the truth, save He who IS Truth, Christ Himself. We must judge each other by this standard: Love God completely and your neighbor as yourself. Let us refrain from speaking ill of our several teachers as presented to us by the Holy Spirit in these last days. Keep up the good work, remain humble before your Lord and He will exalt you in good season.
Your servant in Christ,
James

Sound advice, James. God's blessings to you, yours and those you minister to.

I was reading your site today because I was looking for perspective. I am doing a comparison on how all Christians (basically all who are Protestant and Catholic) approach apologetics, because I wanted to learn why Christians fought so much amongst themselves throughout the centuries. Funny thing is, I am realizing that we are all basically quoting the same things to "prove" ourselves right and others wrong. I think all Catholics and Protestants out there will agree that there is no other truth than Christ. He said Himself: "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me". Someone please tell me then, why all the fighting, if Christ is the answer?

unrelated, but important:
~ James 2:24 ~ (NIV & NAB translations... interesting)

I just wanted to thank you for all the work that you have done in putting this site together!! Its refreshing to see someone hold Scripture with reverance as the Word of God, and not as a tool to argue with. I often find myself having to defend my faith, and am readily attacked for having a Scripture based theology rather than a philosophical/experential faith. Your articles have been a great blessing and encouragement to read, and will continue to be used time and time again!! Soli Deo Gloria

I spend a lot of time on your site.

Your site is very informative, interesting and a certain daily visit for critical weather information. Thank you.

I liked your site

To recieve reports on what is happening in church news and ecumenism I have changed from aol.com to azusa755@sbcglobal.net

Bill Scudder

Thanks to whoever wrote the soft and hard determinism essay. I totally passed my philosphy 101 final thanks to you.

I understand you need to discredit the Catholic church in order to validate your cult, but you have lied on numerous points. I was trying to give you the benifit of doubt, but you were using same logic as L. Boettner and Chick, too laughable to address. Go back to the church fathers, read. Become steeped in history, the holy spirit will lead you back. Good luck.

Thank you for being thorough in your study and explanations.
God Bless Your Ministry

Your website [stinks]! It is too bad that religion continues to dominate many well meaning peoples lives. Wake up! People are dying everyday over these misconceptions. Religion KILLS!

It seems as if the author of this site has a very limited, and dare I say, woefully poor understanding of other religions and belief systems, contemporary or otherwise; including his own.
One can only hope that such an author maye eventually gain a sufficient level of knowledge and understanding as to enable him to make constructive and imformed comments on the subjects concerned.

May I politely remind you, that the rest of the planet no- longer believes the earth is flat.

Frank regards; Dr.Sinclair

Soli Deo Gloria

i haven`t explored your site well yet. i just read your mission statement and statement of faith... i agree to the letter and therfore plan to use your site for my studies. i have a great hunger for God,thirst as well this site suits me just fine and i thank the Lord for leading me here.

in Christ,Jon Justice

You have a fascinating website.
Thanks so much for sharing!

What a blessing...I found your site accidentally, or did I? A Christian friend was wooed to a Charismatic Catholic group and I was looking for help. As a former Catholic, I was able to explain some of the non scriptural doctrine of the Catholic church, but your explanation is by far superior. Thank you and God Bless.

This is a wonderful work God is using you to undertake. I am a Theologian and have really enjoyed the series of articles and Bible expositions at the site.
God richly bless you.

Good Service

VOW!!!!!
It is a wonderful site. I am a seminary student and I was very much benefited out of it. May the Lord bless your ministry
Laiju
ACA, ETS, G. MANGALAM Village
Bagalur P.O TamilNadu
Hosur

I appreciate what i have seen and wiil like to come back.Can you put me on your mailing list

A site with lots of conflicting articles.

The Hebrew Roots Movement fallacy? - TRUE!
"Replacement Theology"? What is that?!

God does not deal with nations but rather with people and very individually too.
A nation does not have eternal soul to get saved (neither does the so-called nation of Israel!).
God deals with people not based on their nationality or race but based on personal faith.
Everyone has the SAME chance to get saved NOW no matter whether he be an American Indian or an Israeli businessman.
Get that!

So give up your racial gospel of "national salvation" and stick to the truth of "whosoever only believes on Him shall be saved".

By the way, CONTINUATION Theology would sound more appropriate than "Replacement Theology" since the Church is the continuation of the OT Israel.
The NT believers become grafted in among the branches of the Olive Tree that is into the Israel of God.
So the Church is the part or CONTINUATION of the true Isreal of God of the OT being built "upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets (of the OT), Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone" [Ephesians 2:19-21]

Truth will set you free!

this will help me as a pastor and a leader in the church of God,i will use it to do research on my messages,thanks very much.

Why is every "apologetics" website just full of condemnation and stupid traditions perpetuated by modern believing pharisees who seem not to read the Scriptures with any real uncompromizing regard for what is written and what is not written? So many falsehoods and prejudices and medieval nonsense...

I believe in Jesus, but apologetics websites are antichrist as far as I can tell.

Nice site. Being what you call "a double predestinationist" I would take exception to the brush that you paint us with. But nice site. And nice tone.

JJ

If you read the Bible... you are Catholic.

more questions? email me

Great website, Glory to God

I was reading you page about the River Laman described. Pehaps you are unaware of recent developments in archeology?

http://www.nephiproject.com

I beleive this answers all your questions.

I attempted to email a question that I had for you on one your writings but my email was undeliverable. I sent it to eric@ovrind.com

I was raised as protestant in my early youth and became an atheist for 7 years after losing my faith in God. During those seven years, I read much philosophy (Dante, Sarte, etc) and was always questioning the existance of God. About 1 year ago, I finally picked up the good book of the Bible and read some portions of it. Then I talked to my wonderful girlfriend, and rejoined Christianity. To this day, I remain a staunch apoligist of my Roman Catholic Church, the church that I belong to. After reading your views upon the Roman Catholic Church, I have only this to say. If you are going to be a fair and non-ignorant person, then I suggest that you read some Catholic point of views also. I only say this because there have been so many protestants who have these misguided notions about Catholics (idol worshipping, Deity as Mary, etc). I only say that thankfully, I have been able to refute these lies successfully for a couple of friends who have taken an interest in the Catholic tradition now.

Great web site

Your site is on my Toolbar. It is that useful.
Also,I would just like to address the Roman Catholic friends who have signed your guestbook.
The moment we die all the doctrines will fall away and all the discussion will end. What church we attended won’t matter. It won’t matter whether we are a “good person” or how sincere or devout we are. It won’t matter if we were given the last rites. It won’t even matter if we prayed everyday or died while praying the rosary. It won’t matter that it was because of the sin in our lives that we died. The subject will change to why we should have eternal life? There is only one answer. The answer is found in the Holy Bible.

Great info I will share with others. I am part of non-denominational lay ministry, Shadow of the Steeple Ministries, calling the church back to basic biblical truths via:.
1. Ten Commandments Iniative (SOS PROJECT)
2. Personal soul winning
3. Disciple training
4. Prayer and Revival

Pray for us.

Great information that I will share with others. I am part of a non-denominational lay ministry, Shadow of the Steeple
Ministries, calling the church back to basic Biblical truth.
a. Ten Commandments Initative (sos PROJECT)
b.. Personal soul winning

I appreciate your attempt to defend the 24 hr. day of Genesis 1. Now, please defend the 24 hr. day of Genesis 2:4.

There appear to be two uses of the word "yom" in just these two chapters - that is, two uses if, in fact, "yom" in chapter one means a 24 hr. day.

I am a Roman Catholic. To set the record straight, contrary to your statements, we do not worship statutes or bow down to "graven images". Jesus was fully human and fully Divine, as such, he had a face, body, etc. When Our Lord rose from the dead, he also appeared for 40 days as a MAN. Statues are to remind us that He is a Man and God, both, a unique BEING and our Savior. Mary, His Mother, was given to John (nope, no other kids around, figure it out) As John was the only disciple present, he represents the Church. She was also given to all the Church, the True Church. The Pope prays the rosary, which is a contemplative prayer that surrounds the MYSTERIES of the REDEMPTION. We do not worship "bread". If you knew anything, we believe in the Real Presence of Christ in the EUCHARIST. Why do we believe this? Because Christ taught it. Read it in the Bible, it is there in John. Jesus declared this doctrine to his followers, and many of them, it is said clearly, left Him that day, all save the 12.
"Will you leave me also?" he asked the 12. Peter (our first POPE) spoke up. "To whom else can we go, Lord. You have the words of eternal life?. For people who claim to be "Biblical" there are many portions of the Scriptures you either ignore, misrepresent, or simple leave out. You really need to study Catholic teaching and not misrepresent us as you do. It is not only intellectually dishonest, but also malicious. At a time when we are trying to actually BE Christians and form some bridges and heal the past animosities, people who espound such inaccurate and unfair teachings as you do reduce all possibility that there can ever be a truly Christian attitude between Catholics and Protestants.

Somehow,this "site" providing information, Must be put into our Gospel preaching Church hands -a wonderful resource to present the gospel/strengthenign Chritians 0 new ones! HAPPENED on it- needs bettere exposure! Claire - happened on it - have to do better than that - - for spreading them: must be put into

i thank u for this wonderful site . i will litke to know if Pope is against th e catholijc .

You have very good informative website and I believe it is being used to bring Glory to Jesus and to help many who sway from the truth of Salvation/Bible . Keep it up and may the Lord anoint this website in a special way.

Interesting site! You have a lot of good stuff here.

Interesting site. Nice motorcycle. :-)

Thanks Eric! So can an apostate return to the Lord Jesus Christ?

Thanks for your help Eric. Great site. God Bless You!

A GREAT REFRENCE. I WILL BE USING MY PRINTOUTS FOR STUDY THANKS . & PRASE GOD FOR YOUR GIFT ..

A most excellent resource that I have neglected to refer to of late.

C.S. Lewis has been my earthly mentor and guide for many years. This is a wonderful resource to supplement and expand on his many works defining,clarifying, and defending our Faith.

Here is the rest of the story. To all visitors on the site go back and read the first part.

I knew that the Rosary was an instrument used in ‘idolatrous’ prayers to Mary; how could this woman serve God, and Satan too? For the answer, I turned to Dave Hunt’s book, where he reassured me that, "her [Mother Teresa’s] evangelism leads no one to Christ..."1 For some strange (and merciful) reason I didn’t buy Hunt’s counsel this time. I began to wonder, Am I just gathering around me a great number of teachers to say what my itching ears want to hear?

I shared Mother Teresa’s book with my pastor, a kind and compassionate man whom I love deeply, and he was so moved that he preached a sermon on it. Contrary to Dave Hunt’s assertion, people in this Protestant congregation were brought closer to Christ because of this nun’s witness. Seeing this, I knew I had to radically alter my opinion of at least one Catholic, a tiny nun from Calcutta.

I was being devastated by all that was being revealed to me about my prejudices. I was horrified by the prospect that s