Swordworx

WHAT REALLY HAPPENED TO THE ARK OF THE COVENANT?
Can The Mystery Be Solved?

It is not unlikely to think that the Biblical Ark of the Covenant might be located in US hands in a CIA warehouse. All we know for sure is that the Ark is real, and that Theologians, archaeologists and Bible students have been fascinated by the prospect of finding it for centuries.

There are, of course, theories, about its whereabouts. . For example, iIn the eighteenth year of his reign, King Josiah of Judah ordered the caretakers of the Ark of the Covenant to return it to the temple in Jerusalem (2 Chronicles 35:1-6; cf. 2 Kings 23:21-23). That is the last time the ark’s location is mentioned in the Scriptures.

Forty years later, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon captured Jerusalem and raided the temple. Less than ten years after that, he returned, took what was left in the temple, and then burnt it and the city to the ground. So what happened to the ark? Was it taken by Nebuchadnezzar? Was it destroyed with the city? Or was it removed and hidden safely away, as evidently happened when Pharaoh Shishak of Egypt raided the temple during the reign of Solomon’s son Rehoboam? (“Evidently” because, if Shishak had managed to take the Ark, why did Josiah ask the Levites to return it? If the Ark was in Egypt—à la the plot-line of Raiders of the Lost Ark—the Levites would not have possessed it and therefore could not have returned it.)

Interestingly, Revelation 11:19 mentions the ark as being in heaven: “Then God’s temple in heaven was opened, and within his temple was seen the ark of his covenant. And there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake and a severe hailstorm.” This verse has led some to speculate that the ark was taken up to heaven to be preserved there. But the ark that John sees in his vision of heaven is probably not the same ark that Moses constructed. We know that the articles in the tabernacle were “copies of the heavenly things” (Hebrews 9:23) and that the sanctuary itself was but “a copy and shadow of what is in heaven” (Hebrews 8:5). Revelation 11 deals with the sounding of the seventh trumpet, which ushers in a final round of judgments upon the earth. John’s glimpse of the ark is probably meant as a reminder that God has not forgotten His people, that He is present with them, and that true worship will soon be restored.One tradition even has it hidden away in Ireland.

You can see how wild theories can become. In the end, though, the ark remains lost to all but God. Interesting theories like the ones presented above continue to be offered, but the ark has yet to be found. We may not find out what happened to the lost Ark of the Covenant until the Lord Himself returns, but I’m sure He has a good reason for keeping it out of sight. # #

THOSE WHO WILL NOT BE INHERITING THE KINGDOM OF GOD.
Read Carefully

The apostle Paul mentions those not inheriting the kingdom of God in his first letter to the church at Corinth: “Do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the s*xually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have s*x with men, nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Corinthians 6:9–10).

By saying wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God, Paul is stating that the wicked are not children of God; they have no inheritance in heaven. They are not heirs of eternal life (cp. Romans 8:17). The list of sins is not comprehensive, but it covers a lot of ground: fornication, idolatry, adultery, homos*xuality, theft, greed, drunkenness, slander, and cheating are indicative of a person who is excluded from the kingdom of God.

Does this mean that anyone who has ever committed one of these sins will be denied entrance to heaven? Of course not. God’s forgiveness is available to anyone and everyone who repents and turns to Christ in faith, no matter how bad their history. That’s the glorious hope given in the next verse: “And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Corinthians 6:11). The Corinthians used to engage in such sins, but now they know Christ. By grace, they are forgiven, washed in the blood of the Lamb, and declared righteous before God.

Paul’s point in this passage is the need to put away the old nature and live according to the new nature, received in Christ. The sins he lists are part of the old life, not the new. Such sins keep the ungodly out of heaven; believers have been called to righteousness. We should not dabble in the old, destructive ways.

The Christian life is different from that of a non-Christian. Christians struggle against sin but have the God-given ability to overcome it. Unbelievers, who do not have the Spirit of God, remain slaves to their sin. Even if a Christian falls and lapses into sin, he will always eventually return to the Lord, and the struggle against sin will continue. But the Bible does not support the idea that a person who perpetually and unrepentantly engages in sin can indeed be a Christian. First Corinthians 6 lists sins that are the hallmark of those who will not inherit the kingdom of God. A person who indulges in these lifestyle sins gives evidence of not being redeemed by Christ.

The Christian’s response to sin is to hate it, repent of it, and forsake it. Humans will struggle with sin for their entire lifetime, but by the power of the Holy Spirit who lives in us, we are able to resist and overcome sin. The mark of a true Christian is the decreasing presence of sin in his or her life. As Christians grow and mature in the faith, sin has less and less of a hold on them. Our abhorrence of sin becomes greater as we mature. Like Paul, we are distressed that sin still exists in our flesh, causing us at times to do what we don’t want to do and looking to Christ for relief from this “body of death” (see Romans 7:18–25).

The bottom line is that any person who once lived a sinful lifestyle, such as an LGBTQ-whatever, or an adulterer, a murderer, a fornicator, a pe*****le, etc., and they are genuinely born again, then turn from their sinful behaviors, then that person will be forgiven by God and may consider themselves safe. Temptations to go backwards will come, but the Holy Spirit will empower them to resist. Yes, the good news is that the grace of God can give us new hope for the future: “Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Corinthians 6:11, NLT).

“Lordship Salvation" (PARTS 1 & 2 COMBINED)
Why “Easy Believism” Types Get So Mad About It

PART 1: “An Unfortunate Mischaracterization”

Since the mid-1980’s, some church people have made inflammatory assumptions about the doctrine of "Lordship Salvation". Fundamentalist watchdogs can get seriously worked up over this topic. Then as tempers flair, a rhetorical bomb-thrower will usually toss the word “heresy” into the discussion, sending everybody running to grab proverbial torches, ropes and pitchforks to “send it back to hell”. One major reason for this extreme reaction is due to the negative-sounding moniker it was given, which was applied by the doctrine’s worst critics (namely the Grace Evangelical Society, along with certain fundamentalist and various free-grace groups). This, of course, would be like the Vatican in Rome writing a “tribute” about Martin Luther and the Protestant Reformers. So in fairness, we should probably do a little fact checkin’ for accuracy on this.

— What “"Lordship Salvation"” Really Is —

The doctrine of "Lordship Salvation" teaches that submitting to Christ as Lord goes hand-in-hand with trusting in Christ as Savior. "Lordship Salvation" is the opposite of what is sometimes called “Easy Believism”, or the teaching that salvation comes through an acknowledgement of a certain set of facts without consideration for repentance, embracing a Christlike lifestyle, or becoming a devotee of Jesus going forward.

The late John MacArthur, whose book “The Gospel According to Jesus” lays out the case for "Lordship Salvation", summarizes the teaching this way: “The gospel call to faith presupposes that sinners must repent of their sin and yield to Christ’s authority.” In other words, a sinner who refuses to repent is not saved, for he cannot cling to his sin and the Savior at the same time. And a sinner who rejects Christ’s authority in his life does not have saving faith, for true faith encompasses a surrender to God. Thus, the gospel requires more than making an intellectual decision or mouthing a prayer. The sheep will follow their Shepherd in submissive obedience.

— The Cost of Discipleship —

Those who embrace "Lordship Salvation" point to Jesus’ repeated warnings to the religious hypocrites of His day as proof that simply agreeing to spiritual facts does not save a person. There must be a heart change, described by Christ as being “born again” (John 3:1-7), Jesus emphasized the high cost of discipleship: “Whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:27), and “Those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples” (verse 33). In the same passage, Jesus speaks of counting the cost; elsewhere, He stresses total commitment: “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:62).

— The The Broad Path or The Narrow Way—

In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says that eternal life is a narrow path found by “only a few” (Matthew 7:14); in contrast, easy-believism seeks to broaden the path so that anyone who makes a verbal profession of faith can enter. Jesus says that “every good tree bears good fruit” (verse 17); in contrast, easy-believism says that a tree can still be good and bear nothing but bad fruit. Jesus says that many who say “Lord, Lord” will not enter the kingdom (verses 21–23); in contrast, easy-believism teaches that saying “Lord, Lord” is good enough.

"Lordship Salvation" teaches that a true profession of faith will be backed up by evidence of faith. If a person is truly following the Lord, then they will naturally obey His instructions. A person who is living in willful, unrepentant sin has obviously not chosen to follow Christ, because Christ calls us out of sin and into righteousness. Indeed, the Bible clearly teaches that faith in Christ will result in a changed life (2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 5:22–23; James 2:14–26).

— The Bottom Line —

Understand this: "Lordship Salvation" is NOT a ‘salvation-by-works’ doctrine as portrayed by the “free grace” guardians. What critics irresponsibly tagged "Lordship Salvation" would likely be better understood by people as a total experience of conversion and discipleship described in two parts: (1) FIRST, CONVERSION: “the gift of salvation comes by grace alone, through faith in Christ alone”. No good works required, just being “born again”. Being born again is a powerful gift that changes people. It germinates such love, gratitude and devotion for Him in our hearts, that we willingly turn from our sinful ways and follow Him for ever. (2) FREE SALVATION IS FOLLOWED BY DEVOTION, WHICH HAS A COST: New converts to Christ are saved and made right with God before their faith ever produces a single good work. The ensuing adventure with Him, however, won’t be without a few bumps along the way. New followers of Jesus are going to trip up and make mistakes sometimes, but the Holy Spirit quickly gets them back into formation with some valuable lessons learned for the future. True conversions initiated by the Lord will lead to changed lives because saved people are dedicated to their Savior and are not comfortable around unconfessed, unforsaken sin. False conversions are short-lived, emotionally powered highs that only last until boredom and the old temptations kill the buzz and pull the poor suckers back into the goat pen (Matthew 25:31-46). # #

PART 2: The Nine Principles That Distinguish "Lordship Salvation" from “Easy Believism”

1) Repentance is not a simple synonym for faith. Scripture teaches that sinners must exercise faith in conjunction with repentance (Acts 2:38; 17:30; 20:21; 2 Peter 3:9). Repentance is a change of mind from embrace of sin and rejection of Christ to a rejection of sin and an embrace of Christ (Acts 3:19; Luke 24:47), and even this is a gift of God (2 Timothy 2:25). Genuine repentance, which comes when a person submits to the lordship of Christ, cannot help but result in a change of behavior (Luke 3:8; Acts 26:18–20).

2) A Christian is a new creation and cannot just “stop believing” and lose salvation. Faith itself is a gift of God (Ephesians 2:1–5, 8), and real faith endures forever (Philippians 1:6). Salvation is all God’s work, not man’s. Those who believe in Christ as Lord are saved apart from any effort of their own (Titus 3:5).

3) The object of faith is Christ Himself, not a promise, a prayer, or a creed (John 3:16). Faith must involve a personal commitment to Christ (2 Corinthians 5:15). It is more than being convinced of the truth of the gospel; it is a forsaking of this world and a following of the Master. The Lord Jesus said, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27).

4) True faith always produces a changed life (2 Corinthians 5:17). The inner person is transformed by the Holy Spirit (Galatians 2:20), and the Christian has a new nature (Romans 6:6). Those with genuine faith—those who are submitted to the lordship of Christ—follow Jesus (John 10:27), love their brothers (1 John 3:14), obey God’s commandments (1 John 2:3; John 15:14), do the will of God (Matthew 12:50), abide in God’s Word (John 8:31), keep God’s Word (John 17:6), do good works (Ephesians 2:10), and continue in the faith (Colossians 1:21–23; Hebrews 3:14). Salvation is not adding Jesus to the pantheon of one’s idols; it is a wholesale destruction of the idols with Jesus reigning supreme.

5) God’s “divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life” (2 Peter 1:3; cf. Romans 8:32). Salvation, then, is not just a ticket to heaven. It is the means by which we are sanctified (practically) in this life and by which we grow in grace.

6) Scripture teaches that Jesus is Lord of all. Christ demands unconditional surrender to His will (Romans 6:17–18; 10:9–10). Those who live in rebellion to God’s will do not have eternal life, for “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble” (James 4:6).

7) Those who truly believe in Christ will love Him (1 Peter 1:8–9; Romans 8:28–30; 1 Corinthians 16:22). And those we love we long to please (John 14:15, 23).

8) Scripture teaches that behavior is an important test of faith. Obedience is evidence that one’s faith is genuine (1 John 2:3). If a person remains unwilling to obey Christ, he provides evidence that his “faith” is in name only (1 John 2:4). A person may claim Jesus as Savior and pretend to obey for a while, but, if there is no heart change, his true nature will eventually manifest itself. This was the case for Judas Iscariot.

9) Genuine believers may stumble and fall, but they will persevere in the faith (1 Corinthians 1:8). This was the case for Simon Peter. A “believer” who completely turns away from the Lord, never to return, plainly shows that he was never born again to begin with (1 John 2:19). This was the case for Judas Iscariot (see John 6:70).

A person who has been delivered from sin by faith in Christ should not desire to remain in a life of sin (Romans 6:2). Of course, spiritual growth can occur quickly or slowly, depending on the person and his circumstances. And the changes may not be evident to everyone at first. Ultimately, God knows who are His sheep, and He will mature each of us according to His perfect time table.

Is it possible to be a Christian and live in lifelong carnality, enjoying the pleasures of sin, and never seeking to glorify the Lord who bought him? Can a sinner spurn the lordship of Christ yet lay claim to Him as Savior? Can someone pray a “sinner’s prayer” and go about his life as if nothing had happened and still call himself a “Christian”? "Lordship Salvation" says “no.” Let us not give unrepentant sinners false hope; rather, let us declare the whole counsel of God: “You must be born again” (John 3:7).

“WHAT THE BIBLE REALLY SAYS ABOUT CHRISTIAN TITHING"
This May Tick You Off, But Will Set You Free
(Requested Repost)

**About 21% of self-identified Christians actually tithe 10% (or more) of their income to the church they attend.**

I’d like to begin this by encouraging Christian pastors to reflect on how they communicate Biblical principles of finance to their parishioners. This topic confuses a lot of believers, and I cannot emphasize how often misunderstanding has enriched scammers and destroyed desperate Christians. In some churches and para-church ministries, the subject of “giving” is over-emphasized. At the same time, many Christians ignore genuine biblical exhortations about making offerings to the Lord. Giving is intended to be a joy and a blessing, but it’s not always so in churches today.

*The Tithe*

Tithing is an Old Testament concept. The tithe was a requirement of the Law in which the Israelites were to give 10 percent of the crops they grew and the livestock they raised to the tabernacle/temple (Leviticus 27:30; Numbers 18:26; Deuteronomy 14:24; 2 Chronicles 31:5). In fact, the Old Testament Law required multiple tithes—one for the Levites, one for the use of the temple and the feasts, and one for the poor of the land—which would have pushed the total to around 23.3 percent. Some understand the Old Testament tithe as a method of taxation to provide for the needs of the priests and Levites in the sacrificial system.

*New Covenant - New Rules*

After Jesus Christ fulfilled the Law, the New Testament nowhere commands, or even recommends, that Christians submit to a legalistic tithe system. The New Testament nowhere designates a percentage of income a person should set aside, but only says gifts should be “in keeping with income” (1 Corinthians 16:2).

*Freewill Giving Is The New Directive*

Although no tithe is demanded of the Christian, the New Testament talks about the importance and benefits of freewill giving (generosity). We are to give as we are able and - importantly - wherever and whenever the Lord directs us to do it. This may or may not include their local church, and pastors should take care to avoid laying guilt-trips on parishioners who choose to financially support different causes. Sometimes that may mean giving more than a tenth of one’s income; sometimes that may mean giving less. It all depends on the The Holy Spirit, the Christian’s ability and the needs of the body of Christ. Every Christian should pray and seek God’s wisdom in the matter (James 1:5). Above all, offerings should be given with discernment, pure motives and an attitude of worship to God and service to the body of Christ. “Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7). # #

WHAT TO DO WHEN GOD SAYS “NO”
How To Graduate from Pouting to Praising

We love the truth that God answers prayer (1 John 5:14–15). But what we love most is when He agrees with our requests and says “yes.” But sometimes God’s answer is “no” or “not yet.” As a good Father, God will not grant us that which is not in our long-term best interest, even when we plead. God’s “yes” answers build our faith and confidence in prayer. But how are we to respond when He says “no”?

Accepting God’s “no” can be a sticky situation. There are verses that seem to indicate that whatever we ask for in faith we receive (e.g., Mark 11:24; Matthew 21:22). If we isolate those verses and build a theology around them, it can be faith-shattering when things do not happen as we anticipated. It is wiser to take a step back and consider the “whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:27). Any time we build a whole doctrine around one or two verses, we are headed for trouble.

Several times in Scripture, God did not do as someone asked. He is God, and He can see things we can’t see. King David pleaded with the Lord for the life of his and Bathsheba’s infant son. David fasted and prayed for days, but, on the seventh day, the child died (2 Samuel 12:16, 18). God said “no.” David responded in a way that is a model for us all. He accepted that what God had done was right and good, “and he went into the house of the Lord and worshiped” (verse 20, NKJV). He had hoped for a different outcome. But God is God, and He has the right to make life-and-death decisions. In his grief, David did not become bitter toward the Lord or turn away. David’s response to God’s “no” was deeper worship and surrender, even in his heartache.

The New Testament gives more examples of times when God said “no” to His servants. The apostle Paul was set to travel throughout Asia Minor to preach, but God said “no” (Acts 16:6–9). Paul thought he had understood the plan of God. He believed he was to continue in Asia. But the Holy Spirit said “no.” Because Paul’s desire was to listen and obey, regardless of what it cost, he left Asia Minor and went to Macedonia instead. There he started churches that impacted the whole world. His response to God’s “no” was instant obedience and a change of direction.

In his personal life, Paul was plagued by what he called a “thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me” (2 Corinthians 12:7). Paul pleaded with the Lord on three separate occasions to take this “thorn” from him, but God said “no.” In this trial, Paul learned to appropriate greater measures of God’s grace and to live for the glory of God through the difficulty. His response to God’s “no” was to glory in his weakness (verse 9). Instead of giving up in frustration or deciding God did not care, Paul chose to “delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (verse 10).

What we learn from the biblical examples is that God never stops being God. He is sovereign: “I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me. I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.’ . . . What I have said, that I will bring about; what I have planned, that I will do” (Isaiah 46:9–11).

There are many times when God can say “yes” to our requests because they fit into the plan He is working out in our lives (Romans 8:28). He said “yes” to Moses’ request to see His glory (Exodus 33:17). He said “yes” to Solomon’s request for wisdom (1 Kings 3:11–13). And Jesus said “yes” to everyone who asked Him for healing and help (Matthew 8:16). But our faith-filled requests do not supersede God’s sovereign rule. If He was bound by our prayers, as some teach, He would, in effect, cease to be God. We would be gods by dictating His actions. Nowhere in Scripture do we see such a precedent.

God will often say “no” to things we yearn to see happen. Those with immature faith sometimes use this as an excuse to abandon Him altogether: “God didn’t heal my baby.” “God didn’t save my marriage.” “God didn’t give me that job I needed.” If our view is that God is obligated to grant our requests like a genie grants wishes, then we will be dismayed when God does not “perform” for us. We choose whether to allow a “no” from God to shatter our faith or build it up; a “no” from God can teach us to endure—even when we don’t understand (James 1:3).

It is often in the seasons when God says “no” that we are forced to pursue God more earnestly. God’s “nos” often shatter the tiny box in which we tried to keep Him and allow the real God to reveal Himself to us. He says “no” when it is part of His grander plan. He says “no” when our lack of faith indicates that we do not truly believe He is who He says He is (Hebrews 11:6). He says “no” when our requests are rooted in selfishness (James 4:3) or when a “yes” would harm us. And He says “no” when, like Paul, we must learn that His grace is sufficient for us. The biblical examples of servants of God who experienced God’s “no” help us learn the right response when God says “no” to us.

“THE FROG AND THE SCORPION”
Stop Allowing Toxic People Into Your Life

An early 20th century Russian proverb tells of a scorpion on a river bank asking a frog for lift across the pond because he couldn’t swim. The frog initially refused for fear of being stung by the arachnid, but agrees after the scorpion promised his safety. “After all”, said the scorpion,” if I stung you we would both drown, so don’t worry about that!” With the scorpion on his back, the frog began the swim to the other side. Just as they were halfway across, the scorpion stung him anyway. As they both sank beneath the water, the frog asked “why?”, to which the scorpion shook his head and smirked, “it’s just my nature.”

This fable illustrated the fact that trusting a toxic person to change their ways only insures our own downfall because they can’t help themselves; it’s just their nature. The Bible takes that concept further, explaining that there are two natures of humanity: one is the unregenerate nature of sin and self-centered rebellion [aka “the flesh”], and the other is the new divine nature, received at spiritual rebirth [aka “the Spirit”]. (Romans 8:5-14) The two natures are polar opposites, and are constantly at war with each other (Galatians 5:17).

Unfortunately, each person on earth sublets headspace to both of these natures simultaneously. Every thought and action we take feeds (strengthens) one nature, while starving (weakening) the other. When a person embraces Jesus Christ, however, the Holy Spirit goes to work in that person’s heart and supercharges the divine nature within them. Going forward, therefore, know that the people we hang out with in life either enhance that process or diminish it. Carefully selecting those individuals is crucial to our faith and well-being.

— The Cost of Compromise —

The book of Proverbs has some wise guidance on believers befriending non-believers: "The righteous should choose his friends carefully, for the way of the wicked leads them astray" (Proverbs 12:26). We should stay away from foolish people (Proverbs 13:20, 14:7), from immoral people (2 Timothy 3:1-5); from people who lose their temper easily (Proverbs 22:24), and from the rebellious (Proverbs 24:21). All these things represent those who have not been saved. "Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?" (2 Corinthians 6:14). First Corinthians 15:33 tells us that bad company corrupts good character. Unbelievers are slaves to sin (John 8:34), and Christians are slaves to God (1 Corinthians 7:22).

If we become deeply involved (either by friendship or a romantic relationship) with non-Christians, we are setting ourselves up for turmoil. The persistent deniers will say, “oh, but I can change them or convince them accept Jesus.” No, they can’t. This can (and often does) cause the Christian to stumble in his own walk, slide back into a sinful life, and inadvertently turn others away from God. Another detrimental effect of closeness with unbelievers is our tendency to water down the truths of Scripture so as to not offend them. There are difficult truths in the Word of God, truths such as judgment and hell. When we minimize or ignore these doctrines, or try to “soft pedal” them, we are, in essence, ignoring God’s counsel in favor of our own “wisdom” for the sake of a few reprobates already in the grasp of the evil one. Watering down truth is not “strategic evangelism”; it’s just plain stupidity, or worse, cowardice and God knows which. Unsaved people are hardwired to their demonic leash-holder and can be used against their Christian "friends" at any moment without either party realizing it.

— Love Everybody, But Trust Few —

Although these close relationships are NOT recommended, it does not mean we turn our noses up and ignore unbelievers, either. 2 Timothy 2:24-26 tells us that, as servants of the Lord, we are to be kind to and not quarrel with anyone. We should gently teach those who oppose the truth, and be patient with difficult people. Matthew 5:16 tells us, “Let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly father.” We should care for unbelievers so that they may see God through us and turn to Him in praise. James 5:16 says that there is great power in the prayer of a righteous person, so bring your concerns for unbelievers before God, and He will listen.

— Just Be Careful —

We are called to evangelize the lost, not be “bros” with them. There is nothing wrong with building positive acquaintances with unbelievers at a distance– but the primary focus of such a relationship should be to win them to Christ by sharing the Gospel with them and demonstrating God’s saving power in our own lives. If we are not willing or able to share the Good News with people, then we can pray that God will send them someone who can while we, hopefully, find some confidence.

THE TRUE STORY BEHIND THE “GATES OF HELL”
And Why The Alleged Appointment of Peter as “Bishop of Rome” Never Happened

Built by Herod Philip (son of Herod The Great), Caesarea Philippi was located near the southwestern foothills of Mount Hermon in the region formerly known as “Paneas”. Interestingly, Paneas has a lengthy supernatural history dating back to early pagan worship and human sacrifice.

— MORE THAN JUST A ROAD TRIP? —

One day, Jesus brought His disciples to the base of Mount Hermon at Caesarea Philippi. This location also had (and maintains) some important Theological implications:

Rist, it was where Jesus’ public ministry entered its terminal earthly phase;

Second, it was widely-believed by various ancient traditions to be the place where the Divine sons of God (watchers, or bnei’ elohim) descended in rebellion; and

Third, a huge cliff face at the base of the mountain contained a cave dedicated to the pagan god, Pan. The area pagan populations believed this place be “the gates of the underworld”, or entrance to Hades, where the deity resided as lord of the dead. It is still commonly called, “The Gates of Hell”.

— The Perfect Place for a Prolific Proclamation —

It was here at this monolith framing the “gates" that Jesus famously said to Peter in full earshot of the cave, “And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:18)

— BIG ROCKS AND STONE CHIPS —

Looking through the “lenses” of their organization, Roman Catholic academics “reframed” this statement to support their exclusivist worldview, and used the encounter to tell the world that Peter had just promoted as Bishop of Rome by Jesus, adding legitimacy to their claim of being the “one true church”. Well let’s fact check that just for fun:

Growing numbers of Bible Christian scholars increasingly believe that “the rock” Christ referred to in this passage to was NOT Peter or Himself, but was literally Mount Hermon and Caesarea Philippi, where they were presently standing. Neither was this scene the Divine appointment of Peter as “Bishop of Rome”, like my Catholic brothers are taught. Simplification of Christ’s exact statement to Peter would read more like, “Peter, there’s no doubt that you’re a tough little stone chip and I love ya, but I’m personally launching a major cosmic offensive against the evil one’s HQ immediately, and am sending them an advance heads-up — right down their throats.”

“THE MESSAGE JESUS SENT DOWN THAT CAVE”

Addionally, many translations incorrectly infer that “the gates of hell will not prevail” against the church, but this isn’t exactly true. The Greek text adds more teeth to Christ’s warning, saying that “the gates of hell will not be able to defensively withstand our offensive assault.”, not just that “we’re determined to survive no matter what you throw at us.” # #