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BOOK REVIEW: Four Views on Hell 2nd edition

...nt as the devil and his minions.” (41) Stackhouse counters that Rev 14:10-11 actually culminates in a Sodom-like “incineration of fire and sulphur”24, while Rev 20: 10,15 have to account for Death and Hades also being cast into the lake of fire: “The passage makes better sense if Death and Hades were understood to end, and indeed that is what the passage says…Since the very next verse is the one that speaks of lost humans, the most natural reading is to conclude that they, too, experience the second death. To state the obvious, the passage does not say that humans will be tormented forever and ever, and in fact the passage seems, in its basic literary...

Lent: Day 10 - Ignatius to the Smyrnaeans

...serve the devil”! That's some strong words and really shows the emphasis on the church hierarchy in these early days, and the seriousness of the positions of these church leaders, as though they were acting in place of Jesus and the Apostles to the individual churches, which is often how Ignatius describes it. Like the others, this letter of Ignatius really offers some interesting viewpoints to think about and maybe gives us a glimpse of where certain doctrines had their origins....

Did a Roman Catholic priest perform 'invalid' baptisms for years?

...st as the devil is excluded by the name of Christ. (Augustine, On Baptism VI, 25:47) With that, I don’t think any more needs to be said. The historic Church has already settled this matter many centuries ago, and what the Vatican is doing now by having people tracked down for rebaptism goes against everything the Gospel and efficiency of the sacraments should stand for, and they are in the wrong for doing so and causing people to doubt their salvation.     Sources Baptisms by Arizona priest presumed invalid due to error — ABC News (go.com) CHURCH FATHERS: On Baptism, Book VI (Augustine) (newadvent.org) CYPRIAN, AUGUSTINE AND THE DONATIST S...

Has Brexit just spoiled “End Times” prophecy?

...arted the devil and unwittingly did the world a favour!   Or maybe, it could be that those who are popular teachers on this subject aren’t necessarily the right teachers for the job, but just end up being listened to as they have a large platform from which they can speak.   Looking at the book of Daniel, and the dream that Nebuchadnezzar has about the large statue which represented various kingdoms, one of the majority views is that the last kingdom is speaking about the Roman Empire. But since that empire came to an end (and the world didn’t), futurist theology has invented this “Revived Roman Empire” or “the revived Holy Roman Empire” (depe...

Does The UN Statue Resemble The End Times Beast From Daniel And Revelation?

...which the devil has given them, but the problem with this is that the UN has no real power–it’s authority is limited. It can’t enforce things on nations or member states and can’t overrule individual governments. Finally, here’s the most tenuous link being bandied about. The UN’s tweet said that the statue is a “guardian for international peace and security”, so obviously that must be a reference to 1 Thess 5. Because that’s not a common expression at all, right? 1 Thessalonians 5:2–3For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. When they say, “There is peace and security,” then sudden d...

Great Lent: The Season of Fasting

...from the devil during His long fast (Matthew 4:1-11)! Learn to pray contemplative prayer. Ps 46:10 – “Be still, and know that I am God!” This is an ancient type of Christian meditation which is the complete opposite to secular and Eastern religious meditation which aims to empty your mind. Christian meditation is about filling your mind with thoughts and reflections on and about God and Scripture – to really focus on a verse or passage of Scripture and to pray and wait on God in silence until you become aware of His presence and His voice (in whatever form that takes, i.e. visions, pictures, words etc.), and are filled with the Spirit who can reveal...