(05/13/2018) The Elimination of Death?

Today, topics include annihilation, holy fire, and the second death.  The Lake of Fire represents divine wrath against sin.  To comprehend the purpose, sacred themes, and operations of divinity regarding the Lake of Fire, ones thoughts on common fire and natural laws must be put aside.  Also, where fairness (justice), punishment, and reconciliation are the primary goals in ongoing divine judgment, the goals of final judgment should be understood as the fulfillment of the law, salvation, and the elimination of death.  Just as the workings of holy fire separate material and spiritual substances placed as a single offering together on the altar, destroys all that offends, and conveys the holy portion up to GOD, in the Lake of Fire, divine content is preserved, purified and returned to GOD while only such things as corruption, decay, wickedness, and vanity (things empty, void, lacking spirit matter from the makeup of GOD) are consumed.  One of the fighters in the “Yahoo! Answers” Religion and Spirituality forum who uses the ID “Anonymous” (no profile information shown) posted the following:


Explain how "death" can be thrown into the lake of fire?

If the lake of fire is meant to be literal fire, how can a condition like death be put into it? Only flammable materials like wood can be put into fire, not abstract things like death! That would be like having a bonfire and putting in joy, sadness, tiredness, envy, etc
Update: That is found in Rev 20:14 by the way


THE GOLDEN ARROW:  Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:  For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat:  I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:  I was a stranger, and ye took me not in:  naked, and ye clothed me not:  sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.  Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?  Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.  And these shall go away into everlasting punishment:   but the righteous into life eternal.  (Matthew 25:  41-46, King James Version, KJV)


THE DOUBLE DAGGER:  GOD’s Will Be Done (04/27/2018); The Origin And Source (04/26/2018); Incurring “The Second Death” (04/02/2018); “I Am The Resurrection” (03/25/2018); The Vengeance of GOD? (10/01/2017); Temporal and Eternal Judgment (02/15/2017); Reflections on Existence (12/19/2016); Understanding Hell (01/09/2013); The Golden Age? (01/10/2013)
 

“Anonymous”, consider the following points and how they apply to the second death, and the end of sin:

1.  Annihilation (final, irreversible destruction) is an aspect of the divine judgment depicted throughout the Bible by using the emblems of burning and fire.

2.  Fire from GOD (we say, holy fire; fire of the burning bush) on a consecrated altar is used to purify offerings and sacrifices by destroying defilement, profanity, and sins they may bear at the same releasing the intended gifts to GOD (e.g., gratitude, glory, love, obedience, peace, repentance, reverence).

3.  In the same way multiple denotations and connotations  for the single word “law” occur throughout the holy writings, there are multiple applications of the word “death”.

4.  Death is no ordinary object or thing; is finite and temporal; and is to be understood as a condition, an operation, an outcome, a process, or a purpose.

5.  Death is not presented as a spirit substance created by divinity; death has not been endowed with personhood; and the heart, mind, personhood, and sovereign will of GOD are not subject to death as are created beings and living creatures.

There is far more that should be said, correctly examined, and spiritually apprehended.  (For example, 6.  Using language from the Bible, the operations of GOD equally may be brought against carnal, material, secular, social and spiritual things.  It is written:  Hebrews 4:  12, King James Version (KJV):  12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.)  Even so, I trust this fragment will be useful.  Be it unto you according to your faith.

THE BLACK PHOENIX
Washington, DC

(03/06/2015) Pork, A Stumblingblock?

Today, focus is upon the Christian response to prohibitions against eating foods and continuing practices that once separated believers as unclean (we say, unfit) for participation within the congregation, and for uninterrupted service to GOD.  Carnal being (we say, existence as an animal; existence in the flesh) is dependent upon involuntary and mechanical operations such as appetite (e.g., hunger, thirst, sexual cravings), elimination (e.g., bleeding, discharge, sweating, vomiting to remove poisons from the body), sensation (e.g., hearing, seeing, tasting, touching) and emotion/mental functions (e.g., anger, fear, imagination, recall).  By contrast, inner spirit vital to ones existence is built up, cleansed, edified, and nourished only through operations of divinity such as atonement, forgiveness, rebirth, and repentance.  While the holy writings record that food and drink have been used repeatedly as instruments for sacred admonition, comfort, communion, healing, judgment, revelation, and sanctification, strictness regarding diet and foods is not to be an obstacle against coming to GOD through Jesus Christ.  More important is a believer holding to the principles of salvation, and righteousness through faith as taught in the Scriptures.  (For example, see Ephesians 2:  8-9, Romans 4:  3-25 and 1st Corinthians 20-29, KJV).  A fighter at “Yahoo! Answers India” using the ID “CoolCat” (Level 1 with 63 points, a member since August 24, 2012) made the following thrust:


Why christians eat pork? Leviticus 11:7?


THE GOLDEN ARROW:  Take thou also unto thee wheat, and barley, and beans, and lentiles, and millet, and fitches, and put them in one vessel, and make thee bread thereof, according to the number of the days that thou shalt lie upon thy side, three hundred and ninety days shalt thou eat thereof.  And thy meat which thou shalt eat shall be by weight, twenty shekels a day:  from time to time shalt thou eat it.  Thou shalt drink also water by measure, the sixth part of an hin:  from time to time shalt thou drink.  And thou shalt eat it as barley cakes, and thou shalt bake it with dung that cometh out of man, in their sight.  And the LORD said, Even thus shall the children of Israel eat their defiled bread among the Gentiles, whither I will drive them.  Then said I, Ah Lord GOD! behold, my soul hath not been polluted:  for from my youth up even till now have I not eaten of that which dieth of itself, or is torn in pieces; neither came there abominable flesh into my mouth.  Then he said unto me, Lo, I have given thee cow’s dung for man’s dung, and thou shalt prepare thy bread therewith.  Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, behold, I will break the staff of bread in Jerusalem:  and they shall eat bread by weight, and with care; and they shall drink water by measure, and with astonishment:  That they may want bread and water, and be astonied one with another, and consume away for their iniquity.  (Ezekiel 4:  9-17, KJV)


THE DOUBLE DAGGER:  Denying GOD by Eating Shrimp? (11/17/2013); The Dead in Christ? (11/18/2013); Destroyed in Noah’s Flood? (04/28/2013); Both Born Holy? (04/29/2013); Henceforth, Of This Fruit (11/21/2012); Unexceptional Beginnings (11/22/2012)


“CoolCat”, many of those acknowledging the authority of the Scriptures are guided by the following points from the holy writings that may clarify for you Christian belief and practices about diet and foods:

(1.)  Romans 14:  1-4 (KJV):  Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations.  2 For one believeth that he may eat all things:  another, who is weak, eateth herbs.  3 Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth:  for God hath received him.  4 Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up:  for God is able to make him stand.

(2.)  Romans 14:  13-18 (KJV):  13 Let us not therefore judge one another any more:  but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way.  14 I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself:  but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean.  15 But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died.  16 Let not then your good be evil spoken of:  17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.  18 For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men.

(3.)  Acts 11:  5-10 (KJV):  5 I was in the city of Joppa praying:  and in a trance I saw a vision, A certain vessel descend, as it had been a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners; and it came even to me:  6 Upon the which when I had fastened mine eyes, I considered, and saw fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air.  7 And I heard a voice saying unto me, Arise, Peter; slay and eat.  8 But I said, Not so, Lord:  for nothing common or unclean hath at any time entered into my mouth.  9 But the voice answered me again from heaven, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.  10 And this was done three times:  and all were drawn up again into heaven.

(4.)  1st Timothy 4:  1-7 (KJV):  Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;  2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;  3 Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.  4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:  5 For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.  6 If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.  7 But refuse profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness.

There is far more to be said, correctly understood, and properly apprehended.  (For example, (5.)  Romans 14:  20-23 (KJV):  20 For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence.  21 It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.  22 Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.  23 And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith:  for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.)  Even so, I trust this fragment will be useful.  Be it unto you according to your faith and spiritual maturity.

THE BLACK PHOENIX
Washington, DC