Master of Deception

Satan is the "Adversary" of truth.  God created him to fill that role, and he is really good at his job, having earned a Masters Degree in Deception. Jesus and Paul both warned people about his deception...

"You are of your father, the Adversary, and the desires of your father you are wanting to do. He was a man-killer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, for truth is not in him. Whenever he may be speaking a lie, he is speaking of his own, for he is a liar, and the father of it. Yet I -- seeing that I am speaking the truth, you are not believing Me..."..."Satan himself is being transfigured into a messenger of light."  John 8:44-45; 2 Corinthians 11:18 CLNT)

The "Adversary", or Satan, has disguised himself as a "messenger of light", not among the wicked, but among the religious folks.  One of his favorite tools is the mistranslation of Scripture.  For example:

Mistranslation of Greek words into English:

"Aion" and its cognitive adjective "aionios": The Greek words mean "a space of time, an age and age lasting".

Satan, however, influenced theologians to define the words as "eternal" or "everlasting" or "forever and ever" in various places!

"Gehenna': This was a place in the valley of Hinnon, near Jerusalem, where propitiatory sacrifices were made to the god Moloch. It is derived from the Hebrew ge ben Hinnom, the valley of the son of Hinnom.  It was being used as a garbage dump when Jesus was on earth.

Satan, however, influenced theologians to translate the Greek word as "hell", the Greek mythological underworld ruled over by Hades, son of Zeus. 

But his most deceptive victory was getting believers to to mix the good news of the Kingdom promised Israel with the good news of Grace which applies to all mankind. 

Mixing the gospel of the Kingdom with the Gospel of Grace: Paul writes...

"...perceiving that I have been entrusted with the EVANGEL OF THE UNCIRCUMCISION, according as Peter OF THE CIRCUMCISION (For he who operates in Peter for the apostleship of the Circumcision operates in me also for the nations), and, knowing the grace which is being given to me, James and Cephas and John, who are supposed to be pillars, give to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we, indeed, are to be for the nations, yet they for the Circumcision." (Galatians 2:7 CLNT) 

This was not just a matter of to whom Peter and Paul went, but it is a matter of what they taught  - the content of the gospel they were to share.  Both evangels (gospels) are rooted in Jesus but are two different ministries to two separate groups of believers with two separate destinies in this age and the two following ages:

1. Gospel of the Kingdom "for the Circumcision": It is good news for God's covenant nation, Israel. They were to obey the Law of Moses in order to prosper.  They failed but God had promised to send another Prophet like Moses who would restore to earth the Kingdom that God had promised ISRAEL. That Prophet was Jesus, the Messiah.  But they rejected and killed him. And the irony is that his blood that they shed is the very blood that has atoned for their sin.  It is all a part of God's plan, and Jesus promised Israel that he would come again to establish the Kingdom, and bring in the "times of refreshing".

The promises and curses in the Law of Moses, the Levitical Priesthood, the word of the Prophets, and the Pentecostal gifts and miracles are for them and applies directly ONLY to them. As the covenant nation, they are to confess their sin, call upon the name of the Lord, turn from their evil ways, be baptized for the pardon of their sins, and continue to do works of righteousness found in the Law of Moses.  And most importantly, to believe that Jesus is the Christ (Messiah). His resurrection was the proof to them that he was the Messiah.

"And Jehovah testifies against Israel, and against Judah, by the hand of every prophet, and every seer, saying, ‘Turn back from your evil ways, and keep My commands, My statutes, according to all the law that I commanded your fathers, and that I sent unto you by the hand of My servants the prophets."... "Simon Peter said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. Now, answering, Jesus said to him, Happy are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood does not reveal it to you, but My Father Who is in the heavens."..."Peter is averring to them, Repent and be baptized each of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the pardon of your sins...so that the times of refreshing should be coming from the face of the Lord." (2 Kings 17:13 YLT; Matthew 16:16-17 CLNT; Acts 2:38, 3:19 CLNT) 

It is Israel's destiny to rule and reign with Jesus Christ in His Kingdom to be established on this earth during the two ages following this present Age.  The details of the Gospel of the Kingdom for Israel is found in the Books of the Old Testament and the New Testament Books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Hebrews, James, 1st and 2nd Peter, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd John, Jude and Revelation.

2. Gospel of Grace "for the Uncircumcision": It is the good news for all mankind that Jesus died on the cross for our sins, was buried and rose again, and the result will be the salvation and reconciliation of all creation . Those of all nations who believe this good news are "placed" in the Body of Christ by God as He "wills". Members of the Body are to share this good news on earth during this present Age and their destiny is in the heavens in the following Ages. Jesus is the Head of the Body and His death on the cross for all sinners, flowing from the love, grace and mercy of God, is the focus of this gospel. Jesus gave the details of this good news first to the Apostle Paul which had been hidden in past Ages. Paul was the worst sinner, and the FIRST member of the Body of Christ..

"To Him who has it in His power to make you strong, as declared in the Good News which I am spreading, and the proclamation concerning Jesus Christ, in harmony with the unveiling of the Truth which in the periods of past Ages remained unuttered." ... "Christ died for our sins according to the scripture, and was entombed, and he has been roused the third day..."... "Faithful is the saying, and deserving of universal acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; among whom I stand foremost. But mercy was shown me in order that in me as the foremost of sinners Christ Jesus might display the fullness of His long-suffering patience as an example to encourage those who would afterwards be resting their faith on Him with a view to the Life of the Ages. Now to the immortal and invisible King of the Ages, who alone is God, be honor and glory to the Ages of the Ages! Amen." (Romans 16:25 WEH; Timothy 1:15-17 WEH)

All of the details and destiny of the Body of Christ are found in the New Testament Books of Acts, Romans, 1st and 2nd Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1st and 2nd Thessalonians, 1st and 2nd Timothy, Titus, and Philemon.

Summary of the Deception:

Satan and his "servants" have succeeded in mixing these two gospels to such an extent that the gospels have become "a different gospel, which is really not another". 

"I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the GRACE of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ...For I would have you know, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ." (Galatians 1:6-12)

Satan's deception is temporary, for "the truth" of the "redemption" of all mankind will be obvious to all at the end of the ages when all are saved, and all creation reconciled to God.

"For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins...and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven. And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach." ..."This is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance. For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers. Prescribe and teach these things." (Colossians 1:13-22;1 Timothy 4:9-11

Pass on what Paul told us to "teach" so that others might come "to a knowledge of the truth".

"This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time. For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth." (1 Timothy 2:1-8)

Killing the Soul

"And do not fear those who kill the body, but cannot kill the soul; but rather fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in Gehenna.” (Matthew 10:28 CLNT)

Your translation of the Bible probably renders the word "Gehenna" as “hell”. That is unfortunate and an example of how the Bible was translated into English according to the bias of the translators to promote the vain "directions of men" rather than the Word of God.

"Yet in vain are they revering Me, Teaching for teachings the directions of men." (Matthew 15:9 CLNT)

"Gehenna" refers to the garbage dump outside of Jerusalem where trash and dead bodies of animals and criminals were burned. Among that garbage, the worms did not die and the fire was not quenched until it had accomplished the job of destroying the body.

"And if your hand should ever be snaring you, strike it off. It is ideal for you to be entering into life maimed, rather than, having two hands, to come away into Gehenna, into the unextinguished fire where their worm is not deceasing and the fire is not going out." (Mark 9:43-44 CLNT)

So what is Jesus saying to his fellow Jews about "fear" and "Gehenna"?

Remember that while on earth, Jesus preached only to ISRAEL about their promised Kingdom. The Kingdom they once ruled on the earth was now in the hands of the Roman Empire. He told them that they needed to “repent! for near is the Kingdom of the Heavens”, referring to the restoration from heaven of their Kingdom.

"Thenceforth begins Jesus to be heralding and saying, Repent! for near is the kingdom of the heavens!...teaching in their synagogues and heralding the evangel of the kingdom" (Matthew 4:17,23)

Jesus was presenting himself to Israel as the Jewish Messiah who would restore on earth the Kingdom promised to Israel. But he told them that to follow him as Messiah could result in his followers being treated as criminals and could result in their death, with their dead body being cast into "Gehenna".

This would and did bring fear to the Jews. Jesus said they need not fear men who kill them because that is all they could do. Jesus said for them to "fear" God, not those who kill the body and can then do no further damage. For God only could raise both body and soul out of the ashes of the fire of "Gehenna" to reign with Messiah during the Kingdom.

The “souls” of those Jews who did not receive Jesus as Messiah would not be revived until after the Kingdom and would therefore miss out on the reign of Messiah during the 1000 year Kingdom Age.

"And the souls of those executed because of the testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who do not worship the wild beast or its image, and did not get the emblem on their forehead and on their hand- they also live and reign with Christ a thousand years. The rest of the dead do not live until the thousand years should be finished." (Revelation 20:4-5 CLNT)

Those who use the above verse to teach eternal conscious torment in hell show either their lack of study, or that they are intentionally deceiving people for the purpose of growing their institutions. They will one day be "ashamed" to have tried to save souls from the Greek mythological hell of eternal conscious torment…they should fear that they themselves may not be raised to the free gift of eternal life "until the thousand years should be finished".

"For whosoever may be wanting to save his soul will be destroying it, yet whoever shall be destroying his soul on account of Me and of the evangel will be saving it...For whosoever may be ashamed of Me and My words in this generation...the Son of Mankind also will be ashamed of him whenever He may be coming in the glory of His Father." (Mark 8:35-38 CLNT)

The Truth About Hell

"And if your foot offend thee, cut t off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, then having two feet to be cast into hell (Gehenna), into the fire that never shall be quenched." (Mark 9:45)

Below is a paraphrase of an article I once read.  I have found to be true in my own study.

"GEHENNA: This word occurs twelve times in the New Testament, and is translated "hell" in English Bibles. But since the Gospel writers repeat the same discourses, Jesus did not really use the word more than six or seven times in all His ministry. Matthew, Mark, Luke and James are the only books where the term is used.

Here is a summary of why Christians should NOT teach the doctrine of endless torment based on the use of the term "Gehenna", translated "hell" in Scripture.

1. Though Gehenna occurs twelve times, Jesus actually used it only on four or five different occasions. If the use of Gehenna by Jesus was intended to reveal the terrible doctrine of endless punishment, how is it possible that he would only mention it four times?

2. Jesus and James are the only persons in the New Testament who use the word Gehenna. John the Baptist did not use it once. Peter nor Jude use the term, and John, who wrote his gospel, three epistles, and the Book of Revelation, never employs it in a single instance. And most astoundingly, Paul, who wrote about half of the books in our New Testament also never mentions it. Surely, if “Gehenna” (hell) really reveals the terrible fact of conscious and endless torment, why this strange silence? And remember, in all of the Old Testament there is no mention of conscious endless torment at all.

3. The Book of Acts contains the record of the first apostolic preaching, and the beginning of the Body of Christ consisting of both Jew and Gentile. It covers a period of about thirty years from the ascension of Jesus Christ. In all this history and in all the preaching in the book of Acts, there is not one use of the word Gehenna. In thirty years of missionary effort, the followers of Jesus addressed people all over the known world and never, under any circumstances, threaten them with the eternal conscious torment in Gehenna, or allude to it at all! In the face of such a fact as this, can any man believe that the word “Gehenna” signifies endless punishment, and that this is a part of divine revelation, a part of the Gospel message to the world?"

Nevertheless, Christian churches have been passing it on from generation to generation for centuries causing all sorts of guilt and heartache for mankind on top of all the other crap we suffer in this life. As a have repeatedly posted, the good news is summed up in Romans 6:23..

"For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord".

In other posts I have addressed what Jesus meant when he used the word "Gehenna"..