The Seven Pillars of Death
Is Your Belief Foundation Sure?
by
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PAUL'S DESIRE TO DEPART
SCENE 2. Television studio interview set
Enter HOST.
Host: “Tonight's guest is again the Apostle Paul. I think everyone knows who he is, so no introduction is necessary.
Enter PAUL.
Good evening, Paul. It's good to have you back for another discussion.”
Paul: “Good evening to you too, Larry. I don't mind these get togethers at all.”
Host: “Great! Well, let's get right to it. In the Philippian epistle many truths jump out at us, if we are looking, but Paul, you don't deal with these at length. Important statements are made within the flow of the message which are new and different. We wish there were more introductory words to lead us into the truth of what you were talking about, also more explanation following, but you don't 'give it up.' “
Paul: “I know. It just kind of happened that way. Sorry.”
Host: “This can be clearly seen in your declaration in 1:22 where suddenly you bring up the matter of a choice that is open to you, and declare that you are not making known what your decision will be. Was it because you didn’t want to close your options by stating what your choice would be?”
Paul: “That's right. I didn't want to close off any of my options.”
Host: “Fair enough. Now we know the Greek word for choose has to do with what one prefers as being the basis of a selection. However, Paul, you had a serious decision to make, and if we go back to discover what this might be all about we find nothing that fits into the picture. You have been speaking of life and death in the previous passages, but it can't be that in these two great issues you had any choice - right?”
Paul: “Right, not regarding the issues of life and death.”
Host: “It’s kind of like asking if you would die if you chose death. And we might further ask if you chose death, would you make the choice effective by committing suicide? It is bordering on the ridiculous to interpret this choice as if you, Paul, were playing Hamlet and mulling over the question, 'to be or not to be?' "
Paul: “Believe me, the last thing I would ever have considered was to kill myself. There were plenty of people who wanted to do that for me.”
Host: “That's for sure. No shortage there. Going forward from your statement, 'Yet what I shall choose I am not making known,' we discover at once what you are talking about. Your selection is limited to one of two things: 1) to depart and be with Christ, or 2) to abide (remain) in the flesh.”
Paul: “Thus, the choice is between departing and remaining, and not between living and dying, for 'departing to be with Christ' does not mean death.”
Host: “Well, then, it's too bad this beautiful phrase has been taken and used as a description of death in the ritual of funeral services.”
Paul: “Yes, it is very surprising to me that Orthodox Christianity has taken my statement about departing to be with Christ as meaning the same thing as dying. You remember that Enoch departed to be with
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About the Book
This book challenges people to examine seven doctrines of “Orthodox Christianity” commonly used to support the idea that good people go to heaven when they die. The reader is asked to journey along with six college students as their teacher assigns them the task of objectively evaluating the “mainstream” position against a revolutionary alternate viewpoint. The students individually investigate the advisability of continuing to use each particular doctrinal pillar as a basis for their own beliefs, and then to present their findings to the rest of the class. As a result of their research, there is anger and frustration on the part of some students, surprise and amazement for others.
What is this new point of view? Simply, that the dead are dead, not alive in some other place or condition. From this state of death there is only one escape hatch: the One Who is the resurrection and the life, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. But, the challenge is not to a person's belief in what happens at death; rather, a call is issued to take a closer look at these seven passages of Scripture used time and again to support the almost universal position that a good person goes to heaven at death. Do these seven passages actually support such a position, or not? That is the question, and the answer may just amaze you too.
The presentation is a nine act play involving time travel and interviews with dead people. Even though the mechanisms employed are fantastic, the arguments from Scripture are sound and difficult to ignore, provided the reader does not automatically and arbitrarily reject them. What will you do with them?
There is no other book like this one. Not one.
Are you up to the challenge? Can you handle the truth?
About the Author
I can only claim to be a believer in and follower of the Lord Jesus Christ, my Savior and my God. To allow God's word to give its own testimony is my sole motivation. My walk is as a “Christian Individualist,” who has no affiliation with any “church” organization or group of any kind. So, I can't be dis-fellowshipped or kicked out.
But, I can study to show myself approved of God without regard for what anyone else might think or say. I am a progressive and perpetual student of God's word, always and forever looking for His light to shine forth on any matter. I have learned to think for myself, which is more than I can say for most people. Thinking is hard work, and many do not want to engage in it.
I am one who is trying to place God first and foremost in all my thoughts, words and deeds.
Educational Background:
Purdue University, Electrical Engineering
University of Washington, Biological Oceanography
Defense Language Institute, Russian
Defense Language Institute, Arabic
Qualifications:
Arabic Linguist for the National Security Agency (6 years)
Instructor – Beginning and Intermediate New Testament Greek
Progressive and Perpetual Bible Student
Believer In and Follower of the Lord Jesus Christ
Previous Publications:
“An Open Letter to Dads Who Believe the Bible is the Word of God.” an essay published by The Word of Truth Ministry.
“A Christmas Essay,” published by The Word of Truth Ministry (also published in the United Kingdom).
“Islam – Religion of Peace?” a paper presented at Pasadena, California in May of 2006.