How to Have Genuine Faith

11/30/2018 25 Comments


Many people know that they must have faith yet they do not know how to acquire it; they do not know what they need to do in order to have genuine faith. Others ask if reading the Bible could help them gain faith.

Reading the Bible can lead us to the genuine faith, however, not all people are destined to understand the Bible. Of course, anybody may read the Bible but not all people may understand the Bible because understanding of what you are reading is a gift from God. Acts 8:29-35 says,

29 Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.
30 And Philip ran thither to him and heard him read the prophet Isaiah, and said, understandest thou what thou readest?
31 And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.
32 The place of the Scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; And like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth:
33 In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth.
34 And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man?
35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.

The eunuch, who happened to be the caretaker of all the wealth of the queen of the Ethiopians, went to Jerusalem to worship. On his way back to Ethiopia, the Holy Spirit urged Philip to join the eunuch in his chariot. And when he ran to be with him, he heard him reading the book of the prophet Isaiah. Obviously, he was reading aloud; he was not doing a silent reading. We may perceive that the eunuch had the intention of letting the other people in the chariot hear what he was reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah. When Philip came close to the eunuch he asked him, “Do you understand what you read?” The eunuch replied, “How can I, except some man should guide me?”

What the eunuch said was right. He was just reading but he didn’t understand what he was reading, not until Philip, the evangelist, came and explained to him that the sheep being referred to was Jesus.

Yes, the Bible can guide one to the true faith IF the one reading it understands what he reads. Unfortunately, not all who read the Bible understand what they read. Mark 4:11-12 says,

11 And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables:
12 That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.

Therefore, not everybody that will read the Bible would understand it; and not everyone that will hear the word of God would understand it either. Acts 16:14 says,

And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul.

Lydia, who was listening to the words of God being preached by the Apostle Paul, needed the divine intervention of the Lord to open her heart for her to understand what the Apostle Paul was saying. If in listening personally to Apostle Paul you need divine intervention to understand what he was saying (like what happened to Lydia), the more that you will need divine intervention when you are simply reading his gospel all by yourself. In other words, understanding the words of God written in the Bible is possible if there is a divine intervention.

The ability to understand the Scriptures is a gift from God. We must realize that the depth of God’s thinking and intelligence is something that cannot be readily fathomed by men. Isaiah 55:8-9 says,

8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

God’s thinking is something beyond measure. It is compared to the distance between the heavens and the earth. No human mind and understanding can penetrate deep into the understanding of God.

The Bible is the embodiment of God’s thoughts, which cannot be fathomed by human mind. To understand the Bible, we need divine intervention, or the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Actually, even a person of authority has to admit that he does not know everything when it comes to religious belief.

What I am trying to point out is, genuine and true faith is revealed by God; it is taught by God; it is given by God. Jude 1:3 says,

Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.

True faith or genuine faith is delivered by God unto the saints. What is the reason why it should be given? Because it cannot be obtained by reading alone; and neither can it be obtained through human efforts. It is given by God; it is a gift from God. And to have faith you need to have understanding first. You will not have faith without the necessary understanding of the word of God in the Bible. Understanding comes first. When you understand, then you can have faith. Faith is developed through understanding. Ephesians 1:13 says,

In whom ye also trusted, after ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise,

So belief, or faith, comes after hearing and understanding the word of truth. Without understanding or comprehension of the word of God, faith will not be developed. If there is a faith in you without understanding the word of God, then, that is not true faith but a false faith. It is just like the faith of those outside the true Church of God; their faith is not a genuine faith because it is not based on understanding the word of God. Instead, it is a mere fanaticism because, even if they already understand that they are wrong, they continue to cling to it.

The gift of understanding could be given even to illiterates, like Peter and John. Acts 4:13 says,

Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marveled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.

People who listened to them marveled at the firmness of their faith and at their understanding despite their being unlearned. And they knew that it was because they had been in the company of Jesus, our Lord. In other words, it is never a shame to be led by somebody who is without a college degree or a professional title because when it comes to faith, educational attainment does not count at all. 1 Corinthians 1:19-21 says,

19 For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.
20 Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.

In fact, wisdom of the world, or earthly wisdom, is even a hindrance in understanding the word of God. As written in 1 Corinthians 2:6-8,

6 Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to naught:
7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

Both the Romans and the Greeks were regarded as people of wisdom in the early times. They were the most educated people during the time of Christ and the apostles, but none of them had known the wisdom of God. Not even the highest of authorities in the Roman Empire had known the wisdom of God, not even King Herod and Pontius Pilate – both of whom had high educational attainment, because had they known it, they should not have crucified the Lord of glory. So, the wisdom of God is something which cannot be achieved even by the most learned man, all by himself. It is something that is given by God.

25 Comments:

Inside the True Church, Discipline is Exercised

11/23/2018 7 Comments

Rules and Policies Inside the Church

Dear Bro. Eli, 

Good day.

I am happy see this site attached by a friend in an e-mail.

I would like to ask you the following questions:

1. My husband is working as a dealer in a casino; is it ok or do you have any advice on the matter?

2. Do you have policies if you become a member of the congregation? (Please correct me if I’m wrong.)

3. Do you form organizations that would help street-children, and others?

Thank you for reading and I really am looking forward to meet you in person.

God bless us all.

Lovely

Dear Lovely,

If you will find an organization without any ‘internal policies’ or having policies, but are not implemented, such an organization is not of God.

In the Church of God, it is a doctrine that everything to be done inside the Church must be done decently and in order.

1 CORINTHIANS 14:40
Let all things be done decently and in order.

There are sanctions for those who will not follow this policy of doing things in order.

2 THESSALONIANS 3:6-8
6 Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.
7 For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you;
8 Neither did we eat any man’s bread for naught; but wrought with labor and travail night and day, that we might not be chargable to any of you…

And if anyone in the Church will deliberately disobey the rules and order wanted by God to be observed, excommunication follows, after the first and second admonition.

TITUS 3:10
A man that is a heretic after the first and second admonition reject…

Who are those to be excommunicated?


1 CORINTHIANS 5:11-13
11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such a one no not to eat.
12 For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?
13 But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.

We must not physically harm anyone who does not want to follow the teachings of Christ as what the Catholic Church had done. They murdered the alleged heretics, (which I believe are not heretics) who do not want to accept their erroneous teachings. If the RCC is the true church, they should have excommunicated them; but I am sorry to hear that defenders of the Catholic faith even justify the criminal acts of their leaders.

What is disgusting is that these religions in our times do not excommunicate those who commit the acts enumerated by the Apostle Paul in the afore cited verses. Instead, they tolerate them of their misdeeds, thereby spoiling others and their entire flock as a whole.

ROMANS 1:32
Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

To preserve the holiness of the Church, discipline must be followed. If a wrongdoer who does not wish to be renewed by following God’s word is not excommunicated, he will spoil the good conduct of the other people in the Church.

1 CORINTHIANS 15:33 (Modern King James Version)
Do not be deceived; evil companionships corrupt good habits.

Considering this biblical wisdom, we must believe that in the true Church there are really policies to be followed.

One of the most important policies of the true Church of God is to extend help and care possible, for the less fortunate in society, and continue in piety or holiness.

JAMES 1:27
Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

The word translated as ‘visit’ in the preceding verse is:

ἐπισκέπτομαι
episkeptomai
ep-ee-skep’-tom-ahee;

Middle voice from G1909 and the base of G4649; to inspect, that is, (by implication) to select; by extension to go to see, relieve: – look out, visit.

Strong’s Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries

Dictionaries of Hebrew and Greek Words taken from Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance by James Strong, S.T.D., LL.D., 1890.

ἐπισκέπτομαι

episkeptomai means to see and relieve, meaning to look after – to help. This is one of the primary projects of the Church of God, International. In the Philippines, we maintain orphanages, home for the aged, hospital and clinics serving the needs of the less fortunate — FREE OF CHARGE!

MATTHEW 10:7-8
7 And as ye go, preach, saying, the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.

Even spiritual services rendered to members and non-members of the Church are free, like baptism, marriage counseling, marriage ceremonies, Bible studies, and the likes.

I am happy to hear from people like you who have concern and care for others. There are not many people in the world now who cares! Have you heard the saying “Who cares?” There are very few of them. And I thank God you are one of them.

Regarding your question about your husband, all I can say is it is an essence of the true religion to “keep ourselves unspotted from the world.” That is written in James 1:27.

May God lead you to the path of righteousness you are long searching for.

God Bless!

7 Comments:

The Roman Catholic Church Is Not the True Church of God

11/17/2018 23 Comments

Catholicism is Not The True Religion

I am giving way to a response posted by a certain Kay for my article entitled “Are Other Christians Not True Churches?”.

I appreciate the responses to my comment and the spirit of Christian correction in which they are given. I understand your passion to defend the truth as you perceive it, as this similar passion is the same love I have for the Holy Roman Catholic Church. Though not all of the posts directed to me were polite and on-tangent, thank you.

Yup, I do appreciate Mr. Soriano’s insights on non-doctrinal issues, particularly his premium on basic Christian values.

I felt that the post was wasted because it’s essentially a “judge not” post (with verses that I can throw back at you as well!); a topic irrelevant to the document at hand because never did the writers argue that there is no salvation outside the Catholic Church. Salvation is ultimately God’s power to grant and despite the fact that God granted the church to declare loose what must be declared loose, and bound what must be declared bound, we can never presume above His mercy. This is a position we have held for years. You must be confusing us with INC.

Other churches are defective meaning lacking in apostolic authority, yes. We can argue day in and day out whether Peter is a rock or a pebble, but we cannot conveniently drop the verse where Christ handed Peter the keys to gates of heaven. Christ did institute apostolic authority.

Kay

Dear Kay,

I am very sorry to have grieved you as you expressed in your response. I appreciate your frankness because I am a frank person, too. I hate using candy-coated words to conceal what really is inside me.

1 THESSALONIANS 2:5
For neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloak of covetousness; God is witness…

When I express something or anything, it comes from my heart and it is the best of my knowledge and belief. I maybe wrong in my perceptions sometimes, but I always make it a point that whenever I teach other people, it is 100% biblical. It has been my attitude and practice not to ascribe or impute anything against anybody if I do not have sufficient evidences to prove it.

ISAIAH 43:9 
Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled: who among them can declare this, and show us former things? let them bring forth their witnesses, that they may be justified: or let them hear, and say, It is truth.

In the interest of truth and justice, at least, there must be two or three witnesses to be brought to testify to a given argument or dispute. The preceding verse requires witnesses.

2 CORINTHIANS 13:1 
This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.

It is not only normal, but also sane, to love your faith — your church. But it is also wise and sane to be sure that your church or your faith is the true church and faith based on Scriptural truths.

JOHN 17:17 
Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

While I am discussing the truth in any given topic, I must tell you that not everything that I know can be injected on a particular topic. You said in your response that never did the Roman Catholic Church claim that there is no salvation outside the RCC. I hereunder copy what you said:

“I felt that the post was wasted because it’s essentially a “judge not” post (with verses that I can throw back at you as well!); a topic irrelevant to the document at hand because never did the writers argue that there is no salvation outside the Catholic Church.”

Dominus Iesus states that other churches (out of the Catholic Church) are not true churches, but merely ecclesiastical communities and therefore did not have the “means of salvation”.

If this does not mean that you are judging all churches outside of your presumed true church, is this a camouflaged hypocrisy? Logic dictates that where there are no means of salvation, there is no salvation; and that is precisely what is meant by RCC authorities. Here is something I am sure you do not know. This was included, in your book “Religion Doctrine and Practice” by Francis B. Casilly, page 355. (See image below)


You said that my post was wasted. I am sorry you judged it hastily. It would have been better if you asked me if I have further proof to substantiate what I have written. You also said that it is a topic irrelevant to the document at hand. But in searching for the truth, you have to consider present and previous claims and teachings made by the Roman Catholic Church. It is just like taking something out from the whole context of a book or a set of teachings and not taking it out of context.

ISAIAH 34:16 
Seek ye out of the book of the LORD, and read: no one of these shall fail, none shall want her mate: for my mouth it hath commanded, and his spirit it hath gathered them.

In the fore cited verse, the Book of the Lord contains all the necessary elements of truths. They must be taken in context for the entire truth to be known. Here under, is a part of the question raised at the Second Vatican Council, and the corresponding response:

CONGREGATION FOR THE DOCTRINE OF THE FAITH

RESPONSES TO SOME QUESTIONS REGARDING CERTAIN ASPECTS OF THE DOCTRINE ON THE CHURCH

SECOND QUESTION

What is the meaning of the affirmation that the Church of Christ subsists in the Catholic Church?

RESPONSE

Christ “established here on earth” only one Church and instituted it as a “visible and spiritual community”[5], that from its beginning and throughout the centuries has always existed and will always exist, and in which alone are found all the elements that Christ himself instituted.[6]“This one Church of Christ, which we confess in the Creed as one, holy, catholic and apostolic […]. This Church, constituted and organised in this world as a society, subsists in the Catholic Church, governed by the successor of Peter and the Bishops in communion with him”.[7]

In number 8 of the Dogmatic Constitution Lumen gentium ‘subsistence’ means this perduring, historical continuity and the permanence of all the elements instituted by Christ in the Catholic Church[8], in which the Church of Christ is concretely found on this earth. 

It is possible, according to Catholic doctrine, to affirm correctly that the Church of Christ is present and operative in the churches and ecclesial Communities not yet fully in communion with the Catholic Church, on account of the elements of sanctification and truth that are present in them.[9] Nevertheless, the word “subsists” can only be attributed to the Catholic Church alone precisely because it refers to the mark of unity that we profess in the symbols of the faith (I believe… in the “one” Church); and this “one” Church subsists in the Catholic Church.[10] 

If you believe in all your heart in the doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church as defined and redefined in the Second Vatican Council, which I copied above, I hope you will understand me if I believe with all my heart in the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ written even in the official Catholic Bible.

In the above cited Lumen Gentium 8 (I do not want to judge that this is spoken in hypocrisy), it states that: the church of Christ is present and operative in other churches or ecclesiastical communities not yet fully in communion with the Catholic Church…

Christ said:

MATTHEW 12:30 
He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.

How could you say that there is “no salvation outside the Catholic Church” and at the same time, teach, as doctrine, that in other churches not in communion with your church, the Church of Christ is present and operative? Is this a blatant hypocrisy, or a blatant lie?

True biblical love is not double-faced or double-minded.

ROMANS 12:9 
Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.

We must not say that there is no salvation in other churches nor “they do not have the means of salvation” and at the same time appease them by saying that the Church of Christ is operative and present in them — the Holy Scriptures prohibits such hypocrisy.

ROMANS 14:22 
Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.

I am not confusing you with the Iglesia ni Cristo of Felix Manalo (Church of Christ by Felix Manalo) although you have the same erroneous and unbiblical stand. You both judge those outside your church, which is against the Gospel. God is the only one capable of judging those outside the true Church of God. (See image below)

1 CORINTHIANS 5:13 (New International Version) 
God will judge those outside the church…


The history of your church proves that you have unfairly judged the ‘outsiders’. (See reference below)


Perhaps this cruelty is the result of your belief that there is no salvation outside your church.

This belief came to your church and that of Manalo’s church and to other churches founded by man, because of gross ignorance of the Scriptures.

Even those who have not heard the Gospel can be justified by God if they do the “things of the law” written in their hearts.

ROMANS 2:11-15
11 For there is no respect of persons with God.
12 For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;
13 (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.
14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:
15 Which show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another…

God’s justice and compassion can not be limited by man, nor by any church!

Just to give you some things to ponder (which I hope you will welcome), is it true that “This Church, constituted and organised in this world as a society, subsists in the Catholic Church, governed by the successor of Peter and the Bishops in communion with him [7] In number 8 of the Dogmatic Constitution Lumen gentium ‘subsistence’ means this perduring, historical continuity and the permanence of all the elements instituted by Christ in the Catholic Church [8], in which the Church of Christ is concretely found on this earth.”

1. “Governed by the successor of Peter”

Was Peter the successor of Christ? Or Paul?

COLOSSIANS 1:24-25
24 Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you and fill up those things that are wanting of the sufferings of Christ, in my flesh, for his body, which is the church:
25 Whereof I am made a minister according to the dispensation of God, which is given me towards you, that I may fulfil the word of God…

2. ‘subsistence’ means this perduring, historical continuity and the permanence of all the elements

Was there really continuity in the power and succession, as you claim? Here is a document to consider. For eleven years, your church (RCC) was governed by a very notorious pope. What happened to the continuity you are claiming? (See reference below)


I want you to note that this magazine came from inside the Vatican itself. That this pope is “one of the most notorious”, meaning, there were so many of them! Will it be alright if I say that the Roman Catholic Church is not the true Church of God?

May God bless and enlighten you.

23 Comments:

The Fallacy of the Primacy of the Catholic Church

11/10/2018 13 Comments

Salvation Outside The Church

Here is the claim of the former pope, Benedict XVI posted on The Irish Times last July 10, 2007:

“Pope Benedict XVI has reasserted the universal primacy of the Roman Catholic Church, approving a document released Tuesday that says Orthodox churches were defective and that other Christian denominations were not true churches.”

It takes a lot of misguided guts and false courage to claim that your church is the only true church; and those outside it, do not have the “means of salvation” as what the present Roman pontiff claims. Although the Second Vatican Council, which was approved by two of his predecessors, Pope John XXIII and Pope Paul VI, said that the Scriptures or the Holy Bible should guide the theological and the devotional life of the Catholic Church, this seems to be just a camouflage of the erroneous belief of the RCC. Why? The official Bible of the Roman Catholic Church states that:

1 CORINTHIANS 5:13 (Douay-Rheims Version) 
For them that are without, God will judge. Put away the evil one from among yourselves.

Even the most holy of the Roman pontiff (if there be one) does not have any right judging those outside the church, granting (without accepting) that the RCC is the true church. God judges those that are without or outside the church of the Bible.

This claim is highly unscriptural, considering the fact that the RCC has not reached all nations of the world in its almost 2 millennia of existence. Justice and equity call for love and compassion. We do not have the right to judge people with whom we have not yet shared the truth. The apostolic teaching is, those who were not reached by the preaching of the Gospel, but are doing the things contained in the law, even if they have not yet heard the law, they will be justified.

ROMANS 2:11-15 (Douay-Rheims Version)
11 For there is no respect of persons with God.
12 For whosoever have sinned without the law shall perish without the law: and whosoever have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law.
13 For not the hearers of the law are just before God: but the doers of the law shall be justified.
14 For when the Gentiles, who have not the law, do by nature those things that are of the law; these, having not the law, are a law to themselves.
15 Who shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness to them: and their thoughts between themselves accusing or also defending one another…

What is apostolic, is to believe that there is justification (or salvation) for those who, while they have not heard the law, are doing the things contained in the law written by God in their conscience. God is fair, compassionate, and just (not like all the popes in Rome who carelessly judge those outside their church). God can save even those who have no faith.

1 TIMOTHY 4:10 (King James Version) 
For therefore we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those that believe.

Notice the phrase especially of those that believe. God can save even those who are incapable of believing.

Can a child or a babe have faith? Can a moron, a Mongoloid, or a mentally retarded believe?

HEBREWS 5:13 (King James Version) 
For every one that useth milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.

But God can definitely save them — even if they do not join the Catholic Church. In fact, the very recent findings (but very much delayed biblically) of the International Theological Commission (ITC) said that babies who died without baptism will go to heaven, thus, belying the centuries-old erroneous, non-apostolic and non-biblical belief in limbo. This pope is certainly not of a sound memory. He forgot the most famous and influential product of the Second Vatican Council (Lumen Gentium 8).


Are babies born of Jewish and non-Christian parents qualified to enter heaven? If they are, then they are not members of the Catholic Church; so, the conclusion of the pope that outside the RCC has “no means of salvation” is false! God has it, because He is the only qualified judge and not anybody else outside of The True Church, which certainly is not the Roman Catholic Church, because its teachings are not apostolic.

If the teachings of a church are apostolic, they must conform with the most fundamental apostolic teachings in the Bible. They must be written in apostolic epistles or books. We must learn them directly from the writings of the apostles!

1 CORINTHIANS 4:6 (Douay-Rheims Version) 
But these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollo, for your sakes: that in us you may learn that one be not puffed up against the other for another, above that which is written.

Accepting any teachings not written by the apostles, like limbo and purgatory, is being non-apostolic!

1 CORINTHIANS 5:13 (Douay-Rheims Version) 
For them that are without, God will judge…

Remember, God will judge and not the pope!

So, is the statement of Pope Benedict XVI, that other Christians outside the Roman Catholic Church are not true Christians, biblically correct? I vehemently disagree!

We will prove in another article that Catholicism is not Christianity.

God Bless.

13 Comments:

Limbo: A Catholic Invented Doctrine

11/02/2018 7 Comments

The Catholic Doctrine Limbo Is a Lie

Good afternoon, 

Bro. Eli, I’m a Catholic. I just would like to be enlightened on what verse(s) in the Bible can you find the place where the soul of dead people go until such time that the day of judgment comes. Is it true that if a person dies suddenly his/her soul still haunts the area where he/she died? Is it true that their souls stay here for the first 40 days after death? 

Thank You Very Much. 

Cherry Atienza 

pieatienza@yahoo.com

 Dear Cherry,

Welcome to my website!

I would be very glad to answer your question using the Bible as the basis, because it is where the word of God is recorded. But in a corner of my mind, I feel sad and sorry for your question because I can perceive that so many Catholics like you are lost in their belief not because they are hard-headed people, but because they are being deprived by their priest of the proper knowledge due them.

JEREMIAH 23:30 
Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, saith the LORD, that steal my words every one from his neighbor.

A teacher or a preacher must teach the entire truth of God available in the Bible for the salvation of man. The danger of being deprived of wisdom and understanding may result to destruction.

HOSEA 4:6 
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.

It is God’s commandment, and the primary responsibility of a preacher, to make known unto His people the word of God.

JEREMIAH 26:2 
Thus saith the LORD; Stand in the court of the LORD’s house, and speak unto all the cities of Judah, which come to worship in the LORD’s house, all the words that I command thee to speak unto them; diminish not a word…

The fact that not only a word but an entire doctrine is not being taught to you by your priests aggravates their negligence and your chances of being lost.

ROMANS 11:25 
For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in.

History and documents testify to the inability of Catholic authorities to teach the truth to about a billion adherents of the Catholic Church. For so many centuries, Catholic authorities, from the pope to the parish priest, made people believe that there is a limbo; where souls of unbaptized children go if in any case they die.

I know you are using a computer — maybe a laptop. May I help you through your computer find the truth. You can search the entire Bible looking for the word ‘limbo’ in less than 15 seconds. Limbo is not a teaching of the Lord Jesus Christ, neither it is apostolic, because it is not in the Bible but only an ‘invention’ of Catholic priests.

ECCLESIASTES 7:29 
Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.

These inventions are also called in the Bible as fables.

2 TIMOTHY 4:3-4
3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.


Millions of Catholics have died in the past believing that there is such a gory place called limbo: But now, to the surprise of the world, the present pope discarded the doctrine of limbo and threw it into the vault of oblivion in the Vatican City. 

Souls of unbaptized children go to limbo and souls of grown ups go to purgatory. You must not be surprised if someday you will wake up to know that the Pope is also discarding the doctrine of purgatory. After all, it is not in the Bible, not even the slightest idea about it.

But where do souls go after death? Will they linger for forty days near the place where they died and hunt for anything? Let us consult the word of God.

ECCLESIASTES 9:5-6
5 For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.
6 Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion forever in any thing that is done under the sun.

After the death of our physical body even our memory and emotions do perish. A dead man can do nothing.

ECCLESIASTES 9:10 
Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.

The spirit returns to God and the dust returns to dust.

ECCLESIASTES 12:7 
Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

This is so if the one who died is a godly man, his spirit will return to God, but if a man is wicked, then his spirit is imprisoned until judgment day.

1 PETER 3:19-20
19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;
20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.

What about the soul?

JOB 12:10 
In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.

This gives us peace of mind for we know that the souls of our dearly departed are in the hands of God. A vision was seen by John wherein the souls of murdered Christians were asking for God’s justice, but God told them that the time of vengeance has not yet come, and said, they should rest for some more time until judgment day.

REVELATION 6:9-11
9 And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:
10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?
11 And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellow servants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.

Can there be any part of your being that will linger on earth or return to your house and stay for 40 days? None!  

JOB 7:9-10
9 As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away: so he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more.
10 He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him any more.

The CBCP (Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines — the largest Catholic country in Asia) said that the soul of a departed relative may visit their former dwelling place and relatives, and even advised their loved ones to listen to their message, which is an utter rejection and defiance of the Biblical teachings of God. God prohibits the living to consult the dead. It is an abomination in His sight.  


DEUTERONOMY 18:10-12 
Don’t sacrifice your children in the fires on your altars; and don’t let your people practice divination or look for omens or use spells or charms, and don’t let them consult the spirits of the dead. The LORD your God hates people who do these disgusting things, and that is why he is driving those nations out of the land as you advance. (Good News Bible translated with permission by Catholic authorities. The complete Bible has the imprimatur of John Francis Whealon, Archbishop of Hartford.)

I want you to think about this, if there really is a purgatory, how can they visit their former dwelling place and loved ones? The truth is that they will be in God’s hands until the resurrection. What will happen in the resurrection?

DANIEL 12:2
And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

EZEKIEL 37:4-6
4 Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD.
5 Thus saith the Lord GOD unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live:
6 And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am the LORD.

Nobody can escape God’s judgment; the dead will be resurrected to face the judgement seat of God.

REVELATION 20:11-12
11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

God Bless.

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