How I Interpret Revelation

Futurism

I believe that most of the events written in Revelation is going to happen in the future. This view is called futurism. Futurists divide Revelation into three groups...

1. "What you have seen” Revelation 1 has John’s vision of the risen Christ.

2   2. “What is now” Revelation 2 and 3 which has the letters to the seven churches describing the present.

3   3. "What will take place later” Revelation 4 through 22 this is describing the future.

Most futurists believe in Dispensation premillennialism. I believe in Dispensation premillennialism as well.

Dispensational Premillennialism

Dispensational Premillennialists like me believe in many things.

·         The tribulation will last for 7 years.

·         Jesus comes back after the tribulation

·         Christians persecuted during the tribulation

·         During the tribulation many Jewish people will turn to Christ

·         Christ’s return and the rapture are separate events

·         When Jesus comes back he rules during a thousand year millennium

·         The second coming of Jesus is after the great tribulation

·         The reference of Israel in Revelation is referencing the nation of Israel

There are a few verses to for all of this…

• ·         Revelation 3:10
• ·         Genesis 15:2-21
• ·         Church is not specifically mentioned. Revelation 4 through 19

All of this is what I believe in and how I interpret Revelation.

Who, What, Where and How's

The Creation

If I were talking to someone about Christ I would try to push aside that major anxiety that I might say something wrong I mean if I do I could completely screw up that persons future relationship with God. Obviously you would have to start with Genesis and creation. The very beginning.

Day One

God first created the heavens and the Earth. God then created light and darkness. The light was day, the darkness was called night.

Day Two

God creates the sky. The sky forms a barrier between water upon the surface and the moisture in the air. At this point earth would have an atmosphere.

Day Three

God creates dry land. Continents and islands are above the water. The large bodies of water are named “seas” and the ground is named “land.”

On this same day he creates a diverse range of plant light.

Day Four

God creates all the stars and heavenly bodies. The movement of these will help man track time. Two great heavenly bodies are made in relation to the earth. The first is the sun which is the primary source of light and the moon which reflects the light of the sun. The movement of these bodies will distinguish day from night. 

Day Five

God creates all life that lives in the water. Any life of any kind that lives in the water is made at this point. God also makes all the birds. The language allows that this may be the time God made flying insects as well (or, if not, they were made on day six). All of these creatures are made with the ability to perpetuate their species by reproduction.

Day Six

God creates all the creatures that live on dry land. This includes every type of creature not included on previous days. He also creates man and woman and gives him authority over the land and animals.

Day Seven

Day two

God rests.

Day one

Day three

Day three

Day four

Day five

Day six

Day six

The Fall

It wasn't good forever though because Satan tempted Eve and she ended up eating from the tree of The Knowledge of Good and Evil. This was the Fall of man caused by Adam and Eve. They were banished from the garden forever and man would now be a sinful creature.

Jesus

Jesus was sent down to Earth and was born of a virgin named Mary. He then died on a cross for our sins and rose again after three days.

Crucifixion 

Virgin birth

Resurrection

Questions 

Q: Why does God let bad things happen?

A:  This is a very difficult question to answer. This question is probably as old as religion itself. It is a stumbling block for some of us, and for many more at given moments of tragedy. There are as many answers to this question as there are people who care to engage in theological dialogue. One understanding is that yes, God allows "bad" things to happen; God does not cause them to happen.

Most "bad" things which happen do so because God gives a radical freedom to God's people; we are free people, not puppets on a string. So the answer simply would be.. free will.

Q: If God loves everyone why does he send people to hell?

A: God doesn't send people to Hell. They send themselves to hell. God has done everything he can do to try to keep people out of Hell and still leave them as people with free will and not just a robot. That's the way He made us--after His image, after His likeness, the power to say “yes” or the power to say “no,” but that also makes us have the power to reject him and face the consequences.

Q: Where is God?

A: God is everywhere sometimes we can't feel him but he's still there. 

Q: Why did God create humanity if he knew that people would hate, or not believe in him?

A: Because he made free will so they have a choice if they believe or not.

Q: Since people fall short of God why doesn't he just send us all to hell? 

A: Well as it is said in the bible God is a God of mercy and love and understanding. He loves us we are his children but we have free will. We can choose not to believe or we can choose to believe.  That determines God's judgment and where we end up in the end.

Q: What is hell? Why is there a hell?

A: Hell is where people who do not believe go. And not to sound cliche but where the bad people go. And where Satan lives.

A depiction of hell

Q: What is sin? 

A: Violations of God's laws and rules.

Q: What are God's laws and rules? 

A: There are so many that if I were you I would go and just read throughout the bible.

Q: Why did Jesus have to die?

A: The reason Jesus had to die for our sins was so that we could be forgiven and go to be with the Lord.

Q: Why would Jesus come back for sinners? 

A: Because Jesus's purpose was to come and die for and save the sinners.

Q: What is the trinity? 

A: Theres are three parts of the trinity, God the Father, God the Son, and God the spirit. This is all describing God. 

God the father is the first person of the trinity God as the creator and supreme authority. God the Son is God in human form. Jesus is God the Son.

God the Spirit is not a vague shadow, nor an impersonal force. He is a person equal to God the Father and God the Son

Q: Who is Satan?

A: Satan is an angel who fell from his position in heaven due to sin and is now completely opposed to God, doing all in his power to stop all of God's purposes. This got him and the angels who followed him cast out of heaven.

A depiction of Satan

Q: Why not just kill Satan? 

A: Well Satan started out just asking questions to attack God's character. It wouldn't be fair to kill someone for just asking questions. Another thought is had done that people would have started worshiping him out of fear and God didn't want that.

Q: Is Jesus a man or a God?

A: Both. He is fully God and fully man. He is one person with a divine nature and a human nature.

How is Jesus a God?

He has all the attributes of God... He knows everything, he is all powerful, he is everywhere and he never ceases to exist. 

How is Jesus a God?

He was born a baby from a human mother. Jesus became hungry and thirsty as well as weary. Jesus also experienced human emotions. He lived on Earth as we do.

Q: How can a God die?

A: Jesus was a God and a man. He was a God in bodily form and therefore can bleed and can die. 

So, in conclusion this is how I would try to explain the questions of a non-believer.

Money and the Bible

What the Bible says about money

 Look here, you rich people: Weep and groan with anguish because of all the terrible troubles ahead of you. 2 Your wealth is rotting away, and your fine clothes are moth-eaten rags. 3 Your gold and silver are corroded. The very wealth you were counting on will eat away your flesh like fire. This corroded treasure you have hoarded will testify against you on the day of judgment.4 For listen! Hear the cries of the field workers whom you have cheated of their pay. The cries of those who harvest your fields have reached the ears of theLord of Heaven’s Armies.

5 You have spent your years on earth in luxury, satisfying your every desire. You have fattened yourselves for the day of slaughter. 6 You have condemned and killed innocent people,[a] who do not resist you.    

James 5:1-6

    This is not saying all wealthy people are going to hell. It is saying that if you are rich and you use your money for yourself only. Then that would be a sin. But not just being a wealthy person. It all depends on your heart.  

What I Believe

I believe wholeheartedly  that God loves the wealthy and the rich. He knows our heart and that being wealthy it all depends on who you are as a person. You should not be greedy and spend all the money on yourself. But God does not want you to be dirt poor either. What I mean is God is not going to condemn people for making the right choices in life. If someone is a leader in a church a good family man  and shows God’s love to others but he is also a CEO of a big powerful company. Does that mean the man is going to hell and not heaven? What do you think? I know from experience some parts of the bible are hard to interpret. But it is important that we interpret this correctly. But you can decide for yourself… But to try to help I have included some verses below.

Ephesians 5:5

Luke 12:15

Matthew 6:19-24

Acts 2:42-47

  

    

             In my church we elect elders and deacons. They hire our pastor who is apart of staff at the church.

            The highest position in my church is elder. Then it goes to pastor then to deacon then the congregation. The following is instructions the bible gives each.

Elders

( Cecil Peterman, Ed Neds, Ron Smith and Alex Myers)

We currently have 4 elected elders in my church. The following verse gives the first two instructions for elders….

2 Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly—not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God. 3 Don’t lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by your own good example. 1 Peter 5:2-3

1. They must shepherd the flock.  (1 Peter 5:2) The elders in my church are always willing to lend some advice and give guidance.

2. They watch out for their congregation.  A rule also shown in the verse 1 Peter 5:2. The elders in my church show this by how much they look out for us and take care of us by doing things that may seem pointless at the time. Such as trying to keep the peace when there is a dispute.

3. They must live as examples.  (1 Peter 5:3) I know very well that the elders in  my church are perfect role models and lead by example.

14 Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. James 5:14

4. Anoint and pray over the sick.  (James 5:14) They might not anoint people but I do know that elders in my church have visited and prayed for sick members of the congregation.

17 Elders who do their work well should be respected and paid well,[a] especially those who work hard at both preaching and teaching. 1 Tim. 5:17

5. They are supposed to teach. (1 Tim. 5:17) The elders in my church sometimes speak before communion or offering. Or preach a sermon if the pastor cannot make it.

2 Paul and Barnabas disagreed with them, arguing vehemently. Finally, the church decided to send Paul and Barnabas to Jerusalem, accompanied by some local believers, to talk to the apostles and elders about this question. Acts 15:2

6. They must act as judges. (Acts 15:2) Just in the example given in Acts the elders in my church are burdened by having to make very big decisions. They should be highly respected. I’m sure its not easy I mean you can’t please everyone

Pastors

(Terry Rhoads)

We have one pastor at my church. My pastor is an amazing man. Though a little old fashioned in my point of view he’s a truly amazing leader.

5 I left you on the island of Crete so you could complete our work there and appoint elders in each town as I instructed you. 6 An elder must live a blameless life. He must be faithful to his wife,[a] and his children must be believers who don’t have a reputation for being wild or rebellious. 7 An elder[b]is a manager of God’s household, so he must live a blameless life. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered; he must not be a heavy drinker,[c] violent, or dishonest with money. 8 Rather, he must enjoy having guests in his home, and he must love what is good. He must live wisely and be just. He must live a devout and disciplined life. 9 He must have a strong belief in the trustworthy message he was taught; then he will be able to encourage others with wholesome teaching and show those who oppose it where they are wrong. Titus 1:5-9

Basically to me I see pastors as just being another kind of elder. At least that’s how it is in my church. In my church the preacher is like a part of the staff of the church but he is also an elder. He is only slightly below the elders because they have the power to hire and fire him.

Deacons

(Unknown)

In my church we have at least 6 deacons. They are voted in by the congregation just like the elders.

8 In the same way, deacons must be well respected and have integrity. They must not be heavy drinkers or dishonest with money. 9 They must be committed to the mystery of the faith now revealed and must live with a clear conscience. 10 Before they are appointed as deacons, let them be closely examined. If they pass the test, then let them serve as deacons. 11 In the same way, their wives[a] must be respected and must not slander others. They must exercise self-control and be faithful in everything they do. 12 A deacon must be faithful to his wife, and he must manage his children and household well. 13 Those who do well as deacons will be rewarded with respect from others and will have increased confidence in their faith in Christ Jesus. 1 Tim. 3:8-13

Deacons have just about the same rules as elders but there job is different. Deacons are put over the different jobs that elders don’t do. Some examples may be… ministry, building, finances and budget, outreach and some others that have escaped my mind right now. The word deacon actually comes from the word servant. But in my church I am sure that nothing would work right without the deacons.

Congregation

Then of course you have the congregation cause lets face it you can’t have a church without a congregation.

Conclusion

This is how my church structure works it goes from elders to the pastor to the deacons to the congregation. To illustrate I have a diagram.

If you have any comments please feel free to leave them below.

    As far as predestination itself I do think god predestines us in a since he knows who we will become but I don't believe he like shuns people. But there are something's in Calvinism that I do not believe in. To describe what I believe I'm going to use T.U.L.I.P.

Total deprivation

I do believe that everyone is born with a sinful nature and in the fact that we can do no good without god. 

Unconditional Election

I do believe that God chooses us and we don't deserve it. 

Limited Atonement

I do not believe that Jesus only died for some people I believe he died for EVERYONE because he loves everyone. I don't believe he sits in heaven going I love you but not you I love you oh but not you.

Irresistible Grace

I do believe God knows what I like but I also believe humans are stubborn and could deny him no matter what.

Preservation of the Saints 

I do not believe in this. Reason being like I said before humans are stubborn and we could push god away.


This is what I do and don't believe about Calvinism and predestination. Comment below if you want to give me some feedback.

Authority

I believe the most applicable for not only our school but everywhere is the exhortation on authority. This is Romans 13:1-7. Before I get into how this applies to our school I want to explain this section first.

Romans 13:1-7 goes on to talk about how we should obey the authorities we have over us. One example given was the government. Yeah I know that might be a little difficult. But God wants us to obey our authorities that are in charge of us. And he wants us to obey the laws put in place.

This also needs to be used at school too. Our teachers deserve our respect and we need to respect their authority even if it means bad news bears for us. We need to show them we respect their authority by listening and paying attention during class that is my challenge to you.

The next place authority should be respected is the church. You need to respect your elders and decons and especially the pastor. Even if you feel the urge to fall asleep during church don’t do it. Or if a decon or elder makes up their mind on something you don’t like don’t throw a fit about it just talk to them.

These are my applications and challenges to ALL  of you.

I'm going to try to get deeper in this topic instead of just trying to slide by. Even if it means getting a little off topic. But as many of the people reading this post knows that's what a good discussion has... tangents.

Now starting off on topic though... Romans. I am starting with chapter 3. So, Romans 3-10 it touched on a lot of different points which made me feel overwhelmed so I broke it down.

Romans 3

• Everyone is a sinner but because Jesus died for us we don't have the punishment of death

Romans 4

• God declares us "not guilty"

Romans 5

• The holy spirit helps us become more like Jesus

Romans 6

• Sin has no power

Romans 7

• We are  to obey God's laws even if it means breaking other laws ( but don't steal from Casey's and say God told you to)
• All humans struggle with sin

Romans 8

• God will make us all brand new in heaven

Romans 9

• God chooses people for specific purposes

Romans 10

• Salvation is for everyone!

Two of these I want to go into detail with and try to explain. The one I think would be the hardest to explain and the one that would be the easiest to accept. 

Explanations

I believe trying to explain that sin has no power may be the hardest. Imagine if your talking to someone who struggles or has struggled with lust or drugs. Those sinful things had or have a lot of power over their lives. How do  you just explain how that have no power.

I believe the easiest to accept is the fact that God has a purpose for everyone. This being because everyone wants to be needed. So telling someone God has a purpose for them most likely they're going to cling to that.

Conclusions

I hope I did good at explaining things that I have an opinion on today. Below I have a link to an "I Am Second" video you should check out. 

A Purpose in Life

The Death Thing

Death... A topic not many people feel comfortable talking about. But we all end up dying at some point unless we are lucky enough to still be here when Jesus returns. But were not discussing resurrecting we are discussing death what is believed about it in Christianity and in other religions too.

As Christians we believe that when we die we go to heaven to be with The Lord. But in other religions people believe in reincarnation. That's basically when you die you come back as something else. Sound kind of crazy huh?

Now atheists believe wen you die you die. Your dead your gone your "worm food" YUCK! But who would want to believe that? Wouldn't that be scary knowing when you die that's it?

Now I want to know what you think about death? I didn't write much but maybe you have some good insights you could share in the comments.

        As a teenager it can be very hard to understand some things the bible says. I  know I have many questions when it comes to 3 key topics.

• Sex *pausing for uncomfortable and nervous giggles*.
• Marriage
• Being single

      12 "Everything is permissible for me"--but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible for me"--but I will not be mastered by anything. 13 "Food for the stomach and the stomach for food"--but God will destroy them both. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. 14 By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also. 15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never! 16 Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, "The two will become one flesh." 17 But he who unites himself with the Lord is one with him in spirit. 18 Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. 19 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.   


        Sex the only word that can make a teenager flee faster than if they were being chased by a flesh eating monster. Obviously as you just read in the following passage from 1 Corinthians you should not be sexual immoral. But what exactly does that mean? What if I screw up? Will God still love me? But I have faith that as Christian children we have an advantage to knowing there's a greater love then that. A great person we can be one body with who will show us the truth and we can live with for  eternity in heaven. The one who never stops loving us. 


Now American culture is a whole other story. There are kids who are having sex at only 12 years old! People are saying it's normal to experiment with porn. If that's the case then why not experiment with drugs? Or hey here's a beer why don't you go ahead hop in the car go for a little drive while your at it!? Seriously culture is saying sex is ok. If you love each other you can have sex its ok. They also say being gay is ok. But as Christians we know that's not the case.

To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband.  11 But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife.

The majority of things I have questions about has to deal with divorce. Obviously if a man was beating on his wife she could leave him. Right? You are supposed to work it out if you can. But what if they cheat on you again and again and again? What happens then?

As Christians we get divorced as a last resort. But in American culture we have people getting divorced with the claim that they "fell out of love" or that they "married the wrong person".  Here is a very clear difference between Christians and non-Christians. But it is far from the only difference.

Sometimes I wish everyone were single like me—a simpler life in many ways! But celibacy is not for everyone any more than marriage is. God gives the gift of the single life to some, the gift of the married life to others.

^8-9 I do, though, tell the unmarried and widows that singleness might well be the best thing for them, as it has been for me. But if they can’t manage their desires and emotions, they should by all means go ahead and get married. The difficulties of marriage are preferable by far to a sexually tortured life as a single.




As Christians we believe it is fine to be single just as Paul says. But culture today says your weird if you don't date when your a teenager. They act like its taboo. I once walked up and was talking to a girl who looked around my age and when I told her I didn't have a boyfriend and I've  never been on an actual date she looked at me like I had 2 heads but I didn't care I know that being single for now until I find the right person to try to date is fine.

                                                       

Now as a closing I'd like to show how these three key topics are related....






Sex is something intimate that as Christian we wait to have when the time comes for Marriage.
Marriage is when we find the right person and will never be Single again.