Plato or Paul- Whom Will You Believe?

"Furthermore, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and gathered fish of every kind. When it was filled, they dragged it up on the shore, and they sat down and gathered the good fish into containers, but the bad they threw away. So, it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the wicked from the midst of the righteous and will throw them into the furnace of fire where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

So... if Jesus says the wicked will be thrown into the furnace of fire at the end of the age, where did you get the idea that when a wicked person dies, their "soul" immediately leaves their body and goes to "hell"? Where, for that matter, did you get the idea that a believer's "soul" immediately goes to heaven upon their death?

Is it possible that you have bought into the Platonic influence as the church did in the third century? Do you believe that man has a body that contains a soul or that the soul is the entire man? At death, does that soul pop out of the body and float away somewhere, awaiting the second coming? If so, what is the purpose of the bodily resurrection when Christ returns? You know, "the dead in Christ will rise first." Are you trapped into believing that the disembodied soul waits in heaven or hell only to be reunited with the resurrected body when it is raised? You will not find that anywhere in the scripture, so why would you believe it? Because that is what your Bishops told you?

"The far-reaching effects of Greek philosophy on the Christian faith are described also by G.A.F. Knight in his book, Law and Grace (pp. 78, 19):

“Many people today, even believing people, are far from understanding the basis of their faith… quite unwittingly they depend upon the philosophy of the Greeks rather than upon the Word of God for an understanding of the world live in! An instance of this is the prevailing belief amongst Christians in the immortality of the soul. Many believers despair of this world; they despair of any meaning in a world where suffering and frustration seemed to rule. And so they look for release for their souls from the weight of the flesh, and they hope for an entry into the “world of the spirit,” as they call it, a place where their souls will find blessedness they cannot discover in the flesh… The Old Testament, which was of course the Scriptures of the early church, has no word at all for the modern or ancient Greek idea of “soul.” We have no right to read this modern word into Saint Paul's Greek word psyche, for by it he was not expressing what Plato had meant by the word; he was expressing what Isaiah and what Jesus meant by it… there is one thing sure we can say at this point and that is that the popular doctrine of the soul's immortality cannot be traced back to a Biblical teaching.”

It remains an astonishing fact that the messages of comfort heard constantly at Funeral services in which the souls of the departed are said to be already in heaven reaffirm a central tenet of Greek philosophy which cannot truthfully be called Christian at all.” (Sir Anthony Buzzard- What Happens When We Die?)

WIND PORTALS IN ANTARCTICA & THE FOUR WINDS OF THE BIBLE

The Source of Your Anger?

 

"This "blog" is a bunch of gossip and lies."

JTO drive-by commenter shows up with the wisdom of a blind sheep:

"no one in ROCOR cares about your opinions. This "blog" is a bunch of gossip and lies."

Tell that to the victims of ROCOR clergy. I have no patience for defenders of the wolves who destroy the innocent...like you, commenter. The victims have names and faces. 

Commenter, have you read Rape and the Holy Man? Have you read the testimony of the son-in-law of FMW who in writing said he had reported FMW's conduct to Bishop Nicholas as early as 2019? You have no credibility and no one "cares about your opinions".

A Blast Is Coming, ROCOR

ROCOR, do you not fear the Lord Your God? You have sinned against Yahweh. Be sure your sin will find you out. You have invited, fed, clothed, and protected the sexually deviant wolves who devour God's people. Do not be deceived: God is not mocked; for whatever a person sows, that will he also reap. WATCH what the Lord does!

ROCOR BISHOPS

"Your own wickedness will correct you, and your backsliding will reprove you. Know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and a bitter one, that you have forsaken Yahweh your God and that my fear is not in you, says the Lord Yahweh of Armies. 

According to what I have seen, those who plow iniquity and sow trouble reap the same. By the breath of God they perish. By the blast of his anger are they consumed.

Have you not known? Have you not heard? Have you not been told from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth? It is he who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain and spreads them out like a tent to live in; who brings rulers to nothing, who makes the judges of the earth nothing at all. They are barely planted; they are barely sown, their trunk has barely taken root in the ground when he blows on them and they wither and the whirlwind takes them away as stubble.

Many shepherds have destroyed my vineyard, they have trampled my portion under foot, they have made my pleasant portion a desolate wilderness. They have made it a desolation; it mourns to me, being desolate; the whole land is made desolate because no man lays it to heart.” Destroyers have come on all the bare heights in the wilderness, for the sword of Yahweh devours from the one end of the land even to the other end of the land: no flesh has peace. They have sown wheat and have reaped thorns; they have tired themselves out but profit nothing. And you will be ashamed of your harvests, because of the fierce anger of Yahweh.

For they sow the wind, and they will reap the whirlwind."

Questioning the Trinity

By Leicester Westleigh 

Questioning the Trinity

The doctrine of the Trinity is one of the most widely held beliefs in mainstream Christianity. Ask most believers, and they will affirm it without hesitation: God is one, yet three persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—co-equal, co-eternal, and of one essence. But ask for an explanation, and things get complicated.

Many who advocate for the Trinity find themselves in a difficult position when challenged to articulate it. They believe it because they have been told it is true, not necessarily because they have examined the Scriptures and reached that conclusion themselves. This can often result in a kind of intellectual retreat—a “foetal position” response—where believers acknowledge they can’t explain it, but insist it must be accepted on faith.

But why does this happen? Why do those who firmly hold to this doctrine struggle to explain it? And what does this say about the doctrine itself?

The Common Response: “It’s a Mystery”

One of the most frequent defenses of the Trinity is that it is beyond human understanding. “It’s a mystery,” people say. “We aren’t meant to fully comprehend it.”

While there’s no question that some aspects of God’s nature may be beyond human grasp, this reasoning raises a key concern: If God wants us to know Him, why would He define Himself in a way that is impossible to explain? The Bible consistently portrays God as desiring to be understood. Scripture is full of passages that describe His character, His purpose, and His expectations in clear and straightforward terms. The message of salvation is simple enough for a child to grasp. So why, when it comes to the nature of God Himself, should we accept a doctrine that is so confusing that even its strongest proponents admit they don’t understand it?

Deflection Tactics and False Psychology

Because the Trinity is difficult to explain, discussions about it often take on a defensive tone. Those who challenge it are frequently met with responses designed to shift the focus away from the question itself.

For example:

Appeal to Church Authority: “This is what the church has always taught, so who are we to question it?”
Emotional Deflection: “Are you saying all the great theologians throughout history were wrong?”
Intimidation by Complexity: “You just don’t understand theology well enough to grasp it.”
Shaming the Questioner: “Denying the Trinity is heresy. You’re treading dangerous ground.”

These tactics reveal something important: Many who believe in the Trinity are uncomfortable discussing it at a theological level. If the doctrine were clear and biblically straightforward, there would be no need for such evasive strategies. The very fact that these deflections exist suggests that, deep down, many believers recognize the difficulty—but instead of questioning the doctrine, they retreat into positions that protect them from having to think about it too deeply.

The Clarity of a Biblical Unitarian View

In contrast, the Christadelphian (or broader biblical unitarian) perspective presents a straightforward, consistent understanding of God:

God is one individual being, the Father (Deuteronomy 6:4, 1 Corinthians 8:6).
Jesus is the Son of God, not God Himself (Luke 1:35, John 20:17).
The Holy Spirit is not a separate person but the power of God at work (Luke 1:35, Acts 2:17-18).

This perspective does not require intellectual gymnastics or theological paradoxes. It aligns with the way God speaks of Himself throughout the Bible and avoids the need for appeals to mystery or tradition.

Why This Matters

Some may argue that this is just a theological debate that doesn’t impact day-to-day faith. But understanding God’s true nature is not a trivial issue. It affects how we relate to Him, how we pray, and how we understand the role of Jesus.

The Trinitarian position requires believers to accept something that they cannot fully explain—something that was not clearly taught by Jesus or the apostles but instead developed over centuries of church councils and philosophical debates. In contrast, a biblical unitarian understanding allows believers to read the Bible and simply take God at His word without theological complexity or contradiction.

So, the question is this: Should we accept a doctrine simply because we’ve been told to, even if it doesn’t make sense? Or should we be willing to examine Scripture for ourselves, asking whether God has truly revealed Himself in a way that requires no confusion or mystery?

A Call to Re-examine Beliefs

If you’ve ever felt uneasy about the Trinity but were told that questioning it was dangerous or heretical, you’re not alone. Many sincere believers have struggled with it. But God invites us to seek Him with an open heart and mind (Acts 17:11, Proverbs 2:3-5). Faith should be built on conviction, not fear—on understanding, not blind acceptance.

So perhaps the real question isn’t whether the Trinity can be explained—but whether it was ever meant to be believed in the first place.

"There is ONE GOD- the Father..."

1 Corinthians 8:4-6

Therefore, concerning the eating of things sacrificed to idols, we know that “no idol in the world really exists,” and that “there is no God but one.” For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”), yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things, and we are for him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we are through him.

"This verse clearly distinguishes between Jesus and God. There is one God and Father, and there is one man, Jesus, who is our “Lord.” This verse shows how God and Jesus work in unity to get the Church what it needs. God gave Jesus all authority and made him head over the Church, so now we get what we need “through” Jesus. Some Trinitarians say that this verse supports the doctrine of the Trinity because it says that all things came through Jesus Christ. But what the verse actually says is that all things came “from” God, “through” Jesus. That stands in contradiction to Trinitarian doctrine because it places Jesus in a subordinate role to God. According to this verse, Jesus is not “co-equal” with the Father; the Father is “God” and the ultimate source of all things, and Jesus is not called “God.” [REV Commentary]

This is no "mystery."

Christ Before Creeds

THE BOOK: "Just when you thought you knew who Jesus was, along comes a book like this to profoundly challenge and wonderfully inspire. Most Christians are unaware of how different their Western worldview is from those who wrote the original accounts of Jesus’ life. Pastor Jeff Deuble issues a clarion call to prioritize biblical testimony over the later church creeds that were influenced by Greek philosophical thinking, so as to rediscover simple, uncluttered Christianity.

Meticulously presenting information from biblical, historical, Jewish, and Christian sources about how the early followers of Christ thought about him, this book promises new insight and an enriched understanding of Christ’s identity. More than informative, Christ Before Creeds is an invitation to examine the identity of Jesus the Messiah, engaging with respect and grace."

Click Photo To Order

The Summary Argument: "The Bible declares why Jesus is unique in so many ways--the perfect reflection he is of God, the special place he holds in God's heart and purposes for the world, the ideal example he is of how we are meant to live and what we are destined to be.

By God's Spirit, Jesus was divinely chosen, conceived, and commissioned; divinely anointed and appointed, authorized and authenticated, empowered and endowed, infused and inspired. He was totally surrendered and submissive to the Father so that he could fully represent and reflect God's heart, character, and purposes, his will, and his word.

Therefore, God has glorified him above all, giving him a name above every name (Phil 2:9-11), conferring on him a kingdom (Luke 22:29) and everlasting glory forever and ever (Rev. 5:11-14). Through faith in Jesus Christ, his God and Father can be our God and Father, too (John 20:17, 31), and in him we are positioned and destined to enter into his inheritance, his future and fullness (Rom. 8:16-17). 

The Bible teaches that this Jesus came in the flesh as a human being. He was born and lived as a man: completely human. He is not a Gnostic or Trinitarian Jesus with a composite nature, a humanity compromised or compartmentalized by his deity.

Such a Jesus would not be genuinely and authentically human. Hence, he could not be truly mortal, tempted and tested, perfected, capable of completely identifying and sympathizing with us. He would be less fully the model, mediator, pioneer, perfector, brother, and High Priest that the Bible declares him to be." [Chapter 6 Page 125 Christ Before Creeds]

Other books: All Books - BiblicalUnitarian.com

Commenter Offers Some Go-To Trinitarian Verses

A commenter offered some go-to verses presumably to prove that Jesus is God, in the article "A Man, Christ Jesus."

Keeping in mind that up to 7000 times Yahweh/God is called ONE/ALONE/NO OTHER in scripture and keeping in mind that less that 10 times in scripture the word god/God is used in reference to Yeshua, and keeping in mind that the word god/God is also used in reference to angels and divine beings, humans in positions of authority, false gods and idols, and satan, a thorough theological study would consider that these references to "god/God" illustrate the diverse usage of the term "god" or "gods" in scripture. Thorough study would consider the context of the usage and honest study would not use a few scriptures to develop an entire doctrine that was not codified until about six hundred years after the birth of the Church.

If you are willing to start an honest study on the subject of the Trinity, here are the verses shared by the commenter and the commentary on each verse (from the REV):

Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? He that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, show us the Father? John 14:9 KJV

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Matthew 28:19 KJV

I and my Father are one. John 10:30 KJV

But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him. John 10:38 KJV

But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. John 14:26 KJV

REV Commentary

“Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.” The consistent theme throughout the book of John is that Jesus reveals God the Father to the world (John 1:18; 9:3; 14:9; 15:15; 17:6, 26). This simple truth demonstrates that Jesus is someone different from God. Many Trinitarians or Oneness believers see equivalence between Jesus and God in the Gospel of John, however, the author seeks to show how Jesus reveals the Father, not how Jesus is the Father. Knowing this helps the reader understand what Jesus means by phrases like, “whoever has seen me has seen the Father,” (John 14:9) and “I am in union with the Father and the Father is in union with me” (John 14:11). Neither of these phrases states that Jesus is the Father, nor should they be understood that way. Rather, these verses, when properly seen in light of the rest of the Gospel, demonstrate that God was working so powerfully through Jesus and Jesus was demonstrating God’s character so clearly that when one looked at Jesus, it was as if you were looking at the Father. This concept is not too difficult to grasp, as we use language similar to this in our modern culture. For instance, if a son is displaying a characteristic similar to his father (named Jim), we might say, ‘You’re just like your Dad,’ or, ‘Jim, is that you?’ or, ‘I see your Dad in you.’ No one takes that to mean the son literally is Jim, but that he resembles Jim in some ways. This is how we should understand Jesus’ statements of his similarity with his Father. Jesus never intends to teach that he is his Father, because he sees God his Father as someone different from himself (John 10:29; 14:28; 20:17), and he reveals his Father clearly through his works and teachings (John 14:10). This phrase in John 14:9 is also very helpful for understanding what Thomas may have meant in John 20:28 when he said to Jesus, “My Lord and my God.” Since Jesus taught Thomas here in John 14:9 that, “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father,” this is likely what Thomas was finally realizing in John 20:28. He was not realizing that Jesus was the Father, as Jesus had never taught Thomas that. Jesus taught Thomas that the Father was someone different from himself (John 14:6, 12, 16, 24; etc.). Rather, Thomas was realizing that the Father was “in union with” Jesus (John 14:11), that the Father was working in Jesus (John 14:10), and that Jesus’ words were the Father’s words (John 14:24). So, Thomas was realizing that the Father could be seen in Jesus, and thus could say, “My Lord and my God” (John 20:28). REV

Does the commonly accepted translation of Matthew 28:19 prove the existence of the Trinity? No. The mention of the Father, Son, and holy spirit together in one context only shows that these three exist. The doctrine of the Trinity that states there are three “Persons” in one God was not codified until AD 381. The Council of Nicea in AD 325 merely decided that Jesus was God, and did not make the Holy Spirit into a “third Person” in the Trinity. Also, there is a debate about whether the English translation of Matthew 28:19 should read “Holy Spirit” or “holy spirit” (the biblical evidence supports “holy spirit”), but in any case, there is no presentation in Matthew 28:19 of any formal doctrine of the Trinity. The doctrine of the Trinity states that the Father, Son, and “Holy Spirit” together make “one God” and that the three “Persons” are co-equal and co-eternal, and that doctrine is not stated in this verse. This verse refers to three, but never says they are “one.” If the phrase about the Father, Son, and holy spirit is original, then the three things this verse refers to are: God the Father; His Son the Lord Jesus Christ; and the holy spirit, a “gift” from God (cf. Acts 2:38). REV

That the word “in” refers to a relationship, a very close relationship, is clear from Jesus elucidating his teaching by using the same vocabulary and speaking of a branch being “in” a vine: “Live in me, and I will in you. As the branch is not able to bear fruit by itself unless it lives in the vine…” (John 15:4). The branch is not “inside” the vine, nor is “in” referring to being of the same mystical essence. It is a simple truth that the branch is in union with the vine; in an intimate relationship with it and united for the same purpose: to produce fruit. Similarly, God and Christ are in an intimate relationship and are in union with each other, and believers are to be in union with them. A few English versions make the relationship between God, Christ, and us somewhat clearer by translating the en (in) as “in union with,” or “unified with” instead of simply “in.” So, for example, in John 10:38, Charles Williams’ translation reads, “the Father is in union with me and I am in union with the Father” (he also uses “in union with,” rather than just “in” in other places in John). The New Testament translated by Edgar Goodspeed also uses “in union with” in John 10:38; 14:10-11, 20; and “united with” in John 15:4-7). The Complete Jewish Bible by David Stern also reads, “united with” instead of just “in” in John 10 and 14. The New English Bible uses “united with” in John 15:4. The point is that when the Bible says that the Father, Jesus, and believers are “in” each other, or being “one,” it refers to being in an intimate relationship with each other; being in union with each other.

"And the helper, the holy spirit, which the Father will send in my name, IT will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you." “And.” The Greek word de (#1161 δέ) can express a small contrast, but can also just express a change of subject. In this case, “but” is too strong a contrast. Some English versions leave the de untranslated and just start the English sentence with the subject, the Helper (cf. CEB), Others translate it “And.” Jesus was speaking with his disciples while he was still alive, and his point was that after he was personally gone from his disciples, the Helper would teach them what it heard. “the holy spirit.” The Greek text has no article “the” but it is supplied in the REV for clarity. The “the” is added in English due to its reference in the immediate context. This refers to the holy spirit that is the gift of God. [For more information on the holy spirit and uses of “holy spirit,” see Appendix 7: “What is the Holy Spirit?” and also see Appendix 15: “Usages of ‘Spirit.’”] “in my name.” In this context, the phrase “in my name” means “in connection with me.” The phrase is used that way many times in Scripture. The specific nature of the connection must be determined from the context (e.g., Matt. 18:5, 20; 24:5; Mark 9:37, 39; John 15:16). REV

ROCOR Bishops Were Warned

ROCOR Bishops were warned and still allowed clergy sexual abusers to remain. 

Know Them by Their Fruit 

Matthew 7:15-27

15 “Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are destructive, greedy wolves. 

16 You will recognize them by their fruit. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 

17 In the same way, every healthy tree produces good fruit, but a rotten tree produces bad fruit. 

18 A healthy tree cannot produce bad fruit, neither can a rotten tree produce good fruit. 

19 Every tree that does not produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 

20 So then, you will recognize them by their fruit. 

21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven will enter. 

22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many miracles in your name?’ 

23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you who practice lawlessness!’  

24 “Everyone, then, who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock, 

25 and the rain fell, and the rivers flooded, and the winds blew and beat violently against that house, and yet it did not fall because it had been founded on the rock. 

26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand, 

27 and the rain fell, and the rivers flooded, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell—and great was its fall!”