How To Get To Heaven When You Die

[xfrodobagginsx]

ARE YOU 100% SURE THAT IF YOU DIED TODAY THAT YOU WOULD GO TO HEAVEN?

There are some things that you should know:

1. Realize that you are a sinner and in need of a Savior:

Ro 3:23 "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;"

Ro 3:10 "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:"

This all began with the story of Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden. God created them perfect, there was no death or sorrow. God told them not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. They disobeyed God and as a result, sin entered into the world. The pain which this world sees is the result of sin.

2. Because of our sins, we die both spiritually and physically, but God sent His Son to die so that you can have a chance not to have to go to hell by accepting what He did on the cross for you:

Ro 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

Ro 5:8 "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. for us."

Every person who has ever lived is a sinner and is not righteous because we do bad things. A sin is a crime against God, just as if you steal something at the store, it is punishable by going to jail. It's the same thing with sin. Even if we lie one time, the punishment is hell, which is a prison for those who commit crimes against God. No matter how well you live your life from then on, you have already committed a sin which will be punished if you are not pardoned. If you commit a crime, and then live as a good citizen you still will go to jail for the crime you committed. Right? Just as the president can pardon a crime so you won't go to jail, Jesus can pardon your sins so that you do not go to hell, and can go to heaven when you die.

3. If you will confess to Jesus Christ that you are a sinner and in need of a Savior, except Him as Lord and Savior and believe in your heart that He died on the cross and rose from the dead you will be saved.

Ro 10:9,10 "that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.."

Joh 1:12 Joh 1:12 “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name”


You cannot get to heaven by being a good person, going to church, baptism or any other way other than by turning to Jesus and asking Him to forgive you for your sins and save you. While these are good things to do, some people believe that they will get to heaven if they do these things, but the bible says that there is only one way to heaven and that is through receiving what Jesus Christ did on the cross for you.

Will you do that today? If you will, you can be 100% sure that you will go to heaven when you die.

Do you believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead for your sins? Are you willing to turn from your sins to Jesus Christ for Salvation? <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>
4. If you are willing to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior please pray this prayer to God from your heart:

"Dear LORD JESUS, I believe that YOU died on the Cross and Rose from the dead for my sins. I ask you to come into my heart and forgive me for my sins, take me to heaven when I die. I now receive You as my Lord and Savior. Thank You for saving me. In Jesus holy name, Amen."

If you prayed that prayer from your heart to God, and meant it with all of your heart, you are now a child of God and will go to heaven when you die.

Now that you are on your way to heaven, you should attend a bible believing church and follow in baptism.


<o></o>

 

[Romanowski]

frodo have you read about the gnostic documents the vatican hid for 2000+ years that are just now being released?

amazing stuff

hope all is well

 

[xfrodobagginsx]

No I haven't. However, I am very skeptical of anything that they do.

 

[quantumleap]

frodo:

I think most of the audience that you are trying to convince has already been hit over the head with this stuff in the concentration camps we call Sunday School. It's not effective any more because it's old news.

I think your most effective post is the one with all the Old Testament prophecies of Jesus. Now that is through provoking.

 

[Romanowski]

QL how you been?

one thing that is fascinating is this:

while Christians like to point to some old testament verses to solidify that Yeshua was indeed the messiah.

Heres some jewish POV that is always misunderstood.

there are also verses in the OT that say he wasnt the messiah and didnt fulfill it, so contradictions

For one he was wasnt supposed to be a martyr who dies on a cross, but a living breathing king on earth.

Its a lie that jews accepted he was the messiah but still even in the face of that rejected him.

lastly the return of christ for christians, and the first coming of the messiah for jews---are one in the same.

Wonder how many christians faith will be tested in a one world govt with a jewish king in the name of religion???

food for thought

 

[hippieki11er]

the concentration camps we call Sunday School.

That's a very uncomfortable phrase to read. The fact that the two would even be used together in the same sentence and, furthermore, in comparison to one another as to somehow draw a parallel is disturbing. Care to elaborate?

I think your most effective post is the one with all the Old Testament prophecies of Jesus. Now that is through provoking.

If possible, can you or frodo post a link to that discussion? Thank you.

 

[almost1]

Avoid George

I think I'm OK so far. I did not ever vote for any Bush.
And I will be very careful never to go close to a Bush.
When they go to a sports event, I just skip it. They pop
on TV I block it out. My soul is much safer.

 

[DeathEatsaCracker]

I submit that if the so-called Christians in this country actually read and studied the Holey Babble and learned of the atrocities, the inconsistencies, and the murder perpetrated for and by the god they think they're worshipping, most people would drop that faux religion like a hot rock out of pure disgust. I engage "Christians" in debate all the time, and I find that I know considerably more about the Babble than they do.

Even if I thought that god was real, I would cheerfully burn in hell before I bowed down before that cocksucker.

 

[steaktartar]

prayer isnt going to help me im positive me tickets been stamped already

 

[D2bets]

I believe you get to heaven only if you don't pray and don't believe in God. There is a God but he doesn't like people who waste their time praying and doesn't like people who believe irrationally in something they can't prove. He wants us to think he's not there and wants us to do things right because they are right not because it will get them to heaven.

 

[DeathEatsaCracker]

ARE YOU 100% SURE THAT IF YOU DIED TODAY THAT YOU WOULD GO TO HEAVEN?

There are some things that you should know:

1. Realize that you are a sinner and in need of a Savior:

Ro 3:23 "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;"

Ro 3:10 "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:"

This all began with the story of Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden. God created them perfect, there was no death or sorrow. God told them not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. They disobeyed God and as a result, sin entered into the world. The pain which this world sees is the result of sin.

2. Because of our sins, we die both spiritually and physically, but God sent His Son to die so that you can have a chance not to have to go to hell by accepting what He did on the cross for you:

Ro 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

Ro 5:8 "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. for us."

Every person who has ever lived is a sinner and is not righteous because we do bad things. A sin is a crime against God, just as if you steal something at the store, it is punishable by going to jail. It's the same thing with sin. Even if we lie one time, the punishment is hell, which is a prison for those who commit crimes against God. No matter how well you live your life from then on, you have already committed a sin which will be punished if you are not pardoned. If you commit a crime, and then live as a good citizen you still will go to jail for the crime you committed. Right? Just as the president can pardon a crime so you won't go to jail, Jesus can pardon your sins so that you do not go to hell, and can go to heaven when you die.

3. If you will confess to Jesus Christ that you are a sinner and in need of a Savior, except Him as Lord and Savior and believe in your heart that He died on the cross and rose from the dead you will be saved.

Ro 10:9,10 "that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.."

Joh 1:12 Joh 1:12 “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name”


You cannot get to heaven by being a good person, going to church, baptism or any other way other than by turning to Jesus and asking Him to forgive you for your sins and save you. While these are good things to do, some people believe that they will get to heaven if they do these things, but the bible says that there is only one way to heaven and that is through receiving what Jesus Christ did on the cross for you.

Will you do that today? If you will, you can be 100% sure that you will go to heaven when you die.

Do you believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead for your sins? Are you willing to turn from your sins to Jesus Christ for Salvation? <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>
4. If you are willing to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior please pray this prayer to God from your heart:

"Dear LORD JESUS, I believe that YOU died on the Cross and Rose from the dead for my sins. I ask you to come into my heart and forgive me for my sins, take me to heaven when I die. I now receive You as my Lord and Savior. Thank You for saving me. In Jesus holy name, Amen."

If you prayed that prayer from your heart to God, and meant it with all of your heart, you are now a child of God and will go to heaven when you die.

Now that you are on your way to heaven, you should attend a bible believing church and follow in baptism.


<o></o>

Here are some more Biblical verses for you. Makes the Koran look like a Dick and Jane book.

Perverse men come banging on the door of a man of God and he gives them his guest’s concubine:

(Judg 19:22 NRSV) While they were enjoying themselves, the men of the city, a perverse lot, surrounded the house, and started pounding on the door. They said to the old man, the master of the house, "Bring out the man who came into your house, so that we may have intercourse with him."

(Judg 19:24 NRSV) (The old man) Here are my virgin daughter and his concubine; let me bring them out now. Ravish them and do whatever you want to them; but against this man do not
do such a vile thing."

(Judg 19:25 NRSV) … So the man seized his concubine, and put her out to them. They wantonly raped her, and abused her all through the night until the morning. And as the dawn began
to break, they let her go.

(later the poor innocent raped concubine returns and is sadistically murdered)

(Judg 19:29 NRSV) When he had entered his house, he took a knife, and grasping his concubine he cut her into twelve pieces, limb by limb, and sent her throughout all the territory of Israel.

-------------------------

After King David sleeps with another man’s wife and then sends that man off to battle to die, God is not pleased, so he kills the innocent baby.
(2 Sam 12:14 NRSV) Nevertheless, because by this deed you have utterly scorned the LORD, the child that is born to you shall die."

-------------------------

According to the bible, disrespectful children are to be dealt with harshly.
(Exo 21:17 NRSV) Whoever curses father or mother shall be put to death.

------------------------

I could go on all day about what an abhorrent, perverse piece of shit the Bible is. Before you fuckers talke about what whack-jobs Muslims and Scientologists are...LOOK IN THE MIRROR.

 

[bblight]

I could go on all day about what an abhorrent, perverse piece of shit the Bible is. Before you fuckers talke about what whack-jobs Muslims and Scientologists are...LOOK IN THE MIRROR.

Meanwhile, you and yours murder babies while coddling murderers.

You and yours have no moral compass, equating homosexuality and other perversions with marriage.

You and yours condemn the worship of God while embracing worship of the state.

If you want to look at an abhorent piece of shit, maybe YOU should look in the mirror.

 

[quantumleap]

That's a very uncomfortable phrase to read. The fact that the two would even be used together in the same sentence and, furthermore, in comparison to one another as to somehow draw a parallel is disturbing. Care to elaborate?



If possible, can you or frodo post a link to that discussion? Thank you.

Perhaps I went a bit overboard in my analogy. I would certainly hope that you wouldn't feel uncomfortable since you must know that blowhards like myself don't think these things are literal.

What I was trying to get across is that Sunday Schools use the same tactics that brainwashers do. Some of those tactics include repeating the same message over and over and over, using authority figures to make a point as if the authority figure is absolute, not allowing any dissension of the message being brainwashed, threat of punishment or death (hell) if the person being brainwashed doesn't accept the message.

The thread I was referring to before is listed at this link. It is post #51 of that thread:

http://www.therxforum.com/showthread.php?t=496658&page=3

 

[quantumleap]

Duplicate post on a slow board day.

 

[quantumleap]

Here are some more Biblical verses for you. Makes the Koran look like a Dick and Jane book.

Perverse men come banging on the door of a man of God and he gives them his guest’s concubine:

(Judg 19:22 NRSV) While they were enjoying themselves, the men of the city, a perverse lot, surrounded the house, and started pounding on the door. They said to the old man, the master of the house, "Bring out the man who came into your house, so that we may have intercourse with him."

(Judg 19:24 NRSV) (The old man) Here are my virgin daughter and his concubine; let me bring them out now. Ravish them and do whatever you want to them; but against this man do not
do such a vile thing."

(Judg 19:25 NRSV) … So the man seized his concubine, and put her out to them. They wantonly raped her, and abused her all through the night until the morning. And as the dawn began
to break, they let her go.

(later the poor innocent raped concubine returns and is sadistically murdered)

(Judg 19:29 NRSV) When he had entered his house, he took a knife, and grasping his concubine he cut her into twelve pieces, limb by limb, and sent her throughout all the territory of Israel.

-------------------------

After King David sleeps with another man’s wife and then sends that man off to battle to die, God is not pleased, so he kills the innocent baby.
(2 Sam 12:14 NRSV) Nevertheless, because by this deed you have utterly scorned the LORD, the child that is born to you shall die."

-------------------------

According to the bible, disrespectful children are to be dealt with harshly.
(Exo 21:17 NRSV) Whoever curses father or mother shall be put to death.

------------------------

I could go on all day about what an abhorrent, perverse piece of shit the Bible is. Before you fuckers talke about what whack-jobs Muslims and Scientologists are...LOOK IN THE MIRROR.

DEAC:

One year I made it my New Year's Resolution to read the whole Bible. I take my New Year's Resolutions seriously. So I was reading in the early books of the Bible about how the rabbis of Israel told the people of Israel to take the lands of their enemies because God said so. So the people murder their neighbors and take their land all because some elders claim to speak to God and that was what God told them to do. Sounds a lot like a cult to me.

Needless to say, I didn't finish reading the Old Testament. Too much hogwash (that's putting it mildly). I then had the New Testament on tape and listened to that during a long road trip. Paul states that elder widows should get married so they don't fall temptation to their sexual urges while being unmarried. WTF? What kind of crap is that???

 

[quantumleap]

QL how you been?

one thing that is fascinating is this:

while Christians like to point to some old testament verses to solidify that Yeshua was indeed the messiah.

Heres some jewish POV that is always misunderstood.

there are also verses in the OT that say he wasnt the messiah and didnt fulfill it, so contradictions

For one he was wasnt supposed to be a martyr who dies on a cross, but a living breathing king on earth.

Its a lie that jews accepted he was the messiah but still even in the face of that rejected him.

lastly the return of christ for christians, and the first coming of the messiah for jews---are one in the same.

Wonder how many christians faith will be tested in a one world govt with a jewish king in the name of religion???

food for thought

Romo, I can't complain too much. I've been pretty good thanks. I've watched all of Seallion's videos and am now watching soundlessdawn's videos. I'm going to start a synchromysticism wiki page that lists all the coincidences.

Good point about how the Jews thought about Jesus (or Yeshua as you put it). I once spoke with a rabbi regarding the plural word used to describe gods in Genesis. He said that since God is such an important deity that the word is made plural to outline that importance, not that there were multiple gods.

I thought "well a rabbi should know what the real meaning of a Hebrew book is". Then I thought, well people thought the Roman Catholic Church was the ultimate source of the meaning of the scriptures since they were the authorities for so long. It was then that I realized that current rabbis could be influenced by politics just as much as the RC Church was and could be prone to error.

It's still hard to dismiss all those Old Testament Bible versus that list some of the things that Jesus did unless the person we know as Jesus was made to fit those versus and some of those things didn't really pertain to him.

 

[DeathEatsaCracker]

DEAC:

One year I made it my New Year's Resolution to read the whole Bible. I take my New Year's Resolutions seriously. So I was reading in the early books of the Bible about how the rabbis of Israel told the people of Israel to take the lands of their enemies because God said so. So the people murder their neighbors and take their land all because some elders claim to speak to God and that was what God told them to do. Sounds a lot like a cult to me.

Needless to say, I didn't finish reading the Old Testament. Too much hogwash (that's putting it mildly). I then had the New Testament on tape and listened to that during a long road trip. Paul states that elder widows should get married so they don't fall temptation to their sexual urges while being unmarried. WTF? What kind of crap is that???

I think you'll find that most people who are non-believers have read the bible. I've gone through it from cover to cover twice when I was in my early and mid-twenties. After the second reading, I hung up my halo. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>
<o></o>
The early church had a vested interest in keeping the flock ignorant. My guess is that a large proportion of the people who go to church every Sunday have not read the Bible in its entirety, and you can bet that the preacher won’t be talking about how Lott got drunk and fucked his two daughters.

 

[hellah10]

frodo have you read about the gnostic documents the vatican hid for 2000+ years that are just now being released?

amazing stuff

hope all is well

am i reading these right? These documents are talking about artificial man ?

 

[SSI]

i believe the correct Order to Salvation is:

1. believe (Jesus is the Son of God)

2. repent (of your sins and turn from them)

3. confess (confess Christ before men, just like this)

4. baptism (very essential) (not one example in the new Testament) (except for theif on the cross).......

5. walk daily with the Lord.

you naysayers,,,,, how do you dismiss all the prophecies that have come true and are now coming to......

How can a nation be re-born in a day (May 15 1948 it happened)

The European Union (revision of the Roman Empire)

i could name many more........

not to mention the evolution crap that is a downright lie from the pits of hell.....

in the book of Daniel (chapter 12) it states that in the last days, there will be an explosion of knowledge and people will travel to all parts of the earth easily (to and fro)....

how can you dismiss these claims....... knowledge in the last 50yrs, is staggering...... more than all history combined....

laugh and scoff all you want but those with ears, let them hear....

 

[xfrodobagginsx]

frodo:

I think most of the audience that you are trying to convince has already been hit over the head with this stuff in the concentration camps we call Sunday School. It's not effective any more because it's old news.

I think your most effective post is the one with all the Old Testament prophecies of Jesus. Now that is through provoking.

I have more stuff. How about this:

Early Secular Writings Regarding Christ

TACITUS: (55-117) A.D.)
Cornelius Tactitus is regarded as the greatest historian of ancient Rome. Writing on the reign of Nero, Tacitus alludes to the death of Christ and to the existence of Christians in Rome.
“Consequently, to get rid of the report, Nero fastened the guilt and inflicted the most exquisite tortures on a class hated for their abominations, called Christians by the populace. Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of on of our procurators, Pontius Pilatus, and a most mischievous superstition, thus checked for the moment, again broke out not only in Judea, the first source of the evil, but even in Rome, where all things hideous and shameful from every part of the word find their center and become popular.”<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>
PLINY THE YOUNGER: (112 A.D.)
Pliny was governor of Bithynia in Asia Minor who wrote a letter to Trajan regarding how to deal with Christians who worshiped Christ. These letters concern an episode which marks the first time the Roman government acknowledged Christianity as a religion separate from Judaism, and set a precedent for the massive persecution of Christians that takes place in the second and third centuries.
“They (the Christians) were in the habit of meeting on a certain fixed day before it was light, when they sand in alternate verses a hymn to Christ, as to god, and bound themselves by a solemn oath not to any wicked deeds, not to commit any fraud, theft or adultery, never to falsify their word, nor to deny any trust when they should be call to deliver it up, after which it was their custom to separate, and then reassemble to partake of food —but food of an ordinary but and innocent kind.”<o></o>
BABYLONIAN TALMUD: (Completed in the 6th Century A.D.)
The Babylonian Talmud is a Rabbinic commentary of the Jewish scriptures (Tanach: Old Testament). They are a look into what is a hostile source was saying about Jesus. They could not deny the miracles but claimed that it was sorcery rather than admit to what was a known fact.
“ On the eve of the Passover Yeshu was hanged. For forty days before the execution took place, a herald went forth and cried, “He is going forth to be stoned because He has practiced sorcery (an admission of his miracles) and enticed Israel to apostasy. Any one who can say anything in his favor let him come forward and plead on his behalf. But since nothing was brought forward in his favor he was hanged on the even of the Passover.”
The Babylonian Talmud, vol. III, Sanhedrin 43a<o></o>
LUCIAN: (120-180 A.D.)
a Greek satirist that spoke scornfully of Christ and Christians, affirming that they were real and historical people, never saying that they were fictional characters.
“The Christians, you know, worship a man to this day — the distinguished personage who introduced their novel rites, and was crucified on that account….You see, these misguided creatures start with the general conviction that they are immortal for all time, which explains the contempt of death and voluntary self-devotion which are so common among them; and then it was impressed on them by their original lawgiver that they are all brothers, from the moment that they are converted, and deny the gods of Greece, and worship the crucified sage, and live after his laws. All this they take quite on faith, with the result that they despise all worldly goods alike, regarding them merely as common property.”
Lucian, The Death of Peregrine. 11-13.<o></o>
LETTER OF MARA BARSARAPION: (73 A.D.)
Mara Bar-Serapion was a Syrian who lived in the first century A.D. He wrote a letter to his son Serapion that mentions the Jews who killed their King. The letter is now in the possession of the British Museum.
“What benefit did the Athenians obtain by putting Socrates to death? Famine and plague came upon them as judgment for their crime. Or, the people of Samos for burning Pythagoras? In one moment their country was covered with sand. Or the Jews by murdering their wise king?…After that their kingdom was abolished. God rightly avenged these men…The wise king…Lived on in the teachings he enacted.”<o></o>
THALLUS: (52 A.D.)
One of the first secular writers that mentioned Christ. Thallus wrote a history of the Eastern Mediterranean world from the Trojan War to his own time. Unfortunately, his writings are only found as citations by others. Julius Africanus, a Christian who wrote about AD 221 mentioned Thallus’ account of an eclipse of the sun (Luke 23:44-45).
“On the whole world there pressed a most fearful darkness; and the rocks were rent by an earthquake, and many places in Judea and other districts were thrown down. This darkness Thallus, in the third book of his History, calls, as appears to me without reason, an eclipse of the sun.”
Julius Africanus, Chronography, 18:1.<o></o>
PHLEGON: (1st Century)
A secular historian wrote a history named, “Chronicles.” This original work has been lost, Julius Africanus preserved a small fragment in his writings. Phlegon mentions the eclipse (Matthew 27:45) during the crucifixion of Jesus.
“During the time of Tiberius Caesar an eclipse of the sun occurred during the full moon.”
Africanus, Chronography, 18:1.<o></o>
SUETONIUS: (69-140 A.D.)
A Roman historian and annalist of the Imperial House under the Emperor Hadrian. He refers to Christ and Christians and the “disturbances” caused by them, namely not worshipping idols and loving all, including their tormentors.
“Because the Jews at Rome caused constant disturbances at the instigation of Chrestus [Christ], he [Claudius] expelled them from the city [Rome].” Acts 18:2, which took place in 49 A.D.
Life of Claudius, 25:4.<o></o>
In another work Suetonius wrote about the fire which devastated Rome in 64 A.D. under the reign of Nero. Nero blamed the Christians and exacted a heavy punishment upon them, among them covering them with pitch and burning them alive in his gardens.
“Nero inflicted punishment on the Christians, a sect given to a new and mischievous religious belief.”
Lives of the Caesars, 26.2<o></o>
TOLEDOTH YESHU: (6 Century)
This is a derogatory version of the life of Jesus, growing out of the response of the Jewish community to Christianity. The tradition presented here is most commonly dated to approximately the 6th century CE. The text it self is closer to the 14th century.
Mentions the empty tomb and that the Jewish leaders found it empty. That Jesus was crucified on the eve of the Passover and that He claimed to be God. That Jesus performed sorcery, he healed, and that he taught Rabbis. All of this from a hostile source, with the references above it is a historical fact that Jesus did miracles. His enemies could not refute it, rather they explained it away as sorcery!<o></o>
CELSUS: (2nd Century)
Criticizes the Gospels, unknowingly reinforces the authors and the content, he alludes to 80 different quotes in the Bible. Admits that the miracles of Jesus were generally believed in the 2nd century.<o></o>
JULIAN THE APOSTATE: (332-363 A.D.)
Emperor of Rome mentions the Gospels, miracles and other facts about Jesus. Julian had struggled to end the power of Christians in the Roman Empire. Since the day fifty years earlier that Constantine conquered in the sign of the cross, Christian influence had steadily grown. As Julian lay dying from a mortal wound he made the following remark:<o></o>
“As he bled, the dying emperor groaned, “You have conquered, O Galilean,” referring to Jesus Christ.<o></o>
CLEMENT OF ROME: (100 A.D.)
Clement affirms the Resurrection, Gospels and that Jesus was sent to earth by God to take away our sins.
“Clement was the fourth bishop of Rome, the first being Peter. Did he know Peter and Paul? It is completely possible that those two Spirit-filled men taught him. Clement even wrote a letter to the Corinthian church that echoed the teachings of the apostles.”<o></o>
IGNATIUS OF ANTIOCH: (50-107 A.D.)
Disciple of the apostles Peter, Paul, and John, who was martyred for his faith in Jesus. He was obviously convinced that Jesus really had lived and that Jesus was all that the apostles has said He was.
“…nearness to the sword is nearness to God; to be among the wild beasts is to be in the arms of God; only let it be in the name of Jesus Christ. I endure all things that I may suffer together with him, since he who became perfect man strengthens me…We have not only to be called Christians, but to be Christians.”
While the emperor Trajan was on a visit to Asia Minor, he arrested Ignatius. When the bishop confessed his faith in Christ, the Emperor sent him in chains to Rome to die. He was hustled to the arena at once and thrown to two fierce lions who immediately devoured him.<o></o>
QUADRATUS: (125 A.D.)
Bishop of Athens and a disciple of the apostles. Church historian Eusebius has preserved the only work that we have from Quadratus.
“The deeds of our Savior were always before you, for they were true miracles; those that were healed, those that were raised from the dead, who were seen, not only when healed and when raised, but were always present. They remained living a long time, not only whilst our Lord was on earth, but likewise when he had left the earth. So that some of them have also lived in our times.”
Eusebius, IV, III<o></o>
EPISTLE OF BARNABAS: (130-38 A.D.)
Mentions the Resurrection, miracles, content of the Gospels and the crucifixion of Jesus.<o></o>
ARISTIDES: (138-161 A.D.)
Aristides was a second-century Christian believer and philosopher from Athens. This portion of his defense of Christianity was addressed to the Roman Emperor Antonius Pius, who reigned from 138-161 A.D.
“The Son of the most high God, revealed by the Holy Spirit, descended from heaven, born of a Hebrew Virgin. His flesh he received from the Virgin, and he revealed himself in the human nature as the Son of God. In his goodness which brought the glad tidings, he has won the whole world by his life-giving preaching…He selected twelve apostles and taught the whole world by his mediatorial, light-giving truth.
And he was crucified, being pierced with nails by the Jews; and he rose from the dead and ascended to heaven. He sent the apostles into all the world and instructed all by divine miracles full of wisdom. Their preaching bears blossoms and fruits to this day, and calls the whole world to illumination.”
Carey, “Aristides,” 68.<o></o>
JUSTIN MARTYR: (106-167 A.D.)
Justin Martyr is regarded as one of the greatest early Christian apologists. He was born around 100 A.D and was beheaded for his faith in Jesus in 167 A.D. He mentions as facts many things about Jesus and Christianity, such as: The Magi (wise men who brought gifts from Arabia), King Herod, His crucifixion, His garments parted among the Roman soldiers, the apostles leaving him on the night of his arrest, his fulfilled prophecies, His resurrection and His ascending into heaven among many others. These quotes can be found in his debate with Trypho the Jew.<o></o>
HEGESIPPUS: (2 Century)
Eusebius draws the conclusion that Hegesippus was a Jew that wrote five books called, “Memoirs.” Only fragments remain of his original work in the writings of Eusebius. They show that Hegesippus traveled extensively trying to determine if the stories of Jesus and the apostles were true. He found that they were accurate, even in the troubled church in Corinth.
“The Corinthian church continued in the true doctrine until Primus became bishop. I mixed with them on my voyage to Rome and spent several days with the Corinthians, during which we were refreshed with the true doctrine. On arrival at Rome I pieced together the succession down to Anicetus, whose deacon was Eleutherus, Anicetus being succeeded by Soter and he by Eleutherus. In every line of bishops and in every city things accord with the preaching of the Law, the Prophets, and the Lord.”
Eusebius, The History of the Church, 9.22.2.<o></o>
TRAJAN: (53-117 A.D.)
Trajan is a Roman Emperor who wrote a letter [see letter] in response to the Governor of Asia Minor, Pliny the Younger. Pliny needed advice in dealing with “Christians” who renounced their belief in Jesus due to fear of torture and execution.<o></o>
MACROBIUS: (4th-5th Century)
Pascal (Pensees) mentions a quote of Augustus Caesar as an evidence to the murder of the 7-20 male babies (this is based on the population of Bethlehem in 4-6 B.C., which was 700-1,000 people) by King Herod in Bethlehem (Matthew 2:16).
King Herod heard that a king was to be born and his fear and mental instability caused him to kill these male children under two years of age. King Herod killed his Wife, mother in law, and three sons. This is in character with his life of murder and paranoia. King Herod’s reign was described by his enemies as, “He stole to the throne like a fox, ruled like a tiger, and died like a dog.”
Saturnalia, lib. 2, ch.4.<o></o>
HADRIAN: (106-167 A.D.)
Justin Martyr quotes this Roman Emperor’s letter to Minucius Fundanus, proconsul of Asia Minor. This letter deals with accusations from pagans against the Christians.
“I have received the letter addressed to me by your predecessor Serenius Granianus, a most illustrious man; and this communication I am unwilling to pass over in silence, lest innocent persons be disturbed, and occasion be given to the informers for practicing villainy. Accordingly, if the inhabitants of your province will so far sustain this petition of theirs as to accuse the Christians in some court of law, I do not prohibit them from doing so.
But I will not suffer them to make use of mere entreaties and outcries. For it is far more just, if any one desires to make an accusation, that you give judgment upon it. If, therefore, any one makes the accusation, and furnishes proof that the said men do anything contrary to the laws, you shall adjudge punishments in proportion to the offences.
And this, by Hercules; you shall give special heed to, that if any man shall, through mere calumny, bring an accusation against any of these persons, you shall award to him more severe punishments in proportion to his wickedness.”
Justin Martyr, The First Apology, Chapters, 68-69.<o></o>
JUVENAL: (55 AD-127 AD)
Juvenal makes a reference of the tortures of Christians by Nero in Rome.
“But just describe Tigellinus and you will blaze amid those faggots in which men, with their throats tightly gripped, stand and burn and smoke, and you trace a broad furrow through the middle of the arena.”
Satires, 1, lines 147-157.<o></o>
SENECA: (3 B.C.-65 A.D.)
Seneca mentions the cruelties that Nero imposes upon Christians.
“The other kind of evil comes, so to speak, in the form of a huge parade. Surrounding it is a retinue of swords and fire and chains and a mob of beasts to be let loose upon the disemboweled entrails of men. Picture to yourself under his head the prison, the cross, the rack, the hook, and the stake which they drive straight through a man until it protrudes from his throat. Think of human limbs torn apart by chariots driven in opposite directions, of the terrible shirt smeared and interwoven with inflammable materials, and of all the other contrivances devised by cruelty, in addition to those which I have mentioned!”
Epistulae Morales, Epistle 14, “On the Reasons for Withdrawing from the World.”<o></o>
HIEROCLES: (AD 284-305)
A quote by Eusebius preserves some of the text of this lost work of Hierocles, Philalethes or Lover of Truth. In this quote, Hierocles condemns Peter and Paul as sorcerers. Again, their miracles could not be denied, rather they claimed that they used sorcery.
“And this point is also worth noticing, that whereas the tales of Jesus have been vamped up by Peter and Paul and a few others of the kind,–men who were liars and devoid of education and wizards.”
Eusebius, The Treatise of Eusebius, ch. 2.<o></o>
ANTONIUS PIUS: (86 AD to 161 AD)
A letter from the Roman Emperor Antoninus Pius to the general assembly in Asia Minor. This letter says that the officials in Aisa Minor were getting upset at the Christians in their province, and that no changes are to be made in Antoninus’ method of dealing with them.
“The Emperor Caesar Titus AElius Adrianus Antoninus Augustus Pius, Supreme Pontiff, in the fifteenth year of his tribuneship, Consul for the third time, Father of the fatherland, to the Common Assembly of Asia, greeting: I should have thought that the gods themselves would see to it that such offenders should not escape.
For if they had the power, they themselves would much rather punish those who refuse to worship them; but it is you who bring trouble on these persons, and accuse as the opinion of atheists that which they hold, and lay to their charge certain other things which we are unable to prove.
But it would be advantageous to them that they should be thought to die for that of which they are accused, and they conquer you by being lavish of their lives rather than yield that obedience which you require of them. And regarding the earthquakes which have already happened and are now occurring, it is not seemly that you remind us of them, losing heart whenever they occur, and thus set your conduct in contrast with that of these men; for they have much greater confidence towards God than you yourselves have.
And you, indeed, seem at such times to ignore the gods, and you neglect the temples, and make no recognition of the worship of God. And hence you are jealous of those who do serve Him, and persecute them to the death.
Concerning such persons, some others also of the governors of provinces wrote to my most divine father; to whom he replied that they should not at all disturb such persons, unless they were found to be attempting anything against the Roman government. And to myself many have sent intimations regarding such persons, to whom I also replied in pursuance of my father’s judgment.
But if any one has a matter to bring against any person of this class, merely as such a person, let the accused be acquitted of the charge, even though he should be found to be such an one; but let the accuser he amenable to justice.”
Justin Martyr, The First Apology, ch. 70.
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