What is a prophecy?

A prophecy is a message or prediction believed to be inspired by a divine source or a prophet.*

How many prophecies are there about the coming of Jesus Christ?  

Scholars estimate that the Old Testament contains between 300 and 450 prophecies regarding the first coming of Jesus Christ.*

How do we know those prophecies were real?

Because they came true at least three times.  

Just as you know something is a prediction, not guesswork, if it passes the verification test three times.

"Once is an accident, twice is a coincidence, three times is a pattern.”*

Biblical scholars agree that Jesus fulfilled at least 300 distinct predictive prophecies during His earthly life, death, and resurrection.*

Therefore, we know they were prophecies from various prophets and were verified as true and fulfilled at least 300 times.

*Referenced from Google AI Jesus, prediction,  and prophecy searches.

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What Is The Truth?

 

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What is the truth?

If you ask Google AI what the truth is, it would say:

Truth means the quality or state of agreeing with verified fact or reality.

And if you are talking about being true to someone or an ideal, it means sincerity and fidelity, involving loyalty, honesty, or faithfulness.

How do you know if it is true?

You verify it.

When some truths are harder to verify, you rely on their track record, character, empirical evidence, and history.

Why?

Because “What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:9), meaning life is cyclical, with patterns repeating in the physical world and human history.

For this reason, because human history is cyclical, we need to know the truth to face it and prevent the worst parts of history from repeating. Because this time, with doomsday weapons to herald the apocalypse, we wouldn't have to worry about history repeating itself.

So let's start with simple truths.

The timeless battle between good and evil; the ongoing struggle between constructive, moral forces and destructive, harmful ones. Or the battle to overcome fear with love and ignorance with truth and knowledge.

Each time we fail to overcome fear, succumb to blame and hate, or act out of ignorance, the worst parts of history repeat.

For example, ignorance of how the global economy works can destroy it, bringing the world back to a great depression and stagnation.

Let's look at the global market, simplified as a pie chart divided into five slices. Each slice represents a different region.

Suppose only regions C and E are productive and growing at +3 each. Regions B and D are flat at zero. Region A is in major conflict, depleting resources, with a negative economy at -2. The total for all five regions sums to four.

For some unfathomable reason, the aggressors in Region A, already in a downward spiral from overspending on ongoing conflicts, decide to borrow tactics from The Art of War and sabotage Regions C and E.

Imagine the aggressors succeed wildly in chaos, sabotage, and subversion, reducing Regions C and E from four to two each, shrinking the global market from four to two.

How could shrinking the global economy make Region A a superpower, especially if it's in recession?

It wouldn’t. Market pressures would lead to less global purchasing power, causing Regions B and D to go negative, while Region A's economy would fall deeper into recession.  

The global market would then enter a recession and, if unchecked, fall into depression.  

The truth is, throughout history, aggressors were never great administrators, preferring conquests. But robbing Peter to pay Paul, pillaging and plundering, is not a sustainable economic strategy, because once robbed blind, that's it; there is no replenishment of resources.  

And as the Nazis found out in WWII, it led to total economic system collapse and, in the end, starved millions of people.

Yet, we are seemingly willing to repeat this catastrophic and horrific part of our history over again, with these tragic results.

And for what?  

Imagined conquests in unsustainable economies?

Your soul? Your children's?

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In the words of John Paul Jones, “I have not yet begun to fight!” 

This sentiment is often reflected among the ones who follow the command of the Holy Spirit.

Currently, there are individuals who, by fixating on a small segment of a larger context—akin to focusing on a single square on a chessboard—have engaged in conflicts with others and themselves, resulting in widespread devastation and likely depleting their energy and resources in ways that irreparably harm their own spirits.

The challenge with those endowed with a  negative and limited vision is that, worse than being blind, those individuals perceive only what they desire, rather than what is real.  

It would be utterly incomprehensible to them that the true battle has yet to commence.

Evaluating strengths, weaknesses, and devising strategy does not constitute combat, nor do minor skirmishes constitute war.

Furthermore, in terms of the Art of War, what might Sun Tzu say about the probability of victory if a soldier understands less than thirty percent of oneself and one’s opponent?

To what extent does one comprehend the physical world, emotional states, and spiritual dimensions?

It is understood that human beings consist of a body, mind, heart, and soul—each interacting with the physical and metaphysical worlds surrounding us. 

How well does one truly understand this entire system if one’s focus remains solely on the physical aspect?

This concept can be compared to the ancient parable of "the blind men and the elephant," illustrating how individual, limited experiences shape our incomplete understanding of a larger truth. 

In this narrative, a group of blind individuals encounters an elephant for the first time. Unable to see the animal, they rely on their sense of touch to infer its nature.

Each touches a different part of the elephant, leading to different conclusions. The men argue, each convinced that their experience reflects the absolute truth, dismissing the perspectives of others. 

For example, if the man holding the tail perceives it as a thin and flexible rope, he would be mistaken, despite his certainty.

Knowing only the tail with full confidence does not provide a comprehensive understanding. 

If the conflict centers solely on the tail, the rest of the elephant remains yet uninvolved in the confrontation.

One can also consider historical instances, such as Imperial Japan exhausted its military production and at the brink of resource exhaustion, the United States was yet to reach its full potential.

Therefore, how can those holding the tail of the elephant believe with absolute certainty of winning the war, when the rest of the elephant has yet begun to fight?  

And how can those defending against the aggressors believe with absolute certainty that they might lose, when the rest of the elephant, the wise and the world, has yet begun to fight?

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Misnomer Mesnommer

 

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When people believe in misnomers, which are wrong, misleading, or unsuitable names or terms for something, it can cause confusion and misunderstandings, leading to broken relationships or, worse, catastrophic failings.  

When believers accept misnomers of faith, it can cause deviations from the Lord's instructions, misunderstandings of Christ's teachings, drift from the Holy Spirit, broken relationships, and sinful harm, or, worse, catastrophic damnation.   

First misnomer: we are all sinners.  

Reality: We are not all sinners.

Understand that whether you believe or not in the Lord or a higher power, we are not born with both good and evil within us, because as helpless babies we are not yet able to commit a sin, which is an action, thought, or failure to act that breaks a moral or divine law.

We are born capable of sinning as we grow older, contravening our conscience, morals, and divine law.

When we sin or do something wrong, we not only cause harm to the victim, but we also damage ourselves in character and spirit, causing us to fail tests of character and the sacred duty of care for our fellows.  

The spirit, when sinning, will experience blowback from perpetrating an unholy act. The greater the sin, the greater the repercussions from breaking divine law; the greater the harm caused to the sinner's character and spirit.

Repeated sins will also cause exponentially greater blowback to the sinner's character and spirit.  

For example, a person who lies, if repeatedly lie, becomes a liar, full of character falsehoods, not to be trusted.  

A person who harasses becomes a harasser, full of impurities of character and heart, hampering their honor and decency.  

Or worse, rapes, becoming a rapist devoid of honor and decency, a totally impure heart, a blasphemer in desecration of the temple of the Holy Spirit, committing atrocities in unforgivable sins.  

In each case of sin, the sinner thinks nothing of the victim or of the ramifications of harm to another and self, and of breaking divine law.  

And if with thought and intention to harm the victim, no consideration of the added penalties of perpetrating intentional sin.   

Once the sinner intends to commit a sin and harm, the heart becomes negative, poisoning the mind, causing negative thoughts, and once the sin is committed, damaging the spirit and making it unholy.  

The greater the sin, the greater the damage and damnation.

In any case, there is no relationship between the victim and the sinner.  

The only relationship the sinner has is to sin, not to the victim, because there is no two-way consent, consideration, or understanding.  

Second misnomer: All sins are forgivable.  

Reality: Not all sins are forgivable.

Though the Lord is capable of immeasurable Grace, Compassion, and Forgiveness, it is not the Lord's character in question here; it is the sinner's.  

Depending upon the level of crime against divine law, there are unforgivable sins: blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, attributing the work of the Holy Spirit to Satan, persistent rejection of the Holy Spirit, and impenitence- rejecting the truth and refusing to repent, feel regret, remorse, or sorrow for wrongdoing.*

Third misnomer: If you believe in the Lord, salvation is guaranteed.

Reality: Salvation is not guaranteed.

"Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.”    

                          - Matthew 24: 12-13

There are obviously many more misnomers. A clear way to avoid them is to be vigilant and take the time to discern for yourself and know that there are no inconsistencies in the truth.  

If you find inconsistencies, then more than likely there are misunderstandings, mistranslations, or misleading falsehoods.

Take the time to keep your heart pure, care for one another as the Lord would care for you, endeavor to pass your tests of character, and be sure to connect and follow the Light of the Holy Spirit within.

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*Matthew 12: 31-32, Mark 3:28-29, Luke 12:10: 

Jesus Christ stated in the Gospels that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is an unforgivable sin that will not be pardoned in this world or the next.  

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What does the Bible say about "aiding and abetting” sin? 

According to Google AI search:

The Bible does not use the legal phrase "aiding and abetting," but it clearly warns against participating in, enabling, or approving of another person's sin.

Key Bible Verses

1 Timothy 5:22:  "Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, and do not share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure." (This warns against endorsing or appointing someone without care, thereby sharing responsibility for their actions).

Romans 1:32:  "Though they know God's righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them." (Approving or cheering on evil makes one culpable).

2 John 1:10-11:  "If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works."

Ephesians 5:11:  "Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them."

Mark 9:42:  "Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea."  (Jesus emphasizes the severe guilt of leading or tempting someone else into wrongdoing).

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Do not participate in, enable, or approve of sin, especially unforgivable sins of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit and desecration of the temple of the Holy Spirit, which, in addition to being unforgivable, also cause impure hearts and violations of sacred trusts.

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