© Marty Angelo – 2013 – all rights reserved – Released 2/26/2013

The Bible is filled with many scriptures that prove God has been in complete control of this world since He first created it. Throughout history, man has tried to speak for God without first being authorized by Him. Today’s end-time prophets who warn of a coming doomsday are perfect examples.

I’ve learned over my 30+ years of being a Christian that there is no stopping God’s kingdom from moving forward. Many have said and continue to say that the world is coming to an end and we are living in the last generation, in spite of the numerous scriptures in God’s word that prove otherwise. This study looks at just two of those scriptures.

The following biblical scriptures prove our world will be around for many more generations to come: Psalms 104:5: “Who laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed forever” and Ecclesiastes 1:4: ” One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth forever.”

Many of today’s Christians have one of two major eschatological (end-times) beliefs: Futurism or Preterism. There are actually four eschatological teachings: Historical, Futurism, Preterism and Idealist (also known as Spiritualist or Symbolic) but I am only going to address two in this study. I have learned over the years that both Futurism and Preterism beliefs limit the power of God in our lives.

A futurist believes that one day within this present generation Jesus Christ is coming back to earth either physically or in a spiritual body and all of the Christians living at the time will be raptured (physically caught up) out of the world, to avoid the prophesied coming ‘great tribulation’ and death.

There are numerous sects within futurism, believing either in a pre, mid, post or no tribulation period. The most popular modern day futuristic belief is premillennial dispensationalism. They believe that after the rapture of the Christians the world will be destroyed someday and all of mankind will be judged by God for the last time.

One has to really do a deep study of futurism to properly understand all the various beliefs within it. I am only giving you a slight overview on the second coming teachings. There are other beliefs that come with futurism.

Please click this link for more information on futurism: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Futurism_(Christianity)

A preterist believes that Jesus Christ has already made His second coming in AD70 and there is nothing more to look forward to, other than going to heaven when we die. There are also various sects within preterism that have differing views such as; partial preterism, full preterism or hyper preterism.

Please click this link for more information on preterism: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preterism.

No matter which one of the preterist views a person believes the underlining teaching in basic preterism it is that Jesus Christ already came a second and final time in AD70.

Futurists believe in two literal comings of Jesus Christ. They believe He came once as a baby but will not physically come again until sometime in the future.

Preterists, who like their futuristic believing brothers and sisters, also only consider two literal comings of Jesus Christ. However, Preterists teach and believe that Jesus came once as a baby and the other coming was in AD70.

Many preterists and futurists don’t even seem to bother to study where Jesus Christ was during the first generation of Christianity, let alone where He is today.

The good yet apprehensive news is that some futurists and preterists are beginning to change their beliefs. After a deeper study of the scriptures some futurists are beginning to understand that the end-time prophecy scriptures in the Bible do not pertain to ‘our generation’ but to the generation that was living in the first century when Jesus Christ walked this earth in the flesh. Unfortunately, after coming to this realization they wind up turning to one of the preterists beliefs and get just as stuck as they were when they were futurists. They get stuck because they are still believing that Jesus Christ only came to earth twice instead of being marveled at the fact that He comes to people daily, hourly, by the minute; every second, of every day.

Very few preterists and futurists fail to recognize that there was more going on within the lives of the first century believers that should warrant a fresh look at the “second physical coming of Jesus Christ” teaching. Both futurists and preterists are discovering that there is not one scripture in the Bible that reads a, “second physical coming of Jesus Christ.” This alone should force both futurists and preterists to reexamine their viewpoints to see if what they were taught and believe is correct.

Psalms 104:5 and Ecclesiastes 1:4 make perfect sense. God laid the foundations of the earth and that it will not be removed. Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever. 

As the people in my Baby Boomer/Woodstock generation get older, and we no longer believe that we are not as indestructible as we once thought we were; we are left with the reality of present day life, and what truly lies ahead for us.

I was asked to review a fantastic new book entitled, “Stumbling on Open Ground: Love, God, Cancer, and Rock ‘n’ Roll” written by a former music business colleague, friend and fellow Christian, Ken Mansfield. (Mansfield is a Grammy Award-winning record producer, former U.S. Manager of Apple Records, a high-ranking executive for several record labels, songwriter and an author.)

I reviewed Ken’s first two of three books about his days in the music business and his conversion to Christianity and thought his new fourth book would be along the same lines.

What I didn’t know prior to reading Ken’s new book is that he’s had two serious bouts with cancer. He openly writes about his battles in great detail in his new book. It is a heart-wrenching story of his two fights with cancer yet the book is full of faith, hope and love on how Ken made it through each day with him questioning yet leaning more and more on the promises of Jesus Christ. I read this book with both tears of sadness and joy.

 Ken Mansfield

Ken Mansfield had reached tremendous success in the music business. He received the notoriety and fortune that I could have only dreamed of, when I worked in that very cut-throat and dog-eat-dog business. I was always impressed with his accomplishments.

As I began to read Ken’s new book it struck a familiar cord in my own life, before becoming a Christian. My life in the music business ended in 1980 with an investigation, arrest and a federal prison sentence for cocaine possession. God used all of that turbulence to deliver me from the power of darkness and ushered me right into His kingdom (Colossians 1:13).  Like Mansfield and most people working in the music business at that time, I unknowingly thought and believed I loved living in darkness and sin (though I never really thought what I did was a sin.) rather than in the Light (John 3:19). However, Christ knew that I needed Him to live inside of me so that I could experience the peace, joy and righteousness that comes with His Kingdom (Romans 14:17).

Mansfield’s life looked very successful through his and the world’s eye… However, according to the online encyclopedia ‘Wikipedia’ – Ken Mansfield fell on some hard times: “While the 1980s were a decade of prosperity for most Americans, they were not for Mansfield. Facing insurmountable debt, he was financially and spiritually broken when he arrived in Nashville in 1984. Mansfield had gone from having servants, gardeners, housekeepers, cooks, gofers, drivers, Mercedes cars, expensive toys, guesthouses, fame, bucks and glory to bankruptcy and desperation. He arrived in Tennessee with three suitcases and three cardboard boxes – the only mementos of his heady days in Los Angeles.” – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ken_Mansfield

During that downtime in Mansfield’s life Ken reached out to Jesus and became a born-again Christian in the late ’80s. Mansfield’s life made an extreme 180 degrees turnaround and eventually he even successfully bounced back within the music industry mainly producing Christian artists. However, in 1996 Ken was diagnosed with a very rare form of cancer that he went on to beat but then again in 2009 he began a second fight with a different form of cancer.

Through Ken Mansfield’s sicknesses his life took on a whole new meaning in Christ. He humbly realized that life wasn’t all about fame, fortune and fun in the music business. He said it made no difference what happened to him because Christ was always there bringing peace in all situations. He realized God continuously has a better plan and purpose. Mansfield learned as I did through my own struggles, that when Christ is, “in us” He will bring us through each and every situation all for the glory of God.

A young Ken Mansfield with former Beatles band member Paul McCartney

As Mansfield reflected on his lifetime achievements in the entertainment business, he realized that none of it mattered. All that mattered to him was his relationship with Jesus Christ. He stated that the only time he would look back on his old life, was to help ease the pain and suffering of his darkest moments of cancer treatments. He found comfort in letting his mind wander back to the, “Good old days.” He even encourages his readers to revisit in their minds when life seem unbearable, the fun times they’ve experienced over the years. However, Ken stresses, that a life in Christ is better than all the riches and fun one can have in the world, as he stays focused on the present, knowing that Christ is living in him.

Everyone needs to read Ken Mansfield’s new book. It has invaluable insights and is available through Amazon.

Reading Ken’s book caused me once again to reflect on what’s really important in my own life as living in my baby boomer generation is nearing its end. When I have gotten myself into situations that only God can fix, I’ve realized that the things that I placed so much importance on can become insignificant in the twinkling of an eye.

Life is so short, and if I would have understood that during the heydays of my youth, I’m sure I would have done things much differently.

Having lost many close friends and family members in recent years, I am reminded just how frail life really is especially each time a dear one passes away. One day life can be happy, healthy and carefree and the very next day can come pain, sorrow and death.

As with Ken Mansfield, I can reluctantly appreciate living in our generation of baby boomers. We authored that wild and crazy lifestyle back in the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s and it has become even more prevalent today. I don’t know many people who realized back then, that our lifestyles would come back to haunt us as we gracefully or not so gracefully aged.

What I thought wouldn’t hurt me back then, has. I’m not sure how I thought I could escape the negative consequences from so much drugs, sex and rock and roll.

I reflect back on my own life remembering some of the lies I believed in and promoted. I’ve asked myself these questions many times since becoming a Christian: “What good came out of ‘turning on, tuning in and dropping out? Did LSD really open my mind to anything positive? If it really ‘feels good’, should I really have done it? Was God really dead? Were the Beatles really more popular than Jesus? What about the word sin? Did I ever identify my out of control lifestyle as sin? Did I really think I eliminated that word from my vocabulary?”

Having believed in and promoted those lies; dire and dreadful consequences followed. I’ve learned through experience, trial and error and have believed for a long time, that perceiving lies as truth and/or even as half-truths is one of the worst mistakes I could have ever can made in my life.

Believing lies that I thought were true didn’t make my life any easier, but at the time it may have seemed to. Many people born during the baby boomer generation and lived their lives believing lies as truth are now paying a dear price because of the bad decisions we made in our past based on those lies. Some of the consequences have been disastrous resulting in long term prison sentences, sicknesses, suicides and even pre-mature deaths.

I sometimes ask myself why I refused to listen and to learn from the people living in the generation before mine. They were older, wiser and more educated people (my parents included) who tried to warn me of the pitfalls of life.

What was so wrong with their lives that I didn’t want to have a part of and learn from? Why did I believe my college professors when they taught there was a ‘generation gap’ between our present generation and the one that came before us? Did I really have to ‘do my own thing’ only to learn by my making my own mistakes?

As I reflect back on my old sin-inflicted life and how Christ used it to draw me to Him back in 1981 I have learned as a Christian for the past 30+ years that even within Christianity there are lies, half-truths and misunderstandings that one can believe that can bring about negative consequences.

Many of the eschatology (study of the end-times) teachings can be very misleading and hurtful. I have learned that some of them are outright lies or at best half-truths.

It has always been important to me to have a firm grasp on exactly where I stand in the Kingdom of God so that each day I am blessed with I can live a successful and productive life as a Christian.

The Bible clearly teaches that generations come and go but the earth remains forever and I believe just that.

Even wise old Solomon, the mighty King of the Jews who was once considered to be the wealthiest man alive in his generation with over 700 wives and 300 concubines stated “all is vanity” (Ecclesiastes 1:2).

After all of King Solomon’s lifetime accomplishments and dismal failures, he humbled himself and finally confessed, as he faced eternity: “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.” (Ecclesiastes 12:13)

We are all faced with making tough decisions, and then having to live with the good or bad consequences that follow. Many of us have a habit of not first thinking things all the way through before making a decision to do them. Drinking and driving is a good example… or having pre-marital sex (fornication)… smoking marijuana not thinking it will lead to harder drugs… stealing…violence towards others…The list goes on and on of doing things first before thinking of the consequences that will surely come sometime down the road.

I think the most detrimental mistake that we can make is thinking that we are going to leave this earth without having to face the realities and the sufferings that are sure to materialize as result of our poor choices. We are all here without any personal guarantee of a tomorrow, no matter what our end-time beliefs are; whether we are a futurist or a preterist.

Futurists and preterists have one thing in common neither one can ever change: ”No one is guaranteed to wake up tomorrow.”

Our generation will live out our days just like all of the generations before us: wondering, hoping and praying for a better tomorrow. The fact is, we are only guaranteed right now… and that there will be some of us who will not even make it all the way through to midnight tonight.

We should live with humility and obedience to God understanding that when we face our own sicknesses and accidents Jesus Christ is there in us helping us make it through each troubled situation.

When we finally all do face our eventual physical deaths, Christ who lives in us will guide our way to our heavenly home all the while saying,  “Well done my good and faithful servant.”

I have been asked several times why does one’s eschatology (study of end-times) matter? I say because any deferred hope based on a false or misunderstood teaching of a better tomorrow will only make our hearts sick. (Proverbs 13:12).

If we are not living right today according to God’s word, what good will it do us to hope for a better tomorrow? Why do we even think we deserve a better tomorrow? If we can’t live right today, why even concern ourselves with tomorrow?

The futuristic believing Christians think that Jesus Christ is physically coming back to earth for a second time someday in our generation to save us from the disobedient, sinful and self-inflicted mess that we have gotten ourselves into. That just doesn’t make any sense.

The power of Jesus Christ within us allows us to overcome sin in our lives. We don’t need Him to come back again to save us a second time from sin.  We are commanded to overcome sin… to be perfect (Matthew 5:48) and without sin and we can do that through the power of Christ living within us.

The Bible clearly teaches that salvation is today (2 Corinthians 6:2) and that there is no guarantee of tomorrow (James 4:14).

Generations will come and go and the earth will remain forever. Each new day comes with a set of personal responsibilities to make the right choices so that we can live our lives to the fullest with Christ in us, as he instructs us from within into righteousness.

This generation will soon pass away… along with each and every one of us, just like all of the other generations before us. I know that I am not going to get out of this world without first dying a physical death. There’s really only one truly important question that we need to ask ourselves; what kind of legacy will we leave for the next generation? The earth will be here long after we are gone, all we have to do is study the lives of the generations who were here before us.

Will our generation be known as the generation who thought, believed and taught Jesus Christ was coming a second time to save the day, like many generations before us have been taught to believe?

Will our generation be known as the generation who taught that Jesus only came a second time in AD70?

Will our generation be the generation to finally take a stand and help steer not only our own generation into understanding that Jesus Christ and His kingdom lives inside of His believers right now… but will also be in future generations as well?

All generations can live wonderful lives in Christ, and Christ in us while we continue to walk this earth until the day that we too, have to give up our own physical lives.

Long before AD70 the apostles taught that Jesus Christ (not as a third person of a trinity) was living within that first generation of believers (Colossians 1:27).

The Apostle Paul instructed the Colossians that they were to “mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience” (Colossians 3:5-6).

Paul reminded the Colossians that by having Christ living in them they were to remember who they once were without Him in them. They were no different before Christ as their fellow non-believing Jewish children of disobedience who were persecuting them. He taught that the judgment that would soon come (which it did in AD70) was going to happen to the still ungodly people of that generation who did not have Christ in them.

The Christian Colossians were once fornicators, unclean, evil, idolaters, etc. but were saved by the grace of God with Christ living in them which began happening to Christ’s followers on the Day of Pentecost and continued throughout that generation by the direct ministry of Christ’s apostles.

The Apostle Paul brought the good news of the gospel to the Colossians as he did to the Romans, Galatians, Corinthians, Thessalonians, Ephesians and the Philippians. Paul clearly taught that Christ was living within all of those believers right then and there. They were directly benefiting from a new life in Christ yet were being heavily persecuted by the Jewish rulers and Roman soldiers.

When Jesus Christ came on Pentecost to save the first believers from their sins, He knew that after Pentecost He would be coming later in that generation as He had prophesied in Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21 (which He did in AD70) to save the early Christians; but not from their sins because He was already there in them burning off their old sinful nature.

His ‘coming in the clouds’ with His angels that finally did happen in AD 70 was to save them from the persecution they were suffering from both the non-believing Jews and the Romans. They were the ones that deserved and finally received God’s ‘Day of the Lord’ judgment, not the Christian Colossians. They were already spiritually saved.

This is a very important point; the Apostle Paul instructed the Colossians not to go back to their old sinful ways of living however many wanted to. Many Colossians didn’t have the patience or the desire to endure to the end when Christ would come to save them from their persecutors. Who could actually blame them with all of the pain and suffering they were experiencing on a daily basis? However, they were commanded to endure.

The Apostle Paul also gave similar ‘live right now’ instructions in his letter to the Romans (Romans 6:1-2 and 6:15 – ‘shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?’) and also to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 6:18… ‘flee fornication’) and throughout all his other epistles.

Each first century Christian was instructed to focus on being free from the old covenant Jewish law, religious pageantry and false teachings and to get grounded in grace. “For freedom Christ has set us free,” proclaimed Paul to the Galatians (Galatians 5:1) in his most profound exposition of grace.

The apostles knew that Jesus Christ would be coming within their generation to save Christians from their first century persecutors, but they still taught that until that day came; grace and obedience would be sufficient for them to continue to live faithful and righteous lives. Why? They already had Christ living in them (Colossians 1:27 – ‘Christ in you the hope of glory’). They didn’t need Jesus to forgive their sins again and save them spiritually because that already happened. They were promised to be saved, along with all the other living Christians within the first century generation of believers from their persecutors with Jesus using the Roman armies to bring judgment on the Jewish children of disobedience.

What’s being taught today? The “second physical coming of Jesus Christ” is still in the future or He only came again in AD70? Believing either one of these teachings makes Jesus Christ out to be some sort of Spider Man, Superman or Batman. None of those fictional cartoon characters, even if they were true could never live inside their loyal band of followers. This is what futurists and preterists are missing. They believe in a physical coming in AD70 or out in the future instead of having a correct understanding that “Jesus Christ was in the first century believers just as He is now in us… the hope of glory”. They are both missing the point of basic Christianity and are too caught up in their own eschatological beliefs.

Today’s Christians need to grasp the radical nature of God’s unconditional love and power to overcome sin. We have the free will to do whatever we want, just as the first century believers did, but we are still being held accountable by a merciful, forgiving and loving God. Many times we want to only think of God with just having those wonderful quality traits but we have the tendency to leave out the fact that He is also a just God (Romans 12:19). We all reap what we sow, whether we are futurists or preterists, Christians or non-Christians. (Galatians 6:7-9)

Judgment came first to the old covenant disobedient house of God in AD 70 (1 Peter 4:17). The old covenant system (old Jerusalem) had to be removed, and it started at the house of God… the old heavens and the old earth; the Jewish leaders and the Jewish people who rejected Jesus as Messiah and persecuted Christians had to be stopped.

For us, the New Covenant House of God (new Jerusalem – new heavens and new earth) should not think we have a grace “get out of jail free” card to flash anytime we think we can willfully sin (Romans 6:1-2). We suffer consequences in many ways when we willfully commit sin…. and we suffer those consequences in the here and now.

Many of the first generation believers stayed faithful to the end of their lives, while others gave up their faith and turned back to their old way of living. (John 6:66) They also suffered the “Day of the Lord” Roman wrath that Christ spoke about and that finally did happen in AD 70.

Will we digress and place ourselves under the rightful judgment of God by not living righteous and obedient lives? Or will we move forward in victory under the watchful eye of our Lord’s grace, mercy and love that guides us from within to glory?

Will we turn our backs on the lost people of our generation when we are supposed to be Christ’s body here on earth (1 Corinthians 6:19, 1 Corinthians 12:27, Matthew 25:34-36)?

Don’t we have an obligation and duty to first live our own lives right, so that we can lead by example and be an effective witness to others?

Maybe we really are the only Jesus that people see.

Are we offering real hope? Are we teaching people in our own lost and hurting generation that they can be forgiven and be grafted into God’s kingdom right now experiencing Christ within them who freely gives us all love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23)?

Are there still too many Christian futurists sitting in the church pews waiting for Jesus to come again so that they don’t have the inward power to even overcome their own sins yet alone teach others to do so?

Are the Christian preterists sitting on their church pews now who don’t even know how to present the gospel anymore because they can’t get past what happened back in AD70?

Many of my Christian preterist and futuristic friends don’t know or seem to not even care to take the time to learn where Jesus Christ resides right now. I honestly don’t believe that they have a proper understanding of what exactly happened on the Day of Pentecost and in the years leading up to AD70. Jesus Christ was already alive and living within the first century believers (2 Corinthians 13:5).

The people of our generation just as in Christ’s first followers need to have a chance to experience and understand the magnitude of the power of Jesus Christ in them and what responsibilities comes with that knowledge.

How do we offer the Kingdom of God to unbelievers if we limit Jesus Christ to only two physical comings and not completely understanding the exact power that comes with Christ living in us?

I honestly believe that the two biggest problems with both preterism and futurism are one looks back at the past to AD70 for a second coming of Jesus while the other one looks forward to an unknown future for a second coming of Jesus while both leave out the present.

My big question to both of these eschatological movements is: “What about today… which is all we have?? The present! The RIGHT NOW! Where is Jesus Christ right now?”

Christianity didn’t begin or end in AD70. What began on the Day of Pentecost was new covenant Christianity with Christ mysteriously living in both Jews and Gentiles. What ended in AD70 was the old Jewish covenant and all its pageantry and Christian persecutions.

What began on the Day of Pentecost and according to the scriptures I refer to in this article, will never end. Our generation can still experience God’s power right now, and to stop waiting for another tomorrow, which for some may never come.

The only thing that officially ended in AD70 when Christ came in the clouds using the Romans was the old covenant and all of its religiosity.

The first generation of Christians, and all generations that followed , including ours today; have Christ living in His followers (2 Corinthians 13:5) never having to wait again for Jesus to appear in the unknown future. We can experience God to the fullest, right now… today!

Jesus Christ comes into anyone who repents of their sins and calls upon His name. That happened in the generation leading up to AD70 and in each and every generation that followed, up to and including ours. Generation upon generation … God’s kingdom lives on!

What legacy do we want to leave behind from our generation?

Will we be remembered as luke-warm believers, who sat in church, satisfied with our own salvation, or will we be remembered as powerful witnesses who loved others more than we loved ourselves?

Let’s all want to be remembered for obeying God and for being doers of His word, not just believers who heard the word and did nothing with it.

We each have a choice. What’s yours?

Please  click here to read or download a .pdf file of this article without pictures and graphics.

blog by S.J. Velasquez • June 15, 2012 @ 11:09am

© Copyright 2012 by Marty Angelo. All rights reserved.  – December 21, 2012

Christian Trinitarian doctrine* demands a second physical coming of Jesus Christ (Nicene Creed – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicene_Creed ).  It is one of the only ways a Christian Trinitarian can believe and explain God as being three actual people.

*The Christian doctrine of the Trinity defines God as three divine persons or hypostases: the Father, the Son (Jesus Christ), and the Holy Spirit. The three persons are distinct yet coexist in unity, and are co-equal, co-eternal and consubstantial. Put another way, the three persons of the Trinity are of one being or ousia. The Trinity is considered to be a mystery of Christian faith. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trinity)

This is a list of some of the major Christian denominations who accept the Doctrine of the Trinity and the physical Second Coming of Jesus Christ: 

Anglican/Episcopal 

Assembly of God 

Baptist 

Lutheran 

Methodist  

 Presbyterian 

Roman Catholic

Church of God

Church of Christ

http://christianity.about.com/od/denominationscomparison/ss/comparebeliefs1_4.htm

Most Christian denominations teach that Jesus will return someday to judge all humans, living and dead, and grant eternal life to his followers.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity

When I was a growing up as a Roman Catholic trinitarian*, attending parochial schools until mid-high school, I was taught about God by various priests and nuns something along these lines:    1) The Father … the first person of the trinity. There is a one Father person of god in heaven…. 2) The Son… the second person of the trinity. There is a second person of god (Jesus) who is also in heaven sitting at the right hand of the father person of god and who already did, or is waiting to, physically come again either, as Christian preterists teach… already physically happened in AD70, or as Christian futurists teach… will physically happen sometime off in the unknown future.

3) The Holy Ghost… the third person of the trinity. There is a third person of god (Holy Spirit) on earth.

Instead of believing the teachings of the apostles … especially Apostle Paul… who clearly taught Jesus Christ was living right then and there inside of Christ’s first century followers, Trinitarians (both preterists and futurists) instead want people to believe there are three separate and distinct persons of god with only the third spirit person of god living inside of Christians.  First of all this is impossible because a spirit is not a person.

A spirit is a spirit. There is no such thing as a Holy Spirit person.  That is why so many Trinitarians cannot properly understand let alone explain the trinity. They like to call it a “mystery”* … something magical yet unexplainable… but people are commanded to believe it because Trinitarian religious leaders tell them to.  

How is one not to question the trinity when there is really no correct logical biblical answer… especially because the word “trinity” doesn’t  appear anywhere in the bible? That should take care of that doctrine right there.  However, Trinitarians are not satisfied with the One God teachings in the bible; they want to change the bible to fit Trinitarian teachings instead of allowing the Word (Jesus) to change Trinitarians from the inside out. The Jewish “Oneness of God” teaching, “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD” (Deuteronomy 6:4) was enough for Christians in the first century and should have been enough in every century following up to and including ours today now… with Christ spiritually coming and coming and coming into His followers throughout each and every generation.  He should never be limited to only two physical comings as Trinitarians and Oneness denominations incorrectly teach.  Jesus Christ comes spiritually into whoever repents of their sins and calls upon His name (Romans 10:13).

Remember Jesus Christ clearly taught that “Salvation is of the Jews” (John 4:22c).  He also taught amongst many other subjects that God is a spirit. “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.” (John 4:24).

Christ came for the Jew first… and also the gentiles (Romans 2:10). The Jews never taught three god persons. In fact, the Apostle Paul, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee (Phil. 3:5) earnestly taught: “One Lord, One Faith and One Baptism” (Ephesians 4:5).  

Paul taught the Corinthians that (Lord) Jesus Christ was living in them. “…Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?” (2 Corinthians 13:5b).  He also taught the Philippians that Jesus Christ is Lord… (Philippians 2:11a)

The believing Jews of the first century knew Jesus Christ was God manifested in the flesh.  Why?  Many of them were physically there when He clearly proved that He was God by performing miracles and with other signs and wonders… dying on a cross then miraculously rising from the dead … fulfilling all prophecy. Jesus also clearly “said” He was God, the Great I AM (John 8:58)  Also see: John 6:51, John 8:23, John 10:9, John 10:11, John 10:36, John 11:25, John 14:6, John 15:1, John 19:2, Acts 7:32, Acts 9:5.  Christ also taught the sign of His coming in judgment would be the total destruction of Jerusalem and its old Jewish religion with its blood sacrifices, feasts, priests and temples. (Matthew 24:30a) This happened in AD70.

The Apostles understood and also taught Christ would be coming within their generation to bring judgment upon Israel exactly as Jesus Christ had prophesied would happen within “this generation” – see Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21.  No one knew the exact date and time this was going to happen. However, they did know there would be various signs (read Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21) prior to His judgment destruction and in AD70 their words and Jesus’ words did come to pass within their generation (NOT OURS) when Christ used the Romans to utterly destroy Israel and all of its religious systems.  “And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? Verily I say unto you, “There shall not be left here one stone upon another that shall not be thrown down” (Matthew 24:2). God always used nations to bring about judgment upon Israel (Amos 3).

Once Christians turned away from understanding the Jewish “God is One” teaching and accepted the Trinitarian (Roman Catholic/Orthodox) “God is Three” teaching they could not and still to this day cannot correctly accept or understand the spiritual coming of Jesus Christ at Pentecost. They also could not and still cannot understand the coming of the “day of the Lord” judgment in AD70 nor correctly understand the continuous spiritual comings of Jesus Christ in them.  

One of the reasons Trinitarians cannot correctly understand Pentecost, AD70 and the continuous spiritual comings of Jesus into believers, is they have foolishly divided God into being three distinct persons, and they have to believe Jesus Christ is still a person in heaven that has to come back to earth a second time to finish the work they think still needs to be completed.

Jesus Christ came spiritually into His followers on the Day of Pentecost… … and continues to come into believers every second of the day and night.  Jesus Christ is the Spirit of God, not a second person of the godhead.  Jesus Christ is who comes into believers… not the third person of the trinity.

Trinitarians have turned the spiritual ‘Day of Pentecost’ event (Christ in you) into a far off yet-to-happen physical fleshly “Jesus is coming again a second time” event. They teach the “third person of the trinity” is dwelling in us now and has Jesus Christ physically coming again someday… or as preterists teach only happened in AD70. 

Instead of understanding Jesus Christ dwells in our hearts now Trinitarians have Him up in heaven somewhere waiting to come again physically someday. This led to a false understanding and teaching that if Jesus didn’t return physically in the first century to rule and reign like they thought he was supposed to do, then He must be coming back again physically in the future. 

Trinitarians have an incorrect understanding of first… who exactly is Christ … What did He really mean when He said He was returning, when and how did He say He would return… and where does He dwell now. 

Many Christians have confusingly accepted a Trinitarian doctrine (which came into being over 300 years after the Church began in the first century) teaching that Jesus Christ came once at Bethlehem and believing and teaching He is to only physically come again a second time … either in AD70 (which preterists teach already happened) or sometime out in the unknown future (which is what the majority of futurists still teach). (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Coming_of_Jesus)

In the first few centuries, Christians were still expecting Jesus Christ to physically come back to earth to set up a physical kingdom and by the third century that hadn’t happened the way they thought it should, so Roman Catholicism was born.  Though many understood that something happened at AD70, they didn’t realize that was the time Jesus said He would come to destroy the old Jewish covenant and all of its religious practices. He was already living in them but they still were looking for a physical second coming.

Roman Catholicism took a step in creating a physical person of God to represent Jesus here on earth until Jesus (the second person of the trinity) would finally get around to coming back to earth Himself.  (Roman Catholic Nicene Creed – He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead and his kingdom will have no end.   They called this man Pope (a.k.a. The Vicar of Christ) and unscripturally named the Apostle Peter as the first one.

The Roman Catholic Pope:  The Vicar of Christ – (Latin Vicarius Christi) – A title of the pope implying his supreme and universal primacy, both of honor and of jurisdiction, over the Church of Christ. It is founded on the words of the Divine Shepherd to St. Peter: “Feed my lambs. . . . Feed my sheep” (John 21:16-17), by which He constituted the Prince of the Apostles guardian of His entire flock in His own place, thus making him His Vicar and fulfilling the promise made in Matthew 16:18-19. (Catholic Encyclopedia)

“Throughout the centuries of Rome’s existence, the popes have regularly claimed to be divine. As the supposed successor of Peter, the Pope claims infallibility, the position of God on Earth, and ability to judge and excommunicate angels. Cardinal Sarto, who became Pope Pius X, said this: ‘The Pope represents Jesus Christ Himself…’ This belief has so assimilated into society’s thinking that it is believed by many beyond Catholic circles. According to TIME, Pope John Paul II’s assassination attempt prompted a young Jewish man to say, ‘Shooting the Pope; ‘it’s like shooting God.’” http://amazingdiscoveries.org/R-Pope_Rome_blasphemy_power_Jesus  

Many offshoot protestant denominations have come up with many similar unscriptural doctrines and creeds over the years since departing the Catholic Church and two of the main false teachings that they held onto was the trinity doctrine and the physical second of Jesus Christ. They believed and taught that Jesus Christ would return sometime out in the future.  A minister or preacher has taken the place of each individual believer being a king and priest himself (Rev. 5:10 and 1 Peter 2:9). Instead of each believer receiving their own ministry gift from God and going about doing God’s work here on earth, a hierarchy was developed and only certain people are called into ministry.

A majority of believers look up to these leaders and believe just about anything they teach instead of digging into their own bibles for their own revelations and insights. The hierarchy felt an obligation to teach those who were not as educated. Many different doctrines were placed in front of believers and many of the mainline churches have split over the last two thousand plus years into almost forty thousand denominations.

The above teachings… based on Trinitarian doctrines, are not biblically sound and are two of the major errors running within Christianity for centuries up to and including today.  There is not one scripture found in the bible that reads:  “the second coming of Jesus Christ” nor is there one scripture that reads “God is a trinity.”

There is only one God… His “NAME” is Jesus Christ. He began to live spiritually in His followers on the Day of Pentecost and He continues to do so to this day. 

Pentecost (which means 50) is the Greek name for the biblical “Feast of Weeks” you can read about in the book of Leviticus. It’s called that because it happens 50 days after the “Feast of First Fruits” – which was the Jewish feast day when Jesus Christ rose from the dead.

God has many names and titles throughout the bible but in the New Testament He manifested Himself as the man, Jesus Christ… born of a virgin and who was at that time of His life on earth was both God and man, being called or titled both: Jesus Christ:  “The Son of God” AND “The Son of Man”.  There is no salvation in any other name (Acts 4:12).

Names and Titles of God

“Jesus Christ”

“God Almighty”

“My Lord”

“The Everlasting God”

“I AM that I AM”

“The Spirit of God”

“The Spirit of Christ”

“The Everlasting Father” (not the first person of the trinity)

“The Son of God” (not the second person of the trinity)

“The Holy Ghost” (not the third person of the trinity)

“The Son of the Most High God”

“Christ the Lord”

“Immanuel”

“God with Us”

“The Lord of Hosts”

“The Good Shepherd”

“The Eternal One”

“Master”

“The Prince of Peace”

“God Most High”

“The Great I AM”

“The Son of Man”

“The Word of God”

“The Son of Adam”

“The Name of God”

“The Name of the Lord”

“The Son of David”

“The Son of Abraham”

“Angel of the Lord”

“The Burning Bush”

“Pillar of Cloud”

“Pillar of Fire”

“Wonderful”

“Counselor”

“The Mighty God”

“Comforter”

“The Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us”

“Christ in us”

“The Faithful Witness”

“The Firstborn of the Dead”

“The Ruler over the kings of the earth”

“God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord”

“The Promise of My Father”

“The Holy Spirit”

“God in Christ Jesus”

“The Eternal Spirit”

“The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob”

“The God of Israel”

“Heavenly Father”

“The Spirit of the Lord God”

“The Angel of the Lord”

“The Most High God”

“The Lord God of Shem”

“The Seed of Abraham”

“The Seed”

“The Holy One of Israel”

“The Spirit of the Lord”

“The Lord in the Spirit”

“Himself”

“His Son Jesus Christ”

“His Word”

“God of Creation”

“Christ Jesus”

“The Peace of Christ”

“The Lord God”

“His God and Father”

“The Lord is a man of war”

“I am the Lord that healeth thee”

“The Lord shall reign forever and ever”

“The Lord is my Strength”

“O LORD God of my master Abraham”

“The Lord they God”

“God Almighty”

“Lord, the God of Heaven and the God of the earth”

“The Lord is greater than all gods”

“My Presence Shall go with thee”

“King of Kings”

“Lord of Lords”

“The Lord descended in the cloud”

“The Lord, whose name is Jealous”

“Him”

“His God”

“The Most High God”

The High Priest”

“This is the finger of God”

“The Hand of the LORD”

“LORD your God”

“LORD of God”

“I am the LORD your God”

“I am the Lord”

“Jehovah”

“Lord God of Israel”

“The God of the Hebrews”

“God of my father”

“I am the God of Bethel”

“I am God”

“The God of Hahor”

‘”The God Almighty”

“The God of thy father”

“The LORD is my strength and song”

“My Salvation”

“The Lord is my Shepherd”

The above list is actually only a short list of the various titles and/or names of God… not different people…  There are over 900 titles and names of God throughout the Bible. http://christiananswers.net/dictionary/namesofgod.html. 

Jesus Christ manifests Himself spiritually inside of His followers yesterday, today and forever…(Hebrews 13:8).  Jesus specifically taught:  “…the kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:21c).  He has manifested Himself throughout all of Christianity beginning on the Day of Pentecost during the first century and continues to do so forever. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom (Daniel 7:27). It will never end. Jesus Christ came into His followers, as promised (John 14:12) beginning on the Day of Pentecost (John 14:20) which was prior to AD70… He continued to come into His followers during the first generation of believers up to AD70 when He destroyed old Jerusalem and its religious system… and continued to come into believers after AD70… right up to and including today. He (Christ in you) is the only true God anyone is ever going to know, experience and love while here on planet earth. Jesus Christ continues to makes Himself known to many people in many different ways. Mine was in an old farm house over 30 years ago. How about you? When people ask Jesus Christ to come into their lives as their personal Lord and Savior who actually comes in? Who then dwells in us? It is certainly not the third person of the Trinity.

The Bible clearly teaches numerous times this simple fact that Jesus Christ is in His followers:

             “I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.” (John 14:18)

                              “At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.” (John 14:20)

The Oneness “Jesus Only” Pentecostals should know better

United Pentecostal Church International (UPCI) – is one of the largest Oneness denominations within Christianity.  This is what they believe about Jesus Christ coming again: 

About the Future – Jesus Christ is coming again to catch away His church. In the end will be the final resurrection and the final judgment. The righteous will inherit eternal life, and the unrighteous eternal death. (See I Thessalonians 4:16-17; Revelation 20:11-15.) http://www.upci.org/about-us/beliefs

The Oneness “Jesus Only” Pentecostals also base their Jesus Christ “second coming” teachings on doctrines they carried with them when they left their Trinitarian denominations. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oneness_Pentecostalism_(doctrine)]

Christian Oneness believers should know better than any other Christian denomination but they seem just as blind to truth as Christian Trinitarians. They correctly believe there is only one God and His name is Jesus and will even get baptized in water in His name, “Jesus Christ.”  They will denounce Christian Trinitarian baptism in the three names… father, son and Holy Ghost…. Yet they contradict themselves believing in a second coming of a physical Jesus sometime out in the future. If that is truly the case then they are really not “oneness” believers at all but “twoness” believers. They believe Jesus is living in them now… yet negate it by saying He is physically coming back out of heaven again in the future in bodily form.

Oneness believers have “Christ in them” now but are confused as they are still waiting for Him to bodily come again in the future. They want to be biblically correct by being baptized in Jesus’ name and filled with the Holy Ghost and they try to prove all other Christians are wrong by not believing God is one.

Oneness believers contradict themselves every time they teach a second physical coming of Jesus sometime off in the future. The simple fact is that if Jesus Christ is living in them now … then there is no need for Him to physically come again. Simple logic concludes that He would have to leave them spiritually just to turn around and return again in bodily form at some later date.  It just doesn’t make sense.  

Once Our Lord, Savior and now ruling King Jesus Christ comes into believers, whether we are preterists, futurists, Trinitarian or Oneness Christians… He promises to never leave nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).

I go into much more detail in my latest book, “Vision of New Jerusalem: Now!” available in both paperback and Kindle via Amazon.com.  http://www.amazon.com/Marty-Angelo/e/B002MN1660/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

Prison Minister and author Marty Angelo speaks to the media outside of a court hearing for troubled actress Lindsay Lohan – Nov. 2011

Prison Minister Ready to Help The ‘Troubled’ Lindsay Lohan

Lindsay Lohan needs faith-based regeneration

Long time prison minister Marty Angelo again offers his help to troubled actress.

Hollywood – 12/3/12 “Liz and Dick” movie star Lindsay Lohan was offered another chance at turning her life around after she was arrested for punching a woman in a New York City nightclub and also charged on the same day with three misdemeanors in California.

Prison Minister and author Marty Angelo has reached out to Lohan for a fourth time trying to convince the troubled star to enter and complete a one year faith-based residential treatment program for her substance abuse problems

Angelo has followed Lohan’s various arrests since he was first contacted back in 2006 by Lohan’s father, Michael who asked Angelo to reach out to help his daughter, Lindsay.

Angelo sent her letters and a copy of his autobiography, “Once Life Matters: A New Beginning” and also contacted the judge and attorneys in charge of Lindsay’s DUI case at that time offering to serve any jail/prison/probation time she was sentenced to if the former child star would enter and complete a one-year women’s faith based residential treatment program. He made the same offer two other times but unfortunately Lohan never accepted them and her problems have continued to escalate.

“The wonderful thing about faith-based programs is they all have proven track records.” Angelo remarked in a recent radio interview. “These programs work and have totally changed thousands of lives for decades. Many boost upwards of a 86% success rate.”*

Angelo firmly believes that as soon as someone places their faith and trust in Jesus Christ, that person begins to change from the inside out because they now have Christ himself living in them.

“It is not about rehabilitation,” Angelo continued “but Christian regeneration.”

Angelo hopes and prays that Lohan will take that step of faith and get serious about changing and accepting God’s true plan and purpose for her life. Angelo is again willing to serve any jail or prison time a judge will sentence her to if she agrees to his offer.

Marty Angelo has worked in prison and substance rehab ministry for over 30 years. He served time himself for cocaine possession back in 1980 after working for 15 years in the entertainment business.

Angelo became a Christian a few months after his drug bust and prior to serving 2 1/2 years in a federal prison. For more information see http://www.martyangelo.com.

* Teen Challenge Report 87.5% of the graduates did not require additional treatment in drug treatment programs after leaving Teen Challenge. Over 90% considered themselves addicted to drugs before entering Teen Challenge.
http://www.okteenchallenge.com/statistics.html

Outspoken minister will discuss his conversion to Christianity over 30 years ago and his outreach ministry to prisons, drug rehabs and trouble celebrities

HOLLYWOOD, Nov. 8, 2012 / — Prison Minister and author Marty Angelo is scheduled to appear live on the Vital Connection Radio Show on Monday, November 12, 2012 at 10:05-11:00am (EST) on WHKP AM Radio. The show is also streamed online at: www.whkp.com/live365/1_ad.html and is available via Podcast after the morning show at: www.thevitalconnection.org/podcasts.

Angelo has been actively involved in prison and substance abuse ministry for over 30 years working with “the late Chuck Colson” at Prison Fellowship Ministries, Teen Challenge Ministries, the Drug Abuse Foundation of Palm Beach County Florida and Faith Farm Ministries of South Florida.

Angelo is also noted for his work with troubled celebrities making numerous court appearances and rehab referrals for several well-known actors, musicians and sports figures.

Marty Angelo worked in the entertainment business from 1965 to 1980 as a television producer, record promoter, disk jockey and personal manager for rock’n'roll bands. He received his first professional breaks from the late guitar legend Jimi Hendrix and the late Beatle George Harrison.

Though at times Angelo thought he achieved success, internally he always felt an emptiness in his heart, sensing his life had neither real meaning nor true purpose. Nothing ever seemed to matter to him. Therefore, he lived an out-of-control sin-riddled lifestyle.

Angelo was arrested in 1980 for two counts of possession of cocaine. Through this life-shattering event he experienced a “new beginning,” a dramatic and electrifying conversion to Christianity. This miracle happened in 1981 prior to him serving two-and-a-half years in a federal prison. Angelo’s life finally began to matter during that time as it took on a new meaning discovering God’s true plan and purpose.

Angelo helped many prisoners during his incarceration explaining if God can change his life He can change anybody… including hardened convicts, drunkards and drug addicts.

Marty was released from prison in 1984 and is living his life as an example to other ex-convicts and former drug-addicts and alcoholics who want to serve God and be used by Him for His glory.

Marty Angelo is the author of two books, “Once Life Matters: A New Beginning” and “Vision of New Jerusalem: Now!” Both books are available in paperback and Kindle via Amazon.com.

For more information see www.martyangelo.com.

Read entire article here: ‘Rapture’ Likely to Occur by 2021

My response to Dr. Beshore via email (info@worldbiblesociety.org) - 10/25/2012

Dear Dr. Beshore .. I recently read your press release (‘Rapture’ Likely to Occur by 2021). I am surprised you are still presenting a teaching that can not be proven anywhere in the Bible. There is not one scripture that says: “The Second Coming of Jesus Christ” …

Jesus clearly stated to the generation living at the time He prophesied His coming … would be within “that generation”… not any other… Unless you twist and turn His very words and say He was either mistaken or lied to his first century followers. No where does He say anything about coming in a future generation (other than to come and live IN his followers). Never.

He was living within His first century followers … as Paul clearly taught.. “Christ in you”…. or in 2Cor13:5… “Jesus Christ in you.”

Christ came in judgement within that generation using the Romans to completely destroy the old Jewish religious system… temple… priests… blood sacrifices, etc. in AD70.

Christ’s kingdom is everlasting… and He lives IN his followers.. NOW.. and has nothing to do with any rapture… or future coming as you falsely teach. Remember… audience relevance. Keep the English language tenses in proper order and you will see Jesus was referring to the generation living then… not now!!!

For more info please see: http://martyangelo.com/what_is.htm

Thank you

Marty Angelo

In his latest book, “Vision of New Jerusalem: Now!” author Marty Angelo challenges Christians to think.  

LOS ANGELES, May 4, 2012 /Christian Newswire/ — In what can be called a real challenge to one’s faith, outspoken prison minister and author Marty Angelo is asking Christians to dig in their Bibles to come up with their own understanding of eschatology (the study of end-times).

Many people in today’s Christian generation believe end-time teachers and preachers (whether preterists or futurists) without making sure themselves exactly what the Bible teaches.

“There is a tendency today for a futurist to change in the middle of their end-time beliefs to preterism.” Angelo recently remarked in a radio interview, “When a futurist converts to preterism it can be a very rewarding yet frustrating time. The excitement of knowing one does not have to wait for a ‘second coming of Jesus’ to happen is a thrilling revelation. However, there is also a big frustrating problem lurking right around the corner.

“What the converted futurist (who now considers himself a preterist) can find hard to understand is that Jesus Christ was ‘actually’ already living in him while he was still a futurist. However, what he once believed as a futurist is now changed as he starts to now believe that Jesus Christ, who he was taught was coming in the future, already came in AD 70. This can now pose a big dilemma.   “Jesus Christ was just as much alive in the futurist while the futurist was still a futurist as He was prior to AD 70 living within His first followers and also when He appeared in the clouds with His angels in AD 70.”

Marty Angelo is no newcomer to controversy. He has worked in full-time ministry for over 30 years working in prisons and rehabs. He has spoken out numerous times; either in defense of other authors, such as James Fry, reaching out to hundreds of troubled celebrities and or holding doomsday television evangelist Harold Camping accountable for his false end-time teachings. Angelo is right in the middle of another battle again trying to help point both futurists and preterists to understanding what eschatology is all about.

To read Angelo’s entire article entitled: “Which is it: Preterism or Futurism” please see: martyangelo.com/what_is.htm.

Angelo’s latest book, “Vision of New Jerusalem: Now!” is available through online bookseller, Amazon.com or through www.oncelifematters.com.

Charles W. “Chuck” Colson

October 16, 1931 – April 21, 2012

Mr. Chuck Colson inspired me from the moment I first read his book, “Born Again.”  I was standing in a Christian bookstore in Buffalo, New York looking for books to explain what had happened to me after becoming a Christian while I awaited a court date for a drug possession charge back in 1980. 

I found Colson’s book very fascinating and it also confirmed to me that the same experience that happened to Chuck Colson happened to me.  We both were “born again” by having Jesus Christ come into our lives and that is who had changed us. 

Prior to becoming a Christian I was a rebellious radical out-of-control substance abuser working in the entertainment business who had a bitter hatred for President Richard M. Nixon and anyone who had anything to do with him.  There were not too many people in our “baby boomer” hippy generation who thought very highly of Nixon and his cronies.

Portrait of Charles Colson Pausing at Watergate Hearing – 1974

When Nixon and his staff had the Watergate scandal blow up in their faces I was glad to see it happen. I was glued to my television set to watch the entire congressional hearings and loved it when each member of Nixon’s staff was dragged before the committee to answer for their wrong doings.

 Chuck Colson and Marty Angelo – 1974 – from two different worlds

However, little did I know at the time, while I was pointing my finger at these other men’s misgivings (sins) there were three of my fingers pointing right back at me. I found out very suddenly one day that I too was going to be held accountable for my own actions (sins). 

I learned first-hand shortly after becoming a Christian exactly what Colson had learned himself and taught out of the Bible that we are ALL sinners and fall short of the glory of God and in need of a savior. Not one person is righteous in God’s eyes… whether it was Richard M. Nixon, Chuck Colson or little ole me.

The Bible says “all are sinners”… and it means every single one of us.  And another biblical fact Colson learned and explained so easily is that we all reap what we sow. There are consequences for all of our actions whether we work for presidents or rock ‘n’ roll stars.

Charles W. Colson and President Richard M. Nixon

Chuck Colson was once considered Richard Nixon’s “hatchet man” and his special legal counsel, so how in the world would someone like me ever get to meet a high-caliber politician like him… yet alone turn out to actually like the guy?

Well, we met because we both got arrested and went to prison. In both of our lives we praised God for allowing that to happen. By experiencing our “prison moments” we came to understand that God had a much different purpose for our lives then we could ever dream possible.

Colson taught me that we both experienced in our own ways the long arm of God. We learned first-hand that prison is what God uses as a common denominator breaking down social and political barriers proving He is God and not us.  Chuck also taught me that self-righteousness/pride is what stood in the way of our understanding that Jesus Christ is in control… not us.

Prison has the potential of bringing one to his or her knees crying out to God for help and that happened to both Chuck Colson and myself at just about the same time in history… over 30 years ago. 

Marty Angelo – (still in prison at the time) and Charles W. “Chuck” Colson – at a Prison Fellowship Washington DC Discipleship Seminar – 1983

I never thought in a million years I would ever meet someone as important as Chuck Colson.  Now I’ve met my fair share of popular celebrities during my 15 years of working in the entertainment business prior to becoming a Christian. However, I never met anyone who had such an important sounding title, ”Special Counsel to the President of the United States.”  Nope, prior to becoming Christians we were both on two completely different wave lengths. I am sure there was no way Special Counsel Colson ever wanted to meet Rock Manager Marty Angelo.  And guess what?  The feeling was mutual.

In fact, one of the rock bands I was managing during Richard Nixon’s presidency wound up on “Nixon’s Enemies List” which I am sure was placed there by Colson (who was in charge of that list) because my band refused to perform at one of Nixon’s daughter’s birthday parties.

After Colson became a Christian and started Prison Fellowship Ministries he made it a point to visit a prison every Easter Sunday. Well, Easter Sunday 1982 was no different.  That year the prison Chuck chose to speak in was the one I was serving time in for my drug possession charge. I had read Colson’s book explaining his conversion to Christianity and was curious to hear this man who unashamedly confessed Christ wherever he went. 

“Did Jesus Christ really change Colson?” I asked myself. “Is this guy for real?” I had to find out first-hand so I attended the Easter Sunday service where he gave a very compelling sermon on why he thought the Resurrection of Jesus Christ was true. 

Jesus Christ really touched my life that day. I will never forget listening to Colson come up with the most profound statement I ever heard regarding Christ’s resurrection.  It still rings in my ears today.

President Richard Nixon’s cabinet

You could hear a pin drop as every inmate in the service sat spellbound while Chuck used his own life as an example when he said: ”I know the Resurrection is a fact, and Watergate proved it to me. How? Because 12 men testified they had seen Jesus raised from the dead, and then they proclaimed that truth for 40 years, never once denying it. Everyone was beaten, tortured, stoned and put in prison. They would not have endured that if it weren’t true. Watergate embroiled 12 of the most powerful men in the world and they couldn’t keep a lie for three weeks. You’re telling me 12 apostles could keep a lie for 40 years? Absolutely impossible.”  

As soon as Colson finished his sermon everyone in the place stood up and cheered and many came forward for prayer. I flew up to the podium afterwards to personally meet him. Chuck grasped my hand and looked me right in my eyes and said something to me I will never, ever forget: “Marty, I know God has a very special plan for you.”

I was so thankful that day that Colson didn’t just walk out of the prison he served his time in and go back to his old life. He could have very easily done that and I don’t think anyone would have blamed him. However, Jesus Christ had changed him so much through his prison experience that he felt compelled to start Prison Fellowship Ministries which turned out to be not only the biggest prison ministry in the world but one of the best overall ministries ever.

Who knows what God is going to do with us once He comes into our lives?  One thing I know for sure is that I am grateful that Colson didn’t turn his back on prisoners, ex-prisoners or their families. I don’t know where I would be today if it wasn’t for Chuck’s commitment and drive to spread the message that Christ has a better way.

Only Jesus Christ could have changed Chuck Colson’s heart as He did my own.  We were both considered brothers and it took Jesus to miraculously make that happen.

Chuck Colson never hid for one minute the Christ that lived in him. He became one of my first Christian role models from the moment I met him.

Colson became known in our nation’s prisons… in prisoner lingo, as “the real deal.” He never forgot where he came from.  It wasn’t the White House that changed Charles W. Colson… it was facing the Big House… pouring out his heart to Jesus Christ while sitting in his car in a driveway facing an unknown future in prison.

Chuck Colson, Marty Angelo and Gov. Al Quie – receiving an “Outstanding Service Award” at a Prison Fellowship staff conference in Sandy Cove, Maryland in 1989 

Colson’s message and “realness” burned a deep desire in my heart to become a prison minister. It was only a few short years later that I would get the chance to actually work with him at Prison Fellowship Ministries.  I felt so honored and privileged to have had the chance to not only meet Chuck Colson but actually minister together with him and his nationwide staff.

Chuck’s inspiration in my life went much further than our first meeting in prison back in 1982. Colson inspired me so much that I went on to graduate from five of Prison Fellowship’s in-prison seminars, attended a Prison Fellowship Washington DC two-week seminar, led the Prison Fellowship inmate prayer and Bible study group in my prison, graduated from four Bible colleges while in prison, went into full time ministry after my release from prison (working for Prison Fellowship from 1986-1990), wrote two books and stayed in the ministry for over 30 years.  I attribute this all to how Jesus Christ touched me through Chuck’s example. 

Chuck Colson had a tendency to rub off on those around him.  And I found out the real blessing is it wasn’t really Colson who was doing all the inspiring.  It was Jesus Christ living within Chuck who did it. 

Old Colson couldn’t change himself yet alone change anyone else.  However, once Jesus Christ got a hold of Chuck he was never the same.  He once said: “I realized that when God got His hand on my life there was no turning back. I would not turn back for anything in the world.”  Amen, brother…. amen.

Rest in peace Chuck. I hope you are enjoying the crown God has placed upon your head when you arrived in heaven while saying to you: “Well done, my good and faithful servant.”

Thank you so much brother for being such a giver. Jesus Christ touched millions of lives through you and I pray He will continue to do so through your amazing legacy.

Special added note for Christian ex-cons

I posted a similar version of this comment on Prison Fellowship Alumni’s Facebook page and thought some of my friends here would also like to read it. 

Chuck Colson was constantly raising the bar for us Christian ex-cons… which was always a real challenge… but one we truly needed.

Colson never took his eye off the ball and that spoke volumes to me even in the years after I left Prison Fellowship. It was great knowing Chuck was out there raising the bar up just a little bit more telling all of us; “Hey look it, brothers and sisters… if I can do it… so can you.” 

He wrote books, appeared on hundreds of television and radio shows, constantly being interviewed in the magazines and newspaper, spoke in prisons, churches and conferences all over the world. Each time Colson accomplished a new goal… up went the bar. 

He set the perfect example to his fellow Christian ex-cons. His message was always: “Be about our Father’s business. Don’t look back. Keep moving forward using the talents God has blessed you with.”

Colson opened the door for all of us to catch our own vision on how to help others through our woundedness.

People loved to put Chuck Colson up on a pedestal. However, he would always bring it right back around to when he cried out to Jesus in his car sitting in a friend’s driveway facing an unknown future in prison. 

Colson always taught, “It was not who he was … but who Christ was in him.” He kept his message real simple… and clear. It was so easy to understand that even this old prisoner got it the first time Chuck opened his mouth to speak when I was doing time. “That’s it!” I said to myself… “I found my purpose in life.”

Chuck must be having a ball up in heaven right now… looking down on us.. smiling knowing that he raised the bar one last time before he left us by “dying with his boots on” at 80 years old.

Hello!! “Thanks Chuck … I don’t know many of us who are willing to go all that way… leaving a part of your legacy while giving a speech?” Now that, my friends… is a class act. 

There is no reason to even think about retiring now. When I do .. I will always remember Chuck Colson’s swan song… boots on and all… telling people about Jesus and the better way He has for all who put their faith and trust in Him. How can any of us top that???

Marty Angelo – © 2012 – Once Life Matters Ministries

When a futurist converts (please understand I am using that word very loosely) to preterism it can be a very rewarding yet frustrating time. Why is it frustrating one may ask?

The excitement of knowing one does not have to wait for a “second coming of Jesus” to happen is a thrilling revelation. However, there is also a big frustrating problem lurking right around the corner.

What the converted futurist (who now considers himself a preterist) can find hard to understand is that Jesus Christ was ‘actually’ already living in him while he was still a futurist. However, what he once believed as a futurist is now changed as he starts to now believe that Jesus Christ, who he was taught was coming in the future, already came in AD 70. This can now pose a big dilemma.

Jesus Christ was just as much alive in the futurist while the futurist was still a futurist and as He was prior to AD 70 living within His first followers and also when He appeared in the clouds with His angels in AD 70.

Just how many Jesus Christ comings are there… 1, 2, 3, 10, 50? How about “as many stars in the sky and countless as the sand on the seashore”? (Hebrews 11:12 – Abraham was as good as dead, yet from this one man came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore. NIV).

Where is Jesus now if He is living in us and is supposed to be in heaven and He came as well in AD 70? Other questions to ponder are: Just who came on the Day of Pentecost? Just who came in AD 70? And just who is living right now inside of all Christians? And who do futurists believe is coming sometime in the future? These are all very legitimate questions.

Are we frustrated enough yet?

Preterism and futurism actually play off of each another and I believe are both more wrong than right. Both teach only “two” actual comings of Jesus Christ “in the flesh.” Preterism teaches He came “a second time” in AD 70 and futurists scratch their heads … constantly looking at the clouds in the sky wondering when Jesus is coming a “second time.” Both have similar sounding patterns of thought, don’t they? However, which one is right? Can both of them be right? Can both of them be wrong? Can both have “some” truth?

Jesus Christ taught us in John 4:24 that “God is a spirit and we must worship Him in spirit and in truth.”

The Apostle Paul teaches Christ lives in Christians… the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27). And in 2 Cor. 13:5 Paul states that “Jesus Christ” is living within him and the Corinthians. Does that mean He is living in all believers too? Does He live in me? Does He live in you?

This poses a super huge problem for both preterists and futurists.

Which is it? If Apostle Paul tells us that Jesus Christ is living in us “NOW” then my question to a preterist is who came in AD 70 and if you are a futurist I am asking you who is coming sometime in the future? And my question to “both” preterists and futurists is who came on the Day of Pentecost in first century Christianity? Who… who… who… asked the wise old owl?

If Christ is living in us “now” both preterists “and” futurists, how do we really know which belief is right or wrong?

The Apostle Paul did not say in 2 Cor. 13:5 that the “Holy Ghost – the third person of the Trinity” was living in them… He didn’t say it was the Spirit of God, Spirit of Christ… though he did call Jesus by those names in many other scriptures. In fact… Paul could have easily said over a hundred different names for God living within the Corinthians. But he didn’t… Paul taught “Jesus Christ” was living in him as well as in the Corinthians and we can honestly say then that Jesus Christ is in all Christians right now. We can say that because the Bible clearly teaches it. It says nothing about the “third person of the Trinity” though that is what most Christian denominations teach.

Remember Jesus Christ’s words regarding what was going to happen within the generation living then. Not ours. See Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21.

The first generation of Christian believers was expecting “an appearing of Jesus” to happen. The “appearing” Jesus and the apostles taught would happen did happen in AD 70. It was in the “Day of the Lord” judgment coming to old Jerusalem. However, Jesus Christ actually first started living within Christians on the “day” of Pentecost just as He said would happen in John 14:20 (at that “day” ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.) That “day” is a much more important “day” than what happened in AD 70 or in any other futuristic “day” Christians think is still yet to happen.

The “DAY” of Pentecost is one of the most important “days” in Christian history… right up there with the birth, death, resurrection of Jesus Christ and AD 70. Why? Because it is the “day” that Jesus said He would start living in His followers. And in fact, on that “day” His followers would know that Jesus was in the Father, and His followers in Him and He would be in His followers (John 14:20). Jesus even said “if you see me… you see the Father” when asked by Phillip earlier in John 14:8-11 when he asked Jesus to “show us the Father.”

I believe Jesus Christ came spiritually on the Day of Pentecost as Father, Son and Holy Ghost (Comforter)… and in all the other over 100 names of God… just as He said He would AND continued to come into His followers from that day forward. (John 14:16-18 – And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.)

While attempting to figure out just when the “Second Coming of Jesus Christ” (an expression or term not found anywhere in the Bible) took place or will take place, most miss the fact that the important and life changing “coming within us” is actually Jesus Christ and His Kingdom and that “day” happened on the “day” of Pentecost and continues to happen on any “day” unbelievers repent of their unbelief and sins and opens the door of their hearts for Jesus Christ to come in as Lord and Savior… and takes up His rightful place on the throne on His follower’s hearts as King. (Rev. 3:20)

Remember Jesus’ words…. “God is a spirit…” (John 4:24). That is how He can live in all of His followers at the same time… in spirit. Jesus Christ is the Spirit of God… amongst many other names. (I John 4)

The Apostles never taught the first followers of Jesus Christ to take their eyes off the ball and live however way they wanted as they did before Christ was living in them. They were changed by the power of Jesus Christ living within them. They understood that Jesus was bringing judgment within their generation but they still had Jesus Christ living in them changing them from the inside out. Christ can be anywhere and everywhere because He is omnipresent. He is God. He can live in all of us at the same exact time changing us into the people we only hoped we could be prior to our conversions to Christianity.

I believe the Apostle Peter knew exactly who Jesus was on the Day of Pentecost after the Holy Ghost (Jesus manifested as Spirit) came and he instructed the Jews gathered in Jerusalem when they asked him what they should do and he responded repent and be baptized in the Name of Jesus (Acts 2:38) fulfilling Jesus’ command to baptize in the “name” of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost (Matt 28:19). Peter clearly understood that the “name” of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost was Jesus. If not, he certainly would not have commanded those to be baptized in the “name” of Jesus.

Peter knew Jesus was God manifested in the flesh… which was one of Peter’s keys to the kingdom of God. He knew Jesus was God both Lord and Christ. One! (Deuteronomy 6:4 – Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:” and Acts 2:36 – “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.”)

A question we should all ask ourselves is why did Peter command people to be baptized in the Name of Jesus. We should also ask ourselves who have been baptized in only the name of the father, son and holy ghost why didn’t the person who baptized us do it that way instead of following Peter’s instructions? Could this be where the church started to lose its way when it practiced this type of baptism instead of following Peter’s command?

I am not saying baptism saves you… though some teach it does. I am just concerned about the error in teaching. If the church got that wrong then what else did it get wrong? Does it matter what is taught anymore? Are we to just believe in doctrines, dogmas and creeds and forget the Bible?

Vision of New Jerusalem: Now!

PURCHASE BOOK NOW

This paperback book is also available at Amazon.com

This book is also available for Kindle download at Amazon Kindle

Live in the Now!

An in-depth study of the relationship of the kingdom of God, the Church, and the New Jerusalem

By understanding and applying the principles found in this book one will learn how to:

1) Stay out of troublesome situations… Now!

2) Live a victorious overcoming life… Now!

3) Experience inner peace… Now!

4) Build an important bridge between preterism/fulfilled eschatology and futurism… Now!

By Christine Thomasos, Christian Post Reporter

February 23, 2012

Rihanna and Chris Brown have been the topic of conversation for domestic violence professionals and pastors who are speaking out about their alleged romantic reconciliation.

After the release of two songs on which Rihanna and Brown collaborated were released, rumors circulated about the musicians reconnecting romantically. However, a domestic violence incident in 2009 that resulted in legal trouble for Brown and a battered Rihanna has caused some domestic violence professionals to speak out about the possible reunion.

Rita Smith, executive director of National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, warned Rihanna that Brown’s violent temper may not have changed since he assaulted her three years ago. After winning a Grammy Award on Feb. 12, Brown tweeted, “Hate all you want because I got a Grammy now! That’s the ultimate **** Off!”

According to Smith, the tweet was an indication of Brown’s mental state.

“The response was fairly belligerent and didn’t really indicate that he had changed much in the several years since the assault,” Smith said in a statement on NME.com.

Still, Smith said the two could possibly be friends if Brown treats Rihanna with respect.

“I think it’s possible they can be friends, and however they’re involved again, whether it’s as intimate partners or as good friends or as professional associates,” Smith said. “I hope that he continues to treat her with respect.”

Brown has completed an anger management program since the violent incident that took place in 2009. Still, Superior Court Judge George Lomeli suggested that Brown continue checking in with his probation officer that was assigned to him after the incident took place.

Although it seems Brown has not yet been completely forgiven for his past transgressions in the court system, it seems Rihanna has already moved past the violent history with her ex-boyfriend. According to The Dream,who produced the “Birthday Cake” remix collaboration between Rihanna and Brown, it was her idea to record the song with her formerly abusive ex-boyfriend.

“It was Rih’s idea,” The Dream said in an E! Networks report. “I think [the topic] that should be more on the tongues is: How do we proclaim to be a nation of forgiving…but we can’t actually do it? If [Rihanna] can forgive, that’s where she is mentally.”

Marty Angelo, head of The Mission of Marty Angelo Ministries, reached out to Brown after his initial domestic violence incident with Rihanna. Angelo, a former television show producer and current author who once worked in the entertainment industry and associated with many celebrities, such as Jimi Hendrix and Janice Joplin, said Christians should not judge Brown and Rihanna.

“We should pray that she will learn, because the odds are that he (may) do it again,” Angelo said. “The statistics are against (her). But, from a christian standpoint who are we to judge?”

Regardless of the context of the relationship between Brown and Rihanna, Angelo said it is important not to put their situation on a pedestal because of their celebrity status.

“We all fall short of the glory of God,” Angelo said. “We can’t keep putting people on pedestals. These two people are just two people.”