Telosism (the Biblical Post-Christian Religion)

Category: Theology

  • The wisdom of this world is foolishness with God

    What is being wise? It is ability to take correct decisions.

    Because of global warming, a correct decision would be not to learn how to use oil, not to build cars, etc.

    So the wise thing would be what is stupid, that is inablity to make the current civilization (which could however progress later with more green energy, if the authorities were submit to God).

    That’s what the Bible says:

    (1Cor 3) 18 Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seems to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He takes the wise in their own craftiness. 20 And again, The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.

    The really wise man is actually one what is more stupid.

    The same happens in our religion: The more we analyze it, the more possibilities we have to go astray from the true religion.

    However the true wisdom, understanding of Christ, is good.

  • Is water baptism necessary for salvation?

    In this article I attempt to answer the question: Is water baptism necessary for salvation?

    (Mark 16:16) “He that believes and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believes not shall be damned.”

    I think, most people misread it: “He that believes and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believes not or baptizes not shall be damned.”

    Baptism gives salvation but is not a necessary condition for salvation. (It is not said “who baptizes not shall be damned.”) The example of the repented bandit on the cross co-crucified with Jesus without doubt tells that he was saved without water baptism:

    (Luk. 23:41-43) “41 And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man has done nothing amiss. 42 And he said to Jesus, Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom. 43 And Jesus said to him, Truly I say to you, To day shall you be with me in paradise.”

    I remind that the faith does not work without deeds:

    (Jam. 2:19-26) “19 You believe that there is one God; you do well: the devils also believe, and tremble. 20 But will you know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 See you how faith worked with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? 23 And the scripture was fulfilled which said, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed to him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. 24 You see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. 25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? 26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.”

    Baptism is a deed of faith what here means that if one believes then he is going to be baptized. If anyone would say that he believes but refuses to baptize, he in my opinion still goes to the hell.

    But that bandit was not able to baptize with water, despite he got the faith. So he is not damned.

    The other argument of these who insist that baptism is necessary for salvation:

    (John 3:5-7) “5 Jesus answered, Truly, truly, I say to you, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Marvel not that I said to you, You must be born again.”

    This looks very similar to a reference to water baptism. But it cannot be (see the case of the bandit). So it may probably signify that borning again happens when the spirit enters human body and interacts with water inside (remember that human body consist 60% of water).

  • Why sin and the devil are necessary

    The devil invented “sin”, a way to misguide our brains.

    “Sin” is a DoS attack. It can be reformulated in another way (even if you don’t know what “DoS attack” is):

    Sin is a too hard problem which overwhelms our brains and makes us unable to think properly about other problems.

    So, we can conclude that sin is necessary, because that a problem is too hard does not make an allowance to skip it in the study. Sin needs to come into the world in order to be overcome (“solved”) organizing such a relationship between us and God which make it no problem anymore.

    So the existence of sin and the devil are necessary. It is a part of the plan of God.

    This is the explanation why all sufferings are necessary, as sufferings are just coming through too hard problems. But no problem is too hard to not be necessary to appear to be solved.

  • Faithfulness of slaves of Christ (1Cor. 4:1-2)

    (1Cor. 4:1-2) 1 So let a man think of us as Christ’s servants, and stewards of God’s mysteries. 2 Here, moreover, it is required of stewards, that they be found faithful.

    Have you ever thought why from us is required faithfulness? (verse 2) The answer is in verse 1, because we are stewards of mysteries. The main thing which is required from us it not to tell to much (keep secrets)! It is faithfulness.

    For God all things are simple. But after studying these two verses I think that for God is even simpler to transform a faithful stupid into a clever person than to transform a not faithful clever person into a faithful person.

    So I conclude from 1Cor. 4:1-2 that if we have faithfulness to not say what we should not to say, then God will give us the rest (intellect, power, etc.)

    Who is truly faithful indeed cannot be very stupid, because to be faithful is to differentiate what to do and what not to do (accordingly will of God), and who can differentiate these things in not stupid. It is a lie of Devil about stupid faithful persons. If one is faithful, he is already not stupid.

    I deem that to be faithful is enough, because in this case God will give us all the rest gifts.

  • Why to not destroy our bodies

    In many places of Bible it is written that our purposes are for the heavenly life, for soul, spiritual things etc.

    So a natural question arises: Why us not to destroy our bodies as these are not important.

    The answer to this questions is (1Cor. 3:16) 16 Don’t you know that you are a temple of God, and that God’s Spirit lives in you? 17 If anyone destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is holy, which you are.

    Now we know that we should not destroy our bodies, but not because these would be important or valuable for us (these are not important for us at all as we are for heavenly life not for the Earth), but just to not be punished for damaging a temple.

  • Why we stagger under Holy Spirit

    When Holy Spirit comes onto us, we stagger back and forth. Why?

    First, Holy Spirit controls our muscles differently than just our brain does.

    Second, we should believe God that we won’t fall even when we stagger, give control to the Spirit.

  • Who and to who speaks in Bible?

    (Psalm 23)

    1 Yahweh is my shepherd:
    I shall lack nothing.
    2 He makes me lie down in green pastures.
    He leads me beside still waters.
    3 He restores my soul.
    He guides me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
    4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
    I will fear no evil, for you are with me.
    Your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.
    5 You prepare a table before me
    in the presence of my enemies.
    You anoint my head with oil.
    My cup runs over.
    6 Surely goodness and loving kindness shall follow me all the days of my life,
    and I will dwell in Yahweh’s house forever.

    We know that the Bible is God’s word. But who speaks in this psalm? He speaks about his God. At first it seems not to be a word of God Himself.

    Really, these are words of Christ to His Father. It is a word of God to His God.

    Yahweh is the shepherd of Jesus. Jesus will lack nothing, etc. (see the text of the psalm).

    The above may even at first seems discouraging. Is it directed to Jesus not to us?! It is directed to us if we are in Christ.

  • Why the devil and sin exist?

    Why the devil and sin exist?

    It is a paradox that the devil and sin exist in the world created by perfect, good God.

    It is usually answered that it is because of pride. But the natural question would be: Why then pride exists?

    The comprehensible answer is that every problem must be solved and to be solved a problem need to appear. So sin is necessary to appear in the universe.

    Read more here.

  • Foundation of our activity

    I do my math and computer-related research. I bear a great fruit.

    However, how could I do it without Intel who produced the CPU of my computer, without Linus and friends who produced Linux which runs my computer, without Web browsers, without a text editor, etc.?

    Sometimes I was puzzled: When I create something by “gluing” parts together, is it really my own creation? Or is it a creation of them who made the parts?

    Even if I would do an origami, the paper which is done from is composed of zillions atoms, every one controlled by a complex formula. Is this bend paper my creation? Or it is rather of God?

    I also thought: I am a sinner, not a computer. I need a computer to work with, I need the work of Linus and Intel. If I were myself a computer, not a sinner, would then it be my creation when I compose parts of something in my mind?

    Today I have realized that Jesus gives an ultimate answer to my question (and yes, it will continue even after rapture when we will be transformed into computers):

    (John 15) 4 Remain in me, and I in you. As the branch can’t bear fruit by itself, unless it remains in the vine, so neither can you, unless you remain in me. 5 I am the vine. You are the branches. He who remains in me, and I in him, the same bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If a man doesn’t remain in me, he is thrown out as a branch, and is withered; and they gather them, throw them into the fire, and they are burned.

    So we can bear fruit only on the foundation of Christ.

  • Whether to pay tithes in New Testament?

    Malachi 3

    8 Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me! But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In tithes and offerings. 9 You are cursed with the curse; for you rob me, even this whole nation. 10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house, and test me now in this,” says Yahweh of Armies, “if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough for. 11 I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast its fruit before its time in the field,” says Yahweh of Armies. 12 “All nations shall call you blessed, for you will be a delightful land,” says Yahweh of Armies.

    So in the Old Testament Israel was in the obligation to pay tithes. Not to pay tithes was considered a thieving just like as not paying taxes in earthy states.

    Are we obliged to pay tithes in the New Testament?

    Matthew 17

    24 When they had come to Capernaum, those who collected the didrachma coins came to Peter, and said, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the didrachma?” 25 He said, “Yes.”

    When he came into the house, Jesus anticipated him, saying, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth receive toll or tribute? From their children, or from strangers?”
    26 Peter said to him, “From strangers.”

    Jesus said to him, “Therefore the children are exempt. 27 But, lest we cause them to stumble, go to the sea, cast a hook, and take up the first fish that comes up. When you have opened its mouth, you will find a stater coin. Take that, and give it to them for me and you.”

    We are children of God. Jesus said that the children are exempt. So we are not obliged to pay tithes.

    But personally I do pay tithes. It is because I want to become rich. Malachi 3 says that God will give blessings to those who pay tithes. We are not under the law anymore, we are not obliged to obey its commandments. But nothing repealed blessings of God to those who do His will.

    I strongly advise you to pay tithes. Not because you would be obliged, but to get greater blessing.

    You may ask: What’s about (1Tim. 6:9) “But those who are determined to be rich fall into a temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful lusts, such as drown men in ruin and destruction.” Doesn’t this imply that we should not strive to get rich?

    My response is: (from my book New Testament Commentary by a Mathematician)

    “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you fall into various temptations, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. Let endurance have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” (Jam. 1:2-4) In this passage, “various” includes the temptation of richness. So when God gives us richness we should accept it with great joy. We should lack in nothing (be rich) according to the above Bible quote. Also, “Blessed is the man who endures temptation, for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord promised to those who love him.” (Jam. 1:12)