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From all that, I think that we are safe to conclude that Christ's teachings trump everybody else's teachings. So then, when it appears that the Old Testament contradicts Christ, I strongly suggest that we fall in line with Christ and begin figuring out how to get the Old Testament in step with him in the New.

IMO you are going about this backward. You do not re-interpret the old from the new; rather believe God had a reason for revealing things in the order He chose. Look for the smooth progression.  As the First Fruits of Zion commentary Depths of Torah says on the first reading from Genesis 1:


Prior to the revelation of Torah, human beings might have deduced the existence of a creator, but our knowledge of that creator would be limited to inferences from observation. The Torah introduced God to the world. He disclosed Himself to His creation within it. When God revealed Himself to mankind through the revelation of His Torah, it was as if he declared “Allow Me to introduce myself. I am God.”

That makes Torah a benchmark against which all subsequent revelations must be checked. Divine revelation may be progressive as the prophets reveal more about God and His plan, but subsequent revelations cannot contradict or supplant the initial revelation. We cannot use a later revelation of God to supersede an earlier one because that would deny God’s integrity and immutability. In other words, The God who revealed Himself in Torah is the same God who reveals Himself in His blessed Son Yeshua of Nazareth. The New Testament does NOT supplant the Torah. God has not changed His mind; He has not gotten soft in his old age; He is the same, unchanging and unchanged.

Maybe you cannot permit Christ greater authority than the Old Testament, but I sure can: for safety's sake
• Matt 17:5 . .This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him.
•  John 3:34 . . For he is sent by God. He speaks God's words, for God's Spirit is upon him without measure or limit
• John 3:36 . . He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him._

None of which contradicts OT revelation.

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Famed rock guitarist Eddie Van Halen passed away recently. He was a Roman Catholic. It's not easy to get into heaven via that version of Christianity.

Well; if perchance Eddie failed to make the cut (not saying he didn't; only saying "if perchance") then he will never again be allowed to even so much as see a guitar let alone pick one up with his hands.

Can you imagine a talented, pioneering musician like Eddie never again allowed to do the one thing in life that he loved the most? I mean never again like as in permanently.

Hell is bad enough for ordinary folk; it must be doubly miserable for creative people: the poets, the painters, the sculptors, the architects, the fashion designers, the authors, the choreographers, the gourmet cooks, the engineers, the scientific geniuses, the explorers, et al.

TALLY UPDATE: 813 days have elapsed since beginning the thread. If the figures in post No.1 are in the ball park, then something like 49,519,017 arrivals have checked into the fiery sector of Hades since Sept 03, 2018.
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According to Col 1:13 and Philip 3:20, it's possible to obtain citizenship in the kingdom of God prior to Christ's return. However, residency is reserved till then.

• 2Pet 1:10-11 . .My brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Jesus wasn't given much of a welcome when he entered Jerusalem the first time on the back of a donkey. I expect that his Father has planned a far more glorious reception for His son than what was given him back then.

And he won't be coming alone; Christ's church will be in a procession right behind him: a magnificent parade, led by him as grand master. I expect that's going to be an amazing sight: enchanting beyond words.

TALLY UPDATE: 817 days have elapsed since beginning the thread. If the figures in post No.1 are in the ball park, then something like 49,762,653 arrivals have checked into the fiery sector of Hades since Sept 03, 2018.
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FAQ: Am I allowed to have an opinion?

A: Yes.

REPLY: Well then; the creator depicted in Bible knew ahead of time, by means of precognition, that the human life He was about to create would all have to die because of just one man's sin,

. . . and the human life He was about to create would become so bad that He would have to exterminate most of it in a global deluge,

. . . and the human life He was about to create would be suffering with diseases, poverty, wars, famines, and oppression,

. . . and much of the human life that He was about to create would end up in Hell, then later on restored to their bodies only to be executed by a mode of death akin to a foundry worker falling into a kettle of molten iron,

. . . He's proven Himself to be quite capable of walking over people's bones to get what He wants, and to top it off: has the chutzpa to advertise Himself as a god of love, concern, compassion, and sympathy.

RESPONSE: So in your honest opinion the creator depicted in the Bible is a cruel, fiendish, criminally minded, tyrannical despot far more dangerous than Hitler, Stalin, Pol Pot, Saddam Hussein, and/or North Korea's Kim Jong-un?

REPLY: YES!

RESPONSE: Well then, it appears to me that you test positive for the so-called fallen nature.

• Rom 8:7 . .The sinful mind is hostile to God.

REPLY: My thinking is logical, reasonable, and sensible!

RESPONSE: I fully agree; and that's because I test positive for the fallen nature too.

TALLY UPDATE: 830 days have elapsed since beginning the thread. If the figures in post No.1 are in the ball park, then something like 50,554,470 arrivals have checked into the fiery sector of Hades since Sept 03, 2018.
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• Rev 21:1-3 . . Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.

• Rev 21:27 . . Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is deceitful,

• Rev 22:15 . . Outside is everyone who loves and practices falsehood.

Those passages are really bad news for natural-born liars because deception and disinformation are pretty much the only way of life they know.

FAQ: What's on the "outside" referred to in Rev 22:15?

A: The sum of all fears.

• Rev 21:8 . . . All liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.

TALLY UPDATE: 839 days have elapsed since beginning the thread. If the figures in post No.1 are in the ball park, then something like 51,102,651 arrivals have checked into the fiery sector of Hades since Sept 03, 2018.
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• Rev 21:8 . . . All liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.

Greetings NyawehNyoh, it's me again~While I may admire some things about your past posts, on this doctrine I reject it 100%, because it goes against God's testimony of the truth. I've written on this several times to you and will not continue doing so, but I do desire for the sake of any new person reading your lastest post Re: Hell's Daily Tally~will say two thing to you:

First: what scriptures do you have to support your doctrine that there is at this moment a burning hellfire that has been burning since Cain, where the wicked are living UNCONSUMED, and that will be resurrected from there only to be judged and then cast in the lake of fire? Just one scripture would suffice. Do you know just how irrational that doctrine is? The faith which God is well pleased with~ it is not irrational, but very logical to any man with true wisdom.

Secondly: That wicked do not have eternal life in any sense whatsoever should be obvious to any spiritually minded person. Question for you: what does the second death mean to you? Please give us your understanding. The lake of fire IS the second death is it not?

    By the “unreached,” I mean those mentally competent and responsible men and women who were receptive to truth, any truth, but who died without any opportunity whatsoever of hearing the Good News about Jesus and responding to it. In other words, I'm speaking of adults who had no occasion to be exposed to any kind of special disclosure, whether by direct contact with God, Jesus, angels, prophets, apostles—or by way of scripture. We will not address those who were or could have been exposed to some form of special revelation but neglected or refused to accept the opening. They are not included in these thoughts.

Buff~Trust all is going well with you. A couple of thoughts concerning your post.

There will be thousands of MILLIONS.....living in the New heaven and earth.

Genesis 24:60~And they blessed Rebekah, and said unto her, Thou art our sister, be thou the mother of thousands of millions, and let thy seed possess the gate of those which hate them.

Many of these thousands of millions, will never have heard of Jesus Christ, especially so to the degree that we have, and even among us, still God's revelation of truth is not given to the same measure unto all. That being said, I will add this: regeneration is God's work apart from ALL MEANS, including his written testimony to us concerning many great doctrinal truths. The written testimony of God is for those men and women whom God HATH quickened to life that they may KNOW concerning WHY they have hope, and desire to live differently than others, for apart from God's written revelation WE WOULD NOT KNOW, even though we may live differently than others, but the reason for desiring to do so would be hidden from us without God's word. He could have chosen other means to give us this revelation, but he chose the foolishness of preaching to convey these truths to us. He just as easily could have tress growing messages to us every so often, and thousands of millions other ways, since is wisdom and power in infinite.

My friend~just as the prophet Jonah said:

Jonah 2:9~"But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD.

Jonah had to learn this truth the hard way, we can read and believe and preach it. God does not NEED our hands, feet, nor money to get salvation to the lost world, he is more than able to do it BY HIMSELF just as he did with Abel before Billy Graham came along~who vainly thought that God called him to get unregenerate men born again and to add to the number, giving many a false hope of eternal life.  And most of these people (ones truly born of the Spirit of God) we shall never meet in our lifetime, just as they will never meet us:

2nd Timothy 2:19~"Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

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FAQ: What's to become of all the countless billions of folk that have gone into the afterlife with no knowledge of Jesus Christ? Are they condemned for unbelief?

A: Unbelief as it's related to Christ's gospel is one thing; whereas unbelief as it's related to the universal gospel is quite another. For example the text of the universal gospel located in Rev 14:6-7 which reads:

"And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, announcing with a loud voice: Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.

There's no baby Jesus, no virgin conception, no crucifixion, and no resurrection in the universal gospel. It's a bounce from the first chapter of Genesis, with elements from the 19th Psalm. The universal gospel is very basic; pretty much all it says is:

1» There's a supreme being.

2» He deserves respect.

3» There's a reckoning to face some day.

4» The cosmos-- all of its forms of life, matter, and energy --is the product of intelligent design.

According to portions of the letter to Romans, everyone has access to the universal gospel via their logic, their conscience, and the realm of nature so that the angel won't be announcing anything new; it will only be reiterating what every sensible person knows already without having to read a Bible or listen to a preacher.

Unbelief as it's related to the universal gospel is serious, but far less serious than unbelief related to Christ's gospel (see Luke 12:47-48). People who resist and/or suppress Christ's gospel are immediately condemned when they do so-- no delay and no waiting period. (John 3:18 & John 3:36).
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What's to become of all the countless billions of folk that have gone into the afterlife with no knowledge of Jesus Christ? Are they condemned for unbelief?

Unbelief as it's related to Christ's gospel is one thing; whereas unbelief as it's related to the universal gospel is quite another. For example the text of the universal gospel located in Rev 14:6-7 which reads:

"And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, announcing with a loud voice: Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.

There's no baby Jesus, no virgin conception, no crucifixion, and no resurrection in the universal gospel. It's a bounce from the first chapter of Genesis, with elements from the 19th Psalm. The universal gospel is very basic; pretty much all it says is:

1» There's a supreme being.

2» He deserves respect.

3» There's a reckoning to face some day.

4» The cosmos-- all of its forms of life, matter, and energy --is the product of intelligent design.


According to portions of the letter to Romans, everyone has access to the universal gospel via their logic, their conscience, and the realm of nature so that the angel won't be announcing anything new; it will only be reiterating what every sensible person knows already without having to read a Bible or listen to a preacher.

Unbelief as it's related to the universal gospel is serious, but far less serious than unbelief related to Christ's gospel (see Luke 12:47-48). People who resist and/or suppress Christ's gospel are immediately condemned when they do so-- no delay and no waiting period. (John 3:18 & John 3:36).

Greetings again NyawehNyoh~While I do agree that God has a faithful witness in the heavens themselves witnessing every day since they were created, and it should remind man, his highest creation, that we ourselves have a Creator whom we must yield our obedience unto him in all things and will give an account of our disobedience to his laws~and it would be wisdom on our part to seek to know him and what pleases him, and what displeases him, they give witness to us such clear witness and what we feel is not clear, then it is our duty to seek to know.

Psalm 19:1-6~"The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handiwork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun, Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race. His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof."

With all of our hearts we bless our God his glorious natural creation speaks and shews forth his great wisdom and power to everyone that has ever lived under the heavens, especially so to those who have natural abilities to reason and come to a knowledge of the truth~BUT alas and wonder oh sons of men, that it takes God's power to recreate within man the power to see and understand the God of creation because of Adam's disobedience brought darkness, ignorance and a heart that is at enmity against its Creator!

People who resist and/or suppress Christ's gospel are immediately condemned when they do so-- no delay and no waiting period. (John 3:18 & John 3:36).

No, not immediately, but BEFORE they were ever born, they were condemned in ADAM their head~this is God's other faithful witnesses that he has exalted above his own name~his own written revelation to us concerning our fate and why it is so!

Romans 5:12-19~"Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come. But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification. For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous."

The death here under consideration is twofold~spiritual and the SECOND DEATH in the lake of fire after the final judgment at the Great White Throne Judgement Seat. The lake of fire will be when THIS PRESENT WORLD is destroyed with fervent heat and all shall perish INCLUDING the wicked whose hearts was on the things of this present life and all of the lust that they made their god which they found therein~THEN shall be brought to pass that which is written.......

Revelation 14:8~"And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication."

NyawehNyoh:

    You may possibly be ascribing many to the  “fiery sector of Hades” who may have made it to heaven’s glory. Since the very beginning, God has revealed Himself to every member of the human creation. He has never left His creation without some form of revelation or witness, even those nations and peoples who have been outside of covenant relationship—such as the Gentiles under the Old Covenant era.

    God has made Himself known to every kindred and nation under heaven. Every person has been able to “seek Him and perhaps reach out for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each of us” [Acts 17:27]. God has, in fact, always been aware of His whole creation, having “determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live” [Acts 17:26]. God is alive in the universe! He knows of and is interested in everyone’s plight. 

    As I’ve already noted, the pagans in the first chapter of Romans were without special revelation. Nonetheless, God had revealed Himself to them through the things He created.  These Gentiles had been given a revelation, but not a special revelation in the form of audible or written messages. They were exposed to divinity through God’s creation. They could have even glorified God and given Him thanks, but they chose not to.

    Every mentally competent person who has ever lived has been able to find God, for “He has set eternity in the hearts of men” [Eccles. 3:11]. All men, everywhere and in every age, have been divinely infused with an awareness of an intelligent Creator and of life after physical death. On that principle, I must conclude there have been many “unexposed” persons who were receptive to the “revelation of creation.” And those who sought God’s face, as limited as it may have been, and who “by persistence in doing good sought glory, honor, and immortality, He will give eternal life” [Rom. 2:7]. 

    Since God has never required the impossible in any age, it seems to me He will show mercy to those who seek His face, regardless of the revelation under which they have lived or may be living. Note the qualification—those who seek His face. This is the key.

    I suspect you recall the story of Cornelius, a Gentile, as recorded in Acts 10. He is referred to as a “righteous and God-fearing man,” even before he knew about Jesus and the new Way. Cornelius needed additional light. God sent the apostle Peter who revealed a special Light to him and his household in the person of Jesus.

    Needless to say, many “Corneliuses” have died without coming in contact with that special Light. I entertain no doubt but that they were acceptable to God, even if they were not His covenant people. To put it another way: Wherever there are people like Cornelius, there are people acceptable to God. 

    What else could possibly be required of a man when he responds to the only truth or revelation he knows or can know? Are we ready to exclude him from Paul’s decree that “those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, He will give eternal life”?  This man in darkest Brazil does good. He seeks glory, honor, and immortality as best he can, based on the only revelation to which he has access—creation. Paul says God “will give him eternal life!” Read it again. Let us not forget that God does not require the impossible of any man.

    Considering God’s enormous mercy, it seems to me that eternal condemnation for lack of obedience will not be relegated to the receptive heart when opportunity to obey was not available. Bottom line, my brother, is that you may possibly be relegating many to the “fires of Hell” when they have already “landed on the shores of Heaven.”

Buff

FAQ: How do people get in Christ.

A: By means of a special, supernatural baptism. (1Cor 12:12-13)

My good brother, you are listening to other voices other than the holy scriptures. I'll be very short since I just had a tooth implant and not feeling that great. Maybe will add more tomorrow.

NyawehNyoh, neither 1st Corinthians 12:12,13, nor Romans 6:1-3 are speaking of a supernatural spiritual baptism. If you desire for me to go in-depth and prove this I would be happy to do so.

FAQ: How do people get in Christ?

We get INTO CHRIST by God's election of grace BEFORE the world was ever created! Brother have you not read so much as the following scripture with understanding?

Ephesians 1:4~"According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:"

NyawehNyoh~we were chosen/placed in Christ before the foundation of the world~THERE grace was freely given to us and THERE an everlasting covenant of grace was ordained by God the Father secured by two immutable acts of God: his OATH and his promises of GRACE!

2nd Timothy 1:9~"Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

There are so many more scriptures that can be given to prove WHEN WE WERE PUT INTO JESUS CHRIST as our head and we members of his flesh! Brother, what do you believe these scriptures are saying to you and all of us?

Psalm 139:15-17~"My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them. How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!"

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FAQ: Seeing as how human sacrifices are not allowed in the covenant that Moses' people agreed upon with God in the books of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy; how then was it legal for Jesus-- a Jew whose religion was governed by that covenant --to die for the sins of the world?

A: The laws of God are not retroactive (Deut 5:2-4, Rom 4:15, Rom 5:13) This is extremely important because Jesus was designated, and scheduled, to die on a cross prior to the voice of God creating even a single atom for the current cosmos. (1Pet 1:18-21 & Rev 13:8)

TALLY UPDATE: 854 days have elapsed since beginning the thread. If the figures in post No.1 are in the ball park, then something like 52,016,286 arrivals have checked into the fiery sector of Hades since Sept 03, 2018.
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There are people in this world who, by nature, are affection-challenged. They can't even feel anything for their own children, let alone other people. For them, parenting is a nightmare rather than a dream come true. Their children are a burden rather than a blessing. Children ruin those parents' lives instead of brightening them up and making their lives more worth the living.

However, affection-challenged people aren't damaged beyond repair because Christianity isn't entirely a do-it-yourself religion; it's also a supernatural religion; viz; part of the plan of salvation is renovation.

• Rom 8:11 . . If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His spirit, who lives in you.

• 2Cor 4:16 . .Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.

TALLY UPDATE: 862 days have elapsed since beginning the thread. If the figures in post No.1 are in the ball park, then something like 52,503,558 arrivals have checked into the fiery sector of Hades since Sept 03, 2018.
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There are people in this world who, by nature, are affection-challenged. They can't even feel anything for their own children, let alone other people. For them, parenting is a nightmare rather than a dream come true. Their children are a burden rather than a blessing. Children ruin those parents' lives instead of brightening them up and making their lives more worth the living.

However, affection-challenged people aren't damaged beyond repair because Christianity isn't entirely a do-it-yourself religion; it's also a supernatural religion; viz; part of the plan of salvation is regeneration-- via the hand of God.

• Rom 8:11 . . If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His spirit, who lives in you.

• 2Cor 4:16 . .Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.

TALLY UPDATE: 926 days have elapsed since beginning the thread. If the figures in post No.1 are in the ball park, then something like 56,401,734 arrivals have checked into the fiery sector of Hades since Sept 03, 2018.
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• Rev 8:7 . . The first angel sounded his trumpet, and there came hail and fire mixed with blood, and it was hurled down upon the earth. A third of the earth was burned up, a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up.

Although that event is depicted as something completed already, it's actually yet future. The apostle John wrote of something he was shown; like describing a movie.

The Greek word translated "grass" includes not only lawns and pastures, but also crops; particularly cereals, i.e. those farmed primarily for their grain; e.g. corn, wheat, oats, rye, and rice; et al.

Apparently their destruction isn't beyond recovery because grasses show up again in a later calamity. (Rev 9:4)

The purpose seems to be the destruction of one whole year's worth of global harvest. That could be very bad for 3rd world folk who live hand to mouth, viz: those whose very survival depends upon regular yields.

The cost of grain will already be in a state of inflation prior to the global destruction of the grasses (Rev 6:6). The calamity described in Rev 8:7 will surely drive up the cost of food even higher; possibly to the point where quite a few people around the world won't be able to get enough to eat as often as they'd like.

One third of all trees are slated for destruction too; which no doubt will affect not only those used for lumber, but also fruit trees, e.g. fig, orange, apple, apricot, prune, peach, cherry, banana, and olives etc; along with a number of those that produce nuts.

TALLY UPDATE: 938 days have elapsed since beginning the thread. If the figures in post No.1 are in the ball park, then something like 57,132,642 arrivals have checked into the fiery sector of Hades since Sept 03, 2018.
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Rev 20:14 . . Death was cast into the lake of fire.

Death isn't tangible. It's not an object; it isn't material, i.e. death per se has no weight, has no dimensions, and takes up no space. I can understand throwing a baseball or a javelin; but how does one throw something like death?

First let's look at the whole verse and a bit of context:

13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds.  14 Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

The way this is worded, Death and Hades (hell kjv) are treated as persons.  Probably specific fallen angels.

I rather think the wording strongly suggests that "death" is a category, and "hades" is a facility.

Based on what exactly?  My interpretation comes from a Greek scholar.  Derek Prince.