Dear Fellow Believers,
It seems incredible that anyone could NOT know what death is. It's obviously the opposite of life—right? How could anyone think differently? How? Because Satan has blinded the apprehensions of the unbelieving so that the simple truths of Scripture go over their heads like F-16s over the Mojave Desert.
One of the simplest truths of Scripture is that the dead are not alive. Yet not one religion on the face of the earth teaches this. In fact, every religion believes that the dead ARE alive. Then who is dead? No one. Then why do we have a term, namely, "death," that is set in opposition to life? The religious people (the unbelieving) don't know, and neither do they care. So stop asking
sane questions.
The first lie of Satan was (and is) "You shall not die" (Genesis 3:4). The religionists say, "Sounds good to us!" (no one wants to die) and so away they go, holding a lie of Satan as one of their key teachings. This does not bother them in the least, as the supposed immortality of their souls tickles their hearing.
Speaking of key teachings, how would you like a key teaching on the truth about death? How would you like a teaching that, rather than founding itself on a lie of Satan, depends instead on words of God? Wouldn't the words of God on this matter be more reliable than the words of Satan? One would think.
In August of 1998, my family and I drove to Sudbury, Ontario, Canada on the heels of solid directions, namely, "If you get to the Arctic Circle, you've gone too far—but not by much." There, I delivered a memorable talk on the subject of death. A rather undisciplined child in the audience threatened to derail my talk, but I brought an anathema against him (privately, so as not to upset
the parents) and all was well after that.
This teaching took place at the home of Dan and Marja Bast. There were about twenty in attendance, as I recall, including the lovely and talented Heidi Reimer, who was the first editor of "Shagah," and who edited both of my novels ("Goddess of Nazareth" and "The Banger Four"), yet to be published.
Rodney Paris has carried off yet another sterling production, taking this twenty-four year-old message and setting it to attention-getting video and educational text frames.
I commend this presentation to you. Please send it to the many you know who need the truth. For without a proper knowledge of death, the sacrifice of Christ loses all potency. A founding stone of Paul's gospel is the death of Christ. But if death is only another form of life, then Christ did not die. No one dies. And if no one dies, then there is no real resurrection. And if there is no
real resurrection, then the power of God to "raise the dead" turns out to be a sham. Satan is then delighted; his lie has succeeded. I hate it when this happens, and so here in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada, I set the record straight.
The fussing child is now twenty-six years old, and if he happens to be out there watching this, I would like to thank him for giving me the opportunity to herald the Word IN-opportunely, and to thus suffer evil with the evangel.
Grace, peace and love from far below the Arctic Circle,
—Martin
