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The Error Taught About Outer Darkness.

This Study is the result of preachers claiming that their religious opinions, which were not checked against the true word of God,  were greater than a true analysis of what the true word of God  actually says.  And, as a result, there is a good-sized explanation of how true analysis is done and how it produces more reliable results than any religious opinion of any respected preacher.  Yes, the main subject is dealt with but only after God's foundation, and God's way to find truth are explained.  without that knowledge, man's corrupt human nature will reject spiritual truth.

The very first thing that we need to do is get rid of lies which causes confusion and concern.

The word of God  makes a distinction between adults, children and newborn babes when it comes to judgment.  Children and newborn babes are not judged like adults by God and certainly are not punished like adults are when adults are punished by God.  Therefore, the claim that the judgment seat of Christ  applies to someone who gets saved on their death bed and never has a chance to do anything for God is a lie.

First of all, this whole argument about a 'death bed profession' is a lie which is designed to cause confusion and distract people from the truth.  The thief on the cross is a literal 'death bed salvation' and he did make a profession for Jesus  and called Him Lord  and rebuked the other thief.  Secondly, 2Corinthians 2:15-16 says For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life.  The word unto  means 'a motion towards a thing and then stopping at it'.  Life is not a single event but includes a process of growth.  Likewise, the Biblical use of the word death  is not a single event but includes a process of corruption which eventually causes the spirit and soul to be permanently separated from the body, in physical death, or from God in spiritual death.  You can not have unto death  if it was only the final separation.

With that in mind, someone can not devote their life to the world, the flesh and devils without receiving ongoing corruption to their soul and body.  I read where someone collected the testimony of famous atheists dying and they screamed for someone to keep them away from devils who came from them.  They were not capable of accepting Jesus  as their personal Lord,  and being saved at the last minute.  Likewise, the same is true for most people because of the ongoing process of corruption caused by their choices in physical life.  Galatians 6:8 says For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.  No, very few people will truly be able to have a 'death bed salvation'.  That whole thing is designed to get people distracted and arguing for something which is very unlikely.

Now, with the prior written, I have to admit that it is possible, no matter how unlikely.  And, it is possible for someone to not be able to make a witness like the thief on the cross did.  So, the question is what happens to those very rare cases?.  Someone who just received spiritual salvation is a spiritual newborn babe.  It does not matter what their physical age is.  God does not expect infants to act like adults and once we leave this physical life we can not mature or change any longer.  If they die immediately after that, they are put into a Heavenly nursery and kept there.  They are not allowed to go out and do adult things.  They are not given their own mansion.  They are not allowed to have the rewards of spiritual adults.  They also are not judged and punished for wrongs like adults are.  Such a claim is an attack on the character of God.

One error, which many students claim to have been taught, is that outer darkness  is applied to spiritual children and spiritual newborn babes.  That is a lie from Satan.  Every time that you see the phrase of outer darkness,  it is being applies to spiritual adults who are receiving judgment by God as adults.  Outer darkness  is never applied to spiritual children and spiritual newborn babes.

Now, the next thing that we need to cover is the fact that people are arguing about the true meaning of the phrase outer darkness.  Lots of people have very strong and emotionally based opinions about this phrase.  And what it truly means, along with where it is at, affects other beliefs which people have.  One group insists that this single phrase has three different meanings and identifies three different places.  Others claim that their position is foolishness and that the single phrase can not have three different meanings.  However, the problem that they have is that all three Bible references are say that outer darkness  is part of the kingdom of Heaven.  The first reference is where Jesus  told the religious Jews that they would not receive the same rewards in Heaven as Gentiles who truly lived by faith.  The second reference is in a parable about the marriage supper of the lamb,  which, obviously, is in Heaven.  The third reference is in a parable about the judgment seat of Christ.  And, the real source of the problem is that almost all are convinced that there can not be darkness  in Heaven.  In addition, almost all are convinced that there can not be weeping and gnashing of teeth  in Heaven.  However, all three references directly tie outer darkness  to weeping and gnashing of teeth  and all three place outer darkness  in Heaven.  Therefore, the problem is explaining where outer darkness  is that the context, in the word of God,  puts it in Heaven but that directly opposes what most want to believe about Heaven.

Understand that Satan quoted scripture but took it out of context in order to pervert the meaning.  Quoting scripture out of context is the way of devils.  In all three places where we see outer darkness,  the context makes the phrase something said by our Lord Jesus Christ  when he said it is in the kingdom of heaven.  Therefore, the claim that outer darkness  can not be in Heaven is a claim that our Lord Jesus Christ  is a liar.

Please understand that arguments about this phrase are due to people considering it totally out of context.  That is using the way of devils to pervert the word of God.  In addition, people are claiming that what they personally believe is Bible truth without verifying what is actually written.  For example, Matthew 25:26 calls a servant a wicked and slothful servant  and people claim that, since he was cast into outer darkness  he must have gone to Hell.  They claim this is true because he was called wicked.  However, the Word Study on Wicked provides over 100 verses which tell us that saved, but carnal, people are also wicked.  Therefore, the claim that all wicked  are going to Hell is a religious opinion which has not been verified against what the word of God  actually says.  It is doctrinal error and deliberately teaching doctrinal error is wicked.

With all of that written, the reader should have a good idea why this subject has such strongly held opinions.  People are arguing their emotionally held religious opinions instead of studying what the word of God  actually says.

In addition, many people reading this paper will also already have their own strong emotional opinion about this phrase.  However, our opinions do not determine truth.  And, anyone who insists that their religious opinion is greater than all of the evidence from God proves themselves to be a religious fanatic like the Pharisees were when they demanded that Jesus  be crucified for opposing their religious traditions.  Further, in the end, we will each be judged by God according to what he actually wrote in His word.  Therefore, our opinion does not matter.  The only thing which truly matters is what is written in the word of God,  because that is what He will use when He judges us.  And, if we hold onto doctrinal error which opposes the word of God,  we can cause our loved ones to end up in Hell.  Therefore, the everlasting destination of many souls depends on having the correct interpretation of this phrase.

Now, one group of preachers declared that outer darkness  is not in Heaven but refused to specify where they believed it was.  That is a half-truth lie.  It is as bad as someone insisting that you don't have to accept Jesus  as your personal Lord  in order to avoid Hell while refusing to specify how they believe people are to avoid Hell.  Their answer was not a true answer because it did not truly answer the question.  Since the word of God  says that people will be sent there, and that there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth,  it must be somewhere.  Therefore, saying that it is not where the word of God  says that it is, while refusing to say where it is, is a subtle deceit and worthy of Satan.

Now, one preacher had an interesting comment.  He said we must consider outer darkness  as opposed to 'inner darkness' or to 'outer light'.  Now, we are told that Lot was saved even though he lived a life of a lost person.  He was saved because his life had 'inner light' (from God) while his external life showed outer darkness  (he lived like a lost person).  And, there are many others today who claim to be saved (have 'inner light') while they live like lost people.  (Their external life shows outer darkness.)  We could say that outer darkness  is the label of the place in Heaven where God puts people like Lot and does not necessarily mean that there is darkness  in Heaven.  But, people would still object to that because, while they argue that there can not be darkness  in Heaven, their true objection is actually a different thing which they do not want to argue.  (Such people only have a religions belief and can not show where the word of God  literally says what they believe.)

Therefore, the true argument is really about what happens to the people who are like Lot and who truly go to Heaven after living a life devoted to the lusts of the flesh, and the things of this world and supporting doctrines of devils.  And the true argument is due to the word of God  saying that there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.  The problem is that many people have been taught about 'No tears in Heaven' when the truth is that there are 'No tears in the SECOND Heaven'.  God does not wipe away all tears from their eyes  (Revelation 21:4) until after the great white throne  judgment and there are only saved people in Heaven who can have their tears wiped away.

Now, there are many who claim to reject the prior doctrine while insisting on doctrines which support the prior doctrine.  They insist upon another lord, whom they claim is the true Lord Jesus Christ.  However, the true Lord Jesus Christ  has a different character than the lord which they claim.  They claim that their lord only gives rewards and loss of rewards but that there is no punishment given at the judgment seat of Christ.  (One of the places where we find outer darkness  is a parable about the judgment seat of Christ.)  However, that does not match the character of a never-changing God who always rewards obedience and curses disobedience.  Therefore, they are preaching another lord, which the word of God  warns us that men will do.

In addition, these people have other objections which they can not support by what is literally written in the word of God  but is only supported by a religious doctrine which claims to be based upon the Bible but is really supported by a supposed indirect application of what the Bible says.  Further, a religious doctrine from an indirect supposed interpretation can not be true if it opposes what is literally written in the word of God.

With all of that in mind, we need to put aside our own strongly held beliefs and determine what the word of God  actually means by this phrase.  And, in order to do that, we need to use the rules for analysis which are part of the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world  (1Corinthians 2:7).  These rules are the basis of the laws of Math and the Scientific Method  These rules never change for any reason just like the rules of Mathematics never change.  And, these are the rules which I use in this Study and throughout this web site.  These rules are commonly classified as abstract logic.  In John 3:8, Jesus  used the wind to illustrate abstract logic.  You can not see the wind, but you can see the effects of it on things which are moved by the wind.  You can not see a number but you can see things counted when numbers are applied to physical things.  You can not see gravity but you can see the effects of it when things fall.  Thus, in every case, we have rules which we can not directly sense with our human senses but we can see these rules applied to this physical reality and we can see that these rules are always consistent and never changing just like God is never changing.  And, therefore, they are also revealing to us part of the character of God.

The first of these rules is that God never changes  (Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8).  If God changed, then all of creation would constantly change since he (God) is before all things, and by him all things consist  (Colossians 1:17).  Since all three sets of rules (abstract logic, Mathematics and the Scientific Method), are found throughout creation, they must be part of the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world.  Otherwise, God could not use them when He created the world.  And, since God never changes, they are also found to be true throughout the word of God.  Every time that someone has claimed that there is a Math error in the word of God,  They have been proven wrong and it was proven that the error belonged to the person.  Likewise, the same is true when people made claims about true Scientific laws being in error.  And, people like Schoefield were proven to be in error when they tried to accommodate lies like Evolution or tried to claim that the Bible had scientific errors.  In the same manner, people who claim that these rules of abstract analysis are wrong will also be proven wrong and they will answer to God for leading His children into error.

Please understand that God has removed three men from the pastorate and caused four literal physical deaths and brought other lesser punishments upon people who rejected what the word of God  literally says according to these analysis rules.  So, there are definite consequences to rejecting them.  However, I have not found any other person who has published a book on these rules and how to use them to understand the word of God.  Every book that has been published in the last one hundred and fifty years, which I have been able to read, and which taught how to study the word of God,  contained various ways written by men and which also led to errors.  In addition, every commentator that I have read skips some parts of the Bible in order to avoid claiming that what is written in one place disagrees with what is written elsewhere.  Yet, I have still found some doctrinal errors in the things which every commentator, that I have read, has written.  Therefore, there is a lot of wrong information which has been published.

Don't get me wrong.  There is one interpretation of the word of God  and many applications.  What has been published is fine for finding the applications, so long as the application does not contradict the single interpretation.  However, what has been published leads to errors when people try to use those methods to find the single interpretation.  And, unfortunately, when people run into conflicts or errors, they blame God's perfect word instead of accepting that it was the method that they used which caused the error.  And, the rest of this paper is dealing with the single interpretation of a phrase, and not one of the multiple applications.

Isaiah 55:8-9 says: For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.  What has been published is man's ways to get the multiple applications.  And those are not the same as God's way to get the single interpretation.  In contrast to what others have published, God showed me His way to analyze His word and get His single interpretation.  I have published the way of that analysis along with the results of that analysis when applied to every sentence, every verse, every phrase, every punctuation mark and every word for all of the Gospels and all of the epistles.  Again, this method of analysis is not my opinion but comes directly from God's word as shown to me by God's Holy Spirit.

No one else covers everything in the Gospels and Epistles like I do.  (I skip nothing while all others skip some verses.)  No one else covers the depth that I do.  (I show the complete contextual relationship from the individual word and punctuation mark through the message of the entire Bible book and no one else covers that level of detail.)  And, since 2005, people have claimed that they would identify someone else who covered everything like I do or they would identify someone who has published a work to match the depth that I published.  However, no one has shown either claim to be true.  In addition, people have claimed that they would show errors in my work or show where what I wrote disagrees with what the word of God  literally says, but no one has shown either claim to be true.

When a man does something which no other man can do, and he testifies that it is actually God working in and through him, then you are coming close to the blaspheme of the Holy Ghost  (Mark 3:29; Luke 12:10) when you claim that what was done by God's Holy Spirit  was actually done by man or some other spirit.  God's Holy Ghost  almost always works through a man with the only exception, that I am aware of, being the conception of Jesus  and when He came on Pentecost.  And, neither of those events will ever occur again.  (The word of God  uses Holy Ghost  when He affects this physical reality and uses Holy Spirit  when He deals with the spirit of a man to show him spiritual truth.)

As a result, like other abstract things, we need to look at the results and see if they truly can be done by man or if they have the corruption of devils or if they bring glory to God and are impossible for man to do.  For those who care to deny that this web site is the result of God's Holy Spirit,  then provide evidence that some other man has published anything similar or greater.  Or, if you prefer, prove that what I have published actually causes corruption of God's people.  Yes, religious people will object to what is here just like the Pharisees objected to the doctrine of Jesus  (John 8:44-47).  Just like Jesus  demanded, provide proof that what I published goes against the revealed character of God and not just against the erroneous religious beliefs of men.

Find anyone else who has published a doctrinally error-free document on all of the Epistles and Gospels without skipping any of the verses or sentence, that are therein, and which the author claims to explain in their document.  Find anyone else who has published a doctrinally error-free document on all of the details within the Epistles and Gospels at the level of depth which I have published.  In addition to those challenges, find anyone else who has shown that the details of the words and punctuation define the true meaning on the phrases and sentences and how the true meaning of the sentences defines the message of the chapter and Bible book.  If you can not find anyone else who has done these things, then that is evidence that my web site is not the work of man but is the work of God working through me.

The point is that this web site is not the opinion of man and your opinion is not equal to, nor greater than, what is presented here.  The opinions of people who believed in a flat Earth were not greater than the laws of true science.  The opinions of people who can not add are not greater than the laws of Mathematics.  What I present is not an opinion but the result of analysis which uses laws which are as reliable as the laws of Mathematics and the true laws of science.

I have published the evidence that the word of God  is consistent from the basic word definitions and true usage of punctuation up through the message of the entire Bible book and that God used the same rules of interpretation throughout all.  Find anyone else who has shown this type of consistency by God.  If someone claims to have done so, but not published their work, then then ask them what evidence that they have which will be accepted in God's court and which supports a claim that they have provided more evidence than I have provide.  God published His word so that we could verify claims about it.  I have also published so that people could verify what I claim.  If they claim to be more Godly, then ask them what evidence will be accepted in God's court to back their claim.  If they admit to not having evidence to back their claim and yet claim that I am wrong, tell them that I say that they are a modern day Pharisee and will face God' judgment about that claim.  And, as I have already written, God has brought a judgment up to and including death on others who did the same and rejected the clear proof that their doctrine went against what the word of God  literally said.

Let me be clear.  I back my doctrine, especially on how to properly interpret the word of God,  with my literal physical life.  Let God kill me if I knowingly publish error on God's way to properly interpret the word of God.  And, let all who oppose this method make the same request of God for their method.

Again, I testify that what is published on this web site was not me but was God using me to produce the results which he wants His people to use so that He can bless them.  If anyone denies this claim, let them declare their evidence with the admitted knowledge of prior judgments from God upon people who made such a claim but refused to show any evidence to back their claim

I write this because several preachers have said that their opinion is more authorities than what I have published using God's way of analysis.  And, I've already written the results of that claim which occurred in the past.  I hope to avoid a repeat of others experiencing those results.

Now, one of the preachers mentioned was, correctly, saying that we must keep things within the context when we claim what the word of God  says.  However, he was then taking the context of one place in the Bible and trying to claim that it applied to another place in the Bible, which is wrong.  In addition, he was claiming something that I believe came from a commentator, but was wrong about the context of one of the Bible references that this paper deals with.  He claimed that the context was all about 'preparation'.  Now, there are four different reports, of incidents, within that contest which he claimed were all about 'preparation'.  However, within each of the reports, the Bible reported a person who not only prepared but also acted and was judged for their action or lack of action.  Once you have action and judgment, the account is no longer dealing only with the preparation but is actually dealing with judgment with the accounts of preparation supporting the type of judgment rendered.  Therefore, the Bible reference was not dealing with preparation, liked he claimed, bout was actually dealing with judgment, which he adamantly denied.

Therefore, people can rightly claim that we need to consider the context while applying the wrong context or applying the context in a wrong way or believing what some commentator writes without actually verifying the claims before accepting them.  When Satan tempted Jesus, he quoted scripture, but perverted the message of the word of God,  by taking it out of context.  Likewise, claiming that we use God's never-changing law of context, when we want, but also ignore it, when we want, it using the way of Satan.  Therefore, the preacher saying that we must consider context for the preparation, but ignore the context of action and judgment, was a perversion to the message from God's word.  His claim used Satan's way to pervert the word of God.

As I have written, every commentators, whose work I have read, has written some doctrinal error, even if most of his work was solid.  Therefore, the reader needs to prayerfully verify what is written before they claim that what was written is true and before they try to teach it to others or use it to argue doctrine.

When I teach I tell people to always verify what they hear before accepting what was said as true.  And, yes, I tell them to also verify what I teach.  If someone is told what the Bible says, and they repeat it without first verifying what they heard, then all that they can honestly say is: 'My teacher says'.  However, if they truly verify what they were told, then they can honestly say: 'The word of God says'.

In addition to the errors mentioned, that preacher ignored the report of two miracles which were part of the context.  That is another error when it comes to saying what the doctrine of a reference in the word of God  is actually interpreted to.  Now, over 50 people, that I know of, have looked at several different published tables of miracles which are reported in the Gospel accounts.  In every case, except my published table, they saw miracles which were reported in the Gospel accounts, but which were not in the published tables from other people.  In addition, they also saw reference errors, in all other published tables, where a reported miracle was not at the reference provided.  (In one case I had twenty Bible School search the internet and all the references Bibles which they could access and they found the same results as others found when they searched at a different time.)  Therefore, if others can not even identify all of the miracles, then how can they accurately say what it true about all miracles which are reported in Gospel accounts?  And, while many have looked, no one has identified any miracle which is reported in a Gospel account and which I did not report.  In addition, no one has shown any reference error which I have published.  That is the verified results of my published table.

This is important because I have found that all miracles, which are reported in Gospel accounts, are a physical example which supports the doctrine that they are in context with.  John's Gospel account also reports that there were many miracles done by Jesus  which were not reported (John 21:25) by anyone.  Therefore, every reported miracle was deliberately chosen to be reported where in is reported within the Gospel account.  And, it also means that the Gospel writers, under the influence of God's Holy Spirit,  deliberately put them within the context of the doctrine where that are found because they are important to understanding the doctrine.  And, I am writing these couple of paragraphs so that you can realize that I consider more details about the context than what most people would believe that I consider.  My disagreeing with what some commentator writes does not mean that I don't consider the context.  The truth is that I probably consider a lot more about the context than what most commentators consider.

Next, there is a similar problem with what commentators write about parables and what preachers claim to be true about parables based upon what those commentators write.  Part of this disagreement over outer darkness  includes understanding the full Biblical truth about parables because two of the three Bible references to this phrase are within parables.  Many people say that parables are: 'An Earthly story with a Heavenly meaning.  However, that is a partial truth which makes it a popular lie.  Jesus  said that He taught in parables to lead lost and carnal people into doctrinal error and only reveal the true spiritual meaning to save people who seek the meaning from God.  And, He also prayed At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes  (Matthew 11:25).  Thus, part of God the Father's character is to only reveal truth to those who have the right heart attitude and to lead others into error.

The part, of the true doctrine about parables, which most people are missing, is that: 'Jesus  spoke in parables to deliberately lead the lost and carnal people into doctrinal error while letting the people who listened to God (Jesus / Holy Spirit)  receive the truth'.  Therefore, there are explanations of parables which are doctrinal error because they are written by, and for, lost or carnal people.  And, as a result, people need to be wary about any explanation of a parable.  People need to verify that the spiritual explanation matches doctrine found elsewhere in the Bible and that the doctrine given matches God's never-changing character.  If the doctrine does not match these two things, then it is error and written for lost and carnal people.

One such doctrinal error comes from a commentator who claimed that all parables are allegories.  While parables can be allegories, not all are allegories.  (The link to the explanation of that fact is found in my Table of Parables in the New Testament.)  I mention this because the last meeting with pastors, which I attended, had a man there who claimed to teach Hermeneutics, but obviously taught the wrong methods because he claimed several errors including this claim about parables.  In addition, according to Bible School students, there is no one, other than myself, who has published the interpretation of every parable found in all of the Gospel accounts.  In fact, like the Tables of Miracles, it is reported that no other person has published an accurate and complete Table of Parables in the Gospels.  So, if they can not even identify all of them, how can they say what is true about all of them?

The next thing to consider is symbolic language because parables us symbolic language.  God's way of understanding the word of God  lets us know that symbolic language and other human languages (tongues)  give us the many applications but can not be used to correct the single interpretation.  {I already wrote that I proved that the Greek Dictionary sometimes causes doctrinal errors.  In addition, this web site reports doctrinal error from a famous preacher who insisted that the symbolic usage of numbers was absolute and he perverted the word of God  when his belief was proven wrong.)  God's way to understand the Bible makes symbolism and the use of other languages tools for the multiple applications and not something which can correct the single interpretation that comes from the English KJV-1611.  In addition, symbolic words must be understood within the context in order to get their symbolic meaning and that symbolic meaning can be different in different context.

Now consider how many phrases are in all of the Epistles and all of the Gospels combined.  Next realize that I have published the single interpretation of every one of them and proved that none of the interpretations caused a conflict with another part of the word of God  and none caused an error.  Now consider that no one has matched that record and keep it in mind when someone claims that their opinion, or their religious tradition, is more authoritative than what I have published.  And, as I have written, where is their evidence which will be accepted in God's court to back their claim?

Please realize that I have provided written proof which show the rules which I use work every time while providing no error and no conflict.  No one else has ever done the same.  And, if their methods are incomplete, upon what basis do they claim to have proven their doctrine?  Remember your Mathematics and science classes.  True proof required you to prove that your claim always worked in all circumstances.  Too many religious people claim to have proven their doctrine while refusing to show that it works in every possible circumstance.  The rules given for Mathematics and science were shown to always work with no exceptions.  The same is required for doctrine from the word of God  because God created this world, with the laws of it, and the same God wrote the word of God.  And, God never changes.  Therefore, anyone who claims to have proven their doctrine without showing that it works in every case is mistaken if not a deliberate liar.

Next, consider that symbolic language is usually put into phrases but can also be in sentences and in several sentences such as in parables.  But, since I have dealt with all of the symbolic language in all of the Gospels and Epistles, from several sentences down to the single word, who has more evidence than I have that they are a greater expert on the rules of symbolism?  There is a true saying of: 'He can't see the forest for the trees'.  It applies to someone who spends all of their time looking at each individual tree but never looks at the complete forest to see what is similar across all of the forest or even most of it.  Likewise, there are prophecy preachers who have spent their entire ministry looking at prophecies and symbolism and what others say about prophecy and symbolism, but never learned the abstract spiritual laws which control all prophecy and symbolism.  I've heard such preachers claim that 'there are only seven sayings by Jesus from the cross' because some famous preacher claimed that error and they never verified what they believed.  One of the absolute abstract laws of spiritual interpretation is to completely verify anything claimed before accepting it as true.  However, most people do not make the time to do that.

Again, I do not write this to brag but to give the basis for my understanding of symbolism because some preachers claim that some symbolic language has a meaning which is obviously not true, if you truly verify what the word of God  truly says.  And, an important example of that type of foolish claim is that darkness  is only applied to people going to Hell.

Now, there is one last thing which needs to be considered before we look closer at the details of this controversy.  None of us have the authority to alter the definition of basic words within the English language, such as the word but.  Yes, there are words within the Bible which have a more restrictive definition than what is generally used, but those definitions do not directly contradict the generally accepted definitions.  So, for example, the word but  is defined as: 'used to introduce a phrase or clause contrasting with what has already been mentioned'.  Therefore, the man who claimed to teach hermeneutics and also claimed that what preceded the word but  had nothing to do with what followed the word, was teaching doctrinal error.  In addition to that error, he also claimed that what followed the word but  could only be the exact opposite of what preceded the word.  Now, Matthew 20:16 and Matthew 22:14 say that Jesus  said: For many are called, but few are chosen  And, several of the Pauline Epistles tell us that the called  are saved.  Therefore, according to his claim, the chosen  must be lost.

Now, throughout my published Studies, I have explained the use of words like and,  a,  the,  but,  and other words which most people think should not need explaining.  In addition, in my Study on Matthew, I deliberately explained the connection and the contrast every place where the word but  is used to start a sentence because that is where that liar claimed that there was no connection with what came before and after the word but.  I have shown the true meaning used throughout the world, which he has no authority to change.  I shower the true usage in the word of God,  and in particular within the Gospel of Matthew.  I declare that he has no authority to change the meaning used by God and by Matthew when this Gospel was written.  I declare to all readers that he is a liar and that anyone who follows him is a Biblical fool.

The point is that there are several liars and deceived people who claim to be some expert on the word of God.  Be careful who you believe and use your own brain and prayer to verify what you are told before you accept something.  Quite often, such as in the case of this phrase of controversy, people accept doctrinal error because rejecting it for the truth will expose another doctrinal error which they erroneously believe is true and have a strong emotional attachment to.

Next, we need to look closer at the details of this phrase.  I have published about 2300 Word Studies which deal with every usage of the words within the New Testament if not within the entire Bible.  I have proven that the Greek dictionary, Webster's 1828 dictionary and pretty much every other man written dictionary leads to doctrinal error for certain words.  Yes, those dictionaries are good for some things, but they are not doctrinally error-free in all cases.  Now, go ahead and prove that the definitions which I have published do not agree with what is actually written in the word of God.  Go ahead and prove that my definitions are not doctrinally error-free in all cases.  Yes, you will find that they disagree with popular religious definitions.  But, that only proves that the popular religious definitions lead to doctrinal error because they do not match every usage within the Bible.  People know that there is only one interpretation of the word of God.  Therefore, the true definition / interpretation must match every usage of a Bible word.  What is the same in every usage of the Bible is the single definition and what varies are the different applications.

A simple example is the name of Jesus.  The Greek dictionary says that the name means 'Savior'.  But that is true only when the word uses all capital letters.  It causes people to deny the Biblical truth that the word of God  declares God the Father to be Savior,  and it declares God the Holy Spirit  to be Savior,  and it declares the Son of God, as Lord  to be Savior,  and it declares the Son of God, as Christ  to be Savior.  Yet, people have been erroneously led to believe that only Jesus  is Savior.  In addition, the name of Jesus  is used for two other men in the word of God.  They are not our Savior.  Therefore, this name is 'the name of a literal physical man' with Him showing us how to live in this flesh and please God.  Yes, he had to die in the flesh so that He could pay for our sins.  However, He must use His role as Lord  in order to change the legal books in Heaven.  And, it is God the Holy Spirit  Who indwells us as part of our true salvation.  Therefore, the devil encourages men to teach partial truths in order to lead people into doctrinal error.  And, we must study every usage of a Bible word or a Bible doctrine before we can accurately say what is the single interpretation / definition.  No that is not true for the many applications.  However a common error is preachers believing that their favorite application is more authoritative than the single definition when the opposite is actually true.

In addition to the Word Studies provided, there are over 390,000 links on this site which connect doctrinal statements directly or indirectly to Bible references.  Since these web pages are linked in a network, there are probably over 17 million Bible references supporting the doctrine given.  (I can not give the actual count of total references because I do not have a spider-bot to traverse the network in order to count them.)  However, use either the number of links or the number of Bible references and it is highly doubtful if you will find another document with more Bible references to support doctrine found in the New Testament.  And, I do not write this to brag about me but to let the reader know that God showed me these things so that I could write them for your usage.  That is, God is the true source of all which is provided.  Therefore, upon what basis does anyone claim that they know more about what is the actual single interpretation of the word of God?  Let them publish their evidence.

1Thessalonians 5:21 says: Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.  I have published the evidence that is required in order to prove my interpretation.  Where is their evidence?  If you chose to accept an opinion with no evidence to support it while rejecting an analysis which hos a multitude of evidence to support it, how are you personally obeying this command from your personal God.  How will you personally answer to Him when you are required to answer for the souls which He put into your ministry?

Now, part of this disagreement is because people reject the fact that the true meaning of a phrase comes from the true definitions of the words in the phrase and how those words connect to each other.  That is, the true meaning of outer darkness  is the true definition of outer  combined with the true meaning of darkness  and the fact that the word outer  limits the use of the word darkness  within this phrase.  Since there are not multiple Biblical definitions of those words, there can not be multiple definitions for the phrase of outer darkness.  People who claim that there are multiple definitions are teaching doctrinal error and are acting like ministers of devils.  Likewise, people who claim that there is only one meaning, but that meaning has nothing to do with the true definitions of the words within the phrase are also teaching doctrinal error and are acting like ministers of devils (Matthew 16:23; Mark 8:33; Luke 4:8).

One last point before I move on.  In the parable of 'The Houses Built on Rock and Sand' (Matthew 7:24-29; Luke 6:47-49), the wise man built his house on the rock  with every usage of the word rock,  within the word of God,  being a direct or indirect symbol for Christ,  The foolish man built his house on the sand, which is 'a symbolic representation of religious doctrine which opposes the spiritual maturing which Christ  provides for the truly saved'.  The true rock  never moves and never changes.  Therefore, any doctrine which opposes the character of God, such as the claim that there will be no punishment at the judgment seat of Christ,  is a doctrine which is built on the sand of religion.

In addition to that, we also read that 1Corinthians 3:11-13 says For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.  Gold, silver, precious stones  all remain the same within the fire, even if they are melted.  However, wood, hay, stubble  all get converted to ash.  And, there is a lot of doctrinal error taught about these verses.  However, the truth is that we are to build upon a never moving and never changing rock  with procedures which never change (Gold, silver, precious stones).  Unless the rules that you use for interpretation can be proven to never change, for any circumstance, you are using the sand and ash of religious rules.  Every rule that I have mentioned, and every rule of interpretation which I provide on my Web Site, has been proven to never change for any reason.  I don't tell people to believe my opinion.  I give them never-changing rules which come directly from the word of God.

Finally, I hope that I have written enough about the basis for what I write and can move on to what the words within the phrase mean and what the phrase actually means and how the phrase is used within the three places where it is found.  Hopefully the reader understands that what I present is based upon a method of analysis which comes from God and that God guides that analysis to produce the truth which God wants His people to accept.

Now, returning to the prior discussion on the preachers who opposed what is written here, I testify that each of those groups of preachers use the wrong definition of the word outer.  When a suffix of 'er' is added to a word, it means 'more'.  Therefore, wider  means 'more wide'.  Higher  means 'more high'.  Longer  means 'more long'.  Weightier  means 'more weight'.  And, as a result, outer  means 'more out', which can also be expressed as 'further from the center'.  Something that is not in the building is said to be outside,  not outer.  Something that is in the outer  part of a group is still part of the group.  And, people who are in the outer  part of a place are still in that place.

The word outer  only occurs three times, in the word of God,  and each is in our contested phrase.  However, this word is opposed to the word inner.  That word is found only in Acts 16:24; Ephesians 3:16.  And, since the word outer,  and the word inner,  modify the words which follow them, we will return to the meaning of these words after we consider the word which they modify.

Next, we need to deal with the word darkness  The word darkness  occurs 51 times in 45 verses of the New Testament.  the word dark  occurs another 5 times.  In almost every usage, the word darkness  is presented as symbolically opposed to the word light,  and is: 'lack of spiritual light and guidance from God including following the guidance of a devil'.  In addition, the usage of the word light  is almost always used symbolically with that being: 'the influence of God.  The spiritual gift from God that overcomes spiritual darkness from sin and Satan.  Spiritual light allows us to see and understand things from God's view.  Spiritual light allows us to see how to walk, work and live in this world in a Godly way'.  Thus, we see that light  and darkness  are used symbolically for opposing spiritual influences.  (I have studied every New Testament usage of both words and am not just writing something off the top of my head but presenting the results of significant analytical study.)

So, we have basic definitions of each word and we need to see how the word outer  modifies the word darkness  in order to arrive at the true definition of our phrase.

The word inner  is found only in Acts 16:24; Ephesians 3:16.  In Acts, the word is used for 'the more secure part of the prison'.  Therefore, the outer  prison would be less secure, less able to do the job of the prison.  Likewise, this verse in Ephesians is part of a larger sentence which says: For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;  That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.  Notice the phrase he would grant you  within our sentence.  And, the rest of the sentence describes how God can change is in the inner man.  However, the phrase he would grant you  means that it is not guaranteed.  And, our next sentence tells us that Paul prayed for this change in the inner man  that there might be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages.  However, a saved person who does not allow this type of change to their inner man  is not going to bring glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages.

Our sentence, in Ephesians, is dealing with the same concept as Jesus  preached about when not putting a candle under a bushel but putting it on a candlestick so that they which come in may see the light  (Matthew 5:15; Mark 4:21; Luke 11:33).  And, Jesus  said that He is the light of the world  (John 8:12; John 9:5; John 12:46).  (Please use the prior links to see each of those references explained within the context where they are found.)  Therefore, all saved have the light  of God in the inner man  and we are commanded to let all see that light,  but we can disobey.  And, the person who lives a life pursuing the things which oppose the light  of God has 'put their candle under a bushel'.  They are leading a life of outer darkness  in spite of having the light  of God in the inner man.  And, we have Biblical examples of Lot, Lot's wife and Demas; who were saved people who had the light  of God in the inner man  while their outer  life was darkness.

Since we can not lose our salvation, there will be in Heaven people like Lot and Demas who disobeyed the commandment of God and lived a life of darkness  in spite of having the light  of God in the inner man.  Now, it is a totally different discussion, but God tells us to separate from the heretic and God does not command us to do something that He will not do.  Therefore, the devil motivated liars claim that the saved but carnal person will have all of the same blessings as apostles and martyrs.  They claim that Hebrews 6:10, and other verses with the same message are lies.  The Bible truth is that God will separate the saved, but carnal, from the saved and serving when we get to Heaven.  In particular, someone who was truly saved but devoted their life to the pursuit of darkness  is not going to get 'a mansion right next door to Peter'.

Now, as I already wrote, I have studied, and explained, every usage of symbolic language found in all Epistles and in all Gospels.  And, there is a difference between someone saying what the symbolical meaning of verses and phrases are and someone who knows and applies the abstract laws of God for how to properly interpret symbolic language.  What I just presented was an analysis using the laws of God for interpretation and not an opinion like most preachers give.  So, before you dismiss what I write, be sure that you are ready to explain to God how you know more about the laws for interpreting symbolism and be ready to answer for your influence on others if you 'choose to stand' on what proves to be doctrinal error.

If you are in a room after sunset and the room is lit by candles, you are in relative darkness when compared to day light but you are not in absolute darkness.  Light  is used in the Bible, symbolically, for 'spiritual understanding from God'.  Darkness  is used in the Bible, symbolically, for 'natural reasoning from this world and from our flesh and for doctrine of devils' (1Timothy 4:1).  When the Bible uses a word symbolically for a spiritual truth, it does not go against the physical characteristic of the word but choses a word whose characteristics match the spiritual attribute that it will represent.

Now, if you check the science of Physics, you will find that light has an energy wave and physical particles.  When the particles have to spread across a larger area, there are less particles per area and, as a result, less light.  Thus, if you are in a large area, such as outside at night, and there is a single source of light, the further you are from the source the less light you get from the source and the closer you are the more light you get from the source.  Thus, people who are farther from the source are in relative darkness.  With those truths in mind, we can now look at what our Bible says about outer darkness.

In every verse where we find the phrase of outer darkness:

Matthew 8:12 But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Matthew 22:13 Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Matthew 25:30 And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

John 14:2 is the only place where we find the word mansions  in the Bible.  John 14:3 says: And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

Remember that I already showed you that the doctrine of no tears in Heaven  is a lie.

God does not change (Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8).  All throughout the Bible God promises rewards for obedience and punishment for disobedience.  For there to not be punishment at the judgment seat of Christ  the word of God  would have to lie about God not changing.

In Matthew 25:46 we read: And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.  That is literally telling us the character and judgment of our Lord Jesus Christ.  And, He does not change (Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8).  Therefore, the criteria that He used to judge these people is the same criteria that He uses to judge the saved.  In the prior sentences we read: And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me  and we also read: Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.  The claim that our Lord Jesus Christ  will reward saved people with eternal bliss and a mansion while they refused to help other saved people build His church is a lie.  That claim matches the character of a devil and not the character of our Lord Jesus Christ,  which we read in these sentences.  No, He rewards those people who serve and help His children even in the face of punishment and death.  He also punishes those people who refuse to serve and help His children but, instead, devote their lives to the pursuit of things in this world.

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