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Second

Edition
Coming
Soon!
In This Issue:
1 Editorial: Rejoicing in Our Sufferings
David Burge
2 This is My Story — Part 2
Tom Bennett
7 Resurrection Revealed — Part 13
Beryl Ching
11 From Off the Shelf — a Review of Joel Green’s Book
David Burge
14 How to Persevere
Rev. Jefferson Vann
19 Where is Hell?
David Burge
Production
From Death to Life is a quarterly publication produced by:
Resurrection Publishing for The Conditional Immortality Association of
New Zealand.
Edited: David Burge, Design & Layout: Garry Schäche
Print & Distribution: Noah Burge & Tarnya Burge
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Rejoicing in Our Sufferings
Editorial—David Burge
Beryl Ching, in Romans 12:12 tells us, “Be joyful in
her article on the hope, patient in affliction, faithful in
resurrection in prayer.”
Acts, mentions a When the Hebrew Christians, under
time when Peter the strain of constant persecution,
and the other were wavering in their devotion to
Apostles were Christ they were told: “Remember
called before the Sanhedrin to give those earlier days after you had
account for their witness to the received the light, when you stood
resurrection. The upshot of it all was your ground in a great contest in the
that they were flogged and then let face of suffering. Sometimes you
go under orders never to speak in were publicly exposed to insult and
that name (the name of Jesus again). persecution; at other times you stood
The reaction of the Apostles amazes side by side with those who were so
me: “The apostles left the Sanhedrin, treated. You sympathized with those
rejoicing because they had been in prison and joyfully accepted the
counted worthy of suffering disgrace confiscation of your property,
for the name” (Acts 5:41). I don’t because you knew that you
know about you but I struggle to yourselves had better and lasting
rejoice in my suffering! possessions.” (Hebrews 10:32-34).
Romans 5:2-5 says, “And we rejoice in Notice that they “joyfully” accepted
the hope of the glory of God [The the confiscation of their property.
glory of God is often a synonym for And notice why. It was because they
the kingdom, Matthew 10:21, Mark knew that they had “better and
10:37]. Not only so, but we also lasting possessions”, not at home
rejoice in our sufferings, because we hidden under the mattress, but in the
know that suffering produces form of eternal life in the coming
perseverance; perseverance, kingdom of God.
character; and character, hope. And If you want to be able to rejoice in
hope does not disappoint us, because your sufferings get to know more of
God has poured out his love into our the hope of the glory of the kingdom
hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he of God. 
has given us.”
This is My Story—Part 2
Tom Bennett
Looking back now I can see Gods me Glenyss. For Glenyss and her
fingerprints over all the events of my family have been the means by which
journey. But my journey was far from God has brought the truth of
over, it had only just begun. The Conditional Immortality to my mind.
advice from my sister Marie (I think As my relationship grew with Glenyss,
of her as my spiritual mother) was I began attending midweek studies
“read your Bible”. I did and I couldn’t and Sunday services at the Church of
put it down, God was opening my Christ Life and Advent. For the first
mind as I read His word, words that time I was confronted with the
once seemed empty and meaningless teachings of Conditional Immortality.
now teamed with life and meaning.
God was leading me on a new
journey, on His path to peace.
While staying at my sister Marie’s
home, my brother-in-law Con found
me a job with the courier company
he worked for. He told me there was
this lovely Christian girl there who
would be nice for me to meet. I
imagined that I would probably be
introduced to someone’s Interestingly at the time of meeting
grandmother (No offence to all those Glenyss I was very much a Catholic
grandmothers out there) and wasn’t boy in my thinking, but that was all
very interested, having decided to going to change as Glenyss’ family,
pursue Christ rather than a and friends confronted my beliefs
relationship. However, needless to about death and hell and
say that lovely Christian girl is now immortality. I was given a copy of
my beautiful wife of almost 19 years. Sidney Hatch’s book “Why I believe in
God’s plans for me have been Conditional Immortality” 1. Writings
amazing and I thank Him for giving about Hell, the Soul, life etc. When I
examined God’s word and that wasn’t there. God made us
contemplated the implications of the from the dust of the earth and
Conditional Immortality teachings I back to it we are going.
couldn’t deny its truth. Below is a list “You will not surely die” - Genesis
of 10 bible teachings that convince 3:4; “Satan is a liar and the
me that Conditional Immortality is an Father of Lies” - John 8:44.
important biblical truth: Believing that you won’t die and
return to the dust, as God has
said is believing God to be a liar
and Satan to be the truth teller.
“The Lord God formed the man
from the dust of the ground and
breathed into his nostrils the
breath of life and he became a
living being.” - Genesis 2:7.

“By the sweat of your brow you


will eat your food until you
return to the ground, since from
it you were taken; for Dust You
Are and to dust you will return”-
Genesis 3:19. I had heard these
words many times during my Good on you NIV translators,
years of Catholic services; unfortunately the KJV translates
however, subconsciously I those words “living being” as
always added the words and my “living soul” and in the context
soul will go to heaven. I was of the mainstream church
adding to God’s word something including the Catholics it is easy
to read that verse to be saying immortal part to our beings, if
that God breathed a soul into a there were it could not be
man. However, it seems quite destroyed.
clear, that Adam’s lifeless body “God, … alone is Immortal” - 1 Tim
required God to breath air into 6:15-16. How can man have an
the nostrils of Adam in order to immortal part if we are told that
make Adam a ‘living being’ God alone is immortal?
instead of a ‘dead being’. This is
just what one would hope to
achieve when CPR is performed
on a person who has stopped
breathing. That breath
contained Oxygen which we
know is carried in the blood. In
fact Deuteronomy 12:23 tells us
that “the life is the blood”.
John 3:16 tells us the “Whoever
believes” in Gods only begotten
Son “shall not perish” but “Shall
have eternal life in Christ Jesus”.
Clearly the choice here is not life
in one place or life in another.
No, in fact, the options are
eternal life or complete
destruction. The Greek word for
perish is analusis which pretty Jesus said “I am the resurrection
much means to break down to and the Life” - John 11:25. The
its basic parts (dust no less). life we receive is not held in our
Matthew 10:28 tells us that we own being but is with Christ
should be “afraid of the One Jesus our Lord in God. He is the
who can destroy soul and body Life and our life “is hidden with
in hell. This is talking about him” - Col 3:3. It will be by the
complete destruction of the word of God that we are
whole person, there is no restored as living beings.
1 Corinthians 15:50-54 speaks of a the case then how could a dead
transformation of our person’s soul be looking down
perishable, mortal bodies into from heaven or even suffering in
imperishable immortal bodies. Hell? No I believe God’s word
Note these verses speak of a when it states that we return to
complete transformation of the the dust.
body not a reunification of a In scripture, death is described
soul and body forever. In fact in poetically as “sleep”. Death is a
reality the term “body and soul” state of rest for every human
together, as mentioned, is a though the dead Christian’s next
living human being. waking moment will be in the
Ecclesiastes 9:4,5 and 9:10 tell us presence of their Saviour.
that in the grave where we are So why is conditional immortality
going there is no thinking, or such an important teaching to hold
knowledge, nor working or onto? I hear many people these days
planning. The dead know say that it isn’t that important to
nothing in the grave. So if this is them. This is my response.
Firstly, this teaching puts the work of
Christ into correct perspective. We
need Christ completely for life. My
Catholic upbringing tells me that the
risk of allowing yourself to hold or
entertain the opposing viewpoint is
that you may be tempted to think
that you have a chance at some other
life without Christ. There is no other
life beyond this one unless it is in
Christ.
Secondly, these days we hear a lot
about mediums and the like
communicating with our dead loved
ones. Clearly our dead loved ones
cannot speak, remember, know or
think anything. They are dead
disintegrating down to the dust from to afterlife experiences. Perhaps the
which they were made. The evidence subject of a future discussion, but
is clear. We only need to exhume a certainly not afterlife meetings with
few bodies to discover this truth. So Jesus or our Creator or Mohamed or
what of Mediums etc? The teaching whoever else the person having the
of Conditional Immortality teaches experience have in their mind’s eye
me that these Mediums, if they are as their icon of faith.
not fakes and are communicating Fourthly, it is plain and simple, God’s
with the spiritual realm, are Truth. God’s absolute truth is
communicating with evil spirits. intended to lead us on God’s path of
Remember “our struggle is not peace. 
against flesh and blood but against References:
the rulers, against the authorities, 1.
See www.afterlife.co.nz/free-
against the powers of this dark age
resources/articles-reviews/
and against the spiritual forces of evil
in the heavenly realms. Ephesians
6:12.
It is no wonder that we are warned in
scripture to avoid mediums and
witchcraft and the like. By knowing
the truth of conditional immortality
we immediately understand the truth
with respect to Mediums.
Thirdly, what of after death
experiences? Conditional Immortality
teachings tell me there must be Tom Bennett, his wife Glenyss and
another explanation to reports of four children: Maddison, Sam,
after life experiences. For God’s word Georgia and Holly live in Hamilton
tells me there is no memory in the New Zealand. Tom and Glenyss are
grave. Therefore if I die, it is not members of the Hamilton Church of
possible for me to remember what I Christ (Life and Advent) where they
did or saw. In fact, it is obvious that supervise the Sunday School
dead people don’t see anything at all. program. Tom is a pharmacist and
There are quite obvious explanations runs two pharmacies in Hamilton.
Resurrection Revealed
Part 13—Beryl Ching
The Resurrection in Acts—Part 2
Resurrection of Jesus (cont.) great power gave the apostles
witness of the resurrection of the
Lord Jesus”. It is notable that this is
the only part of their message that is
mentioned in this passage (Acts
4:33).
Preaching, signs and wonders
continued, and again the apostles
were seized. The angel of the Lord
released them from prison, and the
next day they were brought before
the Council. In his defence Peter said,
“The God of our Fathers raised up
Jesus whom ye slew and hanged on a
Peter, was hauled in front of the tree...We are witnesses of these
Council, to give account to for the things” (5:30, 32). They refused then
miracle of making the lame man to obey the council, in favour of
walk. He told them it had been done obeying God.
by the name of Jesus Christ of Stephen, who was the next one to
Nazareth. Again, he accused them of have to stand before the council,
having crucified Him, but goes on to
speak of him “Whom God raised
from the dead ...” (Acts 4:10). Going
immediately to the gathering of
Christians, Peter and John reported
what had happened, and all prayed
for power and for boldness. Their
prayer was answered, “And with
climaxing his long dissertation on the
history of Israel’s rejection of God’s
appointed ones, did not get past
what he had to say about their
rejection of Jesus, when his hearers
disrupted his speech. At that time
Stephen declared how he saw Jesus
standing on the right hand of God.
Jesus was not only risen from the
death he has just accused them of,
calling them “betrayers and
murderers”, but was ascended to
heavenly places! (Acts 7:55, 56).
The next sermon we read is that of
Peter to Cornelius and his household.
In that sermon, after Peter had
spoken of how the Jews had slain quick (living) and dead (v.42). If the
Him and hanged Him on a tree, he dead are to be judged, they must be
went on to say, “Him God raised up resurrected first. Peter does not
the third day, and showed him mention this, but it is inferred, and
openly; not to all the people, but to obviously understood by his hearers.
witnesses chosen before of God, Paul and Barnabas were sent out as
even to us, who did eat and drink missionaries by the church in Antioch
with him after he rose from the in Syria. Paul’s first sermon is given
dead.” Here we have a new thought in Acts 13, when he spoke in the
brought in, that God had deliberately synagogue of Antioch in Pisidia. Again
chosen certain people to be he spoke of the rulers of Jerusalem
witnesses of Christ’s resurrection. putting Jesus to death. He told how
(Acts 10:39-41). And the apostles Jesus had been taken down from the
certainly were witnesses, as we are tree, and laid in a sepulchre. “But
now seeing, as we go through their God raised him from the dead,” he
sermons and messages in the book of said, adding, “And was seen many
Acts. He also added that God had days of them which came up with
appointed Him to be the Judge of the him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who
saw corruption. “But he, whom God
raised again, saw no corruption”, he
said (Acts 13: 33-37).
We next see Paul speaking of the
resurrection of Christ at Thessalonica
in Acts 17. For three Sabbath days he
reasoned in the synagogue out of the
Scriptures, “opening and alleging,
that Christ must needs have suffered
and risen again from the dead” (v. 3).
Later in the chapter Paul is in Athens.
The curiosity of the Epicurean and
Stoic philosophers was aroused by
what he was talking about in the
market daily, “...strange gods ... Jesus,
and the resurrection” (v. 18). (It is
are his witnesses unto the people.” possible that they thought he was
So in this place Paul not only spoke of speaking of two new gods - Jesus,
His resurrection, but of the witnesses and Resurrection.) Later we see Paul
who could affirm that it happened speaking on Mars’ hill to the
(vv. 30, 31). To confirm this
resurrection of Jesus, he went on to
speak of the prophecies in the Old
Testament Psalms. He first takes
Psalm 2, where God says, “Thou art
my Son, this day have I begotten
thee”, which he declares is a promise
of God to the fathers, fulfilled “in that
he hath raised up Jesus again”.
Secondly he takes the prophecy of
David in Psalm 16, that the Holy One
of God would not see corruption, and
pointed out that it could not have
applied to David, who did die and
philosophers of the city. They We do not have any further sermons
listened well until he spoke of the given in the book of Acts. But in the
fact that Jesus was appointed to last chapter of that book, when he is
judge the world, and that they could defending himself to the chief of the
be assured of this, because God Jews in Rome, he “persuaded them
“hath raised him from the dead”. It concerning Jesus, both out of the law
was when they heard of the of Moses and out of the
resurrection of the dead, that they prophets” (Acts 28:23). He did this
began to mock Paul - though there from morning till evening, so he must
were some who believed, and some have found plenty of prophecies
who wanted to hear more another about the Messiah in the Old
time (vv. 31, 32). Testament Scriptures to talk about!
Paul considered the matter of the 
resurrection to be the focal point of Beryl Ching,
the Jewish leaders’ grievance against spent over 40
him (Acts 23:6; 24:15; 26:8). Even in years on the
his defence before King Agrippa he mission field in
insisted that Moses and the prophets India. Returning
had said that “Christ should suffer, to New Zealand
and that he should be the first that to “retire”, Beryl
was for a long
should rise from the dead” (Acts
time secretary of the Conditional
26:22, 23), and his question to Immortality Association.
Agrippa at the end of his speech was, ‘Resurrection as Revealed in the Old
“believest thou the prophets?” (v. Testament and Confirmed in the
27). In other words, the prophets New testament’ is the full title of her
said that the Christ would die and Thesis presented to the Faculty of
rise from the dead. Did Agrippa the Freelandia Institute Biblical
believe these prophecies? (And if so, Theological College in partial
did he believe it was true that Jesus fulfilment of the requirements for
rose from the dead, and therefore the Degree Master of Biblical
was the prophesied Christ?) Studies.
From Off the Shelf
‘Body, Soul and Human Life:
The Nature of Humanity
in the Bible’ — Joel B. Green
Reviewed by David Burge
Joel B. Green reluctantly (because my wife was
(PhD, University pregnant and due to give birth while
of Aberdeen) is Joel and Pam were here)
now professor of volunteered. By the providence of
New Testament God, our baby boy arrived early (the
interpretation at only one of our eight children that
Fuller Theological arrived early). To remember the
Seminary in Pasadena, California, circumstances we named our boy
after teaching at Asbury Theological Timothy Joel Burge and I got to spend
Seminary for ten years, serving as a wonderful few weeks with Pam and
vice president of academic affairs and Joel.
provost. He is the author and / or Once again, Joel has combined his
editor of a number of books, extensive knowledge of biblical
including Dictionary of Jesus and the theology with his equally thorough
Gospels, Introducing the New grasp of the science of the brain to
Testament, and commentaries on produce a volume that will be of
Luke and 1 Peter. This is not however, interest to all Conditionalists. Some
what he is most remembered for in theologians have seen “that the
our family. Our Association brought encounter of long-held theological
Dr. Joel and Pam Green to New tenets regarding the human person
Zealand in September of 2005. The with the principled reflection on
late Carl Josephson, who had neuroscientific innovation is a major
organised the trip, was not well storm brewing on the horizon" (p.16).
enough to tour with Joel, so I Doctor Green's list (found on page
20) of what may be at stake includes
the following:
Given contemporary
experimentation and innovation
in the area of artificial
intelligence, can we imagine
anything about humans that our
mechanical creations will be
able to duplicate?
If, like sheep and pigs, humans can
be cloned, will the resulting life
form be a “person"?
On what basis might we attribute
sacred worth to human beings,
so that we have what is
necessary for discourse
concerning morality and ethical
practices?
What view of the human person is
capable of funding what we
responsibility, repentance, and
want to know about ourselves
growth in grace?
theologically - about sin, for
Am I free to want what I want, or is
example, as well as moral
my sense of decision-making a
ruse?
How should we understand
"salvation"? Does salvation
entail a denial of the world and
embodied life, focusing instead
on my "inner person" and on
the life to come? How ought the
church to be extending itself in
mission? Mission to what? The
spiritual or soulish needs of
persons? Society-at-large? The the Bible and the Christian worldview
cosmos? are going beyond what is justified by
What happens when we die? What the data. Doctor Green notes that it
view(s) of the human person is is often alleged that neuroscientists,
consistent with Christian belief in having discredited a dualist
in life-after-death? interpretation of the human person,
As you can see, Dr. Green goes have also discredited biblical faith.
beyond “biblical anthropology”, Not so, Green says. A monist account
exploring what Scripture and of human nature is perfectly
theology teach about such wide consistent with both the Bible and
ranging issues as, the importance of science. Green’s analysis shows that
community, sin, free will, salvation, though the two branches of
and the afterlife. knowledge often come at the same
questions from very different
perspectives, rightly understood,
these perspectives are
complimentary, not conflicting.
The book is not for the fainthearted,
in that it has a lot of "big words" and
even bigger ideas, but as you can see,
the list of questions asked, and at
least partially answered, makes the
book well worth reading. 
References:
As he has done previously 1., Green 1.
See ‘A Summary and Review of
argues that a dualistic view of the “What About The Soul?”
human person is inconsistent with Neuroscience and Christian
both science and Scripture. Those Anthropology—Edited By Joel B.
neuroscientists who claim that Green’, FDTL Issue 29, or available
modern research has undermined online at www.afterlife.co.nz
How to Persevere
Rev. Jefferson Vann
Hebrews 12:1-3 in this book, because we always face
ESV ordeals and challenges that seek to
Therefore, since destroy our faith. The principles
we are taught in the book of Hebrews can
surrounded by so show us how to persevere.
great a cloud of 1. PREPARE YOUR BODY THROUGH
witnesses, let us CONDITIONING.
also lay aside every weight, and sin 12:1 “let us also lay aside every
which clings so closely, and let us run weight”
with endurance the race that is set The picture is of an athlete that has
before us, looking to Jesus, the to remove all the unessential clothing
founder and perfecter of our faith, and gear, and even avoid many good
who for the joy that was set before things in order to prepare himself for
him endured the cross, despising the the competition. Notice that some
shame, and is seated at the right weight is not sin, but it still must be
hand of the throne of God. Consider lain aside. There might be any
him who endured from sinners such number of things in our lives which
hostility against himself, so that you
may not grow weary or fainthearted.
The Context of Hebrews
The book of Hebrews is a letter
written to Jewish Christians in the 1st
century who were being tempted and
pressured to renounce their loyalty to
Christ, and return to Judaism without
Christ. They had to learn to persevere
under that pressure without giving up
their faith. All Christians of all ages
can benefit from the truths revealed
are not inherently sinful, but they you should reconsider. I know
may waste our time, or distract us. If you're just trying to be true to your
these things are allowed to stay, they heritage. But have you stopped to
may not make us more sinful, but think what you have done? The
they might hinder our becoming Hebrews are slaves. I know you
more holy or more fruitful. have the potential to make a real
12:7 “It is for discipline that you have difference in your life. You have the
to endure.” makings of a great leader. Please
The hardships that we face are reconsider before you ruin your life!
allowed by God because he knows Your friend, Bob
they will benefit us, and make us
10:32-34 “But recall the former days
more effective in our witness.
when, after you were enlightened,
Providing that we respond properly
you endured a hard struggle with
to them, hardships will make us into
sufferings, sometimes being publicly
the kind of people that God wants to
exposed to reproach and affliction,
reign with him in his kingdom, and
and sometimes being partners with
worship him throughout eternity.
those so treated. For you had
11:25 Moses “choosing rather to be compassion on those in prison, and
mistreated” you joyfully accepted the plundering
Perseverance requires us to make of your property, since you knew that
decisions that don't make sense to you yourselves had a better
the world around us. We can make possession and an abiding one.
those decisions because we can see Sometimes all it takes is for us to
another future that the world cannotremember the things we have
see. Imagine someone who grew up already endured, the victories we
with Moses, who finds out that he have already had over the attacks of
had chosen to identify with the the devil. When Satan attacks with a
Hebrews instead of claiming his rights
temptation, and you stand on God's
as an Egyptian. Imagine what the sufficiency and do not yield to it. It
letter/ email might say: makes you stronger when temptation
Dear Mo, comes again.
I heard you have made your “career When Satan attacks with an
choice” the other day, and I think accusation, and you refuse to believe
it, it strengthens your self-image, so sprinkled clean from an evil
you are less likely to be effected by conscience and our bodies washed
accusation again. with pure water. Let us hold fast the
When Satan attacks with a deception, confession of our hope without
and you counter it with the truth, it wavering, for he who promised is
faithful. And let us consider how to
tightens your stronghold on the
stir up one another to love and good
truth, thus makes you less likely to be
works, not neglecting to meet
deceived.
together, as is the habit of some, but
encouraging one another, and all the
more as you see the Day drawing
near.”
Remembering what Jesus has done
for us as our mediator can also
encourage us, and get us through
hard times. He has prepared us as
living sacrifices by sprinkling our
hearts and washing our bodies.
When Satan attacks with an Because of what he did, we can
intimidation and you refuse to give in (1) draw near to God with
to fear, it makes you that much less confidence; (22)
likely to be intimidated the next time. (2) hold fast the confession of our
2. STRENGTHEN YOUR HEART hope (destiny) (23); and
THROUGH ENCOURAGEMENT (3) encourage one another regularly.
12:3 “Consider him who endured (25)
from sinners such hostility against 12:1 Therefore, since we are
himself, so that you may not grow surrounded by so great a cloud of
weary or fainthearted.” witnesses,
Remembering what Jesus endured This verse is often misread. The New
for us can help us when we face Testament definition of a witness is
discouraging times. not someone who is observing
10:21-25 “and since we have a great something. A witness is someone
priest over the house of God, let us who testifies to something. The great
draw near with a true heart in full cloud of witnesses that the author of
assurance of faith, with our hearts Hebrews refers to is all those heroes
of the faith that he had mentioned in
chapter 11. Like the cloud in the
wilderness, they have gone before us,
and we follow after them.
Remembering those who have gone
before us can also help us stay loyal
to Christ, as they were.
11:20-32 “By faith ...”
Perseverance is an act of faith. It is
the working out of our faith in our
everyday lives on a consistent basis.
Faith is the motivating factor for endurance the race that is set before
perseverance. It is faith in who God us, looking to Jesus, the founder and
is. perfecter of our faith,”
That's why David could face Goliath What you focus on is going to
when he had to. The entire Israelite determine if you persevere. If you
army was paralysed because Goliath focus on the hills, potholes, the
was bigger than any one of them. But competition, the heat, the pain, you
David had been living a life of faith. will eventually give up. But if you can
He had persevered when he first see the finish line, if you know it can
faced a lion, and he discovered that be done because someone has done
God was bigger than the lion. God it, you can persevere.
guided his sling, and the stone found Hebrews 11:1 “faith is the assurance
its mark. When the bear came, David of things hoped for, the conviction of
was ready, because he had been things not seen.”
persevering. God was bigger than the Faith is the link between what is
bear. A persevering man does not get visible (the challenges of our life) and
bear-caught. When Goliath came, what is invisible (God's existence and
taunting the Israelite army and our inheritance). Faith enables us to
blaspheming God, David was ready. focus on those things not yet visible,
He was ready because he had been instead of all our trials and troubles
persevering. which are now so visible. Faith is not
3. FOCUS YOUR EYES THROUGH imagination. God is real and has
HOPE manifested himself in history. Faith
Hebrews 12:1-2 “let us run with reminds us of his reality, and the
reality of the future he has planned
for us. they were sawn in two, they were
Hebrews 11:16 they desire a better killed with the sword. They went
country. about in skins of sheep and goats,
The heroes of the faith were able to destitute, afflicted, mistreated- of
persevere because they kept focusing whom the world was not worthy-
on the “better country” rather than wandering about in deserts and
the present one. They sought God's mountains, and in dens and caves of
kingdom. That kept their eyes the earth.
focused on the future, thus they were These perseverers did not see
able to persevere in the present. success over the trials and troubles
The author of Hebrews lists two they faced. They died without seeing
different categories of perseverers. the victory. Yet both of these groups
were commended for their lives of
Hebrews 11:33-35a “who through
perseverance!
faith conquered kingdoms, enforced
justice, obtained promises, stopped We do not know what category our
the mouths of lions, quenched the life stories will be placed in. It does
power of fire, escaped the edge of not really matter. What matters is
the sword, were made strong out of that we persevere, and finish with
weakness, became mighty in war, put faith. When Jesus returns, all of us
foreign armies to flight. Women who have served him will be winners.
received back their dead by 
resurrection.
These were the persevering winners.
By faith they kept looking ahead and
God allowed them to triumph over
the difficult circumstances of their
lives.
But please remember that there is a
second category of perseverers.
Hebrews 11:35b-38 “Some were
tortured, refusing to accept release,
so that they might rise again to a
better life. Others suffered mocking
and flogging, and even chains and
imprisonment. They were stoned,
Where is Hell?
David Burge
the Norwegian word for "cargo
handling" - godsekspedisjon would
be the current spelling.
Actually hell (Gehenna) is a valley
south of Jerusalem where corrupt
Jews burned their children as
offerings to the god, Molech. It was
later “desecrated” by good King
Josiah. Jeremiah denounced the evil
Where is hell? The most popular done in this place. Later rubbish from
suggestion is that it is at the centre of the city was burned in the valley.
the earth (It certainly is hot down
there). According to wikipedia: Its in
Norway. Hell is a village in Stjørdal,
Norway with a population of 352. It
has become a minor tourist
attraction because of its name, since
people like to take the train there to
get photographed in front of the
station sign. The station sign reads
"Gods-expedition", an old spelling of
Thus the word Gehenna, meaning
valley of Hinnom, became a suitable
picture of a place of final destruction
rather than torment. See 2Kings
23:10; Jeremiah 7:31; 19:2. 
References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Hell,_Norway
www.acmissionz.org.nz
Membership Statement of Faith
I agree with the CIANZ 1. We believe in God and His one and only Son, Jesus
Statement of Faith and wish the Christ. Heb. 11:6; John 14:1; 3:16; 20:31; Mat.
16:16.
to apply for annual
2. We believe in the Holy Spirit. 2Pet. 1:21; 1Cor. 6:19;
membership. Jude 20; Eph. 3:5.
Name: 3. We believe that Jesus died for us and gave himself a
_______________________ ransom for all. Rom. 5:8; 1Cor. 15:3; 1Tim. 2:6.
_______________________ 4. We believe that God raised Jesus from the dead; that
by resurrection He became Lord of both the dead and
_______________________ the living, and the first fruits of those who have fallen
Address: asleep; and that whoever believes in Him shall not
_______________________ perish but have eternal life. Rom. 10:9; 14:9; 1Cor.
_______________________ 15:20; John 3:16.
_______________________ 5. We believe that baptism is commanded by Christ, was
practiced by His Apostles, and is taught in the New
Country_______Zip_______ Testament. Mat. 28:18,19; Acts 8:12,38.
Email: 6. We believe that all Scripture is God-breathed and is
_______________________ useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training
Denomination (if any): in righteousness, so that the people of God may be
_______________________ thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2Tim.
3:16,17.
_______________________
7. We believe that human beings are by nature mortal.
I enclose/donate online my Gen. 2:7; 3:19; 1Tim. 6:16; 2Tim. 1:10; Rom. 2:6-7.
annual membership fee of 8. We believe that human beings in death are
US/NZ/Other $___________ unconscious. Psa. 6:5; 115:17; Ecc. 9:5,10. This is
[NZ$15 earners or NZ$10 likened to "sleep". Job 14:12; Psa. 13:3; Jer. 51:39;
Dan. 12:2; John 11:11-14; 1Cor. 15:51.
non-earners, students and
9. We believe that immortality is obtained only through
superannuatants] faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. 1Cor. 15:21-23; 2Tim.
CIANZ 4:7-8; 1John 5:9-12.
PO Box 202-162 10. We believe that there will be a resurrection of both
the righteous and the wicked, to be followed by the
Southgate Judgment. Acts 24:15; John 5:25,28,29; Rev. 20:12,13.
Takanini 2246 11. We believe that evil and evil-doers shall be finally
New Zealand destroyed. Psa. 145:20; Mat. 10:28 Rom. 6:21; Phil.
3:19; Heb. 2:14; 1John 3:8; Rev. 22:3.
respublishing@slingshot.co.nz
12. We believe in the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. Acts
www.afterlife.co.nz 1:11; John 14:3; 1Thes. 4:16.

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