The Death of Lazarus

John 11:25 - “Jesus said to (Martha), “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” 

          This is the accounting of the death and resurrection of Lazarus. Mary, the one who put perfume on the feet of Jesus on another occasion and her sister Martha had sent word to the Lord that their brother, Lazarus was sick. Take note that Jesus said in response that Lazarus would not die. “When he heard this, Jesus said, ‘This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.’” ^{(John 11:4)} Jesus loved all three very much yet stayed where he was two more days. If He had come directly Lazarus might have still been alive and the purposes of God would not have been fulfilled. This is a perfect example of how God knows, and we do not. God says in Isaiah 55:8 “‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the LORD.” God always knows what He’s doing and always knows what is best. The word ‘always’ is an absolute word. It means that God knows each and every time, making no mistakes. God never has to ponder His plans or question Himself. How does He know? He knows because He is omniscient, the knower of all things. There is never a time when God is lost or confused. We are the ones who stumble and fall on our face, not God.  
          Jesus is the source of everlasting life. It is only through Him that we can reach our eternal destination. There is nothing we can do to achieve this on our own. All we must do is believe in Christ; however, it’s a little more detailed than that for even the devil and his demons believe in Jesus and shudder in terror at the mention of His name. ^{(James 2:19)} We must surrender our will to the one true living God. If we do so we will never truly die. Oh, we will die physically, but not spiritually. Our physical tent, which houses our soul and spirit, will turn to dust in the ground, but our soul and spirit shall live on in heaven with God for all eternity.  
          Jesus purposely waited so that Lazarus would die. This way He could reveal the miraculous power of God in the resurrection of His friend. This is what Christ meant when He said what He did in verse 4 shown above. God always knows exactly what He’s doing; therefore, we can absolutely and positively trust Him in all things all the time. Do you believe this? Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

The Terrible Day of the Lord

“But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment.”- 2 Peter 3:10 ^NLT

            Scripture tells us that no one knows the hour or the day when the Lord shall return. ^{[Matthew 24:36]} Only the Father knows. Believers in Christ should be anticipating his return as if it were going to be today. Non-believers, who live their lives outside of God’s family, are too busy with other things they deem essential to their lives. That is precisely why they will have no idea what is coming and thus will not be prepared.

                  Knowing that the earth will be burned up, why wouldn’t we place our confidence in that which is lasting and eternal? Being bound to the earth, with its valueless treasures and frivolous pursuits is a sure death sentence. God knows all this which is why his patience with mankind is long suffering. He knows the stubborn ways of man. He knows their rebellious nature. But he loves them just the same and gives them every opportunity to receive forgiveness for their sins.

                  I have said on multiple occasions that we must assess our walk, not compared to anyone else on this earth, but to God himself. Just because perfection is unattainable doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be our goal in this life. Believers should ask themselves this important question: Do I spend more of my time piling up possessions or striving to develop a Christlike character? Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

“Easter” Scripturally Refuted

1. Worship Must Be Regulated by Scripture Alone

Deuteronomy 12:32 – “See that you do all I command you; do not add to it or take away from it.” “Easter” is an addition. It has no place in the worship God has commanded.

 2. Pagan Practices Are Forbidden in the Worship of God

Deuteronomy 12:30-31 – “Be careful not to be ensnared by inquiring about their gods... You must not worship the Lord your God in their way…” God absolutely forbids using pagan customs as a means of worshiping Him.

 3. God Desires Worship in Spirit and in Truth

John 4:23-24 – “Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth… for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and His worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.” Worshiping God with Easter traditions—eggs, rabbits, and man-made rituals—is neither spiritual nor truthful.

 4. Christ’s Resurrection Is Remembered Weekly, Not Annually

Acts 20:7 – “On the first day of the week we came together to break bread…” The Lord’s Day (every Sunday) is the biblically appointed time to remember Christ’s resurrection—not once a year in a festival of mixed pagan origin.

 5. The Apostles Gave No Example of Easter Observance

2 Thessalonians 2:15 – “So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.” The apostles gave no command to celebrate Easter. If it were important, they would have included it in their teaching.

 6. God Commands Separation from the World’s Religious Ways

2 Corinthians 6:17 – “Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.” The world, Roman Catholicism, and other religions celebrate “Easter.” That should cause every godly soul to pause.

 CONCLUSION

“Easter” is not Christian in origin. It is a mixture of:

•                Pagan fertility rituals,

•                Catholic syncretism*, and

•                Human tradition.

It is not commanded by God, not modeled by Christ, and not practiced by the apostles. It dilutes the truth, corrupts the purity of worship, and associates the holy Name of Christ with heathen customs. Jeremiah 10:2 – “Do not learn the ways of the nations…”; 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22 – “Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil.”

Let us worship the risen Lord Jesus every Lord’s Day, and reject every counterfeit observance that would compromise the purity of the Gospel. To do less is to mix light with darkness—and that is something the Lord never blesses. Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

The information for this study was provided by a dear sister in Christ whom I’ve known for many years, whose name shall be withheld for privacy reasons.

* Fusion of differing systems of belief, as in philosophy or religion.

NOTE: While I don’t have much to say about Lent or “Holy Week”, I don’t see any harm in Maundy Thursday or Good Friday, for they are, at least as far as I’ve experienced, Christocentric, as in Christ centered worship.

Easter vs. Resurrection Day

Facts about “Easter”

The holiday commonly known as “Easter” is one of the most widespread traditions in professing Christendom. Yet both its pagan and Roman Catholic roots are indisputable—and its observance finds no warrant in the Word of God. When measured by the standard of Scripture, Easter stands condemned as a man-made invention, borrowed from idolatry, and unfit for Christian worship.

Pagan Roots of “Easter” 

 

1. Origin of the Name “Easter”

The name “Easter” comes from Eostre (or Ostara), a pagan fertility goddess worshiped in early Anglo-Saxon and Germanic tribes. Her spring festival celebrated fertility, renewal, and new life. The rabbit and egg were her symbols—representing fertility and reproduction.

 

Note: The Greek word Pascha in the New Testament refers to Passover, not “Easter.” The one appearance of the word “Easter” in Acts 12:4 (KJV) is a mistranslation.

 

2. Spring Fertility Rites

Pagan spring rites honored nature’s rebirth after winter and often included: Eggs (symbols of new life), Rabbits (fertility), Sunrise services (honoring the rising sun, not the risen Son). These customs were not only non-Christian, but directly tied to idolatrous worship and nature-based deities.

 

ROMAN CATHOLIC ROOTS

 

1. Council of Nicaea (325 A.D.)

Rome formally established “Easter Sunday” as a feast to celebrate the resurrection of Christ, separating it from the Jewish Passover. The date was fixed according to pagan lunar calculations: the first Sunday after the full moon following the spring equinox.

 

2. Blending Paganism with Christianity

The Church of Rome attempted to “Christianize” pagan spring rituals to attract converts. The result was a religious festival cloaked in Christian terminology, but pagan in spirit and practice.

 

3. Lent and the Easter Season

The 40-day observance of Lent, leading up to Easter, has no biblical basis. It mirrors pagan fasting and mourning rituals (see Ezekiel 8:14—mourning for Tammuz). Events such as Lent, Holy Week, and Good Friday are all Roman Catholic inventions—not apostolic practices.

 

                  To poo-poo this assessment of the holiday and say it’s just innocent fun is to make a mockery of the truth regarding the day. God is not mocked and while celebrating the holiday as the secular world does won’t cause you to lose your salvation and send you to hell, it’s roots in paganism should make you uncomfortable and cause you to change your way of thinking. If you doubt any of this, research the holiday for yourself. On Monday, I will conclude this brief study. The information for this study was provided by a dear sister in Christ whom I’ve known for many years and whose name shall be withheld for privacy reasons. Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Why Did Jesus Have to Die for Our Sins?

                    To say, “Jesus died for our sins,” is really to say, “Jesus died because of our sins.”.  Romans 6:23 tells us “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.” According to scripture we were all sinners committed to a sentence of death with no way to stop sinning and no way to remove the sin. By His immeasurable grace ^{(undeserved favor)} Jesus willingly and willfully chose to die in our place. Jesus took the full punishment that was due us on Himself. His was a substitutionary death, in that He substituted Himself for us. As if all that wasn’t enough, He prayed that we would be forgiven. Since Jesus paid the debt we owed, God forgave all who have placed complete and unwavering trust in Him. ^{(2 Corinthians 5:17-21; Ephesians 2:1-10)}

                  Christ’s death and resurrection means that whoever places their faith in Him will have total access to the Father. John 14:6 tells us that Jesus is “… the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except thru me.” Sin created a chasm between man and God … Christ bridged that chasm.  Upon Christ’s death all the OT sacrifices were made null and void. Those sacrifices were temporary anyway, having to be repeated annually for the forgiveness of sin. Hebrews 10:10 makes it clear: “For God’s will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time.” Christ was the remedy for annual atonement.

                  Christ’s death and resurrection means we’re guaranteed forgiveness when we accepted Jesus as our Savior and Lord. Galatians 3:22 says, “the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.” 1 Peter 3:18 proclaims: “Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God.” May God’s grace and mercy be yours this day and may your faith in Him never falter. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His name & for His glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries                 

The Passion 25

Footnotes

 

CHRISTIANITY

            After Jesus's death, his followers, particularly the apostles, spread his teachings, establishing churches throughout the Roman Empire, and Christianity, initially a Jewish sect, gradually gained traction, eventually becoming a major religion. 

Initially, the Christian message was primarily directed towards Jewish people in Galilee and Judea, but after Jesus's death, his followers expanded their outreach to all of Israel and eventually the Jewish diaspora*. 

The apostles, led by figures like Peter and Paul, played a crucial role in spreading the Christian message. Paul of Tarsus, who initially persecuted Christians, had a significant impact on the development of Christianity, particularly in spreading it to non-Jewish communities. 

Christianity grew rapidly, with churches being established in various cities of the Roman Empire, including Jerusalem, Antioch, Corinth, and Rome. Early Christians faced persecution from the Roman authorities due to their refusal to worship Roman gods. Over time, the early Christian churches evolved, and the concept of a unified church, eventually known as the Catholic Church, emerged. The New Testament, which contains the Gospels and other writings, was compiled and became a central text for Christians. The Christian faith spread throughout the Roman Empire and beyond, eventually becoming one of the world's major religions.

This concludes our look at The Passion. Next we will move on to another topic, until then, walk with the King & be a blessing.\

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

* The scattering of the Jews to countries outside of Palestine after the Babylonian captivity.

The Passion 24

Footnotes

 

NICODEMUS

After Jesus' death, the Bible records Nicodemus, a Pharisee and member of the Sanhedrin, assisting Joseph of Arimathea in preparing Jesus' body for burial. Nicodemus brought a mixture of spices for anointing the body, which was a customary practice for Jewish burials. Beyond this, the Bible is silent about Nicodemus's later life and activities. 

The Gospel of John mentions Nicodemus twice after Jesus' death. He is described as a secret disciple of Jesus, who was afraid of the Jews. He and Joseph of Arimathea took Jesus' body down from the cross and prepared it for burial. 

Some traditions suggest Nicodemus later became a follower of Jesus and was cast out of the Sanhedrin. Other traditions claim he lived in the home of Gamaliel, another member of the Sanhedrin. Some say Nicodemus was baptized by Peter and John. 

The Bible does not explicitly state whether Nicodemus became a follower of Jesus or what happened to him after assisting with the burial. There is no scriptural evidence to support or refute the traditions about his later life.

 

 

JOSEPH OF ARIMATHEA

 

After Jesus' death, Joseph of Arimathea, a wealthy and secret follower of Christ, asked Pilate for Jesus' body and buried it in his own unused tomb, which was then sealed with a large stone. Legends and traditions later developed around him, including his travels to Britain and founding the first Christian church there. 

The New Testament mentions Joseph of Arimathea in all four Gospels, highlighting his role in the burial of Jesus. Joseph, a "secret disciple" of Jesus, approached Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor, and requested the body of Jesus for burial. Pilate granted the request, and Joseph, with the help of Nicodemus, prepared Jesus' body for burial and placed it in a new tomb that Joseph had built for himself. After Jesus' body was placed in the tomb, a large stone was rolled against the entrance to seal it. 

A popular legend states that Joseph, after the resurrection, traveled to Britain, bringing the Holy Grail (the cup used at the Last Supper) with him and establishing the first Christian church in Glastonbury, Somerset. Another legend claims that Joseph planted a staff that miraculously grew into a flowering thorn tree, which still blooms at Glastonbury on Christmas Day. Joseph of Arimathea is venerated as a saint by the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox traditions, and remains the patron saint of morticians and undertakers. 

More footnotes next time; until then, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries