FacebookYouTubeGoogle StoreApple Store

The Rephaim (רְ֝פָאִ֗ים)

“Rephaim” means, “fallen ones” and is a description of the hybrid offspring of demons and humans. We first encounter the Nephilim (mutants) prior to the Noahic flood, when the demons forcibly took the daughters of men and bore these abominations, Genesis 6:1-2,4. These demons are the angels who left their first estate, Jude 6, and were put in chains as a result of their attempt to corrupt not only the seed of humans, but of all biological life, Genesis 6:12.

The only way that humans can directly interact with angels is when an angel takes on a human form. Gabriel, the angel sent to speak with Daniel, was referred to as a man when he directly spoke with Daniel, Daniel 9:21. Unlike mythology, angels do not have wings. This comes from mixing up different types of spirit beings. The Cherubim, Ezekiel 10:19, and Seraphim, Isaiah 6:2, are the only spirit beings that possess what appears to be wings. The two angels that meet with Abraham before destroying the valley of Sodom are described as men, Genesis 18:16. The angels, including the demons, saw God make man from the ground, Genesis 2:7. Therefore, they would know how to make a human body from the elements of the universe. An example of this is seen with Satan, who has a limited ability to create certain types of life as seen with the Pharaoh’s magicians who stood against Moses, Exodus 7:9. This does not make them human; for they are still a spirit being who is wrapped in flesh. However, the physical body is of the same type of a human and can therefore reproduce with females, Genesis 6:2. This type of twisting of a nature is […]

The Rephaim (רְ֝פָאִ֗ים)2024-10-17T05:49:38-07:00

Church (ἐκκλησία)

Often translated as Church, ἐκκλησία (ekklesia) actually means a regularly summoned assembly. It is used of a legislative body, casual gathering, or an assembling of people. The English word “Church” is derived from the Greek word κυριακόν (kyriakon), meaning “pertaining to the Lord,” which was used to describe the place of meeting, the Lord’s house, referring to the building the assembly meets in. Due to its predominant use to describe the building or place of meeting, over the centuries, Church became the word of choice to describe more than just the physical building, incorporating within its meaning the local meeting of the members of the body of The Christ as well as the institution of Christianity. In Anglo-Saxon England, the word circa was used to refer to both the congregation and the building. This use influenced modern English translations to adopt Church over the Greek word assembly.

In Matthew, chapter sixteen, verse eighteen, Jesus speaks to Peter about an assembly He will build with its foundational rock being Christ Himself, Matthew 16:18. Context clarifies that Jesus is not speaking of the Jews but an assembly of people to come. After the resurrection of Christ, this assembly came into existence on the day of Pentecost when the promise of the Holy Spirit was poured out on the believers in the upper room who were waiting as Christ had instructed them before His last ascension. Assembly is used to describe this group of believers in the resurrection of Jesus, indicating their uniqueness from the general population of Jews, Acts 2:47.

Assembly is used to describe the gathering of Israel in the wilderness at Mount Sinai, Acts 7:38. However, this does not refer to those who are in […]

Church (ἐκκλησία)2024-10-10T06:12:25-07:00

Christian (Χριστιανός)

Christian (Χριστιανός) is a word that describes those who are Christ like. The disciples of Christ first gained the name Christian in Antioch after Paul taught them for a year about the salvation we have in Christ, Acts 11:26.

Within the city of Antioch, the disciples were first named Christians. Named, is typically used of a warning; therefore, Christian was a term associated with those who followed the resurrected, glorified, Christ. When Paul was speaking with Agrippa concerning The Way, which is the name that the Church belonging to God was first known by, Acts 24:14, King Agrippa uses the term Christian in response to Paul speaking concerning why he was in bonds in Acts 26:28. The apostle Peter also uses the term Christian in his first letter, encouraging the saints that were scattered that if they suffer as a Christian, one who is acting Christ like, they are not to be ashamed, but to express a proper opinion of God, 1 Peter 4:16. Therefore, the name Christian became well known as relating to those who believe in the resurrection of Christ.

Although there are many who claim the name, “Christian” today, it is a title that belongs to the assembly of God – the body of the Christ, for it describes those who are taught and live out the gospel of the Christ which Paul, the steward of the dispensation, laid out for the saints. Although Paul himself never directly uses the term Christian in his writings, it is a name that he was acquainted with and knew belonged to those of The Way, Acts 26:28. His lack of direct use indicates the name “Christian” was given to those of The Way by the […]

Christian (Χριστιανός)2024-10-03T06:04:59-07:00
Go to Top