New Testament

Mary ( Jesus' Mother )

Definition: The divinely chosen and highly favoured woman who gave birth to Jesus.

When Mary was is first introduced to us in Scripture, she is engaged to Joseph, also from the tribe of Judah and descendant of David.

What can we learn from the Bible record about Mary?

1. A lesson of willingness to listen to what God says through his messengers even though what we hear may at first disturb us and seem impossible.

Read Luke 1: 26-37

2. Courage to act in harmony with what one learns to be God's will, trusting fully in him. Read Luke 1: 38

3. Appreciation of moral purity. Read Luke 1: 34

4: Diligence in teaching one's children the Word of God.( this was reflected in what Jesus was doing at the age of 12. Read Luke 2: 42, 46-49

Mary was a virgin when she gave birth to Jesus, confirmed in Matthew 1: 22-25

Marvelously, Jehovah God transferred the kife-force and the personality pattern of his first-born heavenly Son to the womb of Mary, so what was born, was a perfect human.

Read Luke 1: 35; John 17: 5;

Did Mary remain a virgin ? Matthew 1: 25 shows that Joseph did not have anyl relations with her until she gave birth.

Matthew 13: 53-56 shows that she had other children after Jesus' birth, which means that Jesus had brothers and sisters. So according to that Scripture, we can only conclude that Jesus was not Mary's only child, and that she had other sons and daughters.

The angel who informed Mary of the coming miraculous birth did not say that her son would be God. He said: " You are to conceive and bear a son, and you must name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High... The child will be holy and will be called Son of God." Read Luke 1: 31-35.

So the focus is more on the Son of God than on Mary. Whose role was to redeem the human race from sin and death and to undo the damage caused by Satan in the garden of E'den

Our salvation comes from the ransom that God made possible due to God and Jesus' love for mankind Read John 3: 16; 1 John 3: 8.

1 Corithians 15: 22 reads. "For just as in Adam all are dying, so also in the Christ all will be made alive.

Jesus confirmed that he is the way in the Book of John 14: 6 in these words.

" I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me "

So to answer your question, concerning Mary. We can admit that she is an example of obedience, even if she did not always understand God's plan. But our salvation will be through her Son Jesus Christ, that God has chosen to redeem the human race.

We read at Colossians 1:15, "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; because by means of him all other things were created in the heavens and on the earth, the things visible and the things invisible, whether they are thrones or lordships or governments or authorities. All other things have been created through him and for him." The Bible refers to Jesus as God’s “only-begotten Son” because Jesus alone was directly created by Jehovah. (John 3:16) Jesus worked closely with his Father, Jehovah, helping Him to create all other things. (Proverbs 8:30.) Jesus continues to enjoy a close relationship with Jehovah. He loyally serves as God’s spokesman, “the Word,” delivering His messages and instructions.​—John 1:14. For these reasons he was created.

Through Jesus, Jehovah God will restore peace on earth. Jesus, the Ruler of God’s Kingdom, is called the “Prince of Peace,” and he will ensure that “to peace there will be no end.”—Isaiah 9:6, 7.

(New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures)

The meaning of the word salvation is 'being delivered.'

The big question is: being deliverd from what?

At the beginning of mankind's history, God's purpose was that we live forever on earth, in peace and in a clean environment, confirmed in Genesis 2: 15-17.

His purpose was postponed for the moment, due to the first couple Adam and Eve's choice of life. Genesis chapter 3 and Romans 5: 12 is mankind's history.

Thus, from that day, the solution offered by God in Genesis 3: 15 , became the resolution of salvation for the human race, on earth.

That prophecy explains that there were going to be two offsprings. Satan's offspring and God's offspring. And it was Satan's offspring that was going to be crushed by God.

That first prophecy in Genesis 3: 15 pointed to events that would fulfill God's purpose, but would only occur until thousands of years later, which will lead to the birth of the Christ.

1 Corinthians 15: 22 confirms this fact in these words. "For just as in Adam all are dying, so also in the Christ all will be made alive.

John 3: 16 confirms this fact in these words. " For God loved the world so much that he gave his only-begotten Son, so that EVERYONE EXERCISING FAITH in him might not be destroyed but have everlasting life.

So to answer your question, which is: What is the definition of salvation history?

It means that, that ancient prophecy in Genesis 3: 15 is of great importance. Despite what Satan did in the garden of E'den, Jehovah God held out hope for mankind.

Psalm 37: 29 shows what our future holds in these words. " The righteous will possess the earth, and they will live forever on it.

Titus 1: 2 reads. " And is based on a hope of the everlasting life that God, who cannot lie, promised long ago".

2 Peter 3: 13 reads. "But there are new heavens ( a new government ) and a new earth ( a new society of humans ) that we are awaiting according to his promise, and in these righteousness is to dwell.

Righteousness could only exist now and in the future, if we let God direct our lives, confirmed in Jeremiah 10: 23. And He has given us enough time to come to that conclusion.

We read the account at Acts 1:1-11. "After he had suffered, he showed himself alive to them by many convincing proofs. He was seen by them throughout 40 days, and he was speaking about the Kingdom of God." So after Jesus gave his life in ransom for mankind, he ascended back to heaven.

Jesus continually spoke of the kingdom of God; To make possible the way of that kingdom upon earth, Jesus Christ and his heavenly hosts must first make an end to this present wicked system of things, invisible and visible, which the Bible tells he will do soon.​—Matt. 6:9, 10; Rev. 16:14, 16; 19:11-21.

(New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures)

When God created the first couple who were invited to take good care of the garden of E'den according to God's instructions, they also received the freedom to do or not to do so. Read Genesis 2: 15-17.

Genesis 2: 17 shows that Adam knew that if he did not eat from the tree of knowledge of good and bad, he would not die. That command would have made no sense if he was meant to grow old and die anyway.

God gave us the gift of life with the instructions to become successfully, happy inhabitants of His Creation.

Worshipping God or not, is something we are all free to choose to do.

Adam had that choice.

By not eating from the tree , the first couple would have shown their obedience to the One who gave them life. It would have shown that they recognized God's right to direct their ways.

Another commandment was given to Adam and Eve which included a clear ststement of the penalty if violated, which was death. Genesis 2: 17

Unfortunately their choice was going to have a great impact on mankind, as confirmed in Romans 5: 12 in these words. "That is why, just as through one man sin entered into the world and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because they had all sinned.

The meaning of the word 'sin' is: miss the goal'

God's goal was that we live forever on earth in prefect health in a clean environment. That goal was postponed for the moment.

God has left mankind enough time to come to the conclusion to what is written in the Book of Jeremiah 10: 23 in these words.

"It does not belong to man/woman who is walking even to direct his/her step".

Matthew 4: 4 shows what Jesus thinks, in these words.

" Man must live, not live on bread (food )alone, but on every word that comes from Jehovah's mouth. And all what comes from Jehovah's mouth is written in the Bible.

Matthew chapter 5, which is Jesus' famous Sermon on the Mount. Jesus said in verse 3

" happy are those conscious of their spiritual need. Which literally means an innate hunger to understand the meaning and purpose of life.

So to answer your question.

Jesus made it quite clear that humans were created with the need to be directed by more intelligent than themselves.

Revelation 4: 11 reminds us that God is worthy to receive the glory and the honour, and the power, because he created all things, and because of His will they came into existence and were created.

God's purpose is written in Psalm 37: 29, where it shows that the righteous will possess the earth, and they will live forever on it, which has always been God's goal.

The answer is given in the book of John 3: 16 in these words. "For God loved the world so much that he gave his only.begotten Son, so that everyone exercising faith in him might not be destroyed but have everlasting life".

2'000 years ago God sent his only precious Son to earth, to redeem the human race from sin and death and to undo the damage caused by Satan in the garden of E'den.

Jesus' willingness to surrender his life in our behalf was the greatest expression of his love for us.

God loves us so much that he gave his Son as a ransom, making it possible for us to be delivered from sin and death, confirmed in Ephesians 1: 7.

The ransom is a precious gift from Jehovah God, but he does not force us to accept it. It is up to us to accept Jehovah's gift.

The Book of Matthew was written by:

Matthew in Palestine and was completed in C. 41

The Book of Mark was written by:

Mark in Rome and was completed in C. 60-65.

The Book of Luke was written by:

Luke in C. Caesarea and was completed in C. 56-58

The Book of John was written by:

Apostle John in Ephesus or near and was completed in C. 98

The scriptures show that there were some Jews who followed the Mosaic Law that did become Christians. (Acts 2:14, 36-42) Those that died faithful to Jehovah God before Jesus even came to Earth are counted among "the righteous" that will be resurrected in the future. (Acts 24:15; John 5:28-29)

(New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures)

Adam was suppose to fill the earth and live forever on it. But God's purpose was postponed, because Adam was no longer in the position to fill the earth with perfect humans, due to the fact that he lost that privilege ,due to the fact that he turned his back on God's requirements and sinned. ( The word sin means 'miss the goal'

Read Genesis 3: 16-19; Romans 5: 12.

1 Corinthians 15: 22,23 reads: " For just as in Adam all are dying, so also in Christ all will be made alive. The requirments have not changed, which are for us to live up to God's standards.

So to answer your question, which is "why is Jesus called the 'new Adam?

It is because Jesus as a perfect man that was sent to earth, did not fail to remain faithful under Satan's power, which is not the case concerning Adam.

So Jesus became the new Adam as the only perfect person that has resisted Satan. " Adam, a perfect man, who has lost the privilege to fill the earth, for a perfect man, "Jesus " to repair that lost."

Jehovah God demonstrated supreme confidence in his Son in charging him with the mission of going to earth and serving as the promised Messiah.

Genesis 3: 15 is the first prophecy in the Bible concerning God's promise, and pointed to events that would fulfill his purpose but would not occur until thousands of years later with the birth of the Christ.

Our world went from bad to worse when Adam sinned. The worst was when death was spread on mankind. Read Romans 5: 12.

John 17: 3 shows us through who and how, everlasting life on earth is going to be possible.

Psalm 37: 29 has this to say. " The righteous will possess the earth, and they will live forever on it".

Jesus was sent to earth by God, 2'000 years ago, to redeem the human race from the curse of sin and death and to undo the damage done by Satan in the garden of E'den.

Read Genesis 3: 1-5 ; Romans 5: 12 which show how death on mankind was spread like a disease, by the first couple, who refused to live up to God's requirements. Read John 3: 16; 1 John 3: 8.

The new life will be under God's kingdom, where God's will, will be done as in heaven also on earth, promised in the Book of Matthew 6: 9, 10 and Jesus told us to pray for it to come.

The whole Book of James is the reminder for us to be careful not to exercise any kind of favouritism, the importance of taming our tongue, not to take our stand for any other than Jehovah God, warning against any kind of pride, to respect our promises, in letting our "yes" mean yes. Which are ways of not being double minded.

The term used in the Bible to describe such as actions is to "grieving the spirit" (Ephesians 4:30), which is when someone works to stand in the way of or purposely work against the operation of Jehovah God's purpose/plan.

(New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures)

Joining a gang like the Black Disciples involves meeting certain criteria set by the gang leaders, typically involving completing tasks or showing loyalty. It is important to note that joining gangs can lead to dangerous and illegal activities that can have serious consequences such as arrest or violence. It is advisable to seek positive and lawful ways to find a sense of belonging.

Jesus' followers wrote letters to the people in the cities they visited to provide guidance, encouragement, and teachings about the Christian faith. These letters aimed to strengthen the community of believers, address specific issues or challenges they faced, and clarify theological points. Additionally, the letters served to maintain connections with the early Christian communities, helping to spread the message of Jesus and ensure continuity in their teachings.

Coach John Wooden wrote "Inches and Miles: The Journey to Success" to share his philosophy on success and life based on his experiences in coaching and mentoring. The book emphasizes the importance of character, teamwork, and the incremental steps necessary to achieve greatness. By blending personal anecdotes and timeless principles, Wooden aimed to inspire readers to pursue their goals with dedication and integrity. Ultimately, it serves as a guide for anyone seeking to improve themselves and their pursuits.

Spiritual blessing is all what comes from above. The Book of Proverbs 10: 22 in the Bible reads. "It is the blessing of Jehovah that makes one rich, and He adds no pain or ( sorrow; hardship ) with it.

In what way do we become rich in God's eyes? Being rich in God's eyes means that we are rich with wisdom and discernment. Proverbs 10: 23 confirms that wisdom gives us discernment.

The man/woman of discernment realizes that loose conduct is not a sport. He/she is aware that displeasing God can destroy a person's relationship with him.

Spiritual wisdom helps us to avoid improper conduct. Proverbs 10: 23 reads. "The carrying on of loose conduct is "like a sport, but wisdom is for the man/woman of discernment.

Romans 14: 12 warns us that each of us will render an accout for himself to God.

2 Timothy 3: 16,17 reminds us that the Bible is a letter from above ( from God ) and beneficial for our teaching and setting things straight, so that we can be fully competent completely equipped for every good work.

2 Peter 3: 13 reads. "But there are new heavens ( government from above ) and a new earth ( a new society of humans ) that we are awaiting according to his promise ( God's promise ) and in these righteousness is to dwell".

Psalm 37: 29 reads. " The righteous will possess the earth, and they will live forever on it", which is the fulfillment of God's promise and spiritual blessings.

So to answer your question, which is " What are spiritual blessings? "

Spiritual blessing is all what comes from above. Matthew 6: 9,10 shows that one day God's kingdom, which is the government that will undo all the harm that millenniums of human rule have done.

And it will provide: Perfect health, peace and security and a clean environment for all those who take their stand for God's standards. And His will, will be done as in heaven also on earth. Read Isaiah 33: 24; Revelation 21: 4; Isaiah 54: 13; Micah 4: 4.

The solution and the blessings for mankind will come from above and not from any human government. Read Daniel 2: 44.

Proverbs 3. 5 encourages us to trust in Jehovah with all our heart, And not to rely on our own understanding.

Psalm 146: 3 encourages us to not put our trust in humans because they cannot bring salvation.

Scriptures to consider. John 17: 3, John 3: 16; 1 John 3: 8

The moral, justice and discipline you have studied and learned are living with you in the form of spirits. These spirits contact you telepathically when you are about to do a mistake and try to stop you. They are your conscience. They communicate through thoughts which you think that they are your own thoughts. Thoughts are not humans’ own. Thoughts and imaginations are coming from your spirits which live with you.

God never bothers whether people believe in him or not. God's direct intervention in individuals' affairs is very rare. God doesn't watch each and every human being at the same time and cannot live with each and everyone to guide them. These works are done by the spirits. God had created different kinds of spirits for various purposes. He had made the spirits to watch, guide and determine the destiny of the human beings from their daily activities, talks and thoughts too. Your past determines your present and your present determines your future. God has given freewill to all creatures including human beings. According to this, all human beings have all right to live a life as they wish. But if it happens to be bad and hurts someone, they have to face the consequences. These consequences are created by spirits. It's a natural system. After death no one lives in any form. Heaven and hell are only for spirits, not for human beings. God is a mystery even to the spirits. Spirits are not eternal beings but their lifetime is long. Spirits are separate elements. A human being during his/her lifetime is living with many spirits which have joined one by one since birth. They are knowledge, skills, feelings, emotions, instincts, interests and everything. Further there will be always some spirits with you on behalf of your parents, friends, relatives and Gods you believe. Only these spirits make you remember them in a certain situations. All of these spirits are your consciousnesses and memories. Even thoughts are not your own. For example, when you want to take a decision on a subject, one after another the spirits think and you just listen, choose or reject the ideas which they transmit to your mind through your brain in the form of thoughts. A mind is a group/formation of many spirits which have joined one by one since birth. A mind is just like a computer's mind. After the computer is completely destroyed you will not get its mind. The same is the case with the human beings. A brain is a device used by the spirits to control the body and mind. (A senior spirit or a chief can control other spirits) A human being doesn't have a spiritual body. Soul is an energy needed for the functionality of a body. It is not a spirit or anything else. A body's functionality is based on the auto mechanism. After death all spirits which accompanied a person quit and go to different places searching new bodies. No one lives after death in any form. All human beings are just robots made of flesh and bones and toys of the spirits for their games.

The common enemies of prayer are distraction, doubt, pride, selfishness, impatience, and unconfessed sin, as they can weaken focus and faith.

Genesis 1: 1 Shows that God is the creator of the heavens and the earth. Which means that there is a spiritl world and a physical world.

Genesis 1: 31 reads. "After that Gad saw everything he had made, and look! it was very good." Which means the spirit world in the heaven, and the physical world, which is our planet Earth.

When God said that it was good, it means that it met his supreme standards of excellence, hence it was perfect. In other words, he was fully satisfied with all his work.

The angel who became Satan is described in the Book of Ezekiel 28:11-17. shows that Satan was the model of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. Until unrighteousness was found in him and became filled with violence, and he began to sin. His heart became haughty because of his beauty. and that is when he was throw down to the earth.

Satan wanted to sit in the seat of God. Genesis chapter 3 and Romans 5: 12 is mankind's history, and explains why life on earth went from bad to worse.

So to answer your question, which is: " Why did God not send Satan somewhere else instead of earth. The answer is: Because there is only the spirit world and the physical world as confirmed in Genesis 1: 1

The fruit of the spirit of God that is described in Galatians 5: 22,23 which is "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, mildness, self-control. Against such things there is no law."

This holy spirit, or active force can only be cultivated qualities on daily bases that are required, if we want to live up to God's standards.

It allows the spirit to influence our thinking and actions. Read Psalm 1: 1-3. Such qualities reflects the personality of Jehovah God. the Source of holy spirit.

Colossians 3: 9,10 reads. " Do not lie to one another. Strip off the old personality with its practices, and clothe yourselves with the new personality, which through accurate knowledge is being made new according to the image of the One who created it."

So there is no special feeling or thoughts or gift, but nothing else but knowledge and our dertermination to cultivate these qualities, with the help of God .

Joy is part of the fruit of God's spirit, because Jehovah is a happy God and is the Source of joy. Read 1 Timothy 1: 11.

A Christian can remain joyful even when facing hardship, sorrow or persecution. Read Hebrew 12: 2; James 1: 2-4.

According to the dictionary, the word " miracle" means: event which does not follow the known laws of nature and is therefore though to be caused by some supernatural power, and is often associated with with what is divine.

However, the Bible shows that there can be two kinds of miracles. Evil miracles that originates from Satan, and beneficial miracles that orginates from God.

The Book of Job 1: 1-3: 26 relates both kinds of miracles.

Job was a rich faithful man who worshipped Jehovah God, who was known to help the poor. He had to deal with Satan's evil power. His servants were all attacked and killed, his sons and daughters were killed, Job was struck with painful boils, his friends and wife turned against him. In other words, he lost every thing in a short time, through Satan's evil miracles.

God's beneficial miracles made it possible for Job to have more children. Read Job 42 : 10 that shows that God removed Job's tribulation and restored his prosperity giving him the double of what he had lost.

So to answer your question, which is " Did Satan performed any miracles? The answer is yes, which is confirmed in Job's story.

One of Satan's greatest miracle is to make people believe that he does not exist. And yet, the Bible warns us that the whole world is lying in the power of wicked one, and Revelation 12: 9 reminds us that the wicked one is no one else but Satan.

The word "hell" is found in many Bibles translations. In the same verses other translations read " the grave," the world of the dead," and so forth.

Other Bibles simply transiliterate the original-language words that are sometimes rendered "hell"; that is, they express them with the letters of our alphabet but leaves the words untranslated. What are those words?

The Hebrew she'ohl' and its Greek equivalent hai'des, which refer, not to an individual burial place, but to the common grave of dead mankind.

Ecclesiastes 9: 5, 10 shows that the dead is concious of nothing at all.

In Genesis 3: 19 Jehovah God told Adam what death was like, in these words. " you are dust and you will return to dust."

John 5; 28, 29 talks about the hope for the dead. It is called resurrection, which literally means "a standing up again" and it refers to a rising up from death, from the memorial tomb. Which means that we are in God's memory.

Thus, in the same way that God was able to create the first man from the dust from the ground, confirmed in Genesis 2: 7, He will bring us back to life with the same dust, where we returned to. We will be remembered as the person we were before death.

The word "baptize" comes from Greek ba.pti-zein, meaning " to dip, to plunge. " It symbolizes our unconditional dedication through Jesus Christ to do the will of Jehovah God. A full dedication can only be done by a full grown person "an adult". So it has nothing to do with pouring a few drops on the forehead of a new born baby.

So to answer your question. The word "hell" is the grave of the dead, where we all go when we die. The hope given by the Bible is in the ressurection, where we are in God's memory. John 5: 28,29

A Christian is a follower of Jesus Christ. Read Acts 11: 26; 26: 28; 1 Peter 4: 16.

It was first in Antioch ( Syria) that the disciples were by divine providence called Christians. Read Acts 11: 26.

By about 58 C.E, in the city of Caesarea, the term was well known and used even by public officials, for the first time. Read Acts 26: 28.

Here is what the Bible has to say about all false gods, that people put their trust in and pray to, that The Bible calls their idols made of silver and gold in Psalm 115: 4

Read Psalme 115: 5-7 says: " A mouth they have, but they cannot speak; Eyes, but they cannot see; Ears they have,but they cannot hear; A nose, but they cannot smell, hands they have, but they cannot feel; Feet, but they cannot walk; They make no sound with their throat."

Psalm 115: 8 reads: " The people who make them will become just like them . And all those who trust in them..

Psalm 1: 1,2 shows: Happy is the man/ woman whose delight is in the law of Jehovah God.

2 Timothy 3: 16,17 shows how we can benifit ourselves by relying on what the letter of God has to say, which is the way He has chosen to communicate with the mankind.

So to answer your question, which is: Which gods perform miracles?

The Bible teaches that the Son of God, Jesus Christ, performed many miracles, due to the power that was given to him by his Father Jehovah.

All miracles performed by Jesus were to glorify His Father Jehovah. Read John 11: 1-4.

All these false gods that people glorify is all done for their personal glory.