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Foreword

Pensées can be considered as a sequal to the book of B. Pascal, Pensées. B. Pascal was an ingenious mathematician that started Christian philosophy a bit before his death.

By the way I have neither read carefully Pensées.

This can be printed for free from http://www.angelfire.com/journal2/topikarki or http://topikarki.freehomepage.com http://www.angelfire.com/journal2/hobbykarki, click there safe site.

Contents

1 Eternal Life

2 Law

3 Sex and Christianity

4 Bible and Christianity

5 Sin

6 Spiritual Gifts and Miracles

7 My Favourite Points in the Bible

8 Cross and Jesus

9 Question and Answer

10 Letter to the Romans, the Gospel

• Part I, Romans 1-6
• Part II, Romans 7-8
• Part III, Romans 9-11
• Part IV, Romans 12-16

11 Other Important Points in the Bible

1 Eternal Life

2 Law

WARNING -- first of all in Christ we have a good conscious and can rest and even let the world be for a while and let other people take care of it for a while. Even though we would have 20 billion dollars.

ANOTHER WARNING -- According to the Bible saying that selfishness is bad is preaching the law. The Jews knew the law for thousands of years but still they could not help sinning. Only after Christ we were able to beat the sin and still we sin.

This is a common mistake of Christians. We go and preach law and if the guy is barbaric enough not to care about it we don't even preach the gospel about Jesus. Only Jesus can help out of that. If we don't preach the gospel even mafia bosses go before us to heaven. Ie. it is very wrong to say to a murderer don't kill. It is better to say that believe in Jesus or you go to hell, and say that there is perhaps even sex in heaven.

(Apostol Paul has said that it may even be that the sin gets help from the law, which I have never understood completely. It may be that knowing the law reminds about the thing one should not do and one just gets the idea of trying it. Paul has said too that death is the springboard of sin.

However, I think that law is still good, and the Bible says that too. It may prevent people sinning just because they did not know it. Also Paul compares law with Moses whose face glew for a moment after he got the tables of law. Law is like one glows for a moment after learning the law until falling into the trap of Satan and sinning against it.

Notice that sin is not sex as Satan tries to fool the believers and nonbelievers.

3 Sex and Christianity

To be precise, the Bible does not say that sex before marriage is a sin but I believe that, and the Christian folklore says that too. I have thought for a reason why it might be like that:

1. Sex for too young people is not good. They don't know that one should not trust other people. If one has sex with someone, although it would be just sex, it hurts a lot when one notices that the guy does not care a shit about me, even adults fall into this trap. Disease, better looking guy, money, those are the reasons that stop people caring.
2. Sex is different from the image of sex in the movies.
3. One can get badly hurt mentally, one is very vulnerable in sexual things. No one is perfect and other reasons.

Pornography is bad because buying it is the same as supporting slavery. The people in that business are not treated as human beings. Even watching tv pornography is bad because tv pays for the porn industry and tv gets money from the advertisers. I don't know if watching pornography is bad in itself. There is one point in the Bible where Jesus said that watching a woman lustfully is already as bad as cheating one's wife. I don't know if it also considers the pictures of women. I have not been able to keep that, I try to reduce it at least by not paying for it. Use alt.binaries! (revised 2007-9, pornography is sin, one has to protect one's heart from adultery, sex is service of God and you just hurt yourself and miss the gift of God if you commit adultery in your heart)

All we people are much alike and if one person pays a little for that slavery the end result is a huge flow of money to this humiliating business.

Not to mention that brothels are sin.

4 Bible and Christianity

This is not easy at all to find out by reading the Bible. This has resulted in a lot of mistakes. The most common is to go back to the belief of Jews that only good people go to heaven, or the people who seem to be good. I have also seen another way to mistake by Christians that the mercy means that one is allowed to sin which is as bad. (There are also other ways to mistake: God's blessing is success, taking some point in the Bible and obeying it forgetting the Golden rule love your neighbour etc.)

The way to check this belief from the Bible goes as follows: Read first the letter of Paul to the Romans which is the most important book in the Bible. He tells there the above in a lot of words and you should not be bored by the beginning. Then read a gospel like that of Matthew. That results in the Christian belief as clarified by M. Luther whose teachings should be recommended. The priests of the Lutheran church can also give you the same story, but you can hear almost the same story in the Baptist, the Methodist, the Pentecostal, the Catholic, the Orthodox church etc. and they are all Christian churches.

I would like to point out that there is no change in Christianity passing from Jesus to Paul as some theologians mistake or lie (according to the Bible). Jesus preached the law for two reasons. First to us as signs, if we Christians depart a lot from the laws we should be worried. Secondly, in order that we notice that we cannot fulfil it but we need God's mercy which is given to us by belief in Jesus who was the Messiah. Jesus when he had a meal for the last time with his students, he said that this is the new way to get to heaven in his sacrifice, as well as he spoke about it all the time.

I would like to emphasize the mercy. Those who are invited by God are saved, and saved only by his mercy. The Christians make it only barely and need the mercy of God. And not by our acts but by our belief that God has put into us. We Christians are privileged because we get an eternal life and we know or believe what is God's plan and will in this world. We are not better than nonbelievers, we are just privileged, whether they like it or not.

As the last times seem to be in hand, I would like to remind that not all the Jews that were saved from Egypt made it to the promised land. We Christians should watch our steps carefully putting our trust in God who saves us to the eternal life. Our hope is God that protects us from falling into the traps of Satan, not our own acts or thinking or worrying.

5 Sin

Sin is often something we almost ignore, we perhaps don't mind to think of the consequences. Eg. paying for porn, contaminating the nature, being selfish and forgetting the starving people or people without health care, not giving the help to a person that needs it, avoiding our responsibility in billions of things like a rock on the road, a perhaps unconscious person on the ground (beware of clever rapists) etc. These are all very small things but when we people are all very much alike the result is a catastrophe.

The worst sins are not usually that we pull the trigger but we deny our responsibility. Jesus said to the people that went to hell that I was hungry and you did not give me food, I was thirsty and you did not let me drink, I was homeless and you did not take me to your home, I was naked and you did not give me clothes. From this we can deduce that the sin is mainly not that we pull the trigger but that we deny our help from our neighbours.

Jesus is the only cure for sin. Mainly this means that curing from sin happens by miracle. When we believe we get the Holy Ghost that leads us to the right direction. In addition to this it is important to read the Bible, and listen to other christians.

It is important to know oneself when one starts reducing the amount of sin done. Under the mercy of Jesus I can admit that I am a murderer, rapist, violent, ignorant, etc. You think you are not? Think again, if you leave someone to die, the starving child in Africa, the loser lying on the ground, you are part of a murder.

It is important to admit it and say that OK, I do that and I have a responsibility, and not just deny it because your life would get too complicated and stressing.

Then, under the mercy of Jesus, I can face my responsibility without exhausting myself. Sometimes it is better just to let it be, and one may have a bad conscious. But mistake or not, I am forgiven.

It may be that if I don't admit my responsibility, I deliberately avoid intervening in any case and say that this is the way it is.

6 Spiritual Gifts and Miracles

Christians don't have any power to do miracles. God does them and when he wants to which is not very often.

You may think that when a person becomes a Christian he starts to see things because he wants it so much. That is true. Often we Christians mistake that way. But that does not mean that true miracles don't exist. The scientists say that things that are not repeatable don't exist which is wrong as also the philosophers know.

It may also be that God wants that we Christians do learn the spiritual gift of love carefully before showing any or many miracles. That is the key point of Christianity, one should love one's neighbour, whether or not there are miracles. (Actually Jesus gave us a new command:

John 13:34 "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.

The most sure miracle to me is my telepathic girl friend Kultsi which I think is the spiritual gift of managing without a wife (Paul mentions it in his letters). Psychologist would probably say that many people have such friends that are created by imagination. And I have nothing to say, it is upto belief.

I see also dreams and pictures, prophecies, which sometimes tell about the future or tell something important or not. Anyway, it was very comforting, I got the impression that God knew about this incident too and was present with me.

I have also got once 4 times the word beware of wrong prophets which I think is a warning from God. It chills me still because important things are told only twice and because I also heard about a prophecy that someone saw that he followed a person and first it was all very sunny and nice and it lasted quite long but then things started getting darker and darker and finally it was a dark forest and suddenly the guy turned around and he had the face of Satan. I think it may be that if one listens too much to them just anyone can fall.

In the Bible there seems to be predictions about the life of Jesus in the prophecies as well as perhaps the date of his death which is a miracle (see later chapters).

So, according to Christianity paranormal things exist, it is even possible to call the spirits of the dead but it is not allowed for Christians, it is a sin. As well as magic, in the Old Testament it is said that one should not do it which may hint that it may work.

The paranormal things allowed to Christians are the spiritual gifts but for a scientist they don't seem to be very intellectually challenging which is a pity. Except the spiritual gift of love, the knowledge of good is a science. It is funny how difficult it is for us people to use our brains in good. But anything is possible for God.

It seems that the spiritual world exists and it has a connection to our world but we can't have any knowledge about it and the only good thing about it is God. The rest is from the devil and harmful but useful for interesting horror stories. However, I would like to point out that there may be people with the gift of healing that are not Christians. I think their gift is however from the Holy Ghost and the Christians should not persecute them. I have never seen the gift of healing in any Christian. A prayer may heal and just anyone can pray and if God wants to heal you he can do it wherever you are and your prayer is enough. I don't think it is any use to run after these people who perhaps have this gift. However, Jesus was one of them and I don't know. It may be that also other spiritual gifts exist in nonbelievers.

Oh, I forgot one miracle. After my friend Mauri died, I prayed and wanted to talk to him and wanted to know what he thought. Well, finally I saw a picture of my friend (in my mind) and he said 'Voi vittu' meaning 'Fuck' in English. He died just before his Ph.D. examination. I'm sure it was Mauri. He also spoke to me another thing, he said 'And all because of few hairs'. I have to confess that a bit before I had lost some hair from my forehead and was afraid of becoming bold and had a bit of a crisis in my religion and tried even Satanism in order to revenge God.

In addition I saw him once more grinning above an altar of the Mayas with a green knife, the image was a bit funny. I thought that he grinned about the way I have to die, which was a joke between us, well he was already on that better side. The knife was namely not a very sharp one as one may expect from one carved from some green stone. In addition I saw him once more, that was a very memorable thing. I felt how it feels to be in heaven, I noticed that there is nothing here on earth that would be worth staying here. This is like torture compared to the heaven, no matter how good life one has here on earth. Nothing was left uncomplete in the life of Mauri, although his thesis was not finished and he was just beginning dating with one woman. In addition in his funeral I saw that I was Mauri and passed to heaven and I met Jesus who said well done Mauri. It was a very nice experience, the warmth of Jesus is incredible.

The most important miracle to me is however the moral of Jesus, which is the best I have found so far.

But even with all these miracles I can't say that Christianity is the utter truth. A scientist knows that things are not necessarily as they seem. But there is nothing on earth that I would be more sure of.

7 My Favourite Points in the Bible

First Psalm 22, it begins as the last words of Jesus on the cross and it is interesting to think of if it comforted him on the cross.

Psalm 22

1 Psalm 22 For the director of music. To [the tune of] "The Doe of the Morning."

A psalm of David.

1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning? 2 O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, and am not silent. 3 Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the praise of Israel. [1] 4 In you our fathers put their trust; they trusted and you delivered them. 5 They cried to you and were saved; in you they trusted and were not disappointed.

6 But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by men and despised by the people. 7 All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads: 8 "He trusts in the LORD; let the LORD rescue him. Let him deliver him, since he delights in him." 9 Yet you brought me out of the womb; you made me trust in you even at my mother's breast. 10 From birth I was cast upon you; from my mother's womb you have been my God. 11 Do not be far from me, for trouble is near and there is no one to help. 12 Many bulls surround me; strong bulls of Bashan encircle me. 13 Roaring lions tearing their prey open their mouths wide against me. 14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart has turned to wax; it has melted away within me. 15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; you lay me [2] in the dust of death.

16 Dogs have surrounded me; a band of evil men has encircled me, they have pierced [3] my hands and my feet. 17 I can count all my bones; people stare and gloat over me. 18 They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing. 19 But you, O LORD, be not far off; O my Strength, come quickly to help me. 20 Deliver my life from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dogs. 21 Rescue me from the mouth of the lions; save [4] me from the horns of the wild oxen. 22 I will declare your name to my brothers; in the congregation I will praise you.

23 You who fear the LORD, praise him! All you descendants of Jacob, honor him! Revere him, all you descendants of Israel! 24 For he has not despised or disdained the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help.

25 From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly; before those who fear you [5] will I fulfill my vows. 26 The poor will eat and be satisfied; they who seek the LORD will praise him-- may your hearts live forever!

27 All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations will bow down before him, 28 for dominion belongs to the LORD and he rules over the nations. 29 All the rich of the earth will feast and worship; all who go down to the dust will kneel before him-- those who cannot keep themselves alive. 30 Posterity will serve him; future generations will be told about the Lord. 31 They will proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn-- for he has done it.

Then Isaiah 53, a prophecy about Jesus:

Isaiah 53

1 Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? 2 He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. 3 He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 4 Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted.

5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. 6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

7 He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. 8 By oppression [1] and judgment he was taken away. And who can speak of his descendants? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was stricken. [2] 9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.

10 Yet it was the LORD's will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the LORD makes [3] his life a guilt offering, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand. 11 After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light [of life] [4] and be satisfied [5] ; by his knowledge [6] my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities.

12 Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, [7] and he will divide the spoils with the strong, [8] because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

Then a promise for especially me, the first point of the Bible I read, even a bit before becoming a Christian. Actually I had horrible pains in my back, at the age of 18, for 6 months with no help from the doctors. The books in the library seemed useless to me and I thought if I would read the Bible, especially Job, because it is the only book about suffering in this world. Well, it did not comfort me but I noticed this point Psalm 91 and was a bit frightened because it seemed to talk to me. I finally became religious after 2 years after a paranoia that there are gays everywhere.

I remember however one funny point when I had my back problems at the age of 18, I remember saying to God that I hope you are not forcing me to be a Christian because of these back pains and a burn out. That is funny because I did not believe in God at all. I think we all have something very old and superstitious in us.

Psalm 91

1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. [1] 2 I will say [2] of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust." 3 Surely he will save you from the fowler's snare and from the deadly pestilence. 4 He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. 5 You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, 6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. 7 A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.

8 You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked. 9 If you make the Most High your dwelling-- even the LORD, who is my refuge-- 10 then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent. 11 For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; 12 they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. 13 You will tread upon the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent.

14 "Because he loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. 15 He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. 16 With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation."

Then a very famous point in the Bible, when Jesus preaches on a mountain.

Matthew 5

1 Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2 and he began to teach them, saying:

3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. 10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

13 "You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. 14 "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

17 "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18 I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. 19 Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.

21 "You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, `Do not murder, [1] and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.' 22 But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother [2] will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, `Raca, [3] ' is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, `You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell. ([3] An Aramaic term of contempt. Editor's note: in Finnish translation `You fool!' is `You crazy!')

23 "Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift. 25 "Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still with him on the way, or he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. 26 I tell you the truth, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny. [4]

27 "You have heard that it was said, `Do not commit adultery.' [5] 28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.

31 "It has been said, `Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.' [6] 32 But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, causes her to become an adulteress, and anyone who marries the divorced woman commits adultery. 33 "Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, `Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.' 34 But I tell you, Do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God's throne; 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. 36 And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. 37 Simply let your `Yes' be `Yes,' and your `No,' `No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.

38 "You have heard that it was said, `Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.' [7] 39 But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40 And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. 41 If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. 42 Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. 43 "You have heard that it was said, `Love your neighbor [8] and hate your enemy.' 44 But I tell you: Love your enemies [9] and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Matthew 6

1 "Be careful not to do your `acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. 2 "So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

5 "And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. 9 "This, then, is how you should pray: "`Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10 your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today our daily bread. 12 Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. [1] ' 14 For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

16 "When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 17 But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18 so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

19 "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

22 "The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

24 "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money. 25 "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life [2] ?

28 "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

31 So do not worry, saying, `What shall we eat?' or `What shall we drink?' or `What shall we wear?' 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Matthew 7

1 "Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. 3 "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, `Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.

6 "Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces.

7 "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. 9 "Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! 12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

13 "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

15 "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.

21 "Not everyone who says to me, `Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, `Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' 23 Then I will tell them plainly, `I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'

24 "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash."

28 When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, 29 because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.

There is a lot to talk about this mountain preach, but let it suffice to say that the whole human race has gone into this building on sand trick.

Then the first letter of Paul to the Corinthians, 13, which is perhaps the most famous point in the Bible and one can learn about love from it. Personally I don't adore it so very much however.

1 Corinthians 13

1 If I speak in the tongues [1] of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.

2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

3 If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, [2] but have not love, I gain nothing.

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.

9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12 Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Then another famous point in the Bible

Ecclesiastes 3

1 There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:

2 a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, 3 a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, 4 a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, 5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain,

6 a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, 7 a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, 8 a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.

And then a very important point in the Bible that shows how to preach gospel without mentioning hell and scaring children:

John 3

16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, [6] that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

Then a very practical point of the Bible, especially for me.

It is a common mistake of Christians that they take the role of observers only and pray. Jesus said that the only way to love him is to love one's neighbour which is very practical and down-to-earth and not just praying. When there are wars and horrible things these crucifixes seem only mock us, but the truth may be that we Christians are the body of Jesus and if we are lazy or coward Jesus does not get his way to the scene.

Isaiah 59

14 So justice is driven back, and righteousness stands at a distance; truth has stumbled in the streets, honesty cannot enter. 15 Truth is nowhere to be found, and whoever shuns evil becomes a prey. The LORD looked and was displeased that there was no justice. 16 He saw that there was no one, he was appalled that there was no one to intervene; so his own arm worked salvation for him, and his own righteousness sustained him.

17 He put on righteousness as his breastplate, and the helmet of salvation on his head; he put on the garments of vengeance and wrapped himself in zeal as in a cloak. 18 According to what they have done, so will he repay wrath to his enemies and retribution to his foes; he will repay the islands their due. 19 From the west, men will fear the name of the LORD, and from the rising of the sun, they will revere his glory. For he will come like a pent-up flood that the breath of the LORD drives along. [1]

20 "The Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who repent of their sins," declares the LORD. 21 "As for me, this is my covenant with them," says the LORD. "My Spirit, who is on you, and my words that I have put in your mouth will not depart from your mouth, or from the mouths of your children, or from the mouths of their descendants from this time on and forever," says the LORD.

Revelation 13

1 And the dragon [1] stood on the shore of the sea. And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. He had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on his horns, and on each head a blasphemous name. 2 The beast I saw resembled a leopard, but had feet like those of a bear and a mouth like that of a lion. The dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority. 3 One of the heads of the beast seemed to have had a fatal wound, but the fatal wound had been healed. The whole world was astonished and followed the beast.

4 Men worshiped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast, and they also worshiped the beast and asked, "Who is like the beast? Who can make war against him?" 5 The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise his authority for forty-two months. 6 He opened his mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven. 7 He was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them. And he was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation. 8 All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast--all whose names have not been written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world. [2]

9 He who has an ear, let him hear. 10 If anyone is to go into captivity, into captivity he will go. If anyone is to be killed [3] with the sword, with the sword he will be killed. This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of the saints.

11 Then I saw another beast, coming out of the earth. He had two horns like a lamb, but he spoke like a dragon. 12 He exercised all the authority of the first beast on his behalf, and made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed. 13 And he performed great and miraculous signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to earth in full view of men. 14 Because of the signs he was given power to do on behalf of the first beast, he deceived the inhabitants of the earth. He ordered them to set up an image in honor of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived. 15 He was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that it could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed. 16 He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead, 17 so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name. 18 This calls for wisdom. If anyone has insight, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is man's number. His number is 666.

Revelation 19

20 But the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who had performed the miraculous signs on his behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped his image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur.

Daniel 2:27-2:45

27 Daniel replied, "No wise man, enchanter, magician or diviner can explain to the king the mystery he has asked about, 28 but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries. He has shown King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in days to come. Your dream and the visions that passed through your mind as you lay on your bed are these:

29 "As you were lying there, O king, your mind turned to things to come, and the revealer of mysteries showed you what is going to happen. 30 As for me, this mystery has been revealed to me, not because I have greater wisdom than other living men, but so that you, O king, may know the interpretation and that you may understand what went through your mind.

31 "You looked, O king, and there before you stood a large statue--an enormous, dazzling statue, awesome in appearance. 32 The head of the statue was made of pure gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze, 33 its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of baked clay.

34 While you were watching, a rock was cut out, but not by human hands. It struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay and smashed them.

35 Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the gold were broken to pieces at the same time and became like chaff on a threshing floor in the summer. The wind swept them away without leaving a trace. But the rock that struck the statue became a huge mountain and filled the whole earth.

36 "This was the dream, and now we will interpret it to the king. 37 You, O king, are the king of kings. The God of heaven has given you dominion and power and might and glory; 38 in your hands he has placed mankind and the beasts of the field and the birds of the air. Wherever they live, he has made you ruler over them all. You are that head of gold.

39 "After you, another kingdom will rise, inferior to yours. Next, a third kingdom, one of bronze, will rule over the whole earth.

40 Finally, there will be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron--for iron breaks and smashes everything--and as iron breaks things to pieces, so it will crush and break all the others.

41 Just as you saw that the feet and toes were partly of baked clay and partly of iron, so this will be a divided kingdom; yet it will have some of the strength of iron in it, even as you saw iron mixed with clay. 42 As the toes were partly iron and partly clay, so this kingdom will be partly strong and partly brittle. 43 And just as you saw the iron mixed with baked clay, so the people will be a mixture and will not remain united, any more than iron mixes with clay.

44 "In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever.

45 This is the meaning of the vision of the rock cut out of a mountain, but not by human hands--a rock that broke the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver and the gold to pieces. "The great God has shown the king what will take place in the future. The dream is true and the interpretation is trustworthy."

And then another important sign in case the end of the world is coming, the two wittnesses:

Revelation 11

1 I was given a reed like a measuring rod and was told, "Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, and count the worshipers there. 2 But exclude the outer court; do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles. They will trample on the holy city for 42 months.

3 And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth." 4 These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. 5 If anyone tries to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and devours their enemies. This is how anyone who wants to harm them must die. 6 These men have power to shut up the sky so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying; and they have power to turn the waters into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want.

7 Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them, and overpower and kill them. 8 Their bodies will lie in the street of the great city, which is figuratively called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified. 9 For three and a half days men from every people, tribe, language and nation will gaze on their bodies and refuse them burial. 10 The inhabitants of the earth will gloat over them and will celebrate by sending each other gifts, because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth.

11 But after the three and a half days a breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and terror struck those who saw them. 12 Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, "Come up here." And they went up to heaven in a cloud, while their enemies looked on. 13 At that very hour there was a severe earthquake and a tenth of the city collapsed. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the survivors were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.

14 The second woe has passed; the third woe is coming soon. 15 The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever." 16 And the twenty-four elders, who were seated on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God, 17 saying: "We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was, because you have taken your great power and have begun to reign. 18 The nations were angry; and your wrath has come. The time has come for judging the dead, and for rewarding your servants the prophets and your saints and those who reverence your name, both small and great-- and for destroying those who destroy the earth." 19 Then God's temple in heaven was opened, and within his temple was seen the ark of his covenant. And there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake and a great hailstorm.

One can learn a lot more about this end of the world by reading the prophecies in the Old Testament. But almost any book in the Bible refers at some point to this end and gives important information.

I would like to mention that no one can find out when the end is coming (except perhaps that the Christians that live the last three and half years of our world can probably count the exact date of the end).

It is said that the end comes like a thief and it can surprise us all. At least the personal end of the world, death, does that. Also when Jesus came the Jews knew that Elijah has to come first. Actually it did come but the Jews, including the disciples of Jesus, did not notice it, he was John the Baptist. In this end of the world case the third realm and the sign of the beast seem to be missing, but it may happen like it did with Elijah. The third realm is hardly that of Hitler because he did not invade the whole earth.

8 Cross and Jesus

This is a very brutal and barbaric point of Christianity. God wanted that his only son goes on the cross. Jesus knew from the very beginning of his public work that he is going to be killed painfully. The death of John the Baptist made this very concrete to him. According to the Bible God had told it to him from the beginning and reading the prophecies about the Messiah in the Old Testament tells that too. So Jesus knew from the beginning what he was doing.

Why was the will of God like this. I don't know but let's speculate. First, we are forgiven the death of Jesus. If we would have lived at that time we would have been part of his murder probably. All the apostols knew that they were murderers of Jesus, no one dared to defend him. It seems that there were many people involved and any of them could have prevented his death. (Stricly speaking all the people should have been preparing a revolution. 2007-9: the bible says however submit to authorities even though they are unjust)

Second, if we are forgiven the death of Jesus we are forgiven perhaps even the death of the starving people, or people without health care or pure water in Africa. If we believe in him. This barbaric torture of Jesus makes it concrete to us how horrible things are forgiven in the name of Jesus, so you can be sure that you are forgiven. The worst sins are something that sometimes it is better not to tell about them, at least in the sense of asking forgiveness or acceptance from other people. But one is forgiven for sure, the cross of Jesus is enough although no one else could help despising you or whether or not you have confessed. But we are encouraged to confess them to each other, perhaps one can still trust people a bit.

Third, it shows that it is no excuse to us Christians to avoid doing good because of persecution. However, one is allowed to use ration, if you are persecuted in one town go to another. It is a matter of one's own conscious which can be wrong too. My conscious is often wrong and my ration is better. I have to say I am afraid of Muslims and I don't think it is always the will of the Lord to preach gospel there. But decide yourself. However, very often ration is wrong too, St Peter disowned Jesus which was a sin although nonbelievers think it was just OK.

The cross is the ultimate symbol of human suffering and sacrifice. Jesus hung 6 hours on the cross which must have been horribly painful. Also it shows how big is the love of God, and how much the love of Jesus requires us. Human suffering is not a matter of joke and we must do our best to prevent it. The amount of suffering is equal to the amount of sin. (Nonbelievers should consider Christianity carefully, it is the responsibility of everyone to do his best to reduce human suffering.)

9 Question and Answer

Q: The Bible is rubbish because psychological illness is not an evil spirit.

A: Jesus talked to the people in the terms of their time.

Q: The Bible is a fairy tale as Odysseys.

A: One can check that by trying to do God's will, he has promised that he will certify his words with his Holy Ghost and miracles. However, the point in Christianity is to love one's neighbour whether or not there are miracles.

Q: The beginning of the Bible, Genesis, is at least a fairy tale.

A: I agree very much, but I think starting from Abraham it is at least almost historical. However, it may also be literally true, it is not very important. The New Testament is the important book for Christians. However, many true stories sound like fairy tales. I think God did not describe things like evolution.

Q: Theologians say that...

A: I think their credibility is in question, they do not consider the possibility that prophets have really made prophecies, not to mention the miracles. Also Christians and religious people are careful not to lie and they do not take that into account at all, however, one can't assume that either. However, I am sure theologues will find interesting errors and mistakes in the Bible, the truth is all we Christians want. (It is easy to say that because I think that it is impossible to find out about 2000 years old things.)

Q: I have not seen miracles.

A: You have not, but Jesus was a very special person, the son of God, Messiah and it is plausible that big miracles happened. Especially because God has made the world.

Q: There can't be no God because of all suffering, he must be evil.

A: That is not true, God looks at the world from his own eternal perspective and assures us that he is good anyway.

Q: Christians are the most evil people, they cannot be favored by God and get to heaven.

A: If we Christians are not good it only shows how merciful God is. But the mercy comes only through belief in Jesus. But it is also said that if someone says he is Christian and does not love his neighbours he is not. Christians love people from the point of view of their religion which is sometimes different from what the other people do.

Q: Christianity has got old and unfashionable, the moral of people, especially sexual moral, changes by time.

A: Not true, as strange as it may seem it has not changed at all, the people who do not know Christianity say that. Christianity talks to people as clearly as it did 2000 years ago.

Q: Jesus just copied Socrates.

A: All the laws could have been invented by rational thought, actually Socrates probably copied Jews, Jesus did not add anything to the religion of Jews but died on the cross and pointed out that no one can hold the law. Philosophers today see more in the thoughts of Socrates because of the perspective of Christianity, but they may have a point. It is a very interesting thought if Jesus heard about Socrates. But my theory is that he was the Messiah for which I have also evidence, the prophecies. Rationally, either can be true. Socrates must have been a very righteous man. But I think it is very wrong to think that we all are that righteous and die for other people, we simply are not. I can do it only because I know it is not the end. By Christian belief Jesus did come back from death and he was the only lawfully righteous person.

10 Letter to the Romans, the Gospel

1:7 To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

2:1 You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.

3:9 What shall we conclude then? Are we any better [2] ? Not at all! We have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under sin.

3:20 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.

Paul himself was a Jew and he points out that Christianity is not the same as Judaism. Paul himself made a bad mistake, check 5 Moses 13:1-11, and you see why it was easy for a person who tries to be a Jew to kill Jesus. There it is said that one should kill people who try to seduce out of Judaism, and in such a way that I would have killed Jesus too. This is a very important warning for a Christian too, it is called the spirit of the letter, if one does not think carefully enough from the point of view of loving one's neighbour and looks at a verse in the Bible one mistakes. (Such points are eg. when Paul warns about women talking in the church, exercising sports, using human wisdom in contrast to spiritual wisdom etc.) We Christians are not under law, but we do not ignore it either, sometimes the law of loving one's neighbour requires breaking some other law that seems to be good and the status quo.

A nonbeliever should not laugh either, he is also determined to fail in his search to be righteous without Jesus.

3:21 But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe...

3:25 God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, [9] through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished-- 26 he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.

3:27 Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that of observing the law? No, but on that of faith. 28 For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law.

3:31 Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.

4:3 ... "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." [1]

4:6 David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: 7 "Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. 8 Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him." [2]

4:13 It was not through law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith.

4:23 The words "it was credited to him" were written not for him alone, 24 but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness--for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. 25 He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.

5:1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we [1] have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand...

5:5 ...God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

The forces of evil seem to be more powerful, evil people kill whereas good people can only be killed. A famine, natural disaster, survival situation reveals the true nature of a human being. Or people are ready to do almost anything for their own financial welfare, no matter how dishonest it may be, lying and cheating is powerful at work, and not very far from a so called good normal person. Who knows if the spiritual forces of evil are also more powerful than the spiritual gifts of Christians. However, God is almighty.

5:8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

5:10 For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!

5:11 Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

5:18 Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men. 19 For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.

6:11 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

6:13 Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness.

6:14 For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.

Paul mentions some weird things about law in this letter, that I have left out because I don't understand them. Perhaps he gives prophecies for some other time in the future. This is however not one of them.

6:15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! 16 Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey--whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?

It is also said that sin slaves people. In the beginning of the gospel of John it is said that the world was made by the word of God. This means that the Bible is not only true but that God had it in his hand and created the world according to it. Therefore I would conjecture that all sin slaves. If you use drugs you get dependent on them. If you cheat in science you need to cheat more and more and you have become a slave of cheating. If you murder you get a drug like impulse and you want to repeat it? Or you get more and more entangled in covering it up?

6:18 You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.

7:6 ...we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.

A rational scientific person finds it difficult to believe in the Holy Ghost but I assure you it exists, God has created the world and it is not what it seems.

It is also important to understand this when reading the Bible. Most of the Bible is law, different advise to avoid sinning or to love one's neighbour. They are all good and useful but the attitude should be as above, love one's neighbour. Only the Holy Ghost (spiritual wisdom in contrast to the ordinary) can explain the Bible, it is a difficult book:

Hosea 14:9 Who is wise? He will realize these things. Who is discerning? He will understand them. The ways of the LORD are right; the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them.

7:18 I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. [3] For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do--this I keep on doing.

We Christians are sinners that have got mercy from God. We do not become pure of sin by the Holy Ghost. We do not get spiritual gifts because we do not sin, they are given by mercy. We do not get to heaven because we are sinless but only because of his mercy. More important than the Holy Ghost that makes it possible to beat Satan is the mercy of Jesus, and it is not cheap mercy but required the torturous death of Jesus (my own experience about breaking the law is my burn out and back problems which I have suffered for 9 painful years starting since I was 18 until now that I am 26). This is why the crucifix is the symbol of Christians. It is weird that it seems that we would rather need mercy from other people, not from God.

8:9 You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.

It may be that a fraud Christian cannot cheat the true one if he is precautious.

8:11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.

8:14 ...those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. [7] And by him we cry, "Abba, [8] Father."

8:17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs--heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. 18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.

Paul says also that although we have to take part in the sufferings of Jesus, live like him, do good despite violence, it is like nothing compared to an eternal life. The worst that can happen is that you go to help someone being beaten on the street and get paralyzed neck below. But it is only 50 years of hell or suffering (sorry all the paralyzed people). Compared to an eternal life in a paradise it is like nothing. If it is God's will that it happens like that it is much better than if you do the other way and God punishes you for that. Don't forget hell either, an eternal hell is always much worse than a finite hell.

Then a small digression:

8:22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.

Paul fought like a soldier, he did not take money from the people but worked hard and he had to put up with a lot of things: cold, hunger, mean people, violence, jail, accusations, always traveling etc. His life was a piece of shit, and he did not deny it. The gospel is not something pleasant, it says the life is in heaven. He said that look at me and people like me and follow our example. We don't need to be like Paul but if we are not we should be humble because we are not. And if we are we are humble because we are true Christians.

Paul was no hero either, he was just in deep trouble, God had made him an offer he can't refuse and he just did his part (it seems that nowadays the person who does his part is almost a hero, perhaps it was that way also then). He truly loved other people, he had himself being part of the murder of Stephen and he could never curse the people who did beat him. But he saw a lot of miracles and knew all the time that he walked with Jesus, and he also knew that his path would end in heaven. Probably he was not even very angry to the people who crucified him, he was going to heaven but those guys were in deep trouble.

In contrast to what one might think, Paul was probably not a very spiritual person but a person whose life was to tell the truth to the people and get beaten afterwards. Plain loving one's neighbour.

8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, [10] who [11] have been called according to his purpose.

8:29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." [12] 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, [13] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

It is also said that we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered. That happened to Paul and I think it has happened to many other Christians too.

But we have a victory because Jesus came back from death to insure us that the eternal life does indeed exist and we are going there. God is going to create a new earth and heaven, no death or any kind of disability, disease or cold, hunger. And we are rich like kings. And the computer games are definitely developed. And people are nice and we don't mess with other people's wives but have a free will (how is that possible).

Part III, Romans 9-11

9:15..."I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." [6] 16 It does not, therefore, depend on man's desire or effort, but on God's mercy.

It is also true that we believers, although we are in a better position than nonbelievers, are like sheeps that God has to guide, sometimes kick, to the right direction. If he leaves us alone for a moment, there is no one on the field but we are all wondering in the nearby forests.

9:18 Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden.

9:27 Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: "Though the number of the Israelites be like the sand by the sea, only the remnant will be saved.

A person who has become a believer should first understand that he should not worry, it is God who guides us. Then, when he is not just converted anymore and understands that he should not run after good deeds but believe, he should understand that he has got an incredible chance, hope of an eternal life. And when the birds are singing and the sun is shining he should understand that the storm may begin at any minute and he should take his belief seriously, read the Bible, pray for a spiritual gift, meet other Christians. Otherwise when the persecution starts he simply can't make it. It does not mean you should stress or be aschetic,

John 10:7 Therefore Jesus said again, "I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. [1] He will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

11 "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13 The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.

14 "I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me-- 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father--and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. 17 The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life--only to take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father."

9:33 As it is written: "See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame." [13]

10:3 Since they did not know the righteousness that comes from God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness. 4 Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.

It is interesting that such an important thing as good and evil (causing suffering to other people) is not understandable by ration but requires belief. However, it requires also a lot of ration, knowledge, skills and wisdom. The problem is often that we know what to do but don't do it and not because of some physical obstacle. Also the solution, the thing we should do, is often obtainable only by belief, and is not perhaps even a rational thing to do. Love is that we suffer so that other people don't need to and it is irrational. As surprising as it is we require it from each other to some extent.

10:9 That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. 11 As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame." [5]

13 for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." [6]

10:15..."How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!" [7]

10:20 And Isaiah boldly says, "I was found by those who did not seek me; I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me." [11] 21 But concerning Israel he says, "All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and obstinate people." [12]

11:5 So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. 6 And if by grace, then it is no longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace. [3]

Paul mentions that however, there is a small group of Jews that took Jesus as the Messiah. I think there are a lot of Jews, the true Jews that would offer their children as Abraham and who know their Septuagint (the Old Testament). I think they would be a piece of cake for a Christian, Paul says that (11:25-26) after the number of non-Jews is obtained, the whole Israel converts to the Christians. I mean that the prophecies of old testament about the first coming of Jesus would convince them, see psalm 22, Isaiah 53 and 70 year weeks of Daniel that gives the date of death of Jesus perhaps, see below.

(Comment on 70 year weeks, Daniel has a prophecy (NIV)

Daniel 9:25 "Know and understand this: From the issuing of the decree [6] to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, [7] the ruler, comes, there will be seven `sevens,' and sixty-two `sevens.' It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble. 26 After the sixty-two `sevens,' the Anointed One will be cut off and will have nothing. [8] The people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood: War will continue until the end, and desolations have been decreed.

which means that 69 year weeks from the time point of Nehemiah

Nehemiah 2:1 In the month of Nisan in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was brought for him, I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had not been sad in his presence before; 2 so the king asked me, "Why does your face look so sad when you are not ill? This can be nothing but sadness of heart." I was very much afraid, 3 but I said to the king, "May the king live forever! Why should my face not look sad when the city where my fathers are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?" 4 The king said to me, "What is it you want?" Then I prayed to the God of heaven, 5 and I answered the king, "If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my fathers are buried so that I can rebuild it."

According to my Finnish Bible Artaxerxes I ruled 465-424 BC. Therefore adding 69 yearweeks results in 38AD, which is correct with the precision of a year week. The Oxford Bible Dictionary gave exactly the same year. (My Finnish 1992 Bible says that Jesus should have been born after 7 year weeks which is not in NIV.) One should still know better the history of Jews to say whether or not it is correct to say that one should consider this time point of Nehemiah. Also it may be that a Christian tuned this year 0 according to this prophecy but I think that is unlikely.)

Also this remnant means the remnant of Christians when the end of the world comes. There are perhaps only that many saved as there are people in Jerusalem, remember also that only Noah and 7 other people were saved from the big flud.

11:17 If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, 18 do not boast over those branches.

11:20...Do not be arrogant, but be afraid. 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either.

11:34 "Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?" [10]

It means also that the Gospel is a paradox, contradictory in this world. It tells about heaven. However, the Holy Ghost can explain it to us. But we should remember that a child knows naturally what is good and that is enough for a lot. However, we should not be children in our understanding.

Part IV, Romans 12-16

12:1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual [1] act of worship.

But an advanced Christian in any time will find a chance to love one's neighbour in a way that requires carrying the true cross of Jesus: take the gospel to the Muslims, take part in assisting drug people or take part in dangerous work like army, police, UN peace forces etc.

12:20 On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head."[5] 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

13:8 Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. 9 The commandments, "Do not commit adultery," "Do not murder," "Do not steal," "Do not covet," [1] and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: "Love your neighbor as yourself." [2] 10 Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

In the end Paul however mentions this love one's neighbour which hints that if the government does not respect it one should make a revolution (2007-9 not true (?), one should submit to authorities although they are not perfect). Also it reminds us that we can neglect all the verses in the Bible, if we love our neighbour we fulfill all of them.

Debt means that if one sins against another person one is indebted to him. It does not mean money. And even more, one should pay him, love him instead. Through the Bible it is spoken in this funny way, in parables, Jesus was a master in this. It means God requires thinking from us and that we should be careful how we listen. Either we get more and more saint and God reveals his secrets or we get more and more hardened and think Paul talks about wine when he says we should be sober or sex when he says we should not desire.

13:12 The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.

13:14 Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature. [3]

14:7 For none of us lives to himself alone and none of us dies to himself alone. 8 If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.

14:10 You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God's judgment seat.

14:11 It is written: "`As surely as I live,' says the Lord, `every knee will bow before me; every tongue will confess to God.'" [1] 12 So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.

14:17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, 18 because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men.

Also we people want a god from which we would pray success, the most beautiful woman on earth as a wife, health, etc. But God is not like that. The truth is in the gospel. God looks at this world from his eternal life point of you and is happy if we come there, and only then. God says to us that love is the most precious thing here on earth. And it is more complicated than you ever thought. God's love, Agape, is different from our usual love.

I have heard there are three kinds of love, Agape, Filia and Eros. Agape is the love of God that loves one's enemy and requires also sacrifices. Filia is the love between friends and it always requires this Agape too sometimes because we are human beings, but mostly it is rewarded. Then is this Eros that is erotic or love between wife and a husband which definitely requires Agape. When Christians talk about love it is this Agape that is not erotic.

Very often people don't understand that marriage or a relationship requires Agape love. The romantic point of view to love says that as long as we come along we are created for each other, we have found the one and only, and if we don't we have to keep searching and find another partner. It is wrong, there are crisis in all relationships and they may take years.

One should understand also that although Christianity requires that we forgive, we should not be under law. If you forgive too much and too easily and are unable to talk about it and unable to express your anger to your friend, it may result in the worst disaster. Your feelings get the control and you finally dump your friend. It is said that dumping your friend or a wife is one of the biggest sins and comparable to murder. But we are not under law in that thing either and if it is a too hard burden it is better to dump the friend.

15:1 We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves.

15:3 For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: "The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me." [1]

10 Again, it says, "Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people." [4]

16:26 ...now...

11 Other Important Points in the Bible