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The NIV teaches the Catholic Doctrine of
by Pastor Steven L Anderson, 2007
1. A Blatant Contradiction in the NIV
2. Who are the “sons of God”?
3. What is “hell” in the Bible?
4. Where was Jesus for 3 days and 3 nights?
5. What is “paradise” in the Bible
6. Jesus and the Burnt Offering
7. What about Luke 16?
“And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and
horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.” – 2 Kings 2:11
“All go unto
one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again. Who knoweth the
spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that
goeth downward to the earth?” – Ecclesiastes 3:20,21
“He seeing
this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in
hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.” –Acts
1. A Blatant Contradiction in the NIV
Consider this bizarre verse from
the NIV:
“No one has ever gone into
heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of
This verse should strike you as
very odd and also contradictory to much of the Bible’s clear teaching. Here is
the correct verse from the King James Bible:
“And no man
hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven,
even the Son of man which is in heaven.” – John 3:13
Here we see
that not only has the NIV omitted the phrase “which is in heaven,” but it has
also changed the words “ascended up to heaven” to “gone into heaven.”
Although Old Testament saints did not ascend up to heaven (i.e. of their
own accord as Jesus did in Acts 1), they most certainly did go to heaven. Take Elijah
for example:
“And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and
horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.”
– 2 Kings 2:11
Here is a clear statement from Solomon in
Ecclesiastes:
“All go unto
one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again. Who knoweth the
spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that
goeth downward to the earth?” – Ecclesiastes 3:20,21
Consider the following verses from the book
of Job:
“Now there
was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and
Satan came also among them.” – Job 1:6
“Again there
was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and
Satan came also among them to present himself before the LORD.” – Job 2:1
To say that
no one has ever gone into heaven is in direct contradiction to these scriptures.
The NIV has purposely made these changes, along with many others along the same
lines, to construct a false doctrine that Old Testament saints did not go to
Heaven upon physically dying. Instead, they teach that Old Testament saints
went to a place called “
“Who
knows if the spirit of man rises upward and if the spirit of the animal
goes down into the earth?" – Ecclesiastes
“One
day the angels came to present themselves before the LORD, and
Satan also came with them.” – Job 1:6 (NIV)
“On
another day the angels came to present themselves before the
LORD, and Satan also came with them to present himself before him.” – Job 2:1 (NIV)
2.
Who are the “sons of God”
Even the NIV
states in the footnotes that the Hebrew words here are “sons of God” and not
“angels.” The NIV has taken the liberty of interpreting the words “sons of God”
as being angels. Nothing could be further from the truth! Only believing human
beings are ever referred to in the Bible as the sons of God:
“But as many
as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God,
even to them that believe on his name:” – John 1:12
“Behold, what manner
of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the
sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him
not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet
appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be
like him; for we shall see him as he is.” – 1 John 3:1,2
In fact, the
Bible even unequivocally states that the angels are NOT sons of God:
“For unto
which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I
begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a
Son?” – Hebrews 1:5
Is there one
verse in the entire Bible that says that the angels are God’s children? NO!
Two verses
that proponents of this doctrine rely upon are Job 38:6 and Job 38:7:
“Whereupon
are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the
corner stone thereof; When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of
God shouted for joy?” – Job 38:6,7
They claim
that since the sons of God were present for the creation of the earth, they
must be the angels. However, these verses do not say that the sons of God
shouted for joy at the creation of the world, but rather that they shouted for
joy when the corner stone of the earth was laid. A simple study of the term
“corner stone” in the Bible will show that the term is ALWAYS referring to
Jesus Christ!
“Wherefore
also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner
stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.”
– 1 Peter 2:6
“This is the
stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the
corner.” – Acts
Notice the
order: first Jesus was rejected by the Jews, then he
became the head of the corner. The sons of God shouted for joy at the
resurrection of Jesus Christ when the stone which the builders rejected became
the chief cornerstone. Job 38:6,7 is referring to
Jesus Christ who is the lamb “slain from the foundation of the world.”
Again, no
verse anywhere in the Bible states that the angels are God’s children.
3. What is “hell”
in the Bible?
A. Hell is a place of literal flaming fire and torment “And
in hell he lift up his eyes, being in
torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried
and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus,
that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I
am tormented in this flame.” – Luke 16:23-24
“And
if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life
maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the
fire that never shall be quenched: Where their worm dieth not, and
the fire is not quenched. And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it
is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast
into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:
Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if
thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the
kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell
fire: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice
shall be salted with salt.” – Mark
B. Hell is a real, physical place – It
has a physical location
“And
Moses said, Hereby ye shall know that the LORD hath sent me to do all these
works; for I have not done them of mine own mind. If
these men die the common death of all men, or if they
be visited after the visitation of all men; then the LORD hath not sent me. But
if the LORD make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow them
up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go down quick into the
pit; then ye shall understand that these men have provoked the LORD.
And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that
the ground clave asunder that was under them: And the earth opened her mouth,
and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods. They, and all that
appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them:
and they perished from among the congregation. And all
“Though
they dig into hell, thence shall mine hand take them; though they climb up to
heaven, thence will I bring them down:” – Amos 9:2
“Son of man, wail for the multitude of
C. Hell is described as a bottomless pit because it is in the center of the earth. Obviously this is due to a lack of gravity.
“And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his
hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand
years, And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the
nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.”
– Revelation 20:1-3 “Therefore
hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure:
and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth, shall
descend into it.” – Isaiah 5:14
D. Hell is a place where the unsaved will be tormented in the presence of God. Hell is not separation from God. “And
the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the
beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, The
same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without
mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with
fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of
the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and
ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image,
and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.” – Revelation 14:9-11
In Psalm 139:8, David says to God, “If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in
hell, behold, thou art there.”
Clearly God is everywhere, including Hell.
“And
the LORD shall cause his glorious voice to be heard, and shall shew the
lighting down of his arm, with the indignation of his anger, and with the flame
of a devouring fire, with scattering, and tempest, and hailstones. For through
the voice of the LORD shall the Assyrian be beaten down, which smote with a
rod. And in every place where the grounded staff shall pass, which the LORD
shall lay upon him, it shall be with tabrets and harps: and in battles of
shaking will he fight with it. For Tophet is ordained of old; yea, for the king
it is prepared; he hath made it deep and large: the pile thereof is fire and
much wood; the breath of the LORD, like a stream of brimstone, doth
kindle it.” – Isaiah 30:30-33
E. Hell is a place
of smothering smoke.
“And the smoke of their torment
ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor
night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of
his name.” – Revelation 14:10
F. Hell is a place
of dismal darkness.
“Raging waves of the
sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom
is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.” – Jude 13
G. Hell is a place
screaming and wailing.
“Then said the
king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him
into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
– Matthew 22:13
H. Hell is a place
of everlasting chains.
“And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own
habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness
unto the judgment of the great day.” – Jude 6
I. Hell is a place
of flesh-eating worms.
“Hell from beneath is
moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming: it stirreth up the dead for thee,
even all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all
the kings of the nations. All they shall speak and say unto thee, Art thou also
become weak as we? art thou become like unto us? Thy
pomp is brought down to the grave, and the noise of thy viols: the worm
is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee. How art thou fallen
from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art
thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!” – Isaiah 14:9-12
“And they shall go
forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me:
for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be
quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.” – Isaiah 66:24
J. Hell is a place
of no rest day nor night – no sleep.
“And the smoke of
their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and
whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.” – Revelation 14:11
K. Hell is now located in the center of the earth, but will eventually reside in the lake of fire in outer darkness.
The soul of every unsaved person who has ever died is in hell right now. No one is in the “lake of fire” as of yet.
The first to go into the lake of fire will be the beast and the false prophet, then Satan, and then every unbeliever
after the great white throne judgment: “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is
able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” – Matthew 10:28 The souls of the unsaved go to Hell immediately, but their bodies will not go to Hell until after the Great White
Throne Judgment.