COEXIST or CONTRADICT?

Coexist or Contradict?

4:26 – Is the Bible against coexistence when it comes to living in peace with others?

5:57 – What does the Bible say about being tolerant of other religions?

15:14 – What can you say to people who say that all religions are true?

18:47 – Is it enough that people are devoted in their different religions to be 

acceptable to the Lord God?

22:32 – Which teachings, found in other religions, contradict the Lord God’s words in the Bible?

25:10 – Does the Bible teach reincarnation?

30:00 – What are the different beliefs about our Lord God?

34:03 – What is the true nature of God?

35:10 – What is one of the truths in the Bible that describes the true Church Of Christ?

[Show open]

Brother Edwil Zabala : Hello, I’m Brother Edwil Zabala and this is the Iglesia Ni Cristo International Edition. Today’s topic: Coexist or Contradict.

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Today’s Topic : Coexist or Contradict

Brother Edwil: Are all religions the same in the sight of the Lord God? Are these religions just different ways up the same mountain? 

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Coexist

Contradict

They can’t all be true – John 14:6

www.contradictmovement.org

Brother Edwil: There is a growing movement that thinks that we should tolerate all religions and respect their different beliefs

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We must learn to 

Coexist

But let’s not PRETEND that they don’t

Contradict

Brother Edwil: And you can see (that) today in bumper stickers, especially on college campuses. You hear it in popular music, and that movement is the coexist movement. Today, people get very angry when you try to share your faith with them.

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Edwil Zabala

Quezon City, Philippines

Minister of the Gospel

Brother Edwil: In fact, even mentioning you belong to the true church now is so offensive to so many modern ears. Are we just being intolerant when we say that other religions are not of our Lord God? Well, we’ll answer this and so much more today on the Iglesia Ni Cristo International Edition.

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INC International Edition

Brother Edwil: Joining us today is Brother Greg Worthen in San Francisco, Brother Glenn David in Australia and Brother Philip Velasquez in London. Hello, Brothers.

Brother Greg Worthen: Hello, Brother. Thank you for having us.

Brother Glenn David: Hello, Brother Edwil.

Brother Edwil: Yes, hello and today we’re talking about coexistence. And to further understand how this movement even began, we have this video for all of us: 

[Video starts: Source: YouTube]

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Jesus, JEW, my heart is true,

Jesus, JEW, my heart is true,

We are all sons of Abraham

We are all sons of Abraham

[Video ends]

Brother Edwil: So, Brothers, that was Bono from the band U2, and he was the first who began sporting that bandana with the ‘Coexist’ symbols.  So, Brothers, have you seen this bumper sticker before? 

Brother Greg: I’ve actually seen the bumper sticker. It’s widespread, for example, here in California, I’m sure in different parts of the world as well.

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Greg Worthen

San Francisco California

Minister of the Gospel

Brother Greg: Since the ‘Coexist’ is a usage of various symbols from the different kinds of belief systems or religions of the world that make up the actual word ‘Coexist’, and I was able to do a little bit of research on that for the learning, if you’ll allow me to read from my notes. 

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Coexist

Brother Greg: For example, of course, it’s probably known to everybody the “C” would represent the crescent and star representing Islam. The “O” dotted with the karma wheel would be Buddhism. The “E” as energy in the relativity equation which is in reference to science, “X” illustrating the star of David is Judaism. The “I” representing the pentagram would be Wiccan or pagan, “S” for the Dao symbol and “T” for the cross of Christianity. And if I’m not mistaken, above the “I” is like a pentagram, it’s a 5 point pointed star which is in reference to 5 points of the star meaning air, earth, fire, water and the human spirit. 

Brother Philip Velasquez: Yes actually, Brother, I came across this video also on a bumper sticker. Have a look at it:

[Video starts: Source YouTube]

Speaker: The Coexist bumper sticker, now let me just explain this, this was on the Mercedes we talked about at the top of the program, the two bombers hijacking Cambridge, this bumper sticker was on the car. I don’t know what this is. What is it?

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Coexist

Adam Carolla: It’s basically a bumper sticker that shows all the different religions of the world and how we need to get along together. When that bumper sticker could be shortened quite a bit to maybe just ‘Co’. It doesn’t need half the religions that are on there, and it’s just part of the problem 

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Coexist

Adam: which is, everyone’s the problem. Everyone’s not the problem. There’s certain religions that cause more trouble than others, I think we know who they are, and we need to focus on them and not pretend like it’s the Jews fault just as much as it’s the Christian’s fault in this particular case. 

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Host of the Daily Podcast “The Adam Carolla Show”

[Video ends]

Brother Edwil: So Brothers, by implication based on what we’ve seen in the video, it would make it appear that that bumper sticker, Coexistence, it’s becoming more and more, how should I say this, not really popular but what’s the word I’m looking for, Brothers? Help me out here.

Brother Greg: Controversial

Brother Philip: That’s right, yes. It should be. 

Brother Edwil: Controversial, yes. So the question now is this, “Is the Bible against coexistence when it comes to living in peace with others?” Brother Glenn? 

Brother Glenn: No, not at all. Our Lord Jesus Christ proves that here in Matthew 22:37-39:

Jesus replied: ‘“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’

[Matthew 22:37-39 New International Version] 

Brother Glenn: So our Lord Jesus Christ teaches us to not only love ourselves but also to love our neighbors, our fellowmen, and to live in peace with them.  

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Glenn David

Sydney, Australia

Minister of the Gospel

Brother Philip: Brother Glenn, there’s also a passage in the Bible where it says the actual words that are used. It says that we have to live in peace with everybody, and that is recorded here in Hebrews 12:14. 

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Philip Velasquez

London, United Kingdom 

Minister of the Gospel

Brother Philip: We can read here the word of the apostles: 

Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. 

[Hebrews 12:14 New International Version]

Brother Philip: So it doesn’t just say that we should live in peace with other Christians, but we have to make every effort to live in peace with everybody. So, it is a Christian teaching.

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Coexist or Contradict 

Brother Greg: Yeah, also there in Romans as you cited, if you go down a few more verses, he reiterates that, Apostle Paul does, 12:18:

“…live peaceably with all men.”

[Romans 12:18 New King James Version] 

Brother Greg: So again, regardless of religious affiliation, with all men we have to live peacefully. 

Brother Edwil: And of course when it says all men, we’re not just referring to half of the human race, it means all humankind.  

Brother Greg:  Right, all humankind.

Brother Edwil: Yes. 

Brother Greg: Right

(5:57)

Brother Edwil: So Brother Greg, someone might say living in peace with everyone means we have to be tolerant about their religious beliefs, and they might define being tolerant as not trying to share our faith with them. So what does the Bible say about that?

Brother Greg: Well our Lord Jesus Christ explicitly teaches that, okay, we respect the belief systems of others, but it doesn’t mean we’re not going to share our faith with them, because Christ teaches us to do that as He taught His disciples the same. We read it here, Mark 16:15-16, Christ taught:

And He said to them, Go into all the world and preach and publish openly the good news (the Gospel) to every creature [of the whole human race]. He who believes [who adheres to and trusts in and relies on the Gospel and Him Whom it sets forth] and is baptized will be saved from the penalty of eternal death]; but he who does not believe [who does not adhere to and trust in and rely on the Gospel and Him Whom it sets forth] will be condemned. 

[Mark 16:15-16 Amplified Bible]

Brother Greg: So here our Lord Jesus Christ, and remember that even during His time there are other belief systems in place, yet He taught His disciples to go into all the world, to the entire human race, regardless of religious affiliation and share with them, publish, teach the Gospel or the good news for man’s salvation. 

Brother Glenn: I’d also like to add there, Brother Greg, the consequence for those who don’t accept the Gospel, the preaching of the Messenger sent, and that is they will be condemned on the Day of Judgment. 

Brother Greg: Right

Brother Edwil: So since the Lord Jesus Christ commands that people who want to be saved must be baptized, Brother Philip, where can we find those who have received that true baptism?

Brother Philip: Well Apostle Paul explains it clearly here, Brother Edwil, in I Corinthians 12:13, and it is written:

Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit. 

[I Corinthians 12:13 New Living Translation]

Brother Philip: So Brother, we can see here all those who are baptized were baptized into the one body. And we should also take note that these people who were baptized into the one body were formerly from other religions. Some were Jews before, some were Gentiles, some belonged to the pagan religions that were in existence in the time, but they all became members… or they became members through baptism into the one body. 

Brother Glenn: And that one body, of course, is the body of Christ. They became true Christians even though they were from those different religions, Jews or Gentiles as they were before, just like what Brother Philip mentioned there.

Brother Greg: Yeah, and it should be mentioned here that it’s important for us to realize, as mentioned earlier, that there were already belief systems in existence during the time of Christ, and even His apostles. And yet, He was commanding His disciples to go to them and teach them, of course, the good news for their salvation, which in turn would have us to understand that whatever others were believing in, through the various religions that existed during that time, that it wasn’t for their salvation. That’s why the disciples had to go out and deliver to them that true message.

(9:27)

Brother Philip: I think it would be very important to point out right now, to explain to our viewers, what is this body where we could find those people who are baptized. And we could find the answer to that here in Ephesians, 5:23, 25, Apostle Paul once again teaches us:

For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of his body, the church. For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her

[Ephesians 5:23, 25 New Living Translation]

Brother Philip: So those who received the holy baptism, they were members, they became members of the church.

Brother Greg: Yeah, and Christ gave His life for the Church which was His body, not Christ giving His life for all churches or all religions or all belief systems. But particularly for His body which is the Church. That’s what He gave His life for. That’s what He would save.

Brother Edwil: So there’s… we’re not questioning, we’re not questioning the fact that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Savior. But does the Bible mention the name of that one body, that one true Church, for which our Lord Jesus Christ died that He is going to save?

Brother Greg: Yes the Bible does indeed mention it, Brother Edwil. For our dear viewers, here in Acts of the Apostles 20:28, the apostles teach it this way as we read:

Take heed therefore to yourselves and to all the flock over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you overseers to feed the church of Christ which he has purchased with his blood.

[Acts 20:28 Lamsa]   

Brother Greg: So the Bible is very specific, and very clear, as to what Christ gave His life for, what He purged with His blood, and it’s none other than His body. Of course, being His body it would be called after Him, in the words of the apostles, as the Church Of Christ. So the disciples would go out and preach this good news, that for man’s salvation we have to be in that which was purchased or redeemed by Christ’s blood, it is the Church Of Christ for our salvation.

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Today’s Topic : Coexist or Contradict 

Brother Edwil: So, going back to what we were asking at the beginning, referring to “Coexist”, the Bible teaches we need to live in peace with others, coexist with others. But it also teaches us to share our faith with others so that others may also receive the true baptism and the grace of salvation. 

Now, when we come back, dear friends, we’ll take a look at another movement that’s also gaining some attention. We’ll find out when the Iglesia Ni Cristo International Edition returns. Please stay with us.

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INC International Edition

(12:17)

Brother Edwil: Welcome back, dear friends, to the Iglesia Ni Cristo International Edition. Today, we’re talking about a type of bumper sticker that’s gaining a lot of attention, specifically in America. But I heard that there is another movement aside from the Coexist movement that we mentioned earlier. So let’s watch this video:

[Video starts: Source YouTube]

Speaker: The question that I’ve received numerous times is, “What do all the symbols represent?” Within the “C” you see the symbol ohm, which represents Hinduism. The “O” is the yin-yang symbol which represents Daoism or Taoism, it’s the same religion no matter how it’s pronounced.

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Daoism is the Chinese pronunciation.

Speaker: The “N” represents Shinto. The “T” represents the Unitarian Church. The “R” is the pentagram which represents Satanism. Next to that you have the symbol which represents atheism. There’s another symbol that represents atheism. We just chose to use this one.  

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Another symbol that represents Atheism.

Speaker: The “D” is the Kokopelli character. We don’t know exactly who he is, but he’s a good representation of just Native American religions. The dot in the “I” is the star of David for Judaism. The “C” is the symbol for Islam, and finally we have the last “T” which is the crucifix, Jesus Christ on the cross, which represents Cristianity. 

And the teachings of all of these various religions contradict each other to the point that they can’t all be true. They could all be false, but they can’t all be true. This alone does not say one is true. For that, other arguments must be given. If you keep watching the Facebook page, the YouTube channel, as well as the book that will come out soon: ‘Contradict: They Can’t All Be True’, you will see those arguments in detail.

[Video Ends]

Brother Edwil: So, Brothers, now we’ve shown two types of bumper stickers people are sporting. The Coexist and the Contradict bumper stickers. Brother Greg, are you familiar with bumper stickers?

Brother Greg: Yeah, I’ve seen those and I think what it does is it plays to the mindset of people. I mean, okay there may be those of course, they might not have it on their bumper but maybe they have that in their mindset. 

There are those who would say, “Just coexist, let’s be at peace.” And then there are those on the other side of the fence. “You know what, no, no. They contradict.” So, the hard part about that also is the fact that when you say contradict, or say you know, “They can’t all be true”, and you know “They can all be false but they can’t all be true.”  And I think that would actually drive a person away from trying to find the truth that, of course, the Bible teaches and reveals, which is even more detrimental.

(15:14)

Brother Edwil: So what do you say to people who say that, for example, all religions are true, Brother Glenn, for example?

Brother Glenn: Well, we could read in Psalms 4:3. God says this:

But know that the LORD has set apart for Himself him who is godly; The LORD will hear when I call to Him.

[Psalms 4:3 New King James Version]

Brother Glenn: So from this verse, from the very beginning, God has set a policy to set aside a people to serve and worship Him. And if they are set aside by God, they have that election, they have that right and privilege to serve Him. But if they’re not chosen by God, they don’t have that right and that privilege to serve Him, and for many people this teaching can be quite hurtful, very offensive.

Brother Philip: Actually, we do agree with what he said, you know. All of those religions cannot be true, because Our Almighty God, since the beginning, has set aside for Himself a group of people who would be His people, who were chosen to serve Him. And we can read that here in Deuteronomy 7:6:

For you are a holy people to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.

[Deuteronomy 7:6 New American Standard Bible]

Brother Philip: So, we all know that Israel was God’s first nation, chosen by God from all the peoples of the earth. So there was that distinction from them to the rest of the people on the earth, and the same can be said today, you know. There is a group, a group of people who are chosen by our Almighty God, and that was the religion that Apostle Paul belonged to. He mentions also in 1 Timothy 6:3 (The Good News Translation), he makes reference to our religion which contains the true teachings.

Brother Greg: Yeah, I think it’s an important point to note there, Brother Philip, and the fact that that was…because people might say, you know, that was God’s policy in ancient times, but even in the Christian era that policy of God of setting part people for Himself, it did not change. It still exists in our time, and that’s proven even in writings of Apostle Peter. We can read that here in 2:9 of his first letter, I Peter, and this is what the Apostle taught:   

But you are God’s chosen and special people. You are a group of royal priests and a holy nation. God has brought you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Now you must tell all the wonderful things that he has done. 

[I Peter 2:9 Contemporary English Version]

Brother Greg: So that policy of God, of setting apart for Himself, wasn’t only in effect during ancient times, it’s even in effect in the Christian era, wherein there are those who have the concept of “coexisting”. There are those who have the concept of “contradicting.” God’s plan is still clear. For those who belong to Him, those whom He recognizes as His, He will call them out and He will bring them together, of course, in only one—that’s one body, the true Church or the Church Of Christ . 

And take note also of what Apostle Peter said, here, wherein those whom God referred to as a chosen and special people are also those who are set to proclaim His good and wonderful things that He has done. So, again, it’s about continuing to propagate that message from our Almighty God.

(18:47)

Brother Edwil: So, Brother, someone might say that people in those other religions they’re also devoted to the Lord God, they’re also very enthusiastic when it comes to serving the Lord God. So, isn’t that enough? Will they be acceptable, Brother Philip? 

Brother Philip: Brother Edwil, there is a problem with that argument, because according to the Bible, according to Apostle Paul, it’s not all about dedication and enthusiasm. And that’s what we could read here in Romans 10:2-3:

I can vouch for them: they are enthusiastic about God. However, it isn’t informed by knowledge. They don’t submit to God’s righteousness because they don’t understand his righteousness, and they try to establish their own righteousness.

[Romans 10:2-3 Contemporary English Version]

Brother Philip: So Apostle Paul, here, he witnessed himself the enthusiasm of these people who know… who say they recognize God, and they even worship God. They have passion. They have dedication when it comes to serving Him, but the problem is this, it’s the basis of that enthusiasm. It’s not based on the righteousness of our Almighty God. It’s not based on true knowledge, and because of that they’ve set up 

their own righteousness.    

Brother Edwil: So…

Brother Glenn: And the righteousness 

Brother Edwil: Yes?

Brother Glenn: we say they base their service on is the Gospel as written here in Romans 1:16-17:

I’m not ashamed of the gospel: it is God’s own power for salvation to all who have faith in God, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. God’s righteousness is being revealed in the gospel, from faithfulness for faith, as it is written, The righteous person will live by faith. 

[Romans 1:16-17 Common English Bible]

Brother Glenn: So God’s righteousness refers to the words of God written in the Holy Gospel. So when we serve God, what is important, it’s not done our way but God’s way, not our own righteousness but God’s righteousness or His words, or His Gospel written in the Holy Bible. 

Brother Greg: Yeah, I’d like to add something real quick, if I may. If you took note of what Apostle Paul said earlier, also the fact that they don’t know that righteousness, which is why it’s incumbent upon us as those who have that knowledge of the good news about how God is going to save man and His principles regarding that salvation, it’s incumbent upon us to get that knowledge out to people who don’t know it so that they would have the chance to embrace it, and believe in it, and then they would also be saved, according to what we read earlier.   

Brother Philip: And that’s why we’re encouraged to spread the word of God. And the Bible describes to us, the Bible tells us, actually our Lord Jesus Christ Himself tells us the nature or the quality of the word of God. And we can read that in John 17:17: 

Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth.

[John 17:17 New Living Translation]

Brother Philip: So as Brother Greg said earlier on, when we share the word of truth to our friends and our loved ones, when they believe and they accept these words, it makes them holy. So we can see here, because the word of God is truth, you know, the word of God does not contradict the word of God. So when other people say, you know, “What may be true for you may not be true for me”, well, that really doesn’t make any sense. It’s actually illogical, because there can only be one truth.   

Brother Edwil: Thank you so much. Now when we come back, we’ll find out what are some of the beliefs of other religions that contradict the Lord God’s words written in the Holy Bible. More, when the Iglesia Ni Cristo International (Edition) returns. So please stay with us.

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INC International Edition

(22:32)

Brother Edwil: Welcome back to the Iglesia Ni Cristo International Edition. Today, we’re talking about the “Coexist” versus the “Contradict” movement. We left off by saying what are some of the Lord God’s words, written in the Bible, that contradict teachings of other religions? Let’s go to Brother Glenn.

Brother Glenn: Well one of them was reincarnation. Reincarnation, I believe, is the state of the soul being transferred from one body to another after death, and most notably I think in Hinduism that’s quite popular. For example, if a person dies, their soul will be transferred to another creature, say, such as a cow. That’s what can…what I know so far. I don’t know if Brother Philip or Brother Greg would like to add to that.

Brother Greg: And this goes back even further, Brother Glenn. If you trace back even to the time of the Egyptians, the time of the Israelites, mummification was also used because of the belief that the departed soul would actually return to the body from which it came. So, thousands of years in existence has been that belief system, wherein preservation, wherein the soul can return to its holder from before, has always been in existence. So it’s not a new thing when we hear the various different types of ‘isms’ in the world today.

Brother Philip: And then you’ve got other contradictory beliefs, like our belief in the one true God as opposed to, you know, atheism, agnosticism, polytheism and even pantheism.

Brother Glenn: Pantheism, I believe, is the belief that God is identical or identified with the universe. Everything is encompassed with or involved with an all-imminent God. So I believe that’s the definition there.

Brother Greg: Yeah, and belief separate to that, meaning if you distinguish God from the universe that’s not acceptable based on pantheism.

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Today’s Topic : Coexist or Contradict

Brother Edwil: Now, let me just… 

Brother Philip: And then you’ve got umm…

Brother Edwil: Yes, Brother Philip, please.

Brother Philip: Sorry, Brother, yeah and then you’ve got atheism, just to kind of like give our viewers a heads up if they aren’t familiar with these words. You’ve  got atheism which is a disbelief in a divine being, and these people are usually associated with you know naturalism, you know humanism, and then you’ve also got polytheism which is a belief in one or more than one god, multiple gods.

Brother Greg: Right, and of course you mentioned earlier also agnosticism which is, in general terms, basically a broad way of understanding it, that no one or one is not committed to believing in the existence of God or a god, would be in that realm of agnosticism. 

(25:10)

Brother Edwil: If I were, well let’s go back to that first example given by Brother Glenn, reincarnation. Brother Greg, this time, does the Bible teach reincarnation? 

Brother Edwil: Just to show our friends, those watching us right now, that when we say, “That is against what the Bible teaches”, we have proof it’s against the Bible, Brother Greg.

Brother Greg: Well we as members of the Church Of Christ, relying solely on the teachings of the Holy Scriptures, do not accept reincarnation but resurrection because that’s what the Bible teaches. And it’s taught here by the Apostle Paul, as we read in I Corinthians 15:3-9, the Apostle Paul explained it this way:

I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve. After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles. Last of all, as though I had been born at the wrong time, I also saw him. For I am the least of all the apostles. In fact, I’m not even worthy to be called an apostle after the way I persecuted God’s church.

[I Corinthians 15:3-9 New Living Translation]

Brother Greg: So here, Apostle Paul teaches resurrection from the dead and not reincarnation.

Brother Philip: And we believe that it’s not just our Lord Jesus Christ who came back to life from the dead. We also believe that the true Christians, or those people whom Jesus Christ died for, will also be raised back to life. And the basis of that is written here in I Thessalonians 4:16:

For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the Christians who have died[a] will rise from their graves.

[I Thessalonians 4:16 New Living Translation]

Brother Philip: So you see this is a Biblical truth that we must also share with our fellowmen. You know, not reincarnation but the resurrection of the true servants of God, the true Christians.

Brother Edwil: Brother Glenn, does the Bible mention any verse that would contradict those who say that there’s such a thing as reincarnation?

Brother Glenn: Yes, there is a verse that does contradict reincarnation, and that’s written here in Job 14:12:

People are laid to rest and do not rise again. Until the heavens are no more, they will not wake up nor be roused from their sleep. 

[Job 14:12 New Living Translation]

Brother Glenn: So it’s very clear that when people are laid to rest or when they die they remain in the grave. They don’t rise up again until the heavens are no more. So when a person dies, the Bible recognizes their death as a form of sleep, until the heavens are no more they’ll be woken up. 

Brother Greg: Yeah, the Bible doesn’t say that they’ll be reincarnated as someone else, as another being, as a frog or a prince or whatever else it may be.

(28:34)

Brother Edwil: So now here’s the question, Brother Greg, “When will the heavens be no more?”

Brother Greg: The heavens will be no more when our Lord Jesus Christ returns, and this is proven by Apostle Peter in his second letter, in 3:7, 10:

And by the same word, the present heavens and earth have been stored up for fire. They are being kept for the day of judgment, when ungodly people will be destroyed. But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment.

[II Peter 3:7, 10 New Living Translation]

Brother Greg: So Apostle Peter teaches that the heavens will be no more on the Day of Judgment. So those now dead, in the graves, will then be risen on that Day of Judgment as a part of resurrection. So the Bible here is teaching resurrection and not reincarnation.

Brother Edwil: When we come back, dear friends, we’ll talk about the different beliefs about the Lord God found in different religions, so please stay with us.

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INC International Edition

(30:00)

Brother Edwil: Welcome back to the Iglesia Ni Cristo International Edition. Today, we’re talking about coexistence versus contradictions. And we left off by talking about the different beliefs about the Lord God. So Brothers, Brother Philip, what are the different beliefs about our Lord God? 

Brother Philip: Well as we mentioned earlier on, Brother Edwil, there’s a belief in, you know, multiple gods, which is polytheism. There’s also the belief which we uphold in the one true God, which is monotheism. You’ve also got agnosticism, you’ve got, you know, atheism and many other ‘isms’ which try to explain the belief in or not in a god.

Brother Edwil: So are there many different religions in your area, Brother Philip?

Brother Philip: Oh yes, Brother. As you all know, although the United Kingdom is a predominantly Christian country, the United Kingdom has a rich history in being very tolerant to people of different races and also faiths. So, you know, we have a lot of people from the Islam religion who are here, Hinduism as well, we have a small group of Buddhists in the country and many, many others from different faiths.   

Brother Edwil: Now, turning to Brother Glenn, you’re there in Sydney. What does the Bible teach about our Lord God, Brother Glenn?

Brother Glenn: The Bible teaches us that there is only one true God and that is the Father, and that was proven by our Lord Jesus Christ Himself in John 17:1, 3:

After saying all these things, Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son so he can give glory back to you. And this is the way to have eternal life⁠—to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth. 

[John 17:1, 3 New Living Translation]

Brother Glenn: So, it’s very clear from this prayer of our Lord Jesus Christ to the Father. He was praying to Him, “That they may know You as the only true God.” So when our Lord Jesus Christ said only, well, how many is that? Well, it’s only one and of course He was referring to the Father in Heaven as the only true God.

Brother Greg: And this, that particular teaching, Brother Glenn and dear friends who are joining us today, that did not change after Christ’s ascension and in the teachings of the apostles. And that’s proven by Apostle Paul in his first letter to the Corinthians. In 8:6, he taught this:

But we know that there is only one God, the Father, who created everything, and we live for him. And there is only one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom God made everything and through whom we have been given life.

[I Corinthians 8:6 New Living Translation]

Brother Greg: So again, the teaching of Christ and His apostles are … they agree with one another. There’s no contradiction about the belief of the true Christians that there’s only one true God who is the Father, or as you mentioned, Brother Philip, being monotheistic as true servants of God.

Brother Philip: And even if you go way back into time, even during the time of God’s first nation, Israel, they too upheld that same belief. And we could read that here in Malachi, 2:10:

Are we not all children of the same Father? Are we not all created by the same God?

[Malachi 2:10 New Living Translation]

Brother Philip: So you see, even God’s first nation way back then, during the time of the Israelites, they also believed in the one true God who is the Father. And this is what we were talking about earlier on about the words of God don’t contradict each other. You could read it in the New Testament, go way back into the Old Testament, the teachings are harmonious with each other. They teach the same truth.

Brother Edwil: And that is the quality of the true Church Of Christ even today. Here inside the Iglesia Ni Cristo we also uphold that truth, that the Father is the only true Lord God. We haven’t changed it, because it is the truth recorded in the Holy Scriptures. Now, Brother Glenn, what does the Bible, what else does the Bible say about the only true Lord God, our Father, in Heaven?

(34:03)

Brother Glenn: Well the Bible also teaches about the true nature of the true God, who is the Father, and in John 4:24 our Lord Jesus Christ teaches us again:

For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.”

[John 4:24 New Living Translation]

Brother Glenn: So the true nature of God, our Father, is that He is spirit in nature. 

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Today’s Topic : Coexist or Contradict

Brother Philip: And the definition of spirit, we can read here in the Bible, our Lord Jesus Christ describes for us in Luke 24:39:

Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.”

[Luke 24:39 New King James Version]

Brother Philip: According to our Lord Jesus Christ, He defined what a spirit is and He said, “a spirit does not have flesh and bones.” Therefore, our Almighty God, who is a spirit, is made…isn’t made of any known elements. So, therefore, He is invisible.

Brother Greg: Yeah, it should also be noted that, of course, the true God is also Almighty. He is all-powerful, all-omniscient or all-knowing. So we know that with the true God all things are, indeed, possible. 

(35:10)

Brother Edwil: Now how can we tell, Brother Greg, and this is a very important question, how can we tell which is the true church? Because anyone can claim, “My church is the true church. I belong to the true church.” So what’s one of the truths recorded in the Holy Scriptures that has to do with describing the true Church Of Christ?

Brother Greg: Well it’s described this way by Apostle Paul, describing not only the church per se but the members therein, and the quality of the members. It’s taught this way in Ephesians 4:4-6, the Apostle Paul taught this:

There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

[Ephesians 4:4-6 New King James Version]

Brother Greg: So again, the Apostle Paul is explicit describing not only about where the true members can be found, by their calling into one body, we know the body is the church, but then the quality of those members; having one faith in one true God, having one Lord, the Lord Jesus Christ of course, receiving the one true baptism. These are qualities that define those called by God as members of His nation, those whom He set apart for Himself, given the right to serve Him and receive His many promises.

Brother Glenn: And if we could also add there, Brother Greg, to know the Father as the only true God, according to the testimony of our Lord Jesus Christ as we read earlier, “This is eternal life. That they may know You”, referring to the Father, “as the only true God.” And that’s very important for us to know in order for us to be saved. 

Brother Philip: And that’s why, you know, we share our faith. We do our best to bring that truth out there to the people who do not yet know the truth. So when we’re being taught to share our faith, it doesn’t make us aggressive, it doesn’t make us intolerant to other religions, you know. We respect the belief of other religions, the belief system of other people. But it is our duty, by our Creator, to share the truth so that everybody will benefit from it.

Brother Edwil: Dear friends, here in the Iglesia Ni Cristo people come from all different religious backgrounds. We welcome them. And let’s see what some members of the Church have to say in being able to finally find the one true church, the Church Of Christ.

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Bro. Lyle Jones

Atlanta, Georgia

Lyle Jones: So I was a member of the Mormon religion or the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I was a Mormon missionary for 2 years, where I dedicated 2 years of my life from the age of 19 to 21, to just going out and sharing my faith with others at that point.

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Bro. Jang Kim & Sis. Jinhee Kim

Woodland Hills, CA

Jang Kim: I liked Buddhism because there [were] a lot of philosophical ideologies that really were based upon life on this earth. I was of this whole new-age thing that we’re all spiritual, and we’re all you know…and we can all figure out the truth and the truth is inside of us if we would just be open to it, and I hung out in that for many, many, many years.

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Sis. Martha Pinnix

Winston-Salem, NC

Martha Pinnix: I had been taught, you know growing up in the Baptist Church, that going to church was just going to church. 

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Bro. Farhan Ali

Orlando, Florida

Farhan Ali: Growing up as a child, my mother came from the Catholic side and my father’s side of the family is Muslim. On weekdays I would go to school in the Catholic religion, so I was exposed to all the rituals and stuff that partakes there, and on weekends I would be in the Muslim religion. My thoughts on religion really was, to me it was all really a big joke. I was numb to religion.

Lyle Jones: There were quite a few different beliefs that I had at that time. One very distinct difference that I remember is that God was … had a body of flesh and bones.

Martha Pinnix: And I thought that I was a person that knew the Bible and I didn’t. I knew somebody else’s interpretation of it. And I got what the Bible truly is, I got the truth, at the Iglesia Ni Cristo and I am so thankful for that. 

Lyle Jones: Through the Bible studies I was able to see, in the Bible, that it is true that God is a spirit, and that He’s not physically made up of, you know, flesh and bone.

Jang Kim: Everything revolves around the Bible. It’s not some weird, wacky interpretation of what they read in the Bible, it’s just, “Here’s what the Bible says.”

Farhan Ali: Well I think it’s very good to ask questions, because these days there are a lot of people searching for the truth. And you wouldn’t know if you’re in the truth unless you ask questions.

Jang Kim: Some of those answers are very tough to swallow in this day and age, where people want some easy answers. But the Church Of Christ doesn’t shy away from that, doesn’t back away from that. It’s just like, okay, “We believe that this is the word of God and therefore this is the truth.”

[Video ends]

Brother Edwil: So, Brother Greg, thank you so much,  you’re there in San Francisco. Thank you for sharing those biblical passages with us. Brother Philip in London, thank you so much. And Brother Glenn in Sydney, thank you for giving us those Bible-based answers. So that as the Apostle Peter said to the members of the Church, “You will be ready to speak up and tell anyone who asks why you’re living the way you are.” 

Well, that does it for us here on the Iglesia Ni Cristo International Edition. We hope you’ll join us again next time.

This is Edwil Zabala. Thanks for watching. We invite you now to join us for a prayer.

(40:56)

Brother Greg: Our loving and merciful Father in Heaven, we thank and praise You, dear Father, for this opportunity given to us to not only understand the views and understandings and belief systems of others, but to also impart Your true teachings, dear Father, in relation to what others have embraced. So that, Father, by means of this program others may come to know and understand You, Father, return to You and worship You, in accordance with Your will and in obedience to Your commandments, that all of us may be together amongst Your chosen people, giving honor, praise, and glory to Your most Holy Name.

Continue, Father, to give us the courage to impart to others Your true teachings, dear God, that so many others will also embrace the truth and be with us in serving You,and in worshiping Your most Holy Name.

 Continue to bless each and everyone who joins us continuously in our program. Continue to help them to understand Your laws and commandments, so that, Father, all of us may be together in the right way of serving You in rendering glory and praise to Your name inside Your true, Holy Church.

We sincerely believe, Father, You’ve heard and will hearken to our prayers that we’ve received Your blessings already, through the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Amen

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