The simplicity of leading gullible people away from salvation is demonstrated by two examples of the interpretation of Christ’s Ascension. The former Protestant churches and the Roman Catholic Church do not take anything away from each other. Both institutions serve a theology of horror.
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Tangible guidance from salvation
The ascension of Jesus Christ is obviously being used to completely misunderstand the entire issue. While the “houses of worship” of the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD) take the verse John 12:32 out of context for the Ascension Day and use it to justify the purpose of the Ascension, the Roman Catholic Church aims at dignity in a human-centered, humanistic way. Both institutions teach everything possible, except the extremely important message of the gospel that is associated with this.
A Protestant variant
One of the most outstanding representatives of the EKD is the Evangelical Church in Hesse and Nassau (EKHN). In addition to a variant of the interpretation of Ascension Day by their colleagues in Bavaria (Info), the EKHN has the following on social media:
Off to the top!
– It’s going up!
– John 12:32: Christ says: If I be lifted up from the earth, I will draw all to myself
– With you God, things are looking up.
The unconcerned reader is thus suggested that John 12:32 explains how Jesus Christ also lifts people up when he ascends to heaven. This is decorated with an AI-generated image where Jesus stands at the top of the ladder and takes the hands of the people climbing up below.
Completely taken out of context
The concerned reader, however, opens the Bible and reads through the “environment” of the quoted verse on his own responsibility and with his own brain activated. To grasp the actual context of John 12:32, the verse before and one verse after it are sufficient, i.e. John 12:31-33:
“31 Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.
32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.
33 This he said, signifying what death he should die.“
Does this look like Ascension Day? No, not at all. It is clearly about the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. The verse quoted by EKHN and itself put into context has nothing at all to do with the Ascension. The crucifixion of Jesus Christ was already foreshadowed in Moses’ time in the wanderings in the desert, as in Numbers 21:8-9:
“And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.“
The Savior himself explained that this process represents an announcement of the crucifixion, i.e. the exaltation of Jesus Christ on the cross, in John 3:14-15:
“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.“
Jesus Christ as a serpent?
“Jesus Christ depicted as a snake? Isn’t the snake the symbol of the adversary, Satan?” This question automatically arises, and yes, the snake remains the symbol of evil. All that needs to be understood is that when Jesus Christ crucified and died, he not only took away all our sins, but also had to “get” them somewhere. The reason Jesus Christ died was because He took all our sins upon Himself. He thus became sin himself, as the “concentrated evil of sinfulness” (serpent) and this deserved a just death. With His death the price for sin was paid, i.e. settled.
The exaltation on the cross is the ultimate sign of His love for His creatures. Jesus Christ sacrificed himself on behalf of every single person. “Self-abandonment Ultima”. This is also clearly expressed in Revelation 5:12:
“Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.“
With His exaltation (on the cross), Jesus Christ draws people with Him. Nothing other than dying (spiritually) with Jesus Christ and rising again with Him. This is the often described “rebirth” of man. If a person believes in God’s work of redemption through Jesus Christ, the believer does this with his open confession, including baptism. A baptism according to the gospel symbolizes death (immersion in water), the washing away from sins, and resurrection (emerging from water) from the water. Sprinkling, even in infancy, cannot accomplish this (Info).
Just read the Bible yourself!
Merely reading one verse before and one verse after the by the Protestand Church quoted excerpt is enough to recognize the “error” of the interpretation that the Ascension is the exaltation mentioned. This is not only wrong, but it does not stimulate any thought at all about the truth of the path to salvation for man. They have already clearly revealed how the (once) protesting churches view the Ascension today – Info.
A Roman Catholic variant
The Roman Catholic Church weaves its own story out of the ascension of Jesus Christ. One of the overseers of this church, Bishop Neymeyr in Erfurt, is of the opinion that the ascension of Christ was about increasing human dignity. The bishop shared this thesis with his faithful flock during his sermon (Source).
During his ascension, Jesus “did not shed” his human nature after death and resurrection, but “kept it and took it with him into the kingdom of the heavenly Father,” said the bishop. Therefore, a greater increase in human beings is not conceivable. For this reason, Ascension Day is also celebrated as the “Day of Human Dignity”. “And we Christians have to fight for this human dignity today,” was the slogan of the Catholic bishop.
Always the focus is on people
In the rest of the sermon, Bishop Neymeyr made thematic excursions to political and social platforms. The Catholic overseer always kept people and their dignity at the center. He justified the rejection of “abortion” not with God’s commandment, “You shall not kill”, but with the violation of human dignity. The rejection of homosexual relationships is also based on Holy Scripture, but according to the bishop this says that it is about the impossibility of being able to pass on life during sexual intercourse. This puts the bishop once again away from the gospel and right in the middle of Hellenism and natural law.
The official illustration of this work clearly shows the authorship of the human rights declared for the first time after the French Revolution – Info.
What is Jesus Christ doing in heaven?
Only the flock of the Protestant and Catholic churches who listen and never check receive the impression that the ascension of Jesus Christ was “the symbolic event par excellence.” Since then, Jesus sits at the right hand of God and does what? Governing, wielding the scepter, twiddling his thumbs? Exactly not, and it is precisely this hugely important role that Jesus Christ has played since His ascension that is kept quiet, almost veiled.
Jesus Christ did not ascend into heaven, which is an important event, but ultimately only describes the “way up” in order to warm up the throne at the right hand of God, but He is busy with “all hands” for our salvation . His local work during His presence in this world has since been taken over globally by the Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ himself entered the heavenly sanctuary to assume the high priesthood there. Since then, Jesus Christ has been the advocate of returned and repentant people.
This intercession, and this is kept secret by the churches with “the greatest preference”, is only for those people who confess Jesus Christ in repentance. In the Old Testament, these were the people who went with a sacrificial lamb into the courtyard of the tabernacle (Info) or the temple, repented of their sins, put them away and then entered the sanctuary – at that time through the priest.
The intercession of Jesus Christ applies only to these people! Anyone who – symbolically – does not enter the sanctuary will end up, in the “best case” case, remaining in the outer courtyard, and in the worse case, completely outside. Even those who remain in the outer court will one day be hit hard and bitterly, as in Revelation 11:2:
“But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.“
Just before the final
What is particularly alarming for all the clueless and unconcerned listeners is that Jesus Christ has now – symbolically – entered the Holy of Holies. Our Savior is already cleaning up the sanctuary (Info). So the last actions before the doors are locked. Just as the gate to Noah’s Ark was once closed. Everyone (only 8) who were in the ark were saved. Everyone who remained outside literally perished.
Are these facts of the Gospel even remotely hinted at by the theses of the two large, but de facto reunited churches? Not the slightest trace of it. It is impossible to imagine how many people will one day be hit by a tsunami of an ice-cold shower:
Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Matthew 7:22-23
Bible verses from King James Version
