The Eden Conspiracy

Table of Contents

Chapter 1
Divine Appointment

The brbrbrbrbrbr sound from the Jake brake could be barely heard over the classic rock blaring out of the speakers in the old blue relic of a truck's cab. The truck was vintage for sure and looked good for its age, but it was bordering on the Rat Rod side of respectable. Not as bad as the old truck in the movie Duel, with Dennis Weaver. This old Star still had some shine, although it did look menacing enough in your rear view mirror to make you move over. Adam didn't consider himself to be an aggressive driver, he did his best to be polite and efficient, but if you were needlessly in the way, his patience did have an end. He could be often heard quoting his favourite bumper sticker, ‘Lead or Follow, But, GET OUT OF THE WAY’.

Dropping two gears and getting back into the Cummins's power band made the Jake bark to life like a pack of mad dogs. It didn't take long for the bobtail Western Star to lose its freeway speed as it made the slow right turn of the Sumas exit off ramp. As he rounded the corner Adam looked out his driver’s side window at a disheveled hitch hiker trying to catch a ride by holding up a piece of cardboard box with Kelowna written in red crayon. “He's a newbie,” Chuckled Adam, speaking to the empty cab, “Suitcase and all, who hitch hikes with a suitcase?”

Three minutes later Adam is backing under his reefer van at the grocery warehouse. A full length mural runs down both sides of the fifty three foot van displaying a well-endowed, naked woman, reclining back on one arm while eating a piece of fruit with a broad smile of complete satisfaction on her face. She is posed, relaxing under the shade of a large tree in the midst of a flower bed. Her most private body parts are barely hidden by the colourful flowers and leaves, just staying within the bounds of public modesty. EDEN'S DELIGHTS is boldly printed on a banner across the top of the mural proclaiming the company name.

After quickly cranking up the landing gear, then hooking up the light cord and air lines, Adam is back in the cab preparing to move his truck and trailer to the other side of the fenced yard where he parks clear of the loading bay dock. After spotting the rig out of the way he gets back out of the truck. With a single motion he swings out of the open cab door, his left hand gripping the top of the long grab handle attached to the truck’s cab beside the door frame. Adam slowed his catapulting decent with his hand as it slips down the handle, his boots gingerly touch down onto the compact gravel parking lot.

Heading towards the back of the trailer he checks the fifth wheel connection, lights and kicks the tires of the truck, slowly making his way towards the back he checks for anything amiss. After more tire kicking at the trailer wheels, he quickly looks inside the empty trailer for any noticeable damage and then closes the large back doors latching them securely.

“This will be a quick trip back home,” he thinks to himself. “I'll be just flying up those hills.”

Repeating the same checks on the passenger side, he heads towards the front of the truck. Having circled the unit in a counter clockwise direction, checking as he went, Adam is satisfied with the equipment's condition. Opening the driver’s door, he puts his work gloves together and sets them on the floor of the truck on top of the fire extinguisher between the driver's seat and door. Forcefully pushing the door shut he heads towards the warehouse, pausing to wipe dirt off of the quote painted on the side of the Western Star's front fender. The Quote is from the Bond movie Skyfall, ‘Sometimes the old ways are best’. Chuckling he wipes his dusty hands off on his pants as he walks.

Once in the depot he makes a bee line for the bathroom, the door slams behind him and he bolts it closed. Five minutes later he emerges wiping soapy water off his now clean hands with paper towel.

Jack the warehouse manager waves to him from his office door. “Hey Adam,” he bellows. “Have you got a minute?” Adam veers over towards the heavy set man in the stained white shirt.

“What’s up?” inquires Adam. “I was just getting ready to leave.”

“Are your log books all in order for this month?” demands Jack. “The damn CVSE has been riding my ass for the past month with audits. Even you owner-ops have to be accounted for. Are you sure you’re not over on your time?”

Laughing Adam sings his response to Jack. “Ask me no questions, and I'll tell you no lies.”

Jack's face lightens into his normal beaming smile. “You wouldn't have so much to sing about, if it was you having to pay the fines. Come to think of it, they only complain about small stuff with your paperwork, nothing worthy of a fine.”

Adam smiles knowingly. “That's because I don't cheat.”

Jack scoffs at the idea. “Ya right. I won't ask any questions, I don't want to make you a liar.” Turning back into his office Jack mumbles to Adam. “Have a good trip, if that old thing makes it.”

“Ya, ya, ya, it's not my old truck that has to sit while DPF and computer parts are on back order like those new ones of yours,” retorts Adam with a grin. While tossing the wet crumpled paper towel into the trash can he adds sweetly. “Have a good day, and good luck with the CVSE.”

Reclining in the driver’s seat of his truck, Adam is using his hands free phone, talking to his wife back home. His side of the conversation can be heard, while her side sounded more like Charlie Brown’s teacher.

“No! I’m not going to sit around down here for two days while the log book catches up.”

“It's Sunday, I've called and the scales are closed, so there will be no pictures of the truck plates with traceable date and time stamps.”

“I fueled up last night and I won't make any purchases with a card. I have some cash if I do need anything.”

“Ya, ya, of course.”

“No, don't be silly.”

“I will park out at the Sindou farm when I get back. They said they could be loading on Tuesday afternoon and I won’t have to pick it up until Wednesday.”

“I know, I will, it's only four or five more hours and I will be home with you. Then we can have two days off together.”

“I know.”

“I love you too.”

“I love you four.”

“No, I love you more.”

“Hay I know what I'll do. I saw a lost lamb looking for a ride on the way over here to pick up the trailer, If he’s still there I'll give him a lift, he can keep me company all the way home.”

“No, I've never seen him before.”

“OK. Sure. I'll send you his picture when he gets in, just in case he's an axe murderer.”

“Bye love.”

“I love you too Lil.”

After pushing the call end button, Adam reaches over to his laptop set up in the dash glove box, opening an audio file of mixed favourites, tunes soon fill the cab as he herds his big rig back towards the freeway and the newbie suitcase toting hitchhiker.

Adam sees the lone figure standing forlornly near the end of the on ramp at the edge of the road. He pulls his truck slowly past the cardboard destination sign and onto the paved shoulder. There wasn't a lot of room for the large trailer and it protruded awkwardly into the roadway.

“Lucky thing there’s no traffic,” thought Adam, as he impatiently waited for the hitchhiker to get to his truck. Adam kept checking his mirrors for the lone man with the suitcase but had not seen him coming yet. After what felt like ten minutes to Adam, he pulled the tab out from under the turn signal lever activating the four way flashers and then set the park brakes.

Mumbling to himself he jumped, as before, out of his truck. “Some people need a personal invitation to do anything. I haven't got all day,” he said a bit angrily. Striding to the back of the trailer he went three paces past the end, whistled loudly and waved at the oblivious pedestrian who was standing staring off into the clouds. A sudden downpour of rain from the darkening sky seemed to get the hitchhikers attention. Dropping his cardboard sign, he held his suitcase above his head, in a futile attempt to shield himself from the sudden deluge. Dripping wet from the rain he dashed towards the passenger side of the truck. Adam ran ahead of him opening the passenger door wide, helping him up the fuel tank steps and into the warm dry cab. Adam had no sooner ran around the front of the truck and climbed behind the steering wheel that the rain stopped as quickly as it had started.

Earlier that morning on the outskirts of town, in a remote forested area, a lonely figure surveys what had been his home for the latest chapter of his life. The dorm room sits vacant and dank. It is small for two people, the cramped space made worse by the smell of sweaty socks and mildew. Condensation drips down the inside of the old single pain window, creating small swamps of greeny brown water on the windowsill. Two small dressers sitting side by side is all that separates the old metal cots. A thread bare tattered rug, little bigger than a table place mat, is on the floor beside each of the small beds to help avoid the cold cracked linoleum when getting up out of them.

The room reflects the Spartan, conservative values, of the small denominational Bible college that built the dorms seven decades earlier. Not much has changed within the Bible college since it was dedicated to the Lords service on that long ago August. Both buildings and teachings had not been altered or changed from that past age of strong authoritarian leadership.

It's been within these walls of learning that Isaac has spent the past fourteen months as he had stayed through the summer to take extra courses. Isaac was raised in the fundamentalist teachings of his loving, devout parents chosen denomination. He had been home schooled, repeatedly studying the bible scriptures validating the doctrines of their beliefs, which reinforced the Godly correctness of those beliefs in Isaac's mind.

Isaac didn't know how the adventures of his life would play out, but he knew who he trusted to get him to his final destination. He had always felt like he had a mission to accomplish in his life, although the mission statement was undefined, Isaac knew that he was on a mission from God. He was just waiting for God to open a door and he would gladly walk through it.

Speaking of doors, Isaac was about to walk through a big one. Earlier that week he had informed his parents on his decision to leave Bible college and go back home to help them with their small family painting business. His dad had fallen off a ladder, leaving him with a concussion and a broken leg. Isaac’s parents tried to dissuade him from leaving college, siting the need to continue his schooling, but he would have none of it. Silently they were glad for his stubborn side, as they did need the help, and the mounting bills had to be paid.

Isaac’s resolute decision to return home didn't sit well with the college dean though. The dean put a high value on his institutions instruction. He felt Isaac was throwing his education away for a small setback in his parents’ life that they could get over by themselves. The dean urged Isaac to fast and pray for them while staying on at school, instead of abandoning his studies.

With Isaac's refusal and determination to go home to help his parents, the dean refused to refund Isaac's unused tuition fees, or his room and board which had been prepaid till the end of the school year. Furthermore the dean steadfastly refused to issue Isaac recognition for the school work that he had already completed. All of his college documentation would read ‘INCOMPLETE’. If Isaac was to leave now, the dean made it clear there would be no coming back as long as he was in charge.

The ultimatums only served to strengthen Isaac's resolve to return home. He felt in his heart it was the right thing to do, and had faith that if it was a mistake God would work things out for the good regardless. After making his way out of the dorms, Isaac walked slowly down the college’s windy, tree lined gravel driveway to the road.

Carrying all of his belongings in one old worn suitcase he prayed earnestly as he walked into his future.

“Father, I want to be doing your will in my life. Please guide me in the paths you want me to travel and teach me your wisdom. I want to learn about your mysteries. Let me not be shy in talking to others about my faith in you and the salvation only you provide.”

Being a Sunday morning, the entire college was at chapel leaving Isaac alone to find his own way home. He was reluctant to spend any of the few dollars he had on a bus ticket home, so he planned to hitch whatever ride he could find. He felt bad about such an excursion on Sunday but had little choice but to start his trip as soon as he could. “An ox in the ditch,” Isaac consoled himself, trying to remain positive about still having over three hundred miles to go before he could relax in his parents’ home once again.

Approaching the road Isaac imagined being picked up by a family on their way to church. He rehearsed some witty ad lib lines just in case he might need them. The pickup that stopped for him not far from the college driveway had a lone occupant in it. The truck was old, run down, rusty, and had trouble idling as its brakes squealed to a stop. The driver filled the entire space allotted for the vehicle's operator. His tattooed arms bulged out of his chest straining the seams of his t-shirt.

“Want a ride? I'm going as far as the freeway.”

“Yes please”, Isaac replied excitedly. “That would be great. What takes you out this fine Sunday morning?” inquired Isaac, trying to make conversation to ease his nerves.

“I can't stay home on Sunday mornings”, says the big man, wiping beads of sweat from his brow. “I live next to that dam college and every Sunday morning they raise such a ruckus I can't stand to be around here. I go into town for breakfast at Tim's by the freeway. I complained a few times about the noise, but it did no good. Those dam Bible thumpers got the law on their side. Where are you off to?” the big man asks, while carefully taking stock of Isaac.

“I'm going to hitch hike home to Kelowna,” replied Isaac. “Getting to the freeway would be a great help.”

“Huh,” grunts the big man. “You better stay off the freeway if you’re going to be hitch-hiking. The cops will fine you and drive you back to town. Your best bet is to make up a sign with where you want to go and stand on the on ramp before it enters the freeway. Technically on ramps aren’t part of the freeway, but someone getting on might pick you up,” he advises.

“Thanks,” Isaac says. “I'll do that.” The rest of the fifteen minute trip was silent except for the wheezing of the old pickup truck.

It was a four block walk for Isaac to get to the proper on ramp for the freeway after being dropped off by the big man. He found a stubby red wax crayon and a piece of cardboard in an open dumpster behind the Tim Horton’s. Making the suggested destination sign, Isaac puts down his suitcase and plants himself near the freeway end of the on ramp just as an old semi-truck is taking the freeway exit. Isaac sees the truck driver's grizzled face as he passes by and wonders. “Why is that old guy working on the Lords day of rest? He should know better,” he thought to himself, as his heart ached due to the loss of Godly wisdom that plagued modern society.

No other traffic was to be seen using Isaac's piece of the transportation system, just that one old truck, with the one old sinful driver. Isaac longed for the imagined family to show up and give him a ride on their way to church but he knew they would not be coming for him.

Forty minutes drag by before Isaac has his first glimpse of the huge rolling billboard of lustful sin heading his way. He could make out the naked woman on the side of the large semi-trailer as it came up Sumas Rd. before turning onto the on ramp heading for the freeway. The old truck's exhaust stacks smoked a dark grey as it pulled up the on ramps incline. Isaac watches in disapproving shock as the truck slows and comes to a stop just past where he stood.

“Is he stopping for me?” Isaac asks out loud. Pleading, he looks sky ward. “Oh God, please let someone else give me a ride, pleeeaaase.”

“Maybe I can ignore him and he will leave,” thinks Isaac. Not moving or acknowledging the parked semi a stone’s throw away, Isaac stands motionless, face turned skyward. A whistle and a holler breaks into Isaac's thoughts, “Lord if this is from you please give me a sign.” No sooner had that thought formulated in Isaac's brain that God responded with an attention grabbing blast of cold water pouring down on his head. Scrambling in obedience, Isaac dashes for the safety of the truck’s cab, using his suitcase as a makeshift umbrella.

Chapter 2
Condemnation

“What was taking you so long? I was almost ready to give up on you. We could have stayed dry if you had come when I stopped,” scolded Adam, shaking off his rain soaked cap.

Isaac was silent, still trying to catch his breath and get his shivering under control. Water was coming off his hair in little streams running down his face and neck. Without waiting for a response, Adam had his phone in hand and was snapping a couple pics of his new passenger. Titling them, ‘Wet lost lamb’, he sent them off into cyberspace.

“There, all done,” he said, putting his phone away. “I promised the wife I’d send pics of anyone I pick up. That way she knows who to look for if I don't come home.”

Isaac stuttered with the chills, “I'm not too dangerous.”

Adam had the brakes released and was going through the gears picking up speed quickly as he entered the east bound lanes of the freeway. Between shifts he cranked the heater fan to high and blistering heat began to rush out of the vent holes in the dash. Isaac could watch the colour of his wet denim jeans lighten as they dried out under the fiery blast. He reached out a white wrinkly finger to adjust the vent grills direction away from his scorching knee.

Cracking his side window open a bit to let the condensation escape the tight cab Adam brags. “It won't take long to warm up at 200 degrees. I put in an oversized heater core, and bigger fans. My name's Adam. Where abouts in Kelowna are you headed to?”

Feeling warmed and more comfortable, Isaac introduces himself and asks to be dropped off at the big mall where he would catch a city bus to his parents’ house if they were unable to pick him up.

“Sure, I will be driving right past it,” Adam replied. “What took you so long back there?” he questioned with some irritation.

“Well,” Isaac states, sitting up a bit straighter in the surprisingly comfortable passenger seat. “I didn't want to get a ride from you!”

Without a hint of offence, Adam smiles and asks, “Oh, why not? You afraid of trucks or something. Beggars can't be choosers you know.”

“No, it's nothing like that. I didn't want to ride with you because you seemed like a degenerate person driving a sinfully carnal truck and I was hoping for an uplifting, spirit building trip. In fact I was praying to God that you would go away, when he answered my cry of despair with that cloud burst, forcing me to get in with you.”

The sincere nature of Isaac's statement had no negative affect on Adam's smile as he laughingly said, “Well things aren't always what they appear. That lady on the trailer is just a painting and she has less exposed than most of the fine classical European art people rave about. And even sinners are capable of doing good. I stopped to pick you up didn’t I? And that rain thing, well we get those micro bursts from time to time. But we may be destined for a divine appointment, I guess we'll just have to wait and see what's in store for the trip.”

Caught off guard by Adam's calm response and still hoping to get expelled from this rolling den of iniquity, Isaac pushes Adam for reasons why he was working on the Lords day, a special day set aside for rest and rejuvenation, not only for those who loved and followed God, but for all of mankind. Rounding off his comments for good measure, with statements about how the Old Testament Sabbath breakers were to be stoned for their transgressions.

Adam was quiet for a while formulating his response. Isaac took the pause as a quick moral victory. Finally Adam replied in a slow purposeful cadence.

“You are mixing up the Sabbath day and Sunday as if they weren’t two completely separate things. The Sabbath God gave to Israel was to be kept on the seventh day, our Saturday. Not the first day of the week, which is our Sunday. The Sabbath rules don't apply to Sunday.”

Having practiced in mock debates at school Isaac countered with some rehearsed retorts.

“The Apostles changed the Saturday Sabbath to Sunday when they started preaching to the Gentiles. Like when Paul brought that young man back to life after he fell out of a high window, they were meeting on the first day of the week, that's when they went to church, on Sunday.”

Glancing quickly sideways, then back on the road, Adam saw Isaac furrow his brow and squint his eyes in aggression. Adam softly replies “Well I don't think that passage of the Bible says quite what you think it does.”

Reaching over Adam opens the glove box, revealing a lap top. Closing the music program, he instructs Isaac, “Boot up the Bible study apps that it’s loaded with”.

Grinning, Adam winks at Isaac as he says. “Shouldn't judge a book by the cover. You should be able to find that passage somewhere in there, give it a try.”

Growing uncertain of his first impression, Isaac quickly finds the scriptural passage in question. “Here it is,” he says.

Reading triumphantly aloud for Adam to clearly hear, he brings to life Acts 20:7-14. In the New King James Version “Ministering at Troas,” Isaac hollers, to be herd over the noisy old truck.

“7 Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight. 8 There were many lamps in the upper room where they were gathered together. 9 And in a window sat a certain young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep. He was overcome by sleep; and as Paul continued speaking, he fell down from the third story and was taken up dead. 10 But Paul went down, fell on him, and embracing him said, “Do not trouble yourselves, for his life is in him.” 11 Now when he had come up, had broken bread and eaten, and talked a long while, even till daybreak, he departed. 12 And they brought the young man in alive, and they were not a little comforted.”

“See,” demanded Isaac. “They were having their communion church service on the first day of the week. The Bible proves it. There are many other scriptures that I can refer too, if you want?”

“No, not quite yet, let’s deal with one section of scripture at a time,” Adam advises. “At first read it does sound compellingly supportive of your position, but the timeline that it gives feels wrong somehow. Let’s go over it again. They came together on the first day of the week and broke bread.”

“Yes, they had a communion service!” Isaac broke in.

“Well it doesn't say that,” said Adam. “To break bread was a common term used for eating a meal with friends. The Church usage of that term for communion, or the Lords supper, didn't come till much later. The first century church pooled their belongings and ate meals together so this would have been a common practice. To dogmatically say that they were having a church service using this text is a stretch. They simply came together for a meal, on the first day of the week.”

The conversation pauses while Isaac verifies Adam's points. A quick Google search of, ‘break bread’, led to several sites supporting Adam's position.

Adam waits a long time for Isaac to stop typing and searching the web. “Can I take your silence as agreement?” Adam asks while giving Isaac a sideways glance. Isaac frowns and mutters illegibly.

“OK, so they came together for a meal on the first day of the week,” Adam starts again. “Paul leaves for a trip the next morning at dawn. But rather than getting a good night’s sleep he talks till midnight when the young guy falls to his death. After bringing him back to life they ate some more, then Paul talked until he departed at dawn. Read on to the end of the story Isaac,” Adam instructs.

Isaac reads the rest of the account aloud to the end of verse 14.

“From Troas to Miletus”

“13 Then we went ahead to the ship and sailed to Assos, there intending to take Paul on board; for so he had given orders, intending himself to go on foot. 14 And when he met us at Assos, we took him on board and came to Mitylene.”

“Thanks,” said Adam. “That hike Paul left on was twenty one miles over mountainous terrain, between Troas and Assos. You can find some maps of his trips on line there. His companions sailed or rowed the boat around the tip of Asia Minor to Assos. Not a relaxing day either. Neither trip would have been classified as a Sabbaths day’s journey by old testament law.”

“That's why they left on their trip the next morning,” interjected Isaac. “They met Sunday night and then left Monday morning.”

Shaking his head Adam replies. “That only works if you keep track of days the way we do now in this modern age. We count days starting at midnight, but the Jewish day started and ended at sunset. Check Genesis chapter one, the days are counted from the evening to evening.

So the first day of the week when they got together to break bread, would have been to us, Saturday evening. Then, Paul talked until midnight of the first day of the week. To us, that would be the start of Sunday at midnight. Then the guy fell down dead. Paul revived him, ate some more, kept on talking till dawn and then did a twenty one mile hike over a mountain. Meanwhile his friends took the boat the long way around to Assos. That doesn't sound like a precedent setting way of modeling the new ‘day of rest’ to the church. Would you agree with that analysis?”

Isaac was silent in thought for a minute, “let me do some checking first,” he said thoughtfully. “I had never thought of it like that before.”

“Take your time,” Adam said, as he adjusted the heater temperature. Then reaching into his cooler for an orange he started to peel it over the steering wheel while using his elbows to make slight course adjustments, keeping the truck speeding along in its proper lane.

After many different searches on the lap-top, Isaac finally broke the silence. “Yes, I suppose that this section of scripture wasn't the best one to prove my point about Sunday being the Lords day. There are others I should have used instead. What about…”

Adam loudly takes over the conversation. “Stop, stop, stop!” he says, holding his hand out, with the palm facing out towards Isaac's face. “We must decide about the last section of scripture before we move on. Does it support the Sabbath or Sunday? To me, it verifies keeping a Saturday Sabbath, not keeping Sunday as the Sabbath. It only supports Sunday if you count the days in an unbiblical way, from midnight to midnight. Do you agree or not?”

Isaac squirms in his seat, then begrudgingly agrees that it doesn't really support Sunday as the day of rest, but upholds Saturday.

“OK then, you can never use it in good conscience again to defend your belief for a Sunday day of rest, can you?”

Isaac hesitates for a moment, then looking straight at Adam says. “No, I don't suppose I can.”

“Alright, what are the next scriptures we need to look at?” Adam asks as he slurps down the last piece of his orange.

“Just a second while I find them,” Isaac says, fingers flying over the old lap top key board. He scrolls through sights until he finds the version he is happy with. “Here it is he blurts,” and starts to read it out loud with renewed vigour.

“1 Corinthians 16:1-4 King James Version

Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye.

2 Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.

3 And when I come, whomsoever ye shall approve by your letters, them will I send to bring your liberality unto Jerusalem.

4 And if it be meet that I go also, they shall go with me.”

“There. You see? They were taking up an offering on the first day of the week to help the brethren in Jerusalem. They were to bring it with them to church. They held their service on the first day of the week, Sunday!” Isaac emphatically stated in exasperation.

“Well again it does appear to be saying that, if you already believe Sunday to be the day of worship, but there is nothing in there stating that Sunday should replace the Sabbath day. Paul was very blunt when he challenged and spearheaded the change to the practice of circumcision. Had he been changing the day of worship to Sunday, one would expect him to be much clearer with his assertion. Your proof is circumstantial at best and at worse misleading. There are other texts that will help clarify what is going on here. Look it up in the next book, 2 Corinthians. Use the New King James Version,” Adam directs.

Scrolling through the book, Isaac scans the screen and quickly finds the passage, then reads it out loud.

“2 Corinthians 9: 1-5 New King James Version, Administering the Gift

Now concerning the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you; 2 for I know your willingness, about which I boast of you to the Macedonians, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal has stirred up the majority. 3 Yet I have sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you should be in vain in this respect, that, as I said, you may be ready; 4 lest if some Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we (not to mention you!) should be ashamed of this confident boasting. 5 Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren to go to you ahead of time, and prepare your generous gift beforehand, which you had previously promised, that it may be ready as a matter of generosity and not as a grudging obligation.

I don't see your point,” Isaac complains.

Adam elaborates his position. “The point is, they were collecting a gift for the brethren in Jerusalem. Not taking up an offering to run the local church. They could have been setting aside their gifts individually every week for a long time. Then bringing them together before Paul came and their offerings were sent to Jerusalem. Paul just didn’t want it to be gathered together when he was there, so it wouldn't look like they were doing it out of duty instead of love. Paul had been boasting to the Macedonian churches about the Corinthians and didn't want it to look bad to any Macedonian church members that might be accompanying him to Corinth. It was all about perceptions, not about the day of worship”.

“Then why did he tell them to set aside their offerings on the first day of the week?” demanded Isaac.

“If you were to give an offering on how much God blessed you every week, wouldn't it make sense to wait until the week ended? Then you could make an accurate tally of the profits generated in the previous week. You could try to guess on Thursday but you would have no way of being sure until the week was over. Setting your offering aside on the first day of the week would make it easy to know how much you could give based upon the previous week. As well, it establishes a regular routine of giving a little at a time,” explained Adam.

Taking the offensive Adam catches Isaac off guard by asking a couple questions. “If Paul was changing the day of worship to Sunday, why is it not recorded anywhere that he did? He kept going to the synagogues on the Sabbath as was his custom. He also kept track of the seasons by referring to the annual Sabbaths when recording Christian history for fellow Christians. If he was replacing these days of worship, why not use the updated days as reference points instead? Do a Google search for yourself and see.”

Isaac is silent in his studies for a while, when he speaks again his voice has a softer tone to it. “I found the verse referring to the season, I think. Was it when he was on the boat trip, got caught in a storm and sunk?”

“Ya that's it,” Replied Adam.

“Well it's not much of a reference. What annual Sabbath is it referring too? I'm not that familiar with the Jewish holy days. I would have never noticed it if you hadn’t pointed it out,” Isaac reads aloud Acts 27:9.

“Now when much time was spent, and when sailing was now dangerous, because the fast was now already past, Paul admonished them,”

“That's part of my point,” Said Adam. “Why refer to a day that was to fall out of usage and the understanding of it to become lost to his future Christian audience? Why not say, late fall instead? Unless he didn't know those days would become forgotten through lack of use.”

“Well maybe,” Isaac paused to collect his thoughts. “That may be true, but it doesn't make having to keep a Saturday Sabbath binding on Christians today like you’re trying to prove. The Sabbath was part of the law that Jesus did away with.”

“Praise the Lord!” Adam exclaims loudly. “That's the first thing you've said that I can agree with. I wasn't trying to prove that Christians had to keep the Sabbath. You legalistically said that I was a sinner because I worked on Sunday. You went on to say that Sunday was the new Sabbath and should be kept in a legalistic way. I was pointing out the fact that Saturday was never replaced by Sunday in the Bible. I didn't say Christians had to keep the Sabbath day holy on Saturday, Sunday, or on any other day.

I wish Christians kept Wednesday as a day of worship. That would get them as far away as possible from the idea of having to keep Saturday, Sunday, or any day holy. Maybe then they would be less legalistic about everything else. I was pointing out that you were mixing up your days with no biblical support to back it up.

Jesus fulfilled the law’s requirements for us on the cross. The torn temple veil demonstrates that to us, by making access directly to God possible. The last words Jesus spoke, told us, ‘it is finished’. What was finished?” answering his own question Adam animatedly continues his rant. “The work Jesus came to earth to do, freeing all of humanity from the grip of sin, that, is what was finished. His sinless sacrificial life did that for us all. Christians are free from keeping outward laws that regulate our actions. Instead we are bound by the inward love of God that guides our thoughts and hearts. Our actions display our inward selves for all to see. Paul warned us about getting caught back into legalism in Galatians. ‘Freedom is what we have—Christ has set us free! Stand, then, as free people, and do not allow yourselves to become slaves again’. Slaves to what? Slaves to laws and legalism. ‘Have you not read? The sacrifice God wants is a willing spirit. God, you will not reject a heart that is broken and sorry for its sin’.”

Nodding in agreement Isaac breaks in. “Yes, the Crucifixion and death of Jesus paid for our sins. His resurrection proof on, Sunday, is why we should keep his day special. The Lords Day, like when John was in the spirit on the Lords Day, when he wrote the book of Revelations. He wrote it on Sunday; we should worship the Lord on his day. Sunday!

Adam takes his eyes off the road for a moment and looks intently into the bright, young, wide eyes of Isaac. Turning his gaze back to the road he lets out a deep, heavy, sigh. “So tell me,” Adam begins slowly. “What makes you so sure Jesus arose from the dead on Sunday?”

Giving Adam a puzzled look Isaac replies in bewilderment. “He arose on the third day. I thought you would have known that. Aren’t you a follower of Jesus? Don't you believe in the resurrection of Jesus? That was the miracle Jesus gave to prove he was the son of God. I was starting to think you were a believer, but now I'm not so sure. Jesus was crucified on Friday and rose in victory over the grave on Sunday, just like the Bible says.”

“I do believe in the resurrection of Jesus, and I do believe he rose just like he said he would.” Adam tells Isaac reassuringly. “The problem is, I don't think you have looked at all of the scriptures to see how they fit together.”

“Yes I have!” irritated, Isaac shoots back. “I have been to one of the best Bible colleges around, with well-trained scholarly professors and doctors of theology who have studied the scriptures for years. Yes, I do know the scriptures about the resurrection, thank you very much, probably better than some old trucker.”

Ignoring Isaac, Adam guides the steering wheel with a slight amount of counter clockwise pressure, maneuvering his rig past, yet another truck in the slow lane. Quickly over taking and passing the slower lumbering semi, Adam checks his right hand mirror as he sings a line from a classic rock song. He provides his own back up instrumentals by making electric guitar and drum sounds with his mouth. “Life in the fast lane, surely you will lose your mind, life in the fast lane. Buna, nuna, nu, nu, nu, do, do do, do.”

Giving Isaac a minute longer to cool down Adam changes the subject. “Those poor guys are stuck with speed limiters so they can't go faster than a hundred clicks. I prefer to at least go the speed limit. The boss tried to make me put one on, but it wouldn't work with my old mechanical engine. It had to be a, drive by wire, for the computer thingy to work.” Laughing Adam adds. “And the boss wonders why I like my old truck. ‘Sometimes the old ways are best’.”

Sensing Isaac's tension starting to dissipate, he starts to talk again about the resurrection of Jesus. Getting no response, he glancing over to see Isaac slouched back in the passenger seat, his head resting against the side window, fast asleep. Time and the miles fly by, unobserved by Isaac.

Chapter 3
Prove It

Frost heaves in the road bounce the truck cab violently, banging Isaac's head hard against the cool side window, jarring him out of his slumber. Adam takes note of his waking, gives Isaac a moment to sort out his surroundings, then picks up the conversation where he had left off.

“You know, I never went to a fancy college like you. But that doesn't mean I haven't studied. I have lots of time to listen and think. I like to mull things over and look at a subject from every possible angle. I will do it for days. Now with the internet, research is so much easier than before. The company I contract to gets like a gazillion gigs of data per month with their satellite coverage contract. That’s how they can keep in touch with all of the trucks. I can use it all I want. I just can't stream Netflix 24 hours a day is all. Anyway, between waiting to load produce and hours of service limits, I can get a lot of research done. There are audio posts I listen to and many topics to fact check. So, if you are ready to discuss the topic biblically, so am I.”

“Sounds good to me,” Isaac said with a growing clarity after his slumber. He was excited for the opportunity to exercise his biblical prowess and set this old trucker straight. “All points used have to be supported by the King James Version or the Strong’s concordance using the words from the original texts. My profs say that other translations can misdirect a person if they are not careful. Only the sound word of God can be used and no source other than the Bible can be referenced to support an opinion.” Isaac adds.

“That’ll work for me,” Adam replies nodding his head. “Good ground rules. Shall we start?”

“OK” Isaac begins hesitantly trying to remember where the conversation had ended. “I will admit that Paul doesn't specifically say to keep Sunday in place of Saturday, and the scriptures I used to show that he had were, well, circumstantial at best. And yes I agree that Jesus freed us from having to keep the old covenant law through his sacrifice.” Isaac uses these retraction sentences to formulate where he wanted to start his rebuttal.

“But it is rock solidly clear, that the day Jesus was crucified was the preparation day for the Sabbath. Furthermore, it is also rock solid, that it was the first day of the week, while it was still dark before sunrise, that the women found the tomb empty. You can't disprove those facts using the Bible as source material.”

“Absolutely, one hundred percent true. Congratulations, that's the second thing you’ve said that I can agree with,” Adam says grinning.

“So now you agree that Jesus was crucified on Friday and rose on Sunday? Did the thought of having to prove, through bible scripture anything different, scare you?” Isaac sarcastically remarks.

“Nope, to all of those questions,” replies Adam. “You’re still wrong. Your first statement was true. The day Jesus was crucified was on the preparation day for the Sabbath and the women did find an empty tomb in the predawn darkness of the first day of the week. Those statements are, as you say, rock solid.”

“So what's your problem?” Isaac was still sarcastic.

Checking his temper, Adam calmly replied. “It's not my problem. It's your lack of understanding of the bigger picture.”

Still sarcastic Isaac sneers. “Ohh dooo tell, would you pleeaase enlighten me.”

“Well since you’ve asked so nicely, it would be my pleasure,” Adam says, saccharinly sweet, turning his face towards Isaac to display the biggest fake smile he could muster. “Let’s start with verses talking about how long Jesus would be in the grave for. Your good with that keyboard, go find em!” he orders.

Isaac begins his search meticulously cutting and pasting each reference into a single document for future reference. “We’ll use all of the accounts describing what Jesus, or others said, about how long Jesus would be in the grave,” Isaac said looking for Adam's approval.

“Ya sure, that would be good,” Adam says agreeably.

Before long Isaac proudly reveals his findings. “OK, these are the verses I could find about how long Jesus would be in the grave. I have put them into categories. First, is the sign Jesus gave to the Pharisees, then, in three days, on the third day and after three days,” Isaac proceeds to read them aloud.

“Sign of Jonas.

Matthew 16:4 King James Version
A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed.

Luke 11:30
For as Jonas was a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man be to this generation.

Matthew 12: 40
For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

In Three Days.

Matthew 27:40
and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!”

Mark 15:29
Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, “So! You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days.

Matthew 26:61
And said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days.

Mark 14:58
We heard him say, I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands.

John 2:19-21 KJV
Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. 20 Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? 21 But he spake of the temple of his body.

On The Third Day.

Luke 24:46
He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day,

Luke 24:21
but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place.

Luke 24:7
‘The Son of Many must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’

Luke 13:32
He replied, “Go tell that fox, ‘I will keep on driving out demons and healing people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach my goal.’

Luke 9:22
And he said, “The Son of Mane must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.”

Matthew 20:19
and will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!”

Matthew 17:22-23
And while they abode in Galilee, Jesus said unto them, The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men: 23 And they shall kill him, and the third day he shall be raised again. And they were exceeding sorry.

Mark 9:31
For he taught his disciples, and said unto them, The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day.

Mark 10:34
And they shall mock him, and shall scourge him, and shall spit upon him, and shall kill him: and the third day he shall rise again.

Luke 18:33
And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again.

1 Corinthians 15:4
And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

Acts 10:40
Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly;

After three Days.

Matthew 27:63 KJV
Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again.

Mark 8:31
And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.

So you can see Jesus was in the grave for three days,” Isaac said.

“OK. That would put Jesus in the tomb for 72 hours then wouldn't it? Three 24 hour days,” Adam calculates.

“No. The term day was a figure of speech, any portion of the day would work,” corrected Isaac patiently, momentarily losing his sarcastic tone. “There are other examples of that in the Bible.”

“Yes, I have seen them, but Jesus used the story of Jonas as his test of divinity, breaking the three days into three days and three nights. So to fulfill that, you would need some part of each day and night. Friday sunset to predawn first day of the week would not have the needed time, there would need to be a daylight and night portion from each day. Or he may have completed the whole 72 hours so that the Pharisees would have no grounds on which to deny his divinity.

After all, he knew they would use the tiniest excuse to reject him; they had been doing that for the last three and a half years of his life. It doesn't make sense for him to give a sign to prove he was the son of God to the Pharisees and then give them an excuse to ignore it.

Had Jesus been talking to his friends then a figure of speech would have been alright. But not for the Pharisees, they were nit-picky lawyers all about the smallest jot and tittle. No, he would have wanted to be more precise than a figure of speech. Besides, look at his statements, in three days, on the third day, and after three days. The only way these three statements can all work is if it was exactly three days, 72 hours,” Adan argued.

“I can see your point about the Pharisees; they did hate Jesus and used any excuse to reject him. However you are forgetting two important facts,” Isaac declares. “The first is that Jesus was crucified on the preparation day and second is the two men walking on the road who met Jesus, they said it was the third day since Jesus had been killed. If he had been in the grave for 72 hours, for the full three days and nights, then they would have been talking to Jesus on the fourth day, not the third. It's not possible for him to be in the grave for a full 72 hours and then talk to people during the daylight portion of the third day.”

“Your second point is a puzzler. I will have to do a bit more research on it. It does seem to put the full 72 hours into question,” Adam admits. “But your first point is fairly easy to figure out. They were Crucifying Jesus on the preparation day for the annual Sabbath of Unleavened Bread. Jesus was literally being slaughtered as our Passover lamb.

I find the symbolism quite poignant. These annual Sabbaths could land on any day of the week, depending on the year. They were to be treated holy like a regular weekly Sabbath day. Like the fast day Paul used when referring to the autumn season, it was also one of the annual Sabbath days.”

“I don't know much about these annual Sabbaths,” Isaac admits.

“Well then you better look them up. I wouldn't want you to trust me about the Bible. You need to prove it for yourself,” Adam says encouragingly.

Isaac begins another search on the lap top, this time to find scriptures on the mysterious annual Sabbaths and how they were to be kept. “There are several different texts describing the annual feast days, but this list in Leviticus 23 is fairly concise. The wording used, treats the weekly and annual Sabbaths the same, as holy convocations, to be the feasts of the Lord. I have never read about them before,” Isaac said with a sheepish tone. He reads the entire chapter, pausing at times to reflect on the newly discovered biblical content.

“Leviticus 23 KJV

1 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the feasts of the Lord, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my feasts.

3 Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the sabbath of the Lord in all your dwellings.

4 These are the feasts of the Lord, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons.

5 In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the Lord's passover.

6 And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the Lord: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread.

7 In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.

8 But ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord seven days: in the seventh day is an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.

9 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

10 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest:

11 And he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall wave it.

12 And ye shall offer that day when ye wave the sheaf an he lamb without blemish of the first year for a burnt offering unto the Lord.

13 And the meat offering thereof shall be two tenth deals of fine flour mingled with oil, an offering made by fire unto the Lord for a sweet savour: and the drink offering thereof shall be of wine, the fourth part of an hin.

14 And ye shall eat neither bread, nor parched corn, nor green ears, until the selfsame day that ye have brought an offering unto your God: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.

15 And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete:

16 Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the Lord.

17 Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals; they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the Lord.

18 And ye shall offer with the bread seven lambs without blemish of the first year, and one young bullock, and two rams: they shall be for a burnt offering unto the Lord, with their meat offering, and their drink offerings, even an offering made by fire, of sweet savour unto the Lord.

19 Then ye shall sacrifice one kid of the goats for a sin offering, and two lambs of the first year for a sacrifice of peace offerings.

20 And the priest shall wave them with the bread of the firstfruits for a wave offering before the Lord, with the two lambs: they shall be holy to the Lord for the priest.

21 And ye shall proclaim on the selfsame day, that it may be an holy convocation unto you: ye shall do no servile work therein: it shall be a statute for ever in all your dwellings throughout your generations.

22 And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not make clean riddance of the corners of thy field when thou reapest, neither shalt thou gather any gleaning of thy harvest: thou shalt leave them unto the poor, and to the stranger: I am the Lord your God.

23 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

24 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation.

25 Ye shall do no servile work therein: but ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord.

26 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

27 Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord.

28 And ye shall do no work in that same day: for it is a day of atonement, to make an atonement for you before the Lord your God.

29 For whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among his people.

30 And whatsoever soul it be that doeth any work in that same day, the same soul will I destroy from among his people.

31 Ye shall do no manner of work: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.

32 It shall be unto you a sabbath of rest, and ye shall afflict your souls: in the ninth day of the month at even, from even unto even, shall ye celebrate your sabbath.

33 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

34 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven days unto the Lord.

35 On the first day shall be an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.

36 Seven days ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord: on the eighth day shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord: it is a solemn assembly; and ye shall do no servile work therein.

37 These are the feasts of the Lord, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, to offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord, a burnt offering, and a meat offering, a sacrifice, and drink offerings, every thing upon his day:

38 Beside the sabbaths of the Lord, and beside your gifts, and beside all your vows, and beside all your freewill offerings, which ye give unto the Lord.

39 Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep a feast unto the Lord seven days: on the first day shall be a sabbath, and on the eighth day shall be a sabbath.

40 And ye shall take you on the first day the boughs of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and ye shall rejoice before the Lord your God seven days.

41 And ye shall keep it a feast unto the Lord seven days in the year. It shall be a statute for ever in your generations: ye shall celebrate it in the seventh month.

42 Ye shall dwell in booths seven days; all that are Israelites born shall dwell in booths:

43 That your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.

44 And Moses declared unto the children of Israel the feasts of the Lord.

So the fourteenth, at even or sunset, when the Passover lamb was sacrificed, took place just before Jesus was being put into the tomb. Then the fifteenth was the first day of unleavened bread, it would have started at sunset with an annual Sabbath,” Isaac was working out the details in his mind as he talked.

“Yes,” affirmed Adam. “That is why the Jews wanted the legs, of the three crucified that day, to be broken and their bodies taken down. They didn't want them hanging on their crosses on their high Sabbath day of unleavened bread. It's in John's account of that day.”

“I remember reading it, but I never made the connection until you pointed it out now. I wondered why it would have been a ‘high Sabbath’, but never took the time to find out. Let me quickly look it up,” Isaac said, as he starter to type on the lap top's keyboard. “There are two sections of scripture mentioning it being the Passover, and one about it being a high day,” enthusiastically Isaac begins to read them to Adam.

John 19:31

The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.

John 19:14

And it was the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour: and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King!

John 18:28

Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas unto the hall of judgement: and it was early; and they themselves went not into the judgement hall, lest they should be defiled; but that they might eat the passover.”

“Ya. See, those verses tell us it was the preparation day for an annual Sabbath, not a weekly one. These annual Sabbaths could take place on any day of the week not just Saturday, so the preparation day doesn't have to be a Friday.”

“This is all very new and confusing to me,” Isaac complained “I don’t really get it. Friday and Sunday Easter is much easier to understand.”

“OK, let’s go through it again and see if I can explain it better,” Adam said, sounding like an elementary school teacher. “We know that every Sabbath has a preparation day, because you have to rest from your labour on the Sabbath.”

“Ya,ya,ya, I get that part. It’s all the mumbo jumbo about what day you start to count on that gets me,” Isaac said, still complaining. “That’s what I don’t get.”

Smiling broadly Adam Joked, “I bet I can tell you, within three days, the day you were born.”

Thinking he was being made fun off Isaac replied angrily. “What’s that got to do with anything?”

“Wednesday,” Adam said confidently, brushing off Isaac’s angry response.

“You’re daft, March third.” Taking a moment to think about it Isaac soon saw the significance of Adam’s riddle. “Oh I think I get it now. Because of the number of days in a year, any one day, like my birthday, might land, depending on the year, on a different day of the weak.”

“Exactly,” Adam said calmly. “Preparation day could be any day of the weak for one of the annual Sabbaths. It was also a ‘special’ preparation day, because on the afternoon of that preparation day, the Passover lamb was sacrificed before the first Sabbath of unleavened bread.”

Scratching his head slowly Isaac looked at Adam with new eyes, uttering a slow, “Yyaaa. I think I get it now. Why does it have to be so confusing?”

“Why should it be simple?” Adam questioned. “Like you said earlier, you’re not all that familiar with Old Testament Holy Days.

So let’s start again. We should be able to have all of the scriptures fit into place after adding up the six, day and night segments, revealing the preparation day,” Adam speculates. “Going by the idea of any portion of a day could count for a day and by Jesus using three days and nights as his sign we can count backwards three light and three dark segments to find the day he was crucified on.”

“OK, that would work,” Isaac added. “So we have Sunday before sunrise, or Saturday night to us, that's the first dark part, because the first day of the weak starts at sunset, not at midnight.”

“Saturday light part,” chimed in Adam. “I'll count the daylight portions, you count the nights.”

“That will help make it easy to keep track. Friday dark is two,” agreed Isaac.

“Friday daylight is two,” Said Adam, taking his turn.

“Thursday night makes three,” Isaac says, holding up three of his fingers.

“And some portion of Thursday late afternoon completes at least some of each of the day and night parts, of the three days and three nights Jesus had given as a sign,” Adam says.

Going on Adam ads speculatively, “It also allows for Sunday to be the third day as a figure of speech, since everything took place. The disciples wouldn’t have been finished taking care of Jesus until they rolled the stone sealing the tomb, which would have been after sunset. They probably didn't start counting until they were finished with their work.”

Isaac nods his head in agreement. “That would make for two Sabbaths in a row. Thursday at even of the fourteenth for the preparation day Passover, then Friday the fifteenth for the first day of Unleavened Bread Sabbath, followed by the weekly Saturday Sabbath. The Women show up Sunday before daylight only to find an empty tomb and that Jesus has already risen. That should satisfy all of the scripture references we found,” Isaac stops talking and a pondering look comes over his face. “I wonder why we don't keep it like that?” he says softly to himself.

“What does it matter when we celebrate?” Adam says loudly. Speaking passionately Adam continues. “We are free to worship at any time. Being tied up in laws and time schedules misses the whole point of grace. Jesus freed us from all of that, we can't let ourselves get tied up in the legalism of, one size fits all. I may not believe all that you believe and vice-versa. But it doesn't really matter as long as we believe in and receive Jesus as our Savior.

That's why I disagreed with your statements about when Jesus died and was resurrected. Your statements left no room for any other possibilities, or beliefs. You said it had to be a Friday burial, with a Sunday morning resurrection. We shouldn’t deny the power of God because our traditions don't fully reflect God's truth in every way. Jesus was resurrected just as he said he would be. After three days. We need to give others their freedom of thought as to how they add it up and to follow God's calling in their lives.

We can rest assured that Jesus did rise as he said he would and fulfilled his prophesy. Otherwise the Pharisees would not have tried to make it look like the disciples stole the body of Jesus. They would have just said he didn't come back to life as he had predicted and didn't fulfill his proof of messiah-ship. Why bother bribing the Roman guards? The Pharisees would have kept their beloved money.”

Isaac is thoughtfully quiet for a moment, then speaks. “I suppose I should have said, I believe, or that, Christians choose to celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus on these days.”

“How about, some Christians choose to celebrate,” interrupted Adam.

“Oh ya, I guise that would be better,” said Isaac respectfully. “It's all about making your communication inclusive isn't it?”

“It's all about making your thoughts inclusive,” corrected Adam. “If your heart is there, your words will reflect it. Legalism is exclusive and divisive. Love is inclusive and covers a multitude of sin.”

“I guess I could work on my subtleties,” declared Isaac. “I wonder why the Church ever started keeping Friday and Sunday to commemorate the resurrection.”

“Probably because the Jews persecuted them for not keeping the Law of Moses,” Adam Guesses. “I would have wanted to get as far away from that Jewish legalism as I could. Paul talks about Jewish converts telling others they had to be circumcised and follow the laws of Moses. It seems like, not everyone fully understood the grace Jesus brought to us. It wasn't until in the three hundreds, with Constantine, that the dates for Easter and a Sunday Sabbath were instituted.

Easter isn't practiced when it is because that's the biblical story, any more than the Christmas story. Our Christmas traditions are totally accurate to the birth of Jesus. The ancient corporate Christian church set out the traditions most modern Christians keep today. Most Christians don't know their own church history; they think their religious holidays are prescribed in the Bible by God. When in actual fact today’s Christian traditions were thought up by Christian leaders for a variety of reasons. After all if you are going to leave one set of traditions behind, you need another set of traditions to replace them with.”

Reaching down to the floor Adam picks up a grubby half empty plastic water bottle. Twisting off the cap using the fingers from the same hand he held it with, he takes a sip of water from it, threading the cap back on in reverse order, he drops the bottle back to the floor.

“But that doesn't make keeping them wrong. You said yourself Jesus freed us from the law and it's through grace we are saved, we are free to worship God whenever we think best,” Isaac sharply pointed out.

“Yes, we are free and it isn't important when we worship God, only that we do,” Adam points out. “If it was important to God that we celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus at a specific time, he would have told us how and when to do it, like he did with the Holy Days. The fact that we can come up with three likely scenarios for how things played out at the resurrection, show that it has been left as a bit of a mystery. God has shown that he can be very precise on how and when to worship him in the past. It seems to me that he isn't looking for people to follow external rules and laws, but follow his spirit, growing in the fruit of love.”

Continuing, Adam says forcefully. “So now that you agree that it isn't important the day or time we worship and you understand some of the history around the days kept as special, STOP being legalistic and judgmental of those who don't believe the same way as you.

Oh and before I forget, John was is the spirit, on the Lord's day, refers to the day that Jesus returns to the earth at his second coming. Not Sunday,” Adam's voice is animated as he talks to Isaac. His head twisting back and forth, taking quick glances at the empty highway in front of him.

Isaac squirms in his seat as if he was a hot stove. His face starts to redden as the reality of his religiously superior attitudes start to become clear to him. He is not ready to admit defeat to this trucker quite yet though. He still had some spiritual ammo left to fire and he was sure that it would be accurate.

Chapter 4
Game On

Sitting quietly Isaac formulates strategy for his next foray. His thoughts become hard to formulate and disjointed, as the gentle rocking of the truck once again overwhelms his consciousness with its soothing affect and he is overcome with slumber. His rest is only partial and fleeting as his mind is filled with the thoughts of how to set up his next point of debate. Waking with a new challenge in mind, Isaac starts another sparring round with a pointed question shot at Adam.

“Are you saying that it doesn't matter what you believe as long as you believe in and accept Jesus?

Startled by Isaac's sudden attentiveness, Adam pauses for a moment considering his reply. He adjusts the cab heat and simultaneously checks for traffic in his mirrors. “It depends what you understand the plan of God to be,” replies Adam. “Do you believe that accepting Jesus as your Savior and eternal life in heaven, is the extent of God’s plan for humanity? Or do you believe we are called to receive eternal life, as well as rewards in God's kingdom as true sons of God. We receive those rewards by developing our talents and by growing in the Spirit of God during this life.

I believe God will reward us for how well we overcome now, in this life. It does matter what you believe, because not fully understanding God or his plans for humanity, will affect how you interact with people around you. It will affect how you show the love of God to the world. Even though you may be saved, you could be misleading others about the Kingdom of God.

As Christians we are to develop the fruit of the spirit and become more like God. We do this by wrestling with our human nature, now is our time for growth. The better we know the Bible the better we will know God.” Adam throws in a quote from the Bible. “’Do your best to win full approval in God's sight, as a worker who is not ashamed of his work, one who correctly teaches the message of God's truth’.”

“Yes!” Isaac exclaims. “So we must preach to this sinful world so that they will be able to repent and save their souls from eternal torment in the fires of Hell?” Isaac says expanding on Adam's thought. “We should preach Jesus to the world to win those lost souls for the Lord and gain a better reward for ourselves.”

Adam shoots a glance at Isaac and says with a frown. “That's not what I was getting at. I was talking about Christians being rewarded by God, for their personal growth, once they are in the kingdom. We need to be skillful in correctly teaching the word of God to others so that we won’t be ashamed of our workmanship of proclaiming the Kingdom of God.”

Isaac responds impatiently. “As long as people hear the message of Jesus and accept him as their Savior to gain eternal life, that is all that is needed to save them from eternal torment in Hell. That is the prime work of the faithful.”

Defiant, Isaac leans back in his chair where he is again overcome by the trucks gentle rocking motion and the heat of the cab. Another wave of exhaustion and relaxation washes over him like an narcoleptic wave. Without warning he is suspended in a jittery, twitchy sleep, his head tipped against the passenger door window in what has now become a familiar pose.

Having plenty of time to formulate his rebuttal, Adam waits patiently as he keeps the truck safely rolling down the highway. “It appears to me that you believe Satan’s lie.” Adam loudly picks up the conversation where they had left off when Isaac finally awakens with a snort.

“What lie is that?” Isaac replies groggily, wiping the drool from his chin. “Why would I believe anything that Satan tells me?” Isaac demands sharply.

“Well, your statement that those who don't accept Jesus will be tortured eternally in the fires of hell. Or did I misunderstand you? It leads me to believe that you have been duped by Satan along with the majority of mankind,” explained Adam.

“Yes, that is what I meant. The unsaved will be tormented in Hell for all eternity, but that is not a satanic lie. It's a biblical fact.” Isaac said certifying his beliefs, as the true biblical record.

“Then yes, you do believe the lie Satan told Eve in the Garden of Eden. ‘You shall not surely die.’ That was the original lie, told by the father of lies and mankind has believed it ever since,” Adam said confidently.

“What lie? What are you talking about? We all die physically, but our souls live on. ‘The Spirit goes back to God who gave it’. Our spirits are entrusted to be with God when we die, our spirit is immortal, many Bible verses explain that to us. Haven't you ever read them in the Bible?” Isaac asks Adam in mocking sarcasm, astonished with Adam’s ignorance of basic Christian doctrine.

“No, actually I never could find that taught in my bible. Maybe you could help me find where it's written. I've heard it being taught in sermons and I know people talk about that notion, but I have not read that anywhere in the Bible,” Adam was speaking with a slight hint of sarcasm himself; his eyes were wide giving him a lost puppy look.

“Well OK, let’s start with the verse that I have already referred too. The spirit goes back to God. I'll look it up.” Isaac's fingers are in a flurry over the key board. “Here it is,

Ecclesiastes 12:7 KJV. Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

This is telling us that when we die our Spirit goes back to God. That is strait forward to understand. Don't you see? Man was created as a body out of the ground and then God breathed into him, the spirit, and he became a living soul. We have two separate parts, body and soul. Soul is also referred to as the spirit and here we are told it goes back to God when we die,” Isaac is trying to use his best professorial voice.

“I do see the words your reading, however I don't think you got the proper meaning for them,” Adam retorts.

“What do you mean? What other possible explanation could there be,” Isaac inquires.

“It all goes back to the beginning,” said Adam, doing his best to explain. “If your understanding is wrong just a bit at the start, then you will not understand other things correctly later on.

Like surveying land, if you’re half a degree off to start with, after a thousand miles you will be a long way from the intended mark. That's what Satan did, he mislead mankind at the start about ourselves and that has led mankind away from God and the plans God has for us ever since.”

“Your big on conspiracy theories aren’t you?” Isaac says, jokingly sarcastic this time.

“Not normally, but this is the biggest one ever,” Adam admits. “It all started in the Garden of Eden. Satan lies to Eve. He tells her she would not die. He misdirects her away from god, by framing his lie in the truth that the tree of knowledge would make her wise. You can read this in Geneses.”

Isaac looks up the passage. He starts to read just as Adam finishes speaking. “I will read the entire story for context.” Isaac starts to read animatedly for affect.

“Genesis 3:1-7

Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:
3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
7 And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.

Ya.” Isaac said out loud as if reading the story for the first time. “So the lie was in verse 4. He told her she would not die contrary to what God had told her in verse 3,” Reverting to traditional teaching Isaac continues. “But God meant that she would not die physically. They could have lived in Eden forever without sin. God created Adam with an immortal soul at creation. Here I will read it to you.

Genesis 2:7 KJV. And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

See? Man was made physical and with an immortal soul.”

Confidently Adam counters the point and directs Isaac to find more information. “If you already had the idea that we have an immortal soul you might believe that, but if you analyze that verse you will find it doesn't say what you think it does. The word Soul is translated from the Hebrew word nephesh. That is the same word used to describe all the rest of the animals created on the fifth day. Look up the meaning and usage in the Strong's Concordance.”

Finding the requested material Isaac starts to read the dry subject matter methodically out loud.

“ nephesh neh'-fesh
From H5314; properly a breathing creature, that is, animal or (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental)

KJV Usage: any, appetite, beast, body, breath, creature, X dead (-ly), desire, X [dis-] contented, X fish, ghost, + greedy, he, heart (-y), (hath, X jeopardy of) life (X in jeopardy), lust, man, me, mind, mortality,”

Isaac says with a loud yawn.

“There! See.” Adam quickly interjects, silencing Isaac. “The King James translators used nephesh to mean MORTAL. Not Immortal.” He places emphasis on the word mortal. “The KJV translators knew that the verse was not saying man had an Immortal soul as most Christians think.”

Thoughtfully Isaac continues reading the concordance.

“one, own, person, pleasure, (her-, him-, my-, thy-) self, them (your) -selves, + slay, soul, + tablet, they, thing, (X she) will, X would have it. Brown-Driver-Briggs' Hebrew Definitions

soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion
a. that which breathes, the breathing substance or being, soul, the inner being of man
b. living being
c. living being (with life in the blood)
d. the man himself, self, person or individual
e. seat of the appetites
f. seat of emotions and passions
g. activity of mind
1. dubious
h. activity of the will
1. dubious
i. activity of the character
1. Dubious

That covers it. It did talk about Soul being our inner man, and the seat of our apatite’s, desires, emotions and passions.” Isaac points out for clarity, trying to ignore Adam’s point about humans being created mortal.

Noticing the vibrations coming from the passenger seat he was sitting in were intensifying rapidly, along with the shrill howl of the wind from the cabs windows, and the deafening rumble of the Jake brake becoming overbearing, Isaac is forced to take notice of the old trucks increasing speed.

He couldn’t see it clearly through the steering wheel spokes, but thought he saw the speedometer needle pointing towards the two o’clock position. Looking up he could see the freeway dropping down before them in a steep decline. Nervously clutching onto the armrest of his chair, he looks at Adam calmly resting his elbow on the window ledge, lightly touching two fingers on the steering wheel.

Having reached the top of the engines RPM range, Adam casually skip-shifts into his highest gear. The barking of the exhaust is quietened, but Isaac is alarmed that now the old truck is picking up speed even faster, as if they were in free-fall towards the bottom of the hill that Isaac could see stretched out more than a mile away below them. The calmness of Adam gives him no comfort as beads of sweat form on his brow. Soon the Jake brake is once again screaming out its rumbling song and the speedo needle was pointing towards where five o’clock would be.

Isaac is pushed hard to the left against his armrest as they round a sweeping right hand curve. Shaking violently they bounce onto a wide four lane bridge at the bottom of the hill. Looking out the side window he recognizes the river below them, as the old truck crosses over the bridge at a frantic pace. Trying to be as calm as Adam, Isaac nonchalantly asks. “Wow this trip is really going by fast. Isn't that the river just west of Merit?”

“It sure is. You have been either asleep or busy typing the whole trip. Don't you remember pulling up Snow Shed hill? We flew up it, passing all the other trucks. This old girl has got lots of legs,” Adam says proudly. “It’s been a real roller coaster run, ‘up to slow, down to fast’. Being empty like today though, it's just been fast and then faster.”

Soon after crossing the bridge the speed of the truck is lost as Adam presses lightly on the throttle, letting the truck coast most of the way up the next hill. “See it all averages out.” Adam says smiling. “Fuel efficiency, let gravity work for you.” The truck is soon back to making its usual tremors and groans that Isaac had become accustomed too.

Yet again Isaac is confounded by Adam's trucker slang. “What is he talking about? Well at least he isn't swearing,” he thinks to himself. Faking a smile and nodding knowingly, Isaac waits for Adam to get back to their biblical conversation that had him gripped and seemed to be consuming him.

“Yes soul is that for sure, those things make us different than animals. In that sense, it could be referred to as our human spirit, personality, or will. However those things don't give us eternal life.” Adam continues to push his point. “The soul refers to our body just as readily. Beast, body, creature, things with breath, they are all referred to with the same word nephesh. We are lumped together with all creatures that have the breath of life, but those other creatures aren’t thought to have an immortal soul. This verse in no way teaches that man has an immortal soul, only that we are no better than an animal. We are told later on in the Bible that we all go to the same place and have no preeminence over a beast.”

Checking the reference, Isaac types hurriedly then starts to read.

“Ecclesiastes 3:19-21 KJV.
19 For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity.
20 All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.
21 Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?

This is talking about our bodies being the same, not our souls! And see the man's spirit is going up,” contends Isaac.

“It is asking a question, who knoweth, not making a statement. Plus you keep referring to our soul as if it were something special.” Adam points out. “Where do you get that belief and teaching from in the Bible. Where are your scriptural references for proof? It wasn't in Genesis 2:7 like you thought.” Adam continues to press for confirmation. “If there is any doubt about Adam being created with eternal life or immortality then the account of him being driven out of the Garden of Eden should dispel it.”

Again Isaac is finding and preparing to scrutinize the reference as he reads them aloud.

“Genesis 3:22-24

And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:
23 Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.
24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.

What's your point? I don't see it. They were driven out from the garden because of their sin, that's all I get,” Isaac declares, giving Adam a curious look.

“Don't you see it? They were like God knowing good from evil but they were kept away from the tree of life by Cherubims. That means they did not possess eternal life at that time. Otherwise it would have done God no good to keep them from the tree of life as they would have no need of its fruit. They would already be able to live forever if they had an immortal soul. That's what immortal means,” Adam states emphatically.

They go on for a few more miles quietly pondering their thoughts in silence. Then Adam again starts to talk. “The spirit that goes back to God is his own spirit. We need God's spirit to live and breathe, it makes us alive. When we die and don't need it any more, it goes back to him. It's not the spirit of man going to God. The spirit shall return unto God who gave it, that's God's spirit going back to him. As well, this text is talking about the way it is for all of humanity. Are you comfortable saying that everyone, including the wicked, will go off to be with God at death?”

Fully alert and wide eyed Isaac sits unresponsive, silently going over memorized scriptures to use in the conversation and occasionally typing out a few Google searches for clarification. Eventually Isaac speaks. “So you are saying that mankind has no eternal soul, they just stay in their grave when they die. That idea goes against what the New Testament tells me.”

Adam speaks up quickly. “No. I’m not saying that. I am trying to faithfully read what the Bible tells me and not add things to it. Now before we move onto other verses. What is your conclusion for the verses we just covered in Genesis and Ecclesiastes? Do they tell us man has an immortal soul or spirit innately within us? Were we created immortal by God in Eden?”

Isaac shifts uncomfortably in his seat. “Well I guise they don't spell it out completely there, you have to look at the subject with other verses in mind. Take all of the verses as a whole, rather than each one on their own.”

Adam encapsulates his thoughts. “Well if there are no verses that say definitively that man has eternal life within himself, how can looking at a lot of verses that don't say we are immortal, lead us to believe we are? To me, that seems to be circumstantial at best and completely self-deluding. There are many verses that tell us we are flesh and blood. ‘And the Lord said. My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years’. Aren't verses like that telling us the truth?”

“Well take for example King David's infant son that died,” Isaac begins a rebuttal. “When the baby died he went to heaven because David said that the baby couldn't come back to him, but that he would be going to the baby. You need a soul or spirit to go to heaven.”

“Oh, I think you better look that one up and read it.” Adam advises.

Finding the passage Isaac reads it to Adam.

“2 Samuel 12:21-23

21 Then said his servants unto him, What thing is this that thou hast done? thou didst fast and weep for the child, while it was alive; but when the child was dead, thou didst rise and eat bread.
22 And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who can tell whether God will be gracious to me, that the child may live?
23 But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.

See? David will be joining his dead son in heaven. The baby couldn't come to David, but David would be going to him. Why are these ideas so hard for you to grasp? Don't you want to go to heaven when you die?”

“Again, the scripture does not tell us the baby went to heaven, only that the baby could not return to David and that David would be joining the baby where ever it was,” Adam says.

“Yes, that is right, David was going to join the baby,” Isaac agrees, expecting David to be in Heaven by now.

Adam volleys the ball back to Isaac in their verbal tennis match. “The Bible tells us David is asleep with his fathers. Paul also tells us in Acts that David has seen corruption and is still in his grave. If David was expecting to go to his grave and sleep which is also supported in the New Testament, then it only stands to reason that the baby was in its own grave as well. Yes, David would be going to his son when he died. They would be metaphorically sleeping together in their graves.”

Pulling some food out of a soft cooler bag on the floor by the stick shift, Adam makes his points as he chews on a granola bar. With his free hand Adam offers one of the foil wrapped delights to Isaac as he spoke. Isaac looks at it curiously then nods his thanks. Taking it, he unwraps the chocolate covered nut bar hungrily and devours it veraciously.

“That's better,” Adam says jokingly. “You’re just not yourself when you’re hungry.”

Isaac gets the joke, having seen the Snickers commercials.

“Oh! Marsha, Marsha, Marsha,” he replies grinning broadly.

“I'm not sure. This is not how we covered it in class,” Isaac states referring to their discussion.

“Well you have probably always been told what those verses mean, haven't you? When you were in college did you have a lot of free time to think about what you read in the bible?” Adam inquirers.

“No, I had a full course load like everyone else. With sports and the clubs after school we all had to cram in study to get it all done. There wasn’t a lot of free time. I took good study notes from the class lectures and would go over them for tests and essays. I got good marks. I know the Bible,” Isaac said defensively.

“I have little doubt that you were very diligent with your schooling Isaac. The teachers would have been happy with your test results because you gave them the answers they wanted. You memorized the material they covered very well. But did you scrutinize the validity of that material before you believed it? Did you have time to sit and ponder about what the bible said? A lot of people think that driving a truck is a boring no mind kind of a job, but this job gives me lots of time to think and ponder,” said Adam. “So, what new testament scriptures should we look at?” Adam asks.

“I got one ready,” Isaac says confidently. “2 Corinthians 5:8.” He starts to read but Adam interrupts.

“Let’s use the entire passage to get the context, rather than just one verse,” Adam suggests.

“OK I will also use the New King James for a change.” Isaac makes the changes on the lap top and begins to read.

“2 Corinthians 5:1-8

Assurance of the Resurrection
1 For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven, 3 if indeed, having been clothed, we shall not be found naked. 4 For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life. 5 Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. 6 So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. 7 For we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.

There you go, we will be pleased to be absent from our bodies and be present with the Lord when we die. We go to heaven to be with Jesus when we die. It is very plain and easy to understand,” Isaac contends.

Adam pauses for a moment, then slowly starts to talk. “In order for what you say to be true, mankind would already have to have an immortal soul, which we didn't find supported throughout the Old Testament. Otherwise when you die you would be dead. Also notice that we are given the Spirit as a guarantee that what God has promised will come true and this Spirit is not given to all of humanity. We don't receive the Spirit to give us immortality, but to give us guidance and comfort. The heading that started the passage was Assurance of the Resurrection. This passage is talking about the resurrection of the believers. Jesus told his disciples 4 times when this resurrection would take place in John 6.30-54”

“Wait. I want to look that up.” Isaac interrupts. “We did a class on John and I don't recall that.” Typing, Isaac finds the Chapter. Reading quickly Isaac comes to the verses Adam referred to.

“John 6:30-54 KJV

30 They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work?

31 Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat.

32 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.

33 For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.

34 Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread.

35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

36 But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not.

37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.

38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.

39 And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.

40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

41 The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven.

42 And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that he saith, I came down from heaven?

43 Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves.

44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

45 It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.

46 Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father.

47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.

48 I am that bread of life.

49 Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead.

50 This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.

51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

52 The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?

53 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.

54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.

“There, at the last day,” Adam draws attention to the text. “Verse 39, 40, 44 and 54, the last day is when Jesus returns to earth. ‘At the last day’ is when we will be, ‘well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord’. At the last day, is when we will receive our immortality. ‘So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord’. We are confident of our future resurrection for we walk by faith, not by sight. We have the Holy Spirit until then as our guide and guarantee of Gods promise to us,” continuing, Adam presses his point.

“Besides, 2 Corinthians doesn't state that we have a soul that lives on after we die. You have to believe we have an immortal soul ahead of time to understand those verses like you say. It's not cut and dry like in Acts when it says. ‘There is salvation in no one else! Under all heaven there is no other name for men to call upon to save them’. If there was a verse forthright like that saying we had an immortal soul, it would be simpler to prove we all have eternal life innately within us. But there isn't and we don't.”

Isaac's thoughts are whirling inside his head. “Oh. I don't know.” He says cautiously slow. “I need to think about this for a bit.”

“Take your time,” Adam says. “Would you like to stop for a while and stretch your legs? We will be in Merit soon; we can get something to drink.”

“That sounds good to me,” Isaac replies, and stares out the window. He starts typing again and soon asks. “What about in

Philippians 1:20-24. Paul says that to die is gain.

20 According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.

21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

22 But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not.

23 For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:

24 Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you.

He looks forward to death so he can be with Jesus. So he will be with Jesus at his death.”

Adam formulates his response as he passes a camper driving in the slow lane. Checking his mirrors to see that it is safe, he pulls back into the right hand lane in front of the vacationers, their image growing steadily smaller as the distance increases between them. “I like the KJV version but sometimes it can be hard to understand what is being said. Try an easier to read version, just for clarity.”

“OK. I can do that. How about this?

‘Easy-to-Read Version’.

20 I am full of hope and feel sure I will not have any reason to be ashamed. I am certain I will continue to have the same boldness to speak freely that I always have. I will let God use my life to bring more honor to Christ. It doesn’t matter whether I live or die. 21 To me, the only important thing about living is Christ. And even death would be for my benefit. 22 If I continue living here on earth, I will be able to work for the Lord. But what would I choose—to live or to die? I don’t know. 23 It would be a hard choice. Sometimes I want to leave this life and be with Christ. That would be much better for me; 24 however, you people need me here alive.

See, Paul says that it would be better for him if he was to die and be with Christ. When he dies he believes he will be with Jesus, that part is straight forward.” Isaac explains.

“Well if we remember Paul's life, he was always getting beat-up by unbelievers and the Jews. His life as a disciple was a hard one. So like he said, ‘But what would I choose—to live or to die’? I don’t know. It would be a hard choice. He knows that people need him to help them with their faith, yet he says. ‘Sometimes I want to leave this life and be with Christ’.

It doesn't say, when, he would be with Christ. It only shows that he had faith that he would be with Jesus. John 6 tells us Paul will be with Jesus, at the last day, when Jesus returns. He explains this hope of the resurrection in 1 Thessalonians when he talks about the brethren that are asleep. Can you find it?” Adam asks, glancing over to his right at Isaac.

“Ya. I think so,” responds Isaac. “Yes here it is.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-17

But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

See they return with Jesus, so they must be in heaven with him now,” Isaac points out excitedly.

Adam quickly responds dramatically. “Just keep reading and you’ll see.”

Isaac continues.

“15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.

16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:”

“There did you get it? At the descent of the Lord is when the dead in Christ rise first. Just like we read in John, at my return, that's when everyone which seethe the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life,” Adam interrupts abruptly.

Isaac continues with the last verse.

“17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”

“Do you see it now? It all starts with a resurrection at the return of Jesus. That is when we get our new life. Until Jesus returns, those believers who die, are asleep in their graves. Paul thinks, I want to leave this life and be with Christ. That would be much better for him. He would escape a lot of violent persecution if he was dead. He would be in peaceful sleep, knowing nothing of the world or its cares. His next conscious thought would be when he rises with his new body at the return of Jesus. After he dies, he will be with Jesus, just as he knew he would be. It doesn't happen though until the resurrection, on the day of the Lord, along with all of the other believers that have died. There is another verse that is similar at the end of Hebrews 11. See if you can find it.”

Isaac is familiar with what is commonly called the faith chapter. He is curious about the verse Adam was referring to, as he didn't remember any verse there that talked about a resurrection from the dead. He finds the chapter and starts to scan through it.

“How far down is your verse Adam?” He questions.

“Right at the end, the last 3 or 4 verses,” Adam assures him.

“OK. I will read the last 6 verses for context.

Hebrews 11:35-40

35 Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:

36 And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:

37 They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;

38 (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

39 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:

40 God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.”

Isaac finishes reading the chapter.

“There, the last 2 verses. They received not the promise, the promise of eternal life. None of them received it. Why not? They’re all dead. Why weren’t they changed and taken off to heaven? The next verse tells us why.

They didn't receive it, the promise of eternal life, because God had something better for, all of us, ‘so that they, without us, should not be made perfect’. We are all made perfect at the same time. We all will receive eternal life together at the same time, at the return of Jesus, at the last day. That is when we are changed and made perfect. That is when we are to be resurrected from the dead and receive our new bodies. Remember, according to the Old Testament, we don’t have an immortal soul.”

“You know I have read that chapter since I was little and I’ve never thought of it that way before, you make some interesting points for sure,” Isaac admits.

“Well it's not me,” Adam says modestly. “It's the Bible scriptures speaking, would you expect anything less than for them to be consistent? It is the word of God, he will not lie, nor will he contradict himself. If the Bible appears to be contradictory then it is us who don't understand the text properly. I think there is another passage that tells us about the resurrection of the believers in their order. Can you look it up?” Adam questions Isaac.

“I'll give it a try. Not much to go on, but we'll see what comes up.” Isaac starts doing a search on the net. “Here it is. That was easy, got it on the first try. There is a lot of semi related verses, I will read it all just for context”

1 Corinthians 15:12-26

Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?

13 But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:

14 And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.

15 Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.

16 For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:

17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.

18 Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.

19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.

20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.

21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.

22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.

24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.

25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.

26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.

“Here, I'll read it from the Good News Translation,” offed Isaac.

1 Corinthians 15:12-26 Our Resurrection

Now, since our message is that Christ has been raised from death, how can some of you say that the dead will not be raised to life? 13 If that is true, it means that Christ was not raised; 14 and if Christ has not been raised from death, then we have nothing to preach and you have nothing to believe. 15 More than that, we are shown to be lying about God, because we said that he raised Christ from death—but if it is true that the dead are not raised to life, then he did not raise Christ. 16 For if the dead are not raised, neither has Christ been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is a delusion and you are still lost in your sins. 18 It would also mean that the believers in Christ who have died are lost. 19 If our hope in Christ is good for this life only and no more, then we deserve more pity than anyone else in all the world.

20 But the truth is that Christ has been raised from death, as the guarantee that those who sleep in death will also be raised. 21 For just as death came by means of a man, in the same way the rising from death comes by means of a man. 22 For just as all people die because of their union with Adam, in the same way all will be raised to life because of their union with Christ. 23 But each one will be raised in proper order: Christ, first of all; then, at the time of his coming, those who belong to him. 24 Then the end will come; Christ will overcome all spiritual rulers, authorities, and powers, and will hand over the Kingdom to God the Father. 25 For Christ must rule until God defeats all enemies and puts them under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be defeated will be death.

Adam affirms the scripture choice with an excited, “Ya! That was it! Verse 23 is where it tells us people will be raised in proper order. Jesus is first, then the believers when he returns. Believers don't go to heaven when they die. They sleep in their graves until Jesus comes back to get them. That's when we all receive our promised eternal life, together, at his return.”

Chapter 5
But Others Say

Adam finishes talking just in time to signal and steer the truck onto the off ramp leaving the freeway. Staying to the right at the cross road, Adam smoothly shifts the transmission into a lower gear, checking for traffic he cruising past the yield sign. Adam presses the throttle and the engine torques the right front corner of the truck upwards slightly as they quickly head towards the big truck stop sign, HUSKY it read, glittering in the sun about a quarter mile away. Turning onto the access road he drives behind the buildings to the truck parking area. Making wide arching turns, Adam maneuvers the long trailer between two other units in the parking lot.

Coming to a stop, Adam turns the ignition key off and for the first time since getting into the truck, Isaac is in complete tranquility and silence. Gone is the roar of the engine, the whistling of the wind, tires and drive line whine, but most of all, gone is the harsh barking of the Jake brake. The constant vibration and bouncing was gone as well. Closing his eyes he sinks slightly into the passenger seat relishing the calm. Slowly, his hearing and feeling start to become adjusted to the lack of noise and movement. The subtle sounds from outside the cab begin to register with him and his elbow is sore from repeatedly bouncing it on the metal window ledge. But for a fleeting moment he was in the warm blanket of sensory deprivation. It felt as though he was insulated from the world, adrift on a sea of bliss.

“I don't want to stop too long, just long enough for a drink and a pee,” Adam says opening his door to get out. “Don't bother locking your door; if you do we can't unlock it from the outside. Things are safe around here anyway. Thieves tend to pick on the new pretty trucks, the chances of finding good stuff is better than it is in ruff looking old trucks. You’d never think I had a lap top in here, even if it's an old hand-me-down one. Kids old cast off junk, but it works for me.” With that said, Adam turned and launched himself out of the door as before with his left hand squeezing the grab rail controlling his decent to the ground.

Isaac pulled the inside door latch while giving the door a shove with his right shoulder to get it to open. He cautiously climbed down the fuel tank steps holding tightly to the hand rails attached to the cab in convenient spots. Once his feet were planted firmly on the ground he pushed the door to close it. It barely managed to latch and remained partially open. He tugged the door handle to open it again and this time with a continued push it closed firmly. Looking at the door and shaking his head in disgust he looked towards the truck stop building for Adam. He didn't see him anywhere in the parking lot and it was too far for him to already be inside. Isaac's eyes darted around the mostly empty lot looking for his new companion. Not seeing him, he stood in front of the truck looking back and forth hoping to catch a glimpse of Adam somewhere.

“Where could he have gone,” Isaac thought to himself. Startled by a touch on his right arm, Isaac turns to see Adam standing behind him.

“Are you ready to go in?” Adam gestures towards the Husky station. “I always like to walk around the truck and check the tires and stuff when I stop. It helps me to stay on top of any developing problems,” Adam explains.

“Well your passenger door doesn't close very well. You might put that on your, to do list,” Isaac points out in aggravation.

“Oh, that's nothing. It's just that the cab is to air tight with the windows up. Once they are down an inch or so the doors close much better.” Adam is smiling craftily as he explains the door problem to Isaac who is skeptically listening with growing disbelief.

“Well let’s go get a drink and I really have to pee,” Adam is still talking as he starts to head towards the truck stop. “I don't know why, but once I stand up and it's a bit cooler, I really got to go,” his pace quickens as he gets caught up in a light breeze that swirls the dust and bits of garbage at his feet. Isaac follows just behind him, sticking his hands deep into his front jean pockets and hunching his shoulders to help guard against the cool wind.

Once inside the glass doors Adam heads directly to the men’s room with Isaac in tow. Emerging through the same bathroom door a short time later both Isaac and Adam are drying their hands on their pant legs. Adam gets the attention of the cashier behind the counter.

“You’re out of paper hand towel in the bathroom.” He said slightly grumpily. He didn't mean to sound that way. His mood often got reflected in his tone of voice without him noticing and he had never been successful at speaking with a loud happy voice. It always sounded a bit angry just because of the volume. His mostly deaf mother had thought he was always mad at her until he explained himself to her one day.

“Mom, I am not mad! I can't shout happily?” He told her. After that his Mom felt better, but no one had explained these subtleties to the truck stop clerk.

“Oh yaa. I'll be sure to get right on that.” She said sarcastically while twirling her long bangs. “And by the way, the bathrooms are for paying customers,” the gum snapping in her mouth as she chewed it hard.

“We will be customers in a minute,” Replied Adam bewildered by the girls crabbiness. Remembering his wife’s encouraging to make other people’s day nicer. Adam makes sure his tone is pleasant when he speaks again to the bleach blond clerk.

Isaac picks himself a bottle of Dr. Pepper from the cooler. Adam notices the small sign advertising buy one get the second one 75% off. Thinking that Dr. Pepper would be good, he gets a bottle for himself and grabs a couple of Eat More from the chocolate bar rack. Only having his pop to pay for, Isaac is standing at the till when Adam comes up beside him and says, “Here I'll get that for you.”

Taking the pop out of Isaac's hand Adam places the items on the counter then pulls out his wallet. The cashier rings up the total coming to $4.37. Adam passes her a new blue five and waves off the change and receipt.

“Don't need that.” Adam told her smiling, making sure to have a pleasant tone. “Have a good day.” Adam said turning to go.

“Thanks. You too,” The girl also had a sweeter tone to her voice. “Come again.”

“Here you go.” Adam said as he handed Isaac back his pop and the bonus Eat More. “That should keep you going for a while. There’s some ripe fruit in the truck we can eat as well. Benefits from hauling produce and groceries. If it's not visually perfect then the retailers don't want it. I hardly ever have to buy food. It may not look the best, but it is tasty.”

“Thank you.” Isaac replies, twisting the plastic lid off of his pop and taking a drink.

“Don't through the lid away unless you’re going to drink that all at once. Those bottles tend to fall over in the truck with all of the bouncing,” admonishes Adam.

“OK. Good point. This should last me a while.” Isaac replies, replacing the lid back onto the bottle.

They walk slowly around the building towards the back and the parked trucks. A cattle liner comes into the parking lot a bit fast off of the frontage road. Taking the corner hard, the air ride trailer leans its bawling load of cows to the ditch side of the road. Streams of brown clumpy water pour out of the large ventilation holes down the sides and back of the aluminum E.coli wagon.

“Nothing like the smell of money,” Jokes Adam.

“I'm glad that it wasn't pigs,” Quips Isaac. “That smell can really stay with you all day.”

They detour around the stinky spots on the road stretching their appendages as they go, heading back to the old Western Star. When they get close Adam instinctively starts to check for wet spots under his truck and trailer. Isaac follows him counter clock wise around the old semi kicking tires and checking hubs for heat. Adam half crawls under the trucks rear duels and then again under the trailer axles.

“What are you checking under there?” asks Isaac.

“The brakes,” Adam replies.

Smiling nervously Isaac stammers. “Hope they’re OK. Will they make it all the way home?”

“Ya, they’re fine. They have to be checked all the time. All trucks have to be routinely checked during a long trip. That's why I do my walk-rounds whenever I make stops. It keeps me aware of problems that might come up during the trip and lets me chose when to fix things, before they become problems.” Adam says wiping his now dirty hands on his lower pant legs.

Nodding as if he understood, Isaac follows behind Adam as he continues up the passenger side of the trailer towards the cab. Aware of his shadow Adam makes his checks more elaborate than necessary. Sensing Isaac's nervous naivety to the world of trucks, Adam displays worried scrutiny by rubbing and touching seemingly vital parts of the semi. Slowly shaking his head and scrunching his brow he quietly utters distressed phrases like, ah I don't know, that doesn't look too good, and his favorite, ewww, I forgot about that, to even the most unimportant component. Arriving back at the passenger door Adam gives the handle a knowing flip and the door pops open for Isaac to climb in.

“There you go, don't forget to buckle up,” Adam says not letting Isaac see his smile. He heads around the front of the truck to the driver’s door, opening it and springing into the cab from off the tank steps. Once in, he closes his door just in time to see Isaac role his window down an inch before he pulls the passenger door shut. It closes tight with little effort. Isaac then rolls his window back up.

“Now you’re getting it,” Adam says encouragingly. “It won't take long and you'll be wanting to drive.” Holding the parking brake valves in the released position, Adam waits until the hissing sound of moving air subsides before taking his hand off of them. Checking his mirrors he puts the transmission into gear and pulls ahead, then gives the spike a small tug. The back end of the trailer dips as its brakes slow the truck's forward movement. Letting go of the spike, air hisses at the steering wheel as the trailer brakes release and the truck lurches forward. Adam then jabs lightly at the brake pedal with his right foot and again the forward movement of the semi is momentarily hindered.

Smiling his approval and without thinking Adam picks up the pace of the truck with a quick series of shifts recorded in his muscles memory from years of practice, accelerate shift, accelerate shift, accelerate shift. The route towards the highway is quickly retraced. Turning to the left after crossing the overpass Adam now heads west, back a few miles to the Connector overpass that will take him and Isaac home.

It felt good to have been out in the fresh air and stretch his legs with some walking around. Now that he was back in the cab of the truck Isaac was eager to pick up the discussion where they had left off. Having some time to think things over, a few new thoughts came to mind and Isaac was anxious to share them with Adam. They were barely back on the Coquihalla heading west towards the Okanagan Connector overpass, when Isaac starts to talk.

“At school we used a book as a guide to find ancient reference material. It was written by a scholar, professor and church leader from England. It had to do with the Resurrection of Jesus, what the apostles, Paul and the early church believed and why. It went into great detail about pagan ideas and how the beliefs of Paul and the Jews differed from them. It contained a lot of very good documented research. All of which was peer reviewed. I wish I had a copy of it with me. I remember that in it, the professor author believed, that after death we went to be with Jesus, before we were resurrected into our new bodies, an intermediate stage. I always thought he had an interesting explanation for how it all worked.”

Adam takes a quick glance at Isaac then replied. “You said the ground rules were to only use the King James Bible. That the thoughts of men couldn't be trusted and we had to rely solely on the word of God. Are you thinking of changing those parameters?”

“No, No, not at all. I was only thinking of what he said and how it made sense to me at the time. I would like to see the scriptures he used to come up with his conclusions. There must be some verses that we, or I'm not thinking of. He did a lot of well documented research; he must have used some verses that I am missing.”

Believing Isaac's words are sincere, Adam instructs him to check under the plywood on the passenger front side of the sleeper bunk mattress. The leg was broken off and in its place he would find a thick tattered book on top of a tool box holding up the bed's corner from disjointedly dangling in mid-air. It took a lot of squirming but Isaac retrieved the book before they turned onto the Connector off ramp.

Wiping off the dusty cover Isaac smiles in amazement, “This is it, it's the book that I was talking about. The Resurrection Of The Son of God, by N.T. Wright. Did you read it all? We didn't have the time, it's so long. We only used it as a reference book to find material that was hard to source. If I can find the places where he talked about what I remember him saying, then we could read the verses he used to support his beliefs.”

Taking short glances at Isaac, Adam answers. “Well yes, I did read it all. It took a long time too. The history was good, but I found myself disagreeing with some of his speculation. I thought some of the conclusions had no scriptural support. I wrote notes on the mostly blank front pages when I didn't agree, or I wanted to refer to his research later and needed to find the page.”

Isaac opens the cover to find the first six pages covered in tiny hand writing, each line documenting a random thought provoked by the book and its corresponding page number. Isaac turned to the bibliography section at the back of the book. He looks up where Ecclesiastes 12:7 is used. Turning to a few pages before the first page referenced, squinting, he starts to scan silently to himself to understand the context. “It's hard to read the fine print with all of this bouncing” He complained.

“We’ll soon be going up a long steep hill and things will smooth out.” Adam assured him as he held the steering wheel hard to the right as they careened around a seemingly endless 270 degree cornered off ramp that was leading them onto the Okanagan Connector. “Oh no, bad luck. We caught a red light,” Adam declared slowing to a stop.

Isaac wasn't paying attention. Taking advantage of the brief refrain from the constant movement, Isaac reads aloud from the small font the book was printed in. Listening intently to Isaac's oratory as the traffic light turned green, Adam smoothly and repetitively shifts his way up the long arduous hill that stretched out before them.

“Page 96-99. N.T. Wright is talking about the nature of humans and animals and the Old Testament belief that death was a one way street and the grave is a land of no return, Isaac sums up. He has a part about Ecclesiastes I wanted to read, since we had already been discussing it.” Isaac reads from the worn paperback book.

“'Ecclesiastes, too, insists that death is the end, and there is no return. Though nobody can be sure what precisely happens at death, as far as we can tell humans are in this respect no different from beasts: The fate of humans and the fate of animals is the same; as one dies, so dies the other. They all have the same breath, and humans have no advantage over the animals; for all is vanity. All go to one place; all are from dust, and all turn to dust again. Who knows whether the human spirit [or: 'breath', rauch] goes upwards and the spirit of animals goes downward to the earth? No: to die is to be forgotten for good. Death means that the body returns to the dust, and the breath to God who gave it; meaning not that an immortal part of a person goes to live with God, but that the God who breathed life's breath into human nostrils in the first place will simply withdraw it into his own possession.'

Then he goes on about how the Old Testament was focused on the hope of the nation of Israel, rather than on each individual. So it appears as though N.T. favours your understanding over mine. Let’s see what he has to say about Philippians 1.”

Isaac is again searching through Mr. Wright's book. Scanning the preceding pages for context he picks up at the end of the first paragraph on page 226.

“'Paul believes that what this God has already done in the present life through the gospel and Spirit is the guarantee of the final salvation which he will describe more fully in 3.20-21.

This leads him to some extended reflections on his own situation, in which he thinks through the issues that face him, and which indeed are out of his control: will he die, presumably through being condemned to death by the Roman authorities, or will he live and continue his apostolic work? He turns the matter this way and that, revealing almost casually the way in which he looks at death in the most telling of cases, namely his own:

Phil. 1.18b-26

Well, but I shall go on celebrating. 19 because I know that this will result in my deliverance, through your prayers and the continued working of the Spirit of Jesus the Messiah, 20 in accordance with my eager expectation and hope, that I won't be ashamed in any way, but that with all boldness, as always and so now, the Messiah will be honoured in my body, whether by life or by death.

21 To me, you see, living means the Messiah, and death means gain. 22 If it is to be living in the flesh, that means fruitful work for me; so I don't know which to choose. 23 I am pulled hard by both at once: I badly want to make my departure and be with the Messiah; that would be better by far. 24 But to stay on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake. 25 Since I am convinced of this, I know that I shall remain, and continue on with all of you, for your benefit and the joy of your faith, 26 so that your celebration may abound in me in the Messiah, Jesus, through my coming to you again.

If this was the only passage of Paul, or even of Philippians, which addressed the question of what happens to Christians after they die, we could be forgiven for thinking that Paul held a one-stage view of life after death: Christians depart and go to be with the Messiah (verse 23). We know from the other letters that this is not his position; but, more importantly, we know from Philippians itself that he believed in a two-stage view: final resurrection will follow 'life after death' (3.20-21). What we have here, therefor, is a reinforcement of what we saw in 1 Thessalonians 4: between death and resurrection, Christians are 'with the Messiah'.'

See, we do go to be with Jesus when we die,” Isaac adds enthusiastically.

“Well, apparently that is what N.T. Wright thinks. Keep reading to see if he uses any scripture to support his belief,” Adam suggests

Isaac continues reading.

“Paul describes this in such glowing terms ('better by far') that it is impossible to suppose that he envisaged it as an unconscious state.”

“Conjecture,” Adam protests as if he was a lawyer in court. “I can easily suppose that he did plan to be asleep. Is Mr. Wright's only proof left to supposition?”

“I'm not done the thought yet. Let me finish reading this part!” exclaimed Isaac.

“He looks forward to being personally present with the one who loved him and whose love will not let him go. This is the clearest answer we ever get from Paul to question 1b, the question of an intermediate state. He does not speak of 'going to heaven', though he would presumably have given that as the present location of the Messiah.”

“Now are you done? Adam asks forcefully. Isaac nods his head yes. “That’s it? That's the proof that we have a spirit or something that goes to be with God when we die? Three words, Better by far, is the clearest answer we ever get! And as N.T. points out, Paul does not speak of going to heaven. It is left for us to, presume, that is his destination. Presumption and supposition, is not what I want to build my understanding of the afterlife on.

We just read the Old Testament does not support the thought of having an immortal soul, that the Spirit we live by is God's, not ours. That it goes back to God when we die. If we have some kind of an entity that lives on consciously after we die, where and when did we receive it? Did it come to all of mankind or do only Christians have it? If Christians go to be with Jesus immediately after death, what happens to non-Christians when they die, where do they go? Mr. Wright does not supply any supporting scriptures for his presumptions and suppositions,” Adam loudly complained.

Isaac picks up the defense of Mr. Wright. “Well we would only have to read the parable of Lazarus to see what happens to bad people when they die. It tells us plainly what awaits both the good and the bad.” Isaac has the parable cued up and was reading loudly before Adam had time to reply.

“Luke 16:19-31

19 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:

20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,

21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.

22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;

23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

24 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.

25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.

26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.

27 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house:

28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.

29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.

30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.

31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

There, that should help put an end to your conspiracy theory. It is plain that Lazarus went to heaven and it tells us explicitly that the rich man was being tormented by the flames of hell. How much more plain does the Bible need to be on the subject before you are convinced?

Adam replies to the questions by agreeing. “Yes it is very plain that Lazarus is in luxury with Abraham and that the rich man is in the tormenting fires of Hell. The crucial point that you are missing, is that this story, is just that, a story. That is why it is called, a parable. It wasn’t told to reveal the afterlife destination of mankind. Any more than the parable of the yeast tells us that heaven is a fluffy place made out of flour, or the parable of the mustard seed means that the kingdom of God is one big garden.

The meaning to the parable of Lazarus comes at the end of the story. If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead. He told this parable shortly before he brought, not coincidentally, a real life Lazarus, back to life after he had been dead for more than three days. Jesus resurrected Lazarus out of his grave to fulfill the last of the messianic miracles the Jews had devised to identify the Messiah. True to the parable the Jews still denied Jesus and from then on they actively perused a pretense to kill him.

So yes, it plainly tells us where both the rich man and Lazarus were and what happens to them, but it is in the context of a story used to show how far the Jews would go to reject Jesus. Even when Jesus came back from the dead fulfilling his sign to them, they still would not accept him. That is the meaning of the parable. It's not given to us as a literal description of heaven and hell.”

Isaac responds indignantly, "Well you’re the only one who believes that. You’d be hard pressed to find anyone credible to support that interpretation of those scriptures."

"Oh, you think so? Adam said coolly. "Well you seem to hold N.T. Right in high regard, look through my notes there and find what he has to say about it."

Isaac starts to scan through the scrawled notations in the front of the thick well-worn book. He finds a note that could apply and looks it up.

"Here at the bottom of page four hundred and thirty seven is something." He says, nervous to find out that he once again overstated his argument.

"Well let’s hear what it says," Adam grins knowingly. "I'm sure no one credible would support my interpretation of those scriptures."

Isaac clears his throat and starts to read out loud the words of N.T. Right.

" 'I stressed in the earlier volume that the parable of the rich man and Lazarus is to be treated precisely as a parable, not as a literal description of the afterlife and its possibilities. It is therefore inappropriate to use it as prima facie evidence for Jesus' own sketching (or Luke's portrait of Jesus' sketching) of a standard post-mortem scenario. It is, rather, an adaptation of a well-known folk-tale, projecting the rich/poor divide of the present on to the future in order to highlight the present responsibility, and culpability, of the careless rich. However, while the parabolic nature of the story prevents us from treating it as Jesus' own description of how the afterlife is organized, it does not prevent us from saying that for Jesus himself, and/or for those who handed on the tradition, this story indicates, in standard Jewish style, a clear belief in continuity between the present life and the future one. As it stands it is impossible to say whether it belongs with the 'resurrection' strand in second-Temple Judaism, or with a 'disembodied immortality' strand;'

See," Isaac said excitedly. "N.T. says that you can't tell if it supports the Jewish notion of resurrection, or the notion of going to heaven when you die."

"You mean the pagan notion of becoming a disembodied spirit?" Adam interjects. "It was the Greek philosophers who promoted that belief."

"Let me finish reading," Isaac complained. "Let’s hear the rest of it." Picking up where he left off Isaac continues, hoping for more support of his belief. "Continuing on page four hundred and thirty eight.

The possibility is envisaged that Lazarus might return from the dead, but Abraham forbids that it should happen. It does, however, highlight one of the many metaphors current in Judaism for the abode of the blessed, either in perpetuity or prior to their possible rising again: Lazarus has gone to 'Abraham's bosom'. Luke's intention in placing the story here (soon after the 'inaugurated eschatology' of 15.24, 32, and soon before the apocalyptic warnings of 17.22-37) is at least clear: things done and decided in the present are to be seen in the light of the promised future. 'Resurrection' is coming forwards into the present in Jesus' ministry, but those who cannot see it and reorder their lives accordingly are in danger of loosing all. Significantly, this message of resurrection is clearly linked to the call for justice, which remains a closely related theme throughout early Christianity."

"So he supports my belief that the parable is just that, a parable about the hard hearted Jews and not a description of what it is like in heaven or hell," Adam was forceful in his assertion.

“Well let me check that out later,” Isaac says. “I still agree with the idea that we go to our final destination as soon as we die. That we have something innately in us that lives on.”

“Why? We don't need it, God has a perfect memory. He is quite capable of resurrecting us back into who we are now. He knows everything about us. Our moods, emotions and memories are stored inside our brains through electrical connections that we develop while we live and think. When we are resurrected back to life with the same brain connections we have now, all of our emotions, memories, moods and habits will still be the same as when we died. We will be the same people as before our resurrection. We lose nothing by sleeping in death. We don't have to be conscious somewhere else, we will be with God, safe and sound in his memory, waiting for our resurrection to take place. As Christians our next thought after death, will be our first thought in our reinvigorated spirit bodies,” After pausing for a moment Adam goes on.

“What do you suppose the most quoted verse in the Bible is, the one you would most likely see at a sporting event? Adam asks Isaac.

“Probably John 3:16, I’m not really sure,” Isaac responded, puzzled by the question.

“I don't know for sure either, but that's the one I would pick as well,” Adam said nodding his head. “I believe that the two verses of 15 and 16 are the sum total of salvation truth. Those two verses are the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. They are the bedrock of the Christian faith, to disagree with them; one would be straying away from what it is to be Christian. That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

“Yes! Now you’re talking. I couldn't agree with you more,” Isaac said wholeheartedly.

“That's what I thought, we can agree on these basics,” Adam said smiling. Then with his smile fading into a frown, he asks Isaac. “So why do you agree that eternal life can be found only in Jesus, yet you say that all of humanity has an eternal soul, or spirit, apart from Jesus? Why do you think we are born with immortality, if we can only obtain eternal life, if, we believe in Jesus.

The fate of those who don't believe in Jesus is the opposite of life, they will perish. The opposite of eternal life is eternal death; they will be dead for the rest of time. Not be tortured for the rest of eternity in the fires of Hell. To be tortured for all of eternity would require an eternal life which can only be gained from having a belief in Jesus. Having this faith in Jesus not only brings eternal life, but will also spare you from ever being in Hell. How can John 3:15-16 be the truth if everyone is born with eternal life, whether they believe in Jesus or not?”

“If that is true and we do sleep in our graves, then why does God say that all souls belong to him in Ezekiel 18:4? Here I'll read it,” Isaac protests. He finds the scripture quickly and begins to read.

“4 Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine:

See, this section of scripture is talking about the righteous that follow the laws of God; all of their souls belong to God. We do have souls that belong to God.” Isaac can't understand Adam's failure to understand the straight talking scripture.

“Again you are giving a definition to soul that is unbiblical. We went through the definitions for soul and found that it means, Mortal! Every time you read soul you seem to think it means Immortal,” Adam points out aggressively. “This verse seems familiar to me. Does it say anything else?” he questions Isaac further.

“I'm not sure. I've only ever read this much of it in the context of the righteous followers of God.” Isaac admits.

“Well let’s read all of it,” Adam said encouragingly.

“OK. Here it is.

4 Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die,”

Isaac reads out loud.

“How can the soul die if it’s immortal? That’s a conflict of terms,” Adam asks exasperatedly.

“Well I have never read it with those thoughts in mind. I need to do some research for a while before I give you an answer.” Isaac turns back to the lap top, questions flowing out of his fingertips as they peck at the keys.