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Results from: Notes On or After: Thu 12/31/70 Author: Dan K. Ordered by Date |
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Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Is John 3:16 for real? | Bible general Archive 1 | Dan K. | 29837 | ||
Good morning Jensen, Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts about witnessing to the lost. I do so agree with you that we need to concern ourselves with the directions given in the "great commission." We can then safely leave the rest up to God who will "add to the church daily, such as should be saved. Your conclusion that salvation should be the direct object of our prayers for the lost is what I most heartily agree with. I appreciate the Biblical basis of your reasoning. Yours in the Lord, Dan K. |
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2 | Is John 3:16 for real? | Bible general Archive 1 | Dan K. | 29001 | ||
Good Morning Emmaus, I am finally ready to respond to your suggestion that I read what the Council of Trent had to say about "justification." It is certainly not light reading, but then how can a matter dealing with our eternal destiny be anything other than deep? In an effort to respond to your suggestion, and additionally to the internet forum itself, I began to take notes on each point of the statements made by the Council about justification. Well, in no time, I began to realize that it would be too much material to try to share in this type of format. So, I followed a hunch that really paid off for me. I logged on to a Catholic Theological Journal website known as "First Things." It is a really fine journal with lots of interesting articles on many subjects. I went into the search articles for anything to do with the Council of Trent, and I found one that summarizes all of my findings wonderfully well. I refer everyone to that article now: http://www.firstthings.com/ftissues/ft9912/articles/dulles.html The article is written by Avery Dulles, S.J. from Fordham Univesity in a remarkably objective style. The following is from the article regarding the differences between the Protestant view of regeneration, and the Catholic view: Martin Luther taught that 1)justification, as God's act, is independent of all human cooperation. 2)justification consists of the favor of God, who freely imputes to us the merits of Christ. It is not a matter of inner renewal.3)justification is received by faith alone, independently of any good works or obedience to God's law. 4)eternal life is a sheer gift; it is not merited by good behavior. The Council saw the above as false doctrine and responded with the following views: 1)although justification is an unmerited gift, it needs to be freely accepted, so that human cooperation is involved. 2)justification consists in an inner renewal brought about by divine grace; 3)justification does not take place by faith without hope, charity, and good works; 4)the justified, by performing good works, merit the reward of eternal life. So, the above summary itemizes the differences between all the great theologians (past and present) of the Protestant and Catholic Churches. At this point, if I may, I would like to add one thought of my own, and I emphasize the fact that the following is my thought alone. It appears to me that the members of the Council of Trent were sometimes evaluating justification from God's point of view, and sometimes from the human point of view. Luther, on the other hand, seems to be treating justification strictly from God's point of view. It seems that Luther speaks of justification specifically, while the Council somehow mixes justification and sanctification. As is only too obvious, I am not about to solve these questions, but I wish to thank you Emmaus for putting me on the trail of a very interesting study. To all of our friends on the internet, the article I refered to is a "must read." Yours in the Lords, Dan K. |
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3 | Is John 3:16 for real? | Bible general Archive 1 | Dan K. | 28948 | ||
Dear Pastor Tim, The impression I have made on you is due to a thirst that the Lord has given me for His Word. I am into books in a big way. Since 1977 I have managed to collect about 2500 good Christian books. A lot of them are from second hand bookstores because they were out of print. Each time I come across an author who is really sound biblically, I then try to buy all of the books he has written. It is sometimes interesting to notice changes of viewpoint as their lives playout. A long time ago, I realized that a teacher cannot teach more than he knows. I was teaching a Bible study five days a week at work, and I discovered very quickly that I needed to increase my knowledge base in order to have something to share with those who chose to attend the class. That desire for, and quest of sound biblical knowledge has never waned. After making a quick trip to our local Baptist Book store in Columbia, South Carolina, I found that I also have another source for Dr. Erickson. I have a computer disc called the Theological Journal Library 4.0 that contains three lectures given by the good Doctor on this very subject back in 1994. A wonderful condensation of a lifetime of learning. I have found, and I'm sure you have too, that the questions and/or doubts that come to my mind are quite often areas in which it becomes possible for me to increase my faith. I think the Lord calls these things to my attention because He does not want me teaching a falsehood. Currently, I'm teaching three different Bible studies. Sunday Morning at a Rest Home, Sunday Evening at my home Church (Calvary Baptist), and Tuesday Evening at the home of fellow Brothers and Sisters in the Lord. We are in Deuteronomy, Revelation, and John, respectively. You have probably guessed that I am retired, and that is how all of this is possible. I thank the Lord for saving my soul and giving my life meaning and purpose. All praise be to Him. God bless you, Dan K. |
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4 | Is John 3:16 for real? | Bible general Archive 1 | Dan K. | 28906 | ||
Brother Tim, A great big thanks goes out to you for pointing me to the book "How Shall They Be Saved: The Destiny of Those Who Do Not Hear of Jesus" by Millard J. Erickson. I was not able to put the book down until I finished it. Outstanding! Your willingness to make the suggestion is greatly appreciated. Yours in the Lord, Dan K. |
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5 | Is John 3:16 for real? | Bible general Archive 1 | Dan K. | 28732 | ||
Hi Searcher, You and I are kin, because we are both seeking to know the truth. Thanks for the vss., we know they are true. God Bless, Dan K. |
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6 | Is John 3:16 for real? | Bible general Archive 1 | Dan K. | 28731 | ||
Hello Emmaus, Thank you for your suggestion. I have printed the article (22 pages) and am looking forward to reading it. Although I have come across many references to the Council of Trent, I must confess I have never taken the time to read their findings myself. I'll have to get back to you on this, because, there is much to consider. Once again, thank you for your kind consideration in this matter. I gather from your comment about seeing yourself in the minority that it is no easier for a Catholic to witness to a Protestant, than it is for a Protestant to witness to a Catholic. I praise God for your willingness to witness. Perhaps in some small way we can all influence one another for the betterment of the Kingdom. Yours in the Lord, Dan K. |
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7 | Is John 3:16 for real? | Bible general Archive 1 | Dan K. | 28659 | ||
Hi Tim Moran, Thank you for your suggestion. I do look forward to taking an in-depth look into this matter of the unevangelized. I am concerned about the lost, as I know you are too. Judging from the title of the book you mentioned, it sounds exactly suited to my need. Once again, thank you for your concern. Yours in the Lord, Dan K. |
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8 | Is John 3:16 for real? | Bible general Archive 1 | Dan K. | 28581 | ||
Hi Steve, Thank you for sharing your message about the family who lost their daughter. Please know that they are in my prayers. What an incredible witness they are to all of us who are just passing through this old world. They are not shaking their fist at God and demanding "Why me?" No, on the contrary, they are leaning of God's Word, which is a very present help in trouble. They are trusting God. This is not Christianity 101, but rather REAL Christianity. I pray God to continue to strengthen their hearts in the absolute knowledge that He alone knows best. He knows what He is doing. He has never made a mistake. Praise be to God. I'm sure that all of you who are involved in this internet ministry have touched many times on the problem of evil. It is not my intent to start any kind of chain reaction on that subject, but I would like to make one comment regarding the fact that God has allowed suffering and pain and evil in spite of the fact that He loves us with a love that is beyond our ability to comprehend. In the overall, God's plan will achieve what He desires to achieve. God's plan is the best plan possible, because it is God's plan. Believers trust and know that God's plan is the only plan that will perfectly fulfill God's Will, and that is what we pray for, that God's Will be done in our lives. Thanks for sharing with me Steve. You got me all choked up buddy. I praise God for Brothers in the Lord like you. Peace and Grace to you, Dan K. |
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9 | Is John 3:16 for real? | Bible general Archive 1 | Dan K. | 28576 | ||
Hi Jensen, I'm sending this note to let you know that your thoughts are much appreciated. I do not take it lightly that you took the time to respond to my inquiry. As you noted, God the Holy Spirit has revealed to me the fact that we are saved by grace alone, so, I am in no danger of falling into the error of universalism. It is however my concern for the lost that causes me to want to be accurate in my presentation of the Gospel. At the moment, I'm struggling with the concept of decisional regeneration. If a person who is lost makes a decision to follow Jesus, are they then saved? Jesus said that none would come to Him unless the Father draw him. Wouldn't it be more accurate for me to say to a lost person, "Pray that God the Father will draw you to Jesus, and if He does, you will be saved?" I well remember Paul debating with the Jews about whether or not a person is chosen to believe. They were of course at base arguing against God's right to do whatever seems good to Him with His own creation. I believe with all my heart that God's Will is the ultimate good. It is God alone who can define good. I am concerned that I would mislead someone into thinking that they are safe and secure in the Lord, when in fact, they have not been drawn by the Father to a saving faith in Jesus. I am so grateful for this internet ministry. May God richly bless all who participate by sharing and caring. Yours in the Lord, Dan K. |
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10 | Is John 3:16 for real? | Bible general Archive 1 | Dan K. | 28437 | ||
Thank you so much for your answer Steve. I love that reference from Jeremiah. You have been very helpful indeed. God bless you. Dan K. |
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11 | The Plan of God in an Arminian Nutshell | Bible general Archive 1 | Dan K. | 20417 | ||
My Dear Sir Pent, Thank you for your sincere and thoughtful response to the basic question of whether or not a human being can thwart the will of God. There are instances in Scripture where the will of God is fulfilled perfectly. As I recall, such cases are considered to be examples of the Sovereign will of God. No deviation. Over against God's Sovereign will, we have, as you so clearly pointed out, examples of God's permissive will. Instances where God allows people to deviate from His perfect will, and thereby pay a price. Deviating from God's will is always costly. Now, keeping in mind my basic premise that God is a mighty God, a God who is in control, I emphasize the fact that it is God who ALLOWS the deviation, and not man who forces the issue. I must share with you my belief that everything that ever happens in time, or eternity, will glorify God. "All things are working together for good, to those who love God, . . . " Rom. 8:28 God allowed the jealous brothers of Joseph to sell him into slavery, but God meant it for good. Gen. 45:5 God allowed satan to tempt Job, but which one of us has not been blessed by learning of his life experiences? God allowed Jesus to die on a cross, . . . but it made it possible for God to be just, and the justifier of the ungodly. Rom. 3:26 Clearly, the murder of Jesus was the most wicked thing that evil men have ever done, . . . but, it was all part of God's plan, and I again emphasize, GOD'S PLAN. As I see it, God's permissive will is only a part of God's Sovereign will because it is still God who is determining the outcome of His decrees. Since God has all knowledge, it is not possible to catch Him unawares. See Ps. 139 We are infinitely beneath His awesome Majesty and Power. When we think that our free-will is greater than God's will, I think that our conception of God is in error. God is All Powerful. All things are possible to Him. God is All Knowing, He has all knowledge, and all Wisdom. He is Wise and knows what to do about all the things He knows. And, He is everywhere present. He knows the words that you and I are sharing, before we write them down. God Bless you Sir Pent. Yours in the Lord, Dan K. |
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12 | The Plan of God in an Arminian Nutshell | Bible general Archive 1 | Dan K. | 20277 | ||
Lionstrong, Just a note to tell you that your summary of Arminian theology has prompted me to pray for Arminians. Their God is definitely too small. Regarding one aspect of your assessment, i.e., that God cannot control free-will, I would like to share a comment I heard Dr. Walter Martin make many years ago. Once upon a time, God wanted Jonah to go to Nineveh. Jonah did not want to go to Nineveh. Jonah went in the opposite direction. Well, inasmuch as it was God's will that Jonah would go to Nineveh, God simply arranged the affairs of Jonah's life in order to make Jonah willing to go to Nineveh. Jonah did not go to Nineveh against his will, God simply made him willing to go. Our God called the universe into existence by commanding it to be so. Is it such a stretch of the imagination to conceive of the possibility that He can control His own creation? Frankly, I find it a really strange idea that a mere human could thwart the will of God. I take great comfort in the knowledge that all of the details of time and eternity will unfold just as God has decreed they shall unfold. Otherwise, He wouldn't be God. Yours in the Lord, Dan K. |
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13 | For many are called, but few chosen | Matt 20:15 | Dan K. | 19669 | ||
Hi Ray, If I may, I would like to add a thought regarding Mt. 20:15. As I see it, the parable concerns the generosity of God, or, very specifically, the grace of God. If God deals with us in justice, we get what we deserve. If God deals with us in mercy, we don't get what we deserve. If God deals with us in grace, we get what we don't deserve, or, unmerited favor. In the parable, the Lord said to the prospective workers, "whatever is right, I will give you." Inasmuch as God is perfectly just, and the One who determines what is right, it follows that He will always do what is right. He is not only the Creator of all things, He is also Lord of all things. The Jews had a great deal of difficulty accepting the fact that Gentiles would be granted salvation. The disciples debated much about who would receive the greatest rewards in the upcoming Kingdom of God. If the Jews, or the disciples, could have merited salvation through self-effort, then Jesus would have died in vain. Those of us who revel in the knowledge of the grace of God know better than that. Our salvation is the gift of God - not of works. There will not be a single person in heaven who deserves to be there based on their self-righteosness. Any crowns we receive, we will cast at the feet of Jesus because if it were not for the work of Jesus, we would never have accomplished anything anyway. "Apart from me," Jesus said, "you can do nothing." Thank God that He is generous! Dan K. |
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