Results 381 - 400 of 645
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Results from: Notes Author: JCrichton Ordered by Date |
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Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
381 | searching for the truth | 1 Cor 11:3 | JCrichton | 125728 | ||
Part 2 of 2 How can Paul make such statements? The Gospels do not speak of any special writings that Jesus dictated to the disciples… even when Jesus takes Peter aside after entrusting him with the flock, there’s no rule book that Peter brings back to share with the rest of the disciples. Yet, Paul, adamantly, states that God established a rule for the ministering of the Church! Surely, he must be wrong: It is not in the Gospels! But he is not! It is Jesus’ promise of the Paraclete that gives Paul and the rest of the Apostles the authority and power to establish the temporal Church. It is the Holy Spirit who instructs and guides them. It is the Holy Spirit who reveals the Truth about Scripture! The phrase “don’t commit suicide” is not a found in the Bible, but the commandment not to kill is! Would this command apply only to physical killing? Would destroying a person’s reputation, morality, humanity, spirituality, psyche not be killing that person? If only the letter of the commandment is applied, it could well be argued that destroying and oppressing a person, aside from physically murdering him/her, is not breaking the commandment that orders us not to kill. Is that the extent of the commandment: do not kill physically? By arguing that if the Scriptural text does not exist everything is rendered extra-Biblical we could well be placing Paul and others outside of God’s grace since they have spoken on issues that have no Scriptural backing: The prophecy of Enoch (Jude 1:14-16--resonates on Daniel 7:10) Michael’s, the Archangel, battle with Satan over Moses’ body (Jude 1:9) The traditions passed by the Apostles (2 Thessalonians 2:15; 3:6) Paul‘s declaration that his physical sufferings completes Christ‘s (Colossians 1:24)… If we remove the Holy Spirit and the Church’s history we operate in a vacuum where the Body of Christ is dissected into millions of personal theologies that denounce and uphold everything and anything under Heaven! Surely this is not what Christ meant when He admonished that we love one another and that we be one! It is the Holy Spirit who, through the Church, defines and instructs the Body of Christ: The purpose of this was, that now, through the Church, the principalities and ruling forces should learn how many-sided God’s wisdom is, according to the plan which he had formed from all eternity in Christ Jesus our Lord. In him we are bold enough to approach God in complete confidence, through our faith in him; (Ephesians 3:10-12) but in case I should be delayed, I want you to know how people ought to behave in God’s household--that is, in the Church of the living God, pillar and support of the truth. (1 Timothy 3:15) God does not reveal the hidden Truth to all, as attested by both Christ and Paul: I shall ask the Father, and he will give you another Paraclete to be with you for ever, the Sprit of truth whom the world can never accept since it neither sees nor knows him; but you know him, because he is with you, he is in you. (John 14:16-17) he made known to me by a revelation the mystery I have just described briefly--a reading of it will enable you to perceive my understanding of the mystery of Christ. This mystery, as it is now revealed in the Spirit to his holy apostles and prophets, was unknown to humanity in previous generations: (Ephesians 3:3-5) Clearly, the revelations of the Holy Spirit are not imparted for mere personal gratification; the revelations of the Holy Spirit are made for the edification of the Church!: At the same time, we must recognise that the interpretation of scriptural prophecy is never a matter for the individual. For no prophecy ever came from human initiative. When people spoke for God it was the Holy Spirit that moved them. The Holy Scripture is God’s Salvation Plan brought to its fullness in the Church of Christ! God Bless! Angel |
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382 | searching for the truth | 1 Cor 11:3 | JCrichton | 125727 | ||
“I also mentioned that one of our problems is that we often go beyond what Scripture says.“ Hi, Tim Moran! Part 1 of 2 I don’t mean to be disrespectful… Several times you have use the statement above (or something similar to it) to distinguish between what is God’s Word per Scripture and man’s interpretation… As this particular view is held by many, though maybe termed differently, I wanted to expand on it… Now, when you say “go beyond what Scripture says,” do you mean that if it is not explicitly found in the Biblical text (as a mandate to not commit suicide) it is not Scriptural based and hence it is not the Word of God? Please correct me if this is not your meaning… I have come across some Christians who actually hold that idea to be the imperative mandate of what constitutes Scripture or inspiration or the Holy Spirit or God’s Word. On the surface, it is a very strong argument… on the surface! Let’s take the simple subject dealing with the Church‘s temporal structure: Jesus never told the disciples to go out into the world calling themselves “Christians.” This is a simple fact that escaped them for at least a year… it was only during Paul and Barnabas mission at Antioch and its surroundings that the name surfaced--the name Christian is not found in the Old Testament scrolls; Jesus never stated it (at least not openly) since it was not recorder in His four Gospels; neither was it part of the Holy Spirit’s revelations during Pentecost--had it been so, there would be no need to wait over 12 months for this information to be offer as public domain… This is why “sola scriptura” does not work! It does not take into consideration that it is the Holy Spirit who brings us the fullness of the Truth (John 16:12-14). Jesus never called the disciples Apostles, yet they became Apostles… why would Paul not refer to himself as the least of the disciples? If he were to use the “sola scriptura” rule, there is no way that he could have called himself an Apostle! (1 Corinthians 15:9) Jesus told the disciples that they were not to rule each other as the world does, exerting oppressive power and authority over their subjects. In the Gospels, the closest we find to a structural order of the Church is: a) when Jesus tells Simon that he is Cephas and that on that rock He would build His Church (Matthew 16:17-19; Luke 1:42), and b) when Jesus commands Peter to demonstrate his love for Him by taking care of the flock (John 21:15-17). Aside from these two incidents, the Gospels do not quote Jesus as establishing a structural format for the Church where some will be bishops, deacons, etc. (Philippians 1:1; 1 Timothy 3:1, 2, 8, 12; Titus 1:7; 1 Peter 2:25) Further, Paul, again not relying on “sola scriptura,” declares that there is an organization for the Church of God, and that God Himself established it: Now Christ’s body is yourselves, each of you with a part to play in the whole. And those whom God has appointed in the Church are, first apostles, secondly prophets, thirdly teachers; after them, miraculous powers, then gifts of healing, helpful acts, guidance, various kinds of tongues. (1 Corinthians 12:27-28) It could easily be argued that Paul is referring to a succession from the Old Testament… but, there were no Apostles of Christ in the Old Testament so Paul’s order would have to have read: “first prophets…” |
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383 | Define Christian entertainment | John 14:12 | JCrichton | 125724 | ||
Hi, tgc! I know that there's no turning back the clock... but this is basically the solotion: Christians are part of society: society has become increasingly more and more bold and immoral: Christians want to be part of the world: Christians values are compromised in order to fit in! Have you noticed how adamant people are about the division of church and State? Well, when it comes to social values it is the same, except that people embrace modern views (as unscrupulous as they are), and they demand that the church conform to their modern views! I do not suggest that we reject all of society's values and amenities only those practices that are contrary to Christ! As it stands in Europe, Canada, and the United States there's a resurgence of anti-Christian movements (these include the implementation of legislation) that, in the long run, could mirror the behavior of the Communist and Islamic states. Jesus called for His disciples to love one another and to be one! We are missing the target! Till we obey Jesus the Church will suffer assaults both from within and without! God Bless! Angel |
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384 | searching for the truth | 1 Cor 11:3 | JCrichton | 125655 | ||
Hi, Tim Moran! Those who are aware of the Truth and outright reject Him, yes. But, as creatures of habit, humans are followers and many follow without ever questioning... When a person/group offers an opinion it is easy to reject it... yet, when that person/group has established an indoctrination system where inductees are basically brain-washed, it is difficult for the inductees to have an original thought--specially one that contradicts the inductor's agenda. I have come accross people from "Christian" congregations who have stated that only their pastor can instruct them on Bible matters and they have even refused to open the Bible and share Scripture! They have been instructed to invite others to their congregation and to share Scripture as per the cult's... err... I meant, as per the established agenda. Then there are those who take a three-year-trek into Denial where they are trained to be blind to any Scripture that tells us that Jesus is God--even when God Himself calls Jesus God. This is so contorted that they can quote Jesus as saying that "...the Father is greater than I..." and accept and believe that statement as truth; while, simultaneously, rejecting Christ's statments when He says "...the Father lives/abides in me..." or "I and the Father are one." I do not believe that these poor souls are truly aware of their fallacy... somewhere along their history they were thirsty for the Truth and the wrong instructors got hold of them! We have to pray for these people... without our help "Christian" will be only an empty label for them since they are not even conscious that to be a Christian means to believe in Christ Jesus and to serve Him as our Lord and Master! They carry that label with the same intent that morges use their toe-tag: to identify the corpses! God Bless! Angel |
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385 | searching for the truth | 1 Cor 11:3 | JCrichton | 125630 | ||
Hi, Tim Moran! Correct! In essence, those people have become blinded to the truth. They follow without learning and they accept the fallacies of their teachers as truth. It is because they rely on their own finite wisdom that they commit themselves to erroneous teachings. Many are not really seeking God as much as they are seeking to "belong.!" The warning Jesus gave about being amonst wolves in sheep clothing was not meant only for His generation! God Bless! Angel |
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386 | Bible's view on suicide? | Matt 27:5 | JCrichton | 125628 | ||
“All of our iniquities have been forgiven --past, present, and future 'Now, some may take this truth and distort it. "If I can't out-sin God's grace," one may say, "then I can just keep on sinning and sinning." But God's overwhelming forgiveness is not a license for sin, but a motivation for holiness. 'And even though God will forgive, the consequences of our actions can never be undone. In addition, one day we will have to account for every single act we've ever committed. However, to say that any sin is unforgivable is to say that Christ's death was not enough, that the crucifixion was not the remedy for man’s sin. 'All of our iniquities—past, present, and future—have been forgiven. Instead of living in fear, doubt, and anxiety—constantly worrying whether or not we have committed some unpardonable act—we can take comfort in knowing that God is faithful to forgive. (1 John 1:9) He will never let us down.' * * * * * For more on the unpardonable sin from Dr. Charles Stanley and In Touch, be sure to visit: Article: http://www.intouch.org/myintouch/exploring/bible_says/single_questions/unpardonable_129541.html ___________________ The Unpardonable Sin (http://www.oneplace.com/Ministries/In_Touch/Article_Archives.asp) ” “'And even though God will forgive, the consequences of our actions can never be undone. In addition, one day we will have to account for every single act we've ever committed. However, to say that any sin is unforgivable is to say that Christ's death was not enough, that the crucifixion was not the remedy for man’s sin. ” “'All of our iniquities—past, present, and future—have been forgiven. Instead of living in fear, doubt, and anxiety—constantly worrying whether or not we have committed some unpardonable act—we can take comfort in knowing that God is faithful to forgive. (1 John 1:9) He will never let us down.' ” Hi, kalos! Part of the argument on this current thread is that all sin is automatically forgiven, including suicide, without the need to ask God for forgiveness... Your opening statement (“All of our iniquities have been forgiven -past, present, and future) seemingly supports the argument that suicide is automatically forgiven… hence my confusion! My response to your post was not accusatory... since I found both arguments in your quoted statements I was not sure if you were implying that I was holding suicide as an unforgivable sin (which I do not believe it is), and I could not gauge whether you supported the idea that Christians are saved regardless of their willful disobedience and their sinful state at the time of physical death... On the second part of my reply I attempted to clarify my position on suicide--as well as any other willful state of sin. As you well know, there are people who read these posts seeking for loopholes, rejecting even the Scripture for the sake of personal interpretation of Scripture. Please do not be offended. I did not mean to convey that you believe or stated the quoted material from my post. I responded to the totality of the thread and not just your post. Perhaps this was my error, as I attempted to reply to the totality and not just your particular part of the thread. My sincere apologies for the misunderstand. God Bless! Angel |
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387 | searching for the truth | 1 Cor 11:3 | JCrichton | 125623 | ||
Hi, Ray! I was quoting Scripture, the version which I use has "your..." Than same version utilizes "head" for all accounts. I've read some versions that do capitalize "Head" when refering to Christ or God... and others, still capitalize the complete word "LORD" in the Old Testament--this particular issue comes up with certain groups that insist on making assigning LORD, Yahweh, in a higher plane of existence than the Lord, Yeshua, whom they demote to a comparative infirior level. I have notice that you tend to magnify the Father's, the Son's and the Holy Spirit's pronouns... I think that that is an excellent personal practice that both honors and exalts the Holy Trinity! I follow a similar practice... only, I capitalize the adjectives that represent the Holy Trinity as well as their personal pronouns--though I don't remember capitalizing their possessive or reflexive pronouns. I understand what you are saying... Christ as the Head of man denotes His Divinity; while God as the head of Christ denotes their equal standing as Divinity. God Bless! Angel |
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388 | searching for the truth | 1 Cor 11:3 | JCrichton | 125615 | ||
"If I then try to 'obey' my misconception of the word's meaning, am I really obeying God?" Hi, Tim Moran! You are so correct! That is why we have such a grandiouse divergence of Christian denomenations... each person that seeks to find "his/her" truth breaks away from the next person/group that does not agree/accept that "truth!" Christ did not say that the Paraclete, the Holy Spirit, would guide us to many truths, He said that He would guide us to the complete Truth!: ie: just recently I had a visit from an evangelist who offered to help me study so that I can discover the truth about Christ's Chruch--which had been in some sort of limbo for over a thousand years after the death of the Apostles... He and his congregation base their belief on one particular Scriptural passage: "...another fold..." Their founder searched Scripture support in order to give credance to his doctrinal belief... he made history! "So we keep searching the Scriptures for supporting evidence that “we” are correct." This is a generic term which I use to convey the whole of a group as society, Americans, Christians... in no way am I attempting to speak for others nor do I insinuate that that is the mind set of all believers! You are right, understanding the meaning of words give a more defined shape to what they represent... but we must also be cautious not to rely solely on the values of words... there are those that will go to their graves refusing to accept Jesus as God! They too base their fallicious belief on the exactness of some words in Scripture! I think that when we humbly come to God, asking for His Holy Spirit to guide us, even those Scripture passages that seem obscure become as bright as sun light! God Bless! Angel |
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389 | Bible's view on suicide? | Matt 27:5 | JCrichton | 125611 | ||
Hi, Tim Moran! I understand your point! Though, my concern is with "Christians" who are promoting the idea that we can commit suicide--since the Bible is basically silent on this issue (as far as stating "do not commit suicide"). There are people in my community, from other nations (both on and off the net) who are teaching that it is ok to commit suicide because Christ has already paid the price for our sins. This is ludicrous! If a person driving to work dies in an accident before he/she has time to make peace with God I believe that the Holy Spirit would pray for that person's salvation. On the other hand, if that person just had a shoot-out with the police after comitting a crime and that person dies in his/her sinful state how can we believe that he/she is to be welcomed into God's presence in their sinful state? This would negate Scripture! There are people who have diminished capacity who could potentially cause harm to others or to themselves... it will be the Holy Spirit who will see to their final moments if they commit suicide. But we cannot decree that all people who commit suicide die in a state of grace! There are people who are such cowards that when they decide that life is not worth living (whatever the reason) they seek to end their existence... they are not thinking of God. They are not even thinking of those they will leave behind. In their blind selfish desire they end it all! We cannot decree that they are in God's grace! It is not for me to judge who lives and who dies... Christ said that those who do not believe are already judged by the Word! He also cautions that not all who claim to be saved will be saved, but those who do the Will of the Father! Since God can turn even the most negative situation into good for those who love Him, and since Christ has assured us that if we go to Him He will not cast us away, there's no excuse for a person who calls him/herself Christian to commit suicide in order to escape the turmoil of his/her corporal existence! Lack of faith in Christ Jesus can allow Satan to deceive us into seeing nothing but darkness and death as the only answer to life's problems. This is why it is so important for all Christians to fellowship, to love, to care for their weaker brothers and sisters, to demand that we become more responsible Christians instead of looking for loopholes and quick solutions to life's tribulations! If I am forceful in demonstrating that suicide is not the answer, please forgive me. But my responsiblity, as a Christian, is not to accomodate those who have had a brush with or are contemplating suicide, but to offer them Christ as the means to resolve their personal situations. Christ, when praying for the disciples, said to the Father that He did not ask Him to take them out of the world (tribulations and persecutions) but to keep them safe! God has the power to keep us safe in our temporal existence, but we must humbly abide in Him and obey His Word! God Bless! Angel |
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390 | Bible's view on suicide? | Matt 27:5 | JCrichton | 125567 | ||
Hi, EdB! You are so correct! We have the Rock of Salvation on our side and He called us to rely on Him (Matthew 11:28) and He will give us rest. Yet we run into problems when we persist on relying on ourselves and the world rather than on God! When our faith is tested, we should not walk, but run to Jesus Christ! If we abide in Christ, He will abide in us. And we will be able to face all situations, in His Power! (Philippians 4:13) God Bless! Angel |
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391 | Bible's view on suicide? | Matt 27:5 | JCrichton | 125566 | ||
Hi, tmjt21! Glad to have help! I am also glad that you have a vivid thirst for the Word of God. It is the one sure way to please Him. Many people want a relationship but they do not invest anything into it--they simply wait about for others to give them bits and pieces. James said that we must be doers of the Word (active servants), and Paul said that we are to search everything and hold on to what is good (of God); it is our civic duty--the Kingdom of God is not for those who fall asleep! God Bless! Angel |
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392 | searching for the truth | 1 Cor 11:3 | JCrichton | 125565 | ||
Hi, country girl! This precisely is my point! We may argue with each other about everything Biblical and extra-Biblical till we are blue in the face, but the fact of the matter is that we may come to God not as we please but in His terms. He calls us to Salvation (Jesus) and generously offers us Life (Jesus) and the redemption of all our iniquities, in Jesus, but not as a freefall jackpot! It is in His Sacrificial Blood that we are saved. But Jesus cautions that not all who call on Him will be saved as he did not come to ransom all but those who believe in Him! He taught us to be obedient and to abide in Him--this clearly negates our desire to do our will and still claim Salvation! Scripture does not offer us the means to circumvent God (Romans 6:23) but a means to learn what pleases God and to behave accordingly (Romans 15:4; 2 Timothy 3:15; 3:16-17). Jesus did not just randomly select a few words to teach us about prayer, He came to implement the Father’s Will and to teach us to do the same (Matthew 6:10). When we take it upon ourselves to interpret Scripture according to what the world deems correct we run the risk of becoming an enemy of God for the sake of the world’s friendship. “your will be done,” can not be accomplished by redefining the Scripture: "our will be done! God Bless! Angel |
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393 | Proverbs 8 Wisdom Equals Jesus | Prov 8:22 | JCrichton | 125564 | ||
Hi, EdB! Thanks for the reassurance! I think that I will turn off the Pop-up Filter in the hope of avoiding some of the traffic! I am thinking that it might also have something to do with the connection--there are times when I am dropped from the system and I have to re-log on. Today I've worked off-line on the word processor and I am just copying and pasting. It is kind of slow since I am downloading, storing, then working on the posts--this allows for interruptions which prolong the response time... but I've a back up if I lose the material! God Bless! Angel |
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394 | Bible's view on suicide? | Matt 27:5 | JCrichton | 125562 | ||
Hi, kalos! I appreciate your post! However, I do fail to see the point you are making. Are you saying that there’s a claim that there’s more than one unforgivable (unpardonable) sin? Are you saying that since there’s only one unforgivable sin all other sins are automatically forgiven because Christ died to rescue us from spiritual death? And, if this is the point you are making, are you then saying that when a “Christian” decides that he/she wants to go home, to God, all he/she needs to do is kill him/herself, and that they are avoiding the wage of sin, which is spiritual death, since all sins (past, present, and future) have been forgiven in Christ? Please clarify! My position is that there’s only one unforgivable sin--blaspheming against the Holy Spirit! When we read the Old Testament we find that death is demanded for those who blaspheme against Yahweh. Since the Holy Spirit, who is the third Person of God, would deal directly with the Church Jesus applied the same terms of the Old Testament to those who would blaspheme against Him, the Holy Spirit. As far as sinning without consequence… Christ, after forgiving anyone’s sins did not say “Go and sin as you please!“ No, He always commanded that we sin no more. He did not guarantee eternal life for those who appropriated it; rather He guaranteed eternal life for those who would abide in Him (John 15:5). As He is Resurrection and Life in Him we have Life! But certainly, Jesus did not come to offer carte blanche to all who would simply quote Scripture and disobey God--Satan quoted Scripture to Jesus when he was allowed by the Holy Spirit to test Him; it did not work! Satan refuses to obey God. And, when Jesus had enough of him, He simply ordered Satan to go away--he did, he had no other choice! In a similar fashion, Jesus gives warning to all who think that by quoting Scripture they can manipulate Jesus into doing their bidding: ‘It is not anyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord,” who will enter the kingdom of Heaven, but the person who does the will of my Father in heaven. When the day comes many will say to me, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, drive out demons in your name, work many miracles in your name?” Then I shall tell them to their faces: I have never known you; away from me, all evil doers! (Matthew 7:21-23) How can anyone interpret Jesus’ words as anything other than what He said: “away from me, all evil doers!” Is Jesus saying: “Sin in confidence because I died once and for all for all your sins--specially for the sins of those who claim my name!” Absolutely not! Jesus is saying: “Away from me, Satan!” Salvation is not a matter of quoting Scripture! It is a matter of doing “the will of my Father in heaven:” Do not allow yourselves to be shaped by the passions of your old ignorance, but as obedient children, be yourselves holy in all your activity, after the model of the Holy One who calls us, since scripture says, ‘Be holy, for I am holy.’ (1 Peter 1:14-16) God Bless! Angel |
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395 | Proverbs 8 Wisdom Equals Jesus | Prov 8:22 | JCrichton | 125561 | ||
Hi, PasserBy! Thanks for the technical assist… as of today I’ve been doing just that. It seems that netzero can’t get along with other servers! “it was Jesus talking in Proverbs” I do not mean to argue, but notice that whenever the New Testament makes a statement about someone speaking in the Old Testament it usually refers to Yahweh, the Father, or the Holy Spirit. As far I can recall the only mention reflecting Christ in the Old Testament (not being found in prophecies but actually being there) is Paul’s revelation that Jesus is the rock or the Rock which gave life to Israel during their desert trek! Wisdom being the deposit of knowledge and Divine Wisdom is reflected by Jesus as the Holy Sprit who is the Paraclete that will come to direct and instruct the temporal Church (John 14 thru 16)--truly He did not leave us orphans! The prophets spoke the words given them by the Holy Spirit. And the Scripture are inspired by Him. In the last days the Holy Spirit will be poured upon humanity and the Wisdom of God will be realized: In the last days--the Lord declares-- I Shall pour out my Spirit on all humanity. Your sons and daughters shall prophesy, your young people shall see visions, your old people dream dreams. Even on the slaves, men and women, shall I pour out my Spirit. (Acts 2:17-18) God Bless! Angel |
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396 | Bible's view on suicide? | Matt 27:5 | JCrichton | 125560 | ||
Hi, Tim Moran! True we are creatures of emotions… so much so that Christ Himself allowed some of His emotions to show through when confronted with some human issues. And you are right. The Bible does not speak on suicide; could that mean that God condones suicide? Well, if we fallow simple logic (0, 1; on, off, yes, no), we must conclude, from your observation, that He does! But if we apply simple logic to one part of Scripture, would it not be fair to do the same with the totality of Scripture? So, again by the simple logic rule, since Scripture does not mention hard liquor, marijuana, cocaine, acid, prescription drugs, household cleaners and other compressed household chemicals… all these would be consumable goods and could even be abused with Biblical endorsement! Well, not direct endorsement since Scripture does not testifies to their use… just indirect endorsement since there is no text that sanctions the use/abuse of any of the above mentioned chemicals. Clearly, simple logic does not work! The same applies to suicide! Though Scripture does not speak on suicide, we have to go beyond simple logic to understand that God, the Creator of Life, does not desire to take a single life. His concern is such that He establishes an eternal statute: “Do not kill.” Jesus talks about God’s concern for us to the point of having even the hairs on our head numbered… is this a sign of a God who could care less if His followers just up and quit life? If Christians, reinvent the wheel and profess that it is Biblical to commit suicide, where do we draw the line: poverty (just at national‘s level, 10 percent bellow, 30 percent…), diminished capacity (blindness, mental retardation, alcoholism, drug addiction, obesity, anorexia, low IQ…), old age (in America that would be something like 53--males and 46--females), genetic deformities, social pressures, debt, loss of job, spouse, child or parent, personal failure (marriage, school, business, profession…), incompetence, laziness, boredom…? Our society prides itself on empty values (perennial youth, stick-figure females, cosmetic surgery, physical perfection, depravity--every sort, individualism--to the extinction of the family, wealth-centered--anything and everything with the inclusion of “Christianity“, and the all mighty disposable everything), is it any wonder that “Christians” are now making excuses for self-annihilation? Where in the Bible did Christ command us to “take yourselves out when life becomes unbearable?” Of course, there are those who interpret Scripture as stating that Christ is but a glorified prophet… so Scripture can be molded to mean anything we want! If Christians begin to teach that we can commit suicide at whim with assurance of a better life in Heaven, how can we face Christ’s death on the Cross for our infirmities? Which part of His suffering covered the sin of self-annihilation? There are “spiritual” doctrines that promote murder-suicide as a sign of martyrdom, others that promote suicide in the face of personal failure in order to deflect dishonor from the family unit, still others that promote suicide as means to ascension to a better/more spiritual level of existence… which one of those doctrines are based on Christ’s teachings? When “Christians” manipulate Scripture to reflect these same values, have they heard a word Christ said?: ‘Why do you call me, “Lord, Lord” and not do what I say? (Luke 6:46) God Bless! Angel |
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397 | searching for the truth | 1 Cor 11:3 | JCrichton | 125559 | ||
Hi, Tim Moran! I understand your views! I think that part of the problem is that we, Christians, tend to merge both God’s Way and the world’s ways. We view obedience as subjecting ourselves not to the Will of God but the whims of the world. Notice how quickly we accept any philosophy that the world endorses; yet, when it comes to the Bible we demand an exact format that would present us with just the right wording that we are willing to digest? Jesus commands that we love one another and that we become one--so we create thousands of denominations claiming to be serving Jesus in absolute completeness in each one of those congregations! We run the gambit from one extreme to another, and still we keep reinventing the Church! It all comes down to obedience! We are ready to obey God, but only in our terms! So we keep searching the Scriptures for supporting evidence that “we” are correct. And while we battle each other for a piece of Heaven, we keep running away from the Truth and embracing anything that supports our personal theology. I have witnessed these such arguments in very many places both on and off cyberspace. I’ve noticed that sometimes the differences between one person/group and another are rooted in semantics or menial matters that are inconsequential to salvation. God Bless! Angel |
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398 | Proverbs 8 Wisdom Equals Jesus | Prov 8:22 | JCrichton | 125486 | ||
Part 2 of 2 they were acting as servants delivering the message which has now been announced to you by those who preached to you the gospel through the Holy Spirit sent from heaven… 2 Peter 1:19-21 So we have confirmation of the words of the prophets; and you will be right to pay attention to it as to a lamp for lighting a way through the dark, until the dawn comes and the morning star rises in your minds. At the same time, we must recognise that the interpretation of scriptural prophecy is never a matter for the individual. For no prophecy ever came from human initiative. When people spoke for God it was the Holy Spirit that moved them. In as much as Christ Jesus came, as the Lamb of God, to die in our stead, the Paraclete, the Holy Spirit, came to guide and nourish the Church: Ephesians 3:8-12 I, who am less than the least of all God’s holy people, have been entrusted with this special grace, of proclaiming to the gentiles the unfathomable treasure of Christ and of throwing light on the inner workings of the mystery kept hidden through all the ages in God, the Creator of everything. The purpose of this was, that now, through the Church, the principalities and ruling forces should learn how many-sided God’s wisdom is, according to the plan which he had formed from all eternity in Christ Jesus our Lord. It is the Holy Spirit who works directly with the Church, revealing, according to His Will, the mysteries of God to those who believe: Because of that, I want to make it quite clear to you that no one who says “A curse on Jesus’ can be speaking in the Spirit of God, and nobody is able to say ‘Jesus is Lord’ except in the Holy Spirit. (1 Corinthians 12:3) And it is the Holy Spirit who is Church’s fountain (source/deposit/that issues forth) of wisdom and power: 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 There are many different gifts, but it is always the same Spirit; there are many different ways of serving, but it is always the same Lord. There are many different forms of activity, but in everybody it is the same God who is at work in them all. The particular manifestation of the Spirit granted to each one is to be used for the general good. To one is given from the Spirit the gift of utterance expressing wisdom; to another the gift of utterance expressing knowledge, in accordance with the same Spirit; to another, faith, from the same Spirit; and to another, the gifts of healing, through this one Spirit; to another, the working of miracles; to another, prophecy; to another, the power of distinguishing spirits; to one, the gift of different tongues and to another, the interpretation of tongues. But at work in al these is one and the same Spirit, distributing them at will to each individual. True, the Father calls us to the Son and in the Son we have Life Eternal, but it is through the Holy Spirit that the Father accomplishes all: The incarnation of the Word (Luke 1:26-35) Jesus’ Anointment (Luke 3:21-22; Acts 10:38) Jesus’ offering of Himself, His Sacred Blood, for our sake (Hebrews 9:14) Jesus’ raising from death (Romans 8:11) It is this anointment, the Holy Spirit’s, that regenerates us making us new creatures in God: But when the kindness and love of God our Saviour for humanity were revealed, it was not because of any upright actions we had done ourselves; it was for no reason except his own faithful love that he saved us, by means of the cleansing water of rebirth and the renewal of the Holy Spirit which he has so generously poured over us through Jesus Christ our Saviour; (Titus 3:4-6) This anointing is our seal of salvation as we receive all of God’s graces and Love: It is God who gives us, with you, a sure place in Christ and has both anointed us and marked us with his seal, giving us as pledge the Spirit in our hearts. (2 Corinthians 1:21-22) For it is impossible for anyone to say “Jesus is Lord,” if not by God’s Holy Spirit! God Bless! Angel PS: I check the following Biblical versions: NIV; NASB; AMP; NLT; KJV; ESV; CEV; NKJV; KJ21; ASV; WE/NT; YLT; DARBY; NIRV; NIV-UK… all but KJV and ASV used Spirit to represent the Holy Spirit; AMP bracketed “Holy” preceding Spirit. |
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399 | Proverbs 8 Wisdom Equals Jesus | Prov 8:22 | JCrichton | 125485 | ||
Hi, Ray! Part 1 of 2 When I write about God (inclusive of the Holy Trinity) all adjective pronouns have a Divine significance for me. Wisdom, as the Holy Spirit, is capitalized in this manner. In my mind, the wisdom that comes from God is far superior than worldly wisdom; yet, Wisdom, in reference to God or as a Divine attribute or pronoun will be capitalized by me to denote honor and to render veneration. The various translations of the Holy Scriptures have been disseminating a generous amount of variety (enhancement of grammar, meanings, transliterations, various formats for emphasizing Divinity through capitalization or color coding, retrospection to include our Lord’s name in Messianic passages (no I am not referring to Paul’s revelation that the rock that followed the Israelites was Jesus), or even the effort to homogenize the Scriptures so that all religious cultures can read one text without being offended by “other people’s” terminologies and names for God), most of which is due to our diligence in being “better than the rest” or sidestepping the original translations of the Holy Scriptures. Jesus announced that there would come a time when true worshippers would worship in spirit and in truth. That time was when He introduced the Kingdom of Heaven onto the world! Our worship is not of things nor buildings, nor books. Our worship is in the Spirit of Christ: the Spirit of God: the Holy Spirit! When we thus serve God, we please Him. Some of us, as I do, will see a connection with God and all the words that define Him (the Holy Trinity) and will seek to emphasize this feeling, this belief, in capitalizing either the first letter or the whole word (God is GOD). Others may find significance in capitalizing only certain words, and at that only the first letter of those particular words--they too are offering God tribute and honor! But I caution, that there are those who seek to limit the Holy Spirit as a spirit (function) of God; they liken it to an executable order given by the CEO of an enterprise. Their main concern is to divest God of His existence as the Holy Trinity. Yet, when we read the fullness of the Scriptures we find Jesus and the Apostles referring to the Holy Spirit as God or as equal, in terms of Divinity, with the Father. And though we may also find Jesus speaking about God being a spirit--could Jesus have meant that God was one of many spirits? There is only one Spirit: the Spirit of Christ: the Spirit of God: the Holy Spirit. Since it is He, the Holy Spirit, who makes all things happen in Christ Jesus, I choose to emphasize all words/adjectives that represent Him! Now, I am not disputing the fact that there are Biblical passages that call Jesus the Wisdom of God… just as those, there are others that talk about being or working in the power of the Holy Spirit--does that mean that there are two “Powers” of God? Absolutely not! When I say that the Holy Spirit is the Wisdom of God I take my cue from Christ Himself: but the Paraclete, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and remind you of all I have said to you. (John 14:26) When the Paraclete comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who issues from the Father, he will be my witness. (John 15:26) Still, I am telling you the truth: it is for your own good that I am going, because unless I go, the Paraclete will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. …However, when the Spirit of truth comes he will lead you to the complete truth, since he will not be speaking of his own accord, but will say only what he has been told; and he will reveal to you the things to come. He will glorify me, since all he reveals to you will be taken from what is mine. Everything the Father has is mine; that is why I said: all he reveals to you will be taken from what is mine. (John 16:7-15) Jesus established the Church, spiritually, when He renamed Simon Cephas (Matthew 16:17-18; John 1:42), but the Church did not gain corporeal existence until after His Ascension (Acts 1:2). The promise of the Holy Spirit would be revealed in signs and power. It will be He who will teach and guide the Church (Acts: 1:8; 2:4, 38-39; 4:31-33; 7:55; 9:17-23; 10:44-46; 13:9-10; 19:6; 20:28) It was the Holy Spirit who instructed the saints (prophets) to reveal God’s Plan. Not only that, but it was He who guided the minds of those who would transmit the word of God to the world : 1 Peter 1:10-12 This salvation was the subject of the search and investigation of the prophets who spoke of the grace you were to receive, searching out the time and circumstances for which the Spirit of Christ, bearing witness in them, was revealing the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow them. It was revealed to them that it was for your sake and not their own that |
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400 | Proverbs 8 Wisdom Equals Jesus | Prov 8:22 | JCrichton | 125484 | ||
Hi, EdB! Thanks for your support! I've just experienced a block-out: every time I attempted to post I the system acted like it had crashed... I spent nearly a whole hour trying to post my reply to Tim Moran... Have you experineced any problems today? God Bless! Angel |
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