Results 521 - 540 of 645
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Results from: Notes Author: JCrichton Ordered by Date |
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Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
521 | How dangerous is the Tongue? | Bible general Archive 2 | JCrichton | 120084 | ||
Hi, happiness0070! I don't follow... What is it that you are suggesting: various Bible passages that cite the use of tongues (as in languages--as the incident at Pentecost (Acts 2:1-12) or Paul's admonishions about not relying on the tongue as sign of deeper spirituality (1 Corinthians 14:1-25)... Whether you are searching or testing... I need a more define commentary! God Bless! Angel |
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522 | Christian beliefs | Bible general Archive 2 | JCrichton | 120005 | ||
Hi, Edd! When I say the basic premise I mean that the fundamental definition of Christian is a person who believes in Christ's Divinity; ergo all who believe in Christ's Divinity are Christians. Yet, though all are Christians, there are variations in doctrines (i.e.: Catholics, Adventist, Evangelist, Pentescostal, Baptist, Episcopal, Anglican...); each congregation has its own directives--some of which may overlap other denomenation's directives. What I've learned is that Christians use Jesus Christ as their template; though there are various interpretations of what "Christianity" is: some base their creed (system of belief or dogma) mostly on the Old Testament; some on one or a few passages of the Bible (which they take literaly--as touching snakes; discerning evil spirit, actual demons that they claim to discover possessing others--others, still, having prophets among their leadership; others, speaking in tongues--mandatory to demonstrate deep spirituality... I could go on... The Catholics have a variation onto themselves: they believe that they have a historical continuity from the Apostle Peter (Jonh 1:42 and Matthew 16:18-19); the Catholic Church has persevered time and persecution; the Catholic creed accentuates three Persons of God (the Holy Trinity); Christ: Salvation: Resurrection: Life is their fundamental belief; among other teachings is the communion with the saints and Purgatory. Because of these Catholic beliefs I stated that not all Christians are Catholics and, since Catholics believe in Christ (as God, not as a prophet or teacher or demigod), I stated that Catholics are Christians. Edd, if this thread has not been discontinued already... I think we are about to be warned... If you like to continue this discussion post a note and I'll include my yahoo e-address on my next reply! (I am not familiar with the forum's functions so I cannot assure you that once a thread is closed we would still be able to correspond on an individual basis.) God Bless! Angel |
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523 | what is unleavened bread, symbol? | Ex 12:34 | JCrichton | 119658 | ||
Hi, coko! Leaven: 1 a : a substance (as yeast) used to produce fermentation in dough or a liquid; esp : SOURDOUGH b : a mateial (as baking powder) used to produce a gas that lightens dough or batter 2 : something that modifies or lightens (Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary) Basically leaven is a substance that improves the texture and flavor of other substances (as dough...). Well... I hope this has helped! Keep reading and living the Scriptures! ...about the tag--there are variations about the grim reaper (death) in various societies in the world... how people think that placing the fear of gnomes or goblins into a child's head will make the child behave is beyond me... But I have heard of many stories some with names that simply imply a playful spirit or gremlin to those like candy man and chupa cabra! God Bless! Angel |
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524 | What if a saved person commits suicide? | Rom 6:23 | JCrichton | 119592 | ||
Part 2 of 2 Now, the Spirit we have received is not the spirit of the world but God’s own Spirit, so that we may understand the lavish gifts God has given us. And these are what we speak of, not in the terms learnt from human philosophy, but in terms learnt from the Spirit, fitting spiritual language to spiritual things. The natural person has no room for the gifts of God’s Spirit; to him they are folly; he cannot recognise them, because their value can he assessed only in the Spirit. (1 Corinthians 2:12-14) So if we shun the Holy Spirit, how can we obtain forgiveness? How would we have the will power to recognize our sinful state and repent and ask for forgiveness? Many people say that once “saved” always saved… the Bible has no such clause! The Bible teaches that we can grieve/hinder the Holy Spirit… Jesus Himself commanded not to blaspheme against the Holy Spirit, was He wrong? No! We have the power to accept God or to reject Him, it is part of what makes us different from the rest of Creation (God’s image and likeness). So if we reject the Holy Spirit, who is God, how can we find grace in Jesus?: Always be joyful; pray constantly; and for all things give thanks; this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus. Do not stifle the Spirit or despise the gift of prophecy with contempt; test everything and hold on to what is good and shun every form of evil. May the God of peace make you perfect and holy; and may your spirit, life and body be kept blameless for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-23 ) Adulterers! Do you not realise that love for the world is hatred for God? Anyone who chooses the world for a friend is constituted an enemy of God. Can you not see the point of the saying in scripture, ‘The longing of the spirit he sent to dwell in us is a jealous longing.’? But he has given us an even greater grace, as scripture says: God opposes the proud but he accords his favour to the humble. Give in to God, then; resist the devil, and he will run away from you. The nearer you go to God, the nearer God will come to you. Clean your hands, you sinners, and clear your minds, you waverers. Appreciate your wretchedness, and weep for it is misery. Your laughter must be turned to grief, your happiness to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will lift you up. (James 4:4-10) James 4:4-10 is precise! Everyone who loves the world is committing adultery (Jesus is the only husband the Church has) against God and is therefore an enemy of God. He asserts that if we come near to God, God will not reject us! The longing of the spirit is of things that are of God--only if we disobey the Holy Spirit could we do things that are contrary to God’s Will! For the wage paid by sin is death; the gift freely given by God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23) The operative phrase in Romans 6:23 is “eternal life in Christ Jesus.” There’s no “come as you please” clause in any of the Sacred Writings! God Bless! Angel |
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525 | Why are some people being disrespectful? | Bible general Archive 2 | JCrichton | 119455 | ||
Hi, Hank! Thanks for the info! I'll keep Ray in mind when I next run into these carefree posters! God Bless! Angel |
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526 | To Post or Not to Post? | 2 Tim 2:15 | JCrichton | 119289 | ||
Hi, Hank! Thanks for your reply! When I first joined the forum I did a general research within the past topics... but I usually stay withing the top pages when I come into the forum... I thought that there was something going on that I was not aware of... This is an excellent forum... I too share your concerns that it not be allowed to deteriorate into a soap opera! God Bless! Angel |
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527 | i just dont understandthe verse. | Matt 1:1 | JCrichton | 119239 | ||
Hi, Rowdy! Thanks for your post... I specially like Luke 14:26 because it hits on another post ("is it wrong to wear fine clothing") which I have been involved with--Jesus does not talk about compromising: His way or the death way! God Bless! Angel |
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528 | is it wrong to wear fine clothing | 1 Tim 2:9 | JCrichton | 119201 | ||
"We have to keep in mind that God says, ". . .with lovingkindness have I drawn you" and that's what will draw the world." The problem with compromising (see American History) is that those who compromise usually end up lossing everthing! Do you remember Jesus compromising, ever? Even when most of His followers left Him when He told them that they would have to eat His flesh... did He call them back and said: "Wait, wait, I was using a metaphor--please, I did not mean it literaly!" When forgiving the sins of those He healed or rescued did He tell them "go and do the best you can for God is merciful and loving?" When the young man came to Him and told Him that he must first tend to his recently deceased father, did Jesus command "everyone, take five?" God is so loving that He does not set a limit to the number of sins nor does He allot a certain amount of forgiveness per sinner... but time and again the call has been to "be perfect," "sin no more." As Christians, we can love people, even when they reject Jesus. We can teach them with love and humility. We can see them as creatures of God and not as underlings who need rescue! But we can never compromise God; we can never compromise His Word; we can never compromise Christ's Love! When the king came in to look at the guests he noticed one man who was not wearing a wedding garment, and said to him, "How did you get in here, my friend, without a wedding garment?" And the man was silent. Then the king said to the attendants, "Bind him hand and foot and throw him into the darkness outside, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth." For many are invited but not all are chosen.' (Matthew 22:11-15) Now, I could be wrong... it may be that Jesus was killing time and not just teaching... But I rather err on the side of caution and believe that He meant for us to change our old garments into new... and not that the Church should down-grade His teachings so that more people can find them unobstrusive enough to join in, by the millions! God Bless! Angel |
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529 | Blasphemy against Holy Spirit | Mark 3:30 | JCrichton | 119035 | ||
"I always heard pagans on these different forums say they were a Christian and turned away. These guys were discussing Christians who became Jews, that seems unconceivable either way." Hi, Norrie! Here's what Jude said about those people: But remember, my dear friends, what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. 'At the final point of time', they told you, 'there will be mockers who follow nothing but their own godless desires.' It is they who cause division, who live according to nature and do not possess the Spirit. But you, my dear friends, must build yourselves up on the foundation of your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit; keep yourselves within the love of God and wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to give you eternal life. To some you must be compassionate because they are wavering; others you must save by snatching them from the fire; to others again you must be compassionate but wary, hating even the tunic stained by their bodies. (Jude 1:17-23) To the same respect John says: Children, this is the final hour; you ahve heard that the Antichrist is coming, and now many Antichrists have already come; from this we know that it is the final hour. They have gone from among us, but they never really belonged to us; if they had belonged to us, they would have stayed with us. But this was to prove that not one of them belonged to us. But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and have all received knowledge. (1 John 2:18-20) In that same vein Paul, speaking to the Corinthians, tells us this: 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) These three passages clearly prove that Satan will attempt to infiltrate the Church, cause confusion and division, and pilfer both the strength of the Church and her weak members! The wolves in sheep clothing will not always stay on the outskirts of the Church--they will follow their father and infiltrate the Church, and because they do not have the Spirit of God in them they cannot profess to be in Christ; nonetheless, they will usurp the Truth--to the point of saying that they believe in the Lord and that they are saved and born again! (No wonder Christ Jesus warned that not all who called Lord would be saved!) Their actions will reveal the Truth because, as Paul said, without the Holy Spirit no one can claim to be Christian (in the service of Christ) and no one can gain salvation but through Christ! "I guess I still struggle w/once saved, always saved because it seems so many have said I reject that once accepted and it seems that that is the only way you can become unsaved." If we reflect on 1 Corinthians 12:13 it would take us back to Jesus' words in Matthew and Luke: '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) 'Why do you call me, "Lord, Lord" and not do what I say? (Luke 6:46) Those people, all of us, really, have been warned. There is no escape from the Hand of God! Their place has been prepared for them and Judgment is not far off (2 Peter 2:1-22) God Bless! Angel |
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530 | Blasphemy against Holy Spirit | Mark 3:30 | JCrichton | 119000 | ||
"Accd to them, the greatest blasphemy is for a Christian to turn back away from Christ. I'd think if you did that, that would be the ultimate sin." Hi, Norrie! How do we turn back from Christ if not by rejecting the Holy Spirit? In the Old Testament time Israel had to deal directly with Yahweh, through the prophets and priests. At the fullness of times (God's Plan) they and the gentiles had to deal directly with Christ. At Christ's ascension we all have to deal directly with the Holy Spirit: John 14:15-17, 25-26; 16:4-15; Acts 2:1-11; 5:1-4... Why would people prefer to serve the beast and, obstinately, reject and curse God, even at their eminent demise (Revelation 16:8-9) and eternal peril? What truly is sad is the fact that it is within our means to choose life (Jesus) and many us (humanity) continue to reject Him! God Bless! Angel |
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531 | What does Romans 2:12 mean? | Rom 1:19 | JCrichton | 118962 | ||
Hi, Steve! I understand! I have found myself in that same situation... people introduce a question or a statement only to contradict any response that do not support their personal views--even when the Bible is the only source being cited! God Bless! Angel |
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532 | What does Romans 2:12 mean? | Rom 1:19 | JCrichton | 118918 | ||
""In essence, God provided guidence to the Jews, via Mosaid Law, and the non-Jew through nature." Hi, Steve! I do not think that my statement claimed that Jews are saved by obedience to the Law and that non-Jews are saved by the whims of nature... My statement addresses the fact that we have no excuse, Jews and non-Jews, for not getting to know God. The Jews had the Mosaic Law while the non-Jews had nature to make them aware of God. Neither the Law nor nature have the ability to save us (grant us eternal life)--this was never my argument. Thank you for your input. God Bless! Angel |
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533 | Where was Ecclesiastes written | Ecclesiastes | JCrichton | 118867 | ||
"God alone can fill the void, God alone can erase the cold, bleak grayness of his life that is reflected in the dismal words that resound so hauntingly throughout the Book of Ecclesiastes, "Vanity of vanities! All is vanity."" Hi, Hank! I think that that is why this book ends in a counter climatic tone: "everything is meaningless." Considering the author's deep and profound contemplation of life I truly thought that he would make a clearer connection to God's Will and our relationship to Him: God gives meaning to our existence! But I can still understand how the writer might feel accomplised though his quest seem to still not have been fulfilled: in our search for God we dwell much to much in our own wisdom and limitations--this behavior, inherently, limits our understanding and our perspectives. His premise is still good because a) there is nothing new under the sun (one unabridged and complete Creation), and b) there's a time for everything under the sun (we are born, we grow, we learn, we search for God, we find God, we die, we are reborn in Jesus). God Bless! Angel |
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534 | Where was Ecclesiastes written | Ecclesiastes | JCrichton | 118823 | ||
"To have such a wonderful start and end up such a tragedy. But then again, we know that God shows us all... even when it means recording the bad along with the good on the heros of the Bible" Hi, Rowdy! I think that this is due to God's desire to demonstrate to us that if we stray from Him we regress to what we were and sometimes we even succumb to a fate worse than what we thought we were (as Christ said: for even that which they think they have will be taken from them--paraphrased). Showing us both the rewards of fellowship and the cost of rebellion is further proof of God's Grace: allowing us to know that we can fail without Him--not just forcing us to follow blindly! God Bless! Angel |
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535 | Ezra and Family Values? | Ezra 10:3 | JCrichton | 118524 | ||
"While the goal in Ezra is certainly purity, this is understood in racial terms." I have to disagree with you and those who wish to see it as a racial divide! Appropriating what we seek is not new, the Pharisees and Sadducees did it to an art: they rejected the Creator for the sake of their own reasonings! In Exodus 12:48 Yahweh sets a precedence: Should a stranger residing with you wish to keep the Passover in honour of Yahweh, all the males of his household must be circumcised: he will then be allowed to keep it and will count as a citizen of the country. But no uncircumcised person may eat it. Clearly God is making a distinction between the people of Israel and the rest of the world... the problem is that God allowed the "strangers" to partake of Israel's covenant--when He did so, did God worry about their racial makeup or that they adhere to His commandments? Now, Leviticus 19:33-34 address, yet again, the "foreigners:" "if you have resident aliens in your country, you will not molest them. you will treat resident aliens as though they were native-born and love them as yourself--for you yourselves were once aliens in Egypt. I am Yahweh your God. Again, God makes a distinction about people, but not in racial lines (Leviticus 22:10-11): No lay person may eat anything holy; no guest or employee of a priest may eat anything holy. But if the priest has acquired a slave by purchase, the slave may eat it like anyone born in his household; they will sahre his food. Not only does God not concerns Himself with the people's racial background... but He even places the slave bought by the priests as part of the priest's household (which means that the slave is allowed to eat food that not even the regular Israelite is allowed to it!). Can you imagine being there as a mere Israelite, knowing that some slaves are eating that which is denied to you because you are not considered "holy" enough? Now there's the situation with the twelve tribes of Israel... did not Jacob have children by the servants of his wives? So it appears that at least a few of the tribes of Israel are made people of Israel by Yahweh not by their racial profile! "what of the Jewish women with gentile husbands?" We must remember that God did not give the Law to the sons only of Israel; though the Priesthood and other religious activities were officiated by men only, the commandments were not for the men only but for all the people of Israel! To say that the female counterpart of the male Israelite was not accountable to the Law it would be as bad as the Jews always capturing the female in the act of adultery while simultaneously always being unable to capture the male with whom the female was having sexual intercourse! "How are we to understand family, when priveleging ancestral family leads to breaking marriage bonds?" Check this out: Jesus could have come as a grown man into the world; He could have been born of a wealthy family that had closer ties to the throne of David; He could even have come to the house of the High Priest... But God chose a simple man and a simple woman to provide Christ with a family unit. When checked about divorce, Jesus tells it like this: "In the beginning it was not so... man for the woman and the woman for the man... the two would form one body!" (Paraphrased, of course!) I cannot justify the behavior of our ancestors... to me David and Solomon are two excellent examples of "...power corrupts..." These two individuals we the apex of Israel's kingdom; yet, they failed terribly! But I am not God to judge them! Rather, I see hope for me: they failed but God's Word did not! In Christ I am forgiven because God kept His promise to Abraham, Issac, Jacob, David... God Bless! Angel |
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536 | Why did Satan disrespect Jesus? | Matt 4:3 | JCrichton | 118433 | ||
Hi, Rowdy! You are so right! Many times the Apostles had to get into heated exchanges with both the Jews and Gentiles... Paul talks about the Jews waiting for a sign (they adamantly refused to accept Joshua as the Anointed) while the Greeks seeked to find God in their studies (phylosophy, etc...)--how open-minded would they have been to the Christian doctrine? At a time, the Apostles got such bad audience that they were: 1) exiled from the Temple and synagogues, and 2) thrown out of gentile towns with death threats... arguments must realy had gotten hot! As you said, it is the content and purpose of the argument which God objects... if we are simply feeding our ego (worldly wisdom and superiority complex) than God cannot support our efforts. But Christ said that we are to witness in front of man; but if we simply shy away from our responsibility, He too will not speak in our favor in front of our Heavenly Father! God Bless! Angel |
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537 | Why did Satan disrespect Jesus? | Matt 4:3 | JCrichton | 118429 | ||
No doubt! God Bless! Angel |
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538 | Why did Satan disrespect Jesus? | Matt 4:3 | JCrichton | 118316 | ||
"The spirit of debate is not of GOD. Maybe I mistated my interest. I was focusing on how Satan did not speak to God without being questioned and how he did not have this limitation with Jesus. I am simply seeking knowledge of the word. Teach with love." Hi, Tyre! I apologize if I sounded coarse... Your statement sounded to me as though checking (questioning) Jesus Divinity... I have come across a few people whose agenda is to portray Jesus as a creature similar to the angels or perhaps even less than the angels... they surmise that since God cannot be tempted and the passage in Matthew 4 suggest that Jesus is being tempted then, to them, Jesus cannot be God... They reject all other Scritures that testify that Christ is God! Again, my sincere apologies for any disconfort that my post may have given you! Perhaps I should have simply noted that it was God, the Holy Spirit, who guided Jesus into the desert and who allowed the confrontation to take place... Jesus, as the obedient Son accepted the challange, as He did with Pontius Pilate and the crucifixion! God Bless! Angel |
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539 | Who is this "slave"? | Matt 24:45 | JCrichton | 118307 | ||
"What "code of conduct" does the "faithful slave" have that differ him from the world?" Your answer is found in Jesus' comparison: 'Who, then, is the wise and trustworthy servant whom the master placed over his household to give them their food at the proper time? Blessed that servant if his master's arrival finds him doing exactly that. In truth I tell you, he will put him in charge of erverything he owns. But if the servant is dishonest and says to himself, "My master is taking his time," and sets about beating his fellow servants and eating and drinking with drunkards, his master will come on a day he does not expect and at an hour he does not know. The master will cut him off and send him to the same fate as the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.' (Matthew 24:45-51) To understand that Jesus' words are directed at all who are called to serve we simply have to look at the previous verse: 24:44. It refers to those who are listening to Him and would believe... the unbelievers already have the Word as their judgment! The "Code of conduct" is defined by Jesus... The "faithfull slave" distinguishes himself from the world by accepting and living Jesus' Word (commandment). God Bless! Angel |
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540 | is masterbation wrong | Matt 5:28 | JCrichton | 118300 | ||
"If masturbation causes you to do other things, that are sins, such as adultrey, lust, etc... then it itself becomes a sin." This sounds great! The problem I see with this is that you have established that masturbation of itself is not wrong... basically it is the same premise as: "I am only thinking about killing so it is ok because I am not really killing anyone in the physical plane. But the struggle is not in the corporial but in the spiritual other wise Jesus would not had had to exact that "desire in thought" was sin! When a person has sex he/she is thinking about the act of coupling... when a person masturbate he/she is thinking of not coupling but of releasing a nervous tension? The act in itself is designed by desire (lust) for someone other then oneself in a sexual content... how can it not be pleasuring ourselves mentally? "if you desire (think/lust) in your mind you have sinned" (paraphrased). Bear in mind that I am not Christ, therefore I am just as much a sinner as the next person... my understanding of the Scriptures do not have to be accepted; Christ's Word is exacting--even when seeming ambiguous or indirect. God Bless! Angel |
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