Results 41 - 60 of 281
|
||||||
Results from: Notes Author: Parable Ordered by Verse |
||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
41 | where do blacks come from? | Bible general Archive 1 | Parable | 47161 | ||
I am not a life scientist, but fortunately this is not necessary to understand the most recent scientific dialogue about "race". Hank is right that "it's never been proved...that one race is genetically superior to any other race." I believe the best reason for this is explained by Dr. Joseph L. Graves, a biologist, in his book "The Emperor's New Clothes: Biological Theories of Race at the Millenium". Dr. Graves' thesis is that there is no biological/genetic basis for race, i.e. a sub-species, in humans. This does not mean the social construct of race and its consequences are not real, but rather that arguments about race based on genetics are unfounded. This is because studies have shown that the human genome is remarkably homogeneous, much more so than any other higher organism. For example, there is more genetic diversity in one community of chimps than in the entire human species. This means that it is not possible to classify individuals or groups based on genetic content. To me, this is consistent with the biblical idea that God created man, distinct from other animals. Regarding physical differences, as Hank describes, characteristics and traits are a result of the many expressions of possibilities contained in the genetic code. All of us contain the potential to have the traits of any of us have, but each of us only expresses a small subset of the total possible. To me, these diverse possibilities are God's provision to us in order that we may not only survive in diverse environments, but also for us see is His Creative imagination expressed in US that we may come to love others without regard to external appearances. Parable |
||||||
42 | Send in the Clones? | Bible general Archive 1 | Parable | 47219 | ||
Amen, Brother! Cloning may offer humanity many blessings as well, but perhaps only so long as we act according to the belief that life is sacred and sanctity comes from God, not us! |
||||||
43 | Is it wrong to use condoms? advise | Bible general Archive 1 | Parable | 47329 | ||
I can't help but notice the childlike trust that is revealed in the comment "maybe God wants you have them." Matt 18:3 ..."Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven." Parable |
||||||
44 | 2 followups, masturbation and 1Cor7:2-5 | Bible general Archive 1 | Parable | 47614 | ||
Makarios, Thank you for responding in the spirit of speaking the truth in love. As I stated clearly in my posts, I am not attempting to justify masturbation nor encourage anyone to sexual sin. We agree the Bible speaks clearly with regard to sexual immorality. For those who have not read the entire thread, my posts question why the Bible does not address masturbation at all, let alone with the clarity given to fornication, adultery, incest, beastiality and homosexuality. Obviously, Makarios disagrees. I have acknowledged Paul's compromise for our weaknesses regarding continence, i.e. marriage itself and sexual activity therein. Yet also, I have acknowledged Jesus' explanation of the origin of sin, i.e. that our sinful actions spring from the content of our hearts and our obsessive thoughts are equivalent to our obsessive acts. This is consistent with the many verses Makarios has cited. I agree that masturbation is not irrelevant or problem-free; it can lead to pornography and acts which clearly are sinful. Also, it is quite possible for people to indulge themselves with masturbation in the same way they can with eating (gluttony), drinking(drunkeness), leisure (sloth) and work (neglect of other responsibilities). Yet, in the example from my own life, masturbation has been part of coping with the loss of opportunity for intimacy, perhaps as a compromise similar to Paul's compromise with marriage, to help preserve fidelity during a prolonged test of my marriage. Am I proud of masturbation? No. Am I ashamed? No. Am I falling to temptation and indulging in sin? I submit the Bible doesn't say, but I do know that over this difficult time, I have not fallen to the temptation of adultery; I have honored my committment to my wife and I praise God that he has helped me in this. (and no, I did not say God helped me to masturbate!) Finally, I admit the possibility that I have been seduced by the enemy to proudly commit a sin I don't recognize in order to avoid committing ones that I do. This is true for more than just masturbation. The answer to this is conviction by the Spirit. If I sin, I pray He will show me the truth of this and that He will do so for all who need this lesson, as all of us do. Parable |
||||||
45 | 2 followups, masturbation and 1Cor7:2-5 | Bible general Archive 1 | Parable | 47617 | ||
My purpose was to consider the verses you suggested. So, I presented them in full and noted how in the discussion of sexual sin, each emphasized conduct with another person. Parable |
||||||
46 | 2 followups, masturbation and 1Cor7:2-5 | Bible general Archive 1 | Parable | 47622 | ||
Once again, my intent is not to justify masturbation, but rather give account for my belief the Bible does not speak to it. This is indeed the point of your remark "...warn us against those who use Scripture or teach against what has been clearly revealed to us as the Truth". This whole discussion is about what it is that has been CLEARLY revealed as the Truth. With regard to my wife, I am not seeking the counsel of anyone on this or any other internet forum. I shared a personal example from my life in the hope that it might comfort others who may be struggling with excessive guilt over their own practices and to offer a suggestion as to how to manage themselves with a balance between discipline and compassion. "Just Say No", although a great idea, never was very effective for people struggling with drug addiction and in my experience, it's not much use for those who have normal, healthy sexual drive but who don't wish to fornicate or be adulterous. This is especially true for adolescents dealing with the powerful hormones driving their development. Teens please note: sexual energy is powerful and it must be respected with the utmost seriousness; do not think that masturbation cannot become a serious problem physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. If I have misquoted you, I sincerly apologize. So that I won't misunderstand you, as you suggest, please clarify what you mean by "You can misquote or misunderstand me to any degree that you prefer." Finally, I note that you did not respond to my questions about Mark 9:43 and Matthew 19:11. I can see how my asking might be contrued as insincere, but I genuinely am interested in how you apply or do not apply them to this topic. Thanks for your patience with me. Parable |
||||||
47 | 2 followups, masturbation and 1Cor7:2-5 | Bible general Archive 1 | Parable | 47656 | ||
I am dismayed that you have resorted to invective. Specifically, I object to your use of the following phrases: "If there is anyone out there who is truly a Christian or who honestly wants to follow in a Lord/discipleship relationship with Jesus Christ" and "the spiritual status of this Forum is about as vibrant as a cold dead corpse. Is there ANYONE out there that is seeking a close relationship to Jesus Christ? Do all want to justify sin in wake of what the Bible and what our consciences clearly tell us?" These remarks are not consistent with the second rule governing posts to this forum, found in the green box after you hit "preview". It reads "This post is not intended as a personal attack on the authority of the Bible or on other users of this forum." Furthermore, Matthew 7:1-2 instructs "1Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." Regarding Mark 9:43, Jesus did not talk about "doing away" with "thoughts", he said to "cut off" "hand" or "foot" or to "pluck out" the "eye" if they cause you to sin. Yet, I acknowledge that it would violate Matthew 7:1-2 if I said that because you soften Jesus' words that you don't want to be a "real Christian" or that your spiritual status is "cold" and "dead". Regarding Matthew 19:12, you say "Jesus clearly led them to believe that it was a reachable or attainable goal, by giving them some examples in verse 12. The examples Jesus gave in verse 12 are eunuchs; "12For some are eunuchs because they were born that way; others were made that way by men; and others have renounced marriage[3] because of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it." The footnote [3], at biblegateway.com, says the word translated "renounced marriage" can be translated "have made themselves eunuchs". As I understand the term eunuch, that is a male who is castrated. Is this what you meant by "attainable goal"? Is this how we can handle our "sex drive AND be able to remain pure and undefiled in both a marriage relationship and as a single person without a "necessity" to masturbate"? I submit Jesus discussion rather demonstrates that it takes EXCEPTIONAL circumstances to maintain continence and He only expects some to be able to accept this, yet He does not hold it against those who cannot. Parable |
||||||
48 | Can anyone answer these simple questions | Bible general Archive 1 | Parable | 48348 | ||
I'll try. Your question: "If a stranger invades your home and beats, rapes, mutilated, brainwashed, and/or kills your family, can these type of demons be trusted?" My answer: You can trust them to remain true to their nature. If they are alive to sin, you can trust them to be sinful. However, with God all things are possible, so if they die to sin and are born again, the old nature dies and God gives them a new nature in Him. So long as they abide in Christ and obey His commandments, you can trust that they will live according to His nature. Your question: "How or why would we think that The True Loving God would allow his name to be defiled by having such DECEIVERS BRING THE WORD OF GOD TO THE WORLD." My answer: God gives us our freewill so that we may freely accept Him. Some choose other than His ways, including what you have described. If He did not allow this, our choice to be with Him would have no meaning. People defile the Name of God in many ways, including the one you describe. Yet, God can turn every curse into a blessing; I note how persecution of the Jerusalem church caused the church to grow. Had the first Christians not been persecuted for their faith, it is doubtful they would have ever left Jerusalem. Did God persecute the church to make this happen? All that we beleive tells us the answer is "NO". Rather, we believe He did find a way to use that wickedness for His purposes. Unfortunately, the rest of your post seems to violate term #2 of this forum not to attack "the authority of the Bible". However, at the risk of promoting further violations, I respond: You said: "in order to spread the WORD OF GOD, you first have to mentally destroy an individual and then try and rebuild planting a whole new way in their head." My response: Ironically, you have described a perversion of what the Bible teaches, i.e. that we must die on the cross with Christ, then be resurrected to new life. You said: "The Truth is so powerful that all you have to do is speak it!" My response: A liar will not be believed even if he is telling the truth. I'm not sure if this statement, or anything like it is in the Bible, but it seems true enough. You said: "we don't have to pray to a priest, or minister in order to get to God." My response: True. However, we have access to God the Father only through Christ. Without the righteousness bestowed upon us by Him, we cannot enter the presence of the Father. You said: "Your spirit is your real truth, for it is God speaking to you." Jesus said: "I am the truth." You said: "No book in this world can limit, or DEFINE GOD." The Bible does neither, rather it teaches that God is real, loves us and wants to have a relationship with us. Indeed, the Bible teaches that God is limitless and cannot be defined. Parable |
||||||
49 | What is the most used word in the Bible? | Bible general Archive 1 | Parable | 52562 | ||
statistical satisfaction? | ||||||
50 | big-bang theory | Bible general Archive 1 | Parable | 66791 | ||
Greetings Lionstrong, The thesis of Dr. Morris' article is "the Big Bang model for the origin of the universe certainly does not come from Scripture." On this point I certainly agree with Dr. Morris. My response was to a different question, "is the big-bang theory even remotely realistic?" According to science, it is. I am not surprized that Dr. Morris sees things differently. After all, he is a Professor of Geology at the Institute for Creation Research, an organization that, to my knowledge, has yet to publish a peer-reviewed article in a reputable scientific journal. For a critical review of the ICR, especially its reputation in the science community at large, see "Tower of Babel" by Robert T. Pennock. Blessings, Parable |
||||||
51 | the meaning of life | Bible general Archive 1 | Parable | 82520 | ||
This is for those who would like to read in one sitting a good overview of what the Bible says about the meaning of life. The following 40 statements based on scripture are from "The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth am I Here For?" by Rick Warren. If you want verse references, they're in the book. -------------- It's not about me. I am not an accident. Living on purpose is the path to peace. There is more to life than just here and now. Life is a test and a trust. This world is not my home. It's all for Him. I was planned for God's pleasure. God smiles when I trust Him. The heart of worship is surrender. God wants to be my best friend. I'm as close to God as I choose to be. God wants all of me. God is real, no matter how I feel. I was formed for God's family. Life is all about love. I am called to belong, not just believe. I need others in my life. Community requires committment. Relationships are always worth restoring. It is my responsibility to protect the unity of the church. I was created to become like Christ. It is never too late to start growing. The truth transforms me. There is a purpose behind every problem. Every temptation is an opportunity to do good. There is always a way out. There are no shortcuts to maturity. Service is not optional. I was shaped for serving God. Nobody else can be me. God deserves my best. I serve God by serving others. To be a servant, I must think like a servant. God works best when I admit my weakness. I was made for a mission. God wants to say something to the world through me. The Great Commission is my commission. Blessed are the balanced. Living with purpose is the only way to really live. -------------- |
||||||
52 | Adult Question young people please do no | Bible general Archive 1 | Parable | 89376 | ||
With all due respect to Hank's opinion, which is noted with the most serious mind, I submit that the modern dictionary definition is not necessarily biblical. Nowhere in the bible is the term "sodomy" defined with anything like the same level of detail given by Mr. Webster. Peace, Parable |
||||||
53 | Adult Question young people please do no | Bible general Archive 1 | Parable | 89391 | ||
You capably defend the faith with gentleness and respect, and for this I thank you. If I may respond in kind... To your statement "the Bible does not attempt to catalog in detail every sin and aberration of which man is capable..." I offer "the Bible does not attempt to catalog in detail every good work and loving act of which man is capable..." And to your "but one is hard pressed to justify biblically....any other sexual act except the act of coitus which God has made clear that He both sanctions and encourages, but which He has expressly reserved for the marriage bed" I offer "...one is hard pressed to condemn biblically, any sex act other than those He has explicitly condemned, except those which violate the law of Christ, i.e. the law of love." My point is, the Bible does not explicity condemn nor condone oral sex in the marriage bed. Hence, arguments for condemnation may be equally countered with arguments for acceptance. For example, if coitus is the only permissible conduct, then all conduct other than penetration via intercourse is prohibited. Is this really what the bible teaches? |
||||||
54 | Adult Question young people please do no | Bible general Archive 1 | Parable | 89405 | ||
Of course, I was referring to sexual conduct, not conduct in general. I apologize for not being more clear. The issue for me is not "where do WE draw the line" or "how far do WE dare lower the bar" but rather, "where does Scripture draw the line" and "where does Scripture place the bar?" We must be vigilant against reading into Scripture what we'd like to find. We can rationalize anything, including and most especially our own agendas, values, and prejudices, be they puritanical or hedonist. I think we agree that marriage is holy because it is a covenant between a man, a woman and God. While marriage also has a social function, i.e. recognition by the community, according to Scripture, it is not primarily a social institution. Thus, conduct in marriage is a matter for the three participants to decide, not society. The limits on conduct commanded by Christ are clear, love each other. |
||||||
55 | Adult Question young people please do no | Bible general Archive 1 | Parable | 89469 | ||
I concur completely, brother. Congratulations on your 44th! I can't imagine how painful it must have been to lose a child, no parent should outlive their kids...yet Praise Him for his wonderful gift of grandchildren! As usual, it has been a pleasure to dialogue with you. Peace! |
||||||
56 | Is not God inside of each of us? | Bible general Archive 1 | Parable | 89494 | ||
Yes, God is the ultimate authority in all things. Since scripture is His inspired Word to us, then scripture reflects God's authority. Of course, we must divide the word rightly or we face interpretations that reflect our minds and not His. If my personal revelation is contrary to scripture, I must conclude it is not from God, for His character does not change and His truth does not change. If my personal revelation is not contrary to scripture, but not explicitly endorsed either, then I must seek to understand how my revelation is consistent with Godly principles and truth as revealed in scripture. If I can't establish that consistency, then I must question my revelation. The idea that scripture is complete comes from the understanding that Jesus is the ultimate revelation of God to us and nothing more can be added. Thus, additional fundamental truths are not to be expected, for all we need, or can hope for, has been given to us through Christ. This does not undermine the importance of living for God and heeding the Spirit. Indeed, it demonstrates how important it is that we look with eyes that see and listen with ears that hear. But it also recognizes that we see through a glass darkly, and can fool ourselves or be deceived by others. In any chain of command, one always confirms orders are genuine before executing them, no? |
||||||
57 | Is not God inside of each of us? | Bible general Archive 1 | Parable | 89505 | ||
Perhaps the tendency to focus on scripture you describe is a manifestation of the mission of this forum. After all, it is a bible study forum. For the owner's guidelines, see the "About the Forum" under "Show Me" on the left side of the window. | ||||||
58 | Masterbation in the Bible | Bible general Archive 1 | Parable | 191821 | ||
The bible doesn't expressly mention masturbation. For more on this topic, see my post #191656. Copy this number into the search box to the right. Parable |
||||||
59 | If Jesus became sin why is he in Heaven? | NT general Archive 1 | Parable | 46004 | ||
TM, I agree. Good explanation of a profound truth. | ||||||
60 | Yes, but are we to judge others in this? | NT general Archive 1 | Parable | 51996 | ||
Searcher, I was agreeing with you. I should have indicated that my exposition was directed at the practice of excluding others, rather than ourselves. Sorry for not clarifying my intent. Parable |
||||||
Result pages: << First < Prev [ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 ] Next > Last [15] >> |