Results 381 - 400 of 1928
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Results from: Notes Author: Reformer Joe Ordered by Date |
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Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
381 | Chronology of Creation | Gen 1:3 | Reformer Joe | 72458 | ||
You are mixing metaphor with reality. God is not literally composed of photons. God is a spirit which has eternally existed. Light, a physical phenomenon, was created by God, as was the rest of the things that are visible. --Joe! |
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382 | Pastor Preaching in a Mad way!!!!!! | Bible general Archive 1 | Reformer Joe | 72449 | ||
Look at the qualifications that Paul gives for an overseer: "It is a trustworthy statement: if any man aspires to the office of overseer, it is a fine work he desires to do. An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle, peaceable, free from the love of money. He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity (but if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?), and NOT A NEW CONVERT, so that he will not become conceited and fall into the condemnation incurred by the devil." --1 Timothy 3:1-6 New converts should not be elders. Sounds like a great number of your church's problems come from not obeying God regarding leadership in the church. --Joe! |
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383 | Can a person lose salvation? | Bible general Archive 1 | Reformer Joe | 72381 | ||
New Creature: I think we have talked before about the mistake of lumping all advocates of eternal security (perseverance of the saints) into some generic, catch-all category. Please refrain from implying that all who believe that salvation is sure do so on the basis of a single "decision," or that all of us believe that antinomianism and licentiousness are irrelevant. --Joe! |
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384 | The bible is a work of fiction - discuss | Gen 1:1 | Reformer Joe | 72347 | ||
You wrote: "actually it has to do with whether or not accepted christ" That is what determines whether one is FORGIVEN of their sins or not. Nevertheless, the ones who will be suffering in hell for all eternity will be suffering for the sins they have committed: "Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins." --John 8:28 You wrote: "even though we are bad people the reason one goes to hell is for denying christ" Read Romans 1:18-22. What brings God's just wrath upon human beings? Rejecting Christ? Not initially. It is our rejection and rebellion of God the Father (i.e. our sin, our violation of God's law) that puts us under His wrath and curse. The additional sin of rejecting Christ just compounds the wrath further. "think about it if being bad people is the basis for going to hell, we would all go to hell" In a redemption-less universe, we would all go to hell for being bad people, yes. Because of Christ's sinless life and substitutionary death, those who belong to him WILL NOT get what they deserve for their sins. Those who do not belong to him, however, WILL get what they deserve for their sins. People bound for hell have earned hell. Those going to heaven have not earned heaven. "Behold, all souls are Mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is Mine. The soul who sins will die." --Ezekiel 18:4 You wrote: "I maintain, based on biblical principles that being a good or bad person doesnt get us into or outof hell, but rather the redemptive work of christ" How does the redemptive work of Christ get anyone into hell? This is an important issue, because it has to do with how a Christian answers the skeptic's challenge: "How could you believe in a God who is so cruel as to say that just because I do not believe in Jesus that I am going to hell?" I reply that all of us were under God's wrath before conversion (Ephesians 2:3), before we even add Jesus to the equation. Jesus gets some sinners OUT of hell, but that does not mean that being a bad person doesn't get us into hell. It is the ONLY thing that gets anyone into hell. --Joe! |
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385 | The bible is a work of fiction - discuss | Gen 1:1 | Reformer Joe | 72327 | ||
I agree with everything you say here. And all those who will be in hell deserve to be there for being bad people. So it has everything to do with being a bad person. --Joe! |
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386 | Finding 'Act as though you have faith' | Bible general Archive 1 | Reformer Joe | 72308 | ||
Aften1: What church/denomination do you belong to that teaches that Immanuel and Jesus refer to different persons? --Joe! |
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387 | The bible is a work of fiction - discuss | Gen 1:1 | Reformer Joe | 72307 | ||
I disagree. Going to hell has everything to do with being a bad person. --Joe! |
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388 | what was the org. day of the sabbath | Matt 28:1 | Reformer Joe | 72276 | ||
Actually, blaming Sunday worship on Constantine is not accurate. It is possible that the Bible is speaking of a Sunday worship for Christians, and the extra-biblical Epistle of Barnabas (written between 130 and 14) definitely describes the Sunday worship of Christians: "For which cause we observe the eighth day with gladness, in which Jesus rose from the dead; and having manifested himself to his disciples, ascended into heaven." --Barnabas 13:10 While this paragraph isn't part of the canon of Scripture, it is historically significant because it does specifically refer to Christians worshipping on the day Jesus was raised, almost two centuries before Constantine would become emperor. Constantine really gets more credit than he deserves. We would do well to carefully examine any arguments that center around Constantine changing or distorting church practice or Christian theology. --Joe! |
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389 | No Joyce Meyer?????????????????? | Acts 17:11 | Reformer Joe | 72196 | ||
"Job didn't have any proof that his children did anything wrong. Although it doesn't use the word feared or afraid, what Job felt is obvious. Job is the personification of both goodie-two-shoes and worry wart." What you are saying is not obvious at all; in fact, I think it is quite wrong. Here is how the Bible introduces Job: "There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job; and that man was blameless, upright, fearing God and turning away from evil." --Job 1:1 So please tell us how the Bible's description of a blameless, upright, God-fearing individual who turns away from evil squares with your condemnation of him as a "goody two-shoes" and a "worry wart." I think it is obvious who is making the wrong judgment of Job's character here. What Job is doing for his offspring is precisely what the covenant head of a household should do. He represents his children before God, and he seeks to make atonement for the possible sins of his children. At the same time he was teaching his children the importance of fearing God as well. This is how it worked under the Law of Moses as well. Do you think that every man, woman, and child who sinned offered their own sacrifices for their own individual sins? No, the head of household customarily made the offerings on behalf of himself and those whom God had put under his care. On the Day of Atonement itself, the high priest did for the entire nation of Israel what Job does here for the unknown sins of his kids. Job was not being fearful or fretful, but rather obedient and loyal to God. --Joe! |
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390 | No Joyce Meyer?????????????????? | Acts 17:11 | Reformer Joe | 72193 | ||
"First of all, Satan has some legal rights (let me explain before you shut me down)." I hope I didn't give the impression I was trying to shut you down. I just want to discuss the validity of our two viewpoints in light of Scripture. You wrote: "Jesus called him the prince of this world 3 times. John 12:31, John 14:30, and John 16:11" True enough, but we need to be careful not to jump to any unwarranted conclusions. First of all, the Greek word used for world ("kosmos") can be used to refer to the planet itself, but very often in the New Testament it is the word for the sinful world system that opposes God the Father and the Gospel of His Son. It is not out of the ordinary at all to consider Satan to be the (unlawful and insurgent) ruler of this enemy kingdom. Paul even goes so far as to refer to Satan as "the god of this world." (2 Corinthians 4:4) That does not mean that Satan is deity any more than saying that Satan is the prince of this world means that God has anointed him in some way as having jurisdiction over any part of the Lord's creation. "I?m not saying that God is not sovereign. Sovereignty doesn?t mean that God DOES what ever He wants, it means He CAN DO whatever He wants." Sovereignty does indeed mean that God does whatever He wants. Read Psalm 115:1-3 again (the verses I included in my last post). Nothing at all happens that God doesn't cause Himself or allow to be done (or some combination of the two). You wrote: "God has the power to do whatever He wants to on earth but there are many things that we have to ask Him to do because Satan has influence" And Satan does not have any power or influence that God does not allow him to exercise, and he ultimately uses even the deveil's rebellion to His own glory. "Did you, the creation (as you put it) have to ask God to forgive you of your sins? Since I'm fairly sure you answered yes, then you are requesting of the creator which is all I said when I said faith activates God." In the case of my own justification, He has indeed tied that to faith in Jesus Christ. Faith is a condition of justification (and is itself a gift of Go -- Ephesians 2:8). Without going into how I believe that God causes that faith as well, I can point out that justification through faith works that way because God extablished that one and only means for justification and bound Himself to it (John 3:16). That is perfectly consistent with Scripture. However, the Bible does not paint a picture of a God who is holding back to see whether we will let Him work or not. The God of the Bible is an active, intervening God whose will is supreme over the will of His created beings. You wrote: "However, since we have to believe, or have faith, in the fact that God can remove our sins and that He can open the gates of Heaven to us then we are activating something in the creator." The Bible teaches that we have faith in God as a result of the Creator's activation of us, and not the other way around (Matthew 16:17; Acts 16:14; Romans 8:29-30). --Joe! |
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391 | Finding 'Act as though you have faith' | Bible general Archive 1 | Reformer Joe | 72188 | ||
This is not a response to anything I said in my post. However, you wrote: "Joe - there are Whole Chapters in the Bible that are a SEALED work." You keep using that term. What do you mean when you say a chapter, passage, or book is "sealed" or "unsealed"? You wrote: "How can you reform Christianity when you do not know the mind or will of God on these matters?" I know the Bible. I am part of the church of Jesus Christ, with its 2000 years of apostolic revelation and subsequent interpretation. The Holy Spirit indwells me and teaches me. Not a bad combination for knowing God's will... You wrote: "Christians in the past have killed thousands in the name of reform." Examples of killing in the name of "reform"? Even if you could produce significant cases of such a phenomenon, the acts of misguided individuals does not mean that reformation of the church is not necessary. "You should raise your level of understaning. There is only one who speaks for Father (God) and that is the Son of God - Jesus." Really? So the OT and NT prophets did not speak for God? The inspired writers of the New Testament did not speak for God? The ones God appoints as teachers of His revealed word do not speak for God? We are in serious trouble if the only one who ever spoke for God ascended into heaven twenty centuries ago. Now, about what I said regarding Matthew 8....? --Joe! |
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392 | No Joyce Meyer?????????????????? | Acts 17:11 | Reformer Joe | 72076 | ||
"Calling oneself a Christian doesn?t necessarily make it so..." My point exactly. "...and I think what is needed in the 21st. century is the same thing that has been needed in every century, and that is a personal relationship with the person of Jesus Christ, which carries with it an attitude adjustment." That is what it looks like at the individual level, and collectively among God's people that is what we call reformation and revival. It is true that it is needed in every century. Luther said the church should always be "semper reformanda" -- always reforming -- because our tendency is to wander away from the truth. As God's people, we must constantly return to the gospel of of the grace of God, because the "idol factories" we call our hearts are constantly prone to water down, minimize, or distort the truth. And for the church's neglect in doing this, I believe that we are in serious danger of facing God's judgment. Jesus Christ has "removed His lampstand" in the past for far less than some of what I see on the landscape of American Christendom. Very soon, we are going to see one of two things here in the United States: collective repentance or the rod. --Joe! |
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393 | Finding 'Act as though you have faith' | Bible general Archive 1 | Reformer Joe | 72075 | ||
"The original point to this thread was that faith is a granting. That you have to do nothing but belive. Jesus went to work. So must we. By your fruits (works) you are known." Yes, by our fruits we are known by MEN to be Christ's disciples: "So then, you will know them by their fruits." --Matthew 7:20 True Christians will work, but we do not become Christians by working or maintain a state of being a Christian by working. "The words of Jesus about the Roman Centurion says much. First you have to have faith in yourself , (that you have seen, heard and understand) what Jesus is saying about the Roman Centurion ( a man of responsibility) are in the words spoken by Jesus." I don't see believing in yourself mentioned at all here. I see a Genile, a Roman centurion, expressing his unworthiness to have Jesus come to his house (an understainding of his own sin) and faith that Jesus can heal the servant. When Jesus offers to go to his house, the centurion demonstrates a God-given, deeper faith by saying that just as he says the word and those subordinates follow his command, so Jesus has authority over the health and sickness of the centurion's servant, even from a great distance. Look at the comparison: The centurion merely gives the order, and it is done; likewise, Jesus just says the word, and it is done. He recognizes the sovereign authority Jesus Christ possesses. "Next Jesus says (in my understanding) that blind belief is not enough. You have to think, look at the proof and then judge if someone or something is good or evil, by their actions." What part of this passage gives you the impression that Jesus is saying that here in Matthew 8:5-13? You wrote: "Seems to me the children Jesus speaks of that are cast into darkness have not thought things out in the search for truth, or upon finding truth have done little to advance the truth. And yet at first they sit down with the families in the Kingdom." What we see in verses 11-12 is a contrast: "I say to you that many will come from east and west, and recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven; but the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." The first group Jesus describes are clearly the Gentiles (like the centurion), who will dwell in heaven with the patriarchs. By contrast, the sons of the kingdom most likely refers to the Jews, the physical sons and daughters of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The vast majority of Jews are still going to hell, having rejected their Messiah and dying in their sins. This makes sense both because this is a Gentile expressing such faith and because this statement immediately follows Jesus comment that "I have not found such great faith with anyone in Israel." --Joe! |
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394 | No Joyce Meyer?????????????????? | Acts 17:11 | Reformer Joe | 72071 | ||
You wrote: "As the world of science teaches, for every action there is an equal but opposite reaction. Though this is in referance to the natural world, the same holds true for the spiritual realm. For sin there is atonement. For Heaven (an eternity with God) there is Hell (eternity with out God). For faith we have fear." Not one of these is an example of the scientific principle that you mention. Hell is not a necessary reaction to heaven. Atonement is not a necessary reaction to sin (just ask those in hell whose sins are not atoned for). And fear is not a necessary reaction to faith. You also wrote: "Faith activates God, however fear activates the devil." The creation "activates" the Creator? And all along I though He was in charge! The Bible tells us that you are wrong about us "activating" God: 'Why should the nations say, "Where, now, is their God?" But our God is in the heavens; He does whatever He pleases.' --Psalm 115:2-3 Job himself understood this as well, while God is giving him a little four-chapter lesson on Who is in charge (Job 38-41): "Behold, I am insignificant; what can I reply to You? I lay my hand on my mouth."--Job 40:4 Wouldn't it be nice if we often laid our hands on our own mouths? We activate God?!? I fear Him far to much to ever think such an insolent thing. You also wrote: "The other fact that people miss is that God didn't CAUSE Job to suffer, he ALLOWED it." I don't think anyone has said anything to the contrary. "If we keep reading you'll see that it was during one of his sons' feasts that messengers came telling Job of what was happening to him. Why is this? Because that was when Job was afraid." What verse shows us that Job was afraid? Methinks you are making stuff up. "Fear gives Satan the legal right to carry out the acts which you are afraid of just like faith gives God the right to carry out what we have faith for." Please show us the verse which says that fear gives Satan a legal right to do something. And then repent for insisting that human beings EVER have the power to give or withhold rights from the omnipotent, holy, sovereign Creator God of the universe. He is the one who owns everything, and any attempt or declaration to be God's god will be met with nothing but His just wrath. The fact that someone can call oneself a Christian and at the same time claim to have control over God is a clear sign of why reformation is so desperately needed in the 21st-century church. --Joe! |
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395 | How do I pray for myself? | Bible general Archive 1 | Reformer Joe | 71753 | ||
"If God hears our thoughts then every thought we think should be to His glory." I agree wholeheartedly (Matthew 22:37), but the operative word here is "should." It is not something that we do in practice. So, while everything we do and say and think is before the face of God (Hebrews 4:13), everything we do and say and think is not prayer nor is it all worship. --Joe! |
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396 | How do I pray for myself? | Bible general Archive 1 | Reformer Joe | 71721 | ||
You wrote: 'Personally I don't think a christian should pray for themselves. On the other hand Jesus told us how to pray and included in the Lord's Prayer is "give us this day our daily bread" etc. Matt. 6:9-13' I don't get it. If Jesus taught His disciples to pray for themselves, why do you personally think we shouldn't? Many of the Psalms are prayers to God for oneself. Praying for oneself is not just a good idea; it is commanded. "Q. 178. What is prayer? A. Prayer is an offering up of our desires unto God, in the name of Christ, by the help of his Spirit; with confession of our sins, and thankful acknowledgment of his mercies." --Westminster Larger Catechism Yes, God knows what we think, but that does not mean that our every thought is a prayer unto God. Prayer is a purposeful activity, an act of worship and acknowledged dependence on Him alone for our every need. --Joe! |
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397 | Why does God bet with Satan in Job? | Bible general Archive 1 | Reformer Joe | 71714 | ||
God did it to put His own glory on display, as well as Abraham's obedience (James 2). He also did it to prefigure what He would do with His own Son to benefit His people for His glory. "He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?" --Romans 8:32 --Joe! |
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398 | Entering Heaven | NT general Archive 1 | Reformer Joe | 71346 | ||
You wrote: "SAVING FAITH IS FAITH AND ACTION TOGETHER NOTHING LESS." Then why does the Bible say that Abraham BELIEVED God, and it was credited to him as righteousness (Genesis 15:6; Romans 4:3; Galatians 3:6)? Yes, Abraham's belief/faith led to obedience, but he was justified by faith before obeying. Faith and obedience go hand-in-hand, but they are not the same thing. We are saved as an act of God's mercy. Our salvation is not earned by us (Ephesians 2:8). At the same time, as you have correctly pointed out, the saving faith that God does work in His people leads to obedience. That, too, is an act of God's grace. "For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds." --Titus 2:11-14 --Joe! |
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399 | Entering Heaven | NT general Archive 1 | Reformer Joe | 71292 | ||
You wrote: "Abraham had faith but not until God tested him by offering his son Issac as a sacrifice." You packed a lot into that paragraph. Are you saying here that Abraham did not have faith until God tested him? You also wrote: "Faith is born with the obedience of a broken heart not the words of a clever mind." Biblically speaking, faith produces obedience, not the other way around. "For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love." --Galatians 5:6 Hebrews 11 gives a long list of saints whose works were evidence of their faith. Their faith was not born by their obedience, but rather their obedience was born by their faith. --Joe! |
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400 | Not my will, but Yours be done... | Luke 22:42 | Reformer Joe | 70941 | ||
I wouldn't say MORE human. Jesus is one Person, having eternally been God and, since the moment Mary was found to be with child, completely human as well. Two natures, one Person, forever. Not a mere human empowered by the Holy Spirit like Christians are, and more than just "God wearing skin." --Joe! --Joe! |
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