Results 1641 - 1660 of 2277
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Results from: Answers On or After: Thu 12/31/70 Author: Hank Ordered by Date |
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Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1641 | What about John 14:15? | John 3:16 | Hank | 63906 | ||
Duplicate question. | ||||||
1642 | What about John 14:15? | John 3:16 | Hank | 63905 | ||
Hello, Welldigger. Quoting John 14:15, you ask "But what about this Scripture?" ..... Well, what about it? What are you asking? If, as I assume, you wish comment on it in relation to Jesus' teaching on being His obedient disciples, there is little upon which to comment. The passage is clear. There can be no doubt that regenerate believers are commanded to be obedient believers. If, on the other hand, you are seeking to connect the verse with the faith-plus-works-equals-salvation idea, I don't believe the passage remotely suggests anything of the kind. In the NASB the verse, John 14:15, reads: "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments." Paul makes the clear distinction between the roles of faith and works: "Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due. But to the one who does not work, but beieves in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness." [Romans 4:4,5] Jesus and Paul are teaching the same thing. Jesus says that if we love Him, [have saving faith in Him and have thus become regenerated believers, have received justification through Him] we'll keep His commandments [as regenerate believers who are being sanctified in our walk with Christ through obedience to His commands]. Paul is teaching the same thing. Paul defines works as a "wage...not credited as a favor, but as what is due." And faith he describes as being "credited as righteousness" to one who "believes in Him who justifies the ungodly." --Hank | ||||||
1643 | is conception a sinful act? | Gen 1:28 | Hank | 63871 | ||
Hello, Pamtas. I missed your question of a few months ago and just now came across it. I've been on this forum a long time and have been exposed to some truly nutty ideas, but the idea espoused by your "evangelist" wins a blue ribbon! To assert that conception is a sin is placing God Himself in the role of a sinner! If you don't think this is true, read Matthew 1:18. Your "evangelist" is nothing less than an unvarnished crackpot, a false teacher of the first water. Avoid him and others of his stripe as you would a deadly plague. --Hank | ||||||
1644 | can women preach and pastor | Bible general Archive 1 | Hank | 63864 | ||
Poplarsprings, thanks for your inquiry. This is a complex and somewhat disputed issue and in lieu of attempting an answer, which would be merely a repeat of much of what has already been posted, may I direct you to an on-topic series of posts that can be accessed via Search and by typing in "women pastors" in the box. I hope you will find the information from the archives of help. In any event, you will get a generous smattering of both pros and cons on the issue! --Hank | ||||||
1645 | Having children | Gen 1:28 | Hank | 63862 | ||
Here are a few passages to get you going. Gen.1:28; Ps.8:2, 78:4, 103:17; Prov.17:6, 20:11, 22:6,15, 29:15; Matt.11:25, 21:15,16; Mark 10:13-16; Acts 2:39; 1 Cor.7:14; Eph.6:1,4; and Col.3:20,21. The list is not exhaustive by any means. There are many passages of Scripture that speak of children. An exhaustive concordance or topical concordance will lead you to other passages. --Hank | ||||||
1646 | saved regardless of their own attitudes? | John 5:24 | Hank | 63859 | ||
Pastor Glenn, a hearty hello, and an equally hearty thanks for pointing out a horrible error of omission of a key word, and the word was "not." ..... The statement in my former post which reads, "The doctrine of grace does teach that certain ones will be saved regardless of their own attitudes and responses" should read, "The doctrine of grace does NOT teach that certain ones will be saved regardless of their own attitudes and responses.".... Pastor Glenn, try as I may to proof-read posts before submitting them, now and then a big blooper gets by, and this was a whopper dopper super blooper! I do appreciate your catching it and pointing it out, thus affording me the opportunity to correct it. Thanks again, brother. You have rendered me -- and the forum -- a great service. --Hank | ||||||
1647 | Where doe God say he is Jesus? | Acts 9:1 | Hank | 63853 | ||
Hello, Sunset Gypsy. There is no more powerful testimony that Jesus is God than John gives in the opening words of his Gospel. He says, "the Word was with God" -- in communion with God yet distinct from Him. But he continues, "and the Word was God -- that is, identical in essence with God. It is God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit who form the Trinity, or triune nature of God: One God in three Persons. To some practitioners of pagan religions and to others who lack knowledge of the Bible's teaching on the triunity of God, it may appear that Christianity teaches polytheism, but nothing could be further from the truth. The words of the Shema, "Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one!" [Deut.6:4] are eternally true, and this confession does not preclude the later revelation of the Trinity. It is interesting that the Hebrew word used here for "God" is Elohim and is a plural word; and the Hebrew word used for "one" is the same word used in Gen.2:24 pertaining to the union of Adam and Eve to describe two persons in one flesh. --Hank | ||||||
1648 | Reliability of King James version? | Is 55:10 | Hank | 63760 | ||
Hello, Barry. It is now widely held among contemporary scholars and translators that the Byzantine Text that largely supports the Textus Receptus (which the King James translators used as the textual basis for their translation of the New Testament) has as much right as the Alexandrian or any other tradition to be weighed in determining the text of the New Testament. The most important differences in English New Testaments of today are not due to manuscript divergence but to the way in which translators view the task of translation, whether word-for-word, thought-for-thought, or loose paraphrase. The renowned King James Bible is both very literal and very reliable, as well as being a masterpiece of literary excellence. The only caveat I would suggest in using it is to acquaint oneself of the changes in meaning of some of the English words and phrases. This task is not insurmountable by any means, because there are any number of study aids designed to assist the reader in his better understanding of Elizabethan English. The King James Study Bible (Nelson) and the New Scofield Study Bible (Oxford) do a fine job of tutoring the reader to a greater proficiency in being able to handle the Elizabethan English of the King James Bible. I personally think it worth the time and effort to equip oneself to read the King James with greater understanding. There is no other translation of the Bible in English that has quite the beauty of language, the succinct turn of phrase, the power, the authority, the sheer musical quality that can even nearly match the King James. --Hank | ||||||
1649 | How to go to heaven and avoid hell? | John 3:16 | Hank | 63758 | ||
Scripture teaches clearly that there is absolutely nothing man can do, of himself, i.e., by his own works, to inherit eternal life. Salvation is wholly of God by grace on the basis of the redemption of Jesus Christ, the merit of His shed blood on the Cross, and not on the basis of human merit or works. Jesus told the Pharisee Nicodemus that "unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." [John 3:3]. Being "born again" is called regeneration, a supernatural work of the Holy Spirit by which the divine nature and the divine life are given [Read John 3:3-8 and Titus 3:5.] It is instantaneous and is accomplished solely by the power of the Holy Spirit through the word of God [John 5:24] when the repentent sinner, as enabled by the Holy Spirit, responds in faith to the divine provision (God's plan of) salvation. Good works will be the proper evidence of salvation but they do not save. We are justified (saved) by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. We are sanctified (being increasingly conformed to the image of our Lord Jesus Christ) through obedience. This conformity is climaxed in the believer's glorification at Christ's coming. Here are some additional passages that you may wish to read from your Bible: John 1:12; Eph.1:4-7 and 2:8-10; 1 Pet.1:18,19; 1 Cor.6:19,20; Eph. 5:17-21; Col.3:12-17; 2 Pet.1:4-11; 2 Cor.3:18; Rom.8:16-17. Other major world religions teach salvation by works. The human tendency is to assume that man must somehow earn his way to heaven. The Bible teaches that man is saved by grace through faith in Christ Jesus, not of works, lest anyone should boast. (Eph. 2:8,9) Unlike members of other religions, we Christians have a Savior, Christ Jesus, who suffered, bled and died on the Cross for our redemption from sin. We have a Savior who rose again and ascended into heaven and sits on the right hand of God the Father Almighty. We have a Savior who lives! --Hank | ||||||
1650 | gold, frankinsense and myrrh | Bible general Archive 1 | Hank | 63757 | ||
Wendy: Please read the account of the visitors from the east in Matthew 2. The Bible calls them "wise men from the east" so we do not know that there was three but we do know there was more than one. We do not know that they were kings. We do not know their names. And the Bible says the visitors came into a house, not a stable, and saw a young child, not a baby. So it can be inferred that that was a time lapse between Jesus' birth and the visitors' appearance. There is no mention in the text that the gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh had any special significance, though tradition has attached various meanings to them. --Hank | ||||||
1651 | I'm looking for scripture to help answer | Rom 1:20 | Hank | 63659 | ||
hadensville: A good starting point might be 2 Timonthy 3:16, which is a clear proclamation that all Scripture is breathed of God Himself. But if your skeptic's premise is based on the assumption that the Bible is myth and fable, then it is quite unlikely that a single verse of Scripture is going to convince him otherwise..... Ask your skeptic to pick up a copy of the Bible and read it through from Genesis to 'maps' with an open, inquiring mind. The Bible is a singularly powerful witness unto itself. There are huge numbers of extra-biblical expositions on the truth and trustworthiness of the Bible. Here are but a few suggestions of books that have been written by giants of the faith, excellent apologists all, who attest to the absolute dependability of Scripture: "The New Evidence that Demands a Verdict" by Josh McDowell, the writings of St. Augustine (especially "The Confessions), Thomas a Kempis Imitation of Christ), John Bunyan (The Pilgrim's Progress), C.S.Lewis (especially "Mere Christianity"), the sermons of Charles Spurgeon (to be found on-line at Spurgeon.org), and "The Journal of John Woolman." These works don't begin to exhaust the immense material that is extant on the subject, but they are a start, and I believe a very good one, for anyone who would like to know what some giants of the faith think of God's word. --Hank | ||||||
1652 | Inability to believe | John 5:24 | Hank | 63480 | ||
You use the word 'inability' twice: inability to believe and inability to turn from sin. Is that your meaning? I would prefer to use 'unwillingness' in the first question but neither inability nor unwillingness in the second. Unregenerated man is both unable and unwilling to turn from sin without the regenerative work -- the new birth -- of the Holy Spirit. --Hank | ||||||
1653 | Door-to-door false teachers | 1 Pet 3:15 | Hank | 63424 | ||
Biblesearcher, each has his own way of dealing with false witnesses whom he encounters, I suppose, but a most apropriate biblical answer may be found in this verse: "Sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence." [1 Peter 3:15]. But far too many professing Christians are so unversed in their faith that they can give but a poor and unconvincing confession of it, if any at all. Therein lies the problem. The false teachers have done their homework, but orthodox believers have not done theirs. The clarion call has never been stronger than it is in our time: Christians must be able to defend the faith. 2 Timothy 2:15 is a command. It does not appear in the Bible for the idle purpose of filling in the blank space between verses 14 and 16! --Hank | ||||||
1654 | Caught in a sticky web.... | OT general | Hank | 63208 | ||
Cheryl: You're corresponding with no psychologist! I took a course in psychology in college but didn't learn enough about it even to be dangerous :-) In my career as a insurance sales manager, the most agonizing experiences where the times when I had to make the decision to let an employee go. I suppose that in some sense it could be viewed as a "toxic" relationship. In private life, and certainly in my marriage, I've never really had what I would call a toxic relationship, although there have been persons whose company I've avoided like the plague for various reasons. But I believe it is possible to love our fellow human beings and to be willing to help those who are in need as Christ would have us do without allowing ourselves to become so vulnerable to their negative influence on our lives that it drains us mentally and emotionally. This is not a healthy situation, and I do not for a moment believe that Christians are required to subject themselves to it. I could be very wrong, but what you describe sounds very much like co-dependence, and that's something that is not desirable. Living a Christian life, telling others about Jesus, and being the best example that one can of the changed life that Jesus can bring about in a human being -- these things are the goals for which I aim. But I try to avoid to the best of my ability the bad emotional entanglements, the "toxic" relationships, the undesirable "soul ties" that have the capacity to lead me off course and to thwart what efforts I exert to be, in some small measure, an effective Christian. I yield now to other, wiser Christian brothers and sisters of the forum who may well have more light than I to shed on this subject. --Hank | ||||||
1655 | I won"t be saved if I don't tithe | Eph 2:8 | Hank | 63206 | ||
The Bible says that we are saved by grace through faith in Christ Jesus, not of works. [Ephesians 2:8,9]. Tithing is not a condition of salvation. The actual amount of money given is not the primary consideration. Read what Jesus taught on the subject in Mark 12:41-44. --Hank | ||||||
1656 | Drawing the line? | OT general | Hank | 63201 | ||
Cheryl: Sorry, but I must confess that your description is too abstract for me. I'm not quite sure of what you mean by "telling the difference between a Christ-like agape turn-the-other-cheek type love, and one that is purely dysfunctional, crippling our spirit and our effectiveness for ministry." Perhaps you could be more specific and concrete, and perhaps give some examples to illustrate what you are saying. But please be careful not to reveal personal details or disclose private information. That is not advisable on a public forum on the net. --Hank | ||||||
1657 | Can some "soul ties" be harmful? | OT general | Hank | 63194 | ||
Cheryl, please permit me to use the word "relationships" instead of "soul ties." And, yes, certainly some relationships can be unhealthful and damaging, I don't doubt that at all. In my upbringing my parents were very zealous to guard me against forming close associations with unsavory characters! "You're judged by the company you keep" was a motto they drilled into my head over and over. This is not to say that Christians should avoid going into the highways and hedges of life, rich and poor, upscale and skid row, to carry the message of the Gospel. After all, Jesus did that. But still and all, I believe that young people, whose minds are so malleable and who are so impressionable, should pick for close friends those of high moral and ethical standands and those who have high regard for God and His word. --Hank | ||||||
1658 | I am looking for evidence of dark skies | Matt 27:45 | Hank | 63192 | ||
There are three pieces of unimpeachable evidence on this phenomenon that outweigh all others. I refer you to Matthew 27:45-56, Mark 15:33-41, and Luke 23:44-49. --Hank | ||||||
1659 | Is the concept of soul ties Christian? | OT general | Hank | 63187 | ||
Dear Lucky Charm: My "soul tie" with my wife is now in its 44th year. I read some of the opinion and comment on the web site you referenced and came away with this thought in mind: The wisdom of God pertaining to "soul ties" (a term I don't particularly relish) is as follows: "The Lord God fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man. The man said, 'This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.' For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and they shall become one flesh." [Genesis 2:22-24]. As for other relationships in life (soul ties, if you will), Jesus commands us to love our neighbor as we do ourselves. That's rather close bonding, or "soul ties" don't you think? God's wisdom on human relationships is far superior to and infinitely more authorative and trustworthy than anything I read on the "Courtship connection" web site! --Hank | ||||||
1660 | Joe, baptism required for Lord's Supper? | 1 Cor 11:27 | Hank | 63080 | ||
Searcher, I have a serious problem with understanding why an unbaptized Christian would attach so much importance to his "right" to partake of holy communion and so little to a clear command of our Lord to be baptized. In 1 Cor. 11:27, the phrase "in an unworthy manner" is generally exegeted to mean "with unconfessed sin" which can include of course a very broad spectrum of sins. I submit that if we can agree on the definition of 'sin' as disobedience to God's commands, a refusal of the Lord's command to be baptized is an act of disobedience and thus constitutes sin. The only remedy for -- 'confession' of -- this unconfessed sin is to submit oneself to water baptism. --Hank | ||||||
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