Results 621 - 640 of 905
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Results from: Answers On or After: Thu 12/31/70 Author: Mommapbs Ordered by Verse |
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Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
621 | Can God save us the way HE WANTS TOO? | Acts 2:38 | Mommapbs | 50396 | ||
Greetings Grace and Truth: You stated, "Many on this forum don't believe that God could save through water baptism, but those in the bible believed." Please give a reference that supports "those in the Bible believed" As Jews, washing and cleansing were important aspects of their worship, but salvation was and always has been BY FAITH. God's law contains directions about washing (ie the priest washed themselves prior to ministering before the Lord) - I see this as a response to the recognition of their sinful condition and the need to be clean before they could begin to serve God. Based upon this I believe we could infer that the motive for the practice of baptism orginated from God's law. Perhaps Christ's baptism also is a signal that God approved of the people's RESPONSE to John the Baptist's call, to "repent!" He didn't call anyone to be "saved!" God credited the Old Testament saints with righteousness based upon their faith -(Romans 4:3, Gals 3:6; James 2:23) Salvation has always come BY FAITH ALONE - it is the gift of God. Baptism does not SAVE anyone, only God can save! And today, salvation is God's free gift based upon BELIEF in the finished work of Jesus Christ, His Son! Salvation is not the result of baptism or our BELIEF in baptism! Read Matthew 21:21-25. Jesus asked the same question about John's baptism, was it from heaven or from men. But notice what He was talking about just prior to this. FAITH! What do you suppose we should emphasize here? Mommapbs |
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622 | Did Peter tell the truth? | Acts 2:38 | Mommapbs | 50417 | ||
Grace and Truth: Since many of us don't always look at the "unanswered questions" page when we are in the middle of a discussion, I thought I'd copy and send you a recent post with some excellent observations for you to consider in your thinking about baptism. Tim Moran writes: My question is simply this: If baptism is essential to salvation why: a) Did Paul say, "For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power." - 1 Cor. 1:17. And, b) Didn't Jesus baptize anyone - "although in fact it was not Jesus who baptized, but his disciples." - (Joh 4:2) It seems to me that if baptism were essential to one's salvation that Paul would not have been able to say that Christ did not send Him to baptize. Further, it does not seem likely that Jesus would never baptize if baptism were essential to salvation. |
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623 | Where's the repentance? | Acts 2:38 | Mommapbs | 51438 | ||
How does God respond to repentance? Acts 2:38 tells us that God forgives sin and gives the gift of the Holy Spirit. No one but God is able to judge the intentions of a man's(or woman's)heart. Therefore, the presence of the Holy Spirit is the "sign" of an inward change that only God can bring about. In some instances,the Holy Spirit's presence was manifest publically, but in ALL believers, the purpose of the Holy Spirit's presence is to testify with our spirit that we are indeed adopted into God's family(Romans 8:16 et al). The crux of the matter on Forum in recent days has been "what happened first?" Salvation by Grace alone or salvation by Grace AND water baptism. Read the numerous posts on this issue to understand the differing viewpoints. From Acts 2:38 the Holy Spirit is the evidence of an individual's regeneration.(And therefore necessitates repentence FIRST!) We are "new creatures" (2 Cor 5:17) "created in Christ" (Eph 2:8-10)given the "righteousness of Christ" (Phil 3:9 et al) in order to receive the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit(Acts 5:32 et al) This was demonstrated by the Gentiles when they believed in Acts 10. The believed, received the Holy Spirit and THEN they were water baptized. Since God cannot dwell in the presence of sin, the Gentile believers in Acts 10 could not have received the Holy Spirit unless repentence took place FIRST. This "cleansing" and "regeneration" is a work wholly accomplished by God alone and requires no participation from us other than our confession of faith in Jesus. Titus 3:5- 7 says, "He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life." Blessings be multiplied to you as you search God's Word! Mommapbs |
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624 | To be saved must we be baptised? | Acts 2:38 | Mommapbs | 76392 | ||
Derdan, you will find extensive discussions on this topic by using the search feature. I suggest that you start there. This is a divisive topic. mommapbs |
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625 | Is the tail wagging the dog? Do we love? | Acts 2:44 | Mommapbs | 151750 | ||
Greetings Vic - You asked, "what does the love of God look like?" Calvary comes to mind here. Tim Moran answered your question about believers having all things in common in a previous post. He wrote: "It is not a command, so the church is under no obligation to follow this practice. People in the early church did lots of things, but unless we are commanded to do likewise, we are under no obligation to do something simply because they did it." I'm sorry to observe this, but you may find that believers posting on SBF have more things NOT in common at times :-( mommapbs |
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626 | crying out to God without jesus... | Acts 4:12 | Mommapbs | 36868 | ||
This reality of this verse should encourage the body of Christ to boldly proclaim the name of Jesus! Those who have never heard the Name of Jesus are still accountable to God because God has placed an awareness of Himself in their hearts (Romans 1). Paul reminds us that people choose their own way of "righteousness" rather than God's Way! See Romans 10. I trust that these Scriptures will help clarify the urgency to respond to the Gospel - now, today is the day of Salvation! As led by the Spirit to deliver it to someone in need or to receive it! Mommapbs |
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627 | dropping dead | Acts 5:1 | Mommapbs | 86672 | ||
Greetings! See 1 Cor 11:30 - God discipline His children for their rebellion. I also see a parallel here with our "works" - when our motives are selfish, we are in rebellion and our works are "dead." (1 Cor 3:11-15) See Rev 3:1 about the dead church at Sardis. The Laodicean church (Rev 3:15-16)which is characteristic of this age, has works that are neither hot or cold - they are lukewarm - an excellent breeding ground for all sorts of deadly influences. Just something to think about. . . mommapbs |
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628 | Does anyone still beleive that God talks | Acts 9:4 | Mommapbs | 142131 | ||
Greetings, I believe I have posted this before on the Forum: God Speaks: There is a wonderful man of God at our church who works in the children’s ministry as an administrative assistant. He has quite a severe speech impediment. My 12-year-old son happened to be with me one Sunday morning when I was having a conversation with this man. Afterward, my son asked, “Mom, how can you understand him? I could only understand one word!” I thought about this for a moment and then I realized that there was a great lesson to be learned from this “teachable moment.” I replied, “Honey, I’ve worked with him for many years and my ears are accustomed to his manner of speaking, and his speech. I understand him because I listen and want to hear what he says. It has taken time and patience, but I had no problems comprehending what he was saying today.” I thought that this was a good analogy for us to apply to understanding God; to hearing His voice and recognizing His presence with us! God speaks in many different ways. How do we recognize His voice above the din of our daily existence? First, there must be desire. (When you seek me, you will find me!) Secondly, we must spend time in His Word and lastly, we must listen. His voice can be heard; do you hear Him? Often we are so “busy” with trivial pursuits that we forget that God is interested in all aspects of our lives. Those things that we relegate to the “insignificant” category are important to God. Seeing God at work in the little things of our lives reaps great benefits to our faith. All this being said, although it has been my experience to hear the audible voice of God, mostly He speaks to me through His Word into my spirit. I suspect that some fail to be blessed by "hearing" Him because they have decided that God does not speak as He did anyomre . . . Yet who are we to limit God in the way He "can" speak to us? Don’t be disappointed if you have never heard the audible voice of God. God speaks in many different ways. The point of this message is to encourage you: to first recognize His hand and His voice, and then to challenge you to respond in faith and obedience. As a child of God, your Heavenly Father has lots to tell you, lots to teach you and lots He wants you to do for Him. Delight in the Lord and His desires will become your desires! (Ps 37:4) “For I know the plans I have for you . . . plans to give you hope and a future.Then you will call upon me and come and pray . . . You will seek me and find me when you seek me with your whole heart. I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness. Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and un-searchable things that you do not know.” Jeremiah 29:11-13; 31:3; 33:3 He rewards those who diligently seek Him! Are you looking for Him? Do you recognize His voice? Are you listening? Blessings, mommapbs |
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629 | Speak from the midst of the fire to you? | Acts 9:4 | Mommapbs | 142198 | ||
Searcher - There is a recently released video that identifies the real Mt Sinai in Saudia Arabia. The authors filmed the area and found compelling evidence that is supported by Scripture to identify it as such. Did you know that the top of Mt Sinai where God spoke to Moses is scorched to this day? Analysis of the blackened rocks reveals that they were subject to intense heat. So, it would seem to indicate that when God spoke to Moses, the people indeed saw "fire" on the mountain. Yet another consideration for "from the midst of the fire" might be from Eze 28:14,16. But then this is not the point of the discussion here . . . Where in God's Word does it say that He does not speak to us? John 16:13-14 tells us that God has given us His Holy Spirit; "He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you." Who are we to dictate how the Spirit of the Lord chooses to speak to us? God even speaks to animals - Jonah 2:10. BTW, I hope you don't have a donkey tethered out back! Searcher, just because God has not spoken to you in ways that He has spoken to others should not prompt you to question the validity of their experience. May we all come to say, "Speak Lord, for thy servant heareth." Blessings, mommapbs |
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630 | Favoritism? | Acts 10:34 | Mommapbs | 118932 | ||
Greetings! God chooses individuals or groups to fulfill His plans and purposes. This is not a display of favoritism, but rather a demonstaration of God's absolute sovereignty over His Creation (I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy Rom 9:15; Read also Jer 18:1-10, the account of God as the Potter and Israel the lump of clay) As a result of society's moral failure to seek God and find his hope in Him, God chose to raise up a special people group to whom He would commission His promises - that entity was the nation of Israel. "Israel was commissioned, in the midst of a sinful world, to show that still, if you follow God, commit your life to Him, if you obey what (God says), you can be delivered from the terrible consequences of sin. Israel was commissioned to touch a world and tell it about the love of God and about the prosperity and blessing that its people would know if they would follow the Lord." (Destiny Bulletin 4/04) Jesus was sent to the nation of Israel as the fiulfillment of God's promise.(see Mk 7:26-8) Because Israel rejected Christ, they have been set aside and have ceased to be God's instrument. And as a result of their rejection, we have been given the Torch; the Light of the Truth and promise of God has been passed to a new people group that knows no ethnic or racial boundaries - the Church of Christ. Spread the Light! Blessings, mommapbs |
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631 | Guardian Angles are they real? | Acts 12:7 | Mommapbs | 48001 | ||
Hebrews 1:14 describes angels - "Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to render service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?" These angelic hosts that do God's bidding are powerful beings but they will never experience the love relationship He desires to have and extends to us! Questioning if your recent experience was the result of angelic intervention is really not the issue. God is soverign, He is absolutely in control. Why and how God choses to "rescue us" is for Him to know and for us to be eternally grateful for! We must be cautious to worship the DELIVERER and not worship the means of our deliverance! I have learned that the more I know about God, the less I really know - for His ways are not mine and He does exceedingly more than I can ever even imagine. God does not need our permission to operate outside the scope of human understanding! Nor is He limited by what we believe about Him! Frankly, I think that God loves to surprise us with more of Himself and the only way He can get the attention of some is to be extremely overt! From what I have read of your posts, God has miraculously protected and preserved you. Thank Him and ask Him what His purpose is for your life! Don't get stuck on the "why me?" It really isn't about you! What you have experienced is all about God and His plan; I'm glad that He chose YOU to be part of it! Blessings, Mommapbs |
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632 | Who was not the judge? | Acts 13:20 | Mommapbs | 49886 | ||
Greetings angelface! I'm just wondering why you are asking all these questions? You can do a "search" as easily as anyone else on the Forum. I'd sincerely like to know what is your objective? Blessings, Mommapbs |
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633 | How did God guide these missionaries? | Acts 16:6 | Mommapbs | 133993 | ||
The point is not "how" God guided but the fact that HE did the leading and Paul and Timothy obeyed. Notice that they were also prevented from sharing the Word? I'm wondering, how often do we run ahead of the Holy Spirit? Blessings, mommapbs |
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634 | Comparing the way God leads.... | Acts 16:13 | Mommapbs | 133994 | ||
See verse 14 - notice how the "Lord opened her heart"? We would be wise to understand that apart from the working of the Holy Spirit, no one "shares" Christ. (See John 6:44) Blessings, mommapbs |
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635 | family salvation | Acts 16:31 | Mommapbs | 108799 | ||
Greetings! Romans 14:12 reminds us the EACH of us must give an account before God. We can not rely upon the faith of others for our personal salvation. "And they answered, Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ [give yourself up to Him, take yourself out of your own keeping and entrust yourself into His keeping] and you will be saved, [and this applies both to] you and your household as well." Acts 16:13 Amplified version - the action is "to believe" and it applies to everyone - ALL those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ will be saved. It is a promise and also a choice that is available to everyone. Blessings, mommapbs |
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636 | Baptism: Infant vs. Believer | Acts 16:31 | Mommapbs | 152537 | ||
Circumcision as well as baptism are physical actions that are intended to reflect a spiritual reality. Just because a man is circumcized does not make him part of God's chosen nation of Israel and just because one is baptised in water does not mean that one is "saved." These are spiritual actions; both are the work of the Holy Spirit. See Romans 2:29; Eze 36:26. |
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637 | punkiedo, is one submersed each time? | Acts 19:5 | Mommapbs | 108695 | ||
Greetings searcher! I was a bit confused with this post until I re-read punkiedo's reference in Heb 6:2 (baptisms). The plural use of baptisms suggest that the reader knows that there is John's baptism, the baptism into Christ upon belief and the ordinance of the believer's baptism as commanded by Jesus. "Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of instruction about washings and laying on of hands, and the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment." Heb 6:1-2 Unless I am mis-reading this passage, instruction about washings is part of our "elemetary teaching" and we are exhorted to "press on toward maturity" ! mommapbs |
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638 | punkiedo, prove rabais dunked followers | Acts 19:5 | Mommapbs | 108698 | ||
Searcher: I did a search on rabbinical baptism and found this to be an informative site. http://www.essene.com/B'nai-Amen/MysticalImmersion.htm |
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639 | New believers zealous for LAW? | Acts 21:24 | Mommapbs | 139866 | ||
Greetings MJH - see post 58292 by Emmaus. What you were "told" is a legalist approach to faith. Where do you see that in God's Word? The Law was given as a "schoolmaster" (Gal 3:24)to lead us to the Perfect Attonement for our lawbreaking - Jesus. The practice of sacrifice for sin was done away with, yet we are told to continue to "sacrifice our bodies" Rom 12:1-2. Jesus told us that the Law and the prophets were dependant upon the greatest commandment Mt 22:36-40. See also Dt 30:6 - The Lord enables us to be obedient to His command. This also reaffirms what Jesus tells us in John 15:5 - Apart from Me you can do nothing - we cannot love God apart from Christ! What a gift we have been given - a new heart and the indwelling Christ! (Ex 36:26) Blessings, mommapbs |
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640 | Zealous for the law? Sacraficed? Noah? | Acts 21:24 | Mommapbs | 139879 | ||
MJH - What is the "question in your mind" about Paul, about those who are zealous for the law? I'm not quite sure what you are looking for. Are you suggesting that we disband our churches and go to synagogue? That we keep Kosher homes etc? I found another post in the archives by Kalos that might offer some insight for you: 113831 mommapbs PS: Could you provide OT chapter and verse that reference the Noahetic Covenant to support the 4 prohibitions you quote here:"they should abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols and from blood and from what is strangled and from unchastity."? Thanks |
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