Results 261 - 280 of 361
|
||||||
Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Author: Bill Mc Ordered by Date |
||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
261 | What is 'being saved' here? | Bible general Archive 1 | Bill Mc | 15525 | ||
Dear Tim, Thanks for the reply. It was a thought. A little convoluted maybe, but still a thought. One important consideration though, is the word 'saved.' My studies have led me to believe that salvation or deliverance is a 3-fold process. I believe that my spirit is saved (delivered from the penalty of sin - spiritual death) at conversion. My human spirit was united with Christ's divine Spirit which is spiritual life. I believe that my soul (mind, will, and emotions) is in a process of being saved (delivered from the power of sin - sanctification). This is where God is renewing my mind with His Word to conform my behavior to the truth of His Spirit in me. And I believe that one day my body will be saved (delivered from the presence of sin - resurrection). It sure needs it. But, my true identity, who I am, is determined by my birth in Christ. That is who I truly am and therefore, if I physically die, I will be absent from my body and present with the Lord. So I am, at the deepest level of my being, truly saved (past tense). I am also, in my behavior, being saved (present tense). And one day (soon I hope), my body will be saved (future tense). Do you feel that any of this might apply to Paul's use of the term "being saved"? In Him, Bill Mc |
||||||
262 | Are Sovereignty and Free Will Exclusive? | Bible general Archive 1 | Bill Mc | 15521 | ||
Hey Guys! Can I muddy the waters? I've already stated elsewhere that I know nothing of Calvinism and Armenism (or however it is spelled), but here's what I think. Of course, my opinion is always subject to 1) being wrong 2) being right 3) being corrected by those who know more than I and 4) being ridiculed by those who know it all. :) Here goes: I hardly know anything of the Sovereignty/Free Will debate. But I do believe that God is both sovereign and that we have free will. I don't think that they are mutually exclusive. I think that Philippians 2:6-8 gives us a small glimpse of that. Here we see that although Jesus was completely God, He chose to set aside His divine right (sovereignty, complete control), as God, and become a servant (a man with free will). He was, I believe, completely God and completely human. He had both God's Spirit in Him and a human spirit. He had a soul. And He had a will that He chose to submitted to His Father's will (not only in the garden but throughout His earthly ministry. He did only what His Father told Him to do). I know this may sound crazy (not my first time), but I think that God, being sovereign, can chose to set aside exercising that sovereignty in order to permit human chosing. What do you think? How far off the bubble am I? In Christ, Bill Mc |
||||||
263 | Eternal Security? | Bible general Archive 1 | Bill Mc | 15498 | ||
Dear Tim, My reply is more of a question than an answer. Sorry. I'm trying to figure it out, too. I'm only going to reference 1 Cor 15:1 here. Anyway, is the following understanding possible and/or reasonable? We know that when Paul wrote his letters to the churches, that they (the letters) were circulated from house to house (in fact, the churches did, too), congregation to congregation. They did not have the huge edific...uh, buildings (I can't spell worth a flip) that we have nowadays. The meeting places, back then as now, were made up of both believers and non-believers in Christ. What I am saying is that, although the letter is addressed to 'the church at Corinth, those sanctified, saints by calling', there were still unbelievers and undecided at their meetings, weren't there? How else would they hear the gospel message? Could Paul be addressing them, too? Or could Paul be addressing people that said they believed concerning the facts of the gospel but still kept living the same old way? (The church of God at Corinth SHOULD NOT be a blueprint for the modern church) In other words, they believed the facts of the gospel but they did not have the body of the New Testament writings to show them how Christ's death, burial, and resurrection should be 'lived out.' That being said, see my modification to the verse in parentheses. Note: I AM NOT TRYING TO REWRITE IT, just understand it. Would it be proper to look at this verse in the light of: Now, brothers (is this fellow believers or Jewish brothers?), I want to remind you (all, professing believers, unbelievers, and undecided) of the gospel I preached to you (all) which you (professing believers) received and on which you (believers) have taken your (believers) stand. By this gospel you (anyone who hears) are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you (hearing the truth of the gospel - vs. 3 and 4 AND put faith in it, let it change your life). Otherwise, you (anyone who just hears) have believed (said you believed but never put faith in it) in vain. Please don't crucify me here. I admit the text may not allow for this understanding at all. I'm just trying to understand it too. I feel, as you know, that John uses the same literary device (an editorial we) in 1 John. There he says in verse 1:3 'our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.' Then he turns around and says a couple of verses later 'if we say that we have fellowship with Him (in fact, he just did) and yet walk in darkness (unbelief about Christ), we lie and do not practice the truth.' We (you and I) know that John didn't lie and did practice the truth. What do you think, Tim? In Christ, Bill Mc |
||||||
264 | Where does one start who has never reall | Bible general Archive 1 | Bill Mc | 15485 | ||
Dear Nomad, the gospel of John is a wonderful book to start with. John (one of Christ's disciples) does a wonderful job of portraying why Christ came. As you read, notice (in fact, underline if you don't mind marking up your Bible) all the references where Jesus talks about the new life that He came to give. And, as Tim has recommended, ask God to reveal Himself to you as you read. He will! The Bible is the only book we read in order to get to know the Author of it. God bless you as you begin your new life! In Christ, Bill Mc |
||||||
265 | difference. filling of joy and fruit joy | Rom 8:14 | Bill Mc | 15460 | ||
Dear bigdaddy, Good question. To be 'filled with the Spirit' is to be controlled by the Spirit. Our joy comes from knowing that we have been reconciled to God and that, unlike Israel in the OT, we can now, each one of us, draw near to God. God has made each one of us in such a way that, as Pascal say, 'there is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of man that can only be filled by God the Creator, made known through Jesus Christ.' As we abide in that relationship, we have joy in knowing that He is in us and we are in Him. The Acts 13:52 verse is saying, 'this is how they lived - they were filled with joy (from being in a secure relationship with God) and they were being filled (controlled) by His Spirit. And when we allow ourselves to be controlled by the Spirit, He (not us) produces the fruit. We are only called to bear the fruit, not produce it. Christ said that He was the vine and we are the branches. Do you ever see a branch grunting and groaning to produce an apple? No. The branch's 'job' is to let the life of the vine flow through it. As it does this, the branch 'bears' the fruit. In the same way, we have been 'grafted' into the Vine. As we abide in Him, He will produce the fruit through us. Another good example is a mechanical pencil. It is only doing what it is designed to do when the lead is flowing out of it. We do what we are designed to do 'good works' only as we allow the Spirit and His fruit to flow out of us to others. I hope this helps. So be filled with joy and filled with the Spirit. In Him, Bill Mc |
||||||
266 | Is eternal life possible right now? | Heb 1:1 | Bill Mc | 15451 | ||
Dear Amadeus, To answer your question, yes, if we are believers, we HAVE eternal life right now: 1 John 5:11 And the testimony is this, that God has given us (past tense) eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 1 John 5:12 He who has the Son has (present tense) the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life. 1 John 5:13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have (present tense) eternal life. Christ is the Life. If we have Him, then we have the Life. It is received through His Spirit when we are baptized into Christ (not water baptism, folks). We are identified with His death, burial, and then resurrection. In Him, Bill Mc |
||||||
267 | your argument proves my point! | Heb 1:1 | Bill Mc | 15449 | ||
Dear Amadeuse, "In these last days (God) has spoken to us in His Son...and HE (Christ) is the radiance of His glory and the EXACT representation of His (God's nature." Yes, the Holy Spirit will lead us into ALL truth, and the focal point is that Jesus Christ is the TRUTH. Christ alone is the EXACT representation of God and His nature and one of the things that the Holy Spirit does is to reveal Christ through the illumination of God's Word. Brother, your post is replete with the exaltation of 'experience' - your experiences. I must, in love, caution you. Everyone's 'experiences' are different. And experiences can lead us astray from the truth. We must subject our experiences to the truth of God's Word. We accept Christ by FAITH, we walk in Him by FAITH. "As you have accepted Christ, so walk IN HIM." Faith is accepting what God says as true, whether our experiences verify it or not. Brother, people do not need to have a 'stronger faith.' The amount or capacity of faith is not the issue. The OBJECT of faith is the issue. Everyone has faith in someone or something. Faith doesn't save. Faith IN Christ saves. CHRIST is the object of the Christian faith. If you are truly 'experiencing' God, great. But I urge you to submit those experiences to the Word to discern if they are valid or not. Also, it may not be intentional, but your post is coming across as one-upmanship i.e. 'I have more of God than you do.' If you, brother, truly have the Spirit of God in you, Christ never bragged about Himself. Christ said, "What I say, the FATHER has told Me to say. The works I do, the FATHER has told Me to do. I don't do anything or say anything UNLESS the FATHER tells Me to." God the Father was His total source while Christ was here on earth. And, now that He is seated at the right hand of God, the Holy Spirit reveals Christ as our total source. Frankly, I don't believe that Christ would say what you have said in the way you have said it. There is ONE body of Christ, the church, and there is ONE Holy Spirit. And scripture says that if you don't have the Holy Spirit, you don't belong to Christ. The primary evidence of that is the outworking of love for Christ's body, other believers. You can't say that you love the head, Christ, and then disdain His body, we the church. Christ said that we should love God first and then each other as God loves us. We can't do this apart from His enablement. God STILL speaks through Jesus Christ. Christ IS the Word of God, not WAS. Look at the example laid before us in scripture. Christ, while on earth, did not glorify Himself or His 'experiences.' He IS God incarnate, yet He didn't brag about having 'wonderful experiences' from God that no one else had. And Paul exhibited the same attitude. Paul was caught up to heaven and had a revelation directly from Christ. He could have bragged about it. But he didn't. He said, "If I'm gonna boast about anything, it will be Jesus Christ and what He has done. I, Paul, am nothing." Of course, he was also given a thorn in the flesh to keep him humble. Have you received THAT revelation? In Christ, Bill Mc |
||||||
268 | Does this apply to Christians? | Matt 6:15 | Bill Mc | 15365 | ||
Dear Nolan, Thanks for your response, brother. I appreciate your clarification on your position. And, Nolan, my comments about "some on this forum" were not aimed specifically at you. 1 John 1:9 comes up quite often in the queue, as I'm sure you know, and the 'keeping short accounts' is usually the reponse. Please permit me to clarify my view of repentance. I do believe in repentance, brother, but I think that true repentance is changing your mind concerning what you think about God and Jesus Christ and what He has done. Why do I think this? Because until we see God for who He really is, Christ as our total righteousness, and ourselves (before salvation) as dead in sin, we will not come to Him. Most of the scriptures you listed for repentance support this idea. As I understand it, repentance is much more than making promises to God that we will not sin. Why? Because, if we are honest with ourselves, as long as we are in these unredeemed bodies and being 'matured' in Christ, we still have the capacity to sin and we will do so (prayerfully less and less as we walk in the Spirit). So if repentance is a measure of how much or how little we sin, we will NEVER, on this earth, truly repent of every sin. If all I am concerned with is 'cleaning up my act,' it will never be totally clean. I believe that true repentance is allowing God to change our minds through the renewing of it by His Word. Paul said, "Walk in the Spirit (allow Him to be your complete source) and you will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh." He didn't say that the desires of the flesh would go away (I assure you that they do not) but we WON'T fulfill them AS we walk in the Spirit. Only as our minds are exposed to the truth of God will our actions follow. Otherwise, Satan keeps us so busy 'keeping our sins confessed' and 'staying right with God' that all we ever focus on is ourselves. Christ calls us to come to Him and His sufficiency. Our actions may or may not change overnight. It is different with different people. The changing of our actions is involved in the process we frequently call sanctification. That is different from repentance. Repentance is seeing God's truth and accepting it. Sanctification is the 'working out' of the truth. If all we focus on is outward actions, then the Pharisees were righteous. But Jesus buried them. He said that God is primarily concerned with our hearts. As our hearts are changed, our actions will follow. Thanks for your comments. As I previously stated, I don't believe 1 John 1:9 should split Christian brothers and sisters. There is so many questions on this passage because of the double-talk we give to people about forgiveness. What I do have a problem with is the 'altar call' attitude of "come forward, get ALL of your sins forgiven, and get in fellowship with God. Now that you've accepted Christ and His forgiveness, you need to keep yourself forgiven through confession or you'll lose that fellowship with God." That's double-talk. If we want to preach that in our churches, we should tell all of it. If that if what we believe, we should tell people, "Come forward and get only your PAST sins forgiven. All your future ones still need to be confessed and forgiven. And, fellowship with God? Well, you will be doomed to being in and out of it for the rest of your earthly life because, as you know, you will never completely stop sinning until Christ calls you home." That kind of a message is not 'good news.' And I don't believe it is the truth. Christ did so much more for us than we often give Him credit for. Why not tell people, "I've got some good news for you. You were born dead to God, separated from Him. But Christ has done a wonderful thing! He has reconciled you to God. Your sins will no longer keep you from God. And if you believe it to be true, then God Himself will come inside you and LIVE there. He will never leave you, He will never forsake you. And nothing shall separate you from His love. Nothing. Will He change you? You bet. He loves you to much to leave you the way you are. Allow Him to do it." Now that's good news! Blessings in Christ, Bill Mc |
||||||
269 | Does this apply to Christians? | Matt 6:15 | Bill Mc | 15306 | ||
Dear Debbie, Sure it's OK to tell God you're sorry when you goof up. He knows your heart (even better than you do). The fact that you're sorry is evidence that you do indeed have God's Spirit in you. Want to know the truth? **whisper** sometimes my flesh even enjoys sin - but it makes me miserable afterward. And God knows that too. He is grieved when we sin. Why? Because He is holy? Sure, but also because sin hurts someone that He loves even more than His own life, whether myself or a fellow believer or a sinner I may know. And sin NEVER satisfies my soul like Jesus and God's Word does. But, Debbie, because Christ has dealt with all our sins, His Holy Spirit never leaves or forsakes us. What a wonderful salvation we have! God indwelling us! Do I tell God I'm sorry when I goof up? Yeah, then I tell Him that I'm probably not always as sorry as I should be and that I am SO THANKFUL that Christ has allowed my sins to be behind the back of God, as far as the east is from the west. As one other person posted, he who is forgiven much is the most thankful. In EVERYTHING give thanks. When I do sin, it ALWAYS shows me my need for Christ. So, dear sister, "be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God IN CHRIST also has forgiven you." Don't forget to forgive yourself also. If God has forgiven you, and you KNOW that, then you can forgive yourself, too. Blessings in Christ, Bill Mc |
||||||
270 | Does this apply to Christians? | Matt 6:15 | Bill Mc | 15304 | ||
Dear Radioman, Thanks for the post. I do not have an 'amplified' Bible, so I found your post very interesting. It sure makes the translation 'fresh.' See, even an old dog like me can be taught a new trick occasionally. The 'divine sperm' is a little wierd but I understand the meaning of it. I am thankful that you don't view me or my view as a threat. I honestly do try to balance what I feel is the truth with love. But I sometimes have little patience with legalists. Unfortunately, many people hear what they want to hear (myself included) and sometimes all they "hear" is, 'Bill is saying that he doesn't sin and that he has no need for God's forgiveness.' or 'Bill is saying that a Christian does not confess his sins.' That is so far from what I believe that I sometimes don't know where to go to even start to counter it. A true Christian (by even your translation) has God's Spirit within Him and that Spirit ALWAYS confesses (agrees) with God. I may not immediately turn from my sin when convicted, I may even try to (hopelessly) justify it, but I NEVER deny that it is sin. And I never deny that I will ALWAYS, while I dwell in this body, have a need for God's forgiveness. God knows that I have personally broken the '70 times 7' limit many times in my 42 years on this earth. I don't ALWAYS feel forgiven. In fact, I don't ALWAYS feel saved. But my feelings are not the determining factor for where I stand with God. His Word is. I am gradually learning to rely upon God and what He says instead of my own understanding and feelings. Radioman, could you do me one more favor before leaving this subject? I would greatly appreciate it if you could post 1 John 1:8-10 in the 'amplified' Bible here for myself and other readers to see. Ultimately, each one of us must decide for himself/herself what the truth of the issue of forgiveness is. That is where the Spirit will lead us into (not always instantaneously impart) ALL truth. Blessings (even forgiveness) In Christ, Bill Mc |
||||||
271 | Where are the scriptures, believers? | Matt 6:15 | Bill Mc | 15300 | ||
Radioman, Thanks for your comments. Maybe sometimes ignorance IS bliss (sorry, no scripture reference for this) :) We love labels and classifying people, don't we? In Christ, Bill Mc |
||||||
272 | Where are the scriptures, believers? | Matt 6:15 | Bill Mc | 15283 | ||
Dear Tim, I don't know what an Arminian or a Calvinist is. I know enough to know that they seem to be at odds or war or something. I know it sounds stupid but I haven't studied either one. Nevertheless, I agree with your statement, 'in the atonement, everyone's sins are forgiven. But, it is only when we respond to the gospel that we receive the benefits.' Complete forgiveness is provided for everyone but it is part of the package when we receive Christ - "In Him we have redemption, the forgiveness of sin." "God was in Christ, reconciling the WORLD to Himself, not counting men's sins against them." - 2 Cor 5:19 "In Him we have received the reconciliation." - Romans 5:10,11 (I think that's the reference) I believe that God has reconciled the world to Himself because, well...He said so. That's why Paul says, "God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself...so we beg you on behalf of Christ, BE reconciled to God." God has done it, so believe it and BE it - accept that it is true. I feel the same way about the forgiveness issue. "In Him, we HAVE redemption, the forgiveness of sins." God has forgiven us IN CHRIST so BE forgiven. God has done it, so believe it and BE it - accept that it is true. Take care, Tim. Rest in His love, Bill Mc |
||||||
273 | Where are the scriptures, believers? | Matt 6:15 | Bill Mc | 15280 | ||
Dear Tim, You right, James 5:15 is a difficult passage. Here's what I believe. James was addressing problems in this body of believers. One of them is that they couldn't get along. See James 4:1. I understand James 5:15,16 to be forgiveness between members. (I could be wrong, that is why I ask to be challenged. The truth will survive serious scrutiny.) He says in verse 16, confess your sins to one another (not to God) so that the relationships can be healed. We still very much need to do that. Why? Because we do not often offer each other the unconditional love that Christ offers us. The antithesis of James 5:15 would be, "his sins won't be forgiven." This just doesn't fit with the rest of the scriptures about forgiveness and what, I believe, Christ has done. But, thanks for the challenge. I really do appreciate it. I will definately have to look at the book of James closer. That, believe it or not, was what I was seeking - some scripture that doesn't line up with my 'theology.' Now, where's my commentaries...? ;) Thanks for the honest reply without labeling me a heretic. In Christ, Bill Mc |
||||||
274 | Where are the scriptures, believers? | Matt 6:15 | Bill Mc | 15277 | ||
Dear Nolan, "Are you, Bill, completely sinless and without sin?" In my spirit, my true identity, I have been joined to Christ's Spirit. I am in spiritual union with Him. Because of that union, my identity has been changed from 'sinner' to 'saint.' So, my spirit, joined to Christ can NEVER sin. My soul (my mind, emotions, and will) can still sin. It is in the process of being sanctified and is not perfect or sinless. My body still has what Paul calls 'indwelling sin.' As Paul says, it is in me but it is NOT me. Left to it's own, it will sin. My body (unfortunately) has not yet been redeemed. But it only houses my soul and spirit. "What happens if you do sin?" If I commit a sin, the Holy Spirit convicts me of that sin and says, "Bill, you just...fill in the blank. Don't you know that you are acting contrary to your new identity in Christ? You don't have to sin anymore. Christ has set you free." So I confess (agree with God) that sin is sin and ask Him to show me where my mind needs to be renewed (exposed to the truth of God's Word). As He renews my mind (a process), my actions follow. "Do you, although you are a believer, not ask for Christ to forgive you of your sins, which were done after you accepted Christ?" No, I don't. If you look at all the verses I posted about forgiveness, you'll see that they are all past tense or present tense. I.e. forgiveness is something we received when we received Christ and we NOW currently possess it. Just as I don't, when I sin, ask God to save me, reconcile me to God, redeem me, justify me, etc. In Him, I have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. So, Nolan, if I don't ask God for it, then what do I do? I thank Him for what I already have. I thank Him that He died to forgive that sin and ask Him to conform He in my soul and body to the spiritual image of Christ that is ever present in my spirit. Do you, Nolan, ask God to save you when you sin? Why not? Because He has already done it. Do you ask Him to redeem you when you sin? No, He has already done it. Forgiveness is the same. Asking God for what you already have is not faith. It is unbelief. Asking God to forgive you when you commit a sin is saying that you don't believe He did at the cross. And yet, we will turn right around and tell a sinner, come forward and get ALL your sins forgiven. What we mean is, come forward and get only your past sins forgiven. I have news for you, my friend. Every sin that you ever committed, currently commit, or will ever commit has been paid for at the cross. If Christ blood didn't take away your future sins, then it did nothing with your past sins either. God is outside of time and not bound by our feeble view of it. Christ dealt with sins ONCE and FOR ALL. I'm sorry if you don't believe that. Maybe we should change our hymns and sing: He Took Some of My Sins Away Jesus Paid It Some What Can Wash Away My Sin, Nothing But My Confession Calvary Covers Only What's Confessed Turn Your Eyes Upon Your Sin It Is Almost Finished Praise God, My Sins Are Nearly Gone Talk to the writer of "It Is Well With My Soul" when you get to heaven and tell him he was wrong when he wrote, 'My sin, not in part, but the whole, is nailed to the cross. I bear it no more. It is well with my soul.' Maybe he never read 1 John 1:9. I don't mean to be sarcastic but we have so little understanding of what Christ has done for us. We are so concerned with our sins that His grace eludes us. We are no different that the Jews who had to keep going back to the Day of Atonement, year after year, and asking for more forgiveness. We have them beat. We ask it day after day, sometimes hour by hour. Do you think God is pleased with our lack of faith when Christ said, "IT IS FINISHED! PAID IN FULL!"? In Him, Bill Mc |
||||||
275 | Does this apply to Christians? | Matt 6:15 | Bill Mc | 15272 | ||
Dear fellow believers, I have stated my view of the forgiveness issue and 1 John 1:9 as briefly and 'apologetically' as I can. I do appreciate everyone's feedback and responses. I would like to say that I DO NOT feel that this issue should divide the church. I do not regard anyone as 'mislead' if they do not believe the same way that I do concerning this issue. The difference can be summed up as follows: 1) I believe that I am a forgiven person as are ALL believers. I do still sin but my sins ARE forgiven. My sins were ALL forgiven at the cross 2000 years ago only by Christ shedding His blood, not by my confession of them. I had committed none of those sins 2000 years ago when He died, but I believe that the cross was an eternal act of God (Christ was slain before the foundation of the world) and that He saw and bore ALL my sins in His body back then. And that His blood washed them ALL away. In other words, it is a done deal just like my redemption, reconciliation, justification, etc. I believe that I have been (past tense) reconciled to God and that, because of Christ sacrifice, my sins are no longer held against me. 2) Some on this forum believe that forgiveness must continually be asked for as sins are committed. They infer that Christ administers forgiveness only at repentance, whether believers or not. They also feel that if a Christian doesn't forgive others, then they will not be forgiven. They believe in keeping short accounts with God so that they do not lose fellowship with Him. While I disagree with this view, I do understand it and used it to keep myself clean before the Lord and in fellowship for 30 years (or so I thought). I, obviously, no longer hold to that view for reasons that I have stated here. But, believers, the bottom line is that only Christ can forgive sins. I think we all agree to that. We just disagree as to the timing of that forgiveness. That's Ok. It's time to move on... Blessings in Christ to all, Bill Mc |
||||||
276 | Darkness vs. Light | Matt 6:15 | Bill Mc | 15271 | ||
Amen! | ||||||
277 | Darkness vs. Light | Matt 6:15 | Bill Mc | 15269 | ||
Nolan, please consider Hebrews 10:14-18: Heb 10:14 For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. Heb 10:15 And the Holy Spirit also testifies to us; for after saying, Heb 10:16 "THIS IS THE COVENANT THAT I WILL MAKE WITH THEM AFTER THOSE DAYS, SAYS THE LORD: I WILL PUT MY LAWS UPON THEIR HEART, AND ON THEIR MIND I WILL WRITE THEM," He then says, Heb 10:17 "AND THEIR SINS AND THEIR LAWLESS DEEDS I WILL REMEMBER NO MORE." Heb 10:18 Now where there is forgiveness of these things, there is no longer any offering for sin. Please refrain from using the Old Covenant to answer a New Covenant question. In Him, Bill Mc |
||||||
278 | Where are the scriptures, believers? | Matt 6:15 | Bill Mc | 15268 | ||
Dear Nolan, I requested examples of believers AFTER the death of Christ (when the New Covenant went into effect) asking God for forgiveness. Let's see what you offered: "If you contend that we should not ask for forgiveness (believers) in light of our sin, then how do you handle these passages: Matthew 7:11, John 14:13, 15:16, 16:23,26 that seem to say that the Father will honor our request and forgive us if we will only ask Him?" None of these passages are talking about forgiveness. Do you then, Nolan, use these passages to ask God for redemption, reconciliation, sanctification, or a new Cadillac? "A New Testament example?" Acts 3:19 - Peter is refering to what the prophets foretold, that Messiah would wipe away sins. See verse 20 - "that He may send Jesus" Did He do this or not? Acts 8:22 - Spoken to Simon (an unbeliever at the time - he was trying to buy God's power) Acts 17:30 - Paul is speaking to the men of Athens, very religious, but certainly not Christians Acts 26:20 - That the Gentiles (unbelievers) would repent and turn to God. Again, not to Christians Rev. 2:5, 2:16,21-22, 3:19, - Obviously, written to churches made up of, then as now, both unbelievers and believers. This is the same way as the churches that received John's letters. Churches have both believers and unbelievers in them. You have not proven your point or answered my questions. And, the 'ask anything in My name' passages are all taken out of context. Frankly, as knowledgeable as you are about scripture, I'm surprised you resorted to that. But you did surprise me. I've never seen anyone use those scriptures to substantiate 1 John 1:9. Let's try an easier one. What does 1 John 2:12 mean to you? This is the same author, the same audience EXCEPT he is addressing his 'little children.' "I am writing to you, little children, because your sins HAVE BEEN (past tense) FORGIVEN you for His name's sake. Also, compare 1 John 1:8 - 'the truth is not in us' with 1 John 2:21 - 'you do know it (truth). These MUST be two different audiences, his 'little children' and the gnostic element. Nolan, if you can't answer my questions without pulling verses out of context, then it would be best to let someone else reply. Thank you. In Him, Bill Mc |
||||||
279 | Where are the scriptures, believers? | Matt 6:15 | Bill Mc | 15254 | ||
Dear fellow believers, Please humor me for a moment. Permit me to say, that 1 John 1:9 is NOT for believers. Temporarily pretend that it is NOT in the scriptures. Now, where else after Christ death on the cross (that provided forgiveness and taking away of sins) does any believer mention asking God to forgive their sins? Please show me a passage. The evangelical doctrine of 'keep on asking for forgiveness when you sin' surely MUST have more than just one verse to substantiate it. So where is it? Surely Paul, Peter, James or the writer of Hebrews substantiated John's assertion that believers are NOT completely forgiven (according to some). Where is the scripture to back it up? Please show me where, other that 1 John, the wages of sin in ANYONE's life is anything other that death. Can anyone do this? Thank you, In Christ, Bill Mc |
||||||
280 | Darkness vs. Light | Matt 6:15 | Bill Mc | 15253 | ||
Radioman, Nice quotes out of the Scofield but my Bible doesn't say that (NASB). Neither does your text. Your text says that the wages of sin is death - period. Not broken fellowship. Scofield can say whatever he likes. See these verses: Eph 5:8 for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light Col 1:13 For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, 1 Thess 5:4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief; 1 Thess 5:5 for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness; 1 Pet 2:9 But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God's OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; Look closely at these references: 1) you WERE FORMERLY darkness - NOW you are LIGHT in the Lord 2) He rescued us from the domain of darkness 3) But you, brethren, are not in darkness 4) Him who has called you out of darkness Darkness is not a synonym for 'sinning.' Darkness is a synonym for unbelief in Christ. See Acts 26:18. Jesus said that whoever followed Him will NEVER walk in darkness, did He not? No disrespect for Dr. Scofield, but, how can a Christian walk in darkness. Jesus said that he couldn't. Isn't it interesting, body of Christ, that no one has answered my question concerning one other passage other than 1 John 1:9, where a (supposedly) believer is told to keep on asking for forgiveness from God. Why is that? I thought that scholars say, "One should not build a doctrine around one verse of scripture." So, convince me. Find one other passage where Paul says to keep asking for forgiveness. Or where Paul says what he had to do to stay in fellowship with God. If being out of fellowship with God is such any important doctrine (and it must be because Christians throw out all the other verses dealing with forgiveness), surely Paul or Peter can testify to the necessity of 'keeping yourself forgiven WITHOUT shedding any blood.' Why don't they? Can anyone do this? In Him, Bill Mc |
||||||
Result pages: << First < Prev [ 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 ] Next > Last [19] >> |