Results 301 - 320 of 407
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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Author: Brian.g Ordered by Date |
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Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
301 | Did we witness a miracle this week? | Not Specified | Brian.g | 16381 | ||
Did we witness a miracle this week and not recognize it? This is a serious question and I would appreciate your comments. The Pentagon had 20,000 people, The twin towers 55,000 with visitors. The other 6 buildings in the WTC 20,000 to 40,000 people Total population: 95,000 to 115,000 people. Less than 5,000 people died and considering all things, 20,000 to 40,000 people should have died. Two 110 story buildings fell within minutes but, most escaped. If the buildings fell a little to the left or right, another group of people would have died. And so on. Instead of people asking - where was God - my serious question is 'Did we witness a a true modern-day miracle of God and not realize it?' |
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302 | Did we witness a miracle this week? | Bible general Archive 1 | Brian.g | 16401 | ||
Did we witness a miracle this week and not recognize it? This is a serious question and I would appreciate your comments. The Pentagon had 20,000 people, The twin towers 55,000 with visitors. The other 6 buildings in the WTC 20,000 to 40,000 people Total population: 95,000 to 115,000 people. Less than 5,000 people died and considering all things, 20,000 to 40,000 people should have died. Two 110 story buildings fell within minutes but, most escaped. If the buildings fell a little to the left or right, another group of people would have died. And so on. Instead of people asking - where was God - my serious question is 'Did we witness a a true modern-day miracle of God and not realize it?' |
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303 | 'Conscientious Objection' Biblical? | Ex 20:13 | Brian.g | 16160 | ||
Charis I think we must remember that life does not end with the death of the body. Brian |
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304 | 'Conscientious Objection' Biblical? | Ex 20:13 | Brian.g | 16086 | ||
Charis I agree with you to the point that God did give us permission in the OT to do many things, including capital punishment for many crimes, including murder. However, Jesus has taught us that we must help that person to sin no more and to become a Christian, if at all possible. By putting a murderer into prison, even for life, they will have the chance to find Jesus and live their life as Jesus wants us to. They may not find Jesus, but we must try to help them. If we immediately kill that person, or near immediately, then they probably won't have the opportunity to find Jesus during the course of their natural life. If they complete their natural life in prison, they will have a greater chance of being saved and spending eternity in heaven. John 8:7-11 7 When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." 8 Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. 9 At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. 10 Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" 11 "No one, sir," she said. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin." 12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." Murder is a sin and if a man commits this sin and then truly follows Jesus, his sin of murder will be forgiven. Brian |
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305 | if someone take there own life where wil | NT general Archive 1 | Brian.g | 16012 | ||
I just said it was a sin, not that it would keep him from heaven. If a person suffers financial loss or some other situation which would cause humilitation and ultimately, suicide, I'm not sure that they have found and trusted Jesus. Otherwise, I would hope that their faith in Jesus would help them through this crisis. |
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306 | if someone take there own life where wil | NT general Archive 1 | Brian.g | 15980 | ||
Golden Child If a man is humiliated and is facing financial losses, business closure, etc. and kills himself, then this would be a sin. If a man is severely troubled and mentally disturbed and not thinking as a rational human being, then they are not committing a sin, because it is not a conscious voluntary decision on their part. It is the result of sickness or injury. Brian |
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307 | Should Christians practice nonresistance | Lev 26:6 | Brian.g | 15978 | ||
Norrie I think Charis and Nolan both had excellent suggestions: Unite in prayer and end this thread Brian |
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308 | Should Christians practice nonresistance | Lev 26:6 | Brian.g | 15971 | ||
If we can stop these people from acting again without killing them, then that is how we should proceed. If the only way to stop them is in death, then that must be done. |
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309 | Should Christians practice nonresistance | Lev 26:6 | Brian.g | 15939 | ||
Charis One area which I do agree with you is in war if it a war to defend ourselves from an agressor, then I feel we are justified to kill the aggressor if that is the only way of stopping him. Also, in criminal activity, if another life is in danger during the act of the crime, then I do feel we have the right to defend ourselves and others against the criminal, even if that means the criminal dies. But, once the crime is over and the war is over - the killing must end Which, based upon the world news developing as I write this, today is a good day for all Christians to unite in Christ. Brian |
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310 | Should Christians practice nonresistance | Lev 26:6 | Brian.g | 15922 | ||
Charis The point of my posting was that we have the responsibility to protect the diginity of man and that protecting human life is one aspect of it. Life is a gift from God. When we begin accepting the destruction of life from one perspective, then it becomes easier to end life from other perspectives. The different acceptable reasons for destroying life begin to feed upon each other. With specific regard to the death penalty: Our legal system attempts to accomplish four goals: 1. Rehabilitation of the criminal - this consists of repentance and moral reform. One of the Apostles was a reformed murderer. 2. To defend society aginst the criminal. - Sometimes that includes life in prison. Which, while is a harsh punishment, the criminal still can reform and repent and can live the remainder of his life in Christ. At that point, the physical location of life is unimportant. Look at the writings of the Apostles which were created while in prison. 3. Deterrance - I feel life imprisonment is as much of a deterrant as the death penalty - when people fully understand the magnitude of the sentence. A 14 year old will not fully understand the significance of the death penalty nor life in prison but a 20 year old should. 4. Retribution - Punishment should try to restore the right order violated by the crime. The criminal should pay a price for the crime committed and if possible, the victims should be compensated for the wrong suffered. This does not mean revenge. Mathew 9 11 When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?" 12 On hearing this, Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 13 But go and learn what this means: I desire mercy, not sacrifice. For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." Exodus 20:13 "You shall not murder |
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311 | Does this mean God is the author of sin? | 2 Sam 12:11 | Brian.g | 15918 | ||
Joe I'm not sure as to why you are focusing on good works getting people into heaven, that was not my point. You have no argument from me that good works alone is not the key to salvation. Believing and accepting Christ and then living your life accordingly is what I think we are both saying. My only point is that it is easier to see, understand and accept Christ, when people are given proper guidance to do so, from an early age. And, in addition, I believe that, by nature, people want to and are willing to follow Christ, but are side-tracked by other influences in our life. But, the bottomline is, if you don't accept Christ by the time you're ready to move on, then don't hold your breath waiting for good things to happen in the next life. Brian |
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312 | Should Christians practice nonresistance | Lev 26:6 | Brian.g | 15880 | ||
Charis I think the main question which needs to be addressed is: what is the value of human life? Where do we draw the line as to when it is acceptable to end life. Who is right in determining the final answer. If we keep accepting more and more justification for ending a life, does it make taking the life easier - and then devalues life even further. If we never permitted abortion, would we be debating stem cell research today. If we permit stem research today, what will be tomorrow. If today we allow stem cells to be harvested from aborted children on the justification that it helps others, aren't we promoting the possibility of women getting pregnant in order to sell their fetuses to cell harvesting companies. If cell harvesting is permitted and we continue killing criminals - can we then kill any criminal who has murdered 5 people so we can use his organs for transplants - our justification is that he is paying back for his crimes. And if we need more organs, maybe we can pull back that number to include criminals who have killed 3 people. What about older people who are in relatively good physical health, but suffering from Alzheiners - they will not be cured and they will be a drain on our medical resources - but instead they can help others live by letting us euthanize them and donating their organs to sick people. The point I'm making with this, is that in today's world - these scenarios don't seem as far fetched as they would have 10-20 years ago. And that is because human life is rapidly being devalued. Where is the line drawn All life is from God and all life is sacred. It is not our right to end any human life for any reason. By the way, I believe there an Apostle who murdered someone. Thank God he was given the opportunity to repent and follow Christ. I think he made a difference in the world. |
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313 | Does this mean God is the author of sin? | 2 Sam 12:11 | Brian.g | 15865 | ||
Joe First, when I speak, I am speaking as a Catholic. My position is one of not just repeating the Catholic philospophy, but of evaluating the topic and personally agreeing with the Catholic Churches principles. When I speak of Satan's influence, I abbreviated my terminology to represent the total causes of sin (i.e.: ignorance, infirmity, malice, suggestions, persuasion, temptation and bad example). I agree that man is not morally neutral. But, I believe that man, as a creation of God is good and not naturally 100 percent driven by sin. If man is given proper guidance from birth, then, he should REMAIN good and by the time he reaches the age of reason, that man will be more inclined to understand salvation, accept Jesus and live his life accordingly. Here I use the word inclined, because I feel the final action will be that of a free will decision on the part of the man. But, if a man is not given proper guidance (i.e.: bad examples from parents, etc), it will influence his actions in the opposite direction as he grows. Those actions will be sinful. The key is that man is not starting from a morally nuetral position, but one of goodness - and affected by other influences - internal and external. Romans 8: falls into the category that man cannot serve two masters. I believe that if man is taught to follow the correct master from a young age, then he will be more inclined to follow God, but there is no guarantee. Romans 8:5, the prelude to 7-8 which you referenced, doesn't imply man is sinful from birth, it refers to those who have chosen the path of the flesh - again, free will. |
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314 | Does this mean God is the author of sin? | 2 Sam 12:11 | Brian.g | 15650 | ||
Sin is an act of defiance and an insult against God. Satan may tempt us and subject us to evil, but it is man's free will to choose whether to act upon a temptation or evil, thus creating the sin. In 2 Samuel 12:11, God is not creating sin nor is He creating evil. God is permitting evil to exist in David' house. When God said He will give Davids wives to his companions, God is not causing the wives to sin, because the action is neither performed by the free will of the wives nor is it an act of defiance against God. Instead the act is performed by the will of God as an act of punishment against David. God created evil and sin only to the extent that God created Satan and God permits Satan to tempt us and subject us to evil. Which, when chosen by mans free will, creates sin. Job 1: 6 One day the angels came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them. 7 The LORD said to Satan, "Where have you come from?" Satan answered the LORD, "From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it." 8 Then the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil." 9 "Does Job fear God for nothing?" Satan replied. 10 "Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. 11 But stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face." 12 The LORD said to Satan, "Very well, then, everything he has is in your hands, but on the man himself do not lay a finger." Then Satan went out from the presence of the LORD. The question here is why does God permit evil and why does God permit Satan to tempt us. Matthew 4:1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. God had a reason for leading Jesus into the desert and for permitting the temptation of Jesus, by Satan. What was God's reason. Does God use Satans temptations and evil and our free will actions towards those temptations, as a measurement of our devotion and commitment to God. Was this Gods final test of Jesus, the man, to guarantee Jesus' place in heaven and as the third member of the Trinity. In a post on this question, Charis asks why anyone would want to know God is the root cause of evil - what purpose is served. First, I don't feel the term 'God is the root of evil' is an accurate term. But, I feel that this reaffirms that God is greater than evil, which by itself is a very comforting thought. And, God has a reason for allowing temptation to exist, although we don't fully understand why. But, this does reaffirm that God can and will control evil, so as not to allow more than each of us can handle. Mark 15: 34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"--which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? In this test, Jesus never denied God, He only asked why God has not taken Him, yet. Jesus was obviously at the physical limits which any man could take. At which point, God intervened. 37 With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last James 1:12 Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love |
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315 | Jesus descended into hell? | 1 Pet 3:19 | Brian.g | 15371 | ||
Nolan Thanks for expanding the thought. By the way, I have truly enjoyed reading your postings this past week. They show true thought, reflection and focus with the purpose of guiding and teaching. I, personally, have found your postings helpful in expanding my understanding on different topics. I can see that you are focusing more on quality of guidance, than quantity. Please, keep up the good work, many people benefit from your efforts. Brian |
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316 | Jesus descended into hell? | 1 Pet 3:19 | Brian.g | 15332 | ||
This is a reference to the following from 1 Peter 3:19 1 Peter 3: 18 For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; 19 in which also He went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison, Brian |
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317 | Inquiring minds want to know. | 2 Tim 2:23 | Brian.g | 14618 | ||
Sandman I understand. When reacting/responding to a situation which gets our attention, I always try to do two things: 1. Step back, relax and then ask the Holy Spirit for guidance in responding in a manner which will promote harmony, goodwill, cooperation and help maintain the dignity of man (mine and his). 2. I ask myself, (WWJD) What Would Jesus Do With regard to the students, age is not a factor. The people seeking the truth, knowledge and understanding cover the full spectrum of ages, backgrounds, and so on. Maybe, you and Radioman would help guide those who were lost, and are now found. Start with the basic discussions - but pertinent discussions, which will enable them to progress along the correct path. By providing guiding questions, and not the answers, you will be providing an opportunity to let the students learn, from their explorations and from their guidance by you and other teachers on this forum. But, always remember your responsibility, as a teacher,to your student and in accordance with your denomination (which at times, you may need to make sure others understand yours). Titus 2:1 You must teach what is in accord with sound doctrine James 3:1 Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. Many people stand to benefit from your gift, if presented properly. I suspect you will live up to your responsibility. Brian |
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318 | Dear Nicodemus: | Gen 1:1 | Brian.g | 14601 | ||
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319 | Inquiring minds want to know. | 2 Tim 2:23 | Brian.g | 14599 | ||
Sandman Would you join Radioman in helping to develop some guiding questions for the students on this forum Ephesians 4:3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace Brian |
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320 | Inquiring minds want to know. | 2 Tim 2:23 | Brian.g | 14598 | ||
Radioman We spoke before that sin will be defeated when people are educated in Christ to reject sin. Some of the students who come to this forum are seeking to learn more of God and to develop their Christian faith. But, as with most new students, they have so many questions, they may not know where to begin. In turn, some of the questions they ask, may not be the best type of questions for learning. Some of the posts shown here are geared more for the individual, like yourself, who has a higher degree of knowledge and it may be difficult for the newer student to join into the discussion and/or to comprehend. For the newer student who comes here to enhance his/her education in God, could you post a few basic 'starting point' questions which you feel would assist them in beginning their discussions, but in a manner which will truly help educate and guide them. With your questions as a startng point, I can envision the newer students now being able to discuss the possibilities, while being guided by the more experienced teachers on this forum. For the sake of all forum members, could you put (SP) for starting point, in front of each of your questions. I'm sure with your guidance, other teachers on this forum will also be able to assist students and more guiding questions can be developed. 2 Thessalonians 2 14 He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15 So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter Brian |
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