Results 41 - 60 of 72
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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Author: McGracer Ordered by Verse |
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Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
41 | Once saved, aways saved doctrine refuted | Matt 10:1 | McGracer | 54063 | ||
Grace and Truth, Sorry, bro, these don't mix. Your salvation cannot be completely based on Christ's finished work AND your faithfulness. Your faithfulness is works, bro, and NO ONE is completely faithful EXCEPT God. Ya just can't have it both ways. It is Christ alone. McGracer |
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42 | Once saved, aways saved doctrine refuted | Matt 10:1 | McGracer | 54072 | ||
Grace and Truth, Yes and no. I can go live anyway I want to. BUT He changes my WANT TO. I now what Christ to be my life - Col 3:4. I want to learn to say with Paul, "I no longer live, but Christ lives in me." I want to learn to grow in the grace and knowledge of my Lord. I want to read my Bible and learn more of Him for who died for me (and now lives in me). I want to edify my brothers and sisters in Christ and yet speak the truth, for truth sets us free. I want to support my local church for God is using it in my community to reach others for Christ. I want to intercede in prayer on the behalf of others and lead them to come to know who they are in Christ. Christ does not save us and then walk away. He now indwells us through the Holy Spirit and leads and guides us. I am now learning to live the Christ-life. I am safe in Him forever and I'm ready to go out and have fun lifting up my Lord. Thanks for the dare! I'll take it! McGracer |
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43 | Are you refering to the thief ? | Matt 10:1 | McGracer | 54114 | ||
Andes, I'm pressed for time also, so I'll reply to the first question and leave the rest for others. :) The New Covenant went into effect at the shedding of Christ's blood. Covenants require the shedding of blood to put them into effect. So the thief on the cross actually died AFTER the New Covenant went into effect. Jesus told him that He would be with him in Paradise that day and I'll leave all the rest for others to argue about. :) McGracer |
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44 | Are you refering to the thief ? | Matt 10:1 | McGracer | 54131 | ||
Andes, Technically, everyone is now born under the New Covenant dispensation. This is the age of grace. They enter into the benefits of the New Covenant by faith in Christ. While the thief on the cross' experienced bridged both the close of one covenant and the start of another, I find it foolish to argue that his experience is the "yardstick" by which we judge our salvation. The New Covenant, according to Hebrews, primarily has to do with the forgiveness of sins. Of course it entails other aspects as well. What really matters is not what happened to the thief (for we don't know exactly) but, rather, what will you do with Jesus Christ? The rest of the New Testament reveals the fullness of the gospel and what it entails. God does not tell us everything He knows. But He does reveal what we need to know. I'm sure I haven't answered your question to your satisfaction but I think I just saw a question about who Cain married that really needs to be answered. :) McGracer |
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45 | Is it by works or by grace? | Luke 11:8 | McGracer | 57719 | ||
Dear NASB Forum, Luke 11:8 seems to say that God answers because of persistence. In other words, it seems to imply that asking God once concerning a matter is not enough - that we must keep on asking and keep on knocking until He answers. If we are His children, then why does He not simply hear us and answer the first time? Is it truly grace if our prayers are answered according to our persistence instead of according to His loving care? How do we reconcile this attitude with 2 Pet 1:3 that says that His divine power has already granted us everything we need for life and godliness? Thanks. McGracer |
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46 | Is it by works or by grace? | Luke 11:8 | McGracer | 57782 | ||
Dear Kango, Thanks for your answer. You bring up a good point about praying according to His will. In fact, Rom 8:27 seems to say that the Holy Spirit does this very thing. But do you have any thoughts as to why we would need to continue to pray for things if, according to 2 Pet 1:3, the Holy Spirit in us is already everything that we NEED for life and godliness? Thanks. McGracer |
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47 | A reson for the H S to leave you | John | McGracer | 53472 | ||
Wings of Hope, As Inmyheart has said, the Holy Spirit will never leave someone in whom He indwells. He has joined Himself to the Christian forever - 1 Cor 6:17. He will never leave us or forsake us. Nothing shall separate us from His love. We do see instances in the Old Testament where, because of sin, the Holy Spirit departed from people. The Spirit left King Saul. David prayed for the Lord not to take His Holy Spirit from him after his sin with Bathsheba. And there is the sad account in Ezekiel where the Spirit leaves the temple. But these were all scenarios before the cross where Christ dealt with sins once and for all. Under the New Covenant (New Testament), the Holy Spirit does not leave us because the only thing that could make Him do so, sin, has been forgiven because of Christ's blood. The writers of the New Testament (and the Holy Spirit Himself) well understood this. Unfortunately, most Christians don't understand this because they try to blend Old Covenant with New Covenant. God certainly doesn't change but His dealings with mankind do. Under the New Covenant, God says of His people, "There sins and lawless deeds, I will remember no more." - Heb 10:17. This is why the Holy Spirit, once He indwells a believer at conversion, will never leave that believer. Hope this helps you. McGracer |
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48 | Why do people try to disprove baptism? | John 3:5 | McGracer | 53473 | ||
NLightNMe, You wrote: "Why do people want to prove/disprove the importance of baptism. Some say that baptism is a requirement for salvation and some say that it is not." Water baptism is important as it is an outward display of an inward reality. In true baptism, the Holy Spirit identifies us with Jesus Christ - in His death, burial, and resurrection. Water baptism is a physical picture of that spiritual truth - nothing more. "Being immersed in water by faith of redemption cannot kill you." True, brother. We are already crucified (dead), buried, and risen again in Christ. "It is to make us better." This is where there is a misunderstanding, bro. The only thing that makes us better is Christ's righteous, not water. You are either as perfect as Christ is through union with Him or you are a sinner. There is no in-between. This righteousness is accepted by faith, not by water baptism. "What is the big deal about trying to belittle baptism or try to prove that it is not necessary for going to heaven." Because the truth is that water baptism is not necessary for salvation or for going to heaven. Spirit baptism is but not water baptism. Water can do nothing to cleanse from sin. Without the shedding of blood (not the parting of water), there is no forgiveness for sin - Heb 9:22. "Whether we should get baptised is not the issue." True, the Holy Spirit faithfully baptizes EVERY believer into Christ - 1 Cor 12:13,27 "How should we be baptised is the real issue at hand." Amen, by the Holy Spirit into Jesus Christ. Water baptism is, again, just a picture of that. Food for thought: Is a picture the same thing as that being portrayed? No, it's not. A picture of you is not you. It is a representation of you. Likewise, water baptism is not the reality. It is a representation of spiritual reality. Nothing more, nothing less. But many Christians take the picture and make THAT the reality. Instead of agreeing on the truth that the picture represents, they make the picture a requirement for salvation and, in my analogy, argue over the frame, the colors, who took the picture, is it watercolor or oil?, on and on. We should be water baptized to witness to all that we have been spirit-baptized into Christ. But to make water baptism a requirement for salvation is not part of the gospel. Paul said that he came to preach the gospel, not to water baptize folks. This makes them mutually exclusive and demonstrates that while being baptized into Christ (what the Holy Spirit does) is part of salvation, water baptism (what man does) is not. I hope this helps. McGracer |
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49 | Can we stop preaching baptism? | John 3:5 | McGracer | 53482 | ||
NLightNMe, You wrote: "If baptism is not necessary for salvation, then can preachers stop preaching baptism?" I stated in my prior answer that we should be water baptized because it portrays the spiritual truth of the identification we have with Christ. Christ left us with two ordinances - water baptism and the Lord's Supper. Both of these are pictures of spiritual truth. Should we do them? Yes, we should. Are they required for salvation? No, they are not. They are visible manifestations that we have been saved. So I never said that we shouldn't be water baptized. I just said that it was not required for salvation. "Paul did come to preach the gospel. What is the gospel? It is the death, burial, and ressurrection of Jesus Christ. What represents the gospel...baptism." Very true. All I am saying is that we shouldn't mistake the representation for the truth. The demons believe that Jesus died, was buried, and was resurrected. Salvation is when we put faith in the fact that Christ died, was buried, and rose again for our benefit. And we trust His works, not our own, to save us. "So, what man does is just as important as what the Holy Spirit does." I would phrase this "What the Holy Spirit does in and through man is what is important." Man can do many things of his own volition and it is flesh. All of our righteousness apart from Him is as filthy rags. It is what man does as God does it through him that counts for eternity. "Apart from Me, you can do nothing." "I can do ALL things THROUGH Christ." Again, I think that we need to keep the distinction between the Spirit baptizing us into Christ (the reality which requires no water) and water baptism (which can certainly happen without the Spirit). Many folks are water baptized thinking that it saves them. It is clear from the scriptures that it is Christ's finished work that saves us. Water baptism illustrates simply that truth. Should we be water baptized? Certainly, just as we should pray, read our Bibles, share the gospel with others, give to the needy, and all the other works which the Holy Spirit does in and through us. But let's not mistake the RESULTS of the salvation that Christ has done in us for a MEANS to achieve it. So I'm not saying not to preach water baptism. I'm saying to preach what baptism REALLY is and means - union with Christ - and then offer folks the opportunity to publically display that wonderful union through water baptism. Hope this helps. McGracer |
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50 | Why do people try to disprove baptism? | John 3:5 | McGracer | 53484 | ||
Great post, New Creation - 2 Cor 5:17. As you have well-said, we obey BECAUSE we've been saved, not to achieve it. McGracer |
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51 | Is baptism necessary for salvation? | Acts 10:48 | McGracer | 54060 | ||
Dear Grace and Truth, This assertion, brother is simply not true. Baptism is, first and foremost, a spiritual act. Consider 1 Corinthians 12:13 - For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. We are not baptized into Christ when we are dunked in water, brother. We are baptized spiritually into Christ as soon as we believe. The water is merely a physical form that represents the spiritual truth. This is the heart of Gal 3:27 and Rom 6:3-5. These passages do not mention water whatsoever. They are speaking of spiritual truth. Jesus well explains the meaning of John 3:3,5 in verse 6. That which is born of flesh is flesh - you are first born surrounded by a sack of water. At birth, the water breaks and then you are born. That is flesh birth. That which is born of Spirit is spirit. God caused us a new spirit to be born in us at new birth and He indwells that spirit. Jesus' words had nothing whatsoever to do with being dunked in water. Dear brother, do not mistake the picture for the reality. Water baptism is a physical picture of your very real union with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection. As He physically died, you were spiritually dead. As He was physically buried, you were spiritually buried. As He physically rose from the dead, you have been (past tense) spiritually raised from the dead to walk in the newness of life - Rom 6:4. This is spiritual truth and H2O cannot save you. Only Christ can save you. Being spiritually baptized by the Holy Spirit into Christ is what saves you, not getting your body wet. Please don't mistake the two. One represents the other, therefore one is lesser than the other. One is reality, one is a symbol. Please don't make them equal. McGracer |
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52 | Not subject to the Law? | Rom 3:31 | McGracer | 53787 | ||
Kalos, We are subject of the law of Christ. Christ in us will not do anything that violates the morality of God. If we chose to disobey Him, we are walking after the flesh. However, we are no longer under the Mosaic Law. What is the purpose of the Law? The Law was given to make us conscious of sin - Rom 3:20; Rom 7:7,13; Gal 3:19; 1 Tim 1:8-10. The Law was given to stir up sin - Rom 7:5,7-9; 1 Cor 15:56 The Law lets us know what God's character and morality is like. In doing so, it lets us know how sinful and unlike Him we are in our unregenerate state. The Law cannot justify us, impart life to us, make us righteous, or perfect us. - Gal 2:16,21; Gal 3:11,20,21; Heb 7:19; Heb 10:1 It can't do this before salvation and it can't do it after salvation either. Instead, the Law can only bring death. - Rom 7:10; 2 Cor 3:6,7,9; Gal 3:10,21; James 2:10 The purpose of the Law is to lead us to Christ. - Gal 3:1-3,24,25 So should we still preach the Law? To sinners, yes. The Law shows them their sinfulness and their need for a Saviour, Jesus Christ. Christ was born under, taught under, and fulfilled the Law. - Gal 4:4; Matt 5:17,18; Rom 10:4 This is important to know because much of our Lord's teaching was centered in the Law. The New Covenant did not go into effect until Christ's death, so He taught under the Old Covenant to show His listeners their need for salvation by faith, apart from works. And He completely fulfilled the Law. Christ has set us free from the Law. - Rom 6:14,15; Rom 7:1-4,6,18,19,22; Rom 8:2,13; Gal 2:4,19,20; Gal 3:13,25; Gal 4:5; Gal 5:1,18 Christians have died to the Law so that they can now be married to Christ. We are no longer married to Mr. Law. We are married to Mr. Grace. The Law includes the Ten Commandments. Some would say that we are no longer under the ceremonial Law but still under the moral Law. We do not have this option. If we are going to be under the Law, we must be under all of it - ceremonial, moral, and civil. We cannot pick and choose what parts of the Law we can be under. Let's rejoice that we are under grace and that Christ dwells in us to live the Christ-life! McGracer |
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53 | Do we overthrow the Law? | Rom 3:31 | McGracer | 53791 | ||
Kalos, Of course we don't overthrow the Law. How could we, the creations, overthrow the morality of God, the Creator? The Law is useful if we use it correctly - to show unregenerate man that he is a sinner and needs a Savior. But Christians are called to live by faith in Christ, not by faith in the Law. What is the purpose of the Law? The Law was given to make us conscious of sin - Rom 3:20; Rom 7:7,13; Gal 3:19; 1 Tim 1:8-10. The Law was given to stir up sin - Rom 7:5,7-9; 1 Cor 15:56 The Law lets us know what God's character and morality is like. In doing so, it lets us know how sinful and unlike Him we are in our unregenerate state. The Law cannot justify us, impart life to us, make us righteous, or perfect us. - Gal 2:16,21; Gal 3:11,20,21; Heb 7:19; Heb 10:1 It can't do this before salvation and it can't do it after salvation either. Instead, the Law can only bring death. - Rom 7:10; 2 Cor 3:6,7,9; Gal 3:10,21; James 2:10 The purpose of the Law is to lead us to Christ. - Gal 3:1-3,24,25 So should we still preach the Law? To sinners, yes. The Law shows them their sinfulness and their need for a Saviour, Jesus Christ. Christ was born under, taught under, and fulfilled the Law. - Gal 4:4; Matt 5:17,18; Rom 10:4 This is important to know because much of our Lord's teaching was centered in the Law. The New Covenant did not go into effect until Christ's death, so He taught under the Old Covenant to show His listeners their need for salvation by faith, apart from works. And He completely fulfilled the Law. Christ has set us free from the Law. - Rom 6:14,15; Rom 7:1-4,6,18,19,22; Rom 8:2,13; Gal 2:4,19,20; Gal 3:13,25; Gal 4:5; Gal 5:1,18 Christians have died to the Law so that they can now be married to Christ. We are no longer married to Mr. Law. We are married to Mr. Grace. The Law includes the Ten Commandments. Some would say that we are no longer under the ceremonial Law but still under the moral Law. We do not have this option. If we are going to be under the Law, we must be under all of it - ceremonial, moral, and civil. We cannot pick and choose what parts of the Law we can be under. Let's rejoice that we are under grace! McGracer |
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54 | Not subject to the Law? | Rom 3:31 | McGracer | 53828 | ||
Searcher, The Law was not abolished, Christ fulfilled it and the Christian is no longer under it. It is useful for convicting the sinner of their need for a Savior. I will post these scriptures again: Rom 6:14,15 - For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace. What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? May it never be! Rom 7:4,6 - Therefore, my brethren, you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God. But now we have been released from the Law, having died to that by which we were bound, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter. Gal 2:4 - But it was because of the false brethren secretly brought in, who had sneaked in to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, in order to bring us into bondage. Gal 3:24,25 - Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. Gal 5:1,18 - It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law. Paul makes it abundantly clear that we are no longer under the Law, does he not? McGracer |
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55 | Can we lose our righteousness? | Rom 8:34 | McGracer | 54242 | ||
Dear Forum, If God justifies us "declares us righteous" as a gift, then are we, for all practical purposes, always righteous before Him or can we lose our justification? McGracer |
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56 | Can we become more righteous in state? | Rom 8:34 | McGracer | 54250 | ||
Joe, If we are in a continuous judicial state of righteousness before God, then can we ever lose that state of righteousness or can we do anything to gain more righteousness that what He has judicially declared us to be? McGracer |
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57 | Can we become more righteous in state? | Rom 8:34 | McGracer | 54259 | ||
Joe, You just said that we couldn't lose our state of righteousness before God. Then how does the Holy Spirit make you more righteous? McGracer |
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58 | More Righteousness? | Rom 8:34 | McGracer | 54263 | ||
Joe, This is EXACTLY what I have been trying to say. At new birth, we receive a new, righteous spirit that is joined forever to Christ's spirit in us - 1 Cor 6:17. It is our new divine nature indwelt by God Himself - 2 Pet 1:4. This is who we ARE. If the body, at any time, dies, we go immediately into our Lord's presence because of who we ARE and Christ already in us. Scripture says that our new self (the inner man)which we put on (once in the Greek) is ALREADY created in the likeness of God, righteous and holy - Eph 4:24. This is internal Christ-likeness of which we are already participants and where we simply ARE. In the meantime, as you have correctly stated, the Spirit is transforming the rest of us (thoughts and behavior, a term that the Bible calls "soul") into Christ-likeness. This is external Christ-likeness were we grow and mature. McGracer |
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59 | Can we become more righteous in state? | Rom 8:34 | McGracer | 54266 | ||
Joe, Again, I agree. We become more like Christ in our thoughts, attitudes, and actions. This is the realm of the soul (mind, emotions, and will). Most certainly there is sanctification going on there. My point, in case you haven't caught it, is that there is a distinction between soul and spirit and, while Christ indwells my spirit and is joined to it, my soul still has a long way to go. And this body will never get there (I have a new one waiting for me). Well, you probably don't agree with all this Christian psychology stuff but it has been an interesting conversation with you, bro. I'll drop this subject as others feel I've said too much already. Maybe we'll "tangle" again later. Be blessed, bro. Grace and peace to you. McGracer |
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60 | Saved by Grace | Rom 10:9 | McGracer | 53815 | ||
JesusFriend, The short answer to this question is that salvation is being saved from the wages of sin - spiritual death - by the gift of God - eternal life. (Rom 6:23) Because of Adam's sin, we are born into this world separated from God - spiritually dead. (Rom 5:12) But the good news of the gospel is that Christ came to give us life - His life - and to give it to us abundantly. (John 10:10). Christ's blood, shed on the cross of Calvary, takes away the sin issue between God and man. And His resurrection provides us with new life in Him. (Eph 2:4,5) It is His life, not His death, that saves us. (Rom 5:10) As a result of His life in us, we are new creations in Him. (2 Cor 5:17) Jesus called this being "born again", not of flesh but of the Spirit of God. How do we receive and experience this "new birth"? By grace through faith. (Eph 2:8,9) We simply believe that what He says is so. We come to Him acknowledging that we are born sinners and need His life. If you are saved, the living Christ has come to dwell within you forever and you have begun the great adventure for which you were created as a child of God. You can know that God will never leave you, the assurance of salvation. ...For He Himself has said, "I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you." (Heb 13:5) And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. - 1 John 5:11-13 McGracer |
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