Results 61 - 80 of 465
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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Author: Parable Ordered by Verse |
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Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
61 | How did sin originate | Bible general Archive 1 | Parable | 43851 | ||
Pride, manifested as the desire to be God, was the sin of Satan. Pride is idolatry, with self as the idol, placed first, above God. For an example of Satan's obsession with himself, see Matthew 4:9-10 "All this I will give you," he (Satan) said, "if you will bow down and worship me. Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.'" |
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62 | Help. Someone's testamony has me upset | Bible general Archive 1 | Parable | 45518 | ||
Here's a fable as told by Watchman Nee, a noted Chinese evangelist who was falsely imprisoned for 20 years in China until his death, in his book "The Normal Christian Life". Fact, Faith and Experience, were walking along the top of a block wall with Fact leading the way. Fact walked steadfastly forward. So long as Faith remained focussed on Fact, Faith did not falter. But as soon as Faith turned around to look at Experience, Faith lost balance and stumbled and Experience soon followed. The facts of God, as revealed in His Word, most expecially His incarnation in Christ Jesus, will not fail you. The facts of God, as revealed to you by the Holy Spirit, will not fail you. 1John 4:12 "No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. 13We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit." On the other hand, feelings or experiences are fickle, changing like the the colors on a chameleon to match its surroundings. Remember, the fact is, you are in Christ; keep this foremost in your heart and your colors will reflect Him. We should seek to understand ourselves from God's perspective, and we should not seek to understand God from ours. Pray that He will keep you through these hard times and that He will use them to help you grow ever more abundantly in Him. He is REAL! |
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63 | please clarify | Bible general Archive 1 | Parable | 45964 | ||
True enough, so long as we rightly divide the Word, i.e. understand the meaning of the term LUST, as inspired by the Holy Spirit, and if masturbation, which is never expressly mentioned in the Bible, "is sin because it is an expression of lust", as you suggest. My inspiration here is from 1Thess5:21, where we are instructed to test everything and hold onto the good. Thus, I have two questions: 1. how does the Bible define or otherwise explain the meaning of LUST itself? and 2. what is the scriptural basis for the idea that masturbation is "an expression" of this sin? I think we agree that where the Bible speaks, we stand firm, but where the Bible is silent, we have liberty to live according the principles revealed in God's Word. To me, the fundamental principles include grace, love, forgiveness, redemption, sanctification, mercy, compassion, truth, righteousness, justice and peace. Please don't misunderstand my intent, which is not to encourage or defend masturbation, but rather to understand clearly what the Bible does and does not say. Finally, to know more about my perspective on this topic, see my answer given on 4/3/02. Sincerely, Parable |
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64 | Where does Jesus say He is God? | Bible general Archive 1 | Parable | 46000 | ||
Sometimes actions speak louder than words. To me, the following historical facts (or actions by God) clarify and confirm all the verses in which He describes Himself, which you suggest are lacking absolute certainty: All the "types" of Christ in the OT that foreshadow His Incarnation. His miraculous birth. His sinless life. His sacrificial, undeserved death. His resurrection. His ascension. His glorification. The Holy Spirit, as per Jesus' promise. and finally, I expect His return in glory will be the loudest, clearest statement He will ever make. You said "Jesus seems to let listeners/readers THINK what they want". I agree, that's why He asks "Who do YOU say I am?" -- Matthew 16:15 |
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65 | 2 followups, masturbation and 1Cor7:2-5 | Bible general Archive 1 | Parable | 46161 | ||
Of course, James is right, and this is why all of us continue to sin each day. We fail to act according to love for the good we know we should do. Unfortunately, this verse doesn't help someone if they are in fact looking to the Bible to understand what is the good they ought to do, as is the point of the original question about masturbation. My questions merely illustrate that, to the best of my knowlege, the Bible has not established that masturbation, in itself, is necessarily sin, yet the first answer seemed to suggest this is the case. My concern lies with how this conclusion was reached, i.e. what are the assumptions and inferences used to interpret God's intent with this matter. Remarkably, your question about how I "honestly feel" makes my point for me. We are not to interpret scripture in terms of our feelings, rather we are to interpret our feelings in terms of scripture. To answer your questions, I "feel" we are blessed by God and one of his many gifts to us is our sexuality. Others include the enjoyment of food and drink. For the details of my position on the topic of masturbation perse, see my posting of 4/3/02. I'm not saying God blesses acts of masturbation, and I'm not saying he curses them either. Its just that I don't see any biblical basis for cursing ourselves if we do it, unless of course it leads to sexual immorality or overwhelming guilt. I have two points to address this possible risk. First, is it a sin, if when I am far from home for a long time, I masturbate and I think only of my wife, whom I love dearly? In light of what Paul suggests in 1Cor7, I can't see why this would be sinful. 1Cor7:2-5 "But since there is so much immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband. 3The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. 4The wife's body does not belong to her alone but also to her husband. In the same way, the husband's body does not belong to him alone but also to his wife. 5Do not deprive each other except by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control." Is Paul suggesting that marriage is an acceptable way to indulge the fleshly desire for sex? Is he suggesting that the fleshly desire for sex is a legitimate reason to marry? Second, isn't verse 5 saying that release of sexual tension with the spouse is preferable to becoming so frustrated that the person falls prey to temptation? If so, then might Paul not also suggest that masturbation, while unseemly, might actually be a way to avoid falling into temptations that are most definitely sin, such as adultery or fornication? I have read many of your postings and I have come to respect your insights and bible knowledge. If I come across as argumentative, I am, but in the classical sense of the word and not in the sense of bickering or quarreling. Thanks, Parable |
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66 | 2 followups, masturbation and 1Cor7:2-5 | Bible general Archive 1 | Parable | 46182 | ||
I will pray on your answer. For now, though, I must respond to the charge of using scripture in an attempt to justify a sinful act. You gave your interpretation of 1Cor7:2-5a, but you did not address verse 5b "Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control." What is Paul's intent with 5b? I look forward to continuing our dialogue. Grace and Peace to you Makarios, Parable |
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67 | 2 followups, masturbation and 1Cor7:2-5 | Bible general Archive 1 | Parable | 46885 | ||
Part 1, Makarios, You have supported your position well; your interpretation of the scriptures you cite is most righteous. And your points about the potential risks associated with masturbation are insightful and important. I feel your comments deserve my best effort, so I have tried to respond in a meaningful way. Thanks for your patience with the length of my response here. (and no, I did not write this in one sitting!) I hope you will be interested in what I have to say, especially about how masturbation has been part of something good in my life, see part 1 of 3. Regarding myself, I recognize there are many who are far wiser and far more mature in Christ than I am, so I am open to what you and others have said about masturbation. Indeed, much of what you describe about purity and holiness I see happening in myself, as the Holy Spirit does His miracle in me, so to answer one of your questions, I do have a desire to grow in purity and holiness, so masturbation is not big on my list for today. In that spirit, however, I must admit I am not convinced that what you have said about masturbation, i.e. that it is always sexual immorality and sin, necessarily follows from what you have presented. I'm not saying your interpretation is wrong or that what you say cannot be accepted, indeed you may be right, but rather that it is not the only interpretation that we, as vessels for the Holy Spirit, may hold. To support this, I note that in the following 18 instances (listed in The Complete Book of Bible Lists, by H.L. Wilmington), in which sexually impure people are identified, not one is described as impure by virtue of masturbation or anything like it: Gen19:5, Gen19:30-38, Gen34:1-2, Gen35:22, Gen38:9, Gen38:14-18, Num25:6-14, Judg16:1, 1Sam2:22, 2Sam11:4, 2Sam13:14, 2Sam16:22, Hos 1-2, John 4, John 8:1-11, Luke 7:36-39, 1Cor5:1, Rev2:20. Rather, the issues are homosexuality, incest, rape, adultery, refusal to father a child by the wife of a dead brother, fornication, sex in the tabernacle and in public, and leading others to sexual immorality. Please note: I'm NOT encouraging anyone to masturbate or do anything else they feels God calls them not to do. Given this, I am concerned that the zero tolerance approach, as applied to masturbation, 1. may be a stumbling block for those who might otherwise come to faith in Christ and 2. it is not helpful to those who may be dealing with masturbation as they learn to walk with Him. Indeed, I fear it may actually be harmful to those for whom guilt over this is excessive; in addition to God's truth, they need compassionate understanding in order to fully accept God's grace and forgiveness and to be open to the process of sanctification by the Holy Spirit. I'm not suggesting masturbation should be dismissed as irrelevant, for we agree there are serious problems that can develop, as is the case for eating and drinking. Rather, I'm suggesting that since the Bible does not expressly classify masturbation as sexual immorality or sin, we should help others to deal with it in a way that does not condemn them, as per Romans 8:1 "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death." We can be assured of this, despite our daily failures to live pure and holy lives after coming to Christ, and it is this truth that helps us to grow toward perfection in Him as we allow the Holy Spirit to work in us. As I see it, I am emphasizing that those who masturbate are not necessarily condemned, i.e. not necessarily among the sexually immoral because the Bible does not say this, while you have rightly addressed the freedom we have from the law of sin and death and this is how we become pure and holy. end of part 1 of 3 |
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68 | 2 followups, masturbation and 1Cor7:2-5 | Bible general Archive 1 | Parable | 46888 | ||
start of part 2 of 3 Next, I'd like to respond to certain of your comments and questions to me. You said: "I would still direct you to 1 Thess. 4:3-7." OK. Here it is, complete with the Bible Gateway footnote: "3It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; 4that each of you should learn to control his own body[1] in a way that is holy and honorable, 5not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God; 6and that in this matter no one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him. The Lord will punish men for all such sins, as we have already told you and warned you. 7For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life." Footnote [1] reads -- 4:4 "Or learn to live with his own wife; or learn to acquire a wife." This meaning for the word "body" implies the point is to keep sexual contact limited to one's spouse, i.e. to avoid adultery and fornication, as practiced by the heathen. You said: "Please read 1 Corinthians 6:12-20. Your body is not your own to do with as you please! You have been bought with a price." Here it is: 1Cor6:12-20 "12Everything is permissible for me"--but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible for me"--but I will not be mastered by anything. 13"Food for the stomach and the stomach for food"--but God will destroy them both. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. 14By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also. 15Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never! 16Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, "The two will become one flesh." 17But he who unites himself with the Lord is one with him in spirit. 18Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. 19Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body." Verses 12 tells me that not everything is good for me and I should not be a slave to anything. I concur. In verse 15, mention of the prostitute seems to again emphasize that the nature of immorality most certainly includes joining flesh with others. Of course, Christ said such sin begins in our hearts, so depending on what is in the heart, masturbation may be to adultery/fornication what anger is to murder and what greed is to stealing. You said: "And also, to use 1 Cor. 7 to justify masturbation is a blatant attempt to misapply Scripture to justify a sinful act. Do you worship and idolize your wife in such a way that you misuse your own body parts for her glorification? Or is it simply the indulgment of sinful flesh?" As I said earlier, I'm not trying to encourage or justify masturbation, but rather understand what the Bible says and does not say about it as compared to what people say the Bible intends. end of part 2 of 3 |
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69 | 2 followups, masturbation and 1Cor7:2-5 | Bible general Archive 1 | Parable | 46892 | ||
start of part 3 of 3 About my wife I said "...whom I love dearly". Worshipping and idolizing her are not loving, so the answer to your first question is "no, I don't worship and idolize my wife". For reasons not appropriate to discuss here, my wife and I have not been able to enjoy sexual intimacy for several years, surely a time longer than Paul means when he says "for a while". This has not been by mutual consent, as Paul suggests, but rather of necessity, and it has been difficult for both of us. Yet I have remained faithful, patient and loving. For me, thinking of my wife as my only sexual partner has helped me avoid the temptation to be with others. What makes this real is I have options if I wanted to pursue them. At least for now, occasional masturbation is how I maintain some semblance of sexual intimacy with my wife. Of course, its not a meaningful substitute for the real thing, but until such time as it is possible for us to do come together, it reinforces my desire for her to be my only partner. I acknowledge this is not ideal, but I do feel fidelity is what God is calling me to do and how I occassionally experience my passion for her is not sin and in fact helps keep me from sin. Perhaps this is an example of how "all things work for the good of those in Christ Jesus" -- Romans 8:28 You said: "Many men who I have known have fallen prey to the sin of masturbation, only to see their marriages falter and their sins multiplied into pornography.. Such disgusting consequences of a "seemingly" harmless or unnoticable sin are brought out into the open when the door to that sin has been crossed and, now, other sins, such as looking at other women besides your wife, now suddenly become much more desirable to you than before." I never said masturbation was "seemingly" harmless or unnoticeable, I said it was "unseemly". Regardless, I agree the problem you describe is real, but it has not been the case in my situation. You said: "Do you truly see no harm in it? Do you have no inclination or leading to give it up? Can you honestly say that you have experienced great spiritual growth while practicing masturbation? Masturbation is not wholesome, not edifying, not healthy to your marriage, and it is certainly not something that you want on your conscience as not being 'repented of' when you have to give an account of yourself to the Lord." I see the potential for harm, yet I believe in my case it has been part of preserving my marriage. You said: "But I have written here about how I honestly perceive the subject of masturbation, and I believe that it will prove very costly to your marriage if not discontinued, my friend and brother in Christ." This may be true, but to date, it has not become excessive or lead me astray, quite the opposite in fact. You said: "Just a few weeks ago, the youth pastor of our church got up in front of the entire congregation and confessed to his sin of masturbation, and we have begun an accountability group that consists of myself and several others, to keep this dear friend and brother in the Lord on 'the cutting edge' of his spiritual relationship with God. Also, his wife is very supportive of helping her husband deal with this problem, which is a great blessing!" I will pray for your youth pastor, his wife and your group. To be honest, I am disturbed by the idea you and your group think you can do anything to keep anyone on the "cutting edge" of a relationship with God. Yet, if masturbation has become a problem for your youth pastor, it is good for him to deal with it and if your group can help him, praise God! Finally, in all sincerity, I am wondering if the following 2 verses are part of what you teach in this group: Mark 9:43 "If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out. 45And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. 47And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out... My interest lies in the possible mis-interpretion that a sexually immoral person should castrate or otherwise mutilate themselves in order to avoid sin if they can't seem to avoid it in any other way. And, Matthew 19:11 "Jesus replied, "Not everyone can accept this word, but only those to whom it has been given. 12For some are eunuchs because they were born that way; others were made that way by men; and others have renounced marriage because of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it." which seems to suggest that continence is not intended for everyone, but only those "who can accept it". Grace and Peace. Your brother in Christ, Parable |
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70 | where do blacks come from? | Bible general Archive 1 | Parable | 47161 | ||
I am not a life scientist, but fortunately this is not necessary to understand the most recent scientific dialogue about "race". Hank is right that "it's never been proved...that one race is genetically superior to any other race." I believe the best reason for this is explained by Dr. Joseph L. Graves, a biologist, in his book "The Emperor's New Clothes: Biological Theories of Race at the Millenium". Dr. Graves' thesis is that there is no biological/genetic basis for race, i.e. a sub-species, in humans. This does not mean the social construct of race and its consequences are not real, but rather that arguments about race based on genetics are unfounded. This is because studies have shown that the human genome is remarkably homogeneous, much more so than any other higher organism. For example, there is more genetic diversity in one community of chimps than in the entire human species. This means that it is not possible to classify individuals or groups based on genetic content. To me, this is consistent with the biblical idea that God created man, distinct from other animals. Regarding physical differences, as Hank describes, characteristics and traits are a result of the many expressions of possibilities contained in the genetic code. All of us contain the potential to have the traits of any of us have, but each of us only expresses a small subset of the total possible. To me, these diverse possibilities are God's provision to us in order that we may not only survive in diverse environments, but also for us see is His Creative imagination expressed in US that we may come to love others without regard to external appearances. Parable |
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71 | Is it wrong to use condoms? advise | Bible general Archive 1 | Parable | 47162 | ||
I agree with Searcher56 that the answer given by Makarios on 03/11/02 is excellent. I would only add that we may be confident in his interpretation by also knowing that God gave us sexual relations not just so we could reproduce, but also that we could enjoy pleasure and intimacy, i.e. profound relationship, with our mate. Biblical support for this may be found throughout the Song of Solomon, one of the most beautiful books of the Bible and one that demonstrates the scope and magnitude of what is possible in a Godly marriage. Parable |
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72 | Send in the Clones? | Bible general Archive 1 | Parable | 47209 | ||
As I have said previously, I'm not a specialist on the theory of evolution. Yet, I believe that for whatever utility it may have in modelling the variations within a species, e.g. through the process of natural selection, the theory has been extrapolated way beyond what the biological evidence supports. This theory attempts to explain a narrowly defined set of observations and cannot be reasonably generalized to the whole of Creation. Perhaps more important, biotechnology, i.e. genetic engineering, is creating far more urgent challenges to our ethics and morality. For example: 1. Is a clone of a human really a person? This demands that we clarify how we define a person, and many will look to the Word for this. Some may say that because clones are not conceived in the traditional way, i.e. sperm/egg, they are not human because that experience is a fundamental part of what makes us human, and the content of our DNA is only part of being human. 2. Do clones have rights or can they be considered property, perhaps to be used for spare organs that won't be rejected by the "original" person? What does the Bible say about using clones in this way, or for that matter, organs that have been grown from donor DNA artificially, but not taken from a cloned human? 3. Fetal stem cell research, a major area of development, requires the removal of cells from a zygote such that it "dies". I use quotes here because some people debate whether or not such are "alive". Is it wrong for people to harvest stem cells in this way, even if those cells were artificially produced in a dish by injecting sperm DNA into an ovum? If we believe the Word speaks to these issues, and I believe God has very definite opinions about how we manipulate life, the time has come for us to give account for the faith that we have on this kind of question. Failure to do so will inspire many to mock the Bible as out-dated, obsolete and inadequate to address the issues of modern technology. On the other hand, if it can be shown that Word offers clear guidance, that might bring many people to faith, but again, only if it convicts them of their sin. Parable |
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73 | Send in the Clones? | Bible general Archive 1 | Parable | 47219 | ||
Amen, Brother! Cloning may offer humanity many blessings as well, but perhaps only so long as we act according to the belief that life is sacred and sanctity comes from God, not us! |
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74 | Is it wrong to use condoms? advise | Bible general Archive 1 | Parable | 47329 | ||
I can't help but notice the childlike trust that is revealed in the comment "maybe God wants you have them." Matt 18:3 ..."Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven." Parable |
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75 | 2 followups, masturbation and 1Cor7:2-5 | Bible general Archive 1 | Parable | 47614 | ||
Makarios, Thank you for responding in the spirit of speaking the truth in love. As I stated clearly in my posts, I am not attempting to justify masturbation nor encourage anyone to sexual sin. We agree the Bible speaks clearly with regard to sexual immorality. For those who have not read the entire thread, my posts question why the Bible does not address masturbation at all, let alone with the clarity given to fornication, adultery, incest, beastiality and homosexuality. Obviously, Makarios disagrees. I have acknowledged Paul's compromise for our weaknesses regarding continence, i.e. marriage itself and sexual activity therein. Yet also, I have acknowledged Jesus' explanation of the origin of sin, i.e. that our sinful actions spring from the content of our hearts and our obsessive thoughts are equivalent to our obsessive acts. This is consistent with the many verses Makarios has cited. I agree that masturbation is not irrelevant or problem-free; it can lead to pornography and acts which clearly are sinful. Also, it is quite possible for people to indulge themselves with masturbation in the same way they can with eating (gluttony), drinking(drunkeness), leisure (sloth) and work (neglect of other responsibilities). Yet, in the example from my own life, masturbation has been part of coping with the loss of opportunity for intimacy, perhaps as a compromise similar to Paul's compromise with marriage, to help preserve fidelity during a prolonged test of my marriage. Am I proud of masturbation? No. Am I ashamed? No. Am I falling to temptation and indulging in sin? I submit the Bible doesn't say, but I do know that over this difficult time, I have not fallen to the temptation of adultery; I have honored my committment to my wife and I praise God that he has helped me in this. (and no, I did not say God helped me to masturbate!) Finally, I admit the possibility that I have been seduced by the enemy to proudly commit a sin I don't recognize in order to avoid committing ones that I do. This is true for more than just masturbation. The answer to this is conviction by the Spirit. If I sin, I pray He will show me the truth of this and that He will do so for all who need this lesson, as all of us do. Parable |
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76 | 2 followups, masturbation and 1Cor7:2-5 | Bible general Archive 1 | Parable | 47617 | ||
My purpose was to consider the verses you suggested. So, I presented them in full and noted how in the discussion of sexual sin, each emphasized conduct with another person. Parable |
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77 | 2 followups, masturbation and 1Cor7:2-5 | Bible general Archive 1 | Parable | 47622 | ||
Once again, my intent is not to justify masturbation, but rather give account for my belief the Bible does not speak to it. This is indeed the point of your remark "...warn us against those who use Scripture or teach against what has been clearly revealed to us as the Truth". This whole discussion is about what it is that has been CLEARLY revealed as the Truth. With regard to my wife, I am not seeking the counsel of anyone on this or any other internet forum. I shared a personal example from my life in the hope that it might comfort others who may be struggling with excessive guilt over their own practices and to offer a suggestion as to how to manage themselves with a balance between discipline and compassion. "Just Say No", although a great idea, never was very effective for people struggling with drug addiction and in my experience, it's not much use for those who have normal, healthy sexual drive but who don't wish to fornicate or be adulterous. This is especially true for adolescents dealing with the powerful hormones driving their development. Teens please note: sexual energy is powerful and it must be respected with the utmost seriousness; do not think that masturbation cannot become a serious problem physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. If I have misquoted you, I sincerly apologize. So that I won't misunderstand you, as you suggest, please clarify what you mean by "You can misquote or misunderstand me to any degree that you prefer." Finally, I note that you did not respond to my questions about Mark 9:43 and Matthew 19:11. I can see how my asking might be contrued as insincere, but I genuinely am interested in how you apply or do not apply them to this topic. Thanks for your patience with me. Parable |
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78 | 2 followups, masturbation and 1Cor7:2-5 | Bible general Archive 1 | Parable | 47656 | ||
I am dismayed that you have resorted to invective. Specifically, I object to your use of the following phrases: "If there is anyone out there who is truly a Christian or who honestly wants to follow in a Lord/discipleship relationship with Jesus Christ" and "the spiritual status of this Forum is about as vibrant as a cold dead corpse. Is there ANYONE out there that is seeking a close relationship to Jesus Christ? Do all want to justify sin in wake of what the Bible and what our consciences clearly tell us?" These remarks are not consistent with the second rule governing posts to this forum, found in the green box after you hit "preview". It reads "This post is not intended as a personal attack on the authority of the Bible or on other users of this forum." Furthermore, Matthew 7:1-2 instructs "1Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." Regarding Mark 9:43, Jesus did not talk about "doing away" with "thoughts", he said to "cut off" "hand" or "foot" or to "pluck out" the "eye" if they cause you to sin. Yet, I acknowledge that it would violate Matthew 7:1-2 if I said that because you soften Jesus' words that you don't want to be a "real Christian" or that your spiritual status is "cold" and "dead". Regarding Matthew 19:12, you say "Jesus clearly led them to believe that it was a reachable or attainable goal, by giving them some examples in verse 12. The examples Jesus gave in verse 12 are eunuchs; "12For some are eunuchs because they were born that way; others were made that way by men; and others have renounced marriage[3] because of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it." The footnote [3], at biblegateway.com, says the word translated "renounced marriage" can be translated "have made themselves eunuchs". As I understand the term eunuch, that is a male who is castrated. Is this what you meant by "attainable goal"? Is this how we can handle our "sex drive AND be able to remain pure and undefiled in both a marriage relationship and as a single person without a "necessity" to masturbate"? I submit Jesus discussion rather demonstrates that it takes EXCEPTIONAL circumstances to maintain continence and He only expects some to be able to accept this, yet He does not hold it against those who cannot. Parable |
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79 | A hypothetical question | Bible general Archive 1 | Parable | 47774 | ||
Perhaps another possibility is this, although my answer no doubt is problematic, as I will demonstrate. Offer to take the place of the unbeliever. This what Christ did for us and if we are to be like Him, this is what we should be prepared to do. see John 13:34 "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another." On the other hand, Jesus' work on the cross is completed, once for all. Romans 6:10 "The death he died, he died to sin once for all..." and 1 Peter 3:18 "For Christ died for sins once for all..." Also, in Luke 16, the story of the rich man and Lazarus, "31He said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.' Hence, it is unlikely the unbeliever will repent even if another volunteers to take their place. I note that Christ did volunteer with no guarantee that anyone would believe. |
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80 | What does God accomplish in us? | Bible general Archive 1 | Parable | 48134 | ||
I ask three questions, in reverse order, that you may see the logic I am suggesting. 3. What NT ideas must we hold before we can accept, serve and abide in Christ? 2. Since the OT points to Christ, what OT ideas must we hold before we can accept NT ideas? 1. What ideas must we hold before we can accept Scripture as the Word of God? For the sake of illustrating what I'm asking for, I suggest that before we can accept the Bible as the Word of God, we must accept that God exists and can speak to us through the inspired writings of others. Then, we must accept that He actually did so and the books of the Bible are indeed inspired by Him. My interest is to describe in bullet points what the Bible says is our path as we move from unbelief to abiding in Christ. Also, perhaps there are some conditions that must be in place, but are understood rather than explicity described in Scripture. I acknowledge it may not be a stepwise process, as the Holy Spirit may bring us to Christ in any way He chooses; my thought is to express in brief terms what is accomplished in us by Him. Parable |
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