Results 441 - 460 of 645
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Results from: Notes Author: JCrichton Ordered by Date |
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Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
441 | Where does membership come from? | NT general Archive 1 | JCrichton | 123178 | ||
Hi, Jal! What do you understand by "community"? Can one person be a community? Can you forgive yourself so that your Father in Heaven forgive you? Can you bring yourself to Christ? Can you preach Christ to yourself? If Christ did not mean for us to form His Community why would He make such a fuss when speaking to Peter and the other disciples?: So I now say to you: You are Peter and on this rock I will build my community. And the gates of the underworld can never overpower it. (Matthew 16:18) And in John 21, was Jesus worried about the family's sheeps that He would be leaving behind and could only entrust Peter to make sure that they were fed or was He using a metaphor commanding Peter to tend to His Spiritual Flock?: When they had eaten, Jesus said to Simon Peter, 'Simon son of John, do you love me more than these others do?' He answered, 'Yes, Lord, you know I love you.' Jesus said to him, 'Feed my lambs.' A second time he said to him, 'Simon son of John, do you love me?' He replied, 'Yes, Lord, you know I love you.' Jesus said to him, 'Look after my sheep. Then he said to him a third time, 'Simon son of John, do you love me?' Peter was hurt that he asked him a third time, 'Do you love me?' and said, 'Lord, you know everything; you know love you.' Jesus said to him, 'Feed my sheep. (John 21:15-17) If Christ did not want us to be part of a body, why would He introduce the idea of unity--and don't think that He was speaking only in a spiritual sense! When the promise of the Holy Spirit was to be fulfilled, did everyone just simply go to their own individual homes and awaited for their personal seal into the "spiritual" community? They were instructed by Christ to remain together!: With one heart all these joined constantly in prayer, together with some women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers. (Acts 1:4) Whe Pentecost day came round, they had all met together, (Acts 2:1) Then Peter stood up with the Eleven and addressed them in a loud voice... (Acts 2:14) They accepted what he said and were baptised. That very day about three thousand were added to their number. (Acts 2:41) These remained faithful to the teaching of the apostles, to the brotherhood, to the breaking of bread and to the prayers. (Acst 2:42) they praised God and were looked up to by everyone. Day by day the Lord added to their community those destined to be saved. (Acst 2:47) But many of those who had listened to their message became believers; the total number of men had now risen to something like five thousand. (Acts 4:4) As soon as they were released they went to the community and told them everything the chief priests and elders had said to them. (Acts 4:23) So the Twelve called a full meeting of the disciples and addressed them, 'It would not be right for us to neglect the word fo God so as to give out food; (Acts 6:2) ...Here we all are, assembled in front of you to hear all the instructions God has given you.' (Acts 10:33) ...And it happened that they stayed together in that church a whole year, instructing a large number of people... (Acts 11:26) There are many other Biblical passages which talk about the Chruch of Christ: Acts 13:1-2; 14:23, 27; 15:2-3, 4, 22, 30-31; 16:5; 20:17 Romans 16:1, 4, 5, 16, 23 1 Corinthians 1:2; 4:17; 6:4; 7:17; 10:32; 11:16, 18, 22; 12:28, 14:4, 5, 12, 19, 23, 28, 33, 34, 35; 15:9; 16:1, 19; 2 Corinthians 1:1; 8:1, 18, 19, 23, 24; 11:8, 28; 12:13 Galatians 1:2, 13, 22 Ephisians 1:22; 3:10, 21; 5:24, 25, 27, 29, 32 Philippians 3:6; 4:15 Colossians 1;18, 24; 4:15, 16 1 Thessalonians 1:1; 2:14 2 Thessalonians 1:1, 4 1 Timothy 3:5, 15; 5:16 Philemon 1:2 Hebrews 2:12, 23 James 5;14 1 Peter 5:13 3 John 1:6, 9 Revelation 1:4, 11, 20; 2:1, 7, 8, 11, 12, 17, 18, 23, 29; 3:1, 6, 7, 13, 14, 22; 22:16 If Jesus did not mean to establish the Church as an extension of Himself, for the communion of His disciples, why so much ado? When we read the entire Bible we find that God chose a people on to Himself and, though made up of individuals, the community cannot come to God in an individual, "I stand alone," basis! Still not convinced, lets revisit Acts 2:47: they praised God and were looked up to by everyone. DAY BY BY THE LORD ADDED TO THEIR COMMUNITY THOSE DESTINED TO BE SAVED. If the Church was a tool of the past, then we are all damned for those who were destined to be saved had been added to that community; if the community ceases to exist than we are the remainder of the world who would not be able to enter into the Kingdom of God! (Revelation 20:15) God Bless! Angel |
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442 | Can you loose your salvation? | NT general Archive 1 | JCrichton | 123141 | ||
Hi, JonCohen! The point I was trying to make is that Christ did not forbid His Name to be used by those particular people in Luke 9:49-50 because, as He is God, He was able to see that in their hearts these people truly believed in Him. It is like the centurion who asked for assistance from Christ. He understood Jesus' Power far more clearer then even the disciples at that particular time of their development. He trusted Jesus to do what was needed to be done, in the Spirit! This man, who by definition of his title was an enemy of Israel, could not have been too welcomed in the Jewish synagogues so his faith had to be a product of the Holy Spirit's direct intervension: though not part of the fold he was keenly aware of Jesus and his faith in Him was evident in how he trusted Jesus! The disciples could not see into the heart of the centurion nor could they see into the heart of those in Luke 9:49-50... with only human intuition guiding them, the disciples became zealously alarmed and saught only to refrain them from using Christ's Name. I liken this passage (Luke 9:49-50) to Acts 10:44-48, where through Peter's preaching the Holy Spirit comes upon the Gentiles and a mini-Pentecost is revealed! When we abide in Christ we are able to do God's Will, even if we are unlearned, illiterate, or just iniciated!: it is not a matter of human wisdom but a matter of God's Will: But at work in all these is one and the same Spirit, distributing them at will to each individual. (1 Corinthians 12:11) Because of that, I want to make it quite clear to you that no one who says 'A curse on Jesus' can be speaking in the Spirit of God, and nobody is able to say, 'Jesus is Lord' except in the Holy Spirit. (1 Corinthians 12:3) This latter passage is of course a spiritual reference where God cannot be fooled by pretense and empty praises! God Bless! Angel |
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443 | why did paul and barnabas fall out | Acts 15:38 | JCrichton | 123136 | ||
"I think the Lord has a special set of goals distinctive to each of us" Hi, Rowdy! This is so true: There are many different forms of activity, but in everybody it is the same God who is at work in them all. (1 Corinthians 12:6) I also find that the early Church was put through the "ringer" not only to test the Apostles' and disciples' mettle but also in order to bring the Word to the gentiles. While Satan saught to extinguish Faith in Christ, the Holy Spirit directed, guided, and strengthened the believers and equipped with the various gifts that were needed to promulgate the Truth. I see Paul, more spiriturally mature then Barnabas and Mark, having a clear conviction and eager to continue the mission; while Mark, younger in the Faith, may have had doubts and fears that caused him to be ambivalent. Since God makes good things happen... the Holy Spirit would not allow a schism to destroy the Church; instead of animosity building a barrier amonst Paul and Barnabas, two teams were formed, where once there was just one, and each team continued to bring the Word of God to the world! The difference between Paul's and Barnabas's disagreement and the Church's various schisms is that they were lead by the Holy Spirit and were able to place their ego back on the Cross, while we seek to be obedient only when our ego is satisfied--which in truth is not obedience at all! God Bless! Angel |
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444 | Can you loose your salvation? | NT general Archive 1 | JCrichton | 123062 | ||
Hi, JonCohen! True these people are nothing but false prophets, that is why Jesus rejects them. But they also know enough about the Truth to be able to preach Jesus and produce signs that would be seen as that of the genuine disciples. Yet, they have failed to listen to Christ's command: they have failed to remain in Him. They simply apropriated what they thought they needed and some how, in some way, circumvented Jesus! I based this on Jesus' reply to John (and the rest of the disciples) when they forbade those who were not part of Jesus discipleship from casting out devils in Jesus' name (Luke 9:49-50): had these people simple been off on their own celebrating Christ and preaching Christ, why would Jesus reject them? But if they picked and chose what they would believe and follow... that is totally a different matter! Further, these people (Matthew 7:22-23) were expecting to receive Jesus' aproval and eternal salvation--they were not simply users, as Simon the machician (Acts 8:9-21), these people were erroneously convinced that they had been living in God's grace! Many of us today are convinced that we are not just God's children and coheirs with Christ but that we have some how been granted complete absulotion from all our present and future infractions; that we do not need to repent nor ask God for forgiveness; that we can, if we chose to do so, hold back even the thought of remorse and die in the certainty of "salvation-no-matter-what!" Somehow they have twisted the Scriptures to hold Christ accountable to all their past, present, and future transgressions and believe that Christ will obediently and automatically grant them full exoneration whenever they choose to sin. It is as though the Creator must concede to the creature and humbly allow full passage into the Heavenly Kingdom! But I caution, not even the children of Israel were granted unconditional Salvation by the Promise: It is not that God's promise has failed. Not all born Israelites belong to Israel, and not all the descendants of Abraham count as his children, for Isaac is the one through whom your Name will be carried on. That is, it is not by being children through physical descent that people become children of God; it is the children of the promise that are counted as the heirs. (Romans 9:6-9) The Promise to Israel is eternal and so is God's Gift of Salvation to the rest of humanity, but on both God has placed a conditon of merit: Tell them, "Yahweh, God of Israel, says this: Cursed be anyone who will not listen to the terms of this covenant which I ordained for your ancestors when I brought them out of Egypt, out of that iron-foundry. Listen to my voice, I told them, carry out all my orders, then you will be my people and I shall be your God, (Jeremiah 11:3-4) Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a branch --and withers; these branches are collected and thrown on the fire and are burnt. (John 15:6) Then he said to me, 'It has already happened. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give water from the well of life free to anybody who is thirsty; anyone who proves victorious will inherit these things; and I will be his God and he will be my son. But the legacy for cowards, for those who break their word, or worship obscenities, for murderers and the sexually immoral, and for sorcerers, worshippers of false gods or any other sort of liars, is the second death in the burning lake of sulphur. (Revelation 21:6-8) It sure sounds nice to say that a loving God will not cast anyone to hell (which He does not) and it sure sounds nice to say that once saved always saved (no matter how we transgress or reject Christ)... but Salvation came at too high a price for "Christians" to circumvent God by setting their own conditions on how we are saved! God Bless! Angel |
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445 | Why does the Bible say days and nights? | Mark 8:31 | JCrichton | 123060 | ||
Hi, Bob! That is an excellent metaphor! I remember my first conscious understanding of the Bible: a close friend, who was a self-professed atheist, and I had a debate on God and the Bible... he confessed that he had never personally read the Bible and I challenged him to read it before totally embrasing atheism. That day I learned that God was using my friend to bring me into the fold: I had only a general understanding of the Bible and I discovered that I could not defend my position as a Christian if I only knew God peripherally! God Bless! Angel |
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446 | Can you loose your salvation? | NT general Archive 1 | JCrichton | 123058 | ||
Hi, EdB! Thank you for your comments! "and I fail to understand in light of "ALL" scripture how others do not hold a similar position." I keep praying that the Holy Spirit enlighten us all... it is as if we were reliving Jesus' encounters with the Masters of the Law, Sadducees, and Pharisees... I mean they were experts in the Scripture, both the oral and written traditions, yet they could not reason beyond their preconcieved doctrinal teachings--even when Jesus check them (Matthew 23:13, 15, 23, 25, 27)they refused to listen and obey! Conversely, those who came to Jesus in humility, as the Samaritan woman, accepted His Word and were transformed! God Bless! Angel |
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447 | Can you loose your salvation? | NT general Archive 1 | JCrichton | 123035 | ||
"for their salvation to be lost they would have to repeat their sin to the extent that they move further and further away from Christ until eventually "they' break relationship with Him." Hi, EdB! This is precisely my point! Though Salvation is a Gift from God... we have free will and through our actions we will either choose to Abide in Christ and accept the Gift or become so overly confident that we sin and refuse to repent both from our sins and from our sinful behavior claiming "Jesus already paid the price, so I'm totally saved!" Who was Jesus referint to if not believers in Matthews 7?: When the day comes many will say to me, "Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, drive out demons in your name, work many miracles in your name?" Then I shall tell them to their faces: I have never known you; away from me, all evil doers! (Matthew 7:22-23) Every single act that Jesus has mentioned in Matthew 7:22-23 implies knowledge of Christ; every single act also implies a powerful ability.. only those who are convinced that they know Christ (and perhaps think that they know Him waaay better than most) could perform duties/miracles in Jesus' Name! But Jesus' preceding words in Matthew 7:21 gives us the reason for Jesus' rejection of those who, though very well intentioned, "performed" in His Name: 'It is not anyone who says to me, "Lord, Lord," who will enter the kingdom of Heaven, but the person who does the will of my Father in heaven. Salvation is not a right, it is a gift; but, just as the last-minute wedding guest (Matthew 22:10-14), we have to receive Salvation as God has intended and not in a waterdown "come as you please" manner! I think that part of the confusion is that people think that if we quote from the Bible God is obligated to grant us Salvation... Did not the people of Israel receive an Eternal Promise? But as Paul says, not all who are born of Abraham are children of God: It is not that God's promise has failed. Not all born Israelites belong to Israel, and not all the descendants of Abraham count as his children... (Romans 9:6-7) So if God's Promise is not all inclusive in regards to the children of Israel, how can we expect God's gift to be all inclusive in regards to the gentiles? How could Yahweh reject His people for not Abiding in Him and Jesus grant Salvation to all, even those who would not Abide in Him? Those who demand to see a Biblical passage that precludes anyone from Salvation, be it Jew or Gentile, will never find it; but I caution them to take heed to Jesus' words: 'Why do you call me, "Lord, Lord" and not do what I say? (Luke 6:46) God Bless! Angel |
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448 | Why does the Bible say days and nights? | Mark 8:31 | JCrichton | 123031 | ||
Hi, Bob! You are correct! I did not mean to infer that we should not seek answers--Jesus Himself commanded us to seek the Kingdom of God (Matthew 7:7)... my concern is that we do not become so clinical as to loose sight of the real goal: Christ Jesus. Some of the times we will find answers even when we are not searching for them; other times we will knock our heads off in futile attempts to find discernment and it will evade us just as we are almost tasting it! Our Faith should be centered on Jesus' words to Thomas (John 20:29)... so it is good to seek answers but always remembering that if there's something lacking it is not God's Word that has shortcomings, it is our understanding that is deficient! God Bless! Angel |
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449 | Why does the Bible say days and nights? | Mark 8:31 | JCrichton | 123030 | ||
Hi, EdB! Thanks for your input! I will have to research the Sabbath (have never gotten into it) and then I'll get back to you. God Bless! Angel |
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450 | Every nation from Noah's son? | Bible general Archive 2 | JCrichton | 122861 | ||
"I wanted to know "why" they are so special that they are considered His people, and no matter how much they sin and don't believe in Jesus as the Messiah, He will still accept them in the end and the nation of Jews will be saved, no matter what," Hi, ljw9292! True, there is a promise to the Isrealites... True, there is a promise to the Gentiles... Both promises become one in Christ, Paul explains it this way: It is not that God's promise has failed. Not all born Israelites belong to Israel, and not all the descendants of Abraham count as his children, for Isaac is the one through whom your Name will be carried on. Tha is, it is not by being childrend through physical descent that people become children of God; it is the children of the promise that are counted as the heirs. The actual words of the promise were: I shall come back to you at this season, and Sarah will have a son. Even more to the point is what was said to Rebecca when she was pregnant by our ancestor, Isaac, before her children were born, so that neither had yet done anything either good or bad, but in order that it should be God's choice which prevailed--not human merit, but his call--she was told: the elder one will serve the younger. or as scripture says elsewhere: I loved Jacob but hated Esau. (Romans 9:6-13) So you and I are also chosen to be a child of God through Faith in Jesus! Further, Paul says: What follows? Israel failed to find what it was seeking; only those who were chosen found it and the rest had their minds hardened; just as it says in scripture: God has infused them with a spirit of lethargy; until today they have not eyes to see or ears to hear. David too says: May their own table prove a trap for them, a pitfall and a snare; let that be their retribution. May their eyes grow so dim they cannot see, and their backs be bent for ever. (Romans 11:7-10) The guilty will not come unscathed, there is retribution to all, those who are children of Abraham through physical descent and to those who become children of Abraham through Faith in Jesus! But Paul argues further about the children of Israel: What I am saying is this: Was this stumbling to lead to their final downfall? Out of the question! On the contrary, their failure has brought salvation for the gentiles, in order to stir them to envy. And if their fall has proved a great gain to the world, and their loss has proved a great gain to the gentiles--how much greater a gain will come when all is restored to them! Let me say then to you gentiles that, as far as I am an apostle to the gentiles, I take pride in this work of service; and I want it to be the means of rousing to envy the people who are my own blood-relations and so of saving some of them. Since their rejection meant the reconciliation of the world, do you know what their reacceptance will mean? Nothing less than life from the dead! (Romans 11:11-16) So you see, the failure of the Isrealites was not just pure disobedience... God used their rebelion to gather the gentiles to Him. But the promise made to Abraham is perpetual because God is eternal and His Word is His Bond! Does that mean that all of the Jewish people from all times will inherit the promise? No!, for not all born of Israel are children of the Promise (Romans 9:6)... just like not all Gentiles will inherit salvation: just like the Son of man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many,' (Matthew 20:28) 'It is not anyone who says to me, "Lord, Lord," who will enter the kingdom of Heaven, but the person who does the will of my Father in heaven. (Matthew 7:21) It is only those who do the Will of God who are saved! And there is a conversion of the Jews: I want you to be quite certain, brothers, of this mystery, to save you from congratulating yourselves on your own good sense: part of Israel had its mind hardened, but only until the gentiles have wholly come in; and this is how all Israel will be saved. As scripture says: From Zion will come the Redeemer, he will remove godlessness from Jacob. And this will be my covenant with them, when i take their sins away. As regards the gospel, they are enemies, but for your sake; but as regards those who are God's choice, they are still well loved for the sake of their ancestors. There is no change of mind on God's part about the gifts he has made or of his choice. Just as you were in the past disobedient to God but now you have been shown mercy, through their disobeience; so in the same way they are disobedient now, so that through the mercy shown to you they too will receive mercy. God has imprisoned all human being in their own disobedience only to show mercy to them all. (Romans 11:25-32) Both the Jews and Gentiles have one Redeemer; thus the two nations become one! (John 10:16 and Ephesians 2:12-22) God Bless! Angel |
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451 | "Least in the kingdom of God"? | Matt 11:11 | JCrichton | 122850 | ||
Hi, victorA! The point I was making is that Jesus, being Himself God, cannot be the least in Heaven. Again, my confusion was that I failed to notice part of your opening statement: "I would have to answer that Jesus would not be the “least”" I had read: 'I would have to answer that Jesus would be the "least"' Since your post did not warrant my reply (because I failed to notice the word "not" in your statement, I misunderstood your reply to be confirming the "least" statement to which your post was replying), please disregard my original reply to your post on this particular thread. God Bless! Angel |
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452 | "Least in the kingdom of God"? | Matt 11:11 | JCrichton | 122848 | ||
Hi victorA! Sorry for the previous post! I had read the first sentence and did not notice the "not" part in your statement... from your opening sentence I believed that you were agreeing with the concept of Jesus being the least in Heaven. Can't apologize enough for that misunderstanding! God Bless! Angel |
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453 | female angels | Matt 22:30 | JCrichton | 122695 | ||
"Now I am wondering why you say that. The idea of angels witnessing the descent of the Holy Spirit, I have never heard of. Perhaps you can provide a cross-reference to it." This salvation was the subject of the search and investigation of the prophets who spoke of the grace you were to receive, searching out the time and circumstances for which the Spirit of Christ, bearing witness in them, was revealing the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow them. It was revealed to them that it was for your sake and not their won that they were acting as servants delivering the message which has now been announced to you by those who preached to you the gospel through the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even the angels long to catch a glimpse of these things. (1 Peter 1:9-12) WHO PREACHED TO YOU THE GOSPEL THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT SENT FROM HEAVEN. EVEN THE ANGELS LONG TO CATCH A GLIMPSE OF THESE THINGS. Did the Holy Spirit come to one prophet or to several? If to several, did He revealed everything all at once to all or was it individual revelation? If individual revelation, was He sent once to wait about until the last prophet or was He sent to each individual prophet during each prophet's individual corporal existence? We have one or two choices: a) the Holy Spirit was sent from Heaven once to the first prophet and remained on earth awaiting the corporal birth of each succeeding prophet (single occurrence--multi-revelations or single occurrence--individual revelation), or b) the Holy Spirit was sent from Heaven to each individual prophet as God inducted them into His service (multiple occurrences--individual revelation). Since everything is possible to God either situation may have occurred. But through the Scriptures it is revealed that God came to each individual prophet (even the ones that were contemporaries of others): hence multiple individual revelations: hence the Holy Spirit was sent multiple times! How I connect the angels witnessing the Holy Spirit and not searching the Scriptures for discernment: Holy Spirit -- Heavenly Host (for God is the Host of hosts) angels -- sentient beings aware of God and God's Plan (to the point of God's revelations to them!) The angels were not kept in a vacuum; the angels were used by God to bring the news at several different times of the history of God's people, towards the birth of Jesus, at the resurrection of Jesus, at the ascension of Jesus, and throughout the establishment of the Church. Why the prophets and not the angels: THIS SALVATION WAS THE SUBJECT OF THE SEARCH AND INVESTIGATION OF THE PROPHETS who spoke of the grace you were to receive, SEARCHING OUT THE TIME AND CIRCUMSTANCES for which the Spirit of Christ, bearing witness in them, was revealing the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow them. It is clear from this passage that the prophets not the angels were searching, investigating, studying... Now I do find it interesting that someone other than Aixen7z4 has replied to this post: "Aixen is expressing the understanding that angels have no gender and no known interest in sex." So are you Aixen or is this someone else responding to the post as Aixen? God Bless! Angel |
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454 | female angels | Matt 22:30 | JCrichton | 122684 | ||
"Isn't it interesting though, that they do not understand the gospel? They are apparently interested, and desire to know about it (1 Peter 1:12) but they can never really know it, because they cannot experience salvation. Most of them have never sinned, and those who did are destined for hell together with the devil (Mat 25:41). They do not have the privilege of repentance." Hi, Aixen7z4! How do you come to such interpretation? Is this passage not talking about the prophets who were "carriers" of the Word but knew not the Word because they were presenting Christ in a future yet to come? The reference to the angels is as witnesses of the Holy Spirit descending onto the earth to reveal all truth; the angels were not prevy to the revelations or events that He, the Holy Spirit, would unfold!: and you are sure of the goal of your faith, that is, the salvation of your souls. This salvation was the subject of the search and investigation of the prophets who spoke of the grace you were to receive, searching out the time and circumstances for which the Spirit of Christ, bearing witness in them, was revealing the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow them. It was revealed to them that it was for your sake and not their won that they were acting as servants delivering the message which has now been announced to you by those who preached to you the gospel through the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even the angels long to catch a glimpse of these things. (1 Peter 1:9-12) The prophets knew only partially about Christ, and, though they searched the Scriptures in order to decipher the hidden mystery, they were only able to learn that they were given Christ's revelations in order to bring us the Good News! God Bless! Angel |
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455 | Can somone help me figure out god? | Bible general Archive 2 | JCrichton | 122681 | ||
Hi, Zsuzsi! I commend you! I know human praise is nothing... but I have not met many young people who are in the thick of Christ as you! May the Holy Spirit keep you shinning for Christ! God Bless! Angel |
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456 | "Least in the kingdom of God"? | Matt 11:11 | JCrichton | 122679 | ||
Hi, Zsuzsi! Now I completely follow! Christ did state it: just as the Son of man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.' (Matthew 20:28) So in the sense that Christ came to serve (rescue us from sin), in that particular station (the server being less than the one being served), it would seem that Jesus would be including Himself in the passages that you cited (Luke 7:28 and Matthew 11:11--which are congruent passages)... but still, I am cautious because He also made it clear that He was above those who He served: For who is the greater: the one at table or the one who serves? The one at table, surely? Yet here am I among you as one who serves! (Luke 22:27) True Jesus came to serve, but He identifies Himself with the one at the table (the Lord)--the one who denies Himself (His Authority) in order to save us from sin! God Bless! Angel |
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457 | bible study | Bible general Archive 2 | JCrichton | 122655 | ||
Hi, Searcher56! Thanks for the input! You are also welcomed to participate! God Bless! Angel |
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458 | "Least in the kingdom of God"? | Matt 11:11 | JCrichton | 122654 | ||
Hi, Zsuzsi! Thanks for your reply! I have had a few run-ins with some people that seek to elevate themselves to the Throne and declare Jesus an inferior being... When I first read your post I began to question the allegory and when I read the subsequent post... a huge red flag sprang up: could they be insinuating that Christ is a lower being? Clearly, in order to save us, as a sacrificial substitute, God, being immortal, could not die. The blood of mere animals (as amoral as they are) could not satisfy the ransom's demands, and man's blood, as it has been made impure, falls short of the grace that was required to completely obliterate sin and the ransom's demands... So only the Son of God could both fulfill the ransom's demands and abolish sin: Hence the incarnation of the Word! The Son, for a little while, would divest Himself of all authority (not of His Deity for Christ is God!) in order to bring us back to the Fold (the Kingdom of our Heavenly Father). In so doing He would become similar to those living under the Law--not equal, since He is free of sin! But once the Lamb's commission was completed, the Word ascended to His place and His Glory: Now, Father, glorify me with that glory I had with you before ever the world existed. (John 17:5) ...Zsuzsi, I understand you position as far as Christ's Divinity... ""How can God be the least in heaven?", is this: that's what I call Grace..." My view is that Jesus, the Word incarnate, does not bring to Heaven the limitations of the servants... rather He has been reinstated in the fullness of His Being. Not only that but He began to pull us into that Heavenly Realm while we were still engrossed in doubt and rebellion: I shall no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know the master's business; I call you friends, because I have made known to you everything I have learnt from my Father. (John 15:15) We are being elevated by Christ to the position of friends of God... the whole purpose for the Lamb's existence is to raise us from death... once this was accomplished (death, resurrection and ascension), why would Christ hold on to the limitations of man? Christ is no longer the Lamb that needs to offer Himself as the sacrificial holocaust in our stead; He is the High Priest and the King who officiates in Heaven in our behalf! God Bless! Angel |
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459 | "Least in the kingdom of God"? | Matt 11:11 | JCrichton | 122629 | ||
"I would have to answer that Jesus would not be the “least” or “lesser” one in the kingdom of the heavens" Hi, victorA! As Christ, the Word incarnate, Jesus did become less than who He is... This happened only so that the fullness of Yahweh's Plan could come into fruition! Christ never stopped being God as pointed out by the Father Himself: but to the Son he says: Your throne, God, is for ever and ever... (Hebrews 1:8) No matter how anyone tries to circumvent God's Word, God, the Father, called Jesus, the Son, God! No matter how anyone tries to circumvent Hebrews 1:8, Jesus called Himself God's equal (John 10:30)! No matter what new age doctrines choose to sell, the Apostles understood that Jesus is God and they taught all the disciples that Jesus is God: Then he spoke to Thomas, 'Put your finger here; look, here are my hands. Give me your hand; put it into my side. Do not be unbelieveing any more but believe.' Thomas replied, 'My Lord and my God!' Jesus said to him: You believe because you can see me. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe. (John 20:27-29) We are well aware also that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding so that we may know the One who is true. We are in the One who is true as we are in his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the true God and this is eternal life. Children, be on your guard against false gods. (1 John 5:20) To them belong the fathers and out of them, so far as physical descent is concerened, came Christ who is above all, God, blessed for ever. Amen. (Romans 9:5) waiting in hope for the blessing which will come with the appearing of the glory of our great God and Saviour Christ Jesus. (Titus 2:13) Simon Peter, servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have received a faith as precious as our own, given through the saving justice of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 1:1) (See also: 1 Corinthians 2:7-8; Galatians 1:11-12; Philippians 2:5-11; Titus 2:11-15...) So my question to you is: How can God be the least in Heaven? God Bless! Angel |
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460 | Do tongues relate to worship in context? | John 4:23 | JCrichton | 122431 | ||
Hi, Restored! Are you saying that if a person does not speak in strange tongues he/she is not complete in Christ? God Bless! Angel |
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