Results 1321 - 1340 of 1459
|
||||||
Results from: Notes Author: John Reformed Ordered by Verse |
||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1321 | Do you have to be baptized to be saved? | 1 Pet 3:21 | John Reformed | 59570 | ||
Dear Hank, Although I was happy to see that you had lost none of your passion, and it did put a big ole grin on my homely mug, I do hope that you will take a deep breath next time you get your dander up. Brother John |
||||||
1322 | Does God judge people and nations? | 1 Pet 4:5 | John Reformed | 41980 | ||
Searcher, If your answers are going to be so flippant please refrain from responding. The Idea is to be helpful not cute. This is the first post from Marshal, the least you could have done is greet him. If he never inquires again I would'nt blame him. Remember we shall be judged according to our good works before Christ. Please Searcher. John |
||||||
1323 | Does God judge people and nations? | 1 Pet 4:5 | John Reformed | 41983 | ||
Dear Marshal, Welcome to the forum. God is the Judge of the entire world. John 3:18 "He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God". Acts 7:7 "'AND WHATEVER NATION TO WHICH THEY WILL BE IN BONDAGE I MYSELF WILL JUDGE,' said God, 'AND AFTER THAT THEY WILL COME OUT AND SERVE ME IN THIS PLACE." As you can see from the above, God indeed does judge indivduals and nations. You can use the search feature to look up more verses related to your topic. I used God judge to find the two examples I used, but their were many more as well. God Bless Marshal, John Reformed |
||||||
1324 | Are Reformed people lost souls? | 2 Pet 1:10 | John Reformed | 99499 | ||
The way uderstand it is that debating the relative merits of a particlar theology, Calvinism vs Arminianism for example are "strictly prohibited". I do not believe that it prohibits users from engaging in civil debates over differences in doctrine. If that were the case, only one viewpoint would be permitted. Take the doctrine of the Trinity for instance. The majority of evangelical denominations hold this doctrine to be an essential truth without which Salvation is not possible. Regardless of whether a particular member of the forum believes it or not, forbidding it's discussion would be unthinkable! The same is true for baptism, atonement, the incarnation, damnation, salvation... I could go on and on. My advice would be to state the truth as you see; Found your statement on Scripture and speak it in words salted with love. The problem is not theology it is the failure to manifest the fruit of self-control. It is my prayer that God will bless us all with that particular grace. Grace and Peace, John Reformed |
||||||
1325 | Are Reformed people lost souls? | 2 Pet 1:10 | John Reformed | 99503 | ||
I don't recall discussing the topic of calvinism. The topic I was engaged in was "the Potters freedom". To make sure that I had not inadvertantly been pushing a denominational bias or engaging in a C/A debate, I reviewed my posts and found that I had'nt even used the "C" word once! But perhaps I missed an occasion or two. I did recieve posts from certain others who attempted to revive the old debate, but my replies clearly show that I did not rise to the bait. What people think of a particular theologian is neither here nor there to me. My interest is in "what sayeth the Lord". And I certainly did not speculate about whether those whose beliefs differ from mine were saved! Rom 14:4 Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls; and he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand. Grace and Peace (I really mean it!) :-), John Reformed |
||||||
1326 | Are Reformed people lost souls? | 2 Pet 1:10 | John Reformed | 99532 | ||
"I guess they would die for the cause. I can only say again that I think we should only feel that way about Christ himself." Jesus is also the Word. To defend what one believes is God's truth, is to defend the integrity of the church which is the body of Christ and is Christ-like. What would you have me do? Compromise with what I see as greivous error! John Reformed |
||||||
1327 | Are Reformed people lost souls? | 2 Pet 1:10 | John Reformed | 99586 | ||
Dear EdB, I have felt frustrated myself at times. But your post made me realize that "frustration" is not a christian virtue. It is an indication that our faith is not perfect. We are frustrated when our efforts do not produce the results which we desire them to produce... Our will is not being done! But if we believe God and what He has written, even our petty bickering serves His greater purpose for our lives. Rom 8:28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. John |
||||||
1328 | Are Reformed people lost souls? | 2 Pet 1:10 | John Reformed | 99676 | ||
Dear Noble, Deut 7:6 "For you are a holy people to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. Your main premise "It is a matter of personal redemption" is quite true, but the question remains...Are we chosen by God because He foresaw our believing, or, is it that we believe because of His forechoosing? We appear to differ on the answer to this very important question. Thank God tht being right or wrong here does not exclude either one of us from salvation itself. Both views are within the pale of orthodoxy. Faith alone in Christ alone is the soul evidence of our status as new creatures in Christ. I wondered, as I read your post, if you were laboring under the mistaken notion that the "reformed" believe that they alone are among God's elect. I assure you (if indeed that is what you thought) we do not! We simply believe that God has chosen (elected) from every tribe and nation a people that He gives to His Son. The individual personnaly believes because he has been chosen, he is not chosen because he believed. This doctrine has been unpopular as long as it has been in existance. I understand that. It flies in the face of man's desire to determine his own destiny. It seems unjust (to many christians) that God would choose to have mercy on some but harden others. The problem, as I see it, is that this principle of the freedom of the Potter to accomplish His good pleasure in all He does, is witnessed to throughout the Bible! Well...I really only meant to clear up any mis-conceptions you may have had and not get involved in a C/A debate. I hope you recieve my words in the spirit of christian brotherhood, which was my intent. John Reformed |
||||||
1329 | Are Reformed people lost souls? | 2 Pet 1:10 | John Reformed | 99695 | ||
Noble, I expected a kinder answer from you. I must suppose that your fervor for reconcilliation has waned. You had written "...I believe he wants us to be reconciled to each other as well. It does seem to me that when we are in agreement with him we would also be in agreement with each other. So I would like to reach out to our friends who use the name “Reformed”." I must confess that I was quite disappointed by the cynical tone which you adopted in your latest reply..."Let's see if there will be another attempt to clear up a "mis-conception" and if it will lead into another statement of the doctrine."... I hope that you will consider the possibility that I was sincere in wanting to clear up any mis-conceptions you may have had. Feel free not to reply to this post. I would'nt want you to think that it also was a ploy. Peace, John |
||||||
1330 | were angels saved by works? | 2 Pet 2:4 | John Reformed | 97379 | ||
Dear Makarios, "God did not "choose" Angels on the basis of works or on the basis of grace...God created angels for His purpose" Were we not created for His purpose as well?... Phil 2:13 for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. Eph 3:10,11 so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places. This was in accordance with the eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, Paul tells us the eternal purpose of God includes both men (Jews and Gentiles) and angels (rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places.) Col 1:16 "For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things have been created through Him and for Him."...ALL THINGS! Perhaps I am missing your point? Tell me...do you believe the Bible teaches that man can thwart God's "eternal purpose"? John |
||||||
1331 | were angels saved by works? | 2 Pet 2:4 | John Reformed | 97384 | ||
Dear Maharios, "Yes, God is at work in those who believe (Phil. 2:13).", and, "...I do not believe that man can thwart any purpose of God's." What of those angels that rebelled? Or Adam before the fall? Neither had a sin nature. Yet both fell from a state of innocency. I see no evidence that would refute the arguement that election of individuals (both angelic and human) are elect according to God's purpose and not because of any work on their parts, ie; grace. I have a hard time grasping the idea that a third of the heavenly host was inherently liable to rebel while the rest were inherently loyal. (of course I have a similar problem with fallen man). John |
||||||
1332 | were angels saved by works? | 2 Pet 2:4 | John Reformed | 97389 | ||
Dear Makarios, You may find the following article of some interest: Angels are rational, moral beings (2 Sam 14:20; Matt 24:36; Eph 3:10; 1 Pet 1:12; 2 Pet 2:11). As originally created, all of the angels were morally good (Gen 1:31), but apparently only two-thirds of them—the elect angels (1 Tim 5:21)—remained in their created state of integrity, specifically, those under the command of the archangels Gabriel (meaning "God's mighty hero," Dan 8:16; 9:21; Luke 1:9; 26) and Michael (meaning "Who is like God? No one [implied]!," Dan 10:13, 21; 12:1; Jude 9; Rev 12:7). One-third of them, under the command of their archangel (we do not know what his name was originally4; we know him now as Satan, "Adversary"), by an act of will kept not their original state and fell with him (John 8:44; 2 Pet 2:4; Jude 6). We do not know precisely what their sin entailed—it was doubtless some act of willful rebellion against God—or precisely when they lapsed into sin, but at the end of Genesis 2, the events of which come within the sixth day of Genesis 1, God pronounced that all that he had made was "very good" (Gen 1:31); therefore, it would seem that the angelic fall had not yet occurred. But at the beginning of Genesis 3 we find the Tempter enticing Eve to sin against God. So apparently Satan and his angels fell at some point in the period of time between Genesis 2 and Genesis 3. Of course, the angels who did not fall—the elect angels—were kept from falling according to God's eternal plan by his preserving power. Their election, because God did not elect them out of a totality of a fallen angelic order inasmuch as these elect angels never fell, can only be understood along supralapsarian lines. For reasons sufficient to himself, God simply by decree granted to these angels perseverance in their created integrity and denied it to Satan and his angels.(Robert L. Reymond Professor Emeritus of Systematic TheologyKnox Theological Seminary) God Bless, John |
||||||
1333 | were angels saved by works? | 2 Pet 2:4 | John Reformed | 97406 | ||
Dear Darcy, Check out my post to Makarios ( ID# 97389 ). It may help you to establish when Satan fell. John |
||||||
1334 | were angels saved by works? | 2 Pet 2:4 | John Reformed | 97462 | ||
Dear DL5, Your answer is indeed simple, however, I would feel more comfortable with it if you had provided a scriptural foundation. 1) Satan was the first created being to commit an evil act, but, the bible does not support the notion that creatures are able to create something out of nothing. Aside from that, what makes you think that "evil" is a created thing? 2) While it is true that the elect angels did not rebel, the question is: Did they not sin because they were elected by God? Or, were they elected by God because they did not sin? 3) To me at least, it appears to be apparent that God placed the Tree of Knowledge in the garden as part of His eternal purpose, which was to have His Son save a people who would love and serve Him throughout eternity. I don't believe that the "Tree" was created after the fall of the angels for this reason: Gen 1:31 God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. "We do not know precisely what their sin entailed—it was doubtless some act of willful rebellion against God—or precisely when they lapsed into sin, but at the end of Genesis 2, the events of which come within the sixth day of Genesis 1, God pronounced that all that he had made was "very good" (Gen 1:31); therefore, it would seem that the angelic fall had not yet occurred. But at the beginning of Genesis 3 we find the Tempter enticing Eve to sin against God. So apparently Satan and his angels fell at some point in the period of time between Genesis 2 and Genesis 3." (Robert L. Reymond) John |
||||||
1335 | were angels saved by works? | 2 Pet 2:4 | John Reformed | 97569 | ||
Dl, the tree was not evil in itself. What was evil was breaking the command not to eat of it. Why do you think evil was present when God said it was all good? Reymond is a professor at Knox theological seminary. John |
||||||
1336 | were angels saved by works? | 2 Pet 2:4 | John Reformed | 97632 | ||
Gen 2:9 Out of the ground the LORD God caused to grow every tree that is pleasing to the sight and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. I take it that you do not believe that Adam and Eve were the first man and woman, but that, there was a pre-adamic race. Is that right? John |
||||||
1337 | were angels saved by works? | 2 Pet 2:4 | John Reformed | 97658 | ||
Why do you say that evil is a created thing? Afterall, evil has no body or spirit. It does not take up space; It has no will of it's own and it can't suffer or rejoice. Evil is not a thing. It is a word! A word that describes an action. We may say, "He did an evil deed.", for instance. Look at it this way a moment...When a runner wins a foot race he said to be "fast". Does that mean that God created "fast"? Of course not. Now, He did give things which He created the ability to be "fast" or to be slow; The same is true of evil. He gave man the ability to do evil or to do good. Do you see my meaning? John |
||||||
1338 | Who are the "any" and "all" in verse 9 | 2 Pet 3:9 | John Reformed | 53054 | ||
Hey Joe, Good point. John |
||||||
1339 | why was this epistle written? | 1 John | John Reformed | 35974 | ||
Dear Jesusman, Perhaps this request is not proper protocal, (it is not related to the question in view) if so I apologize to the Forum. I read your bio and, based on your education and background, I hoped you would help me. I have been attempting to answer a question regarding the reformed doctrine of Limited Atonement. I have using scripture to interpret scripture, employing a respected Bible Dictionary (Easton's) to define terms, and citing various theologians and confessions when I felt they might prove useful. My main concern is that I do not take scripture out of context or force my presuppositions upon the text. In light of the fact that I am fallible and prone to stray, I feel compelled to appeal to my brethren for help. I would sincerely appreciate your looking at a few of my posts. I need some feedback. God Bless Jesusman, John Adams Tucson, AZ |
||||||
1340 | why was this epistle written? | 1 John | John Reformed | 36027 | ||
Dear Jesusman, It was very kind of you to take the time and effort to critique my posts. I thank our God and Saviour, Jesus Christ, for brothers such as you. I have taken to heart your suggestions and am planning to act upon them. My church has some excellent resouces and I will also ask my pastor for direction. My interest in Doctrine arose from an dicussion of biblical truths with a Presbyterian aquaintance named Ray. At that time I was a member of a different denomination (Which must go un-named) and had never heard such strange ideas from a fellow christian. My course was clear. I would not rest until poor Ray was brought to the knowledge of the truth! As you may have already guessed, Ray turned the tables on me. He had a scriptual answer to all my objections, and gently and humbly, opened my eyes and ears to a deeper, clearer understanding of God's Word. There is much confusion that exists in modern Christianity in America today, and I pray that God will use me, as He used Ray in my life, to help someone else. Thanks again Jesusman. Your Brother in Jesus, John Adams |
||||||
Result pages: << First < Prev [ 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 ] Next > Last [73] >> |