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Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
481 | Seventh-Day Adventism | Rom 3:28 | Radioman2 | 84480 | ||
SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISM: CHRISTIAN OR CULTIC? 'Seventh-day Adventism has remained a controversial and misunderstood group throughout its history. Evangelicals have often been divided as to how Adventism should be classified. Adventism has long born the stigma of being called a cult. Since Seventh-day Adventism does officially accept the foundational doctrines of historic Christianity (the inspiration and authority of the Bible, the Trinity, Christ's true deity, His bodily resurrection, and salvation by grace through faith) we do not believe that it should be classified as a cult. It is our conviction that one cannot be a true Jehovah's Witness, Mormon, Christian Scientist, etc., and be a practicing Christian in the biblical sense of the word; but it is possible to be a Seventh-day Adventist and a true follower of Jesus, despite certain distinctive Adventist doctrines which we consider to be unbiblical.' ____________________ To read more go to: (http://www.equip.org/free/CP0602.pdf) |
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482 | psalm 68:19 in kj compare nasv | Ps 68:19 | Radioman2 | 84408 | ||
Thanks be to the Lord, who daily carries our burdens for us. God is our salvation. Selah (GOD'S WORD Translation Psalms 68:19) Ray: Q: Why do you choose the God's Word translation? A: I sometimes use it because of its high degree of clarity and readability. Q: Because it has three pronouns; our, us, and our? A: The number of pronouns has nothing to do with my reason for using this translation. Q: Don't you think that the "us" is repetitious? A: No, I don't think it's particularly repetitious. The inclusion of the phrase "for us" does not alter the meaning; rather, it clarifies it. Grace and peace, Radioman2 :-) |
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483 | Is Hell Burning Today? | Bible general Archive 1 | Radioman2 | 84406 | ||
Thank you, Matt. Good to hear from you. Radioman2 |
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484 | psalm 68:19 in kj compare nasv | Ps 68:19 | Radioman2 | 84400 | ||
Hank: Thanks for a good post and for explaining the difference between David and Goliath. However, forum experience has shown that your explanation may not be met with universal acceptance. I predict that some will try to refute your statement, some will try to capitalize and count the pronouns, and some will totally confuse the issue. Some will discuss who was predestined -- David or Goliath. Some will use your observation to prove water salvation or to deny the Trinity. Others will rhapsodize over the artistic potential of having 5 feet instead of 2. Others will tell us they hate David, deny the existence of Goliath, and that the entire account of D. and G. -- well, it aint necessarily so. And some will insist that it's a man-made doctrine . . . You get the idea. :-) Radioman2 |
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485 | Is Hell Burning Today? | Bible general Archive 1 | Radioman2 | 84392 | ||
Lazarus and the Rich Man, Luke 16:19-31 'In Luke 16:19-31 is the story of Lazarus and the rich man. Basically, Lazarus is a poor man who suffers during life. The rich man is, of course, rich. They both die. The rich man goes to Hades. Lazarus goes to Abraham's bosom, another term for paradise. In Hades, the rich man lifts up his eyes and sees Lazarus far off. He cries out to Abraham and asks for mercy because he is in agony in flame. Abraham says no. Then the rich man asks if someone from the dead were to rise and go tell his brothers not to come to this terrible place. Abraham teaches him that that will not be done either. 'Some say that this is a parable. However, if it is, it is unique because no other parable actually names a person. It isn't a story. It is history. It really happened. But many who believe in no consciousness after death will say it is still a parable. The question then is, if it is, What is it teaching? If hell fire is false and if self-awareness after death is also false, then Jesus is using false doctrines to teach a truth. Parables illustrate truth. If it is a parable what does the consciousness after death symbolize? Also, what does the agony in flame symbolize? Are they not real? Of course they are. 'Conclusion 'Hell is a real place. It is not mere unconsciousness. It is not temporal. It is eternal torment. Perhaps that is why Jesus spoke more of hell than heaven and spent so much time warning people not to go there. After all, if people just stopped existing, why warn them? If it was temporal, they'd get out in a while. But if it were eternal and conscious, then the warning is strong. 'Jesus said, "And if your right eye makes you stumble, tear it out, and throw it from you; for it is better for you that one of the parts of your body perish, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30"And if your right hand makes you stumble, cut it off, and throw it from you; for it is better for you that one of the parts of your body perish, than for your whole body to go into hell," (Matt. 5:29-30).' (http://www.carm.org/doctrine/hell.htm) |
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486 | what are the events of the end times???? | Revelation | Radioman2 | 84387 | ||
Is Revelation Prophecy or History? "Over the centuries, four main approaches to interpreting the book of Revelation have developed. Each approach has had capable supporters, but none has proved itself the only way to read this book. However, the most basic application question for each approach can be summarized by asking yourself, Will this help me become a better follower of Jesus Christ today?" (Life Application Study Bible, Tyndale House, 1996) ____________________ Four main approaches to interpreting the book of Revelation ____________________ 'The Book of Revelation is the most difficult of all New Testament books to interpret because of the extensive symbolism. These symbols, which often seem strange and bizarre, have resulted in various methods of interpretation, from which we can identify four: *historical, idealist, futurist, and preterist*. 'The *historical* sees Revelation as a symbolic prophecy of the entire history of the church from the Incarnation to the return of Christ to establish the eternal state. In contrast to this view, the *idealist* avoids the difficulty of trying to find fulfillment of the book's images in history. Rather, these interpreters see only a symbolic portrayal of the spiritual cosmic conflict between the kingdom of God and the powers of evil. 'Probably the most popular interpretation of Revelation at the end of the twentieth century—evidenced by the millions of copies that Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins have sold in their popular Left Behind series—is the *futurist*. This approach interprets the book not as what was future to John and is now past or present to us, but as what was future to John and still future to us. It understands that the Book of Revelation has to do with the future of the world. 'Recently, theologians such as R. C. Sproul, in his 1998 book The Last Days According to Jesus (Baker), have revived interest in the *preterist* interpretation. This approach regards the events symbolized in Revelation as having occurred roughly contemporaneously with John's writing of the book, which Sproul dates before the fall of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. Thus, for the preterist, the "last days" arrived at the time of John. Preterist interpreters stress the fact that Revelation belongs to a distinct genre of Jewish-Christian writings called "apocalyptic," which are "spiritual guides for difficult times." ( . . . ) 'Both the futurist and preterist views have their strengths and weaknesses. Instead of choosing only one or the other, a "both/and" approach that applies the strengths of each is a better option. ( . . . ) 'The preterist position by itself fails to understand that Revelation confronts the modern reader with promises, challenges, and choices that are similar, if not identical, to those faced by the book's original readers. The futurist position by itself is prone to see Revelation as a crystal ball with a literal timetable of events that will happen in the future. 'While the final book in the Bible had immediate relevance to the first-century church, it also speaks powerfully to us about the return of Christ, his judgment of this world, and God's ultimate eschatological victory over the power of evil.' ____________________ By David S. Dockery, president of Union University and the author of Our Christian Hope: Biblical Answers to Questions About the Future (LifeWay Press). Christianity Today, October 25, 1999 (Emphasis added.) Go to (www.christianitytoday.com/ct/9tc/9tc086.html) for links to read more about these related topics: —End Times —Apocalypse —Y2K —Christian Fiction |
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487 | Test yourselves! Examine yourselves! | 2 Cor 13:5 | Radioman2 | 84352 | ||
Part 1 What kind of things do and do not prove the genuineness of saving faith? '2 Corinthians 13:5 Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you--unless indeed you fail the test? 'Churches today are filled with people who hold to a faith that does not save. James referred to this as a "dead faith"-meaning a mere empty profession (James 2:17, 20, 26). Paul wrote to the people in the church at Corinth to test or examine themselves to see if they were truly in the faith (2 Corinthians 13:5). As important as it was in Paul's day, how much more important it is for people in our churches today to put their faith to the test and to make sure they have not been deceived. 'But where do we start? By what criteria do we determine true from empty faith? What are the distinguishing marks of genuine saving faith? Surprisingly, there are a number of popular standards or tests that really don't prove the genuineness of one's faith one way or the other. So before we look at the tests that prove genuine faith, let's take a look at some popular tests that neither prove nor disprove the genuineness of one's faith. 'Here is a list of seven conditions that do not prove or disprove the genuineness of saving faith. One can be a Christian and possess these things or one may not be a Christian at all and still possess them. While they don't prove or disprove one's faith, they're important to know and understand so you will not be deceived. 'Seven conditions that do not prove or disprove genuine saving faith. 1. Visible Morality 2. Intellectual Knowledge 3. Religious Involvement 4. Active Ministry 5. Conviction of Sin 6. The Feeling of Assurance 7. A Time of Decision 'These are seven common conditions or tests that don't necessarily prove or disprove the existence of saving faith. What then are the marks of genuine saving faith? Are there some reliable tests from the Word of God that enable us to know for certain whether one's faith is real? Thankfully there are at least nine biblical criteria for examining the genuineness of saving faith.' (http://www.gty.org/IssuesandAnswers/archive/genuinefaith.htm) (to be continued) |
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488 | Test yourselves! Examine yourselves! | 2 Cor 13:5 | Radioman2 | 84327 | ||
A hypothetical situation Examine and test and evaluate your own selves to see whether you are holding to your faith and showing the proper fruits of it. Test and prove yourselves [not Christ]. Do you not yourselves realize and know [thoroughly by an ever-increasing experience] that Jesus Christ is in you--unless you are [counterfeits] disapproved on trial and rejected? (AMPLIFIED 2 Corinthians 13:5) Far be it from me to judge anyone as to whether they are saved or to imply that a given individual is not saved. That's not for me to say. The Scriptures in 2 Corinthians 13:5 instruct the believers to "examine yourselves," not others. So what I write here is not meant as a judgment or condemnation of anyone. Consider this hypothetical situation. IF someone were to express the following doubts and uncertainties, then I would have reason to be concerned. I would urge that person: examine yourself to see whether you are holding to your faith. I would say to that person: you don't have to prove anything to anyone else. But are you yourself convinced that you really are in the faith? Have you had thoughts or feelings such as: "I know that Christians will do that. They dont like for anything to challange their beliefs, even if what they believe is ridiculous. Religious people have always been like that." "Starting to believe that all of what we believe is just plain crazy." "Am greatly wondering why God . . . how can he expect us to understand or rejoice at things so foreign to us. Why involve us . . . The Christian life, seems to be marred by "living to die". Why would we want such a thing, finding it necessary to enter into a life so foreign, that it defies logic. Certainly nothing to be happy about . . ." "I dont even know if I'm really saved anymore." "I have felt love for him [God] at various times, but mostly, I felt he hated me, so at times, I have hated him, because I was totally confused." "I do not love God for his majesty. I dont know why or how to. I guess because I originally came to him because I needed help. I didn't get it . . . In all that time, I have seen very little of God. Sometimes, I'm not even sure that he exist. " If a person were to say such things, then with all humility I would ask him or her: Are you in the faith? Have you examined yourself? Examine and test and evaluate your own selves to see whether you are holding to your faith and showing the proper fruits of it. Test and prove yourselves [not Christ]. Do you not yourselves realize and know [thoroughly by an ever-increasing experience] that Jesus Christ is in you--unless you are [counterfeits] disapproved on trial and rejected? (AMPLIFIED 2 Corinthians 13:5) 'The Bible says "Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves!" (2 Cor. 13:5). 'Well, are you in the faith? Have you examined yourself? It is easy to ask and sometimes difficult to answer. (...) 'You are to examine yourself, to test yourself to see if you are in the faith. This means that you must first know what the Christian faith is and what it means to enter into that faith. Furthermore, you must know and acknowledge that there is only one God in all existence, that Jesus is God in flesh, that we are sinners, that we need to repent of our sins, and that the only way to find forgiveness is to trust in Jesus alone, by faith alone, through grace alone' (CARM NEWSLETTER 03/13/2003, The Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry, www.carm.org). [This post was not submitted to hurt or embarrass anyone. Note that I have here addressed a HYPOTHETICAL situation -- IF someone were to have doubts and questions such as have been presented here.] |
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489 | Seventh-Day Adventism | Rom 3:28 | Radioman2 | 84297 | ||
SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISM: CHRISTIAN OR CULTIC? 'Seventh-day Adventism has remained a controversial and misunderstood group throughout its history. Evangelicals have often been divided as to how Adventism should be classified. Adventism has long born the stigma of being called a cult. Since Seventh-day Adventism does officially accept the foundational doctrines of historic Christianity (the inspiration and authority of the Bible, the Trinity, Christ's true deity, His bodily resurrection, and salvation by grace through faith) we do not believe that it should be classified as a cult. It is our conviction that one cannot be a true Jehovah's Witness, Mormon, Christian Scientist, etc., and be a practicing Christian in the biblical sense of the word; but it is possible to be a Seventh-day Adventist and a true follower of Jesus, despite certain distinctive Adventist doctrines which we consider to be unbiblical.' ____________________ To read more go to: (http://www.equip.org/free/CP0602.pdf) |
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490 | Getting the verdict before the judgment? | Bible general Archive 1 | Radioman2 | 84242 | ||
Mathew: What I appreciate about you is that you are able to give good logical arguments (reasons) for your beliefs -- an ability that is, unfortunately, not seen often enough on this forum. Live next door to each other? I could go for that. It would be a lot of fun and good fellowship. :-) You're making me sharper, too -- by causing me to dig deeper. My thanks to you, Radioman2 |
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491 | Getting the verdict before the judgment? | Bible general Archive 1 | Radioman2 | 84239 | ||
My apologies... Mathew: I neither believed nor meant to imply that you were a Jehovah's Witness. I apologize for not making this clear in my previous post. I know that not everyone who rejects the doctrine of the immortality of the soul is a Jehovah's Witness. Yet I regret to say that I also did not make that clear in my previous post. Although I do not agree with their every teaching, I am acquainted with and have respect for the Seventh Day Adventist church. I sincerely meant what I wrote before, that I respect your right to your interpretation and I appreciate your input here on the forum. I am very sorry if I have unintentionally offended you. Grace and peace to you, Radioman2 |
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492 | Part 1. The Immortal Soul | 1 Thess 5:23 | Radioman2 | 84232 | ||
Part 1. Jehovah's Witnesses and the Immortal Soul by Jason Barker 'Jehovah's Witnesses (../cat95.htm) have long argued against the existence of an immortal soul. For example, the Watchtower states, "[Most churches] hold to the unscriptural doctrine that man has an immortal soul. 'Is that teaching so bad?' some may wonder. Do not forget that Satan's first lie was that sin would not bring death…the teaching that man has an immortal soul tends to further Satan's lie. It has led millions of persons into fearful dealings with demons who pose as the souls of the dead..."1 'The charge that the doctrine of the soul is an unscriptural lie of Satan is significant, because the doctrine is central to Christian soteriology and eschatology. Is the Watchtower Society right? And, if there is no immortal soul, what would be the future of humanity? 'What Happens to Us When We Die? 'The Society attempts to answer the second of the above questions in their new booklet, What Happens to Us When We Die (henceforth referred to as What Happens)? The Society explains, "The word 'soul' as used in the Bible refers to a person or an animal or to the life that a person or an animal enjoys."2 Because the soul is simply life of a being, the soul ceases to exist after death.3 The majority of faithful Jehovah's Witnesses, however, will be resurrected after Armageddon; they will then be given a soul, or life, that exactly duplicates their personality in a new body that will live forever on earth.4 Only 144,000 Jehovah's Witnesses will go to heaven.5 'What Happens attempts to refute the doctrine of the soul using two approaches: historic and hermeneutic. ( . . . ) 'The Hermeneutic Argument 'The Society's hermeneutic argument against the doctrine of the soul constitutes its most significant challenge to orthodox Christianity. The Society, through an analysis of the Hebrew word ne'phesh and the Greek word psy khe' in selective biblical passages, attempts to prove that the Bible does not teach that humans have an immortal soul. 'An example of the Society's argument using the Old Testament is Genesis 2:7, which states, "And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul [ne'phesh]." The Society comments, "Note that Adam did not have a soul; he was a soul - just as someone who becomes a doctor is a doctor. The word 'soul,' then, can describe a whole person."8 The booklet then cites the use of ne'phesh in Leviticus 5:1 and 22:30, Deuteronomy 24:7, Judges 16:16, and Job 19:2 to show that "there is no indication in these passages that the soul is some shadowy entity that lives on after death."9 As this article will later show, however, these passages do not disprove that the soul is immortal. 'The Society uses a similar argument with the word psy khe' in the New Testament. Quoting Acts 2:43 ("And fear came upon every soul"), John 12:27, Romans 13:1, 1 Thessalonians 5:14, and 1 Peter 3:20, What Happens claims that the word psy khe', like ne'phesh, refers to the whole person.10 Interestingly, the Society makes a critical mistake in its attempt to use an outside source as proof for its interpretation. The booklet quotes Nigel Turner as saying that psy khe' "signifies what is characteristically God's ruah [spirit] breathed into it…The emphasis is on the whole self."11 That the Society is using Turner out of context can be seen from his using the word ruah, the Hebrew word for spirit. If Turner were addressing the New Testament presentation of God breathing His Spirit into a soul, he would have used the Greek word pneuma for Spirit (terms used by the Society elsewhere in the booklet12). Excluding this obvious error, the numerous New Testament comments on the afterlife easily disprove the Society's teaching. 'The Society uses a similar hermeneutic strategy to prove that, since the soul is merely a person's life, the soul is extinguished at death. A particularly notable example, one which also exemplifies the errors in the Watchtower's New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures, is the booklet's analysis of Mark 3:4. The NWT quotes Jesus as asking, "Is it lawful on the sabbath to do a good deed or to do a bad deed, to save or to kill a soul?" The Society concludes, "The death of the soul simply means the death of the person."13 The problem is that the word soul (psy khe') does not appear in this verse. Instead, Jesus asks whether it is permissible to save or take a life (psuche). Psuche, which literally means "breath," is different from the Greek words for the immortal soul (psy khe') or for the vitality of life (zoe). The Society has deliberately inserted a different word into its Bible in order to support its doctrine.' [To read the footnotes, go to (www.watchman.org/jw/jwsoul.htm#1)] |
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493 | Getting the verdict before the judgment? | Bible general Archive 1 | Radioman2 | 84228 | ||
Satan's lie? "[Most churches] hold to the unscriptural doctrine that man has an immortal soul. 'Is that teaching so bad?' some may wonder. Do not forget that Satan's first lie was that sin would not bring death…the teaching that man has an immortal soul tends to further Satan's lie. It has led millions of persons into fearful dealings with demons who pose as the souls of the dead. And the doctrine makes the Bible truth about a coming resurrection meaningless". Who says so? The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, that's who (Happiness - How to Find It, Brooklyn, NY: The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, 1980, p. 171). Who says so? Jehovah's Witnesses do, but I do not. |
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494 | Getting the verdict before the judgment? | Bible general Archive 1 | Radioman2 | 84216 | ||
Mathew: [Thank you for your reply. I respect your right to your understanding of this subject. Following is further explanation of my understanding of it. I want you to know that I do appreciate your input. --Radioman2] In your reply you write: "You started out saying that the body is made of three parts." No, I didn't. What I said is: "Man is made up of three parts: Spirit, Soul and Body." "Man" -- not "body" -- is made up of three parts. 'When the Soul Leaves the Body, the Body Sleeps 'The term "sleep" is never applied to the soul or the spirit, but only the body. The soul and the spirit continue to exist after death. The body "sleeps" and goes back to dust. The following verses refer to the state of the body's death as sleep: 'Matthew 9:24 "He began to say, 'Depart; for the girl has not died, but is asleep.' And they were laughing at Him." John 11:11 "This He said, and after that He said to them, 'Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I go, that I may awaken him out of sleep.'"Acts 7:59-60 "And they went on stoning Stephen as he called upon the Lord and said, 'Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!' And falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, 'Lord do not hold this sin against them!' And having said this, he fell asleep." Acts 13:36 "For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation fell asleep, and was laid among his fathers, and underwent decay." 1 Thessalonians 4:14 "For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus." 'Man's Soul and Man's Spirit are More than Breath '1 Samuel 18:1 "Now it came about when he had finished speaking to Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as himself." '2 Samuel 5:8 "And David said on that day, 'Whoever would strike the Jebusites, let him reach the lame and the blind, who are hated by David's soul, through the water tunnel.' Therefore they say, the blind or the lame shall not come into the house." 'Mark 14:34 "And He said to them, 'My soul is deeply grieved to the point of death; remain here and keep watch.'" 'Psalm 107:26 "They rose up to the heavens, they went down to the depth; their souls melted away in their misery." 'Luke 2:35 " . . . and a sword will pierce even your own soul to the end that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed." 'Man's Spirit is what is Regenerated 'John 3:6-7 "That which is born of flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.'" 'God Works Through Man's Spirit 'Proverbs 20:27 "The spirit of man is the lamp of the Lord, searching all the innermost parts of his being."' (http://www.sdaoutreach.org/dead.html) |
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495 | Please explain Revelation 14:12 ? | Rev 14:1 | Radioman2 | 84212 | ||
"There is no textual basis to support those who claim that the 144,000 are any entity other than physical descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. To spiritualize the 144,000 into a Christian group violates the plain sense of the text." - - - - - - - - - - - - - Norrie: In reference to Revelation 7:4-8, you write: 'Are they spiritual Jews which keep the Law of God (which is spiritual) (see the reference to the 144,000 being from every tribe of Israel--Revelation 7:1-10)? i.e., the 144,000 represent the Christian church at the end of time, since they believe in Christ, which is made up of both Jews and Gentiles.' Consider the following. 'Revelation 7:4-8 And I heard the number of those who were sealed, (2) one hundred and forty-four thousand sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel: from Judah, twelve thousand were sealed, from the tribe of Reuben… Gad… Asher… Naphtali… Manasseh… Simeon… Levi… Issachar… Zebulun… Joseph… Benjamin, twelve thousand were sealed. '2. One hundred and forty-four thousand - this number has received great consideration. Speculations abound. It is sad that commentators do not take this number literally. To denominate the number by 12,000 adds to the literal nature of this figure. We are not told why 12, 000 are chosen, but that twelve thousand are chosen is clear. 'There is no textual basis to support those who claim that the 144,000 are any entity other than physical descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. To spiritualize the 144,000 into a Christian group violates the plain sense of the text. John gives the reader every detail necessary to correctly identify this group. The critical phrase "from every tribe of the sons of Israel" should settle any debate about their identity. This phrase always refers to physical descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Out of six hundred and thirty-five occurrences of this phrase throughout the Scriptures, Revelation 7:4 would be the only exception. There is no compelling reason to spiritualize away the literal sense. Every tribe of the sons of Israel has solid biblical support as a referent of Jews only.' (www.revelationcommentary.org/07_chapter.html) |
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496 | Unification Just For Unity's Sake? | 2 Tim 4:3 | Radioman2 | 84082 | ||
Unification Just For Unity's Sake? "Why are you dividing the Body this way? Why are you attacking Christians? These people love the Lord." [This is a question that, in various forms, I have repeatedly been asked, especially when I dare to question the teachings of certain TV preachers and others who "end up teaching things that are a bit bizarre and weird." --Radioman2] - - - - - - - - - - - - - 'I'm deeply concerned about any rush to unification just for unity's sake.' - - - - - - - - - - - - - "Christian:" A Sound or a Word? by Gregory Koukl 'I think the medium of TV lends itself to excess, such that people who are not well trained in theology can be launched into positions of high influence and authority, and end up teaching things that are a bit bizarre and weird. When that happens I take exception and try to be a defender of the truth, as I understand it. But then people call in and say, "Why are you dividing the Body this way? Why are you attacking Christians? These people love the Lord." 'If you've been around for a while and understand the issue of tactics here--especially the suicide tactic-- you notice that this objection immediately defeats itself because this person is calling me on the air and publicly telling me that I am wrong for speaking on the air about other people who are wrong. In other words, they are accusing me of doing the very thing that they are in the process of doing. It doesn't bother me because I don't think there is anything wrong with that, per se. But their whole point is that I'm so divisive. Why don't we stay unified? After all, we're all Christians. We all love Jesus--as if there is something magical about this sound "Christian," or this sound, "love Jesus," such that those who have a commitment to the sound should therefore not have any meaningful differences between them. 'My view is that "Christian" is not a sound, it's a word. And the phrase "loving Jesus" is not two sounds, it is two words. The difference between a sound and a word is that a sound is a noise and a word means something. It has particular and peculiar content. 'I would be the first to agree that sometimes we major in the minors. Christians get all hot and bothered about minuscule theological issues, and Paul himself says don't fuss about it; don't waste your time with the silly things. I think one characteristic of an ill-educated church is that they create a tempest in a teapot. They fuss over the things that mean very little and they ignore the things that are really critical. 'What's the difference? If you know anything about church history, you know the difference. It is easy for someone to say, "Koukl, you think that what's important to you is really critical, and the rest is insignificant. Well, maybe you're wrong." 'Well, maybe I am wrong, but I'm trying to line up my understanding of what is critical with what the church has characteristically lined itself up with over the last 2000 years. I'm trying to maintain a historical perspective and not simply play my own evangelical joy-toy, my own hobby horse. A historical perspective will help protect you from doing that. 'I'm deeply concerned about any rush to unification just for unity's sake. This is the problem with the World Council of Churches. Their idea is, "Let's just ignore our differences and get together." But any love that is not based on truth--as a teacher of mine once said--is not love, but adultery. 'I want you to think carefully about this for a minute. It really hinges on the distinction between the sound and the word. 'I might ask you then, "What unites us?" And you say, "We all love Jesus. That's really what is important here. Not all those little theological minutiae." My response is going to be, "Why do you want to be so divisive?" You'll say, "What do you mean?" I say, "Why would you exclude all these people who call themselves Christians, but who don't feel about Jesus the way you do? In other words, they don't 'love Jesus.' Why do you want to impose this doctrinal standard of 'loving Jesus' on them? That's very divisive. You probably want to start your own denomination of people who are the 'Love Jesus' denomination, excluding all those who don't love Jesus."' ____________________ "Christian:" A Sound or a Word? by Gregory Koukl This post is an excerpt from the above commentary. To read more go to: (http://www.str.org/free/commentaries/index.htm). On 5-15-2003 *only*, you can go to (http://www.str.org/cgi-bin/daily_commentary.pl). |
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497 | He has been here all the time! | Ps 46:2 | Radioman2 | 84041 | ||
The Reality of the Presence of God ------------- "not the consciousness of God's presence but the reality of it" ------------- 'When we are in an unhealthy condition either physically or emotionally, we always look for thrills in life. In our physical life this leads to our efforts to counterfeit the work of the Holy Spirit; in our emotional life it leads to obsessions and to the destruction of our morality; and in our spiritual life, if we insist on pursuing only thrills, on mounting up "with wings like eagles" ( Isaiah 40:31 ), it will result in the destruction of our spirituality. 'Having the reality of God’s presence is not dependent on our being in a particular circumstance or place, but is only dependent on our determination to keep the Lord before us continually. Our problems arise when we refuse to place our trust in the reality of His presence. The experience the psalmist speaks of—"We will not fear, even though . . ." ( Psalm 46:2 )— will be ours once we are grounded on the truth of the reality of God’s presence, not just a simple awareness of it, but an understanding of the reality of it. Then we will exclaim, "He has been here all the time!"' (www.gospelcom.net/rbc/utmost/devo/07-20.shtml) |
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498 | Is there no place for romance in Heaven? | 2 Cor 5:8 | Radioman2 | 83998 | ||
AMPLIFIED Deuteronomy 29:29 The secret things belong unto the Lord our God, but the things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all of the words of this law. AMPLIFIED Isaiah 55:8 For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, says the Lord. NIV 1 Corinthians 2:9-10 However, as it is written: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him" -- but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. AMPLIFIED 1 Corinthians 2:14 But the natural, nonspiritual man does not accept or welcome or admit into his heart the gifts and teachings and revelations of the Spirit of God, for they are folly (meaningless nonsense) to him; and he is incapable of knowing them [of progressively recognizing, understanding, and becoming better acquainted with them] because they are spiritually discerned and estimated and appreciated. |
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499 | Please explain Revelation 14:12 ? | Rev 14:1 | Radioman2 | 83997 | ||
Norrie: For help in understanding the details of the book of Revelation, I recommend the following website: (www.revelationcommentary.org/) Grace and peace, Radioman2 |
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500 | Reading Between the "Lions" | John 11:35 | Radioman2 | 83923 | ||
Basic guidelines toward readable writing. [Hank: I agree with you completely. I have provided some very basic guidelines to help us improve our writing.] In standard English: 1. Every sentence has a subject (noun) and a predicate (the part of a sentence or clause that expresses what is said of the subject and that usually consists of a verb with or without objects, complements, or adverbial modifiers). 2. Every sentence begins with a capital letter and ends with a period, question mark, or exclamation point. Sentences are separated from one another by the use of punctuation (a period, etc.) at the end of each sentence. 2a. Learn to use commas when and where they are needed. Basically, if you list a series of things (nouns or verbs) within a sentence, separate them from one another by the use of commas. 3. If you are new to the art of readable writing, you may wish to focus on one-subject-to-a-sentence sentences and then end the sentence and start a new one. Avoid complex or compound sentences. 3a. Avoid run-on sentences. 4. Page-long paragraphs are not recommended. After a few sentences, when you begin a new thought, then begin a new paragraph. 5. Make sure that every preposition has an object. 6. If you are unsure of the meaning or spelling of a word, look it up in the dictionary. (At least use a spell checker, if you have one.) 7. Carefully re-read what you have written before you submit it. 8. Reading your writing aloud will help you to detect awkwardly worded or unclear sentences. 9. Check your writing for spelling, punctuation, and complete sentences and revise where needed. 10. Avoid sentence fragments or incomplete sentences. 11. Don't use a pronoun (he, she, it, etc.) without a clear antecedent nearby (and usually preceding) the pronoun. 12. When the meaning of a pronoun may be ambiguous or unclear, don't use it. Instead use the noun itself. 13. To avoid confusion, when you quote someone else and then comment on what they have said or written, use quotation marks. This helps the reader to know where the quotation ends and your own writing begins. 14. When you post a question, make sure it is complete in itself. Don't use a pronoun in a question unless its antecedent is clear. Don't ask questions about a passage of Scripture without telling us the book, chapter and verse where that Scripture is to be found in the Bible. (If you don't know where it's found, then say so.) If you ask a question regarding a particular person, place or thing, you must name that person, place or thing in the question. Specific questions are more likely to receive specific answers. This is by no means a complete list of tips to make your writing more readable, but adherence to these guidelines will be a good place to start. This list is not intended to make of you a professional writer, but to help you write so that your readers will have a better chance of understanding your meaning. |
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