Results 501 - 520 of 562
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Results from: Notes Author: Rowdy Ordered by Verse |
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Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
501 | Called According To HIS Purpose-Ministry | 2 Tim 2:15 | Rowdy | 121654 | ||
I can only respond from my perspective. I've been a Bible student and a christian most all my life, but I must admit I've had to do more Bible studying in these last few months than I had in the previous 5 years. Especiallly tough for me is the controversial issues that plague Christianity. Again, since these issues are real and we all on the Forum believe strong in the Bible, we all gain and continue to learn a great deal. I have a goal of becoming a deacon in the near future and a long range goal of becoming an elder so I find this Forum to be tremendously beneficial to me as a "training ground" and get me some experience as well as the opportunity to grow in confidence and handling God's Word. I'd recommend that you stick with the Forum for similar reasons. I think you'd be benefitted also. But regardless of your decision, God bless in your struggle and growth toward the Lord. --Rowdy |
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502 | StudyBibleForum or MyOpinionForum? | 2 Tim 3:16 | Rowdy | 113885 | ||
With my comment about the recent innovation on chapters and verses, I'm just trying to remind everyone that we really need to study God's Word and like you're saying, that process is a very, very dynamic process. Thanks for the encouragement. I'll try to "clean up my act," study a little harder and try to quote more scriptures. I agree it is a good habit, just tough for me to do. I do love what this Forum represents as I like to think only the best of the best of God's people come here to read and exchange their views. God bless. |
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503 | StudyBibleForum or MyOpinionForum? | 2 Tim 3:16 | Rowdy | 113947 | ||
I really appreciate the overall total sentiment of your message. I agree, I think there's room on the Forum for all of us. That's one of the great benefit of being family or a team. It takes the whole team to cover the field, both in sports and in any endeavor that's worthwhile. I think we all need to appreciate each other. God gave some to be teachers, and some to be prophets...Thanks be to God, he gave some the talent to be good at research, some at memorization and others good at philosophy. Of course I'm leaving several talents out of this picture but you get the idea of what I'm saying. I really need to hush now and just say Thanks. God bless. |
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504 | StudyBibleForum or MyOpinionForum? | 2 Tim 3:16 | Rowdy | 113965 | ||
Ed, I'm going to bow out at least for the moment and let you respond to Hank, IF you wish to. I think Hank knows my position and how I feel about the whole situation. Hank, no hard feelings on my side. I can see and I'm certain you and a lot of others have quite a bit invested in this Forum, and rightly so. It is a great medium through which great minds with a wide spectrum of maturity and knowledge can exchange ideas and build on those discussions. God bless you in this, your ministry to the Lord. |
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505 | Scripture regarding women | Titus 2:4 | Rowdy | 111799 | ||
I think we can infer a lot from Paul's letter: 2 Tim 1:5 I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. 6For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. Paul recognized the tremendous power mothers have over their children. Then there's the example of Hanna and her son Samuel. Another is Ruth and Naomi. God bless. |
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506 | Scripture regarding women | Titus 2:4 | Rowdy | 111831 | ||
Amen, Searcher. This is further endorsed by the old saying: There's no other hand more powerful than the one rocking the cradle. History has proved this to be so true. God bless. | ||||||
507 | Titus 3:5 and washing of regeneration | Titus 3:5 | Rowdy | 132566 | ||
In my opinion, the reason for the splintering of the Lord's church is much like that of "opening of Pandor's box." Once the apostacy happened, which was inevitable as predicted by the Apostles throughout the NT, it was virtually impossible to get the church back to Her Original and Perfect condition as installed by the Holy Spirit in Acts 1-2. This basic "method of operation" for mankind was started long ago starting in the Garden of Eden, after the flood, substituting kings instead of God installed judges on through to Jesus time. The Isrealites rejected the prophets throughout the OT...it's simply not within mankind on the whole to prefer God's guidance on this earth. We see this principle further endorsed by Jesus with words about Judgment in Matt 7:13 "Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. 14 "For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it. We humans are finite; we're physical whereas our God infinite and spiritual. His thoughts and ways are so far above our thoughts and ways, so in our present condition, there's no way the bulk of mankind would ever qualify to be in the presence of God. This alien relationship also applies to the church or anything else started by God. All Creations by God always start off perfectly...it's left up to mankind on earth to mess them up. If this begins to sound like I'm down or slamming human-kind too much, that's because we tend to think too much of ourselves; just look at this growing trend of humanism. But "with God, we can do all things." That's the most important conclusion to draw from all this. I hope this helps and God bless. Rowdy |
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508 | If you never admit when you are wrong... | Titus 3:9 | Rowdy | 133904 | ||
A similar statement in support, you've probably heard it. "Never argue with a fool as pretty soon, it becomes difficult to distinguish between the two." Appreciate your words and God bless. Rowdy |
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509 | What is a repentance from dead works? | Heb 6:1 | Rowdy | 133574 | ||
I just plugged in the words "dead works" into the Search Engine and came up with the following verses. Heb 9:14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? James 2:17 Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself. James 2:26 For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead. It seems James devotes the whole of Chapter 2 of his letter to this topic. Basically, I gather from his discussion that our works must be genuine and of real value both to our fellow man and our God and Father above. What do you think? Good question and God bless. Rowdy |
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510 | What is a repentance from dead works? | Heb 6:1 | Rowdy | 133595 | ||
I like the attitude of your first paragraph. We absolutely MUST not think that ANYTHING we do or say could possibly be more than "filthy rags;" I agree wholeheartedly. HOWEVER that does NOT mean that we can think for a single moment that we get into Heaven without doing them. Our "faith without works is dead" per James 2. So we must reconcile this conundrum by doing the works BUT with a proper attitude as if we were slaves, mere servants to our Lord for that's what we are. He bought and paid for us with His Own Dear and Precious Blood. His was the only thing that could have been used to make such a purchase. So we owe Him everything we are, everything we own and everything we can hope to be or to accomplish. That brings us back to doing good deeds in His name as we're commanded. Col 3:17 Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father. I hope this helps and God bless. Rowdy |
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511 | What is a repentance from dead works? | Heb 6:1 | Rowdy | 133637 | ||
Copied for reference: Matt 25:40 "The King will answer and say to them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.' I'm hoping that I'm assuming correctly here (maybe she'll forgive me if I err): Mommapbs and I were ultimately referring to the attitude, at least I know I was. I would further clarify with one of Jesus parables below. Luke 18:9 And He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt: 10 "Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 "The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: 'God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 'I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.' 13 "But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me, the sinner!' 14 "I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted." We can do all the good we could possibly cram into our lives but if we do it with anything else but with the most humble attitude, it won't count for anything. When we actually do/say everything in the name of the Lord as commanded, then we can be assured we on the right path (straight and narrow) headed in the right direction. Paul also talks about this in 1 Cor 13. I hope this makes it a little more clear. God bless. Rowdy |
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512 | What is a repentance from dead works? | Heb 6:1 | Rowdy | 133639 | ||
I think I can agree with some of what you're saying. Please read on. "So, we mustn't think that we need our filthy rags, but we do in fact need them? What does God need our filthy rags for? :-)" In this situation, God DOESN'T need them. He has no needs whatsoever for He's God BUT we NEED to do them for our benefit. You might say it's beneficial to us in the same manner as our prayers. Here again, God doesn't need our prayers as He knows our needs AND our wants before we do. BUT we're commanded to "pray without ceasing." In both cases our prayers and our works of faith help us keep our focus on God just like Peter discovered while walking on water. "Eph. 2:8-9 doesn't say that we are saved by works done in the proper attitude." James 2 on the other hand does make it clear that "faith without works is dead" and thus worthless to both us and to God. "Nor does James 2 talk about works done with a proper attidute. The individuals in James 2 were claiming to have faith and did not need to demonstrate any works. James was showing them that real faith 'works', thus they did not have real faith. "Thus, 'works' are the result and evidence of faith, not the basis of salvation." This is the only item with which I can agree in part. Yes indeed our works should be thought of by us as being proof of our faith. But notice the reverse is also true. If we have no works to look back on how can we say we have true and genuine faith for the devil himself believes in God and yet continues to disobey? If we can't lay claim to ANY acts of obedience, how can we claim to love God or our fellow man? So, yes, I agree with you, works is most certainly NOT the basis of salvation as the ONLY foundation for salvation MUST be Jesus Christ, He alone and the Grace of God, His Father and ours. I guess you might compare this Grace and our works as a marriage. One can't be married to another human being WITHOUT accepting the idea that there may come some days of trial and difficulties but the couple stays married regardless for that's God's Will. In the same way, when we become children of God, that automatically means we agree to bear the costs as Christ suggests in his parable AND we MUST bear our own cross of submission to His Will as he commanded. We can't have one (Grace) on the one hand and NOT have the other (acts of obedience). God DEMANDS real and genuine faith and I'm afraid He's going to be looking for our proofs of that faith on Judgment Day. How do you anticipate that God is going to distinguish between christians and other sinners on the Day? I hope this helps to clarify. God bless. Rowdy |
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513 | What is a repentance from dead works? | Heb 6:1 | Rowdy | 133664 | ||
Yes, I agree with this and all the other verses but getting to the rub, "where the rubber meets the road," how will this be done? In other words, in strict compliance with this verse and all the others, the devil himself is going to Heaven. How will God distinguish and keep him along with all his followers out of Heaven? Please advise and God bless. Rowdy |
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514 | What is a repentance from dead works? | Heb 6:1 | Rowdy | 133680 | ||
If they're done in His name with a humble attitude, I'd think these kind of acts would be pleasing to Him. Don't you think so? But He is the ultimate Judge, our opinions don't really count for much in the final analysis, on Judgment Day. Tell me what you think. God bless. Rowdy |
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515 | Are we too dull to understand the Bible? | Heb 6:1 | Rowdy | 133681 | ||
I keep responding to your posts but you don't seem willing to respond completely to mine. Why do not respond to all the points in my posts since they're also supported with scripture? Still looking...God bless. Rowdy |
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516 | How does God determine the difference? | Heb 6:1 | Rowdy | 133757 | ||
Just one more troublesome post from your favorite pest. I thought I'd throw this into the discussion and would be interested in your response. Copied for reference Matt 25:31 "But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. 32 "All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; 33 and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left. 34 "Then the King will say to those on His right, 'Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 'For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; 36 naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.' 37 "Then the righteous will answer Him, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? 38 'And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? 39 'When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?' 40 "The King will answer and say to them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.' 41 "Then He will also say to those on His left, 'Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; 42 for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; 43 I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.' 44 "Then they themselves also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of You?' 45 "Then He will answer them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.' 46 "These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." Since we're all going to be able to go to Heaven based only on our belief as you've stated, how does this square with Jesus' teaching above? I await your response. Thanks for your patience and God bless. Rowdy |
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517 | Inmature babes unskilled in righteusness | Heb 6:4 | Rowdy | 109057 | ||
I must admit, this scripture, Heb 6:4 has always been perplexing to me as a christian but it does seem to go counter to the guidance given by Peter in 2 Pet 2, as follows: 19They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity--for a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him. 20If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning. 21It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them. 22Of them the proverbs are true: "A dog returns to its vomit," and, "A sow that is washed goes back to her wallowing in the mud." Again, I need to emphasize I'm fuzzy on the correct interpretation of Heb 6:4 and will ask Jesus when I get to Heaven but I gotta say that Peter's words are very plain and simple and very graphic. I don't see how these words could be confused so I'll let them speak for themselves. Two small items I would offer to those reading. When you're considering where you're going to be spending eternity, would you rather be absolutely certain of your membership in God's family or would you like to take a chance on the fuzzy interpretation of a somewhat questionable scripture, written by one of the most advanced minds whoever lived. Look again at 1 Cor 9:27 and remember it was most probably written by the same author as Hebrews. |
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518 | THE IMPORTANT OF THE BLOOD | Heb 9:22 | Rowdy | 121540 | ||
Even the wife of Moses recognized our God is a bloody God and saw how important it was to Him and her husband: Ex 4:25 Then Zipporah took a flint and cut off her son's foreskin and threw it at Moses' feet, and she said, "You are indeed a bridegroom of blood to me." 26 So He let him alone. At that time she said, "You are a bridegroom of blood"--because of the circumcision. Yes, even from the very beginning with Abel's sacrifice of worship over that of his brother, Cain, we see the power in recognizing the importance of blood to God. God knows without blood, man doesn't really get serious about making a true commitment. That's why it's so important to come into contact with His Son's blood. Eph 1:7 In Him we have redemption (deliverance and salvation) through His blood, the remission (forgiveness) of our offenses (shortcomings and trespasses), in accordance with the riches and the generosity of His gracious favor, Col 1:14 In Whom we have our redemption through His blood, [which means] the forgiveness of our sins. God bless. --Rowdy |
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519 | Are unbelievers in any way "saved"? | Heb 11:1 | Rowdy | 118408 | ||
I would submit this post only in an effort to give this thread the balance as given by God's Word. Paul gives this guidance to the Romans which is also applicable to the modern world: Rom 2:12 All who have sinned without the Law will also perish without [regard to] the Law, and all who have sinned under the Law will be judged and condemned by the Law. So for those in the world that have heard God's Word, they are most emphatically held to that standard as you've stated so powerfully. But there's no way anyone can possibly defend a position that God would actually condemn someone based on a standard of judgment that the person had never heard. BUT that DOESN'T mean that those folks will be treated to an easy judgment. All human beings do have the image of God with which we're all created and that's the standard which will be used by God to determine whether they go to heaven or not. This is discussed briefly in 1 Pet 3:21. God bless. --Rowdy |
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520 | Are unbelievers in any way "saved"? | Heb 11:1 | Rowdy | 118442 | ||
Dear BradK, I started to reply right away but I think I really need to restrain myself and allow some other Forum participants to "weigh in" on this topic. But if you really insist on seeing my mindset, you can bring up some of my other posts that are somewhat related. Believe it or not, in spite of what my Forum nickname might suggest or what anyone might infer from my posts, I'm not one prone to fighting with words or to engage in debates. I do think the Lord enjoys a good debate as I've stated elsewhere but I'm not good enough with His Word to participate in that art. I would like to do more study and homework and get back to you. Meanwhile, keep studying, dear friend and keep praying. I know I will. God bless. --Rowdy |
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