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Results from: Notes Author: charis Ordered by Date |
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Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | What day are we COMMANDED to gather? | Heb 10:25 | charis | 220628 | ||
Steve, And the point I was making was that the early *Christians* in the Bible DID make a habit of gathering on Sunday, Acts 20:7 and I Corinthians 16:2. The other Scriptures only say that *the Jews* gathered in the synagogue on the Sabbath, and Paul went to visit there, not necessarily as his personal time of worship unto the Lord Jesus, but as an opportunity to share Good News with those of his former religion. As to some of the other thoughts about "some" of the early church fathers teaching about gathering on the Jewish Sabbath... well, I take my authority from the Bible, and the earliest saints thought it proper to meet on the first day of the week, the day that the Lord Jesus was resurrected, reflecting a New Covenant of grace, not adhereing to an Old Covenant of stagnant religion. The Bible warns us of the Judaizers. Jesus came not to deny the Old Testament, but to fulfil it, and supercede it with a BETTER covenant. This Gospel message is emminently served by gathering on the universally accepted day of worship, Sunday. To purposely "kick against the goad" or "go against the grain" serves no purpose but to cause division and dissent. Indeed, we are not "legally bound" to worship on ANY day, as EVERY DAY is the day of the Lord!! But infighting and bickering is more counter-productive than any benefit gained from trying to be "perfect" adherents of religious righteousness. Peace to you, my friend, and to all the saints of the forum. in Christ Jesus, charis |
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2 | What day are we COMMANDED to gather? | Heb 10:25 | charis | 220592 | ||
Thanks for the welcome, Steve! About your post, I'm not sure what you mean by "counter" to gathering on the first day for Christians.... every single one of the Scriptures you cite here are when Paul went to the synagogue to persuade the Jews (and sometimes the Greeks seeking God) to know Jesus! These were NOT Christians gathering together to praise the Lord, filled with the Holy Spirit! Therefore, "...it must be Friday... Saturday for some." has nothing to do with us, today. There are many things that Paul did to accomodate the Jews, so that he would have a forum to present his Christian apologetics. These were not meant to be examples of how we should act, but what PAUL was called to do. "All are not apostles, are they...?" 1 Corinthians 12:29 NASB The only reason I can think of for discouraging the saints from gathering is some kind of personal notion, and the only reason I can find for discouraging the saints from gathering on the firat day of the week, Sunday, is a corporate notion. Blessings in Jesus' name! charis |
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3 | Anything wrong with dating? | Bible general Archive 1 | charis | 147890 | ||
Dear PVSpud, Blessings to you in Jesus’ name! I appreciate your comments “from a teenager’s perspective.” It is refreshing to read an intelligent note from young man. I was once a youth, too, and even remember some of the turmoil I went through. I understand you wanting to make the “which came first” argument that trusting parents produces obedient children. The Bible even supports that to some degree… "Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord." Ephesians 6:4 NASB "Fathers, do not exasperate your children, so that they will not lose heart." Colossians 3:21 NASB However… “Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child (see note below); The rod of discipline will remove it far from him. “ Proverbs 22:15 NASB Strong’s - nah'-ar - From H5287; (concretely) a boy (as active), from the age of infancy to adolescence; by implication a servant; also (by interchange of sex), a girl (of similar latitude in age): - babe, boy, child, damsel [from the margin], lad, servant, young (man). And… “Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.” Ephesians 2:3 NASB Please do not label my comments as “condemnation.” I am a shepherd, called to preach and teach the word of God. Your parents may not “Check on you constantly,” but if they aren’t watching you and communicating with you, they are indeed foolish. It seems that you have a rare relationship with your parents, treasure it! As to your ability to discern whether or not you have “problems with satan,” watch out! “Self Diagnostics” does not work that well with computers, and is even worse with people. If you are truly able to enjoy a healthy, non-physical relationship, exploring one another’s hearts in preparation for marriage, you two are very special! But if you think that you can get physically intimate-but-never- too-intimate, and date around until you find the “right” person, you are indeed living in deception. Please note that succumbing to temptation just once can hurt a lot of people! Modern “dating” is not written in the Bible anywhere. In the Lord Jesus, we have friendship, and we have courting. (watch John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara in “The Quite Man,” but PLEASE try to have a less explosive courtship!) Blessings in Christ Jesus, charis |
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4 | Demon-possessed believer? | Luke 4:33 | charis | 124079 | ||
Dear WalkingTalkingBible, Greetings in the name of Jesus! Indeed, it does depend on how we define "demon-possessed." While much of what you said about believing in the lies of the enemy and his minions, you seem to be saying that we CAN be owned by or subject to them. To this I disagree. "Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption." Ephesians 4:30 NASB "In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation--having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of His glory." Ephesians 1:13,14 NASB We are His. Otherwise, we are not His. True, we sometimes (too often!) allow our flesh and emotions lead us in the ways of the old man of sin and death (Romans 6:6 KJV, 2 Corinthians 5:17 KJV), but we are no longer subject to Satan, or possessed by him. To give Satan and demons any more credit than they deserve is faith-robbing. Instead of walking in fear of being "taken over" by demons, and-or saying "the devil made me do it," we should "fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith." (Hebrews 12:1,2 NASB) By the blood of the Lamb, by the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit, and by the cleansing interaction of fellowship in the local church, we are set FREE! The enemy has no claim whatsoever on us. In Christ Jesus, charis |
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5 | Make this Forum a forum | Heb 5:14 | charis | 120557 | ||
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6 | Make this Forum a forum | Heb 5:14 | charis | 120459 | ||
Dear saints, Blessings in Jesus' name! After finding myself rather put out by the attitude that certain subjects were not profitable for forum discussion, among these the sovereignty-free will debate over salvation, I pulled back from active participation for some time. I have devoted myself to study the Bible concerning this very issue, and have come to the following conclusion: Such debate is NOT divisive. The Word of God is divisive, separating spiritual truth and emotionalism; "For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart." Hebrews 4:12 NASB Jesus, the Rock, was divisive, separating the observers of religion from the faithful; "...and, "A STONE OF STUMBLING AND A ROCK OF OFFENSE"; for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this doom they were also appointed." 1 Peter 2:8ff NASB The prophets were divisive, separating the unfaithful majority from the remnant of God; "In the same way then, there has also come to be at the present time a remnant according to God's gracious choice." Romans 11:5ff NASB Discussion concerning repentence, faith toward God, resurrection from the dead, and eternal judgement (aka salvation) IS profitable for Christians. (also about washings and laying on of hands). "Concerning him we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil. Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of instruction about washings and laying on of hands, and the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment." Hebrews 5:11-6:2 NASB The context of this verse speaks of the necessity of good foundations in order to mature in Christ. Those foundations are clearly written. Milk is necessary to grow to the point of being able to digest solid food. Once you lay foundations, you shouldn't have to do it again. So many Christians are ignorant about those things spoken of in vss 6:1,2, yet they are encouraged to ingest huge quantities of "perfection food," i.e. understanding love, the spiritual gifts, the tri-une nature of God, the kingdom of God, etc. It is obvious that every Christian should clearly understand these "foundation stones," and this forum is a perfect venue for clarifying these issues, in order that these babes may indeed find fundemental truth and move on. To assume that "babes in Christ" will be confused by speaking of these things is condescending, and robs young Christians of a perfect opportunity to hear a broader discussion of these important themes. After all, this IS a Study Bible Forum, not a PARCCLPJCE (Politically And Religiously Correct Consortium of Like-minded People of Judeo-Christian Ethic). How many saints attend church for years (lifetimes) without ever knowing what they believe, or what others may believe. Talk about a recipe for close-minded religion and bigotry! I adjure you, brethren, to make this forum a forum. love and peace in Christ Jesus, charis |
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7 | Update User Info | Eph 4:16 | charis | 120434 | ||
Dear saints of the Forum, Greetings in Jesus' name! Just wanted to say that I have updated my User Info. Blessings to one and all... In Christ Jesus, Randy (charis) |
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8 | Blood sacrifices during the Millenium? | Heb 10:12 | charis | 111871 | ||
Dear thelema, No, Jesus, the Christ-Messiah, was not sent to fulfil all the legal criteria for blood sacrifice as prescribed by the Law. He came to fulfil all the graceful criteria of the Messiah as prescribed by the Prophets. No Jew EVER did (or could) fulfill all of the criteria of the Law. This is precisely why the Lord gave us a new covenant based on grace. Btw, this same grace was already being applied to His people in the Old Testament. Otherwise, virtually every saint would have been sentenced to death for their stiff-necked attitude toward God and-or their inability to keep all of the Law. In any case, Jesus was not exactly a "human sacrifice" in the sense you seem to be saying. Especially since He was not offered to Baal. As a matter of fact, your denial of Jesus' atoning blood would also negate the Old Testament references concerning the Messiah. Peace to you in Christ Jesus, charis |
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9 | Is prophecy dead? | Matt 11:13 | charis | 110768 | ||
Dear whyndell, Greetings in Jesus' name! Scriptural support for present day prophecy: "Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith;" Romans 12:6 NASB "Pursue love, yet desire earnestly spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. For one who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God; for no one understands, but in his spirit he speaks mysteries. But one who prophesies speaks to men for edification and exhortation and consolation. One who speaks in a tongue edifies himself; but one who prophesies edifies the church. Now I wish that you all spoke in tongues, but even more that you would prophesy; and greater is one who prophesies than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may receive edifying." 1 Corinthians 14:1-5 NASB "And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers,..." Ephesians 4:11 NASB "Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others pass judgment." 1 Corinthians 14:29 NASB "Do not quench the Spirit; do not despise prophetic utterances. But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil." 1 Thessalonians 5:22 NASB "Do not neglect the spiritual gift within you, which was bestowed on you through prophetic utterance with the laying on of hands by the presbytery." 1 Timothy 4:14 NASB "But all things must be done properly and in an orderly manner." 1 Corinthians 14:40 NASB Truly, the above Scriptures speak also of the necessity of care and responsibility regardng the gifts of the Holy Spirit, but also adjure us to never quench the Spirit. You have named 4 people claiming to be prophets, and could probably name 40 if you tried hard enough. Yet for every 40 you name, there are 400 saints that walk in the gifts of the Spirit with humility and integrity. Your blanket judgement of Pentecostals and Charismatics is nothing less than spiritual bigotry. While I would lean toward agreement that these individuals have abused the gifts bestowed upon them, I cannot accuse them of being "false brethren." This implies they have no relationship with Jesus as Savior, and you have stepped over the boundary separating the correction of Biblical error and accusing the brethren. Tell me, who is now speaking for Satan? My friend, do not fall into the trap of casting accusatory stones, even at charlatans and mountebanks. For stones are curses, and it is unworthy of one saved by grace to pronounce judgement on the hearts of men. Leave that to Christ on His day. Cite error, but refrain from fouling yourself with anger and hatred. "Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus, that in everything you were enriched in Him, in all speech and all knowledge, even as the testimony concerning Christ was confirmed in you, so that you are not lacking in any gift, awaiting eagerly the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ,..." 1 Corinthians 1:3-7 NASB In Christ Jesus, charis |
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10 | Is prophecy dead? | Matt 11:13 | charis | 110716 | ||
Dear whyndell, Blessings from Yokohama in the name of Jesus. No, my friend, the question IS whether or not prophecy is dead. According to the definition set in 1 Corinthians 14:3 (" But one who prophesies speaks to men for edification and exhortation and consolation."NASB), prophecy is very much alive in any healthy church. Does not your church practice these things? Your definition of requires prophets to write the Bible. I am very well aware that the Scriptural canon is closed, but this does not keep God from speaking to His servants through the Holy Spirit today. Every minister of the Gospel is, by definition, required to bring a fresh, Spirit-inspired word of comfort to the afflicted, a word of hope to the lost, and a word of wisdom to the foolish. Otherwise, we are just repeating religious phrases. You judge and condemn an entire (and significant!) segment of the body of Christ, and accuse them of false witness and speaking for Satan. Shame on you. Though there are some in these groups that have sinned, an equal number of non-Pentecostal-Charismatic souls have sinned before God. Bigotry and self-aggrandizement are not characterstics to be proud of. Blessings and peace to you in Christ Jesus, charis |
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11 | Pure joy in Heaven? | Rev 7:9 | charis | 85268 | ||
Dear Freethinker, I would like to add that I pray for you. If you would like to contact me on a more personal basis, my contact address in in my user info. In Christ Jesus, charis |
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12 | Pure joy in Heaven? | Rev 7:9 | charis | 85265 | ||
Dear Freethinker, Greetings in the name of Jesus! Good question! I'm sorry I was away, and it took so long to answer your question. The Word of God clearly states the condition for salvation. "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast." Ephesians 2:8,9 Paul wrote to the church at Thessalonica of 'man of lawlessness' and the lawlessness of men. "...and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved." 2 Thessalonians 2:10 NASB This speaks of those that reject Christ. But the Bible also says that we were all slaves to sin, resulting in death. "And you were dead in your trespasses and sins," Ephesians 2:1 Yet... (Praise the Lord!) "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8 NASB Now, having read your user info, you know all this, right? :-) Here is the answer to your question: I don't know. But I do see evidence that indeed all who are not in Christ are dead in their sin. Is ignorance a loophole? I seriously doubt it. I was an atheist before God apprehended me, and thought I had it all worked out. But the reality of man's sin was made clear to me, and then my own sin. I still pursued all the 'What about..." questions, and finally came to the conclusion that I trust God to be righteous and just! I will not know all the details of His salvation until I meet Him, but I know I will be satisfied. His judgemnts are true. I think the gist of the matter is man's trying to quantify and organize the details of salvation and 'understand' them. This would give us the 'power' of judgement, which is God's sovereign territory. God's wondrous grace is truly amazing, and lawlessness is also a mystery. Satan's rebellion was doomed from the get-go. Vanity and pride continue to deceive. Sadly, even the church still carries the trappings self and sin, but God's mercy is on those who name Him! I will look upon all as lost without Jesus, as in desperate need of Good News. The off-chance that ignorace is acceptable to God is not worth the eternal risk. As to Christians, I regard us all as continuing to need Good News, for this sanctifies us, bringing us even closer to God. My friend, I lean toward a wider grace for the lost than many of my colleagues. I also lean toward a wider grace for the saved! ;-) This does not mean I think all will be saved in the end. No, God is righteous. But my knowledge of God and man leads me to the conclusion that God is more graceful than man! Blessings to you, and faith. May you return to God, and forgive the brethren, and receive the promised forgiveness. Then ask the Lord for a shepherd to give you pasture. In Christ Jesus, charis |
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13 | Faith promise scripture? | 2 Cor 9:7 | charis | 83931 | ||
Dear prayon, O gentle soul, the flak jacket is not for YOU! :-) Btw, after spending time websearching this term, I can only come to the conclusion that it is "marketing speak," i.e. yet another way to "try to milk a milked cow." How many ways can you say 'tithes and offerings?' Apparently a LOT more! One last thought... If we ask God, "How much?," He is faithful to tell us, "This much." If we ask man, "How much?," you can be sure the answer is, "More." Peace and joy in Christ Jesus, charis |
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14 | Holiness 'Missing Link?' | Eph 4:24 | charis | 69699 | ||
Dear Searcher, Greetings in the name of Jesus! Actually, I was thinking more in line with the meaning of the above Scripture, and the Amplified says it well...Godlike, i.e. Christ-like. :-) Kirisuto ga umareta! Christ is born! Peace and joy! In Christ Jesus, charis |
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15 | To wine, or not to wine? | Bible general Archive 1 | charis | 69504 | ||
Dear Ed, Greetings in the name of Jesus! Whoa there, pardner! I am not on your back. You are not obliged to continue the discussion. We are discussing the Bible, and I have endeavored to keep my posts in line with studying and discovering the word of God. Please note that for one claiming to judge no man, you have made it pretty clear that anyone that discusses the Biblical stance on drinking wine on this Bible study forum is 'defending alcohol' and 'causing another to stumble, possible sending them to hell' and even possibly proclaiming a 'lie straight from the pit of hell, greasing a slide of many it will take there.' These sound pretty close to curses to me. I cannot prove that the wine spoken of in Ecclesiastes 9:7 contains alcohol. I can only say that I have not yet found a commentator that propounds wine means non-alcoholic grape juice anywhere in Scripture. I know that there is the possiblity that the word for wine 'could' mean grape juice, but I have yet to find a Bible commentator that uses this interpretation. And I am talking both 'old-fashioned' and 'modern' commentators, not a new 'tolerant, enlightened philosophy.' If anything, the 'old-fashioned' fellows never even considered the prohibition of alcoholic wine. However, every one of the commentators DID say that the Bible warns of the dangers of abuse. I agree wholeheartedly with them. I seriously doubt that any reasonable person could use my posts as a lever for alcohol abuse. An unreasonable person will use anything to further his way, and there is plenty of other more appropriate ammunition available without using my words. My friend and brother, with this I will stop posting to your name. I pray I don't cause you to stumble. In Christ Jesus, charis |
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16 | The foundation of the church | Eph 2:20 | charis | 69493 | ||
Dear Joe! Greetings in the name of Jesus! You wrote: "The only shortcomings I see with your definition of an apostle (a 'shepherd of shepherds,' an encourager of other ministers) is that the mantle of apostle is appealed to as a source of final authority in Scripture:" Brother, if the only shortcomings you see in my definition of present-day apostles are the 'final authority' argument and attaching a revelatory role to the requirement, we have a discussion! ;-) Since there are no clear ministerial 'job descriptions' set forth in the Bible, there is a certain amount of leeway available here. I do not find a clearly Scriptural mandate for some ministries to 'cease' while others continue. Apparently, the most common argument is that the ministry of apostle and prophet are no longer necessary, while evangelists, pastors and teachers (as well as elders and-or deacons, board members, and in some circles youth pastors, music ministers, worship leaders, bishops, and a variety of specialized non-Biblical ministries) remain valid ministries. It seems that this argument 'rests its case' mostly on the veneration of these two exalted ministries. I, too, am in awe of the Biblical apostles and prophets, but not to the point of denying further need for their present-day ministry to the church. My proposal is based on the work of the apostle and prophet, i.e. continuing to do what they did. This would necessitate a definition of 'apostling' and 'prophesying.' There is little proof that every apostle in the Bible was 'with' the Lord, and even Paul considered himself 'born out of time.' Placing some of the other named apostles 'with' Jesus is difficult. The 'authority' argument begins to thin if we accept these other named apostles as bona fide. Not all wrote Scripture, and not all Bible authors are named as apostles. The revelatory role ties in closely with the ministry of prophet. There is no Biblical mandate requiring prophets to write Scripture or bring forth new revelation. A New Testament prophet may simply be fulfilling the words Paul wrote to the church at Corinth: "But one who prophesies speaks to men for edification and exhortation and consolation." 1 Corinthians 14:3 NASB. My point is the same as many Bible commentators; There is little Scriptural evidence to deny the present-day ministry of apostles and prophets, but to assign a comparitively 'minor' status to them. By 'minor,' we do not detract from their validity or purpose, but only clarify their position in comparison to the ministers described in the Bible. One disclaimer: My proposal in no way condones the abuse we see in this day. I abhor the recent rash (pun intended!) of 'apostles' prostituting themselves on the TV and 'Special Guest Circuit' these days. They mock God and the church with deception and sorcery. These are NOT present-day apostles and prophets. In fact, I believe they show why the history of the church doesn't flaunt these two ministries. If they are of God, there is no need to advertise, they will merely fulfil the Biblical description without fanfare. My friend, I very much agree with you about the role of 'illumination.' This ties in well with the above reference, and is coincides well with my proposal. Indeed, we "authoritatively interpret what is already there." Maybe not 'final authority,' but authority from God nonetheless. Blessings and joy to you and yours! In Christ Jesus, charis |
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17 | The foundation of the church | Eph 2:20 | charis | 69411 | ||
Dear Joe! (twice! ;-)) Greetings in the name of Jesus! As you probably already know, I do not have much need for the modern 'capital-A, self-proclaimed, super-Apostle.' Indeed, the Apostles to the Lamb were twelve in number, witnesses and disciples of Christ, and Matthias was chosen to replace Judas Iscariot in Acts 1. Using this reference to set the requirements for all apostles is a bit thin, and there is little evidence that Paul was chosen to replace one of the Twelve. Barnabas, Andronicus, Junias, and James, the Lord's brother are named as apostles. While James may fit your requirements, proving the qualifications of the others is quite difficult. Ephesians 4:11-13 is (at least to me) speaking as if these ministies will continue to the purpose of 'building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith,' which I have yet to see. According to Ephesians, an apostle is a minister to the church, and looking to the clear examples of the Twelve, and the other named apostles, this ministry could very possibly be a present-day ministry. I propose that an apostle is a 'shepherd of shepherds,' an encourager of other ministers. I do not see this as a 'superior' ministry, or one to be flaunted and crowed about. In fact, from the Lord's exhortation (the last shall be first!) and Paul's example, an apostle should be the most humble and least exalted. I have met men that fit this description without the titles or trumpets. Whether they are called apostle or not, they are fulfilling the role portrayed in Scripture. Indeed, I am certain that apostolic ministry has always been in effect, and will be until the return of the Lord. But the true bearers of apostolic mantle will have no need to advertise it, or brandish it like a banner of greatness. Blessings to you, my brother, and 'Kirisuto ga umareta!' (Christ is born!) In Christ Jesus, charis |
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18 | Sorcery justified? | Matt 13:34 | charis | 69407 | ||
Dear Brother John, Greetings in the name of Jesus! I DID enjoy the site! I rather enjoyed the quote from Douglas Jones: "Harry Potter can't be a threat. Wizardry doesn't really work. And if your kids are really tempted to join a coven, then it's not a giant leap to say that you've failed miserably as a parent. Where is the ballast in your childrearing? How could that even be an option?" While I would never promote reading or watching Harry Potter, this makes sense! When I see parents totally absorbed in 'worship' while their children are running around wreaking havoc with no respect for the place and time of worship, I can't help think that this child is being offered up to the world on a platter. "And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." Ephesians 6:4 KJV If you use the sense God gave you to raise up your children in Him, even Harry Potter won't sway them, much less the works of C.S. Lewis or J.R.R. Tolkien! Blessings and Kurisumasu Omedetou! (Merry Christmas!) In Christ Jesus, charis |
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19 | To wine, or not to wine? | Bible general Archive 1 | charis | 69406 | ||
Dear Ed, Greetings in the name of Jesus! My brother, I was not accusing you of saying every thing I wrote in my post! However, doesn't it seem that you imply 'holiness' and drinking wine are mutually exclusive? ;-) "Go then, eat your bread in happiness and drink your wine with a cheerful heart; for God has already approved your works." Ecclesiastes 9:7 NASB. "...for God now accepteth thy works; both the persons of righteous and good men are accepted of God in Christ, and their works done in faith and love, and with a view to his glory; and since they are acceptable in his sight, as appears by his blessing on their labours, and bestowing the good things of life upon them, so it is well pleasing in his sight to make a free and cheerful use of them." John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible. "Let us relish the comforts of life while we live, and cheerfully take our share of the enjoyments of it. Solomon, having been himself ensnared by the abuse of sensitive delights, warns others of the danger, not by a total prohibition of them, but by directing to the sober and moderate use of them; we may use the world, but must not abuse it, take what is to be had out of it, and expect no more." Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible. And referenced in the Jamieson, Fausset and Brown Commentary: "Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart," Acts 2:46 NASB. Why discuss it on a Christian forum? Because Christ did not prohibit wine, and quite possibly consumed some Himself. Any Christian is allowed to chose whether to drink or not, but we are not free to bind others in that which Christ did not bind. My friend and colleague, I pray (and trust!) that my stance on this issue is still considered holy by He that judges the heart of man. Peace and joy to you this wonderful season! In Christ Jesus, charis |
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20 | making wine.Did Jesus make a mistake. | Bible general Archive 1 | charis | 68942 | ||
Dearest Hank, Greetings in the name of Jesus! I, too, have seen what the loss of self-control can do to a faithful man. I do not promote the use of alcoholic beverage. I merely state that it is possible to safely drive a BMW Scarver 650CS (I'm not sure they sell this mototcycle in the States) staying away from adverse conditions and keeping the speed down to a responsible level. Now those afraid of motorcycles want to outlaw them! They can't see a reason in the world to allow two-wheeled vehicles on the road at all. Well, I can! :-) I agree that this thread is dead and becoming acrid. I will refrain from mentioning my opinion on this issue any more. Peace and joy in Christ Jesus, charis |
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