Results 1 - 5 of 5
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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Do all little ones believe? | Matt 18:6 | charis | 66909 | ||
Dear Cyclist, Greetings in the name of Jesus! No pain intended, but perhaps a mild rebuke. ;-) My friend, this is not an 'elite' forum. Last I counted, we have no 'Gakusha-sama' or 'Parisai-bito' (Scribes or Pharisees). Just folks with a variety of gifts and callings, and a love for the Bible. Any and all questions, answers, notes, ideas and opinions and answers are considered worthy, within the guidelines set by our hosts, and common courtesy and respect. You have met all necessary criteria, so be bold! I, too, am a layperson. Though called to shepherd a flock of his sheep, I am but one organ in His body. "For also the body is not one member, but many." 1 Corinthians 12:14 NASB. read through... "But zealously strive after the better gifts. And yet I show you a way according to excellence:" 1 Corinthians 12:31 NASB. My fellow forumer, zealously strive for more! If you make a mistake, you may be embarrassed, but you will learn. But you will learn little but prejudice if you wait until all things are settled in your mind. I, for one, look forward to your answers and notes. I'm also interested to know if anything I posted had a positive effect! I hope that's not being selfish? ;-) Ride on, Cyclist! In Christ Jesus, charis |
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2 | Do all little ones believe? | Matt 18:6 | Cyclist | 66966 | ||
Charis, I will clap my hands and make a joyous noise to the Lord! I will sng to the Lord with a joyful voice! I will give joyful thanksgiving to Jesus Christ for dying for my sins! Praise the name of the Lord! I plead with you dear forum members, bear with me, this is a long post. First of all Charis, thank you for the mild rebuke. I have received correction from the Lord, hopefully as a good son. I simply cannot participate in this forum that means so much to me as a young boy who tosses a firecracker in the midst of a crowd, and then, stands back watching for the calamity it may have created. Second, thanks to you who participated in this thread with charis and myself(cwade, rextar, Tim Moran, jlpangilinam, One) and, mbooker for your prayers for our dear brother in Christ Tim Moran. Third, before I share with you the conclusion that come to or my "opinion", let me say that I have prayerfully chosen these words, for three reasons. One, we are studying and discussing the word of the Almighty Lord GOD. Second, I must say that if I, even unintentionally, stepped out of the guidelines of this forum and be asked to leave, that I would weep bitterly for days. Third, I do not like to waste other member's time, nor space on this forum, with any of my possibly empty or vain words. Well, finally, to the point! I will start with this verse: Rom 11:34 For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, OR WHO BECAME HIS COUNSELOR? So then Charis I am as you and others are in understanding His ways. The original question "Do all little ones believe?" was from Matt chapter 18. From the commentaries that you posted, I can see that the majority of the commentators agree that Jesus was using the child as an example for hose who believe in Him. With this I agree. But as is always the case here on the forum, we(I) switched gears and started discussing the salvation of infants/babies. I'm not complaining, just stating a fact. I have this to say about the salvation of infants/babies. Mark 2:17 And hearing this, Jesus *said to them, "It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners." I don't read anything in any of the four gospels where Jesus spent time specifically instructing children or infants/babies to repent. The only "children" accounts we read are those where Jesus healed them, raised them from the dead, cast demons out of them, blessed them, and let them come to him when the adults tried to forbid them. Where the children in need of the one true great physician? I would think that if children were in need of the physician, instead of reading that Jesus spent time with publicans and sinners, we would be reading that Jesus was at the orphanages or the children work camps. The other thing that we read about children is this: Matt 21:15 But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that He had done, and the children who were shouting in the temple, "Hosanna to the Son of David," they became indignant Matt 21:16 and said to Him, "Do You hear what these children are saying?" And Jesus *said to them, "Yes; have you never read, 'OUT OF THE MOUTH OF INFANTS AND NURSING BABIES YOU HAVE PREPARED PRAISE FOR YOURSELF'?" Were these children of the believers only? or were there children of the unbelievers praising the King of kings? We (I) simply do not know. This post is getting long enough, so here is just one more thing. John 20:21 So Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you." John 20:22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them and *said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. 20:23 "If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained." So does this mean that if I being a believer in Christ, redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, and filled with the Holy Spirit, that I, may forgive the sins of a baby/infant or child and their sins are forgiven since I've read in the postings on this thread that all are born into sin? (continued in the next post) |
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3 | Do all little ones believe? | Matt 18:6 | Cyclist | 66967 | ||
(continued from previous post) And, forgive me, just one more thing. I'm sure this one has been posted before when discussing this subject. James 4:17 Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin. Does a baby/infant know what sin is before they are taught? Finally brother charis, I am not speaking directly to you. I read in one of your posts that you do not believe that all babies/infants are in hell but there is no scriptural eveidence that says that they are all in heaven. Agreed. 2 Tim 2:19 Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal, "The Lord knows those who are His," and, "Everyone who names the name of the Lord is to abstain from wickedness." You also suggested that I be bold. I will boldly post this: John 3:30 "He must increase, but I must decrease" Thanks again charis! Always your brother in Christ Jesus, Cyclist I will bless the Lord at all times! His praise shall continually be in my mouth! |
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4 | Do all little ones believe? | Matt 18:6 | Robert Nicholson | 66970 | ||
Dear brother Cyclist: Your joyful attitude before the Lord is a blessing to all. As I was reading the posts on this subject I was reminded by brother Ray of the words of the Lord Jesus: "Luke 12:23, "For life is more than food, and the body than clothing. Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, and they have no sotreroom nor barn; and yet God/ feeds them; HOW MUCH MORE valuable you are than the birds."...v.27, "Consider the lilies, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; but I tell you..." It is in these words we see the tender heart of our heavenly Father. He cares far more than we can comprehend and I believe that by faith we can leave our infant children in his care. It is clear in 2 Thess. 1:8 that the judgment of God is against those who obey not the gospel of Christ. When we consider young children and those who are not mentally competent I think that we must realize that they are individual souls which are precious in God's sight. In 2 Tim. 2:15 we read Paul's words to Timothy "That from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus" As parents we know our responsiblity is to follow the example of Timothy's mother and grandmother who taught him God's word which eventually resulted in his salvation. I won't side track too much. However, when such difficult discussions regarding judgment of people who fall into a so called gray area, I often think of the words of Abraham as he looked over Sodom and intercedes on their behalf: "shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" Gen. 18:25b. Your brother in Christ Robert |
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5 | Do all little ones believe? | Matt 18:6 | Cyclist | 66975 | ||
Brother Robert, The Lord our God fills my heart with joy and laughter the day long! I will praise Him from the rising of the time I get until the time I lay down to sleep! Thanks for the kind words brother! I must apologize though. I reread my post(s) and noticed some misuse of words and some words left out. I submitted the post from my office and was in somewhat of hurry. Just to share something personal about babies/infants and small children. There is such a strong burden in my heart for them that I lay awake sometimes weeping and praying for them. Don't get me wrong, I am very thankful for this burden because I consider it a gift from the Lord and I am filled with joy just to know that. Just the other night I was walking in the parking lot at the local store and saw a man sitting in his car. He was turned to the child in the back seat pointing his finger in the child's face and he was yelling at the child. In addition, he had a very mean look on his face. This child was a toddler, in a toddlers car seat, about 3 years old I'd guess. I really had to struggle to stay in the spirit of the Lord. You see, I am a black belt in karate and in very good shape and I know what I am capable of if I should loose control in the flesh. I don't say that to brag, just letting you know that it wouldn't pretty, that it is certainly not in the spririt of the Lord Jesus Christ, and I don't want it to happen. How would that man like to have a GIANT point a finger in his face yelling and threatening him! Well anyway, I prayed to the Lord immediately and hung around for a while and the man stopped, then the mother came out and all was calm. I layed awake praying for this little one for over an hour that night. Well Robert, thanks for letting me unload that. I will not make a habit of sharing personal experiences on the forum. Always your brother in Christ, Cyclist I will bless the Lord at all times! His praise shall continually be in my mouth! |
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