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 | Jesus' Instruction to Nicodemus | John 3:14 | DocTrinsograce | 173869 | ||
"Many people suppose they already know the simple meaning of John 3:16, and therefore they conclude that no diligent study is required of them to discover the precise teaching of this verse. Needless to say, such an attitude shuts out any further light which they otherwise might obtain on the passage. Yet, if anyone will take a Concordance and read carefully the various passages in which the term 'world' (as a translation of 'kosmos') occurs, he will quickly perceive that to ascertain the precise meaning of, the word 'world' in any given passage is not nearly so easy as is popularly supposed. The word 'kosmos,' and its English equivalent 'world,' is not used with a uniform significance in the New Testament. Very far from it. It is used in quite a number of different ways. Below we will refer to a few passages where this term occurs, suggesting a tentative definition in each case: "'Kosmos' is used of the Universe as a whole: Acts 17: 24 - 'God that made the world and all things therein seeing that He is Lord of heaven and earth.' is used of the Universe as a whole: Acts 17: 24 - 'God that made the world and all things therein seeing that He is Lord of heaven and earth.' "'Kosmos' is used of the earth: John 13:1; Eph. 1:4, etc., etc.- 'When Jesus knew that his hour was come that He should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved His own which were in the world He loved them unto the end.' 'Depart out of this world' signifies, leave this earth. 'According as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world.' This expression signifies, before the earth was founded—compare Job 38:4 etc. "'Kosmos' is used of the world-system: John 12:31 etc. 'Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the Prince of this world be cast out' -- compare Matt. 4:8 and I John 5:19, R. V. "'Kosmos' is used of the whole human race: Rom. 3: 19, etc.—'Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.' "'Kosmos' is used of humanity minus believers: John 15:18; Rom. 3:6 'If the world hate you, ye know that it hated Me before it hated you.' Believers do not 'hate' Christ, so that 'the world' here must signify the world of unbelievers in contrast from believers who love Christ. 'God forbid: for then how shall God judge the world.' Here is another passage where 'the world' cannot mean 'you, me, and everybody,' for believers will not be 'judged' by God, see John 5:24. So that here, too, it must be the world of unbelievers which is in view. is used of humanity minus believers: John 15:18; Rom. 3:6 'If the world hate you, ye know that it hated Me before it hated you.' Believers do not 'hate' Christ, so that 'the world' here must signify the world of unbelievers in contrast from believers who love Christ. 'God forbid: for then how shall God judge the world.' Here is another passage where 'the world' cannot mean 'you, me, and everybody,' for believers will not be 'judged' by God, see John 5:24. So that here, too, it must be the world of unbelievers which is in view. "'Kosmos' is used of Gentiles in contrast from Jews: Rom. 11:12 etc. 'Now if the fall of them (Israel) be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them (Israel) the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their (Israel’s) fulness.' Note how the first clause in italics is defined by the latter clause placed in italics. Here, again, 'the world' cannot signify all humanity for it excludes Israel! "'Kosmos' is used of believers only: John 1:29; 3:16, 17; 6:33; 12;47; I Cor. 4:9; 2 Cor. 5:19. We leave our readers to turn to these passages, asking them to note, carefully, exactly what is said and predicated of 'the world' in each place. is used of believers only: John 1:29; 3:16, 17; 6:33; 12;47; I Cor. 4:9; 2 Cor. 5:19. We leave our readers to turn to these passages, asking them to note, carefully, exactly what is said and predicated of 'the world' in each place." --A. W. Pink [continued] |
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2 | Jesus' Instruction to Nicodemus | John 3:14 | Hank | 173944 | ||
So, it's deja vu time again. Calvinist A. W. Pink has been called on center stage once more, saying the same things he said back during the infamous Calvinism/Arminianism debates that strapped this Forum for weeks on end a couple of years ago. This question of what "world" meant in John 3:16 was debated and debated and debated, as was whether the Bible writers meant "all" when they wrote "all" or whether they meant something quite different. And what did it accomplish? Did one side convince the other of anything? Were minds changed, hearts lifted, or sinners touched by these protracted debates? No, not to anyone's knowledge they were not. So what were the fruits of the skirmishes? Divisiveness among believers and schism in the Forum, the fallout from which cost this Forum a number of excellent users who left it in those days and have never returned. Dear Forum readers, this condition simply must not be allowed to continue unchecked this go around. Debates and pushing doctrinal biases is forbidden on this Forum and offenders will be brought to the attention of the Forum owner, the Lockman Foundation. One sometimes wonders just why some of the plain and forthright statements of Scripture, such as the beloved John 3:16, must be parsed so severely. Could it be because these clear statements must be parsed and tailored to fit a certain theological system, without which parsing and tailoring the Scriptures themselves would repudiate the system? --Hank | ||||||
3 | Jesus' Instruction to Nicodemus | John 3:14 | DocTrinsograce | 173946 | ||
Well, Brother Hank, if you ask what 2 plus 2 is enough times, or loudly enough, some folks think they will get some other answer than 4. Theology is a pretty precise science, so when someone asks the exact same thing that Ocelot said in #173868, it shouldn't surprise us if the same answer pops out. Hank, the prophet Ezekiel didn't have a single convert. You can't count the results of holding fast to God's Word by the lack of fruits. Surely a study of Scripture has taught us the futility of measuring things in such naturally human ways. No, we hold fast because we are commanded to do so! Furthermore, Hank, you shouldn't come down so hard on the Arminians for asking those kinds of questions. That is pretty standard fare for them. It's drilled in from the earliest days of Vacation Bible School. Finally, John 3:16 needs parsing because it is capable of being parsed. The necessity of rightly dividing the Scripture built right down deep into the very core of what sola Scriptura means. It drips forth from the doctrine of the verbal plenary inspiration of Scripture. We should never, ever, fear to dig as deeply as possible into every nook and cranny of the Word. In the end, what we find is that it is even more precious than we thought when we only read it in a superficial way. Ergo: Ask me the same question ten times in a row, I'll answer it the same way each time. Peter said to always be ready with an answer to every man that asks you for a reason of the hope in me. (1) He does not advocate a different answer every time, and (2) they are asking for a reason of the hope in me. My sovereign God is the reason for my hope! Thanks for some interesting comments. In Him, Doc |
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4 | Jesus' Instruction to Nicodemus | John 3:14 | Hank | 173947 | ||
You, Doc, have an uncanny way of saying that your correspondents said something that they, in fact, did not say :-) You are saying that I shouldn't come down so hard on the Arminians for asking "those kinds of questions" -- whatever that may mean. Of course, to deny that I came down hard, or soft, or any other way on the Arminians would only trigger more pointless talk, so I opt to take the nearest exit, fold up my tent, and silently steal away. Such foolish argument doesn't set well with this old Ozark mountaineer. We're kinda partial to saying what we mean and meaning what we say. --Hank | ||||||
5 | Jesus' Instruction to Nicodemus | John 3:14 | DocTrinsograce | 173948 | ||
Sorry, sir... I'm sure that my ability to properly interpert Ozarkese is far under par... and I'm equally certain that your skill with language provides insight into my posts of things that never entered this old mind... So I'll humbly just follow you out the door, meekly in tow. | ||||||