Results 1 - 7 of 7
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Results from: Answers On or After: Thu 12/31/70 Author: CarlosDF Ordered by Date |
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Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Why Holy | 1 Cor 12:11 | CarlosDF | 204197 | ||
Ah, you have alighted upon one of the wrestlings in my own heart. Every good gift is from above. And for certain good gifts are for the edification of the saints. If our walk is dedicated to the body, even our lives will be given by Him as gifts. Yet I want it, to be useful to God, so badly that frustration can result, indicating a lack of maturity and transformation. The gifts are for the body, not for my satisfaction. As to tongues, which in the case of 'tongue of angels' as opposed to unknown foreign language, a topic with sides for sure, is it not for the one whom it is given? By faith we speak, and confounding the natural mind at that, leading to transformation. I do not believe God holds back such tools, whether by speaking or another act of faith. Yet it is the exercise of faith that strengthens. He will provide ways to exercise faith for certain. One simply asks in faith, yes? Now, the fire is a wonderful thing! In Psalm 39:3, there is such a picture! The mind is thinking, the heart is burning, then does he speak. In the room during Pentecost, when tongues of fire were there, was there anyone in the room on whom it did not alight? But does not the fire burn in your own heart? And if one were looking from before the throne, would they not see that fire? The Spirit descended upon the Lord like a dove. Nothing in His soul, his life, his very body, was impure. There was nothing to burn. Yet everytime we come into contact with the Spirit... John (baptist) said He will baptize you in the Spirit and in fire. I don't believe anyone can walk an inch with the Lord without some fire. And keep close to your heart Psalm 84:11, we walk uprightly in Christ, by His life, no good thing is withheld Him. I love the question, "Why Holy?" Blessings |
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2 | Baptized into his death | Rom 6:3 | CarlosDF | 204064 | ||
I believe Paul, in this concept of "baptized unto His death", is closely explaining the participation we have by faith in the singular accomplishment of Christ. As later on in the same section (Rom 6:10,11) He "... died unto sin once..." then we should "reckon yourselves dead unto sin..." I believe that there is a transformation within, from the faith given you by God, in the public submission and proclamation of your association with the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, i.e. the water baptism. Yet previously, faith and salvation came from God in that "moment you first believed", and that faith began to grow. Part of this growth is the experiential process as Paul states, of considering yourself dead to sin, and walking in that. This reckoning comes from a transformed mind, in which sin has no value, a mind not in 'bondage' to sin. So we may be baptized in water, as a fruit of our faith, yet the reality is one of lifelong transformation. The death, burial, and resurrection of those natural parts of your soul, such as the mind in the case of this reckoning stated above. What I mean is can you, only once, by one symbolic act, for all the rest of your life, decide to be dead to sin, and walk in that with a perfect mind? We know our hearts, and how much transformation is needed, and I believe Paul perceives that here in the body to which he directs this message. He is speaking the word that becomes reality, when we exercise our faith towards that. Compare carefully the precept revealed in 2 Corinthians 5:14,15, where "... one died for all, therefor all died;" With that, there is a continuation, He died so that we may live unto Him. In fact, a main theme of the whole chapter could be about being baptized unto His death. And the transformation is there as well, in verse 17 where the old things have passed away, and and now are revealed as new. I believe this happens in progressively for us, daily, hourly, with a spirit inside yearning for the complete state. Dying daily in Him, with love to you |
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3 | Gifts of prophecy and tongues passed? | Rom 16:7 | CarlosDF | 203940 | ||
I enjoyed your question, to the extent that my answer exceeded a reasonable one, so I put it elsewhere. Thank you for the provocation! Here I would simply ask what leads you to assume there are no apostolic gifts to the church in this day? Clearly there is no demarcation in time or space historically, or in scripture, as to the growth of the church, or its completion, apart from the end of ages. And we have precedent in Paul himself and others (Rom 16:7 for example) who were apostles beyond the twelve. What would lead you to view that ministry of God as complete? If it is just the twelve, yes, they are unique, but the gift went beyond them. If it were just the first century, or the lifetime of those named in the scripture, what signified the end of God providing for the church in that way? If Paul claims those of the church in a locality as proof of his apostleship, the fruit of him being a gift to the church from God, what prevents the use of that term to describe one in this day who is sent out, moves in the gifts, and brings forth the establishment of a body and the raising up of that congregation? Though I don't promote the arbitrary application of labels, simply the recognition of the life and work of Christ in a man dedicated to the church in this day who performs the office. Peace and grace to you, thanks for the interesting question visa vis prophesy. That sent me to the Spirit and I found something there. |
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4 | Can we pray to Jesus? | John 14:14 | CarlosDF | 203912 | ||
Jesus fulfilled the law. He is the High Priest of God, who made the perfect sacrifice, and went before God on our behalf. By His blood, we too enter into the presence of God, where the Messiah sits at the right hand. To pray is to talk, to communicate. If you enter by faith in the blood, you may address God the Father, yet the Son is One with Him and right there, with the Spirit of God filling all. Jesus taught the disciples by example more than anything, in prayer as well. Continuously communicating with the Father, separating Himself at times to call out to God. Praying to God with the disciples. All are our model of 'how to pray'. And there is no confusion amongst the Eternal, addressing Him in each way is sound practice. Though we may not understand, or have the words, He can see our hearts clearly. Even more wonderful, the Spirit of God inside you can lead your conversation with the Lord, and thus 'teach you how to pray' right here and now. How amazing is that! I absolutely love this verse in Isaiah 41:25, "... from the rising of the sun, one that calls upon my name ..." From the dawning of the day, the appearance of light, one that calls upon my name. It is the Lord, who has brought forth a new day, and in Him we are able to continuously call upon the name of the Eternal! |
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5 | Johns baptism? | Acts 19:4 | CarlosDF | 203910 | ||
A one time thing... Well, I thought about that a bit, it is a new one to me, thanks! Repentance is certainly repetitive experientially, and knowing the emptiness of life without the Savior, I would suppose that some went to John more than once. I have known groups of believers (in Jesus as the Messiah) who have required baptism to join their number, even if the person was already baptized. And sadly, some who felt it necessary to be baptized a number of times, thinking the first few didn't take. What does God see? What picture is baptism, and is it once? Well, the sea was parted. The ark went before them three days journey to find a resting place (Num 10:13). In Joshua 2:22 the spies escape death for for three days in the mountain. But the example our Lord uses with power and condemnation is that of the prophet Jonah, who went below the waters, then was recovered to do God's will. All these picture events were singular, and the reality as walked by the Messiah, treading where no man could go, was unique to all time. Jesus in Mat 12:40, proclaims the sign given to them, the sign of Jonah. So clearly the intent of the baptism in the name of Jesus is for a persons conversion path, a public proclamation and association with the death burial and resurrection of Him. And having done it, repetition seems unwarranted, as it references a singular event. Even in the context of "... 'ceremonially cleanse' them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit" (where I use the term baptism loosely), it would have an association with the resurrection, which need happen once, even though cleansing is throughout ones life. For John, who was perhaps baptizing as a ministry of spiritual cleansing, in parallel with the law, one could make a case for the repeated application. Again, thinking back to repentance, a necessary activity throughout ones life. So I would presume, with no proof whatsoever, that there was a contingent who went to John more than once, and that his followers baptized some repeatedly in the name of John. Whether that was overt, or on the condition of the repenter, I have no clue. It may have never happened as well, all speculation. Furthermore, you have raised a fascinating point in my own heart. What about the baptism of fire? We receive the Spirit once, and the experience of which is singular and life changing. Yet John said fire as well. And I mentally, and in experience have felt the times in my life of 'going through the fire', as such it would appear we are immersed in the fire repeatedly. Well, we are immersed in the Holy Spirit experientially as well on multiple occasions, even having received the 'baptism of the Holy Spirit' once 'officially'. So perhaps in the realm of the Spirit, and not the symbolic, we are continuously returning for the cleansing. Thank you for such a question, may the cleansing Spirit and refining fire penetrate deeply in your own walk. |
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6 | Not need teachers? In what way? | 1 John 2:27 | CarlosDF | 203899 | ||
What a great question. I have pondered lately a few things, maybe it will be of use to you. Our minds exist in the physical realm, limited by time and capacity. You will never attain even a minuscule grasp of the fullness of God's wisdom. We have not the capacity, nor the time. So part of what the Spirit leading is about concerns what you learn, what you obtain, to bring forth life in greater capacity. My revelations may be wondrous, yet not useful in your walk. He leads us according to His plan, which is mysterious. In essence, by following the Spirit, we have access to 'all knowledge', and touch the wisdom of God, even in our limited state. The other aspect, and this one is harder, is the spiritual nature of what you learn. By the teaching of a man, i.e. the writing, the language, the logic, the reasoning, we don not receive life. Yet by these same, the Spirit can communicate life in the present. For myself, this means turning to make sure I have the prompting at all times, finding life first and formost, and the useful knowledge as a consequence of that search. When I drift into something else, the time spent at that just doesn't seem very profitable. Now if I am with a 'teacher', one who is gifted, the flow of life is great, as God moves through faith in both of us. Yet it is still the Spirit which leads, and ultimately, is the teacher. Just my recent ruminations, cheers! |
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7 | Did I miss something in the text? | Bible general Archive 4 | CarlosDF | 203897 | ||
Finding the Lord in the Tower of Babel This is rich with imagery, and can have multiple interpretations and applications. I have but a simple measure of the Spirit, so find what you may. We know that the building, the true temple of God has as its cornerstone Christ himself. He is the foundation, and is also the stone 'cut without hands' in Daniel 2:45. He is both the cornerstone (Ephesians 2:20) of the building, and that which destroys all constructions not of the eternal life God has provided, i.e. the kingdoms of man in Daniel, and many other inferences. So man (or the children of man) has crafted for himself a building and a city, one of protection, yet made of brick, and of the hand of man. They intend to 'reach heaven', or in other words, exist in a place beyond the confines of here and now. They want eternity, yet have not sought God for that life. There is a parallel in that these 'children of man' have chosen for themselves what is right, what is correct, of their own judgment. Adam and Eve perceived the benefit of deciding of ones own accord, and were similarly barred from access to life. God similarly 'debated' their case (Genisis 3:22), before removal. I put quotes on the debate, as that is a separate issue. The judgment of God upon a unified people who have taken up the image of God's intention yet not according to God's foundation and material is a picture in itself of what Christ did in removing the old contract, the law. He came in judgment of that, and fulfilled that judgment. This is the context of the prophesy of Christ initiating the Olivette discourse (Mat 24:2, Mark 13:2, Luke 21:6), "... no stone left upon another ..." No conflict with whatever other interpretations of the discourse come about, I simply mean that the focus of the old system at the time of His earthly ministry, the second temple, was destroyed, and all those in the city, Jerusalem, were scattered (or perished). If you (figuratively as the reader and a Christian, nothing personal) step beyond a bit of linguistics, and just think for a moment, did not God intend for you to partake in His eternal life? From the very foundation of the world? Are you not now part of "one people, and they have all one language; and this is what they begin to do: and now nothing will be withholden from them, which they purpose to do."? In the Spirit we are one people, we are of one faith, one word, one intention. His will is worked out in us by faith, and nothing can stop that purpose. You also as a believer in the Messiah, are a partaker of the inheritance of Christ, and nothing has been withheld from Him. The picture of the body of Christ is here, the picture of the judgment of Christ is here, even some of the metaphors used by the Lord in His earthly ministry are here. And I am sure that there is so much more than that in these few verses, yet I am but a speck, God wisdom is boundless. Hope this helps a little. |
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