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Results from: Answers On or After: Thu 12/31/70 Author: bcbloyd Ordered by Date |
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Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Should a Christian be a Mason? | Bible general Archive 1 | bcbloyd | 9041 | ||
Your question is one I've pondered quite a bit for both curiosity and personal reasons. Here's some history I've found: Several leaders throughout American History believed in God and were also Masons. To name a few: REV. WILLIAM BOOTH, was a Mason and the founder of the Salvation Army, who during the course of his ministry traveled 5,000,000 miles, preached 60,000 sermons (many while being attacked, spit on, and so forth for spreading the Gospel of Christ). FRANCIS SCOTT KEY, was a Mason and the author of our anthem in which he wrote in verse 2: "Blest with vict'ry and peace, may the heav'n rescued land praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation! Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just; And this be our motto: "In God is our trust!" BISHOP RICHARD ALLEN, a former slave and active abolitionist, was also a Mason, founder and first Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in Philadelphia. GEORGE WASHINGTON, took the oath of office as our nation's 1st President by placing his hand on a Bible provided by the Masonic Lodge to which he was a member. One of his first official acts as President was to issue the first Thanksgiving proclamation as follows: "Whereas, it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly implore His protection and favor...." (Just FYI: That same Bible is still provided by the Masonic Lodge for Presidential oaths... and was even used by Presidents Reagan and Bush.) On a more personal note: several members of my family are affiliated with the Masons, Shriners, and even the lesser known Eastern Star (the women's side of the organization). I've talked with them, questioned them repeatedly, and watched their own actions to determine whether the Masonic lodge has had any determental affect on their behavior as Christians. My grandmother, who was active in the Eastern Star in her younger days (she's 87 now), was also a life-long Sunday School teacher, a very devout Christian and the role-model that helped lead me to accept Christ as my Savior. My grandfather is a Mason, Shriner, and a very active Christian even to this day at the age of 90. Incidentally, the two just celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary by what-else? Going to Church! :) My Dad is also a Christian and Mason. I can't speak for others, but I can say that I've point-blank confronted my Dad about whether Masonry is a religion to him. He strongly denied it and told me no one could replace Christ in his life. He also said that while a man "must believe in God" to join a lodge ... they are asked if they believe in God and if they even hesitate in answering, they're out... the organization does not take the place of nor promote any specific religion, or what-have-you. That is, they'll accept as members Muslims, Jews, and Christians (of all denominations), but absolutely no athiests or agnostics. (On a side note, at least in some cases, members are given Bibles--King James Version to be exact--upon becoming a Mason.) The organization, at least for the family members I've talked to, does not replace their devotion to God or their church community. For my Dad and Grandfather, the Freemasonry and Shriners are men's clubs that provides a means for helping their community and needy kids. So, I'd have to say Christians can be Masons, but as with anything, one's priorities must be maintained. Christ must remain Lord of your life and anything that threatens that should be dealt with and abandoned. If as a Christian you are uncomfortable with the organization having secrets or feel it may be viewed as a religion, then by all means do NOT join. For those Christians who are in the organization, remember Christ and keep Him first in your life. God bless, Brandi |
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2 | Bible references on leadership | NT general Archive 1 | bcbloyd | 9031 | ||
Leadership... Hmmm... Napoleon once remarked on the accomplishments of some of the greatest rulers in all of history, and interestingly enough, Jesus was mentioned as being without comparision, since there's one vital difference between him and all the others. In the words of Napoleon: "Alexander (the Great), Caesar, Charlemagne, and I have founded empires. But on what did we rest the creations of our genius? Upon force. Jesus Christ founded His empire upon love; and at this hour millions of men would die for Him.... There is not a God in heaven, if a mere man was able to conceive and execute successfully the gigantic design of making Himself the object of supreme worship, by usurping the name of God. Jesus alone dared to do this." Just a thought, but you asked for specific Bible references on leadership, didn't you? Well, here's two New Testament verses to ponder. MAT 23:10 "And do not be called leaders; for One is your Leader, that is, Christ." LUK 22:26 "But not so with you, but let him who is the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as the servant." The Christ provides the best example of what it means to be a true leader. He loved, unconditionally, through every word and action. A leader? Sometimes he takes point so we can follow; sometimes he walks along side with words of encouragement and inspiration; and sometimes he steadily pushes from behind driving us up life's hills... maintaining the momentum needed for us to succeed. A true leader knows the difference... and positions himself when and where he's needed the most, and he does it all for those he loves. What motivates a leader? Desire to achieve? Want of Recognition? Or love for others? To develop leadership characteristics, the motivation must be right. |
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3 | Can we work our way to heaven? | Rom 2:7 | bcbloyd | 6800 | ||
Hi Hank, I apologize for the length of this reply, but concise I'm not. :) I believe a thorough review of the Scriptures is the best way to answer your question, which is worthy of addressing. You see, I've found that it helps me to look at what's foggy through lenses that are clear; In other words, compare an unclear verse to the overall context of surrounding text and to other verses that are clear on a certain topic. Taking Romans 2:7 in context with adjoining verses as well as in comparison with Paul's other writings for instance, we can determine whether Paul was saying "human beings can earn eternal life." Reading the entire 2nd chapter of Romans, one sees that "eternal life" is not the focus or primary message of the chapter at all, but rather a warning against the dangers of hypocrisy is. Those who judge others for doing the same wrong things they themselves have secretly done will face a righteous God who will judge them likewise. "God 'will give to each person according to what he has done.'" Eternal life is said to be given among others things, namely glory, honor, and peace, to those who persist in doing good. Notice the word "give." Now let's look at other NT verses, also written by Paul, that do focus on the issue of salvation/eternal life and good/righteous deeds. Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death; but the GIFT OF GOD IS ETERNAL LIFE through Jesus Christ our Lord." (EMPHASIS Mine in all Bible quotes) I've always found this verse particularly interesting because it mentions "wages", as in payment or earnings for a deed or action: Doing bad deeds (Sin) is the action; death is the earned payment. But the latter part of the verse changes terminology completely to "gift" as in something received freely from God. Looking at other verses, we find Paul using various forms of "gift" repeatedly in reference to salvation or eternal life. Romans 5:17-18 "For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which RECEIVE abundance of grace and of the GIFT of righteousness shall reign in LIFE by one, Jesus Christ. Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the FREE GIFT came upon all men unto justification of LIFE." Ephesians 2:8-9 "For by grace are ye SAVED through faith; and that NOT OF YOURSELVES: it is the GIFT OF GOD: NOT OF WORKS, lest any man should boast." 2 Timothy 1:9 "(God) Who hath SAVED US, and called us with an holy calling, NOT ACCORDING TO OUR WORKS, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was GIVEN us in Christ Jesus before the world began." Titus 3:5-6 "NOT BY WORKS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS which WE have done, but according to his mercy HE SAVED US, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;" In none of the these verses does Paul say salvation or life is earned or purchased through "good works," but instead, repeatedly contradicts that concept, stating clearly that salvation is "given" to us "freely" by God through Christ Jesus and "not" because "we do" any righteous act. Does that mean our salvation is a "given" so to speak and we can therefore eat, drink, and be merry however we choose? No, because "God 'will give to each person according to what he has done.'" Those doing wrong, will face God's "wrath and anger." But as believers or recipients of God's Gift, we must accept it in the same loving manner with which it was given--through sacrifice and service to God, bringing him honor and glory as a witness/representative of God to unbelievers so that they may turn to Him. In Titus 2:7-8, Paul instructs believers to "in all things show yourself to be an example of good deeds, with purity in doctrine, dignified, sound in speech which is beyond reproach, in order that the opponent may be put to shame, having nothing bad to say about us." About unbelievers, Paul writes in Titus 1:16 "They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient, and worthless for any good deed." If we, as believers in Christ, do likewise, what does that do to our testimony? We are witnesses for Christ, and as such, we should conduct ourselves according to His teachings. Our actions do not earn us our salvation, but they do reflect on our Savior, potentially making us a stumbling block to unbelievers seeking Him. Titus 3:14 "And let our people also learn to engage in good deeds to meet pressing needs, that they may not be unfruitful." Anyway, I hope all this helps clarify that verse for you some. Brandi |
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4 | Please explain this verse? | Mark 15:34 | bcbloyd | 1587 | ||
In following this forum string, I'm afraid I must admit to a bit of confusion as to who is replying to whom and the comments concerning only one direct response to the original question: "Please explain Mark 15:34." I cannot speak for the others who replied to the original question, but I would like to state it was my understanding that the question was a request to explain why Jesus screamed the words He did: thus, explaining the reasons for the whole verse of Mark 15:34. That's why I offered the response I did earlier, pointing out that the cry He made was a quote from Psalms. It wasn't until later in the string, that the original questioner, Delores, asked for an explanation of the meaning of those exact words "ELOI, ELOI, LAMA SABACHTHANI?" from Psalms 22, as quoted in Mark 15. It was certainly not my intention to "avoid responding to the question directly," and indeed thought I had replied to the question as I understood it. Please forgive me if I'm somehow misunderstanding the notes posted thus far. What did you mean by "capitalized pronouns and all! Yeah, right"? With Delores' rephrasing of the question to focus on the meaning of the exact words spoken by Jesus in Mark (as quoted from Psalms), I agree with your reply, JVHO212, using quotes from the MacArthur Study Bible. I do believe that's the reason behind Psalms 22:1, what I view as possibly the saddest statement in all the Bible. Thank you for providing that input. |
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5 | TRINITY | Bible general Archive 1 | bcbloyd | 1374 | ||
1st: The word "Trinity" is not in the Bible, but that doesn't mean the concept defined by that term is not a Biblical one. For instance, Monotheism is not found in the Bible either, but the concept is clearly taught in numerous verses. Personally, one of my favorite Bible verses is Ephesians 4:6 "One God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all." I'm sure there are other verses that work even better (John 1:1, for example) but to me, that pretty much sums up the Trinity. One God, yet three... "over all" -the Father over us all... "through all" -the Son, through whom we all may come to salvation... and "in all" -the Holy Spirit who dwells in our hearts; our Comforter and Guide. 2nd: As far as explaining the Trinity in simple terms... that cannot be done in such a way so the explanation provides a "visual image" of the concept behind the terminology. We cannot "image" God, but that doesn't mean it's not worth believing in... A good commentary on this topic that I found quite helpful (and interesting) is at the following URL: http://www.str.org/free/commentaries/theology/trinsolv.htm The question of whether the Trinity is Biblically-based stands or falls with the Deity of Jesus, the Savior. If he is not Divine, then there can be no Trinity. If he is, then the Trinity is possible (and I'd say probable). So feel free to read the following verses and decide for yourself: Compare who is the Creator in: Gen.1:1, Eph.3:9, Isaiah 40:28, 44:24 (notice "alone") and John 1:1-3, Col 1:12-17, Hebrews 1:8-12. Who is "the" God and Savior in: Psalms 106:21, Isaiah 43:3,10-12, 45:21-23 and Titus 2:13, John 4:42, Acts 4:10-12, 1 John 4:14. Look at the words of the Father speaking of the Son in Hebrews 1:8-9. |
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6 | Does Bible support capital punishment? | Bible general Archive 1 | bcbloyd | 1361 | ||
In answer to your question, I can say that it certainly doesn't oppose capital punishment. Take these verses for example: Genesis 9:6 "Whoever sheds man's blood, By man his blood shall be shed, For in the image of God He made man." Exodus 21:12 "He who strikes a man so that he dies shall surely be put to death." NUM 35:16-19 "But if he struck him down with an iron object, so that he died, he is a murderer; the murderer shall surely be put to death. And if he struck him down with a stone in the hand, by which he may die, and as a result he died, he is a murderer; the murderer shall surely be put to death. Or if he struck him with a wooden object in the hand, by which he may die, and as a result he died, he is a murderer; the murderer shall surely be put to death. The blood avenger himself shall put the murderer to death; he shall put him to death when he meets him. NUM 35:21 "or if he struck him down with his hand in enmity, and as a result he died, the one who struck him shall surely be put to death, he is a murderer; the blood avenger shall put the murderer to death when he meets him. That's not to say that we each have the right to vigilante killings. No. God clearly points out that authorities are brought to power for the purpose of administering justice. (For example, Romans 13:1-4) This includes capital punishment, which requires evidence, not revenge. NUM 35:30-31 "If anyone kills a person, the murderer shall be put to death at the evidence of witnesses, but no person shall be put to death on the testimony of one witness. Moreover, you shall not take ransom for the life of a murderer who is guilty of death, but he shall surely be put to death." I know this is a bit long, but one final comment to share: There's very good commentary on this topic by Greg Koukl (A Christian Apologist and Radio Talk Show Host in CA) at the following 2 URLs: http://www.str.org/free/commentaries/social_issues/reasonsf.htm and at http://www.str.org/free/commentaries/social_issues/cap_pun.htm God Bless you... In Christ Jesus. |
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7 | Please explain this verse? Mark 15:34 | Mark 15:34 | bcbloyd | 1156 | ||
Obviously only Jesus knows for certain what motivated Him to cry out such as statement, but I'd like to offer the following as a "possible" reason that I do not believe is too far-fetched and rather reasonable when one ponders it. We know He cried out loudly, obviously knowing those watching would hear him, and we know the words he spoke can be found in the first verse of Psalms 22. I believe most of the Jews watching were well versed in the OT Scriptures as Jesus knew they would be. I believe Jesus cried this out "loudly" at least partly to draw attention to those verses in Psalms, thus identifying himself and the sacrifice he was committing at that very moment. I'm not trying to lessen the fact that He had to have been suffering extreme pain both physically and even spiritually; He, in all his holiness, was sacrificing himself in payment for a whole world of sins. But, as that sinless sacrifice or Savior, which the Bible professes Him to be, He would not and could not have jeopardized it by lashing out in error against the will of God the Father prior to paying the penalty for sins, that is, prior his death; Otherwise, He'd no longer have qualified as the Savior. But if we let his words lead us to read the entire chapter of Psalms 22, which begins with the same words Jesus spoke in Mark 15:34, you can see it paints a graphic picture of a man's crucifixion, which was prophesied centuries before and fulfilled in that moment: from the sneering masses to the piercing of his hands and feet, from the fate of his garments to his death prior to the thrust of the sword. Beginning with Christ's quote of the 1st verse to the last lines of Psalms 22, it all sums up the actions of that day and gives the next prophesy for the future--"It will be told of the LORD to the coming generation. They will come and will declare His righteousness. To a people who will be born, that HE has performed it." At least that's how I see it. |
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8 | why did God create the world | Gen 1:1 | bcbloyd | 1239 | ||
Xapis has a great response, but I'd like to add one more observation in reply. Your comment, "...look at all the suffering and evil that would have been avoided" had He not created the world only scratches the surface. What I mean is "look at all the LOVE that would NOT have been demonstrated" had He not created the world. You see, I can appreciate your question of "why" after you point out that the omnipotent God "knew all the suffering, pain, and evil that would happen in the world." While at first, that may appear to contradict God's other characteristics of "loving and merciful," it really doesn't because it's only part of the picture. I agree He "knew" of the suffering, pain, and evil WE'd have to endure and that WE even cause (after all, we all have sinned in one way or another during our lives) but what amazes me all the more is that He also "knew" the suffering, pain, and evil HE'd have to endure at the hands of His own creation. Jesus willingly submitted to the cross, the nails were driven in, and the death caused by mankind--His creation--because of His love for His creation. Your observation is revealed and answered in the simple quote: 1 John 4:19 We love, because He first loved us. (See also 1 John 4:10) That's why I love Him all the more! | ||||||