Results 1 - 20 of 70
|
||||||
Results from: Answers On or After: Thu 12/31/70 Author: rabban Ordered by Date |
||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Does anyone understand why this prophet | 1 Kin 13:9 | rabban | 192081 | ||
... | ||||||
2 | God the Father as Provider or Saviour? | Rom 8:32 | rabban | 192056 | ||
GOD AND CHRIST AS SAVIOUR AND REDEEMER. The Old Testament points clearly to God as the Saviour and Redeemer. Job can declare, ‘I know that my Redeemer lives, and that he will stand at last upon the earth’ (Job 19.25), and the psalmist can speak of ‘the Lord’ as ‘my rock and my Redeemer’ (Psalm 19.14). Thus he can boldly declare, ‘they remembered that God was their rock, and the Most High God their Redeemer’ (Psalm 78.35), while in Psalm 106.21 we are told of a contrary occasion when, ‘they forgot God their Saviour’. Isaiah reminds God’s people that ‘your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel’ (Isaiah 41.14), and God Himself declares ‘I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour’ (Isaiah 43.3) or alternately, ‘your Redeemer, the Holy one of Israel’ (Isaiah 43.14 compare 47.4), so that He can add ‘beside Me there is no Saviour’ (Isaiah 43.11). Both words are combined in Isaiah 49.26, ‘I the Lord am your Saviour and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob’ (compare also 60.16). Jeremiah declares, ‘Oh hope of Israel, their Saviour in time of trouble’ (Jeremiah 14.8), while in 50.34 he adds, ‘their Redeemer is strong, the Lord of Hosts is His name’, while God declares through Hosea, ‘beside Me there is no Saviour’ (Hosea 13.4). God is therefore constant as Saviour and Redeemer. This passes over into the New Testament where Mary can declare, ‘my spirit has rejoiced in God my Saviour’ (Luke 1.47), and God is often declared to be our Saviour. Paul is ‘an apostle of Jesus Christ, by commandment of God our Saviour’ (1 Timothy 1.1) and he can speak of what is ‘good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour’ ( 1 Timothy 2.3). Indeed ‘the living God is the Saviour of all men, especially of those who believe’ (1 Timothy 4.10). Again Paul can say that the word is ‘committed to me (Paul) according to the commandment of God our Saviour’ (Titus 1.3). So that we are told to ‘adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things’ (Titus 2.10), for ‘when the kindness and love of God our Saviour towards man appeared --- He saved us’ (Titus 3.4-5). And again Jude addresses his paean of praise to ‘the only God, our Saviour’ (Jude 1.25). Thus in the New Testament also God is both God and Saviour. This all makes it very significant, then, that Jesus Christ is regularly called our Saviour, and even ‘our God and Saviour’. The angels tell us, ‘unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour who is Christ the Lord’ (Luke 2.11), and the woman of Samaria declares Him to be ‘Christ, the Saviour of the world’ (John 4.42). Indeed ‘Him has God exalted with His right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour’ (Acts 5.31). He has ‘brought unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus’ (Acts 13.23). So Christ is ‘the head of the church, and He is the Saviour of the body’ (Ephesians 5.23). Thus we ‘wait for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ’ (Philippians 3.20). For God’s purpose in Christ is revealed by ‘the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ’ (2 Timothy 1.10) and Paul can speak of ‘God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour’ (Titus 1.4). But he finalises the union when he says that we are looking for ‘the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ’ (Titus 2.13). It is to Him, says Paul, that we owe the blessing of ‘the renewing of the Holy Spirit which He poured out upon us richly, through Jesus Christ our Saviour’ (Titus 3.5-6). And John agrees, for he says, ‘the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world’ (1 John 4.14). Peter can speak even more definitely of those who have ‘obtained like precious faith with us in the righteousness of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1.1), and of those who have had ministered to them an abundant entrance into ‘the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ’ (2 Peter 1.11) (note that the Greek construction in 1.1 (‘God and Saviour’) and 1.11 (‘Lord and Saviour’) is the same so that if ‘Lord’ refers to Jesus so must ‘God’). So Peter tells us to remember the commandment of ‘the Lord and Saviour’ (2 Peter 3.2) and that we are to ‘grow in grace and the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ’ (2 Peter 3.18). To Peter Jesus is both ‘Lord and Saviour’ and ‘God and Saviour’. And in Acts 20.28 Paul can speak of ‘the church of God which He (God) purchased with His own blood’ in a context where the whole stress is on God. Thus the ‘God and Saviour’ of the Old Testament has become the ‘God and Saviour’ of the New Testament as revealed in Jesus Christ, Who is Himself ‘God and Saviour’. |
||||||
3 | can anyone here help a seeker | Revelation | rabban | 192054 | ||
If you like to contact me at jonrobb1@lycos.com I will give you all the answers you want, straight from the shoulder :-)))) |
||||||
4 | Acts 10:39 "Tree or cross"? | Acts 10:39 | rabban | 192052 | ||
Nestles Greek text gives 'tree' and suggests no alternative in the apparatus. In view of the fact that the wording reflects Deuteronomy 21.22 in LXX 'tree' is the correct text. It reflects the fact that Jesus bore our curse (Galatians 3.13). 'Cross' is presumably a translator's rendering of tree. |
||||||
5 | who are the 144000 | Revelation | rabban | 192042 | ||
You now have two of the 144,000 explanations. Revelation is apocalyptic literature and is open to wide interpretation, for the purpose of apocalyptic was to get over truth in veiled form.. Some see the church as being the 144,000, becaus they are the true Israel. So you see you can take your pick :-)))). |
||||||
6 | who are the 144000 | Revelation | rabban | 192031 | ||
If you genuinely have difficulties about this question please contact me at jonrobb1@lycos.com and we can discuss the 144,000 interpretations of this question and allay any doubts. But one thing is sure, no one knows who the 144,000 are. If they are, as some views suggest, individuals, they are known only to God. One thing that they are not is JWs Whoever they are we who are Christians can rejoice in the fact that we too are sealed by God and enjoy God's preserving power (Ephesians 1.13-14, 4.30; 1 Peter 1.5). In Him |
||||||
7 | God, Jesus, and Holy Spirit one person? | Col 2:9 | rabban | 192021 | ||
There is one God and within His Godhead are the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. They are not one person, for they speak with one another (e.g. Mark 1.11). Thus Jesus prayed constantly to His Father. As has been pointed out we define Him in English as one God in three persons. But this is because English does not have adequate words with which to express the situation. (Latin is a little better for the purpose because it has 'persona' which does not quite mean a person). We see a 'person' as an individual, but God is not three individuals. So we have to put in a proviso, 'but not individual persons in the way that human persons are individuals'. Within God are three inter-communicating personalities, Father, Son and Holy Spirit although they are One essence. But we know this because it has been revealed to us. However, understand God we cannot, nor ever will, until possibly that day when we see Him face to face. For He is Spirit. And we do not even understand our own spirits. How then can we understand the God Who is Spirit (John 4.24) In Him |
||||||
8 | FYI - About Duplicate Posts | Rom 12:10 | rabban | 192019 | ||
Thanks Cheri :-))) | ||||||
9 | is jesus god | John 10:30 | rabban | 191891 | ||
Hebrews 1.2-3 again emphasises His uniqueness. He is 'the outshining of the glory of God (the visible revelation of the gory of God - see John 1.14, 18), the stamped out image (the exact representation) of His substance' and is the One through Whom all things were made and Who upholds all things by His powerful command. Thus the One Who spoke and it was done in Genesis 1 is Jesus. He is the Creator. It is difficult to think of any way of putting it that could more clearly declare His full deity. Yet at the same time it is made clear that He is not the whole of the Godhead. That is why He is called 'the Son' as against ‘the Father’ in an otherwise inexpressible relationship. This term indicates that He is of the same nature and essence as the Father, but not the whole of the Godhead. It is of course using human terminology to get over divine truth. He is the ever-existent, eternal Son. There was not a time when He had a beginning. Human sons are born after their fathers and are of the same nature. Thus ‘the Son’ was of the same nature as ‘the Father’. But we must not press the analogy too far. Because He is of the same nature as the eternal Father He is the eternal Son. But there was no time when He was not. He was not 'born' later than the Father like a human son is born (except when He became man). Theologians speak of Him as being 'eternally begotten'. The Apostle John further stresses His Godhood. 'In the beginning the Word (Logos) was already in existence, and the Word (Logos) was face to face with God in personal communion (pros with the accusative), and what God was the Word (Logos) was' (John 1.1), and this Word (Logos) 'became flesh and dwelt among us' (John 1.14). It is sometimes argued by those with a limited knowledge of Greek that the lack of the definite article on theos ('God') in the third clause of 1.1 somehow suggests a lessening in His divinity (as though there could be levels of Godhood). However to have put in the definite article ('the') would have been incorrect, firstly because in Greek it would have meant John was saying that Jesus was all there was of the Godhead, i.e. that the terms 'Jesus' and 'the Godhead' were exact equivalents, and secondly because it ignores the fact that the very purpose of the lack of article is to show that theos is used adjectivally to mean 'of the essence of what God is'. As theos has already been used in the second clause, to use it in the third clause adjectivally quite clearly makes the use of theos indicate the same essence and thus it refers to the essential nature of God. 'He was 'face to face with' God in close personal communion, and was Himself of the same 'essence of Godhood'. Thus John depicts Jesus as the creative Word Who made all things (John 1.3), the Creator of Genesis 1, and as of the essence of the Godhead. |
||||||
10 | is jesus god | John 10:30 | rabban | 191890 | ||
To answer this question we need to look at the Scriptures, and we must be careful to consider each verse in context, and in the light of other Scriptures. Especially we need to look at the New Testament in the light of the Old, for Jesus and the Apostles all looked on the Old Testament as the Word of God. It is this consideration of Scriptures that will enable it to dawn on us Who He is. For the belief must capture our hearts if it is to be meaningful. 1). We will first of all consider the teaching of Paul. In Philippians 2 we have a clear statement of the fact that Jesus is called by the Name of the God of the Old Testament. That Jesus is LORD (Kurios). To appreciate this we need some background information. When God revealed Himself to Moses He revealed Himself under the name 'the I am' (Exodus 3.14). (The Hebrew is Eyeh). Then in Exodus 6 He relates this to His covenant name Yahweh (which means the 'He is', third person singular where Eyeh is first person singular). We do not know how this name was pronounced because it was so sacred that there came a time when to pronounce it meant instant death. All we know are the four consonants that make up the name, YHWH. This was the sacred name, the Name above every name. When a Jew or an Israelite read the Scriptures and came to the divine name he would substitute for it adonai ('Lord') or elohim ('God'). Thus God in the Old Testament was known as the 'I am' and as YHWH, but spoken of as Adonai ('LORD'). Thus the name YHWH was translated into Greek in the Septuagint in 2nd Century BC as Kurios ('Lord'). So when Paul speaks in Philippians 2 of Jesus as having 'been in the form of God' (in essence sharing Godhood), and emptying Himself to take 'the form of a servant' (in essence sharing servitude), being 'made in the likeness of man', and then being exalted to receive 'the Name which is above every name', we know that this latter was the name of YHWH (Kurios - LORD). That is the only Name which is above every name. Thus Jesus is declared to be thw YHWH of the Old Testament, truly God. Furthermore He Himself said that He had to return to ‘the glory which I had with You before the world came into being' (John 17.5).These are clear statements that being essentially God, Jesus became man, and having suffered death on the cross for man, was raised to again be essentially revealed as God, having the Name above every name, YHWH. Because of this every tongue will confess that Jesus is Kurios (the Greek equivalent of YHWH)as in Isaiah 45.23. In the light of the background, familiar to Paul and his readers, there could be no clearer statement that Jesus and the 'I Am' of the Old Testament are One. Furthermore in Titus 2.13 he speaks of 'the appearing of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ'. Jesus is both God and Saviour. Compare also 2 Peter 1.1 which says the same. The same Greek construction says that He is LORD and Saviour in verse 11. That is why in John 8.58 Jesus could say, 'Before Abraham was, I am.' Here He compares His continually existent being with that of Abraham. He was the continually existing One before Abraham came into being. And even before Abraham, became a temporally existing one, Jesus was the eternally existing One. In 2 Corinthians 4.4 Paul can speak of 'Christ, who is the image of God', and thus as the One Who fully reveals what God is like. And he adds 'we preach Christ Jesus as LORD' (Kurios). Again the reference is clear to anyone familiar with the Hebrew background. This reference to Jesus as 'the image of God' (the One Who reveals what God is like) is again made in Colossians 1.15-17 where He is described as 'the image of the invisible God', the adjective 'invisible' thus removing any suggestion that the image spoken of is physical. The only way that you can be the image of One Who is invisible is to fully reveal in His own self what the Invisible One essentially is. Here also He is referred to as 'The Firstborn' (prototokos). This word comes from Greek philosophy where it refers to the Logos ('the eternal reason') with the idea that the Logos is eternal and not created, and is the source of all things. We note especially that Jesus is the ‘Firstborn’ not the first created, thus being equated with the eternal 'Reason' which was seen as ever-existent, as eternal. It equates with the use by Him of Himself as ‘the Son’. We are also told that as 'the Firstborn' He created all things both visible and invisible, is before all things (thus eternally existent), and holds all things together. Thus He is revealed as the Creator of the Old Testament and the sustainer of the world. In other words He was of the same nature and essence of the Father. ‘In Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead in bodily form’ (Colossians 2.9). |
||||||
11 | What was in the cup, wine? | Mark 14:25 | rabban | 191862 | ||
Four cups of wine mixed with water were drunk at stages throughout the Passover meal. The one Jesus used as the cup of remembrance was probably the third cup, although some disagree. Luke mentions the cup of blessing which would be one of the first two cups (Luke 22.17). In Him |
||||||
12 | Do this and you shall live | Luke 10:28 | rabban | 191849 | ||
Hi These words of Jesus were for all people at all times. In them we find summarised the full-orbed Christian life (Galatians 5.14). They describe fully the life of Jesus Christ. They should be the goal of each one of us in their strictest application. However, as you have rightly discerned, we all fall short of it by a large margin. By this we discover the truth about ourselves. We discover that 'all have sinned and come short of the glory of God' (Romans 3.23). Thus if we are to find this life we have to come to God as sinners, admitting our sin and our helplessness, and seek forgiveness for our failure through the cross. We have to put our trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. Once we truly do that all that Jesus describes here is imputed to us. We are accounted as righteous in His sight (Romans 3.34-25). And His righteousness is put to our account (2 Corinthians 5.21). From that moment on the Great Physician sets about our healing. We are made new creatures in Christ Jesus (2 Corinthians 5.17). God begins to 'work in us to will and to do of His good pleasure' (Philippians 2.13). And gradually we will be transformed into His image (2 Corinthians 3.18; Ephesians 1.4-5; Romans 8.29 etc). And the wonderful thing is that through Him we then do this as those who have already 'inherited eternal life' (1 John 5.13). In Him |
||||||
13 | Explanation of Revelation 12:17 | Rev 12:17 | rabban | 191847 | ||
Hi A widely held view is that the woman is spiritual Israel and that 'the rest of her seed' are Gentile Christians. In that view this took place after the resurrection in the days of the early church, and continues today. There are many other views. Revelation is the subject of more controversy than any other book. In view of that fact I will not discuss it on the forum. If you would like to discuss the matter further with me please email me. In Him |
||||||
14 | 1 Peter 3:21-24 what is this meaning..? | 1 Pet 3:22 | rabban | 191840 | ||
Hi again. Now that I am more sophisticated as a result of the help of my friends may I suggest that you feed the number 191712 into Search (on the right hand side of the page). After that feed in 191738. As you read those you will note also the counter arguments. In Him Rabban. |
||||||
15 | Why do we have to go church | Heb 10:25 | rabban | 191838 | ||
Hi, You ask why you have to go to church? The answer is clear as has previously been stated, and it is 'yes' because you are not just a saved individual, but are part of a saved church, and part of Christ's own crucified and risen body (1 Corinthians 10.15-17). It is a little like my arm saying 'why should I go out along with the remainder of your body. I want to stay at home.' Result one mutilated body and one soon dead arm. Paul said, 'By (or 'in') one Spirit we have all been inundated into one body --- and were all made to drink of one Spirit' (1 Corinthians 12.13) and then he goes on to describe the oneness of the members of the body and the need each has for all the others. But this is in fact strictly parallel to 1 Corinthians 10.1-5. 'Our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea, and all were inundated into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same supernatural food, and drank the same supernatural drink, for they drank from the supernatural Rock which followed them, and that Rock was Christ' (1 Corinthians 10.1-4). Do you see how parallel they are? And the point behind the second is that they were all in it together. The whole of Israel had been 'inundated into Moses'. They had become one with him in readiness for them all being joinerd as one in the covenant. From then on he was their great mediator. They were all one together. Individuality was out. They were committed together for God's purpose for the future. Assuming that you have been baptised (and if you have not you ought to be) then your baptism was not an individual event. It was part of one huge baptism ceremony through the ages whereby all true believers have been inundated into Jesus Christ (just as Israel were all inundated into Moses). Assuming that you are a true believer, when you believed you were inundated into the body of Christ. And as part of the body of Christ you are to go on drinking of the Spirit together. You are bound into the new covenant with all your brothers and sisters in Christ. You should therefore feel at home in Christ in all churches were Christ is truly taught, and should recognise that you are already one with them and with your local church which is one arm of the whole body. Not to go and worship with them would put you at odds with all that Christ died for. It would mean that you are closing your eyes to all that has happened to you and that you are mutilating His body and that the arm is without a finger. You will lose and so will they. And so will Christ. For you are in Him as part of His body and He wants all of His body to be one. By not worshipping with fellow-believers you would be spiritually. mutilating Christ. You have not become a Christian so that you might go to Heaven (although that is a blessed side product), you have become a Christian so that you might serve the Lord in oneness with Him in His body. Not therefore to work together as part of His body would throw doubt on whether you were a Christian. You would be denying the very thing that has happened to you. In Him Rabban |
||||||
16 | Stumpped by my son | Bible general Archive 3 | rabban | 191806 | ||
Hi Statement of Fact: Christian peoples of the world claim that God's word tells them that God created the sun on the fourth day of creation. Questions? How is is possible to have three cycles of morning and evening before the creation of the sun? How is it possible that God would create light on the first day of creation when he didn't create the sun until the fourth day? Doesn't everyone know that light comes from the sun and without the sun we cannot have a morning or an evening? Since the sun is 1.3 million times larger than the earth why didn't God inform the bible writers of its importance to life on earth? ANSWER. Scroll back and see my answer on 8.8.07 at 11.08 am. |
||||||
17 | 1 Peter 3:21-24 what is this meaning..? | 1 Pet 3:22 | rabban | 191805 | ||
Hi Scroll back and see my answer on 8th August at 2.40 am. In Him. |
||||||
18 | Stumpped by my son | Bible general Archive 3 | rabban | 191803 | ||
Statement of Fact: Christian peoples of the world claim that God's word tells them God's "Divine Plan" includes free will. Each and every man has the free will to choose everlasting life or everlasting hell fire. Questions? If all has been determined in the "Divine Plan" from before time began, where is the free will to change and be spared from the torment of hell fire? Answer. God has built within His overall plan the right for us to use our free will within His restraints. We are free for example not to repent and believe. We are free even to challenge Him - many do. But if we do so we must take the consequences. But of course we can only do these things within His overall plan. We cannot interfere with that. Question: If man is given two choices, eternal life through Jesus Christ or eternal hell fire by rejection, where is that person's free will to choose Buddah, Mohamed or to remain neutral? Where is that man's freedom of choice to decide not to choose? Where is his free will? If I stand on a bridge looking down into the ravine below I am free to choose whether I will jump off the bridge or not. The fact that the consequences are not very pleasant does not take away my free will. It simply demonstrates to me what the sensible thing to do is. |
||||||
19 | Stumpped by my son | Bible general Archive 3 | rabban | 191801 | ||
Hi You asked: "Statement of Fact: Christian peoples of the world claim that God's word tells them from before time began God set into motion the "Divine Plan." He knows the end from the beginning. He is all knowing, all powerful and everywhere. When praying, pray that God's will be done. Answer. We must distinguish between God's directive will and His permissive will. His directive will controls all things. His permissive will allows adjustments within His directive will. Questions? If God's will is the "Divine Plan" and has been in existence since before time began, how does praying help? Answer: Because we do not pray for God's divine plan to change, but we pray within God's divine plan as His children. God has not purposed everything we do. It is just that our lives are lived within His over all purpose. Question. What if what you're asking for in prayer is not God's will? Are christians so arrogant to want God to change his plan? Answer: If you ask for what is not within His directive will He will not respond to you. No one can change God's overall plan. It is arrogant to expect Him to do so. What they can do is seek adjustments within it. But even then they should be seeking to ensure that they only ask what is within His will. The Christian always prays, 'Your will be done'. Question: Does God enjoy hearing people whine, moan, grovel and beg for things they will not get? Answer. Actually Jesus taught that we should not pray like this 'This', He said, 'is the way the Gentiles pray (who do not know how to pray properly) See Matthew 6.7, 31-32. The Christian is to approach in faith, love and submission to Him as a child to his father in accordance with what is laid out in the Lord's prayer. Question: Does God delight in the monotonous pleadings, mumblings and cryings of people for things that he planned they would get anyway? Answer. God delights in all our prayers when we approach Him as our heavenly Father. Just as parents delight in their children's often unwise words. But what a sad world it would be if children never asked their parents for anything. Prayer is however supposed to be a means of communication, not a method of getting things out of God. Question: If the "Divine Plan" was developed by God and set in motion before time began, how can any kind of appeal through prayer alter God's will? Answer: No prayer can change God's divine plan. It can only cause changes within it. But even then we should be praying only for what we believe is His will. 'If we ask anything according to His will, He hears us,' (1 John 5.14). Thus our prayers should always be for what is in accord with His will. We can be sure that He will never act against His directive will whateve we pray for. |
||||||
20 | Does YHWH equals ELOHIM? | Ex 24:10 | rabban | 191800 | ||
Hi, This actually demonstrates that when Elohim is used with a singular verb it is always speaking of YHWH. YHWH is YHWH ELOHIM. YHWH is His Name. ELOHIM is His title. Compare, 'You shall say to the children of Israel, "YHWH the God of your fathers --- has sent me to you. This is My Name for ever ---' (Exodus 3.15). (You cannot say 'the YHWH of Israel' because YHWH is His Namw). YHWH was the Elohim of Israel. The Elohim of Israel was YHWH. Each is the other. |
||||||
Result pages: [ 1 2 3 4 ] Next > Last [4] >> |