Results 1 - 9 of 9
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Results from: Notes Author: forrest Ordered by Date |
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Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | How do you know there is a God? | Ps 46:10 | forrest | 19500 | ||
Sorry, Maryanne, in my answer I lost the importance of the context of your question, Psalm 46:10. Cease striving. NASB footnotes and a Greek lexicon will show that alternate translations of "cease striving" are "relax, let go, be still." Amen! We can not strive and work into His knowledge but we must receive what He freely and willingly offers. We seek, but we know only because He reveals. And He is doing that right now. Read the rest of Psalm 46. Although everything we see and know may/will fall apart, He is God, He will help you, He is with us and our stronghold, and He will be exhalted and glorified. Take a look at www.lote.org | ||||||
2 | Is God responsible for evil? | Bible general Archive 1 | forrest | 5369 | ||
My apologies if I offended by posting a corrected copy to this question. I have previously been chastened for typographical errors and therefore corrected a "Good" to the correct "God" and in another question "good is evil" to "good but rather is evil". Also as this forum appears to be somewhat loose and not intensely managed, I work each question as a separate conversation and "room". I may be monitoring the questions in a inferior way but I do not see answers to questions until I select a question and then see its associated answers. AS I do not just read answers in the time sequence in which they are submitted, I did not see a problem with sequential posting of similar or even identical anwers to similar or even identical but different posted questions. Your answer alerts me that some people may monitor chronologically rather than topically. Again. I apologize for the resubmitted corrections due to typographical or word choice errors. I wish this forum would allow a submitter to retract a faulty posting to resubmit a corrected copy. Also, I would have e-mailed you directly so as to not clutter the forum with this posting, but you have no listed profile. If you could list this, private chatter could be eliminated. As for me, I need to and will consider drafting answers in word, spell checking and editing and then submitting the text. |
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3 | What unmarried sexual acts are sinful? | Bible general Archive 1 | forrest | 3348 | ||
Just quickly, as I have to go. Paragraph 1 is definitely not what I am saying. What the Bible contains is true, every bit of it. Doctrine is our construction of that truth, in our own minds and is a model or approximation of an objective truth, which is what it is totally independent of our understanding. We must distiguish our understanding from the actual reality of the truth itself. Otherwise we may not hear the quiet correction of God. I apologize if I seem trivial. My life consists largely of words (but not of good typing), and even the Bible suggests that there is great power in them. I try to be careful and clear and find the discipline helps refine and clarify my understanding and thus my application of truth. If this dilaogue does not draw either of us or someone closer to God or help us hear Him more clearly, then it is vain and useless. I too am not interested in quibbling and am perhaps in error to pen so quick a response, but I have to go. I will reread your submissions. I believe there is merit in my doing so. Just be cautious the letter (and associated doctrine) kills if taken apart from the grace and Spirit of God. There will be skilled theologians in heaven and hell alike. Thank you for the time to help hone my own understanding, God bless you, forrest PS. I do know, and we can know absolute truth. It is discernable and "knowable", but the truth we can know abslolutely is not data or fact but is right relationship with our savior, Jesus Christ. All other truths are contained in Him and radiate from Him. I fear that many people know scripture, and know doctrine, but miss the savior passing near. This is a fearful thought and the motivation of my remarks. Forgive me if my statements have been unclear or seemed to be quibbling. My thoughts are not academic. I still fly, but used to fly an aircraft with terrain following radar. My E2 scope had a graphic display which was the ground and my climb profile. That presentation was my doctrine and I flew with direct reference to it. Yet, I always realized that the reference was not the ground itself which was always a very solid reality just a couple seconds away. |
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4 | Lowest Common Denominator | Bible general Archive 1 | forrest | 3336 | ||
Amen, on the simplicity of Christ. Whenever we confound we place a burden on seekers who God came to illuminate and to bear their burden. God chose a simple plan of coming in the form of a simple man and telling a simple truth about His love and provision for us and desire to save us from the consequence and just judgment awaiting us. This simplicity or "foolishness" confounds the wise who seek to understand through their own faculty rather than through His grace and illumination which enables their faculty and without which the truth is not made visible. Amen, to the simplicity. If we discuss or disagree, let us first agree: God is. God is good. Man has sinned and been separated from God and His desire for us. Christ is God and came to save. There is life and redemption in Jesus. If we trust Him (believe in Him) and recognize Him as complete Lord of our life, we will and do have eternal life in HIm. He is with us and ministers through the person of the Holy Spirit (also part of the same God). He is entirely sufficient for our every need. He is coming again and will renew all creation. He is worthy of our praise and worship. We can, and do, delight in Him. Amen |
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5 | Lowest Common Denominator | Bible general Archive 1 | forrest | 3335 | ||
I am relatively new to the forum and find it rather difficult to follow and to see where meaningful comment is being made. I did however, stumble across this message and your profile. I am similarly Wesleyan and I know the truth of God can withstand sincere questions, however, be careful with the "central" and "non-central" distinction concerning tenets of the faith. Unless the distiction is clearly part of scripture we must trust that God has revealed only what is important. Application becomes an issue, but not at issue is the importance of the Word. God has revealed deeply in little items which may not seem "central." 2 Tim 3:16 refers to "all scripture." My understanding is laid out elsewhere in this forum. Stay obedient and submissive to God and His Word. forrest |
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6 | What unmarried sexual acts are sinful? | Bible general Archive 1 | forrest | 3333 | ||
I wish you could hear my voice and the desire to share with a heart of truth. I am not afraid of doctrine as rightly handling the spoken Word of God is of extreme importance as it reveals God to us. However, neither am I afraid of "philosophy" if it is a sincere desire to know the truth and not a mere propounding of man's thoughts. There is a difference in doctrine and truth as truth is found in the person of Truth, Jesus Christ. Now doctrine, which is man's understanding of the objective and subjective truth of Christ is not that very truth itself but our understanding. Unless we realize this distinction between our understanding and the essence of truth itself (Himself) we run the risk of confusing our doctrine with His reality. Christ said, "You search the scriptures because you think in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me; and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life." John 5:39f Christ confronted the Pharisees in that they had doctrine, but life is in the person of Christ who was right before them. Never confuse doctrine with Christ. Christ is always consistent and true to scripture which is infallible and always true, but our understanding and perception is quite fallible and can be false or incomplete. We must submit our own understanding to the truth and guidance of the Holy Spirit (now here is where many evangelicals run scared)who guides in truth and gives illumination and understanding--always consistent with the person and Word of Christ. Every church era has error--from the centrality of the pope to the deification of doctrine, let us know the reality of both objective and subjective truth which must (when true) be consistent and are both necessary, but neither is sufficient. |
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7 | What unmarried sexual acts are sinful? | Bible general Archive 1 | forrest | 3307 | ||
I have lightly pondered the phrase, "doctrine first." I am afraid that too often the precepts of men are our doctrine rather than the person and Word of our Lord. Truth is truth and we must not compromise the truth, but the law is not the truth but a tutor to lead us to the Truth. Thus, David ate the showbread, Ruth (an illegal foreign bride of a Hebrew man) became a member of the lineage of Christ, and an adulterer was let go without condemnation (but an opportunity to turn from her sin which was still sin). I do not tolerate a compromise of the truth, but our Lord is Truth. Therefore, Christ first. Obedience always. Grace in all things. And follow the current and real guidance of our still speaking Lord. |
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8 | What unmarried sexual acts are sinful? | Bible general Archive 1 | forrest | 2430 | ||
I appreciate the opportunity of this forum. I also realize that e-mail does not carry tonal inflection which is so important for meaning and communication--as in catching a slight twist of humor. But I assure you that I am both thick-skinned and of good humor. I am however, concerned in that there is a world of lost people who do not know the joy of our Savior and we spend too much time on fine points of interpretation and capitialization. I even catch myself at times singing in worship, "There is no god like Jehovah" or some reference to "Jesus" and I catch myself thinking that there is no name of Jehovah but rather a voweless reference to a God, the only God, without name or limitation. Be it "Jesus" or "Jeshua," He (or he) is salvation and life. We must meet people asking serious questions about sex and life and let them know that God cares about these questions and about them. We must pray that Searchingfortruth and a million others will come to know Christ as Savior and as life. We can talk grammar throughout eternity. Pray for the lost to be found; heaven rejoices at the finding of the lost sheep. By the way Romans 6-8 isn't tough. Just read it as a progression from sin to salvation to discovery of the newness of life in relation to God through His Spirit. |
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9 | What unmarried sexual acts are sinful? | Bible general Archive 1 | forrest | 2338 | ||
While no linguist, I believe the original Hebrew does not even have capitial letters and thus all English capitalization is not part of original inspiration. But seriously, I hear the caution and hope no offense is taken or any disrespect perceived to our incredible, immeasurable Creator. |
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