Results 1 - 20 of 165
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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Author: Ocelot Ordered by Verse |
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Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Sabbath or Sunday | Not Specified | Ocelot | 164901 | ||
I want to be sure and let all of you know that I do NOT intend to start a fight by asking this question. I do NOT intent to offend anybody with this question. I am simply seeking truth. I don’t want anybody who agrees with me to vehemently defend me. This is a perfectly honest question. So here’s my question. “Why Sunday?” Why do so many Christians go to church on Sunday? The Bible says, in Genesis 2:2,3 “And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.” And then, in Exodus 20:8 “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.” If I were to ask you, “Which day does the Bible say to keep holy?” It would be very easy to point to Genesis 2:2,3 and Exodus 20:8. But was that day changed from the seventh day to the first day, when Jesus rose from the dead? Was it simply done away with by Jesus death on the cross? Or was the day just for the Jews? If the day was changed from the seventh to the first because that was the day when Jesus rose from the dead, where is that verse found in the Bible? The 4th commandment (the Sabbath commandment) is the longest, most detailed command of the Ten. If God, through Jesus was going to change it, wouldn’t it be irresponsible of Him not to let us know about the change? Wouldn’t it be like if the government changed which side of the road we were supposed to drive on and didn’t tell anyone? Given the nature of the 4th commandment, when Jesus changed the day you’d expect to see a Bible verse that at least said “Because Christ rose from the dead on the first day of the week, we now worship on Sunday.” But there is none. Why would God, and the apostles simply be silent on the issue? Colossians 2:16 says “let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths” But where’s the change? Where does “let no one judge you in…Sabbaths” become “Go to church on Sunday?” Wouldn’t it be the safer choice to simply follow the Bible guidelines and keep the seventh day holy? In Matthew 14:15 Jesus said “If you love Me, keep my commandments.” So were the Ten Commandments done away with because they were nailed to the cross? Did Jesus come to destroy the Law? If He did, then Matthew 5:17 would read like this “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to destroy.” That wouldn’t make any sense. No, what it DOES say is this “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly I say to you, TILL HEAVEN AND EARTH PASS AWAY, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the Law till ALL is fulfilled.” Matthew 5:17,18(emphasis mine). He also said “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My Father in heaven” Matthew 7:21. Were all of the Ten Commandments nailed to the cross? Does that mean that God now allows me to murder, commit adultery, lie, covet, steal, take His name in vain, pray to idols, dishonor my parents, worship other gods? Which of the other nine is it okay to get rid of? The answer has to be none. And which of the Ten did we forget? The only one that starts out with the word “Remember…”. That seems kind of ironic. So was the seventh day just for the Jews? Genesis 2:2,3 says that God sanctified (or made holy) the seventh day, AT CREATION. In Mark 2:27, Jesus says that “The Sabbath was made for man…” Again, when was the Sabbath made? AT CREATION. And who was the only man alive at that time? Adam, the father of us all. The Jews did not even come into being until about 2000 years later. Was God’s Law instituted at Mount Sinai? I don’t think so. Genesis 39:9 tells us that when Joseph was tempted to sleep with his master’s wife, he asked her “How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” That, by the way is the seventh commandment. How did Joseph know about the commandments long before Sinai? Because his great grandfather knew about them. In Genesis 26:5 God tells Abraham that He will bless him because he “…obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws.” Now just suppose you’re standing before God and He asks you why you went against His will and kept the Seventh day holy, and not the first day. What are you going to say in your defense? “Well… I read in Genesis that You sanctified the seventh day and in Exodus that I should keep the Seventh day holy, and I read where all throughout the Old Testament people got in trouble for not keeping it holy. I read where Jesus kept the Sabbath as was His custom. I read in Revelation 12:17 that in the end times, the people who have the testimony of Jesus Christ also keep the Commandments of God. (see also Rev. 14:12)” Your thoughts are appreciated. |
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2 | A honest question on Calvinism | Not Specified | Ocelot | 166676 | ||
Aright, here’s a question I’m not even sure if I’m allowed to ask. But with the understanding that I do not want to start a debate, but simply seek information, perhaps I can avoid breaching the rules of the forum. If not, just tell me no. My question’s on Calvinism. I’ve done a lot of reading on this site to avoid asking this question, but I can’t seem to find the specific answer. Perhaps I skimmed over it. If so, just give me the post number. Here’s my question, or questions. First: From the Calvinist perspective, who caused the origin of sin? I’ve always believed that God gave his creation freedom of choice because He didn’t want a bunch of robots worshipping Him. Thus there was left the chance for sin to enter creation. So here’s my dilemma. According to the Calvinists, is God responsible for sin? I can’t see how He couldn’t be if predestination were true. And that leads me to my second question. Second: How could a God of love create people who are predestined, that is they have no choice in the matter, to be tortured for all eternity in the fires of hell? If a person doesn’t have a choice in the matter, are they not created for the primary purpose of burning? (As that will be the primary thing they’ll be doing for eons.) So that is my dilemma. Now forgive me for asking the question, because the idea is totally foreign to me and I honestly didn’t truly think about it until just the other day. I didn't even know what Calvinism was. I do not intend to debate or even reply. I just want to know. Thank you in advance. Ocelot |
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3 | People on other planets? | Not Specified | Ocelot | 168935 | ||
Hello all. The reason for my question here is simply to try to get people’s thoughts on this. So here it is: I just found a website that has an “astronomy picture of the day”, and it got me thinking. Our sun has a quite a few planets orbiting it (we’re finding more all the time)and our galaxy is jam-packed full of stars like our sun. Then I see pictures where whole galaxies seem as proliferate as the stars. So here’s the question to ponder. Do you believe that there are other created beings on other planets? I guess my question is, looking at the size of God’s universe, do you believe it likely that there are countless unfallen worlds? Just a question. Colossians 1:20 “…and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven.” Ephesians 3:10 “…so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places.” Let me know what you think. Ocelot |
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4 | "I'd like to use a lifeline" | Not Specified | Ocelot | 172430 | ||
Has anyone else noticed that it seems that there are a lot of people posting questions on the forum that sound a lot like they’re playing “Who Wants to be a Millionaire: Bible Edition”? :-) Is the Study Bible Forum a lifeline? Why would someone ask “What word is in the Bible four times?” Why would they think that there was such a word if they were not playing some kind of Bible “trivia” game? I don’t mean to offend anyone at all. I just find it somewhat amusing and curious. Any thoughts? In Christian Love, Ocelot |
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5 | Sufism | Not Specified | Ocelot | 176038 | ||
Hello my good friends of SBF. I have a dilemma. A “Christian” friend of mine has started calling himself a Sufi. He has tried to convince me on several occasions that he can be both a Christian and a Sufi at the same time. After some investigation, I’m still having trouble understanding what Sufi or Sufism even is. Based on several online encyclopedias it’s a mystical branch of Islam. Yet I’ve read several articles (by Sufis) claiming that Sufism is compatible with Christianity. Anyway, if anyone has any experience with this, I would very much appreciate any info you could give me that could help my friend. Ocelot |
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6 | RAPTURE | Bible general Archive 3 | Ocelot | 165579 | ||
Hi Mark. I agree with Kalos. The “Rapture”, will be a very loud, very visible event. Scripture plainly teaches that. Rev 1:7 BEHOLD, HE IS COMING WITH THE CLOUDS, and EVERY EYE will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. So it is to be. Amen. Matt 24:27 "For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes even to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be. Matt 24:30 "And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the SON OF MAN COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF THE SKY with power and great glory. Matt 24:31 "And He will send forth His angels with A GREAT TRUMPET and THEY WILL GATHER TOGETHER His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other. 2 Pet 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up. 2 Pet 3:12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat! As for 2 Thess. 2:1,2 "2 Thess 2:1 Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, 2 Thess 2:2 that you not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come." I would say that these verses are an argument for the exact opposite of a SECRET rapture. Paul is warning the Christians not to believe in such a way. As for the “Thief in the Night”. The “Thief in the Night” verses all pertain to the unexpectedness of Christ’s return. He is however, a thief with a trumpet. And when He returns, the elements will melt. If you or I were left behind I think we’d notice that. As for who said what first about a “secret” rapture, it doesn’t seem to matter. The Bible says it’s not secret. Ocelot |
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7 | can I eat shellfish? | Bible general Archive 3 | Ocelot | 166114 | ||
Hi Doc. Ocelot here. You used Colossians 2:16-17 to prove your point. Here it is Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ. (Colossians 2:16-17) But Colossians 2:16-17 is a reference to the sacrificial system, and not to what is appropriate to eat. Read Leviticus 23:24-37. Lev 23:37 'These are the appointed times of the LORD which you shall proclaim as holy convocations, to present offerings by fire to the LORD--burnt offerings and grain offerings, sacrifices and drink offerings, each day's matter on its own day— Notice that the word “meat” used in Colossians 2:16-17 is the Greek word “brosis”. If you’d do a quick word study you’d find out that that word simply means “food”. With that knowledge, it becomes very clear that Col 2:16-17 is dealing with the sacrificial system, and food and drink offerings made to The Lord. I’m going to skip 1 Cor. 8:8 since it’s so vague. You then used 1 Timothy 4:3-5. Here it is: Forbidding marriage and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer. (1 Timothy 4:3-5) Now let’s apply some logic to that verse. Would you say that God allows the eating of human flesh? Of course not. And yet man is a “creature”. The word “creature” here, is the Greek word “ktisma”, don’t ask me to pronounce it. It simply means “an original formation”, or “product (created thing)”. Now notice verse 5. “For it is sanctified by the WORD OF GOD, and prayer.” What food is sanctified by the word of God? Ocelot |
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8 | Does Satan Exist Part III | Bible general Archive 3 | Ocelot | 166190 | ||
Mark, I agree with you on the issue of insanity. Here’s another angle. Bear in mind that some of this is just theory. Lucifer’s downfall was based on PRIDE. And what other sin could cause a holy angel to fall? Pride is unlike all other sins. First, pride is a “hidden” sin, in that it is likely the hardest to detect by the person suffering from it. It may also be difficult for others to detect. Not that I’m saying God can’t detect it. But then, pride’s nature demands that when confronted about its very existence, pride would be offended. And if a rebuke was not taken with humility, pride would only tend to grow, not diminish. Pride is the most sinister of sins. Though not as “destructive” as some other sins, it is by the hardest sin to overcome. It declares, “I am in the right!”, “I am being mistreated!”. As for God’s Sovereignty and Omnipotence, God values freedom of choice. Hence the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Before the fall, there was only one spot on Earth where Adam and Eve were susceptible to sin. Only one spot on the entire planet where Satan had access to the first couple. And what’s more, God warned Adam and Eve about it. Yet He would not take from them their freedom of choice. I believe that the freedom of choice was given to the angels in heaven. Yet their perfection and closeness to God all but guaranteed that sin would never rear its ugly head. This is just my opinion, but I believe that the only chance sin had to enter heaven, was through pride. One would assume that the closer one was to God, the less likely to fall. The closer to perfection, the more “sin-proof” one was. But pride bypasses that. In fact, pride can use perfection to spawn itself, in that if someone takes their focus off God and looks at their own perfection, they suddenly say, “Hey, look at me. I’m perfect.” Ezek 28:17 "Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; You corrupted your wisdom by reason of your splendor. Ocelot P.S. The devil doesn’t care which ditch you fall into. If you worship him he likes that. If you disbelieve in him, he likes that just as well. |
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9 | Does Satan Really Exist? | Bible general Archive 3 | Ocelot | 166199 | ||
Regarding Ezekiel 28. There is something in the Bible that is know as “duel prophecy”. Here are a couple of examples. Mal 4:5 "Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the LORD. Mal 4:6 "He will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, so that I will not come and smite the land with a curse." Here we have an example of a duel prophecy. And here’s the proof: Matt 17:10 And His disciples asked Him, "Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?" Matt 17:11 And He answered and said, "Elijah is coming and will restore all things; Matt 17:12 but I say to you that Elijah already came, and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they wished. So also the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands." Matt 17:13 Then the disciples understood that He had spoken to them about John the Baptist. In Matthew 17:11 Jesus says “Elijah is coming and will restore all things…” but then He says “but I say to you that Elijah already came”. Two prophecies in one. One applies to John the Baptist, and another to someone “before the coming of the great and terrible day of the LORD.” Another duel prophecy is that of the destruction of the temple at the hands of the Romans, and the second coming of Christ, found in Matthew chapter 24. Ezekiel 28, IS talking about the king of Tyre, and yet simultaneously about the fall of Lucifer. Ocelot |
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10 | Why so many Bibles? | Bible general Archive 3 | Ocelot | 166664 | ||
So do you suggest posting ushers at the doors to check for versions that are not uniform for the congregation? I think that you’ll find that it would get way too sticky a situation to try and uniform the version for a church. Do YOU have a suggestion on how to solve the issue? Ocelot |
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11 | Why so many Bibles? | Bible general Archive 3 | Ocelot | 166669 | ||
Language itself has changed. If you could see the ORIGINAL King James Version, you’d have a VERY hard time reading it. As to why it was changed, I guess some people got together and said “Hey. This King James Version is hard for a lot of people to understand. Let’s make it easier.” Ocelot |
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12 | Why does Satan believe he can win? | Bible general Archive 3 | Ocelot | 166910 | ||
Doc, correct me if I’m wrong, but aren’t you pushing a denominational bias here? Namely Calvinism? I believe the rules are quite specific about that. Ocelot |
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13 | Why does Satan believe he can win? | Bible general Archive 3 | Ocelot | 166916 | ||
Dear Doc, I apologize for the false accusation. Please forgive my obfuscation, as I did not mean such. Let me state my position plainly. I do not believe God predestined sin. I do not believe that God, in allowing His creations to commit sin failed to be sovereign. If an earthly father has the ability to force his will on his children, but allows them to make their own choices because he loves them, it does not detract from his ability to control them. In the same way, I believe God, setting aside His sovereignty so to speak, and allowing His creations to make poor choices that lead to sin and ultimately to death, does not detract from His sovereignty. Because He CAN control His creation does not mean that He WILL control His creation. “God is Love” 1 John 4:16. Love is not a characteristic possessed by God, but rather it is His primary characteristic. The verse does not say “God is loving” but “God IS LOVE”. Those are my beliefs in the matter. I realize you may not agree. You don’t have to agree. That’s the beauty of freedom of choice. : ) Ezekiel 33:11 "Say to them, 'As I live!' declares the Lord GOD, 'I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn back, turn back from your evil ways! Why then will you die, O house of Israel?' Doc, I do appreciate your input in this matter. Ocelot |
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14 | Why does Satan believe he can win? | Bible general Archive 3 | Ocelot | 166994 | ||
Thank you, Doc, for your insight. But what you are describing sounds to me like a god who, in your word, “decrees” that sin should exist. And that in its existence it should destroy, maim, harm, mar and twist his creation. And not stopping at that, but it should ultimately cost the life of his son. When foreseeing the outcome of sin, does God diminish His sovereignty by saying to His creation “I will not force you to remain loyal to Me. I love you, so I will allow you to choose to fill your life with pride. I would not force you to stay away from the tree that I told you not to eat of. If I force you, then love ceases to be love. But rather, when you fall, I will make a Way of redemption. It will be VERY costly. But it is because of love that I will do this.”? Can’t you here Him crying out “…I have set before you life and death…” “So choose life in order that you may live…” Deuteronomy 30:19 I believe that it was Phillip Yancey that said “The guards at a labor camp can force their prisoners to do many things. They can force them to eat human excrement, kill and bury their mother and renounce their faith. But they can NEVER force the prisoners to love them.” Love cannot be forced, or it ceases to be love. I see in what you’re telling me a god that leaves no options for his creations. He chooses the option for them. He forces them. I understand that you believe that what I’m saying is an attack on god’s character. You believe that what I am saying assails God’s sovereignty. But I see what YOU are saying as an attack on God’s character of love. We may simply have to agree to disagree and wait for heaven when we can hear the truth from God Himself. Perhaps I’m reading too much into what you’re saying. Perhaps what I’m saying seems like semantics. Perhaps. If so, then forgive my misjudgment. But I think that we should end this conversation as it’s dangerously close to being a debate. I’ll refrain from saying anymore on this topic. In Christian Love, Ocelot |
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15 | is there proof in scripture of that? | Bible general Archive 3 | Ocelot | 167214 | ||
Here's one verse for you. Exodus 20:11 "For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them…” The word for Lord here, is Y’Hova, or as we would pronounce it, Jehovah, the Self-Existent or Eternal One. It was Jehovah who created the Earth. Ocelot |
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16 | Mark of the Beast | Bible general Archive 3 | Ocelot | 167234 | ||
So Doc, what are YOUR beliefs on this issue of the Mark of the Beast, if you don’t mind me asking? It’s not that I even disagree with you, I’m just very curious. Ocelot |
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17 | People on other planets? | Bible general Archive 3 | Ocelot | 168937 | ||
Hello all. The reason for my question here is simply to try to get people’s thoughts on this. So here it is: I just found a website that has an “astronomy picture of the day”, and it got me thinking. Our sun has a quite a few planets orbiting it (we’re finding more all the time)and our galaxy is jam-packed full of stars like our sun. Then I see pictures where whole galaxies seem as proliferate as the stars. So here’s the question to ponder. Do you believe that there are other created beings on other planets? I guess my question is, looking at the size of God’s universe, do you believe it likely that there are countless unfallen worlds? Just a question. Colossians 1:20 “…and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven.” Ephesians 3:10 “…so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places.” Let me know what you think. Ocelot |
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18 | People on other planets? | Bible general Archive 3 | Ocelot | 168940 | ||
Now I don’t want you to take any offense to this, but are you saying that all that universe out there is all for decoration? Not that that’s beyond God. But it just seems to me anyway, that God would be creating millions of inhabited worlds. I don’t really have any scripture to back that up though. Regarding your comment on how probable it is that there’s another planet inhabitable like Earth, probability wouldn’t be an issue where God is concerned. Not that I’m disagreeing with you. Oh well, this may be one of those “Questions for Heaven”. Ocelot |
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19 | The devil questions. | Bible general Archive 3 | Ocelot | 170851 | ||
KumKum, Your questions are very good ones, and questions that MANY people ask. Unfortunately, to properly answer your questions would require me to write a small book. I would suggest that you go to a Christian book store and order yourself a copy of the book “Epic” by John Eldredge. In my opinion, it answers your questions very well. In Christian love, Ocelot |
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20 | Is sacrifice requirement to christianity | Bible general Archive 3 | Ocelot | 171538 | ||
Hi Mark. This might be a tad off subject, but I thought it was worth repeating. A couple of months ago, my pastor made the comment that he had a spiritual exercise for us congregants. He said “Today, I’d like you to do a spiritual exercise. Get your family together and go down to your nearest landfill and look at everyone’s treasure. See the treasures that people fought over. That people stressed about. That people neglected their families for.” It really stuck with me. Ocelot |
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