Results 121 - 140 of 154
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Results from: Answers On or After: Thu 12/31/70 Author: stjones Ordered by Verse |
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Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
121 | Does most of the Gospel say women teach? | 1 Cor 11:5 | stjones | 79265 | ||
Hi, Searcher; As I said, I am satisfied to let your congregation silence women. In my congregation women speak because we find no reason to believe that grace, freedom, and unity in Christ are selectively cancelled in God's own house. I am content with that arrangement and have no desire to change your mind or get in a proof-texting war with you. Since you have not proposed any way to harmonize that overarching message of grace, unity, and freedom in Christ with Paul's remarks concerning what he "allows", I'll stick with I have learned through prayer, study, and many discussion with mature, wise Christians. I have explained my position and I respect your right as a Christian to disagree with it. I don't know whether you respect or even recognize my right to disagree with you. I hope you do; I have avoided this forum for a while because I tired of the shrill admonitions of people who think they have an exclusive franchise on God's truth and demand that everyone else agree with them. I hope that's not you. Peace and grace, Steve aka Indiana Jones |
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122 | how do you speak in tongue | 1 Cor 12:11 | stjones | 22084 | ||
God in his own wisdom and sovereignty gives this gift to whom he will. God alone decides and there's no other source. Hope this helps. Peach and grace, Steve |
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123 | "Speaking in tongues"? | 1 Cor 14:15 | stjones | 43720 | ||
Hi, Daniel; Mark 16:17 (not found in some of the earliest available manuscripts) says that speaking in tongues is a sign of the believer. Some churches accept this passage and ignore the many times that Paul says that not everyone should expect to speak in tongues because it is not a universal gift. (1 Cor 12:10, 28-30, 14:5, for example). But I would not scoff; speaking in tongues is clearly one of the gifts of the spirit. I think it's interesting that Paul says "Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers; prophecy, however, is for believers, not for unbelievers." (1 Cor 14:22) So it does seem odd that a church would place much emphasis on tongues as part of a community of believers worshipping together. It's also odd that churches don't seem as fascinated with the gift of service, say, or the gift of administration.... Peace and grace, Steve aka Indiana Jones |
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124 | When should a person leave a church? | Ephesians | stjones | 49442 | ||
Hi, kalos; Are you growing spiritually in that church? Do they worship God and teach the Bible? Are you in the company of spiritually mature believers? If the answer is yes, then maybe that's the best place for you. Give serious thought to what God wants you to put into church, not so much what you want to get out of church. I hate what my denomination's leaders are up to; I hate the constant assaults on the Bible from the left. But I don't attend a denomination; I attend a local church. For me the answer to all of the above questions is yes. So I stay. Beware of churches that produce nothing more than an emotional high and sermons that do no more than make you feel good. There are lots of "hot-tub Christians" (Charles Colson's term) out there who leave their service feelin' good - but unchanged. Jesus and Peter and Paul seldom made their listeners feel good. They just made them better. Just my two hudredths of a US dollar. Peace and grace, Steve aka Indiana Jones |
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125 | Elegant Salvation? | Eph 2:5 | stjones | 31136 | ||
Hi, Percival; "Elegant" is a good word for God's plan of salvation. Many denominations and many theologians like to make it more complicated than it is. I don't think God resorts to trick questions or gimmicks. He's not in the busineess of fooling people into thinking they're saved then rejecting them because they've failed to dot an I or cross a T. Just to pick a nit, I can't imagine any reformed church claiming to be infallible; that idea was part of what got reformed. Peace and grace, Steve aka Indiana Jones |
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126 | Where is the edification of the pope? | Eph 2:8 | stjones | 100631 | ||
Greetings, Born2LoveHim; I pray that the Lord will keep you safe and bless your witness there, and that you and your compatriots will be able to soon leave Iraq a more peaceful and hopeful place. Thanks for your service. You spoke of one "who says he has been christian all his life and then speaks of Catholicism" as if that were a contradiction. I hope you didn't mean it that way; I assure you that many faithful Christians practice Catholicism. It's true the Bible doesn't mention a Pope. Neither does is mention Primates (Anglicans), Presbyters (Presbyterians), or synods (many). Although there are those who seem to believe that salvation depends on the organizational structure of a denomination (or the avoidance of all formal denominations, the Bible does not say so. Does your comrade know who Jesus is and has he put his faith in him? If not, you have much more important things to talk about than how a denomination is structured. If he is saved, then I'll admit many a rousing discussion can be had about how Catholics do things vs. the rest of Christendom. And if I'm reading unfairly bwtween the lines, I apologize. Peace and grace, Steve aka Indiana Jones |
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127 | catholic and protestant salvation view | Eph 4:3 | stjones | 49342 | ||
Hi, bravostarr; I'd love to give you a deep historical and theological response, but I can't. I'll just mention that my sister-in-law, born, raised, and committed Catholic for 60 years, says that she was saved by faith in Jesus. We are brother and sister in Christ, plain and simple. I don't care that she's Catholic and she doesn't care that I'm Presbyterian. Ain't it grand? Peace and grace, Steve aka Indiana Jones |
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128 | Do you care about the denomination... | Eph 4:3 | stjones | 50141 | ||
Hi, GandT; Please don't take offense, but did you read what I said? "[any denomination's] doctrine is inferior to Scripture. If the Bible says I'm saved, I'm saved; I wouldn't join with a denomination that says I'm not" My denomination's doctrine correctly identifies what one must do to be saved. I know it is correct - not because I conform to what the denomination says but because the denomination conforms to what the Bible says. Peace and grace, Steve aka Indiana Jones |
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129 | Mercy can only go so far... right? | Eph 5:5 | stjones | 67719 | ||
Greetings; This is a very interesting question. My first thought was, does anyone "own" God's word anyway? The Bible was freely given; how can I say that I "own" my Bible? Furthermore, as an American, wealthy in relation to most of the world, am I too attached to worldy things? My Bible is a book made of paper and ink; it doesn't hold God's word captive. If this physical posession disappears, I can easily get another. In America, I could probably walk into any church and ask for a Bible and get one free. So part of me says that I should be grateful that the thief has spread one particular manifestation of God's word beyond me. And yet, as I consider the NLT (great for reading aloud) on my desk, I have to assume that it would not exist if it were not financially feasible to produce it. If bookstores can't afford to stock it, the publisher to publish it, the translators to translate it, it won't be produced. Theft interferes with that orderly process. So I have no answer, but thanks for giving me something more worthy than football to think about before going to church. ;-) Peace and grace, Steve aka Indiana Jones |
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130 | Jesus God. Grasping equality? | Phil 2:6 | stjones | 71078 | ||
Greetings, consider; I'm no Greek scholar (Tim? others?) but Strong's includes these meanings for "grasped": "to deem anything a prize", "a thing to be ... held fast, retained". Jesus had equality with God in that he was a person of the Trinity, not a created being, but rather the obedient son of God. He occupied a position alongside God at the top of the heavenly hierarchy, above both angels and men. Rather than consider this position something to be prized or held onto, he was willing to give it up and become a servant in human form. Hope this helps. Peace and grace, Steve aka Indiana Jones |
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131 | question about salvation | Phil 4:6 | stjones | 21485 | ||
Hi, Wendy; Welcome. I'm pretty new here myself. Whether your friend is saved or not is between your friend and Jesus; no one else knows. Most new Christians go through dry spells, often prolonged. Pray for your friend (and with, if possible) and continue to encourage. Maybe you can get your friend to look at other Bibles - a paraphrase (such as "The Message") or a modern English version such as the Good News or New Living Translation. Or you might try Christian music - there are artists in practically any style you can think of. Or visit a "seeker" church or other churches. Or see if there are any communities in your area that conduct three-day renewal weekends - first for yourself, then for your friend. The best-known are Cursillo (Catholic) and Walk to Emmaus (Methodist). This link will get you started to find out about them: http://www.cursillos.ca/en/index.htm (click on the "Expansion" link to read about movements that have grown out of the Cursillo.) This page contains links to many such communities around the country: http://home.indy.rr.com/indyvoice/links.htm But keep on praying. I pray this is helpful to you and your friend. Peace and grace, Steve |
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132 | watch me on how to live where is this | Phil 4:9 | stjones | 102309 | ||
Perhaps this is it?: "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me--put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you." Phillipans 4:8-9 [NIV] | ||||||
133 | Jesus and God the Father not the same? | Col 3:17 | stjones | 54464 | ||
Hi, meshell; Welcome to the forum. They are and they aren't. Short dumb answer but there are no short smart answers. Add in the Holy Spirit and you have a question that the church has wrestled with for 2000 years. Click on the Search link near the upper left corner and search for "Trinity". You will find a lot of information, some of it Scripturally sound. Let us know what you think. Peace and grace, Steve aka Indiana Jones |
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134 | Why use the ambiguous word "Temperate"? | 1 Tim 3:2 | stjones | 83715 | ||
My electronic Thayers defines nephalios: "1) sober, temperate 1a) abstaining from wine, either entirely or at least from its immoderate use 1b) of things free from all wine, as vessels, offerings" from nephos: "1) to be sober, to be calm and collected in spirit 2) to be temperate, dispassionate, circumspect" So it may not be as clear cut as you suppose. And the translators may be more honest than you give them credit for. Peace and grace, Steve aka Indiana Jones |
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135 | It isn't right to eat pig is it? | 1 Tim 4:4 | stjones | 103798 | ||
Greetings, Sissy; I say eat and enjoy! To the passages Makarios cited, I would add Peter's vision in Acts 10:9-15: "... Peter went up on the roof to pray. He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles of the earth and birds of the air. Then a voice told him, 'Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.' 'Surely not, Lord!' Peter replied. 'I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.' The voice spoke to him a second time, 'Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.'" Following Jesus' teaching in Matthew that Makarios cited and immediately preceding Peter's visit to the gentile centurion Cornelius, the meaning is unmistakable. My wife makes outstanding BBQ pork ribs. And I cook an Italian breaded pork chop that people seem to enjoy. Just two of the less important reasons I'm thankful for God's grace. Peace and grace, Steve aka Indiana Jones |
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136 | how should christians view evolution | 1 Tim 6:3 | stjones | 28200 | ||
Hi, ddrundle; [sound of can of worms opening] With healthy curiosity tempered with skepticism. In my opinion there is no easy answer. Other Christian brothers and sisters on this forum find the answer very simple. We disagree, but that's not unusual. ;-) The work of the scientist is to discover the nature and workings of God's creation. The men who invented modern science in the 18th century were mostly Christians and mostly viewed their work this way. Unfortunately, many scientists now start with a closed mind, assuming without proof that there is a naturalistic explanation for everything. They assume that God either does not exist or is irrelevant. There are others, not necessarily creationists, who acknowledge that a valid scientific investigation may lead to the possibility of a supernatural explanation. At that point, theology takes over. Also, there are many variations of evolutionary theory, even some that acknowledge God in the process. There is no single monolithic "evolution" that all scientists agree on. Lumping all variations and their proponents together makes for an easy target but ignores many of the issues. You can click on the "Search" link in the upper left corner. At the bottom of the search screen, right above the "Search" button, enter the word "evolution" to search for. Pick an interesting message and click on the link. When you get there, you will be able to open and follow the entire thread. My advice is to decide for yourself. If you don't have a firm grounding in the Bible, forget evolution and study the Bible. If you do (or when you do), decide how you should view evolution in light of what the Bible teaches. Don't let a Bible scholar explain the science and don't let a scientist explain the Bible. Peace and grace, Steve aka Indiana Jones |
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137 | Is Prosperity wrong in light of Mk 16:15 | 1 Tim 6:17 | stjones | 53558 | ||
Greetings; God is not against money and prosperity. As this passage indicates, He is against people who put money and prosperity ahead of Him. I have two different problems with some televangelists. (1) Some of them preach a greedy theology that says all faithful Christians are entitled to be rich. This is heresy. (2) Some of them live very ostentatious lives that make me wonder what their viewers who send in the money had in mind. Did they intend to build the Kingdom or the televangelist's portfolio? I have even heard some of these folks claim that Jesus was wealthy, thus excusing their own greed. When I financially support a ministry, I don't expect my money to buy garish gilded furniture, fancy clothes, or pink wigs. I expect it to feed the poor, provide medical assistance, and most of all to support missionaries in the field who live their lives and their faith in full view of those they are struggling to reach. I'm not sure whom your last question is directed to - who are the "hypocrites"? For those of us who are not in full-time service, God asks for our tithes and our free-will offerings. So a faithful, godly person might easily "spend more money on self than the Gospel". For example, my employer gives me money for writing computer programs and considers it value given for value received. It is up to me as a Christian to turn a portion of it over to God. To the extent that a televangelist makes me feel good, I guess he or she can keep the money and call it value given for value received. But to the extent that I give my money in trust that it will be used to effectively spread the Gospel, most of it should go for just that. Peace and grace, Steve aka Indiana Jones |
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138 | 2Tim 2:15 Study dispensationally? | 2 Timothy | stjones | 108948 | ||
Hi, Ken; Why do you say it is a fact that one needs to study the Bible dispensationally? Is there a scriptural directive to approach it this way? In the interest of full disclosure, I am skeptical about this. Peace and grace, Steve aka Indiana Jones |
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139 | Purpose of the Bible | 2 Tim 3:16 | stjones | 23765 | ||
Nolan, of course, is right. Be sure to look at the surrounding verses as well: "...from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work" (verses 15-17). Verse 15 echoes Jesus' words to the Pharisees: "You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life" (John 5:39-40) Peace and grace, Indiana Jones, formerly "Steve" (too many Steves around here) |
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140 | holy spirit guide men to write bible | 2 Tim 3:16 | stjones | 80646 | ||
... from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. -- 2 Timothy 3:15-17 I don't recall if the Holy Spirit is explicitly named in another passage. Given the nature and work of the Holy Spirit, it certainly reasonable to assume that it was the Holy Spirit who did the "breathing" (inspiring). Peace and grace, Steve aka Indiana Jones |
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