Results 121 - 140 of 975
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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Author: Aixen7z4 Ordered by Date |
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Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
121 | Avoid Curtis Neeley's web site!!!!! | Rom 14:14 | Aixen7z4 | 149688 | ||
There is good news in the fact this person has taken steps to clean up his web site. That is what he has stated in personal correspondence. His other artwork is there, but the questionable items are gone. Please pray for that man. He has been in an accident and has had significant injuries. Yet he is pursuing his career in photography from his wheelchair. He has good skills and has produced other art that is quite good. Let us pray he will learn to use his abilities only for the Lord. The fact he has written in to this forum is a good sign, I think. I supposed that he was seeking the Lord, either for salvation or for his will in his life as a believer. He has stated that he has had some memory loss due to his accident, but he remembers his salvation experience, and he is seeking to live for the Lord. It has been pointed out to him that it is not necessary for him to indulge in whatever he thinks God allows, but to do what benefits others. So far, he has responded. He deserves our encouragement, I think, as he tries to do the right thing. |
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122 | . | Job 31:1 | Aixen7z4 | 149679 | ||
Hello Curtis: Are you saved? What I mean is this: I suppose you have heard that Christ died for our sins. Have you repented, and placed your trust in him? If you are trusting him, then you should listen to him. He says (Romans 14) that you should not do anything that would cause your brother or sister to fall into sin. It is clear from the responses you have received here that some of us have a problem with some of your work. It is clear that some are offended by it and it can lead others into sin. If you are a Christian, then I think that is reason enough to stop. Don’t you agree? The point is that we should not do what pleases us, or what we think God allows, but what brings a blessing to others. I understand that you have stopped displaying those particular pictures, and I commend you for that. Please keep them off your site. I suppose that you are seeking the Lord’s will and that is why you have come to a site such as this, to ask advice. If you have not yet exercised repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ, I would encourage you to give priority to those things. If you have done them, then please continue to do what he asks. Those of us who have exercised faith in Christ are encouraged to live our entire lives trusting and obeying him (Colossians 2:6). You will find joy in obeying the Lord and doing things that benefit your brothers and sisters. The question at this point is not whether you are allowed to do certain things, but whether what you do can lead others (albeit weak ones) to sin. I trust you will do the right thing. |
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123 | Avoid Curtis Neeley's web site!!!!! | Rom 14:14 | Aixen7z4 | 149646 | ||
I think everyone agrees it is not good for someone to receive or place enticements into pornography, especially at a Christian space such as this forum. What you might consider is the possibility that the information you provided might have served, unintentionally, to spark an interest in that type of material, and might have actually enabled a reader to locate it. Thus, in an attempt to dissuade him, you may have actually enabled him to find the material. As you said, “One or two that might go to (that) web site and get hooked …”. Clearly, you did not initiate the topic. You were responding to the fact something had been posted that was undesirable, and potentially harmful. The intent was good. But some of us think it would have been better if you had mentioned the infraction without giving any particulars about it. Better yet, the forum could have been managed in such a way that the material could be intercepted and not allowed to appear on the forum in the first place. Otherwise, it could have been erased. As you said, “(The) note with the web site address needs to be removed”. But that would require the recognition and empowering of monitors. Unfortunately, (In the opinion of some of us, it is unfortunate) the idea has not been accepted by those who run this site. Apparently, the remedy is to act, not against undesirable material, but against users who persist in violating the guidelines of the forum. Meanwhile, it is possible that some irreparable harm has been done. I think the person who did the posting should be admonished (with passages such as Romans 14:21) to not impose his views on what is acceptable, and in a sense the actual materials, on the rest of us. He should have been made aware that he might be inducing some weak ones to sin. Unfortunately, some of us do not listen, and we must be left alone (Hosea 4:17) but some of our postings need to be edited or erased (as in 1 Corinthians 5:7). But as it is, they are allowed to stand, apparently. It is possible that some posters realize this and use the opportunity to do their mischief. The suggestion to you is that you may have been an unwitting aide in the scheme. Just think about it. We could have discussed the matter without giving cues that might have led someone to view the material in question. Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things. |
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124 | Avoid Curtis Neeley's web site!!!!! | Rom 14:14 | Aixen7z4 | 149558 | ||
And do not touch the wet paint. Better not to draw attention with a prohibition, I think. It may serve the opposite purpose. Sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wreaks all manner of concupiscence. For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean. It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak. Hast thou faith? Have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth. And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin. for whatsoever is not of faith is sin. |
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125 | denominations. | Eph 4:3 | Aixen7z4 | 149445 | ||
In all of this maze, this post stands out, and this question: “Is it worth being burned at the stake …?” The question as to whether denominations should exist is a troublesome thing, especially considering the very low probability that anyone can persuade the church that denominations should cease to exist. And then, there is this verse in 1 Corinthians 11: “For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you” (v. 19). “Factions have to exist in order to make it clear who the genuine believers among you are”. (???) (GW). The question for me is whether Paul is being straightforward here, or sarcastic. After all, this is the letter in which he had said there should be no divisions (1 Corinthians 1:10) and he would say there should be no schism in the body (1 Corinthians 12:25). But it is also the one in which he had said to the saints in that poor, weak, immature church: “Now ye are full, now ye are rich, ye have reigned as kings without us: and I would to God ye did reign, that we also might reign with you (1 Corinthians 4:8). Now is he saying that divisions in the church are an opportunity to show who is right and who is wrong? Some may even wrest a verse from 1 John to say that anyone who leaves their sect is wrong. “They went out from us, but they were not of us”. It is almost like not belonging to them is the same as not belonging to Christ. But now come this question, and this statement: “Is it worth being burned at the stake?” and “the much more Christian behavior is … to part company…”. What a choice! Is it not truly sad that the church has come to this, to a choice between parting company and being burned at the stake? We are repeating all the mistakes of the church in the Old Testament when the name of the Lord was being profaned among the heathen because of the behavior of his people. It is the same again today. Brethren persecute each other and part from each other, and new religions arise because the heathen cannot believe that our behavior was learned from the true God. Yet the Lord says, “And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD”, saith the Lord God, “when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes” (Ezekiel 36:23). And Jesus says, “I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it (Matthew 16:18). It is amazing to me how God can do those things. The church, with all its denominations, is seemingly in a poor condition. Someone was heard to say in church he did not know how we could have the nerve to go preach to the world. And yet, I saw that same man respond to an invitation to be saved. We still bring the Gospel. And God is still bringing people to himself. O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! Our God is awesome. |
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126 | Was Jesus Rich? | Is 53:2 | Aixen7z4 | 149440 | ||
Jesus was not rich. In fact, he was poor. Paul, in 2 Corinthians 8:9, notes that Jesus gave up his riches and became poor, for our sakes. “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich”. When was Jesus rich? And in what way? The fact is, Jesus is God. He made everything, and in that sense, everything belongs to him. “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him” (Colossians 1:16). He says, “Every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills” (Psalm 50:10). He says, “the world is mine, and the fulness thereof” (v.11). Again, the psalmist says, “The earth is the LORD'S, and the fulness thereof” (Psalm 24:1). When Jesus lived on this earth, he had nothing. He was born in a manger, in a stable (Luke 2). He had no home of his own (Matthew 8:20). He had made everything (John 1:2) and given it to us (Acts 17:25). Yet, when he was here, he was hungry and thirsty, and needed people to give him things (Mark 15:41, John 4:7). Still, he said he said he had not come to get, but to give what he had (Matthew 20:28). Specifically, he had come to give his life (Mark 10:45). One can only imagine the reason for the question, as there are people who claim to be servants of Jesus and seek to justify their desire for riches. That is curious, in light of Jesus’ statement that we should sell what we have and give to the poor as we come to follow him (Luke 12:33, etc). He said that we should lay up treasures in heaven and not on earth (Matthew 6:20). Paul warns us about wanting to be rich, saying that those who pursue riches pierce themselves through with many sorrows (1 Timothy 6:10). We should want to be like Jesus. “It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord” (Matthew 10:25). If we want to be like Jesus, we should “set our affection on things above, not on things on the earth” (Colossians 3:2). Jesus advises us to get “true riches” (Revelation 3:18). We should be rich in good works (1 Timothy 6:18). Forget about getting rich the way the world does, ‘cause those things do not last (1 John 2:17). Jesus became poor, so that we might become rich, in good works. |
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127 | help | Rev 13:16 | Aixen7z4 | 149062 | ||
We looked at the passage in over twenty (20) translations and it always said the mark would be in one place or the other. We have not yet found one where it says the mark will be in both places. We would suppose that one saying so would be in error. But … It is evident that the location of the mark is not important. Also, from what follows, the mark and the name and the number are all the same. Interestingly, it is also apparent that even those who might have chosen to cut off their right hand (as in Matthew 5:30) would not escape the requirement. Isn’t that interesting? How much better to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ now and be included in the rapture! It will be a terrible time, and the beast will be a terrible creature! He will have power “to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world”. “If any man have an ear, let him hear”. |
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128 | Where in the bible does it say (Jesus is | John 20:31 | Aixen7z4 | 149057 | ||
“Son of God” is a term used throughout the New Testament to refer to our Lord Jesus Christ. Many believe that the term in the book of Daniel refers to him as well. The following is a sampling from the Gospel of John. John 1:34 And I (John) saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God. John 1:49 Nathanael answered and saith unto him, “Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel”. John 3:18 Jesus said, “He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God”. John 5:25 Jesus said, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.” John 9:35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God? John 10:36 Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, “I am the Son of God”? John 11:4 When Jesus heard that, he said, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby”. John 11:27 She (Martha) saith unto him, “Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world”. John 19:7 The Jews answered him, “We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God”. In many other passages of Scripture, many other speakers and writers refer to Jesus as the son of God, and he himself does as much by referring to God the Father as his father. John 20:31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name. |
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129 | can we be sure the Bible is valid? | 2 Tim 3:16 | Aixen7z4 | 148920 | ||
Surely, you are correct in understanding that the passage in 2 Timothy 3 refers to the writings of the Old Testament. Today, we accept the writings of the New Testament as Scripture also, but that was not the part to which Paul was making reference. It is perhaps good that we stay with the simple purpose and meaning of the passage we read, and not try to make it say more than it was intended to say. Paul was making a terrific point in that part of his letter to Timothy, and we should not miss it. The Scriptures (whether Old or New Testament, or both) are given to us for a purpose. They are given to bolster and support our faith in God. Such faith may have been born from our observation of nature. It may have been nurtured by the stirrings of our conscience. But it is strengthened and supported by the word of God. For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope (Romans 15:4). It was the Old Testament Scriptures that Paul was referring to when he wrote to the Romans as well, and he was pointing out that they provide us with comfort and hope. The point there was that we should not live to please ourselves but, in spite of temptations to the contrary, we should seek to please one another and edify one another. It is not the type of pleasing that “Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification. For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, ‘The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me’” (Psalm 69:9). So now, “It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord” (Matthew 10:25). You will have noticed, of course, that the New Testament and the Old Testament say the same thing. That which was prophesied in the Old was manifested in the New. But even when it was first spoken, in the Old, it was forever settled in heaven (Psalm 119:89). We need to remember that. And we need to remember the specifics of the word that was spoken. Most of the doctrines we need for our daily lives are given in the New Testament. But they are illustrated in the Old Testament, and in the lives of the saints who lived in those times. For example, the New Testament tells us we need to exercise patience. “Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh” (James 5). But it is the Old Testament that shows us how it is done. “Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience” (v 10). “You have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy”. The Lord was that to Job and he will be to us. He is the same The Old Testament illustrates the need for prayer, and the efficacy of prayer. For example, “Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months (James 5). And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit. It is an encouragement to pray for our brother, even when he strays. “Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins”. Again, it is an encouragement to pray for each other (James 5:16). There is comfort in knowing that God answered the prayer of Elias, and he will answer ours. 2 Timothy 3 is not referring to the New Testament. It refers to the value and power of the Old Testament. We are in perilous times (v.1), just as the saints of old went through perilous times (Hebrews 11:35ff.) It is by looking at that “great cloud of witnesses” that we have encouragement. The New Testament is Scripture as well, and we do have examples in it, including the life of Paul (his doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience, persecutions, afflictions …). It is authorized in advance by our Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:20; Hebrews 2:3,4; 1 John 1, etc.), just as the Old was empowered by his quoting of it (Matthew 4:4; Luke 24:27, etc.). There is ample proof that the New Testament is the word of God, but that is not what Paul was referencing in 2 Timothy 3:16. There he was referring to the Old Testament. But the New Testament was also written as holy men of God were moved by the Holy Ghost (Matthew 28:19, Mark 1:1,2; Luke 1:2; John 15:27; John 16:13; John 21:24; Acts 26:16; 1 Corinthians 2:13; 1 Corinthians 14:37; 2 Corinthians 1:21; Ephesians 2:20; Ephesians 3:7; Hebrews 10:15; 2 Peter 3:15; Revelation 1:10,11, etc.). |
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130 | Was this promise fulfilled? | Josh 1:4 | Aixen7z4 | 148567 | ||
God always, always, always keeps his word. From the verse cited, it is apparent that he promised Israel more land than they ever actually accepted. To unserstand why they never actually owned all that was offered to them, one need only read the previous verse. They had to take it. The fact that they never took it all is amply illustrated in Judges chapter 1. |
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131 | What does the "SPEAKING IN TONGUES MEAN" | Acts 2:4 | Aixen7z4 | 148311 | ||
What did it mean? That was the question on the day of Pentecost. They were confounded, because people who knew only one language were speaking a message and everyone was hearing it in his own language (Acts 2:6). Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, Cretes and Arabians, each group heard them speak in their own language the wonderful works of God. They were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, “What does this mean?” (v. 12). What did it mean? It was a sign (1 Corinthians 14:12). What was it signaling? It was signaling the fact that the Holy Spirit had been given (v. 16). For the Jew there was the additional fact that the Gentiles would be included as recipients. The Holy Spirit was for “all flesh” and not for Jews only. What was the importance in the life of a believer? Tongues were for a sign. They were for a sign, not to them that believed, but to them that believed not (1 Corinthians 14:22). Those who did not believe needed a sign. They were “children in understanding” (v.20). The appeal to the Corinthians was that they should grow up. Paul had had to treat them as babies, though they had been in Christ for some time (1 Corinthians 3:2). He had had to feed them with the milk of the word. But he was warning them that the baby things must pass away. The sign of new believers speaking in language unknown to themselves would fade away (1 Corinthians 13:8). When would that happen? It would happen when they were mature enough to do without it. Again, his appeal to them was to grow up, to cease being “children in understanding”. For the mature church there is no more milk, no more signs, no more “tongues”. The Jews desired a sign (1 Corinthians 1:22) but what God had for them instead was the Gospel (v. 23). Seems they had always hankered for a sign (Matthew 12:38, John 2:18, John 6:30, etc). But Jesus had said, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas” (Matthew 12:39). Now to the early church he said they could have the sign of tongues for a while, but then it would cease. When the Jews understood that the Gentiles were being grafted in, (as in Acts 11:18), when they had grown up and ceased to be children in their understanding of that fact, then “tongues” had served their purpose, and they were ready to pass away. Do we need “tongues” today then, people being enabled supernaturally to speak in unknown languages? Brethren, be not children in understanding. In malice be children, but in understanding, be men. |
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132 | we are saints | Heb 10:10 | Aixen7z4 | 148254 | ||
Those who have come to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ are saved, and are everywhere referred to as saints (Deuteronomy 33 to Revelation 20). Almost every letter addressed to believers contains a salutation referring to them as saints (Romans 1 to Jude). Indeed, the church is properly thought of as a called-out people and does consist entirely of saints -- them that are sanctified (1 Corinthians 1:2). They have been called out of the world’s system (Acts 26:18) and set apart to show forth his praises (1 Peter 2) and to serve him (Daniel 7:27). We are the ones he has raised up, as it were from the dead, and made us to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2). Before we were saved we lived according to the course of this world, and we were by nature the children of wrath. But we are washed, but we are sanctified, (made to be saints) we are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God (1 Corinthians 6:11). |
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133 | prist and king | Rev 1:6 | Aixen7z4 | 148240 | ||
That fact is revealed at least two times in the book of the Revelations. John says, “Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and has made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen“. (Rev 1:5,6). And they sung a new song, saying, “You are worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for you were slain, and you have redeemed us to God by your blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; and you have made us kings and priests unto our God, and we shall reign on the earth” (Rev 5:10). |
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134 | OLD TESTAMENT GOD LAW | Deut 6:5 | Aixen7z4 | 148236 | ||
The best passage for that is probably Deuteronomy 6, verses 5 and 6, but there are other passages where the Law is summarized as well. (It is interesting that you say it was Jesus who summarized the Law in the Old Testament -- I am sure we know why, and this writer does not wish to go into that -- but the summaries below were given by Moses and by Micah, respectively). These be the words which Moses spoke unto all Israel … in the wilderness. … Moses spoke unto the children of Israel, according unto all that the LORD had given him in commandment unto them (Deuteronomy 1): Moses declared the law, saying, ‘The LORD … wrote on the tables, … , the Ten Commandments, … and the LORD gave them unto me … , and there they be, as the LORD commanded me. … And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul … ”’(Deuteronomy 10). “Now these are the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments, which the LORD your God commanded to teach you, that ye might do them … all the days of your life … Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it … Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: And you shall love the LORD thy God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might” (Deuteronomy 6). The word of the LORD that came to Micah the Morasthite … Listen: (Micah 1): ... He hath showed you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? (Micah 6). |
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135 | What is so wrong with Catholics | Bible general Archive 2 | Aixen7z4 | 148170 | ||
But why this question? It may be an offshoot of another discussion, and it would be interesting to know which one. There is a question on this forum (ID# 95694) abut things that are praiseworthy in that system. But it is apparent there are good parts and not-so-good parts in every system. There is another question in the air, which may not have landed on this forum as yet. Someone wanted to ask the question: “Do you think the Pope was saved?” or “Do you think he went to heaven?” but they were afraid to ask. It is really a question about the system that he headed. One would guess that, with such a question, sparks would fly. (How dare you question whether His Holy …?) One might need to check the guidelines again to see if such a question is allowable. (This writer did not double-check the guidelines, and he is not asking the question). But it is on some of our minds. One might have to frame it in terms of an intellectual examination of scripture, or else initiate a Bible study related to false religion and false prophets leading hordes of people astray. There is not a question whether there are Catholics who go to heaven. One would not have asked Jesus if there were Pharisees who went to heaven. After all, Nicodemus and Paul had been Pharisees. But it is necessary to consider the idea of systems of religion preaching a false gospel and giving adherents a false hope of salvation. In an open discussion, it may be good if participants did not reveal their affiliation with the systems, (I do not know) as they might then feel the need to defend them, and those who speak against them, or anything in them would have to fear. It is easy to dismiss small cults, but more difficult and more dangerous to look with criticism at any major sect. Jesus was surely aware of that before he spoke up. But sometimes one is led to wonder: Does Jesus statement concerning false prophets apply to anyone? “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves”. Does his statement about being blind alert any of us? Some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, “Are we blind also?” (John 9:40). What an amazing answer Jesus gave! (v. 41). It is one, I think, that those men had to ponder. And now, it is our turn. Does his statement about following blind men serve to turn us from them to him perhaps? “If the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch” (Matthew 15:14). But Jesus is the Light of the world. Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, “I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life” (John 8:12). Does Jesus’ prophecy frighten anyone? “Not every one that says unto me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter into the kingdom of heaven”. Does his warning concerning the ultimate consequences appeal to anyone? “Many will say to me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?’ And then will I profess unto them, ‘I never knew you: depart from me, you that work iniquity‘”. It may be that someone needs to be strong and fearless, to say what Jesus would have said today: “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in” (Matthew 23:13). But it is my guess that any person saying that would be either ignored or crucified. |
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136 | Sermon will be taught on thi answer | Matthew | Aixen7z4 | 147902 | ||
Your audience may not have been thrilled if you told them this, but loving God means obeying him. As to doing it with all the heart and soul and mind, you would have needed the Holy Spirit to bring them to that. If it is true that we resent having to obey the Lord, then we are a long way from doing so with everything we have. But the love of Christ constrains us, and we love him because he first loved us. We find that his commandments are not grievous; they are actually good for us. And so, in loving God, we love ourselves, including our neighbors. And we must love our neighbor in order to love God, ‘cause we do not see God, but we see our neighbor. All of this we learn from his word, for he who asked us to love him told us how it is done. They that love me … keep my commandments (Exodus 20:6, Deuteronomy 5:10; 7:9). Therefore you shall love the LORD your God, and keep his charge, and his statutes, and his judgments, and his commandments, always (Deuteronomy 11:1). You shall hearken diligently unto his commandments which he commands you, to love the LORD your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul (Deuteronomy 11:13,22). You shall keep all the commandments to do them, which he commands you, to love the LORD your God, and to walk ever in his ways (Deuteronomy 19:9). He commands you to love the LORD your God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments (Deuteronomy 30:16). Take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, to love the LORD your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and to cleave unto him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul (Joshua 22:5). Those who love him observe his commandments (Nehemiah 1:5). David (as we suppose he wrote this psalm) delighted himself in the Lord, and in his commandments, which he loved (Psalm 119:47, 48). He loved God’s commandments above gold; yea, above fine gold. (v.127). And Daniel (9:4) loved the great and dreadful God who responds in mercy toward those who show love to him by keeping his commandments. Jesus loved him and did always those things that pleased him (John 8:29). In order that the world might know that he loved the Father; and as the Father had given him commandment, including the one that he die for us (John 10:18) even so he did (John 14:31). Jesus said, (John 14:15) “If you love me, keep my commandments”. “He that has my commandments, and keeps them, he it is that loves me ” (John 14:21). He said, “If If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love (John 15:10). John says, “When we love God, (we) keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments (1 John 5:2,3) and again, “This is love, that we walk after his commandments” (2 John 1:6). Again, it seems hard to make all this attractive and appealing, but that is what God says, and for those who understand it, it is good. If we love him, we will do what makes him happy. And he is happy when we obey him. He takes great delight in the fact that we obey the voice of the LORD (1 Samuel 15:22). When we obey God with all our heart, then we have peace like a river, and righteousness as the waves of the sea (Isaiah 48:18). But it is hard to believe that, and so we hesitate. It is like a waiting to jump in. It is only after we have done it, and waited a while, that we find God’s word is true in our experience. It might help to remind ourselves how much he loved us. Greater love has no man than this: He gave himself for us. And again, we love him because he first loved us. |
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137 | Can a person know Gods' perfect will ? | Ps 98:2 | Aixen7z4 | 147883 | ||
Our gospel is hidden from those that are lost. The god of this world has blinded the minds of those who do not believe, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them" (2 Corinthians 4). They had asked unto him, “What can we do, so we can know we are doing the will of God?” Jesus answered and said unto them, “This is the will of God, that you believe on the one whom he has sent”. They said, “Show us a miracle and we will believe on you. Give us bread”. Jesus said unto them, “I am the bread of life: he who comes to me shall never hunger; and he who believes on me shall never thirst”. The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, “I am the bread which came down from heaven”. Jesus therefore answered and said unto them “Verily, verily, I say unto you, ‘He who believes on me has everlasting life‘”. They said, “That is a hard saying”, and from that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. Then said Jesus unto the twelve, “Will you also go away? ” Then Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that you are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (John 6). The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into his hand. Those who believe on the Son have everlasting life: and those who do not believe on the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abides on them (John 3). |
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138 | Pattern of words? | Luke 11:13 | Aixen7z4 | 147876 | ||
Brother ray: I do believe it is context and not capitalization that enables us to understand what the Lord is saying to us in his word. I do believe you understand that I am addressing you here, and not a ray of light. Nor did I make a typo. I do feel free to ignore the rules made by man, except when they are helpful, as in communication. It is clear to me that we miss the point when we put an individual word under the microscope and lose sight of the other words around it, that give it meaning. We need to read the entire passage, and other passages on the same subject in other parts of the word of God. The Holy Spirit is a person, and he inhabits our bodies and fills us from time to time when he wants and as we are available. There are some who believe and teach that the Holy Spirit is not a person at all, but a certain influence. They may be happy to see the term “holy spirit” because the lack of capitals would support the idea that he is not a person. Those of us who believe he is a person may struggle with the idea that he can inhabit our bodies or fill our minds. We may wonder at the fact one person can inhabit another, but that is the way it is. “What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?” (1 Corinthians 6:19). “the Spirit of truth … he dwells with you, and shall be in you (John 14:17)”. We are indwelt not only by the Holy Spirit, but also by the Father and the Son. Jesus said, “If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him” (John 14:23). This is a mystery. Even the mystery which had been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: to whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory (Colossians 1:26,27). But it is the truth. What we have within us is not an idea or an influence, but a person. We cannot tell by capitalization. Different translations do and do not capitalize those words. I imagine that the New World Translation would have “the holy spirit” everywhere. But all of Scripture assures us it is hot holy spirit that we have but the Holy Spirit. He indwells us and fills us himself. But language is funny, isn’t it? When Jesus said, “It is I” (Matthew 14:27; Mark 6:50; Luke 24:39; John 6:20) he was not indicating that he was other than a person. It’s just the way that language works. Words are important, but only as they serve to convey meaning. We should not worry about individual words but accept them in their context and understand the ideas and concepts they were meant to convey. The Holy Spirit is the one who directed the writing of the Scriptures (2 Peter 1:21, etc.), and though he is not the main subject (Jesus is (John 5:39)) he does reveal some things about himself (Genesis 1:2, etc.). He is God (Genesis 1; Acts 5: 3,4, etc.). He indwells us (1 Corinthians 3:16, etc.). He fills us (Luke 1, Acts 2, Ephesians 3). He helps us to understand God’s word (1 Corinthians 2:10, etc.). He enables us to do God’s will (Zechariah 4:6). And I trust he is the one reminding me of these things and directing me to write this (Matthew 10:20). Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things. |
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139 | Pattern of words? | Luke 11:13 | Aixen7z4 | 147829 | ||
It is my understanding that the Holy Spirit is the active agent in our lives. He is not a thing, but a person, one of the three that are known to us as God. He lives within us. He fills us, by himself, with himself, with what we need for our spiritual life, and for each spiritual task. Our job is to allow him to fill us and to use us. As he moves us, we are to let him have his way. So, we are to let the peace of God rule in our hearts (Colossians 3:15) and let the word of Christ dwell in us richly (Colossians 3:16) and let the brother of low degree rejoice (James 1:9). So “Be filled with the Spirit” means “Let the Spirit (Let God the Holy Spirit) fill you”. He wants to fill us repeatedly and often so that the thing he fills us with becomes a spirit and a characteristic in our lives, be it power, love, or what not. We need these things first to be the people of God and then to be known and to function as such. Meanwhile, it is God who is working in us both to will and to do these things (Philippians 2:13). |
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140 | Who or what is the (s)Spirit? | John 3:34 | Aixen7z4 | 147828 | ||
The question seems to have an extensive background, being linked to #124161, etc. However, I take it as relating to the context of John 3. I take it that you are asking to whom or to what the word “Spirit” (or “spirit”) is referring when the word says “He whom God has sent speaks the words of God: for God gives not the Spirit by measure unto him”. As you have noted elsewhere, the original language does not differentiate between words by means of capitalization. It seems to me then that capitalization infers interpretation. In other words, the translators use capital letters to indicate when they believe the word refers to a person. That is when they use the convention in the English language that the name of a person starts with a capital letter. Therefore it is not in the form of the word but from the context that we gather the meaning. The context is the passage itself and the entire word of God. It should be clear that the person giving the Spirit is the Father, since it is he who sent the son. That idea is all over the Gospel of John. The Father had sent John the Baptist, he had sent Jesus into the world, and he had sent the Holy Spirit to Jesus. Jesus is God, but the word “God” often refers to the Father. Clearly, there are other spirits beside the Holy Spirit. But the context of John 3:34 suggests it is the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Godhead, that we are seeing in the life of Jesus here. The Spirit of God is related to the word of God. It is he who moved upon holy men of God to write it (2 Peter 1). The word is referred to as his sword (Ephesians 6). He is the one who brings the word to our remembrance (John 14:26). It is he, then, who is functioning like that, enabling Jesus to remember and speak the word of God. One might wonder why it is that Jesus needs this help, since he is himself God. We must remember that Jesus is here in his humanity, submitting himself to the Father, and, in this case, to the Holy Spirit as well. As he would say, “I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak” (John 12:49). I do believe it is not capitalization but context that tells us the meaning. As we have said before, there are many spirits (1 John 4, etc.). It has also been noted that the definite article would be referring to one particular spirit. In this case the one that is intimately associated with the word of God, and truth. He is referred to elsewhere as the Spirit of truth (John 14, 15, 16). It is because of his influence we are assured that the man Christ Jesus was always speaking the truth. The fact that Jesus had been given the Spirit without measure assures us he was always full of the Spirit and therefore every word he spoke was truth. Again, Jesus himself is the Truth (John 14:6), but we are speaking of him in his humanity here. It is hard to escape the idea that the passage is referring to the Holy Spirit. If it was another spirit, would it not have been necessary to identify it? It might have said that God had given him the spirit of eloquence or something, but it simply says “the spirit”. It is the same Spirit that God gives to us when we are saved, and it is he who fills us when God sends us. It is the Holy Spirit. He leads us, and reminds us, and enables us, to speak the word of God. |
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