Results 121 - 140 of 155
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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Author: jonp Ordered by Verse |
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Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
121 | John 10.3The sheep hears his voice | John 10:3 | jonp | 184041 | ||
Hi Sometimes the writer wanted to say 'The Lord YHWH' (adonai YHWH). That is then translated as 'the Lord GOD' (e.g. Isaiah 50.4, 5, 7, 9). Best wishes Jonp | ||||||
122 | How does God glorify His name? | John 12:28 | jonp | 184389 | ||
Hi In context the idea is probably that He has glorified His Name in sending the Messiah into the world and will glorify it again in sending Jesus to the cross, followed by His resurrection and enthronement. Although He has of course also glorified it throughout His Old Testament deliverances and will glorify it at the Consummation of all things Best wishes Jon p | ||||||
123 | only through suffering, He is revealed | Rom 8:18 | jonp | 184444 | ||
Hi It would just not be true to say that Jesus Christ is only revealed through suffering. He is revealed through His life (John 1.14; 1 John 1.1-4). He is revealed through His teaching. He is revealed through the Scriptures (John 5.39). But above all He is revealed to us through His cross and resurrection (compare Philippians 3.10) and through His enthronement (1 Corinthians 3.18) What is, however, true is that through suffering we can come to know Him better and are made more like Him. 'We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces patient endurance, and patient endurance produces character and experience, and character and experience produce hope, and hope does not disappoint us because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts through the Holy Spirit Who is given unto us' (Romans 5.3-5). But even here we should note that this is a result of our first having been accounted right in the eyes of God through faith so that we have access by faith into the grace (compassion and love of God exercised towards us) in which we now stand and rejoice in the hope of the glory of God (Romans 5.1-2). So first we have the access and the confidence and the certainty of God's gracious presence. All provision is made. Then the suffering follows in order to polish up the jewel, but even this is accompanied by the presence of the Holy Spirit. He does not leave us comfortless. He comes to us (John 14.18). Compare also 'if we have died with Him, we shall also live with Him, if we suffer patiently we shall also reign with Him' (2 Timothy 2.11-12). Again, note first the vital union with Him by dying with Him and receiving new life. Then the need for endurance because of what will follow. The one follows the other. First thepreparation, then the process. As James says, 'count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet with various trials, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness, and let steadfastness have its full effect so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing' (James 1.2-4). And we should not be surpised at this because out Great Trek Leader was prepared for His task through suffering (Hebrews 2.10) so that He could lead us to glory. How much more then we must expect the same. Best wishes Jonp | ||||||
124 | word saved definition in Romans 10:9 | Rom 10:9 | jonp | 184295 | ||
Hi An appreciation of the significance of the word 'saved' in this verse is better discovered by a study of the whole letter to the Romans which defines and expands on it. What it is declaring is that God's salvation in Jesus Christ is available to everyone who confesses that Jesus is Lord (both God and Master) and believes that God raised Him from the dead, thus vindicating Him and revealing Him as God's saving solution for the world. Through Him is offered the power of God unto salvation for all who believe (Romans 1.16). And Paul then goes on to demonstrate that it is effective in two ways. First of all in having us 'declared righteous' before the court of Heaven through faith in His sacrifice for us on the cross (3.24-25), and secondly through the imparting of the Spirit of God to work mightily within us delivering us from sin (Romans 5-8).And all this as a result of our putting our trust in Jesus Christ as our Saviour. The word sozo means to make whole, whether physically or spiritually. Here it is in the future indicative passive indicating that for the person in question who has not yet confessed Jesus as Lord, or believed in the resurrection, that is the way in which he can enter into and experience God's salvation from sin and its consequences. Best wishes Jonp | ||||||
125 | word saved definition in Romans 10:9 | Rom 10:9 | jonp | 184305 | ||
You said that you would like to know more about ‘salvation’, so here goes. Salvation is both the act by which Jesus Christ accepts those who come to Him through the cross, accepting them on the basis of His sacrifice for them when they come to Him in faith for salvation, and the resulting process through which He works in that person in order that He may present them perfect in Himself. That is why the Bible teaches different aspects of 'salvation'. It speaks of someone as ‘having been saved’ (Titus 3.5; 2 Timothy 1.9). These verse are in the aorist tense, and indicate something that has happened once for all. This occurs when a person turns to God from sin and commits himself to Jesus Christ in faith that Christ will save him. He is ‘saved’ once for all. And because the work is totally dependent on Christ it is guaranteed. It also speaks of those who ‘have been saved and are therefore now are saved’ (Ephesians 2.5; 2.8). These are in the perfect tense and and indicate something that has happened in the past the benefit of which continues to the present time. These two definitions are what is in mind when we say a person has been ‘saved’ and is therefore now saved. But the Bible also speaks of those who “are being saved” (1 Corinthians 1.18; 2 Corinthians 2.15). These references are in the present tense and indicate a process that is going on. God is at work in them to will and do of His good pleasure (Philippians 2.13). And then the Bible speaks of those who will be saved (1 Corinthians 3.15; 5.5; 2 Corinthians 7.10; 1 Thessalonians 5.9; 2 Thessalonians 2.13 ). These are in the future tense and indicate something that is yet to happen - and equivalents. In other words, when God ‘saves’ someone they are from one point of view saved once and for all, and it is fully effective. But if it is genuine it will then result in a process by which they are being ‘changed from glory into glory’(2 Corinthians 3.18), with the final guarantee of a completed process. If the salvation is not progressing, even though slowly, then its genuineness must be questioned. The Saviour does not fail in His work. Consider a man drowning at sea, in a fierce storm, clinging to a life raft with one hand, his other arm broken and trailing behind, and both his legs paralysed, having been many hours in the freezing water and suffering from hypothermia, more dead than alive. Then along comes the life boat and drags him out and he gasps, hardly able to speak because of the seriousness of his condition, “I am saved”. Well, it is true. He is no longer doomed. But he has a long way to go. He would not have much confidence in his salvation if they put him to one side in the bow of the boat, with the waves lashing over him, and said to him, “Well, you’re saved now”, and then went off and played cards and then practised turning the lifeboat over. His confidence and dependence lie in a fully trained and capable crew who are dedicated to warming him up, treating him and getting him to hospital so that he can be fully restored. So as they get to work on him, wrapping him in a blanket and gently warming his frozen limbs, trying to set his broken arm and doing everything else necessary to restore him to some kind of normality, he can begin to have hope and think gratefully to himself, “I am being saved”. But he may well still be aware of the winds howling round, and the boat heaving in the heavy seas, and the pain and agony of his limbs, and he may then look forward and think, “I will soon be saved”. If those crewmen, and the ambulance waiting for him on shore on that terrible night, can be so dedicated, can we think that the One Who died on a cross for us on an even more terrible night, will be less dedicated? He does not just want us in the lifeboat. He wants us fully restored. And that is what He is determined to have. And if we want to be saved that is what we must want! We cannot say, ‘Lord, save me, but leave me as I am’. This salvation is entered into by an act of faith and commitment. As we genuinely recognise our need to be saved (in every way) from sin we commit ourselves completely to the One Who Saves (the Saviour), and trust Him to carry out the work, knowing that once He has begun the good work He will carry it out to the end (Philippians 1.6). We are then ‘saved’, and have entered the process of ‘being saved’. |
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126 | what will happen to all of israel | Rom 11:25 | jonp | 184317 | ||
Hi All the true Israel, the Israel of God (Galatians 6.16; John 15.1-6), will be saved Best wishes Jonp | ||||||
127 | insight on Romans 12:5-9 wanted | Rom 12:5 | jonp | 183892 | ||
Hi, This passage refers to God's gifts to members of His church through The Holy Spirit because each of us have a different function in the church. Each receives gifts in accordance with God's purpose and love. These include speaking in the power of the Spirit (prophecy), the comparative success of which will depend on faith, teaching with the guidance of the Spirit, exhorting and encouraging others, serving the church or others in differing ways through the Spirit, Christian giving which is to be done liberally, helping others which is to be done zealously, performing acts of compassion, which is to be done cheerfully, and so on. The important thing in each case is that the heart is in it. It is to be done for Christ in genuine love. Best wishes jonp | ||||||
128 | Have you heard of the bemis seat ?? | Rom 14:10 | jonp | 184374 | ||
Hi The Bema is the Greek for a judgment seat. Such a judgment seat is referred to in Romans 14.10-12. It is the place where Christians will have to give account to God, not in order to determine their eternal destiny but in order to be measured up and commended or otherwise. There Jesus will bring to light the things hidden in the dark and will disclose the purposes of the heart, and it is where every Christian will receive some praise from God (1 Corinthians 4.5). There each of us will receive good or not so good depending on what we have done in our bodies (2 Corinthians 5.10). There all we have done will be tested in the fire, some will survive as gold, silver and precious stones, other will be burned up because it is wood, hay or stubble (1 Corinthians 3.10-16). Best wishes Jonp |
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129 | Further to previous question. | 1 Corinthians | jonp | 184134 | ||
Hi ceebee7 It is doubtful whether a practising homosexual who continues permanently in such a relationship can be a born again Christian. If he/her had truly been born again and had become a new creation in Christ his/her conscience would not allow him/her to continue in a relationship so clearly condemned as shameful by God in Romans 1.26-27. I must stress here that we must differentiate between those with such tendencies, who are to be loved in Christ, and those who put it into practise in sinful relationships, who if they claim to be Christians are to be loved but should be disciplined by the church as in 1 Corinthians 5, (even if they are bishops). As you may be aware this issue is so serious that it may well cause the Anglican/Episcopalian church to divide up in the not too distant future. Best wishes Jonp | ||||||
130 | Does God use extreme punishment | 1 Cor 5:5 | jonp | 184630 | ||
Hi Does God use extreme punishments? The simple answer is 'yes'. 1 Corinthians 11.30. | ||||||
131 | why is Love greater than faith | 1 Cor 13:3 | jonp | 184337 | ||
Love is the greatest because faith results in love. Faith is as it were the stem but love is the flowering. True faith works by love (Galatians 5.6; Ephesians 3.17). But they are continually very closely connected. Best wishes Jonp | ||||||
132 | When does one receive the Holy Spirit? | 2 Cor 1:22 | jonp | 183800 | ||
Hi The work of the Holy Spirit commences in us before we become Christians. We are elect according to the foreknowledge of God through the setting apart work of the Holy Spirit to obedience and the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus (1 Peter 1.2). But we can only be said to have received the Holy Spirit when we truly believe. At that moment we become His, and if any man has not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His (Romans 8.9). At that point we are drenched in the Spirit into the body of Christ (whether we are baptised in water or not) - 1 Corinthians 12.12-13). From then on we can experience the working of the Spirit in our lives in different ways. He gives His gifts as He wills (1 Corinthians 12.11). And by looking to Christ and walking with Him we can drink of the Spirit and thus be 'filled with the Spirit' (Ephesians 5.18; John 7.37-39). In order to maintain this we must walk step by step with the Spirit, crucifying the flesh with its affections and desires (Galatians 5.24-25). How full we are will depend on how close our walk with Christ. In the early days of the church everyone who believed was immeduately baptised with water. The message was 'believe and be baptised'. Now that baptism does not occur at the time of believing it ceases to be the time at which the Spirit is received. Although that being said it can result in spiritual blessing through the Holy Spirit. | ||||||
133 | When does one receive the Holy Spirit? | 2 Cor 1:22 | jonp | 183840 | ||
Hi The seal of the Spirit is the evidence that a person is a Christian. But that does not mean that I can judge whether another is a Christian. 'There is One that judges'. It is not for me to decide whether a person has received the Holy Spirit. Some give a very good appearance of having received the Holy Spirit and the fall away. Others seem almost untouched, but the seed is growing secretly, and gradually it flowers. Such final judgments must be left to God. The point about the seal is that it is the guarantee until the day of redemption (Ephesians 4.30) when the Buyer comes to claim His own. Salvation is through faith alone. Nothing else is required. But the faith must be genuine. Intellectual belief is not enough. There must be a genuine response of the heart. For if the Holy Spirit has been at work that will inevitably follow. Remember the people in John 2.23-24. They 'believed', but Jesus did not trust Himself to them because He knew their hearts. Literally 'He did not believe Himself unto them'. That is what saving faith is, it is 'believing yourself unto Christ' so that He might believe Himself unto you. This is often expressed in the Greek by using 'believe unto (pisteuo eis) rather than 'believe in' (pisteuo en) although the distinction does not hold in every case. For in the end Jesus did not say 'by their faith you shall know them'. He said 'by their fruits you shall know them'. For once the Holy Spirit has been received, the fruit of the Spirit must eventually result (Galatians 5.22). You will find some 'at length' articles on the Holy Spirit at http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Delphi/4027/. You are of course right that some continue to live just on a verse here and a verse there. That is fine for the young Christian. But the mature Christian should be seeing the word of God together as a whole. They should be eating solid meat, not just milk (Hebrews 5.12-14; 1 Corinthians 3.1-3). And that involves 'hard work'. That is why godly men write commentaries in order to pass on the fruits of their own studies. See http://www.geocities.com/petepartington/ for some free up to date Bible commentaries Best wishes jonp | ||||||
134 | When does one receive the Holy Spirit? | 2 Cor 1:22 | jonp | 183870 | ||
Dear Doc. As I was replying to a question put to me about the seal of the Spirit that was what I was emphasising. While the fruit of the Spirit is certainly the result of the Spirit's indwelling it is not in my view directly what the seal of the Spirit has in mind. The seal of the Spirit has in mind security and confidence resulting from Christs work within. I could not agree more that this must result in genuine fruit, as in fact I did mention. But I am conscious also that that fruit often takes time to grow. First the blade, then the ear, then the full corn in the ear (Mark 4.28). As I am sure you are fully aware it may take time for a person's conversion to become obvious to others. The 'old man' does not release his hold willingly. And some have problems to battle with of which others are unaware. I am reminded of the poem - Judge not. The workings of His mind and of his heart you cannot see. What seems to your dull eyes a stain In God's pure eyes may only be A scar won on some battle field Where you would only faint and yield. That look, that air, that frets your sight May be a token that below That soul is closed in deadly fight With some infernal, fiery foe Whose look would scorch your smiling grace And send you shuddering on your face. As you would no doubt rightly point out. Jesus said, 'Why do you call Me "Lord, Lord" and do not do the things that I say?' (Luke 6.46). 'Not everyone who says to Me "Lord, Lord" will enter the Kingly Rule of Heaven, but those who do the will of My Father Who is in Heaven' (Matthew 7.21). This too is the RESULT of the seal of the Spirit in the heart. But in my view the seal of the Spirit is first given in the inner heart. 'The firm foundation of God stands sure, having this seal, "The Lord knows those who are His' although of course it is immediately followed by 'Let every one who names the Name of the Lord depart from iniquity' (2 Timothy 2.19). But even that is initially an awareness of what must be, rather than it immediately having become an actuality in practise (although of course eventually it must be). It is the anointing within that will lead us into truth (1 John 2.20, 27). I am ever aware that the young Christian can begin to feel that he is just not coming up to scratch. He begins to fear that perhaps he has not been 'saved' after all. Thus he needs to be aware of the seal within him that can give him assurance. 'Though I am not what I should be, I thank God that I am not what I was, for I now know that I have Christ within me, and I therefore know what I should be, and that is what I intend to be'. It is God Who will work within him of His good pleasure (Philippians 2.13). I am sure you will have noted my later stress on the fact that it is 'by their fruits that they will be known'. But those fruits are the sign to men, not the divine seal. I am not quite sure how you gathered from my words that I did not think it was possible to discern the effects of salvation. Eventually it inevitably is, and I thought that I had made that quite clear. But what I stressed was that we are not qualified to judge the genuineness of those effects. We are not infallible judges. In the end we must leave that to the One Who judges rightly (Romans 14.10-13). You may add to your quotes the words of George Whitefield, 'I care not a jot for that man's religion whose very dog and cat are not the better for it'. But it may take time for it to be worked out. Best wishes Jon |
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135 | What is the IMAGE of the Glory of God | 2 Cor 3:18 | jonp | 183888 | ||
Hi the knowledge of the glory of God is found in the face of Jesus Christ (2 Corintians 4.4-6). You can find it by reading the Gospels and becoming fully acquainted wih Jesus Christ, and as you do so your life will slowly change. Best wishes jonp | ||||||
136 | what is the mark of Christ | Gal 6:17 | jonp | 184419 | ||
Hi Paul said in Gal:6:17: From henceforth let no man trouble me: for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus. From this point of view the mark of Christ is the sign of persecution. Paul of course bore physical evidence of having suffered for Christ's sake. Not all Christians will bear physical marks, but all will at some stage, if they are true to Jesus Christ, suffer persecution. Bear it proudly (in the right sense). For it is the mark of Christ. However from another point of view we could say that the mark of Christ is true faith (Galatians 3.1-5), and possession of the Spirit of God. If any man has not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His (Romans 8.9). Best wishes Jonp. |
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137 | what does ephesians 4:9 mean-"descended" | Eph 4:9 | jonp | 183984 | ||
Hi Minerva Paul's point is that Jesus descended into the grave, the world of the dead, before rising from the dead having broken the power of Satan (Colossians 2.15)and breaking the power of death for all believers (Hebrews 2.14) by rising far above all (compare Ephesians 1.19-22). Best wishes jonp. | ||||||
138 | what does ephesians 4:9 mean-"descended" | Eph 4:9 | jonp | 184090 | ||
Hi I expect that PDAL has in mind such Scriptures as 'If a man love Me he will keep My word, and My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him' (John 14.23). And 'behold I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and He with me' (Revelation 3.20). Or 'that according to the riches of His glory He may grant you to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith' (Ephesians 3.16-17). The heart is of course indicative of the inner being. If we are to be truly saved each of us has to have Christ within us and living through our inner being (compare Galatians 2.20). Best wishes Jonp. | ||||||
139 | the fight against evil( the armor ) | Eph 6:14 | jonp | 184633 | ||
Hi you could point out that when Roman soldiers used to go into battle they needed to protect themselves with armour. Show them a picture of a Roman soldier in his armour. In the same way a Christian going into battle against evil and against Satan also needs to protect himself with armour. But in his case it is a special type of armour. Just as a soldier needs to be properly belted up so that his armour does not flap about, so the Christian should build himself up in the truth by studyimg God's word and listening to faithful ministry. Then he will not flap about when he faces the enemy. Just as the soldier wears a breastplate to protect his heart, so the Christian will protect himself by living a good, true and pure life. Then he will not be open to attack. He can also protect himself by covering himself with the righteousness of Christ (2 Corinthians 5.21). Just as a soldier needs to wear stout shoes so that he does not become weary or stumble, so we can make sure that we are not impeded in our walk by having a good knowledge of the Gospel of peace. peace with God and peace from God. Furthermore the Roman soldier often had spikes on his shoes so that he could trample on the enemy. So the Christian can trample on the Enemy by proclaiming the Gospel of peace. Just as a Roman soldier would protect himself from spears, arrows and sword thrusts with his shield so are we to memorise Scripture so that when Satan attacks us with the arrows of doubt and uncertainty we can hold up the shield of faith by quoting Scripture in order to protect ourselves, just like Jesus did when He was tempted. Just as the Roman soldier protected his head with his helmet, so should the Christian protect his mind by having a full understanding of what salvation means, both initial salvation through being put in the right with God, and daily salvation through God keeping us and working within us to will and to do of His good pleasure (Philippians 2.13). And just as the Roman soldier used his sword both to protect himself and to defeat the enemy so should we learn to use the word of God in defence and attack, parrying Satan's blows with Scripture and striking at his heart by proclaiming the Gospel.. . |
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140 | philippians 3 | Phil 3:10 | jonp | 183986 | ||
Hi, Paul had sacrificed all that he had previously believed in and all the efforts that he had made to attain righteousness through the law, so that he might 'gain Christ'. He had had to choose between holding on to his own life or losing his old life and receiving Christ, and he chose to receive Christ (because Christ had chosen him). Having received Christ all his efforts were now being put into knowing Christ more and more. The verb for to know is ginosko which means to know by experience. He was growing in his knowledge of Christ day by day (Ephesians 3.17-19). And through knowing Christ he also knew and experienced more of the power of His resurrection, and of being made conformable to his death, dying to himself and living to Christ (compare Galatians 2.20; Romans 6.3 ff). And all this with his final goal in mind to attain the resurrection from the dead in response to God's upward call in Christ. He did not attain it himself. He attained it by receiving the gift of Christ Jesus and by persevering in Him. That was his side of it. But that perseverance was guaranteed by the grace and working of God (Philippians 2.13; 1 Corinthians 1.8-9; Philippians 1.6). Best wishes jonp | ||||||
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