Results 141 - 160 of 350
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Results from: Answers On or After: Thu 12/31/70 Author: Aixen7z4 Ordered by Verse |
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Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
141 | Is there a more specific passage? | Matt 24:34 | Aixen7z4 | 120473 | ||
Please feel free to tell them that the statement "the generation that saw Israel become a nation will not pass away" is not in the Bible. Some have read the passages we found and have given that interpretation to it. | ||||||
142 | Is it a must to be rebaptized in water? | Matt 28:19 | Aixen7z4 | 101653 | ||
Your salvation is complete the moment you put your faith in Christ. This assumes you have repented and turned to him. If you were baptized after trusting Christ, you do not need to be baptized again. Baptism means immersion in water and it should be done explicitly to proclaim that you have been saved. Baptism in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost is the same as baptism in the name of Jesus. If you have been sprinkled or poured upon, then you have not been baptized and you should be baptized, that is, immersed. It is not a re-baptism. It would be your first real baptism. |
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143 | Is hell eternal? Or is it temporary? | Mark 9:43 | Aixen7z4 | 130443 | ||
Mar 9: 43 If thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: 44 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. 45 And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: 46 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. 47 And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire: 48 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. Matthew 3:12 … unquenchable fire. Matthew 18:8 …. everlasting fire. Matthew 25:41 … everlasting fire. Matthew 25:46 … everlasting punishment. 2 Thessalonians 1:9 … everlasting destruction. Revelation 21:8 … the lake … burneth with fire and brimstone. |
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144 | Mark 12 | Mark 12:30 | Aixen7z4 | 131865 | ||
Please consider that we love God by loving one another. The way to show love for God is to obey his commandment (Exodus 20:6, 1 John 5:3). And his command is that we love one another (John 13:34; Romans 13:9). Love means giving (John 3:16; James 2:16). But there is nothing we can give to God (Psalm 24:1; Psalm 50:12;). Everything comes from him (Acts 17:25; 1 Timothy 6:17; James 1:17). But God has obligated himself to give to his people and he allows us to be a part of this. He gives to us so we can share. So we love God by giving of what he has given us (Hebrews 13:16) including spiritual things (1 Corinthians 4:1,2) to other people. As to how we do it, the words are “with all our heart and soul and mind”. Some verses add or substitute “all our strength”. It indicates that we should do it joyfully, with no reservation. We should be glad to do it, and we should do our best. Add to that we are to love ourselves. In other words, I am myself one of the people God wants me to love. But we must treat all people equally, including ourselves. If we can do that, then we are fulfilling all God’s requirements. It might be useful to consider each of the instruments of love: heart, soul, strength, mind. But it seems to me that includes everything: body, soul and spirit; in other words, our entire selves. One additional thought. Our hearts are deceitful (Jeremiah 17:9). Our strength is small (2 Corinthians 12:9). Our human minds lack wisdom (James 1:5). We must depend on God to shed his love abroad in our hearts (Romans 5:5) and then to share it with others (1 John 4:7). It is God’s love that we share, and since we have received it freely, we can give it freely (Matthew 10:8). What if people don’t receive it? That is what they did when God loved us through Jesus Christ. But he gave his life for them anyway. Greater love hath no man than this. In other words, no man can do any better, even if he devotes all of his heart and soul and strength and mind to it. You ask how we can do it. We would not be able to answer the question if Jesus had not come and shown us. Look at how he did it. He laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren (John 3:16; 1 John 3:16). |
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145 | Not far from the kingdom of God? | Mark 12:34 | Aixen7z4 | 104449 | ||
He hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us. From one man he has all of humanity to live all over the earth. He has given them the seasons of the year and the boundaries within which to live. He has done this so that they would look for God, somehow reach for him, and find him. In fact, he is never far from any one of us. Starting from scratch, he made the entire human race and made the earth hospitable, with plenty of time and space for living so we could seek after God, and not just grope around in the dark but actually find him. He doesn't play hide-and-seek with us. He's not remote; he's near. He is not far from any one of us. |
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146 | Them or All of Us? | Mark 16:15 | Aixen7z4 | 121542 | ||
This answer may have been given already somewhere in this thread. I have read some of the posts, but not all of them. Matthew quotes the Lord as saying, "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them ...: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you ..." (Matthew 28:19,20). Here he was commanding them to go out with the Gospel. If they were to teach whatsoever he had commanded them, would that not include the command to go out with the Gospel? According to 2 Timothy 2:2, each recipient of the Gospel is to pass it on. One may reason that this must of necessity be a part of the Gospel or it would not have come to us. The important thing is that the Gospel should not change as we pass it on. This is one reason it is givien to us by the apostles in writing. According to 1 Corinthians 15 we are to pass on exactly what we received. What is it? O! "Brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; by which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures" (1 Corinthians 15:3-3). |
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147 | do you belive in being baptised again? | Mark 16:16 | Aixen7z4 | 99937 | ||
It is clear that baptism before salvation is of no account. The order is always to believe and then to be baptized. It is when we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ that we are saved, as in Acts 16:31. It is after we are saved that we are to be baptized, as in Acts 16:33. The advice here is that you should be baptized again. It is notable, however, that you have given the reason for the baptism, that you have "accepted the Lord" as your Savior and that you know those things about him. Please be clear that you are saved before going through with baptism. It is to be hoped that the church you go to for that important ceremony will explain these things to you. For salvation, the Lord requires repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Be sure that you understand, that you have done as he requires, and that you have an assurance of salvation. Make sure that your next baptism is the one that counts, so you never have to ask that question again. Baptism is an important act of obedience. May the Lord bless you as you seek to please him in this. |
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148 | Why the hostility? | Luke 4:28 | Aixen7z4 | 121074 | ||
The answer seems quite clear now. So I will summarize, and sermonize a bit, and leave. Hostility. Does it help to understand it? Probably so. Jesus knew the reasons for it better than David did, and he bore up better under it. His asking why was apparently more for the benefit of his hearers than himself. When he cried, “My God! My God! Why?”, the Father did not answer. He did not need to answer, because they both knew why. Paul seems to have learned from him and he professed that he was crucified with him. He had taken up his cross, and he bore his cross with grace. May God help us in our day to do the same. Let us gird up our minds, for those who will live godly lives will suffer persecution. Let us not try to avoid it. If anyone is bewildered by this type of experience, let him read this thread again and take comfort. "For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds” (Hebrews 12:3). I will make this available to a wider audience by linking it to my site. I say this here deliberately, knowing full well that there are those who will resent the fact. Why the hostility? We know. Let us take the understanding that we have and go with him now, outside the gate, bearing his reproach. And the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. |
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149 | Church curses??? | Luke 9:55 | Aixen7z4 | 98070 | ||
I also confess ignorance of "the Church's holy curses". I have never heard the term, and do not believe in appears in the Bible. There are times when a certain behavior in the world around us affects us emotionally, much as the sin of Sodom and Gomorrha affected Lot. It upsets us. It vexes our righteous souls. Our response should be like Lot's, to beseech them, and more than that, to give them the Gospel. God does not give us the job of cursing people. Some Christians are affected by words from the Psalms calling on the Lord to punish wicked people. (See Psalm 59, for example). Some see David's vows to punish the wicked (in Psalm 101, for example) as a sanction to do the same. They forget, perhaps, that David was a king, and a ruler of his people. He was also a prophet and was expressing God's thoughts. The Lord has told us that we are to bless and not curse (Romans 12:14) even when we are being persecuted (verse 19). "Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord". In your place I would look carefully at the scriptures quoted by that pastor whom you respect. He, like I, and like Paul, should not go beyond what has been written (1 Cor. 4:6). The Lord has not given any curses to the church to administer. On the contrary, we are to bless. That does not mean that we give approval or wish them well in their activities (2 John v.10). But we are to wish that they would chnge their behavior while understanding that thy are unlikely to do so until they are saved. We all know John 3:16. We shoud also learn John 3:17. |
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150 | Jesus wept !... did Jesus ever laugh? | Luke 10:21 | Aixen7z4 | 147397 | ||
Scripture is all about our Lord Jesus Christ (John 5:39) but nowhere does it say that Jesus laughed. It says (Isaiah 53) that he was a man of sorrows. Nor is God the Father or the Holy Spirit known to laugh. But some have said that God causes them to laugh; for example, Sarah (Genesis 21): “God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me”. When the LORD turned again the captivity of Zion, they were like them that dream (Psalm 126). Their mouth was filled with laughter, and their tongue with singing. It that they may be an example for us, because they Lord overturns a captivity for us betimes. But laughter is a curious thing, and people laugh for various reasons. Sarah laughed because she was happy. God had given her a son in her old age. Some would laugh with her, she said. But she lived to see Ishmael, the son of Hagar laughing at her son. That was painful. That was a persecution. “He that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit“ (Galatians 4). And that is the way it was with Jesus. We do not read of him laughing with anyone. But we do read that they laughed at him. In life, they doubted him. They mocked his claims. When they thought he was wrong, they might laugh him to scorn (Matthew 9:24; Mark 5:40; Luke 8:53). As they put him to death, they laughed at him (Psalm 22:7) but it does not say if they were laughing as they mocked him and reviled him (Matthew 27) but it is clear he was not laughing. He has said that his soul was exceedingly sorrowful. In his adversity, they rejoiced, perhaps believing that it proved his claims were false. But he rose again. “Even so it is now”. Some preachers tell us we should laugh more, that it is attractive, etc. Some say it is a good medicine. But is Solomon, in Proverbs 17, referring to a merry heart, or a joyful heart? Jesus says we will laugh later. “Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh” (Luke 6). He will give the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. Sometimes it is just plain hard to laugh because of the “manifold temptations”. We are in heaviness (1 Peter 1). James (4:9) tells some of us that we should give up our laughter. And Solomon says it is better to go to the house of mourning. The Psalmist (Psalm 2) says that God will laugh later. He who sits in the heavens shall laugh at those who take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed. In the meantime he takes no pleasure in the death of so many. His countenance is set with a determination to offer them salvation. And we follow him as his dear children. Rejoicing is a different matter. We should rejoice now. At a certain hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit (Matthew 11, Luke 10). And he has told us so many times, that we should rejoice in spite of our unpleasant circumstances, and sometimes because of them. We would do well to sing Habakkuk’s song: “Although the fig tree shall not blossom … yet I will rejoice in the LORD”. Rejoice in the Lord always. Seems that’s what Jesus did. |
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151 | Pattern of words? | Luke 11:13 | Aixen7z4 | 147819 | ||
Who knows the way of the mind? Who knows the heart? Who knows how it is formed, how it operates, and how it expresses itself? The mind, it seems, can be filled with self, with words, with thoughts, with emotions, or with God. This also fluctuates with time. It is apparent, when we search the Scriptures, that we can be filled with many things. Throughout time people have been filled with fear (Luke 5:26), with wrath (Luke 4:28), with envy (Acts 13:45; Romans 1:29), with the spirit of one thing or the other (Exodus 35:31), and by the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18). It is apparent that some have been filled, not only temporarily, but also in some cases habitually, and so they are characterized with those things. The idea of being filled is to have one’s mind saturated. Some say it means to be controlled, but that may not be so, for the spirit of the prophet is subject to the prophet (1 Corinthians 14:32). It means to be absorbed with, or to have all, and no more, of what one seems to need. But the sense of need, and the measure to which one is filled also varies with time. There is a filling followed by a dissipation, (1 Kings 18, 19) and a subsequent need to be filled again. And one can be filled with the Holy Spirit. This may happen one time, as at the time of the new birth, but it can happen again. The command to be filled with the Spirit suggests that we should remain appropriate and available so that he can fill us again and again as he sees fit and necessary. The Holy Spirit may fill us with love or joy or peace (Galatians 5) or power (Micah 3:8) that we do not ordinarily have (Judges 13,14,15). He may also fill us with wisdom so habitually that we become known for our wisdom (Exodus 28:3; 31:3: etc.). Then it may be said that we have a spirit of wisdom (Deuteronomy 34:9). It is but one of the characteristics that he gives to men. When one is filled with the Spirit, he may be filled with the spirit of many things: counsel, and might, the spirit of knowledge, the fear of the LORD (Isaiah 11:2). It seems foolhardy to think of a way to fill ourselves, as it were automatically, with the Spirit. The command (Ephesians 5:18) is in the passive voice, indicating that it is someone else, in this case the Lord himself, who fills us with the Spirit. The filling is what happens to us, rather than something we do. But we can prepare ourselves for it, by cleansing ourselves and thus becoming vessels fit for the master’s use (2 Timothy 2:21). In order to use us, he fills us. Our Lord Jesus Christ was always filled with the Spirit, for we read (John 3:34) that the Spirit was not given to him by measure. It suggests that the Spirit is given to us by measure. So we always have him, if we are saved, but we are not always filled. Is there a believer who has never been filled with the Spirit? I think not, or we would not know what we were asking for. But we have experienced it, and we want to be filled again. We can ask for that, and meeting the conditions, the Lord will fill us as he sees fit, for the tasks we face. It should be clear from the above, that we are not to seek the filling of the Spirit for its own sake. The Spirit fills us with joy so we can have strength for a task, for the joy of the Lord is our strength (Nehemiah 8:10). He fills us with love (Romans 5:5) so we can love God and each other, with patience and experience and hope. He fills our minds with the word of God (John 14:26) so we can share it with power (Hebrews 4:12). There is so much that we have to do that is not human to do. Therefore the Lord says it is not by might nor by power but by his Spirit. We have to depend on him and wait on him. But when he fills us, it is like a jet with its engines running full speed, and the brakes on. We have the potential of so much power then, but we will be frustrated and overwhelmed within ourselves, and we’d be found making a meaningless noise, unless we went into action, to do the Lord’s will. It seems to me the Lord will fill us when he has a task for us. Within the church, it might be for the purpose of speaking to ourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; giving thanks always for all things. Outside, it might be so we can speak the word of God with boldness in places where it is accepted or not accepted, in season and out of season. May God fill us with his Spirit, and with the spirit of understanding so we can readily relate to these things. And let us not be afraid to think on these things or to experience them. We should stand ready and expect this filling of the Spirit again and again, because there is God's work to be done. And God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. |
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152 | Are there few that be saved? | Luke 13:23 | Aixen7z4 | 123657 | ||
Only a few will be saved, compared to the masses that will be lost. God has chosen to reveal this fact to us, and I would suppose he had a reason to tell us this. As with all other revelation, we should be moved to react to it (Deuteronomy 29:29). Someone will, for God's word will not return to him void. Amen. | ||||||
153 | I'm skeptical | Luke 14:26 | Aixen7z4 | 101236 | ||
DairyLeader is correct, Seeker. While your questions cry out for an answer, I want to assure that the answers are in the Bible. Context is paramount, but so is the role of the Holy Spirit in giving us understanding. We Christians are not perfect, but we believe in our Lord Jesus Christ. We trust in him. I wonder if you have learned to trust him. I checked your profile to see where you are in in relation to the faith, but I see you have not filled it out as yet. When you do, it will help us to see where you are coning from, so to speak, and it will help us to answer your questions. We have learned that it is God who reveals the true meaning of his word to us. Also, he does this, not to satisfy our curiosity, but so we can obey him. See Deuteronomy 29:29, etc. If you have a sincere desire to know God's will, you will know the truth of it. See John 7:17. God’s word is truth. See John 17:17. It does not seem appropriate to go into any of the apparent contradictions you have mentioned because they seem to be only examples. I suppose you have seen many others. But we have all reason to trust our Lord and to trust his word. Some of us fail to obey it, as you have observed, and that limits our ability to receive further truth. That applies to you as well as to us. Once again, it would be good to discuss these questions with you, but have you trusted the Lord Jesus Christ an your savior as yet? Do you believe he died for you? Have you trusted him to forgive you and to save you? Can you say, as Paul says, “I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day”? That, I believe, is the beginning point. |
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154 | What does Luke 14:26 mean? | Luke 14:26 | Aixen7z4 | 101273 | ||
It may mean that some of us are taking our relationship to Christ too causally. Jesus demands commitment. We must deny ourselves and take up our cross and follow him. | ||||||
155 | What does Luke 14:26 mean? | Luke 14:26 | Aixen7z4 | 101274 | ||
It says, "He cannot be my disciple". It may mean that some of us who think we are his disciples, are not. | ||||||
156 | Purpose of this forum? | Luke 14:26 | Aixen7z4 | 101304 | ||
Seeker, I hope you are not wrong. I hope you will find your answers here. You may be surprised to know that I think you are saved. I will show my confidence on that point by not raising the issue again. I trust that everyone here will be loving and accepting, and that they will devote themselves to patiently answering your questions. I think that all of your observations about the church, about evangelicals, and about this forum, are on point. The situation is regrettable and I can only hope that all of us consider the need to repent and change our behavior. If a few of the folks here will indicate that, then I believe the tone will be different and we can focus on answering your questions. If not, I would not blame you for seeking your answers elsewhere. But where? They say you will never find a perfect church, and it seems that you will not find a perfect forum either. I thought of recommending a few web sites to you, but they are not perfect. On my own forum, at hishows.aimoo.com, there is none of the confusion that you mentioned. It is moderated and these things are not tolerated. But frankly, that forum is not very popular. It seems that people want those things you mentioned, the disagreements and the arguments. Some say it is good and they want the freedom to do them, so this is where they come. I trust you get your questions answered because I think they are good questions. Maybe we can get back to them. |
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157 | True Disciples - eternal importance | Luke 14:26 | Aixen7z4 | 101397 | ||
Aixen Answer, part A. Seeker: I encourage you to read each of the passages you've mentioned. 1. individually. 2. slowly. 3. prayerfully. 4. without considering what others say about it. 5. considering instead, the context (that is so important) the context of it. If you would do that, I would think you would be able to come back to us with a good understanding of each passage. One of the reasons I think you are saved is that you have a desire to do the will of God. You want the word of God to be not only clear but doable. It is a good sign. You realize that many believers are disobedient. But you want to obey. You want to understand in order to obey. I want to encourage you. With that, may I consider with you one of the passages that seem to be troublesome. Let us do Mark 16:16,17. See what do you get if you consider the following: Jesus was speaking to the eleven apostles; not to us. His words at that time were for them, and designed to meet their unique needs. They apply in principle to other evangelists and missionaries, but they were specifically for them, the present listeners. How would they know that their listeners had believed? They would have trouble believing that any Gentiles could get saved. For that reason, Jesus gave them these signs. They were the pioneers. They were the first. Their needs were unique. They had the need for signs. He was speaking to them. They were the signs by which the apostles would recognize new believers. In the book of Acts we see where these came into play. In the epistles (e.g. 1 Corinthians 14) we see the explanation of the reason for these signs. Tongues were a sign for the Jews to know that the Gentiles were being saved. The signs were not given to new believers to know if they were saved. They were for the observers. The believers would have inner signs: the witness of the Holy spirit, the peace that comes with believing, their desire to obey. Please do not say we pick and choose what is for us and what is not. By looking at the context closely we can determine. When Paul asks Timothy to bring a cloak and some parchments, we know he is speaking to him about that and not to us. Even when he directs him to preach the word, rebuking and exhorting, we know that he is speaking to him as an evangelist and he is not thereby indicating that every believer should follow the same course. He would direct him to teach faithful men who would teach others. The point is that some things are for some of us and some are not. Paul would say in Romans 12, for example, that each one should stick to his ministry. It is unfortunate that some of those who are seeking to answer your questions here might disagree among themselves. They may even disagree with what I am saying here. But I say that in general we need to determine whether specific instructions in the Bible are for us. The instructions to Timothy are for him in particular and for people like him, that is, teachers and preachers and evangelists. They are not for women, for example, who are instructed to not teach but to learn in silence. Context is important. |
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158 | True Disciples - eternal importance | Luke 14:26 | Aixen7z4 | 101398 | ||
Aixen Answer, part B. Back to the passage in question. The signs in Mark 16 were for the original apostles to observe. They were not instructions for the converts to try to manifest or to look on as proof of their salvation. They were not for subsequent evangelists to observe, except perhaps in virgin territory where the Gospel has not been preached before, and they were not for subsequent believers such as you and me to look for in order to know if we are saved. How do I know all of this? From the context; the context of the passage, the context of their lives, the context of the rest of the word of God. Now, I have suggested that you think about those passages carefully, prayerfully and in context. I have also suggested that you put aside what others think about them. So you would have to put aside what I have said here. Please do not feel that you have to agree with me. Nevertheless, I trust that this exercise has been helpful. I expect that others will share with you their understanding of the passages. Unfortunately, we may disagree among ourselves and you will be reading varying explanations. I think you should try to get your own understanding. The Holy Spirit in you will direct you. May I say again that that your questions seem most reasonable. I am confident that you will find satisfactory answers in the Bible as you pursue them. Already you have shown good understanding. On the question as to whether Jesus teaches hate, for example, you have stated that Jesus must have meant something special when he said we would have to hate our relatives. I would not even worry if you cannot quite put it into words. That is the way it is. When passages seem to conflict, and when teachers disagree, it is for me a time to get alone with God and dig deep. May God bless you as you continue to seek truth. I pray that god will give you assurance of salvation and the answer to all your questions. Please share not only your questions but also your insights with us. |
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159 | Christ and Christians? | Luke 14:26 | Aixen7z4 | 101438 | ||
You are right. I am a seeker too. Let us share what we have found. Perhaps we need to take this in little bits, one bit at a time. Dispensationalism is one thing, and as far as I am concerned we can take it or leave it. In fact the idea as such is not taught directly. But isn't it clear that Repentance is for all of us? Isn't it clear that going to Macedonia is not for us? I hold my breath and hope that no one will make an issue of it here. There are principles that apply of course, but the Lord does not expect us to go to Macedonia. That was for Paul. However, repentance is for all of us, for (Acts 17:30) the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent. Fetching things from Troas is not for me although Paul says (2Timothy 4:13) "The cloke that I left at Troas with Carpus, when thou comest, bring with thee, and the books, but especially the parchments". But faith is for me for (John 3:16) "God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life". In similar fashion I determine that being a witness is for me, but going to Samaria is not for me. Being ready to give an answer is for me. But speaking in other tongues is not for me. Matthew 11:28 is for me. But Mark 16:17,17 is not for me. I can learn from it, but it is not a command for me to obey. Are you with me? |
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160 | Did Jesus teach hate? | Luke 14:26 | Aixen7z4 | 101624 | ||
We need to be clear. Jesus does not teach hate. Quite the contrary. He teaches love. Jesus is God, and God is love. God loved us and sent his son to die for us. Jesus loved us and gave his life for us. Greater love has no man than this. Jesus loved, and he taught love. We must also love him, and show it with our lives. “Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. “But I tell everyone who is listening: Love your enemies. Be kind to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who insult you. If someone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other cheek as well. If someone takes your coat, don't stop him from taking your shirt. Give to everyone who asks you for something. If someone takes what is yours, don't insist on getting it back. Do for other people everything you want them to do for you. If you love those who love you, do you deserve any thanks for that? Even sinners love those who love them. If you help those who help you, do you deserve any thanks for that? Sinners do that too. If you lend anything to those from whom you expect to get something back, do you deserve any thanks for that? Sinners also lend to sinners to get back what they lend. Rather, love your enemies, help them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then you will have a great reward. You will be the children of the Most High God. After all, he is kind to unthankful and evil people. Be merciful as your Father is merciful. “The matter of commitment to the cause is a different matter. Love itelf requires commitment. We the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. Jesus called it taking up the cross, dying to self, and suchlike. We are to lay aside every weight. I myself do not know a word for the attitude we are to have to the things that might hinder us from serving Christ. “Hate” seems to fit OK. I think I understand what Jesus meant. “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. “If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple”. In other words, "If people come to me and are not ready to abandon their fathers, mothers, wives, children, brothers, and sisters, as well as their own lives, they cannot be my disciples”. I think Paul understood. He said: “The Holy Ghost witnesses in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me. But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God”. I wonder if we modern Christians understand. I heard a radio preacher say recently that we must learn to say No to the church and put our families first. Many people today serve Christ for gain, and have no patience with the idea of sacrifice. That is another mindset. Jesus does not teach us to neglect our families. He reminded the Pharisees that God had said, “Honor thy father and mother: and, He that curses father or mother, let him die the death”. He condemned their tradition that contradicted the spirit of that law. He related in an exemplary manner with his own earthly family. On the cross, as some believe, he directed John to take care of his mother. We are to take care of them, and not be like the infidels. If we find that our families hinder and oppose our commitment to Christ, however, there is a choice to be made. Jesus does not teach hate. But he does require commitment. |
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