Results 161 - 180 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# | |||
161 | Insufficient grace? | Luke 14:26 | Aixen7z4 | 101661 | ||
Seeker, God has been good to you. Your situation reminds me of the word he had for the nation of Israel in Ezekiel 16. “When you were born, your umbilical cord wasn't cut. You weren't washed with water to make you clean. You weren't rubbed with salt or wrapped in cloth. No one who saw you felt sorry enough for you to do any of these things. But you were thrown into an open field. You were rejected when you were born. Then I went by you and saw you kicking around in your own blood. I said to you, "Live." “I made you grow like a plant in the field. You grew up, matured, …” Your case, if it is of any comfort to you, unfortunately, your case it not at all unusual. In some cases, believe it or not, it is worse. Some of us got saved all by ourselves, with no one to witness to us or to counsel us personally. We heard the Gospel, of course, but there was often no human help or guidance. We had to struggle for assurance of salvation, and we had to struggle to get our feet under us, and then to grow. Some Christians have a stand-offish and judgmental attitude. They would much prefer to criticize you than to help you. Some believe they have to leave it up to the Holy Spirit and would not even try to get you saved. Baptism, discipleship, learning to do things, some of us have had to accomplish on our own. But we have learned that we were never alone. Behind the dim unknown standeth God within the shadow, keeping watch above his own. And yet I must say that you were correct when you noted that God also uses human instruments. There is always a person here and there, supporting. I now work for a group called Gospel for Asia, and they emphasize the ministry of discipleship. Mentoring is integral to that ministry. The church used to have it, with Barnabas and Paul and Paul and Timothy. The principle was to continue, with the things that one has heard being committed to faithful men, who would be able to teach others also. It is just one of the ways the church has failed. But God’s word cannot fail. When the prophets fail, he will use a donkey. But God himself has been looking out for you, Seeker, and he has kept you seeking. Rest upon his promise that those who seek will find. I say it is not a curse to have the questions you have, but a blessing. When you have answered those questions, you will know more than the rest of us. Talking about the grace of God, don’t you see it. It is not true that you have to do all of those things by yourself. It is God who works in us both to will and to do his good pleasure. We are kept by the power of God and we never lose our salvation, and we never lose the ability to do his will. So, let’s say you have had a hard childhood, spiritually. You should now be stronger for it. I suggest that you look ahead now and not so much backward. Be like Paul and say, “Forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus”. It was not casually but after consideration that I suggested you can be confident in your salvation. Indeed, it does not depend on your feeling but on whether you did go to him an call on him. For him that comes to him he will in no wise cast out. And whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. If you have doubts now then go to him and call on him again and be not faithless but believing. Stop doubting and move on. I would thank God for the way he has kept you and the strength you have had to keep on. That is grace. The Lord has taken care of you personally. Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet God will not forget you. He has not, so far, and he never will. So go on, my friend. Learn all you can, grow like that plant in the field, and serve the Lord. Stay in the word. Be like the tree planted by the water. Notice that it does not work hard, doing this and that on its own, but it soaks up the word. In time, I would not be surprised if you became a teacher of the word. He giveth more grace, and his grace is sufficient. |
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162 | is hell a literal fire | Luke 16:23 | Aixen7z4 | 138232 | ||
Whatever the eventual answer is, consider this: that a figurative fire may be worse than a literal fire. Hell is a dreadful, terrible place. There is some sort of fire there, and those who go there are in it. And 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: where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. 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: where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. 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: where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. |
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163 | Was Jesus claiming that he was God? | Luke 18:18 | Aixen7z4 | 150645 | ||
Jesus was claiming to be God! And for him, it was not a usurpation (See Philippians 2:6). But that is the answer to the short question. We do not know whether the young ruler was admitting to that fact, or even if he was aware of it, because he did not answer the question why he had called Jesus good. It is interesting that in the ensuing conversation Jesus said that which is impossible with men is possible with God (Luke 18:27). Who can be saved? Anyone (Romans 10:13). Even a rich man (Matthew 27:57). Who can save? Only God can (Isaiah 45:21). Jesus is able to save (Hebrews 7:25) because he is God. On another occasion, someone asked, “Who can forgive sins but God alone?” But Jesus, the “Son of Man” did have the power to forgive sins. He proved it by healing a man, (Mark 2) and in so doing he also showed that he is God. He is able to heal, and forgive, and save. In addressing Jesus as Good Master, even unwittingly, that man was doing well, because Jesus is God. |
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164 | Who are the lost sheep of israel? | Luke 19:10 | Aixen7z4 | 151313 | ||
All in God’s time, my friend. The Gospel was to go to the Jew first (Romans 1:16; 2:9,10, etc.). See the words of Paul and Barnabas (Acts 13:46). They said: “It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles”. You may also want to read Romans 11. You are correct, of course, that the Gospel is for everyone. And there are lost sheep in Israel (the Jews). And there are other sheep (John 10). And it was always God’s plan that there be one fold and one shepherd (Ephesians 2). But it was also in God’s plan that the Jews would have first dibs. Interesting (Isn’t it?) that they will have last dibs as well, after the Gentiles have had their chance. |
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165 | Do this in remember of me | Luke 22:19 | Aixen7z4 | 151969 | ||
This is what the Lord said, and I pass it on to you just as I received it. On the night when he was betrayed, Jesus took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me." In the same way, he took the cup, after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant between God and you, sealed by the shedding of my blood. Do this in remembrance of me as often as you drink it." Every time you eat that bread and drink from that cup, you are remembering him, in his death, and proclaiming the Lord's death. We are to do that until he comes again. |
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166 | He was a prophet. Can we add to that? | Luke 24:19 | Aixen7z4 | 120618 | ||
Please add your own scriptural information about Jesus. In addition to being a prophet, he is ... | ||||||
167 | Are you onced saved always saved? | John | Aixen7z4 | 102477 | ||
Someone should choose the name Summarizer and undertake to summarize the discussions on some of these topics. Otherwise the same questions will be asked forever. A summary will at least give us a new starting point instead of having the question take us back back back, back to the beginning again. | ||||||
168 | would this wine make a person drunk? | John 2:3 | Aixen7z4 | 98861 | ||
Please be careful that you are not about to be found accusing Jesus. Surely you do not think he would be doing something here that is prohibited elsewhere in the word of God. Say instead that this was a special wine, possibly different and better than any other ever made. This one had not been aged to make it alcoholic. It had been created on the spot so that the people would recognize him as the Creator. Joh 2:11 This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him. |
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169 | forgivess of blasphemy | John 3:3 | Aixen7z4 | 88308 | ||
Jesus says a person who blasphemes against the Holy Ghost will not be forgiven. It seems that he cannot be. It is the Holy Spirit who convicts us of sin and shows us the truth of the scripture, that Christ died for our sins. If we blaspheme against him we are rejecting his work in our hearts and actually attributing it to Satan. How then can we be saved? We would be rejecting the only way of salvation. | ||||||
170 | Whatis needed in a relation with God? | John 3:3 | Aixen7z4 | 88310 | ||
It is hard to know what the questioner has in mind. One answer is that we need a mediator. Job wished for a "daysman". Paul declared that there is a mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus. By shedding his blood on the cross, Jesus made it possible for God and man to come together. They had been enemies. Jesus made peace by the blood of his cross. We cannot have a relationship with God without the Lord Jesus Christ. | ||||||
171 | I don't understand when people say seek | John 3:3 | Aixen7z4 | 145840 | ||
Jesus said (in Matthew 6) that we should seek the kingdom of God. From that context we can see what the kingdom of God is not. He was speaking about the temptation to focus on material things. We need to turn away from those things in order to seek the kingdom of God. Paul says the same thing in Romans 14, that the kingdom of God is not meat and drink. So the person who is seeking the kingdom of God does not place physical and material things at the top of his priorities. He does not live for those things. So, he does not trust in riches. He sets his affection on things above, not on things on the earth. He does not lay treasures upon earth. We cannot look for the kingdom of God with our physical eyes either. It is a matter of the heart. Jesus said (Luke 17) that “the kingdom of God does not come with observation”. It is within us. If we have an idea what the kingdom of God is not, we may be ready to look then at what it is. The kingdom of God is righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost (Romans 14). That is what we should seek. We should hunger and thirst after righteousness. We should let the peace of God rule in our hearts (Colossians 3). We should lay up for ourselves treasures in heaven (Matthew 6). We should seek those things which are above (Colossians 3). We should set our affection on things above. That is what it means to seek the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God is in us, and among us. But it is the realm in which he rules. It is apparent then, that God wants to establish his kingdom in our hearts and in our midst. We should want that. We should sanctify the Lord in our hearts (1 Peter 3). We should recognize him as Lord of our lives and of the church. We should submit ourselves to his will in our personal lives and in our fellowships. We should pray, “Your will be done” (Matthew 6). The person who is not saved may well feel left out of all this. He needs to enter into the kingdom of God. As Jesus says (John 3), “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God”. “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God”. We need to be born again. We should humble ourselves and exercise childlike faith in him. We cannot enter on our own merits. The religious leaders like Nicodemus were righteous in their own eyes. But Jesus says, “Except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven”. Salvation. Righteousness. Peace. All of these things are spiritual. These are the kinds of things that constitute the kingdom of God. We should seek to be ruled by him. And these are the things we should seek, first of all. |
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172 | Jesus is God, can Jesus sit at the right | John 3:13 | Aixen7z4 | 154191 | ||
Short answer: Jesus is God. His Father is God. The Holy Spirit is God. But they are three separate beings. In nature and in purpose, they are one; they are united. Just as a husband and wife are one, and the members of the church are one, and yet they can sit next to each other, there is no problem with God the Son sitting at the right hand of God the Father. Long answer: Jesus is a person, an individual. His Father is a person. You know that they are two different persons because Jesus says that he is not as great as his Father (John 14:28). They speak to each other (John 12:28, etc.). Scripture says he had left the Father, and was going back to the Father (John 13:3). While he was on earth, his father was in heaven. Jesus has a Father who is also our Father. Jesus is called the Son of God (John 20:31, etc). The two are separate, individual persons. They were together in the beginning (John 17:5). Then Jesus came to earth. Then he went back to be with his Father. Stephen saw him standing at the right hand of the Father (Acts 7:55) and the writer to the Hebrews says he sat down at the right hand of the Father (Hebrews 10:12). There is no problem with the Son sitting next to the Father, any more than a wife can sit next to her husband. When Jesus says that he and the Father are one, he does not mean that they are the same person. They are two persons united in nature, in mind, in purpose, etc. They are so similar that you can say when you have seen one you have seen the other (John 14:7-11) or that you had seen the entire godhead (Colossians 2:9). In the same way Jesus prayed that we Christians would be one, and the writers of the New Testament say we are one (Ephesians 2). The Bible says that they are one The Bible says that the husband and wife are one (Genesis 2:24; Mathew 19:5; 1 Corinthians 6:16;Ephesians 5:31). “For this cause shall a man leave his Father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh”. Also, with their children, they are one family even though they are separate persons. It is a little bit confusing because Jesus is called God, and the Son of God. The Father is called God, or God the Father. The Holy Spirit is called God, the Spirit of God, and even the Spirit of Christ. In Revelation 19 Jesus is called the Word of God. In John 1, it says that Jesus was with God and he was God. Most often the term God is used in reference to the Father, and that may give the impression that it is his personal name. But you will see that in Hebrews 1:8, the Father refers to the Son as God. The fact that all three are called God shows that “God” is not a personal name. It is a title. All three of them are known by that title. Jesus and the Father are one, and likewise, we should be one. Read John 17:21, 23. They stand together and work together, and that is what they want us to do. Indeed, they are an example to us. |
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173 | explain Deut 6:4 | John 3:13 | Aixen7z4 | 154236 | ||
God is three in one. “You believe that there is one God, you do well” (James 2:19). But even as we speak, “there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one” (1 John 5:7). It is true that we were made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27). However, “This only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions” (Ecclesiastes 7:29). We have invented many schemes, various devices, beaucoup de détours, muchas perversiones. It may be that we are sincere in trying to understand. But I wonder why it is so difficult. The analogies are neither necessary nor appropriate. The same verse which said we are in God’s image says that we are male and female (Genesis 1:27). And God said a man and his wife shall be one flesh (Genesis 2:24). I wonder if we find that hard to understand or to accept, that two people can be one. It may be that the concept of oneness is hard to understand or to accept. But the word says, “He that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit“ (1 Corinthians 6:17). It seems to be the plan of God, then, that not only the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, but we ourselves should be joined into that oneness. It is not that we will be God, but we will be one with God. He has made us one in Jesus (Romans 12). “For as we have many members in one body, … so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another“. And in the end, it will all come together. “When all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all (1 Corinthians 15:28). A man and a woman are one. The church with all its members is one. The three persons of the Godhead are one. Tow people do not make two families. Many believers do not make many churches. And three people do not imply three Gods. There is one God. They are one. |
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174 | can you know people you never met before | John 3:16 | Aixen7z4 | 89317 | ||
Why would we not be able to introduce ourselves, the way we do here, as in Romans 1:1? | ||||||
175 | Non-denominational theology? | John 3:16 | Aixen7z4 | 89318 | ||
It may be that non-denominational theology teaches that there should be no denominations. There are some who teach that it is wrong to divide the body of Christ into denominations. It is noted that they are at a disadvantage because the doctrines of salvation, baptism, etc. have not all been predetermined for them. They always have to go to the source, to the Lord himself and to the Bible, for answers. However, they feel free to fellowship with, and to benefit from all parts of the body. These folk are likely to quote 1 Corinthians 3. "For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal? Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building. ... Therefore let no man glory in men (or the systems set up by men). For all things are yours; Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; And ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's. |
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176 | Studying O.T. is creating problems. | John 3:16 | Aixen7z4 | 89321 | ||
The Old Testament was given to us so that we can understand God. So you are baffled by what you see? It shows, I think, that God is very great. Who can know the mind of God? And who can second guess him or instruct him, or correct him? Let's say you think God is too ruthless, or too anything, what can you do about it? God is soverign and will do as he pleases. We cannot ask him, "What are you doing?" and we cannot stop him. That said, we must understand that God is revealing that he is just. He does only what is right, and he is right to punish sin. Think of what he did to his own son when he stood in your place and took upon himself your sin. That is in the New Testament. What if he would allow his temple to be a slaughterhouse to impress on us the enormity of our sin. And consider that the cause was our determination to continue sinning. He asked, begged, pleaded, that we should stop, but we would not. Meanwhile, all his commandments were good. Why would we not listen and obey? That is baffling. That is mind-boggling. But continue reading. Look at the ends of the stories. Understand that, whereas the thought and imaginations of man's heart is only evil continually, God's thoughts for us are for our good. Understand from Jeremiah that God exercises not only judgment, but also righteousness and lovingkindness in the earth. Understand from Moses that the LORD is merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin." Please do not ask that the Lord be less than just. Concerning slavery, and polygamy, and war, please think about them some more. Try to understand what God allows and why. Why, he even allows us to defy him and to ignore him for a while. Meanwhile, he keeps calling us to himself. The Lord has no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that they turn to him and be saved. But you seem to be puzzled by both his justice and his patience. When you think of the exceeding sinfulness of sin, the effect it has on us, how it offends God, you may agree that God must be just and that he must punish sin. When you think of his patience and how many warnings he gives before he brings judgment, you may not understand it, but you can be grateful for it. When you think how freely he forgives, I hope you freely accept it. Above all, understand that the God we serve is not our invention. He is the real God and he reveals himself in his word. The God of the Old Testament is the same God in the New, it's just that by the time you get to the New he has revealed more. Since we did not know him that well before or otherwise, let us be grateful for what he shows us. Let us be impressed, but let us not be disappointed. Our God is great, and he is good. We need to bow down and worship him. |
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177 | Where is God when I need him? | John 3:16 | Aixen7z4 | 89322 | ||
God is right there, my friend. He was with Daniel in the den. He was with the men in the fiery furnace. And he is with you. Life can be tough, but live for him. He can deliver you. If he does not, still live for him. Before you came Abel and Job and Moses and Paul. And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets: Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect. Wherefore, seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. |
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178 | how can i overcome sin, and be forgiven? | John 3:16 | Aixen7z4 | 152045 | ||
The Lord has blessed you with an immediate response, the one written by Doc above. Some of us would love to know to what extent you found it helpful. It is what the Bible teaches, and if we understood your question correctly, it is the answer to it. What do you say? | ||||||
179 | 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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180 | John 4:10. Is God an it? Who is this? | John 4:10 | Aixen7z4 | 121012 | ||
It is I who am undertaking to help here. Someone should try, and I am it. But it is God, perhaps, who must free us, from the need to focus on individual words so the thoughts from him can get through. For it is God who works in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure. It is humans who write words and change them over time, and it is I who will tell you that words have no purpose other than to communicate, and no meaning other than what they do communicate, and no flaw when they do communicate; but you may not believe me. Interesting, though, that “I” and “me” refer to the same person, and yet we capitalize “I”, and not “me”. It is humans who make these rules, but it is God who speaks to us in the Bible. It is the Spirit that bears witness, because the Spirit is truth. It is He who must free us from the tyranny of words to actually hear His voice through the written words. It is he who will need to say, “Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid”. | ||||||
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