Results 181 - 200 of 277
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Results from: Answers On or After: Thu 12/31/70 Author: charis Ordered by Date |
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Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
181 | Am I being censored? | Bible general Archive 1 | charis | 5652 | ||
Dear Cephas, No, you are not being censored. Only the Lockman Foundation could do that. You are being censured by your peers, as is acceptable in a public forum. Please, no 'weird' questions. The word means magical and connected with witchcraft. In a way, this is a 'cosy club for insiders,' as you suggest. We all know and trust in the Lord Jesus, and are 'inside' His grace. If a non-Christian were to visit this site, I would hope to show him trust in God, the lively fellowship of the saints, and wisdom and even wit. Not unedifying rhetoric, speculation about our God's motives, or stiff-necked argument. This is my prayer for this online forum. It would appear, my friend, that you have brought out the worst in some of the brethren, by questioning the foundations of faith in Christ Jesus, who is God. Peace upon you, in Jesus' name, charis |
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182 | What about Ex. 4:11 does that apply? | Bible general Archive 1 | charis | 5634 | ||
Dear EdB, I have looked at Exodus 4:11, and concluded that it does not change my answer. One reason would be that the context could easily mean simply that God allows us to see, hear, and speak in accord with His will, regardless of the functionality of these physical organs. Then, of course, there is the literal understanding of this passage meaning that God makes us physically handicapped. I either case, I submit to the sovereignty of God, saying that He is good. His purposes are never evil. He is incapable of evil, even in the perspective of our own selfish viewpoint. I have a minor physical handicap, the result of an accident at a job site (I used to work as a carpenter). It hurt! It also impaired my ability to work in the exact manner that I had been. It also humbled me a great deal, especially in the area of physical prowess (I pray that the humility worked into my spirit, too :-) There was a tendency in my soul (emotions) to want to blame God, but I knew that He could hold no blame. I still believe that, absolutely. I can find no fruit in assigning any kind of evil to my Lord and Savior in the light of His overwhelming goodness. It would only make Him into a mystical puppeteer, creating us for amusement. This is unacceptable to my faith. Thank you for your question, as it encourages me in my trust in God. In Christ Jesus, charis |
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183 | A silly question? | Josh 10:12 | charis | 5554 | ||
Dear Lionstrong, You asked for a silly answer, and I gave you an extremely silly one! I wish I could say it was on purpose, but it was a dumb mistake. Blushing with embarrassment, I must tell you and all the forum that I used the formula for the area of a circle (pi 'r' squared) instead of the correct formula for the circumference of a circle (pi 'd'). A sharp reader of these discussions pointed it out to me by email. I feel a little better in that only one person (so far) caught it, and that said person had no idea how I arrived at my answer:-) He did, however, calculate the correct velocity, which is "about 6,760 miles per second," hardly faster than the speed of light. My answer still stands, though, because you don't have to go much further away from a stationary earth to have circling objects traveling well in excess of the speed of light. In fact, using the correct formula, the closest star group, Proxima Centauri would be circling the earth at the velocity of about 5,072,703 miles per second. Now I have have had enough math and astronomy for a long time :-) Begging your pardon, I bless you in the name of Jesus, charis |
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184 | difference of fear and afraid? | Prov 1:7 | charis | 5490 | ||
Dear lofs, (FEAR) (Heb. (yir'รข,) "reverence," and other Heb. words meaning "terror," EXO 15:16; etc.; "carefulness," JOS 22:24, NASB; "concern," PRO 29:25; "fright," JOB 41:33; Gk. (phobos,) "dread, terror," MAT 14:26; etc.). Fear is that affection of the mind that arises with the awareness of approaching danger. The fear of God is of several kinds: superstitious, which is the fruit of ignorance; servile, which leads to abstinence from many sins through apprehension of punishment; and filial, which has its spring in love and prompts to care not to offend God and to endeavor in all things to please Him. It is another term for practical piety and comprehends the virtues of the godly character (PSA 111:10; PRO 14:2), whereas its absence is characteristic of a wicked and depraved person (ROM 3:18). It is produced in the soul by the Holy Spirit, and great blessing is pronounced upon those who possess this trait: His angels protect them (PSA 34:7); they "abide in the shadow of the Almighty" (PSA 91:1). This fear would subsist in a pious soul were there no punishment of sin. It dreads God's displeasure, desires His favor, reveres His holiness, submits cheerfully to His will, is grateful for His benefits, sincerely worships Him, and conscientiously obeys His commandments. Fear and love must coexist in us in order that either passion may be healthy and that we may please and rightly serve God. "The fear of the Lord" is used for the worship of God, e.g., "I will teach you the fear of the Lord" (PSA 34:11) and for the law of God (PSA 19:8-9). The "fear of Isaac" (GEN 31:42, 53) is God, whom Isaac worshiped with reverent awe. The "fear of man" is that dread of the opinions of our neighbors that makes us cowards in the performance of those duties that we fancy they do not practice (PRO 29:25). Unger's New Bible Dictionary. Afraid is similar to fearful in a dictionary sense, but modern usage seems to lean toward personal dislike of the feared person or thing, in addition to an apprehension of personal loss associated with guilt. In other words, you are afraid because you are wrong and will be punished (rightly), but want to place a moral burden on the feared person or thing (or God) to share the blame. In Jesus, charis |
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185 | Is whate'er my God ordains right? | Bible general Archive 1 | charis | 5422 | ||
Dear Lionstrong, Sir or Ma'am, the first two questions are Yes and Yes. The third question makes me question your faith in God. The fourth question is nigh blasphemy. Even if I give you all the benefit of the doubt and say you are playing the devil's advocate, why are you questioning the unquestionable? Any proclamation of faith in God through Christ Jesus should answer these questions without subjecting us to them. Please refrain. In Jesus' name, charis |
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186 | A silly question? | Josh 10:12 | charis | 5417 | ||
Dear Lionstrong, I have considered this line of questioning, and can't think of any reason to obstinately deny the earth revolving on it's axis. I know that Bible says the Sun and moon stopped, but from the point of view of the writers of the Bible, and most readers for a good part of history, this is how it appeared. To try to explain to laymen 2 or 3,000 years ago about the solar system, planetary motion, etc. would be difficult. In any case, for the sun to be circling the earth would require it to travel at a velocity faster than the speed of light (approximately 314,000,000,000 miles per second). When God 'stopped' the sun, it would wreak havoc on more than the Amorites. I am no astronomer, but that would totally blow away anthing we know of physics. God can negate physics at any time He so chooses, but it seems that he only chooses to do so in certain miraculous situations, such as the one above. (Stopping the revolution of the earth, a path through the Red Sea, and many others) Not every day, all day long, as in making a supra-light-speed sun circle us. If we claim that all physical knowledge is suspect, we live in a fantasy world, with no rules or order (Harry Potter?). I believe that our God is a God of order. Blessings to you in Jesus' name, charis |
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187 | How did evil arise? | Bible general Archive 1 | charis | 5392 | ||
Dear Cephas, Lucifer (Satan) is the first being to manifest evil recorded in the Bible. He is the 'origin' of evil. He did not 'create' it, he simply allowed his 'self' to come before God. Rather than glorify the creator, he glorified the created thing (himself) and initiated the maelstrom of evil. Please, do not say that God allowed it, so God made it! Because if you say this, then you have determined to make God into a yin-yang God, leading only to mysticism and the absolution of man. This is dangerous, and mocks our Lord and Savior. Please accept that God is absolutely good, and evil came only from the 'evil one.' If you are going to continue, please tell us what your purpose is, your ulterior motive? Blessings in Christ Jesus, charis |
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188 | What are the Kingdoms | Bible general Archive 1 | charis | 4983 | ||
Dear Car 14, where am I?, What a name! Does this have anything to do with "Car 54, where are you?" There is only one kingdom in reference to our God. Since our God is the Lord of all, His kingdom would include everything. Our little place here on Earth is just a small part of His realm. It only makes sense that His authority reigns over Hell, too. Though many have tried to clearly differentiate between the ways to say kingdom, they invariably end up more complicated than need be. "Kingdom- a realm or region in which something is dominant. An area or sphere in which one holds a preeminent position." Websters Blessings to you in Christ Jesus, charis |
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189 | Bad kids all? | Prov 22:15 | charis | 4982 | ||
Dear Wist ye not, Though the Book of Proverbs speaks here and in several other passages of the foolisness of children, there are times when their lack of 'knowledge' (bigotry) can make them seem very wise. I only wish it were more often! :-) Sadly, it is as much a commentary on the environment they live in as their inherent 'badness.' Yes, we are born with the sin of Adam, but we were also made in the image of God. O, that our children can be brought up in the nurture and admonition of God (Ephesians 6:4), to release that holy image. In Jesus' name, charis |
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190 | What is "progressive revelation"? | Heb 1:1 | charis | 4735 | ||
Dear Hank, Yes! "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you." John 14:26 NASB. The Holy Spirit will continue to lead us and reveal the will of God to us. He will guide His servants to proclaim a living Gospel. It is ongoing, as we progress toward the goal of the return of the Lord Jesus. No! it is not progressive as in previously unspoken. As the above Scripture states, the Spirit will 'bring to remembrance' what has already been spoken. All present revelation must be in accord with Scripture. But, like the words of Jesus when He spoke to the Jews, they will be fresh and new and full of authority. Blessings upon you in Jesus' name, charis |
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191 | Would you please provide source(s)? | Bible general Archive 1 | charis | 4728 | ||
Dear Phillip, Though I cannot answer for amor65, I can say that he has not posted in over two months and this was his only posting. There is a good chance that our friend has either departed or is content with auditing our forum fellowship. I think that the (numerous) postings on this and related lines will answer your question to (over)abundance :-) Keep up the good postings. Blessings to you in Christ Jesus, charis |
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192 | Baptism, Trinity, and Teachers? | Acts 2:38 | charis | 4716 | ||
Dear Hank, I read the posting to which you refer, and had the exact same three questions, though my conclusions are a bit different. 1)I can't find anywhere in scripture that would support Jesus baptizing in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, or in the name of Jesus (Himself) either. I can't 'do' anything with Matthew 28:19. As I said earlier, I do not believe in a 'formula,' but in a holy prayer from the heart. This is a dilemma for me, as we have Jesus' commandment and the historical record of His holy messengers. I cannot even, in good conscience, 'say' both ways just to satisfy all (human) hearers. I, personally, trust that Peter and the disciples and saints in the Book of the Acts of the Apostles had a purpose that came from God when they Baptized in the name of Jesus. I will some day stand before God, and I pray that He will see my heart, my faith, my convictions when I give answer for my decisions. My prayers in the name of Jesus are not a result of teaching I received, but of my (humble) understanding of the commandmants of the Lord Jesus, and His disciple's obedience to them. 2)I could never say that "The Trinity is symbolic of one Spirit." I am a firm beliver in a Tri-une God, or the Trinity. I have been reading Reformer Joe and his excellent attempts to explain the Trinity, and am in complete agreement with his 'One God, Three Persons' theology. (Though I prefer JVH0212's exposition) I am not, and have never been Oneness or Jesus-only. My decision to pray in the name of Jesus has nothing to do with a 'Jesus is God is the Holy Spirit' theology. I am much too simple-minded to believe in that spiritual (mystical) spaghetti :-) But, before you start patting me on the back... I am not Trinitarian! Not because I am against their doctrine, but because I do not like adjectival Christianity. I am a Christian, a follower of the Lord Jesus, the Anointed One of God. I believe that He sent His Spirit as Comforter, to indwell and lead His church to the return of Christ. 3)"The answer is not in man." True, but men have been entrusted to preach the Gospel since Day 1, when Peter stood up to proclaim the Risen Savior, and new life in Him. "My advice to the gentleman who responded to my queston is that you put your trust in no man and don't let another interpret for you." I have heard both side claim Divine understanding to support their bent. Of course I read the Bible (Duh!), but I also read and listen to men. Then, under the direction of the Holy Spirit, I try to discern the mind of God.(in the cacophony:-) God's ways are always less complicated than man's, and always bear the fruit of peace and love. Thank you always for your insightful commentary. In Christ Jesus, charis |
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193 | Selfish or Self-interest? | Phil 1:23 | charis | 4536 | ||
Addendum: I did not clearly state that self-interest (awareness) is fine, but selfishness (self-focus) is sinful. Also, WTE posted while I was writing. In addition to RC Sproul, Francis Schaeffer writes of Christian philosophy very well. Blessings, dear Lionstrong, in Christ Jesus, charis |
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194 | Selfish or Self-interest? | Phil 1:23 | charis | 4534 | ||
Dear Lionstrong, I gave up Kant a long time ago :-) A man devoid of self is a shell. I do believe that God enjoys the many 'flavors' of His people, and loves each of us individually, complete with the 'self' part. Otherwise, we would be lifeless. Self-interest denotes self-awareness, while selfishness would mean self-focus. I do not think that Paul was 'being' either, but proposing a hypotheses. I do not think that he was truly 'torn' by this question. He was telling the saints in Philippi the correct attitude to hold. Of course, everybody wants to go to heaven! But the only way to hurry that along would be suicide. I am not sure if this would negate my salvation (murder in some eyes), but I cannot imagine God happy about taking our own life! So, Paul was not seriously suggesting pursuing death. As to the question about serving our Lord in heaven; sure we can and will. But, as I said, there are no unsaved in heaven, therefore no evangelism or active Gospel-preaching. We would be denied the ability to participate in the Great Commission. Dear friend, I am not nearly so altruistic as my posting may have sounded :-) But, to speak otherwise would not glorify Christ, so I pray that action will follow my confession. Paul did clearly assert that it is better to serve God here as long as God called him to do so, here and in all his letters. Longing for heaven, to go home to Jesus, is normal for every Christian. But accepting our calling, our situation, and doing our best in faith for the duration of our sojourn is what God wants. Blessings, my fellow, in Jesus' name, charis |
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195 | Is long life in this world a desideratum | Phil 1:23 | charis | 4485 | ||
Dear Lionstrong, YES! Any time we have here to serve and glorify Christ is worth the discomfort. Paul said,"...to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better;" He meant better for Paul himself, but not for Paul in Christ. He continued to say that his service to the saints, and therefore service to Christ was truly better. "Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself;" Philippians 2:3 NASB. Let us live to the fullest every moment given us, for it is desiderata to serve Jesus and His church! We cannot preach the Gospel to the lost in heaven, either, so in every sense it is better to be here until He calls us home. In Jesus' name, charis |
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196 | Are the Seven Deadly Sins in the Bible? | Prov 6:16 | charis | 4243 | ||
Dear Nolan Keck, I am only aware of one deadly sin in the Bible, that of blaspheming the Holy Spirit. That is, of course, if the word 'deadly' is taken literally. I know that that church fathers wrote of these, or similar lists of 'mortal' sins. Also, the above scripture speaks of seven abominations. Do you take these sins as unforgiveable, therefore leading to eternal damnation? Any action or attitude that is against the will of God is a sin, and all are equal, except the one I mentioned above. Religion has sought to 'categorize' sin for a long time. Once we have done so, we can only use this measurement to forgive or judge, which would infringe upon God's sovereignty. Rather than use our time to 'weigh' sin, would it not be better to devote ourselves to be free from all sin? The reason I say this is because man seems to be able to 'rationalize' his way out of sin, given opportunity. To segregate 'deadly' and 'venial' sin gives us an excuse. From the opposite track, in judging others we can link just about anything to a 'deadly' sin. As to the 'corresponding virtues' (Thomas Aquinas?), I see no particular advantage in identifying a counterpart. Do you? Please let me know what we would get out of this opposite realtionship. Blessings to you in Jesus' name, charis |
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197 | Are there degrees of punishment in hell? | Luke 12:47 | charis | 4176 | ||
Dear Nolan Keck, With all due respect, what does it matter? To us, it is moot, and we can only desire salvation from Hell for those the Lord sends us to. To those in Hell, there is little comfort in knowing that someone else is in a 'deeper Hell.' The only place I can see any comfort in Hell, is when said person knows that his loved ones are not following, but going to heaven instead. (Luke 16) I look forward to your answer. In Jesus' name, charis |
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198 | Should the Bible be taken literally? | Bible general Archive 1 | charis | 4175 | ||
Dear EdB, I agree that we should take the word of God literally, but,as you said earlier, any life-directing doctrine should be confirmed by '2 or 3 witnesses.' (Frankly, I prefer 3, if it is a command that places a gender-related burden upon someone) There are several areas of scripture that only give one specific command. Many could be called guilty of 'making the word support their bent,' by mixing command with allegory. Indeed, in the books to the Corinthians, there seem to be some specific commands, with out clearly supporting witness. I believe the Bible speaks to us of 'patterns' of doctrine, supported by more than one scripture. "Brethren, join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us." Philippians 3:17 NASB. I find it interesting to note that many would focus on certain 'single-command' subjects, but most ignore 'baptism for the dead.' Though I agree heartily with the Bible applying to us today, men do not wear 'tunics' or 'outer garments' such as used 20 centuries ago, do we? I never heard of anyone in the early church wearing a necktie. (but we do) As with anything, we can become extreme in our interpretation of right and wrong. Though our Lord is pleased with obedience to His commands, they were intended for the heart, for our attitude toward Him, unless I am greatly mistaken. God wants us to serve Him from the heart, not just through physical obedience to a New Law. Please don't misunderstand me, I am not suggesting that we abandon all propriety and dignity. I am only suggetsting that 'literal' can easily mean 'legalistic.' The Lord was not happy the first time around (OT), why would He desire it afresh in this New Covenant? EdB, Please note that this answer is not directed to you only, but to all the saints of the Forum. I am not assuming that you hold one bent or another, only answering the question you posed. Blessings upon you in Christ Jesus, charis |
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199 | What are these spiritual gifts? | 1 Cor 12:8 | charis | 4173 | ||
Dear RWC, JVH0212 gave a good definition. Practical application of these gifts could be 1) in the preached word, or sermon, to reveal wisdom and truth to the congregation. 2) in holy counsel, to give encouragement and direction to those seeking God's personal counsel through His chosen vessel. 3) in our witness to the saved and unsaved, to know what to say at the appropriate time, in order to glorify God. These would assume that God is now active via His Spirit, working in His people, which I believe. On a side note, the use of these to 'Wow' folks and impress others is not proper, or in keeping with the blessed nature of these holy gifts. This is not an exhaustive representation, just an outline. In Christ Jesus, charis |
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200 | i need a bio on paul the apostle | Bible general Archive 1 | charis | 4057 | ||
Dear amhobson123, A very readable book about Paul is "The Apostle' by John Pollock. Blessings in Christ Jesus, charis |
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