Results 21 - 40 of 45
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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Unanswered Bible Questions Author: LuckyCharm Ordered by Date |
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Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
21 | First-century source? | NT general Archive 1 | LuckyCharm | 48469 | ||
Thanks bunches for the prompt reply, Tim! I agree, this is a very very difficult type of argument to counter.... Do you have a source for that first-century reference to the Gospels? Thanks for any help you might be able to offer... Peace, --Cheryl |
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22 | Arguing for the historical Jesus | NT general Archive 1 | LuckyCharm | 48463 | ||
Hello all, I came across an essay last night while researching first-century historians, preparing to rebut a non-Christian's contention that the Jesus we know and worship today was fabricated. This article seems to make the same arguments that my opponent does, all laid out nicely point by point. I unfortunately cannot see any way to answer it... I could not possibly summarize the entire piece here, but if any are willing to take the time to read it and respond, I would be immensely grateful! The essay is located at http://www.magi.com/(tilde character)oblio/jesus/jhcjp.htm Unfortunately you'll have to insert the tilde character where indicated, since this site doesn't allow it in a post.... :-( Looking forward to any response! Sincerely, --Cheryl |
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23 | How is suffering holy? | Col 1:24 | LuckyCharm | 45819 | ||
Hello again, tomn... You say, "I agree that your friend can't honestly include the suffering in what happened in that for Christ, unless her faith had something to do with what happened, but she can include the suffering of continuing to deal with it in col.1:24, if she does it because of Christ." How could one continue in suffering because of Christ, if the suffering isn't part of His sufferings in the first place? And yes, I said "doomed" because if we can't accept suffering as part and parcel of our life in Christ, then we must deal with it as we would any evil, mustn't we? This could lead to some counter-productive situations, such as hanging onto a relationship that really isn't meant to be... You say that trust could be restored between these two individuals. And that might be so, but it would take a miracle. Right now, my friend feels like her fiancé is simply undecided, and doesn't have the guts to be straight with her while he's making up his mind. She feels used, and her whole perspective on the relationship has changed. She wants to break it off now. I say that if she were able to offer up this "rejection" along with the rejection Christ suffered for us, it would become a source of grace to her and she would be able to move past it. Yes, I saw the posts by Biynah and Tim. I went through almost exactly the same situation as Biynah, years ago, even down to the fact that my abusive marriage lasted seven years. And as far as Tim's advice, it is very easy to believe that the "authorities" can deal with these types of situations, but it's very different when you're in it. I remember one night, calling 911 (after my ex had TOLD me I'd better do that!), but when he warned me before they got there that I'd made a "big mistake," I wound up giving them the whole "I'm sorry, I must have overreacted, there's really no problem here, I'm just premenstrual, etc." speech out of fear of him. I wrote down a few verses in my journal last night that might apply to this, although we might be straying off-topic again here: “He who works deceit shall not dwell within my house; He who tells lies shall not continue in my presence.” (Psalm 101:7) “Do I not hate them, O LORD, who hate You? And do I not loathe those who rise up against You? I hate them with perfect hatred; I count them my enemies.” (Psalm 139:21-22) “What fellowship has light with darkness?” (2 Cor 6:14) “Make no friendship with an angry man, And with a furious man do not go, Lest you learn his ways And set a snare for your soul.” (Prov 22:24-25) “He who walks with wise men will be wise, But the companion of fools will be destroyed.” (Prov 13:20) “Whoever is a partner with a thief hates his own life; He swears to tell the truth, but reveals nothing.” (Prov 29:24) “Do not be deceived: “Evil company corrupts good habits.” (1 Cor 15:33) “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.” (Eph 5:6) I believe these verses could apply to my friend's dilemma -- God hates lying, and we should think very carefully before making alliances and covenants with liars. You say that all suffering is holy to some degree. But what makes it holy, if it cannot come under the umbrella of Col 1:24? Peace, --Cheryl |
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24 | No differences in suffering? | Col 1:24 | LuckyCharm | 45210 | ||
What do you mean by "no differences in suffering"? Are you saying that Col 1:24 would apply to ALL sufferings we experience? --Cheryl |
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25 | The lessons of suffering | Col 1:24 | LuckyCharm | 45113 | ||
Thanks for your reply, Creed. I agree that it is important to find the lesson in suffering, and that all suffering contains a hidden gift, a lesson, an inner transformation ("We also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope." (Rom 5:3-4)) But, to get back to the question, do you believe such things as I have listed can be suffered bravely "for Christ's sake," or that such sufferings are joined to His passion and sacrifice here on Earth? --Cheryl |
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26 | Suffering for Christ's sake | Col 1:24 | LuckyCharm | 45071 | ||
Thank you, Makarios, for your further thoughts. So, one could not legitimately suffer "for Christ's sake" the following ills: 1) A serious illness 2) Death of a family member 3) Natural disaster Since all of these cannot be suffered in holiness, must we then rant and rail against them? --Cheryl |
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27 | How do our sufferingss "fill up"... | Col 1:24 | LuckyCharm | 45062 | ||
Thank you for your input, Creed! But my question was directed more toward the verse in question, Col 1:24, and how our sufferings here would "fill up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions." I agree that we must prayerfully reflect in all sufferings. --Cheryl |
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28 | Differentiating various sufferings | Col 1:24 | LuckyCharm | 45042 | ||
Thanks, meusing, for that wonderful quote! So, how do we distinguish between the sufferings that form part of that "light end" of the cross we carry, and other sufferings we might undergo that are completely unrelated to His sufferings, and carry no redemptive value? Or is there any difference? Peace, --Cheryl |
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29 | Differentiating between attacks | Col 1:24 | LuckyCharm | 45038 | ||
Hi meusing, You say, "An abusive relationship is an attack on us, not a cross to be born." But is not all persecution an attack, and still a cross to be borne? Do you draw a distinction between attacks stemming directly from our profession of faith, and all other attacks? --Cheryl |
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30 | The body, and the Head of the body | Col 1:24 | LuckyCharm | 45037 | ||
Hello, Makarios. You say that not all suffering is included in the afflictions of Christ. In Col 1:18, we read, "And He is the head of the body, the church...." A friend of mine broke her wrist recently, very badly. I went to visit her today, and she was telling me how she can't even do the simplest things for herself in that condition. Dressing herself, doing things about the house -- forget spending time on the computer! Clearly, her wrist injury has affected her whole life -- she can't say, "Well, it's just one wrist, I have another, so I just won't use that one for a while." Do you not believe that when one member of the body suffers, the whole body is afflicted? Whether I stub my toe or bite my lip, that pain signal is forwarded to my brain regardless, and for a moment, I cannot think of anything else. I am totally focused on the pain, and temporarily immobilized. Do you not believe Our Lord feels our pains and sufferings just as acutely? In Him, --Cheryl |
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31 | What is a spiritual sacrifice? | Col 1:24 | LuckyCharm | 45017 | ||
Hi Tim, and thanks for responding to this thread! I have a few quotes to add here: "It will be of great importance if you can leave the care of your affairs to, and spend the remainder of your life only in worshipping GOD. He requires no great matters of us; a little remembrance of Him from time to time, a little adoration: sometimes to pray for His grace, sometimes to offer Him your sufferings, and sometimes to return Him thanks for the favours He has given you, and still gives you, in the midst of your troubles, and to console yourself with Him the oftenest you can. Lift up your heart to Him, sometimes even at your meals, and when you are in company: the least little remembrance will always be acceptable to Him. You need not cry very loud; He is nearer to us than we are aware of." (Brother Lawrence, in The Practice of the Presence of God) "The suffering of man is also the suffering of God." (Paul Tournier) "Unearned suffering is redemptive." (Martin Luther King, Jr.) "We all know people who have been made much meaner and more irritable and more intolerable to live with by suffering; it is not right to say that all suffering perfects. It only perfects one type of person—the one who accepts the call of God in Christ Jesus." (Oswald Chambers) "I offer you, Lord, my thoughts: to be fixed on you; My words: to have you for their theme; My actions: to reflect my love for you; My sufferings: to be endured for your greater glory." (from the Universal Prayer, attributed to Pope Clement XI) Question: Are these thoughts and sentiments unscriptural? What does it mean to offer up a "spiritual sacrifice" (1 Pet 2:1)? --Cheryl |
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32 | What about abusive marriage? | Col 1:24 | LuckyCharm | 45006 | ||
Hi Tim, Thanks for your input. But what about #2 (staying in an abusive marriage)? Couldn't that be done "consciously and willingly, seeking mortification of the flesh" as well? Not to mention that the Bible doesn't say anything about nursing homes, but it does tell us that the Lord "hates" divorce. --Cheryl |
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33 | So, not ALL suffering is included? | Col 1:24 | LuckyCharm | 44960 | ||
So then, NOT all suffering can be applied to the verse in question, Col 1:24, in your opinion? --Cheryl |
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34 | Suffering for Christ | Col 1:24 | LuckyCharm | 44893 | ||
That is the crux of the issue, Makarios: What does it mean to suffer "for Christ"? I cannot answer this. I am asking my Christian brothers and sisters for input. Thanks, Cheryl |
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35 | Which kinds of suffering? | Col 1:24 | LuckyCharm | 44887 | ||
Thanks for your contribution, Searcher! So do you believe there is a difference between any of these types of suffering: 1) Fasting 2) Staying in an abusive marriage 3) Getting laid off due to industry downturns 4) Caring for an elderly parent instead of putting them in a nursing home 5) Getting hit by a hit-and-run drunk driver, and suffering a broken pelvis Which of these situations can legitimately be offered up in conjunction with the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, and why? --Cheryl |
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36 | Seeking out suffering? | Col 1:24 | LuckyCharm | 44812 | ||
Hello again Makarios, and thank you for your prompt reply! So far we've only been discussing unavoidable suffering. But are there cases (like fasting) where suffering is legitimately to be sought? And aren't there times when suffering is wrongly sought, consciously or subconsciously, as in the case of people who seem to have an uncanny way of landing themselves in difficult situations? Or do you see all of these sufferings as permitted and sanctified through Christ? And what would be our proper response, then? To never seek to escape suffering, or to seek to escape it and mitigate it for others, to the glory of God? --Cheryl |
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37 | Seeking out suffering? | Col 1:24 | LuckyCharm | 44810 | ||
Thank you for your comments, New Creature! Yes, He did tell us that no servant is greater than his Master (John 13:16). If we follow Him who suffered so much for us, we can expect to suffer ourselves... I am wondering, though, considering everything that has been said in this thread so far -- couldn't this view of suffering lead us to seek out suffering unnecessarily or arbitrarily? There would be nothing holy about that, or would there? Some people seem to do this subconsciously anyway -- instead of seeking out further suffering, shouldn't they be seeking ways to overcome their circumstances wherever possible, to the glory of God? Even Jesus prayed that the cup be taken from Him, if possible. Yet He emphasized that He was laying down His life of His own accord (John 10:11, 18) and even rebuked Peter for trying to interfere with His arrest in the Garden. Is this because He was fully divine, and only did the Father's will? And is this the example we are to follow in every circumstance? What about, for instance, a Christian woman caught in an abusive marriage? Even if her suffering is sanctified through Christ, should she not seek to escape it if possible? --Cheryl |
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38 | Suffering automatically sanctified? | Col 1:24 | LuckyCharm | 44805 | ||
Excellent observations, Makarios! So, I'm wondering about your qualification of suffering that is done "in His name": Are you referring to the practice of consciously "offering up" our trials in prayer as part of becoming a "living sacrifice" (Rom 12:1)? Or do our sufferings become sanctified through Him regardless? Perhaps the Holy Spirit offers them on our behalf, even when we do not consciously do so ourselves? --Cheryl |
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39 | Does it include all suffering? | Col 1:24 | LuckyCharm | 44783 | ||
Thank you for your very well-delineated answer, Makarios! I was wondering, though: Would these sufferings that constitute a share in Christ's sufferings only be those that result directly from our efforts to share the Good News? Haven't there been many who have patiently borne sickness and other misfortunes "for His sake," and is this Scripturally sound? Pope John Paul II's apostolic letter on suffering says, "One can say that with the passion of Christ all human suffering has found itself in a new situation. And it is as though Job had foreseen this when he said: "I know that my Redeemer lives...," (Job 19:25) and as though he had directed towards it his own suffering, which without the Redemption could not have revealed to him the fullness of its meaning." Jacob Muller said that it is more than “suffering for the sake of Christ (in tribulation and persecution), or in imitation of Christ. It means all suffering, bodily or spiritual, which overtakes the believer by virtue of his new manner of life, his ‘Christ life’ in a world unbelieving and hostile to Christ.” Do the sufferings of Christ in which we share include not only His passion and death on the cross, but also His suffering at seeing the Father's house turned into a den of thieves, or at seeing His beloved friend Lazarus dead, or when the nine lepers failed to show gratitude for their healing? Is our sharing in these types of sufferings also a share in the suffering of Christ? --Cheryl |
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40 | Filling up what is lacking? | Col 1:24 | LuckyCharm | 44697 | ||
I was wondering about this verse in light of Heb 10:10-14: "By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool. For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified." How is it that we "fill up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions," when He has already offered the perfect sacrifice? Thanks, Cheryl |
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