Results 21 - 37 of 37
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Results from: Answers On or After: Thu 12/31/70 Author: Curtnsally Ordered by Date |
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Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
21 | cut off | Rom 11:22 | Curtnsally | 33265 | ||
Let's start with this Scripture: John 15 1 "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. 5 "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. 8 This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. This verse says it is impossible to bear fruit unless we are "in Christ". The branches that are pruned are ones that bear no fruit. Thus they represent those who are not in Christ (ie "those who fell" in the Romans 11 verse). Continuing the thought, how about Matthew 13... 18 "Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 19 When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path. 20 The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21 But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away. 22 The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. 23 But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown." These verses seem to say that one can hear God's Word and understand it and have faith and then lose it. And then we have John 10... 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. This verse seems to say that those who are saved cannot be snatched from God's hand. The juxtaposition of these two concepts tells us this, in my humble opinion: That those who are saved will bear fruit, and that those who are saved cannot be taken by Satan. Further, those who are not saved will not bear fruit, and those who are not saved will fall to Satan. Finally, the John 15 verse tells us that there is a process to our salvation that includes hearing God's Word, remaining in God's Word (in thought, heart and action), and producing fruit as a result. This is not to say that salvation is the result of God plus us... rather, it is God in us that brings salvation. I think we can proceed down the path toward God, and then fall away. If we truly reach the point of "God in us" I think Jesus protects us, as the only shepherd can. This is a tough question, as one could also debate the correlative issue... "free will" vs "the elect" ... did we choose God or did He choose us? In Him Curt |
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22 | Is homosexuality actually forbidden? | Romans | Curtnsally | 33231 | ||
. Romans 1 26 Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. 27 In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion. 28 Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. 1 Corinthians 6 8 Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you do this to your brothers. 9 Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders 10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. Hope this answers your question. Cheers Curt |
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23 | remove this cup from me | Luke 22:42 | Curtnsally | 33210 | ||
Absolutely! Think about this... only Jesus knew the magnitude of the price He was about to pay. Hanging on the cross was only a small view for consumption by us mortal humans. The real price of paying for the sins of all mankind for all eternity... this is so big that we cannot even fathom the reality of it. But Jesus could. In His human form, He was struggling with the suffering that He fully knew He was about to undergo. Yet, He defers to the will of the Father out of love for us. Absolutely incredible! In this verse, we get a small glimpse of the cost of our salvation. It was not a free ride for Jesus. He took upon Himself the pain of our sin in its full ugly tormented form... that you and I might have eternal life. 2 Corinthians 5 21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. What a great and loving God! |
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24 | The future of loved pets | Genesis | Curtnsally | 32857 | ||
Dear friend I just happened to see your post, and felt great empathy for your position. The loss of a much loved pet is a difficult experience. I know there are many here who have been through a similar loss, and feel your grief deeply. There are occasions in life when Scripture does not provide a clearly spoken answer that we wish it did, and I think this may be the case for you at this particular time. When I find myself in a situation like this, I try to focus on the character of God, who loves us very much. So much so that He gave His Son for our eternal salvation. How much, in deed, He must love us! Do we trust that He will hear and respond to our deepest needs? I am reminded of this verse: Matthew 7 8 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or what man is there among you who, when his son asks for a loaf, will give him a stone? We cannot know or begin to fathom all of the wonders of heaven. But you and I can trust God completely that He will give us eternal blessings beyond measure, not a lousy stone. How great is our Father in Heaven! In sympathy Curt |
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25 | Gender-neutral NIV | Bible general Archive 1 | Curtnsally | 32675 | ||
YUK! nuf said | ||||||
26 | EXPLAIN HEBREWS 4:12 WHAT DOES IT MEAN? | Heb 4:12 | Curtnsally | 32672 | ||
Here are some verses about "the Word". I suggest you do a word search for "the word" on Bible Gateway. There are many verses like these. The Bible often explains itself when we look at broad recurring themes. I believe the specific verse Heb 4:12 is referencing the Word as the living God, similar in concept to John 1. Further, I think it amplifies John 1 by indicating that God's Word in Scripture is the divine revelation of God Himself, and that His Word has power over our lives, first in judgment then in grace. I'll let you read more of the verses below and draw your own conclusions... but don't stop there... do the word search and let God paint His own picture. Cheers Curt God, The Word, and Jesus are One: John 1 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. The power of God in word: Matthew 8 16 When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick. The Word in judgment and grace: Mark 4 13 Then Jesus said to them, "Don't you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable? 14 The farmer sows the word. 15 Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. 16 Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. 17 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 18 Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; 19 but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. 20 Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop--thirty, sixty or even a hundred times what was sown." John 5 24 "I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life. The Word as Offensive Weapon in Spiritual Warfare: Ephesians 6 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the SWORD OF THE SPIRIT, which is the WORD OF GOD. |
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27 | Why should we have what He borne? | Is 53:4 | Curtnsally | 32349 | ||
Short answer: Because we are dead (afflicted) in this world but alive (in Christ) in the next. Isaiah 26:19 "But your dead will live; their bodies will rise. You who dwell in the dust, wake up and shout for joy. Your dew is like the dew of the morning; the earth will give birth to her dead." Jesus paid the price for sin and brokenness that is in the world so that, when we leave this earth (those who accept His gift), we will be taken to a place where there is no sin and brokenness. For now, we have to put up with the consequences of sin. I agree that God wants us to leave our troubles at the foot of the Cross. This does not mean that we won't have troubles (consider the life of Paul), but it does mean that we can find peace and joy, even as we endure the troubles of this life. Hebrews 10:33-35 33 Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated. 34 You sympathized with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions. 35 So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. Blessings, Curt |
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28 | Church on sunday, why? | Heb 10:24 | Curtnsally | 32227 | ||
I go to church on Sunday cause that's when my church is open! On Saturday they scrub the floors, and Lord knows I'm useless for that! Just kidding. Welcome to the faith! Its the greatest adventure you could imagine. Not sure what the precise answer to your question is, so I'll let others take a shot first. Just wanted to say welcome! Cheers Curt |
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29 | What do we think about Uzza’s death? | Gen 19:26 | Curtnsally | 32226 | ||
Is it any different than Lot's wife? Both failed to trust God, certainly symbolic of the gravity for each of us if we do not trust Him. Yes it is harsh, but I think that is the message. Short answer. PS... You might find the New Testament a little more fun! lol Cheers Curt |
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30 | Born on the way to destruction ? | Matt 7:13 | Curtnsally | 32222 | ||
Yes, all humans have sinned and are on the way to destruction (Romans 3 and 6). Unfortunately many people vascillate for some time in the way they are going. I know I did. As to a specific point in time... some have it some don't. I don't. God bumped me at several critical times, and I move a little more in Hids direction each time. Like a shepherd tending a wayward sheep, He didn't strngle me in the process of saving me... He slowly herded me in. I can assure you I am wholly His, but I can't give you a precise moment when that happened. Being a bit of a Calvinist, I am sure I was His long before I knew it! Let me spin the table... can you tell from the Gospel accounts when the disciples became Christians? If you tell me that it happened when they left their jobs and followed Christ, I will ask you "what about Judas?" Clearly, the others did not fully understand who Jesus or what was going on, even in the garden of Gethsemane... late in the ministry of Jesus. Food for thought Curt |
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31 | The Bible: Literal, or Symbolic? | 2 Tim 3:16 | Curtnsally | 32213 | ||
Is it possible to be a Calvinist and at the same time a "real-time dispensationalist"? Hank, I think Scripture is used by God in a variety of ways to speak to us. And I think that Scripture sometimes changes for us depending on where we are in life and what God is doing with us. (This is my loose use of the word dispensational, which I liberally take to mean different at different times.) Clearly, I'm having a difficult time explaining this... Over many years of reading Scripture, particularly Old Testament, I find that at times there are messages which pop out that are in the detail of the story. And yet at another time, I will read the same Scripture and find that the broad message of an entire chapter or book stands out. Often, the difference is the place I am at personally, and the work of the Holy Spirit in my life at that time. Scripture is often a combination of actual fact, symbolism and allegory, woven together in ways only God could do. Often it is this very unusual characteristic that reveals to us Scripture's most divine nature. I don't at all think I answered your question. But I am intrigued by it. I find the Bible to be a fascinating book that continues to reveal in new ways. I attribute this to God's inspiration and to the Holy Spirit. If we trust Him and we seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit, then we cannot be wrong in matters of faith, right??? I know I'm never wrong... ask my wife! (or my 13 year old son) lol Cheers Curt |
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32 | Satan's will or God's will | 2 Tim 2:26 | Curtnsally | 31887 | ||
Dear Folks, The clear meaning of the text is that we are to hold each other accountable to God's Word, and by lovingly teaching and correcting each other, we will avoid Satan's snare. Ask yourself this... who's will do you think we are captive to outside of God's Word, and who's will should we aspire to follow? Is this not clear?... particularly when we read individual Scripture in the light of the entire Bible, which is the way we can avoid the misinterpretation of a single Scripture. God repeats Himself so often in Scripture that even dummies like me can figure it out! Best Curt |
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33 | Will there be Muslims in heaven? | John 14:6 | Curtnsally | 31860 | ||
I'll give it a shot. First, we must understand what Muslims believe. From the Koran: [10.105] "And that you should keep your course towards the religion uprightly; and you should not be of the polytheists (Christians)." [2.277] "Surely they who believe and do good deeds and keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate they shall have their reward from their Lord, and they shall have no fear, nor shall they grieve." Believing Muslims accept Christ as a prophet but strongly deny that He was God incarnate. They are very anti-Trinitarian. They believe in one God without Jesus or the Holy Spirit. They do not accept the Bible as the Word of God, but believe it has been perverted by men through the years. Their faith is a works-righteousness belief, that is, it is not faith alone, but faith plus what I do that earns my salvation. Now, what does the Bible say about these principles? Let's start with Ephesians 2:8-9 "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast." Our salvation comes only from the grace of God... not from anything I do. It is God and God alone... not God plus me. Our works are an outward sign of our salvation, but our salvation is not dependent on our works. Next, John 14:6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me." "No one" means "no one". We must accept the gift of salvation from God, as provided in Jesus. Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Jesus died and rose to pay our debt. You and I are free from sin if we accept this gift. The Muslim can accept it as well, but then by their own definition, they would not be Muslim (believers) any more. Hope this get you started. Best Curt |
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34 | Isn't Jesus the ONLY WAY to heaven? | John 14:6 | Curtnsally | 31843 | ||
Believing that Jesus paid for our sins is the only way to heaven. Idol worship is the number one sin, in the OT and NT. We must place nothing before God. That said, I think its ok to use Biblical characters (and modern disciples as well)as role models for the Christian walk. We just can't let it become idol worship. |
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35 | Infallibility of the Bible questioned. | 2 Tim 3:16 | Curtnsally | 31814 | ||
I believe the Bible is the history of God's relationship with man. It contains everything we need to know about God to choose to follow Him or not. In this regard, it is perfect. The accounts were written by men, and are thus subject to the foibles of men. To illustrate this point, let's use your Genesis example. Genesis is clearly not a "how" story. If God wanted to tell us how He created everything in the universe, it would take a lot more than one book. Genesis is, I believe, a "who" story which tells us "God created". This was the message we were to take from the book, and the accounts agree fully on this. If you read the Bible from this perspective (as history of the relationship God and man), you will see story after story of God teaching us and will come to understand the magnitude of our sin, and the tremendous price that Jesus paid to redeem us. God loves you and me. It's an amazing story! Cheers Curt |
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36 | How much should you forgive? | 2 Tim 3:16 | Curtnsally | 31809 | ||
I think we should take our example from Christ who forgives endlessly, while He calls us to holiness. We must be careful not to confuse forgiveness with tolerance of sin, in our own lives and in the lives of others. 2 Tim 3:16 calls us to use Scripture as our measuring stick, not to hurt each other, but to reprove, teach, train, and correct in righteousness... all for the glory of God. We are called to love one another... and sometimes love requires accountability to each other. Forgive, yes... let sin continue unchecked, no. |
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37 | Will unbelievers be raised from Sheol? | Rev 21:8 | Curtnsally | 31765 | ||
We must draw a distinction between "unbelievers" and "those who never heard" of Christ. "Unbeliever" implies those who have heard of Christ and rejected Him. Scripture is clear that these will not inherit the Kingdom. Further, Scripture says, "For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse." (Romans 1:20) God reveals Himself in some fashion to all people. It is faith in God that save us from our sin, whether we recognize God in Christ or not. Abraham did not know of Jesus Christ in the literal sense, but Romans 4:3 speaks of Abraham being saved by grace (not works, as was commonly thought in OT times)... "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." He trusted God for His salvation. We do not know how God reveals Himself, but we know that He does. We also know that Jesus said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6) What, therefore, are we to conclude? First, God gives all people an intuitive knowledge of Himself. Second, all people who are saved from human sin are saved only through faith in God's mercy fully the result of Christ's death and resurrection. There is no other means of salvation... Christ paid the price for all sin for all humans who believe and trust in God. God promises that all who believe will be saved. We trust that God's mercy is perfect, and that, just in the case of Abraham, the faith of the believers will be "reckoned to them as righteousness." It is God alone who will determine those humans who are believers. I am reminded of what Jesus said in Mark 10 :25-27... "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, "Who then can be saved?" Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God." |
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