Results 21 - 40 of 54
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Results from: Notes Author: 10ECPreacher Ordered by Date |
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Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
21 | Is God ONE or is God THREE? | James 2:19 | 10ECPreacher | 36776 | ||
Greetings, Jesusman. I appreciate your candor and zeal. I regret that we are not able to sync on this subject. I wrote a quite lengthy post to believer57 previously that addresses some of the points you raise. Perhaps it may help you at least see my position clearer. My purpose for asking this question was not to try to convince everybody to "see things my way", but that through this discussion we could at least reexamine the dogmas and traditions that we hold. I do not feel badly toward you because you do not agree with me. I simply have a different attitude towards the Bible and its teachings than do you (and apparently many others, for that matter). If I am going to believe, preach and teach a doctrine, then it MUST bear the stamp of Apostolic Certification. That is, the Apostles themselves had to be the ones to describe and define the great doctrines of the church. Now we're not talking about some minor side issue here; we're talking about the grandest subject of the Bible--the very nature of the Deity. God did not leave such an important matter loose and flapping in the wind, to be secured by future generations. "But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!" [Gal. 1:8-9 NASB] To add to or take away from the Word of God is a very dangerous thing. The whole must equal the sum of its parts. If someone "summed up" the doctrine of the nature of the Deity, that's OK. But the sum of the parts may not be greater than the whole. In other words, don't add ideas and terminologies that the Apostles did not use. You wrote: "Tell me, how do you rectify the passages where Jesus speaks not only about God the Father, but to God the Father as well. Here you have God talking to God." If we take the trinitarian stance, we have "God the Son" talking to "God the Father". Now that's what I would call "God talking to God." I have said this in several of the posts, but it bears repeating. Jesus Christ had a "dual" nature. He was both fully God and fully Man. So when the Son prayed to the Father, the Man was praying to God. Every time a reference is made to Jesus speaking, the reader/student must determine (by studying the context) whether Jesus is speaking as "man" or as "God". As "man", Jesus wept; as "God" He called Lazarus out of the tomb. As "man", Jesus was weary and sat beside Jacob's well and asked for a drink of water; as "God" he told the Samaritan woman about her past. Always remember this when studying this subject: the Bible alone is our authority for doctrine. And the Bible says this about Jesus Christ: "For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority;" [Col. 2:9-10 NASB] Kind regards, Tim D. Cormier Tennessee Preacher |
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22 | Is God ONE or is God THREE? | James 2:19 | 10ECPreacher | 36704 | ||
Greetings, believer57. Thank you for your kind words. I sincerely hope that I will not be offensive in anything I say. Q: Elohiym ... is plural, referencing the plurality of God. A: Abraham means “father of many”, yet Abraham was but one man. Q: You stated that your body, soul, and spirit comprise one. That is exactly what we are talking about. Father, Son, Holy Ghost, comprise ONE. A: I thought that you were contending for 3 persons in the Godhead—that is what I understand the trinity doctrine to be based on. Here you are saying that there is only 1, which is my contention. I do not believe the scriptures teach 3 persons in the Godhead. I believe that Jesus Christ is the only “person” in the Godhead. According to Col. 2:9-10, all the fulness of Deity dwells in Him, and we are complete in Him (not “Them”). Q: The two words used in Hebrew for the word "one" further illustrate ... God is a "compound" unity not singular. A: Again, my answer is the same. I believe in “compound” unity, but I do not believe it becomes “plurality” simply because the unity is “compound”. Matter exists in three states—solid, liquid, gas. This represents “compound” unity: 1 substance (e.g., water) with three states, each state having certain properties that are unique, yet each state being the same substance as the others. Q: The Son prayed to the Father... A: Definitions are needed. Father: source, creator Son: literally—male offspring; figuratively—the full embodiment of, personification of; (see the Greek word “huios”); I believe our “theologies” permanently diverge at this point. I understand the term “Son of God” to mean “Body of God”, one who fully embodies all the traits and characteristics of God, the personification of God—very God. The term “Son of Man” conveys the same idea relative to humanity: one who fully embodies the traits and characteristics of Man—the perfect Man, very Man. The key to understanding the nature of Jesus Christ is in realizing that He possessed a “dual” nature: He was human (sinless, perfect), and He was Deity. 2 Corinthians 5:9—“God was in Christ”, i.e., the Spirit of God indwelt the Body of God. Jesus said, “I am in the Father, and the Father is in me.” (John 10:38, 14:10,11,20; 17:21.) The flesh/body of God (Son) was enveloped and surrounded by the Spirit of God (Father), and the Spirit of God (Father) was living within the body/flesh of God (Son). If you blow up a balloon, you have air in the balloon and the balloon in the air. Q: Christ was not ... praying from one part of himself to another. ... He was praying to his Father. A: The flesh/body of God (Son) prayed to the Spirit of God (Father). Remember, not only was the Father in the Son, but the Son was also in the Father. Q: God did create us in his image, the tri-parte unity of his image. Body, Soul, Spirit, (Father, Son, Holy Ghost). ... One man,3 parts, each one man. One God, 3 parts, each one God. A: Again, I disagree. It takes Body, Soul and Spirit “together” to make a person. They are not each one a separate and distinct person, able to function independently of the others. When God operates or interacts with His creation, His purpose determines His function, and in His different functions He expresses Himself to His creation using various aspects of His Deity. (See Isaiah 9:6.) Q: The Trinity is taught in the first three verses of the Bible...In the beginning, Elohiym..., (plural). The spirit, (Holy Ghost) moved upon the face....And God said, (The Word of God..Christ). A: Let me see if I have this right... 1. “God” created... Since this “God” is “plural” (to me “plural” is different from “compound” unity, but for the sake of this discussion I’ll use your term), is this verse saying: a)all three “persons” of “God” created; b)only one “person” of 3 created (in your statement I got the implication of “Father”); or c) some other combination of “persons”, such as the Father and the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit and the Son (“Word”), or the Father and the Son? 2. Then, the “spirit of God” moved upon the face of the waters... Does this refer to the spirit “person” of “God”, as opposed to the other “persons” of “God”? Do you understand the “spirit of God” to be something theologically distinct from “God, the eternal spirit”? 3. Finally, And “God” said... Here you “spiritualize” a text, in my opinion. I do believe this is referring to the Logos of John 1:1. But we must be consistent in our theology. “God” is “plural” in your argument, and encompasses three “persons”. Wouldn’t this be a statement made by all three “persons” in unison? Surely you don’t mean to imply that any time “God” speaks we are to attribute the statement solely to the Word “person” and not to the other two “persons”? So how do you know which “person” of the “plural” “God” was speaking here? Kind regards, Tim D. Cormier Tennessee Preacher |
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23 | Who was the one to be sacrificed? | Gen 22:12 | 10ECPreacher | 36453 | ||
Greetings, Mist. I submit the following scriptures for your consideration in your pursuit of truth. "So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." [John 8:31-32 NASB] 'Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me."' [John 14:6 NASB] 'Therefore Pilate said to Him, "So You are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice."' [John 18:37 NASB] "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God; and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world. You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world. They are from the world; therefore they speak as from the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God; he who knows God listens to us; he who is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error." [1 John 4:1-6 NASB] "For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things. For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself." [Phil. 3:18-21 NASB] "If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine [is disloyal to what Jesus Christ taught], do not receive him [do not accept him, do not welcome or admit him] into [your] house or bid him Godspeed or give him any encouragement. For he who wishes him success [who encourages him, wishing him Godspeed] is a partaker in his evil doings." [2 John 1:10-11 Amplified] I am convinced that any message, gospel or doctrine that does not present Jesus Christ-- crucified, resurrected, glorified--is an insult to the Cross, and ultimately insulting to all who believe in Christ. I would strongly urge all who are sincerely seeking truth to go to the Cross of Jesus Christ. You will need look no further. Kind regards, Tim D. Cormier Tennessee Preacher |
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24 | Is God ONE or is God THREE? | James 2:19 | 10ECPreacher | 36384 | ||
Greetings, believer57. I guess since I am a "heretic" your sarcasm is justified... :) You'd be surprised at what I've heard before. I am responding to your post with some reluctance, because I do not wish to provoke any more of your "helpful" and "considerate" criticism. (With friends like this, who needs enemies? :) ) If it wouldn't be troubling you too much, I would like for you to try to keep this discussion at an impersonal level. Please e-mail all the personal jibes and insults directly to me at timdcormier@juno.com. I realize that when someone cannot assail another's argument it is natural for them to attack the person. This is categorized, I believe, as the ad hominem fallacy. I would like to respond to what you have written. I have never suggested that the nature of God was anything that would disagree with the concept of "compound unity". The key term is unity, which derives its meaning from the root "unit"--which is one. As to the plurality of Elohim, it has been my understanding that the plurality of the ending '-him' has reference to the domain of 'El', and not to 'El' Himself. Another instance of this ending may be seen when God changed Abram's name to Abraham. Abram was going to be the Father of Many, hence the addition of the same ending to his name that is attached to 'El'. Abram did not become three separate, distinct and coequal persons simply because his name was changed to Abraham. But he did become the progenitor of a vast multitude of descendants. What is the trinitarian explanation of why Gen. 1:27 is worded so differently from Gen. 1:26? "God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him;" [Gen. 1:27 NASB] ("Let Us create ... in Our image" contrasted to "in His own image ... He created".) You wrote: "If you are a modalist, don't hide, just justify it." I am Apostolic--if the Apostles called themselves modalists, then I'll call myself one, too. :) You wrote: "Did Jesus pray to himself?" Jesus Christ was comprised of two natures--he was both fully man and fully God. His human nature prayed to His Divine nature. The better question is this: How can one God (the Son) pray to another God (the Father) without undeifying Himself? If my "carnal" understanding is right, God doesn't pray to anybody. Taking your own words ("Man was created Body (Jesus), Soul (Father), and Spirit (Holy Ghost)") then the population of the world ought to really be multiplied by 3, because we are all really 3 persons instead of just one. This somehow seems rather silly. My body, soul, and spirit together make just one person, little ol' me. Whether or not 3 is the number of perfection may be open for some discussion. I have generally understood 7 to be the number of Divine perfection. At any rate, according to Col. 2:9-10, fulness of the Godhead dwells in Jesus Christ, and we are complete in Him (not 'Them'). Kind regards, Tim D. Cormier Tennessee Preacher |
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25 | what is the state of the dead in Christ? | 1 Cor 5:8 | 10ECPreacher | 36325 | ||
Greetings, Mommapbs. Thank you for the clarification, although I must say that I didn't mean to imply that I understood you to suggest that Enoch or Elijah had been resurrected prior to Jesus. (Isn't language wonderful? :) ) Sometimes we who possess the "gift of gab" just go on and on, not fully realizing the implications of all the we say. Sorry for not being clearer. I would like to say that it seems like you understand Heb. 9:27 to say that men can only die one time. If that is not the case, then I am probably seeing something that isn't there, so don't worry about it. However, if you do understand it that way, I would suggest that being "appointed" to die once only means that all men must die at least once; it doesn't preclude them from dying more than once. Thanks for your patient and kind consideration. Kind regards, Tim D. Cormier Tennessee Preacher |
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26 | what is the state of the dead in Christ? | 1 Cor 5:8 | 10ECPreacher | 36320 | ||
Greetings, Steve. My reason for believing that Enoch did indeed die (in addition to the fact that it actually says "all these died") is that verse 5 doesn't say that Enoch didn't die; it says he did not "see death" -- i.e., a slow, dying death like those that lived for 700, 800 or 900 years, for example. (If I remember correctly the word used here is "thanatou".) Enoch was taken at the tender age of 365. :) I believe the scripture to teach that the soul of man is eternal; thus, it is the "disembodied" souls that are safe in Abraham's bosom (or, as in the case of the "rich man", being tormented in hell). At death, bodies return to dust, and spirits return to God that gave them. "Eternal Life", the way I see it, is to have the body resurrected and changed into an incorruptible(imperishable) and immortal body, and restored into union with the soul and spirit, to enjoy the presence of the Lord forever. So, even though souls of men were observed alive in Paradise, I agree that this is not the final condition that would describe "Eternal Life". (I am trying to be very careful and speak with great precision here, because it is very easy to say more than you mean to say when dealing with subjects such as this.) Kind regards, Tim D. Cormier Tennessee Preacher |
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27 | what is the state of the dead in Christ? | 1 Cor 5:8 | 10ECPreacher | 36299 | ||
Greetings, Mommapbs. I would like to point out a scripture for consideration on this topic. "By faith Enoch was taken up so that he would not see death; AND HE WAS NOT FOUND BECAUSE GOD TOOK HIM UP; for he obtained the witness that before his being taken up he was pleasing to God. ... All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth." [Heb. 11:5, NASB] Even though Enoch did not "see" death (i.e., he lived a scant 365 years compared to 969 of Methusaleh), the Bible records that he indeed "died in faith". I believe Elijah died in a similar manner, when he was "taken up" by God in a whirlwind, accompanied by "a chariot of fire and horses of fire". See 2 Kings 2:11-12. In order for the resurrected Jesus Christ to be the first to have eternal life, no one could be said to possess it before Him. Before Jesus Christ was resurrected from the grave, eternal life, though a theological certainty for the future, was not yet an actual possibility. There were many resuscitations or restoring back to life from the dead in the Bible (such as Lazarus), but all of these people eventually did die again. Kind regards, Tim D. Cormier Tennessee Preacher |
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28 | Is God ONE or is God THREE? | James 2:19 | 10ECPreacher | 36283 | ||
Greetings, Jesusman. Earlier today, Makarios stated in a post concerning Acts 8:37: 'We cannot "improve" upon what God has revealed.' This reflects my sentiment concerning the omission of the doctrine of the trinity from the Bible. I would simply add to that thought and say that the only doctrines that have "apostolic" authority or certification are the ones defined in scripture. I believe that the fact that none of the inspired writers of the Bible did "sit down and put pen to paper, and [write] down the concise doctrine of the trinity" is very significant. I want to make it clear that none of what I write is a personal attack on you, my friend. Your ideas and questions are very pertinent and thought-provoking. I have had to come to grips with these very same questions. Let me try briefly show how my understanding of God is fully complicit with all of the Bible without in any way being a "contradiction in theology." (Granted, it may contradict extra-Biblical theology, but not Biblical theology.) Your question "Does God have some cosmic form of Multiple personalities?" is precisely the explanation that I would offer. I understand the Bible to teach that Jesus Christ was the physical, finite representation of the spiritual, infinite God. God robed Himself in flesh in order to redeem fallen humanity. Jesus Christ was both humanity and deity. He was fully man--the Son of Man; and He was fully God--the Son of God. When Jesus spoke, His words must be analyzed to determine whether he was speaking as a man or as God. Now we know that God is infinite, eternal, omnipresent, omnipotent and omniscient. And we also know that the body of flesh was subject to the limitations of humanity--it was finite. It is also readily apparent that you cannot pour all of an infinite substance into a finite container. So, even though Jesus Christ in the flesh on the earth was fully God, yet God the Eternal Spirit still existed in the same form as He always had--eternal, infinite, omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient... I submit this humbly for your consideration. I harbor no hostility toward you or anyone else who chooses to believe differently than I do. It just seems to me like tradition has a stronger influence on many folks than does truth--i.e., the actual Word of God. How does "multiple persons" in the Godhead rank as orthodoxy while "multiple personalities" in the Godhead ranks as heterodoxy? If this is only a question of semantics, then I choose to remain with the simple and unadorned doctrines of the Bible, because I am assured of safety in nothing else. Kind regards, Tim D. Cormier Tennessee Preacher |
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29 | Who was the one to be sacrificed? | Gen 22:12 | 10ECPreacher | 36163 | ||
Greetings, Mist and Tim. The NT reference to this event may shed a little light on this discussion: "By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was offering up his only begotten son;" [Heb. 11:17 NASB] The Greek "monogenes" is translated "only begotten" here as well as in John 3:16, etc. This word means "single of its kind" but also bears the connotation of "dearly loved". The French use the term "fils unique" to denote a son that is loved in a special way. I would further posit that the Koran has no claim to being "God-breathed". Even if the NT didn't explicitly bear out the OT record that it was Isaac that was offered by Abraham (as opposed to Ishmael), I would not even be remotely tempted to believe the record of the Koran over that of the Bible. Kind regards, Tim D. Cormier Tennessee Preacher |
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30 | Is God ONE or is God THREE? | James 2:19 | 10ECPreacher | 36140 | ||
Greetings, Ray. Thanks for the assistance. I did indeed mislead with the use of ONE and THREE as opposed to One (1) and Three (3). I am questioning the validity of assertions that God is Three (3). To say that there is one (1) God is not necessarily the equivalent of saying that God is One (1). An individual living alone is considered to be one family, and is also a family of one. A husband and wife is considered to be one family, but they are a family of two. I contend that not only do the scriptures say that there is but one God, they further say that God is One. Kind regards, Tim D. Cormier Tennessee Preacher |
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31 | Is God ONE or is God THREE? | James 2:19 | 10ECPreacher | 36137 | ||
Greetings, Prove All Things. The point of the statement in 2 John 1:9 is seen in verse 7: "For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist." [2 John 1:7 NASB] There were some people who did not believe that Jesus was Christ--the Messiah, the Son of God, i.e., God manifested or embodied in the flesh. John is simply refuting that heresy--not making a doctrinal assertion that the term "God" only encompasses "Father" and "Son" but not "Holy Spirit." To me, saying that "God is a plural word like church, family, team or class" flies in the face of scriptures like James 2:19 and Deut. 6:4. Kind regards, Tim D. Cormier Tennessee Preacher |
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32 | Is God ONE or is God THREE? | James 2:19 | 10ECPreacher | 36135 | ||
Greetings, Jesusman. I believe absolutely and unequivocally that Jesus Christ is God! (See my post on the thread entitled "is jesus god?".) How can your statement "If one is to reject the doctrine of the Trinity, he must reject the idea that Jesus was God in the Flesh" be true, when the doctrine of the Trinity was not formulated until many years after the death of the last Apostle? This implies that none of the apostles and early church believers believed that Jesus Christ was God in the flesh, because they definitely did not preach or teach a trinity doctrine. But they did preach that Jesus was God manifest in the flesh. See I Tim. 3:16 and John 1:14. The fact that I am a father, a son, and a husband does not make me three people/persons. (When I visit my parents' house with my family I act in all three capacities at once; I speak to my children as their father, to my parents as their son, and to my wife as her husband.) I am also comprised of a body, soul, and spirit--still just one person. I am a computer programmer, a preacher, and a writer; but I am only one person. This could go on ad infinitum, ad nauseum... :) I believe everything the Bible says about Jesus Christ. Take Isaiah 9:6, for example. Wonderful Counsellor: this says that the son that would be born (Jesus Christ) would fill the role of a Helper (Comforter, Paraclete). I understand this to be speaking of the Holy Spirit. Jesus very clearly identified Himself as the Helper that would come in John 14:18. Mighty God: here the son was clearly identified as the very God. See Col. 2:9. Everlasting Father: here the son is shown to also be the Father. Indeed, you referenced "I and my Father are one" and "When you have seen me, you have seen the Father." Prince of Peace: here the son is shown to also have an earthly claim to the throne of David, of whom He would be the offspring as well as the root. See Rev. 22:16. I disagree with the statement that "the doctrine behind [the trinity] is clearly seen within the Bible." I see God manifested as the Father in creation; as the Son in redemption; as the Holy Spirit in regeneration. We know that God is a spirit, and God is holy. Thus the term Holy Spirit is just another way of saying "God". See Acts 5:3-4. I believe the scriptures to teach that there is only one God, and that God is One in essence, not Three. Kind regards, Tim D. Cormier Tennessee Preacher |
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33 | jesus born prior to earth? | Heb 13:8 | 10ECPreacher | 35878 | ||
Greetings again, JMSCOTT. When is the best time to attack a man? When you cannot speak against his words. See Acts 7:54. I may not be a son to others, but I am to you. :) Kind regards, Tim D. Cormier Tennessee Preacher |
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34 | jesus born prior to earth? | Heb 13:8 | 10ECPreacher | 35875 | ||
Greetings, JMSCOTT. The Bible says... 'that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. For the Scripture says, "WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED." For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; for "WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED." How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, "HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE THE FEET OF THOSE WHO BRING GOOD NEWS OF GOOD THINGS!" However, they did not all heed the good news; for Isaiah says, "LORD, WHO HAS BELIEVED OUR REPORT?" So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. But I say, surely they have never heard, have they? Indeed they have; "THEIR VOICE HAS GONE OUT INTO ALL THE EARTH, AND THEIR WORDS TO THE ENDS OF THE WORLD."' [Romans 10:9-18 NASB] In my opinion, you have some serious problems with your belief system. God reveals Himself to mankind today through the preaching of His Word. 'And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned."' [Mark 16:15-16 NASB] Men will be saved or lost in this age depending on their response to the preaching of the Word of God, as it is specifically declared to us in the Bible. 'Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.' [1 John 4:1 NASB] We must subject every spirit and doctrine to the test of the Word of God, as it is written in the Bible. Anything else is heterodoxy or heresy. I do not presume to "have authority over everyone." But I am not ashamed of the fact that I have been called by Jesus Christ to preach the Gospel. 'For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "BUT THE RIGHTEOUS man SHALL LIVE BY FAITH."' [Romans 1:16-17 NASB] I have read the 2nd chapter of 1st Corinthians more times than I can recall. I believe it and heartily suggest that the reason people have trouble with this topic is found in this very chapter, specifically in verse 14. Kind regards, Tim D. Cormier Tennessee Preacher |
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35 | Definition of a bible bully | 1 Cor 13:4 | 10ECPreacher | 35867 | ||
Greetings Eagle et al, I've never encountered the term "Bible bully" before, but the first thing that came to my mind was someone who uses his or her own Bible knowledge as a weapon of superiority in order to bully or browbeat others into submission or subjection. This is a common fault among neophyte Christians, and it is to our shame that their voice is often heard louder than that of those who have the "mind of Christ." "Come now and let us reason together" should be the theme of Christian dialogue. Kind regards, Tim D. Cormier Tennessee Preacher |
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36 | jesus born prior to earth? | Heb 13:8 | 10ECPreacher | 35855 | ||
Greetings, JMSCOTT. To accept that the New Testament is "God-breathed," we must accept the language(s) in which it has been given to us--both vocabulary and syntax. That the English word "Jesus" is not a translation of the original word is academic; rather, it is a transliteration of the Greek word "Iesous"--which itself came directly from the LXX as the Greek form of the Hebrew "Yashua" ("Joshua" in English). This word is a compound word, comprised of the word "Yahweh" (Self-existent eternal one, i.e., the Lord) and "Shua" (salvation or savior). Thus in the name of "Yashua" (Hebrew)/"Iesous" (Greek)/"Jesus" (English) we have the revelation of the incarnation: the Great I AM has become our Savior. It is intellectual tripe to suggest that satan overpowered the Holy Spirit and succeeded in rendering the whole of scripture impotent by removing from it the "real" name of God--the name in which God invested His power and authority. "For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." [Phil. 2:9-11 NASB] "...which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come." [Eph. 1:20-21 NASB] "...let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead--by this name this man stands here before you in good health. He is the STONE WHICH WAS REJECTED by you, THE BUILDERS, but WHICH BECAME THE CHIEF CORNER stone. And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved." [Acts 4:10-12 NASB] The proof is in the pudding, my friend. Jesus said: "These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues; they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover." [Mark 16:17-18 NASB] These "signs" may be observed in the book of Acts, as proof that the Apostles indeed new how to pronounce the "ineffable" name of God in their own language. That they wrote His name in Greek by the inspiration and leading of the Holy Spirit proves conclusively to me that it still retains its power, significance and authority regardless of the language into which it is translated. I personally know Christians all over the world who pray to Jesus in Spanish, French, Portugese, Swahili (sp?), Russian, Chinese, German, and Arabic... (I'm sure I've overlooked some.) The great power of God is manifested to anyone who will call upon Him, regardless of the language used to invoke His Name. Kind regards, Tim D. Cormier Tennessee Preacher |
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37 | From whom does faith originate? | Eph 2:8 | 10ECPreacher | 35552 | ||
Greetings, John and Makarios. In addition to what Makarios has stated, I would simply add that faith is the conscious and cogent response of humanity to deity; which response acknowledges the definition of humanity versus deity, and at the same time acknowledges the distinction between humanity and deity. "And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him." [Heb. 11:6 NASB] Now we know that none can come to God except the Spirit draw him. I understand faith to be an individual's acknowledgement of and obedience to the drawing of the Spirit. When someone is presented with the Gospel, they hear the Word of God (Romans 10:17). Obedience to the Word of God (i.e., the Gospel) is the response of one who believes the Word of God that was presented. "Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!" [Rom. 11:33 NASB] Kind regards, Tim D. Cormier Tennessee Preacher |
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38 | Salvation: "By" Grace, "Through" Faith. | Eph 2:8 | 10ECPreacher | 34099 | ||
Greetings, John. My understanding of faith in the Scriptures is that it is expressed by obedience to the Word of God. Spurgeon said of faith, "Faith and obedience are bound up in the same bundle. He that obeys God trusts God; and he that trusts God obeys God. He that is without faith is without works; and he that is without works is without faith." I understand that the air that we breathe is a gift from God, but He doesn't breathe for us. The fact that He "invites us" into His Presence doesn't automatically put us there. I am convinced that there are many people who intellectually acknowledge the Gospel of Jesus Christ and claim to be "believers", but they have never "obeyed the Gospel". 'However, they did not all heed the good news; for Isaiah says, "LORD, WHO HAS BELIEVED OUR REPORT?"' [Romans 10:16 NASB] "dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus." [2 Thess. 1:8 NASB] "For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?" [1 Pet. 4:17 NASB] 'This precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for those who disbelieve, "THE STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED, THIS BECAME THE VERY CORNER stone, A STONE OF STUMBLING AND A ROCK OF OFFENSE"; for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this doom they were also appointed.' [1 Pet. 2:7-8 NASB] Kind regards, Tim D. Cormier Tennessee Preacher |
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39 | Is LAST always FINAL | Bible general Archive 1 | 10ECPreacher | 34092 | ||
Searcher56, I agree with you--"of the list given, Paul was the last one He appeared to." That is exactly the point if am VERY UNSUCCESSFULLY trying to make. (Sorry--I didn't mean to yell at you; just wanted to emphasize the fact that I am well aware of just how poor a job I have done in trying to explain a very simple concept.) To hold that the word last ('eschatos') invariably means the absolute unconditional final one is inconsistent with the way the word is used in Scripture. 1 Cor. 15:8 and John 7:37 are two verses where the word 'eschatos' is used to indicate the final one in a certain domain or set of items. Paul was the last to see Jesus of those mentioned, not the last who ever will see him. Jesus stood and cried on the last day, the great day of the Feast of Tabernacles (the eighth day). The Bible says on "the last day"--meaning the last day of a certain set of days, not the last day that would ever be. I know that "day" does not always refer to a 24-hour period, but I would be surprised if anyone tries to argue that that is the way it is being used in John 7:37. Kind regards, Tim D. Cormier Tennessee Preacher |
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40 | Is LAST always FINAL | Bible general Archive 1 | 10ECPreacher | 34091 | ||
Serenetime, Sorry for the miscue. I copied a line from the post by Praisemaster and didn't notice the typo. John 3:37 should have read John 7:37. I have studied this subject now for over 20 years, so I have looked this up a few times. :) But, just for the fun of it I have looked it up again. I am including part of the definition of Trump (as in Last Trump) here for your consideration. Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words Topic: Trump, Trumpet A-1,Noun,4536,salpinx is used (1) of the natural instrument, 1 Cor. 14:8; (2) of the supernatural accompaniment of Divine interpositions, (a) at Sinai, Heb. 12:19; (b) of the acts of angels at the Second Advent of Christ, Matt. 24:31; (c) of their acts in the period of Divine judgments preceding this, Rev. 8:2,6,13; 9:14; (d) of a summons to John to the presence of God, Rev. 1:10; 4:1; (e) of the act of the Lord in raising from the dead the saints who have fallen asleep and changing the bodies of those who are living, at the Rapture of all to meet Him in the air, 1 Cor. 15:52, where "the last trump" is a military allusion, familiar to Greek readers, and has no connection with the series in Rev. 8:6 to 11:15; there is a possible allusion to Num. 10:2-6, with reference to the same event, 1 Thess. 4:16, "the (lit., a) trump of God" (the absence of the article suggests the meaning "a trumpet such as is used in God's service"). I'm glad I looked it up again. :) Kind regards, Tim D. Cormier Tennessee Preacher |
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