Results 21 - 40 of 495
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Results from: Notes Author: Aixen7z4 Ordered by Date |
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Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
21 | What's the proper response to injustice? | 1 Pet 2:19 | Aixen7z4 | 153028 | ||
Brother Ray: May the Lord bless you. Please forgive me if I fail to comment on the differences among the translations. Since I am not an expert in the original languages or manuscripts, I tend to use all of the translations rather than to choose among them. I tend to see what they have in common rather than the ways in which they are different. I note, for example, the appearance of the little word “If” in so many of the verses. Thank God that our lives do not consist of continual suffering. But there are times when we suffer, and sometimes the suffering is an injustice, for no good reason, so to speak. Sometimes we suffer at the hands of professing brethren. At this point I am intensely interested in that topic, and would like to stick to it. The prevailing message that I get from Peter, and from the rest of Scripture, is that suffering is a natural part of life and we should bear it. The example that we have from Jesus is that he bore it. Like a sheep before her sharers, like a lamb brought to the slaughter, we should bear it. Some say we are fools to bear it. Some say our religion is foolish since it calls on us to bear it. There also seems to be a natural instinct to rebel against it. Add to that the fact that God is just and calls on us to be just. All of that may lead us to question why we should tolerate injustice, or how or when he wants us to. I agree that Peter says we (should) suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong. I also see that we glorify God when we suffer for doing right, and that God gets no glory from our suffering when we suffer for having done wrong. But beyond that, there is justice that characterizes God (Psalm 89:14) that God commands (Isaiah 56:1; Micah 6:8) and commends (1 Chronicles 18:14) and there is injustice that God condemns (Isaiah 59:4). Something in us seems to crave justice. God seems to say it is commendable that we desire it (Matthew 5: 6) and we should be willing to wait for it (Isaiah 40:4). But the man of God asks, “How long?” (Habakkuk1). It does seem quite profound, and strange sometimes, that God allows injustice, that he suffered it himself in Jesus, and that he asks us to bear with it. He will get glory in the future when he rights the wrongs and compensates the victims, it seems, but it might help us now to understand all that. Please try to combine the verses and the translations and tell me what you find. |
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22 | What's the proper response to injustice? | 1 Pet 2:19 | Aixen7z4 | 153009 | ||
With that short answer from him, and from you, I received a great blessing; greater than you know, perhaps. Or perhaps you do know. My initial response was disappointment, since I had been asking for, and looking for, scripture references. But that response caused me to think, and to think of many scriptures. I have a sense that it was the same for you. Though you are obviously widely read, I have also seen that you know the word of God quite well. I suspect that you could have quoted many passages, but you used wisdom and chose not to. I would be very curious to know what passages you thought of, or what the young man in your story thought of. But if you choose not to share them, I will understand. Just rest assured that what you did share was a great blessing me. So, thank you, Doc. |
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23 | Taught of God? Walk in God? | 1 Thess 4:9 | Aixen7z4 | 152575 | ||
Hello, Doc. I did understand the reference to the Greek word and to its uniqueness. I did wonder whether the uniqueness of the word suggested something significant, such as a unique way in which the Thessalonians were being taught of God, or by God. I wondered why God might have communicated to them in a unique way, or whether love for our fellow-man is taught in a unique way. I do not know Greek, or Hebrew, for that matter, and I have resisted the idea that individual words have meanings not decipherable from the context in which they appear or in the context of the rest of Scripture. Therefore, I did not know what to make of the idea that this word was found in that passage and nowhere else in Scripture. For that reason, I turned from further thought on that to see where the idea, if not the particular word, was found again in Scripture. I thought of the possibility that God teaches us to love one another without the use of scripture. I know that he uses nature to teach us about his power (Romans 1) and his glory (Psalm 19). Through nature we understand that if a man should have long hair, it is a shame unto him, but when a woman has long hair, it is beautifies her (1 Corinthians 11). But is there evidence in Scripture that God teaches philadelphia through nature? He seems to do it through conscience, for “when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, they show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness” (Romans 2). But that takes us back to the language thing, and though I have heard of it, I would not be sure of the essential difference between philadelphia and agapao. Paul seems to be saying, “As touching brotherly (philio) love you need not that I write unto you: for you yourselves are taught (by) of God to (agape) love one another“. And I am thinking that, in this case, “by” and “of” are the same thing, and “philio” and “agape” are essentially the same thing. Likewise, we have shown that there are many scriptures conveying the fact that God teaches us. Is there significance to the fact that in this one instance the phrasing is that we are God-taught? I really do not think so. Someone has noted that the word “Eternity” occurs only once in the KJV and “Trinity” does not occur at all. Yet it is clear that the Bible deals with both. I think the exact words being used are an artifact, and do not change the facts. I trust this does not raise any issues about the nature of inspiration. I do believe God told the writers what words to use. The point is that he is not necessarily saying something different because he uses a different word. God teaches us to love. That is one of the main things that we are God-taught. I hope it is true that love really finds its full expression among us, believers. |
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24 | Taught of God? Walk in God? | 1 Thess 4:9 | Aixen7z4 | 152564 | ||
Is it really a concept unique to this letter to the Thessalonians, to be, or to have been, taught of God? Jesus said (John 6:45) that it had been written in the prophets, “They will all be taught by God“. It is apparent that he was referring to passages such as Isaiah 2 where the prophet speaks of a day, in the latter days, when “the mountain of the LORD'S house shall be established in the top of the mountains” and many will be saying, "Come, let's go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths“. Micah may have been echoing that prophecy: In the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it. And many nations shall come, and say, “Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem” (Micah 4). The psalmist sang of it: “Good and upright is the LORD Therefore will he teach sinners in the way. The meek will he guide in judgment And the meek will he teach his way“ (Psalm 25). The Spirit of God reminds (Hebrews 10) us of that which he had said before: “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days“, says the Lord. “I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them”. The Lord had said that through the prophet Jeremiah: “Behold, the days come“, says Jehovah, “that I will cut a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah, not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which covenant of Mine they broke, although I was a husband to them“, says Jehovah; “but this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel: After those days“, says the Lord, “I will put My Law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. And they shall no more teach each man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord‘; for they shall all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them“, says Jehovah (Jeremiah 33). In that most intimate and personal way, they will have been taught by God. But we were also taught directly, the same message given to the Thessalonians, by our Lord Jesus Christ himself. If the message is to love one another, surely that is what Jesus taught. “A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another“ (John 13:34). Again, “This is my commandment, that you love one another“ (John 15:12). “These things I command you, that ye love one another” (John 15:17). “This is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another“ (1 John 3:11). This is in fact what God had always taught. “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Leviticus 19:18). He has given many commandments. But this, “You shall not commit adultery“, “You shall not kill“, “You shall not steal“, “You shall not bear false witness“, “You shall not covet“; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Romans 13:9). In the law, and under grace, we have been taught by God to love one another. God promised to write his laws on the human heart. But meanwhile he sent Jesus to teach us personally. And the Holy Spirit brings it back to us, as it were, teaching us again. Therefore, when it comes to brotherly love, Paul hardly needed to write it again. We have been taught of God to love one another. |
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25 | Church discipline? | 1 Tim 5:22 | Aixen7z4 | 152540 | ||
You have understood correctly, I think, that those directions are given to ones who have the authority in the church. The evangelist had that role as one who had been sent to the church, to set things right, and to establish it in that community. In himself Timothy was young and timid and Paul had to encourage him to do those things. You might consider that the applicable word in 1 Corinthians 12:28 is the word “Apostle”. An apostle is one who has been sent. We usually reserve that title to the twelve chosen and sent by our Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 10, etc.). But the term applies to the Lord himself (Hebrews 3) as he had been sent by the Father (John 8, etc). It is also applied to one such as Barnabas (Acts 14). It would apply to ones such as Timothy (2 Timothy 4:5) or Titus (Titus 1:5), who has been sent by Paul. In fact, it may apply to anyone who has been sent out by an established church to preach the Gospel in new territory, as in Romans 10:15. Once the church has been established, the ones responsible for church disciple are the elders. Please note that once they are in place, the evangelist is not to rebuke them but to entreat them (1 Timothy 5). Their position is to be respected. The saints under their authority are to look to them to direct the affairs of the church, and if anything is thought to be amiss, it is to be brought to their attention. As before, the responsibility of the other believers ends there. The elders give account to the Lord (Hebrews 13:7, etc.) who also the one to whom the individual believer may appeal. It bears repeating that things are not always right with the church. Sometimes they are not even structured in such a way as to get things right. Some churches do not even have elders. I pointed out the need to a preacher recently and his response was, “Show me some men who are qualified and I will appoint them“. Sometimes even the evangelist, in seeking to set things right in a church has a difficult time. As Paul warned, the time has come when people do not endure sound doctrine. They do not listen. Do not be surprised if they do not listen to you as their sister. Nevertheless, you must discharge your responsibility. That, we have talked about before. May God give us grace to live right, to live exemplary lives, and to lovingly help those who fall into sin in these days. |
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26 | Church discipline? | 1 Tim 5:22 | Aixen7z4 | 152534 | ||
We must operate in the role God has assigned to us. The directive to “reprove, rebuke, exhort“, is given to an evangelist, in this case, Timothy (2 Timothy 4). It is he who was told to “lay hands suddenly on no man”, that is, to take the time to test someone’s qualifications and performance before appointing him to a position in the church. It was he, and, by implication, anyone else in a similar position, who must “rebuke them that sin, before all, that others also may fear” (1 Timothy 5) and so on. But there is also action that any individual Christian can take. For example, “If a man be overtaken in a fault, you who are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering yourself, lest you also be tempted” (Galatians 6). “If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death” (1 John 5). If anyone does err from the truth, and you convert him; you should know that he that converts the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins (James 5). There are times when individual action leads to official church action. For example, if your brother shall trespass against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone: if he shall hear youe, you have gained your brother. But if he will not hear you, then take with you one or two more, and if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church (Matthew 18). It is relatively easy to discharge our own individual responsibility. Although it makes our individual job easier when someone does go with us, it can be difficult to get someone else to go with us. We would have done our part when we have brought the matter to the church, or to people holding responsible positions there. But what if they do not take action? We can entreat them (1 Peter 5). We can bring it to the Chief Shepherd, the head of the whole church, in prayer (1 John 5). There are some questions we can ask ourselves, and the answers may serve to guide our actions. Are we concerned for the individual, that they get the help they need to see their sin and to be restored, as in Galatians 6? Are we concerned for the local church, its reputation and effectiveness, as in 2 Corinthians 11? Are we concerned for the others in the church, how sin unchallenged can affect them, as in 1 Corinthians 5? Is it the name of Christ and the Christian message in general that we see in jeopardy of disrepute, as in 2 Peter 2? As far as church discipline is concerned, there are definite scriptural guidelines to be followed. But we are living in a day of difficulty and declension. An individual church is often not structured in such a way that the word of God can be followed. The fact is that many churches do not seem to be operating in light of the word of God. When a matter of sin arises, it is often not possible to know how it will be dealt with, or whether it will be ignored. If we are concerned for the individual, and for the effect of their sin on the general testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ, then we may act as an individual and confront the situation. It seems advisable that we approach the person with a clear desire to help and not to condemn. We can be as careful and as prayerful as can be, yet we are not assured of the desired response. The little word “If” (as in Matthew 18:15b) makes such a difference. When we are witnessing to an unbeliever, and when we confront a sinning brother or sister, we can only give the word of God and trust the Holy Spirit to use it to convert them. |
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27 | If our sins are forgiven, why repent? | 1 John 1:9 | Aixen7z4 | 152269 | ||
I appreciate your thoughts. And thank God for mothers who say things like that. I can understand your hesitation to use use the word "mistake" in reference to sin. Yet it may be that, at the one end of the spectrum, there are mistakes. At the other end, there are willful, premeditated, deliberate, perhaps persistent transgressions. Where does my sin fall? I chose the particular word because I was at that very moment aware that, in spite of my best intentions, I had made a mistake. Even now I am wondering if it was a mistake to use the word “mistake”. If everyone understands the idea of secret faults (Psalm 19) then I would feel better. If anyone thinks that the idea is to excuse sin, then it would have been a mistake. I do not know how to avoid it. “Who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret faults” (Psalm 19:12). I think of James’ point (James 3) that we offend with our words. And sometimes we offend without intending so to do. That is what I mean by “mistake“. Since it is not like me to write a short response, and at the risk of making another mistake, let me add this: I am meticulous in my preaching, (though perhaps not as much so as I think) and I worry about making a mistake. I sometimes fill my outline with annotations and references and try so hard to stick to them. Yet I often find myself including things I had not planned to say. I take these additions as from the Spirit, and yet I worry about not having had the opportunity to clear all points through Scripture in advance. What if I say something wrong??!! Last week I preached at a certain church and got carried away with the subject. It was an interactive exercise and everyone seemed to enjoy it. More than that, they actually practiced the word, which I try to include in all my messages. I thought in the end that it had gone perfectly. But then someone pointed out that we had gone beyond the allotted time. That was my mistake. I had offended someone, and I apologized and asked forgiveness. It is not my intention to garner sympathy here. I realize that some will think it was no mistake. Some might say it was the Spirit leading us beyond the man-made time slot, and the complainer was at fault, etc. But the point is that we make mistakes, and it is often wise to simply apologize, when someone is offended. I do not mean either to defend use of the term “mistake”, though I do think that we make mistakes, and I am not sure we can avoid them. There is something in the definition that includes that. But I agree that we should hesitate to call sin a mistake; someone may get the wrong idea. Many sins, perhaps most sins, are anything but mistakes. Usually, there is manageable time in the progression from being tempted, to sinning, and to death (James 1) and it can be short-circuited. But sometimes there is little time, as between thinking and speaking, and we do not make a right response. We should be quick to hear and slow to speak, but sometimes we do not take the time. That in itself is a mistake, and it may lead to sin. Thank God for the provision of forgiveness. We may not be able to avoid sin completely, but we can confess it when it happens, and be cleansed from all unrighteousness. |
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28 | If our sins are forgiven, why repent? | 1 John 1:9 | Aixen7z4 | 152264 | ||
It is true that our sins are forgiven at the time of salvation. It is because we repent of sin and put our trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. All of our sins are forgiven at that time. When we have repented, we have turned away from sin, and it is no longer a habit (1 John 3:9). But we do sin (Galatians 5:17). Even David sinned (1 Kings 15:5) and needed to confess it (Psalm 51). Even the apostles sinned, and needed to admit to the fact and to confess their sins (1 John 1). It is quite like a person who has bathed himself thoroughly and yet finds at the end of the day that his feet are dirty (John 13). He needs to have his feet washed in order to maintain fellowship with the Lord (Isaiah 59). What shall we do then? Shall we tolerate the sin that has come into our lives? (As in 2 Peter 2:22). We should rather seek to be cleansed from it lest we allow it to continue and to grow (as in 1 Corinthians 5). The way to be cleansed from it is to confess it and forsake it (Proverbs 28:13). Or shall we say that that sin is already covered since we are saved? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? (See Romans 6). Then we might well ask ourselves whether we do in fact have an abhorrence of sin that would have led us to repent in the first place. Sin ought to make us sad, and we should be sad about the fact that we still sin. We should resist the devil and draw nigh to God so we can live with him in holiness. Some say we should simply thank God that our sins are forgiven. We should thank him always and forever, for our salvation with the forgiveness of sin, the washing, and all else that it entails (Revelation 1). But the occasion of sin is not the time for that (James 4). There is a time to weep (Ecclesiastes 3). Some say we should confess our sins every day. Better perhaps to say we should confess every time we pray. When we come into the presence of a holy God, we recognize also our sinful nature (Isaiah 6). It is an opportunity to be touched and cleansed again. The fact is, we sin without knowing it (Psalm 19:12). We should not justify ourselves, but rather avail ourselves of searchlight of the word of God (Psalm 119) the knowledge of the Holy Spirit (Romans 8) and the love that causes the Lord to wash our feet. It is a good example that the apostles set for us in 1 John 1, and that David set in Psalm 139. David has a prophet who would come to him, and we have the Holy Spirit who lives within. We can do even better than he did (2 Samuel 12) and confess our sins immediately, as we are convicted without the need for human instrumentality (John 16). Sin, after we are saved, will not keep us from heaven (Romans 8). But it will continue to beset us, and we must strive against it (Hebrews 12). We can overcome it too (1 Corinthians 10), but is not by ignoring it or by minimizing it. While we are here on this earth, we are in the presence of sin (John 17). We spare ourselves some trouble, and save ourselves from God’s judgment and chastisement by recognizing and confessing and forsaking sin (1 Corinthians 11). We can copy a prayer of confession, I suppose, as Jonah did. Even when we are not aware of any particular sin, we can say as David did, in Psalm 139: “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts. And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting“. |
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29 | details of curtain in temple splitting | Heb 9:1 | Aixen7z4 | 152263 | ||
Good information? Pray tell where that information came from. It does not seem to have come from the Bible. |
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30 | how can i overcome sin, and be forgiven? | John 3:16 | Aixen7z4 | 152046 | ||
It does seem likely that the person asking the question is unsaved. But it is often hard to tell. My comment was meant to suggest that you have another answer ready in case the person says they have already gone to the Lord with repentance and faith, and that he’s already saved. In that case, or otherwise, we may be needing an answer for a believer. There are times, as I’ll show in a moment, when a believer needs to repent as well. It is my observation that the Lord convicts the unsaved person of sin in general, of his sinful nature, if you will, of his destitute condition and his need for salvation. Thus, Jesus called upon all to repent, without reference to particular sins (Mark 1:15). He told us that repentance and remission of sins must be preached, and attached to the Gospel message that we proclaim in his name (Luke 24). The believer, on the other hand, is called upon to repent of particular sins. The church is to repent of having left her first love (Revelation 2) and one Jezebel is given space to repent of her fornication (v. Revelation 2). Simon is asked to repent “of this wickedness” (Acts 8) and a brother is to repent when he trespasses against his fellow-believer (Luke 17). It would be of concern that our message be clear. Otherwise an unbeliever might imagine he can overcome some particular sins and thereby gain a right standing with God. In that case, the response you gave would have corrected for that idea and steered him in the right direction. But say, would it not be good to hear from the person that they followed the directions and actually found salvation? Would it not be good to have them come back and testify to it? I have never seen that on a forum, but I say it would be good to see. |
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31 | how can i overcome sin, and be forgiven? | John 3:16 | Aixen7z4 | 152041 | ||
That is about as perfect a response as one might hope to see, and complete, to the question how a person can be saved. I like it. With your permission, I would copy it and use it myself the next time someone asks me that question. But of course, I will need to give credit, so you might tell us in what form one might do so. If anyone else uses that response, I would suggest that scripture references be added, to support the points that were made. Also, I would change one word; find “that sin” and change that to “all sin”. Surely we are not saved by repenting of particular sins, and the phrase “that sin“ might give that impression. This leads me to wonder whether the questioner might be a believer who is struggling with one or more specific sins. There is need for repentance in that case as well, I think (based on passages such as Psalm 51 and Revelation 2 and 3). Also, it may be said that in some sense we need to be saved from the hold that those sins can have on us. But why should we return to the word smithy to put that answer together again, when you have already done the work and produced such a fine account? If you grant permission to use it, then someone, maybe more than one, will thank you. |
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32 | Why can we not just be Christians? | 1 Pet 1:2 | Aixen7z4 | 151939 | ||
It is certainly good that those who fear the Lord would talk to one another. God has shown us: In the days of Malachi, they that feared the LORD spoke often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name. And “They shall be mine“, says the LORD of hosts, “in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spares his own son that serves him“. Then let us be sure that we are among them. Let us be sure that we fear the Lord, enough to obey him. Let each of us be sure that we are a son that serves him. God has made it clear that he is not interested in what we say (Exodus 19) but that we do what he says (Deuteronomy 29). For why do we call him “Lord, Lord” …? By talking we may show what we know (Isaiah 5). By listening, we may learn more (Proverbs 18:15). But knowledge without obedience is deceiving (James 1). Knowledge puffs us up (1 Corinthians 8) but obedience to the law of love, that accomplishes something (1 Corinthians 13). There is a certain perverse pleasure that we may get from hearing our own voice (Proverbs 10:8) and an itching ear may delight in hearing another’s voice (2 Timothy 4). But God is looking for those who will hear his voice (Isaiah 66:2) and will not harden their hearts (Hebrews 3) but will do what God says (1 Samuel 15). |
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33 | Why can we not just be Christians? | 1 Pet 1:2 | Aixen7z4 | 151850 | ||
I should have known. No wonder God resorted to words such as “I call upon you“, “I am pleading with you“, “I beseech you”, “I exhort you“, I'll put it as urgently as I can“, and “I beg you”. He even invokes the name of the one we profess to love, our Lord Jesus Christ. He knew it would not be easy to get through to us. He knew we would resort to “quotations” and pats on the back from others who were equally defiant. He knew we would not obey. Wherefore he is grieved with this generation, and says, “They do always err in their heart; and they have not known my ways“. But, come to think of it, it is a wonder. How Gracious! How patient! How merciful! How wonderful our God is! |
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34 | Why can we not just be Christians? | 1 Pet 1:2 | Aixen7z4 | 151799 | ||
Are we not obligated to obey God? Does he not command (1 Corinthians 1:10) that we speak the same thing? Should we not then seek to do that? We do a grave wrong, and harm, by disregarding that command. I have come to see that. And I stand ready to fight, with (not against, but together, on the same side) to work on it, with anyone who wants to right that wrong. I would have hoped that someone would be interested in finding ways for us to do it, to speak the same thing. But strangely, we seem to take delight, and pride, in saying, “I disagree”. One of these days, I hope that we will stop that, and decide to do what God says. He says we should speak the same thing. And may I say, the context indicates he does mean that we should all say, “I disagree”. O that we would focus on the nugget of truth in what our brother or sister is saying, and magnify that! We could contend for the faith (Jude). We could stand in defense of the Gospel (Philippians 1). We could fight the good fight of faith (1 Timothy 6), together (2 Timothy 4:14). Our house will stand (Matthew 16) because God is able to make it stand. But it is yet his will that we stand fast in one spirit, with one mind, striving together for the faith. Anyone can disagree with that, and they can attach scripture to support their disagreement. Someone will say we cannot let false doctrine go unchallenged. But the challenge before us is to find the part that we agree on, and focus on that. Finally, my brother, whatsoever things are true, think on these things. |
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35 | Why can we not just be Christians? | 1 Pet 1:2 | Aixen7z4 | 151668 | ||
What does it mean to “just be Christian”? This may be only wishful thinking. They say a man often hears what he wants to hear. But think I hear you saying that you wish we could all be simply Christians, saying the same thing, instead of a number of camps within the church, each claiming to have found the truth. I would fight with you for unity, to find a way for us to say the same thing. I do believe there is a command to that effect in 1 Corinthians 1 and elsewhere: I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. But I fear I may be wrong, and more, that I will be disappointed. You have chosen the topic of Election, one that is noted for the disagreements that it engenders. Besides, you have illustrated the disagreement. One says, “Election is the act of God whereby in eternity past He chose those who will be saved”. You say, “I simply do not read the words of scripture as making such a statement as is noted above.” This starts another round of the endless debate that leaves us with, “I am right” and “No, I am right”. How then can we “just be Christians”? I do believe there is a way for us as followers of Christ to all say the same thing, as in 1 Corinthians 1:10, and I‘d be glad to explore it with you from the Scriptures. Is that what you are seeking at this time? Is that what you mean by “just be Christian”? If not, I will leave this discussion at this point and plan to start another at some point. I guess I am looking for some genuine interest in the topic, but I would like to know from you personally. if your post is a call for oneness of mind among Christians. |
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36 | Word of Christ? | Rom 10:17 | Aixen7z4 | 151458 | ||
Christ is the Word of God (John 1, Revelation 19:13, etc.). That, like everything else that you have said, is true. It is fully documented with scripture. What then is the word of Christ? Shall we say that the word of Christ is the word of the Word of God? I fear that we are making an obfuscation out of a simple statement, though profound. The word of Christ is the word of God. He did not speak by himself; but the Father which sent him, he gave him a commandment, what he should say, and what he should speak (John 12:49). He gave them the words which the Father had given him (John 17:8). Any way you look at it, the word of Christ is the word of God. There are a thousand things we can say about the word of Christ, what it is like and what it does. But there is no difficulty in understanding what it is. The word of Christ is the word of God. |
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37 | Any advice to stop sexual immorality? | 2 Cor 6:14 | Aixen7z4 | 151132 | ||
Hi: I admire your willingness to listen to what the Lord says, and 1 Corinthians 7 is a good place to start. I think it applies to your situation in many ways. But you are thinking and praying. Think about this. Does the passage mean that a thief should continue stealing? (See Ephesians 4:28). Likewise, the fornication must stop. Yet the Lord wants your friend to be saved. And he may have a future for your relationship. Please pray about that. You have had a lot of advice. Please consider this. Think about your salvation. Thank God for it. It is the most important thing that could have happened in your life. Think about your boyfriend. It is the most important thing for him, that he gets saved. Please think about him. Please witness to him. Please urge him to repent and trust in Christ. Show him what repentance means by stopping the sin you commit with him. Show him what it means to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ by trusting the Lord yourself with your friendships and your future. To do that last part it will be necessary for you to stop seeing him in situations where sex can occur. Do that, regardless of how he might respond. But care about his salvation above all, and tell him that, and show him that. Do not give him any promise that your relationship will continue as is after he gets saved. Your sexual relationship cannot continue unless you get married (1 Thessalonians 4:3). And now comes something that I have heard about, called “Missionary Dating”. If I understand what it means, that you use a romantic relationship to try to win someone to Christ, I would suggest that you not try to do that. Focus for now on his needs, not your own (1 Corinthians 13). And his need is for salvation. Be willing to make a sacrifice. Jesus did (Titus 2:14) and this case may benefit from your sacrifice as well (as in Colossians 1:24). Many of us will be suspicious about any profession of faith your friend may make under these conditions. But I would suggest to you that this time is a golden opportunity. Tell him that you care about his salvation more than anything (as in Romans 10). Urge him to turn to the Lord. If he is not willing to do that, you will naturally grow apart. Even if it hurts, you will understand why you have to let it happen. If he is willing, you should help him to understand the faith and the need to refrain from sin. I would just like to encourage you that there have been cases like yours that have led to marriage and a happy life and service for the Lord in partnership with your friend. Though you have not mentioned the possibility of a marriage coming out of this, it is one possible outcome that the Lord may have for you. See 1 Corinthians 7. So, while I agree with what others have said to you here, and what you have said, there is also that possibility you might consider. Consider what I say, and may the Lord direct you. |
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38 | Can we not ask God to forgive another? | John | Aixen7z4 | 150988 | ||
My Brother Hank: It is easy to say, “You are wrong”. It is more difficult, but more rewarding, to try to understand why the person says what he’s said. Usually, there is some kernel of truth in it. Your scenario leaves us with only one option: Forgive, forgive, forgive. Is that what you would do to the man who punches you repeatedly? Jesus gives us another option: help him to the point of repentance. Thus, we do not simply forgive the brother who is living in sin. There are steps that we take (See 1 Corinthians 5). We cause him sorrow, not by insulting him or threatening him, but by entreating him, by withdrawing fellowship from him if he does not respond. If he repents you forgive him. If he does not repent, you disfellowship him. That loss of fellowship with God’s people will eat at one of God’s people. It is reflecting a lack of fellowship with God. That will cause sorrow, godly sorrow, and repentance, and restoration. I am afraid that unconditional forgiveness, if there is such a thing, will not accomplish that goal. God knows that the constant offer of such forgiveness often fails to accomplish that goal. For thus saith the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, “In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not” (Isaiah 30:15). But God does not change his requirement. God still commands all men everywhere to repent. And he tells us in Luke 17 to require it. But why do we assume that a passage with additional information must be diluted because another passage does not have the information? God says, “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10). He does not tell us there that they must repent, but don’t we know it? Don’t we have that information in other passages? We do not go for the least common denominator. We add the factors. We do not discard the additional information. We add it. Matthew 18 does not tell us that the brother must repent, but Luke 17 does. 1 Corinthians 5 does. Luke 13 does. Ezekiel 33 does. Do we then delete the requirement of repentance from Luke 17, or do we add it to Matthew 18? It seems to me (and I do not use that phrase to disregard the forum guidelines but to avoid any appearance of evil arrogance and dogmatism) it seems to me that forgiveness has no meaning without repentance. God requires it of us, and he asks us to look for it in others. If there could be restoration without repentance then I suppose anyone could be granted a place in heaven. But Jesus linked the two when he said, “repentance and remission of sins” should be preached in his name (Luke 24:47). God loves the world, and he is not willing that any should perish. But “unless you repent, you will all likewise perish”. Without repentance from the offending person, forgiveness is not possible. You may wink at a person’s transgression, and you may overlook it. But that is not my understanding of what the word Forgiveness means. Forgiveness is a relieving of the person of his sense of guilt and culpability. If he has no such sense, then you cannot relieve him of it. There may be consequences that he does not have to pay, but that fellowship will not be restored in the absence of repentance. If you “forgive” a person who has not repented, then you have done him no favor. You may have relieved yourself of a burden, but you have not helped the brother. Why does God require repentance? Why does he insist of it? My words are ended now, but I trust we can think on it. |
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39 | Can we not ask God to forgive another? | John | Aixen7z4 | 150985 | ||
Doc: I hate to say it this way, but I think you are perfectly correct. Your analysis is borne out by the order of events in the story of the king and the two servants in Matthew 18. The question is: “Should you not also have had compassion on your fellowservant, even as I had pity on you?” (Verse 33). As to the Jonathan Edwards quote, what can we say? It is a sad fact of human nature that we hate those we are supposed to love more than we would a stranger. Men kill their wives, etc. But a person who is saved should stop and think. Since God has forgiven me all my wickedness, all my stupidity, all my ignorance, and the mistake I made in resisting him, then I should be willing to forgive anyone anything. God has commanded us to love one another, as brethren, and we should be wary of any sign in us that we would do the opposite. We should be wary of any tendency to withhold forgiveness, because that causes our brother to suffer. One difficulty, as I see it still, is that we want the other person to change (1 John 5:16). We want to see him repent and change direction, so that any future offence is an anomalous mistake and not deliberate annoying act. We really want that, I think, for ourselves and for him. The mistake we make is in thinking that in rejecting him we are purifying the church or ourselves. God’s desire is always restoration (Compare 1 Corinthians 5 with 2 Corinthians 2). I am thinking of the havoc wrought by an unforgiving spirit, but we should not get into that. I should not in any way diminish or becloud the point you have made, that we should appreciate how much God has forgiven us and be willing to forgive our brother. |
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40 | Can we not ask God to forgive another? | John | Aixen7z4 | 150982 | ||
That is a wonderful statement, but it seems to me that, important as it is, it is not related to the need for repentance on the part of the one needing forgiveness. Above, when someone asked what happens to the person we refuse to forgive, we might have mentioned this. Jesus says, “It is impossible but that offences will come” (Luke 17) and James says, “In many things we offend all“ (James 3). “If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man“. The Lord knows we are human (Psalm 103:14), that we make mistakes. We may offend one person as many as seven times in one day. The antidote is forgiveness, and if that antidote is not applied, then a poison remains. With it, a root of bitterness may spring up and defile us (Hebrews 12). We are to follow peace with all men, but God knows that we often fail to do that, and we need forgiveness for that as well. I must be willing to repent, and when I do, I must tell you so that you can forgive me. If you refuse to forgive your brother, then he is not forgiven, and he can be overwhelmed with sorrow (2 Corinthians 2). It would be nice if we could link this with what has been said already about the fact an offence against your brother is an offense against God. God cares about all of us and he does not want any of us to be overwhelmed with sorrow. In fact, he says that he only sends us sorrow in order to lead us to repentance. That repentance, (Do we need to repeat it?) it prepares us to receive forgiveness, and beyond that, restoration of fellowship, and restoration of joy. It is God’s desire that we have good ongoing open fellowship with him and with each other. Let us make it simple and say that for that, we need forgiveness from each other and from him. |
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