Results 221 - 240 of 465
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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Author: Parable Ordered by Date |
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Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
221 | Which proposition is scriptural? | John 3:16 | Parable | 89116 | ||
I believe that Dr. Gregory Boyd has a pretty good answer to this debate in his book "Satan and the Problem of Evil: Constructing a Trinitarian Warfare Theodicy". Boyd's theodicy is founded upon the Bible and is derived from a comprehensive understanding of scripture, sound reasoning, practical experience and objective examination of many philosophical attempts to explain the problem of evil in a world created by a holy, loving and all-powerful God. For those who seek a cogent, compelling, logical and practical treatment of the biblical worldview, this book is a "must-read". |
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222 | Which proposition is scriptural? | John 3:16 | Parable | 89114 | ||
Nothing I have said is in conflict with the idea that God chose us. All I'm saying is we also chose Him. That we can choose to "worship at the altar of free will" is what makes choosing to worship God all the more meaningful to Him and to us. However, if you wish to believe that you have no free will, you are free to do so....but what genuine love can be offered by one who is controlled or manipulated by another? Isn't this exactly what Satan tries to do, manipulate us to love him instead of God? |
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223 | Which proposition is scriptural? | John 3:16 | Parable | 89102 | ||
OK, but I really think you should expound the verses you cite rather than just list them. First, I don't see any connection between "1. God gives us freedom to choose and the ability to walk." and Rom 6:17, 18, 20. Second, regarding Rom 3:11, I did not say we seek a door that leads to God, I said "eventually, we come to a door that leads to Him." I hold that it is by grace that this door appears on our path. Third, regarding Rom 8:28-30, "Only those whom God foreknew will recieve His call and have the desire to enter in", what I said is very similar. "We cannot open the door ourselves, so He opens it for us". I don't see that this verse opposes what I said, in fact, I feel it supports it. Fourth, regarding Mark 13:20 and Eph 1:11, these verses support the idea that Jesus did what was necessary for us to be saved, for us to receive our inheritance as a result of being adopted into His family. That He chose us does not preclude the idea we must also choose Him. As I understand it, predestination is a plan, but not necessarily what happens when free agents are involved. Now, please explain how the verses you cited oppose my analogy or how they support the logical opposite of my analogy, as you suggested with the term "contradict". Thanks, Parable |
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224 | Which proposition is scriptural? | John 3:16 | Parable | 89093 | ||
Tim, Thanks for clarifying this. From this word study, I agree that Paul is saying here that salvation is the gift. This is consistent with what Paul says elsewhere about salvation. Yet, 1 Cor 8:6 says "yet for us there is but one God...from whom all things came..." From this I infer that faith is from God. If not from God, then it is evil, but this is nonsense. And I'm NOT suggesting that this verse teaches that evil is from God. On the contrary, the definition of evil is that which is NOT from God. Evil was not real until it was chosen. Previous to that, it was merely a hypothetical possibility, a risk that was necessary for love to be meaningful, but one that God did not want anyone to actually take. |
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225 | Which proposition is scriptural? | John 3:16 | Parable | 89078 | ||
I appreciate your desire to speak the truth in love and likewise wish to do so in all my conversations about our faith. I respond to your comments: "Contradiction" has a very specific meaning, i.e. to negate or oppose. If you are right, the opposite of my statements should be true. That is: 1. God does NOT give us freedom to choose NOR the ability to walk. 2. We NEVER come to a door that leads to Him. 3. We CAN open that door and He does NOT open it for us. and 4. Our choice to be with Him CANNOT be meaningful and that choice is NOT genuinely ours to make. I don't see how the verses you cite support these statements and I don't see any other places where the bible teaches them. Please explain. Parable. |
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226 | Which proposition is scriptural? | John 3:16 | Parable | 89072 | ||
Certainly this applies, yet in this analogy, it is Christ who knocks and we open the door for Him to walk through it to us. All we do is open the door and let Him in. I think my original analogy was closer to "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you." -- Matthew 7:7 |
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227 | Which proposition is scriptural? | John 3:16 | Parable | 89066 | ||
Heres an analogy of what I believe.... God gives us freedom to choose and the ability to walk. Eventually, we come to a door that leads to Him. We cannot open the door ourselves, so He opens it for us. So that our choice to be with Him (or not) can be meaningful, it must be genuinely ours and ours alone. So, while we depend on God for our freedom to choose and the ability to walk, we are the only ones with the ability to align our will with His or not. |
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228 | Which proposition is scriptural? | John 3:16 | Parable | 89054 | ||
Both are true. Romans 10:10a "For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified..." "that YOU believe" means we do it, not God. However, we cannot believe without faith, which is a gift from God... Ephesians 2:8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- This means that faith is not a work, because all we can do to get it is accept it from God. However, once received, it is ours to embrace, or not, as we choose... 1 Cor 16:13b "stand firm in the faith" Parable. |
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229 | Christ in you the hope of Glory! | Philem 1:6 | Parable | 88376 | ||
My experience has been that the fruits of the Spirit blossom as I surrender myself to the Lord's ongoing work of sanctifying me. Through Him, I discover things about myself that I could never have learned from introspection, pop-psychology or self-discipline, and these truths help clear my path to Him. |
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230 | Christ in you the hope of Glory! | Philem 1:6 | Parable | 88372 | ||
In essence, there is nothing else to tell. Everything we might otherwise say is derived from Him living in us. Parable |
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231 | how to interpret scripture? | 2 Tim 3:16 | Parable | 87501 | ||
Verily. |
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232 | a devotional thot that blessed me | Ps 107:6 | Parable | 87135 | ||
For me, the lesson here is to be open and honest with God, no matter how you feel, and not to censor or stifle yourself before Him. To do so is to willingly restrict your contact with Him, and He has made it clear, He wants ALL of us, not just the politically correct parts. Then, when He does respond in love, it is overwhelming because He is responding to our whole being, not just the parts of ourselves we think we can "manage". This is part of what makes our witness truly powerful for others. | ||||||
233 | how to interpret scripture? | 2 Tim 3:16 | Parable | 87132 | ||
What is the literal interpretation of the following statement? "Mary had a little lamb." Let's start with just three of the possible meanings of the word "had". Mary (possessed) a little lamb. Mary (owned) a little lamb. Mary (ate) a little lamb. For each of these 3 interpretations, there is a variation in overall meaning that depends on the emphasis of the other words. MARY had a little lamb. (Mary, not Martha) Mary HAD a little lamb. (in the past, but not now) Mary had A little lamb. (only one, not many) Mary had a LITTLE lamb. (little, not big) Mary had a little LAMB. (a lamb, not a calf) If the statement is interpreted in non-literal ways, such as secret code, metaphor, allegory, etc, even more meanings can be articulated. Clearly, reliable interpretation depends on the author's purpose and method, the context in which the sentence apprears, the intended audience, skilled translation and the interpreter's perspective. In light of all these issues, some argue that we cannot know the true meaning of the Bible. I disagree, not because these issue are not real, but rather because they are mostly used to justify unbelief. That is, instead of interpreting their experiences in terms of God's truth, some interpret God's truth in terms of their experiences. Instead, we should remain humble, mindful of these issues as we study God's Word, knowing that our shortcomings are usually a result of our seeing only what we want to see. In this way, we can avoid ascribing meanings that happen to fit our agendas, that deceive or confuse us, or that dismiss our sinful acts. Parable |
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234 | Are all sins equal in the eyes of God? | James 2:10 | Parable | 86768 | ||
I suggest the answer to your question lies in the nature of God's perfect holiness, a state in which sin of any kind cannot be present. James 2:10 says "For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it." This point is also emphasized in Romans 3:23 "...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God..." However, we can rejoice in the fact that "...there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus..." -- Romans 8:1 While the practical worldly consequences of sins may vary according to circumstances, in God's eyes all sin is incompatible with His presence. Thus, we need Jesus to cleanse us of all our sin, so we can enter His Presence, so we may participate in the love He has planned for us. However, in Matthew 12:31-32, Jesus says "... every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come." Many theologians understand this in the following way: if you cannot see or refuse to recognize the One who forgives, i.e. the Holy Spirit, then it is logically impossible for you to ask for and receive forgiveness from whom you have offended. That is, if you deny the authority of the Spirit, you cut yourself off from the realm of forgiveness itself. In this sense, I submit the worst sin is to convince yourself that the Holy Spirit is the devil, because this is the ultimate hardness of heart and at some point, God, according to his wisdom, will give you over to your decision. Parable |
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235 | Can the Bible be taken literally? | Bible general Archive 1 | Parable | 86702 | ||
I suggest "Biblical Hermeneutics: A comprehensive introduction to interpreting scripture", 2nd ed. by Corley, Lemke and Lovejoy This is a scholarly treatment and quite demanding, but worth the effort. A simpler approach is this: suggest that your brother read the bible on its own terms, i.e. accepting that it is the word of God because that's what it's authors intend. Then, simply go with that idea and see where it leads, reading without prejudice. If, after reading it fairly, he is not convinced, he can always go back to his previous opinion. I suggest he start with the NT. Also, I recommend The Message, Eugene Peterson's paraphrase because it integrates text with interpretive commentary so the reader need only read it naturally to get the point. It seems that at this point, your brother needs milk, not meat. Parable |
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236 | what is the world made of? | Not Specified | Parable | 84915 | ||
What does the bible say this world is made of, that is, its composition? (I'm not asking for a description of its character or nature at this time.) Please cite specific verses if possible. Parable |
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237 | what is the world made of? | Eph 2:19 | Parable | 84918 | ||
What does the bible say this world is made of, that is, its composition? (I'm not asking for a description of its character or nature at this time.) Please cite specific verses if possible. Parable |
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238 | Does God ever change his mind? | 2 Kin 20:6 | Parable | 84726 | ||
Christians don't have all the answers. Peace, Parable |
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239 | Does God ever change his mind? | 2 Kin 20:6 | Parable | 84622 | ||
I pray He answers you gently. Along those lines, perhaps you might find Quakerism more to your liking. The Society of Friends have jettisoned almost everything associated with Christianity, except a deep mystical relationship with God and a devoted service to mankind. Some scholars consider Quakerism a third form of Christianity, not catholic nor protestant, while others consider them to be heretics. Just a thought. Peace, Parable. |
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240 | Does God ever change his mind? | 2 Kin 20:6 | Parable | 84572 | ||
I respond: 1. This thread was restricted for the simple reason you failed to comply with the conditions set by the owner for the privilege of posting to this electronic resource. Of course, it is a judgement call on their part after someone reports abuse, but as owners, they have the right to exercise this kind of discretion. They also have the right to terminate subcriptions, which they have not done, to their credit. 2. There is no doubt I am a hypocrite. I continually fall short of living the ideals I aspire to live. As Paul says, "I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do." -- Romans 7:15 3. Regarding following blindly, I agree that from the outside, it appears this way. But again "so we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." 2 Cor 4:18. Have you ever looked at one of those Magic Eye Posters that have a 3D image encoded in the pattern? To the untrained eye, it appears abstract and meaningless, but to those who know how to fix their eyes, the 3D image jumps right off the page. The first time I tried it, I saw nothing, but after encouragement from others, and faith there was something to see, I persevered. Then, after much effort, I was able to control my focus and suddenly the 3D image jumped right off the page. All it took was learning how to use my eyes in a different way. 4. Regarding our study, it is because truth is important that we strive to understand it accurately and sharing our insights is one way we "work out" (Php 2:12) our salvation, participating in God's work in us. 5. I believe your confusion may be a result of trying to derive faith with logic. The problem with that is logic depends on faith. That is, there is no logical reason to use logic; we do so because we believe it is the best way to make decisions. There are some truths that cannot be derived and if we cling to logic as our only means of understanding truth, there are many truths we will not be able to understand or accept. God's truth is like that. That doesn't mean God is not logical; indeed, as scientist, I see His perfect order in creation. But there are aspects of His nature that we cannot capture with our limited intellect, so we must use other aspects of our nature in order to relate to Him. We must employ that part of ourselves that leads us to trust logic, intuition, insight. That part of ourselves we experience when we are convicted by truth. 6. Regarding Satan, you seem to agree with scripture. But, Satan is not the author of Christianity. Jesus explained why this makes no sense when he said "Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand." -- Mat 12:25 7. Regarding your church, there may be problems working behind the scenes, leading to an unhealthy situation. Perhaps you might visit other churches, talk to other pastors about your concerns. You may not be the only person who feels this way about your church. If so, it may be the problem is with them, and not so much with you. |
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