Results 3001 - 3020 of 3133
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Results from: Answers On or After: Thu 12/31/70 Author: Makarios Ordered by Date |
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Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
3001 | Thus says the LORD, For three transgress | Amos 1:1 | Makarios | 8046 | ||
Actually, your question focuses on Amos 1:3 instead of 1:1. :) For Amos 1:3, The MacArthur NKJV Study Bible suggests, "'For three transgressions...for four.' This rhetorical device is repeated in each of the 8 messages, differing from a similar pattern used elsewhere. They are specific mathematical enumerations (e.g., Prov. 30:15,18,21,29), emphasizing that each nation was being visited for an incalculable number of infractions. With 3, the cup of iniquity was full; with 4 it overflowed. This judgment was to fall on Syria, whose capital is Damascus." Ryrie's Expanded Study Bible states, "'I will not revoke.' I will not interfere with. The Arameans of Damascus literally threshed and mangled the bodies of prisoners under heavily studded threshing sledges. In the case of the surrounding nations on which Amos pronounced doom, only one sin is named; in Israel's case, seven are listed (2:6-8, 12)." Nelson's NKJV Study Bible adds, "'For three . . . and for four': This stylistic device indicated the exhaustion of God's patience- the Syrians had continued to sin, again and again. This device is repeated as Amos speaks God's words against nation after sinful nation. The transgressions of the neighbors of Israel and Judah were against the general revelation, or "law of nature," that all people recognize and acknowledge. Since the neighboring nations had not received God's special revelation, as Israel had at Mount Sinai, Amos's oracles did not call them to account by that standard, but by the standard they had received. Damascus was the capital of Syria (also called Aram), a powerful kingdom that had been a frequent adversary of Israel throughout its history. Israelites listening to Amos would have been glad to hear of God's punishment of Damascus. Gilead was the region on the east side of the Jordan from the Yarmuk River to the Dead Sea. It had belonged to Israel since they had taken over the land, but Aram often had fought Israel for possession of northern Gilead, gaining control there in Israel's times of military weakness. Threshed . . . with implements of iron indicates extreme cruelty and inhumanity in warfare." |
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3002 | How many? | Gen 7:23 | Makarios | 8045 | ||
Good question Cephas.. The closest that we could ever come to knowing exactly how many people populated the earth before the flood is by considering the geneaologies of the families upon the earth at that time (Gen. 4-5), and taking into account the length of time that existed between the fall of mankind and the flood. But even then, we couldn't come up with an answer that we could all agree on, since the lifespans of the human race (900 years for some) and other factors of this era would make such a calculation 'suspect' at best. But we DO know the number of people that were saved from the flood! The answer to that question is '8' (Gen. 7:13) :) -Nolan |
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3003 | What does standing in the gap mean? | Ezek 22:30 | Makarios | 8042 | ||
Good question, daffy! This verse mentions "standing in the gap" and puts it into context as far as its meaning towards Israel. There was no man who could be found who would stand up for righteousness and intercede for Israel! This helps to describe the functions of a true prophet for Israel. After reviewing this verse, Ezekiel 22:30, in the Zondervan's NASB Study Bible, we are led to Psalms 106:23, where Moses successfully "stood in the gap" for Israel, turning away God's judgment (Ex. 32:11-14, 31-32). If we can take Moses' example here and learn from what he did, then I believe that we can gain a better meaning of what "standing in the gap" is all about! In this way, Moses functioned as a true 'prophet' for Israel by interceding for his people before God and accepting the responsibility for their sin on himself. However, in Ezekiel's time, there was "no one" like Moses to be found. Why not Ezekiel himself? See Ezekiel 3:17-21; 33:1-6. A qualified leader is useless if the people refuse to be led. MacArthur's NKJV Study Bible adds, "'So I sought for a man.' Ezekiel and Jeremiah were faithful, but apart from them God sought a man capable of advocacy for Israel when its sin had gone so far. But no one could lead the people to repentance and draw the nation back from the brink of the judgment that came in 586 B.C. (Jer. 7:26,36; 19:15). Only God's Messiah, God Himself, will have the character and the credentials sufficient to do what no man can do, intercede for Israel (cf. Isaiah 59:16-19; 63:5; Rev. 5). He was rejected by them in His earthly ministry, so the effects of this judgment continue today, until they turn to Him in faith (cf. Zechariah 12:10; 13:1)." |
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3004 | What is a tent-maker? | Acts 18:3 | Makarios | 8002 | ||
Dear brother charis, I never got back with you on this question, and now I am taking the time to do so! :) Are there 'tent-makers' today? The occupation of a 'tent-maker' has been well documented. However, if we dig a little bit deeper here and see what a tent-maker did- was to build homes! Since Paul was a tent-maker (and the best one at that), he totally redefined the profession by "building homes where people worship"! And in fact, he went everywhere ministering the Gospel! So in a sense, Paul was the greatest 'tent-maker' that there was, by reaching people for Christ and redefining the whole role and occupation of what a 'tent-maker' was by sharing the gospel. If we view a 'tent-maker' in this light, then yes, there are 'tent-makers' here today indeed! Billy Graham would be considered as one. So would any lay minister who lives a spirit-filled life boldly in the presence of non-believers! All believers are ministers of the Gospel and we should take our 'profession' seriously! :) Blessings charis! |
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3005 | How many times to ask same question? | Bible general Archive 1 | Makarios | 7744 | ||
Good point and I agree, JVH0212.. I think everything on and about the "Sabbath" has been covered very extensively and there is hardly constructive debate or new information that can be added here. | ||||||
3006 | Do you rest on the Sabbath? | Col 2:16 | Makarios | 7741 | ||
"True worship means focusing on the Lord rather than ourselves. The Israelites were commanded to devote one day out of seven to focus on God (Ex. 20:8-11). To do that, they were told to cease from their normal labors, just as God ceased, or paused, from His work or creation on the seventh day (Gen. 2:1-3). Christians are not bound to keep the Sabbath, but they are commanded to worship the Lord together (Heb. 10:19-25), and traditionally this has occurred on the first day of the week (1 Cor. 16:2)." Nelson's "What Does the Bible Say About?" pg. 353 -Nolan |
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3007 | Do you do something that are not "good"? | Ex 20:8 | Makarios | 7728 | ||
We should do all things for the sake of the gospel(1 Corinthians 9:23). | ||||||
3008 | Is Deception Ever Justifiable? | Ex 3:18 | Makarios | 7721 | ||
Yes!! But I need to qualify what I mean. On one hand, Scripture forbids lying (Ex. 20:16). Lying is viewed as a sin (Psalm 59:12) and is an abomination to God (Proverbs 12:22). God never lies (Numbers 23:19). Righteous men hate lying (Proverbs 13:5). On the other hand, there are Scriptures which indicate that under certain circumstances, lying is not condemned. For example, though the Hebrew midwives were commanded by the Egyptian Pharaoh to let newborn baby boys die, the midwives disobeyed the Pharaoh and lied to him when questioned about it (Exodus 1:15-19). To the Hebrew midwives, lifesaving was higher on the ethical scale than truthtelling. God not only did not condemn the midwives for lying, He was kind to them for their merciful act (see verse 20). A more recent example would be the numerous Christians who lied to the Nazis in order to protect Jews from being captured and exterminated. In such cases lying is permissible because lifesaving is a higher ethic than truthtelling. |
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3009 | Nolan where was the leader in all of thi | Acts 5:34 | Makarios | 7719 | ||
Actually, the "leader" of the family is the wife of the man who leads the worship! You see, the man gives the lesson on Sunday mornings and provides Scripture that is based upon the Bible, this man coming from a Wesleyan/Methodist background. But the 'deceiving' comes when the family carries out their pursuits, or when they 'try to help' these other people by 'adopting' them and providing them with their own views of Scripture (and impressing that upon them) and trying to 'right' the 'wrong' in their lives. And this is accomplished solely through the woman- the wife of the man who leads the worship. It is through these 'ideas' and their mentality of making a new neighborhood of people in the land that they own so that these people could all join in their worship and be considered as 'family'.. It sounds a bit too 'cultish' for me, and I will not involve myself with them any further. The idea of starting new churches and planting new churches is a good idea! But a lot must be said of where tradition plays into the idea of church growth- tradition being a formidable ally that protects against many false teachings that may flare up. But tradition, if practiced 'religiously' and not compared closely with Scripture, can also be a sword, leading people astray (a.k.a. the Catholic Church). |
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3010 | Why was Ishmael in defiance of his peop | Gen 25:18 | Makarios | 7683 | ||
Astute observation, prayon! It is interesting to note that the NASB, NIV, ASV, RSV and others render this verse as "in defiance", whereas the NKJV and Amplified simply state, "He died in the presence of all his brethren." "in defiance of" could also mean "to the east of". If we look back at Genesis 16:12, we see that Ishmael will indeed live "to the east of all his brothers." However, if "in defiance of" is correct, the hostility that existed between Sarai and Hagar (Gen. 16:4-6) was passed on to their descendants (Genesis 25:18), and to the present day- the Ishmaelites representing the Arab Muslim people, and 'his brothers' representing the Jews. Good question! -Nolan |
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3011 | Nolan were these new converts? | Acts 5:34 | Makarios | 7682 | ||
The two other people that I had mentioned had previous knowledge and experience in church, but they were nominal Christians, much like the norm in today's society. When you aren't deeply rooted in the faith and don't know entirely of what you believe, then it would be that much easier to deceive you! This was especially true of these other two people, and their need for worship was (and is) met by a feeling of 'family' or being a part of the group. They didn't seek after a church, but decided to become their 'own' church and following their own ideas. At times, they questioned these ideas and wondered about them, but they knew that if they did too much so, that they would be excluded from the group. Are they more willing to follow what they find out to be the truth or be a part of the group or 'family'? If they are not 'deeply rooted' or don't know what they believe, then it doesn't take much to deceive them again and again, all the while they are thinking that they are being 'taken care of'.. Thanks EdB! I appreciate the discussion! | ||||||
3012 | What To Do With Gossips and Lazy People | 2 Thess 3:11 | Makarios | 7681 | ||
Good question, Steve! This verse deals with people who gossip or who do not work, or are meddling in the affairs of others.. Verse 14 says that these "idlers" are to be ostracized from the company of believers in order to shame them into changing their ways. This is not a formal excommunication but group disapproval and social ostracism. The goal of this 'discipline' here is reformation and restoration of the offender. | ||||||
3013 | Death of death? | Rev 20:14 | Makarios | 7652 | ||
Cephas, here's a few sources on Rev. 20:14... Nelson's NKJV Study Bible.. "Death and Hades refers not only to dying, but to existence beyond the grave (Rev. 1:18; 6:8). The picture here is of all intermediate abodes of human bodies giving them up to God's judgment. While unbelieving humanity is judged according to its works, Death and Hades, the Lord's final enemy (see 1 Cor. 15:26), is also destroyed by being cast into the lake of fire. The second death is spiritual and eternal, the just punishment of the wicked. The first death is physical dying. Both are included in the overall meaning of the death that came upon the human race because of Adam and Eve's sin (see Gen. 2:16,17; 3:1-19; Rom. 5:12)." The MacArthur Study Bible (NKJV) comments on Rev. 1:18, "Death and Hades are essentially synonyms, but death is the condition and Hades, equivalent to the OT Sheol, the place of the dead." The Oxford Annotated RSV states, "Death and Hades (the temporary abode of the dead) are personified." Matthew Henry's Commentary on this verse states, "All those who have made a covenant with death, and an agreement with hell, shall then be condemned with their infernal confederates, cast with them into the lake of fire, as not being entitled to eternal life, according to the rules laid down in the scripture..." Hope this helps.. -Nolan |
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3014 | What is an apostate? | 2 Thess 2:3 | Makarios | 7650 | ||
The MacArthur Study Bible includes a "Profile of an Apostate" on page 1987 in the Book of Jude.. Profile of an Apostate 1. Ungodly (Jude 4) 2. Morally perverted (Jude 4) 3. Deny Christ (Jude 4) 4. Defile the flesh (Jude 8) 5. Rebellious (Jude 8) 6. Revile holy angels (Jude 8) 7. Dreamers (Jude 10) 8. Ignorant (Jude 10) 9. Corrupted (Jude 10) 10. Grumblers (Jude 16) 11. Fault finders (Jude 16) 12. Self seeking (Jude 16) 13. Arrogant speakers (Jude 16) 14. Flatterers (Jude 16) 15. Mockers (Jude 18) 16. Cause division (Jude 19) 17. Worldly minded (Jude 19) 18. Without the Spirit (Jude 19) Enjoy! -Nolan |
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3015 | Father and Son's interactive relations? | John 14:28 | Makarios | 7637 | ||
Dear Brent, you asked a great question! I realize that we may know as many facts as possible (that the Father sent the Son, etc.) but we know little about what happens as far as their personal interaction is concerned.. However, I am willing to venture that we know more than we think that we do based on our knowledge of God's nature. First of all, God is love and the Father and the Son love each other (John 5:20) and speak to each other (John 8:47; 11:41,42), so we can conclude that the Father and Son speak to each other in love. The Father and Son share the same nature as God, so much so that the Father knows the Son and the Son knows the Father (John 10:15).. When the Father and Son communicate, the Son intercedes for us to the Father, he is our advocate to the Father (1 John 2:1). So at least we know of a little of what is said between them, a little more of their interaction. Also, we can look at John 17, Hebrews 1:5-14 and Luke 9:29-36 for examples of interaction between the Father and the Son, what the Father says to the Son or what the Son says to the Father.. I know that my previous answer was a bit 'academic' rather than focusing on the relationship between Father and Son, but I hope that I have at least helped to get back on the 'right track' with what you were asking in your original post. Thanks Brent, and I look forward to seeing more about the interaction between the Father and Son. |
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3016 | What drew him to the group? | Acts 5:34 | Makarios | 7604 | ||
However, the other two members, a young woman about my age (25) and an older woman, were both drawn to the family because of charm, a feeling of being included and a desire to be accepted. This pretty much is the reason that they are sticking to this family so closely. I'm not sure if the Lord has called me to try to pull them away from the family also, but I know that there is no 'avenue' or way of contacting those other people without going through the family first. And I know without any doubt that I should not subject myself to their influence again, even though I am considered by others as 'solid' in my faith. | ||||||
3017 | What drew him to the group? | Acts 5:34 | Makarios | 7603 | ||
What originally drove this man to the family and for them to accept him and for him to be accepted by them was just out of love for his wife. This man and his wife were living together as a married couple should. However, they began to experience problems and his wife mentioned those problems to the 'woman leader' of this family at her workplace. This woman was really the 'head' of the family, making the decisions and her husband, the pastor of their non-denominational church, was the one who carried out the 'plans'. So this woman began to gain an influence with this man's wife and persuaded them that they should be apart. This led to the man's wife to move into this family's house. She stayed there for about a year until she finally moved out of their house and in with her mother and father's home (the wife of my friend). And this man merely went over there and 'became' a part of their family just to see his wife! But they were being deceived all along, and the family began to say negative things about his wife, hoping to keep them apart. And he went along with it! He was swept away by their deception, breaking his wife's heart. And he was this way until I asked him what was going on, and he told me. Then we came to the realization that the family was deceiving him and trying to plant a 'wedge' between this man (my friend) and his wife. Now they are back together and healing their marriage by keeping their focus on Jesus Christ. I visit them every so often, trying to minister to them in any way that I can. They are my friends will always be, even though I've only known them for a short while. They are very weary of who they trust! But I am thankful that I have attained that place in their hearts. They were even speaking of possibly having children together the last time I visited them! I go that way every weekend, and it is on my way to church. Please feel free to ask any questions. I'm glad that you found this interesting! -Nolan |
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3018 | detailed explanation of John 19:30 | John 19:30 | Makarios | 7601 | ||
Hello Larry and blessings! John 19:30 is commented upon in Ryrie's Study Bible as follows.. "'It is finished!' Receipts for taxes found in the papyri have written across them this single Greek word, which means "paid in full." The price for our redemption from sin was paid in full by our Lord's death." The MacArthur Study Bible (NKJV) puts it this way, "The verb here carries the idea of fulfilling one's task and, in religious contexts, has the idea of fulfilling one's religious obligations (see John 17:4). The entire work of redemption had been brought to completion. The single Greek word here (translated 'it is finished') has been found in the papyri being placed on receipts for taxes meaning 'paid in full' (see Col. 3:13,14)." Nelson's NKJV Study Bible suggests, "Having fulfilled every command of the Father and every prophecy of Scripture, Jesus voluntarily died. This was not a cry of exhaustion, but of completion." The NIV Study Bible suggests, "Apparently the loud cry of Matthew 27:50; Mark 15:37. Jesus died as a victor and had completed what he came to do." Here are some 'probing questions' from the Serendipity New Testament for Groups... "From here and throughout John's gospel, we see that Jesus' death has special pardoxical meaning: In what sense was Jesus' death necessary yet voluntary? Triumphant but tragic? Pre-ordained yet avoidable? Lifted up yet laid down? Unjust yet just? Finished yet ongoing? What evidence and testimony certify Jesus' death? What else could "the flow of blood and water" mean (see Exodus 12:7, 12-13; John 4:10, 7:37-38)? Reflect: In your own spiritual journey, when did you come to understand the meaning of the death of Christ? What did you think the death of Christ was all about before this? In a few words, how has the death of Jesus Christ affected your reason for living? (read Romans 5:6-8 and 6:19-23.)" Hope this helps for your lesson. -Nolan |
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3019 | Father and Son's relationship to E.O.? | John 14:28 | Makarios | 7600 | ||
Jesus is in no way a 'lesser God' than the Father. In Isaiah 10:21, Yahweh Himself is called "Mighty God", which obliterates any suggestion that the expression must refer to a lesser deity as opposed to "Almighty God". Also, there is only one "Mighty God", as seen in Isaiah 44:6,8 and 45:5. It is highly revealing to note that in Isaiah 40:3, Jesus is called both Yahweh and Elohim in the same verse: "In the desert prepare the way for the LORD [Yahweh]; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God [Elohim]." This verse was written in reference to the future ministry of Jesus Christ (John 1:23), and represents one of the strongest affirmations of Christ's deity in the Old Testament. Scripture is also clear that in His divine nature, Jesus is omniscient- just as omniscient as the Father is. The apostle John said that Jesus "did not need man's testimony about man, for he knew what was in a man" (John 2:25). Jesus' disciples said, "Now we can see that you know all things" (16:30). After the Resurrection, when Jesus asked Peter for the third time if Peter loved him, Peter responded: "Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you" (21:17). Jesus knew just where the fish were in the water (Luke 5:4-6, John 21:6-11), and He knew just which fish contained the coin (Matt. 17:27; John 7:29, 8:55, 10:15, 17:25). Jesus was omniscient just like His Father in heaven. In John 14:28, is Jesus saying that the Father is greater than He? Not at all. Jesus is not speaking in this verse about His nature or His essential being (Christ had earlier said, "I and the Father are one" in John 10:30) but is rather speaking of His lowly position in the Incarnation. The Athanasian Creed affirms that Christ is "equal to the Father as touching his Godhood and inferior to the Father as touching his manhood." The Father was seated in heaven upon the throne of highest majesty while His incarnate Son was despised and rejected of men, soon to be nailed to a criminal's cross. It is from this perspective that Jesus could say that the Father is 'greater' than Him. In His divine nature, Jesus was fully equal to the Father. But in his humanity, Christ could say that the Father was 'His God' (John 20:17). Also, Christ and the Father are utterly equal in their divine being (John 10:30), though Jesus is functionally under the Father's headship (1 Cor. 11:3). There is no contradiction in affirming both an equality of being and a functional subordination among the Persons in the Godhead. Christ in His divine nature is fully equal to the Father, though relationally (or functionally) He is subordinate or submissive to the Father. Also, Jesus is called the 'firstborn' in Colossians 1:15. Christ is the 'firstborn of creation' in the sense that He is positionally preeminent over creation and is supreme over all things. He is also the "heir" of all creation in the sense that all that is the Father's is also the Son's. Revelation 3:14 says that Christ is "the Beginning of God's creation".. This refers to Christ as the 'active beginning of the creation, the One who caused the creation, referring to Jesus Christ not as a created being, but the One who created all things (John 1:3). Jesus is the architect of all creation (Colossians 1:16, Hebrews 1:2). God is both the beginner and consummation of creation. He is the first cause of creation; He is its final goal. Sorry for 'skipping around' so much.. I was trying to put a method to all of my 'mind wanderings'.. :) -Nolan |
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3020 | Any deceptions stories out there? | Acts 5:34 | Makarios | 7595 | ||
Here's a deception story.. (as we all sit around the campfire.. :) ) I met a family for the first time one Saturday afternoon in February this year that lives about an hour from me. This family was starting their own non-denominational church and they were currently 'mentoring' three people- leading them in their Christian maturity by being 'parental figures' to them and by sharing the Bible with them at their home church on Sundays. One of those three people met me at my church one Sunday and he took a liking to me instantly, saying that he thought that I was a 'real' Christian. So I met this guy and we became friends and he invited me over on a Saturday to meet his 'family'.. Well, I met the family and they also saw that I was a 'strong' Christian. They were also mentoring a young woman about my age, and (little did I know) that they began plans for us to date and court each other. So I became friends with this family and spent some time with them. But I noticed little things along the way about what they said and things that they did that were not according to the full line of thinking of Christianity. For instance, the man that I met who lead me to the family had been separated from his wife, and the family kept them apart so that they could 'mature in faith' before coming back together again, and they made them sign a contract and wear rings on their fingers to designate that contract.. So the family was nice to me at first, but then denounced my Conservative Mennonite Church and voiced their disapproval of it. So I took that as good criticism and not as something that would discourage me from attending. However, they were deceptive in not telling me their 'plans' for me. A little bit later, they approached me and asked me if I would wear a ring as a 'sign' of my singleness, and I carefully turned them down. But the alarm had been set off in my mind, and I began to avoid the family. Then I was able to meet the man at my house so I could get the 'full' story about him and his wife. So he told me all the details, explaining to me how they kept them apart.. Then it became clear to both of us that the family was actually slowly driving a wedge between this man and his wife (who were Christians)! So we got rid of everything that had to do with this family and we abandoned their way of thinking, which was not Christian at all.. In a way, this man credits me for helping to get him and his wife away from the deception of this family. I call him every week and keep contact with him. And today, he is now back with his Christian wife, attending my church, and will never have any part of that family again. He calls me a true brother in Christ, and I have gained his trust. I haven't mentioned his name here, but if he ever sees this, he will attest to its authenticity. |
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